Tag Archives: Health

This past weekend Sergio had me in stitches laughing so hard watching this promotional video for the WonderSpray, the world’s first portable butt shower.  The product isn’t what I find funny – rather it is the ‘cheeky’ way these inventors have opted to market their product. Their tagline is a good example of what I mean, “Revolutionizing the way people poop one clean bum at a time” – OMG.

I’m more than a little intrigued by the WonderSpray’s “Wonder” mode. If anyone happens to have this product, please explain the experience. The video describes the various settings saying, “Perfect for at home or on-the-go. Comes with multiple pressurized water jets with 4 different settings from light to wonder mode. AND trust us, you’ve got to experience the “Wonder” mode!!!”

You have to check out the WonderSpray launch video (below).

If you want to try the product, check out their kickstarter page where they’ve already raised nearly $300,000 from more than 2,700 people.

WonderSpray – The World’s First Portable Butt Shower

The state of Georgia has earned widespread criticism, after Gov. Brian Kemp said businesses like gyms, hair salons, and barber shops could open this past Friday, April 24 with theaters and restaurants to open tomorrow on April 27.

I’d like to use this post to encourage a little social activism on your part. If you think Gov. Kemp’s actions are reckless then speak up, regardless of where you live. Call the Georgia State Govenor’s Mansion to arrange a tour like Professa Cross shares below.

Click  on the image to enlarge if it is difficult to read – it’s worth your time.

If you are unsure when a specific state will be lifting their “stay-at-home” orders this site has a listing of all 50 states and the District of Columbia, here.  I’ve included a  list of states that say they will lift ‘stay-at-home’ requests this week. For some states with low infection rates localized in a defined area that may make sense, but the data shows that isn’t the case for all the states listed below.

Alabama – Thursday, April 30
6,000+ cases / 164 deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Alaska – Opened April 21
300+ cases / 9 deaths – considered defined, details here.

Arizona – Thursday, April 30
6,000+ cases / 273 deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Colorado – Monday, April 27 (Denver stay-at-home remains)
6,000+ cases / 670+ deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Florida – Thursday, April 30
30,000+ cases / 1,000+ deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Idaho – Thursday, April 30
1,870+ cases / 50+ deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Indiana – Friday, May 1
14,000+ cases / 78+ deaths – undetermined, details here.

Louisiana – Friday, May 1
26,500+ cases / 1,600+ deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Mississippi – Monday, April 27
5,700+ cases / 220+ deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Montana – Monday, April 27
440+ cases / 14 deaths – considered defined, details here.

Nevada – Thursday, April 30
4,500+ cases / 200+ deaths – considered widespread, details here.

Ohio – Friday, May 1
15,500+ cases / 700+ deaths – considered defined, details here.

Tennessee – Thursday, April 30
9,000+ cases / 175+ deaths – considered defined, details here.

Texas – Thursday, April 30
23,700+ cases / 600+ deaths – considered widespread, details here.

SOURCE for case counts and deaths

When phrases like “social distancing” and “flattening the curve” become a part of our vernacular and are trending on social media, you know that something is up.

Many meetings, events and programs last week made last minute decisions to cancel so I’m going to take a hiatus from publishing events this week and suggest a prolonged “Netflix-n-Chill” approach while we ride out COVID-19.

Below you’ll find an easy to follow guide on how to wash your hands since that seems to be among the best ways to prevent the spread. For more information about symptoms related to Coronavirus, visit this CDC site.

Five Steps to Wash Your Hands the Right Way

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.
2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.
5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Fenway Health is recruiting people for a new medical study called PrEP@Home that involves testing a mobile app for men on PrEP to evaluate the effectiveness while minimizing the need for in-person follow up at clinics.

FENWAY HEALTH STUDY – EARN UP TO $240

Eligible participants should be between the ages of 18 – 49, HIV negative, assigned male at birth and interested in taking PrEP. Eligible participants will be eligible to receive up to $240 for completing all study procedures.

Interested? Call 617.927.6448 or click here to learn more: PrEP@Home.

Starting earlier this month on June 4th, Boston Parks launched their annual summer fitness series. Due to past success and interest the city is expanding the program this year and will offer 30 classes per week through September 29th.

Free fitness classes take place in the morning and evenings and include a variety of options like yoga, zumba and bootcamp. All classes take place outdoors in Boston’s parks around the city. The full calendar of activities can be found here: bphc.org/summerfitness.

You can follow what is happening and get updates by following @HealthyBoston.

Few things are more important than taking care of your health and for that reason I touch upon the topic occasionally. A few years back I wrote the post, Many LGBT patients feel alienated by their health providers. A few years after my post I shared the US News & World Report article, How to Come Out to Your Doctor as an LGBT Patient, which explained why this is important: the type of preventative care you should receive – esp if you are sexually active; questions you may want to ask your doctor; and most importantly for those who are not out to their health care providers – how to start the conversation.

So when I was recently contacted by Lighthouse, a network of LGBTQ affirming health and wellness providers, I knew I’d want to share this. According to the release I received, Lighthouse is a group of NYC-based providers who have devoted our careers to caring for LGBTQ+ patients. They are currently up and running in New York City and are expanding rapidly to serve the LGBTQ+ community nationwide.

For more information you can check out their blog at blog.lighthouse.lgbt or visit their website at www.lighthouse.lgbt.

Earlier this month Huffington Post Queer Voices published findings from a  study of gay and bisexual men where researchers found that taking four doses of PrEP around the time of sexual activity cut the risk of being diagnosed with HIV by 97 percent.  

Taking PrEP is a personal decision and one you should discuss with your primary care physician. This is yet another example of how important it can be for sexually active gay men to have access to doctors familiar with LGBTQ health issues. Fortunately here in Boston Fenway Health and the South End Associates are two excellent medical practices gay men can access.

With Memorial Day Weekend starting in just a few days and the 2017 summer season starting I wanted to share this P.S.A. that Daddyhunt released recently which discusses the merits of taking PREP. While taking PREP may not be for everyone, it is something all sexually active gay men should think about.

Talk to your husband, your partner and your friends to help you decide what is right for you. And if you decide that you’d like to learn more about PREP or find a healthcare provider you can talk to who is near you visit, preplocator.org.