Sex and your period

I came across this article and thought I share the message  yea we tend to shy away from some certain topics but truth be told, if it is part of life, then we all need the knowledge, it might be stale news for some, but great discovery for some other! Enjoy your read!

What’s going on in your body
When you're on your period, your body doesn’t undergo any physiological changes. There’s no swelling or narrowing and you won’t have any particular sensitivity. The triggers for menstruation are connected to changes in the mucus in the uterus, caused by hormonal fluctuations at the end of the menstrual cycle. How heavy your period is and how long it lasts varies from person to person. It can be between 5ml and 25ml and last between two and six days for a 28-day cycle.
As a result of these hormonal changes, some women can experience different unpleasant symptoms like cramps, nausea, headaches, tiredness and anxiety caused by a particularly heavy flow. These problems can get in the way of socialising and your love life. For the majority of women, there’s nothing to stop you making love when you have your period. From a medical point of view, menstrual blood only becomes a problem if individuals have sexually transmitted diseases. In these cases, the blood can encourage the infection to pass from one person to the other. If you could be at risk you should always use protection.


Old wives’ tales
Finally, here are a few explanations behind the old wives tales that surface again and again, I must say though that some of them are quite interesting lol!
Can you still get pregnant when you have sex during your period?
It’s still possible to fall pregnant when you have sex during menstruation. Female fertility levels are generally higher during ovulation. In cases where the menstrual cycle is disrupted, fertilisation can take place before a woman has finished her period. If you don’t want to get pregnant, make sure you continue to use contraception during this time of the month.
Is it dangerous if you forget to take your tampon out?
It’s unlikely that neither of you will notice the presence of a tampon, but if your passion takes over you’ll still be able to take it out afterwards. This means there’s no risk where tampons are concerned.

Ellys Thoughts....

Make 2013, a year you drawer closer to your maker! Yes.

Fulfillment cannot come from the acquisition of wealth, the progression to a certain level, the actualization of a career/dream, a successful relationship etc.The importance of all these however cannot be watered down, but the reality of life is that there is a vacuum in our life, that God and only God can fill. Make 2013, a year you discover God through His word. 

Message from God

The words you are about to experience are true. They will change your life if you let them, for they come from the very heart of God. He loves you. And He is the Father you have been looking for all your life.

AN APPETITE FOR PRAYER-UCB

MAKE PRAYER A HABIT (3)
‘God has surely listened and has heard my prayer.’

PSALM 66:19

The Psalmist wrote: ‘If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and has heard my prayer’ (vv. 18-19). The character flaws you are working on, and your tendency to stumble from time to time, don’t disqualify you from God’s blessing. The sin you ‘cherish’ does that. In prayer the first thing God will want to talk to you about is usually the last thing you want to talk to Him about—namely, the sin you don’t want to let go of. It will actually keep you from the place of prayer. When Adam sinned he hid from God, saying, ‘I heard Your voice…and I was afraid because I was naked...’ (Genesis 3:10 NKJV). Billy Graham said: ‘The Christian should have an appetite for prayer. He should want to pray. One does not have to force food upon a healthy child. Exercise, good circulation, health and labour demand food for sustenance. So it is with those who are spiritually healthy. They have an appetite for the Word of God and for prayer. A little girl committed a certain offence and when her mother discovered it she began to question her daughter. Immediately the child lost her smile and a cloud darkened her face as she said, “Mother, I don’t feel like talking.” So it is with us when our fellowship with God is broken by sin in our lives. We do not feel like talking to Him.’ So, if you don’t feel like praying today, it’s probably a good indication that you need to.

THE POWER OF PRAYER DEFIES CALCULATION!

MAKE PRAYER A HABIT (2)
‘…He knelt down…three times [a] day, and prayed...’

DANIEL 6:10
Peter, whom God used to help build the church, and John, whom God used to write the book of Revelation, made time in their daily schedule for prayer. ‘Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour’ (Acts 3:1 NKJV). The apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, said, ‘Never stop praying’ (1Thessalonians 5:17 NLT). Daniel’s habit of praying was so well-known that his enemies used it to trap him. ‘…He knelt down on his knees three times [a] day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. Then these men assembled and found Daniel praying...’ (Daniel 6:10-11 NKJV). End of story? No, Daniel’s prayers shut the mouths of lions and caused a heathen king to say: ‘Men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel. For He is the living God…His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed…He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions. So…Daniel prospered…’ (26-28 NKJV). The Psalmist wrote: ‘He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty’ (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). Once you identify your ‘secret place’ and begin to use it regularly, a kind of aura surrounds it. You will grow to love it, and eventually it will become the most important place in your life. The power of prayer defies calculation. Nothing lies beyond the reach of prayer, except that which lies outside the will of God.

MAKING PRAYER A HABIT-UCB

‘Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.’

LUKE 5:16
Habits are powerful things. We form our habits, then our habits form us. So this year are you going to stop talking about it, and make it a habit to spend time with God in prayer each day? If your desire is to be like Jesus, you must begin to pray regularly, for He ‘often withdrew to lonely places and prayed’. Don’t let the word ‘lonely’ intimidate you. Once you cultivate an awareness of God’s presence, you’ll prefer His company to that of anybody else. Don’t let the word ‘withdrew’ intimidate you. Just shut off your TV, your computer and your mobile phone and you’ll make a wonderful discovery: ‘…In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore’ (Psalm 16:11KJV). John Wesley said, ‘I have so much to do that I must spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.’ Martin Luther said, ‘Prayer is the most important thing in my life. If I should neglect prayer for a single day, I should lose a great deal of the fire of faith.’ The hymnist wrote: ‘Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care. And bids me at my Father’s throne, make all my wants and wishes known. In seasons of distress and grief my soul has often found relief, and often escaped the tempter’s snare, by thy return, sweet hour of prayer.’ When the disciples asked Jesus about prayer, He began by saying, ‘When you pray...’ (Matthew 6:9-15 NCV). He assumed they’d have a regular time for prayer. Could He assume that about you?

Squeezing breasts 'could stop growth of cancer cells'

• Experts found physical force can play a role in the growth - and reversion - of cancer cells
• Squashing malignant cells made them grow in a more normal and organised way
• Research could help experts track down molecules that could be targeted for therapies

A little squeeze may be all that it takes to prevent malignant breast cells triggering cancer, research has shown.

Laboratory experiments showed that applying physical pressure to the cells guided them back to a normal growth pattern.

Scientists believe the research provides clues that could lead to new treatments.

Squashing breast cells encouraged them to grow in a regular way. However, scientists don't believe compressing breast tissue would have a beneficial effect

'People have known for centuries that physical force can influence our bodies,' said Gautham Venugopalan, a leading member of the research team at the University of California in Berkeley, US. 

'When we lift weights our muscles get bigger. The force of gravity is essential to keeping our bones strong. Here we show that physical force can play a role in the growth - and reversion - of cancer cells.'

The study involved growing malignant breast epithelial cells within a gel injected into flexible silicone chambers.

This allowed the scientists to apply compression during the first stages of cell growth, effectively squashing the cells.

Over time, the squeezed malignant cells began to grow in a more normal and organised way.

 

Once the breast tissue structure was formed the cells stopped growing, even when the compressive force was removed. Non-compressed cells continued to display the haphazard and uncontrolled growth that leads to cancer.

'Malignant cells have not completely forgotten how to be healthy; they just need the right cues to guide them back to a healthy growth pattern,' said Mr Venugopalan, a doctoral student.

The results were presented today at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in San Francisco.

Human breast cancer cells dividing: Malignant cells can be reminded how to be healthy according to experts

Professor Daniel Fletcher, who runs the Berkeley laboratory, said: 'We are showing that tissue organisation is sensitive to mechanical inputs from the environment at the beginning stages of growth and development.

'An early signal, in the form of compression, appears to get these malignant cells back on the right track.'

5 Things That Really Smart People Do

Don't get in the way of your own learning. Here are five ways to step aside and continue to increase your smarts

 Most people don't really think much about how they learn. Generally you assume learning comes naturally. You listen to someone speak either in conversation or in a lecture and you simply absorb what they are saying, right? Not really. In fact, I find as I get older that real learning takes more work. The more I fill my brain with facts, figures, and experience, the less room I have for new ideas and new thoughts. Plus, now I have all sorts of opinions that may refute the ideas being pushed at me. Like many people I consider myself a lifelong learner, but more and more I have to work hard to stay open minded.

But the need for learning never ends, so your desire to do so should always outweigh your desire to be right. The world is changing and new ideas pop up everyday; incorporating them into your life will keep you engaged and relevant. The following are the methods I use to stay open and impressionable. They'll work for you too. No matter how old you get.

1. Quiet Your Inner Voice

You know the one I am talking about. It's the little voice that offers a running commentary when you are listening to someone. It's the voice that brings up your own opinion about the information being provided. It is too easy to pay more attention to the inner voice than the actual speaker. That voice often keeps you from listening openly for good information and can often make you shut down before you have heard the entire premise. Focus less on what your brain has to say and more on the speaker. You may be surprised at what you hear.

2. Argue With Yourself

If you can't quiet the inner voice, then at least use it to your advantage. Every time you hear yourself contradicting the speaker, stop and take the other point of view. Suggest to your brain all the reasons why the speaker may be correct and you may be wrong. In the best case you may open yourself to the information being provided. Failing that, you will at least strengthen your own argument.

3. Act Like You Are Curious

Some people are naturally curious and others are not. No matter which category you are in you can benefit from behaving like a curious person. Next time you are listening to information, make up and write down three to five relevant questions. If you are in a lecture, Google them after for answers. If you are in a conversation you can ask the other person. Either way you'll likely learn more, and the action of thinking up questions will help encode the concepts in your brain. As long as you're not a cat you should benefit from these actions of curiosity.

4. Find the Kernel of Truth

No concept or theory comes out of thin air. Somewhere in the elaborate concept that sounds like complete malarkey there is some aspect that is based upon fact. Even if you don't buy into the idea, you should at least identify the little bit of truth from whence it came. Play like a detective and build your own extrapolation. You'll enhance your skills of deduction and may even improve the concept beyond the speaker's original idea.

5. Focus on the Message Not the Messenger

Often people shut out learning due to the person delivering the material. Whether it's a boring lecturer, someone physically unappealing, or a member of the opposite political party, the communicator can impact your learning. Even friends can disrupt the learning process since there may be too much history and familiarity to see them as an authority on a topic. Separate the material from the provider. Pretend you don't know the person or their beliefs so you can hear the information objectively. As for the boring person, focus on tip two, three, or four as if it were a game, thereby creating your own entertainment.