How sex can save your life.Sex can beat cancer, heart disease and even banish wrinkles


Side-step stress

Here’s how you should really be prepping for that board meeting: A study in the journalBiological Psychology found men who had had sex the previous night responded better to stressful situations. All down to the soothing effect of another person's touch, says Professor Stuart Brody, sexual psychologist from the University of Paisley. “A great deal of research has shown touch has a naturally calming effect,” says Brody. “And being touched by someone you care about significantly increases that effect.” Apart from the pleasurable sensation, researchers found touch actually reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Make it better: “Positions that maximise bodily contact, such as spooning or your partner sitting facing you on a chair, have the greatest beneficial effect on cortisol levels,” says Brody. If only stress relief was available on the NHS. read more below

Dodge a cold

This definitely beats the flu jab. Having sex at least twice a week was found by US research at Wilkes University to boost your levels of immunoglobulin A by 20%. The antibody protects against colds and other infections.
Make it better: The study found those who had the most “vigorous” sex were even less prone to spurting the wrong kind of bodily fluids. “The key to boosting these natural anitbodies is intensity and fun, so move around and try out all sorts of positions,” says Paula Hall, therapist with Relate. “Try the ‘sexy scissors’, her lying on the edge of a bed, left leg over your right shoulder and right leg over your left, and you swing her ankles in and out to the sides to trap your penis inside her.” Doctor’s orders honey…

Defy ageing

The fountain of youth may be under your duvet. Couples who have sex at least four times a week look more than 10 years younger than the average adult, concluded a Royal Edinburgh Hospital study. “Pleasure derived from sex is a crucial factor in preserving youth due to the release of adrenaline, dopamine, and norepinephrine,” says neuropsychologist Dr David Weeks, who conducted the study. “Plus, sex triggers human growth hormone which combats free radicals from pollution, and exposure to other damaging environmental factors. This helps preserve skin cell walls and relax muscles which could otherwise cause wrinkles.”
Make it better: Put that little black book down. “It’s loving intercourse with a regular partner, not promiscuous sexual activity, which gives the most benefit,” says Weeks. Casual sex brings detrimental factors to staying youthful, such as anxiety and the absence of security. While Charlie Sheen bulk-orders the moisturiser, take this advice: “The key with long-term couples is emphasis on foreplay and cuddling before and after sex, which should last a minimum of 15 minutes to initiate the chemical response,” says Weeks, proving academics have too much time on their hands.

Beat cancer

Unleash that libido now, reap the rewards later. Men who ejaculate at least seven times a week in their 20s were found to be over a third less likely to develop aggressive prostate cancer in later life than men who only muster three. Smooth-talking study author Professor Graham Giles from the Cancer Council Victoria reckons frequent ejaculation prevents carcinogens building up in your prostatic ducts. A chat-up line and half. “If the ducts are flushed out, there’s less build-up and damage to the cells lining them,” says Giles.
Make it better: “The biggest benefit comes from one ejaculation daily rather than multiple ejaculations on certain days,” says Giles. You get the same benefits from going solo, so if the idea gets a dodgy reception, switch to digital.

Kill pain

Orgasm can halve your sensitivity to pain, according to research in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine. “Sex boosts endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, by up to a third in a matter of minutes,” says Brody. “There’s evidence this helps a wide range of conditions, including lower-back pain, migraine and arthritis. And although it’s less reliable and effective than drug therapies, the pain-relieving effects of orgasm are quicker.” 
Make it better: “If you’re in pain, avoid anything overly-vigorous and use long, slow strokes, focussing on grinding rather than shunting,” advises Hall. Try the “starfish” – lie on the bed facing up, heads pointing in opposite directions, “scissor” your legs and grab each others’ hands for leverage. “And fuel-up with a fruit salad an hour beforehand to maximise pain relief – black grapes and oranges are high in vitamins C, B and B12 and potassium, any deficiency in which reduces potential endorphin highs, Surrey University research found.

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