New study says having sex with someone you love can lead to a healthier heart.
A Turkish couple shares a romantic moment as the full moon rises over Istanbul on Feb. 22, 2016. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images

Approximately 610,000 people in the United States die from heart disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In 2014 alone, more than 365,000 people died from coronary heart disease and someone in the country reportedly suffers from a heart attack every 42 seconds.

But a new book claims you just have to take a few simple steps to prevent heart disease, such as having lots of sex and eating raw garlic every day. In the book scheduled to be released Thursday, former paramedic Johannes Hinrich von Borstel explains that endorphins released during sex help lower heart rate and blood pressure while increasing levels of ostrogen, an anti-inflammatory testosterone that can lower blood’s cholesterol levels. The book, “Heart: The Inside Story of Our Body’s Most Important Organ” was reviewed by The Telegraph on Monday.

Sex between people who have genuine feelings of love for one another can be even more beneficial to preventing heart disease thanks to the 50 different chemical messengers released in the brain during an orgasm, including oxytocin, which has been proven to reduce stress and lower blood pressure, Borstel said. Borstel recommends having “as much loving sex as possible,” The Telegraph reported.

Borstel’s theory on plentiful loving seems to go hand-in-hand with a recent study that found women over 50 who had sex regularly had lower blood pressure and fewer risks of heart problems. The study conducted by a team of researchers at Michigan State University in September found the heart health benefits only for women who reported high levels of enjoyment and satisfaction during sex.
What you eat is also important. It has long been suggested that following a Mediterranean diet can have a positive impact on heart health. But simply ingesting two or three teaspoons of grated garlic a day can be a great way to naturally reduce blood pressure, Borstel said. Garlic, jsut like onions and ginger, act as natural blood thinners because they have the same “secondary phytochemicals that have the same effect [on the body] as different [heart protective] medications but not in a dose that is dangerous to your body,” Borstel said.
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