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The latest data on HIV infection across 33 states finds new diagnoses jumping by 12 percent annually between 2001 and 2006 among young gay and bisexual men, according to US News.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the rise is “especially concerning” for young black men aged 13 to 24 who have sex with men. For this group, the annual rate of new HIV diagnoses rose by 15 percent annually, compared to a 9 percent and an 8 percent annual rise among their white and Hispanic peers, respectively. The findings were released Thursday in this week’s issue of the CDC journal Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Friday, June 27, is National HIV Testing Day across the United States.

The CDC researchers reported that, “during 2001-2006, an estimated 214,379 persons had HIV/AIDS diagnosed in the 33 states.” Almost half (46 percent) of these new cases were diagnosed among men who have sex with men, and there was a noticeable decline in HIV transmission for the time frame in all categories except for this high-risk group, the report found.

Overall, gay and bisexual men comprised 63 percent of all cases of new infection among U.S. males, and almost two-thirds of new cases among men who have sex with men occurred in the 25-to 44-year-old age group, the CDC said.

The agency noted that certain risk factors, such as pre-existing infection with syphilis or gonorrhea, or the use of alcohol or illicit drugs (especially methamphetamine) can encourage HIV transmission among young gay and bisexual men. “Strengthened collaborations between STD, HIV, viral hepatitis and substance abuse programs should result in more effective HIV prevention efforts,” the CDC noted in an editorial.

In related news, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on Thursday announced what it called “the largest HIV testing initiative” in the city’s history: a push over the next three years to have all residents of the Bronx aged 18 to 64 learn their HIV status.

In a prepared statement, city health officials noted, “Bronx residents account for nearly a fourth of New York City’s HIV infections and a third of AIDS deaths each year.”

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According to a study conducted at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, “gay and bisexual men may be at far higher risk for eating disorders than heterosexual men.” The study results appear in the April issue of International Journal of Eating Disorders.

Canada.com reports that researchers found that “more than 15 per cent of gay or bisexual men had at some time suffered anorexia, bulimia or Binge Eating Disorder, or at least certain symptoms of those disorders — a problem known as a subclinical eating disorder — compared with less than five per cent of heterosexual men,” according to a news release.

Lesbian or bisexual women, however, do not appear to be at greater risk than heterosexual women.
“It is not clear why gay men have high rates of eating disorders,” Dr. Ilan Meyer, the study’s principal investigator, said in the news release. “One theory is that the values and norms in the gay men’s community promote a body-centred focus and high expectations about physical appearance, so that, similar to what has been theorized about heterosexual women, they may feel pressure to maintain an ideal body image.”

To test the theory, researchers looked at how close gay men’s ties are to the gay community to see if that had an influence on eating disorder rates. It did not. “This suggests that factors other than values and norms in the gay community are related to the higher rates of eating disorder among these men,” said Meyer.

The researchers conclude that greater awareness and specific interventions are needed to deal with the issue.

Many people today strive for optimal health. One of the latest fads is colon cleansing: the ingestion of laxatives, or blasting water up your ass.  But, does this method really work or is it, figuratively and literally, bullshit?

There are numerous businesses specializing in cleansing of your rectal region and intestines.  At one such fine establishment in British Columbia, they say on their website that it is their business to keep your colon refreshed, healthy, and, as they claim, “toxin free”. Their motto is as follows: ”To administer medicines to diseases which have already developed is comparable to the behaviour of those persons who begin to dig a well after they have become thirsty, and of those who begin to make their weapons after they have already engaged in battle. Would those actions not be too late?” 

What the heck is that supposed to mean? What they mean is that a war is happening in your colon and small intestine and in order to fight the enemy, you must partake in what they refer to as colonic hydrotherapy. What is colonic hydrotherapy? It is when a  a soothing flow of warm water gently circulates throughout the colon, coaxing the body to yield the digested wastes that may have built up inside. Water in, fecal matter out. Colon clinics claim that an unhealthy colon has many symptoms, such as: headaches & migraines,dementia, drowsiness,  tics, stupor, bloating,  dermatological conditions, dry eyes, vision disturbances, heart arrhythmia, nausea, foul breath, irritability, flatulence, insomnia, photo phobia, ciatica,  ringing in ears, insanity, clammy skin,  malaise, bad dreams. It seems to me, then, that what they are saying is that all of North Americans’ health problems can be solved by taking an extended crap while having gentle soothing water run through their bowels.

If ass suction bliss is not what you are looking for (or maybe it is, and you should be on another site) there is ” The Master Colon Cleanse” - or as I call it the starvation diet. With a drop of maple syrup, lemon and cayenne spice, your intestines are sure to get that push they really need. Appartly the Maple syrup supplies all the nutrients the body requires to sustain itself. A good search through the Internet reveals maple syrup is a good source of magnesium and zinc, and has 34 calories in 2 tsps. You actually need more than Mg, Zn, and 34 calories a day. This sounds like anorexia to me. Who gives a shit about modern medicine when you can drink maple flavoured spicy water for two weeks and turn anorexic. Maybe this diet could also help me with that modelling career I’ve always wanted.

I’ll be honest, I have been torn between the decision to starve myself or getting my butt on the tread mill. Is it possible that the health stores I frequent, that tell me my body is toxic, and that I have to irradicate these toxins, is it possible they are wrong?? Yes, and not just according to me, but to leading medical experts. Michael Picco, M.D., at the Mayo Clinic (a leading international health authority) says, that not only are colon cleanses unnecessary, but that they may be harmful. “Your colon absorbs water and sodium to maintain your body’s fluid and electrolyte balance. Some colon-cleansing programs disrupt this balance, causing dehydration and salt depletion. Long-term or excessive cleansing programs can lead to problems such as anemia, malnutrition and heart failure.”

The question is, what ever happened to proper eating, exercise, and eating lots of fiber? I think I’ll stick to that.

We’ve come a long way from the days when jacking off caused hairy palms, blindness, and acne. Today, masturbation is considered healthy, normal, and important to sexual development. Recent research even suggests it can decrease men’s chances of getting prostate cancer. 

A recent study, by Australian Cancer Council Victoria, provides evidence that masturbation cuts the risk of developing prostate cancer by 30%. The study’s main author, Graham Giles says that  jacking off provides the chance to ‘wash out’ carcinogenic materials that build up in the gland. The prostate supplies fluid that is part of cum, thus, when someone masturbates and successfully completes the pleasurable experience, the carcinogenic materials are flushed away.

Researchers interviewed 2250 men about their sexual habits. Almost half of them had developed prostate cancer, while the others had not. They found that those who retrospectively reported masturbating at least 5 times a week, especially when they were in their 20’s, were 30% less likely to develop the cancer later on in life. 

For those wondering whether having sex offers the same benefits, the answer is no, according to Giles. Increased sexual intercourse is related to increased risk of sexually transmittable infections, and STI’s are related to increased chances of prostate cancer. So, unless you only have one partner your entire life and you only cum with, or in, that person, EVER, then maybe that would be related to decreased risk of cancer. But who the hell has only one sex partner, especially in their 20’s. 

For those wondering whether women are offered the same risk prevention by masturbating, best to tell you now, before one of your friends does. Women don’t have prostate glands.