As the editor of the biggest men’s magazine in the world, I am privy to something many women rarely hear – straightforward, uninhibited guy talk.

Don’t be so shocked – guys do actually talk, and not just about Tom Brady’s quarterback rating. Most women think their man is the strong, silent type (or maybe the oblivious, silent type), and they wonder why he doesn’t share his feelings.

But here’s the truth: Men do want to open up, about their hopes, their fears, and their passions. Yet put him alone in a room with you, and he often turns into a Sphinx.

Why can’t he take his eyes off the TV and talk about the state of the relationship, or the finances, or, heck, the backyard landscaping? Why in the world can’t he just summarize his day for 10 minutes?

In fact, one in five women say that they typically fight about a man’s lack of verbal interaction, and 30 percent of men say their failure to communicate is the source of major conflict in the relationship. Why is it this way?

Here’s one answer: Because even men who have feelings to share don’t always feel comfortable sharing them with their partner. These are some of the reasons why some men often prefer to zip it, rather than delivering the goods:

Guys Are A Little Intimidated
No question, women are expert communicators. They throw questions like Oprah after her third cup of coffee; they’re connecting on all cylinders. And like the divine Ms. W, women bring a lot of skill to their game: A special awareness of the people-scape around them, a keen set of emotions keyed to that awareness, and a rich vocabulary they use to talk about anything at anytime.

And they’re always practicing their Q&A skills on their many friends, so they’re in top talk mode all the time. Men know this. And they also know that more than one-third of women say that men simply can’t relate and don’t understand women. The result: Men are afraid of saying too much, because saying the wrong thing may get them into more trouble than Lindsay Lohan as a designated driver.

Guys Need To Decompress
Woman’s view: When a man walks in the door, he ought to cough up some of the details about his day. After all, it’s been 10 hours since they’ve communicated, not counting the two IMs, three voice mails, and one actual mid-day conversation.

Man’s view: Can I please make a beeline to the bathroom? When men reach home, it’s like those ultra-marathoners staggering across the finish line in Death Valley. The last thing they want to do is discuss how bright the sunlight was, and how scarce the water stops were.

Further up on his want-to-do list after arriving home: 14 percent of men want to check email, 12 percent are looking for a little private time in the bathroom, and 10 percent simply want to eat dinner. The common theme here: After they’ve spent a day serving the needs of others, they want to take care of themselves a little.

So when a man is hit with a demand for conversation so closely after returning from the stressful environment of work, he has only one gear left to shift into, and sometimes it’s reverse. He’s retreat, retreat, retreat.

Guys Are More Comfortable With Actions Than Feelings
Rather than talking about how he “feels,” often a man would rather express his love by changing her oil, or bringing home a flower, or relinquishing control of the remote.

And when men do talk, they’d prefer to talk about actions rather than emotions. For instance, a lot of guys would choose to express their long-range faith in a relationship by talking about next summer’s vacation plans, not by launching into a soliloquy about undying love.

Both conversations can mean the same thing (that he plans on sticking around); he just prefers to say it with plane tickets, rather than poetry. It’s one of the reasons men are more comfortable talking at work (the practical universe) than they are at home (the castle that emotion built). But you can bring out his great communicator by making him feel more like he’s operating in work mode, even when the topic at hand is your love life. Here’s an incredible article, “The Home Office,” that shows how he can use his best office skills for great success at home.

Guys Don’t Want To Be Put On The Spot
When men talk less and women want more, the scenario can escalate. Like when the bad cop is pummeling the reluctant witness, more silence equals more questions. A full 65 percent of men we surveyed recently told us they don’t want their partners to ask them more questions about themselves.

It’s clear that some men are just plain tired of feeling like they’re on the witness stand. They’re not necessarily hiding anything; many guys simply prefer not to have to relate confusing feelings that they may not even understand themselves.

It was recently discovered that middle-aged men and women who engage in too much physical activity might be at risk for developing arthritis.

According to a study that was released during the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), it was found that those with higher physical activity levels were at a greater risk for developing knee abnormalities, which could lead to osteoarthritis.

Researchers looked at 136 women and 100 men, aged 45 to 55, and were of healthy weight. The participants were given a questionnaire to determine their physical activity levels and then were separated into groups based on their answers.

“The prevalence of the knee abnormalities increased with the level of physical activity,” said researcher Dr. Christoph Stehling. “In addition, cartilage defects diagnosed in active people were more severe.”

The study also found that physical activity levels determined the risk for osteoarthritis, and that gender and age were not factors in the results.

Nutritional supplements such as fish oil and zinc may help ease arthritis pain for those who are suffering from the condition.

The first thing you should know, if you don’t already, is that women LOVE to be touched. Touch is very important to all humans, but it is, generally, much more important to women, and they respond very strongly to touch.

It is a powerful reward to a woman when you touch her, and it can instantly make her feel great. Now, of course, some women are more reserved about it…some are more formal and are not comfortable feeling such good feelings with someone until they know them well.

Some women are just closed off and don’t like anyone to enter their space, and even in a relationship, they resist having another person touch them so easily…And some women simply do not like being touched. They find it unpleasant and they recoil from it.

But the truth is, women in those last two categories (ABSOLUTELY those in the last one) have had some trauma in their lives, probably child sexual abuse, that has damaged them to the extent that they can’t accept this natural and beautiful form of shared pleasure. That’s a sad truth of the world.

For the other women, depending on their degree of shyness, touch is always a pleasure and a treat…assuming they like the guy that is touching them, and it’s appropriate to the relationship. By appropriate, I mean, a female friend might love it if you rub her shoulders, but might be uncomfortable with something more “romantic,” like caressing her hair and cheek.

I am going to talk about touching in a romantic context, whether it be on a first date or with your wife of 20 years. And I’m not talking about directly sexual touching.

Sensual touching is an art that you should definitely spend some time mastering — because it will be incredibly rewarding to both you and the woman in your life.

1.  Touch her more. However much you are already touching your girlfriend, wife, or lover…you can do it more often. I can’t emphasize enough how much of an emotional connection and bond can be formed by this simple action. Women link many feelings of sexuality,love, and trust with the sensations that are aroused in them when a man puts his hands on her.

It can make her feel both sexually excited and safe at the same time. It can also make her body release certain chemicals into her blood that make her feel more attraction to and more comfort with the man that she is with.

How’s that for the simplest tip ever?

Try it out. I promise that it is as effective as it is simple.

2. Look into her eyes. Well, here’s one that’s even more simple…but again…it’s so much more powerful than it sounds. When you are putting your hand on her, whether you are caressing or squeezing…or petting or holding or any other kind of touching…Look into her eyes as you are doing it.

You will find that if you hold eye contact with a woman — even if she looks down for a moment — she will be drawn into your gaze and that you can hold her there. This will add an amazing amount of emotional intensity to your touch. She will feel it deeply in her body.

You may think, heck, I already look at her when I touch her…But just try this — try being aware of intentionally holding her eye contact as you touch her.

I think you will find that it makes a very big difference.

3.Try touching her in new ways. There are particular types of touching that women find more romantic, more sensual, and more arousing than others. And, of course, since all women are different, you’re going to have to do some experimenting to find out what the woman in your life responds to most. The key is to really tune in to her and notice how she is responding. That tuning in or “Paying Attention” that I always talk about, is actually the really important part of this tip…

But here are a few ways you should try touching her — most women respond very positively towards ALL of them.

Pay attention to see which ones your girl goes for:

# Use the very tips of your fingers and run them very, very lightly, so that it is almost a tickle, anywhere (or everywhere) on her skin.

# Stroke her gently, but not tentatively with the entire face of your hand. Try running it up her back, her neck, her legs, arms, or the side of her face.

# Just hold her firmly. This can be such a powerful feeling for a woman. Just place your hand on her shoulder, the back of her neck, her thigh, arm, or hand…and just hold her. Let her feel your masculine strength, but don’t, obviously, hurt her. If you do this right, she should feel the tenderness and protectiveness behind your touch.

# Cup her with your hand, and stroke gently with your thumb…This combines the first idea of gentle finger tips with the last one of holding her firmly…

I particularly like to hold the back of her neck and then gently stroke her cheek with my thumb…while looking into her eyes. Also try holding the back of her head and stroking her temple, or hold her arm and stroke her shoulder, or her thigh and stroke her knee.

Add eye contact to all of these and she will melt.

# Pet her hair. I have never met a woman who does not enjoy having her hair stroked. For girls with straight hair, you can let your fingers run through it. If she has curly hair, just pet, so that you don’t get stuck and start yanking on her knots!

To really send her into orbit, start at her neck and use your fingers to pet upwards into her hair along her scalp. You can bring a woman very close to orgasm with this one.

4.Feel With Your Feelings. I saved the best one for last…but it is also the one that is most complicated to explain, and can be more challenging for some men to master. That’s because, as guys, we’re just not as “in touch with our feelings” as women are. But this is of HUGE importance if you really want to rock her world in ways that will make her forget any other guy she has ever been with.

The basic truth is: A woman can FEEL, not just the physical sensation of your hand on her skin, but also she can FEEL the emotional content of your touch.

I know this sounds a little bit “out there,” but again, as always, I challenge you to TRY it before you dismiss it because this is really an incredibly powerful truth. When you touch a woman while thinking sexual thoughts about her, and when you focus that intent into your touch, she will FEEL it very strongly… and her body will respond to it. That sexual energy will flow from you and into her.

Likewise, when you feel tender feelings of attraction and protectiveness for your woman, and you stroke her hair, it makes her feel loved and safe. And there is nothing that will provide you both with a more amazing night of mind-melting sex than when the woman in your arms feels loved and safe.

I know that I’m leaving a lot out here, and that, especially this last tip is kind of hard to wrap your brain around. The truth is, that this issue of touching with emotion is part of a MUCH bigger picture of understanding women and female sexuality, and just too big a topic for this article.

However, don’t hesitate to get started by using the great tips above. You will be amazed that even these brain-dead simple tips
can make a huge difference in how women respond to you sexually.

If you are in a relationship, you will be even more amazed at the positive changes that just a tiny bit of information can cause. You can go to a marriage counselor, or talk to a therapist, or read books on “communicating” better, but there is NOTHING in my experience that improves a relationship more or strengthens the bond between a man and a woman than touch and sex.

Eggs are rich in cholesterol, which in high amounts can cause blocked arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. The study, conducted by a team of researchers at Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, found that middle-aged men who ate seven or more eggs a week increased their risk of earlier death, while for diabetic men eating any eggs at all raised their risk.
Seven egg limit Men without diabetes could eat up to six eggs a week with no extra risk of death, said Dr Luc Djousse and Dr Michael Gaziano of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, but more than six spelled trouble.

“Up to six eggs a week was not associated with the risk of all-cause mortality,” the doctors wrote in their study. “[However], consumption of [seven or more] eggs a week was associated with a 23 percent greater risk of death.”

Diabetic men, on the other hand, moved into the danger zone even after eating one egg. “Among males with diabetes, any egg consumption is associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality, and there was suggestive evidence for a greater risk of MI [heart attack] and stroke.”

Other factors Of course, a long list of other factors can also affect the risk of heart attack and stroke, but the study highlighted the fact that many of these additional factors can be brought on by the consumption of eggs.

The men who ate the most eggs were found to be older, fatter, ate more vegetables but less cereal, were more likely to drink alcohol and smoke, and less likely to exercise.

Yes, we’re all getting older but that doesn’t mean you have to look old, too, and there’s an easy way to keep your skin looking young and feeling soft.

First, watch what you eat. Go for good, healthy food, mountains of crunchy vegetables, crates of juicy fruits and maybe some vegetarian options, too, but stay away from the processed, ready-made meals, junk food and take-aways that you know are not good for you.
Second, drink plenty of water and, I know its painful, but ease off the beer and coffee and have a glass of water instead or drink some of the water as green tea. Green tea is a bit of an acquired taste but it is vital to healthy and young-looking skin. It also contains less caffeine than regular tea and far more good things to help you stay fit and looking good all round.

Third, keep your skin clean. Men generally have oilier skin so make sure you clean your skin well every day to get rid of all the dirt that blocks the pores. Go for natural ingredients in your soap or gel and try to stay away from too many chemicals. A good scrub removes dead cells and encourages new cell formation to make your skin look young and feel smooth.

Lastly, find out about sunblock and use a good one when you are outside. Remember, sunshine is not your friend and will make your skin look prematurely old if you let it.

Try this over the Winter and start the holiday season next year with a new, smoother and better looking skin.

This week I decided to tap some real personal assets: my guy friends. Whenever I need sex advice, I turn to them! This time, I wanted to find out what I may or may not be doing wrong in bed. Hey, they know being friends with a sexy lady like me means they’ll eventually have to divulge the dirty deets on how they like to get down, or in this case, how they don’t. Here’s what these stallions told me they hate during nakey time—uncensored.

1. Ask Before You Surprise Me With A Finger In The Butt: You would think, with the prostate and all, most men would like an extra finger. Yet, I heard this straight from the mouth of a straight man: “Guys talk about a lot of dirty stuff. But I’ve never heard one of my friends being happy they got an oil check they didn’t ask for.”  Guess the male G-spot is the safe way to go.
2. Don’t Make Cute Noises When We Cuddle: Guys know they have to hold you after sex. Heck, you know they get warm fuzzies too. But making adorable animal noises isn’t a good way to say thank you. They’re creepy. You don’t want him to think your sexual style mimics a crazy cat lady.
3. Don’t Kiss Me All Over My Body: Sure, girls love this kind of pampering attention. But guys are thinking, “Why doesn’t she just get to the point and give me a blow job?”
4. I’m Not Your Doll; Don’t Try To Hold Me: Back to the post-sex spooning: He should go for it, yes. You can feel free to snuggle up on him on the sofa. But whatever you do, do not try to hold a man unless he goes in for it. This isn’t about hugs; this is about spooning and the like.
5. Don’t Fart On Me: “If you need to fart, you need to say something. And get off my face first.” My guy friend responded to my question with the most hilarious two sentences I’ve ever heard. Seriously, lady folks, don’t ruin a good thing by making him have a Pavlovian response to your booty bell.
6. Sex Isn’t A Weapon: Sex is not the atomic bomb of booty. It will not end a conflict, and holding out won’t bring a man to his knees. Using sex as a power play perverts its actual goodness. So don’t mess it up!
7. Shut Up When We’re Naked: Don’t try to get a man to finally say he loves you—or try to win an argument—while you’re having sex. Sex is sex. Don’t confuse it with the communication your relationship really needs. The only talk that can happen is the dirty kind.
8. Don’t Kiss And Tell: What happens between the sheets is our little secret. Don’t tell your friends how big his d**k is, that you fake orgasms all the time, or divulge freaky-deaky stuff you do together. If he wanted to broadcast your sex life, you would have made a porno.
9. Don’t Lie Back And Expect Me To Do All The Work: It takes two to tango. So, start using your smooth moves. If you’re not going to contribute, he might as well just masturbate.
10. Don’t Forget The Balls: They’re like the man-clit. Sure, they’re hairy and wrinkly, but your junk isn’t exactly sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows. So, if you want to love a man right, don’t ignore his sweet spot.

Guilty as charged, right? The thing is, a nutritional edge is such an easy advantage to claim. Your premeeting, pregame, pre-bacchanalia foods can bring mind and body in tune, and supply you with fuel that will sustain you through the last Power Point, the final fit with the caddie, the last snog in the corner.

To help you find that edge, we consulted a team of Machiavellian nutritionists and tactical snackers to determine the absolute best foods to send you into the fray and welcome you home. On your mark, get set, eat.

When You’re Playing Catch-up at Work

You’ve spent the last 3 days cruising the Internet and napping in an empty third-floor office, but now you’ve got to produce.

* Eat: Small meals with snacks in between. Start the morning with a low-fat blueberry muffin and a cup of whole grain cereal with low-fat milk. An hour or two later, grab an ounce or two of cheese and a banana. At noon, go Chinese — chicken or vegetable stir-fry and steamed rice is ideal. In the afternoon have more snacks: an orange at 2, and a pack of peanut-butter cookies or a bag of nuts at 4.

* When: Try to eat once every 2 hours.

* Why: Frequent snacking prevents the dips in blood sugar that lead to Brian Wilson-like lulls in productivity. “Large meals trigger a surge of energy-sapping insulin, but small meals help to keep insulin and energy levels at their peak,” says Jackie Berning, a University of Colorado nutritionist.

* Avoid: Too much protein without carbs to counterbalance it. Since your brain runs on carbohydrates, you need a steady supply in order to perform at your peak.

After Your Workout

When you’re not savoring the pump or preening by the water fountain…

* Eat: An energy bar with a four-to-one ratio of carbohydrates to protein and a big glass of water. A chocolate-chip Clif bar has a perfect ratio of 40 grams of carbs to 10 grams of protein.
* When: As soon as you finish your last rep

* Why: The minutes following a workout are the easiest time to replenish your carbohydrate reserves. And the four-to-one ratio of carbs and protein is ideal for triggering a spike in your body’s production of insulin. “Having extra insulin in your system after working out stimulates protein synthesis, making your body’s muscle-building system more effective,” says Thomas Incledon, director of sports nutrition for Human Performance Specialists.

* Avoid: Calorie-dense protein shakes. Drink 1,500 calories after burning 1,000 calories and you still gain weight.

When You Have a Tee Time

John Daly can drive the ball 350 yards after eating Taco Bell food, but you’d better hope you’re not downwind in the gallery. Instead of going Mexican, you should…

* Eat: A cup of low-fat yogurt and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat bread

* When: 1 to 2 hours before tee time

* Why: “The yogurt and peanut butter provide 20 grams of protein, which will slow digestion and keep your energy levels high for an entire round of golf,” says Roxanne Moore, a nutritionist at Towson University.

* Avoid: A pre-greens pizza feast. “Spices and tomatoes can trigger an upset stomach,” says McMurray.

Before a Marathon

Try to sneak a bite of whatever the Kenyans are eating. But if they won’t share…

* Eat: An energy bar and a large glass of water

* When: Half an hour before race time

* Why: The carbs will give you the energy you need to make it to that last mile.

* Avoid: Skipping breakfast. Eat an egg and a small bowl of oatmeal, and drink a cup of low-fat milk.

During a Long Bike Ride

You can pack your bag with hard-to-swallow sports gels, or you can go for something a bit closer to real food.

* Eat: Dehydrated fruit, low-fat granola bars, and Fig Newtons

* When: At the bottom of that next grueling hill

* Why: “You need to keep your energy up and stay hydrated,” says Robert McMurray, a professor of sports nutrition at the University of North Carolina. “Fruit and granola are ideal.”