Manorexia - Men With Anorexia

Eating disorders have traditionally been considered women’s problems, but more men with anorexia are coming forward. Of the 70,000 plus people suffering with this condition, male anorexia accounts for 10%. Of that 10 percent, 20% are homosexuals and 80% are heterosexual.

Like women, men with anorexia typically develop the problem in their late teens. Sometimes it begins with trying to “buff up”, and sometimes it begins with peer pressure and taunting.  Other causes include family trauma, media depictions, and parents with eating disorders. No matter the originating cause, there’s only one thing that seems to separate men from women: namely while women generally focus on being thin, men focus on muscles.

Anorexia in men is likely to be missed by health care providers, who often mistakenly believe that men don’t get eating disorders.  Even when the disorder is recognized, men with anorexia have far fewer resources (like support groups) from which to choose.  They may also have trouble finding a health care provider that is experienced in treating anorexia in men.  This is important because the treatment for anorexia in men differs from that of anorexic women.


Four possible factors include:

Genetics – If someone in your immediate family has struggled with anorexia, then your chances of developing the disorder increase greatly. Also, certain personality types are more likely to develop eating disorders than others. For example, perfectionists are more likely to develop an eating disorder than their counterparts.

Brain Activity – Further research has indicated that another cause of male anorexia can be traced back to the brain’s dopamine receptors, which regulate pleasure. When a male with anorexia under eats, the brain dispenses feelings of euphoria. In this way food is used a type of anti-depressant as it relieves any anxious thoughts.

Family – Another emotional factor which causes male anorexia is the presence of family issues. Some males with eating disorders report feeling smothered by their families. Yet others felt abandoned and misunderstood. Still more had parents who overemphasized their physical appearances. In these families, the cause of the male anorexia is the fact that the individual learned to keep doubts, fears, anxieties and imperfections hidden.


Society – Cultural pressures to be thin and the portrayal of thin individuals on television are also underlying causes of male anorexia. The continual barrage of ads containing thin, happy people inevitably sends the message that happiness can only be found by being thin.

In addition to muscle loss, men with anorexia may experience low blood pressure, which in turn can cause heart failure. Male anorexia also causes loss of bone density (making brittle bones), weakness, dehydration (which can potentially lead to kidney failure) and hair loss.

If you are experiencing problems with weight control you are not alone. Get help by contacting your family doctor, a psychologist, mental health center or a doctor specializing in eating disorders.

The benefits of Vitamin A

While most people understand that they need to eat healthy foods, they often don’t understand why they should have foods rich in certain vitamins and minerals, and just what happens to their bodies when their bodies do not receive these beneficial ingredients.

One such vitamin is vitamin A. This vitamin is vital to the function of the human body. It plays a crucial role in the operation of the immune and reproductive system, vision, and the development of bone and blood structure, as well as aiding in antioxidant activity and skin and cellular health.


What is Vitamin A?

Vitamin A is an organic compound that supplies the human body with nutrients that sustain growth and allow it to function correctly. Vitamin A comes in several forms, retinol, retinal and four carotenoids – alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, crypto-carotene, and gamma-carotene. In fact, if the human body has enough beta-carotene in its system then it can produce its own vitamin A.

Vitamin A can be found in animal and vegetable sources. Retinol typical derives from the animal, and the carotene from the vegetable. Foods that are rich in vitamin A are as follows: butter, cheese, egg-yolks, liver, milk, and dark green and yellow vegetables and fruits such as, apricots, broccoli, carrots, cantaloupe, pumpkin, spinach, and sweet potatoes.

People who are deficient in vitamin A often have problems with their eye sight and are prone to skin disorders such as bumps, break-outs, and infections. Other symptoms can include severe weight loss, insomnia, fatigue, and reproductive difficulties, as well as hair loss and an itchy scalp.

A healthy lifestyle means eating a balanced diet, exercising for at least 20 minutes a day, drinking sufficient fluids -- preferably water -- and learning to do anything that is not considered ‘good’ for a healthy body in moderation. This allows the human body to function at its best and it also means that it is getting the right dose of essential vitamins and minerals, so that it operates at an optimum level.

Birth Control For Men - What Are Your Options?

If you are sexually active and you are not ready to have a kid yet then you need to take responsibility for yourself. You can't leave the birth control totally up to the female because that is taking the decision out of your hands and leaving it completely in the woman's hands.

Women have many options when it comes to their birth control but men are not so lucky. In fact they have only two options available to them and one option removes the chances of having kids completely.

I suppose if you include abstinence as a form of birth control than men really have three options! But come on - is abstinence really something that most men will focus on? Probably not.


And withdrawal may be something that is talked about among men and women as a form of birth control but you are really rolling the dice with withdrawal. You may get lucky but you may also withdraw too late or too slow and a pregnancy could occur.

If you don't want to have children yet then here are your only reliable options.

First Birth Control Option: Condoms

Condoms didn't start out as birth control. They were originally made to protect against syphilis back in the sixteenth century. They are still used today to protect both the female and male from STD's as well as a form of birth control.

Condoms have had a history of changes. What started out as a condom made of cloth changed to animal intestines, then rubber and finally latex which we all know about today.

Today you can buy your latex condoms in all sizes, colors, flavours, and styles. I suppose depending on your mood or style you could literally match a condom to it! And it doesn't matter what size you are as it has become apparent that men are all different sizes and condom manufactures have made their condoms according to that rule.

Some condoms contain a spermicide that gives extra protection against pregnancy. Whatever the condom feels like whether it is jelly like or rubber like do not try to alter the condom with any of your own creams or lubricant. If you want it to be lubricated then buy lubricated condoms because adding your own oils or lotions can damage the condom and therefore destroy the effectiveness that you were depending on.
Remember that some people are allergic to latex. This is something to keep in mind when you are getting ready to have sex with a woman, especially one you don't know. Ask her if she knows of an allergy to latex and if she does then use some other form of birth control.

How to Put a Condom On

Make sure you have the proper size condom first. Then carefully pull the condom out of the wrapper to avoid tears or puncture holes. If you get a tear you might as well be wearing no protection at all.

Unroll the condom on the erect penis making sure to cover the entire length. Leave a small space at the tip of the condom to collect the semen that you will expel. Some condoms already have tips that are designed to do this.


Carefully get rid of any air pockets by running your fingers down the length of the condom from the tip to the base.

When you remove your penis after ejaculation hold on to the base of the condom and remove your penis slowly. Many people have discovered that the condom can sometimes roll off while removing the penis if you are not holding on to it. Don't take that chance or your effort will have been for nothing. Take a second to hold on during withdrawal.

Second Birth Control Option: Vasectomy

This is obviously for the guy who does not want children at all. This is the best way to make sure that children are not going to happen while enjoying sex without condoms or other birth control methods. Of course this doesn't protect against sexually transmitted diseases so wearing a condom would still be required with women who do not get an STD screening with you.

The decision is not taken lightly by doctors. Because it is permanent you will be screened as to why you have made the decision. If you are married or dating someone then you will asked to bring her along as well so that the doctor is aware that she is aware. But in the end it is your decision - you are just given some time to think about it before you go ahead and do it.

The vasectomy is a simple operation. You literally go in, get prepped, and have the operation within a matter of hours - less time usually. The operation itself only takes about thirty minutes.



Essentially what the operation does is cuts off the flow of sperm. It does not remove your hormones that make you masculine. It does not affect your libido. It does not affect your sexual performance or the feeling you get during sex. It cuts the sperm off and prevents them from leaving your body.

A vasectomy can be reversed. This operation is knows as a vasovasostomy. About 60 percent of reversals are able to have children again. But the other 40% will have to live with the decision they made if the reversal does not work.

So there you have it! Two choices for male birth control that you have at your disposal, and until future developments are made they will probably be your only two for a while. Always take responsibility for yourself instead of leaving it someone else's hands.

Suggestions To Help You Stop Smoking

The side effects of smoking are really taking their toll and an increasing number of people want to quit. You will find that men and women who have never smoked assume that quitting is easy, having said that people who smoke know that it really isn't an easy thing to stop. For most smokers the craving and addictions of smoking make it extremely hard to quit without some type of help. Some men and women have had to turn to therapy and also hypnosis in order to quit. Even after men and women quit, the impulse to smoke again can be so powerful that they have joined support groups to help. While the recommendations below are not able to guarantee to make you quit, they can help to control the urges.


The smoking cigarettes itself is not actually what you are addicted to. Even though the habit of bringing your hand to your mouth is something that makes giving up smoking hard it really is just a habit and habits can be broken. Actually, it's the nicotine in the cigarettes that make individuals want to smoke them. And simply because your brain is aware that it will get this nicotine from cigarettes, men and women just assume that they are addicted to smoking. The one thing that can make giving up smoking easier is to grab a pack of nicotine gum or you could even use the patch to get the nicotine your body requires. Although this can help people to be successful when stopping smoking one thing you should know is that if you really don't wish to quit then they actually won't help that much.

You may even want to stock up on toothpicks, because this has helped a lot of men and women I know. The best option is to make use of the nicotine alternatives, together with toothpicks as the toothpicks may help you with the habit of smoking. Making use of toothpicks actually are a fantastic way to break the habit of smoking. If you do a search online you should be able to locate cinnamon toothpicks. So instead of holding a cigarette, you will see that you are bringing a toothpick to your mouth. The reason I suggest the flavored toothpicks is because for whatever reason the flavor helps to make the toothpick chewing a lot less boring.

Motivation may also be a huge help if you are trying to quit simply because if you have no motivation there is really no reason to quit. A persons family can actually end up being one of the most significant motivators around. More than likely you don't wish to die before your time, leaving your partner or children with out a parent figure. So when it comes to motivation you will find that all your family members can be one of the very best motivators.

While these few recommendations will help many individuals quit, you may find that they don't work for you. If you fall in to that crowd, you will need more than the suggestions above, you may need a medical professional or even a hypnotist. Many individuals are already very successful with hypnosis. Lastly when all else fails, see your doctor and request a medicine that will help you quit, it is available. With that said, I would actually only recommend this as the final thing you try.