Day 241

Thoughts: Safe Sex on The Earth Diet.

Most would say safe sex is one of the healthiest things you can do. It is nature, and it feels good and you burn calories!

So is there a healthy way to have safe sex? What is the healthiest way to have sex?

Safe sex means making sure you don't get anyone else's blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk in your body - and protecting your partners too!

How do you protect yourself from diseases and getting pregnant? Is there a natural alternative to the contraception available today?

I did my research:

There are the typical barrier methods of contraception that include condoms - both male and female, the diaphragm and cervical cap. There is also latex surgical gloves and plastic wrap. Then you have hormonal Contraception including the Pill, Mini Pill, injections and implants.

Here are our options:

-Condoms-
There are condoms for anal and vaginal intercourse which are lubricated latex condoms. They also come in lambskin - and aside from having part animal skin ewwww involved in your intimacy they also apparently do not block HIV and STDs. If you're allergic to latex you can use polyurethane condoms.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVE FOR CONDOMS:

Condoms for Vegans
Casein is a protein found in milk that many condom manufacturers use to create latex for condoms. Vegans feel strongly about not drinking, eating or using any milk products or any by-products of milk. Currently, there are only three latex condoms currently being sold that do not have casein listed as an ingredient. The Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU) is a sexual health organization that produces vegan condoms. In 2009, the distributor for this organization’s condoms was able to declare their condoms as being certified vegan by the Vegan Action Foundation in America. Another manufacturer in Europe that produces vegan condoms is called Condomi. Instead of casein, this manufacturer utilizes cocoa powder in their production of condoms; however, these vegan condoms are not yet available for purchase in Canada or the U.S. simply because they are making sure they meet all standards and requirements in order to sale within the United States. Glyde manufacturers vegan condoms that are available in the United States. Vegans also steer clear from any product that has been tested on animals, so some may wonder whether or not that means they also will steer clear of condoms that have lubrication on them. After all, most ingredients that comprise the lubricant were tested on animals at one point in time. In order to avoid this possibility, vegans can choose to buy only condoms that do not have lubricants on them just to be safe.

-Lubricant-
Unfortunately using natural oils as lubricant breaks latex. Vaseline, hand creams, lotions are loaded with chemicals and as a lubricant may get dry and tear.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVE FOR LUBRICANT: Wild yam organic lubes!!! Yes they are available!

-Plastic wrap-
If you're going to be licking your partner's parts it is recommended you use a piece of plastic wrap to be safe. All you need is some plastic-wrap, or a condom cut down the side and laid flat. Be sure to cover the entire crotch.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVE FOR PLASTIC WRAP:
Unfortunately there is no alternative to plastic wrap. You could put some honey or jam on your side of the plastic wrap to make things a little sweeter.

-Sex Toys-
To avoid using sex toys made from plastic and chemicals in your house and on your skin...
NATURAL ALTERNATIVE FOR SEX TOYS:
Use vegetables!

-The pill- (contraceptive for women)
The main ingredients of the birth control pill are powders containing synthetic versions of the hormones estrogen and progestin. I used to take this, and now refuse to as there are so many side effects of using the Pill that there is not enough room in this article to list them all. Some of the more common side effects are an increased risk of breast cancer, cervical cancer, endometrial and ovarian cancer, liver tumors, blood clots, high blood pressure, cycle irregularities, miscarriages, headaches, migraines, cramps, bloating, nausea, vaginal infections, gall bladder disease, mental depression, loss of sexual drive, etc. In addition, there are also risks for using the other barrier methods, including increased birth defects for women who use spermicides.

-Implants-
For quite a lot of women, the idea of having a contraceptive implanted under the skin of your arm is quite attractive. Why? Because of the fact, that once it’s been implanted, then with luck you can more or less forget about it. You can make love whenever you want to, without worrying about taking Pills or buying condoms! Implants were first used on a wide scale back in the 1990s. They received rather a bad press, partly because they so often caused menstrual problems, and partly because some of them were put in by doctors who had no real idea what they were doing; as a result, some women developed pain or infection at the insertion site. From its position under your skin, it releases a steady stream of the female-type hormone etonorgestrol into your bloodstream. The hormone reaches your ovaries, and prevents them from releasing eggs. It also causes some minor anti-conception changes in your womb lining and in your cervix. Therefore, you don’t get pregnant – or at least, the chances of pregnancy are very small indeed. Other possible side-effects include: * headache * spots * weight gain * breast tenderness * dizziness * depression * changes in level of sexual desire * blood clots. And occasionally, an Implanon can’t be felt where it’s supposed to be – ie under the skin of the upper arm. In this event, you’d need an ultrasound scan to find the device. Frequently, the ultrasound reveals that the implant was simply pushed in too deeply during insertion.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO PREVENT PREGNANCY:

-Rhythm method-
In order to count your safe days you need to have very regular period. Lets say that your menstrual cycle lasts exactly 30 days ie that you are getting your period every 30th day. Ovulation (the risky period, when egg leaves the ovaries and is ready for fertilization) takes place 14-15 days before your next period would start. So basically, you need to know when your next period’s coming. Ovulation lasts only 24h but sperm can stay alive for 5 to even 7 days. This means that if you have unprotected intercourse 5 days before ovulation occurs, you could get pregnant. The riskiest days are three, two and one day before or on the exact day of ovulation. After ovulation passes you can have sex. This is perfect theoretic cases but in reality weird things happen avoiding the rules, so basically it is not safe to have unprotected intercourse.

Most females these days unfortunately do not have regular consistent periods due to processed foods, hormones in the food, stress and internal contraceptive that messes with a females natural cycle.

NATURAL ALTERNATIVE #2:

Natural Family Planning is exactly that and is gaining popularity as a safe, healthy, and highly effective (99%) method of birth control.

NFP refers to the practice of avoiding or achieving pregnancy according to an informed awareness of a woman's fertility and concentrates on the Sympto-Thermal method, which is highly scientific. With the Sympto-Thermal method, a woman observes her fertility signs; normal cervical mucus secretions and her waking temperature and then records the signs on a daily observation chart. Using NFP is actually a very simple yet accurate indication of a woman’s fertile time. The method can be used either to prevent or to attain pregnancy. The best part about it is no side effects!

NFP unlike the rhythm technique is based upon your own individual cycle and is perfect for women who have irregular cycles.http://www.gentleparents.com/mccarthy.html http://nfpandmore.org/

NATURAL ALTERNATIVE #3

The Lunar Cycle! The moon can trigger ovulation and bring on fertility at any time during the menstrual cycle - including before, during and just after your period. This phenomena is called the natal lunar fertile phase. The lunar phase at which a woman was fertile depends on the relationship between the sun and the moon at the moment she was born. You are fertile at that time of your cycle when the moon is at the same lunar phase as when you were born. Each individual is born under a particular moon or lunar Phase. Each month when the moon returns to this same position (as it was at your birth) it can trigger your body to spontaneously ovulate even if this time occurs outside your normal midcycle fertile time. Understanding this process can prevent or create a pregnancy. http://www.menstruation.com.au/menstrualproducts/basiclunarcontraception1.html

Challenges: Why safe sex? Perhaps one substantial answer is AIDS. If you had to think what the number one cause of death in women who are between the ages of 15 and 44 was, what would you answer? My first thought would be breast cancer. The number one killer and contributor of disease to women in this age range is AIDS, according to the World Health Organization who recently concluded its first global study on women’s health. And a new study published last month in the journal “Pediatrics” shows that up to 25% of all teenaged girls in the United States have contracted a sexually transmitted disease, usually after their very first sexual experience.

Triumphs: Nobody has a body to die for. Safe sex is always better - It's fun, and you don't have to worry as much.

What I Ate Today:

Food fest 1: Water with lemon juice. A beetroot (beet), carrot, celery and ginger juice.

Food fest 2: A avocado.

Food fest 3: 2 white flesh nectarines.

Food fest 4: Some delicious sweet dark cherries!

Food fest 5: 4 white flesh nectarines

Food fest 6: Another 2 avocados :)

Food fest 7: 2 yellow flesh nectarines!

Exercise: A 40 minute leg and ab workout at Big Al's Family Fitness. My reward was relaxing in the sauna afterward :) Also went for a bike ride to the store to buy some cherries, nectarines, celery, carrot and ginger mm mm mmm!

125 days to go!!!

Visit: www.theearthdiet.org