Know Your Perfume

The word `perfume` is derived from the Latin `per fume` which means through smoke.

Perfume making began in ancient Egypt; later, it was improved by the Romans and the Arabs.

The process of distilling oils from flowers was discovered by an Iranian doctor, and this is the process still used in perfume making today.

Modern perfume was first made in 1370 in Hungary, by blending scented oils in an alcoholic solution, and was known all over Europe as Hungary water. Perfume making continued to be developed in Italy during the Renaissance, and in France from the 16th century onwards. Growing of flowers for perfume making became an important industry in southern France; and France is still the center of perfume making in Europe.

The designer houses famous for their perfumes keep their formulas of the fragrances a closely guarded secret. But there are perfume experts who can identify the origins and components of the scents much like wine testers.

Perfumes are classified by their scent and concentration levels. The oils used in making perfume are diluted by ethanol and water, because the undiluted oils can cause damage to the skin or to clothing, or can cause allergic reactions. Accordingly, there are Pure perfume, Eau De Parfum, Eau De Toilette and Eau De Cologne, with Pure perfume containing the largest percentage of aromatic oils, and Eau De Cologne the smallest amount.

The fragrance designer houses use different levels of concentration for the same category of perfume; for instance, the Eau De Parfum belonging to one house, may be much stronger than one from another house. There are also three different perfume classifications according to scents; the traditional scents were created in the early 1900`s; the modern scents date from 1945; the Fragrance wheel was created in 1983, there being five standard fragrance categories: the Fougere family, Floral, Woody, Oriental and Fresh.

Perfumes are also known by their top, middle and base notes, which unfold gradually; the top notes can be sensed immediately, next, the deeper middle notes, and the base notes appear gradually in the last stage. There is an evaporation process in perfumes, and this knowledge is used in carefully choosing the notes. Top notes are important in selling the perfume as they can be perceived immediately; the middle and the base notes make up the perfume's main theme.

The aromatic oils used in perfume making are obtained from various sources. Barks of cinnamon, sassafras and cascarilla are used. Flowers are the largest source; rose, osmanthus, jasmine, tuberose, mimosa and blossom of citrus trees are widely used. Odors from fresh fruits like cherries, strawberries and apples cannot be extracted well and synthetic substances are used. The exceptions are vanilla, juniper and oranges, grapefruit and limes. Among leaves and twigs, lavender, patchouli, rosemary, violets, sage and citrus leaves are used. Resins are obtained from frankincense, labdanum, myrrh, gum benzoin, Peru balsam, fir and pine.

Roots, Ambergris, woods, honeycomb, musk (synthetic), lichens, civets, seaweed are some of the other sources of aromas.

Organic synthetics are created from petroleum and pine resins for scents which cannot be obtained from nature. There are really hundreds of ingredients that are contained in perfume oils. The modern fragrance houses have developed their own fragrance oils, which are blended with ethyl alcohol and water for fourteen days; these are then filtered and unwanted particles removed; they are then filled into beautiful perfume bottles.

These days, we find well known celebrities signing contracts with perfume houses to lend their names for promoting famous perfumes. Some of the most popular ones are David Beckham for Instinct, Antonio Banderas for Spirit, Elizabeth Taylor for White Diamonds, Passion, Forever Elisabeth, and many more.

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The Pill: A Blessing And A Curse

We know the pill’s safe in the short term, but what happens to long-term users?

Birth control pills decrease the risk of certain cancers but increase the risk of others the longer they’re taken, according to the longest study ever done on the hormonal contraceptive.

For long-term users, the benefits of the pill are still seen in diminished ovarian and endometrial cancers; but women who took the pill for more than eight years were twice as likely to get cervical cancer.

The study, published in the British Medical Journal, comes 50 years after the pill garnered FDA approval to help regulate the periods of women with menstrual disorders. Since then, it has also helped more than 300 million women worldwide avoid pregnancy by blocking ovulation. Because of controversy surrounding its use, researchers kept meticulous data about the women who first took it and the conditions they developed. Now the data have been analyzed, and findings indicate that the pill offers protective benefits for women who’ve used it: a reduction of cancer incidence between 3 percent and 12 percent. But long-term pill takers were 20 percent more likely to develop cancer.

The way birth control protects or damages a woman’s body is not known. One hypothesis suggests that by stopping ovulation, the pill protects the ovaries from the monthly damage caused by an egg breaking through the ovary during a woman’s natural menstrual cycle, thus preventing ovarian cancers. Another theory is that the hormone regulation induced by taking the pill protects organs, possibly through changes in the production of other non-sex hormones or the body’s ability to process sugar from foods, although both causes are purely speculative. “None of the mechanisms actually fit all the data, so we just have to say no one knows its precise beneficial or harmful effects,” says Dr. Philip Hannaford, a professor of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Aberdeen and the lead author on the study.

Hannaford’s team analyzed data from more than 1 million British women who began taking the pill just after it was commercially introduced in 1968. “This study is good news for women,” Hannaford says, mentioning that for many women who worry about increased risk of breast cancer—previously linked to hormone therapies—the findings came as a relief.

However, increased cancer among long-term users was primarily cervical cancer, which was not aggressively screened for until 1975. “Cervical cancer can be picked up early and is eminently treatable,” says Hannaford. He recommends that women using the pill for a long time recognize they have an increased risk and remember to go in for their annual screenings.

Dr. Miriam Cremmer, a family planning specialist at New York University Medical Center, agrees that long-term pill users should not be too concerned. “I wouldn’t tell women to get off it at any point because of increased risk of cancer,” she says. Cremmer noted that she and her colleagues were not concerned because the risk increase was relatively small and only found for easily identified cancer types. “I don’t think it’s going to change prescriptions at all,” she says.

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Why do people sneeze?

God bless you! Gesundheit! Cover your face!

When you sneeze, you are likely to hear one of these responses, ranging in inspiration from the medieval to the hygienic. Different cultures throughout history have interpreted a sneeze as either an auspicious sign or a bad omen, but it may be said that both are right: Sneezing is the good that gets the ill out.

“Sneezing is basically ‘nature’s broom,’” says Dr. James Banks, an allergist and immunologist in private practice in Arnold, Md. “It is a way our bodies purge foreign matter that has invaded our noses.”

Particulates are the usual suspects, including dust and common allergens like pollen or animal dander. Sneezing also expels unwelcome germs when we are sick, which has given rise to the sanitary concerns about honking away in public places. And for good reason: a single sneeze can produce some 40,000 aerosolized droplets containing a hefty amount of infectious organisms, according to a 1998 article in the American Journal of Infection Control.

It’s not just allergies and illnesses that can produce that familiar tickling in the nose. Banks explains: “People sneeze for a lot of reasons other than just getting something up their noses. Clinically speaking, we consider sneezing a non-specific reaction, because there are a lot of sources that irritate.”

For example, some people experience a round of sneezing after a large meal, which has led to the coining of the term snatiation, a combination of sneeze and satiation. There is also a phenomenon with a known genetic basis called the photic sneeze reflex, which causes about one-third of people to sneeze from looking at a bright light source, such as the sun. Sigmund Freud has even speculated on the kinky psychological origins of an otherwise innocuous sneeze.

“Overall, it is not a clear-cut reflex,” says Dr. David Kaufman, an associate professor in the department of otolaryngology at New York University Medical Center (an otolaryngologist is most often referred to as an ear, nose and throat specialist).

Like blinking or breathing, sneezing is a semi-autonomous reflex, meaning we exercise some conscious control over its mechanism – we can try to restrain ourselves or submit and start reaching for a tissue.

The act of sneezing itself, technically called sternutation, usually begins as an electrical signal that is triggered by a trespassing particle’s contact with nerve endings in the mucous membranes of our sinuses. This neural message then travels to the brain stem, which is located in the lower rear of our head where the spine connects to the brain and controls rudimentary bodily functions such as respiration and swallowing.

Once the command for a sneeze has reached the brain stem, an “all points bulletin” is sent throughout the body’s musculature and a powerful, coordinated contraction takes place. Our eyes are forced closed, and other facial, chest and abdominal muscle groups are recruited as well. Some muscles actually anchor and brace us while in the throes of a nasal outburst to avoid unintended bodily injury.

“They keep us from jet-action, throwing ourselves across the room,” says Banks. A typical sneeze has a velocity of about 100 miles per hour (160 kilometers per hour), an impressive hurricane squall, while a regular breath idles along at just 5 mph. That 20-fold increase usually serves to eject whatever it is that is causing the offense, but some people have to blast out several sneezes, oftentimes hilariously, before finally getting a well-deserved break.

Scientists have yet to come up with a good explanation for why most people sneeze the predictable two or three times, while others are wracked by staccato attacks. But the answer seems to lie in an individual’s unique immunological and neurological constitution.

“Multiple sneezes are more common in allergenic individuals, especially those with an ongoing chronic stimulus of some sort,” says Banks.

What if you hold in a sneeze? There is the often-repeated fear that an internal backfiring can burst capillaries in the sinuses or eyes, injure the delicate inner ears or even cause a stroke.

Dr. Clark Kaufman, a pediatric allergist in private practice in Lancaster, Pa., thinks this is unlikely. “It’s not dangerous,” he says. “Most people do it all the time and get away with it.” But he cautions that as your body may be trying to dislodge something, it’s probably not a good idea to hold back on a routine basis.

So chances are you won’t do any permanent damage if you quash that sneeze during a job interview or a date. To help suppress the urge, try placing your index finger under your nose.

“This sends sense signals to your brain using the same neural pathways that a sneeze does,” advises Banks. By doing this, you can “overload your neural circuitry” and prevent the sneeze from occurring.

In lieu of putting a finger to the face in a gesture that unintentionally mimics a mustache, Banks also recommends breathing through one’s mouth, as this will decrease turbulence in the nose and may help thwart the impending “atchoo.”

On the other hand, if you have a sneeze that refuses to come out or go away, and you’re grimacing awkwardly in public, close your mouth and inhale through your nose to further excite the nerve endings. This will assist in getting you across the threshold so the sneeze reflex kicks in, and then you can just let ‘er rip.

After all, if Freud is to believed, sneezing is actually sort of sexy – though don’t expect to hear “hubba hubba” the next time you do.

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Relationship ending points

5 signs it's time to call it quits!

When you meet a fabulous guy and fall in love, the last thing on your mind is how or when it's going to end. You might be so head-over-heels that you miss some signs that this relationship is going nowhere fast. When navigating through love relationships, what becomes important is the ability to read the telling signs of a relationship that has completed its course and when to not hang on.
So, when do you really know that your love relationship is over? Admitting to any or all of these checklist items could mean it's time for you to call it quits.

1. Your needs are consistently not being met
Your beau used to add romance to just about everything and shower your with affection. But lately, it's not just cooling off -- it's ice cold. Couples who are no longer together admit that they experienced a longstanding history of feeling as though their needs were no longer being met. Words of encouragement and support that were once commonplace are now largely absent. Other examples include one or both members of a couple refraining from sex, intimacy, and/or affection. Feeling as though your needs are not being met leads to resentment, withholding, and anger.

2. There are critical or unresolved issues
One good reason for couples to partake in counselling at different times over the course of their relationship is to help them find healthy and constructive ways of resolving conflict. Over time, a relationship has the potential to accumulate unresolved issues and problems, but if you don't know how to get to a satisfactory resolution you might find you and your man in a less-than-pretty stalemate. The issue gets buried until a later time – creating another unresolved conflict. Relationships with a large list of unsolved conflicts become suffocated by the weight of these. Newer relationships that continue to face unresolved differences and conflict don't have a long-term future.

3. Bad behaviour, bad excuses
Ladies, we all need to honour our self-defined 'deal breakers' -- the things that you simply won't tolerate in your relationship under any circumstances. Making excuses for bad behaviour (betrayal of trust, infidelity, violent behaviour, etc.) are a tell tale sign that you are not willing to take an honest look at what's wrong with your relationship. If your former Prince Charming does the unthinkable, the relationship needs to be over.

4. Negative impact
When a relationship creates an ongoing source of tension, conflict, frustration, anger and unhappiness it's time to say sayonara. A healthy relationship is one that contributes (rather than negatively affects) the overall quality of your life.

5. Sense of disconnection
An emotional or spiritual incompatibility occurs when one or both partners begin to confide in members of the opposite gender for emotional support and comfort. So, if you're sharing your inner most feelings with the cute guy at work, rather than your partner, you need to assess your relationship. It's as if you and your partner have run out of things to say, behaving more like roommates than lovers, living separate, albeit, parallel lives.

Recognizing that your relationship has fatal flaws doesn't mean you need to point fingers of blame at yourself or your partner. It does mean that you need to stop investing time and energy in what isn't working, and instead look ahead to what it is you really want from a love relationship.


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Why we should just say 'no' to designer labels

There are plenty of reasons why being a slave to designer labels is a bad idea.

Some cite ethical and moral issues, and a recent series of tests on labels for sale in Shanghai found that wearing designer clothes may even be bad for your health.

Garments from 40 labels including Armani, Burberry and Polo Ralph Lauren were declared substandard after quality control tests by China's Bureau of Commerce and Industry.

Of the 59 items tested, 25 had high levels of the chemical formaldehyde, acid (pH) and poor dyes which can lead to skin rashes, eye irritations, respiratory problems, allergies and cancer.

But these aren't the only reasons to say no to designer clothes.

The trend leaders are ubiquitous and easy to spot - Armani, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana, Versace, Prada are household names for the fashion conscious.

But while these fashion houses may lead in the trend-setting stakes, they lag behind in quality.

Basically, their products are comparatively shoddy. Their high prices reflect not quality, but the need to pay for massive advertising campaigns in magazines and on billboards, as well as catwalk shows where those weird and wonderful creations with absolutely no connection to reality are wheeled out.

All this is necessary to create an image - whether it is Ralph Lauren's bucolic, stylised snapshot of English country life or Prada's androgynous models parading a row of identical skin-tight black suits with thin lapels and skinny black ties.

For many, the pursuit of the label has supplanted the pursuit of quality.

But makers who have always indulged in producing an agelessly stylish silhouette remain a mystery to most.

How about Corneliani, Canali, Isaia, Luciana Barbera, Borrelli, Raffaele Caruso or Pal Zileri, for example?

They may not have a high profile but these names are worth knowing if you want your wardrobe to look permanently relevant and transcend the whims of fashion.

You won't find any of them in department stores and if you go to a high-end city store you will pay full retail in the order of $3,000 or more. Search the internet and you'll find new examples on offer for a third of this.

Big name designer labels can't really afford to be well made.

That would be contrary to the manufacturer's raison d'etre - to make money by regularly changing trends and declaring this or that to be in or out.

The fashion writer Dana Thomas' book, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster, exposes the myth of couture houses.

Their original ideals, prized by family-owned businesses who prided themselves on handwork, were long ago lost. These businesses are now cogs in huge multinational corporations whose focus is international brand awareness and profit.

Garments are churned out by underpaid workers in Chinese sweatshops and returned to Europe, where some small part can be added so the respected Made in Italy label can be attached.

Sometimes not even this is necessary.

Italian companies have now caught on to the idea of importing thousands of lowly-paid Chinese into the country to produce clothes and leather goods in conditions marginally better than those in their home country. The maker can then legally add Made in Italy to the product.

So instead of following the flock and striving to aspire to a contrived image, try Googling some of the true artisans.

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Why do people cry?

You’re watching the final scene in Thelma and Louise, and you’re on your third handkerchief. You turn your tear stained face to the side and look through blurred, saline-flooded vision at your cat, who is staring back at you witnessing the curious spectacle. Why is it that humans can be reduced to blubbering messes, while other members of the animal kingdom don’t seem to let out even a sniffle?

We have tear ducts to lubricate and protect our eyes from dust and other particles. The ducts are under the upper eyelids and produce a salty liquid—a tear-–-that gets spread throughout the eye after each blink. Animals too have the ability to produce tears, but not necessarily for the same reasons that we humans produce them.

Three types of tears are generated by the human eye. Basal tears protect the eye and keep it moist. Reflex tears flush out the eye when it becomes irritated. And emotional tears flow in response to sadness, distress, or physical pain.

Studies have shown that emotional tears contain more manganese, an element that affects temperament, and more prolactin, a hormone that regulates milk production. Sobbing out manganese and prolactin is thought to relieve tension by balancing the body’s stress levels and eliminating build ups of the chemicals, making the crier feel better.

But this minor physiological benefit aside, the most likely reason we produce emotional tears is because it’s a means of communication. Before babies can speak, they can cry. The only way for infants to express frustration, pain, fear, or need is to cry. Adults may use crying to bond with other humans. Expressing sadness can prompt comfort and support from peers. Different languages can provide barriers to spoken communication, but emotions are universal. There are also culturally acceptable reasons for crying that bring people together, such as at funerals or weddings.

Though there is a significant debate over whether animals have emotions and can express them, some animals do appear to cry for emotional reasons. Elephants seem to grieve when a family member dies and will guard the body and travel long distances to view it. Elephant experts at the London Zoo once told Charles Darwin that the animals do indeed mourn. Chimpanzees also appear to cry, but some scientists still insist that the tears released by these animals are strictly for cleaning the eye.

Whether or not animals shed tears for emotional reasons has yet to be scientifically proven. Humans, however, can and do dissolve into tears for any number of reasons. Cleansing the eye, relieving stress, conveying pain, communication, and societal assimilation can all lead to an empty tissue box. So weeping after that sappy movie might not mean that you are a total wuss after all. In fact, it may mean that you are behaving like a perfectly normal human being.

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Smoking Gene

There are a lot of ways to quit smoking: patches, gums, lozenges, inhalers, prescription pills, self-help books and many more. The proliferation of these products illustrates the simple truth that it’s very tough to quit. Smokers rarely succeed on their first try, and fewer than one-third are ever able to give up cigarettes using these available methods.

With such a low success rate, how would a smoker know which one would work the best? The answer might be in their genes.

Bupropion (marketed under the name Zyban), a popular drug prescribed to help patients quit smoking, has been shown to be more effective in people that possess certain “smoking genes,” according to a study published late last year in the journal Biological Psychiatry.

“We believe [the results] are an exciting step forward in seeking information about how one responds well to which drugs – the holy grail of personalized medicine,” said Rachel Tyndale, author of the study and professor at the University of Toronto.

These results suggest that by using genetic testing at the outset, patients can bypass some of the early false starts of smoking cessation. If they have the right genetic variant, then they know that bupropion works well for them and can tailor their treatment plan accordingly. Patients can opt for the drug before buying nicotine replacement gum or pursuing counseling options.

Tyndale’s team chose to look at the gene CYP2B6, which is associated with the body’s ability to process nicotine. They recruited 326 moderate-to-heavy smokers who smoked half a pack a day or more. The participants were divided into two groups: one that was given the standard two-month course of bupropion and another that received a placebo. The researchers monitored their progress over a six-month period.

About half of the smokers in the buproprion group had a variant of the gene CYP2B6 that made them almost three times more likely to be able to quit smoking using bupropion when compared with the placebo group. After six months, those with the smoking gene were still much more likely to have avoided cigarettes.

Smoking cessation expert Douglas Jorenby, director of clinical services at the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention in Madison, agrees that “a major goal now… is to connect [the patients] with the correct treatment.”

While this development is a step forward, Jorenby would like to see the experiment replicated in order to verify the results.

Jorenby also had concerns that genetic testing is not yet cost-effective. Currently, the kind of genetic testing needed for this study is not commercially available, and it will be expensive when it does eventually enter the marketplace. For comparison, it costs around $2,000 to test for the breast cancer genes.

While this initial study shows hope for everyone struggling with smoking addiction, there is still a lot more to be done before its lessons can be implemented. In the meantime, Tyndale’s group is gearing up to repeat their study on this smoking gene.

Intensify your eye colour

Make your eyes shine bright with the right choices in eye makeup colours.
There are simple ways to make your natural eye colour really dazzle. As you probably know, certain colours complement and enhance other colours. The same theory works with eye makeup and your iris (the coloured part of your eye). You can make your blues bluer, greens greener, and so on. I've found that the following basic colour combinations work the best:

Brown eyes
Try: Use eyeshadow or liner in grey, black, navy blue, neutral chocolate brown, or chocolate brown with a hint of red, pink-brown, grey-brown, burgundy, or eggplant. You can also use paler or medium versions of these shades as eyeshadow, as well as light mauve, light pink and peach. You can use gold shadow if your skin tone is not too sallow or yellow.

Avoid: If you have brown eyes and olive skin, skip neutral browns like khakis, taupes, and yellow-browns. They won't make your eyes look alive and will only emphasize the yellow in your skin.

Blue eyes
Try: Use eyeshadow in fleshy pink, brown-pink, beige-pink, peachy-pink, muted mauve, greys, light dusty blues, turquoise washes, black, or all browns. Use eyeliner in grey, black, brown, navy blue, bronze-gold, or dark purple.

Avoid: If you have pink-toned skin, stay away from shadows that are pure pink. By all means, don't use strong pinks such as fuchsia, or you'll end up resembling a bunny rabbit. If you have pure blue eyes that tend not to change colour, you should avoid green eyeshadow and liner. Avoid blues that are too strong because they can overwhelm your eye colour.

Green or hazel eyes
Try: Shadows in peach, light pink, muted pink, mauve, green, bronze-green, grey-green, brown-green, khaki, caramel, gold, any green mixed with gold, and all browns and greys. If your complexion is very olive and your dark circles too yellow-brown and deep, stick to the cool colours like navy blues, slate greys, mauve-greys, bright mauves, pinks, black, or eggplants. Use liner in navy, deep purple, black, grey, gold, or brown.

Avoid: Don't use any green that's not subtle. You don't want to wear bright, vivid greens because they will overwhelm your eye colour. If you want to try a bright colour such as teal or turquoise, make sure to apply a subtle wash so it brightens the eye area without overwhelming your eye colour.

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7 skin myths solved!

We dig up the truth behind cucumber slices on the eyes to getting rid of pesky cellulite.

1. Lying in a tanning bed for 10 minutes adds up to the same amount of UV exposure as spending an entire day in the sun.
FALSE. Still, don't quit your spray-on tan. You can't compare the two because tanning beds emit mostly UVA (long-wave) rays – which penetrate the skin deeper – whereas the sun emits a combination of UVA and UVB (short-wave) rays. Still, the beds emit UVA rays that are four to 20 times as strong as the sun, says Dr. Jason Rivers, a dermatologist and clinical professor at The University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Because tanning beds are linked to an increased risk of skin cancer, you're better off sticking with the kind of tan that rubs on.

2. You can get rid of cellulite permanently.
FALSE. Because we don't know what causes cellulite, the most we can hope for is temporary improvement in its appearance, says Dr. Mariusz Sapijaszko, a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon at the Western Canada Dermatology Institute in Edmonton. Apply prescription creams that contain tretinoin (a vitamin A derivative) on an ongoing basis, he says. While a type of surgery called "subcision" shows promise, the side effects, which include bruising and scarring, render it a last resort.

3. Certain products and techniques can change the size of your pores.
FALSE. We're born with a certain pore size, and there's not much that will change it, says Vignjevic. Other than slightly minimizing their appearances, pore-minimizing creams don't do much, he adds. Your only hope is laser therapy techniques, such as intense pulsed light. These may make your pores appear smaller by stimulating collagen production, which tightens and smooths the skin.

4. Drinking water keeps your skin from drying out.
FALSE. Drinking water helps keep our internal organs functioning and is essential for life. But, says Vignjevic, all those bottles of Evian have little effect on the dryness of your skin – or your "glow," despite what celebs like to claim. "The topical application of creams is more important," he adds.

5. You don't need a toner.
TRUE. Toners gently exfoliate the skin, but they're not a necessity, says Vignjevic. One exception; people with blackheads. The alpha-hydroxy acids in some toners help lift and remove dead skin cells, which can block pores.

6. Cucumber slices, cool wet tea bags and Preparation H reduce under-eye bags.
FALSE. These tricks don't do a thing, says Dr. Peter Vignjevic, a dermatologist in Hamilton, Ont. "No one really knows what causes puffiness, but it's most likely an accumulation of excess fat," he says. "Unfortunately, surgical removal of the excess skin and fat is the only thing that really works."

7. If you have oily skin, you don't need to moisturize.
TRUE. You only need moisturizer if your skin feels tight and dry after washing, says Vignjevic. There is one exception, though: if you have combination skin, you need a non-comedogenic face cream, which won't cause breakouts.

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Sexual healing: The benefits of sex

It can burn calories, ward off disease and even help you look younger. Sex isn't just good; it's good for you!
The Economist has declared that sleep is the new sex as a trend for 2008. But don't ditch your lace undies for cozy flannels yet. Just as a good night's sleep will do wonders for your mood, a joyful jump in the hay will keep you fit and stress-free. And even if you occasionally pull a Meg Ryan and fake it, you'll still reap the rewards. "Even without an orgasm, sexual activity releases sex hormones that have beneficial effects on our immune, cardiovascular and neurological systems," says Dr. Ted Jablonski, a clinical associate at the Sexual Health Clinic in Calgary. Here are five reasons why you should do it.

Sexercise
Forget Bikram yoga class; a little sweaty sexercise might be an easier way to get your cardio and strength training. Researchers at The University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom studied 70 couples and found that those who had regular sex were in better physical shape than those whose lovemaking sessions were more sporadic. Not surprising, says Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. "You get some cardio benefits from having sex," he says. "It raises your heart rate and burns 150 to 200 calories an hour -- that's equivalent to a brisk walk." (Even if you're not rounding home right away, kissing alone uses 29 muscles and torches 20 calories per minute, according to research by Beiersdorf AG, the makers of NIVEA Lip Care.) Sex can also build muscle. "Depending on your position, it can add muscular training and conditioning as well as core stability from maintaining positions," says Bryant.

Happy hour
The next time you're feeling gloomy, skip the Ben & Jerry's -- some X-rated canoodling could be a better way to beat the blahs. Researchers at Arizona State University asked 58 women to record their moods and levels of sexual activity and physical affection over 36 weeks. Those women who experienced both affection and sex reported being in a better mood the next day. Chalk it up to endorphins -- neurotransmitters that are released during sexual activity, says Jablonski. "Endorphins are produced in the brain and make you feel happy -- almost giddy," he says. "This is what causes that classic 'afterglow' phenomenon."

First aid
Marvin Gaye was onto something when he called it "sexual healing." During intercourse, two chemicals are released in the body: endorphins and oxytocin; together, they act as a powerful opiate. (A study at the University of Vienna found that women's oxytocin levels increase significantly as quickly as one minute after an orgasm.) So, if you have a headache, the horizontal mambo could be just what the doctor ordered. "Studies have shown that sex increases your pain threshold for ailments such as migraines and even menstrual cramps," says Dr. Hilda Hutcherson, a gynecologist and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

Big chill
We all know that stress is bad for us; luckily, we can have fun getting rid of its unhealthy side effects. Stuart Brody, a professor at the University of Paisley in Scotland, found that having sex can help lower your blood pressure when you're reacting to stressful situations. In a 2006 study that examined
24 women and 22 men, those who had penile-vaginal intercourse had better stress responses than those who abstained or participated in other sexual activities, such as masturbation. Again, it's because of oxytocin, says Lisa Martinez, executive director of The Women's Sexual Health Foundation in Ohio. "The hormone creates a sense of well-being and happiness," adds Hutcherson.

Forever young
Sure, a visit to the dermatologist's office might help eradicate a wrinkle or two. But hitting it with your partner could give you even greater anti-aging benefits. A study of 3,500 people at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland found that couples who had sex at least three times a week looked at least 10 years younger than those who had sex twice a week. Regular sex can boost your immune system too: a 2004 study at Wilkes University in
Pennsylvania found that those who had sex once or twice a week had higher levels of immunoglobulin A -- an antibody that plays a critical role in the immune system -- than those who had sex less often.

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