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Q: I’m looking to lose about 10-15 pounds and I’ve heard a lot about the Master Cleanse, along with the lemonade diet and just old-school fasting to help jump-start weight loss. Do these really work?
Harry via instinctmagazine.com
A: You nailed it right on the head by saying they help “jump-start” weight loss. Going on a fast/cleanse is not necessarily unhealthy, if you only do it for a few days. By severely restricting your caloric intake and food consumption, your stomach will—naturally—start to shrink. So, when you do come off your cleanse/fast and start eating regular foods again, your stomach will have become smaller, allowing you to become full more quickly. However, keep in mind that fasting is only a temporary solution. After you come off your fast you will need to combine exercise and a reduced-calorie diet in order to successfully continue to lose weight. Quick tip: The Master Cleanse and the lemonade diet are the same thing. You have two options when it comes to these: You can purchase the ingredients individually and mix them yourself, or you can buy a number of products on the market that come premixed for your convenience. -MD
TRICKY TESTS
Q: I have been sexually active for a few years now, am almost-always safe when it comes to intercourse and get tested regularly. In the past I have been diagnosed with two different treatable STDs at different times, but on both occasions I exhibited no symptoms. I found out I had those STDs by chance upon regular testing. Is that normal? And should I be getting tested even more often than I am now since I don’t show symptoms?
Currently STD Free in NY
A: What you should be doing is practicing safe sex always, not “almost always.” That said, we understand that sometimes things happen—you don’t wear a condom, or the condom breaks. In these scenarios I would get tested every two to three months, regardless of whether you have symptoms or not. But, your best bet is to try to avoid these scenarios altogether and always wear a condom. Here are some important things to keep in mind about sexually transmitted diseases or venereal diseases: Some STDs are more communicable than others, some cannot be cured, all of them can be transmitted even when a person has no symptoms, and not only can you be reinfected with the same STD, you may also have more than one STD at the same time. Venereal warts, nongonorrheal or nonspecific urethritis, chlamydia and the first stage of syphilis are painless, whereas gonorrhea, hepatitis A and B, and second-stage syphilis are symptomatic. Nobody wants an STD, but if you’re sexually active, you run the risk of contracting any of these. And again—in case you missed it—the best way to avoid STDs altogether is…say it with us now: Always wear a condom. -PF Article continues below... 
KINDA CUT?
Q: Lately, I’ve been seeing guys online who claim to have partial circumcisions. What the heck is that? I’ve always been a little leery of uncut guys because of cleanliness issues. Should I have the same concerns with partials?
Confused in Santa Fe, NM
A: There are many types of circumcision. Three basic questions should be discussed: the tightness of the circumcision (total amount of skin removed), the type of skin to be removed (inner foreskin lining versus outer foreskin) and should the frenulum be removed? A major goal of a circumcision is to remove enough skin to ensure that no part of the glans (head of the penis) is covered when the penis is flaccid. A moderately tight circumcision actually leaves little or no scar at all. This is usually achieved when the circumcision is done at birth. A partial circumcision keeps the glans of the flaccid penis partially covered, but even a partial circumcision can involve the removal of a considerable amount of foreskin. Men with uncircumcised or partially circumcised penises have more of a risk of getting urinary tract infections. There is no risk to you unless you have periodontal disease. But beauty is all in the eye of the beholder. -PF
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