A Better Us Blog

Wednesday

Eco-Sexual

Organic lubes...You can save the planet on boink at a time. But beware of greenwashing "a company's attempt to make a product appear eco-friendly even though it isn't". Choose products with pronounceable ingredients. Ideally the shorter the list, the better. And avoid anything with the word fragrance on the label. It's an indicator that the product contains potentially toxic chemicals. So go green between the sheets and have fun!!

Sunday

Speak Up for Your Marriage

People who get anxious in social situations tend to be less happy in their marriages than those who are more outgoing. Researchers examined levels of shyness and marital satisfaction among 112 couples and discovered that the shy spouses had more problems with trust, jealousy, money, and household management. Shy people are less confident in their ability to solve problems so they may end up avoiding marital issues in general. And then the problems snowball. So if you're timid, try to tackle issues head on when they come up instead of hoping they'll go away.

Thursday

Strange but True Sex Facts

CERTAIN FOODS CAN MAKE YOU TASTE FUNNY DOWN THERE.> Garlic, onions, and cruciferous veggies aren't just a turnoff when they're on your breath. The fix? Eat fruit (especially pineapple) beforehand to help sweeten you taste. Like the old saying, your are what you eat!

YOU CAN BE ALLERGIC TO SPERM.> If you think you could be among the estimated 20,000 to 40,000 women who get an allergic reaction to their partner's sperm, use a condom until you can get checked out by your doctor.

YOUR GIRLS GROW WHEN YOU GET IT ON.> When your breasts are stroked or kissed, blood flow dilates their arteries, which causes them to grow up to 25 percent larger (but the effect is only temporary).

Tuesday

What Your Pet Can Teach You About Improving Your Relationship

Want to have a better relationship with your spouse? Treat them the way you treat your dog or cat! According to The New York Times, that includes greeting them with excitement, overlooking their flaws, and easily forgiving their bad behavior. Clinical psychologist Suzanne B. Phillips teaches at Long Island University. She says couples may disagree on most topics, but they usually go all gooey and warm when they talk about the family pet. Saying things like, “They’re undemanding and give me unconditional love” and, “I wish he would give me the same attention he gives the dog.” The reality is: Pets require a lot of time and patience. They chew things, throw up on rugs, have accidents in the house, and steal food from countertops, but we accept their flaws because we love them so much. So, here’s what your pet can teach you about improving your relationship:

• Greet them happily. Even on bad days, we greet our pets with a happy, animated hello, and a display of physical affection. Your spouse deserves nothing less.

• Don’t hold grudges. Even when our pets wreck the furniture, wake us up at 3 am, or leave puddles for us to step in with bare feet, we don’t stay mad at them for long. So, when your spouse leaves their socks on the floor, accidentally deletes everything in the TiVo, or eats the last cookie in the kitchen, cut them a little slack.

• Assume the best. You know your dog wasn’t trying to torture you by eating the mail. So ask yourself: Was your spouse really trying to torture you by putting your keys where you couldn’t find them?

• Finally: Accept your spouse for who they are. If your dog licks a visitor from head to toe, you pull him away, or laugh it off. You don’t view his behavior as something that’ll tarnish your image or cost you a friend. Even if your spouse makes inappropriate comments, eats with their mouth open, or puts a new dent in the car every week – they were probably that way when you fell in love with them. So, accept their flaws, and move on.

Wednesday

You Won’t Divorce-Proof Your Marriage By Avoiding Fights

Making a marriage last is a 50/50 shot. That’s because half of all marriages end in divorce. Of course, yelling, complaining and name-calling make a break-up more likely to happen. A new study shows that even couples who treat each other with kid gloves when they disagree are just as likely to split up, too. Researchers at the University of Michigan followed nearly 400 married couples over 16 years, periodically checking on the state of their relationships. Most volunteers were in their 20s when the study began, and were interviewed in their home separately, and then with their spouse. The researchers paid close attention to how each couple dealt with conflict, and categorized each volunteer’s behavior in three ways:

· Destructive behavior, that included shouting at each other, throwing things, and name-calling.

· Constructive behavior, like listening to each other’s side of the story, and having a peaceful discussion.

· Withdrawal, where one or both partners said nothing, and went off to be alone.

The result: It’s a no-brainer that destructive behavior sent couples running for divorce court. Even couples where both spouses withdrew to a private place when they fought had a rocky relationship. The worst possible combination? Couples where one partner tackled problems head-on, but their mate withdrew, gave the “silent treatment” and ignored the issue at hand. The experts say, you won’t divorce-proof your marriage just by avoiding fights. That’s because couples who run from conflict are likely to build up resentment and lash out in passive-aggressive ways, which leads to more problems down the road. Your best bet: Discuss the issues as they pop up during your relationship, try to keep calm and listen to each other - and learn to compromise.

Thursday

Post - Fri Feb 11 01:45:50 IST 2011

Tips for Finding Love

Listen up, singletons! You won’t find the love of your life by waiting for them in the produce aisle at the grocery store, or by hoping they’ll sit next to you on the subway. So, it’s time to reevaluate your tactics! You have to approach your dating life like a job search. Sure, there’s something to be said for luck, but if you have a strategic plan, something will come through faster. Here’s some advice
Remember this: Alot of folks are too embarrassed to ask for help finding love, but don’t be. It’s like someone saying “I'm unemployed, but too embarrassed to find a job.” Think of all the people in your life as possible networking opportunities.
*Get online. One-fourth of the people who got married last year met online. So, if you don’t already have a profile with a reputable dating site - make one. Use Twitter. Send out a tweet to your friends and invite them to appetizers Friday after work at your favorite restaurant – and tell them to bring friends. Also, make sure the people you’re really interested in know by sending them an informal, direct message, such as, “Having a tweet-up Friday night at El Torito. Hope you can make it!”
*Don’t forget about Facebook! Take it seriously and treat your page like a dating profile. If a guy sees a bad photo of you on Facebook, or weird interests, he may not give you a chance. So, pick five words that represent you and make sure your Facebook profile reflects those five words. Then, once you’re satisfied with your profile, cruise around your friends’ Facebook pages and find 50 people you find interesting – and “friend” them. You’ve got nothing to lose, and you already have a friend in common. Instant conversation starter!