DailyHap

Make a difference for one person today.

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:00:56 +0000

Drop off or pick up some emotional baggage.

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:02:28 +0000

Visit emotionalbagcheck.com to drop off or pick up baggage, and receive or send a song that fits the baggage. [one of the coolest websites we've seen in awhile]

Jessica Alba Launches Non-Toxic Baby Line The Honor Company

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:59:03 +0000

Today marks the launch of Jessica Alba and Brian Lee's The Honest Company. The mom-of-two Dark Angel/Sin City/hot bodied actress and dad-of-almost-three Silicon Valley celeb+startup wunderkind (previous involvement is with Kim Kardashian's ShoeDazzle and Robert Shapiro's LegalZoom) are bootsrapping the subscription-model baby product site.

The Honest Company designs, manufactures, and distributes non-toxic, chemical-free baby products including diapers, sunscreen, detergents, and more. Everything but the diapers is manufactured in the US, and even the latter are made in Mexico by a US company. Author Christopher Gavigan of “Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home,” oversees the formulas.

Alba has been vocal in the press fighting against chemicals in baby products, including bedding and cribs. So it makes sense that she'd find a leader in the startup world to partner on stylish, safe baby products. It's an interesting choice to go with a subscription model, but it certainly is convenient for families going through tons of diapers a month.

I'm not a new mom, but I'm fascinated by this convergence of celebrity, beauty, and technology. For more on the technical side, check out PandoDaily's coverage of the launch. I worry about chemicals in my own beauty products, and have used the California Baby line on myself (I recommend the lotion). The more awareness we can raise about chemicals in all products and how we can avoid them, the better!

Image from honest.com

The Ultimate Guide to Good Posture [Infographic]

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:59:03 +0000

As the infographic below demonstrates, good posture is more important than just looking good—though my mom taught me that part of why models are so attractive is their posture. Standing, sitting, walking, and running tall can have health benefits, as well as alleviate health problems. Don't fall victim to the vicious cycle of bad posture!

Are You Happy?

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:59:03 +0000

via typcut.com

Exercise as 2nd 'Medication' for People with Depression

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:59:04 +0000

Exercise can be as effective as a second medication for as many as half of depressed patients whose condition have not been cured by a single antidepressant medication.

UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists involved in the investigation, recently published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, found that both moderate and intense levels of daily exercise can work as well as administering a second antidepressant drug, which is often used when initial medications don't move patients to remission. The type of exercise needed, however, depends on the characteristics of patients, including their gender.

These findings are the result of a four-year study conducted by UT Southwestern's psychiatry department in conjunction with the Cooper Institute in Dallas. The National Institute of Mental Health-funded study, begun in 2003, is one of the first controlled investigations in the U.S. to suggest that adding a regular exercise routine, combined with targeted medications, actually can relieve fully the symptoms of major depressive disorder.

Second Medication

"Many people who start on an antidepressant medication feel better after they begin treatment, but they still don't feel completely well or as good as they did before they became depressed," said Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, professor of psychiatry and the study's lead author. "This study shows that exercise can be as effective as adding another medication. Many people would rather use exercise than add another drug, particularly as exercise has a proven positive effect on a person's overall health and well-being."

Study participants diagnosed with depression, who ranged in age from 18 to 70 and who had not remitted with treatment using a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant medication, were divided into two groups. Participants – whose average depression length was seven years – exercised on treadmills, cycle ergometers or both, kept an online diary of frequency and length of sessions, and wore a heart-rate monitor while exercising at home. They also met with a psychiatrist during the study.

By the end of the investigation, almost 30 percent of patients in both groups achieved full remission from their depression, and another 20 percent significant displayed improvement, based on standardized psychiatric measurements.

Moderate exercise was more effective for women with a family history of mental illness, whereas intense exercise was more effective with women whose families did not have a history of the disease.

For men, the higher rate of exercise was more effective regardless of other characteristics.

"This is an important result in that we found that the type of exercise that is needed depends on specific characteristics of the patient, illustrating that treatments may need to be tailored to the individual," said Dr. Trivedi, director of the Mood Disorders Research Program and Clinic at UT Southwestern. "It also points to a new direction in trying to determine factors that tell us which treatment may be the most effective."

Image: Some rights reserved by normanack

Secrets from Speed Dating

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:59:04 +0000

"Speed dating is a very good context to study dating behavior," says Mitja Back of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. "It's almost like psychologists could have invented this."

Back and her colleagues, Lars Penke of the University of Edinburgh, Stefan Schmukle of Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, and Jens Asendorpf of Humboldt University Berlin, just published a new study in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finding part of what determines how much success you will have in the dating world is whether you have a good sense of whether people find you attractive.

The problem, of course, is that what people say they like—honesty, humor, and so on—may have little to do with what they actually like—for example, hotness. In 17 groups, a total of 190 men and 192 women met members of the opposite sex—basically the standard speed dating routine, but this time, with psychologists collecting a lot of data. Among that data was personality information and the all-important question after each three-minute date: for each person you talk to, do you want to see that person again? They were also asked if they thought the other person would want to meet them.

On the whole, people are very bad at guessing how many of the other persons will want to meet them. Success was correlated with particular traits that are stereotypically associated with the sexes: men who have a more promiscuous orientation were better at guessing if a woman would want to meet them, and women whose personality was very agreeable were better at guessing if a man would meet them.

Back thinks men who are inclined toward casual sex are displaying behavior that's very stereotypically associated with their sex; this may in turn evoke more typical behavior in the woman they're talking to, which could make them more accurate at predicting whether the woman will be interested. Women who are agreeable, on the other hand, might make men more comfortable and more willing to flirt—which could make it easier to judge whether the man will want to meet them again.

The implications for your dating life? You might be terrible at guessing if someone likes you, so you might as well just be yourself and go for what you want!

Image: Some rights reserved by Samuel Mann

Happiness Leads to Giving More than Wealth

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:12:16 +0000

Charitable giving can be shaped by countries, cultures, faiths, religions, wealth, and a number of other factors. But a survey by the Charities Aid Foundation in Britain studied 153 countries and reported that there's a stronger correlation between a country's degree of happiness and giving than wealth and giving. The results of the "World Giving Index 2010," survey (click the link for the full report) were perhaps surprising given that people often associate wealth with the ability to give.

But, the report notes, the level of giving in a total country indicates something about the strength of civil society—the extent to which individuals are willing and able to contribute towards addressing the needs of others both in their own localities and across borders.

The ongoing poll by Gallup analyzes the charitable behaviour of 95% of the world’s population. The poll's main question ranked each country by its giving:

Which of the following three charitable acts have you undertaken in the past month:

1. Donated money to an organization?

2. Volunteered time to an organization?

3. Helped a stranger, or someone you didn’t know who needed help?

Some countries are giving in some areas but stingy in others. The most generous countries tend to be Protestant.

Based on the highest percentages of people who answered yes to all three categories:

Top Ten Giving Countries

Australia, 57 percent
New Zealand, 57 percent
Ireland, 56 percent
Canada, 56 percent
Switzerland, 55 percent
USA, 55 percent
Netherlands, 54 percent
United Kingdom, 53 percent
Sri Lanka, 53 percent
Austria, 52 percent

The survey reports: "Overall, 20 percent of the world’s population had volunteered time in the month prior to interview, 30 percent of the world’s population had given money to charity, and 45 percent of the world’s population had helped a stranger."

It will be interesting to track those figure over years and decades to see whether humanity is gaining in its humanity.

While the study tracks happiness as a predictor of giving, are the two reciprocal? Do you think giving creates happiness?

Image: PUERTO SAN JOSE, Guatemala (July 8, 2011) Lt. Audrey Koecher, Judge Staff Advocate for Continuing Promise 2011, talks with Guatemalan children during a Give-a-Kid-a-Backpack community service event at Escuela Republica de Japon. Continuing Promise is a five-month humanitarian assistance mission to the Caribbean, Central and South America. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Scott Wojciechowski/Released)
110708-N-VV618-28

Can You Win and Lose at the Same Time?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:16:28 +0000

You win some, you lose some. You get the perfect job—the one your heart is set on. Or you get snubbed. You win the girl (or guy) of your dreams—or you strike out.

But what if you win and lose at the same time? You land a good job—but not a great one. Or you do get a hot new partner—but not the one you wanted?

A study published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, says you'll find a way to be happy anyway.

"Good outcomes have relative value and absolute value, and that affects our happiness," explains Carnegie Mellon assistant professor Karim S. Kassam, who conducted the study with Carnegie colleague Carey K. Morewedge, Daniel T. Gilbert of Harvard University, and Timothy D. Wilson of the University of Virginia.

Winners vs. Losers

Winner: you get the best, relative to the alternatives. You're happy regardless of the prize's absolute value.

Loser: you win something less valuable than the alternative. You may at first be disappointed, but you usually come around. "People are motivated to think about things in the best possible light," says Kassam. So you move on to reflect on the absolute value, and find satisfaction there.

Think Harder to Find Happiness

The hypothesis is that "losers" think harder to find happiness.

In four trials, 31 participants were asked to memorize either a two- or an eight-digit number and choose one of two boxes with prize amounts ($3 or $5) inside. At the end, they'd receive the amount in one of their chosen boxes. Unknown to the participants, the design made them all losers—they'd always pick the lesser amount. The combinations of memory difficulty aka "cognitive load" and cash received ($3 or $5) varied. In each trial, participants rated their feelings.

Larger prizes made these losers happier—but only when they had enough brainpower to think about it. Under higher cognitive load, they were glad to get either amount.

"When you win something, it's always a positive experience," says Kassam. "But if there's this tinge of negative affect, that motivates people to rationalize, to reframe things in a way that will make them happy."

Thus, even if you can't do that extra thinking, you'll settle—for happiness.

Image: Some rights reserved by Penningtron

No Really, It's Not You

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:20:22 +0000

If you tell yourself that someone who's being mean is just having a bad day—it's not about you—you may actually be able to stave off bad feelings, according to a new study published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

Having someone angry at you is no fun. A strategy commonly suggested in cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy is to find another way to look at the angry person, called reappraising emotions. For example, you might tell yourself that they've probably just lost their dog or gotten a cancer diagnosis and are taking it out on you. Stanford researchers Jens Blechert, Gal Sheppes, Carolina Di Tella, Hants Williams, and James J. Gross wanted to study the efficiency and the speed of the process of reappraising emotions.

"You can see this as a kind of race between the emotional information and the reappraisal information in the brain: emotional processing proceeds from the back to the front of the brain, and the reappraisal is generated in the front of the brain and proceeds toward the back of the brain where it modifies emotional processing" Blechert says.

Adjusted Attitudes

They found that, once people had adjusted their attitude toward someone, they weren't disturbed by that person's angry face the next time it appeared. On the other hand, when participants were told to just feel the emotions brought on by an angry face, they continued to be upset by that face. In a second study, the researchers recorded electrical brain activity from the scalp and found that reappraising wiped out the signals of the negative emotions people felt when they just looked at the faces.

Psychologists used to think that people had to feel the negative emotion, and then get rid of it; this research suggests that, if people are prepared, it's actually a much faster and deeper process.

Practical Applications

"If you're trained with reappraisal, and you know your boss is frequently in a bad mood, you can prepare yourself to go into a meeting," says Blechert, who also works as a therapist. "He can scream and yell and shout but there'll be nothing." Same goes for a fight with a partner or even an angry interaction with a stranger.

Image: Some rights reserved by meddygarnet

Nice Guys Finish First?

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:20:34 +0000

Turns out, facebook could be helping out the nice guys. A new study reports that dynamic, complex social networks encourage their members to be friendlier and more cooperative, with the possible payoff coming in an expanded social sphere, while selfish behavior can lead to an individual being shunned from the group.

David Rand, a post-doctoral fellow in Harvard's Department of Psychology and a Lecturer in Human Evolutionary Biology, is the lead author of a new paper that examines social networks as ever-changing as opposed to a snapshot-in-time approach to research. Rand says that the new approach is the closest scientists have yet come to describing the way the planet's six billion inhabitants interact on a daily basis.

"Although people sometimes do nasty things to each other, for the most part we are fantastically cooperative," Rand says. "We do an amazing job of having thousands or even millions of people living in very close quarters in cities all over the world. In a functioning society, things like trade, friendship, even democracy itself require high levels of cooperation, and when everyone does it, you get good collective outcomes."

Sociology and Medicine Professor and Pforzheimer House master Nicholas Christakis says, "As humans, we do two very special things: we re-shape the social world around us, and in so doing, we create a better place for ourselves by being nice to each other."

The researchers followed 800 volunteers playing a game, which showed players re-wired their social networks in intriguing ways that helped both themselves and the group they were in. They were more willing to make new connections or maintain existing connections with those who acted generously, and break connections with those who behaved selfishly.

"Because people have control over who they are interacting with, people are more likely to form connections with people who are cooperative, and much more likely to break those links with people who are not," Rand said. "Basically, what it boils down to is that you'd better be a nice guy, or else you're going to get cut off."

As a side note, the paper is one of the first to use Amazon's Mechanical Turk as a method for recruiting participants, creating an online lab environment that could have a significant impact on future social science studies.

Image: Some rights reserved by sundaykofax

People's Mental Capacities Fundamentally Change When They Remove Clothing

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:23:05 +0000

In one of the more interesting news items we've seen today, a new study reveals that body focus affects how both men and women see others—not that we didn't know that, but scientific evidence is now backing that revealing skin changes the way the revealer's mind is perceived.

What?

For both men and women, wearing revealing attire causes them to be seen as more sensitive but less competent, says a new study by University of Maryland psychologist Kurt Gray and colleagues from Yale and Northeastern University and published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

"An important thing about our study is that, unlike much previous research, ours applies to both sexes. It also calls into question the nature of objectification because people without clothes are not seen as mindless objects, but they are instead attributed a different kind of mind," says UMD's Gray. "We also show that this effect can happen even without the removal of clothes. Simply focusing on someone's attractiveness, in essence concentrating on their body rather than their mind, makes you see her or him as less of an agent [someone who acts and plans] more of an experiencer."

The Research

In multiple experiments, the researchers found that when men and women in the study focused on someone's body, perceptions of agency (self-control and action) were reduced, and perceptions of experience (emotion and sensation) were increased. Gray and colleagues suggest that this effect occurs because people unconsciously think of minds and bodies as distinct, or even opposite, with the capacity to act and plan tied to the "mind" and the ability to experience or feel tied to the body. According to Gray, their findings indicate that the change in perception that results from showing skin is not all bad. "A focus on the body, and the increased perception of sensitivity and emotion it elicits might be good for lovers in the bedroom," he says.

Their study also found that a body focus can actually increase moral standing. Although those wearing little or no clothes—or otherwise represented as a body—were seen to be less morally responsible, they also were seen to be more sensitive to harm and hence deserving of more protection. "Others appear to be less inclined to harm people with bare skin and more inclined to protect them.

In one experiment, for example, people viewing male subjects with their shirts off were less inclined to give those subjects uncomfortable electric shocks than when the men had their shirts on," Gray says. However, Gray and his coauthors note that in work or academic contexts, where people are primarily evaluated on their capacity to plan and act, a body focus clearly has negative effects. Seeing someone as a body strips him or her of competence and leadership, potentially impacting job evaluations.

Thoughts

In a society so focused on body image, it's interesting research. Will it change the way you approach dressing for business or dates?

Image from VictoriasSecret.com

Sucking Up to the Boss Works AND Keeps You Healthy

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:28:53 +0000

Savvy career minded individuals have known for some time that ingratiating oneself, er, sucking up, to the boss and others can help move them up the corporate ladder more quickly. However, a recent study published in the Journal of Management Studies (click here for the full study) suggests that politically savvy professionals who use ingratiation as a career aid may also avoid the psychological distress that comes to others who are less cunning about their workplace behavior.

Ingratiation as a Coping Skill

This new research shows that when politically savvy professionals use the coping skill of ingratiation, they may neutralize ostracism and other psychological distress potential in the workplace. Ostracized employees experience more job tension, emotional exhaustion and depressed mood at work.

Suck Up To Avoid Ostracisim

Workplace ostracism—an adult form of bullying—is often described as an individual's belief that they are ignored or excluded by superiors or colleagues in the workplace. A 2005 survey of 262 full-time employees found that over a five-year period, 66% of respondents felt they were systematically ignored by colleagues, and 29% reported that other people intentionally left the area when they entered.

Previous studies have shown that ostracism is an interpersonal stressor that can lead to psychological distress, and distress in the workplace is strongly linked to life distress, employee turnover, and poor physical health.

The study followed 215 employees in two oil and gas companies in China: "Our data confirmed that workplace ostracism was positively related to psychological distress," explains Ho Kwong Kwan one of the study's authors. "We found that ingratiation neutralized the relationship between workplace ostracism and psychological distress when used by employees with a high level of political skill, but exacerbated the association when ingratiation was used by employees with low political savvy."

Individual vs. Organizational Solutions

While the path to success and health may personally and individually come from sucking up, the authors of the study suggest that organizations should create a culture that discourages workplace ostracism by provide training to managers and employees. An organization which enhances self-esteem, encourages effective problem solving techniques, and promotes the development of political skills would be far healthier for everyone.

Image: Some rights reserved by Alex E. Proimos

Coffee Could Lower Risk of Depression in Women

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:29:08 +0000

Coffee is a much-researched substance and it often appears the verdict is out on its potential benefits or detriments. I love coffee, but have admitted that much of my love affair with coffee comes from the ritual of it rather than the actual substance.

Drinking several cups a day is linked with a lower risk of depression in women, according to a new study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (click here for the abstract). The study found that women with the highest coffee intake, around four cups a day, had a 20% lower risk of depression. Depression will affect around 20% of women in their lifetimes.

Compared with women who drank one cup or less a week, those who had two to three cups a day had a 15% lower risk of depression. Those who drank four or more had a 20% lower risk.

It's worth noting that this is an association, not cause and effect. But the new research is consistent with earlier studies finding that men who drink coffee have lower risks of depression, and that coffee consumption lowers suicide risk.

Why Could Coffee be an Anti-Depressant?

Caffeine activates several neurotransmitters related to depression, including dopamine and serotonin. But it's unclear what caffeine's affect is on the brain in the long term.

To Drink or Not Drink?

The new research probably shouldn't change your current coffee habit, but it does give you something to, er, sip on!

Image: Some rights reserved by Adan Garcia

How New Media Affects Your Eating Habits

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:29:24 +0000

When I read a new study about eating habits and the computer, I must confess that I was literally sitting at my computer eating lunch. Lunch seems like a great time to catch up on RSS feeds (yes, i still use those), check/stalk facebook profiles, and click around newspaper sites. But is it cutting into social time?

Surprisingly, no. A new study by Rochester Institute of Technology indicates that while individuals are more likely to have meals while sitting at the computer than at the kitchen table, and that they use social media as the main avenue to obtain recipe and nutritional information, they are not, in fact, less social than they were before.

Madeline Varno, a senior communications major at RIT and principle author of the study, says, "I sought to investigate how the explosion of new media is changing traditional notions of meals and how this is transforming human interaction ... As opposed to their parents or grandparents, college students do not see meals as a central activity in and of itself, either for enjoyment or communication. In fact none of the respondents I interviewed even had a kitchen table.

"Eating is now just one of several activities being multitasked at once, all of which generally involve computers and smartphones, including surfing the Web, communicating with friends via Facebook and doing homework," she continues. "This does not mean that students are any less social; in fact, they are often interacting with more people than if they were sitting in a dining room, but the method of that socialization is now directly connected to new media."

The study was limited to RIT students and Varno hopes to study the issue further. I'm about to get up and have a cup of coffee ... away from my computer. How does social media impact your eating habits?

Image: Some rights reserved by lincoln-log

Waking Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed Affects Work

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:30:28 +0000

A new study of telephone customer service representatives shows just how important it is for employees to start the workday in a good mood. Employee mood has a clear impact on performance, including both how much work employees do and how well they do it.

"We saw that employees could get into these negative spirals where they started the day in a bad mood and just got worse over the course of the day," says Steffanie Wilk, associate professor of management and human resources at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business who conducted the study with Nancy Rothbard of the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Their results appear in the Academy of Management Journal.

The study involved 29 customer service representatives who handled phone calls made by customers to a large U.S. insurance company. Over the course of about three weeks, the participants filled out measures of their mood at the beginning of the workday and two other random times during each day. At those two other points in the day, they also indicated how their latest customer seemed to them, such as whether they were rude, calm, insulting or cheerful.

Independent coders listened to the calls and also provided more objective ratings of customers' moods as well as rated how well the representative handled calls. In addition, the researchers measured how many calls the representatives took each day, number of calls transferred, and the percentage of time that representatives were available to customers.

Start the Day Wearing Rose-Colored Glasses

The results showed that when employees started the day in a good mood, they tended to rate customers more positively through the day. They also tended to feel more positively themselves as the day progressed. However, while the start-of-the-day mood sets a tone, the results showed that employees' moods could and did change, Wilk says. And the good news is that employees were more likely to see an improvement in a bad mood than the loss of a good mood.

In 40 percent of the cases, an employee in a below-average mood for themselves moved into an above-average mood after a call. "Positive customers were related to workers' positive moods," Wilk says.

Perhaps surprisingly, negative customers didn't hurt employees who were already in a bad mood. "We call it the 'misery loves company' effect," she said. "If you're in a bad mood, it seems to help to talk to someone else who is feeling as bad as you. Maybe the employees were able to blow off some steam by reacting to rude customers."

Work Performance

For these customer service representatives, a good mood generally meant that the quality of their work improved. A higher-than-normal positive mood was related to greater verbal fluency on the phone (minimal use of pauses in speech and fillers such as "um" and "uh" and less verbal fumbling, such as tripping over words or mumbling).

A higher-than-normal negative mood was related to employees doing less work: they tended to answer fewer calls and needed more breaks between calls when they were feeling bad. "Employees knew that they were being monitored and that their supervisors knew when they weren't taking calls. Still, when they were in a bad mood they tended to be less available, which suggested they needed time away," says Wilk.

The research has clear implications for managers—and workers: do everything you can to help your employees start the day in a good mood. "We've all heard of companies that start the day with calisthenics or some team-building exercise. Many of us laugh at that, but there may be something to it," Wilks says.

Image: Some rights reserved by bark

Give a new person a call, text, or email.

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:31:18 +0000

You want to say: If you had told me I'd like/hang out with/enjoy this person, I would never have believed it, but I'm so glad I did!

Tebow Says It Depends What Lens You're Looking Through

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:21:34 +0000

"It's still a good day," said Tim Tebow after the Broncos lost to the Patriots on Saturday.

"It depends what lens you're looking through."

Tebow referenced meeting a kid before a game and making him smile, and says that if he chooses to look through that lens, the day the wild ride of the 2011 Broncos comes to an end, is still a positive day.

Love him or hate him as a quarterback, person, or leader, his outlook is one we can all take note of when we have our own tough days, our own season-ending games.

Try to find another lens to look through.

What do you believe the goal of societies is?

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:34:56 +0000

Authors of the new study profiled here believe that the goal of societies is to make citizens happy.

Twitter Users' Happiness is Trending Down

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:29:06 +0000

The average happiness of English-speaking Twitter users peaked in April 2009 and has been trending downward ever since, according to new research from the University of Vermont.

As PsychCentral reports, the researchers analyzed over 46 billion words written in tweets by 63 million Twitter users around the globe over the last three years. They then used Amazon's Mechanical Turk service to find online volunteers, having them rate the average happiness of the 10,000 most common words in English. For example, the volunteers rated “laughter” at 8.50, “food” 7.44, “truck” 5.48, “greed” 3.06 and “terrorist” 1.30.

The University of Vermont scientists then created a happiness graph, which shows happiness falling.

“After a gradual upward trend that ran from January to April 2009, the overall time series has shown a gradual downward trend, accelerating somewhat over the first half of 2011,” the researchers write in the Dec. 7 issue of the journal PLoS ONE.

“It appears that happiness is going down,” said Peter Dodds, an applied mathematician at UVM and the lead author on the new study.

Perhaps as interesting as the results is the very fact that UVM researchers devoted years to the study of happiness. In the study, they say, “Individual happiness is a fundamental societal metric,” noting that the “ultimate goal of much public policy is to improve and protect happiness.” A happiness measurement tool could ostensibly take regular measures of happiness in near real-time—thus immediately impacting public policy, marketing, and other fields.

“We get a sense of the aggregate expressions of millions of people, while they are communicating in a more natural way,” adds Chris Danforth, a mathematician and a co-author of the study.

Happiness Ebbs and Flows

The study demonstrates that happiness generally peaks over the weekend. Happiness also tends to drop from morning to night: “It’s part of the general unraveling of the mind that happens over the course of the day,” said Dodds.

The happiest days are holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, but “all the most negative days are shocks from outside people’s routines,” Dodds said. These drops are globally tied to events like swine flu, the U.S. economic bailout, the tsunami in Japan, and the death of actor Patrick Swayze.

The researchers are quick to add that feelings change quickly and the nature of happiness is one of the most complex, profound issues of human experience.

“There is an important psychological distinction between an individual’s current, experiential happiness and their longer term, reflective evaluation of their life,” they write in the study, “and in using Twitter, our approach is tuned to the former kind.”

“By measuring happiness, we’re not saying that maximizing happiness is the goal of society,” Dodds concludes. “It might well be that we need to have some persistent degree of grumpiness for cultures to flourish.”

Image: Some rights reserved by Robert Scoble

via Business Insider

Happiness Can Deter Crime

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:29:07 +0000

Happy adolescents report less involvement in crime and drug use than other youth, a new UC Davis study finds. "In addition to their other benefits, programs and policies that increase childhood and adolescent happiness may have a notable effect on deterring nonviolent crime and drug use."

The paper, "Get Happy! Positive Emotion, Depression and Juvenile Crime," is co-authored by Bill McCarthy, a UC Davis sociology professor, and Teresa Casey, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Davis. "Our results suggest that the emphasis placed on happiness and well-being by positive psychologists and others is warranted," McCarthy said.

The authors used 1995 and 1996 data from nearly 15,000 seventh- to ninth-grade students in the federally funded National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the largest, most comprehensive survey of adolescents ever undertaken.

29 percent of the youth surveyed reported having committed at least one criminal offense
18 percent said that they had used at least one illegal drug

The researchers then correlated these reports with self-assessments of emotional well-being. Happier adolescents were less likely to report involvement in crime or drug use. Adolescents with minor, or nonclinical, depression had significantly higher odds of engaging in such activities.

McCarthy and Casey hypothesize that, "the benefits of happiness — from strong bonds with others, a positive self-image and the development of socially valued cognitive and behavioral skills — reinforce a decision-making approach that is informed by positive emotions."

The study also found that changes in emotions over time matter.

Adolescents who experienced a decrease in their level of happiness or an increase in the degree of their depression over a one-year period had higher odds of being involved in crime and of using drugs.

Most adolescents experience both happiness and depression, and the study finds that the relative intensity of these emotions is also important. The odds of drug use were notably lower for youth who reported that they were more often happy than depressed, and were substantially higher for those who indicated that they were more depressed than happy.

Image: Some rights reserved by bufferchuck

The 15% Rule

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:29:08 +0000

I recently read that 15% of the hours you are awake in any given day should be focused entirely on you. I googled it, and I got a lot of information about blood sugar drops, drivetrain power loss, and E15, so perhaps it's not all that common a rule. But really, it should be.

Say you get up at 8am and usually go to sleep around 11pm, getting 9 hours of sleep. Then at least 2 hours of every single day should be focused on activities solely for your benefit.

People who use this report that they are happier both inside and out.

Three Easy Steps to Implement the 15% Rule

1. Make your list. Determine what daily activity or activities you love to do, what gives you energy, what makes you a happier person. Mine: working out (can be gym, yoga, skiing, running, swimming, etc), walking the dog, cooking a new meal, reading my favorite blogs, journaling, crafting (or at least Pinterest-ing things I might want to craft). Those are all just for me—well, except maybe walking the dog.

2. Ease into it. You can start with 15 minutes if that's all you feel like you have! For me, working out is non-negotiable, though what form it takes is. Sometimes I have time for two hours at the gym. Sometimes, I squeeze in 17 minutes and call it a day. Sometimes, walking to the coffeeshop has to count as my exercise.

3. Keep it up, but don't sweat it. Once you've been 15%-ing for even a few days, you'll notice a difference. Miss a few days? Don't sweat it, just get back in the saddle. There's no right way to live your 15%, make it work for you.

Making YOU a priority even for a small amount of time every day will have an enormous payoff in all areas of your life!

via CharlesPoliquin.com

Image: Some rights reserved by Rennett Stowe

Delving Into Politics: Progressive Tax System Makes People Happier

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:29:09 +0000

A new study comparing 54 nations found that flattening the tax system of the nation risks flattening the social well-being of the nation as well. "The more progressive the tax policy is, the happier the citizens are," says University of Virginia psychologist Shigehiro Oishi, summarizing the findings. Oishi conducted the study with Ulrich Schimmack of the University of Toronto at Mississauga and Ed Diener, also at University of Illinois and the Gallup Organization.

A flat tax system is where everyone pays at the same rate regardless of income, versus progressive taxation, where wealthier people are taxed at higher rates. For example, the U.S. has been diminishing progressivity of its tax structure for decades.

The researchers analyzed the relationship between tax progressivity and personal well-being in 54 nations surveyed by the Gallup Organization in 2007—a total of 59,634 respondents. Well-being was expressed in people's assessments of their overall life quality, from "worst" to "best possible life," on a scale of 1 to 10; and in whether they enjoyed positive daily experiences (such as smiling, being treated with respect, and eating good food) or suffered negative ones, including sadness, worry, and shame. Finally, the analysis looked at the participants' satisfaction with their nation's public goods, from schools to clean air.

The degree of progressivity was measured by the difference between the highest and lowest tax rates.

The (Progressive) Results

On average, residents of the nations with the most progressive taxation evaluated their own lives as closer to "the best possible." That happiness, Oishi says, was "explained by a greater degree of satisfaction with the public goods, such as housing, education, and public transportation."

Higher government spending per se did not yield greater happiness, in spite of the well-being that was associated with satisfaction with state-funded services. In fact, there was a slight negative correlation between government spending and average happiness.

"That data is kind of weird," Oishi says. He guesses that the misalignment might indicate national differences in the efficiency with which those services are delivered or in people's relative ability to access them.

But, he says, "If the goal of societies is to make citizens happy, tax policy matters," he says. "Certain policies, like tax progressivity, seem to be more conducive to the happiness of the people."

Image: Some rights reserved by Gamma Man

Dogs Understand Our Intent

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:18:09 +0000

Dogs pick up not only on the words we say but also on our intent to communicate with them, says a report published online in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on January 5.

Dogs' receptivity to human communication is surprisingly similar to the receptivity of very young children, the researchers say. "Increasing evidence supports the notion that humans and dogs share some social skills, with dogs' social-cognitive functioning resembling that of a 6-month to 2-year-old child in many respects," said József Topál of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, author of the study.

Communicative intent cues include verbal addressing and eye contact; those cues appear to work on both humans and dogs. "Our findings reveal that dogs are receptive to human communication in a manner that was previously attributed only to human infants," Topál says.

The Research

Topál's team presented dogs with video recordings of a person turning toward one of two identical plastic pots while an eye tracker captured information on the dogs' reactions. In one condition, the person first looked straight at the dog, addressing it in a high-pitched voice with "Hi dog!" In the second condition, the person gave only a low-pitched "Hi dog" while avoiding eye contact.

The data show that the dogs were more likely to follow along and look at the pot when the person first expressed intent to communicate.

The Takeaways

Communicative intent cues can help you in many situations, not just with furry friends. Use verbal addressing and eye contact to engage people in what you're saying!

Yoga Poses to Help You Fall Asleep

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:36:50 +0000

Say you almost always fall asleep easily at night ... it somehow makes the nights you can't fall asleep that much more difficult! If you're agitated, anxious, or just wired, try a few bedtime yoga poses to Om you right into Dreamland. Leslie Peters at Yoga Journal has made a list of some of the best sleep-inducing yoga poses.

Inversions

Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand) prepares the body for sleep when practiced before bed. If you didn't get enough sleep, Shoulderstand may help compensate. But all inversions can help you get to sleep. Try:

Salamba Sirsasana (Supported Headstand)
Halasana (Plow Pose)
Viparita Karani (Legs-up-the-Wall Pose)

Forward Bends

Hold for five minutes.

Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)
Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend)
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose)
Janu Sirsasana (Head-to-Knee Pose)
Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)

After a few minutes, you should be ready to hit they hay with a newfound calm. If you don't, try ...

Supported Supine Poses

Supta Baddha Konasana (Reclining Bound Angle Pose)
Supta Virasana (Reclining Hero Pose)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)

Not sure what any of these poses are? Get thee to a beginnger yoga class (or youtube, really ...) to learn the basics!

Image: Some rights reserved by Perfecto Insecto

Pluck your eyebrows

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 07:35:24 +0000

You Don't Even Know Who You Want (To Date)

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:05:00 +0000

In junior high, I made a list with 101 things I wanted in a boyfriend. I tried to throw away the list fifteen years later and my father kept it, planning on embarrassing me at my wedding with it (it hasn't happened yet). But new research shows that despite your wish list, when you actually meet someone, all your ideals go out the window.

The new study from Northwestern University and Texas A&M University, "When and Why Do Ideal Partner Preferences Affect the Process of Initiating and Maintaining Romantic Relationships?" appeared in the November edition of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

People liked potential partners that matched their ideals more than those that mismatched their ideals when they examined written descriptions of potential partners, but those same ideals didn't matter once they actually met in person, according to psychologists Paul W. Eastwick, Eli J. Finkel and Alice H. Eagly.

"People have ideas about the abstract qualities they're looking for in a romantic partner," said Eastwick, assistant professor of psychology at Texas A&M University and lead author of the study. "But once you actually meet somebody face to face, those ideal preferences for traits tend to be quite flexible."

Say you prefer a partner who, online or on paper, fits the bill of being persistent. "After meeting in person, you might feel that, yeah, that person is persistent, but he can't compromise on anything. It's not the determined and diligent kind of persistent that you initially had in mind," Eastwick said.

The idea is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, said Finkel, associate professor of psychology at Northwestern University and co-author of the study.

"People are not simply the average of their traits," he said. "Knowing that somebody is persistent, ambitious and sexy does not tell you what that person is actually like. It doesn't make sense for us to search for partners that way."

"Thinking about this or that feature of a person apart from taking the whole person into account doesn't predict actual attraction," Eagly said. "While some online dating sites have video features that provide some context, generally people are matched on their answers to specific questions that do not capture the whole person."

Scores from answers to questions such as "How much money do you earn?" or "Are you extroverted?" provide two-dimensional facts rather than three-dimensional humanness, Finkel said.

For those seeking prospective partners, don't be surprised if you end up ignoring your preconceived notions about what would make an ideal mate.

"Based on those ideals, you might end up liking a person upon meeting face to face, or you might have the opposite reaction," Finkel said. As Eastwick notes, it is not uncommon for someone to say, 'If you had tried to set me up with this guy, I would never have gone out with him, but I'm so glad I did!'"

Image: Some rights reserved by kevin dooley

Smelly Socks May Prevent Malaria

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:05:01 +0000

The scientific team at Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania has learned that the most effective way to attract mosquitoes to a device designed to trap and kill them is the odor of smelly socks or similar smelling synthetic bait developed at the Institute. Both the socks and the bait are highly effective and attract four times more mosquitoes than a human being does. Once the mosquitoes are in the device, they are trapped or poisoned and left to die.

Grand Challenges Canada is funding a grant to support further development of the innovative device to attract and kill mosquitoes that can transmit malaria. Developed by Dr. Fredros Okumu, the device is placed outside the home and is the outdoor complement to bed nets and sprays which protect people from infection in their homes. Dr. Okumu's grant, funded jointly by Grand Challenges Canada and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will support research into testing and improving the device with the expectation it will be developed by the community in two years.

"Despite global progress in the fight against malaria, there is still work to be done," says Dr. Okumu.

"Each year, there are almost 250 million new cases of malaria; almost 800,000 people die, and most of those deaths are children," says Dr. Peter A. Singer, Chief Executive Officer of Grand Challenges Canada. "This local Tanzanian innovation could contribute significantly to accelerating the elimination of malaria and save lives."

This initiative is a demonstration of Grand Challenges Canada's Integrated Innovation approach. Integrated Innovation is the coordinated application of scientific/technological, social and business innovation to develop solutions to complex challenges.

Grand Challenges Canada is funded by Canada's foreign aid budget. Canada is the first country in the world to take a grand challenges approach to international development.

Only Three Beauty Tools?

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:05:06 +0000

Instyle.com reports that Nicole Richie (former Paris Hilton BFF, current House of Harlow 1960 and Winter Kate designer, married to Joel Madden) doesn't wear much makeup. The website quotes Richie saying, "I don’t even own it. I only own undereye concealer, Maybelline mascara, and an eyelash curler.”

Hmmm ... sounds sort of like me!

Of course, Richie does wear plenty of makeup on the red carpet, but she says, “I have to get it done every time I want to wear makeup. I do not know how to wear it at all. It’s so bad.”

Ladies, if could only keep three makeup items, what would they be?

Fellas, you're not left out, we know you groom! What's your #1 grooming essential?

Image: Some rights reserved by Dottie Mae

Nail Polish is the Happiest Beauty Product

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:05:08 +0000

I once had a boyfriend ask me, "tell me something I don't know about you."

People, this is a difficult question. Where do I take it? Tell him that I like having nothing but wine, chocolate, and a TV show for dinner sometimes? Tell him that I often pretend to be strong and capable, and I am, but I'd really rather he move my couch/fix my light/change my tires for me? Tell him that I will probably always love my dog more than him?

No. Instead, I said, "I only paint my nails when I'm really happy or really sad. When I'm happy I want to express it, and when I'm sad I want to cheer myself up."

So when i read on Cincinnati.com that 15 local girls spent an evening painting the nails of the girls and women who live at the St. Joseph Home, because nail polish topped the wish list of the residents during the holidays, I obviously related.

According to Cincinnati.com, development director Renee Russell explains that the girls and women at the home don’t have much mobility, so looking at their bright-colored fingernails brings them happiness.

And nail polish appears to be bringing happiness to women across the country, as WWD reports that total nail sales (color and top/base coats) were up an astonishing 59 percent for the first 10 months of 2011. All other color categories were only up 10 percent.

Weigh in ... does painting your nails bring you happiness?

Fellas, my brother once got a pedicure. He painted one toe neon green. And had not one but two girls hit on him. So you can weigh in too if you like.

Prune Your Tree Body

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 20:05:09 +0000

Inspired by a story from blogger Strong is the New Skinny, let's talk about pruning trees.

What? As a young girl, I occasionally worked with my grandpa on the tree farm. We'd inspect all the trees, and we mostly went around cutting off the low, downward-growing branches. (My favorite tree was a crooked one we duct-taped back together, but I digress.) We cut the low branches because they didn't help the tree grow and took vital nutrients away from the healthy branches.

In her blog post, Marsha talks about cutting some negative branches out of her life. Friends who don't support healthy eating habits, toxic co-workers, whoever.

Think about yourself as a tall, strong, healthy tree soaking up the sun. Do you have any low-hanging limbs that need pruning? Any people, commitments, organizations in your life that are taking vital nutrients away from the things you enjoy?

Image: Some rights reserved by John-Morgan

Does Sugar Need to be a Controlled Substance?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:24:52 +0000

Sugar is responsible for 35 million deaths annually worldwide from non-communicable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco argue that sugar should be controlled like alcohol and tobacco to protect public health.

In the Feb. 2 issue of Nature, Robert Lustig MD, Laura Schmidt PhD, MSW, MPH, and Claire Brindis, DPH, colleagues at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), argue that sugar's potential for abuse, coupled with its toxicity and pervasiveness in the Western diet make it a primary culprit of this worldwide health crisis. The study is interdisciplinary, with researchers trained in endocrinology, sociology, and public health.

Sugar Kills

Non-communicable diseases now pose a greater health burden worldwide than infectious diseases, according to the United Nations. In the United States, 75 percent of health care dollars are spent treating these diseases.

Sugar, they argue, is far from just "empty calories" that make people fat. At the levels consumed by most Americans, sugar:

changes metabolism
raises blood pressure
critically alters the signaling of hormones
causes significant damage to the liver – the least understood of sugar's damages.

These health hazards largely mirror the effects of drinking too much alcohol (distilled sugar).

"As long as the public thinks that sugar is just 'empty calories,' we have no chance in solving this," said Lustig, a professor of pediatrics, in the division of endocrinology at the UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital and director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health (WATCH) Program at UCSF.

"There are good calories and bad calories, just as there are good fats and bad fats, good amino acids and bad amino acids, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates," Lustig said. "But sugar is toxic beyond its calories."

Sugar Consumption

Worldwide consumption of sugar has tripled during the past 50 years and is viewed as a key cause of the obesity epidemic.

Limiting the consumption of sugar has challenges beyond educating people about its potential toxicity. "We recognize that there are cultural and celebratory aspects of sugar," said Brindis, director of UCSF's Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies. "Changing these patterns is very complicated"

According to Brindis, effective interventions can't rely solely on individual change, but instead on environmental and community-wide solutions, similar to what has occurred with alcohol and tobacco, that increase the likelihood of success. "In order to move the health needle, this issue needs to be recognized as a fundamental concern at the global level," Schmidt, professor of health policy at UCSF's Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (IHPS), says.

Sugar Solution

Many of the interventions that have reduced alcohol and tobacco consumption can be models for addressing the sugar problem, such as levying special sales taxes, controlling access, and tightening licensing requirements on vending machines and snack bars that sell high sugar products in schools and workplaces.

"We're not talking prohibition," Schmidt said. "We're not advocating a major imposition of the government into people's lives. We're talking about gentle ways to make sugar consumption slightly less convenient, thereby moving people away from the concentrated dose. What we want is to actually increase people's choices by making foods that aren't loaded with sugar comparatively easier and cheaper to get."

Image: Some rights reserved by oskay

Meditation is the Brain's Pushup

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:31:29 +0000

Just like pushups are ubiquitous from gyms everywhere to P.E. to prisons, meditation is slowly becoming more mainstream. Goldie Hawn even founded a group to put meditation education in schools, called MindUp, and elementary students are reportedly loving it. New research reveals that meditators' brains are not only filled with more gray matter, but they atrophy much slower. Imagine the possibliities if you had started meditating as a kid!

The Research

Two years ago, researchers found that specific regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger and had more gray matter than the brains of individuals in a control group. Now, a follow-up study in the online edition of the journal NeuroImages uggests that people who meditate also have stronger connections between brain regions and show less age-related brain atrophy.

Eileen Luders, a visiting assistant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, and colleagues used a type of brain imaging known as diffusion tensor imaging, or DTI, a relatively new imaging mode that provides insights into the structural connectivity of the brain.

"Our results suggest that long-term meditators have white-matter fibers that are either more numerous, more dense or more insulated throughout the brain," Luders said. "We also found that the normal age-related decline of white-matter tissue is considerably reduced in active meditation practitioners."

The study consisted of 27 active meditation practitioners (average age 52) and 27 control subjects, who were matched by age and sex. The number of years of meditation practice ranged from 5 to 46; self-reported meditation styles included Shamatha, Vipassana and Zazen, styles that were practiced by about 55 percent of the meditators.

"It is possible that actively meditating, especially over a long period of time, can induce changes on a micro-anatomical level," says Luders, who meditates. "Meditation, however, might not only cause changes in brain anatomy by inducing growth but also by preventing reduction," Luders said. "That is, if practiced regularly and over years, meditation may slow down aging-related brain atrophy, perhaps by positively affecting the immune system."

Nature vs. Nurture

While it is tempting to assume that the differences between the two groups constitute actual meditation-induced effects, there is still the unanswered question of nature versus nurture.

"It's possible that meditators might have brains that are fundamentally different to begin with," Luders says. "For example, a particular brain anatomy may have drawn an individual to meditation or helped maintain an ongoing practice — meaning that the enhanced fiber connectivity in meditators constitutes a predisposition towards meditation, rather than being the consequence of the practice."

Still, "Meditation appears to be a powerful mental exercise with the potential to change the physical structure of the brain at large."

Image: Some rights reserved by Joe Shlabotnik

Praying

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:07:15 +0000

Sporting green cords and a black tshirt, wvrapped in a green shawl, the girl wandered around St. Peter's Basilica, interested but not entirely engaged by the significance of the historical site.

He watched her as she made various faces: of wonder, of curiosity, of confusion. He watched her as she quickly read the sign posted outside of the prayer room: "For prayer only." She walked on by.

She went on, read another plaque, and then she turned around. She paused, as if gathering strength or courage. Then, she slowly ambled up to the prayer room, and after watching several people go in, she too went in.

The prayer room looked like every church, with an altar, pews, and everything else religiously significant to Catholics. People knelt on the kneeling pads behind the pews and prayed, and then crossed themselves and rose to go.

She watched. She leaned against the wall observing, and that was all he could see.

Outwardly, she looked peacefully observant, but inside her intelligent mind a war was waged: I don't know how to pray like this! I've never knelt down and prayed before! So? Everyone can pray, there's no set way you have to do it. Well if there's no set way, why would I bother praying here and not anywhere else? You don't have to, it's just a sacred place where you can join with others in prayer. Oh.

Like that, the girl strode to the closest pew and knelt down on the pad. She was surprised by how comfortable it was, and how easily her elbows slid onto the back of the pew, and how her hands drew together in the symbol of prayer. She took a deep breath and bowed her head. He saw her and thought she looked like a pro, like anyone else in the room. Of course, she was like no one else in the room.

She began by thanking. She was hesitant to name this entity she thanked God because of the connotations this suggested to her, but she thanked and thanked and thanked for all the blessings in her life. Thoughts popped into her head and she prayed for a lost love who hurt her, and then her own healing from that love. She was swept away by prayer, but not in a rapid frenzy—rather, in a bubbling brook of gratitude that cascaded gently from her heart.

She rose to go, the muscles in her jaw tingling from clenching her teeth to prevent the tears welling up in her eyes from springing forth. She tried to look composed as she faced the others in the prayer room, but he knew.

He had seen this happen to many, and he knew the light feeling she felt, her heart beating fast with the glory of gratitude. He watched and knew. She quickly left St. Peter's. There was nothing to see that could compare to her prayer.

By Lyssa Myska Allen, 2006

Image: Some rights reserved by xiquinhosilva

Cellphone Roulette

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 15:52:41 +0000

Tired of friends answering their phones during group dinners? Have everyone stack their phones in the center of the table. First person to reach for their phone, even if it rings/dings/vibes, pays for dinner.

Better than credit card roulette, and everyone is rewarded with real, present human interaction!

How Grief Can Break Your Heart

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:01:03 +0000

By Dr. Mercola

Dying from a broken heart may seem more like a scene from a Shakespearean drama than reality, but extreme grief really can "break" your heart.

In the days after losing someone close to you, your risk of suffering from a heart attack goes through the roof -- increasing by up to 21 times!

If You Lose a Loved One, You're at Serious Risk of Having a Heart Attack

It's well known that psychological stress exacts a great physical toll on your health, but new research reveals just how extreme that toll can be.

In comparing how grief affects your heart disease risk within a period of time, researchers found that losing a significant person in your life raises your risk of having a heart attack the next day by 21 times, and in the following week by 6 times.

The risk of heart attacks began to decline after about a month had passed, perhaps as levels of stress hormones begin to level out.

The study did not get into the causes of the abrupt increase in risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack, but it's likely related to the flood of stress hormones your body is exposed to following extreme stress.

For instance, adrenaline increases your blood pressure and your heart rate, and it's been suggested it may lead to narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to your heart, or even bind directly to heart cells allowing large amounts of calcium to enter and render the cells temporarily unable to function properly.

Interestingly, while your risk of heart attack increases following severe stress, so does your risk of what's known as stress cardiomyopathy -- or "broken heart syndrome" -- which is basically a "temporary" heart attack that occurs due to stress.

Did Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno Die from a "Broken Heart"?

Joe Paterno, the beloved former head football coach at Penn State University, died just 74 days after he was fired from his position in the wake of a sex abuse scandal. It was last November that child sex allegations were brought up against Jerry Sandusky, Paterno's assistant at Penn State, and many blamed Paterno for not doing more to protect the boys.

Paterno had been quoted as saying the incident was "one of the great sorrows in my life," and noted he was "absolutely devastated" by the allegations against Sandusky. This undoubtedly placed great stress on Paterno, and in combination with also losing his position at Penn State, may very well have contributed to his demise.

While it's officially said that Paterno died from complications from lung cancer, stress, grief and a broken heart would be hard to rule out as contributing factors.

Broken Heart Syndrome Often Mimics a Heart Attack

The symptoms of stress cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome are very similar to those of a typical heart attack -- chest pain, shortness of breath, low blood pressure and even congestive heart failure can occur. There are some important differences, however.

In broken heart syndrome, the symptoms occur shortly after an extremely stressful event, such as a death in the family, serious financial loss, extreme anger, domestic abuse, a serious medical diagnosis, or a car accident or other trauma. This stress and the subsequent release of stress hormones are thought to "stun" or "shock" the heart, leading to sudden heart muscle weakness.

This condition can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention, however it is often a temporary condition that leaves no permanent damage. In most cases a typical heart attack occurs due to blockages in the coronary arteries that stop blood flow and cause heart cells to die, leading to irreversible damage. But people with broken heart syndrome often have normal arteries without significant blockages. The symptoms occur due to the emotional stress, so when the stress begins to die down, the heart is able to recover.

Stress Impacts Far More than Your Heart...

The fact is, you can't separate your health from your emotions. Every feeling you have affects some part of your body. And stress can wreak havoc even if you're doing everything else "right."

Extreme, sudden stress like the examples noted above can obviously have near-immediate impacts on your health, but so can lingering everyday stressors that we all juggle, particularly when they're not dealt with over time. This causes your body to remain in "fight or flight" mode for far too long -- much longer than was ever intended from a biological standpoint.

One of the most common consequences of this scenario is that your adrenal glands, faced with excessive stress and burden,become overworked and fatigued. This can lead to a number of related health conditions, including fatigue, autoimmune disorders, skin problems and more. Stress has also been linked to cancer by acting as a pathway between cancerous mutations, potentially triggering the growth of tumors. In fact, stress, and by proxy your emotional health, is a leading factor in virtually any disease or illness you can think of.

Are There Any Proven Ways to Deal With Grief?

Getting back to the original study, the grief experienced following the loss of a loved one is easily one of the most devastating experiences a person can face. So what can you do to get through it?

Generally speaking, the emotional intensity of feelings of grief will recede over time, but the grieving process itself will be unique to you. You might feel denial and anger, but you might not. You might feel depressed or a yearning for your loved one, or you might not. It's important to open your mind to the notion that whatever you feel during your grieving process is OK, and likely exactly what you need.

While grief can feel insurmountable and become understandably all-consuming, take comfort in the fact that virtually everyone is able to move past the dark feelings. Typically within six months, you'll begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

During the grieving process, be gentle with yourself and take steps to support positive mental health. Exercise is very helpful for thisaspect. Other common stress reduction tools with a high success rate include prayer, meditation and yoga. The Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, is another option; it's a psychological acupressure technique, one I highly recommend to manage stress and optimize your emotional health.

Also, please remember that both your mind and mood are significantly affected by your diet, so don't dismiss that part. While it may not be a miracle cure in and of itself, it can be extremely difficult to achieve sound mental health without the proper foundation of a sound diet and exercise plan.

Sound sleep is another critical issue. You can have the best diet and exercise program possible but if you aren't sleeping well your mental health can suffer and it is difficult to make healing progress. You can find 33 tips to help improve your sleep habits here.

Remember, left untended, emotional trauma like losing a loved one can lead to serious health problems down the road -- anything from heart attacks to depression and cancer is possible. If you've been dealing with debilitating feelings of grief that last for a year or more, professional help, including counseling or working with an EFT professional, may be warranted.

As an aside, many of these same tips, particularly my nutrition plan for proper diet along with regular exercise and attention toreducing emotional stress will drastically lower your heart disease and heart attack risk from any cause, so it's wise to implement them into your lifestyle whether you're experiencing grief or not.

One final tip... low levels of vitamin D in your blood have long been correlated with higher risk of heart disease and heart attacks, as well as problems with emotional health, such as depression. So I recommend you optimize your vitamin D levels for the sake of both your heart health and your emotional health.

Ramblings from Paris, Texas

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:45:39 +0000

Robyn Whyte writes at Robyn Writes. She recently left Austin, TX for Paris, TX, moving to a home on four acres with a large pasture across the road and a 5 acre pond in the back yard. She says, "We have succumbed to urban fatigue."

For years I have thought and written about Stepping Out and its two definitions:

1. The conscious decision to temporarily remove oneself from the drama of daily living in order to access more completely the Truth about ourselves.
2. The conscious decision to go forth boldly.

Our move to Paris was intended to satisfy both definitions. Where the journey will lead is still the great unknown.

Most folks our age downsize. We, on the other hand, opted for more space -- a larger home, more land, fewer neighbors--space, space, space. It is perhaps irrational, but I find myself glorying in all the space. We have empty cabinets -- I can't tell you how exciting that is to me.

I have begun the process of discovering a sense of community. I am not a good loner. Yesterday I attended an AlAnon meeting--the only one in Paris, and was pleasantly surprised.

This Sunday we will continue our church search. Having not attended church for many years, it is interesting to observe my reactions and responses to church "cultures." There are more than 100 churches in Paris. If there are any non-Christian religious groups in Paris, I've yet to be made aware of them.

I am reminded of the days when I believed God had preferences and emotions, that God blessed and punished. With that mindset, I believed that it was possible to please or displease God, gain God's approval or disapproval, be a cause for God's rejoicing or commiseration, that my actions and attitudes would have an effect on how God feels and reacts.

With the growing knowledge that GOD IS, that all God does is "God," and that God continues "Godding," no matter what I, or you, do is a blessed relief. God loves.

Rambling thoughts today...

Time = Money = Less Happiness

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:18:47 +0000

Treating time as money "can actually undermine your well-being," says Sanford DeVoe, one of two researchers at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management who carried out a new study to be published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. The new study shows people who put a price on their time are more likely to feel impatient when they're not using it to earn money. That hurts their ability to derive happiness during leisure activities.

The pair conducted three experiments, and the results demonstrate that thinking about time in terms of money "changes the way you actually experience time," says Prof. DeVoe. "Two people may experience the same thing, over the same amount of time, yet react to it very differently."

With growth over the last several decades in jobs paid by the hour, it's important for people to be mindful of the impact this can have on their leisure enjoyment. “What thinking about your time in terms of money does is that it interferes with your ability to enjoy your leisure time because you’re not making any money from those activities,” says DeVoe. He offers three tips for maximizing your leisure time:

Maximizing Your Leisure Time

When you’re off the clock, you want to think about your time as priceless (just like those Mastercard ads).
It can often be in our organization's or boss' interest to remind us of the monetary value of our time, but it’s critical for enjoying your time off the clock to leave that mindset at the office door.
One thing you might do is to consider when you’re doing something that gives you personal satisfaction and enjoyment, is to take an extra moment to take those experience in more fully – indeed, one of the reasons we work so hard is so that we are in a better position to do the things we enjoy.

Image: Some rights reserved by New Brunswick Tourism | Tourisme Nouveau-Brunswick

Apply the power of good intention to at least three different tasks today: a painful one, a pleasurable one, and a taste one.

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:55:09 +0000

Do your results mimic the results of this study?

‘It’s the Thought That Counts’

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:55:40 +0000

"The way we read another persons intentions changes our physical experience of the world," says University of Marlyland Assistant Professor Kurt Gray, author of "The Power of Good Intentions," newly published online ahead of print in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science (click here for the abstract).

"The results confirm that good intentions—even misguided ones—can soothe pain, increase pleasure, and make things taste better," the study concludes. It describes the ability of benevolence to improve physical experience as a "vindication for the power of good."

Pain, Pleasure, and Taste

The power of good intentions to shape physical experience was demonstrated in three separate experiments.

PAIN / EXPERIMENT 1

Three groups of participants received identical electric shocks at the hand of a partner.

1. "Accidental" condition: participants thought they were being shocked without their partner's awareness.
2. "Malicious” condition: participants thought they were being shocked on purpose, for no good reason.
3. "Benevolent" condition: partipants also thought they were being shocked on purpose, but because another person was trying to help them win money.

The result: Participants in the "benevolent" group experienced significantly less pain than both the "malicious" and "accident" participants.

PLEASURE / EXPERIMENT 2

People sat on an electric massage pad in an easy chair which was repeatedly turned on—either by an indifferent computer or a caring partner.

The result: Although the massages were identical, Gray found that partner massages caused significantly more pleasure than those administered by a computer.

TASTE / EXPERIMENT 3

Subjects were given candy in a package with a note attached.

For the benevolent group, the note read: "I picked this just for you. Hope it makes you happy.
The non-benevolent (indifferent) version read: "Whatever. I just don't care. I just picked it randomly."

The result: The candy not only tasted better to the benevolent group, but it also tasted significantly sweeter. "Perceived benevolence not only improves the experience of pain and pleasure, but can also make things taste better," the study concludes.

Applications

Medicine, relationships, business—the applications of positive intentions is widespread. "To the extent that we view others as benevolent instead of malicious, the harms they inflict upon us should hurt less, and the good things they do for us should cause more pleasure," the paper concludes. "Stolen parking places cut less deep and home-cooked meals taste better when we think well of others."

Image: Some rights reserved by digitizedchaos

Finding Yourself

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:09:32 +0000

Martha spits, “I will stop reading your paper if you write ‘I found myself…’ You can’t find yourself doing anything. You’re just doing it.”

Martha is my writing instructor. She’s a “published” author. She doesn’t know what a Sharpie is, and she doesn’t like my writing. She doesn’t get my writing. She doesn’t really get—or like—me.

Which makes me not really like her either.

But, this gem about Finding Yourself Doing Something Is Impossible has stuck with me. If you read every single thing I’ve written since my senior year of college, professional and personal, I doubt I’ve EVER used the phrase ‘I found myself …” I never found myself in Aspen, Colorado / found myself without a job / found myself single after three years. I moved myself to Aspen, Colorado; I quit my job without another one lined up; we decided to break up.

It makes sense that Martha’s teaching resonated with me: I believe in personal responsibility, and ‘finding yourself’ implies that you didn’t take action to get yourself to that place.

That said, between October and December of this year, I found myself.

I found myself living with my dog in a small room in a bed and breakfast, I found myself thinking I’d move to California but choosing to stay in Aspen instead, I found myself with a strong support network of girlfriends I didn’t realize I had, I found out why I had made the decisions I had, and I found out how to move forward with those decisions.

I found out that sometimes you have to find yourself somewhere to find out how you got there.

I found that it was a million little decisions that led me to where I ended up. I didn’t, couldn’t, have envisioned myself where I landed. But even the surprising experience of waking up and finding myself somewhere wasn’t without responsibility: I worked backward to figure out how I got there.

So maybe I didn’t quite get Martha. It’s okay to find yourself somewhere. But perhaps her point was that it is still up to you to figure out how you got there.

By Lyssa Myska Allen (see also: Praying)

Image: Some rights reserved by hyekab25

I Choose

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:09:47 +0000

Inspired by a post from Stumbling Towards Nirvana, I took on this challenge today: spend the entire day saying “I choose” before everything I do today. She says, “It's remarkable. All this choosing, every day, and all the ways I want to transfer blame for this thing I, and I alone, do.”

I choose to take a long time getting out of bed. I choose to eat a cookie for breakfast. I choose to be mad at myself for eating a cookie for breakfast. I choose to forget my gloves and have cold hands on my walk with the dog. I choose to cut the walk short, even though the dog is giving me the puppy dog eyes for which dogs are famous.

It completely changes your attitude on the day's events. Instead of feeling down, or like a victim of circumstance, no matter how small it might be (cold weather, for instance), you recognize your own role in your fate. And even if you're unhappy (you have no gloves), you're happier knowing you made that choice than feeling helpless against the cold.

Image: Some rights reserved by sunshinecity

Send a hand-written note through the mail today

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:18:55 +0000

Feeling inspired? Take on the Month of Letters Challenge—click here for more info.

1 or 24, sending a hand-written letter will make you feel a little nostalgic and a whole lot closer to the recipient.

It's World Happy Day!

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:33:21 +0000

World Happy Day is February 11, 2012. Thousands of people will join together in communities across the globe to experience the film HAPPY and begin their journeys toward healthier and happier lives. HAPPY is a 75-minute film, the winner of numerous awards, and the latest film from Academy Award® nominated director Roko Belic.

Here's a preview:

Click here to find a screening and a happy community near you!

Tell someone you might not normally tell that you love them today.

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:19:43 +0000

C'mon, it's Valentine's Day! This is a total freebie. Just make sure it's someone you might not normally tell: your grandma in another state, your bestie of ten years, your neighbor who bakes you pies, whatever. Make someone's day!

Cohabitation Might Be Better for Couples Than Marriage

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:21:48 +0000

In honor of Valentine's Day and all the ways you may be celebrating with or without a romantic partner, let's take a look at some new research that reveals that alternatives to traditional marriage could lead to more happiness.

"Marriage has long been an important social institution, but in recent decades western societies have experienced increases in cohabitation, before or instead of marriage, and increases in children born outside of marriage," says Dr. Kelly Musick, Associate Professor of policy analysis and management at Cornell University's College of Human Ecology. "These changes have blurred the boundaries of marriage, leading to questions about what difference marriage makes in comparison to alternatives."

A new study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family reveals that married couples experience few advantages for psychological well-being, health, or social ties compared to unmarried couples who live together. Both marriage and cohabitation provide benefits over being single.

This study compares marriage to cohabitation while using a fixed-effects approach that focuses on what changes when single men and women move into marriage or cohabitation. The study focused on key areas of well-being, considering questions on happiness, levels of depression, health, and social ties.

The results showed a spike in well-being immediately following both marriage and cohabitation as couples experienced a honeymoon period with higher levels of happiness and fewer depressive symptoms compared to singles. However, these advantages were short lived.

"We found that differences between marriage and cohabitation tend to be small and dissipate after a honeymoon period. Also while married couples experienced health gains—likely linked to the formal benefits of marriage such as shared healthcare plans—cohabiting couples experienced greater gains in happiness and self-esteem. For some, cohabitation may come with fewer unwanted obligations than marriage and allow for more flexibility, autonomy, and personal growth" says Musick.

Though happier, marriage and cohabitation both resulted in less contact with parents and friends compared to remaining single—and these effects appeared to persist over time. This likely comes as no surprise to anyone in a committed relationship of any kind, however.

"Compared to most industrial countries, America continues to value marriage above other family forms," concludes Musick. "However our research shows that marriage is by no means unique in promoting well-being and that other forms of romantic relationships can provide many of the same benefits."

Image: Some rights reserved by ferrarimanf355

This Trick May Force Your Body to Burn 400-500 Extra Calories/Day

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:03:45 +0000

By Dr. Mercola

For a number of years, scientists have been studying "brown fat."

Brown fat is a heat-generating type of fat that burnsenergy instead of storing it, and this may have important implications when it comes to weight loss.

Human newborns have a supply of brown fat to keep warm, but by adulthood they lose most of their stores of it.

Brown fat has been located in the neck area, around blood vessels (helping to warm your blood), and "marbled" in with white fat in visceral fat tissue.

In a new study, scientists found that they were able to activate the brown fat still present in adult men by exposing them to cold temperatures.

The men burned more calories when cooled, and lost white fat, the kind that causes obesity.

According to the study's authors¹:

"That adult humans possess brown fat is now accepted - but is the brown fat metabolically active? Does human brown fat actually combust fat to release heat?

... Ouellet et al. demonstrate that metabolism in brown fat really is increased when adult humans are exposed to cold.

This boosts the possibility that calorie combustion in brown fat may be of significance for our metabolism and, correspondingly, that the absence of brown fat may increase our proneness to obesity - provided that brown fat becomes activated not only by cold but also through food-related stimuli."

Research has shown that certain groups of people tend to have more brown fat than others, and there are direct correlations between the activation of brown fat and metabolic measures of good health. For example:

Slender people have more brown fat than obese people do
Younger people have more brown fat than elderly people, and
People with normal blood sugar levels have more brown fat than those with high blood sugar

Cold Temps Boost Brown Fat Activation

Swedish research published in 2009 also found that cold temperatures increased the activity in the subjects' brown fat regions, measured using positron-emission tomography (PET).

² In fact, cold-induced glucose uptake was increased by a factor of 15! While the Swedish researchers dipped the subject's foot into an ice bath while in the scanner, another similar study by researchers in the Netherlands chilled their subjects in a 16 degrees Celsius/61 degrees Fahrenheit room for two hours. They too found an uptick in brown fat activity.

Based on animal models, researchers estimate that just 50g of brown fat (which is less than what most study volunteers have been found to have) could burn about 20 percent of your daily caloric intake—and more if 'encouraged.'

According to a previous article on WebMD³:

"Kirsi A. Virtanen, MD, PhD, of the University of Turku, Finland, and colleagues analyzed brown fat in five young men. One of the men had about 2.2 ounces of brown fat. "If the brown [fat] in this example were fully activated, it would burn an amount of energy equivalent to approximately 4.1 kilograms [9 pounds]" of fat over the course of a year, the researchers calculate. And that's a low estimate, as this assumes only 50 percent activation of the brown fat."

Activating Your Brown Fat Might Help to Reduce Your Love Handles

No wonder people are anxious to tap into the fat burning capabilities of brown fat! Interestingly, brown fat actually behaves more like muscle than fat, and as you will soon see, there's good reason for that.

One of the researchers in this area is Bruce Spiegelman, PhD, with Harvard University's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Over the past five years, his research team has published at least five studies⁴ on the topic of brown fat, and in one, they identified a sort of master switch that promotes the production of brown fat. In 2008, they showed that the molecular switch, known as PRDM16, regulates whether immature cells will turn into brown fat or into muscle cells. In an interview with WebMD, Spiegelman said⁵:

"We showed that brown fat and white fat have completely different origins. Brown fat is derived from muscle. That was a huge surprise."

Another set of researchers from Harvard's Joslin Diabetes Center found another trigger for brown fat—a protein called BMP-7, which also promotes bone growth⁶. The researchers discovered that this protein acts as a growth factor for brown fat. Mice treated with BMP-7 protein grew up to have more brown fat than untreated mice, and the treated mice also used up more energy.

Needless to say, researchers are excited about the potential for a medical intervention that can help people develop more brown fat. But I would be cautious of any solution in a pill form. Instead, I'd suggest trying out some of the non-invasive methods that have been found to promote brown fat production and its activation. For example, in one mouse study, the animals converted white fat into brown fat simply by exercising.

According to Time Magazine⁷:

"During exercise, the animals' muscles released a newly discovered enzyme called irisin, which triggered the conversion. It's not clear whether the same phenomenon is true in people, though humans do have the same protein. However, the brown fat that is easily observed in humans tends not to be the kind that is derived from white fat."

Ice Therapy: a Viable Strategy?

Tim Ferriss, author of The Four-Hour Work Week, also published a book called The Four-Hour Body

⁸, which includes the concept of activating your brown fat to boost fat burning by exposing yourself to frigid temperatures. He claims you can increase your fat burning potential by as much as 300 percent simply by adding ice therapy to your dieting strategy. A LiveStrong article backs up Ferriss' claim stating⁹:

"A NASA scientist told ABC News that's no hyperbole. In studying the effects of temperature on astronauts, he saw people's metabolism boost by 20 percent in environments as mild as 60 degrees. A Joslin researcher told National Public Radio that 3 oz. of brown fat could burn 400 to 500 calories daily."

So, how does Ferriss' Ice Therapy work? Well, by cooling your body down with ice, you're essentially forcing it to burn much more calories by activating your brown fat as the studies above can attest to. His suggestions, from easy to 'hard core,' include the following. Do advance slowly! It may be inadvisable to go straight to the ice bath if you're not used to it!:

Place an ice pack on your upper back and upper chest for 30 minutes per day (you can do this while relaxing in front of the TV for example)
Drinking about 500 ml of ice water each morning
Cold showers
Immersing yourself in ice water up to your waist for 10 minutes, three times per week. (Simply fill your tub with cold water and ice cubes)

Four More Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Everyone's metabolism is different, but you can generally speed it up or slow it down within a reasonably short amount of time by making changes to your diet and lifestyle. Aside from resorting to ice therapy, the following common-sense strategies will also help boost your metabolism to encourage weight loss:

Avoid sugar (particularly fructose) and grains as they are the leading cause of insulin- and leptin-resistance, which directly affect your hunger levels, your fat-burning potential, and consequently your weight
Listen to your hunger, and eat a healthy meal or snack when hunger calls
Implement a well-rounded exercise regimen that includes:

strength training to build muscle (for every pound of muscle that you gain, your body burns 50-70 calories more per day), and
high-intensity interval training, which has been demonstrated to significantly increase fat loss by boosting human growth hormone production

Use healthy outlets for stress and negative emotions. Tools like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) are your friend and ally when it comes to losing weight. Meditation, prayer, journaling and even exercise can also provide positive outlets for stress.

Remember, the idea is not to deprive your body or starve yourself into a size 2. The goal is to establish a healthy relationship with food, one that will keep you satisfied, nourished and slim, all at the same time.

REFERENCES:

Try ice therapy today.

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:06:58 +0000

Tim Ferris' suggestions as quoted by Dr. Mercola in this article, from easy to 'hard core,' include the following. Do advance slowly! It may be inadvisable to go straight to the ice bath if you're not used to it!:

Place an ice pack on your upper back and upper chest for 30 minutes per day (you can do this while relaxing in front of the TV for example)
Drinking about 500 ml of ice water each morning
Cold showers
Immersing yourself in ice water up to your waist for 10 minutes, three times per week. (Simply fill your tub with cold water and ice cubes)

Massage Reduces Inflammation

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:07:44 +0000

About 18 million individuals undergo massage therapy annually in the U.S., making it the fifth most widely used form of complementary and alternative medicine.

Athletes will tell you massage is pain-relieving and recovery-promoting, and the average person can talk about how great her body feels after a massage.

But now there's scientific evidence that on the cellular level, massage reduces inflammation and promotes the growth of new mitochondria in skeletal muscle. The research, involving scientists from the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario appears in the February 1st online edition of Science Translational Medicine.

The study involved the genetic analysis of muscle biopsies taken from the quadriceps of eleven young males after they had exercised to exhaustion on a stationary bicycle. One of their legs was randomly chosen to be massaged. Biopsies were taken from both legs prior to the exercise, immediately after 10 minutes of massage treatment and after a 2.5 hour period of recovery.

Buck Institute faculty Simon Melov, PhD, was responsible for the genetic analysis of the tissue samples. "Our research showed that massage dampened the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the muscle cells and promoted biogenesis of mitochondria, which are the energy-producing units in the cells," said Melov. He added that the pain reduction associated with massage may involve the same mechanism as those targeted by conventional anti-inflammatory drugs. "There's general agreement that massage feels good, now we have a scientific basis for the experience," said Melov.

Tarnopolsky says, "This study provides evidence that manipulative therapies, such as massage, may be justifiable in medical practice." Visions of insurance-covered massages dance in our heads ...

Image: Some rights reserved by Nick J Webb

Worker Burnout: How to Fix It

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:14:33 +0000

The U.S. is losing approximately $225.8 billion per year due to absenteeism. A worker experiencing the stress of intense workdays might develop somatic symptoms, such as stomach ache or headache, which will eventually lead to taking leave of absence. But when the individual's supervisor offers emotional and instrumental support, the employee is more likely to recover without needing to take that extra afternoon or day off.

This has been shown in a new study soon to be published in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. Dr. Michal Biron of the University of Haifa's Graduate School of Management, set out to examine what interpersonal workplace dynamics are influencing the worker's "burnout" symptoms and whether those dynamics have an effect on when the individual ultimately takes sickness leave to recover.

The study was conducted in a manufacturing enterprise in China with a sample group of 241 workers. In China, there is significant distance between supervisor and employee, making it a particularly relevant context to examine the role of supervisor support relating to absenteeism.

The results showed that when the boss offers support in the form of, for example, a lightened work load or stress management training – it is more likely to keep the worker from taking sick leave. This is because the worker feels more inclined to reciprocate the supportive treatment by keeping their work effort high. "The worker who is given this sort of support is more likely to overcome the somatic stress and continue to work productively, leaving recovery for the normal after-work hours when we recharge our batteries," explains Dr. Biron.

The study also shows the impact of coworker support early on: "We see from this study that employers can provide concrete support for employees experiencing somatic stress symptoms, but can also encourage coworkers to support one another in the first place and minimize the effects triggered by their workload," Dr. Biron clarifies.

"With the enormous economic losses due to absenteeism and with this still being a poorly understood phenomenon, the results of this new study are shedding light on those factors influencing sickness absence and which can be considered in the effort to reduce the losses without compromising work ethic and commitment," explains Dr. Biron.

Image: Some rights reserved by billjacobus1

Book Review: No More Dirty Looks

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:46:35 +0000

Clean. Happy. Healthy. Eco-friendly. Ethical. Green. Natural. Organic. Cruelty-free. Bio-dynamic. Three-free. Renewable. Paraben-free.

These buzzwords in personal care abound, but how can you know what’s true, what’s green-washing, and what you don’t even need to worry about?

I was once a beauty editor, which means I tried A LOT of products for my job. One fateful day last year, I had just painted my nails with some sweet chunky glitter nail polish as I sat down to read a book recommended to me by many beauty experts: No More Dirty Looks by Siobhan O’Connor and Alexandra Spunt. As I read my eyes got bigger and bigger until I put the book down and stared at my nails in horror: WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE NAILS I JUST PAINTED?! Do I remove the offensive polish? With nail polish remover that’s JUST AS BAD?! Do I buy natural stuff tomorrow—but the chemicals will get me tonight!

That night, the book changed my life. I do not want to mainline chemicals into my body, and that's what I was doing using conventional products! I finished reading No More Dirty Looks in one sitting. Then I proceeded immediately to my bathroom and started throwing out all my beauty products. All. My. Beauty. Products. Despite the job perks, I don’t use a ton to begin with, but I am a girl, and there was a full grocery bag of crap to throw away.

No More Dirty Looks is a zesty, nitty-gritty-detail-filled tome, written in an incredibly straightforward tone. The authors know it’s hard to change an entire industry, but they set out with tons of research to do just that. The book delves immediately into what toxins do what, why they’re in what, and what you need to look for on labels.

What worked best for me, however, was the general attitude the authors take: here’s the info, and it’s up to you to decide how to use it, and what products to use. Some of it is common sense (and witty to boot): “Some general ground rules here, ladies: any beauty product that warns of high flammability should probably not come into contact with that beautiful mug of yours.” (p. 72)

Most of my days consist of a rolling-out-of-bed, splashing-water-on-the-face, rubbing-in-sunscreen routine that may or may not include brushing my hair and putting on mascara, so it wasn’t hard to slowly start replacing my stash with what I deem “happy” cosmetics, that is, ones that are free of harsh chemicals but still work. Sometimes I’m not the strictest about ingredients.

The most important thing is to get informed, read labels, and then decide what you can’t live without and where you can ditch the harmful ingredients.

My Top Three Clean Product Shopping Tips

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Start with face stuff. Sunscreen, lotion, toner, shaving gel for men, whatever you use, find happy versions of it.

Deodorant will be your biggest challenge. There are a few okay options, but nothing I can unequivocally recommend. Depending on your nose you might just have to stick with Dove (least offensive) until something better comes along.
Sunscreen is a non-negotiable item, and it must use physical barriers, be silky smooth on my face, and not show up white.
Cleansers and facial lotions are next on the list, and they're fairly easy to find with good ingredients.
Here is a Pinterest board of my top picks for face essentials (for men too!)

Your eyes are super sensitive and take in tons of toxins. The most important cosmetics to find are happy eyeliner and mascara, followed by eyeshadow.

Mascara is essential; unfortunately I’ve found only one mascara that works.
Nail polish is actually pretty easy to find.
Here is a Pinterest board of my top picks for happy cosmetics

Your hair is dead. Your scalp is not and soaks up lots of toxins.

Your first priority is a good shampoo. Experiment. A lot.
Don't even worry about hair spray. Seriously. It may be flammable but your hair is dead and that's all it touches, so it should be the last on your list.
Here is a Pinterest board of my top picks for hair products

Buzzwords can help, but make sure you understand the ingredients you're looking out for ... and reading No More Dirty Looks (they also have a blog here), can definitely help you on your journey!

Got happy product recommendations? By all means, PLEASE help us all out and leave 'em in the comments!

Stop the Hugs!

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:05:26 +0000

By Dan Lewis

Dan Lewis runs the popular daily newsletter Now I Know (“Learn Something New Every Day, By Email”). To subscribe to his daily email, click here.

The three colors on a typical traffic light have near-universal meaning: red means stop, green means go, and yellow is slow down — or something in between. Most everyone knows this, even preschoolers, which is to say that it doesn’t take a genius to figure out the signals above.

Yet Mensa uses it anyway. Not to regulate traffic, though — Mensa uses it to regulate hugs.

Mensa is an international society of high-IQ people; in order to be a member, one needs to have an IQ in the 98th percentile or above. It was founded in 1946 in England with the express rule that the only criteria for admission be that the prospective member meets the IQ (or equivalent) requirement; the organization is apolitical and does not discriminate based on race, religion, etc.

Over the course of the organization’s half-century plus history, Mensa gatherings have adopted a culture to themselves. For example, it is very common to find a large room at any given Mensa convention dedicated to games — board games, typically — and that room is often open and well-attended around the clock. (American Mensa even honors five games each year with an award called “Mensa Select,” given to games which are “original, challenging, and well-designed.”) And for some reason, hugging has become part and parcel of Mensa meetups.

Of course, not everyone has the same tolerance for hugs. So Mensa — most likely organically and informally — developed a red-yellow-green system for hugs. Meetup attendees can adorn their name tags with little circular stickers, as demonstrated above, via blogger Jen McCreight, who wore the above at a Mensa convention she spoke at in the summer of 2011. A green sticker means the wearer welcomes hugs by all comers; a yellow one instructs fellow Mensa-ites to ask first; and a red one means no hugging allowed.

When the hugging custom emerged is not publicly known. And it was not limited to McCreight’s experience. In his 2004 book, The “Know-It-All,” A.J. Jacobs recounts a similar story, available here (with some colorful language).

Bonus fact: Mensa members may be disproportionately fans of board games, and they may be geniuses, but if you ask the board gaming community what board games are the best, you’ll see very few Mensa Select winners on the list. Of the top 10 games on BoardGameGeek.com, only one, Dominion, is on the list of Mensa Select games.

From the Archives: Radioactive Red: It’s red and you don’t want to hug it.

Related: “The Know-It-All” by A.J. Jacobs, 4 stars on over 250 reviews. Also, Twilight Struggle, the highest rated board game on BoardGameGeek, 10 reviews total (the link goes to the Deluxe edition) averaging 5 stars.

To subscribe to Dan’s daily email Now I Know, click here. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Alternatively, discover Why Hugs Matter, check this article out.

Drink More Water

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 16:16:18 +0000

“Dehydration affects all people, and staying properly hydrated is just as important for those who work all day at a computer as it is for marathon runners," says Lawrence E. Armstrong, an international expert on hydration who has conducted research in the field for more than 20 years.

Even mild dehydration can alter a person's mood, energy level, and ability to think clearly, according to two studies recently conducted by Armstrong at the University of Connecticut's Human Performance Laboratory. Mild dehydration is defined as an approximately 1.5 percent loss in normal water volume in the body.

The test results affirm the importance of staying properly hydrated at all times and not just during exercise, extreme heat, or exertion. Armstrong says, “Our thirst sensation doesn't really appear until we are 1 or 2 percent dehydrated. By then dehydration is already setting in and starting to impact how our mind and body perform."

Hydration Even More Important for Women

"Even mild dehydration that can occur during the course of our ordinary daily activities can degrade how we are feeling—especially for women, who appear to be more susceptible to the adverse effects of low levels of dehydration than men," says Harris Lieberman, one of the studies' co-authors and a research psychologist with the Military Nutrition Division, U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine. The research is unclear why dehydration appears to affect women more than men.

How to Hydrate

Most people only think about drinking water when they are thirsty; but by then it may already be too late. In order to stay properly hydrated, experts like Armstrong recommend that individuals drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day, which is approximately 2 liters of water.

Most people know you can check your hydration status by monitoring the color of your urine. Here’s a primer: urine should be a very pale yellow in individuals who are properly hydrated; while urine that is dark yellow or tan in color indicates greater dehydration.

Carrying a reusable water bottle or coffee cup with you and refilling it at every opportunity can help you drink more water. The awareness is enough for some people; others set phone reminders or use tools like rubberbands or the Count Me Healthy Bracelet to check off the number of cups of water they’ve consumed during the day.

For tons of reuseable water bottle options, check out our Top Ten Water Bottles Pinterest board here.

Image: Some rights reserved by philipshannon

Remember When We Were Children

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:13:06 +0000

by Cindy Myska, therapist and mother of two

Remember when we were children?

Remember the death of your dreams?

Remember when we were children? When the world seemed safe from everything because we had someone taking care of us. Remember how as a child we did not know of a wish to do things ourselves. Remember the freedom and joy in each new activity. We worked as play and played as work. We brought home our lizards and toads, and washed our grimy faces after a day of play. We plotted and created. Make-believe castles and boats that did not float but were fun to make even if they did not work. We climbed the trees for a lookout position and made magic potions from dirt and water and straw.

We played! Yes, we did children’s work we played. We scouted and hunted and primped and monstered. We held a vision and created a dream. We never looked back, always on to the next vision. We are as children now.

We are as children, you and I. We meet in our children’s dreams, we hold ourselves in our children’s eyes. We are our children, you and I, and the children are our dream for us. To be our children, what a blessing, to be our selves, what hope. To play with pies of mud and boats that don’t float, oh what a dream we could have.

We will dream if we can just get past this, we say. We will play when the work is complete, we mutter. We will save ourselves the trouble of boats that don’t float, we will make sure our vision is real before we build the boat. We will, we say, play when the figuring, and saving, and knowing, and praying is done, we say.

Tell the children. Tell the children that they must not risk much for a dream. Tell the children that there is nothing more than hard work, loneliness, fear, and hurt. Warn the children: run! Behave, children, fit in this world. Mud pies for now, sure, but wait ‘til you are grown up. Tell the children what they have to look forward to. Tell the children that happiness is there, see Mommy and Daddy are looking for it.

I can hope for a better day, but the hope is flat and sordid; indeed, the hope is not really hope but a facsimile of some unknown notion of future gain from present hard work. Bullshit would be a better word for this great robbery taking place.

We are robbed of our worldly trinkets when a robber enters our home and places our things in his bag. Just as surely we are robbed when this notion that there is happiness for the future if we save up, work hard, earn our way, is called hope.

Instead of invigorating, this hope is defeating. We can never earn our way to happiness. We can never read our way to Heaven. We can never speak our way to peace. Nor can we penetrate the layer of special-ness that exists in our minds. We can only be different about now. We can only change our minds to reflect our hearts. We can only react with joy when we have no hope—faux hope—that there is a better future. There is no other way.

Joy is only now and can never be anything else.

Treat yourself to a big mud pie. Make a boat and see if it will float. Make magic potions and find yourself making a new life. You remember.

Image: Some rights reserved by 'Playingwithbrushes'

Make a mud pie or boat or magic potion.

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:45:39 +0000

No, really. Don't worry about eating it, floating it, or it working. Just make it.

Read Remember When We Were Chidlren? if you're not sure why you're doing this.

Try the HIIT workout today. No time? Try just one five-minute segment!

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:03:01 +0000

Read the article here on the HIIT workout, or watch DailyHap founder and CrossFit Level 1-certified trainer Lyssa Myska Allen demonstrate the workout in the video below.

Be taller today: wear high heels, lifts, stand up straight, and/or walk tall all day.

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 16:24:19 +0000

According to research, your newfound height will give you power—and in this case, power may simply be confidence in yourself.

You Can Write to Lose Weight

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:16:54 +0000

People looking for the magic pill of weight loss without exercise may have found their answer: writing about their most important values. In a new study titled "The Role of the Self in Physical Health: Testing the Effect of a Values-Affirmation Intervention on Weight Loss," published in Psychological Science, women who wrote about their most important values, like close relationships, music, or religion, lost more weight over the next few months than women who did not.

"How we feel about ourselves can have a big effect," study author Christine Logel of Renison University College at the University of Waterloo says. "We think it sort of kicks off a recursive process." Maybe when one of the women who wrote about an important value went home that night, she felt good about herself and didn't eat to make herself feel better. Then the next day snacking wasn't as much of a habit, so she skipped it. Over a few months, that could make a real difference in her life.

The study analyzed 45 female undergraduates with a body mass index of 23 or higher (a BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal for women); 58% of the women were overweight or obese. Each woman was weighed, and was then given a list of important values, like creativity, politics, music, and relationships with friends and family members. Each woman ranked the values in order of how important they were to her. Then half the women were told to write for 15 minutes about the value that was most important to her. The other half, a control group, were told to write about why a value far down on their list might be important to someone else.

The women came back between one and four months later to be weighed again. Women who had written about an important value lost an average of 3.41 pounds, while women in the control group gained an average of 2.76 pounds.

"We have this need to feel self-integrity," says Logel, who cowrote the new study with Geoffrey L. Cohen of Stanford University. It's too soon to say whether this could work for everybody but the results are promising. "My dream, and my research goal, is to get this to the point where people can do it deliberately to benefit themselves," Logel says.

Logel, for her part, carries a keychain that reminds her of an important value. "There's certainly no harm in taking time to reflect on important values and working activities you value into your daily life."

Image: Some rights reserved by Nicole April

Write for up to fifteen minutes about a value important to you.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:17:44 +0000

New research suggests that reflecting on values (like relationships, creativity, or music) may help people lose weight. Even if you don't have weight to lose, it can't hurt to think about what's important to you!

Seasons of Change: Be the Love You Want

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:26:34 +0000

Seasons of Change is a biweekly column from Jayne Clark addressing different topics each season. Spring’s focus is relationships. Jayne Clark works intuitively with clients to help them resolve issues regarding relationships, loss, grief, health, and career path. To learn more, head to jayneclark.com.

In a romantic relationship, you’ve probably said one of the following:

“He is a great guy and all but he just doesn’t want to connect with me. When I want him to open up, he just seems to push me away even more. He shuts down and I feel resentful and abandoned.”
“She is a great mom but she cannot make up her mind about what she wants! She says she wants this or that, I give it to her and it’s still not enough! I surprise her with a date night and she is less than excited because I didn’t complete some of the projects I started around the house. I feel so frustrated because she is so hard to please. ”

While these scenarios may play out in our relationships, they are not the root cause of our frustration or disappointment. The problem lies in our interpretation of our partner’s behavior and actions.

If it is a loving relationship we want, we must take responsibility for how we “see” our partner. If we see them as someone who is unkind, disconnected, and unpredictable our response will mirror their behavior. In other words, we will react defensive and hurt. In that energy, no one experiences love.

A loving partnership requires a different set of eyes and a different purpose as to why we are in relationship. We have to be willing to recreate in our minds what romance is and whom we are in relationship with.

How to Find Your Emotional Center

A great question to ask yourself is: who is your partner to you? Your husband, your wife, the mother or father of your children, your best friend, the love of your life? Those are great answers, but if your significant other is only playing a role, at some point there won’t be enough energy to carry you to the deeper levels of spiritual insight and perception.

We must be willing to see past their role and into their innocence. This allows us to see them objectively and remember the truth as to why they are in our lives. Whether they are conscious of it or not, they too are on a path of healing and self discovery. We lovingly come together to contribute to the process each other’s spiritual growth and awakening.

In every moment, we are either expressing love or we are calling out for love. When you can truly see your partner’s less than attractive behavior as a call for love, it gets you off the hook of taking things personally.

Who Is Responsible?

The hardest part about being in relationship is when our partner is in a bad mood, we tend to be in a bad mood. When they act defensively with either shut down or act defensively back. When they disconnect from us, we suppress our truth. When they are loving, we are loving.

It all comes down to taking full responsibility and ownership of our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions. We have to take a thorough inventory of our world view and realize that people, including our significant others, don’t hurt us intentionally. And if they do, at the deepest level, it’s not about us personally.

Much easier said than done. But if we commit to the practice of looking within and being willing to see past our partner’s shortcomings, we will be able to stay connected to the love we desire to experience. It is a much more sophisticated way of approaching romantic relationship—one that leads to peace and empowerment versus frustration and projection.

Love is the Answer

Love is never the problem. It is always the answer. Yet I think we are a bit confused by what love is, where it comes from and who is responsible for making us feel it. In Greg Baer’s book Real Love, he writes, “we can have expectations about many things, but we never have the right to expect someone to love us or make us happy even when they promise to do so.”

If we leave our experience of love up to someone else, we will surely suffer. It is wonderful when our partners shows us love or acts in a loving way towards us. But it is also very dangerous for us to only identify ourselves as being loved when someone else shows it to us.

Taking responsibility offers us an opportunity to love without attachment. Love without projecting our agenda and expectations onto our partner. And from that space we can know the real freedom in opening our hearts to another fearlessly and be loved by another fearlessly. In that space we can truly be and experience the love we so desire.

Image: Some rights reserved by @yakobusan Jakob Montrasio

Comparison is the Thief of Joy

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:27:22 +0000

I Gave as A Child

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:27:58 +0000

by Cindy Myska, therapist and mother of two

When I was a child, I thought, spoke, and gave like a child. Now that I see in the future, I think, speak, and give like one who fears for her life. Funny, how closely guarded we become of our secrets when we reach adulthood. Funny—or odd at the very least—how much we reach out to adulthood only to ﬁnd adulthood a trouble away.

When I was a child, I thought and spoke childishly. I gave nothing, for I had nothing to give. And yet as a child, I forgave far more than I ever have as an adult. As I child I gave willingly of the nothing I had. I forgave with everything I did. I am no longer the child, no more the one who gives nothing.

Instead I have become one who jealously guards the nothing I have to give. I am insanely possessed by my little nothingness that everyone seems to want. I know it is nothing, but they seem to think it is something, so I jealously guard my nothingness to be sure they don’t take away what they gave me, or ﬁnd out it is nothing.

They made my nothingness into something and so I guard my nothing as if it were something, only sometimes realizing that I am protecting me, too, as well as them, from seeing that I have nothing to give.

And sometimes the piercing, shrieking cry that I hear is my own damnable self, about to “tell” the lie: I have nothing to give.

And what of me, really only a small child who has not one thing to give? What of me, a child who believes only adults have something worth giving? I, a child, my tiny feet sunk deep in the adult high heels, pretending that adult attire gives me adult power. What of me, this tiny, inconsequential child trying to be big?

Would I but could see the tiny hour of love I can bestow, dressed up or not, I would know. Would I but could fathom the sparkling raindrops the child in me dances to, the freedom I have to be me, the freedom I have to give away nothing as if nothing really was nothing, except to give away.

I am a child, an innocent rose, untouched by boundaries of time. I am an innocent child, knowing I have nothing to give—but lots of it where the rest came from.

Image: Some rights reserved by Pink Sherbet Photography

Conflict Levels Won't Change Much Over Marriage

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:28:38 +0000

By Jeff Grabmeier

Think about how much you fight and argue with your spouse today. A new study suggests that your current level of conflict probably won't change much for the remainder of your marriage.

That may be good news for the 16 percent of couples who report little conflict or even the 60 percent who have only moderate levels of conflict. But it's not such happy news for the 22 percent of couples who say they fight and argue with each other a lot.

The study followed nearly 1,000 couples over 20 years, from 1980 to 2000.

"There wasn't much change in conflict over time," said Claire Kamp Dush, lead author of the study and assistant professor of human development and family science at Ohio State University.

"There was a very slight decrease in the amount of conflict reported in the final years of the study, which was slightly larger for the high-conflict couples. Still, the differences over time were small."

Kamp Dush conducted the study with Miles Taylor of Florida State University. The results appear online in the Journal of Family Issues and will be published in a future print edition.

Learning from 2,000 Couples

The researchers used data from the Marital Instability Over the Life Course survey, conducted by researchers at Penn State University. The telephone surveys started with 2,033 married people 55 years of age and younger in 1980, when the study began. Many of the same people were interviewed five more times through 2000. They were asked a variety of questions about the quality of their marriage and their relationship with their spouses, as well as demographic questions.

Marital conflict was measured by how often respondents said they disagreed with their spouse: never, rarely, sometimes, often or very often.

Based on these results, Kamp Dush and Taylor separated the respondents into high, middle and low conflict marriages.

The researchers found that people in low-conflict marriages were more likely than others to say they shared decision-making with their spouses.

"That's interesting because you might think that making decisions jointly would create more opportunities for conflict, but that's not what we found," Kamp Dush said.

"It may be that if both spouses have a say in decision making, they are more satisfied with their relationship and are less likely to fight."

People in the low conflict group were also more likely than those who reported high levels of conflict to say that they believed in traditional, life-long marriage.

"People who believe marriage should last forever may also believe that fighting is just not worth it. They may be more likely to just let disagreements go," Kamp Dush said.

Conflicting Couples

These results suggest there may be two types of relatively low-conflict couples, she said. These categories were revealed when the researchers looked at how conflict was related to overall marital happiness.

They used a classification system developed by psychologists that classifies marriages into four general types: volatile, validator, hostile and avoider.

The lower conflict couples who had equal decision making tended to fall into the validator marriage category, who report high and middle levels of happiness and no more than middle levels of conflict. About 54 percent of couples were in this category, and had low levels of divorce.

"The validator marriages are often seen as positive because couples are engaged with each other and are happy. We found that in these marriages, each partner shared in decision making and in housework," Kamp Dush said.

The other low conflict couples were in the avoider marriages, which included 6 percent of those studied. These couples had more traditional marriages in which husbands were not involved in housework and in which the participants believed in life-long marriage.

"These couples believed in traditional gender roles and may have avoided conflict because of their beliefs in life-long marriage. These couples were also unlikely to divorce."

About 20 percent of those surveyed were in volatile marriages – high conflict and high or middle levels of happiness. The remaining participants were in hostile marriages, which were the most likely to divorce.

While couples in both validator and avoider marriages tended to have lower levels of conflict, validator marriages may be the healthiest for couples, Kamp Dush said.

"Avoiding conflict could lead couples to avoid other types of engagement with their spouse," she said.

"A healthy marriage needs to have both spouses engaged and invested in the relationship."

Image: Some rights reserved by Fikra

10 Happiest Winter Travel Destinations in the U.S.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:29:29 +0000

Traveling during the winter months can increase personal happiness during the most depressing time of the year. To help beat the winter blues, Hilton HHonors commissioned a study to identify the happiest U.S. cities to travel to during the winter months.

"Research shows that the anticipation and savoring that comes from an upcoming vacation often increases a person's level of happiness," said Dr. Aymee Coget, happiness expert and CEO of the American Happiness Association. The destinations selected by Sperling's BestPlaces were judged by their ranking in a number of categories: relaxation, nature, culture, climate, uniqueness, accessibility, and urban appeal.

Each city was rated on its annual number of sunny days; average winter temperatures; number of restaurants; number of cultural institutions; number of bars, lounges, and nightclubs; and number of ice cream shops.

The Ten Happiest Winter Cities

Tucson, AZ: 286 annual sunny days, 39 golf courses, above average temperatures
St. Petersburg, FL: Fort De Soto Park, home of "America's Top Beach" for its seven miles of waterfront, is just a short drive away
Charleston, SC: history, southern charm, mid-sixties winter temperatures
Napa-Sonoma, CA: as the off-season for Napa and Sonoma, travelers can still enjoy the 452 wineries, blooming mustard fields, and temperate weather
Seattle, WA: highest concentration of coffee shops in the U.S. (612), 26 major museums, and some of the best music and food in the country
Los Angeles, CA: 284 sunny days a year, nearly 200 ice cream shops for vacationers to cool down, and possible celebrity sightings
Palm Springs, CA: Hollywood's former playground has plenty of luxurious desert architecture tours to keep vacationers active when they aren't relaxing at the spa
Washington, D.C.: Fewer crowds visit America's capital in the winter, 23 national monuments, and dozens of restaurant stops
Las Vegas, NV: the winner for most sunny days (294), Las Vegas' weather is more comfortable in the winter, 120+ casinos and countless shows
Houston, TX: Good drinks and good eats with more than 2,100 bars and 5,123 restaurants—and for an added kick, 12 custom boot makers

Hi from DailyHap.com's Founder

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:29:52 +0000

Do Cosmetics Do More Harm than Good to Us Emotionally?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:30:11 +0000

People who use cosmetics buy these products primarily for emotional reasons, says a new study. "Consumer satisfaction is greatest when the cosmetics brand helps to strengthen positive emotions through the perception of 'caring for oneself' and removing feelings of worry and guilt about not taking care of one's appearance," says study author Vanessa Apaolaza, a researcher from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), which has been published in the African Journal of Business Management.

Paradoxically, in order for the brand to provide this positive emotional experience, it must first cause consumers to have negative feelings about themselves.

The Cosmetic Paradox

"Consumers compare their own level of physical attractiveness with that of the models used in adverts, and that these comparisons give rise to negative effects in the way they perceive their own physical attractiveness and on their self-esteem. These effects are most heightened among people with the greatest awareness of their public image," Apaolaza says.

The study points to the need to eliminate these negative emotions and to soothe women's worries about looking good as one of their main psychological motivations for buying cosmetics.

"Our emotions often dictate our decisions. In our buying behavior, we make emotional decisions and justify them rationally. These emotions are in part learned and in part instinctive," says Apaolaza.

The study focused on face and body creams, and was conducted through personal surveys on 355 women aged between 18 and 50. They were asked to evaluate various aspects of their perceptions of the functional and emotional factors of the cosmetics they used, as well as their degree of satisfaction with them.

Being Attractive

One thing that could explain the importance assigned to the unconscious emotional desire "to be sexually attractive", which encourages people to buy cosmetics, can be found in one of the most basic natures of the human being, explained in the Darwinist approach to attraction: beautiful faces and well-formed bodies are important biological indicators of a person's value as a sexual partner.

Of the emotional brand-related components studied, "the positive feeling gained from experiencing greater success in social interactions" has the greatest impact on pleasure, the study says.

How do cosmetics, shaving gels, grooming kits, and so on affect your life? Does this emotional response to products resonate with you, or do you feel unaffected?

Religious People Have Higher Self-Esteem

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:34:59 +0000

If they live in a country that values religion, religious people statistically feel better about themselves, with a tendency toward higher social self-esteem and better psychological adjustment than non-believers.

Researchers gather data from eDarling, a European dating site affiliated with eHarmony. The date-matching questionnaire includes a question about how important your personal religious beliefs are and questions that get at social self-esteem and how psychologically well-adjusted people are. Jochen Gebauer of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Constantine Sedikides of the University of Southampton, and Wiebke Neberich of Affinitas GmbH in Berlin, the company behind eDarling, analyzed a whopping 187,957 people's answers.

The researchers found that more religious people had higher social self-esteem and were psychologically better adjusted. The people analyzed lived in 11 different European countries, ranging from Sweden, the least religious country on the planet, to devoutly Catholic Poland.

On average, believers only got the psychological benefits of being religious if they lived in a country that values religiosity. "We think you only pat yourself on the back for being religious if you live in a social system that values religiosity," Gebauer says. In other words, living up to societal values in religious societies can result in higher social self-esteem.

Another study echoed these findings but focused on one country, between students at religious and non-religious universities.

Have you found this to be true in your city or university?

Image: Mexico City's Cathedral Some rights reserved by Francisco Diez

Unconscious Goal Setting

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:35:27 +0000

"In our study, we looked at how our unconscious feelings about objects in the environment influence how we pursue goals."

A new University of Alberta study says when it comes to goal setting, your unconscious mind can be a great motivator. Alberta School of Business assistant professor and researcher Sarah Moore and colleagues from Duke and Cornell universities explore how the unconscious mind responds to objects in relation to an individual's goals.

Short Term Goals

Moore notes that previous studies have shown that when it comes to short-term, finite goals, such as responding to basic needs like thirst, the unconscious will evaluate objects and form preferences based on whether the object will help an individual achieve the goal. Items such as a water fountain or a bottle of Coke will be seen favourably, while a chocolate bar or KFC sign would not. However, she explains that once the goal is reached, those same objects will be evaluated differently.

"Once your thirst is quenched, you don't evaluate the water fountain positively anymore because you've accomplished the goal."

Long Term Goals

Moore's research focused on longer-term goals, such as getting in shape or undertaking educational pursuits. For both types of goals, she says, the process is similar in that the unconscious identifies and responds to positively to objects and triggers in the environment that support the goal.

However, the unconscious deals differently with these objects during progress towards long-term goals. Moore says that, unlike with short-term finite goals, the unconscious will continue to positively value objects related to the long-term goals even after a level of success has been achieved. She says this phenomenon points to the indeterminate nature of the goal.

"In some sense, we're never 'finished' long-term goals," said Moore. "If we successfully finish the small steps toward our long-term goals, it becomes a cycle: we take a small step, we succeed, we feel good about it; therefore, we continue to feel good about the long-term goal. This process makes us more likely to take the next small step toward achieving that goal."

What was surprising for the researchers was how participants in their study reacted to objects after a failure. While the researchers expected the participants who failed to react negatively or express dislike for objects related to their test goal, Moore and her colleagues found that failure resulted in a neutral view of the objects.

"You don't hate the objects related to the goal because that goal is very important to you in the long run," said Moore. "Your unconscious is telling you 'now is not the time to pursue the goal. You just failed, let's leave it alone for awhile. We're not going to pursue these objects in the environment; we're going to switch to some other goal.'"

Make Your Unconscious (and Conscious) Mind Work for You!

How can you leverage this new research? While this study focused on the unconscious, you can make positive object associations to help you toward your goals. For instance, if getting in shape is your goal, place a weight by your front door to remind you to walk with weights. Every time you see the weight, smile, or think about a positive gain you've made in your goal. Associating the object with the perpetuation of the goal will help create the cycle that keeps you going!

Image: Some rights reserved by freestockimages

Guaranteed Endorphin Rush in Only 20 Mins

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:36:55 +0000

By Jessica Clark, Personal Trainer & Coach, Relentless Training Systems Austin, Texas

Looking for a quick dose of happiness? A surefire way to feel good is to get your body moving, blood pumping, and endorphins flowing with high intensity interval training (HIIT). Train this way a few times per week to experience improved athletic capacity, cardiovascular conditioning, and fat burning in less time than more traditional lower-intensity cardio sessions.

Take on this quick, hard-hitting workout for total body conditioning in less than 20 minutes:

Every minute on the minute for 5 minutes complete the following movements in each round. The sooner your complete the repetitions, the more rest you will receive each minute. The goal is to go fast and recover before the next minute begins. Rest for 2 minutes in between rounds.

Round 1: 25 Jumping Squats

Start with feet hip-width apart (slightly wider than shoulder-width apart). Sit back and down, as if to sit in a chair, keeping the weight in the heels (you should be able to wiggle your toes) and driving the knees out. Lower yourself to where you hip crease is just below your knees. Pressing through your hells, drive your hips to full extension, jumping the feet 1-2 inches off the ground extending the arms overhead. Land softly with the knees and immediately sink into the next squat. Once you reach 25, rest for the remainder of the minute.

Rest 2 Minutes

Round 2: 20 Situps

Lying on your back with bent knees arms overhead, raise your shoulders and chest off the ground to meet your thighs. Using your arms to help propel you forward and exhale as you sit up, inhale as you sit down. Once you reach 20, rest for the remainder of the minute.

Rest 2 Minutes

Round 3: 15 Plyo Pushups

Starting in a plank position, on hands and toes, placing your hands just outside of the chest at the bottom, lower yourself to the ground, leading with the chest. As soon as the chest and thighs touch the ground, push yourself up off the ground back to full arm-extension with enough force to jump your hands 1-2 inches off the ground. Land soft on the hands and immediately drop into the bottom of the next pushup. Keep a tight core with abs contracted throughout the movement. Pushups can be scaled to the knees if needed.

Need more help? Watch DailyHap.com founder Lyssa Myska Allen demonstrate the moves!

Image via Bougie Photography

Ask yourself: who is your partner to you?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:53:41 +0000

Do you give them a title (like "best friend" or "lover" or "wife"), and what does that title mean to you?

Not in a relationship? Who are you to you, without a partner? Take responsibility for your own self-love. Discuss.

Based on Be the Love You Want.

Notice how often you compare yourself to others today.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:54:32 +0000

Next step: notice if it's positive or negative comparison you're making.

Positive comparisons help you set goals, help you focus on what you admire in others, help you define your values.

Negative comparisons make the other person better than you, belittle your strengths, and take away from your value.

Give nothing.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:54:57 +0000

"As I child I gave willingly of the nothing I had. I forgave with everything I did."

From I Gave as A Child.

Take a look at your coworkers today and offer support to one who might need it.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:55:38 +0000

You can contribute to helping fix worker burnout.

Maximize your leisure time today.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:56:33 +0000

Use one of Professor Devoe's three tips for maximizing your leisure time to get happier during your free time today.

When you’re off the clock you want to think about your time as priceless (just like those Mastercard ads).
It can often be in our organizations or boss interest to remind us of the monetary value of our time, but it’s critical for enjoying your time off the clock to leaving that mindset at the office door.
One thing you might do is to consider doing when you’re doing something that gives your personal satisfaction and enjoyment is to take an extra moment to take those experience in more fully – indeed, one of the reasons we work so hard is so that we are in a better position to do the things we enjoy.

Look at how you handle conflict today. You don't have to DO anything but observe.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:57:09 +0000

Think about how often you disagree with your spouse (or partner, or best friend, or dog): never, rarely, sometimes, often, or very often.

Consider if that's a response you're happy with ...

What's the number one activity you do only for you?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 16:59:01 +0000

15% of your day should be focused entirely on you. Decide what's your number one, completely non-negotiable.

Reappraise another person's emotion.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:00:37 +0000

When someone approaches you confrontationally or angrily, adjust your attitude first. You can even make up a scenario about what a terrible day they had and acknowledge that they are taking that out on you.

Compliment a coworker or five today.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:02:01 +0000

Suck up to your coworkers today and see how it affects your social standing within the office...

How do you interact on social networks?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:02:46 +0000

Are you collaborative or selfish? Check out the new study, do some reflection, and let us know what you think ...

Believe everything you do today is going to be easy. Every time you’re given a new task or assignment, think, “oh, that’s easy!”

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:03:39 +0000

Even if you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, you can change how your day goes with this simple trick.

Dress up or down, doing the opposite of what you usually do on this day

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:04:48 +0000

What three beauty/grooming tools do you absolutely have to have?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:05:29 +0000

Looking good often means feeling good, so take stock of what you use to make you look/feel good.

Prune your tree body ...

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:06:05 +0000

Identify any person or thing holding you back, stealing your nutrients, and cut that limb off.

Dream about a quick weekend getaway today ...

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:07:05 +0000

... or actually plan and book a trip! Try last minute deal sites or set up fare alerts for your must-visit destinations. (You could try one of the Top 10 Happiest Winter Destinations)

Read the labels on the products you use on your body.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:09:02 +0000

You don't have to change anything, but you do need to know what you're putting on your skin!

Need help deciphering ingredients? Try resources like No More Dirty Looks or the EWG's Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

Try one clean, eco-friendly thing today ...

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:09:57 +0000

It can be a new beauty product, a new hair treatment—or like Viola Davis, leaving your hair au naturale, wearing a recycled or upcycled piece of clothing, or remembering your reuseables for the grocery store. Let the effort to do good make you feel good today!

Take a walk outside, no less than ten minutes. No phone, no friend, just you. And your dog, if you have one.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:10:39 +0000

Getting outside and going green can work wonders for boosting mood and giving mental clarity!

Grab a cup of something warm and sit down to enjoy it.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:11:16 +0000

Relish the comfort of drinking something warm, be it coffee, tea, or hot water!

Check your posture; stand/sit/walk/run up straight.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:12:58 +0000

All the benefits of good posture are listed in this infographic.

Eat lunch not at your computer today.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:14:11 +0000

New media is affecting eating habits, so try lunch without it today. How does it feel? Do you like it better or worse? Not judgment, just observations.

Do ten jumping jacks before you start your workday.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:15:18 +0000

Clear out any negative emotions with the action, and laugh at yourself for doing jumping jacks to start the day out in a great mood.

Try Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand) before bed tonight.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:16:02 +0000

If you're a yogi, try Salamba Sarvangasana (Supported Shoulderstand) before bed tonight and see if it affects your ability to fall asleep.

If you're not a yogi but want to try this pose, here's a good YouTube video explaining how to set up a modified version of the pose.

When you greet your pet today, make sure you address them and look them in the eye.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:20:54 +0000

No pet? Try it with a colleague or friend; see if they respond better to your intent to communicate cues!

Take just five minutes to meditate today.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:23:10 +0000

If you're not a regular meditator, try it for just five minutes today. You can do it in your office chair: just shut the door, turn the computer screen off, set your phone alarm, and close your eyes. Clear your mind. Go.

Abstain from ALL sugar today.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:23:46 +0000

Abstain from any and all sugar today, including honey, maple syrup, and other "healthier" sugars. Note how you feel at the end of the day—more energetic, tired, deprived, healthy, happy? How do you sleep?

Hug a friend (who wants it)

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:24:37 +0000

Hugs can perk up both parties, so find a willing hugger and get to it!

Drink at least two (more) full reuseable water bottles or cups of water today (than usual).

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:25:16 +0000

If you normally drink no water throughout the day, drink two 8-ounce cups or bottles.

If you normally drink 8, aim for 10!

Answer this question honestly: Are You Happy?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:26:22 +0000

Click here to read more about DailyHap, which will help you get happy.

Look at something hard/sad/tough today through a different lens.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:27:03 +0000

It's all in the lens. If Tim Tebow can consider the day he loses the playoffs a positive day, you can conisder this day positive too.

Which of the following three charitable acts have you undertaken in the past month?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:27:17 +0000

Which of the following three charitable acts have you undertaken in the past month:

1. Donated money to an organization?

2. Volunteered time to an organization?

3. Helped a stranger, or someone you didn’t know who needed help?

For other countries' answers to this question, check out this article.

Make a positive association with an object that will lead you toward a long-term goal.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:28:10 +0000

How can you unconsciously set goals? With positive object association.

Take a few moments to say a "prayer"

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:29:33 +0000

Your prayer can be a moment of silence, a few sentences of gratitude, or a prayer you learned as a child. Just take a moment to pray, to have a moment of faith.

Say “I choose” before everything you do today.

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:30:29 +0000

You can quickly and easily change your attitude with those two words.

Consider: Is your self-esteem affected by your religious beliefs?

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:31:38 +0000

Do you think your city values religiosity? Are you very religious? Have you felt better about yourself living in different places?

I Value Friendship

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:46:38 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen

Yesterday’s Hap was a funny one for me: I wrote that I wasn’t even sure I needed to do it since I write so much anyway; today I’m taking it so far as to elaborate on it! The value I focused on yesterday and will elaborate on today is friendship.

Within a month of meeting Jonathan, we were saying ‘I love you,’ talking and fighting like siblings, and pondering life’s intricacies until the wee hours of the morning. I still can’t really explain how it happened, or how we decided to be best friends instead of lovers. The greatest thing about our friendship was how very much “ourselves” we were with each other. We didn’t hold back. We said and did whatever we wanted as it related to each other, and we were closer than I ever imagined being to someone outside my immediate family (my brother is also my best friend).

I graduated and moved to Austin; JB had another year of school in Houston. We talked on the phone frequently, the day of his 22nd birthday, I walked my dog down Possum Trot Trail while we made plans for him to come see me the next day. He was murdered the night of his 22nd birthday.

I felt like my heart was ripped from my body. The first few days are a blur, but the latter months stretch out into hours and days of crying and pain. Who and how would I ever be able to connect with like that ever again?

The child of psychotherapists, I carefully considered my options … I could close off my heart forever so I never had to feel that much pain again, or I could make huge efforts with tons of new friends and find someone who I connected with as much as him.

I chose the latter and immediately started assembling a group of amazing friends who played sports together, took day trips together, partied together, and celebrated together. It was partially an attempt to fill the hole JB’s death left, but mostly a recognition of how important our friendship was to me, in shaping me. I was greedy in that way: I wanted more and more love and friendship and closeness. I was lucky to find so many wonderful friends in Austin, but I also put in the work to make it happen: organized sports teams, planned float trips, coordinated nights out, and threw parties.

I fell in love and moved to Aspen, Colorado—my new love’s dream. I telecommuted to a job based in Austin, coming home once a month. My friendships in Austin suffered and I wasn’t in Aspen enough to establish close friends. I lost sight of my desire for friendship. I let the focus fall on my career and my romantic relationship, and both began to crumble around me. Had I just forgotten how much I need friendships? I was lonely and not myself.

After we broke up, I planned to leave Aspen but couldn’t decide where to go—I wanted to be somewhere with close friends but didn’t want to go back to Austin. Remarkably, I decided to stay in Aspen because I had so many good friends there. As soon as I re-focused on friends, girlfriends appeared seemingly out of the woodwork. I reached out to and leaned on friends on the periphery and they turned into close friends. I made plans and dinner dates and happy hours and organized a sports team.

I got back to being me, with people I could fully be myself with. I value friendship. I hope I never forget that again.

Image: Some rights reserved by Fing'rs

Reach out to a friend, lean on a friend, or organize a date with a friend or group.

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:46:45 +0000

We're exploring the value of friendship! Make the time to connect with your friends today.

Tower of Power

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:47:18 +0000

Plenty of research has shown that taller people are more likely to acquire power, taller people make more money, on average, and are more likely to be promoted. But new research is the first to show the reverse may also be true: power makes people feel taller.

A new paper published in Psychological Science explores research that says that people who feel powerful tend to overestimate their own height—they feel physically larger than they actually are.

"Maybe there's a physical experience that goes along with being powerful," says Jack A. Goncalo of Cornell University, who cowrote the paper with Michelle M. Duguid of Washington University. "For people who are less powerful, maybe other people and objects loom larger, and for the powerful everything else just seems smaller."

"Given that height is associated with power, raising your height may make you feel powerful," Goncalo says. In business, that may mean high heels and lifts for men, or offices on the top floor. Every day, however, you can standing up straight and walk "tall" with shoulders back and chest up to help enhance your own feeling of authority and power.

Ladies, we put together a Pinterest Board just for you focusing on the right work heels to boost your confidence—and height—double whammy! Click here for the Power Heels board.

Image: Some rights reserved by vestman

Eco-Friendly "Clean" Celeb Style at Oscars 2012

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 15:47:53 +0000

Even if you're not into the 84th Annual Academy Awards, which happened last night, the Oscars award show is an interesting sample of clean, green, chemical-free beauty and eco-friendly style. Celebrities are, for better or worse, some of the most influential people on the planet, so their endorsement of a chemical-free and eco-friendly lifestyle is important.

But first, why is a chemical-free or eco-friendly lifestyle important to happiness? Chemicals in skincare and cosmetics can have disastrous effects, ranging from severe brain damage or cancer to minorly annoying skin conditions. If you can alleviate any potential suffering, you will be healthier and happier in the long run. Eco-friendly products are more about long-term sustainability, so it's harder to see immediate happiness benefits. But sometimes doing the right thing can just make you feel good, and that's equally important to happiness.

Without further ado, all that's good, green, and clean from the 2012 Academy Awards.

BEAUTY

Gwyneth, Cameron, Natalie, and Penelope all wore clean beauty on the red carpet, but we don't know the exact products. Gwyenth has talked about her natural beauty products in her GOOP newsletter; Natalie is a serious vegan. We'll keep you posted! (image from Josie Maran Cosmetics, who posted details on how to copy the looks on her blog, chicological.com)

HAIR

Presenter Tina Fey used Remington's new line of Keratin Therapy tools, which infuse hair with Keratin to give it the same sleek look as a Keratin treatment but don't include the nasty formaldehydes and other chemicals. Remington's celebrity stylist Richard Marin shares with us how to get the look:

"I actually began Tina's hair on Saturday night for a "the night before" party! Blow drying with Remington's new Keratin Therapy Dryer, I sprayed heat protectant and used a round medium sized brush. With the 1.5 inch Remington Keratin Therapy Clipless Curling Iron I took sections of hair and created soft 40s inspired waves. On Sunday, I had her not touch her hair at all so she had the perfect second day blowout! After adding some extensions and reviving her curls with the curling iron, I brushed it up into a high ponytail and then created a loose, textured bun. I pinned it into place finishing with a spritz of hairspray to control flyways, and off she went!"

Viola Davis's au naturale look is worth mentioning as well—the number of chemicals in relaxers and straighteners for black women's hair is ridiculous. Choosing to go short, curly, and natural was an incredible style statement that wowed.

FASHION

Missi Pyle (star of Best Picture winner The Artist) wore a sustainable gown with incredible details. Made from silk peace chiffon, recycled polyester, and natural mineral dye, the gown was designed by Valentina Delfino, winner of the Red Carpet Green Dress design contest founded by Suzy Amis Cameron.

Meryl Streep wore a glittering gold Lanvin gown made from eco certified fabric to accept her Best Actress award for The Iron Lady.

Livia Firth wore a red eco Valentino made from silk and recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic from soda bottles.

Colin Firth recycled his Tom Ford tux—he's worn it before to the awards!

GIFTS

The nominees in major categories who didn’t win received non-toxic, food safe kitchen products from Essential Safe Products in their “Everybody Wins at the Oscars®” nominee gift baskets. The baskets include reusable items like produce bags, stainless steel snack containers, and bamboo utensil sets. Susan Masimore started ESP because she wanted to spread the word about toxins and give families a place where they can confidently purchase non-toxic products for the kitchen and on-the-go.

All Academy Award nominees and presenters took home an “Academy Awards Celebrity Gift Box” from Green PolkaDot Box. The recycled boxes held 48 organic products, like Eden’s Pumpkin Seeds, Vermont Soap’s Oatmeal Lavender bars, and St. Dalfour’s Black Raspberry Conserves.

Volunteering Could Help You Live Longer

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:09:22 +0000

Volunteering to help others could lead to better health for you, but the reduced mortality risk is not seen in people motivated by self-centered reasons.

It's sort of like when you're single and everyone tells you "not to look for romance" ... um, hello? However, new research reveals that people who volunteer may live longer than those who don't, as long as their reasons for volunteering are to help others rather than themselves (altruistic values or a desire for social connections), says a study published online in the APA journal Health Psychology (click here to download the full pdf).

"This could mean that people who volunteer with other people as their main motivation may be buffered from potential stressors associated with volunteering, such as time constraints and lack of pay," said the study's lead author, Sara Konrath, PhD, of the University of Michigan.

People who said they volunteered for their own personal satisfaction had the same mortality rate four years later as people who did not volunteer at all, according to the study.

The Volunteers

Researchers examined data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, which has followed a random sample of 10,317 Wisconsin high school students from their graduation in 1957 until the present. The sample is 51.6 percent female, with an average age of 69.16 years in 2008.

In 2004, respondents reported whether they had volunteered within the past 10 years and how regularly. They reported their reasons for volunteering:

"I feel it is important to help others" (others-oriented)
"Volunteering is an important activity to the people I know best" (others-oriented)
"Volunteering is a good escape from my own troubles" (self-oriented)
"Volunteering makes me feel better about myself" (self-oriented)

The researchers also considered the respondents' physical health, socioeconomic status, marital status, health risk factors (i.e., smoking, body mass index and alcohol use), mental health and social support. Much of this information was collected in 1992, 12 years before the respondents were asked about their volunteering experience. The researchers then determined how many of the respondents were still alive in 2008.

Overall, 4.3 percent of 2,384 non-volunteers were deceased four years later, which was similar to the proportion of deceased volunteers who reported more self-oriented motives for volunteering (4 percent).

However, only 1.6 percent of those volunteers whose motivations were more focused on others were dead four years later.

This effect remained significant even when controlling for all the variables. Additionally, respondents who listed social connection or altruistic values as their predominant motive were more likely to be alive compared with non-volunteers.

"It is reasonable for people to volunteer in part because of benefits to the self; however, our research implies that, ironically, should these benefits to the self become the main motive for volunteering, they may not see those benefits," said the paper's co-author, Andrea Fuhrel-Forbis, MA.

What do you think—what motivates you to volunteer? Can you change your intention to further the benefits of volunteering?

Image: Some rights reserved by vastateparksstaff

Do something nice for someone today.

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:09:47 +0000

Now consider: why did you do it? To make yourself feel good, or to make them feel good?

It's the official Random Acts of Kindness Week, so you could also do their "daily hap": smile at five strangers today.

A Man is But a Product of His Thoughts

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:17:45 +0000

"A (wo)man is but a product of (her)his thoughts. What (s)he thinks, (s)he becomes."

Image: Some rights reserved by Ben Sutherland

What you think today, you will become.

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:18:39 +0000

Leap-frogging off the Gandhi quote "A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes," and the I Choose Hap, notice what you think today and how that influences the day's decisions. Try to shape the day in a positive way.

The 7 Deadly Sins are Actually Good for You

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:11:43 +0000

Turns out there are virtues to living a sinful life. University of Melbourne social psychologist Dr. Simon Laham uses modern research to make a compelling case for the virtues of sin in his latest book The Joy of Sin: The Psychology of the Seven Deadlies (And Why They Are So Good For You).

Dr. Laham argues that human behavior is more complex than “good” or “evil.” He shares how the seven deadly sins are, if indulged wisely, largely functional human tendencies.

Lust

Can make you smarter. Research shows that people with sex on the brain are better at solving 'analytic thinking' problems. Lust triggers us to become focused on the present and satisfying a pressing current goal (sex).

Lust also builds love. Research shows that lustful participants are more likely to display a range of loving, relationship maintenance behaviours—like constructive conflict resolution strategies—to increase the chances of sex in the future.

Gluttony

People who have eaten a piece of cake are more likely to donate to charity.

Greed

Money can buy you happiness as long as you spend it the right way. Studies show that people are happier when they spend their money on experiences rather than material possessions.

Sloth

The ultimate slothful state, sleep and even napping, improves your memory and makes you more insightful. Research has also shown that slowing down makes you more helpful: in cities in which people walk more slowly, such as Bakersfield, California, pedestrians are more likely to stop and offer help.

Anger

Anger triggers an oppositional mindset which makes people more willing to entertain beliefs contrary to their own. In addition, angry negotiators tend to be more likely to get what they want in a negotiation.

Envy

Comparing yourself to those better off than you can lead to boosts in mood, self-image, and creativity. (as opposed to comparison that steals your joy, as we talk about this video)

Pride

Proud people persist longer at difficult tasks and adopt leadership roles. Studies also show that the proud are more liked.

Image: Some rights reserved by Aimanness Photography

Do something sinful.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:11:53 +0000

Hey, the 7 Deadly Sins can be good for you, so capitalize!

Be crazy enough to trust the imperfect you.

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:55:09 +0000

Let yourself do, be, or say something might normally hold back.

Make sure you exercise or do talk therapy.

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:17:15 +0000

Research shows that both exercise and talk therapy can be as effective as antidepressants and placebos ... even if you don't feel down, exercise or talk today to stave off depression!

The Deepest, Darkest Secret of Man

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:31:41 +0000

by Cindy Myska, therapist

The deepest, darkest secret of man is that there is no place of love within us that we trust.

Because we believe in ourselves and because we know ourselves, we do not trust ourselves to love us. We would be crazy to trust the self that we know.

I do not trust myself to correctly hear my own wisdom or the voice of a God who could love me. I think I must be wrong. I believe others if they believe they know what is best for me. I know me too well to believe me. I do not know someone else well enough to disbelieve.

I am my secret self, unworthy of trust and unworthy of love. I am secluded from God’s voice because I am me, not God. I believe this is true, so I am not willing to hear God speak to me from within me.

I long to hear His voice. I long to have God responsible for my holiness, so I can stop pretending I know how to love me. I reward myself for listening, I take turns hiding and coming out, so that I might begin to believe in something. Just as I begin to believe, I falter, erring in my understanding.

I am afraid of being me. I don’t trust me to love me. I am afraid I did me wrong. Where was I when I was wrong? Why didn't I know how to be a more perfect me? I cannot be free of my silly me, the one who displeases everyone so. Yet I cannot be free of the one who must help, and seldom can, either. I travel miles but think I go nowhere. I believe in anyone but me. Where do I go? When did I lose my self, selling out to some image of the me I should be? I think that to be me is to be a perfect me: displeasing no one, helpful to everyone.

So my prayer today Dear God, is let me be crazy enough to trust the imperfect me. I ask myself to love that silly one, and to let her be herself. And for just a tiny moment, I watch as the charred ashes of that deeply held, darkened secret float up to the Heavens.

Image: Some rights reserved by DrPete

Placebos are Just as Effective as Antidepressants

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:44:41 +0000

17 million Americans are currently taking some form of antidepressants.

1 in 10 Americans suffers from some form of depression.

$11.3 billion dollars is spent on antidepressants per year.

But what if placebos are just as effective?

A recent 60 Minutes Episode covering the question has sparked controversy across the nation. But researchers from Harvard, Brown, Yale, and other prestigious medical schools have been presenting scientific evidence that placebos are just as effective as antidepressants—that they both actually work—for years.

Irving Kirsch, the associate director of the Placebo Studies Program at Harvard Medical School, appeared on the recent 60 Minutes episode with reporter Lesley Stahl. He wrote a book published in 2010 on placebos, but the claims Kirsch makes that are suddenly considered controversial include: “The difference between the effect of a placebo and the effect of an antidepressant is minimal for most people.”

The Progam in Placebo Studies at Harvard Medical School’s website says:

For many years, the placebo effect was considered to be no more than a nuisance variable that needed to be controlled in clinical trials. Only recently have researchers redefined it as the key to understanding the healing that arises from medical ritual, the context of treatment, the patient-provider relationship and the power of imagination, trust and hope.

The recent redefinition makes Kirsch’s most interesting point: that both a placebo and an antidepressant are effective. He says, “People get better when they take the drug. But it's not the chemical ingredients of the drug that are making them better. It's largely the placebo effect … We even looked at drugs that are not considered antidepressants: tranquilizers, barbiturates. And do you know what? They had the same effect as the antidepressants.”

There is a caveat: “If they were mildly or moderately depressed, you don't see any real difference at all. The only place where you get a clinically meaningful difference is at these very extreme levels of depression.”

Kirsch studied drug effectiveness data from the drug companies' clinical trials that had been published in medical journals as well as data that weren't published but had been submitted to the FDA, which he got through the Freedom of Information Act.

Two researchers look at the same data with different conclusions

Similarly, TIME magazine recently profiled a new growth-mixture modeling statistical technique to track how individual patients improved or worsened over time—a method which eliminates the “average” and allows for unique cases. Dr. John Krystal at Yale University School of Medicine reanalyzed data from seven clinical trials involving 2,515 patients and found that roughly three-quarters of patients did better on medication than on a placebo.

However, just under a quarter of patients did not respond well to drug treatment and in fact did worse on antidepressants than did patients who were given a placebo.

“This has enormous implications for understanding the limits of the effectiveness of our current medications,” Krystal told TIME magazine. “These data really caution against the demonization of antidepressants as merely placebo, but they do raise a concern that some people are better off on placebo than on the antidepressant that they’re getting.”

Could depression theory be to blame?

Dr. Walter Brown is a clinical professor of psychiatry at Brown University's Medical School who agrees that patients get virtually no benefit from the chemicals in antidepressants. He questions the theory that depression is caused by a deficiency in the brain chemical called serotonin—which suggests that the chemicals in the drugs could be designed to combat something that isn't actually the problem. Brown told 60 Minutes, “The experts in the field now believe that that theory is a gross oversimplification and probably is not correct.”

What to Do

With all of the conflicting and confusing statistical data, what can work to combat mild depression? Kirsch offers two suggestions: exercise and talk therapy. Both are proven effective methods and can be initiated with little to no cost.

Image: Some rights reserved by Carsten Schertzer

Happiness is Hard

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:31:50 +0000

Happiness is Hard—but it's not. You choose to be happy or miserable, so you might as well choose happiness!

Some rights reserved by OakleyOriginals

Focus on your happiness journey and accept that it might be hard.

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:31:57 +0000

If you didn't check out today's video discussing the notion that happiness is hard, click here!

Spend extra time with your pet today, or borrow one.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:15:40 +0000

No pet to spend time with or to borrow? Spend a few moments petting a pup on the street, but make sure you ask its owners first!

11 Ways Pets Make You Happy

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:15:56 +0000

Animals and humans have been bonding for more than 12,000 years—a 12,000-year-old human skeleton was found in Israel buried with its hand resting on the skeleton of a 6-month-old wolf pup. What makes this bond so important? Animals as pets provide a host of health benefits for their owners and families, from physical to emotional health. Read on for a list of eleven pet perks.

Pets help:

Reduce blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports these benefits on its website. These benefits can come from reduced stress levels and increased exercise.
Stress reduction
Interacting with your pet helps your body to release dopamine and serotonin. Both of these neurotransmitters produce a calming and pleasurable effect on the mind. In fact, a survey of businesses that allow pets in the workplace revealed that most employees believed that the animals reduce stress and improve their mental and physical health.
Fewer doctor visits
The National Institute of Health found that people with pets make fewer doctor visits, especially for non-serious medical conditions. This is especially true for seniors with pets.
Fight depression and loneliness
Pets promote social interaction, decrease the feeling of isolation, and increase morale and optimism.
Make more friends
Man's best friend may help you make more human friends. Several studies have shown that walking with a dog leads to more conversations and helps you stay socially connected.
Laugh and play more
Pets encourage playfulness and laughter with their antics. Need proof? Just check out viral websites LOLcats or Icanhascheezeburger.
Give affection
Ever had a human hug from a dog? Pets satisfy the need for touch and to be touched, and give nonjudgmental warmth and affection.
Develop empathy
Helping to care for another creature teaches children (and adults!) a sense of empathy and responsibility.
Rehabilitation
In the Ohio Corrections System, inmates are matched with dogs and then go through a 10-week course with them, teaching the dogs basic commands and house-training them. The dogs are then adopted out by the local humane society. The experience of caring for another creature is invaluable for men like these, who have often had harsh lives.
Immune health
A growing number of studies show that children who come from a family that had “furred-animals” or farm animals where at a much lower risk for pet allergies once they became adults. Being around animals from birth helps improve your immune system’s defense against hair, pet dander, and dust.
Exercise!
Pets, especially dogs that need to be walked, get you up and moving and outdoors.

Forgive a whole person, not just their actions or words.

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:26:25 +0000

For three ways to forgive, click here to read Seasons of Change: The Healing Power of Forgiveness.

Seasons of Change: The Healing Power of Forgiveness

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:27:50 +0000

You just had a major argument with your partner. Both of you are hurt and neither one of you feels understood. It is the same issue over and over again. Each time it presents itself, you feel yourself becoming a little more defensive, calloused, and disconnected than the time before.

Sometimes it is difficult to really know why an issue continues to surface—maybe it is an inability to communicate thoughts and feelings effectively; maybe the two of you lack the skills to really listen to each other without judgment and attack.

No matter what the reason is, forgiveness is fundamental to resolving the issue at its core. This does not mean that we roll over and avoid our truth in response to our partner’s behavior or harsh words. To justify a hurtful situation for the sake of “keeping the peace” only clouds our clarity of what is really going on. It is said over and over again that we must embrace our truth. If our feelings are hurt, in that moment, that is our truth as we know it.

Forgiveness resolves our emotional wounds

Forgiveness is like a soft rain on a parched desert. It quenches, softens, and nourishes the whole environment. Sometimes our romantic relationships can feel like a desert. We have to be able to look past outside appearances and forgive the person, not their actions or words.

That kind of spiritual perspective keeps our emotions balanced our sense of empowerment intact. We feel more whole and will be able to communicate from a much more centered place. We will be able to see that our partner is learning how to love and do relationship just as we are. Emotionally, it is very healing when both people can truly hold that space for each other.

What is forgiveness?

“Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” ~ Mark Twain

Forgiveness is a state of mind. It is a decision to be conscious of all that we feel while being willing to have the slate wiped clean as many times as necessary. Forgiveness is a power that releases our minds to unify with our higher selves—the part of us that knows we are love.

Forgiveness returns us back to our natural state, allowing us to perceive the true essence of our partner. In that place we can experience them as someone who is calling out for love. Their attacks and judgments won’t mean nearly as much to us as being able to see through their pain.

How do we forgive when we have been deeply hurt?

We must first decide whether or not we are willing to forgive our partner. If we are, then we enter the process of healing our own pain. Even though it can be overwhelming, it is necessary to fully explore all of what we feel.

First, a trusted friend, family member, or professional therapist can facilitate our process in ways that we are unable to do on our own. They can offer us clear insight and perspective that can help us understand and grow from our romantic challenges.

Second, prayer is another way that can help us to heal and forgive. Whatever we connect to, be it a higher power, God, Universe, nature spirits, we can ask the greater energy for healing within our heart and mind. Saying a prayer as a mantra can be very helpful in getting us out of the story and into truth.

Meditation is a third way to lead ourselves to real forgiveness. Sitting quietly, taking a walk, doing yoga or basic breathing exercises can assist us with mental and emotional purification. It is about seeking a level deeper than the level in which the hurtful situation occurred. Much of the energy can be shifted when we are quiet and still.

Real forgiveness requires inner work. The better we take care of emotional and mental bodies, the better we can nurture the spiritual health of our romantic relationships.

Forgiveness is an ongoing practice. When we really embrace it as such, it can lead us away from hurt and towards deeper love and union with our partner.

Image: Some rights reserved by Hamed Saber

Juice Like a Celeb with Green Drinks

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:49:20 +0000

The adage to eat your greens goes back to a ubiquitous childhood we all had (except I’ve always liked broccoli?), but thanks to a recent trend of green smoothie recipes, pressed juices, and at-home juicers, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief that we can now drink our greens. Celebs may love the prepared juices, but you can easily make a green drink at home too.

Green juices and green smoothies offer all sorts of benefits for the body. Honeybee Organic Juice Bar owner Kate Linehan let us in on the differences between green juices and smoothies. Linehan, whose Aspen, Colorado juice bar serves cold-pressed juice, juice made to order, and smoothies, says, “Comparing a juice to a smoothie, the main thing is the fiber. In a smoothie, the fiber remains in the drink so you get all that when you digest it, which is great—fiber is essential for digestion. It’s good for blood sugar too, fiber helps lessen the spike in the blood sugar.”

Celebs love green smoothies, especially the special recipe from celebrity nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, whose signature Glowing Green blend has been adopted by the likes of Fergie and Josh Duhamel, Drew Barrymore, Olivia Wilde, Jenna Dewan, and Owen Wilson. Snyder told Shape magazine, ”Every time I work on a movie set, the whole cast starts to drink it [the green smoothie]. It’s a ton of nutrients, condensed and blended into a juice so your body doesn’t waste energy breaking it down. The vitamins, minerals, and amino acids will flow right into your system to rejuvenate you. And it’s full of fiber, so you’re not reaching for that bagel or that second cup of coffee between meals.”

With juice, however, you skip the fiber. Linehan says, “the intention of juicing is essentially the opposite, in that you’re removing the fiber so that you absorb the nutrients almost as quickly as alcohol. It’s a very fast absorption, which is great for people with compromised immune systems or if you’re cleansing.”

Liv Tyler, Alicia Silverstone, Woody Harrelson, Megan Fox, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Richie, and Ryan Seacrest are all green juice fans, according to Ecorazzi.com. Linehan says, “There’s a spectrum. I use bananas in most of the smoothies because it balances out the flavors, to get in bitter greens or more nourishing stuff. As a person's taste progresses, they work into the juice, then the juice without fruit. It’s educating people about why, so you really think about what everything does to your body, even if it’s a healthy food.”

Ready to get green? Linehan gives us her best tips for making green drinks at home.

Honeybee Green Drink Tips:

The morning is the best time to have a green juice or smoothie, because your body is coming out of its nightly fast and it’s an easy way to go into digesting.
A really consistent mix providing hydration and detoxification with maximum nutrient assimilation is celery, cucumber, romaine, kale, leafy greens, with something that has the hydration and diuretic factor. Celery is important for stomach lining if you’re juicing regularly so you don’t over-acidify the gut.
For smoothies, keeping it simple is important, not over-complicating what your body can break down. A favorite of Kate’s is pear, parsely, and water. It’s got good fiber from the pears.
Minimizing fruit in the drink is key, how to make it taste good but keep it from being too sugary.

Check out our Pinterest board for green smoothie and juice inspiration!

Drink a green smoothie or juice!

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:50:41 +0000

Either make your green drink at home or buy a green smoothie or juice.

Worst case scenario? Make sure you eat an extra serving of greens today!

Check out our Pinterest board for green smoothie and juice inspiration.

Show someone unconditional love today.

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:24:11 +0000

When you share unconditional love with someone, you might be surprised to see how good it makes YOU feel.

Ask for help.

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:38:11 +0000

Even if you're already good or great at something, you can still learn something new when you ask for help!

Ask for Help

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:39:38 +0000

Lyssa talks about how asking for help had a hugely positive impact.

Image: Some rights reserved by radical.librarian

Smelly Travel Can Open Up a Heart

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:09:56 +0000

Originally published in Austin Woman magazine, August 2008, by Lyssa Myska Allen

“?Que quieres?”

The short, balding hotel owner steps menacingly toward my tall, long-haired brother.

“!Quiero mi camera!” my brother shakes his fist as he stands in the dimly-lit entryway, backpack strapped on and guitar slung over one shoulder. I look back and forth between them, trying to casually step between the dueling men. Visions of lanky, good-natured Jordan lying dejected in an Ecuadorian jail cell flash before me as I step toward him.

“Let’s just go,” I say, the tears no longer falling.

We’ve been robbed by the hotel we’re staying in, my camera taken off my bed from a room both locked and padlocked. But when we confront the front desk staff, they feign innocence. I cry and watch, alternately amazed and horrified, as my baby brother—all 21 years of him—argues in Spanish with the hotel owner on my behalf.

This isn’t the first time he’s stuck up for me, but it strikes me as a change in roles. Growing up the elder, I took care of Jordan: I taught him “school,” had him film movies my friends and I made, and took him with me to do everything I did. Now, he’s simply bigger and stronger and assuming a more stereotypically manly role.

My best friend Jonathan assumed a similar role in my life up until he was killed over a year ago. He and I were closer than I’ve ever been with anyone outside of my family and he often took a protector role with me—albeit protecting me from dating the wrong guys, not from errant hotel owners. When Jonathan died, what I said most often about him was that he taught me about unconditional love. He was both endlessly thoughtful and arrogantly smart, a combination that suited me perfectly.

Likewise, my brother Jordan is similarly a study in opposites: a wicked free spirit and sensitive sweetheart. The parallel was never more apparent than when I met him down in Ecuador for ten days of sibling sojourning. He’d graduated from college in May, then two weeks later taken a bus to Mexico and worked his way south; two months after he’d left I flew down to meet him in his final destination: Ecuador.

Truth be told, I didn’t know a thing about Ecuador. I didn’t even really know where it was. South America, sure, but where? Turns out it’s above Peru, which is above Chile, on the western coast. Good to know. I just wanted to be part of my little brother’s big adventure. We didn’t make plans until I got there: see the coast, surf a little, then head to the mountains for some adventuring.

In typical Jordan fashion, he was late to pick me up at the airport. I sat there with my backpack, in a fleece I brought of his, and had a little chuckle: here I am in an airport in Ecuador, and I have no idea where Jordan is staying, what his Ecuadorian cell phone number is, or where I would go if he didn’t show up. But I wasn’t ever worried. Late, Jordan often is, but he’d never leave me stranded.

We took bus after bus to traverse Ecuador, from the coastal town of Monpinche to the mouth of the mountains in Mindo. Jordan and I talked and fought and giggled across cities and towns, past dilapidated houses and skinny horses. We’re a team; a brother and sister adventuring in South America. Well, most people thought we were newlyweds, but nonetheless …

Two days after the camera incident, I got the traveler’s sickness in a town aptly named Banos—commonly understood as bathroom, though it can and does in this context mean baths. I lay in bed for two days, unable to be away from a toilet and alternating between wet sweats and body-shaking shivers. Jordan hugged me despite my dried sweat-soaked sheets, brought me vegetable soup, and bought DVDs off the streets to watch on his laptop.

He also held me while I cried. This newly-minted manly-man listened while I wept over my Jonathan’s death a year earlier, lamented over my latest love, and let the uncertainty about my career pour from my eyes and my heart. He listened; he understood. This is unconditional love.

It’s hard to lose someone you love so deeply, like Jonathan, and my healing is an ongoing process. Traveling often grants time for reflection, so many of my thoughts turned to him. On a bus, an airplane, a long walk I don’t have time for at home, thoughts can wander in that need ample time to think over. Trying new things in a new land allows for new thoughts to come in too. So while I played on beaches and went canyoning down waterfalls, took a ride thousands of feet above the jungle in a car attached to a steel cable and hung out with the locals at the discotecas, I won’t remember Ecuador for those things.

I will remember Ecuador for diarrhea, motion-sickness, and a stolen camera. Because it was in those smelly and sad times that I could really see the unconditional love shining from my little brother, Jordan. If my best friend Jonathan
taught me about unconditional love itself; Jordan taught me to see the unconditional love I already have in my life.

Image: Some rights reserved by Rinaldo W (remember, my camera was stolen ...)

Do something preventative for your health—use a condom, get a wellness check, take your fish oil ...

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:05:49 +0000

Do something preventative for your health—use a condom, get a wellness check, take your fish oil, go on a walk, whatever you know you need to do but don’t always do.

‘Condoms are the Vaccine We’ve Been Waiting For’

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:25:55 +0000

"While we'd like to think the AIDS epidemic is going away, it's not. In the U.S, it's getting worse," says Richard Crosby, a member of the Kinsey Institute Condom Use Research Team (CURT), professor at the University of Kentucky, and lead editor for Sexual Health journal's special issue compiling worldwide research. "We keep looking to medical doctors for the solution to the epidemic, but it's the wrong paradigm … The prevention of the disease is the modern solution to the AIDS pandemic, and we need to begin applying that solution in earnest."

"Condoms are the vaccine we've been waiting for," Crosby says.

In the special issue of Sexual Health, more than 20 researchers examine and discuss condom use research from around the globe, including issues such as safe-sex behaviors by American adults, counterfeit condoms in China, and use of female condoms in South Africa.

Problems with the correct use of the male condom, such as not wearing a condom throughout sex or putting it on upside down, are common in the U.S. and have become a major concern of public health officials. Countries around the world are facing similar challenges. "We chronically underestimate how complicated condom use can be," Crosby says. "It involves the use of a condom, while negotiating the condom use and sex with a partner all at the same time. There is a complex triad of the sex act, condom use, and partner dynamics that must constantly be navigated by condom users."

He said the gap between the correct use of condoms and the more typical use, which increases its fail rate, points to a need for better education and instruction regarding condom use. Making condoms accessible to people who need them is important, but improved clinic-based counseling, public education and Internet-based education efforts are all key requirements to their correct use. This involves talking openly about such things as erections, semen, lubricant and other aspects of sex that can make people uncomfortable. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) does post information about using condoms correctly and consistently.

Crosby said this lack of education and detail because of embarrassment or discomfort comes at the cost of individuals' health and lives. Compared to costly HIV and AIDS medications, condoms are inexpensive.

Condom use is just one preventative measure you can take to protect your health. Think of other preventative measures you could be taking that could not only save thousands of dollars down the line, but possibly your life. Be proactive!

Image: Some rights reserved by Spec-ta-cles

Take up the spirit of today and feed from it.

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:43:41 +0000

When you're challenging past expectations with future manifestations, it's easy to lose sight of the joys of the present. Click here to read I Am Hungry.

I Am Hungry

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 04:09:11 +0000

By Cindy Myska, therapist

I am hungry. Hungry for a sense of belonging, hungry for a sense of knowledge, for more guidance in this dance of life. Whereas yesterday I was growing up, reaching for an important place, that of adulthood, today I am there. No longer able to focus on an ideal of where I am supposed to be heading, I stand here, looking for something, feeling hungry, my soul shortchanged by the ineptitudes of life.

Were it only yesterday, I could look forward to growing up and having freedom. Were it only yesterday I could look forward to a poetic marriage and a challenging career. Were it only yesterday, I could look forward to something ... anything.

Now, though, caught up in the sands of time, I feel hungry, unsatisfied by all that I thought would satisfy. Washed ashore with a broken spirit, I wonder, did I just do it all wrong? Did I make so many mistakes that the promise of my youth was mishandled, misappropriated and unsung? It must have been me, it must have been my fault, I should have done something differently, this is what I think. This thought, that I made so many wrong turns, so many mistakes eats away at me, for I know yesterday will never come again.

Then, something inside me pauses me to consider that maybe the guilt is not mine. Maybe instead, I learned incorrectly as a child. Maybe the promise of adulthood as freedom was far overvalued, maybe poetic marriages were just pretenses by the adults I knew. Maybe, just maybe, I had set an unworthy goal, one that was wrapped up in a false pretense that I had uncovered too late.

Too late? Yes, too late to not be hungry, and yet just in time to feed my soul. Just in time to erase the traces of hunger, filling my belly, the soul of my being with a willingness to let yesterday go. Yesterday I could live with my eyes toward the future, thus feeding my hunger with images of the future. Today the future is here and I must face the hunger.

Oh, but what joy, to face the hunger, to be present in the present! What a mockery I have made of myself to believe that images of the future would satisfy me. What a gift I hand to myself when I take up the spirit of today and feed from it. Like a long lost sailor am I, joyfully, ravenously taking in the sweet and sour of today’s bounteous feast.

Image: Some rights reserved by rgourley

A Leopard Can Change Its Spots

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:21:19 +0000

The old adage is used as everything from a warning to an excuse, but new research reveals that leopards really can change their spots—that is, people can change their personalities—and those that do are actually happier.

“We found that our personalities can and do change over time—something that was considered improbable until now—and that these personality changes are strongly related to changes in our well-being,” says lead study author Dr. Chris Boyce from the University of Manchester's School of Psychological Sciences. Psychologists from The University of Manchester and London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) showed in a study published in the journal Social Indicators.

The Research

The research followed 7,500 individuals from Australia who answered questions on their life satisfaction and personality at two time points four years apart. Personality was measured using a well-validated personality questionnaire assessing five broad dimensions which cover the breadth of a person's personality: openness-to-experiences, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. The researchers then looked at the extent to which personality changed and how these changes related to life satisfaction in comparison to external factors, such as changes to income, changes to employment, and changes to marital status. They found that personality changes at least as much as these external factors and predicted about twice as much of changes to life satisfaction over the study period.

Small Personality Changes Can Lead to More Happiness

"The focus of many well-being studies in economics is on how changes to our circumstances, such as a higher income, getting married, or a different job might influence our well-being. The influence of our personality is often ignored in these types of studies in the belief that our personality can't or doesn't change. We show that personality can and does change and, not only is it more likely to change than an income increase, it contributes much more to changes in our well-being.”

Previous studies have shown that personality accounts for up to 35% of individual differences in life satisfaction, compared to just 4% for income, 4% for employment status and between 1% and 4% for marital status.

The paper concludes: "Our research suggests that by focusing on who we are and how we relate to the world around us has the potential to unlock vast improvements in our well-being.”

Looks like all your hard work on DailyHap.com can really make a difference! Loving leopard? Check out our fun Pinterest board for lots of leopard goodies to serve as constant reminders that you can change your spots too!

Image: Some rights reserved by edg1

Start to change a small spot today.

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:54:34 +0000

If you're a leopard who can change its spots to be happier, what's a small part of your personality that you'd like to change? Focus on that today.

Need guidance? The five areas of personality the researchers studied are openness-to-experiences, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Can you work on one of those areas?

Nourish your body with food today.

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:42:35 +0000

Try something from Essential Nourishment author Beth McCall Whitley's daily diet:

healthy protein (grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught cold water fish)
vegetables, both cooked and raw
raw, fermented food, or
a square or two of dark chocolate

Essential Nourishment: A Basic Guide to Optimal Health and Wellness

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:35:38 +0000

After overcoming serious health issues as a result of being allergic to several different foods, as well as having children with food allergies, Beth McCall Whitley wrote Essential Nourishment: A Basic Guide to Optimal Health. We sat her down for a few questions about her book, and how health contributes to happiness. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio/TV Communications and a Master of Science degree in Health and Nutrition Education, specializing in weight loss and food allergies.

DailyHap: What motivated you to write Essential Nourishment?
Beth: The realization of how many people need it. Many people have gotten to a very unhealthy place—physically, emotionally, and mentally—and have no idea how to regain their health. I want people to realize that it’s all connected and give them a basic, easy way to get started, as well as an easy reference guide.

Over the years, I have seen, both professionally and personally, that there is a lot of confusion about nutrition, exercise, and happiness. As a society, we are given so much misinformation about what healthy food is via TV commercials, magazine ads, and the government, and much of it is incorrect. Exercise is also very important and many people either don’t make time for it, or are not doing what they need to in order to be healthy. Also, our society is so fast-paced and stressful that people are losing themselves and are searching for happiness in all the wrong places.

DailyHap: If people only take one thing from the book, what do you want that to be?
Beth: If people only take one thing from the book, I want it to be the realization that they need to love and take care of themselves, first and foremost. Once people realize that, the rest comes naturally.

DailyHap: What challenges did you face writing the book?
Beth: Mostly time and also deciding how to present the most relevant information in a concise, easy-to-read format.

DailyHap: What's your biggest happiness challenge?
Beth: Ahh. My biggest happiness challenge is staying present. I tend to worry about the future and/or live in the past sometimes, neither of which brings happiness. The key is staying in the present moment—that’s really all we have—and that is what I strive to do daily. I read a lot of motivational materials to help with this, including DailyHap!

DailyHap: What brings you the most happiness?
Beth: When I am able to fully enjoy a present, ordinary moment with the people I love, including myself. Being in nature helps me tremendously—rowing, hiking, or just being outside.

DailyHap: What does your diet look like day to day?
Beth: My diet consists of healthy protein (grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught cold water fish) and lots of vegetables, both cooked and raw. I limit grains—especially refined grains (breads, cereals, pastas, etc.) because I don’t feel well when I eat them. I eat some raw, fermented food daily, as well, for digestion and probiotic benefits (especially sauerkraut, since I own Straight From The Vine sauerkraut company).

I’m also completely gluten and dairy free. I do confess to having a sweet tooth and some kind of chocolate usually finds its way to me. I don’t think people should deprive themselves of a daily treat—moderation is the key, as well as finding healthier alternatives (e.g., a square or two of dark chocolate with antioxidant benefits vs. a milk chocolate candy bar).

DailyHap: What's your favorite part of the book?
Beth: The happiness section, especially the quotes. Quotes can be very motivational and I chose the ones that really spoke to me and helped me. I think my favorite one is:

“Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering.”

- Pooh's Little Instruction Book, inspired by A.A. Milne

Interested in more from Beth? Grab your copy of Essential Nourishment here!

*GIVEAWAY: Complete any Hap (action item or task) on DailyHap.com between now and Friday, March 30, 2012 at 5pm CST and you'll be automatically entered to win a copy of Essential Nourishment! Limit 1 entry per person.*

Why You DO Need to Vent

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 18:07:12 +0000

Freud theorized that repressed emotions could cause psychological symptoms, while Aristotle advocated release or catharsis of negative feelings. But lately, it’s more popular for newspapers, researchers, and experts to report that venting when you’re angry doesn’t actually help assuage your anger. But what about venting when you’re all those other emotions that sometimes cause anger but aren’t: sad, upset, depressed, frustrated, or hurt? And what if by venting you can get them out of your head and set them free?

Then, we’d argue, venting works. When Mel of The Clothes Make the Girl posted a vent-filled list that wasn’t angry but instead went over items that caused her frustration, sadness, disappointment, and more, she received a flurry of responses for her readers—all sympathizing and supportive. The rare study by a team of psychologists at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) does support venting, showing that sharing a venting moment helps make sadness and anger less intense. It also states that verbalizing feelings (even if it’s just to yourself) is a type of free talk therapy.

The key difference in Mel’s approach to venting is that she posted her feelings as a way to express and acknowledge them—and then move on. She says, “That way, the whiny emotion gets the attention it wants, but I don’t get mired in the muck along with it while it throws a tantrum.” That’s the antidote for Freud’s repression and the definition of Aristotle’s catharsis.

There are, of course, more ways to express sadness, disappointment, guilt, and other emotions than writing or blogging about them. Studies have shown that drawing or other forms of art are actually more effective than writing, though writing is usually the most accessible. For some emotions, like frustration, exercise can be particularly effective.

What’s essential, however, is to acknowledge emotions—also known as venting—to yourself, your pet, your journal, or perhaps a close group of friends, and then move on. Bringing the emotions up and setting them free is the powerful thing, whether you call that venting or not.

Image: Some rights reserved by William Brawley

Find a Thinking Spot today. Or go to your Thinking Spot if you already have one.

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:01:33 +0000

Thinking Spots give you a place to relax, breathe, think, and just be. If you don't have one already, find one today!

Find Your Thinking Spot

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:06:41 +0000

Never thought about a Thinking Spot? Now's the time to find a place for peace and processing, where you can relax into yourself. Lyssa talks about why you need a Thinking Spot and how to find one in the video below:

No Laughing Matter: Treat Dementia with Laughter

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:03:40 +0000

You know how everyone says, "laughter is the best medicine" ... and laughing always makes you feel better, even if you’re laughing while tears streak your face? Now, laughter is scientifically proven to make you feel better.

A new study on humor therapy, dubbed the SMILE study, reveals that humor is as effective as widely used antipsychotic drugs in managing agitation in patients with dementia—and avoids serious drug side effects.

The Study

While the study focused on dementia patients, the implications are broad. Between 70 and 80 percent of people suffering from dementia are troubled by agitation, a problem for both patients with the disease and their caregivers. "Agitated behaviors include physical and verbal aggression, wandering, screaming, and repetitive behaviors and questions," says lead researcher, Dr. Lee-Fay Low, a Research Fellow at the University of New South Wales's School of Psychiatry.

The SMILE study found a 20 percent reduction in agitation using humor therapy, where caregivers specifically trained to use humor, smiles, and laughter to manage pain and stress. This improvement is comparable to the common use of antipsychotic drugs. "This shows humor therapy should be considered before medication for agitation, particularly taking into account its side effects," says Dr. Low.

In the SMILE study agitation decreased not only during the 12 week humor therapy program, but remained lower at 26-week follow up.

Practical Application

While the scientific study focuses on dementia patients, you’ve no doubt felt the benefits of a good laugh to cure a bad mood or a casual case of the blues, thanks to the release of feel-good chemicals called endorphins. The release of endorphins also happens with massage and acupuncture. All three options are a great first line of defense against a variety of ailments. Jump-starting your feel-good process could be as simple as downloading an episode of your favorite funny TV show!

Image: Some rights reserved by beggs

Make someone laugh today. Be someone's humor treatment!

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:04:04 +0000

You can treat dementia with laughter, so why not any other ailment someone is facing today?

Vent about something that's got you upset, feeling down, or feeling blue.

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:04:27 +0000

Nothing to vent about or not feeling down at all? Save this Hap for another day!

Color Me Happy

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:59:31 +0000

The Pantone color of 2012 is Tangerine Tango. As a riff on orange, which traditionally signifies energy and stimulation, perhaps it's a smooth move on the part of Pantone, the authority on color, to stimulate the national mood? It could certainly work for you. Read on for a quickie guide to color and how to use it to boost your mood!

Red: strength, power, passion
Make it work: Rock a big presentation with a red accent like nail polish or cuff links that you can look at to remind you of your power and preparedness. Slip on a red shirt or dress for date night and let the longest wavelength in the color spectrum work for you—of course, that's not the only reason all eyes will be on you.

Orange: energy, enthusiasm, stimulation
Make it work: Struggling on a Friday to get your enthusiasm up for the last day of the work week? Try an orange top, or accessorize with an orange tie or scarf. You can also boost your workout motivation with orange sneaks or workout gear.

Yellow: happiness, intellect, friendship
Make it work: Eat eggs with bright yellow yolks in the morning or try yellow flowers in your kitchen to perk you up any time of day. Paint a picture frame or vase bright yellow to give you a burst of energy in any room in your house.

Green: nature, health, relaxation, safety
Make it work: Green reminds you of the relaxation found in nature, so use it when you need to chill. Try green throw pillows on the couch or wear something green when you're headed into a potentially heated situation, like a confrontation you've been avoiding.

Blue: creativity, calm, stability, trust
Make it work: Write in blue ink to stimulate creativity; rock a blue hue in your outfit on the day you're asking for a raise. Blue can also be an appetite suppresant, so try blue plates to help you control portions.

Purple: spritiuality, mystery, childhood
Make it work: Some studies show that up to 75% of kids prefer purple to any other color. Bring a child-like joy into your life with purple home accents or flowers, or amp up your weekend playfulness with a punchy purple outfit.

Brown: earth, home, comfort
Make it work: Get cozy with brown, be it a warm jacket or comfy leather chair. Even sipping your mocha-colored coffee can give you a sense of comfort.

Black: power, elegance, sophistication
Make it work: There's a reason the LBD and tuxedo are classics—the traits you crave are all expressed by the inky garb. Empower yourself at a big event for work or play by donning the basic but not boring hue.

White: hope, purity, cleanliness
Make it work: Start fresh with white. After losing your job or going through a tough breakup, freshen up your digs with a new white accessory for your workspace or a new bright white comforter.

The secret to using color to boost your mood is to recognize the associations you have with it. While these are common—and oft-studied—connections to certain colors, be sure to play up your own color history. Snag a promotion while wearing your favorite pink shirt? Rock it when you need a reminder of how awesome you are. Meet a hot girl wearing your best khakis? Use them to inspire confidence in the future.

Need help envisioning the colors in action? Check out our Color Me Happy Pinterest board for inspiration!

Image: Some rights reserved by david.nikonvscanon

Boost your mood with color today—try one you don't normally wear!

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:01:22 +0000

For inspiration, check out our guide to mood-boosting colors here.

Follow love advice from kids.

Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:04:48 +0000

Read here for some great advice from kids on love.

I Wonder ...

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:30:25 +0000

By Robyn Whyte, who writes at Robyn Writes.

I wonder...

Here is a list of things I worry about: my health, my finances, my mom, my children, my thinning hair, my memory, world events, Texas government, health insurance, wars, our dysfunctional federal government, civil rights for all, the environment, disasters, religious fundamentalism, blah blah quack quack.

Some of these things I worry about more than the others. My worry often takes the form of an urgent voice in my head that asks, “What should I do? What should I do? What should I do? How can I fix this?” The implication is, “it’s up to me, it’s up to me, it’s up to me!” Wears me out.

Lately I’ve latched on to a new approach that I find more productive. And, ironically, it is also more relaxing.

Instead of worrying about what is going to happen, and what I should do to make things happen the way I think they should, I am practicing curiosity instead. It goes something like this:

- I wonder how this will turn out?

- Wow, I didn’t expect this—I wonder what will come of it?

- Oh this is interesting—where on earth will it lead?

- She’s in a pickle—I’m curious how she handles this.

- I’m keeping an eye on this situation—I don’t have a clue what should happen.

-Whoa! I didn’t see this coming—hold on, no telling what is coming next!

- Ok Robyn, wait and see what you are prompted to do now.

Curiosity feels so much better than worry, and why not? I did not create all these situations; I did not even create myself. I’m not in charge of the world; there is little I can control. I can certainly do my part, but I don’t always know what my part is. I’m curious about that too.

Every one of us has built into our Being a loving, wise presence, a Voice of Loving Kindness that knows how to solve all kinds of dilemmas. Curiosity invites me to turn to that Presence and say, "now what? I always get such a kick watching how you transform problems!"

How it feels to ask, “what am I going to do about this?” is very different from “I wonder what I’m going to do about this? I wonder what creative solutions are going to pop into my head, and when? I wonder who is going to show up to help me? This is all such a mystery!"

Worrying is always non-productive. Curiosity opens doors, windows, peepholes, and kernels, and allows for nuggets, flashes, hunches, nudges, and awarenesses to reveal themselves to me.

I wonder what people will think of this?

Image: Some rights reserved by spaceodissey

Replace worry with curiosity.

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:33:29 +0000

Simply replace worry with wonder: ask, “I wonder what I’m going to do about this?" and allow yourself to watch what unfolds as opposed to figuring out what to do.

Taking Multitasking to Task

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:28:34 +0000

Quick, check out how many tabs you have open on your internet browser or how many apps you have open on your phone. How many do you need to complete the task you’re doing right now (reading this article)?

While the rise in anti-texting-while-driving laws is indicative of a cultural shift away from multitasking, it's a slow movement. We all multitask every single day. A panel of experts discussed multitasking during SXSW in March (click the link to listen), and all three thought leaders agreed: by and large, multitasking is not effective.

About Multitasking

“What’s a task?” asks Professor David E. Meyer, Ph. D., a faculty member of the Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Program in the Department of Psychology at the University of Michigan. “A task is a procedure involving a sequence of mental and physical processes for achieving a desired goal.” He clarifies that performing multiple tasks can happen simultaneously and in rapid succession. How effective you are depends on a variety of factors, including the tasks’ compatibility, the tasks’ cognitive load, and your history practicing them.

Each task involves a neurochannel (like language or visual-manual), but each channel has limited capacity. Conflicting tasks compete for a channel whereas compatible tasks use different channels. You can fold laundry and talk on the phone because they operate on different channels.

Additionally, while you are working on a task, even a single task, you can have both external and internal interference. How your brain processes the interference depends on your goals—if you ignore the distraction, it becomes irrelevant, but if you choose to engage in it, it becomes a distraction.

Dr. Adam Gazzaley, the founding director of the Neuroscience Imaging Center at the University of California, San Francisco, shared some unpublished research on multitasking, where study participants all played a game. Every person surveyed showed a drop in performance—in a linear progression by age—that could be mitigated by practicing the game.

How To NOT Multitask (or, how to become more productive)

Say this word ten times: silk. Silk, silk, silk, silk, silk, silk, silk, silk, silk.

What does a cow drink?

…

Actually, water.

Multitasking is a habit and we’ve been taught to multitask. But if it’s with incompatible tasks, it’s not effective. Peter Bregman, author of 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done, lays out five steps to break the multiasking habit and find your focus, increasing productivity.

1. Plan Your Environment

Literally take away the thing that enables you to multitask. Put your phone away, disable the internet, whatever you need to do in order to create an environmental change.

2. Do Less

Create a six-box to do list for the year. The first five boxes are areas of focus you want to move forward in a year. The sixth box houses everything else. Every single day, take a look at the list of things you most want to get done and make sure you’re doing them.

Also create an Ignore List: things you know you would use to distract yourself if you were to allow yourself. Ignore them.

3. Gamify Your Work

That is, shorten your work to make it more interesting, move faster, and focus only on the most important data. Shorten the time, shorten the resources, and you’ll find that you focus more. For example, think about driving 95 miles an hour—you won’t want to text.

4. Effectively Multitask Without Drag

You can do multipurpose tasks and compatible tasks without dragging down your performance and productivity. Multipurpose tasks like biking—you get where you need to go and get exercise—are a great use of time. Compatible tasks like folding laundry while listening to the news reduce the negative impact of multitasking.

5. Become Conscious of Your Behavior

First, set a watch to beep every hour. When it beeps, stop working for one minute. Take a deep breath, ask yourself ‘am I doing what I most need to be doing right now?’. The other 59 minutes of work will be more focused.

Second, take five minutes at the end of the day to stop and analyze how your day went, what worked and didn’t, and consider what you plan to do tomorrow and how you want to do it differently.

The bottom line? No matter how good you think you are at multitasking, your brain just isn't wired to work that way. When you can focus on one task at a time, you'll perform it better and often quicker. Give one—or all—of these strategies a shot to reap the rewards of taking multitasking to task.

Image: Some rights reserved by Phillie Casablanca

Try not to multitask for at least an hour today—hey, we're willing to start small—and note how your productivity changes.

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:29:54 +0000

It doesn't have to be at work, but try to focus instead of multitasking for at least an hour today, or shoot for the whole day if you're feeling brave!

This habit is ingrained in us from a young age, so try one of the strategies here to start NOT multitasking today.

Love Your Body to Lose Weight

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:02:36 +0000

"Body image problems are very common amongst overweight and obese people, often leading to comfort eating and more rigid eating patterns, and are obstacles to losing weight," says Dr. Pedro J. Teixeira, Technical University of Lisbon, who led a new research study into body image and weight loss. "Our results showed a strong correlation between improvements in body image, especially in reducing anxiety about other peoples' opinions, and positive changes in eating behavior. From this we believe that learning to relate to your body in healthier ways is an important aspect of maintaining weight loss and should be addressed in every weight control program."

The new study, "Body image change and improved eating self-regulation in a weight management intervention in women" (click link for full study), is published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Researchers from the Technical University of Lisbon and Bangor University enrolled overweight and obese women on a year-long weight loss program.

Losing Weight

Traditional: In the study, half the women were given general health information about good nutrition, stress management, and the importance of looking after yourself.

Improving Body Image (the intervention plan): The other half attended 30 weekly group sessions where issues such as exercise, emotional eating, improving body image and the recognition of, and how to overcome, personal barriers to weight loss and lapses from the diet were discussed.

On the behavioral intervention plan women found that the way they thought about their body improved and that concerns about body shape and size were reduced. Compared to the control group they were better able to self-regulate their eating and they lost much more weight, losing on average 7% of their starting weight compared to less than 2% for the control group.

You Can Improve Your Body Image

You don't necessarily need to attend group sessions to address issues like emotional eating, personal barriers to weight loss, and lapses in diet. There are plenty of resources online, and stay tuned to DailyHap for future exploration into these topics!

Image: Some rights reserved by geishaboy500

Look in the mirror and say three things you like about your body.

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:04:16 +0000

You can focus on things your body can do, has done, or favorite body parts ... show your body some love today!

Going Against the Grain

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 15:33:07 +0000

“Gluten-free” may be the defining trend in food for the past decade. With an uptick in the number of celiac disease diagnoses and the proliferation of low-carb or no-grain diets like Atkins or Paleo, respectively, gluten is certainly on the nation’s collective food consciousness. Gluten also hints of controversy: for Celiacs it’s fine to avoid gluten, but how can everyone else turn their backs on the Agricultural Revolution?!

What is Gluten?

Wikipedia says—and we’re going to assume that at the hands of many scientists this is an accurate description—“Gluten is the composite of a gliadin and a glutelin, which is conjoined with starch in the endosperm of various grass-relatedgrains. The prolamin and glutelin from wheat (gliadin, which is alcohol-soluble, and glutenin, which is only soluble in dilute acids or alkalis) compose about 80% of the protein contained in wheat seed. Being insoluble in water, they can be purified by washing away the associated starch.”

More people know gluten by the description Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, gives: “Gluten is a large, water-soluble protein that creates the elasticity in dough.” It makes bread bread, and as such, birthday parties filled with cake, offices filled with doughnuts, and subways filled with lunch sandwiches.

Why are People Interested in Gluten?

Probably mostly because they like to eat it. But have you ever eaten plain flour? It’s the salt, sugar, and fat that helps shape breadstuffs into breadstuffs that we so adore. And perhaps, if we’re trying to avoid gluten, we can use that knowledge to our advantage.

The Gluten Intolerance Group of North America reports that 1 in 133 people have Celiac disease, which PubMed describes as “a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing parts of food that are important for staying healthy. The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats.”

Many experts believe that gluten affects everyone in that manner, not just celiacs. At the least, Sisson, who also writes Mark's Daily Apple, reports, “Gluten sensitivity or intolerance, once thought to be rare, is now believed to affect a third of the population. (Some believe this number is substantially higher.)”

Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution, is less gentle, saying, “Everyone has CXCR3, everyone transports gluten into the enterocytes, everyone experiences gut irritation from gluten.”

If that’s not enough to make you want to quit gluten altogether, consider that ingesting gluten leads to inflammation, which can cause a host of issues from weight gain to malnutrition, decreased cognitive abilities to low energy while spiking blood sugar and taxing many of the body’s systems.

How to Go G-Free

Gluten-free labels are as common as any other these days, but these products often sub other grains for the missing gluten, and/or add in fat and sugar to make up for taste or texture changes—you’ve got to be vigilant about reading labels. It may be better or easier for some to simply rethink the way we prepare food. Lettuce wraps replace sandwiches, throwing food together in a skillet makes a delicious dinner, and you really can eat anything for breakfast.

Wolf and Sisson are just two of the principal luminaries of the Paleo Diet, along with Dr. Loren Cordain, Art De Vany, and Paul Jaminet and Shou-Ching Jaminet (for a rundown of their personal philosophies, check this great breakdown). Most iterations of the paleo or primal diet allow for no grains at all.

Sisson writes in The Primal Blueprint, “What’s less accepted and therefore more insidious as a dietary ‘poison’ are processed grains (wheat and flour products, such as bread, pasta, crackers, snack foods, baked goods, etc. as well as rice, corn, cereals, etc.). You hear right—these staples of diets across the globe are generally inappropriate for human consumption for the simple reason that our digestive systems (and our genes) have not had ample time to adapt to both the unfamiliar protein structure of grains and the excessive carbohydrate load of all forms of cultivated grains, including even whole grains.”

It’s worth noting: a low carb diet is very different from a gluten- or grain-free one. Carbohydrates are found—and sometimes in high concentrations—in all sorts of unprocessed and gluten-free foods including vegetables, fruits, and potatoes.

Whether or not you choose to eschew all grains or just the ones with gluten in them (wheat, rye, barley), you have plenty of support. The gluten-free foods industry’s growth hasn’t slowed a bit since marketers began tracking it, and recipes and cookbooks abound. For more support, click on our Pinterest board: We Don't Need No Stinkin' Gluten for creative twists on your old favorite recipes or to discover new faves! More energy, less bloat, and the fun of trying new food combos? Sounds like a recipe for happiness!

Image: Some rights reserved by Andrew-Hyde

Avoid all grains today … it's just one day!

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:10:27 +0000

After avoiding grains, note your energy level changes. It might be similar to your reaction to avoiding sugar.

Take four minutes to listen to a song you really like, without doing anything else—unless you want to dance.

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 15:54:57 +0000

Music can make you happy, and so can dancing, so pump up your jam today.

Pump Up The Jams

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 01:49:20 +0000

Fact: When you listen to music you like, music evokes positive emotions (1). Playing it combats stress (2). Music therapy has been shown to improve moods, raise motivation, reduce anxiety, and even "fight depression, insomnia, and addiction" (3)(4). It brings people together, and literally causes our brain to release dopamine (5). Basically, music is an essential tool in bag of Hap tricks.

Why Music Makes Us Happy

It's nice that science confirmed what we already knew. Most of us naturally use music to enhance our mood. When I'm happy, I put on the Gypsy Kings and think of my times in Spain and Latin America. When I'm pensive, I put on Leonard Cohen and reflect on society. When I'm partying, I crank Deadmau5 and dance. The studies agree that we have to like the music in order for us to feel better. Listening to music we don't like can make us feel even worse.

Music also makes us happy by bringing people together. Positive Psychology specialist Martin Seligman noted that social ties are an extremely good indicator for happiness (6). We create new social ties through music—going to concerts together, singing together, dancing, talking about our favorite artists. How quickly do you ask a new acquaintance what kind of music they listen to?

Music is a wonderful tool for self expression. I write more songs when I'm experiencing negative emotions. Putting them into song allows me to express these feelings healthily and move beyond them when I'm ready, instead of repressing them and letting them sneak out when I least expect it.

Dancing will definitely make you happier (7), and certain kinds of dancing will even make you smarter (8). Although you can dance without music, who wants to? Bobbing your head, humming along, tapping your foot, and all out jiving usually accompany a good song.

Use the Music!

There are so many ways music can make us happy. Crank the stereo and belt out your favorite song. It doesn't matter whether it's Gotye or Madonna; the special combination of melody and beat speak the words you can't.

Now you're totally present. You're fully conscious in the moment, and you find some small sense of peace. In four minutes, you'll still have to write that email, or figure out how to pay rent. Right now though, music is all that matters, and it makes you happy.

Jordan Myska Allen is a musician and very happy dude. You can read more about him here.

Citations:
(1) http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/uog-mce030512.php
(2) http://articles.cnn.com/2009-05-11/health/music.heart_1_music-therapy-laughter-study-blood-vessels?_s=PM:HEALTH
(3) http://www.ivillage.com/turn-it-why-music-can-make-you-happy/4-a-435196
(4) http://www.amazon.com/Your-Playlist-Change-Life-Revolutionize/dp/1402260245
(5) http://news.discovery.com/human/music-dopamine-happiness-brain-110110.html
(6) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happiness
(7) http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201008/mind-your-body-dance-yourself-happy
(8) http://socialdance.stanford.edu/syllabi/smarter

Finding Ease in Discomfort

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:39:20 +0000

How to use a physical lesson in discomfort in emotional situations.

Yes, Lyssa sits in Pigeon Pose for the entire video. You can do it too!

Find ease in discomfort. Try the technique in a situation. Or try Pigeon Pose.

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:26:35 +0000

Click here to watch the video on how to find ease in discomfort (or to see Pigeon Pose in (in)action).

Get Excited By Physical Activity

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:27:10 +0000

“Pleasant-activated” is the scientific term used to describe excited, enthusiastic feelings, which new research reveals are triggered by physical activity. As "to excite" is defined in Merriam-Webster Dictionary as "to call to activity," more than just a mood boost, this research suggests that physical activity can be a motivator! Excitement and enthusiasm in individuals can translate to action completing other projects or tasks. The more you move, the more excited you get, the more happy you become!

Feelings Tracked

The Penn State researchers published their results in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology. The team separated study participants' feeling states into four categories:

pleasant-activated feelings exemplified by excitement and enthusiasm
pleasant-deactivated feelings exemplified by satisfaction and relaxation
unpleasant-activated feelings exemplified by anxiety and anger
unpleasant-deactivated feelings exemplified by depression and sadness.

"Knowing that moderate and vigorous physical activity generates a pleasant-activated feeling, rather than just a pleasant feeling, might help to explain why physical activity is so much more effective for treating depression rather than anxiety," says David Conroy, professor of kinesiology at Penn State.

Baby Steps

People who are more physically active report greater levels of excitement and enthusiasm than people who are less physically active. People also are more likely to report feelings of excitement and enthusiasm on days when they are more physically active than usual.

"You don't have to be the fittest person who is exercising every day to receive the feel-good benefits of exercise," says Conroy. "It's a matter of taking it one day at a time, of trying to get your activity in, and then there's this feel-good reward afterwards."

It can be hard for people to commit to an exercise program because we tend to set long-term goals. "When people set New Year's resolutions, they set them up to include the entire upcoming year, but that can be really overwhelming," Conroy says. "Taking it one day at a time and savoring that feel-good effect at the end of the day might be one step to break it down and get those daily rewards for activity. Doing this could help people be a little more encouraged to stay active and keep up the program they started."

Exercise for an Enthusiasm Boost

Amanda Hyde, graduate researchers, says, "Our results suggest that not only are there chronic benefits of physical activity, but there are discrete benefits as well. Doing more exercise than you typically do can give you a burst of pleasant-activated feelings. So today, if you want a boost, go do some moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise."

Image: Some rights reserved by Ellysia Oldsen

Do more moderate-to-intense physical activity today than usual.

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:28:39 +0000

Spark your own enthusiasm with exercise! Just do a little more today than you usually do.

Helpers for Hire

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:37:17 +0000

by Cindy Myska, therapist and mother of two

I am a Helper. I help.

At eight years old, my son formed a work club.

“Helpers for Hire,” he wrote on the brochure. “Five eight- or nine-year-old boys, $1.50 per hour per boy. Will help with anything, cleaning rooms, mowing, or will design and build a fort for you with our dads’ help.”

That’s me. A helper, just like my son, only with mental things, thoughts and beliefs. I help people sort out, throw away stuff, keep some. I help people go through their stuff and look at it. We look at what the stuff meant when they got it, and what it means now. I help them figure out what they want to keep and what they want to throw away.

I can help architect a fort too, an amalgamation of physical blankets or metaphysical thoughts, that's a safe place to play.

Image: Some rights reserved by sffoghorn

Be someone's Helper today.

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:40:17 +0000

Help someone sort out, keep, and throw away stuff, thoughts, and beliefs. You'll find a lot of happiness in helping others, and their happiness will skyrocket as you lighten their load.

Pay your taxes!

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:34:17 +0000

Money can't buy happiness ... or maybe it can. Either way, you gotta pay your taxes—due April 15!

Money Can’t Buy Happiness … Or Can It?

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:19:35 +0000

It’s hotly debated: can money buy happiness? Most people say no, yet as a society we pursue money like it can.

The truth? To a point, money can indeed buy happiness. Research has shown that until an individual reaches a certain point, about $75,000 a year in the United States, money does buy happiness. But after that point, an individual’s happiness doesn’t improve as they earn more money, according to Princeton University researchers.

This is an iteration of the Easterlin paradox, a discovery in 1974 by Richard A. Easterlin which shows the rich are generally happier than the poor, though neither GDP growth nor higher GDP per capita increase happiness once development satisfies basic needs [via HappyCounts.org]. This suggests that once basic needs are met—and basic may indeed go beyond food, water, shelter—money can’t buy happiness.

However, if money can buy people access to things they enjoy—leisure time, travel, sports, or fashion—it can buy happiness. But the catch is that these things often ignore the discrepancy between evaluating and experiencing happiness.

There’s a transformation of people’s perceptions and feelings as society evolves. As freedom of choice and material wealth spread, happiness is affected by heightened expectations. Affluence may cause individuals to judge their lives as comparatively better, but the individual may feel increasingly dissatisfied.

Psychologist and Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman breaks the idea of subjective well-being and happiness into two components: the emotional well-being shaped by everyday experiences, and a person's cumulative life evaluation. Kahneman disagrees, and finds that higher income improves a person's life evaluation even among people who are already wealthy. "More money does not necessarily buy more happiness," he told US News, "But less money is associated with emotional pain."

This research suggests that even if you haven’t hit the $75,000 threshold, you can improve your happiness through a few tweaks in thinking:

Keep expectations reasonable even as your income goes up
Appreciate your everyday experiences despite their cost
Evaluate your cumulative life experiences from a positive standpoint

These three tips will help dispel the notion that money can buy YOU happiness and help you find happiness right now, regardless of your income.

For a sampling of some of the most ridiculous things money can buy, check out our Pinterest board!

Image: Some rights reserved by harry525

Think about your partner's needs more often today ...

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:08:01 +0000

... Single? You can do this with close friendships as well.

Want to take it a step further? Do the exercise the 93-year-old grandfather suggests:

"Get out a sheet of paper. Now on that paper, the wife needs to write down three things that her husband does that gets her mad as a hornet—and the husband does the same. Then, they swap their papers. If they really love each other, they will consider what the other one has written and they'll change what they're doing."

Seasons of Change: The True Meaning of Giving and Receiving

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:08:22 +0000

My 93-year-old grandfather is one of the most brilliant marriage therapists I know ... and he only has a sixth grade education! Maybe it's the Folgers coffee because it's right around that second cup his "infinite wisdom and insight" comes pouring forth—whether I have solicited it or not.

What I am about to share with you is something I have heard a million times. Every time I heard his advice on marriage, I found myself thinking "For crying out loud, here we go again ... I wonder if the fish are biting ... I wonder when my cousin and I are going four-wheeling.”

But something was different this time. I heard the message ... behind the message.

"The problem with so many marriages today is selfishness. If a married couple is having problems, and each one is carrying on about how the other one irritates and gets them in a fuss, they need to get out a sheet of paper. Now on that paper, the wife needs to write down three things that her husband does that gets her mad as a hornet—and the husband does the same. Then, they swap their papers. If they really love each other, they will consider what the other one has written and they'll change what they're doing. When both people are thinking about the other one more often, their marriage will turn around in hurry."

When I ran this advice through the filters of my ego, it was the most co-dependent nonsense I had ever heard. Yet, when I expanded my consciousness to really hear what was being said, it brought a whole new meaning to the spiritual principal of giving and receiving.

It quickly moved me past the superficial levels of why we give anything in the first place. At the level of our separated, individual self, we give in order to get something—love, praise, value, recognition, security, attention, etc. That is why romantic relationships can be so painful and destructive. Our only motivation in giving is to "get" something from our partner.

Essentially, we are stealing. We look at our partner, see something they have that we want and manipulate our behavior in order to get from our partner what we think we are lacking. That is the stripped down version of what is really going on when we give to another. In our unconscious state, our giving is always under the guise of flattery, facades, and niceties.

In the realm of Holiness, giving and receiving are the same.

When we are truly in a space of unconditional love with our partner, giving becomes a means to expanding our experience of love. We do it because of the feeling we receive from the giving. Both the giver and receiver are blessed by the energy created from such a sacred intent.

What if we really took my grandfather's advice and worked on three things that irritate our partner? And what if we did those things without complaining, thinking we are martyrs or that we are sacrificing ourselves in some way. What if we just simply made some adjustments without making a big deal about it?

And what if our changes brought forth a greater joy and sense of being loved for our partner? If that presents itself in the moment, then we can clearly see that the giving and receiving are the same. One is giving through a request being made and the other is giving through an open heart and both are receiving the benefits. It is a win all the way around.

Becoming mindful of what we do that annoys our partner and then working towards shifting it, is only an entry point to deeper love and intimacy. It's more about listening to feedback from our partner in regards to how we are showing up than it is about defending our stance.

When our partner makes a request, often times we hear it as a complaint. Our partner's request may or may not be rational, fair, or even spiritual. The deeper meaning is how we respond to "what is on their list." If it contributes to their joy and feeling loved, why we would not honor what they are asking?

I think that is the whole point to my grandfather's message about selfishness. Sometimes it is good to put aside what we want or how we think things should be and consider what our spouse wants. If our relationship is based on real love and respect, then we don't have to worry about it becoming a one way street. Both people get to share, simultaneously, in the healing energy of true giving and receiving.

Image: Some rights reserved by tibchris

Seasons of Change: What is Love?

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:08:43 +0000

Recently, I ran across a website that posted advice about love from kids ages 5-10. These were some of my favorites...

"Spend most of your time loving instead of going to work." -Dick, age 7

"Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough." -Lynnette, age 8

"Tell your wife that she looks pretty even if she looks like a truck!" -Ricky, age 7

"Don't forget your wife's name. That will mess up the love." -Erin, age 8

"Sensitivity don't hurt." -Robbie, age 8

"Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash." -Erin, age 8

"Don't say you love somebody and then change your mind. Love isn't like picking what movie you want to watch." -Natalie, age 9

When talking to my 93-year-old grandfather, his advice about love was:

"People are like 2x4's. They have a good side and a bad side. Never look at the bad side because you'll never learn anything about love. Only look at the good side of a person and then you will know what love is."

This confirms to me that when I was a child, I knew what love was. Now that I am somewhere in my 40s, I have completely forgotten what love is—but not to worry! I will remember once again when I am my grandfather’s age.

Even though I am poking fun at myself, I do envy the simplicity found in the wisdom of my grandfather and these children. Their words are spoken from such a pure and unfiltered place. Their perspective is free of drama caused by abandonment, betrayal, and loss.

We can use our power of choice to learn about Love.

In every moment, we have the privilege to choose between being right and justified or being loving and kind. Whatever we choose, we will experience. With that said, I have a confession. Sometimes, it feels really good to be right, justified, and defended. And I have to go one step further and say that I have really enjoyed the “power” (though it be a false power) that accompanies such stances.

There is just one problem.

The power and control obtained through being right and defended is fleeting and is usually followed by an emotional hangover. These choices are always made from our ego—our false self. It is the part of us that has not allowed the real power of Love to be ushered into our awareness. It is the self that doesn’t trust Love.

Becoming aware of our false self is really the key to seeing, knowing and experiencing real Love. Choosing to surrender our man-made beliefs about Love automatically brings forth the Light by which we can see clearly. Once it is in our awareness, it will drop down into our experience—the place in us that interprets our inner and outer worlds.

So What is Love?

Love is what we experience when we are brave enough to admit to the Holy Spirit within us how terrified we are, how much we don’t like ourselves, and how we will do anything to avoid others witnessing our own shortcomings.

When we heal our blocks to Love, real Love naturally happens. We don’t have to work for it, learn about it, or even try to understand it. It is the natural essence of who we are.

If you are someone who enjoys flying, the process of letting real Love in can be a lot like boarding an aircraft. You check your baggage at the baggage claim, take your seat, and relax as your pilot safely transports you to your final destination!

Image: Some rights reserved by CosmoPolitician

Get more vitamin D today! Get outside, take your supps, or eat fatty fish.

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:04:51 +0000

Click here to learn more about the benefits of vitamin D and how you can get more of this happy vitamin!

Happy Brains with Vitamin D

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:39:43 +0000

Vitamin D supplementation could be a panacea: getting your Vitamin D levels up to par can improve mood, memory, perception, health, and even menstrual cramps in women! Read on for the get-happy benefits and how best to get your daily D.

Vitamin D Benefits

Happy brains: Vitamin D improves memory and motor control as it interacts with proteins in the brain.
Vitamin D can help beat depression: A new study from the National Institute on Aging shows that people over the age of 65 who have low D levels are more likely to be depressed–a link that’s slightly stronger in women than men.
Improve heart health and reduce body fat: Daily supplements of vitamin D may improve certain markers of heart health like HDL cholesterol, and lead to significant reductions in body fat mass in overweight and obese people, says a new study.
Reduce menstrual pain: Women who experience menstrual cramps can take a single high dose of Vitamin D and experience a reduction in pain symptoms for up to two months, says a small study.

Getting Your D On

Chris Kresser, an integrative medicine practitioner who advocates a practical approach to supplementation, says, "[Vitamin D] is absolutely critical for health, and up to 50% of Americans are deficient. We can get vitamin D from two sources: food, and sunshine."

Fatty fish is the best food option for vitamin D, but you'd have to eat a lot of it to up your levels significantly. Sunlight is easily accessible and can be a good option, but the factors influencing absorption make it hard to count on. For example, 30 minutes of direct sunlight exposure can produce anywhere from 10-20,000 IU of vitamin D.

The National Institutes of Health states, "Optimal serum concentrations of 25(OH)D for bone and general health have not been established; they are likely to vary at each stage of life, depending on the physiological measures selected." But many practitioners believe that ideal levels of vitamin D range from 2,000-5,000 IU of vitamin D, depending on an individual’s needs and deficiencies of both D and other vitamins. Vitamin D tests usually measure 25-hyrdroxy-vitamin D (25D), and that optimal level is between 35-50 ng/mL. Research has been inconclusive on whether D25 levels above 50ng/mL is beneficial, and some research suggests they can be harmful.

Kresser says, "With vitamin D, it's important to test your levels, begin supplementation, and then re-test a few months later to determine the correct maintenance dose." He also recommends high-vitamin cod liver oil as the best source of vitamin D.

So What About Sun Exposure?

As more research calls traditional sunscreens into question, people are beginning to experiment with more sun exposure or at-home prevention tools. Plenty of experts believe that what you eat can actually help protect you from harmful sun exposure. Everyday Paleo and Mark's Daily Apple both share lists of foods and other natural ways to protect yourself from the sun. Others are using coconut oil as a sunscreen, or for the base of an at-home natural sunscreen, like this one from Wellness Mama.

There are a variety of factors to consider when making decisions about your sun exposure. Make sure you carefully consider the pros and cons of traditional sunscreen use, protective clothing, preventative diets, uncovered exposure, or natural prevention methods.

Image: Some rights reserved by TwistedNerve

Take something someone says to you today as a compliment.

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:23:23 +0000

Need help figuring out how? Watch the Compliment or Insult video here.

Compliment or Insult

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:24:13 +0000

It all started with a few innocent comments in the gym, some fellas saying things to me while working out that were a little ... clueless. But it really got good when it happened outside of the gym! Watch below to find out what happened.

For more Compliment or Insult examples, you can click here.

Image by Ryan Mustard

I Love You, And ...

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:38:43 +0000

By Robyn Whyte, who writes at Robyn Writes.

I love you, and I'm angry with you.

I love you, and I don't want to play with you any more.

I love you, and you're fired.

I love you, and I'm getting a divorce.

I love you, and I need for you to move out.

I love you, and I'm not who you need me to be.

I love you, and I won't go with you.

Throughout most of my life I misunderstood what love is. I thought more along these lines:

If I love you I should not get angry with you.

If I love you I should play as long as you want me to.

If I love you I should keep you on the payroll because you need the money.

If I love you I should stay married to you even as we live a lie.

If I love you I should offer hospitality to you indefinitely.

If I love you I should bend myself into a pretzel to be who you want me to be.

If I love you I should follow you to the ends of the earth.

Today, my thinking goes more like this:

I will not allow my anger to hide my love for you.

I will not take my toys and go home until I remember my love for you.

I will not fire you until I clearly remember your God-given value.

I will not divorce you until I remember how important you have been in my life, and how grateful I am for your tolerance of me all these years.

I will not cast you out of my home until I am certain I am not also casting you out of my heart.

I acknowledge that diminishing myself does not demonstrate my love for you.

My refusal to go with you is not abandoning you, but setting you free.

Before I make any decision about "what to do with you," I must first remember that I love you! It's the only approach that makes any sense because love is not personal, but universal. I AM love; you ARE love. I must acknowledge the truth of that in order to be true to who we both are.

Image: Some rights reserved by mikebaird

Fill in your "I love you, and ..." sentences. Aim for five.

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:40:44 +0000

Read here for some examples of "I love you, and ..." sentences.

Before you make any decision about "what to do with," your partner or friend, first remember that you love him or her!

Upgrade one of your already-green habits!

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:14:10 +0000

Click here for our top ten ways to upgrade your eco-friendly habits!

Eco-Advice Upgrade:

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:14:40 +0000

When you go green, you get happier! Not only do you feel good about helping the environment, but you get the mood-boosting benefit of a sense of accomplishment when you implement a few of these simple uprades to your already green routine. As a bonus, you'll surely be happy about the money you'll save by going green!

Top 10 Green Updates

Recycle … and BUY recycled products.
Turn off your electronics when not in use … and unplug them.
Walk or bike instead of driving … and check your tire pressure to conserve gas when you do drive.
Reuse paper you’ve printed for scraps and notes … and digitally store everything you can.
Remember your reuseable bags at the grocery store … and at the mall, the hardware store, the liquor store ...
Take shorter showers … and wash your clothes in cold water.
Eat more local food … and maybe even plant a few veggies or herbs of your own.
Donate used clothes, goods, tools, and appliances … and buy used of the same!
Become a part of the sharing economy with craigslist, freesharing, carshare, airbnb, and so on … and borrow, don’t buy from the library, your neighbor, and your co-workers.
Bring your reuseable plastic water bottle with you everywhere, or buy several and stash them in the car, office, and home … and same goes for your coffee mug!

Image: Some rights reserved by eoringel

Laugh at an annoyance with this trick.

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:14:18 +0000

Whenever a person, event, or idea gets under your skin, imagine it as a person yelling in your face. This person demands that you get on your knees and kiss their feet. Absurd! Laugh at the absurdity of your annoyance.

For more on this technique, click here.

Kiss My Feet

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:14:36 +0000

By Jordan Myska Allen, musician and very happy dude. You can read more about him here.

Let's pretend for a moment that you have a friend who hates the politics of George W. Bush. Whenever the guy speaks, he begins to seethe with anger, and the rest of his day is ruined.

Think about the insanity of that for a second. This friend HATES Bush, and yet he allows the former president to have absolute power over his happiness. If this person is your friend's sworn enemy, why give Bush so much control over his life?

Unfortunately, we all do this. The things that annoy us, big or small, often affect our mood exponentially more than the things we love. Which stays longer in your psyche: the warmth of coffee or the frustration of spilling it on your shirt?

Think of the last five compliments you received. Now think of the last five insults. Which list comes faster?

There's a biological rationality embedded in this type of thinking. When it's just you versus nature, good things are a bonus but bad things are life or death. Yet our world is different now, and most of us don't have to worry about survival on a minute-to-minute basis. Therefore, we must train ourselves to think differently.

How?

You could have a meditative attitude, but if you're not already on that path this article probably isn't going to convince you. Instead, I'm going to suggest a more controversial, experimental, and creative approach.

Whenever a person, event, or idea gets under your skin, I want you imagine it as a person yelling in your face. This person demands that you get on your knees and kiss their feet. Ridiculous right? Right now, if I demanded that you drop to your knees and kiss my feet, what would you do? Laugh at my face, probably. You'd just laugh at the absurdity of my demand.

Well, that's exactly what you're going to do with your annoyances. Laugh at 'em.

Laugh at the image you've made of them in your mind. Laugh in the face of the person, event, or idea that is holding your happiness hostage. Don't give it the satisfaction of changing your mood. Don't acquiesce to it's ridiculous demands. It has no power over you, unless you let it. It cannot force you to be unhappy just like it cannot force you to kiss its feet. It's just an idea in your mind.

Image: Some rights reserved by Retroperspectiva

Commit to learning something new!

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:34:44 +0000

Although this is filed under 'Body', you don't have to learn a new physical skill. Maybe it's time to read photo tutorials online, sign up for a local college course, or try new recipes! You can learn anything new, but make sure you commit to something!

Learn Something New

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:35:41 +0000

Grow your happiness by building up your arsenal of skills—not only will you feel empowered, but you'll be able to celebrate mini-milestones and major successes!

Image: my first foray into deep powder ... now I can float through it!

For another funny skiing fail photo, check out the best 404 Page Not Found ever.

At the end of the day, ask yourself, 'what did you fail at today?'

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:29:54 +0000

Let whatever you failed at be motivating—you will succeed!

What Did You Fail At Today?

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:33:23 +0000

Mike Langlois, LICSW, recently wrote an incredible blog post detailing his experience talking to a group of college students on academic probation. It's a must-read, so click here to do so.

He writes: "I shared with them the statistic that 80% of the time we play a video game we are failing at it, and asked them to think with me about why we can tolerate failure so much in video games yet have so little tolerance of failure in other parts of our lives such as school. What was different with a video game?

One student, I'll call him John, raised his hand and said, 'I might win.'"

Why do we have so little tolerance for failure? After all, don't we as a society love stories like Michael Jordan being cut from the high school basketball team or Jeremy Lin being an undrafted guard from Harvard of all places, demoted to the D-league three times before changing the course of Knicks basketball history this season? Once a person has succeeded, their failure looks all the more glamorous. But how can someone in the midst of failing capture that optimistic glam?

It comes down to John's assertion that you might win. You might go on to be the best basketball player of all time, or maybe just the Most Improved player of the 2012 season. Or maybe you'll just play some basketball and move on.

A comment on Mike's post shares a story about a child being asked by her parents every day, "What did you fail at today?" The child would respond and the parent would say: "Terrific!"

Imagine from a young age being taught that failure is terrific. That to fail is as daily a routine as brushing your teeth. It turns failure into an optimistic adventure. To keep failing means you are trying, and learning, and growing. And with that optimism, you will succeed.

Then you'd play the 80% odds in life as well as in video games, wouldn't you?

Image: Some rights reserved by fireflythegreat

Become an Emotional Oracle

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:05:43 +0000

From fortune-tellers to psychics, investment bankers to travelers packing, the ability to see the future is among the most prized—and sought-after—human gifts. A new analysis across eight studies involving more than 1,250 participants found that individuals who have higher trust in their feelings are better able to predict the outcome of a variety of future events than individuals who have lower trust in their feelings (click here to read the whole paper).

Ever heard someone say or thought to yourself, ‘my emotions clouded my judgment?’ Well, in contrast with the conventional view that feelings provide an inferior basis for judgments and decisions compared to analytical processes, new research shows that people who trusted their feelings in judgments and decisions consistently predicted these future events more accurately. This phenomenon is called the emotional oracle effect.

For those of us who have learned to “trust your gut” or “listen to your instincts,” perhaps this news isn’t groundbreaking. But with science backing up years of experiential evidence, it’s worth reiterating the point.

How Do Emotions Help Predict the Future?

The paper authors suggest two hypotheses for how emotions help predict the future. According to the researchers, the ﬁrst hypothesis, based on social attunement, postulates that predicted outcomes reflect aggregate consequences of human behavior. That is, to the extent that people tend to be quite similar in terms of their feelings—more so than in terms of logic and reason—encouraging forecasters to rely on their feelings may make them more attuned to the collective.

The other, preferred, theory is the privileged-window hypothesis. We encode a vast amount of information about our environment, most of it unconsciously. This continuously encoded information creates a cumulative implicit knowledge structure. Within this knowledge structure, subjective feelings function in part as meta-summaries of the vast amount of information that we encode consciously or unconsciously about the environment, thus providing a privileged window into all we tacitly know about our environment. A higher trust in feelings may facilitate access to this privileged window, thereby enhancing prediction accuracy over the reliance on logical inputs.

Use Your Emotions

Professor Michel Pham, one of the authors of the new paper, says more colloquially of the privileged window hypothesis: "When we rely on our feelings, what feels 'right' or 'wrong' summarizes all the knowledge and information that we have acquired consciously and unconsciously about the world around us."

If you’re not already in tune with your “gut” or “instincts”, how can you entrust your future to your feelings? It’s pretty simple to start using your emotions: when you’re faced with a tough work or life decision, pay attention to how your body reacts. Key emotional indicators can be blushing or feeling flush, sweating, nausea, a burst of energy, or a sense of calm. When you are trying to listen to your emotions, keep in mind that you’ll be most accurate in situations where you have at least some prior experience, so start there. Being able to rely on your own emotions can make you happier!

Image: Some rights reserved by commorancy

Make a prediction for what will happen tomorrow by relying on your emotions.

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:15:59 +0000

Be careful not to use logic or routine, but tap into your emotions to make a prediction about something that will happen tomorrow.

Stumped? Try predicting what the Hap will be tomorrow.

You're using a smaller exercise to help train you for the bigger exercises that will come along as you progress in trusting your emotions.

The Power of Creating

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:15:10 +0000

If you think this story looks different than normal, you're right! We're trying out Storify, an app that allows us to integrate social content ... let us know what you think!

Image: Some rights reserved by chrissy.farnan

Create something today/this weekend.

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 15:16:21 +0000

It CANNOT be work-related! You must create something just for you, or to give to someone!

For ideas, check out our Storify story here.

Three Surprising Ways to Spring Clean—Internally!

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:29:52 +0000

Spring cleaning can conjure up feelings of dread and anxiety, or perhaps action and refreshment, but either way, you're probably thinking externally: clean out the closets, scrub down the refrigerator, de-slime all the places where unidentifiable goo has taken up residence over the winter. But what about inner spring cleaning? Here are three ways to get a fresh start internally.

1. Cull your friends list.

Be it scrolling through your phone's address book, your email box, or unfriending on facebook, you've got to start cleaning out your friendship list. You don't keep clothes that don't fit; nor should you keep friends that don't fit.

Research—and plenty of anecdotal evidence to boot—suggests that who you choose to surround yourself with influences your choices more than anything else. So delete negative Nancys, sabotage Sams, and underminer Urkels from your life to give the positive Pauls and Pollys more face time. Can't just kick fake-friends out of your life? Begin politely declining all their invitations. The slow fade is okay too.

2. Sleep more.

We know, sleep is this year's miracle drug: lose weight! get smarter! live longer! (all true, actually). But check this out: "Much of what we learn in a day, we don't really need to remember," Chiara Cirelli, of the Center for Sleep and Consciousness says. "If you've used up all the space, you can't learn more before you clean out the junk that is filling up your brain."

You can spring-clean your brain every single night simply by getting enough sleep, which allows your synapses to take a break—saving energy, space and material, and clearing away unnecessary "noise" from the previous day. Your fresh brain is then ready to learn again in the morning.

3. Question your identity.

Intentionally or not, as a human, you're constantly growing and changing. But it's easy to get mired in your past—you've "always" been the party-planner, the office go-to guy, the fitness fanatic, whatever. It's important to spring-clean your identity too, by considering what old identities and labels no longer accurately describe you.

Allow yourself the emotional and mental room to create a new you, and let go of old labels and identities that used to work for you but aren't any more. This is an internal spring cleaning you should undertake often!

Like old clothes, refrigerator crumbs, and slime, internal things have a way of piling up too, seeming so small as to not be worth worrying about, until they are. A good dose of your inner spring cleaning should take care of those little things faster than you can whip out a scrub brush … and it might be less painful too!

Image: Some rights reserved by dok1

Spring clean your mind—pick one of our three ways!

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:31:08 +0000

Click here to choose one of our three ways to spring clean your mind.

It's worth it, we promise.

Examine a breakup to see how you grew ...

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:14:04 +0000

Breaking up happens in many forms, including friendships and business relationships. Take time today to reflect on your most recent breakup, romantic or otherwise, and recap how it helped you grow as an individual.

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Tue, 01 May 2012 15:15:13 +0000

Seasons of Change is a biweekly column from Jayne Clark addressing different topics each season. Spring's focus is relationships. Jayne Clark works intuitively with clients to help them resolve issues regarding relationships, loss, grief, health, and career path. To learn more, head to jayneclark.com.

We can't talk about romantic relationships without addressing the "black eyes" that often surround them—breakups, separation, and divorce. Whether you are the one leaving, the one being left or if the decision is mutual to part ways, ending a relationship can be very difficult.

Often times we are consumed with feelings of inadequacy when we are the ones being left. We wonder what we did wrong, what we could have done differently and why we were "not enough" to make them stay.

Breakups and divorces are never just about the superficial reasons we think they are—we can't communicate with each other, we have grown apart, she spends too much money, he works too late, he cheated, she cheated, she won’t discipline the kids, he won’t engage with the family, she drinks too much ... There is always an underlying issue at hand that requires a more advanced, sophisticated perspective.

People come together for specific spiritual reasons—to heal our current concept of love, experience forgiveness, surrender the walls around our heart, or let go of our need to be right. These and other spiritual reasons challenge our ability to grow beyond our physical desire for companionship, having someone to share our life with, or creating a family.

That is why it is so dangerous to stamp "forever" on a romantic relationship. Sometimes people come into our lives for months, years or for a lifetime. The most important thing to remember is to be in the relationship as honestly and openly as we can. The outcome will always take care of itself.

Breaking Up

A little over a year ago, I ended my six year relationship.

The hardest thing about this breakup was that neither one of us did anything "wrong." There was no infidelity, disrespect, or mistreatment to the other one in any way. There wasn't a classic symptom or reason which made the parting even more difficult. In fact, there was mutual kindness, thoughtfulness, and love.

The deeper issue for me was that I spent my entire adult life in pursuit of a romantic partner.

I kept chasing after security, stability, and the guarantee that I would always be okay. Because those were my subconscious motivators, I never learned how to take care of myself emotionally. In the outer world, I functioned pretty well. On the inside, however, I felt like a train wreck.

I did not feel confident about who I was, my value or my worth. I had not experienced myself outside of either being in a relationship or chasing after one. I felt paralyzed by the thought of being alone.

I had to give myself the opportunity to stand on my own two feet and face all that I had been running from: insecurity, self-doubt, and shame. I had to face all the ways in which I hated myself and how disgusted I was by the thought of who I thought myself to be. And unfortunately, I had to take this journey alone.

At first, I felt miserable.

All I wanted to do was bury myself under a rock ... no, that's not quite right ... more like a boulder. Yes, a big, huge, ginormous, can't-even-move-it-with-a-crane kind of boulder. Knowing I had made this decision in search of my own spiritual and emotional healing, I still wanted to run and isolate from everyone who loved and supported me. I felt so ashamed of what a mess I was—at least that was my perception.

That is what breakups and divorces do: they expose all of the dysfunctional thought patterns we have about ourselves, love, and romance. When we don't have another person to "hide behind" or to distract us from our own selves, feelings of insecurity and unworthiness always rear their heads.

Breakup Resources

The two resources I called upon within myself to assist me in the healing process were patience and trust. Patience taught me to allow the healing process to work in and for me. Trust taught me that it would be so.

Parting ways with someone whom we have spent time with and shared life with is never easy. And it's never the "right time." If we are going through a breakup, it's important to give ourselves the necessary time to heal.

If you are the one initiating the breakup: bless yourself, your partner, and the relationship. If you are the one being broken up with: bless yourself, your partner, and the relationship. And if both of you have mutually agreed to end your time together: bless yourselves, your partner, and the relationship.

To bless the whole relationship allows for deeper understanding and insight to the role our former partner played for us and us for them. Keep the love. Heal what remains painful and hurtful. And pray for the eyes to see them clearly—for they are the ones who fulfilled their spiritual and physical commitment in helping us find our way back home.

Image: Some rights reserved by *christopher*

Stand Up!

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:48:17 +0000

New research reveals that our national habit of sitting is literally killing us! Combat the sitting affliction by standing—at work and at play! Hear more from Lyssa in the video below.

Image: Some rights reserved by purplbutrfly

Stand more today, at work and at home!

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:51:29 +0000

What doesn't kill you ... wait, sitting could KILL you?! Stand up more today, by standing at work or taking walking or standing breaks, walking during your leisure time, or standing while you talk on the phone. Got more standing ideas? Click here to share them in the comment section!

Recognition

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:21:40 +0000

By Lyssa Myska Allen

I am a walking contradiction, a writer in a talker's shoes, someone always happy who never gets the blues. I spout the ideology of confidence and faith but inside I wonder if I am just a disgrace. I act cocky and walk tall, but I am always afraid I will fall.

I ask myself if I am good enough, done the right thing or made of the right stuff. I play ball for the love of the game, but if there were no praise would the love be the same? I act like my love is unconditional, but I worry that my need for the acknowledgement is traditional.

I am a mess of ideals, wondering if this is the way everyone feels. I don't want men to rule my life, but with adventures of them my tales are rife. I try not to worry and just be cool, but I am so afraid I'll be played for a fool.

Confidence and fear go hand in hand, there's no one who has mastered them in this land. How to do it I long to describe, but there are no words in that diatribe. Have faith in yourself for both to come true, confidence arrives and fear is through.

But how do you work your mind out of its twists, its thoughts not neatly organized all within lists? There are emotions layered under experiences forgotten, tangled up like threads in balls of cotton. To find these truths is too hard, simply because they left you so scarred.

How do we humans lead such lives, with our egos vacillating up then taking such dives? I wake up each morning grateful for love, I really do have it when push comes to shove. But reconciling recognition with acceptance is the test, for its risky and painful to be the best.

To be the best friend, the best lover, the best mother or son, the quest for the best is everything under the sun. Success, money, love, fame, the gap they're filling is all the same. Turning back to what's inside, the places we keep in the dark to hide.

Self-actualization is an academic term, one that makes almost everyone squirm. It's one of those things that you just know, to explain it the lucidity just doesn't flow. But is it then true that we're all on our own, working alone until we're just grown?

If we can't be alone but our thoughts are only ours, people are just vessels like little cars. Experiences are vessels of interaction and distraction, modes of hiding and finding the truth behind action. Then what we interpret as the result, relieves or creates our tumult.

Recognizing this pattern is the key, the solution to life's mystery. Recognition must be the only way, it's the only word I can think of to say. It's understanding the roots of your thoughts and fears, the only way your head clears.

Recognition is acceptance of contradiction, understanding that your choices are your own predilection. You get to decide, you are always justified. Embracing the tough and rough things that make you, is the only way to be true.

Image: Some rights reserved by Ionics

Ponder two or three things in your life that are contradictions and ...

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:24:11 +0000

... consider why those contradictions exist for you. What do they mean to you as a person, in your life right now? Try not to judge your contradictions, just consider them.

Starfish

Fri, 04 May 2012 15:44:43 +0000

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?"

The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die."

"Son," the man said, "don't you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, "I made a difference for that one."

via showoutmeg.blogspot.com

Make a difference for one person.

Fri, 04 May 2012 15:50:01 +0000

You've got to read this parable, you'll definitely want to make a difference then!

From Online to IRL

Mon, 07 May 2012 14:43:55 +0000

Originally published in the Monster BeKnown blog here.

Meeting someone in real life (IRL) after you’ve only conversed online — or worse, after only following a person on Twitter — doesn’t have to be as awkward as it sounds. The secret? Focus on the details. Here are the things you must do when introducing yourself to someone you’ve only “met” online:

1. Introduce your online self in person. First and foremost, if you are initiating the contact at an event, you make sure you not only introduce yourself but your online identity. Try something easy and simple like, “I’m Lyssa, or @DailyHap. I run the website DailyHap.com.” It connects the dots between online and IRL. But if a person comes up to YOU and says something along the lines of, “Oh, you’re @DailyHap!” don’t think you’ve shirked your responsibility. It’s as easy as saying, “I am! My real name is Lyssa.” Never fear rejection, most people are out of their element at these events anyway!

2. Introduce how you “know” each other. The next step to alleviating awkwardness is to introduce how you know a person, sneaking in a compliment if you can. If you initiate, after you’ve introduced yourself, try something simple like, “You’re Sarah! We’ve emailed about this event and I really appreciate your tweets!” With a smile and a compliment, you’ll increase the likelihood the person will remember you because they’ll de!nitely remember the compliment! Being excited, warm, and friendly is contagious, and helps alleviate any awkwardness you—or the other person—might feel.

If someone who initiates the contact fails to elaborate on how you know each other, and you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to ask simple, polite questions: “What’s your twitter handle again? Where do you blog? I’m sorry, I can’t remember where we connected?” These questions steer the person into filling in the details for you. It’s okay to acknowledge the awkwardness of meeting in real life with a joke, something like, “I’d recognize you if you were your Twitter avatar!” which lightens the whole encounter.

3. Bring up a shared connection. If you are approaching a person, make sure you’re ready with an anecdote about something you both have in common: a mutual friend, a Facebook story you both “Liked,” a Twitter conversation you once had, or a blog post they wrote that you enjoyed. Worst case scenario: have an “event line” ready, where you can talk about the event you’re at: “This happy hour is such a great place to meet people interested in dog rescues. Tell me, how did you get interested in this dog rescue organization?” Asking people lots of questions – and caring about their answers – is networking gold; people are drawn to people who are genuinely interested in them.

4. Have an exit strategy. Sometimes, conversation doesn’t flow, and that’s okay. Better to gracefully bow out than to draw out a painful conversation. My favorite trick is to introduce the person to someone else you know, then leave them talking. For a more direct exit, simply reiterate what a pleasure it was to meet them. Share a firm handshake and the conversation is clearly over.

5. Follow up afterwards. Make sure you do follow up online. You can take notes about a person on their business card or in your phone’s notes section. As our lives increasingly blur between online and real life, it’s important to keep current in both areas. A simple, “Great to meet you!” tweet, Facebook post, email or comment will ensure that your next meeting in real life is less awkward. You can even immediately send them an invite to join you on BeKnown right from your smartphone.

Don’t let the ease and convenience of networking online keep you from making important IRL interpersonal connections. Starting a profession networking relationship online is totally natural; the trick is knowing how to bring the conversation offline and seamlessly transition into an IRL connection. Remembering, sharing details from your online connection is the key. It’s all in the details.

Image: Some rights reserved by Victor1558

Take an online business relationship or friendship offline.

Mon, 07 May 2012 14:48:50 +0000

Networking or friendship, just start making the move today to bring on online friendship. Use these tips to make the best impression!

Quantitatively measure your happiness.

Tue, 08 May 2012 14:35:47 +0000

Answer these two or three questions:

Taking all things together, how happy would you say you are? (where 0 means extremely unhappy, and 10 means extremely happy)
All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole nowadays? (where 0 means extremely dissatisfied and 10 means extremely satisfied)
Try rating each day's happiness for a period, to study how you experience your day-to-day existence

Want to see how you stack up with people and countries around the world? Click here!

The Scientification of Happiness

Wed, 09 May 2012 02:39:17 +0000

A little over a month ago, the United Nations hosted a Conference on Happiness and implemented Resolution 65/309, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly in July 2011, placing “happiness” on the global agenda.

The Resolution states:

“Bearing in mind the purposes and principles of the United Nations, as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations, which include the promotion of the economic advancement and social progress of all peoples,

Conscious that the pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal,

Cognizant that happiness as a universal goal and aspiration embodies the spirit of the Millennium Development Goals,

Recognizing that the gross domestic product indicator by nature was not designed to and does not adequately reflect the happiness and well-being of people in a country,

Conscious that unsustainable patterns of production and consumption can impede sustainable development, and recognizing the need for a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes sustainable development, poverty eradication, happiness and well-being for all peoples..."

A complementary World Happiness Report (download PDF) was commissioned for the UN Conference on Happiness. The report, published by the Earth Institute and co-edited by the institute’s director, Jeffrey Sachs, reflects a new worldwide demand for more attention to happiness and absence of misery as criteria for government policy. It reviews the state of happiness in the world today and shows how the new science of happiness explains personal and national variations in happiness.

The happiest countries in the world (all Northern European: Denmark, Norway, Finland, Netherlands) have an average life evaluation score of 7.6 on a 0-to-10 scale. The least happy countries are all poor countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (Togo, Benin, Central African Republic, Sierra Leone) with average life evaluation scores of 3.4.

Country-wide, political freedom, strong social networks, and an absence of corruption are together more important than wealth in explaining well-being differences between the top and bottom countries. For individuals, good mental and physical health, someone to count on, job security, and stable families are critical indicators of happiness.

More stats from the 158-page report:

Happier countries tend to be richer countries.
On average, the world has become a little happier in the last 30 years (by 0.14 times the standard deviation of happiness around the world).
Unemployment causes as much unhappiness as bereavement or separation. At work, job security and good relationships do more for job satisfaction than high pay and convenient hours.
Behaving well makes people happier.
Mental health is the biggest single factor affecting happiness in any country.
Stable family life and enduring marriages are important for the happiness of parents and children.
In advanced countries, women are happier than men, while the position in poorer countries is mixed.
Happiness is lowest in middle age (contrary to several studies that have come out recently!)

As you read those stats, did you consider how you feel about the indicators—how's your job, your behavior, your mental health, your family, your age? The report proposes two evaluative questions:

Taking all things together, how happy would you say you are? (where 0 means extremely unhappy, and 10 means extremely happy)
All things considered, how satisfied are you with your life as a whole nowadays? (where 0 means extremely dissatisfied and 10 means extremely satisfied.)
You could also try rating each day's happiness for a period, like a week, to study how you experience your day-to-day existence.

Considering your responses and how you stack up can give you some perspective. What do you think about the focus on quantative data—the scientification—of happiness? Does it give more weight to "emotions" and "feelings" or is it silly to try to measure such things?

Try to receive the gift of uncovering your own love.

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:12:30 +0000

It's hard to love just for love's sake, but it's necessary. For more, click here.

Afraid to Love

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:25:03 +0000

by Cindy Myska, therapist and mother of two

We are afraid to love. We are afraid to be loved. Unbeknownst to ourselves, we have many erroneous beliefs about love.

We think love will give us power, while at the same time believing it will overpower us. We want love to save us while at the same time believing that it will destroy us. We believe love should meet all of our expectations, yet
we protect ourself from disappointment. We think love will bring some dreamy rewards, while at the same time we prepare for murky punishment. No wonder we are afraid.

Love does not overpower, nor does love defend. Love does not meet demand, nor does love reward. Love simply exists, and may be uncovered if we choose.

Uncovering our love is its own reward. We continue to believe that the reward is when we are loved in return, and we fight for that which cannot be won. By its very nature love can only be given to us. Instead of receiving the gift of uncovering our own love, we demand that love be what we would have it be; we cajole love and try to force it into small containers, boxes, and thoughts.

We tarnish love with our graven images, our long held perceptions of what “should be.” That is what causes our pain. We are not in pain because we have loved.

In any one moment when we uncover our own love we are in complete joy. Our goal is to fashion a chain of moments of remembering to uncover our love and sit in the joy, holding the boxes and containers and thoughts at bay as we revel in love, our own heart expanded to full capacity without limitations.

Image: Some rights reserved by Jane Rahman

Walking the Tightrope

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:48:56 +0000

By Brené Brown, PhD

On April 15, CNN ran an op/ed that I wrote on authenticity and risk-taking. In a collaboration with TED, they also posted my 2012 TED talk on shame.

Ironically, the essay is about the how difficult but important it is to show up and let ourselves be seen and the TED talk focuses on how gender norms are used as shame tools.

I knew there would be discussion and disagreement—especially because I talk about the word authenticity—a loaded term now that it's been coopted and overused. I knew some people would hate it and other people would find fault with my writing or my argument. These are all risks that I'm willing to take because I believe in my work.

But I'll be honest with you, I'll never get used to the cruelty and personal attacks.

I'm never prepared for being called stupid, ugly, and pathetic. I'm ready for a good debate on the topic, but I'm not ready for things like this:

When I read this along with some of the others (which are apparently being removed), I burst into tears.

I wanted to hide.

I wanted to scream, "Screw you, kinderlove! Where's your frickin' essay?"

I wanted to defend myself. "I know I look terrible. They spray painted my face for the High-Def TED talk and it makes me look like I'm melting."

I wanted to keep the people I love from reading the comments so they wouldn't feel sorry for me.

But mostly I just cried and questioned if the work is worth the vulnerability.

I'm writing this because I'm always asked how I became so strong and immune to the criticism. The answer is that I am strong, but I'm not immune. It hurts. Like hell. Even though I know that "it's not about me" or "some people are projecting"—it still hurts. I'm human.

Here's what I've learned:

1. When we stop caring what other people think we lose our capacity for connection. When we are defined by what people think we lose our willingness to be vulnerable.

2. When we close ourselves off to feedback we stop growing. When we open ourselves up to ongoing cruelty, we shut down to self-protect.

Showing up in our lives—our families, our marriages, our careers—is a tightrope walk. My balance bar is the shame resilience I've cultivated over the past several years, my family, and my faith.

There are places like TED.com and NPR.org where the comments are tough, but fair and focused on the work. Users sign in and take responsibly for their feedback. I'll continue to share my work there and read those comments.

There are places that represent the worst in all of us. Where people are careless with their criticism and take pleasure in hurting people—even other commenters. kinderlove got attacked for attacking me and that's not helpful.

I'm going to stop reading those comments, but more importantly, I'm also going to stop contributing to those venues.

So, to all of you who want to help ... take a stand. Embrace difference. Be respectful. Let's take responsibility for our comments.

And to all of you who are sharing your work, your ideas, and yourself with the world—thank you. I know it's not easy and I know being strong doesn't stop it from hurting.

I'm still standing. I'm not done. And, as Brandi Carlile sings in The Story:

"All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am."

This post is republished with permission from Brené Brown's OrdinaryCourage.com. For more on this topic, check out her TED talk on vulnerability.

Walk the tightrope: be vulnerable.

Thu, 10 May 2012 15:49:18 +0000

Here's how to be vulnerable: "Showing up in our lives—our families, our marriages, our careers—is a tightrope walk. My balance bar is the shame resilience I've cultivated over the past several years, my family, and my faith."

Is Privacy Going the Way of the Flip Phone Thanks to Smartphones?

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:28:39 +0000

A friend of mine texted me from her dumbphone to ask how I liked my iPhone, because it’s time for her to upgrade. Ironically, her dumbphone is less dumb than two of my other friends’ phones: they still, unimaginably, carry flip phones. These are successful, grown men! Yet as smartphones become ubiquitous, it seems privacy is going the way of the flip phone.

According to researchers at Tel Aviv University, the smartphone is challenging privacy, behavioral codes, and the use of public space. Who hasn’t been confused by the woman at the grocery store talking on her bluetooth: “Oh hey, how are you?” … you reply, “Just fine, thanks,” to no response. The research indicates that in spaces formerly considered public meeting points—parks, city squares, public transportation—smartphone users reveal private information and seem unconcerned about bothering other individuals within those spaces. You’re likely going, ugh, I know.

But if you’re a smartphone user, you probably have more tolerance for such violations of established social protocol. For instance, the research showed smartphone users were 50 percent less likely than regular (dumbphone) users to be bothered by others using their phones for private conversations in public spaces.

Are we getting desensitized to phone use? More tolerant? Some would say simply dependent: the researchers found that smartphone users, when asked how they felt when they were without their phones, chose negative descriptors such as "lost," "tense," or "not updated." In contrast, dumbphone users were far more likely to cite positive associations, like feeling free or quiet.

"We are entering a new phase of public and private spaces," says Dr. Hatuka, who believes that the design of public spaces may need to change in response to this technology, not unlike the ways in which some public areas have been designated as "smoking" and "non-smoking."

What do you think? Has your notion of privacy changed as you upgrade your phone? Does it mess with your notion of happiness—comparing yourself to others, sacrificing your own privacy?

Image: Some rights reserved by FelixHuth

Be conscious (and considerate!) of your space while talking on your phone today.

Fri, 11 May 2012 16:30:22 +0000

Are you guilty of helping diminish the social expectations of privacy? Or do you staunchly uphold them? Times are a-changing!

Gaming the System

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:50:32 +0000

Tetris. Super Mario Brothers. Halo. World of Warcraft. As video games progress, their pros and cons are hotly debated: they help improve the gamer’s spatial relations—but limit actual social interactions; they help improve hand-eye coordination—but gamers don’t play sports; they they teach gamers skills—but gamers get too absorbed in the game to use them. The list goes on.

Hot debate about the emotional and physical health of the next generation of gamer kids aside, new research reveals some very profound positive effects on kids’ and adults’ emotional well-being from gaming. Two new studies show that a cognitive behavioral video game called SPARX is effective for treating depression in kids, and that a game of Tetris can relieve symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Tetris Therapy

Focusing on a highly engaging visual-spatial task, like playing Tetris, may lessen flashbacks and other psychological symptoms following a traumatic event. The theory is that the engagement in the task disrupts the formation of the flashback. PTSD is characterized by flashbacks, invasive, unpredictable distress signals or jarring mental images that may also trigger other PTSD symptoms like irritability, anger, poor concentration, and sleep disorders.

Researcher Emily Holmes, a research clinical psychologist at Oxford University, cautions: "Whilst playing Tetris can reduce flashback-type memories without wiping out the ability to make sense of the event, we have shown that not all computer games have this beneficial effect — some may even have a detrimental effect on how people deal with traumatic memories."

SPARX Therapy

In contrast to Tetris, which may be the world’s most recognized video game, the Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor video game, SPARX, was developed to provide clinical-level treatment to digital natives. It works like an interactive fantasy avatar computer game, providing psychoeducation, relaxation training, and cognitive restructuring, while setting and monitoring real-life challenges. In preliminary studies, adolescents (ages 12 to 19) showed symptom reduction equal to the results with “usual care” protocols (working with trained counselors) but recovery rates were higher when participants completed at least four homework modules.

Beyond being an alternative treatment method, SPARX has the potential to reach underserved populations and adolescents who might not normally receive any treatment. Some statistics suggest less than 20% of adolescents with depression are treated. The researchers concluded that SPARX "was at least as good as treatment as usual in primary healthcare sites in New Zealand, but would be cheaper and easier to disseminate."

Implications

Like anything else, moderation may be key. The distinct benefits gained from video gaming are promising, but so are social interactions, recreation, exercise, and being in the outdoors. Can the benefits of gaming be applied to other areas like stress and anger? The jury is out, but give it a shot personally: when you start to stress or feel down, allow yourself 5-10 minutes of video game time, be it Tetris or Angry Birds.

Image: Some rights reserved by teujene

When you start to feel stressed or down, take a five minute break—video game optional.

Mon, 14 May 2012 15:54:15 +0000

If you're not a video gamer, we're not saying you should start. But if you enjoy the occasional game escape, go ahead, take it!

Seasons of Change: Awaken the Romantic in You

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:49:56 +0000

All of life is romantic! It is rich in creativity, movement, and evolution. It is ever changing, growing, and expanding. Opportunities are abundant. Our heart's desires are real. And living on full throttle is not just some "pie in the sky fantasy." It is a present reality for those who live with an open and willing heart.

When I speak of the Romantic in you, I'm not just talking about being a better lover to your partner or spouse, although, that is very much a part of it. I'm also talking about the part of us that has the ability to bring romance to all aspects of our lives—from paying the bills, to going to work, to cleaning our house, to dealing with family, kids, spouses, co-workers, and rude drivers.

We can either go through life being our "bare minimum" self or we can shift our energy, thoughts, and behavior to become like a beautiful artist living our lives with purpose, imagination, and a surplus of physical vitality to bring forth powerful transformation.

Too often we expect our spouses and partners to be the source of our emotional security, physical support, and unfailing love. Yet, it is very unrealistic to think that they could consistently fulfill all of those needs all of the time.

Our partners have bad days too. They have inner conflict and challenges that they are working on. They, too, are learning how to awaken and become more conscious beings. Therefore, we must learn how to bring a sense of romance to all of the aspects of life.

Fall in love with your entire life, not just your partner.

Think about something you have wanted to do—take a class, learn to draw, raise a garden, take up a new hobby, start a side business, or travel to a place you have always dreamed of. Whatever it is, it is vitally important that you fall in love with those desires, allowing yourself to really feel their reality in your life and then take the steps towards fulfilling them.

And this is exactly the point where we get stuck. We won’t venture too far out of the relationship to explore our creative desires. We will come up with excuses such as, "it costs too much money," "my husband thinks I should spend that time with the family," "my wife feels like I will be gone too much," "they will get jealous."

When we put those aspects of our lives on hold, we become stagnant and we bring that energy into our romantic lives. The next step: we look at our partner and blame them because "they won't let us do what we want to do." Whether they are saying it with their words or through their energy, we know it will upset them if we pursued creative interests outside of our relationship.

However, it is the exact opposite. Becoming a lover of life will actually enhance our relationship. When we are generating fulfillment within our self through the expression of our creativity and abilities, it takes the pressure off the relationship and our partner.

We have a sense of freedom, flow, and the room to grow as individuals within the relationship. Hopefully, through our demonstration, they too will have the courage to step out and reach for their inner desires.

When our relationship is healthy, we want to shine and we want our partner to shine. We want to have interests unique to who we are and support our partner in finding their unique desires.

A supportive and encouraging energy such as that naturally feeds the health of our relationship. It's a wonderful way to improve the quality of our communication, connection and overall way of relating to each other. The real secret to a fulfilling and satisfying relationship is to simply be happy!

Image: Some rights reserved by stanrandom

Explore a creative desire to boost your love for life.

Tue, 15 May 2012 15:56:51 +0000

When you explore a new creative outlet or pursuit, you boost your love of life and everyone's around you!

The Clothes Make the Woman (and Man)

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:36:57 +0000

I can recall what I wore on almost any significant day of my life. Or insignificant, really, if there's any memory at all associated with it. Every time I put on my favorite jeans, an old memory nips at my mind, some good, some bad. Some memories are bad enough I have to never wear the clothes again, some are good enough I want to only wear certain pieces on special occasions—lucky undies, anyone?

Turns out, this borderline obsession with my clothes has a scientific basis. Scientists are studying a phenomenon they call enclothed cognition: the effects of clothing on cognitive processes. Enclothed cognition is part of the study of embodied cognition, where thought processes based on physical experiences appear to set off related abstract concepts, like viewing a clipboard as a sign of power.

New research published in The Journal of Experimental Social Psychology explores not only how others perceive clothes-wearers, like a power-wielding clipboard, but how the wearer perceives himself or herself. Adam D. Galinsky and Hajo Adam, from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, conducted three experiments in which the clothes did not vary but their symbolic meaning was manipulated.

In the experiments, students wearing what they were told was a doctor's coat displayed heightened attention, compared to students wearing what they were told was a painter's coat. Without any physical differences between the coats, it seems that the wearer's perception of the coat influences his or her psychological processes—in this case, improving his or her attention to detail.

While this research is preliminary, it does suggest that I am not alone in feeling the weight of my clothes on my body: a business-like outfit makes me act more professional, an outfit I see as sexy makes me feel sexier. Play with that notion as you get dressed this week, as it appears you can quite literally dress for success!

Image: Some rights reserved by Le Moyne College Alumni

Dress for success today: wear something that makes you feel smart, capable, and confident!

Wed, 16 May 2012 15:40:46 +0000

New research reveals that what you wear really does affect your psychological processes, so make sure you're wearing something awesome!

Sitting on the Curb

Thu, 17 May 2012 17:49:47 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen

I have no recollection of the following event, but I might be reliving it right now. My mom distinctly remembers a time my family and I were visiting Fredericksburg, Texas, and I was seven years old. I got upset at something and sat down on the curb, crossed my arms, and refused to speak.

She couldn't stop asking me "what's wrong?", "why are you upset?", "what's going on?" When I simply refused to speak, she got scared. She'd lost her daughter! How could my mom fix what was wrong with me if she didn't know what was wrong?! She was trying to be loving in her concern, but she put a lot of pressure on me to answer.

I'm sitting the curb right now, arms crossed, stubbornly refusing to talk. It's not because I don't want to talk. It's because my seven-year-old brain cannot compute the turmoil of emotions going on in my head. I'm upset about this, confused by that, want to answer my mom but I just can't. I feel the pressure, so I'm frustrated by my inability to put into words what I could not even possibly begin to put into words.

Except it's 20 years later, I'm 27, and my brain still can't compute. I sit on the metaphorical curb, cross my arms, and go silent. Stubbornly holding onto the thoughts I can't name, the words I can't form, the emotions I can't explain.

What did my mom do with seven-year-old me? Let me cry. She was scared and worried and stressed, but there was nothing else she could do. Just like there's nothing else I could or can do until the thoughts clarify, until I find the words, until I understand the emotions.

Sometimes you just have to sit on the curb.

Image: Some rights reserved by mikebaird

Struggling with a big or small decision? Sit on the curb for a few minutes.

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:01:32 +0000

Sometimes, sitting on the curb is all you can do until the answer or decision is clear to you.

Change your passwords to reflect a goal for yourself.

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:42:15 +0000

Do you log in to your email every day? You could be using that email password as a daily reminder or motivator for achieving your goals! Submit the Hap and tell us what your goals are (NOT your password!)...

Happy Stats

Fri, 18 May 2012 13:44:36 +0000

While ther verdict is out about the effect of the scientification of happiness, we can't help but be curious about the stats resulting from all this happiness research. Here's a list of even more happiness stats!

In the US:

67% of youngsters or Millenials (age 15 to 25) expect 2012 to become a better year than the previous one.
45% of Millenials think they have a better life than their parents.
33% of Millenials youngsters are willing to work equally hard as their parents,
but 27% do not want to.
50%+ want to be self-employed,
but 10% want to stay with their current employer for life
28% of youngsters are dissatisfied with spending power: they want to spend more money on media, technology, hobbies, going out and car, less on culture and sports
Click here to check out a list of 2011's Happiest States

Globally:

77% of citizens in 24 countries generally say they are ‘happy’ in their lives
26% of people who are ‘very happy’ are married, whereas
18% of people who are not married are ‘very happy’
25% of those who are under the age of 35 say they are ‘very happy’; 20% of people age 35-49; and 19% of people aged 50-64.
Latin America has the greatest proportion of people saying they are ‘very happy’, with 32%
North America’s 27% is followed by Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and Africa tied at 24%.
Only 15% of Europeans say they are ‘very happy’.
Indonesia scores the happiest out of the 24 countries surveyed with just over half (51%) of citizens reporting they are ‘very happy’ followed by India and Mexico at 43% each Brazil and Turkey tied at 30% each and Australia and the United States each at 28%. On the other end, Hungary (6%), South Korea (7%) and Russia (8%) have the lowest number of ‘very happy’ people, followed by Spain (11%) and Italy (13%).

Findings from InSites Consulting and Ipsos Global @dvisor.

Image: Some rights reserved by thephotographymuse

Good-For-You Gossip

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:47:24 +0000

It's Monday morning and you can't wait to hear the juicy details of your coworkers adventures this weekend. Or maybe the company had a barbecue and we've got to talk about who got a little too drunk, who made a pass at who, and whose kids are the cutest. Gossip has long been dismissed as hurtful at its worst and idle chatter at its best, but a new study suggests that gossip can have benefits: helping us police bad behavior, prevent exploitation, and lower stress.

"Gossip gets a bad rap, but we're finding evidence that it plays a critical role in the maintenance of social order," says UC Berkeley social psychologist Robb Willer, a coauthor of the study published online in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (you can buy it here). The study also found that gossip can be therapeutic. "Spreading information about the person whom they had seen behave badly tended to make people feel better, quieting the frustration that drove their gossip," Willer says.

The study focused on "prosocial" gossip that "has the function of warning others about untrustworthy or dishonest people," according to Willer, as opposed to fodder for the tabloids. In a series of four experiments, researchers used four different game scenarios to analyze volunteer observers’ reactions to witnessing cheating. Observers' heart rates increased as they witnessed the cheating, and most seized the opportunity to slip a "gossip note" to warn a new player that his or her contender was unlikely to play fair—even when they had to sacrifice their pay to do so.

Together, the results from all four experiments show that "when we observe someone behave in an immoral way, we get frustrated," Willer says. "But being able to communicate this information to others who could be helped makes us feel better."

Image: Some rights reserved by 【Ｊ】

Pay attention to how you gossip: are you helping others?

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:49:23 +0000

There's good-for-you gossip and there's gossip with less psychological benefit ... make sure you're gossiping the right way to reap the rewards!

Factors for Positive Body Image in Women

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:37:39 +0000

Think back to the way your mom and dad talked about her and his body. Were they proud of their figures? Was either parent constantly dieting or talking about the need to lose weight, or even making jokes about a spare tire? How your parents and siblings relate to their bodies likely has a great effect on your body image.

The Body Image Research

A new study focused on college women found that young women with high family support and low levels of perceived socio-cultural pressure from family, friends, and the media regarding the importance of achieving a 'thin and beautiful' ideal had a more positive body image—and it isn't hard to image that the same applies to men. The same women also rejected the superwoman ideal, had a positive physical self-concept, and were armed with skills to deal with stress.

Of course, society is arguably more focused on women's looks than men's, and discontent with appearance is common among women. Many women in contemporary Western cultures are dissatisfied with their bodies, a risk factor for eating problems. Dr. Shannon Snapp, from the University of Arizona, and colleagues published their research online in Springer's journal, Sex Roles. Snapp and team examined factors that make women more resilient when it comes to their body image.

301 first-year college women completed questionnaires based on the Choate theoretical model, which hypothesizes that family and rejecting an ideal boost factors associated with well-being, which in turn is linked to positive body image in women. The authors conclude: "It is particularly important for women to develop a sense of self-worth that is not solely based on appearance, and to build resilience to pressures they may receive from family, friends, and the media."

What to Do

Practical recommendations from the study:

evaluate and become comfortable with the multiple and often contradictory expectations placed upon women in today's society
use effective coping skills
foster a positive view of physical competence through exercise and health
promote holistic well-being and balance in women’s lives

Can you put any of the recommendations into practice today?

Image: Some rights reserved by suez92

Do your part to build others' body image: refrain from making any judgments on bodies today.

Tue, 22 May 2012 15:39:41 +0000

Be those supportive family and friends and release the pressure to live up to an ideal.

Happiness is Not a Goal

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:11:00 +0000

Even though we encourage you in some ways to "track progress" by registering Haps, happiness is NOT a goal to be reached! Listen to Lyssa talk more about why and how that's actually really, really good for us:

Image: Some rights reserved by russteaches

Let go of happiness as a goal and recognize it around you.

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:12:14 +0000

Watch this video if you need more clarification on why happiness is NOT a goal, but all around you and in all the little things you do—like Haps!

Leave Me Alone

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:34:16 +0000

by Cindy Myska, therapist and mother of two

I do not want to know. I am not ready. Leave me alone. What does all this mean? Where do I go from here with all of these feelings?

It means that you are afraid of the reality of your truth. You are willing to go so far until it begins to threaten the way of thinking that helps you to get rewards the way that you have been rewarded for so long. Being good. You are good, you get rewards. Being good, so good. Good mother, good therapist, good workshop leader, good friend, good wife, good child, good body, good, good, good.

Rewards are but vestiges of the past for you now and that is what you are having trouble letting go of. Rewards bring you to the ego level and they do not bring peace. They bring rewards, that is all, not love, not peace. Rewards reward you for being good, not for being. Reward is the fruit of your labor, you labor so long and hard and you are good and you get the reward. That is all.

It is too much for you to let go into the notion that you are love. It is not that you do not want to, it is that you are afraid that love will not be enough to get you a reward. Love will NOT be. Love will not get you a reward. In fact love will get you nothing. Nothing would have no reward, and no reminder of your inadequacy. Love would bring you nothing in the realm of reward.

Reward is for being good, love acknowledges who you are not what you do. Reward would have you try and struggle and labor. Love would have you be and be and be.

You are requiring yourself to look at the results of your belief that a reward is required. Reward is the notion that got you in trouble with yourself. You look for reward too often, rather than looking for peace inside yourself. Do you feel peace about something? Then it is right. Do you feel inadequate, anxious? Then you are looking in the wrong domain.

You are ready.

Image: Some rights reserved by yoga - photowork

Try not to "reward" yourself as good (or bad) for the entire day today.

Fri, 25 May 2012 13:34:26 +0000

You are ready to take the next step toward inner peace by releasing your need for reward.

Play with a new app for happiness.

Mon, 28 May 2012 16:59:33 +0000

Try one of our suggestions or look for your own happiness-inducing app! If you find a new one, please do let us know about it in the comments!

Happy Apps: 5 Free Apps to Help You Get Happy

Mon, 28 May 2012 17:00:28 +0000

Our (smart)phones are with us everywhere these days, helping us navigate to Chik-Fil-A or keep track of baseball stats or play music. But what about apps to help you on your happiness journey? Here are five of our faves.

1. MyDaylife
The app allows you to make notes about your day, and rate it on a scale from 1-10. Clean, cool design, and super easy to use make the app a winner, as does the tracking capability—personal happiness graphs, anyone? Geek out over your own life.

2. Relax Melodies
Trouble falling asleep? This amazing app allows you to choose your sleep sounds, from rain to ocean waves, crickets to a music box, or smush a bunch together to make the perfect mix to fall asleep. You can set a timer for how long the noisemaker will play. This is saved our staff from insomnia many a night!

3. GymPact
Have you ever said I wish someone would pay me to go to the gym? Currently a tech darling, this app does. GymPact will pay you when you make your committed workouts—but you'll pay when you miss 'em. You can tag your own gyms, so don't worry if you work out at home or outdoors, it'll still count!

4. 101 Revolutionary Ways to be Healthy
Like DailyHap's BODY section, but the Hap-like action items are less detailed and more focused—and there are only 101 things. Still, a clean, fun app.

5. Should I Break Up With My Boyfriend?
We heard about this one from GoodEnoughDoctor, whose review is so thorough you should click on over. Basically, Dr. Craig Cypher says: “its premise is simple: rate your boyfriend over a 14 day period on a five point scale from ‘Totally Over Him” to “Totally in Love’” The app will remind you to rate the boyfriend, won’t let you read your past entries, and uses a standard deviation after two weeks to make a recommendation for you. Dr. Cypher sums it up: “What it offers is a special mix of real analytic tracking of emotions in a playful and engaging wrapper.”

Bonus: Dr. Cypher offers his own $4.99 app called CohesiveSelf®, a mobile application designed to help individuals track their mood and access tools to help improve their emotional states. It includes audio files for relaxation, deep breathing, and guided imagery to help individuals manage difficult points in their life.

Crazy Cool Apps Coming Soon:

Mobilyze! technology fights depression by learning your usual phone use patterns and intervening when you are feeling isolated or depressed.
MedLink, an app and smart pill bottle, tracks if you've taken your daily dose of medication and any side-effects you're experienced.

Do you use any apps to keep you happy during the day? Let us know in the comments!

Txt 4 Happiness

Mon, 28 May 2012 17:05:55 +0000

Txting may b the death of grammar, but new research shows that both sending and receiving text messages can improve your mood if you are feeling stressed or lonely.

Psychologists at the University of California , Berkeley, found people suffering from depression report feeling more connected and cared for when they receive text messages from friends and family. It seems that sending the supportive texts can also boost mood.

Additionally, groups traditionally underserved by professional psychological attention can benefit tremendously from texting. A recent survey of adult mobile phone users surveyed showed that the most active senders and receivers of text messages were on low incomes and did not complete secondary school. The responders could not afford smartphones, but most had a basic cellular phone and a prepaid monthly plan.

We h8 2 admit it, but it looks like texting is here to stay—and with benefits!

Image: Some rights reserved by Cristiano Betta

Send a text.

Mon, 28 May 2012 17:06:26 +0000

New research demonstrates that texting can boost boht the sender's and receiver's spirts!

Stand Up For Yourself

Tue, 29 May 2012 09:03:04 +0000

Faced with a no-win situation, by staying true to yourself and your principles, you can win (sorta)! Watch for more:

Image: Some rights reserved by 1derwoman

Stand up for yourself ...

Tue, 29 May 2012 09:06:07 +0000

... Even if, or even more so because, it's a no-win situation, standing up for yourself teaches you to value yourself.

Literally: How to Have Body Confidence

Wed, 30 May 2012 14:29:05 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen

Like I noted a few weeks ago about my uncanny ability to remember what I was wearing to almost any event, I've also noticed time and time again that when I feel most comfortable in my body—when I think it looks good, when I like what I'm wearing—is when I'm most happy. I can think back on moments, usually tied to outfits, and remember how great I felt. Or I can think back to time periods, usually tied to lifestyle changes, when I felt like my body looked better (when I first graduated college and lived on my own, when I first started CrossFitting, when I broke up with a boyfriend).

So many people talk about feeling comfortable and confident in your body, but how do you get there? I've done well with what I've got, but I think I can attribute much of it to my athletic/outdoorsy upbring, for which I thank my parents immensely. Working out, doing yoga, being active is ingrained in my psyche. It's simply what you do. Here are my top three rules for feeling great about your body:

1. Get Active

People have admired my "dedication" to working out, but to me it's not dedication—it's survival insurance. Insurance that I won't feel grumpy, down, and moody because I don't feel good about my body. Physical activity for me is not about helping my body look better (though it does), but about being more in touch with my body's power. Which in turn makes me realize my own power, physically, mentally, emotionally, and ultimately makes me happier.

2. Eat to Nourish Your Body

It's a similar story with food. If I really pay attention to what my body asks for instead of what my mind thinks it wants as a treat, reward, or soothie, I'm much more energetic, light, and lively. If I give in to the sugar monsters and bread bombs, I end up feeling literally heavy, weighed down, and tired. Sometimes I can even say to myself, I know you want pizza, but your body wants salad. And I eat a salad.

3. Get Naked

Being naked is important. Half naked, full naked, however much naked you can handle. Bikram Yoga is excellent for this, when you wear the skimpy little outfits that are so popular. Then not only are you seeing your body naked, but so are 30 strangers who really, really don't care, as they're just trying to survive in the hot room. Seeing your naked body all the time makes you much more comfortable in it.

I've often been frustrated by the ways women attempt to teach other women about body images—"strong is the new skinny" is an example of an attempt to empower women that in reality is just another prescription for how women should look (if not skinny, then strong). True body confidence isn't about how you look but how you FEEL.

I always wondered how to "get body confidence" … how to FEEL great about my body while being realistic about acknowledging that it could LOOK different if I did things differently. In the end, I think you have to feel great about your body even if you want it to (and in order to get it to) look different, or else you're just trapped in the same cycle of trying to fill the prescription instead of empowering yourself.

Image by Ryan Mustard

Get naked!

Wed, 30 May 2012 14:31:08 +0000

... or do something else that makes your body FEEL good. Click here to read three exact steps to getting body confidence—one of which is getting naked!

Love/Hate: Feeling Great

Thu, 31 May 2012 14:12:35 +0000

Love/Hate is a new series exploring the everyday duality of life.

5 Things We Love About: Feeling Great

Feeling like we're on top of the world
The lightness in our step
A strong sense of success
How other things seem to happen that are great; bad things feel less bad
Celebrating with special activities like dinner or vacations

5 Things We Hate About: Feeling Great

The fear that the great feeling won't last
Guilt that other people don't feel as great
Whew, the energy expenditure it takes to be so excited!
The pressure to keep feeling great
How the hours fly by and we run out of daylight for all our high-energy projects

... what do you love and hate about feeling great?

Image: Some rights reserved by Alex Bellink

Feel great! and embrace the duality of life ...

Thu, 31 May 2012 14:15:23 +0000

Feeling great is great and we encourage you to do it! But it's also important to recognize the duality in anything ... hence, our newest column!

Seasons of Change: The Truth About Intuition

Thu, 31 May 2012 14:27:06 +0000

Seasons of Change is a biweekly column from Jayne Clark addressing different topics each season. Summer's focus is spirituality and intuition. Jayne Clark works intuitively with clients to help them resolve issues regarding relationships, loss, grief, health, and career path. To learn more, head to jayneclark.com.

In years past, intuition or being psychic has been lumped into the same category as sorcery, spell casting, and witchcraft. In many religions it was discouraged because it was deemed to be communication with the devil and the forces of evil.

However, along with the many other sensitive issues we have dealt with as a society, I see us embracing a much more sophisticated perspective. We are becoming more and more comfortable and open to the idea of being psychic or intuitive.

Intuition is an ability to receive insight and perspective from a place within us that bypasses all logical or rational thinking. When we have an intuitive "hit", we will feel a sensation in our bodies without any analytical reasoning. It is the bridge that brings forth spiritual insight, perspective, and understanding to our everyday, physical lives.

Some of my most powerful intuitive hits have come from starring out the window—aka daydreams. And they usually come in the form of ideas or solutions to whatever issue I may be dealing with. Those hits are what I call my "ah ha" moments. I can't manufacture or force their arrival into my conscious mind. They simply come from a place within me that is accessed when my rational mind is quiet.

Why Intuition?

Getting an education and life experience is crucial to our development and success in the world. Part of our physical experience is to help us master some of these worldly challenges. Yet, we leave out a big part of who we are when we solely depend on our rational, linear mind.

We put the smartest part of us in charge when we seek the counsel of our inner guidance/intuition. It's the part of us that knows exactly the path to achievement, shines a spotlight on what our next step is, and faithfully assists us in the unfolding process of our hearts desires.

How To Develop Intuition

It's actually a pretty simple process. The first step is to acknowledge our intuition and that we can access it. If we feel doubtful, then we can simply start with being willing to acknowledge that it is there. It isn't just for gifted or special people. We must turn off that inner critic and open to the idea that our intuition is just as much a part of our makeup as are the physical mental aspects.

The second step is to learn as much as we can about intuition. There is a lot of information available to us today that we didn't always have. Visit any book store and we will find sections dedicated to serving our development. The internet is also a good source of information. Our channels of intuition open much easier when we immerse ourselves in the subject matter.

The third step is to practice it. Tell someone in your life that you feel comfortable with that you are working on developing your intuition. Ask them if they would want to practice with you while you are developing. You can also keep a journal of your perceived hits. When you feel like you have received an intuitive thought or idea, write it down.

If you are really serious and feel called to use your intuition to serve others in a positive and healing way, seek out a trusted mentor—someone who is already serving in that capacity and has a clear understanding of ethics, professionalism, and how to use intuition in a way that is only for the best and highest good of potential clients.

The more you open, practice, and learn about your intuition, the faster you will develop it. Even just thinking about your intuition develops it.

Keep In Mind the Following:

At first you will you will find yourself accurate on some hits and inaccurate on other perceived hits. You will have to learn the difference between an authentic hit and when your ego is getting in the way. So make sure you practice patience.

Developing your intuition is just like training a puppy. You will have "accidents" and you will make mistakes. But in the words of my trusted mentor: "being off is just as important to notice as when you are correct. There is something to learn in all of it." Make sure you give yourself the permission to be free with anything that comes through.

The last thing to keep in mind is to have fun. In the beginning, try not to take yourself so seriously or put a lot of emphasis on being right. Allow for a very organic process to take place. Be playful and lighthearted with it. And just remember, the more you trust in the process, the more the process trusts in you and you will develop a very keen and accurate intuition.

Image: Some rights reserved by Denzil~

Practice using your intuition

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:11:55 +0000

You can take some concrete steps to start honing your intuition and listening to your inner truth.

Drink only water with your meals today.

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 16:47:25 +0000

It could make you crave more veggies and healthier options ... let's drink to that!

Drink More Water to Crave More Vegetables

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 17:04:07 +0000

"If the drink on the table sets the odds against both adults and children eating their vegetables, then perhaps it is time to change that drink, and replace it with water."

As if we didn't love water enough! You already know it's healthier to switch from soda to water, but could you imagine that the switch would affect your food choices too? Two studies, with preschoolers and young adults ages 19 to 23, showed that having soda with meals negatively impacts healthy food choices.

The new research by T. Bettina Cornwell of the University of Oregon and Anna R. McAlister of Michigan State University shows that the older participants favored the combination of soda served with salty, calorie-dense foods rather than soda and vegetables. The preschoolers ate more raw vegetables, either carrots or red peppers, when accompanied with water rather than when accompanied by a sweetened beverage.

From an early age, Cornwell says, children learn to associate sweet, high-calorie drinks such as colas with salty and fatty high-calorie-containing foods like French fries. "When we look cross-culturally, we can see that food-and-drink combinations are developed preferences." Serving water could be a simple and effective dietary change: "The implications for the family are pretty simple and straightforward: serve water with the meal."

Bonus: drinking more water will also reduce dehydration. Some 75 percent of adult Americans may be chronically dehydrated, and an uptick in water consumption will help fight the associated fatigue, slowed cognitive function, weight gain, and other ill effects.

Some rights reserved by Niklas Hellerstedt

10 Ways to Support Your Partner at Work

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:29:49 +0000

Has your job become more and more stressful in the past few years? Most people have experienced an increase in job stress in America as jobs become scarcer and demands become larger. Add to that an increase in two-income families, where not one but two stressed-out spouses can harm couple's work and home lives. What can we do to support all the stressed-out people in our lives?

A new study conducted by Wayne Hochwarter, the Jim Moran Professor of Business Administration in the Florida State University College of Business, examines the role of support in households where daily stress is common to both spouses: "Given that a lack of support from one's spouse represents a major cause of both divorce and career derailment, this research is needed to address issues that affect both home and work," Hochwarter said.

Interestingly, he also found some ineffective methods of support: "Some attempts to support your stressed-out spouse can backfire, actually making the situation much worse," he says. Even if you aren’t married, you can still benefit from these learnings in your interactions with almost anyone: your significant other, co-workers or partners, friends, and relatives.

10 Ways to Support a Spouse with a deep and far-reaching impact:

Be aware of one's spouse's daily work demands (like time pressures, lack of resources, deadlines, and supervisors).
Don't force support.
Understand that communication lines are open regardless of the circumstances.
Recognize that distancing oneself from the family or lashing out is not a practical way to foster help.
Attempt to bring one's spouse back to the middle—up when down in the dumps and down when overly agitated.
Try not to bombard the family with complaints about minor workplace irritants.
Avoid one-upping one's spouse in terms of who has had the worse day.
Continue to work at it and avoid complacency.
Remain rational and do not cast the spouse as the "bad guy."
Try to avoid keeping a running tab on who is giving and who is getting.

"Most important, though, was the ability for a spouse to offer support on days when he or she needs it just as much," Hochwarter says. "In many cases, both return home from work stressed. Generating the mental and emotional resources needed to help when your own tank is empty is often difficult. Successful couples almost always kept a steady supply of support resources on reserve to be tapped on particularly demanding days."

Hochwarter also noted that the men and women differed by gender in terms of what support behaviors worked best for them. In general, women appreciate getting "cut some slack" in terms of household activities; feeling wanted; and receiving expressions of warmth and affection. Men, meanwhile, are more likely to respond positively to offers of assistance with errands and feeling appreciated and needed.

"When stress enters any relationship, it has the potential to either bind people together or break them apart," Hochwarter said. "Findings strongly confirm this with respect to job tension. What also became obvious was the critical role of communication and trust among spouses; without them, you have a foundation best described as crumbling, even in the best of circumstances."

Even if you're super-stressed at work today, take a few minutes to support someone else. Practice not keeping score and trust that you’ll get the support you need too!

Image: Some rights reserved by gingerpig2000

Even if you're stressed at work, take a few minutes to support someone else who is stressed

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 15:31:36 +0000

It's hard to support others when we're stressed too, but it's critical for our relationships that we do. Here are 10 tips!

There is No Loss

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:42:22 +0000

by Cindy Myska, therapist

My father-in-law passed away last week. We suffered the loss of our dad. We grieved the loss of someone we loved.

My brother-in-law called us just as we were leaving for the three hour trip to Houston to see my dad-in-law before he died. Alan had lost his wallet and thought it might be at his house. Would we look for the wallet before we left?

My friend broke up with his girlfriend. He is getting over the loss slowly but surely. Another friend lost her job. Lots of people lost money with unscrupulous investors. And so on and so on. We are always losing ... something or someone. We lose relationships, we lose money, we lose time, we lose hope, we lose our wallets.

It suddenly occurred to me that I could refuse to believe in loss. We did not lose our dad; we sat by his bedside as he transitioned into a new dimension. We may not understand that dimension, but that does not make it loss.

Alan's wallet was securely planted in his briefcase in the back of his car. We did not lose 30 minutes looking for it; instead we gained his appreciation, the gratitude of our brother-in-law for taking the time to needlessly look for the wallet that was with him the whole time.

All of the things we call loss, are really gains. We gain experience, we gain wisdom. Lost relationships become hearts expanded and pushed to grow and learn. That is a gain. Lost money becomes gained appreciation for truth and integrity and what really matters.

Believing in loss begets suffering. Believing in gain begets appreciation of life's journey.

There is no loss. I am sure there will be some insurmountable part of life come up, and I will once again believe that I can suffer loss, but for now, for as long as I can, I am sticking with it and refusing to believe in loss.

Image: Some rights reserved by JoePenna

Consider how you can change your view on a recent loss.

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:42:29 +0000

Try to see what you've gained through your most recent loss. For examples, click here.

Relax on a Porch

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:45:17 +0000

There are a bunch of benefits to taking a quick relaxing sit on your porch after work, watch the video to learn more!

Image: Some rights reserved by nannetteturner

Spend 10+ minutes relaxing on a porch today.

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 16:54:55 +0000

Watch the video about why porch sitting is so important here!

Happiest Names

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:34:52 +0000

Names constitute a large part of our vocabulary, from proper names to names for goods, companies, and events. But can certain names make us happier?

British researcher Dr. David Holmes of Manchester Metropolitan University looked into the psychology of first names in 2009. He reports that people named Mark and Ruth smile the most while Frank and Pauline smile the least; in the workplace Richard and Judy are happiest, while Stuart and Liz are miserable; Richard and Carly are happiest in relationships but Frank and Harriet are the unhappiest.

Dr. Holmes told the Daily Mail: "The associations we have with certain names, particularly significant namesakes, also shapes how we see ourselves and so may have an effect on our confidence and assumed role in society." We see this influence with celebrities and other high-profile figures. Parents name their babies after famous people with qualities they admire—confidence, power, beauty, or strength. Or perhaps tot style?

The Social Security Administration releases an eagerly-awaited top 1,000 baby name list. 2011’s recently-released list tells the story of Top 10 newcomer Mason jumping to No. 2. Perhaps Kourtney Kardashian’s uber-stylish two-year-old son Mason is sparking the trend, but the moniker also has the popular -n ending—four of the top 10 names on the boys list end with an ‘n’. Parents of girls favor the -a ending, with six of the top 10 names ending in ‘a’.

The Top Ten Names in 2011

BOYS

Jacob
Mason
William
Jayden
Noah
Michael
Ethan
Alexander
Aiden
Daniel

GIRLS

Sophia
Isabella
Emma
Olivia
Ava
Emily
Abigail
Madison
Mia
Chloe

Are these popularly-named kids happier? Time will tell. The trending list, however, features a larger variety of (formerly?) unique names:

BOYS

Brantley
Iker
Maximiliano
Zaiden
Kamden
Barrett
Archer
Declan
Atticus
Nico

GIRLS

Briella
Angelique
Aria
Mila
Elsie
Nylah
Raelynn
Brynlee
Olive
June

Curious now about your name? Click here to search for your name’s popularity on the Social Security Administration website. It won’t tell you how happy you are, but it will tell if your name is common.

We'd love your comments—do you think your name affects your happiness? How so?

Image: Some rights reserved by Alan O'Rourke

Think about the characteristics you associate with your name.

Fri, 08 Jun 2012 13:37:03 +0000

In your opinion, does your name convey any personality traits or characteristics? Does your name inspire you to live up to being a powerful Angelina or ripped Brad?

The Hedonic Adaptation Prevention (HAP) Model for Happiness

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:23:51 +0000

Despite the obvious connection—that we love anything Hap—we're also excited for a sort of prescription for maintaining happiness coming out of the latest scientific research. A set of scientists have developed a two-part model to maintain higher levels of happiness after happy events.

"Although the Declaration of Independence upholds the right to pursue happiness, that search can be a never-ending quest," says Kennon Sheldon, professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri. "Previous research shows that an individual's happiness can increase after major life changes, such as starting a new romantic relationship, but over time happiness tends to return to a previous level."

Keeping Up The Happy

The new model, which helps people prolong the happiness felt after major events, consists of two major components: to keep having new and positive life-changing experiences (variety) and to keep appreciating what you already have and not want more too soon (appreciation).

Sheldon addresses the happiness created by a new relationship: "for example, they stopped doing fun things with their new boyfriend and started wishing he was better looking." As people lose the variety and the appreciation, their happiness returns to its previous level.

Technically Speaking

The Hedonic Adaptation Prevention (HAP) model specifies two routes by which the well-being gains derived from a positive life change are eroded—the first involving bottom-up processes (i.e., declining positive emotions generated by the positive change) and the second involving top-down processes (i.e., increased aspirations for even more positivity). The model also specifies two moderators that can forestall these processes—continued appreciation of the original life change and continued variety in change-related experiences.

Leveling Up Happiness

Basically, this HAP model says that we aren't doomed to one level of happiness. Sheldon's research suggests that people can train themselves to stay at the top of their possible range of happiness: "A therapist can help a person get from miserable to OK; our study shows how people can take themselves from good to great," Sheldon says.

Image: Some rights reserved by pasotraspaso

Try the new HAP model: variety and appreciation.

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:29:31 +0000

Science has a new two-step HAP model we want you to try today: add some variety to your life OR appreciate what you've got! Click here for more on the science of HAP.

How to Dress with More Swag

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:26:41 +0000

Throwing on that one piece of clothing or accessory can totally change your day for the better. Watch to learn more.

Image: Courtesy of Web Smith, who has some serious swag.

Wear something that gives you swag today.

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 15:29:57 +0000

Just adding one thing to your outfit—sunglasses, tie, necklace, shoes—can make you instantly happier! Click here to watch the video.

Sugar Makes You Stupid

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:44:42 +0000

Along with making you tired, fat, and unhealthy, it turns out sugar might also make you stupid. Sheesh, as if we didn’t already have enough reasons to abstain!

While earlier research has revealed how fructose harms the body, this study from UCLA is the first to analyze how the sweetener influences the brain. According to the USDA, the average American consumes a whopping more than 40 pounds of high-fructose corn syrup per year. High-fructose corn syrup is an inexpensive liquid six times sweeter than cane sugar commonly added to processed foods, even when you don't think they're sweet.

"Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think," explains Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a professor of neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a professor of integrative biology and physiology in the UCLA College of Letters and Science. "Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain's ability to learn and remember information. But adding omega-3 fatty acids to your meals can help minimize the damage."

As if there weren’t also enough reasons to take fish or flaxseed oil! "DHA is essential for synaptic function—brain cells' ability to transmit signals to one another," Gomez-Pinilla says. The omega-3 fatty acids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in flaxseed oil apparently protect against damage to the synapses that enable memory and learning.

The new UCLA study tracked rats and their abilities to navigate a maze after sugar consumption with or without DHA. Gomez-Pinilla suspects that eating too much fructose could block insulin's ability to regulate how cells use and store sugar for the energy required for processing thoughts and emotions. "Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain, where insulin appears to disturb memory and learning," he said. "Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new."

Still planning to try wedding cake, a post-dinner brownie, or a restaurant dessert? Eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, like salmon, walnuts and flaxseeds, or taking a daily DHA capsule, can mitigate the effect of sugar making you more stupid.

Image: Some rights reserved by RedGlow82

Skip sugar today, or, if you do eat it, take your omega-3s too.

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:45:31 +0000

Sugar makes you stupid, but at least you can mitigate the effects? Better to abstain!

Seasons of Change: Mental Telepathy and Intuition

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:08:33 +0000

My dad had some pretty mad skills when it came to mental telepathy. When I was nine years old, he would always tell me before leaving for a business trip, "remember, you can speak to me in your thoughts and I will hear you." Growing up with a dad that was very open to intuition, mental telepathy, e.s.p, and spiritual phenomena was the most valuable gift he ever gave me.

We used to sit together at the dining room table. While eating breakfast, we would send each other telepathic messages. He would usually go first and then I would follow. It was a much different exercise compared to the one where we would "know" who was calling on the phone before answering it.

What is the difference between mental telepathy and intuition?

Intuition is the receiving of information from a place within you that is uninterrupted by logical, rational thinking. Mental telepathy is the transference of information, usually done through thought, from one person to another.

Both intuition and mental telepathy are abilities that can be developed with patience and practice. They are no different than someone having exquisite talent and ability for music, athletics, writing, singing, teaching, or being a CEO of a major corporation. The "gift" is the result of using intuition or telepathic skills for the good of individuals and others.

Everyone is telepathic and has telepathic experiences, however, most people call them coincidences. A perfect example is when you are thinking of someone whom you have not talked to in quite a while. A day or two later, they either call or you run into them at a public place.

Most people will respond with something like, "How weird!!! I was just thinking of you!" Truth is, it's not weird at all. It is quite normal and natural to be telepathic and have those experiences on a consistent basis.

Animals are extremely telepathic. I have two dogs. Both of them know the basic commands of sit, stay, and lay down. When one of them comes up to me, I telepathically send them the command "sit." When I first started working with this, it took about four or five times before they "heard" me. Now, we have it down to about two or three at the most.

Telepathy in Relationships

Can we influence others with our thoughts? The answer is yes, to a point. I'm not convinced we have the power to telepathically tell someone to jump off of a bridge or steal something from a grocery store and they will do it. Think of it in terms of voice communication: just because you tell someone to do something with your verbal words doesn't mean they will follow through.

However, communicating either verbally or telepathically using the energy of love can yield amazing results.

Think about someone whom you have had an argument with. You would like to resolve the issue but the other person isn't willing. In a case like that, you can close your eyes and see the person in your mind's eye. See the person in detail: what he/she is wearing, how his/her hair is styled, the color of his/her eyes.

Now, within your mind, speak to them your loving words of care and concern. Ask for forgiveness. Let them know you genuinely forgive them. Let them know how much you would like to resolve the issue and how much they mean to you.

This exercise can really help you change your energy and feel better towards them and the situation. With your energy transformed from negative to positive, you will be telepathically sending the other person an invitation to join you in verbal communication—and they will receive that message.

When we surrender our telepathic abilities to love, wonderful things can happen. We grow spiritually. We become more centered. We trust our inner knowingness in a much more expanded way. Our motives in relationship remain pure and honest.

It's when we use it for negative purposes that we can find ourselves in trouble. We start going down the road of control and manipulation. We strengthen our attachment to what we want and how things should be. It's a very dangerous energy and we will create our lives from that place.

Being telepathic with each other is one of the highest forms of communication we can engage in. It keeps us in the highest regard and integrity with each other. When you practice telepathy in your relationships, it really does motivate you to come from a place of love and honesty. You are able to feel how you make other people feel and vice versa.

Practice telepathy. Practice sending your thoughts and love to those who are important to you and see how it enhances the dynamics of your relationships. And practice sending those same loving thoughts to the people who challenge you—it will truly make a positive difference.

Image: Some rights reserved by Alex Barth

Attempt a telepathic communication

Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:12:53 +0000

Attemot a telepathic communication with your partner, frienD, or pet ... Just try it!

God Makes You Happy

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:27:51 +0000

By Jordan Myska Allen, musician and very happy dude. You can read more about him here.

There are many studies that show attending religious services can lead to longer, happier lives.[i] The funny thing is, our most revered religious figures don't promise happiness. Jesus said, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword,"[ii] and Buddha's second noble truth essentially says that happiness inevitably leads to sadness because it never sticks around. Even modern spiritual teachers like Adyashanti say, "Enlightenment is a destructive process. It has nothing to do with becoming better or being happier."[iii]

So how can religion make us happier when it doesn't have to do with happiness?

I propose that there are two main reasons, alongside the variety of minor reasons suggested by researchers in the field of happiness and religion. The first is that spirituality is a human need, just like eating, and ignoring this need causes suffering. The second reason is that true joy comes from deep inner peace, not happiness based on outer conditions (such as wealth and romance).

Let's take a look at the first reason today, and come back to the second in a later article.

Our Spiritual Needs

In high school, I remember Christian Young Life leaders preaching about a hole in our heart. They said that we teens would try to fill the hole with drugs, sex, and sports, but that only God could truly fill it. We were trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. Although I don't accept the idea that Young Life's Jesus Christ is the only round peg to fit that round hole, I actually agree with the general idea. And science might be on my side.

Just under thirty years ago, a 40-year-old Harvard University professor named Howard Gardner proposed a theory that human beings have at least eight different lines of intelligence. Instead of just one IQ, each one develops and can be measured independently. A few years later, psychologists released studies indicating the existence of another intelligence: Emotional Intelligence. Some, such as Daniel Goleman, convincingly argue that our emotional development—our EQ— is a far better predictor of success than IQ.[iv]

What other types of intelligence might predict success, good relationships, and happiness? If trying to grow your EQ by learning multiplication is like trying to fit a triangular peg into a square hole, what other ingredients are we missing in our search for happy lives?

Spiritual Intelligence

A child develops the ability to crawl, then walk, then run, and maybe, if they train hard enough, the ability to dunk or run a four-minute mile. In the same way, a person can grow and develop their spiritual intelligence. There are many ways we learn to run, but all humans, regardless of time and place, go through the basic abilities in the same basic order. Similarly it doesn't matter whether you're Jewish, Ba'hai, Scientologist, or Mormon, the stages of spiritual intelligence are universal and cross-cultural.[v]

Cindy Wigglesworth, who coaches high-powered executives to develop their SQ (Spiritual Quotient), defines Spiritual Intelligence as "the ability to behave with Compassion and Wisdom while maintaining inner and outer peace (equanimity) regardless of the circumstances."[vi]

So what? I thought we talking about Happiness here.

You wouldn't be very happy if you never nurtured your ability to walk, or run, would you? You'd be incredibly limited. You'd be doing a lot of hard work to get around instead of simply using your legs. Seeing others walking around might make you a little jealous.

If you're not nurturing your spiritual intelligence, you're limiting yourself in the same way. You're like a fully grown adult, crawling around on the floor.

What Can I Do?

Simple but hard: train. Just like dunking the basketball or running that four-minute mile, you need to get a spiritual practice, and stick with it. Prayer, meditation, reading a sacred text; pick one and stick with it. Make it something that will stretch you, and measure your progress.

Example 1: 100 Day Meditation Challenge

Can you meditate for 10 minutes a day, everyday for 100 days without exception?

Example 2: Read a Spiritual Text all the way through

The Bible, the Tao te Ching, the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran. Pick one you’ve always wanted to read but never finished. Finish it. Apply what you learn in your daily life.

Example 3: Get Rid of Stuff

Promise yourself you’ll get rid of 90% of EVERYTHING in your closet. Wow, there are a lot of attachments. Each time you don’t want to get rid of something, ask, “What do I really care about? What’s really important in my life? Does this object have anything to do with that?”

Before you start these big challenges, write down everything that annoys you. Write your fears, and your biggest stressors. After successfully completing the challenge, do it again. Review both. What's changed?

These things will give you more than just a little happiness boost. They'll increase your overall outlook on life itself, filling a hole you might not have even known was there. They might even lead to a deeper sense of peace … another key to real happiness.

What other things might help you grow spiritually? How else can you develop your SQ? Comment to share your practices with other Hapsters, and to egg each other on.

[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_and_happiness,

1. ^ Rudin, Mike (2006-04-30). "The science of happiness". BBC.

2. ^ Paul, Pamela (2005-01-09). "The New Science of Happiness". Time.

http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20081125/attend-religious-services-live-longer

[ii] Matthew, 10:34, KJV. See also Luke 12:51

[iii] http://centerforinnertruth.org/%E2%80%9Cenlightenment-is-a-destructive-process-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-becoming-better-or-being-happier-enlightenment-is-the-crumbling-away-of-untruth-its-seeing-through-the-facade-of-pretence/

[iv] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Goleman

[v] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fowler's_stages_of_faith_development

[vi] http://www.deepchange.com/system/docs/9/original/Spiritual%20Intelligence%20&%20Emotional%20Intelligence%202011.pdf?1311106142

Image: Some rights reserved by Wonderlane

What role does religion play in your happiness?

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 16:38:21 +0000

How's your spiritual intelligence?

Bonus: commit to taking on one of the deeper spiritual challenges listed in the article here.

A Walk in the Park

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:04:06 +0000

He's already proved that adults who are not diagnosed with any illness receive a mental boost after an hour-long walk in a woodland park—improving their performance on memory and attention tests by 20 percent—compared to an hour-long stroll in a noisy urban environment, but Dr. Marc Berman has just released a new study on people with major depression.

"Our study showed that participants with clinical depression demonstrated improved memory performance after a walk in nature, compared to a walk in a busy urban environment," says Dr. Berman, who adds that such walks are not a replacement for existing and well-validated treatments for clinical depression, such as psychotherapy and drug treatment.

The cognitive science field known as Attention Restoration Theory (ART) proposes that people concentrate better after spending time in nature or looking at scenes of nature. The reason, according to ART, is that people interacting with peaceful nature settings aren't bombarded with external distractions that relentlessly tax their working memory and attention systems. In nature settings, the brain can relax and enter a state of contemplativeness that helps to restore or refresh those cognitive capacities.

In this latest study, Dr. Berman and his research team explored whether a nature walk would provide similar cognitive benefits, and also improve mood for people with clinical depression. Given that individuals with depression are characterized by high levels of rumination and negative thinking, logically the pattern might not hold for them. But study participants exhibited a 16 percent increase in attention and working memory after the nature walk relative to the urban walk. Interestingly, interacting with nature did not alleviate depressive mood to any noticeable degree over urban walks, as negative mood decreased and positive mood increased after both walks to a significant and equal extent.

The bottom line? Everyone can benefit from a mood-boosting walk, but your brain will benefit even more from a mood-boosting, cognitive-ability-boosting nature walk!

Image: Some rights reserved by slightly everything

Breaking All The Rules

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:04:10 +0000

Rule #378: You can't have it all.
Rule #826: Guys like you when you're as good as them at sports.
Rule #1,257: You can only wear shorts with rounded edges on your protruding thighs.
Rule #2,914: Smile when you answer the phone.
Rule #3,993: You have to travel to have an open mind.

There are thousands of rules we write in our heads, from the giant, life-defining ones (#378) to the largely inconsequential mini-rules (#1,257). We write new rules for ourselves every day, before and after every experience, and these rules help us. These rules shape our lives, our principles, our character, our integrity. Rules give us structure and guidance, and we need those.

Like the healthily willful rule-breaking child I was raised, sometimes I rebel against my own rules—and that's necessary too. Redefining my principles, character, and notions of integrity can only be good for me, as I grow, learn, and change. Setting new precedents by breaking old rules can be a sign of progress and growth.

The problem with rules has never been the rules, but how they're made. What's the impetus for making them? Order? Morals? Self-preservation? When acknowledged, these are excellent reasons for making rules. But left unchecked, our subconscious minds are making all kinds of rules for us that we don't need to follow—rules borne from our fears, inadequacies, and self-doubts.

These fearful rules are the hurtful ones, and when we fail to recognize them, we let our lives be guided by fear, inadequacy, and self-doubt rather than by principles, character, and integrity.

Let’s examine my rules.

Rule #378: You can't have it all.
Logically, I believe I can have it all—and I want to! But subconsciously, I believe I don't deserve to have it all, for a myriad of reasons: I was born into a great family in the United States (and in Texas!), I got a great education, I’m tall and athletic and generally happy with my appearance. Why do I deserve any more than this?, my inadequate self questions. So I make a rule: I can't have it all. Because that way, I don't get what I "don't deserve."

Rule #826: Guys like you when you're as good as them at sports.
This may be true. It may also be completely irrelevant to love. Or only relevant to certain sports. Or certain guys. Point is, my am-I-pretty-enough fears made up this rule to protect us: so long as we're good at sports, guys will like us, whether we're pretty enough or not.

Rule #1,257: You can only wear shorts with rounded edges on your protruding thighs.
I mean, this one is obvious, right? Rounded edges are much more flattering, as they draw the eye upward and don't cut the larger thigh in half. It's a fine rule, though it's made up by my insecure psyche, because I recognize that it's made up by my insecure psyche. I can and do break this rule even if I often follow it.

Rule #2,914: Smile when you answer the phone.
This is a good rule. Smiling comes across in your voice. The rule was borne unconsciously, after reading about it in a magazine, but I recognized that I was making it and decided I wanted to continue with it. Key: recognition.

Rule #3,993: You have to travel to have an open mind.
I love to travel, but I also love to nestle into home. Somewhere along the way, the part of me that feels like I don't do enough traveling decided to make a rule that an open mind can only come from traveling. While there's a kernel of truth to this—the currency of subconscious rules—there's also much to be said for the psychological exercise of maintaining an open mind within your normal setting as opposed to one engendered by a completely new setting.

Rules can be about control, behavior, emotions, and other people … can you think of a few rules you've created for yourself? What are your giant, life-defining rules and countless mini-rules? These rules shape your life, your principles, your character, your integrity. See if you can let your rules give you necessary structure and guidance, while at the same time allowing you the freedom and willingness to break old rules that don't serve your purpose anymore.

Image: Some rights reserved by martinak15

Take a nature walk today.

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:04:18 +0000

Boost your cognitive ability and fight depression simply by taking a nature walk today!

List at least 3 subconscious rules you didn't realize you had created for yourself.

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 15:04:21 +0000

We create all kinds of rules that we're not even aware of—so get aware! And read here to find out how to keep rules you want and toss those that aren't serving you.

Is Your Work Ethic Genetically Pre-Determined?

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:57:05 +0000

In a new scientific study, people who are willing to work hard for rewards—go-getters—had a higher release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in areas of the brain known to play an important role in reward and motivation, whereas those who are less willing to work hard for a reward—slackers—had high dopamine levels in the brain area that plays a role in emotion and risk perception.

Parents have preached about instilling a work ethic in their children for as long as children have been born, but the scientific origin of individuals' variances in willingness to work, has remained a mystery—and quite the challenge for perturbed parents. We need only look at long-running TV series Dallas—recently relaunched with the next generation of Ewings—to see a prime example in hard-working J.R. and cavalier Bobby.

A new brain imaging study utilizing a brain mapping technique called positron emission tomography (PETscan) has found an individual's willingness to work hard to earn money is strongly influenced by the chemistry in three specific areas of the brain: the striatum, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the anterior insula. The fact that dopamine can have opposing effects in different parts of the brain complicates the picture regarding the use of psychotropic medications that affect dopamine levels for the treatment of a number of brain-related ailments.

Dopamine is perhaps best known for its pleasurable sensations, but it's more about anticipation and reward than it is pleasure. While the research is in its early stages, it could potentially have important implications for the treatment of attention-deficit disorder, depression, schizophrenia, and other forms of mental illness characterized by decreased motivation. The research does not yet draw correlations to genetics or suggest that dopamine release can't happen situationally as opposed to systemically.

Image: Researchers Michael Treadway, left, and David Zald mock-arm-wrestle. (Steve Green/Vanderbilt )

Determine your willingness to work for a monetary reward: slacker or go-getter?

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:03:31 +0000

Try the experiment the researchers used in Is Your Work Ethic Genetically Pre-Determined?:

Choose one:
The easy task: press a button a certain number of times using the dominant index finger, could pay out $1.
The hard task: press a button a certain number of times using the non-dominant pinky finger, could pay up to $4.30.
Imagine you are told that the probability of winning is either low (12%), medium (50%) or high (88%).

Will you choose the hard task no matter what? You're more go-getter, and you likely release more dopamine in the reward center of your brain. Choosing the easy task no matter what? You're more like a slacker, with dopamine in the risk and emotional center of your brain, causing you to consider costs more than benefits.

Use this knowledge not as an excuse, but to increase your awareness of your work style.

Welcome all your emotions today as unexpected visitors

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 15:57:31 +0000

Click here to read The Guest House.

The Guest House

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:01:09 +0000

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Known to the English-speaking world simply as Rumi, the poet is a 13th-century Persian Muslim jurist, theologian, and Sufi mystic. For more info, here's the wikipedia page.

Image: Some rights reserved by Brian Negus

Try a My Fit Cocktail this morning!

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 16:43:13 +0000

Get the recipe here!

Embrace your own dichotomies. Write them down.

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:11:37 +0000

Check out this poem about the girl of two shoes for inspiration!

The Dichotomy of My Existence:

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:13:02 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen

The Dichotomy of My Existence:

I am of a different breed
societal conventions I don't heed
I'm hard for people to read
because I don't follow, I lead

People's roles in society seem fixed
but my character is all mixed
Typical descriptions cannot be picked
stereotypes must be eighty-sixed

The sorority girl is a girly girl
only caring about making her hair curl
Or getting a guy to take her out for a whirl
with a closer look these claims will unfurl

For being a baller I've been called half man
a compliment because I can do all they can
But derogatory because this world by men is ran
and women are only expected to be a fan

When someone shares the characteristics of the two
People don’t know what to do
And they lash out against her who
Is comfortable with a high heel and a tennis shoe

This makes it hard for the girl of two shoes
whatever she does, she will lose
Why would this path someone choose?
She wants together the two worlds to fuse

She doesn't consciously try for this goal
she just doesn't like either role
And with girls like her to pay the toll
the next generation will have a lighter soul

She dreams of the day
when girls and boys can play
Without having to say
to which gender homage they pay

Until then however,
she has undertaken this endeavor
And will live her life as clever
Staying true forever.

Breakfast Boost: My Fit Cocktail

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 20:12:07 +0000

From My Fit Foods' Meg McCall, B.S., M.S. Candidate Human Nutrition, My Fit Foods Corporate Nutritionist.

I have new strength of body and I will create new beauty of body. - Paul C. Bragg

This year Bragg's celebrates their 100th year in business. Paul C. Bragg and his daughter Patricia Bragg are health pioneers and the crusaders behind the Bragg's movement. It all started when Paul was crippled by tuberculosis and developed his own eating, breathing, and exercising program to rebuild his body. He made an early pledge to God, in return for his renewed health, to spend the rest of his life showing others the road to super health. The Bragg philosophy centers around supporting the body pH and increasing oxygen to fight disease and promote vitality.

Apple Cider Vinegar is one of their main products and has been highly regarded throughout history. For more on the benefits, read on.

Today, here at My Fit Foods, we are huge fans of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and it is an important part of our My Fit Cocktail.

Here is the recipe: My Fit Cocktail

8 ounces water

4 ounces of My Fit Foods unsweetened cranberry juice

1 TB Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

½ lemon freshly squeezed

1 oz. B-12 (optional)

When we wake up in the morning our bodies are acidic and dehydrated from 8 hours of repair and detoxification. A great way to jumpstart your energy and metabolism is to rehydrate with these all-natural juices that have nutrients to nourish all detox organs: intestines, gall bladder, liver, kidneys, and the lymphatic system.

TOP TEN REASONS TO LOVE THE MY FIT COCKTAIL

Lemon Juice promotes thinner bile which aids in the breakdown of fat!
Even though lemon juice is acidic, it works within the body to make your pH more alkaline, waking up enzymes in both the intestines and liver.
Besides being an excellent source of Vitamin C, lemon juice boasts 16 other vitamins and minerals.
Cranberry juice is packed with flavonoids, enzymes, and organic acids that have an emulsifying effect on fat deposits in the lymphatic system. This is thought to help with cellulite as well as general weight loss. Woohoo!
The special antioxidants in cranberries fuel both phases of the liver's detox pathways. Remember that one of your liver's major jobs is to metabolize fat!
Compounds in cranberries act to boost the kidney's diuretic efforts, so more waste is eliminated.
Research on cranberries shows that drinking cranberry juice daily can lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol.
Raw apple cider vinegar contains the "cob-web"-looking Mother, which is the ingredient touted for helping optimize body pH. Remember the more alkaline your body pH, the more oxygen your blood carries, and the stronger your metabolism!
Research shows that consuming apple cider vinegar improves blood sugar in those with diabetes.
All three ingredients are targeting the most important phases of detox: digestion, liver detoxification, and kidney elimination.

Here is to a cleaner, healthier, and leaner new you! CHEERS!

Resources:

Farnier M, Garnier P, Yau C, Dejager S, Verpilleux MP. Prevalence of low HDL-cholesterol in patients with cardiovascular risk factors: The ECHOS (Etude du Cholesterol HDL en Observationnel) French Survey. Int J Clin Pract. 2006 Oct;60(10):1166-71. Epub 2006 Aug 24. 2006.

Reid G. The role of cranberry and probiotics in intestinal and urogenital tract health. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2002;42(3 Suppl):293-300. 2002.

Fushimi T, Suruga K, Oshima Y, Fukiharu M, Tsukamoto Y, Goda T. Dietary acetic acid reduces serum cholesterol and triacylglycerols in rats fed a cholesterol-rich diet. Br J Nutr. (2006) 95.5: 916-924.

White AM, Johnston CS. Vinegar ingestion at bedtime moderates waking glucose concentrations in adults with well-controlled type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. (2007) 30.11: 2814-28

The Fat Flush, Anne Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S.

Apple Cider Vinegar

The Bragg Healthy Lifestyle Motto: "You are what you eat, drink, breathe, think, say and do."

Apple Cider Vinegar has been highly regarded throughout history. In 400 B.C. the great Hippocrates, Father of Medicine, used it for its amazing health qualities.

Internal Benefits:

Rich enzymes & potassium
Support a healthy immune system
Helps Control Weight
Promotes digestion & ph Balance
Helps Soothe Dry Throats
Helps Remove body sludge toxins

External Benefits:

Helps maintain healthy skin
Helps promote youthful, healthy bodies
Soothes irritated skin
Relieves muscle pain from exercise

Image: Some rights reserved by Ella es Tanya

How to Be Fabulous

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:46:46 +0000

by a 21-year-old know-it-all who wishes to remain anonymous

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever written, but I must, because fabulousity is completely lacking in a time and age when we need it more than ever. Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, young starlets of Hollywood know nothing of Fabulous. They prance about in designer clothes, with designer bags, and are as far from Fabulous as Paris, Texas from Paris, France.

Fabulous boils down to one thing and one thing only. I will beat this dead horse until you never want to hear this word again, but Fabulous is synonymous with Confident. That's it. Confidence is Fabulous. Fabulous is Confident.

My article ends here, right? Just be confident. Not so fast! Sure, if you're confident and happy with yourself, stop reading, because I am sure you are already Fabulous. Fabulous is an attitude, and if you can sashay with confidence down the grimiest sidewalk in your rattiest sweats, you are Fabulous.

If you aren't so Confident, read on, we will get you there. Breathe a sigh of relief that Fabulous has nothing to do with money, status, job, men, women, or anything in between. Sure, people with some of those get a boost, but it's an ego boost borne of constant praise to their Confidence, not a ticket to Fabulousness.

Fabulous is smiling at people genuinely. Fabulous is standing and sitting up straight, chest high, shoulders back. Fabulous is positive talk in front of the mirror. Fabulous is staring in the mirror at your assets and giddily relishing them, dancing about in your underwear in your bathroom, by yourself. Fabulous is being happy by yourself. Fabulous is being happy around others. Fabulous is being quiet when you are sad. Fabulous is being strong when you are weak. Fabulous is being weak when you are weak. Fabulous is what feels right.

Picture Fabulous in your head. Does a woman stand in front of your eyes, her head cocked back, her hair blowing in the wind, the same wind that blows open her trench coat to reveal a fabulous outfit underneath with the best shoes? Do you notice her clothes or her posture first?

Yep, Fabulous is all the posture. And the posture comes from the Confidence that the photographer and stylist and agent have instilled in the Fabulous model. Later, she might not be so Fabulous. She might slouch because she's six feet tall in a world of 5'4" women. Anyone can be Fabulous any time. And you don't have to be Fabulous all the time. You just can't complain about not being Fabulous if you haven't tried!

I feel fat a lot of the time. Don't object, it's true for me. But I feel fabulous a lot of the time too. Sometimes I can even be Fabulous when I feel fat, because it's just a mental game: to be Fabulous I have to tell myself over and over again that I look great, thus building my confidence and making me look Fabulous!

Trench coats are Fabulous. They just are.

Know why? Because there's a secret inside them. They cover you up, and only when you're ready do you unbutton them, sexily, quickly, fumbly, however you manage to unbutton them, only then do they reveal the secret: you. That the world is waiting to see what the Trench reveals give you Confidence. That Confidence then makes you Fabulous, which is why it appears trench coats are Fabulous. They are in fact the vessels of fabulousness, not the Fabulousness itself. You are the Fabulousness.

Feeling Fabulous yet? No? Think I am full of bunk? Try Fabulous on for size. Go to your mirror, look at yourself. Stand up straight. Smile. A genuine smile, even if you are grumpy and feel frumpy. Now think Fabulous. Think Confident. Think Fabulous. They are the same. Try some different poses. One foot forward. Hand on a hip. A hand on each hip. Shoulders back, chest up, the whole time. Fabulous.

Women, if your mental praise is weak, put on high heels. These are more vessels of Fabulousness because they force you to have good posture or look like an idiot. They practically force a Confident sashay.

That's it. Fabulous is Confidence. Confidence is Fabulous. Do it. Be Fabulous.

Image: Some rights reserved by Alaskan Dude

Try Fabulous on for size.

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:47:02 +0000

According to How to Be Fabulous, here's how:

Go to your mirror, look at yourself. Stand up straight. Smile. A genuine smile, even if you are grumpy and feel frumpy. Now think Fabulous. Think Confident. Think Fabulous. They are the same. Try some different poses. One foot forward. Hand on a hip. A hand on each hip. Shoulders back, chest up, the whole time. Fabulous.

Verts: Introverts vs. Extroverts

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:49:32 +0000

A young starlet was recently quoted saying something like, "I just found out that I'm actually introverted, so I've started taking more time for myself." She isn't alone: many of us misunderstand extroversion and introversion to our own detriment. The commonly-held notion that extroverts are outgoing and introverts are inward-facing is simplistic if somewhat true. But it goes much deeper than that.

Carl Jung was one of the first people to use extroversion and introversion as designations in psychological practice. He defined them as:

Extrovert: "an attitude-type characterised by concentration of interest on the external object" (the outside world)

Introvert: "an attitude-type characterised by orientation in life through subjective psychic contents" (focus on one's inner psychic activity)

Jung suggests that everyone has both an extroverted side and an introverted side, with one being more dominant than the other. Meaning, you don't have to be 100% whichever-vert. You may be 60/40 extrovert/introvert, or even 5/95. There are no absolutes when it comes to how your psyche functions.

Our society seems to reward extroverted personalities—the bold, the confident, the outgoing—when in fact those same personalities may, like the starlet, be introverts who have coached themselves to embrace more outgoing traits. Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, Warren Buffett, Al Gore, J.K. Rowling, and Google’s Larry Page are all highly-visible introverts.

Modern interpretations have included the notion of where you draw energy from: do you feel energized in big groups? Extrovert. Do you feel recharged after spending time alone? Introvert. If you're inclined, try one of a few online tests to measure your introverted and extroverted tendencies. Here are a few we like: The Meyers-Briggs online test, vert-expert Susan Cain's test, or OK Cupid's test.

Then use the results to help guide you when you're struggling or need to recharge: do you need to seek help with friends or take a long walk alone?

Image: Creative Commons © Jerry Bunkers

Identify your -vert and recharge to your strengths today.

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:52:34 +0000

Click here to read about identifying your extrovert or introvert nature!

Focus good energy on one task or person today.

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 14:32:49 +0000

See if you can't change the structure of a task or person for just a little bit today! Click here to read about the power of intention on Emoto's water crystals.

Love/Hate: Bonus Free Time!

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:23:12 +0000

Love/Hate is a new series exploring the everyday duality of life.

Say you suddenly get a day off of work or an all-day obligation is cancelled. Wahoo! The day stretches before you with hours and hours of unscheduled free time … bonus!

***5 Things We Love About:* Bonus Free Time**

Endless possibilities
Guilt-free "me" time!
Catching up on reading or our fave tv shows
Taking the time to cook dinner
Long walks, hikes, or workouts we don't always get to enjoy leisurely

***5 Things We Hate About:* Bonus Free Time**

Endless possibilities mire you in indecision
Feeling guilty we're not doing something "productive"
Catching up on cleaning/household chores
Cooking dinner or doing something because we feel obligated to now that we have the time
Feeling lazy when we choose to just lounge around the house

Image: Some rights reserved by askthepixel

Take an hour of unscheduled free time today.

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 15:23:21 +0000

Do you feel super excited or a little guilty? Check out why we love/hate bonus free time here, and embrace the duality in your free time today.

Seasons of Change: Feel Your Way to Enlightenment

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:39:26 +0000

What makes music so moving, a movie so riveting, or a piece of artwork so stunning? Is it talent? Is it dedication and years of hard work to perfecting the craft? Is it the commitment to always improving? Yes. However, there is still an active ingredient that turns something great into something brilliant and unforgettable: emotion.

We can have the best technique, talent, and opportunity to hone our abilities to perfection. But if they are void of emotion, our expression in the world will lack the energy that touches hearts and transcends all physical reality.

The same principal applies to our spiritual journey. We can read all the self-help books, analyze our repeated patterns, and meditate for hours on end. But if we haven't learned how to connect with the emotional aspect of our being in a healthy way, our lives will be limited to the mere experience of this physical reality.

What is an emotion?

Emotion is energy in motion. It is created when a thought and a feeling are combined.

That is why we can say all the affirmations we want, but if our inner feelings are not congruent with what we are thinking and saying, it won't work. We can say, "I am financially abundant and blessings flow to me freely and easily." But if we are terrified of being broke or never having enough, that affirmation will be void of bringing forth anything prosperous. Essentially, we play out more often what we feel versus what we think.

Our Sacred Path

If we have dysfunction in our emotional reality, it will hinder us in walking our sacred path and expressing our sacred gifts. It will also get in the way of hearing our inner guidance and trusting in our intuition.

For example, how often have we had a vision for our lives that contradicted what others wanted for us? And how often did we allow other's expectations and opinions dictate our decisions? The experience of our lives directly correlates with our emotional health. We must be just as mindful in taking care of our emotional health as we are in taking care of our physical, mental, and spiritual health.

The Inner Feelings of the Ego and Our Divine Self

The ego will always indulge in the inner feelings of depression, anxiety, judgment, and hurt. It does this because of its belief in separation. The ego has its reality and thought system to defend—one that is very dense and breeds uncertainty.

Our Divine Self radiates the inner feelings of inspired, faithful, compassion, and warmth. It, too, has a thought system. Yet unlike the ego, it is based on truth, eternity, and wholeness. It is life-giving and easy on the heart.

How to Nurture Your Emotional Health

We can positively or negatively influence any aspect of our being through vibration. Thoughts and feelings have a tonal quality to them.

If we are feeling depressed, we can summon the inner feelings of inspired. If we sit quietly and repeat to ourselves, "the inner feelings of inspired consumes all feelings of depressed" and really allow ourselves to open to the inner feelings of inspired, we will begin to feel a shift in our emotional body.

The key is to let ourselves feel inspired even if we think we don't have anything to be inspired by. It's about allowing ourselves to simply feel the feeling of inspired or inspiration.

We can repeat the exercise with:

the inner feelings of faithful consumes all feelings of anxiety;
the inner feelings compassion consumes all feelings of judgment;
the inner feelings of warmth consumes all feelings of hurt.

It's about really giving ourselves the opportunity to feel these positive inner feelings. This is a wonderful tool to assist us in shifting how we are feeling in any given moment. When we shift from a negative to a positive, our perspective naturally aligns itself allowing us to think the thoughts of our inner guidance.

It is helpful to think of our inner feelings as the feminine part of us and our thoughts as the masculine part of us. When we combine them and then surrender them to our Divinity, we have put ourselves in the posture of receiving exponential growth and enlightenment!

Image: Some rights reserved by boydoistink

Let yourself feel inspired even if you think you don't have anything to be inspired by.

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:39:33 +0000

From Feel Your Way to Enlightenment, try one of these:

the inner feelings of inspired consumes all feelings of depressed;
the inner feelings of faithful consumes all feelings of anxiety;
the inner feelings compassion consumes all feelings of judgment;
the inner feelings of warmth consumes all feelings of hurt.

The Art of Positive Intention: Emoto’s Water Crystals

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:31:47 +0000

"It was 1994 when the idea to freeze water and observe it with microscope came upon me. With this method, I was convinced that I should be able to see something like snow crystals,” says Masaru Emoto, the now (in)famous scientist behind the four-volume book Messages from Water, which went on to be featured in the controversial documentary What the Bleep Do We Know?. Emoto's work is considered seminal by alternative and holistic medicine communities while being "disproven" by traditional science.

"At first, we strenuously observed crystals of tap water, river water, and lake water. From the tap water we could not get any beautiful crystals. We could not get any beautiful ones from rivers and lakes near big cities, either. However, from the water from rivers and lakes where water is kept pristine from development, we could observe beautiful crystals with each one having its own uniqueness."

Emoto and his team froze water and photographed it. They then ran experiments on distilled, or "pure", water, analyzing the impact of music, prayer, thought—in short, intention—on water molecules. Their photos reveal remarkable differences in positive and negative intention on the water molecules' ability to form crystals.

"The result was that we always observed beautiful crystals after giving good words, playing good music, and showing, playing, or offering pure prayer to water. On the other hand, we observed disfigured crystals in the opposite situation. Moreover, we never observed identical crystals."

Attempts to recreate the experiment in double- and triple-blind studies have not yielded the same results, which is why many traditionalists call the research biased at best and a hoax at worst. But given that intention is the variable, how can anyone isolate their feelings from the experiment?

While he presented the findings to the world as research, it appears Emoto may have been well aware that his failure to follow strictly the scientific method would discredit his experiments. He says, "This world is filled with wonders and mysteries that get more incomprehensible if we try to think of a reason."

Though he attempted to use reason—that is, science—to prove his point, its shortcoming is that fact. The mere belief that intention can change molecular structure is the proof. As humans, made up of somewhere around half water ourselves, we want to believe positive thought and intention can change our crystalline structure too.

"The photograph of crystals is neither science nor religion. I hope it is enjoyed as a new type of art. Nevertheless, the world it shows is truth, and there is no doubt that many messages essential to our lives are hidden in it."

Image: Your Sole Sister

Forgive the tiniest infraction today to the point of forgetting it.

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:32:08 +0000

Give someone unconditional forgiveness today!

A Cab to the Airport

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 14:35:20 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen

The Incident

"I'll take you to the airport," he says. Looking at my grinning, sometimes-irresponsible best friend, I agree. We have lunch together, then he takes me to Houston's International Airport in the pouring rain. 45 minutes later, we pull up to the airport … and I realize I am actually flying out of Houston's Hobby airport.

We speed back to campus, as Jonathan has to get to basketball practice, and I say I'll get my car and just pay to park for three days.

"No," he says, despite having just driven me to the wrong airport at my direction. "I'll call you a cab. I want to pick you up when you get back."

I grudgingly agree. Three days later, I'm on my way back from my trip and call to remind Jonathan to pick me up at the airport that night. He says of course he remembers and he'll be there.

I arrive at the airport. No sign of Jonathan. I call him. No answer. I sit down in the grungy chairs in the basement of Hobby, feet on my suitcase, mad that I didn't just drive my own car, mad that he's forgotten me, just mad. After thirty minutes or so, he calls back, "I forgot! I don't have a car to pick you up in. I'm working on it."

I say, "Don't worry, I already called my roommate, she's on her way to get me."

Christi and I arrive back at campus and Jonathan is waiting in the lobby of our dorm. "You're pretty mad at me, huh?" he asks, hugging me.

"Yeah.

"You should be," he says, "I'm sorry. I just forgot. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I say. And we head upstairs to talk over my trip, discuss how basketball is going, and watch our favorite TV show.

The Forgiveness

I'd all but forgotten about this story until I found a note I'd written about it. I've written about the unconditional love I shared with Jonathan, but this unconditional forgiveness was equally important in our relationship. It made our friendship so easy.

He forgave easily. I forgave easily. We loved easily. We loved unconditionally.

When I messed up the airport, he wasn't mad, he was just sad he couldn't take me to the right airport. When he messed up picking me up, I didn't stay mad, I just found my way home. Quick, simple, easy forgiveness. Not ignoring the wrongs, just forgiving them.

Mistakes, messing up, accidentally hurting people is just part of people being people. But how free is a person who doesn't have grudges held against them? How free is a person when they can mess up, own up, and move on?

How free are YOU when you can forgive unconditionally? So free you can forget. So free you can feel just how awesome it feels to love. Unconditionally.

Image: Some rights reserved by hyper7pro

Could This Be Nature's Near-Perfect Blood Sugar Regulator?

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 15:07:29 +0000

By Dr. Mercola

For many years now, my favorite source of omega-3 fats has been krill oil. Every time a new study about krill oil hits the journals, its list of health benefits grows longer and the differences between fish oil and krill oil become more pronounced.

Krill oil is often compared to fish oil as a source of animal-based omega-3 fats.

But krill consistently comes out on top in the research—and the latest study published in the July 2011 issue of Frontiers in Geneticsⁱ is no exception. This study compared the livers of mice fed krill oil to those fed fish oil by looking at the gene expression triggered by each.

Researchers found that krill oil is VASTLY superior to fish oil when it comes to influencing your genes. What do your genes have to do with your metabolism? Everything! Every aspect of your metabolism is controlled by how your genes express themselves.

New Study Shows Krill Oil Flips on Key Metabolic Genes

Genes have "switches" that can be flipped on and off, which control virtually every biochemical process in your body. And nutrients like omega-3 fats control those switches. Your liver plays a major role in controlling how your body uses carbohydrates and lipids, utilizing omega-3 and omega-6 fats to sense your nutritional state and influence gene expression accordingly.

Fatty acids help to direct key metabolic processes such as glucose production, lipid synthesis, cellular energy, oxidation, and dozens of others. We now know that various types and sources of omega-3 fat affect liver tissue differently, which is what this study was designed to examine.

Krill oil actually influences your metabolism and genes to improve! The referenced study found that, although both fish oil and krill oil contain omega-3s, they differ greatly in how they affect the genes controlling your metabolism. Krill oil:

Enhances glucose metabolism in your liver, whereas fish oil does not
Promotes lipid metabolism, whereas fish oil does not
Helps regulate the mitochondrial respiratory chain, whereas fish oil does not
Decreases cholesterol synthesis, whereas fish oil increases it

So, krill will help lower your triglyceride and cholesterol levels and increase your energy production, whereas fish oil does neither and in fact may even raise your cholesterol level, according to the latest research. According to the researchers:

"Elevated hepatic glucose production is associated with metabolic disease in humans (Natali and Ferrannini, 2006), and we observed that krill oil supplementation favorably alters the expression of genes regulating hepatic glucose metabolism."

Prior studies show that krill oil may lower your blood glucose level by increasing glucose uptake by tissues other than your liver. In another study that directly compared krill oil with fish oil, krill oil was significantly more effective in reducing liver triglyceride levels. These studies all suggest krill oil may offer significant benefits for those with the metabolic dysregulation seen in obesity and type 2 diabetes—which is a problem of epidemic proportions in today's world.

Omega-3 fats affect your cellular health and DNA chiefly by how they influence your cell membranes. It is these cell membranes that are critical in switching your genes on and off, because the membranes contain receptors that respond to hormones and other agents, and these are affected by the fatty acids on their surface. Your cell membranes contain EPA, DHA and phospholipids, and all help to shuttle molecules into and out of your cells. Therefore, having ample high quality fatty acids in your system is crucial to keeping your cell membranes working like well-oiled little machines.

Other Advantages of Krill

It is important to understand that krill oil has a number of other advantages over fish oil:

Some studies have shown that krill oil may be 48 times more potent than fish oil. This means you need far less of it than fish oil, as confirmed by a 2011 study published in the journal Lipidsⁱⁱ.
This is because krill oil contains phospholipids, so the omega-3 fats are already in the form that your body can use. This bioavailability means krill oil is absorbed very quickly and crosses your blood-brain barrier, so is able to reach important brain structures. Also, phospholipids are one of the principle compounds in high-density lipoproteins (HDL), which you want more of.
Fish oil is quite prone to oxidation, and oxidation leads to the formation of free radicals. Consuming free radicals further increases your need for antioxidants. Fish oil is weak in antioxidant content, whereas krill oil is rich in antioxidants. Krill oil contains astaxanthin—probably the most potent antioxidant in nature—which is why it is so stable and resistant to oxidation.
Many, if not most, fish and fish oil are now contaminated with mercury and other heavy metals; even fish that is thousands of miles away from coal plants and other environment-polluting industries. Antarctic krill is not prone to this contamination.
Krill is also far more sustainable as a food source than is fish because it's the largest biomass in the world, making krill harvesting one of the most sustainable practices on the planet.

Could Omega-3 Deficiency be Killing More People than Breast Cancer?

Three studies in 2009 showed that omega-3 fat deficiency might cause or contribute to up to 96,000 premature deaths each year. Compare that number to the estimated 40,000 women who die from breast cancer in the U.S. annuallyⁱⁱⁱ, and the implications of omega-3 deficiency become quite clear.

Omega-3 fats from krill have been shown to be far more effective than fish oil in reducing fat levels in your heart and liver. The latest study adds to the mountain of research that krill oil can lower your risk for metabolic syndrome, obesity, type-2 diabetes, andcardiovascular disease.

In one study, krill oil was found to reduce fat levels in the hearts of rats by 42 percent, compared to just two percent for fish oil. Similarly, krill was found to reduce fat in the liver by 60 percent, compared to 38 percent for fish oil. The buildup of fat in your liver can lead to insulin sensitivity, metabolic syndrome and eventually full-blown type 2 diabetes, just as the buildup of fat in your heart can predispose you to a heart attack.

Krill Oil Can Also Help Protect Your Brain

Some omega-3 fats—especially DHA—are critical for your nervous system, particularly your brain. DHA is converted into substances called neuroprotectins. Alzheimer's disease is associated with a shortage of these neuroprotectins. Fats make up about two-thirds of your brain tissue. Myelin, the protective sheath that covers your neurons, is composed of 30 percent protein and 70 percent fat. These fats are not just important for adults. Omega-3s are crucial for proper brain and eye development in infants and children.

Two different studies have shown that taking 800 to 900 mg of DHA per day for 16 to 24 weeks resulted in significant improvements in memory, verbal fluency scores, and rate of learning.

Low concentrations of EPA and DHA are known to accelerate cognitive decline and increase your risk for mood swings and mood disorders. Those suffering from depression have been found to have lower levels of omega-3 in their blood, compared to nondepressed individuals. A 2010 study involving 46 depressed elderly women^iv concluded that omega-3 supplementation can improve quality of life and effectively treat depression.

According to a report published in 2007 in the Alternative Medicine Review^v, DHA and EPA in krill oil can lessen a variety of brain and mental disorders, including autism and dyslexia. DHA also protects your cells from gene mutations that can lead to brain diseases such as Parkinson's and some forms of Alzheimer's disease, by preventing "misfolding" of certain proteins that occur as a result of those mutations.

Krill Oil is a Potent Anti-Inflammatory

A major reason krill oil has such impressive benefits is that it powerfully reduces inflammation in your body. They produce compounds called resolvins and protectins, which help quell inflammation before it can do too much damage to your tissues. Several studies have been published on the remarkable effectiveness of krill oil in combating inflammation-related disorders, such as arthritis.

One 2011 study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women with the highest omega-3 levels had a 44 percent reduced risk of dying from inflammatory diseases. Studies have proven krill oil's ability to reduce pain, stiffness, and functional impairment in people with inflammatory disorders in just one to two weeks^vi and reduce the symptoms for both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis sufferers^vii, ^viii.

The Verdict is in: Krill Oil May Help with Literally DOZENS of Diseases

GreenMedInfo.com now lists more than than 25 different diseases krill may help prevent or reverse. Of course, if you extend the search to include everything related to omega-3 fats, the list of benefits expands even more, since the gifts of krill oil include everything known to be good about omega-3s. The implications are truly profound, and I'm sure you'll be seeing much more krill research in the future. The following table includes links to a number of studiesspecific to krill oil, by disease. There is much more information about krill and omega-3 fats on the GreenMedInfo website.

Cardiovascular disease, hyperlipidemia	Inflammation, and C-Reactive Protein	Oxidative stress
Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)	Metabolic syndrome, including obesity and fatty liver	Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea
Brain disease: Cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, brain aging, learning disorders and ADHD	Cancer	Kidney disease

A Final Note on Krill Oil Supplements

Please remember that I don't advocate taking large amounts of supplements. It is far better to receive you nutrients from food. If it weren't for the polluted waterways of the world, I would recommend getting your omega-3 fats from fish rather than supplements, but unfortunately, most fish are now so contaminated with mercury and other toxins, I just cannot recommend it any longer.

As you can see from the research above, animal-based omega-3 fats are essential for optimal health. I recommend you consider taking a high quality omega-3 supplement, and I think krill oil is your best option.

The only kind of krill oil I recommend is from genuine Antarctic krill. Look for a brand that is cold-processed, which preserves its biological benefits. Please make sure that hexane is not used to extract the oil from the krill as some of the most popular krill oils on the market use this dangerous chemical agent. It should also be free of heavy metals, PCBs, dioxins and other contaminants. You should also make sure the krill you take is harvested in compliance with international conservation standards.

References:

ⁱ See All References

Editor's Note: While we clearly think it's important to present the latest research, we recognize that any claim of "the best" is simply an opinion—and we encourage you to form your own opinions about the best choices for YOU. On the subject of omega-3s, we also support and recommend Stronger Faster Healthier Omega-3 Oil (affiliate link + 10% off).

Image: missmeng

Take your omega-3 oil today!

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 15:07:40 +0000

Dr. Mercola recommends krill oil, but take whatever omega-3s you find to the best for you today.

Good Shopping: 11 Cause-Powered Companies

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:46:15 +0000

The increase in both social activism and social entrepreneurship has brought about a surprising industry at its intersection: cause-inspired goods companies run by young entrepreneurs. These companies create everything from t-shirts to totes, flip-flops to jewelry, all in the name of promoting awareness of social injustices and donating money to their causes. Their business models are different, but their impact is the same: redefining the way people view donating money and buying goods at the same time.

Read on for some of our favorite cause-inspired shopping sites, and let us know who we missed in the comments!

Toms
The godfather of the one-for-one movement has expanded from its initial one-style shoe line to include different shoe styles for men and women, from booties to wedges, and eyewear. toms.com

Sevenly
A new design and new charity donation every 7 days. $7 per sale (tees range from $22-$40) is donated to the charity; there are several men's and women's styles but just one design every week—so limited edition! sevenly.org

Article 22
Article 22 has three collections: ARTICLE 22 textile accessories, PeaceBOMB, and A22 Trading Co. All three lines use unique and recycled materials, encourage conversation, and use traditional design and artisans in modern ways. We particularly love PeaceBOMB's "Buying Back the Bombs", where bombs are turned into bracelets and more that really spark conversation. shoparticle22.com

United By Blue
For every product sold, United by Blue removes 1 pound of trash from our world’s oceans and waterways. We love the aesthetic on their rugged bags, graphic tees, and fresh jewelry. unitedbyblue.com

Shop With Meaning
A site that aggregates a ton of cause-inspired companies, including big names like Warby Parker, 147 Million Orphans, Threads 4 Thought, Blanket America, and more. shopwithmeaning.org

The Giving Keys
When you buy ($35) or are given this one-of-a-kind necklace (pictured above), you must give it away at some point, to a person who you feel needs the message that's on your key. Employing the homeless in NYC. thegivingkeys.com

FEED
If Toms is the godfather of giving + getting, FEED is the godmother. Originally a burlap bag that raised enough money to feed 1 child for 1 year, the line has expanded over the past five years to encompass different styles and donation levels—each bag says how many kids it feeds on it. feedprojects.com

MuseWear
Besides spreading inspiration through flip-flops printed with inspirational quotes, Musewear donates 15% of profits to three different organizations. musewearflipflops.com

Hook-Links
Friendship bracelets are back in a big way, and we love Hook-Links' silicon-and-magnet versions that connect to any other Hook-Links bracelet. The bracelets both build awareness around non-profits devoted to kids and donate a portion of profits to the charities. hook-links.com

Pencils of Promise
What they offer for shopping at any given time varies, but right now there's a sweet limited-edition shoe and stainless steel water bottle. Past offerings included tees and backpacks. 100% of all funds donated or raised online goes directly towards education programs in Laos, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. pencilsofpromise.org

Barnabas Clothing
Barnabas means Son of Encouragement, and the t-shirt company started to increase awareness of living "a life worth imitating." They donate 10% of all sales to Living Room International. barnabasclothing.com

Check out our Pinterest board Shopping + Cause-Powered for some of the super-cool cause-inspired goodies!

Browse, shop, share, or pin some goodies from cause-inspired companies.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 14:46:23 +0000

The perfect way to shop 'til you drop: supporting great causes! Click here for our 11 faves, and share with us your favorite give-and-get shopping destinations!

Take a risk you might not normally take.

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:49:23 +0000

Click here to watch rapper Ice T talk about taking risks in "Fuck It."

Jump Off That Cliff: Ice T on Taking Risks

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 20:09:08 +0000

"It's that edge, but in that edge, which is so dangerous and so profitable on the other side, is where creation lives, it's where it all happens," says rapper Ice T in the video below.

Image courtesy of Paul Luning.

Stick to a morning routine this week.

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:41:23 +0000

Consider what your morning routine looks like (it can include coffee!), or if you don't have much of one, pick something to make a routine. Try sticking to that routine for this entire week to see if your day starts better by Friday!

The Perks of Coffee

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:41:34 +0000

Coffee is easily one of the most widely-consumed beverages in the world. Who doesn't love a steamy cup with the Sunday morning paper, or an espresso shot after dinner on an Italian piazza, or even a gas station brew on a long road trip? But for being so popular, many people are confused about the pros and cons of consuming a little—or a lot of—java. Hot, cold, blended, shot, infused, flavored, organic, fair-trade, brewed, dripped, pressed … however you prepare it, coffee has a few benefits and a few risks.

Coffee is a beverage prepared from the roasted seeds (beans) of the coffee plant, which are found in the cherries. Coffee contains caffeine, which gives it its stimulating effect. It is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world.

The Case for Coffee

Routine: It's unconventional, but let's take a moment to consider the happiness-boosting power of routine. You have a cup of coffee every morning while you read the paper/check your email/drive to work. You know the Starbucks barista. You take coffee breaks during the day and walk down the street—you're exercising! There's something steady and calming about routines. There are worse habits to have.
Coffee boosts metabolism: Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and some studies have found that a daily dose can kickstart your metabolism by up to 8%, burning an extra 100 calories or so per day.
Coffee boosts cognitive performance: Coffee "wakes you up." In tests of short-term recall, simple reaction time, choice reaction time, incidental verbal memory, and visuospatial reasoning, there’s a positive relationship between test scores and the amount of coffee regularly drunk.
Coffee looks good on you: Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, temporarily constricting blood vessels. Redness-reducing face lotions and eye creams often contain caffeine; topical caffeine can also reduce the look of cellulite.
Coffee is a pain-killer: Caffeine is an analgesic that increases the effectiveness of other pain killers, especially for headaches.
Coffee may lower the risk of:

Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia: moderate coffee drinkers (3-5 cups/day) are significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease and dementia than light coffee drinkers (0-2 cups/day). One recent study found an an inverse relationship between the amount of coffee regularly drunk and the likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease.
Type 2 diabetes: Studies show that men and women coffee drinkers who drink 4-5 cups per day cut their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 29 to 50 percent.
Skin cancer: Women who drank more than three cups of coffee per day had a 20% reduction in risk for basal cell carcinoma in comparison to women who drank less than 1 cup of coffee per month. Men who drank more than three cups of coffee per day had a 9% reduction in risk of basal cell carcinoma. The antioxidants in coffee may be protective against hydrogen peroxide-induced cell death in primary neuronal cells. There is also exciting new research in animal studies showing that a topical dose of caffeine to skin that’s been exposed to UV can block skin cells from undergoing genetic changes that can lead to skin cancer.
Cardiovascular disease: Some studies have shown that coffee moderately reduces the incidence of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Stroke: A new study reveals that women who drink more than a cup of coffee a day decreased their stroke risk by 22-25%.
Depression in women: As reported in this preliminary study.

Coffee Cons

Too much of a good thing: Heavy coffee drinkers—more than 6 cups or 600mg/day—can have insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, nausea, and headaches.
Addiction: Withdrawal symptoms like headaches, nausea, and fatigue can occur in some people with just a one-cup-a-day habit.
Gastrointestinal problems: coffee can damage the lining of the gastrointestinal organs, causing gastritis and ulcers.
Effects on pregnancy: coffee, even decaf, is a potential health risk for babies, because they cannot metabolize caffeine. One study showed that heavy coffee consumption during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of stillbirth—drinking 8 or more cups a day may increase risk by 220% compared with nondrinkers.
Inflammation: Consumption of coffee is associated with significant elevations in biochemical markers of inflammation.

Coffee Myths

Coffee as Diuretic: Contrary to popular belief, caffeine does not act as a diuretic when consumed in moderation (less than five cups a day or 500 to 600 milligrams)
Blood pressure: Caffeine has previously been implicated in increasing the risk of high blood pressure but recent studies have not confirmed any association.

Coffee Caveats

Perhaps the most interesting news in coffee is the newer understanding that, like food, coffee is metabolized by different people in different ways—so you can be an effective caffeine metabolizer, or you can be a slow caffeine metabolizer. If you're an effective caffeine metabolizer, you may reap the benefits of coffee, but if you're not, you might not.

Placebo Effect: A small new study reports that frequent coffee drinkers develop a tolerance to the effects of caffeine. So frequent coffee drinkers may feel alerted by coffee, but they don't actually gain an advantage from consuming caffeine: although they feel alert, this is caffeine bringing them back to normal.
Are You Stressed?: Robb Wolf, New York Times Best-Selling author of The Paleo Solution, has a post on RobbWolf.com that points out that your status as someone with adrenal fatigue, stress, or cortisol issues can also greatly affect what caffeine does to your body. Kevin Cann writes:

"Methylxanthine is used in COPD treatment for its effects as a bronchodilator. On top of stimulating our airways methylxanthine also increases heart rate and is an antagonist to adenosine receptors (Nehlig, 1992). Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that causes us to become drowsy when it binds with its receptors due to the slowing of nerve cells. Caffeine actually looks like adenosine to the receptors and will bind with them. This disallows the adenosine to bind with those same receptors and make us drowsy (Ribiero, 2010). Caffeine then increases neuron firing and this sends a signal to the brain that something is not right. The pituitary gland is thus stimulated and releases the hormones responsible for our fight or flight response such as cortisol."

Coffee Conclusion

There's no easy answer: you have to understand your body and your health before you can make an informed decision about your coffee consumption. Oh, fine, want the easy answer? You can probably drink 2-4 cups of coffee per day without any negative effects and possibly with positive ones—but you may not NEED your cup of coffee either.

Image: Some rights reserved by patrickhashley

NOT is Naught

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 14:48:20 +0000

by a 21-year-old know-it-all who wishes to remain anonymous (also seen here)

I am NOT one of those girls who calls guys six times a day. In fact, you're lucky if I call you once. And, heaven forbid, you know you're in trouble if I call you twice.

I am NOT one of those girls who shows up in a cute outfit that's just wrong. In fact, you're lucky if I show up in a cute outfit at all—jeans and tees, I say. And, heaven forbid, I might just show up in sweats.

I am NOT one of those girls who will cry to get out of a traffic ticket. In fact, the officer is lucky if I am even civil. And, heaven forbid, I might just, silent and stoic, hand you my insurance and driver's license invisibly holding back tears.

I am NOT one of those girls who cries. In fact, you're lucky if I ever cry in front of you. And, heaven forbid, rush me to the hospital if I ever cry in public.

I have spent my life trying NOT to be one of those girls: those girls who don't have confidence in themselves, don't have a sense of self-worth, aren't coy, aren't pursued by men, don't have the je-ne-se-qua to wear it, don't respect themselves, don't have a sense of gender equality, or just aren't strong.

But in trying not to be these things, have I strayed too far into NOT territory, where I am NOT anyone at all? Am I a shy, sweatpants-clad, stoic, emotionless female?

Because that's certainly not what I was going for.

I'm NOT going to be one of those uncouth women who shows up for their first day at an office in a ritzy building wearing sneakers. Sneakers?! You can't even wear sneakers to a casual office, much less one where the women wear kick-the-attacker-in-the-you-know-where pointy-toe stilettos.

Nonetheless, this girl at my aforementioned office showed up on day one, in sneakers. I honestly had to close my eyes and count to three before I could look again. Perhaps I was imagining things?

No, no. It was true. She was wearing sneakers.

Unable to say anything out of shock, I shook her hand, nodding, and finally stumbled over my own name. She smiled, seemed nice enough, and assumed her position at her desk ... thank god my back was to her, the thought of her sneakers alone made it hard to concentrate!

Did I hate her sneakers because they were the symbol of the awkward, unconfident, ill-informed NOT girl I never wanted to be? Did I hate her sneakers because I was wearing killer heels that were, in fact, killing me? Or did I simply hate her sneakers because sneakers are quite possibly the worst fashion infraction one could ever make, and I am the expert, you know?

Her sneakers were undeniably offensive. But more than that, those sneakers made me question whether anything I did was as undeniably offensive, and put me back in NOT mode: I'm NOT offensive, I'm NOT uncouth, I'm not ill-informed. I do fit in! I do look good! I do wear cute clothes!

It boils down to the NOT. To NOT be is far worse than to be worried about NOT being.

The sneaker-clad girl may have been rough on the edges, but at least she wasn't rough on herself.

Does that mean I should wear sneakers to work? NOT! But maybe I should take a shoe from her closet and BE something, who I am, rather than being worried about who I am NOT.

Image: Some rights reserved by Flavia_FF

The Number One Predictor of Happiness is Autonomy

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 13:50:49 +0000

The number one predictor of happiness isn't money, success, beauty, fame, or sex (see: Lindsay Lohan). No, the number one predictor of happiness is less glamorous but decidedly more intrinsic to the human spirit: autonomy. The feeling that you have control over your destiny, that the decisions you make not only affect your life but define it.

A growing body of research indicates that rather than study total happiness, we need to consider emotional well-being daily. These within-person fluctuations in emotional well-being may be understood in terms of the degree to which three basic needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness—are satisfied in daily activity. Meaning, while your happiness will indeed fluctuate, satisfying your need for autonomy today will help boost your overall emotional well-being.

"Autonomous" Millenials

One of the oft-reported challenges facing the boomerang millennial generation—those who move back in with their parents after college—is a lack of autonomy. But actually ask the millenials how they feel, and 45% of millenials perceive themselves happier than other generations. Perhaps this is because the millennial perception of autonomy differs from that of their parents: that choosing to avoid soul-sucking careers just for a paycheck puts them in control; that choosing to live at home allows them the freedom to pursue artistic and altruistic occupations they wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford.

More so than any other generation, millenials have been taught that they can do anything—and they've taken it to heart, boomers note with chagrin. Over half of millenials report wanting to be self-employed. It is that sense that they can do anything has led to one of the happiest generations in recent history, because they see their actions as choices, the outcome being that they are in control.

It's About Defining Your Own Life

Think back to your first apartment, your first pet, or your first job. You probably recall it with fondness, even if the actual studio-with-mold, iguana, or burger-slinging-gig was miserable. The reason? It gave you a sense of freedom, a sense of control, and a sense that you were making your life what you wanted it to be. Have you made any choices or decisions today that affirm your autonomy?

Image: Some rights reserved by Toms Bauģis

Make a decision or perform an action that affirms your autonomy.

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 14:58:39 +0000

Affirming your autonomy with an action or decision today will boost your happiness! Click here to read why.

Whenever you make a purchase today, consider the impact that product has on the environment.

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:06:24 +0000

Check out our top ten list of companies doing good by recycling or creating eco-friendly products with less of a footprint on our earth.

Good Shopping: 10 Companies for Recycled or Eco-Awesome Products

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:07:33 +0000

Our article on Good Shopping: 11 Cause-Powered companies (and we found more in the comments!) was such a hit we thought we'd add another way to do good while shopping: buying recycled and/or eco-friendly goods! The companies below do an amazing job of using recycled materials in beautiful and interesting ways. At the same time, they're making sure we're good to the earth through a product's lifecycle from manufacturing to shipping, and often still donate some of their proceeds to environmental or social causes. Shopping has never felt so good!

Holstee
It's a double-whammy: tees made by the company of 100% recycled bottles in North Carolina ($40) and wallets made from upcycled plastic bags and newspapers from the streets of Delhi through a partnership with an Indian NGO ($25). It gets better: goods are sent to you in a 100% biodegradable packaging and 10% of all sales are lent to entrepreneurs in extreme poverty through non-profit micro-lending organizations like Kiva.org. holstee.com

BottlesUp
Possibly the best glass bottle ever, the sturdy 22-ounce glass water bottle (there's a 16-ounce too) is 100% sourced in North America. Each bottle is created from recycled glass (up to 75% recycled post-consumer glass sourced on-site) using ancient techniques in a modern glass-making facility in Mexico. The bottles are protected by food-grade silicone caps and grippers made in Maine. BottlesUp glass water bottles are delivered in environmentally-responsible and minimal packaging that can easily be recycled ($34). bottlesupglass.com

IndoSole
Indosole salvages old motorbike tires and other trash from landfills to make soles with soul, including flip flops and slip-ons for men and women priced reasonably around $44. Shoes are handmade by skilled Balinese artisans and the production process does not contain fuel powered machines. indosole.com

Eco Lunch Boxes
For kids and adults alike, packing a lunch can create a lot of waste. Kiss plastic goodbye and say hello to a stainless steel bento box! The dishwasher-safe 2-layer stainless steel bento box has 3 compartments, keeping food separate ($24). The site also features cool eco lunch wraps—replacing sacks—and all sorts of other containers. ecolunchboxes.com

Forestbound
Forestbound exclusively uses found and salvaged textiles to create durable, utilitarian tote bags. Boston-based designer Alice Saunders hunts fabric and hardware throughout New England, ensuring each bag is one of a kind ($125-$320). forestbound.com

Five Accessories
Fair-trade and eco-friendly handbags, recycled purses, and sustainable jewelry. Our faves: wristlets and bags made of recycled mosquito nets from Cambodia ($22-$78). fiveaccessories.com

Sprout Biodegradable Watches
These watches are on-trend—think bright colors or all-white—and 80% biodegradable! Materials include corn resin for the case & buckle, an organic cotton strap, bamboo dial, mineral crystal lens, and mercury-free battery ($30-$75). sproutwatches.com

The Naked Hippie
TheNakedHippie is a purpose brand of statement t-shirts—bold, sometimes brash—that invests 100% of its profits into micro loans that help people in developing countries support themselves and their families. Every one of the organic tees offsets water pollution by 3 gallons, supports global fair trade initiatives, and encourages crop rotation and sustainable farming. thenakedhippie.com

blu Democracy
Los Angeles-based blu Democracy uses alternatives to cotton, such as bamboo and modal, to reduce the water footprint by as much as 95% of their tees, tanks, hoodies, pants, and dresses ($34-$198). Through a partnership with Generosity Water, they donate a portion of every sale to fund clean water wells in distressed regions of the world. bluDem ships in recycled 100% PCW (post consumer waste) material boxes that are 100% compostable and can go in the recycle bin. bludem.com

Loving Eco
LovingEco is a flash-sale site (membership required) dedicated to changing our purchases to products that are better for the environment, healthier for our bodies, and committed to doing good. Sales range from clothing to vegan shoes to skincare to home goods. 3% of net proceeds on each purchase goes to support a social or environmental cause. lovingeco.com

Check out our Pinterest board Shopping + Recycled / Eco Awesome for these products and more, and don't forget to leave any eco-awesome companies we missed in the comments!

What are your NOTs?

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 15:12:10 +0000

How do you define yourself—who are you NOT? Take notice of how those nots affect you, and make sure they are helping create the best version of you, rather than holding you back from being who you want to be.

What the Heck is Positive Psychology?

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 13:48:20 +0000

In 2000, Dr. Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi published an introduction to Positive Psychology in the journal American Psychologist. They wrote (abstract here):

"A science of positive subjective experience, positive individual traits, and positive institutions promises to improve quality of life and prevent the pathologies that arise when life is barren and meaningless. The exclusive focus on pathology that has dominated so much of our discipline results in a model of the human being lacking the positive features that make life worth living. Hope, wisdom, creativity, future mindedness, courage, spirituality, responsibility, and perseverance are ignored or explained as transformations of more authentic negative impulses."

Simplistically: let's focus on building the good instead of treating the bad and maybe we'll end up better off. Dr. Seligman is now Director of the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, whose website is Authentic Happiness.com. The website features a bunch of scientifically-tested questionnaires, surveys, and scales designed to help you develop insights into yourself and the world around you.

The site extolls the practical applications of positive psychology in health, neuroscience, education, psychotherapy, and soldier fitness. We think positive psychology is applicable everywhere, especially in body, belief, psych, and style!

Awareness is half the battle, and the field of positive psychology is bringing tons of awareness to happiness. Up your awareness of your own strengths and traits by trying a few quizzes (you do have to register on the site) from Authentic Happiness!

Image: Some rights reserved by starmanseries

Has checking DailyHap every day made you more aware of happiness?

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:57:54 +0000

... then positive psychology DOES have practical applications!

Seasons of Change: Beyond Belief

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:25:49 +0000

Lately I have been contemplating the difference in what I believe and what I know. When I am still and quiet, I can actually feel a difference in the two energies.

I have noticed that what I believe to be true has come from many years of studying great spiritual teachers and philosophies. I have attended many enlightening lectures and watched profound documentaries on the relationship between spirituality and science.

Exposing myself to these insightful teachings brought me tremendous understanding of some of life's most complicated questions. It was wonderful to learn that I am truly responsible for the quality of life I lead, how I could significantly change my life through changing my thoughts, and that everything I needed to be happy resided within me.

Though these concepts provided me with the emotional structure by which I could begin to heal much of the inner pain and frustration I was feeling, they didn't belong to me. They didn't arise out of my own consciousness or inner guidance. They were concepts I learned from the outer world and brought them into my inner world.

Beliefs are no more than our logical mind dressing up a spiritual principal as "truth" and convincing us that it is the path to enlightenment. Beliefs are ever changing. What we believe today isn't what we believed years ago. They come from the outer world and their origination is from the split, separated mind. That is how we can discern in what we believe and what we know.

Knowing, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. It comes from inside of us. The only way to have knowing about anything is to go inside, yield to the living Holiness that beats our hearts, listen for guidance, and then take our steps in the world with whole-hearted trust.

Sometimes it is best to take a break from the outer world and all that is being said about the path to enlightenment and seek our truth from within. When we do that, we have truly placed ourselves in the posture to having life unfold and bring to us goodness that we could not have otherwise.

When we seek knowing, we stop placating the beliefs of our ego. And that allows us to jump off of the merry-go-round of repeated patterns. All that is required is an open heart and the willingness to take each step that is given to us with trust without having to know what is around the next corner.

Image: Some rights reserved by xb3

Make a 2-column list about yourself: things you believe, and things you know.

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:26:05 +0000

This list of things you believe vs. things you know may help give you clarity in your life!

Go Gingerly Into the Day

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:41:19 +0000

Other than seeing it beside your sushi to "cleanse the palate" between bites, how familiar are you with the humble ginger root? Perhaps you should get better acquainted: ginger's anti-inflammatory and gastrointestinal relief properties are the stuff of legends.

The Benefits of Ginger

Stomach-soothing: motion sickness, nausea, vomiting, morning sickness … if your stomach doesn't feel good, it's likely that consuming ginger will help.
Anti-inflammatory: some studies have shown it reduces post-workout soreness by 25%; other studies have demonstrated that ginger is at least as effective as non-steroid anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen.
Cramp relief: likewise, consuming ginger has been shown to be equally as effective at mitigating painful cramping in women with dysmenorrhea as consuming painkillers like ibuprofen.
Congestion relief: ginger tea helps relieve cold-related congestion.

Buying Ginger

Buy the right fresh ginger: ginger roots should be crisp with smooth outer skins; avoid moist, wrinkled roots.

Fresh ginger can be substituted for ground ginger at a ratio of 6 to 1, although the flavors of fresh and dried ginger are somewhat different. Powdered dry ginger root is typically used as a flavoring for recipes such as gingerbread, cookies, crackers, and cakes.

Consuming Ginger

You can certainly just eat ginger as a snack (commonly pickled), but the most common preparation across the world is ginger tea. Here's the traditional method: skin the roots and cut several long, thin slices to place into a pot of water. Err on the side of too much ginger, as you can always thin it with water later—or you can intentionally make it strong like a concentrate and add water as you need. Bring the ginger and water to a boil, then let it simmer for at least thirty minutes, up to overnight. Refrigerate what you don't drink.

Ginger can also be made into candy (candied ginger is the root cooked in sugar until soft), ginger beer, and ginger ale.

Using ginger as a topical pain reliever is less common and unproven scientifically, but it may be worth a shot. Simply apply a ginger tea bag or ginger root in a cotton bag that has been run under warm water to aching muscles for relief.

Contraindications

Ginger is on the FDA's "generally recognized as safe" list, though it is considered a blood thinner and does interact with some medications. Ginger promotes the production of bile and should be avoided by people suffering from gallstones.

Image: Some rights reserved by rogerimp

Try ginger in something you drink or eat today.

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:41:28 +0000

Ginger has all sorts of benefits for your bod, so give it a shot today!

The Fallacy of I'll Be Happy When ...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:50:41 +0000

Inspired by this post from Mel Schwartz at A Shift of Mind, let's talk about the fallacy of thinking "I'll be happy when ..." It's easy to fall into the trap fo thinking that you'll be happier when you meet the right person, get the perfect job, lose 5—or 15—pounds, have time to paint, whatever. But is that projection of happiness being far-off actually holding you back from seeing the happiness in front of you?

Mel says in his post, "Happiness can only occur in the moment that you're in and can only be sustained by developing a nurturing relationship with yourself and, hopefully, others. The ultimate source of happiness lies in the quality of your thoughts."

Are you thinking quality happy thoughts now, or are you letting yourself fall into the fallacy of future-think? Can you build a nurtuing relationship with yourself that says you are happy now, and if you meet the right person/find the perfect job/lose weight/paint for several hours each evening, your happiness will change, but it will not be better or worse than this current happiness?

The trick is identifying this moment as its own, and letting all the other moments be their own version of happy, different, but all part of you.

Image: Some rights reserved by Mike Johnston

Make a list of your "I'll Be Happy When"s ...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:51:17 +0000

Can you reframe anything on your list of "I'll Be Happy When"s and see how happy the early version of that goal makes you now?

Good Shopping: 9 Fine Fair-Trade Organizations

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 14:49:08 +0000

The last (for now!) in our series on good shopping—click here for eco-awesome goodies, and here for cause-inspired goods—fair trade goods are the cool, unique, handiwork of artisans paid fair wages for their crafts. These artisans can be exploited and offered pennies for something that's sold elsewhere for hundreds of dollars, so fair-trade organizations work to let artisans reap the benefits of their skills. There are tons of individual producers and larger organizations, here are just a few of our favorites.

Ten Thousand Villages
Because there are more than 390 retail outlets throughout the United States selling Ten Thousand Villages products, Ten Thousand Villages may have been your first introduction to fair trade. A founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), the company features a wide variety of goods from artisans in 38 countries. Not near a bricks-and-mortar store? No worries, the online selection is robust. tenthousandvillages.com

SERRV
More than just a source for chic home, kitchen, outdoor, and gifting goods, of which there are plenty, SERRV's direct connections with low-income artisans and farmers include marketing, business development, and growth planning. SERRV is also a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (formerly IFAT) and the Fair Trade Federation (FTF). serrv.org

Greenheart Shop
Greenheart is Chicago's premier eco-fair trade non-profit shop, but their online store carries the same eco-friendly and fair trade products made by artisans from around the world. Check out their Made in America shop, with unique recycled bike chain accessories, to help at home too. We like that Greenheart focuses on being both "Fair to producers, and good to the Earth". Greenheartshop.org

World of Good
The mega-auction site launched its fair trade marketplace in 2005 to connect individual sellers around the world with an ecommerce audience. Now, the site has almost anything you could ever want, and they use four icons to help you distinguish the goods: People Positive, Eco Positive, Animal Friendly, and Supports a Cause. worldofgood.ebay.com

Global Girlfriend
A wide if clunky selection of goods made by women. The site focuses on women-made goods because when women have an income, they reinvest in themselves and in their children's health, education and nutrition, building stronger families and communities over time. Through fair-trade practices and the GreaterGood Network of websites, every purchase gives 5-30% to Camfed's seed money micro-grant and micro-credit program, which is run by young women for young women. globalgirlfriend.com

Andean Collection
The Andean Collection started out based on Ecuadorian rainforest seed-jewelry (tagua, pambil, coconut, and more), and has expanded to include scarves handwoven of acrylic. Only open since 2008, the site is one of our faves because of the design aesthetic—founder Amanda Judge's jewelry-design background is evident. theandeancollection.com

Pure Citizen
A flash- or private-sale site focused on supporting companies with heart. Helps introduce a lot of other, smaller fair-trade (and organic, eco-friendly, or cause-inspired) brands to the mainstream consumer. Score hard-to-find beauty brands and everything from pet goods to yoga mats. purecitizen.com

Made By Survivors
Jewelry, handbags, and other gifts provide income, dignity, a new identity, and a bright future for the survivors of slavery, human trafficking, or other severe human rights abuses. Not only are the goods made by survivors, but 100% of profits are donated to fight slavery and help survivors, with programs in six countries offering job training and fairly paid employment. madebysurvivors.com

Project Have Hope
Ugandan women make beautiful, colorful jewelry from paper—the variety of beads, bangles, and strands is astounding. Their work not only gives women jobs, but revenue goes to fund educational and economic programs for themselves and for their children. projecthavehope.org

When you purchase any products today, ask yourself if it's mass-produced or helping an individual make a living.

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 19:47:56 +0000

Hey, no one is judging! But the more you're aware of where your dollar is going—to a corporation, home or abroad, or to a small business, or to an individual—the more you'll appreciate the power of your purchases.

Octopus Prime: Using Goal Priming for Healthy Eating

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:31:19 +0000

As worldwide obesity climbs, the search for cost-effective strategies to facilitate healthy eating among weight-conscious consumers is critical. New research shows that subtle goal reminders, called primes, can facilitate health behavior. This technique has great potential as it is unobtrusive, easy to implement, and low in cost. Until it becomes public policy, you can use priming to achieve your health goals by adding subtle reminders to your kitchen and recipes—read on for how to do it.

Goal Priming for Health

A number of experiments by Esther Papies and colleagues of Utrecht University, The Netherlands, suggest that simply adding words related to health and weight on posters, restaurant menus, and recipe cards can stimulate healthy food choices among dieters and overweight individuals.

Numerous studies have shown that conscious intentions for healthy eating and dieting are not sufficient to create healthy eating patterns; instead, consumers are heavily influenced by their eating habits and by food temptations in their environment. People struggling with their weight are especially susceptible to the effects of easily-available food temptations—showing strong hedonic responses to tasty, high-calorie food.

To bolster these individuals against these detrimental effects of an obesity-promoting environment, priming methods can help dieters eat fewer high-calorie tasty snacks. In a field experiment, customers of a local butcher store were observed on days when a poster announcing a dieting recipe had been mounted on the door, and on other days when the poster was not present. When the diet recipe reminded dieters of their health goal, they ate less of the bite-size meat snacks the store offered than on other days. Customers who were not concerned with controlling their weight were not affected. Thus, goal priming is an effective strategy to help weight-concerned individuals translate their intentions into behavior, especially when faced with temptation.

Applying Priming

Most recently, this priming method was applied in a field experiment in a grocery store. Here, overweight and diet-concerned individuals who were handed a recipe flyer with health-related words before shopping bought less unhealthy snacks, such as chips, cookies, and cake. Interestingly, this was hardly affected by how much attention participants said they had paid to the recipes. It seems very little conscious awareness is needed for such primes to affect health behavior.

And that's where the opportunity to apply these principles yourself comes in. Can you make posters or post notes on your refrigerator, pantry, cabinets, and other food-traffic areas reminding yourself of healthy eating principles? Can you add notes to your printed-out recipes or in cookbooks that remind you of your health goals? Even if your health goals are not related to weight—drinking more water, consuming more veggies, or cutting out sugar—these subtle goal primes can greatly impact your health.

Image: Some rights reserved by neate photos

Add a note with healthy eating reminders to your kitchen or cookbook.

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 14:32:59 +0000

Using goal priming like these subtle reminders can help you eat healthier with very little effort!

Test an assumption you have about yourself.

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 13:58:22 +0000

I assumed everyone knew I was an athlete, and I was wrong. What do you assume people know about you that they might not? How does knowing that they don't know change your perception of yourself?

His Name Was Hunter

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:57:22 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen

On the rare occasion I had a boyfriend, he was a basketball player. As a college athlete, I assumed the only thing I had that set me apart from other girls was athleticism, and while it might not get me all the guys, it would get me a few. My sophomore year, I quit playing basketball, but not knowing what to do with myself without athletics, I joined the track team. I would have practice in the afternoons and go straight to my Monday night class in my track clothes. On the off chance I had time to shower, "dressing up" meant jeans and a cute vintage t-shirt, foreign attire to my university of sorority girls.

Alas, I was in a sorority, a laid-back one, but one nonetheless. I sat with two of my sisters in my Monday night class, and they always oohed and ahhed over this hot fraternity guy from one of the most popular frats who sat two rows in front of us. My verdict? "He's definitely hot, but he's short."

Well this short, hot fraternity guy started doing peculiar things, like waiting for me after class by throwing away his trash very slooooowly, or walking home my route instead of his, and eventually he asked me how I did on a test. We got to talking, and we walked home, on my route, together.

Eventually we walked home from class every week together. My sorority sisters were green with envy: "he waits for you after class!" or "he walks you home?!" and probably a slight disbelief. I mean, I really was a good two inches taller than he was, in flip-flops!

One time he came over to my apartment for some notes, and I answered the door in my usual study garb of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He looked around my room, filled with basketball gear, balls, track spikes, player autographs, SportsCenter playing on TV, and asked, "So, you're an athlete?"

SO I'M AN ATHLETE? The implications of the question rattled around in my brain long enough for me to need to pause before brightly responding "yeah!" and moving on. He liked me without knowing I was an athlete?! ... Could he really have liked me just for my looks and intellect?! ... Impossible! ... Apparently true ...

Nothing else ever happened. He left that night with some notes, we took the final the next week, he graduated, and we never talked again. An entire semester of him pursuing me boiled down to ... nothing.

I don't even want to analyze why nothing ever happened, because with that one question, everything happened. I was no longer bound to athletics, my identity no longer was being that athletic girl, instead, I could explore who I really am.

I really am athletic. I love sports. But I also love girly things like shopping, cooking, getting dressed up, new makeup, girlfriends, and brunches. And this one short, hot frat boy with his one simple question allowed the whole me to bubble up to the surface.

Image: Some rights reserved by the Halfwitboy

Can Minimalism Make You Happier?

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:16:14 +0000

Blame it on the stagnating recession, glut of millenials without jobs and consequently disposable incomes, or increased environmental and social awareness, but there's no denying that minimalism is trending right now. Articles, websites, and blogs abound touting the positive effects of all sorts of minimalism—minimal stuff, actions, and thoughts. Proponents of minimalism say it brings happiness, but does it really?

What is Minimalism?

"The Minimalists", Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, have written four best-selling books on minimalism, and write theminimalists.com. They say: "Minimalism is a tool we use to live a meaningful life. It is a tool to achieve happiness, which is (let's face it) what we are all looking for. We all want to be happy. Minimalism can help. There are no rules in minimalism … Minimalists choose to get rid of the unnecessary in favor of what's important … Minimalists search for happiness not through things, but through life itself. Thus, it's up to you to determine what is necessary and what is superfluous to your life."

They're not just talking about giving up stuff, but people, relationships, jobs, thoughts … letting go of anything that is unnecessary to your happy life. Think of minimalist shoes, which the country is crazy for because they help get us back to our natural state ... of walking.

Minimal Stuff

Of course, the outward execution of minimalist life often takes the form of getting rid of stuff. According to Story of Stuff, the average American produces about 4.4 pounds of garbage a day. That's 29 pounds per week or 1,600 pounds a year.

Our stuff enslaves us in many ways: we have to pay for it, we have to take care of it and clean it, it takes up valuable physical space in our homes, and our stuff reduces our mobility—think about how much you hate packing to move. You know the benefit you get when you organize your desk, throwing away papers you don't need, streamlining your workspace? That's the feeling you get from minimizing other stuff in your life too.

Downsides of Minimalism

The original minimalist, Leo Babauta, published a tongue-in-cheek "Downsides of Minimalism" list on his mnmlist.com site. But one bullet point is truly a fair warning: "Others might feel threatened by you, because your minimalism will be seen as a criticism of their lifestyle. They will live."

Babuta also uncopyrights his work, saying "The uncopyright creator lets go of ownership, because to hold on to ownership hurts the world, and to try to protect that ownership leads to unnecessary stress. The minimalist also eschews ownership, at least to some degree, and believes owning things doesn't make him happy. Doing things makes him happy. Helping others makes him happy. Creating makes him happy."

You can ease into minimalism by being extremely conscious about what you buy, and purging items from just one room—or one closet, or one bin—in your home. See how that affects your sense of commitment to your stuff, and decide if moving forward toward a more minimalist life is right for you … according to minimalist experts, it could make you much happier!

Image: Some rights reserved by lrargerich

Read something by a new-to-you author today.

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:16:24 +0000

May we suggest a little David Deida as your new-to-you author?

Pick an area in your home, office, or life and give or throw away as much stuff as possible from it.

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 14:16:34 +0000

Making a small part of your life minimalist could have a big impact on your happiness!

Do things that make you happy today but remember ...

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:44:53 +0000

Do things that make you happy. But remember that these things won't give you lasting joy, thought remembering that gets you closer to the things inside of ourselves that will.

You'll Never Have Lasting Happiness (Unless You Read this Article)

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:55:09 +0000

By Jordan Myska Allen, musician and very happy dude. You can read more about him here. This article continues a theme developed in God Makes You Happy (But It's Not What You Think).

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. Psalms 118:8

What makes you happy? Spending an evening with a close friend? Dancing? A nice craft beer? Going shopping? Winning a game of volleyball? Watching a favorite TV show? Cooking a delicious meal?

Great! These are wonderful aspects of life, and they are worth enjoying. Still it is important to recognize that because these things make you happy, not having them means you're not as happy. Happiness is always dependent on the outside world, and the outside world is always out of your control. Therefore happiness is always somewhat outside of your control.

Sure you can influence the outside world. You can generally create a life you want, you can build habits of happiness, but you can never control everything. You can never predict accidents and upsets, and therefore you can never count on happiness.

What are you to do? Live a life ruled by the vicissitudes of fate? Mitigate the ups and downs of fortune with insurance policies? Diversify the outer conditions that make you feel okay? These are fine solutions; but they don't address the root of the problem: You depend on something outside of yourself to make you feel a certain way. You never know what this outside thing will do, so no matter how much you work on outside conditions, you'll never have lasting happiness.

No, instead you learn to find something deeper than happiness, something inside of you, something completely unaffected by the outside world. You learn to embrace the ups and downs, the happiness and unhappiness, like the thrill of riding a roller coaster. You find joy—what some call equanimity, or peace, or even okayness—in the process of living. You allow yourself to experience both positive and negative emotions, embracing both, knowing neither one will last. You don't identify with what you're feeling. You're not a happy person, or a depressed person, or an angry person. You are a person who happens to be experiencing happiness in one moment, depression in another, and anger in another. These emotions say nothing about who you are.

Who then, are you? Who is the person whose peace is so all-encompassing that no outside conditions can affect it? This is where religion comes in. Different religions have different names for the part of you that is untouched by outside conditions, but I believe they all point to the same thing. More importantly, they all offer practices to help you reach an awareness of this part of yourself. Whether your aim is the realization of enlightenment, recognizing the universal and all-forgiving love of God, or the witnessing the present moment, religious practices help you build habits of getting in touch with the part of you that is beyond happiness and unhappiness.

Do things that make you happy. Enjoy life. Invite friends over for an evening of dancing, craft beer, and a delicious meal. The excitement you feel is temporary, fleeting, but this knowledge lets you enjoy it even more. Every moment you remember that the things humans created outside of ourselves won't give you lasting joy gets you closer to the things inside of ourselves that will.

Image: Some rights reserved by electricnerve

The Truths About Marriage

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:36:28 +0000

While digging through her archives of saved magazine articles, Cindy found this gem. We're so excited to share it with you, with author Amy Bloom's blessing (check out her website here)!

Click on the image to enlarge.

Image: Some rights reserved by zoetnet

Try to practice a deep, unfathomable affection for your partner or a friend.

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 16:43:46 +0000

Click here to read Amy Bloom's The Truths About Marriage, discussing this unfathomable affection.

On a Scale of 1 to 14, Where Do You Rate?

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:00:37 +0000

pH (potential of hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution—in the case of your body, you can measure pH in your blood, urine, or saliva as the solution. pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14—the lower the pH the more acidic the solution, the higher the pH the more alkaline (or base) the solution. The body's acid–base balance is normally tightly regulated, with optimal pH being neutral at 7.

Acid-alkaline has long been a measure of health, but recently its popularity as a lifestyle (or diet) has surged thanks to notable books—Crazy Sexy Diet, The pH Miracle, or Alkalize or Die. Proponents of the alkaline lifestyle consider it to be vital to health to consume alkaline foods because the standard American diet is largely acidic, and mild acidosis can cause a myriad of problems. Dr. Robert O. Young created his trademark New Biology, which most simply stated says "the over-acidification of the body is the single underlying cause of all disease."

Why You Need to Be pH-Balanced

While fatigue is probably the major symptom of an overly acidic body, a host of other ailments can results from mild acidosis, include weight gain and obesity. Here are a few other problems identified by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition:

Cardiovascular damage, including the constriction of blood vessels and the reduction of oxygen
Bladder and kidney conditions, including kidney stones
Immune deficiency
Acceleration of free radical damage, possibly contributing to cancerous mutations
Premature aging
Osteoporosis; weak, brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs
Joint pain, aching muscles and lactic acid buildup

What to Eat

Veggies, mostly. Juicing and other green drinks are highly recommended. Most alkaline diet practioners recommend 65-80% alkaline foods paired with the appropriate percentage of acidic foods. Check out this handy chart from uber-popular blog The Alkaline Sisters that details the alkalinity of common foods.

How to Test Your pH

The most accurate test is a blood pH test, but that requires a doctor’s visit. pH test strips are relatively inexpensive and can help you determine your body’s acidity or alkalinity. Test your pH an hour before a meal or two hours after a meal. Testing several times a day at first can give you a good average, a couple times a week. Urinary pH should fluctuate between 6.0 to 6.5 in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 in the evening; saliva should stay between 6.5 and 7.5 all day.

Getting Started

Ross Bridgeford, The Alkaline Diet Guy and co-founder of Energise for Life, suggests five steps to starting an alkaline diet. For the full details, click 5 Easy Steps to an Alkaline Diet.

Hydration: Lemon can help alkalize water. (Try the Breakfast Drink!)
Go Green: Alkaline foods are those you already know are good for you: fresh vegetables, salads, leafy greens, low-sugar fruits, nuts, seeds and healthy oils; unrefined, organic, high-water-content foods.
Transition: Take it slowly!
Oxygen: Doing a simple breathing exercise once or twice per day gives your body a huge helping hand in removing these acids.
Supplements: Can include green powder, alkaline minerals (sodium, magnesium, potassium and calcium), or Omega oils.

Image: Some rights reserved by si_fu

Consume 80% alkaline foods today.

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 15:00:42 +0000

Click here to find a list of alkaline foods and a discussion of why you want your body to be balanced.

Love/Hate: Making Big Decisions

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:12:59 +0000

Love/Hate is a new series exploring the everyday duality of life.

Making big decisions: it's agony, it's ecstasy. Considering past, present, and future can bring up lots of emotions, but we love the sweet relief when we make a choice!

5 Things We Love About: Making Big Decisions

Dreaming of the outcomes of the decision
Nervous excitement about the possibilities
Our brains are constantly engaged, thinking about the options
A sense of resolution when we make the decision
Sharing the big news with everyone!

5 Things We Hate About: Making Big Decisions

Considering possible negative outcomes
Nervous stomach
We can't seem to stop thinking about the options
Feeling paralyzed by choice
A sense of sadness for the other option(s)

Image: Some rights reserved by InaFrenzy

Have a decision to make? Be comfortable with the duality of it.

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:13:07 +0000

Here's why we Love/Hate Making Big Decisions!

Take time today to be in the energy of Joy!

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:32:18 +0000

Make time today to do one thing, however small, that brings you joy! According to our expert, it could bring you clarity in your life!

Seasons of Change: 3 Steps to Clarity

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:32:28 +0000

It's not uncommon for us to reach certain points in our lives when we feel stuck, stagnant, and confused about what direction to take in life. We know we are at a crossroads and it is time to make some decisions. The problem is that we don’t feel like we have the clarity to make the "right" choice.

When the waters of our perspective are muddy and we have lost trust in our ability to navigate our lives, we have to create a starting point. We have to open the channels back up so that we can hear and sense our inner guidance.

The following three steps are simply a way we can generate some positive, energetic momentum. They can assist us in placing our mental and emotional bodies in the posture of receiving clear insight as to what our next step is according to our sacred path.

1. Do Something That Brings You Joy

The inner feelings of joy consume all feelings of indecisive. Joy is a spectacular catalyst in bringing forth clarity. It also has a lovely way of remedying fatigue and apathy without harmful side effects. It is a present moment feeling that can really support us in getting us out of our funk in a positive way.

Feeling stagnant and confused are clear indicators that we have disconnected from ourselves and have stopped listening to our hearts. We feel those negative feelings when we have turned our focus to the outer world and become heavily invested in living up to its standards.

So we must turn our attention inward and allow ourselves to do or participate in an activity that brings us joy.

2. Let Go of Money and Perfection

We have two major excuses as to why we will not reach for that which brings us joy: one, it won't make us any money; and two, we won't be perfect at it.

If we find ourselves saying "I don't even know what will bring me joy", chances are money and perfection are the culprits. If we put both of those fears to the side, what brings us joy will naturally come into our conscious mind.

I think most of us do know what brings us joy. But it is held back because of our perceived lack of money and the ability of doing it perfectly.

If money and insecurity, for the most part, are not our stumbling blocks, we can go back to our childhood and remember what brought us joy. Usually what we enjoyed as children is what we still enjoy today.

3. Have Patience

The bottom line is, we have to exercise patience when we are seeking clear insight into our lives. Sometimes it requires a little work on our part. Often times, we won't even allow ourselves to have a day or even an hour to pursue what would bring us joy because we are too concerned with our "to do" list.

To do lists are important. But just like anything else, they can become a delay tactic orchestrated by our ego to keep us swirled up in negative feelings and thoughts.

Joy changes the way we feel. And when we change the way we feel, we change the way we think. The quality of our inner feelings and thoughts provide the necessary energy for bringing forth clear insight and direction. Take time today to be in the energy of Joy!

Image: Some rights reserved by NeilsPhotography

Quick! Draw a self-portrait.

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 14:41:20 +0000

Don't think, just do! Draw a self-portrait.

Self-Portraits

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 14:41:59 +0000

Quick! Grab a pen, pencil, sharpie, crayola, whatever writing utensil, and something to draw on ... and draw a self-portrait of yourself.

... we'll wait.

... seriously, do it. Take five seconds. I drew the figure above in roughly ten seconds. My mom calls those ballerina girls.

Once your self-portrait is finished, look at it without any judgment. What do you see? Notice what's there, and what isn't there. Observe the person on the paper.

For example, in the drawing above there's a girl with a huge smile and a really high ponytail with lots of movement, her arms spread abover her head, suggesting she's happy and excited about something. At the same time, the lines on her body below the shoulders are darker, suggesting that they were drawn slower. This could suggest that she's less comfortable with her body or that she's self-conscious about it. She doesn't draw curves—doesn't mean her actual body doesn't have curves, just means she doesn't really see them.

Play with different ideas of what your picture could be telling you. You could learn something new about yourself!

Smile!

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:20:43 +0000

Well that was easy.

The Easiest Thing You Could Ever Do To Feel Better

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:20:55 +0000

Smiling people are happy people, right? Not always true—sometimes we smile to try to cheer ourselves up, or change our mood. New research shows that science backs up the anecdotal evidence: "Grin and Bear It! Smiling Facilitates Stress Recovery."

In an article forthcoming in Psychological Science, scientists Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman of the University of Kansas investigate the potential benefits of smiling by looking at how different types of smiling, and the awareness of smiling, affects individuals' ability to recover from episodes of stress.

The Science of Smiles

Smiles are generally divided into two categories: standard smiles, which use the muscles surrounding the mouth, and genuine or Duchenne smiles, which engage the muscles surrounding both the mouth and eyes.

Previous research shows that positive emotions can help during times of stress and that smiling can affect emotion; however, Kraft and Pressman studied the types of smiles people make in order to examine the effects of smiling on stress. Compared to participants who held neutral facial expressions, study participants who were instructed to smile, and in particular those with Duchenne smiles, had lower heart rate levels after recovery from the stressful activities.

Smile to Reduce Stress

Smiling during brief stressors can help to reduce the intensity of the body's stress response, regardless of whether a person actually feels happy. "The next time you are stuck in traffic or are experiencing some other type of stress," says Pressman, "you might try to hold your face in a smile for a moment. Not only will it help you 'grin and bear it' psychologically, but it might actually help your heart health as well!"

Chris Highcock of performance blog Conditioning Research offers a layman's interpretation of the new research: "Your posture and expression can be a window on your mental and physical state. It is not only that you feelings can affect your posture and your facial expression—you look dejected or unhappy—it seems that your expression can affect your feelings … smiling makes things feel better."

Image: Some rights reserved by cheriejoyful

5 Fat-Burning and Happiness-Boosting Tips

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:43:07 +0000

We're pleased to announce that we'll be running Body advice from My Fit Foods' Meg McCall B.S., M.S. Candidate in Human Nutrition, Corporate Nutritionist every other week!

We are in the middle of bikini season and you may be kicking yourself for not starting that 21 Day Challenge back in March or April like you promised yourself. After all, you could be 6 to 15 pounds lighter like many of our clients. We have a lot of fat burning secrets here at My Fit Foods and we want to share a few with you to get your FAT BURNING switch turned back on:

1. Start your morning with PROTEIN

Your diet should be 30 to 40 percent protein if you want to maintain or build muscle and burn fat—truly changing the shape of your body. Studies show that higher protein diets will raise your metabolic rate leading to more weight loss and better controlled cravings. In other words, you will naturally eat less and burn more!^1,2

2. Don't fear the good FATS

Our favorite good fat is Fish Oil—proven to help fat burning and decrease cravings among countless other benefits.³ Other good fats to add to your daily regime are CLA and GLA. CLA is a great way to enhance your natural metabolism, hold on to muscle mass, and burn some belly fat.⁴The final good fat to supplement with is GLA. This one is important if you find that you take plenty of fish oil but you still have skin issues—like bumps on the back of your arms or eczema- like symptoms. 500 to 1000 mg of GLA will take care of those⁵.

3. Step it up and include INTERVAL TRAINING

In one study, those who cycled for 40 minutes, alternating four-minute bursts at 90 percent effort with two minutes of rest, improved their cardiovascular fitness by 13 percent, and were able to burn 36 percent more fat during a later hour-long moderate cycling session. The researchers believe this type of exercise works because it produces a unique metabolic response. Intermittent sprinting produces high levels of chemical compounds called catecholamines, which allow more fat to be burned from under your skin and within your muscles. The resulting increase in fat oxidation is thought to drive the increased weight loss. A great fat burning exercise is interval kettlebell training. Be sure to have plenty of antioxidants for recovery and repair—My Fit Foods' Daily Fit Pack is loaded with them.

4. Include B-12 with L-Carnitine

We have an amazing new addition to the My Fit Family coming soon: it is our very own B-12 with L-Carnitine naturally sweetened with stevia. This is a powerful combination for jump-starting your morning with a natural energy enhancer. It is also an underappreciated fat burning supplement. L-Carnitine is naturally found in meats and seafood and is one of the main driving nutrients for energy production by burning fat in every cell. In a study of 18 overweight subjects, L-Carnitine greatly increased weight loss. The subjects were split into two groups and for 12 weeks, both groups ate a healthy diet and performed moderate exercise. One group was given 2,000 mg of L-Carnitine, the other a placebo. In the placebo group, the average weight loss after 12 weeks was one pound. In the L-Carnitine group, weight loss averaged eleven pounds.⁶ That's an eleven-fold increase in weight loss simply by increasing L-Carnitine levels! Body fat percentage levels also decreased markedly in the L-Carnitine group.

5. Lower STRESS HORMONES

When we have constantly elevated cortisol, we can't burn fat effectively. Poor diet filled with processed carbs, sugar, and caffeine will certainly keep cortisol levels soaring. Sleeping at least 7 hours and eating clean every three hours are great ways to keep stress hormones at bay. Having enough rest and repair after exercise is also important. Over exercising can actually work against you. Another trick is to make sure you have enough Vitamin C and B-Vitamins to nourish your adrenal glands.

Resources:
1. Bray, GA, Effect of dietary protein content on weight gain, energy expenditure, and body composition during overeating: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2012 Jan 4;307 (1):47-55.
2. Farnsworth E, et.al. Effect of high-protein, energy restricted diet on body composition, glycemic control, and lipid concentrations in overweight and obese hyperinsulinemic men and women.  American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, July, 2003; 78(1): 31-39.
3. Souza LL, Nunes MO, Paula GS, Cordeiro A, Penha-Pinto V, Neto JF, Oliveira KJ, do Carmo MG, Pazos-Moura CC, Effects of dietary fish oil on thyroid hormone signaling in the liver.  J Nutr Biochem. 2010 Oct;21(10):935-40. Epub 2009 Sep 29.
4.Gaullier JM, Halse J, Høivik HO, Høye K, Syvertsen C, Nurminiemi M, Hassfeld C, Einerhand A, O'Shea M, Gudmundsen O.Br J Nutr. 2007 Mar;97(3):550-60.
Senapati S, Banerjee S, Gangopadhyay DN. Evening primrose oil is effective in atopic dermatitis: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2008 Sep-Oct;74(5):447-52.
5. Crayhon R. The carnitine miracle: the supernutrient program that promotes high energy, weight loss, brain wellness, and longevity. New York: M. Evans, 1998.
6. Jason L. Talanian, Stuart D. R. Galloway, George J. F. Heigenhauser, Arend Bonen, and Lawrence L. Spriet.  Two weeks of high-intensity aerobic interval training increases the capacity for fat oxidation during exercise in women

Image: Some rights reserved by the Halfwitboy

Try one of the five fat-burning tips.

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 14:43:17 +0000

You've got options, click here for them.

Allow yourself to experience awe today!

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:11:34 +0000

Learn why awe makes you a more awesome person by clicking here.

Awe Makes You Awesome

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 15:11:50 +0000

Experiences of awe help to brings us into the present moment which, in turn, adjusts our perception of time, influences our decisions, and makes life feel more satisfying than it would otherwise.

It doesn't matter what creates a feeling of awe within us—a stunning vista, a beautiful painting, a kind act—the complete and overwhelming sense of awe is undeniably good for us. Now, science is backing that up: Melanie Rudd and Jennifer Aaker of Stanford University Graduate School of Business and Kathleen Vohs of the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management published the study, "Awe Expands People's Perception of Time, Alters Decision Making, and Enhances Well-Being," in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

The scientists studied awe in the lab in three different experiments and found that jaw-dropping moments made participants feel like they had more time available and made them more patient, less materialistic, and more willing to volunteer time to help others.

The effects that awe has on decision-making and well-being can be explained by awe's ability to actually change our subjective experience of time by slowing it down.

While the science behind awe is interesting, part of what awe makes awe is that mystical, magical sense of wonder. Learn the science but let it go as your mind wanders to wonder.

Image: Hunter Valley in Aspen, Colorado

Do it anyway.

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:08:26 +0000

Whatever it is, do it anyway.

Do It Anyway

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 15:23:33 +0000

click here for the larger image

People are often unreasonable, illogical,
and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, People may accuse
you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some
false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
there may be jealousy;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

—Mother Teresa

What Would Batman Eat?

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:57:53 +0000

A new Cornell study (full text article here) shows that children can be primed to order healthier fast food items merely by thinking about what their favorite superhero would eat. Published in Pediatric Obesity, the study conducted by Dr. Brian Wansink, Dr. Mitsuru Shimizu, and Guido Camps followed 22 children age 6 to 12 over four weeks choosing either french fries or apple fries (thinly sliced apples) from a popular fast food restaurant.

The study revealed that children who thought admirable models would eat healthily activated positive associations towards healthy food and thus were more likely to choose apple fries over french fries. In the small study, 36.4% more children made the healthy choice for lunch when exposed to a perceived healthy superhero. On average, children who selected apple fries consumed only 34 calories whereas children that selected french fries consumed 227 calories.

Some schools have already employed this strategy—check it out here. It hasn't been studied in adults yet, but it's possible that this healthy role model effect could translate. Think about your healthy superheroes—Olympians, yogis, your personal trainer—and what they might eat. It could help you make healthier choices!

Find your Batman or Kerri Walsh-Jennings and the next time you have a food choice to make, think "What would Batman eat?"

Before making a food choice today, think "What would Batman eat?"

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 13:58:22 +0000

Here's why it matters what Batman would eat ...

Do your laundry.

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:46:11 +0000

Do your freaking laundry, and do it this way.

Dirty Clothes Never Made Anyone Happy

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 15:47:43 +0000

You wanna keep your swag style fresh. You hate doing laundry. But the title says it all—dirty clothes never upped anyone's happiness, and clean clothes give you a good feeling. So do your laundry, but do it like this.

Laundry expert Tara Aronson shares tips of the trade: "There's more to prolonging the life of your garments than simply checking pockets and choosing the right cycle."

Spot, Treat, and Check - If you spill on a garment, immediately rinse or blot away the stain using cool water to prevent it from setting. Make sure to read fabric care labels and wash accordingly to help clothing last. And before you toss garments into the wash, be sure to double-check the pockets, as well as zip zippers and fasten buttons—this helps cut down on snags, holes, etc.
Sort, Sort, Sort - Sort laundry by color, wash cycle, and water temperature required. Make it easier on yourself and your family by placing bins marked for whites, darks, mediums, and delicates in your laundry room.
Choose the Right Cycle - High efficiency appliances can wash clothing on various cycles. This means you can launder sturdy items such as jeans on the permanent press cycle using warm water, causing less agitation, while washing swimsuits, fine knits, and undergarments on the delicates cycle with cold water.
Double-duty - If your clothing is heavily soiled, extra-large, or you want to use the cold water setting, add extra laundry detergent when you start the cycle. Some high efficiency washers feature a sanitize setting, which uses the hottest water available to thoroughly get rid of germs and grime.
Quick Dry - Dry only full loads—drying only a handful of garments prolongs the drying time by reducing the tumbling. If you have to dry a smaller load, add a few bath towels to help with tumbling.

"Remember that properly caring for your garments can help sustain your favorite clothing," says Aronson.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images / Source: Frigidaire

Let More Light In

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:12:25 +0000

There are no real rules. This photo may look overexposed, but it's a brilliantly sunny day and the daaaawg is soaking it up. Let more light in your life than is strictly necessary, and you'll find more happiness than is strictly possible.

Let more light in than is strictly necessary today.

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:16:21 +0000

Let more light in physically, emotionally, mentally, psychologically ... break rules, defy norms, and don't settle for what's strictly necessary.

Protect yourself from the sun!

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 15:47:54 +0000

New research questions the link between sunscreen and skin cancer prevention ... read on to make an informed decision for yourself!

Is Sunscreen Poison and Does It Even Prevent Skin Cancer?

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:04:32 +0000

We've got about one month left to soak up the summer sun, so let's talk about sunscreen. Gisele sparked major controversy last summer when the Brazilian supermodel said, "I cannot put this poison on my skin. I do not use anything synthetic."

While experts were outraged then, now it looks like more experts are questioning the efficacy of sunscreen in fighting skin cancer. They aren't, however, questioning that sunscreen does indeed protect from sunburn. The National Cancer Institute, a branch of the NIH, says on its website that studies on sunscreen use and cancer rates have provided "inadequate evidence" that sunscreens prevent skin cancer.

Further, some sunscreen ingredients could actually cause other forms of cancer. We have advocated chemical-free skincare before, and the same logic goes for sunscreen: some ingredients in sunscreen are chemicals applied directly to skin, which are absorbed by the body and can cause potentially harmful mutations in cells. We'd rather just avoid these chemicals. The two most common and potentially harmful sunscreen ingredients are retinyl palmitate, which can break down into a harmful free radical, and oxybenzone, which may be a hormone disruptor.

The Basics of Sun Protection

Much of the debate comes down to the differences in UVA and UVB rays, which the FDA is only beginning to regulate, with labeling requirements that go into effect this December. Of the currently-approved FDA active ingredients, nine block UVB rays, three block UVA, and five block both.

Emily Elert of Discover Magazine writes: "The way sunscreen's effectiveness is measured—its SPF rating—basically only describes its ability to block UVB rays. That's because UVB is the main cause of sunburn, and a sunscreen's SPF stands for how long you can stay in the sun without getting a sunburn (a lotion that allows you to spend 40 minutes in the sun rather than the usual 20 before burning, for example, has an SPF of 2).

UVA rays can cause cancer but not sunburn, so they don't factor into the SPF calculation. That means that if you slather on a high SPF sunscreen that only protects against UVB, you'd still absorb lots of UVA radiation, potentially increasing your long-term cancer risk."

Cancer Risk

Tthere isn't clear evidence that sunscreen is effective in reducing the risk of skin cancer. There also isn't clear evidence that it isn't effective. Since the verdict on sunscreen and skin cancer is out, you have to make the best decisions for yourself. Keep in mind other factors as well: genetic predisposition to skin cancers, application—you probably don't apply your sunscreen as thick as the manufacturers test it, and the type of sunscreen—physical versus chemical.

If You're Going to Sunscreen:

Avoid: (chemical) retinyl palmitate; oxybenzone

Look for: (considered "physical") titanium dioxide for UVB protection; zinc oxide and avobenzone for UVA protection

Or try these alternatives: Covering up when you're in the sun with clothing, hats, sunglasses, and umbrellas; and, like Gisele, avoiding the sun at its peak strength prevents both sunburn and the potential for skin cancer.

Image: Some rights reserved by Vassil Tzvetanov

Make sure you're keeping your privacy.

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 15:48:42 +0000

Get help discerning what's healthy to keep private here.

Is it Private or Secret?

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 22:17:07 +0000

Not everybody needs to know every personal detail about who we are and the lives we live. There are times when it is appropriate to share things about ourselves and there are other times that it isn't.

It's especially appropriate to share when what we are sharing concerns our romantic partner or the health of the relationship. It is also appropriate to share information about ourselves when we are working with a professional therapist, confidant, or counselor who is holding a space for us to heal in a healthy way.

It is not appropriate, however, to bring our personal issues and challenges to our professional work environment and relationships. Dumping our "story" upon meeting someone for the first time is also considered inappropriate.

So when is it private and when is it keeping a secret?

You know it by the way it feels and its level of appropriateness. A secret is always going to have the inner feelings of manipulation, powerlessness, anxiety and guilt. It is rooted in deception and lies.

When we keep a secret, we are not being forthcoming in all the necessary information to keep our relationships healthy, communication clear, and our truth being shared in an honest and open way.

We learn how to keep secrets at a very young age because we desperately want love and approval from our parents, caregivers, and other authority figures. Sometimes we hide who we are for fear of disappointing our guardians. Other times we hide what we are doing to ensure our pseudo-freedom with friends.

Respecting our privacy and the privacy of others is healthy.

Keeping certain matters private helps to maintain appropriate boundaries with whomever we are dealing with. It can build a deeper trust and self-respect within ourselves. This allows us to relate to our life experiences in a much more assertive way.

Privacy is sacred and often times it is like a womb. If we share something prematurely or the timing isn't right, it can lose its value or meaning to us. Privacy allows love, ideas, and desires to really come to fruition without the judgment or pressure of others. Privacy gives us the opportunity to be with ourselves and go within to hear our deepest truth. And not everybody needs to know what that is until the moment of appropriateness arrives.

The key is to have conscious discernment. In order to do that we must know ourselves and spend time with ourselves so that we become intuitive about what to share and what to keep for ourselves. Doing this can really help to keep our relationships clean and our energy from being depleted.

Image: Some rights reserved by Lisa M Photography

How to Play the What If Game

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:17:29 +0000

"When we experiment with beauty treatments and foods and whatnot at home, we're playing the What If game, only it's easier than playing it on your brain. You go, "What if I don't use shampoo for the next month?" And then you learn and it's not a big deal and you either end up with gorgeous bouncy hair or string cheese growing out of your scalp.

Either way, you learn and then you go on with life and everything's fine." - Crunchy Betty, natural beauty blogger/guru

The game we want to play is to figure out how to have that freedom with our brains ... how to let go of the notion that what we're thinking or doing is the end-all, be-all of our lives. To experiment with important things as easily as we do with unimportant things.

Click on over for Crunchy Betty's full instructions—and hilarious take on her game of What If.

Image: Some rights reserved by striatic

Play the What If game with something REALLY important.

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 13:26:31 +0000

Click here for instructions on playing the What If game.

She Takes Me To Grogsales

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:42:43 +0000

Click here for full-size image.

DailyHap's co-founders, Lyssa and Cindy, take a trip down memory lane with this photo. Appreciation started young!

*Grogsales = garage sales. Phonetic spelling for the win.

Make a list of six things you like about someone in your life.

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:42:56 +0000

Bonus points for sharing your list with that person!

Please Stop Time Traveling!

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:38:18 +0000

By Jordan Myska Allen, musician and very happy dude. You can read more about him here.

What do these have in common?

"I'm so dumb, I can't believe I stayed with him so long."
"I could have gotten that promotion, I don't know why I didn't do what was necessary to get it."
"We shouldn't have played that song, the crowd didn't like it."
"We could have won that game, if I had just shot instead of passed!"
"I never should have written her that letter."
"Why did we hire those scumbags? Everyone warned us against them and we just didn't listen."

These are all example of time traveling. Everyday we time travel, and it's bad for our health and our happiness. Learning to identify it helps us stop doing it.

What is time travel?

Time Traveling is when you apply your current thinking onto your past self. You judge your self in the past for making decisions, causing unnecessary guilt and pain. Why is it unnecessary? You couldn't have possibly made any other decision. You made the best one you could at the time. This is unquestionable—although you may not remember why you thought it was the right decision at the time, its impossible to make a decision that didn't seem to have the best payoff in the moment you made it, or else you wouldn't have made that decision. More simply: You didn't know what you know now, so stop pretending like you made a mistake. You didn't.

If you went back in time and made the decision over again, with only the amount of information you had then, you'd make the exact same choice. Duh, that's what you did. So don't go back in time and pretend like you had more information, crucifying yourself for something you had no control over.

What to do instead

Every moment is a new opportunity to choose again. Instead of going back in the past and blaming yourself for a mistake you didn't make, because you couldn't have done anything else in those past circumstances, you learn from what happened and plan for the future. You apply your new knowledge onto situations which might be similar—that are going on currently or might happen. You can practice, building habits of "better" decisions by imagining yourself in a related choice, but making the one you know now will bring you greater peace, and be more aligned with what you want.

Remember that you could never make these so-called "better" decisions if you hadn't learned from your so-called "mistakes" in the past. They are an integral piece of who you are. There's no need to regret what was, because it will never be again.

As human beings, we're constantly time traveling. It might have been a really useful skill when we needed guilt to motivate us to do good things. But almost anyone reading this article has evolved beyond that, and can choose to do good actions for the sake of themselves, not just to avoid self-punishment.

I challenge you to rise above time travel. You might start seeing it in friends, and then notice it in yourself. You might be surprised at how often it happens, and how much better your life can be without it.

Image: Some rights reserved by Bob Owen

Catch yourself time traveling today—and stop!

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 16:38:25 +0000

Learn how to identify and stop time traveling here.

Try B-12 or L-Carnitine today, if you check our list and might have any of the symptoms of deficiency!

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:38:57 +0000

Click here to read more about morning-boosting vitamin supplements!

Wake Up and Burn Fat

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:42:10 +0000

We're pleased to announce that we'll be running Body advice from My Fit Foods' Meg McCall B.S., M.S. Candidate in Human Nutrition, Corporate Nutritionist every other week!

What if there was a supplement that would safely help your body make more energy and burn more fat naturally? This may sound like a dream come true, but supply your body with the right nutrients and your metabolic engine will no longer be sputtering along! There are two nutrients that many people are deficient in and don't even know it. Our body needs basic building blocks to make things happen. Unfortunately, with today's food supply and stress levels, we are faced with having some major missing links.

B-12: A CRITICAL NUTRIENT

A study that came out of Tufts University last year found that as many as 40 percent of healthy men and women have low levels of B-12.¹ The study was led by Katherine Tucker, PhD, a nutritional epidemiologist at Tufts University in Boston. They evaluated B-12 blood levels in 3,000 adults and found many of them deficient even though they were eating diets that had as much as three times the RDA (Recommended Daily Amount) of B-12.

ARE YOU LOW IN B-12?

Memory Problems
Depression or Negative Mood
Foggy Brain
Heart Disease
High Homocysteine Levels
Anemia and Poor Energy
Female Fertility Challenges

There are many reasons why you could not be getting enough B-12 and also not absorbing enough B-12. Low thyroid function lowers your ability to absorb this nutrient along with other stomach issues, antacid use, the drug Metformin, coffee consumption, and increasing age. It is very difficult to overdose on this crucial nutrient so it is important to include lean animal proteins in your diet and supplement every day. It is also important to take the converted form, methylcobalamin versus the cheaper version, which is cyanocobalamin. My Fit Foods B-12 with L-Carnitine and our Daily Fit Packs (Multi-Vitamin) supply this more bio-available form.

YOUR SECRET WEAPON: L-CARNITINE

When you see the research on this little known nutrient, you will be a big believer in its power to help you burn fat, protect your heart, and increase your energy and brain power. Unless you are eating pounds of red meat a day, you are probably not getting enough of this nutrient to really optimize fat burning.

ARE YOU LOW IN L-CARNITINE?

Fatigue
Progressive Weight Gain
High Cholesterol and Triglycerides
Weak Heart Function
Lack of Mental Focus
Poor Immune Function

So, how does L-Carnitine work in the body? L-Carnitine is the only nutrient that can transport fat to the part of the cell that burns it off: the mitochondria. If you can't get fat into the mitochondria, you can't burn it. So no Carnitine, no fat burning. Higher Carnitine levels, on the other hand, allow our body to burn fat at an optimal rate. One study showed that those that took 2,000 mg of L-Carnitine a day had 11 times the fat loss than those that didn't and this was with no change in diet or exercise. Talk about a power house! ²

L-Carnitine is also a crucial nutrient for heart health. The heart derives 70% of its energy from fat and fat can't be burned without Carnitine. Carnitine is one of the most useful nutrients for lowering cholesterol and triglycerides.⁶Because of the role L-Carnitine plays, it is also a great aid for increased exercise and sports performance. Carnitine has been found to increase the peak running speed in athletes by 6%.⁷

If you are new to L-Carnitine, you can begin by picking up one of the new My Fit Foods B-12 with L-Carnitine and for your first week, take one serving in the morning on an empty stomach. You may increase after a week to two servings. It takes about 4 to 5 days to feel the full effects but be warned that although this is a natural energy producer, you don't want to take it after 3 pm or it may affect your sleep.

You can also add it to the My Fit Foods Cocktail (recipe here).

On our 21 Day Challenge, we ask our clients to wean off caffeine completely and we now give them the safe substitute that really works! You will definitely find you no longer need your morning cup of joe, mental sharpness is returning, and your ability to burn fat is heightened.

Resources:
B-12:
1.Tucker KL, Hannan MT, Qiao N, Jacques PF, Selhub J, Cupples LA, Kiel DP. Low plasma vitamin B12 is associated with lower BMD: the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. J Bone Miner Res. 2005 Jan;20(1):152-8. Epub 2004 Oct 25.
Carnitine:
2.Rebouche CJ, Paulson DJ. Carnitine metabolism and function in humans. Annu Rev Nutr 1986;6:41-66.
3.Avogaro P, Bon GB, Cazzolato G, Rorai E. Acute effects of L-carnitine on FFA and beta-OH-butyrate in man. Pharmacol Res Commun 1981; 13(5):443-50.
4.McCarty MF. Promotion of hepatic lipid oxidation and gluconeogenesis as a strategy for appetite control.
5.Kaats. The short-term therapeutic efficacy of treating obesity with a plan of improved nutrition and moderate calorie restriction. Curr Ther Res 1992;51(2): 261-274.
6. Fernandez C, Proto C. L-Carnitine in the treatment of chronic myocardial ischemia. Clin Ter 1992; 140 (4): 353-77.
7. Clarkson. Nutritional ergogenics aids: Carnitine. International Journal of Sports Nutrition 1992; 2: 185 – 190.

Image: Some rights reserved by bp6316

Be Suspicious ...

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:10:12 +0000

YOU time is sacred. Anyone who doesn't understand that might need to be educated, or booted from your space.

Click here for the larger image.

Take YOU time today, no matter what anyone says.

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:11:39 +0000

Listen to this Advice from a Daaaawg.

NEW Urgent Warning to All Cell Phone Users

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:13:46 +0000

By Dr. Mercola

If you think the jury's still out on whether cell phones can be dangerous to your health, then you might want to take the time to listen to this video from the Environmental Health Trust (www.ehtrust.org). Dr. Devra Davis, author of "Disconnect--The Truth About Cellphone Radiation," has been researching the safety hazards of radiation emanating from your cell phone.

Like many people, Dr. Davis just didn't believe the possibility of cell phones being dangerous―until she studied it. And now, with the toxicological and epidemiological evidence to back up her claims, she's trying to get the word out that cell phone radiation is not only dangerous, but can be downright lethal.

In her lecture, Dr. Davis explains how the biological impact of your cell phone isnot related to its power, which is quite weak, but rather to the erratic nature of its signal and its ability to disrupt resonance and interfere with DNA repair. This is now believed to be the most plausible theory for understanding the wide array of health impacts discovered, which includes cancer...

Can Your Cell Phone Cause Cancer?

One interesting case that can serve as an illustrative warning of the cancer-causing potential of cell phones is that of a young woman with no other predisposing risk factors for cancer who came down with multi-focal breast cancer. The case was revealed in the May issue of the Environmental Health Trust's newsletterⁱ. As it turns out, the young lady had the curious habit of tucking her cell phone into her bra...

Two cancer specialists, Robert Nagourney and John West, concluded there was only one other possibility that might have directly contributed to her breast cancer. "We connected the dots," the patient said. And the dots―quite literally the pattern of the cancer, and distribution of the cancerous cells―lined up perfectly with the shape of her cell phone.

While her doctor can't prove the cell phone caused her cancer, it should serve as a potent warning not only to other women who might tuck their phones in their bras, but also to those of you who keep your phones in your pants pocket or shirt pocket as well. As a general rule, you'll want to avoid carrying your phone anywhere on your body. Keep in mind that the most dangerous place to be, in terms of radiation exposure, is within about six inches of the emitting antenna. You do not want any part of your body within that proximity.

Why Carrying Your Cell Phone on Your Body is a Bad Idea...

Regardless of the area exposed to the continuous radiation emitted by your cell phone, there's the potential for harm, although certain areas are clearly more vulnerable than others.

For example, research published in 2009 showed evidence that wearing a cell phone on your hip may weaken an area of your pelvisⁱⁱ. Using an X-ray technique used in the diagnosis and monitoring of patients with osteoporosis, researchers measured pelvic bone density in 150 men who regularly carried their cell phones attached to their belts. The men carried their phones for an average of 15 hours each day, and had used cell phones for an average of six years. The researchers found that bone mineral density was lowered on the side of the pelvis where the mobile phones were carried, raising the possibility that bone density could be adversely affected by the electromagnetic fields emitted by cell phones.

It's important to realize that as long as your cell phone is on, it emits radiation intermittently, even when you are not actually making a call. So wearing a cell phone on your hip for 15 hours a day is giving that area of your body nearly continuous radiation exposure.

Previous studies have found that cell phone radiation can affect men's sperm count, and the quality and motility of their sperm, and this may be a far greater issue than its effect on bone density. One such study, published in PLoS Oneⁱⁱⁱ found that:

"RF-EMR in both the power density and frequency range of mobile phones enhances mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation by human spermatozoa, decreasing the motility and vitality of these cells while stimulating DNA base adduct formation and, ultimately DNA fragmentation. These findings have clear implications for the safety of extensive mobile phone use by males of reproductive age, potentially affecting both their fertility and the health and wellbeing of their offspring."

Men in particular may want to reconsider carrying their cell phones on their belts or in their pocket, in close proximity of their reproductive organs. In addition, you have a number of other sensitive organs in that general area, including liver, kidneys, colon and bladder—all of which are susceptible to radiation.

Recent Evidence Identifies Strong Cell Phone Cancer Link

Last year, an Israeli research group reported a sharp increase in the incidence of parotid gland tumors over the last 30 years, with the steepest increase happening after 2001. Your parotid gland is a type of salivary gland, located closest to your cheek—the same area where most people typically hold their cell phones. The researchers found a four-fold increase in parotid gland cancers from 1970 to 2006, while rates of other salivary gland cancers remained stable^iv.

That same year, Dr. Siegal Sadetzki, the principal investigator of a 2008 study, testified at a U.S. Senate Hearing that cell phones were identified as a contributor to salivary gland tumors. The report states that your risk of getting a parotid tumor on the same side of your head that you use for listening to the mobile phone increases by:

34 percent if you are a regular cell phone user and have used a mobile phone for 5 years.
58 percent if you had more than about 5,500 calls in your lifetime.
49 percent if you have spoken on the phone for more than 266.3 hours during your lifetime.

World Health Organizaion Classifies Cell Phone Radiation as Class B Carcinogen

Cell phone subscriptions are now estimated at 5.9 billion globally^v—that's 87 percent of the world population! I think it's safe to say, we've already passed the point of no return when it comes to this technology. But as cell phone use continues to grow unabated, a growing body of researchers is speaking out against the technology, warning that it may have serious biological side effects that must be acknowledged and remedied.

Fortunately, their warnings are slowly but surely beginning to be heard.

On May 31, 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO)/International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued a report admitting cell phones might indeed cause cancer, classifying radiofrequency electromagnetic fields as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Class 2B)^vi. The classification came in part in response to research showing wireless telephones increase the risk for brain cancer.

According to the press release^vii:

"Dr Jonathan Samet (University of Southern California, USA), overall Chairman of the Working Group, indicated that "the evidence, while still accumulating, is strong enough to support a conclusion and the 2B classification. The conclusion means that there could be some risk, and therefore we need to keep a close watch for a link between cell phones and cancer risk."

"Given the potential consequences for public health of this classification and findings," said IARC Director Christopher Wild, "it is important that additional research be conducted into the long‐term, heavy use of mobile phones. Pending the availability of such information, it is important to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure such as hands‐free devices or texting."

Children are at Greatest Risk—Including While in Utero

Sadly, children and teens are at greatest risk—both for parotid gland tumors and brain tumors—as their thinner skull bones allow for greater penetration of cell phone radiation. The radiation can enter all the way into their midbrain, where tumors are more deadly. In addition, children's cells reproduce more quickly, so they're more susceptible to aggressive cell growth. Children also face a far greater lifetime exposure. According to Professor Lennart Hardell of Sweden, those who begin using cell phones heavily as teenagers have 4 to 5 times more brain cancer as young adults!

The following image, used with permission from the book Public Health SOS: The Shadow Side of the Wireless Revolution, clearly shows the differences in depth of penetration between adults and young children.

Pregnant women would also be wise to avoid cell phones as much as possible. In 2008, researchers analyzed data from nearly 13,000 children and found that exposure to cell phones while in the womb, and also during childhood, were linked to behavioral difficulties.^viii Using handsets just two or three times a day during pregnancy was enough to raise the risk of their babies developing hyperactivity and difficulties with conduct, emotions, and relationships by the time they reached school age—and the risk became even greater if the children also used the phones themselves before the age of seven.

Overall, the study revealed that mothers who used mobile phones were 54 percent more likely to have children with behavioral problems. Later on, when the children began using cell phones themselves, they were:

80 percent more likely to suffer from behavioral difficulties
25 percent more at risk from emotional problems
34 percent more likely to suffer from difficulties relating to their peers
35 percent more likely to be hyperactive
49 percent more prone to problems with conduct

Experts Adamantly Claim Harmful Effects are Now Provable

Experts in the area of the biological effects of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF) and wireless technologies believe there's virtually no doubt that cell phones and related gadgets are capable of causing not only cancer but contributing to a wide variety of other conditions, from depression and diabetes to heart irregularities and impaired fertility. Researchers have now identified numerous mechanisms of harm, which explain how electromagnetic fields impact your cells and damages your DNA.

One such expert is Dr. Martin Blank, PhD, one of the most experienced researchers of the cellular and molecular effects of electromagnetic fields in the U.S. He gave an informative speech at the November 18, 2010 Commonwealth Club of California program, "The Health Effects of Electromagnetic Fields," co-sponsored by ElectromagneticHealth.org. In it, he explained why your DNA, with its 'coil of coils' structure, is especially vulnerable to electromagnetic fields of all kinds.

As described in the International Journal of Radiation Biology, April 2011^ix, DNA possesses the two structural characteristics of fractal antennas: electronic conduction, and self-symmetry.

These properties contribute to greater reactivity of DNA to electromagnetic fields than other tissues, making the long-term consequences of repeated microwave exposures to our genetic material of great concern. Dr. Blank is adamant when he says that there IS evidence of harm, and that the harm can be significant. He also points out that the science showing harmful effects has been peer-reviewed, published, and that the results have been replicated, evaluated and "judged by scientists capable of judging it." I wrote an in-depth article about these findings back in January of last year. If you missed it, go ahead and review it now.

An analysis of the range of known mechanisms of action, including DNA effects, was published in November 2010 in "Non-Thermal Effects and Mechanisms of Interaction Between Electromagnetic Fields and Living Matter^x." Furthermore, the mobile industry's own research in the 13-country Interphone study^xi showed a 40 percent increased risk of brain cancer from 1,640 or more hours of cell phone use, and independent Swedish research published in 2007 showed a 540 percent increased risk of brain cancer from greater than 2,000 hours of cell phone use^xii.

My Top Tips for Cell Phone Safety

It's worth remembering that the telecommunication industry is much larger than the medical industrial complex, and they have far more influence than the drug companies. They're also mirroring many of the same tactics as the tobacco industry to peddle their wares. This includes attempting to discredit researchers who publish unfavorable cell phone studies.

As Dr. Davis shows in her lecture above, the results of any study can be accurately predicted by looking at its sponsorship. According to a review by Dr. Lai in 2008, the probability that a study will find "no effect" is two to three times higher in industry-funded studies, while independently-funded studies into the health effects of mobile technology are TWICE as likely to find a positive result.

So please, be aware that there is already robust scientific evidence that cell phones and other wireless devices pose significant health risks to all of us—especially to children and pregnant women. So while such findings are not being widely publicized as of yet, it makes sense to take action now to protect yourself and your children. You can help to minimize your exposure to electromagnetic radiation from cell phones and other wireless devices by heeding the following advice:

Children Should Always Avoid Using Cell Phones: Barring a life-threatening emergency, children should not use a cell phone, or a wireless device of any type.
Reduce Your Cell Phone Use: Turn your cell phone off more often. Reserve it for emergencies or important matters. As long as your cell phone is on, it emits radiation intermittently, even when you are not actually making a call. If you're pregnant, avoiding or reducing your cell phone use may be especially important.
Use a Land Line at Home and at Work: Although more and more people are switching to using cell phones as their exclusive phone contact, it is a dangerous trend and you can choose to opt out of the madness. SKYPE offers a portable number via your computer that can plug into any Ethernet port while traveling.
Reduce or Eliminate Your Use of Other Wireless Devices: You would be wise to cut down your use of these devices. Just as with cell phones, it is important to ask yourself whether or not you really need to use them as often as you do. And most importantly, do not even consider having any electronic or wireless devices in the bedroom that will interfere with the quality of your sleep.
If you must use a portable home phone, use the older kind that operates at 900 MHz. They are not safer during calls, but at least many of them do not broadcast constantly even when no call is being made. Note the only way to truly be sure if there is an exposure from your cordless phone is to measure with an electrosmog meter, and it must be one that goes up to the frequency of your portable phone (so old meters won't help much). As many portable phones are 5.8 Gigahertz, we recommend you look for RF meters that go up to 8 Gigahertz, the highest range now available in a meter suitable for consumers.

Alternatively you can be very careful with the base station placement as that causes the bulk of the problem since it transmits signals 24/7, even when you aren't talking. So if you can keep the base station at least three rooms away from where you spend most of your time, and especially your bedroom, they may not be as damaging to your health. Another option is to just simply turn the portable phone off, only using it when you specifically need the convenience of moving about while on a call.

Ideally it would be helpful to turn off your base station every night before you go to bed.

You can find RF meters as well as remediation supplies at www.emfsafetystore.com. But you can pretty much be sure your portable phone is a problem if the technology is DECT, or digitally enhanced cordless technology.
Use Your Cell Phone Only Where Reception is Good: The weaker the reception, the more power your phone must use to transmit, and the more power it uses, the more radiation it emits, and the deeper the dangerous radio waves penetrate into your body. Ideally, you should only use your phone with full bars and good reception.
Avoid Carrying Your Phone on Your Body as that merely maximizes any potential exposure. Ideally put it in your purse or carrying bag. Placing a cell phone in a shirt pocket over the heart is asking for trouble, as is placing it in a man's pocket if he seeks to preserve his fertility.
Don't Assume One Cell Phone is Safer than Another: There's no such thing as a "safe" cell phone. This is particularly true for industry promoted SAR ratings, which are virtually useless in measuring the true potential biological danger as most all of the damage is not done by heat transfer, which SAR measures.
Keep Your Cell Phone Away From Your Body When it is On: The most dangerous place to be, in terms of radiation exposure, is within about six inches of the emitting antenna. You do not want any part of your body within that area.
Respect Others Who are More Sensitive: Some people who have become sensitive can feel the effects of others' cell phones in the same room, even when it is on but not being used. If you are in a meeting, on public transportation, in a courtroom or other public places, such as a doctor's office, keep your cell phone turned off out of consideration for the 'second hand radiation' effects. Children are also more vulnerable, so please avoid using your cell phone near children.
If you are using the Pong case, which redirects the cell phone radiation away from the head and successfully lowers the SAR effect, realize that in redirecting the radiation away from your head this may be intensifying the radiation in another direction, perhaps toward the person next to you, or, if in your pocket, increasing radiation intensity toward your body. Caution is always advised in dealing with any radiation-emitting device. We recommend cell phones be kept 'Off' except for emergencies.
Use Safer Headset Technology: Wired headsets will certainly allow you to keep the cell phone farther away from your body. However, if a wired headset is not well-shielded -- and most of them are not -- the wire itself acts as an antenna attracting ambient radio waves and transmitting radiation directly to your brain.
Make sure that the wire used to transmit the signal to your ear is shielded.

The best kind of headset to use is a combination shielded wire and air-tube headset. These operate like a stethoscope, transmitting the information to your head as an actual sound wave; although there are wires that still must be shielded, there is no wire that goes all the way up to your head.

References:ⁱ See All References

Image: Some rights reserved by Pink Sherbet Photograph

Keep your cell phone away from your body today, no matter what it takes!

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:13:55 +0000

Believe the research or not, it couldn't hurt to try it for one day, right?

Ask a friend about your personality. Really listen to the answer without judgment.

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:10:23 +0000

Click here to read more about why you may not know yourself as well as you think you do.

You Don't Know Jack—Not Even Yourself

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:12:48 +0000

"It's a natural tendency to think we know ourselves better than others do," says Washington University in St. Louis assistant professor Simine Vazire. And at DailyHap, we encourage that kind of introspection and self-knowledge.

But a new article by Vazire and Erika N. Carlson suggests an addendum to the edict of knowing thyself: Ask a friend. "There are aspects of personality that others know about us that we don't know ourselves, and vice-versa," says Vazire. "To get a complete picture of a personality, you need both perspectives." The paper is published inCurrent Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

The reason to ask a friend about our personalities is because our own understanding is obstructed by blind spots, created by our wishes, fears, and unconscious motives—the greatest of which is the need to maintain a high (or if we're neurotic, low) self-image, research shows. Even watching ourselves on videotape does not substantially alter our perceptions—whereas others observing the same tape easily point out traits we're unaware of.

Not surprisingly, our intimates and those who spend the most time with us know us best. But even strangers have myriad cues to who we are: clothes, musical preferences, or Facebook postings.

Interestingly, people don't see the same things about themselves as others see. Anxiety-related traits, such as stage fright, are obvious to us, but not always to others. On the other hand, creativity, intelligence, or rudeness is often best perceived by others. That's not just because they manifest themselves publicly, but also because they carry a value judgment—something that tends to affect self-judgment. But others tend to give us higher marks for our strengths than we credit ourselves with.

At the same time, our nearest and dearest sometimes have reasons to distort their views—a parent's child will always be the brightest and most beautiful. The challenge, then, is to use feedback positively: Vazire asks, "How do we use self-knowledge to help people be happier and have better relationships?"

The first answer to these questions may be the most obvious, but not the easiest to practice: Listen to others. They may know more than you do—even about yourself.

Image: Some rights reserved by Simone Artibani

Eat only happy food today.

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:49:15 +0000

What's happy meat? We're so glad you asked: click here for a guide to happy meat.

Guide to Eating 'Happy Meat'

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 15:51:07 +0000

By Lyssa Myska Allen, happy meat-eater

People laugh when I describe my eating habits as "eating only happy meat." But it's true—my meat has to be grass-fed and roaming on the open plains, my milk grass-fed and unpasteurized (yes, it's technically illegal, which is ridiculous), my eggs and chicken soy-free and free-range, my pork uncaged and humanely-slaughtered, my fish wild-caught or sustainably farmed—the animals I eat lead happy lives and die in ways that won't produce stress hormones in their bodies and consequently in my food.

You've probably heard more and more lately in the media and from friends about food quality and sourcing, learning more about your dinner's point of origin. In a recent study, 70 percent of consumers said their food purchasing decisions are influenced by how food is grown or raised. It's important because it directly affects how your body processes what you eat: for example, corn-fed beef has different, and worse, fatty-acid ratios than grass-fed beef. It's important for plant-based food too—genetically modified versus heritage—but we're focusing on animals here.

Short of asking your food supplier, grocer, waiter, or restauranteur where the food came from—which I do regularly and without embarassment—how can you know how your food was treated? You probably already know about sustainable seafood guides like the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch, but now The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) has released A Consumer’s Guide to Food Labels and Animal Welfare. The new guide aims to help consumers who purchase meat, dairy, and eggs interpret the meaning of label claims and locate products from animals who were humanely raised and handled.

AWI's label guide defines the most common claims related to farm animal welfare and places them into one of three categories.

Certified Labels (such as "Animal Welfare Approved," "Certified Humane," and "USDA Organic") are defined by a formal set of publicly available animal care standards, and compliance with those standards is verified by a third-party audit. Consumers should look for these labels.
Unverified Claims (such as "cage free," "free range," and "pasture raised") are relevant to animal welfare but the standards are vague and/or weak, and compliance isn’t verified by an independent audit. While not as reliable as certified labels, consumers should choose these products over products without any welfare claims.
Meaningless or Misleading Claims (such as "natural," "no added hormones" when used on poultry or pork, and "cage free" when used on meat chicken or turkey) are meaningless or misleading in terms of animal welfare. Consumers should avoid products with these claims.

The guide is available in both pocket-sized and full-length versions by clicking on those links for PDFs.

A final note: At the risk of sounding like a figure-it-out-for-yourself broken record, sometimes you really do have to do your research by talking to the actual supplier. While certifications and labels are important and informative, the USDA Organic standards are not as strict as I am, as well as very expensive to certify, rendering them virtually unobtainable for small, local ranchers and farmers and thereby useless for consumers who try to buy local food.

Don't get mad, get creative.

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:23:17 +0000

When something upsets you today, or you feel ousted from a social group, try doing something creative! (Our pinterest board has ideas...)

Don't Get Mad, Get Creative

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:25:11 +0000

Like the Toby Keith song "How Do You Like Me Now?", a new study shows that social rejection can inspire imaginative thinking, particularly in individuals with a strong sense of their own independence. Your hit song, formulaic breakthrough, artistic masterpiece, or marketing idea is just a little rejection away.

"Rejection confirms for independent people what they already feel about themselves: that they're not like others. For such people, that distinction is a positive one leading them to greater creativity," says Johns Hopkins Carey Business School assistant professor Sharon Kim, the study's lead author. Sounds like a twisted form of validation, but validation it is, the study paper, "Outside Advantage: Can Social Rejection Fuel Creative Thought?", reveals.

However, social rejection has the opposite effect on people who value belonging to a group: it inhibits their cognitive ability. "We're seeing in society a growing concern about the negative consequences of social rejection, thanks largely to media reports about bullying that occurs at school, in the workplace, and online. Obviously, bullying is reprehensible and produces nothing good. What we tried to show in our paper is that exclusion from a group can sometimes lead to a positive outcome when independently-minded people are the ones being excluded," says Kim.

In the business world, this sense of rejection breeding creativity is ever-present in the entrepreneurial communities, where founders are encouraged to fail early and fail often; founders with four, five, six failings under their belts are admired as resilient.

The next time you feel rejected—by friends, a potential lover, a job—maybe that's the time to take on your next creative project!

Image: Some rights reserved by aldenchadwick

Try to see something you've overlooked with new eyes today.

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 14:59:17 +0000

Innocence can give us a fresh take on life, and this story of spit is a prime example.

Spit

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 20:14:34 +0000

By a young Lyssa Myska Allen

What is this?

Why have I never noticed this?

My mouth is getting wet.

The liquid is building up.

I am going to drown.

What's wrong with me?

Maybe I can spit it all out. All this excess liquid. I've never noticed it before.

Something must be wrong with me. Look how clean the wood floors are. They're pretty. Longer planks are in my parents' room. That's where Daddy socks and shoes me every morning. It's my favorite part of getting dressed. I bring my socks and shoes to Daddy, and we put them on together.

"One sock for you," he says as I wiggle my toes into a white sock.

"One sock for me," he says, and tries to put on my sock!

"No! No! No!" Silly Daddy! I always have to tell him not to wear my socks!

He laughs and says, "Okay, okay," and pulls his own colored sock onto his big foot.

Daddy's socks are almost always blue. Not just dark blue, but with little designs. Other colors are on some socks, like red and blue.

When we finish with the socks, it's "One shoe for you... one shoe for me..." and he tries to put on my shoe!

"No! No! No!" I squeal again, laughing. That silly Daddy!

Ppppthh. I have to spit again to get rid of this liquid in my mouth. What is it doing?

I have to do something. I can't spit on the bedspread anymore, it'll get too wet.

This cup will work. Ppppthh. Ppppthh. Ppppthh. What's going on? I want my Mommy. But I might have something wrong with me. There's an air conditioning duct in the closet ...

Mommy is here!

"What are you doing, baby?"

I spit again.

"Something is wrong with me! My mouth is all watery, but only a little bit each time, but as soon as I spit, it comes back again!"

Mommy strokes my hair with her gentle hands. She explains to me how people salivate and that you swallow spit, then it comes back, then you swallow it again. This goes on your whole life!

I'm going to be spitting for a very long time.

Image: Some rights reserved by Lomo-Cam

Don't Be Afraid to Dream

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:45:09 +0000

Be the type of person who takes the time to dream up dreams. Make dreaming your style. Click here for larger image.

Dream up a dream.

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:45:18 +0000

Dream up a dream today! The daaaaawg says so.

Seasons of Change: Exercise Your Intuition

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:02:42 +0000

Do you know what the most common element is between us and world class athletes, top executives of major corporations, or famous performers? Time. No matter who we are, we all have the same amount of time to work with.

When I talk to groups and individuals about practicing using their intuition by slowing down their mental thoughts and stories, I get a resounding "I don't have enough time! From the time I wake up until the time I go to bed, I'm dealing with kids, work and making sure all of the errands are run."

All of us feel the stress of making a living, being responsible for our family and completing our to do lists. But that doesn't negate our right in how we choose to experience those challenges. The most essential step we could ever take towards developing our intuition is to stop telling ourselves that we don't have enough time.

So, the following exercises are quick, easy and will fit into our already hectic life style.

Exercise 1: Down the Drain

Water serves as a powerful conductor for healthy cell activity in our bodies. It also serves as a catalyst for relaxation. Our bath or shower time can be a fantastic way that we can let our stress and worry go right down the drain.

See the soap lather as a magnet, drawing all of our concerns out of our physical, mental, and emotional body. When we rinse off, we bring our awareness to the drain, watching all of the soap lather filled with stress and worry go right down the drain.

It is a wonderful visual that can assist us in letting go in a deep and profound way. Once we have released our negativity, we become present. And when we are present, our intuition flows automatically.

Exercise 2: Red Light, Green Light

When we have simple yes or no questions, we can use the red light, green light method.

First, we need a clear picture of a traffic light in our mind's eye. Watch the lights switch from red to green. Once we feel comfortable with that image, we can ask any question we like.

"Is this job the right one for me? Am I currently making good decisions for myself? Does my child need a different learning environment?"

After we have asked the question and focusing on our mind’s eye, we watch to see which light
comes on. If the red light shows up it’s “no”, if the green light shows up it’s “yes”.

It’s very important for us to let go of all control and outcome on which light is shown to us. We must assume the posture of being shown versus manipulating the traffic light into the answer we want.

Sitting at an actual traffic light can really help us get the picture in our mind and the experience of watching it switch from red to green. If we were to practice the exercise every time we come to a red light, by the end of the day, would have practiced using our intuition approximately 10-12 times.

Red lights are usually about one to two minutes. Adding it up, we have roughly spent 10-24 minutes a day developing our intuition. This is time that we normally would not carve out for meditation or any other type of relaxation methods.

These two exercises are simply being incorporated into what we are already doing throughout the day. It's not about piling something else on our already hectic schedule. But rather, it is about taking what we are already doing and maximizing the quality of how we do what we do.

Image: Some rights reserved by myyorgda

Play Down the Drain and Red Light, Green Light.

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:02:56 +0000

Exercise your intuition with these games.

Think about a new friend you've made ...

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:27:04 +0000

Think about a new friend you've made ... are you happy with where the friendship is? Do you need to extend an invite or return a call to take it to the next level? Click here to read more about the dichotomy of new friendships!

Love/Hate: Making New Friends

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 15:27:22 +0000

Love/Hate is a series exploring the everyday duality of life.

Having a wide network of friends can make you happier. When you meet someone you immediately click with, you are so excited by the possibility of a new friendship. But where does this friendship go? Will you make the leap from casual to close? Read on for our take on the good, bad, and ugly of new friends.

5 Things We Love About: Making New Friends

A new person, perspective, and dynamic in your life
New things to do, new adventures to have with the new friend
Access to all their friends
Experiencing new comfort levels and closeness
You can retell all your old, oft-told stories to fresh ears

5 Things We Hate About: Making New Friends

A new person in your life with their own perspective, which may challenge your own
Spending money celebrating all their things—birthdays, engagements, promotions
More new friends to care about
Not knowing where you stand or if you can really count on the new friend
You have to tell boring backstory for some stories

Image: Some rights reserved by BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives

Even in Agnostics, Religion Enhances Self-Control

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:25:38 +0000

"The primary purpose of religious belief is to enhance the basic cognitive process of self-control," says psychologist Kevin Rounding of Queen's University, Ontario, "which in turn promotes any number of valuable social behaviors."

In his article in Psychological Science, Rounding reveals the results of a series of four experiments, where researchers consistently found that when religious themes were made implicitly salient, people exercised greater self-control, which, in turn, augmented their ability to make decisions in a number of behavioral domains that are theoretically relevant to both major religions and humans' evolutionary success.

Those valuable social behaviors are often cited as the impetus for the anthropological formation of religion—to bring anonymous strangers together in society in unselfish ways. In this study, participants came in with a wide variety of religious beliefs, and were primed in religious terminology without being aware of it. Even when compared with morality- or death-related concepts, the study showed that religion has a unique influence on self-control.

The four experiments had participants enduring discomfort, delaying gratification, exerting patience, and refraining from impulsive responses. Yet the findings overwhelmingly supported the idea that invoking religious beliefs provides important psychological "nutrients" necessary for a variety of socially beneficial behaviors.

But What About Crime?

If religion grew from a societal need to enhance self-control, which, in turn, promotes prosocial behavior, what are we to make of the conflicting research published in PLoS ONE (via The Economist) by Azim Shariff at the University of Oregon and Mijke Rhemtulla at the University of Kansas? This research compared rates of crime with rates of belief in heaven and hell in 67 countries and found that though religion has been shown to have generally positive effects on prosocial behavior, these effects may be driven primarily by supernatural punishment. Supernatural benevolence, on the other hand, may actually be associated with less prosocial behavior.

In other words, the proportion of people who believe in hell negatively predicts national crime rates whereas belief in heaven predicts higher crime rates. These effects remain after accounting for a host of covariates, and ultimately prove stronger predictors of national crime rates than economic variables such as GDP and income inequality.

The authors write, "Indeed, these findings coalesce with theoretical and empirical work suggesting that beliefs in punishing and omniscient supernatural agents spread across historical societies primarily because of their ability to foster cooperation and suppress anti-social behavior among anonymous strangers."

Perhaps it is the threat of punishment that makes religion "work" for societies. The first study didn't differentiate between punishment and benevolence in religious behavior. However, these findings are correlational, whereas the first study's are causal. Nonetheless, the two studies are interesting juxtaposed against each other.

Image: Some rights reserved by ~Twon~

When faced with a tough situation requiring self-control today, think about religion. Even if you're not religious.

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 15:27:14 +0000

Religion, regardless of your beliefs, can enhance self-control. But there are caveats—click here to read more.

Back To School Nutrition

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:35:17 +0000

By My Fit Foods' Meg McCall B.S., M.S. Candidate in Human Nutrition, Corporate Nutritionist

It's back to school time for many of our My Fit Food families this week. Backpacks, school lunch boxes, and grocery store trips are all on the agenda. Local stores are filled as everyone rushes to get school supplies and school clothes before the big first day. As we get back to our school routine, many parents are struggling with how to provide their kids with healthier food choices and how to pack a nutritious lunch that their child will actually eat. The growing concern is for good reason if you are aware of the nation's health crisis with our children. Better nutrition for kids is on all of our minds—especially us parents.

Over the past three decades, the childhood obesity rate has more than doubled for preschool children ages 2-5 years and adolescents ages 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children ages 6-11 years. Along with the rise in obesity is also the rise in Type II Diabetes which used to be unheard of in young children. Now kids between 10-20 years old represent a very high percentage of the new cases of diabetes being diagnosed.

With the busy lives modern Americans lead, both children and adults are turning to fast food options or cheap processed foods like Lunchables and NutriGrain bars to feed the family. These are the high gylcemic and trans fat-filled foods causing the obesity and chronic disease epidemic in both adults and children alike. As parents, we must begin by modeling the healthy changes. This school year make it a goal to begin replacing the sodas and junk foods with a fridge and pantry full of better options.

Creative packed lunch ideas for you and the family

Avocado, Turkey and Tomato Sandwich on Sprouted Bread
Homemade Lunchables (cheese, non-nitrate lunch meat, and Blue Diamond Nut Thin crackers)
Celery and Organic Natural Peanut Butter
Healthy Trail Mix
Baked Corn Chips with Salsa
Hummus and cut up vegetables
Cottage Cheese with Fresh Fruit
Roasted or Raw Nuts (avoid oils added)
Chobani Greek Yogurt
OatMega Bars
My Fit Perfect Fit Protein Cookies
Cinnamon Apple Sauce (no sugar added)
Fresh Fruit and Cheese

With nutritious snacks and meals like these, we give our children the building blocks to create healthy brains, bodies, and futures. I hope this list helps get you and the family off to a healthy start for this school year!

Resources: www.cdc.gov

Image: Some rights reserved by Signe Karin

Pack your lunch today.

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 14:36:24 +0000

Not sure what to pack? We've got healthy lunch and snack ideas here.

I Love You.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:26:09 +0000

I love you, and ... I love you, but ... relationships are tough, but you always have the right to question yours. Click here for larger image.

Know that it's okay to question your relationships.

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 15:26:17 +0000

Romantic, familial, platonic—it's always okay to question what's going on in your relationships, while loving people.

For the Love of Money

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:41:26 +0000

A smart, successful, independent female friend of mine recently said of money and relationships: "Damned if you do, damned if you don't." With two-income households becoming the norm and stay-at-home-dads not so uncommon, today's couples are confronting money challenges generations before simply didn't have to consider. The modern woman with her career and own source of funds doesn't need a man the way women before her did, but the shift in relationship ideology leaves more questions than answers.

A new study recently considered the extent of men's masculinity ideology, in other words, emotional control, success, dominance, violence, power, and anti-femininity and homophobia, as an influential factor on relationship quality. Authors Patrick Coughlin and Jay Wade from Fordham University concluded that macho men whose partners earn more than they do have worse romantic relationships, in part because the difference in income is a strain for them.

Conversely, they revealed in the journal Sex Roles, men who are not so traditional in their masculinity do not place as much importance on the difference in income and, as a result, appear to have better quality relationships with their female partner. Of course, they started the study with the inherently biased notion that "The breadwinner role for men is still the accepted norm in marriage, and allows for and supports the husband's power and authority in the family."

Money = Power … or Does It?

Power and authority often come with money—but not always. Financial guru Ramit Sethi writes in his blog post "Smart Women Marry For", "I know a lot of guys who think that once they start making 'serious money,' women will be more interested in them. Inevitably, even if they do start making a lot more, they aren’t any more successful with women. What really makes a difference in their ability to attract a partner are other, ancillary factors that money enables."

A certain amount of earning power, money, helps create confidence in the earner, along with access to confidence-building activities like pursuing hobbies, using gyms, or doing yoga. If that’s true, then female money doesn’t buy male happiness but neither does male money buy female happiness.

As two-income households become the norm, two earners are getting their confidence and self-esteem from their work—and their earning power. That's what presents the issue for my female friend: male pride is damned by you if you earn more, your pride is damned by you if you don't earn at least equal.

Changing the Love of Money

One solution: a blogger named "1969" offers, "[Marriage is] like running a corporation. A business venture. You have to go into it knowing that it could fail or it could succeed beyond your wildest dreams and make you rich." Her business-minded viewpoint is indicative of a certain type of new relationship paradigm, where women and men are running the show together with different roles. And that's the key: understanding how earning power makes each partner in the relationship feel, and what role they need to fulfill in the coupling, may be the answer to today's relationship woes.

Image: Some rights reserved by calleecakes

Consider what earning money means to you.

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:41:35 +0000

You don't need to be in a relationship to need to know how YOU feel about earning money—does it make you feel confident? happy? sad? stressed?

Role Model

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:44:10 +0000

By Lyssa Myska Allen

He bragged about breaking ankles. He walked with a swagger and talked trash to anyone and everyone. He was mean, fast, and could rip even the best dribblers. He also taught me how to love.

We weren't in romantic love. He was my boyfriend's best friend, four years older than me. He was the closest thing I've ever had to a big brother, and he taught me everything I know about basketball. Most people would look at Jeremy's life and see low achievement: barely graduating high school, never finishing college, not holding a steady job, fathering a child at the age of 17 and giving him up for adoption ... hardly the role model for today's youth.

Jeremy took me, a 5'9" white girl from the right side of the tracks down to the park, where big black and hispanic guys ruled the courts. I had always played with guys, but mostly nice guys my own age, not older, tough, selfish streetball players. This was irrelevant to Jeremy as we strode onto the court together like we owned it.

So we played, and he passed me the ball, and I made shots, and we showed everyone up. Jeremy brought a lot of street credit to the court, and being with him lent me tons of credit too. No one would let a girl tag along if she wasn't worth her weight in basketball skills.

One time, we went down to the courts and the guys only needed one spot filled for the next game. They asked Jeremy to fill it. He stopped them and said, "She wants to play too." They fiddled a little before saying there weren't two spots.

Jeremy shrugged and said, "I'll wait."

As much as he loved basketball, he loved helping me, getting me game time, and being on my team to help teach me basketball more than he loved playing.

Jeremy was my first role model. Not only did he do as much as he could for my shoddy dribbling skills, but he did everything he could for my confidence. He taught, demonstrated, watched, listened, laughed, joked ... he took care of me. The lessons I learned from him, though disguised in crossovers and box-out techniques, were lessons of love and thoughtfulness.

Image: Some rights reserved by Tobyotter

Thank someone who has served as a role model for you.

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 15:44:26 +0000

It's a twofer—gratitude makes you happy, and making someone else happy makes you happy! Read Role Model.

Verts: Introverts vs. Extroverts

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:59:16 +0000

Become a Beauty Foodie

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 07:05:29 +0000

By Jolene Hart, Beauty Is Wellness

Remember the old saying "you are what you eat?" Turns out, the key to attaining the highly desired youthful appearance and healthy, radiant skin begins from within. Simply stated, what you put into your body has just as much, if not more direct impact on your looks than topical products.

In addition to being the largest organ in your body, your skin is last to receive nutrients and is the first to lose them. Therefore, one should approach food selection process just in the way as choosing a beauty product—paying close attention to desired ingredients, actives, and quality over quantity.

8 Ways to Become a Beauty Foodie

"Beige is bad," is the famous quote of Dr. Jeannette Graf, a leading skin science expert and board-certified dermatologist. Very much like beige can be a no-no in fashion, "beige" foods, such as processed breads and grains, have unwelcome health effects as they are virtually stripped of their nutrients and are handled with difficulty by our digestive system. Instead, turn to colorful fruits and vegetables.
Get your greens. Often discarded and overlooked, greens (kale, spinach, beet greens, swiss chard) are great for balancing the pH of your body, not to mention their high mineral content. A great way to incorporate your daily dose of greens is to go for an all natural green juice or smoothie.
Bring on the berries. Not only are they sweet and delicious, but berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) are full of antioxidants and vitamin C, which supports collagen.
Lean (not so mean) protein. Protein-rich fish, chicken, walnuts, and almonds are loaded with collagen-boosting nutrients and keratin, which supports strong, healthy hair and nails.
Make time for (green) tea. Long honored for its health benefits in the eastern cultures, green tea is also a powerful wrinkle blocker.
Detox. Instead of loading up on coffee, try a glass of warm water with lemon to start your day. It will kick-start your digestive enzymes, detox your system and brighten your skin from within.
Beat the stress. Stress causes premature aging and unwanted weight retention. If you want to relax, opt for some foods that release stress-busting nutrients into your body: dark chocolate (between 60%-70% cacao), oatmeal, and chamomile tea.
Shield your skin from within. Red and orange colored beta-carotene-rich foods are packed with vitamin A, which helps protect your skin from the sun's harmful rays. If you are planning to spend some serious time in the sun, try to load up on tomatoes, carrots, watermelon, etc. at least two weeks before hitting the beach. Don't forget your sunblock, either!

Credit: beautypress.com

Image: Some rights reserved by dermatology.com

Eat something that will make your skin more beautiful today!

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 07:05:30 +0000

Click here to read 8 ways to become a beauty foodie.

Happier Bodies Inside and Out with Turmeric

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 07:05:31 +0000

Purists say you pronounce the first "r." Others swear it's silent. Regardless of your 'r' feelings, there's no controversy surrounding the health and beauty benefits of this wonder spice from India. Turmeric, the golden yellow-orange spice commonly found in curries, has some serious happiness-boosting powers. A member of the ginger family (remember how much we love ginger?!), turmeric has a bitter, earthy flavor that isn't overpowering when mixed in drinks or food, and can be taken as a supplement.

Dr. Mercola summarizes 13 ways turmeric can benefit your body:

Boosts your antioxidant protection against free radicals
Helps promote healthy skin
Supports overall eye health
Provides immune system support
Aids your skeletal system and joint health
Encourages healthy liver function
Helps you maintain healthy cells with support against free radicals
Balances the health of your digestive system
Aids you in support of healthy blood and your circulatory system
Helps you maintain normal cholesterol levels to support your cardiovascular system
Assists your neurological system's healthy response to stress
Promotes a healthy female reproductive system
Helps you maintain blood sugar levels already within the normal range

What Makes Turmeric So Special?

The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin, which has demonstrated antitumor, antioxidant, antiarthritic, antiamyloid, anti-ischemic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Curcuminoids support important blood and liver functions, healthy joints, and overall well-being.

Sneak in Your Turmeric

It's easy to tuck in your turmeric treatments. Here are five ways:

Throw a dash of turmeric into smoothies, sprinkle it on eggs, slip it into sauces—the possibilities are endless for sneaking the spice into your food.
Muscles sore? Sip a Turmeric tonic: 1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric stirred into a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
To combat burns: Mix 1 tsp of turmeric with 1 tsp of aloe and rub it on the burn.
To fight skin irritations: To treat acne, eczema or other skin inflammations, add a few tablespoons of turmeric to a bowl of milk and mix it into a paste. Spread the paste on the area to be treated, let it dry for 30 minutes then wash it off. Use liquid toner to remove any color left behind.
For glowing skin, add turmeric in your face mask.

Prefer prepared turmeric? Turmeric juices are becoming more and more popular; NYC-based TumericAlive bottles four flavors while cleanse experts Organic Avenue make a Turmeric Tonic and LA-based Moon Juice makes a Turmeric Gold juice. No matter how you get it in, the health and happiness benefits of turmeric are too good to ignore!

Image: Some rights reserved by William Ismael | Willpower LifeForce

Try a turmeric trick.

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 07:05:31 +0000

There are lots of easy ways to sneak turmeric into your diet—and your body, mind, and beauty will all reap the rewards of a little turmeric.

Forget Scales, Body Fat is Where it's At

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:26:41 +0000

Forget BMI, forget scales, forget it all. The only thing you really need to measure your success in weight loss is good old-fashioned body fat calipers.

In the period of a single day you can consume enough food and liquid to throw your measured weight off by 5lbs, easily. If you are tracking your weight loss by this measurement, then you are already behind the ball.

Invest in a set of body fat calipers and have your partner or friend schedule you for a weekly check-in. Every Friday works for me. With the correct diet and training it is not uncommon to drop between 0.5% and 1% body fat per week.

To put this into perspective, a fitness model (woman) can sit at around 18% body fat, while the average woman is between 25% and 30% body fat.

25 minus 18 is what? 7. Seven weeks with the correct diet and training and you are suddenly in the league of fitness models.

For men, the average body fat is around 20% and to make your six packs shine you need to be under 10% body fat.

By using the body fat measurement you can put easily achievable targets on your weight loss. We have all dieted and trained before and just used a scale as a measurement. And we all know that sometimes we can still look fat and be extremely under weight—they call this "skinny fat".

Scales do not take into account your muscle mass, which is key, and with proper training, you should be increasing mass. I myself have lost 10% body fat in the period of 9 weeks and my weight stayed the same, yet all my clothes are smaller around the waist.

Good luck measuring!

Seasons of Change: Divine Competition

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 07:05:31 +0000

Seasons of Change is a biweekly column from Jayne Clark addressing different topics each season. Fall's focus is competition. Jayne Clark works intuitively with clients to help them resolve issues regarding relationships, loss, grief, health, and career path. To learn more, head to jayneclark.com.

When we think of competition, we usually think of sports. Yet, when we look around, competition permeates throughout our entire society.

This fall we have another heated presidential election. Adidas is still Nike's biggest competitor. And on an even smaller scale, there is a sweet little toddler competing with his/her older sibling for attention, acceptance and equality within the family dynamic.

What exactly is competition?

Webster likes to define it as a "test of skill or ability, a contest, a rivalry between two or more businesses striving for the same customer or market share."

This definition assuredly sets the stage for some intense, juicy battles among businesses, individuals, and sports teams. And while it may seem very exciting to watch, without conscious awareness, the essence of competition is latent with greed, manipulation, and false power.

It doesn't take much to research major corporations, financial investors, and professional athletes who have crumbled under the seductive powers of fame and prestige. Spotting ill intentions and unethical business practices are easy to see, especially when there are those left in a wake of shattered dignity and respect.

When competition is surrendered to the Holy Spirit ...

We all enjoy the sweetness of victory. We love emotionally charged stories of triumph over tremendous odds. And for goodness sakes, who doesn't love the underdog? Competition and winning are wonderful! Yet it's critically important to look at how we get to the winner's circle in anything in our lives.

To embrace difficult people or a depressed economy with the notion that they are there to help us improve all aspects of our being, allows us the proper use of competition. I have said many times to my own tennis students, "be grateful and respectful to your opponent because without them, you don't get to play the game."

The truth is, there is always a "win" in every loss. When the economy plummets and businesses are competing for market share, it's time to innovate and become creative. To be in a situation such as this, offers us the opening to rise to new heights and shine in ways we have not known.

When given to the divine spirit within us, competition and opposing forces become the midwife to birthing our inner genus. It is the quality of our energy, thoughts, and attitude infused with our talent that makes us brilliant. So even if the outcome isn't what we hoped for, we still walk away feeling as though we won.

It is so important for us to keep shifting our focus away from winning and losing and direct our attention to the unseen substance and content within the entire game of life. Outcomes are always out of our control. Yet the journey and process is completely up to us in how we choose to engage in competition.

My late father always said, "there is the easy way and the hard way." When we surrender our competitive spirits to the holy essence that beats our hearts, we may not always get the outcome, but we will always get the lesson and the benefits that come with it.

Image: Some rights reserved by SparkFunElectronics

Let competition birth your inner genius ...

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 07:05:31 +0000

... instead of letting competition be about winning. Read more about Divine Competition here.

Breaking Bad: Family Habits

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 07:05:24 +0000

Routine can be a good thing. Regular bedtimes and nightly family meals help foster healthier kids who are better prepared to tackle challenges. But some of your family's routine habits may be getting in the way of something better.

Habits get established for any number of reasons—busy schedules, convenience, or not realizing you have other choices. Shortcuts and timesavers can give you more time to spend together, but they could also be shortchanging your experience.

How to Change a Family Habit

Breaking habits can be tough, but luckily there are many ways to reach your goals. Here are some simple questions and tips to help you break any bad family habits, and establish new, better ones.

What's the habit?
Get everyone together and talk about what family habit you would like to change. Is it unhealthy eating? Too much TV? Always running late? Start small and keep it simple. If everyone is involved in the conversation, you're more likely to get everyone's buy-in and meet with success.

What's the reward?
People stick to habits because something rewards that behavior. The reward makes it easier for the brain to put the behavior on autopilot, and before you know it, you have a habit. But the reward may not be that obvious. You may have to try out different rewards to discover what the true payoff for the bad habit really is. For example, you might discover that the real reward of watching TV after dinner is spending time together as a family.

What's the plan?
Once you identify the habit and understand its reward, you can come up with a family plan to start a new habit with new—and better—rewards for everyone.

Ideas for New Routines

Here are some common family habits that could use a little revamping—and some easy ways you can make a positive change.

TV Habits
After a long day, the couch seems to be calling you to just sit and watch TV—even though you know you could or should be doing other things. But you don't have to be stuck in a TV rut. Talk about it as a family and see if you can figure out what your reward is for watching TV. Is it time together? Is it relaxation? Or is it enjoying a good story? Once you identify the reward, look for some other ways to get it.

Togetherness
If it's about being together, brainstorm some other family activities. Think about family game night, backyard soccer, arts and crafts projects, or time at the neighborhood park.
Relaxation
If it's just about chilling out, try substituting other relaxing activities like listening to music, or even just talking.
Story time
If you all enjoy the story element of your favorite TV shows, how about looking for new stories? Set aside some individual reading time, or let everyone take turns reading aloud from their favorite book. Reading a whole story as a family is a fun activity - and younger kids may enjoy acting out their favorite scenes.
Information Habits
Families need to get information about pet grooming deals, kid-friendly restaurants, or vacation tips and deals. With a time crunch—and the force of old habits—it's easy to rely on the same source for answers. But using the same search engine out of habit could be letting you down. For example, when it comes to search, people chose Bing web search results over Google nearly 2 to 1 in blind comparison tests.*

Eating Habits
Full schedules often lead to fast food dinners or junk foods for snacks. While a quick meal when you're busy may seem like a reward, it really adds up to spending extra money and adding extra calories. These ideas still get you food quickly, but with a much healthier payoff.

Take a look at your weekly schedule and plan meals and snacks accordingly. If you know a particular night is hectic, you can plan a make-ahead meal and healthier on-the-go snacks to take with you.
Keep healthy options handy. Apples are the perfect fast food: just pop one in your bag or stash one in the cup holder in your car. Pre-measure individual servings of trail mix or nuts and keep them in snack sized containers so you can just grab one and go.
If you do have to grab a fast food meal, try to make smarter choices. Go for grilled chicken instead of breaded and fried, salad instead of a burger, and apple slices instead of fries.

Remember, while some habits and routines can be helpful, it's a good idea to re-examine them now and then to see if, with a few small changes, your family could be better off.

*Based on a comparison of web search results pane only; excludes ads, Bing's Snapshot and Social Search panes and Google's Knowledge Graph.

Source: Bing / Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Get together with your family and assess if you have any bad habits to work on as a group.

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 07:05:24 +0000

Family habits can be hard to break, but here's how you can do it!

Play Wherever You Want

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:05:31 +0000

Playing is super important for your happiness! It doesn't matter where you play, or if it's technically appropriate to play there. Full-size image here.

Play wherever you want.

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:05:31 +0000

Play wherever you want today!

Freshen Up Your Fall Look

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 07:15:26 +0000

Contributed by beautypress.com editors

Summer is slowly coming to an end, and as the weather changes, so does your more care-free look. It's time to tweak your skin and hair regimens and looks to get ready for the fall season—this includes the fellas!

Fall 2012 Hair

Our beachy summer waves were good to us, but now it's time to bring out the sleek pony tails and top knot buns. Pin straight hair looks great too! Women tend to go a few shades darker in the fall; if you aren't the type to want to change your color, go for a new haircut. Adding layers, bangs, and other face framing styles can definitely add a much softer look and at the same time give you a boost of volume. Remember, healthy hair is always in so be sure to bump up your deep conditioning regimen.

Fellas, get a trim or try a completely new 'do. Fall calls for a more refined haircut than the roll-out-of-bed style that works so well during the summer.

Pictured: Redken Creative Consultant Guido creating a style for Alexander Wang's Fall/Winter 2012 show: a simple downtown look bordering on tomboyish. Inspired by kind of girl everyone wants to be—like Guido styling Gisele Bündchen.

"It's a very simple look, an easy down style with a center part and hair tucked behind the ears. It's a very wearable hairstyle as well- straightforward and effortless." –Guido, Redken Creative Consultant

Fall 2012 Makeup

Since the weather isn't so hot and sticky anymore you can start bringing out your favorite makeup items from the back of your drawer. Full brows are really in for fall since they frame the face so lovely and add structure to your entire look. If you weren't blessed with much action in the eyebrow department, try adding an eyeshadow or brow pencil in the same shade as your hair color to just fill in your brows lightly. Remember to follow the natural shape of your brow and keep it minimal.

For the eyes, play with your eyeliner and experiment with neutral hues like browns and dark greens to add some color without being too dramatic for the day time. Now is the perfect time to bring out your favorite reds and richer lip colors. For day time, even adding your infamous "your lips but better" color will make all the difference in pulling everything together! So bring out all of your nudes and taupe colors too.

For men and women, you may need to switch your moisturizer to something a little thicker. With colder weather comes drier air, so baby your face!

Fall 2012 Fragrance

Its time to trade in those tropical and fruity/coconut scents for some warm and comforting fragrances. Some of us have our signature year round scents that we tend to stick to, but you can always add some scented lotions or mists to give you an extra seasonal kick. Warm and spicy scents tend to really be in for fall, since they really mesh well with the colorful leaves. When shopping for fragrances look for key notes like Amber, Ginger Orchid, and Sandalwood. If they tend to be a bit too strong or masculine for you, try a soothing scent with warm vanilla to make it a bit softer.

Fall 2012 Nails

One of the easiest ways to get into the fall spirit! Pastels and mints are so last season. Ditch them for some rich and vibrant dark tones. Chocolates, Burgundy, Red, Black, Navy, and even some mauvey grey tones. If you aren't much of a "color" type of person, nudes look great in all seasons. Since the holidays are coming soon, be sure to stock up on your glitter top coats to add the perfect amount of glisten to your fingertips!

Your Support System Game Plan

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 07:05:30 +0000

By My Fit Foods' Meg McCall B.S., M.S. Candidate in Human Nutrition, Corporate Nutritionist

Ask yourself these questions:

Are you stuck in a rut with your weight loss and fitness goals that you can't get out of?
Do you feel like you never have time to exercise or cook healthy meals for you and your family?
Do you have 15 to 20 lbs or more to lose and you have been saying every Monday all year, "This is the week!"
Are you eating fast food or take out many more nights of the week than you want to?
Is your doctor telling you it is time to make a change because of cholesterol, triglyceride, or blood pressure numbers?
Does your wife or husband worry about your health and nag you about it?
Do you feel like you can't focus at work and lose all energy and productivity after lunch?
Do you drink more coffee than you should just to get going or keep going?
Do you drink wine or other alcoholic beverages at night to calm your stress and sleep?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are not alone. Most Americans are feeling this way—out of whack, overweight, and overstressed. We can't keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect the same results, (insanity) so we must develop a game plan for a support system that can help get you out of the rut. After all, you deserve to look and feel your best and age well. Your quality of life is everything and focusing on it with the right tools and support can change things very quickly.

Creating your Support System

INFLUENCE: Surround yourself with people that have the lifestyle you want. They eat healthy, they exercise, and they inspire you to feel and look good. Read daily affirmations everyday and look at your goal list every morning.

PRIORITIZE AND PUT YOURSELF ON THE CALENDAR: If your health is not your number one priority, then your body is a ticking time clock headed for burn out or disease. Put yourself in your calendar for work out times, for meditation times, and for practical to do's like grocery store cooking and stopping in My Fit Foods so you are always stocked up and ready to go.

BUDDY SYSTEM: Get an accountability buddy at work or someone you speak to on a daily basis like your spouse or best friend. Getting a trainer is a great way to create structure and accountability and they will whip you into shape! Writing your food and exercise down in a journal and sharing it either daily or weekly with this person will help keep you honest and see trends such as when you have a stressful day you want cookies!

VISUALIZE SUCCESS: Write specific long term goals down with monthly achievable steps. Add a visual: either an old picture of a thinner you or a magazine cut out of what you would like to look like. Remember: anything is possible no matter what your age, size, or health. Keep these visuals and goals right by your desk and read them every morning.

START A MY FIT REVOLUTION AT WORK: You spend more living hours at work than you do anywhere else. Americans work an average of 45 to 60 hours a week. Why not create healthy change where you spend most of your time? Our 21 Day Corporate Challenges are saving companies on health insurance costs and improving productivity. Every dollar spent on corporate wellness will save a company on average 5 dollars. Once a handful of people lose 6 to 15 pounds in 21 days, the success is contagious and everyone wants to take part. Walking and exercise groups begin and friendly competition and comraderie settle in. Just don't fight over the microwave at lunch time and get used to people eating their 3 o'clock snack in meetings. Ask your HR team and CEO to participate—when leaders change, the entire company can be inspired.

We know you are busy, tired, and carrying alot of responsibilities. Build a support system to help yourself out!

Image by Meg Braisted

Start building your support system.

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 07:05:30 +0000

Use these tips to surround yourself with people who are supportive of your health and fitness goals.

Do Less

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 07:05:32 +0000

Lost in Tim Kreider's summer piece for the New York Times about our society's busyness (The Busy Trap, profiled on the DailyHap blog) was that anyone can make time for idleness, and in order to create productivity, one absolutely must.

Science is backing up his anecdotal claim: a UCSB study found that taking a break to do something mindless helps you come up with more clever ideas for a creative project. Ten minutes is the perfect amount of break time—longer constitutes procrastination.

A new article in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, also suggests that the long-lost art of introspection—and daydreaming—is an increasingly valuable part of life. Findings from a collection of studies suggest that brain activity during rest is correlated with self-awareness, moral judgment, learning, and memory.

USC researcher and article author Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and her colleagues argue that mindful introspection allows people to engage in constructive internal processing and productive reflection. Research indicates that when children are given the time and skills necessary for reflecting, they often become more motivated, less anxious, perform better on tests, and plan more effectively for the future.

Immordino-Yang says, "Consistently imposing overly high-attention demands on children, either in school, through entertainment, or through living conditions, may rob them of opportunities to advance from thinking about 'what happened' or 'how to do this' to constructing knowledge about 'what this means for the world and for the way I live my life,' " Immordino-Yang writes.

No, the brain at rest is not at all idleness. The brain at rest allows us to understand and manage ourselves in the social world.

Do less. Daydream. Rest.

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:41:05 +0000

For why you need to do less: click here. Daydream, take a mental break, or just zone out!

Update your fall look...

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 15:50:54 +0000

Anyone can get in on the action with a new 'do or updated products! For suggestions, click here.

Got a Cold? Here's a Trick to Feel Better Fast

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 07:05:25 +0000

By Dr. Mercola

Should you work out when you feel like you're coming down with a cold? According to the research, this may in fact be a good idea.

At the very least, it is unlikely to do you any harm unless you exercise too vigorously.

In one such study, participants were infected with a cold virus and then divided into two groups: an exercise group or a non-exercise group.

The exercise group did 40 minutes of supervised exercise every other day at 70 percent of their maximum heart rate.

At the end of the 10-day trial, the researchers concluded that while there were no differences in the severity or duration of the symptoms between the two sets of subjects, there was a difference in how they assessed their own cold symptomsⁱ.

The exercisers reported feeling better overall compared to those who remained sedentary.

Active People Suffer Fewer Colds

Other studies have clearly shown that regular exercise will help prevent catching colds in the first place.

For example, one 2002 study found that those who exercised regularly suffered 20-30 percent fewer coldsⁱⁱ. Other studies demonstrate an even greater impact.

According to a 2006 trial, regular, moderate exercise reduced the risk of colds in postmenopausal womenⁱⁱⁱ by half. The year-long study examined 115 sedentary, overweight, postmenopausal women, none of whom smoked or took hormone-replacement therapy. Half were assigned to an aerobic exercise group and the other half attended a weekly stretching class only.

The patients in the exercise group were asked to work out about 45 minutes a day, five days a week, but they were only able to reach the 30-minute mark per day, with brisk walking accounting for the bulk of their body work. By the end of the study, the women who performed aerobic exercises on a weekly basis had half the risk of colds of those who did stretching only.

The ability of moderate exercise to ward off colds also seemed to increase the longer it was used. In the final three months of the study, the stretching-only group had a three-fold higher risk of colds than the exercisers.

The fact that the enhanced immunity was strongest in the final quarter of the year-long trial suggests it is important to stick with exercise long term to get the full effects. I've often said it's crucial to treat exercise like a drug that must be properly prescribed, monitored and maintained for you to enjoy the most benefits. That also means that you can't bank exercise either; it's not like money. Even if you were a world-class athlete, in about two weeks of not exercising you will tend to start to experience deconditioning.

All in Good Measure...

Personally, I believe that if you have enough energy to tolerate it, increasing your body temperature by sweating from exercise will help to kill many viruses. However you need to be very careful and listen to your body, and not do your full, normal exercise routine, as that could clearly stress your immune system even more and prolong your illness if you are not careful and wind up overdoing it.

Also keep in mind that exercising too much can have the opposite effect on your immune system.

This is because intensive exercise boosts production of cortisol; a stress hormone. Stress hormones inhibit the activity of natural killer cells—a type of white blood cell that attacks and rids your body of viral agents. This is why running a marathon can actually increase your chances of getting sick shortly thereafter. In fact, elite endurance athletes can suffer anywhere from two to six times as many upper respiratory infections during a year, compared to average, active individuals^iv.

According to an article in Sports Science Exchange, athletes are advised to avoid exercise if cold symptoms are "below the neck," or if they're running a fever. So-called "head colds" seem to be less serious in general. I think the same recommendation would be prudent for most people.

Above all, always pay heed to what your body is telling you, and if you feel too fatigued to work out, don't push it. More than likely, what you need then is rest. But if you're thinking of skipping your workout routine simply because you've been told you "shouldn't exercise when sick," then you may want to reconsider, as it could actually help you feel better, sooner. It will be especially helpful to mildly stimulate your immune system with some gentle exercise.

Are Colds Unavoidable?

If you want to avoid colds, it's important to understand what causes them. And while exercise-deficiency may be part of the problem, another factor is likely to get top billing... The average American gets one to four colds per year, and colds are a leading cause of doctor visits and missed days from work and school. The majority of them occur during winter months, and this is a major clue as to one of the primary causes, namely lack of sunshine, and hence decreased levels of vitamin D.

In fact, there's compelling evidence suggesting cold and influenza may be little more than symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. The connection between vitamin D and reduced immune function is so strong that boosting your vitamin D levels anytime you feel a cold coming on should definitely be at the top of your list. Ideally, you'll want to maintain your vitamin D levels within the optimal range year-round, of course. But according to Dr. Cannell of the Vitamin D Council, you may also stop a cold in its tracks, or shorten its duration, by taking up to 50,000 IU's of vitamin D3 for three days.

Most people mistakenly believe that colds are caused by bacteria, but this, of course, is incorrect. Colds are triggered by viruses, which is why using antibiotics to treat a cold is an exercise in futility. It simply will not work. This is because viruses are much smaller than bacteria and have entirely different structures that make them impervious to antibiotics. The only thing you're doing by taking an antibiotic for a cold is unnecessarily weakening your immune system further, by destroying all the bacteria—both good and bad—in your gut, which is where 80 percent of your immune system resides.

That said, it's important to recognize that although the virus actually triggers the cold symptoms, the virus is NOT the real cause of the cold. Believing that a virus "causes" a cold is a very dangerous perspective to take, for once you allow external forces to "control" your health, you lose the ability to improve it.

In a nutshell, colds and flu are symptoms of immune system deficiencies, as your immune system is normally fully capable of eradicating viral invaders such as the cold virus. The only time the virus can take hold is when your immune system has been compromised. Although there are many ways you might end up with a weakened immune system, the more common contributing factors are:

Vitamin D deficiency as previously mentioned
Eating too much sugar (particularly fructose) and too many grains
Not getting enough rest or sleep
Using inadequate strategies to address emotional stressors in your life
Insufficient exercise
Any combination of the above

Exercise—It's Not Just for Looking Good

I believe optimal health will remain elusive unless you have an active lifestyle. A regular exercise program can do amazing things for your health, and boosting your immune system is a major part of those benefits. If you are exercising regularly, just as if your vitamin D levels are optimized, the likelihood of your acquiring an upper respiratory infection decreases quite dramatically. Another benefit of exercise is its ability to stabilize your insulin levels, which will have a cascading positive effect throughout your body.

Whenever you struggle with your time management, remember that exercise is every bit as important as eating, sleeping and breathing... Viewing exercise as a necessary, non-negotiable part of your day is the trick to getting it done. Ideally, schedule it into your appointment book the way you would an important meeting or social event. Set the time for it and then make no excuses about keeping it.

To maximize the benefits from exercise, you'll want to include a variety of more challenging techniques. You need not only strength training and aerobics, but also core-building activities, stretching and, most importantly, anaerobic or high-intensity interval training-type exercises.

Please don't make the mistake I did for decades by wasting your time on steady, hour-long cardio sessions on the treadmill as your primary form of exercise. It's actually one of the least effective forms of exercise there is. High intensity interval training, on the other hand, whether you do it on a treadmill or a recumbent bike, or using weights (aka super-slow weight training), has been shown to be one of the most effective forms of exercise—even providing benefits you can't get any other way, such as boosting the release ofhuman growth hormone (HGH), also known as "the fitness hormone."

References:

Prevent a cold with a healthy bout of exercise today!

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 07:05:25 +0000

Fight the onset of cold season with a preemptive strike of exercise! Details on how it works here.

Green Beauty: What Do Labels Mean?

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:05:29 +0000

We're huge proponents of green and chemical-free beauty at DailyHap. Here, Sheryl Lynn Gibbs answers your pressing questions about "green beauty" standards. Sheryl is a Holistic Aesthetician and Cosmetologist who has studied aromatherapy, nutrition, homeopathy, anti-aging, herbal medicine, Ayurveda, and cosmetic chemistry. Sheryl's Sevani is an holistic beauty line formulated to nourish skin and the planet.

Q: Selecting a natural and organic product can be so confusing, how do we know how to select a truly natural product?

A: Unfortunately the term "natural" is not regulated. It can be very deceiving as a product may contain as little as 1% of a natural ingredient, yet the average consumer would be unaware. This deceiving tactic is very common in the marketplace, however today's well-informed consumers are becoming much more ingredient-savvy. Additionally, some of the most well-respected specialty retail chains are now imposing stricter standards for anything that carries a "natural" label.

Organic on the other hand, does require certification. Any product in the United States that is labeled as "100% organic", "organic", or "made with organic ingredients", must be certified. Only 95% and higher organic products are able to display the USDA organic seal on their labels. Not all useful ingredients are available certified organic, yet this does not always mean the ingredient was contaminated with a chemical. In some cases they are wild-crafted or grown at a small farm.

Avoiding controversial toxic ingredients is more important in my opinion then seeking an organic product. A good rule of thumb to consider: if a product is labeled "natural" yet is priced in line with the least-expensive products on store shelves, chances are it is not truly natural. Read ingredients and become informed.

Q: What made you go into the green beauty industry?

A: As a child I suffered with extremely sensitive skin. When my grandmother from Italy came to live with us and started an herb garden, she would make tinctures and massage them on my skin and it made a considerable difference. This inspired me to work with natural remedies.

I studied cosmetology as a teenager and for over 25 years I have been customizing clients' facial and scalp treatments with botanicals and anti-inflammatory ingredients to minimize negative effects. There are over 80,000 chemicals on the market today but nearly 20% of them are kept secret according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Diseases of the skin and allergies are on the rise and have increased dramatically during the past few decades. Green beauty is the best solution!

Q: What are some key ingredients to look for right now when shopping for natural products?

A: The key is to avoid terms such as "natural" on labels alone and become more familiar with the highest quality natural ingredients. Knowing what to avoid may be easier then knowing what to look for. Highly controversial ingredients to consider avoiding include parabens, silicones, hydroquinone, DEA, TEA, Phthalates, SLS, mineral oil, propylene and butylene glycol, to name just a few.

Q: Just because a product is natural does that guarantee that it's safe?

A: Absolutely not. A good example here would be that of Poison Ivy. While it may be natural, it is certainly not our friend in most cases (homeopathy being the exception). Of course many known natural ingredients such as these are not in beauty products, because we know of their negative effects.

We are all complex beings that have unique sensitivities or allergies. Allergic reactions are possible to even the most pure and natural ingredients. However, they are often less common. As with any ingredient, just because the first 50 people that use it may have no reaction cannot possibly guarantee that number 51 will not. As a result I work with anti-inflammatory ingredients that have a history of minimizing sensitivities. I always recommend that people slowly introduce new products and note any changes. Sometimes we misinterpret our skin acclimating to new products as an allergy when it is not.

Q: What are the benefits of living a green lifestyle?

A: Knowing that you are contributing to a healthier planet and lifestyle is beneficial to all. It is never too late for change and living the green lifestyle shows that we are committed to the very planet that we should show gratitude for.
Mother nature provided us with an abundance of beautiful land, food, and water so it only makes sense to treat it with respect.

Try a green beauty or personal care product.

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 07:05:30 +0000

Fellas, beauty means skin and grooming products too. Click to read more about green beauty labels.

The Secret Happy Pill

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 07:05:29 +0000

By Jordan Myska Allen, musician and very happy dude. You can read more about him here.

"Suppose you read about a pill that you could take once a day to reduce anxiety and increase your contentment. Would you take it? Suppose further that the pill has a great variety of side effects, all of them good: increased self-esteem, empathy, and trust; it even improves memory. Suppose, finally, that the pill is all natural and costs nothing. Now would you take it?

The pill exists. It's called meditation."
- Jonathan Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis

There's an easy way that's scientifically proven to make you happier, healthier, more balanced, more effective, and less stressed out. It increases your effectiveness, makes sleep easier and more restful and improves relationships. Word on the street is that it even gets you closer to God/Enlightenment. It's called meditation, or, in the academic community, mindfulness.

If you're meditating daily already, great! You have no need to read further—unless you want to help your friends live better, happier lives.

If you're not meditating daily, why the hell aren't you?

Don't take my word for it (or Jesus's* or Buddha's or Muhammad's or pretty much every other figure we revere)—the research is ridiculously conclusive. Try this article, or one of these Time articles: here or here.

Fact: Life is better with meditation. Way better. There's no need for me to recap these summaries, instead I write to help explain why you're not meditating and how to remedy such a thing. (Spoiler: make room for it in your schedule.)

What You Think about Meditation is Probably Wrong

Myth #1: I can't do it, I'm always thinking.

Do you think meditation is trying to clear your head? Well, you're wrong. Many people are waylaid on the path to peace by false information. No need to point fingers, let's just set the record straight.

Meditation is a practice of non-judgement towards your thoughts. Specifically, it takes the subjective feeling that "I" am thinking (feeling, existing), and makes it into an object of awareness. We often identify as our thoughts and feelings—I am what I am thinking, I am hot, cold, I am successful, male, female, etc. Yet, these thoughts last for a few seconds, at most, and we have the feeling that something persists. What is that feeling? It's the awareness of these thoughts. As Sartre said, the consciousness that thinks is not the same as the one that says I am. Otherwise, how could you be aware of yourself thinking "I am"?

So eschew the idea that meditation is not-thinking. Thought comes (it always will), you observe it without judgement, and let it pass. Like a cloud evaporating before the sun. Like a bubble floating to the surface of water and popping. Like a log floating down the river of your mind.

There are many different forms this practice can take, but the point is that you build a habit of peaceful thinking that then becomes more and more available to you during the rest of your life, when you're not specifically practicing "meditation."

Myth #2: It takes too much time

Not all runners need to train for marathons. Similarly, not all meditators need to drop everything and go on a 10 day meditation retreat. Just start with a 5 minute meditation every day. Maybe you up it to 10 minutes, and 15 minutes once a week. That's enough. That's a bunch more of meditation than you're doing right now.

If you run a mile every day instead of sitting on the couch, I promise you'll feel healthier. Similarly, if you meditate 5-15 minutes a day, I guarantee you'll feel healthier, happier, and less stressed out. I guarantee you that you'll want to keep doing it.

Myth #3: Why would I want to be a passive pussy that's just cool with whatever happens?

This is the most destructive and pervasive myth about spirituality. Being nonjudgmental DOES NOT mean non-action! You always have to act. Not-acting is an act—it means you're breathing and standing in one place instead of moving.

SO, if something terrible happens, like someone tries to rob your wallet on the street, the meditative attitude doesn't mean you just sit there like a dumbass and hand them the keys to your car as well. No, it means that because you have less judgement about what's going on, you're actually quicker to react and more in tune with the most appropriate response. If you weren't peaceful, maybe you'd be too scared to jump after the robber. Or maybe you'd be too angry to realize that they've got two friends with a gun, so it's a better idea to just go on your way. The meditative attitude gives you the freedom to react to any situation with greater clarity and discover the most appropriate and beneficial action, even if it means kicking some ass.

So get on your butt and meditate**. Not everything is meditation—to truly be a transformative practice it has to, in some way, take some aspect of your subjective identity and turn it into an object that you're aware of and able to see from the outside. Find a practice that works for you, start small, and stay consistent. If you stick with it, you'll notice tiny incremental changes that add up to massive leaps over time.

---

*The word "meditate" appears in the Bible (King James Version) 14 times. (Words that could be translated as "meditate" appear much more often.) The count includes mentions of prominent Bible characters engaging in the practice, as well as explicit commands for all who worship God to do the same. Examples: 1 Timothy 4:16, Psalm 1:1-2. Note that a great way to get outside of your subjective identification is to put it out there for God to observe.
**Not all meditation requires sitting. There are great traditions of movement oriented options such as walking meditation. Note that walking is not inherently a meditation, as it has to be paired with conscious attention.

Image: Some rights reserved by edoardocosta

Meditate. 5 minutes.

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 07:05:30 +0000

Seriously, just do it. Got excuses? We got answers.

Always #Happy

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:05:28 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen

A friend recently tweeted to me: Sometimes I wonder how you stay so #happy. It is both encouraging, and maddening. : )

There is this notion amongst my friends and readers of DailyHap that I personally am happy all the time—and I've done my best to perpetuate it. You really can be happy all the time!

Except, you can't, really, be happy all the time.

Encouraging Happiness

In a lot of ways, writing about happiness every single day is nothing but an experiment on myself: can I be an example of how you really can be happy all the time?

There are a lot of things you can do to "be happy" all the time: practice gratitude, forgiveness, and love. But mostly it comes down to accepting the situation you are in, finding peace there, and then deciding what to do about it. That's what makes me happy.

For instance, it does not make me happy that DailyHap has not yet been featured on the Today show or Katie or Oprah. Some days that small fact makes me downright depressed. But once I accept that as the current truth, I can be happy about the people who have written saying DailyHap is helping them. And I can keep promoting the site, sending pitch emails, and networking until one day this site does land on a national TV show.

Maddening Happiness

Jealousy is an ugly emotion in excess, but a little jealousy can be healthy. That which feels "maddening" about seeing someone else's happiness is a hint of jealousy. "They" seem so happily married/content in their job/have the best kids, that we can’t help but be annoyed by "them".

But you can use that sense of being mad that someone has what you want—happiness—to help you identify what exactly it is that you want and how to get it. In my friend's case, I'm certainly open to sharing my happiness tips with her! But you can also look at being jealous of happy relationships or work situations as learning tools: how do the partners in the relationship treat each other; how does a worker view her work—an obligation, a treat, a challenge?

Fake It 'Til You Make It

The other secret to my seemingly perpetual happiness? I fake it. A lot. And suddenly the line is blurry between fake and real—and in this case, that's a good thing. If I'm sad or down, I let/force myself to wallow. That in itself makes me happy, as it allows that emotion a real place in my life. The changes in my perception of the situation then change the actual situation.

Once the wallowing is finished—an hour, a day, a weekend later—I figure out where to go from there. I find the happiness in the situation, most often it's an opportunity: a bout of indecision is a period of opportunity; a contract gone bad is a chance for a new experience in business.

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end" - Semisonic's Closing Time

Peace

All states are temporary: high happiness and low sadness, and in between. In the end, the peaceful state of acceptance and comfort with whatever emotions and situations arise looks a lot like happiness.

Image: Some rights reserved by Eloïse L

If you're bummed, try faking happiness.

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:05:29 +0000

You CAN fake it 'til you make it. Click here to read Always Happy.

Just 10 Words

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 07:05:29 +0000

Quick, without thinking, make a list of ten words that describe you this very second. They can be feelings, emotions, personality traits, physical traits, whatever.

We'll wait.

Done?

Good. Now let's get into a little self-analysis. You can do this exercise any time for a glimpse into your psyche at any given moment—but it's incredibly important that you don't censor yourself. Look over your list of words. Ask yourself these questions:

How many are positive? negative? neutral?
How many are action-oriented? passive?
Which ones describe you just in this moment, and which are more permanent?

Using your words and your analysis, is there anything you can do to take action—can you make yourself happier by eliminating a barrier, can you tackle a task to alleviate stress, can you decipher what's making you happy in that instance and replicate it in the future?

This exercise takes almost no time at all but can be very revealing if you let yourself be honest with yourself!

Image: Some rights reserved by chadmagiera

Make a list of 10 words to describe yourself.

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 07:05:29 +0000

Do it without thinking. Then click here to learn how to analyze yourself.

Seasons of Change: You Are Your Only Competitor

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 07:05:39 +0000

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments." – Jim Rohn

There are three ways in which we are all the same when it comes to our personal and professional lives. We all have the same amount of time. We all have unique challenges and circumstances. And none of us likes or wants to do the hard stuff.

Exercising discipline can take us from being mediocre to great!

The challenge is, our "discipline muscle" is extremely out of shape. Those of us who are on the spiritual path talk ourselves out of doing the hard stuff, saying things like "it crosses my boundaries", "I need to take care of myself", "I need to process", "I am much too sensitive to put myself through that."

In that mindset, we stay stuck and small, never reaching our true potential. We have come to think that if a situation is difficult, it must not be aligned with our inner guidance or our path. We have made up this elaborate story that the spiritual path is all about flow, living a peaceful life, and obtaining all that we have ever dreamed of.

I'm certainly not suggesting that we can't experience those things. But often times, the reality is, we don't. Running a business, raising a family, or solving social issues is neither peaceful nor easy. The more we get into the game of life, the more challenges we face—and that is a good thing!

What are the real challenges we deal with?

We struggle with feeling inadequate, thinking we don't have enough education, and fear of the "what ifs". And we allow those thoughts and feelings to get in the way of progress and stall out any kind of momentum needed to push through whatever obstacle presented.

Whatever the situation is ... we are the only ones we are competing against.

Every day we must set our own standard by which we show up in these areas. This is the discipline muscle we need to build: we must learn to hold ourselves accountable and not wait for someone else to motivate us. And we must practice acceptance, shifting our perception from negative to positive, and changing our thoughts towards the things we don't like.

We live in a time where we can't afford to have a give up and quit attitude—especially those of us who are on a spiritual path. Now, more than ever, we must raise our expectations of what we know we are capable of doing and becoming. We have to be willing to create a spectacular vision for ourselves, our children, and our communities.

But we can't stop there because we can all daydream and wish for a better world. We must also have the courage to roll up our sleeves and do the dirty work. And sometimes the dirty work means not allowing our children to quit something because they don't like it. Other times it means we have to go inside and do our internal work. For others, it may mean speaking out and taking the heat for a social issue about which they are passionate.

The bottom line is to recognize the only thing we are competing against is our own negative thought processes and feelings. That is it! There isn't an outer world. There is only our perception of an outer world and the players in it.

Welcome the challenges. Welcome the hard times. If we embrace them with an open and willing heart, they will actually bring forth a deeper consciousness and presence within ourselves that we could not do on our own.

Image: Some rights reserved by iNelsonRocha

Practice discipline.

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 07:05:39 +0000

What areas of your life need a little more discipline?

Disease reversal through food: TABOO?

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 07:05:21 +0000

By Brian Johnson and Christopher VanBerg of CorpFIT. CorpFIT's goal is to integrate Western and Eastern medicine practices because they both have their place in complete wellness.

We get sick, or disease comes into play when we have a breakdown in our immune system (defense system). This could be from a number of factors, but here are a few examples: heavy metal toxicity (not the music, so rock on metal lovers), environmental toxins, and "leaky gut" syndrome.

Science proves that (1)vitamins, (2)minerals and (3)enzymes play a vital role in our health. Phytochemicals are the 4th, seldom-mentioned, nutritional classification. Every one of the four is found in foods. Phytochemicals, though, are not easy to obtain (seeds, skins, rinds, leaves, and also the stump-end of a pineapple).

In many ways, phytochemicals are the real key to a COMPLETE nutrition program. They have anti-aging, anti-disease, antifungal, and antiviral properties. They are capable of fighting against cancer, AIDS, regenerating lost organ function, and rejuvenating the skin to have a more youthful appearance. All that with no toxicity effect!

What we have been led to believe is that medicine cures and treats our illnesses. In the process, we have been turned away from the amazing immune system God has created in each one of us. Nature has provided us with nutritionally dense foods: foods that grow on trees, vines, under the ground, and 14,000 feet in the Peruvian Mountains.

Our bodies were not born with medicines in them. It seems only logical that we can cleanse, balance, and build our bodies through nutrition (one of the foundations for wellness) and supplementation (to be used in conjunction with nutrition, not as a substitute). Our immune system is capable of combating anything put in its path if it is tuned up and in optimal operating condition.

I (Brian) have not been to the doctor since I was 13. I will be 35 in November. We are not negating the importance of check-ups, routine blood work, and physicals—we advocate physicals and blood work to see where you are deficient. We believe that if you take care of yourself, your body will in turn take care of you.

Utilizing food to combat disease and illness

1) CLEANSE and purify the blood (stagnant blood is a breeding ground for disease). The following can be used in your daily diet and blending for good results:

Beets: lower homocysteine levels due to Betaine content
Garlic: antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-aging
Coconut: antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-aging
Burdock Root: blood purifier
Wild liquid Reishi Mushroom: great for the heart and vascular system; the most potent medicinal mushroom, known as the "Mushroom of Mortality"
Red Peppers (capsicum): circulates the blood (important).
Celery: has been used in Chinese Medicine for thousands of years; contains "Pthalides" that relax the muscles around the arteries to allow more blood flow; protocol to drop blood pressure calls for 6 stalks per day
Apples: (just random but awesome info) contain cyanide in the seeds (kills cancer cells), have large amounts of Pectin (fruit based fiber that produces BGBM), promotes regularity, Contains SOD (superoxide dismutase) which is a phase II enzyme (for more on phase II enzymes, read our "Juicing vs Blending" post). They contain over 300 different elements and even contains its own enzymes to break itself down! How crazy is that?! The old saying "An Apple a Day keeps the Doctor Away" holds a lot of truth.

*Garlic and coconut are 2 things on earth that are Anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-aging. They have no toxic effects other than smelling heavily of Garlic which may result in you being single or capitalizing on your "Me Time" a little more =)
*use coconut oil to cook with over other oils, it is saturated fat so when it is heated it does not turn rancid or unusable and toxic to the body.

2) BALANCE THE HORMONES (endocrine system) and BALANCE the GUT Flora (good 85% and 15% bad bacteria) Consider using these to assist hormone and flora levels:

alkaline vs. acidic PH: fruits, veggies, and alkaline restructured water
Maca Root: grows 14,000 feet up in the Peruvian Mountains—the highest of anything we eat; arguably the most potent endocrine or hormone modulator for menopause (female) and andropause (men). Maca is noted to increase sperm count 180-300% in males; so guys, you have been warned!
Ginseng: great for the Adrenals (Chronic Fatigue)
Pumpkin seeds; highest in Zinc (sex hormones); great for osteoporosis
Black Sesame Seeds: high in Iron, Silica (bone, hair, skin, and nails) and high in phytosterols
Goji berries: secretagogue-enhances GROWTH HORMONE (anti-aging) production and has high amounts of Arginine (vasodilatation), 8oz of Goji berries has more Beta-carotene than 25 lbs of carrots and contains 18 essential aminos (complete protein) and 21 trace minerals—truly awesome super fruit! We use Ron Teagardens "Heaven Mountain" gojis
Fermented vegetables: have trillions of probiotics per mouthful. Very cost effective $4-6.
Probiotics: Good Belly-Big Shots™ are what we use here at CorpFit, and have had stellar results and feedback on the BHBM's (Big Huge Bowel Movement) from our clients =). This is crucial when you are front loading great nutrients you HAVE to make sure the exit strategy or "dumping" portion of all the waste is just as efficient, if not more, otherwise, you will induce a healing crisis.
A healing crisis happens when all the good nutrients have killed a lot of the bad toxins in the body, and toxins from the dead bacteria, virus, or invaders are overwhelming for the system (body). The body can shut down, or go into a healing crisis. Typically, humans have anywhere from 9-21 lbs of undigested food matter in our intestines (this is a major reason why we use liquid supplementation). We should be going 2-5 times per day (bowel movements=BMs moving forward). We should be urinating 10-15 times/day. 1BM a day is cutting it close. If you are under that amount, we need to talk so we can help you out.
Supplement with a liquid multivitamin and mineral supplement. We use Genesis Pure™. Brian even gives it to his 5 year old, and his parents, because Genesis Pure™ is the best for Cleansing, Balancing, and Building that we have come across. Because it is liquid, it has great bioavailability (absorption). Trace minerals, enzymes, and vitamins are found in high amounts in organic fruits, super fruits, and veggies as well.

NO F.E.A.R. = Failure. Expected. And. Received—Live with no F.E.A.R.

We at CorpFIT believe that if you don't make time for your wellness, you WILL make time for your illness.

"Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food" -Hippocrates

Image: Some rights reserved by woodleywonderworks

Eat garlic and coconut today.

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 07:05:22 +0000

Or, try any of the other foods suggested for disease reversal here.

Embrace Your Dark Side

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 07:05:22 +0000

By Jordan Myska Allen, who knows how to be happy. You can read more about him here.

At this point in history almost all educated westerners are aware of the fact that human beings have subconscious motivations affecting our decisions. We recognize that humans often repress negative emotions, thereby splitting off a piece of ourselves and creating a "dark side." Yet the public knowledge of what this unconscious shadow is, and how to deal with it, is sorely lacking.

The Lie of Whole Humans (or, Human Developmental Lines)

First, we make the mistake of believing that a person is one whole being. We see someone who's a physics whiz and are confused as to why they're not socially adept. We're surprised when a skilled political leader is caught in a sex scandal. I'm not longer surprised: Humans are a complex jumble of different lines of intelligence, from cognitive, emotional, kinesthetic, sexual, moral, interpersonal, spiritual, and everything in between. Science shows us these developmental lines follow general patterns but do not necessarily influence each other—therefore it's not unusual to be a highly evolved person in some areas of life and not in others.

It's not such a big deal if we're surprised by the news of another political scandal by a gifted orator (high interpersonal development, low moral development), but it IS a big deal if we fail to recognize the imbalances within ourselves. Without acknowledging different intelligences, we're blind to the possibility of evolving the less developed aspects of our selves. Oftentimes, these lines are what we think of as our "Dark Side."

Instead, if we recognize that despite our college education (high cognitive development) or ability to connect with God/Enlightenment (high spiritual development), we still have repressed our sexual self-expression, we'll find a solution in the sexual line instead of in our analytical thinking (cognitive) or spiritual practices. Try to solve sexual problems with the mind or spirit just won't do the trick—look at the political and religious scandals and you'll know what I mean. (These are just examples, and you could trade out any of the lines for any of the others and see the same imbalances).

It's Impossible to Get Rid of Your Dark Side

The second mistake we make about the dark side is thinking that we have to get rid of it. The problem with this type of thinking is that it's impossible.

Developmental psychology has shown us that every time we move to a more complex stage, we transcend but also INCLUDE the previous development stage. When you learn to run, you never forget how to walk or crawl. Even though you may spend most of your life running, the capacity for crawling is always there and waiting for the right moment to be utilized.

Similarly, what we in Western Society call "the Dark Side" is often just sheer self-expression. Pure egotism. The desire for power and dominion. This is a part of each person's development, and can be expressed in healthy or unhealthy ways. For example—conquering and killing another group of people through war versus conquering another group of people through sports. For example, getting wasted at work and driving home versus getting wasted at Mardi Gras and taking a cab.

When we try to solely repress this aspect of ourselves—an aspect which will NEVER go away—we hide it and let it determine when, where, and how it will be expressed. Instead we need to create safe spaces for healthy expression of this egotism, so that we have control over when, where, and how they come to light. I think that contact sports, Mardi Gras, legal pornography, bloody horror movies, punk rock, and tailgating are all examples of healthy ways to express this part of our humanity. I think street fights, drinking until you black out, child or torture pornography, drug abuse, domestic violence, and short-term self-interest only financial power moves that end up screwing over a lot of people are examples of unhealthy ways to express this aspect of ourselves. But in order to stop these, we have to give ourselves more space to healthily express our egos. We need times, places, and structure where people can be total assholes without hurting anyone else, including themselves, whether it's through art, partying (Vegas anyone?), or wrestling.

Invite Your Dark Side to Play

The point here is that the dark side is not going away, and trying to make it go away just forces it into the deep recesses of our mind where we have no say in how it comes to light. Instead, shine a purposeful light on it and invite your dark side to play. Carl Jung apparently locked himself in his room for an hour or so every night and let himself be entirely crazy. He wrote it all down in a red book. No one could interrupt, no matter how mad he seemed to be. At the same time, when that hour was over he was back to normal, no matter what. He knew that whenever something arose throughout the day, he'd have a safe space to express it, and he knew it wouldn't take over his life because that space had a finite limit of time.

I recommend that we all create this in our own lives. It doesn't have to be as extreme as Carl Jung—in fact it should be specifically tailored to our own personal lines of development and personal preferences. I'm happy to help readers figure out what that is for themselves, given their own psychological state and history, in a consultation (click over to jordanallen.net for more info), but the point is to find healthy, non-harmful ways to let yourself be YOU, to let yourself feel your emotions, regardless of how eccentric, shameful, or unjustified those emotions are.

Try Jung's practice. If you deal with anger, once a day lock your door and set a timer for 30 minutes. You get to be fully angry during this time. Punch pillows, write angry letters, scream and yell, whatever. But you have to stop when the 30 minutes is up. If you get angry later that night, save it for the next day's 30 minutes. Creating this safe space will give you permission to fully feel what you feel, and give yourself permission not to feel it when it's inappropriate (at work, at a little league game).

Experiment with a couple practices, and let us know how it goes. Embrace your Dark Side—it's not ever going away. Just do it in a healthy way, making sure it causes no harm.

Image: Some rights reserved by Kaloozer

Embrace your dark side.

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 07:05:22 +0000

... in a healthy way. Read more in Embrace Your Dark Side.

Get Happy By Letting Yourself Off the Hook

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 07:05:31 +0000

By Robyn Whyte, who knows how to be happy and writes at Robyn Writes.

I am intelligent, but not a scholar. I am curious, but not a researcher. I am devout, but not disciplined. I am religious, but not orthodox.

For many years I expected myself to be all of the above, which means I am well acquainted with failure. Liberation came with accepting who I am and letting go of who I am not. There will always be sufficient scholars, researchers, disciplined devotees, and orthodox faithful to make up for my deficiencies.

I am impressed by your scholarship, but no longer intimidated. I can admire your discipline without shaming myself, and gladly let you have your orthodoxy, with great relief.

The freedom and exhilaration of letting yourself off the hook of unrealistic expectations is accompanied by the joy of embracing authenticity.

Speaking for myself, it means trusting my intuition more than fact gathering; trusting contemplation more than petitioning; rejoicing that outspokenness and extroversion serve a purpose; affirming my innocence and earnestness, and acknowledging that I am not everyone’s cup of tea.

Who do you know yourself to be? Dare to share?

Image: Some rights reserved by Steve Snodgrass

Let yourself off the hook of unrealistic expectations.

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 07:05:32 +0000

Here are a few examples of things you could let yourself off the hook for, in this article.

Prove Yourself and Show Them All Up

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 07:05:28 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen, who knew how to be happy in third grade

This is my third-grade report card. The notes are from my all-time favorite teacher, who I once dressed as for Halloween, I idolozed her so much. She writes: "She does need to put more effort into her writing."

Little did she (or I) know that I'd grow up to be a writer. Had I been discouraged by her comments, my life could look completely different than it does now. I don't even remember this, though. Listen to feedback, take what you need, leave the rest.

Prove to yourself who you are, and it'll end up showing them all up.

Listen to feedback, take what you need, leave the rest.

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 07:05:29 +0000

Prove yourself and show them all up.

Who, What, Why Fair Trade

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 07:05:30 +0000

October is Fair Trade Month, but let’s talk about how fair-trade good contribute to your own and others' happiness. Everyone from Ben & Jerry's (buy one, get one fair trade ice cream all month!) to your neighborhood boutique is talking fair trade—here's the who-what-why (out of order).

WHY Fair Trade

"Historically, the term ‘fair trade’ has meant many things. The Fair Trade League was founded in Britain in 1881 to restrict imports from foreign countries. In the United States, businesses and labor unions use ‘fair trade’ laws to construct what economist Joseph Stiglitz calls ‘barbed-wire barriers to imports,’" says Robert Skidelsky, Professor Emeritus of Political Economy at Warwick University. But the fair trade of today started emerging in the '80s with an increased focus on trading goods and commodities from smaller producers, often in poor countries.

According to World Bank research, since the 1970s, commodity prices have fallen in international markets at the same time that consumer prices have risen. The asymmetric response, which has been attributed to trade restrictions and rising processing costs, appears to be caused largely by the behavior of international trading companies. Many of these companies are large enough to dominate most commodity markets.

So, while the standard trade model favors large plantations, agri-business, and multi-national corporations, fair trade supports small farmers and producers. Non-profits and religious organizations are often included in this umbrella because they work with artisans and producers coming out of dire situations like slavery, human trafficking, or poverty. Happiness point number one: people leaving desperate situations get happier.

WHAT Fair Trade

First, know that Fair Trade Month was created by Fair Trade USA, an organization that is embroiled in controversy amidst claims from other fair trade groups (like Equal Exchange, who posted an open letter) for abandoning global fair trade organizations and relaxing restrictions.

Coffee, tea, cocoa, herbs, spices, cotton, produce, and sugar are some of the most common fair-trade items, along with artisanal goods like jewelry, home goods, and clothing and accessories. Often, but not exclusively, non-profits help elevate groups of people out of slavery, himan trafficking, or poverty through the production of fair-trade artisan goods. Happiness point number two: just changing where you buy goods you already buy can help support other people.

WHO Fair Trade

Fair trade groups and re-sellers help facilitate higher market prices for providers, the provision of credit, enforcement of labor standards, and external monitoring of these policies. Alongside the ones mentioned previously, we've found some good websites for information, directories, and more. For bricks-and-mortar stores and online shopping, click over to Ten Thousand Villages. To search for stores near you or online sites, try Fair Trade Federation's listings. And for some of our fave fair-trade goodies, check out our own Good Shopping: 9 Fine Fair Trade Organizations, which focuses exclusively on artisanal goods. Happiness point number three: it's easy to shop fair trade, so get to it!

Image: Some rights reserved by changemaker2011

Support Fair Trade Month.

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 07:05:30 +0000

Support fair trade month by buying fair trade! Confused? Here's your who-what-why of fair trade.

Diet Sodas Are Making You Fat

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 07:05:28 +0000

By My Fit Foods' Meg McCall who knows how to be happy because she has a B.S., M.S. Candidate in Human Nutrition, Corporate Nutritionist

Growing up in the era of Tab, I developed a fondness for the taste of artificial sweeteners. I recall my mother drinking gallons of Tab and then later Diet Coke. The preferred drink anytime was a diet soda—even if we went to McDonald's and got a Big Mac with a Large Fry—it was accompanied by a Diet Coke.

Many of us who have dieted like diet sodas because they taste sweet, have zero calories, and contain caffeine. If we are cutting calories, then we can drink as much Diet Coke as we want and it fuels us for the day. Anyone up for a 64-ounce Diet Coke from your nearest 7-Eleven? Those were the good old days.

In 2010, nearly 927 million cases of Diet Coke were sold and 892 million cases of Diet Pepsi! Holy Aspartame Fest!!
Now we know better Here is what research and even a little My Fit Foods research tells us now:

Diet sodas with aspartame actually increase your CRAVINGS for food and sweets. Containing the amino phenylalanine—it actually causes an imbalance in your serotonin which causes the cravings for sugar and carbohydrates. This happens especially at night when you get that serious hankering for some ice cream or chips. Your serotonin has dipped abnormally low and your body will do whatever it needs to for the quick fix. Cut the diet sodas and watch your cravings lessen.
Diet sodas have been proven to cause WEIGHT GAIN even without obvious cravings. One study showed that people that drank two or more diet sodas a day experienced a waist size increases that were six times greater than people who did not drink diet soda.
Diet sodas cause brittle BONES and deplete your body of much-needed minerals. Study after study show that because these beverages are acidic, they are leaching your bones of much needed calcium. With the abundance of phosphates and imbalance of body pH, osteoporosis is a common result of diet soda consumption.
We conducted an experiment here at My Fit Foods to show just how ACIDIC Diet Sprite was. We put one 16-ounce Diet Sprite in a large container and tested its pH. It was so acidic it took 40 containers of 16 ounce My Fit Foods water (pH 7.8) to neutralize ONE DIET SPRITE. Wow, that is how acidic diet sodas are for the body. pH of your blood and body fluids is imperative to how your body operates. Your body will work hard to maintain your blood pH to be in between 7.35 to 7.45, but keep in mind that those with a higher pH of 7.45 will carry 60% more oxygen than those with a lower pH. Oxygen is life after all. Watch your body change when you switch to nourishing your body with oxygen-giving alkaline water like My Fit H20.
From the observations of our Nutrition Coaches, when our 21 Day Challengers give up their diet soda crutch, they experience greater FAT LOSS and more ENERGY. Everything just starts clicking and they lose those sweet cravings. That is why we recommend water and herbal teas for 21 Days.

So now that you have the evidence you need to show you that diet sodas really are the enemy with brain balance, bone health, and body pH, let's talk about healthy alternatives. Create your own healthy beverages:

Mountain Valley sparkling water with a splash of lemon or orange juice. Add a stevia sweetener for added sweetness. Only buy brands that are pure stevia. Many brands such as Truvia contain sugar and stevia.
Herbal teas and one to two cups of green tea a day are a great way to have something "special" besides water.
Coconut water is a great alkaline recovery beverage after working out.
Juicing your own green drinks is a great way to alkalize the body and provide the body with antioxidants and nutrients.
Drink the My Fit Cocktail daily. You can drink your Cocktail as a "Shooter", shooting all the concentrated juices or you can be a "Sipper", mixing the Cocktail with water and drinking. Some even dilute their Cocktail and drink in a liter water bottle, sipping all day. This is a great way to boost pH and support all detox organs: intestines, lymphatic system, liver, and kidneys.

Ditch the diet sodas and let us know how you feel! Email us or catch us on Facebook with your Diet Coke recovery stories.

Image: Some rights reserved by globochem3x1minus1

Cut out all diet sodas.

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 07:05:28 +0000

... today OR all week! All month! We've got drink substitutes here.

Recipe for Fighting Autumn Depression

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 07:05:26 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen, who only knows how to be happy in the great outdoors

Q and I are trotting slowly up a hill, on a narrow path covered in fallen yellow aspen leaves, the mythical yellow brick road of aspens. The wind picks up, and the yellow leaves start falling from the trees, swirling around me and the horse, flecks of yellow-gold against a heartbreaking blue. The air currents whistle softly through the trees, rustling the leaves, gently loosening the chosen ones to float against the bluebird backdrop that is the Colorado sky. Q snorts in the way of a happy horse; I relax back in the saddle, recognizing that this is my magic moment.

This is the first moment I really, truly, loved fall.

I've long held that I get seasonal depression during the winter, but this fall was my first experience with resistance to a different season. I flat-out refused to embrace the onset of autumn. Despite the fact that I too like all things pumpkin, scarves, and the incredible change of leaves from green to gold to gone, I just couldn't grasp any enthusiasm for it. But one magical autumn afternoon changed it all for me.

It's that simple. The easy-peasy recipe for fighting autumn depression: find its magic. Fall clothes, fires in fireplaces, snuggling under blankets, football season, whatever you can grasp ahold of—do. The more you embrace the good, the more good you'll find. Then, before you know it, you'll be loving fall as much as the next person—or it'll be winter.

We're lucky to have the passing of the seasons, marking time, allowing us fresh perspectives, even if they start out resistant or negative. You can obviously put this strategy into play during any season. Embrace the good to find the good!

Image: NOT the moment described above, but taken on the same day. Q is pictured.

Find your magic moment of autumn!

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 07:05:26 +0000

Fight autumn (or any season) depression with this easy tip.

Happy is the New Skinny

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 07:05:29 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen, who knows how to be happy but not how to be skinny

"Strong is the new skinny" / "Fit is the new skinny" / "Healthy is the new skinny" ... why would anything want to be the new skinny?! Skinny is all kinds of things but in this context it is an ideal: people want to be skinny. But for most people, "skinny" is an unattainable ideal that can create disordered thinking physically and mentally.

The substitutions that have been making the internet rounds under the "fitspiration" movement—strong, fit, healthy and the like—are only marginally better, with the possibility of creating similarly disordered thinking. Are people to replace an unattainable starvation-based ideal with an equally-unatainable ideal that involves several hours a day of fitness training and regimented eating?

Gena at Choosing Raw addresses the "Healthy" issue better than I could: "To present 'healthy' as an ideal is both wonderful and a little tricky: wonderful because it gives us hope and motivates us; tricky because it can make those of us with health conditions feel frustrated with our bodies, or even blame ourselves for the fact that we’re not always glowy, energetic, and pain-free."

So, we propose an alternative: nothing needs to be the new skinny!

... but it IS catchy, so if there IS a need for a new skinny, let the daaaaawg lend you her advice: HAPPY is the new skinny. You look, feel, and ARE your best when you are HAPPY.

Replace your body mantra with a happiness mantra.

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 07:05:30 +0000

For example, lots of people want to be skinnier, or fitter, or stronger. Those things are awesome. But you'll find that if you become happier, you can also become those things easier.

Give yourself time and less pressure to see body changes.

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:05:25 +0000

Whether your genes dictate that you're a quick responder to exercise or a slow-gainer, you need to give yourself time to reach your goals—body or otherwise!

A Cheek Swab for Your Athletic Prowess

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:21:22 +0000

Heard of a VO2 max? Probably, but did you know that a low maximal oxygen consumption is a strong risk factor for premature mortality? That's just one of the reasons exercise is so good for you. But a new test can help you find out just what type of impact exercise will have on your body.

XRGenomics sells a test where you swab your cheek and return the sample to the company. The idea stems from research studying the efficacy of endurance exercise, which increases VO2max with a very wide range of effectiveness in humans. The original research published in a landmark 2010 study looked into the DNA of people who respond well to exercise, and those who don't—like your friend who drops 20 pounds picking up jogging, while you've been jogging for years and barely lost ten.

Researchers found that about 30 variations in how genes were expressed had a significant effect on how fit people became. A subsequent study echoed these findings and suggested that new means are needed to personalize endurance, strength, and especially combined endurance and strength training programs for optimal individual adaptations. The uncovered gene profile accounts for at least 23 percent of the variation in how people respond to endurance training.

The New York Times quotes Dr. Timmons, one of the founders of XRGenomics, "The idea is to help people to understand why" they might be progressing more slowly in an exercise program than their training partners are. Presumably, the test would educate and motivate, allowing a slower-gainer to give themselves more time with less pressure to achieve their goals.

The new test can predict your response to exercise, but the real lesson is in patience.

Image: Some rights reserved by mikebaird

Seasons of Change: How to Win at Life

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 07:05:40 +0000

Phil Jackson, one of the most successful NBA basketball coaches, once said, "my number one priority in coaching is to create a strong culture by developing such things as leadership, empowerment, communication, care for others, relationships, and trust."

What an interesting philosophy and perspective. Wouldn't you think that strategy, technique, and proper shot selection would be your number one priority? After all, it's basketball, not a psycho therapy session.

I see brilliance written all over that approach.

Our lives are never about the form. But rather, our lives are about the quality of energy we bring to the forms. We can't control winning and losing. Likewise, we can't control how others perceive us, react to what we do, or how they hear what we say.

Winning or achieving anything—a job promotion, graduating college, raising a family, operating a successful business, is influenced largely by how well we capitalize on the things we do have control over. Here's how we can take Jackson's winning philosophy and apply to our own lives.

We can choose to be the leaders within our own lives. For some that may mean getting the emotional help needed to overcome painful experiences. For others it may mean furthering their education, making amends where necessary, or changing their work habits.

Empowering ourselves is really a matter of increasing our strength and stamina to sustain making healthy choices. We can find strength in listening to other people's stories and experiences or watching a powerful documentary. Connecting with people who are of like mind can foster a sense of safety by which we can go deeper into our own strength and courage.

Being honest and expressive in our communication can bring crystal clear insight into any challenging situation. When we have healthy conversation with another, we feel validated and cared for. Listening is also central to every verbal conversation. When we can communicate clearly and listen with an open heart, we have placed ourselves in the posture for optimal growth and healing.

When I first entered the work world, I had a boss say to me, "people are not so much interested in what you know as much as they are in how much you care." Caring for others is the same as caring for ourselves. We have good inner feelings when we genuinely show care for others.

Relationships are living organisms. In order for them to grow and evolve, they require nurturing, attention, and mindfulness. Building solid relationships can allow us to achieve greater success than what we could do on our own.

The more we trust in our inner guidance, the more it trusts in us. And when we place our trust in what can be truly trusted, we experience stability and security. The outer world will forever be in motion. It will ebb and flow, constantly changing and evolving. In the midst of change, trusting the eternal essence that resides in all of us can always bring forth a wisdom and guidance as to how to navigate those changes.

These are all principals that we have control over. At the very least, they are within us and are accessible to us anytime we choose to work with them. They are fundamental to our peace, joy and fulfillment to life.

Even if we didn't get that job promotion or other goal, we can still have a sense of ourselves and who we are. We don't get lost in the outcomes. Because the truth is we can do everything right, prepare the best way we know how to, eat the right foods, make the best grades, and it still doesn't guarantee us the outcome we are hoping for.

To me, Jackson's philosophy is: go for quality and character of being, the rest will take care of itself.

Image: Some rights reserved by BobbyProm

Take control of your inner world to win at life...

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 07:05:41 +0000

Employ just one of the six ways to win at life detailed here.

Is Your Body in Flames?

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:45:34 +0000

By My Fit Foods' Meg McCall, B.S., M.S. Candidate in Human Nutrition, Corporate Nutritionist

There is a silent killer out there affecting all of us and this smoldering fire is the true root cause of most chronic disease today. Inflammation is the root cause of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disease, and obesity. Think of inflammation as a slow burning fire and poor lifestyle, lack of movement, junk food, and obesity is adding gasoline to the flame.

Inflammation is a normal and beneficial process when used by the body appropriately. It's the work horse of our immune system that uses chemicals and hormones to fight invaders like bacteria and viruses. So, although we need inflammatory mechanisms to make our immune system work, when this process gets out of hand, we are actually causing rapid damage to the body. Think free radicals, and think aging faster with chronic disease rearing its ugly head.

So, how can we lower inflammation and help ourselves also lose weight? Inflammatory signals slow down the metabolism and cause the body to be in an alarm state—think water retention, fat storage, and belly fat.

Symptoms of Chronic Inflammation:

Being obese or overweight
Eating a poor diet
An existing heart condition
A family history of heart disease
Diabetes that's poorly controlled
A sedentary lifestyle (no, or very little, exercise)
Smoking
Long-term infections
Gum disease

The only real cure for chronic inflammation includes three tenets:

THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET

The 21 Day Challenge IS an Anti-Inflammatory Diet. We choose lean proteins, low glycemic index carbohydrates, healthy clean oils, antioxidant rich fruits, vegetables, and spices—all of which control insulin and radically lower inflammatory hormones. The kinds of oils you eat are imperatively important—think Trans Fats—your biggest douse of gasoline to the fire. Think sugar and white flour—adding fuel to the flame. This is why people lose weight so easily on our program—from 6 to 15 pounds in 21 Days.

SUPPLEMENTS THAT FIGHT INFLAMMATION

FISH OIL is your number one fighter of inflammatory hormones and can literally turn them off. In one six month study, subjects receiving just 1.5 gram a day of EPA % DHA omega-3 lowered their CRP by almost 40%.
The Daily Fit Pack has every nutrient that you can think of that will lower your inflammation level, boost your thyroid, and naturally nourish your energy levels. The antioxidants present in these vitamins and herbs are like water to fire. They include:
CURCUMIN
RESVERATROL
VITAMIN D3
MAGNESIUM
B-12
NAC
ROSEMARY
ALPHA LOPOIC ACID
CINNAMON

LIFESTYLE REMEDIES:

Get daily sunlight if possible to improve your Vitamin D3 status.
Get moving! Exercise at your own capacity and do it daily if possible.
Lower your chemical burden. Cut out fragrance where you can.
Get 8 hours of sleep. Nothing turns up the heat for inflammation worse than lack of sleep.
Have fun and laugh—endorphins lower inflammatory chemicals.

Remember that the My Fit Foods 21 Day Challenge truly is your ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET just waiting to serve you. Get with one of our Nutrition Coaches and make it happen!

Image: Some rights reserved by SuperFantastic

Follow one step—diet, supplement, or lifestyle—to reduce inflammation in your body.

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:45:34 +0000

Here's why inflammation in your body can go south, with ways to douse the fire!

Happier Halloween

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:03:14 +0000

Kids and adults alike look forward to Halloween each year. From the costumes, to the sweet treats, there's plenty to get excited about. But Halloween also provides the perfect opportunity for kids to get involved in the community as well. Use these tips to help your child think of the holiday as yet another way to spread a festive spirit, with less emphasis on candy, and more emphasis on giving back.

Collect donations for a cause. If your kids plan to trick-or-treat, talk to them about collecting coins for an organization that helps children in need throughout the world. For 62 years, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has encouraged kids to help raise funds for their peers in developing countries by going door-to-door on Halloween night or participating in other festive fundraising activities.

"Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is a powerful way for parents to teach their children the value of helping others and for kids to learn about the world," said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Get crafty with the kids. Encourage your child to use their creative talents to help spread the Halloween spirit by designing their own Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box. The "Create-a-Character" contest allows kids to submit their Halloween character design for a chance to be selected for the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF 2013 limited edition collection.

Make it a group activity—encourage your child's scout troop to participate, or help your child organize a party for neighborhood kids to spend an afternoon designing characters, then enter online before Oct. 26, 2012 at www.trickortreatforunicef.org. Fundraising kits containing a blank collection box for design may be ordered online with free shipping or by calling 1-800-FOR-KIDS while supplies last.

Share some spooky treats. Kids love to get involved in the kitchen—especially when sweet treats are involved. This year, whip up a batch of spooky treats together to share with neighbors, teachers, patients at the local hospital, and residents at your nearest retirement home.

Donate old costumes. Your kids grow quickly, so it's unlikely they'll be able to wear the same Halloween costume two years in a row. Discuss with your child the needs of other children their age and give them the opportunity to donate their gently used Halloween costumes and clothing. Be sure to explain to your children how their costumes can help make another child's Halloween extra special, and make sure they're involved in the donation process.

Host a Halloween slumber party. Encourage your child to invite their closest friends for a night of spooktacular fun and treats. Ask each child to bring a canned good to the party to donate to your local food kitchen.

With a little planning and creativity, you can use the excitement of Halloween to encourage your child to give back to their community as well.

Start planning your halloween costume

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 16:03:22 +0000

It's a great excuse to dress up and try out a character you don't normally get to embrace! For tips on getting kids in the spooky spirit of giving, click here.

Nudge to Motivate Community Engagement

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:05:34 +0000

From voting in the upcoming election to recycling, engaging people in their communities is a challenge for government—and other organizations, like PTAs, Scout groups, and Neighborhood Watches. A team of British researchers from the University of Manchester and the University of Southampton recently tackled the issue with research, carrying out a range of innovative experiments to get robust evidence about ways to change civic behaviour. Their work is published in a report, "Rediscovering the Civic and Achieving Better Outcomes in Public Policy", funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

They say that if approached in the right way, citizens are definitely willing to change their behavior and do more to help themselves and others.

The researchers focused on comparing the effectiveness of 'nudge' techniques, where people are offered incentives to change their behaviour, and 'think' techniques, which takes a planned approach where people are given information, the opportunity to discuss and debate a subject, and then opportunity to act. Nudge techniques include doorstep canvassing, a person receiving feedback on their actions, and public recognition of a person's contribution. Think techniques include passing out written information and online debate forums.

The team found that motivation via nudge yielded overall better results, but those results were not always sustainable in the long term.

For example, in a recycling experiment, there was a ten per cent increase in household recycling as a result of doorstep canvassing. But the initial improvement faded—after three months, the increase was just four per cent.

"The think experiments gave us more modest results, but it does not mean that Governments should dismiss this approach," argues lead researcher Professor Peter John. "Face-to-face techniques, more so than online, offer the potential for a richer and more complex platform for discussion and participation."

Interestingly, the researchers found that people with positive feelings about their neighborhood, but with a distrust of government institutions, are more likely to get involved in their local area.

"The findings are very positive and supports the idea that a local approach using nudge and think techniques can lead to citizens getting involved in collective neighbourhood activities," states Professor John. "Based on our findings we suggest that a mixture of nudge and think techniques combined with opportunity for positive two-way feedback— government to citizen and citizen to government—is needed."

You can apply these behavioral approaches to business and work settings too!

Image: Some rights reserved by longislandwins

Do something community-focused today ...

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:05:35 +0000

... recycle, vote, register to vote, volunteer, donate ... is this a nudge or a think?! You'll have to click and read the article in order to make an informed decision.

How Big is Your Group?

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 07:05:34 +0000

Tribes, groups, teams ... groups are how we function throughout much of our lives. How big does your group need to be for ultimate happiness?

There are a few things to consider. First, you have strong ties and weak ties within your social groups, and this fact is exacerbated greatly by the surging popularity of social media. Different experts argue that certain types of ties are more important than others, but no one knows the definitive answer—like most things happiness, you probably have to experiment to find the best mix for you.

That said, British anthropologist and evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar studied in animals the relationship between brain size and the number of stable ("strong") relationships that a species had in their social groups, then extrapolated what the number would be for humans. "Dunbar's Number" is somewhere between 100 to 230 when you account for margin of error, but he suggests that 150 people is the social group size limit for humans.

Dunbar's research, though, is limited to the strong-tie groups that know each other: where everyone knows everyone and people are in physical proximity. But physical proximity is becoming less and less important in the technologically-advanced world. It may be that your strong-tie high school group of 150 transitioned to your college group of 150 to your professional group of 150 ... but with social media, you keep more weak ties, and make more new ones, than ever before. In that case, the old "model" of the 150-person survival group may be evolving.

What about the diverse groups that make up your life—your co-workers, your friends, your family, your college friends, your high school friends, the people you see at the shops you regularly visit—that don't necessarily interact?

Jacob Morgan postulates that it is these ties, the weak ties—relationships that do not require that everyone knows everyone in the group, and are not based on physical proximity—that are the important ones.

Without a tribe near us, though, we feel alienated, isolated, and stressed. Group connection is critical to happiness, but the shift may be that there are more, smaller groups filling that essential human need as opposed to the larger social groups of the past.

Inspired by: 100 Things You Should Know About People

Image: Some rights reserved by halseike

Consider: what do your social groups and tribes look like?

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 07:05:34 +0000

Consider your groups, separately and cumulatively, and calculate your tribe number. Are you comfortable with it? Are you happy?

Book Review: The Happiness Project

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 07:05:39 +0000

by Lyssa Myska Allen, who uses DailyHap.com to help her figure out how to be happy

As someone who wants the population of the entire world to start focusing on their happiness, I really, really wanted to like The Happiness Project. As a New York Times Bestseller, it’s definitely spreading the love about being happy. But … I didn’t.

I love the premise: to take small steps toward happiness (um, sound familiar?). Author Gretchen Rubin is both privileged and successful in her own right and that seems to turn some readers off, but that’s not what bothered me. What bothered me most about The Happiness Project is that it is cold. It lacks the warmth and humor necessary for a story about human growth.

The book also struck me as incredibly self-absorbed. Now, plenty of stories are all about their author, this is not a problem in and of itself. It is also, you could argue, the point of the book. True. But the stories Rubin tells lack the humor, empathy, self-awareness, and poignancy that make stories about someone else’s trials and tribulations so fun for us as observers of their lives to read.

The book explores various expert sources at happiness—some academic research, some internet celebs, some religious texts—and I think in theory, that’s a great mix. But like her anecdotes, Rubin fails to engage. She simply implements “expert ideas” without any creativity or deeper reflection on why or how.

I must confess I only read half of the book. But that’s part of my review: I could only read half of the book—and happiness is my passion. I’m glad happiness is more and more at the forefront of our society’s consciousness, but I can’t say I’m happy that this book is the text many are using to guide them in their happiness journey.

Use DailyHap.com instead! (You knew that was coming.)

Recommend a book to a friend.

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 07:05:39 +0000

We don't recommend The Happiness Project, you can read why here. But we DO think you should read, so get recommending (or collecting recs)!