When talking about any topic that involves the adjective “sexual”, the genital area of the body immediately comes to mind. We can also associate it with pleasure or intimacy.
And if we say “sexual health”, perhaps we are mainly thinking about how to avoid infections that are transmitted in this way, since, historically, the idea of “health” has been reduced to the simple absence of disease.
That is why the World Health Organization (WHO) had to clarify that health is not only not being sick, but it is also a state of full physical and mental well-being.
Landing these ideas on sexual health, the WHO itself defines it in this way: “(It is) a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not the simple absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free from coercion, discrimination and violence”.
Keeping this in mind, we can create a short list of six tips that can improve your sexual health to live your intimacy fully and safely.
- Eat healthy. It doesn’t sound so strange that a good sex life begins in the kitchen. Many foods have been popularly known to be aphrodisiacs, and although this has not been scientifically proven, there is information on the benefits of a healthy diet for the body. Remember that sex is a physical exercise, so balanced nutrition will make it easier.
- Exercise. It is true that you can have sexual activity without too much physical effort, but sometimes the moment is so intense that you would like it to be reflected in your movements. Having a regular exercise routine improves blood circulation, in addition to releasing stress, which, if it accumulates, can negatively affect your sexual desire.
- Exercise the pelvic floor. Kegel exercises are not just any physical exercise. They are those movements that serve, specifically, to strengthen the pelvic floor, that is, all the muscles that are at the base of your pelvis. Regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, having these muscles strengthened will help improve your sexual pleasure. If you don’t know what muscle we’re talking about, try and make a movement as if you wanted to cut off the stream of urine as it comes out. Now repeat the contraction several times and feel the results.
- Use lubricants. The natural lubrication of both the female and male bodies is highly variable. If after some time the lubrication is scarce, there is no reason to worry, synthetic lubricants are safe and fun to use, in addition to promoting pleasure and preventing the condom from breaking. There is a wide variety of options, from those you can buy at the pharmacy (without going into details) to those sold in sex shops with color, flavor and aroma.
- Ask for medical advice. Although it may not be very comfortable at first, going to the doctor to deal with sexual problems should be the norm. The specialists can help you solve doubts about contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or sexual dysfunctions. Before self-medicating or following the dubious advice of your best friend, see a specialist.
- Think positive. The attitude towards sex is very important when it comes to enjoying it. It is very likely that if you have feelings of guilt or rejection towards sex, your sex life will become less and less pleasant. And it’s not about forcing yourself to enjoy things that you don’t like or interacting with people with whom you don’t want to be intimate, but about distinguishing what is a prejudice and hinders you from what is really affecting you and that requires professional help.
What other recommendations would you add to this list? As a starting point, it’s a good set of elements, so remember that a safe and fulfilling sex life is your right.
And to live it better, at AHF Latin America and the Caribbean we offer you HIV and sexual health services. If you want to take a free HIV test or want free condoms, come to one of our offices, we are in 11 countries in the region.
