The deli delight scene in "When Harry Met Sally" demonstrated that it can be hard for a guy to tell if a woman is getting true pleasure from intimacy. Turns out researchers were equally deceived when it came to figuring out how diabetes affects women's satisfaction level. They've long known that the disease causes sexual dysfunction in men: If they can't salute, they can't enjoy that parade. But scientists didn't know if diabetes made sex less pleasurable for women. Now a study reveals that while women with diabetes are just as enthusiastic about intimate relationships as those without it, they have far greater trouble with lubrication, orgasm, and feeling happy about sex. The difficulties come from problems with circulation and nerves, side effects of medications, and related complications such as kidney disease.
If you have diabetes or prediabetes, we want you to know you can protect or revive your enjoyment of intimacy.
1. Overweight? Losing 10 percent of body weight lowers insulin resistance. That'll put some bounce in your step.
2. Follow your prescribed treatment plan — between 35 percent and 85 percent of people with Type-2 diabetes don't take their meds or follow lifestyle recommendations for diet or physical activity!
3. Increase physical activity with walking and/or using stretch bands for arms and legs. Ditch the five food felons: added sugars, sugar syrups, saturated and trans fats, and any grain that isn't 100 percent whole.
4. De-stress with meditation and progressive relaxation.
Then grab your sweetie and cuddle to get back in touch with touching.
© 2012 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
Posts by Dr. Mehmet Oz, M.D. and Dr. Mike Roizen, M.D.
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