Even though I've been in practice for decades, I've deliberately keptthe staffsmall in order to give every patient personal, undivided attention. That's the kind of care I like to receive, and so that's the kind of care that you will get. Each and every time. Absolutely.

Yet, at the same time we utilize technologically advanced state-of-the-art equipment, such as digital x-rays, all Ceramic Crowns (no metal)and the latest dental materials to provide you with the best of care.

Activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling.

Improve your immune system. Negative thoughts manifest into chemical reactions that can affect your body by bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. By contrast, positive thoughts can actually release neuropeptides that help fight stress and potentially more-serious illnesses.

When you harness the power of positivity, its amazing the impact it has on your life. It makes every moment worth experiencing and every goal worth shooting for. By thinking positive, you just can't help but be optimistic, even when everyone around you is miserable. As a result, you are happier, less depressed, and more satisfied with your life.

Researchers tested the bacterium, Akkermansia muciniphila, in 32 men and women who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome by having at least three of five conditions: high fasting blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, low HDL (the good cholesterol) or excessive waist circumference.

A. muciniphila is a normal inhabitant of the human gut that is less prevalent in people with metabolic syndrome. In a three-month trial, volunteers were randomized to one of three groups: daily tablets containing live bacteria, pasteurized bacteria or a placebo.

Compared with the placebo group, those who took pasteurized A. muciniphila had significantly improved insulin sensitivity and total cholesterol, and decreases in several blood markers of inflammation and liver dysfunction. They also had decreased body weight, fat mass and waist circumference, though those differences were not statistically significant.

Music has been around since ancient times. It is part of every known culture. It can get your foot tapping, lift your mood, and even help you recall a distant memory. Did you know that music can bring other health benefits? Scientists are exploring the different ways music stimulates healthier bodies and minds.

The brain is a complex processing hub. Its the control center of your nervous system, the network of nerve cells that carry messages to and from your body and the brain. A healthy brain tries to make sense of the world around you and the constant information it receives, including sound and music.

Sound is an important and profound force in our lives, explains Northwestern University neuroscientist Dr. Nina Kraus. The more we exercise our sound processing in the brain, the better the brain becomes at making sense of sound and the world around us. Music does this more than any other sound.

Music and other sounds enter the ear as sound waves. These create vibrations on our eardrum that are transformed into electrical signals. The electrical signals travel up the auditory nerve to the brains auditory cortex. This brain area interprets the sound into something we recognize and understand.

But music affects more than the brain areas that process sound. Using techniques that take pictures of the brain, like fMRI, scientists have found that music affects other brain areas. When music stimulates the brain, it shows up on brain images as flickers of bright light. Studies have shown that music lights up brain areas involved in emotion, memory, and even physical movement.