Apples or a fizzy drink? Which is worse for your teeth?

A breakfast to boost your performance in the bedroom and the fruit that rots your teeth — 2011 was packed with food fads and revelations. 

But have you been paying attention? Take our quiz to find out ...

What is better for bones: wine, beer or vodka? 

Red wine (left) is thought to have a more beneficial effect than white; beer (centre) and spirits (right) had no positive effect on bones

Wine. In a study of 1,000 pairs of post-menopausal twins in their mid-50s, those who drank a glass of wine a day had the highest bone mineral density. 

Researchers from East Anglia University and King’s College London believe polyphenols, a plant chemical and antioxidant found in grape skins, might be of benefit, as previous research found they boost the rate of bone production. 

Red wine is thought to have a more beneficial effect than white because the grape skins are not removed before the wine-making process. Beer and spirits had no positive effect on bones.

What could help impotence: croissants, Weetabix or  boiled eggs? 

Weetabix. Like other fortified breakfast cereals, it contains vitamin B3, also known as niacin, which has been shown to help men with erection problems. 

Researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong studied 161 men suffering from impotence, who took two to three 500 mg niacin pills every day for 12 weeks, and discovered they had significant improvements in their love lives, compared with those taking a placebo.

The scientists believe the daily niacin supplement boosted blood flow to the pelvic region by reducing levels of cholesterol deposits in the main arteries. Niacin may also help blood vessels to dilate. 

An especially high niacin dose was used in the study — much higher than the recommended daily amount of 14 mg. 

Two Weetabix would give you a third of your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of niacin. Other good sources include red meat, particularly liver, and wholemeal bread. 

What prevents depression: tea, coffee or hot chocolate?

Coffee was found to be far more influential on depression levels than chocolate or tea due to the high caffeine content

Coffee. Women who drink four or more cups of coffee a day are a fifth less likely to become depressed. Drinking two or three cups reduces the risk by 15 per cent. 

This is the result of a study of 51,000 women over ten years, published in the Journal of the American Medicine Association. 

One theory is that caffeine reduces the impact of the chemical adenosine in the brain, which can make us feel drowsy by slowing down nerve cell activity. Some anti-depressants also work by blocking the adenosine receptors. 

Coffee was found to be far more influential on depression levels than chocolate or tea due to the high caffeine content. 

Which is worse for teeth: apples or a fizzy drink?

The researchers believe the damage is more severe with an apple (left) because we take longer to eat the fruit than drink a fizzy drink (right)

Apples. In a study of 1,000 men and women, those who ate apples regularly were 3.7 times more likely to have damage to their dentine — the layer of the tooth below the outer covering of enamel. 

Surprisingly, those who drank fizzy drinks regularly had no additional risk, found researchers at King’s College London Dental Institute. 

Apples are acidic and each contains around four teaspoons of sugar. 

Those who eat apples regularly are more likely to have damage to their dentine - the layer of the tooth below the outer covering of enamel

Though fizzy drinks contain around eight teaspoons of sugar per can and have a similar acidity to apples, the researchers believe the damage is more severe with the fruit because we take longer to eat an apple than drink a can.

‘Also, pieces of the apple are more likely to get caught between your teeth, where they can continue to damage the enamel until they are removed by brushing and flossing,’ says dentist Harvey Grahame, clinical director of hygienist services firm Smilepod. 

To minimise the damage from apples, drink water immediately after eating to wash away harmful particles, or eat your apple with milk or cheese, which contain calcium that neutralises acid. 

How many fruit gums provide one of your 5-a-day: 2, 18 or 195?

195. Fruit gums may have ‘real fruit juice’ in their list of ingredients but, according to Nestle, you’d need to eat 195 (11½ tubes) to give you as much vitamin C as in an average portion of fruit. 

This would also give you 1,955 calories — almost the recommended total of 2,000 calories a day — and 238 g of sugar — the recommended amount for women is 50 g or less a day. 

A big breakfast keeps you slim: true or false?

The study in Nutrition Journal said that if you want to lose weight, watch what you eat from the minute you get up

False. We’ve been told for years that eating a good breakfast curbs the appetite and stops us eating too much later in the day.

But a German study of 400 people found that participants ate similar amounts for lunch and dinner regardless of how much they had eaten for breakfast. 

The study in Nutrition Journal said that if you want to lose weight, watch what you eat from the minute you get up. 

Best natural alternative to statins: camomile tea, tomatoes or goji berries?

Tomatoes. Scientists have discovered that cooked tomatoes can have the same benefits as a small dose of statins if you suffer from high cholesterol or high blood pressure. 

Just 50 g of tomato paste or a pint of tomato juice would ‘provide protection against heart disease’, according to the study’s authors. 

Cooked tomatoes contain lycopene, a chemical that can help reduce cholesterol. A study in the journal Maturitas found that eating more than 25 mg of lycopene a day reduces bad cholesterol by up to 10 per cent. 

However, you should never stop taking statin medications without first consulting your GP. 

Which improves vision: chocolate, liquorice  or coconut? 

Chocolate. Researchers at Reading University asked participants to read coloured numbers that became progressively similar to the background colour until they disappeared.

When the participants ate 35 g of dark chocolate (a third of a large bar), their performance improved by 17 per cent. The effect was almost instant and the improved vision was found to last for more than 2½ hours. 

Flavonols — antioxidants found in cocoa — are believed to improve vision because they boost the body’s production of nitric oxide, which helps dilate blood vessels, allowing more blood to flow to the retina. 

Dark chocolate is better than milk chocolate because the levels of flavonols are higher. 

What protects against skin cancer: grapes, oranges or melons?

Grapes. Ultra-violet radiation from the sun increases levels of harmful molecules that form in the skin, damaging cells and causing wrinkles. But scientists writing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found flavonoids (powerful antioxidants) from grapes can prevent these molecules from forming in skin cells exposed to UV light. 

How many eggs can we healthily eat: one a day or two a week?

There is no recommended limit to how many eggs we can healthily eat

Neither — eat them freely. We’ve long been warned to stick to two or three eggs a week because of their high cholesterol content. 

But according to the Food Standards Agency, there is no recommended limit, unless you have been told to cut down by your GP. 

There is no evidence that eating eggs raises cholesterol levels — and researchers found that eggs contain less cholesterol than in the past because hens are no longer given bone meal, which was banned in the Nineties after the BSE crisis. 

Research by the British Egg Council found that that a medium egg gives you around 100 mg of cholesterol, a third of the 300 mg recommended daily limit. 

Do strawberries: protect stomach, reduce wrinkles or freshen breath?

Protect the stomach lining. A diet rich in strawberries can help slow down formation of stomach ulcers and prevent gastric illnesses caused by drinking too much alcohol or taking aspirin. 

Scientists at Barcelona University found that rats given ethanol had less damage to their stomach lining and fewer ulcers if they had been fed strawberry extract for ten days previously. 

Strawberries are thought to help activate a protective, antiseptic enzyme called lysozyme in the stomach lining. 

How many portions of fruit and veg do we need a day: three, five or eight?

Eight. Most of us manage only three, but new data has shown even five portions of fruit and veg a day may not be enough.

Every extra portion gives added protection against heart disease, says research from a European investigation into diet and health, which is assessing 300,000 people in eight countries. 

The study revealed that eating eight portions of fruit and vegetables a day cuts your chance of dying from heart disease by  22 per cent compared with those who eat just three portions. 

What ice-cream is a ‘super-food’: camel milk, chocolate or green tea?

Camel milk ice-cream. Camel milk is lower in saturated fat than cow’s milk, contains ten times more iron and five times more  B vitamins — and its creamy,  light texture is said to make delicious ice-cream. 

Popular in the Middle East, the ice-cream isn’t cheap at £4 a scoop. But the milk is said to have many health benefits, and studies have shown it may help balance blood sugar levels. 

Camel milk is also reputed to boost immunity because it contains immunoglobulins (antibodies) similar to those found in human breast milk.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk

My man's anxiety for our love life to be perfect is ruining it for me

I have been with my partner for three years and we have, in my view, a very good and active sex life. However, he’s become obsessed with the idea with we should have simultaneous orgasms. 

Now I feel that every time we’re in bed, he’s trying to get us synchronised — and the more I feel under pressure to time my orgasm to his, the harder I find it to take pleasure in what we’re doing. 

I’ve even faked an orgasm once to try to keep him happy. How on earth can I get him to relax?

Hollywood has a lot to answer for, doesn’t it? All too often in films you see two people panting away to some tightly choreographed peak of ecstasy, as if this were the normal state of things. 

You never see any blockbuster heroine say to her beloved: ‘Hang on a minute, you may have popped your cork, but I haven’t — don’t you dare roll over and go to sleep!’ 

It’s no wonder that back here in the real world, many people feel insecure if they don’t experience coordinated climaxes.

A straw poll of 12 women I know suggests that simultaneous orgasms — while not quite as rare as unicorns — aren’t all that common (and often get less frequent with age). 

Only two of my respondents said they experienced the phenomenon with any frequency.

Another said she had found it quite easy to time her orgasm to her partner’s in her early 30s, when she says she felt ‘at my sexual peak’, but almost impossible since having children. A couple of the women said they had found it easier to coordinate peaks with particular partners and not with others, but it didn’t always mean the sex was better. 

One friend had found herself in a similar situation to yours. She said one man she dated in her 20s viewed sex as a failure if they didn’t reach orgasm at the same time. 

The problem was that they had experienced simultaneous climaxes in the early weeks of dating and, when the pattern didn’t continue, he thought something was wrong. 

Their time together was dogged by his quest for movie-perfect sex. 

She says: ‘We would be making love and he’d keep staring at me and asking me how close I was to coming. It made me really tense — I felt like a failure for not meeting his expectations. 

‘Eventually, I started faking my orgasms. He was happier and I felt miserable.’ 

She says her romantic confidence was dented until she met her husband, who had ‘no hang-ups whatsoever about that sort of thing’. Interestingly, once there was no pressure about timing she did sometimes experience the elusive twinned sexual peak.

It’s clear you need to talk to your partner outside the bedroom, when emotions aren’t running so high. The question here is what has made him feel that synchronised climaxes are so vital? Perhaps they were a feature of a previous relationship and he’s come to believe that they’re vital for good sex? 

No two women peak in the same way (some don’t have orgasms at all, so much as a pleasurable plateau  of sensation) and he needs to understand that. 

It’s also quite possible he has been influenced by pornography. Rare is the man who has never seen a blue movie, and some develop unrealistic expectations from scenes where trigger-happy porn stars climax on cue. Why? Because they’re faking it and the whole thing’s a fraud. 

You need to explain gently to your partner that you feel you’re being held up to some golden standard that doesn’t exist. 

He needs to understand his expectations are making you tense and unhappy in bed. You would be wise to confess to having faked an orgasm, even if the knowledge hurts him in the short term. He needs to know you truly are under duress, and it will be salutary for him to consider that previous girlfriends might have faked climaxes, too. 

The biggest downside of faking orgasms is that men think they have pushed some kind of magic button when they haven’t. They then become perplexed when they try to repeat the process to no effect.

If any of what you say makes your partner cross, point out the only problem here is that you are both striving far too hard to make each other happy. 

Give him credit for being an old‑fashioned romantic, who passionately wants you to find twinned rapture. 

There are plenty of people in this world who selfishly take their own pleasure in bed and don’t give a fig about their lover’s satisfaction. 

Thank heavens he isn’t one of them. He just needs to relinquish his goals and relax; then he’ll recognise that’s the only way of stumbling into sexual serendipity. Erotic love can’t work to a plan. 

Remind him that the great virtue of the ‘your turn, my turn’ model of sex is that one lover can give their entire concentration to the other’s climax. Nor should partners worry if just one lover (or neither) has an orgasm. 

There are no rules when it comes to sex — we just need to unshackle ourselves from a couple of myths.

source: www.dailymail.co.uk

Senior sex: Tips for older men

From MayoClinic.com

Getting older changes sexual function and desire. Senior sex isn't the same as it was in your 20s — but it can still be satisfying. Contrary to common myths about sexuality and older adults, sex is not just for the young. Many seniors continue to enjoy their sexuality into their 80s and beyond.

A healthy sex life is not only fulfilling — but also good for other aspects of your life, including your physical health and self-esteem. Adapting to your changing body can help you maintain a healthy and satisfying sex life. But you may have to make a few changes, such as allowing yourself more time to become aroused and talking more openly with your partner.

Senior sex: What changes as men get older?

As men age, testosterone levels decline and changes in desire and sexual function are common. They include:

• Decreased sexual interest
• A need for more stimulation to achieve and maintain an erection and orgasm
• Shorter orgasms
• Less forceful ejaculation and less semen ejaculated
• Longer time needed to achieve another erection after ejaculation

Your health also can have a big impact on your sex life and sexual performance. If you or your partner is in poor health or has a chronic health condition such as heart disease or arthritis, sex and intimacy become more challenging.

Certain surgeries and many medications such as blood pressure medications, antihistamines, antidepressants and acid-blocking drugs can affect sexual function. But just because you aren't as spry as you once were doesn't mean you can't enjoy a healthy sex life. You need to adapt to your changing body and know your limitations. Focus on ways of being sexual and intimate that work for you and your partner. Talk with your doctor about your concerns.

Tips to maintain a healthy sex life later in life:

• Communicate with your partner. Open discussion of sex has become much more common in the last 40 years, but many older adults come from a generation where sex remains a taboo subject. But openly talking about your needs, desires and concerns with your partner can make you closer and help you both enjoy sex and intimacy more.
• Talk to your doctor. Talking about sexual issues with your doctor can help you maintain a healthy sex life as you get older. Your doctor can help you manage chronic conditions and medications that affect your sex life. Many older men have trouble maintaining an erection or reaching orgasm. Your doctor may be able to prescribe medications or other treatments for these problems.
• Expand your definition of sex. Intercourse is only one way to have fulfilling sex. Touching, kissing and other intimate sexual contact may be just as rewarding for both you and your partner. Realize that as you age, it is normal for you and your partner to have different sexual abilities and needs. Be open to finding new ways to enjoy sexual contact and intimacy.
• Change your routine. Simple changes can improve your sex life. Change the time of day when you have sex to a time when you have the most energy. Try the morning — when you're refreshed from a good night's sleep — rather than at the end of a long day. Because it might take longer for you or your partner to become aroused, take more time to set the stage for romance, such as a romantic dinner or an evening of dancing. Try a new sexual position or explore other new ways of connecting romantically and sexually.
• Seek a partner if you're single. It is never too late for romance. It can be difficult starting a relationship after the loss of a spouse or being single for a long time — but socializing is well worth the effort for many single seniors. No one ever outgrows the need for emotional closeness and intimate love. If you start a relationship with a new partner, be sure to practice safe sex. Many older adults are unaware that they are still at risk of sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS.
• Stay healthy. Eating regular nutritious meals, staying active, not drinking too much alcohol, and not smoking or using illegal drugs are important for your overall health — and it can help your sexual performance. Follow your doctor's instructions in taking medications and managing any chronic health conditions.
• Stay positive. The changes that come with aging — from health problems to changes in appearance and sexual performance — leave many men feeling less attractive or feeling they are less capable of enjoying or giving sexual pleasure. Discussing your feelings with your partner can help. Feeling angry, unhappy or depressed has a strong impact on your sex life. Professional counseling or other treatment can improve your sex life — and your well-being.

Sex may not be the same for you or your partner as it was when you were young. But by adapting to your changing body, sex and intimacy can continue to be a fulfilling and rewarding part of your life.

25 Ailments That Can Be Cured By Having Sex

By Jessica Hupp

Sex is one of life’s most enjoyable physical pleasures, but did you know that it’s also great for your overall health? That’s right-sex has been found to help with conditions ranging from the common cold to high blood pressure. And although you’re not likely to come home from your next doctor’s appointment with a scribbled prescription for sex, it can be highly effective as a preventative measure and complementary treatment. Read on to find out what conditions you’re protecting yourself from every time you enjoy a roll in the hay.

1. Depression: Without the help of researchers, just about anyone can agree that sex will make you feel good about yourself and just a bit more confident. But one researcher has said there’s a scientific explanation that goes a bit farther. Professor Gordon Gallop says that there’s an unknown chemical in semen that has an antidepressant effect on women.
2. Pregnancy: Sex is both the cause and the cure for pregnancy. Women who are ready to induce labor often have sex to speed up the process, and research backs up this method. Semen contains prostaglandins, which help the cervix prepare to open, and orgasms produce oxytocin, which will help cause contractions.
3. Headaches: Although sex can sometimes bring on a headache, it can cure them too. The tension release your body experiences during and after sex can ease restricted blood vessels in the brain.
4. Menstrual cramps: Sex acts as an analgetic to relieve menstrual pain, primarily because of the relaxation and endorphins sex brings.
5. Arthritis: In his book, “How to Treat Arthritis with Sex and Alcohol,” rheumatologist Carter V. Multz asserts that sex, as well as alcohol and other complementary treatments, can reduce pain, swelling, and inflammation associated with arthritis.
6. Common cold: Manfred Schedlovski, a Swiss researcher from Zurich, asserts that sex has a positive effect on phagocytes, which are a part of the immune system that goes after alien bodies, like cold germs, and kills them. Phagocytes are increased signficantly during sex, and will often double after orgasm.
7. Stress: Orgasms offer a great way to relax, and even nonorgasmic sex offers some relief. Dr. Joshua Golden asserts sex’s relaxation properties, as well as emotional benefits.
8. Tooth decay: Kissing, as well as oral sex, encourages saliva production. This increase in saliva helps to wash food particles from your teeth, prevents plaque build-up, and helps lower decay-causing acid. Additionaly, seminal plasma has been shown to help prevent tooth decay.
9. Erectile dysfunction: By exercising your Kegel muscles with frequent sex and delaying ejaculation, men can help strengthen muscles enough to help with minor erection problems.
10. High blood pressure: Semen has been found to lower blood pressure in women. Specifically, swallowing semen can help ward off preeclampsia, which is a dangerously high blood pressure that sometimes occurs during pregnancy.
11. Insomnia: Many people find that the relaxation they experience after sex helps them go to sleep.
12. Prostate cancer: Men who ejaculate more frequently have been found to be at a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
13. Hangovers: Sex may not save your liver, but it will help you shake off a funk. Having sex will help boost your endorphins and oxytocins, which stimulate muscle contraction and help you avoid aggressiveness.
14. Toxic system: Sex gets your blood pumping faster, which helps to rid the body of waste.
15. Heart disease: Studies have shown that if men have sex twice a week or more, they tend to have a lower risk of heart attack. For women, increased levels of estrogen caused by sex help to protect against heart disease.
16. Stubborn wounds: Studies have found that oxytocin, which is released during sex, can help wounds heal faster.
17. Low energy: Sex increases energy through exercise and emotional well-being.
18. Minor cognitive problems: Whenever you become sexually excited or have an orgasm, the hormone DHEA is released. DHEA has been found to improve cognition.
19. Skin irritations: The sweat released during sex will cleanse your pores, helping to relieve rashes, blemishes, and other skin problems.
20. Pain: Orgasm releases endorphins, which will alleviate pain for just about everything.
21. Obesity: Although few doctors are likely to prescribe a sex diet, the fact is that sex is a form of exercise. Performing the act of sex requires physical activity that will burn calories and strengthen your heart. It’s an especially great exercise for those who have little motivation to get to the gym.
22. Incontinence: Every time you have sex, you’re exercising your Kegel muscles, which are the same ones you use to stem the flow of urine.
23. Weak bones and muscles: Sex brings on a boost of testosterone, which helps to make your bones and muscles strong.
24. Semen allergy: Unfortunately, some women are allergic to their partner’s semen. However, along with other treatments, frequent sex has been found to work as an effective desensitization therapy for this allergy.
25. Death: That’s right, sex can help ward off death for men. Professor Stuart Brody reports that men who orgasm twice a week are half as likely to die as those who only orgasm once a month.