Top health reasons to have more sex

MEN

1. Prevents prostate cancer. An Australian study found that men who ejaculated more than five times a week were a third less likely to develop prostate cancer. Disease-causing toxins build up in the man's urogenital tract and when he rubs one out, he flushes the bad guys out of his system, says Gloria Brame, PhD, a clinical sexologist.

2. Strengthens your organ. As a man ages, he naturally loses muscle tone ... even down there. Regular sex or masturbation works out his pelvic floor muscles to prevent erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Aim to ejaculate three to five times a week for rock-solid results.

3. Strengthens your semen. According to a review published in Sexual and Relationship Therapy, the semen produced from actual intercourse is higher in quality than the semen from masturbation. However, the review points to evidence that says if you don't ejaculate for a period as short as five to 18 days, the quality and quantity of your sperm can decrease.

4. Helps you last longer. Mastering your own body teaches you control. "Masturbating an hour before a date will give you more control," says Brame. Train yourself by timing how long it takes you to orgasm, suggests Ava Cadell, PhD, founder of loveologyuniversity.com. If it usually takes two minutes solo, try for three next time. Or count how many strokes you need to get to your happy place. If you're spurting after 50, shoot for 60. "Most men can double the number of strokes and the time within one month," Cadell says.

MEN/WOMEN

1 Great for mental health. The slew of
feel-good neurochemicals released during an orgasm lifts your spirits,
boosts your satisfaction, and activates the reward circuits in your
brain. Orgasms release the hormones oxytocin and dopamine, which puts
you in a good mood, creates a harmonious balance, calms the nervous
system, relieves depression and stress. In fact, according to sex
therapist Lonnie Barbach, avoiding sex can create body imbalances that
result in high levels of stress.

2 Helps your immune system.
Orgasms increase levels of the hormone cortisol, says Jennifer Landa,
MD, a specialist in hormone therapy. Regular orgasms are associated with
lower stress-related hormones, decreased inflammation, a powerful pain
reliever and better immune function.

WOMEN

1. Helps prevent cervical infections. Studies are showing that female orgasms can provide protection against cervical infections because when a woman orgasm, the orgasms 'tents' or opens the cervix. In her book Sex: A Natural History, Joann Ellison Rodgers describes how the process of tenting stretches and pulls the mucous within the cervix, allowing for a rise in acidity in the cervical fluid. This increases 'friendly' bacteria and allows more fluid to move from the cervix into the vagina. When 'old'' fluid moves from the tented cervix, it not only lubricates the vagina, but also flushes out unfriendly organisms that can cause infections.

2 .Helps relieve urinary tract infections. Many women with urinary tract infections (UTI) report the desire to masturbate when they feel a UTI coming on, and for a good reason: having an orgasm helps relieve pain and it flushes the old bacteria from the cervix. It's the body's way of getting the bacteria out.

3. Associated with improved cardiovascular health and lower risk of type-2 diabetes. In a number of studies, women who experienced more orgasms, and overall greater frequency and satisfaction with sex - whether with a partner or not - were shown to have greater resistance to coronary heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

4. Increases pelvic floor strength. There are so many benefits to having a healthy pelvic floor. In the 'plateau' stage of orgasm, the pelvic floor gets a real workout. The clitoris surges with increased blood pressure. Muscle tone, heart rate, and respirations increase. The uterus 'lifts' off the pelvic floor, increasing pelvic muscle tension. This strengthens the entire region as well as your sexual satisfaction.

5.  Keeps your vagina healthy. The extra stimulation causes blood to rush into the genital tissue, keeping it supple and refreshed. For best results, have an orgasm at least once a week. Studies also show that having orgasms while menstruating actually protects against endometriosis, a potentially dangerous uterine condition that can lead to infertility.

yourhealth@gleanerjm.com