Health | Wellness | Yoga

As an MD, Ive watched too many of my colleagues yank out anti-depressant samples every time a patient starts to cry. So on behalf of physicians everywhere, let me apologize for our trigger-happy prescription-writing behavior. I dont mean to diminish the pain someone who is depressed might experience. But tears are healthy. Sadness doesnt always need treatment. And its important to remember that the pain muscle and the joy muscle are the same. If you cant feel one, you wont feel the other.That said, clinical depression sucks, and if youre someone who suffers from it, my heart goes out to you. Im in no way intending to diss anti-depressants or suggest you ignore your doctors advice. I know anti-depressants can be life-saving for people. But unless youre suicidal or otherwise in dire need of urgent medication, before you dose up on side-effect laden pharmaceuticals, its worth considering some natural treatments that might help lift your mood. How To Treat Depression Naturally...

Octavio Orduois 103 years old and still rides his bike regularly in the Long Beach, California town where he lives. He often rides three to six miles to a farmers market and sometimes to a park or the beach. Currently he rides a trike, because he fell several times when he was riding a two-wheeler.His wife doesnt want him to ride anymore, but he says riding every day is what keeps him going. His wife is 81, but he jokingly says shes too old for him. They have been married 59 years. Even with the trike some accidents have taken place, such as the time he hit a curb at 30 mph and flipped over. There has been some talk of getting him an electric wheelchair, but he wont have it. People who suggest such a replacement are not understanding the importance of regular cardiovascular exercise for maintaining physical and mental health. The activity clearly is also enriching for him, and presents some slightly new challenges every time he rides due to negotiating traffic, remembering routes, and ...

Have these 6 bag essentials on hand and in a pinch, they could could save your health. By Laura Schocker and Lauren Gelman, Prevention Raise your hand if you never seem to have what you need for health crises, big or small. Prep your trusty tote with these essentials from emergency physicians Melissa Barton, MD, and Lee Benjamin, MD. 1. Superglue It can help heal a shallow cut. Align the skin edges together, rub a thin layer of glue over them, and hold for 30 seconds. 2. A tea bag For split lips, press a damp black tea bag to the area. Its tannins help halt bleeding in mouth and gum tissue.Try these other bizarre home remedies that actually work. 3. Alcohol-based hand sanitizer Dole out a drop when youre in a germy situation and need clean hands, such as before eating at a mall food court. < 1 of 2 >

Why not feed the people everywhere and let the peace begin. Turn your swords to plowshares everywhere and feed the people. Stephen Stills There is a garden revolution happening all over the country. People are taking responsibility for their food and have begun small gardens on the porch, a windowsill, a small patch of yard or a large swath of land. Recently StillPoint Schoolhouse and the Foodshed Alliance, here in New Jersey, hosted their first Organic Gardening series and the class was full of eager amateur gardeners interested in learning how to grow food without the use of chemical sprays. This course will go through the spring, summer and fall months and will include growing vegetables, fruits and herbs, preserving, canning, fermenting and freezing produce in anticipation of the winter months.Interestingly, there are many communities and farms in America offering these same kinds of classes. Our local community college gardening courses have a long waiting list and people are turn...

A research study from the Archives of Dermatology observed the rate of melanoma for young women with different income levels. They found the rate of melanoma was the greatest in the group with the largest incomes. New diagnoses were also growing the fastest for the richest women. The study uncovered some startling results.1. Teens and women in the top 20 percent of wealth were six times more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than their counterparts in the bottom 20 percent.2. For teens and women in the bottom 40 percentof income level, melanoma rates did not increase over the course of the study. For all other groups, the rate of diagnosis increased during the study periods. (Source: LATimes.com)This information appears both peculiar and reasonable at the same time. Why would those with the most money be at greater risk for a deadly skin cancer? The answer appears simply to be extra leisure time and money fuel the pursuit of vanity-related activities. Tanning in the modern, indus...

By Sara Novak, Planet GreenBefore I moved to South Carolina from Washington D.C., I used to enjoy a sizable Starbucks coffee each morning on my way to work. I started my day like the Tasmanian Devil, flying around my office like a child jacked up on sweet tarts. So after I moved south and my life began to slow down a bit, I gradually downgraded my caffeine intake. And just a few years later, I still enjoy a delicious cup o Joe, but today its the decaffeinated, organic, fair trade variety. Its a pleasant morning ritual too painful to part with. But is coffee good for your health? Similar to alcohol, the studies seem to seesaw back and forth.So when youre considering your morning coffee, here are some health facts to keep in mind: The Good: 1. Coffee Reduces Your Risk of Diabetes In a 2005 review of nine studies, researchers found that for those that drank four to six cups of coffee per day, versus only two or fewer, their risk for Type 2 diabetes decreased by almost 30 perc...

Last month I was invited to be the keynote speaker at BioFach, the European organic trade show. They asked me to speak about if, and how, organic food and farming can feed the world. This week, I will be sharing my speech with you in three parts (read Part 1 here and Part 2 here).Of course, the answer is YES! Modern organic farming CAN feed the world. Reason # 4: Modern organic farming protects our health. When I first started researching Organic Manifesto, I thought I would focus on whether or not organic food was more nutritious than chemical food. I quickly realized that its not the most important issue at all (although I believe organic IS more nutritious). And I also quickly realized that its not even about what you put into your mouth and whether its washed or peeled or not. Agricultural chemicals are SYSTEMIC. They are INSIDE our food, INSIDE every aspect of our environment and INSIDE our bodieseven unborn fetuses.The shocking fact is that the chemicals being applied to farm ...

What does it take to be Americas happiest city? Images of frolicking dogs, chirping bluebirds, and pie on every window sill come to mind, but when the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index set out to determine this elusive answer they used measures other than those from a Norman Rockwell illustration.Based on the results of telephone surveys witha random sample of352,840adults, compilers of the indexasked numerous questions about six sub-indexes: life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities. The overall score and each of the six sub-index scores were calculated on a scale from 0 to 100, where a score of 100 represents the ideal.To determine how to include which cities, they used the Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. In many cases, more than one city is included in the same MSA.Areas in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia were included.Here are...

Can probiotics help treat multiple sclerosis (MS)?The National MS Society reports on a recent study that looks into the idea that probiotic treatment using parasitic worms, called helminths, may be used to treat MS. It is thought that the fairly harmless parasitic worms could alter immune activity in MS patients.People in underdeveloped regions of the world experience less autoimmune disease and allergies than those in more developed countries. Interestingly, there are more cases of MS where higher standards of hygiene prevail.Researchers wonder if early exposure to common infectious agents stimulate the bodys immune regulation and encourage healthy immune responses. Perhaps a lack of exposure to those infectious agents at a young age causes the overreaction of the immune system that triggers MS and other autoimmune disease like Chrons disease.In a study supported by the National MS Society, researchers at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, gave subjects a drink containing helminth ...

Each April, the National Gardening Association (NGA), sponsors National Garden Month to encourage individuals to garden.As I wrote about last year,the NGA encourages everyone to join in this yearly celebration to make America a greener, healthier, more livable place.Aside from improving our environment and having your own source of flowers, fruit and vegetables, we often overlook the other benefits that gardening provides us.To start with, gardening really is exercise. The physical benefits of gardening are often discounted because people dont think of it as real exercise. But, gardening offers the same benefits as other forms of exercise do. Did you know that you can burn as many calories in 45 minutes of gardening as you can in 30 minutes of aerobics? And depending on the task that you are doing, you are using many different muscle groups, and increasing your flexibility and strength.8 Ways Exercise Makes You GorgeousWorking in the garden reduces stress. Connecting with nature, diggi...

Soda, as well as it may quench and as good as it tastes, sucksnot to mince words or anything. Studies by the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health found that children and adults who drink soft drinks regularly are heavier on average, in addition to being much more likely to develop diabetes later in life. One study showed that women who drank a minimum of one soda a day could increase their chance of developing type-2 diabetes by a staggering 85 percent!Ones that rely on artificial sweeteners pose concern as well. Sucralose, known as Splenda, is marketed as a natural sweetener since it is derived from sugar (what a spin) but is rendered unrecognizable as a natural ingredient after the intensive processing it receives in the lab. Long term studies have not been conducted on Splenda, and many believe it will eventually prove harmful to our health. Other artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame, are suspect as well.Besides the sugar content which adds to tooth dec...

By Pamela Weintraub, Experience LifeTrue story: He had been a faculty member in three departments of a major university with an IQ north of 180. Over time, the professor lost the ability to recognize people hed known closely for decades and to read more than a page of text at a time. Hed repeat the same thing over and over, not recalling hed already said it. The diagnosis: rapidly progressive Alzheimers. When he went to his 50th college reunion, he wore a sign around his neck with his name and the statement, I have Alzheimers . Old friends needed an explanation for why he couldnt recognize people hed known for decades or repeated himself endlessly throughout the night.His condition seemed hopeless when he applied to enter a clinical trial testing a new Alzheimers drug at Duke University.Before he started the clinical trial, his wife took him off his cholesterol-lowering statin drug, simvastatin. By the time he got to Duke, he was no longer qualified to participate; he didnt ...

Last month I was invited to be the keynote speaker at BioFach, the European organic trade show. They asked me to speak about if, and how, organic food and farming can feed the world. This week, I will be sharing my speech with you in three parts (read Part 1 here).Of course, the answer is YES! Modern organic farming CAN feed the world.7 Key Food Trends for 2011: Make Them Work for a Healthier YouReason # 2: Modern organic farming works betterThe scientific studies done by the Farming Systems Trial at the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania, and validated around the world by other researchers and farmers, show beyond a doubt that when done properly, modern organic farming is more productive and profitable for farmers. Organic production exceeds chemical yields, especially in years of drought and flood. Organic farming uses less fuel. Organic farming creates jobs by requiring more labor, but they are good, healthy jobs. Organic farming creates a more diverse and stable local and farm eco...

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editorIf youre having trouble sleeping, what about a midnight snack? It can be a good idea. But be careful to avoid these five foods that can *prevent* you from getting a good nights rest: 1. Preserved and smoked meats. Slap your hand away when it reaches to make a ham sandwich as an evening snack. Ham, bacon, sausages, and smoked meats contain high levels of the amino acid tyramine, which triggers the brain to release norepinephrine, a brain stimulant that makes us feel alert and wired. 7 Surprising Reasons You Wake Up Tired >> 2. Chocolate. Love an evening cup of cocoa? That sundae in front of the TV? Be careful of chocolate in all its disguises. Many people are increasingly sensitive to caffeine as they get older, and even the little chocolate chunks in chocolate chip ice cream could zap you just enough to prevent ZZZZs. Chocolate also contains tyrosine, a stimulating amino acid. 5 Foods That Sabotage Your Sleep originally appeared on Car...

Be gentle with yourself. Be kind to yourself. You may not be perfect, but you are all youve got to work with. The process of becoming who you will be begins first with the total acceptance of who you are. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana Ancient yogis who have attained complete knowledge and passed along the teachings say that God created the world for Him in which to play, and He can be seen in every part of it. The world is not a solid substance, not the final reality; it is a form of the Self, a play of divine Consciousness, a symbol of joy. The founder of Siddha Yoga, Bhagwan Nityananda was a great spiritual teacher of India. His teachings embody the guidelines for a spiritual practice that many follow today though they may have filtered through other styles of practice.For Bhagwan Nityananda, all religions were equal. He saw all sects, all ideologies, and all philosophies as equal. He would teach that each sect or doctrine or creed is a different path leading to the same goal. Many path...

By Maria Masters, Mens Health Logging too little sleep might be a lot more dangerous than we suspected. In the past, weve reported that a lack of shut-eye can expand your waistline and dull your reaction times, but now, a new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that restless nights can lead to far more serious problems. When a group of researchers tracked nearly 18,000 people for almost 20 years, they found a number of startling statistics, including: Danger #1: Diabetes The finding: Men who sleep restlessly are 50 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those who rest easier. The reason: The study authors note that the deep, restorative kind of sleepcalled slow-wave sleepis important for regulating blood sugar levels. (Nighttime fantasies = healthy blood sugar.)For more information about how you can get this quality R & R, read Sleep Like a Baby. Danger #2: Death (by all causes) The finding: Younger men who frequently wake up more than three times in the mi...

Over the past several weeks, the US Department of Agriculture approved more genetically-engineered (GE) foods: Alfalfa (which becomes hay and then food for animals that becomes food for humans) Corn (specifically a type of corn to produce ethanol) Sugar Beets Additionally, there are reports that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is about to allow the first genetically-modified (GM) animal to be sold as food: a fast-growing salmon.Regardless of the reported potential benefits, the possible environmental and health hazards of this historically unprecedented widespread experiment could have disastrous consequences. Says New York Times reporter Mark Bittman: when ethanol corn cross-pollinates feed corn, the results could degrade the feed corn; when G.E. alfalfa cross-pollinates organic alfalfa, that alfalfa is no longer organic; if a G.E. salmon egg is fertilized by a wild salmon, or a transgenic fish escapes into the wild and breeds with a wild fish its not clear what will happen....

A scientist at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and another one from the China Agricultural University have said they and fellow researchers have created a herd of cows that can produce mile that has characteristics of human milk. As of this posting, not much has been revealed about how they did it. Nutrients like gamma linoleic aid, an essential fatty acid, are found in human milk, but not in milk from cows or goats, in significant quantities.The goal for the marketplace is to have this mass-produced human milk from cows in grocery stores in about two years. One of the scientists, Li Ning, said, In ancient China, only the emperor and the empress could drink human milk throughout their lives, which was believed to be the height of opulence. Why not make that kind of milk more available for ordinary people? (Source: Chinadaily.com) The cow herd experienced some gene manipulation in order to get them to produce milk with human traits. Human milk was used last year to make cheese by a N...

All happy couples are the same. Which is to say they are just boring. TolstoyDana Adam Shapiros new film, Monogamy, is more a study of break ups and divorce than it is of committed relationships. He became intrigued in the demise of relationships as he watched many of his contemporaries and close friends divorcing. He conducted over fifty interviews over two years that became the foundational research for his film, which added the intrigue of a private investigation to keep the plot moving.Shapiro notes that, All the people I interviewed are sort of flawed anti-heroswhich is the part that Theo (his main character) plays in the movie. They are not necessarily good people theyre simply people trying to be good. More accurately, they are people who, after their relationship has ended, can bear witness to and articulate how badly they did. One interviewee said, I never once thought about my wife or my marriage first until it was over. Another woman recounted not just the final affair tha...

Lets face it: there are grocery and convenience stores (not to mention schools and school vending machines) that are full of chemical- and sugar-laced foods we should never eat. Im frequently asked which ones are the worst. So, here are my picks for the top 10 worst foods you may be eating, in order, from terrible to tragic. The #1 Worst Food of All Time may surprise you! 10. Ice Cream Sorry, I know just about everyone loves ice cream, but todays ice cream is not only full of sugar, most of it is also loaded with trans fats, artificial colors and flavors, many of which are known neurotoxins (brain- and nervous-system damaging chemicals). Of course, there are healthier varieties, but most ice cream is hazardous to your health. 9. Corn and Tortilla Chips Since the advent of genetically-modified foods, most corn we eat is a health-damaging frankenfood. Corn causes rapid blood sugar fluctuations, which you may notice as mood-swings, weight gain, or irritability, among other symptoms. Most ...

I have a lot of regrets, but Im not going to think of them as regrets, once remarked Debbie Harry. We seem to live in a strongly self-affirming culture that balks at regret. No regrets! Woohoo, is the motto of many, yet, most of us have regrets. While I certainly lean toward the idea of classifying regrets as lessons, sometimes it just feels good to actually regret something. When you are able to embrace the regret, you become accountable and the lesson feels all the more credible.Although we are often encouraged to hop on the no-regrets bandwagon, it looks like a lot of us continue to have our fair share of regrets lurking around. Recently, researchers at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign surveyed 370 adults in the United States by telephone. They asked participants to recount one memorable regretto describe what it was, how it happened, and if the regret was the because of something they did or didnt do.As reported in The New York Times, the r...

In a world of Sudoku and weekend national newspaper crossword puzzles, the lowly jigsaw puzzle may seem to be mere childs play. If you think this, get your hands on a good 500 piecer, and you are in for a spanking! Jigsaw puzzles can be mind-bendingly tough, providing your brain (and your patience) with an extensive workout that enhances several mental functions.The benefits of solving jigsaw puzzles include exercising and sharpening your memory, strengthening the connections between your memory centers, improved hand-eye and spatial coordination, and observation skills. The process of referencing the big picture and hunting for the right pieces at the right time nurture logical thought processes, including analyzing, sequencing and deducing skills.As with other mind-stimulating leisure activities, solving jigsaw puzzles doubles the decreased likelihood of developing Alzheimers disease. This effect is linked to participating in these activities between the ages of 20 and 60, further co...

Last month, Forbes rated and ranked the most toxic cities in the United Statesthe portrait painted was distressingly grim with the worst offender spewing 11.3 million pounds of on-site toxic releases into the atmosphere in 2009. (Read more about it here:Americas 10 Most Toxic Cities.) Many readers were eager to know more about the other end of the spectrumthe cities that fared the best for being the least toxicand Forbes complied with a new list.For the new rankings, they began with the 80 largest Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) which have data on toxicity levels, they then rated these areas based on five measures of pollution and toxicity.Two of the measures were calculated using data from the EPA: The Air Quality Index (AQI) measures the number of days air quality in each of these metros rose above 100 on an EPA index. (At 150, the EPA deems air pollutant levels unhealthy for everyone exposed). Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) represents the number of toxic substance pounds releas...

On a recent trip to California, I was encouraged by the commitment and dedication some of my male friends exhibited towards parenting. This was not just because it reinforced my personal status as hands-on parent, but because it revealed to me that we, as fathers, are discovering an enduring sense of purpose and satisfaction in fatherhood. I shared time with at least three of my friends who are full-time fathers (meaning they are the primary caregiver to their young children) and fully engaged in the responsibility of parenting. This is a radical shift from when we were kids in the 70s and 80s, when most of our fathers were marginally involved in the day-to-day of parenting, along with the emotional care and involvement required to raise a well-adjusted child. But with greater involvement comes greater responsibility and more of an emotional toll.Volumes have been written about postpartum depression in women, as the latest statistics suggest somewhere between 12 percent to 20 percent o...

By Gretchen Rubin, DivineCarolineEveryone has a few tricks for beating the bluesthings you do when youre feeling down to try to boost your mood. It turns out, however, that several of the most popular strategies dont actually work very well in the long-term. Beware if you are tempted to try any of the following. 1. Comforting yourself with a treat. Often, the things we choose as treats arent good for us. The pleasure lasts a minute, but then feelings of guilt, loss of control, and other negative consequences just deepen the lousiness of the day. So when you find yourself thinking, Ill feel better after I have a few beersa pint of ice creama cigarettea new pair of jeans, ask yourself: Will it really make you feel better? It might make you feel worse. Related: 5 Best Snacks to Boost Your Mood < 1 of 5 >

ByAnnie Tucker MorganWhen were just getting to know someonea friend, a business associate, a romantic partnerbeing inquisitive about the other persons background and interests is a healthy and inevitable part of the process. But that doesnt mean its appropriate to fire off just any question that pops into your mind, no matter how burning your desire to know the answer is. In the case of these seven topics, your curiosity will get you nowhere fast. 1. How much money do you make? The only times its acceptable to ask this question are when youre anemployer interviewing a prospective employee and need that persons salary history, and when you have a domestic partner with whom youvemerged your finances. Otherwise, its strictly off-limits. Even if you share every other detail of your life with your friends and family membersand even if you choose to be open about how much you makethat doesnt mean anyone is required to disclose his or her earnings to you. Nor are you entitled, just because a...

Researchers in Canada and the United States say they have developed a new process to more quickly and cheaply produce a chemical known to be an effective treatment for malaria, a disease that kills nearly one million people each year.They figured out how to make artemisinin, the main ingredient in some malaria medications, using yeast, genes, and fermentation a process they believe will be more reliable and efficient than extracting it from sweet wormwood, the traditional method. Sweet wormwood grows naturally in Asia, and Africa, but growing the plants and extracting artemisinin is difficult. Researchers started identifying genes in the plants that produce the chemical, and then used those genes in yeast, to create artemisinin separately in a lab. They say their yeast production strategy doubles the production of artemisinin, and is faster. (Growing sweet wormwood can lead to shortages of the malaria drug as its production cycle can be over one year).Initially the researchers were gr...

There are billions of people on our planet and yet, amazingly, each one of us has a completely different mind with exclusive thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes. One may desire to be an astronaut and walk on the moon, another a caregiver helping the elderly, another gets lost in the world of delusion or depression.This mind is able to grasp the most complicated technical theories or create beautiful works of art, yet it can just as easily be distracted by meaningless trivia or get painfully addicted to heroin. Have you ever wondered about your own mind? How it can move so quickly from feeling good to despair, from clarity to utter confusion, and all in just a moment?In yoga and meditation we teach to quiet the mind, to sink into a quiet inner spaciousness free of the normal babble and dramas. Some find this hard to do as, like a monkey, the mind is used to running amok and having its own way. When you begin to watch your mind, it becomes careful. Its almost like the moment you dont ...

The thought of radiation exposure is the stuff nightmares, and justifiably so. With the release of radiation from the disaster-stricken nuclear complex in Japan, people the globe over have increased fear that a potential plume of radioactivity may find themespecially those on the U.S. west coast. To help Americans understand their radiation-related health risks, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), the American Thyroid Association (ATA), The Endocrine Society and the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNM) issued a joint statement of the radiation risks to health.The statement describes that the main component to be concerned about is radioactive iodine including iodine-131.This presents a special risk to health because exposure of the thyroid to high levels may lead to development of thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer years later.As we have been hearing in the news, radioactive iodine uptake to the thyroid can be blocked by taking potassium iodide (KI) pills. But th...

By Allison Granell, Mens Health 1. Next Time Youre Asked Soup or Salad? Order the Salad +2 years Italian researchers found that eating as little as 1 cup of raw vegetables daily can add 2 years to your life. Why raw? Cooking can deplete up to 30 percent of the antioxidants in vegetables.To eat your quota, fill a ziplock sandwich bag with chopped red and green peppers, broccoli, and carrots. Toss the bag into your briefcase, along with a packet of dressingthe fat will boost your bodys absorption of certain nutrients.Try these 8 super salads loaded with disease-fighting foods. < 1 of 5 >

Two of my girlfriends and I were having dinner last week and the question about their dating life came up along with a lot of groans. Victoria bellowed, does the dating BS ever end? We all laughed, but then I very seriously said Yes, of course it does. We are all in our late 40s and until a year ago were all single. I broke the dysfunctional dating cycle and got married. For the past year, I have been writing about my dysfunctional dating scenarios and how I finally figured out the formula to finding a life partner. Click here to read my previous articleswhich would be helpful in understanding all that I did during this time.I truly meant it when I told Victoria that yes, ending the nauseating dating game is possible at any age. I believe it does take work and a willingness to do some serious self reflection. For me, there was no question. It was not only about wanting to spend my life with someone, but also about a personal growth journey that I knew in my heart had to be healed in th...

The heartbreaking stories and images of the disaster in Japan are difficult for adults to comprehend. What about the children? How do we explain this tragedy to our kids?Heres a quick story: As an educator, I (and a few others) had to make a decision whether or not to start school in New York the day after 9/11. It was a painstaking decision. While the school was a little over an hour from the disaster site, the whole school community teachers, parents and children were worried and grieving. One of the reasons we chose to open our doors as planned on Sept. 12th was that we knew children develop a deeper sense of empathy when they are given the tools to cope with difficult circumstances. I believe that teaching environmental and global awareness to children is paramount. 10 Ways To Help Kids Cope With The Disaster In Japan 1. Provide accurate information. Theres no need to give all the details, but use the opportunity as an age-appropriate teachable moment to provide information.2. How...

In Gods house there is no particular religion or sect of faith. To Him, all are the same. Baba Muktananda Seeking a deeper spiritual life, while jumping from one religion to another in an attempt to find deeper satisfaction? Some might call this spiritual dabbling. When seekers are confronted with the reality that spirituality is hard work, frequently they move on to something else. What they fail to appreciate is that spiritual development takes time, for many a long, long time. The goal of any spiritual practice is to transform you, through prayer, ritual, and a realization of God. Faced with this transformation, many people choose to run.Up until my thirties I thought of myself as a spiritual seeker. I studied a number of religions, trying to find the right fit for me. I had just begun my practice of yoga when my mother invited me to accompany her on a spiritual pilgrimage to Medjagoria, Yugoslavia. This is considered by many to be a holy place where the Virgin Mary is thought to ha...

Headline Image Barbarosa RanchersI would not have called myself a picky eater, until I returned to the US. Having lived for several years knowing more or less where my vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs and cheese were coming from, I found myself asking more and more frequently up here, How do I know whats really in my food? By way of explaining what I meant by knowing more or less where my food came from, Ill tell you a little story.We used to shop most weeks at the local farmers market. And I use the term market loosely. Picture two rattly old trucks with stringy, sun-rotted tarps strapped over the top and down the slatted-sides, parked on a dusty and narrow curve in the road right before the pavement ends. Then picture ducking your head as you enter the market because you dont want to guillotine yourself on the power wire that holds about 20 naked light bulbs and is strung from the bar across the street. Then picture yourself standing on dirt, in front of the towns soccer field, which ...

Trying to decipher an ingredients list or figure out which personal care products are safe can be overwhelming. But as the author of Healthy Beauty points out, conventional cosmetics and personal-care products contain many frank and hidden carcinogens, making them the most important and still unrecognized class of avoidable carcinogen exposure for the overwhelming majority of consumers in major industrialized nations. In his book, Samuel Epstein arms you with the knowledge to avoid those toxic ingredients and find safer products, including everything from toothpaste and deodorant to nail polish and anti-aging cream.We are giving away a copy of Healthy Beauty: Your Guide to Ingredients to Avoid and Products You Can Trust by Samuel S. Epstein, MD with Randall Fitzgerald. Check out this excerpt and dont forget to leave a comment for your chance to win the book! Four Deadly but Avoidable Killers The details in this book are a lot to remember, especially when they involve so many long, unf...

As we watch the continuing catastrophe in Japan unfold with no clear expectations of the outcome, one thing is for certain: The safety of nuclear power has become a hot topic of conversation. While some countries are shutting down plants, many other are reevaluating the safety of theirs and strategizing over future plans.In the U.S. we have 104 nuclear reactors. What are the chances that any of them could be home to an emergency like that at Fukushima Dai-ichi? The west coast would seem most at risk, given the busy San Andreas Fault. But an MSNBC analysis of data from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC) places the odds of an earthquake disabling the core of reactor elsewhere.The NRC has calculated the odds of a quake causing catastrophic failure to a nuclear plant and has determined that for the typical nuclear reactor in the U.S., there is a 1 in 74,176 chance each year that the core could be damaged by an earthquake badly enough to leak radiation. As MSNBC puts it, thats 10 t...

If ever there was a part of the body that is underrated for the power and stability it brings to every aspect of life, it would be the hammock of musculature in the pelvis known as the pelvic floor. This group of muscles, ligaments and tendons are the literal foundation for the body core. Although the physiology is almost identical between genders, for women these structures hold up the reproductive organs as well as the bladder. They are the internal structures that work with the deep abdominal and back muscles to create a sense of core strength.Lacking core strength is almost as rampant in our country as our quickly increasing tendency towards obesity. Chronic low back pain is perhaps the most common symptom of little core strength. The PC muscle (or the pubococcygeus) surrounds the openings of the urethra, vagina and anus. Weakness around theses openings create varying degrees of incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse which sometimes requires surgical repairs. Another consequence of...