Our anti-ageing guru Jayney Goddard on why relationships and chocolate are the fast track to youth
Our anti-ageing guru Jayney Goddard on why relationships and chocolate are the fast track to youthWith St Valentine’s Day upon us, our thoughts naturally turn to love, relationships and sex . So, I bet you’re wondering why I’m talking about these in my holistic anti-ageing column . Well, here’s the secret: It has been proven that people with better relationships live longer and healthier lives – and also that a great sex life also has the most amazing youth-giving and health-enhancing properties.
Relationships
Let’s look at the life span-increasing and health span-enhancing properties of relationships first: the inspirational scientist, Professor Ellen Langer, supervised a BBC programme recently called The Young Ones, where a group of elderly celebrities spent two weeks living in a house which had been converted to be a realistic 1970’s environment – a time when they were at the peak of their professions, and felt young, fit, healthy and vibrant. Biological markers of age, such as blood pressure, balance, cognitive function, flexibility and so on were measured at the beginning of the experiment and at the end. In just two weeks the celebrities had improved dramatically in all areas measured. It was clear that while they enjoyed being in the 1970s environment, they benefited from suddenly becoming involved with a stimulating social group. Other research bears this out – and many studies show that people who socialise live longer and more healthily. This socialisation can come in many forms, from joining clubs, having good personal relationships – such as a good marriage and attending church to seeing family and friends. However, crucially, there are two forms of socialisation that stand head and shoulders above other approaches – first, going to social dances (there are triple benefit here – socialisation, a physical workout and of course the brain exercise which comes from having to remember the steps!). Second, volunteering – this seems to confer enormous benefits for every measurable biological function. There appears to be something very special about helping others which triggers enormous wellbeing in volunteers.
Turn up the heat…
Crank up your love life and reap the anti-ageing benefits
Whatever the actual underlying reason for the benefits of great sex, the simple fact of the matter is that sex is incredibly healthy and we should all indulge whenever it is possible – and not just wait for Valentine’s Day! No one is quite sure why sex should be linked to life expectancy. As mentioned above happy human interaction is linked to longer life expectancy. It is possible that sex helps to cultivate good, positive relationships and vice versa. There’s probably a direct health benefit associated with sex too: aside from the physical workout you get from crazy, hot sex, it also triggers a flood of those ‘feel good’ chemicals – endorphins – and a wide range of healthy hormones stream through the body.
CHOCOLATE – THE TOP APHRODISIAC?
Aside from being delicious and full of antioxidants, chocolate also contains a compound call phenethylamine, a central nervous system stimulant that is thought to arouse emotions – particularly those associated with love. For chocolate to be effective as a health food or as an aphrodisiac, you need to eat any kind that has in excess of 70 per cent cocoa. Raw chocolate is even healthier.
Article by
Jayney Goddard
President of the Complementary Medical Association
is the president of the Complementary Medical Association
Discover more
Article by
Jayney Goddard
President of the Complementary Medical Association
is the president of the Complementary Medical Association
Discover more
By Jayney Goddard
By Jayney Goddard 
