7 Benefits of Smiling and Laughing that You Didn’t Know about

Smiling and laughing can have a positive effect on your well-being, but as you make the transition from child to adult, you often tend to lose the habit of indulging in these behaviors. A good example of this is a children’s playground: You often see the kids running around, constantly laughing and smiling as they enjoy living in the moment, while the parents sit around the edge, full of the stresses that modern life can bring, with the occasional grin breaking their otherwise serious facial expressions. Adults can benefit from taking a lead from children and making more room in life for smiling and laughter.
Research has shown that there a number of health benefits contributed to smiling and laughing. In addition to improved health, these simple facial expressions and common human behaviors can have a distinctive positive affect on other factors all areas of your life. When you smile and laugh, a number of physiological changes occur in your body, mostly without you being consciously aware of it happening.

7 Benefits of Smiling and Laughing

1. Neurotransmitters called endorphins are released when you smile.

These are triggered by the movements of the muscles in your face, which is interpreted by your brain, which in turn releases these chemicals. Endorphins are responsible for making us feel happy, and they also help lower stress levels. Faking a smile or laugh works as well as the real thing—the brain doesn’t differentiate between real or fake as it interprets the positioning of the facial muscles in the same way. This is known as the facial feedback hypothesis. The more we stimulate our brain to release this chemical the more often we feel happier and relaxed.

2. Endorphins make us feel happier and less stressed.

They also act as the body’s natural pain killers. For sufferers of chronic pain, laughing and smiling can be very effective in pain management, as can laughing off the pain when you bump an elbow or fall over.

3. While the release of endorphins is increased, the stress hormone cortisol is reduced.

Cortisol is more active when we feel stressed or anxious and contributes to the unpleasant feelings we experience, and by lowering it we can reduce these negative feelings.

4. Laughing expands the lungs, stretches the muscles in the body and stimulates homeostasis.

This exercises the body, replenishing the cells from a lungful of oxygen and gaining all the benefits of exercising the body.

5. A good laugh can be an effective way to release emotions.

A good laugh can help you release emotions, especially those emotions that you might bottle up inside. Everything looks that little bit better after a good laugh and life can be seen from a more positive perspective. Smiling and laughing have positive social implications as well.

6. Smiling is an attractive expression, which is more likely to draw people to you rather than push them away.

Smiling makes you appear more approachable. Interaction with others is easier and more enjoyable when smiles and laughs are shared, and these behaviours are contagious, making others feel better too, and make you a more appealing and attractive person to be around. This in turn will have a positive effect on your well-being.

7. A happy, positive expression will serve you well in life.

This is particularly  true for challenging situations such as job interviews: a smiling, relaxed persona indicates confidence and an ability to cope well in stressful situations. This will also be of benefit in your career, building healthy relationships with colleagues and being seen in a favourable light by your employers.

How to Smile and Laugh More Often

There are simple ways to bring more smiling and laughing into your day:

• Smile and laugh regularly. As mentioned, your brain does not know the difference between a fake or real smile, and by doing so more often you will feel better, and become more likely to smile and laugh more spontaneously.
• Watch funny films, TV, and theater shows. This is a excellent way to inject some instant humor into your life. By avoiding negative programs and news broadcasts, you can also balance make your viewing more positive and lighthearted, with more opportunity for a chuckle or two.
• Spend time with friends and family that make you feel happy. Surrounding yourself with happy, fun-loving, optimistic people will bring out your happy side, and their behaviour will rub off on you as you subconsciously mimic their behavioural patterns.
• Find things to smile and laugh about. Once you start consciously looking at all the things that are funny and uplifting, you will be more aware of them, in tune with them, and more ready to engage in a spontaneous smile or laugh.
  

Secret to Staying Young

They pop out of every magazine you open and every billboard you drive by: skinny sixteen year-old models with blemish- and wrinkle-free skin staring blankly back at you. Like they own the place or something.
If you don’t have their complexion and shape you probably wince the same way I do when you see them splattered on that advertising campaign. Youth is where it’s at in the twenty first century.  We’re told it’s desirable and that we should want it—and inevitably, many of us do.
On any given weekday you will find perfectly sane women trampling each other to get to wildly over-priced beauty-products (read: the same ones advertised on that billboard you drove by earlier) at our handy local beauty store.
Then we head on over to the gym where we run, lift weights, and cycle ourselves till within an inch of our lives before jetting off home to soak our faces in that New!Magic!Serum! (read: fetuses liquidized with rat tails and just a dash of pigs foot and perfume to cover it all up).
And rinse and repeat.
Inevitably, one sunny morning just before your (please insert) birthday, you look into the mirror and see a line cracking down like the crater of doom from the corner of your eye towards your slightly saggy cheek.
Don’t hyperventilate.  I’m here to deliver the good news:
You don’t really want to be young again!
You might as well wish you were Santa Claus or Oprah. It’s never going to happen. Besides, you had to sit through puberty and all that to get where you are now, and I’m guessing you’re probably quite happy to be here.
You might enjoy the notion of being youthful instead, because that’s a completely different thing, you see. In fact, that’s something you can actually achieve.
Youth refers to how you look; it’s a reference to your body. Youthfulness is a reference to your life energy—a much nicer thing to strive for than your long lost (sorry) youth.
 Fiona du Plooy says that she can tell your “real” age by how flexible your spine is: If your can still bend it, flex it, and roll it, if it’s still malleable and fluid, you’re doing OK.  (Whether you’re 20 or 70, this is a realistic goal we can all try to attain!)
I agree with Fiona, but from the viewpoint of my own modality. Youth is something that’s present in your eyes. It’s a way of being in the world, of interacting with it and placing yourself in it.
It’s something you can see in a person’s energy rather than their skin—a liveliness and interest in their environment that regenerates itself.
If you want to stay youthful, you don’t need to go under the knife. Heck, you don’t even have to leave the house. You just need to sustain these three simple-yet-much-more-magical-than-rat-tail-things.

1.  Play

(Otherwise known as that thing you used to do in your youth.)
Play means you’re having fun. It’s the polar opposite of work. Somewhere on the path to getting a career and “growing up” we forget that.
What does it mean to play with something?

• To engage
• in a light-hearted way
• to discover and explore
  
• without expectation
• or being invested in an outcome.

All of my favorite spiritual teachers have a cunning sense of humor about life and bring it into their teachings as well.
Do you do anything fun with your time?
When’s the last time you discovered or did something new?  When did you do something without trying to get some kind of end result from it, just for kicks?
If you’re drawing a blank it’s time to sign up for that scuba diving course or join a local knitting group once a week. (Yes.  Knitting can be fun.) Remember: Fun is the process. It has nothing to do with the outcome.  Play.  Discover. Explore.
Never, ever take yourself too seriously. To ensure long lasting happiness, make this is your primary way of interacting with the world.

2.  Desire

Desire has become a dirty word in our society. It conjures up pictures of couples in a 1950’s movie clinging to each other with a look of desperation in their eyes. Desire has acquired a bit of a stink to it.
Which is a great pity.
Desire is the energy that propels us forward.
It makes us want to stick around to see what happens next. Even a monk who desires nothing is driven by a strong desire—to desire nothing and connect with his higher Self.
Nurture your desires. They serve as the canon which continuously launches you into life.
When you wake up in the morning ask yourself:  How can I satisfy one of my own desires today?
Even if you have a nine-to-five job, make sure that you do at least one thing everyday that you consciously chose to do because you enjoy it. It doesn’t need to be earth shattering. Take a long bubble bath, have coffee with a friend, or write a poem.

3.  Malleability

Malleability is your ability to adapt, to change.  Youthfulness requires you to be able to bend with life.
Case in point: Have you ever seen a baby fall over? Their soft little bodies are usually OK since they don’t absorb the impact, they embrace it. Their fluidity is their saving grace.
The older we get, the more rigid we tend to become in both our thoughts and bodies. Tension stiffens and leads to breakage. Like an old woman who refuses to change, rigidity about who and what you are leaves no room for exploration. It means you’re old.
When you’re no longer willing to leap blindly into the abyss of self-realization, if you’ve closed the doors on new possibilities, your life slowly starts to suffocate from lack of fresh energy and motivation.
Rigidity is a direct result of fear and presumption. Fear and presumption narrow your choices; they close you off to new possibilities and vitality. The more you indulge in these two emotions, the less chance you have of nourishing yourself with new adventures.
Take a risk every now and again. Step out of your box, even if it’s just a little step.
Youthfulness is about your vitality and spirit. Stop chasing after that sixteen year-old skin, embrace the wisdom that comes with age, and next time you drive by that billboard, smile.  Youth isn’t in your skin my friend.  It’s sitting in your bones

Advantages & Disadvantages of Running as Exercise

Running is an enormously popular form of exercise. According to Running USA, In 2012, close to 30 million Americans went running at least 50 times. To the casual observer, the reasons for its widespread appeal seem as evident as the factors that would lead lots of would-be exercisers to quickly reject it. So what are the greatest advantages and disadvantages of being a distance runner?

Physical Benefits

If weight loss is your primary goal, then running has a clear advantage over other activities; according to MayoClinic.com, it burns more calories per unit of time than any other type of exercise -- upward of 1,000 calories per hour for some people. Running also strengthens your heart, helps you keep your blood pressure under control, tones and strengthens your legs and can improve your blood cholesterol profile. If you participate in a sport that requires aerobic fitness, such as soccer or basketball, preseason running can help bring you to the start of the season in top condition.

Physical Drawbacks

If you've been a runner for any length of time, it's a good bet that some well-meaning couch potato has warned you that you'll wind up trashing your knees. While this is grossly overstated at best, there's no denying that the biomechanical impact of some 1,500 foot strikes per mile can lead to joint problems, stress fractures, low-back pain and other maladies, especially if you run on asphalt or concrete.
In addition, in May 2013, the "Wall Street Journal" reported the results of a study that suggested that running more than about 30 miles a week may increase the buildup of plaque in the arteries of your heart.

Mental and Psychosocial Benefits

While running's visible and under-the-hood benefits to your physical self may be your main motivation for making a habit of it, it also has a wealth of advantages over other, non-aerobic forms of exercise on your psychological state. Although these are not as easy to quantitate as such things as blood pressure and weight, running can produce an elevation in mood, improved self-esteem, a more positive body image and a decrease in depression-related symptoms. Also, it can enhance your social life -- you might join a running club and expand your circle of friends, or even meet a romantic partner at a race.

Mental and Psychosocial Drawbacks

Running may not be the ideal activity for people with certain social or mental inclinations. Because you don't require any other people to do it, if you are prone to social isolation, running may exacerbate this tendency and leave you separated from sources of needed support. If you suffer from an eating disorder, running may lead you to focus even more on your weight and your food intake and drive you further into unhealthy and even dangerous patterns. If you run competitively, you may put such a high amount of pressure on yourself to succeed that running stops being fun and becomes merely one more source of stress.

Exploring Natural Breast Enhancement

Conventional wisdom would note that such a thing is not possible. Most would said you are born with certain genetics and how your body develops will be based on those genetics. If you wish to alter the size of your breasts, you do have an option and it comes in the form of undergoing the traditional cosmetic surgery procedure many other thousands of women have.

But, is this conventional wisdom correct? The truth of the matter is there are serums on the market which profess the ability to enhance the breasts in a natural manner. There will be skeptics who believe that natural breast enhancement is not possible.

When you look at the grand history of herbal supplements over the centuries, you will discover herbs have been used for a wide range of different purposes. A number of those purposes might prove to be quite surprising. And yes, among the purposes those herbal remedies serve would be the potential to increase and enhance the size of a woman’s breasts.

Today, these herbal ingredients have been made into modern serums which are offered for sale on the cosmetic market. For many, herbal enhancement products such as these may prove to be the perfect alternative to the option of undergoing surgery. Considering some of the complications which may derive from breast enlargement surgery, an alternative treatment method could prove to be the perfect choice for those wishing for a far less invasive process.

What would be among the main ingredients which would be found in a natural breast enhancement serum? There are a few helpful ingredients and they would include Pueraria mirifica which is an herb that originates in Thailand. This herb has a storied history where it was used to enhance the size of a woman’s breast. It is believed that this herb can have an effect on estrogen in the body (a female hormone) which may result in an increase in breast size.

Among the most beneficial of all the natural breast enhancement products on the market would be the topical serum Triactol. In fact, it can be considered the best of the best. One of the reasons for this is it has developed an extract of Pueraria mirifica dubbed Mirofirm. This extract is unique to this product which makes Triactol highly unique among the other breast enhancement serums and products which are available on the market.

There are other natural ingredients found in the blend which comprises Triactol. The wide range of different ingredients is another reason why this serum can be considered the best of the best.

The ingredients have also not been errantly combined together without any serious consideration to truly create an effective finished product. A unique process is employed to create the actual serum.

Now, the manufacturer is never going to reveal publicly how it blends its numerous ingredients together as this would be a trade secret. Revealing it would not be helpful for sales even though doing so might instill more confidence in the many potential consumers.

So, you will have to look towards other ways of enhancing your confidence towards making a purchase of this serum. Among the best ways to do this would be to read testimonials by those who have purchased the product. The minute you read a few of the well written testimonials promoting the value of this serum, it becomes obvious why it can be considered the best natural breast enhancement formula.

Those who do look closer at it will realize Triactol truly is a unique and original product. For those women seeking anatural breast enhancement method, it just might turn out to be the perfect option to explore.

The Good and Downside of Breast Enhancements

Breast Enhancement is something that continues to be popular with a lot of women. This is because women are really obsessed about the size of their breasts. They believe that if they have big breasts, they will be more beautiful and many men will be attracted to them. Women also believe that a lot of men are obsessed with a woman’s big breasts. This is the main reason why they try every breast enhancement option available. Unfortunately, breast enhancements do not just bring benefits. There are also many downsides to it.
Benefits of Breast Enhancements

• Basically breast enhancements are very popular because women just really want bigger breasts. As such, there really is a big market for these procedures. In fact, it is so popular; it became a multi-billion dollar in just a few decades. Its popularity has actually changed the way movie stars, fashion models and ordinary women in a position of power looks like.
• Breast enhancements are also a big help in boosting a woman’s confidence. Women with small breasts are very self conscious. They feel that they cannot be proud of their bodies. However, if they get their breasts enhanced, they can be more confident and ready to face the world regardless of whatever challenges are in place. This is the main reason why even women who have a limited budget are still willing to work hard and save up enough money just o make sure that they can afford the breast enhancement procedures that they are interested in.

The Downside of Breast Enhancements

• Breast enhancements can be very addicting. In fact, it can be addicting to the point that it is already detrimental. There are women who are very self conscious with their breasts that they feel that their breasts are not good enough. When things go wrong, they end up getting very huge breast implants that are no longer aesthetically pleasing. All they ever want is to get the biggest breasts possible. This is not a healthy attitude to be in.
• Breast enhancements can also go wrong particularly if the person doing the enhancement procedure is not actually qualified to do the work. Safety is one of the most important aspects of breast enhancements. Unfortunately, unqualified personnel can often compromise safety just to finish the job. This is why it really is not a good idea to go with breast enhancement service providers who do not have a reputation just to save money. Women should remember that their health should not be compromised in order to get their breasts enlarged for a lower price.

In order to avoid the damages of the downside of breast enhancements, it is highly recommended that women should understand and focus their attention on breast enhancements and its benefits. They should also keep the downsides in mind. One of the best ways to achieve this goal is to talk with a reliable doctor with a good reputation. The doctor can then make a woman undergo counselling first in order to determine if she has the mental capacity to deal with her new breasts.