Did you know just looking into each other’s eyes can make complete strangers fall in love?

Check out this cool article about some facts on love. Let’s focus on #19:

The eyes are the mirrors of our souls, as they say, so there’s probably no surprise that simply looking into each others’ eyes can make us fall for each other, even if we don’t know jack about each other. It has been proven that when someone is gazing at you, the person’s body produces a chemical called phenylethylamine, which is associated with the fight-or-flight response. So if you decide to continue looking at each other, you’re asking for Cupid’s arrow. (info)

Have you ever had that really intimate moment with a stranger where your gaze lasted a little longer than is socially comfortable? It’s kinda awkward and kinda exciting all at once. I know now that I’m married, I like to stare at Nate a lot. Even without saying a word, I feel closer to him just with those prolonged glances.

If you can’t muster up a smile to go along with the prolonged eye contact, at least let your eyes do the smiling:) The more your eyes are smiling, the less creepy your glances will be.

Here’s an idea of how to smile with your eyes:

It takes a tiny bit of squinting with your eyes, like you’re up to something a little mischievous. A tiny grin about to form always helps too.

Here’s what it might look like if you’re not smiling with your eyes:

You don’t want to look like you’re angry or displeased. The object of your prolonged gaze will not know what to think.

Whatever you do, don’t give a blank stare, like you’re looking right through a person. That’s creepy.

I know it sounds silly, but you should practice smiling with your eyes in the mirror, that way you know what is coming across when you look at strangers. Self awareness is crucial. Are you going to try it? I wanna know how it worked! How did the stranger respond? I’d love to know:)

(Picture credit)

Today’s post is a guest post from Toni. Please check out her bio at the end. This topic is dear to my heart because I have a friend who got married and contracted the HPV virus from her husband. Not the kind of thing you want to ruin the honeymoon phase! Yikes! Toni is here to help us clarify many common misconceptions. Did you know you can get an STD from a virgin?!!! Neither did I! Turning it over to Toni…

When you’re married, condoms and spermicide are usually shoved to the side or thrown out the window, right? Well, to ensure that you prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), it is important to get tested before you walk down the aisle- whether or not you think you’re at risk.

Why should you get tested?

If you or your partner had previous sexual relationships, getting tested is the best way to confirm your sexual health status. Contrary to popular belief, many people have no idea how common STDs are, and how necessary it is to be tested.
STDs are among the most contagious diseases in the United States, so unlike a cold or the flu, sometimes there are no obvious symptoms. You can’t detect whether someone has an STD just by looking at them. More importantly, it is not a good idea to rely on assumptions or guesswork.

STDs and Misconceptions

• A common misconception in the sexual health world is that virgins are STD-free. However, virgins can also have STDs. Just because your intended sex partner has never been sexually intimate with someone else, doesn’t mean he or she cannot have a sexually transmitted disease or infection. Many STDs are spread by skin-to-skin contact, like oral and genital herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and etc. Such diseases can be transmitted by oral sex, kissing, and even mutual masturbation. Virgin or not, you should still test for STDs.
• Another misconception is that people commonly assume that they do not have STIs because they’re not “that kind of person.” However, the fact is that anyone can get an STD, and furthermore, an STD can lie dormant in a person’s system only to flare up without warning.
• People often believe doctors test for them during physical check-ups. The truth is that there is no “one size fits all” test when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases–each infection requires its own specific test and often would not come up in a general exam. However, many patients are reluctant to reveal sensitive details about their sexual history, even with a trained medical professional. In such instances, the best resource would be to visit an online STD testing center.

Remember, vigilance is important, as is having a frank conversation with your partner about safe sexual practices. Once contracted, many STDs stay in your system for the rest of your life, so in order to maintain ideal sexual health, be sure to make safe sex a regular practice. With regards to preventing STDs completely, abstinence before marriage is the best policy. For those who have already become sexually active, there are options to protect yourself and others.

Bio:

Toni Sims is a senior web content writer with STDcheck.com, an online STD testing service. At its core, STDcheck.com is a technology company that has broken the barriers of traditional healthcare. The firm is helping unite the intersection of healthcare and ecommerce, and by doing so, has been able to deliver higher quality of care to health consumers, as well as contributing to the new age of healthcare.

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