It reduces stress – According to an article on msnbc.com, having sex releases endorphins and oxytocin, increasing relaxation, easing anger, and thus improving your relationship. Sex may also cause you to heal faster, get sick less frequently, and even live longer. However, the beneficial effects start to fade when there are problems in the bedroom. According to the article, the situation is a “catch-69, the cruel irony that a proven cure for stress — a hot sex life — is exactly what stress destroys.” That’s definitely enough reason for me to get goin’.

Sex burns calories – Okay, so you can’t exactly skip the gym (every day, at least) to have sex. However, according to webmd.com, a half hour of sex burns about 80 calories or so, depending on your weight. Foreplay can also torch calories – 50 per half hour for a 150 lb. person. Go to this site and enter your own weight and time and see how much you’re burning off during your hook up sesh.

Certain, ahem, fluids reduce tooth decay – Semen contains zinc, calcium, and various other minerals. Zinc, calcium, and “various other minerals” are known to prevent tooth decay. You do the math.

P.S. My source even continues to say: “Sexual etiquette usually demands the brushing of one’s teeth before and/or after intimacy, which, by itself, would help promote better oral hygiene.” Double whammy if you brush those babies after receiving that healthy dose of zinc and calcium…

It makes you prettier – According to some, at least. A study at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland found that the more sex you have, the younger you look. Now, that’s not too important to us youthful and vibrant college students, but how about healthy skin and hair? Apparently, sex causes a surge in estrogen, making hair shinier and skin smoother. Hey, you don’t have to tell me twice.

Go down and watch your breast cancer risk…go down – Now this one is my absolute favorite. According to a study published on CNN.com, women who perform fellatio on a regular basis have a lower chance of getting breast cancer. Now ladies, here’s the catch – you have to actually swallow the semen to reap the benefits. I’m not sure if this is fact or just a ploy by the men of the world to get us to swallow, but I do know that:

1) Dr. Helena Shifteer “…tries to fellate at least once every other night to reduce my chances.” Thanks for the overshare, Doc.

2) Dr. Len Lictepeen hopes that the research “will hopefully change women’s practice and patterns, resulting in a severe drop in the future number of cases” and should probably call Helena.

3) “Fellate” may be the best verb/vocabulary word I’ve heard since I learned the word “palindrome” in fifth grade.

Do you get your doctor-recommended daily dose of the dirty deed? Or are you still looking for that perfect “prescription”? Let me know what’s on your mind.

[Photo courtesy of the Sugar girls.]

Let’s start with the place you sleep, study, sex, and–let’s come clean here–eat. Yes, that’s right, we’re going to make your bedroom green.

Don’t panic! It’s totally easy. Ready? Here we go:

Change Your Bulbs

Replace your light bulbs with energy saving ones. Florescent lights are great–did you know they only use 1/3 of the energy your regular bulbs are using?

Stay Cool

Your air conditioner is sucking up a lot of energy (and costing you a fortune).

If you have an air conditioner, or any other large appliances, replace it with an appliance with the Energy Star label.

Or, if you’re really brave, ditch the AC and use fans instead. Or at least try to use fans instead of air conditioning most of the time.

Line Your Windows

You lose a lot of energy right out the cracks around your windows. Line your windows with either caulk or weather-stripping to keep that shiz in!

Change Your Sheets

And not just every week. (Or, more realistically, every two months.)

Regular cotton sheets and pillowcases are full of pesticides that you get to drape all over yourself every night while you sleep. Sweet dreams.

Get yourself a set of organic cotton linens. They’re soft and cozy and way better for the environment.

Get a Mattress Topper

A lot of mattresses are treated with toxic chemicals to keep stains from showing. This is so bad for you I don’t even want to think about it.

Get a nice mattress topper to put some space between you and the toxins. Ah, much better.

Donate Your Clothes

No, not all of them. Just the ones you never, ever, ever wear.

Recycling clothes is a great way to help the environment. No waste is good waste.

How do you keep your space green?

[Photo courtesy of Pricop Alexandru Mihai]