Gloria's Oversexed Mind

Very encouraging new study about the wonder drug for men that suggests women may be able to take a Viagra to overcome the dampening effect that anti-depressants have on their libido. Let's hope more studies prove this true.

Viagra helps depressed women: study

The erectile dysfunction drug Viagra has proven effective at combating sexual dysfunction in depressed women, according to a study published Tuesday.

Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect of antidepressants and a major reason why people stop taking medication for their depression.

This is particularly problematic given that twice as many women as men are prescribed antidepressants but the most effective drugs used to combat sexual dysfunction in men are not approved for use in women, the authors wrote.

Researchers tested Viagra on 98 women whose depression was in remission but were still experiencing sexual dysfunction such as lack of arousal or pain during sex....

"By treating this bothersome treatment-associated adverse effect in patients who have been effectively treated for depression, but need to continue on their medication to avoid relapse or recurrence, patients can remain antidepressant-adherent, reduce the current high rates of premature medication discontinuation, and improve depression disease management outcomes," wrote lead author George Nurnberg of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.

July 21, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (5)

According to Snopes, the rumor China is recycling Condom into hair bands is true. Great idea on principle: save the planet and tie up your hair.

However they note that they can't yet determine if another rumor whether or not some of those recycled condoms were USED. Ew. Another reason to buy American.

July 20, 2008 in Post-Modern Pop Culture, Sex and Culture, Sexual Health, Sexual Strangeness | Permalink | Comments (2)

What they really mean is "have orgasms" -- it doesn't make a difference if you have it from intercourse or masturbation as long as you keep that penis busy and happy throughout your life.

There's new advice for older men who want to preserve their sexual function: have sex, and have it often, researchers say.

In a study that followed nearly 1,000 older Finnish men for five years, researchers found that those who were regularly having sex at the start of the study were at lower risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) by the study's end.

In fact, the more often the men had sex, the lower their ED risk.

Link: More sex means less chance of ED for older men

July 8, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think this is a totally fantastic idea! Kudos to Dr. Romanzi for inventing the concept. Particularly brilliant for the baby boomer generation whose genital fitness is undergoing significant changes.

(Thanks to Mike for sending the link.)

First came the “medical spa,” or medi spa, offering dermatology services in a retail setting. The medi spa begat the dental spa, bringing tooth bleaching to storefronts nationwide. The dental spa begat the podiatry spa.

And now comes the first medi spa in Manhattan wholly dedicated to strengthening and grooming a woman’s genital area. Phit — short for pelvic health integrated techniques — is to open this month on East 58th Street....

Dr. Romanzi developed her own concept of “pelvic fitness” for healthy women. She said that Phit (www.theperfectphit.com) will help women get “in shape from the inside out.”

Link: Skin Deep - A Spa for Those Women Concerned About ‘Pelvic Fitness’

July 6, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

This story fascinates me. A transman and his wife wanted kids -- and she couldn't have them, so he decided to lend his (still in place) womb for this miraculous event. It is a reminder that anything in this life is possible, and that expanding human potential through science and technology can bring surprising blessings.

Pregnant man Thomas Beatie has given birth to a baby girl

A man has given birth to a baby girl at a hospital in the United States.

Thomas Beatie, who was born a woman but after surgery and hormone treatment lives as a man, had the child in Bend, Oregon.

Beatie, 34, kept female reproductive organs when he legally became a man 10 years ago.

The baby, conceived through artificial insemination using donor sperm and Beatie's own eggs, was born on June 29 and Beatie and the baby are "healthy and doing well," according to reports.

July 5, 2008 in Post-Modern Pop Culture, Sexual Health, Sexual Science and Medicine | Permalink | Comments (0)

I consider this an historic moment for the birth control movement. It amazes me that we make contraception difficult to obtain in the first place. It's a religious conspiracy for sure.

Personally, I am all about the condom, which is the single safest form of birth control and also provides protection from STDs. However, compared to other effective forms of birth control (patches, injections, implants), the pill remains both the most popular and least harmful of the drugs available to prevent unwanted pregnancy. And given that U.S. women are now being turned away or shamed by zealous fundamentalist pharmacists refusing to fill scrips, I'd say the US is in urgent need of a service like this.

Women in Britain can for the first time get the contraceptive pill legally online without having to see medics first.

Medical website DrThom is offering three months' supply for 29.99 pounds (59.25 dollars, 38.95 euros).

Until now, "the pill" has only been available on prescription from doctors or clinics.

The online service will initially be offered to women already on the contraceptive pill but will soon be expanded to those who have never taken it before.

Link

June 25, 2008 in Sex and History, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a scary statistic to contemplate the next time you indulge in a little sport sex in New York: 25% of adults have herpes, and, among African-Americans, the percentage rises to almost 50%.

The sexually transmitted herpes simplex virus Type 2 is more prevalent in New York City, at 26 percent, than nationally, where 19 percent of adults, roughly one in five, are infected.

The toughest part about herpes (aside from the discomforts and pain of being infected, of course) is that it is one of the trickiest STDs to avoid getting. Unlike HIV, where infection requires some exposure to blood, and a condom generally eliminates risk, herpes can be transmitted in a variety of subtle ways. The biggest risk is when someone "sheds" without showing other symptoms (like sores). For this reason, you have to be with someone who is HONEST about their condition -- if they don't tell you, you may never know until you show symptoms yourself. Nor are condoms guaranteed to protect against infection, particularly since the virus can be transmitted during oral sex and other types of intimate contact.

I don't know or recommend the product they're selling, but this site has excellent advice on preventing herpes infections.

June 12, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (2)

June 5, 2008 in Sexual Health, Sexual Humor | Permalink | Comments (1)

Hot off the medical newswire...

If you or someone you love is (a) pre-menopausal and (b) at risk of breast cancer, talk to your doctor NOW about Zometa.

New treatment reduces breast cancer by 35 percent: study

A treatment against osteoporosis that uses the biophosphate Zometa has shown to reduce the risk of early breast cancer in pre-menopausal women by 35 percent, a study presented here showed.

The study, unveiled at the 44th annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago, is the first large-scale study (1,800 women) showing the anti-cancer properties of Zometa, a drug produced by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis, which contains zoledronic acid.

This category of medicine is already being used against bone metastasis -- the spread of cancer to the bones -- and osteoporosis, a disease that leads to bone loss.

June 2, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cute! Exercise your creativity for a good cause and bling up a 36C bra for this fun fund-raising contest.

Creative Cups: Adelphi University-New York State Breast Cancer Hotline and Support Program

Creative Cups™ is a thought-provoking art exhibition fundraising event to benefit the Adelphi NY Statewide Breast Cancer Hotline & Support Program. This life-affirming celebration will feature bras that are transformed by their creators into works of art. Creative Cups™ celebrates the lives of those living with breast cancer and those we have lost to this terrible disease. The auction/gala celebration will be held on March 19, 2009, at Adelphi University in Garden City, NY.

May 31, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

I kind of expect most readers already know, but I figure it doesn't hurt to remind folks that a vote for McCain this fall could mean an end to a couple's right to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy.

And, yep, I said a couple instead of "a woman's right to choose," because while there are plenty of women who make the choice on their own, I think there are even more women who make this decision with the support and consent of the men who impregnated them. In fact, I wish we'd get away from constantly seeing abortion as a woman-only feminist issue. It is not: it is a social issue. And on this social issue, as on oh so many others, it's Obama who genuinely supports freedom of choice for Americans while McCain just sounds like an old recording of George Bush, still stuck at the part about how planning how many kids you want to have is evil."

Here's a link to their respective voting records on family planning and reproductive freedom.

Where do Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain stand on reproductive-rights issues?

Sen. Obama said, "I have consistently advocated for reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President."

Sen. McCain said that Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that recognized a woman's right to choose, should be overturned.

May 28, 2008 in Sexual Health, Sexual Politics | Permalink | Comments (2)

Anal sex fans, today is your lucky day, with a few bloggy tidbits for discriminating buttologists.

Starting with recommended reading for anyone who wants to avoid accidentally messing their pants...and everyone who wants to bring it on.

via Divine Caroline:

Five Foods That Cause Anal Leakage

May 27, 2008 in Sexual Health, Sexual Humor | Permalink | Comments (0)

No mention of BDSM or kink -- just "rough" sex. Where do you draw the line?

(Thanks to kp for the link.)

Canadian pierces lover's heart in botched sex game

A Canadian man who asked his lover to carve a heart-shaped symbol on his chest during a rough sex game almost died when she accidentally pressed too hard and punctured his heart, a newspaper said on Thursday.

The Winnipeg Free Press said the 25-year-old woman had been sentenced to three years' probation after she pleaded guilty to assaulting the man in February 2007.

The 24-year-old man was initially given little chance of survival but made a full recovery and is backing the woman. Both had been drinking heavily and engaging in rough sex when he asked the woman to carve the symbol.

May 17, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (2)

Thailand has recently decided to outlaw "cosmetic castration" (meaning elective castration), making it more difficult for ladyboys to transition.

story link

Thailand's health chiefs barred hospitals and clinics from castrating would-be "ladyboys" amid growing concern about the operation being seen as a cheap and quick alternative to a full sex-change.

In a letter to 16,000 private health units, the Public Health Ministry said doctors performing the operation outside formal sex-change therapy -- which requires rigorous physical and mental evaluation of the patient -- faced up to six months in jail....

Thailand is home to a large number of "ladyboys," or "katoey" in Thai, a term that covers anything from a transvestite to a man who has undergone a full sex change.

The tolerance shown towards the "third sex," as it is often referred to, has led to the country becoming a world leader in sex-change surgery.

However, at the lower end of the market, clinics have responded to demand from teenage boys to look more like girls by posting Internet advertisements offering castration for as little as 4,000 baht ($125).

Not sure what to think about this. On one hand, I don't see why -- in a world where people are getting bizarre cosmetic surgeries of every possible kind without governments seeming to care -- the Thai would suddenly target castration. Surgically speaking, it's far less risky than a boob job or face-lift.

On the other hand, I share their concern about teenagers getting the surgery and thus making a decision in adolescence that they might profoundly regret later in life. But then couldn't they just set an age limit on this and not target the surgery itself?

It has been a standard of professional care that a transitioning TS has to go through a 1-2 year long process of counseling and "real life experience" (in the sex one is transitioning to) before a complete surgical sex change is okayed by medical authorities. I'm not sure, however, whether this necessarily means we should institute laws to govern this.

I suppose a therapist shouldn't throw this out there, but then, I'm not your typical therapist. So here's my question: should adults have a right to fuck up their lives or is it up to the government to see that we don't?

April 24, 2008 in Sex and Culture, Sexual Health, Sexual Politics | Permalink | Comments (0)

Men! Get your lube out and show this to anyone in your life who disapproves. I've been saying this for years (based on previous studies which suggested same) but now the HARD facts are in: jerking off is one of the best daily health routines a man can perform to stave off that demon cancer.

Masturbation may prevent prostate cancer

Frequent masturbation may help men cut their risk of contracting prostate cancer, Australian researchers have found. It is believed that carcinogens may build up in the prostate if men do not ejaculate regularly, BBC News reported on Wednesday. The researchers surveyed more than 1,000 men who had developed prostate cancer, and 1,250 men who had not. They found that men who had ejaculated the most between the ages of 20 and 50 were the least likely to get cancer. Men who ejaculated more than five times each week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Sexual intercourse may not have the same effect because of the higher risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease...

April 22, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (7)

And speaking (earlier) of Bill Clinton (ahem)...received a friendly email which reminded me of the ex-president's alleged penile dysfunctions.

Hi Gloria,

During your time as a sex therapist, I’m sure you have encountered a relationship affected by Peyronie’s disease. Menshealthpd.com is a website that launched two months ago, dedicated to offering men and their partners information and support in coping with what is truly a “couple’s disease”. The forum has grown to be a place where people speak openly about their experiences with the disease as well as pose questions that can be answered by physicians.

To keep that conversation going, the site is hosting a live chat on April 16th at 8 pm (EST) with Dr. Culley Carson – an urologist who specializes in the treatment of Peyronie’s. This is a great opportunity for people to have their questions about the disease and its treatment options addressed by an expert in the field, so I would love for you to share this event with your readers.

On the homepage, you will see “Participate in the chat on April 16”, I invite both, you and your readers, to learn more about Dr. Carson or submit comments here ahead of time if you can’t make it. Hope to see you there!

April 10, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Speaking of outrageously controversial subjects.

A couple of years ago the international media seized on the very sad story of a brother and sister who were raised completely apart and got married as adults (she was actually only 15 at the time, but their marriage was legal). They met and turned to one another for comfort, and as so often happens between two lonely, desperate, emotionally wounded people, one thing led to another.

LINK

....They are a loving couple, who have been together for seven years and want to be with no one else. They have had four children. Beyond these details, however, the story gets more troubling. Patrick and Susan Stübing, who live in Zwenkau, near Leipzig, are brother and sister. Two of their four children have developmental problems, and all four have been taken into care. Patrick, 30, has served more than two years of a prison sentence for incest. Asked if she felt guilty about this breach of one of the last taboos, Susan, 22, simply shook her head and said: "No, I just want us to be able to live together."

Their case is raising much prurient speculation in Germany, not least because their reaction to the threat of further imprisonment for him has not been apology and shame, but defiance - an attempt to overturn paragraph 173 of the German legal code, which forbids sex with a close relative.

Pretty fascinating case. The great tragedy that has befallen their children is the best defense of incest laws. To ignore the genetic reality that children of incest are likely to have numerous physical and psychiatric disorders directly resulting from inbreeding is or should be a crime.

Unfortunately, it appears that the couple in question are simple. As the article presents them, they seem incapable of managing their own lives, much less of grasping the medical, legal and moral ramifications of their choices. And, one might well ask, where were the social workers and doctors all this time, as they continued to bear one disabled child after another?

Meanwhile, consider this research on incest which suggests that GSA (or genetic sexual attraction) is a known physiological phenomenon.

What has been discussed less, is that the Stübings seem to be a textbook example of a phenomenon called genetic sexual attraction (GSA). It occurs between blood relatives who have been separated for most of their lives, and meet in adulthood; it has been known to happen in all sorts of permutations - father/daughter, birth mother/son, siblings - even, occasionally, same-sex relationships between people who would not otherwise identify themselves as homosexual.

I don't think Germany will change its laws regarding incest to accommodate this troubled couple, even though science proves that GSA is a known phenomonen. But this case raises yet another interesting question. The husband has recently and voluntarily undergone sterilization. If adults were willing to undergo sterilization in order to marry a sibling, cousin, or other family member, and therefore no real harm to others could come of their relationship -- should incest in such cases still be a crime?

March 31, 2008 in Sex and Relationships, Sex Laws and Crimes, Sexual Health, Sexual Science and Medicine | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reading an article about Japanese sex toy to super-size your semen, I saw a picture of an even stranger Japanese sex toy.

So...would you...?

March 29, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (5)

Fascinating fascinating.

U.S. man claims to be pregnant

An Oregon man who used to be a woman says he is pregnant with a baby girl.

Thomas Beatie's first-person story appears in the April issue of The Advocate, a Los Angeles-based newsmagazine for lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered people.

According to the story, Mr. Beatie was born a woman but decided to become a transgender male and legally changed his sex to male. He had his breasts surgically removed and started bimonthly testosterone injections, but kept his vagina.

Now identifying as male, Mr. Beatie legally married Nancy Beatie, the story says. The pair wanted a biological baby but Ms. Beatie was unable to carry a child. So they decided Mr. Beatie would carry the child.

March 25, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (3)

Of the many things one might expect to find on a news site like CBS, this is probably not one of them.

And yet, there it is:

Your Penis Is Shaped Like a Boomerang.

March 20, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a unique advertising campaign. Urologists are urging basketball fans to offer the ultimate excuse to their partners for planting their asses in front of the tv. "Honey, bring me a beer while I recover from my vasectomy." Hey, hope I can get a tubal ligation in time for the Forensic Files marathon!

Clinic: have vasectomy, watch NCAA hoops

For guys who park in front of the TV during college basketball's March Madness, the Oregon Urology Institute has a suggestion: Why not use that time to recover from a vasectomy?

"When March Madness approaches you need an excuse ... to stay at home in front of the big screen," the clinic's radio ad says. "Get your vasectomy at Oregon Urology Institute the day before the tournament starts. It's snip city."

March 9, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wired is running a story worth reading about efforts by a unique religious cult - The Raelians - to repair the genital mutilation of African girls. As a humanitarian gesture, they are funding a clinic for surgical reconstruction of the clitoris. The Raelians are usually depicted as wackos but this particular initiative deserves praise, both for putting their money behind something they believe in and for raising public awareness of this depressingly cruel practice. Besides, who could resist a woman dressed up as a clit? Talk about an eye-catching team mascot.

Raelians Rocket From Clones to Clitorises

The Raelians have championed some strange causes in the movement's 25-year history, including aliens and human clones, but now they are going to bat for a body part -- the clitoris.

The cult's leader, Rael, whose real name is Claude Vorilhon, has become outraged by the custom of female genital cutting, the primarily African practice in which part of a girl's genitalia is sliced away.

Now the Raelian Movement has resolved to build a hospital in the West African country of Burkina Faso, where women could come to have their clitorises "reconstructed."

Visit Clitoraid, to learn more about the project, and its plans to build a "Pleasure Hospital," where the procedure will be offered free to girls.

While you're there, check out Abi's Story

Abi Sanon is a Raelian pionner who decided to have her clitoris rebuilt as soon as it became available in her country. After experiencing the pleasure to be one again, she decided to let as many women as possible know about this possibility.

Of course she contributed to the information campaign organized by the Raelian Movement of her country, Burkina Faso. But she wanted to do more. Abi is a very shy and humble woman. She decided to overcome her limits and started a very succesful tour. Like her, you can inform and help women to sense pleasure again.

Here is her story of the past few weeks :

It all started in Burkina with large media coverage of the initial press releases about the campaign « Adopt a Clitoris » and « the Pleasure Hospital »....

February 19, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Banana flavoured condoms" from
Adverbox Advertising blog

February 17, 2008 in Sexual Health, Sexual Humor | Permalink | Comments (0)

From today's email, an action alert from NARAL's Pro-Choice America project, asking folks to send email to their senators. After I signed, their site generated the form letter below.

If you support a woman's right to abortion, please click the links below and let your people in Washington know you oppose Honaker's nomination.

from the Choice Action Network

Despite the blatantly anti-choice position of judicial nominee Richard Honaker, President Bush nominated him for a lifetime position as a federal judge - so now it's time for the Senate to send him packing.

Will you please join me and tell your senators that Richard Honaker is too extreme for a lifetime appointment? He's been trying to obscure his out-of-the-mainstream beliefs about a woman's right to choose. The man who once led an effort to outlaw abortion in Wyoming has said, “As a state legislator, I took positions on a lot of legislative issues and public policy issues, and one of them was on the abortion issue. That was my role at that time…. But my role as a judge would be far different.”

I don't believe it.

Please click this link to urge your senators to oppose Richard Honaker's nomination.

We need to make sure that the Senate gets the message - the man who tried and failed THREE TIMES to ban abortion in Wyoming does not deserve a lifetime appointment to the federal bench.

Please take a minute today to ask them to help stop Richard Honaker's nomination by clicking here

After you contact your senators, please click the link below to ask your friends and family to help make sure Richard Honaker's nomination is stopped.

Thank you

join the
Choice Action Network

February 13, 2008 in Sexual Health, Sexual Politics | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to my friend Todd at Durex for sending me this link!

February 11, 2008 in Sexual Health, Sexual Humor | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've always thought it took a hard man to fly fighter planes...

Pilots may benefit from anti-impotence pill

A drug used to treat impotence could help Israeli fighter pilots operate at high altitude.

According to the Israeli military's official magazine, a retired general plans to present to the air force the results of a study he conducted on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

He found that tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis tablets, improved breathing in a thin atmosphere....

On the other hand, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

February 7, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

UK mega drugstore, Boots, is selling a nifty cream to ease nipple discomfort for breast-feeding moms. Hmm. Soreness. Discomfort. Dryness. HMMM. Any UK pervs ever try this after some hard-core nipple play?

Gotta love their wild ad:

Link: Boots nipple cream ad escapes ASA ban

January 24, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

via popbitch.com

Men in England and Wales are twice as likely to die as a result of having a foreign object in their anus as they are through being struck by lightning.

January 24, 2008 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

My news-clippers keep dropping the results from this new study in my mailbox, announcing that Circumcision 'does not curb sex'.

The study, undertaken in Uganda, asked men if they were less satisfied by sex after circumcision. The results showed that the men studied did not feel circumcision inhibited their sex drive or significantly impacted their performance.

Now: let's think about this for a minute. You ask a big group of men who have just had their genitalia modified, and must live with the results for the rest of their lives, if they feel any less like men. And you are asking this question of African men, raised in fiercely male-dominated, macho cultures. How many of them do you think will admit they don't feel as manly as they did before?

The single biggest problem that all sex researchers, all around the world, have to deal with, and overcome, is people lying about sex. It isn't because people intend to lie. More often than not, shyness, embarrassment, inhibition and pride lead people to fudge their genuine feelings and experiences. That's why sex studies where individuals retain anonymity can sometimes prove more honest than sex studies where people answer questions face-to-face.

Now, if you live in a culture where masculinity and sexual prowess define your social existence and are at the core of your self-image and identity -- would you admit if your penis didn't work quite as well after surgery? Or might you want to keep that shameful little secret to yourself?

But what really troubles me about this study is that it was conducted at all.

As I've blogged dozens of times, there is no solid medical evidence to support circumcision -- not in babies and certainly not in men. While circumcision *MAY* reduce the risks of AIDS infection up to 50-60%, condoms will reduce that risk by 99%.

Another wonderful thing that condoms do is they prevent pregnancies. And there is the rub.

Why would scientists undertake an expensive third world study on a method that could possibly lower infection rates by only 50% when condom use is clearly the best option? Why not educate people and, meanwhile, possibly spare new generations of AIDs infected children from being born?

I think you know the answer but I'll give it to you anyway: religious fanaticism. More precisely, Christian religious fanaticism. More precisely than that, George Bush-style Christian religious fanaticism. The same fanaticism that is making it harder in the US for women to get birth control. The same ideology that dictates that birth control is evil, and it's better for people to transmit diseases than to be able to prevent pregnancy. After all, if people didn't risk getting a disease or having an unwanted pregnancy, who knows what could happen? People might have sex for pleasure! Oh, God, no, not that! Not pleasure!

We don't really want to repair the AIDS scourge in Africa. If we really wanted to, we'd help people to take control of their sexual destinies. We'd educate them about condoms. We'd work to overcome their prejudices against condoms and birth control. We'd distribute free condoms. That's the only solution to the crisis.

As far as I'm concerned, this study is just another propaganda tool for Bush's religious jihad against science.

January 14, 2008 in Sex and Spirituality, Sexual Health, Sexual Politics, Sexual Science and Medicine | Permalink | Comments (1)

I haven't published links to the recent flurry of stories about how abstinence ed doesn't work 'cause I've covered the subject of abstinence ed many times over the past few years, predicting what studies are now proving: that abstinence ed will be a national disaster, that we'll only see greater rates of STD infections and higher pregnancy rates (which we have), and that it will only make kids even more eager to defy authority and experiment earlier (as they have).

Now all the people who supported abstinence ed (or at least mindlessly went along with the government's whacked out dogma) are surprised by the latest studies proving what a hollow sham abstinence ed was in the first place.

Why did we need studies to prove what common sense dictates? You keep kids ignorant, they're going to act ignorant. How much studying does that concept require?

Anyway, one curious paradox does arise. If all the studies are correct, and sex education delays the age at which kids start to experiment....then what about the other study whose results were published by The Washington Post last week which asserts that teens who start having sex early are less likely to be delinquents and may even have fewer problems with sexual dysfunction in adulthood?

If it's healthier for kids to be sexually active...maybe we should leave them in the dark ages after all and let them fornicate the old fashioned ignorant way.

This could be the first argument against sex education that's had real legs.

p.s. What I really think is that we need less studies and a whole lot more common sense about teenagers and sex. We could start by educating not only the kids but their parents. We're never going to raise a generation of sexually healthy kids if their parents are so screwed up they still think abstinence is the answer.

December 20, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today will have an international flair, as I've culled several items of interest from around the world - beginning with this fascinating new research which Israeli scientists believe shows that a rare type of wild mushroom long used in Chinese medicine may successfully treat prostate cancer.

Researchers at the university in northern Israel said they found molecules in the Ganoderma lucidum mushroom, commonly known as the reishi, which help suppress some mechanisms involved in the progression of prostate cancer.

"We already knew the mushroom could impede the development of cancer by affecting the immune system. The in-vitro trials we have done show that it attacks the cancer cells directly," chief researcher Ben Zion Zaidman told AFP.

LINK

December 17, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

The latest and greatest in tit technology, for connoisseurs (and female athletes, of course)....

The intelligent bra that takes the jiggling out of jogging

From the sensors, the team was able to glean that all the strain and stress from the breast movement was being borne by the straps.

This was causing the shoulder pain and tingling in the arms that many women suffer - and could cause long-term nerve damage.

Reporting their findings in the latest issue of the Journal of Biomechanics, they say: "A consequence of current brassiere design is that the brassiere straps bear much of the load generated by breast momentum during physical activity.

Now when will they bring the same scientific scrutiny to bear on bobbly balls?

December 12, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thinking of voting for a pro-life Republican next year? Better start scheduling your vasectomies and tubal ligations now.

If we had a president who opposed all forms of birth control there's no telling how this could play out on the local level for you and your partner(s). The same people who are now refusing to stock and sell birth control pills will feel entitled to stop selling condoms and sponges too.

The One Question the "Pro-life" Presidential Candidates Don't Want You to Ask

98 percent of American women have done it.

37 million Americans are currently doing it.

Most of the GOP candidates oppose it.

What is it?

If you said "sex," you were close. The answer is "use contraception."

December 11, 2007 in Sexual Health, Sexual Politics | Permalink | Comments (0)

THIS is NOT the first time scientists have "discovered" that pot inhibits the growth of cancerous tumors. Study after study has shown that marijuana has impressive medical benefits. This is simply the latest study to prove what scientists know to be fact. Marijuana can be good for you. It's information the government and media continually try to censor and suppress. And even as they are reporting this latest story - that marijuana is particularly effective in inhibiting the growth of aggressive breast cancer (yes, folks, the only drug out there which MAY be able to force aggressive breast cancer into remission)...even still, everyone's still making sure to say "but don't smoke pot."

Oh heavens no. Don't, by any means, go anywhere near the only drug known to help.

For Pete's sake what kind of fucktards keep refusing to allow women access to a drug that could save their lives?? Clearly it's people who care more for pushing a political agenda than for truth. Can we please get back to reality-based reality and evidence-based science??

So let me be the first sex doctor to say this: ladies, do not fear the pot! It could make you sleepy, spacey, or just plain giddy, but it could save your life. You choose.

Read the article: Can Pot Stop Breast Cancer?

December 5, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (4)

By Mithras Invicti

This is very funny:

And the explanation: New York Dominatrix and Fitness Instructor Miss "Victoria" puts her overweight clients through an aerobic workout that she has devised named Slavercize. As her willing and submissive 'slaves' they must perform push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks and 'play fetch' dressed in latex and threatened with a whip.

A long time ago, Bally Fitness came out with their Pain in the Butt workout, which had a commercial with a dommy-looking woman and the sound of whipcracks.

(Via this girl.)

November 30, 2007 in Mithras Invicti, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Woman has 200 orgasms every day

PRETTY Sarah Carmen is a 200-a-day orgasm girl who gets good, good, GOOD vibrations from almost anything.

The rumble of a train on the tracks, the purr of a hairdryer, the rhythmic drone of a photo-copier are all enough to make her go oh oh oh, ahhhhh....

Sarah, 24, suffers from Permanent Sexual Arousal Syndrome (PSAS), which increases blood flow to the sex organs....

It's a very rare condition, and some doctors don't believe it has a basis in physiology, but in psychology. Either way, what an exhausting way to live!

November 23, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (1)

File this under "sometimes I really hate being right."

U.S. sets record in sexual disease cases

More than 1 million cases of chlamydia were reported in the United States last year — the most ever reported for a sexually transmitted disease, federal health officials said Tuesday. "A new U.S. record," said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr. of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

More bad news: Gonorrhea rates are jumping again after hitting a record low, and an increasing number of cases are caused by a "superbug" version resistant to common antibiotics, federal officials said Tuesday.

Syphilis is rising, too. The rate of congenital syphilis — which can deform or kill babies — rose for the first time in 15 years.

November 14, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

If you have a serious medical fetish, you should check out the Development of the Modern Cystoscope: An Illustrated History. It's available on MedScape, the go-to source for everything going on in the world of medicine. I do a lot of CME's (post grad training) in sexual medicine on-line with MedScape but you don't need credentials to join their free service. You'll need to sign up to see this exhibit but if you are keenly interested in medical devices, it's worth the effort to read up on how urological technology has progressed from the early days.

Here are a few photos to tease you - the article on MedScape contains many more. Now imagine being a patient in the late 19th and early 20th century, and having your doctor come at you holding this, preparing to stick it up your urethra and take a peek.

October 31, 2007 in Sex and History, Sex and Sadomasochism, Sex and Technology, Sexual Health, Sexual Science and Medicine | Permalink | Comments (2)

Not my usual fare but this was an eye-opener and since size has become such an overriding obsession in our culture, along with all the diet Nazis gurus telling us what we can and can't eat, it seems more than relevant to anyone who thinks about weight. Which is basically EVERYONE these days, thanks to the hysteria in mainstream media about dangerous foods and low fat diets. Shout out to Mike for sending another fascinating link.

...one of the largest, longest and most expensive randomized, controlled, primary dietary intervention clinical trial in the history of our country was launched in 1993. This was to be THE study to end all studies and proponents believed it would finally prove the benefits of not just low-fat diets, but what has come to epitomize the government's very definition of “healthy eating.” According to the National Institutes of Health, it was "one of the largest studies of its kind ever undertaken in the United States and is considered a model for future studies of women’s health.” It was a major undertaking, costing $415 million and was conducted at 40 medical centers across the country. It was a well-designed and carefully conducted study and researchers were confident this would prove the rightness of eating “right.”

....Most of the study results were published at the beginning of last year, in a series of articles in the Journal of the American Medical Association.....

[Data showed] there was no difference in the incidences of breast cancer, colon cancer, heart attacks or strokes among those who ate “healthy” and those who ate whatever they pleased.......

from The big one — results of the biggest clinical trial of healthy eating ever

October 25, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the case of the G-Shot, medical science has yet to confirm that the G-spot has any sexual powers in the first place. What is known is that a blob of tissue that may or may not have nerve endings running through to the clitoris may or may not be situated somewhere between the pelvic bone and the cervix along the frontal vaginal wall. Suggest any doubts to Dr. Matlock and he'll look at you as a 5-year-old might had you just swiped his favorite toy.

"Does God exist?" he asks, his voice tightening, his round brown eyes growing rounder. "Some people say no, but I know otherwise. The G-spot is absolutely real."

from: Women aim to pump up sex lives with surgery

Uh-huh. And I believe that fruit-flies suck my soul dry at night and leave me feeling soulless in the morning. The science isn't there to prove it. But I believe! I believe! And if I could figure out a way to make money by my belief, I'd never question my belief because this is America, where profits validate everything.

ARGH.

As a sex therapist, I WISH there were simple mechanical solutions to important psychological complications, like why people (male and female alike) struggle with orgasms. As competent sex doctors know, most female sexual problems are not organic (i.e., the result of a physiological issue) but psychological (i.e., the symptom of an emotional conflict). In most cases where there are underlying physiological issues in female orgasm the women also have numerous other symptoms - basically what you would expect if someone's hormones are suppressed or low. Vaginal dryness, change in skin texture or increased hair-growth are simple signs. Quick rule of thumb: if you can feel aroused, and you can get wet, and especially if you can climax from masturbation, chances are your orgasm issue is an emotional issue, not a physical issue.

That doesn't mean a little extra boost isn't cool. If they ever come up with the female equivalent of Viagra, and assuming it doesn't carry too many risks, I'd be thrilled to recommend it. But women are going to extremes in search of not simply elusive goals but non-existent ones.

Even the strongest proponents of the "miracles" of the Grafenberg spot , like Dr. Beverly Whipple, have backed off their claims in recent years. None of the studies which have labored to prove it have held up to scientific scrutiny. Indeed, most competent sex therapists don't want to get lost in the morass that is the G-spot because, quite simply, nobody knows if it plays any role in orgasm or female ejaculation. Except, of course, for quacks who BELIEVE and all the suckers who believe in their belief and get dubious medical interventions for which they pay huge bucks. My guess is the only real benefit is psychological. As in "Oh, now that I had an injection, I can have great orgasms" and woo, what a surprise, the person who was all anxious and uptight about orgasms, now equipped with the magic fairy dust of an orgasm "cure," suddenly gets orgasmic.

If I had a sugar pill I gave patients with the guarantee it'd cure their orgasm problems, I am willing to bet that a percent of them would report back that it worked. If I sold such a pill on the Internet, I would get rich. People who didn't need a pill - just needed the belief that the pill gave them - would be declaring me a genius. People who were not in the least bit helped by my pill would be too embarrassed to admit it, and would assume the problem was them, not the pill. I'd get to keep their money.

BELIEVE! BELIEVE!

Anyone want to buy some soul-sucking fruit flies?

October 24, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

So if you're a man and you've got to choose: get hard or go deaf - what would you choose?

Medical literature is reporting that men who take Levitra, Cialis or Viagra, are at risk of sudden deafness. Scientists aren't yet sure whether it's the drugs causing the deafness, or if the drugs aggravate underlying issues with hearing, but either way, not good news. Common sense dictates that if you know your hearing is a problem, and you've been taking (or are thinking of taking) ED drugs, you should get your hiney to your doctor ASAP and assess your risk. 33% of the cases studied were only temporary - but the potential for permanently trading hard-ons for hearing is not something to take lightly.

By the way, this news is super-current. Your prescribing doctor may not yet be aware of it. My advice: Print out the article and bring it with you if you plan to discuss this with your doctor. Some docs are fine at writing you scrips but lousy when it comes to actually talking about sex medicine so be your own best advocate and be prepared.

Erectile Dysfunction Drugs Linked to Risk for Hearing Loss

Sudden loss of hearing has been reported in patients taking phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, the US Food and Drug Administration warned healthcare professionals yesterday.

In some cases, the sudden loss or decrease in hearing was accompanied by vestibular symptoms such as tinnitus, vertigo, and dizziness....

The warning was based on 29 postmarketing cases that occurred in a strong temporal relationship to dosing with sildenafil (Viagra, Pfizer, Inc), tadalafil (Cialis, Lilly ICOS, LLC), and vardenafil (Levitra, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp), which were taken for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Other cases were also reported during clinical trials.....

October 24, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (1)

Well this sounds like a dream job, doesn't it?

from the good people at Durex...

How many people can you name who don’t like their jobs? Chances are you could probably name a few.

Well, it ends today because Durex has a new job that is anything but mundane: condom tester. No joke, Durex is looking for a few good men and women (U.S. residents 18 and older) to volunteer for the position. In all, 1,000 people will be picked and interested parties need to register by Nov. 4. One lucky tester also will be rewarded a $1,000 cash prize.

To join in the fun, log on to http://durexcondomtester.com/.

Oh yeah, be sure to tell your friends.

October 22, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

By Mithras Invicti

Hannah at down the rabbit hole, who says "I am all about my ass", has a short but very well-written post about her first time anally penetrating herself:

I was young, but I was not without a rudimentary knowledge of basic physiology - and physics - so I knew that whatever went in there was going to have to be easily retrievable. I had no idea at the time there were toys designed specifically for this purpose, and even if I did, it wouldn't have done me any good; I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I sure wasn't old enough to buy a butt plug. So I did what I always did - improvised.

As a guy, stories of women's sexual self-discovery are fascinating to me both for the potential prurient interest and because many women say it took them a long time to figure out their own bodies, so stories of success have a really sweet quality to them. And surprising. Bic pens bound in electrical tape - who knew?

-Mithras

October 16, 2007 in Mithras Invicti, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Actually, Mike found it for me. Thanks, bud.

The Inaugural General Assembly of the World Toilet Association will have its first gathering next month. In honor of the occasion, founding member Sim Jae-duck of South Korea built this toilet-shaped house south of Seoul.
Neatorama » Toilet-shaped House

October 11, 2007 in Post-Modern Pop Culture, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (1)

Never knew this before, but, sure, why not, makes sense.

Check out the question - and especially the answers in

Spotted dick. Its not just a pudding anymore

October 10, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (1)

The second data-packed release from Durex:

2007/2008 Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey
Segmented Audience Findings

ATLANTA (Sept. 25, 2007) – Finally, here’s something that men and women have in common: They’re too shy to talk with their partners about sex and ask for what they really want in the bedroom. That’s among the key findings of “In The Bedroom,” the second wave of the 2007/2008 Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey, which takes an intimate peek behind bedroom doors.

Men: Nearly 40% Won’t Tell Partners What Turns Them On
The 2007/2008 Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey found that:
62% of men are confident enough to tell their partners what really turns them on
47% of American men masturbate weekly
Heterosexual American men enjoy a range of bedroom antics including oral sex (72%), sensual massages (67%), erotic materials (51%) and sexual fantasies (43%) to boost the libido.
o Sexy underwear is a favorite for just 21% of American men.
On average, American men have 13 partners, 10 less than Canadians (23), three less than the British (16) and one less than Mexicans (14).
Globally, more time (36%) and less stress (35%) are men’s top priorities for improving their sex lives – with a third of American men (33%) wanting more fun.

Women: More Romance, Less Stress Top List Of Priorities
The 2007/2008 Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey found that:
53% of women feel confident enough to say what really turns them on.
Almost a quarter (24%) of American women masturbate weekly.
America’s bedrooms are home to a range of antics for some heterosexual women. Sensual massage (58%) and wearing sexy underwear (55%) sit atop the menu while 36% enjoy sexual fantasies and more than one in four (28%) like to use erotica to boost their libido.
o Two thirds (67%) of woman regularly enjoy oral sex.
The survey found that American women on average have nine partners – above the global average of seven, three more than Mexican woman (6) and one less than Canadians (10).
Globally, more romance (43%) and less stress (38%) are women’s top priorities for improving their love sessions – together with more time with their partners (36%).

Young Adults: More Verbose, Enjoy More Exciting Love Lives
The 2007/2008 Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey found that:
59% of lovers globally between 16 and 24 years old feel fully confident in telling their partner what they enjoy most in bed.
o People get less confident the older they become – the figures drop to 57% of the 35-54 year olds and only 55% for people over 55.
And older generations could learn from their children. Although 65% of 45-54 year olds have sex at least once a week – not that much less than the 73% of 16-24s – their activity between the sheets lacks the same spark.
More than six out of 10 (61%) of the under-24s enjoy exciting love lives.
o Only four out of 10 (44%) of those over 35 can say the same.
Less than half (48%) of all 16-24s think they are getting enough variety.
The Internet isn’t as big an influence on young adults as some might expect
o 44% of 16-24 year olds go online for tips on spicing up their love lives, which is just 1% more than those turning to books or films.
Globally, more than half (52%) of the 16-24 age group expect people to become more experimental while nearly two thirds (64%) believe people will have sex for the first time at a younger age in the coming decade.

The global research was conducted to gain insights into sexual wellbeing from the general public in 26 countries. More than 26,000 people were questioned on key aspects of their lives: health, general wellbeing, education, beliefs, sex and relationships, attitudes to sex and social circumstances.

Visit:
www.durexsexualwellbeing.com

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Todd DeFeo
404-266-7540
tdefeo@webershandwick.com

Breda Murphy
404-266-7530
bmurphy@webershandwick.com

October 10, 2007 in Sex and Culture, Sex and Relationships, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

A big shout-out to Todd DeFeo for sending me the new insider news on Durex's latest and greatest global sex surveys. Durex has devoted serious resources to researching the truth about human sexuality around the world. IMO, it makes this condom and adult toy manufacturer one of the best, most useful corporate citizens that sex-positive activists could hope for.

Since the releases contain so much fascinating data for sex teachers, scholars, students and lovers, I'm publishing both in their entirety today, just there as Todd sent 'em. Part II is up next.

Americans Not Making Time For Making Love: No Wonder Less Than Half Find Sex Lives Exciting

Americans spend nearly three hours every week grooming themselves, but less than one hour on foreplay and sexual intercourse. No wonder only 46% of them describe their love lives as exciting.

And while there are several factors influencing sexual wellbeing, Americans seem to lack both quality and quantity.

On average, Americans spend 35 minutes on foreplay and sexual intercourse each session. Since Americans have sex once every 4.3 days, that averages out to about 57 minutes per week – about 14 minutes below the global average.

These findings are part of “In The Bedroom,” the latest results from the 2007/2008 Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey, which takes an intimate peek behind bedroom doors around the world. “In The Bedroom” is the second major release of the five-part survey, building on its exploration into “Sexual Satisfaction,” a report released in April 2007. Analysis of physical pleasure and sexual knowledge and education will be released over the next 14 months.

“Sexual Satisfaction,” the first wave of the survey, revealed that Americans are having a lot less sex than just about everyone else in the world, and when they do, less than half are fully satisfied. On average, Americans have sex just 85 times a year (about once every 4.3 days) – well below the global average of 103 times (about once every 3.5 days), with only the Japanese (48 times), people in Hong Kong (82 times) and Nigerians (84 times) having less sex.

Key Findings About Americans Compared To The World
While Americans might be somewhat bored in bed, they have ideas about what they can do to improve their sex lives; most notably, less stressful lives (37%) and more romance (35%) top the list. Other key findings from the report include:
American men average 13 partners, which is:
o Ten less than Canadians (23)
o Three less than the British (16)
o One less than Mexicans (14)
o Equal to the global average (13)
American women average nine partners, which is:
o One less than Canadians (10)
o One less than the British (10)
o Three more than Mexicans (6)
o Two more than the global average (7)
Oral sex (69%) and sensual massage (62%) top the list of activities in the bedroom
More than four out of ten (42%) enjoy sexual fantasies and erotica (41%) to boost the libido
Older people still enjoy a variety of activities to keep passion alive, as more than 52% of those 55 or older give oral sex and 29% act out sexual fantasies
o Globally, 48% of those 55 or older practice oral sex and more than a third (36%) act out sexual fantasies
We like to please ourselves: 88% of Americans have masturbated at some time
o Globally, 83% of people have masturbated at some time
More than a third of Americans (34%) use vibrators and more than half (54%) use lubricants as part of their sex lives
o That’s far higher than the global figures of 21% and 34% respectively

The research also shows that most Americans (54%) expect greater tolerance of sexual preferences and practices in the future and are optimistic it will happen within 10 years. Another 52% expect that lovers will become more experimental, with 57% looking forward to people being sexually active for longer in the years to come.

“The survey has highlighted the activities that people already enjoy as an integral part of their sex lives and those they would like to include in the future,” said Stephen Mare, Brand Manager for Durex®. “As a leading authority on sexual wellbeing, Durex® is always looking at how habits are changing to ensure that we are providing the appropriate products to help our customers enhance their sexual health.”

Expert Commentary
The research shows that even those who aren’t yet using products to enhance their sex lives are keen to experiment. Another 16% of Americans are open to trying vibrators, 23% would like to try an orgasm enhancing gel and 11% would consider aphrodisiacs or pheromones. Also, 45% of Americans think it is acceptable for products aimed at improving sex lives to be sold in
mainstream stores.

“Millions of people feel unsatisfied with their sex lives. Whether it’s the frequency of intercourse, or lack of variety and excitement, they feel that their sexual wellbeing is suffering,” said Dr. Sari Locker, a sexuality and relationships educator.

“But there’s a definite ray of hope that’s apparent from the results of this survey,” added Dr. Locker, author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Amazing Sex. “More people than ever before are open to the idea that they can improve their sex lives. Becoming braver about making bedroom banter is the first step to knowing how to ask for more sexual excitement and creativity.”

The global research was conducted to gain insights into sexual wellbeing from the general public in 26 countries. More than 26,000 people were questioned on key aspects of their lives: health, general wellbeing, education, beliefs, sex and relationships, attitudes to sex and
social circumstances.

# # #
About The 2007/2008 Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey
“In the Bedroom” is the second in a five-part series of reports generated by a global survey on sexual wellbeing, commissioned by Durex®.

This global research was conducted to gain insights into sexual wellbeing from the general public in 26 countries. In total 26,032 people were questioned on key aspects of their lives:

health
general wellbeing
education beliefs
sex and relationships
attitudes to sex and social circumstances

The objective was to enable Durex®, a leading authority on sexual wellbeing with more than 75 years of related experience in such areas as developing condoms, personal lubricants and devices intended to enhance the sexual experience, to remain at the forefront in helping people fulfill their sexual aspirations and enjoy better sex.

Conducted by Harris Interactive, participating countries were Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States.

As a result of the survey Durex® has amassed a wealth of data, providing an unprecedented insight into all areas of sexual wellbeing. Durex® is publishing the data over a period of 18 months to look in depth at a variety of topics, including sexual experimentation, physical pleasure, emotional aspects of sex, first sex and education.

By the end of the series Durex® will have developed a model for sexual wellbeing.

The Durex® Sexual Wellbeing Global Survey was conducted online during August and September 2006.

A copy of the first two phases of the report can be accessed at www.durexsexualwellbeing.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Todd DeFeo
404-266-7540
tdefeo@webershandwick.com

Breda Murphy
404-266-7530
bmurphy@webershandwick.com

October 10, 2007 in Sex and Culture, Sex and Relationships, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Was reading something about bisexuals on AOL the other day (no kidding) and a sex quiz popped up. Couldn't resist. I was too curious to see how people were voting on this one, particularly since "S&M" was one of the choices listed! Here are the results that popped up.

What could you find out about a potential mate's sex life that would turn you off? LINK

The choices of answers were: can't have kids, won't have sex before marriage, has an incurable STD, is into BDSM, and doesn't have safe sex. And the results:

He/she has an incurable STD 65%
He/she is not able to have children 2%
He/she is into S&M 8%
He/she doesn't have sex before marriage 6%
He/she has a history risky sexual behavior 19%

REAL interesting that only 8% of people thought of SM as the top turn-off. Hey, we're only slightly less popular than virgins. I can deal with that.

And REAL ironic that "incurable STD" got the biggest response. Maybe most people think "incurable STD = HIV." Fact is, though, that if you are a sexually active person you at infinitely greater risk for two other incurable STD's, i.e., herpes (which is epidemic in the US) and HPV (which is pandemic in the US).

Check out the stats.

On genital herpes:

Approximately, 50 million people ages 12 and older are infected with genital herpes.

Among the estimated 50 million Americans who have genital herpes, 90% don't know they have the disease.

One out of five of the total adolescent and adult population is infected with genital herpes.

Since the late 1970s, the number of Americans with genital herpes infection has increased 30%.

The largest increase of genital herpes is among young White teenagers.

source: In the Know Zone

on HPV:

Approximately 20 million people are currently infected with HPV.

50% of sexually active men and women will contract an HPV infection during their lives.

By age 50, 80% of women will have acquired the genital infection of HPV.

About 6.2 million Americans contract a genital HPV infection every year.

source: HPV at Albion

If that 65% of people were serious about never having sex with someone who has an incurable STD, they better be taking vows of chastity.

Otherwise: CONDOMS, PEOPLE, CONDOMS!!!!

October 4, 2007 in Sex and Relationships, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (1)

I used to worry about dying when I was a little girl. Obsessively. Once my father reassured me that with all the advances in science and medicine, he was sure that by the time I grew up, they would have discovered the secret to immortality. I kind of knew he was lying but it made me feel a lot better anyway.

We're still a long way from immortality but there's no doubt that people today are living longer and, perhaps more importantly, enjoying a better quality of life in old age than ever before. What's the secret? Diet? Exercise? Modern medicine? Regular habits? A positive attitude? Staying active? Luck of the genetic draw? I tend to think it's all of the above. See what scientists are discovering about the secret to long life at the website, New England Centenarian Study.

Amazing to think that longevity has so improved in America that we now have organizations devoted to the study of centenarians. When they were young hormonal lads and ladies, they were aroused by naughty cabinet cards like this.

September 25, 2007 in Sex and History, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recommended reading from Advertising Age about how television abhors a condom.

Sex on TV Is OK as Long as It's Not Safe

"Sixty-five million Americans have an incurable STD. Three million unwanted pregnancies a year -- half of which end in abortion," said Mr. Daniels. "And yet you can advertise Viagra all you like, and Valtrex for [genital] herpes, but not advertise the condoms that would go on the erections that prevent herpes." ...

September 20, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bra-maker, Playtex, is marketing to younger women with hip, playful videos and interactive features, and creating short vids for YouTube. This week's entry is "Happy Bra Dance."

Of perhaps more importance to ladies of all ages is the series of events they're sponsoring at J.C. Penney nationwide to help women (some for the first time!) get a truly proper fit. If you think bras are uncomfortable, it's possible you've never had a good fit. If your bra size has changed from pregnancy, weight gain or loss, it's time to get re-measured. If you've never been professionally measured for a proper fit, well, hell, what are you waiting for? It makes a huge difference, not only in the appearance of your breasts when dressed, but in your breasts' bouncy fitness. A lifetime of improper fit can lead to saggy old bags and serious back problems. My husband of 18 years says my pink-nosed twins haven't changed a bit over all this time -- and I am fairly convinced it's my lifelong habit of ensuring a good fitting bra that's kept them looking young.

By the way, whether you're young or old, you can improve breast lift by working on your pecs. A short daily work-out with 5 lb. hand weights is all it takes to keep your pecs toned.

Visit Playtex for more G-rated vids, interactive cards, and all-around fun with bras.

September 17, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

Interesting news you may have missed is that studies show that it is NOT promiscuity that accounts for a higher rate of HIV infection among gay men.

Number of Partners Doesn't Explain Gay HIV Rate

....the sexual behaviors of gay and heterosexual men in the United States may not be as different as most people think, the researchers said.

In fact, two surveys found that most gay men have a similar rate of sex with unprotected partners compared to straight men or women....

The high rate of infection is more likely attributable to unprotected anal sex, since tissue damage is more likely to occur during anal than during vaginal sex.

Please, gentlemen. Wear a bag. Your life depends on it.

September 16, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

(See if you can spot a future super-hero!)

September 15, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

This is one of the gayest things I've ever seen.

September 15, 2007 in Sex and Culture, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (0)

A special feature today for blog readers. I spent a few hours the other day culling through some of the best and worst sex-related clips available on youtube. Instead of focusing on any specific set of topics, I picked up a random sampling of clips - some funny, some strange, and some ooh-la-la.

This afternoon, I'm going to publish an assort of clips from the 1950s that give you some inkling of what kind of craaazy attitudes were promoted as "normal" in that decade. Couple of the old "hygiene" instructional vids put out by the military, aimed at compelling soldiers to beware of personal hygiene, and particularly venereal disease. Also, a wonderful bit of cheesecake of Bettie Page performing live. From there, I'll move on to a couple of humorous clips and sex parodies. The evening will close with a Ladies Night Special. You see an awful lot of naked girls on this blog and everywhere else on the Net. Much harder to find are super-sexy shots of hunky naked (or semi-naked) men. Well, we who are inside the mind are committed to making sure that some of the wrong is rectified tonight with a few vids of cuties. (Albeit pretty vanilla, but I'm sure you ladies can use your imagination once you see the guys.)

Stay tuned today for fun and games, weirdness and hilarity, and a non-stop cavalcade of my choice of some of the best - and some of the best of the worst - vids from youtube. If I get enough positive feedback, I'll make "Sex on Tape" a regular feature on the blog. It's just the kind of research I love to do, so please offer feedback and let me know if I should continue doing it for you.

I'm starting off with this curious relic on how to date girls.

What to do on a date (1950)

September 15, 2007 in Sex and Culture, Sex and History, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (1)

An important new study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) quantified the effects of depression on human health by comparing its impact with those of chronic diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. Conclusion: "the results of a quality-of-life index called the "global mean health score" showed that depression was, by a significant margin, the most difficult to bear." Link: Depression feels worse than many chronic diseases: study.

Depression is one of the most misunderstood phenomena in the wide world of health disorders. I see it occasionally in my practice when clients who are clearly depressed will dispute the very notion of it. They think that depression=sadness and that if they aren't crying, they aren't really depressed. But sadness is only one of numerous manifestations of depression. Chronic anxiety is actually the most common symptom, and also the hardest one to ferret out because many people think that constant worrying is normal. It is not.

A significant change in any of the following could indicate depression: change in sleep patterns (whether it's insomnia or needing to sleep more than usual); change in libido (whether it's a loss of sex-drive or an excessive ratcheting up of sex-drive); change in eating habits (whether it's starving or over-eating); change in grooming habits (either becoming obsessed with how you look or neglecting your appearance). If you have always struggled with any of the above, or careen between extremes, it could indicate chronic depression.

Some depressed people experience mild or limited sadness but huge and sometimes violent anger. Sadness is usually accompanied by passivity which is why, in my experience, suicide is less likely to follow a fit of melancholy than a fit of uncontrollable anger: a rage that, turned inward, turns poisonous and self-destructive. Suicides intended to mess with the minds of survivors are almost always acts of rage. The more dramatic the suicide, the greater the rage.

Self-destructiveness, of any type, is a symptom of depression. A mentally healthy person is driven to survive. Chronic eating disorders, addictions, self-mutilations, reckless driving or other high-risk behaviors (including unsafe sex in adults who know better) all express a certain death-wish. There are exceptions, but my clinical experience has shown that drunk, the gambler, the cutter, the anorexic and the morbidly obese are almost always suffering from chronic depression. We can argue which came first -- the depression or the disorder -- but that doesn't change the reality that you are depressed.

Some depressed people never consciously feel sad or angry, but suffer from aches and pains, frequent colds or infections and mysterious illnesses (such as fibromyalgia) that MD's can't cure or treat effectively. In adulthood, some chronic conditions may either be the direct result of depression or exacerbated by depression, which undermines immunological protections and brain chemistry. In children, depression may not be perceptible if you're only looking for signs of sadness. When a child has chronic stomach-aches or headaches that cannot be medically explained, the likely cause is depression. I was such a child: often smiling and cheerful in public, but secretly wracked by intense headaches and stomach aches. And, yes, I was chronically depressed.

Depression is hard to separate from stress and when combined with stress, the results can be fatal. It's a medical truism that attitude is an important ingredient in healing. Depressed people as a rule recover slowly or poorly from diseases and surgeries. Depression robs people of the ability to defend themselves mentally against the stress and fear that accompanies significant health crises.

There are more ways to cure depression than taking medications for it (though I recommend them as the most effective and immediate way to treat depression). Talk therapy has been proven to be the single most effective way to combat the blues. Beyond that, my own recommendations to patients who acknowledge they're depressed, want to do something about it but don't want to take drugs is to make behaviorial changes to pump up the good brain chemicals. The best natural remedies to bad brain chemistry IMX have been exercise, yoga, and meditation or a combination of the three. A satisfying sex-life can be curative too.

Another fine remedy is pet ownership. Whether they teach you new ways to live or provide the unconditional love and support you've missed in life, I believe that the company of a beloved little furry creature is the next best thing to an anti-depressant.

So if reading this has made you blue, here's your afternoon therapy:

OH! You're a cat person. OK.

September 10, 2007 in Science and Culture, Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (2)

Latino Pop Star Enrique Iglesias Offered To Model For Condom Company

Two-times Grammy winning pop singer Enrique Iglesias has been offered $1 million to model for Lifestyle Condoms. The deal comes after the singer jokingly said in an interview that he has a hard time finding the rubbers that fit well on his penis.

"I'd change my penis if I could. It's way, way, way too small. I can never find extra-small condoms," the multi-million-album selling singer said in an interview with OK! Magazine....

The article says Iglesias is actually considering a deal with Lifestyles, though it doesn't say whether this would be a new line of products aimed at the under-endowed. All I can say is that it'd big balls to be the new face of small condoms.

September 4, 2007 in Sexual Health, Sexual Humor | Permalink | Comments (0)

Before you go to sleep tonight, make time to have (or to give the man in your life) an orgasm. The evidence is growing that Sex decreases prostate cancer.

Orgasms do more than help keep the prostate healthy. Male or female, your cardio fitness, your reproductive health, and your mental health all benefit from regular orgasms.

September 3, 2007 in Sexual Health | Permalink | Comments (1)

A painting of surgery for an inguinal hernia.

OK, guys - are you thanking your lucky stars that you were born AFTER the invention of anesthesia? I gather the guy by his head w