There are some illnesses that move quietly through human history, almost like shadows. Not loud at first. Not dramatic. Just… present. Two of them are HPV and HIV. People often mix them up because their names sound similar, but they are very different viruses with very different journeys inside the body. HPV stands for human papillomavirus. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. One is extremely common, almost ordinary in how often it spreads. The other reshapes the immune system itself. Yet both begin in a similar way: through human closeness. HPV spreads mostly through skin-to-skin sexual contact. Not necessarily intercourse — just intimate contact is enough. That’s why it’s so common. In fact, most sexually active people will get HPV at some point in their lives without even knowing. HIV spreads through specific body fluids — blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk. It is transmitted during unprotected sex, sharing needles, blood transfusions without p...
When we talk about becoming “fit” or “losing weight” we are generally referring to weight loss. However, weight loss is not always fat loss and can result in the loss of water, muscle mass and even vital nutrients. Because body weight reduction is not always an accurate measure of healthy loss, fat loss is really what we are trying to achieve. The terms “getting fit” and “losing weight” are not mutually exclusive terms, but they describe very different physiological changes in the body and an understanding of the difference between fat loss and weight loss can have a dramatic effect on appearance, health and even metabolic efficiency. 1. Defining the Difference: Terms You Must Understand Weight Loss is defined as a reduction in Total Body Weight (TBW) where the source of the weight loss is not as important as the fact that the scale shows a lower number. Fat loss is only one aspect of weight loss, and is not always a direct result of losing weight on a weight loss diet. Other compon...