4 Healthy Ways to Make Sex Feel Better Tonight

By Amy Levine, MA, CSE, Special to Health


Three simple letters that elicit myriad thoughts and feelings. Sex has the potential to involve all of the senses, turn us on, happen solo or with a partner, allow us the opportunity to give and to receive, and be incredibly pleasurable. But for many people, sex isn’t the connected and fulfilling experience we know is possible. Sometimes pain or discomfort is to blame. Other times it’s sabotaged by common issues like body-bashing thoughts, anxiety, or stress. Often with subtle adjustments, sex can feel and be a lot better.

As a sex coach, I often play detective with my clients to figure out what they need to elevate their sexual experiences. Here are some of the solutions I share with them that I think will help you have a more pleasurable sex life too.

1. Sex Shouldn’t Require Mind-Reading
Here’s a four-letter word that will make sex better: T-A-L-K.

We can’t expect our partners to read our minds. It’s essential we know what we need, want, and desire. Communication is directly related to our pleasure potential.

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Sex Secrets You Should Know

By Dennis Thompson Jr. | Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Men who want to enjoy a good sex life should know their partner can be the best source of sex secrets. From erection to orgasm, communication is key.

Good sex with your partner can get even better. There are many ways men can both enjoy sex more and better please their partners. Just keep in mind that while there are some solid guidelines for improving your sex life, the best kept sex secrets are the ones waiting to be unearthed in your relationship.

"I think each guy is different and each relationship is different," says Paul Joannides, PsyD, a research psychoanalyst in Waldport, Ore., and author of The Guide To Getting It On. "You need to appreciate that what might work for your best friend and his wife might not work for you and your partner."

Start Talking About Sex

Ironically, some of the best sex secrets are those men and women keep from each other, Dr. Joannides says. To have good sex, you need to talk about your likes and dislikes.

"One of the most important things to do is to ask and to listen," says Joannides. "A lot of guys are terrified that some people may think they don't know all the answers. Also, some guys think they do know all the answers."

It can be difficult to broach the subject of sex. But here are tips from Joannides that can clue you in to 

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Are you putting Monsanto in your vagina? 85% of tampons and feminine hygiene products contaminated with cancer-causing glyphosate herbicide

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, over 50 American women were killed by their tampons. Although the FDA and the feminine hygiene industry have gone to tremendous lengths to try to memory hole this true history (and label it just a "rumor"), tampons made from certain non-natural fibers were found to harbor deadly bacteria and release a sufficient quantity of chemicals to kill or injure over a thousand women.

As the Organic Consumers Association has published:

The worst offenders were Procter and Gamble’s ultra-absorbent Rely tampons. According to the book Soap Opera: The Inside Story of Procter and Gamble, the company dismissed consumer complaints about the tampons for years. A 1975 company memo disclosed that Rely tampons contained known cancer-causing agents and that the product altered the natural organisms found in the vagina. Rely tampons were taken off the shelves in 1980, but many women claim they left a legacy of hysterectomies and loss of fertility.

Among health-conscious women, the toxicity of mainstream tampons has long been an issue of concern. "Just as I say heck no to Cottonseed oil, it is for the same reason I say heck no to sticking

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What You Need to Know About Vaginal Dryness

By Laura Berman, PhD
A dry vagina is a common problem for women that affects their enjoyment of sex.

Although many women are embarrassed to discuss vaginal dryness, the truth is that it is something most of us will grapple with a dry vagina at some point in our lives. There are many causes for vaginal dryness, but perhaps the most common is menopause. In fact, research indicates that 40 to 60 percent of women suffer from vaginal dryness as a result of menopause.

Menopause causes a dip in estrogen which can sometimes lead to vaginal dryness. Estrogen plays a role in vaginal lubrication, and it also helps to balance the pH of the vagina; so when menopause strikes, women are more likely to suffer from vaginal dryness along with yeast infections (which result from the pH being off-balance). As if hot flashes weren’t bad enough!

Menopause isn’t the only culprit behind vaginal dryness. It’s also linked to hormonal birth control, douching, infection, and stress. Sadly, some women don’t ever discover the cause for their vaginal dryness because they are too embarrassed to broach the topic with their doctor. Yet a dry vagina can negatively interfere with a woman’s sexual enjoyment. It can make sex painful and lead to problems in a couple’s relationship. If the pain and dryness a woman experiences continues untreated for a long period of time, she may begin to cringe at the very idea of sex. This can lead her to resist sexual advances from her partner altogether, and even if the

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Best and Worst Foods for Sex

Libido-boosting foods
by Ashley Macha
                                                                                                                                           It can take more than just a few candles and a Marvin Gaye song to feel sexy. A healthy lifestyle—from the food you eat to the exercise you do—can make you look and feel better, and improve your sex life, too. At the same time, some foods can be mood- and libido-killers. 


"The link between food and sex drive isn’t just wishful thinking" says Cynthia Sass, RD, author of S.A.S.S Yourself Slim "Studies show that certain foods or nutrients do play a role in boosting libido and supporting a healthy sex life."

Here are a variety of foods that can put some sizzle—or fizzle—in your sex life.   
Strawberries
Best

We'll say it: Strawberries are sexy. Here's why. Good circulation is thought to be crucial for sexual functioning in both men and women, and strawberries are rich in antioxidants that benefit your heart and arteries.

What's more, they're rich in vitamin C, which along with antioxidants, has been linked to higher sperm counts in men. Try dipping the berries in dark chocolate, which contains methylxanthines that may activate the libido. 

Alcohol
Worst

A glass of wine can make you feel relaxed and chatty on a date, and it's the social lubricant that often gets strangers talking to one another in a bar.

But in reality, alcohol can be one of the worst things for your love life. Too much alcohol dampens sexual desire, decreases

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