Kurriosity Korrespondent Brittany Cascone is in Chicago at the Launch event for Free 2 Play, a non profit program from the Gray Institute, designed to change the future of physical education in schools coast-to-coast.
 Read more about this event at: www.kurriosity.com and at www.f2pacademy.com

STDs in 2013

From the looks of the line at Victoria’s Secret, I’m willing to wager that you might be interested in a quickie (pun always intended) STD update.

So, while you were basking in a Valentine’s Day bubble of pink champagne, long-stemmed roses, and sweet Belgian chocolate, I was busy burning my minutes chatting up sexual health experts, entrepreneurs, and activists across the country. (Lucky for you, my sweetheart is used to rescheduling a dinner date for a deadline).

Here’s what I learned about STD stats (way more common than you’d think), what your doctor is checking for (a little less than you’d think), how to get tested (it’s easier than ever), and more.

 

1. Brush, Floss, Test

First off, get tested. Yes, you. With numbers like one in every two people getting an STD by age 25 and half of all sexually active people contracting HPV (human papillomavirus) at some point in their lives—every woman should take getting tested seriously.

Dr. Lisa Oldson, MD, STD expert and medical director of SexualHealth.com, an online space geared toward discreet (and speedy!) testing, explains the rationale behind routine screening: “Preventative care for your sexual health is just as important as your heart health, dental health, and so on… I don’t think it should be any different than going to see your dentist every 6-12 months, getting your cholesterol checked, or going to work out.”



2. Make Sure You Understand What “Testing” Means

OK, so hopefully I’ve convinced you. But Oldson also wants you to know most primary care doctors—two-thirds, to be exact—don’t do adequate STD testing. “That’s not the way it should be, but it’s a sad reality—doctors are human, too, and they’re often embarrassed to talk about this.”

Even if you’re going in for annual Pap smears, Oldson explains, does not mean you’re getting STD tested. “A Pap smear is only looking for a type of HPV that causes cervical cancer. It’s a common misconception that women think their MDs are doing comprehensive STD testing.”

Which means you’ll have to stop blushing, belly up, and ask your doc for comprehensive STD testing if have a new partner (or more than one since your last STD test). And this holds true even if you feel perfectly fine—some STDs show no symptoms at all and “the only way to know is to get tested,” explains Oldson.

And do consider dragging the new Mr. or Ms. Wonderful to the lab with you—Oldson is a huge advocate of couples testing. “It’s not a sexy topic—but everyone knows STD prevention should be addressed. I think most people are relieved if their partner brings it up.”



3. STD Testing Doesn’t Have to Suck

The good news is, advances in technology have also made STD testing less invasive—today’s screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea is as easy as urinating in cup. And online services like Oldson’s SexualHealth.com may allow you to skip sweating it out under the clinic fluorescents altogether.

“People can get tested the same day they register online or on the phone. It’s great for women to know they don’t have to wait and get an appointment with their doctor—they can run to the lab on their lunch hour, pee in a cup, get their blood drawn, and get results within a few business days.” Olson adds that if you are diagnosed, physicians are at the ready to review your results (and link you to a local clinic, if needed).

Sharing results with a new someone shouldn’t be excruciating either, says Ramin Bastani, founder and CEO of Qpid.me, a start-up that’s offering a novel way to talk about STD testing. “We want STD testing to suck a lot less,” he explains. “I got slapped by a girl that I’d gone home with because the ‘have you been tested’ conversation came up in a really weird way.”

A quick three-minute sign-up on Qpid.me sends a secure HIPAA-compliant request to where you were last tested, and after Qpid.me receives and verifies your results, you’ll be able to text them to a new suitor. You can also link to a private profile with a photo of yourself (the link expires after being accessed) for an extra level of assurance.

Says Bastani, “We don’t think we’re a silver bullet—we’re just one tool in the harm-reduction tool kit. Condoms are still important. This is just one piece of data to consider if you’re going to hook up with someone.”

4. STD’s Will Not Ruin Your Life

Although getting word that you’ve tested positive is hardly welcome news, Oldson wants to reassure women that “If you have an STD, it’s going to be OK. You don’t have to wear a scarlet letter or abstain from sex forever. You can still have children. Many STD’s are curable—and all of them are manageable.”

Even an ongoing diagnosis like genital herpes can be mitigated with medications to reduce transmission risk. And HIV is now considered a chronic condition, thought to be more like diabetes (as in, you have to take medication, see your medical providers regularly, and make lifestyle changes). “[HIV] is not a death sentence,” says Oldson. “I tell people, don’t stopsaving for retirement—you might need it.”

Jenelle Marie, who founded The STD Project (a web-based story-telling platform for those diagnosed with STDs) after contracting genital herpes, says, “When you know the statistics [an estimated 45-50 million people have Type 2 genital herpes—which is 1 in 6 sexually active people below the age of 50]—it’s maddening that people are made to feel so horrible.”

“I was so incredibly embarrassed and felt like I would never be able to have a healthy relationship or sex life and men wouldn’t want date me. Actually, it’s been quite the opposite, to my surprise—it hasn’t been a deal breaker.”

In fact, Marie hopes telling her story (and encouraging others to do so) will reduce stigma surrounding STDs. “The fear and the stigma is what keeps people from getting tested regularly… until we can eradicate that—you won’t be able to [fully] promote prevention.”

5. Practicing Prevention Never Goes Out of Style

And lastly, although medical advances have given us the ability to live healthier lives with STDs, it doesn’t mean you should let your guard down. “STDs are preventable. Keep a condom in your purse, backpack, wallet, or pocket—there is nothing to be ashamed of. It makes you smart and it makes you prepared,” says Oldson.

“No matter how advanced we get—prevention is still cheaper than treatment,” agrees HIV awareness activist Luvvie Ajayi. She cites a startling statistic: “Every 47 minutes a woman tests positive with HIV in the U.S.—and black women make up 66% of new infections in women.”

With that in mind, Ajayi and her co-founder Karyn Watkins launched The Red Pump Project. On March 10, 2013, National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day—they are encouraging women everywhere to slip on a pair of spikes or stilettos in a shade of fire-engine red and upload a photo to their Facebook fan page.

“When people hear the word activism, it sounds like a heavy word. But I would say activism is doing the small things—even it that means you tweet once a day about something you’re passionate about. We’d love people to sign up to Rock the Red Pump—so get those shoes ready for March 10!” says Ajayi.

So, what’s the takeaway as we slow to a close on today’s column of love? Sort of the same message I’m always giving, I suppose: Be smart and take care of yourself. Any time you take out of your schedule to treat that body (like a temple) is totally worth it.

Kurriosity is in the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois on assignment.

We are covering the launch of Free-2-Play, a non profit program from the Gray Institute, designed to change the future of physical ed...

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Kurriosity is in the Windy City of Chicago, Illinois on assignment.

We are covering the launch of Free-2-Play, a non profit program from the Gray Institute, designed to change the future of physical education in schools coast-to-coast. I have met some of the most amazing and inspiring coaches who are working together to on this special project to change the health of future generations of children around the world.

Over the past five weeks, the Gray Institute has been working on a "beta test" of the program with fifth grade student in Chicago and the results are amazing.

Instead of traditional PE class (that we all went through)these children actually work together with each other to motivate and inspire everyone in the class. I have worked with children on fitness programs for years--this is the first time I have ever seen every child in a class believe they are actually an athlete.

This has been such a humbling and eye-opening experience and I can't wait to write this story for all of you to see what this amazing program will accomplish to redesign every physical education program in the country.

Watch for my special report on "Free-2-Play next week---only on Kurriosity and KTV. Back to the conference!

Korrespondent Brittany Cascone

 

 

Is Being Tan for A Week Worth It When It Comes With A Greater Risk for Melanoma?

For those of you who still think being tan is in vogue, you might want to stop and listen.  Especially for those of you who are regular visitors to the local tanning salons.  In fact a new study finds that melanoma is on the rise, in particular in young women.  And it looks as though tanning and tanning beds might be one of the reasons for this rise in skin cancer.

According to the Mayo Clinic, women under 40 years of age are the hardest hit by skin cancer.  From 1970 to 2009 the numbers increased eightfold among women and fourfold for men, from ages 18-39.  The study went on to explore behaviors that might increase risks for melanoma, and voluntary exposure to artificial sunlamps was found to be prevalent among the females studied.

At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention they explained concern about “melanoma rates and the damage done by early exposure to sun, but also the increasing use of tanning beds.”  While many types of cancers are on the decline, melanoma seems to be on the rise.

According to the National Institutes of Health, excess exposure to ultraviolet light increases risk for all skin cancers.  UV light is invisible radiation that can damage DNA in the skin and can be generated from sunlight, sunlamps and tanning beds.  People with fair skin are at greater risk, as they have less pigmentation to protect the body from UV radiation.  Other risk factors include severe sunburns as a child, unusual number of moles, a family history of melanoma and exposure to UV light.  Symptoms include changes in an existing mole or development or an unusual growth on your skin. 

The tanning industry defends that tanning lamps do not increase risks.  They state there is no consensus among researchers regarding melanoma and UV exposure from the sun or a tanning bed. 

For some reason, despite the questions surrounding the safety of the sun for our skin and melanoma, people still think we look healthier and more beautiful if we are tan.  Young women everywhere are still eager to get tan before the prom, to get an early start for their beach vacations or to look less pale in the dreary days of winter.  Perhaps they need to stop and think about what this is worth to them.  Tan for a day or a week versus being healthy and skin cancer-free for a lifetime? Seems like a simple answer to me.

Koach Marlo

Tennis Anyone!

Warming up to play the game
by
John McDermott, M.Ed, F.A.F.S.

When preparing to play the game of tennis, we must handle the compensations for the task at hand prior to ever hitting the ball. These compensations happen at the shoulder, elbow and wrist/hand as I have many clients that come into to me complaining of bursitis, tendonitis and even carpal tunnel just from performing and activity that supposed to make them healthier! Other areas of compensation are the hips, knees and even the big toe.

We will start looking at what we can do prior to playing as well as first thing each day to help us better prepare for this chaotic challenge to the body.



Shoulders: Perform a series of controlled arm swings in a circular motion while keeping the shoulder down (shoulder packed position). This allows you to break up any adhesions that may have formed there and brings blood and nutrition to the area to warm up the joint. Do these straight, across the body and behind the body ( 10 repetitions) to cover all planes of motion. If you find it is difficult keeping the shoulder down, shave off the range of motion and only go as far as you can successfully pack this shoulder. If the shoulder loses contact with the upper arm bone (humerous) while hitting, the force will transfer down the arm resulting in some of the conditions commonly seen with this sport activity.



Elbow: Next we will move down to the elbow. Always do shoulder first, then elbow, then wrist. Proper sequence is important. Start by keeping the upper arm parallel to the ground, point the thumb toward the nose. Rotate the thumb out as much as you can comfortably as you extend the arm forward. You may hear and feel some pops and cracks. This is perfectly fine as long as the pain is not severe (3 on a scale of 1-10, 10 being severe). It’s important to move through a full range of extension available. Once you reach the end range, turn the thumb over and rotate back in. Continue this for 10 repetitions slow and controlled.



Wrist/fingers: Wrist flexion/extension is the first motion to be performed. Hold your arm parallel to the ground and using your wrist as a driver (initiator), pull up as far as you can comfortably and then drive down in the same fashion. If you want to do these while holding your racket that’s fine. Perform 10 repetitions before turning your thumb up and positioning for the next movement which is lateral deviations. Lateral deviations are performed by once again directing the space in your hand where the thumb ends and the wrist begins up toward the sky. Drive down by bringing those areas closer together. Lateral deviations is considered the forgotten motion in the wrist, especially in the day and age of the cell phone/texting craze. Loss of this motion at the wrist will cause excessive lateral motion at the elbow, resulting in lateral epicondilitis or it’s better marketed name, Tennis Elbow!!



Hips/trunk/feet: The last warm-up we will discuss will emphasize the lower body and core. Position yourself facing the fence with your arms above your head (on the fence) as high as is comfortable (this activates the core). Place one foot in front of the other. Lift the front knee until it is parallel to the ground. Using the front knee as a driver, begin to move it toward the fence for 5 repetitions while bending the back knee simultaneously. On the 5^th repetition, stop a few inches from the fence and hold. Begin sliding the knee side to side keeping the same distance from the fence (note the motion you are getting in the opposite hip). On the 5^th repetition in this direction hold in the center and begin to rotate the knee outward and then all the way across to the other side (again note the movement on the opposite hip). Repeat this on the opposite leg, and then repeat the entire sequence with the back leg straight.

Now you’re ready for bed, uh, I mean tennis! This sequence of warm-up exercises should be done in the order I listed them here. In function we call this a top down strategy because we are starting from the top of the head and working our way down. Good luck and have fun!

Military Circuit Training

Parents vs Childhood Obesity

(HealthDay News) -- Many American parents fail to see that their children are overweight or obese, a new poll finds. Only 15 percent of parents said their children are a little or very overweight, but national statistics suggest that 32 percent of kids are overweight or even obese, according to the researchers. In addition, only 20 percent of children in the survey had a parent who was worried that his or her child will be overweight as an adult. However, an estimated 69 percent of American adults are overweight, including 36 percent who are obese and 6 percent who are extremely obese.

The poll results suggest that many parents underestimate their children's current risk for being overweight or obese, and how that risk could continue to affect them as adults, the researchers said. The survey, conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Harvard School of Public Health and NPR, asked parents about their children, ages 2 to 17. "We know that nearly one in three kids in America is overweight or obese, and that's a national emergency," Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said in a foundation news release.
 
"Better nutrition and more physical activity can help turn this epidemic around, and parents have a unique role to play. Knowing the risks of obesity and dealing with the issue proactively can improve kids' health now and prevent serious problems down the road," she said. Gillian SteelFisher is assistant director of the Harvard Opinion Research Program and a research scientist in the Harvard School of Public Health's Department of Health Policy and Management. She said in the news release: "People often have a hard time making the connection between national problems and their own families. Tackling these blind spots can be a difficult, even if necessary, element of public education."
Even though nearly all the parents in the poll agreed that it's important for their children to have eating and exercise habits that help them maintain or achieve a healthy weight, 44 percent of parents said it was difficult to make sure their children have a healthy diet and 36 percent of parents said it was a challenge to make sure their children get enough exercise. The poll also found that between 3 p.m. and bedtime, 60 percent of children ate or drank something that can lead to unhealthy weight gain.

Parents listed a number of challenges they face in trying to help their children maintain or achieve a healthy weight: food advertising (43 percent); foods offered at lunch at school (33 percent); the costs of team sports, gym memberships or exercise equipment (33 percent); lack of good sidewalks near home (31 percent); too few places that serve healthy foods where children can spend time with friends (31 percent). Seventy percent of children in the survey live in households where the family eats dinner together at home on a given night, but 24 percent of the families had the TV on during dinner, or someone used a cellphone, laptop or an iPod during dinner. Only 46 percent of the children live in homes where the family eats together without these distractions. Research suggests that meals without TV and other distractions are associated with lower obesity rates. 

Nearly all -- 96 percent -- of the children in the survey had attended family events in the past year where foods with high levels of fat or sugar (such as chips, fried foods, fast foods and sweets) were served. Among those children, 48 percent live in homes where the parent feels that "family celebrations are a time to take a break from being concerned about eating in a way that can lead to unhealthy weight gain," the researchers found.

More information
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