Beware, viagra could affect your vision

According to a new research published in the journal Experimental Eye Research, medicines like Viagra that are used to treat erectile dysfunction can dangerously affect vision of susceptible users.

The study, carried out by researchers at University of New South Wales, revealed that sildenafil, the active ingredient present in erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, inhibits the action of an enzyme that is important for transmitting light signals from the retina to the brain. When used in high doses, the drug can lead to disturbances in the vision in healthy individuals.

According to researcher Lisa Nivison-Smith, side effects of the drug can include sensitivity to bright light, blurred vision and altered colour vision and people who have normal vision but those who carry a single copy of the mutant gene for the blinding disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa, could be more susceptible to these changes.

The study showed that the normal mice had a transient loss of visual function after sildenafil treatment, but this effect was heightened in the mice with the mutation, and the response lasted longer.

The researchers also found early signs of cell death in the eyes of carrier mice, but not in the normal mice, suggesting sildenafil may cause degeneration in carriers of retinal disease.

Nivison-Smith added that a better understanding of the effect of this family of erectile dysfunction drugs could help scientists and clinicians plan more successful strategies to account for factors such as a patient’s medication and genetic makeup in diseases which cause blindness. 

Source: ANI

Photo source: Getty images

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• Viagra and Erectile Dysfunction

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Tips to have an amicable divorce

A psychologist has come up with nine tips that he claims can help achieve an ‘amicable divorce.’ Michael Hakimi, who practices at Loyola University Health System and still remains good friends with his wife after their 20-year marriage ended in divorce, and said that it was important to have a harmonious divorce. People don’t have to put on boxing gloves. When it became a fight, the only winners were the lawyers, and the losers were the couple.

Hakimi recommends nine tips for trying to achieve an amicable divorce, based on his personal experience and 35 years of experience in the field of mental health: Make every effort to speak in a calm, clear and rational manner, and accept responsibility for your own actions. Avoid blaming each other, pointing fingers and digging up all the issues of each other’s history together.

When having a difficult discussion, do it in a place such as a restaurant or cafe. Spouses tend to act more appropriately in public. And do not consume alcohol while discussing marital issues. Do not use your hurt feelings as a weapon to lash out at one another. Rather, try to resolve hurt feelings in therapy constructively. Do not bad mouth each other or discuss marital problems in front of the children. Tell the children they are loved by both parents, and that they were blameless for the divorce. Get therapy for the children, if needed.

No matter how emotionally your spouse reacts, you do not have to react the same way. You have the power to control your own behaviour and emotions. If you can stay calm, this could have a calming effect on your spouse. If your spouse gets upset about something you say or do, try to apologize, and propose to continue the conversation at a later time. Ask around for the right marriage therapist, as they can help achieve an amicable divorce. An experienced therapist with a master’s degree also proves a good choice, provided the therapist was a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) or a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

If you can’t agree on child support, dividing property and assets, taxes, etc., hire a divorce mediator to help you negotiate an agreement. Look up the mediator’s qualifications and online reviews. Pick one you both feel comfortable with.

Source: ANI

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• What not to say to someone considering divorce


• Divorce can give you hypertension!


• How a breakup or a divorce can affect your health

For more articles on love and relationships, visit our love and relationships section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Tips to have an amicable divorce

A psychologist has come up with nine tips that he claims can help achieve an ‘amicable divorce.’ Michael Hakimi, who practices at Loyola University Health System and still remains good friends with his wife after their 20-year marriage ended in divorce, and said that it was important to have a harmonious divorce. People don’t have to put on boxing gloves. When it became a fight, the only winners were the lawyers, and the losers were the couple.

Hakimi recommends nine tips for trying to achieve an amicable divorce, based on his personal experience and 35 years of experience in the field of mental health: Make every effort to speak in a calm, clear and rational manner, and accept responsibility for your own actions. Avoid blaming each other, pointing fingers and digging up all the issues of each other’s history together.

When having a difficult discussion, do it in a place such as a restaurant or cafe. Spouses tend to act more appropriately in public. And do not consume alcohol while discussing marital issues. Do not use your hurt feelings as a weapon to lash out at one another. Rather, try to resolve hurt feelings in therapy constructively. Do not bad mouth each other or discuss marital problems in front of the children. Tell the children they are loved by both parents, and that they were blameless for the divorce. Get therapy for the children, if needed.

No matter how emotionally your spouse reacts, you do not have to react the same way. You have the power to control your own behaviour and emotions. If you can stay calm, this could have a calming effect on your spouse. If your spouse gets upset about something you say or do, try to apologize, and propose to continue the conversation at a later time. Ask around for the right marriage therapist, as they can help achieve an amicable divorce. An experienced therapist with a master’s degree also proves a good choice, provided the therapist was a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) or a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW).

If you can’t agree on child support, dividing property and assets, taxes, etc., hire a divorce mediator to help you negotiate an agreement. Look up the mediator’s qualifications and online reviews. Pick one you both feel comfortable with.

Source: ANI

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• What not to say to someone considering divorce


• Divorce can give you hypertension!


• How a breakup or a divorce can affect your health

For more articles on love and relationships, visit our love and relationships section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Rich women like dating conservative men

A new study has demonstrated that rich single women opt for men who are conservative instead of those who are liberals. The survey conducted by an online dating service MillionaireMatch.com found that millionaire singles of both sexes were more attracted to conservatives than liberals, Washington Times reported.

According to the study, 40 percent of single women verified as millionaires surveyed said that they preferred to be matched with a conservative, while 38.5 percent said they wanted a moderate guy and only 15 percent asked to be paired with a liberal or very liberal man. The survey also revealed that single men preferred women who were politically moderate to both conservatives and liberals.

Source: ANI

Photo source: Getty images

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For more articles on love and relationships, visit our love and relationships section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Why you shouldn’t post too much about your relationship on Facebook

If you find your partner posting nostalgic photos from an old vacation or a family album, chances are that he may be insecure about his relationship status. According to a study, people who felt anxious about their partners were most likely to remind others that they are in a true and secure relationship.

‘On days when people felt more insecure about their partner’s feelings than they typically do, they posted more relationship-relevant information on Facebook,’ researchers noted. The same is true for people who were anxious in general. According to researchers, ‘the studies highlight the role of relationships in how people portray themselves to others’.

The study was published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Here are some signs which signify ‘the end’ of a relationship

Lack of communication

Communication is one of the foundations of a healthy relationship. Lack of it can create a crack in this bond which increases with time. ‘A sign that it is time to end the relationship is when couple/partner finds ways to avoid healthy communication and stays out at work or with friends to avoid much interaction,’ says Dr Anjali.

Liar liar
Lying to your partner not only breaks their trust in you but shows that you don’t have much respect for them either. ‘When couple/partner starts making false excuses or start lying about late working hours, text messages, random phone calls, etc., it is a sign that he/she has lost interest in keeping the relationship going,’ she adds.

Never-ending fights
Says Anjali, ‘If a couple is constantly arguing, fighting and finding it difficult to communicate in a healthy way, it will definitely lead to a fallout sooner than later.’ Read more about 10 signs which say ‘it’s time to break-up’

With inputs from ANI

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• 5 ways to keep the romance alive living in a joint family


• 8 tips to develop more intimacy in your relationship


• How to be in a new relationship after a bad break-up

For more articles on love and relationships, visit our love and relationships section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Like to share information about your relationship on Facebook? You might just be insecure

If you find your partner posting nostalgic photos from an old vacation or a family album, chances are that he may be insecure about his relationship status. According to a study, people who felt anxious about their partners were most likely to remind others that they are in a true and secure relationship.

‘On days when people felt more insecure about their partner’s feelings than they typically do, they posted more relationship-relevant information on Facebook,’ researchers noted. The same is true for people who were anxious in general. According to researchers, ‘the studies highlight the role of relationships in how people portray themselves to others’.

The study was published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Here are some signs which signify ‘the end’ of a relationship

Lack of communication

Communication is one of the foundations of a healthy relationship. Lack of it can create a crack in this bond which increases with time. ‘A sign that it is time to end the relationship is when couple/partner finds ways to avoid healthy communication and stays out at work or with friends to avoid much interaction,’ says Dr Anjali.

Liar liar
Lying to your partner not only breaks their trust in you but shows that you don’t have much respect for them either. ‘When couple/partner starts making false excuses or start lying about late working hours, text messages, random phone calls, etc., it is a sign that he/she has lost interest in keeping the relationship going,’ she adds.

Never-ending fights
Says Anjali, ‘If a couple is constantly arguing, fighting and finding it difficult to communicate in a healthy way, it will definitely lead to a fallout sooner than later.’ Read more about 10 signs which say ‘it’s time to break-up’

With inputs from ANI

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• 5 ways to keep the romance alive living in a joint family


• 8 tips to develop more intimacy in your relationship


• How to be in a new relationship after a bad break-up

For more articles on love and relationships, visit our love and relationships section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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How your voice can reveal if you are attracted to someone

A new study has revealed that the easiest way to know if someone is attracted to you is by listening to the tone of his voice. According to a new UK study, heterosexual men and women modulate their speaking voices when they’re attracted to a member of the opposite sex, Fox News reported. The study has shown that men in particular tend to lower their voices when speaking to women they deem attractive.

A clinical psychologist at Cleveland Clinic said that quelling nerves and not being self-conscious helps in increasing the likelihood of a successful relationship. The study was published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.

How you fall in love

What is it that drives the attraction process in couples? A new study by an American sociologist may offer new insight into why and when Cupid’s arrow strikes. University of Notre Dame sociologist Elizabeth McClintock studied the impacts of physical attractiveness and age on mate selection and the effects of gender and income on relationships.

In her study, ‘Handsome Wants as Handsome Does: Physical Attractiveness and Gender Differences in Revealed Sexual Preferences’, published in Biodemography and Social Biology, McClintock examined the effects of physical attractiveness on young adults’ sexual and romantic outcomes (number of partners, relationship status, timing of sexual intercourse), revealing the gender differences in preferences, according to Science Daily. ‘Couple formation is often conceptualized as a competitive, two-sided matching process in which individuals implicitly trade their assets for those of a mate, trying to find the most desirable partner and most rewarding relationship that they can get given their own assets,’ McClintock said.

McClintock’s study showed that just as good looks may be exchanged for status and financial resources, attractiveness may also be traded for control over the degree of commitment and progression of sexual activity.

With inputs from ANI and IANS

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read: 

• 5 ways to keep the romance alive living in a joint family


• 8 tips to develop more intimacy in your relationship


• How to be in a new relationship after a bad break-up

For more articles on love and relationships, visit our love and relationships section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Average Briton has sex just 4 times a month says survey

Britons are losing out on their sex life, says a survey, revealing that an average British adult has sex only four times a month – less than once a week. Only one percent said they have sex more than 30 times a month, an average of at least once a day, according to a sex survey by The Observer. Overall, 63 percent of people surveyed said they were happy with their sex lives – down from 76 percent in the earlier survey done in 2008.

One in seven have had casual sex with someone they met on the internet. ‘A total of 22 percent of male respondents – more than a fifth – said they had visited a prostitute. This represents another rise – by four percentage points – since 2008,’ the survey noted. It showed that 53 percent of women read erotica while 76 percent of men watch pornography online. Almost one in five Britons lost their virginity when they were under 16, the legal age of consent in the country, it said.

The survey also found that, on an average, people have had 10 sexual partners, a slight increase from 2008. The survey appeared in The Observer’s ‘Sex Uncovered 2014′ supplement.

Here are some reasons to have sex right now

It can beat a migraine: The days you avoid having sex with your partner because you’re having a severe headache are the days when you should actually have it. It’s not a cure for migraine but the endorphins released during sex actually act on the nerves that transmit pain signals, relieving the headache naturally.

It reduces your prostate cancer risk: It’s still unclear why more and more men are suffering from prostate cancer but there’s clear evidence that frequent sexual activity can help you keep the disease at bay. A study by Dimitropoulou P and colleagues found that frequent sexual activity was associated with a lowered risk of prostate cancer in men in their 50s. Another study carried out by the National Cancer Institute revealed that ejaculating 21 times a month could significantly reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer. Read more about 5 reasons to have sex right now!

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

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For more articles on sexual health, visit our sexual health section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Should pre-marital potency tests be made mandatory

The Chennai High Court is mulling over the decision to make pre-marital potency tests mandatory. While some welcome this decision, others feel that it could be detrimental to marriages on the whole. But is it really such a bad idea?

According to Dr Samundi Sankari, Founder and Director, Srusthi Fertility Centre, Chennai, ‘Looking back at my vast experience of over three decades, and all the interactions I have had with couples, by way of counsel and treatment for fertility, it’s my firm belief that such tests for potency combined with well qualified and professional counselling is very vital for successful marriages. These tests, will only provide a scientific base for long lasting and less problematic marriages, given the societal changes and dynamics involved. Such tests, which are conducted well in time prior to the run up to the marriage also can help alleviate a host of problems, which are possibly cured with minor medical intervention, thanks to modern medical practices and technology. Apart from this a couple also needs premarital counseling which will include awareness and screening of sexually transmitted diseases, general screening on nuptial health (ovarian reserve and semen analysis) and a simple counseling to understand psychological status to accept their natural marital bonding. While we certainly await the verdict of the Hon’ble court in this issue, it’s my personal learned opinion that pre-marital potency tests is the way forward, and will benefit the society, which is getting fragmented mainly owing to a lot of avoidable separations on the basis of fertility and potency.

Wondering what a potency test is? Here’s a little information you might need.

Before we can explain how an impotency test works you’ve to understand the difference between impotency and infertility. Impotency is permanent erectile dysfunction, which means that a person’s penis can’t get erect under any conditions while infertility is the inability to have children.  Now claiming one is impotent would mean that they would under no circumstances be able to get an erection. Here are some common tests used to determine that:

Nocturnal Penile Tumescence (NPT) Test

The NPT test checks whether a man is getting an erection during sleep. According to WebMD, most men even those who’ve psychological problems can still get erections during deep sleep. The test involves putting a simple ring-like device made of plastic films around the penis which will break if an erection is achieved.  Another way to observe this is through electric monitoring devices which gives a more accurate and detailed information about erections during sleep.

Intracavernosal injection test

This test involves the doctor injecting a medicine into base of the penis to make it erect and is called an intercavernosal injection. Once erect, the fullness and length of the erection are maintained.

Doppler Ultrasound Test

The test relies on a tool which uses reflected sound waves to estimate the spend direction of blood flow in the vessel. This helps gauge whether a man is capable of an erection or not.

With inputs from Nirmalya Dutta

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For more on love and relationships, visit our sexual health section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit ourQuestion and Answer section.

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