🚨 Welcome to this week’s issue of Generation Xcellent. I’m Stephen Perrine, New York Times bestselling author and former top editor at Men’s Health and Maxim. And like you, I’m doing all I can to survive the moshpit of midlife. Thanks for joining me on the journey! If you like what you see, send me an email—and share this newsletter with another guy who could use our help.

📩 Thanks for joining the conversation!

- SEXUAL HEALTH -

A Grown Man’s Guide to a Grown Woman’s Body

You’re both…maturing. And that means your bodies are changing. Here’s what you need to know to keep her—and you—satisfied.

By Elizabeth Kavaler, M.D.

Superman PJs Don’t Help. I get a lot of patients who come in and say, “I have pain during intercourse, I need something to help me have sex.” I'll examine them and yeah they're dry, and I can see there's an issue. But I’ll ask, “Do you sleep in the same bed?” Yeah. “Are you naked?” We both wear pajamas. “Does he hug you, hold you, kiss you, do you touch each other's genitals?” No we don't do that. I don't like my husband to see me naked. Bottom line: You don't have an intimate relationship. More consistent skin-on-skin is key.

Do the Dishes, Do the Nasty. Helping out with her chores and being thoughtful is the first step to intimacy. The second is looking at her in a way that maybe you haven't looked at her in a while: “You're beautiful. I love the way you look.” Those small statements of affirmation really make a big difference.

Her Orgasm Is Now Your Priority. A lot of women go through their 20s and 30s seldom if ever experiencing an orgasm with their partner. They’re ok with it because they can have intercourse easily, and they're motivated because they want to have a family. Then they hit their 50s and it’s like, “Ohh, I'm not having orgasms, and I don't really enjoy sex that much.” So keep these three words in mind: She comes first, whether that’s manual stimulation, or oral, or using a vibrator. Older women can be wet and moist and can have great sex, but their partner has to help them get there.

—Elizabeth Kavaler, M.D., is a surgeon and Medical Director of Total Urology Care of New York.

- HEALTH -

A Lean, Healthy Gut—Fast!

Between your job, your back, your kids, and your 401K, you’ve got plenty to worry about. Here’s why you should add your gut health to that shortlist.

By Roshini Raj, M.D.

>When I was first studying medicine at NYU in the 1990s, we were taught that the microbiome—the teeming trillions of bacteria and other microbes that reside in our intestines—was responsible for just one main task: digestion. Beyond that, modern medicine really didn’t give the microbiome a second thought.

Today, we’ve learned that the health of your microbiome can impact everything from immunity to blood sugar control, metabolism and weight. Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, even diseases of aging such as osteoporosis, sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) and Alzheimer’s disease, all have connections the gut.

Related:  The fast way to a flat belly at 45+

About 85 percent of the microbes in your gut have been shown to be beneficial, but as with any diverse population, there are some bad actors in there. When you’re not taking care of your gut—by not eating enough fiber and eating too much sugar and processed food, for example—the troublemakers start to take over, sending out inflammatory compounds, disrupting the lining of the intestines, messing with our hormones, and signaling the immune system to react in unhealthy ways.

The most significant factor in determining the health of your microbiome is your diet—and the impact of your next meal is almost instantaneous. So the next time you sit down to eat, eat THIS. It will determine whether the good guys are winning or if the bad guys are getting the upper hand.

1. Start with clean protein. Research shows that many of your favorite meats—even burgers and steak!—can have a protective effect on the microbiome. (Plant and dairy proteins are great as well.) But processed meats like sausage, bacon, and hot dogs damage the microbiome, increase inflammation, and boost the risk of obesity, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.

2. Max your fiber. And that doesn’t mean a glass of Metamucil. Research from the American Gut Project shows that people who eat the widest variety of plants have the healthiest guts. (Researchers speculate that a wider array of plant fibers feeds a wider array of microbes, keeping your gut balanced.) Aim to hit at least 30 different plants every seven days.

3. Cut your sugar. A diet high in sugar has been shown to decrease gut biodiversity, promote inflammatory gut microbes, damage the lining of the gut, and activate immune cells that trigger fat storage.

Stumped for what to eat? Put some shrimp on the grill and amaze your partner with this perfect warmer-days dish.

Don’t Go Chasing Watermelons

• 3 cups seedless watermelon, diced

• 2 cups fennel (lightly salted to remove excess water), thinly sliced

• 1 cup jicama, diced

• ¼ cup jalapeno (seeds removed), finely diced

• ¼ cup mint leaves

• ¼ cup macadamia or pistachio nuts, crushed

• Top with:

• Grilled shrimp

• Champagne vinaigrette

—Roshini Raj, M.D, is a gastroenterologist in New York City. This piece is adapted from her forward to The Full Body Fat Fix (St. Martin’s). Recipe by Chef Noah Perrine.

Battle of the ‘90s Crushes: Week #3
Courteney Cox vs. Pamela Anderson

>Welcome to week 3 of our epic March Madness–style tournament. Last week, Winona Ryder squeaked past Jennifer Aniston, capturing 54% of the vote.

That leaves Courteney Cox as the only Friend standing. Will the girl who went Dancing in the Dark with Springsteen prevail? Or will it be America’s favorite slow-motion beach jogger, Pamela Anderson, whose dance with husband Tommy Lee was very much not in the dark? Which of these crushes will move on to the quarter finals? Only YOU can decide! 

We’ll have a new showdown every week, with more Gen X goddesses competing for your vote. And check out our social pages (we’re on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads) for updates and a full rundown of the winners.

- ERR…NUTRITION? -

Can o’ Beer vs Cann-a-bis

Which is better for your body, your mind, your wallet, and your potential prison record? We crunch the numbers

By Bob Larkin

>It’s been a long day. You deserve something to help you unwind and relax. But do you reach for a can of beer or a can of… bis (i.e. cannabis)? They both sound refreshing, but is one option a better choice? We pitted the hops against the hash, the suds against the sinsemilla, the cold one against the chronic in an entirely scientific match-up. Here are the (mostly) nonpartisan results.

CALORIES
Beer: Between 55 (Budweiser) and 310 (Sierra Nevada IPA).
Cannabis: Zero. Although the munchies could account for 600 extra calories a day if you’re not careful.
Winner: Cannabis

COST
Beer: $1.37 (Chicago) to $1.87 (Los Angeles), average supermarket price for a 12-ounce bottle
Cannabis: $4.91 (Oregon) to $13.92 (District of Columbia), average price for one joint
Winner: Beer

PUNNY BRAND NAMES
Beer: Audrey Hopburn, Pathological Lager, Hoptimus Prime
Cannabis: Cannasutra, Dank Sinatra, Grim Reefer
Winner: Tie

INGESTION METHODS
Beer: Can, bottle, frosty mug
Cannabis: Joints, edibles, vaporization, tinctures, hand pipes, bongs, hookahs, ingestible oils, topicals, crushed-up Coke can
Winner: Cannabis

LENGTH OF EFFECTS
Beer: Two hours.
Cannabis: Two to three hours.
Winner: Tie

INCITEMENT TO AGGRESSION
Beer: “You wanna take this (hic) outside, punk?”
Cannabis: Afraid to even answer the door for pizza delivery guy
Winner: Cannabis

GOOD FOR PET ANXIETY?
Beer: Dear God no.
Cannabis: Absolutely!
Winner: Cannabis

DUBIOUS MEDICINAL EFFECTS
Beer: Protects against radiation poisoning
Cannabis: Cures cancer
Winner: Tie

NOTABLE CANINE ENDORSEMENTS
Beer: Spuds MacKenzie
Cannabis: Snoop Dogg
Winner: Cannabis

HANGOVER?
Beer: The record for longest beer hangover is four weeks.
Cannabis: At worst, a mild brain fog.
Winner: Cannabis

OVERALL MORTALITY RISK
Beer: Approximately 178,000 alcohol-related deaths annually in the U.S. (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism)
Cannabis: Zero, according to the DEA
Winner: Cannabis

GENIUSES WHO INDULGED
Beer: Plato, Benjamin Franklin, Vincent van Gogh
Cannabis: Carl Sagan, Bob Dylan, William Shakespeare
Winner: Tie

OVERALL WINNER: Cannabis

—Bob Larkin has written for Men’s Health, Esquire, The New York Post, and other outlets.