Patricia Holden MD|

If you’ve read my previous post about some of the disease outbreaks that hit the world hard, then you should know how horrible diseases can be when they spread. It’s not only the death toll that is fearful about it but also the chaos that accompanies such outbreaks. People trying to isolate themselves so they don’t get infected, people begging to be cured, the disease-free trying to push away the infected…things like that.

A good example (where the newer generation can relate) of a scenario would be what occurred in World of Warcraft. You can read about it here. to summarize, people (players) avoided each other to avoid the effects of the “plague”. It became so popular that it attracted attention from the media. Medical researches even went so far as to claim that massively multiplayer roleplaying games could serve as a good platform for studying disease outbreaks. My husband would be so proud.

So exactly what do we do in case such things occur? SARS was one of the latest that hit the world and I believe you guys already know how that went. Anyway, like any illnesses, there are ways to avoid contracting them. Here are some good tips on how to do so.

Keep yourself clean - Take a bath often, wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet. Stuff like what our mothers once told us to do. Those practices were instilled in us for a reason. That is, to prevent us from getting sick. The healthier our body would be, the better it can protect from disease causing microorganisms.

Get immunization - I remember getting vaccinations since I can…uhh, remember things. Immunization is a good way of preventing certain diseases from entering your body. Just remember to keep them up. Just because you got a shot doesn’t mean it will last forever.

Watch what you eat - I’m not talking about diet, although I would also recommend that. What I really meant was to make sure that the food that you eat are well-prepared and in good condition. When I say well-prepared, I meant that it was cooked in a clean environment and cooked well enough to kill any bacteria that may have been present when it was still raw.

Don’t share personal items - Things like your toothbrush and comb should be used by yourself only. Especially your toothbrush, since it goes in your mouth and would be the easiest place for bacteria to enter. With that in mind, don’t share your glass and eating utensils unless you are absolutely sure that the other person is healthy. Better yet, don’t risk it.

Keep your pets healthy - It’s not only from people that you can get infected. Pet’s can be carriers too. With that said, it’s important to keep your pets healthy and have them vaccinated. Make sure to keep their environment clean as well so they don’t get sick.

Avoid traveling to high-risk places - Don’t travel to places where there’s an outbreak. It think that’s obvious enough. Before going anywhere, try to gather information about possible illnesses you may contract from the area as well as other potential dangers. This goes both ways as well. If you are sick or contracted a disease, avoid traveling to keep it from spreading to other people you meet.

Stay at home - If you already show signs of infection, then by all means stay at home! Try to keep your family members from leaving as well if possible as they may already be infected. Get a doctor immediately and admit yourself to the hospital when needed. We can do our part in preventing diseases from spreading by doing this. Well, unless you turn into a zombie.

Jellyfish stings are painful. Especially during the first five minutes after the sting. Do jellyfish stings hurt right away? As far as I know, yes. As soon as the stings of jellyfish (nematocysts) on the tentacles activate and inject venom, you should feel it right away. I did mention about it in a previous article but just a reminder, when you get stung, immediately try to get out of the water or seek help from nearby swimmers. The sting could lead to anaphylaxis and the victim has a high chance of drowning. Being stung by a box jellyfish type is a different matter entirely as their venom can be fatal to humans. For now, let’s focus on what materials we could use in first aid for jellyfish stings.

Vinegar - Probably the most recommended material to use when treating jellyfish stings. Vinegar deactivates the nematocysts (jellyfish sting cells). Afterwards, pluck the tentacles with forceps or scrape them off with the edge of a flat object like an ID card.

Saltwater - Well, it’s still being debated whether salt water or fresh water is better used for rinsing the stung part. Salt water was used when I got stung before so I’ll go with that. It is after all the most accessible material (you are near the sea or ocean, after all).

Urine - Urine is considered as a common folk remedy when treating jellyfish stings. And like most common folk remedies…they don’t work. There have been reports of jellyfish stings reactivating after being peed on so that means more pain. I wouldn’t try it if I were you.

After posting about ways on how to deal with fear, let us look at some of the facts and myths. You may have heard people saying that fear helped them go through a particular situation. Is fear really a good thing? Let’s find out.

“Fear makes you stronger” - Fear arises from the existence of a perceived threat. In that particular situation, the adrenal glands secrete epinephrine (adrenaline) into the blood, causing an increase of oxygen and glucose to the brain and muscles. At the same time, it decreases the functionality of other bodily processes that are not directly related to the fight-or-flight response. The drawback is that it only lasts for a short time.and you feel a lot of stress afterwards.

“Fear allows you to judge better” - Although some people would claim that fear allows them to make better judgments, what actually happens is that your mind focuses only on the object or situation that you fear and gives you less options to choose from. In effect, it allows you to decide faster but the options that you missed may have been far more suitable than the one that you picked.

“Fear allows you to perform better” - It actually depends on the situation. Often times you will hear people say that their fear allowed them to react better to situations when fear was present. However, the reason for that is related to the fight-or-flight response (see above). This is not always the case. Since fear also hampers your judgment, decisions that could have helped you perform better during the situation may have been left out.

My last post was about some of the most ridiculous fears that were observed from people. Although, most of us would think of them as funny, there are people who actually do experience them. So, how does one go around dealing with fear? First, we’ll have to define what fear is. Fear is an emotional response to something that we perceive as a threat. It’s a survival mechanism that triggers to a negative stimulus. It is often related to a bad experience from the past. With that said, let’s proceed with some steps on how to deal with a specific fear.

Identify - Although usually, the first step seems to be the hardest, for this one it’s pretty easy. Like any problem, the first step in finding a solution is to identify the problem and its causes. For example, ask yourself, “What is it that I fear and why?”

Understand the cause of your fear - Humans fear that which they don’t understand. For example: You are afraid of spiders. What is it about spiders that you fear? It’s bite? Do some research about spiders and you will find that not all spiders are deadly. Also, the deadly ones would only bite when threatened.

Face it - Look at pictures or imagine the situation that you fear. Make sure to maintain the image for as long as you can. Also, remember to breath properly. You will experience things like rapid breathing and heightened pulse rate. Focus on calming yourself. Afterwards put yourself in that situation or look at the actual object. Then do the same. Imagine the worst that could happen and conquer it. What are the chances of the worst happening, anyway?

I mentioned some tips on how to use your hand for your man’s pleasure a few weeks ago. So to be fair with you guys, let me tell you some spots that could get us excited.

Erogenous spots, as we call it, are areas with nerve-endings and increase sensitivity. Lips, nipples, and thighs are among the commonly known spots. Although not for all women, try to find one where she likes it the most. Here are some that most guys pay less attention to:

Neck - Ever wonder why she sudddenly gasps or raises her shoulders to cover her neck when you touch it? The back of the neck is considered as one of the most sensitive parts of a woman’s body. To use it to your advantage, breathe down her neck, or kiss her there (move her hair aside, of course). Use your imagination. You’ll make her want you more.

Ears - Try to whisper something sweet in her ear and watch her react. Some women’s ears are actually sensitive to touch. For this one, your lips and tongue are key to arousing her. Use your lips to suck her earlobes, and your tongue to lick the edges of her ear.

Behind the knees - This area is highly sensitive and she may react differently depending on how sensitive she is. If she’s ticklish, don’t bother with this area. If she likes it though, start licking the area smoothly..but don’t overdo it.

Feet - If you feel comfortable with it, try giving her a foot massage…with your mouth, of course. A lot of women like having their toes sucked on. You may also lick her soles while gently massaging her feet. I know mine are…but before doing those things, make sure her feet are clean!

Hands - Ever wonder why people like holding hands? It’s not because of the custom. The hands are actually sensitive, too! Kiss her palm and play with her fingers. Lick her hands to excite her. You can be creative and use chocolate. Whatever works for you.

Take note that these spots were not meant to be stimulated individually. You can mix and match. Try kissing her neck while massaging her hands. Again, be creative!

Looking for current news online, I encountered this particular article about improving the chances of whether a new mother will conceive a boy or a girl. According to the article, a high energy diet would boost the chances of having a boy while the opposite would most likely yield a girl. After reading through the entire thing, I’m still unsure whether to believe the findings of the survey or not, but unless they are able to explain the details of how it works, I wouldn’t agree to the research just yet.

While we’re on the topic of pregnancy, although there are clinical methods of knowing the gender of an unborn child (I had ultrasound myself), there are also popular myths on how to find out.

Heart Rate - If a baby’s heart rate is below 140 then it’s a boy. On the other hand, if the baby’s heart rate is 140 and above, then it’s a girl.
Belly Shape - If you’re carrying low then you’re having a boy, but if you’re carrying high then you’re having a girl.
Urine - If your urine is bright yellow then it’s a boy, if it is clear then it’s a girl.
Breast - If the right breast is bigger than the left then it’s a boy, otherwise it’s a girl.
Chinese Calendar - By matching your conceiving age and month of conception, you can figure out if it’s going to be a boy or a girl. Here’s a link to the chart.
Ring Test - Tie a ring on a piece of string. Hold the string so that the ring hangs down in front of your belly. Gently swing the string and take note of the motion. If the ring moves in a circular pattern, you are having a boy, but if it moves in a straight line, you are having a girl.

I’ve been to Las Vegas quite a few times with my husband. I haven’t had any real trouble so far and have always enjoyed my visits. However, it may not be the same for everyone. Here a few things to avoid while on a vacation in the city.

Driving - Traffic can get really bad in Las Vegas, especially the Strip. Instead of driving, try taking a walk or take a taxi. The monorail is also an alternative.

Losing all your money on gambling - In gambling, sometimes you win, often times you don’t. Don’t go to Las Vegas in the hopes of winning a lot of money in one of the casinos. Many people have tried and many have failed. My husband and I gamble just for fun. I suggest you do the same.

Drinking - Alright, drinking is fine but not too much that you’ll spending the next day in the hotel with a massive hangover. Also, getting drunk in Vegas would be bad in more ways than one - it could quickly lead you to the above situation (gambling).

The Heat - When I say “heat”, I’m not just talking about the scenes in Las Vegas. The city is in the desert and temperatures could easily reach 90 - 100 degrees during the summer. Bring a lot of water to avoid dehydration and avoid the afternoon sun.

The Wrong Crowd - Las Vegas is not called Sin City for nothing. Especially in the casinos, there are a lot of unlikable people that move around. People who smoke without any regard for other people, people who drink in public and often go loud when drunk, and scantily clad women are but a few of them. If you’re going to Las Vegas for a vacation, at least you should know what you’re getting in to.

With summer in full swing, I’m sure most of you are thinking of going to the beach for a vacation. It could be in Miami, French Polynesia, or even Bora Bora. Of course, there are unexpected events that can occur while traveling or even when at the destination itself. Here are some beach-related injuries and how to address or prevent them.

Kinetosis - It’s not beach-related but if don’t happen to live near a beach then you will surely have to travel. If you’re going to travel by commuting to your destination there’s a possibility that you may suffer from kinetosis or motion sickness. This happens when there is a disagreement between your perceived movement and the vestibular system’s sense of movement. You may feel dizzy, experience cold sweat, develop a headache, or worse, feel like vomiting (which would not help relieve motion sickness).

In case you run into the situation, let me give you some advice on what to do. One, if in a car or any other vehicle, try looking towards the horizon in front of the vehicle instead of the windows to your sides. Second is to take a nap, but be especially wary of passengers who might take your belongings. Of course prevention is still better than cure so try taking Dramamine or Bonine (you can purchase these over-the-counter) one hour before traveling.

Dehydration - Of course, with the summer heat you’ll be sweating a lot. So try to replenish your body fluids with water every now and then - especially when you’re feeling dizzy or developing a headache. Those two mentioned could already be symptoms of dehydration, which could lead to unconsciousness and even death.

Sunburn - At the beach, try to stay under the shade as much as possible between 10AM to 2PM - the hottest part of the day. Overexposure to the sun could cause sunburn, especially if you do not apply sunblock to exposed areas of your skin. Try to avoid going into the water or make sure to reapply it afterwards. In case you do get sunburn, apply vinegar to sooth the pain. Pain-relievers or analgesics could also help. There is no immediate treatment for sunburn and it will heal in time.

Cramps - I’m sure most of you who have tried swimming a few times would have already experienced having muscle cramps. Basically, a cramp is a painful, involuntary muscle contraction due to overexertion. This happening while swimming in deep water could be extremely dangerous. In case it does happen do not panic, immediately stop swimming, tread water, and relax to prevent further cramps from developing. Softly massage the cramped area then immediately move out of the water.

Eating potassium-rich foods could help prevent cramps from occurring so make sure to eat your potatoes. Other foods rich in potassium are avocados, bananas, and soybeans.

Jellyfish Stings - Jellyfishes are some of the creatures I fear when going into the water. When you are stung by one, focus on getting out of the water to get help. Isolate the infected part so as not to spread it on an another area. Rinse the infected part with seawater, not fresh water to prevent activating the nematocysts (jellyfish sting cells). Use forceps or protective gloves to remove the tentacles. Use pain relievers to control the pain and immediately seek medical help.

Make sure to remember some of these tips before heading out. Enjoy!

Most of the times we always rely on our hands to do the job, so why not use it to give our man pleasure. I have collected some techniques on how we could actually hike a man’s mojo by simply touching him. Here are some the techniques you can use.

• Dig that Chest

Nothing more excites a man than a slow circling of your hand in his fine chest, mostly with a new manicured nails. What you can do is to circle you hand tracing his pecs. Spiral your nails towards the nipples then gently pinch it using your thumb and forefinger.

• Tug the Pubic Hair

Begin by pulling some hair in his pubic using both hands gently. Between your middle and index finger give him a few tugs like grooming his hair. This move will interest him the most since the nerves of the penis runs through the groin area making him more aroused as you tug.

• Ear Stimulator

Wet your middle finger using your saliva and slowly trace the outer part of his ear lobe. While you’re there give him a gentle pinch while giving it a sexy tug. The moist in his ear will surely give him the chills and the thrill. This is caused by sensitive aural organs. The reason behind pulling the ear lobe is to trigger the nerves in his ear that could actually send some signal to the testicles making him produce the testosterone, and you know what testosterone can do. Yup, it will rev up the erotic device.

• Spine Thriller

Make him lie on his stomach and pull his legs apart. Using both hands, make a fist and zigzag your knuckles at the arc of his spine. Roll your pinkie and knuckles at the vertebrae from the below to the nape, once you reach the nape, and then slowly trace your nails going down to the spine. The use of the knuckles helps you apply pressure hitting the nerves in his spine. Remember, all the nerves of the body are attached to the nerves of the spinal column. So by doing so, you’re giving him pleasure all over his body increasing his sex drive more and more. Also, by giving a soft and hard rub gives an access to his deep and shallow nerves giving a mix sensation.

• Thigh Expert

You can do this while he is sitting down or lying on his back, what you do is to reach and then slowly walk your middle and index finger from the knees to the crotch. Tease a little and stop before reaching the private part, and then with light trace of S going back to where you started. Doing so can send an alert straight to the climax area. This technique works because there is a nerve running straight from inner thighs to the groin. The S-technique adds some element of surprise.

These some of the few tricks that I can share with you, but I can recommend is to add a little spice to the romance by taking your man in a really romantic and exotic resort. It will surely help you and your man get in to the mood.

Be an expert this very second to have a happy marriage. We can see married people getting divorce right and left, and that’s a bit scary for those who haven’t tied the knot just yet. Here are some tips or some skills that can help you keep your marriage on the go.

• Limit yourself from always putting your partner first

Yes we do know getting married means we have to make sacrifices for one another. But do we really know to what point? Do we have to give up our dreams and desires just to satisfy the need of another? Getting married really does not remove your individuality. Once in a while put your desires first, like me, after I got married, I got busy attending to my husband’s needs and forgot about my needs. I became colder and angrier towards my husband for no reason at all. Then I realized, I was getting mad because I forgot who I am and what I want. So I grabbed my bag and booked a flight to Italy. I’ve been longing to go there since I was a teenager, and so I did. I had a great time by myself, and when I got back, everything changed. I was no longer an angry person. It felt like I was a different person, the person I used to be. So I suggest making it a point to have enough time on your own or go out with your friends without him, and also encourage your partner to do it as well. In that case you’ll both be happy.

• Learn when to Make him number One

Sometimes we forgot the little annoying things we ignored before the marriage but when marriage steps in, here we are trying to bring up those annoying stuffs our partner do. Remember we didn’t marry the person just to change them. You have to learn to pick your battles, if you know you won’t win then why bother. It’ll just make everything worse and end up hurting each other. What you can do is to have someone else do the dirty work for you, like ask his/her buddies to comment on the bad habit that annoys you. That way you won’t get in to fight with him and who knows he/she might just change.

• Occasionally Jump to Bed Mad

Going to bed without comforting and agreeing to one another is not a sin. Instead of just agreeing without even thinking which is right from wrong then that’ll surely cause a bigger argument in the future. Settling an argument just for the sake of not having a fight is bad enough. Giving space to one another after a fight can actually help, letting yourself cool down or sleeping it off makes you realize what happened, you’ll be able to talk better without yelling on the top of your lungs after the feud has passed. When you know that the argument is not going anywhere because you both are very furious, then step up and say you’re mad and just don’t wanna talk now. You have to accept your own anger and settle it first within yourself. This technique can make your relationship much tougher.

• Groping should always Remain

Let’s be honest, after a while we forget how HOT we are for our partners. But as time goes by, we slowly exhaust all the passion we have for each other. Everything just becomes a routine, saying I love you, kissing goodbye, and holding hands. So try spicing up the relationship again by trying something different. Then you’ll find yourself getting the HOTS for one another back. If you feel like grabbing your man in a public place then go on.