Stressed? Smile!

Researchers used chopsticks to manipulate participants faces into holding a neutral expression, a regular smile, or a Duchenne smile (smiles expressed through the mouth and eyes). In addition to the chopstick manipulation, some were told to smile. While holding the smiles (or not), they did various stress-inducing, multitasking activities.

Participants who voluntarily (in addition to, or only because of, the chopsticks) smiled better recovered from stressful activities than those with neutral expressions. Duchenne smile participants were the most relaxed.

Health Related to Small Business

A study shows that counties with more small businesses tend to have lower rates of mortality, obesity, and diabetes; counties with more large retailers tend to be higher. More "small business" communities exhibit higher likelihood of anti-smoking legislation, promoting community health programs, and supporting local farmers' markets.

"A place like this has a can-do climate, a practical problem-solving approach in which a community takes control of its own destiny," says lead author Troy C. Blanchard.

Exercise Increases Productivity

Research finds that employees who exercised during work were more productive than those who relaxed or worked during those hours.

Group 1 exercised 2.5 hours/week, Group 2 relaxed during those 2.5 hours while Group 3 worked through those 2.5 hours. Not only did productivity increase over 6 months and 1 year, but Group 1 employees also lost less time to sick days.

More Roads = Better Health

Research finds that after 5 years of construction, villages near a road in northern Ecuador had a larger rise in antibiotic resistance than more remote areas. Rise in resistance to ampicillin and sulphamethoxazole nearly double that in more remote areas. The road may ease resistant microbes to migrate from person to person.

Parks & Public Health

Research finds parks increase physical activity across age groups, thereby helping lower healthcare costs. In a five-city survey, 38% of people over 50 used a park at least 1/week. Other studies showed similar effects on teenage boys and girls. With observable effects with only an increase of $10/person in parks, parks alone can put a dent in the $8,000/year health care costs per person.