chewing gum can slow down aging.

Nothing ages your heart, brain, kidneys and skin faster that the stress hormone cortisol, says Ronald Klatz, M.D., of the American Academy of anti-Aging Medicine.  To the rescue: a piece of gum!

Proof that it works:

In an Australian study, two sets of people were asked to complete the same stressful tasks. The only difference: Half were told to chew sugarless gum, too. Result: Cortisol levels in the gum chewers 16 % lower than in the non-gum chewers! That’s because chewing gum boosts blood flow to the brain, easing the stress response.