Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz' s Perimenopause and the Fog of Forgetting Teach his Sex Maniac Son

As a fashion photographer, I shoot a lot of pictures that contribute to the sexual imagery that confront youth every day in America. While American teens live in a society that uses sex to sell everything from lipstick to laptops, they are rarely afforded opportunities to discuss sex in an open, honest way. Because of my work in many different countries and cultures, and my involvement in a project called Move For Aids, I became interested in the issue and decided to take a deeper look at how America's inability to talk about sex really impacts teens.

I was really shocked by what I found. Every day in America, 10,000 teens catch a sexually transmitted disease, 2,400 teen girls get pregnant, and 55 young people are infected with HIV. Also consider these cold, hard facts:

• By ages 18-19, 62% of American teenagers have had sex. 70% have had some sexual contact (anal, oral, or vaginal).
• Of the 18.9 million new STD cases in the U.S. each year, nearly 50% occur among 15-24 year olds.
• 30% of teenage girls in the U.S become pregnant before the age of 20. More than 80% of those pregnancies are unintended.
• In the U.S. the teen pregnancy rate is over four times that of the Netherlands, over three times that of Germany, and almost three times that of France.
• Teen pregnancies cost U.S. taxpayers9 Billion dollars a year.
• Teen STD's cost taxpayers6.5 billion dollars a year.

But I wasn't just shocked by the statistics but also by the fact that most people are unaware of how bad the situation really is and also how valuable open communication and education can be in alleviating the problem.

After processing what I had learned, my mission became to bring these shocking facts to life through film and in the process offer some real solutions to try and improve the situation. That film is called Let's Talk About Sex. For three years, I traveled through the United States and Western Europe on a journey to understand common trends on sex and sexuality, and to profile young Americans who have been directly affected by the current lack of honest, open conversation. These teens are powerful advocates for change, navigating the real world with little guidance about sexuality, and occasionally facing devastating consequences as a result.

The film highlights the price young people pay for a culture where fear, shame, and denial too often undermine education, communication, and basic common sense. It looks at a broad swath of the American teenage experience -- from a teen in Atlanta, GA who discusses the disconnect between the virginity pledge movement and the reality of teen's lives, to college students talking about the "hook up" culture of college, and a young gay man who was infected with HIV at age 17 talks about the impact the lack of sex education and information has on gay teens.

Let's Talk About Sex concludes in Oregon, where some of the lessons learned in Western Europe are helping to create practical solutions. The differences between Europe and America are staggering. If the U.S. were able to achieve the sexual health outcomes on a par with the Netherlands, American teens each year would experience 600,000 fewer pregnancies, 350,000 fewer births and 63,000 fewer abortions. The annual savings for American taxpayers would reach $505 million.

The Internet and modern life have changed the playing field for teens. Now more than ever, we need to stand up and make sure young people have honest, reliable information and communication around this issue. Sexuality is such a big part of who we are, and I believe that most people want to talk to their children about it but they just don't know how. Let's Talk About Sex was created as a tool for parents, educators and community leaders to initiate healthy, age-appropriate conversations about sexual health across America. Only a community effort will really solve this problem, so please join me in getting this important message out.

Here's a question from a reader about perimenopause and forgetfulness. 

Dear Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz 

I'm in the throes of perimenopause. I seem to be forgetting things from one second to the next. This worries me and makes me mad. Any advice on how to deal with this?

Excellent question. Let me answer before I forget what you asked! I too am in the throes of perimenopause, so know that I understand and have great compassion for you.

Medical and scientific resources tell us that symptoms such as intermittent memory loss and mental fogginess during a woman's perimenopausal years are "normal" and the result of hormone changes and fluctuations in brain chemistry. This is all good to know, but it doesn't always help when we're in the midst of feeling stressed, mad, afraid and self-critical during our bouts of forgetting and blanking out, while at the same time facing and managing our outward physical alterations and other life transformations that all seem connected to aging!

We may even worry that we're experiencing the early stages of Alzheimer's; however, the majority of perimenopausal memory loss problems are natural. On the bright side, the brain chemistry changes of perimenopause that take place in the temporal lobes region are being linked to enhanced intuition, plus there are a good number of treatment options available to women now ranging from homeopathy and acupuncture to nutritional supplements and hormone replacement.

One of my jobs as a midlife empowerment coach is to discover the inherent gifts of this major life transition, and to support others in claiming these gifts and in reframing what is commonly perceived as a negative and deteriorating downfall into something that is truly empowering, uplifting and renewing. I advocate turning perimenopause into a rebirth, a new and very powerful launch into a fuller and more satisfying life.

This is truly a major life threshold, leading potentially into the best years of our lives. It beckons us to make a conscious and deliberate choice to trust life and to practice thoughts, feelings and actions that support vitality, vibrant health and aliveness in every way imaginable. When it comes to perimenopause, gals, attitude is everything!

This is a heroic challenge, a precious opportunity to take better care of ourselves and to be more present and aware than ever before. And although that may take more intention, attention and time, all of this devoted and lovingly persistent focus ultimately sets us up for more of what we desire: a life well lived, which is a life of purpose, well-being and fulfillment. We create what we focus on, so as we journey through this critical and rich life phase, our best results will be guaranteed by looking up, not down.

Here is a simple program for turning the lemons of perimenopause into a lemonade elixir:

Forgive Yourself

Memory lapses and mental fogginess are not uncommon during perimenopause, so relax a little and go easy on yourself if you forget something. Practice self-forgiveness daily, and especially if you are feeling stressed, angry, afraid or self-critical about your symptoms. If you need a refresher, read my archived blog on self-forgiveness.

Nurture Yourself

Take excellent care of yourself -- every part! If it helps, create a nurturing chart with the categories "physical," "mental," "emotional" and "spiritual," and come up with a regular program of ways that you love and care for yourself and your well-being.

Exercise Your Brain

Stay mentally active, because learning causes growth of new neurons in brains of every age.

Exercise Your Body

Stay physically active for good health; to look good; to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, heart disease and diabetes; to lower blood pressure; to increase your flexibility and longevity; to reduce the risk of injuries; to increase your overall health; to continue to be productive; and to be happier. There's nothing like an exercise high.

Listen To Your Intuition

Tune in to your enhanced intuition, and practice using it.

Reframe!

Reframe, reframe, reframe! Practice turning lemons into lemonade at every bump in the road. This can be very inspiring, empowering and renewing! Do it with your girlfriends, too; they'll love you for it.

Say Yes To Life

Say nay to the naysayers. Better yet, bless them, and then simply turn your focus on what makes you say "yes!" to life!

Remember: You Chose To Be Here

Take a higher viewpoint. Laugh at yourself sometimes. Remember, you are a spiritual being here to have a rich and full human experience. You can choose your inner responses and outer actions.

You Have Options

I'm addressing ways to support your mental and emotional well-being. For your physical support, you can consult with your health practitioner(s) to explore options that align with your beliefs and lifestyle. I refer to many resources, and a few of my favorites include Dr. Christiane Northrup, Dr. Theresa Dale, and the "Women to Women" website and clinic.

The Hero Is You

I won't deny that I have moments when I loathe this natural but profanely lengthy threshold; however, my practice and suggestion for you is to reframe "in the throes of perimenopause" with something more uplifting, such as "on the threshold of my renewed and empowered life." Be the mythological heroine of your own life, because the truth is that you're a goddess in training!

Your midlife empowerment coach, Maddisen

READMORE  The Hypocrite womaniser Nazri think you’re angels.prove to us that the woman in a compromising position,is your wife

READTHE FULLSTORYRoyal Commission “NAZRI’S SON WAS BEHIND THE MURDER OF DARREN KANG TIEN HUA” Nazri Aziz you :said “I WILL PUT IT THIS WAY, IF YOU COMMIT MURDER AND THEN YOU APOLOGISE, WHAT IS THE RULE UNDER THE LAW? IT WOULD

 the son of a prominent Muslims minister by the name ofMohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz enjoying some wine and a cold beer in public 

I am happy because Malaysia is exposed as a being ruled by a bunch of fascist assholes. Yahoo News report:

Beer-drinking Muslim model wins caning reprieve

A Muslim model sentenced to be caned for drinking beer won a surprise reprieve Monday when religious officials delayed her punishment until after the fasting month of Ramadan.

Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, was sentenced by a religious court last month to six strokes, making her the first woman to face caning under Islamic law in Malaysia, a moderate Muslim-majority country.

She was taken into custody Monday from her family home in northern Perak state by religious officials who were to transport her to a jail outside Kuala Lumpur where the sentence was to be carried out.

But after travelling a short distance, the vehicle returned and she was abruptly freed.

"I am speechless," Kartika told reporters, adding that the Islamic officials had not told her whether she would be caned later. "I want to know what my status is. I want a black and white statement from them."

The mother-of-two has stared down religious authorities by saying she is ready to be caned, refusing to appeal against her sentence, and challenging them to cane her in public.

"I do not know in what situation I'm in. I'm clueless. I do not know if I am freed, I am in limbo," said the part-time model, who was dressed in a purple Muslim headscarf and a flowing traditional "baju kurung" outfit.

Sahfri Abdul Aziz, a legislator from Pahang in charge of religious affairs, said the punishment had been suspended on the order of the Attorney-General until after the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began last week.

"However, the sentence will remain the same," he said according to state media.

But a senior government official who spoke to AFP on condition of anonymity suggested the reprieve could be a step towards burying the whole affair.

"Leave it to the sharia court, they know how to decide. The court has the power to revise the sentence and there are also laws that allow the sultan to pardon her," the top official said.

Human rights group Amnesty International has urged Malaysia to abolish the "cruel and degrading punishment" and critics have said the case threatens to damage Malaysia's international standing.

Kartika's father Shukarno Mutalib, 60, reacted angrily to the about-face and the confusion over whether the caning would go ahead, and said it would reflect badly on Islam, which forbids drinking alcohol.

"My daughter wants the sentence to be done. I'm afraid that people will mock the religion," he said. "Don't make my daughter a toy to play with," he said.

Kartika, who has lived in neighbouring Singapore for many years, had pleaded guilty to drinking alcohol at a hotel nightclub.

Her case has caused a national sensation, and at her family's village more than 50 supporters turned out and chanted "God is Great" and "There is no God except Allah."

"I have known Kartika since she was a small girl," said one 64-year-old villager, Wan Alawiah.

"She is a good girl and I'm sad she will be caned but I ask myself why Kartika is being caned when a lot of other Muslims drink. I feel she has been victimised," she said.

Alcohol is widely available in Malaysia but is forbidden for Muslim Malays, who make up 60 percent of the population. They can be fined, caned, or jailed for up to three years but prosecutions are extremely rare.

Malaysia, a multicultural country with large Chinese and Indian communities, has a dual-track legal system and sharia courts can try Muslims for religious and moral offences.

Islamic scholars have mostly backed the sentence, and said it would be carried out when Kartika was fully clothed and with a cane that is smaller and lighter than the heavy length of rattan used in criminal cases.

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Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri bin Tan Sri Abdu Aziz is a Malaysian politician from the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), and is as of 2008 a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of parliamentary affairs. In June 2005 Nazri caused controversy when he shouted the phrase "bloody racist" (or variants of it) 28 times in Parliament. A request by opposition Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmaker Fong Po Kuan for Nazri to take back his comments went unheeded. The incident occurred during a debate on the Malaysian Medical Council's derecognition of Crimea State Medical University (CSMU) medical degrees; most Malaysian students sent to study there were of Indian extraction.

Nazri was originally also the Minister in the Prime Minister's Department in charge of legal affairs and judicial reform. After the 2008 general election, which saw the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition's majority in Parliament significantly reduced, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi reshuffled his Cabinet and gave Nazri's legal affairs portfolio to Zaid Ibrahim.

He has also recently (2006) been called the hatchetman of Abdullah, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, by Former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, for defending Abdullah in Mahathir's ongoing criticisms against the government.