The Secret To Put The 'Juice' Back Into Your Relationship

Both men and women pull out all the stops to find love. They work out, dress well and keep themselves well-groomed, but when they find a match, they think to themselves, "Well, now that I'm in a relationship, I don't need to make an effort anymore. And besides, I'm too busy ... "

But this kind of thinking can be disastrous. If you want to keep the romance alive, it is important to not only look good for your partner, but feel good in your own skin. You want to be vibrant, healthy and able to physcially do the things that you want to do. It's a common complaint among men: once a woman gets married, she lets herself go. It's an understandable fear for a man to have, since men are visual and need to like what they see in order to become sexually aroused.

Obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970's (according to the National Center for Health Statistics, 2009). Two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. Why are we getting so fat so fast? According to cardiologist Dr. William Davis, wheat is the number one food item causing Americans to gain weight.

According to Dr. Davis, the vast majority of wheat grown and harvested today is only a distant ancestor of the real wheat that your forebears ate. Over the years, wheat has been genetically modified in order for American farmers to produce a high-yield crop of dwarf-size plants that was never tested to see if it was healthy for human consumption. This mass production of wheat has resulted in producing a "supercarbohydrate" wheat plant that is far less healthy than its predecessor.

Wheat is in everything. Pasta, bread, muffins, cereal and all sorts of pre-packaged snacks. It's also highly addictive. Have you ever craved some "comfort food?" (I certainly have. My favorite comfort food is macaroni and cheese, and I used to just love to treat myself to a nice, warm cinnamon roll.) The more we eat these types of foods, the more we crave. Soon, our skinny jeans are replaced with sweat pants ... and that's not very sexy, is it?

What do you do if you want to change your habits and get healthier, but you have a partner that isn't supportive? Maybe he likes the fact that you have some "cushion for the pushin'" or maybe he's intimidated by the idea of you getting new attention from other men. Keep reading ...

More health advice from YourTango:

• Lying Is Hazardous To Your Health
• What Science Says About The Benefits & Risks Of Swallowing Semen
• How Gratitude Can Improve Your Health

The only person that you can change is yourself. Once you start making small changes in your diet, those changes will make a big difference. Your health is the most valuable asset that you have. One thing that you can do right away that will dramatically improve your health and give you energy is to start "juicing."

Jill Ayn Schneider, Holistic Life Coach, says this about juicing, "Juicing reduces cravings for fevitalized food. Juicing lessens cravings by addressing and correcting malnutrition, as well as aiding the body's digestion and proper elimination of old debris stuck in your colon. Juicing vital raw fruit and vegetables offers the body the elements it needs to regenerate and heal itself. Drinking fresh organic juices containing it's own form of atomic energy will aid your body's ability to purify itself and restore it to health and vitality."

The so-called Father of Juicing, Jay Kordich, gives this advice when your spouse will not join in with you on your journey to becoming more healthy. "Find a friend to join with you, or even one of your children," he says. "If this is impossible, then keep your mind focused—as best you can—on the following: information to help support your new lifestyle; inspiring people on web sites; books to keep your mind and heart lifted; spending 30 minutes in the sun everyday, if you can; and exercise at least 30 minutes everyday, even if it's just walking."

Remember, you and your relationship are worth the effort of taking care of yourself. Here's to your health!