Dating apps such as Tinder and Grindr are fuelling a rise in syphilis, gonorrhoea and HIV. Health experts warn that high-risk behaviours – including these dating apps to arrange casual and often anonymous sexual encounters – are to blame. They also say risky sexual behaviour such as having sex without a condom, having multiple sexual partners, and having sex while under the influence of alcohol or drugs also increase the risk of suffering an STI.
The study conducted by the Rhode Island Department of Health revealed that from 2013 to 2014, cases of syphilis rose by 79 per cent, gonorrhoea by 30 per cent and HIV by almost 33 per cent. Nicole Alexander-Scott, director of the department, said: "These data send a clear signal that despite the progress we have made in reducing STDs and HIV over the years, there is more work to do."
Dr Rosemary Gillespie, chief executive at the UK-based Terrence Higgins Trust, recommends that to reduce this it is really important that the safer sex message stays strong, and that apps themselves have a role to play in delivering this message.
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Why sleeping naked is good for your health
Do away with pyjamas and night dresses because sleeping naked could boost your health. According to an international study by the US National Sleep Foundation, sleeping in the nude has all sorts of benefits.
Dr Sarah Brewer, a GP and nutritionist based in Guernsey, says sleeping naked can regulate your temperature, helping you get the best night sleep. This is because people tend to fall asleep more quickly, and have better quality sleep when the temperature is lower.
Women who sleep naked are less likely to suffer from yeast infections, and men who go commando in between the sheets are not prone to fungal infections – also known as the Jock Strap Itch – in their groin.
Dr Brewer also cited that sleeping naked gives us a sense of freedom, and may help you feel more sexy and loving. It also helps to improve intimacy between you and your partner, and gives you a boost of body confidence. Try it out some time, won’t you?
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Eating placenta 'does not benefit health'
The craze for a few years now has been women eating the placenta after childbirth, apparently because it has various health benefits. Well, US researchers now claim there is no scientific evidence that eating it can protect women against depression and boost energy.
Researchers from Northwestern University say Placentophagy, which is the act of eating placentas, was only popularised in the last few years by media reports, blogs and websites. They say they could not find any data to support the claims that eating the placenta raw, cooked, or in pill form carried any health benefits.
Their review, published in Archives of Women's Mental Health, looked at 10 published studies related to placenta eating.
Lead study author Cynthia Coyle, a clinical psychologist at Northwestern University, said: "Our sense is that women choosing placentophagy, who may otherwise be very careful about what they are putting into their bodies during pregnancy and nursing, are willing to ingest something without evidence of its benefits and, more importantly, of its potential risks to themselves and their nursing infants.
She says the placenta is an organ that acts as a filter to absorb and protect the developing foetus from toxins and pollutants. So women really don't know what they are ingesting.