|
|
Washington: The age old cliche, laughter is the best medicine, may be true, as a study has found that watching comedy films boosts blood flow to the heart. Researchers asked 20 healthy young adults to watch 15 to 30 minute segments of sad and humorous films, a minimum of 48 hours apart. Participants were asked to abstain from drinking alcohol, using vitamins or herbs, or taking aerobic exercise the evening before the experiment, as all these can affect blood flow. In all, 160 measurements of brachial artery blood flow were taken before and one minute after phases of laughter or sadness. The brachial artery runs from the shoulder to the elbow, and is a good indicator of blood flow around the body. Brachial artery blood flow was reduced in 14 of the 20 participants after watching movie clips that caused distress. But it was increased in 19 of the 20 participants after watching movie clips that elicited laughter. The difference in flow between sad and happy responses exceeded 50 per cent. The extent of the impact of watching a sad film was of the same magnitude as remembering episodes of anger and doing mental arithmetic, say the authors, while the impact of watching a funny film was equivalent to a bout of aerobic exercise or starting on statin treatment. Emma Thompson's Oscars are languishing in her loo (Go To Top) Washington: Double Oscar winning actress, Emma Thompson is different from her fellow luminaries in Hollywood in at least one dimension, and that is in her hate for all things ostentatious. While most stars would gladly construct a special room to house tinsel town's most coveted trophy, the Oscar, the 46-year-old British star prefers to have it hidden away from prying eyes, and says that the best place to keep the trophies, is the bathroom. "They look far too outre anywhere else. They're great big, gold, shiny things. They're up there tarnishing quietly along with everything else I own, including my body," Contactmusic quoted her, as saying. Thompson won the 'Best Actress' Oscar in 1993 for her role in 'Howards End', and a Best Screenplay award for her 1996 Sense and Sensibility script. Posh shares her secrets of seduction (Go To Top) London: Ever wondered how Victoria Beckham oozed her sex appeal to leave men breathless, but were afraid to ask? Well wonder no more, for the lady herself has revealed her secrets of seduction, and strangely they are all within the reach of every woman, regardless of her race, or economic status. The trick, she says, lies in a woman's attire. "The best way to seduce a man is by wearing high heels, tight fitting jeans and a figure hugging T-shirt," she told The Sun. And on the secret behind her amazing figure that is every woman's fantasy, this is what she had to say. "I don't eat meat just fish, lots of seafood." Shakira is shy of being sexy (Go To Top) Washington: Next time you are watching a steamy music video, think twice before believing that the screen seductress would also be of a similar nature in real life, because in some cases looks can be very deceptive. And a case in point is Latino bombshell, Shikara, who says that far from being the sexual predator she comes off on the screen, she is actually very shy when it comes to sex and sexuality. "My videos represent the artist in me very well, not the woman I am. "When they watch my videos, people think I'm a very sexually aggressive person, but I am completely the opposite. "I'm not as self-confident as it seems when I'm on the stage. I have lots of insecurities; I am actually very shy," Contactmusic quoted her, as saying. She also says that she finds it very hard to be a social animal as it goes against her basic grain. "Ten years ago I would be in a room full of people and I would stay there for 10 minutes, then go, because I wouldn't feel comfortable. I wasn't too much of a social animal. Today I can stand one or two cocktails," she said. |
Tourist
offices
|
|
|