Why mysterious group of rural Americans are NINE TIMES less likely to suffer from country's biggest killers
But that's not the only thing the Amish live without. Members are also much less likely to suffer the chronic diseases that have been linked to modern lifestyles.
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
This is how we do it: ‘Our lives are absorbed by raising kids, and we struggle to find time for sex'
Sex is still so important to me and I'm happier after – I'm just struggling to get in the mood We have two children under 10, and being a mother to them nearly always takes priority. I rarely have time to do the things that nourish and sustain me – go to the gym, wash my hair, see friends – and by the end of the day I'm too exhausted from mothering to have sex. But when I'm more relaxed and rested, and able to prioritise myself, I'm more in the mood. Scheduling also helps, so if we say, 'Let's have sex on Wednesday,' I go to bed earlier and make time for it. Rich is a great dad and does loads around the house, but I take on more of the mental load and have lost more of myself in parenthood. It's just the way it is. Rich and I met at college. When we reconnected in our 30s, I immediately knew I wanted to have sex with him. We went on a couple of dates and the sex was great; it felt natural, but also exciting and full of desire. We fitted together perfectly. I thought it was just a sexual thing at first, but the morning after the first time, I had this knowing feeling that it was going to last. After a difficult first birth, I couldn't physically have sex for nine months. I had scarring, didn't want anything near there and thought it was the ultimate turnoff. Rich was supportive and patient. We took it slowly, and when we eventually had sex again it felt like a huge relief. Sex is still so important to me, and I'm happier after. I'm just struggling to get in the mood, balancing being a mum with looking after myself and being a sexual being. We now have sex once every month or two, which isn't often enough for Rich. I've never had a high sex drive, and before we had kids we had sex about once a week, usually on a long, lazy Sunday morning. We're going through a tough time, and Rich isn't happy about a few things in our relationship, sex being one of them. I love him, so I'm trying to be more available, but I don't want to have sex out of duty. We're going to start marriage counselling, and I hope that this busy parent stage will pass, and our love, sexual chemistry and commitment will get us through. If you're keen to talk to us about your sex lives you can get in touch by filling in the form below. It is very important that both sexual partners are happy to participate. When Laura does initiate out of the blue, it feels reassuring. I'm careful not to reject her advances Laura and I are very compatible; we have shared values and similar temperaments. My previous relationships were more challenging, so I was surprised how easy it was with her. But once kids came along, that changed. Our lives are now completely absorbed by raising our kids, and we struggle to find time for each other. I was the one who pushed to have children; Laura took some convincing. When trying to conceive took a year, sex became less about pleasure and more of a chore. Then, when you have kids, there's less mystery, and having the same mundane, routine interactions doesn't help to create an erotic environment. Our sex life doesn't fulfil me the way it used to, and I've stopped initiating because it's hard to keep doing that and getting rejected. What we need is to have fun outside the home, get out and be ourselves in the world, and bring more joy and colour back into our lives. When Laura does initiate sex out of the blue, it feels reassuring. I'm careful not to reject her advances, even when I'm feeling a bit unwell, because I don't want months without sex to lead into more. We try to make time four to six times a year to enjoy and pleasure each other. It can be hard to get into the headspace, but we build up anticipation by talking about it, so half the work is already done before we've even taken off our clothes. As I get older, I am reminded that life is finite. I'd love to have the joy and possibility of being more sexual, to feel confident to initiate again, and even get that dynamic back from 10 years ago, when we had sex once a week. Just non-spectacular, comfort sex that says: 'I see you, I want to be with you, I love you.' Sex makes everything feel more positive, and life is a little easier.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Dylan Sprouse's wife Barbara Palvin, 30, gets secret surgery after suffering 'sleepless nights on the floor'
Barbara Palvin opened up about a private health struggle and why she stepped away from the spotlight for several months. In a candid post, the 30-year-old supermodel revealed that she recently underwent surgery after years of painful and debilitating periods led doctors to suspect endometriosis. 'Hi guys, it's been a while!' she began, before explaining that she had long believed her severe symptoms were simply part of her cycle. She continued: 'For some years now I've been dealing with the difficulties that can come with my periods. Fatigue, severe pain, heavy and irregular flow, sleepless nights on the bathroom floor. I thought this was just how it works for me.' It wasn't until she was advised to see an endometriosis specialist that she began to understand the root cause. 'I've been going to checkups to my gynecologist every year, I thought if I had endometriosis I would have known about it by now, but as it turns out, endometriosis can't be diagnosed with general examinations,' Palvin explained. 'So I went, and 3 months later I got operated on.' Barbara Palvin opened up about a private health struggle and why she stepped away from the spotlight for several months Since the surgery, Palvin says she finally knows what it feels like to have a manageable cycle. 'Since then I finally experienced a period that was easier, and now I know the difference,' she said, adding that she wants to encourage others who may be struggling with similar symptoms to seek medical guidance. She added: 'If you suspect that you could have endometriosis I encourage you to find it out. It helped me a lot, and I'm grateful I did it. Early diagnosis and treatment are very important to prevent long-term complications, and now I'm more mindful about my body to act fast if needed.' The Hungarian model — who married actor Dylan Sprouse in 2023 — also shared that she took time to rest and recover after the procedure. 'That's also why I took the past 3 months to rest and fully heal. I'm excited about this new chapter of my life and now ready to get back to work,' she concluded. Palvin, who has walked runways for Victoria's Secret and Armani, joins a growing number of celebrities speaking out about endometriosis, a condition estimated to affect 1 in 10 women of reproductive age worldwide. By sharing her story, she hopes to raise awareness and encourage others not to ignore symptoms that may signal something more serious.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Terrifying 'zombie squirrels' with oozing flesh pods on their bodies invade US backyards
Grotesque squirrels covered in oozing sores have been spotted invading backyards in the US, and a common garden object is helping the animals spread their condition. The disfigured squirrels have been spotted in both the US and Canada in recent months, with social media users on both X and Reddit trying to figure out what's wrong with the rodents. The reports date back to 2023, when residents in Maine captured images of common gray squirrels covered in tumors while visiting their backyards. Witnesses have photographed these hairless growths oozing pus covering most of the animals' bodies, from their heads and eyes to their legs, feet, and genitals. While some on social media have suspected that the animals are carrying squirrel pox, a rare virus in the US that mainly affects red squirrels, others have pointed out that the illness is more likely to be squirrel fibromatosis. This condition is caused by a different virus, resulting in wart-like growths that may ooze fluid but usually heal on their own, and is more common in US gray squirrels. In either case, wildlife experts believe homeowners who put bird feeders in their yards may be unintentionally causing the virus to spread to more squirrels throughout North America. Shevenell Webb from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said: 'It's like when you get a large concentration of people. If someone is sick and it's something that spreads easily, others are going to catch it.' In November 2024, a Reddit user in the US posted an image of a squirrel covered in tumors consistent with squirrel fibromatosis Squirrel fibromatosis is caused by a virus that cannot be transmitted to people or other animals Squirrel fibromatosis may look terrifying, but it's a common skin disease among gray squirrels in the US. It's caused by the leporipoxvirus and is spread through direct contact between healthy squirrels and the lesions or saliva of infected squirrels, similar to herpes transmission in humans. The disease causes hairless growths or tumors, which can break open and leak clear fluid just like an open wound. Although the virus cannot spread to humans or other animals such as dogs or birds, Webb said people should not touch or attempt to help infected squirrels. 'I would not recommend trying to capture a squirrel that has the virus,' Webb told the Bangor Daily News. 'It is naturally occurring and will run its course in time.' To Webb's point, while the growths can look alarming, they typically heal without the need for medication and are rarely fatal. However, some severe cases of squirrel fibromatosis may affect the animal's internal organs and lead to death. While sightings of infected squirrels date back to the summer of 2023, the most recent cases were posted online less than a month ago. Residents in Canada have also captured images of infected squirrels who were covered in hairless tumors The cases are not believed to be squirrel pox, which generally infects red squirrels and is more common in the UK 'At first I thought it was eating something from my front beds, but then I realized it was on its face,' one Reddit user posted on July 31 after spotting a gray squirrel with a large tumor on its mouth. Wildlife officials noted that sightings tend to rise during the summer when more animals are out gathering food, especially from homes that put out bird feeders. 'Like a lot of people, I love watching birds,' Webb said. 'Unfortunately, you can attract multiple [squirrels] to that feeder and risk exposure if one has the virus.' The expert explained that squirrels with fibromatosis can leave their saliva on uneaten bird seed at these feeders, which healthy animals can then ingest and contract the virus. To this point, wildlife experts have not confirmed whether the new sightings are cases of fibromatosis or squirrel pox (SQPV), but there's less of a chance that squirrel pox is spreading through the US. SQPV is a systemic condition that often results in death among red squirrels, who are more vulnerable to the virus. Moreover, SQPV is more common in the UK, as there are more red squirrels in that country compared to the US and Canada. Fibromatosis tumors typically heal on their own within 2 months and do not return among gray squirrels A similar condition affecting rabbits in the Midwest has prompted many on social media to ask if it would be humane to euthanize animals spotted with these tumors. Just like the rabbits infected with cottontail papilloma virus, causing tentacle-like tumors on their heads, wildlife officials have said that people should leave squirrels with fibromatosis alone. A squirrel's immune system can clear the virus within four to eight weeks, although it may take longer for larger or secondary infections to heal. The condition does not typically come back once a squirrel contracts fibromatosis, and gray squirrels generally recover fully, meaning the horrifying growths won't be visible by the time people see that same animal next year.
