Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Sexual health plays a big role in overall well-being
and quality of life for both menand women.
Now, if you search online,you'll find plenty of claims
about the benefits of sex.
You'll maybe read things likereducing anxiety, boosting
happiness, strengthening theimmune system and, I even read,
lowering the risk of prostatecancer.
Now it's also said that sex andorgasm release feel-good
(00:26):
chemicals, helping us bond withpartners, improve self-worth and
enhance relationships, and someeven suggest that frequent sex
can lead to a higher quality oflife and maybe even a longer
lifespan.
But how much of this isactually true?
To get some expert insight, weturn to Maureen McGrath,
registered nurse, sexual healtheducator and host of Nurse
(00:48):
Maureen's Health Show podcast.
With years of clinical practicein North Vancouver and a
14-year run in radio, she's theperfect person to help us
separate fact from fiction.
Hello Maureen, hello Linda, howare you?
I am great.
It is such an honor to have youhere to talk about this big
topic of sex.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It's a huge subject, indeed.
It's one of my favoritesubjects, of course.
Which?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
is so good, because people just tend to shy away
from this.
Still to this day.
Right, it's like oh, you know,I don't talk about sex.
I do want to talk about why sexis important, including the
health benefits.
What can you say to that?
To give us just a little bit ofperspective and insight.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, overall, sex is very good for us from an
emotional standpoint,psychological relationship and,
yes, indeed, it can reduce therisk of cancer, and we find the
evidence from a HarvardUniversity study of about 32,000
men that found that men whomasturbated to ejaculation let's
get right, started with it,love it, let's go for it About
(01:49):
21 times a month it was actuallyassociated with a 39% reduction
in prostate cancer later inlife.
Sex is very important and,you're right, we don't talk
about it because it's stillstigmatized in our society, in
our very parochial, patriarchalsociety.
We don't discuss it.
But I have noticed an upswingin healthcare professionals
(02:11):
wanting to learn more about it,in fact, so I've given about
four talks to healthcareprofessionals this week alone,
and so I'm getting more requestsand patients are coming in,
because things that happen aspeople age, like erectile
dysfunction or vaginal dryness,can lead to painful sex that can
actually put an end to a sexlife.
We have so many myths to dispelas well, like around
(02:33):
perimenopause and menopause,where people think that sex
stops, and another thing I thinkis that people believe there's
no help for them and it canactually lead to a shorter life
and early death for people whoare in a relationship and a
committed marriage, a committedrelationship or partnership, and
they're not having sex.
It can actually lead to earlydeath.
We don't talk about it.
(02:55):
People are embarrassed, they'reashamed about it or people want
the quick fixes around it.
And education is so important,especially around things like
low desire and anorgasmia orerectile dysfunction.
You know, explaining issues andexplaining medications and
explaining the treatments are soimportant and you're right,
it's so much more of asatisfying relationship when you
(03:18):
have sexually satisfying eventsNow.
When you have sexuallysatisfying events.
Now that's a clinical researchterm, but it's important that we
have SSEs in our lives.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
That's going to be my new thing SSEs.
I love it.
Sexually satisfying events.
Well put.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
And it can bring us closer to our partners and it
can actually promote intimacy inthe relationship, and it's
related to emotional well-beingas well.
You know, sex and finances aretwo of the top reasons for
divorce in a relationship, andso it's such an important
subject that we must educate ourhealthcare providers about it
and must educate people so thatpeople are comfortable talking
(03:57):
about it, and I see that in myclinical practice.
Patients will come in and I'llhave to finish their sentences
because they're so embarrassedto talk about it.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I want to go back because you talked about the
study with men and orgasm and Ithink that it's not enough, as
talked about women and orgasmand the health benefits there
are for women, and I think thatthat's something that women
really need to understand.
It's got to be beneficial forwomen as well.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
And it is indeed More men masturbate than women.
But women do masturbateNewsflash we just don't talk
about it.
We don't talk about it.
It's a big piece of shame, butmany women are masturbating, you
know self-stimulation orutilizing sex toys.
One of my favorite sex toys, ifnot my favorite sex toy, is the
Womanizer, in part because it'seducational and it's also a
(04:44):
great device.
It's a clitoral stimulationdevice and 70% of women require
clitoral stimulation in order toexperience an orgasm, and so
this is a great device.
I often recommend it in mypractice for women who have
primary anorgasmia, so in otherwords, they have never
experienced an orgasm, oroftentimes, as women age, it
takes them a little bit longerto experience orgasm, and then
(05:07):
that impacts the intimatemoments.
So the Womanizer has about 10different settings on it and it
actually can advance yourexperience from 15 minutes down
to five, or maybe five minutesdown to one, or like a rocket
ship.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I love it, so write it down.
Women Womanizer this is great,fantastic device.
It's available on my website.
I think one of the biggestchanges, the big topic right now
, of course, is all aroundmenopause for women,
perimenopause, all of thesethings and the changes that we
have in our bodies when thishappens and a big part of this
is the dryness, the SaharaDesert down under, the things
(05:43):
that can happen, not to mentionthe lack of sleep, the hot
flashes all these things can puta halt on your sex life and I
wanted to really talk about that, the steps they might be able
to take, maureen, to get throughthat, so that they don't lose
that intimacy with their partner.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Women want the quick fix, and lately they all want
testosterone for their lowlibido.
But I would say that there arebetter treatments than
testosterone for your low libido.
You mentioned the dryness.
That can often be somethingthat's very confusing for women.
All of a sudden they'relubricated, and then it can
happen overnight, or it canhappen over a period of time
where they get vaginal drynessand that can lead to painful sex
(06:20):
, which is dysperionia.
It can also lead, of course, tolow sexual desire, because
nobody wants to have sex when ithurts, so neither partner wants
to do that, so they don'trealize there's treatments.
The first line of treatment isa lubricant during intimacy, as
long as you just have vaginaldryness.
Then the second is personalmoisturizer.
(06:42):
I often say it's just asimportant to moisturize the
vagina as it is the face, and infact it works better on the
vagina, and so that's asuppository or a gel that's
inserted two or three times aweek and that keeps the vaginal
tissues healthy.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I think too, then it's the mental piece of it that
women are uncomfortable becauseit is painful or they've gained
weight and they don't feel goodabout themselves, and I think
those can be barriers to beingcomfortable with that intimacy
with their partner.
I think often we put morepressure on ourselves than our
partner.
They're like oh, I think you'restill great, like it's no
problem.
So what can we do about thosethings?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Absolutely.
Just have sex with me.
I really don't care that youhave so gay.
I still think you're hot,exactly Well, turn the lights
out.
Who cares?
And you know that's the mostcommon sex position.
Is the doggy position reallysetting the mood there?
Yeah, that's right.
No candles, not a flicker oflight.
No, you know, none of us areperfect.
(07:36):
And when you feel good aboutyour body and when you feel good
about your intimate life, itmakes you feel better about your
own self and your self-esteemand your sexual self-esteem,
which is very important as wellso it's all of that together
that can then make you feel moreconfident, happier and, you
know, wanting to kind of have alittle more fun.
We often tell people to schedulesex because women are exhausted
(08:00):
at the end of the day and thatcan be the worst time to have
sex.
Have it on a Saturday afternoonor have it right after work.
Scheduling sex might soundclinical as well, but it's not.
We schedule everything else inour lives.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Talk a little bit about the five minute compared
to the long half hour hour,whatever plus it could possibly
be.
Do we need a balance of?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
that Quickies are important and an important
aspect of the sexual repertoire.
They have their place, for sure, and then longer lovemaking
sessions can also be a nice mix.
But I often say to women whohave low sexual desire, who are
in a sexless marriage it'sreally going to take about two
minutes.
Honestly, that's all the timethat you need, because that's
approximately the time it'sgoing to take for your male
(08:45):
partner if you're in aheterosexual relationship.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
And just creating that space, as you said, even if
it's scheduled and knowing, canbe that quick.
It doesn't have to be a longdrawn-out process.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I think people have been experiencing this in secret
and in shame and when theyshould look at it like shampoo.
It's an everyday, commonoccurrence.
For me anyway, I have to washmy hair every day.
I don't know about you.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, I love it.
Well, at least two, three timesa week is good, Like we all got
to start somewhere.
Maybe work up to the dailyshampoo Gets you out of that
sexless marriage category.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
So go for it.
Exactly, sex is to be enjoyed.
Much like life, it's not to beendured, it's to be enjoyed.
You deserve a good sex life,and oftentimes women will get to
a stage and they'll think youknow, I haven't really enjoyed
sex my entire life.
It's time that I woke up andstarted to, and you know, and no
shame around it and just enjoyit.
(09:40):
It's a gift you give toyourself, and sometimes it's
just with yourself, and that'sfine too.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
As we started, Exactly when can people find you
if they want to connect or wantto listen to your podcast?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
They can go to my website, maureenmcgrathcom or
Apple Spotify Anywhere youlisten yeah, Nurse Maureen's
health show.
And they can always email menursetalk at hotmailcom directly
.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
That's wonderful, thank you, it was a real joy.
You are awesome, thanks.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Maureen, you're welcome.
You're awesome as well.
Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for tuning in.
I'm Maureen McGrath and youhave been listening to the
Sunday Night Health Show podcast.
If you want to hear thispodcast or any other segment
again, feel free to go to iTunes, spotify or Google Play or
wherever you listen to yourfavorite podcasts.
You can always email menursetalk at hotmailcom or text
(10:28):
the show 604-765-9287.
That's 604-765-9287.
Or head on over to my websitefor more information.
Maureenmcgrathcom, it's been mypleasure to spend this time
with you.
Sexual health plays a big role in overall well-being
and quality of life for both menand women.
Now, if you search online,you'll find plenty of claims
about the benefits of sex.
You'll maybe read things likereducing anxiety, boosting
happiness, strengthening theimmune system and, I even read,
lowering the risk of prostatecancer.
Now it's also said that sex andorgasm release feel-good
(00:26):
chemicals, helping us bond withpartners, improve self-worth and
enhance relationships, and someeven suggest that frequent sex
can lead to a higher quality oflife and maybe even a longer
lifespan.
But how much of this isactually true?
To get some expert insight, weturn to Maureen McGrath,
registered nurse, sexual healtheducator and host of Nurse
(00:48):
Maureen's Health Show podcast.
With years of clinical practicein North Vancouver and a
14-year run in radio, she's theperfect person to help us
separate fact from fiction.
Hello Maureen, hello Linda, howare you?
I am great.
It is such an honor to have youhere to talk about this big
topic of sex.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
It's a huge subject, indeed.
It's one of my favoritesubjects, of course.
Which?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
is so good, because people just tend to shy away
from this.
Still to this day.
Right, it's like oh, you know,I don't talk about sex.
I do want to talk about why sexis important, including the
health benefits.
What can you say to that?
To give us just a little bit ofperspective and insight.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, overall, sex is very good for us from an
emotional standpoint,psychological relationship and,
yes, indeed, it can reduce therisk of cancer, and we find the
evidence from a HarvardUniversity study of about 32,000
men that found that men whomasturbated to ejaculation let's
get right, started with it,love it, let's go for it About
(01:49):
21 times a month it was actuallyassociated with a 39% reduction
in prostate cancer later inlife.
Sex is very important and,you're right, we don't talk
about it because it's stillstigmatized in our society, in
our very parochial, patriarchalsociety.
We don't discuss it.
But I have noticed an upswingin healthcare professionals
(02:11):
wanting to learn more about it,in fact, so I've given about
four talks to healthcareprofessionals this week alone,
and so I'm getting more requestsand patients are coming in,
because things that happen aspeople age, like erectile
dysfunction or vaginal dryness,can lead to painful sex that can
actually put an end to a sexlife.
We have so many myths to dispelas well, like around
(02:33):
perimenopause and menopause,where people think that sex
stops, and another thing I thinkis that people believe there's
no help for them and it canactually lead to a shorter life
and early death for people whoare in a relationship and a
committed marriage, a committedrelationship or partnership, and
they're not having sex.
It can actually lead to earlydeath.
We don't talk about it.
(02:55):
People are embarrassed, they'reashamed about it or people want
the quick fixes around it.
And education is so important,especially around things like
low desire and anorgasmia orerectile dysfunction.
You know, explaining issues andexplaining medications and
explaining the treatments are soimportant and you're right,
it's so much more of asatisfying relationship when you
(03:18):
have sexually satisfying eventsNow.
When you have sexuallysatisfying events.
Now that's a clinical researchterm, but it's important that we
have SSEs in our lives.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
That's going to be my new thing SSEs.
I love it.
Sexually satisfying events.
Well put.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
And it can bring us closer to our partners and it
can actually promote intimacy inthe relationship, and it's
related to emotional well-beingas well.
You know, sex and finances aretwo of the top reasons for
divorce in a relationship, andso it's such an important
subject that we must educate ourhealthcare providers about it
and must educate people so thatpeople are comfortable talking
(03:57):
about it, and I see that in myclinical practice.
Patients will come in and I'llhave to finish their sentences
because they're so embarrassedto talk about it.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
I want to go back because you talked about the
study with men and orgasm and Ithink that it's not enough, as
talked about women and orgasmand the health benefits there
are for women, and I think thatthat's something that women
really need to understand.
It's got to be beneficial forwomen as well.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
And it is indeed More men masturbate than women.
But women do masturbateNewsflash we just don't talk
about it.
We don't talk about it.
It's a big piece of shame, butmany women are masturbating, you
know self-stimulation orutilizing sex toys.
One of my favorite sex toys, ifnot my favorite sex toy, is the
Womanizer, in part because it'seducational and it's also a
(04:44):
great device.
It's a clitoral stimulationdevice and 70% of women require
clitoral stimulation in order toexperience an orgasm, and so
this is a great device.
I often recommend it in mypractice for women who have
primary anorgasmia, so in otherwords, they have never
experienced an orgasm, oroftentimes, as women age, it
takes them a little bit longerto experience orgasm, and then
(05:07):
that impacts the intimatemoments.
So the Womanizer has about 10different settings on it and it
actually can advance yourexperience from 15 minutes down
to five, or maybe five minutesdown to one, or like a rocket
ship.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
I love it, so write it down.
Women Womanizer this is great,fantastic device.
It's available on my website.
I think one of the biggestchanges, the big topic right now
, of course, is all aroundmenopause for women,
perimenopause, all of thesethings and the changes that we
have in our bodies when thishappens and a big part of this
is the dryness, the SaharaDesert down under, the things
(05:43):
that can happen, not to mentionthe lack of sleep, the hot
flashes all these things can puta halt on your sex life and I
wanted to really talk about that, the steps they might be able
to take, maureen, to get throughthat, so that they don't lose
that intimacy with their partner.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Women want the quick fix, and lately they all want
testosterone for their lowlibido.
But I would say that there arebetter treatments than
testosterone for your low libido.
You mentioned the dryness.
That can often be somethingthat's very confusing for women.
All of a sudden they'relubricated, and then it can
happen overnight, or it canhappen over a period of time
where they get vaginal drynessand that can lead to painful sex
(06:20):
, which is dysperionia.
It can also lead, of course, tolow sexual desire, because
nobody wants to have sex when ithurts, so neither partner wants
to do that, so they don'trealize there's treatments.
The first line of treatment isa lubricant during intimacy, as
long as you just have vaginaldryness.
Then the second is personalmoisturizer.
(06:42):
I often say it's just asimportant to moisturize the
vagina as it is the face, and infact it works better on the
vagina, and so that's asuppository or a gel that's
inserted two or three times aweek and that keeps the vaginal
tissues healthy.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I think too, then it's the mental piece of it that
women are uncomfortable becauseit is painful or they've gained
weight and they don't feel goodabout themselves, and I think
those can be barriers to beingcomfortable with that intimacy
with their partner.
I think often we put morepressure on ourselves than our
partner.
They're like oh, I think you'restill great, like it's no
problem.
So what can we do about thosethings?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Absolutely.
Just have sex with me.
I really don't care that youhave so gay.
I still think you're hot,exactly Well, turn the lights
out.
Who cares?
And you know that's the mostcommon sex position.
Is the doggy position reallysetting the mood there?
Yeah, that's right.
No candles, not a flicker oflight.
No, you know, none of us areperfect.
(07:36):
And when you feel good aboutyour body and when you feel good
about your intimate life, itmakes you feel better about your
own self and your self-esteemand your sexual self-esteem,
which is very important as wellso it's all of that together
that can then make you feel moreconfident, happier and, you
know, wanting to kind of have alittle more fun.
We often tell people to schedulesex because women are exhausted
(08:00):
at the end of the day and thatcan be the worst time to have
sex.
Have it on a Saturday afternoonor have it right after work.
Scheduling sex might soundclinical as well, but it's not.
We schedule everything else inour lives.
Speaker 1 (08:13):
Talk a little bit about the five minute compared
to the long half hour hour,whatever plus it could possibly
be.
Do we need a balance of?
Speaker 2 (08:22):
that Quickies are important and an important
aspect of the sexual repertoire.
They have their place, for sure, and then longer lovemaking
sessions can also be a nice mix.
But I often say to women whohave low sexual desire, who are
in a sexless marriage it'sreally going to take about two
minutes.
Honestly, that's all the timethat you need, because that's
approximately the time it'sgoing to take for your male
(08:45):
partner if you're in aheterosexual relationship.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
And just creating that space, as you said, even if
it's scheduled and knowing, canbe that quick.
It doesn't have to be a longdrawn-out process.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
I think people have been experiencing this in secret
and in shame and when theyshould look at it like shampoo.
It's an everyday, commonoccurrence.
For me anyway, I have to washmy hair every day.
I don't know about you.
Speaker 1 (09:08):
Yeah, I love it.
Well, at least two, three timesa week is good, Like we all got
to start somewhere.
Maybe work up to the dailyshampoo Gets you out of that
sexless marriage category.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
So go for it.
Exactly, sex is to be enjoyed.
Much like life, it's not to beendured, it's to be enjoyed.
You deserve a good sex life,and oftentimes women will get to
a stage and they'll think youknow, I haven't really enjoyed
sex my entire life.
It's time that I woke up andstarted to, and you know, and no
shame around it and just enjoyit.
(09:40):
It's a gift you give toyourself, and sometimes it's
just with yourself, and that'sfine too.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
As we started, Exactly when can people find you
if they want to connect or wantto listen to your podcast?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
They can go to my website, maureenmcgrathcom or
Apple Spotify Anywhere youlisten yeah, Nurse Maureen's
health show.
And they can always email menursetalk at hotmailcom directly
.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
That's wonderful, thank you, it was a real joy.
You are awesome, thanks.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Maureen, you're welcome.
You're awesome as well.
Thank you so much.
Thanks so much for tuning in.
I'm Maureen McGrath and youhave been listening to the
Sunday Night Health Show podcast.
If you want to hear thispodcast or any other segment
again, feel free to go to iTunes, spotify or Google Play or
wherever you listen to yourfavorite podcasts.
You can always email menursetalk at hotmailcom or text
(10:28):
the show 604-765-9287.
That's 604-765-9287.
Or head on over to my websitefor more information.
Maureenmcgrathcom, it's been mypleasure to spend this time
with you.
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