More Sex - More Health!

"Sexercise" for better health -

Brazilian Minister recommends!

Is "sexercise" a prescription for good health? Brazil's Minister of Health suggested that his country's citizens have sex five times a week as a solution to chronic diseases there like diabetes and hypertension (nearly one quarter of Brazilians have high blood pressure, according to The Associated Press).

While sex may not cure chronic illnesses, it does have some health benefits, experts say. But it's not the same as an intense workout at the gym.

"You're not going to get the same [physical health] benefit as going out for a 2-mile jog," Jamie Feldman, associate professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, told ABC News. "Sexual activity provides some degree of modest exercise. But it's not the same as getting moderate exercise for 30 minutes a day."

It can, however, lower the blood pressure over time, says Israel Helfand, sex therapist and marriage counselor. "But for this to happen, it must be done vigorously," he adds.

Sex also increases the body's "happy" hormones such as dopamine and cortisol, Helfand says. "And it counteracts depression, improves energy and improves people's mood," he adds.

Consultant sexologist Eric Garrison points out its calorie-reducing benefits, too. "And studies show that sex is known to relieve headaches and sinus pressure since it increases blood flow in the head," he adds. "So the ‘not tonight, I have a headache,' excuse doesn't really work."

Sex also can strengthen the immune system, help you have a better relationship with your partner, and make you feel more connected to your partner, says Ian Kerner, Ph.D., a certified clinical sexologist.

"But it works two ways," he says. "People who have healthy sex lives are likely to have healthier lives overall. People who have sex more often are more likely to go to the gym, eat healthy and take care of themselves. But if you are sedentary and have high blood pressure, this definitely has an effect on libido."

A recent study in the British Medical Journal of 6,000 Americans ages 25 to 84, as reported by ABC News, found that those with an active sex life lead healthier and longer lives.

"Really what they found was that sexual activity, quality of sex life, and interest in sex were positively associated with good health in middle age and later in life," Feldman told ABC News. "Men and women who were reporting good physical health were more likely to report good sexual health."