Sex after the age of 50

Tuesday, October 01, 2013 by: Lisa S. Lawless, Ph.D.
Tags: sex, senior health, aging

(NaturalNews) When it comes to aging, many people make the false assumption that sex is more difficult and not as fulfilling or exciting. Those assumptions are absolutely incorrect, as youth has no superiority over senior sex; in fact, seniors do have an edge when it comes to great sex, as they typically have a stronger sense of self and are more at ease with their sexuality in general.

With a greater awareness by many baby boomers regarding the need for healthy living, there has been an increase in better understanding of the importance of a natural diet and exercise in order to achieve longevity and a high quality of life. Thus, seniors increasingly demand foods that are organic, non-GMO, pesticide free and animal friendly along with other health products.

Such things all influence healthy sexual performance and satisfaction, and for most seniors, there is a better understanding of what is important when it comes to pleasure with regard to physical, mental and emotional aspects. The seniors who have great sex are typically also those who take care of their health and their relationships, as they understand their interconnectedness.

Senior sexual health concerns

Unfortunately, health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and other chronic illnesses can negatively impact sexual performance, and seniors are often the hardest hit. In addition, medication side effects are responsible for a great deal of sexual health complications. These issues are why seniors must be educated and communicate with their healthcare providers so that they can effectively cope with such challenges in order to live a more empowered life.

Sexual health issues can deeply affect both men and women. For example, when a man experiences erection issues and loss of libido, it can be an indicator of health issues as well as seriously affect confidence levels and self-esteem. Women can also be negatively impacted by such issues, e.g., loss of libido, vaginal dryness and clitoral desensitization. Furthermore, these symptoms can make sex painful for women, thus making it even more difficult to address.

Sexual obstacles for women over fifty
Aging brings a variety of physical changes to a woman's body; even if she takes excellent care of herself, she may find that menopause can wreak havoc on her well-being. There are a variety of natural ways to overcome the symptoms of menopause; however, it is important to note that there are more than just hormonal changes that can be causing symptoms. Working with a healthcare provider to determine the cause of symptoms is a great place to start.

Examples of health issues that menopause can contribute to:

• Hormonal imbalances of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
• Insulin imbalance
• Difficulty with thyroid function
• Poor adrenal health

These changes can cause common symptoms such as:

• Fatigue
• Mood changes
• Vaginal dryness
• Joint discomfort
• Loss of vaginal elasticity
• Hot flashes
• Sleep difficulties
• Weight gain
• Difficulty concentrating
• Digestive discomfort
• Thinning hair
• Low libido

Sexual obstacles for men over fifty
Males also go through a variety of changes as they age; just as women go through menopause, men go through andropause. For men, the biggest change is seen through the decrease of testosterone production and bioavailability. These changes typically happen gradually over time, beginning at the age of thirty. By the time a man reaches the age of seventy, his testosterone levels may be lowered by as much as 50% of their original levels.

Examples of health issues that andropause can contribute to:

• Hormonal imbalances of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
• Insulin imbalance
• Difficulty with thyroid function
• Poor adrenal health

These changes can cause common symptoms such as:

• Reduction in facial hair growth
• Reduced libido
• Decrease in erections
• Fatigue
• Loss of sleep
• Infertility
• Shrinkage of testes
• Weight gain
• Muscle loss
• Decrease in bone density
• Thinning of hair
• Hot flashes
• Swollen and tender nipples

Sexual solutions
Again, it is important for any man or woman to determine the cause of their symptoms with a healthcare provider to get to the root of the problem and examining nutritional intake and activity levels is a great place to start. Beyond that, eating a healthy diet that helps balance hormone levels and using natural foods and supplements while keeping physically active through exercise will help. There are also things that men and woman can do that will help alleviate sexual health symptoms:

• Use healthy, paraben free lubricants.
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• Perform PC muscle (Kegel) exercises. In men, this aids with stronger ejaculations and penile control, and in women, it keeps the vaginal walls toned and healthy. http://www.naturalnews.com

• Keep sexually active whether solo or with a partner. In both men and women, regular sex can mean improved health of the heart and immune system, better sleep, healthy blood pressure levels and better self-esteem and mood. In men, it keeps healthy blood flow to the genitals and decreases prostate cancer risks. In women, it helps maintain vaginal elasticity as well as the ability to self-lubricate and have orgasms while preventing painful sex caused from inactivity.
http://www.holisticwisdom.com

• Explore more comfortable and less strenuous sexual positions. With achy joints and muscles and in some cases arthritis, finding comfortable sexual positions can be challenging. Doing things like using pillows and even special sexual health products designed to aid in sexual positions can provide welcome relief and more pleasure for both partners.

• For men with Erectile Dysfunction (ED), it is essential to first determine the cause, as it may be an indicator of a health issue such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and elevated cholesterol levels. There are also a variety of helpful products that can alleviate ED without having to treat it with prescription medications.
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Seniors & STDs
One thing that seniors do need to work on when it comes to sex is being more educated about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The AARP released a study that showed only 39% of baby boomers use protection with new partners. The number of seniors with HIV has increased over the years at an alarming rate. Thus, it is crucial that seniors better understand the health risks that come with unprotected sex with a new, untested partner.

The importance of communicating
Sex may be awkward for anyone to discuss with their partner and particularly for seniors as it may not feel like a big part of their generational framework. Feelings of being ashamed or embarrassed about their questions, desires and fantasies are common, leaving many feeling unsure as to how to discuss sexuality with their partner.

Because good communication is essential to one's health and intimacy within a partnership, a neutral way to bring up such a conversation is to use articles, television shows and other media to discuss the topic in general and then allow the conversation to lead into sharing more specific desires, concerns and ideas.

Aging does not have to be sexually inhibiting to seniors
Today, those over fifty are more vital and active because of enhanced awareness regarding health as well as advances in traditional and alternative medicine and psychology. Seniors today are taking control of their lives more than ever before, and senior sex is not only on the rise but getting even better.

Resources used in this article include:

http://www.holisticwisdom.com

http://www.womentowomen.com

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

http://www.holisticwisdom.com