pelf-ism is contagious

Merv is currently on a short blogging hiatus but I know he reads this. So, Merv, no need to buy this month’s CLEO, OK?

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It’s World AIDS Day today, and I am using this opportunity to spread awareness about AIDS and the HIV virus. This is another community message brought to you by CLEO, via pelf-ism is contagious *winks*

When it comes to HIV, separating fact from fiction is the only way to ensure your safety.

- CLEO

MYTH: Only gay men are at risk.
FACT: HIV is mostly spread through sexual contact between women and men. On the singles front, the more times you have unprotected sex, the greater your risk of contracting the virus.

MYTH: If I don’t have anal sex, I won’t get infected.
FACT: HIV is carried in a person’s bodily fluids so it’s passed on through blood, semen and vaginal secretions. Any form of unprotected sexual contact can potentially spread the disease. The risk of transmission increases if you’ve cuts or sores in the vagina, penis, rectum and even the mouth.

MYTH: You can tell a person has HIV because they look sick.
FACT: The way a person looks is no indication of whether they have HIV. HIV carriers may look and feel healthy but they’re still able to transmit the virus to others.

MYTH: Oral sex is totally safe.
FACT: As long as your partner does not come in your mouth, there’s only a small risk of getting HIV from giving him oral sex. The risk goes up if you take semen into your mouth and swallow it - particularly if you’ve got cuts or undetectable bleeding caused by flossing or brushing your teeth, gum disease, ulcers or a sore throat.

MYTH: You can get HIV from kissing.
FACT: Saliva, sweat and tears may contain traces of HIV but don’t transmit the virus. Kissing is safe, hehehe :))

MYTH: HIV is not a big problem now.
FACT: As of December 2005, there are an estimated 40.3 million people living with HIV worldwide. In 2005, 2.6 million people died from AIDS-related conditions. If this is not a big problem, what is?!

MYTH: HIV and AIDS are the same thing.
FACT: HIV destroys certain blood cells which ensure our immune system works properly. AIDS is caused by the HIV and leads to one of a range of illnesses which destroys the normal working of the body’s immune system.

MYTH: The Pill can protect against HIV.
FACT: While birth control pills are extremely effective in preventing pregnancy, they offer no protection against HIV or other sexually-transmitted infections.

MYTH: Condoms provide 100% protection against HIV.
FACT: Though condoms are 98 to 99% effective in helping to prevent the spread of HIV, they’re NOT foolproof. Sometimes they break, slip off or are not worn correctly.

MYTH: The only way you can contract HIV with drugs is by injecting them.
FACT: The biggest problem with drugs and alcohol is they change your behaviour and make you prone to take risks you won’t normally take such as having sex without a condom.

MYTH: You can get HIV from a mosquito bite.
FACT: Unlike malaria, HIV does not reproduce easily outside the human body and cannot survive in the saliva of insects. HIV can mutate and hide inside the body, which makes it an almost invincible target. But once outside the human body, the virus is weak and cannot be sustained.

Now, if you do not agree with what you read, either say it nicely in the comment box, or get a copy of CLEO from the nearest newsstand

Around forty million people are living with HIV throughout the world - and that number increases in every region every day. In the UK alone, more than 60,000 people are living with HIV and more than 7,000 more are diagnosed every year. Ignorance and prejudice are fuelling the spread of a preventable disease.

World AIDS Day, 1 December is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS. This year, it’s up to you, me and us to stop the spread of HIV and end prejudice.

- www.worldaidsday.org

OK, so this is what WE need to do:

• Wear a red ribbon as a sign of support for the 40 million people living with HIV worldwide, and encourage your friends and family to wear red ribbons as a sign that together we can stop the spread of HIV and bring an end to prejudice. Or you can just wear a virtual one, like the one I found. You can get one here, otherwise I am sure you can find one in the Internet.

• Talk to people. Your sister, colleague, neighbour, boss, client. Talking openly about HIV to your friends, family, colleagues or pupils is one of the most powerful ways of ending prejudice and preventing the spread of HIV. Bust AIDS-related myths. Or you can read personal stories of discrimination here and share them with your friends.

• Get involved in events. Attend one of the World AIDS Day events in your area. Run your own awareness activity. Organize a talk about it. Blog about it. Read about it.

Another community service brought to you by Cleo, via pelf-ism is contagious *winks*

What is Mammography?

High quality mammography is the most effective tool available to detect breast cancer before symptoms appear - often before a lump can be felt.

A mammography is an x-ray of the breast. The standard screening examination includes two views of each breast, one from above and one angled from the side. A qualified technologist places the breasts between two plates which are pressed together. The idea is to flatten the breasts as much as possible, as spreading the tissue out makes any abnormal details easier to spot with minimum of radiation. The pressure from the plates may be uncomfortable, but it helps to remember that each x-ray takes less than one minute, and it could save your life.

If a lesion is seen or felt, a very small, fine needle is placed in it and small amounts of cells are extracted to check for malignancy. This is called a biopsy. However, mammography may not be as effective if the breast tissue is dense, as it is in younger women. In this case, the doctor may suggest an ultrasound as well.

Read more about Mammography and Breast Cancer.

What’s an Ultrasound?

It’s an imaging method that sends high-frequency sound waves through the breast via a hand-held device. The echoes from these sound waves will be picked up and translated into an image by the computer, where the radiologist can get a view of the inside of your breasts. It’s a useful method that’s non-invasive and doesn’t expose you to radiation.

Read more about Ultrasound.

But of course, you may also learn more about mammography and ultrasound if you Googled them - there are tonnes of information in the WWW.