Today Health News

If you have been smoking for a while now, you must have observed a few changes on your face. The darkening of lips, appearance of wrinkles, staining of teeth, the smokers pout, etc. But do you know what causes these changes? With every cigarette you smoke, the tar gets stuck to your lips, staining and discolouring them and the heat only worsens it. All the sucking and puffing also gives you a lot of wrinkles around the mouth and also a smoker’s pout that is least attractive. Here are 25 things that happen inside your body when you smoke.

Will kicking the butt reverse all these changes? Yes, it will. But it’s a slow process and there is no substitute to quitting, you can try these remedies to get rid of those smoker’s lips.

1. Exfoliation: If you want to get rid of the discoloration you should regularly scrub or exfoliate your lips. The easiest way to do it is to scrub them applying some petroleum jelly and rubbing them with the help of a soft toothbrush for a couple of minutes. Wash them off with water and gently dry them. You can apply some petroleum jelly or a lip balm to protect your lips from drying. You can try these different scrubs for softer and pinker lips.

2. Hydration: Smoking leads to dehydration and the immediate effects are seen on one’s lips. It is best to drink at least eight glasses of water every day and prevent further pigmentation and cracking of lips.

3. Depigmentation: No you don’t need to use those harsh chemicals on your lips to get rid of those dark spots. A pack made from a few easily available kitchen ingredients works fine. Mix some lemon juice and  honey and apply it on your lips. It not only bleaches them but also leaves your lips supple. You can also use glycerine or turmeric instead of honey.

4. Avoiding too much lipstick/lip colour: Regular use of lipsticks and lip colours damages the lips even more. It is best to avoid using them, but if you cannot avoid them, ensure the ones you use are of good quality. Use lip products that have vitamin E, shea butter, jojoba oil as they nourish lips and prevent darkening.

5. Cutting down on tea/coffee: Caffeine too stains your lips and teeth, and tannin in tea has an even worse effect on your lips staining them permanently. Limit your daily intake of tea and coffee to prevent the damage.

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Maintain Your  Sexual Health

 1.   Sex tonight- Having intercourse regularly helps to keep your sex drive in high gear by increasing the production of testosterone, which is the hormone mainly responsible for libido in both men and women.

2.   Spend tonight planning a steamy vacation. Even if you don't go, spending time together picturing where you'd go, looking at photos on the Web, and imagining yourself in some tropical paradise will be enough of a libido booster to get you to be early. Plus, it is a lot more stimulating to talk about than why your teenager is failing geometry.

3.   Women: Practice Kegel exercises. You know what Kegels are they're the squeezing exercises your doctor told you to do after pregnancy or because you were having a bit of a problem with leaking urine. What Doc probably didn't tell you is that they're also great for strengthening the pubococcygeus muscle, essential for orgasm.  To do Kegels, take note of the muscle you use to stop urinary flow, then practice contracting that muscle, gradually releasing it. Work up to 20 contractions three times a day.

4.   Make pesto and serve it over pasta tonight. Pesto contains pine nuts, great sources of arginine, the precursor for nitric oxide, a main ingredient in drugs like Viagra. Arginine helps open blood vessels so blood flow improves.

5.    Open your eyes when you kiss and when you are, um, intimate. Looking into your partner's eyes during such times sends an incredible message of trust and honesty.

6.    Turn the timer on for 15 minutes and talk to him (or her) about anything other than kids, money problems, or work annoyances. Tell him about the dream you had last night. The cute teenager you saw at the diner who reminded you of yourself when you were in high school. The great presentation you made today and how it made you feel. When the timer goes off, it's your partner's turn.

7.    Send the kids away and stay home together. Make love in a different part of the house. It can be as steamy as in your bathtub or as romantic as on a blanket in front of your fireplace.

8.    Pretend you've just met. Remember that weak-in-the-knees, shivers-up-your-back feeling you used to get when you first met? You can have that again. Call her and ask her out on a date. Dress up for lunch with him.

9.    Use a book or movie. Invite your partner to read a book about women's sexual health, or recommend chapters or sections that highlight your questions and concerns. You might also use a movie scene as a starting point for a discussion.

10.   Your differences in sexual desire. In any long-term relationship, couples may experience differing levels of sexual desire. Discuss your differences and try to explore options that will satisfy both of you.