Crazy, Sexy Health: Your Prescription for Good Sex
Dear Kim &
Ross:
An article on the sexual health effects of smoking (esp. erectile dysfunction) would be great-PM
PM-
Thanks for the suggestion for a column that addresses the ways that smoking affects sexual health. Most of us know that smoking is unhealthy and negatively affects all systems of the body, both in short and long term ways. But some people may not know how smoking specifically affects sexual health.
Most of the time when we talk about what is “healthy” there are not-so-subtle scare tactics at work to make us run screaming from the unhealthy product, whether that is high-fructose corn syrup or meth. For individuals who are addicted, the choice to quit is a personal one. While we realize that stating this information probably won’t cause people to quit their addiction to cigarettes, everyone should be equipped with the information to allow them to make informed decisions about their sex lives. So this week we address not only smoking, but additional ways to be sexually healthy.
Up in Smoke?
When we think of the side effects of smoking, lung cancer is usually the first. However, smoking actually increases the risk of all cancers, including cervical, ovarian and breast cancer. In addition to the sexual effects of cancer (and cancer treatment), more research also links smoking as a causal factor in erectile dysfunction, as smoking affects the circulatory system. Some men (even younger guys) find that if they quit smoking (cigarettes or weed), their erections improve.
Women who smoke are faced with fewer birth control options since smoking, especially in women over the age of 35, dramatically increases the risk of heart attack or stroke when combined with hormone birth control. Also, smoking decreases fertility in both men and women, both in the immediate sense (if you’re trying to get pregnant today) and in the future, because smoking affects a woman’s menstrual cycle making pregnancy more difficult and lowers sperm count. (But smoking is not an effective form of birth control!) Also, smoking increases the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Clearly, avoiding cigarettes can have a beneficial impact on our sexual health.
Sexually Well-Rounded
Much of the time, efforts are focused on the physical aspects of sexuality and health, including how we approach sex education classes to pregnancy and STD prevention campaigns. The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS) takes a more holistic approach in its document “Life Behaviors of a Sexually Healthy Adult.” According to SIECUS (and we agree), there are many aspects to sexuality, including emotional development, relationships, interpersonal skills, sexual behaviors and the sexuality of our society.
Are you Sexually Healthy?
A sexually healthy adult will develop fully in each dimension and continue to evolve to be the healthiest they can be. But because we have few role models and lack of education and resources, this can be challenging. Until we begin to view sexuality as a natural and wonderful part of the human experience, we will always be conflicted about sexuality, sexual behavior and sexual health. So - with many thanks to SIECUS - here is a helpful guide to becoming sexually healthy.
A Sexually Healthy Adult Will…
Development:
- Appreciate one’s own body.
- Seek information about reproduction
- Affirm that human development includes sexual development
- Acknowledge that sexual development may or may not include reproduction or sexual experiences
- Interact with other genders in respectful and appropriate ways
- Affirm one’s own sexual orientation and respect the sexual orientations of others
Relationships:
- Express love and intimacy in appropriate ways
- Develop and maintain meaningful relationships
- Avoid exploitative or manipulative relationships
- Make informed choices about family options and lifestyles
- Develop skills that enhance personal relationships
Personal Skills:
- Identify and live according to one’s values
- Practice effective decision making
- Communicate openly and effectively with others
- Take responsibility for one’s own behavior
Sexual Behavior:
- Enjoy and express one’s sexuality throughout life
- Express one’s sexuality in ways that are congruent with one’s values
- Enjoy sexual feelings without necessarily acting on them
- Discriminate between life-enhancing sexual behaviors and those that are harmful to self and/or others
- Express one’s sexuality while respecting the rights of others
- Seek new information to enhance one’s sexuality
- Engage in sexual relationships that are characterized by honesty, equity and responsibility
Sexual Health:
- Use contraception effectively to avoid unintended pregnancy
- Recognize the importance of overall health on sexual health
- Seek early prenatal care
- Avoid contracting or transmitting a sexually transmitted disease
- Seek medical care when possible STD exposure occurs or symptoms are present
- Acts consistent with one’s values when dealing with an unintended pregnancy
- Prevent sexual abuse of children
Society & Culture:
- Demonstrate tolerance for people with different sexual values or lifestyles
- Exercise democratic responsibility to influence legislation dealing with sexual issues
- Assess the impact of family, cultural, religious, media and societal messages on one’s feelings, thoughts, values and behaviors related to sexuality
- Avoid behaviors that exhibit bigotry, prejudice, abuse, or exploit others
- Educate others about sexuality, including young people
- Reject stereotypes about the sexuality of diverse populations
- Actively work to end sexual violence, including sexual harassment
Take some time to decide how sexually healthy you are in each of the categories outlined above. None of us are fully evolved sexually; that is a lifelong process! But by taking the time to examine the areas in which we’d like to develop further, we can all start actively working towards sexual health, for ourselves and our loved ones. Here’s to sexually healthy society!
Check us out next week as we get into the Olympic spirit and play around with watersports.
Sex 411: Sexuality & Health
Send Kim and Ross your comments and ideas to buzzdoinitwell@yahoo.com or read their past columns at www.doinitwell.blog.com
