Sex - we're so ohhh-ver it!
At least that's what 105-year-old Clara Meadmore reckons.
Forget plenty of exercise, a strong family history or a diet of oily fish, fruit and veg.
The thing she credits for her lengthy life is men – or rather, a distinct lack of them.
The elderly Scot has gone without sex her entire life, claiming the hassle-free existence has given her a distinct advantage in staying fit and well.
But can this be true?
Well, according to sexperts, Claire's abstinence could have the opposite effect.
Just check up our round-up of reasons why sex could save your life.
1) Sex keeps us fit
It’s an age-old notion, but sweating it out in the bedroom really can give you a full-body workout.
The average lovemaking session burns between 50 and 100 calories.
That means that having sex three times a week burns 7500 calories per year, the equivalent of jogging 75 miles.
And it isn’t just the thigh and arm muscles that get a full workout when you treat your man in the bedroom.
Sex tones and conditions the muscles of the pelvic floor too.
These muscles play a vital function when it comes to good posture, straighter back and flatter tummies.
2) Sex works as a painkiller
Some women may use the 'headache' excuse when they don’t feel up to a session, but in reality, lovemaking itself can help to relieve pain.
According to a recent study, women who brought themselves to orgasm regularly saw their pain tolerance threshold shortly afterwards increased by 75 per cent.
This may happen because regular orgasms help the release of Oxytocin; a natural chemical in the body that can work to relieve pain by releasing sedative endorphins.
3) Sex improves our mood
So it’s pretty obvious that writhing around in perfect pleasure will perk you up, but other studies show that sex can improve our mood in different ways.
Firstly sex, like exercise, can improve our mood by releasing endorphins – giving us that 'runner’s high' for hours after lovemaking.
And a recent study goes so far as to suggest that semen itself may act as an antidepressant.
Females in the US study who were having sex regularly with the partners without a condom, had fewer signs of depression than women who weren’t having sex at all.
4) Sex is good for our health
So, sex makes you happier and a happy disposition has been proven to help keep your body healthy.
But recent studies even suggest that serious conditions, like high blood pressure, can be cured between the sheets.
One study found that women who ingested semen during sex had a lower risk of preeclampsia, the dangerously high blood pressure that sometimes accompanies pregnancy.
Other studies show that sex lowers blood pressure, and reduces the incidence of strokes because of its stress-relieving ability.
And lovemaking can also help to prevent cancer.
Recently The Journal of American Medical Association recently reported that high ejaculation frequency was related to decreased risk of total prostate cancer.
5) Sex is fun – enough said
6) Sex boosts oestrogen
Dr Winnifred Cutler, a specialist in behavioural endocrinology and director of the Athena Institute for Women's Wellness in Pennsylvania found that women who enjoyed regular weekly sex with a man had significantly higher levels of oestrogen in their blood than women who abstained.
The benefits of oestrogen include lowering bad cholesterol, better bone density and supple skin.
7) Sex makes us brainier
It has been suggested that women can raise their IQ with every orgasm that they experience.
Scientists found that the moment of orgasm causes the speed of blood circulation to reach its maximum. This means oxygen-enriched blood reaches organs, including the brain, very quickly.
Healthy MORAL sex was planned by God for our benefit in every way. It is physically, mentally and morally good for us and marriage between a men and women was ordained by our creator. It's not just for having babies!