Male Sexuality

The day I discovered my first pimple changed my whole life. It was as if the heavens had fallen on my head. It was such a shock and so embarrassing. I didn’t feel like meeting friends or going to school. Initially, I wanted to hide forever. However, I soon grew to love my beauty spot and felt like showing it off! After all it was a sign that I was growing up!"

Yes, pimples and periods are the two common signs of puberty in girls. A time of change and upheaval, of excitement and anxiety, puberty is a big milestone in any girls’ life. You are bound to experience fluctuations in your emotional and physical make up, so it is time you learnt what you are going to face and when!
THE FIRST STAGE 8-11years

If you are a girl between 8 to 11 years, then this is your story. Though there are no external signs but internally a whole lot of change and development is taking place. Your ovaries are enlarging and hormone production is beginning. This is sometimes reflected in a change of attitude towards life. You start looking at things from a new perspective and you want to act mature. You are no longer a kid and not yet an adult - so there is bound to be chaos and confusion in your life. However you must keep your cool and give yourself time to grow up!
THE SECOND STAGE 11- 13 years

This stage is marked by a rapid physical development. You grow in both height and weight, your breasts will start developing, the hips get rounder and waist narrower. In short, you are going to acquire those womanly curves. There is going to be an increase in body hair as well as body odour. No wonder all the deodorant companies are eyeing you as big potentials! This is also the time you might start off with your periods or your menstruation. Dealing with the physical discomfort can be quite distressing initially, however you will soon accept this as a part of life. Hormonal changes also bring with them mood swings and emotional turmoil. You will find your parents nosy and interfering and confide in friends. Issues such as independence, love, career, movies and sex are the new hot topics. You are now ready to jump to the next phase.
THE THIRD STAGE 13-16 years

This stage marks rapid development both physically as well as mentally. You will soon switch from reading about the world of Enid Blytons and Harry Potters to the mushy romance of Mills & Boon to the more serious Danielle Steel and Jeffrey Archer. The emotional roller coaster is pretty much the same, however you will soon start feeling more in control of yourself. You might become short-tempered and highly-strung over sensitive issues and even take casual comments to heart. Remember that it is very easy at this stage to give in to temptations, however learn to say No and think before you leap.
THE FINAL SHOT 16 years and above

Congratulations! You have now completely attained puberty and are an adult. This is the beginning of a new phase in your life so march ahead with full steam and vigour.

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A strange thing happened the other night. I woke up in the middle of the night and found that my bed was all wet. It was frightening and made me nervous. Then the same thing happened again. This time I was dreaming of pretty girls and sexy legs. Then I realised that I was having wet dreams.

Puberty in boys is characterized by one main change: Masturbation. It starts with the so-called wet dreams, which is when a boy starts masturbating automatically while sleeping. He may or may not fantasize but he soon realizes that it is a normal thing to happen and starts masturbating consciously. Here are the changes that a boy undergoing puberty experiences:
THE FIRST GO at 9-13 years

The hormonal changes have begun, although there are very few outward signs of development at the beginning. By the time you reach the age of 13, there may be a sudden increase in height and change in body weight. There may be some signs of body hair but they will be scanty and body odour will need some respite. It is finally time for you to start with a deodorant or an antiperspirant!
THE SECOND GO at 13-14 years

This sure is the rapid-fire stage of development stage when you might find your voice breaking. Your face too seems to be becoming bigger and bolder with some facial hair sprouting. There will be a growth in your height and adult looks are finally seeping in. Your private parts are also developing rapidly and you might experience your first wet dream. Besides, you will go through a lot of emotional upheaval. You will also find yourself reacting strongly to issues and be sensitive to what people say. This is also the age you will get interested in sex. You will get curious about not only your own body but also the opposite sex. It is only natural for you to read magazines such as Playboy clandestinely to satisfy your curiosity or talk to your friends about it. There’s no need to feel either shy or embarrassed about these issues. In fact talking with peers, teachers and elders may be a good idea to clear up your ideas.
THE THIRD GO at 14-16 years

This is an extension of the second stage but things progress much faster here. Small hair on the chin and over the lips appears, the voice gets deeper, and the skin gets oilier. Though wet dreams may stop, you will start masturbating consciously. There is a greater desire to want your own space and room as independence and privacy are going to be your motto. You will prefer friends instead of family and relatives.
THE FINAL GO at 16 years and above

You are a man now or nearly. You would have started shaving, taking an interest in building your body and of course have a keen eye for pretty young things. This is also the time you need to concentrate on your studies and plan a future course of action, so there is going to be a lot of activity on all the fronts. However, you are man enough to deal with all this so go ahead with all gusto!

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You’ve probably heard of them and are lucky if you haven’t got them. Believe it or not, sexually transmitted diseases are affecting more and more teenagers today. This is because today sexual activity starts at a much younger age. There is nothing wrong in this as long as you take the necessary precautions and avoid the pitfalls later on.
Five common STDs

Here are the five most commonly spread sexually transmitted diseases that you should be careful about:

1. Chlamydia

This is a bacterium that affects both men and women. This bacteria grows around the urethra and sometimes even in the eyes. Common symptoms include:

* Painful or frequent urination
* Burning, redness, soreness or itching in the vaginal area
* Unusual discharge
* Pain during sex
* Bleeding
* Burning and itching around the opening of the penis in men
* Pain and swelling in the testicles in men

This bacteria is easy to get rid of as it can be treated by antibiotics however it should not be ignored because if left alone it can even damage the reproductive system and cause infertility.

2. Genital herpes

This is a virus infection that causes sores in the genital areas. You cannot do much to avoid catching it except for practicing cleanliness and maintaining proper hygiene so that even if your partner is carrying this virus you do not get it. Herpes spreads very fast since there are no distinguishable symptoms and at times you may not even know that you have caught this virus. You may only feel a slight itching.

A first attack of the herpes virus can be so mild that it goes unnoticed. However, common symptoms can cause the skin to become inflamed and blisters or bumps may appear. The area is often painful and may itch, burn, or tingle. Flu-like symptoms may also occur. These include swollen glands, headache, muscle aches, or fever. Herpes has no cure and the only treatment is to keep the infected area clean and dry, take proper rest and eat healthy food.
3. Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is an infection that is spread through sexual contact as well by shared needles and through blood contact. It is a very dangerous virus because it is very contagious and has no cure except a vaccination. Its common symptoms are

* Jaundice
* Stomach problem, nausea, tiredness, dark urine However, many people may not show the symptoms and still be a carrier of this virus. In extreme cases, it leads to the destroying of the liver and can even cause cancer.
* Gonorrhea

This is a bacterial infection that can be transmitted only sexually. It is a highly contagious disease and spreads in the reproductive system very fast. Its most common symptoms are

* A yellowish vaginal discharge
* Painful and frequent urination with a burning sensation
* Burning or itching in the pubic area, even a redness or swelling may appear
* Blood in the urine
* Pain during sex

This is a disease that can be easily treated with antibiotics. However, if left untreated it can spread to the whole reproductive system and then cause serious complications.

5. HPV

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most common STDs. It usually leads to genital warts and in many cases warts on the hands and feet. These can normally be treated with ointments while in extreme cases surgery may be required.
Prevention is better than cure

* Practice safe sex.
* Always use condoms.
* Limit yourself to one partner.
* Never take alcohol or any other intoxicants before sex, and
* Get a check up done annually.

If you are one of those who never thought about STDs or didn’t know what they were, you would be better informed now. Use this information and make your sex life a happy and healthy one and keep STDs at more than an arm’s length.

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The anatomy of the penis is complex. It is comprised primarily of two cylinders of sponge-like vascular tissue that fills with blood to create an erection. Blood is pumped into the penis under great pressure and a series of valves keep it in the penis to maintain the erection. A third cylinder is the urethra, a tube that carries the urine and the ejaculate. The knobby head of the penis is called the Glans. Blood flows to the penis by two very small arteries that come from the Aorta. These arteries are the same size as the arteries to your finger. The main problem that causes impotence is that the blood vessels become blocked and the blood can not get to the penis. The other major problem is leakage of blood from the penis into the veins around the penis called a venous leak. This is very common, similar to a hole in a tire. The larger the hole the more air that needs to be pumped into the tire to keep it hard!

Penile Enlargement

The enlargement of the penis by surgery is twofold. The procedure to lengthen the penis is by cutting the suspensory ligament. This gives the appearance of a longer penis but does not actually increase its length. It also makes the penis more unstable during intercourse and in do course more susceptible to injury. The other method of enlargement is by liposuction of tissue from one part of the body and injecting it around the penis to create a fatter penis. This gives the appearance of a fat, wide penis but not longer. These procedures are not recommended and have very high complication rates.

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Lets first look at the causes of male infertility and then will become clear how you can improve your sperm with the essential vitamins.

Male infertility can be classified into two areas: problems associated with sperm production and problems associated with sperm delivery. Sperm production accounts for the majority of male infertility and are concerned with the amount of sperm produced, their shape and structure (morphology) and ability to swim (motility). If any of these aspects are below average, fertilisation becomes more difficult.

So why are we seeing a decline in sperm counts? There are many factors that may contribute to a reduction in sperm quantity and quality such as excessive heat, nutritional and environmental factors and stress.

So what can you do to improve your sperm production? It is known that healthy sperm need an abundance of nutrients and if these are not readily available sperm production is affected.

The key 5 vitamins are:

1. Zinc – plays an important role in the formation of new sperm and maintenance of sperm motility. For infertile men with low semen zinc levels, a trial found that zinc supplements (240mg per day) increased sperm counts.

2. Vitamin C – protects sperm from oxidative damage and prevents sperm sticking together – called sperm agglutination. In one study, men who suffered agglutination took a supplement of 200-1000 mg per day, which increased their fertility.

3. Arginine – is needed to produce sperm. Research shows that several months of arginine supplementation increases sperm count, quality and fertility.

4. Vitamin B12- is needed to maintain fertility. A study showed that taking 1,500mcg per day for 2 to 13 months increased sperm counts in 60% of the men.

5. Vitamin E - deficiency has shown to lead to infertility in animals. In a preliminary human trial, 100-200 IU of Vitamin E given daily to both infertile couples led to significant increase in fertility. It is thought that Vitamin E supplementation may enhance fertility by decreasing free radical damage to sperm cells.

Vitamin supplementation is an easy way to actively improve your sperm’s health and therefore increase your chance of pregnancy. In today’s stressful society our bodies are constantly challenged to keep up with all the essential vitamins it needs for its everyday functions – sperm production is no exception!

Marina Nicholas is the author of the book 3 Steps to Fertility, a Couple’s Guide to Maximising their Ability to Conceive. This is the first book to be written by someone who has suffered with infertility, who has researched all the potential causes and who has personally tried all the complementary and conventional treatments.

She regularly imparts her knowledge on radio, television and in magazines. Marina also works as a helpliner for the largest infertility charity, Infertility Network UK. The website http://www.3stepstofertility.com was set up to keep couples abreast of the latest research and developments in the field. She successfully gave birth to her son, Bruno after seven years of infertility.Search inside the book and learn how fertility treatments like acupuncture, hypnotherapy, reflexology,diet and nutrition and Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) can help you get pregnant

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