FYI: Kissing is Good for your Health
There are studies that report kissing being healthy for our health – increasing blood flow, releasing healthy hormones, upping self-esteem, releasing stress, and even helping with dental hygiene. Whether married or single, parent or child – kissing is a great way to bond with others, show affection and feel loved. If married, it is part of the important process of foreplay and at the same time can be a way to show love and affection that doesn’t necessarily have to lead to sex. I found the following excerpts in the article, Is a kiss just a kiss? by Maryann Hammers featured in Figure interesting and fun. So read ahead and pucker up!
“”Kissing creates an emotional connection between two people, making them feel loved, safe, wanted, cared for and special,” says Andrea Demirjian, author of Kissing: Everything you Ever Wanted to Know About one of Life’s Sweetest Pleasures.”
“…passionate kissing causes the brain to trigger a rush of feel-good chemicals, giving your body a warm, fuzzy charge that creates a sexy mood. Specifically, “Kissing leads to the release of oxytocin, a hormone believed to play a positive role in bonding that’s evident in romantic relationships,” says Jonathan Alpert, a licensed psychotherapist in New York City. “The intimacy of the bond can also lead to feelings of well-being, confidence and calm- all of which can help to decrease stress.” And kissing even revs up your metabolism, burning up to two calories per minute.”
“…did you know that kissing can make you healthier, happier and better looking? “Kissing releases stress-relieving hormones and endorphins that help us recover from depression and lower blood pressure. It evokes euphoria that might last for days,” Vaughn M. Bryant, anthropology professor at Texas A& M University, proclaims.”
“If everyone kissed more often, cosmetic companies, plastic surgeons and dentists might even see revenues drop. According to Demirjian, kissing lifts the face, neck and jaw line for a vibrant, youthful look, and passionate kissing flexes and tones the tongue muscle. “Arteries dilate, blood flows and we are flushed with that ‘glow,'” she says.”
“The wetter the kiss, the better. The extra saliva “washes away bacteria and helps protect teeth from oral plaque,” says Matthew Messina, D.D.S, a dentist and consumer advisor for the American Dental Association. “
“And who isn’t smiling after they’ve been kissed? When you’re happy and you know it, you grin. And everyone looks better when they are smiling. “Kisses between loved ones can wash over us like a warm, fragrant bubble bath,” Demirjian says. “Even animals kiss in a sign of adoration- dogs, elephants and monkeys are all enthusiastic kissers. A ‘spoonful of honey’ like that fills the heart with the sweetness of belonging.””
