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Sexually Satified Women Have Greater Well-Being

By On · Add Comment · In health, human touch, sex, sexual satisfaction, well-being, women

Think sex isn’t health? Think again. New research suggests that sexually satisfied women have greater well-being. On the flip side, sexually dissatisfied women had lower well-being and lower vitality. You don’t say…hmmm. Tell me more.

Australian researchers at the Women’s Health Program at Monash University studied 295 women, aged 20 to 65, who were sexually active more than twice a month. They wanted to explore the links between sexual satisfaction and well-being in women, and if there was any difference between pre- and postmenopausal women. According to Dr. Sonia Davison, one of the scientist on the study, “This finding highlights the importance of addressing these areas as an essential part of women’s health care, because women may be uncomfortable discussing these issues with their doctor.” She went on to say,

“It is impossible to determine if dissatisfied women had lower well-being because they were sexually dissatisfied, or if the reverse is true, such that women who started with lower well-being tended to secondarily have sexual dissatisfaction. As such, pharmacotherapies aimed to treat sexual dysfunction may have secondary effects on well-being, and the reverse may be true.”

More than 90 percent of the women in the study said their sexual activity involved a partner, and that sexual activity was initiated by the partner at least 50 percent of the time. This means that the sexual activity of the study participants may have been affected by partner presence/absence, partner health and sexual function–factors that weren’t addressed in the study, the researchers noted.

Well, really, no surprises here: Sexuality is a part of being human; we are sexual beings. Healthy sexual contact is necessary in the way all human touch is. A person deprived of touch can become isolated, ill or whither away and die (study done on children in orphanages). So go figure that sexually satisfied women have greater well-being.

All I can say is that if you, woman or man, are repressing your sexuality for any reason other than having no interest, you’d better rethink your philosophy there. I know, I know, living in a puritanical society makes it tough on everyone, but try to figure it out anyway. I mean, it is for wellness’ sake, isn’t it?

Fall Asleep

By On · Add Comment · In bodywork, chiropractor, elderly, exercise, falls, health, medications, meditation, sleep, women

You know how I feel about adequate sleep–I think it’s absolutely crucial. Not only does getting a proper amount do amazing things for your health, but not getting enough can be simply disastrous. Check out the latest findings from the California Pacific Research Institute in San Francisco: Women over 70 who get less than adequate sleep are more likely to fall; and falls cause fractures as well as some deaths.

According to the study, which followed 3,000 women over 7o for a number of years, women who slept no more than five hours per night were at the greatest risk of falling and seriously hurting themselves. They were, in fact, likely to have two or more falls a year. Women who slept between five and seven hours were the next most likely to fall, and they did 40% more than the best rested. The women who slept the most, over seven hours, had the least risk of falling.

Although the study looked at women solely, it is by no means a female phenomenon. Men are at the same types of risk when not rested, and in light of the numbers of older people falling every year, it’s something to think about. Many people have trouble sleeping that’s for sure. Every reason to take up regular exercise, meditation and get some regular bodywork in. Each one of these practices should help regulate the natural sleep cycle. And I also think very highly of melatonin supplementation. No, it’s not going to work immediately over night, but try it for a few weeks or months and I’ll bet it helps.

There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep, so if you aren’t getting yours it would be wise to make changes, no matter what your age. And if you are having sleep difficulties, speak to your doctor about any medications you are taking that might be contributing. Otherwise go to the gym, stay away from stimulants (coffee, cocaine) close to bedtime, meditate twice a day, and visit your local chiropractor–she might be able to help–and you should be catching proper z’s in no time. And when you finally do, you’ll find that your balance is as steady as a rock.

Smoke Free

By On · Add Comment · In cigarettes, dying, quality of life, quitting, smoker, smoking, tobacco, women
Check this out: If you’re a smoker–and a woman–and you quit, you’ll reduce your risk of dying from a smoking related condition significantly over the next five years. You’ll also cut your chance of developing a smoking related cancer by 20% within that same time period. So says the Nurses’ Health Follow-Up Study that looked at 104,519 female participants covering the period from 1980 to 2004. Nice.

I’m really not that much of a “you better quit smoking” person. Weird, huh? Being a doctor and not feeling adamant about banning smoking. Well, I just don’t. I smoked for 20 years and I know its got it’s draw. I also know that cigarette smoking isn’t the only thing that can kill you–pretty much everything can. I mean, we’re all going to die, aren’t we? Case in point: More women who didn’t smoke died in the study (4,485) than both smokers (3,602) and former smokers (4,396) during 1980 and 2004. Yes, this study is ongoing, and has been since 1976, so many of the non-smokers who died were probably older. But that’s not my point: we all die.

For me, dying isn’t the most important issue, though; it’s quality of life. And I can assure you that the quality of my life has improved dramatically since I quit smoking cigarettes. I have more energy. I’m sick less. I can work out harder. My lungs feel stronger and full of air. The list goes on and on. If you smoke, and you have since your childhood like I had, then you won’t know what I’m talking about until you quit. It’s better, trust me.

But, hey, some people can smoke occasionally (very few). If you only smoke once in a while, then you probably get the best of both worlds (kudos, cigar aficionados). But for most people tobacco is addicting, and they’ll enjoy a better quality of life by kicking the habit. And if you really do give a hoot about quantity of life, then you’ll be happy to know that according to the study: being smoke free for 20 years reverts a person to a physiological state of having never smoked at all. Isn’t the human body amazing?

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