Sabine Walter

An anonymous writer put it this way: "Friends in your life are like pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you. Sometimes it's just enough to know they're standing by." ©Seventyfour / Adobe StockWriter Elisabeth Foley points out that friendship doubles your joy and divides your grief, and that the most beautiful discovery that true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.

If a couple tries to conceive but can’t seem to do it, one of the first things that doctors look for is a problem with the man’s sperm. Sperm compose about 5 to 10 percent of semen, and are the only part of the semen that can cause pregnancy. If a man is infertile, there is a problem with his sperm — often a low sperm count or low motility.

Understanding women's sexual (or reproductive) organs such as the vagina, uterus, and vulva is as integral to sex as understanding the penis. Demystifying female anatomy is key to good sexual functioning, whether you're a mature, experienced adult or looking to learn about women's sexual organs for the first time.

Many people have the erroneous notion that oral sex is completely safe because no one ever became pregnant through oral sex. But oral sex isn't entirely safe when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). With more people engaging in oral sex, more people are catching STDs through oral sex. It is absolutely essential, if you want a healthy sex life, that you know how to have oral sex safely — for you and your partner.

Premature ejaculation is a common but stressful concern, and not just among young men. A premature ejaculator can’t keep himself from ejaculating (or “coming”) before he wants to. The cause is not physical, but mental. In other words, it’s not the man’s penis that is “malfunctioning,” but his brain. The upside is that a man can learn how to control his orgasms and avoid premature ejaculation with time and discipline.

What is sex, exactly? In other words, what "counts" as having sex? And when do you stop being a virgin? Sexual relations cover activities beyond intercourse: They also include outercourse, oral sex, and anal sex. So what are the differences and how do they impact virginity? One thing that all forms of sex (outercourse, oral sex, anal sex, and intercourse) have in common is that they involve two people giving each other the pleasure that comes from having an orgasm.

Pelvic inflammatory disease, or PID, is the term used for a genital infection in a woman that has spread into the deeper organs of her reproductive system, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, or the structures around the ovaries. PID isn't really a sexually transmitted disease, per se, but may be a consequence of an STD, usually either gonorrhea or chlamydia.

If your doctor discourages vaginal sex during pregnancy, you might naturally consider oral or anal sex, instead. Before engaging in oral or anal sex during pregnancy, be aware of the warnings. Oral sex and pregnancy Oral sex during pregnancy is safe and can be a great substitute for vaginal sex. The woman can still safely have orgasms — and if oral sex is part of the couple’s repertoire, including swallowing the semen, the woman can continue doing this during her pregnancy.

Variety makes life more interesting. If you always go to the same restaurant, that repetition can get boring, and boredom doesn’t help keep those romantic fires burning. By trying a new place, you get to sample new foods and a new atmosphere. The experience will give you new things to talk about, even if the new restaurant isn’t as good as your regular haunt.