Do you find yourself busy trying to manage work with an active social life? As a result, are you guilty of neglecting your own health, especially your personal health? Like most of us you probably are. Personal health is often neglected, usually because people don?t like to ask for advice on conditions down there!

What simple steps can I take to look after my sexual health?

There are a variety of actions you can take. Here are the most important?

Safe Sex: practice safe sex, especially with a new partner. Using a condom does not just protect against AIDS, it also acts as a barrier to prevent other infections.

Pap Smear Test: if you are over sixteen years of age, you should have a pap smear test at least every two years. Pap smears are available through your GP, family planning clinic and health/medical centres.

If it is your first smear test, don?t worry. The test is not painful, merely a little uncomfortable sometimes and it?s over in a couple of minutes.

General Health: follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly. Poor health means that you are most likely to become run down and susceptible to infections, such as thrush and cystitis.