Dr. Shikha Gurnani

Sexually Transmitted Diseases/ infections (or STD/I's) are at unprecedented and epidemic proportions. 45 years of the sexual revolution is paying an ugly dividend. While a few STDs can be transmitted apart from sex acts, all are transmissible by the exchange of bodily fluids during intimate sexual contact. I want to discuss the severity of the problem as well as what must be done if we are to save a majority of the next generation from the shame, infertility, and sometimes death, that may result from STDs.

Today, there are approximately 30 STIs. A few can be fatal. Many women are living in fear of what their future may hold as a result of STD infection. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Indians between the ages of 15 and 55 are currently infected with one or more STDs, and 19 million Indians are newly infected out of which 63% are in people less than 25 years
This epidemic is a recent phenomenon. However, most of these diseases were not around 20 to 30 years ago. Prior to 1960, there were only two significant sexually transmitted diseases: syphilis and gonorrhea. Both were easily treatable with antibiotics. In the sixties and seventies this relatively stable situation began to change. For example, in 1976, chlamydia first appeared in increasing numbers in the India. Chlamydia, particularly dangerous to women, is now the most common STD in the country. Then in 1981, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus which causes AIDS, was identified. By early 1993, between 4and 5million Indians were infected with AIDS, over 12 million were infected worldwide, and over 160,000 had died in India alone. Over 10% of the total indian population, 30 million people, are infected with herpes.
In 1985, human papilloma virus (HPV), began to increase. This virus will result in venereal warts and will often lead to deadly cancers. In 1990, penicillin resistant-strains of gonorrhea were present in all fifty states. 
By 1992 syphilis was at a 40-year high. As of 1993, pelvic inflammatory disease (PIV), which is almost always caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia, was affecting 1 million new women each year. This includes 16,000 to 20,000 teenagers. This complication causes pelvic pain and infertility and is the leading cause of hospitalization for women, apart from pregnancy, during the childbearing years. 
Pelvic inflammatory disease can result in scarred fallopian tubes which block the passage of a fertilized egg. The fertilized egg, therefore, cannot pass on to the uterus and the growing embryo will cause the tube to rupture. By 1990, there was a 400% increase in tubal pregnancies, most of which were caused by STDs. Even worse is the fact that 80% of those infected with an STD don't know it and will unwittingly infect their next sexual partner.

The Medical Facts of STDs:
Syphilis is a terrible infection. In its first stage, the infected individual may be lulled into thinking there is little wrong since the small sore will disappear in 2 to 8 weeks. The second and third stages are progressively worse and can eventually lead to brain, heart, and blood vessel damage if not diagnosed and treated.
Chlamydia, a disease which only became common in the mid-1970s, infects 20 to 40% of some sexually active groups including teenagers. In men, chlamydia is usually less serious; with females, however, the infection can be devastating. An acute chlamydia infection in women will result in pain, fever, and damage to female organs. A silent infection can damage a woman's fallopian tubes without her ever knowing it. A single chlamydia infection can result in a 25% chance of infertility. With a second infection, the chance of infertility rises to 50%. This is double the risk of gonorrhea. 
The human papilloma virus, or HPV, is an extremely common and rapidly growing. 46% of the sexually active coeds were infected with HPV. Another study reported that 38% of the sexually active females between the ages of 15 and 21 were infected. HPV is the major cause of venereal warts; it can be an extremely difficult problem to treat and may require expensive procedures such as laser surgery. 
The human papilloma virus can result in precancer or cancer of the genitalia. By causing cancer of the cervix, this virus is killing more women in this country than AIDS, or over 6,600 women in 1991. HPV can also result in painful intercourse for years after infection even though other visible signs of disease have disappeared.
And of course there is the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. The first few cases of AIDS were only discovered in 1981.

While the progress of the disease is slow for many people, all who have the virus will be infected for the rest of their life. There is no cure, and many researchers are beginning to despair of ever coming up with a cure or even a vaccine (as was eventually done with polio). In 1992, 1 in 75 men was infected with HIV and 1 in 700 women. But the number of women with AIDS is growing. In the early years of the epidemic less than 2% of the AIDS cases were women. Now the percentage is 22% 

Teenagers Face a Greater Risk from STDs
Teenagers are particularly susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases or STDs. This fact is alarming since more teens are sexually active today than ever before. An entire generation is at risk and the saddest part about it is that most of them are unaware of the dangers they face. Our teenagers must be given the correct information to help them realize that saving themselves sexually until marriage is the only way to stay healthy. 
The medical reasons for teens' high susceptibility to STDs specifically relates to females. The cervix of a teenage girl has a lining which produces mucus that is a great growth medium for viruses and bacteria. As a girl reaches her 20s or has a baby, this lining is replaced with a tougher, more resistant lining. Also during the first two years of menstruation, 50% of the periods occur with-out ovulation. This will produce a more liquid mucus which also grows bacteria and viruses very well. A 15-year-old girl has a 1-in-8 chance of developing pelvic inflammatory disease simply by having sex, whereas a 24-year-old woman has only a 1- in-80 chance in that situation. 
Teenagers do not always respond to antibiotic treatment for pelvic inflammatory disease, and occasionally such teenage girls require a hysterectomy. Teenage infertility is also an increasing problem. In 1965, only 3.6% of the married couples between ages 20 and 24 were infertile; by 1982, that figure had nearly tripled to 10.6%. The infertility rate is surely higher than that now with the alarming spread of chlamydia.
Teenagers are also more susceptible to human papilloma virus, HPV. Rates of HPV infection in teenagers can be as high as 40%, whereas in the adult population, the rate is less than 25%. Teenagers are also more likely than adults to develop precancerous growths as a result of HPV infection, and they are more likely to develop pelvic inflammatory disease. 
Apart from the increased risk from STDs in teens, teenage pregnancy is also at unprecedented levels, over 1 million pregnancies, and 400,000 abortions in 1985. Abortion is not a healthy procedure for anyone to undergo, especially a teenager. It is far better to have not gotten pregnant. Oral contraceptives are not as effective with teenagers, mainly because teens are more apt to forget to take the pill. Over a one-year period, as many as 9 to 18% of teenage girls using oral contraceptives become pregnant.
Our teenagers are at great risk. In a society that has abandoned God's design for healthy meaningful sexual expression within marriage, our children need to be told the truth about the dangers of STDs. 
Is "Safe Sex" Really the Answer?
We must now take a hard look at the message of "safe sex" which is being taught to teens through the media across the country. 
Some people believe that if teens can be taught how to use contraception and condoms effectively, that rates of pregnancy and STD infection will be reduced dramatically. It is significant to note that condoms, the hero of the "safe sex" message, provided virtually no protection from STDs. 
Will condoms prevent HIV infection, the virus that causes AIDS? While it is better than nothing, the bottom line is that condoms cannot be trusted. 
Condoms do not even provide 100% protection for the purpose for which they were designed: prevention of pregnancy. One study from the School of Medicine Family Planning clinic reported that 25% of patients using condoms as birth control conceived over a one-year period. Other studies indicate that the rate of accidental pregnancy from condom-protected intercourse is around 15% with married couples and 36% for unmarried couples. 
Condoms are inherently untrustworthy. The FDA allows one in 250 to be defective. Condoms are often stored and shipped at unsafe temperatures which weakens the integrity of the latex rubber causing breaks and ruptures. Condoms will break 8% of the time and slip off 7% of the time. There are just so many pitfalls in condom use that you just can't expect immature teenagers to use them properly. And even if they do, they are still at Risk in addition, programs that emphasize condoms tend to give a false sense of security to sexually active students and make those students who are not having sex feel abnormal. Hardly the desired result!
The list of damages from unmarried adolescent sexual activity is long indeed. Apart from the threat to physical health and fertility, there is damage to family relationships, self-confidence and emotional health, spiritual health, and future economic opportunities due to unplanned pregnancy. Condom-based sex-education does not work. 
Saving Sex for Marriage is the Common 
Diseases such as chlamydia, human papilloma virus, herpes, hepatitis B, trichomonas, pelvic inflammatory disease, and AIDS have joined syphilis and gonorrhea in just the last 30 years. There is no question that the fruits of the sexual revolution have been devastating. I have also shown how our teenagers are at a greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases than are adults and that sex-education based on condom use is ineffective and misleading. There is only one message that offers health, hope, and joy to today's teenagers. We need to teach single people to save intercourse for marriage. 
Sex is a wonderful gift, but if uncontrolled, it has a great capacity for evil as well as good. Our bodies were not made to have multiple sex partners. Almost all risk of STD and out of wedlock pregnancy can be avoided by saving intercourse for marriage. And it can be done. 

Delaying intercourse until teens are older is not a naive proposal. Over 50% of the females and 40% of the males ages 15 to 19 have not had intercourse. While not a majority, they are living proof that teens can control their sexual desires. Current condom-based sex-education programs basically teach teenagers that they cannot control their sexual desires, and that they must use condoms to protect themselves. It is not a big leap from teenagers being unable to control their sexual desires to being unable to control their hate, greed, anger, and prejudice. This is not the right message for our teenagers! Teenagers are willing to discipline themselves for things they want and desire and are convinced about. Our teens can also be disciplined in their sexual lives if they have the right information to make logical choices. Saving sex for marriage is the common sense solution. In fact, it is the only solution. We don't hesitate to tell our kids not to use drugs, and most don't. We tell our kids it's unhealthy to smoke, and most do not.
It is normal and healthy not to have sex until marriage. Sexually transmitted diseases are so common that it is not an exaggeration to say that most people who regularly have sex outside of marriage will contract a sexually transmitted disease. Not only is saving sex for marriage the only real hope for sexual health, it is God's design. God has said that our sexuality is to blossom within the confines of a mutually faithful monogamous relationship. What we are seeing today is the natural consequence of disobedience. We need to reeducate our kids not just in what is best, but in what is right and abstinence is right.

All women have two ovaries located on either side of the uterus. They are fundamental for the process of child birth. However ovarian cysts have emerged as major problems which most women suffer from. In this, small pockets filled with fluids develop on the surface or within the ovaries. Though they are generally harmless, often times disappearing without any treatment, they do have the potential to create complications during child birth. Treatment of ovarian cysts depends on the size and the quantity of the cysts. 

Some of the treatments available are-

1. Patience and a careful watch
In case medical examinations reveal tiny cysts, patience can be the key word. If you did not suffer from perceptible symptoms and the cysts were revealed only through tests, you must follow it with regular visits to the doctor. Few medications and regular ultrasound examinations are all you need in such a case.

2. Contraceptives
Birth control pills or contraceptives may be sometimes prescribed to you as possible medications to treat the cysts. Regular administering of these medicines deters the possibility of further development of cysts.  They also benefit greatly in reducing the possibilities of suffering from ovarian cancer in the future.

3. Operations
In case the tests reveal large cysts, operations or surgical removal of them may be the only possible solution.  Operations are generally suggested if the cysts have persisted for a long time and are accompanied by terrible pain in the lower abdomen.

4. Ovarian cystectomy 
This is performed when the ovaries are kept intact and only the cysts are carefully removed.

5. Oophorectomy
In this form of surgery, only the ovary that is affected with the cysts is removed, while the other is kept intact. Both the ovaries might also have to be surgically removed if they are found to be affected.

6. Hysterectomy and subsequent removal of fallopian tubes and uterus
This is done when the cysts developed have the potential of becoming cancer us. In such a situation, an extreme measure is adopted with the complete removal of the ovaries along with the uterus and fallopian tubes. This is done in order to prevent the subsequent spreading of cancer. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

You probably think that things can go wrong during a surgery only and not to post surgery. However, you are wrong! The chances of infection after a surgery are very high and it used to be the highest cause of unsuccessful surgeries in the past, before it was known just how deadly an infection could be. A doctor, however, cannot monitor everything afterwards. Therefore, it is crucial you know and take care of yourself after the surgery.

Here are some ways in which you can do so:

1. Keep it dry: It is crucial that you keep the incision dry for whatever period of time the doctor tells you as otherwise the chances of infection increase dramatically. Some of the things you should do to keep it dry is to not take a bath, scrub the incisions or put lotions on it. In fact, you should also not expose it to sunlight.
2. Keep the incisions: You must trust your doctor as the doctor is trained and usually knows things better than you. Therefore, if the doctor tells you to keep the incisions, then keep them. Do not scrub, rub or put powder on them either.
3. Check for signs of infection: This may be the easiest thing to do as there are many symptoms of an infection. These include a change in the color, size, or odor of the incision, fever, redness, hardening or heating of the surrounding area or in extreme cases more bleeding and pain than usual.
4. Changing a dressing: This is a major cause of infections among surgery patients and the only way to prevent it is to follow the doctor's instructions. Once again, trust your doctor and remember to wash your hands and put on medical gloves. Do not put alcohol, iodine or hydrogen peroxide either. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a General Surgeon.

Fish is one of the great things for your heart and as the saying goes what is good for your heart is good for sex. We should add fish to our meals and have some sort of fish at least once a week. Salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA. These are great to help elevate the dopamine levels in the brain which help trigger arousal. Studies further show that high levels of Omega-3 help a person be happier and more at ease, which in turn helps them with arousal and sex.

Apart from these benefits omega 3 lowers the symptoms of depression which is a major source of sexual health problems. It also helps with better brain function, heart arrhythmias, blood clots ,better brain function, and protection against dementia.

Fish is also high in L-argine, and as we wrote on the site before in fruits for sexual health, argine stimulates the release of growth hormone and is turned into nitric oxide in the body. Which in turn is crucial when it comes to erections for men, it also helps women with their sexual function.

Kidney failure and other kidney problems are the leading causes of death nowadays. Common problems that lead to kidney failure include chronic blood pressure and chronic uncontrolled diabetes. However, there are a number of ayurvedic medications which help solve kidney failure and other kidney problems including;

1. Punarnava: Punarnava is commonly called hogweed as well but the medical name for it is boerhavia diffusa. It is extremely helpful in preventing micturition, a disorder which is characterized by unexplained fainting after urinating. However, that is not the only symptoms hogweed helps with as it also removes excess water from the body due to kidney failure.
2. Varun: Varun is commonly known as caper and is medically known as crataeva nurvala. The diseases which varun is best at dealing with are urinary tract infections and renal stones. Varun also helps in stopping the swelling and extra fluid accumulation after kidney failure.
3. Gokshura: Gokshura is known as tribulus terrestris and is an herbal tonic for the genito-urinary system. Gokshura is one of the best ways to avoid dialysis. This is because it stops infections from occurring and also clears obstructions in the urinary tract. It is also very good at regenerating the kidney cells.
4. Raktachandan: Rakt chandan is known as p. Santalinus or red sandalwood and is another excellent remedy for kidney problems. It acts as both a diuretic and an anti-infectant.
5. Palaash: Palaash, medically, is known as butea monosperma. It is a type of urinary alkalizer and it also stops micturition. A urinary alkalizer is a medication which allows the urine to pass more easily. This is yet another great remedy for kidney failure.
6. Kaasni: Kaasni is commonly known as chicory but its medical name is cichorium intybus. Kaasni gives strength to the kidneys and is also a very good alkalizer. However, its most valuable property is the fact that it helps in nephritis and nephrotic syndrome (disorder of the kidneys characterized by protein loss).