I’ve been spending the last couple years educating myself about the powers the bacterial biome has over us. Our gut bacteria and indeed all the bacteria all over us controls our immune response, our moods, our weight, and a lot else. I’ve learned how harmful antibiotics and chemotherapy can be, and I’ve seem first hand what one wrong bug population can do to your digestive system.
The more I learn about how powerful the bacteria in us are, the more I realize how choosing whom you share bacteria with is actually a life or death situation.
When we were kids, we thought all the sex stuff was yucky. In some ways we shouldn’t have doubted our child instincts!
There are some nasty bacteria out there, that lead to depression or cancer. If you are super healthy, sure, you can endure a roll in the hay with a germy stranger... But what if you aren’t? You really could pick up some nasty stuff. This is true for either gender. It deserves at least some sober thought. EVERY bacteria on that person’s body is “venereal,” if you will. Every bacteria in any orifice you deal with IS TRANSFERABLE TO YOU.
Exposure to good bacteria is good. If your partner has some great bugs, messing with him or her is like taking probiotics. But how do you know how good their bugs are??
Have you ever read the Free the Animal blog? I don’t really agree with the guy on much morally, but he has some interesting gut biome posts.
I don’t know if this is related to what you just said, but... I became a public school teacher about the same time I broke up with my last boyfriend, and I’ve been celibate ever since. We’re talking almost 12 years here. And I never get sick! I’m working with germy inner-city children all day. Okay, I did have a nasty ear infection in 2007, but other than that... never sick. I thought I was just getting tough from working with all these kids, but now I wonder... you know... being celibate...?