Health | Wellness | Yoga

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editorWhen your bladder isnt as reliable as youd like, all sorts of day-to-day situations become unexpectedly stressful. Who wants to worry about embarrassing leaks every time you sit down to giggle over an episode of Modern Family ? Here are the top ten bladder triggers, and ways to keep them in check. 1. Laughing or sneezing Why leaks happen The pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder and urethra are weakened. So when you laugh, the sphincter muscle at the juncture between the urethra and bladder cant hold as tightly as it should. What to do Schedule bathroom trips at regular, set intervals. Learning to follow a bathroom schedule is known as bladder training, and over time it can help your bladder relearn how not to release unexpectedly. Get a referral to a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor strengthening. You can learn exercises to regain control over these muscles. Practice double voiding. If incontinence seems to be rel

What makes a city sad? A lack of fluffy frolicking puppies?Burnt-out buildings and vacant lots?Limited access to cupcakes? Measuring which cities in the country are the least content seems an objective pursuit, at best. Yet last month when the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index published their findings about which cities were the happiest, they ended up with the other end of the spectrum as well. The miserable, no-good, down-and-out cities, where, clearly, not a soul can manage a smile. I kid, of course. Undoubtedly there are sad people in the nations happiest city (Boulder, Co) as well as happy people in the saddest. But nonetheless, its interesting to see what the index came up with.Based on the results of telephone surveys witha random sample of352,840adults, compilers of the index asked numerous questions about six sub-indexes: life evaluation, emotional health, work environment, physical health, healthy behaviors, and access to basic necessities.To determine how to include which c

By Ellen Walker, PhD. Last Saturday night, my husband and I were at a party with a whole new crowd. I started up a conversation with a woman around my age, and as soon as I introduced myself, she asked, So, do you have kids? I smiled, and replied, No, I dont have children, and we stood there in an awkward silence until I asked her if she was a mother. She then told me all about her three adult children, as well as the grandkids, before excusing herself from the conversation.I couldnt help but wonder what she must be thinking about me, as she contemplated why I didnt have children of my own. Am I barren? Do I hate kids? Did I have a miscarriage or another tragedy with a child? How do I fill the emptiness I must experience as a result of not having children? Lets take a look at some common misconceptions about childfree women, and then delve deeper to examine why these conclusions are often wrong. Childfree women are cold and not nurturing. After all, if a woman chooses to not have babie

Do You Long To Quit Your Job? You hate your job. You despise your job, actually. You get sick to your stomach every Monday morning and the sense of dread doesnt let up until TGIF Happy Hour. Okay, maybe you dont TOTALLY hate your job. There is that cute guy in billing, you did work hard to get where you are so far, and the money is decent, even though you deserve more. But you cant let go of that feeling that theres something more.You fantasize about quitting. You create elaborate scenarios in your head that involve telling your boss to take this job and shove it where the sun dont shine. You visualize cleaning out your office, walking out the front door, unshackling your chains, and throwing debris up in the air as you start break dancing to the perfect soundtrack that rocks you right into the life your dying to live which is any life except this one.Just thinking about it, you feel free. You can finally breathe. You stretch your arms out to the side, throw your head back

Laughter truly is the best medicine. And, now science proves some of its many benefits. Here are seven reasons to laugh longer, harder, and more often:1. In a recent study published in Geriatrics and Gerontology International , researchers found that laughter therapy reduced depression in the elderly patients they tested.2. The same study also found that laughter improved sleep quality and reduced insomnia.3. Laughter can reduce aches and pains for up to 45 minutes. In a study published in the Spanish journal Revista de Enfermeria , researchers found laughter caused reductions in chronic musculoskeletal pain.4. Regular laughter improves the function of blood vessels while increasing blood flow, giving a boost to your cardiovascular health.5. According to experts, sharing laughter with others helps create deeper bonds with them.6. It is a proven stress-reliever, helping to reduce the cortisol-induced stress response. When the stress response becomes chronic, it can spell belly fat and d

The American Academy of Pediatrics has just issued a policy statement indicating they would like to see better regulation of toxins to prevent exposure to children and pregnant women. They say the main law which is supposed to regulate the management of chemicals allowed into our homes, workplaces and the outdoors has not been updated in a meaningful way since 1976. You can imagine in the last thirty-five years, many new industrial chemicals have been invented, manufactured and released into the world, and you would be right.In their policy statement they said this of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), Under the TSCA, chemical companies have no responsibility to perform premarket testing or postmarket follow-up of the products that they produce; in fact, the TSCA contains disincentives for the companies to produce such data. (Source: Pediatrics.aapublications.org) Seventy thousand chemicals were in use in the United States in 2002 according to the TSCA Chemical Substances Invento

My husband called me up the other day, all excited, standing in Whole Foods, telling me about their new meat rating system. Whole Foods began rolling out this rating system in February of 2011, and Whole Foods president and CEO, A.C. Gallo, feels that Global Animal Partnerships 5- Step Animal Welfare Rating system is one of the single most impactful programs we have implemented to date at Whole Foods Market. [1]This rating system, developed by Global Animal Partnership; a nonprofit charitable organization founded in 2008, [which] brings together farmers, scientists, ranchers, retailers, and animal advocateswith the common goal of wanting to improve the welfare of animals in agriculture. [2]; in conjunction with Whole Foods, uses independent, third party certifiers for over 1,200 farms and ranches across the U.S., which supply 291 Whole Foods locations. These suppliers and their products can be identified throughout the store by color coded signs and stickers.The rating system has f

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editorCancer is much more likely to be curable if the symptoms are caught early. In fact, with certain types of cancer, such as ovarian and prostate cancer, early detection can make an enormous difference in prognosis and outcome. Its worthwhile to be hypervigilant, then, in watching for cancer symptoms and aggressive about asking for screening tests and checkups to make sure you and the people you care about are in good healthand stay that way. Here are symptoms of some of the most common cancers, along with important risk factors. Prostate cancer symptoms Difficulty urinating: either trouble getting started or weak or interrupted flow The need to urinate often, particularly at night Pain or burning during urination Blood in urine or semen Erection problems Pain during ejaculation or difficulty ejaculating Stiffness or pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs Note: Many men more than half of those in their 60s suffer from benign prostatic hy

> To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead. Bertrand RussellI have come to believe that much of what parades as sexual dissatisfaction between couples is actually a manifestation of fear. Most people, through no fault of their own, have had little education concerning their sexuality or their access to pleasure. Laden as the topic is with shame and silence, most of us literally grope towards pleasure with our eyes closed, surprised that it happened and often unaware about how create it again. There are almost as many unique pairings of pleasure, shame and guilt as there are human relationships. To look at many romantic couplings, which are often full of fiery passion at the outset but completely tepid within a couple of years, one could readily conclude that committed relationships often serve to increase sexual discomfort rather than freeing us to explore and discover our potential for sexual pleasure.At least this is the reasoning most oft

The human body is an endless study of discovery and miracles. With each new scientific revelation come insights into how we can more accurately diagnose and treat disease. Recently, a study done by Dr. Peer Bork and a team of researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), found three distinct types of intestinal ecosystems known as enterotypes. Dusko Ehrlich, one of the senior researchers of the paper published recently in Nature claims that, This is important. Say you want to compare ill people and healthy people; you better match them properly [by gut type].The human body is made up of 100 trillion microbes that inhabit our body, but reside mostly in our intestines. Alternative practitioners encourage taking good bacteria in the form of acidophilus, cultured vegetables and other probiotics, to keep the intestinal ecology in balance. Looking to understand how the microbes in our intestines work Dr Bork and his team set out to categorize them by testing a variety of p

Swapping popular fruit and vegetables for their less common counterparts can greatly improve the healthiness of diets. Even if you already maintain a healthy diet, there are some simple switches that you can employ to greatly boost the average intake of phytonutrientsthe substances in fruit and vegetables that help to protect the body from conditions such as heart disease and cancer. According to findings presented at the 2010 Experimental Biology conference in California, the data highlights the importance of not only the quantity but also the significant impact the quality and variety of the fruits and vegetables you eat can have on your health.The idea is that by swapping some of your staples, you increase the variety of crucial nutrients required for maximum health and longevity. Since variety is so important, Id suggest not going for a 100 percent replacementbut as you can according to availability, locality and season. Here are the five powerhouse alternative foods the researcher

By Molly Mann, DivineCarolineThe worlds marvels are numerous and awe-inspiring, but its time to update the Medieval-age list of the Seven Wonders of the World with these additional seven extraordinary sites. For their beauty, ingenuity, and sheer marvel, these seven sites are listed by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre as sites of outstanding universal value. Will these masterpiece[s] of human creative genius make it onto your bucket list, as well? The Metora: Monastery in the Clouds The Metora (Greek for suspended in the air) is a massive complex of monasteries built on nearly inaccessible sandstone peaks at the northwestern edge of Thessaly in central Greece. Twenty-four of the monasteries were originally built under nearly impossible conditionsgoods and people were hauled up the steep rock in netsin the fifteenth century, and the complex continued to be built through the seventeenth century. Four of the monasteries are still used religiously today. Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

Shahid Kapoor, a thirty year-old Bollywood actor, has been selected by PETA as Indias sexiest vegetarian. He has appeared in about twenty Indian films, and is also a trained dancer. He said of the award, Being voted as sexy is a matter of perception, but being vegetarian is a lifestyle change and something that comes from a sense of responsibility. (Source: PETAindia.com)Other celebrities such as John Abraham, Shilpa Shetty, Celina Jaitly, Hema Malini and Maneka Gandhi have worked with PETA India on animal awareness campaigns. Estimates have pegged the percentage of vegetarians in India at a range of twenty to forty percent.Mr. Kapoor explained his commitment to a non-meat diet, I love chicks pigs, cows, fish, and all the other animals too. Thats why I turned vegetarian. (Source: Indiatimes.com)PETA India is based in Mumbai and was launched in 2000. They try to promote awareness of animal abuse, and animal rights. Industries they focus on are food, laboratories, leather and enterta

Clogged arteries may be the root cause of heart attacks, but theres usually something else that triggers them. Heres how to protect yourself. By Emily Main, Rodale.com Heart attacks often come without warning, and although its well documented that theyre caused by atherosclerosis (plaque buildup on arterial walls), there are certain triggers that can set off a heart attack in people who are at risk. This week, Belgian researchers published a study in The Lancet ranking various heart attack triggers according to their prevalence in people who are already at risk for cardiac problems. Heres a list of some of their more surprising findings, and some ways to protect yourself from heart attack triggers: #1: Traffic Exposure Commuters beware: Traffic exposure triggers about 8 percent of heart attacks among those who are vulnerable, according to the study, and it can affect you if youre a driver, a passenger, or even a bicyclist riding along the road. Previous research on the link between tr

Many Americans age 50 and over are not discussing the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with their physicians, according to a recent survey from AARP and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).Its not that the older population doesnt use CAM. Fifty-three percent of the 1,013 people surveyed revealed they had used CAM at some point in their lifetime. Of those, only 58 percent said they had mentioned it to a health care provider. This is of concern because some CAM products can interact with other medicines.In a press release, NCCAM director Dr. Josephine P. Briggs said: In this survey, we found that 37 percent of respondents have used an herbal product or dietary supplement in the past 12 months. Some of these natural products can interact with conventional treatments. As weve learned from NCCAM-funded research into herbal and dietary supplements, natural does not always mean safe. Thus, an open dialogue about CAM use, particularly herba

Do not make the mistake of thinking you are a powerless individual in a vast world. Know that you are armed with three great powers. You have the power of the bodythe source of all action; the power of speechthe source of all expression; and the power of the mindthe source of all thought, writes Tai Situ Rinpoche in The Way Ahead .Effectively, whether we are aware of it or not, everything we think, say and do has an effect on everyone and everything else. This means that our thoughts and actions can lead to chaos and destruction as easily as they can to healing and friendship. It also means that we have enormous resources available to us at all times.Our actions , obviously, have the most direct impact on others. The destructive results of believing that whatever we do has no bearing on anyone or anything else can be seen throughout our natural world. Every action we take, even the smallest and simplest of everyday choices, has a consequence. For instance, in southern Egypt we traveled

Theres a crafty chemist in me who delights in mixing potions for beauty and the bath. When I stumbled upon this mad scientist contraption to distill essential oils at home I nearly fainted with yearning. But bunson burners and test tubes aside, there is really nothing more satisfying and constructive for DIY formulas than simply drying your own botanicals.Many of the homemade beauty formulas we have archived here call for dried flowers and herbs. And there are a surprising number of flowers you can use with food as well. (See: 42 Flowers You Can Eat.) Most of them are increasingly easy to find, but growing or foraging for you own is both more gratifying and less costly. I have a book called Creating Fairy Garden Fragrances (Storey Publishing, 1998) by Linda Gannon that has a good primer on drying flowers and herbs. Since many of us have gardens or places to forage that are brimming with blooms, I thought it would be a good time to think about how to best preserve these materials. Here

ByBrie Cadman, DivineCarolineWings on a flightless bird, eyes on a blind fish, and sexual organs on a flower that reproduces asexuallythe casual observer might ask, whats the point? But these vestigial organs and structures, once useful in an ancestor and now diminished in size, complexity, and/or utility, carry important information and give us clues to our evolutionary past.Though humans often think of vestigial organs as useless little fixtures that sometimes, as in the case of the appendix, cause us extreme anguish, we wouldnt know nearly as much about macroevolution as we do now without their presence. In On the Origin of Species , Charles Darwin used vestigial organs as evidence for evolution, and their presence has helped define and shape our phylogenetic trees. Why the Leftovers? Contrary to what most think, vestigial doesnt necessarily mean useless; in some cases, we may just not yet know exactly how the organ is used in its current incarnation. (The human thymus was once thou

I am very blessed to be able to do work in the world that truly makes my heart sing. I wont go through the story of how I got started on this journey as it is listed on our website, www.CelebrateYourLife.ORG under the ABOUT section, but suffice to say I get to meet and work with some of the countrys most sought after best authors and spiritual teachers.I recently had a phone conversation with Dan Millman in preparation for his appearance at our Celebrate Your Life conference in Chicago in June. Dan is best known for his highly acclaimed NY Times bestselling book The Way of the Peaceful Warrior and his story was depicted in the film Peaceful Warrior starring Nick Nolte.Our phone conversation reminded me of when I first met Dan, he was everything I expected. Being a huge fan of his work, I remember feeling a bit intimidated, but he immediately disarmed me with his gentle and kind manner. He is that peaceful warrior that one might imagine him to be and most especially when teaching w

Are you doing all the right things, but still getting drained by stress overload?Diet, exercise, meditation and caring friends can all help to reduce stress. But if we dont have a way to manage and release stress as we experience it, then stress still accumulates in our body, affecting our communications, our decision-making and our health.Many years ago as a longtime meditator and a psychologist, I pondered this problem. I would often start my day in peace and joy and end my day stressed from work challenges and nerve-wracking people interactions. I couldnt wait to get back home to my meditation corner to let the stress go and nourish my heart. Somehow sandwiching stress overload between meditating twice a day made it seem legal to endure the daily stress hamster wheel until I just plain got tired of it.Often, when we find ourselves in chronic or extremely stressful situations, we go to the heart to try to see what to do. We try to connect with a deeper intelligence to guide us. I wo

Direct and Subtle Pressure to Have ChildrenHow Can a Childfree Wannabe Cope? Exploring all facets of childfree living.By Ellen Walker, Ph.D.The whole topic of childfree living is controversial, and becoming more so all the time. Just this week a woman submitted a comment on my book, Complete Without Kids, saying she thinks its ridiculous that a book had to be written on the subject. She is herself childfree and knows others who are as well, and no one she knows has had unpleasant experiences or mixed feelings about their choice.Im happy to learn that there are many who have not been made to feel badly about not having had kids, but the reality is that this is not the case for so many others. Pressure from Family and Friends I recently heard from a young woman who told me shed mentioned to her mother and her grandmother that she didnt plan to have children. The response from the older generation was, You will have children. You must have children. She asked for my advice on dealing with

By Paula Spencer, Caring.com senior editorGrief is a natural response to loss, and it can unfold in many ways. Unfortunately, well-intentioned onlookers dubbed grief police by grief expert Robert Neimeyer, professor of psychology at the University of Memphis often say things that mistakenly imply to the bereaved that theres a right way to grieve.Consider these all-too-common grief myths: Myth #1: Its possible to cry too much. Everyone grieves differently. Theres no single correct way to express the pain, sorrow, yearning, and other aspects of the transition of adjusting to the death of a loved one. Intense responses are sometimes seen as losing control, when in fact theyre simply how that person is actively (and productively) processing the loss. Myth #2: If you dont cry now, itll be worse later. Some people never cry. Tears or outward expressions of anguish simply arent everyones grieving style, says psychologist Neimeyer. This doesnt mean theyre grieving less intensely than a visib

Make of yourself a light, said the Buddha, before he died. Mary Oliver Wanting people to change can become one of your biggest challenges as you transform your own life with diet, yoga and meditation practice. As you begin to experience many of the positive benefits that come along with this way of living, such as feeling lighter in your body, more relaxed, more mentally patient, aware and focused and much less anxious; youll want to share your experience with the people around you so they will feel as good as you do. Surprise! They not only dont always want to hear about it, they may not want to make the sacrifice of time and effort to change their lives.Dont take it personally. Most importantly try not to preach or lecture about how they should be. After all, you got it, so they should be able to get it as well, right? Not always. Most people dont like to be told what to do; they dont like to hear that if you dont eat healthy and meditate youre going to be lost. Much as they might ap

God reveals him(her)self to people in mysterious waysa feeling in church, a message in meditation, beauty in the way a leaf falls from a tree. But for these people, the revelation hasnt been quote so subtle. In celebration of Easter and all things Jesus, here are some of the more inventive ways JC has been making his presence known. Marmite Jesus Some people might suggest that if there were really were a God, there wouldnt be such a thing as Marmite. But nonethelessClaire Allen, 36, of the UK said she was the first to notice the image on the underside of the lid as she was putting the yeast spread on her sons toast. People might think Im nuts, but I like to think its Jesus looking out for us < 1 of 9 >

Clara Barton Famous for nursing countless injured, sick and dying patients, she also played a very important role in establishing the Red Cross in the United States. Additionally, she participated in the womens suffrage and anti-slavery movements. Even though she was exposed to war and witnessed great carnage and death, she lived until the age of ninety. Jane Goodall One of the worlds leading conservationists and primatologists, she became a vegetarian after reading a book called Animal Liberation in the 1970s. Because she travels so much, she does eat some animal products like dairy milk, cheese and eggs, when she cant find other foods. Susan B. Anthony She was not only a pioneer in the womens suffrage movement, she also campaigned against slavery. She lived to the age of eighty-six, but did not witness the the passage of the bill that gave women the right to vote. Aung San Suu Kyi She is a pro-democracy activist who has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. One of her quotes abou

Heres a clever decorating theme weve noticed recently: using vintage sports equipment as home decor for a low-key, old-school vibe.Above: A leather horse as entryway bench, in an entryway photographed by Roland Bello. Above L: A headboard fashioned from leather gym mats in a bedroom by Ashe + Leandro. Above R: A leather pommel horse at Alex MacArthur in Brighton, England. Above: A vintage leather bench, spotted on Reference Library. Above L: A pair of vintage rings in a Scandinavian loft space; via Indenfor. Above R: A vintage punching bag, spotted in an interior by Normal Projects Architecture.For a similar idea with a nautical vibe, see Remodelistas post, Accessories: Vintage Life Preservers as Decor. Remodelista is a one-stop sourcebook for the considered home, guiding readers through the design and renovation process with features such as Steal This Look, 10 Easy Pieces, and Architect Visits. Founded by four friends with a shared design DNA and appreciation for intelligent d

In a study of 2564 people of varying ethnic backgrounds, researchers at Columbia University in New York and the Miller School of Medicine in Miami found a significant correlation between diet soda consumption and the risk of stroke.Begun in 1993, the Northern Manhattan Study known as NOMAS has been ongoing and still continues. Researchers divided people into seven groups: those who drank less than one soda of any type per month, those with moderate soda consumption (up to six per week), daily regular soda consumption (one or more daily), moderate diet soda only, daily diet soda only, moderate diet soda and sometimes regular soda, and daily diet soda with any regular soda consumption.Scientists factored in the age, ethnicity, gender, exercise habits, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and caloric intake. During the test period participants had 559 strokes combined.After considering all the other factors studied, researchers concluded that regular diet soda drinkers had a 48% increased

When we get out of sorts, stressed, frustrated or overwhelmed, it can distract us from our true intention to care more for others and our planet. Care is a valuable and vital resource; it revitalizes and acts as a soothing tonic for the human system. Caring is a powerful motivator; it inspires us and gently revitalizes us. It comes from the depth of our being, the core of our hearts. Watch the video below and then download this free e-Book which is all about understanding care. Care Changes Lives and Our Earth Download for free, Understanding Care: A HeartMath e-BookIn this e-book you will learn the Cut-Thru technique, the difference between care and what we call overcare, overidentification, overattachment and balanced care. Caring, like other positive emotions, increases the hearts rhythmic patterns and improves the health of your heart, nervous and hormonal systems. Care is regenerative for both the sender and receiver. Ask yourself: Is my caring adding quality to my life and

I just reread Elizabeth Gilberts memoir Eat, Pray, Love, and I found myself tearing up when I read, The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving.You see, I remember that feeling. Ill never forget that feeling. I Am Divorced I have two ex-husbands and a now a third husband (thank God the third times a charm). This is not something Im proud of, but its part of who I am, and each of these relationships mashed up together in the butter churner of my life to spit me out the other end as the person I am today. And Ive never been happier.But back then, when the only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying, when the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving, I couldnt imagine Id ever find joy again. I only knew I had to try, that I couldnt give up on this little girl dream of sharing my life with someone who would let me be whole without giving up a part of myself to squeeze into a relationship

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editorConventional wisdom has it that heart attacks come out of the blue. Were also trained to expect a heart attack to happen a certain way; the victim clutches his chest, writhes in pain, and collapses. But for women, it often doesnt happen that way. Study after study shows heart attacks and heart disease are under-diagnosed in women, with the explanation being that they didnt have symptoms.But research shows thats not the case. Women whove had heart attacks realize, looking back, that they experienced significant symptomsthey just didnt recognize them as such.In a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, 95 percent of women (thats almost all!) whod had heart attacks reported experiencing symptoms that were decidedly new or different from their previous experience a month or more before their attacks.Even when a heart attack is occurring, women are often slow to real

Im so excited to be leading a workshop at Kripalu, a gorgeous retreat center in the Berkshires in Massachusetts in June, and for those who are considering signing up or even for those who will miss it, I wanted to share with you some snippets of what Ill be teaching. Do you need a jump start in your life? Are you feeling disconnected, both spiritually and from other people? Are you ready to ramp up your mojo, find your life purpose, get healthy, light your creative spark, and hang with me in the flesh?If so, GOOD NEWS! You can unite with other vital women, speak your truth, be UNAPOLOGETICALLY YOU, get personal coaching, and light your Inner Pilot Light in the gorgeous setting of Kripalu.You could say that my workshop is a health workshop, but if you said that, youd be putting this workshop in a box and making it way too small although Im a physician, I dont think of health the way most doctors do. Which is exactly why I started OwningPink.com, because my definition of he

The year the Easter Bunny brought my kids organic, all-natural, yogurt-covered raisins didnt go over very wellbut at least my daughters are gung-ho for dying Easter eggs with homemade, plant-based dyes. We rummage and smoosh and boil, and they are amazed and delighted by the colors we create with a bunch of oddball ingredients from the kitchen. They love the messy magic, and my simmering neurosis about synthetic food dyes is quelled.Certified food dyes approved by the FDA include colors synthesized from petroleum derivatives and even coal tar. While some food dyes based on natural ingredients come from things that, although natural, you still may not care to ingest: Have you heard about carminic acid? It is a commonly used red food coloring which comes from the dried, crushed bodies of pregnant female scale insects called cochineal. I have an adventurous palate, but thats just not for me.By using plant-based dyes for coloring Easter eggs, not only do you know exactly what youre getting

Fiddlesticks! I said, I am simply not ready to give up coffee. (OK, so maybe I didnt actually say, fiddlesticks but the interjection I chose at the moment was not quite appropriate to include in a blog post). This proclamation of, both, love and defiant resolve came after a few weeks of depriving myself of the roasted extraction for no real reason other than to test myself. But the fact is, I like coffee far too much to just walk away with an empty mug in hand. And I am certainly not alone, as over 500 billion cups of coffee will be consumed this year alone by people nearly as (or even more so) enthusiastic than myself about the stuff.According to a newly edited love letter to coffee (in the form of a collection of essays), titled, Coffee, Philosophy for Everyone: Grounds for Debate, caffeine is one of the most widely taken psychoactive drugs on earth, and coffee is its foremost delivery system. This beloved drink, the source of controversy as well unyielding ardor, had been banned fro

If there is one yoga that leads to Self-Realization it is non-injury or ahimsa. Yoga Master Swami Satchidananda Imagine, as John Lennon said, what a world it would be if there were no wars and no suffering. How cool it would be if we could set just one day aside each year when we all stop causing pain and focus on harmlessness. A day when peace is more important than all our differences. Make love not war may be the key to a better life but if we look around that isnt whats happening in todays world. Yet there is nothing that could be more significant, helpful, or honoring of human existence and decency than non-injury, known as ahimsa in yoga. If we were to practice this we would be aware not to think ill of others, not to use words that are hurtful or aggressive, or commit actions that can be destructive and cause pain.This may sound so simple, but ahimsa actually requires a complete shift in attitude. Few of us get through life without causing harm, whether by ignoring someon

Getting older doesnt have to mean cognitive decline. Protect your memory and keep your mind sharp with these strategies for blood sugar regulation. By Jeffrey Rossman, PhD, Rodale.com Do you ever forget peoples names? Enter a room and forget why you went there? Forget a word mid-sentence? As we get older, these types of senior moments happen more often. Many of the people I evaluate worry that these slips mean they are getting Alzheimers disease. In most cases, they arent. Theyre just part of normal, age-related memory decline. Starting at about age 30, our ability to process and remember information declines with age.But though these cognitive changes are common, cognitive decline is not inevitable. Recent research has identified specific brain alterations that underlie this kind of age-related cognitive decline. And the good news is that many of these brain changes can be prevented with healthy lifestyle practices. A key finding: Elevated blood sugar contributes to cognitive decline.

By Erica Sofrina, Author of the book Small Changes, Dynamic Results! Feng Shui for the Western World. Welcome to my series on how to locate and enhance the nine key Feng Shui energy centers of your home. If family relationships are not as wonderful as you would like, or your or a loved ones health is of concern, here are nine ways to strengthen the energy center of your home that is directly connected to them.Feng Shui has many practical applications that are logical, simple and even obvious, which I have written about previously. The more mysterious and esoteric part of Feng Shui is the study of the home energy centers called the Bagua. This wisdom comes from the I Ching, or The Book of Changes.The ancient Feng Shui masters felt there were certain parts of the home that corresponded to key areas of the lives of its occupants. By working with these energy centers you could A- identify what was going on in that area of your life, and B- enhance it by putting objects there that would en

The importance of teaching children to care for the food they ingest, the clean air they breathe, for the oceans they swim in, and the planet theyll inherit, will need to be a priority if we want to build a bright green future.Along with teaching children through green curriculums and books about the environment, how about reaching children where they play? 5 Health Reasons Children Need To Play (adapted from the American Heart Association )1. Children in the United States today are less fit than they were a generation ago. Many have early signs of cardiovascular risk factors such as physical inactivity, excess weight, and higher blood cholesterol. 2. In fitness testing children between the ages 617, shows that children are getting slower in endurance running and weaker. 3. The prevalence of overweight American adolescents ages increased to nearly 179% since 1971. 4. An estimated 59% of children under ages 411 are exposed to secondhand smoke in the home, a known risk factor for heart

By Sara Novak, Planet GreenA diet with too many processed foods can cause a world of trouble for us on a number of fronts. Processed foods lack nutrient density, meaning that many of the vitamins and minerals have been lost in processing or they werent there in the first place. Second, we tend to overeat foods like chips, cookies, boxed meals, dips, etc. because we dont feel satiated. We dont feel as full as with whole foods loaded with fibrous fruits and vegetables, so we keep on eating. But the most scary aspect of processed foods can often be what we didnt even realize was added in the first place.Food additives serve a world of purposes, most of which we werent even aware of, but they can also do us harm. You may be seriously surprised at not only what youve been ingesting, but what it could be doing to you and the planet. 1. Food Dyes If you have kids, this is a big one. NPR reported that the FDA is meeting this week to decide whether some foods with added dyes shoul

By Melanie Haiken,Caring.com senior editorRoutine tests like pap smears and mammograms are important, but dont rely on tests alone to protect you from cancer. Its just as important to listen to your body and notice anything thats different, odd, or unexplainable. You dont want to join the ranks of cancer patients who realize too late that symptoms theyd noticed for a long time could have sounded the alarm earlier, when cancer was easier to cure.Here, some signs that are commonly overlooked: 1. Wheezing or shortness of breath One of the first signs lung cancer patients remember noticing when they look back is the inability to catch their breath. I couldnt even walk across the yard without wheezing; I thought I had asthma, but how come I didnt have it before? is how one woman described it. 2. Chronic cough or chest pain Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. One way to tell the difference: The problems persist

My years as a conventional and integrative veterinarian have taught me that the human-animal bond goes beyond companionship. Animals are here to be our guides and teachers, and to help us on this journey called life. The most important lesson they teach us is to love without judgment. They view us as special people, whether or not the rest of the world agrees.Our animal companions are also here to help us heal physical and emotional ailments. I remember a very special cat named Stuart. Stuarts guardian brought him to me for his diabetes. He told me that Stuart was a very, very gifted cat, so I had to help him. This mans child had died from leukemia, and he believed that Stuart had given his son two more years of life. When the doctors said that his son had only weeks to live, Stuart stayed by his side night and day. He was such a comfort to the little boy. The child made a miraculous turn around, and lived another two years. Stuarts guardian was convinced that the cat was responsible f

Toxic is a strong word with strong implications, even though it seems to be thrown around pretty lightly lately. For the purposes of physical health, a toxin is a poisonous substance that has an ill effect on the body. We all know that sugar is a source of empty calories and is said to promote cavities, but is it toxic?That is the complicated question Gary Taubes tackled in his lengthy New York Times essay last Sunday.Partly inspired by a 2009 lecture Robert Lustig gave called Sugar: The Bitter Truth, which wasposted on YouTube (see on page two), the question has taken on a whole new legion of askers. And although its high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) that has become Public Enemy #1, Lustig lumps both white granulated sugar (sucrose) and HFCS in the same messy, disease-causing bowl.By the early 2000s, according to the U.S.D.A., Americans have increased consumption of sugar to more than 90 pounds per person per year. This increase happens to coincide with the current epidemics of obesity