Most of us will have extremely fond memories of receiving party bags at various friend and aquintances’ birthday parties. The birthday cake wrapped in a little napkin, the iced gems, the fun-sized Mars bars and the weird little toys.

Most of us will have extremely fond memories of receiving party bags at various friend and aquintances’ birthday parties. The birthday cake wrapped in a little napkin, the iced gems, the fun-sized Mars bars and the weird little toys.

One mother however has taken the idea of a party bag a little further and even rejected the notion that they are only for children when she included a chlamydia home test in the bags at her 18-year-old son’s birthday.

Andrea Lafferty got the chlamydia home tests from her local screening program and said that the party-goers welcomed the gift. She also included free condoms in the bag.

The 150 guests at Kenton Social Club came to celebrate Danny Lafferty’s birthday and were entertained with a game of pass-the-parcel, where the lucky winners unwrapped treats including more condoms and a pregnancy test.

Ms. Lafferty said, “When they were unwrapped everyone cheered and Danny’s friends and their parents said how it was a really good idea and helped to promote safe sex and make the teenagers more aware of sexually transmitted infections.”

Free chlamydia tests are available from many primary health care trusts, who are eager to get more teenagers to take part in their chlamydia screening programs. Many send STD tests to those at-risk groups and run awareness raising campaigns.

Chlamydia is the most common STD in the UK and it has been estimated that 1 in 10 people under 25 are carrying the disease. Infection rates for other sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhoea and herpes are also rising.  Often those infected with an STD do not show symptoms, so going for a gonorrhoea test or a chlamydia test is the only way people realise they are carrying the diseases. GUM clinics test for all the common STIs, including gonorrhoea tests and HIV screening.

However many people feel embarrassed to visit a GUM clinic in person, so many primary health care trusts are using home STD tests as a way to encourage more people to get screened.

Danny’s mother said that she received assistance in planning the party from the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear Chlamydia Screening Programme who not only provided her with a chlamydia test for each party-goer but also condoms, bags and pens that advertised the service.

While the party was not exactly the usual 18^th birthday event, Danny seemed pleased with the results. He said, “My friends all thought it was a good idea. I know quite a few of them have used the tests that wouldn’t normally get checked out.”

Yeast infection is a fungal infection which is also called as Candidiasis.Yeast infection is caused by yeast of the species Candida. Normal yeast infections are usually easy and inexpensive to treat,but if you let the infection get worse the complications may appear. A peep into your kitchen will provide you with the most indigenous solutions. Asking your pharmacist or visiting your gynecologist isn’t always possible. Taking over the counter medicines might do more harm than good. Relying on natural ingredients can provide you with satisfactory yeast infection natural cures.

Yogurt is one of the best natural cures for yeast infections. This is something that you can also add on to the top of a tampon and then insert. Or you can just eat 2-3 sugarless yogurts each day. For best results, you should do both. Consume raw garlic everyday. You can make a paste by crushing peeled raw garlic and then applying to the area. And, you can use directly as a natural tampon by inserting a raw peeled clove, or, wrapping it in muslin tied up with waxed dental floss. Leave in overnight. Repeat until your symptoms have been eliminated. It is known that tea tree oil is a natural antifungal. On a tampon, pour some drops of oil before inserting it into your vagina, preferably after waking up and before going to sleep. Do this in a couple of days or until you no longer feel the pain and itch of the infection. Read the rest of this entry »