MUST READ:: 10 reasons why single mothers are so great in bed

Why single mothers are so great in bed – There are plenty of things single mums have mastered the art of – multi-tasking, compromise and patience to name a few. But it’s not just the ability to breathe deeply and count to ten that they rock at.

When it comes to s-ex, single mums have got it going on – and it’s got nothing to do with gratitude.

1. Body confidence

When you’ve pushed a human being out of your vagina, suddenly something like a 3-inch stretch mark carries less significance. Trust me on this one, you don’t want more detail.

2. Appreciation

There’s nothing like Peppa Pig on loop for the last 36 months and daily conversations about the pros and cons of a roller-skating disco party to encourage gentle enquiries about the availability of beds at your local mental health hospital.

If you want your date to cry with joy for just leaving the house, date a single mum – thankful for a parking ticket if it means they can have a conversation with another adult about something other than Disneyland, can you imagine what they’re like in the sack.

3. Hot sex and lots of it

Your date gets out once a month and has a babysitter until 10.30pm. Cinema? Art gallery? Walk along the Thames? LOL.

4. No small talk

And if she’s lucky enough to have a free evening, not only will you get the reverse cowgirl instead of a stroll through Richmond park but you’ll also get the pleasure of some serious zeds after.

If you think you’ve mastered the art of dozing off after a shag, try three nights of unbroken sleep in the last four years.

Let the snooze off begin.

 

5. Condoms

If there is one thing guaranteed to make a woman stringent about birth control, it’s solo child rearing.

The only unexpected surprise she wants from you is the ability to get it up again 10 minutes after your last orgasm.

6. Wet wipes

Always in a single mum’s handbag. Handy.

7. Biological clocks

Tick, tick, tick. Is the scary sound you will not be hearing from your single mum girlfriend after two months of dating. Been there, done it… now where were we, ah yes – orgasms.

 

8. They know what they want

When time is precious and adult interaction scarce, suddenly getting things right first time matters a lot.

Forget fumbling s-ex and not knowing what’s working or not – single mums spell it out.

And without the luxury of Sunday lie-ins and seven day-a-week shag options, single mums make sure it counts – and rarely get headaches.

9. Role play

Spending the majority of her waking life barking orders, when it comes to role play in the bedroom, single mums have it wrapped up. You’ve been a bad boy, straight to bed with no supper! Ya hear me.

10. But know how to cuddle like a pro too

Just don’t ask for milk.

LADIES: 16 unusual male body parts women love – Yes, you never knew this!

Different women find different things sexy about the opposite s-ex – and it’s not as always as straighforward as a “nice body” or “tall, dark, and handsome.” We polled ladies on the Internet to see what unusual physical attributes about a man gets their hearts pumping and their cheeks blushing. Here’s what they said:

1. Your teeth.

“I love guys with crooked teeth especially ones who smile a lot! So many people have had their teeth straightened, capped and whitened to the point where they look completely unreal. Their smiles have lost all uniqueness. I think smiling with a mouth full of crooked teeth exudes confidence, and that’s just downright sexy.” 

2. Your forearms.

“I love forearms with a lot of veins popping out. I don’t need a lot of muscle … Just those throbbing little veins.”

“So I’m not the only one who has a thing for forearms? Nice. My forearm fascination dates back to my days of crushing on volleyball players in highschool. (I played volleyball too.) Volleyball players have crazy developed forearms because of spiking, serving, etc. So sexy!” 

3. Your hands.

“I like strong, sturdy hands on a man, the kind that look like they’d know what to do with a hammer and nail. I love feeling like I’m with someone who can take control of any situation, and has the strength and ability to back up their words.”

“When I’m on a date, I look at a guy’s hands. If they’re small and skinny, it’s an automatic turn off. If I can’t imagine them grabbing my hair with those hands and kissing me … can’t do it. And yes, I sometimes imagine a wedding ring on their left hand if I’m really into them.”

 

4. Your ears.

“Clean ears. I cannot handle dirty ears. I don’t care how strong his hands are, I will run like hell from a man with nasty ears.”

“I once dated this guy who had really good ears. I know that’s such a weird observation but it made me want to whisper things to him all the time just to get close to them…”

5. Your chest hair.

“My boyfriend‘s chest hair is cozy and soft. It’s like a pillow and my head fits perfectly there when I need a nap, and his burl catches some of my drool. And when he wears a deep-V and some of his chest hair shows = SO HOT. I can’t with these smooth-chested pretty boys. I’m into men’s men. (And naps, if you can’t tell.)”

“I might be in the minority, but I like manly men with body hair. Not like werewolf status but no waxed backs, please!”

“His body hair. I go batshit for dark hair on a man’s hands and arms, especially. And gawd forbid they have a long-sleeved shirt on with the sleeves rolled up. I may or may not have attempted to hump an arm once or thrice in my life.”

6. The combination of blue eyes and dark hair.

“Think Robbie Williams. There’s something about the contrast between light eyes and dark hair that gets me going. It’s a type of perfection that God has clearly bestowed only the finest of male species.”

7. Your jawline.

“Give me a chiseled jawline or give me death. It evokes a Greek statue and who can argue with that comparison?”

“I love profiles! The first time I saw my husband, he was in profile and I was like, “whoooooooo is that!”

8. Your “V”.

“The divot between hip bone and belly that slopes down into the nether regions = yum.”

9. The nape of your neck.

“The nape of the neck. Beautiful: a cleaned up hairline back there and a lovely shape. Awful: Nasty hairline and, well, a hot mess of shape.”

10. Your freckles. 

“A series of freckles (not overly freckled) or birthmark, etc. that’s subtle enough I can be the one to get to know it intimately.”

11. Your soft pe-nis. 

“Though I have to be on intimate terms already, I am the odd woman who finds the package – even in its relaxed state – to be a turn-on, though it has to be well-proportioned and (sorry, guys) impressive in its promise.”

12. Your muscular back.

“Defined shoulders and those dimples above the butt are a delicious plus.”

13. Your chubbiness.

“I have a thing for chubby guys. I don’t know why, but I love a man with a little extra meat on his bones! Maybe because then I don’t have to worry about having a little more on me either?”

14. The lines around your eyes. 

“Like the Lucinda Williams song.”

“Smile/laugh lines. Seeing those eye crinkles and curves at the side of the mouth mean this guy gets that life is best with laughs.”

15. Your nails.

“Not manicured nails by any stretch but no straggly cuticles or jagged nails, just clean and well kept!”

16. Your calf muscles.

“Having strong, but slim, defined calf muscles – yes, I know this is really weird but it’s sexy and tells a lot about a guy’s fitness style or sports they play.”

 

Dating mistakes every woman makes and should avoid in her 20s

The biggest no-no’s all twenty-something’s are guilty of .. in GIFs. Whether you’re kissing too many frogs at the bar, dating too many Mr. Wrongs, or searching too hard for Mr. Right, these top dating mistakes are crimes all women in their 20s have committed.

Laugh, cry, and try not to grimace to hard as we roll through the biggest no-no’s all twenty-something’s are guilty of.

 

1. Telling Yourself That Kissing a Rando At The Bar Isn’t Really Cheating

Spoiler alert: It make take a while for karma to come full circle, but when the other shoe drops you’ll learn that kissing (even when you’ve had a few too many or are just really, really into that Beyonce song playing during last call), is totally cheating..

2. Putting Too Much Pressure On A Relationship

Rome wasn’t built in a day … and neither was your future. Stop trying to make every guy you meet into “The One.” Stop thinking about said One because chances are, there’s going to be a helluva lot of them: the one that made you stronger; the one that made you more independent; the one that taught you how to do that thing with your tongue … and so on and so forth. You have time to figure out whom you’re going to spend forever with. Right now, just figure out how to afford rent and happy hour.

3. Judging a Book By Its Cover

The guy in the bar with the mullet and the avocado tattoo? Well, you don’t know it right now, but he’s going to your first everything — and hell, maybe your last everything, too, if you’d only wipe that judgmental scowl off your face. Once you open your mind you’re going to be surprised just how beautiful (and weird) that guy is. Do yourself a favor: surprise yourself.

4. Not Standing Up For Yourself

If I knew then what I knew now, golly, I would slap myself silly. Let ‘em hear you roar. Chivalry may be dead and sometimes you fall into the Betty Draper role of your relationship every now and again, but here’s the deal: in love (and in life), no one is going to stand up for you more than you can stand up for yourself. So pay the damn bill, if you want!

 

5. Being Afraid

Sitting back and hoping Ryan Gosling will walk into bar you’re desperately hiding in? As much as I want to say it could happen, it won’t. It’s way easier said than done but here’s a tip: Stop. Being. So. Afraid. Be vulnerable. Take chances. Say ‘I love you‘ even if you’re not sure he’ll say it back. Say ‘no’ to sex. Say ‘yes’ to that blind date. Keep moving as far away from your shell as possible.

6. Moping Every Time It Doesn’t Work Out

Girl, pick yourself up off that couch and step away from the Slow-Churned ice cream. It gets better, promise.

7. Stringing Someone Along … Just Because

If it’s not the relationship of your dreams, let ‘em know and let ‘em go. The Golden Rule of Life (and existence) is that you should treat everyone the way you want to be treated. Same goes for dating. You don’t want someone to lead you on, just ’cause, right? You’re not doing any favors by playing the martyr. Trust.

MUSR READ: 5 FACTORS THAT GREATLY INFLUENCES A MAN's PERFORMANCE IN BED

Erectile dysfunction isn’t only treated with a little blue pill. In fact, there are several modifiable factors—like weight, alcohol intake, and physical activity—that can help improve erectile function, too, according to a new study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine

In this longitudinal study, researchers analyzed 765 men between the ages of 35 and 80 in Australia, with the majority of the men on the older end of the spectrum. The researchers used a questionnaire to collect data on their sexual desire, sexual activity, and sexual preferences. Then they assessed the men’s erectile function using another questionnaire. 

The participants were also asked about their overall health—things like weight, alcohol intake, physical activity, depression, and sleep. When they followed up with these men after five years, they found that the guys whose habits and health improved over time tended to see an improvement in sexual function.

And although this study mostly looked at older men, erectile issues commonly occur in younger men, too, says Darius Paduch, M.D., urologist and male sexual medicine specialist at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. He has plenty of patients in their thirties and forties, “and with them, I suggest they make changes in their lifestyles,” says Paduch. He warns that sexual dysfunction in men is often caused by something that is also life threatening—namely, cardiovascular problems. “I’ve seen patient’s sexual function improve with healthy lifestyle changes and consistent healthy habits,” says Paduch. “These men are often able to go off of medication without seeing a decrease in their sexual function.”

 

Here, five modifiable factors that can improve a guy’s erections without a prescription:

1-Weight

Maintaining a healthy BMI may help your guy get his mojo back. Men who are obese have much lower testosterone levels, “which obviously plays a major part in sexual function,” says Paduch. For that reason, he first suggests men change their diets and lose weight when they are having erectile issues.

2-Sleep

If you notice your man’s morning wood has gone MIA, it might be because of his sleep patterns. “When I see a patient with ED, I ask his partner if he snores. If they say yes, I have him evaluated for sleep apnea,” says Paduch. This is because sleep apnea will interrupt your sleep cycle, affecting the normal cycles of erections that happen during the night. Of course, sleep deprivation affects sex drive as well so Paduch urges his patients to get enough shuteye each night.

3-Exercise 

You know that fit women have much better sex, but the same is true for guys. “A few weeks ago a patient told me that when he goes to the gym regularly, his sex drive is much better and if he stops, it goes down,” recalls Paduch. Of course, physical activity is a great way to lose weight and decrease obesity, but it also helps a guy feel better about himself, making him feel even more confident with his clothes off. Plus, a great sweat session will boost his testosterone, which can help rev up his desire.

4-Diet  

You might want to skip the latest comfort food joint on date night in favor of these better-sex foods. Lowering cholesterol can help increase a man’s testosterone levels, so diet is crucial when it comes to sexual function. Plus, high sugar levels in men with diabetes can affection the function of the nerves in his penis, says Paduch. In these cases, simply losing weight can help with sugar control and get the signals to these nerves going again.

5-Alcohol Intake 

Surprisingly, a little alcohol can actually help men with ED(erectile dysfunction) One to two drinks a day decreases the risk of cardiovascular problems—a major cause of ED. However, don’t let him go overboard. Animal studies have shown that high volumes of alcohol caused the penis to contract, says Paduch, which is the opposite of what should be going on during sexual arousal (but, you knew that already). “Alcohol is a suppressant, and the suppression of the central nervous system will cause a decrease in sensitivity to sexual cues,” Paduch adds.

-Article by Maggie Parker

OBESITY AND ANOREXIA: two sides of the same coin?

Gistaplus had the privilege to read a paper delivered on “Prevention of Obesity and Eating Disorders” at the SASA Roadshow on “Nutrition in NCD Prevention” (NCD = Non-communicable Diseases).

Suna Kassier, a lecturer and Post Graduate Academic Coordinator at the Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, at the university of KwaZulu-Natal, has a great deal of experience in this field. She believes that obesity and eating disorders are two ends of a linked spectrum of disordered eating, which makes a lot of sense and we decided to share the Common factors;

Obesity and eating disorders share the following risk factors:

1) Dieting

Both conditions are linked to dieting: overweight and obese individuals try every diet available and use every pill and potion they can purchase to lose weight, while anorexics starve themselves into skeletal ill-health, and bulimics and binge-eaters gorge and purge until their eating patterns are completely disturbed.

2) Media-driven

The urge to achieve slender to skeletal figures (weight-loss regimens, anorexia, purging in bulimia) or bulging muscles (bigorexia) is fuelled by the hype and unrealistic expectations created in the media.

 We cannot all look like models strutting the catwalk, or Mr Universe with a six-pack and muscles that resemble blown up balloons, but the problem is that so many people nowadays want to look like these role models.

3) Distorted body image or dissatisfaction

Both the overweight and the anorexic have distorted body images in both extremes of the weight-spectrum. In a survey conducted a number of years ago, the majority of South Africans suffering from overweight or obesity were “satisfied with their body image” or felt that “being thin was linked to illnesses like Aids, and therefore not desirable”.

Dissatisfaction with one’s body image is personified by thin people looking into their mirrors and seeing someone who is fat. Patients suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) have extreme body image dissatisfaction, which can lead to disastrous behaviour and even suicide.

4) Weight-related teasing

It is an unfortunate phenomenon that human beings, like animals, tend to pick on individuals who deviate from the norm. Fat people are endlessly bullied, insulted, teased and denigrated by their peers. Nowadays even airlines and employers discriminate against passengers and employees who are obese. (Fatness can get you fired!) Conversely very thin people, particularly young men, who are not necessarily suffering from anorexia, are teased and bullied until they turn to body building and supplements to build up their abs and muscles – so that they can fit into our body-shape-obsessed society.

From one extreme to another

Because of the overlap and the many similarities between obesity and eating disorders, it is vital for therapists treating both ends of the weight-spectrum to realise that these disorders are not distinct and are actually mirror images of each other.

Obesity/anorexia/bulimia/orthorexia/bigorexia/etc are all eating disorders and can even occur simultaneously in one person. Far too often, someone who once was anorexic is “cured” and switches to another condition such as binge eating disorder. Obese people who have shed amazing amounts of fat, can also switch to anorexia or bulimia because they are terrified of gaining weight again.

It is important that dieticians, doctors and psychologists treating obese patients and/or people with eating disorders, should keep this relationship in mind and concentrate on identifying factors that can be modified and critical periods when an intervention could save the patient from one or the other condition.

Vital intervention periods

Kassier identified the following periods throughout life which are critical moments when interventions can prevent an individual from developing future obesity or eating disorders:

a) The prenatal period

The prenatal period – as researchers pay attention to the period before and immediately after conception, as well as pregnancy, they have come to realise that if the foetus is over-fed during the intrauterine period, the child will be prone to obesity in later life.

b) Foetal overnutrition

The prime factor driving foetal overnutrition is maternal obesity. In other words, modern populations are caught up in a never-ending vicious cycle where obese mothers overfeed their babies in the womb and then give birth to children who will in turn become obese and/or suffer from disordered eating. The value of ensuring that mothers are not obese or overweight before falling pregnant is becoming more and more evident. Excessive food intake particularly of foods with a low nutrient density and high energy content during pregnancy is just as detrimental to the future of our species as maternal starvation.

c) The adiposity rebound

The phenomenon of the “adiposity rebound” where normal children lose weight to reach their lowest weight by the age of 5 to 6 years and then gradually start to regain weight as they grow older, has been identified as a critical factor in future obesity.

Researchers have determined that if infants experience the adiposity rebound at an earlier age (e.g. 3 years), they will be more inclined to become obese in later life. This pattern of accelerated growth which leads to a very rapid decrease in body weight may be due to infants growing taller at an earlier age due to the high-protein, low-fat diets of modern infants. Mother’s milk, in contrast, is a high-fat, low-protein food, which pinpoints how important breastfeeding is to ensure normal growth in infancy, a normal adiposity rebound and less chance of developing obesity at a later stage.

d) Undernutrition in early life

Millions of infants throughout the world suffer from

malnutrition due to poverty and a lack of breastfeeding. Rolland-Cachera and co-workers (2006) suggest that early nutrient deprivation may programme children to develop a thrifty metabolism that will make them vulnerable to obesity in adolescence and adulthood.

These new insights into the many different factors that fuel obesity and eating disorders can be used to shed light on the obesity epidemic in South Africa where so many pregnant women are either over- or undernourished and so many children are not breastfed and are stunted or grow too rapidly at an early age causing them to have an early adiposity rebound. Interventions to address these diet-related problems are urgently required, if we are to win the war against eating disorders of all kinds.

References:

- Rolland-Cachera MF et al. (2006). Early adiposity rebound: causes and consequences for obesity in children and adults. International Journal of Obesity (Lond), Supplement 4:S11-17.

- Kassier S (2015). Prevention of Obesity & Eating Disorders. Paper presented at the SASA Nutrition in NCD Prevention Roadshow, Pretoria, on 12 February 2015.

- Health24