Do you remember to... ?

When we think about sex in terms of 'Fabio' or 'satin' or 'sacred' or 'tantric' (if you've read my previous posts you'll recognise these as my favourite sex words to disapprove of) it becomes difficult to acknowledge the, at times, yuckiness of sex. The very fact that I'm referring to it as yuckiness, as opposed to potential (but quite natural) issues demonstrates that at some level even I have trouble reconciling the potential-but-quite-natural-issues that can sometimes arise from a truly ecstatic sexual experience.
There are all the obvious ones around STIs which everyone is very informed of these days. But there are others, not quite so scary, but still ever-present even in monogamous relationships.
For example, urinary tract infections - caused by bacteria getting into your bladder - quite common yuckiness for sexually active women. Thrush - yuck! Another one that's not caused by sex, but doesn't really like it either. Then there's the less scary ones (but still yuck) like a bit labial rawness or stinging or ditto around the back.
I find that if my vagina is 'down' even with a teeny bit of thrush then my whole feminine core centre collapses and the world looks bleak and sex seems deeply uninteresting and certainly not 'sacred' or 'satin' or 'tantric' or forget those silly words - it just ceases to seem beautiful and wondrous and uplifting.
In those times it can be easy to understand the origins of the sex-is-dirty camp: of course it's dirty, it can potentially cause so many of these yucky things.
But of course the truth is there are so many beautiful things in the world that can also potentially cause so many yucky things. That's the reality, the devastating and wonderful reality of life. And I guess what I have come to realise is that sex is not some ideal pure spirit sitting on a satin covered pedestal. It is ecstatic and alive and therefore it is also risky - too much of it, even with the one same loving monogamous partner could leave you with a bit of a sting in the bathroom for a few days! That's just the way it is. No ups without a down now and again. That doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It just means that you have to do a few things that may sound less than romantic (less than tantric or satin or sacred) but definitely do not take away from the overall romance or beauty of the experience.

So... after sex, do you remember to:
- pee? Peeing after sex will flush out any potential bacteria that might otherwise sneak up to yucky places.
- wipe up? Staying dry downstairs will limit the moisture and keep things hygienic and therefore unpleasant for yucky thrush to grow.

And generally, do you remember to:
- drink loads of water? Hydration is what you need for good sex. Keeps your juices flowing downstairs and up. (Oral sex with a dry tongue = unpleasant.)
- get your pap smears? It's highly unpleasant, even if you close your eyes and imagine it's a hot Spanish guy down there. But even aside from the cervical check up, it's also good peace of mind to have someone who knows their stuff poking around in there every couple of years just to check that everything is as it should be.

I guess the main point I'm trying to make is that sex is a living growing thing and not a religion. Don't revere it and therefore distance yourself from it, or think that everything about it is good or bad or unachievable or impossible. It's all possible. Approach it from a safe place and you will feel its beauty, thrush or no thrush.