Chew On This: Cow patting relieves stress

Feeling stressed? Go ride a tractor. Your anger and hostility levels, if you're harboring any, could diminish by 70 percent, not to mention those feelings of confusion and depression. These may slump by as much as 80 percent.

England's University of Essex researchers say farm trips could alleviate stress. They studied groups of farm visitors between 18 and 84. After a few hours spent petting farm animals and riding tractors, 95 percent reported they felt less tired. 91 percent felt less tense and 55 percent revitalized. After a spell at a farm, stressed over 30-year olds old and over-worked men experienced a "statistically-significant" increase in energy levels.

Professor Jules Pretty, head of biological sciences at the university, told the BBC, "This study clearly shows that spending as little as two hours on a farm benefits a person's wellbeing and enables them to connect with nature." Younger people brought up in cities could also improve their health and awareness of environmental issues by "getting close to nature". I hope shedloads of money didn't go into this research.

This is not a style alert to switch your Hummer for a tractor. (Ditch the Hummer...) But it might be worth throwing in that expensive gym or spa membership and taking the Dr Doolittle route instead. Talk to the animals. Or go harvest fruit. It's the time of year fields are opening up for Pick Your Own berries.