Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... Rogue Valley programs persevere in extreme heat ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Grants Pass gets grant for a sobering center ... Rogue Valley programs persevere in extreme heat ... Flip-flopped dam-removal plans on Evans Creek could start next week ... Get A Life: Let your facial expressions show Comment By Loretta LaRoche, 
More Content Now MailTribune.com By Loretta LaRoche, 
More Content Now Posted Oct. 27, 2014 at 12:01 AM By Loretta LaRoche, 
More Content Now Posted Oct. 27, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Social News If you were to park your car on a busy street and observe people walking by, you would see an inordinate amount of stern faces, clenched jaws and just plain grumpy looks. These uptight faces, in turn, create uptight bodies, which the mind translates into stress. As children, you had from 18 to 20 facial expressions, by the time you’re an adult you’re down to four. Since adulthood is supposed to be more serious and important than childhood, being too expressive may make us afraid of appearing foolish. As grownups we restrict foolishness, play and happy faces for vacations or for after we’ve had a few drinks. Smiles, frowns and grimaces were once seen simply as expressions of feelings. However, researchers now see the face as a body organ of its own. Increasingly, scientists are realizing that facial expressions precede feelings and play a role in generating them. The “Facial Feedback theory proposes that if you ask a person to smile, he will soon begin to experience the pleasant feelings associated with that expression, even if it is done on purpose. How? When you smile, two things happen: You breathe through your nose and you exert pressure on the veins in your face. When you breathe through your nose, you bring air into your nasal passages, which cools the veins and the blood flowing through them. And when you use the “smile muscles” at the corners of your mouth, you change the direction of the bloodflow inside your face in such a way that it causes the temperature of the blood to drop. This cooler blood enters the region of the brain known as the hypothalamus and causes the release of chemicals that can suppress pain and make a person feel better. Cooling the blood may promote the release of endorphins, which, as we discussed earlier, suppress pain and give you a lift. In short, smiling instructs our brains to feel good. The head of plastic surgery at a local hospital told me that as we age, our faces set into a mask. If this is true, it’s important to keep our facial muscles flexible by laughing. We need to change the looks on our faces. Kids make silly faces all the time; they’re experts at it. I like to make silly faces in elevators. People act like, “Don’t touch me, don’t come close!” I never face the same way they do. I smile at them and say, “Hi, so happy to meet you!” What are they afraid of the face police? A pleasant smile can help you to have a relaxed mental state and a healthy body. Why not give it a try — start your day with a smile. It’s free, and you’re liable to get a wonderful reaction — someone might smile back. Author, humorist, PBS star and Fortune 500 trainer Loretta LaRoche lives in Plymouth, Massachusetts. To share your pet peeves, questions or comments, write to The Humor Potential, 50 Court St., Plymouth, MA 02360. Visit her website at www.stressed.com .   By Loretta LaRoche, 
More Content Now MailTribune.com By Loretta LaRoche, 
More Content Now Posted Oct. 27, 2014 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501