EXERCISING YOUR LOVE MUSCLE
CYCLING AND SEX
ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES & WARTS
LATEX CONDOMS
BEST POSITION FOR PREMATURE EJACULATORS
have better sex. The Kegel exercise, which strengthens the pubococcygeal muscle-the muscle responsible for controlling urination-can enhance your love life. Reason: It can prevent premature ejaculation in men and allow them to make love longer... and can help women experience better orgasms. How to perform the exercise: For 10 minutes each morning and evening, contract this muscle as if you were holding back the flow of urine. Do 36 contractions at a time and rest a couple of minutes before beginning again. For best results, practice. Source: Dr. Domeena Renshaw of Loyola University Medical School. . a week may become impotent. Re- peated thrusting down on the pedals pounds the groin against the seat, damaging critical arteries and nerves. Initial symptoms: Buttock numbness and difficulty getting an erection for a day or two. Trap: Damage may be irreversible and may not be apparent for years. Self-defense: Padded bike seat and shorts... rise off the seat occa- sionally, especially when sprinting... a correct size bike-you shouldn't have to shift your body on the downstroke. Source: Harm Padma-Nathan, assistant professor of urology~, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, quoted in Amecan Health, S0 Fifih Ave., New York 10011. Pill users are at greater risk of getting certain sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and genital warts. Chiamydia is a bacterial infection that affects the cervix, pelvic organs and/or urethra and sometimes causes mild vaginal discharge, irritation or burning on urination. Genital warts are painless flesy growths caused by the human papilloma virus. Good news: Oral contraceptives protect against severe forms of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), an infec tion that causes inflammation of the uterus and/or fallopian tubes. Source: Dr. Willard Cates, Jr., of the Centers for Disease Control's division of sexually transmitted diseases.
Latex condoms can cause allergic reaction. Most common symptoms: Vaginal or penile itching and derma- titis (inflammation of the skin) that develops after intercourse. Note: Cer- tain brands produce more severe reac- tions than others... reactions may actu- ally be caused by the preservative pow- der dusted on the condom and not the latex itself. Alternative to latex: Con- doms made from sheep's intestine. Problem: Studies found the lamb mem- brane does not provide adequate pro- tection against the AIDS virus. Source: Medical Tribune, 257 Park Ave. South, New York 10010.
Premature ejaculators may do better in
the female-astride position. Reason: When a man lies on his back, his muscles are more relaxed. He's better able to reflect on and edit his biologi- cal response, rather than simply react. Source: Bedside Manners hy Dr. Theresa Larsen Crenshaw, Pinnacle Books, New York.
Vaginal yeast infections are most commonly linked with overuse of antibiotics (either oral or vaginal). Reason: The drugs upset the natural balance of micro~organisms, disrupting natural defenses. Other factors: Pantyhose, tight jeans, exercise cloth- ing or wet bathing suits. Medicated or scented douches, bubble bath or bath oils. Concentrated sexual activity. Poorly controlled diabetes. Estrogen or progesterone treatment. Pregnancy. Source: Jack D. Sobel, MD, infectinostlisease specialist at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.