Stress relief is fruit flavored

Chewing Gum May Reduce Stress

At least, that’s what the results of a recent UK study suggest. In a controlled lab experiment with 40 persons, Scholey and his colleagues examined whether chewing gum is capable of reducing induced anxiety and stress while participants performed various multitasking activities (Scholey, Robertson, Haskell, Milne & Kennedy, 2007). Results revealed that gum chewers experienced significantly higher levels of alertness and lower levels of state anxiety, stress, and salivary cortisol. The chewing gum condition was also associated with better performance on the multitasking activities. Improved cerebral blood flow during gum chewing was cited as a possible explanation for these findings.

Religious Involvement may Lengthen your Life

[showmyads] In a recent meta-analytic study, researchers examined previous research which had found religious involvement to be related to lower rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer (McCullough, Hoyt, Larson, Koening, & Thoresen, 2000, cited in Brannon & Feist, 2004). Results of their analysis revealed a small but robust association between religious involvement and lower rates of mortality. Other researchers found that the improvement in life expectancy resulting from regularly attending religious services is comparable to that which results from regular physical exercise and accounts for an additional two to three life years (Hall, 2006).

College May be Good for your Health

If you’re hoping to live to a ripe old age, higher education might be just what you need. According to a study by the United States’ National Center for Health Statistics (2001, cited in Brannon & Feist, 2004), persons who enroll in college have lower death rates than those who do not enroll. This advantage applies to both males and females, and to chronic diseases, infectious diseases as well as unintentional injuries. A possible explanation for this finding is that people who attend and graduate from college tend to earn higher incomes and hence, are more likely to access health care. They are also more likely to seek information about their illnesses and treatments, to eat a low-fat diet and engage in physical exercise (Brannon & Feist, 2004).

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References
Brannon, L. & Feist, J. (2004). Health psychology: An introduction to behavior and health
(5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth/Thompson Learning
Hall, D. E. (2006). Religious attendance: More cost-effective than lipitor? Journal of the
American Board of Family Medicine, 19 (2), 103-109.
Scholey, A. B., Robertson, B., Haskell, C. F., Milne, A. L., & Kennedy, D. O. (2007). Effects of chewing gum on subjective and physiological stress responses [Abstract]. Appetite, 50
(2/3), 565-565. Retrieved from EBSCO HOST database.

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