Sex Is Good For You!

Friday, October 21st, 2011, by Temptress

Most of us need little encouragement to enjoy sex, but there are those out there who aren’t as eager to indulge themselves. For these people, sex is more like a chore rather than something that can give them pleasure or relaxation. They don’t see it as as an outlet to express emotions of lust or love or even as a special way to connect to their partner.

I feel sad for these people, because I don’t think they truly understand what they’re denying themselves. Now, I understand that there are many different reasons that people may come to be this way… And, maybe there are some people that just don’t get pleasure in getting pleasure from either themselves or a partner… But, what about the scientifically proven reasons that sex is good for you? After all, sex is not only fun and something that feels good, it’s HEALTHY for you too!

1. Sex Burns Calories – Having about 30 minutes of sex will burn 85 calories or more. One pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories. Therefore, to lose 1 pound, most people should burn 3,500 more calories than they consume. With weight loss, it’s usually recommended to burn about 500 calories per day, over the course of 7 days, which equals 3,500 calories or 1 pound of weight loss per week. If you have 2 hours of sex every day, you will have burned 340 or more calories… That’s enough to give you the daily recommended amount or at least enough to get you VERY close, which says quite a lot about sex – it’s a GREAT exercise!

2. Sex Strengthens Pelvic Floor Muscles – I’ve mentioned Kegel exercises before in previous postings and how they can increase pleasure for both the lady and her partner. However, I had to mention it here because it’s ability to strengthen your muscles helps to minimize your risk of incontinence later in life.

3. Sex Improves Cardiovascular Health – While most people may worry about sex contributing to stroke as they get older, a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health concluded that sex was not associated with stroke in the 914 men they followed for 20 years. And, in fact, it’s also been found that having sex twice or more per week reduced the risk of a fatal heart attack by half for the men compared to those who had sex once per month or less.

4. Sex Relieves Stress – Ok, so maybe you’ve experienced the amazing power sex has to completely relax you, body and mind. Sure, most people know that sex relieves your stress… But, did you know that sex has been proven to lower your blood pressure?

5. Sex Boosts Your Immune System – People that have sex at least once or twice per week have been linked to having higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA. These antibodies can protect you from colds and other infections. Sure beats an apple a day to keep the Dr. away, doesn’t it? Hmm… Or maybe the apple would just be put to better use being eaten off your lover?

6. Sex Is A Self-Esteem Booster – Sex is also good for your mental health since it’s been proven to raise self-esteem. In fact, sex therapists have found that even people who DO have high self-esteem have sex to boost their self-esteem higher to make themselves feel even better.

7. Sex Improves Intimacy – Being intimate with your partner increases the level of the hormone oxytocin in your system, the more intimate you are the higher the levels become. Oxytocin is the hormone which helps us to build trust and bond with each other, it’s what gives you the urge to be generous and nurturing. So, sex can in fact make you feel closer to your partner.

8. Sex Reduces The Risk Of Prostate Cancer – Researchers have found that men who ejaculate frequently may reduce the risk of prostate cancer later in life. They found that men who are in their 20’s and ejaculate 5 or more times per week reduce their risk of developing prostate cancer by a third. And 21 ejaculations or more per month have been linked to a lower risk of developing prostate cancer in older men.

9. Sex Reduces Pain – I mentioned the hormone oxytocin a moment ago, the hormone that increases intimacy. Well, when this hormone is released, it triggers the release of endorphins in your system. Endorphins, your body’s natural pain killer, then starts working to decrease pain. That’s why your headache feels better after having sex, for example…

10. Sex Helps You Sleep – The before mentioned hormone oxytocin has also been linked to helping you sleep better. Of course being well rested contributes to your health on many levels… From the way your brain functions throughout the day, to low blood pressure, maintaining a healthy weight, and more.

So, as you can see, sex not only provides you with pleasure, fun, and a way to connect with your partner, it also plays a VERY important role in your every day health too. Obviously, this is good information to know whether you have trouble getting into sex or you just can’t get enough!