All posts by SRH Matters

Eating date fruit will increase sexual performance, libido — Experts

November 8, 2016blog, blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Eating date fruit will increase sexual performance, libido — Experts

2016-11-08

Two experts on Monday in Lagos advised men to eat dates fruit, saying its consumption would enhance their sexual performance and increase their libido.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) that dates fruit, when taken appropriately by men, could also improve health conditions in many other ways.

Dr Aminu Kazeem, a sexual health therapist who works at Energy for Sex Clinic in Lagos said men who had performance problems should incorporate dates in their diet.

He said “a date fruit is a one-seeded fruit of the date palm tree, which is botanically known as Phoenix dactylifera and belongs to the family of Palmae (Arecaceae) plant.

“The common English names are dried dates, dates, date palm, etc; usually oblong, with varying sizes, shapes, colours, consistencies and quality.

“Eating dates will promote sperm quality and quantity as it is one of the best natural fruits used for male fertility.

“It also increases the size of testes in men and the size of breast in women.

“Consuming the fruit can help to treat sexual disorders because it is a natural aphrodisiac.”

He explained that dates contained high levels of estradiol and flavonoid which aid sperm motility and increase sperm count.

He also urged men who want to improve their masculinity to eat the fruit, stressing that “sexual health is important for both husband and wife for a good and everlasting relationship.”

A nutritionist, Mrs Toyin Adeola, also said that eating dates could treat sexual impotence, help to improve sexual activities and increase the production of sex hormones.

She added that the fruit was good for the health of both males and female.

She said “date contains many vitamins and minerals which are essential to boost sexual power even in older persons.

“The fruit is packed with amino acids for sexual stamina, as well as a good dose of fruity sugars which make them sweet.”

The nutritionist, who described the best way it could be taken to achieve best result, however,
advised diabetic patients to seek doctor’s advise before consuming dates.

She said “it is advisable to remove the seed and grind seven or eight pieces of dates and soak in water for about 2-3 hours.

“Add one glass of milk and one teaspoon of honey and drink at least once a day to boost sexual power.”

She also advised both men and women to eat natural foods that could enhance sexual stamina than taking pills made with chemicals which may harm sexual health.

NAN reports that the fruit is very popular in the market, especially where they hawk fruits.

Date fruit is popular in the northern part of the country and can be seen being hawked along with tiger nuts.

More efforts needed to improve maternal health, say experts

November 8, 2016blog, Reproductive HealthSRH Matters

More efforts needed to improve maternal health, say experts

There is need to beef up efforts to promote maternal health to ensure proper welfare of women and girls so as to not only guarantee a healthy people but also the development of countries, a United Nations official has said.

Barnabas Yisa, the head of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Tanzania, was speaking during a family planning workshop in Dar-es-salaam, last week.

The three-day-workshop, organised by the UNFPA, aimed at enhancing strategic partnership for sustained media advocacy and promotion of family planning, prevention of maternal deaths and the Safeguard Young People Programme in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Yisa said expectations to have over 120 million women access family planning services by 2020 can be achieved if every country does its part.

“For UNFPA, one woman who is affected by illness or dies giving birth, that is too much so we have to ensure that this is prevented from our communities and Africa generally. We should work hard so that by 2020 much is achieved in terms of impact,” he said.

He said family planning concerns everybody and is a human rights issue that has to be respected.

“It’s very important to uphold the lives of women. Without healthy women, development can’t happen because achieving that requires the development of women too,” he added.

Adebayo Fayoyin, UNFPA regional communications adviser, said the maternal health situation in the majority of African countries requires a lot of attention, noting that challenges were still being faced in the area due to various issues at the service provision, policy and programme levels.

Fayoyin also faulted humanitarian issues, saying many countries go through crisis that greatly impact the health of girls and women. He advised governments to take the necessary steps required in addressing such matters and not using the one-size-fits-all way of dealing with issues.

Tlangelani Shilubane, the project coordinator of prevention of maternal deaths initiative in UNFPA, said the project is one that really contributes to the bigger goals of UNFPA.

She said steps are being taken to ensure that the project achieves its desired objective of ensuring good maternal health for women and girls.

“We are training health workers on how to deliver quality services, and doing capacity building and have already started with countries like Botswana, Lesotho and Malawi,” Shilubane said.

Country situation

Maureen Twahirwa, the head of communications UNFPA Rwanda, said Rwanda is doing well in maternal health in comparison with some African countries.

“Family planning is still an issue, people haven’t yet embraced it well but as with maternal deaths the situation is progressing and this has been possible because of the systems and policies that have been strengthened,” Twahirwa said.

Kefilwe Kuugutsitse, adolescent, sexual and reproductive health specialist at UNFPA Botswana, said the Southeran African country is still experiencing the issue of maternal deaths mainly due to poor care at the health centres.

“The deaths are mostly between the ages of 25-35 and this is also the group with highest prevalence HIV rates,” Kuugutsitse said.

Phumzile Dlamini, UNFPA head of communications, Swaziland, also said maternal death ratio remains high in Swaziland despite the fact that most people do attend their antenatal care and ensure to deliver within health facilities.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw

Maximizing the potential of a new HIV prevention method: PrEP

November 4, 2016blog, featuredSRH Matters

Maximizing the potential of a new HIV prevention method: PrEP

2016-11-04

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)most often a combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine taken orally as a daily tabletis extremely effective at preventing HIV infection when taken regularly.

The choice of PrEP is recommended for people who are HIV-negative but at high risk of becoming infected. The people who can benefit most from PrEPincluding gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, sex workers, serodiscordant couples before the partner living with HIV becomes virally suppressed and young women and girls in the areas of sub-Saharan Africa most affected by HIVare located where there are high rates of untreated HIV and inconsistent condom use.

People starting on PrEP must be HIV-negative and undergo repeat HIV testing every three months. The side-effects of taking PrEP are usually mild and short-lived. The risk of developing resistance to PrEP medicines is extremely low, as long as the person is confirmed to be HIV-negative when starting PrEP.

In the past two years, PrEP roll-out has moved quickly. It is estimated that in October 2016 around 100 000 people were using PrEP in more than 30 countries, with the majority of users in the United States of America. The UNAIDS target is for there to be 3 million people on PrEP worldwide by 2020.

There are now active national PrEP programmes in Australia, France, Kenya, Norway, South Africa and the United States. Botswana is pursuing regulatory approval and creating an implementation plan, while Thailand and Zimbabwe are among other countries producing guidelines for PrEP roll-out. In addition, more than 20 projects around the world are exploring the use of PrEP.

However, even where there is an existing national programme, PrEP uptake is unequal and the people who would benefit most do not always gain access. Many activists in the AIDS response continue to criticize this inequality. “PrEP is powerful, it has to reach the disempowered,” said Nel Gordon of the Human Rights Campaign.

PrEP adds to the package of proven prevention options already available. PrEP should be used in conjunction with other prevention methods, such as male and female condoms, voluntary medical male circumcision and antiretroviral therapy for all people living with HIV. When antiretroviral therapy is effective in a person living with HIV, the virus becomes undetectable in the person’s blood and the risk of transmitting the virus to a partner approaches zero. No single HIV prevention method is 100% protective and PrEP does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections or prevent unintended pregnancy. Condoms remain the most widely available and affordable HIV prevention tool and as such should always be promoted along with PrEP.

The benefits of choosing PrEP can be psychological as well as physical and the use of PrEP may counter the anxiety and isolation felt by some people who feel they lack the ability to control their risk of exposure to HIV. PrEP can give people more autonomy about their sexual decision-making, which may also include risk reduction. PrEP may promote improved communication and intimacy with a partner, reduced fear of intimate partner violence, raised self-esteem and greater engagement with all aspects of sexual health.

Offering PrEP can encourage more people at the highest risk of HIV to attend HIV clinics, undergo HIV testing and access either PrEP or treatment depending on the test result. Either way, the outcome is good for the individual and good for HIV prevention.

PrEP gives us one more tool that we can use to better tailor the prevention package to each person’s individual needs, which can change over time. PrEP is not for everyone and is not for ever. Routine PrEP follow-up involves regular review of broader sexual health, including the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and discussion of appropriate combination HIV prevention strategies and contraception, as appropriate.

Negative Attitudes Slow Acceptance of Bisexuality

November 4, 2016blog, blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Negative Attitudes Slow Acceptance of Bisexuality

By Rick Nauert PhD

Although positive attitudes toward gay men and lesbians have increased over recent decades, a new study shows attitudes toward bisexual men and women are relatively neutral, if not ambivalent.

Researchers at Indiana University Center for Sexual Health Promotion say their study is only the second to explore attitudes toward bisexual men and women in a nationally representative sample. Investigators define bisexuality as the capacity for physical, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to more than one sex or gender.

The study is also the first to query attitudes among a sample of gay, lesbian and other-identified individuals (pansexual, queer and other identity labels), in addition to those who identify as heterosexuals.

The study, led by Dr. Brian Dodge, an associate professor in the Department of Applied Health Science and associate director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion, was recently published in PLOS ONE.

The nationally representative sample was taken from the Center for Sexual Health Promotion’s 2015 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior.

“While recent data demonstrates dramatic shifts in attitude (from negative to positive) toward homosexuality, gay/lesbian individuals, and same-sex marriage in the U.S., most of these surveys do not ask about attitudes toward bisexuality or bisexual individuals,” Dodge said.

“And many rely on convenience sampling strategies that are not representative of the general population of the U.S.”

The study looked at five negative connotations, found in previous studies, associated with bisexual men and women — including the idea that bisexuals are confused or in transition regarding their sexual orientation, that they are hypersexual and that they are vectors of sexually transmitted diseases.

The research showed that a majority of male and female respondents, more than one-third, were most likely to “neither agree nor disagree” with the attitudinal statements.

In regard to bisexual men and women having the capability to be faithful in a relationship, nearly 40 percent neither agreed nor disagreed.

Those who identified as “other” had the most positive attitudes toward bisexuality, followed by gay/lesbian respondents and then heterosexuals.

Age played a factor in the results, with participants under the age of 25 indicating more positive attitudes toward bisexual men and women. Income and education also played a role: Higher-income participants were more likely to report more positive attitudes toward bisexual men and women, in addition to participants with higher levels of education.

Overall, attitudes toward bisexual women were more positive than attitudes toward bisexual men.

“While our society has seen marked shifts in more positive attitudes toward homosexuality in recent decades, our data suggest that attitudes toward bisexual men and women have shifted only slightly from very negative to neutral,” Dodge said.

“That nearly one-third of participants reported moderately to extremely negative attitudes toward bisexual individuals is of great concern given the dramatic health disparities faced by bisexual men and women in our country, even relative to gay and lesbian individuals.”

Bisexual men and women face a disproportionate rate of physical, mental, and other health disparities in comparison to monosexuals — those who identify as exclusively heterosexual and exclusively homosexual, Dodge said.

Although research has not determined the cause, Dodge said that negative attitudes and stigma associated with bisexuality could play a role.

Data from the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior shows that approximately 2.6 percent of adult men and 3.6 percent of adult women in the U.S. identify as bisexual.

For females, that number is more than double the number of women who identify as lesbian, 0.9 percent. When it comes to adolescents, 1.5 percent of male adolescents (age 14 to 17) and 8.4 percent of female adolescents identify as bisexual.

Dodge said he hopes the results emphasize the need for efforts to decrease negative stereotypes and increase acceptance of bisexual individuals as a component of broader initiatives aimed at tolerance of sexual and gender minority individuals.

“After documenting the absence of positive attitudes toward bisexual men and women in the general U.S. population, we encourage future research, intervention, and practice opportunities focused on assessing, understanding, and eliminating biphobia — for example, among clinicians and other service providers — and determining how health disparities among bisexual men and women can be alleviated,” he said.

Source: University of Indiana

Diet And Exercise Plan To Improve Your Sex Life, From Increasing Blood Flow To Indulging In Dark Chocolate

November 4, 2016blog, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Diet And Exercise Plan To Improve Your Sex Life, From Increasing Blood Flow To Indulging In Dark Chocolate

By David Gomes

Sex life fluctuates; sometimes it’s amazing and you’re happy about it, while there comes the period when you notice both your performance and sex life decline. Although most men tend to think this issue happens to them and there’s something wrong with their abilities in the bed, you should bear in mind that millions of people around the world experience these issues. Both sexual health and performance depend on numerous factors such as low testosterone, lifestyle, general health status, and so on. The best way to tackle these concerns is to make some lifestyle tweaks that are bound to power up your sex life. Practicing yoga and eating the right foods is a good way to start.

YOGA AND SEX LIFE

Yoga is the ancient practice of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines that reduce the stress levels, improve flexibility and range of motion, prevent a wide array of diseases and have a tremendous potential to boost your sex health. Yoga boosts sexual performance, particularly in men who want to develop body stamina. It’s also important to mention that this practice improves blood flow throughout the body, including the genital area, which is essential for the erection and optimal performance in bed.

Scientists from India carried out the study to analyze the efficacy of yoga in male sexual functioning. The study included 65 men who were assigned to 12 weeks of yoga practices followed by questionnaire about their sex life and performance. Findings were presented in the Journal of Sexual Medicine and showed that after the completion of yoga, sexual functions scores significantly improved regarding desire, intercourse satisfaction, performance, confidence, erection, orgasm, ejaculatory control, and so on.

The International Journal of Yoga published a review which focused on benefits of yoga for men and their sexual and reproductive health. The researchers discovered that yoga is proven to be excellent for prostate health, wards off prostate disorders, and reduces the size of the enlarged prostate gland. The review also showed that regular yoga practice reduces stress levels and anxiety, a factor that improves the health of reproductive organs. Scientists elaborate that lower stress levels improve sex life and treat mild erectile dysfunction.

YOGA POSES FOR BETTER SEX

Now that you know how effective yoga is for overall sexual health and functioning, you’re probably thinking about trying it out. Below, you see examples of yoga poses you can do to power up your sex life for both yours and the partner’s satisfaction:

Butterfly pose
Seated forward bend
Chair pose
Cobra pose
Sat Kriya pose
Frog pose
Plow pose
Bridge pose

Find the instructions for these sex-boosting yoga poses here. If you’re not flexible, there’s no need to worry. Bear in mind that your flexibility will improve over time. Also, just like you would consult your doctor over the choice of top male enhancement tips for sex life, you should also ask a yoga expert about proper execution of these postures.

DIET AND SEX LIFE

Foods you eat have a major impact on your overall health and wellbeing, sex life is no exception. For instance, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published results of the study which proved that increased fruit consumption improves male sexual health. Phytochemicals found in berries and citrus fruits help men maintain healthy erections. In fact, scientists discovered that eating flavonoid-rich foods is as good for erectile function as briskly walking for two to five hours a week.

The journal Diabetes Care featured a study which proved that adherence to the Mediterranean diet improves sexual functioning in men with type 2 diabetes. Since millions of men around the world are affected by this disease, it is useful to know that following a simple eating pattern (which also includes an abundance of fruit) can help you perform better in bed.

FOODS TO EAT

To power up your sex life, it’s useful to limit or completely avoid intake of unhealthy foods with zero nutritional value. Instead, replace them with healthier alternatives that deliver vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to your body, thus improving sexual health as well. Here are just some, of many, foods you can include in your menu:

Spinach and other green leafy vegetables
Unsweetened tea
Peaches
Eggs
Seeds and nuts
Beans
Red meat (in moderation)
Fatty fish
Oatmeal and other whole grains
Oysters and shellfish
Dark chocolate
Strawberries

Starting with natural treatments for sex performance is always recommended primarily because they treat the root of the problem, they don’t just mask the symptoms. Speaking of natural solutions, dietary supplements should also be considered, particularly if the problems you experience are more complicated.

Conclusion

Benefits of yoga and diet for sexual functioning are well-documented. If you want to improve sex life and overall performance in bed, be proactive; change your menu and practice yoga. Both solutions are easy to execute and bring a lot of benefits your way.

Author Bio

David Gomes completed his M.S Professional degree in California Institute of Technology. He lives in Oakland, Calif. He loves to write on a variety of topics such as joint health, weight loss, beauty, and skin care for blogs and online publication sites. He also loves latest technology, gadgets.You can connect with him on Google+ and Twitter.

Four things you shouldn’t do before sex

October 31, 2016blog, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Four things you shouldn’t do before sex

2016-10-31

By Gistmaster

When it comes to sex, it is every married couple’s desire to enjoy it and still be able to relish the thought of it thereafter. Apart from the numerous health benefits of sex to the human system, the pleasure that comes with it is electrifying and almost unrivalled.
Notably, there are many routes to sexual satisfaction, but the mostly adopted means of reaching climax is through intercourse, which is about the most effective for men, unlike women who are more likely to reach orgasm faster through nipple or clitoral stimulation.
Sex is to be enjoyed, but understandably, there are medical conditions that prevent or forbid people from having sex, usually for some time. Meanwhile, beyond those conditions, there are some other things people do that may tamper with how much they enjoy sex and even impact on their overall health afterwards.
Some of these issues directly affect sexual performance, while some are safety tips. Hence, it may be helpful to discuss what people should take cognisance of when they are about to have a romp in the sack so as to enjoy it and guide against infection. These include:
Shaving or waxing before sex: Due to the belief that the pubic hair could breed unpleasant smell and because some people do find it disgusting, people tend to shave or use wax to remove the hair in that region. But inasmuch as being ‘clean’ in that region is seen as a good hygienic practice, experts have advised that it is advisable not to shave before sex, simply because shaving or waxing tends to open up the small pores in the skin and while the sexual activity is ongoing, body contact could lead to infection, or rashes, which could multiply in little time because the place is usually warm and so germs and bacteria could multiply there quickly. Some people shave shortly before sex because of the feeling that their partner might find the pubic hair unattractive.
A medical doctor, Emily Gibson, said removal of pubic hair would always inflame the hair follicles in that region and leave some open wounds that could cause irritation of the shaved or waxed area, leading to the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
She added, “When that irritation is combined with the warm moist environment of the genitals, it becomes a happy culture media for some of the nastiest of bacterial pathogens, namely group A streptococcus, staphylococcus aureus and its recently mutated cousin, methicillin resistant staph aureus.
“There is an increase in staph boils and abscesses, necessitating incisions to drain the infection, resulting in scarring that can be significant. It is not at all unusual to find pustules and other hair follicle inflammation papules on shaved genitals.
“Additionally, I’ve seen cellulitis, soft tissue bacterial infection without abscess of the scrotum, labia and penis from spread of bacteria from shaving or from sexual contact with strep or staph bacteria from a partner’s skin. And some clinicians are finding that freshly shaved pubic areas and genitals are also more vulnerable to herpes infections due to the microscopic wounds being exposed to virus carried by mouth or genitals. It follows that there may be vulnerability to spread of other STIs as well.”
Also, a consultant endocrinologist, Dr. Michael Olamoyegun, explained that shaving before sex does not influence performance, but that “in the course of shaving, the person can sustain injuries, and during sex, there would be body contact and the ease of transmitting infection into the injured area would be high because the pubic hair serves as a form of protection.”
So, to avoid infections from creeping into your system courtesy of sex, never shave before sex.
Smoking: Apart from the negative effect smoking has on the heart, it turns out that it also has an effect on people’s sexual performance. It could reduce libido as it lowers testosterone (sex hormone) levels, hence, people are advised not to smoke before sex. The same applies to taking alcohols. According to a sexual health expert, Dr. Vijaysarathi Ramanathan, smoking could affect a man’s erection. He said, “Smoking affects almost every system/organ of the body including sexual functioning. People need to understand that erection in men has a lot to do with a healthy heart, blood vessels and good blood flow. So anything that affects blood flow will definitely affect the erection.”
In his explanation on Health Site, he said further that Nicotine, a toxic oily liquid that is the chief active constituent of tobacco, could clog the arteries and restrict blood flow to the genitals, which would affect performance.
For couples aiming at pregnancy, Ramanathan said smoking could also lower a man’s sperm count; cause genetic damage to the sperm and reduce the ability of the sperm to swim to where it will fertilise the egg. And in women, it could also cause sex-related problems, like reduced sex drive, among others.
On smoking, Olamoyegun said the constituents of cigarettes can narrow the arteries and veins that supply blood to the penis. “Smoking causes vasoconstriction; narrowing the blood vessel, so, the amount of blood that goes into the penis will reduce. And since the erection of the penis has to do with blood flow, it may affect the man’s erection.
Eating too much or taking energy drinks: No doubt, sex is an activity that is very involving and tiring, and so it is not uncommon for some people to eat before sex as if they are going to fight, especially men, all in the name of preparing for the act. But findings have shown that it is better to eat snacks, nuts or light food before doing ‘it’ to avoid feeling drowsy. In the same vein, experts have said that people should do away with heavy, gassy and high-fibre food to avoid frustrating the partner with a sluggish and poor performance eventually. So, it is not the time to eat five wraps of heavy food like someone going to the war front. Also, it has been found that it is not advisable to take energy drinks. People do this to have some energy to ‘deliver’ but experts have said the impact may not last long and that it tends to leave the person tired and weak after a (short) while.
According to Olamoyegun, sex, just like other forms of exercise, should not be preceded by eating heavy food. He said, “Normally, if you want to do any exercise, including sex, you are not supposed to take any heavy meal, because doing so could lead to aspiration in the course of the activity; the food can come from the stomach to the air pipe, and that is not good. So, it is better to eat a light food.
Masturbating: This is one tactic some people use, usually done hours before the intercourse, so as to prolong sex and it is mostly done by men who have premature ejaculation or women who crave prolonged sex. They believe that having ejaculated (men) or reached orgasm (women) moments before the sex would delay their next orgasm, but findings have shown that such can make erection almost impossible and the fact that it can kill sex drive when it comes to having real intercourse with someone of the opposite sex. Ultimately, experts have found that masturbation can be addictive, and after engaging in it for a long time, such persons tend to lose interest in real sex. So, to have a sustained healthy sexuality, masturbating should not be an option.
Meanwhile, medical experts have advised that if a woman pees after sex, it could reduce the likelihood of her getting urinary tract infection. They said the urine would have flushed out any bacteria present. It is not a must, but it is helpful.
Olamoyegun had this to say on it, “The vagina and the urethra are close, so after sex, if you pee, you flush out the bacteria before it settles into the tract. You don’t necessarily have to do that but it could be helpful too.”

Why Can’t I Orgasm During Sex? Chronic Pain And 5 Other Factors That Affect Ability To Climax

October 31, 2016blog, blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Why Can’t I Orgasm During Sex? Chronic Pain And 5 Other Factors That Affect Ability To Climax

By Lizette Borreli

Imagine this: You and your partner are getting hot and heavy in between the sheets. You’re feeling sexually aroused — but you’re unable to climax. In frustration you ask yourself: “Why can’t I orgasm during sex?”

The Kinsey Institute indicates 20 to 30 percent of women don’t have orgasms during intercourse, compared to only 5 percent of men who don’t climax every time they have sex. Men and women who are unable to sustain an erection or reach orgasm, respectively, are usually labeled as having some type of sexual dysfunction. However, the inability to orgasm could be triggered by several issues that range from physiological to psychological.

Below are six causes of why you have trouble orgasming during sex.

TIGHT CONDOMS

Condoms are often seen as an “evil” necessity that reduces sensitivity and sensations for men. The truth is condoms can inhibit male orgasm if they do not fit properly. A condom that is too tight can feel like the penis is in a chokehold, which can be distraction, and make it difficult to keep an erection. A 2015 studyin journal Sexual Health found about 52 percent of men report losing an erection before, or while putting a condom on or after inserting into the vagina while wearing a condom.

STRESS

High levels of stress impact your psychological and physiological health, which can interfere with the ability to orgasm. This makes it harder to concentrate on the sensation and relax during sex. Women with high salivary cortisol and stress levels have significantly less desire to masturbate or have sex with their partner.

Stress causes us to produce fewer sex hormones, like estrogen and testosterone, and more cortisol and stress hormones. When the body releases cortisol, a fight-or-flight response kicks in, and redirects the blood flow away from the sex organs, causing you to breathe shallowly.

DEPRESSION

Depression affects your mood, and even the desire to have sex. A 2000 study in the American Family Physician found 70 percent of adults facing depression without treatment had problems with their sex drive. This is because sexual desire starts in the brain as sex organs rely on chemicals in the brain to jumpstart your libido, and change blood flow. Depression disrupts these brain chemicals, making sexual activity more difficult to initiate and enjoy.

CHRONIC PAIN

More than 75 million people live with persistent or debilitating pain, according to the national pain foundation, which can often lead to a low sex drive. Chronic pain sufferers find it difficult to feel pleasure during sex since the body hurts all the time. This is unfortunate since having an orgasm can alleviate some pains and aches.

PRESCRIPTION MEDS

Drugs tend to be among the most common causes of sexual problems. Prescription meds are responsible for as many as one of every four cases of sexual dysfunction. A 2002 study published in Family Practicefound statins and fibrates (used in lowering LDL “bad” cholesterol) may cause erectile dysfunction, whilelater research has found both men and women taking statins showed increased difficulty achieving orgasm. The levels of sexual pleasure declined along with LDL cholesterol.

NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE

When you feel good about your body, you tend to feel better psychologically as well. The mind-body connection is imperative in sexual pleasure. For example, if you feel bad about your body, it;ll become more difficult to enjoy sex and have orgasms. A 2009 study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine found women between the ages 18 to 49 who scored high on a body image scale were the most sexually satisfied. Positive feelings associated with weight, physical condition, sexual attractiveness, and thoughts about our body during sex help promote healthy sexual functioning.

Majority of ‘Unprecedented’ High Rate of Syphilis Cases Are Gay, Bisexual Men

October 25, 2016blog, blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Majority of ‘Unprecedented’ High Rate of Syphilis Cases Are Gay, Bisexual Men

2016-10-25

by DR. SUSAN BERRY

A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that a majority of the record high rates of syphilis found in the United States is due to the sexual activity of gay and bisexual men.

According to the CDC, the Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2015 shows, “Ninety percent of reported syphilis cases were in men; and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for a majority of these cases.”

The report states:

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (collectively referred to as MSM) are at increased risk for STDs, including antimicrobial resistant gonorrhea, when compared to women and exclusively heterosexual men. Because STDs, and the behaviors associated with acquiring them, increase the likelihood of acquiring and transmitting HIV infection, STD incidence among MSM may also be an indicator of higher risk for subsequent HIV infection.

Individual-level risk behaviors, such as number of lifetime sex partners, rate of partner exchange and frequency of unprotected sex, may contribute to disparities observed in the sexual health of MSM. However, population-level factors such as limited or overlapping social and sexual networks are also associated with higher rates of STDs, including HIV among MSM.

CDC is recommending that healthcare providers make STD screening a standard part of medical care, “especially in pregnant women.”

The report found overall that, in 2015, “more cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis combined were reported than ever before.”

Sexual Health News: World Health Organization Declares ‘Being Single Now a Disability’

October 25, 2016blog, blog-home, Sexual HealthSRH Matters

Sexual Health News: World Health Organization Declares ‘Being Single Now a Disability’

ByDarwin Malicdem

Health authorities will soon consider single men and women who want to have their own children but failed to find a partner sexually disabled. The World Health Organization (WHO) now defines infertility aside from a poor sexual health as inability to find a suitable sexual partner.

The WHO now looks at sexual health in a different way. The new definition of infertility simply indicates being single is a disability.

The health authority will classify single men and women without medical issues but with an inactive sex life as “infertile.” It only applies to those who do not have children but “want to become a parent,” the WHO said.

The authors of the new global standards said it will mainly give the individuals “the right to reproduce.” It will allow single men, women and the members of the LGBT community to receive the same treatment given to the couples seeking IVF due to medical fertility problems.

The WHO also said the new standards will put pressure on the NHS to change the policy on who can access the IVF treatment. The health authority plans to send the new definition of infertility to all health ministers in 2017, reports The Telegraph.

“It’s a big change,” said Dr. David Adamson, one of the authors of the new standards. “The definition of infertility is now written in such a way that it includes the rights of all individuals to have a family, and that includes single men, single women, gay men, gay women.”

SEXUAL HEALTH & THE NEW STANDARDS

Critics call the decision an “absurd nonsense.” They said the couples with medical infertility would lose the chance for a child. It’s because the new standards will increase the number of those who seek IVF.

The current NHS policies only allow clinics to give the treatment to those proven infertile.

“This definition runs the risk of undermining the work Nice and others have done to ensure IVF treatment is made available for infertile couples when you get definitions off the mark like this,” said Gareth Johnson MP, the former chair of the All Parliamentary Group on Infertility. “I think it’s trying to put IVF into a box that it doesn’t fit into frankly.”

Josephine Quintavalle, from the Comment on Reproductive Ethics, added, “This absurd nonsense is not simply re-defining infertility.” She said it’s “completely side-lining the biological process and significance of natural intercourse between a man and a woman.”

How Do You Help Girls Make Healthy Reproductive Decisions? Engage The Parents.

October 25, 2016blog, blog-home, featuredSRH Matters

How Do You Help Girls Make Healthy Reproductive Decisions? Engage The Parents.

Andy BryantExecutive Director, Segal Family Foundation

I hope you’ll dive into this article by Kelsi Hines and Kevalin Aulandez and the work of Organic Health Response described therein. As the father of a young daughter, I find it unimaginable to consider a reality in which she would feel forced to exchange sex for food. As gut-wrenching as that scenario is, the clever responses to change that paradigm on a remote island in Lake Victoria are somehow as inspiring…

Imagine you are an adolescent girl in rural Kenya. Like generations of girls before you, your path, opportunities, and odds in life are largely set at birth. Unlike your male peers of the same age, you are 2.9% more likely to contract HIV between the ages of 15-24. As you grow up you are forced to gamble with these odds in order to fulfill your responsibilities. You are a crucial building block of your family, of your community, and of the future generation of your children. You may need to choose between care-taking for your family and getting an education. You may feel the need to put your health at risk to find food for the table. Planning for the future takes a backseat as you juggle urgent daily decisions that impact your health.

Organic Health Response, a community-based health organization, works to strengthen the capacity and confidence of residents of Mfangano Island, Kenya to protect their health, culture, and unique island ecosystem. Located in the heart of Lake Victoria, roughly 30% of this remote island’s population is HIV positive. The young women and adolescent girls of Mfangano carry, like their global sisters, a disproportionately large burden of HIV/AIDS infection. In a culture where women hold sole responsibility for feeding their families and caring for those ill due to HIV/AIDS, young girls often have no choice but to engage in sexual relationships with local or traveling fishermen in order to procure fish for their families to eat. Living 10 miles off the shores of Kenya’s mainland, the young women of Mfangano Island lack access to comprehensive sex education and quality reproductive health services. Transgenerational relationships, gender-based violence, and systemic gender inequality are additional factors that contribute to making Mfangano’s young women particularly vulnerable to contracting HIV.

As we at Organic Health Response began to design a reproductive health education program to address these issues facing adolescent girls in our community, we took the opportunity to visit a fellow Segal Family Foundationpartner, Moving the Goalposts Kilifi (MTG), to learn about their unique model to empowering girls in coastal Kenya. During our visit, we learned an important lesson: to empower our girls we must start with our elders. Moving the Goalposts Kilifi uses football as an entry point to tackle issues such as a girl’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, low retention rates in school of female students, and early and unwanted pregnancies. Through bi-annual football camps girls develop essential leadership skills and participate in peer-led education on sexual and reproductive health, economic empowerment, and career guidance.

We saw the impact on the girls we met during our visit to MTG. MTG’s biggest barrier to successful programming, however, is that girls are often denied permission by their parents to attend football camps focused on reproductive health and sex education. For Moving the Goalposts Kilifi, this is why parental education is a crucial strategy in their organization, one without which they would not be able to meet their programming goals. “Tumanyane,” a Giriama word for “let’s know each other” is a community and parental forum organized by MTG that is used to increase parental and community support for girl’s empowerment. With understanding and support from their parents and elders, adolescent girls are able to make choices that support their own health and livelihood. As the old African proverb goes, “If you educate a boy, you educate an individual. If you educate a girl, you educate a community.”

As for Mfangano Island, Organic Health Response is eager to apply the lessons we learned from MTG and engage our elders to invest in the future of our young women. We look forward to using our community radio station, Ekialo Kiona Youth Radio, to engage with, and host, call-in shows on the importance of reproductive health and women’s empowerment. By empowering elders with the knowledge they need to promote the advancement of their young women, Organic Health Response is working to change the current narrative on Mfangano Island. When young women are given the knowledge they need to protect themselves, and families and communities support them in making healthy reproductive decisions, they are empowered to make sexual choices that allow themselves, their families and their communities to thrive.

Sources
National Aids Control Council. Kenya AIDS response progress report 2014: progress towards zero.http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/country/documents/KEN_narrative_report_2014.pdf. Published March, 2014. Accessed July 12, 2016.

UNAIDS and the African Union. Empower young women and adolescent girls: fast-tracking the end of the AIDS epidemic in Africa.http://www.unaids.org/sites/default/files/media_asset/JC2746_en.pdf. Published 2015. Accessed July 12, 2016.

Nagata JM, Fiorella KJ, Salmen CR, et al. Around the table: food insecurity, socioeconomic status, and instrumental social support among women living in rural Kenyan island community. Ecology of Food and Nutrition. 2015; 00:1-12. DOI: 10.1080/03670244.2014.995790. Accessed July 12, 2016

Fiorella KJ, Camlin CS, Salmen CR, et al. Transactional fish-for-sex relationships amid declining fish access in Kenya. World Development. 2015; 74: 323-332.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.05.015. Accessed July 12, 2016.

Bellan SE, Fiorella KJ, Melesse DY, Getz WM, Williams BG, Dushoff J. Extra-couple HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa: a mathematical modelling study of survey data. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61960-6. Published February 5, 2013. Accessed July 18, 2016.