Doctor On-Call (Health Corner)
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
With the world’s attention focused on HIV/AIDS, much thought has also been given to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which were known as sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or venereal diseases (VD) in the past decades. This is largely because the HIV infection is an STI, being primarily transmitted through sexual intercourse, with vaginal and anal sex having the higher risk compared to oral sex. Also, some STIs with ulcerative lesions such as herpes and chancre tend to facilitate the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency virus. There are open ulcers in these conditions and these lesions serve as the entry point for the virus.
STIs can be caused by bacteria (syphilis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea), viruses (herpes, HIV, Hepatitis B, HPV), fungi (Candida) and other organisms such as Trichomonas vaginalis, scabies and the most common STI, pubis pediculosis, cause by the pubic lice Phthirius pubis. Common manifestations include genital warts or ulcers (may or may not be painful), discharge (remember “tulo”! This usually comes with painful urination), enlarged lymph nodes (“kulani”), and abdominal pain. These infections may be transmitted from one person to another during sexual intercourse. Although most of them may be treated successfully with antimicrobial agents, the viral infections tend to remain in the body for a long time (or forever in the case of Hepatitis B and HIV) because current antiviral drugs are still lacking in effectiveness and efficacy.
Some patterns of behavior are associated with STI transmission. Personal sexual actions such as frequent partner change, casual sex, sex with commercial sex workers, using vaginal drying agents, exchanging sex for money or drugs, and past history of STI all put a person at risk of getting infected. The actions of one’s partner can likewise add to the risk; this is true in cases where the partner has other sexual partners or has STI. Skin piercing practices, scarification, tattooing, use of alcohol and recreational drugs (drugs and too much alcohol can cloud a person’s judgment’), mother to child transmission and blood transfusion are non-sexual means by which the infection can spread.
STIs are preventable infections. Prevention may be achieved through safer sexual behavior and activity, screening and treatment of pregnant women and through proper screening of all blood and blood products prior to transfusion. Safer sexual behavior implies abstaining from sexual activity altogether, delaying one’s sexual debut and mutual fidelity or lifelong monogamy for both partners. Safer sexual acts may mean engaging only in non-penetrative sex acts or still engaging in penetrative sexual acts but with used of barriers such as male condoms, female condoms or dental dams (these are latex sheaths used in oral-vaginal sex or oral-anal sex). The importance of protecting oneself from contracting sexually transmitted infections cannot be overemphasized. It is vital to put in mind that people infected with STIs, specially women, sometimes do not have any signs that they have infection so they become silent carriers of these disease.
Because of the stigma of STIs (“men and women with STIs are bad”), the afflicted man or woman often hesitate to seek medical advice. This should not be the case because STIs have serious complications if left untreated. When left unchecked and untreated, STIs can result in infertility (this is one of the reasons why some women are not able to have children), chronic debility and suffering and even death. Eye infection, blindness, deformity and pneumonia may be seen in babies born from mothers with STIs. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, these STIs aid in the transmission of HIV.
With these in mind, an individual should recheck his/her behavior and make wise decisions. Remember - the ABC of protection against HIV holds true for the other STIs:
A – Abstain from sex,
B – Be faithful to one uninfected partner and
C – Use the Condom correctly and consistently.
Contributed by: Dr. Jane Revilla
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To Have That Healthy Weight
We always want to be fit and healthy but it seems hard for most of us to do it.
Understanding the Energy Equation
Whether you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to understand the connection between the energy your body takes in (through the foods you eat and the beverages you drink) and the energy your body uses (through the activities you do). To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you take in. To maintain a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you use with those you take in.
Getting the Most Nutrition out of Your Calories
There is a right number of calories for you to eat each day. This number depends on your age, activity level, and whether you are trying to gain, maintain, or lose weight. You could use up the entire amount on a few high-calorie foods, but chances are, you won’t get the full range of vitamins and nutrients your body needs to be healthy.Choose the most nutritionally rich foods you can from each food group each day – those packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients, but lower in calories. Pick foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products more often.
Finding Your Balance between Food and Physical Activity
Becoming a healthier you isn’t just about eating healthy – it’s also about physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness. It also helps you control body weight by balancing the calories you take in as food with the calories you expend each day.
1. Be physically active, at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
2. Increasing the intensity or the amount of time that you are physically active can have even greater health benefits and may be needed to control body weight. About 60 minutes a day may be needed to prevent weight gain.
3. Children and teenagers should be physically active 60 minutes every day, or most every day.
Whether you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to understand the connection between the energy your body takes in (thru the foods you eat and the beverages you drink) and the energy your body uses (thru the activities you do).
Energy Balance is like a scale. To remain in balance, the calories consumed (from foods) must be balanced by the calories used (in physical activity). To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you take in. To maintain a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you use with those you take in. No matter which results you want, eating a healthy diet and being physically active can help you reach your goal.
Contributed by: Dr. Juvy Magbanua
With the world’s attention focused on HIV/AIDS, much thought has also been given to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which were known as sexually transmitted diseases (STD) or venereal diseases (VD) in the past decades. This is largely because the HIV infection is an STI, being primarily transmitted through sexual intercourse, with vaginal and anal sex having the higher risk compared to oral sex. Also, some STIs with ulcerative lesions such as herpes and chancre tend to facilitate the transmission of the Human Immunodeficiency virus. There are open ulcers in these conditions and these lesions serve as the entry point for the virus.
STIs can be caused by bacteria (syphilis, Chlamydia, gonorrhea), viruses (herpes, HIV, Hepatitis B, HPV), fungi (Candida) and other organisms such as Trichomonas vaginalis, scabies and the most common STI, pubis pediculosis, cause by the pubic lice Phthirius pubis. Common manifestations include genital warts or ulcers (may or may not be painful), discharge (remember “tulo”! This usually comes with painful urination), enlarged lymph nodes (“kulani”), and abdominal pain. These infections may be transmitted from one person to another during sexual intercourse. Although most of them may be treated successfully with antimicrobial agents, the viral infections tend to remain in the body for a long time (or forever in the case of Hepatitis B and HIV) because current antiviral drugs are still lacking in effectiveness and efficacy.
Some patterns of behavior are associated with STI transmission. Personal sexual actions such as frequent partner change, casual sex, sex with commercial sex workers, using vaginal drying agents, exchanging sex for money or drugs, and past history of STI all put a person at risk of getting infected. The actions of one’s partner can likewise add to the risk; this is true in cases where the partner has other sexual partners or has STI. Skin piercing practices, scarification, tattooing, use of alcohol and recreational drugs (drugs and too much alcohol can cloud a person’s judgment’), mother to child transmission and blood transfusion are non-sexual means by which the infection can spread.
STIs are preventable infections. Prevention may be achieved through safer sexual behavior and activity, screening and treatment of pregnant women and through proper screening of all blood and blood products prior to transfusion. Safer sexual behavior implies abstaining from sexual activity altogether, delaying one’s sexual debut and mutual fidelity or lifelong monogamy for both partners. Safer sexual acts may mean engaging only in non-penetrative sex acts or still engaging in penetrative sexual acts but with used of barriers such as male condoms, female condoms or dental dams (these are latex sheaths used in oral-vaginal sex or oral-anal sex). The importance of protecting oneself from contracting sexually transmitted infections cannot be overemphasized. It is vital to put in mind that people infected with STIs, specially women, sometimes do not have any signs that they have infection so they become silent carriers of these disease.
Because of the stigma of STIs (“men and women with STIs are bad”), the afflicted man or woman often hesitate to seek medical advice. This should not be the case because STIs have serious complications if left untreated. When left unchecked and untreated, STIs can result in infertility (this is one of the reasons why some women are not able to have children), chronic debility and suffering and even death. Eye infection, blindness, deformity and pneumonia may be seen in babies born from mothers with STIs. Furthermore, as mentioned earlier, these STIs aid in the transmission of HIV.
With these in mind, an individual should recheck his/her behavior and make wise decisions. Remember - the ABC of protection against HIV holds true for the other STIs:
A – Abstain from sex,
B – Be faithful to one uninfected partner and
C – Use the Condom correctly and consistently.
Contributed by: Dr. Jane Revilla
----------------------------------------------------------------------
To Have That Healthy Weight
We always want to be fit and healthy but it seems hard for most of us to do it.
Understanding the Energy Equation
Whether you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to understand the connection between the energy your body takes in (through the foods you eat and the beverages you drink) and the energy your body uses (through the activities you do). To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you take in. To maintain a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you use with those you take in.
Getting the Most Nutrition out of Your Calories
There is a right number of calories for you to eat each day. This number depends on your age, activity level, and whether you are trying to gain, maintain, or lose weight. You could use up the entire amount on a few high-calorie foods, but chances are, you won’t get the full range of vitamins and nutrients your body needs to be healthy.Choose the most nutritionally rich foods you can from each food group each day – those packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients, but lower in calories. Pick foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products more often.
Finding Your Balance between Food and Physical Activity
Becoming a healthier you isn’t just about eating healthy – it’s also about physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness. It also helps you control body weight by balancing the calories you take in as food with the calories you expend each day.
1. Be physically active, at a moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
2. Increasing the intensity or the amount of time that you are physically active can have even greater health benefits and may be needed to control body weight. About 60 minutes a day may be needed to prevent weight gain.
3. Children and teenagers should be physically active 60 minutes every day, or most every day.
Whether you want to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, it’s important to understand the connection between the energy your body takes in (thru the foods you eat and the beverages you drink) and the energy your body uses (thru the activities you do).
Energy Balance is like a scale. To remain in balance, the calories consumed (from foods) must be balanced by the calories used (in physical activity). To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you take in. To maintain a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you use with those you take in. No matter which results you want, eating a healthy diet and being physically active can help you reach your goal.
Contributed by: Dr. Juvy Magbanua