One thing he explained was that, in middle age, a woman’s vagina becomes more susceptible to infection after her estrogen levels drop whereas men lose the firmness of their erections due to a loss of testosterone.

He also said that one of the reasons for many divorces is that people lose their lust for each other and it not only results in diminished orgasms but also can lead to a loss of vitality which can affect life expectancy.

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Believe it or not, his advice is pretty simple.  Here are his main tips:

• Take Vitamin D – even if you are out in the sun a lot, you may not be getting enough of this essential vitamin.  Dr. Oz suggests that people take 1,000 units a day.
• Get enough sleep – I know life is busy and there never seems to be enough hours in a day but it’s really important to get a full night’s rest so that your body can recharge and be ready to withstand viruses.
• Exercise -  staying active is an important part of being healthy since it is one of the most powerful ways to stimulate your immune system.  Obviously, don’t overdo it (and let your body rest if you are already sick) but try to commit to fitting in at least 30 minutes of exercise every day.

Sounds easy but in our fast-paced world, making even small changes can be a challenge.  I think the best thing to do is to take it a step at a time and master one thing (like remember to take your vitamins) before adding another. 

Image: Newscom

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With the number of caesarean section births skyrocketing in hospitals, many are wondering if this is because doctors are pushing women into bypassing a natural birth in order to save time.  This, of course, is putting the health of the baby and the mother at an unnecessary risk since c-sections are considered a major surgery.  Many are heralding home births as a way to take the control out of the doctor’s hands while putting the mother in charge of her own birthing experience.

The Today show took a closer look at the issue to find out if these at-home births present any real risks.  They talked to a couple were inspired by Ricki Lake’s documentary, The Business of Being Born, which challenges the need for medical intervention during pregnancy and childbirth.  The couple sought the help of the midwife that was prominently featured in the film and, after a healthy pregnancy, the labor lasted for four days and, despite their concerns, the couple trusted the midwife.  Their baby girl died after being suffocated by her umbilical cord.

Of course, this is just one story in millions but the segment is still very interesting. 

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Matt Lauer talked to a travel expert on the Today show who revealed that resorts are currently slashing prices to accommodate travelers this fall which is great given the current economic conditions.

While airfare prices might stay the same (or even go up) but hotels and resorts are offering discount prices.  A couple deals that they mentioned specifically include the Marriott Vacation Club in Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, which is offering great rates on villas and the St. Regis Punta Mita in Mexico (a five-star resort) is offering up to 50% off their mid-week prices.  What a steal!

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I’ve heard of boat, bus and train tours but never ones that involved running but, if you enjoy the physical activity, this is a great way to see a new city up close and personal while you work up a sweat. 

The Today show looked at the running tours offered in New York City and I thought it was an interesting segment:

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The first tip was to make sure that you wear sunscreen every day since UV rays cause the skin to age and can actually penetrate through the window of your car (so if you drive a lot, one side of your face could look worse than the other!). 

A lot of other tips and products were discussed so this is a great segment to watch if you’re really interested in caring for your skin.  For example, if you’re looking to use Retinol, prescription strength will usually be more expensive than those are are sold over the counter. 

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The Today show took a look at the trend and spoke with Dr. Ian Smith, the author of The 4 Day Diet, about it.  He explained that many of the popular cleanses that a lot of celebrities use are not very healthy.  He went on to say that in order to really detoxify your body, you need to stimulate your liver.   A nutritionist for the New York Giants said that our biggest problem is that we bog down our diet by overeating bad food. 

The main suggestion is that, instead of taking supplements or doing colonics/laxatives, we need to help our body cleanse itself naturally by eating nutrient-rich foods.  It was an interesting segment (even though the experts seemed to be speaking over each other) so, if this is a topic that you’ve been wondering about, it’s worth watching!

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One piece of advice that stood out was that we should try on everything and not just assume that a particular style or cut isn’t going to look right.  I know that I immediately dismiss swimsuits based on what I think won’t work on my body type. 

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Cynthia Sass from Shape magazine served as the expert during the game.   The questions were “True or False” or multiple choice.

• Are there more than 350 calories in one cup macaroni and cheese? (I think it depends on what kind of cheese was used).
• How many calories are in a medium chocolate milkshake?  450, 220 or 700?
• How many calories is in one piece of fried chicken with the skin? 200, 370 or 410?

They also talked about how much exercise you’d have to do to work off the calories you’ve consumed.  I think this was pretty good!  Watch the segment but be prepared to be shocked by some of the answers!

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The Today show looked at swimwear for the entire family from children to seniors.  One thing they mentioned is that it’s important to consider what you will be doing in the swimsuit.  Will you be surfing, lounging around the pool or chasing around kids.  It all matters!  They also said to check out seasonal trends and, of course, price ranges. 

They showed some examples.  I liked the fact that the swimsuit for the mom was a modest two piece since many of us don’t have the body to pull off a bikini but we might need different sizes for our tops and bottoms.  They had the young girls come out in bikinis and I wasn’t overly thrilled.  I think they could have had one in a two-piece and another in a one-piece since not every parent wants their children wearing revealing swimwear.  The dad had on some pink Bermuda shorts and I don’t know if my husband would wear that particular color but the style was nice.  The plus-size grandmother was very brave to come out in her ensemble and I thought she looked great! 

Watch the segment and check out the suits!

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