health briefs


Facial Exercises Ease Midlife Signs of Aging


In the first scientific study of facial exercise, 27 middle- aged women that performed specific facial muscle move- ments looked an average of two-and-a-half years younger in 20 weeks based on a standardized scale called the Merz-Carruthers Facial Aging Photoscales. By doing the exercises for 30 minutes each day or every other day, the fullness of both the upper and lower cheeks, in particular, of the women were significantly enhanced, report Northwestern Univer- sity researchers.


“The exercises enlarge and strengthen the facial muscles, so the face be- comes firmer and more toned and shaped like a younger face,” says lead author Murad Alam, a medical doctor.


Some of the study exercises can be found by search- ing the topic of Happy Face Yoga on YouTube.


Energy Drinks Hurt


Youth Health More than half of teens and young adults that have slaked their thirst with energy drinks report consequently suf- fering negative health consequences, reports a new study from Canada’s University of Waterloo. Of 2,055 Canadian participants between ages 12 and 24, 55.4 percent said they had negative health events afterwards. Of these, 26.5 percent trembled and felt jittery, 24.7 percent had faster heart-


beats and 22.5 percent noted “jolt and crash” episodes—a spell of alertness followed by a sudden drop in energy. Another 5.1 percent experienced nausea or diarrhea and 0.2 percent, seizures. Most respondents said they drank only one or two energy drinks at a time.


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Exercise Boosts Good


Gut Bacteria Cardiovascular exercise improves a person’s healthy gut microbes even without making dietary changes, University of Illinois researchers report. In a study of 32 people, 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three times a week for six weeks boosted levels of healthy intestinal bacteria, especially for lean subjects, and less so for the obese. The healthy bacteria produced short- chain fatty acids that reduce the risk of colon cancer.


“The bottom line is that there are clear differences in how the microbiome of somebody who is obese versus some- body who is lean responds to exercise,” says Jeffrey Woods, Ph.D., a kinesiology professor at the university.


Seek 15 Minutes of Device-Free Time


When we’re feeling angry, stressed or overexcited, just 15 minutes of being alone with- out a device can put us into a more peaceful state, reports a University of Rochester study. Young adults, sitting in a comfortable chair away from their devices, were given something to read, told to think about something specific or not given any instruction. Some were asked to sit alone for 15 minutes a day for a week and keep a diary. In all cases, such solo time away from devices helped reduce intense emotions afterward.


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