Gwyneth Paltrow's website has taught us a few things about anal sex.

She is known for her shoes and her style and her impeccable taste in luxury home goods. She’s an advocate for $7,197 intimate massage rings and the controversial rose quartz and jade eggs for toning vaginas and improving orgasms.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s website Goop is filled with everything expensive, unnecessary and “dammit-I-know-it’s-illogical-but-I-really-really-want-it”.

Except now it includes anal sex, and I’m not sure where that fits into the usual milieu of off-white basics and super food recipes.

The “weekly lifestyle publication, curated by Gwyneth Paltrow” teamed up with psychoanalyst and author of The Guide to Getting it On! Paul Joannides to bring us a ‘reality check on anal sex‘.

Brace yourself.

Joannides says around 10 percent to 15 percent of all straight couples “enjoy anal sex a lot”, and also gave some tips for making it work.

Listen: The Prude and the Porn Star podcast discusses the obsession men have with anal sex. Post continues below.

His number one piece of advice? Communication.

“Couples who do not have excellent sexual communication, who don’t freely give and receive feedback about what feels good and what doesn’t, and who don’t have a high level of trust should not be having anal sex,” Joannides said.

There was also some more… practical advice.

“One of the first things a woman or man needs to do if they want to be on the receiving end of anal sex is to teach their sphincter muscles to relax enough that a penis can get past their gates. This takes a lot of practice,” Joannides told Goop.

“Also, unlike the vagina, the anus provides no lubrication. So in addition to teaching the sphincters to relax, and in addition to getting the angle right so you don’t poke the receiver in the wall of the rectum, you need to use lots of lube.”

Lots of talking and lots of lube. We're with you, Goop.

The psychoanalyst also spoke about safety.

"A woman has a 17-times-greater risk of getting HIV and AIDS from receiving anal intercourse than from having vaginal intercourse," he said.

"So your partner needs to be wearing a condom and using lots of lube, unless both of you are true-blue monogamous, with no sexual diseases."

The importance of staying sober while experimenting with anal sex was also touched on.

"Do not use numbing lube, and do not have anal sex while drunk or stoned," Joannides said. (Post continues after gallery.)

"Pain is an important indicator that damage can occur if you don’t make the necessary adjustments, including stopping. If there is pain, perhaps try replacing a penis with a well lubed and gloved finger."

Finally, when asked how/if/when we should talk to kids about anal sex, Joannides had the perfect response:

"We don’t tell them about the clitoris, about women’s orgasms, about masturbation, about the importance of exploring a partner’s body, and learning from each other," he said.

"We don’t tell them that much of what they see in porn is unreal, and we don’t talk to them about the importance of mutual consent. So I don’t see anal being at the top of most parents’ 'should talk to our kids about' lists. There are more important things we need to be talking about first."