Sex Q&A: Is Single or Married Sex Better?
Wife thinks her single friends are having better sex than her. Also, do aphrodisiacs work; and does circumcision impact sensation and satisfaction?
BY DR. TRINA READ

DepositPhoto It's often thought that married sex is boring, but research shows it's not. “ You see, our brain is our largest sex organ and it is, generally, our perception of what a food can do rather than what it actually does.”

Sex and relationship expert, Dr. Trina Read, is ready to answer your questions.

My single girlfriends are envious that I’m married, while I think they have better sex. Who is more sexually satisfied: married or single women?

This is definitely a "the grass is greener on the other side of the fence" predicament.

Although there’s pros to both married and single sex, if we look at this from a satisfaction point of view married woman sex wins out. The National Health and Social Life Research survey showed that within cohabiting couples, women generally seem happier with their sex lives.

While married women have sex less frequently, engage in less oral sex, and are less likely to experience orgasm, they are more likely to derive physical and emotional satisfaction from sex, compared to women in dating relationships.

However, a striking change occurs between the ages of 45 and 59 where men’s satisfaction increases substantially, while women’s satisfaction decreases significantly. (Can you say menopause?)

Interestingly, sexual and relationship satisfaction within a marriage has a lot to do with our attitude and viewpoint—that is, whether we think our partnership is beneficial to us or at least equally balanced.

Great Sex Tip: More sex doesn’t necessarily mean happier marriage. It’s all about quality over quantity.

I want to spice up my lovemaking and thought aphrodisiacs would be fun. Thoughts?

Aphrodisiac were named after Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. For thousands of years people have pursued this belief that certain foods can stimulate and boost sexual desire.

Scientifically, judging whether an aphrodisiac works can be difficult as studies are meager and results tend to be unreliable.

You see, our brain is our largest sex organ and it is, generally, our perception of what a food can do rather than what it actually does. So when it comes to food for sexual attraction and arousal, there is mostly a placebo effect.

Don’t let this stop you from bringing delicious delicacies into your lovemaking. For those who hunger for a little fun and want to see if this works for you—placebo or not—here are five scrumptious nibbles.

Honey: Dubbed "The Nectar of Aphrodite," this all-natural sweetener is at the root of the expression honeymoon.

Chili Peppers: The chili heat releases endorphins, the primary pleasure enzyme.

Ginger: Served pickled, candied or in the raw, ginger increases sensitivity in the erogenous zones.

Chocolate: The aphrodisiac properties of chocolate are many. Nibble on a dark piece for its serotonin boost.

Vanilla: It’s scent is found to be equally arousing to both men and women.

Great Sex Tip: Food and sex will always be the perfect pairing. A romantic meal will never go out of style and will always set the right tone for a sexual encounter.

“More sex doesn’t necessarily mean happier marriage. It’s all about quality over quantity.”

I'm circumcised. Is it true that circumcised men are missing out because they lack sensation?

For any who aren’t sure what "circumcision" means, it is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis or prepuce, usually at birth.

The short answer to your question is that there is an impact of circumcision on sexuality, and there has been some research what this impact is. The difficulty is that the research on circumcision and sex offer contradictory results that raise as many questions as they answer.

What this means is circumcision is a hot-button topic. Whether you’re talking about the issue of circumcising newborn boys or the impact of circumcision on adult sexuality, everyone seems to have an opinion and is happy to share it with you.

So instead of tackling the big question of whether or not being circumcised impacts your sexuality, start asking more specific questions like:

* How does circumcision impact your physical sensation
* How does circumcision impact your sexual feelings and experience of pleasure
* How circumcision might be impacting your sexual behaviors

Great Sex Tip: The worst thing is to get paranoid that you’re missing out on better sex. If you feel your sex and sexuality was fine before you had this question, then it probably is perfectly fine.

Related Article: Improve Your Sex Life With Dark Chocolate

Dr. Trina Read is a leading relationship and sexual health expert and educator; and is a best selling author, media expert, syndicated blogger, international speaker, magazine columnist, and spokeswoman. You can find more information at TrinaRead.com and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

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