Relationships & Sex

Watermelon This juicy red fruit could be the new sexual star. While watermelon is 92 percent water, the remaining eight percent contains the phytonutrient citrulline, which converts to arginine, an amino acid that relaxes blood vessels, according to 2008 research from Texas A&M University’s department of horticultural sciences. This may help improve blood flow to erectile … [Read more...] about 3 of the Best Foods to Boost Your Sex Drive

A growing stack of research reveals that happy marriages take a nosedive when a couple becomes a family. Thanks to sleepless nights, new expectations and the demands of bringing up baby while holding down a job, 30 to 50 percent of all new parents feel as distressed as couples already in therapy for marriage problems, say researchers from the University of California, … [Read more...] about How to Baby-Proof Your Marriage: 7 Things Happy Couples Do

Sometimes what’s needed to boost libido isn’t a specific food, but sufficient calories. In a 2010 multi-center study including the department of psychiatry at Toronto General Hospital and universities in the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, two thirds of 242 young women age 18 to 32 who had eating disorders that restricted calories reported low sexual functioning. The study … [Read more...] about Does Your Weight Affect Your Sex Life?

Q: My sex life is okay, but pretty vanilla. My husband and I are both shy about discussing sex together or suggesting trying anything new. How can I let him know I want us to be wilder in bed? A: It sounds like you are caught in the Good Girl/Nice Guy trap. Many adults have been socialized and conditioned to downplay or outright deny their deeper sexual selves. Ironically, … [Read more...] about 3 Things You Can Try to Spice Up A Vanilla Sex Life

1. 'I knew something was up, but he denied it repeatedly.' Sandra Barrett* had what she considered to be not just a good marriage but a great one. She and her husband, Bill, laughed together every day and had two kids they doted on. Bill shared the chores and childrearing, planned trips for the family and often wrote her poetry. After 17 years of marriage, they still had sex … [Read more...] about ‘I Had an Affair.’ How 3 Women Dealt With Infidelity

1. Paraphrase what you hear. Repeat what your partner said back to him or her in your own words. Give your partner a chance to agree that what you heard is what he or she actually meant. 2. Check out their feelings. Ask your partner for clarification about what he or she is feeling. Sometimes anger is really frustration, regret is really sadness. Emotions can be … [Read more...] about How to Be a Better Listener (for the Sake of Your Marriage)

To many inexperienced couples, the essence of marriage is togetherness. California therapists Charlie and Linda Bloom, husband-and-wife co-authors of Secrets of Great Marriages, see countless clients who have bought into the romantic myth that love should save them from experiencing loneliness and pain. When a partner has an interest the other doesn’t share, they may fear … [Read more...] about One Major Secret to a Successful Marriage You Might Not Be Doing Yet

"I’m in my early 40s, and find that I want more sex than my partner. Some of my friends say their relationships are the same. What is going on here—am I normal?" Dale Curd answers: The quick answer is no, there is nothing wrong with you. Your well-being is not affected by a difference between you and your partner and your sex drives. And while I’m on the subject, there is … [Read more...] about Sex Advice: I Want More Sex Than My Man Does. Why?

Q: Yet another couple we know is getting divorced. It’s scary for me because they seemed so happy. How can my husband and I make sure we don’t become a statistic? A: There’s no doubt about it: Long-term love can be hard to sustain. Women today are twice as likely to seek divorce as men, and the reasons for wanting out have changed. A large proportion of women cite a lack of … [Read more...] about Expert Advice: How do I Divorce-Proof My Marriage?

Valentine’s Day, love songs, romance novels—do they influence falling in love? On the surface it seems like they do, but scientific research suggests that there’s another cupid at work: instinct. Love, specifically the passionate variety, is an emotion that is almost beyond our control. Humans, it seems, are programmed to take this amorous tumble. Forget the roses and … [Read more...] about Are We Genetically Programmed to Fall in Love?

Improve your sex life You just love making her feel good in the bedroom, right? But if sex has stalled for you as a long-term couple—or maybe you’re in a new relationship and feel you aren’t clicking yet, sexually speaking—this article will help you take matters into your own hands. We’ve asked experts for advice on how to ramp up the satisfaction, which can enhance intimacy … [Read more...] about The Guy’s Guide to Turning Women On

Men could benefit from doing Kegels, too. These pelvic-floor exercises may help them deal with incontinence, says urologist Michael Greenspan, MD. As well, they may alleviate premature ejaculation. Women do Kegels, especially after giving birth, to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles (the ones used to stop urine flow in both men and women). Vaginal childbirth stretches these … [Read more...] about Why Kegels Are Good for Both Men and Women

Do create a detailed, flattering, eye-catching profile Post at least five recent photos ranging from glam to jeans-no-makeup. Tell the truth about everything except your name. Use a pseudonym until you meet the guy in person and decide he is okay. Smart equals safe. … [Read more...] about The Do’s and Don’ts of Successful Online Dating

Not long ago, I opened an intriguing email from Jennifer, an acquaintance from my community choir. “I’ve realized I want to be around people who make me happy,” she wrote. “I’ve been seeing how I feel after interacting with different people and making a mental list of who I feel good about. And you’re on my list.” Then she invited me—and 11 other women—to a “Movie Night” to … [Read more...] about How to Pick Friends Who Make You Feel Good

Partner Squats Stand back-to-back, pressing shoulder blades together, knees shoulder-width apart. Walk your feet out a foot, so that you are supporting one another with your upper bodies. Slowly bend your knees, lowering your tailbones down to the ground as you squat as low as you can go without your knees moving forward past your toes. Hold the squat position for as long as … [Read more...] about 8 Fitness Ideas You Can Do With a Partner

Q: Our summer holidays were great; my husband and I camped, played golf, and had lots of sex. Now that we are once again in the daily grind of work responsibilities, I’m afraid we will return to our habit of making love only every couple of weeks. How can we stay connected? A: It sounds like you experienced the vacation fling phenomenon: couples needing to get away in order … [Read more...] about How to Make Vacation Sex Last

Q: I like my body, and really enjoy sex with my husband, but I have this one big hang-up. I want to enjoy getting oral sex—but I can’t. I feel tense and awkward. How can I relax and get pleasure from it? A: In my private practice, I work with quite a few otherwise sexually well-adjusted women who report feeling anxiety and shame when receiving oral sex. Why? Let’s face … [Read more...] about How to Relax and Enjoy Getting Oral Sex

Improve your sex life "Sexuality’s not the sort of thing where what worked for you when you were 14 is going to work when you’re 25 or 40," says Sarah Forbes-Robert, a worker-owner at Toronto co-operative sex shop Come As You Are. "It's a constant exploration of new ideas." So if you feel like you're stuck in a rut when it comes to your sex life, you're not alone – or … [Read more...] about Secrets to a Happy and Healthy Sex Life

The other day, a 28-year-old married patient came in for a refill of her birth control pills. As I wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm, she said: “I’m worried because I’m not interested in sex anymore. It’s been going on for a while and is starting to affect my relationship.” I was glad she spoke up. A 2010 study by the International Society for the Study of … [Read more...] about What Causes Low Sex Drive?

1. It helps you breathe easier Sex is reputedly a natural antihistamine, helping to combat hay fever and asthma symptoms. … [Read more...] about 7 Reasons Sex Is Ridiculously Good For You

Love is as critical to our bodies as water. Research shows that we need love emotionally and physically in order to stay healthy. “Love is not sentimentality or something created by our culture,” says Sue Johnson, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Ottawa and author of Hold Me Tight. “It is an emotional bond and we are hardwired to find mates and create that … [Read more...] about 5 Myths About Love That Could Be Hurting Your Relationship

Several years ago, I met an interesting woman on a one-day work project. It instantly seemed as though we had been friends for years, so we decided to meet the following week for coffee. I couldn’t help but feel like I was going on a “Friend Date.” Making new friends as an adult, when we are already trying to juggle our families, our careers and our existing circle of … [Read more...] about How to Make New Friends

1. Recognize sex is good for both of you If sex is becoming a chore, try to blot out the negatives and realize instead that your bedroom athletics have a lot of positive health benefits,” says Brett McCann, senior lecturer in sexual health at the University of Sydney in Australia. “Recent research shows sex lowers the frequency of fatal heart attacks, burns calories, and … [Read more...] about 7 Ways to Make Sex Great Again

Rachel Costain and her husband, Aaron, have been arguing about renovations to their home for several months. While the issue has yet to be resolved, Rachel says that dealing with disagreements is just a normal part of their eight-year relationship. “We have learned to argue together,” says the 30-year-old elementary school teacher. "I think arguing now and again is a good … [Read more...] about How to Have a Healthy Fight

Women have more mood receptors Women have 39 percent more receptors, or landing pads, for mood-affecting molecules than men do, but 55 percent less protein to transport them. This may account for why women suffer twice as much anxiety and depression as men. … [Read more...] about 8 Surprising Ways Women are Different From Men

1. Sex cures mild depression by releasing endorphins into the bloodstream, producing a sense of euphoria and a feeling of well-being. 2. Sex is a natural antihistamine. It can help combat asthma and hay fever. 3. Lovemaking can help burn up some of those calories you piled on during that romantic dinner. 4. Sex tones up just about every muscle in the body, and it’s … [Read more...] about 10 Scientific Reasons Sex is Amazingly Good Medicine

Once upon a time, boy met girl at a club, the office, or through close friends. Today, many homegrown love stories are becoming nostalgic relics of the past. As it becomes more difficult to fit socializing time into our busy lives, singles are looking further afield for romance and relationships. Facebook flings, email liaisons, and flirtations sparked during vacations or … [Read more...] about Are Long-Distance Relationships Healthy?

Get active with yoga “Exercise helps lower your cortisol levels and bring on that sense of rest and relaxation. Cortisol is our stress hormone and when we’re stressed, it puts a damper on our sex drive,” says Kelli Young, a marriage and family therapist. “Plus exercise also helps with circulation, so it increases blood flow around important parts of the body, including the … [Read more...] about 6 Surprising Ways to Boost Your Libido