Top Ways to Boost Your Sex Drive

Girls, Boost your Sex Drive

Befriend the babies

Crying children and smelly nappies may not sound like the best way to get in the mood for love, but researchers have found that visiting your friends who have recently become mums is one of the strongest natural aphrodisiacs. Within the study those women who smelt pads from breastfeeding women reported a dramatic increase in sexual desire and sexual fantasies. Best book a visit to the maternity award ladies!

Indulge in chocolate

We all know that sucking on a piece of melting chocolate is fabulous. What we might not know is that chocolate contains phenethylamine, a nutrient that we produce when we fall in love. Fantastically, this nutrient also increases your libido and makes eating chocolate a guilt-free pleasure. The higher the cocoa content the better; so choose a bar that is made from at least 60-70 per cent cocoa solid chocolate. Get munching girls.

De-stress

Your boss has been nagging you, the plumbing is broken and your in-laws are coming for the weekend; do you want sex? The answer is always going to be no. When your rational brain is in overdrive the stress hormone, cortisol, is released. Cortisol suppresses your oestrogen secretion and this lowers your libido. Counteract stress with massages, a hot bath or a visit to a steam room. Also try to make sex one of your priorities and you’ll soon see the benefits.

Pump it

To get some more action you need to get pumping.  Performing pelvic floor exercises will make you more aware of the muscles involved in sexual pleasure. To strengthen these muscles, sit comfortably and squeeze as if you are trying to stop the flow of urine. Repeat this 10-15 times in a row, without holding your breath, or your stomach, butt and thigh muscles.  Once you have built some strength into these muscles you will notice that you are more sensitive during sex.

Have a cuddle

Sometimes you just can’t beat a good hug. Although a hug can seem harmless enough, it has the potential to lead to something a little more intimate; sex. Researcher, Dr Michel Odent, explains that we all need oxytocin to get sexually aroused. We receive increased levels of oxytocin when we have skin-to-skin contact with our partners. Next time you and your man are watching a film, remember to snuggle up to him, who knows where it could lead.

Put down that wine glass

A few cheeky glasses of wine on a date may seem like the perfect way to get into the boy’s pants, but think again. Alcohol diminishes sexual arousal and although studies have shown that women are more likely to have sex after drinking, according to their findings, those women who do have sex when drunk enjoy it less. To reduce the amount you drink why not try having a glass of water between each drink, or rather than go to a pub, meet at a café.

Get sniffing

It may sound disgusting, it may be your worst nightmare, but bear with us when we say that sniffing your man’s sweaty gym kit may turn you on. According to scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, smelling male sweat can increase sexual arousal. If you can’t face taking a whiff of his smelly underarms, why not work out with him? You’ll still pick up his scent and you’ll be getting fitter.

Fruits to turn back your age clock

Fruits to turn back your age clock

“A thing of beauty," John Keats once said, “is a joy forever”. However, while dealing with the hustle bustle of our daily lives let’s face the fact - age does creeps up on us. It is by  following a diet rich in age-busting super fruits that you can add beauty and years to your life by warding off those wrinkles.

Here are some of the factors that can help you in staying young forever:

The forgotten fruits

When fruits are actually remembered, it is just an apple here or a banana there. But what we do forget is that fresh fruits are nutrient-packed. They provide sufficient amounts of calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, iron, beta carotene and folic acid and are super-low in calories. “One fruit a day can guarantee you that ever glowing skin,” says Dr Ritika Samaddar, Chief Dietician, Max Healthcare.

• Citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, limes and grapefruits should be consumed in large amounts as these are rich in Vitamin C. It is essential for the synthesis of collagen, a key structural protein of the skin.
• Blueberries, blackberries, cherries, red and purple grapes, beets and purple cabbage contain antioxidant compounds, which help you reduce those age lines.
• Cantaloupe, peaches and apricots have vital anti-oxidants which are extremely useful to fight against ageing.

Local and seasonal fruits

It is not reasonable to assume that a single fruit can cast a spell over those wrinkled hands and toes. Opt for the widely available local varieties of fruits. In-season produce provides optimal nutritional value for your desire to look 30 at the age of 50.

• Consume lots of seasonable apples as it stimulates the production of collagen. The production of collagen is necessary for the skin to maintain its elasticity which can minimise the wrinkling.
• Watermelons are rich in Vitamin C. 92% of watermelon is water. It is a good way to hydrate your body - just use the juice for a delicious and sweet smoothie or just bite couple of slices over the day to keep your youth unsullied forever.
• Blueberry is rich in vitamin B6, C, K and dietary fibres. These provide your body with important antioxidants too. Chemical studies in the US by the Agricultural Research Service have exposed the fact that blueberries contain chemicals, which slow down the ageing process by boosting brain power.

Fruity fibers

Fibre rich fruits such as avocado, guava, apricot, fig, date and gooseberry keep the digestive system in good working condition while alleviating constipation and haemorrhoids (piles). Do not peel off the skin of fruits such as apples, plums, peaches and pears as they are high in fibre content.

Eating a rainbow

“Rainbow concept makes it easy to remember not to eat the white junk,” states Max Healthcare’s Chief Dietician Dr Ritika Samaddar.  This colorful combination advises against simple carbs, promotes whole grains and variety, she explained further.

So, we can safely say that prosperous colour equals to prosperous fruits and its nutrient value. It’s like ‘eating a rainbow’ which contains high levels of antioxidants and phyto-nutrients for the plant’s own protection. By eating brightly coloured fruits such as cranberries, melons, bananas, plums and grapes we are giving our bodies vitamins and antioxidants that combat the breakdown of collagen and elastic in our skin which helps in keeping our skin firm and youthful. 

Coloured fruits are full of antioxidants and other phytonutrients that boost your defence against genetic damage and helps you to stay young.

Just remember the golden thought

  

Your 20 look is something which can be hidden beneath your skin. So, all you need to do is just politely walk into your kitchen, open that refrigerator and munch that readily sitting coloured fruit to keep those expensive anti-ageing lotions, wrinkles and under eye circles at bay.

Top 5 Foods for Beautiful Skin

Top 5 Foods for Beautiful Skin

Healthy diet promotes overall health and gives toned, smooth and beautiful skin. Top five foods for beautiful skin include:

Red and Green Vegetables

Red, orange and green vegetables are best for beautiful skin.

• Red and orange vegetables are full of beta carotene. It is inactive form of Vitamin A that is transformed to vitamin A by our body. Vitamin A reduces dryness and makes skin look youthful and bright.
• Green leafy vegetables such as spinach are full of vitamin A. Vitamin A acts as an antioxidant, prevent cell damage, helps skin to remove dead cell by producing new cells and prevent premature ageing.  In addition, it also has anti-acne benefits and is been largely used for the same.
• Tomatoes are high- carotenoid and great source of antioxidants lycopene. These nutrients slow down the cellular damage of skin from free radicals.

Fruits

• Besides vegetables, certain fruits also have vitamins for beautiful skin. For instance, mango is a rich source of vitamin A.
• When avocados are applied topically they help to hydrate parched skin. Being good source of biotin, avocados prevent dry skin and make it look beautiful.
• With aging collagen (protein that forms basic structure of skin) production slows down, thus making your skin look saggy. Vitamin C aids the body in production of collagen. Fruits such as oranges, grapefruit and acerola cherries are good source of vitamin C. They help to prevent wrinkles and tighten the skin.

The best source of vitamin A is fruits and vegetables. On must avoid taking vitamins supplements as its excess intake can lead to serious health problems.

Whole Grains

Whole grains help to improve your complexion. For beautiful skin replace your processed carbohydrates with whole grain. They also have Vitamin B biotin that assist fat processing in cell and prevents your skin from becoming dry and scaly. Buckwheat is excellent source of antioxidants that help to combat skin damage.

Nuts

Nuts can also help you to have beautiful skin. Some of the nuts such as almonds are rich source of antioxidants and vitamin E. Vitamin E protects skin from skin-aging free radicals. By including nuts in your routine diet you can get moisturised and youthful skin.

Nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios contain omega-3 fatty acid that gives glow to skin.

Sea Food

Sea food is rich in zinc and omega-3 fatty acid. Omega-3 improves blood circulation which is directly link to skin’s health. By including sea food in your diet you will you can significantly reduce skin dryness and inflammation. In addition, zinc control over production of sebum, the main cause of acne. Sea food is good for overall health of skin.

Top 5 Cancer Fighting Foods

Top 5 Cancer Fighting Foods

Several studies have shown that cancer is becoming more and more prevalent among people these days. And while no real cure exists for the disease, there are a number of ways in which the chance of cancer can be reduced. And prevention, as we have always been told, is better than cure. One way of preventing cancer is by eating right. Here are five things that we can eat that can fight cancers in our body.

1. Green Tea: Green tea is made from the same leaves that ordinary black tea is made from except that it undergoes far fewer processing measures than black tea and still retain most of their anti oxidants. Two powerful antioxidants, known as epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) and epigallocatechin (EGC) are found in green tea  which bind to a protein found on tumour cells and dramatically slow their growth. Green tea helps prevent and even cure somecancers, such as lung, prostate, liver, skin, pancreas and breast.
2. Cruciferous Vegetables: Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower are known to be effective agents in the fight against breast cancer due to the presence of a chemical called indole-3-carbinol, which converts a cancer-creating type of estrogen in the body into a more benign form. Sprouts and broccoli also contain a phytochemical called sulforaphane which helps prevent some types of cancer, like colon and rectal cancer.
3. Garlic: The pungent bulb is known to contain chemicals called allium compounds that have immune-enhancing abilities and help increase the activity of immune cells that fight cancer. These chemicals are also effective in slowing down the growth of tumours and block carcinogens in the body.
4. Mushrooms: Tha Japanese have known the benefits of mushrooms for years. Shiitake, maitake, etc are all mushrooms that contain chemicals called polysaccharides, which have been shown to be excellent immunity builders. They also contain a protein called lectin which attacks cancerous cells and controls their growth.
5. Chili peppers: Apart from being tasty, chilli peppers and jalapenos contain capsaicin, a compound that is highly effective in neutralising nitrosamines (a cancer-causing substance). They help prevent cancers of the stomach.

Top Five Romance Foods

Top Five Romance Foods

The weather’s wonderful; the moon is up, you put on some music, and your sweetheart’s home. What more do you need to make it romantic evening? Some romantic food would be nice, we suggest. From ancient Indian texts to new age love gurus, the potency of aphrodisiac foods has long tickled our fantasy taste buds. So, we put together a few top type of foods that you want to use to add some zing to your romantic evening.

• Almonds: The very every-day almond is supposed to be rich in magnesium, Vitamin E and fibre that not only keep you healthy, but can put you in the mood for love as well. It has been known as a symbol of fertility through the ages. In fact, ancient Romans would shower newlyweds with almonds as a fertility charm.
• Watermelons: Turns out this amazing fruit that is so cool on a hot summer day can be quite hot on its own as well. Research has shown that watermelons contain citrulline, a chemical that signals the body to release arginine, which in turn helps relax blood vessels – an effect similar to Viagra.
• Chilli Peppers: These hot and spicy peppers can turn up the heat in the kitchen and the bedroom. They are known to contain chemicals that help increase circulation, stimulate nerve endings, and raise our pulse. Sound familiar? As a bonus, they also help release endorphins – chemicals that make us ‘feel good’.
• Honey: Honey contains boron, a trace mineral that helps the body metabolise oestrogen. It is also known to increase levels of testosterone – the hormone that increases sex drive (yes, in both men and women). That’s possibly why lovers call each other that.
• Chocolate: That most delectable of foods, it is a known agent for ‘setting the mood’. Put them in a box and tie a little ribbon on it for starters, and pour some melted goodness of it onto the ice cream for dessert. This well-known ‘king of aphrodisiacs’ contains phenylethylamine, a chemical which stimulates the pleasure nodes in the brain and releases dopamine – the chemical whose secretion peaks during an orgasm.

Foods to keep you Young

Foods to keep you Young

You can add years to your life simply by making the right food choices. Of course, leading a healthy lifestyle and staying active would help but for delaying the aging process, nothing beats having a nutrient-packed diet rich in antioxidants. The antioxidants destroy cell damaging free radicals of your body and prevent many diseases. This results in delaying the decaying process of the body. Include the following foods in your diet to stay younger for longer.

Olive Oil

It has high content of polyphenols, powerful antioxidant which help to prevent diseases related to age. The monosaturated fats found in olive oil were responsible for low rates of heart disease and less occurrence of cancer on a Greek island known as Crete. There was study called Seven Country Study 40 years ago which concluded that it was due to the good health impact of olive oil.

Organic Milk

If you start taking organic milk instead of regular pasteurised one, it would be much more conducive to have good health. This is because the antioxidants are more in those cows that have been fed on grass or other organic food items. The milk of these cows show 40 to 50 percent more antioxidants compared to conventionally bred cows. Regardless of whether the grains fed to cows are supplemented or not, the cows raised on grass have much more health benefits.

Yoghurt

Having 1 cup of yoghurt gives you as much riboflavin as you find in a cup of boiled spinach. Riboflaving (also called vitamin B) is essential for acting as a catalyst of antioxidant activity. Without its initiation, the glutathione antioxidant is not able to destroy free radicals in the body. It is important that you replenish the body’s need for riboflavin daily because it is water soluble and stays in the body for only a few hours. Yoghurt is just the right food for it.

Natural Sweeteners

If you remove excess sweeteners from your diet and include natural ones such as brown sugar, maple syrup, honey and molasses, it can help you satisfy your sweet tooth without harming your health. The antioxidant content of molasses in particular was found to be very high by researchers of the Virginia Tech University.

Nuts

These are rich in unsaturated fats and have benefits similar to those of olive oil. Apart from that, they also contain vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals which bring down the aging process.

How Important is Sex in a Marriage?

How Important is Sex in a Marriage?

A survey conducted in Britain has pointed out that married people have sex on an average of 98 times in a year. On the other hand, an unmarried person has sex about 127 times a year. The statistics indicate a major change that comes about in our lives post marriage. Although not the all important reason for a marriage to stay alive, sex does play an important role in keeping the spark of love and intimacy alive in a marriage.

Sex is an indicator of intimacy

Sure there are other ways of showing you love each other, but if sex ranks really low in your list of priorities in the marriage, then there might be some problem. It may be due to personal reasons such as low self confidence or it might be because you probably don’t desire each other as much. Both are problem areas and need to be looked at. Sex is important in a marriage because it is an indicator of the level of physical intimacy in your relationship.

Sex bonds people together

The intimate moments that you share with your spouse will work best by bringing the two of you closer. Sex is important in a marriage because it brings two people closer and also instils the faith in them that they are desired and wanted by their partner.

Sex helps in problem solving

Sexual intimacy helps couples solve their problems. Passion and emotions will help a couple look beyond their disagreeing points and help them bury the hatchet. Sex helps a relationship by rekindling the lost romance and bringing two people closer than ever. Sex in a marriage is a sign that two people completely trust each other and are therefore, so close to each other.

Sex is an indicator of desire

No one wants to be in a marriage that lacks passion and desire. Therefore, consensual and invigorating sex in a marriage is an indicator that the two partners still desire and want each other.

Sex keeps the spark alive

A dwindling sex life within a marriage may trigger one or both the partner’s for looking at liaisons outside the bounds of marriage. This is not healthy for the relationship as matters such as infidelity may permanently scar the relationship. 

Sex is important for individuals

A healthy sex life will make a person feel wanted and will boost her/his confidence. And a confident person will automatically be successful and will also work towards making the marriage work. On the other hand, if a person is not desired by her/his partner within the bounds of marriage it will hurt her/his self esteem. Problems will arise and they will eventually take a toll on the marriage.

Why Women Like to Cuddle after Sex

Cuddling after sex is women’s way of securing a lasting bond between with her partner. Experts suggest that women need intimacy after sex as they are looking to assurance that they are been actually loved. It is not every woman that likes to cuddle after sex. Some of them even prefer to be left alone or fed after sex, but number of women who like post-coital cuddle top the list.

Susan Hughes a psychologist at Albright College in Pennsylvania conducted a study on after sex behavior. The sample included 170 people who were given online questionnaire.  In this study Hughes find out that irrespective of the kind of relation i.e. either long-term or short term relation women like to engage in bonding behaviour after act of mating.

Since women have shared themselves with their love, they become more emotional after sex and realise their feeling of deep love. After sex women mostly prefer cuddling, intimate talking and discussion about relationship.

According to the study by Hughes, "Everything that has to do with intimacy, they were more likely to want." On the contrary, men prefer extrinsic rewards after sexual intercourse. In men’s list of what to do after sex taking nap was followed by munching on snacks. Besides this men are likely to engage in behaviour that will increase likely-hood of repeating the act. Moreover, they prefer eating, drinking and asking for favours from their partner.

Study also show that men prefer to kiss before sex while the women are more likely to initiate kissing after sex.  Experts suggest that post-coital preferences mainly vary across the gender due to divergent adaptive reproductive strategies.

One common factor that holds equal importance for both the men and the women is expressing their love in words. In study conducted by Hughes, both men and women said that after sex it was important to say ‘I love you’ to their long-term partner.

Quick Fixes for Every Relationship

Quick Fixes for Every Relationship

Every relationship goes through some sort of rut sooner or later, but successful ones are those in which the couples are proactive about getting it back on track. Never forget what made you two fall for each other in the first place. If you keep that feeling alive, be a little more experimental, the spark that seemed to be missing will come back.

Tips to Quick Fix the Rut in your Relationship

• Be tender – You need to make your partner feel special. Do not allow yourself to be too caught up in the rush and chores of everyday life. Never take your partner for granted, and find a moment at least once a day to give compliments and show that you care.
• End the communication gap – Communication is the key to keeping every relationship going. If you find that you have not been talking to your partner without rushing it through, you have not done the right thing. You really need to get a good conversation going, i.e. listening intently to what your partner is saying, asking questions and even start dating once again. You need to be interested in what your partner thinks and feels.
• Come out of your comfort zone – The daily drill of your life becomes burdensome and contributes to the rut of your relationship. So, you really need to do something out of the blue. Since you are looking to end the rut, the something new can be a little weird too. But even if you do something as simple as going to a new restaurant, or a live concert instead of plopping yourself on the sofa to watch the movie. Take a walk in the garden instead of watching the news or plan a picnic in your garden.
• Turn off the gadgets – Cell phones, iPods, computers and television should not come in the way of your relationship. It would be good to set aside one hour daily when you would have nothing to do with any of these. Focus completely on your partner.

If you take your relationship seriously, the daily chores of your life cannot come in the way of having a great one. Do not let the lack of spark confound you as it is a natural thing to happen. The tips given here can help to quickly get you two back to having a great time together.

The art of sexual foreplay

The art of sexual foreplay

Spices are essential for food to be lip-smacking and sexual foreplay is one such spice in your sex life which will keep you wanting for more. It must not be given a skip because it is physical manifestation of a reservoir full of emotions for your partner. This doesn’t however mean that you must spend hours in cuddling, kissing and using the trial and error method to arouse your partner.

As per a scientific study – both women and men take 10-15 minutes to be sexually aroused. It might, however, in some cases take more time for women to be sexually aroused. Agreeing with this, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Sexologist at Ashok Clinic says, “Women tend to like sexual foreplay even more than the actual intercourse.  In this light sexual foreplay can be a warm up.”

Tips for a warming up:

• Eye contact: They say silence speaks a thousand words and this non-physical act can make your partner go weak in the knee.
• Just Kiss: rather than groping at each other. Close your eyes and enjoy a deep tongue kiss or whichever you have mastered in. It’s a stimulus enough to get a desired response of being up intimate and one.
• Dirty dancing: Well even if you’ve got two left feet it doesn’t matter. Those not-so-perfect moves can be quite intimidating. Krutika says that both she and her partner enrolled themselves for a salsa class. At night imperfect dance moves in served as foreplay.
• Get naughty: Put ice cubes on the nape, handcuff your partner and pour chocolate syrup, whipped cream. Take time to wipe it clean. Of course with your tongue.
• Gentle touch: Give them a love-bite in a subtle fashion and run your fingers through the hair, arms, lips, stomach, thighs. Just tickle. Feather-tickle can work but do it with a look-to-die-for.
• Massage: Dim the light of the rooms. Light the scented candles. Create an ambience -- a romantic one. Play some soft romantic music and give each other a foot or a back massage.
• Denying a touch and wink- It is a major turn on. To check-mate remove your partner’s clothes with erotic moves. Tease them while you do so. Master the art!
• Scrabble: You’ll love it. Do trash talking through those tiny blocks of alphabets. Arouse each other with dirty diction. Prepare some rule-book for it and punish with lets say a spank and reward with a kiss.

Don’t be orthodox and lower your inhibitions to talk about what might be sexually arousing to your partner. It is advisable you do it outside the bedroom because there’s no time to contemplate when in bed. Dr. Rahul Gupta adds, “It will make both man and the woman comfortable with each other and when in action men can easily get an errection and the women’s vagina will be lubricated enough for a comfortable and pleasing intercourse.” Now, how’s that for an experience?

Avoid trial and error method to see which one would work on your partner. Be prepared because he/she might not say anything then but might surprise you with an embarrassing remark, maybe, later. But you can surely be experimental: Discuss and invent with your partner. Who says only scientists can invent?