“My wife insists I buy it at least once a month. We’re both very pleased, if you know what I mean.”

On his wedding night in the summer of 1974, Mohammad Sarfuddin Siddiqui, now 74, was given a paan wrapped in a betel leaf along with several other ingredients by his mother, a big snacker. such as areca or betel nuts, fennel seeds, cloves and rose petal gulkand. “I really liked the paan and asked her to make me another one. He told me that if I liked it and it worked , then we should sell it in our store,” Siddiqui told VICE.

It seems to have worked out really well, because the actor-turned-entrepreneur started selling the paan at his shop, Tara Pan Centre, and named it after one of the world’s most precious diamonds: the Kohinoor. Today, the Kohinoor paan sells for five thousand rupees ($63) and is the most popular product of the 55-year-old paan shop in Aurangabad, India

Siddiqui’s paan was made from a recipe passed down from generation to generation to his mother, who comes from a family of medicine men. The snack was a favorite of the royal family, and not just because it tastes great and helps with digestion.

Considered a great stimulant and digestive, paan – a term that refers to both the betel leaf and the dish made from it – has endured throughout India’s culinary history. It is usually served at celebrations or events such as weddings and can be bought for ten rupees (13 cents) at any pan or tobacco shop in Indian cities. Its preparation and rolling in the leaf is considered an art in itself, one that is honed over time, with experience.

The Kohinoor paan has some interesting benefits, according to Siddiqui. “It helps you last longer in bed ,” he whispered to hide his discomfort. He added that the leaf is decorated with edible gold leaf and contains 12 ingredients, and its aphrodisiac effects can last up to two days. Siddiqui disclosed only six of these ingredients: saffron, amber (a type of resin), honey, Kasturi (musk deer extract), gulkand, and agar—a flavouring found only in the Indian state of Assam that costs nearly forty thousands of dollars per kilogram.

The paan is sold in pairs – the male paan containing honey, amber, agar and edible gold leaf, and the female paan containing gulkand, sweet paan masala and “an even sweeter substance”. According to Ayurveda, a form of alternative medicine focused on holistic healing, ingredients that include jari booti or special herbs increase sexual stamina and sexual appetite, as well as pleasure during intercourse.

But Siddiqui has strict rules: He sells his paan only to married heterosexual couples. Much in demand during the Indian wedding season from November to February, the paan is presented in a box with three compartments: one for each paan and one for a bottle of attar, a fragrance that is supposed to heighten the experience of bread.

But how does Saddiqui tell if the person buying the paan is married or about to get married? “We usually know when we get the order for a wedding. Usually people spend this much money only when they get married. Otherwise, we go on trust. I ask people who buy and ask them to follow my rule. Now, it’s up to them whether they … article

One behind bars, the other free. In prison, a couple’s life is tested. How can a relationship last when concrete walls separate you?

In prison, relationships and intimacy are important. Sometimes relationships are formed even in prison because it’s complicated to maintain one with someone outside. Only visits give prisoners the opportunity to keep in touch. Can a couple survive the prison system?

There are so-called “unsupervised visits ” so that loved ones have the opportunity to have a moment of privacy without the supervision of guards. To access this type of visit, the person must be the legal partner or be able to prove the existence of the relationship. These visits are organized in a studio set up within the prison walls and are longer than traditional visits. In addition to unsupervised visits, there is also the one where people are separated by a wall and the table visit where physical contact is possible but restricted.

Brighton*, who has been in Mons prison for several years, then Brandy, and her boyfriend, Sean*, fight for their relationship to survive despite the bars that separate them, and for this they especially use unsupervised visits. But inevitably, the constraints of the prison system prevent them from fully living their love. However, according to the Law of Principles, also called the Dupont Law, in force in Belgium since 2005, incarcerated persons should only be deprived of free movement in society. Their emotional lives shouldn’t be affected by incarceration, but reality trumps theory. And this is especially because of overcrowding in prisons which leads to a deterioration of detention conditions. However, since 1975, sexual well-being has been recognized as a health factor by the World Health Organization.

Florence, from his cell, and Daniel, from the living room, talk about their relationship. Even after many years, the two remember in detail their first unsupervised visit.

Florence: While I was waiting for the hour to come, I did a little make-up and hair. I wait with anticipation that grows against the passing seconds. The doors to my cell open and I am asked if I am ready. I answer yes, but I’m not. The guard accompanies me through the unknown corridors. Every person we pass looks at me with a devouring look and screams Do you want to fuck? I also get nasty and unwanted remarks from the guards. As I pass through the halls I think of the man for whom my heart and body beat. I miss that particular tenderness that the carnal act brings. I’m almost there, but I don’t know yet. They throw me sheets and a big towel.

I enter a new wing, a long corridor with doors. The abject comments come in droves: Sugi, you’re going to fuck yourself, you’re a whore. What are you doing, you want a big cock? They scream and don’t stop. I want to run, to escape. My cell instantly became a shelter. I am afraid and my discomfort makes the guard laugh. He opens a door for me and I enter. He tells me that my boyfriend is coming and goes to get him. The floor is wet, there is a sofa bed that is completely rotted and not unfolded. There is also a chemical toilet and shower that doesn’t work, the girls warned me. It smells like a combination of something sour and … article

Although it is not always consulted, feeling pain at the time of penetration during sexual intercourse is a very common problem and should never be considered normal. It can affect women of all ages and although it can be caused by various reasons, one of the most common is the involuntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles. This contraction is commonly called vaginismus, and causes partial or total closure of the vagina, which, in addition to pain, prevents penetration. In this post we explain how to treat this problem and what other causes can cause pain at the time of penetration.

1. Vaginismus

Vaginismus can make it painful, difficult, or impossible to have intercourse, have a gynaecological exam, or insert a tampon. It is a sexual dysfunction and therefore, it should be consulted and treated, since it can be a symptom indicative of other gynaecological health problems (endometriosis, pelvic inflammation, fibroids, sexually transmitted infections, vaginal stenosis…). Although it can also be a consequence of previous negative sexual experiences, lack of desire, a repressive upbringing in childhood or adolescence, vaginal dryness problems – very common as menopause approaches – or simply the fear of a pregnancy.

Often, the cause of vaginismus is a bad first experience , for fear of feeling pain the first time, because the intercourse was not entirely desired or because the necessary time was not dedicated to achieving arousal and facilitating lubrication. If left untreated, it can end up causing anxiety, insecurity, frustration, and personal and relationship problems, because it affects both sexual satisfaction and psychological well-being.

The first step is always to consult with a gynaecologist specialized in sexual dysfunctions and to be honest. If you have a partner, it is important to talk openly about this problem and not feel guilty. If you have to do therapy or exercises, it is important that she is informed and that she attends visits, if necessary, so that she knows how to act and help. In general, in addition to a first physical examination and review of symptoms and a complete medical history, the doctor may request an ultrasound to examine the internal organs (it can be via the abdomen) and rule out possible malformations and diseases such as endometriosis or the presence of fibroids or fibroids.

Your doctor will most likely direct you to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist who can explain where your vaginal muscles are located and help you become aware of how they contract and relax. Through specific exercises, breathing techniques or the use of vaginal dilators and massages, the muscles in the area can be relaxed. The answer is usually very good.

2. Organic problems

Pain during intercourse can also be caused by vaginal malformations , pelvic diseases , surgical scars (for example: episiotomy) or vulvodynia , a dysfunction of nervous origin that is characterized by chronic pain in the vulvar area, hypersensitivity and stinging on contact. Also, an inflammation of the intestine (due to ulcerative colitis , Crohn’s disease ), very intense constipation or other intestinal diseases(infections, gases, etc.) can also make penetration painful. Your gynecologist should be informed and refer you to the specialist they consider most appropriate.

3. Endometriosis

If the pain is felt in a deeper area, it may be a symptom of endometriosis, cysts or problems in the uterus. Endometriosis occurs when the endometrial tissue outside the … article