Some might tell you that forcing a smile even when you don’t feel like it can decrease stress and improve your mood. While this may be true to some extent, researchers from Penn State University found another interesting link, this time between forced smiles at work and heavy drinking. >>Forced Smiles at Work Linked with Heavy Drinking, Study Finds
A research done by the University of Illinois and the University of Hong Kong has determined something that’s hopefully not a surprise to many people – having more trees around us can help reduce stress. The researchers showed several 6-minute long 3D clips to 160 participants after first subjecting them to various stressful situations – delivering speeches, performing tests, etc. The video clips showed cities with varying densities of tree covers. 
Have you heard about “give-up-itis”? It’s not some made-up term but a real medical condition that is different from suicide or depression. Give-up-itis is a medical condition that occurs when a person loses their will to be alive which suddenly leads to death without any physical cause. >>Scientists Explain How Losing Your Will To Live Can Lead to Death
Every big city has plenty of neighborhoods that are often ignored. Many low-income neighborhoods have residents who find it difficult to put food on their tables despite working full-time jobs or multiple jobs at once. In such places, having access to an affordable source of fresh vegetables and fruits is a godsend. One good example is Old Meadow Lane in Lawrence Heights, Ontario. In that neighborhood, there are quite a few overpriced grocery chains. >>A converted bus provides low-income neighborhoods with fresh produce
Metformin is a common diabetes drug in both Europe and the U.S. It’s taken by approximately 3 million people in the UK and millions more across the Atlantic. However, it’s currently under investigation by health authorities in the U.S., Canada, UK, and the EU after two suppliers from Singapore recalled the drug due to unsafe levels of a chemical called NDMA, which is a carcinogen. >>Common diabetes drug may include a cancer-causing chemical
A total of 81 different personal care products and drugs have been found in salmon hauls in the Puget Sound, Seattle. Salmon is traditionally viewed as a healthy food due to the proteins, fatty acids, and Omega-3s in it. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case for salmon caught in Puget Sound. >>Over 80 different chemicals found in Seattle salmon including cocaine and antidepressants
It’s impossible to put an exact number on the animals that have fallen victim to the Australian bush fires so far but ecologists from the University of Sydney have estimated that the number is around 480 million. This includes the three main groups of animals – mammals, birds, and reptiles. The number also isn’t exclusive to animals killed directly by the fires but also those suffocated in smoke or those that died from hunger or dehydration. >>Australian bush fires rage on and kill half a billion animals
Along with the common cold, viruses of all varieties pop up during the wintertime. Like the influenza that appears similar to a very bad cold, stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis) is very common, affecting twenty-one million Americans each year. Now that it’s stomach flu season, you may find it helpful to know what it is and what to do if it strikes you or your family. >>How To Get Rid of a Stomach Flu Using Apple Cider Vinegar And What To Eat After To Recover Fast
The Long Island Ward Melville High School has recently opened a special “Wellness room” where its teachers and staff can rest, unwind, and de-stress in between their classes. The school is calling the project a “Lesson in serenity” and the project has been widely praised as a step in the right direction for better education. The project has also been dubbed the “WellVille classroom” as a play of words with the Three Village school district high school. >>Long Island High School Creates Wellness Room for Teachers to De-stress
Over half a million people in the U.S. are currently homeless – none of them by choice. Only about 65% of them stay in shelters at night, with the other 35% – approximately 200,000 people – sleeping in abandoned buildings, park benches, sidewalks, etc. Similar percentages can be seen across the developed world. However, a non-profit organization in Brisbane, Australia, is working on the problem in a rather creative way. >>Parking Lot Turns into a Sanctuary for the Homeless at Night
