The Pleasure Prescription for a Longer, Healthier Life

Pleasure.

Pleasure.

And more pleasure….

Ever been prescribed pleasure by a doctor?

It’s coming.

Dr. Christiane Northrup, OB/GYN and author, is the banner waver for the pleasure movement. She wants us to know that vitamins and minerals are just part of the story of a healthy body. She tells us:

Pleasure is an essential nutrient that you need each and every day to become and remain healthy.” 

The pleasure-health connection is created by a little molecule called nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is a master neurotransmitter, responsible for all other neurotransmitters, including the ones responsible for pleasurable feelings.

It’s like the body’s fountain of youth.

Drugs like Viagra boost levels of nitric oxide to increase blood flow throughout the body. The higher your levels of nitric oxide, the better you feel and the healthier you become.

But you don’t need drugs to boost nitric oxide.

All you need is pleasure.

We don’t have enough pleasure in our lives. Which is odd, given that pleasurable opportunities are everywhere.

Many ads sell products based on the promise of pleasure.

Buy this car or wear this deodorant or wash your hair with this shampoo, they vow, and you’ll experience an intense euphoria that will lift you up out of your day-to-day life.

In the end, even a nice-smelling shampoo is just something to wash your hair with. It’s no spa experience.

The best nitric-oxide boosters are free:

• Exercise
• Meditation
• And that ultimate sensual experience, sex.

Although the sex-pleasure connection makes sense, it’s not so obvious why exercise and meditation would increase pleasure.

When most of us think of exercise, pain is the first thing that comes to mind. Exercise doesn’t count unless we suffer!

But movement can be incredibly pleasurable. Not only is there that addictive runner’s high, but exercise can help relax tense muscles and relieve stress. Exercise can make you happy … as long as you’re doing it because you WANT to.

Meditation is another route to a state of bliss.

Meditation has been linked with orgasm, as both decrease a sense of self-awareness. Scientific American calls meditation “one of the few tools for creating a durable boost in happiness.” 

Those are the most powerful nitric-oxide boosters, but they aren’t the only ones.

Others include positive thinking, surrounding yourself with people you love, eating a diet rich in amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline, and exploring your own sensuality.

Scientists weren’t the first to discover that pleasure was a secret to eternal youth. Women made that discovery long ago, even if they couldn’t explain why.

Consider Marilyn Monroe and Mae West. These Hollywood sirens put pleasure first. They knew they deserved it. And men fell at their feet.

In the 21st century, pleasure has been reduced to a sneaky vice. We get to sneak a few moments of pleasure here and there, but we can’t admit it.

Pleasure isn’t an acceptable goal for the modern woman. It’s not productive. It’s not an achievement. You’re not going to win any awards for experiencing pleasure.

That has to change. Become an advocate for pleasure.

If you don’t stand up for your own pleasure, no one else will.

There’s one very big reason you should prioritize pleasure, aside from its health benefits:

Sex appeal.

A woman’s sex appeal wanes when she’s tired, stressed out, unhappy, and short-tempered. Unfortunately, it’s hard to be a working woman and not feel that way a lot of the time.

A woman who takes time for pleasure is more relaxed. She doesn’t need a man for pleasure. She fills her own pleasure tank herself.

Men gravitate towards satisfied women like bees to honey. A woman adept in experiencing pleasure can turn on a man better than Viagra.

But how do you make time for pleasure in your life?

Your schedule is already packed. You always have more to do. Pleasure doesn’t get the house clean.

The answer lies in mindfulness.

Try to find pleasure in everything you do.

As women, we’re lucky that our feminine essence is intrinsically sensual.

We can indulge in delightful scents, beautiful objects, and silky fabrics. We can make our homes beautiful and comfortable, with fresh flowers and scented candles and soft cushions. If we work at it, we can find pleasure in any activity, whether the simple routine of washing dishes or the sweaty labor of weeding the garden.

Learn to stop what you’re doing and appreciate where you are. Feel the sun on your skin or the warm water on your hands. Take a deep breath. Smile to yourself.

Find the pleasure in living, and enjoy a longer, healthier life.

Want your very own Pleasure Action Plan? You’ll find one in Amy Waterman's book THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE.