Just because you didn't have a date for Valentine's Day doesn't mean you should spend the rest of the month at home in your old sweats watching "Sex in the City" reruns while binging on Oreos and potato chips 'til your brand new designer skinny jeans don't zip anymore. Instead, take yourself out on a date!

You hold the key to your own happiness and inner peace. And if you're looking for a partner, you must first love yourself before you can find love anywhere else. It is perhaps the most important foundation for a meaningful, long-lasting relationship. One of the best ways to work towards this state of being is by taking quality time for yourself, by yourself.

When my (now) husband proposed, he did it the old fashioned way, complete with the little velvet box. Inside was a brilliant sapphire and gold ring he had chosen to avoid cursing our marriage with a blood diamond. While we were informed about the dark side of the diamond industry, we did some research and faced the sad truth that other valuable gems and metals, including sapphires and gold, were not much cleaner than diamonds. Truth be told-I wanted a little bling to broadcast our union, but not with such a high human and environmental price tag. Yet with a little patience and research we found that it is possible to find jewelry you can feel good about.

Ever wonder why Valentine's Day falls during the coldest, grayest time of the year? Ancient Romans picked the day to celebrate their pagan fertility queen Juno by running naked through the streets. Later, medieval Europeans started sending Valentine's to their loved ones on the date, declaring it the first day of the year when birds began to mate. In short, this has always been the season to strip down and get it on. Whatever the weather, Valentine's is a great occasion to slip under the covers, pore over one of these enlightening books, and turn up the heat.

Ever wonder why Valentine's Day falls during the coldest, grayest time of the year? Ancient Romans picked the day to celebrate their pagan fertility queen Juno by running naked through the streets. Later, medieval Europeans started sending Valentine's to their loved ones on the date, declaring it the first day of the year when birds began to mate. In short, this has always been the season to strip down and get it on. Whatever the weather, Valentine's is a great occasion to slip under the covers, pore over one of these enlightening books, and turn up the heat.

February's here, which means the Valentine's-Day-industrial-complex has shifted into high gear. Not that chocolates and heart-shaped sentiments are evil, but if you're seeking a deeper love and stronger relationships that don't involve trips to Venus or Mars, these six books are a good start.

Classic

In How to Expand Love: Widening the Circle of Loving Relationships, His Holiness the Dalai Lama names seven steps you can take towards the experience of limitless love in all human relationships-not just romantic ones. All love, he says, begins and ends with the self. (A true "classic" from the Tibetan spiritual leader would be The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living, but both books offer the core lessons of Buddhism.)

Looking to add something new to your repertoire? We've got the perfect recipes to woo a new love, mend a broken heart, treat yourself, keep the flame alive & fill your family with love. So this Valentine's Day, dare to try something new. Make a romantic brunch for one! Fill your diet with natural aphrodisiacs like bananas, chocolate, honey, peaches, oats, onions, carrots, celery, and alcohol (in moderation, too much has the opposite effect). Rev your libido and mix it up this V-day, with some healthy comfort foods and great new natural products. After all, variety is the spice of life!

So your relationship is pretty fantastic. And your lover is amazing. You couldn't possibly be happier...except for one little thing that's bugging you. Sound familiar? Despair not! Whether your lover spends too much time watching television, thinking about themselves, or going through the motions under the covers, we've got a gift that will rejuvenate your romance.

Diagnosis: Couch Potato