Your Health Is Your #1 Asset. No matter what type of career you decide to pursue, your health is of paramount importance. If you feel good about yourself and your body, this will carry over into everything you do, but it is especially important in the adult entertainment industry. After all, this industry is built on the glamour and appeal of the human body. You can’t be sexy if you’re not healthy. Therefore, as an adult industry worker, you should have an especially strong commitment to maintaining a healthy body. Not only will this make you more likely to be hired by potential employers, but it will also allow you to enjoy your work more and sustain it for a longer period.

Keep Physically Active. Study after study shows that the key to staying healthy is to get plenty of exercise. Our bodies are designed for constant motion and activity. Unfortunately, the modern world with all its technological advances does not require as much activity as we need. Our ancestors had no choice but to stay on their feet all day hunting and gathering, but we can get away with spending hours on end lying on the couch watching television or hunched over a computer monitor. As a result, we must stay in a state of constant awareness that we need to move, move, move. Resist the temptation to become a couch potato! Even simply walking 15 minutes a day can reap benefits. Better yet, stop taking elevators and instead always use the stairway. And of course, there are any number of excellent fitness gyms you can join. You may even want to consider hiring a personal trainer to get you started, or try pilates, yoga, meditation, or stretching. In all truth, the very best way to stay physically fit is to cultivate a sport or activity that you are passionate about, so that it is not a chore to exercise, but rather a joy.

Eat a Sensible Diet. Our society loves to jump from one fad dieting craze to the next, but the fact is that there is no magic, perfect diet. Instead, the key to good health is common sense and moderation. Don’t get hung up on the idea that some foods are “bad” and others are “good.” The truth is never that black and white. The human digestive tract is built for a wide range of different foods. You want to eat lots of different types of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. Remember, variety is the spice of life. It is easy to fall into the same repetitive eating habits day after day, week after week. To break up the cycle, consider visiting a farmers’ market and pick out a few exotic fruits and vegetables you’ve never tried before. It can be fun to explore the gigantic universe of food options, and it will pay even bigger dividends for your health. Whatever you do, make sure to avoid heavily processed foods as much as possible. That doesn’t mean that you can never go to fast food restaurants again, but you definitely do not want to rely on them as a primary part of your diet.

Avoid Smoking Cigarettes. Probably the worst thing you could do for your health is to smoke. Of all the substances on the earth, one could make quite a strong case that nicotine is among the most damaging to your body. From heart disease to lung cancer, the health complications from tobacco use are severe and frightening. Nicotine is a highly addictive drug, so why would you want to fall prey to a substance that basically enslaves you and lines the pockets of the tobacco companies at the same time? If you’ve already started smoking, don’t despair. The U.S. Surgeon General has an excellent set of consumer tips to help people who wish to quit smoking. The important thing to remember is that much of the damage caused to your lungs by smoking can be reversed if you quit, so it’s never too late.

Consume Alcohol in Moderation. Numerous recent studies have documented the health benefits of drinking a modest quantity of beer or wine on a daily basis. That doesn’t mean you should become a drinker if you aren’t one already, because you can get most of these same benefits by drinking a glass of grape juice every day, too. However, if you are a drinker, you probably don’t need to reduce your consumption to zero, you just need to make sure that you are not abusing alcohol. As with everything, the key is moderation. One or two glasses of wine a day is probably okay. Two or three cases of beer a day is not.

Don’t Take Drugs. We don’t mean to sound like Nancy Reagan here, but we would be remiss if we didn’t point out that recreational drugs can be extremely dangerous and hazardous to your health. Drugs may seem like an easy way to run from your problems or alter your mood, but in the long run, they cause more problems than they solve. This is a pill-popping society, and everywhere we turn, we seem to be bombarded with ads telling us that we need to start taking this or that new medication. Social conditioning of this type might make us think that even recreational drugs are okay or even advisable. In reality, we can find so much more fulfillment by addressing our problems and needs more directly. It might take a little bit more work to make the effort to find joy in our outer world by stopping to smell the roses or watching the sunset, but it is ultimately worth it. This world is full of magnificent and uplifting experiences that don’t require any drugs at all.

Stay Mentally Healthy. The stresses and pressures of modern urban life can often take a toll on our mental health. We live in a world where anxiety and depression is rampant, and psychiatric medication is given out like candy. Sadly, this dog-eat-dog capitalist world is not very concerned about any one individual’s mental state, just about one’s bank account. That’s why you have to take responsibility for tending to your emotional and psychological wellbeing yourself. Write poetry, have soulful talks with your friends, try a meditation tape, take walks in nature, do yoga, keep a journal—these are all good methods of maintaining your mental health.

Special Health Tips for Actors/Actresses. Most of the jobs listed on the SexyJobs.com network do not involve any direct physical or sexual contact with other individuals. However, those of you who are interested in adult acting need to be aware of the unique health issues specific to this career choice. While the adult industry has made strides in containing the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, you need to be aware of the risks involved and take every precaution to limit them. For instance, all reputable production companies require a current blood test for HIV and other STDs. In most cases, performers will be asked to get a test at least every 30 days. While condoms are not always required on the set, some producers do demand them. It is up to you to decide your own comfort level. As a performer, you have a right to refuse to work with anyone who has an outdated test or who refuses to use a condom. An excellent discussion of the health hazards in the adult film industry can be found on the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) website. If you live in Southern California, an especially important resource is AIM (Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation, a nonprofit medical clinic with two locations offering STD testing and other medical services, like pap smears, information about alternative health and healing methods, and support groups. Another good resource is the PAW (Protecting Adult Workers) Foundation. PAW’s mission is “aimed at improving the quality of life for workers in the adult entertainment industry.” They offer health training and awareness programs, health and life insurance, pension program information, and peer counseling. For more excellent information about STDs, including HIV, check out the folks at SF city clinic.