FitSugar

Sex Is Healthy: Part II

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:00:00 PST

If having more sex is one of your New Year's Resolutions for 2008 (don't laugh, it's on my husband's list every year) then you may be doing more for your health than you originally thought. Here are some reasons why:

Sleep enhancement. There’s no need to count sheep when sex, including masturbation, helps insomnia.
A better, younger looking you. Sex keeps you looking and feeling younger and, according to some research, may lead to shiny hair, a glowing complexion and bright eyes.
Mood lifter. Sex releases pleasure-inducing endorphins during arousal and climax that can relieve depression and anxiety, and increase vibrancy.
Longevity. There is a significant relationship between frequency of orgasm and risk of death, especially with men.
Decreased risk of breast cancer. One study of women who had never given birth found that an increased frequency of sexual intercourse was correlated with a decrease in the incidence of breast cancer.
Reproductive health benefits. According to at least one study, sex appears to decrease a man’s risk of prostate cancer, and the prevention of endometriosis in women.

Source

Sex Is Healthy: Part I

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:15:00 PST

If have more sex is one of your New Year's resolutions for 2008 (don't laugh, it's on my husband's list every year) then you may be doing more for your health than you originally thought. Here are some reasons why:

Weight loss and control. Forget torturing yourself with the latest fad diet or hours on the elliptical machine when you can burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes of sex!
Pain management. Forgo popping a pain killer and opt for something a bit more au naturel.
Stress relief. Sex, even if only with ourselves, impacts the way we respond to stress, increasing levels of oxytocin and stimulating feelings of warmth and relaxation.
Immune booster. Stop spending late nights at the office. Sex wards off colds and the flu.
Better heart health. A little bit of heart and soul in the sack should be part of every doctor’s orders when it comes to cardiovascular care.
Increased self-esteem and intimacy. When sex is consistent and involves mutual pleasure, it can increase bonding since the surge in oxytocin at orgasm stimulates feelings of affection, intimacy, and closeness.

Source

8 Myths About Sex Differences

The Good Men Project — Fri, 25 May 2012 02:00:49 PDT

We're happy to present this story from one of our favorite sites, The Good Men Project. Today, Agustín Fuentes points out that when it comes to men and women, what "everyone knows" isn’t what science shows.

Everyone knows that men and women are really different. We think differently and act differently because we are wired differently. I mean look at our brains and genitals: they are just plain different. Right?

Wrong.

What if many of the things we assume about the biology of difference are not so different at all? What if it is not our “wiring” but the ways in which our bodies and minds develop and play out in society that makes us seem so unalike? Could it be that men and women are more similar than we think?

I Dumped the Love of My Life and Now She Doesn’t Trust Me

Yes, women give birth and lactate and men do not. And yes, men are, on average, slightly larger than women and usually have greater upper body strength. There are these basic biological differences between the sexes and they are important . . . but why always focus on the differences and not the biological, and behavioral, similarities? Ahh, that would be because of gender.

Gender is a powerful reality; it is the perception and expectation of differences between males and females and it shapes both our bodies and our society. Gender differences are real and important, but they are not hard wired or even static. There is no biological or evolutionary mandate that only women really care for babies and show emotions, or that males are the best at economics and politics and prefer beers and skirt-chasing to domestic bliss. These are patterns of gender roles and expectations that shape the ways we look at our biology and behavior. They influence the way we expect the world to be. It is the strength of the societal myths about sex that fool us into thinking that men and women are so different by nature.

So let’s bust some of those myths.

Gender and sex are the same thing.

Sex and gender are interconnected, but not the same thing. Sex is a biological state that is measured via what chromosomes you have (XX or XY, usually) and aspects of your body and physiology. Gender includes the roles, expectations and perceptions that a given society has for the sexes. Most societies have two genders on a masculinity-femininity continuum. Some have more. We are born with a biological sex, but acquire gender. There is a ton of individual diversity within societies and sexes in regards to how sex and gender play out in behavior and personality.

There is an extensive body of data demonstrating this, but people interested only in specific differences between men and women choose to ignore it.

Male and female genitals are totally different.

Most people think that male and female genitals are about as different as can be: penis=male and vagina=female. But even this basic dichotomy is not quite correct: the genitals emerge from the same mass of embryonic tissue. For the first six weeks of life the tissue masses develop identically. At about 6-7 weeks, depending on whether the fetus has XX or XY chromosomes (usually), the tissues to start to differentiate. One part of the tissues begins to form the clitoris or penis and another forms the labia or scrotum. Another area begins to form into either the testes or the ovaries. This means that physiologically, male and female genitals are made of the same stuff and work in similar ways.

Male and female brains are different.

If there were really deep seated differences between male and female human behavior and biology they should show up in the brain. The genitals start in the same place and end up looking different, the brain does not. Our brains are pretty much the same. Male brains are a bit bigger than females’ (like their bodies) and females’ brains stop growing earlier than males (as with their bodies). However, whatever one may believe about other organs, in the case of healthy brains, size really does NOT matter one iota. There also might be a few differences in a small part of the brain called the straight gyrus (need more testing in this one). Other than these minor aspects there are no consistent and replicated reliable differences in male and female brains; it is a human brain . . . but how we use it is another matter.

Hormones make the difference.

Everyone thinks that males and females have different hormones . . . testosterone for men and estrogen for women. Nope, all the actual hormones in males and females are the same: there are no male-only or female-only hormones. Both men and women can get a flood of testosterone when they get into a fight or take part in an exhilarating sports match. Both men and women can get a flood of oxytocin and prolactin when they pick up a newborn baby. There can be differences in the levels, patterns, and impacts of some of these hormones in male and female bodies, but individual variation is often more important than the variation between the sexes.

Keep reading for the rest.

7 Things You Should Never Say to a Pregnant Woman

BabyCenter — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:03:19 PDT

Here's a post from our partners at BabyCenter! Every week, we bring you the best parenting and lifestyle stories from the experts at BabyCenter, including this post from Katherine Martin about phrases that should never be uttered to a pregnant woman.
Pregnancy is one of those times in life, similar to having a newborn, where almost everyone you meet will offer some kind of advice or have a comment. Most of it is very sweet and it can be life affirming to see how much others care. However, some of the questions or comments can be insulting, stupid and even infuriating.

Part of it is curiosity, I'm sure. But still, there are certain things that just get frustrating and annoying to be asked about or expected to talk about, especially with strangers or casual acquaintances.

So, my list, aided by a discussion by the July 2012 Birth Club of the top 7 things not to say to a pregnant woman:

"You're HUGE!!!" - Poor Jessica Simpson was a lesson to us all about how judgmental people can get about a pregnant woman's weight gain. Just leave this unsaid.
"You're TINY!!!" - The opposite of "you're huge!", but it can still be worrying to be told you look abnormally small when growing a human. Sometimes this comment is well intentioned, but most pregnant women just want to be told they look healthy.
"You're just upset because of hormones." - This should be self explanatory, but if someone is upset the last thing you should do is minimize their feelings and blame them on hormones. Sure, it may be true sometimes, but pointing out someone is hormonal almost never goes over well for anyone involved.
"Is your husband/boyfriend/fiancé the father?" - Definitely do not ask this. Enough said.
"Your boobs/butt are huge!!!" - Just because a woman is gestating a baby doesn't open up every body part for comment. I remember being mortified when someone pointed out my boobs were huge and an entire room of people's eyes immediately went there. No need.
"Should you be eating/drinking that?" - My Starbucks is decaf, thank you very much or it's part of my daily allowed caffeine. Let's just all take a break from being the pregnancy police.
"Was it planned?" - This is the top thing not to ask because do you seriously want the answer? Are you looking to talk about birth control? Do you want details of the woman's sex life? Let's just all agree this question is extraordinarily personal and probably never in good tact to ask.

Well that sure feels better to get this all out there. Phew!

What would you add to the list of things not to say to a pregnant woman? Or how did you respond to any of these questions or comments?

More great reads from BabyCenter:
12 sweet teacher appreciation gifts
7 gifts for the mom who never shops for herself
How to keep your baby safe in the ER
7 delicious watermelon desserts
6 tech Mother's Day gifts that will make her go "awww"

Source: Flickr User molly_darling

Spice Up Your Sex Life With These Simple Foods

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:35:53 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

Feeling a little lackluster in the kitchen lately? How about the bedroom? The two could be related. Food can be a very sensual prop that helps keep things spicy behind closed doors, but which ones should you be welcoming with open arms and which should you close your taste buds to? JJ Virgin, cohost of TLC’s Freaky Eaters, gave us some food for thought on how to kick things up a notch for supersizzling results!

The three main things to look for in an arousing appetite are a rise in blood flow, circulation, and dopamine levels, Virgin explains. Try adding these to your next candlelit dinner for a big bite of romance!

Oysters and avocados both have a big dose of healthy fats, which are full of dopamine, a neurotransmitter triggering the part of our brain that recognizes reward and pleasure.
Walnuts (or any nut except peanuts) have high levels of arginine, a natural amino acid that boosts blood flow.
Fish not only have arginine, but an added bonus of omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve your cardiovascular health and increase dopamine. A triple threat!
Spicy dishes, like this Roast Salmon With Thai Red Curry Sauce, stimulate your tongue and kick-start the nervous system - great for postdinner activities!

And if you don’t want to send your sweetheart flying out the door (OK, maybe that’s a little extreme), keep reading to see which foods to stay away from.

More from Fitness:

Sugar Shout Out: Lighten Up With Healthy Mexican Recipes

Brittney Stephens — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:55:20 PDT

Two Men Kiss at Rick Santorum's Weekend Rally

Annie Scudder — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:25:01 PDT

Republican Rick Santorum isn't known for his inclusive stance on gay rights. And last weekend, two men decided to go for romantic protest to the candidate: they kissed at one of Santorum's campaign rallies. In the video above, you can see the passionate make-out. The crowd confusingly responds by chanting "U-S-A," as the men were escorted out.

Perhaps we can expect that same-sex kiss protest to pick up where glitter bombing left off. You may recall glitter bombing is the popular practice of throwing glitter on politicians who hold antigay postions. For a refresher on why Santorum was a target of this gay kiss-in, here are few things Santorum has said about gay issues:

"In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. [Marriage] is not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing."
"Is anyone saying same-sex couples can't love each other? I love my children. I love my friends, my brother. Heck, I even love my mother-in-law. Should we call these relationships marriage, too?"
Gay marriage "threatens my marriage. It threatens all marriages. It threatens the traditional values of this country."
"I have no problem with homosexuality. I have a problem with homosexual acts. As I would with acts of other, what I would consider to be, acts outside of traditional heterosexual relationships."
"You say, 'well, it's my individual freedom.' Yes, but it destroys the basic unit of our society because it condones behavior that's antithetical to strong healthy families. Whether it's polygamy, whether it's adultery, where it's sodomy, all of those things, are antithetical to a healthy, stable, traditional family."

What do you make of the kiss protest?

The Highlights From Meghan McCain's Playboy Interview

Annie Scudder — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 09:55:22 PDT

Meghan McCain is no stranger to racy pictures. Back in 2009 the daughter of John McCain caught heat for posting a photo on Twitter that showed a healthy helping of her cleavage. Meghan's in Playboy this month, but it's not doing what you might think. There aren't any soft core shots. But she does offer this gem, "I'm strictly dickly. I can't help it. I love sex and I love men." Here are some highlights, including some talk about gay rights and politics.

On her sexuality: "My friends from home came over to support me, and we got in my parents’ big bed. They have this huge California king and we just stayed up eating ice cream. I’m not a lesbian, if that’s what you’re asking. I’d be the first person to tell the world I was gay. I’m not private about anything. I think you should live how you should live. But I’m strictly dickly. I can’t help it. I love sex and I love men."

On what life would be like if her dad was president: "Oh, Lord. You would have the craziest first daughter ever, who’d be making ridiculous headlines and hurting the administration every step of the way. That aside, I think Dad would have made an incredible president. The recession wouldn’t have been as bad as it is now. We wouldn’t be pulling troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq."

On supporting same-sex marriage: "Who people want to sleep with and who they want to love should not have anything to do with government politics at all. And if you see me in a gay bar, it’s only because they play the best music and my gay friends like to dance. Gay guys love me. It’s the big boobs and blonde hair."

7 Health Benefits of Having Sex

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:47:19 PST

There are only so many hours in the day for getting physical. Skipping the gym for a little romp isn't something you should do every day, but when you do choose getting sweaty in bed over the exercise bike, you're still burning calories. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, check out the health benefits of getting it on.

Thinkstock

Smooch, Snuggle, and Squeeze: Health Benefits of Being Affectionate

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:39:08 PST

It's human nature to want to be close to the people we care about, but for the people we really love - well, it's hard to keep our hands off them! Valentine's Day is almost here, so keep reading to find out how all those extra hugs and kisses can benefit your health.