OVER ON MY WRITING BLOG: ASTRIDESTELLA.ORG: FOR I AM YOUR WILLING CAPTIVE

ASTRIDESTELLA.ORG: FOR I AM YOUR WILLING CAPTIVE

Where you will find excerpts of my books and writing

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories

JUST WHAT WE LOVE TO HEAR---CHOCOLATE CAN STAVE OFF DEMENTIA

Further to the last post, I saw this too in the Daily Mail today, another great reason to indulge in chocolate.

Could chocolate stave off dementia? Daily dose could help keep condition at bay

• In tests consuming cocoa every day helped improve mild cognitive impairment in the elderly
• Chocolate contains flavanols – chemicals associated with a decreased dementia risk

A daily dose of chocolate could help keep dementia and Alzheimer's at bay, a study suggests.
Researchers found that consuming cocoa every day helped improve mild cognitive impairment – a condition involving memory loss which can progress to dementia or  Alzheimer's – in elderly patients.
For the study, 90 people aged 70 or older  diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment were split into three groups of 30 and given either a high, medium or low dose of a  cocoa drink daily.

Beneficial? Researchers found that eating chocolate regularly could reduce the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's

The drink contained flavanols – chemicals associated with a decreased dementia risk which are found in a variety of foods, including cocoa products such as dark chocolate.

The participants' diet was restricted to  eliminate other sources of flavanols, such as tea or red wine.
Their cognitive function was examined using tests of factors including working memory and processing speed. 
Researchers found those who drank the high and medium doses daily had significantly better cognitive scores by the end of the eight-week study in a number of categories, including working memory.

Research: 90 people aged 70 or older diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment were split into three groups of 30 and given either a high, medium or low dose of a cocoa drink daily

Those given the higher doses of the flavanol drink improved far more than those given the lowest dose, the study, published in the journal Hypertension, found.  
Insulin resistance and blood pressure also decreased in those drinking high and medium doses of the flavanol drink. 
Doctor Giovambattista Desideri of the  University of L'Aquila in Italy, lead author of the study, said: 'This study provides encouraging evidence that consuming cocoa flavanols, as  a part of a calorie-controlled and nutritionally-balanced diet, could improve cognitive function.

Researchers found those who drank the high and medium doses daily had significantly better cognitive scores by the end of the eight-week study in a number of categories, including working memory

'Larger studies are needed to validate the findings, figure out how long the positive effects will last and determine the levels of cocoa flavanols required for benefit.'
Dr Laura Phipps, of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'Cocoa-based treatments for brain  function would likely have patients queuing out the door, but this small study of flavanols is not yet conclusive.'

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories

SOME GOOD NEWS!

Anyone who reads my pages will know how much I adore chocolate, but not just because I like the taste but it does have health benefits. One ounce of plain chocolate will supply your daily iron requirements for a start.

Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavonoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body

Heart Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate is good for your heart. A small bar of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. Two heart health benefits of dark chocolate are:

• Lower Blood Pressure: Studies have shown that consuming a small bar of dark chocolate everyday can reduce blood pressure in individuals with high blood pressure.
• Lower Cholesterol: Dark chocolate has also been shown to reduce LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) by up to 10 percent.

Other Benefits of Dark Chocolate:

Chocolate also holds benefits apart from protecting your heart:

• it tastes good
• it stimulates endorphin production, which gives a feeling of pleasure
• it contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant
• it contains theobromine, caffeine and other substances which are stimulants

Doesn't Chocolate Have a lot of Fat?:

Here is some more good news -- some of the fats in chocolate do not impact your cholesterol. The fats in chocolate are 1/3 oleic acid, 1/3 stearic acid and 1/3 palmitic acid:

• Oleic Acid is a healthy monounsaturated fat that is also found in olive oil.
• Stearic Acid is a saturated fat but one which research is shows has a neutral effect on cholesterol.
• Palmitic Acid is also a saturated fat, one which raises cholesterol and heart disease risk.

That means only 1/3 of the fat in dark chocolate is bad for you.

Chocolate Tip 1 - Balance the Calories:

This information doesn't mean that you should eat a pound of chocolate a day. Chocolate is still a high-calorie, high-fat food. Most of the studies done used no more than 100 grams, or about 3.5 ounces, of dark chocolate a day to get the benefits.

One bar of dark chocolate has around 400 calories. If you eat half a bar of chocolate a day, you must balance those 200 calories by eating less of something else. Cut out other sweets or snacks and replace them with chocolate to keep your total calories the same.

Chocolate Tip 2 - Taste the Chocolate:

Chocolate is a complex food with over 300 compounds and chemicals in each bite. To really enjoy and appreciate chocolate, take the time to taste it. Professional chocolate tasters have developed a system for tasting chocolate that include assessing the appearance, smell, feel and taste of each piece.

Chocolate Tip 3 - Go for Dark Chocolate:

Dark chocolate has far more antioxidants than milk or white chocolate. These other two chocolates cannot make any health claims. Dark chocolate has 65 percent or higher cocoa content.

Chocolate Tip 4 - Skip the Nougat:

You should look for pure dark chocolate or dark chocolate with nuts, orange peel or other flavorings. Avoid anything with caramel, nougat or other fillings. These fillings are just adding sugar and fat which erase many of the benefits you get from eating the chocolate.

Chocolate Tip 5 - Avoid Milk:

It may taste good but some research shows that washing your chocolate down with a glass of milk could prevent the antioxidants being absorbed or used by your body.

Sources: Chocolate Manufacturers Association; Journal of the American Medical Association

Article below from the Daily Mail

Good news for chocaholics: Scientists replace fat with FRUIT JUICE to create healthy chocolate bars

Chocolate with fruit juice instead of fat has been created by researchers.

The healthy alternative replaces up to 50 per cent of chocolate's fat content with fruit juice.

University of Warwick chemists say the new bar claim will still appeal to chocaholics, after spending months perfecting its 'mouthfeel' - and say it even feels like chocolate.

The new chocolate bar replaces 50% of the fat with fruit juice, but still feels identical to eat, claim Warwick researchers.

Dr Stefan Bon from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Warwick was lead author on the study published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry

Dr Bon said: 'Everyone loves chocolate – but unfortunately we all know that many chocolate bars are high in fat.

'However it’s the fat that gives chocolate all the indulgent sensations that people crave – the silky smooth texture and the way it melts in the mouth but still has a ‘snap’ to it when you break it with your hand.

'We’ve found a way to maintain all of those things that make chocolate ‘chocolatey’ but with fruit juice instead of fat.

'Our study is just the starting point to healthier chocolate – we’ve established the chemistry behind this new technique but now we’re hoping the food industry will take our method to make tasty, lower-fat chocolate bars.'

The researchers took out much of the cocoa butter and milk fats that go into chocolate bars, substituting them with tiny droplets of juice measuring under 30 microns in diameter.

They infused orange and cranberry juice into milk, dark and white chocolate using what is known as a Pickering emulsion.

The new chocolate bars do taste of fruit, the researchers admit.

However, they admit there is a tradeoff.

The final product will taste fruity, the team admitted - but there is the option to use water and a small amount of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) instead of juice to maintain a chocolatey taste.

The team now plan to let the food industry use the technique to create the healthy bars.

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories

RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS (A BEAUTY BLOG)

A beauty blog this time

Now I've talked about this company before and recommended it http://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk/ so I've been road testing a few more products by them. As  I used to be a college lecturer in Holistic Therapies and Beauty Therapy, you don't need to spend a lot of money on products, much of the money is spent on fancy packaging, some of the budget brands work better than high end products and ELF is one of those. The packaging although fairly basic, doesn't look cheap but what makes this company special is their products are as good and effective as the high end ones. They also have a huge range of products and are continually adding to their range. I certainly would recommend their products to students and professionals for their clients. 

Today's products are

This is great and very finely milled and a fraction of the cost of some, and I have to say better than high end brands.

High Definition Powder

The high definition loose powder creates a "soft focus" effect to the skin. Masks fine lines and imperfections for a radiant complexion. The incredibly soft and invisible powder is great for on-screen and everyday wear.





I love this too and again a fantastic price and works beautifully.

Foundation

Our weightless mineral foundation will help get you on your way to healthier illuminating skin. All our powders blend naturally into the skin, and are so light that they work with your skin colour to create a perfect colour match. All of our foundations contain sun protection factor (spf) 15 and are 100% mineral based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.





Another great little product, I've tried the brown one (coffee) and comes with a great little brush for fool proof application

Cream Eyeliner

Creates smooth lines that are defined and precise. Smudge-proof, budge-proof and water-resistant coverage for all day wear to combat against, sweat, tears and rain!






Now I like this and it works well around my eyes, I don't have 'crow's feet' but I do have a few fine lines under my eyes as my skin is not as firm in this area as it used to be after all I'm 55. I do like the MAC one better for frown lines and that's only because this one by ELF is more suited to dry skin and my skin is still oily and is probably why my skin as stood up to the ravages of time. Now if ELF was to do one for us oily skin customers I would be first in the que! However it's a good product none the less.


Wrinkle Refiner

Instantly smooth, soften and virtually fill in laugh lines, crow’s feet and wrinkles for a flawless finish. Key ingredients draw in moisture to smooth and plump delicate skin for a rejuvenated and youthful look. The rich blend of Wheat Protein, Horse Chestnut, Caffeine, Edelweiss, Chamomile, Shea, Mango and Vitamins A & E retexturise skin and can help prevent future damage and premature ageing.

Now all of these products are inexpensive, so you can easily afford these and more and ELF is available in quite a few countries now by clicking the flag of the appropriate country at the top of their home page.

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories

THE LINK BETWEEN A CHILDHOOD BUMP ON THE HEAD AND DEPRESSION

I saw this in the Daily Mail today and I wanted to draw attention to this. It's something that has been observed for sometime, the link with head injury and changes in behaviour and mood and finally research has found a link. "Experts are warning that hundreds of thousands of people may be living with the effects of post-traumatic hypopituitarism (PTHP) — damage to the pituitary gland — as a result of a head injury."

It would be wonderful if more research could be done into this as I am tired of the stigma of 'depression is all in the mind and sufferers told to pull their socks up'. As I have been saying for years depression and any mental illness has an organic cause and it is only the ignorant who shun sufferers.

Depressed? Always tired? It could all be down to a childhood bump on your head

When Christopher Lane killed himself four years ago, his family’s grief and shock was suffused with utter bewilderment.

The good-looking and bright 31-year-old seemed to have everything to live for.

The break-up of Chris’s relationship with his girlfriend five years before had hit him hard, but he had a loving family, a good job as a computer program writer and there had been no obvious signs that something was wrong.

Christopher Lane hurt his head in 1984. Paramedics took him to A&E and then a specialist head injury unit where he lay in a coma for five days

Two days after his death, his devastated mother Joanna Lane found letters her son had written to his ex-girlfriend. 

In one he said he was worried his ‘little man’ wasn’t working properly. 

Joanna began to wonder if his suicide was linked to impotence, a common cause of depression in men.

His parents didn’t know then, but Christopher had suffered bouts of mild depression from his teens onwards. 

Joanna, a retired English language teacher, had wondered if the head injury her son suffered after falling out of a tree aged seven had affected him mentally, as he sometimes seemed out of sorts.

The week after his death, Joanna’s sister Caroline looked on the internet for possible links. 

She came across research suggesting a third of traumatic brain injury survivors suffer damage to the pituitary gland, which can cause hormonal problems including impotence, depression, low libido, infertility and fatigue.

Even more distressing was the discovery that this damage can be effectively treated with hormone replacement.

‘I now know Chris had counselling in the years before his death where he talked about his sexual problems and his depression,’ says Joanna. 

‘I only wish he had discussed it with a doctor. It may have saved his life.’

Chris’s tragic story is by no means an isolated case.

Experts are warning that hundreds of thousands of people may be living with the effects of post-traumatic hypopituitarism (PTHP) — damage to the pituitary gland — as a result of a head injury.

The pea-sized pituitary gland is attached to the brain by a slender stalk.

It is known as the ‘master gland’ as it controls the thyroid and the adrenal glands, and is responsible for our metabolism, stress and growth hormones, and the male sex hormone testosterone. 

Damage to the gland can occur if the blood vessels which run through the stalk are broken or squeezed by swelling of the brain, or when the brain is starved of oxygen. 

Following Christopher's death, his former girlfriend confirmed to that he had been very depressed and that they had never had full sex as he was impotent

A million people suffer head injuries every year in the UK and 10 per cent of these are serious.

The Pituitary Foundation charity estimates 25 to 30 per cent of people with serious head injuries sustain pituitary damage. 

However some experts warn many more might be affected — up to 100,000 because they say pituitary damage can be sustained from a bang to the forehead or back of the head, or even whiplash.

And it can be years after the initial injury before a person starts to show symptoms. 

‘Too many people are falling under the radar and their PTHP is not being diagnosed,’ says Tony Belli, a trauma neurosurgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

‘The signs of PTHP aren’t widely recognised, but sexual dysfunction is common, with around 16 per cent suffering from impotence.’

Knowing this now, Joanna is haunted by memories of the Sunday in 1984 when Chris hurt his head. 

She, her husband John, an IT consultant, and their three children (Chris and his two sisters) had visited a children’s farm and Chris ran off to the playground.

‘A stranger came to tell us he had fallen out of a tree, and when we found Chris he was lying motionless with blood coming out of his ear. 

‘If the nurse who happened to be around hadn’t cleared the blood from his throat, he would have choked to death. 

'In retrospect, I sometimes think that might have been preferable to what he went through.’ 

Paramedics took Chris to A&E and then a specialist head injury unit in London where he lay in a coma for five days, with a fractured skull. 

‘The fracture was actually good because it released the pressure on his brain which swelled during the trauma,’ says Joanna. 

‘We talked and sang to him, as recommended, and eventually we heard the words: “Can you all stop singing those stupid songs?” — and Chris had come back to us.

'He seemed the same as always, although one of his sisters said he had become “meaner” after the accident. I didn’t agree. 

It can be years after the initial injury before a person starts to show symptoms

'Half of his face was partially paralysed, but this disappeared after six months.

'No one ever warned us there might be long-term damage.’

But during his teens, Chris struggled. Having been top of his class at primary school, at secondary school he slipped to average. 

‘He often remarked as he got older that inside he felt differently from the jokey exterior he sometimes managed to pull off.’

During his A-levels he disappeared for two days. 

‘He went to a youth hostel on the South Coast. He told us later he felt under so much pressure he needed to escape.’ 

Coping poorly with stress can be a sign of pituitary gland damage.

‘He was always one of those young men who went out in a T-shirt and could take a lot of cold. 

'I thought he was being macho, but we now know that not feeling cold is also typical among people with PTHP.’ 

Chris went to university to study structural engineering and German, but never completed his degree — something Joanna now puts down to depression.

She says: ‘He had a full life — he had a lovely girlfriend — and seemed to be OK, we thought then. 

'I wish I had been a more observant mother, I might then have picked up that something really wasn’t right.’ 

Following Chris’s death, his former girlfriend confirmed to Joanna that Chris had been very depressed and that they had never had full sex as he was impotent.

It is ‘very likely’ Chris had pituitary gland damage, says neurosurgeon Tony Belli.

In recognition of the dangers of the condition, in 2009 the Army began screening soldiers who’d sustained serious head injuries. 

Meanwhile, the Football Association is re-considering its screening policy on head injuries to include pituitary damage. 

But experts believe this screening should be extended to everyone. 

In a 2005 study published in Brain Injury, the journal of the International Brain Injury Association, 11 specialists recommended screening for PTHP after moderate-to-severe brain injury. 

In 2009, a group of leading Spanish endocrinologists made a similar appeal.

‘I would like to see head injury patients who aren’t feeling 100 per cent to be screened three months after the trauma,’ says Mr Belli. 

Certainly if a head injury patient suffers from lethargy and tiredness as a result of depression, they should be checked for pituitary gland damage, adds Dr John Newell-Price, a reader in endocrinology at Sheffield University.

A one-off screening might not be enough, says Dr Joanne Blair, an endocrinologist at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. 

‘Loss of function can occur over time, sometimes decades later,’ she says, suggesting regular monitoring instead.

The test takes a few days. 

Blood and urine tests are taken to determine pituitary gland damage by measuring hormone levels, and then an assessment made of the patient, with questions about depression and sexual dysfunction.

Alarmingly, it might not take much to trigger PTHP.

Dr Blair says to damage the pituitary gland a head injury would have to be serious enough to make a person lose consciousness — even just for a moment. 

‘People are surprised to know it can happen from a simple bang on the head during rugby or football, or falling out of a tree,’ she adds. 

Dr Newell-Price says: ‘It is my belief the more severe the head injury, the greater the chance of damage to the gland. 

'However, we know whiplash can severely damage the pituitary gland, as the sudden movement can sever the stalk so the gland is disconnected from the brain.’

Indeed, a 2009 study found that pituitary gland damage can be sustained by a minor cranial trauma without even having lost consciousness. 

As Mr Belli suggests: ‘Mild head injury is ten times more common than severe, and we could, therefore, be looking at as many as 100,000 people a year having PTHP, most of whom will be undiagnosed. 

‘The costs to society are vast for those with PTHP: they often stop going to work and their relationships break down — divorce among all head injury cases is 60 per cent.’ 

The brain injury charity Headway has recently applied to the Government health watchdog NICE to recognise the condition. It has yet to hear back. 

The good news is once the condition is spotted, treatment is straightforward — a patient can have hormone replacement medication. 

However, the more time that has elapsed between the head injury and PTHP, the more likely it is the patient will be on medication for life. 

One of those who has benefited from prompt treatment is James, a 38-year-old former television company manager from Surrey. 

James (not his real name) suffered pituitary gland damage after he was set upon by a gang of men who robbed and seriously assaulted him in October 2007. 

As well as broken ribs and almost losing an eye, he suffered several blows to the head and lost consciousness for four days. He was in hospital for two weeks.

‘The first six months passed in a bit of a blur,’ he says.

‘After that, I began to feel really awful. I couldn’t get up, I couldn’t sleep and I had trouble communicating. 

‘I stopped going into work because I couldn’t face it. I became fearful of pretty much everyone and everything. I had no idea what was wrong.’

James cut contact with friends and his partner (they have since reunited and have a one-year-old baby). 

And after two months of continual negative thoughts James made an attempt on his own life, trying again twice more over the next three and a half years. 

He had been attending monthly hospital appointments after the attack for psychiatric support and blood tests, and it was during one of these tests that a doctor picked up that James’s testosterone levels were very low. 

An endocrinologist discovered his pituitary gland was ‘virtually dead’ as a result of PTHP. 

‘That’s why I’d felt so tired and depressed,’ says James. 

‘I began taking hormone replacement and felt better almost immediately. 

‘Life is a lot better, but I still haven’t returned to work. I’ve gone from someone who presented a 40-page document to shareholders, to a guy who can’t remember to shut the fridge door.

‘I’ll probably be on the hormones for life. But if I hadn’t received help, I’d be no further forward and probably — I hate to say it — dead.’ 

For more information, visit pituitary.org.uk and headway.org.uk.

You can also get information at www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk or ring 0303 303 2248

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories

DOES SHAPE AND SIZE MATTER?

Current this story since we are in the midst of the Olympics and the same old size and weight and appearance story. People come in all shapes and sizes, life would be pretty boring if we all conformed to the same appearance. What's important is a balanced diet and cardiovascular fitness.

LONDON (Reuters) - American weightlifter Holley Mangold tips the scales at 346 pounds (157 kilograms) and she is proud of being the heaviest woman at the London Olympics.

Mangold, 22, who competed in the women's 75 kilogram-plus division, is one of growing number of women athletes speaking out at their frustration with the public scrutiny of their body size and image rather than their fitness and skills.

At the 2012 Olympics, a list of top female athletes have hit back at critics who have called them fat including British heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis, Australian swimmer Liesel Jones, and the Brazilian women's soccer team.

For Mangold, her weight is a something to be proud of.

"Between my team mate (Sarah Robles) and I, I think we both showed you can be athletic at any size," said Mangold whose Twitter profile has the tagline "Loving life and living big!"

"I'm not saying everyone is an athlete but I am saying an athlete can come in any size."

Mangold, who suffered a wrist injury three weeks ago, came 10th in a field of 14 on Sunday, watched by her NFL-playing brother Nick, centre for the New York Jets. Robles came seventh.

The 2012 Olympics have been hailed as the 'Women's Games' for including women in all sports and from all national teams with campaigners hoping this will lead to more role models in sport and increase female participation in physical activity.

The Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF), a UK charity aiming to get more women into sport to build self-esteem and confidence, said only 12 percent of British girls at age 14 were doing enough exercise to meet recommended guidelines.

WSFF Chief Executive Sue Tibballs said their research found negative body image was consistently cited as a barrier for girls participating in exercise as popular culture gave out the message it was more important to be thin than fit.

She said this negative attitude over body image was also applied to women athletes at the Olympics who are in peak physical condition with healthy body images but still come under fire for being fat.

EATING DISORDERS RIFE

"Women athletes will regularly get comments about their appearance although men won't," said Tibballs.

"This really adds to the pressure on women athletes, many of whom already have a disordered attitude towards foods because they are in a controlled routine where weight is a key issue."

British triathlete Hollie Avil, who competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, quit high-level sports in May for the sake of her health after the recurrence of an eating disorder brought on by a coach telling her she was too fat.

Tibballs said it was hard to believe that Ennis, poster girl of the London Games with a rippling washboard stomach, was called fat and accused of carrying too much weight by a high-ranking UK athletics official ahead of the Games.

Ennis, 26, won gold for Britain on Saturday.

Australia's three-times gold medallist swimmer Leisel Jones's figure was questioned by some Australian media before London, who suggested she did not look as fit as at Beijing in 2008.

This sparked an angry reaction from team mates and an online uproar about body image and what constitutes fit or fat.

"I'm embarrassed by the Aussie media having a go at Leisel, one of Australia's greatest Olympians. Support athletes don't drag them down," fellow swimmer Melanie Schlanger tweeted.

"U can't judge fitness from looks anyway and how about we don't criticize at all."

Jones helped Australia win a silver medal in the medley relay in London.

British swimmer Rebecca Adlington, who won two bronze medals at London, told reporters she was going to avoid reading Twitter comments during the Olympics because so many were insults about her appearance.

The Brazilian women's soccer team were called "a bit heavy" by the coach of the Cameroon team after the South Americans won their game against the African nation 5-0.

British weightlifter Zoe Smith won fans when she hit back at attacks on Twitter saying she looked like a "lesbian" and a "bloke", addressing her critics as "chauvinistic, pigheaded blokes who feel emasculated (as) we .. are stronger than them".

"We don't lift weights in order to look hot," said 18-year-old Smith, who set at new British record at London where she came 12th in the women's 58kg class.

"We, as any women with an ounce of self-confidence would, prefer our men to be confident enough in themselves to not feel emasculated by the fact that we aren't weak and feeble."

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories

NEW LOWER PRICE FOR A LIMITED TIME

THE JOURNEY TO SPIRIT (KINDLE VERSION)

Will be available at a new lower price $2.99 instead of $3.55, and should be available at this new lower price in the next day or so. Thank you to everyone who has either bought the paperback or kindle version and made it such a success.

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories

GRIN AND BEAR IT!

Well I've always known Laughing is good for you, it lift's the Spirit and is good for the heart and I always try and find something funny in each day. It certainly doesn't take much to make me laugh as I laugh at the silliest of things but research has now shown even smiling when we don't feel like it is beneficial to our health. So Grin and Bear it next time you feel stressed!

Article from the Daily Mail below

Why you should grin and bear life's problems - it's good for the heart

• Researchers got participants to use chopsticks to encourage neutral or smiling expressions
• Those who smiled after a stressful event recovered more quickly

Fake it till you make it: Even a forced smile can reduce stress levels

Grinning and bearing it gets us through many of life’s tricky situations.
But researchers have found smiling really does help reduce stress – and boost the health of the heart.
A study from the University of Kansas investigated the potential benefits of smiling by looking at how different types of smiling, and the awareness of smiling, affects a person's ability to recover from episodes of stress.
Study author Tara Kraft said: 'Age old adages, such as ‘grin and bear it’ have suggested smiling to be not only an important nonverbal indicator of happiness but also wishfully promotes smiling as a panacea for life’s stressful events.
'We wanted to examine whether these adages had scientific merit; whether smiling could have real health-relevant benefits.'
The team found smiling could indeed influence our physical state.
Smiles are generally divided into two categories: standard smiles, which use the muscles surrounding the mouth, and genuine or Duchenne smiles, which engage the muscles surrounding both the mouth and eyes.
Previous research shows that positive emotions can help during times of stress and that smiling can affect emotion; however, the work of Kraft and Pressman is the first of its kind to experimentally manipulate the types of smiles people make in order to examine the effects of smiling on stress.
The researchers recruited 169 participants from a Midwestern university. The study involved two phases: training and testing.
During the training phase, participants were divided into three groups, and each group was trained to hold a different facial expression. Participants were instructed to hold chopsticks in their mouths in such a way that they engaged facial muscles used to create a neutral facial expression, a standard smile, or a Duchenne smile.


Chopsticks were essential to the task because they forced people to smile without them being aware that they were doing so: only half of the group members were actually instructed to smile.

For the testing phase, participants were asked to work on multitasking activities, which unknown to them were designed to be stressful.
The first activity required the participants to trace a star with their non-dominant hand by looking at a reflection of the star in a mirror. The second activity required participants to submerge a hand in ice water.
During both of the stressful tasks, participants held the chopsticks in their mouth just as they were taught in training. The researchers measured participants’ heart rates and self-reported stress levels throughout the testing phase.
The study found those who were instructed to smile and had Duchenne smiles had lower heart rate levels after the stressful activities compared to participants who held neutral expressions.
Those participants who held chopsticks in a manner that forced them to smile, but were not explicitly told to smile as part of the training, also reported a positive affect, although this wasn't as marked.
These findings show that smiling during brief stressors can help to reduce the intensity of the body’s stress response, regardless of whether a person actually feels happy.
'The next time you are stuck in traffic or are experiencing some other type of stress,' says Ms Pressman, 'you might try to hold your face in a smile for a moment. Not only will it help you ‘grin and bear it’ psychologically, but it might actually help your heart health as well!'
The study is in the journal Psychological Science.

Maggie Brown (Author)

Visit Amazon's Maggie Brown Page

Find all the books, read about the author, and more.

Top Stories