Therese Borchard: 5 Tips to Help Make Your Resolutions Stick

Therese Borchard: 5 Tips to Help Make Your Resolutions Stick

I know what you're thinking: another cheesy, goody-two-shoes blog on how I can keep all those goals I've set going into 2013. If you abhor such articles (like 10 ways to de-clutter your bathroom), then keep on reading. I'm like you -- normal.

1. Bribe yourself.

A so-called parenting expert that I read last week claimed that bribing your kid to get him to do something was an example of irresponsible and ineffective parenting. I suspect that the same man sits in his quiet and tidy little office cranking out advice like that while either his wife or nanny is home changing diapers and doling out time outs. Let's face it, bribing feels like one of the most effective tools to get anyone -- your kid, your stubborn mother, your golden retriever, or yourself -- to do something.

My running coach used this brilliant method to train me to run 18 miles. Before our run, he hid Jolly Ranchers along our route, every two miles, so he'd say to me when I wanted to stop, "In another half-mile, you get a treat! Come, you can do it!" And like a rat spotting a half-eaten hot dog, I'd run to the candy.

You want to make sure you stick to your resolution? Bribe yourself along the road there: at the one-forth mark, one-half mark, and three-quarters mark.

2. Team up.

Think of the buddy system from the scouts -- teaming up with someone means that you have to be accountable. You have to report to someone. Which brings down your percentage of cheating by 60 percent, or something like that. Especially if you're a people-pleaser like me. You want to be good and get an A, so make sure someone is passing out such reviews.

Also, there is power in numbers, which is why the pairing system is used in many different capacities today: in the workplace, to ensure quality control and promote better morale; in 12-step groups, to foster support and mentorship; and in exercise programs, to get your butt outside on a dark, wintry morning when you'd rather enjoy coffee and sweet rolls with your walking partner.

3. Throw in a gimme.

This is to ensure that on Dec. 31 of next year, you will have succeeded at one goal. So make it an easy one: "Throw out my Christmas sweater with a sequinned reindeer," "Pitch my golf ball socks with two huge holes in the toes," "Give away my Yanni CDs," or "Frame the family photo I had taken two summers ago." You see where I'm going with this one? Heck, if you list a bunch of gimmes, then you'll feel even better about yourself come next December.

4. Allow some backtracking.

I think most of us say "to hell with it" around the third week in January, because it takes that long for the brain to realize it is going to need a motherload of discipline to keep the resolution, and our goal isn't so newish and cool anymore. Like last May, when I decided to eat according to the "Skinny Bitch" diet. I consumed hummus and celery for three weeks straight, feeling fantastic every time I fastened my loose jeans. Then I got really stick of hummus and celery... so sick of them that I still can't eat them to this day.

We need to go in to our resolution knowing that we are very likely going to mess up in a few weeks, or maybe days, and that's okay, because for every two steps backward we make another half step forward. Technically, then, we can categorize it as "progress." Moreover, if we lose our black and white thinking and adjust our vision to see more colors -- situations and events in which we can't just eat celery and hummus -- then we'll be able to hang on to to our resolutions until February, and maybe even June!

5. Wear some resolution bling.

Let me explain this one. It has something to do with my obsessive-compulsive self and being raised by a lot of nuns who held a lot of rosaries and holy water and other faith objects. I need reminders -- ideally 234 of them -- to refresh me on goals, promises, and prayers I promised myself or recited in the morning with my coffee. And because tattoos are expensive and well, permanent, I go with jewelry, medals, and beads I can hang on to.

So, for example, my resolution this year is to worry less and trust God more, especially financially: to be a little more relaxed, in general, and to try to let the big guy upstairs deal with it before I take it from him, throwing a hissy fit. This is essentially the Serenity Prayer: to accept the things I can't change, and to know the difference between the things that I can't change and the things I can.

So I wear a serenity prayer bracelet, each bead symbolizing part of the prayer. My key chain holds a large cross with the serenity prayer engraved on it, and it makes a jingling sound as I drive, to remind me that the pea-brained fellow in front of me who won't let me around him is one thing I can't change.

For more by Therese Borchard, click here.

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

The Remarkable Acai Berry

The Remarkable Acai Berry
In recent years the Acai berry has received a lot of attention from various media sources. What are the possible applications of this remarkable little fruit indigenous to the Amazon rain forests?
Source: EzineArticles.com

Lauren Boggi: No More Excuses: A Trainer Responds To The Top 5 Reasons People Skip The Gym

Lauren Boggi: No More Excuses: A Trainer Responds To The Top 5 Reasons People Skip The Gym

1. "I don't have the time"/"I'm too busy." Start with a reality check and then prioritize. You do have time. You are the captain of your ship, the driver of the bus. You make your schedule and can find the time to devote 45 minutes to one hour to you. Go to bed one hour earlier and eat the frog by waking up one hour earlier. Do something you've always wanted to do, like ballet, or start rowing crew. You don't have to set foot in a gym! Need some help meeting your goals? I highly recommend purchasing a Nike Fuel Band.

2. "I don't have the money." It doesn't cost a thing to move your body. You can get moving outdoors for free, join a running club, stop in at your local Lululemon or Athleta store and experience your city's best fitness scene at a discounted rate or even for free. You don't have to join a gym or take a fitness class that is out of your budget. You can even work out at home and stream workouts online at a very low cost. I've seen some as low as $5 a month!

3. "I'm afraid people are watching and judging me." There is a saying that I practice at all of my Lithe Method studios, and I'm pretty sure that it's standard across the fitness world: Everyone is in survival mode. Nobody is watching you. Don't feel self-conscious. Everyone is here for the same thing -- to improve their bodies, get in shape and make themselves feel and look better. Use your workout time to really focus on yourself, not worrying about if someone is watching or judging you. Trust me, they aren't.

4. "I'm too tired, old or fat." Don't let your age or size hold you back. Never say, "I can't take that class, or run that race, or lift weights because I'm 40, 50, or 60." Your body is capable of a lot more than you give it credit for. Your best shape may be the one that is still ahead of you. Get excited about that! I am so much stronger than I was 10 years ago and I feel great, too. It is never too late to get back in shape -- no matter your age, size or workout history.

5. "I hear that jumping, stretching, 'Lithing,' is bad for me and I'll become injured." Always know your fitness level and your limitations, but definitely get moving! Being active is the key to preventing injuries. We all know that exercise builds muscle, but studies have also shown that weight-bearing exercise in particular -- workouts like lifting weights, jumping, workouts at Lithe Method, or any activity that tugs a bit on the bone tissue -- helps strengthen your bones (even if you already have osteoporosis or low bone density). So next time you feel like breaking out into a run or busting a move (or even a toe touch), do it and modify if you need to. Staying still is much more dangerous to your health than getting moving!

For more by Lauren Boggi, click here.

For more on fitness and exercise, click here.

Follow Lauren Boggi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/lithemethod

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Jealously Guarded Beauty Secret Revealed

Have you ever wondered why some people look young for their age? What if you could get your skin to look and act as though it was young again? Full article

Unhealthy Beauty Trends: What To Avoid In 2013

Unhealthy Beauty Trends: What To Avoid In 2013

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So many beautifying techniques sound like a really great idea -- who wouldn't want to restore moisture and elasticity to their skin, deep condition and soften their hair, or get a pretty glow? But in our ever-enduring efforts to look our best, we can sometimes fall prey to unhealthy and even dangerous treatments.

Healthy Living sifted through the research to let you know the five beauty trends we saw this year that are just plain bad for you:

Filed by Meredith Melnick  | 

 

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

The 6 People Giving You A Cold

The 6 People Giving You A Cold

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By Jennifer Acosta Scott

Cold and flu germs are so widespread because they have an amazing ability to travel. In fact, a sick person coughing or sneezing can infect others from up to three feet away. Does this mean you'll for sure get sick this time of year? Not necessarily. Recognizing the most likely common cold germ carriers can help. Check out this list of likely suspects.

More from Everyday Health:
3 Tips To Keep Your Holidays Stress-Free
Foods You Should Avoid
5 Foods That Boost Your Memory

• 1. Grocery Store Cashier

  Eggs, milk, and -- a case of sniffles? If your checkout clerk at the supermarket has a cold, the virus is likely on her hands, and she can pass on the germs by touching something you will touch, from your credit card to the bananas. "[Cold and flu] are mostly spread through hand-to-mouth contact," says David Fletcher, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Fort Worth. "You get the germs on your hands, then you rub your nose or touch your mouth, and you can get sick." One way to lower your risk for infection is to use the self-service credit card swipe machine available at most stores. You should still use a no-rinse hand sanitizer after touching it, however, because the keypad is probably laden with germs, too. The same hand sanitizer rule applies if you're receiving change after paying with cash.

• 2. Catching A Cold From A Coughing Co-Worker

  The elevator in your office building isn't just a quick way to get upstairs -- it's also a quick way to catch a bug. Confined environments are ideal settings for passing germs because you touch things that other people have touched. Inhaling airborne droplets can also make you ill, but it's rarer because most people politely <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-flu/proper-etiquette-for-the-contagious-cold.aspx">cough or sneeze into their hands</a>, Dr. Fletcher says. The solution? Take the stairs. If you must use the elevator, make liberal use of -- you guessed it -- your pocket-size bottle of hand sanitizer until you can get to a sink to wash up.

• 3. Catching A Cold From A Close Talking Boss

  If a tissue-clutching manager calls you over, be on high alert. Even if you don't touch your boss, simply talking in close proximity can release tiny germ droplets into the air, where they can remain suspended for several hours at a time. To avoid being infected this way, try standing as far away if possible -- this may reduce, though not eliminate, your chance of getting sick. If you simply can't get away, <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu/secrets-to-good-hygiene.aspx">wash your hands</a> afterward and hope for the best.

• 4. Catching A Cold From A Young Child

  Spend any amount of time in a classroom setting and it's clear why illnesses like the common cold spread quickly: The amount of uncovered-mouth coughing and sneezing is astounding. Add frequently touched crayons, books, and toys to the mix and you have the ideal place to pick up the bug of the week. Kids "don't think much about where their hands have been when they put their hands in their mouth or their nose," Fletcher says. "As you get older, you tend to do that less." Interestingly, kids are also more likely to catch illnesses from someone of their own gender. To <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu-pictures/ways-to-prevent-colds-and-flu.aspx">prevent colds and flu</a>, ask the teacher how often students wash their hands during a typical school day. You can also make sure the classroom is stocked with a healthy supply of soap, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes.

• 5. Catching A Cold From Your Partner

  Sharing a household and a bed with someone battling a cold or flu significantly ups the chances of becoming ill yourself. "It's very hard to sleep right next to someone and share the same bathroom and sink and not get sick," Fletcher says. To help cut down partner-to-partner <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu/secrets-to-staying-healthy-when-someone-you-live-with-has-a-cold.aspx">transmission of the common cold</a>, place soap at every sink in your house and use it frequently. Cleaning household surfaces like counters and tables with antibacterial cleaners can also help. (Kissing, of course, doesn't help.) If it's vital that you stay well -- say, if you have a big presentation or important trip planned -- it may be wise to move to different sleeping quarters until your partner is no longer a cold-germ carrier. "Obviously this doesn't fit into most people's lifestyles, but it can be done," Fletcher says.

• 6. Catching A Cold From A Friendly Flight Attendent

  <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu-pictures/10-hot-spots-for-germs.aspx">Airplanes are prime territory for catching a cold</a> because of the closed environment, just like an office. Recirculation of air carrying the common cold virus in the airplane cabin may play a role in distributing the germs, Fletcher says, but again, the touch factor is probably the bigger culprit. To reduce your exposure, make good use of hand sanitizer after taking anything from the flight attendants, and bring disinfecting wipes for hard surfaces like the seat armrests.

"The 6 People Giving You A Cold" originally appeared on Everyday Health

Related on HuffPost:

By Jennifer Acosta Scott Cold and flu germs are so widespread because they have an amazing ability to travel. In fact, a sick person coughing or sneezing can i...

By Jennifer Acosta Scott Cold and flu germs are so widespread because they have an amazing ability to travel. In fact, a sick person coughing or sneezing can i...

Filed by Lily Avnet  | 

 

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Rupa Mehta: Your 2013 Emotional Diet Plan

Rupa Mehta: Your 2013 Emotional Diet Plan

As we approach the end of 2012 and make plans about how we're going to tackle the new year, one of the biggest themes that draws attention is weight.

After partying it up with coworkers, inhaling the abundant supply of cookies and eggnog, and savoring Mom's signature guilty pleasures, our waistlines begin to voice the need for change. And many of us answer that need with renewed focus, a new gym membership, and a commitment to a proven diet plan -- anything to lose weight.

Given the importance of weight in our lives, especially around the new year, I wanted to share with you its exact definition.

Weight: 1) "A body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it ... the heaviness of a person or thing"

As a fitness studio owner, this definition intrigues me -- pounds are not even mentioned! Weight is not about the scale; that's our society's interpretation. In fact, a person can be very fit and still be heavy. How? I propose the following reasoning through my definition of "emotional weight."

Emotional Weight: "A spirit's relative mass or the quantity of matter, the weight of words, contained by it, giving rise to a downward or upward force; the heaviness of a person or thing."

I see so many slim, trim people daily in New York City that look so heavy. Yes, they are in shape, but their auras and demeanors make it seem like they have packed on an additional hundred pounds! This emotional weight can be just as alarming and detrimental as unhealthy physical weight.

A healthy person isn't weighed down by emotions. Instead, his or her true spirit shines so clear and vibrantly that the world can't help but experience it.

And how we understand, articulate, and share our spirits with the world occurs through words. Let's say I wake up in the morning and tell myself, "I wish I were different, no one understands me," or "I will only be happy when I lose weight," or "I'm so beautiful, nothing can bring me down." Before I even eat my breakfast, I've already started packing on the weight of words. Over the years, we have all accumulated this emotional weight -- the weight of words -- and just like we should be aware of what we eat, we should also be aware of the exact words we digest into our spirits. One word has the power to weigh much more than that single slice of cake at the holiday party this year.

If we want to be healthy, fit and confident in the new year, we have to appreciate the weight of words. It requires strength and conviction to challenge the ideas of pounds, food, exercise and perfection that intermingle so seamlessly in our society. All of us will experience the ultimate weight transformation only when we start to lose this emotional weight.

Going on the latest diet will not necessarily help us lose physical weight, but a desire to take ownership of our lifestyle will. Similarly, going to therapy or dedicating our lives to yoga and meditation will not help us lose emotional weight, but a desire to take ownership of the words we use, have been exposed to, listen to, admire, and live by, will.

For most of us, hopping on a treadmill for 30 minutes is much easier than devoting 30 minutes on the phone call to our moms and owning up to the words we said to her in a fight. It requires clarity and drive to reflect on our emotional weight, and patience and accountability to understand the impact of the words and actions we live with and by. If you can start to lose the weight of words, you will lose emotional weight and be on a loving, long-lasting path to a healthy spirit.

After all, there is no perfect body, no perfect mind, and no perfect person. There is only the perfect you. Maybe you like to be pleasantly plump or maybe you like to be skinny -- none of it matters if your spirit is weighed down. Rather than chase after the subjective notions of body and mind prescribed to us, why not trim down our ideals and discover our light, beautiful, and individual spirits?

This New Year's, let's draw needed attention to and appreciate the simplicity and significance of the weight of words. Let's gain control over our emotional waistlines and reflect on the words and sayings that weigh us down and lift us up.

The first step on the 2013 emotional diet plan: Connect to one word that reflects your spirit or goal this year. Look up its dictionary definition and interpret it for your life. Own and live it. Let your one word shine and serve, as your ultimate scale this year -- don't let it get weighed down by other words.

For more by Rupa Mehta, click here.

For more on the spirit, click here.

Follow Rupa Mehta on Twitter: www.twitter.com/RupaCONNECT

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

A Few Things You Must Know About Cosmetic Lip Enhancement

The procedure for cosmetic lip enhancement uses a clear biodegradable gel that the body naturally produces. It's usually injected into the front areas of the lips to add volume, into the sides of the mouth to get rid of smile lines, and into the skin area above the lips to eliminate smoker's lines. Read here

Blueberries Found to Help Build Stronger Bones

Blueberries Found to Help Build Stronger Bones
Blueberries may be small, but they have serious nutritional value. Research has found that these powerful fruit are also capable of promoting bone strength, likely due to being rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. One research project led by Jin-Ran Chen suggests that blueberries may facilitate the growth of strong bones in humans as it did in lab rats.

Blueberries may be small, but they have serious nutritional value. While the health benefits of blueberries range from weight loss to slowing aging, other research has also found that these powerful fruit are also capable of promoting bone strength, likely due to being rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. One research project led by Jin-Ran Chen suggests that blueberries may facilitate the growth of strong bones in humans as it did in lab rats.

The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 2010 edition published results from the study demonstrating how rats fed rations with 10% free-dried blueberry powder had a 36% higher bone mass than rats who did nor receive blueberries. The bone mineral content of rats fed blueberries was also 22% higher. While the results seemed to be most prolific among young growing rats, older rats also had a 15% increase in bone mass.

More Research

A similar study done found in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that female adolescents and seniors both had increased bone strength when they consumed blueberries. Additional research has indicated that girls who eat blueberries have less calcium loss than those who do not. While more research is still needed, the results look promising and are yet another rave for the tiny, but powerful blueberry.

Other Benefits

Blueberries, as well as many other foods, have been consumed to boost health for generations, even without any knowledge of health benefits on a scientific level. Blueberries are packed with antioxidants – specifically polyphenols and flavonoids – that are actually a threat to the medical establishment due to being so beneficial. Polyphenols have amazing properties that have been proven to ward off a number of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and even diabetes. While antioxidants help almost every health condition, here are a few specific issues that can be protected against:

• Slow the aging process by reducing free radical damage
• Fight cancer
• Protect the heart and liver
• Lower blood pressure
• Prevent coronary artery disease

If you want even greater benefits for your bones, consume other foods rich in vitamin C like oranges, kiwis, or strawberries. Vitamin C alone has been shown to provide great benefits by promoting bone strength and preventing low bone density.

Additional Sources:

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

TheAlzheimersSolution.com

Healthy100.org

Source: naturalsociety.com

Kripalu : 7 Simple Ways To Take Care Of Yourself Over The Holidays

Kripalu : 7 Simple Ways To Take Care Of Yourself Over The Holidays

By Kimberly Jordan Allen

For some, holidays are about friends and family, eating copious amounts of comfort food, and enjoying our downtime. This year, in particular, we are faced with challenges that can weaken our immune system, and generally leave us feeling run-down, or drained. In the midst of holiday preparations we can lose sight of our exercise routines, our healthy eating habits, and our beneficial day-to-day patterns. On top of this, entertaining, late-night parties, and generally getting off our usual schedule can wear us down. Here are some tips for getting back into the groove during holiday time.

• Relax!

  You have time off from work, so make good use of it and enjoy quiet time by the fire, reading books you’ve been yearning to pick up, getting <a href="http://kripalu.org/blog/thrive/2012/10/15/cultivating-inner-strength/">back onto your cushion</a>, and luxuriating in a hot bath. Since we don’t often make the time for self-care, take advantage of this opportunity for relaxation and rejuvenation.

• Exercise With Family And Friends.

  Since we’re often taken out of our usual <a href="http://kripalu.org/blog/thrive/2012/06/07/fitness-focus-exercise-at-home/">exercise routines</a> during the holidays, get everyone to join for a group hike, ski, or jog. Every year, my family takes to our local trail for a hike with the dogs. We also haul wood together and chase the kids around the trampoline in the snow.

• Sleep!

  There have been many studies conducted regarding the potential effects of <a href="http://journals.lww.com/joem/Abstract/2010/01000/The_Cost_of_Poor_Sleep__Workplace_Productivity.13.aspx">sleep loss</a>, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23025547">sleep deprivation</a>, and the <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20117179">emotional impact of lack of sleep</a>. Let’s face it: We all know we need sleep, and, for most of us, more of it! Take advantage of your time off to get to bed a bit earlier or sleep-in later, one morning. You won’t be sorry you did.

• Connect.

  Reaching out to other people is a simple way to get out of yourself. Performing service provides connection. Giving extra tips to the slaving barista, heading to the local shelter with fresh-baked cookies for community members and volunteers, or brushing snow off of your elderly neighbor’s car are really simple ways to give back. Time spent connecting with others grants us perspective in our own lives. In addition, taking the time to connect to one’s self through <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/yoga">yoga</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/meditation">meditation</a>, or any other contemplative practice can bolster one’s constitution and improve emotional regulation in day-to-day activities, and not just when one is engaged in the practice.

• Detox!

  These days, there are a lot of ways to detoxify your system. One nice option for a refreshing cleanse is juicing. Many favor the blending prowess of the Vitamix for powerful green drinks. Here is a recipe for a light, refreshing <a href="http://kripalu.org/article/373/#juice">detox</a> when you are stuffed with stuffing!

• Journal.

  Journaling gets the kinks out. When my family gets together, there can be drama. Whether you have an eccentric uncle who has a bit too much nog or some other family member or friend who can be especially challenging during the holidays, journaling provides a nice refuge for the mind.

• Have Gratitude.

  It goes without saying: Gratitude is the simplest way to find your center and be present in the moment. Sometimes, the holidays are marked by frazzled shopping, family dysfunction, and overeating. But we can always curb the bah-humbugs with a quick list of the blessings in our lives.

For more from Kripalu, click here.

For more holiday stress busters, click here.

Follow Kripalu on Twitter: www.twitter.com/KripaluCenter

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Algae: Both a Superfood and Renewable Energy Resource

Algae: Both a Superfood and Renewable Energy Resource
You may view algae as 'the green stuff' floating on a still body of water or gathering on the sides of pool or fish tanks, but it is so much more. While it is somewhat unsightly, this single celled plant is packed with nutrition and other amazing properties. There are more than 30,000 different forms of algae, including those types that make-up chlorella and spirulina - both of which have gained a mighty reputation among superfoods.

You may view algae as ‘the green stuff’ floating on a still body of water or gathering on the sides of pool or fish tanks, but it is so much more. While it is somewhat unsightly, this single celled plant is packed with nutrition and other amazing properties. There are more than 30,000 different forms of algae, including those types that make-up chlorella and spirulina – both of which have gained a mighty reputation among superfoods.

Green algae is known for its ability to detoxify the body from heavy metal contamination and boost overall health and immunity, but it is also being recognized as a possible biofuel and a method for producing biodegradable plastic.

Amazing Health Benefits

Chlorella grows in the warm waters around Australia and Southeast Asia and is considered a nutritional powerhouse. This microscopic green algae contains more chlorophyll per gram than any other plant while being rich in oxygen. One of the best documented health benefits of chlorella is its ability to enhance healthy gut flora and also encourage the elimination of bowel waste, therefore, moving toxins out of the body.

Cancer patients, susceptible to opportunistic infections, have used chlorella with success to enhance their immune system. Patients suffering with hypertension, high cholesterol, fibromyalgia, diabetes and colitis have also found relief through chlorella supplementation.

Radiation Detoxification and Protection

Workers involved in the Chernobyl nuclear clean up tested the use of spirulina and chlorella to reduce the number of radioactive particles in their bodies with great success.  International research has focused on spirulina and chlorella’s ability to remove radiation and protect from radiation damage. Both types of algae have been found effective in their ability to detoxify, however, chlorella appears to be the best at protecting against the ill effects of radiation.

Beyond Health

While scientists continue to explore the many health benefits of algae, other researchers are considering algae as a new way to produce toxic-free biodegradable plastic. Those that are working on these eco friendly plastic projects state that the only drawback to production is the large amount of algae needed to produce plastic. However, with the creation of large algae farms, eco algae plastics may be a reality in the not-so-distant future.

Both American and European algae energy companies are investigating the possibility of using algae as an alternative fuel. Algae grows quickly and is self renewing, making it a viable option for biofuel.

Additional Sources:

GardenCentreDirect.co.uk

Algae4oil

Telegraph.co.uk

Blurtit.com

Source: naturalsociety.com

Unplug to Recharge: Technology-Free Nature Boosts Creativity by 50%

Unplug to Recharge: Technology-Free Nature Boosts Creativity by 50%
Plagued with writer’s block? Try stepping away from your computer and taking a long walk and a deep breath in nature to boost your creativity (and harness a mountain of health benefits). According to a study to be published in the journal PLOS One, just four days in nature away from electronic devices is associated with a 50% boost in creativity test scores.

Plagued with writer’s block? Try stepping away from your computer and taking a long walk and a deep breath in nature to boost your creativity (and harness a mountain of health benefits).

According to a study to be published in the journal PLOS One, just four days in nature away from electronic devices is associated with a 50% boost in creativity test scores. In fact, researcher David Strayer of the University of Utah announced in a statement that taking a hike in nature could remedy the downsides of “burying yourself in front of a computer 24/7,” and give one “a rationale for trying to understand what is a healthy way to interact in the world.”

Of the 56 people (average age 28) involved in the study, 24 took creativity tests the morning of a long, electronics-free wilderness hiking trip in Colorado, Maine, Washington, and Alaska. The other participants took the test on the fourth day of their trip and tested 50% higher than the first group.

Study authors agree that they don’t know if the higher test scores should be attributed to being away from electronics, being in nature, or both. They do mention that the color green is often associated with creativity even in scientific research, such as the study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, wherein participants who were shown the color green gave more imaginative answers than those who were shown the color white.

Benefits Found in Nature

As Strayer says, stepping away from electronics and enjoying the benefits of nature has been shown to be highly therapeutic. Being in sunlight without sunscreen for a moderate amount of time helps add up to our daily recommended amount of vitamin D, and walking anywhere—but especially in clean forest air—is a healthy habit in our modern, sedentary lifestyle. Several studies have been conducted in Japan regarding forest bathing, in which walking in nature has been linked with an, on average, 50 percent boost to the immune system.

Detrimental Effects of Electromagnetic Fields

The effect of electronics—and, in particular, electromagnetic fields—on the human body has also been vigorously studied, though there’s still a call for more. Cell phones and their EMFs, for instance, have been associated with disrupting the brain due to their frequent proximity to our heads, causing long-term cognitive decline and even having carcinogenic effects. (The World Health Organization has actually put cell phones in the same class as lead and chloroform due to the materials inside of it and, many claim, its radiation.)Fertility and DNA are also at risk because of laptop Wi-Fi.  The heat of a laptop so close to one’s genitals can literally kill sperm and significantly bruise the quality of the rest, and its low-dose radiation is suspected of being 400 percent more damaging to human cells than high dose radiation, in no small part thanks to our frequent use.

So, take a hike!

Additional Sources:

Huffington Post

Source: naturalsociety.com

Live A Fulfilling Life: 'Stay Focused, Humble And Diligent'

Live A Fulfilling Life: 'Stay Focused, Humble And Diligent'

The stress and strain of constantly being connected can sometimes take your life -- and your well-being -- off course. GPS For The Soul can help you find your way back to balance.

GPS Guides are our way of showing you what has relieved others' stress in the hopes that you will be able to identify solutions that work for you. We all have de-stressing "secret weapons" that we pull out in times of tension or anxiety, whether they be photos that relax us or make us smile, songs that bring us back to our heart, quotes or poems that create a feeling of harmony, or meditative exercises that help us find a sense of silence and calm. We encourage you to look at the GPS Guide below, visit our other GPS Guides here, and share with us your own personal tips for finding peace, balance and tranquility.

For more GPS Guides, click here.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

TSA Holds up 12-Year Old Girl with Bone Disease for Traces of Explosives

TSA Holds up 12-Year Old Girl with Bone Disease for Traces of Explosives
On Friday, December 14th, TSA officials detained a 12-year old girl for testing positive for traces of explosives. En route to Tampa, Florida with her mother to receive treatment for her condition, Brittle Bone Disease, wheelchair-bound Shelbi Walser was randomly selected for security screening. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport TSA officials swabbed her hands and, after deeming she was a threat, drove Walser to tears.

Image from NY Daily News

On Friday, December 14^th, TSA officials detained a 12-year old girl for testing positive for traces of explosives. En route to Tampa, Florida with her mother to receive treatment for her condition, Brittle Bone Disease, wheelchair-bound Shelbi Walser was randomly selected for security screening. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport TSA officials swabbed her hands and, after deeming she was a threat, drove Walser to tears.

“I was just scared because I didn’t know what they were going to do,” she said. “[The traces] could have come off fertilizer because we have chickens. I could have run through something from them. It could have just come off the ground because I roll through everything.”

False Positives and Degradation of Privacy

If this doesn’t sound familiar, think back to 2008 when the Daily Mail posted about Keith Brown, a father of three who had a speck of cannabis literally invisible to the naked eye under his shoe and was arrested at Dubai International Airport. Another man has been jailed for having three poppy seeds left over from a bread roll he consumed at Heathrow Airport. Yet another man, Cat Le-Huy, was arrested in Dubai after customs officers detected melatonin and suspected him in possession of illegal drugs. Melatonin is a supplement often used for jet lag.

Cancer-Causing Body Scanners

These invasive searches and all-knowing body scanners may have been (but probably not) initiated to prevent very real dangers from plaguing the skies, but they just might not be worth the so-called security. Not only do they lend themselves to false positives like the examples above, thereby congesting airports despite their supposed selling point (that they are efficient), they also present other real dangers, like cancer, as reported in a 1998 document that predicted 100 cancer deaths related to the TSA naked body scanners—annually. Children and individuals with gene mutations—whose bodies cannot repair damaged DNA well—are especially at risk, although radiation is unsafe for anyone. Moreover, the numbers of deaths contributed to by these scanners may climb over time. TSA officials themselves are highly at risk.

Predictably, the TSA continues to claim that the scanners are safe. Meanwhile, Europe is citing “health and “safety” for banning their scanners.

Security…at What Cost?

But the question remains: if not invasive searches and scanners, what? Though perhaps overstated by the TSA and Department of Homeland Security, ignorance of danger is not necessarily the absence thereof.

But, as Susie Castillo, Miss USA 2003, speculates in this video, what is the eventuality of these security measures? Body cavity searches? Body scanners at athletic events and on school buses? More cancer deaths than already perpetrated by pesticide exposure and phthalates? As Alex Jones from Infowars says of the First Amedment, “Use it or lose it.”

Additional Sources:

NY Daily News

Source: naturalsociety.com

Holiday Stress? Why Some People Eat To Cope

Holiday Stress? Why Some People Eat To Cope

Stressed about the holidays? If you're an emotional eater, those triggers may be one more thing you're stuck stressing over. While the holidays typically come with a great deal of celebration and joy, they can also bring up feelings of loss, regret or depression. And that's the problem: no matter the emotional response, an emotional eater will often turn back to food.

"Many people use eating as a way to cope with difficult emotions, not only bad ones, but also happiness, excitement and celebration, for example," says Alexis Cona, a clinical psychologist in private practice and a researcher at New York Obesity Research Center.

Researchers believe that many emotional eaters turn to food to numb emotions that are too painful or difficult to process. As Cona explains, it can be a mindless cycle in which an emotional eater suddenly finds himself in front of the fridge, not quite knowing how he got there.

Family time during the holidays can be a particular challenge, as many disordered eating habits begin with poor boundaries between family members, Cona says. Preparing oneself for difficult and triggering interactions might be an important aspect of getting ready for the holidays.

What's more, during this season, food is more plentiful. Many people have favorite, traditional treats that they only eat during this time of year.

"There are all sorts of memories associated with family favorites -- these foods are imbued with expectations," says Ellen Shuman, president of the Binge Eating Disorder Association and an emotional and binge eating recovery coach. "That feeling of deprivation can make an emotional eater feel like they have to eat their fill in that moment. They become forbidden foods -- and that brings out the rebel in many emotional eaters."

Instead, Shuman counsels patients not to have once-a-year foods. If they love a certain dish, they should make it occasionally all year long to avoid that panicked feeling of scarcity.

So what's someone with a history of stress-based eating to do as the holidays loom large?

First of all, work on mindfulness. Cona asks her patients to check in with themselves before they eat anything. Do you feel physiologically hungry? Rate your hunger on a scale. And if you aren't actually hungry, but you want to eat, think about what you might be feeling and what underlying desire is at the bottom of the impulse to eat.

Cona also recommends practicing kindness to oneself, especially in the aftermath of an overindulgence. "Trying to find acceptance can be challenging, especially in a society that condemns us for having eaten this way; especially if our bodies don't look the way society says they should. But it's important not beat ourselves up over it. If this happens, try to learn from it. Don't shame yourself."

But Shuman adds, you may not be the only person you need to forgive. Letting go of painful family history could help prevent the emotional eater's cycle. "Keep in mind that you don't have to spend the holidays with your history with Mom -- just with Mom in that moment."

Also on HuffPost:

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Body Care Products Loaded with Mercury and Toxins

Body Care Products Loaded with Mercury and Toxins
It’s not just about what we eat or what pills we pop; human health is also affected by what we put on our bodies. Our skin is capable of absorbing a great deal of anything we slather on it. In the case of users of mainstream cosmetics and personal care products, that means we regularly soak up cancer-linked sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates associated with reproductive disorders, and mercury.

It’s not just about what we eat or what pills we pop; human health is also affected by what we put on our bodies. Our skin is capable of absorbing a great deal of anything we slather on it. In the case of users of mainstream cosmetics and personal care products, that means we regularly soak up cancer-linked sodium lauryl sulfate, phthalates associated with reproductive disorders, and mercury. Some products, like skin whitening cream, have been spotted with up to 300,000 parts per million of mercury, a known poison.

Mercury, however, has been banned in such products by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The following chemicals are banned in the European Union, Central America, and/or Japan, but, as you can see, are readily available on the shelves of those countries and the United States.

Phthalates, found in nail polish, hair products, body lotions, and deodorants, can result in endocrine disruption, birth defects, premature developments, lowered sperm count, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cancers of the lung, liver, and kidney.

Sodium/Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates, found in dental and shower products, is a suspected carcinogen linked to kidney and liver damage, nervous system and vision damage, and dermatitis.

Parabens are known hormone diruptors linked to breast cancer, and are found in shower and styling products, deodorants, lotions, creams, mascara, concealers and foundations, and sunscreen.

Formaldehyde and related chemicals are known human carcinogens, and they still appear in shower products, nail polish, antiseptic products, dental products, deodorants and antiperspirants, skin lotions, mascara, and make-up remover.

Propylene/Butylene Glycol (PG) have been linked to brain damage and abnormalities, kidney and liver disorders, and disruption of the nervous system. They are still found in deodorants, body lotions and washes, hair and skin care products, and lipstick.  (Ick, they’re even found in fast food.)

Living with Chemicals

It might also have come to your attention that an awful lot of these products are used by all sexes, but in particular by women (lipstick, mascara, foundation, etc.). Women generally put over 500 chemicals on their bodies daily through the use of these very products, where the chemicals are absorbed by the skin into the blood stream.

The speed and amount absorbed depends on the length and degree of exposure as well as the composition of the ingredient itself (molecule size and solubility, for example), but why take the chance? That’s been the motto of many consumers who have switched to “natural” and “organic” products, but many are the victims of greenwashing and unknowingly continue to poison their skin and their bodies with each use.

Equally vexing is that the very water we bathe in—not just drink!—is also absorbed to a degree into our bodies through skin absorption. Polluted tap water evaporates at high temperatures, releasing harmful gases for us to inhale, too. Thankfully, a good quality shower filter can help correct the problem.

Homemade Natural Remedies Can Work

What’s truly unfortunate about our era is that corporations using questionable—if not downright poisonous—ingredients in merchandise have, through ubiquitous advertising, allowed us to forget that nature provides answers for many health woes. Honey, for example, can help cure myriad skincare woes ranging from dry skin to acne, scars to psoriasis. White or apple cider vinegar and water can clean just about any surface of your shower or house. Vegetable-based soap and warm water can clean your hands well enough without the aid of synthetic antiseptics or antibacterial aids.

If you’re wondering if your products are doing more to harm your body than help, check out the Skin Deep Safe Cosmetics Database, an Environmental Working Group campaign. There are undoubtedly other health hazards in your home that you can remedy, and you can even take in a few air purifying plants to help clean up your home of indoor air pollution.

Additional Sources:

Natural News

Green Living Online

Personal Care Truth

Environmental Working Group

Organic Consumers Association

Chicago Tribune

Source: naturalsociety.com

Why Aloe Vera Gel Can Slow the Affects Of Aging on Your Skin

Daily application of aloe vera gel can slow the affects of aging on your skin. This is because it stimulates the production of the protein known as collagen. Read here

Study Links Pesticides to Bumblebee Destruction…Again

Study Links Pesticides to Bumblebee Destruction…Again
In today’s news from the desk of Captain Obvious—scientists have found that pesticides may be contributing to the decline in bumblebees. Yes, apparently we needed another study for this. That study, led by biologists with the University of London, looked at what happened to bees in areas where different crops are sprayed with pesticides. What they found could explain why bumblebee colonies are failing.

In today’s news from the desk of Captain Obvious—scientists have found that pesticides may be contributing to the decline in bumblebees. Yes, apparently we needed another study for this. That study, led by biologists with the University of London, looked at what happened to bees in areas where different crops are sprayed with pesticides. What they found could explain why bumblebee colonies are failing.

According to Raw Story, the study was particularly important because it looked at what happened to bees following pesticide exposure for four weeks. Current industry guidelines in the testing of pesticides for safety, only require 96 hours.

The bees were divided into four groups. Three had access to feeder boxes with a sugary syrup spiked with either imidacloprid insecticide or a filter paper with gamma-cyhalothrin on it. The bees were not forced into these boxes, but the boxes were left in the path of the bees, around landscaping for pollen-foraging. The fourth group of bees was a control group, having no access to the chemicals.

All of the bees who were allowed access to the pesticides showed negative results. Those colonies who had contact with imidacloprid were less likely to return to the nest after foraging. Also, the larvae in that colony was less likely to mature to adult bumblebees, suggesting the adult bees brought home the chemicals to the immature insects.

The other group exposed to chemicals, in this case gamma-cyhalothrin, experienced a higher death rate. In both colonies exposed to pesticides, the colonies were more likely to fail.

While this study, published in Nature, was only conducted on bumblebees (the big fuzzy ones), the same results would be likely in other bee varieties—specifically honey bees, whose colonies are much larger.

“Our findings have clear implications for the conservation of insect pollinators in areas of agricultural intensification, particularly social bees, with their complex social organisation and dependence on a critical threshold of workers,” said researchers.

And of course this isn’t the only evidence linking pesticides with bee collapse. Another study confirms that the bee population decline is also linked to corn insecticides that are among the most widely used in the world. The study sheds more light on the rampant downfall of the bee population through mass die-offs, also known as colony collapse disorder, with the researchers noting that an increase in bee deaths began to be observed as soon as the insecticide was put into use.

Bees are the pollinators of the vast majority of plant life. They are said to account for 80% of pollination by insects. And with populations dropping, it’s crucial that people in power take note of studies like this and take steps to remedy the declining numbers.

But, as we reported in April, Monsanto, the company responsible for keeping GMO crops front and center, will be doing their best to bury any links between bee populations and pesticides. Last year they actually bought out a bee research company, Beeologics, to ensure they had input into any potentially damaging information that would come out of the bee world.  This company was recognized as one of the leaders in the world on bee research. Now, however, they have fallen under Monsanto’s spell and their objectivity has been lost.

Source: naturalsociety.com

Michael Segal: 'Daddy, Is This Good for Me?'

Michael Segal: 'Daddy, Is This Good for Me?'

Having a Dear Friend Over for Dinner

Imagine you are hosting a person you really care about at your home for dinner. Would you intentionally serve this person a meal that would compromise his health and well-being? Probably not. Next ask yourself: "What if I'm doing exactly that unintentionally to my loved ones and myself?"

This very question served as a wake-up call for me personally a little bit over a year ago, when my daughter Lee, who was 15 at the time, decided that she wanted to lose some weight. Lee started researching "weight loss" online and decided that as a first step in her diet she needed to start selecting healthier products in the store. Whenever she would pick up a food item from the shelf in the supermarket she would do her best to diligently study the list of nutrients and ingredients on the label and compare the labels of several products on the shelf. After several futile attempts, Lee realized that it is quite difficult to identify the healthiest food items. This was when she decided to involve me in the process. Whenever we would go to the supermarket, Lee would pick up a product she fancied from the shelf, hand it over to me and ask, with an expression of absolute trust on her face, "Daddy, is this good for me?"

Making the Information "Universally Accessible and Useful"?

As I was struggling to help Lee with label reading, I realized that besides this being an extremely time-consuming process, I actually knew very little about the nutrients and ingredients in the food my family eats. While I knew about some of the unhealthy ingredients, such as partially-hydrogenated vegetable oil and high-fructose corn syrup, I knew nothing about the more obscure and yet also hazardous ingredients, such as sodium nitrate, cyclamate, orange B and potassium bromate. These insidious ingredients were conveniently concealed among many other mostly-benign or less-hazardous ingredients with fancy names, such as acetylated monoglycerides, ammonium bicarbonate and ascorbyl palmitate.

Furthermore, reading lists of sometimes as many as 50 ingredients all written in an extremely small font, and deciphering which are healthy, benign or dangerous, gave me a headache -- literally. This was when I thought to myself that since we are living in the day and age shaped by Google's mission to "organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," there must be a way to access the label information online. So I spent the next couple of weeks searching for such a database. I Googled, posted questions on social sites such as Quora, researched the government sites, all to no avail. The closest database I found was the USDA nutritional database; however, I quickly realized that it does not provide manufacturer and product specific information, which is represented by a UPC (Universal Product Code). The USDA only offers nutrient information on generic products, such as "low-fat milk" and does not include any data on ingredients.

The Reality

There must be a mistake, I thought; after all, isn't the purpose of having labels to empower consumers to understand what is in their food and make healthier nutritional choices? If it is impractical to use the labels effectively in the store, as Lee and I realized from our personal experience, wouldn't it make sense to make this data universally accessible online so it can actually be useful?

Fast forwarding to December 2012, to the best of my knowledge there is still no publicly available and accessible repository of label information. Fortunately, there are several Web and mobile services today that offer analysis of label information and recommendations for healthier alternatives. Still, even though the databases of products supported by these services are growing over time, they fall short of providing a universal support for all the products in supermarkets.

I Have a Dream

Imagine a world in which there is a complete database with all the label information on each and every food and beverage product you could buy at grocery stores. Imagine that you can find -- at a glance -- which products are good for you and your family members. If you have a specific condition, such as Type 2 Diabetes or gluten intolerance, the recommendations are customized to your personal needs. Furthermore, imagine that healthier and delicious alternative products are recommended to you for each and every item you review. Once you select the healthiest and tastiest products, they are delivered to you at home at your convenience and at a best possible price. Furthermore, when you do decide to go to the store in person, a mobile app guides you to the location on the shelves of your selected grocery items. You can scan an item you want using a mobile app, and it will immediately provide you with personalized recommendations, offer healthier and tastier alternatives, and guide you to the place on the shelf where you can find the item. As an entrepreneur, I strive to make this dream a reality, and access to a complete label database would really help me and other entrepreneurs to realize this vision.

Conclusion

The lack of a publicly-accessible database of labels is inhibiting the innovation in the area of healthy nutrition and marginalizes the benefits of using labels by the consumers. I encourage readers to contact your elected officials and ask them to promote this concept. I also encourage Google to help organize the national and international label information and make it universally accessible, so that entrepreneurs, such as me, can help make it even more useful for consumers everywhere.

For more by Michael Segal, click here.

For more on personal health, click here.

Follow Michael Segal on Twitter: www.twitter.com/wHealthySol

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

How Do I Feel About Meladerm

http://bit.ly/YVMKi9
How Do I Feel About Meladerm
If you have sensitive skin, you will prefer to choose 'natural' products right? Nonetheless, you need to understand that 'natural' does not mean 'gentle'. Let me ask you, who is in charge of regulating the ingredients used in skin whitening creams? No one really. I found out the hard way when my skin was burned by a spot remover that claimed to be 'natural'. I guess I was duped. On the other hand, I find Meladerm to be friendly on my skin.

JR Tungol: My First HIV Test

JR Tungol: My First HIV Test

One summer Sunday night, after a full day of frolicking at Chicago's Hollywood Beach, a friend and I were walking along Sheridan Road in Edgewater, having a kiki. Well, I can't really call it a kiki, because there was no calming my nerves. "Damn, JR, how the hell do you not know this?!" my friend asked, which freaked me out. He is a surrogate gay big brother to me, the one who gets me tipsy at bars, the one who tried to teach me how to swim and the one who looks out for me. So that night I shared with him that I had never been tested for HIV, and that that was something that had been in the back of my mind for a while. You see, moving to Chicago, to Boystown, was liberating for me, as it is for many LGBT people seeking a safe haven in the form of a gay neighborhood. I was now living in a place where I could openly hold hands with another guy and smile at, kiss and even grind up on men on the dance floor. There was no shame. There was only bliss, and my sex life took off.

Today I live in New York City, and it's even gayer than Chicago. I've kept my friend's advice about HIV/AIDS prevention, and since I've been here and meeting guys, I've been stopping myself when I know it's going somewhere, because I'm afraid. "For chrissakes, JR," I tell myself. "You're 25, and you don't even know what you're doing. You don't even know your status." These are the thoughts that have been racing through my mind.

Before I left Chicago, I promised my friend that I would get tested. I said that I would do it once I got to New York. He said I shouldn't wait any longer. His insistence touched me, though I did wait three more months until I got my first test. My neurotic mind needed all that time to review every sexual encounter I'd ever had, and to mentally prepare for what had always been unknown to me.

Last week I found a testing site close enough to my workplace that I could walk to it. When I got there, I filled out some paperwork that asked, "Have you ever been tested for HIV?" I checked "no," and that seemed ludicrous to me. "How foolish and selfish of me," I thought.

I was called back into a private room with a young, kind woman who quickly put me at ease. She went over more questions with me -- "How many sexual partners have you had in the last year?" "Have you ever met someone online?" "Do you have sex with men, women or both?" (that last one made me chuckle) -- and I told her that this was my first time getting tested. She responded that getting tested shouldn't be about worrying, "Oh my God, I'm going to test positive," but about taking control of your health.

So we did it. After the questions, she gave me the mouth swab test, and we chatted the whole 20 minutes it took for my results to come back. I at least found comfort in knowing that I couldn't be pregnant. The conversation was very reminiscent of the one I had had with my friend in Chicago. I started asking questions: "So‚ if I do this, will I get this? What happens if..." Needless to say, the conversation killed my anxiety -- and the time.

When it comes to my sex life -- sorry, Mom (this funny Filipina woman doesn't even think I drink!) -- I've always been careful, so I believed I really had nothing to worry about. I joked with my new friend that this test would turn me into a nun. She laughed and said I could keep doing "my thaaang" as long as I was practicing safe sex and making smart decisions.

Here's the thing: I'm kind of serious about that. I lost my virginity to a complete stranger in a Viennese sex theater, and it breaks my heart that that's how it happened. I was 20 years old, in college, studying abroad, a closeted gay boy who could "safely" explore his sexuality in a foreign country. It wasn't even with the guy I wanted it to be with, the guy I had secretly fallen in love with. (That's how I definitely knew I was gay, by the way. I realized I was capable of loving another guy, not just lusting over one.)

Although things have been getting a lot better for LGBT people (e.g., greater exposure on television and in the media, the passage of pro-LGBT legislation, and fierce advocacy for our rights by the president of the United States himself), I can't help but think that until full equality is realized, and until there's universal acceptance and recognition that people of the same sex can be in love, LGBT people will always carry a feeling that we are less than, that our love, our physical expression of love through sex, must be thrown away in a dark, emotionless back room because there are anti-gay pastors, Dan Cathys and groups like One Million Moms out there implicitly saying we should.

I grew up in a household where sex was never discussed. Even at my age, when I watched Kurt's dad on Glee talk to him about the meaning of sex between two men and equate heterosexual love with same-sex love, I cried. I couldn't help but think, "Damn right, Kurt! Every young gay person has the right to live in a world where they, too, can experience sex for the first time -- heck, their first kiss, even -- with someone they love!"

That's why I'm partially serious about becoming a nun when it comes to sex. Knowing my status has helped me reclaim something. I now know that my love and my body are things that I want to give to someone who loves me, not to some random guy I meet at the bar, on Grindr or in a dingy adult theater. No one should feel the shame I felt that night for what was supposed to be a special moment in my life.

I know I'm not the only one who's been scared of getting tested, especially for the first time. There's such a social stigma around HIV/AIDS in the gay community. But the reality is that men who have sex with men, of all races, are the group in the U.S. that is the most severely affected by HIV, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

But we've got to overcome that fear, as Carl Sandler, CEO of the MISTER app, wrote in September in a poignant HuffPost blog post titled "Dating and Fear in the Age of HIV: 'I'd Like to Sleep With You -- and I'm HIV-Positive.'" Sandler notes:

We need to address our own fears and shame around HIV and do it in concert with other people, both HIV-positive and HIV-negative. Only by being honest with ourselves about our fears and our demons can we begin to overcome our own prejudices. We must ask ourselves how we are perpetuating ignorance and shame in our community, regardless of our HIV status, through the actions we take and the decisions we make around dating and sex.

Whatever it takes to prompt you to get tested, just know that there's always a time to prioritize your health and well-being. For me it took a friend's persistence and World AIDS Day (a little over a week ago) to finally step up and take control. Honestly, writing this, revealing an experience I've been embarrassed about, was difficult, but I feel like other LGBT people could relate in some way, so I hope that everyone reading this, especially those who've never gotten an HIV test, will see an opportunity to empower yourself simply by knowing your status. It's an amazing feeling. Hey, I'm no angel, and I'm not perfect -- again, sorry, Mom! -- but having been tested gives me a choice in how I want to move forward, and the ability to use that knowledge to make informed decisions.

To find out your nearest testing location, visit hivtest.cdc.gov.

Follow JR Tungol on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jratungol

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Doctor Recommended Toothpaste Blasts Kids with 5,000% More IQ-Crushing Fluoride than Heavily Fluoridated Areas

Doctor Recommended Toothpaste Blasts Kids with 5,000% More IQ-Crushing Fluoride than Heavily Fluoridated Areas
With one of the most popular doctor recommended 'extra fluoride' toothpaste brands by Colgate, you get a massive sodium fluoride blast of 5,000 PPM -- around a 5,000% increase from the average water fluoridation levels of .07 to 1 PPM.

Fluoride exposure at typical water fluoridation levels is known to decrease IQ across the board and leading medical heads have confirmed it is fueling cancer and other disease as well, but what about fluoride levels around 5,000 times that found in most drinking water? With one of the most popular doctor recommended ‘extra fluoride’ toothpaste brands by Colgate, you get a massive sodium fluoride blast of 5,000 PPM — around a 5,000% increase from the average water fluoridation levels of .07 to 1 PPM.

Children are being given this toothpaste to ‘protect’ their teeth, and I even know someone personally who was given this toothpaste a couple years ago by a dentist to ‘prevent fluoride deficiency. It sounds truly absurd, and it absolutely is. Some uninformed dentists have been pushing the sodium fluoride lie for years, even going as far as to recommend patients take fluoride pills, eat fluoride chewing gum, and ingest fluoride drops to address these ‘fluoride deficiencies’. Deficiencies that of course do not exist as you cannot be deficient in a toxic compound.

Perhaps children should also be taking lead capsules and using lead-fortified toothpaste to prevent lead deficiency?

Top Cancer Researcher, Harvard, EPA Agree: Fluoride is Toxic

If you think it’s a conspiracy theory that fluoride is lowering your IQ and giving you cancer, then you may want to take it up with Harvard University, the EPA, and a former head of the National Cancer Institute. In fact, you’ll even want to take it up with the United States government as a whole, which actually claimed it would be lowering fluoride levels following the 23 or so studies that have linked fluoride to decreased IQ and neurological development.

Published in a federal government journal known as Environmental Health Perspectives, a recent Harvard University study was the 24th (and arguable one of the strongest) study to highlight a serious relationship between fluoride levels and a host of neurotoxic effects. From IQ reduction to hampered brain development, the research is clear. As both Harvard’s press release and official study state:

“The children in high fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ than those who lived in low fluoride areas.”

They also detailed how fluoride attacks developing babies and may permanently damage growing brains:

”Fluoride readily crosses the placenta. Fluoride exposure to the developing brain, which is much more susceptible to injury caused by toxicants than is the mature brain, may possibly lead to damage of a permanent nature.”

Similar quotes can even be found from government agencies such as the EPA. You’ve never heard about it on the mainstream media, where GMO and fluoride are kings, but the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has actually classified sodium fluoride as a substance with ‘substantial evidence of neurotoxicity’. And rightfully so, sodium fluoride is actually more toxic than lead.

Ultimately it was Dr. Dean Burk, head scientist at the National Cancer Institute, author of over 250 scientific articles, and the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, who first spoke out against fluoride and its effects back in 1977. At that time, Burk said that fluoride had caused around 10,000 deaths or so. Later in an interview he went on to mention how fluoride is tied to far more. The National Cancer Institute failed to publish Burk’s work until 1989, despite the fact his findings were built on solid science and concerned public health at large.

According to Burk, at just 1 PPM, fluoride led issues like a 25% increase in tumor growth rate, the cultivation of cancer cells, and of course, IQ reduction. Imagine 5,000 PPM. In Burk’s research, animals given fluoride also experienced:

• An increase in tumor growth
• A rare form of bone cancer
• An increase in thyroid cell tumors
• A rare form of liver cancer

At just 1 PPM in the water, sodium fluoride and the toxic slew of chemicals that have been branched under the label of water fluoridation pose a serious threat. At 5,000 PPM, you can only imagine the damage that is taking place. For doctors to recommend 5,000 PPM ‘fluoride enhanced’ toothpaste is absolutely insane. Please avoid purchasing toothpaste containing fluoride.

Source: naturalsociety.com

Frank Niles, Ph.D.: Live Your Passion! 4 Tips To Reach Your Full Potential

Frank Niles, Ph.D.: Live Your Passion! 4 Tips To Reach Your Full Potential

In a recent blog, I explained why we are at our best when we let passion lead the way.

Here's a quote:

Simply put, passion is the engine that drives excellence. It is what motivates us to continue pursuing our dreams when times get tough, when we get tired, or when others tell us we can't possibly succeed. And when passion and performance meet, we experience our greatest satisfaction and impact in life.

The research is clear on this: People are most effective when they're doing what they love. It is also here that we experience greater emotional well-being and enrich the lives of others; being authentic has a way of doing that.

If you want to reach your full potential, start living your passion. Here's how to do it.

Discover your passion thread. Begin by recognizing that your passion is discovered in your experiences. It is in the everyday unfolding of life, in those serendipitous encounters, that we discover what we cannot live without. It may appear hidden, but it's there. Here's how to look for it.

First, think about the most meaningful experiences in your life, those times when you felt the greatest personal satisfaction and most importantly made a difference. Passion is only lasting when it's connected to a larger purpose, something in the service of others.

Next, write down what made each experience so significant. What makes you want to experience it again and again?

Reflect on this and look for themes that link all of your experiences, a common denominator. This is your passion thread -- the various chapters and experiences of life that, when connected together, give you meaning.

This is your passion. This is your purpose. This is what you need to be doing.

Go on a road trip. The great American poet James Russell Lowell once said, "The wise man travels to discover himself."

If you're just starting out, or at a crossroads and not sure where to go next, go on a road trip.

Perhaps not literally, although I highly recommend it -- we are never too old for an adventure. Whatever you do, just make sure it causes you to break out of your normal routine and is a bit scary. Go back to school, learn a new skill, go rock climbing, or join a club that includes people you don't know.

Facing risk reveals who we are; entering the unknown reveals who we can become.

Years ago, a friend of mine worked as an engineer for a large petroleum company. He was well on his way up the corporate ladder. However, he was bored. Something was missing. Feeling unfulfilled, he decided to step out of his comfort zone and volunteered to build water wells in Western Sudan, home to some of the most extreme and dangerous conditions on the planet.

Under the blistering desert sun, he encountered himself and discovered his passion -- using his engineering skills to improve the lives of marginalized people around the world. He quit his job and is now COO of a large international development organization. Over the past decade, he has impacted the lives of millions of people.

This is the power of passion. When we choose to face our fears and live authentically, we can change the world.

Grow where you're planted. If you're not ready to make a radical life change, that's okay -- you can start doing what you love close to home. If your passion is a hobby, carve out time each week to do it. Hold this time sacred. Ideally, make it part of your daily routine.

If your passion is vocational, volunteer in the community in ways that align with your passion and purpose. It could be in a civic group, Boys and Girls club, church, or a fundraiser. Volunteering will also help you acquire knowledge and skills you can use later on.

You can also do this at work.

Recently, a client of mine wanted to start a consulting business. He was a corporate manager who caught the entrepreneurial bug. But he wasn't ready to quit his day job with the security it offered. I suggested he parlay his knowledge into an internal consulting position. He proposed the idea to his boss and is now the go-to person in his area of expertise for the entire company.

Ask, plan, go. If doing what you love requires moving in a new direction, here's a few things to consider before you go.

First, following your passion involves risk -- personal, professional, financial, and relational. Start by realistically assessing your strengths and weaknesses and challenges you may face. Do you have the resolve and resources needed to succeed?

Second, ask for advice. Create your own personal "board of directors." Take them out for drinks, pick their brains, ask pointed questions. Listen and learn. And keep it a two-way street. Give those who've helped you something in return, even if it means just keeping them updated on your progress. When you make it big, acknowledge the help you received along the way, then pass it on to the next generation.

Third, consider partnering with people who have a similar passion. This is especially useful if you lack the capital, connections, or skills needed to succeed. It also helps spread the risk and expedites the rewards.

Ultimately, following your passion involves planning. Do your homework. Create a list of specific goals and a detailed plan of what it will take to achieve those goals. Create gateways (deadlines keep us motivated and moving) and benchmarks of success. And throughout, have trusted friends and colleagues hold you accountable.

Once you've done all this, go get it. Hold tightly to your passion and never let go. Let it infuse your life with meaning and purpose and become the motivator for everything you do. Then, put in the hard work needed to turn your dreams into reality. Execution is essential; it's the only way to get to where you want to go. But that's the topic for my next post.

Until then, do what you love and don't look back. It's the best place to be.

Dr. Frank Niles is a behavioral scientist, adventure athlete, executive coach, and speaker. Learn more at frankniles.com or email Frank at frank@frankniles.com.

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Smoking in Cars Could be the Worst Time to Light Up

Smoking in Cars Could be the Worst Time to Light Up
There are certain times in a smoker’s day that warrants lighting up. For many people, a car ride or commute is one of those times. But recent research shows that this could be the most detrimental time of all to spark a cigarette. Most smokers probably don't mind, but it's still good information to know for others.

There are certain times in a smoker’s day that warrants lighting up. For many people, a car ride or commute is one of those times. But recent research shows that this could be the most detrimental time of all to spark a cigarette. Most smokers probably don’t mind, but it’s still good information to know for others.

Smoking in Cars

According to Raw Story, smoking in cars is even worse than smoking in the “fresh air”, with the enclosed space increasing your exposure to concentrated fine-particle pollutants.

Researchers followed study participants for a period of three days, installing an electronic monitor in their cars. Of the 17 people, 14 were smokers. They were told to behave normally throughout the study period, smoking whenever they normally would with their windows at the level that they would normally keep them at while smoking. In other words, they were asked to behave as if the study wasn’t happening.

There were a total of 104 car trips during the three days and 63 of those trips were smoke-free. But, for the journeys that involved smoking—fine particulate levels were alarming.

During smoking journeys, levels of fine particles were 85 microgrammes per cubic metre on average, compared to guidelines of 25 mcg/cu. metre for indoor pollution set by the UN’s World Health Organisation (WHO).

On average, the smoking trips registered 385 mcg/cu. meter. The highest concentration was 880 mcg./ cu. meter. The high level of particulate matter was seen whenever the driver was smoking—even if the window was open.

The problem with these pollutants is that they are so small they can essentially hide out deep within the lungs, wreaking havoc and causing respiratory distress.

“Children exposed to these levels of fine particulate are likely to suffer ill-health effects,” said the study. And the particulate matter is no better for adults either.

Smoking in cars not only leads to your health suffering, but also causes the value of car to suffer. Many people simply don’t like the odor of smoke, so the trade-in or resell value decreases. What’s more, smokers often have an increased chance of getting into a car accident, and thus this is reflected in higher car insurance premium payments.

Time to Quit

Do you need (or want) more evidence that smoking is bad for you – that it’s time to quit? Quitting any addictive substance is difficult. For more help on quitting smoking, check out these quit smoking tips, or quit smoking naturally simply by eating more fruit and vegetables. Bold statement, I know, but it can’t hurt to give it a try.

If all else fails, try to just stop smoking in cars – just until you quit for good.

Source: naturalsociety.com

Elie Wiesel To Oprah: 'To Listen To A Witness Is To Become One' (VIDEO)

Elie Wiesel To Oprah: 'To Listen To A Witness Is To Become One' (VIDEO)

In the video above, Elie Wiesel, a Holocaust survivor and the author of the internationally-acclaimed memoir, "Night," talks with Oprah about being a witness to history. In the full episode, Wiesel delves into facing his own mortality, losing his life savings in the Bernie Madoff scandal and what he hopes will be the destiny of his life's work.

Catch Oprah Winfrey and Elie Wiesel on the Emmy® Award-winning series “Super Soul Sunday” for an all-new episode ‘Oprah and Nobel Prize Winner Elie Wiesel: Living with an Open Heart’ this Sunday, December 9 at 11a.m. ET/PT on OWN.

For more inspiration, click here.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

PHOTOS: Cancer Survivor Hitchhikes 4,400 Miles Across Canada In His Underwear For Charity

PHOTOS: Cancer Survivor Hitchhikes 4,400 Miles Across Canada In His Underwear For Charity

Updated: Friday, Dec. 7, 2012: 7:00 p.m. EST

When it comes to creative, out-there charitable efforts, we've seen men run in high heels, college kids race while juggling and even Santas dance to "Gangnam Style." But you have to hand it to Mark McIntyre, who hitchhiked across Canada in just his underwear.

Better known as "The Gitchhiker," the 43-year-old finished a three-week journey traversing Canada solely in his gitch -- a Canadian slang term for male underwear, CTV News reports. His mission was to raise money for the Canadian Cancer Society.

"Every single Canadian has two things in common: they're awesome and they have a cancer story -- maybe not necessarily directly related to themselves, but a family member or someone who is close to them. So I sat in cars and talked to people and laughed and cried and talked about people's relationship to this disease," McIntyre told the news outlet.

Five years ago McIntyre was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Now a survivor, McIntyre has sought out ways to raise awareness about the disease, according to yorkregion.com.

Stanfield's, the Canadian underwear company sponsored McIntyre’s 4,417-mile journey -- the company’s $27,000 contribution combined with donations McIntyre received on the road raised more than $32,000 for the cause, according to CTV News.

Hitching a ride from Vancouver, British Colombia to Truro, Nova Scotia in tighty-whities had its challenges. While many drivers sped up when they saw a grown man standing on the side of the road, others were curious, he explained to the news outlet.

After McIntyre explained to potential rides his mission, "And then they'd be like 'oh, ok,' and they'd pick me up or donate or maybe give me a hug or a thumbs up. Canadians have been pretty amazing," he told CTV News.

But the journey wasn’t only about catching an eastbound ride.

Supporters dared McIntyre to do some treacherous activities in his gitch like going dog sledding and figure skating. And after the celebrating his journey’s end in Truro, Nova Scotia - McIntyre took a polar bear dip in the Salmon River, trurodaily.com reports.

This wasn’t McIntyre’s first time support men’s cancer research. In October 2010 he spent 25 days living alone in a loft, wearing only in Stanfield’s underwear and was live on camera the entire time. For every “like” he received on Facebook the underwear brand would donate $1 to the Canadian Cancer Society. His viral campaign raised $50,000, according to the Canadian Press.

But for McIntyre, his bizarre fundraising campaigns are more about the cause than anything else. He places particular emphasis on early detection.

“Women are a lot better at it but (men) are terrible. We’ve got to check our boys,” he told thechronicleherald.ca. “I want people to make sure they go to the doctor (and) check themselves out — boys and girls.”

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Good Fat Vs. Bad Fat, From Joy Bauer (WATCH)

Good Fat Vs. Bad Fat, From Joy Bauer (WATCH)

Joy Bauer, health and nutrition expert, joined me on Mondays With Marlo to discuss how to replace bad fats with good fats. When it comes to cooking, she stressed that you should avoid hydrogenated oils at all costs. The three oils she prefers to use for both cooking and baking are olive oil, canola oil and grapeseed oil.

And for more seasonal health and nutrition advice, see Joy's holiday health tips:

• Follow The "Rule Of One"

  At holiday parties, stick with just ONE of each deliciously tempting hors duerves, one plate of food (anything you want, just keep the portions reasonable), one alcoholic drink, and one dessert. You'll be able to enjoy every part of the meal, and you'll end the evening feeling light and content, not stuffed, heavy and bloated.

• Go Easy On Cocktails

  Alcohol is double trouble for your waistline: it's high in calories and it lowers your inhibitions, which means you might end up eating more than you planned. Stick with the most slimming cocktails -- a glass of wine or champagne at 120 calories or a light beer at around 100 calories. You can also enjoy a shot of liquor with club soda and a splash of fruit juice for 100 calories. It’s also a good idea to drink water through the evening, it helps in not drinking too much alcohol!

• Chill With Chatters, Not Chewers

  Eating is contagious. Research out of Georgia State University shows that people eat 75% more calories when dining in a large group, as at holiday parties - that's almost DOUBLE the number of calories you'd eat alone. Stay on track by hanging out with the talkers in the group rather than the eaters huddled around the buffet table.

• A Healthy Holiday Food

  There are so many dips that are festive, delicious and definitely don’t seem like diet food -- bean dips, spinach-artichoke dip, and even hummus. And, don’t forget: <a href="http://www.joybauer.com">www.joybauer.com</a> has a ton of healthy dip recipes.

• Stick To A Daily Calorie Count

  When trying to lose weight, women should aim to take in between 1,200 and 1,600 calories per day. For men, the count should be between 1,600 and 2,200 calories. If you’re within that range, the weight will come off.

• Slim Down Holiday Treats

  To lighten up baked goods like cookies and cupcakes, reduce the sugar by a quarter. You can also slash calories by making your treats smaller -- scoop out smaller cookies or use a mini muffin pan instead of a standard one. In dips, substitute nonfat Greek yogurt for some or all of the full-fat mayo or sour cream. For mashed potatoes, try 1% milk in place of whole milk or cream and use just one tablespoon of butter to add a hint of richness.

• Spice Up Your Menu

  Spices are not only great, low-calorie flavorings, but they also have medicinal powers. For example, ginger and turmeric are anti-inflammatory, so they help to ease aches and pains. Cajun seasoning and anything spicy can rev the metabolism and help to suppress appetite.

• Eat These Three Foods

  If you had to choose any three foods to add to a diet, they would be: <ol> <li>Salmon, loaded with heart-healthy omega-3 fats</li> <li> Nuts, a low carbohydrate snack which contains fiber, protein, and those heart-healthy fats </li> <li> Lentils, which are healthy and great for your mood</li> </ol>

• Press The Reset Button With Exercise

  Hit the gym or the pavement first thing in the morning after a day of holiday feasting. Jumping into a vigorous cardio workout will help you burn off the extra calories and sweat away bloat. Plus, it puts you in a positive mindset so you can get back on track with your healthy eating plan.

• Eat Cholesterol-Lowering Snacks

  Try munching on pistachio nuts to lower your cholesterol. Pistachios contain a compound called plant sterols, which help absorb the bad cholesterol in the gut. And, 30 pistachios are only 100 calories. Nature Made also has a cholesterol-lowering pill called CholestOff that contains plant sterols and can be bought over-the-counter.

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com