10 Reasons to have More Sex
(as if you need them)
. . . and because I might enjoy it isn't one of them. Reasearch shows that people who have regular sex look younger and fitter for longer. So what are you waiting for?
S  
EX - think of the reasons you've done it. They could include peer pressure, curiosity, loneliness and, of course, pure lust. But here's the best reason yet to get passionate - even if you are single
- and that's your well-being. Did you knoww that early death among people who orgasm a lot is half that of those who only come once a month? This is because a romp between the sheets is one of the best ways to keep your body at peak fitness. During sex the body undergoes physical changes that mirror those of an intense exercise session - calories are expended as body heat, your heart rate rises, the metabolic rate is boosted by deep breathing, blood pressure rises and excess energy and fat is burned off. This can mean that 30 minutes of vigorous sex is equal to half an hour on the treadmill! This in turn boosts your health and triggers benefits to your body. So here are ten good reasons to have more sex.
 
Your Heart
Having sex three times a week for at lest 20 minutes a time - not counting foreplay - is good for your heart in more ways than one. For starters, the release of the hormone oxytocin at orgasm not only promotes feelings of intimacy, but also lowers your blood pressure. What is more, as Dr David Ashton, author of The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women (£9.99, Vermillion) says, 'Expending energy at this intensity will not only reduce your risk of coronary heart disease by 50%, but will also lower your risk of ovarian, cervical and bowel cancer, and Type II diabetes.'
 
Your Muscles
Intercourse revs up the release of HGH (Human Growth Hormone), which builds muscle mass and boosts your metabolism. Multiple contractions of the pelvis, thighs, thorax, arms and buttocks tone muscles, as does the position you choose - the missionary being the least active (for women), whilst sex on top or standing up is the biggest fat burner. Feeling tense in your neck and shoulders? Well, a 20 minute sex session will increas your breathing capacity, alleviating the build up of carbon dioxide levels - the root cause of constricted blood vessels in this area.
 
Your Stress Levels
Nothing kills desire faster than stress. This is because the nervous system is made up of two parts - the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. When you're stressed, the parasympathetic branch, which deals with vital functions such as breathing and sleeping, takes over and less vital functions, like sexual pleasure, shut down. Psychological stress raises levels of the hormone prolactin, which dulls your sex drive. The good news is that just one 20 minute session generates a 90-to-120-minute relaxation response and the release of the lust-boosting hormone dopamine. This stops anti-sex hormones in their tracks. Orgasm also helps by triggering the release of opiate-like chemicals which create feelings of well being.
 
Your Sleeping Patterns
Levels of the sleep-inducing hormone oxytocin soar to five times higher than normal during climax. In females, this means sleep will kick in 20 to 30 minutes after orgasm; in males, two to five minutes after ejaculation. Sleep activates the release of melatonin, itself said to enhance sex.
 
Your Immune System
Intercourse twice a week helps ward off germs. Psychologists at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania found that students who had regular sex had a third higer levels of IgA (immunoglobulin A - an antibody which boosts the immune system and keeps you healthy), than those who had no sex.
 
Your Mood
Feeling down? Well, a study from the American Association of Sex Education and Therapists show that any form of genital contact, whether or not it leads to orgasm, is ideal for releasing endorphins (the body's natural painkillers) and blocking depression. Actually having intercourse will do all of the above, plus raise levels of the female hormone œstrogen, which will boost you libido, rev up your mood and banish the blues.
 
Your Bones
Want strong bones? Then have regular sex, say researchers at the University of Virginia, USA. Orgasm raises levels of the hormones œstrogen and DHEA, which have many health benefits, such as eased symptoms of PMS, glowing skin, happier moods and a decreased appetite. DHEA also promotes bone growth, which will help you avoid brittle bone disease or osteoporosis in later life.
 
Your Libido
'Having sex or masterbating regularly is your best insurance policy against losing desire,' says Dr Theresa Crenshaw, author of Why We Love and Lust (£9.99 Harper Collins). Think how quickly your arm would wither if you didn't use it for a few months; well the same applies to your sex drive.
 
Your Weight
By raising levels of the hormone DHEA, sex lowers cholesterol and prompts weight loss. DHEA works with oesrogen to trigger what's known as a 'fatty acid cycle'; this raises the metabolic rate, causing you to burn more energy (calories).
 
Your Age
A study of ageing in 3,500 people at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital found those who looked youngest were those with a vigorour sex life - the effect was even greater if they were emotionally satisfied too.
 
BOOST YOUR SEX DRIVE
Here are six herbs, vitamins and homeopathic remedies that may boost a flagging sex drive.
Ginseng (2g a day) A prized aphrodisiac, ginseng works by increasing the productivity of the pituitary gland, which in turn stimulates the adrenal glands to increase their output of sex hormones.
Dong quai (500mg a day) Said to increase blood circulation to 		the pelvis, thereby promoting heat in the region, which in turn boosts orgasm potential. Also helps to lift flagging libidos caused by heavy periods, menstrual cramps and anæmia.
Vitamin A (800mcg a day) Found in carrots, oily fish and dark green vegetables - essential for the production of œstrogen.
Iron (14mg a day) Found in red meat, wholemeal bread and green vegetables - low levels are 		a common reason for a loss of interest in sex.
Agnus castus (6c potency a day) Used for women who have a complete lack of interest in sex and generally lack energy.
Cimicifuga (6c potency a day) Good for women whose low sex drive is linked to hormonal and gynæcological problems.
Taken from Increase Your Sex Drive by Dr Sarah Brewer (£7.99, Thorsons).

 

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page