New mHealth Tools Enable HIV Patients to Become 2.9 Times More Successful at Managing Disease

Benefits of Mobile Pharmacy Apps for HIV Management Uncovered by mScripts and Avella Specialty Pharmacy

 As a sex health coach and advocate for sexual responsibility – I’m excited to see tech advances in any aspect of my career world. AIDS and HIV are still a major concern for many Americans each day, and it’s great to see that patients now have more efficient platforms to manage their treatments as well as receive feedback from professionals. mScripts is a great asset to the AIDS and HIV community, and I hope at least one person finds this article useful in their lives. Please share with your families and friends to spread the word about this mobile Application. 

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January 27, 2015, Phoenix, AZ – mscripts and Avella Specialty Pharmacy have recently completed analyzing data demonstrating the effectiveness of mobile pharmacy apps in helping HIV patients better manage their disease through improved medication adherence. Results from this analysis show that HIV patients using a mobile app which provides refill reminders, dosage reminders and other prescription management functionality are 2.9 times more likely to be adherent.

Medication adherence – taking medication on time and as prescribed – is essential to the efficacy of HIV treatment, as patients with this condition must maintain 90% adherence to achieve viral suppression otherwise they risk an increase in treatment failure. This study used Proportion of Days Covered (PDC) to assess the adherence rate of HIV patients who were taking both single and multi-source medications including Atripla®, Truvada®. The data revealed that 79.0% of Avella’s HIV patients who were using the mscripts mobile application achieved >/= 90% adherence rate, while 65.3% of Avella’s patients not using the platform had achieved >/= 90% adherence rate. This further demonstrates the impact that the mobile app had on already highly adherent population. Unfortunately, a 2014 report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention found only 30% of HIV-positive Americans have achieved viral suppression. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), loss of virologic control as a consequence of non-adherence to antiretroviral medication may lead to drug resistance and loss of future treatment options.

“HIV regimens have decreased in complexity, however, medication non-adherence continues to be a major cause of HIV-related morbidity and mortality,” said Dr. Eric Sredzinski, Pharm.D. Avella’s Executive Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Quality Assurance. “This new mobile health application is yet another opportunity for Avella to maintain its focus on providing comprehensive support to our patients while empowering them to achieve improved outcomes.”

This new data showcases the value of mobile health strategies in engaging patients and improving medication adherence. In addition to the increases in overall adherence, Avella’s HIV patients using the mscripts mobile application were nearly three times less likely to discontinue their medication refills.

“Avella’s patient population is already highly adherent when compared to the general population,” said mscripts’ CEO, Mark Cullen. “We’re excited to see that getting those patients on the mobile platform will make an even more significant impact.”

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About Avella Specialty Pharmacy:

Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Avella Specialty Pharmacy is a National Accredited Specialty Pharmacy, providing individualized care and support to patients since 1996. Avella’s clinical pharmacists and staff members are experts in managing complex disease states and providing compassionate care. The company offers a nationwide distribution service to complement its retail locations. Avella reached 1,772th on Inc. magazine’s 2014 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the country. In addition, the Arizona Corporate Excellence Awards has named Avella Specialty Pharmacy as the fastest-growing private company based in the state.

For more information, please visit www.avella.com.

About mScripts:

mScripts promotes patient adherence and engagement through their innovative, easy-to-use mobile and web health management platform. The mscripts’ platform serves 2.5 million patients spanning national, regional and specialty pharmacies along with hospital out-patient systems. Pharmacy patients manage their prescriptions and health on their mobile phones through 2-way interactive SMS messaging and branded mobile applications, making refilling convenient and remembering to take medications easy. mscripts improves adherence by improving refill rates, providing education and health information, and applying advanced analytics to better understand patient behavior.

Learn more at www.mscripts.com.

My favorite Island boys at 4YallEntertainment teamed up with Brazzers and PornHub to show some of our favorite adult actors and actresses the mean comments that viewers leave behind. It’s a spinoff to Jimmy Kimmel’s “Celebrities Read Mean Tweets” segment, and it’s quite entertaining. Take a look after the jump!

Yes, VForVadge.com is about sex health and education – but every so often, many of us stop browsing the Infection Section and click our Incognito Tab to watch some fine adult skinema (porn). Don’t you wonder what porn stars would do if they read some of the weird comments under their films? I sure do.

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50 Shades x Pornhub – What are Women Searching For?

Pornstars Read Mean Comments on Pornhub

Shoutout to Johnny Sins, Ariella Ferera, Bridget B, Keiran Lee, Keisha Grey, Riley Reid, Mia Malkova, Rose Monroe, Janet Mason, Bonnie Rotten, Ava Adams and Madison Scott for being such soldiers. Thumbs up to you (yes, you) if you recognized any of those names.

See you on PornHub!

Every so often, it’s healthy to engage in a little imaginative thought – like erotica for example. Feast your mind on the latest sensual tale from our guest writer, Sophia Ned-James. May it inspire a little intimacy in your bedroom tonight…

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LEAVE THE LIGHTS ON
By Sophia Ned-James

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I’m a busy single mom and my boyfriend Royce* works all the time. So what little time we spend together is extra special because it’s pretty rare considering how close we are. And even rarer is the opportunity for us to travel out of town together.
Last weekend the stars aligned perfectly though, and we were finally able to escape from cold, snowy southeast Michigan. Royce was on a Thursday to Tuesday business trip in the south, but was free for the weekend. So he flew me out to where he’d booked us a nice room overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
Since our hotel was pretty far away from where he’d been staying for work, and since his last meeting ran a little longer than anticipated, I got to the room a couple of hours before him. That’s usually how we like it. I like being able to relax and get all sexy for him. He likes me to greet him naked and ready to go.
But this time I was fully clothed when he arrived. That wasn’t my plan, but I’d made an extra effort with my outfit that night. I was wearing a shirt that beautifully displayed my assets and some new jeans which made my ass look fantastic. I’d even left most of the lights on just so he could see how cute I looked.
What I was wearing didn’t matter, though. When I opened the door, Royce just brushed past me into the room, tugging at his tie. He said “Hi,” but didn’t even greet me with a kiss.

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You know that got my back up. “What, no kiss?”
He turned to face me and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Tossing his tie onto a chair, he pulled me into his arms for a quick kiss.
“We’ll kiss more, later,” he said. He steered me towards the bed. “Right now, I just want to taste you. I’ve been thinking about getting a taste all day!”
My attitude flew out the window. Royce meant business.
Unzipping my pants, I asked him to turn off some of the lights. He shook his head. “Uh-uh,” he said meeting my eyes. “We’re leaving the lights on … I wanna see my pussy.”
Damn.

His deep voice, barely above a whisper, gave me goose bumps. I couldn’t get my pants off fast enough.

Other than his tie, he remained fully clothed and watched impatiently as I finally kicked my lacy panties aside. As I laid back, he grabbed my hips and pulled me to the edge of the bed. Was he a little rough? Maybe. But then he was on his knees with his face between my legs, feasting like a starving man.
What makes Royce so good at oral is that he genuinely loves to do it. He takes his time, never making me feel like I have to hurry up and cum so that he can be done with it. He’s patient and deliberate. He’s passionate. And he makes me feel as though my pleasure is the most important thing in the world.
This time was even sexier because he was still fully clothed and I was only naked from the waist down. It felt positively decadent when I rested my legs on his shoulders and he was still wearing his dress shirt.
It didn’t take long for Royce’s expert tongue to find the rhythm to take me to glory. I rocked and rolled my hips to the sexy dance choreographed by his mouth. At times I grabbed his head to guide him a little. But mostly, I clutched the sheets as I writhed and moaned.

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He knows my body and read my signals like a pro. Our moves were synchronized for the most intense pleasure. Then, just as I began my final approach to satisfaction, Royce went into beast mode. I don’t know exactly what he was doing down there, but it was amazing. When I finally fell over the edge, I felt like I was floating on air.
I opened my eyes expecting to find Royce in some stage or other of undress. But he wasn’t. He was watching me as I floated back to earth with an expectant look on his face.
“You good?” He asked. I nodded. “Good. Now I want to eat you from the back. Turn over.”
I wasn’t prepared for that. I was looking forward to returning the favor and rocking his world with my mouth. I started to protest “But … wait … don’t you want me to …?”
He didn’t let me finish. “Baby, I told you. I’ve been thinking about doing this all day. Now turn that sexy ass over!”

What can a girl do but comply with such a request? Royce loves eating me from the back. I love it, too. I mean, what’s not to love about oral sex from any angle, right? But it usually takes me longer to cum that way. Besides, I was still all tingly from before.
Yet my man wanted to do this. And I wasn’t about to deny him. Climbing to my knees, I braced myself. But he started out nice and gentle, slowly teasing me back into a state of arousal.

It was good. It was really good. Again, he took his time, savoring me like I was his last meal. Feeling his tongue tickle my ass made me feel wanton and erotic. And somehow, the fact that he seemed to only graze my clit drove me crazy.
He kept at it until finally, I needed to cum. I spread my legs further and arched my back. This gave him even more access to that trembling bundle of nerves he’d been teasing. He got the hint and began the slow, rhythmic licking and sucking action that always gets me off.

As much as I wanted to thrust my pussy onto his face, I held back for fear that he’d release my clit from his lips. And I couldn’t let that happen because his lips were magic.
Silently begging him for just a little more pressure … yes, that’s it … right there … I heard moaning and realized it was me. Or maybe I was talking, saying aloud the words that would guide his tongue to the exact spot with just the right amount of force …
The explosion came from nowhere. It took me by surprise and was so jarring, I fell forward onto my stomach. I may have screamed but I can’t be sure, because all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart.
Still reeling, I rolled over just enough to be able look at Royce. He was standing by the bed, slowly undressing with a satisfied look on his face. His lips and beard were wet with my dew.

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“Wow,” I said. My voice sounded scratchy. “That was intense!”
“I was on a mission,” he grinned.
“I could tell! But you know what I want now?”
“What do you want? You can have anything you want, Baby.”
As I got back onto my knees, I said “I want you inside me!”
I heard him tear open a condom and toss the wrapper onto the bed. “Your wish is my command!”

Nobody but nobody does it from the back like my guy! I mean, for real. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: he should bottle that shit and sell it!
From that initial penetration, Royce held nothing back. He wasn’t sweet or gentle. He conquered. He took. His thrusts were so powerful they pushed me forward on the bed. Of course, that earned me a couple of nice smacks on my ass, as he roughly pulled me back into position.
Now it was his moans that filled the room. Now it was Royce making his way to ecstasy. I loved that it was my body making him feel so good. His pleasure became my pleasure.
When he finally climaxed with my name on his lips, Royce collapsed on the bed beside me, panting as though he’d just run a marathon. Then he pulled me into his arms and kissed me tenderly. We fell asleep with the lights still on and me still wearing my cute shirt.

And that was how we began our brief, but enjoyable mini-vacation together. Getting away really did me some good, too. I mean, what better way to recharge after such a long and dreary Michigan winter?

*Royce isn’t his real name, of course. I keep his government name a secret to protect his privacy. Besides, I always change the names and a few details to protect the not-so-innocent!

Find Sophia on Tumblr for More Steamy Stories

Little known fact: I speak fluent Spanish. That’s because I spent a large portion of my life growing up and learning with my Dominican family. I’ve been blessed to learn a lot about how Latina women interact with their partners, how they view intimacy and sex as a whole. While times change, some of those ideals are still reinforced through our grandmothers, mothers and peers. I had the honor of sitting down with Joe Bovino, author of “Why Latinas Get the Guy -” and we chatted about some of the popular questions surrounding his new book. Find out why Latinas Get the Guy, and how you can get them, too. “Miren… “

That’s Spanish for look, y’all… 

Why Latinas Get the Guy – Joe Bovino

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What are some major challenges of dating within the Latin community?

By far the biggest challenge is the language barrier. I still struggle with it myself, unfortunately, but I’m working on it.
Most Latinos in the United States prefer to speak Spanish because they can express themselves better that way to someone who understands the language. They’ll resort to English if they have to and do the best with the words they know, but they may not be able to explain what they want or feel as clearly as they’d like to, which can lead to stilted conversations, miscommunication and misunderstandings while dating and otherwise.
I once broke up with a Peruvian-American girl because I thought she was calling me a liar when all she was doing was saying the Spanish equivalent of “You’re kidding!” It wouldn’t have happened if either of us spoke the other’s native language fluently. Now I’m a lot more cautious about jumping to conclusions when I’m not sure about what’s being said and why.

Another major challenge for non-Latinos dating Latinos is understanding cultural tendencies and predispositions that are likely to affect how things go. Latinos share some common traits, but there are significant differences between Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Colombians, Brazilians and other Latinos in the United States and abroad. Many Americans have no idea what they are or simply learn as they go. That can be risky.
Finally, American women may find it challenging to deal with the “machismo” of Latin [men] at times, especially if they’re used to dating weak American males. Most Latin guys in the USA don’t mind if American women assert themselves and do their own thing, but few take kindly to emasculation and won’t tolerate it. They also normally expect women to place a high priority on family, which may rub some American women the wrong way.
American men, on the other hand, may mistakenly try to fast-track intimacy, play dating games, act like a jerk, or do any number of things that tend to work on American women but often backfire with more traditional and proudly feminine Latinas.

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Is sex still taboo to talk about as it was years ago?

No. All you have to do is watch television, go to the movies or peruse the internet to know that sex-talk is commonplace these days. I hear there’s even a blog called “V for Vadge.”
But that doesn’t mean raunchy sex talk is wise for women while dating – at least before a meaningful relationship has been established. Men almost always lose respect for women who start talking about sex on dating websites, a first date or soon thereafter. They’ll still have sex with you and treat you like one of the boys, if that’s all you want, but they’re much less likely to see you as a woman who they might date seriously or marry.

Latinas know this and are generally much less likely to start talking about sex during a date or early on in a relationship. They want men to perceive them as feminine, ladylike, and smart enough not to talk explicitly about sex with a guy they don’t know very well. They also tend to make guys work and wait a lot longer for sex than fully assimilated American women. That way, they can more easily weed out the guys who are only looking for sex.

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Are there any key strategies to successful dating?

If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want, copy what they do, and you’ll achieve the same results. That tip comes from Tony Robbins, and it applies in all aspects of life, including dating.

These days, too many American women are doing things that fail to attract, get and keep good men. Then, instead of reconsidering their strategy, they blame others – especially the men – delude themselves into thinking that it makes sense to keep acting the same way, and, worse yet, double down. Militant feminists and self-described “bitches” bash men for sport and giggles. Others try to look, sound, act, and sleep around like the very men they profess to hate in a counterproductive attempt to appear “strong.” And many younger American women think it’s cool to participate in a Tinder-fueled hook-up culture where shameless promiscuity trumps decency, self-respect and common sense. Guys are playing along and enjoy the easy access to sex, but they lose respect for those girls too.
Is any of that leading to more “successful dating” by modern American women? No, unless you define success as more casual sex and less lasting, long-term committed relationships.

Moreover, and increasingly large number of American men aren’t just taking their balls and going home. They’re rationally choosing to pursue other, more appealing alternatives in a global dating market with non-American women, hyphenated American women (e.g., Latinas, Asian-Americans) or narrowing their search to sweeter, more confidently feminine American women in the South, Midwest and elsewhere.

Fortunately, American women don’t have to give up their independence, careers, opinions, dignity or anything else to get back in the game and date more successfully and land the best guys. They don’t need to tolerate bad behavior by players and jerks either. They just need to wise up, watch the women who are dating successfully these days, and copy what’s working for them. That will require many American women to take a hard, uncomfortable look in the mirror and make some changes – including trying harder to look, sound and act like a lady he can’t live without – but it shouldn’t be too hard. In fact, it should be natural.

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What words of advice would you give a young lady in the dating world?

1. Watch women who are successful in attracting, getting and keeping great guys. Then copy what they do that works. Success leaves clues.

2. Ignore anyone who tells you that men love bitches, bitchiness is attractive, or femininity equals weakness. Those are lies.

3. Get out of the house and don’t spent countless hours chatting on dating websites. 80% of life is just showing up. So, get out there. Show up for those first dates. Keep it casual and see how it goes. Eventually, a good one will come along.

4. Make an effort to look like a lady, not a boy.

5. Talk like a lady, not a sailor, while dating. Men will respect you for it.

6. Treat men respectfully but don’t hesitate to assert yourself when men don’t treat you with love and respect in return. Respect works both ways.

7. Make guys wait at least a month for sex. Exceptions should be rare. Find out who he really is before you get intimate with him.

8. If a guy isn’t treating you like a princess and making you feel good about your relationship, he’s just not that into you. If he was, you wouldn’t find yourself making excuses for him or managing so many negative emotions. Politely let him go.

9. If you’re dating the same type of guy over and over with no success, make a change. Mix it up, and consider dating guys from different ethnic or racial backgrounds as well, especially if you’re not having much success with your own.

10. Read my new, national #1 bestselling book, Why Latinas Get the Guy: A No-BS Guide to Understanding the Allure of Latin-American Women and Spicing Up Your Love Life.

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What words of advice would you give a young man in the dating world?

1. Take chances out there, act boldly if necessary, and never lose your sense of humor, even when you don’t get the girl. It’s a date, not a bombing mission over ‘Nam.

2. Nothing is more important than confidence. Take steps to maintain and build it, even when things don’t go your way.

3. Don’t just be yourself. Be your best self.

4. Be honest about who you are or what you think, but don’t volunteer private details about your life to everyone who comes along. A little mystery goes a long way.

5. Skin up.

6. Learn to sing, play an instrument, dance, and speak at least one foreign language.

7. Date women who deserve and have earned your respect. You can be friendly with the rest, but there’s no point in pursuing anything more serious with them.

8. Date non-American women and American women from different parts of the country, especially the South and Midwest. Compare, contrast, and see who fits best.

9. Watch Don Draper’s Guide to Picking Up Women.

10. Read my first book, Field Guide to Chicks of the United States, and take notes.

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I thoroughly enjoyed this interview, and while I think some of his statements can be a bit controversial, Joe made great points. In a society where sex seems to be our primary selling point, it is important for us women of all cultures and ethnicities to know our worth and value ourselves. Put your best assets forward – and they don’t have to be in your pants.

What do you think about the interview? Do you agree with these statements? 

Sex Sells: The Pornhub 1^st Annual

Film Fest

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Pornhub had its first annual Porn film festival offered way more than I believe most of their viewers expected. When the title of a film festival includes Porn, the typical person thinks of sex as it is seen in naughty pop-ups or the 1-800 ads during the wee hours of the morning. Instead,  From my first impressions, I was curious as to what kind of crowd this sort of event would attract. Of course more than just your neighborhood pervert or horny teen are frequent visitors of porn sites but this was a film festival, so I hoped to find some sort of highly sexual intellectuals lurking about. I did anticipate that at some point there would be a room full of people watching hard pounding sex. But as I entered into the smoking lounge area, the room held around 50-60 people, most of which held a drink or a cigarette in either hand (as the room would suggest). It wasn’t until I walked into the room in which the films were being shown, that I was a bit taken aback at how many more folks filled the room. I would say that there were damn near 100 people filling the benches and walls watching the films and so my experience began.

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My night started off watching a short film titled “Internal Body Shots” by Jasco Viefhues. The film explored the experiences of four individuals from throughout North America and Europe with their sexuality, bodies and how their bodies have been viewed by others throughout the world. I found this film to be captivating because it took a deeper look into the very basic idea that sex is not the same everywhere, for everyone and with every BODY. We don’t just have sex with our genitals but with our entire bodies and those bodies come with experiences, stereotypes and stigmas that are placed on us by our societies. The Black Body, the Trans Body, the Intersex Body, the Gender fluid Body and the Body that exists as genderless are all still sexual bodies that experience sex differently and that is important to talk about when mentioning sex on any platform. The audience seemed captivated, not so much by the nudity of the folks on screen but listening to the stories of their bodies. I felt that the film reminded viewers that we are more than the act of heavy breathing, orgasms and arousal.

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The following film entitled “My Girls” was a short of different men breastfeeding from another man’s chest. This film in particular tickled me because of the unease that came over the room. Many viewers whispered comments to their neighbors, fidgeted in their seats or simply walked out of the room. I took this as an opportunity to get some comments from folks. The person sitting next to me appeared to have a very different opinion about the scenes. He stated that he was fascinated by the discomfort. He then went on to say “porn is art” in reference to how many sculptures and paintings sometimes make their viewers uneasy, most times, that is the point. The depiction of a man doing to another man an act that is meant to be between a mother nourishing her child can be understandably disturbing. But the crowd seemed to be buzzing more with the sexual identity of the parties involved. Were they gay? Is the guy breast feeding considered a cub or a bear? (referring to his slightly chubby and hairy tummy). Even the masses who flocked to see porn in all of its glory, were uneasy with what they could not place into one of their many boxes.

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Follow Charlie on Instagram: @TriniBuddha

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Last but definitely not least, was a film that explored what is inarguably, as the most notorious bondage website, Insex. Its creator Brent Scott was the first to create site that viewed the bondage and submission of women that had not been seen before. The film was entitled “Barbara Bell: GRAPHIC SEXUAL HORROR” and it did more than just explore the creators journey but the evolution of the site, the company and all of the women involved. Usually when told that we will receive a “behind the scenes” look into anything, there is typically more to be uncovered. This film laid everything out on the table. It also showed viewers who may not have known that in all sex, consent, trust, and safety for yourself and others, and desire are all necessary in all forms of sex. The audience, as well as myself, was glued to the screen for the entire 84 minutes. I believe that this particular film would have no place in any other festival than Pornhub.

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Especially for its first annual film festival, I entered with much anticipation and left feeling inspired, turned on and SEXY.Porn is more than pounding sex and orgies and way more than just a way to be turned on and get off. Porn can be political, disabled, empowering, comedy and freedom for those who choose to participate and use it as such. I believe that from the many reactions, applause, laughter and gasps, most, if not more folks will return for next year’s Pornhub film festival. If anything, I know I’ll be there!

Until next time… stay Sane, Sexy and Safe.

 More from the NYC Porn Film Festival: Miley Cyrus’ “Tongue Tied”…

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A very close relative (who shall remain nameless for now) disclosed to me this past weekend that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. I was speechless to the point that I sat home alone – in silence, for over an hour. Too numb to cry and get hysterical, I felt compelled to write instead. Luckily for us, said loved one gets regular screenings and takes care of his health – so there is a 70% chance of full recovery after treatment.

Thank God.

Prostate Cancer Incidence Rates* by Race and Ethnicity, U.S., 1999–2011

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Statistically, Black men are 60% more likely than White men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer and two times as likely to die from the disease.

Black men are often diagnosed at a younger age; typically by three years.

They are also more likely to have rapidly growing, “high grade” tumors.

Scary, right?

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As an Island girl growing up in both a Jamaican and Dominican household, I have watched the men in my life take ill and refuse/postpone seeing a doctor or getting treatment. It saddens me to know that so many males could have kept their lives and still been here with us had they taken control of their health. We have to wonder why this happens.

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Why Do Black Men Hate the Doctor’s Office?

As my father explains it, Black men have spent years with stigmas about doctor visits and being sick. It challenges one’s manhood if you’re sick – especially illnesses that affect your sex organs. A man will ignore symptoms of disease or sickness so that he can continue to care for his family, as if ignoring it makes it go away.

I polled a few men online to get candid responses to this question, and I was so appreciative of the answers I received. Take a look…

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“Doctors have been notorious for misdiagnosing men of color, especially Black men. After a while… some just say “what’s the point of going in the first place?”

Sadly, this is true in many instances. According to Cancer.org, “Even when information is shared, it may not be complete or accurate information – at least as it relates to black men. The overwhelming majority of published prostate cancer research studies include few (if any) black men as subjects.  This means that decisions on prostate cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment in black men is based largely on what is known about how the disease behaves in white men.”

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“I think the distrust of doctors by Black men is deep rooted in the fact that the medical professions once saw us as guinea pigs and subhuman. Then they ran perverse experiments on us as as a result, and now we wonder if we will be the latest in a long line who become just “statistics” and “subjects” rather than being cared for as humans…” 

This reference alludes to the Tusgegee Study, conducted back in the 1930’s. Hundreds of Black men were unknowingly subject to a study under the false pretense that they were being treated for their syphilis diseases. In fact, they were not receiving proper treatment and were being observed to see what the effects of the disease would be if left untreated. This study went on for forty years until the Associated Press broke the story and it went national. Those men were scarred for life – many of them died. The fear and stigma associated with that piece of Black American history lives on to this day.

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“From my point of view, the men in my life are all Island men and they associated doctor visits with weakness. There’s also a deep rooted homophobia that stops many men from getting prostate and colon exams – which leaves many susceptible to cancers and other disease…”

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Sadly, the stereotypes of the past haunt a lot of Black men. Hopefully opening these channels of conversation will lead them to greater understanding of their bodies and how they work. Whether you seek holistic alternatives or find a trusted conventional physician – it is crucial for men (and women) to take health as a priority on the inside and outside.

So, sound off – do you find this same issue in your family/household? What are your thoughts, suggestions?

References:

Cancer.org

CDC.gov – the Tuskegee Timeline

I had the pleasure of watching 50 Shades of Grey on its opening weekend, and the feedback I’ve been receiving has been too much to ignore. Many women are enamored with Christian Grey – but why?

Is it the penetrating stare? The wealthy lifestyle? His love for a quality Dior tie?

Nope.

It’s because he’s a sadistic freak.

The thought of giving up control to someone they are attracted to entices many women. Allowing that man to invade your comfort zone and expose you to levels of pain and pleasure sounds scary but tantalizing. After watching Anastasia get spanked, flogged and snapped with the riding crop – you may be wondering what it feels like. If you felt a rush of exhilaration when he tied her up with his necktie, you may be curious to know if sex could really be good that way. A lot of you are searching for beginner’s BDSM techniques right now.

How do I know? Because Pornhub.

As one of the leading sites in pornography, it’s their job to find out what women (and men) are searching for on the internet. They can then figure out what content to feature on their world famous site in order to satisfy these ladies. Yes, women watch porn, too.

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How Many Women are Really Searching for BDSM Stuff?

Surprised? I’m not. There is a quiet allure to BDSM, especially if you only know what is written about in Fifty Shades.  We’ll talk more about this world another time, but for now – take a look at what your friends are searching for while you sit at Starbucks…

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What BDSM Terms are Women Searching For?

“Submission” is the top term, for obvious reasons. In the movie, Anastasia Steele becomes Christian Grey’s Submissive, therefore she agrees to satisfy his every need.

Next up, “BDSM” is the second most searched term, because we all need to know what it stands for before we sign any non-disclosure agreements (wink).

Oh, and BDSM is a cross of acronyms for Bondage, Dominance, Submission (Sadism) and Masochism. 

(But you knew that already.)

Third was “Dominate.” Christian exuded a dominant role and made it clear that he planned to have control over her. I think that’s where part of the attraction begins – having a strong figure want to please her in every way, as long as she pleases him sexually.

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What’s your beau or boo searching for?

BDSM Term Search by Gender

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So, now you know what your mom has been doing on her new iPad all day.

You’re welcome.

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Special thanks to Pornhub for the infographics.

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I set the scene with massage oil, edible body chocolate and  K-Y’s Yours + Mine lubricants. My Valentine’s Day began the night before. Candles lit, baby at my parents’ house, hubby coming home late from work.  I was a little bit apprehensive about the product as the commercials seem to over hype it, but it pleasantly surprised me.

The male (Yours) bottle creates a warming sensation for him, while the female (Mine) bottle stimulates the vagina with a tingling sensation.  It was an enjoyable feeling – but I can’t say I felt a super knockout when the two lubricants combined. The commercials definitely had me ready.  The “mine” bottle felt great on its own, so we may explore using the two separately to get desired effects.

At risk of getting too detailed – I will say that I enjoyed the experience and look forward to combining the two again. KY Yours + Mine definitely added another element of excitement to our festivities last night…

A few things to keep in mind:

• K-Y Yours + Mine is not a contraceptive and does not contain spermicide

• I recommend stimulating each other by applying the appropriate lubricant to the opposite lover. Foreplay can be a very important factor in arousal, and may increase the intensity of these lubricants.

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Next: I interview my husband for his thoughts on K-Y Yours + Mine…

A good night was had by all…

Note: I was presented this product by KY in exchange for my honest review, compensation was not monetary…

Valentine’s Day is literally advertised as a holiday for lovers and couples, but what about the single people out there? If you’re looking for smart, effective strategies to help you get a quality date for Valentine’s Day – look no further. I snagged professional dating coach Todd Valentine and he’s got some great tips to help you get your dating life together this Love Day. 

If someone asked me to get a date by Valentine’s Day, I’d laugh and ask, “How many?” You see, I’ve been a professional dating coach for thirteen years, and it’s my job to get people out of their houses and into the arms of the people they desire. Ten years ago that would have been my exact advice: Get out of the house. The single biggest reason people don’t find dates is not because of boring conversation, asymmetrical faces, or poor hygiene, but the lack of interactions with their targeted demographic. If this sounds like a marketing ploy, keep reading, because that’s essentially what you do when you use online dating; my recommendation for getting quick, reliable dates in the 20-teens.

Now, online dating isn’t the only way. You could ask your friends or family to set you up. You could attend singles events before or even on the night of V-Day. You could hit up clubs and bars for numbers. In fact, all of these are great ideas because again, if you want a date, the key is giving yourself as many opportunities as possible.

But back to online dating. Can you imagine a medium in which you could interact with hundreds of people in a matter of minutes? And can you imagine that all of these people are not only open to a relationship but actively seeking one? Imagine further, that you can search specific criteria when looking for your date, i.e. height, religion, body fat percentage, etc. Well, that’s what modern online dating offers. Also, if you want a good date, people online are probably on average more literate and can at least afford a computer or smartphone. And if they turn out to be crazy? It’s a lot less awkward to end things.

So how do you do online dating effectively? If you’re a woman, pick your best photos—get some pro shots taken, if you must—and prepare yourself to be buried in messages. Do try to make sure your profile is not too psychotic. If you’re too lazy to write a profile? Go on Tinder.

If you’re a guy, on the other hand, here’s some advice I usually charge men for:

1. Make your profile stand out. I once saw this on Tinder, and I think it’s right on: “I’d rather be someone’s shot of whiskey than everyone’s cup of tea.”

2. Keep your first message short but memorable. And winking, liking, or swiping right works too. The point is, you’re better off contacting a lot of people and letting your pictures and profile do the work than writing a perfect message to every stranger. Cast your net wide.

3. Last one: cut to the chase. Don’t become someone’s online buddy. Once the conversation is good, move to phone numbers and/or a meet-up sooner rather than later. Remember, girls are online because they want to go on dates too.

Again, this isn’t to say online dating is the only way to go. When you have more choices, you won’t just get any date; you’ll get a date you’ll actually enjoy on Valentine’s Day. So put yourself out there in the real world as well as, of course, online.

About Todd Valentine:

“My goal is to teach you what I’ve learned the hard way about pickup, self-development and life in the most efficient, and hopefully fairly entertaining, manner possible.”

you can also check out my blog: http://valentinelife.com/

and my other channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/RSDTodd

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 Share with us: Are you looking for a date for Valentine’s? What are your concerns about being singe?

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