Shopping: Good for your health?
I've got a raging headache today.
Instinct tells me to chug the bottle of Excedrin on my desk, drink a huge mother-flipping Diet Coke and stiletto dropkick any fool who dareth cross my path. But this lil' press release has different advice.
Shopping, baby!
"A new study reveals that shopping and discovering an unbelievable fashion find produces a euphoric experience greater than sky diving, kissing or eating chocolate - increasing heart rates to 192 beats per minutes, more than triple the normal resting heart rate of 60."
In the "retail therapy study," researchers from the Mind Lab International monitored 12 women shopping at an "off price, discount and department store." Finding cheap crap released endorphins. The study found that people were happiest and healthiest when shopping at T.J. Maxx.
Who sponsored the study? Wait for it... wait for it... T.J. Maxx!
Sigh. I totally believe shopping makes you happier. I've been known to channel all my fury into a Target clearance rack. But riddle me this - I shop all the dang time. If I'm supposed to be so healthy, what's up with the problem area on my thighs, hmm?
Feh. I'm getting Diet Coke.
~ Deal Diva Stephanie
(Illustration: St. Pete Times)
Stephanie Hayes came out of the womb wearing high heels. While other kids were reciting multiplication tables, she was learning to calculate an extra third off the half-price discount during buy-one-get-one week. She loves animal prints, black mascara and anything that sparkles. She objects to visible panty lines, Crocs and anything that costs more than a car payment. And she doesn't drive a nice car. She can be reached at (727) 893-8857 or 
Since she was a little girl Nicole Hutcheson dreamed of dressing like a Vogue cover girl. But her reality was more JCPenney catalog. The fact only honed her better ability to find luxury for less. Always on the hunt for markdowns on designer labels, this Deal Diva’s weaknesses are good jeans and killer heels. She can be reached at (727) 893-8828 or 
Colleen Jenkins learned two invaluable shopping tenets from her mom: 1. Buy quality. 2. Get it on sale. Then she added one of her own: Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! This Deal Diva’s idea of a blissful Saturday includes a trip to the Ellenton outlet mall. She loves mixing classic with trendy and cheap Target accessories with her markdown Banana Republic duds. She can be reached at (813) 226-3337 or 
A disciple of the little black dress classics school, Letitia Stein stretches her budget by looking for styles with staying power. She lives for 80 percent off shoes at DSW, floral sundresses and bohemian chic tops. She confesses to being a bit of a snob when it comes to handbags and jewelry. She can be reached at (813) 226-3400 or 
I like the way you think!
Posted by: Stephanie Hayes | July 03, 2008 at 09:02 AM
Hi! i have got great info by going through your site. Thanks!! The coca beans which are the primary ingredient of chocolate are a good source of polyphenols, and were known to ancient civilisations for their medicinal properties.
Posted by: Chocolate For Health | July 03, 2008 at 12:15 AM