Sexercise for Menopause: Taking Matters into Your Own Hands | Kath Berry | TEDxDaltVila

Key Concepts:

• Vagina as a hormone management powerhouse
• Androgens (testosterone) and their role in women's health (bone health, muscle strength, mood, hair loss, libido)
• Vaginal health and its impact on overall well-being
• The importance of blood flow for vaginal health and elasticity
• Penetrative vibrator use for pelvic floor muscle activation and improved sexual function
• Clitoral stimulation for sexual pleasure
• Masturbation and its benefits (body awareness, increased intimacy)
• Menopause as an opportunity for change and self-discovery
• "Sexercise" - integrating sexual activity into a healthy lifestyle

1. The Vagina: More Than Just a Passageway

• For a long time, the vagina was considered a simple passageway for childbirth and sex.
• Recent scientific discoveries reveal that the vagina is a "secret hormone management powerhouse."
• The vagina produces and receives androgens, such as testosterone, which are crucial for both men and women.
• Androgens contribute to bone health, muscle strength, mood, hair loss, and libido.
• Maintaining vaginal health is essential for overall physical and mental well-being.

2. Personal Experience and the Need for Solutions

• The speaker was diagnosed with a hormone-sensitive abdominal tumor, which restricted her from using oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause.
• She noticed many women in her acupuncture practice experiencing a lack of libido and sought a solution.
• She collaborated with researchers to study healthy aging for women naturally.

3. Mainstream Approaches and the Overlooked Benefits of Sex and Masturbation

• Mainstream approaches to women's health include hormone therapy, lifestyle changes (diet, hydration, reduced alcohol intake, sleep), and age-appropriate exercise.
• The health and wellness benefits of sex and masturbation are only now being understood.
• A 2023 study by urologists in LA showed that penetrative use of a vibrator activates deep pelvic diaphragm muscles and improves sexual dysfunction.

4. Masturbation and Intimacy

• Masturbation improves body awareness, understanding of desires, and increases intimacy within relationships.
• This applies to various relationship types (husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends, partners, lovers).

5. Anatomy Lesson and Vaginal Health

• The vagina is a tube-like passageway, varying in length from 2.5 to 3.5 inches (about the size of an adult female index finger to the knuckle).
• The vagina is made of smooth muscle tissue rich in collagen and elastin, requiring blood flow to maintain structure and elasticity.
• Over time, the vagina can shorten, the walls can narrow, and tissue thinning due to estrogen drop can cause dryness and pain during sex.
• Activity and blood flow are essential to keep the vagina moist and lubricated.

6. Penetrative Vibrator Use vs. Clitoral Stimulation

• The research emphasizes penetrative use of a vibrator to activate deep internal pelvic muscles and increase blood flow to vaginal tissue.
• Strengthened pelvic floor muscles can improve outcomes for women experiencing urinary incontinence.
• Clitoral stimulation provides sexual pleasure by targeting the pleasure centers at the head of the clitoris.

7. Experimentation and Inclusivity

• The speaker encourages experimentation with these ideas, regardless of relationship status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

8. "Sexercise": Integrating Sex into a Healthy Lifestyle

• The speaker proposes integrating sex and masturbation as trackable fitness activities, calling it "sexercise."
• Benefits of "sexercise" include:
  • Feeling good about oneself
  • Increased confidence
  • Improved libido
  • Enhanced intimacy
  • Potentially preventing urogenital problems

9. Menopause: An Opportunity for Change

• Menopause should be viewed as an opportunity to change how women think, feel, behave, and relate to themselves.
• The most important relationship is the one with oneself.
• Women should take control of their menopause matters and their futures.

10. Notable Quotes:

• "Your tumor is hormone sensitive therefore no oral contraceptives and no HRT hormone replacement therapy when you hit menopause." - The speaker's oncologist.
• "Kath what's wrong with me i feel dead from the waist down zero libido." - Women in the speaker's acupuncture practice.

Synthesis/Conclusion:

The presentation advocates for a more informed and proactive approach to women's sexual health, emphasizing the vagina's role as a hormone regulator and the benefits of activities like masturbation and penetrative vibrator use. It challenges traditional views of menopause and encourages women to embrace it as a time for self-discovery and empowerment, integrating sexual well-being into a holistic approach to health and fitness.