Showing posts with label Sexual Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sexual Health. Show all posts

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Truth Tuesday ... TIM Health ...

THIS is a very interesting article written by Paul Morris - Director and Owner of Treasure Island Media.

And let me make one point - this is from a bareback site....

I was SO impressed by this.  And I hope you are too.

TIM Health

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A Word From Paul Morris On Healthy Living -
The world is a tough place to live in.  And if you wanta live the way you wanta live–working toward that pigslut merit badge we all covet–you have to be ready for anything.
Part of being ready is keeping yourself and your body as fit and flexible as possible.  If you’re going to live the life of a sex-addicted slut (and I do encourage it as a way of life) you’ll want to be around as long as possible to enjoy it all thoroughly.
What do I suggest for taking care of yourself?  Well, some of my answers might surprise you, given the fact that around 99% of my life is spent totally engrossed in ruminations or salivations about cocks, men, sex … you get the idea.
Here are the eight steps I’ve come up with for making my life fit to live:
  1. Friends.  Nothing is more important.  If you don’t have a few friends and a core circle of guys you can confide in when times are tough (or just shoot the shit with when times are easy and good), then get out there and find them.  There are over 4 billion dudes on the planet at this point. You know there’s a bunch of guys out there looking for you, hoping to hang out and relax.                                   
  2. Culture.  You don’t live in a vacuum, and even a sex-hound like myself needs to know about the world he lives in.  I go to ballgames (SF Giants at SBC Park, of course), movies, read books, regularly check in on local news.  Write a letter to the editor of your local paper.  Get three-dimensional.    
  3. Be generous.  If you see someone in need, help them out.  It won’t kill you to give a coupla bucks to a guy on the street who is obviously having a hard time.  Trust your instincts: someone out in the cold on the street isn’t begging for the fun of it.  Walt Whitman made a point of giving money to every beggar he met.  Try it for a day.  Just remember to look them in the eye, deal with them like a human being, and smile.  You’ll likely be surprised at the response.  Or, if you’re uncomfortable giving dough to a total stranger, donate some time to a good charity or non-prof group.  I really believe the universe shines favorably on men who act generously toward others.
  4. Treat your body right.  Get a great massage once a month.  (Yeah, it’s cool to get one “with release,” but make sure it’s a great serious massage nonetheless!)  Try to eat right and get some exercise.  Set aside an hour or so two, three, four times a week.  Go for a walk after dinner. If you’re not quite ready for a gym, get yourself to walk past the gym a few times a week.  When you’re ready, go on in.  Or if a gym doesn’t feel right, try something else.  Be creative about engaging your body in your life (in addition to your dick, that is!)  Instead of driving to the sex club or bathhouse, try walking.  Watch what you eat.  If you think you need to upgrade your diet to something more body-friendly (Pony and I recently cut back to only 2 hot dogs for lunch a week), don’t do it too abruptly; ease into a good change.  Don’t make diet or exercise a punishment–for yourself or your friends. The human organism thrives on pleasure and rewards. Good food and physical activity are more than healthy, they’re part of the good life. Enjoy them!
  5. Find a great doctor.  A good doctor is one of the best friends you’ll ever have.  See him regularly.  Get over the fear of dealing with physical problems–real or imaginary–and let your doctor take care of you.  If you need health insurance, press your employer for it.  Everyone should have reasonably priced health care; make it a priority for yourself and your buddies.
  6. Go to an STD clinic on a regular basis.  The only thing worse than getting something like the clap is giving it to someone.  Things like syphilis, the clap, crabs and so on are simple to take care of.  But you have to know you have them.  Nothing to be embarrassed or nervous about–just get in to the local clinic on a regular basis.  I go every three to four months and have always actually had a pretty good time.  The folks who work at STD clinics usually have the best sense of humor.  When they give you a blood test, don’t hesitate to ask for a Flintstones or a Spongebob Squarepants Band-Aid.  I do it all the time.
  7. Laugh.  Humans need humor.  It’s a basic physical and psychological need.  Rent a Marx Brothers film or buy a season of South Park or Strangers With Candy.  Go to a bookstore and buy a joke book and put it on your toilet.  Laughter makes life work, and it’s right up there with sex in helping us not just get through a day but making it something wonderful and worth doing.
  8. Incorporate a sacred element into your life. Philosopher Gregory Bateson said that “The experiment of living without god has failed. We must believe in order to be.” Allow yourself at least an occasional contact with the sacred or the sublime, however you experience or define it. It may be a statue of Ganesh next to your bed, a copy of a sacred text that you leaf through on occasion, an annual pilgrimage to the Grand Canyon, a simple puja devoted to phallic worship, a monthly visit to a Buddhist shrine. Sitting quietly in a sacred space puts a man at ease and affords the opportunity to feel small, dependent and awed. And even a moment’s meditation on the grandeur of the cosmos makes for a richer and more meaningful existence. It’s only in love and worship that the burden of isolation is relieved and healed.

Sunday, 19 February 2012

....2 Know.......Simon The Sex Worker On Testing....

.....well 2 Centers - Simon is popping in for a quickie Q&A... he was intrigued by my recent bareback poll and wants to add his own 2 Cents re Testing......

(2CW) Hey Simon. Welcome back and thank you for doing this.

All good. It's a topic close to my heart and genitalia after all ;)

(2CW) Now you have left sex work I understand? Can we do a more in depth profile on that another time?

Absolutely! Happy to :)

(2CW) Thanks. Now. Firstly, tell us about your testing regime.

OK - as a professional in the adult sex industry, I get tested for EVERYTHING monthly. This is the law in the State of Victoria. I get a full bloods and swabs test. This includes;
  • HIV
  • All blood borne STI's (sexually transmitted infections) including Syphillis
  • Penile, Oral and Anal swabs or Gonorrhea, Herpes, Chlamydia and Warts
  • A pee in the cup to see if there is urinary infection
  • And a full "look over" my cock, arse and throat for physical symptoms of anything
  • I also get my Doctor to feel my balls for lumps and bumps - this is a testicular cancer first step test that *I* think everyone should get.
(2CW) OK - I have to say that is quite the battery of testing. Now how about pre-industry? How did you get tested then?

Before my work in the sex industry I was pretty clueless and all I did was HIV and Hep A & B vaccinations. I didn't get any of the other tests done coz I thought I was a hot guy who couldn't catch anything coz I only fucked hot guys. Looking back I see that was TOTAL bullshit. *I* think that it's the hot guys (hot douches actually) you have to worry about coz their arrogance keeps them ignorant. AND it puts you at risk.

(2CW) Have you ever caught an STI?

Yes. I've had crabs a bunch of times. But they're just inconvenient. I have had NSU (Non Specific Urethritis) twice, Chlamydia once, Penile Gonorrhea once, Penile Warts once, and a throat infection that was diagnosed as sexually related but came back negative on tests.

(2CW) Did you freak out?

The only thing I freaked out about was the wart - that's coz warts can increase your chance of testicular cancer.

(2CW) Now you're not in the sex industry any more, is your testing regimen going to change?

Yeah. It'll now be quarterly. Still the same battery of tests. But every three months.

(2CW) Your advice to anyone reading this?

Get tested. Get tested often. Know your body. You can never be paranoid about your health. Any weird colouration, lump or bump or ooze - get it checked.

(2CW) Thanks for dropping by mate and we'll talk again soon re your exit from the Industry :)

Shall do - take care all. Peace.

.............There you go - straight from the professionals mouth.....

....thoughts?....

D
.

Saturday, 11 February 2012

.......2 Test.......... Knowledge Is Power.............

..............When was the last time you were tested?........

.........Did you just get an HIV test?..........Yes? - Why didn't you get a full sexual health screening done?..........

..........Did you know Chlamydia, Gonorrhea & Herpes are on the rise amongst Homosexually Active Men? ...... Particularly in the 20-30 and 40+ age groups.......

....Do you know that having a pre-existing STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) can increase your suceptebility of acquiring HIV by up to 10 times due to the fact that it depresses your immune response??.......
  • Does it burn when you pee?
  • Is there blood in your poop?
  • Do you have a rash?
  • Do you have a sore in your mouth that won't heal?
  • Do you have a weird taste in your mouth?
  • Do you have ulcers in your mouth that won't heal?
  • Have you had your HEP A&B vaccinations?
  • Do you have a white lump on your cock, butthole or inside your mouth?
  • Do you have a discharge from your cock? Is it yellow? Green? Clear?
  • Do you have an unusual odour from your pee?
  • Do you have an unusual smell coming from your cock?
  • Has your cum changed colour and/or consistency?
  • Do you have flu like symptoms?
......... Did you know you can have an STI and even HIV without showing ANY symptoms?....

...Get tested...

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Shabbat Shalom

D
.

Sunday, 13 December 2009

...................Some Responses To My Barebacking Post..........

......................as I said I would, I have posted below some responses to my post about my own position on barebacking.

I hope this continues to promote discussion as this seems to be something that is usually handled quite poorly in our community.

Thank you to those who have responded so far.

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No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

That's my opinion.

Never. Never, ever.

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I don’t have HIV, but my husband does. He’s had it for about 20 years and got it the old fashioned way in an effort to commit slow-motion suicide due to survivor’s guilt. I know this because he told me so. He willfully exposed himself to the virus in order to get AIDS and die. I interfered with his plan when we met a few years later and fell in love.

As a poz/neg couple, we have been very careful over the years. I am exclusively on top and we’ve never made love without a condom. HIV is like the third member of our relationship. It’s like a silent partner whom we try to ignore, but we are aware it’s always there ready to speak up the second we don’t give it the respect it commands.

As far as barebacking goes, I have been scared of HIV since I was a teenager and HIV/AIDS was first identified. As the result of the strong HIV education programs back in the 80s, I have in fact never had anal sex with anyone without a condom. I don’t know another soul in my position. I guess I’m an oddity. As such, I cannot really comment on barebacking since I have never done it.

But what I would like to add to this barebacking discussion is that I’d like to try it, just once, to know what it feels like. I want to know why so many guys insist on and even demand skin on skin contact when fucking. My marriage notwithstanding, the only way I could ever experience this safely is to fuck someone who, like me, is absolutely HIV free, and there is no way I would trust anyone’s mere word on this. That means that if I truly wanted to experience barebacking, I’d have to be prepared to accept some level of risk and I just am not willing to do so.

I’d like to add something else in relation to your post. You, as well as so many others before you, state that barebacking is a personal choice. I do not agree with that. It’s only “personal” if no one else is involved. And when it comes to HIV/AIDS, everyone is involved, i.e. the taxpayers.

It’s not like a person who chooses to bareback and subsequently becomes infected then pays for his own long term health care. No one can afford that unless he’s a millionaire. The American taxpayers have spent well over a quarter million dollars on my husband’s HIV/AIDS health care over the last 20 years. It’s not just his HIV that costs so much. It’s the HIV-related kidney stones and subsequent complications (caused by Crixivan (indinavir sulfate)), the HIV-related diabetes, and the HIV-related neuropathy that adds to the bottom line.

The point is, when my husband made his “personal” choice to bareback and become infected, that choice not only affected him but also affected every American taxpayer. His choice was far from personal. The same is true for anyone today who decides to bareback. This idea that it is only the barebacking participants themselves who are at risk is just plain false.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, his decision 20 years ago also affects me and our relationship every single day. HIV is very much a part of my life even though I am negative. Barebacking is not a decision that lasts for a few minutes of fucking. It’s a decision that may last a lifetime and deeply affect the ones you love.

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You are right - BB is a choice - sometimes you can become reckless - but BBing should only be with your partner and your partner alone.

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....................As you can see this issue provokes a broad range of responses...... and it highlights why we must continue to talk about this as the Virus is not going anywhere soon and unless this issue becomes one of daily discussion, we will never triumph over it.

I wish you all the best and I am thankful for having the caliber of readers that I do, and that you all enjoy 2 Cents Worth enough to contribute.

Brachah to you all.

Damien
.

Monday, 29 June 2009

...........Are you taking care of your boys?..........You should....... Here's how..........



Testicular Cancer Self Examination

You should carry out these easy steps regularly. A thorough examination may be easier after a warm bath or shower as the scrotal skin relaxes.

Most lumps found on the testicles are benign but any changes in size, shape or weight should be checked by your GP.

Support the scrotum in the palm of your hand and become familiar with the size and weight of each testicle.

Examine each testicle by rolling it between your fingers and thumb. Gently feel for lumps, swellings, or changes in firmness.

Each testicle has an epididymis at the top which carries sperm to the penis. Don’t panic if you feel this - it’s normal.

Regular self examination will help you become more aware of the normal feel and size of your testicles so that any abnormalities can be spotted early on.

If you notice anything unusual, go and see your GP as soon as you can.


Links for Testicular Health and Testicular Cancer Prevention

http://www.everyman-campaign.org/Testicular_Cancer/index.shtml

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-perform-a-testicular-self-exam-15420/view/

http://www.menweb.org/testican.htm

Now........... CHECK EM !!!