10 Reasons Why Sex is Good for You

Regular sex is more than just fun. It can also play an important part in our physical and emotional well-being. Researchers have found that it can bolster the immune system, relieve pain, help regulate hormones, cure migraines... in fact, it does so much good we should consider "doing it" as often as possible.

1. Sex Improves Health and Happiness
Sexually active people take fewer sick leaves, are more gregarious and enjoy life more. This is the finding of Dr Ted Mcllvenna, from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco, when he conducted an ongoing study of the sex lives of 90,000 American adults. Now you know why your bosses are so sickly while grandma is still alive and kicking at 89.

2. Sex Regulates Your Hormones
Women who have intercourse at least once a week are more likely to have normal menstrual cycles than women who are celibate or who take a "feast-or-famine" approach. This finding is based on a research done by Dr Winnifred Cutler, a specialist in behavioural endocrinology, and director of the Athena Institute for Women's Wellness in Pennsylvania. So, if your spouse is holding a job that requires frequent travel, tell him it's high time he considered a change.

3. Sex Boosts Oestrogen
The research by Dr Cutler, who had asked several hundred female students to keep a record of their menstrual cycles and sexual behaviour, also reported that women who enjoyed regular weekly sex with a man had significantly higher levels of oestrogen in their blood than women experiencing either sporadic sex or none at all. The benefits of oestrogen are numerous: a healthy cardiovascular system, lower bad cholesterol, higher good cholestrol, more bone density and supple skin. Save money on expensive face creams. Switch to condoms.

4. Sex Burns Calories
At least 4.2 calories per minutes; compared to four calories per minute playing tennis for an average woman weighing 54kg. That's the estimate given by a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Dr Alfred Franger. Just don't use Nutella or whipped cream for foreplay.

5. Sex Strengthens Pelvic Muscles
Martica K Heaner, American fitness guru and author, believes that gripping a penis with your vagina does what Kegel exercises do- tones and conditions the muscles of the pelvic floor. These muscles play a vital function when it comes to good posture, straighter back and flatter abdominals. Every woman's dream. No points for guessing what athletes really do when they're not training...

6. Sex Relieves Menstrual Cramps
Orgasms may also help to relieve period pains which are the result of the endometrial lining of the uterus being oversensitive to the hormone-like substance, prostaglandin. "These nasty hormones have a way of making the uterus go into spasm, triggering pain- inducing nerve fibres," explains Dr Roy Levin, a lecturer in Physiology at the Sheffield University, England. To cut a long story short, just do it.

7. Sex Boosts Your Immune System
Orgasms boost infection-fighting cells up by 20 per cent... so says Dr Dudley Chapman, a gynaecologist. Someone should call this the sex vaccine.

8. Sex Reduces Stress
"During arousal, your muscles tense; during orgasm, they twitch, then relax completely," says '50s sex researcher, Alfred Kinsey. This may explain why the institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality has found people with fulfilling sex lives less anxious, violent and hostile- the perfect tranquilizer for those who slog all day in the office for that big promotion.

9. Sex Relieves Pain
In studies carried out by researchers Beverly Whipple and Barry Komisaruk from Rutgers University, New Jersey, women with conditions such as arthritis and whiplash gain a higher pain threshold through regular orgasms. Historically, midwives advised women to masturbate to orgasm to relieve labour pains. (Quite a tall order considering you have to do it in front of those nurses.)

10. Sex Can Cure Headaches
A South Illinois School Of Medicine study on 52 migraine sufferers reported that 16 experienced considerable relief after an orgasm and another eight had their headaches completely gone. No reason now to say, "Not tonight honey, I'm having a headache."

Kegel exercises do not hinder labor and delivery

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Despite some concerns, the pelvic-muscle exercises many women do during pregnancy do not seem to raise the likelihood of complications during labor and delivery, a new study finds.

Prenatal exercises for the muscles of the pelvic floor, also known as Kegel exercises, have long been advocated for preventing incontinence during and after pregnancy.

However, some doctors have expressed concern that the muscle training may make the pelvic floor too strong and less elastic, making labor and delivery more difficult.

To look into this, Norwegian researchers surveyed nearly 19,000 women who gave birth between 2000 and 2005. The investigators report in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology that women who frequently performed Kegel exercises were no more likely to suffer tears during delivery, or to need an unplanned Cesarean section or instrument-assisted delivery.

It's important for women to know that prenatal pelvic-floor exercises can lower the risk of urinary incontinence, lead researcher Dr. Kari Bo, of the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences in Oslo, told Reuters Health.

These latest findings, she said, should reassure them that the exercises also do nothing to interfere with childbirth.

Of the women in the study, 28 percent started performing Kegel exercises at least three times per week by the 30th week of pregnancy. Another 43 percent did them less than once a week or not at all.

Overall, the study found, roughly 7 percent of women who infrequently or never performed Kegel exercises suffered severe tearing during childbirth, compared with 6 percent of those who frequently performed the exercises.

Rates of delivery requiring forceps or a vacuum were 16 percent and 15 percent, respectively, while unplanned C-section rates were 9.5 percent and 7.5 percent.

Women should feel reassured that pelvic-floor training will not negatively affect childbirth, even though many health professionals seem to believe this is a possibility, according to Bo.

"That is a myth," she said.

SOURCE: Obstetrics & Gynecology, June 2009.

Things You Should Know About Orgams Real Fact !

Relieve Tension: The relaxation that typically follows orgasm is often one of the few times people actually allow themselves to completely relax and let go of the day’s stresses. In the afterglow of an orgasm it’s usually impossible to focus on distracting thoughts. And the Classic Vibe, delivers consistent vibration that you can always count on when the stress is too much.

Help you sleep better: Following an orgasm men usually experience a quick drop in blood pressure and fall into sudden relaxation. For women the effect is more progressive but just as powerful. Consider orgasm as your own personal tranquilizer – throw the Ambien out and overcome insomnia. Let the joyful release of endorphins take over and calm your body and mind right into a nap — except you might want to negotiate with your partner for a little pre-nap kanoodle before they konk out.

Boost your immune system: With orgasm DHEA is released and Dr. Theresa Crenshaw author of Alchemy of Love and Lust, says, “DHEA may be the most powerful chemical in our personal world. It helps balance the immune system, improves cognition, promotes bone growth, and maintains and repairs tissues, keeping your skin healthy and supple. It can mean less frequent colds and flu.” In fact, Wilkes University in Pennsylvania says those who have sex once or twice a week show 30% higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, which is known to boost the immune system.

Reduce Depression: Well, who wouldn’t be happier with an orgasm a day? Many hormones are positively affected by the act of sex and orgasm, which can lead to a lighter mood. Another theory is proposed by psychologist Gordon Gallup who states that Prostaglandin, a hormone found only in semen (which upon being absorbed in the female genital tract) may have led to 30% more of his female study participants to report feeling happier than the participants who didn’t have men ejaculate inside of them. So, he can apparently make you feel happy inside and out. But in case you don’t want to rely upon “him” try the Jake, .

Help you eat better: Sexual stimulation activates the production of phenetylamine, a natural amphetamine that regulates your appetite. So start curbing those midnight cravings with a little midnight sex.

Improve your sense of smell: It seems kind of random but apparently after sex, the production of the hormone prolactin surges. This then causes stem cells in the brain to develop new neurons in the brain’s olfactory bulb — its smell center. Perhaps this is why pheromones are so important in attraction.

Strengthen your body: Muscle contraction as a form of exercise is generally good for any muscle. The muscle contraction associated with orgasm can also address issues such as erection problems and incontinence. When 178 Belgian men with minor erection problems participated in a four month daily rehabilitation program which primarily focused on Kegel exercises, 74% showed improvement and 43% reported they were cured. For women, Kegels strengthen the entire uro-genital tract, aid in easing childbirth and prevents the onset of incontinence.

Alleviate Pain: Oxytocin should be everyone’s favorite hormone. When oxytocin is secreted in your body it helps release those wonderful endorphins we’ve been discussing. Because of these natural opiates, sex and specifically orgasm become a powerful analgesic, elevating the pain threshold. Orgasms can even help to relieve the pain of arthritis, whiplash and headaches. Now that’s a prescription everyone can follow.

Reduce your risk of heart disease: It’s simple — by having sex three or more times a week, individuals reduce their risk of heart attack or stroke by half. The Slim Classic, can help guarantee that you’ll remain heart healthy.

Increase blood flow: As fresh blood supply arrives, your cells, organs and muscles are saturated with fresh oxygen and hormones, and as the used blood is removed, you also remove waste products that cause fatigue and even illness. This can be contributed to all of that deep breathing and muscle contraction occurring up to and through orgasm.

Help you lose weight: There are 3500 calories in a pound of fat. For every 3500 calories you burn you will lose one pound of fat. Sexual intercourse burns approximately 150 calories per half hour. In comparison, yoga uses 114 calories per half hour, dancing 129, walking - 3mph 153, weight training 153, volleyball 174. The pulse rate, in an aroused person, rises from about 70 beats per minute to 150, the same as that of an athlete putting forth maximum effort. British researchers have determined that the equivalent of six Big Macs can be worked off by having sex three times a week for a year. For some “candy” you can really enjoy while burning those calories, try the Lollipop.

Create healthier relationships: Oxytocin is also considered the bonding hormone — another reason to love it. It spikes three to five times higher than usual just before orgasm, actually triggering it. It can also be elevated through touch. Maybe that’s why so many of us feel compelled to blurt out how much we love our partner at climax. Either way, you’re partner will probably be happy to welcome the Jimmy, into bed.

Help you to live longer: A British study of 1,000 people found those who had at least two orgasms a week had half the death rate of the rest of the country which admitted to indulging in sex less than once a month. Live long and prosper with lots of orgasms!