I’m not being cute… there’s emerging evidence that the sun may help improve testosterone levels in men–boosting not only the desire, but also the ability.

Austrian researchers found what appears to be a link between vitamin D production and testosterone. In a study of 2,299 men published in Clinical Endocrinology, the researchers found that men with the most vitamin D also had the most testosterone.

Not only that, but the two hormones–yes, vitamin D is a hormone–rose and fell together with the seasons, peaking in August and bottoming out in March.

In other words, all the sex drugs in the world may not be as effective as something that’s literally out of this world.

That’s something to celebrate… because sex drugs are a mistake. I’ve told you before about some of the problems with these meds: headaches, vision problems, hearing loss, difficulty breathing and–of course–those notorious and painful prolonged erections.

Those drug-inducted erections that just won’t go away are called priapisms, and require a trip to the emergency room. Needles and even scalpels are often involved in the treatment–trust me, it’s a risk you don’t want to even think about, much less take.

Especially not when you have other options.

If you’re already fairly robust–congratulations. You’re most of the way there. If you find you need a boost to get things working the way they used to, get some sun and eat more food with zinc. If you still need some help, see a natural doctor about testosterone injections.

If you’re out of shape, you have a little more work to do. Sorry, but there’s no magic pill–you’ll need to eat better and get yourself moving again before your sex life is really ready for a comeback.

But once you get healthy, you’ll be surprised at how many parts start working better… including your manhood.

As I told you just a few weeks ago, sex doesn’t just feel good. It has real health benefits, too. Men who have sex more often even have a lower risk for heart attack and heart disease.

So whether it takes a little more time in the sun or some extra work getting yourself back into shape, get it done so you can get back to doing it.

Studies have found that one possible key to a great relationship isn’t the number of times people say “I love you” to each other, but their choice of pronouns. Couples who use words like “we,” “us” and “ours” to describe themselves and their belongings are generally more satisfied than those who say “I,” “me” and “mine.”

The latest study, published in Psychology and Aging, says the “we” folk even handle stress during disagreements better than the “me” people.

Researchers looked at 154 couples–all middle aged or older–and had them air their grievances for 15 minutes.

Must have been a pleasant room.

The researchers found that people who used words like “we” had better heart rates and blood pressure during these disagreements. They were calmer. And based on questionnaires they also filled out, they were on the whole more satisfied with their marriage than those who used words like “I” and “mine.”

It’s a cute study… but let’s not get too carried away. Your relationship is about how you treat each other–and while the words you choose may offer a glimpse into how you think of each other and how well you solve problems together, there’s also such a thing as reading too deeply into these little cues.

Getting back to the story I told you about earlier, sex can play as big or role–or bigger–than your word choice in your marital health as well as your personal health.

Studies have found sex even tops money when it comes to overall happiness. One 2004 study found that frequent sex can have the same impact on happiness as $100,000, and that increasing sex from once a month to once a week is like getting another $50,000–at least as far as happiness is concerned. I don’t think they accept sexual satisfaction at the bank.

Yet in response to the new study, some people are already working on the language they use rather than the substance of their marriage. One couple profiled on MSNBC is practicing saying “we” instead of “me.”

But really, at the end of the day the issue isn’t whether you ask “How happy am I?” or “How happy are we?”

It’s how you answer that question together that will ultimately show what your marital bonds are really made of.

Reference:

Love’s language: Couples who say ‘we’ happier
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35261776/ns/health-behavior/

The study, published in Psychopathology, finds that 1.2 percent of Internet users are addicted to the Web, and that these people are more likely to suffer from moderate to severe depression.

I can see the warning labels now… “Excessive computer use will make you sad and lonely.” Maybe future machines will come prepared to display ads for antidepressants if you spend too much time online.

All kidding aside, you might think it would never come to that… but the researchers behind this study believe this shows a “darker side” to Internet use.

They believe some people have an uncontrollable urge to spend as much time as possible online… to the point where it interferes with their regular activities and keeps them from interacting with people in person.

But don’t disconnect the computer yet.

It’s the old chicken-or-the-egg argument. Is the Internet causing these people to become depressed and withdrawn… or are depressed and withdrawn people more likely to spend more time on the Internet? Even the study’s authors say they’re not sure.

Everything I’ve seen so far makes me think it’s the latter. And if that’s the case, we shouldn’t be warning people away from the Web… but using the Internet more constructively to reach out to these people and get them the help they need.

The real trick isn’t keeping those people off the Internet… it’s going to be finding them and helping them before Big Pharma intercepts them. Type “depression” into a search engine and the first choices that appear are usually sponsored links that redirect to drug ads.

Now that’s the REAL dark side to Internet use.

Researchers looked at 81 people between the ages of 13 and 25 who were showing some of the early warning signs of schizophrenia: paranoia, suspicion, belief in magical powers, and changing sleep patterns.

They gave 41 of these patients fish oil for three months… and the rest a placebo.

One year later, only two of the 41 fish oil patients (5 percent) became full-blown psychotics, versus 11 of the 40 (28 percent) in the placebo group.

The study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry was a relatively small one, so it’s still early… but the results so far are encouraging enough that I’m sure Big Pharma’s drug pushers are already experiencing some mental disorders of their own.

The research doesn’t suggest that a schizophrenic might benefit from fish oil — although it wouldn’t hurt to add some, since we all need these fatty acids for so many other reasons. But it does show that many of the people at risk for this condition might be able to dodge that bullet it if they simply boost their omega-3 intake.

Researchers believe the people who suffer from these conditions may have a problem with the fatty acids in their brains — and that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil could help undo the damage.

If it holds up to further study, it would be a huge leap forward. Some 2.4 million Americans take powerful, dangerous and even deadly antipsychotic drugs to deal with conditions like schizophrenia.

And yet the real solution may have been swimming in plain sight all along.

You can bet Big Pharma will fight this tooth and fin — so expect an all-out effort to discredit this research. After all, people on meds for these conditions are usually lifetime customers, and they’re not going to give up that easy cash without a fish fight.

In other words, take the next wave of research on this with an extra grain of sea salt.

Speaking of these great fatty acids, just last week, I mentioned a new study that found people with the lowest levels of fish oil in their diets had the highest risk of dental disorders. (Read How fish oil helps the mouth.“)

Where the researchers behind that study found that fish oil appears to lower the inflammation the leads to oral health problems, the authors of a new study found that these fatty acids can also fight the bacteria that live in your mouth.

That study, published in Molecular Oral Microbiology, finds that even low doses of omega-3 fatty acids can inhibit bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, Candida albicans, and Porphyromonas gingivalis — better known to you and me as disease-causing nasties.

If you’re not eating fish yet, get started — and if you don’t like seafood, pick a good high-quality fish oil supplement. With its benefits on the heart and circulation and new research showing how it can help both your mouth and mind, it’s a fatty acid that could truly boost your head-to-toe health.