Health | Wellness | Yoga

By Natalie Joseffor DivineCaroline Everyone knows that your astrological sign can give you insight into how you tick and how you love, but few are aware of another way your astrological sign influences you. Each sign in the zodiac rules certain body parts, which in turn affects your health and how you should exercise. Ever wondered why you are always injuring your knee or why swimming feels so natural to you? It may be your sign.When a sign rules certain parts of the body, you actually want to avoid activities that could potentially harm that body part. For example, Leo rules the heart, so Leos are prone to heart attacks. Therefore, Leos should engage in workouts that benefit circulation and be careful not to overdo it. For those who cannot get enough about astrology, there is a whole field devoted to the medical side of it, but this information is a good start to figuring out how to exercise according to your sign. Aries: head, brain, eyes, face, and muscles Working out comes naturall...

A Surprising Health Secret From India India, as the world knows, is a nation of staggering numbers. In the apartment complex where I live, the lanes are about as wide as flutesthats because this neighbourhood was built more than two decades ago, when Delhis biggest vehicle used to be a Maruti Suzuki 800, fondly called the soapdish for its petite size. Nobody anticipated the leaps and bounds by which our economy would grow!Today, the picture is dramatically different. In this cluster of 1000+ homes, almost every household owns three to four carshatchbacks, sedans and SUVs. They dont even make the Maruti 800 any more! Which means that when I climb down my top floor apartment and walk up to the milk boothjust about half a kilometre awayI am often stuck in a traffic jam! And thats when Im on foot. Now while all this prosperity is very welcome, the truth remains that you always lose something to gain something, and that big something for us has been the simplicity of life. To be able to mak...

One year its this diet trend, the next year its that diet trend. The funny thing is that, aside from the all-celery and 8-grapefruits family of diets, all the smart diets end up saying pretty much the same thing: Eat bushels of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, less animal fat, and cut out refined foods. Genius!Lately theres been a flood of diet books based on the anti-inflammatory concept. The gist is that constant or out-of-control inflammation in the body leads to illness, and that eating to avoid constant inflammation inspires better health and can fend off disease. We generally think of inflammation as the painful part of arthritis, but inflammation is also a component of chronic diseases such as heart disease and strokes. Which is why proponents of the diet say it can reduce heart disease risk, keep existing cardiac problems in check, reduce blood triglycerides and blood pressure, and soothe sore and stiff arthritic joints.Specifics vary from one anti-inflammatory diet to ano...

Shockingly, the air inside your home may be five times more polluted than what you breathe outdoors. Its time to clear things up. By Katherine Bowers, Womens Health All the major air pollutants (car exhaust, factory fumes, sidewalk smokers) are outside, right? Not so much. Indoor air may be the grimiest stuff our lungs filter each day. Studies show that things like candles, printers, and even shoes can fill your rooms with harmful contaminants, says Ted Myatt, Sc.D., an environmental scientist in Boston. But theres no need to live in a tent in your backyardjust follow these easy steps to lighten the load on your respiratory system.Breathing Techniques to Fight Fat and Disease < 1 of 7 >

Few of us want to admit that we get bitchy, shout, or lose our temperwe much prefer to see ourselves as being wonderfully tolerant and serene. But anger is something that we all experience at different times, whether toward our parent, partner, friend, or even ourselves. Many times anger is justified and limited to the matter in hand, but it can also be very destructive and go beyond the immediate situation, like a single match that can burn an entire forest.Trying to eradicate anger is like trying to box with our own shadow: it doesnt work. Getting rid of it implies either expressing it, and possibly causing emotional damage; denying and avoiding it, which is a way of lying to ourselves and can cause depression or bitterness; or repressing it, which just suppresses it until it erupts at a later time when it can cause even more harm.Ducks dont do anger, says psychotherapist Deepesh Faucheux in our recent book, Be The Change . Ducks fight over a piece of bread and then they just swim aw...

By Sara Novak, Planet GreenSpices can make all the difference in the world when youre attempting to come up with innovative nightly eats. Eating in is easier on your waistline, the planet, and your wallet.In my house we go out to eat about once a week, most other meals we eat at home. But no matter how you plan meals in your house, having the right spices on hand is crucial to improving the pleasure quotient of home cooking.Often times the ingredients you see in recipes are actually prepared spice combinations that are a necessity to getting ethnic cuisine right. Its like making paella without saffron, its just not the same. Instead of buying spice combinations, consider making them at home from spices that you may already have. These spice combinations keep for about 3 to 4 months and then they start to lose flavor, so use them liberally and enjoy. (click through to the end, or click the left arrow, for a printer-friendly version) 1. Garam Masala 2 tbsp cumin seeds 2 tbsp ...

Creating Shared Value In my view, shared value starts with the sharing of values , such as care, respect, integrity, kindness and maintaining a heart connection between people. Shared value is the foundation of community building, within a family, school, organization or society. Once there is heart connection, then inspiration, creativity, collaboration and value creation for the good of the whole can manifest.Many social entrepreneurs are giving a higher priority today to the principle of shared value, which involves creating economic value in a way that also creates value for society by addressing its needs and challenges. Many conscious consumers are also giving priority to shared value by buying local (even if it costs more) to give back to their community or purchasing products from companies that give back to their communities.A Harvard Business Review Jan-Feb 2011 article says, Shared value is not social responsibility, philanthropy, or even sustainability, but a new way to ac...

In a previous post, I wrote about Oceana, Ted Dansons amazing book. Hes got a lot of great save-the-ocean tips in there for what you can do to keep our oceans clean, and help to protect the magical life beneath its surface. But I thought of 10 more ways that might surprise you, and which anyone can do even if you live far, far away from any ocean or sea. 1: Go fishing! And eat your local fish. Catch it yourself if you can. Or buy it (or trade for it) with a local fisherman. But before you do that, make sure your local water is clean (good luck with that). At least youll be getting personally acquainted with your local fish and what they need to thrive. 2: Take Wholemega fish capsules instead of eating fish. I have heard personally from Tom Newmark, Chairman of the Board of New Chapter vitamins, how sustainably and carefully the company collects its fish oil from wild-caught Alaskan salmon. I trust their fish oil. So can you.Heres an easy and delicious fish dish 3: Avoid plastics at a...

To be attached to ones own happiness is a barrier to the true and perfect path. To cherish others is the source of every admirable quality known. Tsongkhapa In the workplace, we are dependent on each other to get the work done and must support each other in doing so. No one person can do it all, and our livelihood depends on the others. It doesnt mean you have to like or hang out with each other, but creating a work environment in which everyone gets along and supports the work being done is vital.In our tendency to see ourselves as separate from others, we overlook the struggles and mental sufferings of our co-workers. In a hostile environment, more than likely your co-workers outbursts have nothing at all to do with you, and are instead related to what is going on in their lives away from work. Your meditation practice can help you to see more clearly into the actions of your colleagues at work. It allows you to shift your perspective and consider How each person is unique and differ...

Acupuncture is gaining new tractionand respectin hospitals and doctors offices as evidence of its curative power piles up. Here, why it worksand what conditions its best for. By Laurie Tarkan Virginia Ginsburg, 35, of Santa Monica, CA, didnt put much stock in acupuncture. So when she woke up one morning in September 2009 with pain in her back and leg so excruciating that she could barely walk, she begged her husband to take her to the emergency room. She was diagnosed with sciatica, given a shot of morphine and some pain pills, and sent limping home. But after a few days, when the pain hadnt abated, she remembered how acupuncture had eased her morning sickness when she was pregnant. I was skeptical that it could help with a more serious condition, but I didnt know where else to turn, she says. So she called the acupuncturist again. 20 Ways to Sleep Better Every Night The results astonished her. After just one treatment, the agony began to subside. She went to two or three sessions a we...

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children . ~Native American ProverbI was just at the Green Fest in Seattle over the weekend where we were selling our organic and all natural love products. Some people were surprised to see a company like ours promoting sustainable love. Some people walked by averting their eyes as though we werent there. More than a few people openly admitted to the demise of their intimate lives. It is tragically not uncommon for people to co-exist with no shared intimacy for years.It is difficult to keep relationships vital without the adhering connections that physical intimacy provides. We are sexual human beings and even if our only relationship to our sexuality is to deny it, this fundamental aspect of our personality defines us in a complex multiplicity of ways that effect how we relate to most everything in life.I had a chance to speak my peace on the green festival community action stage and was grateful for the opportuni...

It seems that we try to pack more things to do into our every day but few of these things improve our health or nourish our soul. Here are 15 ideas to help you bring more joy into your days:1. Brew a pot of herbal tea, sit down with a book or magazine and just take a break from the world.2. Smile. Even if you dont want to. Smiling tricks your brain into thinking youre happy. (See the7 Benefits ofLaughter.)3. Call a friend you havent spoken to in a while (someone positive who just makes you feel good).4. Do something nice for someone else. Sometimes just doing a good deed can bring so much joy to both the giver and receiver. You can donate to a charity, take clothes youre not using to Salvation Army, donate blankets to an animal shelter, pay for a strangers coffee at a caf, give books to your local library, and so much more.5. Tend a garden. Dont have one. Find a way to join or start a community garden. Even if you have a balcony you can grow some flowers or herbs in containers. (Read a...

Surprising to many, research has yielded mixed findings regarding the health benefits of stretching and increasing flexibility. While there are questions regarding whether or not stretching increases athletic performance, there is general agreement that when done properly stretching decreases the risk of activity-induced injury .Flexibility is the range of motion (ROM) around a joint, while stretching is the activity we do to increase that range of motion. Joints have ideal ranges of motion which allow the body to move freely while maintaining stability. This ROM differs in each of us depending on the balance of our muscles due to factors such as over- or under-use of a muscle group and injury. So, for example, a cyclist will likely have much tighter hip flexors and hamstrings if they do not stretch adequately because of the repetitious use of the lower body. Likewise, a ballet dancer might have overstretched muscle and loose joints due to years of training from an early age. In either...

My father liked to quote an old Hindi saying: One who goes once is a Yogi. One who goes twice is a Bhogi (lover of worldly comforts) One who goes thrice is a Rogi (someone who is unwell) Have you guessed what I am referring to?The morning movement.Not something we like to bring up often, but according to Ayurveda, how many times you go and how well you evacuate, can mean the difference between a short life spent battling disease and a long, healthy one filled with joy.Ayurveda explains this very well (as it does so many other things, methinks!)Undigested matter that does not move out of the body begins to fester. Slowly, it turns toxic. The innocuous-sounding word for this dangerous toxic pile-up is ama. Ancient physicians described ama as the seedbed of disease, ripe and ready for germs to thrive on.Remove ama, and those deadly germs have nowhere to grow.Result: you stay disease-free!So, how do you make sure you dont accumulate ama?Simple! Keep things clean. Think of the undigested ...

Stressed about food? Dr. Sears has advice for you about how to feed your baby without the worry. During the first year of life, food is for fun! During the second year of life, balance nutritional needs over an entire month. This video offers great advice and features our little kids exploring food, making a mess, and having fun. ParentEarth.com has great videos about food for parents and pregnant women on everything from cooking and gardening to nutrition and behavior. Our mission is to answer parents' questions about food and create a world that nurtures healthy, thriving children.

Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food. Hippocrates In herbology they are called astringent meaning foods and herbs that are natural blood cleansers and antibiotic in nature. The word anti ( against ) biotic ( life) , refers to a list of pharmaceutical antimicrobials designed to kill harmful bacteria in the host body. Problem is these synthetic forms of antibiotics kill off both the good and bad bacteria leaving the body depleted of living microflora that supports immune function.Including foods and herbs that contain antibiotic properties in your diet can support your immune system and help to defend you from certain infectious bacteria. This can also be said for organisms such as the Lymes spirochete and Candida Albicans , an overgrowth of yeast. There are many foods and herbs known to have natural antibiotic qualities; and with an increased resistance to pharmaceutical antibiotics in people today, it is wise to eat foods that work in your defense on a dail...

By Melanie BatesI was driving to school a few weeks back listening to what BBC coined their Royal Wedding Disco when the DJ pulled out Journeys classic Dont Stop Believing.I almost ran my little Beetle right off the road . How apropos. You see, I myself stopped believing in fairy tales when I was fourteen. My mom had recently married a man who would wake me each morn by yelling, Wake up and piss, the worlds on fire, through the railing of my bedroom loft. I would roll over and wonder what my mother saw in this vile man whom, with bitter irony, would get so plastered drinking Milwaukees Best that hed forget where the bathroom was and piss next to the coal burning stove. That pretty much put the royal kibosh on any romantic idyllicism that I had up to that point.Dont get me wrong. I spent a good deal of time in my life wanting to be Snow White, Cinderella, Baby of Dirty Dancing fame, andJulia Roberts in pretty much Every. Movie. Shes. Ever. Made (well, except Sleeping with the Enemy .) ...

By Patti Ghezzi for DivineCaroline Were leaving for a beach vacation in two days and Im worried it will rain the whole time. We desperately need this vacation. And we really need some sun.Heres what the weather report says: Thirty to forty percent chance of rain. A euphemism for We dont have a clue.Since I cant find my trusty Magic 8 Ball, Im leaning on my favorite old wives tales about weather prediction. Usually when I look into a wives talesuch as how chocolate will give you acneIm schooled in the scientific reason why its false. (Great! I love chocolate.) To my surprise, though, some of my favoritewives tales about weather have at least a nugget of truth. Many originated with farmers and fishermen whose livelihoodand in some cases, livesdepended on accurate weather prediction. Still, many supposed predictors ofweather only tell you what the weather is already doing. I pulled together this list of common weather wives tales to see which had some truth and which we should all ignore...

Rainbau Mars - leader of Fresh Start CleanseBy Magda RodIve been on a journey to my optimum health for a couple years now. Two years ago at Worldfest I heard Sea Shepherds Captain Paul Watson speak about the over fishing of the ocean, while I simultaneously met a community of radiant raw eaters. I was inspired to set an intention for the sake of my health and that of the planet, to go raw vegan. That was two years ago today. I didnt give myself a time limit. I knew that slow and steady wins the race so I gave myself as long as it would take for me to acquire the knowledge and fortitude to stick with my goal.Today, thanks in large part to Rainbeau Mars, Im elated to announce Ive attained my goal. Im comfortably enjoying a vegan and 80 percent raw diet. Im happier and healthier than Ive even been. A few months ago I, along with about 50 other health conscious people around the world, participated in a group Fresh Start Cleanse led by Rainbeau and Brigitte Mars.I went into the cleans...

I love the beach. The whole ocean, reallybut especially the more gentle seas, like the Caribbean. Its my happy place. And Ive often said I feel as though I might have been a ship captain in a past life, although Im not even a sailor in this one. As yall know, I spend most of this life walking on and talking about the land, soil, farms, gardens, and how we can protect the earth.Seafood Lovers, Fishermen, and All of Us Can Help Save Our Endangered OceansThe truth is I picked up Oceana to read for business reasons. First, Rodale Inc. published it. And second, I was about to host a party for its author, Ted Danson (yes that Ted Danson), and I felt the responsibility to do my homework. But Im so very, very glad I read it, and I hope you read it, too. Youll never look at the ocean and its alleged bounty on your plate the same way again.So many of his stories about the horrific overfishing and waste of the fishing industry, the corruption caused by government subsidies around the world, the ...

The International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE)at Arizona State University and a group of taxonomists from around the world have decided upon their chioces for the top 10 new species described in 2010. The motley crew includes a leech with giant teeth, a glowing mushroom, and a flat hopping fish, among other curious species that we are lucky to share the globe with.Here they are, in no particular order: Darwins Bark Spider ( Caerostris darwini) This orb-weaving spider builds the largest orb webs known to manlarge enough to span rivers, streams and lakes. Its no surprise that the silk spun by these spiders is incredibly strong.In fact, it is the toughest biological material ever studied, over ten times stronger than a similarly-sized piece of Kevlar and more than two times stronger than any other known spider silk. The unusual ways of this impressive arachnid will allow researchers to better study size dimorphism, mate guarding, andself castration. (Im not sure how that pla...

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.comThe numbers are simply staggering: Every year 1.5 million people are sickened or severely injured by medication mistakes, and 100,000 die. And yet all of those deaths are preventable. Whats the answer? We have to protect ourselves. Here are the ten medication mistakes experts say are most likely to kill or cause serious harm. 1. Confusing two medications with similar names It can happen anywhere in the transmission chain: Maybe the doctors handwriting is illegible, or the name goes into the pharmacy computer incorrectly, or the swap occurs when the wrong drug is pulled from the shelves. Most pharmacies shelve drugs in alphabetical order, so you have drugs with similar names right next to each other, which makes it even more likely for someone to grab the wrong one, says Michael Negrete, CEO of the nonprofit Pharmacy Foundation of California.According to the national Medication Error Reporting Program, confusion caused by similar drug names accounts for up t...

Almost 50 percent of women ages 18-49 say they received a professional pedicure before their 25th birthday, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).Pampering and grooming your feet promotes good foot hygiene and should be done frequently to contribute to not only your foot health, but also to your bodys overall health, says Dr. Marlene Reid, a podiatrist.The APMA developed a tip sheet for pedicure dos and donts and, since summer is the height of pedicure season, its a timely reminder for those who do get pedicures. Pedicure Medical Alert If you have diabetes or poor circulation in your feet, consult a podiatrist so they can recommend a customized pedicure that both you and your salon can follow for optimal foot health. Pedicure Dos DO schedule your pedicure first thing in the morning. Salon foot baths are typically cleanest earlier in the day. If youre not a morning person, make sure that the salon filters and cleans the foot bath between clients. DO bring your ...

A while back, I wrote a hot post (A Case Against Circumcision)about a super controversial issue which CNN reports is showing up in the limelight now that a group seeking to ban circumcision of any male younger than 18 in San Francisco has succeeded in getting their measure on the November ballot. If passed, it would be illegal for a parent to choose to have a boy circumcised, and if he wanted it done, hed have to wait until he was 18 to make his own choice. Failing to follow the law would become a misdemeanor offense punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 or up to one year in jail. There would be no religious exemptions period.Im flatly anti-circumcision boys or girls. As I laid out in my other post, I dontbelieve we should be imposing our own plastic surgery notions on young boys without their consent. Why? Here are some thoughts. 7 Reasons Not To Circumcise Your Baby Theres absolutely no medical reason to do so. Contrary to popular belief, circumcision does not make the pen...

69% of women lie to themselves, saying they dont need sunscreen. Dont be one of them. Arm yourself with the simplest and strongest weapon we have against wrinkles, age spots, and skin cancer. By Karyn Repinski Despite the fact that women know they should wear sunscreen every day of the year, only 31% do, according to a recent poll by Prevention.com. 6 New Easy to Use Sunscreens And many of those who skip SPF feel guilty about itso much so that 31% admit theyve fibbed about putting on sunscreen because theyre embarrassed about their bad habit.So what gives? If we all know that sunscreen helps to protect our skin from cancer and prevent signs of aging such as spots and wrinkles, why arent more of us using it?To find out, Prevention asked dermatologists to share some of the most common excuses women give for going outdoors unprotected. Read on and youll discover theres really no good reason to skimp on sunscreenyoull be healthier (and younger looking!) if you use it. Excuse #1: The chemic...

We all want to pass on to our progeny what is most precious to us. Mistakenly we often think about our inheritance in terms of material wealth. What we most deeply transfer to our children is the best and worst of our character. Probably no one sees our failings as clearly as our teenage children. I have learned long ago that I can get nothing by them, so I dont even try. They witness my struggles to stay committed, to keep my promises, to face my challenges with dignity. They know my failures and have picture perfect memories of many of the days that I missed the mark.Happily what also seems to translate over time, often imperceptibly are the values and daily practices that make us who we are. In my case, the last 18 months has given my kids daily doses of my work to both see the world positively and to make a positive contribution to the world. More and more frequently they see me take breaks to rest, exercise and meditate, the three practices that most efficiently bring me back in t...

By Catherine Guthrie, Experience LifeThe body is a magnificent machine. When things go awry, it generally doesnt just shut down without warning, like an incandescent light bulb popping its filament. Instead it sends us little signals (think of them as gentle biological taps on the shoulder) letting us know that something is amiss.Physical signs and symptoms are ways your body tries to alert you to deeper imbalances, says Elson M. Haas, MD, a San Rafael, Calif., physician with a natural-medicine approach and author of Staying Healthy with Nutrition (Celestial Arts, 2006). Taking the time to decipher the bodys codes is always better than simply popping a pill and hoping the symptoms just go away. Ideally, we want to get to the causes of problems, not just suppress the end result of ill health. But interpreting the bodys quirky Morse code requires a deep level of body awareness that, like any skill, takes time and practice to perfect. To that end, we recruited a handful of t...

Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. Frank Herbert Fear is a natural part of life. It is what drives us to our reactions to everyday existence. It can save us in moments of immediate danger and motivate us to stand firm in face of a threat. But it can also freeze us into passivity in the face of overwhelming harm. When confronted by our fears, the natural inclination is to take one of the following actions: Run away Attempt to control it Try to suppress it Resist it in any way possible Instead of avoiding your fears, you need to take off your blinders and face them. You will still want to run, control, suppress, or resist them; after you have seen what the monsters look like, however, you just might discover that they arent such a big deal. The important thing is to identify your fears. Then, using your yoga practice and meditation, you can observe them and work to dissolve them.I once had a student who had broken her neck in a riding accide...

Women line upand pay big bucksto see her, but you can get her advice for free. No appointment necessary. You wouldnt take advice from a pudgy personal trainer, a chain-smoking M.D.and certainly not a wrinkly dermatologist! Womens Health contributor Francesca Fusco, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, clearly practices what she preaches. Here, her tips for gorgeous, glowing skin. By Jill Percia, Womens Health Use SPF Powder I owe my spotless skin to my mom, who was vigilant about keeping me in the shade and applying sunscreen. And Ive maintained the same SPF-wearing habits in adulthood. Every day I dust a broad-spectrum mineral sunscreen powder over my regular SPF day lotion and makeup to deflect light, make my skin look flawless, and add an even stronger protective layer. Its also handy for controlling midday shine in oily skin types. Try Colorescience Pro Sunforgettable SPF 30 Powder Brush, $50, colorescience.com.4 Common sunsc...

I am regularly asked which supplements are safe and helpful for weight loss. While I maintain that healthy eating and exercise are essential for weight loss, there are some supplements that can help.Here are my Top 8 Safe Weight Loss Supplements: 1. A high-quality full-spectrum digestive enzyme formula that includes amylase, lipase, and protease, among other enzymes, is also beneficial. Take 1 to 3 enzyme capsules or tablets with every meal to help your body break down the carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in your food into the natural sugars, essential fatty acids, and amino acids needed for optimal digestion and healing. 2. Other enzymes that aid weight loss include: lipase, nattokinase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) , or a single product that includes some or all of these enzymes. Start with 1 capsule or tablet of your chosen enzyme(s) on an empty stomach 20 minutes before or at least 1 hour after meals, three times daily. You...

Author of the fabulous book The Family Dinner, Laurie David, has raised 2 girls and has learned from experience how to not stress out about dinner. This 1 minute clip gets to heart of the matter. Tips: plan snacks (but make sure kids arrive at the table hungry); let kids choose how much to eat; take care of yourselves, mom and dad!What are your stress-reducing tips for family meals? Related: In Defense of Family Dinner 5 Family Food Rules (video) ParentEarth.com has great videos about food for parents and pregnant women on everything from cooking and gardening to nutrition and behavior. Our mission is to answer parents' questions about food and create a world that nurtures healthy, thriving children.

By Stephen Messenger, TreeHuggerDoes a dung beetle find love easier than us? From the humblest worm to the majestic blue whale, creatures large and small have spent hundreds of millions of years conceiving a variety of ways to impress their mates.Single guys listen up: These savvy animals understand the language of loveand might just have the best advice for those looking for romance. Mingle Like a Penguin Whether youre new to the dating scene, or are returning after some time away, making an effort to mingle with other singles is key to finding that special someone the same is true for penguins.Every year in late spring, male penguins, often numbering into the thousands, congregate on their colonys breeding ground to establish a nesting spot and await the arrival of females. When the ladies start pouring in, the giant singles mixer erupts in a cacophony of squawking and wing-flapping as the males vie for a partner.Once the pairs mate, they form a bond which can last for y...

Farmers in Eastern China applied a chemical growth accelerator called forchlorfenuron on watermelons causing them to explode in the fields. They were trying to get them grow faster, not knowing the application during a wet period and too late in the season would result in an absurdly comical scenario. More importantly, what would eating the watermelon do to people, or animals?The U.S. EPA says forchlorfenuron is a plant growth regulator used mainly on raisins, grapes, and kiwifruit. They list it as non-carcinogenic and of low toxicity, based on studies using animal subjects. The Australian government conducted an assessment noting in a study dogs exposed to the chemical via their diet, had raised their cholesterol levels raised. Neither country classifies it as a hazardous substance. The story here really is about food safety practices in China, not just one chemical. In April of this year, nitrate poisoned milk caused the deaths of three children. In February, researchers found c...

By Catherine Guthrie, Experience LifeThe average American now consumes some 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. And our sweet tooth isnt just making us fat its triggering all kinds of inflammation, fueling chronic diseases and even increasing our risks of cancer. Tame Your Sweet Tooth When it comes to sugar, it helps to be strategic, says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD: Im not saying you cant have pleasure in the form of sugar, but its time to start making informed choices.Here are some tips: < 1 of 7 >

The amount of time American fathers are in the kitchen today is at an all-time high. Dads now account for nearly one-third of the time the family spends cooking. In 1965 that figure was only 5 percent. Move over, June Cleaver! Why do these men dice vegetables and saut meat after a long day of work? Perhaps its because they like to eat well; home-cooked food is healthier than prepared food. Perhaps its because they like to save money; home-cooked food is cheaper than take-out. But most likely, its because they like to be happynumerous studies have documented that men who cook have highly rewarding romantic relationships with their spouses!These are not stay-at-home dads: they are working fathers who, night after night, give new meaning to the idea of putting food on the table. Man with a Pan (Algonquin Books, May 2011) by John Donohue of the New Yorker introduces us to dozens of these men who fully embrace the apron. This short spoof video by Parent Earth shows how much relief dad can b...

Yogurt, the versatile dairy product madeby fermenting milk with bacteria (AKA yogurt cultures) has a number of applications aside from the morning meal. It has a whole host of uses for health issues and can be employed in a few beauty formulas as well. Yogurt. Its not just for breakfast anymore. (That was painfully clich, I know, but its true!)Fermentation of lactose byone or more varieties of bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Enterococcus faecium,Streptococcus thermophilus, and others) produces lactic acid which turns milk into yogurt and gives it its texture and tangy taste. Those cultures also give yogurt its health-boosting qualities.Look for yogurt labeled with a Live and Active Cultures seal from the National Yogurt Association, indicating the product reliably contains at least 100 million active cultures per gram of yogurt. Opt for organic if you can afford it and its availableand buy it in large containers to save on packagi...

Young adults have a disconnect about how their lifestyle choices affect their chances of stroke, a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, says an American Heart Association survey.More than 1,200 adults between the ages of 18 and 44 were surveyed on their thoughts about health and stroke risk.Of the 18-24 year-old group, most expressed desire to live a healthy and long life 98 years was their average desire but one-third of those said they dont think their unhealthy behaviors today will affect their risk of stroke later. Eighteen percent couldnt even name one stroke risk factor.Ralph Sacco, M.D., neurologist and president of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, said in a press release: This survey shows the dangerous disconnect that many young Americans have about how their behaviors affect their risks for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. Starting healthy behaviors at a young age is critical to entering middle age in good shape. Th...

Feel like a wuss when it comes to tolerating pain? Turns out you can up your threshold with a few simple mind tricks. By Camille Noe Pagan, Womens Health Childbirth. Menstrual cramps. Migraines. If you were born with XX chromosomes, youre probably well acquainted with all kinds of discomfort. Women are more likely to suffer chronic pain than men are, thanks in part to certain female-centric conditions (think: endometriosis, fibromyalgia). But new research shows that pain can be a mental game, and that you can up your tolerance by retraining your brain. A World of Hurt When you stub your toe or sprain your wrist, the millions of nerves in your skin and tissues register the sensation and carry it to your brain for decoding. Your mind gets the message and immediately shoots back a danger! signal in the form of a sharp ache. All of this happens in a matter of milliseconds and sends your body into fight-or-flight mode, which can cause rapid heartbeat, sweating, hyper-breathing, and lightnin...

By Melanie Haiken, Caring.comMedical screening tests are a great way to stay on top of your health. Think of them as basic maintenance, just like checking the oil and tire pressure to keep your car gunning down the highway. To help make it simple, weve compiled a list of the most important medical tests every woman should have along with what age to start and how often to repeat. Heres to routine maintenance for your health. 1. Cholesterol screening/lipid profile Cholesterol is a type of fatty protein in your blood that can build up in your arteries, so knowing how much cholesterol is present is a good predictor of your risk for heart disease. And women need to pay close attention to cholesterol levels, because they tend to rise after menopause. If you were already high or borderline before or at menopause, theres cause for concern.There are two kinds of cholesterol: HDL, or high-density lipoproteins, and LDL, or low-density lipoproteins. Confusingly enough, HDL is good and protects a...

People are hijacking the Law of Attraction. I am sick of it, and its time to take it back.Since I first heard about the concepts of attraction and manifestation, I knew they were for me they fit perfectly with everything Id believed about life, and how my life works, for many years. When I watched The Secret I recognized it as truth, not rocket science but truth. Yes, this is what I understand to be true about life. I feel the same about the teachings ofAbraham-Hicks.When Oprah started talking about it, I had mixed feelings. The O stamp of approval meant countless numbers of people would discover this truth (woohoo!), but sadly many of them would manipulate the message for their own gain (boo). If I had a dollar for every goon who claims that they can make me a millionaire by teaching me how to teach others how to be a millionaire well, Id be a millionaire.So many people are saying that you can change your weight, the balance in your checking account, the way your mother-in-law talks ...

We are giving away a copy of Active Dreaming: Journeying Beyond Self-Limitation to a Life of Wild Freedom by Robert Moss. Check out this sneak peak from the author and dont forget to leave a comment for your chance to win the book! How to Break a Dream Drought By Robert MossHave you lost touch with your dreams? Is your dream recall limited to fragments that fade away as you hurry off into the business and traffic of the day? Relax. Here are some fun and easy ways to renew and refresh your relationship with your dreams: 1. Set an intention for the night Before sleep, write down an intention for the hours of dream and twilight that lie ahead. This can be a travel plan (I would like to go toHawaii or I would like to visit my girlfriend/boyfriend). It might be a specific request for guidance (I want to know what will happen if I change my job). It could be a more general setting of direction (I ask for healing or I open myself to my creative source). You might simply say, I want to have f...

If you think lighting up on girls nights out is a harmless vice, think again. By Laura Beil, Womens Health The average cigarette is gone in 10 puffs and five minutes, but thats five minutes of havoc as 4,000 chemicals infiltrate your organs. 0 to 10 Seconds As you take the first drag, smoke passes through your mouth, leaving a faint brown film on your pearly whites. Toxic gases such as formaldehyde and ammonia immediately put your immune system on alert, causing allover inflammation.8 Ways to beat bad breath.Once in the windpipe, the cigarette smoke temporarily slows your cilia, the tiny sweepers that work to clear your respiratory system of mucus and invading particles. Meanwhile, airborne nicotine passes instantly into your bloodstream through the millions of capillaries in your lungs.Your body gets a jolt of energy as that nicotine hits your adrenal glands, triggering an outpouring of adrenaline that raises your blood pressure and heart rate. Your heart is unable to relax fully betw...

Five types of toxic personalities. If you read part one of the Emotional Freedom series about combating emotional vampires, you got a sense for how to know when someone is sucking you dry. In part two, well tackle how to hone your X-ray vision so you can spot an emotional vampire from miles away, so you can protect yourself from getting depleted from those who long to suck your life force right out of you.But first, a bit about Dr. Judith Orloffs classification of emotional vampires (all of this info comes from Dr. Orloffs rockin book, Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself From Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life thanks, love!). Types of Emotional Vampires Type 1: The Narcissist You know the type. Regardless of what youre going through, its all about them. Me me me me me! Narcissists can be compelling, attractive, even addictive. As long as you stroke the narcissists ego, she purrs like a kitten. But the minute you stop, beware the narcissist can get downright vicious....

Triclosan, the controversial disinfectant that many associate with hand sanitizers, is actually in all manner of cosmetics and personal care products. The Trouble with Triclosan Triclosan is an antimicrobial, meaning that it kills harmful microorganisms. This can definitely be a good thing. If youre in the hospital, for example, you want to know that everything from the nurses and doctors hands to their instruments are completely sterile. In a case like this, I think that you could make a pretty strong argument for using antimicrobials like triclosan.The big problem with triclosan is that its become ubiquitous. Its in a host of over the counter personal care products, and that means that its also in our bodies and washing down our drains.There are quite a few health concerns associated with triclosan. Its a suspected endocrine disruptor and carcinogen that accumulates in the body over time. Since its in so many products, many of us are exposed to triclosan on a daily basis through mult...