Karen Dejo Innumerable studies have gone into finding out 'reality of the male sex drive', but now a new study claims that men really are 'hornier' than women. Roy F. Baumeister at Florida State University, Kathleen Catanese at a Midwestern college and Kathleen Vohs, a professor of marketing, set out to find the truth, reports Oxford University Press. They approached the problem like this. Imagine two women (or two men for that matter), such that one of them has truly a stronger sex drive than the other. What differences in preferences and behaviour would you expect to see between the two of them? After months of reading and compiling results, the answer was clear. There is a substantial difference, and men have a much stronger sex drive than women. To be sure, there are some women who have frequent, intense desires for sex, and there are some men who don't, but on average the men want it more. Every marker pointed to the same conclusion: Men think about sex more of...

Leryn Franco It's really quite amusing that our Kamasutra ignited fantasies, stoked the flames of passion and become a sexual bible in the west. But back in India, sex is still a taboo topic and The Kamasutra, a "part of history" meant to adorn bookshelves. But that's changing fast. Women have awakened, and to quote Bette Midler, "If sex is such a natural phenomenon, how come there are so many books on how to?" Much to the Indian male's chagrin; wives who once lived in blissful ignorance, are now demanding to know why they have not yet experienced the big "O" and the mortified Indian male now has a clear choice. Foreplay or no play!!! Sorry guys! Indian women are not willing to be just 'reproductive beings' anymore. They are watching TV, reading books and doing pop quizzes in magazines to assess for themselves where they are placed on the sexual barometer. The sexual revolution in India is no longer just a media event. Women of all ages...

You may dread bringing up the 'S' word with your kids, but experts say it is a must-talk-about topic, finds Rachel Fernandes 'Mum where did I come from?' That is a common question that most parents face. But it's not the question you need to focus on, what's more important is how, you as a parent, reacted when your child asked you this basic yet very complicating question? Did you cringe and say 'Chee don't ask such questions' or tell him/her 'the good old stock dropped you in my lap' story or did you given them a simple and practical answer? Experts vouch for the fact that how you answer this all important query can in fact, make quite a life-long impact on your child. So what is the right age to start talking to your child about sex and exactly how much of information should you divulge? According to Seema Hingorrany, clinical psychologist, parents should right from the time the child is three-and-a-half years old. "You can't tell ...

Marital discord could turn to harmony and reconciliation if you use the period of 'separation' right Friends' star Courteney Cox and actor husband David Arquette have separated after 11 years of marriage. Hardly irregular in tinsel town or the real world. A break could halt a marriage on track to splitsville. However, clinical psychologist Salma Prabhu tells us how we can use separation to rethink the relationship and progress towards reconciliation. When to break When you find yourself bickering over the same issues cyclically, making no progress, it's time for a break. There is a feeling of not growing together, of "I am stuck, trapped." One may feel that (s)he is miserable and is making the other miserable too. A truce is called for and break provides that. The upside Staying separately can stoke a spark that has dulled because of other priorities. A separation dissolves trivial issues such as personality flaws and partners learn to accept the spouse as a s...

Older men who talk to their partner about sexual problems report greater happiness, says a new study. Published in the Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, the study shows that the way men and women deal with sexual health and stress in their later years varies greatly and that there is not one solution that can help ease unhappiness caused by sexual problems. The research was conducted by Ryo Hirayama, a Ph.D. student in Oregon State University's Department of Human Development and Family Sciences, and professor Alexis Walker, who is the Jo Anne L. Petersen Chair in Gerontology and Family Studies at OSU. The study was conducted with data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. To reach the conclusion, the Oregon State researchers looked at 861 people ages 57 to 85 who were married or had an intimate partner, and who reported having at least one sexual problem. The sexual problems reported by older adults included lack of interest in sex, inability to climax, ...

Ageing is something you can't avoid, so it's better you embrace and use it to your advantage to feel sexy and young, says an expert. Kristi Michelle "The 20s are a time that's idealized. I think it is such a time women are struggling to find their identity and figure out who they are and establish themselves in their careers but the 30s tend to be a real time of security for that very reason because we have a much better sense who have we are and that is sexy," CBS News quoted psychotherapist Jenn Berman, as saying. "You know, one thing that's important to keep in mind if you don't start out feeling confident and sexy, you fake it until you make it. The behaviours - behaving as if you feel sexy and behaving as if you feel confident - leads women to feel confident," she said. Jarvis agreed, saying more women in Hollywood - from Diane Keaton to Demi Moore - have been embracing their sexy side. She added, "Do you think our sense of age is chang...

According to Sigmund Freud, the father of psychology, sexual repression was the chief psychological problem ailing mankind. He said that constriction and repression of sexual behaviour in youth would manifest in adulthood. We, on the other hand, live in a society that still considers sex as taboo and frown upon ways to relieve one's sexual urges, especially if practiced by the unmarried. Hardly anyone speaks about such important issues that affect several people. Maybe it's because one is afraid of being labelled a deviant, pervert or sexually frustrated. Definition Sexual repression can be defined as an inability to express one's sexuality. It is often associated with feelings of shame and guilt being attached with expressing sexual impulses. However, sexual ethics differ from culture to culture and what might seem forbidden in one culture might not be so in another. Psychiatrist and sexologist, Dhananjay Gambhire says, "A person's inability to express his or her ...

In today's times, perhaps beauty is skin deep. No wonder, 30 and 40-plus brides in cosmopolitan cities are thronging beauty clinics to look radiant and younger on D-day. From botox to de-tanning to liposuction, they are doing it all this wedding season. "India as a country has progressed considerably over the years and one of the fundamental changes that has taken place in society is the age at which women are getting married," cosmetologist and dermatologist Vandana Chatrath. "We are seeing more women getting married in their early 30s. Marriages of single or divorced women who are in their mid-40s are also on the rise. All women want to look their best on their wedding day irrespective of age, so we have seen a rise in brides-to-be of these age groups coming to us," she added. The trend is rising around the country. Bangalore-based Chytra V Anand said the number of such cases has been maximum this year. "Now the trend is to get married at a later age, esp...

Texting, eating and indulging in sexual acts are among the top activities that people do while driving. According to a scientific survey commissioned by hands-free headset maker Jabra, 28 per cent of respondents in six countries including the United States say that they've texted behind the wheel. Seventy percent of respondents said that they eat or drink regularly, and 35 per cent admit to getting dressed or undressed. In fact 29 per cent have kissed while driving and more than half that, fully 15 per cent, have engaged in sexual intercourse or another sexual act. Freshening up by styling hair or applying makeup is done by 23 per cent and 13 per cent of those surveyed, reports Fox News . Less people read actual newspapers and magazines than e-mails, but the numbers are still high, 10 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively. But, only 5 per cent of drivers sneak in a video game while driving. And 63 per cent of respondents have yelled at other drivers while commuting.

Friendly or outgoing people are more attractive, a new study suggests. In the study, Gettysburg College psychology professor Brian Meier and his research team found that people who were high in the personality traits of agreeableness or extraversion were rated by strangers as being more attractive. Meier's team assessed the personality of 217 men and women. The photos of these men and women were shown to unacquainted strangers who rated their physical attractiveness. They found that the men and women who had higher levels of agreeableness or extraversion were also rated as more physically attractive even though raters did not know or interact with the individuals. Meier said: "The results suggest that there is some truth to the 'beautiful is good' stereotype or the 'halo effect'. People have a tendency to think that attractive people also possess 'attractive' qualities - such as being friendly, outgoing, and smart." He added: "Interestingly, i...

You need to shed the good girl tag to win love... Sugar and spice isn't always nice. In the dating game, just being nice to your man doesn't make him more devoted; at times you need to be the 'bitch' to walk down the Valentine path. That, in a nutshell, is best-selling author and columnist Sherry Argov's premise of her seminal books Why Men Love Bitches and Why Men Marry Bitches . "Men secretly respect a woman who is strong, has confidence and dreams of her own," says Sherry. "They don't want women who are needy and desperate for approval." So the key to conduct new-age relationships is: discover the feisty attitude that will turn you into a diva from a doormat," says Sherry. Why nice girls finish last Ever wondered why despite putting your best face and foot forward, and treating your dreamboat like a dream, he seems to go for someone smarter, sassier and sexier - aka 'The bitch?' It's possibly because: - You're making i...

From being the key spice in Worcester sauce to removing black magic spells, clove has a range of uses. This unopened flower bud of a tropical tree, native of Indonesia, is also offered to local deities. When fresh, the clove is pink and turns rust-brown when dried. It is called 'lavang' in Hindi. The curative properties of clove and its oil are legendary. Clove oil, applied to a cavity in a decayed tooth, relieves toothache. The oil is used to treat skin disorders such as acne, pimples, and severe burns. Clove-infused water is used to treat stomach upsets, nausea and diarrhoea. Folklore says that sucking two whole cloves without chewing or swallowing them helps to curb the desire for alcohol. Cloves were traded by Arabs in the Middle Ages as part of their buying and selling on the profitable Indian Ocean trade route. That's how it happened to reach Europe and beyond. Cloves, along with nutmeg and pepper, were highly prized in Roman times, and Pliny the Elder once famously ...

We are constantly hearing about male celebrities who have given into unwise indulgences. What if a woman was to go out and have an affair? Would the transgression be ignored by the husband or would she have to pay big time? Rahul and Ruhi have been married for 8 years. A happy, compatible couple, Ruhi is the introvert in the relationship. She interests are few and far between, but she definitely loves reading. Luckily for her, she works for a publishing house in Delhi. Rahul, on the other had is full of beans, laughing and joking and the life of a party. Not surprisingly, he is a trainer at a well-known call centre. Being neighbours, I have known them for years. At festival time we surely meet up and sometimes, I bump into Rahul at the gym we both visit. But off late, I haven't seen either Rahul or Ruhi. I wait a few days thinking maybe they have gone out of town. But when three months passed, a bit worried, I looked up Rahul's number in my diary. What he said left even me a t...

According to the head of psychiatry at Stanford University, female company has more health benefits than previously acknowledged, both for men and women. Women, apparently, connect differently and provide support systems that help deal with stress and difficult life experiences. The doctor states that spending time with a female friend is as important for our overall health as jogging or working out at the gym is. The research proves that quality 'girlfriend time' helps the body secrete serotonin--a neurotransmitter that helps fight depression and creates a feeling of happiness. Wondering why male-to-male bonding cannot have the same effect? Well, the reason for this is women share feelings whereas men often form relationships around activities. They rarely sit down with a buddy and talk about life or engage in a heart-to-heart conversation. Women, on the other hand, do it all the time. They share from their soul, and evidently it is doing them a lot of good health wise. Psych...

Though a tad coquettish, the lady standing across the hall has been giving you 'the eye'. Not only is she gorgeous, people around her seem enthralled by her intelligence too. The flirt in you takes over, but how do you make the first move? Hear it from Milind Soman, a connoisseur of sorts, on attracting the girl of your current dreams. Becky Wunder Clear intentions Earlier, I used to get carried away easily. While never intending to be unfaithful to my girlfriend, I would go ahead and flirt with other women. This would upset my girlfriend, but now I've realised that I showed complete lack of respect towards her feelings. While flirting is fun, it is best to know your own intentions because someone else's feelings are involved. If you initiate, also know where to finally draw the line by subtly communicating your intentions to the other. Both you and your flirting partner may be in relationships. If you don't want to jeopardise yours, the truth needs to come out. Wi...

Between covers, isn't that where love is supposed to lie? Shouldn't all love — or the making thereof — get your knickers in a twist? So why the fuss, the surprise, the tamasha and the brouhaha over forbidden love and those who forbid it? Love actually must be more chhupa chhupi than khullam khulla, and what's the fun of pyaar without the protest? Jade Stone For decades, true love had to contend only with crass commerce every Valentine's Day. The makers of cards, candles and heart-shaped everything in yucky shades of pink. The sellers of wine and roses. The merchants of diamonds which were supposed to be forever but which strangely had to be supplemented every year, or oftener. We had prided ourselves on being the originators of the book of love. Now we have to ask ourselves the question: What came first, the Kama Sutra or the VHP? Or the Shiv Sena, MNS, Ram Sene and every other self-appointed, self-righteous custodian of our morals, our culture, our entertainment ...

If you are exhausted from doing up your home and entertaining guests and have no time or energy left for sex “ you sure need help! Joanna Krupa Here are five natural, easily available ways to enhance the female libido. Aphrodisiacs: These are certain foods known for heightening one's sexual impulses, arousal, and response. Chocolate . Have a low- cal choc every alternate day and you are good to go girl! Chili peppers . Trigger the pleasure-releasing endorphins. Oysters. They increase testosterone levels which benefits both male and female. Ginkgo. This herb helps the body achieve optimal blood circulation, which is important for sexual stimulation. Wild yam . This one is a sexual stimulant. However, there are other areas of your life where you need to focus as well. Sleep well: If you are not sleeping well and aren't getting the mandatory 8 hours, chances are you are cranky and downright uncomfortable. Who can think of sex, and on top of it, great sex, in such a condition? So ...

People over the age of 50 are among the most promiscuous lot, says a new survey. The surprising statistics revealed a quarter of this age group cheat on their partner, while one in six said they never used contraception with a new lover. Amit Freidman The poll, from the Co-operative Pharmacy, also found a third admitted they had "slept around" and admitted to unprotected one-night stands with strangers. The main reason people gave for not using contraception was that they "get carried away in the moment", reports the Daily Mail . This is despite the fact that the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the over-50s is soaring across Britain. Natika Halil, director of information at the Family Planning Association (FPA), said: "The message is the same for teenagers as well as people in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s - don't take a risk with your sexual health over the festive period. There is only one protection against most STIs - wearing a condom...

You're sailing on a dream-boat of a relationship and everything is hunky-dory, except for that niggling suspicion that your partner is the captain of the boat and you're being taken for a merry ride. Have your friends been hinting that you're in a one-sided relationship and being used? You may not like to believe it of your "loving" partner or even admit to yourself, but shrug off the comforting denial blanket. Don't sell yourself short, and you could be being used for sex, money, companionship or status. Does this throw up red flags? Look for these signs and then head to a quick break-up. Dates are mostly in the bedroom You are a few months into the relationship but mainly meeting up at each other's homes after or before work? Is food delivered to your doorstep? Ideally, dates should involve going out, sometimes with friends, or doing activities that interest you – movies, treks, cultural festivals, etc. But if you spend more time "doing" tha...

However close you are to your best friend, there are some unsaid rules in a friendship... Candice Swanepoel Every girl must have another female friend she can rely on, take advise and enjoy going out with. But sometimes, in a close relationship between gal pals, some silly mistakes can irk an entire friendship. Here's what you can do and avoid doing... - Understand that your best friend now has a boyfriend and needs time with him. At such moments, don't force yourself in. Ask your friend how you two can come to a comfortable time slot and still enjoy your friendly bliss. - Do not make the mistake of raving about your friend's new-found man. Never say how hot you find him. Let your friend gush about him. And don't force her into surrendering all the details about his past to you. With time, she will eventually confide in you. - Never ever flirt or make passes like winking or whistling at your friend's man. It's not just irritating, it can actually break her peace...

Our sexual behaviour varies at different times in our lives. Sex guru Tracey Cox in her bestselling book, 'Sextasy' reveals the sexual urges and traits of lovers according to their age... Marisa Miller 20-something Most guys just can't stop dreaming about sex every couple of hours. At this age, girls are usually rebellious in their sexual imaginations. They share same-sex fantasies or want to try out bi-sexuality. A 2006 study of nearly 2000 people discovered that 76 per cent of women who slept with women reached orgasm (for women with men, the figure stands at 50 per cent). The 20s are the time when young boys and girls are most experimental in their sexual positions. One in 10 people claims Tracey Cox have had a threesome in their early twenties. Also, people in this age group have most likely visited a strip joint or a lapdancing club - with their friends or their better half. 30 something The 30s are a time to experiment, almost all 30-somethings claim to have had sex ...

We tend to associate good sex with heat. We use terms like hot, steamy, scorching, searing when describing memorable sex. On the other hand cold showers, cold shoulders, and cold hearts generally aren't associated with lustful pursuits. Miranda Kerr Here are some hot and cold tips to spin your world on its head! - Bring something cold and hot to bed. That bag of frozen peas may not be ready to be cooked rightaway, but wrap it in a t-shirt and bring it into bed tonight. - Ice-cubes are always there. Dip them in chocolate or strawberry syrup and enjoy licking it off your partner. You don't want to use the cold to shock your lover. Be sure to wait until things have hit a rhythm in the sex, and then gently touch a less sensitive part of your partner's body with the cold. Once they know what's coming, you can experiment heating things up with your bodies, and then cooling it down with a more sensitively placed cold touch. - To heat things up, you can explore everything from ...

Are you exceptionally lucky when you gamble? A new study suggests that if you are, it may be all down to your genes. Miranda Kerr The so-called ''warrior gene'' (MAOA-L gene variant) may give its carriers better judgement when confronted with financial risk rather than make them prone to impulsive decisions. The gene variant is associated with lower production of the enzyme and has been repeatedly linked to risky behaviour, reports Nature . The new study, led by Cary Frydman at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, used computational probability models to assess the patterns of choices made by the individuals in the study and to distinguish between two ways in which genetics might be influencing such behaviour — by affecting the value assigned to options (''value''), or by affecting the process by which the brain compares the values of two options (''choice''). The approach, Frydman said, was designed to "shed some li...

After a few years into a relationship, couples usually complain about the monotony and boredom creeping in. Here is what you can do to enhance your relationship: Miranda Kerr Romantic setting Your bedroom needs to be a comfortable place, your haven. The lighting, the kind of furniture you have, the mood your bedroom induces — everything plays a part when it comes to romance in your life. Don't rush through life Oh yes, we know all about 'no time to stand and stare'. Our lives these days are very hectic and busy. No one really has the luxury of time anymore but if you want your relationship to carry on you will need to slow things down. Linger on the foreplay time and make sure your time together with your partner is not just about the intercourse. Try calling in 'making love' instead of sex for a while. It makes a difference. ' Change the scene You should try and go a little away from routine. Why don't the two of you just rent a hotel room for a change? T...

This arranged match is now a love affair for a lifetime Whenever a female acquaintance sees my husband doting on me, she invariably says, "Aww...love marriage?" When I reply in the negative, the next question usually is "Love-arranged?" I then offer, "arranged-cum-love," proud to have coined a new term in relationship studies. Monika Pietrasinska My husband proposed to me over the third "date" set up by our families. I had successfully managed to maintain the 'mystery' about myself with my short and sweet answers, which he labelled "good heartedness" (honestly, I was just not as eloquent as the "big fan of communication" that he is). I felt as if I had known him for a lifetime and was ready for six more. At that time, I thought I was saying "I do" to a quirky US-returned guy who loved eating Thai food, visiting museums, and skiing. Being the small town girl that I am, I liked Indian-Chinese, felt drowsy in mu...