Continued from Part 1 here...

3. How is Justisse different than the old school rhythm method?

Amy: The Rhythm Method came about due to research in the 1930s that showed that ovulation, on average, occurred about two weeks before menstruation. So using a single biomarker – date of last period – calculations were created to estimate when a person would be fertile. Unfortunately, because cycles are responsive to stress, illness, travel, and diet, this method had a high failure rate because it was based on calculations that presumed regular 25-35 day cycles. In this way, the Rhythm Method is what we call a retrospective or prospective method – it tries to anticipate future cycles based on past cycles. Almost all modern FAM methods, including the Justisse Method, use multiple biomarkers (as above) to account for irregularities in the menstrual cycle.

 By tracking mucus and BBT we can anticipate cycles with delayed ovulation and achieve effective contraception...

You're likely familiar with a wide range of birth control options from oral contraceptives to intrauterine systems. But have you heard of Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM) like the Justisse Method of Fertility Management. According to experts, the method is over 99% effective when used correctly, and not only preserves your health and fertility but enhances it by pointing you towards your own health needs and providing a means of monitoring improvement.

I had the opportunity to chat with the Rent Tent Sisters about reproductive health awareness and the Justisse method to learn more about their work and this health-focused approach to birth control. Check out the interview below and if you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.

What inspired you to create awareness around fertility and reproductive health?

Amy: My work is inspired by my own health journey. As a teenager I had very, very heavy periods and irregular cycles. I had terrible...

Note from Dr. Jess: In this post, guest blogger Kathryn Peterson, offers advice specific to women who perform oral sex on penises. Obviously, people of all genders can enjoy fellatio and female energy is not unique to people who identify as female; regardless of your gender identity, hopefully you can learn from and experiment with these visualization and energy techniques to enhance your sexual pleasure.

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Fellatio is not just about men – I’ve learned that by using some ancient practices and new tricks, it can be a deeply intimate and pleasurable experience for both partners! One of my favorite ways to ensure mutual pleasure during fellatio practice, is by cultivating female sexual energy. This is a Taoist technique that has a similar counterpart in Tantra. In both systems, female sex energy begins at our breasts, flows down to our genitalia, and back up to our breasts. The breast is the female positive pole which symbolizes our strong heart center, while the...

Barry Manilow came out of the closet yesterday to the (very little) surprise of his adoring fans. At 73 years old, Manilow’s coming out story is a late one, but it’s unsurprising given the reality of homophobia and heterocentric norms in the music business and beyond. Jess shares her thoughts in the video and text commentary below.

 

We still live with homophobia — and in terms of both policy and attitudes, the US is worse than Canada: while 77% of Canadians show support for same sex relationships, only 60% of Americans say the same.

But let’s not pretend that Canada is a utopia. We may claim that gay people have all the rights of straight people, but that’s just on paper. In real life the data says otherwise:

• Gay men with partners earn 5% less than straight men with partners.
• 64% of LGBTQ students in Canada feel unsafe at school.
• Hate crimes against LGBTQ people in...

Are attractive people more likely to divorce? This week’s headlines suggest that this might be the case, but you may want to examine the data before jumping to conclusions. Jess discusses her interpretations of four studies on The Morning Show with Jeff McArthur in the video below.

Summary of the research findings and Jess’ thoughts:

• The first study examined the marriages and divorces of 130 celebrities; researchers found that the best-looking couples were most likely to split.
• The second study looked 238 high school yearbook photos and found that those who were rated highly attractive had shorter marriage durations.
• The other two studies examined the  “derogation of attractive alternatives” concept, which refers to a relationship preservation strategy in which we rate attractive alternatives as less attractive (e.g. I look at someone attractive and I tell myself they’re less attractive in order to preserve my relationship). These studies...

Want more passion in your relationship? First you have to understand the science of passionate love and then you can make specific behavioural changes. In the video below, Jess breaks down the science of passion in relationships with Jeff McArthur.

The Science of Passion:

• Passion and love don’t always go hand in hand; you can love someone deeply without feeling passionate desire for them sexually.
• Experts believe there are two phases of love: passion & attachment and the former only lasts 6-18 months.
• During the passionate phase, you experience spikes in dopamine, adrenaline & serotonin.
• During the attachment phase, you remain connected via oxytocin and vasopressin
• Each phase involves a chemical process; you can’t stay in passionate love forever.
• If you want to work on attachment-based love, perform exercises to boost the attachment chemicals: daily physical affection, purposeful eye contact, expressions of gratitude, learning...

The challenge of keeping your relationship exciting and fulfilling is universal. Relationship and sex therapists report that reigniting the passion is one of the most common challenges their clients face despite the fact that few people discuss the struggle publicly.

When long-term couples struggle to "spice up the bedroom" it's often because they have stopped taking the time to make one another feel special by trying new, exciting and fun things -- in and out of the sack. It's easy to fall into patterns and feel like you've done everything under the sun, but there is always a new adventure or sexy activity you can try. Start by trying something simple like setting aside a few hours with your sweetie to reconnect. The process of spicing up the bedroom can be fun and help increase intimacy and connection with your partner. Check out the video below for more info!

Trying new things can have several positive benefits on your relationship including:

• Releasing...

All good (and not so good) things must come to an end and if you've recently undergone a break-up, you know that the transition out of a relationship can be simultaneously intense, challenging and exciting. Wherever you are in your post-relationship evolution, we've got some advice to help you move on and thrive in the next stage of your life:

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Make it a clean break. I know it’s tempting to want to check in once in a while or catch up for old time’s sake, but if you’re still not over him and are struggling to get back into the dating game, remaining friends can do more harm than good. You don’t have to pretend that he never existed or go out of your way to avoid him at all costs, but you can’t support one another through a tough break-up or you’ll remain reliant on one another for support.

Change your daily routine. Sometimes the hardest part of a break-up isn’t the loss of companionship, but the major shift in...

Have your kids ever walked in on you in the heat of the moment? Did you ever catch your parents gettin' busy when you were younger? Dr. Jess’ Facebook followers shared their views on this topic a few months back. Here’s what they had to say…

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"Why is it ok for children to see violence, yet any source of affection or lovemaking is frowned upon?" - Todd

"You didn't mean to have an orgy in front of your child. You do what you can do to ensure you and your partner are alone. But is it really that awful to have a child walk in on you?" - Chantal

"I walked in on my parents and years later after their divorce I walked in on my mother and her boyfriend too. Not exactly what I wanted to see and wouldn't recommend to others, but it wasn't devastating and hell bounding. Didn't make me need a shrink. The fighting in the home did though." - Bob

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"I think we raise better quality individuals when we share respect and honor our flesh. Make it normal...

Earlier this week, Jess hosted a Facebook Live broadcast in partnership with a cool new dating app, Zepeel. In the video below, she shares fun, practical and effective tips to make online dating more effective. Give it a watch and be sure to leave your top dating tips in the comments here.

Jess’ top tips summarized:

1. Creep your “competition”. Although fellow daters aren’t technically your competition, reading through profiles of similar daters (e.g. people of the same gender, age and region) will inspire you to craft a more effective profile. Questions to ask yourself: What do these profiles have in common? Do I want to avoid repetitive content (e.g. cliches)? What makes a profile stand out? How can I differentiate my profile?

2. Use your Twitter or Snap feed to populate your profile. It’s an accurate picture of your recent interests and activities. Share a few of your top tweets (without revealing your handle).

3. Ask your friends to write you a...