Kare about Health

Quick question? Which would you rather do; walk or jog 6 miles a week or have sex 3-4 times a week? Not that you must choose! But they both can burn up to 600 Calories a week and allow you to lose 9 pounds of fat in a year! But I digress…

Sex is natural. Sex is beautiful. Sex is amazing. Sex is healing. All in the right context, of course. But, besides being one of life’s greatest pleasures and an important part of intimacy with a partner, a satisfying sex life also can enhance your health in numerous ways. Let’s see – sex can burn calories, relieve stress and help you fall asleep more easily, but these are just a few of the benefits. Let me indulge you in a few things to think about.

Hormonal therapy

Hormones are powerful chemicals. And sex is powerful in how it effects our hormones.

Regular sex encourages the flow of testosterone, which strengthens bones and muscles and helps transport DHEA. Every time you reach orgasm, the hormone DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) increases in response to sexual excitement and orgasmic contraction. DHEA can boost your immune system, repair tissue, improve cognition, keep skin healthy, and even work as an antidepressant. Therefore, a health benefit of sex if you keep the orgasms coming (pun intended), is potentially a healthier, happier life.

Known for controlling the muscles of the uterus during childbirth, oxytocin has many other effects and may be the key to the benefits of sex. Oxytocin surges up to five times as high as its normal blood level during orgasm. Studies in animals have shown it is responsible for helping individuals forge strong emotional bonds. Released in the brain, oxytocin works in the blood, where it travels to tissues as distant as the uterus, as well as along nerve fibers, where it regulates body temperature, blood pressure, wound healing and even relief from pain.

Women who have intercourse at least once a week tend to have more regular menstrual cycles, more fertile basal body temperature patterns, and substantially higher levels of estrogen than those who are less sexually active, according to research by reproductive biologist Winnifred Cutler, Ph.D., founder of the Athena Institute for Women’s Wellness in Chester Springs, PA. Estrogen protects against heart disease. This is why after menopause the risk of heart disease in women starts to approach men’s risk. Also, Women who have regular weekly sex are more fertile and they age more slowly. When they reached menopause, they also had fewer menopausal symptoms, better bone density and better cardiovascular health! Wow! Go figure!

Improve Fitness

Heart-rates during sex can increase to anywhere from 100 beats per minute (bpm) to as much as 200 bpm depending on the session. Add this to your aerobic fitness routine! Calorie burn is estimated at anywhere from 80 to 200 Calories per session.   Hmmm… let’s see 100 Calories a session, three sessions a week, 15,600 Calories a year! That’s almost 5 pounds of fat lost or… you could burn off more than 28 Big Macs! Not that I’m suggesting that, of course! Just a thought!

Also, muscular contractions during intercourse work your pelvis, thighs, buttocks, arms neck, thorax…  you get the picture.

Control weight

We already talked about the calorie-burn. But since many of us eat for emotional reasons and use food to make up for other needs that aren’t met , it only makes sense that having sex could improve your chances of losing weight. Having sex can reduce your food cravings and help you shed pounds.

The key to losing weight is to find something other than food to satisfy your needs. Sex is one such activity that can work in more ways than one. It produces the same feel-good chemical in the brain as food does. Aside from that, anything that keeps your mind and hands busy will keep you out of the refrigerator.

Also eating healthy foods and exercising will increase your sex drive. Pair this with the fact that you are raising self-esteem because you are creating a stronger, slimmer you and you’ve got a win-win situation.

Sex and weight loss have another common link – stress. Sex reduces stress and stress-reduction is needed to lose weight. Sex also helps some people sleep better, which is also needed for weight loss.

Immunity check

Sex, practiced safely and in moderation, could help keep you from getting sick. YES! Research at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA, found that college students who made love once or twice a week had substantially higher levels of immunoglobulin A—or IgA, the body’s first line of defense against colds and flu—compared with those who were either abstinent or had sex three or more times per week.  Hmmm.  I need to research what could be wrong with 10-16 times per week! Do we really have to practice moderation in ALL things?!

Ease Pain – Yes, NOW, honey, I have a headache!

Vaginal stimulation produces a strong pain-blocking effect,  due in part to the release of endorphins—brain chemicals with opioid-like properties.“Stimulation of a woman’s G-spot can elevate the pain threshold by over 100 percent with orgasm and over 80 percent with pleasurable stimulation,” notes Beverly Whipple, Ph.D., R.N., professor emerita at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and co-author with Barry Komisaruk, Ph.D., and Carlos Beyer-Flores, Ph.D., of The Science of Orgasm.

Estrogen also increases which can decrease PMS or menopausal symptoms.

This means vaginal stimulation during a sexually satisfying session, could relieve a headache, menstrual cramps, arthritis pain, even chronic pain, for anywhere from several minutes up to 24 hours. Sorry to ruin your excuse, Ladies! Of course, the key words here are “sexually satisfying” session!

Anti-depressant

Endorphins, which were mentioned above, are released during sex and not only block pain, but improve mood as well.

Plus, in one interesting study in 2002, sexually active women whose partners did not use condoms had less depression than those who did use condoms. The theory here is that semen does contain several mood-altering hormones, including testosterone, oestrogen, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, prolactin and several different prostaglandins. Some of these have been detected in a women’s blood within hours of exposure to semen and may be absorbed by the female genital tract.  Hmmm… this is not a reason to not use condoms! Only those in safe and committed monogamous relationships should consider this, of course.

Disease prevention

Yes, we know unprotected sex can spread STD’s, but we are talking here about preventing some chronic diseases with safe sex.

In men, frequent ejaculations are not only linked with better sexual function as they age, but also to a decreased risk of prostate cancer. In one study, researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that men who reported 21 or more ejaculations per month had a 33 percent lower risk of developing prostate cancer over their lifetimes, compared to those ejaculating 4 to 7 times per month. “The authors suggest that periodically emptying out the prostate by ejaculating may get rid of potentially carcinogenic breakdown products from the sperm and the semen,” explains Dr. Komisaruk.

In a 2001 follow-up to the Queens University study in Belfast (where they tracked the mortality of over 1000 men over 10 years), men who reported the highest frequency of orgasm (more than three a week) were 50% less likely to die of heart disease or stroke.  Other studies (some rigorous, some less so) have reported a 50% lower death rate in men having sex at least a “few” time a week.

Chew, smell and hold it!

Some other interesting tidbits about sex include helping your teeth, improving your sense of smell and helping with bladder control!

Seminal fluid contains zinc, calcium and other minerals shown to retard tooth decay. I’ll leave it to your imagination the method of delivery. Also, sexual etiquette usually demands brushing before and after intimacy which promotes better hygiene!

The hormone prolactin surges during sex which acts on the stem cells in the brain which develop new neurons in the olfactory bulb of the brain! Amazing!

We all tend to do “Kegels” while having sex. Kegels are a term given to the act of contracting the pelvic floor muscles (as if you are trying to stop urination). Not only does this exercise help strengthen the pelvic muscles to help with bladder control, but also improves circulation in that area which improves sexual function. More on that in a later article!

Use it or Lose It

Sex therapists say sex acts on the principal of “use it or lose it.”

Studies show that men who have sex more frequently in a committed relationship, continue to have less erectile dysfunction as they age.

In postmenopausal women, frequent sex—three or more times per month—also may help prevent vaginal atrophy and dryness. One possible reason: Women who engage in regular sexual activity may have more natural estrogens circulating in their bodies, which can protect vaginal tissue. Estrogen also helps protect against heart disease.

Live Longer, Look and Act Younger

An active sex life may do a body and a marriage good over the years: Sexual satisfaction is closely linked with overall quality of life and increased sense of well-being, for both men and women, at any age.

An active sex life may help us live longer, too. Dr. David Weeks, a clinical neuropsychologist at Scotland’s Royal Edinburgh Hospital, conducted a study of 3,500 people ranging in age from 18 to 102. Dr.Weeks concluded that sex actually slows the aging process. Couples who had sex at least three times a week looked more than 10 years younger than the average adult who made love twice a week.

He found that a person’s genetic make-up was 25% responsible for youthful looks, with behaviour accounting for 75%.

In a study with a 10-year follow up, researchers at the University of Bristol in England examined the relationship between orgasm frequency and mortality among 918 men between the ages of 45 and 59 in South Wales. Conclusion: Mortality risk was 50 percent lower over a 10-year period of time among men who had frequent orgasms (two or more per week) than among those who had less than one a month.

Sexual therapists remind us that feeling secure in a relationship leads to feeling happier, which could lead to greater health–and a younger look. In fact, these studies indicate that intimacy plays a key role in the health benefits of sex. A promiscuous sexual relationship may actually produce an opposite effect by introducing a sense of anxiety and fear.

In spite of all these health benefits and the sheer pleasure of the act, Americans may still need help. At least one-third of American couples report “inhibited sexual desire,” according to The Masters and Johnson Institute.

Stress reduction

In today’s stressful society, it has become a little more difficult to engage in intimate sexuality as often, but as long as you persistently make the effort, you’ll realize that it’s always worth it.

The health benefits of sex will make you feel wonderful within and without and you will gradually notice that the more sex you have, the more bounce you will have in each step. Happiness isn’t sex itself, but sex does ultimately play a role in human happiness

Sexual satisfaction is closely linked with overall quality of life and increased sense of well-being, for both men and women, at any age.

Bottom line: Sex is good for you! Combine that with exercise and a healthy diet and you will be a happy, healthy dynamo! Awesome! Just one more reason to stop working so hard and get out there and find someone to come home to! Or just come home with intimacy in mind more often!  Safety first, of course.

The information provided is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.