One major concern that surrounds men who have prostate cancer surgery is whether they will be able to maintain sexual function. Sometimes, the treatment for this disease can make it difficult for men to have a normal sex life, but scientists and doctors are working on ways to overcome this issue.

Recently, scientists from Cornell University have found that most men will be able to retain their ability to have an orgasm following prostate surgery if the right nerves are spared. Researchers said that if the nerves around the prostate are cancer-free and can be spared, an estimated 91 percent of patients may retain the ability to orgasm, which is a major quality of life issue.

"Orgasm has a major influence on patients' satisfaction with the overall sexual experience and alterations in orgasm are associated with significant reduction in emotional and physical satisfaction. They may also lead to men avoiding sex, experiencing relationship problems and even the total breakdown of those relationships," said lead author Ashutosh Tewari, M.D.

This is an important step in the fight to help prostate cancer patients maintain sexual function. While it won't prevent cancer, taking a natural prostate pill may help keep that part of the body healthy as men age.  

People are always looking for ways to combat the signs of aging, whether they be physical signs, such as lines and wrinkles, or mental ones like memory and spatial ability. Recently, researchers from North Carolina State University found that boosting cognitive function in some older adults may be as easy as playing the online game World of Warcraft (WoW)

"We chose World of Warcraft because it has attributes we felt may produce benefits – it is a cognitively challenging game in a socially interactive environment that presents users with novel situations," said Anne McLaughlin, M.D., co-author of a paper on the study. "We found there were improvements, but it depended on each participant’s baseline cognitive functioning level."

Researchers found that study participants who already had good cognitive function, meaning they could focus on a task and had a strong memory, saw no improvements when they played WoW. However, for people who scored poorly on the initial cognitive function test, the game seemed to help.

These findings add to the growing body of evidence that suggests that video games can be helpful tools for older individuals. People who want to stay healthy as they age may also want to consider taking a natural anti-aging supplement. 

Sleep can be hard to come by for some. Often, people will lie awake at night thinking about everything they had to deal with throughout the day, and all of the stresses that they will encounter when they walk into the office. Recently, data from the National Health Interview Survey was used to compile a list of professions that are keeping people up at night.

Home health aides, lawyers, police officers, physicians and economists topped the list of Americans who are getting the least amount of sleep. Social workers, computer programmers and plant operators also reported being sleep-deprived.

Robert Oexman, M.D. of the Sleep to Live Institute, said that with daylight savings time approaching, it's important for people to evaluate their sleeping habits.

"No matter your occupation, stress level or whether you work outdoors or at a desk, daylight savings time offers an important reminder of the effects quality sleep can have on the workforce," said Oexman. "We encourage people to take stock of their sleep habits and make improvements where they can."

People in any profession who are having trouble getting rest should consider taking an herbal insomnia supplement to help them get into a healthy sleeping pattern. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one-third Americans are obese. This statistic highlights the need for tools that help U.S. residents lose weight, such as herbal diet supplements. Recently, the Chicago Tribune reported on some of the tough rules that are part of the most extreme fad diets.

For example, in the Dukan diet, fats and carbohydrates are almost entirely cut out. There are four phases to this weight loss plan and they all have very strict guidelines. Even the slightestest slip-up is considered destructive while following this diet.

If cutting out all fat and carbs seems extreme, it's nothing in comparison to the raw food diet.

"Most of what raw foodists eat each day are plant-based foods never heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything pasteurized, all processed foods, refined sugars and flours, table salt, caffeine, and most store-bought juices, drinks, and milks are off-limits," according to the Tribune.

Perhaps the strangest of all is the Paleo diet, which tells people to only eat what ancient hunters and gatherers could consume, like animal proteins and plants. This plan calls for participants to cut out all refined sugar, dairy, legumes and grains 

People who are trying to lose weight can eat right, exercise more and take an herbal diet supplement to help them reach their goals. According to a recent study, these individuals may also want to get a dog, since owning a furry friend seems to increase the likelihood that a person will get regular physical activity.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Liverpool, focused specifically on pregnant women. During pregnancy, women at at risk of gestational diabetes and birth complications if they are overweight, so it's important for them to stay physically active.

The scientists found that pregnant women with dogs are 50 percent more likely to get the recommended amount of exercise each day than those without dogs.

"This raises important questions about how to encourage dog walking and ensure both pets and owners are benefiting from this increased activity," said researcher Sandra McCune, Ph.D.

These findings suggest that people who have a dogs and are trying to lose weight are missing a great exercise opportunity if they don't take their pets on regular walks. 

Being an athlete, or even simply lifting weights regularly, can take a toll on body. The muscle soreness that comes with working out can get worse as individuals get older. Athletes, or anyone who exercises regularly may want to take an herbal joint supplement to keep their body healthy as they age.

Recently, researchers from McMaster University have determined that getting a 10-minute massage not only relieves muscle pain, but actually reduces the inflammation that's causing the discomfort.

"The main thing, and what is novel about our study, is that no one has ever looked inside the muscle to see what is happening with massage, no one looked at the biochemical effects or what might be going on in the muscle itself," said researcher Justin Crane, a doctoral student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster.

The scientists said a short massage can trigger biochemical sensors that send signals to the muscle cells that reduce inflammation. This is an important finding, since it suggests that massage may be an effective, drug-free way to relieve muscle inflammation.

People who exercise and get regular physical activity may also experience soreness in parts of their body. While some people may take an herbal joint health supplement to keep their body from experiencing this discomfort, others may use an ice pack or take a cold bath to ease joint and muscle pain.

According to recent research published in the The Cochrane Library, while taking a cold water bath may be an effective way to prevent delayed onset muscle soreness, which is pain that comes after exercise, these baths may not be safe.

"It is important to consider that cold water immersion induces a degree of shock on the body," said lead author of the study, Chris Bleakley. "We need to be sure that people aren't doing anything harmful, especially if they are exposing themselves to very cold water for long periods."

The scientists said that there are better ways to relieve muscle pain, such as warm water immersion, light jogging or using compression stockings, but added that there has yet to be research conducted on the effectiveness of these methods.

Losing weight isn't an easy task, especially for people who don't have support from their family or friends as they are trying to get healthy. Individuals who find that even if they exercise, eat right and take an herbal diet supplement they still aren't getting the results that they want, may want to try working out in a group.

According to a recent study conducted by researchers from The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, being part of a team can influence a person's ability to lose weight.

Scientists found that people who participated in a team-based weight loss program experienced similar results to other individuals in their group. Furthermore, the researchers said that study participants reported that their team members influenced their ability to lose weight.

This suggests that teammates were able to support and motivate one another to continue their exercise plan. 

“We know that obesity can be socially contagious, but now we know that social networks play a significant role in weight loss as well, particularly team-based weight loss competitions,” said lead author Tricia Leahey, Ph.D.

It's important for men to remember to care for their prostate, since cancer in this part of the body is not only potentially deadly, but the treatment can cause sexual dysfunction. This is why men should consider taking an herbal prostate health supplement, and visiting their doctor for screenings.

According to scientists from Thomas Jefferson University, prostate cancer patients may also be advised to eat more curry, as curcumin, an active component of the Indian curry spice turmeric, may help slow down tumor growth. Researchers found that curcumin suppresses two known nuclear receptor activators, p300 and CPB, which work against prostate cancer drugs.

"[These findings] also have implications beyond prostate cancer since p300 and CBP are important in other malignancies, like breast cancer. In tumors where these play an important function, curcumin may prove to be a promising therapeutic agent," said lead researcher Karen Knudsen, Ph.D.

The American Cancer Society estimates that one in six men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, this isn't always possible for all adults, and many people find it difficult getting rest. When this happens, individuals should consider taking an herbal insomnia supplement to help them fall asleep.

The Mayo Clinic recommends that school-age children get 10 to 11 hours a night but according to a recent study, teenagers may actually need less. Researchers from Brigham Young University have discovered that high school students between 16 and 18-years-old do their best on tests when they get seven hours of sleep the night before a test – no more, no less.

"We’re not talking about sleep deprivation," said study author Eric Eide. "The data simply says that seven hours is optimal at that age…From the other end, if a kid is only getting 5.5 hours of sleep a night because he’s overscheduled, he would perform better if he got 90 minutes more each night."

The scientists added that 10-year-olds should get nine hours of sleep a night, while 12-year-olds need about eight.