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The most popular question of 2012 on Slate's "The Explainer" was "Why do rich ladies sunbathe topless?" After that important exercise in investigative journalism was completed, Slate doubled back to answer another high-ranked question that's a modicum more interesting, although the interested parties could probably just have watched Blue Lagoon for a fun cinematic answer with way more celebrity nudity. More »

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If you're taking the plunge into gluten-free eating this year, you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed right about now. With so much information and so many products out there, where do you even start? This straightforward guide to gluten-free flours and explanation for making your very own signature flour mix from Shauna Ahern of Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef is just what you need to get going. More

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A growing number of Americans are living to age 100. Nationwide, the centenarian population has grown 65.8 percent over the past three decades, from 32,194 people who were age 100 or older in 1980 to 53,364 centenarians in 2010, according to new Census Bureau data.
In contrast, the total population has increased 36.3 percent over the same time period.
Centenarians in the United States are considerably different from the overall population. Here's a look at some of the characteristics of people who live to age 100:

[In Pictures: States Where People Live the Longest.]

Female gender. It is overwhelmingly women who live to age 100. In 2010, 82.8 percent of centenarians were female. For every 100 females age 100 or older, there are only 20.7 males the same age. Females also make up 61.9 percent of those in their 80s and 72.2 percent of people in their 90s. "We know that women are more social than men. Other studies have found that staying socially connected predicts greater life expectancy," says Gary Small, a professor on aging and director of the UCLA Longevity Center in Los Angeles, who is not affiliated with the Census Bureau report. "If you are social, it may reduce stress levels because you can talk about your feelings and things that stress you out and it seems to help many people. If you need a ride to the doctor or you fall, they can take you to the hospital or help you find the best doctor."

Less diversity. Centenarians are considerably less diverse than the overall U.S. population. In 2010, some 82.5 percent of centenarians were white, versus 72.4 percent of the total population. Black or African Americans were unique in that their proportion of the centenarian population (12.2 percent) is about the same as their percentage of the total population (12.6 percent). Asians made up 2.5 percent of the centenarian population, while they make up 4.8 percent of the total population. And Hispanics represent 5.8 percent of centenarians, but 16.3 percent of the population.

Living with others. Just over a third of both female and male centenarians lived alone in their own home in 2010, but the majority of the oldest citizens live with others. "As people get older, things in life happen—like you might become a widow or you might have a disability, and because of those circumstances, living arrangements often change," says Amy Symens Smith, chief of the age and special populations branch at the Census Bureau. Centenarian females (35.2 percent) were more likely to live in a nursing home than males the same age (18.2 percent). Centenarian males are the most likely to be living with others in a household (43.5 percent), compared to just 28.5 percent of centenarian females.

[Read: How to Finance Life Until 100.]

City living. A large majority of the oldest U.S. citizens live in urban areas. "As age increases, the percentage living in urban areas also increases," says Smith. Some 85.7 percent of centenarians lived in urban areas in 2010, compared with 84.2 percent of those in their 90s, 81.5 percent of those in their 80s, and 76.6 percent of those in their 70s. "Living in the city, you have a lot more mental stimulation and the symphony and better doctors and hospitals and more social networking," says Small. "There are more resources, and there is better transportation."

Located in the Northeast or Midwest. States with the largest populations generally have the most centenarians. California has the largest number of centenarians (5,921), followed by New York (4,605), Florida (4,090), and Texas (2,917). Alaska has the fewest residents age 100 and older (40). Wyoming (72), Vermont (133), and Delaware (146) are also among the states with the fewest centenarians.
The Northeast and Midwest have proportions of centenarians that are higher than the national average of 1.73 per 10,000 people, while the West and South have below-average proportions of centenarians. "There's a lot of stuff going on in local areas, including access to medical care, diet, exercise, the culture, risk-taking, and more smoking," says Linda Waite, a sociology professor and director of the Center on Aging at the University of Chicago. "People in the Northeast tend to be more highly educated, and education is associated with a longer life expectancy." North Dakota is the only state with more than 3 centenarians for every 10,000 people in the state. Other states where centenarians make up a relatively large portion of the population include South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska. Three western states have less than one centenarian for every 10,000 people: Alaska, Utah, and Nevada.

[Read: How to Live to 100.]

The proportion of centenarians in the United States is smaller than that of many other developed countries. For example, for every 10,000 people, there are 1.92 centenarians in Sweden, 1.95 in the United Kingdom, and 2.70 in France. And Japan has 3.43 centenarians per 10,000 people, beating even our longest-lived state, North Dakota.

SEE ALSO: These are the 10 best states to retire in >

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Teenage boys have been waiting for this news for years.
According to a new study, squeezing breasts can prevent cancer. Yes, really.
More specifically, the, ahem, fresh research from UC Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that mechanical force can stop the rapid growth of cancer cells as well as guide them back to a normal, healthy growth pattern.

The findings were presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Society for Cell Biology in San Francisco. In the studies, researchers grew malignant breast epithelial cells in a flexible silicone chamber.
They would squeeze the silicone when the cells reached a new stage, and found that the compression aided in stopping the growth, according to MSN News.
“People have known for centuries that physical force can influence our bodies," said Gautham Venugopalan, a leading member of the research team at the University of California in Berkeley.
"When we lift weights our muscles get bigger. The force of gravity is essential to keeping our bones strong. Here we show that physical force can play a role in the growth – and reversion – of cancer cells.”

However, the study's researchers are not advocating a friendly or firm squeeze as a cancer treatment, as the Huffington Post pointed out.
“Compression, in and of itself, is not likely to be a therapy,” said Daniel Fletcher, professor of bioengineering at Berkeley and faculty scientist at the Berkeley Lab, in a statement. “But this does give us new clues to track down the molecules and structures that could eventually be targeted for therapies.”

So don't get too excited.

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When students return to 22 Philadelphia high schools after the Christmas break, they'll have easy access to condoms. Happy holidays, kids! More »

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I loathe to weigh in on the “war on men” conversation, but … alas.
While one can use both logic and data to poke gaping holes in Suzanne Venker’s argument that women need to surrender to their femininity and let men think that they’re in charge if they ever want to get married, I just want to point out one thing–one endlessly repeated thing–that she gets very, very wrong.
Venker claims that there has “been an explosion of brain research” that proves that men and women have different brains. This research, she claims, shows that men are loners who like to hunt and build things and women are nurturers who like to talk and take care of people.

This is false on two fronts.
First, she’s wrong about the brain research.  The books and articles claiming that there are “pink” and “blue” brains are not consistent with existing research.  (They are out there because people can make a lot of money by confirming other people’s biases.)
What does the research say?
It’s true that scientists have documented a number of small, average sex differences in brain anatomy, composition and function, as well as differences in size and tissue ratios. (Other differences, such as the size of the corpus callosum [PDF] and lateralization–whether one sex uses one side of their brain more than the other–have proven to be wrong [PDF].)
So scientists do find some differences, but they have largely failed to link these to differences in men’s and women’s observed emotions, cognition or behavior. That is, we’ve found some differences, but we have no proof that they translate into anything. Moreover, new research suggests that differences we observe may be designed not to create differences between men and women but to reduce them. The brain may have two strategies for achieving the same outcome, or one difference may compensate for another. (For more, see Brain Gender by Melissa Hines.)

That’s one reason why Venker is wrong.
The second reason is even more damning. Most of the research attempting to explain gender difference assumes that there differences to explain.  In fact, meta-analyses aimed at summarizing the literature on human sex differences and similarities in traits, personality, cognitive abilities, sexuality, temperament, and motor skills offer better evidence for similarity than difference. On the vast majoity of traits, men and women overlap tremendously.
Janet Hyde, a pioneer in this area, did a meta-analysis of meta-analyses that combined the results of 7,084 separate studies. She found evidence for a large or very large difference on eight percent of characteristics, and evidence for medium-sized differences on 15 percent.  She found evidence for small differences on another 48 percent.  What does a small difference look like?  Here’s an example of a mid-range small difference (for self-esteem):



For the final 30 percent of characteristics, she found no evidence of gender difference. So, on 78 percent of characteristics, she found teensy differences or none at all. Wow, “opposite sexes” indeed.
The truth is, men aren’t loners and women aren’t talkers. Venker assumes the stereotypes and counts on her readers to agree that they are true, but the data doesn’t back her up.
Two excellent books summarize the debates over gender and neuroscience. Cordelia Fine’s Delusions of Gender is great for a beginner; she’s funny and you’ll learn a lot. Rebecca Jordan-Young’s Brain Storm is great for someone who wants an intermediate-to-advanced introduction to these issues. Her book is downright brilliant. I highly recommend both.

Crossposted from Sociological Images
Brain embroideries from Flickr user Hey Paul Studios under license from Creative Commons 2.0

Taken from here.

The way you start each day is incredibly important. Whether you're a mom, a coach, a writer, a small business owner or a yoga teacher, what you do first thing in the morning matters.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down.

Ayurveda invites us to get a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature's rhythms, balance the doshas and foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline. 

Your mind may say you have to check emails, take the dog out, get the kids out the door, that you can't be late for work or that you just don't have enough time to cultivate your own morning rituals.

But, if you can only make time for one ritual that will improve your health, let it be this.....

Start the day out with a mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon.

It's so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:

1. Boosts your immune system 

Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH

Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.

3. Helps with weight loss

Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it's easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.

4. Aids digestion

The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.

5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic

Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin

The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.

7. Hydrates the lymph system

This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue. When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it can't perform all of it's proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom line is that you really don't want to mess with a deep state of dehydration!

Adopting just this one practice of drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month can radically alter your experience of the day. Don't be surprised if you begin to view mornings in a new light.

Like I said, the recipe is really simple—a cup of warm (not hot) water and the juice from half a lemon.

In the comments below, tell me which one of these benefits is going to get you to try this morning ritual. Or, if you're already a lemon water junkie, what specific benefits have you noticed?

Published May 1, 2012 at 10:30 AM

About Ashley Pitman
As a Wellness Educator, Cleanse Specialist crusader for whole-body nourishment, Ashley Pitman supports thousands of people in achieving a hot body and radiant beauty with a blend of raw food education, Ayurvedic inspiration, guided detoxes courses, and lots of loving encouragement. All the action takes place at Vixi.com, a digital ashram for wellness-inspired people looking to use food as medicine and health as a spiritual practice. Stay devoted to your radiance and well-being by joining the free weekly newsletter with health and lifestyle tips that work. Click here to join and claim a free gift.

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If you need another reason to put down the cigarettes, here you go: According to a new study, the effects of smoking while drinking can seriously increase a hangover. Yep, that pounding headache, upset stomach and general feeling of yuck the next morning could be caused not just by alcohol.
Published in the latest Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, researchers followed 113 college students for eight weeks. During that time, they monitored how much alcohol they drank and how many cigarettes they smoked. They also recorded related health symptoms related to a hangover, including nausea, weakness, headache, tiredness, and difficulty concentrating.

In the end they found that smoking while drinking actually intensifies a person’s hangover the next day. Of course the number of drinks someone has is the main culprit for those nasty feelings of malaise, but the scientists also found a direct link to smoking and hangovers.
In a press release, study researcher Damaris J. Rohsenow from Brown University explained:

At the same number of drinks, people who smoke more that day are more likely to have a hangover and have more intense hangovers.

The exact reasons for this aren’t clear yet, but apparently tobacco smoke contains the acetaldehyde–a chemical that forms in our tissues when we drink and is linked to hangover symptoms. Smoking is also said to increase the release of dopamine, a ‘feel-good’ brain chemical that is also activated by drinking. So it makes sense that alcohol and cigarettes can have the same feel-good and feel-bad effects on our bodies.

The bottom line: If you a smoker who is going to drink, cut back on the number of cigarettes during the evening. Better yet, don’t smoke at all. You might be pleasantly surprised the next morning at how much better you feel.
Photo: shutterstock.com
 
Related posts:

• New Australian Cigarette Packaging Put Our Anti Smoking Warning Labels To Shame
• People Will Totally Quit Smoking If Text Messages Tell Them To
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The Effects Of Smoking On Your Body While Drinking Are Nasty is a post from Blisstree - Nutrition, Healthy Recipes and Fitness.

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A new article in the Scientific American sheds light on the connection between depression and sleep issues. We all know it can be hard to sleep (or, for some people to do anything but sleep) when we’re feeling sad, but this new evidence says that treating sleep problems (especially sleep apnea) can dramatically improve psychiatric symptoms in some patients.

There are quite a few recent studies that explore this connection between sleep habits and mental health. A study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed the medical records of almost 10,000 adults with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition, common in men, where you repeatedly stop breathing while you’re sleeping. The CDC found that men who had sleep apnea were twice as likely to also be diagnosed with depression, and that women were a full five times as likely. Researchers speculate that the oxygen deprived by sleep apnea could harm cells and disrupt normal brain functioning, contributing to psychiatric problems.

Another study, this one conducted by the Cleveland Clinic, found that using a sleep apnea breathing machine on over 779 people caused the people to score lower on a common depression survey. Yet another study found that about 25-50% of children and adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder experience sleep problems, and another report out of Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics in March found that adolescents who reported daytime drowsiness were also more likely to experience sadness.

Steven Y. Park, assistant professor of otolaryngology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine said:

The way I see it, you can’t consider a psychiatric disorder without thinking about a sleep-breathing problem.

So if you or someone you know is feeling depressed or sleeping poorly, it might be worth talking to your doctor about a possible connection about what’s going on in your brain and what’s going on (or not going on) in your bed.
Photo: Shutterstock

You Might Be Depressed Because You’re Not Sleeping Well is a post from Blisstree - Nutrition, Healthy Recipes and Fitness.

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So I object to the very premise of this study, which involves accepting that there is both such thing as a “perfect day” and a “typical woman.” But just for fun, let’s take a look. In the study, researchers polled 909 women (average age 38) about how they spend their time and how positive or negative each activity makes them feel. Based on this, they created a woman’s “perfect” daily routine, including a mix of pleasurable and utilitarian activities. “Our research asks what a perfect day would look like if we take into account the crucial fact that even the most pleasurable activities are usually less enjoyable the longer they last and the more often we do them,” wrote the researchers, whose work was published in something called the Journal Of Economic Psychology.  Here’s what they determined the average woman’s perfect day to look like:

• 106 minutes of sexual intimacy
• 82 minutes of socializing
• 78 minutes of relaxation
• 75 minutes of eating
• 73 minutes of prayer and/or meditation
• 68 minutes of exercise
• 57 minutes of phone time
• 56 minutes of shopping
• 55 minutes of watching TV
• 50 minutes of food preparation
• 48 minutes of computer time
• 47 minutes of housework
• 46 minutes of childcare
• 46 minutes of napping
• 36 minutes of work
• 33 minutes of commuting

In my case, childcare and relaxation aren’t applicable, since I don’t have kids and don’t know how to relax. I would also spend more time working, socializing, computer-ing and reading (which doesn’t make the list at all!); less time talking on the phone or shopping; and no time commuting, praying or doing housework. How does your ideal day stack up? Related posts:

• Fess Up…We Like To Exercise Near Flabby Women, Study Says
• #whyIvoted…Women Confess On Twitter What Made Them Vote
• Happiness Advice: Spend On The Things You Do Every Day
• Ellen DeGeneres On Meditation And Finding Happiness
• Life, Liberty, And 10 Ways to Pursue Happiness, From the Experts

A Woman’s Perfect Day: Lots Of Sex, Little Childcare, Says Study is a post from: Blisstree

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Fatter people are more likely to lose their memories and brain power quicker than those who are thinner, according to British research.
Those who are obese, and have other health problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, lose their memory and thinking skills almost a quarter faster, found researchers at University College London.

Their study was based on almost 6,500 Whitehall civil servants, whose health was monitored between the ages of 50 and 60.
They were weighed and measured, their blood pressure and cholesterol levels were taken, and they were also asked what medication they were taking.
In addition, they were asked to perform mental tests three times during the decade, which were used to assess memory and other cognitive skills.

Of the 6,401 civil servants in the study, nine per cent (582) were obese. Of those, 350 were also classed as “metabolically abnormal” - meaning they had two additional risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, were taking medication for either condition, or were diabetic.
The researchers found the obese tended to lose their mental powers faster than their thinner colleagues, while those who also had additional conditions lost their memory and thinking skills fastest of all.
The latter group experienced a 22.5 percent faster decline on their cognitive test scores over the decade than those who were healthy.

Archana Singh-Manoux, of the Paris research institute Inserm, who contributed to the study, said their results indicated the idea that people could be obese but still healthy was flawed.
Shirley Cramer, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: “We do not yet know why obesity and metabolic abnormality are linked to poorer brain performance, but with obesity levels on the rise, it will be important to delve a little deeper into this association.

“While the study itself focuses on cognitive decline, previous research suggests that a healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol in midlife can also help stave off dementia.
“With dementia figures spiralling towards a million, the findings suggest we should be conscious of our general health throughout life.”



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[Editor's note: Last week Seventeen Magazine vowed to stop using digitally altered images of girls. It’s a great victory for young women, and it’s largely due to 14-year-old Julia Bluhm. Bluhm thought the perfect images sent a terrible message to girls, so she petitioned the magazine to change its policy. At first she got nowhere. What led to Seventeen's change of heart? Megan Kearns at Fem2pt0 recounts what happened.--Mona]

Blum’s petition and the #KeepItReal Challenge received an overwhelming response. The Twitter hashtag “reached over 1.5 million people, including the desks of USWeekly, Glamour and Lucky Magazine – who all expressed interest in talking further about their use of photoshop. Click to read more.

Credit Image: © John Barrett/Globe Photos/ZUMAPRESS/

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The United States Marine Corps has taken a small step into officially integrating women into the front lines of combat. Plenty of female soldiers reported finding themselves fighting alongside their male peers in an unofficial capacity during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, but women still haven’t been legitimately brought in to the infantry yet. But the Marines seemed to be on their way to changing that. They started allowing women into the Infantry Officer Course, which is a huge first step to equal participation for men and women in the Armed Services.

However, one Marine is nervous that the decision to allow women to fight in the front lines of combat is being influenced by women who haven’t actually served in the military recently, and therefore are unable to understand the physical toll of combat and how it would effect women. In a straight-forward piece for the Marine Corps Gazette, Captain Katie Petronio argues that females simply are made differently from men, and so we can’t expect their bodies to respond to long-term time on the front lines like men do. She explains,

“In the end, my main concern is not whether women are capable of conducting combat operations, as we have already proven that we can hold our own in some very difficult combat situations; instead, my main concern is a question of longevity. Can women endure the physical and physiological rigors of sustained combat operations, and are we willing to accept the attrition and medical issues that go along with integration?”

Can women handle the long-term pressure? Captain Petronio believes they can’t. And for her proof, she uses her own experience as a Marine. She entered the service at 5’3”, able to squat 200 lbs and bench press 145 lbs. She completed OCS (Officer Candidates School) ranked 4 out of 52 candidates. She was obviously an extremely fit and strong woman. However, her experience with the Marines has changed both her body and her outlook.

“Five years later, I am physically not the woman I once was and my views have greatly changed on the possibility of women having successful long careers while serving in the infantry. I can say from firsthand experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, and not just emotion, that we haven’t even begun to analyze and comprehend the gender-specific medical issues and overall physical toll continuous combat operations will have on females.”

Now, I have to say, I have never been a member of the Armed Forces in any capacity. I do not have firsthand experience of the extreme conditions and unimaginable physical toll that Captain Petronio went through. She has all  my gratitude for the service she gave to this country. I don’t want to belittle or marginalize her experience or opinion at all. I have the utmost respect for the members of our military.

I guess I just read her piece and felt like it was unfair for one woman to say that every female Marine would encounter the same problems she did. It seemed unfair for her to declare in her headline that the sexes “aren’t created equal” based solely on her own experience. While I realize that I haven’t gone through her ordeal, I don’t think we can assume that every woman handles physical stress and pressure the same way. Some women’s bodies breeze through childbirth. Others are wrecked by it. That doesn’t the latter group the right to say that no one can handle childbirth.
Human bodies are all different. And yes, some of them are not made to serve in the infantry division of the Marines. I just don’t think that gender should be the reason that a person is denied. If they’re not physically capable, of course we shouldn’t shove them through in the name of diversity. But women should be given the opportunity to prove themselves.
(Photo: koh sze kiat/Shutterstock)

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Post from: Blisstree

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Competitive yoga is gaining popularity and might be headed to…the Olympics? That’s right: some devotees of yoga are aiming for yoga to be included as a sport in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Bikram Choudhury (the founder of Bikram Yoga) and his wife Rajashnee say they’re hoping that yoga will eventually be accepted into the Olympics as a competitive sport. But wait: Isn’t competition kind of the antithesis of what yoga is all about? I’ve always thought yoga should be more about meditation, relaxation and inner peace than trying to be a cut above your classmates.

That’s not to say that yoga isn’t athletic or challenging; it certainly is. But instructors constantly tell their students to listen to their bodies and find the pose that works for them—not to look to their neighbor and do their best to one-up them. Tapping into your own intuition seems at odds with the idea of competing in yoga, at least for me.

And it’s not like you’d be judged on your oms. Apparently, competitive yoga measures only the postures, or poses, not anything related to meditation or breathing. And it’s been around for over 100 years in India: Rajashnee Choudhury, the founder of USA Yoga International Yoga Sports Association, says she never would have practiced yoga if it weren’t for the competitions she participated in as a child. At the recent Ghosh Cup in Los Angeles, competitors had three minutes to complete seven poses from the Bikram beginner series, plus two poses of their own choice.

Like many yogis, I feel pretty strongly that the meditative and spiritual practice of yoga shouldn’t be competitive in any way. What many of us love about yoga is the accepting atmosphere, and the chance to focus purely on yourself, your breath, and your mat. On the other hand, I know how much my practice improves when I take it out of my living room and into a yoga class with other people; there’s something to be said for a little healthy competition, to push yourself a bit farther into the pose and deepen your practice. And serious yogis are should definitely be recognized for their incredible athletic ability: peacock pose is pretty damn amazing, after all.

Yoga is still a ways off from awarding gold medals on the world stage, though. Competitions have to exist in 75 countries before a sport can be considered for the Olympics, and right now competitive yoga is only practiced in 15 countries.
What do you think about competitive yoga? Would you participate in it? Do you think yoga belongs in the Olympics?

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Post from: Blisstree

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On top of making us tired and stressed it now turns out are jobs are making us fat. Well, some of them. According to a new survey from CareerBuilder, two-in-five workers (44%) said they have gained weight at their current job. Twenty-six percent of workers gained over 10 pounds, and 14% gained over 20 pounds.On the other hand, 16% said they lost weight.

But what are the jobs that are contributing to our BMI the most? Well take a look at the list below.
· Travel Agent
· Attorney/Judge
· Social Worker
· Teacher
· Artist/Designer/Architect
· Administrative Assistant
· Physician
· Protective Services (Police, Firefighter)
· Marketing/Public Relations Professional
· Information Technology Professional

A lot of these make sense, as you are stuck to a chair all day, which we know leads to a lot of health problems besides just weight gain, but some of these are surprising. Like a physician? I mean on ER the doctors never sat still. And look how skinny the surgeons on Grey’s Anatomy are. Though again, that is television. But as doctors (and I mean real ones) shouldn’t they make a point of trying to be healthy? But what I can’t believe is firefighters? Cops? I guess that makes sense because they can be behind a desk but firefighters have to be  in great shape. If they are gaining weight it should be in the form of muscles.

The study attributes the weight gain to stress (37%), eating out regularly (23%), skipping meals (and then pigging out later) because of time constraints (19%), workplace celebrations (18%), the temptation of the office candy jar (16%) and pressure to eat good your evil coworkers bring in (10%.)
Mindless eating in the workplace is always an issue.  A four-week study of 40 secretaries found they ate an average of 3.1 Hershey’s kisses a day from an office candy bowl if the dish was opaque and covered. Put the candy within clear view, in a transparent glass bowl, and each secretary consumed an average 2.5 more pieces a day. Slide that dish within reach – so the secretary didn’t have to get up from her desk to reach it – and he or she added another 2.1 candies to the daily intake, for a total of 7.7 pieces, says the study by Cornell University professor Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating. “Even for a person with the greatest resolve, every time they look at a candy dish they say, ‘Do I want that Hershey’s kiss, or don’t I?’” Dr. Wansink says. “At the 24^th time maybe I’m kind of hungry, and I just got this terrible e-mail, and my boss is complaining, and gradually my resolve is worn down.”
When it comes to exercise routines, 59% of workers said they exercise regularly. Ten percent said they don’t exercise at all. But on the plus side, companies are trying to help their employees get healthier either by promoting healthy eating (or just giving smaller portions like Google) or providing gym passes, workout facilities or wellness benefits. However, only 10% of workers say they take advantage of the benefit.

The survey used 5,772 U.S. workers (employed full-time, not self-employed, non-government) ages 18 and over between February 9 and March 2, 2012.
Photo: Fatseyeva/Shutterstock.com
 
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Post from: TheGrindstone

Taken from here.


The children and grandchildren of men who wait until they're 40 to reproduce tend to have longer lives.


Children of older fathers, between late 30's and early-50's, inherit longer telomeres, caps at the end of chromosomes that keep them from degenerating, according to a new study by Dan T. A. Eisenberg at Northwestern University.
The longer telomeres mean that children age more slowly and are likely to live longer. This goes against previous research that said that older fathers were more likely to produce offspring with birth defects.

“Most literature also suggests risks from paternal age and this is intriguing, in part, because it stands in contrast to that,” Eisenberg said in a telephone interview with Bloomberg News. “We don’t really know, on balance, what the net effect is.”
The average American man has his first child at age 25, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here's a chart showing telomere length and age of father and grandfather:

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A group of so-called experts think they have finally figured out the real reason behind our obesity problem: Women just don’t do enough housework anymore. Duh, why didn’t we think of that?
According to a new British survey of 8,000 people, 60 years ago the average women’s waistline measured 28 inches. Today, we come in at 34 inches. That’s a full six inches more than our earlier generation. And the reason for that? The demise of the stereotypical 1950s housewife, of course!
Apparently, women didn’t know how slim and trim they were back then due to their apron-wearing, pie-baking, vacuum-pushing lifestyle. Researchers say the average female used to burn 1,000 calories a day keeping a clean house (with dinner on the table when her man arrived home, I’m sure).
Lead researcher, Dr. Ros Altmann said modern-day appliances have significantly reduced the time and effort women spend on housework these days:

When you think of the time that women had to spend cleaning and cooking, life is so much easier now – although obviously that has contributed to the bigger waistlines.

Of course, the average women also consumed 1,818 calories a day back then, compared to our 2,178 now, so that couldn’t possibly have anything to do with it.
Excuse us while we break out the bonbons, catch up on our soaps and let the new robotic floor cleaner tidy up.

Photo: Shutterstock.com
 
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Post from: Blisstree

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For the last two years, I have been on a never-ending quest to find an all-natural, eco-friendly deodorant. During that time–and many “pit”falls, I have tried over a dozen different brands and none of them stood the test of my hot, humid Florida climate. Until I discovered LUSH.
I was in yoga class one day, and believe it or not, someone actually smelled good. “Who smells like patchouli?” I asked. My instructor said it was probably her new-found deodorant that was made from all-natural ingredients and yes, some nice hippie scents too. “Smells good, but does it really work?” I wanted to know (never mind the fact that the rest of the class was ready to start downward-dogging–we had pits to discuss!). When she assured me it did, I decided to try it.

Turns out, LUSH is a company based in Canada that makes all sorts of all-natural beauty products.
Their deodorant that I tried is called Aromaco. It’s basically a small square bar that comes by itself–no packaging, so you just rub some on your pits each morning. It is made from the astringent witch hazel, sodium bicarbonate (otherwise known as baking soda), to absorb sweat, chamomile vinegar to tighten the pores and act as an antibacterial agent, and yummy-smelling patchouli oil.
The bar costs only $6.95 and lasts at least two months. That’s a deal, as far as I’m concerned.
Now I will say it’s not 100% sweat and B.O.-proof. It doesn’t completely stop either–but then again, neither did any of the non-natural brands I had tried in the past. When it’s 90 degrees with 90% humidity, you’re going to sweat, no matter what. And when you’re working out, you’re going to sweat. That just goes with the territory. But LUSH does minimize this for me so I’m not the offensive one at a party or in yoga class.

I have been wary about the chemicals and possible health risks associated with antiperspirants and deodorants for a while now. The idea of putting aluminum chlorohdrate or aluminum zirconium into my body just to keep the stink away didn’t seem worth it. Even though the health consequences are still widely unknown, these chemicals can cause irritation and allergies, not to mention the biggest concern of mine–breast cancer.
So yes, LUSH may not ward off all the sweating, but it smells great and keeps me smelling great most of the time. And that’s good enough for me.
Let us know if you have tried this or found another all-natural deodorant that works!
Photo: Thinkstock
 
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Post from: Blisstree | Nutrition, Healthy Recipes and Fitness

Taken from here.



Adele is great for many reasons, but her admission that she’s a ‘no shampoo’ girl makes us like her even more. Asked by Glamour how she gets such impressive volume in her mane, she explained that her biggest secret is not using shampoo—a clean beauty trend that’s not just good for our bodies and the environment, but also a pretty great way to avoid the need for styling products, according to Adele.
US magazine reports that the 23-year-old goes months without sudsing up:

“I only wash it with water,” she told Glamour in a 2008 interview. “Last night I washed my hair with shampoo for the first time in two months!”

If you’re skeptical, check out our own guide to trying the “no shampoo” method; those of us who tried it at Blisstree were pleased with how easy it was (and surprised by how well it works even for women who regularly sweat), and how great our hair felt. (Although, I’m still waiting to look like Adele.)

Photo: hairromance.com

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• My No-Shampoo Experiment Is Over…And I Still Don’t Want To Use Shampoo

Post from: Blisstree

Taken from here.

There are experiences that stick in our own memories for years. Sometimes we write them and share them with those on our blogs. Angie Kinghorn recently wrote a post that will likely stick in my mind for years to come. It's about birth and fear and death and mental health and even music. The raw emotion in this post combined with the fantastic writing create a post that I don't think you'll forget either.

Full article here

Photo Credit: dinoowww.