13
Sep
2011
Are You Sexually Active- Part III
Reality check…you can’t completely control, no matter how hard you try, to protect your heart from bonding with the person you’ve chosen to be intimate with. Oxytocin and vasopressin are two chemicals that are released in your body upon intimacy. They are good and serve a wonderful purpose. Oxytocin is the chemical released when a mother nurses her newborn baby- bonds her to that baby for life. Vasopressin is released in dads when they wrestle with their kids- it’s called the “protector” hormone. It makes them want to protect the person he is with. Amazing how our bodies are designed to bond! How great that we are chemically attached to our spouses and children.
However, can you see the danger in setting yourself up to bond with multiple people throughout your life? Intimacy triggers these hormones- doctors have studied the brain and the same part of the brain that is stimulated by drug use is stimulated when these hormones release. No wonder you get “addicted” to the people you are intimate with…that’s the design! So, can you see the problem? When a woman decides to be involved intimately “just for fun” or a guy says “it’s no big deal”- WRONG! Things happen in your body that you can’t control. In marriage, it’s a beautiful thing, but outside of marriage it can create attachments to the wrong people and mess with your heart. Re-think your dating plan. Imagine being free of emotional baggage and attachments on your wedding day, giving yourself to the man of your dreams and not looking back. You are worth a fantastic marriage with great sex so have the patience to put it off until it’s the right time. You Are More than a good time. If you have questions or need to talk, call Hope at 652-8343.
Scientific reference: “Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love” by Helen Fisher, in The Economist, Feb 2004. Read more...
29
Aug
2011
Are You Sexually Active? Part II
Have you ever really thought about the term “broken heart”? If you’ve ever been involved in a relationship, you’ve probably experienced the feeling. If you’ve ever been involved sexually and can really be honest with yourself, you know the feeling well. I wonder about the idea of “friends with benefits”…is a person really able to detach emotionally from someone they have shared such intimacy with?
A wise man once said, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” This makes such sense…our hearts deserve protection just as much as our physical bodies. Our future will be shaped by the condition of our heart. Imagine living without the heavy emotional baggage (anger, resentment, guilt, depression, distrust, jealousy) of a broken heart. Here’s a challenge…put off sexual activity until you are married. AND we’re talking about all types of sexual activity (anal sex, oral sex, mutual masturbation, etc.) You know it’s true…all of these things are intimate and all of them stir up your emotions. So, how about being radical for the sake of your heart- protect yourself by refusing the negative consequences of sex outside of a committed, married relationship.
If you’ve already gone there, don’t believe the lie that its too late for you. Start over and allow your heart to believe that You Are More than a one night stand or a half-hearted commitment. We are here to talk to you and help you with that decision. Call Hope at 652-8343. It’s your life…you get to decide how to live it. Read more...
22
Aug
2011
Are You Sexually Active?
If the answer is yes, you may want to reconsider that choice.
In the next three blogs we will provide you with some information to help you make an informed decision about your sexuality. Remember, this is your life. You get to call the shots. Is it worth the risk?
There are over 25 known STDs…we’re just giving you a glimpse at some of the most common. Remember: we are not just talking about sexual intercourse that spreads disease, but all sexual activity (anal and oral sex included).
Chlamydia is the most commonly reported STD in the U.S. The rate of chlamydia infections among reported Utah teenagers aged 15-19 years has more than doubled from 2000 to 2008. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 75% of females infected with chlamydia do not present signs or symptoms. Men infected with chlamydia are around 50% symptomatic. Untreated infections can progress to serious reproductive complications and other health problems including infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and epididymitis in males. Chlamydia can also infect infants during the birth process which can lead to health complications.
Source: The Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Epidemiology, Communicable Disease Analysis and Reporting Program
Genital herpes infects one out of five Americans over age 12. Genital herpes can cause recurring painful sores around the genital region, mouth or throat. It can cause complications in pregnancy for years to come. There is currently no cure.
Human papilloma virus will occur in at least half of all sexually active men and women at some point in their lives. Various strains of HPV can cause genital warts and are linked to cancer of the cervix, mouth, throat, penis and anus.
Source: Center for Disease Control, Division of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Prevention, May 2009
It’s not too late to make a U-turn. Today, you can decide to wait for sex until your married. It’s the only 100% effective way to protect your body…and your heart (see next post for more). Call Hope at 652-8343 to talk to someone about abstinence. Read more...
