Q: Are there any health benefits to love and sex?
A: Greeting card companies and tattoo artists aren’t the only ones capitalizing on love. You can, too: Strong intimate relationships can benefit your health as well as any drug. Let us, as the sonnet says, count the ways:
1.0 At a Romantic Dinner
Red wine contains resveratrol, an antioxidant that increases HDL cholesterol, and flavonoids that reduce damage to arteries. Real cocoa-based chocolate also contains healthy flavonoids.
2.0 Every Day
Studies suggest married men are less likely to have heart disease than single men; happily married women are less likely to develop heart disease than their unhappily wed peers.
3.0 In Bed
A study found that men who had sex at least twice a week were half as likely to die over a ten-year period as men who had sex less than once a month. For women, better — not more — sex is the key. Though it’s unclear how sex might improve health, it’s likely the therapeutic value: Quality sex decreases stress, promotes companionship and increases emotional satisfaction.