Sexual Health

When we discuss the term "sexual health" we're reminded of the health implications of unsafe sex as well as how our own lifestyle affects our sexual health. In this article we'll discuss the importance of sexual health, the possible implications of being sexually careless, as well as what you have to do to make sure you're sexually healthy at all times.

What is Sexual Health?

Being healthy is all about making sure we feel great from the inside and out and it's not just limited to physical health. We also have to take care of how we perceive life, our mind, and how we feel about the world, our emotions. But somewhere between these three lies the need to pay more attention towards sexual health but what is it, exactly?

Sexual health is what we give attention to when choosing our partners and being sexually healthy means avoiding infections, illnesses, and taking necessary measures to make sure we don't get sick when we have sexual intercourse. Taking responsibility towards our own sexual health means we not only respect ourselves but those we interact with as well.

The Importance of Sexual Health

Being sexually healthy is important when it comes to not just ourselves but to our sexual partners as well. The importance lies in how we decide what is best for us and for our partners. This way we can give ourselves an extra level of safety as having sex carelessly can literally put ourselves at risk for acquiring diseases that can end up ruining our lives for good.

What happens when you're not conscious of your sexual health? Here are some of the risks involved:

• Diseases and infections

Having sex with people you don't really know can endanger your health thru STIs. This is what happens when safe sex isn't practiced specially when condoms aren't used. Some of these STIs include chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, syphilis, and HIV.

• Unwanted pregnancy

Sometimes we just have sex for the pleasure of it so getting pregnant will definitely be perceived as a bad surprise specially if you're female as you'll be the one in charge of carrying the baby. There are already plenty of contraceptives available at our disposal so there's really no reason for you or your partner to use contraceptives.

• Foreplay

Foreplay is usually risky especially when it comes to oral and anal sex as well as the use of sex toys.

According to the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, published in 2013, around 77% of men and 75% of women have oral sex as a regular staple in their sex life which means more than 3/4 of the population is at risk for getting infected thru the mouth. Oral sex can potentially transfer disease-carrying fluids directly to you or your partner's mouth thru sexual fluids.

Anal sex carries the risk of getting infected by STIs more than any other sexual activity. This is due to the thin lining of the anus which is prone to damage and infection. It readily puts around 17% of men and 15.1% of women at risk.

Lastly, sex toys carry risks of infection specially if they've been shared with others or if the sex toy is not routinely cleaned or sanitized.