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FIVE SPLASHING FACTS… 1. Body bonus: Swimming has been shown to help protect you against the risk of getting heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The activity has also been linked to boosting the immune system and because water supports 90% of your body, it’s easy on your joints. 2. Water waist! You’ll typically burn 500 calories an hour, which is equivalent to a burger. Boffins at the University of Western Australia have also shown that swimming can be better for weight loss than walking, partly because the cool water helps increase the body’s metabolism. 3. Pool’s cool: Having a swim has been linked to fighting depression, while doing a few lengths outside can help boost levels of vitamin D, also linked to good mood. 4. Lap up your libido: A waterbased workout could help you between the sheets, by toning pelvic floor muscles to deliver better orgasms. JAMES MOORE It can also lift levels of the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen. 5. Beach body: Going swimming in the sea will help you burn even more calories because of the swell of the water. The extra resistance is also brilliant for working your muscles, helping you tone up. The minerals in the sea are also known to help ease the symptoms of skin conditions such as psoriasis, while the salt in water can help wash away symptoms of hayfever. STROKE OF GENIUS Front crawl: 100 calories per 10 minutes = half a chocolate bar. Back-stroke: 80 calories per 10 minutes = a cookie. Breast-stroke: 60 calories per 10 minutes = a gin and slimline tonic. Butterfly: 150 calories per 10 minutes = a packet of crisps.