Empathy--A cure for the common cold?

Scientists continue to find great power in our emotional reactions. Here's a new fact re: empathy from Jennifer Ackerman’s book Ah-Choo! The Uncommon Life of Your Common Cold.

Empathy is a powerful treatment: one study found that if cold sufferers feel that their doctor is truly empathetic—friendly, reassuring, making them feel at ease—their cold is reduced by a full day, compared to those who didn’t get such TLC at the doctor’s office.