Call your mom to beat stress
It's common knowledge that a hug from mom can help soothe a stressed
child, but new research shows that just hearing her voice can initiate the
same biochemical responses. Even over the phone.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin held a focus group during
which girls aged between seven and 12, made a speech and solved a
series of maths problems in front of a panel of strangers. This sent the
children’s hearts racing and levels of cortisol - a hormone associated
with stress - soaring. Once stressed, a third of the girls were comforted
in person by their mother, a third told to speak to her on the phone and
a third given a film to watch. Levels of oxytocin, which has anti-stress
effects, rose quickly in those who saw or spoke to their mothers. To the
scientists’ surprise, within an hour, the girls who phoned their mothers
were just as calm as those who were comforted in person.
Fill a spray mister with
your favourite cooking oil
Pick up a spray mister at your local supermarket
and fill it with your favourite cooking oil. Not only
does it release a smaller portion of calorie-loaded
oil, it contains no toxic hydrocarbons found in your
normal cooking oil spray cans that you buy in the
supermarkets.
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