Tag Archives: Health

Does Sexual Wellbeing Lead to Better Life And Leadership Skills? This Sextech Company Wants To Find Out

November 26, 2019blog, blog-home, Sexual Health, UncategorizedHealth, orgasm, pleasure, sexual, stressSRH Matters

Does Sexual Wellbeing Lead to Better Life And Leadership Skills? This Sextech Company Wants To Find Out

2019-11-26

The connection between sexual well-being and mental and physical health has been recently attracting more interest. Sexual wellness brands -many of which endure constant advertising censoring– advocate to position sexual health and wellness as part of the health conversation, to make it more accessible to all.

A rich body of research confirms that sexual satisfaction affects relationship satisfaction, which is key to earning potential. For example, in one longitudinal Harvard study, the data revealed that fulfilling relationships are the key to happiness, health and longevity. And not only that: Those with the most fulfilling relationships earned an average of $141,000 a year more at their highest earning point.

This study, however, was focused exclusively on male subjects, and it inspired a recent study conducted by sexual wellness company Womanizer (WOW Tech) in partnership with The What Collective, a women-centered organization founded by dot com entrepreneurs Gina Pell and Amy Parker. The former co-founders of Splendora (acq. by JOYUS) recently hosted a gathering called The What Summit at the secretive and exclusive Skywalker Ranch. The survey was completed by over 200 high-earning attending women. 80% of respondents were ages 35-64 and in director, management and C-suite positions.

The preliminary results showed some interesting insights: More than 50% of respondents perceived that having a healthy fulfilling sex and relational life would positively impact all other aspect of their lives, including their careers.

The Deficit in SexEd Addressed By Wellness Brands

When it comes to sexuality only 3% of respondents said they had learned at school or with their families. The majority cited the following sources of sex education: peers and friends (34%), magazines and books (28%), and the Internet (10%). In fact, 77% of women who received some sex education stated that it never mentioned that sex should be pleasurable and 70% say there was no discussion about consent. Additionally, 62% state that they have experienced shame around sex and sexuality.

Global expenditure on wellness products and services is on the rise, highly driven by women, and the women’s empowerment movement has added to the conversation issues such as the orgasm gap between men and women, and the right to body autonomy and pleasure of women. This context creates an opportunity for Sextech and Femtech businesses to create innovative solutions to educate and offer resources in underserved categories for people of all ages. Both industries have been estimated at $30 and $25 billion, respectively.

Stephanie Keating, Head of Marketing of WOW Tech, which comprises Womanizer and We-Vibe, said: “Womanizer partnered with The What Summit to facilitate conversations amongst women about pleasure and all that it brings our lives. For many women, experiencing self-pleasure builds confidence, comfort, and agency – yet 75% of us were not taught that sex should be pleasurable. Traditional sex education has failed us. For too many women, pleasure is associated with shame. That limits us in so many other aspects of our lives. The conversations that Womanizer and our experts are having with women free us to talk to each other about this essential part of our lives.

Personal Fulfillment As A Source Of Confidence And Wellbeing

When asked about the impact of their personal sexual wellness in other areas of life, the majority of women believed that feeling fulfilled positively impacted how they showed up in other areas of their lives. Specifically, 51% stated that this translated into a positive impact on their professional lives. Many respondents pointed to the correlation between fulfillment and “confidence”, “lowered stress”, increased overall “happiness and motivation”, feeling “empowered” and “powerful”, and the positive correlation with overall “well-being”.

Emily Morse, Doctor of Human Sexuality, relationship therapist and author, says “Sexual wellness impacts body image, confidence, … These factors can put a strain on our mental health. If you are not connecting with your partner, it is going to affect your day to day life. Additionally, being able to ask for what you want is a skill that translates into other areas of life.”

Sexologist and relationship expert, Dr. Jessica O’Rielly, PhD, said: “Sexual fulfillment, relationship fulfillment and life fulfillment are all positively correlated. It follows that investing in your relationships and sex life (however you define it) and fulfilling those needs leads to greater self-assurance, improved mood, increased motivation and even greater assertion skills — all of which can benefit your career.”

Educators, researchers, entrepreneurs… The business of sexual wellness is a growing one and the merger of Womanizer and We-Vibe, which is about to become the largest sexual wellness toy manufacturer, approaching $100 million in sales, wants to push forward a healthier narrative around sexuality: “ Our flagship products were created to help women achieve personal sexual fulfillment and their pleasure potential. WOW Tech’s mission is to be the premier provider of sexual health and wellness products — products that enable people all over the world to increase the satisfaction of their personal and sexual well-being,” concludes Keating.

Estrella JaramilloContributor ForbesWomenWomen’s Health Advocate and Entrepreneur.

Positive Pregnancy Test: “But, I Am Not Sexually Active!”

November 26, 2019blog, blog-home, Uncategorizeddisease, Health, homicide, information, partners, pregnancy, public health, sexually active, substance useSRH Matters

Positive Pregnancy Test: “But, I Am Not Sexually Active!”

I can still recall her young face overcome with concern as she learned of her positive pregnancy test. She was just 16 years old and a relatively new patient at the time. Her situation was complicated by the fact that her grandmother, her legal guardian, was sitting in the waiting room. Grandma had met me prior to the appointment and clarified that, although she respected the fact that I wanted to see her ward alone, she absolutely did not want me “putting ideas into the child’s head” by offering her any form of birth control. Grandma further stated that she would not be here with her granddaughter today if someone had not talked about “these things” with her own teenage daughter 16 years ago.

Confidentiality in our pediatric and adolescent practices

is often the key to engendering confidence and trust within our patients. In their article published in the October issue of Pediatrics in Review, Drs Maslyanskaya and Alderman discuss the need to educate both adolescents and caregivers about the importance of confidential care to ensure the patient’s emotional and physical wellbeing. This applies particularly in the sensitive domains of sexual health, substance use, and mental health. Research has shown that adolescents, if not guaranteed privacy, are less likely to access health services for reproductive and substance use issues. The authors further describe that physicians should consider multiple factors when weighing the ability of the adolescents to interpret health information and make health care decisions autonomously.

Laws regarding confidentiality and consent may vary drastically from state to state, especially with regards to consent for reproductive health needs (including abortion). Maslyanskaya and Alderman advise that pediatricians faced with these dilemmas understand the limits of confidential care for adolescent patients and provide resources relevant to different states in the United States. Physicians should be aware that minors may gain legal status as adults under certain state and federal laws, including the concepts of “mature” and “emancipated” minors. The authors emphasize that federal laws like HIPPA, Title X , SAMHSA and MEDICAID override state laws and, thus, familiarity with both is essential to the provider. Pediatricians should also be aware that there are instances when they must “break” confidentiality, in the best interest of the patient, as in cases of child abuse or when there is a risk of suicide or homicide. For public health reasons, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) also must be reported to the local health department to ensure that partners are treated and to prevent the spread of the disease.

Finally, the authors discuss that, with the increased use of electronic records, pediatricians should ensure that they are careful to protect confidential information. Strategies may include blocking sensitive information from after-visit summaries and advocating for institutional policies restricting the use of internet portals by parents of teenagers.

In our case, the teenager chose to continue the pregnancy and consented to her grandmother being included in the conversation and planning for the future. She was also made familiar with different long-acting reversible contraceptive methods that are available to prevent future pregnancies.

Nupur Gupta, MD, MPH, Editorial Board Member, Pediatrics in Review November 25, 2019

What the Yuck: How do I stop snoring?

March 21, 2011featured, UncategorizedHealth, sleep disorder, snoringSRH Matters

What the Yuck: How do I stop snoring?

2011-03-21

Too embarrassed to ask your doctor about sex, body quirks, or the latest celeb health fad? In a regular feature and a new book, “What the Yuck?!,” Health magazine medical editor Dr. Roshini Raj tackles your most personal and provocative questions. Send ’em to Dr. Raj at whattheyuck@health.com.

Q: I’m afraid I’m a loud snorer. Is there anything I can do to prevent this from happening when I spend the night with my new man?

You mean aside from lying awake all night? First, don’t drink alcohol. It can make snoring worse by relaxing your throat’s muscles. When you breathe in and out, those relaxed muscles vibrate, and you snore.

Also, congested nasal passages contribute to snoring, so you might want to bring along a box of nasal strips and pop one on before climbing in bed (just say you have allergies). They may not be pretty, but they open up your nasal passages from the outside in, letting air flow more easily.

If these moves don’t help you get your snoring under control, you may have obstructive sleep apnea – a serious respiratory condition – and should make an appointment to discuss this problem with your doctor.

But, to be honest, you shouldn’t be embarrassed about this or any other bodily function. If this is going to be a long-term relationship, sooner or later he’s going to hear you snore. And if he dumps you because of that, what a jerk!