Womens Sexual Health Issues

Here are some polite answers to your questions about womens sexual health issues.

"Sexual well-being is very much associated with happiness and the quality of life." --Sociologist E. O. Laumann, leader of a University of Chicago research team.

This aspect of well-being is also associated with heart health and long life. An article about heart health in the February, 2005 issue of Reader's Digest quoted renowned heart doctor Mehmet Oz as giving the following advice. "Sexual activity can provide exercise and emotional bonding, perhaps explaining why one study shows that having orgasms at least 100 times a year (that's twice a week) is associated with longevity. On the other hand, sexual dysfunction can be a signal of heart disease."

Note: Women's sexual health issues are highly personal matters and your own opinions are always of first importance.

The following is not meant as "one size fits all" womens sexual health information. Please feel free to use whatever you like and ignore anything you don't. This educational information is offered for consenting adults of legal age only.

The goal of Womens-Health-Questions.com for this webpage is simply to offer honest, polite, nonjudgmental information about womens sexual health issues. In an effort to enhance womens overall physical and emotional health and happiness.

We'll begin with talk about the physical aspects of this women's health issue, then we'll cover the emotional aspects. First off, some ...

Good news about womens sexual health issues.

The good news is that doctors and researchers are finally taking a look at womens sexual health issues. Up until the year 2002, there wasn't even a name for female sexual related problems. Now at least there is a name for it, "Female Sexual Dysfunction" or FSD.

There has been plenty of research conducted about mens sexual health issues. Nutritional supplements such as yohimbe and the amino acid L-arginine have been studied. Prescription drugs such as Viagra have been created. There are many books and magazine articles about the subject matter.

What about womens sexual health issues? There has been less research, fewer studies of nutritional supplements, and no prescription medicines until just recently. Books and magazine articles on the subject are finally starting to appear.
Female Sexual Dysfunction - or just too much stress?

How widespread is FSD? No one knows because many people consider it a "new" discovery. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) estimated that over 40% of the women in the United States might go through some phase of FSD during their lifetime.

Please note that not all women who are experiencing a temporary lack of interest in their physical love lives are necessarily experiencing FSD. There are plenty of other reasons this can occur.

The following women's sexual health issues, for example, may have an impact: Women may not be getting enough sleep. They may be going through a stressful time in life. Some antidepressants could be causing side effects.

Perhaps the women and their partners are arguing over money or other issues. Fatigue and poor nutrition can leave a body too worn out. Hormone changes can cause mood swings. Gaining weight can cause both partners to feel less attractive. Years of the same routine may create boredom.

Resentment over their partner's total lack of help with household duties can turn off any woman. These facts of life can easily lower any woman's love thermostat.

Maybe it is "male" sexual dysfunction?

If you are a woman feeling a lack of libido, don't automatically jump to the conclusion that it is your fault. Maybe it is not a women's sexual health issue. Maybe it is your partner who has the sexual dysfunction, hmmmm?

Your partner shares 50% of the responsibility in the relationship. When was the last time your partner did anything romantic in an attempt to warm your heart? (Hey now, stop that laughing.)

Okay, all kidding aside, you should not just assume that you must have Female Sexual Dysfunction. Many relationships suffer from a male lack of libido. Sometimes it can be improved, but other times it is a sexual incompatibility that may never be solved. Some men just are not and never will be romantic or sexy. We all know of at least one woman friend who had to find a new partner with whom she shared mutual physical and emotional desire.

Hopefully, both you and your partner are committed to making this important part of your relationship a success.

Think about what is happening in your daily life that might be affecting your evening life. Is there something you two could talk about, a problem you could solve together, that would bring you closer?

If all is well and you think it might be a physical problem, then by all means talk to your doctor about it. If you feel it might be a psychological problem, then talk to a psychologist about it. If you are not comfortable talking to your doctor about women's sexual health issues, find another doctor.

Nutritional supplements

Many women are visiting health food stores looking for natural supplements they hope may affect their libido.

One study at the University of California, San Francisco, found that ginkgo biloba helped sexual response in some subjects and that women benefited even more so than men.

Another study found that yohimbe may help to improve orgasm among some men and women. Studies have shown that ginseng can increase the general feeling of energy and vitality.

While there is no "Viagra for women" yet, there may be soon. With the publication in JAMA of that medical article about FSD, companies are working to find a product to help the estimated 40 million women mentioned in the article. More and more studies and books are appearing that say adding vitamins, amino acids and omega-3 oils to the daily diet is believed to help improve mood.

Taking a vitamin-mineral supplement, an amino acid blend and an omega-3 fish oil supplement is not a magical happiness tonic, but many women report these have helped ease depression and improve their mood.

Whole books have been written about these supplements. Each of them is explored on separate pages of this website.

A supplement that was carefully formulated for women's sexual health is the Female Rejuvenator product made by a well known and trusted company. We have heard great things about this special supplement.

The best overall daily regimen we've found are the Female Rejuvenator product, plus these pharmaceutical grade pure fish oil capsules and this wonderful natural energy product. Take all three of those and you may feel in a better mood, have more youthful energy, be in glowing good health -- and who knows if maybe feeling more young and sexy might help your love life too. It can't hurt to try. Your mileage may vary.

Exercise

Exercise can improve a host of women's sexual health issues, including mood and libido. Exercise causes the body to release endorphins, which produce a natural high resulting in a feeling of euphoria and well being.

Exercise can help you feel younger and more energenic. People who exercise usually lead more active lives and spend less time sitting on the couch.

Exercise can also help foster higher self esteem and a better self image. People who exercise are considered more desirable. Consider your own opinion of your ideal romantic partner. Is this person a physically active person or a couch potato? Physical fitness is sexy.

Massage Therapy

A romantic dinner, a bubble bath, and a massage by candlelight can do wonders for a stressed out woman's libido.

Some women have had success improving their love lives by getting their partners to learn how to give them a good massage. There are tastefully made videos that teach massage for couples.

According to WebMD.com, "Massage therapy is one of the oldest methods in the gallery of health care practices. References to massage are found in Chinese medical texts 4,000 years old."

Education

Taking the time to learn more about women's sexual health issues could also prove helpful for many couples.

Some people are afraid to ask embarrassing questions so a medical doctor and a therapist, who happen to be sisters, teamed up to write one of the best books available on women's sexual health issues, titled "For Women Only."

The authors, Dr. Jennifer Berman, M.D., and her sister Laura Berman, Ph.D. know a lot about women's sexual health issues. They are the former co-directors of the Women's Sexual Health Clinic at Boston University Medical Center. Currently they are co-directors of the Female Sexual Medicine Center at UCLA.

The Bermans have also appeared on Good Morning America, and were interviewed for ABC News.com on the subject of Getting Your Groove Back.

Romance 101

One cause of loss of libido and "the sexless marriage" as one bestselling book calls it, is the way romance is being left out of the womens sexual health equation. In modern times we have put too much focus on the physical factors and not enough on the emotional aspects.

Small daily gestures of kindness and love can mean a lot to a couple. People are starving for genuine affection. There would be far fewer divorces and breakups of relationships if every couple took a class on how to be more romantic.

Life is short and right now might be a good time to take a refresher course in romance. Do many people wish their partner could be more romantic? Of course they do. Doctors and therapists say that romance and sexual well-being are important for a woman's health and quality of life.

An interesting study by the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research found that people who had sex more often were the happiest people in the study. These were not people who ran around with many partners or had affairs. They were in a monogamous relationship with one person and enjoyed sex four times a week. These happy folks represented only 6 percent of the population.

A bestselling book titled "1001 Ways to be Romantic" has sold over a million copies. One popular example of its contents is the list of "7 Ways to Woo a Workaholic Away from Work." Couples can read it together. It also makes a great gift for the man without a clue.

Another equally popular book is titled "The Romantic's Guide." One woman bought this book for herself on her birthday and asked her partner to please read and follow through on a few of the romantic ideas, as her birthday present.

These books make great wedding gifts or shower gifts too.

There are many other books and videos on how to improve your romantic life. Start with these two and find what works for you.

You deserve a happy, satisfying, romantic love life. Learn more about how to get it. You shouldn't have to worry about womens sexual health issues. Have your partner read this page. Speak up and ask for what you want. And keep smiling.

The Editors

Also see our page on the Early Signs of Pregnancy.

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