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No Nut November: A way to level up, or a pointless, nutty challenge?
What is 'No Nut November', where does the holiday come from, why do people do it and does it have any health benefits?
Man sitting on bed in an empty room | Picture: iStock
November is in full swing, hot on the heels of October which saw people observing “Ocsober”, commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness month and Pride Month among other holidays.
November brings forth new causes to commemorate including “Movember” and No Nut November.
The term is already piquing interest across search engines, with many wondering what it is and whether or not it is worth observing.
What is ‘No Nut November’?
Known as one of the trends that was born on social media, No Nut November was first jokingly suggested as an annual event that encourages men to go 30 days without ejaculating. Its origins have been traced back to forums like Reddit and 4chan around 2011.
So where do the nuts come in?
In modern slang, to nut or “busting a nut”, refers to the act of ejaculating, hence No Nut November.
Why do it?
As Urban Dictionary matter-of-factly put it, taking part in the holiday is a challenge to show true manliness because other guys aren’t jacking off.
According to Metro UK, the holiday is even governed by rules that dictate that those taking part on No Nut November cannot have sex, masturbate, or “nut” in any way.
However, the rules are a little more forgiving about watching pornography and having erections which is allowed as long as you don’t ejaculate.
Wet dreams are also allowed, however, the limit is one wet dream during the 30-day period. The No Nut November jury is still out on whether or not ejaculating after a wet dream counts as an “official” disqualification.
ALSO READ: Health benefits of female masturbation
What do you get if you win?
Well, if you go 30 days without “busting a nut”, you qualify to participate in Destroy Dick December. What that means is totally up to interpretation…
Does ‘No Nut November’ have any health benefits?
According to urologist Dr Rena Malik, however, there are no health benefits to participating in No Nut November.
In certain circles that tout holistic health benefits online, abstinence from masturbation has often been said to be beneficial for your mind and body. However, Dr Malik explained that there is no substantial research to back those claims.
Speaking to Insider, Dr Malik said that in addition to making you feel good, ejaculation can reduce stress and may even decrease your risk for prostate cancer.
The doctor even referred to a phenomenon commonly referred to as “blue balls”, explaining that avoiding ejaculation can be uncomfortable for most people.
The technical term for “blue balls” is epididymal hypertension and it refers a condition in which the testicles ache after being aroused for too long without ejaculation.
It is worth noting that the condition is often temporary and not dangerous.
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