Article : GOOD SEX IS GOOD FOR YOU!

GOOD SEX IS GOOD FOR YOU!

Anthony Fiore, Ph.D.
"Life without love is like a coconut in which the milk is dried up." Henry David Thoreau
"Good sex....Improves our health and may even contribute to our longevity."
Scientific evidence is accumulating support what many of us have suspected all along: good sex not only adds great enjoyment to our lives, but it also actually improves our health and may even contribute to our longevity.
In a new book called Sexual Healing, Dr. Paul Pearsall, Director of Behavioral Medicine at Detroit's Beaumont Hospital, writes that the joys and pleasures of living life and loving may provide us with something called an "intimacy inoculation" that actually protects us from disease.
Dr. Pearsall, who cites numerous other researchers, concludes, "Growing numbers of physicians now recognize that the health of the human heart depends not only on such factors as genetics, diet, and exercise, but also --to a large extent-- on the social and emotional health of the individual."
Sexual healing is achieved primarily through the daily challenge of maintaining a close, intimate relationship which, when accomplished, leads to balance between our health and healing systems.
Can lack of sexual intimacy create a risk factor for certain diseases? Dr. Pearsall cites research and his own clinical experience ndicating that sexual dissatisfaction seems to be prevalent prior to a heart attack in a high percentage of persons. Conversely, sexual contentment appears related to less severe migraine headaches, fewer and less-severe symptoms of premenstrual syndrome for women, and a reduction in symptoms related to chronic arthritis for both genders.
Although the exact biological mechanisms are not yet identified, many researchers are investigating how our thoughts, feelings, brain, immune system and sexual/genital system interact, influence each other, and affect our health. There may be an actual biological drive toward closeness, intimacy, and being connected to other human beings.
When we experience intimate, mutually caring sexual intimacy, we may experience a measurable change in neurochemicals and hormones that pour through the body and help promote health and healing.
"Hormones that pour through the body help promote health and healing."
Does this mean that to live longer or be more healthy we just need to DO IT more often or better? Of course not! Sex is a much broader concept that genital connecting or having an orgasm. Psychologist and author Gina Ogden, Ph.D. notes in her book, "Women Who Love Sex", that sex has everything to do with openness, connection to and bonding with a partner, feelings about what is happening to us, and memories. For those who love it, sex permeates their lives and is not merely a specialized, time-intensive, physical activity that takes place under the covers--as quickly as possible.
As a result of interviewing many women, Dr. Ogden learned that sexual desire, or lust, was produced by much more than physical stimulation. For women, according to Dr.Ogden, it has more to do with feelings of connectedness in their relationships: "Heart to heart, soul to soul, even mind to mind."
"For women, it has to do with feelings of connectedness in their relationships."
When discussing sexual connecting, Dr. Ogden's interviewees spoke of a FLOWING CONTINUUM OF PLEASURE, ORGASM, AND ECSTASY, rather than a one-time experience. They also described peak sexual experiences as coming from stimulation all over their bodies--not just from their genitals--including fingers, toes, hips, lips, neck, and earlobes.
Obviously, arousal and satisfaction evolve not only from receiving sexual energy, but also from the joy of stimulating one's partner. Sex, then, is a commitment of give and take.
Finally, the women Dr. Ogden studied have their own concepts of safe sex, essential to experiencing sexual pleasure and ecstasy. This kind of safe sex does NOT relate to preventing STDs or pregnancy; it relates, instead, to emotional and spiritual safety. Such safety is CRUCIAL for sexual closeness. Most of the women insisted that warm, loving connections with themselves and with their partners were essential to and inseparable from the experience of sexual ecstasy.
When people feel deeply close while merely holding hands, they are having sex. When people display caring for each other through hugs, caresses, and kissing, they are also having sex. When connecting people in a crowded room wink at each other in their own secret way, they are communicating sex to each other; such non-contact sex can be excitedly arousing and emotionally fulfilling. And, of course, during sexual union when the sky seems to open so a lightning bolt can strike the couple--while fireworks ignite and the earth stops spinning-- this is sex, too.
But wait. Do men also need this almost spiritual connection to enjoy sex and achieve good health? Well, yes and no. Men need sex and men need emotional connection, but many men don't necessarily need to put the two together!
According to Dr. Bernie Zilbergelt, who wrote The New Male Sexuality, sex for women is intertwined with personal connection. For some men , sex is unto itself--an act to be engaged in with or without love, with or without commitment, with or without connection.
Presently, younger boys are being socialized in a more enlightened manner; consequently, male attitudes toward sexual union are changing. But,unfortunately, the socialization of many men born in or before the 60's provided very little information of value to the formation and maintenance of intimate relationships. These men were taught, as youths, that males showed love by doing, not by talking or "connecting" with girls.
"Fortunately, anyone can...restore closeness, intimacy, and sexual flow."
Older men were usually also socialized to be strong and self-reliant, which usually means one doesn't easily talk about or admit personal problems. Many such men do not acknowledge worries and fears to their partners; they simply try to handle everything on their own.
A consequence of such reticence is (1) lack of intimacy in the relationship, with the wife feeling "left out" of her husband's life; and (2) men often don't get what they need because they don't know how to ask for it, so they feel distanced and frustrated when they really want closeness and intimacy as much as their partner does.
Sex under these conditions creates distance in the relationship or creates sexual dysfunction which drives an even deeper wedge into the relationship. This is especially true if a man is married to a woman must be wanted by her husband to have her sexuality validated.
Consequently, sex routinely becomes mechanical, unfeeling, and unfulfilling. Fortunately, anyone can break this vicious cycle and restore closeness, intimacy, and sexual flow in the relationship.

Article : Fitness Health Tip by: Mary Rose

Fitness Health Tip

by: Mary Rose
Everybody dreams of being healthy, beautiful and fit. The first fitness health tip is to believe that we are what we eat. Eat healthy and one will be healthy and beautiful. Healthy eating means eating three regular balanced meals-breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and making sure that each meal is a combination of carbohydrate and protein foods. Meals should include cereals, pulses, milk or curd, eggs, chicken, fish, fruits and vegetables. There is a fitness health tip which may come as a pleasant surprise and that is- Adding sugar is not a crime. Three to four teaspoon of sugar a day is permitted if one is not diabeticFinally, the whole secret of fitness and weight control rests on how much oil is consumed daily and how much fatty foods are eaten in a day. The normal requirement is 2-3 or 3-4 teaspoons oil per person per day. One may indulge in richer food twice in a week. Another fitness health tip is that the major reason for an overweight and unhealthy body is a change in lifestyle. Today we don't walk anywhere, and hop into and out of cars. We also spend a lot of time sitting in front of television and computer. This is one reason why people in their 20's and 30's suffer from hypertension, heart diseases and diabetes. Everybody from six years and above must ensure that a regular exercise session is fixed in the daily routine. A 20-30 minutes walk must be taught and practiced as regularly as brushing the teeth and bathing.It is also important to avoid too many soft drinks and packed juices which most of us prefer and stock in our refrigerator. It not only increases our body weight but also harms our teeth and skin. Rather we should resolve to drink plenty of water. To conclude, there is no magic wand to achieve healthy, beautiful and fit body. It is imperative to keep a watch on what we eat. Keep the diet well balanced, regular and complete with salad and fruits. Make sure that one is active throughout the day and follow a regular fitness program that is in sync with the age, body and health.

Article : Acid Reflux Recovery Diet And Recipes

Acid Reflux Recovery Diet And Recipes

by: Charles Stewart Richey

Curing oneself of the condition called acid reflux can be accomplished by using natural, healthy methods. I suffered from this condition for years, taking harmful, expensive PPI drugs (proton inhibitors), which only masked the symptoms. These drugs, not only had myriad side effects, but became ineffective over time. I was forced to find another answer. I wanted to cure myself without the use of drugs. My doctor was no help. He didn't have a clue about natural healing and nutrition. After a great deal of research I discover that with the proper use of herbs, health store items, meditation, exercise and diet, one can heal themselves of acid reflux. The first thing that I learned is that acid reflux, sometimes called gerd (gastro esophageal reflux disease), is not a disease at all. Contrary to what the medical community would have us believe, it is simply a condition, brought on by poor eating habits. Besides eating the wrong foods, not chewing food properly is probably the root cause of this ailment. The Acid reflux condition would not exist without a damaged esophagus and a weakened LES (lower esophageal sphincter). If the condition is to be eliminated, healing the esophagus must be the first order of business. During this reflux recovery period, eating anything which could irritate or damage the esophagus, must be avoided. Things like poorly chewed chips, crackers, cereal or any hard foods with sharp edges are culinary culprits - they cause little lacerations to develop in the esophagus. Until the lacerations have had a chance to heal, spicy foods, such as acidic tomato products, hot peppers, raw garlic and raw onions should also be eliminated from the diet. They just further irritate the condition. Smoking and drinking alcohol relax the LES, allowing stomach acid to splash up into the esophagus, thus impeding the healing process. The key to acid reflux recovery is to eat only mild, easy to digest food until the esophagus has healed. Eat early, giving yourself at least three hours of sitting or walking time before lying down. Eat slowly and chew your food completely. Last, but not least, try to eat in a relaxed, pleasant and stress free environment. I have listed a few of my favorite recipes that I enjoyed during my own recovery period. They can be made quickly and easily. Try doubling these recipes so that you can reheat them later in the week... less time in the kitchen. Remember that cooking from scratch, instead of relying on convenience foods, is a better approach to good health, in general. It's also nice to know what you're really eating. For breakfast, I believe that fresh fruit is the best way to go. I especially like melon and papaya. For lunch I eat more fruit like apples, bananas and, perhaps some almonds, or walnuts. It's better to eat many little healthy meals during the day. I try to buy only organic fruits, however, sometimes when I am rushed, I purchase "ready to go" containers of mixed fruit at the grocery store. Try to stay away from pineapple, as I find it hard to digest. How about starters in the evening? Serving vegetables raw is the ultimate healthy way to present them. Try creating a beautiful platter of crudité (crew di tay) better known as elegant rabbit food. Serve it with a savory tofu dip. Use cauliflower, broccoli, English cucumbers, radishes, green & yellow zucchinis, Belgium endive, carrot sticks, whole small mushrooms, or whatever appeals to you. Cut the vegetables in bite size pieces for dipping. The Belgium endive is a natural edible scoop for dipping. Just cut off the ends and peel off the leaves. Make the tofu dip by putting one package of soft or silken tofu in a food processor or blender, adding garlic powder, cumin, paprika and chopped chives or parsley for flavor and color. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Add a little fresh squeezed lemon juice if the mixture is too thick. Process until smooth and creamy. If you are in a rush, ready made dips and raw vegetable platters are available in the produce sections of most supermarkets, but make a concerted effort to eat only organic, if possible. I hope that you enjoy the following dishes. Even though I have cured myself of acid reflux, I still serve these recipes on a regular basis. I prefer food slightly under cooked. Feel free to adjust the cooking times and seasonings according to your own taste. Bon appetite! Sautéed White Fish On A Bed Of Mashed Potatoes This recipe is for one serving. Increase the ingredients for additional servings as needed. * One 4oz filet of white fish (orange roughly, sole, turbot, flounder, etc) * One med. Potato * Steamed green vegetable such as broccoli, spinach, peas or asparagus * Parsley or chives for garnish * 1/4 tbsp unsalted butter, olive oil or Pam We will start with the potatoes because they take the longest to cook and they tend to retain their heat the longest. (The fish and vegetable take only minutes to cook.) Peel and cube potato. Place in cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, and then simmer until fork tender. Drain, leaving just enough cooking liquid for mashing or whipping. You may also use the vegetable broth (recipe below) instead. Add salt to taste. Hold in a warm place. Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Place non-stick sauté pan over med high heat. Add butter, oil or spray with Pam. When not quite smoking, add fish. Cook two minutes, turn and cook other side for two minutes, or until the filet is light brown and cooked through. If the filet is very thin, one minute on each side may be enough. (You can broil or bake the fish if desired) Serve fish on top of mashed potatoes, surrounded by the steamed vegetables. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives. Vegetable Broth This broth is very alkaline and rich in minerals. It can be served as a simple soup, or used as a stock (as above) for cooking. Cook and save the potatoes and beets to use as a vegetable side dish or to add to soup. * 2 cups red skinned potato peelings * 3 cups celery stalk * 2 cups celery tops * 2 cups beet tops * 1 small zucchini or yellow squash * 2 cups carrots * One small onion * Sprig of parsley * 2-1/2 quarts distilled water Chop all vegetables into very fine pieces. Place in water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes. Strain & refrigerate for future use. Note: By cooking pearled barley in the finished broth with the addition of chopped vegetables, one can prepare a healthy soup for a first course. Pasta Primavera Primavera means "spring" in Italian. This pasta dish offers a great opportunity to use all the wonderful fresh spring vegetables at your disposal. However, you can make this dish anytime of the year by using whatever fresh vegetables you can find at your food market. I have chosen a mixture of vegetables that I happen to love, for this recipe. You can use these or replace them with your favorites. During the reflux healing period, try to stay away from tomatoes, raw onions and raw garlic. I have included garlic in this recipe (*see note regarding roasted garlic). If you can tolerate a little garlic, then make sure to cook it well at a low temperature, without browning it. If you want to be a bit daring, you can add the optional cup of heavy cream. You may substitute parsley for the basil and the penne regatta for fettuccini, or another pasta. The whole family can enjoy this classic pasta dish. * 1 cup sliced mushrooms * 1 cup sliced carrots * 1 cup baby peas * 1 cup sliced asparagus spears * 1 cup snow peas or sugar snaps * 2 cloves garlic finely chopped or roasted * 1 lb. penne regatta * 1 tsp. salt * 3 tbsp extra virgin, first cold pressed olive oil * 1/2 cup shredded basil * 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese * 1/2 cup heavy cream (optional) Place a steamer basket in a pot with a small amount of water and bring to the boil. Place vegetables in basket, cover and steam until tender (about 4 minutes). Rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking and preserve the color, and drain. To a large pot of boiling water, add salt and the penne regatta. Cook uncovered according to the instructions on box, preferably al dente. Meanwhile in a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook at a low flame for a couple of minutes (do not brown). Add the steamed vegetables and optional heavy cream and raise the heat to medium. Cook just enough to heat. Drain the pasta and add to the sauté pan and mix well. Sprinkle with Parmigianino Reggiano, and shredded basil. Heat the dish thoroughly and serve. If the dish needs more salt, use extra cheese instead, at the table. Serve this dish with a heart of romaine salad with lemon chive dressing (recipe below) NOTE: It takes more than two cloves of roasted garlic, for this recipe. On a sheet of aluminum foil place two heads of garlic and cut the stem end off with a knife. Drizzle a little olive oil over them and wrap tightly. Bake in a 400 degree oven for one hour. When cool enough to handle, squeeze out the roasted garlic, into a bowl, discarding the shells. Mash well with a fork. Another use for roasted garlic is my version of pesto sauce. I use walnuts instead of pine nuts, which I find indigestible, with the roasted garlic and basil. Use whatever proportion you like and drizzle first pressed, extra virgin olive oil into the blender. If your sauce is too thin, adjust with more walnuts, basil and garlic. If it is too thick, use more olive oil. This is all a matter of taste. Serve with your favorite pasta. I prefer linguini or fettuccini. Lemon Chive Salad Dressing This is a simple, yet classic vinaigrette for green salads. Use heart of Romaine, Boston or Bipp lettuce. Make this dressing and hour or so before serving, in order that the chive flavor is fully incorporated. Remember to toss well before serving. The advantage here is using lemon juice, instead of vinegar. I find that lemon juice becomes alkaline after being ingested. * 1 lemon juiced * Sea salt (pinch) * 3 tbsp. extra fine sugar * 6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil * 6 tbsp. minced chives (you can't have too many) * Freshly ground black pepper Combine lemon juice, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Continue whisking in the olive oil, chives and several grinds of pepper. Keep whisking until dressing is emulsified. NOTE: You can make this dressing for two by reducing the lemon juice to two tbsp. and the other ingredients by 1/3. Keep left over dressing in a jar in fridge for future use. It will keep for about a week. Savory Lentils With Texmati Brown Rice * 1 lb of organic lentils (2 1/2 cups), rinsed * 8 cups water or stock * 1 onion, chopped * 3 cloves of garlic, chopped * 2 carrots, sliced * 2 stalks celery, chopped * 1 bay leaf * 2 sprigs of thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried * Organic Texmati brown rice (follow instructions on package) To a large pot bring water and lentils to a boil. Add other ingredients. Reduce to the simmer, partially covered. Cook until tender (about 20 to 30 minutes), stirring occasionally and adding more liquid as needed.. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve over organic Texmati brown rice. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with a light green salad, dressed with the lemon chive dressing above. Baked Chicken Breasts on Mushroom Caps With Steamed Broccoli And New Potatoes * 6 chicken breasts (either bone in or halves with skin on) * 1 tsp dried thyme * Olive oil * 6 large Portobello mushrooms (or enough smaller mushrooms to cover the bottom of the baking pan) * 1 tbsp minced garlic * Salt & pepper to taste * 2 cups dry white wine or dry vermouth * 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Into a lightly oiled baking pan, large enough to hold chicken breasts, arrange mushrooms gill side down. Sprinkle with minced garlic, salt & pepper. Pour wine over mushrooms. Place chicken breasts skin side up over mushrooms and brush with olive oil. Bake uncovered about 20 minutes, until the breasts are golden brown. If the wine has evaporated during the cooking process, add a little more (for those of you who can't tolerate alcohol, keep in mind that it burns off during the cooking process, leaving only the flavor). Baste the breasts with the pan juices and turn over. Cook until breasts are completely done and springy to the finger, about 15 minutes more. With a slotted spoon, place the chicken and mushrooms on a platter, mushrooms on the bottom and breasts on top, skin side up. Skim off excess fat and spoon juices over the chicken. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with steamed broccoli and boiled new potatoes. (Substitute brown rice for potatoes, if desired) Stir Fried Shrimp And Vegetables Served Over Millet, Brown Rice Or Quinoa * 3 tbsp Canola oil * 1 lb. raw medium peeled shrimp * 2 cups broccoli florets * 2 cups sliced mushrooms * 4 scallions, trimmed and chopped * 2 tbsp Garlic, minced * 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced * 1 cup cold vegetable broth (see recipe above), mixed with 2tbsps, cornstarch * 1 package of organic millet Into a hot wok or sauté pan pour oil until just smoking. Add vegetables and stir constantly to cook al dente. Add shrimp and continue to stir until just turning pink. Add broth and cover for a couple of minutes until shrimp is almost done. Uncover and add cornstarch mixture, stir until thickened and turn off heat. Serve over millet cooked according to package instructions. Season to taste with tamari light soy sauce. NOTE: This dish must be done very quickly, as you don't want to over cook the shrimp or the vegetables. I have chosen Millet because it is an extremely alkaline grain. It is neutral in taste and will absorb the flavors of this dish. You may substitute brown rice instead. Bon Appetite!