If you’re having one of those days when you feel a little low, wash your troubles away. Literally. University of Michigan researchers have determined that just washing your hands with warm water and plenty of soap not only cleans your hands, but also your psyche–making you feel better. “Cleansing is about the removal of residues,” said study leader Spike W.S. Lee. By washing the hands, taking a shower or even thinking of doing so, “people can rid themselves of a sense of immorality, lucky or unlucky feelings, or doubt about a decision. The bodily experience of removing physical residues can provide the basis of removing more abstract mental residues.”

Not a bad idea during flu season either no?
See ya in the morning,
Lou-Anne

Happy news for the anxious: Daily fretting does a mind good, reports Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. The key lies in when, not how, you do it. Researchers found that people greatly reduced their anxiety and depression levels when they scheduled time to stress out. In fact, those who dedicated 15 to 30 minutes a day to fret ended up more chilled out than others who followed more traditional stress management methods like deep breathing.
Ok .. 1 .. 2 .. 3 .. and worry! I’d worry about making sure I wasn’t running out of time!;)

See ya in the morning,
Lou-Anne

An old wives’ tale blames chilly temperatures and soggy conditions for causing colds. Colds do become more prevalent in bad weather, but it is because bad weather drives people indoors. “Remaining indoors makes it easier to spread bacteria,” says an expert. “If you are staying indoors, you also get less vitamin D because you are getting less sunlight.” At the University of Sydney, Professor David Isaacs recalls a study where volunteers lounged around a pool in mid-winter. By the end of the study, non of the volunteers had caught a cold. “Getting cold does not give you a cold,” says Isaacs. “Stress and the time of year, because you are crowded indoors, are much more important factors.”
OK! Everybody outside for a BBQ and drinks this weekend….don’t forget your toque if you go out by the pool. ; )

See ya Monday morning,
Lou-Anne

Mean people make more money than nice guys. Researchers from Notre Dame, Cornell and the University of Western Ontario have found that those who are nice at work — that is, in the sense of being agreeable — make less money than people who are mean. The Wall Street Journal reports that while there are definite advantages to being nice to others at work, including the fact that you will be better liked by your co-workers, the bottom line is that “agreeableness is negatively related to income and earnings,” conclude the authors. Translation: Nice guys earn less. And it really does apply mostly to guys. Men who are nice at work in defiance of gender stereotypes take a hit financially, while women who are mean don’t reap the same benefits in their paychecks as do mean men.
Know any bazillionaires? ; )

See ya in the morning,
Lou-Anne

Penning cheesy poems may not win your intended’s heart but eating cheese can rev up your love life. Pizza Pizza, Canada’s largest chain, insists cheese is an aphrodisiac because it is packed with “phenylethylamine, or PEA, a natural amphetamine that the brain manufactures in response to feelings of love,” the company says. “In fact, cheese contains 10 times the levels of PEA normally found in chocolate.” They say toppings like olives, jalapenos and tomatoes also turn up the bedroom heat, but pale in comparison to cheese.
…I’ll have an extra large please!

See ya in the morning,
Lou-Anne

Drink up. Grapes and the wine made from them can help protect your skin from sun damage. According to researchers at the University of Barcelona, the flavonoids in grapes can stop the chemical reaction that causes skin to die. Says biochemist Maria Cascante, who directed the study: “This supports the idea of using these products to protect the skin from cell damage and death caused by solar radiation, as well as increasing our understanding of the mechanism by which they act.”
Cheers to healthy skin!

See ya in the morning,
Lou-Anne