Yahoo Lifestyle Why kissing is so good for you
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A kiss lets you know you are loved, safe, wanted, appreciated, welcomed and respected.
And it’s not just for lovers, kissing is a universal language that is also spoken between parents and children, relatives, friends, casual acquaintances and even complete strangers. It says everything from ‘I love you to pieces’ to ‘I like you a lot’, all the way through to ‘I’m not entirely sure who you are but I’m gonna plant one on you anyway since it seems to be the done thing around here’!
Health-boosting benefits
Kissing is good for you mentally, physically and spiritually, the immune-boosting benefits are great. It stimulates the release of oxytocin and dopamine, hormones and neurotransmitters that promote feelings of love and connection. These hormones also help reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, enhance heart health, decrease pain and aid healing by improving the body’s inflammatory response.
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Making out can melt kilos
Okay, so technically you would have to do an awful lot of passionate kissing to work off a slice of cheesecake, but still, you can burn around 108kJ a minute during a serious pash – and every little bit counts, right?
Can you rehabilitate a ‘bad’ kisser?
Absolutely. Using tact, kind words and gentle instruction, it’s possible to teach someone to kiss you how you would like to be kissed. If they simply won’t be dissuaded that the helicopter manoeuvre in your mouth is not doing it for you, or that having your face licked Great Dane-style is intensely off-putting, it might be time to move on. If the chemistry is there but the technique is not, that can be remedied. Without the chemistry though, you are history.
Help! I need smooch school!
Luckily for you, the internet is your friend! There are hundreds of instructional videos to be found on this very subject. Great for beginners and old hands alike! So what are you waiting for? Kiss on!
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Kissing dos and don’ts
Fresh breath is a must. Always brush and floss, use a good mouthwash, chew sugar-free gum or breath mints and munch on parsley to mask garlic. And don't smoke, no one wants to make out with an ashtray.
Don’t only kiss with the expectation that it will lead to more. Being generous with your kisses outside the bedroom builds intimacy and closeness with your partner, and strengthens the bonds.
Stay in tune with your partner. Kissing is so personal there is really no right or wrong way to do it and the ways you can vary a kiss are infinite. The thing that matters most is taking time to discover what you both enjoy. Pay attention to your partner’s cues – spoken or otherwise – and don’t be afraid to experiment. And remember, there are places other than the lips to plant a knee-weakening kiss…
Do it more, not less. It’s an odd phenomenon but the more comfortable we become with our partner, the less passionate kissing we tend to do. Relationship experts say this is a mistake as intimate kissing with long-term lovers reinforces that all-important bond and sense of connection. Couples who regularly kiss report greater happiness and satisfaction with their relationship than couples who don’t. Neglect it at your peril!
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RULES OF ENGAGEMENT: Kissing Protocol
In Australia, with our rich blend of cultures and customs, kissing protocol can prove confusing! Etiquette experts agree that while the social peck can sometimes be tricky to get right, it’s probably best to err on the side of more warmth and conviviality than less. In other words, lean in! But before you pucker up, here are a few general guidelines.
In the professional and business world, a warm, firm handshake is normally more appropriate than a kiss, unless you know your business associate well and have already established a good relationship with him or her. However, it all comes down to the situation: a banking executive may have wildly differing rules of contact than, say, a hipster in an advertising agency. Similarly, many Europeans don’t think twice about social kissing, yet it’s not really the done thing in Asia or the Middle East.
As a general rule, a single social kiss is right cheek to right cheek. For a double kiss, present your right cheek first, then left. A triple would be right cheek, left, then right. Any more than this and you might consider getting a room!
Contact should be dry and brief. No sloppy lips and no lips on lips, ever.
Briefly pressing cheeks together with no lip contact is fine too, however, most experts agree that leaning in with zero actual contact, à la the famed Hollywood air kiss, is kinda pretentious.
Mind that earrings and/or glasses don’t take out anyone’s eye – it’s a quick peck, not a wrestling hold.
If you are ill, don’t kiss or be kissed by anyone. In fact, just go home.
Don’t fancy being socially kissed at all? Nip business exchanges in the bud by quickly extending a hand to shake. As for friends, you don’t have to kiss, but a hug never goes astray!
