(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Simply put: Yes. Obviously poor lifestyle habits are not the primary cause of STIs; sex is, and maintaining a strict healthy lifestyle doesn’t provide immunity against them.
But there are certain lifestyle factors that can (albeit indirectly) increase a person’s risk of getting an STI; and the healthier a person’s approach is to these, the less likely they are to encounter an infection (or indeed complicate one which is already present).
Let’s examine them, starting with the most obvious:
Attitude to Sex
It’s perhaps being much too simplistic to refer to monogamy or promiscuity as ‘habits’ or ‘lifestyle choices’; that said, it stands to reason that the fewer people someone has sex with, the smaller the mathematical risk is of them having sex with someone who has an STI.
Someone’s attitude to sex doesn’t just refer to the number of sexual partners they have: practising safe sex is crucial even for those whose sexual encounters are few.
Putting a healthier attitude to sex into practice might involve abstaining in those situations where barrier contraception isn’t readily accessible, or making it a rule not to engage in sex until a reaching a certain (and mutually familiar) point in a relationship.
For people who aren’t in monogamous relationships, getting tested regularly forms an integral part of this healthier attitude. It’s advisable for sexually active people to go for testing once a year at the bare minimum, but also to get tested after having unprotected sex.
Binge Drinking
There are a host of health reasons why binge drinking isn’t good for anyone: increased blood pressure, inflammation of the stomach and pancreas, and a dangerous loss of judgment to name a modest handful. In younger people, binge drinking is also thought to inhibit brain development.
Unsurprisingly, there is a definite link between binge-drinking and STI transmission too.
One study of 671 STI patients found that binge drinking was reported by 30 and 42 percent of female and male respondents respectively; and that it was commonly associated with more risky sexual behaviour.
Persons under the influence will obviously have reduced inhibitions and less control; and in certain social situations, this can often result in a higher likelihood of engaging in sexual intercourse with a stranger. Furthermore, the less lucid someone is, the less likely they are to take precautions and use protection.
Some may have a good grasp of how much alcohol constitutes too much; while others may not be able to gauge their own tolerance quite as well.
Obviously the more control someone exercises over their alcohol consumption, the less likely they are to find themselves in a situation which puts them at risk of STIs.
So one way for those who are sexually active to reduce the chances of having unprotected sex with a stranger then, is to err on the side of caution, by setting a strict, conservative limit on alcohol consumption. This might mean having a three-drink maximum (even if you feel like you can stand to drink more), or alternating between alcoholic and soft drinks when at a party or social event.
Personal Hygiene
Maintaining poor body hygiene can contribute towards the development of skin and soft tissue infections, as everyone knows.
The bacteria which causes the most common STIs gonorrhoea and chlamydia is usually transmitted through vaginal fluid and semen, so poor hygiene alone is never going to be responsible for the development of these conditions; at least some form of sexual contact with an infected person has to occur.
However, there are some genital infections which can develop as a result of poor hygiene, and then be spread to others through sexual intercourse.
Cystitis is one. This type of infection can have a variety of causes, among which are poor toiletry hygiene (for instance, wiping from the rear forwards after going to the toilet). It isn’t strictly an STI, but once developed it can be spread to others through sexual intercourse.
Balanitis is a condition which affects men, and can occur when there is a build-up of smegma between the foreskin and penis. So inadequate washing practices can lead to balanitis, but it can also sometimes be the result of the development of fungi (more commonly known as thrush). Again, thrush isn’t classed as an STI, but it can be transmitted to others through sexual contact.
Poor hygiene can also exacerbate some STIs which are already present. For instance, herpes lesions and cold sores can become complicated when they become infected by bacteria.
So while maintaining a good level of hygiene won’t technically ‘prevent’ STIs, it will help to reduce the likelihood of UTIs and soft tissue and skin infections in the genitals, which can be spread to others through sexual contact.
Immune System
There are several lifestyle factors which can inhibit how well the body’s defences function; and of course, the immune system protects the body against external infections and viral reactivations.
The weaker someone’s immune system is: the more likely they are to contract an infection after coming into contact with an infected person; and the more likely it is, post-infection, that they’ll experience more severe symptoms.
Herpes is a prime example of this. When someone has the herpes simplex virus, the immune system works to battle the condition into dormancy. The drugs in antiviral treatments give the immune system a helping hand, by stopping the virus from reproducing itself (so that the body’s defences can take down the outbreak).
The immune system is responsible for tackling bacterial infections too. Harvard Medical School state that a healthy immune system can fight off ‘invading pathogens’, using the bacteria responsible for causing gonorrhoea as an example. This obviously doesn’t mean that anyone with a decent immune system will be able to ‘defeat’ gonorrhoea without antibiotic help; testing and treatment is always recommended.
Even so, in preventing and lowering your overall risk of STIs, looking after your immune system can help.
Getting the recommended level of sleep each night (7-9 hours), eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, regular exercise, keeping caffeine and alcohol within reasonable limits, and not smoking are all measures someone can take in keeping their immune system healthy.
Stress
Maintaining a perpetually stressful lifestyle can impact on health in a number of ways. Aside from the physical effects it can have, such as increased susceptibility to pain, headaches, and loss of libido, it can lead to various behaviours with potentially negative repercussions.
For instance, when someone is undergoing severe stress, they might be more susceptible to poor dietary choices and comfort eating.
Someone undergoing heavy stress might also be more inclined to smoke, consume alcohol to excess, or to experiment with recreational drugs. And drugs and alcohol in certain situations might, as described above, lead to a loss of self-control and reduced inhibitions; which can make unprotected sex more likely.
The link between stress and STIs is one which has been investigated, but not to an extensive degree. One study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh did note a link between stress, among other mental health factors, and high-risk sexual behaviours and STIs.
So while taking measures to limit stress perhaps isn’t the biggest factor in lowering STI risk, it can nonetheless be a contributing element, and should be taken seriously; if not to reduce STI risk, then certainly for the other health reasons discussed.
Obviously stress can be a complicated issue to deal with, and how you work to tackle it can depend on what the cause is. For those undergoing stress at work, speaking to your line manager to address a heavy workload can help. Opening up to friends and family members, although it isn’t always easy, can assist in relieving feelings of anxiety where the cause is related to issues of a more personal nature.
In cases where the above measures aren’t possible for feasible, approaching a professional for help is the best course of action.
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