The Book On Sex

A local husband-and-wife team of doctors has written a book on how a rockin' bedroom life can lead to a healthy heart.

When it comes to your heart, you don’t want to mess around. Heart disease and other cardiovascular problems are serious, and often learning to deal with them requires a lifestyle change. But where do you turn if you do want to mess around (with your significant other), and you just aren’t sure how well your ticker can handle the after-dark romp?

A local husband-and-wife writing team has put together a book that deals with precisely that question. It’s called Sex and Your Heart Health... A Cardiologist Tells All, by Henry G. Stratmann, M.D. and Maryellen Stratmann, M.D. The two are both doctors with clinical experience working with patients who have questions about meshing their heart health and their sex lives. Maryellen worked for years as a radiologist and now teaches online pre-med courses at Drury University. Henry is a practicing cardiologist at St. John’s hospital in Springfield and a clinical professor of cardiology at St. Louis University. The book covers everything from the importance of a mindful diet and lifestyle and how to talk to your doctor about sex to how sex and heart health affect pregnancy and a variety of heart conditions.

It’s obvious that the Stratmanns took a lighthearted approach to a topic that some patients have a hard time talking about with their doctors, such as “I have heart disease. Is hanky-panky safe for me?” (The answer, according to the book, depends on a number of factors.) Maryellen says they intentionally had fun writing the book. “It’s a very serious topic, but we wanted it to be easy for people to approach,” she says. “We wanted it to be something they aren’t afraid to pick up and read.” The book is full of technical information, but the tone and information are always accessible.

There’s even a glossary in back and witticisms throughout. The book begins with a dedication to Henry and Maryellen’s two sons (“Yes, boys, Mom and Dad really did have sex!”) and a story about how their own experiences with sex in their relationship inspired the book’s concept. The fact that they are so personally open with the topic of healthy sex and healthy hearts makes the book an easy read even for people who are shy about the subject.

Maryellen says that in southwest Missouri, there is a certain amount of shyness. “Some people who are familiar with the book have encouraged us to promote it through churches,” she says. “People might be reluctant to ask about it, but they shouldn’t be. We are medically trained, and sex is part of life.”

The Stratmanns also hope Sex and Your Heart Health will enhance the relationships of the people who read it. The last chapter of the book suggests ways to live with heart disease and increase quality of life, and it’s not just about sex. The book discusses hobbies, volunteering, spirituality and even things as simple as laughing.

Wanna Read?

Sex and Your Heart Health… A Cardiologist Tells All by Henry G. Stratmann, M.D. and Maryellen Stratmann, M.D. is available for $10 off the list price through the Ozarks Marriage Matters website, ozarksmarriagematters.org. When you purchase the book through the website, a $10 donation is made to Ozarks Marriage Matters. You can also find the book at barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com or through the Springfield-Greene County public library. To find out more about the Stratmanns and their book, visit sexandyourhearthealth.com.