Sometimes the real news seems so good that you wonder whether The Onion is mere surplussage. Such is the state of affairs today, as leading British papers the Times of London , the Daily Mail, and the Telegraph notify us of a new leaflet, Pleasure, created and...disseminated (?!?)... to parents, teachers, and youth workers by the a branch of the NHS out of Sheffield, England.
From the Times story headlined "NHS tells school children of their 'right' to 'an orgasm a day'":
Alongside the slogan “an orgasm a day keeps the doctor away”, it says: “Health promotion experts advocate five portions of fruit and veg a day and 30 minutes’ physical activity three times a week. What about sex or masturbation twice a week?”
Maybe they need to hire Ayelet Waldman to help do PR on this one. The Brits have obviously got a different attitude about sex. But I have to wonder whether this story will be appropriated by opponents of nationally funded health care in the US, used as evidence that the federal government ought not meddle in such value laden matters as health. What sort of values will a national health program promote? Having sex (or for that matter, having health care) may help a person live longer. But at what cost to society at large?
And let's be clear. Even this British story is all about shock value. It's hard to know what they're more breathy about - the age of the target audience or the blatantly pro-sex message. None of the papers note that this document was produced by a smal unit of NHS - the Sheffield Centre for HIV and Sexual Health - an important detail that might deflate the story a bit (especially compared to the way the Daily Mail described the office - as "a primary care trust.") AIDS prevention groups have a history of being very forward in their outreach efforts and one more bold claim might be a bit of a yawner. A far more balanced (but not entirely uncritical) exposition of the document is here . (If it that site, which has been a bit unstable, becomes hard to access, you can download it here.)
H/T David Cohen. Image: the document at issue.
Maybe this is an attempt to turn around their falling birth rate ...
Posted by: tom clements | July 13, 2009 at 12:56 PM
Wait. The Sheffield Centre for HIV and Sexual Health, an organziation which presumably would want to *curb* the spread of HIV, is advocating more sex?
Posted by: Steven L | July 13, 2009 at 01:12 PM
obviously they are making sure there will be plenty of 'work' in the future.
Posted by: Tony Z | July 13, 2009 at 01:19 PM
Steven L detects a contradiction:
"Wait. The Sheffield Centre for HIV and Sexual Health, an organziation which presumably would want to *curb* the spread of HIV, is advocating more sex?"
You have to read the name carefully. As "The Sheffield Centre for HIV", it's following its mandate.
Posted by: Kirk H | July 13, 2009 at 01:46 PM
Orgasm is a true way of keeping your couple together. It enforces the relation and prevents your girlfriend from cheating on you.
Posted by: Orgasm tips just for you! | January 29, 2010 at 05:29 PM
You're right an orgasm a day keeps you healthy and happy!
Posted by: buy viagra | February 15, 2010 at 09:59 AM
Just FYI
Orgasm is an autonomic physiologic response to sexual stimulation. Brain activity scans indicate the importance of the limbic system in the orgasmic response.
Greetings
Posted by: buy cialis | March 01, 2010 at 01:47 PM
hey amazing and very useful information about An Orgasm A Day Keeps The Doctor Away. Is This Really NHS? My wife have orgasm problems I hope that this information will help us
Posted by: viagra online | March 15, 2010 at 09:58 AM
What array of ethics will a civic bloom affairs promote?
Posted by: Vimax | May 10, 2010 at 10:03 AM
Nice and Wise words.Proper orgasm help in best helpful ways.Better Orgasm help in achieving proper energy releasing.A very nice blog.I like the information given by you.
Posted by: Viagra Online | May 21, 2010 at 02:54 AM