Answer
You’re not the only one who feels this way. Did you know that studies have shown that most women are embarrassed about some part of their bodies? We all worry and want to be accepted. Having arthritis can magnify those fears.

To improve the likelihood that you will be attractive to people, you need to find a way to feel good in your body. That will help you feel good about your body which, in turn, will make you more attractive to others.

Remember, “Sexuality is energy more than it is physical appearance. It’s an energy that warms, excites and attracts,” says Rainer. “The better you feel in your body, regardless of your disease and your physical appearance, the more of your own sexuality you’ll experience.”

Find a way to enjoy your body, he advises. “Often that means getting up in the morning and just appraising yourself in a friendly way. Do things that appeal to your five senses. Light candles. Enjoy a nice dinner. Take a bubble bath,” he says. “Get flannel or satin sheets. Wear clothes that are comfortable. Get some type of exercise that helps you feel as though your body can move to its limits.”

Exercise does more than increase muscle tone. Keep in mind one reader’s story. She wrote to say that exercise did more for her than she could have imagined. She says, “For a long time my sexual feelings were frozen because of pain, fatigue and the physical changes my body was going through.”

She joined a fitness center and within six months, “I became physically stronger, mentally more alert, and able to enjoy my sexuality much more. People say to me, ‘You look great!’ It must be the sensual look which is now thawing out and becoming a part of my life again. I love it!”