"anxiety" news and stories

It's Monday morning, and if you have a lot of work to catch up on or a deadline to meet, consider popping a piece of gum.

There's a new study from Australia that found chewing gum not only raises alertness, it also reduces stress and anxiety. Study participants were subjected to a test called DISS (Defined Intensity Stressor Simulation). The gum chewers also had "significant improvement in overall performance on multi-tasking activities."

The study was done in conjunction with Wrigley, and their Wrigley Science Institute. I'm not discounting the study results, but I also think that's something to keep in mind. What do you think about this study?

The proponents of drinking peanut milk, a small buy loyal bunch, credit it with everything from improving general health to curing baldness. Jack Chang, 58, came up with the drink as a way to enjoy his favorite food - peanuts - after his gum disease progressed to the point he was no longer able to chew solid foods at all. There is no proof that his peanut milk, which is non-dairy and made of made from peanuts, grains, herbs and spices, does any of the things he claims, though his customers swear by it. One, Donna Cooke, insists that it keeps her eyes "clear of infection." Others report "it strengthens patients with AIDS and cancer, reverses baldness, heals wounds faster, prevents colds, reduces symptoms of menopause and soothes psoriasis. It's also said to be a hangover cure. Some drink it at bedtime to help them sleep, others as an alternative to caffeine."

The drink now sells 240,000 bottles each year and will soon be on the shelves in Whole Foods markets. Health and nutrition experts are skeptical and believe that the "miracle" product, as it is termed by Chang, does nothing more than take advantage of a rising health anxiety of consumers, a modern snake oil.

Source