Ex-DOH chief says love a form of stress

MANILA, Philippines - Former health secretary Esperanza Cabral disclosed yesterday that falling in love could trigger stress that causes abnormal heartbeat, high blood pressure and dilation of the pupils in the eyes.

“Medically speaking, falling in love is a form of stress but unlike other stress it’s a positive stress that is beneficial to the body in general,” she told reporters during the weekly news forum Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel in Manila.

Cabral, one of the top cardiologists in the country, said research showed that falling in love is related to activation of some body hormones that stimulate as soon as the person is attracted to the opposite sex.

“Falling in love stimulates the increase of the so-called love hormones, the blood pressure shoots up, heartbeat increases and there is dilation of the pupils,” she said.

She said the increase of the so-called love hormones triggers changes in the body of the person who is falling in love.

“Love is a form of stress that affects both the mental and physical state of an individual.”

Cabral, however, clarified that the stress generated by love is beneficial to the heart and body in general.

She said that a couple who fall in love also enjoy sexual relations, which has similar effect in the initial stages of their relationship that would activate the love hormones and the increase of the heartbeat and blood pressure.

“Sexercise is fine, it’s a kind of physical activity that is beneficial to both the body and mind of a person,” she said.

Cabral said sexual activity is like walking, dancing, climbing the stairs or other physical exercises.

“It’s (sex) a variation of other physical activities,” she said.