Why Sex is an Important Overall Component of a Healthy Lifestyle

If you went by how the media portrays sex, you could easily be misled on why sex is such a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle. In the media and on television and the internet, sex is often portrayed for arousal only as a tool for sales. From pornography to nudity and lust, sex is often portrayed as something many might consider taboo. On the other side of the coin you have Viagra commercials and now a new women's Viagra. This represents the other side of the spectrum, which deals with curing dysfunction.

Aerobic Exercise Can Help Boost Your Metabolism

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However, what the media often fails to do is identify why sex is such a crucial overall component of a healthy lifestyle and how it can help assist you in your weight loss and fitness goals. Here's a look at some of the most healthy benefits of sex.

Weight Loss

It's great that you are on a fitness regimen that entails exercise and cardiovascular conditioning, both of which will help you to burn calories, but having sex several times a week can make your calorie expenditure that much greater and better overall if you're somebody who wants to lose weight.

Aerobic Conditioning

Sex is definitely an aerobic exercise. Depending on how good you are at it, it can be high aerobic or even anaerobic, which can help boost your metabolism. This is good for the cardiovascular system and overall conditioning.

Body Fat Loss

Stress leads to the buildup of cortisol, which makes it very difficult for the body to burn fat efficiently. Cortisol is one of the main reasons why many people have difficulty ridding of fat. Stress relief is the surest way to reduce cortisol and prevent cortisol increases, and one of the surest ways to do this is to have good sex.

Feel Good Endorphins

Sex is known to boost brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters that make you feel good, particularly serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Since mental health is an important part of an overall healthy lifestyle, this is another healthy benefit sex can have for you. Getting these chemicals going has numerous benefits for the brain and body.

Oxytocin

Oxytocin is a well known hormone associated with sex that also leads to natural feelings of euphoria and happiness. It is most commonly triggered after orgasms and very associated with feelings of love and belonging. The more oxytocin you can experience, the better you will feel and more happy you will be.

Strength

Depending on what positions you enjoy, sex can also strengthen the muscles. Many positions require squatting or positioning the body like a push up. Some other positions require movements similar to dips and bicep curls. The abdominals are always working hard, as well as the hips so sex is a great way to strengthen the abs and help achieve a six pack.

Strength to Improve Sexual Wellness

Summary

Despite many common taboos still associated with sex today and the media's portrayal of sex exclusively as a sales tool, it is actually a key component of an overall healthy lifestyle. Having a healthy active sex life can work wonders for your fitness goals, levels of happiness, and daily life satisfaction.

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Men Who Have Sex With Men And Women (MSMW) And Public Health

A recent study published in the Journal of Preventative Medicine this past June argues that the public health community has not paid enough attention to the needs of bisexual men. In Beyond the Bisexual Bridge, author William Jeffries IV, PhD suggests that men who have sex with men and women (MSMW) are often seen as transmitters of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including HIV.

Bisexual Men Are Not 'Closet Gays', They Really Do Like Men AND Women

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The issue at hand is that MSMW are seen as the main way in which certain diseases or epidemics jump from gay men to heterosexuals of both sexes. Jeffries believes that by looking at them as disease vectors and not a population with their own sexual health issues we are making bisexual men more vulnerable to STIs. Although only about two percent of the male population identifies as MSMW, the study indicates that their sexual health needs and experiences are different from those of heterosexual or straight men.

MSMW have a greater chance of experiencing early sexual debut, forced sexual encounters, and sex in exchange for money or something else of value. MSMW tend to have more sexual partners, greater issues with substance abuse, and take more risks in sex with both male and female partners. Because of personal safety issues, adolescent MSMW are more likely to drop out of school. According to the study, this may be one of the reasons that adult MSMW are less likely to have a college degree and more likely to have lower incomes or be homeless.

Jeffries attributes many of these issues to biphobia. Biphobia comes from both gay and heterosexual people who feel that bisexuality is not a legitimate sexual orientation. The view of bisexuals as the STI “bridge” between communities heightens biphobia and may cause MSMW to take additional risks.

MSMW may feel socially isolated and feel psychological distress, which in turn may promote HIV/STI risk through substance use, risky sexual behaviors, and the avoidance of prevention services. Jeffries suggests creating community social spaces that provide opportunities for social support and discussion of sexual health concerns. One such place is an online dating community like PositiveSingles.com created for people with Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs).

Positive Singles is the largest online community and dating website for people with STDs. Launched in 2001, it is for people who live with STDs like HIV, Herpes (HSV), or HPV. Since it's launch, they have seen an incredible growth in its membership and their daily active members. Currently, it has over 800,000 members worldwide, and over 15,000 daily active members.

Another solution that Jeffries suggests are various social and public health strategies that include media and educational campaigns. He believes that these can improve the health and well-being of MSMW. He believes that medical and health professionals need sensitivity trainings because of the hostile environments MSMW encounter when they seek information about sexual health or HIV/STI testing.

Men Who Have Sex With Both Men And Women Experience More Health Problems

Jeffries concludes the study by stating that, “Recognition of MSMW’s unique sexual and social experiences can lay the foundation necessary for ensuring that these men have healthy and fulfilling sexual experiences.”

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What you Should be Eating to Combat Cancer

In today's lifestyle, cancer causing carcinogens are everywhere. It is no surprise that the risk of cancer is growing daily. According to the American Cancer Society an estimated 1.6 million new cases of cancer are being diagnosed in 2014 alone. Hence forth, it is increasingly important to understand the foods that will help to combat cancer causing agents.

Eating more fibre-filled foods could reduce your risk of ovarian cancer

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The most talked about and the strongest evidence of cancer fighting foods point to the benefits of adding plant based foods to your diet such as vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and a variety of herbs. Laboratory tests administered by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) demonstrate that many individual minerals and phytochemicals have an anti-cancer effect. Some of the most touted foods include: berries, turmeric and broccoli.

Berries are an easy and delicious addition to any diet. High in ellegic acid, a phytochemical that helps to prevent many various cancers from breast to bladder. The powerful antioxidant fruit is also chock full of vitamin C and fiber which is known to protect against cancer. Among the most talked about cancer fighting foods is turmeric. Extensive research by the Life Extension Foundation found that that turmeric targets 10 causative factors involved in cancer development. Chronic inflammation, DNA damage and disruption of cell signaling pathways are an example of these. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli have been known to halt the ability of cancer growth through a phytochemical called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane stimulates enzymes that detoxify cancer cells helping to prevent tumors.

Berries

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The beneifts of nutrition and exercise as part of a lifestyle

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics theme for 2015 is “Bite into a healthy Lifestyle”

The goal of this theme is not just to get us think about health eating but to help us make life long lifestyle changes that will promote a healthy and happiness. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics goal is to encourage everyone to adopt healthy eating plans that are focused on eating fewer calories, making informed food choices and getting daily exercise. The benefits of a healthy lifestyle is more than just weight loss but it can also reduce the risk of chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. A healthy lifestyle can also improve energy and reduce depression.

Nutritious Food

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Healthy eating recommendations include

Ø  Choose whole grains such as whole grain breads and cereals, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. When reading the food label, foods that contain 5 grams (g) of fiber are “high in fiber” and foods that have 2.5g-4.9g are considered a “good source of fiber” If it the food has 2.5g or less it is a low source of fiber.

Ø  Make half of your meal fruits and vegetables. Not only are they low in fat and calories but they are high in fiber, vitamin and minerals. It is also important to eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables

Ø  Switch to fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese and yogurt. This is a great way to cut the amount of fat but allows you to enjoy all the benefits of dairy.

Ø  Choose lean protein such as skinless poultry, fish, nuts, beans and eggs, most often

Ø  Cut back on salt by not using a salt shaker and by choosing the low sodium option of box and canned foods

Ø  Limit the intake of empty calories from added sugars such as soda, candy and baked goods

Ø  Monitor and reduce portion sizes

Ø  We also need to stay physically active. It is recommended that adults get 2 hours and 30 minutes of exercise each week. Start by be more active at least 10 minutes at a time. Remember that very minute counts

Get moving by

Ø  Take the stairs

Ø  Park in the furthest spot from the door when going to work or shopping

Ø  Play with your pets or kids

Ø  March or run in place during the commercials of your favorite TV show

Ø  Go for a walk during your breaks at work

Exercise and Nutrition Support Mental Health

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Prevent diabetes with nutrition and exercise, not pills

Nutrition and exercise can delay diabetes for at least a decade and those lifestyle changes work better than a popular drug.

In the late 1990s, the Diabetes Prevention Program randomly assigned, to one of three groups, roughly 3,200 people who were at risk for diabetes because they were overweight or obese and had fasting blood sugar levels that were elevated (at least 95 mg/dL) but not high enough to warrant a diagnosis of diabetes (126 mg/dL or higher).

Those assigned to the intensive lifestyle group were encouraged to lose at least 7 percent of their body weight and to exercise for at least 2½ hours a week.

The drug group was given the oral diabetes drug metformin (850 milligrams twice a day).

The placebo group was given lookalike but inactive pills.

In 2001, the researchers halted the study one year earlier than planned because the results were so clear: The risk of diabetes was 58 percent lower in the intensive lifestyle group than in the placebo group.

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Metformin cut the risk by 31 percent versus the placebo. In a follow-up study, the researchers invited the people from all three of the original groups to attend coaching sessions on intensive lifestyle changes every three months.

During the next six years, the people from the original intensive lifestyle group maintained their lower risk of diabetes, while the risk of people from the original drug and placebo groups declined.

But since the people in the original lifestyle group had a head start, their 10-year risk of diabetes was 34 percent lower than the risk of those in the original placebo group. The metformin group’s risk was 18 percent lower than the original placebo group’s.

Type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity, especially abdominal obesity. Type 2 diabetics usually produce enough insulin but their cells are insulin resistant. This can result in hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). If left uncorrected, it leads to kidney, heart, eye and nerve damage.

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You can prevent diabetes even if you are pre-diabetic. Start eating better and exercising regularly. Start today.