Tip of the Day: De-Stress with Intimacy

Sex has been linked to lower blood pressure and a heartier immune system. "It relaxes you and helps strengthen your relationship with your partner, which in turn increases longevity," explains Dr. Grossman. To wit, one study found that women who said they enjoyed sex lived longer than those who didn't.

Source: InStyle May 2010 issue

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4 Secrets to a Hotter Relationship...

1. Flirt like it’s your first night together.
Think back to those early days of dating. Every laugh, lingering look, or under-the-table leg brush was a guaranteed goose bump-giver. Well, you can turn back the clock to that supercharged state by making a simple shift: Start flirting again. If you’re at a party, slink away, get a couple of drinks, and flirtatiously introduce yourself like you’re strangers. It may take him a second to catch on, but once he does, it’ll set a sexier tone for the rest of the night -- and remind you both that there’s still a lot to discover about each other.

2. Make your significant other do a double-take.
That’s one of the brilliant things about being a couple -- being so at ease in each other’s company. But there’s a line between being comfortable and letting yourselves go. (Hint: If you frequently show up to the dinner table in sweaty gym gear or go to bed with zit cream and prickly cactus legs, you’re guilty as charged.) Break out that lingerie crammed in the back of your drawer. Wear something backless. Shave and put on a nicer shirt than usual when you go out to dinner. It’s about showing your significant other that they’re still worth looking sexy for.





3. Try something new (channel surfing doesn’t count).
You love your routine, so why mess? Well, shaking things up every once in a while keeps the zsa-zsa-zsu in your relationship. According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, couples who participated in activities that they both considered highly exciting but moderately pleasant had a bigger boost in satisfaction than those who did activities that were highly pleasant but moderately exciting. Check out a concert you’d never think to get tickets for, or explore a totally different part of town. The adrenaline rush will be an aphrodisiac.


4. Pounce…even when you’re not in the mood.
Skipping the most intimate act you two could possibly enjoy together, you’re not doing your relationship any favors. Here’s why: Intercourse and orgasms trigger oxytocin, the “love hormone,” to be released in your bodies, which makes you feel incredibly fused as a couple. Sex is also the gift that keeps on giving: The more you do it, the more you’ll want to do it, so it actually stokes desire. So set that alarm clock a little earlier for wake-up action, and put down that pint of mocha pecan postdinner and enjoy another kind of bedroom treat (better yet, bring in the ice cream too). You don’t need Olympic-level performances -- just enough enthusiasm to get that mojo going.

Credits:

Article from The Nest - Nestpert Patti Britton, PhD, certified sex therapist and author of The Idiot’s Guide to Sensual Massage

5 Steps to Better Sex: How to get your married mojo on...we already feel bad for your neighbors.

Now that you're married, find yourself settling into a newlywed routine where you're just too busy to get busy? These tips will help you get in the love groove.

1.Talk It Out
Communication is the key to a healthy relationship -- and a healthy sex life. Don't be afraid to discuss career gripes (he works late nights); family (she wants to spend the holidays with her family 3,000 miles away); money (juggling shared debt). If you can talk about these things -- reasonably -- you'll spend fewer nights huffing and puffing with your backs turned to one another and more time backing each other up against the bed or fridge, huffing and puffing.








2. Get in the Mood
How can you expect to go from zero to 60 without a little warm-up? Half of enjoying nooky is knowing how to rev each other's engines first. Have a picnic in bed with fresh fruit, chocolates, cheese, and wine. Buy a sexy lampshade for the bedroom that induces a romantic vibe. Or just take a bubble bath together. Reinforce your steamy night by writing your spouse a note the following day saying, "Last night was the best three hours we've spent together since the honeymoon."

3. Be Spontaneous
Post little love notes all over the place where they'll least expect it (in his sock drawer, in her makeup bag); graze his thigh under the table at your own dinner party and ask him for help in the kitchen where you'll douse him with kisses; or, excuse yourself from the Sunday night home movie you're watching, pretend to get a glass of water, and come back to your partner completely naked as if nothing has changed.


4. Have Happy Hours for Two
Commit to doing stuff together outside the bedroom and before 11 p.m. on a daily basis. If you two are always pulling out your BlackBerrys and checking your schedules against one another, consider making a weekly date night: Tuesdays, for example. Every week, that night is for you two and nothing else. And you'll get bonus points for the little things too: going to bed at the same time; slow dancing...naked; taking a yoga class together; or simply indulging in a session of long, passionate kissing.

5. Position Yourself
How can you be bored with sex when there are 600 positions in the Kama Sutra to test out? That's nearly three new positions every week for the first four years of your marriage! Pick up a copy and have fun with it. You don't have to twist yourself into a pretzel every night, but it's important that your sexual energy doesn't go flat. So switch it up and let go of your inhibitions. One night a week, take turns closing your eyes and pointing to a page. Practice makes perfect!

Text: Jennifer L. Smith
Credits: thenest.com

The Art Of Intimacy: Put the Spark Back in Your Relationship

Maintaining a healthy and happy relationship is not always an easy feat. Great relationships take work. Even the most compatible of lovebirds will encounter cold spells and roadblocks on their journey to "happily ever after."
Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to help ensure the success of your relationship:

Weekly date night: By now, most couples have heard about the "weekly date night" rule. But how many of you have actually taken this advice to heart? Chances are, you tried it once or twice...but then soon abandoned it in the face of kids, errands, and other priorities. Recommit to this relationship rule. You and your spouse need this time to talk, share, and bond. If you are short on time or cash, at least be sure to spend an hour or two together. Take a walk around the neighborhood, or share a few glasses of wine in your backyard. Just be sure to enjoy your spouse without distractions at least once a week.


Vacation, no kids allowed: While weekly date nights are a great way to begin increasing intimacy, women often need more than just a couple of hours a week in order to truly de-stress and focus on their loved one. Since women are multitaskers, it can be hard for them to disengage completely from their many responsibilities. This is where vacations come into play! Recent studies have found that couples who take just one vacation a year see vast improvement in their relationships. Use your vacation to break away from your day-to-day routine. Relax with your partner and revive your relationship. However, there is one caveat to keep in mind: No kids! You need to enjoy quality adult time. Hire a babysitter or call in a favor with the grandparents -- no guilt allowed!


I love you, times four: For most couples, saying the words "I love you" can become routine. Rediscover the importance of these three little words by remembering to say them at least four times a day. And don't just repeat them ad nauseam! Find new, exciting, or even funny ways to spout your love for your partner. Try slipping a note in his lunch bag, tracing it in the bathroom mirror after a hot shower, or even just whispering it to her first thing in the morning!


The ten-second kiss: When was the last time you kissed your spouse? Really, truly, passionately kissed them? Chances are, it's been awhile! However, kissing is a special and important way for you to bond with your partner. Make the time to kiss your partner for 10 seconds every single day. It is bound to feel unnatural at first, but this is just a tool to get you back in the habit of kissing your partner. Before long, you will find that kissing has become a spontaneous and fun part of your relationship again!

Voice three appreciations to each other: What do you appreciate about your partner? Is he a good father? Is she a great listener? Does he always remember to empty the dishwasher? Does she always have a cup of coffee waiting for you in the morning? No matter what you appreciate about your partner, be it large or small, make sure to voice it! I challenge all of my readers: Tell your partner 3 things you appreciate about them. Make sure to be specific - instead of saying, "I appreciate you for being a good father," say "I appreciate when you read to the kids before bed." Your partner will be blown away by your love and approval!

Text by: Dr. Laura Berman
Credits: Yahoo Health

Reconnecting: A Self-Coaching Solution to Revive Your Love Life by Joseph J. Luciani Ph.D.

The very much antecipated latest book by New York Best Seller Author, Dr. Joe Luciani, is now available to pre-order at Amazon.com.
In "Reconnecting: A Self-Coaching Solution to Revive Your Love Life", the clinical psychologist and relationship expert explains how to solve problems in relationships. He shows how to evaluate one's own level of insecurity and improve the tone of self-talk, then how to use these skills in concert with one's spouse. Persuade that less-than-cooperative partner to join in a meaningful healing process!






As a frequent lecturer, guest speaker, and author, Dr. Joe Luciani has brought his message of hope to millions over the years. A clinical psychologist, he has been in general private practice since 1977. Dr. Joe has written numerous magazine articles and is the author of Healing Your Habits; Self-Coaching: How to Heal Anxiety and Depression; The Power of Self-Coaching: The Five Essential Steps to Creating the Life You Want; Self-Coaching: The Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety & Depression; and The Power of One: Saving Your Relationship—With or Without Your Partner’s Help. His highly successful, international Self-Coaching series has been translated into seven languages. He has appeared on numerous national TV, radio, and Internet programs around the country.

How Do You Keep The Romance Alive?

Well, you need to realize that a relationship goes through cycles that change, and that the initial euphoria and excitement is not going to last for 3-4 years. After the first year, it changes and becomes like any other relationship with a sister or a parent. It becomes a very deep love committed bond. The only difference is that you have a sexual chemistry with them as well. You're going to have ups and downs, and you're going to have days that you might think you hate them.

If you're a woman you need to keep up your appearance. That doesn't mean you have to be skinny, but you need to make yourself look good, because men are very visual. Men like lingerie. You need to kind of charge them up. To men, the physical and the visual is very stimulating and they call that romance, although that's not necessarily what romance is. The rare man is actually romantic and likes to send flowers. A woman should not get upset when the man says romance is seeing you in G-string. That's just his definition.

Article by Dr. Love, a.k.a. Nancy Fagan, is a best-selling author and expert in romance.

Credits: Expert Village

10 Ways to Put Passion Back in the Bedroom!

Are you ready to take your passion to a new level? These tips are sure to take just about any relationship from ho-hum to WOW! Some ideas may seem like basic romance… but let's be honest… when was the last time you ACTUALLY did them? That's right… the only way for this to work is to put the ideas into practice. Try all 10 and see what happens!

1.Take a hot shower or bath together. When you are in the bath or shower, keep close physical contact. Wash each other and whisper in their ear the things you specifically love about making love to them.

2.Share a romantic dinner in front of the fireplace. Nothing speaks romance like sharing a meal in front of the glow of a burning fire. It's even better if you're nude or barely covered with lace and silk. Make sure the dinner you share is conducive to a romantic setting. Food that can easily be eaten with the least amount of utensils is usually your best bet!

3.Keep constant close physical contact when you are not at home. Keeping a sparked connection throughout the night is one of the most effective ways to keeping your partner passionate about you. A hand on their thigh, a whisper in their ear or a kiss on the neck are all great for reminding your partner what's waiting at home.

4.A long, passionate kiss. How often do you really just express your desire in a kiss? When you first start dating it's usually one of the only ways to express your desire. Refresh your kissing skills by every so often catching your partner off-guard with a weak-in-the-knees passionate kiss.

5.Leave a sexy note in the morning telling them to have nothing on, but the radio when you get home. They'll be thinking about it all day at work! Want to keep your partner's mind on you ALL day? Do this idea! You can even go a step further and tell them what's in store for them as well!

6.Feed each other sensually suggestive finger foods. The best way to feed each other? Naked, of course! Set the tone for an incredible lovemaking experience with a little forethought and some of their favorite tender treats.

7.Slow, sensual massage, complete with massage oil. If your hands slowly massaging every part of their body can't turn them on… well, you need more than these tips to jumpstart your sexual relationship! Create new sensations with the addition of props such as a feather, fur mitten or a metal chain.

8.Read your partner an erotic bedtime story. The best encounters are those we don't plan on. Tell your partner you'd like to read them a story. Without letting them see the book (maybe slip a book cover over it) begin to delight their ears with a sensual story made perfect for two!

9.Write a sexy letter describing everything you'd like to do to them. Sometimes it's difficult to actually speak out loud the things we enjoy about sex with our partner. Leave no doubts about your attraction and get them ready for some loving with a very in-depth description about what you enjoy doing to them!

10.Study a new sexual practice such as tantric sex or the kama sutra together. Expand your sexual horizons and learn new ways to turn each other on. There are many, many sexual techniques you can learn or sexual practices to study. Get two books, one for each of you, on a particular subject relating to sex. Agree on a pre-determined time frame to be done with the books. On one agreed night, one partner will give a full body "report" on what they learned. On another night the other partner will do the same. Compare notes…

Article by Jennifer Good
Credits: lovingyou.com