TresSugar

Where Do You Stand? Sex on Your Period

DearSugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

While it's true that our periods can be a total drag - mood swings, pimples, and cramps - I've heard women say they get extra horny during their time of the month - perhaps it's all those hormones pumping through their veins! Sure, it can be messy, and many men get grossed out by the idea of getting it on when Aunt Flo's in town, but tell me, where do you stand on having sex when you're on your period?

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This or That: Weight Loss or Increased Sex Drive?

DearSugar — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 07:00:00 -0700

After working with your gynecologist to find a birth control method that’s better at preventing your terrible PMS and cramps, you’ve finally decided on one that sounds promising. And after taking it for only a few months, you notice some big changes, both good and bad. Would it be worse if . . .

This: Your PMS has totally disappeared along with 10 pounds, but so has your sex drive? You’ve never felt better about your body, but less in the mood.

Or . . .

That: You’ve got control of your cramps, and find yourself consistently in the mood to get frisky, but you’ve also packed on more weight than you're comfortable with? You've tried amping up the exercise, but it's not going away.

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Dear Poll: Do You Talk Openly About Your Period?

DearSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Even though most women get their periods every month, for some reason a lot of us feel the need to talk about it like it's a new phenomenon. Since we all experience cramps, bloating, and the occasional shed tear, I don't understand why so many women want to draw any more attention to that time of the month than they have to. I seldom complain about PMS but do you openly discuss your period in front of your friends, your significant other, or even your co-workers?

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Dear Poll: Do You Have Sex When You Have Your Period?

DearSugar — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:00:00 -0700

Whether you get your period every month, or every few months, we can all agree - it's no fun.

We often feel tired, bloated, moody and depressed. Our boobs get sore and most of us experience the oh-so-wonderful cramps too.

I'm sure you've heard that having sex can actually be beneficial during your "time of the month." Sex is a great stress-reliever, so it can improve your mood and if you're lucky enough to reach orgasm, the muscular contractions you are experiencing in your uterus can also relieve cramps.

With all that said, I want to know...

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Hump Day: I Don't Like Hormonal Birth Control, So Now What?

TresSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Welcome to Hump Day,TrèsSugar's sex advice column. Are you confused about sex? Do you have trouble having an orgasm? Is there something you'd like to try but you're worried it's too weird? Send your questions to TrèsSugar, and our friend Dr. Charlie Glickman from Good Vibrations will offer his sound advice!

Today's Question:

“I went to my OBGYN to ask about non-hormonal birth control. (The Pill basically ruined my sex drive.) She pushed the Pill and the Nuva Ring, and said that condoms have a 15 percent failure rate. I don’t like that she was pushing hormonal birth control. Is it possible for hormonal birth control to lower your desire, and if I don’t want to use it, what’s my best, and safest, bet?”

To hear Dr. Glickman's advice, read more

Unfortunately, yes, birth control pills can lower libido. There are at least a couple of reasons for that. First, the Pill inhibits the production of androgens by your ovaries, including testosterone. While ovaries don’t produce as much testosterone as testicles do, it’s still an important part of women’s sexual arousal. The Pill also seems to increase the production of sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG). SHBG binds to testosterone, which further reduces the amount of it that you have available. On top of that, an article published in the 2006 Journal of Sexual Medicine found that some of these changes may last for quite a while after you stop taking the Pill. Some women report that the NuvaRing has similar effects, although others don’t have any change in their libidos and others actually have an increase in sex drive.

15 percent is a bit higher than many estimates for condom failure rates, but part of why it’s hard to pin down more precisely is that many of the reasons for condoms not working is user error. Here are some tips on reducing the odds of that happening. And since each brand of condom is a bit different, this page has lots of advice for finding the right one for you.

Even though condoms aren’t 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, they go a long way towards lowering your risk for sexually transmitted infections. But if your focus is on contraception rather than STI prevention, there are some other options. Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a lot more effective and safer than is popularly believed. They are currently available with or without hormones, although it’s worth noting that the level of hormones that end up in your system is a lot lower than what you get from the Pill and the non-hormonal IUDs can cause heavier menstrual bleeding or cramps.

Unfortunately, most of the more effective forms of contraception either include some form of hormones or are irreversible. The only other way to avoid pregnancy is to keep sperm from coming into contact with the ovum. Obviously, condoms do that, but if you want other options, you might want to check out cervical caps which have about a 10 percent failure rate if you’ve never given birth vaginally and a 25 percent failure rate if you have. (You can reduce that with a spermicide.) You could also check out the vaginal contraceptive film, a strip of spermicide that you insert into the vagina where it melts and provides up to three hours of protection. It also turns out that withdrawal is more effective than was previously thought, with an 18 percent pregnancy rate. Since these other approaches are clearly less effective than implants, the Pill or other hormonal methods, a lot of people use more than one. Condoms plus cervical caps or condoms plus withdrawal improves your odds a lot.

I’d really like to see some other forms of birth control that don’t mess with women’s hormones; so many women report having all sorts of side effects. There are some gel products being developed that will (hopefully) be effective as both contraception and STI preventatives and at least some of them are working their way through clinical trials. So eventually, there will be something better for you but in the meantime, I hope this helps.

Pace Yourself...

GiggleSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 -0700

The opposite of comfort food.

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Myths About the Pill: Last Five

DearSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I hope I set your mind at ease by debunking the first five myths about the pill yesterday. If you've been waiting to hear more, check the last five:

Women who smoke cannot use the pill: It's a fact that if a woman smokes cigarettes and uses the pill, she has a higher risk of having a stroke or developing blood clots. If she's 35 or older, the risk is even greater. A doctor will not prescribe regular dose combination pills, but a woman who smokes can take lower dose hormones or estrogen-free pills instead.
The most risky time to miss a pill is in the middle of the pack: If you happen to miss a pill, the most risky time is actually at the beginning or the end of the pack. That's because a woman needs to take seven consecutive pills in order to prevent ovulation and it's actually possible to miss the next seven days without the risk of pregnancy. But if a woman misses pills toward the end of the pack, she may not have enough hormones inside her to prevent ovulation the next month. The bottom line here though is to try your hardest not to miss any pills.

To see the rest, read more.

The only use for the pill is as contraception: While the number one reason women use the pill is for pregnancy prevention, many women take it for other reasons. There are pills that clear up acne, decrease PMS symptoms, prevent cramps, and lighten menstrual flows, which helps to lower the risk of anemia. The pill can also protect against ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, osteoporosis, excess facial hair, and some types of migraines.
Women over 35 can't use the pill and teens need permission to get the pill: Age doesn't play into the equation, only health. If a woman has normal blood pressure and no increased risk of heart attack or stroke, then she can use the pill until she hits menopause. As for teens, they don't need permission from their parents to acquire the pill. If they choose to go on it, they only need to get a prescription from their doctor or a clinic.
The pill causes cancer: Actually, one-third of pill users are less likely to develop ovarian or uterine cancer as compared to non-pill users. The longer you use the pill, the more you are protected, and it's recommended to stay on the pill for at least five years to reap these benefits. Most experts agree that taking the pill does not cause any types of cancer, even breast cancer.

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An Ode to Socks

GiggleSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:00:00 -0700

This fine young man is doing something we would all benefit from doing: finding something in our small, cramped lives to be thankful for. In his case - the guy likes socks. And who am I to judge? Although, it might be turning into a sock fetish. Just an observation.

You, Me, and IUCs: Mirena

DearSugar — Thu, 29 May 2008 07:00:00 -0700

So yesterday I told you about one type of IUC, called Paragard, which is made of plastic and copper. Well Mirena is another type, also made out of plastic, but this one contains hormones, just like the Pill.

If you're interested in using birth control that you don't have to think about, Mirena may be right for you, but check out the pros and cons before you make any decisions.

Pros	Cons
It is 99.9 percent effective at preventing pregnancy and works for up to five years. Once inserted into your uterus, it's effective immediately.	Many women complain that getting Mirena inserted is extremely painful.

Want to see the rest? Then read more.

Pros

Cons

It's FDA-approved.
Mirena contains less hormone dosage than the pill.
You'll have lighter, shorter periods, or you may stop having your period altogether.
Intimacy will be more spontaneous since you won't have to stop to slip on a condom or remember to take a pill everyday.
It's quickly reversible, so once it's removed, you can start trying to have kids immediately.

Side effects include cramping, acne, back pain, breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, and mood changes, but these usually go away after three months.
You may experience heavier periods in the first three to six months, or spotting between periods.
Twelve percent of Mirena users experience ovarian cysts.
Mirena can slip out of the uterus leaving you unprotected against pregnancy.
It doesn't protect against STIs.

Have any of you ladies ever used Mirena? If so, tell us about it below.

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Want Cheap Clothes? The Cotton Industry's Not 100% Fit

CitizenSugar — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:58:32 -0700

The global economy is about to hit your Saturday morning shopping spree. As we've seen food prices grow in response to higher crop prices, fashionistas should be ready to see their clothes prices follow suit, and it's a two-piece problem.

People watching their purse strings are causing garment makers to see a rapid decline in their own bottom line. Demand is down wildly. US cotton consumption alone is set to fall 6.5 percent from last year.

And you can partially blame the environment on the ever-spendier tee. More cotton farmers are swapping to more lucrative crops - soybeans, corn, and wheat - whose market prices are rising even faster. Why are these crops more enticing? The prices of these crops have been pushed higher by a mixture of subsidies and growing demand from biofuel producers.

It's not just shrinking cotton crops: energy, wages, the oil to transport goods, all make the shirt on your back cost more. Manufacturers, just like us, are hit by XXL oil prices, making their factories more expensive to operate which means pricier shipping to foreign markets. To see the human cost of the cotton trade, and how BBC sent six fashion-plates to work in an Indian garment factory, read more.

On Indian cotton farms, farmers facing strangling bills and held at the mercy of the global market and crop hardiness, has led the country to see more than 20,000 suicides by debt-ridden farmers in the last ten years. The numbers are rising. Currently about six farm suicides are reported daily.

BBC has made the garment trade in to reality (television) with a mini-series called Blood, Sweat, and T-shirts. Here's how they describe the show which sounds fascinating:

Six young fashion addicts experience life as factory workers in India, making clothes for the British high street. In this four-part series, the six work in the mills of India’s cotton belt and stitch clothes in cramped back rooms, sleeping next to their sewing machine. See how it changes their attitudes to cut-price clothing.

I might move abroad just to catch this show.

Have your shopping habits changed? Is it an issue of cash or global consciousness? Do you pay attention to what a garment is made of before you buy? Does it surprise you that the focus on biofuels has had such an impact on the clothing market?
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