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Eish! Every morning I wake up to my reflection and another piece of evidence that my youth is slowly shifting and morphing into an older more “mature” version of me. Laugh lines and the odd silver follicle amongst the brown. Eek!

It has been said that these days you have three seconds to captivate your reader. SEX! SEX! SEX! They also say that sex sells so I’m sure you are still reading. Fear, denial, apathy and ignorance are some of the biggest contributing factors to the transmission of HIV and other STIs - with lack of knowledge at the core of all of them. Here is a list of a few of the fundamental terms that you should know and understand in order to make informed decisions for yourself and your sexual partners.

Whether you've only just learned about your status and it's still fresh news that you are beginning to absorb or it's something you have been living with for a while, there are bound to be many situations in your life in which you will be faced with the decision of whether or not to disclose your HIV status. In a number of circumstances you will find yourself trying to balance honesty with protecting your right to privacy. Whom do you feel you need to tell? Is there someone you want to tell, but aren't sure what or how much to say? Is there anyone you feel that you must tell like a spouse, a partner, or perhaps someone whom you've been dating? What about informing any sex partners you've been with about your status?

While Health4Men will continue to provide direct health services at their existing network of clinics in Gauteng and the Western Cape, the project will not be establishing specialised Health4Men clinics in Mpumalanga.

If you are a recreational substance user and live in the Western Cape pick up a free drug harm reduction kit on your next visit to our site in Woodstock.

Ongoing prevention messages regarding consistent use of condoms and water-based lube are essential but you might forget that you have other options available, depending on your unique needs.

We all make countless assumptions every day. We assume that in the morning the kettle and toaster will do their jobs, that the car will start or that our train will arrive at the station. We make assumptions about our partners, our family members, our colleagues and our friends, and about strangers. Our assumptions about our environment and the people around us are often based on nothing more than irrational notions, concepts, beliefs and attitudes which are very rarely based on fact. For centuries people believed the earth was flat. Some still do. A homoprejudiced individual assuming that gay men are necessarily bad people believes it to be true. What we assume, believe or simply take for granted is not necessarily The Truth.

* FREE harm reduction packs for injecting and non-injecting recreational drug users at any Health4Men in the greater Cape Town area. * FREE needle exchange programme! * Inquire about our new 'What Men Should Know' fact sheet series on recreational drug use: - Drugs and ARVs - Drugs and Sex - Injecting Drugs * Call us discreetly and in confidence on 021 421 6127 for more information.

Have you just started a new medicinal regimen that requires you to take pills every day? Remembering to take your medication every day can be a chore, but it is also very important for your health. Maybe this guide can help you remember to get the job done.

The Anova Health Institute, Health4Men’s parent body, has been awarded a significant five-year grant by the United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), via USAID.