Is she losing interest in sex?

A study has revealed that women are fast losing interest in sex. And this has been revealed by a number of 40-something men. 

Loss of libido in women, or low sexual desire, is the most common sexual problem for members of the fairsex and the major reason why they seek sex therapy. It affects upto 33 per cent to 67 per cent of women, depending on how sexual desire is defined and reported. And men aren't beyond this too. But since it only affects about half as many men as women, it is nowhere close to men's top sex problems. 

Loss of Libido 
Sexual desire is one of the most difficult factors to define for the simple reason that it is more psychological than physiological. Loss of libido refers to a lack of interest in sex for a prolonged period. Most women are conscious of this feeling. And unfortunately, many of these ladies don't like the idea of confessing it to their husbands. 

Normal in women? 
It is important to understand that the loss of libido is not a disorder. How can it be a dysfunction if one-third of all women, no matter what their age, report that they lose interest in sex? Low sexual desire is an understandable result of an imbalance in your life. It may root to your relationship, your stress, or simply, changes in your body. 

Secondly, just because loss of libido in women is common, it doesn't mean you can't fix it. 

Even worse, losing interest in sex can mean you miss out on a lot more than simply one of life's few non-fattening pleasures. It can begin to drain the passion out of the rest of your life, as well. 

Causes of loss of libido 
Biology: Sex can have serious consequences for women - a baby for starters, to take care of for the next twenty years. Not surprising that females seem hard-wired to approach sex with slightly less abandon than males do. 

Social conditioning : The messages women get from society with its double standards and attitudes towards sex, have a big affect on their sexual desire. Even with adult women who've been exposed to the Sex And The City culture, there is still a social conditioning prevalent that men are 'studs' if they are sexual, while women are 'sluts'. 

Quality of relationship: For women, desire is strongly elicited to the relationship. "If we don't talk and connect, we don't have sex," they often say. It's not what happens in the bedroom - their desire arises when they are interacting with their partner. If the quality of those intimate but non-sexual contacts aren't being attended to, most women just won't feel "in the mood." 
Hormones: Hormonal fluctuations with pregnancy, breast-feeding, and then with menopause a little later in life all can lessen desire to some extent. 

Medications: Depression and the anti-depressants used to treat it can also inhibit desire. So also can certain blood pressure-lowering drugs. Conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids and thyroid disorders can also be a cause. 

Life stages: Life changes - especially the birth of a child - can cause a loss of libido in women. It often occurs to women in their 20s with a child under five or six - their lack of interest doubles and triples. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure it out - physical stress and fatigue are also considered big factors. 

Low-calorie diet cures diabetes in 8 weeks

A successful trial has led scientists to believe that a 2-month low-calorie diet could free nearly 2.5 million Britons of the 'type two' diabetes. 

The diabetics, by consuming just 600 calories a day for eight-weeks, (the same amount many people would eat at lunch alone), were able to throw away their tablets.

Even after 18 months, some of them are still free of the disease, which is linked to obesity and usually attacks in middle age, reports the Daily Mail .

Researchers from the Newcastle University have described the results as remarkable, proving that the condition need not be a life sentence. 


"To have people free of diabetes after years with the condition is remarkable and all because of an eight week diet. For many years it has been assumed that Type 2 diabetes is a life sentence. It's chronic, it's progressive, people need more and more tablets, and eventually they need insulin. It's a downhill slope. However, we have been able to show that it is in fact reversible," Prof Roy Taylor, of Newcastle University, told the Daily Express .

According to the researchers, the trial also paves the way for new treatments for those who cannot stick to the drastic diet.

In 'type two' diabetes, the pancreas does not make enough insulin – a hormone key in the conversion of sugar into energy, and the insulin that is made does not work properly.

The condition is often controlled initially with a stringent diet and exercise regime. But many sufferers see their health worsen and eventually have to depend on tablets or insulin injections.

"What is really important and very new is the changes in the body that go along with this. Specifically, the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas have gone to sleep in Type 2 diabetes, they are not really doing very much.

As the level of fat in the pancreas has reduced, we have seen these insulin-producing cells come completely back to normal, and that is truly remarkable," Taylor added.

'Good' cholesterol cuts chances of coronary artery disease

Scientists have discovered that the biological function of ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL cholesterol) is just as vital in cutting the risk of coronary artery disease than its quantity.

A team of researchers, led by Ulf Landmesser, at the University of Zurich, Switzerland has found that HDL from patients with (CAD) had different effects on cells lining blood vessels than did HDL from healthy individuals.

This suggested that therapeutics that increase HDL levels do not yield clear-cut decreases in the disease, indicating that the beneficial effects of HDL are likely not related simply to its abundance. 

The HDL from patients with CAD was found to lack anti-inflammatory effects on blood vessel–lining cells and could not stimulate repair of the blood vessel lining, according to the researchers. 

In the view of Philip Shaul and Chieko Mineo, at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas the data indicated that if the protective potential of HDL is to be harnessed, its biological functions as well as its abundance must be considered.--ANI

Your bodies resist weight loss efforts

If you've been trying to lose weight and suspect your body is working against you, you may indeed be right.  "When obese people reduce their food intake too drastically, their bodies appear to resist their weight lossefforts," said Gregory G. Freund, professor at the University of Illinois College of Medicine. 

"They may have to work harder and go slower in order to outsmart their brain chemistry," added Freund, who led the study. 

He particularly cautioned against beginning a diet with a fast or cleansing day, which appears to trigger significant alterations in the immune system that work against weight loss. 

"Take smaller steps to start your weight loss and keep it going," he said, the journal Obesity reports.

In the study, the scientist compared the effects of a short-term fast on two groups of mice. For 12 weeks, one group consumed a low-fat diet (10 percent fat); the other group was fed a high-fat diet (60 percent fat) and had become obese, according to an Illinois statement. 

The mice were then made to fast for 24 hours. In that time, the leaner mice lost 18 percent of their body weight compared to five percent for the obese mice.

Beginning a weight loss programme in a depressed frame of mind and with decreased motivation doesn't bode well for the diet's success, Freund noted.--IANS.

Tips for better sleep

Hectic schedules, stress and excess workload have made sound sleep a luxury for many. But a few lifestyle changes can make for a restful night, say experts.

Helpful wind-down routines include a bath, a hot milky drink, switching off the television and computer, getting clothes ready for the morning, listening to soothing music and planning the next day's schedule, help in relaxing minds which leads to sound sleep, reports express.co.uk.

Experts say the surroundings could be rearranged to create an atmosphere more suited to sleep. Sleeping with the television on should be avoided as the waves disrupt sleep patterns.

To sleep well, there needs to be a fractional temperature difference between our body and our brain, a warm body and a cool head.

If a person prepares for sleep well before midnight (between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.), he stands a much better chance of getting a good sleep.

Vital deep sleep occurs an hour or so after a person drops off. So one can optimise the quality of this initial stage by going to bed at a reasonable hour.

Experts also say that one should have breakfast within half-an-hour of waking. This not only stimulates body metabolism, but when one eats a healthy breakfast, the person starts to create the perfect internal chemistry for optimal sleep.

It is always good to keep a gap of 90 minutes between eating dinner and going to bed. A heavy meal late in the evening disrupts sleep pattern.

Consuming two-to-three litres of fluid throughout the day will help keep the body hydrated and improve the quality of sleep. However, caffeine should be avoided as it dehydrates the body.

Half an hour of gentle exercise every day boosts the production of hormones that makes a person feel relaxed, such as endorphins and serotonin, as well as helping to shift excess weight and improve breathing and energy levels.

To relax one's mind at bedtime, a person should think about something he or she really enjoys doing, like an activity or the memory of a perfect day. The person should run it through in the mind like a film and slow it right down. This exercise will make a person relaxed, peaceful and ultimately sleepy.IANS

Prevent Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear occurs when water builds up in the ear, causing an infection of the outer ear canal. Symptoms may include pain, swelling, redness and draining pus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests how to help prevent swimmer's ear:

• Keep water out of your ears while swimming by using ear plugs or a bathing cap.
• Thoroughly dry your ears when you're finished swimming. Tilt your head in each direction, pull gently on your earlobe and pat dry with a towel.
• Never insert anything (such as a finger or cotton swab) into the ear.
• Use a blow-dryer on its lowest setting to completely dry your ears.
• Don't try to remove any ear wax yourself. Seek the help of a physician.

Prevent Heat-Related Illness

As the weather heats up, illnesses ranging from heat exhaustion to heatstroke become more common.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests how to help prevent heat-related medical emergencies:

• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.
• If working outdoors, take frequent breaks in the shade or indoors.
• When weather is particularly hot or humid, avoid heavy exercise or physical activity.
• Increase your fluid intake.
• Avoid becoming overheated, especially if you're elderly, overweight or taking a medication that affects your body's heat regulation.
• Let your car cool down before you get inside.