Conditions and Diseases: 07/01/2012

Friday, July 27, 2012

Why Skin Bacteria Are Our Friends

By Katherine Harmon
(Click here for the original article)

Americans have been on an antibacterial kick for the past several years. Our hand soap, dish soap, and body wash have morphed into an arsenal of bug-killing napalm, eliminating all but the heartiest of bacteria.

And there are, indeed, some scary microbes crawling around out there—Staph and C. Diff, just to name a couple. But scientists are in the midst of discovering that not all bacteria are bad. In fact, the vast microcosm of life—bacterial, viral and fungal—that lives in and on us is not only mostly harmless but is actually necessary for our own good health.

Recent research has revealed that when we wipe out certain beneficial bacteria in our guts (with, say, a round of antibiotics prescribed to kill off a harmful bug), other, unwelcome species of bacteria can then move in and cause health problems.

A new study finds that the same might well be true for our skin. No matter how many showers you take each day, you’re still a walking colony of bacteria. And that’s a good thing, suggests research published online July 25 in Science.

A team of researchers led by Shruti Naik, of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease’s Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, examined what happens when mice were raised without the standard communities of skin microbes. One of the common, commensal bacteria is Staphlococcus epidermis. Without this friendly population on their skin, mice were more likely to get infected by the parasite Leishmania major (one species of Leishmania, which can cause leishmaniasis in humans, resulting in boils and open sores that do not heal).

The reason goes beyond a simple issue of clearing space for the invading bacteria to move in. Instead, the researchers suggest, the reason for worse infection hinges on interleukin 1 (IL-1) signaling, an immune response that the helpful bacteria can influence. “Resident commensals are required for optimal IL-1 signaling in the skin,” Naik and colleagues wrote. And that means that they, in turn, “are necessary for optimal skin immune fitness.” Past studies have implicated IL-1 signaling in psoriasis as well as asthma and arthritis.

The researchers also tested gut microbiota’s effects on skin infections. Even though they live inside the body, gut flora indirectly help the skin fight off infections by contributing to immune system development and regulating some inflammatory responses. But they found that gut bacteria were much less important than skin bacteria to the development of the skin’s immune response.

These findings suggest that our much-ignored commensal skin bacteria play an important role in fending off infections. So perhaps all of those antibacterial baths are having effects that are more than skin deep.

Also on HuffPost:

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

What You Have Herpes During Pregnancy

While neonatal herpes occurs very rarely, with herpes and pregnancy, there is a small chance (less than one percent) that your baby will contract the virus from you at the time of birth. In 90 percent of the cases, herpes is passed from mother to baby via an outbreak in the birth canal. In some instances, the virus can be spread even if there are no herpes sores because herpes can be passed asymptomatically, meaning that it has reactivated but there are no symptoms (sores) to indicate it.

Whenever herpes symptoms get noticed, the doctors treat them with anti viral medicines. The problem of rashes and blisters gets resolved. But the virus does not get out of the body. It remains inside. It can cause active herpes sores again in future. Some people may not get any recurrence, while some may get many.

Toni Raiten-D’Antonio: What About the Human Infrastructure?

Last week a psychotherapy client called just minutes before her appointment to say she was running late because the Long Island Expressway had buckled in the recent heat wave. The road was so dangerous the police had closed it while crews made a quick repair. "I guess what they say about the infrastructure being in trouble is true," she said, wryly. Indeed, in the same week, the news media brought word that water mains were bursting in cities across America and the electric grid was so bad in the Mid-Atlantic that people were spending days without power after some big, but also typical, summer storms. Everyone seemed to be talking about how we are failing to maintain the physical networks and utilities that keep us going. But no one was talking about the other system crisis we face, the one having to do with our human infrastructure.

Just as surely as neglect will cause a bridge to fall down, failing to maintain ourselves emotionally, psychologically, educationally, and spiritually sets us up for dire consequences. And in fact, we have been neglecting our human infrastructure for decades. I know, because in my work as a psychotherapist I get to see how Americans live in an up close and personal kind of way. Just as a bridge inspector sees see the rust and rot that drivers never glimpse, I hear about the buckling and crumbling in the lives of people who struggle without adequate support.

The men, women, and children in my care are dealing with family problems including suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, job loss, evictions, and foreclosure. While the lucky ones get support from family, friends, therapy and (sometimes) medications, this safety net is frayed and full of holes. In this crisis-ridden economy, our friends and neighbors are dealing with their own stresses and, thanks to the problems in our health care system, even people with insurance have trouble accessing mental health care.

Still stigmatized in our culture, mental health care is so tightly controlled by insurers that great numbers of people are denied treatment by corporate gatekeepers who, using the vague but official-sounding term "medical necessity," deem it not worthy of payment. Those who are permitted to see a therapist are monitored closely. They often feel inhibited about using the services they are entitled to receive. So-called "care managers," who are paid to save money for insurance companies, pressure therapists by keeping fees low and demanding time-consuming reports to justify treatment. On the other end of the phone, I hear them struggling with the unkindness they are mandated to mete, according to scripts that they have been given, after hearing the harrowing tales from my client's personal lives. Medicaid and Medicare patients face even greater barriers to care because so few caregivers will work with these programs. The pay is just too low.

The effect of government and corporate policies that deny people access to mental health is quite similar to the effect of putting off maintenance on traditional infrastructure. The big difference is that instead of a structure or machine breaking, it's a person. Instead of a water main bursting, an angry husband hits his wife or a frightened senior citizen takes a drink. Instead of a school roof leaking, a youngster starts using street drugs.

Drugs and drink are two popular options for people who cannot access real mental health care but still need something to ease their pain. (I often refer to alcohol as our only legal and accessible mental health care.) Everyone who works in my profession knows that the epidemic abuse of prescription drugs like Oxycontin, Xanax, Valium and others is the direct product of the stress in our society and the absence of care for people who need it. (In my local hospital, more than half of the current caseload on the adult psych unit are oxycontin abusers.) The same is true for the abuse of street drugs and alcohol. People who have no alternatives will find a way to soothe themselves.

Sadly, caregivers have an increased need of soothing themselves, too. The squeeze put on us by the government and the insurance companies means that we often receive less -- and often a lot less -- per client hour. Major insurers have not increased the fee per session EVER since I began in the field in 1988. Some companies and Medicare offer even less per hour than I was paid as a new graduate. When you consider rent, malpractice insurance, costs of maintaining a practice, and a modest lifestyle, mental health professionals with advanced degrees are really experiencing strain. One of my students recently referred to mental health work as a mission, rather than a career.

The low pay is not just a problem for therapists. Increasing numbers of my colleagues are choosing to opt out of insurance plans, Medicaid, and Medicare entirely. Many, especially those with experience and skill, discover they can earn much more by treating only those who are able to pay two or three times the insurance reimbursement schedule out of their own pockets. Of course, this choice further limits the options available to people who are not well off, and it causes more than a little conflict in the hearts and minds of people devoted to caring for others.

The financial pressure faced by psychotherapists is a source of constant conversation in our professional community. It is especially evident in online forums where people share coping strategies and seek support. Typical is this comment recently posted:

I sincerely look forward to the time when I can simply decline to participate with insurance companies and will no longer have to accept the fees they set. But, truthfully, Medicare is worse than the worst insurance companies I deal with: Not only do they pay a lower fee, but they reject claims for no apparent reason -- as admitted to me by their own workers when I call to follow up.

Another therapist, who had made the switch to serving only those who could pay a higher fee out-of-pocket, defensively wrote: "Some of you may recoil in horror about these ethics, but not everyone is so altruistic."

These discussions initially shocked me. My social work training requires me to provide quality services to all groups, equally. But these days, clinicians often cannot make ends meet themselves, and the quality of care can only deteriorate as a result. Realistically speaking, we should not expect that a therapist who tends to our human infrastructure will happily accept being paid less than an engineer who tends to our physical infrastructure. Both jobs require advanced skills and education. Both are essential to the proper functioning of our society. Both must be maintained, or worse problems develop due to neglect. You may already being seeing this dire outcome on the roads you travel every day. I know I am seeing it in my office, hour by hour.

For more by Toni Raiten-D'Antonio, click here.

For more on mental health, click here.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Monday, July 23, 2012

Susan Blumenthal, M.D.: Making AIDS History: Achieving an HIV-Free Generation

Written in collaboration with Michelle Moses-Eisenstein, M.P.H.

This week marks the return of the International AIDS Conference to the United States for the first time in more than two decades. From July 22-27, The International AIDS Society will convene more than 25,000 delegates from nearly 200 countries in America's capital. The meeting is being held this year in Washington, D.C., as a result of President Obama's decision in October 2009 to lift the 22-year-old U.S. government travel and immigration ban that prohibited people with HIV/AIDS from entering the United States. This important change in public policy is a reflection of the Obama Administration's leadership on eradicating HIV/AIDS, its adoption of evidence-based policies, and its rejection of the stigma that has surrounded HIV/AIDS.

Convening the International Conference this year in Washington, D.C. also shines a spotlight on the epidemic in America's capital city, where nearly 1 out of 40 people are living with HIV/AIDS -- a rate higher than 14 African countries, including Angola and Sierra Leone. In the U.S. there are 1.2 million people living with HIV, with more than 50,000 new HIV infections and 18,000 deaths from AIDS-related causes annually. Globally, 34 million people are living with HIV/AIDS, 2.6 million were infected with the virus last year, and nearly 30 million people have died from HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic.

But 30 years after the emergence of HIV/AIDS, there are many reasons to be hopeful that we are finally on a pathway to ending the epidemic. Around the world, the rate of new infections is decreasing, the numbers of people on treatment are increasing, and HIV-positive people who receive effective treatment can achieve nearly normal life expectancies. In the United States and other developed nations, mother-to-child transmission has been virtually eliminated. Scientific progress, new initiatives such as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and other partnerships among public and private sector organizations are revolutionizing the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS in America and worldwide.

The International AIDS Conference will highlight opportunities for achieving an AIDS-free generation. For the first time in the history of the epidemic, dramatic advances in science have brought the possibility of a world where no child will be born with HIV and where the risk of infection will be dramatically reduced with a combination of powerful prevention tools. There is real hope that a vaccine and, ultimately, a cure will emerge in our lifetimes. To achieve these goals, conference participants from around the world will underscore that nations must: 1) invest in research and accelerate the translation of science into services, 2) eradicate mother-to-child transmission of HIV worldwide, 3) scale-up evidence-based treatment and prevention strategies globally, and 4) eliminate the discrimination and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS.

As a public health doctor, I have worked on HIV/AIDS issues since the beginning of the epidemic. In the 30 years since those dark days when people were dying rapidly of HIV/AIDS in America and there was minimal knowledge about how HIV was transmitted, we have made tremendous strides, and we have also realized that the epidemic affects every population. Investments in research have produced lifesaving antiretroviral medications (ARVs) that have revolutionized HIV/AIDS treatment. Today, nearly 7 million people are receiving these drugs globally, transforming what was once lethal into a chronic, manageable condition for many. However, of the more than 14 million people with HIV/AIDS worldwide who require medications, less than half receive ARVs.

In the United States, several thousand people are currently on a waiting list -- the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) -- to receive medications. However, last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced it would provide $80 million in grants to increase access to HIV/AIDS treatment and care across the United States. About $69 million will be sent to 25 states and territories through the ADAP to eliminate any waiting lists. The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care reform legislation will help ensure that 14,000 patients living with HIV/AIDS will receive medical services. In sum, this new funding and the new law will ensure that low-income Americans living with HIV/AIDS will have access to life-saving health care and medications. Providing increased funding to boost the numbers of people on treatment in America fulfills an objective of the U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy released two years ago. Additionally, under the strategy, resources are being targeted more effectively to communities that are most affected by the disease.

Now we must intensify efforts to ensure that globally all HIV-positive people in need receive treatment and care. On World AIDS Day 2011, President Obama pledged a 50 percent increase in the number of HIV-infected people getting treatment through PEPFAR -- from approximately 4 million now to 6 million by the end of 2013. If progress continues to be made in reducing the costs of drugs and health service delivery, then even more people will receive lifesaving therapy. An acceleration of treatment for HIV-positive people worldwide would also help prevent transmission of infection and speed an end to HIV/AIDS.

A recent advancement in prevention came with landmark studies that revealed that oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) -- a "prevention pill," combining two ARVs -- can reduce viral transmission by 92 percent if taken as prescribed. The FDA just approved this medication for preventing HIV/AIDS in populations at high risk of sexually transmitting the virus, including men who have sex with men (MSM) and couples where one person is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative. The agency will require periodic HIV testing for people using PrEP to help ensure that this biomedical tool is used safely and effectively. The FDA just approved a home HIV test kit that should increase the numbers of people who learn their HIV status. Other breakthrough research has found that early treatment of an HIV-infected partner decreases transmission to an uninfected partner by 96 percent, underscoring that treatment is also prevention. These advances can now be combined with other proven measures, including education, safe-sex practices, voluntary medical male circumcision, reduction of mother-to-child transmission, the availability of syringe exchange programs, and blood supply screening to save countless lives.

Scientists are making significant progress in developing an HIV vaccine. HIV's ability to mutate has thwarted vaccine development, but recent studies are showing partial efficacy of new vaccines. An important study was conducted in Thailand with the support of the Army's Walter Reed HIV Research Program. Recently, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) selected Duke University and the Scripps Research Institute to lead the new Centers for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology and Immunogen Discovery (CHAVI-ID) and awarded this new program $31 million in FY2012, with approximately $186 million or more in projected funding over the next six years. The initiative will support a consortium of multi-disciplinary researchers at universities and medical centers focused on multi-pronged approaches to accelerate HIV vaccine development. The team will address key immunological pathways and roadblocks, including immune responses that might protect against HIV infection or suppress it in people living with the virus, providing scientists with a foundation for designing a safe and effective HIV vaccine in the future.

Research is also underway to find a cure for AIDS, fueled by the experience of the "Berlin patient," a man who had both leukemia and HIV. He was treated in 2007 with a bone marrow transplant from a person with natural immunity to AIDS found in 1 percent of Caucasian blood marrow donors. The procedure not only cured this patient's leukemia but also appears to have eliminated the HIV virus from his body, and he no longer requires medication to treat the illness. This landmark case has provided important clues in the quest for a cure and a glimmer of what increased funding and intensified leadership might yield. amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, is providing important scientific direction in supporting innovative work to discover a cure including establishing multi-site collaborations to achieve this goal. The NIH is funding studies to find a cure and has established research consortia to facilitate new discoveries. However, cure research must receive a significant boost in funding if we are to achieve a world without HIV/AIDS in the years ahead.

Another important research focus must be on behavioral health issues, including factors that promote adherence to medications and the use of preventive measures, as well as on the effects of mental illness and substance abuse on HIV/AIDS progression. Also, more studies are needed on sex differences in the disease. Behavioral interventions must be delivered that optimize prevention and treatment outcomes and ensure the effectiveness of social marketing messages so they are culturally competent to meet the needs of diverse population groups worldwide.

Of great concern right now is that the remarkable progress toward ending AIDS that has been made over the past decades is being threatened by a decline in resources and the threat of budget cuts to support HIV research and services worldwide. The lack of initiatives that target vulnerable populations presents a roadblock to achieving an HIV-free generation as well. However, today at the International AIDS Conference, Secretary Hilary Rodham Clinton announced a $35 million Challenge Fund to support country-led plans to provide services for these key populations. While U.S. global health investments today represent less than 1 percent of America's budget, these funds support lifesaving research and services for millions of people in developing nations and help build a world with more friends and fewer enemies, a critical tool of "smart" power in our nation's foreign policy.

Furthermore, a provision in the Budget Control Act of 2011 would enact a process called sequestration if Congress does not achieve deficit reductions of $1.2 trillion by the end of this year. Sequestration would cut government spending by a uniform percent across all affected programs. According to recent estimates, such cuts would reduce spending on non-defense discretionary federal government programs by 7.8 percent. The result would have life-threatening effects on vulnerable populations, many of whom are affected by HIV/AIDS. Recent estimates of the human impact of decreases in U.S. global health program funding as a result of the proposed sequestration process include:

273,000 fewer people receiving AIDS treatment worldwide.
62,000 more AIDS-related deaths globally.
122,500 more children becoming orphans.
111,000 fewer HIV-positive pregnant women receiving services to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
21,000 more infants being infected with HIV.
354,000 fewer children receiving food, education, and livelihood assistance.
2.2 million fewer insecticide-treated nets procured.
3.7 million fewer people receiving malaria treatment.
6,000 more malaria-related deaths.
65,000 fewer people receiving tuberculosis (TB) treatment.
8,000 more TB-related deaths.

So, what can be done to ensure that the U.S. and the world are on track to realize an AIDS-free generation -- a goal President Obama announced on World AIDS Day 2011? If we are going to eradicate AIDS in America and worldwide, then a global strategic plan for achieving an HIV-free generation is needed that mobilizes all sectors of society across countries, scales up interventions that work to reach more people, makes programs more efficient and accountable, and invests in research to accelerate progress in ending HIV/AIDS, including intensifying efforts to discover both a cure and a vaccine. Public/private sector partnerships must be expanded with a wide range of community-based organizations, NGOs, businesses, faith-based groups and foundations. We must also work to eliminate stigma, violence, and poverty that are drivers of the disease worldwide. Numerous advocacy organizations are calling for the U.S. government to establish its own five-year strategic plan through an interagency process that would reflect recent developments in programmatic experience, the Global Fund reform process, technological breakthroughs, and new science, and make this goal a policy priority for America.

And what can you do to live in a world without HIV/AIDS? Learn more about HIV/AIDS in America and around the world. Know your HIV status and take steps to protect yourself or others from transmission. Contact your policymakers and urge them to make ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic a priority by investing in more scientific research to discover a cure and an effective vaccine. Urge them to provide the global health funding needed to increase the number of people on lifesaving treatment, to eradicate mother-to-child transmission, and to prevent HIV from occurring at all. As the International AIDS Conference convenes in Washington, D.C. today let us, together, help make AIDS history.

Rear Admiral Susan J. Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A. (ret.), the Public Health Editor of the Huffington Post, is Senior Policy and Medical Advisor at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. She served as a leading U.S. government health expert and spokesperson for more than 20 years in the Administrations of four American Presidents. She was Assistant Surgeon General of the U.S.; the first-ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women's Health; Senior Global and e-Health Advisor in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Chief of the Behavioral Medicine and Basic Prevention Research Branch at the National Institutes of Health; and a White House advisor on health issues. Dr. Blumenthal is currently a Clinical Professor at Georgetown and Tufts Schools of Medicine. She is also the Chair of the Global Health Program at the Meridian International Center. Admiral Blumenthal is the recipient of numerous awards, medals, and honorary doctorates for her pioneering leadership and landmark contributions to improving health. She was named the 2009 Health Leader of the Year by the Commissioned Officers Association and as a Rock Star of Science by the Geoffrey Beene Foundation. Her work has included a focus on HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic in the early 1980s.

Michelle Moses-Eisenstein, M.P.H., is currently an Allan Rosenfield Health Policy Fellow with amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research in Washington, D.C. This coming fall she will serve as a Health Policy Fellow for the Association of Schools of Public Health, working in a public service position in Washington D.C. Michelle earned her Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

For more by Susan Blumenthal, M.D., click here.

For more healthy living health news, click here.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Rebecca Cooper, MA, MFT, CCH, CEDS: 7 Tips for Finding a Quality Eating Disorder Treatment Program

Most people who have an eating disorder try to manage it on their own, go to therapy, see a registered dietitian or discuss it with their medical doctor. They may spend needless years of suffering trying to recover. The key to recovery is to start with a solid foundation of recovery at an eating disorder treatment center then step down to seeing a therapist, medical doctor and/or registered dietitian. If you want help for your eating disorder, it can be hard to decide which treatment center to go to. Here are some tips that will help you make the best choice:

1. Make sure the entire staff knows about eating disorders, not just one person. Many programs treat chemical dependency but employ only one or two staff members with some experience in eating disorders, or they may have a simple eating disorder track.

2. Although many people with eating disorders do have co-occurring disorders, it is almost always true that the eating disorder came first and is primary for the client. Substance abuse and other co-occurring disorders can be addressed in a good eating disorder treatment program.

3. Therapists need specialized training to treat eating disorders, not just alcohol and drug training. It takes a team to treat eating disorders. The medical staff must understand the health complications that are caused by eating disorders and the proper medication, labs and testing protocols; the registered dietitians must understand re-feeding and nutritional maintenance for an ED client in addition to understanding the clients themselves and their difficulties in making a paced shift to a healthy relationship with food; and the therapists and clinical support staff have to understand the vast difference in treating the ED client verses the chemically-dependent client. Most eating disorder clients want help and are motivated, but have a hard time getting out of their own way -- this is part of their need for perfectionism and the constant eating disorder dialogue in their head. Empowerment, encouragement, understanding and commitment to go the distance from ALL staff are needed to help the eating disorder client make a lasting shift.

4. Ask if they have a registered dietitian, psychiatrist, medical doctor, and licensed therapist who has been certified as an eating disorders specialist (CED). Ask about their philosophy and approach to treating someone with an eating disorder.

5. Make sure there are different levels of care so the clients can transition to real-life experiences. Most clients can abstain from their eating disorder in treatment because of the close supervision, but without the supervision they relapse. The real recovery comes while doing "real" life without using the eating disorder.

6. Eating disorder treatment can be expensive -- ask the treatment center if they accept insurance. Billing for eating disorder treatment in some cases is more likely to be covered by an insurance company than chemical dependency treatment. Be sure the program you choose is set up properly to support the financial options for care for an eating disorder client.

7. A good program will have a strong family component. Family participation, healing, and growth are extremely beneficial to someone on their recovery journey. A strong family component should include family therapy sessions at the appropriate point in the client's care, family support groups, and family participation and communication throughout care as well as in discharge planning.

If you're struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorders helpline at 1-800-931-2237.

For more by Rebecca Cooper, MA, MFT, CCH, CEDS, click here.

For more on eating disorders, click here.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Saturday, July 21, 2012

WATCH: Cat Helps Anxiety-Stricken Boy Say 'I Love You' For First Time

Imagine not being able to tell your parents you love them. This is reality for 7-year-old Lorcan Dillon, who suffers from Selective mutism, the Daily Mail reports.

Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder that makes it almost impossible for Lorcan, who lives in Davyhulme in the UK, to speak to classmates and communicate his emotions to family. But all that began changing when his mother got him a cream Birman named Jessi-cat two years ago, reports the Daily Mail. The two quickly became inseparable and Lorcan has since made huge strides in overcoming his disability.

"In the past two weeks he's started communicating with people he doesn't know very well and even reads to one of the teachers now -- something he's never done before," Lorcan's mother, Jayne Dillon told the Daily Mail.

"She is a loving companion and is always interested in what Lorcan is up to," Dillon told lifewithcats.tv.

Dillon recently explained what the cat has meant to her son in a video interview with Cats Protection, a British feline welfare agency. "(Lorcan) was diagnosed when he started nursery school at three and a half. The reason I got Jessi-Cat is because pets and cats in particular are very good with children with special needs," she said.

"It is a way for Lorcan to communicate. He does speak normally at home, he does not have selective mutism with us at all in the house but he does not express his emotions. He would not say 'I love you mummy.' He just does not do it," she said in the Youtube video above.

"But with the cat he can cuddle her, he can stroke her, he can talk to her and he does say, 'I love you Jessi-Cat,' which is really nice and it is a way for him to express emotions which otherwise he would not be able to do."

As a result, both Lorcan and Jessi-cat have made the shortlist as Best Friends in the Cats Protection National Cat Awards 2012, according to the UK's Mirror. "We think all cats are special, but Jessi-Cat especially deserved a place in the final for showing what an incredible impact cats have on the lives of people of all ages," an organizer told the newspaper.

Dillon thinks that Jessi-cat will continue to help her son. If the cat wins, it could be eligible for the 'Cat of the Year' award, according to the Daily Mail.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Life's Too Short! 10 Ways To Live Longer

Life’s too short, but with a few simple everyday lifestyle changes you could increase your chances of sticking around to enjoy it for that little bit longer.

What's more it isn't all about slogging it out at the gym and eating spinach. From indulging in chocolate to having sex and even browsing the HuffPost Lifestyle, increasing your life expectancy just got more interesting.

10 Ways To Live Longer
Sleep... But Not For Too Long

We all know the importance of getting a good night's sleep but according to research we may not need as much as first thought. A study by San Diego School of Medicine, of 459 elderly women, found that women who slept for between five and six and a half hours a night had the longest survival rates.
Have Great Sex

Regular sex improves heart health and brain power as well as giving your immune system a boost. A study by the Italian Society of Sexual Medicine found that men who had active sex lives and were faithful to their partner had fewer heart problems and lived for longer.
Tie The Knot

A long, happy marriage could be the key to a longer life. Research from Cardiff University found that marriage improves your mental and physical wellbeing, reducing the chance of premature death by 15%.
Exercise For 15 Minutes

 According to a report in the New Scientist, you can live an extra three years by exercising for just 15 minutes a day - half the 30-minute minimum previously prescribed by the World Health Organisation.
Move To The Countryside

The stresses of city living could be taking their toll. Research commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs took a snapshot of life expectancy between 2001 and 2007 and found that people living in rural areas tended to live for around two years longer than town dwellers.
Eat Like An Italian

The Mediterranean diet has long since been revered for its health-boosting properties but researchers have calculated that the eating regime could add an extra three years to your life.
Have Lots Of Children

Women who have four or more children may be more stressed out than most but they are a third less likely to suffer from cardiovascular disease and 50% less likely to have a stroke, according to a study of 1,300 women conducted by the University of California.
Be Positive

A glass-half-full mentality could be the answer to a fuller life. A study of almost 4,000 52 to 79-year-olds, conducted by the University College, London, revealed that those who reported higher levels of contentment and a positive outlook had a 35% lower risk of premature death.
Eat Chocolate (In Moderation, Of Course)

According to research from Harvard University, people who eat chocolates and sweets live longer than those who avoid them altogether - but only if they eat them in moderation. The study of 8,000 men found that eating sweets three times a month up live up to three times longer than those who eat too much or abstain completely.
Read The Huffington Post

If you're getting your daily fix of The Huffington Post, you're likely to live longer than those who don't keep up-to-date with current affairs. A study of more than 1,000 adults found those most exposed to mass media consumed a healthier diet, reducing their risk of obesity, heart disease and cancer and making them more likely to live longer sleep.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Monday, July 16, 2012

Could WeightLifting Prevent Alzheimer's Disease?

Resistance training could improve brain function in those with mild dementia, suggests research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, found that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) -- often a precursor to full blown Alzheimer's -- could be improved by weekly weightlifting sessions.

weights reduce alzheimers risk

Teresa Liu-Ambrose of the University of British Columbia said in a statement: "Twice-weekly resistance training could be a promising strategy to alter the trajectory of cognitive decline in seniors."

In a comparison of weightlifting, aerobic exercise and toning classes, resistance training resulted in improved attention, memory and ability to resolve problematic situations, the researchers found.

Scroll down for ways to decrease your dementia risk (PICTURES)

In contrast, the aerobic training group did not show similar improvements.

In light of the results, William Thies of the Alzheimer's Association has called for further research and long-term studies to learn more about factors that actually raise and lower risk for cognitive decline and Alzheimer's.

"The strongest data for lifestyle-based Alzheimer's risk reduction is for physical activity, yet this data is generally observational and considered preliminary," he says.

Japanese researchers from the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology also presented research on the significance of targeted exercise.

Older adults with MCI were asked to participate in a program that included aerobic exercise, muscle strength training, and postural balance retraining.

"Our findings suggest that an exercise intervention can, at least partly, improve or maintain cognitive performance in older adults with amnestic MCI," said supervisor Hiroyuki Shimada in a statement.

According to the Alzheimer's Society, the financial cost of dementia to the UK will be over £23 billion in 2012 and two thirds of people suffering with the condition are women.

Lifestyle Changes To Help Prevent Dementia
Drink Decaffeinated Coffee

A study at Mount Sinai School of Medicine found that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/01/decaffeinated-coffee-preserves-memory-diabetes_n_1246240.html" target="_hplink">decaffeinated coffee improves the brain's energy metabolism - linked to cognitive decline</a> - in those with Type 2 diabetes. "This is the first evidence showing the potential benefits of decaffeinated coffee preparations for both preventing and treating cognitive decline caused by type 2 diabetes, ageing, and/ or neurodegenerative disorders," said lead researcher, Dr Giulio Maria Pasinett.
Play Brain-Teasing Games

Everyday <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/01/puzzles-and-exercise-help-beat-dementia-symptoms_n_1122502.html" target="_hplink">games, puzzles and tasks were able to postpone decline in cognitive function and the ability to carry out everyday tasks, in dementia patients, for at least a year</a>, according to research from the University of Erlangen in Germany, published in the journals BMC Medicine.
Eat Less

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/12/20/eat-less-remember-more-and-other-memory-boosters_n_1160584.html" target="_hplink">Eating fewer calories could help boost memory and cognitive function</a>, according to a study at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome. Researchers hope to mimic the same effect with a drug in the future, bringing hope to Alzheimer's sufferers as well as those suffering from injury-related memory loss.
Eat Fish

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre and School of Medicine found that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/11/30/eating-fish-protects-against-alzheimers_n_1120156.html" target="_hplink">people who ate baked or grilled fish regularly reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer's</a>. Reseracher Cyrus Raji said: "The results showed that people who consumed baked or broiled (grilled) fish at least one time per week had better preservation of grey matter volume on MRI in brain areas at risk for Alzheimer's disease."
Play The Wii Fit

<a href="http://lifestyle.aol.co.uk/2012/01/17/why-a-wii-workout-could-be-better-than-the-gym-for-over-50s/" target="_hplink">Working out using virtual games such as the Wii Fit could slow cognitive decline in the over 50s</a>, researchers from Union College in the US found. Participants aged between 58 and 99 were given a 3D exercise game to play. Compared to the control group who were asked to use a regular exercise bike, the 'cybercycle' group had a 23% decrease in advancement of mild cognitive impairment and showed improved 'executive function'.
Do The Seven-Step Plan

A study in The Lancet Neurology suggest that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/07/19/new-study-shows-seven-way_n_901934.html" target="_hplink">3m cases of Alzheimer's across the world could be prevented in seven simple ways</a>. The report recommends quitting smoking, increasing physical activity, controlling your blood pressure and diabetes risk factors as well as managing depression and obesity to help combat the disease.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Watch 'Big Ang' Attempt A Colonic

"The Bachelor"

"The Bachelor," ABC Status: Renewed Why: You really think we've seen the last rose handed out? Not in a million years. ABC has already tapped their next "Bachelorette," and we know they'll have their eyes peeled for a hot rejected man from that spinoff to be the next "Bachelor."

"The Bachelorette"

"The Bachelorette," ABC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: "Bachelor" Brad's also-ran Emily Maynard is getting her turn as the rose giver for the seventh season of "The Bachelorette" this summer. As long as there are people willing to look for love on reality TV, this show will keep on trucking.

"Body of Proof"

"Body of Proof," ABC Status: Renewed Why: "Body of Proof" has been falling below its timeslot competitor, CBS's "Unforgettable," but it still draws a decent audience and its fans are very vocal. ABC has decided it deserves a third season.

"Castle"

"Castle," ABC Status: Renewed Why: This show's ratings have definitely suffered without "Dancing With the Stars" airing beforehand, but it is a consistent performer. And now that Castle and Beckett's relationship is evolving, a fifth season of "oh yes they will" is a no-brainer.

"Charlie's Angels"

"Charlie's Angels," ABC Status: Canceled Why: Not really a shock for anybody, but "Charlie's Angels" is cooked. Flimsy story, bad remake, questionable casting.

"Cougar Town"

"Cougar Town," ABC Status: Renewed -- for TBS! Why: The Season 3 ratings weren't boosted much by holding this show until midseason, but ABC's wonky air schedule also didn't help ... which is why the news that TBS has picked up the show for a fourth season is huge. Cheers with your Big Carl!

"Dancing With the Stars"

"Dancing With the Stars," ABC Status: Renewed Why: "DWTS" may have lost its luster in the ratings, but if the viewers are still coming.

"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23"

"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," ABC Status: Renewed Why: ABC's new bleep-worthy comedy starring Krysten Ritter, Dreama Walker and James Van Der Beek is a funny one, and definitely embraces the quirk (Beek Jeans!), so we're excited to see what they do with a second season.

"Desperate Housewives"

"Desperate Housewives," ABC Status: Canceled Why: After countless deaths, murders, betrayals and natural disasters on Wisteria Lane over the show's eight seasons, the ladies of "Desperate Housewives" will say goodbye forever this May.

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," ABC Status: Canceled Why: After a whopping nine seasons, the do-gooding show came to an end in January. But worry not, it will continue to have a few specials to make viewers cry tears of joy.

"GCB"

"GCB," ABC Status: Canceled Why: This "Desperate Housewives"-esque dramedy premiered to less than 8 million viewers, and the phenomenal cast (Kristin Chenoweth, Annie Potts, Leslie Bibb) couldn't bring in a Texas-sized audience, so ABC canceled it.

"Grey's Anatomy"

"Grey's Anatomy," ABC Status: Renewed Why: Shonda Rhimes' medical drama is a ratings juggernaut, even in its eighth season, and with most of her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/10/greys-anatomy-ellen-pompeo_n_1506113.html?ref=tv" target="_hplink">big stars signed on for more</a>, ABC gave the go-ahead for a ninth season.

"Happy Endings"

"Happy Endings," ABC Status: Renewed Why: This show is way too "ca-yute" to bubble it, and obviously someone high up at ABC agrees. After its first season was moved around and aired all out of order, the network still gave it another chance to find its audience in Season 2 ... and it has, and hopefully will continue to in Season 3.

"Last Man Standing"

"Last Man Standing," ABC Status: Renewed Why: Ratings for Tim Allen's return to sitcoms have been very strong, making it Tuesday's most-watched comedy. If you can beat "Glee" and "The Biggest Loser," a second season is a given.

"Man Up!"

"Man Up!," ABC Status: Canceled Why: ABC pulled the show after eight episodes.

"The Middle"

"The Middle," ABC Status: Renewed Why: Now in its third season, "The Middle" is still holding onto its middle position in the ratings on Wednesday nights, and that seems just about right. It doesn't do "American Idol" or "Survivor" numbers, of course, but with over 7 million viewers, it's a strong comedy for the network that easily beats anything NBC is offering.

"Missing"

"Missing," ABC Status: Canceled Why: Ashley Judd lead this drama about a former CIA agent whose son goes missing, kicking her back into action to find him. The series was only set to air 10 episodes, miniseries-style, with the potential for more, but a cancellation means that's all they're getting.

"Modern Family"

"Modern Family," ABC Status: Renewed Why: "Modern Family" remains ABC's biggest sitcom success story of the last decade, both in ratings and awards love. This critical darling is getting a fourth season of hijinks with the hilarious Pritchett-Dunphy clan.

"Once Upon A Time"

"Once Upon A Time," ABC Status: Renewed Why: "Once Upon a Time" has gotten praise for being one of the more family-friendly dramas on TV, and it's been pulling in close to 10 million viewers each week because of it. We're excited by the almost endless possibilities for new fairy tale-inspired stories to tackle in Season 2.

"Pan Am"

"Pan Am," ABC Status: Canceled Why: Poor "Pan Am" just never quite took off. The series' vintage look actually worked against it, much like NBC's swiftly canceled "Playboy Club" -- guess when you're being compared to award-winning shows like "Mad Men," it makes it more than a little tough to live up to the hype.

"Private Practice"

"Private Practice," ABC Status: Renewed Why: "Private Practice" has never gotten "Grey's Anatomy"-level ratings, and things got shakier when ABC bumped it to Tuesday nights to make room for creator Shonda Rhimes' other new show, "Scandal," but they've given the show a sixth season order.

"Revenge"

"Revenge," ABC Status: Renewed Why: With a clever mix of drama, mystery and serious revenge-ing, this is hands down one of the most addictive new shows on TV, and we can't wait to see where they take things in Season 2.

"The River"

"The River," ABC Status: Canceled Why: The promise of "Paranormal Activity"-like scares each week quickly fizzled after this show premiered, along with the ratings. The first season's eight episodes came and went, and ABC has nixed any plans for more.

"Scandal"

"Scandal," ABC Status: Renewed Why: Shonda Rhimes' latest show isn't about doctors at all -- and that's why we're glad it's sticking around. Kerry Washington is amazing as Olivia Pope, a Washington, D.C. fixer with a crack team of specialists helping make bad headlines vanish before they're ever written. Here's hoping for more than seven episodes in its second season.

"Shark Tank"

"Shark Tank," ABC Status: Renewed Why: Now in its third season, this reality competition show is unlike any other on network TV and ABC is keeping it around for more for that very reason.

"Suburgatory"

"Suburgatory," ABC Status: Renewed Why: It's smart, quick and not too cute -- "Suburgatory" is consistently named the sitcom you should be watching, but probably aren't. The great cast makes this one a no-brainer, and the ratings have stayed pretty consistent, too. We're thrilled it's getting a second season to shine!

"Work It"

"Work It," ABC Status: Canceled Why: Let us count the ways ...

"2 Broke Girls"

"2 Broke Girls," CBS Status: Renewed Why: At first, people balked at the racist supporting characters, but now it seems that audiences are all over "2 Broke Girls" -- it's ratings have seen a steady increase, and it won the People's Choice Award for Favorite New Comedy.

"A Gifted Man"

"A Gifted Man," CBS Status: Canceled Why: "A Gifted Man's" total viewer numbers were OK for a Friday night, but a 1.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic is especially bad for CBS. Another bad sign: star Patrick Wilson tweeted about the end: "I had a great time. Thanks to my fans. So happy it's done." And done it is.

"The Amazing Race"

"The Amazing Race," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Voted the best reality show on TV several times (albeit years ago), "The Amazing Race" isn't going anywhere. Ratings have dropped a bit, but are still solid.

"The Big Bang Theory"

"The Big Bang Theory," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Nothing seems to be able to make a dent in this show. With fantastic ratings (it beat "Idol"!) and a rabid following, we'll be seeing plenty more "Big Bang" before its run is over.

"Blue Bloods"

"Blue Bloods," CBS Status: Renewed Why: The anchor of Friday nights on CBS, "Blue Bloods" has performed well, pulling in around 11 million viewers an episode. The show might not have the youngest audience, but it's still enough for CBS to keep it on the schedule.

"Criminal Minds"

"Criminal Minds," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Paget Brewster might be checking out, but "Criminal Minds" is here to stay. In Season 7, the procedural is still a consistently strong ratings performer for CBS.

"CSI"

"CSI," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Whenever the time comes, the "CSI" mothership will end with a lot of fanfare, but not this year. With new faces Ted Danson and Elisabeth Shue around, there is going to be at least one more season.

"CSI: Miami"

"CSI: Miami," CBS Status: Canceled Why: Out of the three (!) "CSI" programs on the air, "CSI: Miami" is the one to say goodbye first. The one-time ratings giant has been affected by football overruns (just as "The Good Wife" has) and "CSI: NY" has the edge in terms of total viewers, meaning a "Miami" sunset was inevitable.

"CSI: NY"

"CSI: NY," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Of the two "CSI" spinoffs, "CSI: NY" is the stronger -- pulling in more than 10 million viewers on a Friday night is no easy task -- and with "CSI: Miami" canceled, "CSI: NY's" renewal was a no-brainer.

"The Good Wife"

"The Good Wife," CBS Status: Renewed Why: This critical darling suffered after its move from Tuesdays to Sundays thanks to sports overruns. The viewers are frustrated, but given its strong cast and Emmy love, the show is still coming back for more.

"Hawaii Five-0"

"Hawaii Five-0," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Despite the scheduling setback as Alex O'Loughlin seeks treatment, Season 2 is still doing well for CBS in a very competitive timeslot.

"How To Be a Gentleman"

"How To Be A Gentleman," CBS Status: Canceled Why: Not even having "The Big Bang Theory" as a lead-in could save this David Hornsby project, which only lasted three episodes.

"How I Met Your Mother"

"How I Met Your Mother," CBS Status: Renewed Why: CBS renewed "How I Met Your Mother" for two more seasons in March 2011, so fans can look forward to being strung along about the titular mother's identity for a bit longer.

"The Mentalist"

"The Mentalist," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Although the show hit a season ratings low in the middle of February, its fanbase and overall ratings were enough to have it return for another season.

"Mike & Molly"

"Mike & Molly," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Thanks to an Emmy win and Oscar nomination, Melissa McCarthy is a Hollywood power player and CBS is keen to keep her around. Just look at the multiple pilots she has in the works as a behind the scenes player! "Mike & Molly" will be back for a third season.

"NCIS"

"NCIS," CBS Status: Renewed Why: The long-running procedural has become a ratings juggernaut at a time when most shows start shedding viewers. Season 10 is now happening.

"NCIS: Los Angeles"

"NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS Status:Renewed Why: This show has gone up in the ratings over the last couple of years, and people can't get enough of L.L. Cool J and Chris O'Donnell.

"NYC 22"

"NYC 22," CBS Status: Canceled Why: This "Rookie Blue" clone from executive producer Robert DeNiro didn't really move the needle when it premiered midseason; CBS officially axed it with three episodes left to air.

"Person of Interest"

"Person of Interest," CBS Status: Renewed Why: With ratings matching juggernauts like "Grey's Anatomy" and fans popping up everywhere, we'll be seeing another season of "Person of Interest."

"Rob"

"Rob," CBS Status: Canceled Why: "Rob's" spot after ratings juggernaut "The Big Bang Theory" probably went a long way in helping it survive to see the end of its first season, but that's as far as it'll get.

"Rules of Engagement"

"Rules of Engagement," CBS Status: Renewed Why: This show has moved around so much it's hard to remember when it's on, and with six seasons under its belt it's had quite a nice run. Despite slipping ratings and the aforementioned constant switcheroos, there's still a future for "Rules of Engagement."

"Survivor"

"Survivor," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Of course we have "Survivor" coming back for another season. Where else are we going to see petty squabbles and insane behavior on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world?

"Two and a Half Men"

"Two and a Half Men," CBS Status: Renewed Why: Despite a less-than-favorable critical response, the revamped "Two and a Half Men" keeps pulling in respectable numbers every week. Ashton Kutcher, Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones will all return for a Season 10.

"Undercover Boss"

"Undercover Boss," CBS Status: Renewed Why: The inherent addictiveness of this show has gone a long way in securing loyal viewers -- it has been on top of the ratings several times this season alone.

"Unforgettable"

"Unforgettable," CBS Status: Likely to be renewed Why: In its timeslot, "Unforgettable" keeps emerging on top, beating out "Parenthood" and "Body of Proof." Leading lady Poppy Montgomery has been called "the female version of 'The Mentalist,'" another top-rated show, so things are looking positive.

"90210"

"90210," The CW Status: Renewed Why: While its ratings have plummeted since last season, the Beverly Hills crew is still doing better than "Supernatural," "Hart of Dixie," "Nikita," and "Gossip Girl" on average.

"America's Next Top Model"

"America's Next Top Model," The CW Status: Renewed Why: Tyra Banks' reality show is in the early stages of its 18th cycle with a Brit vs. U.S. installment. Cycle 19 will be the show's inaugural "college edition."

"Gossip Girl"

"Gossip Girl," The CW Status: Renewed Why: Fans will get to say goodbye to the Upper East-Siders in a sixth and reportedly shortened final season.

"H8R"

"H8R," The CW Status: Canceled Why: Apparently, the opposite of MTV's former series "Fanatic" proved people don't love to hate Kim Kardashian and Snooki as much as we thought. It lasted four episodes.

"Hart of Dixie"

"Hart of Dixie," The CW Status: Renewed Why: Josh Schwartz and Rachel Bilson return for a sophomore season of "Hart of Dixie," hopefully so they can make more viral videos.

"Nikita"

"Nikita," The CW Status: Renewed Why: We're shocked the show is coming back for another season, but its hard-core fans will certainly be happy.

"One Tree Hill"

"One Tree Hill," The CW Status: Canceled Why: After nine seasons, it's time to say goodbye to "One Tree Hill." After subpar ratings, the network decided to pull the plug on its long-standing teen soap. Thankfully, the CW gave "One Tree Hill" a final 13 episodes to wrap up all of the drama.

"Remodeled"

"Remodeled," The CW Status: As good as dead Why: Not only has "Remodeled" already been replaced on the CW schedule, but it debuted with one of the CW's lowest-rated premiere ever, scoring a terrible 0.3 in the coveted 18-49 demo.

"Ringer"

"Ringer," The CW Status: Canceled Why: Sarah Michelle Gellar's double-life proved too complicated and poorly-produced for viewers to care much about.

"The Secret Circle"

"The Secret Circle," The CW Status: Canceled Why: Somewhat of a surprising development given its decent ratings, but it never quite lived up to its lead-in, "The Vampire Diaries."

"Supernatural"

"Supernatural," The CW Status: Renewed Why: This fan favorite will return, but time will tell if the cast wants a Season 8.

"The Vampire Diaries"

"The Vampire Diaries," The CW Status: Renewed Why: "Vampire Diaries" is The CW's golden child ... the vampires and witches and werewolves of Mystic Falls aren't going anywhere.

"Alcatraz"

"Alcatraz," Fox Status: Canceled Why: "Alcatraz" -- and almost every other recent J.J. Abrams TV project -- proves that slapping "from J.J. Abrams" on a show does not equal ratings success. The series debuted strong, but fizzled in the ratings, leading Fox to pull the plug.

"Allen Gregory"

"Allen Gregory," Fox Status: Canceled Why: Jonah Hill's animated series only lasted seven episodes. The Oscar nominee should probably just stick to movies for a while ...

"American Dad"

"American Dad," Fox Status: Renewed Why: Fox gave out early renewals to "American Dad" and "The Cleveland Show," keeping its Sunday night animation block intact.

"American Idol"

"American Idol," Fox Status: Likely to be renewed Why: The show's declining ratings have been widely reported this season, but it's hard to imagine TV life without "Idol."

"Bob's Burgers"

"Bob's Burgers," Fox Status: Too soon to tell Why: The sophomore season of this quirky animated comedy kicks off this month (Sun., Mar. 11), so don't expect to hear about a Season 3 just yet.

"Bones"

"Bones," Fox Status: Renewed Why: The show got a ratings boost thanks to its lead-in "The X Factor." With the floundering state of Fox's dramas (see ya, "House"), Fox is holding on to this one.

"Breaking In"

"Breaking In," Fox Status: Canceled Why: After a last minute revival, "Breaking In" returned for a second season with Megan Mullally in tow, but it wasn't enough to revive this D.O.A. comedy.

"The Cleveland Show"

"The Cleveland Show," Fox Status: Renewed Why: Fox gave "The Cleveland Show" and "American Dad" early renewals and this spinoff will be back for a Season 4, but no word on a fifth season.

"Family Guy"

"Family Guy," Fox Status: Renewed Why: Fox handed out early renewals to the Seth MacFarlane animated comedies.

"The Finder"

"The Finder," Fox Status: Canceled Why: "The Finder" hit the benches for a bit before moving to Fridays, and the numbers never improved. Averaging less than 6 million viewers an episode (not so hot for a Fox drama), it was only a matter of time ...

"Fringe"

"Fringe," Fox Status: Renewed Why: This fan favorite has struggled in the ratings, but Fox has agreed to give it a 13-episode order for a fifth and final season to wrap up all the mysteries of both universes.

"Glee"

"Glee," Fox Status: Renewed Why: The hit teen series is breaking records in music sales, but its overall viewership has slipped. After a bit of a PR debacle about graduating characters that ended with spinoff plans being squashed, "Glee" will get another season.

"Hell's Kitchen"

"Hell's Kitchen," Fox Status: Renewed Why: Last year at this time, Fox renewed the Gordon Ramsay series for two more seasons, so it's all set.

"House"

"House," Fox Status: Canceled Why: After eight seasons and countless unsolvable medical cases solved, this Fox medical drama is coming to an end.

"I Hate My Teenage Daughter"

"I Hate My Teenage Daughter," Fox Status: Canceled Why: As if getting panned by critics wasn't enough, "I Hate My Teenage Daughter's" shrinking ratings had the show marked for death, then Fox benched the sitcom for three months after only four episodes and then ... yep, buh-bye forever. No shock there.

"Kitchen Nightmares"

"Kitchen Nightmares," Fox Status: Renewed Why: In early February, Fox signed on for a 16-episode fifth season of this other Gordon Ramsay series. They're in the Gordon Ramsay business, and they're not going anywhere.

"MasterChef"

"MasterChef," Fox Status: Likely to be renewed Why: No official announcement has been made regarding a third season, but there was a casting call issued during episodes throughout Season 2. And if Gordon Ramsay's track record with Fox is any indication, it's as good as renewed.

"Mobbed"

"Mobbed," Fox Status: On the bubble Why: It started with a ratings bang, but things have only gone down from there for Fox's flash mob reality show with Howie Mandel at the helm. It's not on the schedule in any regular timeslot though, so it's possible they'll continue producing a few episodes a year.

"Napoleon Dynamite"

"Napoleon Dynamite," Fox Status: On the bubble Why: After a decent debut, "Napoleon Dynamite" dropped about half of its audience to about 4 million viewers per episode. It could go either way.

"New Girl"

"New Girl," Fox Status: Renewed Why: "New Girl" was the first new Fox show to get a full Season 1 order and the show has continued to perform well in the ratings and in the 18-49 demographic. America loves that adorkable charm.

"Q'Viva: The Chosen"

"Q'Viva: The Chosen," Fox Status: Too soon to tell/Not their call Why: Shortly after the Latin American-based show -- starring J. Lo and her ex-husband Marc Anthony -- debuted on Univision, Fox picked up an English-language version that debuted in early March. Though the reality series underperformed in its Saturday night timeslot, it's not Fox's decision whether or not we'll see more "Q'Viva."

"Raising Hope"

"Raising Hope," Fox Status: Renewed Why: Thanks (or no thanks) in part to the success of "New Girl," the sophomore season of "Raising Hope" has moved around timeslots, but it has retained about a 2.1 score in the adults 18-49 demo.

"The Simpsons"

"The Simpsons," Fox Status: Renewed Why: After a very tense contract standoff, the voice actors of "The Simpsons" and the studio agreed to new terms and the show was renewed through Season 25.

"So You Think You Can Dance"

"So You Think You Can Dance," Fox Status: Too soon to tell Why: Season 9 of "So You Think You Can Dance" won't debut until this summer and when it does, there will be changes: Fox has nixed the results show entirely. If the fanbase is still there, the cheaper production could save the show for another few seasons.

"Terra Nova"

"Terra Nova," Fox Status: Canceled Why: Fox pulled the plug on this very expensive dinosaur drama, but reports indicate producers are looking to keep the show alive on a different network.

"Touch"

"Touch," Fox Status: Renewed Why: The Kiefer Sutherland drama had a sizable audience (about 12 million viewers) for its preview and has remained somewhat steady since its premiere. Fox showed faith in the series, giving it the post-"American Idol" slot, and it paid off.

"The X Factor"

"The X Factor," Fox Status: Renewed Why: Fox has already renewed the singing competition for a second season and boy will there be changes: two new hosts and two new judges will join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid at the table.

"30 Rock"

"30 Rock," NBC Status: Renewed Why:"30 Rock" is showing its age, but the star power of Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin can't be denied -- NBC has renewed the show for a seventh and final season of 13 episodes.

"America's Got Talent"

"America's Got Talent," NBC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: NBC's top-rated summer show is moving to New York for this upcoming season, but it's most likely not going anywhere. Unless, of course, the new judge -- shock jock Howard Stern -- really messes things up somehow.

"Are You There, Chelsea?"

"Are You There, Chelsea?," NBC Status: Canceled Why: With just over 3 million viewers an episode, it wasn't not exactly a strong performer, even by NBC's standards. Even Chelsea Handler and NBC's fondness for funny ladies couldn't save this show.

"Awake"

"Awake," NBC Status: Canceled Why: "Awake" had gotten some great promotion, but its numbers were pretty middle of the road and only went down further -- genre shows with heavy serialized elements are always tricky.

"Bent"

"Bent," NBC Status: Canceled Why: The Amanda Peet comedy premiered in late March and had six episodes to prove itself, but NBC didn't give it much of a chance, airing them back-to-back.

"Best Friends Forever"

"Best Friends Forever," NBC Status:Canceled Why: The female buddy sitcom starring and co-created by Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham was yanked from the schedule and then axed for good.

"Betty White's Off Their Rockers"

"Betty White's Off Their Rockers," NBC Status: Too soon to tell Why: Even though Betty White isn't doing the pranking, "Off Their Rockers" could still make a comeback.

"The Biggest Loser"

"The Biggest Loser," NBC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: NBC's weight loss competition show has been around for years, and despite sagging overall ratings, its 18-49 rating (a recent episode got a 2.0) is still one of NBC's highest.

"Celebrity Apprentice"

"Celebrity Apprentice," NBC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: Series low ratings probably won't kill this franchise. But are there any D-listers left who haven't competed for Donald Trump's approval?

"Chuck"

"Chuck," NBC Status: Canceled Why: The Josh Schwartz spy dramedy ended its five-season run in January.

"Community"

"Community," NBC Status: Renewed Why: Beloved by (a very vocal) few, ignored by many -- that's "Community" in a nutshell. After getting benched in January, "Community" returned to NBC's schedule with a vengeance, getting it a fourth season pick-up for 13 episodes to air on Fridays. Cool, cool, cool -- you can pop, pop! that champagne now.

"Fashion Star"

"Fashion Star," NBC Status: Renewed Why: The high-style reality series with Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson, Elle Macpherson and John Varvatos has certainly been confusing, but it's still a smart business model: The winning designs each week are for sale in stores the next day, and those stores just happen to be covering a large portion of production and advertising costs.

"Fear Factor"

"Fear Factor," NBC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: Despite the donkey semen scandal that cut this season of "Fear Factor" a bit short, <a href="http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/12/13/fear-factor-returns-and-makes-a-ratings-splash/" target="_hplink">"Fear Factor" boosts NBC's ratings</a> ... and can a scandal really compete with that?

"The Firm"

"The Firm," NBC Status: As good as dead Why: The show hasn't officially gotten the axe yet, but "The Firm" was moved to Saturdays after turning in an incredibly poor performance (less than a 1 rating in the 18-49 demo) on Thursday nights.

"Free Agents"

"Free Agents," NBC Status: Canceled Why: This show just didn't have much life in it. It was canceled after just four episodes, despite its awesome lead actors Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn.

"Grimm"

"Grimm," NBC Status: Renewed Why: The supernatural fairy tale drama has been doing well for NBC on Friday nights -- it hovers around the 5 million viewers mark, which is pretty solid by NBC standards and why the network gave the drama an early renewal.

"Harry's Law"

"Harry's Law," NBC Status:Cancelled Why: While earlier this year "Harry's Law" was one of NBC's top players, after a three-month break between January and March, the Kathy Bates drama saw mediocre ratings and failed to hold on to viewers.

"Law & Order: SVU"

"Law & Order: SVU," NBC Status: Renewed Why: The only "Law & Order" left, "SVU" has been an NBC power player for 13 years and will return for a 14th.

"The Office"

"The Office," NBC Status: Renewed Why: It's hard to imagine a long-running, fan-favorite show like "The Office" going away without a big promotional push. The numbers are still good (by NBC standards) and "The Office" will return for a Season 9.

"Parenthood"

"Parenthood," NBC Status: Renewed Why: The perpetual bubble show has done pretty consistent numbers for NBC this season, but three seasons in and no signs of growth is both a good and bad sign ... luckily for fans, NBC gave it a Season 4 all the same.

"Parks and Recreation"

"Parks and Recreation," NBC Status: Renewed Why: Just like the rest of NBC's Thursday comedy block, "Parks and Recreation" has serious ratings blues. Can critical acclaim keep "Parks" around for a Season 5? The answer is yes! "Parks" will return for Season 5.

"The Playboy Club"

"The Playboy Club," NBC Status: Canceled Why: Apparently fictional slutty bunnies and real-life homewrecker Eddie Cibrian do not a successful show make. It only lasted three episodes. "The Girls Next Door" did it better.

"Prime Suspect"

"Prime Suspect," NBC Status: Canceled Why: Maria Bello's gruff detective failed to capture the audience NBC hoped. At least we had all those hat jokes.

"Smash"

"Smash," NBC Status: Renewed Why: After a huge promo blitz, "Smash" debuted nicely, but started losing viewers quickly. A handful of episodes in, it stabilized, becoming NBC's #1 drama in the 18-49 demo, and NBC announced it was getting a second season.

"Up All Night"

"Up All Night," NBC Status: Renewed Why: The critical favorite of NBC's new comedy offerings, "Up All Night" debuted strongly to more than 10 million viewers, but has since dropped to less than 4 million viewers an episode. It will return for a Season 2.

"Whitney"

"Whitney," NBC Status: Renewed Why: The show is one of the better performing freshman offerings on the Peacock network -- and NBC chief Bob Greenblatt told members of the press at TCA that he is "hopeful Whitney will be a long-term player for us." Looks like Season 2 is a good start, with the show moving to Friday nights.

"The Voice"

"The Voice," NBC Status: Renewed Why: We may not even be at Season 2's live shows yet, but NBC is already up for more of "The Voice." Hopefully, Cee Lo's cat "Purrfect" will return for Season 3 as well.

"Who Do You Think You Are?"

"Who Do You Think You Are?," NBC Status: Likely to be renewed Why: The celebrity-centric family tree series has helped NBC on Friday nights and hit its ratings high in March.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Mark I. Pinsky: Learning From Dis(Ability): The Beautiful Stories Of Faith, Disability And Inclusion

As someone outside the disability community, I thought myself an unlikely choice to write a book about the faith dimension of disability. Over two decades as a religion writer for daily newspapers, I had written just a handful of stories about the subject.

But the Alban Institute, a religion think tank, explained that in many ways I represented exactly the kind of reader they sought -- people of faith without expertise or personal experience with disability. In the main, these were the congregation members and clergy who make the accessibility and inclusion decisions about their houses of worship. While plenty of valuable resource manuals exist, there was a need for stories that grip hearts and minds, showing struggles and solutions.

What I didn't realize was how much writing this book -- eventually titled "Amazing Gifts: Stories of Faith, Disability and Inclusion" -- would change my own life and the way I see and interact with people with disabilities. I learned many things, most of them simple, which in retrospect should have been obvious.

Like, it's okay to feel uncomfortable when first encountering people with disabilities; you'll get over it, and they'll understand. It's also okay if you don't know what to say at first; you'll get over that, too. Many people with disabilities have great -- if sometimes mordant -- senses of humor, if you listen for it.

I learned that words and terminology matter. "The disabled" and "disabled people" can objectify people with disabilities, turning them into abstractions. A helpful memory aid is this slogan: "'People' First," thus, "people with disabilities." A disability is something they have, not something they are. People use wheel chairs; they aren't confined to them.

In researching this book, I asked members of the disability community around the country to share their stories with me, and they did. I also tried to focus at least as much on people who "cope with" as on people who "conquer" their disabilities, as inspiring as the latter may be. And I included a wide array of disabilities (physical, emotional and intellectual) and faith traditions, though not all are represented.

The resulting tapestry of stories illustrates what can be done to integrate people with disabilities into faith communities, in the belief that the house of God should welcome everyone. The relationship, I learned, is often mutually enriching. The stories offer examples and ideas that can transform any congregation into one that includes, values, and enjoys people with disabilities. The emphasis is on "best practices" across the faith spectrum, particularly on actions that require no large financial commitment or expenditure. Embracing people with disabilities in our congregations is not primarily a matter of money and architecture-although commitments to those things can help. For communities of faith everywhere, people's hearts matter more than their budgets.

Those with disabilities can be invited to write first-person articles for congregational bulletins. Members with Down syndrome who wish to participate can be service greeters. Qualified volunteers can offer monthly respite support for caregivers of those with more severe disabilities, and anyone with a driver's license can provide occasional rides to services and activities. Most denominations produce, at little or no cost, resource materials to make congregations accessible and inclusive.

The good news, I learned in researching the book, is that some churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples are already welcoming people with disabilities and preparing for the coming influx of wounded vets and creaky boomers. They're tapping technology and simple thoughtfulness to reach out in creative ways to this faith-hungry community. Still, it takes more than just automatic door openers, large-print Bibles, and improved signage to make a congregation disability friendly.

The bad news is that some congregations still resist making themselves welcoming, accessible and inclusive. Others that try may fail, at least at first. People with disabilities say that's why they "church shop" before finding a faith home. And sometimes, despite everyone's best efforts, disability sorely challenges faith.

Like me, you may find it difficult, as you read these stories, not to ask yourself whether you could do what they have done. As others repeatedly cautioned me, this is not the question to dwell on. Our only job is to understand and to help in any way we can.

FOLLOW HEALTH AND FITNESS

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Friday, July 13, 2012

Coffee Won't Cause A Child To Become Hyperactive, Study Says

Pregnant women are typically told to avoid caffeine. One cup of coffee per day is okay, multiple studies have found, but generally it's in the same category as cocktails and soft cheese -- bad for baby's development. However, researchers in Amsterdam recently concluded that there is no link between caffeine intake during pregnancy and a child’s behavior later in life; they say a cup of Joe might wire mom for the day, but it won’t cause her child to become hyperactive.

Participants in the study (3,400 mothers) were asked how much coffee they consumed during pregnancy. When their children turned 5 or 6, the same women filled out questionnaires about their kids' behavioral health -– teachers completed an identical survey. The authors concluded that mothers who drank caffeine during pregnancy did not put their kids at risk for “hyperactivity/inattention problems, emotional symptoms, conduct problems, peer relationship problems, overall problem behavior, or suboptimal prosocial behavior.”

While the research shows that caffeine intake doesn't cause behavior issues in children, it didn't examine any other developmental problems. In April, when researches found that coffee consumption during pregnancy doesn't affect a baby's sleep patterns, experts still maintained that it isn’t wholly safe -– large amounts of caffeine have been linked to miscarriages and lower birth weights. Currently, the ACOG upholds that up to 200 milligrams (an 8-ounce cup of coffee) a day is okay to drink during pregnancy. Anything greater increases likelihood of complications during your pregnancy.

Caffeine isn’t the only pregnancy no-no that’s been called into question recently. In June, researchers found that moderate consumption of alcohol (up to eight drinks per week) does not affect kids 5 and under. Long-term effects weren’t tested, however, so doctors and experts still encourage an abstinence policy.

Beyond alcohol and caffeine, pregnant woman are handed a laundry list of things to avoid. Below, five pregnancy taboos that are acceptable in moderation:

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Thursday, July 5, 2012

'Six Week To OMG' Finally Published In UK

Forget Atkins. When it comes to the latest diet advice, there’s only one book title on everyones lips.

Six Weeks To OMG: Get Skinnier Than All Your Friends.

The eating plan, which is published paperback today (but has been No 1 on Apple's itunes UK chart for weeks) has come under attack for encouraging competitive weight-loss and extreme diet behaviour such as skipping breakfast, drinking coffee and taking cold baths.

But author Venice A Fulton (real name Paul Khanna), who slightly surprisingly hails from North London, is well prepared to challenge his critics and says that many health professionals are already on his side.

"I've already had doctors say they find it refreshing and useful for them," Fulton told Huffpost Lifestyle.

veniceafulton7841_3

Six Weeks To OMG Author Venice A Fulton.

“I’ve also read reports about my desire to turn women against women, which is literally not even on my radar.”

"And I'm definitely not advocating ice baths, as has been reported - but a cold bath. It should be room temperature, around 20 degrees celsius.

"If you sit in that water, your heart will beat 25 times faster than if you were standing normally in the room. That’s good because it forces your body to increase its metabolic rate and burn fat," he says.

The personal trainer believes that much of conventional wisdom about losing weight is wrong.

“It’s a shame. We’re all running around relying on these scientific cliches that no one ever checks out. I can’t stand that. Life is too short to waste,” he says.

Skipping breakfast can be healthy

Fulton says: "In the morning, your body has almost no blood sugar floating around, and you literally have once in a day opportunity to burn stored fat immediately. "That's almost impossible at any other time in the day. "There is evidence to suggest that breakfast skipping in some people is associated with eating more later - but the causal link has never been proven. "We are designed to live off our own structure. Body fat is not meant to be the back-up system. It's meant to be the system that trickles energy into us all day long. Many people eat breakfast out of pure habit.
Certain fruits instantly block fat loss

"Fruits and their spin offs like smoothies, certainly contain vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, but they also tend to be rich in fructose." says Fulton. "Fructose stops leptin, our body's fuel gauge, from doing its job. With nothing telling us to pull the gas nozzle out, we keep eating."
Snacking

"There's no such thing as a healthy snack," says Fulton. "Anything that is consumed between major meal times is certainly unhealthy. And that covers every single thing that is regarded as a health snack." "Your body must have long gaps between meals to live off its own structure. We're not designed to top up."
Juices and smoothies cause overeating

"Smoothies, certainly contain vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, but they also tend to be rich in fructose." says Fulton. "Fructose stops leptin, our body's fuel gauge, from doing its job. With nothing telling us to pull the gas nozzle out, we keep eating."
Exercise is more than just how much and how hard

"We widely debate what kind of exercise works best for fat loss, getting hung up on fine details like intensity and duration," says Fulton. "The important consideration is correct timing. It's critical to move early on, as this once-in-a-day opportunity presents a rare combination of high metabolic rate, lower blood sugar, and plenty of time for continued fat burning before shutdown (sleep)."
Broccoli carbs can be worse than those from Coke

Fulton says: "In some, the quantity of carbohydrate can itself determine their chance of skinny success, with the specific source of the carbs not making a noticeable difference. "These lucky few can get skinny on the lowest 'quality' carbs, such as soft drinks, as long as they don't have too many. "Being skinny, as opposed to being heavy, is best for general health, but it's worth seeking out nutrients even if your weighing scales delight in saying otherwise."
Black Coffee

Fulton says: "Black coffee is very potent for fat burning." "It encourages your body's fat cells to open up and release their contents and you can use up more stored body fat as a fuel. "Just remember to not to add milk or sugar."
Cold Baths

"Cold baths are a completely natural metabolism booster. The bath should be 68F/20 degrees celsius, which is room temperature water. "If you sit in that water, your heart will beat 25 times faster than if you were standing normally in the room. That's good because it forces your body to increase its metabolic rate. "The effect can last up to 15 hours in some people. It's incredible and a great way to eradicate a sluggish metabolism," says Fulton.

According to Fulton, the way we live doesn't allow our bodies to lose weight.

"Snacking is holding back the whole globe. It’s wholly inappropriate for humans, unless you’re a baby.

"We will not faint or collapse by not having food every three hours. It's a personal trainer driven myth that we must eat more frequently.

“Your body cannot burn fat if there is fuel in your blood stream. That’s not an opinion, that’s the way hormones work. It’s surprising that registered dietitians and doctors, even exercise physiologists, try and refute this fact.”

Scroll down for criticism of Fulton’s weight-loss techniques

The 39-year-old advises clients to exercise on an empty stomach first thing in the morning, and eat later on.

“The body has a back-up system called body fat - it’s the ultimate breakfast,” he says.

Fulton started his professional life as a personal trainer in public gyms, after completing a sports science degree at the University of Bedfordshire, but became tired of parroting the “party line” - and so moved into private training.

His methods quickly became less orthodox, as he implemented weight-loss techniques based on research he found personally compelling.

“There are are 21 million journals on the American National Institutes of Health website and I’ve probably looked through 25,000. And yes, of course you can always find research to back up any point of view, but I would not write about this stuff if I didn’t have confidence in it

"This is peoples’ lives, their self-esteem - things that can’t be messed with.”

Fulton believes that if individuals knew more about how their bodies burned fat, weight-loss would be easier to sustain.

"Many personal trainers work like an over glorified abacus, just counting for their clients, which is not enough. It doesn’t last when someone’s not barking at you. Or when you come off the diet.

"It’s all about understanding. That's the long-term key to getting somewhere."

"If you read this book, you’ll become an expert - and it will encourage you to look further. We’re all bright enough to not be talked down to."

So far Fulton has got off lightly from the critics, but he's ready for the avalanche of opinions as the book is published in paperback.

"I expect there will be people who will completely challenge it because it does upset the apple cart in terms of what we’re relying on. And I welcome that debate."

Why Six Weeks To OMG is wrong, according to dietician Sasha Watkins.

Hold Off On Breakfast

Skipping breakfast is not a great idea, as after a night without food, your energy reserves are low and your body and brain need fuel. In fact, studies show that people who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight than people that don't. Missing breakfast plays havoc with your metabolism and may lead to you to snack on less healthy foods later in the morning as you are hungry.
Cut Down Fruit Intake

The diet also encourages you to just eat one piece of fruit a day for six weeks. All the evidence shows that fruit is a good source of fibre, essential vitamins and minerals and key to good health. Dietitians recommend that you eat five pieces of fruit and veg a day, but if you want to lose weight try have more vegetables than fruit, as fruit is more calorific.
Up Your Caffeine Levels

There is nothing wrong with drinking moderate levels of coffee but it is not a miracle fat burner. If it was, considering how much we drink in the UK daily, we wouldn't have the current obesity crisis.
Don't Snack Between Meals

It is absolutely fine to snack - so long as you choose healthy snacks and keep yourself active. There may be times when you have a long time between meals or you need a snack after exercise. Good snacking options include a rice cake with cottage cheese, some carrot sticks with hummus or a low fat yoghurt

Source: www.huffingtonpost.co.uk

Friday, July 27, 2012

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Monday, July 23, 2012

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Thursday, July 19, 2012

10 Ways To Live Longer

Sleep... But Not For Too Long

Have Great Sex

Tie The Knot

Exercise For 15 Minutes

Move To The Countryside

Eat Like An Italian

Have Lots Of Children

Be Positive

Eat Chocolate (In Moderation, Of Course)

Read The Huffington Post

Monday, July 16, 2012

Lifestyle Changes To Help Prevent Dementia

Drink Decaffeinated Coffee

Play Brain-Teasing Games

Eat Less

Eat Fish

Play The Wii Fit

Do The Seven-Step Plan

"The Bachelor"

"The Bachelorette"

"Body of Proof"

"Castle"

"Charlie's Angels"

"Cougar Town"

"Dancing With the Stars"

"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23"

"Desperate Housewives"

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"

"GCB"

"Grey's Anatomy"

"Happy Endings"

"Last Man Standing"

"Man Up!"

"The Middle"

"Missing"

"Modern Family"

"Once Upon A Time"

"Pan Am"

"Private Practice"

"Revenge"

"The River"

"Scandal"

"Shark Tank"

"Suburgatory"

"Work It"

"2 Broke Girls"

"A Gifted Man"

"The Amazing Race"

"The Big Bang Theory"

"Blue Bloods"

"Criminal Minds"

"CSI"

"CSI: Miami"

"CSI: NY"

"The Good Wife"

"Hawaii Five-0"

"How To Be a Gentleman"

"How I Met Your Mother"

"The Mentalist"

"Mike & Molly"

"NCIS"

"NCIS: Los Angeles"

"NYC 22"

"Person of Interest"

"Rob"

"Rules of Engagement"

"Survivor"

"Two and a Half Men"

"Undercover Boss"

"Unforgettable"

"90210"

"America's Next Top Model"

"Gossip Girl"