Love Things you didn’t know: Science

Valentine's Day fever is in the air, and love is all around. But there are certain things about love that even the most seasoned couples are unaware of

Latest research offers new lenses through which to see love.

1. Love is not a private emotion
Change the notion that love is confined to a single person's mind. Research shows that when you connect with someone else, there is a moment of synchrony between the two of you. Gestures, biochemistries, even neural firings of the two people mirror each other. So, love is a biologically mutual wave that can flow through two or more bodies and brains at the same time.

2. Love secures the connection between the brain and heart
It is often said that people who are social and have a strong sense of community live longer. But why this is the case was considered a mystery until now. New research shows that when a random group of people are asked to learn ways to create small moments of love in their daily lives, it improves the function of the vagus nerve in the longer run. The vagus nerve is a key channel that connects the brain to the heart.

3. Love doesn't require suppressing negativity
Think about love as little moments of shared positivity, and you realise that you can experience love even if you — or the person with whom you are connected — is suffering. Love doesn't mean ignorance of negativity. In fact, it is similar to compassion in essence; some level of empathy and kindness are part of the melting pot called love.

4. Love is not exclusive
Love is not restricted to your inner circle of friends and family members. If they are the only entities that come to mind when you think of love, you are constraining opportunities for growth and well-being. Science says that you can experience real moments of connectedness with anyone, a soulmate or even a stranger, as long as you feel safe and secure while establishing it.

5. Changing your views on love changes your capacity for it
You can use minute moments of connection to make incredible turnarounds in your personal and professional life. When you take just a minute or two every day to think about whether you felt attuned to another person (or people), you start the process for a slew of benefits and the release of happy hormones. Now that you know more about how love works, why not start this practice today?

For orgasm, try CAT or go doggie style

A few of the lovemaking positions that practically guarantee an orgasm.

This one's for the ladies as much as it is for the guys. Learn the art of making love and with tips from Fit for Love author Billy Sunday Mars.

CAT

It stands for Coital Alignment Technique (CAT) and can up your chances of an orgasm. To follow this technique in the missionary position, the man shifts forward to bring his chest closer to the woman's shoulders. This allows the clitoris to rub against his pubic region while his member rubs the G-Spot and other erogenous zones.

Spooning and doggie style

According to Mars, spooning and doggie style positions can also bring about an orgasm — often more than one — since he can manually stimulate your clit during intercourse. Writes Mars, "This decreases the time it takes to reach orgasm and extends your orgasms."

Put your hips up, women

Women can increase their chances of an orgasm if they lift up their legs. This trick works even if the man is not as well endowed as the average male. Tilt your hips and pelvis upwards. Your man will be able to reach areas he otherwise never could; it's also one of the most pleasurable positions, according to Mars.

Tips: To get more comfortable, cushion your lower back with a pillow underneath. Place it in such a way that your lower back creates an angle for the hips to be above your head and shoulders while lying down. According to Mars, women need to realise that the cervical area is a hot spot for earth-shattering orgasms.

Eat Carrots to stay young and healthy

Your granny wasn't kidding when she nagged you to eat carrots for healthy eyes.

While carrots are good for your eyes, they also promote healthy skin, delay ageing and even prevent cancer. Initially used as medicine, carrots are commonly found in orange colour. But they are also available in yellow, red, white and purple hues.

-Several studies show that certain properties in carrots help reduce the risk of lung, breast and colon cancer.

-The beta-carotene in carrots is converted to vitamin A in the liver, which is then transformed in your retina, to rhodopsin — a pigment that improves night vision. Beta-carotene is also known to protect against macular degeneration and senile cataracts.

-Carrots help slow down the ageing of cells and also work as an antioxidant.

-Want to improve the quality of your skin? The vitamin A present in carrots protects your skin from sun damage and even prevents premature pigmentation, wrinkling, dry skin, acne and uneven skin tone.

-You can also use boiled or mashed carrots on cuts and bruises to prevent infection.

Health benefits of being naked

The moment you enter home your fist thought is to get rid of your clothes and head to the shower.
The thought of being naked with no layers of clothing on, relieves you, especially in the summer.
Guess what? Stripping down to your birthday suit is actually helpful and full of health benefits. If being naked is a problem, then hop into minimalistic or loose clothing. Here's why!

Health Benefit of Being Naked # 1: Loads you up with vitamin D 

We always slather ourselves with sunscreen, fearing damage the sun will do to our skin. Sun can cause damage only if you stay under it for a long time, says Dr Satish Bhatia, Dermatologist, Mumbai. Soak yourself in the early morning rays for about 10-15 minutes. This session will help in boosting the production of vitamin D and will also help boost your mood. 

Health Benefit of Being Naked # 2: Gives a healthy skin 

Our skin needs air to breathe. Covering yourself in tight clothing can weaken your skin, because your skin reabsorbs the toxins, which come out when you sweat, says Dr Satish. Being naked will help your skin to respire, by eliminating the toxins from your body. 

Health Benefit of Being Naked # 3: No 'Red' marks 

Being free from your clothing will help you prevent those red pressure marks left by your too tight bra or panty elastic band. Also, shedding your clothes for a while will help improve blood circulation throughout the body. 

Health Benefit of Being Naked # 4: Healthy brain 

According to a study - barefoot running helps to lower the risk of Alzheimer's in adults. Barefoot walking or running helps in vital stimulation of our brain. Dr Sunesara, General Physician, Mumbai says, the stimulation, which is created in the sole of the foot encourages our brain to boost more neuron connections. Besides, it also helps to increase brain flexibility.

Health Benefit of Being Naked # 5: Relaxes you 

Nakedness is a sort of therapeutic massage for depression, low-self esteem and other mental problems. Lying naked helps to improve your blood flow, detoxifies your system, and thus provides you warmth and freedom. 

Health Benefit of Being Naked # 6: Lowers risk of infection 

When clothes are soaked with sweat, they can be a breeding ground for bacteria, which can cause various infections. Nudity lowers your risk to these harmful fungi and bacteria and maintains personal hygiene. 

Health Benefit of Being Naked # 7: Improves fertility 

Wearing tight elastic underwear can restrict the blood flow to the penis and genital area. Tight underwear or low waist jeans directly press onto your penis, which further slowly kills nerve receptors in the surrounding area and lowers sperm count.