The good news about the sex-health connection is that there are many steps you can take to improve both your health and your sex life at the same time.

Become Healthier Together

For one thing, you can make your healthy lifestyle a joint activity. Recruit your significant other to be your health and fitness partner. Perhaps the two of you can get into the habit of working out together — or, if you are the athletic types, playing tennis or another activity. The rigorous physical activity will get your blood pumping, and the adrenaline rush may help put you in the mood for sex. Many couples find it sexy to see each other all hot and sweaty.

If you aren't quite that athletic, perhaps you can take long walks together in the evening. This offers some added perks: It allows you to unwind from a stressful day and lets you enjoy some quality time together and share important conversations.

Don't Forget Your Diet

While exercise is a major component in a healthy lifestyle, a sensible diet is equally important. You and your partner might find indulgent dinners to be romantic, but they may not be helping your waistline. Of course, an occasional dietary splurge is fine, but the majority of your meals should be relatively nutritious. Don't worry; nutritious doesn't need to be bland or boring. There are plenty of cookbooks and TV cooking shows devoted to healthy-yet-tasty meals. Make this a joint activity by planning healthy meals together, and enjoy some quality time together while you shop for the perfect ingredients.

Encourage Each Other to Stay Healthy

If you or partner has any health issues or concerns, it will affect both of you in the long run. Make sure your partner knows how important her health is to you, and remember that the feeling is probably mutual. When your partner is worried about your health, she will be anxious and distracted — and this will surely put a cramp in your romantic life.

Provide moral support for your partner and encourage her to seek help for any medical issues or concerns right away. On the flip side, alleviate your partner's concerns by doing the same thing whenever you have health issues of your own.

A Good Health Checklist

Staying healthy can seem like a big job, but you can boil the main priorities down to a few important (and, for the most part, relatively easy) steps. Let's review some of the key things you can do to stay in tip-top sexual condition:

• Have regular sex.

• Eat a diet rich in whole grains, high-quality proteins, fresh fruits, and vegetables.

• Do your Kegels.

• Do regular aerobic exercise.

• Manage your stress; balance play and work.

• Be moderate in your eating and your alcohol consumption.

• Don't smoke.

• Get regular checkups and practice good preventative care.

• Seek treatment for any medical issues as soon as possible.

• Don't engage in risky behavior.