The Love Hormone Oxytocin -- Heal Your Heart

NEW RESEARCH ALERT

I wrote an article back in May about the love hormone, oxytocin and the health benefits . I am in love with this hormone because it has anti-anxiety affects, reduces stress hormones (mainly cortisol), promotes feelings of well-being, increases trusting behaviour (intriguing), reduces blood pressure and promotes growth and healing -- and all this can be achieved by physical contact -- loving someone.

Scientists are still learning about this complex hormone and now a recent study has confirmed that oxytocin helps to heal a broken heart too. How? Oxytocin reduces cell deaths in an injured heart and reduces certain inflammatory factors that can slow healing of your heart.

How can you get some?

Unless you go into labour, the only way to get some oxytocin is skin-to-skin contact. This is why, as I've mentioned before -- intimacy is extremely important (not just sex) to the health of your heart. And, it is the hormone that literally bonds lover to lover. This may be the science behind why some people stay in love after years have gone by because they've stayed affectionate with one another and why some couples do not and drift apart, perhaps they drifted apart literally before it affected them emotionally.

I love when science proves something we intuitively know is good for us, really is -- like love.

So next time you are with your lover, spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend, make sure you show your love not just with words, but actual physical contact. Like you need a reason right? ;)