September 4, 2020 was World Sexual Health Day, in fact September is Sexual Health Awareness Month. Sexual health is a very important part of our overall health and more and more people are seeing this. Sexual Wellness is equally about prevention, treatment and care and educating ourselves about sexual wellness is just as important as learning about physical fitness and proper meal plans.
I found the subject of Sexual Health a difficult task for me. The reason is because I was brought up with the idea that good Christian ladies don’t talk about sex unless they were married and if they weren’t married and having sex, they were sluts. The truth is, that is not true and in this culture we are now living in we must educate ourselves and let go of the embarrassment we may have felt in the past about this topic. Sex is a natural thing we all experience. It doesn’t make us a whore to think about being healthy when we decide to have sexual experiences. Sexual health isn’t just about sexual behavior, but also biological things that happen to our bodies. It is also recognizing and respecting the sexual rights we all share with our bodies too. At 46-years-old I am still learning these things.
Healthy Sexuality is:
Having access to sexual health information, education, and care if needed. - Making an effort to prevent uninvited pregnancies, sexual transmitted infections, and seek treatment when it is needed.
- It is being able to experience sexual pleasure, satisfaction, and intimacy when desired without shame or guilt.
- It is being able to communicate about sexual health with partners and health care providers without feeling embarrassed.
Sexual Health Encompasses:
- Family Health. It provides information on how to choose the right birth control method that works for your needs. Family Health helps in planning a healthy pregnancy when you are ready. It provides treatment and testing for STIs. It also provides preventive exams for cancer and other health issues.
- STI (Sexually transmitted Infections): 1 million individuals worldwide get an STI. Each year there are 357 million who get infected world wide. 290 million women worldwide get the HPV (Papillomouvirus). There are no symptoms with an STI.
- HIV/AIDS: HIV continues to be a global public health issue. Over 35 million lives have been claimed so far. There were 1 million deaths from HIV/Aids in 2016. 54 percent of adults and 43 percent of children are living with HIV globally. 76 percent are women who are pregnant have HIV or Aids. There is no cure, but there are antiviral medications that control it.
Although, talking about sexual health can be hard or uncomfortable I believe it needs to be talked about. Not just for children, but for us adults too. Communicating about the facts and our activities with your partner and doctor helps you stay healthy. I believe Wellness Plans should include sexual health and getting the checkups we need so we are as strong, confident, and healthy as we possibly can be.
If you would like to talk about a wellness plan that includes sexual wellness we will be happy to guide you to where you need to go for your wellness checkups. Be well.
Here are some links I would like to share with you:
- Guide to Sexual Health by Pandia Health Staff
- Let’s Talk About Sexual Health Awareness by Howard Brown Health Staff
- Sexual Health by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Staff
- Sexual Health Awareness Month by District Health Department #10 Staff
- Sexual Health Month by American Sexual Health Association Staff
- Sexual Health Awareness Month: How Local Health Departments Fill the Gaps by Kim Rogers for National Association of County and City Health Officials
- Understanding Sexual Health and Its Role in More Effective Prevention Programs by John M Douglas Jr, MD and Kevin A Fenton, MD, PhD, FFPH for US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
- Image Credit: Sexual Health Transparent by Lilith Magazine on ClipArtKey
- Image Credit: Student Clipart Adolescent Health by Resin Lotus on ClipArtKey
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Jamie Holloway is a co-owner of Wellness Works NW and she is also our Research Manager and writes our Chasing Wellness with Jamie Holloway and Dear Jamie columns. Jamie is also an Independent Wellness Advocate at dōTERRA. She lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.
