Dr. Amarish Warty

An STD is transmitted by means of physical contact and intercourse. These diseases are caused by parasites, virus or bacteria. Usually, STDs are preventable provided you make the right choices concerning your sexual health. Refraining from sex isn’t a feasible idea at all.

But fortunately there are alternatives too to curb the menace that STDs are:

1. Abstain: The most effective way to avoid STIs is to abstain from sex.
2. Mutual monogamy: Two people who have sex only with one another don’t have any opportunity to bring a new STD into the relationship. If you and your partner have been tested and are healthy, remaining faithful to each other is a very good way to reduce your chances of contracting an STD.
3. Get Vaccinated: One important prevention tool against STIs is vaccination. Currently, vaccines are available to protect against infection with HPV, hepatitis A and hepatitis B. Talk to a healthcare provider to see which vaccines might be recommended for you.
4. Protect Yourself: Condoms work really well in stopping most STIs from being passed from an infected partner to another when they are used consistently and correctly every time a person has oral, vaginal or anal sex. Consistently and correctly means that a person makes sure they use a condom every time they have oral, vaginal or anal sex and put it on and use it the right way.
5. Avoid alcohol and drug use: Avoiding alcohol and recreational drug use reduce the risk of contracting an STI, having an unwanted pregnancy, or being coerced to have sex. Alcohol and drug use can reduce our ability to make good decisions. It may also make us more likely to be talked into participating in an activity without being able to give our full consent.

Coping and Support
It's traumatic to find out you have an STI. You might be angry if you feel you've been betrayed or ashamed if there's a chance you infected others. At worst, an STI can cause chronic illness and death, even with the best care in the world.

Between those extremes is a host of other potential losses trust between partners, plans to have children, and the joyful embrace of your sexuality and its expression. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Sexologist.

Given the amount of junk food we eat, it is a good idea to detox the body once in a while. Detoxing should not be confused with dieting for weight loss. Detoxing is simply a way to give the digestive system time to rest and recoup. Here are ten steps to detoxing.

1. Stay hydrated: It would be impossible to flush toxins from the body without sufficient water. Hence, it is necessary to stay hydrated at all times. A person should drink a minimum of 8-10 glasses of water a day while detoxing.
2. Start the day with lemon and water: Begin your day with a glass of warm water mixed with the juice of one lime or lemon. This charges the liver and other digestive organs. You could also add freshly grated ginger, a pinch or cayenne pepper or honey to this drink.
3. Green tea: Green tea is well known for its antioxidant properties. This makes it the ideal drink to detox your body. It also gives the body a natural caffeine boost and helps control blood sugar levels thus, reducing sugar cravings.
4. Fibre: Fibre is essential for the digestive system and aids in the removal of waste material from the body. Additionally, fruits and vegetables that are the largest sources of fibre are rich in essential vitamins and minerals. You could also consider fibre supplements such as psyllium husk.
5. Say no to alcohol: Keeping away from alcohol for a few days can help cleanse your liver. Along with alcohol, it is also a good idea to stay away from nicotine and caffeine.
6. Cut down on red meat: Red meat is difficult to digest and can cause a number of digestive issues. Hence, consider replacing red meat with leaner meats like chicken and fish.
7. Season with turmeric: Turmeric has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric can be added to almost every vegetable and Indian curry recipe and is ideal while detoxing. Drinking a glass of warm milk and turmeric is the ideal way to end a day when detoxing.
8. Go organic: Organic foods may be a little more expensive, but they are well worth the price. These foods are free from harmful pesticides and other chemicals. This makes them easier to digest and safer for consumption.
9. Sweat it out: Perspiration aids in the removal of body wastes. Exercising not only makes you sweat but boosts energy levels as well. Alternatively, you could try sweating it out in a hot tub or sauna. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a dietitian-nutritionist.

1. Watermelon: Watermelon is one of the richest natural sources of L-citrulline, an amino acid that can help make your erection harder. It’s also loaded with citrulline, an antioxidant that converts to L-arginine once it’s in the body. L-arginine stimulates the production of nitric oxide, which increases blood flow to the penis, strengthening erections.

2. Nuts: How do they boost sexual stamina? Pistachios, peanuts and walnuts all contain the amino acid L-arginine, which is one of the building blocks of nitric oxide—a naturally occurring gas that helps guys maintain their erections. Plus, nuts also help reduce cholesterol levels. The less cholesterol you have in your system, the easier it is for blood to circulate throughout your body and down to your penis, which can help you maintain a firmer erection longer.

3. Ginger: If you like your food like you like your lovers—sweet and spicy—you're in luck. Ginger is another food that can improve your sex life by aiding blood flow and improving artery health. According to a study in the International Journal of Cardiology, consuming a mere teaspoon of the stuff a few times a week is all you need to reap the heart-healthy benefits.

4. Pomegranate juice: Some scholarly minds believe it wasn't an apple, but a pomegranate with which Eve tempted Adam in the Garden of Eden—and it wouldn't shock us if that were the case. A recent study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research discovered that pomegranate juice, rich in antioxidants that support blood flow, can help improve erectile dysfunction. Though this study was funded by POM Wonderful, animal studies have also shown that the elixir improves long-term erectile response.

5. Wild Salmon: Trying to heat things up after your dinner date? Be sure to order the wild salmon. Why? The fish is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, which aid nitric-oxide production, helping you stay hard. Plus, additional research has found that cutting back calories and sticking to a Mediterranean-style diet rich in produce, fish, whole grains and healthy fats (like omega-3s) can improve erectile function in men with metabolic syndrome.

6. Spinach : Spinach has high arginine content. When this amino acid hits your system, it converts to nitric oxide, which helps initiate and maintain erections. Need another reason to add some green to your plate? Nitric oxide may also help speed muscle growth and recovery time. So not only will you perform better in bed, you’ll look hotter doing it, too.

7. Oats: The popular breakfast cereal is a good source of l-arginine, an amino acid commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction. Plus, whole grains like oatmeal also help lower cholesterol levels. Having high cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis, a condition that clogs and narrows arteries, impairing blood flow. This could eventually lead to heart problems, but you’ll likely notice issues below the belt first. The arteries surrounding the genital area are narrower than coronary blood vessels, so they’re more susceptible to clots. Simply put, the better your cholesterol levels are, the better your erection will be, too.

8. Garlic : Researchers have confirmed that consuming the plant helps stop the formation of new fatty deposits, called nanoplaques, inside arterial walls. Yes, that includes the arteries leading to your penis, too. Keep your heart healthy and your erections strong by adding some of the kitchen staple to your weekly dishes.

9. Banana : Bananas are good for sexual health.They naturally imbued with B vitamins that increases our stamina levels and helps to de-stress us. Bananas also contain tryptophan, which is an amino acid needed to produce serotonin, which is called the ‘feel good’ hormones. Bananas are high in potassium, used to produce sex hormones, increase our sex drive, and improve our heart system. They also contain bromelain, which is an enzyme that helps to improve the body’s blood flow and increase low libido problems.

10. Peanut Butter : Peanut butter is rich in monounsaturated fats, which boosts dopamine levels. Dopamine is the responsible chemical compound that increases a woman’s sexual emotions. Peanuts also are high in zinc which has been proven scientifically to increase a man’s sperm count and the sperm’s motility.

As physiotherapist, we recommend that you carry out physical movements worth 60 minutes everyday to maintain your physical health.

Do you know about the various benefits of yoga for your body and health? Yoga is the answer for a lot of aspects which everyone desires, such as a peaceful mind, a strong and flexible body and a healthy, glowing skin. It is commonly perceived that yoga aims at weight loss, but there are numerous benefits, which you can get by practicing yoga regularly. Here are the various ways in which yoga is ideal for your everyday life. It covers lots of aspects associated with your health and body functioning.

Yoga for overall fitness
You need to be physically fit, as well as perfectly balanced emotionally and mentally. This ensures that you are healthy in the true sense. Health is like a dynamic expression of life based on how happy, loving and enthusiastic you are in life. The various postures of yoga help in maintaining overall fitness, and balance both your mind and body in an ideal way.

1. It helps in improving health.
2. It gives you enhanced strength of mind.
3. Your physical power and stamina gets boosted.
4. Your body is perfectly detoxified.

Yoga for weight loss
Yoga is excellent for weight loss purposes. The Kapalbhati Pranayama and the Sun Salutations are effective yoga practices, which help you to lose excess weight. With regular yoga practice for a long time, you become extra sensitive to the types of food your body demands. This is effective for keeping a check on your weight.

Yoga for stress relief
Some minutes of yoga every day is a good way of eliminating stress that you experience in daily life. It refers to both physical and mental stress. Certain yoga postures, meditation, and Pranayama are ideal practices for getting rid of stress.

Yoga and inner peace
In today’s hectic world and the hustle bustle of daily life, every person desires some peace. This peace can be found within your own self and you do not always need to escape to the mountain to breathe freely. Practicing yoga regularly will give you immense inner peace, which is equivalent to a mini holiday to some nice, serene place. Yoga is very essential for calming your disturbed and troubled mind.
Moreover, yoga poses massage your organs and help in strengthening your muscles. The various breathing exercises and meditation forms associated with yoga are great for releasing unwanted, undesirable stress from your system. This, in turn, improves your immune system and prevents you from getting affected by frequent diseases and health conditions. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult an Ayurveda.