Some silly theories--but is he chaste?

[Dev]

This article came across my desk today. I've highlighted the part that caught my eye. Unprotected sex without ejaculation? Is he chaste?

D

~~~
From Reuters Health Information
"Science Sense" List Trashes Celebrity Health Tips
By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters Life!) Dec 29 - Science campaigners laid bare some of the most dubious celebrity-endorsed health tips on Wednesday, trashing ideas such as reabsorbing sperm and wearing silicone bracelets to boost energy.

In an annual list of what it sees as the year's worst abuses against science, the Sense About Science (SAS) campaign group debunked diet and exercise suggestions made by actors, pop stars and others in the public eye in an effort "to help the celebrities realize where they are going wrong and to help the public make sense of celebrity claims".

In the health and fitness section, SAS noted that soccer player David Beckham and Prince William's fiancee Kate Middleton have both been spotted wearing hologram-embedded silicone bracelets which makers claim can improve energy and fitness.

It also listed a diet reportedly used by supermodel Naomi Campbell and actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore in which followers survive on maple syrup, lemon and pepper alone for up to two weeks. Campbell told U.S. TV host Oprah Winfrey in an interview in May: "It's good to clean out your body once in a while."

But SAS said in a statement: "Many of these claims promote theories, therapies and campaigns that make no scientific sense."

Pop star Sarah Harding told Now magazine in April that she crumbles charcoal over her food, saying: "It's doesn't taste of anything and apparently absorbs all the bad damaging stuff in the body."

Dr. John Elmsley, a chemical scientist and writer asked by SAS to comment on this idea, said charcoal is known to absorb toxic molecules when used in gas masks and sewage treatment, but is "unnecessary when it comes to diet because the body is already quite capable of removing any 'bad damaging stuff.'"

One of the highlights for SAS was a tip from cage fighter Alex Reid, who told The Sun tabloid newspaper in April that he "reabsorbs" his sperm to prepare for a big fight.

"It's actually very good for a man to have unprotected sex as long as he doesn't ejaculate. Because I believe that all that semen has a lot of nutrition. A tablespoon of semen has your equivalent of steak, eggs, lemons and oranges. I am reabsorbing it into my body and it makes me go raaaaahh," he said.

John Aplin, a reproductive research scientist at the University of Manchester, said sperm cannot be reabsorbed once they have formed in the testes. "In fact sperm die after a few days, and the nutritional content of the ejaculate is really rather small," he said in a comment on the SAS list.

To try to counter the effects of some of the wildest health and fitness tips, SAS published its own "easy-to-remember pointers for celebrity commentators":-

- Nothing is chemical-free: everything is made of chemicals, it's just a question of which ones

- Detox is a marketing myth: our body does it without pricey potions and detox diets

- There's no need to boost: bodily functions occur without boosting

- Energy and fitness come from...food and exercise: there are no shortcuts.

[Celtic Queen]

That depends on how you read the statement
"Alex Reid is a complete wanker" , ahem..

[Dev]

That depends on how you read the statement
"Alex Reid is a complete wanker" , ahem..

I don't usually think of unprotected sex as a euphemism for masturbation, but maybe it's different across the pond?

[Tom Allen]

In an annual list of what it sees as the year's worst abuses against science, the Sense About Science (SAS) campaign group debunked diet and exercise suggestions made by actors, pop stars and others in the public eye in an effort "to help the celebrities realize where they are going wrong and to help the public make sense of celebrity claims".

About freakin' time somebody tried to do this.

In the health and fitness section, SAS noted that soccer player David Beckham and Prince William's fiancee Kate Middleton have both been spotted wearing hologram-embedded silicone bracelets which makers claim can improve energy and fitness.

This is just another version of wearing magnets, crystals, or garlic poultices. I'd like to think that the people don't really believe in this, but unfortunately, I know quite a few people who do.

It also listed a diet reportedly used by supermodel Naomi Campbell and actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore in which followers survive on maple syrup, lemon and pepper alone for up to two weeks. Campbell told U.S. TV host Oprah Winfrey in an interview in May: "It's good to clean out your body once in a while."

This is a modernization of a Taoist cleanse, which, despite the number of people attesting to it's benefits, has never been subject to a double blind study.

But SAS said in a statement: "Many of these claims promote theories, therapies and campaigns that make no scientific sense."

They don't need to make sense, they just need to have some new-age guru suggest that it's good for you, give it some new-age mumbo-jumbo explanation, and suddenly you've got a bunch of adherents.

Pop star Sarah Harding told Now magazine in April that she crumbles charcoal over her food, saying: "It's doesn't taste of anything and apparently absorbs all the bad damaging stuff in the body."

Jesus.

One of the highlights for SAS was a tip from cage fighter Alex Reid, who told The Sun tabloid newspaper in April that he "reabsorbs" his sperm to prepare for a big fight.

"It's actually very good for a man to have unprotected sex as long as he doesn't ejaculate. Because I believe that all that semen has a lot of nutrition. A tablespoon of semen has your equivalent of steak, eggs, lemons and oranges. I am reabsorbing it into my body and it makes me go raaaaahh," he said.

I call Bullshit on this.

SAS published its own "easy-to-remember pointers for celebrity commentators":-

- Nothing is chemical-free: everything is made of chemicals, it's just a question of which ones
- Detox is a marketing myth: our body does it without pricey potions and detox diets
- There's no need to boost: bodily functions occur without boosting
- Energy and fitness come from...food and exercise: there are no shortcuts.

First, Dev's question. Despite the growing size of the "chastity community" - such as it is - there really aren't any universally agreed definitions for some of whatever it is that we do. When somebody is "locked up", are they locked 24/7? Locked except for occasional sexing? Except for cleaning only? Do involuntary ejaculations count against the predetermined times?

In other words, asking if Mr. Reid is "chaste" begs the question of there being such a condition, or at least, a common understanding of such.

Secondly, a few of you may be aware that when I was younger, I was into yoga, Tantra, and Taoist practices. As I got older and perhaps a little wiser, I'd venture the opinion that while such practices were never harmful, and may have indeed been beneficial for me, there's no way that anyone can prove the effectiveness of (for example) withholding one's semen, or that it improves one's energy. While you may *think* it does, such measures are probably very subjective, and prone to influence by a number of other factors.

Thirdly, there is no way in hell that a couple of teaspoons of semen have anywhere near the protein of a 6 oz ribeye, or even a chicken egg. Wait, let me look it up:

150 mg. protein
11 mg. carbohydrates
6 mg. fat.
3 mg. cholesterol
7% US RDA potassium
3% US RDA copper
3% US RDA zinc
300 million spermatoza

So, it's not even as "healthy" as an egg white, which he would have known had he bothered to look it up.

And don't even ask me about the lemon or orange reference.

This maybe not be the most popular opinion on this topic, but I think that most of us are not educated in the real sense, we just learn things by remembering what we hear from other people, without giving it a moment's thought as to whether or not it might be true.

[hukster]

Thirdly, there is no way in hell that a couple of teaspoons of semen have anywhere near the protein of a 6 oz ribeye, or even a chicken egg. Wait, let me look it up:

Let alone taste, lets see a tea spoon of semen or a rib eye...

I'm not sure why folk think someone needs to be followed without reason, but then the mob has always been mindlessly scary.

[Chastehusband]

this should tell you everything...

One of the highlights for SAS was a tip from cage fighter Alex Reid, who told The Sun tabloid newspaper in April that he "reabsorbs" his sperm to prepare for a big fight.

I wouldn't read to much into anything reported to or by The Sun

[Celtic Queen]

Or indeed believe anything that the knuckledragging cage fighter espouses whether to a tabloid rag or anywhere else. This is the guy when asked for a comment on a contestant in "Gladiators" replied "I've just got one word to say to you. Top Banana!".
"Err, that's two words" replied the commentator.

Quite.

The statement never underestimate the stupidity of large groups of people applies here. Mind you, I might encourage hub to go "Raaaah" next time he's allowed an orgasm and see if it helps his inner warrior

[Celtic Queen]

That depends on how you read the statement
"Alex Reid is a complete wanker" , ahem..

I don't usually think of unprotected sex as a euphemism for masturbation, but maybe it's different across the pond?

Nahh, just an opening for a cheap amusing shot at a tabloid personality that I dislike. It wouldn't have worked if I'd have referred to him as an arsehole

[LAKH]

maybe all this reabsorbing rather than letting it go is the reason katie is having 2nd thoughts.

[Dev]

Now I have to go look up Alex Reid since I never heard of the guy before this!

D