7 Ways to Better Sex

Are you looking for a surefire way to better sex? There are so many factors that can affect your libido, so finding an answer may take some patience. But help is available if you seek it.

Consult the Experts

Sexuality is a complex combination of physical and psychological responses to stimuli, so you may need to enlist the help of more than one kind of health professional to help solve intimacy problems. Your doctor can determine if there are any underlying medical causes of sexual dysfunction. He or she can also direct you to other healthcare professionals who may be able to help, such as counselors or therapists.

If you're simply looking for ways to spice up your routine or boost your sexual energy level, here are seven simple ways to maximize your sexual health.

1. Live healthfully: Eat a balanced diet, get plenty of rest, and exercise regularly.

A healthy body can lead to a better sex life, so taking good care of your body is the first step. In fact, regular exercise may be one of the most important keys to healthy sexual function. Research suggests that people who exercise regularly have increased blood flow throughout their bodies, including the genital area, which may help improve sex drive.

2. Turn off the tube. And turn on your partner! Take an active role in your evening entertainment by skipping a night of television to make time for physical intimacy. TV viewing could be getting in the way of your love life in more ways than one: Research suggests that it is associated with an increased prevalence of erectile dysfunction.

3. Skip the music and candlelight. If it's romance you're after, try watching a heart-pumping action flick, laughing your head off at a comedy club, or even doing some aerobic exercise. Research has shown that anything that arouses rather than suppresses the nervous system -- that is, anything that hikes your heart rate and works your cardiovascular system -- can significantly enhance sexual response.

4. Pick the perfect time. It's not just a matter of making time for lovemaking; it’s also about choosing the best time. Research pinpoints the days when you are more likely to have better sex and better orgasms. One study found that some women have better, more frequent orgasms during days 6 to 10 of the menstrual cycle (day 1 is the first day of a woman's period), which may mean a more enriched experience for both partners. The exact time of day makes no difference; sex hormones are fairly consistent over the course of a day.

5. Focus on amorous olfactory. Need help relaxing? Try lavender-scented oils, sachets, and lotions to help you or your partner unwind and get in the mood. Studies suggest that the smell of lavender may increase feelings of relaxation and reduce mental stress in some people. However, certain scents inspire different reactions in different people, so experiment until you find the one that works for you.

6. Open up. Be sure to keep communication lines open. Sharing your thoughts and ideas will help you and your partner understand and respect each other's likes, dislikes, moods, and desires. It also will help provide an atmosphere conducive to problem solving.

7. Watch your alcohol intake. One drink may loosen you up and get you in the mood for love, but too much alcohol in your bloodstream may hinder your sexual performance and response. Alcohol depresses the central nervous system, which slows down nerve impulses, hinders your coordination, and makes it difficult to get or maintain an erection or to maintain sufficient vaginal lubrication for sexual activity.

Your Daily YOU-Do List for Extending Your Warranty

6 everyday basics to do . . . uh, every day

If you do nothing else, make these life-lengthening habits part of your daily routine:

1. Walk for 30 minutes. You can hoof it all at once, or break it into two 15-minute or three 10-minute sessions . . . just get your body moving and your heart rate going! Aim to take 10,000 steps a day -- a Pedometer will help you track your steps.

2. Floss and brush the teeth you wish to keep. If that's not enough to motivate you, do it for the heart you wish to nurture, the wrinkles you wish to prevent, or the sexual satisfaction you wish to enjoy.

3. Drink several cups of green tea in addition to plenty of water. It'll help flush out toxins and other baddies. You can try this Nutrition Green Tea 

4. Take your pills:

• Get into the habit of popping omega-3s -- 1 gram of metabolically distilled omega-3 fatty acids about 30 minutes before lunch and again before dinner should do the trick. Or skip the supplements and instead eat six walnuts twice a day, or 4 ounces of nonfried fish (not shellfish) three times a week.
• Remember to take your other vitamins and supplements by keeping them in a convenient location like your car, desk, or handbag.
• If you're over the age of 40 (women) or 35 (men), take two baby aspirin (162 mg) at breakfast with a half glass of warm water before and after. Just make sure to get your doctor's approval first.

5. Meditate for 5 minutes at some point during the day. In a world with more noise than a preschool classroom, our brains (and souls) need moments of silence to recharge, refocus, and rejuvenate. The key is to search for a path that gives you comfort and offers an opening to finding deeper meaning in life.

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6. Sleep 7 to 8 hours. Try this ZZZ-hygiene program to get you snoozing like a 19-year-old cat. Do these steps before you head to bed:

• Finish any must-do tasks (even if it's just making a list of what you need to do tomorrow) to avoid stress-related tossing and turning.
• Take care of your nighttime hygiene (brush, floss, wash behind your ears).
• Spend a few minutes doing deep breathing and/or meditation.
• And avoid anything too stimulating, such as watching TV or working out. We know what you're thinking: What about sex? Sex, though stimulatory (we hope), is okay . . . in fact, it's recommended.

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The Golden Fruit That Babies Your Immune System

You could help keep your immune system fighting strong just by eating one or two of these little golden beauties every day: kiwifruit.

In a short study, eating a couple of golden kiwifruits daily dramatically reduced oxidative damage to immune-system-related cell structures in the study participants' bodies.

Sweet Protection
Golden kiwifruit is sweeter tasting but just as nutritious as its more common cousin -- green-hued kiwifruit. And in the study, the golden variety was responsible for dramatically boosting blood levels of several kinds of antioxidants -- including vitamin C -- after just 4 weeks of daily noshing. What's more, those little fruits appeared to reduce blood levels of two types of oxidative substances -- compounds that wreak havoc on cell health. And eating kiwifruit appeared to be particularly protective of lymphocytes -- a type of blood cell the immune system uses to protect the body from infection and disease.  

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Guard Your Disease Fighters

Then there are kiwifruit's two bonus benefits: it also helped thin the blood (reducing the risk of blood clots) and helped dial down people's triglycerides -- a type of blood fat that may increase the risk of stroke or heart disease. If your local grocery store doesn't carry golden kiwifruit, consider the green variety. Other studies involving kiwifruit suggest the green variety may help lymphocytes repair existing oxidative damage to their DNA.

Mind Your PQQs for Less Aging

Mitochondria, the cellular power plants that generate virtually all the energy your body requires, play a vital role in keeping organs youthful and healthy, too.

So what can you do to keep those mitochondria powered up? Try reaching for the green -- like green pepper, green kiwifruit, and green parsley. Green-pigmented foods like these are rich in pyrroloquinoline quinone -- or PQQ for short -- a powerful antioxidant that shields mitochondria from oxidative damage in such vital organs as the brain and heart.
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More PQQs, Please

Over time, damage to the delicate DNA inside mitochondria can accelerate aging and lead directly to degenerative disease. Dietary PQQ may not only shield these precious mitochondria from damage but also promote the formation of new mitochondria. Studies also suggest that PQQ may protect against neurological damage caused by the common environmental toxin methylmercury, which has been linked to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.

Where to Get More

Our digestive tracts don't seem to be able to synthesize PQQ, so it's best to get this vitamin-like nutrient from foods. In addition to certain greens, a number of items in the native Japanese diet contain PQQ as well, including miso, tofu, and natto (soybean paste). Coldwater fish like salmon, sardines, and tuna also contain appreciable amounts of PQQ. Just choose wild rather than farmed fish -- and canned chunk-light tuna over albacore -- to avoid high levels of methylmercury.

Drink This Juice for Better Energy

For easier workouts that leave you with energy to spare, pour yourself a glass of this popular breakfast beverage: orange juice.

In a small study, regularly drinking the juice seemed to diminish muscle fatigue and boost exercise endurance in a group of sedentary, overweight women who took up exercise.

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Glass Half Full
In the study, both the OJ drinkers and a control group enjoyed improvements in fitness thanks to their new workout routines. But the improvement was smaller in the women who didn't drink orange juice. Specifically, the juice drinkers enjoyed a dramatic 27 percent dip in their blood levels of lactic acid -- the stuff that builds up quickly in unfit muscles and makes them feel tired. But the women who didn't drink OJ? Their blood lactate levels dipped only 17 percent during the study period. 

Motivation for All
The most remarkable thing about these findings? Most of the women were obese, not just overweight. And before the study, they got very little exercise. All characteristics that might make starting a 3-month exercise regimen -- and sticking to it -- particularly tough. Researchers think that something in OJ -- the flavonoids, the vitamin C, the potassium, or the folate -- helped make exercise feel easier. The women drinking OJ also had more energy and lowered their cholesterol to boot!

Protect Your Kidneys with This Pill

The reasons to get your daily dose of the sunshine vitamin just keep piling up. The newest? Kidney protection.

In a study, men who worked outdoors regularly -- and got the most sun -- were 24 to 38 percent less likely to develop renal cell cancer compared with men who got the least sunshine. Experts suspect the link is vitamin D, available in pill or solar-made form.

The Powers of D
Vitamin D is produced in your skin after just 10 to 20 minutes of sun exposure. And researchers suspect D discourages cancer in at least three ways. It inhibits the birth of new cancer cells, it encourages existing "rogue" cells to kill themselves off, and it slows the growth of blood vessels that feed growing tumors. And there's growing evidence that the vitamin protects against more than one type of cancer.

Supplemental Decision
But should you take a D supplement or hope for the best between your diet and the sun? Truth is, if you're relying on sunshine and your diet, you're probably deficient. Thanks to the growing use of sunscreen, weak winter sun, sedentary habits that keep us indoors, sun-filtering clothing, flat-out sun avoidance, and a short list of foods that are rich in D, about 75 percent of people don't get enough. To make up for it, the YOU Docs recommend taking 1,000 international units (IU) of D a day -- 1,200 IU if you're over age 60. 

Want more ways to baby your kidneys? Try these strategies on for size:

• Put fish on your plate. 
• Put a banana in your mouth

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3 Ways to Beat Macular Degeneration

If you've already blown out 60 birthday candles, it's time to get extra serious about protecting your eyes from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) -- by hitting the salad bar.

AMD is a progressive disease in the retina affecting people mostly over age 60. It gradually destroys sharp, central vision. But new research suggests that the nutrients you need to prevent it are all front and center at your local salad buffet.

Eye on Nutrition
AMD occurs in two forms: wet and dry. In the dry form, AMD may advance so slowly that people notice little change in their vision. In the wet form, the disease progresses faster and may lead to a loss of central vision in both eyes.

But newly published studies suggest that high dietary intakes of beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and omega-3 fats -- as well as vitamin D and zinc -- could reduce the risk of early AMD, especially in people with an inherited tendency toward the disease. So here are three eat-for-your-eyes salad bar tips you can use today to reduce your risk of AMD:

1. Load up on the carotenoids. At the salad bar, that means lots of carrots and leafy greens for lutein/zeaxanthin and beta carotene -- nutrients associated with less AMD.
   
2. Lay on the omegas. Get your omega-3 fatty acids by sprinkling crunchy nuts on top of your salads. And add a little tuna on top, too. Diets high in fish oils and nuts have been shown to reduce the risk of AMD. Plus, coldwater fish like tuna, salmon, and sardines also contain appreciable amounts of vitamin D3 -- another AMD stopper.
3. Look into a supplement. Many AMD studies have used zinc supplements to reduce risk of the disease, but check with your doctor before taking zinc. If you'd like to get more zinc through diet, add sunflower seeds and kidney beans to your green salads. A supplement with B vitamins (folic acid, B6, and B12) may be beneficial as well.

7 Ways to Prevent Alzheimer's

Good news for people who feel a hint of anxiety every time they forget where they put their keys. More than 50 percent of Alzheimer's cases may be preventable.

In fact, research suggests that there are seven key lifestyle changes people could make to help protect themselves from the memory-stealing disease.

The Super 7
More research is needed to confirm whether there is a causal link between these seven key risk factors and Alzheimer's. But there are plenty of other good health reasons to make the following changes:

1. Get moving. Inactivity is linked to greater Alzheimer's risk, so go for a walk every day. Walking every day can keep your brain from shrinking, too.
   
2. Don't smoke. Or quit if you do. Smoking may up the likelihood of Alzheimer's. Quit Smoking Today
   
3. Eat more watermelon. Why? A compound in this juicy summer fruit can help lower your blood pressure by as much as nine points! And low blood pressure at middle age may help protect against Alzheimer's.
   
4. Go to bed. Getting a good night's sleep can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. And new research suggests that developing type 2 diabetes may up your chances of getting Alzheimer's.
   
Sleep Well and Tight
5. Walk outside. People who exercise outside -- versus at the gym or inside the home -- have less depression. And that's good news for the brain, because depression may up the risk of Alzheimer's.
   
6. Take a class. Higher education is linked to lower rates of Alzheimer's. 
7. Drop a few. Becoming obese at middle age may be connected to higher Alzheimer's risk. Need help getting started?

The Mind Killer Defense.
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3 Secrets to Slimming Down

Sure, we know that eating less and exercising more is one simple, tried-and-true weight loss strategy. But here are three weight loss secrets you may not have heard of.

Secret number one: Turn down your thermostat a smidge. Sounds odd, right? Yet studies indicate that cozy indoor temps may inhibit calorie-burning because your body will burn extra calories to keep warm. But not if it's feeling toasty. Research suggests that keeping temps below 68 degrees Fahrenheit may help fire up your metabolism.

Secret number two: Go to bed early. A lack of sleep throws appetite hormones into gimme-more mode. Poor sleep also affects blood sugar and insulin levels in a way that can increase the risk of excessive weight gain. Your goal: 7 to 8 hours of nightly shut-eye, day in and day out.

Secret number three: Cut down your dinners out to once a month. In the study, eating just one restaurant meal per week upped the risk of obesity by 50 percent. Preparing meals at home allows you to control fat, sugar, and salt content -- and let's you know exactly what you're eating.

Find out how to burn your fat.

Get Healthier Lungs with This 2-Minute Habit

Two minutes in the morning and two minutes in the evening and your lungs may be breathing fine for a very long time. We're talking about brushing your teeth.

As you've no doubt heard, good dental hygiene helps prevent gum disease. But what you might not know? A recent study suggests that gum disease may open the door to some pretty serious lung diseases.

The Mouth-Lung Connection
Smoking remains the leading cause of serious respiratory diseases, such as lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The recent study did not conclusively prove that gum disease is another direct cause of COPD. But people in the study who were hospitalized with COPD and other types of lung disease had significantly higher rates of gingivitis and periodontal disease than the folks in a control group who had healthy lungs. It's not clear what the connection is. But we know that the bacteria from dental plaque, when inhaled into the lungs, not only can cause COPD exacerbations but also might trigger respiratory infections in healthy people. 

A Double Threat
For good gum -- and lung -- health, brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes. Even better, brush after every meal if you can. And floss daily. The key is to keep dental plaque -- that sticky, bacteria-filled film that forms on teeth -- from building up and causing gingivitis and periodontal disease. Research shows that spending at least two minutes brushing each cleaning session is ideal for removing plaque.

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3 Secrets to Living -- and Loving -- an Active Life

Most of us start the new year in love with our new workout gear, only to see it gather dust in the closet a month later. Here's how to keep your interest in activity alive and kicking.

In her book Outdoor Fitness, exercise guru and author Tina Vindum recommends this three-pronged approach: meet, play, love.

1. Meet. When you have a workout buddy who's planning to meet you for a run or cardio class, you'll be more motivated to follow through. And group workouts and classes offer a built-in support system, with shared goals, social interaction, and stick-to-it instructors. Yep, it definitely pays to sweat well with others.
2. Play. Think outside the box when it comes to getting active. Any single workout is bound to get stale if you do it over and over. Mix it up a little. Every third day or so, try something that you've never done before. This strategy can also help you use different muscle groups and keep your body from reaching a fitness plateau. Nothing exciting coming to mind? How about African dancing, rope jumping, or roller skating? Even if you're not feeling that ambitious, you can always try small changes like a new isometric exercise, a new workout video in your own home, or a new batch of tunes on your walk. 
3. Love. Every once in a while, as you're trying new activities and sports, you may happen upon something that you absolutely love. And that's great. Find a way to integrate that new activity into your routine regularly, whether it's swimming, skiing, snowshoeing, doing jumping jacks, or simply walking a new route that's really pretty. Ideally, your day-to-day activity strategy should be something that stimulates your mind, body, and emotions. (Firm Butt Workout, Please Click Here!)

Sip This for a Stronger Immune System

Orange juice isn't the only beverage you can grab when you want to help your immune system fight off illness and infection.

New research suggests that grape juice may be an immune system booster, too. In a study, people who sipped Concord grape juice daily for 9 weeks had higher blood levels of a special type of infection-fighting cell.

Bolster Your Defenses
The study involved middle-aged folks who were basically healthy. But something interesting happened when they added about 1½ cups of grape juice to their daily diet. After 9 weeks, they had significantly more T cells compared with the control group. T cells are a type of white blood cell that fights off infections. And in the study, drinking grape juice increased participants' levels of specialized T cells called "surveillance" cells, found mostly in the lungs, intestines, and gastrointestinal tract. Researchers think that these cells act as the first line of defense against invading pathogens. When surveillance cells detect trouble, they stimulate other immune cells to defend the body.

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Eat This Dark Treat to Ease Blood Pressure

Here's one of the best ways to satisfy your sweet tooth while keeping your blood pressure in check: Take a nibble of dark chocolate.

In a German study of middle-aged and older people with mildly elevated blood pressure, those who ate a little of the dark stuff daily saw their readings drop several points after just 18 weeks of nibbling.

A Square a Day
The best news of all is that the folks in the study didn't have to eat much dark chocolate -- just one small, 30-calorie square each day. After 18 weeks, the dark chocolate eaters experienced a nearly three-point drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number) and about a two-point drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number). Although the drop sounds small, when it comes to blood pressure, any little improvement can mean big things for your health. And in the study, the researchers estimated that the small drop in blood pressure in the prehypertensive study participants translated into about a 21 percent lower risk for really problematic blood pressure -- the kind that's so high it requires prescription medication.

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