Why We Kiss and What Are the Health Benefits?

A kiss is likely the best way to show your affection to your love. Why we kiss is an important question and most everyone will say "It feels good". There are either several reasons why people kiss and will vary between different countries and cultures in the world. A kiss is a gesture to express affection (love or friendship), gratitude, celebration, respect but also grief.

There are different theories why we kiss and some theories say that kissing is a learned behavior while others consider kissing as something instinctive. They refer to behaviors of certain animals which show signs of affection which can be compared with the kiss between humans, for example Bonobo monkeys kiss one another several times, some animals lick faces and birds touch each other's bills or snails.

There is either no certainty and scientists consider both theories as a valuable reason why we kiss. Mothers kiss their babies to show their affection for their babies and it is also a traditional way of greeting in most European countries. You may be surprised but you will notice in some parts of France people kiss each other four times on the cheek to say "hello". It varies from region to region and if you travel to France you maybe best check the French kissing map).

Cheek kissing may be traditional in Europe; there are several parts where cheek kissing is uncommon as greeting form but it is almost everywhere a sign to show your love. Michael Kane, the author of "The art of kissing" says in this book "kissing is passion and romance and what keeps people together". People will have different opinions about the importance of a kiss but certainly agree that a kiss feels good.

Kissing feels good and the good thing is that this romantic activity has also several health benefits. Kissing may not be less dangerous than shaking hands, since infectious diseases can be spread via body fluids. It is obvious you need to avoid kissing if you suffer herpes or eczema in your mouth because you can transmit this virus to the one you kiss.

Here are some health benefits of kissing which may help you to have a longer and healthier life:

*Burning calories

Kissing may help you to burn some extra calories. The intensity of your kiss is important to burn more calories and it's proven you can burn 15 calories in one quarter and it will also double your metabolic rate. It is either much lower than exercising and it is certainly not a good idea to replace your exercises through kissing. To lose one pound, you should have to kiss for at least five hours.

*Cardiovascular benefits

The adrenaline which has been created when you kiss the one you love causes your heart pumps more blood around your body. Frequently and passionate kissing may help you to lower your blood pressure and provides a better blood circulation. Kissing is helpful to increase your fitness.

*Stress reliever

Kissing is also a good stress reliever because it lowers your cortisol stress hormone and creates positive energy which may help you to relax. A kiss makes you smile and have a positive look to your life. You throw all your sorrows away and a kiss will make you happy. It is better to kiss than taking anti-depression medicines.

*Benefit your facial muscles

A passionate kiss uses 34 facial muscles and will help to keep your facial muscles tight. Kissing requires a good coordination of your facial muscles.

*Reduces hay fever

A Japanese scientific report shows that kissing reduces the production of histamine, a chemical in human's body which causes sneezing and other allergic reactions. The report shows that kissing for thirty minutes reduces the levels of histamine.

Kissing is certainly good for your health and the best way to show your affection. How you kiss is either important to get the best results out of your kissing activity. Here are some tips which may help you to kiss efficiently:

*Fresh breath

A fresh breath is important if you kiss. It may be important to brush your tooth before you go to your date. You make a bad impression if you have a bad breath and sometimes a peppermint after dinner can help you to get a better breath. It is important you don't take the peppermint just before the kiss because you don't want to have something in your mouth when you kiss and the one you love will smell the peppermint.

*Moisture your lips

It is recommended to moisture your lips a little bit before you kiss. It is maybe best to run your tongue over your lips before you kiss. It makes kissing more enjoyable.

*Close your eyes

It is maybe best to look first in your lover's eyes and close your eyes while you kiss your love. It is not a rule but often you make the best impression. If you know your love prefers open eyes, you can kiss her/him with open eyes.

Kissing is fun and improves your health. Everyone likes it and it gives some warmth which expresses feelings of love and in many cultures also friendship. There are different kisses and the kind of kiss reflects the meaning of your kiss. Cheek kissing is a sign of friendship, a kiss on the hands says I adore you and everyone knows that a kiss on the lips means I love you. A kiss is wonderful and can express so many emotions, even sadness but we all love the romantic and friendship kisses.