Lifestyle Tips to Improve your Sex Life

Lifestyle Tips for a healthy love life

A healthy and fulfilling love life is not just about finding the right person. If you want your relationship to be satisfying on all accounts, you have to keep yourself physically and emotionally fit. Here are a few lifestyle tips that can help you to enjoy a healthy and active love life.

Work Out

Almost everyone knows that regular exercise helps to tone the human body and makes one look more attractive. But other than this, exercising regularly also offers multiple ways of improving one’s sex life. Various types of aerobic exercises are helpful in increasing muscle tone of the body which is useful in maintaining agility. Agility is critical for balance so that one can position oneself appropriately while making love. Being supple and agile will thus ensure that you are  comfortable in various sexual positions.Cardiovascular exercises are hugely useful for the circulatory system of the human body. These exercises help in increasing blood flow to the sex organs which is critical for the right transmission of hormones in order to stimulate the mind and senses and make sex pleasurable.

TIP: Read about the 'Man Diet' which boosts the stamina of men.

Again specific pelvic exercises are helpful in heightening partner satisfaction while improving your overall health at the same time. Women who go through pregnancies and childbirth may find their pelvic muscles getting loose and therefore resulting in reduced pleasure while lovemaking. The Kegel’s exercise, which involves an act of holding urine, is an effective way of not only increasing pleasure during vaginal intercourse but also in cutting down the risk of developing urinary incontinence in later life. Men too in fact stand to benefit from Kegel’s exercise. Studies have found that men with erectile dysfunction often report that they have improved or regained normal functions by regularly doing Kegel’s exercise. However fitness experts and doctors advise that men and women need to do Kegel’s several times a day for 8-12 weeks to obtain noticeable benefits. The good news is that you can do them anywhere, in a car while waiting at a traffic signal, at work or at home while watching TV. Or you can incorporate Kegel’s into routine exercises like abdominal crunches.
 

Eat right

If you want to have a healthy sex life, make sure that your kitchen is stocked with the right foods. A healthy low-fat diet is essential in keeping the arteries clear and practically everyone knows the importance of a healthy heart if one is to enjoy sex. The heart is the organ which is responsible for pumping blood all over the body and a diet high in saturated fats can clog the arteries and impair blood flow to the genital regions. This will not only hinder a person’s ability to perform but also interfere with sexual pleasure. Thus a diet that is unhealthy for the heart is bound to lead to a sluggish sex life. The importance of effective circulation has already been mentioned in the point above and again a low-fat diet is necessary to keep arteries and blood passages open. In fact foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids like mackerel, salmon wild salmon are best for boosting circulation of the body. Studies have shown that foods high in L-Arginine like oatmeal, granola and nuts also help in improved circulation which results in greater erectile response. Again fruits and vegetables rich in minerals and multivitamins contribute to improved neurological functions which in turn boost the circulatory system, all necessary for a satisfying sexual experience.

A diet low in fried and oily foods will also help one to keep obesity at bay. If one is to experience as well as give sexual pleasure, it is crucial that the body weight be maintained within appropriate limits. Results of several studies in fact show that obesity is a definite risk factor for erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels. So, stick to a diet which will help you to keep your weight within healthy limits. Make sure your meals are rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. When going for proteins stick to fish and white meat instead of fat-rich red meat.

However don’t go off fats completely since they are necessary in the production of hormones. Cholesterol is metabolized in the liver and two importantly by-products are testosterone and estrogen – hormones crucial for sex drive. The important thing is to stick to the ‘good facts’ which are available in foods like salmon, olive oil and nuts.

For women who are looking to have a good time under covers, try soy. Studies have shown that soy helps in binding estrogen receptors which in turn is improves lubrication in the vaginal area and also helps to combat menopausal symptoms like hot flashes. However women who have a history or are at high risk of breast cancer should avoid large amounts soy since the binding of estrogen receptors can lead to a relapse of the cancer.
 

Learn to manage your medical conditions

Medical studies have revealed that several kinds of medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension or heart disease are linked to erectile dysfunction. Following a low-fat diet and exercising regularly is crucial for effective management of these medical conditions. Once you incorporate healthy habits in your lifestyle, you will be better equipped to manage any medical condition that you may have and also lead a fulfilling sex life.
 

Restrain intake of Alcohol

Popular culture may be overflowing with images of macho men downing Scotch and martinis and having women all over them. But in reality, too much alcohol works in just the opposite way. This is because alcohol is an anesthetic and having a drink too many will numb the nerve sense in a person’s sex organs. The result may range from failure to get an erection to inability to reach orgasm. Again drinking is liable to make people clumsier than usual which is sure to hinder sexual pleasure. Finally excessive drinking is more likely to lead to unhappy sex life. This is because when a person is drunk, he or she is unlikely to bother about who the sexual partner is. But with the return of reason, that person is bound to be disappointed, ashamed or even disgusted by who he or she went to bed with. So if you want to have a healthy sex life, limit your drinks to one or two pegs and instead of going for a Scotch on the rocks, stick to wines and drinks with low alcohol content.
 

Put out that cigarette

You must’ve heard the joke about kissing a chain smoker and feeling like one is licking an ashtray. But federally-funded medical studies have confirmed that smoking has a direct, negative effect on the sexuality of man at every level. Smokers who are going through half a packet every day experience diminished sex drive, even if they are in their 20s and 30s. Again the smoking negatively affects the male sexual performance by interfering with smooth erectile function. When diminished desire is combined with impaired performance, the overall sexual experience is bound to be unsatisfactory. So put out that cigarette if you want a more fulfilling love life, not to mention a longer and healthier life over all.
 

Avoidance of stress

In recent times there have been several surveys trying to find out why urban professional couples are having sex less than before. One reason for this may be the intolerable levels of stress in modern life.  When both partners have demanding jobs and at the same time have to take care of a home and kids, sex is often put at the bottom of the to-do list. In order to have a healthy love life, try to find a balance between your professional and personal schedules. Let either partner take up a less demanding job and reduce your wants accordingly. Make weekly holidays and vacations off-limits for bosses and co-workers. Try meditating at least once a day to reconnect with yourself and attain perspective on the small inconveniences of life. This will in turn help you to reconnect with your partner and lead to a satisfying love life.
 

Check your Medication

Very often certain types of medication can interfere with the functioning of a normal libido. Prescriptions for anxiety and depression like Prozac and Paxil can negatively affect sex drive in some people. So always check with your doctor before you take anti-depressants and ask what side effects they might induce.
 

Get enough sleep

Sleep deprivation and sleep disturbances are one of the most common culprits when it comes to having an unhealthy sex life. Getting seven to nine hours of sleep every night is crucial to revitalizing all the systems of your body so that the next day you have adequate energy to go to work, do chores around the house and, yes, have good sex. But when your body is hungry for rest and sleep, it is natural that your sex drive as well as performance should suffer. Sleep deprivation may occur due to snoring by your partner, sleep apnea, stress at work, uncomfortable bedroom conditions or emotional problems. Whatever the reason, consult a doctor or a sleep specialist to diagnose the problem and offer solutions. Remember the more relaxed you are in mind and body, the greater will be sexual energy and enjoyment.
 

Finally, have a positive outlook

Depression is one of the biggest obstacles to healthy sex life. If you feel miserable about your work, your family and yourself, you are unlikely to find pleasure in any love relationship. This in fact is a pity, since a satisfying relationship can work wonders to treat a depression. This is the time when a depressed person needs to be loved, cherished and appreciated by someone close. However a person suffering from depression will withdraw into a shell and want to have nothing to do with the rest of the world, including his or her partner. Physiological implications are likely to range from lack of interest in sex and loss of libido to erectile dysfunction in men and inability to attain orgasm in women. At such a time, it is best to consult a specialist who may suggest a combination of counseling and medication to treat depression. However if it is in your power, try to maintain a positive attitude in life. Stop being a perfectionist and fearing that others are out to get you. Simplify your life and learn to distinguish between needs and wants. All this will help you to feel good about yourself which is imperative if you are to feel good about your relationship and have a healthy love life.