hahah, i had to.
She is convinced that a healthy sex life with a loving partner does wonders for the way you feel about yourself. "After a bout of sex the body releases endorphins, which are known as 'happy chemicals' because they improve mood," she says. "Purely from a physical point of view it's similar to enjoying a good workout or going swimming - but if you're having sex with someone ywho makes you feel cared for it promotes self-esteem."
During orgasm the body produces oxytocin, which is a hormone linked to a range of positive physical and psychological effects. Chief among these is its beneficial impact on sleep. "There's no doubt that sex is relaxing and so helps tackle insomnia," says Dr David Delvin, a GP and specialist in sexual medicine.
One of sex's main health benefits is its positive impact on how we deal with stress.
According to Julia Cole, this could be down to the soothing effect another person's touch has. She says: "A great deal of research has shown that touch has a naturally calming effect on human beings, whether it's linked to sex or not. Of course, being touched by someone you care about will double the calming effect."
Apart from the obviously pleasurable sensation of being touched or stroked, it is thought to have a biochemical effect, reducing the levels of cortisol - the hormone that is secreted when you're under stress.
Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, or IgA, which can protect you from colds and other sorts of infections.
Paula Hall, a psychosexual therapist with Relate, also thinks that the impact of sex on our general wellbeing helps to boost immunity. "All the psychological benefits have an impact on your physical health, such as your immune system," she says. "We know that when you're feeling good about yourself your body fights off illness and disease better - so the healthier we are psychologically and emotionally, the healthier we are physically."
Research also suggests that regular sexual activity could help women to avoid breast cancer.
Having sex and orgasms is a key part of improving intimacy and ensuring a healthy long-term relationship - which has been linked to a longer lifespan in a number of studies. It's all down to oxytocin again. "Oxytocin, also called the 'bonding hormone', is released when women give birth, so it is part of the bonding process with their baby," says Julia Cole. "It's also released in people who are in secure or long-term relationships, as well as during sexual contact."
Sex has been linked with a pain reduction for a wide range of conditions, including lower back pain, migraines, arthritis and premenstrual syndrome symptoms.
Although this form of pain relief is less reliable and effective than the use of drug therapies, the effects of orgasm as an analgesic are more rapid.
AND
Sexual activity, like other forms of exercise, burns both calories and fat. Thirty minutes of energetic sex burns 85 calories or more. Although this may not sound like much, it does add up - 42 half-hour sessions will burn 3,570 calories, which is enough to lose a pound. "Sex does burn calories, so it's comparable to moderate exercise like doing the housework or going swimming," says Dr Delvin. And it is, clearly, a great deal more fun.
During orgasm the body produces oxytocin, which is a hormone linked to a range of positive physical and psychological effects. Chief among these is its beneficial impact on sleep. "There's no doubt that sex is relaxing and so helps tackle insomnia," says Dr David Delvin, a GP and specialist in sexual medicine.
One of sex's main health benefits is its positive impact on how we deal with stress.
According to Julia Cole, this could be down to the soothing effect another person's touch has. She says: "A great deal of research has shown that touch has a naturally calming effect on human beings, whether it's linked to sex or not. Of course, being touched by someone you care about will double the calming effect."
Apart from the obviously pleasurable sensation of being touched or stroked, it is thought to have a biochemical effect, reducing the levels of cortisol - the hormone that is secreted when you're under stress.
Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A, or IgA, which can protect you from colds and other sorts of infections.
Paula Hall, a psychosexual therapist with Relate, also thinks that the impact of sex on our general wellbeing helps to boost immunity. "All the psychological benefits have an impact on your physical health, such as your immune system," she says. "We know that when you're feeling good about yourself your body fights off illness and disease better - so the healthier we are psychologically and emotionally, the healthier we are physically."
Research also suggests that regular sexual activity could help women to avoid breast cancer.
Having sex and orgasms is a key part of improving intimacy and ensuring a healthy long-term relationship - which has been linked to a longer lifespan in a number of studies. It's all down to oxytocin again. "Oxytocin, also called the 'bonding hormone', is released when women give birth, so it is part of the bonding process with their baby," says Julia Cole. "It's also released in people who are in secure or long-term relationships, as well as during sexual contact."
Sex has been linked with a pain reduction for a wide range of conditions, including lower back pain, migraines, arthritis and premenstrual syndrome symptoms.
Although this form of pain relief is less reliable and effective than the use of drug therapies, the effects of orgasm as an analgesic are more rapid.
AND
Sexual activity, like other forms of exercise, burns both calories and fat. Thirty minutes of energetic sex burns 85 calories or more. Although this may not sound like much, it does add up - 42 half-hour sessions will burn 3,570 calories, which is enough to lose a pound. "Sex does burn calories, so it's comparable to moderate exercise like doing the housework or going swimming," says Dr Delvin. And it is, clearly, a great deal more fun.