Intimate relationships between mature, consenting and responsible adults are nothing to be ashamed of, in fact, having intimate encounters is quite natural and can actually be healthy. It is important to notice that we are talking about adults who have reached a certain point in their relationship that allows them to get physical; we are also assuming that those involved in their relationships have not had multiple partners throughout their sex life which may throw off the entire argument.

Couples who enjoy intimate relationships may also be surprised to hear that their intimate encounters can also benefit them by improving their health. Some of the health benefits related to sexual activities are: cardiovascular benefits, improves the immune system, helps relieve stress, etc.

Let's take a look at some of the benefits that having natural and healthy sexual relationships provide couples:

Boosts the immune system:

It has been scientifically proven that having sex at least twice a week can promote the creation of antibodies called immunoglobulin A or lgA for short. A recent study that involved college students who were sexually active revealed that those who were active had a boost mostly due to the fact that these antibodies were produced because of their sexual activities, those who were abstinent didn't have these antibodies present and were obviously more susceptible to colds and other infections.

Stress relief:

If you're one of those people who suffer from stress caused by speaking in public or just because your job is really stressful you might also be surprised to know that couples who reported frequent sexual activity had lower blood pressure, were able to concentrate and relax a lot better than those who abstained themselves from having sex. Intercourse is also associated with having lower diastolic blood-pressure.

Losing weight:

If you're one of those people who are concerned about their weight at once to lose it in a natural way then you might be pleased to know that by having sex you are in fact burning calories which are the direct result of this cardio stimulating activity. It has been estimated that for every 30 minutes of sex that you have you are able to burn 85 to 100 calories, now this might not sound like a lot of calories right off the bat but it actually adds up if you maintain a sexually active life.

Self-esteem boost:

According to a study conducted by the University of Texas one of the main reasons why people have sex is to improve or raise their self-esteem which to a certain level makes sense because this intimate relationship makes those involved feel like they are attractive and their physical presence means a lot to their other half. Likewise, college students who had a sexually active life were more confident than those who practiced abstinence.

As you can see there are many benefits to having a sexually active life, it not only is natural but can be extremely healthy so if you are an adult couple who wants to reap the benefits of having intimate relationships more often then by all means go for it!