Monday 3 February 2014

Show Your Body Some Love This Valentines Day


Chocolate, Fruit, Wine and Romance are thought of as indulgences of Valentines Day but they can be good for your heart. 

There are components in tart cherries, grapes and wine that can protect your heart muscle and lower your blood pressure. A massage along with a glass of wine can lower stress and anxiety.

Cherries contain a component called anthocyanins which is also good for your heart. You can go ahead and dip some cherries in chocolate to make a heart-healthy Valentine’s snack.

When it comes to chocolate not any will do, dark chocolate is the heart-healthy kind. Dark Chocolate contains flavonoids which are good for the heart.

Red Wine vs. White Wine?

Red wine has agents in it that are heart-healthy and heart-friendly; it could be the dark skin of the red wine grapes. Grape intake is also shown to lower blood pressure.

Facts About Cherries:

Tart Cherries have been shown to: 

  • • Lower Blood Sugar 
  • • Help in storing less fat in the liver 
  • • Lower Oxidative stress 
  • • Improve heart health and function 
  • • Reduce bell fat Massage Getting a massage is a good way to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and stress. 
So it is possible for sweets to set the mood for a heart-healthy and romantic Valentine’s Day.

Exercise Might Be The Sweetest Treat of All

Then again, you could forego the sweets and really show your body some love with some exercise to ignite that Valentine’s spark.

Research studies have shown that exercise can increase sexual drive and satisfaction in both men and women.

Twenty minutes of exercise, especially more intense exercise, has been shown to increase testosterone levels in both men and women, a key hormone in regulating desire.

In addition to these benefits, exercise also increases sexual health and confidence. Men who exercise regularly have a much lower risk of erectile dysfunction and impotence compared to inactive men.

Regular exercise also increases a person’s perception of their sexual performance and attractiveness, importance components of satisfaction and activity. These effects last throughout our lives as well with regular swimmers in their 60s reported having similar sex lives to those in the average population in their 40s.

So, to sweeten up this Valentine's Day, make the right 'sweet' choices or skip the candy all together and head out for a brisk walk with your partner, you never know where you’ll end up.