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Publix GreenWise Market Magazine - February 2008
All You Need Is Love
 Hugs, kisses, holding hands. You'll be surprised how much good these natural signs of affection can
do a body.
When you reach for your sweetheart's hand at the movies or cuddle up close on Valentine's Day, you
probably aren't thinking about why. You're just acting instinctively because it feels good. But it
turns out you may be doing your heart good in more ways than one. Researchers have been delving deep
inside the brain to explore how hand-holding, hugging and kissing benefit the heart and immune
system and lower blood pressure. If Romeo and Juliet were alive today, this would be their kind of
science.
The XOXO Rx
It turns out that human touch triggers a domino-like chain of events inside the body. In an instant
our internal software whirrs into action, reprogramming everything from heart rate to blood pressure
to certain mood-altering brain chemicals.
Hugs. Who knew your main squeeze could be a stress antidote? In a study reported in
Annals of Behavioral Medicine (Fall 2003), couples held hands for several minutes, then
hugged for 20 seconds. Afterward, their blood pressure and heart rate were significantly lower
during a stressful task compared with couples who hadn't had the close contact. So coax your spouse
into a leisurely nuzzle in the morning, and you may feel calmer when facing that stressful 9 a.m.
meeting or another day of refereeing your squabble-prone kids. |
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Kisses. You may not be much in the mood for love when allergies cause your skin to break
out in itchy bumps or you're suffering the miseries of hay fever. But a Japanese researcher found
that when men and women with chronic skin allergies or hay fever spent a half-hour kissing their
partners, blood levels of immunoglobulin E, a compound that triggers allergic reactions, plummeted
(Journal of Psychosomatic Research, May 2006). Allergic individuals who spent the same amount
of time cuddling with their partner but not kissing didn't reap the same reward.
Hand-holding. When The Beatles sang "I Want to Hold Your Hand," they probably had no
idea such a simple act could register deep inside the brain. But a study led by a University of
Virginia researcher (Psychological Science, December 2006) found that when women were placed
under extreme stress, simply holding their husbands' hands provided relief. Brain scans showed that
the brain's usual anxious response to a threatening situation was dialed way down. Holding a
stranger's hand helped calm the alarm bells too, but it wasn't nearly as powerful as the "hubby
effect." |
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A love hormone
Hugging and other warm, close contact appear to benefit health by raising levels of a hormone called
oxytocin. Why this happens goes back to our infancy. "Humans and primates comfort their young
through warm touch, most commonly through hugs and physical closeness," says Kathleen Light, Ph.D.,
former professor of psychiatry at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. That close
contact stimulates the production of oxytocin, which in turn promotes feelings of attachment.
As we grow older we associate certain types of touch with the comfort of early bonding. When the
skin detects warm touch, says Light, it telegraphs the news to the central nervous system,
triggering oxytocin activity. Oxytocin then places a wake-up call to the "feel-good" chemicals in
the brain. Before long, soothing messages are making their way to the heart and blood vessels.
"We found that women who reported receiving hugs from their husbands or partners several times a day
had higher oxytocin levels than other women," says Light. In a study reported in Psychosomatic
Medicine (July¿August 2005), she and her coworkers found the higher oxytocin levels were linked
to lower blood pressure and lower levels of stress hormones. They also found that couples with the
strongest marriages produced the highest levels of oxytocin.
So take a tip from surprisingly romantic science. Act like it's Valentine's Day all year long, and
that warm, fuzzy feeling may be just the start of the benefits. |
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Sweetheart of a Meal
Break out the good china, light the candles and put on some soft music. It's time for a romantic
Valentine's Day dinner for two. Choose from our three good-for-your-heart menus.
Rosemary Dream
It's said bathing in rosemary-scented oil increases the skin's sensitivity to touch. Here we've
paired rosemary potatoes with lean but succulent roast pork. Whether you have your dessert in the
tub is up to you.
Roasted pork tenderloin
Green Beans Almondine*
Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Oven Browns*
Optional dessert: Mocha Mousse Torta*
Organic wine: Bonterra Cabernet Sauvignon
Touched by an Angel
The Italians believe basil quickens romantic love, so let its intoxicating aroma surround your
candlelit table.
Scallops in Creamy Basil Sauce*
Steamed artichokes with lemon butter
Optional dessert: Strawberries in orange liqueur
Organic wine: Candoni Pinot Grigio
Vegetarian Paradise
Eggplants were known as "apples of love" in 16th-century Spain. Serving a mouthwatering eggplant
dish is still sure to tantalize the one you love.
Baked Eggplant*
Spinach-Raspberry Salad*
Whole grain rolls
Optional dessert: Fruit Crunch Parfaits*
Organic wine: Bonterra Merlot
Look for the recipes marked with an asterisk (*) by visiting publix.com/aprons/meals and typing
the name of the recipe in the search box. |
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