MARITAL SEX IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

Sexual relations are designed by God to be special ways in which men and their wives express their unique love for each other. Sexual intimacy consummates the life-long commitments they make to nurture, cherish and honor each other. The Bible calls it a privileged "mystery" through which a wife and her husband become one. (Genesis 2: 24-25)

Reseachers have found that marital sex can relieve pain by releasing endorphins, those hormones that give you pleasure and a sense of well-being. Sex can also lessen men's mid-life prostrate problems by emptying out fluids. Marital sexual relations can be a fun way to burn calories. Dr Michael Cirigliano of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that men who have sex once a week bu
2,500 calories a year.

Under the best circumstances, couples will want to make love for a lifetime. To accomplish this, they will have to be flexible and make appropriate adjustments as they age. No matter how much they love each other, no two people will always feel like making love at the exact same time. Therefore, it is necessary for each to be willing to meet the sexual needs of the other.

Occasionally, you and your spouse may be sexually out of sync. When, every now and then, the two of you experience different levels of desire, that does not signal disaster. It happens to most couples.

When, however, one or both of you regularly lack sexual desire, it can signal a signifigant problem. If either of you routinely avoids sexual intimacy or have problems in functioning sexually, you should consider the following possible causes:
* Anger and conflicts in the marriage;
* Excessive stress;
* Fatigue due to insufficient rest and/or sleep;
* Feeling disgust or lack of attraction to your spouse's body;
* Your mate is an inept lover;
* Embarrassment about your own body;
* Health problems stemming from smoking, excessive drinking or use of narcotics;
* Side effects of prescription drugs for diabetes, hypertension, etc.;
* Anxiety, depression and/or other emotional problems.

If any of the above reasons are interfering with sexual intimacy in your marriage, take steps to remove them.
1 Corinthians 7:5 strongly advises, "Do not deprive each other (of sex) except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." (NIV)

The most common temptations I have observed among couples who deprive each other of sexual intimacy are tensions, anger, conflicts, poor communication and infidelity. These are very high costs for depriving themselves of what God intended as a gift.

If you and your spouse are living a sexless marriage, this is not in the best interests of either of you. Talk to each other honestly and try to work out the problem(s).

If necessary, seek professional help in resolving your relationship and/or emotional problem(s). If there are physical causes, discuss your health problems with your physician. For example, ask whether she or he can prescribe other medications that won't hamper your sex life.There are medications that the doctor may prescribe to increase the sex desires of wives who have low sex drives.

Continually seek the Lord's help with your marital sex life. Ask Him to help heal whatever prevents the two of you from enjoying His gift of marital sexual intimacy. Accepting this gift will enhance your spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health. ///

Copyright (C) 2011 by Dr Helen Mendes Love, MSW