Laughter is the best medicine - for breastfed babies, at least. Infants whose mothers were shown a Charlie Chaplin movie while feeding had 'markedly reduced reactions' to dust mites and other allergens than those whose mothers were shown boring footage of weather by researchers at Osaka's Moriguchi-Keijinkai Hospital. The key may be melatonin, a hormone associated with relaxation that's typically low in people with eczema. The breastmilk of the laughing mothers had higher melatonin levels, AFP reports.

Don't stress about Alzheimer's

And a sunny disposition may also help ward off the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) that often precedes Alzheimer's. Research by the Rush Alzheimer's Disease Centre in Chicago of more than 1,200 people shows that those prone to worry, anxiety or depression are more likely to develop MCI, healthday.com reports. 'Among healthy elderly people ... chronic distress predicted the development of MCI,' says team leader Robert Wilson. Those who most often experienced negative emotions were more than 40 per cent more likely to suffer MCI.

Oolong goodbye to obesity

Regularly drinking tea, particularly Oolong, can help with weight loss, a five-year Chinese study focusing on obese children has found. The active ingredient is said to be a polyphenol compound, according to a China Daily report quoted by Reuters, although no other details were given. The report said the study 'confirmed that the continuous intake of Oolong tea contributes to enhancing the function of fat metabolism and to controlling obesity'.

Milking the benefits of tea

And adding milk to black tea doesn't destroy the healthful polyphenol compounds, as previously believed, University of Aberdeen researchers have found. Drinking black tea appears to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, WebMD reports. The study found that tea significantly boosts blood levels of various antioxidant compounds - and that the addition of milk didn't lessen this effect.

Size matters to men

Although 85 per cent of women say they're satisfied with the size of their partner's penis, a significant number of men suffer from 'small-penis syndrome', according to a review by two British urologists who say the condition is often laughed off, even by doctors. As many as 45 per cent of men want a bigger penis, WebMD reports. The average erect penis is about 14cm-16cm long and 12cm-13cm in circumference at midshaft. 'It's important that these concerns aren't dismissed,' say Kevan Wylie and Ian Eardley.

Jason Sankey is a tennis professional