Why is lovemaking good for us?
Scientific evidences suggest that clean sex is good for us in more ways than one. Here are some of the dozen reasons why it is so:
1. Sex is a beauty treatment. Medical tests show that when women make love they produce amounts of the hormone estrogen, which makes their hair shine and skin smooth.
2. Gentle, relaxed lovemaking reduces your chances of suffering dermatitis, skin rashes and blemishes. The sweat produced cleanses the skin pores and makes your skin glow.
3. Lovemaking can burn up some of those calories you piled on during that romantic dinner, albeit only about 90 calories (22.5 calories after 15 minutes of foreplay and about 67.5 calories during actual intercourse for 15 minutes).
4. Sex is one of the safest sports you can take up. It stretches and tones up just about every muscle in the body. It’s more enjoyable than swimming 20 laps, jogging a couple of miles, and you don’t even need special sneakers! But this is not enough exercise, and not a substitute for daily brisk walking, dancing, aerobics, etc.
5. Sex is an instant cure for mild depression. It releases endorphins into the bloodstream, producing a sense of euphoria and leaving you with a feeling of well-being.
6. The more sex you have, the more you will be offered. The sexually active body gives off greater quantities of chemicals called pheromones. These subtle sex perfumes drive the opposite sex crazy! But this is not a reason for not taking a shower because the body continues to give off this hormone after a bath or shower.
7. Sex is the safest tranquilizer in the world. It is 10 times more effective than Valium and other sedatives when it comes to providing the individual the sense of relief, satisfaction, fulfillment and tranquility.
8. Kissing each day will also keep the dentist away. Kissing encourages saliva to wash food from the teeth and lowers the level of the acid that causes decay, preventing plaque build-up.
9. Sex actually relieves headaches. A lovemaking session can release the tension that restricts blood vessels on the surface of the brain.
10. Lovemaking can unblock a stuffy nose. Sex is a natural antihistamine by producing adrenalin in the blood stream. In many cases it can help prevent asthma, hay fever or mild allergies.
Individuals who have special concerns on this matter should consult with their physician for appropriate medical advice.
However, lovemaking is only a small part of true love and caring between husband and wife or lovers. As long as you are able to feel and give love to that special person in your life, the actual physical and sexual expression of this sentiment is secondary. And as couples grow older together, the physical affection is gradually transformed into a longer lasting, sacred, and spiritual love for each other. A love that truly binds two soul mates into one for the rest of their life.
Will cervical cancer be a disease of the past?
Hopefully so. A vaccine to prevent cancer of the cervix has been developed and impressive clinical studies showed it is practically 100% effective in warding off malignancy of the cervix, a significant killer cancer among women. However, there are numerous HPV strains causing cancer that are not covered by this vaccine. Scientists are still working on a common vaccine that will protect women from all types of cancer-causing HP Viruses.
Does high cholesterol increase the risk for heart attack?
There is no question that high blood level of cholesterol (from eating pork, beef, eggs, etc) increases the risk for heart attack and even stroke. The popular ongoing Framingham Heart Study in Massachusetts initially conducted in 1948 with 5127 male and female subjects revealed in no uncertain terms that a 1% rise in cholesterol level results in 2% increase in the risk of coronary heart disease in both sexes. Cigarette smoking is a most deadly factor in the causation of heart attack and stroke, not to mention cancer of the lungs and other organs in the body. Lack of daily exercise is also an important cause of heart disease. As far as diet is concerned, the healthiest one is a daily menu consisting of fish, vegetables and other hi-fiber foods.
Are all antibiotics effective for all infections?
No, not all antibiotics have the same spectrum of activity against bacteria. In general, different microorganisms respond to specific antibiotic drugs. While there are broad spectrum antibiotics, which could cure various infections, no one drug will be effective in curing all types of infections caused by all bacteria. This is the reason why specimen (either sputum, blood, wound drainage, urine, stools, etc.) are obtained and sent to the laboratory for culture and sensitivity tests to find out what type of antibiotic(s) the culprit bacteria are sensitive to, before prescribing the appropriate antibiotic to a patient. With the experience and training of physicians, they also know which infection usually respond well to what antibiotic(s). Self medication is strongly discouraged because antibiotics, just like any drug, could have some serious, even fatal, side effects for some individuals.
Why do breasts get larger with pregnancy?
Obviously, this is nature’s way of preparing for the birth and feeding of the newborn. Large quantity of fats are deposited in the breasts with the onset of pregnancy. But the actual sequence of physiologic event starts with the development of the placenta during pregnancy, which produced enormous amounts of estrogen. Acting together with other hormones produced by the placenta, the pituitary and other glands in the body, estrogen makes the mammary ducts grow in size and form more branches. Progesterone, also from the placenta, causes the glandular tissues to enlarge and proliferate. The alveoli (sacs) are lined with milk-producing cells which respond to hormonal stimulation and “instruction” and suppress milk production until the baby is born. Immediately after the neonate is born, the loss of the placenta and its hormones, the hormone prolactin (secreted by the pituitary gland) becomes unopposed by the placental hormones and stimulates milk production.
What is Ecstasy pill?
Ecstasy drug, which has gained notoriety some years ago, is a hallucinogenic substance that is derived from stimulant amphetamines. The chemical name of ecstasy is 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This dangerous drug causes hyperpyrexia (high fever), electrolyte imbalance (especially sodium), stroke secondary to cerebral infarction (death of brain tissue from blood clots), liver failure and coma. The drug is not only illegal but quite deadly. No one in his/her right mind would even think of taking this poison.
***
Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: [email protected]
