The Health Benefits Associated with Circumcisions

The surgical process of removing the tissue that covers the penis head or foreskin is known as circumcision. This procedure began during the ancient times for religious reasons. Today, parents may choose to have their sons circumcised for the same religious reasons or others.

This procedure is generally completed when the male infant is two or three days old. If the circumcision is being performed on a Jewish child, the process is usually completed when the child is eight days old. The older the male child becomes, the more dangerous the procedure may be.

The benefit of circumcision is something that is continuously being debated among parents and healthcare professionals. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recently recommended that newborns are not circumcised as the health benefits do not appear to be significant enough. However, they have recommended that the procedure may be done in older patients to treat an infection. Recent studies have concluded that parents prefer to have their sons circumcised not only for appearance purposes, but because they feel the benefits of circumcision far out weight the risks that are involved.

It is highly suggested that parents speak to their healthcare professional regarding the risks and dangers that are associated with circumcision. Other factors that can assist with the parent’s decision are their religion, culture, and personal preferences.

Some of the health benefits associated with circumcision includes:

• Prevention of the inability to retract their foreskin, referred to as phimosis.
• The inability to return the foreskin to its correct location, referred to as paraphimosis.
• A decreased risk of sexually transmitted diseases in men.
• A reduced risk of urinary tract infections.
• Increased protection against cancers of the penis.
• Decreased risk of cervical cancer in their female mates.
• Increase prevention of developing inflammation of the glans, referred to as balanitis.
• Increased prevention of developing inflammation in the foreskin, referred to as balanoposthitis.

Circumcision can also help the male keep the end of his penis properly cleaned. Some research has shown that proper hygiene can help prevent issues with the penis. This can include swelling and infections.

Just as there is health benefits associated with circumcision, there are also risks and drawbacks. Prior to making a decision to circumcise your child, you should understand all of the positives and negatives. Some of the negatives that surround this surgical procedure include pain, the risks of bleeding and infection at the circumcising site, irritation of the penis glans, and an increased risk of inflammation to the opening of the penis, called meatitis.

While many parents are concerned about the pain associated with circumcision, studies have found that very few infants remember the pain that they felt at that young age.

Heart Disease Prevention

While heart disease is among one of the top causes of death, there are some things that you are able to do to help prevent from developing this disease. There are numerous risk factors that you are unable to change, including sex, age, and family history, but there are things you can do to help with prevention. You can generally begin to prevent developing heart disease by living a healthier lifestyle as soon as possible.

Stop Using Tobacco

Using tobacco products is one of the leading causes of heart disease. Tobacco contains chemicals that can damage your blood vessels and your heart. This can also lead to your arteries to narrow which can cause a heart attack. There is no amount of tobacco usage that is medically safe. Smokeless tobacco, tobacco labeled as low tar or low nicotine is still considered dangerous. The same holds true for secondhand smoke, as well. Once you finally decide to quit smoking, your risk of developing heart disease decreases significantly within the first smoke free year.

Exercise

In addition to increasing your overall health, working out just 30 minutes each day can dramatically decrease your risk of developing heart disease. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, and reduce your risks of developing other physical issues that you can cause strain to your heart. These conditions may include diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

There are numerous eating plans that have been developed to help prevent heart disease. One of the most popular meal plans is the DASH eating plan. The DASH eating plan is the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension. When you follow the DASH program, you will be eating foods that have a lower fat content, lower cholesterol and reduced sodium. This program emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grain and dairy products that are low in fat. Other foods that may help reduce your heart disease risks are beans, fish and other proteins that are low in fat.

If you are not interested in committing to a dietary program, there are other things that you are able to do to help prevent heart disease with your diet. You should limit your consumption of certain fats. Saturated fat and trans fat increase the chances of developing diseases in your arteries by increasing your blood pressure. Many foods contain saturated fats including red meat, dairy products, and certain oils. Foods that contain trans fat include foods that are fried, fast food products, baked goods, packaged snack foods, crackers and margarine.

Healthy diets do not mean that you need to cut out all of the foods that you enjoy. You are able to make your diet healthier by adding more fruits and vegetables. Your goal should be consuming from five to ten servings each day.

Benefits of Phone Therapy

Phone therapy and sessions for medical information have been around for a number of years within the medical profession. There are various times when someone has been unable to meet with their healthcare provider face to face. Emergency medical care has used phone therapy and medical information sessions with patients to communicate the orders from their physician, as well as filling and making changes to a patient’s prescription. This is usually a convenient option for patients that are vacation, residing in another state or out of the country.

In the 1960’s forms of emergency psychiatric care using phone therapy began with the start of suicide hotlines. These programs have always been and continue to be an effective method to seek help. These phone therapy programs expanded to include hotlines for rape victims shortly after. Phone therapy provides callers with privacy and information at an affordable cost. Phone therapy is also beneficial for people that reside in areas that are considered rural, and have limited healthcare providers, as well as those that have limited transportation.

Therapists will generally charge from $40.00 to $60.00 for a 30 minute session. Some therapists may charge less, while others may charge significantly more depending on the reason for your call. Rape and suicide hotlines are still free of charge in most areas.

There are numerous benefits associated with utilizing a phone therapy service. Telephone therapy is fast. Most mental healthcare facilities have a minimum of a two week wait, if not longer. When you are struggling, you do not want to wait up to four weeks to speak to someone. Phone therapy is more convenient when your schedule is limited. You are able to speak to a healthcare professional without needing to hire a babysitter and drive across town.

Phone therapy sessions are flexible. You are able to conduct the session anywhere at any time. Phone therapy provides you with customized care. Some patients only need to complete one session, while others may feel more sessions will be more beneficial. You are able to customize the program to best meet your needs.

Telephone therapy is able to assist with a wide range of issues include anxiety issues, bipolar disorder, depression, relationship advice, addictions, obsessive compulsive disorder, grief, trauma, parenting and so on. Phone therapists are educated, trained and certified to help patients with a variety of needs. You can trust that you will be receiving care from a warm and compassionate professional who is able to assist you with your problems. This may include talking through issues, creating life action plans and goals, learning how to handle issues more effectively, discover new ways to minimize stress, and provide you with the tools you need to have a productive and joyous life.

If you are interested in experiencing phone therapy, you should seek recommendations, check credentials and try it for yourself.