The next time you plant a kiss on your sweetheart, you may be improving your health in the process. The science of smooching tells us that we benefit from puckering up. People in most cultures kiss as a way to share affection with romantic partners, children, and other loved ones. Although kissing can be physiologically arousing, it may also reduce stress, leading to improvements in health conditions that are aggravated by stress. For example, Japanese allergist Dr. Hajime Kimata noticed that