Between The Sheets

The Holiday Season is usually a time that many of us pack on the pounds – especially those of us who live in colder climates that tend to keep us indoors hibernating! Instead of waiting for New Year’s resolutions to stay healthy and fit, why not start today and stay that way all year round? Want an added motivation? Studies show a direct correlation between physical activity and improved or increased sex drive!

Feeling sexy is all about finding the “healthy you” in and out of the bedroom. For me that happened months ago when I woke up one morning only to look in the mirror and realize that I was aging, looking frumpy in my clothes and just overall not feeling well. I mentioned it to my family, but they weren’t surprised to say the least. After all, I’d been working so hard on my business spending hundreds of days of the year on the road, managing Consultant trainings; I was so busy with work and day-to-day tasks that I neglected to take care of myself. It got to the point where it was hard to get out of bed in the mornings, and I wasn’t sleeping well. Every hour during the night, I’d look at the clock and wonder when I would finally be able to fall asleep!

Like many of you out there, I knew this was related to stress and that I needed to make a change. Needless to say my family “took me hostage” and next thing you know I was sitting at a local Fitness Gym. (As we all know, those who love us always have our best interest at heart.) I started working with a trainer regularly and made it a personal mission to feel better and healthier whatever the cost. Even when I’m traveling, I make sure I’m continuing my regiment and I’ve never felt better! It has truly been a life-altering change for me! I’m sleeping better, my concentration is enhanced. I have reinvented myself!

For those of you who want to get fit but aren’t sure you can afford working with a trainer, below are some great tips on how to get active on a budget:

*Invest in some Yoga or fitness DVD’s and work out at home. Nowadays many cable networks offer Exercise on Demand channels or full-blown exercise networks that are already covered in your monthly bill.

*Walk at least 45 minutes a day or choose to take the stairs over the elevator when you’re out and about.

*Keep a set of 5lb. weights in your bedroom and lift while you are watching your favorite programs.

*Don’t forget to try to maintain a healthy diet. In my book, Pure Romance Between the Sheets, I wrote a chapter on libido and included some foods that are not only bad for you but can actually hamper your sex drive in the process (page 37, Food For Thought).

*Maybe the most fun exercise of all – sex itself! A 130-lb person can burn about seven calories per five minutes of vigorous sex. Keep it up for two hours, and you’ll burn off 177 calories!

Whatever you decide, you will be amazed how revitalized you will feel and how that energy can spill over into the bedroom.

I am so excited to announce that our recent fundraiser was a huge success, raising $70,000 to support women’s sexual health! For those of you who weren’t able to make it out this year, we did an “Evening in Monte Carlo” theme that included dinner, dancing and casino-style gaming. Guests were encouraged to wear 20’s Gatsby attire and participate in a live auction and balloon blast to raise money for this important cause.

One of my favorite parts of the evening was presenting our 2nd Annual Award of Excellence in Women’s Sexual Health. It is so important to recognize those who are currently making a difference in the field of women’s sexual health and this year’s recipient, Dr. Margery Gass, has made amazing strides in the field of menopause. She is an internationally recognized leader in this category and the Executive Director Designate of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS). She is also a foremost authority in women’s sexual health, speaking at conferences all over the world. We couldn’t think of a more deserving recipient than Dr. Gass.

In addition, Dr. Michael Thomas, an OBGYN and Professor at the UC School of Medicine, and one of the Patty Brisben Foundation board members, spoke to the guests about some of the studies that are currently in place as a result of the foundation’s funding. Rick Bryan from the Wellness Community was also on hand to talk about the partnership we have forged to help further support people living with cancer and their family and loved ones.

Overall, it couldn’t have been possible without the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. We look forward to making next year’s event even bigger and better and thank those who continue to support women’s sexual health. We hope to see many new faces in 2010!

Last year, Pure Romance carried a CD that included some of the sexiest and romantic songs you could swing your hips to; it’s no secret that music can have an incredibly powerful effect on its listeners.

This is especially true when it comes to helping you feel better when going through a difficult time or enduring the end of a relationship. Powerful lyrics and melodies can uplift you and give you the strength to pick yourself up and move on. That’s why we thought it would be fun to poll some of our corporate staff to find out what would they thought were the top 20 most empowering, feel-good, or “get-over-a-break-up” songs!

Already Gone – Kelly Clarkson
I will survive – Gloria Gaynor
Before He Cheats – Carrie Underwood
Looking for a New Love – Jodie Watley
Cry Me a River – Justin Timberlake
What Goes Around Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
Speed - Montgomery Gentry
Over You – Daugherty
You Oughta Know – Alanis Morrisette
Landslide – Dixie Chicks
You’ll See – Madonna
Since You’ve Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson

Single Ladies – Beyonce
Already Gone – Eagles
I Hate Everything About You – Ugly Kid Joe
Best Days of Your Life – Kelly Pickler
So What – Pink
Who’s Got Your Money – Tina Parol
Faith – George Michael
Last Goodbye – Jeff Buckley

When was the last time someone told you to hydrate your vagina? Don’t worry about reaching for your reading glasses. You read it right. I would venture to guess it wasn’t any time very recent (if at all!). The truth is no one ever talks to us about it.

Think about it: every woman out there at some time or another has had someone remind them of the importance of taking care of their skin. After all, how many of us have been walking in the mall when someone at a kiosk shouts out, “What moisturizers do you use on your face?” or “Do you want to know how to look 10 years younger?” Not surprising questions considering that many women do use special facial creams and regiments to ensure that their skin is hydrated and in good health. Yet, what people don’t realize is that every part of your party ages and goes through different types of changes and stress. Why should your vagina be any different?

Have you ever lied in bed one night while being intimate with a partner and felt like your mind was there but your body was not? What people don’t realize is that there are so many causes for vaginal dryness including childbirth, menopause, medications, etc. – common occurrences in everyday life. It’s so important not to confuse lubricants with vaginal moisturizers as a way to treat this.

Pure Romance’s Fresh Start is a wonderful product that can help counteract vaginal dryness. It is an estrogen-free vaginal moisturizer, making it great for all women, including those women who cannot or do not want to use hormone replacements. It is gentle and non-irritating and helps alleviate vaginal dryness, as well as the discomfort that accompanies this condition.

It is common for women of all ages to experience vaginal dryness at some point in their life, or even within their menstrual cycle. Vaginal dryness is most common among women going through menopause, due to the decrease in estrogen that occurs at this time. Estimates vary, but as many 40% of menopausal women may experience vaginal dryness.

To use Fresh Start, fill one of the included applicators with the vaginal moisturizer and insert into the vagina, applying the liquid as far into the vaginal canal as possible. The best time to use Fresh Start is before bedtime, allowing the product ample time to absorb into the vaginal tissues. Many women find it helpful to use the product everyday for a week to 10 days, until the start to see their symptoms decrease. After that time, women can use the product two to three times a week as part of a maintenance program, to keep their vaginal tissues moisturized and prevent vaginal dryness.

So next time a girlfriend asks you what you’ve done lately to take care of your face or skin, maybe you should ask them what they’ve done to hydrate their vagina! You may get a surprised look, but you’ll be doing your part to educate someone on this very important issue!

I recently interviewed with Dayton News regarding my thoughts on a new book called “Why Women Have Sex.” The book was written by clinical psychologist, Cindy Meston and evolutionary psychologist, David Buss, and includes interviews of over 1,000 women from all over the world. In doing so, they discovered 237 different reasons that women have sex. Surprisingly to some, love was not at the top of the list.

There’s always been a double standard when it comes to sexual motivation for women vs. men; however, in the 25 years I’ve been working with women and couples, I’ve found that one of the biggest intimacy issues that we come across with our customers is libido. Women aren’t the only ones who are tired from the stress and anxiety that has come from living in such a fast-paced society. I can’t tell you how many women have written in to my Ask Patty column asking how they can get their husbands and boyfriends more in the mood.

Sexual motivation can vary from person to person and the most important thing is that partners are being honest with one another about their desires and needs. In the video above, there were some responses such as “I do it so I can go to sleep or he will leave me alone.” Treating sex in this way is truly doing an injustice to you and your partner. Sexuality should be enjoyed and is an integral part of life; men and women should make an effort to create more pleasure when it comes to their intimate experience, whether by exploring new avenues of intimacy or opening the doors of communication through “intimate” tools and education.

If you find that you’re one of these women who is using sex for anything other than a way to express love and pleasure, it may be time to learn more about how you can take your intimate relationships to the next level.

I’m so excited to share that I was awarded the Key to Loveland today I can’t tell you what an honor it was to have the city in which Pure Romance is headquartered embrace, understand and appreciate the work we are doing to support and empower women and couples everywhere.

To my surprise, the Loveland City Manager and Loveland Area Chamber informed me that this award has only been presented to one other person in the last eight years. I truly thought I was invited to speak and share the Pure Romance story as part of a luncheon preceding a Loveland Expo at Receptions and was unexpectedly honored following my presentation.

I can’t tell you how many times in our travels and in interviews people have been so tickled by the fact that Pure Romance’s headquarters reside in “LOVE-LAND”. They honestly believe the city was named after Pure Romance or vice versa. It’s truly a perfect fit and we couldn’t ask for a better place to hang our corporate hat.

What an amazing day!

One of my favorite local events is the Breast Cancer Brick Auction which just took place this past weekend. The fundraiser features brick-art which is auctioned to benefit breast cancer research, advocacy and patient support in Greater Cincinnati.

‘Bricks Along the Journey’ was begun by Ellen Bernstein Ganson, who, after being diagnosed with breast cancer, channeled her frustration into creating an event that would benefit breast cancer patients and breast cancer research. Local artists were excited to contribute to the cause and today there are over 200 artists who contribute their time and talent to transform crumbled and castaway bricks into beautiful works of art.

Here is the brick that I auctioned on and won called “Waiting”.

Below are some additional pieces. To learn more or see past collections go to www.breastcancerbricks.org.

Growing up in the 60s and 70s, we were always bombarded by the Noxzema commercials and I was fortunate enough to be dubbed the “Noxzema Girl” by a lot of friends and family. Whether it was washing my makeup off before bed or investing in facial creams for dry skin, I had been blessed with healthy skin and learned early on the importance of preserving it.

I’ve always believed that if you’ve been given a gift or positive attribute, you should do your best to take care of it! Starting with a great skin regiment is so important, which is why I was thrilled to recently bring on the new Pure Romance Daily Facial Care Set.

I had actually been using the products from this set for several years prior to bringing it on as part of the Pure Romance line. Throughout my travels, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting some of the most renowned spas in the world and time after time the estheticians would refrain from recommending the facials! They would tell me that whatever product I was using I needed to continue doing so. I also discovered that this same exact facial set was being sold in many of these upper-echelon spas for upwards of $350 and $400. Pure Romance is about offering high quality products at practical prices which is why we are excited to announce that we are offering this set for only $85.

If you don’t pamper yourself already, it’s time to start. Women are often so busy taking care of everyone else, we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves – and it shows! I can’t tell you how many women write into me every day and talk about how they don’t take care of themselves and how it directly affects their self-image and intimate relationships. I believe one of the best ways to increase excitement in the bedroom is to make time to pamper yourself.

We are so excited that Pure Romance has introduced this product and that we are able to give back to women and ensure that when they look in the mirror they will feel both healthy and beautiful.

As many of you know, Pure Romance has been taking part in Empowerment Summits throughout the country training and empowering our Consultants to take their businesses to the next level. During this all day training I get the opportunity to do what I love to do: educate our Consultants about Pure Romance’s products. This past Empowerment Summit I attended, some of the Consultants raised very important questions they receive from their customers regarding our lubricants.

Below are some of those questions and answers which I will hope shed some light on this must-have product.

Q: What is the difference from a Pure Romance lubricant and a lubricant that I can buy at the grocery store?
A: The first major difference between a Pure Romance lubricant and one that you can buy at the grocery store is the privacy you receive when purchasing our products. You don’t run the risk of running into your boss or one of your children’s teachers when you are purchasing a Pure Romance lubricant. The second difference is the quality of our lubricants. I make sure that Pure Romance lubricants are of the highest quality. The lubricants sold in grocery and drug stores have a high concentration of ingredients that can often irritate the skin over time. Pure Romance has the lowest amount of these ingredients. We formulate our lubricants for all women, even those who are highly sensitive.

Q: If a customer has sensitive skin but wants to try a flavored lubricant what should I tell her? A: We carry two different types of lubricants: our every day lubricants and our playful lubricants. Our every day lubricants are gentle and formulated for women who are sensitive. I would advise a woman who has sensitive skin to stick with an every day lubricant. If she wants to try a playful lubricant, I would advise her to place a pea size amount on the inside of her elbow before bed. If she wakes up rash free then she should be okay to experiment with the playful lubricant during intimate activities.

Q: Do lubricants affect a woman’s fertility?
A: Lubricants do not “kill” sperm, or else they would be listed as a form of contraception. However, lubricants can decrease the concentration and mobility of sperm in the vagina, but this does not pose a problem for women who aren’t experiencing fertility issues. Lubrication can make intercourse more enjoyable, which may increase the frequency of times you try to conceive, which can indirectly increase the likelihood of conception.

To learn more about the lubricants we offer, go to the Lubricant section of the PureRomance.com website.

For those of you who were watching football this past weekend, you probably noticed the pink gloves, sneakers, ball cap bills and the like – all in support of breast cancer awareness. It’s officially Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it’s SO important to get out and do your part for this important cause!

I kicked off the month at the Pink Ribbon Luncheon at the Duke Energy Center Thursday, October 1st, where Pure Romance was a sponsor. The Luncheon was preceded by a women’s health-themed panel which featured 7 local physician experts answering many of the common questions asked by their female patients.

Chris Collingsworth emceed the “Gems and Jeans” event which featured adorable country-themed table centerpieces (blackberry cameras don’t always do it justice!)

and headlined with a concert by two-time Grammy award winning country music singer and songwriter Lee Ann Womack. She did quite a few of her songs and some covers (my favorite cover was “Help Me Make It Through the Night”). And of course, the song she is most famous for and so many of us love, “I Hope You Dance”:

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The Pink Ribbon Luncheon has raised more than 1.4 million dollars over the past 8 years for the Pink Ribbon programs!