How to Find The Most Effective Anti-Aging Eye Cream?

How to Find The Most Effective Anti-Aging Eye Cream?
As we grow old wrinkles and fine lines start to develop under the eye area. To prevent these wrinkles around the eyes and help our eyes look young and beautiful, we should take time to find the most effective anti-aging cream in the market. Here are discussed certain tips that will help us find an eye cream that is really effective for us.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Jowls, Pouches and Facial Exercise

Do you suffer from sagging facial skin? Have you been unsuccessful in turning back the clock on your face? Have you spent tons of money on cosmetics, creams, treatments and still feel your face has not achieved the results you desired? Stop spending money needlessly and start exercising your face! Full article

Cindy Wigglesworth: On Love As Your Guiding Principle

Cindy Wigglesworth: On Love As Your Guiding Principle

"Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Sounds good. But am I really supposed to love him? You don't mean her, do you?

This is how my spiritual journey began. I was seeking practical steps to achieve what seemed like a very idealistic goal: living from love. Raised Roman Catholic, I deeply admired people who seemed to embody love -- Jesus, Mother Teresa, and other saints. Later, I added holy people from many faiths to this list, people who seemed able to love others well -- Gandhi, Buddha, and many more. Love became my "true north" -- my guiding principle for acting from my highest and best self. When I am confused and upset, I need something simple and easy to remember. So my "guiding question" in a tough moment is: "What would love do?" This orients me to my intention -- to show up as love in as many moments as possible.

When I began to create my definition of Spiritual Intelligence, many years ago, I naturally turned to the word "love" as central to what I was trying to express. Spiritual Intelligence, to me, was all about "behaving with love." But I ran into the problem that "love" in the English language is a very vague and imprecise word. We say, "I love my children," and "I love pizza." To express the kind of love that the great wisdom traditions point to, I needed something more precise.

One day I came across a definition of love from the East that read: "Love is a bird with two wings. One wing is compassion; the other wing is wisdom. If either wing is broken, the bird cannot fly." I got goosebumps all over. I knew that I had found what I was looking for. I felt that I was remembering a deep truth. Love = wisdom + compassion.

Now you can see where my definition of SQ comes from. I define Spiritual Intelligence as "the ability to behave with wisdom and compassion, while maintaining inner and outer peace, regardless of the situation."

Wisdom is the best of the "head" or mind. Compassion is the best of the heart. Wisdom not informed by the heart can come across as unskillful or even offensive or harmful. Compassion uninformed by our wisdom can mean well, but can create co-dependencies or enable people who need us to do the harder thing and set boundaries. Wisdom and compassion together became the two pillars of loving behavior. I had found the terms that would allow me to "operationalize" this thing called "love." They represent, to me, the best of the heart and the best of the head coming together to create loving behavior. How can we be loving parents? Loving friends? Leaders? Coworkers? How do we serve the world? We serve the world by being wise and compassionate -- that, to me, is the essence of love.

For more by Cindy Wigglesworth, click here.

For more on love, click here.

Follow Cindy Wigglesworth on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CindySQ21

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Stephenie Zamora: Are Your Dreams On Hold? How To Lift Your Life Out Of Limbo

Stephenie Zamora: Are Your Dreams On Hold? How To Lift Your Life Out Of Limbo

Limbo. It's that awkward place between where you are now and where you'll be "soon."

Maybe you're planning to move across the country in the near future. Or your lease is ending in a few months and you're not sure if you'll be able to stay. Perhaps you have to travel for work off and on for the next six months.

So you think to yourself... What's the point in trying to meet someone new and amazing, I'll just be moving soon. Why bother getting that little arts and crafts corner set up in my current place, I may have to box it all up. Why bother taking that class, joining that group or making new friends, I'll just be on the go and away from it all.

The point is that life is precious and way too short to waste in limbo.

Limbo is also the birthplace of unfulfillment, depression, frustration, isolation and general "meh"-ness. When you allow yourself to enter the mental space of limbo, you effectively put living, loving, dreaming, scheming playing, connecting and whatever other wonderful ing-thing you want and desire on hold.

You put life on hold.

And when life is on hold, it slips by fast -- opportunities go unclaimed, amazing love remains undiscovered, friends, laughter, adventures and happiness fade away before you even experience them. All because you're waiting for something that's going to happen "soon."

Your "soon" may be two weeks, two years or two months. Doesn't matter. What matters is that you deserve an amazing, joy-filled life with phenomenal people in it.

So how do you stop living in limbo?

Start living in the moment.

One of the most transformational lessons I've learned in my life thus far is how to live in this exact moment, rather than getting lost in the mess of thoughts, negative chatter, worry, fear or drama in my head.

Think about it for a moment. (Yes, I'm giving you temporary permission to go in your head.) Instead of putting yourself out there, falling in love, making amazing friends, having fun and exciting life experiences, you're probably sitting at home or work thinking about how you'd love to be doing those things, but can't, since you have this change happening "soon."

Here's the truth, you can have those things. So what if you're only here for two more months? Get yourself out there and do all the things you want to do! Date (maybe even fall in love), meet new people (find the bestie you've always dreamed of), take that art class (so you'll miss the final show... at least you'll have made some art)!

Start showing up to every moment of every single day fully present and engaged in what you're doing or who you're with. Stop thinking about how things "have to be" because of something happening later. Be here now for this moment and have the most amazing experience you can.

Stop being afraid of what you can't control or foresee.

Unless you're some kind of amazing psychic, you don't know what's going to happen with anything, so stop assuming that you do.

"They won't want to hang out with someone who's moving soon."

"No one would ever want to date me seriously the way I have to travel."

"I'm not going to be able to stay here, anyway."

You don't know that. It's not possible for you to know that, especially when other people are involved. So stop assuming! Your "soon" is in the future, not right now. For all you know, you could meet a kindred spirit that you connect so deeply with you remain best friends via text, email and Skype for the rest of your lives. You could meet the man of your dreams who, by the time "soon" arrives, is willing to make things work. Or, your landlord will let you stay in your place and you just wasted a couple months not doing crafts because you assumed you'd have to move.

Stop being afraid or "realistic" about things... just live your life.

Remember that you can't control everything.

I strongly believe that if something's meant to happen, it will happen, whether you're ready for it or not. So if you're supposed to connect with someone specific, come across a certain opportunity or be guided in a certain direction, it's going to happen. Trust that everything happens for a reason and start moving with the flow of life.

Don't try so hard to maintain "control" of your life and your plan. When you do, you miss out on amazing things. Unexpected job offers, the person you're supposed to spend your life with, that best friend you've always wanted,

Just because you planned to move, change jobs, get married or whatever else, doesn't mean that's what's supposed to happen for you. If life presents you with an opportunity and your intuition says "hell yes!" you'd better listen up and act accordingly. Trying to control every little thing just causes unnecessary stress, frustration and anxiety. Loosen up your grip, begin listening to and trusting your intuition, and start to enjoy the amazing journey that is life.

Most importantly, stop wasting time in limbo!

Take action now!

If you feel like you're living in limbo, grab a notebook or journal and answer the following questions:

• Why am I so afraid/hesitant to do the things I want to do?
• How would it feel to do them anyway and really start living and enjoying my life in the present moment?
• Where can I relax my need for control and start moving with the flow of life?

Then... close your eyes, take a deep breath and re-engage in your life, in this moment (and every single moment after that) fully and completely.

Stephenie Zamora is the founder of www.stepheniezamora.com, a full-service, life-purpose development, design and branding boutique. Here she merges the worlds of personal development and branding to help young women build passion-based businesses. Click here to download her free guide, "The Unexpected Trick to Transforming Your Life With ONE Single Question."

Connect with Stephenie on Facebook and Twitter!

For more by Stephenie Zamora, click here.

For more on happiness, click here.

Follow Stephenie Zamora on Twitter: www.twitter.com/StephenieZ

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Dr. Jim Taylor: Athletes' Most Powerful Mental Tool

Dr. Jim Taylor: Athletes' Most Powerful Mental Tool

If you do anything to work on the mental side of your sport, it had better be mental imagery. Why, you ask. Because there is no more powerful mental tool than mental imagery and it can have a huge impact on your sports performance.

I say this with such conviction because it had that effect on me when I was a young athlete at Burke Mtn. Academy, a private boarding school in Vermont devoted to developing world-class ski racers (it was also the first full-time sports academy in the U.S.) One summer I took a course at a local college that introduced me to the power of mental imagery. I applied it to my sport as part of my final project for the class and then continued to use it throughout the following fall and into the competitive race season. The results were nothing less than spectacular. From doubt came confidence. From distraction came focus. From anxiety came intensity. From timidness came aggressiveness. From inconsistency came consistency. And, most importantly, from decent results came outstanding results.

When I studied mental imagery in graduate school, I learned why it is so powerful. According to Tony Morris, Michael Spittle, and Anthony Watt, authors of Imagery in Sport, this tool is used by virtually all great athletes; and research has shown that imagery, when combined with actual practice, improves performance more than practice alone.[1] Imagery also isn't just a mental experience that occurs in your head, but rather impacts you in every way: psychologically, emotionally, physically, technically, and tactically. Think of mental imagery as weight lifting for the mind.

In my more than 25 years of work with professional, Olympic, collegiate, and junior-elite athletes, mental imagery is the tool that I emphasize the most with them, and the one that I have seen have the greatest impact on their performances. Here's the bottom line. If you aren't engaged in a consistent mental imagery program, you're not doing everything you can to achieve your athletic goals.

Keys to Quality Mental Imagery

There are four factors that impact the quality of mental imagery: perspective, control, multiple sense, and speed. You can develop each of these areas so you can get the most out of your imagery.

Imagery perspective. Imagery perspective refers to where the "imagery camera" is when you do imagery. The internal perspective involves seeing yourself from inside your body looking out, as if you were actually performing your sport. The external perspective involves seeing yourself from outside your body like on video. Research indicates that one perspective is not better than the other. Most people have a dominant perspective with which they're most comfortable. Use the perspective that's most natural for you and then experiment with the other perspective to see if it helps you in a different way.

Control. Have you ever been doing imagery and you keep making mistakes -- for example, a basketball point guard sees the ball stick to the court while dribbling or a golfer sees her ball pop out of the cup? This problem relates to imagery control, which is how well you're able to imagine what you want to imagine. It's not uncommon for athletes to perform poorly in their imagery, and it often reflects a fundamental lack of confidence in their ability to perform successfully (when I started using imagery as a youth, I couldn't go three gates in a ski race course in my head without falling!).

If mistakes occur in your imagery, you shouldn't just let them go by. If you do, you'll further ingrain the negative image and feeling, which will hurt your performances. Instead, when you perform poorly in your imagery, immediately rewind the "imagery video" and edit the imagery video until you do it correctly.

Multiple senses. Good imagery is more than just visual, that's why I don't like to call it visualization. The best imagery involves the multi-sensory reproduction of the actual sport experience. You should duplicate the sights, sounds, physical sensations, thoughts, and emotions that you would experience in an actual competition. Visual imagery involves how clearly you see yourself performing. If sounds -- such as the quarterback calling the play at the line of scrimmage -- are important, you would want to generate them in your imagery. If you get nervous before an actual competition, you should get nervous in your imagery (and then take steps to relax).

The most powerful part of mental imagery is feeling it in your body. That's how you really ingrain new technical and mental skills and habits. A useful way to increase the feeling in your mental imagery is to combine imagined and real sensations. Imagine yourself performing and move your body along with the imagery. You see world-class athletes doing this before competitions.

Speed. The ability to adjust the speed of your imagery will enable you to use imagery to improve different aspects of your sports performance. In my experience, I've found slow motion to be effective for focusing on technique. When you first start to work on technique in your imagery, slow the imagery video down, frame by frame if necessary, to see yourself executing the skill correctly. Then, as you see and feel yourself performing well in slow motion, increase the speed of your imagery until you can perform well at "real-time" speed.

Be Realistic in Your Imagery

Imagine realistic conditions. Imagine yourself performing under realistic conditions -- in other words, always do imagery under those conditions in which you normally compete. That is, if you're usually competing in difficult conditions (e.g., cold or hot weather, snow or rain), imagine yourself performing under those conditions. Only imagine yourself performing under ideal conditions if you typically compete in ideal conditions.

Imagine realistic performance. If you're a young athlete, don't imagine yourself performing like a pro or Olympian. Instead, imagine yourself performing the way you normally do, but incorporate positive changes that you are working on.

Developing an Off-Sport Imagery Program

The key to getting the most out of mental imagery is consistency. You wouldn't expect to get stronger by lifting weights once every few weeks. You wouldn't expect to get better technically by practicing your sport once in a while. The same holds true for mental imagery. I've found that the only way to gain the benefits of mental imagery is to use it consistently in a structured way.

Set imagery goals. Set specific goals for what areas you want to work on in your imagery. Goals can be technical, tactical, mental, or overall performance. For example, you might focus on some technical change, being more relaxed and focused, or just going for it in your sport.

Climb imagery ladder. Create a ladder of practice and competitive scenarios in which you will be performing. The ladder should start with practice in a simple setting and progress to more demanding practice situations, less important competitions, and increase through more important events up to the most important competition you'll be in this year.

Begin your imagery on the lowest level of the imagery ladder. Stay at that rung until you reach your imagery goal. When that is achieved, stay at that step for several imagery sessions to really reinforce and ingrain the positive images, thoughts, and feelings. Then work your way up the ladder until you're performing the way you want in your imagery at the very top of the imagery ladder.

Training- and competition-specific imagery. Select practice and competitive situations that are appropriate for your level of athletic development. In other words, if you're a high-school soccer player, don't imagine yourself playing in a World Cup game against the world's best soccer players. Also, choose a specific competition in a precise location under particular conditions for each imagery session, thus reaching your imagery goals in a variety of competitions, settings, and conditions.

Imagery content. Each imagery session should be comprised of your pre-performance routine and your performance in practice or competitions. If you compete in a sport that is short in duration, such as sprinting or wrestling, you can imagine an entire performance. If you compete in a sport that is lengthy, for example, golf, tennis, or soccer, you can imagine yourself performing in four or five key parts of the competition.

Imagery sessions. Imagery sessions should be done three to four times per week. (Imagery shouldn't be done too often because, as with any type of training, you can get burned out on it.) Set aside a specific time of the day when you'll do your imagery (just like you do for your physical training). I recommend that you set your smartphone calendar to send you a reminder. Find a quiet, comfortable place where they won't be disturbed. Each session should last about 10 minutes.

Imagery journal. One difficulty with imagery is that, unlike physical training, the results aren't tangible. An effective way to deal with this problem is to keep an imagery journal. These logs should record key aspects of every imagery session including the quality of the imagined performance, any thoughts and feelings that occur (positive or negative), problems that emerged, and what you need to work on for the next session. An imagery journal enables you to see progress in your imagery, thereby making it more rewarding.

The Power of Mental Imagery

So, here's the deal. I can't guarantee that an mental imagery program is going to result in a quantum leap in your sport like it did for me in my ski racing so many years ago. But I will say that if you commit to a mental imagery program, there's a darned good chance that you will be much better prepared mentally than you were last year. And if you combine the imagery program with an intensive physical conditioning regimen and quality practice time, then I can say with confidence that, after a few months of committed imagery, when you head out to the field, court, course, or hill, you'll be able to say, "I'm as prepared as I can be to perform my best and achieve my goals."

For more by Dr. Jim Taylor, click here.

For more on success and motivation, click here.

References:

[1] Morris, Tony, Michael Spittle and Anthony Watt. Imagery in Sport. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics, 2005. [Link.]

Follow Dr. Jim Taylor on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DrJimTaylor

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Ann Brenoff: Forget Sitcom Perfection! 10 Ways To Reduce Stress And Enjoy The Holidays

Ann Brenoff: Forget Sitcom Perfection! 10 Ways To Reduce Stress And Enjoy The Holidays

There is no time of greater expectations -- or disappointment when those expectations aren't met -- than the holidays. It's a period when every blemish of your life comes under a magnifying glass: Your imperfect marriage, your imperfect children, your imperfect job/house/friends, and even your imperfect checking account are all there rearing their ugly imperfect heads.

For years, I blamed my unrealistic holiday expectations on those vanilla pudding sitcoms I grew up with. While Robert Young spewed pearls of fatherly wisdom to his little "Princess" on "Father Knows Best," my own family just never measured up to those never-screaming, always-nurturing Andersons. Never did the Andersons have an uncle who showed up drunk to Thanksgiving nor did Father Jim Anderson ever find himself scrambling for gifts in the open-til-midnight drugstore on Christmas Eve. For years well into my adulthood, I always exited the holiday season feeling that Mother Margaret Anderson would have pulled off another Hallmark-perfect holiday and mine surely wasn't.

But there's a new me in the saddle these days, one who benefits from the lessons learned over six decades. If I may share:

Overspending will only buy you a financial hangover.
All year long, we count our pennies and pride ourselves on sticking to a budget. We clip coupons, delay purchases and resist impulse-buying. Come the holidays, we spend like a drunken sailor on leave.

No, it's not the American way. Maybe it used to be, but welcome to post-recession 2013 folks. Give generously of your love and don't part with your credit card lightly. You will only regret it come January. And there is no greater stress than the one that comes with the feeling that you can't pay your bills.

Do things because you want to do them, not because you are expected to.
The only obligations I feel nowadays are to my family, my close friends and my job. I need all of them. Every other demand on my time falls under the heading of "optional." In discovering this course, I know I've hurt some well-intended neighbors, co-workers and acquaintances. I'm sorry for that, but with just 24 hours in a day, I can't please everyone. I'm down with that.

Some things are just silly. Stop doing the silly.
Long, long ago in a lifetime before Instagram and Facebook, people took their vacation photos and made them into holiday greeting cards that were sent by snail mail. For those who were seriously into piling on stress, they would also send out a holiday letter detailing all of the year's accomplishments. "Here's our new car, our new vacation home, our new boat!" Then it got uncool to brag about things, or maybe we just don't think "Lost our home in March!" has the same ring to it.

If I see you every day in the office or at school, there is no need to send me a holiday card. Just wish me good wishes and I'll do the same. As for the brag letter, that's why we have Facebook isn't it?

Push some social obligations into January.
People always feel the need to throw holiday parties in December, a time when everyone's social calendar is crammed to the rafters. I've learned to say no instead of trying to juggle three events in one day.

And please don't contribute to the madness by trying to hold your own party and then get upset when people can't come because they have other events to attend. Why not throw your dinner party in January, when nothing is going on?

Stockpile gifts so that you don't have to scramble.
I buy a stack of gift cards and keep them handy. I invariably forget to buy something for the coach, the tutor, the school bus driver who wakes up my daughter when she sleeps through our stop. Not everyone drinks coffee or shares your love of Starbucks, but everybody can use money; I make it a MasterCard or Visa gift card that can be used anywhere.

Is a gift card less personal than something I would pick out? You bet it is. It is also likely more appreciated.

Give generously ... to those who need it.
Charity is good for the soul. It feels much better to give to someone with nothing than someone with everything. So do that. Write a check to Mr. I Have Everything's favorite charity.

It's easy. It's quick. And it's the best way to spend money.

Give generously... to yourself.
A healthy dose of selfishness is the real cure for holiday stress. Accept the fact you can't be all things to all people and treat yourself to some me-first time. I know it runs contrary to the expectation that this is a time of giving. Think of it as giving to yourself. Go ahead. You deserve it.

Me time for me means telling the boss that I'll be at my kids' holiday concert instead of my desk. It also means telling my husband that no, I don't want to go anywhere for New Year's Eve. My best friend and I have already agreed to skip the holiday gift exchange and instead go away together for a girls' weekend in January.

Shortcuts you take will be noticed only by you.
One Thanksgiving, a friend showed up with an elaborate tray of wonderful moist cookies, beautifully plated and wrapped in colored cellophane. Her dessert was devoured by all to rave reviews; my made-from-scratch apple and pumpkin pies went largely untouched. It was one of my kids who outted her. "Mom, can you buy more of these cookies? I had them at Rayah's house last week and her mom got them at Ralph's."

Presentation, like many things in life, is everything.

Traditions change.
Sure everyone has gathered at sister Sue's house every holiday since the beginning of time. How many times have you said to yourself: "Self, just once I'd like to spend the holiday in my own house."

So what are you waiting for?

For midlifers whose adult children have families of their own, why not let the grandkids open first-night Chanukah gifts in their own homes? Ditto for Christmas morning. Traditions are lovely but eventually must fade to time. If you are together, does it really matter where?

Dare to dream.
My best holiday season was the one we sat out. We got both sides of the family mad at us and took a beach vacation. It was lovely. By the way, planes aren't as crowded if you travel on the day of the holiday.

Follow Ann Brenoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnBrenoff

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

'Obesity Gene' May Protect Against Debilitating Condition

'Obesity Gene' May Protect Against Debilitating Condition

Extra pounds are usually considered a downer, and obesity has been linked to higher rates of depression, mood and anxiety disorders, job discrimination and childhood social isolation. But the relationship between weight and emotional well-being has many mechanisms, and a new study may lend new credence to the notion of "fat but happy."

The FTO gene, a major genetic contributor to obesity thought to cause weight gain by hiking up calorie consumption, is also linked to an eight percent reduction in the risk for depression, according to a study published Tuesday in Molecular Psychiatry.

"The difference of eight percent is modest and it won't make a big difference in the day-to-day care of patients," said David Meyre, an author of the study who is associate professor in clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. "But, we have discovered a novel molecular basis for depression."

This protective effect was found in four different studies and complicates the conventional wisdom, supported by research, that depression increases the risk for obesity and obese people are more likely to become depressed. Meyre started with the hypothesis that both obesity and depression are linked to brain activity, and that obesity genes may be associated with depression -- but found a significant effect in the opposite direction.

Of course, not all obese people have this variant of the FTO gene, and those who do face plenty of depressing health and social problems. But with more than a third of American adults considered obese -- a number that is only expected to swell -- more people may try to embrace the "fat but happy" mindset. Feeling bad about your weight can just make you fatter, after all.

Also on HuffPost:

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Leigh Anne Tuohy: Living Thankfully

Leigh Anne Tuohy: Living Thankfully

As we all descended upon my oldest child's home in Baltimore this week; I fast and furiously began planning each second of the upcoming days. Get turkey and dressing from this place, get green bean casserole from that store(remember I DON'T cook)... whew... I was exhausted and the reheating was still a day away! So, I sat for five minutes while some eggs were boiling and quickly began to check my emails. I opened one that requested I write a 500-1000 word blog about Thanksgiving for The Huffington Post. I sighed deeply and all three kids looked up from their card game and said what's wrong? I said, "Oh, The Huffington Post has asked me to write a blog about Thanksgiving and what it means to me. I love those guys, really I do, but I just don't think I can squeeze anything else into this insane schedule!" Then what to my wandering eyes should appear... No one other than SJ! What were you expecting Santa Claus? I hear this, "I'll do it, Mom"; he is a freshman journalism major at Loyola of Maryland, today anyway! I said, "SJ, you think you can write something that when people read it they will be compelled to get up, get out and make a difference?" He said, "I do Mom." I initially had thought he was kidding, and I realized he was anything but kidding. He worked for sometime as the hustle and bustle continued around him.

Then as I was unloading the last of the food out of the car he said, "Here, read this"... Yes, this is the little kid from The Blind Side who we watered and fed and much to my surprise, he wrote a beautiful piece. I'm not sure why this took me by surprise, but I feel fairly certain his words will compel you to dig deep the next couple of weeks and finish this year doing things that aren't so frenzied and frustrating but are life changing. Think hard about what really matters and make someone else's holiday season merry and bright! Without any further intro from a proud Mom... Here's SJ...

***

While it is accurate that Thanksgiving only comes once a year, I think Thanksgiving is more of an attitude that we should live by than a holiday. Thanksgiving promotes an attitude of gratitude; I apologize on the front end for the rhyme, merely a coincidence. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "For every minute you are angry, you lose 60 seconds of happiness." If you have the freedom to read this little article, you have much to be thankful for.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared that the last Thursday of every November be celebrated with a national holiday known as "Thanksgiving Day" to honor those colonists and Wampanoag Indians who sat down and shared a feast one Autumn day in 1621. William Bradford, the "governor" of Plymouth and the first colonists who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 arranged this meal. The point of my telling you this is not to bore you with history. My point is that the original settlers sat down and were thankful for a meal even though about half of the original 102 colonists who traveled over on the Mayflower perished during the first winter.

Abraham Lincoln created the holiday in the middle of the Civil War. He had time to be thankful even though he was the leader of our nation during the biggest turmoil our country has ever had to go through. I'd be curious to see what Lincoln would think of the country he once led today. He might think it humorous how our perceptions of words like Thanksgiving, blessing, giving, etc. have changed.

Recently, our nation had the privilege of voting for our president. Instead of being thankful for the fact that we were able to watch two men debate on our television or read about it on our computers, our tablets, or in newspapers, we complain that the candidate we wanted or didn't want to win did not. I bet people in China and North Korea sure would have enjoyed their voices being heard.

If you are reading this on an electronic device, it is estimated that less than 1 percent of the world owns a computer. How is that for something that we overlook? About 151,600 people die every day, which equates to about 2 people per second; Life is a gift. I had a friend open the fridge the other day and jokingly mumbled how there was nothing good to eat. I thought about this for a second and wondered how many people open their refrigerators and have nothing. Take that a step further; think how many people are not afforded the luxury of even owning a refrigerator. I know this message is very cliché and pounded in our heads from such a young age, but we truly do have so much that we are blessed with.

So as my dad says,"What is the rub?" The rub is that the holiday is not "Thanks-getting." This day was not designed just for us to sit around a table and be thankful for blessings. As aforementioned, Thanksgiving is an attitude. The cheesy definition of "gratitude" is: "The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness." So as you sit around a table, thankful for blessings remember the key word in the definition is: show.

It is not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them. Sure, it may be easy for me to say; my parents are still together and as of now are not included in the 8 percent of American population who are not holding jobs. So yes, it is easy to sit around a table with friends, family or send a tweet out or however you will be communicating on this holiday about counting our blessings, but counting only gets you so far. Living thankfully, showing, not telling, is a true measure of our Thanksgiving.

Follow Leigh Anne Tuohy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/LeighAnneTuohy

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Pamela Tom: A Movement to Fight HPV Throat Cancer

Pamela Tom: A Movement to Fight HPV Throat Cancer

A movement starts with one voice. In this case, it's mine -- but everyone's concern.

Doctors say HPV-associated throat cancer is becoming a pandemic among non-smoking, middle-aged men.

A 2011 study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology says by 2020, the number of cases of men with HPV throat cancer will surpass women with HPV cervical cancer.

Haven't heard about it? I didn't know anything about it until last March when my husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with the HPV-16 strain, the human papillomavirus that causes oropharyngeal cancer in the throat, tongue, or tonsils.

A week after he was diagnosed with HPV-associated throat cancer, we were preparing for treatment: simultaneous radiation and chemotherapy for seven weeks. Jeff was snapped under a netted mask onto the radiation table every day for two months. He visited the chemo infusion clinic once a week for two hours. He relied on a feeding tube and liquid diet. He lost 45 pounds and it changed his life.

My emotions ran the gamut but mostly I felt helpless.

Until I decided I could help.

As Jeff underwent treatment, I spent the months working my day job at home so I could care for him. When he slept, I educated myself about HPV throat cancer. What is it? How could he get throat cancer when he has never smoked? What I learned is what YOU need to know.

Anyone can get HPV through vaginal, anal, and oral sex -- in fact, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), at least half of the sexually active population will have HPV at some in their lives. As many as 50 to 80 percent of middle-aged men may carry HPV. For undetermined reasons, maybe cultural, Caucasian men are most susceptible to HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer at this time. HPV is usually contracted in the early 20s, when people become sexually active.

HPV sits dormant in the body for decades... then emerges.

That's why middle-aged men who got it when they were young are now fighting HPV throat cancer.

Only certain strains of HPV cause cancer. The HPV-16 strain causes throat cancer.

The Pap smear screens for HPV in women but there is no formal screening for HPV in men.

There has been some media coverage about HPV throat cancer, yet not on a wide scale given this is a national -- if not global -- pandemic. That's why I am building an informational multimedia website called hpvandme.org that will be a user-friendly, first-stop resource with information about prevention, treatment, research news, and support. Creating awareness about HPV throat cancer is my way of helping while feeling so helpless.

My goal is to start a movement. One voice that grows into a collective voice because HPV-associated throat cancer is spreading, and more and more men will have to fight it. Early detection is important because once the cancer is no longer localized in the throat and spreads, surgery may no longer be an option. In such cases, like my husband's, evidence of cancer in the lymph nodes prompted his oncologist to order the harsher radiation and/or chemo treatment.

Scientists have been studying HPV throat cancer for less than 10 years. They need support to find better treatments and ultimately, a cure. Researchers are still determining the best treatment plans for HPV throat cancer. They know HPV throat cancer is different than throat cancer caused by tobacco and alcohol. In the meantime, because the outbreak is more recent and treatment for HPV throat cancer is less proven, often the more aggressive treatment used for a smoker's cancer is prescribed. Our doctor told us while it may be overkill, it's better to over-treat, rather than under-treat the cancer.

Doctors say the prognosis for HPV throat cancer patients is good -- if detected early. If we start learning and spreading the word about HPV prevention and cancer now, we can reduce the risk.

I have learned of other HPV throat cancer patients. After treatment, they can no longer produce saliva, taste foods as before... One man lost his jaw, tongue, and ability to speak. And women can get HPV throat cancer, too.

We still don't know if Jeff is cancer-free, but he is living "life to the fullest."

Strong, active men like Jeff won't think to seek medical help when they feel a lump in their throat or have difficulty swallowing. Public education will hopefully change that. Young men and parents of boys should also know that the CDC recommends HPV vaccines for boys as well as girls. While there has been controversy about the Gardasil HPV vaccine, it is considered an effective way to fight back.

I am not a doctor. I am a journalist spreading the word. One voice = many voices = CHANGE.

For more information, watch this report.

Please help me spread the word. The site will launch in 2013.
In the meantime, please share this link about this project with everyone you know.

For more by Pamela Tom, click here.

For more on personal health, click here.

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

The 10 Best Anti-Ageing Organic Moisturizers

The 10 Best Anti-Ageing Organic Moisturizers
You will have heard about organic and there is certainly lots of discussion about 'organic' skincare in the industry. It is one of those words people have come across and have heard but what does it mean and why is there so much talk about it? It's really quite simple, anything that is organic is produced without any synthetic chemicals and does not involve the use of any type of chemical, such as pesticides, artificial fertilisers or synthetic chemicals. A good quality organic skincare product will have at least 70% of its ingredients being organic, with the rest of the ingredients coming from natural sources.
Source: EzineArticles.com

How To Fight Cancer

http://on.webmd.com/SasPqD
How To Fight Cancer
According to the National Cancer Institute, roughly 1/3 of all cancer deaths may be ascribed to our diets. The advocated diet isn't elaborate or expensive. There are a lot of foods and even spices that may very well help in the fight against cancer. Some authorities claims that a lot of healthy food choices will help reduce the possibility of contracting cancer, and may shrivel up tumors.

Oranges and lemons perk up the immune system to drive back cancer cells. Papayas bear ascorbic acid, which works as an antioxidant. Raspberries hold a lot of vitamins and minerals which help protect against cancer. Nuts hold a lot of antioxidants, which might suppress the growth of tumors.

Some may feel the jury is still out on fiber's role as a cancer fighter. All the same, given the many advantages of high-fiber foods like whole grains, fruits, and veggies, the arguments for contributing more fiber to your diet are overpowering. A high-fiber diet may cut levels of blood cholesterol, help keep up regularity, and avert gastrointestinal conditions like diverticulitis.

Contrary to their processed counterparts, like white rice or white bread, whole-grain foods hold their original fiber, the nutrient-rich bran and germ, and the starchy endosperm. That may sound academic, but from a nutritional point of view it makes a huge difference.

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<a href="http://www.livescience.com/16336-top-10-cancer-fighting-foods.html">Top 10 Cancer-Fighting Foods</a>

Nourishing Your Brain With Ayurveda: Tips to Keep Your Brain Young and Healthy

Nourishing Your Brain With Ayurveda: Tips to Keep Your Brain Young and Healthy
Ayurveda, the original health science of India, offers much needed knowledge on how to reverse the aging trends, even in cases of brain deterioration such as Alzheimer's disease. Follow these Ayurveda tips to maintain healthy brain functioning.
Source: EzineArticles.com

The Effect Soda May Have On Your Joints

The Effect Soda May Have On Your Joints

By Sharon Kay

Sugary soft drinks are one of the leading culprits of the obesity epidemic in America, and now a new study shows that your favorite sugary sodas may also worsen osteoarthritis of the knee in men.

Osteoarthritis is often caused by wear and tear of the cartilage surface, the soft cushion between bones. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain, stiffness, reduced movement, swelling, and grating noises when moving the joint. One in two Americans may eventually develop knee osteoarthritis, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In a study following 2,149 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Tufts Medical Center in Boston, and Brown University in Providence, R.I., monitored knee X-rays taken at 12, 24, 36, and 48 months. Patients, especially men, who drank high-calorie soft drinks, showed worse narrowing of the joint space in their knees — a measurable symptom of osteoarthritis. People who did not drink these beverages showed less progressive disease. The findings were presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.

When the study began, patients were asked to report how much and how often they drank sugar-sweetened beverages. Their body mass index (BMI) was also recorded and tracked throughout the study. Men who consumed more than five soft drinks a week had twice as much narrowing of joint space — an average of 0.59 millimeters — as compared to men who did not drink high-calorie soft drinks.

Overweight and obesity are known risk factors for osteoarthritis, but surprisingly, men in the study who weighed less, or had a lower BMI, actually showed worse knee damage if they drank more soft drinks compared to heavier men. And only the women in the study with the lowest BMI numbers and heavier soft-drink consuming habits showed worse symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

This further suggests that soft drinks may cause damage independent of the wear and tear typically caused by overweight and obesity, explains the study's lead investigator, Bing Lu, MD, of Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Dr. Lu said that he and his colleagues aren't exactly sure why high-calorie soft drinks worsen osteoarthritis, but they hypothesize that several ingredients in these sugary drinks negatively affect overall bone health. For example, Lu says the caffeine in most soft drinks is considered a risk factor for osteoporosis. "Furthermore, soft drinks may contain phosphoric acid, which was shown to interfere with calcium absorption and to contribute to imbalances that lead to additional loss of calcium. It has also been suggested that the high fructose corn syrup used to sweeten carbonated beverages may negatively affect bone," adds Lu.

More research is needed to understand why soft drinks may lead to worsening symptoms of osteoarthritis, particularly in men, but the study shows that sweet soft drinks are an identifiable risk factor associated with worsening osteoarthritis — and one that can be easily avoided.

"Sugary Soft Drinks Worsen Osteoarthritis In Men" originally appeared on Everyday Health.

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Usage and Ingredients of Natural Growth Hormone Releasers

Natural amino acids and vitamin supplements may help stimulate increased production of beneficial growth hormones by the body.It is important to understand how proper nutrition and supplementation affects growth hormone levels in the body. Full article

'Grey's Anatomy's' Chandra Wilson On This Week's Very Special Episode

'Grey's Anatomy's' Chandra Wilson On This Week's Very Special Episode

"Grey's Anatomy" fans all have their favorite couples: Meredith and Derek, Callie and Arizona, Cristina and Owen, Jackson and April. But another couple worth shipping might be walking down the aisle very, very soon.

HuffPost TV caught up with star Chandra Wilson to talk about Bailey's possible upcoming nuptials with Dr. Ben Warren (Jason George) -- "There will be a wedding before we finish out 2012, but that's all I'm gonna say about that!," she teased, presumably about the happily engaged long-distance couple -- but she also dished about this week's very special episode, which she directed.

For "Second Opinion" (Thurs., Nov. 15 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC), Wilson stepped behind the camera to direct her seventh "Grey's" episode, but this one marks the very first time in nine seasons that she's pitched a story to the writers. Keep reading for more on the rare disease she got incorporated into the show, what she got to direct her castmates doing (Cristina's dramatic return to Seattle Grace! Jackson and April's steamy hook-ups!), who is most difficult to direct and what lies ahead for Bailey.

It's always so nice when someone who's on the show, and has been living on the show for so long, can step behind the camera for a week, and I always enjoy the episodes you direct. What's Bailey up to this week?
Yes, this is my seventh time up at bat, and I knew that I was going to be directing this episode, but I didn't know the storyline. Cristina Yang is back in Seattle, so it's about how she gets reincorporated into the hospital. And we have some nice sex scenes with Jackson and April [laughs], and we also have Bailey being a busy-body and trying to get Arizona Robbins to get off of her behind and come on back to the hospital.

Beyond that, I was able to personally incorporate a character who is a Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS) sufferer, and that was important to me because my oldest daughter is a CVS sufferer. There are so many sufferers out there that have never heard the name said out loud or said publicly, and this was a major confirmation for them, I felt, to be able to see somebody else go through what they're going through at home, or what their neighbor's kid or their nephew is going through, and to be able to validate that by saying I'm not crazy -- this intense nausea and vomiting that I go through has a name, somebody else has it, and now, maybe somebody can help me. So there was a lot of significance for me personally with this episode.

That's amazing that they were on board and able to incorporate that into the story.
This was the first time -- and we're in Season 9 -- that I actually made a pitch for a storyline. I'd never done that before ... I just never felt like I needed to. The show's been taking care of itself perfectly fine without my input! [Laughs.] But I did make that pitch, and not only were they on board with it, they also allowed me to make a public service announcement at the end of the episode for the Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome Association that I'm the spokesperson for. If one extra person picks up the phone and calls to say, "Oh my god, I think that's me," that's a coup, but I would hope that it would be a lot more that get a chance to do that. I'm so very aware of the platform that I've been given with "Grey's Anatomy," and I feel a lot of responsibility in that position and want to do the best job that I can personally to use the gift that I've been given.

I love that you're taking full advantage of that. I also love that you said Bailey has a hand in getting Arizona back to work, because it's about time! Nothing else seems to be working ...
Yeah, and it's not necessarily on purpose. She hears Callie's gripes about what's been going on at home, and Bailey's been in kind of busy body mode this season [laughs], trying to find her way now that all her babies are grown and her son is in school. This opportunity just kind of presented itself, to see how is she going to help her friend.

I am always happy when Jason George comes to play. And there's some BIG stuff coming up for Miranda Bailey and Ben Warren!
Well, she completely accepted his proposal, even though he lives not only in another city, but another state! She's been married before, she's done that whole thing, and she thought she did it right the first time, you know? So she's not necessarily making all the plans to get married, but she told him yes and he's just gung-ho and excited and ready to get on with it. So now it's about how in the world do we get Miranda Bailey to the altar? [Laughs.]

And should she really be doing it? A couple of weeks ago on set, I talked to Sara Ramirez about all of Callie's domestic issues with Arizona ... with Callie often acting as Miranda's sounding board, I can't imagine she's really giving a lot of positive support to this marriage decision, is she? Is anyone? They all have their relationship issues ...
Yeah, nobody has a great perspective on our show right now! [Laughs.] But she does actually get some really interesting back-handed advice from Callie and from Cristina and from Dr. Webber -- none of them whose relationships have been great, but they actually have some great advice for her to consider in being able to go forward and choose to be happy with Ben.

When you're tasked with directing your colleagues, who is the most difficult to direct? Not in a bad way, but is there someone who's always cracking up or pushing your buttons, just for kicks?
[Laughs.] You know, I tell you, I'm in such a unique position being in-house because I know how our show works and I know everybody's temperament already. I know what's going to work from this person and what's going to work for the other, so I get a whole lot of appreciation when it's my turn! [Laughs.] If Patrick [Dempsey] needs to get out and go race, he's gone! If Ellen needs to get home to the baby, OK let's go! [Laughs.] It's already built in -- I know you and I know what you're gonna want, so we really move through our days and move through our scenes, and we get the stuff that we need. And we have a good time, because I laugh all the time -- I just don't allow it to be anything other than something that's fun.

Is there anything that you've wanted to happen for Bailey that hasn't happened yet? Something you'd love to see worked in before the series ends, whenever that will be?
Wow ... I have no clue what that would be. I literally have been riding this ride from the very beginning, and other than making the pitch for this CVS storyline, I have stayed so far away from that writers' room. [Laughs.] I feel like they do everything that they need to do for this character. Right when I think I know who she is, then something different will show up about her. Whoever thought she'd go into an on-call room? She was adamant that she'd never do that ... and here she is! I just have so much appreciation for what's being created. Whoever knew that I'd do the music event? I was one of those people the entire time saying, "I'll never do that. Never." And then there I was in the music event. I don't want to fix what isn't broken.

Shonda Rhimes might be one of the most persuasive showrunners in this business. The fact that any of you sang!
Oh yeah, she blamed the music event on the starving children somewhere. [Laughs.] Who are these starving children that I'm doing this for? [Laughs.] But that was the bribe line: It's for the starving children.

What else can you tease about the rest of the season?
Well, the plane crash and the ramifications are still rolling out legally, so there's an interesting place where blame ends up being placed, and we start to feel that in this episode. And that whole Owen and Cristina thing has an ending that's just crazy. You know how volatile those two characters are ... they are volatile. And yes, there will be a wedding before we finish out 2012, but that's all I'm gonna say about that!

Tell us: Do you think Bailey and Ben will get married? Will Callie and Arizona resolve their issues? And will Cristina and Owen get divorced?

"Grey's Anatomy" airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

Read ABC's full description of this episode:

"Second Opinion" - As the doctors continue with their lawsuit, they're forced to confront the realities of their injuries. Meanwhile, Bailey tricks Arizona into helping her with a pediatric case, and Cristina tries to find normalcy in her new environment.

Also on HuffPost:

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Things You Can Do For A Healthier Brain And Lifestyle

Things You Can Do For A Healthier Brain And Lifestyle
The brain is a big part of life, so to enjoy steps need to be take, find out what vital vitamin your brain needs... There is a thought that aging causes the brain to weaken over time, and reduce its performance. Illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, are cited as being the product of age and memory loss due to this. The good thing is that there is something that can be done about the brains health. Practicing them can give you some protection against and deterioration cause over time.
Source: EzineArticles.com

There's A Proven Way To Reverse Grey Hair: And It Is Mostly Dependent On Diet

There's A Proven Way To Reverse Grey Hair: And It Is Mostly Dependent On Diet
Grey hair is caused by the pigment cells in your hair follicles slowing down until they totally stop working: this is usually due to age. The pigment cells (melanocytes) are responsible for giving colour to your hair and many think that the length of time before you go grey is a function of genes and hereditary.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Michael F. Jacobson: Time to Sweep Up the Confetti and Start Saving Lives

Michael F. Jacobson: Time to Sweep Up the Confetti and Start Saving Lives

As President Obama prepares for his second term, he should finish the food policy work he started in his first.

Early in what we can now call his "first" term, President Barack Obama carved out an ambitious agenda on food policy. In January 2011, the President signed the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act -- landmark reform legislation designed to keep salmonella, E. coli, and other dangerous pathogens out of the food supply. Requiring more oversight of the factories, fields, and packing houses from whence much of our food comes, the bill was supported by consumer groups, victims of foodborne illness, and much of the food industry itself. The law required the Food and Drug Administration to draft, offer for public comment, and then finalize regulations governing recalls, imports, produce safety, and more.

Perhaps not wanting to appear overly "regulatory" or "anti-business" during a heated campaign, the administration had basically signaled to consumer advocates that they should expect to wait until "after the election" to see these important food safety rules. And so in January of 2012, when a rule instructing retailers how best to alert consumers about food recalls was due, nothing happened. And in July, when a rule requiring hazard-control plans at food manufacturing facilities came due, again -- nothing. Meanwhile, outbreaks and recalls of contaminated food continued apace, including an outbreak of salmonella linked to raw tuna, which sickened 425 people and hospitalized 55 this summer, and outbreaks linked to salmonella-contaminated cantaloupe, mangoes, and peanut butter this fall, sickening hundreds more.

The administration has acted with greater speed carrying out many of the regulatory provisions in its signature legislative achievement, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or "Obamacare." But one nutrition-related provision of that important bill has not yet been finalized: the section requiring calorie counts on chain restaurant menus and menu boards. Even as some big chains (including McDonald's) acted on their own to implement the law, officials basically have been sitting on proposed regulations that spell out the nitty gritty details of how to (and who should) comply with the law. Again, health advocates were told to expect the final requirements sometime -- you guessed it -- "after the election."

Also stuck at the White House are proposed standards for foods sold in school vending machines and other venues outside the school meal programs. The Healthy, Hunger-free Kids Act would not have passed without the support of both the president and the first lady. Yet this important provision to get soda and junk food out of schools has been held hostage by the elections. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is done writing the standards, so the White House should be able to release the proposed rule in the next few weeks.

Stuck elsewhere at the FDA, with details not disclosed, are important measures regarding two of the most harmful chemicals in food. The FDA needs to order the food industry to stop using partially-hydrogenated oil, with its artery-clogging trans fat. While many companies have stopped using the harmful fat, others, such as Marie Callender's, Pop Secret, and Pillsbury still employ it.

And an even greater danger is that posed by high levels of sodium in packaged and restaurant foods. Researchers have estimated that reducing those levels by 50 percent would save about 100,000 lives per year. More than two years ago, the prestigious Institute of Medicine, a unit of the National Academy of Sciences, concluded that companies had ignored numerous government recommendations since 1969 to reduce sodium levels in their products. Hence, the IOM recommended that the FDA set binding limits on sodium. The FDA has done virtually nothing to protect the public's health.

The president should be congratulated on his historic victory. He and first lady Michelle Obama have been important advocates for progress on nutrition, obesity, school meals, food safety, and more. But it's time to sweep up the confetti and finish the important work on food policy that's been left hanging in the balance during the campaign. And the administration should use the next four years to pursue even more aggressive initiatives that make our food supply safer, our kids better protected from junk-food marketers, and our diets healthier.

For more by Michael F. Jacobson, click here.

For more health news, click here.

Follow Michael F. Jacobson on Twitter: www.twitter.com/CSPI

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

Guideposts : 'Be With My Son. Comfort Him, Lord.'

Guideposts : 'Be With My Son. Comfort Him, Lord.'

Written by J.R. Martinez, this story first appeared in the May 2012 issue of Guideposts magazine, a monthly publication, founded by Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, that provides hope, encouragement and inspiration to millions. Download of a condensed version of 'The Power of Positive Thinking' absolutely FREE.

The moment was here. Ten weeks of rumbas, chachas and tangos. I stood on the dance floor, hand in hand with my partner, Karina Smirnoff, and waited to hear Tom Bergeron, host of "Dancing With the Stars," announce who'd won the coveted Mirrorball trophy.

I stole a glance out in the studio audience for my mom. She smiled broadly, proudly. This could be the greatest day of my life, I thought.

You may know a little about my story. How I was raised by a hardworking single mom, how we moved from place to place during my childhood and wound up in Dalton, Ga. How I played strong safety for my high school football team and went to the state championship. How I was popular and my head might have swelled a bit from girls telling me I was good-looking.

I dreamed of becoming an All-American hero. I just didn't know how I was going to get there. I had no real job skills, and hadn't done well enough in school to earn a college scholarship. Maybe that was why, not long after I graduated high school, a commercial I saw about the Army intrigued me.

That summer of 2002 I went to the Army recruiter at the mall. "I want to enlist," I said.

"Why?" he asked.

"To serve my country." My mom came to the U.S. from El Salvador and she taught me to be grateful for our life in America. After basic training I was assigned to the 502d Infantry Regiment. In March 2003, at age 19, I was deployed to Iraq.

My job wasn't glamorous. On April 5, less than a month into my deployment, I was doing the usual -- driving a Humvee near Karbala, a small city about 60 miles southwest of Baghdad. We were at the head of a convoy escort. Our mission: Secure a local airfield.

There were four of us -- three enlisted men and a sergeant. It was just weeks after the invasion. I was driving with one hand on the wheel, like I was cruising the boulevard back home.

My buddy riding shotgun joked, "Wouldn't it be great to get a purple heart? Every restaurant you went to, you could jump to the head of the line." Bravado covered up our fear. We knew how dumb we sounded, but humor helped take our minds off the dangers of being in a war zone.

I felt our left front tire hit something. A land mine. Boom! The other three guys were thrown clear by the explosion. The Humvee burst into flames. I was trapped inside, burning alive. "Help! Help!" I screamed. I could hear the rat-tat-tat of machine-gun fire outside. My guys were pinned down, under attack. No one could reach me. God, help me. The pain was indescribable. I watched the skin melt and fall off my hands. Flames seared my face, my arms, my back, consuming me. I'm going to die.

Someone's hands reached for me, pulling me out of the Humvee. My buddies. They had suppressed the fire. I remember being lowered to the ground, the sergeant cradling me like a baby. "My face, my face," I shrieked. He held my hands and wouldn’t let me touch my face. Then by the grace of God, I passed out.

I awoke at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, three weeks later. Doctors had put me in an induced coma and I'd been airlifted from Iraq to Germany then to the U.S. There was Mom at my bedside, looking at me with such love in her eyes. But it didn't mask her worry.

Those first weeks were a blur of pain and medical procedures. Forty percent of my body was burned. My left ear was so badly damaged it had to be removed. Doctors amputated part of my right ear too. I was tethered to a ventilator because of smoke inhalation. I had skin grafts and surgeries, some taking over 10 hours.

I told the doctors and nurses I wanted to see what I looked like, but they kept putting me off. One day, after about five weeks, I grew frustrated. "I'm going to have to live with this for the rest of my life. I might as well start learning now."

Finally the nurse sat me at a table with a mirror above it. Slowly, I raised my eyes. The whole left side of my face drooped like a melting fudgesicle. My flesh was discolored and covered with angry-looking red splotches. All I had was a hole where my left ear had been. My eyes sagged; I had no eyebrows.

"Your grafts are coming along nicely," the nurse said. "You're looking better and better." I couldn't say a word. Who was this man in the mirror? It was like some creature out of a horror movie staring back at me. That's not me, that's a freak! How could I go out in public? I'd scare people.

I turned away from the mirror, sobbing. For four days, I lay in bed. I didn't eat or talk. I didn't want to live.

Mom never left my side. I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the sickening images of my reflection, to shut out the world, but her prayers broke through. "Be with my son. Comfort him, Lord," she said. "We know you feel his pain. Keep him strong. Give him courage."

"You have to hold on to your faith,"; Mom told me. "That's what will get you through." She'd had her own experiences with tragedy -- living in war-torn El Salvador, losing my older sister, Anabel, to a congenital illness.

"I kept going," she said. "God showed me I still had things to live for. He has a purpose for you too."

"But what do I have left, Mom?" I asked. "I don't recognize myself. I don't even know who I am anymore!"

"You are still my son," she assured me. "You are who God made you. I know you're worried about girls. The people in your life who count will be there for who you are, not what you look like."

I wanted to believe that. Like my mom, I took to talking to God, praying my way through more treatments, more surgeries. I know I survived for a reason, Lord. Lead me to the other side of this pain, and show me that reason.

One day a nurse came to me. "We have a new patient on the ward, another burn patient. He's having a hard time,"she said. "Do you think you could talk to him? It might help him to know things do get better."

"OK," I said, though I wasn't sure how much use to him I'd be.

The nurse led the way to his room. I peeked in. It was dark inside. "Hey, man," I said, "can I come in? I was injured in Iraq. I've been here for a few months."

"Oh, really,"he said listlessly.

I walked in and sat next to his bed. Even in the dim light, I could see both his ears were missing. So was his nose. He must be in the same dark place I've been in, I thought.

I tried some basic questions: Where are you from, what do you like to do? His answers were short. I kept trying, and gradually he loosened up. Soon we were talking about all kinds of things. Our favorite music. Life in the military. Before either of us knew it, 45 minutes had passed.

I stood up to leave. "Is there anything I can bring you?"; I asked.

"A visit is all I really need," he said.

I stopped by a few days later. This time his drapes were open. "I don't know what you said to him," the nurse told me, "but you really made a difference."

Maybe Mom's right, I thought. Maybe I do have a purpose.

I spent almost three years recovering at Brooke, underwent 33 surgeries. I visited people on the wards almost daily, talking to servicemen and women who'd been injured. After my discharge, I joined veterans' organizations and traveled the country giving motivational talks.

Then -- can you believe this? -- I landed a part on the soap opera "All My Children," playing a wounded vet. Mom turned out to be right about true friends seeing who I am on the inside. The team on the show became like a second family, and I fell in love with a production associate, a wonderful woman named Diana.

"Dancing With the Stars" was the icing on the cake. Dancing for hours at a time was something else. It was grueling, like football practice in the hot sun, like basic training. The first week of rehearsals Karina showed me a new dance step. It took me a full day to master it. When I did, I flashed the biggest smile.

"You got it!" Karina said.

But I was thinking something else. Talk about a plan! God had opened up a new world for me.

I was thinking the same thing, waiting on the dance floor for the winner to be announced. After an eternity, Tom Bergeron called my name. I said a prayer of thanks and leaped for joy. Mom rushed down from the audience. I hugged her, hugged Karina. And I hoisted the trophy, hoisted it as high as I could.

• Cast Of "Dancing With The Stars" Visits ABC's "Good Morning America"

  NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 23: Winning contestant J.R. Martinez and instructor Karina Smirnoff from the cast of 'Dancing With The Stars' visit 'Good Morning America' at ABC Studios on November 23, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

• 2012 ING New York City Marathon Celebrity Runners Photo Call

  NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 01: J.R. Martinez attends 2012 ING New York City Marathon Celebrity Runners Photo Call at ING New York City Marathon Media Center on November 1, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)

• 2012 ING New York City Marathon Celebrity Runners Photo Call

  NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 01: (L-R) Joe Bastianich, Stephanie Abrams, Nick Kypreos, Tanya Marchiol, J.R. Martinez, Brian Sears, Nick Spangler, Paul Sparks, Greg T, Whitney Phelps and Justin Young attend 2012 ING New York City Marathon Celebrity Runners Photo Call at ING New York City Marathon Media Center on November 1, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)

• J.R. Martinez, Actor And Former U.S. Army Soldier, Visits Universal Orlando Resort

  ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 07: In this handout image provided by Universal Orlando, actor and former U.S. Army soldier J.R. Martinez was hosted by Universal Orlando Resort on February 7, 2012 as he vacationed in Orlando, Florida. Best known for winning season 13 of ABC's hit TV series, 'Dancing with the Stars,' J.R. enjoyed an exciting performance by students from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic while visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He also visited Ollivanders wand shop and soared above Hogwarts on Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. (Photo by Kevin Kolczynski/Universal Orlando Resort via Getty Images)

• GQ, Lacoste And Patron Tequila Celebrate The Super Bowl In Indianapolis

  INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 03: J.R. Martinez attends GQ, Lacoste And Patron Tequila Celebrate The Super Bowl In Indianapolis at The Stutz Building on February 3, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for GQ)

• Tazon Latino VI Celebrity Flag Football Game Presented By Pepsi

  INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 02: J.R. Martinez attends Tazon Latino VI Celebrity Flag Football Game Presented By Pepsi at Indiana Convention Center on February 2, 2012 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Pepsi)

• 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Arrivals

  LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 29: Actor J.R. Martinez and Diana Gonzalez-Jones arrive at the 18th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 29, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

• J.R. Martinez Emcees 25th Anniversary National Rehabilitation Hospital Gala Victory Awards

  WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 01: J. R. Martinez attends the 25th Anniversary National Rehabilitation Hospital gala Victory Awards at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel on December 1, 2011 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Riccardo S. Savi/Getty Images for National Rehabilitation Hospital)

• Cast Of "Dancing With The Stars" Visits ABC's "Good Morning America"

  NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 23: Army veteran and winning contestant JR Martinez from the cast of 'Dancing With The Stars' visits 'Good Morning America' at>> ABC Studios on November 23, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

• SAG, Actors' Equity & AFTRA's 2011 Tri-Union Diversity Awards

  LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 07: Actor J.R. Martinez (L) and general Anderson (R) attends SAG, Actors' Equity & AFTRA's 2011 Tri-Union Diversity Awards at Nate Holden Theatre Center on November 7, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Valerie Macon/Getty Images)

• iHeartRadio Music Festival - Day 2 - Press Room

  LAS VEGAS, NV - SEPTEMBER 24: J.R. Martinez (L) and Karina Smirnoff poses in the press room at the iHeartRadio Music Festival held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on September 24, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)

• ABC's "All My Children" - 2010

  LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 26: J.R. Martinez and Shannon Kane in a scene that airs the week of September 29, 2010 on ABC Daytime's 'All My Children.' 'All My Children' airs Monday-Friday (1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for DATG)

Watch J.R. Martinez discuss his new book, 'Full of Heart.'

Written by J. R. Martinez, this story first appeared in the May 2012 issue of Guideposts magazine, a monthly publication, founded by Rev. Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, that provides hope, encouragement and inspiration to millions. Download of a condensed version of 'The Power of Positive Thinking' absolutely FREE.

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com

There's A Proven Way To Reverse Grey Hair: And It Is Mostly Dependent On Diet

Grey hair is caused by the pigment cells in your hair follicles slowing down until they totally stop working: this is usually due to age. The pigment cells (melanocytes) are responsible for giving colour to your hair and many think that the length of time before you go grey is a function of genes and hereditary. Read here

Winning The Lottery Will Help You Live Longer

Winning The Lottery Will Help You Live Longer
Most people would opt to live longer if they had the choice. Research continues to show that rich people outlive those considered to be 'poor'. Even Lottery winners can be expected to live longer. This article focuses on the link between money and longevity.
Source: EzineArticles.com

How to Stay Younger Inside and Out Than Actual Biological Age

How to Stay Younger Inside and Out Than Actual Biological Age
To be younger inside out means feel younger and look younger. To feel younger and look younger are two different aspects. So you have to work on them one by one individually. But the key behind the two aspects are the same. Both of them depend on rejuvenating.
Source: EzineArticles.com

Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN, CNS: Can 'Negative-Calorie' Foods Help You Lose Weight?

Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN, CNS: Can 'Negative-Calorie' Foods Help You Lose Weight?

Well, yes and no. Digesting food burns calories. And it's true that a few foods, such as grapefruit and celery, contain fewer calories than it takes to digest them. So, when you eat these foods, you actually burn more calories than you take in. Thus, the term "negative-calorie foods."

Theoretically, the more negative-calorie foods I eat, the more weight I lose! How great is that? Now all I need is a job that pays me more the less I do, and a bank account that gets bigger the more I spend!

Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. Here's why: When nutritionists estimate how many calories you should eat, we're already taking into consideration how many calories you burn chewing and digesting your food. The "negative-calorie diet" essentially subtracts those calories twice. That's the kind of accounting that will make you bounce checks (or get you a really good job on Wall Street).

How Negative-Calorie Foods Help You Lose Weight

But will eating a whole bunch of celery and grapefruit speed your weight loss? Only if you eat them instead of brownies and potato chips. In other words, you can't eat a brownie and then burn off the calories by chasing it with a hundred sticks of celery. The only way to make this work is to eat the hundred sticks of celery first. Then, with any luck, you'll be too full to eat the brownie.

Replacing high-calorie foods with low-calorie foods will help you lose weight because it reduces your overall calorie intake. Of course, you can also lose weight by exercising, which burns calories. But digesting negative-calorie foods does not constitute an exercise program. Take it from me: A half-hour spent on the treadmill or bike is going to burn a lot more calories than a half-hour spent digesting celery.

Those lists of negative-calorie foods you'll find on the Internet are simply lists of low-calorie foods. And, if you're dieting, these kinds of foods are your friends. To that end, here's a list of "negative-calorie foods." But take this list with a grain of salt: I'm afraid that a negative-calorie diet is, indeed, to good to be true.

See also: "How to Create Your Own Best Diet."

For more by Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN, CNS, click here.

For more on diet and nutrition, click here.

Follow Monica Reinagel, MS, LDN, CNS on Twitter: www.twitter.com/NutritionDiva

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Source: www.huffingtonpost.com