That's Fit

Did you ever see that episode of Friends where Phoebe had a cold but loved it because she was singing with a "sexy" voice? It turns out a bad head cold isn't the only way to acquire a sexier voice than usual. Research indicates that women's voices become more alluring when they're at their peak of fertility.

Recordings were taken of women's voices at different times during their menstrual cycle. When replayed to both women and men, the recordings taken closest to ovulation were rated as more attractive. Researchers think that hormones may affect the voice box, creating a sexier voice. More work is needed to determine exactly how the voice is affected. But I think we all know why, don't we?

Check out AOL Body for more on women's sexual health. Guys, here's a link for you, too.

It's not the latest French perfume. It's not an after-bath body splash. It's not a fake tan. So what is this spray on substance that can give your sex life a jump start? Hormones.

Researchers have conducted a study with a hormone that's administered as a spray. The testosterone spray was given to women who hadn't reached menopause, had low natural testosterone levels, and had little interest in sex. On an intermediate dosage, the women realized a significant increase in their interest in sexual activity.

Though testosterone is considered a "male" hormone, all females have low levels of testosterone in their bodies. Even after administering the testosterone spray, 95% of the women in the study still had normal ranges of the hormone in their system.

There is one notable side effect, however. Women who used the spray developed an excess of body hair. Not exactly the turn-on their partner might need now, is it?

Ladies, hop on over to this AOL Body site for more on women's sexual health. Guys, here's an AOL Body site for you.

There has been a "growing" trend among women in recent years regarding their cup size, and scientists are trying to figure out where it is coming from. People point to early puberty as being a potential cause, but there's also another angle worth considering: lipstick.

Chemicals found in lipstick (and other cosmetic products) contain a false hormone called xeno-oestrogen. This mimicking chemical is added to things that are being applied directly to the human body, thus absorbed into women's systems. The artificial hormone acts like oestrogen, which has been known to increase bust size (even in men).

Now it's obvious that lipstick alone is not the culprit. But when taken in small quantities every day from dozens of products, xeno-oestrogen seems like an easy target. Who knows for sure what's affecting it? There's a chance it has nothing to do with these external influences at all. Any women out there with more insight and experience in this area?

You can buy anything over the Internet. Chances are your inbox or spam folder can attest to that. But the FDA has sent out warning letters regarding custom-made hormones for women going through menopause. You can get them over the web, but the FDA does not review the products.

It seems like a wild frontier, but these hormones are not always what they claim to be. Being peddled as "biologically identical hormone replacement therapy" is a false advertising scheme that could lead to nasty risks in the long run. Heart attack, breast cancer and stroke risk have long been known to increase with use of these products.

Don't fall for everything you see in the online pharmacy space. They're out to make money too, so just use your head.

Ever had that feeling like you are on edge after drinking a pot of coffee? Maybe you were up late for a job or studying for exams. Either way, coffee and other stimulants can have adverse side effects like high blood pressure or uneasiness.

Here's a novel idea: Snorting a hormone via nasal spray that will combat drowsiness due to the lack of sleep. It sounds like coffee's biggest competition, and it could help you stay awake! Apparently there are no bad side effects, but we all know how long term sleep depreviation can harm the body.

The research cites evidence of sleep deprived monkeys waking up to perform just as well on cognitive tests as their well-rested counterparts. Consider for a second professions like airline pilots or military personnel who sometimes need to stay awake for long periods of time. This would be great for them, because the nasal spray doesn't come with the edginess people get from using coffee. It would be interesting to see if this product hits the consumer market. Read more about it here if you're interested.

Are human females the only primates that go through menopause? In some recent news from the world of science, it was found that female chimpanzees don't go through menopause in the way that human females do.

However, these same female chimps do indeed have their ability for reproduction tempered at a certain age as those capabilities taper off. If they can do it, why not human females? Great question, although there isn't an answer yet.

What scientists founds was that female chimps have a fertility rate that declines along with survival odds. Healthy female chimps can have high birth rates in the later years of life as a result.

When most people think of health foods, they often think of soy-based products like soy milk and tofu. But is soy really healthy? Did anybody check the facts before labelling soy as healthy? Dr. Mercola did and he has some pretty strong things to say about soy. Check out his thoughts on soy by clicking here and here.

Dr. Mercola wants everyone who thinks soy is healthy to check out The Whole Soy Story: The Dark Side of America's Favorite Health Food by Dr. Kaayla Daniel. In it, she reveals some startling things about soy. Like? It apparently impedes sexual maturation in boys and speeds it up in girls. It also supposedly can cause thyroid problems and endocrine disruption in adults. And if it's given to infants, it's hormonal effects can be irreversible.

Hm. These are some pretty strong allegations. What do you think?

Stress can wreak havoc on so many aspects of our lives, so it's no surprise that it affects our aging as well. It's true -- those who are more stressed out age faster than those who aren't. Why? It;s all down to stress hormones -- they're hard on your body. So what's one to do? The first step is to figure out what the main source of stress is in your life. Is it work? Your kids? Your spouse? Whatever the cause, you then need to find a way to limit or eliminate the stress it is causing you.

Some suggestions? Exercise is a great stress-buster -- work it into your schedule and make it a priority. Meditation can also help -- again, make it a part of a day, even if you can only fit in half an hour of it.

Want more tips?

I try to eat organic whenever possible, but I always cringe when I head to the store and see the price of the free range meat and dairy versus the regular stuff. It's just so expensive. But I have trouble swallowing the non-organic stuff after all the horror stories I've heard about hormones and such. The result? I load up on tofu and ignore any cravings for a juicy chicken breast.

But I should suck it up, especially considering what this article from eDiets has to say. Apparently, free range eggs have the following advantages over regular eggs:

• They have less cholesterol and saturated fat
  
• They have more vitamin A, not to mention twice as much Omega-3s, 3 times more Vitamin E and 7 times more Beta Carotene.
  

All that and it still has the advantage of being hormone-free and raised out in a pasture like nature intended. I think the choice is clear, don't you?

We ate at a new restaurant on Saturday night. Everything we ate was organic. I had an organic salad, organic bruschetta, organic wild salmon, organic veggies, and organic rice. My husband had what I had, and our kids -- who were a little hesitant about the menu at first glance -- ate quesadillas made with organic tortillas and organic cheese. They had organic apple juice and organic fruit bars for dessert. Everything was organic. Everything.

Our Saturday night meal was delicious, and filling, and while it was a bit expensive, it was grand. My husband remarked that he could get used to eating like we did for that one meal. I could too. And so I've revised my wish for a personal chef -- not only do I want my very own chef, I now want my very own organic chef.

It's common sense for many that eating organic -- this means consuming foods grown and prepared without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, hormones, irradiation to prevent spoilage, and microwave cooking -- is healthier for the body and better for the environment. Make sense to you? If not, check out this article, which provides a few arguments about why you should bother to eat an organic diet.

A deep sleep is something we all crave, but with the demands of our busy lives, it's often maddeningly elusive. But according to this article on Prevention, a good night's sleep can be yours, provided you identify the sleep thieves in your life and address them. What are the sleep thieves, you ask? Here are a few things that might be keeping you from your slumber:

• And over-active mind
• Disrupting your sleep schedule by sleeping in on weekends
• A noisy or restless sleep partner
• Hormones
• Hunger

To find out more about fighting over sleep thieves, click here.

For me, avoiding caffeine and alcohol is essential to a good sleep, and a cup of herbal tea before bed never hurt either. How do you make sure you get the best sleep possible?

For those who take it on a regular basis, and who remember to take it every day at the same time, the pill is a pretty effective form of contraception. It's not for everyone though, so those who are thinking of going on the pill should take a look at this article, which discusses some of the pros and cons of the oral contraceptive.

Some of the more well-known pros include clearer skin, lighter periods and less severe or no cramps. One of the major cons that I've heard women talk about is the extra weight gain associated with taking the pill. However, I've also heard that no one should gain more than a few pounds, if any. Also, the pill protects again some forms of cancer, like ovarian and endometrial cancer, but may increase the risk of breast, cervical and liver cancer. Also, smokers, especially those over age 35, who take the pill are at risk of developing life threatening blood clots.

So that's the good and the bad, but what about the stuff they don't tell you? A women quoted in the article insists that she noticed an increase in her sex drive when she quit taking the contraceptive, but admits it could be due to a number of factors. I know a women who insists that her curly hair went completely straight when she went on the pill and another who says that for the first week she starting taking the contraceptive, her emotions went wild.

As usual, the best way to find out if the pill is right for you is to do some research, talk to your doctor and make sure to ask lots of questions and ensure any concerns you have are addressed before you make your choice.

When I'm filled with anxiety, panic, or worry, exercise usually helps. It allows me to clear my head, focus inward, and collect a fresh perspective. There's nothing groundbreaking about my strategy. It helps loads of people who find themselves in all sorts of stressful scenarios.

Health experts have long recommended 30 minutes of moderate daily exercise to relieve stress. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia agree. But they've got an even better recommendation. They say studies show high-intensity workouts pack a much bigger punch against stress than any other form of exercise. Why? There are several theories. We know intense aerobic exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, and these two vital organs bear the brunt of the body's stress response. So the more we exercise, the better these organs respond to negative emotion. Another possibility: Vigorous workouts require major concentration and limit the ability to obsess about weighty matters. It could also be that this type of exercise increases the release of endorphins, our feel-good hormones. The harder we work, the better we feel.

I guess it doesn't really matter why strenuous activity does the trick. It just does. And that's reason enough for me to keep at it.

Although impotence drugs like Viagra help men maintain the physical part of what they need to have sex, how about helping out the "chemical" part as well?

New findings indicate that drugs like Viagra (Cialis too, I would suspect) may boost levels of a hormone that are connected to feelings of love. That's right ladies, he may be able to give you some erectile stamina while he really feels he loves you.

That's the results I see from this study. Viagra was found to control the levels of oxytocin in the brain, which is connected with nursing, childbirth, orgasm and sexual pleasure as well. That's one busy hormone.