Celebrate the love of family, friends, and good health

Whether you plan to celebrate Valentine's Day on your own or with someone else, take steps to be a healthy valentine. Challenge yourself to be active, healthy, and smoke free.

  • Treat yourself and loved ones to a heart-healthy meal that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables and foods low in saturated fat and salt.
  • Plan an event that encourages physical activity, and healthy eating.
  • Give yourself or your loved ones a favorite healthy alternative to candy.
  • If you smoke, quit smoking. It's a perfect gift for yourself and others.
  • February is American Heart Month. Help raise awareness about heart disease prevention. Encourage yourself and others to learn about how to lower heart disease risk and take action!
  • Learn the most common symptoms of a heart attack. Call 9-1-1 immediately if these symptoms arise.

Sex – it does the body good.

Yet most of us are quicker to hit the gym before hitting the sheets when it  comes to taking care of ourselves. Believe it or not, huffing and puffing your way through a hot, sweat-inducing sex session may be far more beneficial to your overall health than the time you spend on the treadmill.

As research confirms time and time again, good sex in a healthy, stable,  monogamous relationship can only better our physical, mental, emotional and  spiritual well being. Sex, in this context, offers us tons of benefits, most of  which aren’t touted nearly enough.

Here are just a few benefits:

— Weight loss and weight control. Forget torturing yourself  with the latest fad diet or hours on the elliptical machine when you can burn  about 200 calories in 30 minutes of sex! Lovemaking lends itself to improved  strength, flexibility, muscle tone, and cardiovascular conditioning. Plus,  there’s something super sexy about getting to sleep with your very own “personal  trainer.”

— Pain management. Forgo popping a pain killer and opt for  something a bit more “au naturel.” Sex has been shown to offer migraine and  menstrual cramp relief, as well as alleviate chronic back pain thanks to the  endorphins and corticosteroids released during sexual arousal and orgasm.

— Stress relief. Sex, even if only with ourselves, impacts  the way we respond to stress, increasing levels of oxytocin and stimulating  feelings of warmth and relaxation. What better way to unwind from a tough day  than sharing its most climactic moment with your special someone?

— Immune booster. Stop spending late nights at the office.  Sex wards off colds and the flu. And sexually active people take fewer sick  days, giving the phrase “working late” an entirely new meaning. Bosses, take  note.

— Better heart health. A little bit of heart and soul in the  sack should be part of every doctor’s orders when it comes to cardiovascular  care. Sex may help lower  cholesterol and the risk of heart attack.

— Increased self-esteem and intimacy. When sex is consistent  and involves mutual pleasure, it can increase bonding since the surge in  oxytocin at orgasm stimulates feelings of affection, intimacy, and closeness.  When spiritual in nature, sex can lead to an even better quality of life and  stronger relationship. Is it any wonder that good sexual energy in a positive  relationship can make you feel better about yourself, your partner, and life in  general?

— Sleep enhancement. There’s no need to count sheep when  sex, including masturbation, helps insomnia. Plus, making love sure beats  tossing and turning your way to zzzz’s.

— A better, younger looking you. Sex keeps you looking and  feeling younger and, according to some research, may lead to shiny hair, a  glowing complexion and bright eyes. This is because it increases the  youth-promoting hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrostone). And feeling more attractive  charges your sex life even more.

— Mood lifter. Sex releases pleasure-inducing endorphins  during arousal and climax that can relieve depression and anxiety, and increase  vibrancy.

— Longevity. There is a significant relationship between  frequency of orgasm and risk of death, especially with men. Men who orgasm two  times a week have a 50 percent lower chance of mortality than those who climax  one time per month. The bonus: Living longer also gives you and your honey the  opportunity for even more lovin’!

— Decreased risk of breast cancer. One study of women who  had never given birth found that an increased frequency of sexual intercourse  was correlated with a decrease in the incidence of breast cancer.

— Reproductive health benefits. According to at least one  study, sex appears to decrease a man’s risk of prostate cancer, and the  prevention of endometriosis in women. It also promotes fertility in women by  regulating menstrual patterns.

In a nutshell, the health benefits of sex in a good, solid relationship are  practically endless. Yet, in planning our New Year’s resolutions, how many of us  are declaring, “I think I’ll have more sex with my lover” in fulfilling any 2008  health and self-improvement goals?

While exercise on a regular basis is important to your health, sex can do so  much more for you and your relationship. So before signing any dotted line for a  new gym membership, consider how time allotted to an athletic club could be far more effective in your boudoir.

You can get a lot more bang for your buck in the bedroom, double your “membership” benefits, and, with sex breeding the desire for more sex, thanks to a boost in testosterone, it’s a workout plan you’re likelier to stick to.