Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Jezebel: "Teens Bone With or Without Condoms, Say Docs for the Millionth Time"

I have to pimp out this excellent article from Jezebel, because I couldn't have said it better.  Thanks to the good folks at Jezebel for continuing to write about sexual health and education. All the applause to you! 

Take a look:

Teens Bone With or Without Condoms, Say Docs for the Millionth Time
 
 
Seriously, dum-dums, how many times do we have to go over this? Condoms do not cause sexy intercourse any more than seat belts cause car accidents. Adding yet another voice to this "conversation," which has seemingly been raging since the invention of penises, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Adolescence has released a policy statement affirming that America's youngsters need access to free, reliable contraception and comprehensive sex ed. Posthaste. Preferably via their schools.

These so-called "doctors'" endgame? RAMPANT UNDERAGE PERVERT SEXING, OBVIOUSLY. Because it is a well-known statistical fact that the fewer condoms a teen comes into contact with, the fewer babies and STIs they ha—oh. No? That's wishful-thinking garbage talk? And literally, measurably, the opposite of true? HUH.
Read more 
 

Friday, October 25, 2013

The End-of-Summer Blues (and what you can do about it)

It seems that when there is a substantial shift in the weather, or a change of season, everything gets
I know this feel
blamed on it.  Raise your hand if any of these statements sound familiar:

"I've been fighting a cold for a week now. Must be the weather change."

"I've had the hardest time getting out of bed in the morning. Must be the season."

"I've been feeling grumpy and out of sorts. Must be the cooler weather."

And so on.  I have been struggling with it myself.  It's darker in the morning, and it's harder for me to get out of the snug cocoon of my bed.  I shuffle through the day feeling like I need a nap, and I crave carbs and comfort foods.  I feel gloomy or downright emotional.  When I watch a Youtube video about an abused dog getting a second chance, I cry buckets.  We try to brush it off, but sometime it's really hard.

The truth is, SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder, is very real.  According to the Mayo Clinic:
Seasonal affective disorder (also called SAD) is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. If you're like most people with seasonal affective disorder, your symptoms start in the fall and may continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.
Sometimes knowing why you feel out of sorts is the first step to feeling better.  However, there is one oft forgotten symptom of depression; folks who are feeling depressed often forego regular steps in their routine, and studies show that one of these steps is to stop taking their birth control.  The percentage is staggering: a University of Michigan poll showed that of almost 700 women studied, the women who were depressed were 47% less-likely to use their birth control.  It's one thing to skip a shower or ditch your exercise routine. This particular lapse could be very dangerous, particularly because an unwanted pregnancy or STI could have a very unpleasant effect upon the already present depression.

What's even more interesting, is that studies are now showing that hormonal birth control methods can actually reduce depression. Women's Health Magazine reports:
You may have heard that the Pill was linked to mood disorders like depression, but the latest research says that’s not the case. In fact, women using hormonal contraception had lower levels of depressive symptoms than non-users, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

The researchers looked at hormonal birth control use and depressive symptoms in 6,654 sexually active women aged 25-34, using data from a longitudinal study conducted in 1994-2008. Women taking hormonal contraception (including the Pill, the patch, and the ring) had lower levels of depressive symptoms and were much less likely to report a suicide attempt in the past year—two factors that are strongly associated with depression. 

So there you have it.  Taking the pill, or another form of hormonal birth control, can actually help you with the moodiness associated with SAD and other forms of depression.  You can boost your results by watching a funny show or film (what a coincidence: UHPP is hosting a comedy show fundraiser next month, but more on that later), and surrounding yourself with people who make you smile.  Playing with a pet also works wonders.  Of course, if you are ever concerned about your health and well-being, or if you would classify your depression as severe and/or suicidal, you should make an appointment to speak with a professional right away.  There are treatments that can be prescribed, such as medication or light therapy.  Just don't ignore what you're feeling and remember; it's normal and common for this time of year. Smile!

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Sorry Yosemite

Today, as I sat down to my computer and opened my web browser, I was greeted by another lovely Google Doodle commemorating the anniversary of something terrific.  You've probably seen it already.




No cake for you, Yosemite.

 

That's right-- Yosemite is turning 123 today! Huzzah! Break out the candles and party hats!

Actually, no. Yosemite will have to spend its birthday all alone-- well, without human visitors, anyway-- because the government shut it down today. Not to over-anthropomorphize a swath of land, but it seems sad.  Though 123 is hardly a milestone-- which makes me ponder Google's motives-- a birthday is a birthday.

The actual humans hardest hit by today's government shutdown are the over 800,000 "non-essential" federal employees who will have to be furloughed, meaning their jobs-- and their paychecks-- are put on hold until Congress and the Senate sort this mess out. 

Why is this happening?  You are sure to receive a different response based on whether you ask a Democrat or a Republican.  Democrats say that it is because the Republican-controlled House is essentially holding the government hostage until they get the amendments they want passed along with the budget. The major amendment in question, is the delay of Obamacare.

Republicans say that it is because Obamacare, as it is written, is unconstitutional, could be disastrous to the economy, and allowing it to go into effect right now would be irresponsible.

Okay.  Here are the facts: "Obamacare," or the Affordable Care Act (ACA), was signed into law three years ago. Why is this happening now, on the day it is supposed to go into effect-- especially when ACA really doesn't even have anything to do with the budget?

Not content to just let sleeping dogs lie, The House is determined to delay or outright repeal ACA, even though 60% of Americans support it, and in 2010 it passed in both the House and the Senate. In 2012, it was under attack by the House, with conservatives challenging its constitutionality.  The Supreme Court ruled that it was not unconstitutional, because:
"According to Article 1, Section 7 of the Constitution, “Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall, before it become a law, be presented to the President of the United States; if he approve he shall sign it. . . .” This is how Obamacare became the law of the land. The House passed the Senate’s version of the health care bill on March 21, 2010 by a vote of 219 to 212. The Affordable Care Act was signed into law by the president two days later." --Jonathan Capehart, Washington Post
So really, these attacks are nothing new.  It wouldn't even be the first time the House threatened to shut down the government based on provisions that they wanted in the budget.  Unfortunately, it is the first time in 17 years that it actually happened.

Hopefully it won't take them long to sort this out, because 800,000 Americans aren't getting paid anymore, and that would be disastrous to the economy.  It could take a day, or even weeks.

Obamacare doesn't have to be a dirty word. Health Care Reform should be a good thing.  If our elected officials would just put on their grown-up pants and work together on this, the country can get back to business.