Archive for June, 2009

Getting some sleep

June 29, 2009

A look at ways to manage insomnia.

THE body rests and recovers from previous activities during sleep. Normal sleep comprises cycles of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). NREM sleep is followed by REM sleep, which occurs four to five times during the usual eight-hour sleep period.

The first REM period of the night may be last less than 10 minutes, while the last may exceed an hour. The NREM and REM cycles vary in length from 70 to 100 minutes initially, to 90 to 120 minutes later in the night.

Doc: Mental health problems on the rise in Malaysia

June 20, 2009

KUALA LUMPUR: More Malaysian students are suffering from mental health problems now, with nearly half of them showing emotional and aggressive symptoms.

Malaysian Psychiatric Associa-tion vice-president Dr Abdul Kadir Abu Bakar said one of the main factors affecting students were bullying.

“Victims of bullying tend to have serious mental problems as they grow up, if there is no proper counselling.

“The number of mental health patients aged 18 and below has also increased from 13.7% in 1996 to almost 20% in 2006,” he said at the 14th Malaysian Conference on Psychological Medicine here on 19/6/2009.

Material Girls

June 12, 2009

Does love still matter in the 21st century? Why is it when a good-looking woman marries a rich man, we always assume she is marrying him for his net worth?

While tall, dark and handsome was once the criteria for a dream man, the new breed of women today will tell you she will settle for short and ugly … as long as he comes with cold hard cash.

It really seems like some women are more interested in how much moolah a man has in his checking account than how much love he has in his heart.

A Healthy Snooze / Sleep.

June 12, 2009

SLEEP is something none of us can do without. However, the reason why everyone needs sleep is not well-elucidated. During sleep, the brain is more responsive to internal stimuli than external stimuli like sound and light. The metabolic demand of the brain is also reduced and this is reflected in a general decrease in the blood flow to the brain.

Most of the knowledge about sleep has come from sleep deprivation experiments. It is generally accepted that good sleep is crucial for optimal intellectual performance and helps in realising a person’s mental potential.

WHO declares first 21st century flu pandemic

June 12, 2009

GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization declared an influenza pandemic on Thursday and advised governments to prepare for a long-term battle against an unstoppable new flu virus.

The United Nations agency raised its pandemic flu alert to phase 6 on a six-point scale, indicating the first influenza pandemic since 1968 is under way

6 Sex Mistakes Men Make

June 7, 2009

Hey guys, think you know everything there is to know about having sex with women? That erotic encyclopedia you carry around in your head may contain a lot of basic errors and omissions about women’s sexuality — errors that can lead to sex mistakes.

That’s because — after learning the facts of life — most of us are left to figure out sex for ourselves. Guys tend to take a lot of cues from adult movies, and we all know how true-to-life those are. Experience may help, but many women can be shy when talking about what they like.

To help us with some sex tips, WebMD asked two acclaimed sex educators, Tristan Taormino and Lou Paget, to tell us what they think are the most common sex mistakes men make with women.

Taormino is a prolific author, lecturer, and video producer. Her latest project is the Expert Guide educational video series from Vivid Ed.

Paget is author of The Great Lover Playbook and other sex manuals, and she gives seminars nationwide.

Sex Mistake No.1: You Know What She Wants
Men often make assumptions about what a woman wants based upon what they’ve done with other women. But women aren’t all the same.

“You develop a repertoire as you mature sexually, but you should never assume that what worked for the last person is going to work for this person,” Taormino says.

That applies not only to sexual predilections, but also to relationships, she says. “There are women who can have no-strings-attached sex, and women who can get attached very easily, and then everyone in between.”

Sex Mistake No. 2: You Have All She Needs
Some women can’t have an orgasm with less than 3,000 rpm. No human tongue or fingers can generate that kind of vibration. But men typically think something is wrong if a woman needs a vibrator.

“If the only way that a woman can achieve orgasm is with a vibrator, she’s not broken,” Taormino says.

Think of a vibrator as your assistant, not your substitute. Many couples use vibrators together. “While you’re doing one thing, or two things, the vibrator can be doing something else,” Taormino says.

Sex Mistake No. 3: Sex Feels the Same for Men and Women
Paget says there tends to be a “huge disconnect” between men and women in the ways that sex feels good.

“When a man has intercourse with a woman, and his penis goes into her body, that sensation is so off the charts for most men, they cannot imagine that it isn’t feeling the same way for her,” Paget says. “It couldn’t be further from the truth.”

The inside of the vagina is probably less sensitive than the outer parts for most women. Also, deep thrusting may not feel so nice on the receiving end. If the penis is too long, “it feels like you’re getting punched in the stomach,” Paget says. “It makes you feel nauseous.”

Allergies and Hives (Urticaria and Angioedema)

June 7, 2009

Hives, also known as urticaria, are an outbreak of swollen, pale red bumps, patches, or welts on the skin that appear suddenly — either as a result of allergies, or for other reasons.

Hives usually cause itching, but may also burn or sting. They can appear anywhere on the body, including the face, lips, tongue, throat, or ears. Hives vary in size (from a pencil eraser to a dinner plate), and may join together to form larger areas known as plaques. They can last for hours, or up to several days before fading.

Allergy Symptoms

June 7, 2009

Allergy symptoms can be categorized as mild, moderate, or severe.

Mild Allergy Symptoms
Mild allergy symptoms can include:

Rash
Itchy, watery eyes
Congestion
Mild allergic reactions do not spread to other parts of the body.

Allergy Basics

June 7, 2009

What Is an Allergy?
Allergies are an abnormal response of the immune system. People who have allergies have an immune system that reacts to a usually harmless substance in the environment. This substance (pollen, mold, animal dander, etc.) is called an allergen.

Wipe out the Ah Long menace

June 7, 2009

THE recent revelations of the operations of Ah Long is flabbergasting and brings shame to all Malaysians who cherish goodwill and kindness as their way of life. Pictures of men who were abducted and held captive by being chained like criminals is very disturbing.

These remind us of the days of slavery and it is unbelievable that Malaysians who are generally known for their friendliness and kindness can resort to such cruel acts against desperate fellow citizens.

Loan sharking has wrecked many individuals and their families. It has to be stopped before more become victims of the menace which has become a form of modern-day slavery. The problem is getting worse with borrowers having to pay extremely high interest rates and unethical modes of collection.