Kissing is the Best Health Booster on Valentines Day!

Kissing not only feels good but is reported to have many lasting health benefits. Here are the whys and what’s of the benefits of kissing:

13 Benefits of Kissing

1. Healthy blood pressure - Kissing helps to dilate your blood vessels, which may help with healthy blood pressure.
2. Decreases stress levels - Cortisol is the hormone our body produces as a response to stress and it has a negative effect on body. So if you can lower stress symptoms and reduce those negative effects of cortisol by simply stealing a kiss with your spouse or partner, why not do it as often as you can!
3. Increases serotonin- If you’re feeling stressed or rundown, a little kissing will actually relax, restore and revitalize you by increasing your happy hormone (serotonin).
4. Increases oxytocin - Oxytocin is known as the hormone of love, and the better the oxytocin levels, the more capacity for love you will have. It has been found that those who cannot commit in a love relationship are often low in oxytocin.
5. Increases dopamine and improves mood - One of the most important hormones, kissing can promote is dopamine. This neurotransmitter is involved in helping us feel rewarded and experience pleasure. Dopamine also causes us to crave more and can even lead to a sensation of euphoria, taking our mood to cloud nine.
6. 6. Lowers anxiety - Kissing has also been measured to lower anxiety and has similar benefits to meditation as it helps stop mental chatter. This is due to an increase in good neurotransmitters such as oxytocin when kissing. Oxytocin is an extremely calming hormone that produces a feeling of peace.
7. Reduces pain - Kissing releases natural chemicals in the body called endorphins, which can be more powerful than some pain killers to relieve pain without the side effects of pain killers. So the next time you have a headache grab your honey and smooch it away.
8. Improves immunity- Swapping spit means swapping germs, but being exposed to others’ germs causes your body makes antibodies against those germs, which can in turn lead to improved immunity and the prevention of illness. This all holds true as long as you’re not kissing random strangers with unknown diseases or people with cold sores or ulcers present on their mouth, so make sure your valentine isn’t diseased or coming down with the flu before you pucker up.
9. Fights off cavities – When you kiss, saliva production increases in your mouth, and this may help to wash away plaque on your teeth that may lead to cavities. So as long as you and your beloved have good oral hygiene, kissing can keep your teeth healthy and lovely.
10. Burns calories – Kissing is not going to replace your workout session but according to studies a vigorous kiss may burn significant calories. Depending on different reports, anywhere from 2 to 8 calories a minute. Not quite the same as a jog on the treadmill, but an hours’ worth of smooching may burn off a chocolate bar or a glass of wine.
11. Kissing keeps facial muscles strong – You use over 30 muscles while kissing and which causes means a thorough workout on your facial muscles, which and can prevent facial sagging and smooching helps to keep your cheeks tight. Nice. We’ll take what we can get, a natural facelift!
12. Boosts self-esteem – A German study reported that men who regularly received passionate kisses before they left for work earned more money. This suggests that regular kissing (and perhaps the happy home-life it suggests behind the kiss) makes people happier, boosts self-esteem and, ultimately, more productivity at work. Kissing makes you feel desirable and appreciated and helps cultivate confidence and a positive state of mind.
13. Healthier relationships - If you’re in a committed relationship, how much do you kiss your partner? The more you kiss, the stronger your relationship, according to Oxford University researchers. Research shows that more frequent kissing in a relationship is linked to a higher quality relationship, and thus, a healthier life. So go ahead and give your Valentine a kiss today!

Happy Valentine’s Day, wishing you love and happiness from Nature’s Sunshine! Xx