Top 7 Flat-Belly Tricks

Top 7 Flat-Belly Tricks

Most women have experienced the feeling of being bloated at some point in their lives. However, for some it can be a recurring problem, leading to frequent discomfort and embarrassment. To help beat bloating and get the flat stomach you’ve dreamed of, check out these 10 de-bloating tips.

Consult your GP

Bloating can be caused by numerous factors including water retention and poor digestion. However, if you frequently suffer from chronic bloating you should visit your GP to discuss your symptoms and try to pinpoint a cause. As bloating can be a symptom of manageable conditions such as IBS or coeliac disease, as well as a reaction to certain medications, it is important to get an expert opinion.

Keep a food diary

If you tend to get bloated following meals, it could be that you are suffering from a food intolerance. It may be worth getting tested for food intolerances; however, experts are unsure of the effectiveness of these tests. The best thing is to keep a food diary, noting everything you eat as well as any signs of bloating, to help identify a link.

Take a probiotic

A healthy gut is packed with good bacteria which help to break down food and prevent yeast overgrowth. However, due to factors such as stress and medication (particularly antibiotics) levels of good bacteria can get low. When this happens, digestion and levels of yeast in the gut are affected, both of which can lead to bloating. To rectify this, try taking a probiotic supplement. Probiotics can also be found in some yoghurts, although dairy can be a cause of bloating for some.

Stay hydrated

Ironic as it may sound, staying well hydrated is one of the best ways to reduce the water retention which can lead to bloating. Furthermore, getting enough fluids can help you to improve your digestion and avoid constipation. Try to drink regularly throughout the day, opting for uncarbonated drinks such as water, peppermint or fennel tea.

Avoid gas-inducing foods

The leading cause of bloating is excess gas, so try to limit your intake of gas-inducing foods such as cabbage, sprouts, beans and grains. Also, avoid the sweeteners sorbitol and maltitol, try not to overdo your intake of fibre, and avoid chewing gum, which can exacerbate bloating. Try to also cut down on refined sugars, fermented products such as alcohol and cheese, and foods containing yeast, as these can cause yeast in the gut to thrive, which can lead to excess gas and bloating.

Concentrate on your meals

Many of us eat our meals on the go or while chatting with family and friends; however, taking more time over your meals and not talking while you eat could help reduce post-meal bloating. Eating too quickly and talking while eating can cause you to swallow air, leading to excess gas. Also, as digestion begins in the mouth, not chewing your food enough times can affect how well it is digested. It is also beneficial to eat little and often, as large meals can overload the digestive system.

12 Tips to Feel Sexy in 2012

Top 12 Tips to Feel Sexy in 2012

1. Look at yourself in the mirror every day. Get up close so you can look directly into your own eyes. Smile and say, “I love you.” Do this every day until you really, truly, deeply believe it. Don’t be surprised if this deceptively simple exercise brings tears to your eyes.

2. Think about a time when you felt sexy and confident. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and totally immerse yourself in the memory. Recall every detail you can, until you feel the feelings bubbling up to the surface. Hold onto the feelings for a few seconds, and while they’re still strong, open your eyes and smile. You’re training yourself to feel sexy and confident when you do this regularly.

3. Let your clothing reflect you. Go through your closet and get rid of any clothing that no longer fits or feels good. If you don’t love it, donate it. You should be left with only things you love or need. Any time you wear frumpy, ill fitting clothing, you tell yourself you don’t deserve to feel sexy. This doesn’t mean you always have to dress up. Simple, casual, well-fitting clothing can stay.

4. Put on your favorite outfit. Look at yourself in a full length mirror. Compliment yourself out loud about how great you look, and be specific. Parade around your bedroom and strike a few poses. Don’t forget to smile as you do it; remember, it’s all about attitude!

5. Sign up for pole dancing classes. No, I’m not kidding. Take classes for at least a month. Not only is pole dancing a kick-butt workout, but you can’t help feeling sexy... and strong, and powerful... when you master a move. As an added bonus, the classes will make you stronger and more confident, and there’s nothing sexier than a strong, confident woman. 

6. Take the initiative. If you have a romantic partner, take the initiative and do something sexually you’ve never done.  I guarantee, your partner will be so stoked, you’ll feel like a goddess. Need an idea? Try this: look him (or her) right in the eye, with your chin lowered so you’re looking up into their eyes. Say, “I want to make love to you... right now.” Then take their hand and walk into the bedroom. Even that little bit of initiative will put some sizzle in the act.

7. Learn how to hula hoop. It’s cheap, and you can find lots of great tutorials on YouTube. Hooping gets you into your body, and when you’re tuned into your body it’s easy to treat it well. It helps loosen the hips, which makes it easier to express your emotions. I know that might sound strange, but energetically we store grief in our hips. Tight hips mean a lot of grief, and it’s hard to feel sexy when you have a lot of unexpressed grief.

8. Give yourself permission to feel sexy. One of the great gifts of the female body is that it’s full of soft lines and curves. Being sexy doesn’t mean you’re stupid. Being sexy doesn’t mean you think your value is in your beauty. It means that you appreciate this body you’ve been given. It means you don’t have to compete with men on their turf; you’ve got your own. Gone are the days when women find self confidence from acting like men. Act like a real woman!

9. Do something creative. The second chakra is the home of sexuality and creativity. It’s an energy wheel that sits inside the pelvic bowl. Its center, in women, is in the womb. Energetically, creativity and sexuality are inseparable. If you’re really stuck trying to feel yourself sexy, do something creative instead. So you say you’re not an artist? Bake something, or experiment with a new dinner recipe. It will set the creative juices flowing and give you the same energetic lift as any of these other steps.

10. Take a dance exercise class. Nia and Zumba are the most popular, and they’re are also hybrid yoga classes that incorporate dance. Or you could fulfill a childhood dream and take ballet, jazz or tap lessons. Dance classes help you get in touch with your body- how it feels, how it moves, what it needs. Being in touch with your body is sexy. Best of all, you don’t have to be in great shape to start, and they’ll help you become more fit and healthy.

11. SMILE! Smiling is sexy. It makes you feel good, and when you smile, other people around you will feel good. Smiling is contagious, and in some situations will make people wonder what you’ve been up to. That combination of happy and mysterious is sexy.

12. "Love" Yourself. Give yourself an orgasm (or two!) before you go out on the town with your girlfriends. The endorphins flowing through your body, plus the subtle scent to pheromones, will drive guys wild. The fact that you are the one responsible for your sexual pleasure is empowering and super sexy. And every time you remember your little secret, you’ll get a sly smile or a big grin on your face.

The worrying trend of 'sexting'

Sexting: You Can Do Something About It

A growing trend among youngsters to take and share indecent photos through mobile phones is a matter of grave concern. 

Two major surveys involving more than 3,000 children suggest that four out of ten have received or seen an indecent image via a mobile, reports the Daily Mail .

As if you weren’t concerned enough about your child’s online life, the topic of sexting is another important facet to our modern day e-world. Sexting encompasses any electronic exchange that contains sexual talk and or pictures. In mild cases it can look like flirting, while in severe cases it can be considered a crime. Take, for example, a just barely 18 year-old 12th grade boy who is texting an almost 15 year old freshman. He asks her “how far she has gone,” which then leads to other graphic questions. In the end he asks her if she’d send him a suggestive picture of herself. She obliges, and suddenly you have a very serious offense. 

A serving police officer seconded to the survey, Alan Earl, has given talks in scores of secondary schools about the dangers of children swapping explicit photographs of themselves. "Boys ask girls to take pictures of themselves naked, and the girls do it to please them. Not all girls, but those who have boyfriends: they think their pictures are not going to be shown." 



 "After my talk, at almost every school, a teacher will approach me and confide that they've already had to deal with an incident like those I've described," Earl added. 

More typically, the naked images sent around phones are static poses, usually of girls standing up or lying down. 

"It is girlfriend/boyfriend stuff, but then the relationship breaks down and the boy sends the pictures on," said Alan Earl. 

A photograph of a young girl in the wrong hands is the beginning of a nightmare.  Because teens can “hide” behind their screens, sexting, allows them to learn about sexual behaviors without the face-to-face embarrassment. Even “good” girls and boys may be tempted to sext.

When should you talk to your teen about sexting?  And what should you say? The answer is to talk opening about cell phone use and sexting before it happens. 

• Tell your child/teen that YOU have the ability to monitor their texts.  Let him or her know that if sexual talk, body pictures or other crude information is exchanged, you will suspend cellular use. 
• Enforce a NO BODY PICTURES rule.  No excuses.
• Monitor their texts! If this feels violating, then monitor the time texts are sent (aka 2 am) and to whom they are sent.
• Children under the age of 16 do not REALLY need smart phones with high resolution picture capabilities, etc.  This only facilitates sexting.
• Talk to girls about the dangers of having text conversations about sexual experiences – past and potential future. Boys will quickly become more bold and eager to text more and ask more graphic questions. Girls sometimes do not know how to stop unsolicited questions or requests for pictures of themselves.
• Talk to boys about the trouble that can result from blatant sexual solicitations. Girls will often-times NOT tell them they are uncomfortable, or can turn around and claim “sexual harassment” when none was intended (this should be judged by a case-to-case basis obviously.)

With the prevalence of cell phones, sexting is on the rise. Parents need to be aware of the threats and talk to their children about the dangers to prevent the potentially devestating, and long-lasting effects of sexting.

Top 7 Surprising Sex Facts

Top 7 Surprising Sex Facts

What you should know about sex, but don’t...

We all do it, or at least want to be doing it, but do you know everything you need to? Even if you consider yourself to be a Karma Sutra king or queen, sex is a deep and complex subject and, quite frankly, there’s bound to be something you haven’t yet discovered. So, let’s talk sex: 

Sex is good for you

According to male legend Arnold Schwarzenegger ‘The best activities for your health are humping and pumping’. In many ways this is true; safe sex does have lots of health benefits. Those who have sex once or twice a week have been shown to have higher levels of immunoglobulin A or IgA, an antibody which helps protect you from respiratory diseases like the cold and flu. Also researchers have found that men in their 20s who had five or more ejaculations per week were one third less likely to develop prostate cancer in later life. It would seem Mr Schwarzenegger is on to something.

Get more sex

Everyone wants more sex and we know how you can get it. Dr Helen Fisher, biological anthropologist at Rutgers University explains that ‘People fall in love when dopamine levels rise in their brains”. This is the neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s reward and pleasure centres. You can only get more dopamine by doing two things. The first is to have more sex. The second is to recreate a rush of dopamine by doing an exciting activity, such as bungee jumping, flying in a helicopter or even doing something simple like climbing a tree. Once you have raised your partner’s levels of dopamine, they will want to have sex with you more.  

Sex o’clock

When we think of having a romantic encounter with that special someone, we often think of moonlight hitting silk sheets or candles flickering in a seductive, half-lit room. However, our bodies may be more attuned to having sex in the morning. Men’s testosterone levels peak in the morning and so men become more easily aroused at this time. Although many men wake up erect anyway, this does not actually mean they are sexually aroused – but what better way to start a day be it giving or receiving.

Who enjoys sex more?

When you’re under the covers, who is enjoying sex more; him or her? Interestingly this is not a new debate. In Ancient Greek mythology Hera complained to Zeus that he got more pleasure from their sex than she did. According to a new study, it is possible that Hera was telling the truth. Researchers at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, found that nearly nine out of 10 young men reported having an orgasm most or all of the time they have sex with their partner.  However, less than half of young women experience orgasm that frequently when they have sex with their partner.

Rules of attraction

It is possible that beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but rather in the nose of the beholder. We have sex because we have an innate instinct to reproduce.  Therefore we are attracted to certain people because they will produce a strong baby. We find out who will produce these strong babies through our noses. For example, when people sweat pheromones are released; revealing their type of immune system. If their immune system is the opposite to the person smelling them, the two will be a good match, and should find each other irresistible.

How to tell when she wants it

We all know women are hard to read, but there are several physical clues that can help you to know when a woman wants to have sex with you. Firstly, when a woman is aroused her pupils will dilate. If a woman sees a man who she likes when out, but does not know him, she will give him prolonged eye contact. Her lips will also purse and if you catch her repeatedly gazing at your lips then it is very likely that she wants you. However, if a woman crosses her legs or arms and repeatedly looks away from you, it’s time to leave.

We all had a clitoris

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to understand what it is like to be a member of the opposite sex? Once upon a time, it would seem we were not all that different from each other. In the first trimester of pregnancy, the fetus is gender neutral, being neither male nor female. However, the fetus has all the makings of a clitoris and vagina. It is not until eight to 12 weeks have passed that males become distinct.

7 steps to better sleep

7 steps to better sleep : Sleep tips

Better sleep can be yours! Consider sleep tips for the weary.

Feeling crabby lately? Or simply worn out? Perhaps the solution is better sleep.

Think about all the factors that can interfere with a good night's sleep — from pressure at work and family responsibilities to unexpected challenges, such as layoffs, relationship issues or illnesses. It's no wonder that quality sleep is sometimes elusive.

Although you might not be able to control all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, you can adopt habits that encourage better sleep. Start with these simple sleep tips.

No. 1:  Stick to a sleep schedule

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night. There's a caveat, though. If you don't fall asleep within about 15 minutes, get up and do something relaxing. Go back to bed when you're tired. If you agonize over falling asleep, you might find it even tougher to nod off.

No. 2:  Pay attention to what you eat and drink

Don't go to bed either hungry or stuffed. Your discomfort might keep you up. Also limit how much you drink before bed, to prevent disruptive middle-of-the-night trips to the toilet.

Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol deserve caution, too. The stimulating effects of nicotine and caffeine — which take hours to wear off — can wreak havoc with quality sleep. And even though alcohol might make you feel sleepy at first, it can disrupt sleep later in the night.

No. 3:  Create a bedtime ritual

Do the same things each night to tell your body it's time to wind down. This might include taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music — preferably with the lights dimmed. Relaxing activities can promote better sleep by easing the transition between wakefulness and drowsiness.

Be wary of using the TV or other electronic devices as part of your bedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime interferes with sleep.

No. 4: Get comfortable

Create a room that's ideal for sleeping. Often, this means cool, dark and quiet. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan or other devices to create an environment that suits your needs.

Your mattress and pillow can contribute to better sleep, too. Since the features of good bedding are subjective, choose what feels most comfortable to you. If you share your bed, make sure there's enough room for two. If you have children or pets, set limits on how often they sleep with you — or insist on separate sleeping quarters.

No. 5:  Limit daytime naps

Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep — especially if you're struggling with insomnia or poor sleep quality at night. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the mid afternoon.

If you work nights, you'll need to make an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping. In this case, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight — which adjusts your internal clock — doesn't interrupt your daytime sleep.

No. 6:  Include physical activity in your daily routine

Regular physical activity can promote better sleep, helping you to fall asleep faster and to enjoy deeper sleep. Timing is important, though. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you might be too energized to fall asleep. If this seems to be an issue for you, exercise earlier in the day.

No. 7:  Manage stress

When you have too much to do — and too much to think about — your sleep is likely to suffer. To help restore peace to your life, consider healthy ways to manage stress. Start with the basics, such as getting organized, setting priorities and delegating tasks. Give yourself permission to take a break when you need one. Share a good laugh with an old friend. Before bed, jot down what's on your mind and then set it aside for tomorrow.