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;ize your N'alk the that is. g work 1m your llld car-

e, flexi biome Iy func he way '.lateral Iriceps ontleg Ie rear p lean, unded

.y bar stand ::k and lr feet 1 yp.\.lX )

~ back your rcing

the weight of your body through your right heel and bring your left leg in to meet back with your right foot. With out pausing, lunge forward with your left foot. Alternate sides to continue walking forward for 20 steps to start. If you're a beginner, begin with your body weight only and work up to weighted bars. Start with a 15 htinute session of walking lunges with 60 see ond rests at the end of each set. Even tually, work up to 45 minutes of walk ing lunges with a shorter rest time for a really tough workout.

~s, anxiety can cause dysfunction

2nd ED (erectile dysfunction) is to start at ·her your physician's office for a chefkup we to be sure that some of these prob-

ual lems aren't the true cause.

m't Once that is off the plate it may be ion worthwhile to seek help from a sex He therapist to pinpoint some of the in-· . potential psychological blocks Ithat ing ar~ making intercourse difficult. As lly you mentioned, these often inct,ude ! is stress, but there may be many other im factors such as alcohol, drug use or '55 even a history of sexual abuse in the rc- past that may make it difficult forlhim IW to perform in what seems like a "natu-

~ral environment." There may even be i ultural or religious differences c~eat b· .:?g sexual tension in the relationship.

course seem like "the impossible dream" for him.

A good sex counselor can often be helpful in sorting out these problems

, and can teach you and him how to use certain techniques to decrease this anxiety and make vaginal penetration an option. The use of oral medica tions such a Viagra, Levitra or Cialis might even be used as a temporary crutch until he can feel that he is back on his feet again.

Go back to your Don Quixote and give him encouragement to follow through with my suggestions. Perhaps soon you'll both fulfill that impossible dream that once seemed so far out of reach.

! .J

Q: I'm having diffi culty emotionally recov ering from this hurri cane season. I'm grateful the damage to my home was not

DR. ANDREA

extensive, but I'm still

CORN	under distress. I'm fre-

compsyd

tl'

@bellsouth.net quen yanxlous, my

stomach bothers me and I can easily become distracted worrying about many things. How can I reduce my stress?

A: You are not alone. Hurricane 'Wilma jolted all of us out of our comfort zones. While your anxiety is under standable, it has manifested itself in various physical and emotional symp toms such as feeling queasy, having dif ficulty concentrating and experiencing unrelenting and repetitive negative thoughts ..

The key to reducing your stress and feeling less overwhelmed is to gain con trol of your private thoughts and reac tions. This starts by becoming aware of your own coping style and realizing how you handle life's adversity. Gaining self-mastery is important, but especially so when life's circumstances are

beyond one's control. Having a fearful coping style creates much discomfort even though it is what you are used to relying on. Right ryow, rather thim replacing your "what if" or negative thoughts with a positive one, try and compose a statement that is comfort ing and soothing. For instance, if you could silently say to yourself, "This time I need to try and not imagine the worst case-scenario. I need to stay focused on the pr~sent." If you can learn to become your own source of support, you will start to alleviate your worrisome feel ings. And. if you can make a conscious effort to redirect your mind, you will gradually discover that pessimistic pat-. terns can be changed. This sounds eas ier than it is, so be patient. Furthermore, remind yourself that although negative thoughts are stuck in your mind, they are not facts. It may feel like they must .. Qe true, but that's only because your upsetting emotions are following your disturbing thoughts.

Set time aside to engage in some form of soothing activities. Try reading for pleasure, listening to music, taking a hot bath or meditating. If you can work on being attuned to what is going on internally, and accept your symptoms as an indication you need to treat your self more compassionately, your anxi-