Your favorite music = happy heart

WASHINGTON (AFP) - - Listening to your favorite music may be helpful to maintaining a healthy heart, according to a study.

The research team at the University of Maryland School of Medicine announced they had shown for the first time the emotions aroused by music enjoyed by the listener to be beneficial to a healthy blood vessel function.

The team, who in a 2005 study noted the cardiovascular benefits of laughter, presented their work at the 2008 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association in New Orleans.

"I was impressed with the highly significant differences both before and after listening to joyful music as well as between joyful and anxious music," said head researcher Michael Miller, director of preventive cardiology at the University of Maryland Medical Center and associate professor of medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

The study found that participants -- 10 healthy, non-smoking volunteers -- listening to music that gave them a sense of joy caused the inner-lining tissues of blood vessels to expand, which increased blood flow.

The response matched the result of the 2005 study of laughter.

To minimize desensitization of emotions felt by listening to their favorite music, participants were instructed to avoid listening to the pieces for a minimum of two weeks before the test.

"The idea here was that when they listened to this music that they really enjoyed, they would get an extra boost of whatever emotion was being generated," said Miller.

The study found that the diameter of the average upper arm blood vessel increased 26 percent after listening to joyful music, and listening to music that caused anxiety narrowed blood vessels by six percent.

The physiological impact of music may also affect the activity of the "feel good" brain chemicals called endorphins, according to the study

The study's results, said Miller, signal yet "another preventive strategy that we may incorporate in our daily lives to promote heart health."

Source: yahoo.com

7 Definitive Signs He's in Love With You

Every woman wants a sure shot way of knowing that a man you are moving around with is in love. Here are the 7 signs he's in love with you. Women can generally be very communicative, but men do not speak out their minds. Though men do not speak out what is going through their minds, there are tell-tale signs to know what he feels for you. Men also give these signs so that women understand what he feels for her. Men generally do not say because they are afraid that the women might not be feeling the same way.

The 7 signs that he's in love with you:

1) The first sign is his willingness and desire to be with you. A man will always want to be connected with the women he fathoms. He would make it a point to call or meet even if it be for a very little time of the day. He will plan his time according to the fact that he maximizes the time spent with his women. He wants to seen around you and wants you to have him in his minds and be sure that you are in his mind too. His feelings are there for you if he makes excuses to spend a little more time with you.

2) One of the most important among the 7 signs that he's in love with you is the fact that he gives very less attention to other females. Men generally are very aware of the presence of other females around. If he loves you this awareness decreases and he is willing to concentrate on you. He would be interested in spending quality time alone with you and make up arrangements for that. He would try to wean you out of the group.

3) The third sign is when he revels in the physical proximity. He wants to hold your hands or kiss you. He would want to be as close to you physically as possible.

4) He is concerned about your well being and wants to make you happy at all costs. This is one of the most visible of the 7 signs that he's in love with you.

5) A man is ready to commit if he wants to know other people who are close to him know that you exist. If he wants that you gel with his friends or group then it's a sign that he loves you. Men generally invite only those girls to his group or to meet parents with whom they have something going on.

6) Men have their timetables generally set; he does not want to be disturbed when he does his favorite thing. If he makes an allowance for you and decides that he wants to do something with you, then it means that he is interested in you. And he thinks that the other thing is not as interesting as you.

7) One of the most definitive signs of the 7 signs that he's in love with you. Is the fact that he plans his future around you or with you? If he thinks that in the future that he sees for himself, you are an important part then he is definitely in love with you and wants to have a long term relationship. He would mostly talk of living together, marriage or kids.