Valentine's Day is not all aboutmushiness, flowers and chocolates, for now a new research has shown that Cupid's magic works as far as the health of your heart is concerned.

    Women in happy marriages are much less likely to have a heart attack than those in high-stress relationships, research at the University of Pittsburgh, in the US, found.

    And men who have sex two or more times a week halve their risk of a cardiac arrest, a study at Bristol University found.

    Hugs lower your blood pressure while making love is a great cardiacworkout.

    It temporarily raises blood pressure and gives the arteries and veins a workout, keeping them strong and flexible.

    Cathy Ross, a specialist nurse with the British Heart Foundation, says: "Sex can provide the same benefits as walking up severalflightsof stairs."

    And it's a lot more fun which means we're more likely to stick with the exercise regime.

    We burn on average 200 calories when we have sex. But trying out different positions can increase the burn and fun.

    HUGS also help. Doctors at the University of North Carolina, in America, found cuddles can lower blood pressure and boost levels of the relaxing feelgood hormone oxytocin.

    Kissing is also recommended for gums and teeth because it increases production of saliva, which helps kill the bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

    In the long term this can even help to head off a heart attack because gum disease can increase the risk of heart attacks.

    情人节带给你的不仅仅是激动、鲜花和巧克力，一项最新研究显示，爱神丘比特还能让你的心脏更加健康。

    美国匹兹堡大学的一项研究发现，拥有幸福婚姻的女性患心脏病的几率远远低于那些婚姻状况不佳的女性。

    布里斯托尔大学的一项研究表明，一周有两次或两次以上性生活的男性心脏骤停的风险要小一半。

    此外，拥抱可以降低血压，而性生活则可以锻炼心脏功能。

    拥抱和性生活会使血压暂时升高，能让动脉和静脉得到锻炼，从而使它们保持强劲和柔韧。

    英国心脏基金会的护理专家凯西·洛斯说：“性生活所能起到的作用和上几段楼梯差不多。”

    而且，这种“锻炼”更有趣，人们更容易坚持。

    一次性生活能够燃烧平均200卡路里的热量，尝试不同的姿势则可以增加热量的燃烧，还可以增加乐趣。
    
    拥抱对身体也有好处。美国北卡罗莱纳大学的博士们发现，拥抱能够降低血压，还可以促进能让人感到放松和舒适的脑下垂体后叶荷尔蒙的分泌。

    接吻对牙龈和牙齿有好处。因为接吻可以增加唾液的分泌，从而有助于杀死引起蛀齿和牙龈疾病的细菌。

    由于牙龈疾病会增加患心脏病的风险，所以从长期来看，接吻甚至有助于降低心脏病的发病率。