Health | Planned Parenthood

Choosing The Right Assisted Living Facility Based On Individual Needs

Assisted Living in this sense does not mean a full time residential care facility. These faculties are best for those who cannot take care of themselves at all and need twenty four hour care and supervision as in the case of Alzheimer patients.

Assisted living means a combination of services and faculties which can be customized to suit the individual needs of the senior citizen. It may be they are quite independent but cannot afford to maintain their homes on their pensions. In this case a subsided rental apartment may be the answer.

Seniors may start out in subsidized apartments and manage quite well on their own. As they become older and more frail their needs change and they may need further assistance in the form of hospitality services with a cooked meal once or twice a day. If they have medical conditions and need dressings changed then home nurses come in to attend to their needs.

Personal Support workers can provide assistance on daily needs and tasks which have become to much for the frail senior to cope with on their own, from cooking and laundry to basic hygiene like showers and taking care of their feet.

Whatever the age or ability of the elderly, there is some form assistance available for them. Most of these programs are available through your health care provider or government subsidy programs. Today it is not necessary to assume that because you need a little help, that you have to live out your days in a strange and unfamiliar environment like a senior residential facility, unless of course, that is your own personal choice.

Filed Under: General Tagged With: Alzheimer's disease, Apartment, Assisted living, Facilities, Health, Nursing home, Senior Health, United States

Diet And Sexual Health

A proper diet is important to maintain fitness and health, and certain dietary changes can improve sexual health as well. We all know too much sodium can affect blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke or heart attack. It can also cause water retention, which can exacerbate menstrual bloating and cramping. When bloating is a problem, it’s important to limit sodium and salty foods.

It’s also important to drink plenty of fluids. Drinking liquids actually helps the body flush excess water and reduces the discomfort of bloating and swelling.

Foods that are high in refined sugar such as candy, baked goods and other sweets can feed the growth of yeast organisms in the body. This can result in an overgrowth of the Candida organism, which is responsible for yeast infections. Although most people do not develop a yeast infection from eating too much sugar, it can happen in people who are very sensitive. Sugary foods can also worse an existing yeast infection.

People with hormone-related conditions can benefit from adjusting their intake of phyto-estrogens, the estrogen-like compounds found in many foods. Fibroids, ovarian cysts, endometriosis and some forms of breast cancer feed off of estrogen. Women with these conditions should avoid high estrogen foods like soy, yams, meat and dairy products. Whole grains and cruciferous vegetables can counter some of the effects of excess estrogen.

Those with hormonal imbalances such as menopause and peri-menopause can benefit from foods that are higher in estrogen in order to keep hormone levels stable.

Of course, many foods are thought to enhance libido and sexual performance. Most of these work by promoting blood flow and circulation. Whether they actually increase sexual desire has not yet been proven. However, a diet that improves circulation can result in all-around good health and more energy. Eating healthy to lose excess weight can improve most aspects of a person’s life, including their sexual health and well-being.

Filed Under: General, Sexual Health Tagged With: Candida, Candidiasis, Health, Yeast

Using Sexual Health Clinics vs. Doctors

In order to have a healthy, satisfying and issue-free sex life, you must stay continuously educated on sexual health issues. You must also control the number of partners that you are sexually involved with in order to decrease any chances of exposure to diseases or infections. But perhaps the most important thing that you must do in your sexual life is to make sure that you get regularly scheduled checkups with your medical doctor.

Some people who do not have access to a medical doctor may find that they have to go to a clinic or an alternative health provider for their needs. Is one better than the other or does one provide services that the other does not? In many cases, the answer may be yes, but overall it depends on the person’s own personal needs and preferences, rather than what is always accessible.

Using a sexual health clinics for any sex issues may not provide the person the level of privacy or anonymity that they may feel they need in some cases. Clinics by nature are quite “public”, and an individual may feel that they are exposed when they walk in, or that all eyes are on them. In a doctor’s office however, the person may feel more comfortable since they know what doctor will be seeing and treating them.

Sex health clinics are also more experienced with sexual issues and may be able to more speedily treat any problems right away that a patient has whereas a doctor’s office may have to send samples to a lab or have the patient come back for a 2nd or 3rd visit to treat any condition. This can vary widely, making the decision more of personal choice on what route to go for treatment. Carefully choosing what is best for a situation will be better in the long run for all persons involved.

Filed Under: Advice, Sexual Health Tagged With: Health, Human sexual activity, Reproductive health

Birth Control Options

: Image via Wikipedia

Many people today have decided to head to Planned Parenthood for their birth control options. For many, going to Planned Parenthood can help you save some money on your prescription birth control, over just going to your regular doctor. If you are trying to save up for something like designer jewelry, this could be an option for you.

You may be wondering what types of birth control options you can find at Planned Parenthood. Almost any type of birth control you may want is available. In fact, they may even have options that your doctor may not offer. Even if they have a smaller selection than your doctor, they still have more than enough options for many women.

If you are looking to go on the pill, there are different varieties that are offered. If you’re looking for a particular brand birth control pill, you’ll want to check and make sure that it is offered. If the specific type of pill that you want is not offered, you can discuss your other options with the nurse.

Another option for birth control, especially if you have had children before, is an IUD, or inter-uterine device. This is a small device that is put into your uterus that gives off a low dose of hormone that keeps you from getting pregnant. Generally, these IUDs will last for up to five years. If you decide before the five years are up that you want to get pregnant, you can just head to your doctor, or back to Planned Parenthood, and get the device removed.

No matter what form of birth control you’re interested in, you’ll want to talk to a nurse at Planned Parenthood or your normal doctor about the pros and cons of your choice. There are side effects with all drugs, and this includes birth control.

Filed Under: Advice, General, Parenthood, Pregnancy, Prenatal Care Tagged With: birthcontrol, Combined oral contraceptive pill, Family planning, Health, Intrauterine device, Options, Planned Parenthood, Reproductive health

“Safe Surrender” Law Ignored, Baby Dies at Planned Parenthood

A law was passed by the General Assembly back in 2001 that was meant to prevent tragedies like the one that occured recently at Planned Parenthood in the Winston-Salem area. The body of a newborn infant was discovered, left abandoned. In spite of the law from 2001 that would have protected the mother of this infant in her needless crime, she chose to leave the baby without resources. The law, in fact, absolves any mother of any criminal charges that she could otherwise face for leaving an infant, as long as she follows the provisions. Safe havens include any and all churches and hospitals. Without asking questions, these places should accept a baby, and allow the mother to leave without identifying herself.

Police reported that a baby girl, premature, was found outside of the Winston-Salem Planned Parenthood in a storage bin on Maplewood Avenue. The efforts made by local police to discover who the mother may be, or to find anyone with information about this incident, have all failed. An autopsy has been conducted on the baby girl, but results will not be made public until October.

“Safe Surrender” only exists in 30 states, including North Carolina. However, an abandoned baby is still penalized by criminal action, one handed over to safe havens will be safe and leave the parents blameless. Other safe havens that are less well-known include police and fire stations, nonprofit health centers, and social services offices that are staffed. Legal penalties for not following the “Safe Surrender” law vary by state. In the North Carolina budget crisis, the $250,000 that was intended to advertise the new “Safe Surrender” law, was cut from the budget.

22 newborns have been found dead in North Carolina between the years of 1987 and 2002, but the law was prompted by one especially disturbing discovery of a newborn in a landfill in 2000. Mothers who are scared and unsure of how to handle their newborns can safely deposit them in safe havens in North Carolina, now, which the state hopes will reduce these unnecessary deaths.

Filed Under: Sexual Health, Sexual Orientation Tagged With: Health, Infant, Law, North Carolina, Planned Parenthood, United States, Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem North Carolina

Information About Planned Parenthood, and Their Services

As the leading national reproductive health care provide, and the leading sexual health care provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood is well known throughout the nation, though often with misconceptions about the agenda and mission of Planned Parenthood. Sexual health care services that are vital in our communities for the well being of young men and women are provided by Planned Parenthood now, and have been provided for more than 94 years, already. Information about sexuality, and about sex education, is also available for those who need advice and counseling. In the current year, Planned Parenthood employs more than 30,000 people, including both volunteers, and paid employees.

More than five million people are treated and advised by Planned Parenthood’s trained and caring staff. Sexual health and reproductive health care are important facets of communities, and Planned Parenthood has provided these necessary services so that those who are disadvantaged have access to equal medical care. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America founded the international branch, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, which now serves more than ten million patients annually.

The core service that is most vital for the teens who access Planned Parenthood is contraception and the pre-requisite education, information, and care. Nearly 11 million services were provided back in 2008 to more than five million people. This is believed to have prevented nearly 600,000 unwanted pregnancies. Most visitors of Planned Parenthood facilities are living below the national poverty line, which makes Planned Parenthood their only option for medical attention for sexual-related care. In addition to the great works being done by the core branches of Planned Parenthood, there are an additional 87 affiliates, which makes 912 offices nationally where people can seek help and attention. Providing a good sexual education for visitors is a vital role for a community member, as is providing services that people could not otherwise afford.

Filed Under: Sexual Health, Sexual Orientation Tagged With: Abortion, Family planning, Health, Health care, Planned Parenthood, Reproductive health, Sex education, United States

Medication Abortion Versus Surgical: Planned Parenthood Options Debated

Planned Parenthood has publicly stated that medication abortions are the preferred method of most women, as they are less intrusive, and considerably more private. However, the “Des Moines Register” believes that the surgical option is being overlooked due to misconceptions about the pain, bleeding, and invasive-ness of the procedure. The truth as the “Des Moines Register” reports it is that medication-induced abortions are far worse, being more protracted, uncomfortable, and causing bleeding for up to two weeks for most women who choose this method. Also, women who choose this method may see the child’s body pass in their own toilet, rather than having a quick and formal surgical abortion that prevents such discomforts.

The real question that the “Register” has failed to ask is: how many abortions, either medication-induced or surgical, has Planned Parenthood prevented through their birth control services and sexual health education? Though the gruesome details of abortions make for better readerships for cheesy tabloids like the “Register,” the truth is that Planned Parenthood is first and foremost interested in caring for people, and helping them to PLAN for eventual PARENTHOOD. Plan, as in prevent, until the time is right. Planned Parenthood is interested in preventing the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, providing affordable or free services to community members who live below the poverty line, and assisting those with surgical medical needs.

In addition to critically analyzing practices that Planned Parenthood necessarily offers, by public demand, to local communities, the “Register” has also stepped on their own feet. Initially supporting Planned Parenthood in an opinion piece about telemedicine and abortion, the “Register” back-stepped when their conservative readership ignited and threatened to cancel subscriptions. This caused the newspaper to swallow its pride, swallow it’s true opinion, and write what the local nay-sayers would have them write. Is that true journalism? Since when does a newspaper care about public interest? I thought they were all bought by Big Business, already!

Filed Under: Sexual Health, Sexual Orientation Tagged With: Abortion, Birth control, Clinics and Services, Des Moines Register, Health, Planned Parenthood, Reproductive health, United States

Abortion Clinic Plot Targeted at Family Planning Facility

: Image via Wikipedia

There must be a proud Concord mama out there somewhere. A man from Concord, whom most believe is mentally unstable, plotted to attack what he called “an abortion clinic” that was actually a family planning facility, Planned Parenthood. Though many people think of Planned Parenthood as an abortion clinic, in truth, it is a family planning facility for teenagers, particularly those who live below the poverty line. Last Monday, a man from South Piedmont was charged with a plot to bomb the local Planned Parenthood facility and seen in federal court, in Greensboro.

This A-class character who sought to literally explore a facility filled with pregnant women, young teenagers, and impoverished patients and the nurses who assist them, used a popular social media site to encourage others to help. Mr. Justin Carl Moose, a regular Facebook user, probably has the CEO of Facebook re-questioning their choice to make Facebook public, rather than just for college kids. Moose encouraged people on his page to use extreme violence against those in need of Planned Parenthood, and those working there. Justin Moose also provided diagrams, pictures, and instructions for the design and creation of homemade bombs, which he didn’t realize could be made by young boys to explode cats, in addition to the Planned Parenthood. His short sightedness could have lead to the deaths of innocent, random community members, in addition to helpless, impoverished young people. Mrs. Moose, Justin’s mother, must be extremely proud of her son.

The website on Facebook had enough damaging information that investigations were also launched on other people who interacted with Moose. The only good thing to come out of this horrific scare is that perhaps as many as four shady characters have been red flagged for further investigation, in addition to Moose. Moose may face as much as 20 years in jail for his terror plot, as well as a fine of $250,000.

Filed Under: Sexual Health, Sexual Orientation Tagged With: Abortion, Clinics and Services, Facebook, Family planning, Health, Justin Moose, Planned Parenthood, Reproductive health

Diet and Exercise Can Boost Sexual Desire

: Image via Wikipedia

You’ve been wanting to improve your health for a while now, but you just can’t seem to find the time or the energy. Do you know that people who are more physically and mentally healthy actually have better sex lives? That’s probably a pretty good reason to get off the couch and start improving your health.

When you feel good about yourself and your appearance, you are much better equipped to feel better in your relationships and that includes your sex life. If you are exhausted or tired most of the time, that will effect your sexual energy in a negative way.

We all know that many of us find the road to getting a healthy body and mind is difficult. It is especially difficult if this goal involves starting to exercise, losing weight or reducing stress. All you have to do is grab your running shoes to get started! We know the rewards from exercise include the fact that you will feel and look better, both of which can only enhance romantic activities.

There is no proof that a good diet and sexual performance are linked; however a less than stellar diet can cause problems with your health that can affect your sex life in a negative way.

So how do you go about achieving more healthy lifestyles so you can enhance your romance and sex life? Simply eating a balanced diet and exercising each day is a simple road to follow. The two are basically the ying to each others yang - they work together in tandem.

Individuals who engage in regular exercise actually find that they have a high level of desire according to studies. These people exhibit high levels of confidence and often have a greater ability to achieve orgasm and greater satisfaction. Even a moderate level of daily exercise, say between 20 and 30 minutes per day, can help boost your sexual desire.

Filed Under: Advice, Contraception, Parenthood, Pregnancy Tagged With: Health, Human sexual activity, Libido, Sexology, Sexual dysfunction, Sexual intercourse, Sexuality, Weight loss

The Woes of Birth Control

: Image by Steve Rhodes via Flickr

It’s understandable that health insurance companies elect to pay for Viagra for men, as a lack of Viagra can be quite distressing for those particular men who need the . . . er, assistance. However, for health insurance companies to willingly pay for Viagra, a recreational drug, and then deny drugs that are much more necessary for women, seems sexist. Taking birth control, for some women, is a matter of sexual health, whereas for others it is merely a tool in the process of having safe sex. Birth control can be used for medical reasons that are much more serious and necessary than Viagra, yet, even in these cases, insurance will not cover the cost of the medication.

For women with cystic, or poly cystic ovaries, birth control is not just a matter of sexual health, but a matter of overall well being. If a woman needs birth control in order to be reproductive, in order to keep herself fertile, then her insurance company should pay for these cheap pills, rather than forcing her down a road that ends with $15,000 sperm injections in the vain hopes of having babies from an infertile womb. The average birth control costs $420 per year. If a health insurance company pays for birth control for the average duration of medication for an average female in the United States, it would equal $10,080 (based upon the typical 24 years of use). Even women who hit menopause late in life would be less expensive to insure via birth control, rather than invitro fertilization, and that’s assuming that a woman would only require one attempt (typically, three attempts are required to induce pregnancy).

The dollars and cents don’t add up in the case of potentially infertile women as a result of no birth control. Though Planned Parenthood offers birth control to poor women at reduced rates, there is still no recourse for women who resent their placement, firmly beneath Viagra users on the totem of importance.

Filed Under: Contraception, Sexual Health, Sexual Life Tagged With: Birth control, Health, Health insurance, Insurance, United States