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.

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.

Impotence and erectile dysfunction (ED) may seem like health tragedies to the men who suffer from them. In fact, the ability to have an erection may be more centrally connected to good health than you realize. Studies have proven that long before troublesome symptoms of heart disease or obesity present themselves, a man is likely to notice differences in his ability to have an erection.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are fairly common in women. If you notice any symptoms of a urinary tract infection, such as painful urination or a frequent urge to urinate, it’s important to seek treatment. Although UTI treatment is generally a quick course of antibiotics, a delay in seeking professional help can result in longer treatments.

Some women wonder if they’ve ever experienced an orgasm. This is not a ridiculous question, as many women have not ever reached climax, and others experience what is called a missed orgasm. So whether they’ve just missed a passing orgasm or have never even come close, millions of women (and a few men) don’t even know what an orgasm is.

When children ask why people have sex, they often hear about love and expanding on that love by starting a family. Those reasons for sex are pretty accurate, although they leave out some of the finer points. With a more mature viewpoint, it's worthwhile to consider the finer points about why people have sex. Making babies: Biologically, people are hard-wired to have sex in order to keep the human race going.

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.

One of the biggest questions for teens isn’t “Should I have sex?” but “How far should I go?” While one’s own comfort level and that of the partner should be the top priority in this decision, other factors play a role — especially if teenagers are considering that amorphous concept of “third base.” “Third base” probably sounds outdated to today’s teenagers.