From reproduction to physical well-being, pleasure, and partner connection, sex is a fundamental part of life–and yet, our society is so uncomfortable with the topic that productive conversations about sex are rare. As a result, many people (particularly women) end up with shame and confusion about their bodies, and questions about what’s “normal” go unasked or unanswered.

Dr. Jolene Brighten’s work answers these questions. Dr. Jolene is an award-winning board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, hormone expert, and author of the book Is This Normal. In this episode, Erin and Dr. Jolene discuss the origins of shame around sex and pleasure in our culture, answer common questions about odors, discharges, and pain, and explore the orgasm gap and what women can do both physically and with mindset to increase their experiences of pleasure.

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Timestamps:

(6:18) Why is there so much shame around sex?

(19:49) Odors and discharges explained

(23:45) The “orgasm gap” and the purpose of orgasms

(35:38) How to explore pleasure around sex

(38:00) Impact of cyclical hormones on female pleasure

(48:13) Virginity as a societal construct

FOR OUR FULL LIST OF LINKS + RESOURCES, HEAD TO: 

https://www.thefunktionalnutritionist.com/podcast/254-sexual-health-pleasure

Dr. Jolene Brighten is a hormone expert, nutrition scientist, and thought leader in women’s medicine. She is board certified in naturopathic endocrinology and trained in clinical sexology.

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