As a Holistic Health Educator, people are used to reading my
wellness blogs that cover things related to nutrition, foods, herbs, and
essential oils and sometimes exercise. However, in honor of Valentines Day... we are going to get physical!
Wellness comes has many aspects such as emotional
wellness, physical wellness, spiritual wellness, social wellness and even
financial wellness. However, health does
not come from food and exercise alone!
One of the major sources of wellness that is rarely promoted is that
which comes from SEX!
Although we all love it, we don't all get enough of it!
Luckily, there are other areas of romance and relationships that offer health
benefits. Here are some of the ways to
get wellness out of your relationships
1. Love
and Support – One article published in the American Journal of Epidemiology
showed that men in loving relationships had less risk of stomach ulcers and
also less risk of angina (chest pain)
2. Hugging
– Hugging someone releases the cuddle hormone, oxytocin. This promotes feelings
of trust and bonding. Hugging also lowers heart rate, lower blood pressure;
huggers have fewer feelings of stress and anxiety!
3. Kissing
– The lips have a lot of sensory receptors that make them very sensitive.
Kissing creates intimacy by being so close to the person you are kissing, and
by stimulating the receptors in the lips, much like the genitals! Passionate kissing burns calories too, and
reduces stress and the effects of stress. Kissing can create feelings of lust,
love and attachment.
4. Sex
– reduces stress, promotes relaxation, improves the immune system. A
Pennsylvania study found that sex one or two times a week improved
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) by 30%! (Charnetski CJ, BrennanFX. Sexual frequency and
salivary immunoglobulin A. Psychology Report, 2004;94:839-44. Having orgasms
also increases heart rate similarly to cardiovascular exercise and releases
stress reducing chemicals in the brain.
It should also be pointed out that if you are single, you could
get many of the same health benefits by enjoying the plutonic company of
others. Being around genuine friends creates a sense of belonging. The bottom
line being, relationships are important for your health on many levels. Make
the time and space in your life to nurture them.
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