What is the relationship of pleasure to the health-enhancing effects of nitric oxide?
Nitric oxide is an odorless, colorless gas that’s produced by the lining of every blood vessel in the body. It passes through cell walls instantaneously and can simultaneously boost circulation. It’s also the über neurotransmitter that signals all body cells to balance out levels of serotonin, dopamine and beta-endorphins, which produce feelings of well-being. Nitric oxide is not stored in the body, so exercise, especially aerobics, helps raise its levels in the body at any age. When someone wins an Olympic gold medal, you can be sure he or she is at the height of a nitric oxide burst. Why do you believe that “life has just begun” after menopause? When you are in midlife, you obviously have the same soul as when you were 12. However, if you have negotiated midlife skillfully by getting rid of excess baggage, thinking positively, moving into relationships that support you and making peace with those that haven’t—then you have access to the dictates of your soul. Menopause is a wakeup ca