TresSugar

Women More Sensitive to Stinkiness Than Men

DearSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:30:19 -0700

Well, I could have told you that based on purely anecdotal evidence (i.e., growing up with a teenage brother), but now I've got the scientists to back me up. According to a new study out of the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, women are far more adept than men at cutting through fancy colognes to detect a dude's scent.

Apparently, men and women are equally skilled at detecting stink, but women aren't as easily fooled by cover-ups:

Underarm odors alone smelled equally strong to women and men. But when fragrances were introduced, only two of 32 fragrances blocked underarm odor when women were doing the sniffing, compared with 19 fragrances that blocked the odor for men.

The scientists surmise that women are better at detecting "biologically relevant" information - perhaps whether he's in the mood or sweating out pheromones. So does that mean BO can help you pick a sig-o?

Source

On Tap? A Test to Replace the Pap

DearSugar — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 10:30:31 -0700

The annual Pap smear could become a relic if a new DNA test proves as effective as promised. According to a study published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine, a new screening involving DNA could be better than all other tests in detecting HPV and cervical cancer.

For women over 30, the test would only have to be performed every three, five, or 10 years, which would mean an end to the annual smear. But doctors are hesitant to abandon Paps altogether, since the procedure has been incredibly effective at reducing rates of cervical cancer. The new test could be most helpful in lower-income countries, where there are fewer doctors trained to read Pap smears and it's more difficult for women to return for followup appointments. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would welcome a less invasive test; what do you think?

Source

Sex Surrogates?

DearSugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:00:00 -0700

I've heard of a surrogate mother before but a sex surrogate? Now that's something new. Therapists prescribe sex surrogates to clients seeking help for sex and intimacy issues. Sex therapy can help rape victims, people with severe depression or social anxiety, or those with sex fetishes. Sessions often don't involve intercourse, but rather include other ways of being intimate such as talking, holding hands, or massage in an effort to figure out how to solve the person's issues. For many clients, this type of hands-on therapy is the only kind that works.

Sex surrogacy was huge in the '70s, but understandably got a bad reputation because it was, and still is, regarded as prostitution or adultery. Sex surrogates know how beneficial this type of therapy is though, and they're campaigning for its return - they want it to be seen as a professional and respected healing therapy.

What's your opinion about sex surrogates? Are they just glorified prostitutes, or do you think there's validity to this type of sex therapy?

Source

Spanking Does a Couple Good?!

DearSugar — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 09:00:00 -0700

Almost all of you admitted to loving a little playful, grown-up spanking, but when you voted I bet you didn't know that spanking actually has the ability to bring couples closer! That's right, a recent study looked at the hormone levels in couples who attended S&M parties and the results showed that they rose in the person on the receiving end. But that connectedness doesn't have to be all about S&M - the results rang true in couples that participated in other shared activities too, although spanking might be a bit more fun!

Source

Remembering Your Dreams Is Beneficial to Your Well-Being

DearSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 10:00:00 -0700

I'm sure this happens to you all the time: your alarm goes off and you get pulled out of an amazing dream, but as soon as you hit the snooze button, you can't remember many details, if any, of what you were dreaming about. New research suggests that you actually try to remember, because your dreams can give insight into your personality. Tapping into what happens in your dreams can help you understand the thoughts, feelings, and actions you have when you're awake, which in turn can help "heal emotional stress and trauma, enable us to sleep better, make us feel happier while awake, or even answer nagging questions about our lives."

So how can you take advantage of your dreams? To learn some tips, read more.

Here are six strategies to help you harness insight from your dreams. Check out MSNBC.com to learn more about them.

Wake slowly and try to concentrate on what you were dreaming about.
Don't take every detail literally.
Confront the "demons" you dream about, when you're awake.
Put yourself in the dream after waking. Imagine yourself as all the different characters, even the non-human ones, to uncover specific emotions or situations that may have inspired your dream.
Describe your dream to someone to help you recall details, zero in on important aspects, and better interpret dream symbols. Writing down details may help.
Plan a course of action on how to deal with what you discovered in your dream.

Source

Please Pass the Salt!

DearSugar — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 11:00:00 -0700

If you're a salt lover, you're in luck - New research shows that salt is good for you after all! Researchers at the University of Iowa found that salt may act as a natural antidepressant. They tested this theory on lab rats and found that those with a salt deficiency shied away from activities they usually enjoyed - a sign of depression they say. On the flip side though, salt can lead to high blood pressure which is linked to heart attach and stroke so salt in moderation is key.

This news definitely explains why I enjoy salty foods so much, but what about you? Do you have a sweet tooth or do you crave savory snacks like me?

Source

Are You Willing to Go Gray?

DearSugar — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 10:30:00 -0700

People are cutting corners left and right, but one place many women aren't skimping is at the hair salon! Since we're having to compete for jobs in a terrible market with other women, sometimes half our age, Charla Krupp, author of How Not to Look Old says we really can't afford to go gray. Not only that, but she says going gray is just the first step in letting yourself go entirely, and who wants to do that?

On the flip side, other women report going gray is a liberating experience. They feel more content and connected to their authentic selves. Their pocketbooks are thicker and they have more free time - no more long appointments at the salon. But as we all know, gray isn't for everyone, so tell me, even if you're watching your spending, will there always be money to cover up those grays?

Source

Have Sex and Live Longer!

DearSugar — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:00:00 -0700

We all know that sex is a wonderful way to connect with and express love for your partner, and that getting it on is also good for your health, but check out this great news: According to Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, a healthy sex life sex can also help women live longer. That's right; research shows that women who engage in satisfying nookie whenever they have the urge live longer than those who don't. There's good news for guys, too - men who have sex three times a week have a 50 percent reduction in their risk of stroke and heart attack. Now that sure is a reason to have an orgasm!

Source

Are You Having a Hard Time Being Optimistic?

DearSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:30:00 -0800

When I asked you a while back if you were a pessimist or an optimist, most of you owned up to being a realist, but now that the going is getting tough and life feels grim, I'm wondering if you're finding yourself being more pessimistic. If this sounds familiar, you might want to know that according to a recent study, optimistic women actually live longer, so it's time to look at that glass as half full, not half empty!

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh looked at more than 100,000 women over age 50 and found that after eight years, optimistic women were 14 percent more likely to be alive over the pessimists they studied. Though many factors played into those results, Dr. Hilary Tindle, who headed this study, stated:

. . . optimistic people have more friends and a larger social network on which they can rely during crises; they also tend to cope better on their own with stress, a risk factor that has been associated with high blood pressure, heart disease and early death in previous studies.

I think it's pretty obvious that looking on the bright side makes everything a lot easier, but tell me, are you struggling to do that now with so much uncertainty in the air?

Source

Would You Line Up For a Bridal Gown Sweep?

DearSugar — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:30:00 -0800

If you caught the Today show this morning, you probably saw every soon-to-be bride on a budget in New York City bombard Filene's Basement. Women were lined up since the early morning hours to get their hands on discounted, nonrefundable bridal gowns. And the women came prepared - they brought team members, walkie-talkies and whistles, and plans to divide and conquer the room of brand new gowns to get the right dress in the right size.

In this economy, bargain shopping is a must, but racing to snatch the gown of your dreams almost takes the excitement out of it. Since I'm not in the market for a wedding dress, I don't know how to answer this one. So tell me ladies, would you go through the trouble to get your dress on sale? Or would you rather pay a little more to have a relaxing, memorable experience?

To see the hilarious scene from this morning's shopping spree, read more.

Source