Sabine Walter

An anonymous writer put it this way: "Friends in your life are like pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you. Sometimes it's just enough to know they're standing by." ©Seventyfour / Adobe StockWriter Elisabeth Foley points out that friendship doubles your joy and divides your grief, and that the most beautiful discovery that true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.

If a couple tries to conceive but can’t seem to do it, one of the first things that doctors look for is a problem with the man’s sperm. Sperm compose about 5 to 10 percent of semen, and are the only part of the semen that can cause pregnancy. If a man is infertile, there is a problem with his sperm — often a low sperm count or low motility.

What is sex, exactly? In other words, what "counts" as having sex? And when do you stop being a virgin? Sexual relations cover activities beyond intercourse: They also include outercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. So what are the differences and how do they impact virginity? One thing that all forms of sex (outercourse, oral sex, anal sex, and intercourse) have in common is that they involve two people giving each other the pleasure that comes from having an orgasm.

The trickiest part of using a condom can be in removing it. If the condom leaks (a common result of improper removal), the sperm can then make their way into the vagina—and then you may be dealing with an unintended pregnancy or an unwanted sexually transmitted disease (STD). For truly safe sex, and therefore a healthy sex life, you must know how to remove a condom the right way.

If you want to ensure that you remain STD-free — and that you behave as a responsible sex partner — then you must learn how to talk about the risks of AIDS and other infections. In our society, more people are willing to engage in sexual activity together than to talk about it, and a good deal of the blame for sexually transmitted diseases comes from this failure to communicate.

Is masturbation normal at a young age? Most parents don’t expect to find their toddler son with an erection, or their kindergartner girl rubbing her genitals. So when does a kid normally start to masturbate? And when is masturbation safe? Masturbation in childhood Rest assured that masturbation is a healthy part of growing up.

Masturbation is, in fact, a basic part of good sexual functioning. The myths about going blind are most definitely untrue, and masturbation is a healthy part of growing up. If, however, you are just exploring sexuality, you may be wondering exactly how to masturbate (or how the “other half” masturbates). Keep in mind that, while you can read about the most common ways, there are many ways to enjoy sexual pleasure on your own and no “wrong way” to masturbate.

Knowing how a penis functions can provide useful insight into sex and the human body — whether you want to understand the penis and male anatomy better or learning about it for the first time. Basically, a penis is composed of three structures, which are made of a spongelike material that can fill with blood: The two corpus cavernosa contain the central arteries and lie on the top half of the penis.

Many people have the erroneous notion that oral sex is completely safe because no one ever became pregnant through oral sex. But oral sex isn't entirely safe when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). With more people engaging in oral sex, more people are catching STDs through oral sex. It is absolutely essential, if you want a healthy sex life, that you know how to have oral sex safely — for you and your partner.