MEN AND CANDIDAWritten by Dr. Brian Martin
Most people think of fungal yeast infections or Candida albicans (also known as Thrush and Balanitis) as a female issue, however, men frequently develop condition. Candida in men occurs in groin area; it can cause soreness, itching, and redness of head of penis, scrotum, and foreskin. Often times, small white spots on penis, burning sensations during intercourse, and transient rashes may identify ailment. Due to fact that Candida thrives in warm, sweaty, and irritated skin, uncircumcised men are actually more likely to develop Candida. In some cases, foreskin even swells and cracks due to yeast allergy. In addition, not only does, fungal yeast thrive on high sugar content found in men with diabetes, it can also result as an allergic reaction to perfumes, dyes, soaps, and shower gels. There is some debate in medical and holistic healthcare communities whether or not Candida is a sexually transmitted disease (STD.) The reason being that many people already have a small amount of it in their bodies. It is actually more common in men who are not sexually active, but infection can be passed on through sex. If a man has a male sexual partner, condoms with nonoxynol-9 added to lubricant may contribute to anal yeast infection. In heterosexual intercourse, men may develop Balanitis if their female sexual partner has a yeast infection.
| | Your Newborn Baby’s First Few Days at Home – What You Should ExpectWritten by Keziah Engineer
The first few days home from hospital are important for both baby and parents. As parents you will have gone through intense birth process that is unlike anything else you have ever experienced. As a new mother you will be drained - both emotionally and physically. The father can often have feelings of being overwhelmed by huge responsibility he now faces. There probably is not much anyone can say or do to help you to fully prepare for what you are about to experience. During your first days at home it may be wise to limit amount of visitors that you welcome into your home because you’ll need a lot of time to recover from birth process. Other than your immediate family and good friends you might want to ask other friends to wait a week or two before they descend on you with gifts and wanting to hold new baby. New mothers will want to pay attention to way that they feel so that those “baby blues” don’t creep up and surprise you unexpectedly. It is normal to feel a bit out of sorts and sad for first couple of weeks after giving birth. Your body is going through some major physical changes after birth of your baby. Your hormones will be changing and you likely will be feeling a lack of sleep. It is important to remember that this is natural and to allow yourself a good amount of time to recover from this. If you find yourself feeling more and more depressed it is advised that you should discuss it with your doctor to see if you are suffering from “postpartum depression”. Symptoms of postpartum depression include:·Overwhelming feelings of sadness and depression accompanied by crying. ·Having little or no energy. ·Feelings of guilt and worthlessness. ·Having no interest in your baby or being overly concerned and worried about your baby.
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