Articles

How to get the most out of hosting
Dazzling guests with a perfectly prepared meal is always the goal when deciding to open your home to friends and family, but it sometimes can be a stressful experience. Following a few simple tips from a chef who knows a little bit about entertaining guests at high-profile events can help put you at ease when planning your next big get-together.

Heart disease can catch up to you if you don't watch what you eat
Cardiovascular disease accounts for more deaths than any other disease in Canada. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, someone dies every seven minutes from heart disease or stroke in this country. If that isn't scary enough, major risk factors for the disease can strike anyone at any age.

The high cost of saving money by delaying health treatment
You may be delaying medical treatment while keeping yourself and your family afloat through the recession. But if you delay medical treatment for a problem that you feel isn't bad enough to justify the cost and time lost from work right now, you could be doing more to sink yourself financially than anything the economy may throw at you.

Got a chronic illness? Make yourself a priority and ask for help
Women still spend more time than their male counterparts on caring for families and managing household activities. Because of this, women often put others' needs ahead of their own health and well-being. However, studies show that when a woman is diagnosed with a disease, her social network and relationships can affect her long-term health. This is true for chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, where close relationships can lead to better physical and emotional health, and the ability to complete daily tasks more easily.

Pregnant women need to prioritize flu protection this flu season
Pregnant women have a lot on their to-do list, but rarely does it seem that flu protection is part of their prenatal health plan. This year, the flu presents an added threat to pregnant women and their newborns because of the new H1N1 (swine) flu virus. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and women's health experts have identified pregnant women as a priority group for seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccination.

Tips to tackle the allergens hiding in your house
Asthma and allergy triggers—called allergens—accumulate in unexpected places throughout your home. Furniture, bedding, curtains, drapes and carpeting can each house dust mites, pet dander and outside allergens entering through the windows. Here are some tips from appliance manufacturer LG Electronics to reduce the number of allergens in every room.

Keeping diabetes in check between doctor visits
Americans are taking a closer look at their own personal health and assessing changes they can make, as the topic of health care remains front and center. More and more, people are paying attention to the cost of prevention and care for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, as they have a high risk for health complications.

Help your kids learn healthy habits for life
Teaching kids healthy habits can be tough. From learning how to apply sunscreen to knowing how often to bathe, kids need help from mom and dad on caring for their bodies—including their skin, hair and nails.

Clean, dry hands are your best defense this flu season
Your best defense against swine flu and other viruses this flu season may well be the humble paper hand towel. At least one study shows that using a disposable hand towel to dry your hands reduces germs on them by 77 percent.

Gout growing, but public awareness remains low
Despite gout's growing prevalence, results from a survey of more than 2,000 Americans reveal that 65 percent of adults admitted to being "not at all knowledgeable" about gout. The new survey by the Gout & Uric Acid Education Society illustrates major gaps in the public's understanding of the condition.

Help for Alzheimer's sufferers
Every 70 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer's.This progressive, irreversible neurological disorder has no cure, but the earlier someone you love is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, the sooner he or she can receive the treatment they need.

Active lifestyle requires active approach to eye health
You stretch before your workout, stay hydrated throughout and follow safe cool-down steps afterward. But while you're enjoying your active lifestyle, are you doing enough to take care of two of your most valuable physical assets, your eyes?

Living with ALS can be easier
While a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, is extremely frightening for patients, there is ongoing research, new technology and medications to help make life easier.

How to keep flu from thriving in your home
It's prime flu season, and each year we hear the same advice: get your flu shot, wash your hands frequently and cover your mouth when you sneeze. Flu particles can linger in the air and on the surfaces we touch day in and day out, from computer keyboards and TV remotes to the kitchen sink or refrigerator door handle. With flu top of mind this year, there has also been increased interest in the science behind how the flu virus lives, and history may hold the answers.

Tips to relieve winter's achy knees
The temperatures drop, the skies cloud over and your knees are aching. As the winter months settle in, so can osteoarthritis (OA) pain in your knees. If you suffer from OA, what do you do to ease your pain as the cold weather descends across the country? Here are some helpful hints to help you overcome the aches of winter.

An active life begins with healthy joints
The new year often means resolutions like being healthier or exercising more often. What many people don't know is that our joints are the critical part of the body that allows us to be active and do the activities we most enjoy. Dr. Kevin R. Stone offers five tips to help maintain healthy joints.

How to dodge or deal with winter aches and pains
Whether you suffer from chronic ailments or simply experience the aches, pains and stiffness associated with past injuries or with aging, winter can exacerbate these problems. Plus, there's potential for painful injuries from winter activities. Here's some advice to minimize winter's impact on chronic pain and avoid new pain from injuries.

Liven up holiday cocktails with coffee
When it comes to celebrating with festive drinks, use your imagination in the kitchen and incorporate ingredients that your guests won't expect, like coffee.

Have a good hair day every day - without paying the price
Having a good hair day could mean spending money on salon appointments and several products to look as good as you did when you left the salon. But dermatologists say having healthy, beautiful hair doesn't have to break the bank.

Fall fashion trends - expert advice from those who know
Looking for insight into what your college student wants to wear to school this fall? Want them to fit in with their peers, but still look respectable? Want to know the secrets to saving a buck? The Fashion Design and Fashion Merchandising students and instructors at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale offer some advice and insight on fall fashion trends.

Beauty basics to help you embrace autumn
Fall is a time of transition. Not only do you need to prepare your skin for the cold months ahead, but it's time to transform your look from light and airy to soft and classic. Focus on a few beauty basics—skin, make-up, fashion and fragrance—and you'll have all you need for a fantastic fall.

Canadians coping with cancer diagnosis can find answers online
A cancer diagnosis brings emotional, social, spiritual and practical consequences for patients and families that can reach well beyond the time spent in treatment. A new comprehensive, trustworthy online resource is now available for Canadians who need access to cancer information including services and resources that can help.

It is important to plan for your future: a future that may include illness
We have all heard the term Power of Attorney, but what is it exactly, and what powers does an attorney have? What about Continuing Power of Attorney? When does Continuing Power of Attorney for Property take effect? Get answers to these questions and more.

Back to school season goes virtual with online public schools
More children are logging on instead of getting on the bus this back-to-school season. The economy, technological advances and parent demand for high quality public education alternatives have a record number of kindergarten through 12th grade students enrolling in virtual public schools for the 2009–2010 school year.

Save money easily on your back-to-school shopping
Who doesn't want to save money these days? With the back-to-school season around the corner, saving money is a top priority in the minds of many parents. Here are some tips to make sure you check everything off your child's school supply list, and keep some money where it belongs: in your pocket. Here are some tips to make sure you check everything off your child's school supply list, and keep some money where it belongs: in your pocket.

Art helps develop children's creativity
Children have the ability to openly express themselves without being easily embarrassed. They often create their own ideas, theories and interests independently. One way to support and sustain a child's natural inclination towards creativity is to give them access to art education. When a child receives quality art education, his or her ability to succeed in academic achievement is often interconnected, according to several studies.

How to save with college costs on the rise
With the cost of food, fashion and living steeply on the rise, it is no surprise that college tuition costs are also greatly increasing from year to year. Here are some simple ways your family can save money while still getting everything you need for going back to college.

Tips to add pizzazz to everyday cooking
You are cooking more and more to save money these days, and it makes sense to assemble an assortment of basic herbs and spices. It's an easy, economical way to add fun to your cooking and flavor to your food. Whether you're reorganizing your cupboards in a flurry of cleaning or newly interested in the world of spices, it's a good time to freshen your spice rack and make sure you have the basics. But which spices should you choose as basic staples for your kitchen? Here are eight spices no kitchen should be without.

Tween and teen fashion trends make back-to-school fun and affordable
This year's back-to-school clothing trends are all about expressing individual personality. Just as music allows the listener to express themselves, fashion is a way for tweens and teens to let their true personality shine through. Actress and singer Selena Gomez has teamed up with Sears to share today's hottest back-to-school teen trends. Here's what the coolest kids in school will be wearing this year.

Recipe makeover: make family favorites healthier
Many favorite comfort foods are chock-full of fat and calories. But a few simple tweaks can transform familiar favorites into delicious and nutritious meals your family will ask for time and time again. The nutrition experts at Mayo Clinic share their top five tips for healthy recipe makeovers that cut the calories, boost the nutrition, and keep the taste.

Nutrients, fats, sugars and more: it's all on the food label
To determine the freshness of a fruit or vegetable, a person might squeeze, smell or even sneak a taste at the grocery store. However, when it comes to packaged foods, many people find it difficult to evaluate the quality and nutritional value of food items sold in cans, plastic containers and paper boxes. To ensure that you're a savvier shopper when selecting products that fit your personal nutrition goals, follow these tips.

Diabetic patients can prevent nerve pain
A common complication of diabetes is the development of nerve damage, also known as diabetic nerve pain. This damage affects the nerves that allow patients to feel sensations such as numbness and debilitating pain, also called neuropathy.

How to keep your body and mind strong as you age
Sore muscles, joint pain and mental slowdowns might seem inevitable as you grow older. But what if degeneration wasn't a part of the aging process? Staying active is key for a healthy lifestyle, but what else can you do for your body as it ages?

Hearing helper? Help loved ones deal with hearing loss the right way
Does someone you love often ask you to repeat what you're saying? If so, you may not be doing your loved one a favor by repeating what you just said. Acting as ears for a loved one with hearing loss in denial can actually do more harm than good. In his book How Hearing Loss Impacts Relationships: Motivating Your Loved One, BHI advisor Dr. Richard Carmen offers practical advice on how "hearing helpers" can help their loved ones end their dependent behavior and seek treatment for their hearing loss.

Seven tips to ensure a worry-free wedding day
Many newlyweds overlook the fact that a marriage is a legal contract. Two individuals merge all they have into a new legal entity or partnership. While many couples often focus on the big day and all of the events surrounding the ceremony and reception, there are a number of legal steps that newlyweds must consider as part of the process. To help you and your partner have a worry-free wedding day, here's a prenuptial checklist with legal items to consider as you merge your households into one.

Laid off? What do you do now?
When you first entered the workforce, you probably didn't anticipate the economy turning so sour. In fact, you've spent many years diligently promoting yourself up the career ladder and establishing a nice set of skills only to find out your company can't afford to keep you around any longer. So what do you do now? Now you can take those skills you've refined over the years and re-evaluate where you are in life. Here are some ideas to consider for your future.

How you can change the future of breast cancer
One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States.

Simple steps to a healthy and happy retirement
Retired 80-year-olds can often have double the social interaction of their 50-year-old counterparts. This supports research that happiness increases with age because social interaction stimulates your brain to release "feel good" chemicals like norepinephrine, which leads to contentment. Informative nuggets like this are packed into the book Old is the New Young: Erickson's Secrets to Healthy Living.

How to keep kids stylin' and sophisticated this back-to-school season
Kids are learning from their parents this back to school season: about value, smart investing and getting the most for every dollar spent. Developing wise spending habits is a good thing for kids, but does it mean they have to sacrifice their sense of style as they head back to school?

How to teach your kids to express emotions
Most parents will agree that a child's emotional well-being is just as important as their physical health. Kids who learn to communicate feelings have a better sense of self-awareness. This benefits their relationships with parents and with their peers. How can you teach your child to manage both positive and negative moods in an emotionally intelligent manner? Here are some ideas for ways to get your kids to express what they are feeling in a healthy way.

Five top diet dilemmas solved
If you're trying to lose weight, it's likely that you've heard or read about foods and behaviors that will derail your diet efforts. Whether it's a chat with your friend or a blog on the Web, dieters face dilemmas about what are the best and worst choices when trying to cut calories and trim the waist. Instead of listening to gossip, take the advice of a registered dietician who can help you solve the five top diet dilemmas.

Discover the latest skincare technologies in a surprising place
There used to be a beauty rule that in order to benefit from high-quality, high-tech skincare products women had to shop at a high-priced department or specialty store. With the current economic shift and consumers becoming increasingly more Internet savvy, that rule has changed with many shoppers discovering that they can find the same skincare product innovation for a greater value right at their local drugstore. Use this skincare shopping guide while at the drugstore to clarify the labels and find the right product for your skin and your budget.

The ABC's of baby boomer retirement planning
If you are one of America's 78.2 million baby boomers, you are likely considering what ideal retirement will look like, and the steps required to achieve it. With the current economic downturn, many boomers are finding it necessary to revisit their initial retirement goals. Today's retirees count on corporate pensions and Social Security for 56 percent of their retirement income. With a few minor adjustments, some careful planning and a positive attitude, the other 44 percent is attainable.

Baby Food on a Budget
When it comes time to feeding your baby solid foods, your initial vision might be dipping a spoon into a little jar of pureed peas, carrots or bananas. Did you know that your baby will eat about 600 of these cute little jars of baby food? And that the cost of all these jars can add up $400-$600! If you are interested in making a huge dent in this baby budget line item, we recommend you make your own baby food. Think about using the tried and true ice cube tray method of making baby food. Here are the four basic steps.

Sweet Dreams: No Sugar Added
There is research out there pointing to the negative impact sugar has on our bodies, especially in large quantities. Refined sugar is something that we know our kids do not need to survive, and there are many other healthy alternatives for pleasurable treats. But rather than controlling what your kids eat, you can take steps to manage it healthfully. So, how do you decrease sugar in your child's diet? Here are some tips.

The 21-Day Challenge: Can You Give Just 10 Minutes a Day?
We hear all the time that everyone should get a minimum of 30 minutes of daily exercise. But with only 10 per cent physically fit, clearly that formula's not working. If you're struggling to move more and fit in fitness, here are two keys to turning things around.

Get an 'A' in back-to-school savings
It seems like the bell just rang concluding the last day of school, but already it's time to start planning for next year to ensure your kids are prepared for success. With list in hand, you hit the stores to get necessary items. How can you get all the things your child needs and still stay within your budget?

'Back to school' means 'back to basics' for kids' clothing
Back to school season can be trying on a family's budget. In addition to each classroom's list of school supplies and the kids' pleas for extras, there are plenty of expenses that don't appear on the class list. School clothes often top the list and deplete the budget. Learning how to care for clothing is an often overlooked piece of the puzzle.

The Best Hand-Me-Down
I passed a lady on the street the other day who looked a little like my mother. It's been 27 years since I actually saw my mother's face: my mother died at age 55, when I had just turned 19. What I remember most about my mother is her holding her head high and going on, even in the midst of tragedy, adversity, and illness. Oh, how I hope she knows that the example she set for me has served me well in life!

Which is the Best Orgasm?
For over a hundred years, sex researchers, feminists and pop-culture have been enmeshed in an ongoing debate as to which is superior: the vaginal or clitoral orgasm. Regrettably, their high-brow ponderings have left the average gal in their wake wondering whether her orgasm is either real or the best one. I there a best kind of orgasm?

Sex With An Ex
Sex with an ex: good idea to keep your sexual juices flowing during the transition time, or bad mistake that will keep you messed up for a longer period of time? As every breakup is different, doing some analysis might save you heartache when your libido takes over your brain.

Four must-have items for quick and easy entertaining
When you're busy, it seems like the best place to meet up with friends is for dinner at a local restaurant. But these days, with everyone on a budget, eating out isn't in the cards. Always having a few items on hand makes it easy to entertain, no matter how much (or little) time you have to prepare.

Students share hope, help for breaking the cycle of self-destructive behavior
Courtney Lovett didn't want to let her friends down. Knowing that her friends wanted her to be happy, and disapproved of her compulsive urge to cut herself, helped Lovett break the cycle of her self-destructive behavior. Now Lovett and other students at West Brook, a high school on the East Coast, are reaching out to other young people, sharing their experiences in an effort to foster prevention and provide hope to others struggling with self-harming behaviors.

The high cost of saving money by delaying health treatment
You may be delaying medical treatment while keeping yourself and your family afloat through the recession. But if you delay medical treatment for a problem that you feel isn't bad enough to justify the cost and time lost from work right now, you could be doing more to sink yourself financially than anything the economy may throw at you.

Guide for keeping kids healthy as they head back to school
As children head back to school, parents face another season of fighting cold and flu germs. In an average year, children catch six to 10 colds. In families with children who are in school, the number of colds per child can be as high as 12 a year, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. Here are some must-know tips to combat illness as kids head back to school.

Got a chronic illness? Make yourself a priority and ask for help
Women still spend more time than their male counterparts on caring for families and managing household activities. Because of this, women often put others' needs ahead of their own health and well-being.

Here's a bright idea: Intergenerational activities link young and old
Intergenerational activities increase cooperation, interaction and exchange between people of different generations. these activities can prevent unnatural age segregation and apply the strengths of one generation to meet the needs of another.

Make your big day special without the huge expense
It's no secret, weddings are notoriously expensive and brides are infamously frivolous. Most women dream of their perfect wedding for years. Though pockets may be tight as couples look for ways to make smart, long-term financial decisions, it doesn't mean the happy bride- and groom-to-be have to sacrifice on their big day. It's easier than ever to have a budget-friendly dream wedding. Follow these five simple ways to keep it frugal and fabulous.

Back to school on a budget
Back-to-school shopping can be an exhausting, and expensive experience and many parents start off on the wrong foot before they even get to the store. But there are simple ways to make this annual shopping trip efficient and affordable.

Candy crafts: a sweet way to keep kids occupied
School's out, the neighborhood pool is open, and you are responsible for keeping the family active and engaged this summer. Whether you are taking a beach vacation or spending a day around the house, you can easily fill the time by planning several simple, budget-friendly, do-it-yourself activities. Ideal for indoor or outdoor time, these activities go a long way in creating personal summer memories without doing a number on your budget.

Treat early and effectively: combating multiple sclerosis for the long haul
Every hour of every day, someone is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) and a common theme for these patients is the fact that they will never forget that moment.

Back-to-school tips to keep your family safe online
The end of summer means it's time to head back to school. It also means kids are spending more time online prepping for the upcoming school year, finishing summer homework lists and reconnecting with summer friends. Likewise, cybercriminals are online targeting them through e-mail, IM and phishing scams, and even trying to make contact on social networking sites, blogs and chat rooms. What's a parent to do?

The Do's and Don'ts of Teaching Kids Self -Control
Self-control is a skill that enables a person to discern what is right from wrong. It is the ability to keep emotions from becoming overwhelming, to stay focused, delay impulses and actively problem solve instead of reacting to a situation. Here are some do's and don'ts of teaching self-control.

No pain, no gain?
If you Google "quick and easy exercise", you'll find over 18 million links. Clearly people are still looking for the holy grail of exercise: the quick and easy, no sweat, little effort exercise program that delivers huge results. The good news is that most exercise programs really do work. The bad news is that they only work if you really, really work hard at giving it all you've got and never give up.

To Flirt or Not to Flirt? That is the Question
Whatever happened to the fine art of flirting? To flirt with someone is simply to make them feel beautiful. Natural and unconscious flirts do it equally with men and women. They smile, make eye contact, unabashedly laugh at jokes, and appropriately touch. How in heaven's name could that be construed as anything but wonderful? The question you need to ask is: how could your life and sex become that much better if you started to flirt? There's only one way to find out.

Promoting hydration for seniors
As the fastest growing sector of our population, the health and well-being of the elderly is in the interest of all. Proper nutrition, as recommended by Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating, and regular physical activity are two important approaches seniors can take to enable healthy aging. Hydration also plays a significant role in healthy living for seniors.

Entertaining at home can be economical and easy
Entertaining at home is an incredibly comfortable, cost-effective way to spend time with friends and family. Long lineups, waiting for a table at a restaurant and spending loads of money don't have to be the norm. Break away from the hassles of going out with these tips to making your home entertainment-ready.

Lower your risk for diabetes and heart disease
During a typical day, your blood pressure goes up and down, and that's healthy. For about 65 million Americans, however, blood pressure remains high over time. Are you one of them? Here are six tips to help.

Curb overeating during summer months
The grill is, perhaps, the main reason why many people gain weight during the summer. It's not just the grilled ribs, steaks, hot dogs and burgers, either. It's the potato and macaroni salads that we pile on the side, and the much-loved ambrosia recipes that wrap normally healthy fruits into a mountain of whipped cream. And it's all those sugary drinks we find refreshing. But take heart. Your next barbecue doesn't have to pack a punch with extra pounds. Here's sensible advice on how to avoid extra calories.

The importance of the other "M" word
You're getting married. The big day is coming up and there's so much to organize. The reception, the wedding party, the guest list, the flowers, the food… the list is endless. You've discussed the wedding finances. You have a plan. You have a wedding budget, and you've nailed down how much you can spend and who's paying for what. But more importantly, do you have a financial plan for after the wedding? Have you discussed the other "M" word: money?

Telecommuting on the information highway
Traffic jams, rising gas prices, declining work-life balance… for many Canadians, commuting has taken its toll, and working from home has become more and more appealing. Thanks to the Internet and other technological advances, working from home, also known as telecommuting, a virtual commute to the office via Internet, phone and fax, can be both easy and affordable.

Is Alzheimer's disease in our blood?
With the number of people suffering from Alzheimer's disease on the rise, there is an urgent need to identify what causes this neurodegenerative illness. Your genes and your social and physical environment all play a role in determining how your brain will age, but which genes and which environmental factors are key?

Clearer thinking about Alzheimer's
Dr. Jane Rylett has as good a sense as anyone about what's going on in her father's head. He has Alzheimer's. She's one of Canada's leading Alzheimer's researchers.

Tips for keeping clothing fresh through the seasons
For most of us, the changing season also means changing out your wardrobe. Saying goodbye to one set of clothing and hello to another doesn't have to be a big chore. With the right products and some helpful know-how, you'll be prepared to look your best at any time of the year. Here are some tips to keep your clothing in great shape and ready to wear for winter, spring, summer or fall.

Top tips for a safe and fun study abroad experience
Studying abroad is one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences in a student's life. And, although most trips are free from trouble, for both students and their worried parents, it pays to be prepared.

Schools use fitness to educate about diabetes
Throughout the year, you are continuously overloaded with fundraising requests, whether they are from your children's schools, your job or your friends. You may ask yourself: which cookies should I buy? Do I need that holiday gift wrapping paper? One fundraiser that won't add on the pounds or get stuck in your closet is School Walk for Diabetes, an educational school fundraising program that promotes healthy living, school spirit and community involvement.

Fun outdoor activities that will motivate your kids
Keeping kids physically active is an important part of a well-rounded and healthy lifestyle. So how do you get your kids excited about going outside? Here are some ideas sure to get you and your kids fired up about outdoor fun.

Creative tips for budget bridal showers
When hosting a bridal shower, it can be easy to get carried away. Hosts, typically a close friend or relative of the bride, often feel obligated to give the bride the "perfect" party, a concept as elusive as it is expensive. However, if you find yourself planning an upcoming bridal shower on a budget, have no fear: it's entirely possible to plan a tasteful, fun and sentimental gathering without breaking the bank. Here are five time-saving and cost-cutting ways to throw a beautiful bridal shower.

Job seeking? Polish your online resume and portfolio
In today's fast-paced, high-tech world, recruiters are just as likely to glance at your job application submission on their Blackberry while driving as they are when sitting at their desk. Is your resume or portfolio Web-ready?

Leading expert says healthful aging depends on current daily habits
When it comes to healthful aging, a preventive approach is the key to success. By implementing some simple healthy habits today, we can achieve a healthier future. "Our bodies' health, particularly as we age, requires that we take precautionary measures to strengthen ourselves," explains Donnica L. Moore, MD, women's health expert and advocate, and editor in chief of Women's Health for Life (DK 2009). Consider her tips for healthful aging as part of an improved wellness plan.

Economy provides inspiration for more fulfilling careers
As unemployment rises, many Americans are realizing the importance of having a career that's fulfilling as well as lucrative. When layoffs are announced, many people feel they have nothing left to lose, and take the opportunity to pursue what they love. This has fueled a growth in the number of people going back to school to become massage therapists, a career with strong job security and great potential.

A cool and refreshing twist for summer meals
Summer is the time for backyard entertaining, whether it's a simple sandwich lunch with a few friends or a patio party for the neighbors. But besides the typical salads and meat on a grill, it's a challenge to find new outdoor menu ideas that are easy, summery light and sure to delight your guests.

Four doctor-recommended tips for avoiding H1N1
It's not unusual to see viruses make headlines, but the recent threat of H1N1 swine flu has captured everyone's attention. On June 11, 2009, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised the H1N1 pandemic status to level six, indicating an international pandemic. This change has left many people wondering what they can do to keep themselves and their families healthy.

Daily physical activity helps lessen the severity of arthritis
Given the prevalence of arthritis, many Americans understand that it is a serious health problem. However, some are unaware that physical activity can actually help lessen the severity of arthritis. In fact, increased daily movement or exercise is one of the best approaches to helping reduce stiff, achy joints caused by arthritis.

Maintain your health while traveling this summer
Summer has arrived, which means many people are looking forward to traveling on a relaxing vacation. Whether that includes spending a long weekend at the beach, staying close to home with family and friends or jetting off to a unique destination, it's important to remember not to take a vacation from your health.

Protecting your rebuilt nest egg: ID theft basics for boomers
If you're a baby boomer, you may be in better financial shape than people in other generations. But you might also feel greater pressure to preserve the wealth you've retained and protect your ability to continue saving for retirement. Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing threats to seniors' financial health.

Six summer wardrobe essentials every woman needs
Are the warm rays of the sun inspiring your inner fashionista? Summer is the perfect season to jazz up your wardrobe with fun and fashionable items that make you look great. But how do you know where to start in a fashion world that offers endless possibilities? When it comes down to it, there are some things that every woman should have in her wardrobe. Here are the top six items that will make you look like you stepped out of a fashion magazine this summer.

Ask the Expert: Lori Berard, diabetes nurse educator
Winnipeg-based diabetes nurse educator Lori Berard answers questions about diabetes management.

New generation of future employees requires "new generation" methods of recruitment
In response to today's generation of web-savvy job candidates, also known as "Generation Y", new methods of recruitment are being used by companies wanting to attract this next pool of talent. For many years, L'Oréal has been developing groundbreaking strategies, such as business games, to detect and help build the business leaders of tomorrow.

Self-employed are managing recession, but not risk
elf-employed Canadians tend to have more debt and risk to manage than the average Canadian employee, but that is having limited effect on their stress and work levels during this recession. Research indicates that self-employed Canadians are carrying more personal debt, excluding mortgages on their primary residence, than the average Canadian. A survey of self-employed Canadians, conducted the first week of March 2009, found that self-employed Canadians remain split on the impact of the recession on their stress levels.

Simple Steps to Reduce Sodium in Your Summer Dining
From the barbecue sauce you slather on your grilled chicken to the frozen dinner you grab between coming home from work and running the kids to soccer practice, sodium is simply everywhere in warm-weather fare. Even if you never add salt to your food while cooking or eating it, you may still be getting too much sodium. The Heart Failure Society of America offers a few helpful tips to help you cut back on sodium.

Great Dinners Start on the Grill
Dinnertime is a lot more fun as the grilling season gets underway and aromas of sizzling food fill the air. In fact, there's a good case to make for cooking the whole dinner on the grill. This time of year, supersweet corn from Florida ranks high on the list of delectable grillables -- and, like grilling, corn on the cob is just plain fun.

Big, Bountiful Salads That Satisfy
The days when salads were strictly a side dish to something more important they're so over. A big, bountiful salad deserves to be the center of attention. A well-made salad should deliver a lively interplay of flavors and textures.

Picnics: Beyond Potato Chips and Turkey Sandwiches
Picnics are a great way to reconnect with family and friends after months of winter hibernation. Packing for a picnic depends upon a few simple factors: the people, the situation, and the location. Given these parameters, it's easy to begin building the perfect picnic basket. Here are some creative and global ways to pack for your next picnic.

Tips to Stay Fit All Year Long
Losing weight is challenging. In fact, only 28 percent of people vowing to lose weight were successful, according to one study from the United Kingdom. Dedication and a few healthy tricks learned from the pros can be the key to successful weight loss.

It's Easier Than You Think: Tips for Building Healthier Habits
Between juggling work, soccer practice, ballet and household chores, taking the time to build healthier habits can be a seemingly daunting task for moms. Here are a few simple steps that families can take to acquire new healthy habits.

Closet clean out: Get your clothes in shape for summer
The average closet offers a not-so-roomy 5-foot by 2-foot amount of space. And for average people, that is not a whole lot of room to work with when it comes to storing all their clothes, shoes and accessories. Given changing fashion trends and seasons, closets can be some of the most cluttered spaces in the home. Summer is the ideal time to get yours clean, organized and ready for the season.

Job fairs: how to make the most of your time
As unemployment rises, many Americans find themselves unexpectedly looking for work. Suddenly, attending a job fair becomes a vital opportunity to network, develop interviewing skills and hopefully find a job.

Plan the perfect summer soirée
Summer is the perfect time to journey outdoors and mingle with family and friends. However, the stress of hosting summer get-togethers can sometimes be discouraging. This year, avoid a meltdown and make your next barbecue or block party a breeze by keeping in mind the following party preparation tips.

Everyday wisdom for families of kids with diabetes
Parents are masters at juggling. But if you are a parent of a child with diabetes, you have to learn to juggle in a whole new way. When a child is diagnosed with a chronic disease like diabetes, everyday moments like finding a babysitter, taking a vacation or starting a school year become more of a challenge. That's why the American Diabetes Association developed a free, interactive resource to help families of children with diabetes live happily and healthfully with these unique challenges.

Top five tips to help manage your family's health
As kids head to summer camp or back to school this fall, moms everywhere will be digging through their files searching for immunization records and other health information. Some will find exactly what they need with just a few flips through an organized file cabinet. But many busy moms will be sifting through piles, shoe boxes, or drawers full of papers trying to find the most recent health records. Mayo Clinic suggests five tips for managing your family's health.

Create memorable outdoor parties for less
The backyard will be the summer entertainment hot spot as Americans seek affordable ways to spend time with family and friends. But your outdoor party can be spoiled quickly if unwelcome insects show up. Create an unforgettable party within a tight budget with these five tips from Natalie Ermann Russell.

Sexting 101: What you Need to Know as a Parent
The phenomenon of "sexting" involves people, mostly teens, taking nude pictures of themselves and sending them using their cell phones to others. This action has resulted in some teens being charged with violations of child pornography laws. These laws can carry some serious penalties, the most serious being registration on sex offenders databases for 10 years. Why is this happening, and what do you need to be aware of to keep you and your kids safe? What can you do to decrease the chance of your child engaging in this dangerous activity?

Turn the Typical Backyard Barbecue into a Hot Spot for Fun and Flavor
Many American families will forego the traditional summer vacation travel this year and spend more time than ever making home-spun fun in the sun at the backyard barbecue. But if your version of barbecuing involves the same old fare and familiar flavors, it's time to spice up your old standby. Here are some simple ways to add just the right amount of sizzle and style to any standard backyard barbecue.

Top 5 must-have summer beauty essentials
Summer means making memories with friends and loved ones. There are more cameras at summer events than there are at a movie premiere, and you'll want to look your best while you beat the heat. Fortunately, a handful of products that should have a spot in your beauty bag can protect your skin while giving it a sun-kissed glow. Here are the top five affordable luxuries you should have in your makeup kit this summer to keep skin looking healthy, glowing and gorgeous.

Why not a honeymoon cruise?
Honeymoon cruises are among the most popular occasions for taking a luxury cruise. For many new couples, it is a memorable opportunity to celebrate their new life together surrounded by exotic locations, exciting activities, and exceptional service from the cruise ship's crew.

With this ring… Who pays for what?
Dowries no longer exist in our culture. Also long gone by the wayside is the old notion that the bride's family is financially responsible for the entire cost of the wedding and reception. Having your parents bear the entire expense of a wedding and reception is not a birthright. Their contribution is a gift and, with the skyrocketing cost of weddings, is has become commonplace for both sets of parents and the bridal couple to share in this major expense.

Say "I do" not "uh oh!"
It would have been your dream wedding, if it wasn't for one small glitch: you're not officially married. Many Canadians celebrate their wedding in an exotic setting. But getting the legal documents required can be confusing, and newlyweds returning to Canada may be shocked to discover that their marriage is not legally recognized in Canada.

Summer entertaining on a recession-friendly budget
With summer just around the corner, Canadians should be dreaming of patios and weekend getaways, but the current economic situation is putting a cloud over their plans. This summer, everyone will be looking to save money without compromising fun, so instead of spending hard earned dollars on expensive drinks and dinners out with friends, consider bringing the party home to help save on costs.

Career colleges' student attendance increases as adults seek new skills
Whether you are working or looking for a job, there are steps you can take to help improve your prospects in the marketplace. Many adults are going back to school with an eye toward bolstering the chance for promotion or studying to enter a new field altogether, and many report that enrollment numbers are rising as people of all ages seek to gain additional skills.

Smart financial tips for teens and parents
Are you a parent of a teenager? Does your teen expect you to dole out cash like an ATM? Does your child know the word budget? As many families take a hard look at their finances in light of the current economy, many are seizing the opportunity to instill money management skills and financial responsibility in their children.

Top tips to help your child read at any age
A child's natural learning window is between the ages of birth and 4 to 5 years, research has shown. But the typical American school doesn't start teaching children to read until kindergarten. For parents, it may seem challenging to compete with television and video games, but helping your child learn to read is not only rewarding, but can prepare them for educational success.

Recession Inspiring More Mothers to Go Back to School
Earning a degree has long been a dream of many working mothers. While it might seem the recession would put that dream even further out of reach for most, many working and single mothers are actually drawing inspiration from the economy to pursue their dream of getting a higher education.

Keep an eye on your vision health this summer
If you've ever come in from a day sailing, picnicking or lying on the beach and your eyes felt tired, sore and gritty, you likely experienced ultraviolet radiation (UVR) overexposure. It's critical to protect your eyes from the sun's damaging rays to decrease your risk of developing serious vision issues such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, the leading causes of blindness.

Your summer beauty routine, inspired by nature
Warm weather is here and it's time to update your beauty routine for summer. Why not take some inspiration from warm weather's renewal theme and refresh your beauty regimen? Nature has so much to offer, including inspiration for products that can help you look and feel beautiful from head to toe.

Let Mother Nature be your guide for summer entertaining
As the cost of an evening out continues to grow, so does the trend of staying home to entertain family and friends. If you're a budget-conscious consumer, you don't have to spend a fortune to dazzle your guests; experts say you can get some of the best summer decorating ideas from Mother Nature.

Nutrition vital for good eyesight, studies show
Caring for eyes includes paying attention to nutrition, with recent studies showing a strong correlation between good nutrition and the prevention of age-related eye diseases.

Iced coffee: A cool way to entertain this summer
As summer draws near and warm weather arrives, the summer entertaining season will be here before you know it. And now more than ever, people are looking for economical ways to entertain at home while maintaining their own signature style. Anthony Carroll, green coffee expert for Starbucks, suggests entertaining at home with coffee.

Can't sleep? Eye-opening facts about common sleep myths
Are you tired of feeling tired? Are sleepless nights interfering with your days? If so, you may be one of the approximately 30 million Americans who suffer from chronic insomnia. In fact, according to a national survey, 54 percent of adults said they have experienced symptoms of insomnia at least a few times a week. The good news is that there is help available. The National Sleep Foundation has teamed up with renowned women's health expert, Dr. Donnica Moore, to educate millions of Americans about the importance of a good night's sleep.

Smarter Meal Choices for On-the-go Families
Between the hustle and bustle of routines and non-stop schedules that run until bedtime, it can be difficult to find the time for everyone in the family to eat together, let alone eat healthy options. Healthier options other than quick-grab candy bars, fast food or other packaged items would be a welcome change. However, finding these options for an on-the-go lifestyle has always been a challenging task—until now.

Tips to help grads get the edge on competition
As the recession continues to take its toll, college grads have to work harder to stand out. Businesses expect to hire 22 percent fewer recent grads in 2009, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Competition for available jobs is fierce, even among candidates armed with a college degree. If you're one of the millions of graduates looking for a job this year, there are some basic things you can do to stay ahead of the competition.

Wallet-friendly wardrobe tips
With the return of summer comes the return of brightly colored clothing and the classic little white T-shirt. Grass stains, dirt or barbecue spills often become part of these seasonal ensembles. To keep summertime wardrobe staples looking sunny all season, stop and listen to your clothes.

How to keep summer foods fresh and safe
Summer is the season to be outdoors with friends and family at picnics, barbecues and many other events. But the warm weather also brings an increase in foodborne illnesses when food sits out in hot, humid conditions. Make sure your summer party is memorable for reasons other than food poisoning by taking steps to keep food fresh and safe.

Keep your favorite summer clothes looking like new
Summer fashion always calls for bright, fun colors that are a welcome relief after a long winter of black and gray. However, those bright summer clothes come at a cost: more maintenance and tricky summertime stains. There are tricks you can use to keep your favorite summer clothes looking as fresh and bright in September as they did in May.

Child Identity Theft: A Growing Concern
In the same way that you can't protect your children from every bruise and scrape, you can't entirely remove the risk of identity theft. You can, however, prevent or soften the fall if it does happen by following these steps.

Big, Bountiful Salads That Satisfy
The days when salads were strictly a side dish to something more important—they're so over. A big, bountiful salad deserves to be the center of attention.

Sexual Styles Inside and Outside the Bedroom
Knowing your unique needs and the needs of your sexual partner can be very enlightening. See if you can find a little bit or a lot of yourself in each of these characters, and you will recognize an ex- or a present partner in one or many of these characters.

How To Spice Up Foreplay and Drive Each Other Wild
It's pretty easy to fall into a habit with sex, especially after 5 or 6 years (or more), once you've discovered each other's hot buttons and explored the heck out of them. At that point, you have the physical act down to a science, and sex should be better as a result, right? But it's not. There's something missing.…

The Art of Masturbation As A Couple
Masturbation used to be thought of as something that you have to do alone. But that just isn't the case anymore. Masturbation doesn't have to be the domain of those who are all alone. In fact, introduced into the fun track of couples, this can be a very exciting as well as educational experience.

Mindful Eating Roadblocks (Part 3)
Eating things we don't really want is part of the "mindless eating" phenomenon that is so prevalent in our society. Hunger has a wide range of intensities. Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues. There is a huge correlation between the phenomenon of sneak-eating and problematic relationships with food and body image. This article addresses these three roadblocks to mindful eating.

Mindful Eating Roadblocks (Part 2)
A recent survey showed that Americans are eating more but enjoying it less. Just 39% of adults in this survey say they enjoy eating "a great deal," down from the 48% who said the same in a survey in 1989. Also, the survey found that the decline in enjoyment of eating has been greater among those who consider themselves "overweight" than among those who consider themselves "just about the right weight." When you're not happy with your body, you're not enjoying one of life's greatest pleasures: eating.

Mindful Eating Roadblocks (Part 1)
There are five major roadblocks to mindful eating, and this article addresses distracted eating.

New Mom Home Makeover
s people begin thinking about starting a family, most parents-to-be ponder how their lives will change when their new bundle of joy arrives. However there are many changes that should come much earlier. During pregnancy, there are many hidden dangers in your home. Luckily, you only have to alter your habits slightly to ensure a safe haven for you and your new arrival.

Good News for Women with Epilepsy Who Are Pregnant or Want to Get Pregnant
Mary Katherine Albritton had a normal childhood despite being diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 6 years old. Her parents worked to teach her about her condition, and she grew up to be a happy adult. But in 2005 she got a surprise—she was pregnant. As an adult with epilepsy, she wondered about the risks to her and her fetus.

Tips on Life and Love When Baby Makes Three
What happens to romance in a marriage when a baby arrives on the scene and (often) moves into the couple's bedroom, if not their bed? There's lots of tiptoeing around the subject, but couples are often left to find their own way back to the intimacy they once enjoyed. So how can couples recapture a sense of intimacy after the baby arrives?

Beware of the 8 Most Common Diet-Crushers
Identify these trouble spots and you're halfway there. Know how to get through them and be a diet success.

Dieting vs. No Willpower: A Breaking Story
We go into the middle of New York City, where a real life drama is unfolding. A dieter is poised to jump off the diet cliff into the abyss. This time, she's trying to resist, and that's why there's a crisis.

Iced tea recipes for cool summer entertaining
Iced tea is the ideal drink for hot summer days and nights of entertaining. Follow these tips to brew the ultimate iced tea for your guests.

On your mark, get set, start healthy snacking
It used to be that we thought that snacking was not good for us. We were told it would ruin our appetite for our meals and make us gain weight. But the tables have turned and the aisles are now full of nutritious and delicious snacks that we can enjoy between meals. Instead of feeling guilty about snacking, we can now feel good about it as dietitians are encouraging us to eat three small meals a day, but to also eat healthy snacks as well. So now you can plan to snack every day. Carol Dombrow, registered dietitian with the Heart and Stroke Foundation's Health Check program offers these tips to make healthy snacking easy at home, at school, at work and anywhere on the go.

Make springtime adventure-time for the whole family
For many of us, spring is a great time to get organized and refresh our day-to-day routines, including the time we spend with family. Canada is fortunate to have a wide variety of museums, galleries, science centres and zoos to visit that are sure to satisfy the fun quotient for the kids and ensure they learn a little something along the way. Here are a few ideas to put some "spring" in your family's step this season.

Heart disease can catch up to you if you don't watch what you eat
Many of us know that we should be eating less foods with saturated and trans fats, and that we should cut back on sodium to help maintain a healthy blood pressure. But there are a number of foods that you also need to add to your diet to protect your heart.

Don't Let the Recession Make You Gain Weight
Two-thirds of American adults are medically overweight or obese, and the incidence of medically significant obesity is rising rapidly, especially in children and teenagers. People who feel stressed, as many do in the midst of a financial recession, may turn to food for comfort and start to overindulge. The current recession is not easing the situation. In a recent survey of 1,000 Americans, 25 percent responded that they were more likely to turn to high-calorie comfort foods because of the economic situation. The good news is that emotional (non-hunger) eating can be controlled with some effort. Here are some suggestions.

Four Outstanding Outdoor Activities Your Family Will Love
This summer, with more people spending vacation time close to home, there's renewed interest in family activities in the great outdoors. Whether it's hiking, biking or trying something completely new, Mother Nature can bring a family together like few other things can. Here are some outdoor activities that are sure to get your family pumped up.

Raising Children With a Global Appreciation
Families today tell many different stories. Each comprises different cultures, ancestry and heritage and, because of this, many parents today want their children to celebrate their heritage and to grow up with a natural appreciation for different cultures. But for an infant or toddler, how does a parent open the door to understanding how groups of people who are different are also very much alike in many very important ways?

Food Allergy Safety 101
With the number of children with life-threatening food allergies on the rise, practicing food allergy safety is more important than ever. From closely reading labels to understanding hidden allergens and food manufacturing processes, there is a lot that can be done to keep children free of allergic reactions. Here are several tips to protect children from coming in contact with foods allergens.

Reinvent Yourself for Today's Job Market
With more applicants seeking fewer jobs, it becomes increasingly important to do more than simply "dust off" your resume. Here are some insightful tips.

Demand Rising for Career Training Amidst Recession
Facing the prospect of a layoff amidst the economic downturn, many jobseekers find themselves on the defensive. Some employees have found that they must distinguish themselves in their current profession, while others have decided to change fields altogether, looking to promising new industries such as health, technology and other growing areas. In response, educational and career training institutions have had to expand to meet growing demand for career training.

Looking for a New Job? Opportunities Exist if You Know Where to Look
Not only are job losses on the rise, many are finding that rapid changes in the corporate landscape have left them ill-equipped for a new position. Either their skill sets need to be updated or it's too difficult to compete in a field with too many applicants. Yet despite gloomy unemployment statistics, some industries are not only seeking applicants who are ready to make a change; they are even offering paid training.

Baby Boomer Women's Lib
Who doesn't think that one's twenties or even thirties will last forever? But— somewhere in the forties, there's this realization of one's own mortality—or even worse—of getting older. "Yet, now," writes Doreen Orion, "as I close in on fifty, I've made an even more shocking discovery: I just don't care. I'm learning that there is so much that is surprisingly, gloriously, wondrously liberating about the half-century mark."

Wearing Contact Lenses during Pregnancy?
Many women experience a change in vision during pregnancy. Even though this is completely normal, it can lead to unexpected predicaments. To be able to fully carry and nourish another life, the body has to adapt. That is why, during pregnancy, your current state of vision may come to change. If you are a frequent contact lens wearer and pregnant, here are some tips on how to handle this unanticipated change.

Retool your Parenting
The concept of reinventing oneself and learning new skills is vital for obtaining employment. Consider for a moment how the concept of reinventing oneself can also be applied to parenting. Learning new parenting skills is vital to the role of raising responsible children in today's world. Keep these suggestions in mind as you look to retool your parenting.

Seared American Lamb Chops with Goat Cheese Soufflé
Suitable for any occasion, this recipe comes from Chef Tim Love, winner of Iron Chef Chili Cook-off and best known for his farmers market cattle drives featured on The Today Show and Food Network.

Simple, Thrifty Meals
Here are some affordable meal ideas to help you get dinner on the table each night without too much time or effort. These ideas are quick, thrifty, and wholesome. Who could ask for more?

Handling the Interruption Disruption
Do your children interrupt you when you're talking? If so, then you're experiencing a common frustration for many parents: the interruption disruption. So what can parents do about this situation? How do we get our children to stop interrupting without sending them the message that we don't want to hear what they have to say? To help your children learn to curb the interrupting habit, start with these steps.

It is okay to treat the symptoms of menopause
It is now common for over 70% of women in western societies to experience more than 21 difficult and uncomfortable symptoms of menopause. These unpleasant symptoms can be due to many complicated factors including busy lifestyles, stress, poor diets and individual genetics. Women don't, however, need to suffer through what should be a natural and gradual process.

HRT alternatives exist for menopause
Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) has been shown in a large study of 16,000 women to increase the risks of coronary heart disease, stroke and blood clots. New research has also highlighted the link to HRT and breast cancer. Doctors now agree that long term use of HRT may not be best for many women.

Canadians see link between nutrition and improving fitness
Dietitians of Canada, in January 2009, released the results of a new Ipsos Reid poll revealing that one half of Canadians admit their eating habits need a lot of improvement, but many are starting to get the message that optimum nutrition can improve their fitness.

Simple Ways Seniors Can Stay Active and Healthy
The average life expectancy is now 78 years, plenty of time to enjoy your golden years. You don't need to see a doctor every day to stay healthy; with the guidance of your physician, there are many ways you can take care of yourself at home. Here are a few ideas you can try yourself.

Is Aging the Real Enemy to Staying Healthy and Strong?
Vibrant, vital, happy and healthy—this is the ideal state of life that virtually everyone wants to achieve, regardless of age. It's doable, but the secret isn't a cosmetic quick-fix. Rather, the best way to stay physically strong, healthy and full of optimism with each passing year is a daily investment in exercise that works with your body's biological changes.

Advice for Entrepreneurs in an Uncertain Economy
The news ticker on the TV at the gym shows the dollar falling, the morning paper forecasts economic doubt, and the economic outlook appears to be dreary everywhere you turn. While it may seem counter-intuitive, business experts will tell you that now is a great time for entrepreneurs looking to start a new business. Often, times like these are when fortunes are made.

Avoiding your next heart attack
Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer of women in Canada and worldwide. Women are 10 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than from any other disease. And our risk is 4 times greater during and after menopause than before menopause. The news is not all bad though. Here are 9 ways we can reduce our risk.

Road trips are a cost efficient way for families to reconnect
Families across Canada are hitting the road for summer adventure and fun. Road trips are a great way to stretch a vacation budget and show children the Canadian landscape. No matter which direction you choose to travel in, vacationing families will find an array of things to see and do across Canada during the summer months.

Women boomers need to plan for retiring alone
Women who find themselves single in retirement face increased financial risks, says a new report from the BMO Retirement Institute. Some may have lived their entire lives as part of a couple, and therefore never put a solid "single retiree" plan into place. A spouse's death or divorce could leave them starkly unprepared.

Strong bones are an investment worth protecting
Your bones are like a bank account. Old bones cells are constantly being broken down (or withdrawn) and new bone cells are being deposited. If your withdrawals outweigh your deposits, you're heading for trouble: otseoporosis. The bone bank has the greatest ability to accept deposits from childhood to young adulthood, so getting enough calcium and vitamin D to build a good savings account for withdrawal later in life is especially important.

Taking the confusion out of choosing supplements
For anyone who has walked down the supplements aisle it can be confusing and overwhelming. The supplement industry has traditionally been ingredient based instead of solution based—requiring consumers to either read vast amounts of scientific literature or take their chances. But that is changing.

Go Beyond Green With Eco-friendly Beauty Trends
Green living doesn't have to mean forgoing the latest looks, especially when eco-conscious beauty is the hottest thing going. Formulations driven by nature, practices that are kind to the earth and minimal packaging are all cool ways to celebrate the warm weather. Here are some of the hottest eco-conscious beauty trends going

Easy Tips to Cut Dry Cleaning Bills and Still Look Great
Did your last dry cleaning bill leave you gasping with outrage and your wallet feeling light? In this economy, Americans are finding creative ways to save money on many modern conveniences. Why should you still be paying through the nose to have your clothes cared for and pressed by a professional?

How College Graduates Can Land a Job in a Down Market
It's all over the news: employment has fallen sharply recently. College graduates looking for a job often view the rise in unemployment as a formidable obstacle. With the increasingly downward spiral of our economy, the outcome for new graduates can appear bleak at best, but there are a few simple rules they can follow in their search for employment.

How to Get the Promotion You've Always Wanted
Getting ahead in your career can be difficult, especially in the current job market. But if your goal is to advance into management, there's no better time than the present to take steps to stand out in the workplace. education is the foundation for career advancement, but there are other things you should do at your current job so that you stand out. Here are five suggestions for going the extra mile and getting ahead in the workplace.

Bridal Registry Tips and Items You'll Really Use
While the fondue pot and ice cream maker seem like must-haves when you’re adding items to your bridal registry, it's important to ask yourself, "Will I really use these items on a regular basis?" You may want to reconsider your selections. And, although making a wedding gift wish list can be daunting, these tips can keep the happy couple celebrating wedded bliss for years to come.

Stretch Your Wedding Budget by Renting
Engaged couples long for a wedding day that will be unique and memorable, but in these tough economic times, many are becoming more cautious about how they plan and spend their budget.

How to Plan the Perfect Honeymoon
The date is set, the dress is bought and the tuxes are rented—now you get to plan your first vacation together as husband and wife. Whether your ideal honeymoon is traveling to the Swiss Alps for some mountain fun or relaxing on an exotic beach in the Caribbean, it's a special time you'll never forget. So what do you need to know to plan the perfect honeymoon that goes off without a hitch?

Hiring a wedding coordinator/planner makes sense, gives peace of mind
Congratulations on your engagement! Now to plan the wedding. Feeling ecstatic and overwhelmed? Making your dream a reality takes time, thoughtful planning, and effort. Regardless the timeline and elaborations you have in mind, a professional wedding coordinator/planner has the knowledge, connections and time to bring everything together for your spectacular wedding day.

Living a Fulfilling Life After the Kids Leave Home
Many people feel uncertain about that next step in their lives when their children leave the house. Everyone, however, has a common desire to find fulfillment in new areas of his or her life. I'm a strong believer that in our fifties and sixties, we shouldn't be "winding down," but instead should be planning the next adventure. When you become an empty nester, it's a perfect opportunity to focus on you and make yourself a priority.

Designing the next generation of vaccines
What if we could create needle-free vaccines to ensure that needle-phobes get immunized? Or immunize pregnant women so that they pass antibodies on to their children while they're still in the womb? These are just two of the ideas that Dr. Scott Halperin and his colleagues are exploring at the Centre for Vaccinology at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Migraine or headache? How to know the difference
Bills are piling up, your car payments are overdue, and your boss just announced wage cuts across your department. Your head is pounding. You feel nauseated. Is this the start of a tension headache or a full-blown migraine? Tension, cluster and migraine headaches make up the most common types of headaches that people experience. Here's how to tell the difference.

Teaching Kids Lessons Beyond Dollars and Cents
To say that money matters have been getting a lot of attention as of late is an understatement. While many of us have grown used to the constant chatter, it might not be the case for children. Given the economic crisis, now, more than ever, it's important to teach the children in your life about the basics of money management. And to take it a step further.

Solutions for Keeping Your Body Healthy in the Face of Stress
Stress is a part of everyone's life, but with the current state of the economy and rocky job market, many are feeling the pressure more than ever. When we are stressed, often we turn to comfort foods, as they can make us "feel better." But those foods aren't always the most nutritious. While these poor diet choices might tame hunger and make you feel good in the short term, overall they may be doing more damage than good to the digestive system.

Navigating the stages of menopause
The average age of menopause is 50 to 51 years of age but it can occur naturally between the ages of 40 and 55. Many women therefore who are experiencing the signs and symptoms of menopause may not realize what's causing them and that there are steps they can take to address them.

Taking control of your child's asthma
With busy schedules, it can be difficult for parents to monitor their children's asthma and ensure that they are following their doctor's recommendations. Here are some tips that parents can use to help their child remain healthy, active and symptom free.

Getting informed about childhood asthma
According to a recent survey, it seems Canadian parents of children with asthma may be lacking a sense of urgency and concern about the severity and management of their child's disease, resulting in potential health risks to their children. As a healthcare professional who specializes in this area, Dr. Susan Waserman sees children with asthma who are not being properly managed far too often. To provide some insight on this issue, Dr. Waserman answers some questions about asthma control in children.

Childhood asthma often underestimated by parents
It is estimated that approximately eight per cent of Canadian adults and 13 per cent of Canadian children have asthma, yet the seriousness of asthma is often underestimated. Approximately 20 children die each year from asthma and 80 per cent of these deaths could be prevented with proper education and daily asthma management.

Great Grilling: The right accessories are key to success
There's more to creating a memorable backyard barbecue than great food and a top-notch grill. Having the right grilling accessories at your fingertips can help all your meals go from the kitchen to the grill to the table faster, safer and tastier. Here's a checklist of the top grilling accessories.

Ignoring Diabetes is Risky Business
Are you taking risks with your life without even knowing it? You may be one of the nearly 6 million Americans who have type 2 diabetes and don't even know it. If you don't know the risk factors or symptoms for diabetes, you may very well be risking your life to this silent killer.

Exercise Makes a Difference for Those Living with Chronic Illness
It is well known that exercise is a crucial part of overall health and wellnes, but when you are living with a chronic illness, it can be difficult to find an activity you love, much less pursue competitively. Sometimes, however, all it takes is a little inspiration to get moving.

Living a Healthy Lifestyle on a Budget
Health and wellness is a privilege that everyone should be able to afford even in difficult economic times. With the right experience and know-how, anyone can make smart choices about healthy living while also being wallet wise.

Flip Burgers with Mother Nature -- Grill Green This Summer
Each spring, millions of grilling enthusiasts dust off the grill in anticipation of another fun-filled summer of backyard barbecues. But at what cost to the environment? Don't panic. It's quite easy to minimize your environmental impact while grilling by taking a few simple steps that won't diminish your grilling experience. Yes, you too can grill green, and these simple tips will help you get your grill on while keeping Mother Earth on your good side.

'Veg-ucate' Kids About Good Eating Habits this Spring
Ask any parents what foods kids want and what foods kids need, and they'll tell you the two rarely meet. In most cases, hot dogs trump tomatoes and animal crackers buck broccoli, causing many parents to wonder what they can do. But with spring blooming, green thumbs coming out of hibernation and gardens glowing in a few weeks, now is the perfect time to "veg-ucate" kids to like, and even want, veggies.

Skin Care Secrets to Spring into the New Season
Skin care needs change with the seasons. With winter drawing to a close and warm weather on the horizon, now is the time to think about updating your skin care regimen for spring. Here are some tips for making the transition from winter to spring skin care.

Wardrobe Recycling Tips for a Tough Economy
In harsh economic times, fashion is a luxury often sacrificed to save money. Even with many boutiques and department stores advertising sales, it is difficult to justify spending money on clothing when the cost of food and living is rising steeply. Jennifer Shaw, senior design director for the Signature by Levi Strauss & Co. brand offers these simple solutions for spicing up your wardrobe on a budget.

Affordable Ways to Add 'Green' to Your Wardrobe
In this harsh economic climate, "green" shoppers are looking to save more than the environment; they are looking to save their money too. A recent survey finds that consumers these days are unwilling to spend more on pricier environmentally friendly items. But just because some consumers are turning away from green products due to the price doesn't mean that there aren't affordable green alternatives on the market.

Plan for the Wedding and for Life in any Economy
Planning for a wedding can be tough, especially when money is tight. Whether this is your first or second wedding, your dream wedding or a spontaneous ceremony, the financial implications of sharing a lifetime with another person last long after the "I do's." the good news is that taking the necessary steps to a sound financial future is not as complicated as you might think. Here are some things to discuss as a couple.

Classic Style Trumps Trends for a Wedding You'll Still Love in 20 Years
Wedding album, videos and a carefully preserved gown—your wedding mementoes are meant to be precious reminders of your special day. But you may find yourself cringing with shame when you look at your album years down the road if you choose trendy over traditional style for the look of your wedding. Here's how to achieve that classic look for your spring wedding.

Wedding budgets keep you in the black (and white!)
Because they are expensive, because you want a beautiful wedding and because you don't want to go into serious debt, the first step in planning any wedding is a practical one: establishing a budget. Bridal budget woes will put a damper on one's outlook and a strain on relationships. A good budget is the foundation of a joyful wedding day.

Relationship Marketing for Women
Marketing yourself in relationships is not that different from any other type of marketing, including marketing strategies used to enhance business prospects. Marketing for business is all about the importance of developing and building relationships as a strategy toward building a loyal base of customers and clients. What would happen to your relationships if you could somehow apply business marketing concepts to the creation of romantic and intimate love relationships?

Why Would You Need a Designer Vagina?
At some point boob implants, nose jobs, liposuction and face remodeling just wasn't enough. Even those parts that don't get shown in the light of day have become potential sources of inadequacy to women who will find the money, as much as it takes, to remake the natural state of their body. Vulva surgery is becoming something of a trend. Here are the ways in which a surgeon can interact with a vulva (professionally speaking, that is.)

No-Cost Stress Relievers for Getting Through Tough Times
Some days, it seems like bad news just keeps coming. Unemployment is up. The stock market is down. Gas prices are up, down, and up again. You may not be able to control these things, but you can control your reactions to them—and you can do it without spending a dime. Try these quick, easy and free stress busters.

Can You Recognize Emotional Abuse?
There is a difference between having disagreements with your partner and emotional abuse. Emotional abuse usually happens slowly as a relationship progresses until one day you realize what's happening and have to deal with it. Learn to recognize emotional abuse and what you can do to break the cycle.

Find Your Pervect Match [VIDEO CLIP]
Relationship expert Audrey Valeriani talks to Liz Walker about finding your perfect match.

Relationship Red Flags: 5 Tips for Identifying Your Negotiables and Non-Negotiables
You're in a new relationship, and you're starting to see some red flags, warning you that the relationship may not be a good bet, but does that mean you should leave? How many red flags does it take to make that decision? How do you know if the red flags mean future disaster, or are just a warning? These are tough questions to answer. But if you've identified your red flags, you can begin to get clear about staying or leaving by looking at your negotiables and non-negotiables.

Making Sense of the Dating Process
Dating is a process with a beginning, middle and end. Very importantly, the process is different depending on why you are dating. If you are dating to find your ideal partner, be crystal clear: the more you know what you want, the more likely you will be successful finding your ideal partner.

Women: Sexual Mistakes to Avoid
Self-conscious? Afraid of making the first move? Averse to giving oral sex? Faking orgasm? Francis K. Githinji explains the common sexual mistakes women make and how to avoid them.

Highlights of the Major Misconceptions Surrounding Sexuality
What is sex according to your own understanding? One of the greatest misconceptions surrounding sexuality is that sex is all about intercourse. This is just a myth because there are other major sex acts that are more intimate than the real penetrative sex. The reality of the matter is any form of romance—kissing, cuddling, fondling and stimulating the genitals orally—is a form of sex.

How Massage Techniques Can Improve Your Sex Life
Whether you're a man or a woman wanting to spice up your relationship, you don't need to go very far into a complex education on sex techniques and positions. I'm not saying these are bad and you shouldn't use them, but you would be surprised of the amazing benefits massage techniques can have on your sex life.

Natural Aphrodisiacs: Mother Nature's Solution to a Dull Sex Life
From eating artichokes to taking Gingko Biloba supplements, consuming agents that are known to increase sexual desire has been popular for centuries. These libido-increasing foods and herbs are known as natural aphrodisiacs. Here is some information about some popular aphrodisiacs and how they affect you.

What to Say to your Child When He Screams, "I Hate You"
In general, understand that you should respond to talk of hate, just like talk of suicide, very seriously. Parents need to treat "I hate you!" as seriously as they would "I could kill myself!" Both are desperation statements, expressions of extreme unhappiness that need to be talked out to reduce the likelihood of being acted out. Rather than attacking back to defend themselves, parents need to show empathetic concern.

Ease children into the arts for a lifetime of appreciation
A love for the arts and culture begins at a young age. By exposing your children to various aspects of the art world and encouraging their creative inclinations at home, you are ensuring a life-long appreciation that will be beneficial as they move into adulthood. Although some parents may think their children are too young to appreciate formal art and cultural exhibitions, children of all ages can enjoy, learn and be inspired by taking part. By following some of these simple suggestions, your next adventure to your local museum, art gallery or science centre is sure to be fun-filled for the whole family.

Can severely dry skin go from scaly to soft?
Freckling, dark spots, wrinkles, flakes and chafing indicate damaged skin. Every minute of the day, however, our skin is reproducing itself—and that fact alone is a fresh new start for better daily care. Severely dry skin can, indeed, be greatly improved with advanced lotions containing key ingredients.

Honeymoons with royal treatment
It's every couple's dream to spend their honeymoon in an enchanting setting filled with romance and blissful luxury—a special beach resort paradise that will create treasured memories that will last a lifetime. However, in these tough economic times many Canadians wonder if this dream honeymoon can still be a reality.

An imagination is a wonderful thing
In today's world, it can be difficult to filter out the noise, think outside the box and get in touch with your creative side. And even though children are naturally imaginative, it can sometimes be a challenge to entice them away from the television and computer and encourage them to also focus on creative and artistic activities and pursuits. Here are ten tips to help stimulate your children's creativity, boost their imagination and get them inspired.

Five Warning Signs That There is Trouble in Your Sexual Relationship
Have you been having a vague, nagging feeling that your relationship is not what it used to be? Are you wondering whether this is a crisis for you and your partner? To help you to determine this, here are five warning signs that there is trouble in your sexual relationship.

Our Sexuality Expresses Who We Are—What Are You Expressing?
Sexuality is not a separate part of our life, apart from the sensations in our body, the feelings in our heart and the thoughts in our mind. Our sexuality expresses who we are, the culmination of our life experiences and our bodily memories. Sexuality does not first appear at puberty or adolescence or adulthood, as the media often suggests. Our sexuality is with us from the moment of conception, and perhaps even earlier in our mother's womb, until the very end of our life.

Dieting IQ Score: How to Get the Lowest You Possibly Can!
This IQ score is not your Intelligence Quotient. IQ here stands for your "I Quit" score. Take this IQ test, and see how likely you are to quit your diet. If your “I Quit” score is high, we’ll give you tips on how to lower it.

21-Day Prep for Diet Success
There's a smart way to go about losing weight, and a dumb way. The dumb way is to simply jump into another diet without getting your act together first. The smart way is to get yourself primed. Be smart. Go on any diet you like, but plan to start it three weeks from today. Then you can train for diet success.

Live Longer and Love Every Minute
For today's seniors and baby boomers looking to stay healthy and independent for years to come, practicing easy, proven healthy living strategies can make a difference in their health and wallets. During these difficult economic times, just a little preventive health care can pay off and save money in the long run.

Take Care of Your Ticker
There is more to February than romance and candy hearts. It's also the perfect time to jump-start your heart health during Heart Month. While heart-related illnesses are widespread, the good news is your lifestyle choices can have a significantly positive effect on your overall heart health.

Make a Difference for Heart Health
With the Internet, blogs and other resource platforms, health information has never been more accessible. Many people know what they have to do in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle; yet taking action can sometimes be difficult. One such example is maintaining a healthy heart.

Smarter Snack Ideas When the Munchies Strike
The desire for healthy snacks (or at least less unhealthy snacks) is not a new one. What is new, however, is the emerging mindset that packing more for the punch, or doing more with less, can allow people to have their snacks and eat them, too. With a few lifestyle adjustments, the 3 p.m. snack—or the mid-morning or late night snack, for that matter—can continue.

Simple Ways to Nurture Your Child's Positive Body Image
With spring around the corner, kids, tweens and teens across the country will doff sweaters for tank tops and jeans for shorts. And as a parent, you may feel more conscious than ever of our society's preoccupation with body image and how it affects your child. Just as concerning as the rise in childhood obesity is the rising number of children—even very young children—who are obsessed with being thin. So how do you help your daughter or son develop a healthy, realistic body image in a society obsessed with thin and beautiful?

Getting a Second Wind at Romance
How many of us know that male and female ways of saying "I love you" can vary as widely as grilled steak to scrambled eggs? And both approaches are exquisitely profound. And how many know that as the years pass and the children marry and leave, romance can be even hotter? Ha! You didn't expect that, did you?

Spouses Working Together: Making it Work!
On-the-job clashes took the romance out of our relationship until talk of divorce scared us into separating business from pleasure. The truth? Neither of us wanted a divorce. Just raising the issue inspired us to make changes that would save our marriage and business.

A Life-long Valentine's Day Gift: Help Your Child Learn to Read
Reading Be My Valentine on a card together with your child might be part of the best gift you could give> the ability to read. Studies show parental involvement in early child literacy matters even more to student success than family income or family education. Here are some tips to help you and your child get off to a good start.

Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Healthy Heart
February marks the calendar page for Valentine's Day and Heart Health Month, so there's never been a better reason to be good to your heart. A few simple steps today can keep it beating strong all year long so you can live life to the fullest.

Valentine's Day Romance Tips for all Relationships
Valentine's Day is the most romantic day of the year, but it can also be one of the most challenging. If you are a new couple, how do you express your feelings without going overboard? If you are an established couple with work and family responsibilities, where can you find the time to arrange a romantic evening?

Chocolate and Champagne Diamonds on the Valentine's Day Menu
Gentlemen, this Valentine's Day, when you think about jewelry for your sweetheart, think chocolate and champagne—diamonds, that is. Chocolate and champagne diamonds are the hottest jewelry trend going and they make the perfect gift in any form.

On Valentine's Day, Take Care of Your Heart with Your Loved One
This February, you'll likely see hearts everywhere, in the form of candy, cards and decorations. Let them be a reminder to take care of your heart health with your loved one. Along with high blood pressure and obesity, unhealthy cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease. Making simple lifestyle changes with your loved one can help you both achieve healthy cholesterol levels that can cut your risk for heart disease.

Tips to Reconnect with an Old Flame
With a quick search, there are nearly 50 online dating and match-making sites ready to connect you with the person of your dreams. And millions of singles are looking for love in the United States. Romance is in the air, and you wish you had that someone special beside you.

Aging Well: Building a Legacy for the Future
Have you ever thought that giving your life to what you do best might help you feel the weight of the years much less? It sounds implausible, but if you think about it, we are all special. All of us have something to pass on to others, so that the best of us lives on. If you are interested not just in the undirected path of life, but also in consciously leaving a legacy that will enrich lives you touch, here are four ways you can start right away.

The #1 Secret All Women Need to Know About Weight Loss
We try the latest supplement, food substitute, and it may work for a while, but then the weight comes back or the habits we started long ago are still happening as though we are on autopilot. And once again we start the cycle of losing and gaining. But... Have you noticed something similar about all the latest trends for losing weight? What they have in common is that they exist outside of you. The secret to having the body you want is rather inside of you just waiting patiently for your activation.

Do 'social marketing' campaigns succeed in encouraging workers to skip the burgers and fries and make more nutritious lunchtime choices?
Can a veggie plate win out over a burger as the lunch of choice for an over-stressed cubicle jockey? Can a green salad successfully compete with a plate of fries in the company cafeteria? It depends on what food choices are offered and how they are presented.

Do you feel good in your own skin?
Recent statistics reveal that over 10 million Canadians are affected by moderate to severe skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Since skin is visible by others, sufferers often result in having psychological and social problems that lead to depression, diminished self-esteem, family conflicts and social withdrawal at school and work. Although these skin conditions may not always be curable, with the appropriate treatment, Canadians can manage their condition while lessening its psychological and social impact.

Eating healthy in restaurants can be done
Making wise food choices at home can be done by planning in advance and stocking up on nutritious ingredients, but eating out poses a bigger challenge. The healthy choices are sometimes few and far between, and even when they are available, without seeing the nutrition information, it can be difficult to identify them. There are some simple rules you can use to help you make wise choices away from home.

Binge-eating is a sign of despair
Many people binge-eat, or eat compulsively. While they are alarmed and shamed by it, they don't see a way out. In working to overcome binge-eating, it is important to learn to recognize what triggers episodes, and to find alternative, constructive coping strategies.

Would you recognise an eating disorder in your child?
Because many of the behaviours of an eating disorder are socially desirable—things like self-discipline, control and 'taking care of' food and weight, it can be easy for parents and teachers to miss the warning signs.

Getting Your Mind into Physical Activity
Staying motivated to keep physically fit is very challenging for most of us, especially with such rapidly changing, busy lives. However, these four mind exercises can help even the most dedicated couch potato kick into gear and stay fit over the long term!

Dating and Relating: How Do You Know if He is Mr. Right?
Many sites list simple ways to recognize Mr. Right, but what we don't often hear about is the totally complex nature of love relationships. Many factors need to mesh in order for us to feel that we have found our soulmate. When you are secure in knowing, accepting and acknowledging your own self-worth and value, then you can clearly evaluate how a potential partner fits or does not fit into your life.

Managing your Cholesterol to Prevent Diabetes and Heart Disease
Want to lower your risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease? Managing your cholesterol can help. But cholesterol, a type of fat in your blood, can be confusing. What do you really need to know to protect your health?

New Medicine Approved to Help Better Manage Cholesterol
For years, doctors have spoken about the importance of lowering cholesterol. But focusing on LDL or bad cholesterol may just be one piece of the cholesterol puzzle.

Simple Ways Seniors Can Stay Active and Healthy
The average life expectancy is now 78 years, plenty of time to enjoy your golden years. You don't need to see a doctor every day to stay healthy; with the guidance of your physician, there are many ways you can take care of yourself at home. Here are a few ideas you can try yourself.

Diet and Your Orgasm
Diet plays a pivotal role in your sex and orgasm. First and foremost, you must be healthy in order to perform (in the case of men) the very sexual act and to enjoy sex (orgasm in the case of women). Your diet has an overall impact on your sex life.

Finding Your Multiple Orgasm
Multiple orgasms are not a rare quality that the gods bestowed upon a few random women. They are also not a Hollywood conspiracy to make all women feel inadequate (there are plenty such conspiracies, but this isn’t one of them). Multiple orgasms are women's trophy for absolute indulgence in our sexuality.

Take your skin from winter blah to winter wonderful
Want to take your skin from washed-out to wow? Take a stand against winter weather and protect your delicate skin! Here's how.

A New Approach to the Family-oriented Wedding
Moving their relationship from dating to marriage was a big step for Lynn Lehman and Cliff Simonelli. One primary concern was how their respective children—Lynn's two young sons, ages 5 and 8, plus Cliff's three youngsters, ages 9 to 15—would come together as a family.

Maid of Honor? Be Prepared
The role of the maid of honor can turn into a dress rehearsal for the day when it is your turn to be the bride. The bride's maid of honor typically has a very close personal relationship with the bride and often serves as confidant and advisor on a variety of issues. Preparations can include selecting wedding colors; choosing the bridesmaid dresses, the caterer and flowers; identifying a location for the wedding and the reception; and hosting a bridal shower.

Secrets to Stress-free Bridal Shower Planning
When your best friend or sister announces she's engaged and wants you to be her maid of honor, of course you jump up and down with excitement—for her. But inside, you're starting to cringe. Dresses, presents and planning at least one bridal shower—you can feel the pressure building up. If the thought of the bridal shower creates more stress than satisfaction, there's help.

The Biggest Mistake Women Make in Relationships
Many women believe they have to play their roles as wife and mother: doing what they think they should be doing to make money and to please their spouses and children and not what they really want to do. This is the biggest mistake women make in relationships: they give up their dreams and who they really are.

The Biggest Mistake Men Make in Relationships
Most men learn from their parents and society that their role as a husband and as a father is to be the provider. At the same time, they do not realize that they are making the biggest mistake men make in relationships: they do not give of themselves.

Volunteering Together Brings Families Closer
From rising energy costs to escalating prices at the grocery store, Americans are feeling the pinch in their pocketbooks. Traditionally the holiday season can be a time for individuals and families to think of donating to charities, yet some may find it more viable to give of their time. Here are some tips on how to create a worthwhile volunteering experience for your family.

How to Make Your Long Distance Relationship Work
You finally met the person of your dreams. There's just one small problem: you live hundreds of miles apart and neither of you is able or willing to move. You face the challenge of the "long distance relationship," a lifestyle choice for about 25 million people around the world.

Five Ways to Make 50-Plus the Best Years of Your Life
ou're getting older, it's true. But it's how you get older that matters. Being afraid of it is like being afraid of getting more channels on your TV: It can be a little disorienting at first (do I watch ESPN 1, ESPN 2 or ESPN 3?), but all the new choices offer a great opportunity for exploration. Here are five ideas for getting started.

Health Alert: Take Time Out for Triglycerides
Everyone has an extremely busy schedule and with the holiday season in full swing, chances are your health may not be as high on your priority list as sipping eggnog or braving long lines at the mall. You may want to reconsider and make some time for your health because now more than ever, there's new information that indicates it's important to talk to your physician about your cholesterol—all of your cholesterol.

Affirmations: The Power of Positive Thinking
In order to move on in your life and enjoy more love, health, and abundance, it is necessary to release negative self-defeating thoughts and replace them with positive ones. These are called affirmations.

A Degree in Intimacy
We need to earn a degree in intimacy before we are going to allow ourselves to have the fulfilling relationships we deeply desire. Only when we can like, love, and accept ourselves unconditionally, will we be able to let down our walls and allow ourselves to relate intimately with others.

Equal Opposites: Yin and Yang
We are often told that women are from Venus and men are from Mars, but is this necessarily so? Viewed through the filter of the ancient Chinese philosophy of Yin and Yang, we learn that a model of co-operative partnership, based on the understanding of equal opposites, creates a far better structure for successful relationships in our contemporary world.

Blowing Out The Light Of Fear
Once we let fear into our lives, we create a world that scares the daylights out of us! Fear makes us feel absent in our life and lose our identity. Here are are seven ways to blow out the light of fear.

Wedding Planning on a Budget
As a bride, once your Prince Charming has popped the question and placed the perfect princess cut on your left hand, the last thing you're thinking about is a budget. You've fantasized about your perfect day since childhood and money was never an object. But how are you going to afford that? Here are some expert tips to stay budget-friendly for your big day.

Find the Perfect Pearls For Your Wedding Ensemble
Pearls are the perfect wedding companion. Known by some as the "Queen of Gems," the classic elegance of pearls transcends centuries and style fads. Nothing looks more beautiful with a bridal gown than a single strand of flawless pearls. But pearls are not just for the bride—they're the perfect accessory for bridesmaids as well.

Groom's Tireless Search For 'Something Old' Gives His Bride New Joy
Lt. Greg Martin wanted to give his fiancee the storybook wedding of her dreams. But he had a slight problem. She was in California planning their big day while he was on the other side of the world, stationed in Iraq. Being so far away made it even more difficult for him to hear the disappointment in her voice when she told him she couldn't find something she had her heart set on for their big day.

Top Ten Tips for Faster, Easier Holiday Entertaining
When you think of the holidays, what comes to mind? For some, it's spending time with loved ones, traditional family meals and joyful gift giving occasions. For others, it's the cooking, cleaning and toiling that comes with having holiday guests. There are numerous tips and tricks to help you save valuable time when preparing for the upcoming festivities.

Career Education Finds Powerful Results in High Schools and Beyond
Post-secondary education has been growing exponentially in the United States over the past decade, but employers know that on-the-job training is still critical to employees' success. What if you could combine the two?

It's a Small World: Watch Out for New Diseases
Increasing travel—global travel in particular—is leading to new diseases spreading from country to country. Chronic Wasting Disease, Monkeypox, Avian Influenza. You name it and chances are it moved quickly from one country to the next.

New Insight into the Cause of Migraine May Lead to Relief for Many
When is a headache more than just a headache? Unfortunately, for the 35 million Americans that suffer from migraines, that pounding headache can interfere with their daily routine, affect personal relationships, and reduce work productivity. The good news is researchers now know more than ever about the biology of migraine.

Good Bacteria? Probiotics Help Immune and Digestive Health
It may fly in the face of everything your mother taught you about health, but not all bacteria are bad. Some can actually improve your immune and digestive health. Eating foods enhanced with probiotics, or taking supplements, are a great (and delicious) way to make bacteria work for you and to fight germs.

Responsible Entertaining: Planning the Perfect Holiday Party
'Tis the season for planning the perfect holiday celebrations with family, friends and coworkers, and many hosts are thinking ahead to decide what food to serve, what music to play and what decorations to hang. If you're inviting guests over for a party, follow these simple tips to promote responsible holiday revelry and help everyone have a safe, enjoyable time.

Faking Orgasm
The birds don't do it. The bees don't do it. So why do educated people do it? It is altogether a bad idea. Here are 10 reasons why you need to quit the habit.

How Elusive is the Female Orgasm?
An incredible amount of women don't know the pleasure of orgasm when they set out to do so. The data go up and down as we look at different cultures, different ages and different generations. But various studies point to the fact that far too many women are not getting what they can out of sex.

When Your Energy Is Rock Bottom
You eat well, you get enough sleep, you exercise every day, but your energy's at rock-bottom. Maybe it's toward the end of the work day. Maybe it's the end of the week. Maybe it's the first day of your menstrual cycle. Maybe your biorhythms are at a natural ebb. Or maybe it's the dead of winter, and any sane mammal would be hibernating instead of driving to work while it's still dark out. Whatever the problem, here are a few quick fixes that can help you get back on track.

Holiday snacking can be good for you
Between long lines at the mall and preparing for the holidays, it's hard to find the time to enjoy a nutritious snack. Believe it or not, snacking is good for you. As long as you're eating the right kind of snacks. There is no easier and more convenient snack than a handful of California almonds.

Achieve your New Year's resolution to eat healthy
Once winter arrives, many people tend to go into hibernation mode: high caloric comfort foods are what we crave and we certainly get our share of rich food during the holiday period. However, for many seniors, these same delicious foods can come with a high fat and salt content that can affect their health and quickly derail any New Year's resolutions to eat healthy.

Make a New Year's resolution to try a new shade
Whether it's a bold new top, a vibrant hair hue or a rich shade of lipstick, for many of us colour can be a frightening concept.

Take your skin from winter blah to winter wonderful
Want to take your skin from washed-out to wow? Take a stand against winter weather and protect your delicate skin! Here's how.

Research helps patients better manage their health care
It's not easy being a patient. Not only do you feel sick, weak and sore, it can also be a chore navigating the health-care system and getting what you need. People with chronic conditions like hypertension, arthritis and diabetes face the toughest situation: doctors and treatments are a daily part of their lives. In some cases, their illness often literally takes over their lives.

Makeup tricks and tips to look fabulous this holiday season
What with last-minute shopping, non-stop cooking, and endless housecleaning, the holidays are a hectic time requiring organizational smarts and plenty of creativity. Once the table's been set and the gifts wrapped, however, the next challenge is to look and feel as radiant as the festive environment you've created. David Vincent, international makeup artist at Lise Watier, has a few beauty tips to help each woman shine.

Holiday cocktails inspired by old fashioned family traditions
When he's looking for inspiration for a holiday cocktail, master mixologist Dimitri Lezinska turns to happy memories and offers homey tradition with a twist. For holiday, he took his cues from traditional treats served to families over generations.

Exploring the ethics of stem cell donations
Stem cells have garnered a great deal of attention, and for good reason: they have the potential to divide and develop into many different cell types in the body. Studying how stem cells develop into specialized cells will help us understand the process—and perhaps correct the errors—that lead to the development of everything from birth defects to cancer.

Visionaries harness technology for better eye care
It should be a health-care crisis. Ophthalmologists are in short supply in urban centres and often non-existent in smaller, rural communities. Many Canadians with diabetes living in these places—particularly First Nations people—face eye damage and potentially blindness if they don't get regular eye check-ups and, when required, fast treatment. But, in many cases, the problem has been averted. And all it took was a visit to a local photographer.

Reducing Holiday Meal Frenzy
Is it your turn to host the holiday dinner this year? Lucky You! The holiday season can be stressful enough without the extra added pressure of making one of the "big" holiday meals for 15 of your closest relatives or friends. We wish we could give you an "Easy" button for your holiday meals, but the best we can do is offer you a few terrific tips that will help you get through it smoothly!

Five Things Nature will Teach Your Child
Deep in the woods, something small is lurking and just waiting to be discovered. Leading children into the arms of nature will expand their horizons and help make them become well-rounded individuals. Here are five things your children will learn by interacting with nature.

Money Talk: The 10 Best Things You Can Say to Your Children about Money
Many parents do not know how, do not want to, or lack the communication skills necessary to talk to their children about money in general. So when a money crisis develops, the potential to pass fearful and negative attitudes towards money to the next generation increases. How effective are you at talking about money? What words do you use when you talk about money in front of or directly to your children? Here is a list of the 10 best things you can say to your children about money. Use it to gauge your money talk skill level.

Four Ways to Keeping Family Harmony
History itself affirms that the family is the foundation of society. It is the glue that holds together civilization itself. Block by block, it builds nations. But the most important place for family is inside each of us; it is who we are. We're living in days when the traditional family is challenged to the hilt. More than ever, parenting and nurturing roles are important and necessary. Like an orchestra, each family member is an instrument, with notes that blend the unit.

Before Your "I Do's," Do Financial Review First
For couples about to exchange "I do's," a clear understanding of each other's credit history as singles, and how they will use credit as a couple, is vital to ensure their future wedded bliss.

Bliss-building Money Tips for Newlyweds
You’re finalizing wedding plans and are eager to sip champagne with your guests. But are you and your fiance prepared to marry your financial lives together once the "I do’s" are said, and you've returned home from your honeymoon in paradise?

Smart Tips for Healthy Eating
Food can make you healthier—if you make good choices. It can seem hard to make healthy food choices, particularly if you are on a budget and short on time. But there are some simple steps you can take to help you and your family eat healthier.

Still Doing It: The Intimate Lives of Women Over Sixty
Women of the Silent Generation may not be going silently into the night. According to the NIH National Institute on Aging US age pyramid, projections are that in 2030, there will be 33.75 million women but only 29.25 million men between the age of 65 and 84. In other words, older women will continue to experience the same

I Yike Hammers
When humorist Joanne Palmer was pregnant with her son, she had great expectations. She'd whispered to her big belly, "You're going to hate math; love books." For months, she imagined the two of them curled up on the couch reading all the books she'd loved as a child—Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web and maybe even a Nancy Drew. There was no doubt in her mind he would grow up to be a sensitive English professor (with the smoldering appeal of Johnny Depp, of course.) Then he was born.

Go Ahead: Take My Day
Every seven minutes, someone's identity is stolen. So, asks humorist Joanne Palmer, why did they forget her? If anyone would like to be her, she'll gladly give you her social security number, checking account number, the keys to her house and her banged-up, 1995 Subaru with over 100,000 miles on it. Here's a sample of what you'll get.

Dream Weddings are Possible, Even on a Budget
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, one you have probably spent years dreaming about. When color-coordinated linens, a beautiful outdoor tent and elaborate candelabras are your vision, don’t let your budget confine your imagination. Your dream wedding can be possible, no matter how much you have to spend, when you rent!

7 Ways Exercise Leads to Happiness
There are periods of time in all our lives when we feel despondent, lethargic, depressed and hopeless. These feeling states can last from a few minutes to many years. Many of us don't know how to face, experience, work through and let go of emotional pain. Many of us are afraid to face it because we are fearful that this path will lead to infinite agony. There is a way to resolve these problems. The way to not only heal emotional pain, but to achieve true happiness is through physical exercise.

The Great Decline: Financial Loss as Personal Gain
We have just witnessed one of the great declines in the stock market. As wealth in our homes and investments has all but evaporated, we wonder if what little left in the bank account will still be there tomorrow. There is no way, alas, to quickly recover the losses themselves, but you can recover something much more important—your own abiding self-respect and a sense of inner peace. If you are one of those who has suffered grievous and irremediable losses, here are four ways not just to escape harsh judgment of yourself and others, but to find that opening to greater self-awareness and peace amidst the fear and the rubble.

Soar Above the Clouds
We've all experienced encountering dark and rough places through which we must struggle. Above those dark clouds, the sun is shining! Here are five tips for breaking through clouds.

Keep Your Health on Track During The Hectic Holiday Season
The holidays are a wonderful time of year full of family, friends, shopping and parties. Despite all of the celebrations, the holidays also lead to busy schedules, increased travel and less time to worry about health concerns, especially when those concerns affect our digestive systems.

Day-to-night Fashion Solutions for the Holidays
Between holiday shopping and credit card debt, traveling to attend large family gatherings and cocktails parties, and balancing work, all the merriment can cause major stress, particularly in women ages 35 to 54. This year however, there is no need to stress over what to wear to holiday festivities. Here are some tips to flatter all body types at a fraction of the cost.

The Importance of Eye Exams for Those with Diabetes
Nearly 23 million Americans are affected by diabetes, and one-third are unaware that they have the disease. Undiagnosed, diabetes can result in vision impairment. Your doctor of optometry can identify signs of diabetes and other eye-related health problems. Early detection can help you enjoy a lifetime of good vision.

Packing Right for Your Winter Honeymoon
You made it through the wedding, so now comes the relaxing part—your romantic honeymoon in a far away destination. But what do you pack and how much do you need?

How Today's Businesswomen Strike a Work-life Balance
Today’s women have broken through the glass ceiling and are finding their way to corner offices around the country. Juggling life both inside and outside the home can be a challenge—that’s why it’s important to strike the proper balance between work and personal lives. Luckily, there are specific strategies that women can implement to strike a healthier balance.

The Secret to Growing Young
As we grow older we look forward to the changes that life brings—retirement, grandchildren, financial security and travel. Other changes we might not accept so readily are the aches and pains and mental slowdowns that leave us longing for the good old days of our youth. We think we have to put up with degeneration when aging, but that is not true. Staying active is key for a healthy lifestyle, but what else can we do to benefit our bodies as we age?

Have a Child Graduating in 2009? Talk About the Future Today
Is 2009 the year you look forward to your son or daughter graduating from high school or college? You'll be so proud to see them make such an accomplishment. But what are their plans post-graduation? Even though graduation is still months away, now is a great time for parents to help their young adults plan for their careers and think about how they will manage their salary.

Holiday Entertaining Made Easy
Holiday entertaining can feel overwhelming to even the most seasoned host. Between shopping, cooking, cleaning and decorating, it can feel like there's no time left to enjoy the festivities. But with a little time management and some creativity, having friends and family over to celebrate can be fun again.

Tips for Helping Teens Explore Career Opportunities
"What do I want to do with my life?" With the school year well under way and New Year's resolution season fast approaching, here are some tips for parents to help their high school or college student ponder that the million dollar question.

Looking for a Recession-proof Career?
With the rising cost of gas and food and the crisis in the financial markets, there's no doubt that the economy is on everyone's mind. If you are worried about losing your job, you are not alone. The American economy lost 84,000 jobs in August and the unemployment rate rose to 6.1 percent, the highest since 2003.

Fitting in Fiber
Today’s busy lifestyle is making it increasingly difficult to eat right, exercise and stay healthy. Americans might be surprised to learn that they can help meet daily nutritional guidelines by fitting in fiber -- and a little goes a long way.

Got the Blues—or Could It Be Something More?
Predictions about the struggling economy can be worrisome and may make you feel blue, but how do you know if it’s something more? Here is some expert advice.

The Psychology of Seasons: Care for Your Mental Health
For some, the change in seasons has a profound impact on their emotional state. You may not feel as peppy as you normally do or have the same energy level, and you do not want to be around people or follow your regular routine.

When Mammograms Aren't Enough: New Innovations Help Catch Breast Cancer Early
Although annual mammograms are strongly recommended and are often the best way to detect breast cancer, additional screening methods may sometimes be necessary. The good news is that recent innovations in medical imaging are making it increasingly easier for doctors to detect and diagnose cancers at an earlier stage, which is often the key to long-term survival.

Taking the First Steps toward Better Health
Taking the first step toward a healthier lifestyle can seem overwhelming. The American Medical Association (AMA) suggests that one way to start might be with small changes that can lead to big health benefits. Every little step counts when you are trying to live a healthier life. Here are some easy tips to do right now to begin living a healthier lifestyle.

'Tell a Gal P.A.L.' to Raise Awareness of Domestic Violence
Three out of four Americans know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence, according to the Allstate Foundation National Poll on Domestic Violence. While it impacts many, few discuss the issue.

Itchy, Uncomfortable Eyes? It Could be 'Dry Eye'
Do your eyes feel itchy, gritty or like you have something in them? You may have dry eye and not know it.

Cold Medicine and Kids
Pediatricians, along with the FDA, are taking a united stand in recommending that cold medicines not be used for children under the age of two. Currently, there is no concrete evidence that proves that cold medicines treat symptoms any better than waiting them out. If you are looking to utilize the cold medicines available, it's important to understand what symptoms of the colds and flu they are able to treat effectively.

Uses and Risk Factors of Celebrex
Celebrex was released in the late 1990s alongside Vioxx, which was later banned. Some feel that, due to its side effects and risk factors, Celebrex will also be pulled from the market. It is a COX-2 inhibitor and a subclass of NSAIDS (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) that work to treat pain and inflammation. Patients using Celebrex should be aware of the risk factors.

Ways to Ward Off Holiday Weight Gain
As the holidays head our way, we brace for the weight gain that often results from the traditional sweets of the season. Many of us gain a pound or two between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Fortunately, you can avoid those unwanted extra pounds with a common sense approach to your health. With some expert advice, it's possible to stay fit as we face the season of bountiful desserts.

Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Boost Your Memory
Do you ever find yourself at the grocery store struggling to remember what you came for? Are you forgetting birthdays and lunch dates? If these situations sound familiar to you, you're not alone. Forgetfulness is one of the most common complaints of those in middle age and beyond. There are simple things that you can do in your everyday life to increase your ability to retain information and exercise your brain.

Supporting Loved Ones in Nursing Homes Enhances Daily Living
Types of facilities range from assisted living to round-the-clock custodial care, with staff workers providing the level of assistance required. The experience of living in a long-term care facility can vary greatly for residents, depending on the level of support provided by their families. Dewan E. Williams, clinical coordinator for the Practical Nursing program at Brown Mackie College in Akron, Ohio, offers insights into how family members can enhance the quality of life for loved ones in long-term care.

Know the Signs of Alzheimer's Disease
More than 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's disease and, by 2050, approximately 16 million will have the disease. A new online survey of 1,040 adults age 55 and over shows that the majority of respondents have little knowledge of the disease and are confused about its symptoms. In fact, although 78 percent say they could notice signs of AD in themselves or a loved one, more than 90 percent could not distinguish early disease symptoms from late disease symptoms or symptoms unrelated to Alzheimer's. Learn to distinguish between normal signs of aging and others signs that might indicate something more serious.

A Well-being Routine: the Real Key to Health
As important as a fitness routine is to your physical health, it's just as vital to have a "well-being routine" that focuses on your mental health. Being well-rounded physically and mentally can foster balance between your work and personal lives, and help reduce everyday stress.

On the Move With a New Breast Cancer Resource
When a woman is first diagnosed with breast cancer, all kinds of questions go through her mind, and not all of them are about the cancer itself. "Will I be able to remain active? What kind of impact will treatment have on my lifestyle? Can I still be intimate with my significant other?"

Cholesterol Matters to Your Heart
Everyone knows they should watch their cholesterol, but do you know why? If you have high cholesterol, you may have twice the risk for heart disease, the number one health problem for both women and men in the United States.

Simple Tips Add Sparkle to Holiday Entertaining
This holiday season make all your festive get-togethers sparkle by using simple and innovative ways to entertain friends and family. Being creative with items you already own and a few extras will make your parties shine.

Top Five Spices to Add Zing to Holiday Baking
It's hard to imagine a festive winter holiday without the aroma of baking wafting through our homes. Certain spices such as allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla claim the holidays as their own.

Drinks to Warm Up Your Holidays
Hand off a hot beverage to dinner guests, neighbors who drop by or kids during story time and you instantly warm both tummies and hearts. Make sure you treat yourself too; wrapping your hands around a warm mug in the midst of a cold day can help you unwind! Traditional favorites include hot cider, cocoa, teas, and coffees—all so good there's no need to look for replacements. But by adding just a few of the right spices, you can transform these everyday winter drinks into extraordinary festive fare.

Wine is Still a Winning Holiday Gift
Looking for that holiday gift that is both personal and universal, sophisticated and fun? Smart holiday shoppers are turning to wine clubs and wine-related accessories to round out their seasonal shopping this year.

The Fountain of Youth and Health
Needed by every cell in the body, a magnesium deficiency can be catastrophic and has now been associated with heart attacks, arrhythmias, cancers, diabetes, asthma, Crohn's disease, premature aging, hair loss, twitches, cramps, high blood pressure, stroke, fibromyalgia, migraines, bone and joint pain, ADD, ADHD, shortness of breath, osteoporosis, muscle wasting, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, constipation, memory loss, sensitivity to light and loud noises, hearing loss, insomnia, fatigue, anxiety, tuberculosis, aggression, hyperactivity, panic attacks, nail fungus, Tourette syndrome, PMS, toxemia of pregnancy, numbness and tingling, eczema, psoriasis, depression, violence, gum problems, tooth decay, calcium deficiency, and virtually all chronic and autoimmune diseases now common in the US, including chronic fatigue syndrome.

Seniors - hear this and speak up
Seniors represent the fastest growing segment of our population, expected to make up one quarter of the country's population. Many of these individuals are significantly affected by communication disorders and experience problems with their speech, language, swallowing, and hearing. Hearing loss is the third-most prevalent chronic disability among older adults and 6 to 12% of seniors experience speech, language, or voice difficulties.

Bring Out the Silver and Add Class to Your Party
Whatever happened to the silver table service items you received for your wedding? The silver bowls, platters, serviceware, and flatware are probably sitting in the china cabinet becoming tarnished because who has time to polish silver? And no one actually uses them, do they?

Halloween 2008: Friday Night Delight
This year, we're in for an extra-special treat as Halloween falls on Friday night. Already the second biggest decorating holiday each year, Halloween becomes even bigger when there's no work or school the next day. Experts agree that not having to get up early the following day will help Halloween 2008 be the biggest in history.

Outside the Snow is Falling and Friends are Calling
It is that time of year when holiday parties and celebrations abound. If you are looking for ways to enjoy the festivities but avoid the hectic holiday scheduling, why not serve brunch. A breakfast or brunch celebration is a perfect solution for families that have more than one stop to make for the holidays.

Plan a Monster Bash
You're invited to a "Monster Bash." What's more fun than Halloween? Young or old, everyone seems to get into the spirit. Why not gather a group together this Halloween and have some spooky fun along with a frightening feast?

Cold Weather Safety Tips for Seniors
Biting cold, ice-slicked sidewalks and roadways, and storms that shut down businesses, schools, and services—winter aggravations can create serious safety risks for seniors. Yet with some planning, preparation, and caution, seniors can stay safe and even enjoy some time outdoors this season. Here are seven tips for senior safety in cold weather.

Goodbye Junk Food, Hello Smart Food Choices
Buying nutritious foods for yourself and your family can be difficult. We are all familiar with the food pyramid, but once in the grocery store, the incredible amount of options is overwhelming. How do you know what is best and how can you be sure to make the healthiest food choices? Here are the top strategies for shopping smart at the grocery store.

Parenting New College Students: Are You Too Involved In Your College Student's Life?
Mobile phone, instant messaging, e-mail, FedEx… With all the technology available today, it's so easy for parents to stay in touch with their new college student children. But, when is it too much?

Guide to Parenting College Students: Seven Things I Wish I Knew Before I Sent My Son to College
Colleges are designed to be safe and, although your child is on her own, there is a large "bubble" of support surrounding her. As a college student's parent, you have more control than you might think over whether your college student is happy and safe all the way to graduation. You can improve the odds by understand and exercising your changing parenting responsibilities. Let the seven tips in this article show you how.

Secrets of Safe, Successful Slumber for Your Baby
No matter where you choose to put your baby to sleep, safety and success must be your main concerns. Your decision will be easier if you know a few basic facts about infants' sleep habits, safe sleeping practices and bedding options.

Change in Season Gives Mom Reason for a Regular Health Check
As the weather changes and kids are in school, mothers' schedules kick into high gear. It's easy for women to overlook a key element of their family's overall well-being—Mom's health. But some simple lifestyle changes can help mothers take better care of themselves and their families.

Job Interview 2.0 – How Technology is Transforming the Job Hunt
Today's economy is tough for both job-seekers and employers alike. Mistakes are costly and time-consuming for both parties. Employers have tighter budgets for finding and interviewing candidates, and candidates need every tool available to compete for top positions. Technology is streamlining the hiring process. Managers use it to eliminate useless—and costly—interviews. and prescreen candidates before bringing them in for in-person interviews. And job hunters can use technology to distinguish themselves from the pack.

Tips for Putting Your Best Face Forward this Fall
Bathing suits will soon be packed away for another year, but beauty doesn't take a holiday when summer winds down. Women everywhere will need to modify their daily beauty routines to keep pace with autumn's changing demands, and the rapid approach of the holiday season.

Honor the Feminine in Us and in Others
People are sick of living in a world in which masculine aggressiveness and control have run roughshod over more feminine qualities like love, patience, or a feeling for healing and harmony. I believe many more people wish that qualities like gentleness, tenderness, patience, receptiveness, closeness to nature, and the readiness to forgive were more valued in our world. Let's start right now with five ways all of us, men and women alike, can honor and cultivate the qualities of our feminine side.

Blind Date 101: Are You "Uncool" If You Don't Meet Over Booze?
how do I reconcile my get-a-healthy-life mission with my need to go on blind dates—often for drinks or coffee—until Mr. Right comes along? By being true to myself—no matter what the consequences or the reaction. Frankly, I refuse to be intimidated, embarrassed or coerced into engaging in self-destructive behavior. Here are some tips to help you, too, in uncomfortable social situations.

Trained Professionals and Online Tools Can Help Seniors Find a New Home
Helping a parent move to senior housing can seem more intimidating than orchestrating a rocket launch. It may not take a rocket scientist to work through this multi-phase life change. But finding a professional who knows the ropes can make it easier for the more than 29 percent of home sellers age 65 and older who move into an active-adult community or senior-related housing each year.

Survey Highlights The Importance of Teaching Children Good Social Skills
Your 4-year-old may already know how to tie her own shoelaces and spell out her first and last names. But as preschool looms around the corner, are you worried how well she'll fit in with the rest of the classroom?

Quick and Easy Meals on a Back-to-school Schedule
The start of a new school year means increasingly busy days are here. When your schedule suddenly fills with juggling work, soccer practice, PTA and carpool, the urge to grab dinner on the fly becomes more and more enticing. A few easy tips will help you get simple, delicious, and healthy homemade meals on the table in no time.

Perfect Pineapple
Pineapples are a good source of vitamin C, a commonly known antioxidant that protects the body from free radical damage and boosts the immune system. Pineapples also contain high levels of an enzyme called bromelain, a natural anti-inflammatory. Finally, pineapple is full of manganese, a trace mineral that is in very few foods. Here are a few easy ideas to add pineapple to your meals.

Nutrition Happens
We are all born with an innate drive for survival. This survival instinct will attract us to the right nutrients for our bodies if we know how to follow it. We need to help children maintain an intact instinct to survive. It sounds harder than it is. Here are 5 tips to let nutrition happen.

Mother's Intuition
Mothers and fathers, but especially mothers seem to have the ability to know their children with uncanny accuracy. There is an unspoken connection between a parent and child that bypasses logic and reason. This is commonly referred to as mother's intuition and it can empower a parent with almost phenomenal abilities.

How to Successfully Manage Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It occurs when the cartilage in the joints wears down over time. The key to treating osteoarthritis is understanding the condition and actively managing the symptoms, and there are other options beyond simply taking a prescription medicine. Certain supplements are viewed as a more natural option and are gaining in popularity because of their effectiveness and continuous positive outcomes in clinical tests as well as their high level of safety.

Herbal Remedies
For thousands of years, women have used herbal remedies for emergency medicine and wellness support. Herbs are known to be useful in treating thousands of conditions and disorders, and in fact, are the basis of many conventional pharmaceutical preparations. In an era when every body of water tested in the US contains measurable amounts of drug residues, we may be reaching the point of saturation with prescription drugs. In that case, herbal remedies stand to become in even greater demand, both as powerful healing tools and as environmentally safer choices.

Herbs for Midlife
As menopause progresses, women’s estrogen levels fall and various discomforts can arise. Those determined to take a pass on hormones have herbal and nutritional options. In addition to eating more beans and vegetables, some specific herbs are helpful in relieving menopause symptoms.

How to Help Someone With Disordered Eating
It is often difficult for family and friends to understand why someone they love is experiencing food and weight problems. Although frustrating, it is important to realize that only the person experiencing the difficulty can make the decision to get help and choose what kind of help they need and want. This article provides helpful tips and suggestions, as well as links to valuable resources.

Make job searches go from painful to painless
Whether trying to land that first job, or upgrade to a new one, fall is one of the year's peak times for job searching. For most, the hunt for the perfect position can be a big pain. In order to make your job search go from painful to painless, try following these smart tips.

Smart laptop shopping for students
hen August and September roll around, it's time for most students to trade in their flip-flops for a laptop. Purchasing a laptop can be daunting if you don't know what you're looking for. Consumer electronic retailers like Best Buy have knowledgeable experts on hand to offer advice based on a student's needs, although it's a good idea to be equipped with the right questions before you start shopping. This summer and fall, consider these following hassle-free pointers to help make the best decision when buying a new laptop computer.

Laptop shopping for socially conscious students
September marks a fresh start for students with new classes, teachers, and routines. As summer winds down, Maria Davis is preparing to embark on dorm room life and begin her studies at the University of British Columbia. While her shopping list for the big move is limited, a new laptop is right at the top. Shoppers like Maria are not only looking for the hottest items and the best value; they are also socially conscious. When shopping for a laptop for the new school year, consider these tips.

Back-to-School Style 101
This fall, lessons in fashion won't just come from the runway. Style cues will originate from a less likely place—the school hallway. The dark, boring lockers and mono-chromatic supplies of yesteryear have been replaced with chic alternatives, making the school day more like a never-ending fashion show. It's all in response to today's generation of fashion drivers—tweens and teens.

Preventing Laptop Theft this Back-to-school Season
Today's students gear up for back-to-school season by stocking up on expensive technology, from MP3 players to laptops. However, most students are unaware that dorm rooms and schools are some of the most dangerous places to store precious electronic equipment. Since these devices are often used for school work and personal computing as well as entertainment, losing a laptop can negatively impact academic performance or put a student at risk for identity theft. Students need to know how to protect themselves.

Cocktails and Cuisine: A New Twist on a Classic Spirit
Ah, the cocktail party. It's been a classic, sophisticated entertaining staple for generations of Americans. But a sea change is taking place in how people think about cocktails. Across the country, in fine restaurants and the homes of savvy hosts, cocktails aren't going solo anymore. Pairing cocktails with food is a very popular entertaining trend. One spirit emerging as a leader in this cocktail revolution has a 350-year history as a favorite "straight" spirit: gin.

Motherhood & More
Women are often defined by their relationships to others, and, for most of history, women followed the single-lane path from being a father's daughter to a husband's wife to a child's mother. Most adult women are mothers, but each one of us is a mother and more. It's important for men and society-at-large to understand that truth, but it's essential for women to accept that they needn't be solely defined by—or worse—consumed by, motherhood. Each of us would be more content in our daily lives, and collectively more supportive of one another, if we abandoned the head games that accompany our work as mothers.

Quiet Grace on a Crowded Train
Having ridden the Orange Line for some 30 years now, I can honestly say that I have seen and/or experienced almost everything from rowdy, troublemakers harassing passengers to gropers rubbing against women. This particular morning, however, the train was pretty quiet as some people read and others closed their eyes and pretended to sleep while I, as usual, looked around scouting out fashion faux pas and anything that could be conceived as funny. As I surveyed the crowd, my eyes happen to steer in the direction of the young man in the wheelchair at the exact time that he began to yawn. That's when I saw the most amazing thing.

How Do You Define A Successful Relationship?
the way many people define "successful" relationships is limited to only those that result in marriage. However, when classifying a relationship, you should also consider its overall benefits and meaning for you. Ask yourself: at least for a time, did you have fun, laugh, enjoy yourself? Feel respected and supported? Make positive strides? Learn something about other people? About yourself? If you spent a considerable amount of time with someone who touched your life for the better in some way, even if it did not end up in marriage, then you should consider it a positive experience.

How to Love the Skin You're In
I know of no other season that causes women so much angst as the summertime—that glorious time of year when it's hot and muggy out and we're invited to the beach/pool/lake to enjoy the good weather by donning our bathing suits. I'm sure I'm not alone when I state that nothing makes me nuttier than when I'm expected to wear a bathing suit out in public. Why does this happen to me and to so many of us? Summer will be more enjoyable if you remember these tips.

Easy and Fun Ways to Teach Your Kids Important Values
One of the hardest parts of being a parent is teaching kids positive values and traits that will help them grow up to be respectful, caring adults. Things like giving, sharing, and volunteering are all things children should learn, but how can you teach them in a fun and meaningful way? Here are some ideas that make learning these values enjoyable for both parent and child.

Beating the Back-to-school Clock Crunch
Time-pressed families heading back to school this fall may find they really need that extra hour of morning sun offered by Daylight Saving Time. The transition from the schedule-free days of summer to the more regimented requirements of school can create chaos in even the most orderly home. Parents can employ planning and preparation to streamline the back-to-school transition, and help ensure everyone leaves the house on time and in a good mood. Here are some simple tips.

Cost-Saving Strategies for Back-to-School Shopping
Rising gas and food prices are putting the economic squeeze on most households, and it's already time to begin back-to-school shopping. Families with school-age children are expected to spend over $500 on back-to-school merchandise, according to the National Retail Federation. They'll also likely spend many days driving from store to store to get all the right items. It's no wonder parents are looking for creative ways to save money and limit their time in the car. Here are some easy ways to save time and money when seeking back-to-school bargains this year.

Stress: Is it Spinning You Out of Control?
People with high stress levels are more likely to have heart attacks and strokes, respond poorly to flu vaccines and catch colds more easily than those with low levels of work or interpersonal stress. To sideline stress, you need to learn to shift your perception and the impact of stressful situations. Here are some hints on how to do that.

Teaching Children to Manifest a Better World
Millions of people are currently using the law of attraction to produce the ideal mate, create a meaningful job, build wealth, and attract health for themselves. However, the future of our world rests not on who can create the most wealth, but on how our children embrace the responsibility of creating a better world. Teaching the law of attraction is as a vital addition to the life skills every child needs in order to grow and evolve into who and what they want to be. Here are some guidelines to consider when teaching the law of attraction to the important children in your life.

Six Steps to Becoming a Good Supervisor
Typically, no one is trained to be a supervisor. We all have to learn how to manage people on the fly, after we are promoted into a management position. It is helpful, when learning to be a good supervisor, to keep in mind the things that past supervisors have done that you liked and those that you have not liked. You can use these experiences to guide your decisions. Here are six steps to follow to make sure that you become a leader that others will remember in a positive light.

The Art of Relaxation
Every week, I have clients in my office complaining about the crazy speed of this world and thus, their lives, and how they feel they are heading for a proverbial meltdown. Some have indeed pushed themselves clearly beyond their limits and are seeing me because they feel burned out, lost, and generally bummed out. None of us appears to be immune from driving herself into the ground, but every person needs to carve out a bit of time for herself everyday for self-care and downtime. Relax despite all of the forces that tell you otherwise. Here's a list of 10 things you can do to relax on a daily basis.

Learning From Our Elders
I've been thinking a lot lately about the amazing power of grandparents in women's development and growth, I'm guessing that you have some "wise elders" in your life or have had in the past. I believe that we always need elders and guides in our lives to navigate this fragile experience called life. We live in a society that unfortunately dismisses our wise elders and all that they have to contribute and this is a terrible waste of resources. I encourage you to make a list of all the valuable lessons they taught you.

Daddy as Baby's First Line of Defense
From the obvious to the invisible or less readily detected, human health hazards lurk around virtually every corner. For a largely defenseless infant, the world can be an especially dangerous place, full of potential perils both anticipated and unforeseen. As his household's knight in shining armor, one of a new dad's most important responsibilities is to protect his little one from the onslaught. It takes guile, perceptiveness, cunning, foresight, and quick reactions to be able to sniff out trouble before a baby encounters it and to handle it quickly and decisively when it does arise because, rest assured, it will.

One-Day Breast Cancer Treatment Saves Lives in Less Time
For many patients, a breast cancer diagnosis is no longer a fatal one. However, the comfort that a patient's condition is treatable is often accompanied by dread of the grueling treatment that will be needed to save his or her life. But a new therapy holds hope for treating some cancers in just a single day, rather than through months of harsh radiation therapy. The procedure, known as intraoperative electron beam radiation therapy, delivers a single dose of radiation at the time of surgery.

Aging Gracefully Inside and Out
Whether you've noticed the signs of aging in family and friends, or acknowledged how it affects your own mind and body, getting older is an unavoidable part of life. And although Ponce de Leon never found the Fountain of Youth, daily preventative measures can be taken to help you age beautifully both inside and out. Here are some tips on how to take aging in stride and help you look and feel your youngest.

Cool Tips for Summer Entertaining
At the dawn of summer, people spend more time outdoors and start planning barbecues, pool parties and picnics. But as the mercury rises, thoughts turn to lazing in front of the air conditioner instead of being out in the searing, sticky heat. With a little creativity, you can entertain outdoors while keeping cool this summer.

Petiquette for Summer Entertaining
How do you include the furry members of the family into summer entertaining without turning a backyard barbecue into a doggie food free-for-all or the evening dinner party into a feline hissy fit? By carefully planning and managing your pet's interactions with guests and preparing for the big day, it is possible to keep Fluffy or Fido an enjoyable part of your celebration, says Charlotte Reed, pet care expert. Here are Reed's tips for making summer entertaining as enjoyable as possible for your pets and your guests.

World's Oldest Leisure Activity May Hold Key to Modern Health
Moral debates about sex will probably go on as long as humans continue to engage in the activity, but the verdict is definitely in on the physical and mental health benefits of an active—and safe—sex life. Frequent intimacy, especially in the context of a caring relationship, extends life expectancy, enhances mental health and mitigates a host of physical ailments, research shows.

Do's and Don'ts of Dealing with Diaper Rash
More than one new mom has felt frustrated or helpless over diaper rash. One of the most common ailments of infancy is also among the least understood: 64 percent of moms said that diaper rash was only a minor problem, and the majority are unaware that a yeast infection can cause a more serious diaper rash.

Women Use Friendship to Tackle Domestic Violence
Whoever first said that "a friend in need is a friend indeed" certainly knew what she (or she) was talking about. Good friends encourage you to live your dreams and stand by you through good times and bad. And, as one recent poll shows, women are most likely to confide in a friend when they are facing violence in their home. With the approach of International Friendship Day in August, it's a great time for women to get educated on how to recognize the signs of domestic violence and what to do to help a friend going through it.

Bridal Style Alert: Classic is Back
Good news for brides inspired by Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly: classic is back. Fabrics, silhouettes, and accessories borrowed from the 1940s through 1960s offer brides the opportunity to start with the basics and enhance them with luxurious finishing touches.

Concentration: How to Stick to It
Nowadays, so many things compete for your attention that it can be hard to concentrate on what's important. If you need to improve your ability to stay on target and focus on the task at hand, implement these tips.

Six steps to gaining a promotion
Traditional wisdom tells us that to get a promotion, you have to ask your boss. However, most people don't get promotions by simply asking for them. In fact, asking may be the worst thing you can do. Here are six steps that will help you to get that increase in responsibility and hopefully an increase in your paycheck.

Chatter is the best medicine: speak up for your health
It’s not just a stereotype; women of all ages really do like to talk. It may seem women are comfortable discussing just about anything – their jobs, family matters, even sex. However, according to a new survey, many women are uncomfortable and even embarrassed discussing important health issues.

Help your teen stay safe during summer months
For teens, summer months bring high-school graduation parties with friends and extended curfews allowing for later nights. This time of year can also mean that teens have more free time and could face added pressure to drink alcohol. It's important for parents to exercise their positive parenting influence and help their teens make responsible decisions.

Got the workday blues?
With all the sunshine and warm weather, we all want to spend time outdoors doing our favorite activities like working in the garden or playing our favorite sports. But for many of us, that's not an option during the workday. If you do have a case of the summertime work blues, there are many ways to cheer yourself up. But if your dislike of your job goes deeper than simply the summertime blues, your dissatisfaction should be taken seriously.

The integrated approach to weight loss: an innovative way to stay healthy and lose weight
Two-thirds of American adults are overweight and one in three are considered to be obese. An integrative approach can be an effective strategy for losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight. New therapies and treatments, once called alternative, are emerging to meet the needs of our physical, mental and spiritual health. This blending of the best of conventional and alternative medicine is known as integrative medicine.

Top five questions women have for life coaches
Millions of women often wonder how they can continue to juggle it all or wish they remembered who they “used to be” before having a career, kids or both. Life coaches can help women find their way back to what they really want. Some of the country’s leading life coaching experts are now helping women of all ages and walks of life find their passions and, most importantly, reconnect with themselves. Learn more about the the "top five" most frequently asked questions life coaches hear from their clients.

Boomers: Tips on how to exercise safely
In 2007, more than 149,000 people between the ages of 45 and 64 were treated in emergency rooms, clinics and doctors' offices for injuries related to exercise and exercise equipment. As the weather gets warmer, people often get motivated to spend more time outdoors. Whether it's working on projects around the house, playing with the grandkids at the park or out exercising, it's important that baby boomers remember their bodies are not as young as they used to be and to not overdo it. Here are some useful tips to help boomers prevent exercise-related injuries.

The key to healthy aging for men
It's no secret men are living longer, working later into life and taking on more roles than ever before. Understandably, men are also looking to improve and prolong their health and happiness with preventive steps to achieve a higher quality of life. And with notions of age changing rapidly, the best way to stay healthy is to focus on the whole body.

How to shop around for the one purchase everyone must make
The origin of money may be lost to antiquity, but it's a pretty sure bet that shortly after someone invented cash, someone else came up with the idea of shopping around to get the best deal for their money. As comfortable as Americans are with seeking a deal—witness the thousands of price comparison Web sites—there is one major purchase many still seem unwilling to comparison shop for, and it's a purchase everyone will eventually make.

Volunteers fill void for seniors needing aid, companionship
By 2030, the number of Americans 80 and older is expected to rise from 9.3 million (in 2000) to 10.5 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With this increased average life span, comes an increased demand on resources from health to social services. Volunteer-based organizations are stepping in to fill a growing need.

Ensuring your legacy lives on
You have a lifetime to live. Proper planning can reduce your chances of having to depend on others for financial support and help ensure that you have a legacy to pass on to your loved ones; two of the top worries for seniors. It is important to consider how insurance can help to protect your savings from unexpected costs.

Why seniors need more natural light
As we age, the lenses of our eyes thicken and our pupils shrink. This causes eyes to adapt more slowly to changing light conditions and increases the need for light. Older people need three to five times more light than younger people for vision and to maintain health. Sunlight can enter our dwellings and be balanced through the use of windows, doors and skylights.

When family caregivers have to make tough choices
Ttrying to pinpoint an “average” family caregiver is a futile exercise. Each brings a unique outlook to the task, and a different mix of support and resources. Those who successfully move through the daily challenges seek help when things get tough. For the patient, changes in physical health may point to the need for extra help or a transition to senior housing. Here are six tips for family caregivers considering a move.

Safe, Sound and Solo
ccording to the US Census Bureau, the number of Americans over age 65 is expected to double, reaching 72 million by 2030. Most are choosing to live on their own. As this generation of baby boomers reaches their golden years, creating a safe home environment becomes very important. Although the home is a place of comfort and security, it can also be a dangerous space. Slips, trips, falls, and other injuries are more likely as one ages, due to decreased mobility. When preparing your home for the golden years, there are many ways to ensure that each room in the house is comfortable and secure, so you can live safe, sound, and solo.

Passion for pomegranates
Pomegranates are quite unique. Slightly sweet. Here are some creative and simple ideas to include pomegranates into your family meals.

The nature of fear: understanding fear and its true purpose
For some of us, fear is a constant companion, the underlying force in our lives that keeps us feeling "stuck" or "safe". It may prevent us from pursuing something that could be a life-changing opportunity or from fulfilling our true purpose. Before we can begin to free ourselves of fear and its negative effects, we need to understand the true nature of fear. It is the imbalance of our emotions that create toxic levels of fear. If you are sick and tired of being afraid, here are three simple steps to begin to free yourself from fear.

Why Is America So Fat?
In the 1980s, the federal government, along with medical groups such as the American Heart Association, began to aggressively promote the benefits of a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. This was eventually reflected by the first USDA Food Pyramid, published in 1992, which emphasized bread, rice, pasta, and cereals as the basis of a healthy diet. Fats and oils were to be used sparingly. Was this the wrong advice? Did it have a role in the fattening of America? I believe the answers to these two questions are yes and yes.

Get Your Eyes in Shape for Summer with the Right Eyewear
Along with new flip-flops, a sundress, and swimsuit, most people will be looking for a trendy new pair of sunglasses this summer. Of course, when choosing new shades, there are many things to consider—size, shape, color, design—but what many people neglect to consider is getting the best lenses.

Hosting the Perfect Summer-savvy Picnic
Summer is the perfect time to bring together family and friends to enjoy the outdoors. Dust off the grill, lay out a fresh blanket and enjoy delicious food while soaking up the sun with the ones you love. That’s the advice of cleaning expert, author and television personality, Laura Dellutri, the "Healthy Housekeeper", who outlines four simple steps to help you plan the perfect summer-savvy picnic.

Tips for Getting Organized and Taking Control at Work
t's that time of year when the weather warms, vacations are planned, and office clutter comes into full bloom. As the days grow longer, you may want to take a look at your office's productivity in a new light, because becoming more organized and efficient can mean more time to enjoy those favorite summertime activities.

Career Trend: Downshifting
All over the country, high-power professionals are trading in their high-paying, high-stress careers, with their 60-hour weeks and $200 ties, for a more fulfilling life. This trend, known as "downshifting" is catching on, as over-worked professionals seek to find balance in their lives.

It's Time for Bikini Butt!
It's almost summer and that means it's nearly that time to finally show our beautiful bodies on the beach! Yes, I know that thought is very scary, but not to worry! We still have time to get in shape for swimsuit season. Here are some tips to finally love the bikini butt.

Lazy Dad
Several young children and finding yourself wishing your husband would help out a little more? Armin Brott, known to readers as Mr. Dad, offers some tips to get your husband to step up to the plate to ensure your children are taken care of.

Your Child's Hero
Listed in this article are several ways to be a hero to your children. Add them to your repertoire of heroic actions. Do it as a Father's Day gift to yourself. You deserve it and so do your children.

How to Look Like a Workaholic in a 40-Hour Workweek
The 40-hour week is not just an expectation; it's the minimum, especially for salaried professionals. Just because it's the norm doesn't make it right. Ready to take a stand? You don't have to defy your boss and coworkers in a dramatic five o'clock showdown. Here are some practical ideas that can help you on your way to regaining control over your time.

Settling Newlyweds into Happily Ever After
From flowers to guest lists, engaged couples spend months planning the perfect wedding. After the vows are said and the reception is complete, most newlyweds are ready to relax. But there are several steps newlyweds should take before their happily ever after can begin.

Routine memory screening can ensure prompt diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
More than five million Americans currently have Alzheimer's disease (AD) and this number could triple to 16 million by 2050 as baby boomers join the 65 and older age group. To underscore the importance of early diagnosis, a group of experts in Alzheimer's disease and senior health called the AD Screening Discussion Group recently put forth a consensus statement advising seniors ages 65 years and older, either independently or through the support of loved ones, to request a memory screening during routine physical examinations.

Sugar Pushers at Work: How to Refuse Sweets and Embrace Sanity
If you go to an office every day, you've undoubtedly been at the mercy of co-workers who can best be dubbed "sugar pimps". You know, those sweetly smiling, eager-to-please colleagues who continually proffer cakes, cookies, and donuts with such polite insistence that, despite your best efforts, your diet goes belly up. Sadly, many of us are forced to face "sugar pushers" on a regular basis. Naturally, we all agree on one point at least—those sugar shovers at work should be handled with care, courtesy, and maybe even compassion. Here are some tips and tactics for dealing with these tricky situations.

The Ten Commandments for New Fathers
It's easy to pick a new father out of a crowd. He's the one shambling aimlessly down the sidewalk with a glazed, deer-in-the-headlights look on his face. Parenthood can indeed be an overwhelming experience for many new dads. What they need to find their way through the postpartum wilderness is a little sage advice and guidance from guys who came before them. Here's the code of responsibility that the crème of the new father crop has been passing down to men of younger generations since well before Charlton Heston and Moses himself walked the earth.

When Good Parenting Means Choosing Divorce
Being a healthy and loving parent is to make a choice that comes from courage and not from fear. Once you ask yourself that question—once you know whether you are staying because of your guilt and your fear or whether you are staying because there is real and tangible hope—then you know whether you need to leave. You have the divine right to be happy and to protect your children. Choosing divorce can often mean choosing life.

The Dirty Truth About Allergies
There may be no place like home, but for more than 50 million Americans who suffer from allergies, there's no place for allergens in the home. Indoor allergens, such as dust mites, mold, and pet dander, are more common than people may think. In fact, at any given time, 80 percent of people in the US are exposed to dust mites and 60 percent are exposed to cat or dog dander.

Beyond the Barbecue: Ideas for Unique Summer Soirées
The warm weather is here and the summer party season is just getting started. This year, don't just throw another blasé barbecue or an average pool party for your friends and neighbors. Here are four ideas for unique summer soirées that will make a splash.

Having a Mother with Osteoporosis Can Lead to Increased Risk for Spinal Fracture
Of the 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, 80 percent are women, and having a mother with osteoporosis puts a daughter particularly at risk for fractures. The estimated 44 million Americans at risk for osteoporosis are often unaware that they have the disease until they break a bone. However, today more information is known about the risk factors for osteoporosis and fractures. Treatments are now available to help strengthen bones, and new procedures have been developed to repair spinal fractures.

Career Tips for Generation Y College Grads
With employers facing a looming shortage of skilled professionals, your recent college degree can lead to more opportunities than you might imagine. Increasingly motivated employers may, however, leave you with an overwhelming array of choices. How do you, a soon-to-be or recent college graduate, set your career on a course towards lifelong fulfillment and financial reward?

How to Get the Kids Excited About Your Upcoming Family Reunion
Summer will be here before you know it and since the kids are out of school, it's a popular time of year for family reunions. But, how do you get your child excited about visiting with grandmas and grandpas, aunts, uncles, and cousins when they'd rather be playing outside with their friends?

Don't Let Money Matters Mar Your Wedding Plans
You've seen it on TV, read it in the news and maybe even heard it from your mother: money is one of the top things married couples fight about. Finances can be a source of strife for engaged couples as well, especially as wedding day bills loom and they face the prospect of merging their money after marriage. With all the other stresses associated with planning a wedding, engaged couples would be wise to act preemptively to minimize conflict over money. Consider these tips.

Finance Tips for Newlyweds
Money can be a complicated aspect of marriage, especially when it comes to merging finances. Finding a system that works for both individuals can help couples achieve financial harmony.

Wedding Savings Tip: Rent the Best and Save
With all the elements that go into planning a dream wedding, it doesn't take long to realize that details can add up—not only when it comes to spending, but also when it comes to storage space. After all, who wants to end up with 250 pink linen napkins once the big day has passed?

What is the Secret to a Wonderful Marriage?
At a time when statistically, between 40 and 45 percent of US marriages end in divorce, Gerry and his bride, 80-year-old Lilo, have been happily married for 58 years. "People often ask us what the secret to our success is and I tell them it's simple really. The secret lies in the long lost principles of love and respect."

Why romance stops and how to keep it alive
Are you frustrated with the lack of romance in your relationship? Have you been puzzled why it disappeared? Do you feel more like roommates? Love is not enough. It takes two people who have high self-esteem and good communication skills to maintain a long standing, healthy relationship. Learn how to improve your communication.

Seven ways to prevent infidelity
Are you suspicious of your loved one's loyalty? Do you sometimes think about having an affair? Are you feeling guilty for having extra-marital relationships? According to the statistics, if you answered "yes" to any of the above, you are not alone. Reports indicate that 60 percent of men and 40 percent of women will be unfaithful to their partner. It takes a lot more than love to prevent infidelity and maintain a fulfilling relationship.

The Family Dinner
If I had to stress one thing that you could do for your family to enhance its quality and productivity, it would be the family dinner or meal. Communication is the key to having a successful family, and the family meal is where an important part of family communication takes place. The length of the meeting is not important; what is important is that everyone, including kids, show up. Find out why. Your kids will thank you in the long run.

I have been in an abusive relationship for years. Should I leave? How do I break this horrible cycle?
 

Helping your toddler express ideas: encouraging communication skills in your child
Language development is one of the most important, and at times most difficult, skills your child will master. Parents should remember that children develop these skills on different timetables and that each child develops language skills at a unique pace. There are actions parents can take to help motivate communication skills throughout this exciting and enjoyable process of learning for their child.

Are Our Young Women In Trouble? Today's Illusionary Icons
Indeed, over the years we made important strides in our quest for equality with men in business and in society, but what about in relationships? If how we think and behave is a result of what we were taught and exposed to as children, what does that tell us about girls growing up today? One reason for the somewhat distorted thinking of young women today could be that the world around them is not teaching them about integrity, confidence, or self-esteem. It's a losing battle when young women are then bombarded by self-serving, deceptive messages emanating from the media around them. We have to teach our little sisters how to be comfortable in their own skin.

Are You Afraid of Success?
Why would a person who has been working so hard toward a dream suddenly be afraid of realizing it? With success comes change, which can include finances, family status, location, and/or celebrity. This "moving forward" can bring on uncomfortable feelings with new, unfamiliar situations. Anticipating what's next can seem like another mountain to climb. Consider these suggestions to relax a bit and feel more comfortable with your newfound success.

Tireless Voices Can Defeat Bullies
Men used to be the ones who were seen by society as the predators and the protectors. Today women see female "heroes" on television and in the movies kicking butt, expressing their anger and outrage in an aggressive and violent manner. According to a report on MSNBC, the number of girls arrested for aggravated assault has doubled over the last 20 years — and those are only the reported cases. Recently, the news has featured many reports of "girl fights" happening all over the country, which may be a surprise to parents, but is really nothing new to the young women in schools today. They deal with intimidation and the threat of violence every day of their lives. And many are choosing to do something constructive about it.

Taking the Bully by the Horns
Although reports of bullying seem to have risen, curiosity about the outrageousness of these acts has finally made it into the daily media The law is stepping up to hold accountable the vicious perpetrators of such physically and mentally disabling acts. The scars of the victims, which may heal on the outside, last a lifetime on the inside. For this reason, we must build on this foundation and send a message that we will no longer accept the abuse of and/or indifference to the rights of our young citizens.

Fixing a wrecked relationship: it's easier than you think!
Let's face it. You're going to blow this "be nice" thing, and you're going to blow it a lot. There's no such thing as consistency in people's thoughts, moods, behaviors, actions, personalities, or characters. Your nice factor is strong on some days, and on other days a million dollars couldn't keep you on track. Yes, you'll blow it, and in the process, you might do some damage to your relationships. In long-term relationships with family, loved ones, new friends, and acquaintances, you're obviously going to have your disagreements and do the wrong thing on occasion. What can you do when you realize you've blown it?

Fixing business mistakes
Sometimes, a poor initial contact or a bad intermediate impression that might cause you to lose a job. In this article, author Ruth Haag offers advice on recovering from business mistakes and maintaining positive business relationships.

Back Up Your Child's Diet
You know that it is wise to back up your computer's hard drive; I recommend backing up your child's food drive with a daily multivitamin/mineral supplement. This simple habit could improve your child's health and even his/her intelligence. Children are perfectly designed to thrive on a balanced variety of whole foods: fresh fruits, various veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, and lean sources of protein and calcium. They are even designed to enjoy just the right amounts of these ideal foods, as long as their food drives aren't tricked by empty calories, added fats, sweetened drinks, etc.

Ten rules for talking to your children about grades
Parents who place a high emphasis on grades want to know what to say and how to talk to children about the grades and the comments teachers place on their report cards. To that end, we offer the following ten rules for talking to your children about grades.

Invasive In-Laws
Dear Mr. Dad: My fiancée and I recently had a baby. I'm thrilled with everything, but I can't help but feel like I'm taking a backseat to her parents. It's almost as if their opinions matter more than mine. Is there anything I can do or say?

Toddler time into the terrific twos: nine tips for maintaining your sanity
You are no longer operating in that sleep-deprived state. You rarely have spit up on your clothes. You've got the diaper thing down pat, and now your child is beginning to voice his or her concerns, desires, needs, and wants with actual words—sometimes more forcefully than others. You have patience, but it only goes so far, and you're occasionally wishing there were a button to push to mum your child for a few minutes of quiet time. Now your life is more of a fast-paced jumble with you at the center, playing juggler with too few arms and hands. Here are nine tips for the juggler parent of a toddler or terrific two-year-old.

Developing your child's interests: how to cultivate your child's unique character
As children explore new things, parents play an important role in helping them discover and develop their interests. Introducing a variety of activities and ideas provides an enriching environment that will keep children engaged, help spark their curiosity in new activities, and ultimately help them discover their unique interests. Consider these suggestions for encouraging your child to develop his or her personal interests.

Can Cellulite be a Sign of Hypothyroidism
Cellulite is a very popular topic for today's woman. Every major magazine, newspaper, and television station has a cellulite story. These stories tend to appear mostly around late spring to early summer. Many of these timely stories tend to focus on treatment options as opposed to medical causes. While few medical causes are ever discussed, hypothyroidism may very well be an ignored or unknown as a cause of cellulite.

Rejection: Seven ways exercise heals the pain of abandonment
We have all been rejected at various points in our lives. Rejection and abandonment are as much as a part of life as the sun rising in the morning is. We can either push it away by denying its existence or face it directly. Facing rejection is never easy, but hiding from it cannot bring peace. Here are seven ways exercise can help heal the pain of abandonment.

Preparing Your Child for Today's World: 10 Tips for Teaching and Protecting Your Child
How do you prepare your to child to navigate safely and confidently in the world, ready to deal with situations and people he or she may encounter? Here are 10 parenting tips to help make the journey a little more effective.

The Link Between Being Stuck and Losing Weight
When people are stuck, they're emotionally hungry. They try to fill this emotional hunger with food, but it never works for very long. People who have dieted successfully got fed up with being emotionally hungry. By dealing with the underlying issues that fueled their emotional hunger, they were able to turn off their "hunger switch". Their physical hunger became manageable. They were able to adhere to a sensible eating plan and lose weight and keep it off without dieting.

Change Your Language, Change Your Relationship: How We Say Things Does Matter
Words and how we say them do matter, so it's very important to be careful how you speak to your partner and others. The misuse and carelessness of how you speak are two of the main issues that undermine and can eventually destroy a relationship. That doesn't mean you can't speak your mind; it just means you're being respectful and mindful of another person's feelings and vulnerabilities. It lets your partner know he's not a bad person, but you truly want him to hear you. When communicating, keep these four tips in mind.

Why Projects Fail
It seems that a capable leader, a trained staff and a goal with a "clear simple message" should make any project successful. Yet, we all know that some projects fail. Why? Could someone want them to fail? While there are people who may be too aggressive, and some who are too meek, a third type of person really likes being in the center of confusion and commotion. Learn why projects fail and how to ensure their success.

Managing Eye Health in the Golden Years
With life expectancy figures continuing to climb, managing eye disease is essential for people to maintain healthy, happy and productive lives. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of severe vision loss in people over age 50. The Centers for Disease Control and prevention estimate that 1.8 million people have the disease and another 7.3 million are at risk for vision loss from AMD.

Cataract Patients Benefiting from Most Advanced Technology
f you were born before 1950, chances are you are reading this with the help of reading glasses. Chances are you also may be developing a cataract. Age-related cataracts are a progressive condition and cannot be prevented—it is thought that everyone will develop a cataract at some point in their lives and onset begins around age 50.

Seniors: Throw away your reading glasses?
Maybe. New kinds of artificial lenses are offering many seniors an option for improving their vision as part of cataract surgery. Cataracts are a fact of life and a natural part of aging that results in clouding vision. Left untreated, cataracts can lead to vision loss that can really cramp your style.

Survey: Americans' Dirty Contact Lens Habits
Millions of Americans may be putting their eyes at serious risk every day by not using proper hygiene in caring for their contact lenses, a new survey reveals. The survey, conducted by leading market research company Synovate, found that while contact lenses remain one of the safest forms of vision correction, contact lens wearers need to beef up their lens-handling regimes to ensure their eyes stay safe and healthy.

When You Can No Longer Help Your Child with Her Homework
Many of us remember when our kids were young and helping them with their homework was fun, but that pleasure can turn to pain once they enter high school. According to the May 2005 MSI-ACI Homework Study, 84 percent of kids use a PC to do their homework, but 61 percent of parents say their kids don't always find what they need on the Web. What to do? Find out about software to help you child with math, science, and even foreign languages.

Have a Heart Healthy 2008
A proactive approach to maintaining a healthy heart is important, and there's no better time to start. Joseph Keenan, MD, cardiology researcher and professor emeritus, University of Minnesota, says the path to a healthier heart requires only a few simple diet and lifestyle changes.

A Helpful Guide for Divorcing Couples with Children
One million couples file for divorce every year, and their marital breakdown is most often heartbreaking, mystifying, and painful for their children. The youngsters, regardless of age, can't help but feel sad and angry, and in many cases partially responsible for what happened, even though the situation was completely out of their control. While it's impossible to take the hurt away, there are things parents who are contemplating a divorce, or actually going through one can do to ease their children's fears.

Traveling with Your Grandkids
Some grandparents do it to be fair to all the siblings. Some grandparents do it so cousins get to know each other. Some grandparents simply love having all, or at least a group of their grandchildren together while on a vacation. However, unless your grandkids are twins or same-age cousins, you should consider the challenges—and pleasures—that age differences create before planning that big trip with the grandkids.

Do You Make the Grade when It Comes to the ABCs of Multivitamins?
While the majority of Americans believe they are very or somewhat knowledgeable about multivitamins (67 percent), many do not know which vitamins and minerals are essential for the body or what vitamins and minerals are responsible for specific functions in the body, according to a survey released by the not-for-profit National Women's Health Resource Center (NWHRC).

Natural Relief from Menopause Symptoms
Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, fatigue and sheer frustration—do these sound familiar? Menopause is a natural transition that is unique for each woman, but for many it comes with a lot of unpleasant symptoms that can disrupt the normal flow of daily life. More women are choosing to use natural alternatives that can be as effective as other prescription treatments. Here are some natural options to help reduce the symptoms of menopause.

Beyond the Pill Bottle: Alternative Arthritis Therapies
Opening a pill bottle brings the promise of relief from pain for many people. But for 41 percent of the 46 million Americans diagnosed with arthritis, everyday activities—like opening their arthritis medication—can be very difficult. Is it any wonder, then, that millions seek alternative ways to enhance their doctor-prescribed drug treatment? Non-medicinal treatments—from supplements to specially designed gloves—can help improve pain relief and quality of life for many arthritis sufferers.

Boomers Connect for Better Health through Online Conversations
Want advice on how to train for a marathon or treat depression? Baby boomers are increasingly finding answers to these kinds of health questions online, and not necessarily just on medical Web sites. They're finding health information, personal stories and support on social networking sites where members engage directly with other members through private messages and online groups.

It's Legal to Discriminate Against Grandma and Grandpa?
According to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) it is now legal to discriminate against senior citizens in the United States. his happened in late March when the US Supreme Court refused to review a lower court decision in the case AARP vs. EEOC, which ruled the EEOC can implement a new regulation allowing employers to reduce health care benefits when retirees become eligible for Medicare and do so without facing age discrimination charges.

To Manage Your Cholesterol, Know Your Lipid Levels
Are you confused about cholesterol? Wondering which numbers need to go up and which numbers need to go down? If so, you're not alone. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 80 million Americans have high levels of LDL "bad" cholesterol, over 44 million have low levels of HDL "good" cholesterol and over 28 million have high levels of triglycerides. Also, 42 million Americans suffer from a disorder called mixed dyslipidemia, meaning their levels of triglycerides are high, LDL cholesterol is moderately high and HDL cholesterol is low.

The Flu is Over, But How Can You Shake that Cough?
Physicians who are immunologists understand that a cough following the flu is frequently the result of the patient's immune system not responding to toxins remaining after the virus is eliminated. But to the patient who has paid their dues with days of chills, aches, sore throat, and congestion, a cough that just won't quit is an unwanted souvenir of this year's flu virus.

Heart Disease Can Hurt Your Financial Health Too
ou exercise, eat well, and keep a close eye on your cholesterol. You may think you're doing everything you should do to avoid the effects of this leading cause of death in the United States, but are you overlooking preparations for the full scope of the impact of heart disease?

New Cholesterol Medication Treats Cholesterol—Good and Bad—in a Single Pill
There's more to managing cholesterol than just lowering your LDL. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 80 million American adults have high LDL "bad" cholesterol, and more than 44 million Americans, or one in six, have low levels of HDL, the "good" cholesterol the body uses like a broom to sweep the bad cholesterol from the blood.

Do You Suffer from Computer Vision Syndrome?
Do you use computers daily at work or at home? If so, you may be suffering from computer vision syndrome and not even know it. According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), this syndrome leaves people vulnerable to problems like dry eye, eyestrain, neck and/or backache, light sensitivity, and fatigue. These symptoms can result from individual visual problems, poor work station configuration, and improper work habits.

Seasonal Bugs Worse for Senior Citizens?
Anyone can fall victim to seasonal colds and flu, but evidence shows that growing older can increase the frequency and severity of bug bouts. The immune system, which is responsible for fighting infection, simply does not function as efficiently in older adults as in younger people.

Matters of the Heart
With heart disease being the leading cause of death among Americans (men and women), we could all use a little more TLC for our hearts. Heart-related illnesses are widespread, but the good news is, unlike certain diseases, your lifestyle choices can have a positive effect on your overall heart health.

Feeding the Future
It doesn't take a nutritionist to see that almost overnight we've gone from Generation X to Generation XXL. Recent research shows that kids today consume 180 calories more per day compared to kids in 1989 and all of those extra calories translate into some pretty staggering health consequences: 45 percent of this country's youth are overweight or obese, and the number of children burdened with diabetes has nearly quadrupled in the past thirty years. We all need help with our diets, especially kids. Use these guidelines and tips to lay the foundation for a life of healthy eating.

How to stop being a victim
You see, people who see themselves as "victims" of other people's behaviors are at higher risk for being treated badly than those who don't see themselves that way. How do you stop being a victim? It takes two things: time and practice. The more you refuse to be a victim, the more seriously people will take you and your boundaries.

How to deal with narcissists
In order to protect yourself from narcissistic people, use the criteria for narcissism listed in this article. to discern whether someone in your life may be narcissistic. Then do whatever you have to do in order to protect yourself from being a victim of this person and their insanity. Read as much as you can. Educate yourself. Then take the steps necessary to protect yourself.

Fire your conscience and put a stop to fear and doubt
Being bogged down by one's conscience causes an argument with one's self and the end result of all arguments, regardless of whom they are with, leaves us uninspired. To stimulate one's mind into new insights, we must come to terms with our self. How do we do this? We must fire our conscience. Here are some tips on how to fire your conscience.

Reclaiming Play: Helping Children Learn and Thrive in School
Play is one of children's most valuable resources, vital to their social, emotional, and cognitive growth. When children manipulate materials in play, they are building a foundation of understanding for the concepts and skills we want them to learn in school. When children construct their ideas through play and hands-on activities, they build a foundation of meaning that provides the basis for understanding concepts in language, literacy, math, science, and the arts. They build the foundation they need to understand the concepts they learn in school.

Pick Me Up, Mommy: Ten Ten Reasons to Hold Your Toddler
Some parents begin to think that they should not hold their toddlers as much as they were holding their babies a few months ago. That's largely a misconception. Toddlers still need a lot of holding. . They need reassurance that where their brains are taking them is safe. They need more explanations of the new encounters they don't understand. And they need holding and nurturing so they feel safe and can go back out there and explore some more.

When Parents Disagree on Discipline
When parents have different disciplining styles, there's bound to be dissension and arguing. Try to get on the same page. That's the best way to stop arguing with your kids as witnesses. Here are some helpful strategies.

Four Ways to Complement your Child's Nature Discoveries Indoors
Getting outside with your children can be a vital part of a happy family life. You can use indoor activities to expand on your outdoor discoveries and round off the experience. Complementary indoor and outdoor activities will become even more creative and rewarding for your and your children's physical and emotional health. Here are four ways to complement outdoor discoveries with indoor activities

Can Twins Have Too Much Togetherness?
What's the harm in their spending most of their time together? The problem is that twin relationships involving too much togetherness push compassion into the unhealthy realm of negating one's own abilities, desires, and goals. Various child-development experts agree that a parent must parent a child; a child cannot parent another child. However, in so many instances, twins are left to parent one another because their parents misunderstand the twin relationship. Learn more in this informative article by Joan Friedman.

We've been together a year and a half but my boyfriend won't talk commitment. Is he really into me or just stringing me along?

Getting Older Doesn't Mean Sitting on the Couch
The image of retired folks sitting on the couch watching daytime television seems to be way off the mark. Older citizens are more active than ever, playing golf, tennis, attending exercise classes and having active sex lives. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Americans, age 57 through 85 years of age had sex as frequently as Americans aged 18 to 57. The study affirms the fact that people are the same at all ages. They have similar desires and hopes but there are differences. The older people have sexual problems fairly unique to their age group. Nearly 50 percent of people admit to having some problem with sexual functioning.

Garlic is Heart Healthy
Hippocrates and Pliny the Elder strongly encouraged the consumption of garlic because of its profound health virtues. Indeed, the

Traveling With Your Favorite Gadgets? Stay Calm, Cool, and Connected
One way to make travel a little more comfortable is to take some of your favorite electronics along with you. If you have tried this and found there are just too many wires and accessories, here are three quick steps to keep everything contained, organized, and easy to get to while you are on the go.

Top 10 Things Nature and Parenting Have in Common
Parenting and nature are closely connected to each other. They decide who children are and who they become with time. The separation of humans and nature is an illusion. We humans have artificially distanced ourselves from nature to a certain extent—especially in our minds. But we are just as much a part of nature as the trees, birds, and rivers. Healthy parenting and interaction with nature help drive our children's natural senses. Both parents and nature help comprise the stepping stones that form children and allow relationships across the entire ecosystem. Children thereby remain part of their natural surroundings instead of the missing piece of a puzzle.

From Powerless to Powerful: Transforming Traumas, Trials, and Tribulations
At least some of you are treading with caution. Trepidation. Fearful of trudging down the proverbial "trail of tears" and revisiting the traumas, trials, and tribulations of childhood and adolescence. Each of us has at least one painful story. These may have, in the moment, left you feeling completely powerless, but you're more powerful now than you think. You've grown and learned and chances are you've overcome and made it through. You've come a long way, baby, and you’ve got a lot to celebrate!

Can you Really Lose Weight this Year?
The New Year is here and we have to deal with our resolutions. For many Americans, one of the toughest resolutions is to lose weight. Everyone wants to lose the pounds but it is very difficult. Here, author Mike Esposito explore the pros and cons of today's more popular diets, including the Ornish diet, the Atkins diet, the Zone diet, and the South Beach Diet.

Are You and Your Valentine Compatible? Seven Signs You May Have Found Mr. or Ms Right
In happy, successful relationships, the couple seems to be on the same page and to really enjoy life together. It seems that the more you have in common with the other person on the things that count, the more successful you are likely to be in the relationship. This is the "compatibility factor". Here are seven forms of compatibility to look for in your relationship.

Turning Your Valentine's Day Blues to Bliss
For many people, Valentine's Day is dreadful. Perhaps you are bitter on Valentine's Day because of a breakup; thus the term "the Valentine's Day Blues". On the other hand, maybe you are a hopeless romantic who looks for every opportunity to express your love. This can cause a condition called "Valentine's Day Bliss". Will you choose blues or bliss?

The Most Important Argument You'll Ever Have in Your Relationship
The first argument is the most crucial argument you will ever have in your relationship, setting the stage for all arguments to follow. Minimizing the chaos, confusion, and stress in your relationships, therefore, is accomplished by understanding what you're really arguing about. Without knowing the importance of the first argument, couples struggle to understand their disagreements. The first argument is an important moment in the relationship that can ultimately bring clarity rather than confusion. With clarity, we can solve and deal with anything that occurs in our relationships. Understanding the value and importance of the first argument as a tool to self-knowledge can reduce stress in a relationship.

Couples and Romance: Ten Tips on Keeping Romance Alive No Matter What Starting Today
Is the romance in your life sizzling or fizzling lately? With all the romance novels, the romantic tips books, and even the romance tips in all of the popular magazines, why are you still left wanting in the romance department? The good news is that you can enhance your romance, starting today! Here are 10 tips to jumpstart your romance makeover.

The Courage To Speak The Truth
What is it that these "diva" or "queen" women have that so many of us women haven't yet fully developed? It can be summed up in two words: courage and conviction. You see, the difference between the divas/queens in question and many of us is that they have given up the terrible habit of second-guessing themselves all the time. To put it simply, they own their power and use it to make the world a better place. It takes guts to speak your mind when others disagree and will try to knock you down. Here are some tips to help you access your inner "lioness" and muster up the courage to speak your truth.

It's Never Too Late to Have a Happy Childhood
If you came from a very dysfunctional family, survived, and then turned your life into something wonderful as an adult, you are quite a remarkable person and a very valuable role model to younger women. Our challenges can be turned into triumphs and lead us on to do amazing things in life. In fact, many of our strongest beliefs and values come from what we did or didn't experience growing up. Here are some hands-on tools you can use to get in touch with your own inner child so you can start feeling happier, healthier, and more peaceful.

Mean People Really Aren't Nice To Be Around
We have all been bullied by mean people and have lasting scars as a result and often, it has happened more than once in our lives. The good news is that as adults, we no longer have to be the victims of "meanies" and can consciously choose to not allow bullies to harm us. Here are five tips to help you protect yourself from mean people.

Seven Simple Steps to a Sweeter You
Now is the ideal time to take stock of where you are and where you'd like to go. In other words, it's invaluable to take a probing look inward and make some moves in the direction of your dreams. Here are 7 areas to explore that can lead you to personal growth and transformation so you become a person you like, admire, and respect. Start moving those goal-setting muscles and select one step to take each day of the week.

Is Cellulite Your Fault? 10 Common Myths and Facts
Although about 90% of American women suffer from some degree of cellulite, it's not uncommon for many to think that, somehow, the condition is their own fault—that they must have brought it on themselves. Here are 10 common myths and facts about cellulite and its treatments. Despite the nay-saying of plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and other self-professed experts, there is a cure for cellulite and the associated dimples!

Time-Saving Tips for the Holidays
When was the last time you had a really relaxing holiday? I don't mean that peaceful thirty-minute aftermath that follows a successful dinner party or the kids' gift-opening extravaganza. I mean a holiday that is relaxing, from beginning to end. That includes travel, dinner preparations, and shopping. All it will take is a little organization and advance planning. Here are some tips to get you started.

How to Feel Good with Family
Are you feeling frustrated, resentful, or angry around some members of your family? Do you have mixed feelings about spending time with or calling parents, siblings, children, or relatives? Well, you are not alone. Especially during the Christmas holidays, family issues often show up in major ways.

Holiday Blues or Joy
Good news! No matter what your life situation is, or how the past holiday seasons were, you can have a wonderful Christmas.

Stress Free Holidays
Do you typically find yourself stressed around Christmas? Would you like to feel relaxed and enjoy the preparation and celebrations? If you do not think that is possible, then read on.

A Tribute
Susan Alexander writes, "My mother passed away June 10, 2007, of Dementia/Alzheimer's. Several years ago, I decided that when she died, I would speak at her funeral. I wanted to pay tribute to this wonderful woman. I thought and thought about how I would do this. What would I say?" Read Susan's moving tribute to her mother.

Do you Really Need that CT Scan?
In the United States, it is estimated that 75 million CT scans are performed each year. A CT scan is an excellent test to diagnose a multitude of diseases, both acute and chronic. There is no doubt that these scans save people's lives every day. But their diagnosis was not without a price. CT scans' ionization radiation induces fatal cancers in a certain number of patients every day. The amount of radiation may not be great, but with each exposure, your cancer rate increases.

Boundaries Protect Who We Are
The human life is precious. Many of us have gone through adversities in life that have given us the false impression that we are less than, or that we don't belong. Nothing could be further from the truth. There's a purpose and a plan for your life. Because you are worth it—you need to protect yourself with boundaries. Here are ways to create healthy boundaries around yourself and your life.

3 Quick and Simple Ways for Athletes to Speed Healing and Improve Performance
ne of the main reasons why most bodybuilders hit a wall and develop injuries is that they don't allow their muscles to recover 100 percent before they work those same muscles again. Ideally, as the body goes through the recovery process, it should lay down nice elastin and collagen tissue. Instead, with insufficient recovery time, it starts to use fibrin, and this is bad. Here are some tips that will allow you to continue to make steady gains, stay healthy, and recover from tendinitis and injuries.

The Best Insurance for Children is Love
Love is not only a wonderful gift to give your children, but it's also good insurance. Here's why: showing your love helps keep them safe. It tells them they are worthy of love and respect and shapes their expectations of how others should treat them. Here are some examples of how to express your love and appreciation anytime, anywhere.

How to Help Your Child Talk To You
Parent-child communication today is a good news, bad news situation. The good news is that we are very well aware of the challenges our children and teens face. The bad news is that we don't necessarily know how to talk about these challenges. We often avoid or fall short of having useful discussions with our children about sensitive subjects and risk behavior such as drugs, alcohol, and sex. You can create an atmosphere of safe and open communication by following the tips in this article.

Five Roadblocks to Facing Emotional Pain and How to Work though Them
We all experience emotional pain in our lives. Many of us have difficulties with processing these issues. If you cannot look at your pain, you can never resolve it. Why, then, is it so hard to look at it? You can break through road blocks. Learn how.

The Laundry Room
As the holidays approach, there are opportunities for green purchases beyond the usual toys and special gifts. The world surrounding a new baby, and, in particular, the laundry room, is full of choices for green purchases.

My Child Was Bullied By Another Parent. What can I do?
What options are open to me when another parent bullies my daughter? What can I tell my child? Empower your child with techniques to handle these types of situations. Teach children proper manners, how to address adults, how to treat others, and how to handle life when things don't go your way. Here are three solutions that can make a difference for both you and your child in this difficult situation.

Visiting Children and Your Dog
Kids are exciting and exhausting. All parents know that, but we often forget that our dogs see kids that way too. Dogs become accustomed to the antics of "their" kids, but other children can be very hard for them to read. The most important thing we as parents can do is learn a little about dogs and their body language. Once we understand what a dog is telling us, we'll be much better equipped to help our dogs and kids understand one another.

Holidays with Ease: A One-Pot Turkey Dinner with All the Trimmings
While not everyone wants to cook for an army during the holidays, there is still something about having a traditional holiday meal that evokes a feeling of celebration and custom. For those passing a holiday alone or with one other rather than a crowd, there can be a sense of deprivation with the loss of the opportunity to partake in the traditional feast of the season of turkey, cranberries and sweet potatoes. Here is a great solution to getting the meal with all the trimmings without spending hours and hours in the kitchen or facing a week of leftovers.

Tantalizing Tilapia
Tilapia is a fresh water fish with origins in the Nile River. Its culinary potential was appreciated by the ancient Egyptians and the epicurean Greeks. Today, nearly all tilapia is farm-raised, in ponds or tanks. Fish is an important part of a healthy, balanced diet. Tilapia has a light, sweet flavor and semi-firm texture making it the perfect fish for children and others who don't care for the flavor of stronger fish. This article offers some creative and simple ideas to include Tilapia into your family meals.

Attention Busy Parents: Quick Exercises To Keep You In Shape
We all know how difficult it is to stay in shape and find time to exercise, but most especially for parents with babies or small kids. There's the sleep-deprivation factor, lack of time, and priority changes. So what are the options for busy parents? The fact is, the better you can take care of yourself, the better you will feel, and thus it is more likely you will be physically and emotionally stronger to take on the day with the "little ones" and all the challenges taking care of kids entails. This article provides some quick, but effective, exercises, specifically designed for the busy parent.

Kymythy's Kitchen Nutrition: Sneaking in Spinach
One reader asks, "I've heard that spinach is good for me, but I don't like the taste. Do you have a good recipe?"

Creating a Balanced Inner World for Our Children
Think of the power you have as a parent over your children. As parents, we want our children to grow up with an internal family of parts that do not control and hinder their lives for too many years. We want all parts of them to be harmonious, to feel joy, love, and peace within the self. Once all parts are happy and content, there is no need to act out or to control. How can we as parents help or children to become balanced, healthy adults? Here are seven strategies to help you in your journey.

Getting Along in the Office: The Shape of the Conference Table Equals Success or Failure
When you are leading an unruly group, you need to take every advantage to maintain control. The shape of your meeting table can help or hinder you. That the relative proximity of attendees to one another is important, as is the location of the Leader. The attendees need to be close enough that they feel they cannot say rude, threatening things to one another, but far enough away that they cannot form into unruly cliques. Learn more about how to get along at the conference table.

Holiday hair dos and don'ts
Office parties, Christmas parties, Hanukkah parties, whatever the occasion, the holidays are a time to dress up and enjoy the festivities. Like any important party or event, some little extra attention needs to be paid to one's hairstyle. However, much like etiquette at these parties there are also holiday hair dos and don'ts.

Treat your skin to a holiday glow
The holiday season is fast approaching and that means getting ready for a little partying and festive fun. Letting your hair down is important at Christmas time as the combined stresses of shopping for the perfect gifts and finding the perfect outfit for the office party can send us into a holiday spin. As we look forward to celebrating the festivities, a little time out is needed to pamper ourselves and help transform our skin from its winter lull into a head-turning holiday glow.

Diabetes Awareness Month: Don't fail your feet
Up to 42% of the two million Canadians who suffer from diabetes experience nerve damage, a condition called neuropathy (numbness in the feet), which causes complications that can lead to lower limb amputations. Another resulting complication is very dry, cracked skin, which causes pain and discomfort for many people. This cracked open skin can invite infection and worsen — another cause of the 70,000 complete or partial foot amputations which occur each year in North America. Learn more about diabetic foot care and how to recognize signs and symptoms of foot problems.

Living with type 2 diabetes: no reason to miss out on holiday cheer
With irregular mealtimes, generous servings, and a packed schedule that leaves less time for exercising, the holidays can be a daunting prospect for people living with type 2 diabetes. Still, there is no reason for those living with type 2 diabetes not to fully enjoy the holidays. Here are a few easy tips to help people with this disease despite the added challenges of the holiday season.

Top 5 Things to Consider When Looking for Health Information Online
A recent study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates a growing number of Americans are seeking general health information from the Internet as a first source, rather than consulting their doctors. People may be concerned that Internet searches often end in frustration or the retrieval of inaccurate, even dangerous information. But turning to the Internet is not necessarily a bad thing, experts say. You just need to make sure the site you're turning to is credible and trustworthy. How do you do that? Here are the top five things to consider when evaluating health information online.

Seniors and Loneliness: Tips for Overcoming Isolation
For millions of seniors, loneliness can have a very serious affect on their physical and mental health; but there are many ways to overcome loneliness and improve their quality of life. Emotional isolation is linked to elevated blood pressure in seniors and it is also closely linked to depression. Fortunately, there are many ways in which seniors can prevent and combat loneliness.

Feeling Underappreciated at Work? Demand Some Recognition!
Whether you are currently working for a company or looking for a prospective employer, it is important to pay attention to how that company shows its employees that their hard work is appreciated. A strategic, well-implemented employee recognition program can bolster loyalty and create an ongoing healthy employee/employer relationship. Demand recognition from your employer!

Fun: The Secret Ingredient for Getting Kids to Eat Well
From friendly clown spokesmen to colorful grab-and-go convenience, fast food has a lot of appeal for kids. Is it any wonder, then, that nearly a third of all American children are overweight and 15 percent outright obese? Anne DiCello, MS, RD offers some useful tips for presenting healthy foods, like vegetables, unprocessed fruits, and whole grains, in fun ways kids will love.

The Key Ingredient for Healthy Holiday Meals
One of the most memorable things about the holiday season is all the delicious food that goes with it. Turkey and dressing, wonderful side dishes and of course, pumpkin pie for desert. This holiday season, show your guests how much you care about them by offering dishes that are good for them as well as tasty.

Wedding Web Sites: Don't Get Married Without One
The days of snail mail announcements are officially over. When Grandma's preferred way of communicating is via e-mail, you know we've entered a new age. This goes for wedding announcements as well. The hottest new way for couples to announce their upcoming nuptials is through a wedding Web site. In fact, many bridal experts claim having a Web site is an essential wedding planning tool that couples can no longer go without.

Do's and Dont's of Buying Diamonds Online
More holiday shoppers than ever are eschewing long mall lines in favor of online shopping, and diamond buyers are no exception. Think few people buy diamonds online? Think again. Before you log on to make your diamond purchase this holiday season, consider these do's and don'ts of online diamond buying.

Nourish Your Skin This Winter to Fight Wrinkles
Winter is the toughest time of year on your skin. Cool, dry conditions leave your hands and feet prone to painful cracks, splits, and flaking. The dryness also makes the wrinkles you've been trying so hard to ignore more prominent. Don't just sit back and take the abuse! There are some simple things you can do to give your skin a fighting chance against the elements.

Beautiful Skin All Winter Long
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on costly injections and treatments, dermatologists tell us the best way to care for skin is to take care of your entire body. Nutritional truisms such as eating a diet rich in whole grains, vitamins and minerals go hand in hand with the science of skincare.

Quick Appetizers Make Perfect Last Minute Parties
Many holiday gatherings are planned ahead of time, but some pop up at the last minute and still require preparation. For these, every host needs to know a few tasty appetizers you can throw together in less than 20 minutes.

Top Five Ways to Cut Holiday Entertaining Stress
If the thought of holiday entertaining creates more stress than satisfaction, here's help. Cut down on holiday hassles with these five timesaving tips for simple but sensational holiday cooking.

Spruce Up Your Holiday Entertaining
Looking for a little glitz to spruce up your holiday entertaining? You may already have all the trimmings you need right in your own home. This is one of the first places Annie Williamson looks when developing new decorating ideas to capture the magic of the holidays. As a designer for Replacements, Ltd., the world's largest supplier of old and new china, crystal, silver and collectibles, it's not only her job to deck the showroom, but also to help customers come up with their own unique twists to add seasonal glow. Here are a few decorating tips to find items in your own home and turn them into dazzling decorating pieces.

Best Ways to Organize Your Kitchen for Holiday Entertaining
Shopping, wrapping, prepping, cooking, and cleaning are time-consuming activities any time of year, but these tasks reach a new level of intensity as harbingers of the holiday season. The very thought of the hubbub that approaches with cooler weather and Halloween treats and ends with the remnants of New Year's confetti is enough to put even the most prepared and placid among us on edge. But, if you get a jumpstart now, devoting a day or two to preparing your home, you'll ease into the celebratory cycle with a lot less stress than ever before and enjoy the festive mood that permeates the atmosphere October through January.

Bend Your Candy, not Your Safety Rules
For many children, Halloween is the most exciting night of the year. Imagine what it means to kids today who are raised to be cautious about strangers. On this magical night, not only can they accept candy from strangers, they can ask them for candy! But these days, it's better to bend your candy rules for a night than to set aside personal safety practices. Good safety is part of the privilege of trick-or-treating without adult supervision. Here are some guidelines to use with grade school- and middle school- aged children who will be going out on their own.

Halloween: 5 Tips to Treat Kids, Not Trick Them & Have a Healthier Halloween
Despite soaring rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes among kids, on Halloween, it's an accepted tradition to send your and your neighbors' kids into sugar shock. But, let's face it, when kids come knocking on your door to playfully trick-or-treat, you're actually tricking them, not treating them, by giving them candies galore to gobble. So why give in to the accepted sugar-gorging way of celebrating? Help your children and your neighbors' kids to observe Halloween in a safer, healthy way. Here are 5 tips to create a healthier Halloween.

How to Choose a Safe Sex Toy
Sex toys have long been regarded as harmless novelties, but with increasing interest and acceptance of sex toys over recent years, many toy buyers are beginning to question whether they really are so harmless. Several prevalent media stories over the past three years have highlighted the concern about chemicals in adult toys. A group of chemicals called phthalates has been garnering a lot of attention. How can the average toy buyer sort it all out?

Exercise and Pregnancy
It's exciting to finally hear the news that you're going to have a baby. There are many questions going through your head about keeping you and your baby healthy throughout your pregnancy. Tracey Mallett gathered a few of the most-asked questions to guide you safely and healthfully on your journey to new motherhood.

No Child Left Inside
Getting out and moving around is a great way for both adults and children to get or stay healthy. Children not only discover nature's wonders in a unique way during each outing, but it is also a great way for them to avoid obesity and ailments which derive from lack of movement. How can parents make it more interesting for their kids to get out and get active? Mark Stevens shares some creative suggestions.

Ten Reasons Why Sex Toys are Good For Your Health
Far from merely a joke, sex toys can help strengthen and improve people's sexual relationship with themselves and with their partners. If you've been feeling embarrassed about using toys, it's time to turn that into pride. Playing with sex toys is actually good for you! Here are just ten ways that toys can improve your physical and mental health.

Healthy Treats for the Whole Family: Furry and Non-Furry
If you have children, then you know they're a magnet for hovering hounds and mooching mousers. Living in a busy home that includes kids, pets, and adults, the line between who eats what can sometimes become blurry! Picking up dog or cat treats at the store can seem pointless if your furry family member is gobbling up whatever the kids are eating. And it can be frustrating to constantly guard the toddler from eating the pet's treats! Before you allow the kids to share their snacks, you should determine if it will help or harm your child and your pet's health. Home-made treats are a healthy and delicious option to processed products. Nutritious treats and snacks can easily be made at home and you'll have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what you're giving all of the members of your family.

Culture of Divorce: How Our Moral Values Affect Our Children
Divorce weakens a basic building block of society. Children of divorce are affected to greater or lesser degrees. They carry the impact on into adulthood and in turn affect the next generation. Silently and unconsciously, we have created a culture of divorce. Perhaps it's not too late for us to rethink divorce and society's moral values and how our family relationships affect our culture and the generations to come.

The Morality Pendulum: Is the Younger Generation Shifting Left?
Why have old moral values failed to inspire a younger generation? A simple answer would lie in the observable fruit of such values. As we witness current events, we see questionable business morality, a breakup of family relationships, shifting philosophical and ethical values, and overarching hypocrisy. Is it not natural for the next generation to question the dominating moral values which govern our society and culture?

Stalking: A Crime That Should Never Be Taken Lightly
Everybody has heard of stalking. You hear about it on the news and read about it in magazines, especially in the celebrity and entertainment reports. But hardly anyone could rattle off a working definition of it, and not enough of us take stalking seriously as a crime we could all become victims of. Stalking may be many things and difficult to pin down in one easy definition, but it is always frightening to the victim. The trick is to recognize stalking when it happens and to get help before it can ruin — or end — your life.

How Exercise can Transform Anger to Peace
Anger can be self-destructive and become the main part of your identity. It can drive away your friends, turn off co-workers and terrify lovers. You have thought about attending anger management classes, but managing the rage is a long way from understanding and decreasing it. You also believe that attending this type of class would demonstrate to the world how weak you are how you couldn't deal with problems on your own. However, you are tired of alienating all those close to you with inappropriate angry outbursts. You don't have a clue how to deal with this pent up inner hostility. Exercise can transform anger into peace.

How to help kids really know their grandparents — regardless of where they live
We live in a very mobile society so it's not uncommon for grandparents to be states or countries away from their grandchildren. They may have retired in a distant place, or perhaps college or work caused your family to move away from your hometown. But even if we aren't right around the corner from each other, there are still many ways that our children can connect — at any age — with their grandparents. Here are three tips for building a strong bond between children/teens and grandparents.

Dry Skin and Eczema Treatment Starts with Balancing pH
Resolving dry skin may be as simple as balancing your pH, and it's easy to do. Resolving dry skin and eczema sometimes requires internal and external treatment. Even a really great dry skin care product isn't going to get great results if an internal condition is working against it. Maintaining both internal and external pH is vital to any dry skin or eczema treatment protocol.

Back to School Brain Boosters
A child with good brain health has the opportunity to be more successful in her schoolwork, and that translates to a better school year for both of you. There are many factors that affect brain health, and, in this article, we'll focus on a few things you can do to make a positive difference in your child's learning and memory function.

Overcoming Bias: Step 1 To Creating and Sustaining A Cultural Diverse Future For Your Child
As we live in a racially, ethnically, and culturally biased environment that unavoidably re-enforces our fears and intolerances, the task of feeding our children with the right information and resources to help them respect and celebrate people who are different is an understandably daunting task. Our responsibility as teachers and parents is to challenge our children's opinions with positive discussion and informative education. This is the only way we will ever overcome bias — ethnically, racially, and/or culturally.

How Is Your Child "Smart?"
You shouldn't be trying to determine how smart a child is; rather, you should be tryi ng to determine how a child is smart. We each possess many different kinds of intelligence, in various combinations and to varying degrees and in different combinations. Where do your child's strengths lie? A child will use different intelligences for different tasks.

Six Tips for Less-Stress Parenting
Nobody ever said parenting was easy, but here are six practical tips for how to worry less and enjoy parenting more.

Which Diapers Are Better for the Planet?
As humans, we deplete resources as we consume and we make messes with our waste. Those landfill diapers that are so easily tossed into the trash are clearly a major ecological issue. But what about the energy, water, and often chlorine involved in laundering cloth diapers? Dr. Alan Greene discusses the results of the largest and most objective study to date.

A Full Stomach Equals a Full Mind
It seems as if the school year begins earlier and earlier each year. Politicians would have you believe that as long as kids are in the classroom, they are learning. In truth, there is so much more to learning than simply showing up: eating the right foods helps, too. Studies have shown that malnourished children have a harder time staying focused in the classroom. Let's send our kids to school this year with the best chances for success by feeding them real, whole foods that nourish their bodies and their minds.

Terrific Tofu
Why is tofu so popular? Along with being a very versatile food to cook with, tofu is an incredibly healthy food. It is a great source of high-quality protein. It is also a good source of B-vitamins and iron. In most cases, the curdling agent used to make tofu is calcium salt, which makes tofu an excellent source of calcium. If you thought tofu was simply a vegetarian substitute for meat, we encourage you to embrace a broader opinion of this food. Check out these great ideas.

Help Reset Your Child's Internal Clock before School Starts
While buying our children new school supplies may help tip the scale towards eager anticipation, it's much more important to help children to prepare for their school year by making sure they're well rested. Parents can help their children get off to a good start by readjusting their sleep schedule before school begins.

A student's guide to mastering the first year of university
As the excitement of a new school year begins, students going to university or college for the first time are preparing for a new chapter. This can be an emotional time, dealing with the excitement of a new adventure and the apprehension of the unknown. But with a few deep breaths and a concerted effort to make the upcoming year one of the best today, students can look forward to conquering the unconquered by keeping these tips in mind

Back-to-School: Tips for back-to-school jitters
Going back to school in September can be the biggest transition of the year, say education specialists. Children may experience a lot more anxiety about the approaching change in routine than is readily seen — and without a doubt, the pressures of back-to-school schedules impact the whole family. Parents can help by taking the fear out of the unknown. Learn how.

Is your child anxious about attending a new school?
The thought of going to a new school in September are usually filled with questions, uncertainties and anxieties for young people. The jitters occur, for example, going from elementary school to junior high. They occur again going from junior high to high school. Imagine how intense the pressures are if your child has to go to a new school entirely. The most valuable support a parent can give at that time is to listen, show understanding, and to encourage with a positive attitude toward the changes ahead.

Back-to-School: Don't overload on after-school activities
Your child is a student, a son or a daughter, a friend, a competitor, a team player, an impressionable child. Each of these roles needs to be nurtured with balance, say leading education experts, and that means parents have to learn to say "no" to too many after-school activities.

Good Parenting Tips: Help your child manage stress at school
Stress is a natural response to situations that are perceived to be threatening or difficult to handle. At school, your child has to learn how to juggle responsibilities surrounding activities, deadlines, being punctual, changes in routine — and all of that in addition to classroom and study demands. Throughout the year, reaction to this pressure is bound to occur in varying degrees, say experts in this field. For most kids, pressures build when they're overwhelmed, often leading to ongoing stomach aches, sleep disturbances, moodiness, inattentiveness, or an increase in colds and flu. If any of this sounds familiar, a little stress-management could be just the right remedy for your child. Here's a checklist of valuable tips.

Back-to-school Fashions at a Fraction of the Cost
Fall means back-to-school shopping! When kids start paying attention to what's in style, a parent's budget can really take a hit. Instead of shopping at the mall, try finding basic items at a thrift or discount store to transform into designer look-alike clothes.

New School Year Equals New Challenges
At the start of a new school year, students fret about things like who their lab partner will be, will they make honor roll and if they will have a date for the homecoming dance. While parents can't control every variable of their child's life, they can help them excel at responsible decision-making and dealing with peer pressure.

Beat the Rush for the Top Ten School Supplies
Back-to-school season is here and whether your kids are first-timers or seasoned veterans, their school supply list is long. When shopping for school supplies, beating the crowds and finding the bargains can be a challenge. With a little advance notice, families can get ahead on supply shopping and have more time to find the sales. These begin long before school starts, when most people are not yet thinking about back-to-school shopping. An early list also helps you focus on the essential top ten must-have products.

Calling and Texting During Math Class? No Way!
Giving a 10- or 12-year-old a cell phone is a lot like giving a 16-year-old a car. It represents freedom, but it also means new responsibilities. Enter kajeet: a pay-as-you go cell phone service created specifically for kids that also helps parents. kajeet makes getting your kid a cell phone much less worrisome.

Top 5 Hot Sexy Tips to Spice Up Your Love Life Before It's Too Late
The best insurance a woman can have that her husband or long-time lover will never leave her for someone younger, prettier, or richer is to make him feel incredibly good about himself as a man all the time. This is not as difficult as it may seem — especially if you are one of the rare women who knows and practices sexual secrets known only to geishas, Japanese women renowned for their techniques for making men feel powerful and virile. Find out how.

We Are What We Eat: Three Cures and Five Simple Strategies to Fix What Ails You
It's true: we really are what we eat. Our individual health or malaise is a direct result not only of our diet now, but also of what we ate as a child and as a teen. Even what our mothers ate while we were in the womb contributes to our current state of well-being. Here are five simple strategies for healthy eating. Employing any one at a given opportunity is a victory for your body!

High-Fructose Corn Syrup: The Obesity Link
When shopping for juices, you may notice that high quality, 100% juice is expensive. Many companies offer cheaper juices that taste like the real thing, with as much as 95% less of the real stuff. They mimic the taste of real juice by adding artificial flavors and high-fructose corn syrup. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a potent sweetener and an unhealthy ingredient. In fact, in the past few years, a mountain of studies provides evidence of a significant link between HCFS and the increases in obesity.

Five Reasons Couples Are Going Online
The days of snail mail announcements are officially over. When Grandma’s preferred way of communicating is via e-mail, you know we’ve entered a new age. This goes for wedding announcements as well. The hottest new way for couples to announce their upcoming nuptials is through a wedding Web site. In fact, many bridal experts claim having a Web site is an essential wedding planning tool that couples can no longer go without.

Need a Raise? Tips for Asking the Boss
It's that time. You've worked hard, proven yourself and in your mind, you deserve a pay increase. So what now? Asking for a raise should be a four-step process. What are they? Read this article to find out.

Getting Along in the Office: The Interviewing Game
In most human interactions, people think about each activity as it affects them, rather than about how it affects the other person. Interviewing for jobs is just like that. Both sides should simply be checking to see if their personalities are compatible; this will ensure they will be able to work together. The goal of the interview is to see if the candidate, the job and the work environment are compatible, and both sides need to be focused on this goal. This article offers tips to both interviewees and interviewers.

Move Your Body, Change Your Mind
Woman-centered psychotherapist Esther Kane explains how regular exercise greatly improves our mental, as well as our physical health and can help with recovery from depression, anxiety, disordered eating, post-traumatic stress, and many other issues. Through the act of exercising, you can transform a negative self-concept into one of power, strength, and awareness of your abilities and gifts.

Sneaky Chef Breakfast Cookies – Only 2 Points On Weight Watchers!
Now you can maximize Weight Watchers' nutrition per point using the Sneaky Chef recipes with hidden fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Try Sneaky Chef breakfast cookies for starters. It seems like a decadent treat, but in reality it's a great food that keeps you feeling satisfied longer than any other breakfast bar out there.

Forgiveness
Have you ever experienced an event in your life that you can't seem to forget? It agitates you and angers you when you recall and dwell on the memory. You cannot seem to forget the event. The anger and hate is rising and rising within you. By allowing yourself to forgive the person and the event, you may find yourself in a more comfortable and content state of mind. By letting go of the need for revenge, which itself is fed by your hate and anger, you will naturally start focusing on the things in life that truly matter to you and which hopefully bring you a sense of fulfillment. When a person is pursuing the fulfillment of their own life, they will be content and comfortable with life: no matter how physically hectic it can be! Here are ten ways to help you move towards contentment and forgiveness in your life and move away from toxic emotions.

Bullying Our Kids in Our Homes: Welcome to Cyber-Bullying
As technology changes so do the bullies. Bullying has gone wireless. These are situations our children face that we never did. How does this happen? The Internet, cell phones with text messaging, instant messaging, camera phones and e-mail are the bullies' new tools. This article offers parents tips and suggestions to combat cyber-bullying.

Is Your Breast Cancer Going Undiagnosed?
some women have known genetic makers which make them likely to develop breast cancer. These patients' cancers occur at a younger age and their cancers tend to be more aggressive. Aggressive cancers are faster growing and more malignant than normal making them harder to cure. These cancers need to be detected earlier to allow a better chance for cure. There is a modality and an exam available for years which has recently has gained much attention due to its great sensitivity for detecting early breast cancer.

Are You Preparing Your Child for Financial Trouble?
In the world we live, no one grows up to become financially knowledgeable without guidance along the way. Financial counseling must come from the parent. If you're not indoctrinating your offspring into sound habits of thrift and discernment, there is a likelihood they will blunder through life with no sense of monetary values. Author Al Jacobs offers suggestions on how to instill a sense of fiscal responsibility in your children.

Closing the Gap for Couples
Have you fallen out of sync with your partner? Is it hard to remember the last time you had a romantic date? You may find there is an uncomfortable, embarrassed distance between you. Read on for fun tips to close the gap and move toward intimacy again.

Do You Know Your Own Mind?
Just as you heal and develop a relationship with your body through awareness, you can and must develop a relationship with your mind. By understanding the nature of your thoughts, especially your negative thoughts, you may understand why you are feeling hopeless and helpless. You will learn about your fear-based message that somehow suggests

Together for Thirty-Five Years: Six ways to Nurture a Successful Marriage
It seems that primary relationships are difficult to maintain in contemporary society. There are couples that stay together for years for financial reasons and other considerations, but whatever passion once existed died out a long time ago. Staying together because it is expedient does not stimulate excitement or bring joy. This article shares concepts that allow marriages to grow and thrive.

Love is Good Insurance
Love is not only a wonderful gift to give your children. It's good insurance. Showing your love helps keep them safe. It tells them they are worthy of love and respect, and it shapes their expectations of how others should treat them. It's a documented fact that kids who feel loved don't accept affection from just anyone who offers it; they accept it from those who respect them and their personal boundaries. Here are some examples of how to express your love and appreciation anytime, anywhere.

Connecting with Your Kids: Navigating the Terrific, Turbulent Tween Years
The biggest danger for tweens is losing the connection to parents while struggling to find their place and connect in their peer world. The biggest danger for parents is trying to parent through power instead of through relationship, thus eroding their bond and losing their influence on their teen. Fiercely maintain a strong bond with your child, even while you encourage age-appropriate freedom. This article will show you how.

Seducing your Man: In Bed and Out of it
You don't have to be a walking sex manual or have a body like a Hollywood siren to qualify to be an erotic enchantress. But you do have to learn to manipulate a man's most sensitive organ: his brain. More than your technique, it is your attitude that will enable you to cast a spell and hold your man in sexual thrall. Capture a man's imagination — and his body is yours.

Helpful Tips to Control Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is very common in younger men. This article discusses five strategies to control premature ejaculation.

Understanding Adult And Sex Toy Danger Signs
Sex toys are made up of many chemicals that are a mystery to most of us — that is, for those of us who have ever wondered about the items we are using on ourselves and our loved ones. The latest issue regarding sex toys comes to us in the form of something called phthalates (pronounced THALates). These chemicals are used to soften hard plastics and can be found in a variety of items used by people every day.

Disability And Sexuality
Historically, society has overlooked the sexual needs of those with impairments. The topic is either completely ignored or brushed aside as being irrelevant as disabled people have been considered to be almost non-sexual. However, the sexual needs of the disabled are very much a reality and there is an urgent need to address them in today's world.

Enjoy your Healthy Sexuality
People often subconsciously blocking their sexuality because of negative experiences they had as children and as adults. Once they expressed their guilt, fear, and resentments, and resolved their issues, they were able to allow themselves to enjoy their normal, healthy sexuality.

Taking Care of Your Skin while Dieting
Now that you are well on your road to a slimmer, healthier you, make sure that your diet doesn't negatively affect your skin condition. Healthy skin, like any organ, is often a reflection of diet and lifestyle. New research shows that the best way to keep your skin healthy, soft, and supple is to give it the right nutrients and then to protect it with a shielding lotion that significantly reduces the loss of natural oils and moisture.

Moving Past Self-Destructive Tendencies
Life has its sets of twists and turns but we learn to be flexible. When things seem hopeless and we feel that we can't adapt anymore, we reach out for help. Learn to deal with your emotional engine. When you let your emotional engine run so hard, you often turn to self-destructive tendencies. Here are some strategies you can try if you find yourself in a self-destructive cycle.

Sugar Addicts: Four Simple Tips to Resist Tempting Cookies, Candies & Chocolate
Folks worldwide often feel that sugary treats are luring them in. Of course, advertisements galore don't make passing up on sweets any easier. But the sad reality is that sugar addiction is an affliction that confronts about half — if not more — of us. Here are four simple, sure-fire techniques to squash temptation immediately, just as it confronts you.

Ten Tips for Making your Trip to the Amusement Park the Best Ever
Millions of people will visit an amusement park this summer. Some will do it as part of an extended vacation. Others will make it a one-day trip or a weekend event. Regardless of the length of stay, the theme of the park, or the part of the country you visit, the following tips can make your trip to an amusement park the best ever.

Summer Skin Care for Children: More than Sun Protection
Summer is a great time for kids — long, sunny days filled with swimming, bicycling, hiking, family vacations, and warm nights around the campfire. Of course, along with the good times come the inevitable sunburns and insect bites for which solutions abound. However, those same solutions present a different problem: toxic chemicals that are potentially more harmful than the sunburns or the bites they're guarding against. Shielding lotion, a new breakthrough in skin care technology, can help protect your child from those chemicals but it's a good idea to know why they are dangerous and what alternatives are available.

Set the Tone for Timeless Beauty: Ethnic Skin Gets Even More Beautiful
Getting older doesn't have to mean looking older. Yet, African-American women face unique challenges when it comes to aging. Traditional signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles and sagging tend to appear later in life compared to Caucasians, but that doesn't mean women with richer skin tones aren't concerned about their maturing skin's appearance.

Skin Care Secrets for Seniors
Caring for aging skin involves far more than fighting wrinkles and age spots. Skin health — from protection against UV rays to proper wound care — plays a vital role in overall health for seniors.

Eyestrain and Headaches at Work? Easy Tips for Relief
Eyestrain is a common occurrence. A typical workday for many of us involves working long hours on a computer in a brightly lit office building. As the day progresses, your eyes begin to suffer. There are some simple steps you can take to minimize eyestrain and keep your visual system balanced while at work.

Fun Favor Ideas for Do-it-Yourself Brides
With the average wedding costing around $20,000, is it any wonder the do-it-yourself movement is gaining popularity among brides-to-be? Smart brides are saving thousands by taking over wedding tasks usually handled by the professionals, from printing invitations to creating their own bouquets. Here are four do-it-yourself wedding favor recipes, ranging from the simple to more challenging.

Hot Bridal Trends and Tips: There is a "Right" Dress for Everyone
For many women, engagement signals the start of a dream come true. If you're one of them, the dress of your dreams is out there. Finding it is the first thing you should do before planning the rest of your wedding.

The Perfect Companion for Queasy Stomachs This Wedding Season
The peak of wedding season is here, and during the next few months, thousands of couples will walk down the aisle surrounded by family and friends. Planning a wedding is exciting, but for many soon-to-be brides, grooms and their respective families, it can be an emotional rollercoaster as they make sure the wedding runs smoothly and everyone's having a great time. The anxiety coupled with partying and over-indulgence can take a toll on even the strongest stomach!

Emotional Development is the Software
Emotional development — teaching kids to feel comfortable with themselves, their feelings and thoughts — is the fuel for brain and mind development. If you don't help your children develop in this way, they will limp through life, missing stop signs, danger signs, and turn left notifications. Listening, questioning, caring, and showing that through expression all promote emotional development.

Is Food the Right Answer?
When you're tired, stressed, or physically ill, food is often the first thing that comes to mind. It provides an appealing cure for everything from a cold or the flu to exhaustion after a long day. If you're tired because your body is needing fuel, eating probably will make you feel better. But having an energy drop doesn't always mean it's time to eat. Make sure that you can recognize the difference between your fuel needs and wanting an emotional fix.

Getting Along in the Office: Being Friends with Co-Workers and Employees
It is nice to be able to tell people at work important things that are going on at home. Sometimes it is nice to gain the insight of a co-worker about a personal problem. As a result, it is hard to determine where to draw the line with business friendships. Should you be sharing all kinds of intimate details about your home life, or should you keep totally quiet about what goes on away from work?

Is It Safe to Eat?
The recent tainted pet food scandal should have alerted us to the fact that not everything in our processed foods may be safe for consumption. Not only are many of our food additives imported from overseas, but they are also largely unregulated and may have mysterious origins. We fool ourselves if we believe that this is only a concern in pet food. Trans fats, artificial sweeteners, and petroleum products are just some of the health-jeopardizing ingredients found in our most familiar packaged foods. How can we be sure our food is safe?

Wonderful Watermelon
Eating watermelon is not just fun, it is healthy too! Watermelon is chock full of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that fights free radicals which are highly reactive molecules that damage cell membranes, attack DNA and cause disease. Tomatoes are often associated with lycopene, but watermelon contains higher levels than fresh tomatoes.

Summer Camp: How to Handle Your Child's First Big Trip Away From Home
Ahhh, summer. The kids are out of school and you're thinking about what they are going to do while you and/or your spouse work. The busy schedule. The endless e-mails and buzzing of the blackberry. The kids are whining because they want to do something. The perfect solution: summer camp. So what do you consider to make your child's first official "away from home" camp experience easier on you and your child?

Follow These Steps for a Successful Business Start-Up
The secret to a successful business is out: there is no secret. Starting your own business takes hard work and a steadfast commitment. Keep in mind these few essential first steps, and you may well be on a path to prosperity.

Time-saving Cooking Tips for Healthy and Delicious Meals
Whether it's working late at the office, running errands or rushing to get the kids to practice, many of us cut corners to save time. Preparing dinner is no exception. Because we hurry through our days, we sometimes don't have the time to make nutritious meals. Here are some healthy and time-saving ideas to help you enjoy great food in less time than you think.

Is Your Business Consultant Some Yahoo Named Google?
Most small businesses rely on Web sites like Yahoo! and Google to locate business information. These popular search engines have opened up a world of information to anyone with a computer and Internet access. Unfortunately, that benefit is also the most frustrating aspect of using popular search engines: a world of information also means thousands or even millions of results. Even if you find something that seems useful, how do you know it's credible? Smart business people are turning to specialized online resources to solve this critical issue.

Tips for Saving Out of Town Wedding Guests Money
When planning a wedding, it's important to keep your guests' finances in mind, especially the ones who are traveling from out of town. The cost of traveling and attending a wedding can be significant, but there are some small steps you can take to make your guests' stay easier on them and their pocketbook.

Powerful News About Longevity for Baby Boomers
Boomers can take heart in some surprising news released in recent weeks by Eons.com about the longevity of 50-plus Americans. Their research, which examined the projected lifespan of Americans who have already celebrated their 50th birthday, showed that the roughly 450,000 people who completed the Eons Longevity Calculator will live to age 90 or more.

Three Steps for Meeting a Dog: Instructions for Parents
It is very important to teach kids how to interact with dogs they are interested in. Childish excitement could be interpreted as a threat by inexperienced dogs. By teaching children and dogs how to interact with one another, we laying the groundwork for happy, healthy relationships between them. Take time to help your child practice meeting a variety of dogs.

Connecting with Your Kids: Strategies for Tough Conversations
Fewer than half of all sixth graders describe their family communication as positive and only 22% of high school seniors do. What would your kids say? The challenge for parents? Learn to listen. Be available without being pushy. And find ways to talk about the hard stuff, so your child feels comfortable sharing with you. If you can control your emotions and keep the situation safe, your child may be able to start sharing her deepest worries. That's when breakthroughs happen. Here are 10 strategies for tough conversations.

Exercise Can Help You Cope in Troubled Times
There are several traumatic events that severely affect the soul of our nation. These terrible events cause many of us to live in a state of fear, uncertainty and hopelessness. Do we deny that they are occurring? Do we avoid thinking about them by drinking, drugging, eating, or working too much? Do we fall into a state of apathy or become resigned to hopelessness? Studies have shown that exercising as little as 15 minutes can create a sense of well being. Other research indicates that exercise can help alleviate depression and reduce anxiety. Exercise can also heal emotional pain that derives from personal as well as collective experiences.

Food — Both Important and Unimportant
Food is so wonderful! In our society, it's the king of entertaining, celebrating, and connecting. It gives you a way to display your fabulous kitchen or to show off your culinary skills. But what about your diet? Somehow, you need a way to enjoy and appreciate food without sabotaging your weight or your health. And you can by simply putting food in its proper place.

Are the foods you are eating keeping you in pain?
The average American diet consists of high fat, high sugar, loads of red meat, and a frightening amount of processed foods. These are all likely to increase inflammation and contribute to obesity, yet another high-inflammatory culprit. By switching to an anti-inflammatory diet plan consisting of healthy, whole foods, you can actually decrease inflammation and, in turn, ease the pain and discomfort associated with it.

Changing the Self in Self-Esteem
Many social ills have been attributed to low self-esteem. Enshrining the self has served overall to degrade societal sanctions. An inward focus promotes self-tolerance, entitlement, victimhood, and narcissism. In contrast, true and sustainable self-esteem comes from a different source. It is based on outgoing love: a true concern for the well-being of others that subordinates the inwardly directed desires of the self. This love is the core of healthy self-esteem.

Rational Parents = Rational Kids
If you want to have kids who use their brains effectively, you have to communicate with them rationally. In other words, you must make sense. If you as a parent are rational, fair, open minded and diplomatic, you will parent just fine. This doesn't mean never yelling, or getting angry. It doesn't mean saying yes politely to all requests. It means thinking things out and assertively directing your child toward a better choice when needed.

The Seven Ps of Personal Branding
William Arruda, the personal branding guru, best sums up personal branding as "clearly communicating the unique promise of value that you have to offer". It helps you to clarify and communicate differences and specialties and use those qualities to guide your career. Personal branding also helps you to understand your strengths, skills, passions, and values and to use them to separate yourself from your competitors.

20 Concrete Personal Branding Actions You Can Take To Build Your Brand
We are exposed more and more to the power of branding, it is estimated that the average North American is bombarded with as many as 3,000 different advertising messages every day! William Arruda, the personal branding guru, best sums up personal branding as "clearly communicating the unique promise of value that you have to offer". Here, guest columnist Paul Copcutt offers 20 useful actions you can take to build your brand.

Getting Along in the Office: Adapting to Change
The work climate today is much different from what it was 50 years ago. A person who was born in the early 1900s could expect to get a job and keep that same job until retirement. A person born in the mid-1900s could expect to have at least two different careers during their prime work years. It is projected that those born in the later 1900s will have three to four different careers during their prime work years.

The Carb Conundrum
We have mixed feelings about carbohydrates. On the one hand, we blindly jump on the low-carb bandwagon and follow unhealthy, low-carb or no-carb diets in our pursuit to lose weight quickly. On the other, we love our white bread, enriched pasta and potatoes in any form. Our expanding waistlines witness our confusion.

Healthier First Birthday Cake Ideas
Parents are often looking for a healthy alternative to the standard, sugary, preservative-filled birthday cake for their baby's introduction to the wonderful traditions of birthdays. We've heard from parents looking for ways to buy an egg-free cake to those seeking recipes for "healthy" cakes, or even whether to make/buy two cakes (one for Baby, one for adults). Here are some ideas that keep the tradition of the birthday cake treat, but add some healthy twists.

Help Your Child Achieve School-Life Balance
Childhood today is more demanding than ever and parents are paying increased attention to how they can help balance their children's lives. With the start of a new school year approaching, Office Depot is offering parents a variety of tips and advice in a new online resource called "Balanced for Success: Tools for Surviving and Thriving in School Today." This new guide features organizational and time management solutions to help kids succeed in today's busy classroom and after-school environments.

Tips to maintain beautiful summer skin
The summer months are upon us and with the longer sunny days come harmful and damaging UVA/UVB rays. This summer, here are some tips to keep in mind while enjoying the great outdoors.

How to instill generosity in your child
After a long year at school, summertime can start with a lot of "gimmees" and "I wants" for cool water toys, a pool, and trips to theme parks. Kids can become overly demanding. Fortunately, there are lots of ways to help remind your kids of what they may have seemingly forgotten over the school year — how to be generous.

What to Do When Your Loved One Needs Long Distance Care
You took that fantastic job offer in another state. Mom and Dad were healthy and fine. As time passed, you were promoted and became successful. Dad passed away and Mom is not doing well on her own. She's reached an age where daily assistance may be necessary and you're a thousand miles away. How do you manage this situation without picking up and moving your family or your mother? If this scenario sounds familiar, remote care giving might be the answer.

Easing the Burden for Loved Ones
It's a difficult subject to bring up. No one likes to think about the time when they'll no longer be here. But truth be told, everyone will need a funeral some day. Without planning ahead, they can be stressful, expensive and filled with disagreements. Or you can create an occasion where loved ones come together to reflect on a life well lived, without the pressure of quick decisions and worries about expense.

Boomers Get Back into the Dating Game
Today, more and more baby boomers are finding themselves single, whether it's due to divorce, personal choice or other circumstances. This means that an increasing number of these single boomers are dating once again, with up to 70 percent dating on a regular basis according to the AARP. While navigating the dating world can be difficult at any age, it can bring unique challenges and opportunities to baby boomers.

Managing Stress Incontinence with Confidence
Let's face it: If you're a woman, it's happened to you before. You sneeze or cough, and you feel a trickle of urine. You hear a funny joke and burst out laughing, and there it goes again. It can be annoying and embarrassing, but it's not debilitating — mild stress incontinence is just a part of life. While stress incontinence isn't completely preventable, there are easy ways for dealing with it comfortably and minimizing occurrences.

Create a Summertime Gathering to Remember!
Along with the warm weather comes neighborhood pool parties and backyard barbecue gatherings. To avoid yet another stagnant summer get-together, break tradition and invite everyone over for a summer soiree they'll never forget. Here are some suggestions to making your summertime get-together the talk of the town. It's as simple as shaking things up for a party that guarantees a good time.

Sweet Summer Skin Care
Get your skin glowing this summer with a fruit, yogurt, and honey skin care application created by Christopher Watt, a Hollywood aesthetician to stars such as Halle Berry and Jennifer Lopez, as a whimsical way to introduce honey as a soothing skin care application to his clients.

The Race Is On: Use This Summer to Get Your Middle Schooler Up To Speed
Is your daughter ready for the social aspects of middle school? Use this summer to prepare her — and yourself — for what's ahead. Parents can help prepare a girl for the transition to middle school by using the summer to talk through some issues.

Been Diagnosed with Diabetes? Be Sure to Protect Your Feet
When she was diagnosed with diabetes nearly ten years ago, Bonnie Johnson of Sisters, Ore., had to make a lot of lifestyle changes. She started monitoring her blood sugar daily, changed her diet to include fewer animal products and sweets and increased the amount of exercise she was getting. When her doctor urged Bonnie to put away her sandals and start wearing closed-toed shoes to protect my feet, she wanted to cry. Here are some foot care tips from the American Diabetes Association.

Rent It: The Perfect Personalized Wedding Venue
If you want the beauty of an outdoor location for your wedding without the worry about the weather, the perfect place can be elusive. Expand your venue possibilities by creating the wedding of your dreams. Whether it's your backyard or your favorite park, you pick the spot — and rent everything you need to create your perfect dream wedding.

Be Creative to Customize a Wedding
A wedding is such a special time in a couple's life. They share a unique bond and deserve to celebrate it in an exceptional way. Many details of a wedding can be customized easily and affordably so that when the big day comes, it is sure to be one of a kind.

Sugar Addicts: Did Mom Turn You Into A Sugar Junkie? 5 Tips to Avoid The Same Fate
You may have inherited your mom's smile. You may share her love of clothes. Perhaps you both sneeze when you're around daisies. But you may also take after your mother in another way, too. You may have become "addicted" to candies, cookies, soda or chocolate just like her. In other words, did Mom unknowingly turn you into a sugar addict? Here are 5 ways to escape the sugar trap that your mom may have unintentionally given to you.

Getting Your Kids to Brush Their Teeth
Pain and suffering due to untreated tooth decay can lead to problems in eating, speaking, and paying attention in school. In other words, cavities hurt. And having them filled hurts too. One way to avoid cavities is to make sure your child brushes twice a day, every day with a soft brush. If your child refuses to brush, you’ve got a few options.

I Dare You! Get Rid of the Sugar: Watch The Benefits Come On In
You may find it really tough to believe that eating tempting, tasty desserts and processed, quickie carbs can dramatically harm your moods, energy levels, relationships, libido, thought processes and overall health.

No Veggie Left Behind
Fear no more. The days of the picky eater are over, and there's a new life for those super healthy foods we could only wish our kids would eat. How is this possible? Get sneaky! Hide it! Get out that cute mini food processor and purée the super veggies with a little water.

Palm Oil on the Rise as Cities Ban Trans Fats
With big cities like New York requiring restaurants to eliminate trans fats from their foods, restaurateurs and consumers alike are seeking a healthful, versatile alternative to oils high in harmful trans fats. Increasingly, they are finding the solution in an age-old natural product — palm oil.

How to Fight High Cholesterol with Drug-Free Alternatives
Many, with the advice of their doctors, are using statin drugs like Lipitor and Zocor to help lower their cholesterol levels. Yet, for other people, these medical solutions are not viable options due to side effects, cost or the desire to avoid medications.

The Surprising Truth About Fiber and Your Health
Does meat contain fiber? How many people pay attention to food labels, and are they looking at fiber? Do Americans know how much fiber they need in a day? A recent consumer survey, conducted by the National Fiber Council (NFC), uncovered answers to these questions and more to determine what Americans really know about fiber and why they're not getting enough. The results may surprise you.

Options for Managing Menopause Naturally
Gone are the days when menopause was referred to quietly as "the change". Today, women are taking charge by managing their symptoms so they can feel like themselves again. With so many women concerned about recent news on hormone replacement therapy HRT) treatments, they are looking for natural options to relieve everyday symptoms. Estroven — the leader in the natural supplements category for menopause, offers simple ways to manage the symptoms of menopause.

The Key to Success in the Workplace
Ever wonder why in some cases the high school dropout does better in business than the person who earned their MBA? According to noted researcher and business strategist Chuck Martin, the problem is often a mismatch between the person and the skills the situation requires. What it all comes down to is determining your strongest and weakest Executive Skills — the cognitive brain functions (located in the frontal lobes of your brain) that help you manage your behavior, make decisions about what you should focus on, and what should be ignored.

Wedding Hair: It's an "I Do," Not Overdo
Natural, healthy hair is always in style, so make the most of what you have without overdoing it. Getting the look calls for the right styling products. To achieve the best styling results, create a schedule that includes professional services and products for the month leading up to the big day.

Here Comes the "Groom" — A Grooming Guide for a Guy's Big Day
These days, men are taking a more active role in preparing for their weddings. It's part of a larger trend of men caring more about their appearance. As grooms spend more time prepping for their big day, here are some easy grooming tips designed to help men look their best for their brides.

How to Make Your Wedding Beautiful and Unique — Without Breaking the Bank!
On your big day, you want everything to be a true reflection of your taste and style. From looking beautiful when you walk down the aisle to personalized party favors, there are so many elements to think about when planning a wedding. With a myriad of different options available today, you can pull off a gorgeous wedding that is a perfect representation of you and your fianc�© without spending a fortune.

How to Pick Out the Right Dress for Prom, a Wedding, or Any Other Special Occasion
The Art Institutes most recent Passion for Fashion Competition grand prize winners, Graehme Field of Tiverton, Rhode Island, winner in the Fashion Design category, and Nash Gilley of Des Moines, Iowa, winner in the Fashion Marketing and Merchandising and Retail Management category, both received a full-tuition scholarship for their design and marketing know-how. And as you might expect, they have pretty definite ideas about what makes a great dressy dress, whether it's for a wedding, a prom, or just a special night out.

Traveling with Grandchildren - An Adventure of a Lifetime
There are more than 70 million grandparents in the United States and many of them have a passion for travel, providing an incredible opportunity to share this love with the grandchildren. Traveling with grandkids offers a unique bonding activity that can't be experienced during a family get-together or a short visit.

Preparing for Out-of-Town Wedding Guests
Weddings are an exciting and busy time for everyone. As the couple prepares to celebrate their bond, family and friends are preparing for the big day too. For out-of-town guests, traveling can be confusing, expensive and take a lot of time. Make life easier for special guests who are traveling to the ceremony by including some of these ideas in your invitation or another communication.

Beyond the Dress: Looking Beautiful at your Wedding
Every bride wants to look her best on her wedding day, so it's important to understand early on how to minimize the stress you're under and prevent its unpleasant effects. Here's some advice on how to control your stress and its impact on your appearance. Keep these in mind and you won't have to worry about turning into the dreaded

The Skinny on Weight Loss Surgery
Frustrated by unsuccessful efforts to control their weight through diet and exercise alone, more obese adults are turning to weight loss surgery. For many, the results add up to more than just dramatic weight loss. It also can help address the host of health problems associated with obesity. So how do you know if bariatric surgery is right for you? And if it is, what type do you choose?

Time with the Kids vs a Home-Cooked Meal? You can have both!
Based on detailed time diaries kept by thousands of Americans, mothers in 1965 spent 10.2 hours a week focused on their children in activities such as reading with them, feeding them, or playing games. While the number of hours dropped in the 1970s and 80s, it began rising in the 90s and is now higher than ever at almost 14.1 hours each week. But ask those same moms how they feel about it, and at least half will say they don't have enough time with their kids. Moms almost halved the time they spent in cooking and meal cleanup. Unfortunately, this might suggest that we're relying more on take-out, fast food or prepackaged frozen meals.

How can I diet when I love to eat?
It's not your fault you fell off your diet. Your excuse is "I just love to eat!" Of course you do. And because food is such an important part of life, you are entitled to love it. But like any amorous relationship, if your lover is causing you pain, it may be time to re-evaluate the picture. The truth is you don't have to stop loving food in order to manage your weight. You just need to alter the ways you view it. Start by making a list of the foods you generally find irresistible. Evaluate the damage level from each of these foods in relation to your weight-loss goals. Then, instead of assuming you have to stop enjoying all of your favorites, consider how you can budget them into your life.

How to Outsmart Your Picky Eater
I compiled a list of kids' favorite foods, the ones they would eat without resistance. I then came up with List B — "superfoods", the world's healthiest ingredients. And finally: How could I hide the items on List B inside List A? How could I conceal the foods they should eat inside the foods they would eat? After trying out hundreds of ideas in my own test kitchen, I came up with the secret: as long as they couldn't see, smell, or taste anything too different, they would eat what was placed in front of them without a fight. Through careful testing, I eventually perfected the art of 13 hiding methods such as puréeing, using foods that hide well, and using visual and taste "decoys" to give food irresistible kid appeal.

Are Homework Expectations Realistic For Our Children?
I become increasingly concerned when I see the expectations being forced upon kids nowadays. It seems that so many kids are cutting themselves, a newer form of stress reduction, and engaging in other escapist, avoidant behaviors to dodge the pressure cooker they live in every day — a pressure cooker called school. Teachers are pressured by state requirements; they, in turn, pressure the kids, and the parents become pressured by the teacher and the school's expectations. Here are useful do's and dont's for parents.

Elder Abuse: a Deepening Current Social Issue Preventing Elder Abuse Is a Question of Education, Ethics and Morality
No one knows exactly how many elderly people are mistreated, but the National Research Council's Panel to Review Prevalence and Risk of Elder Abuse and Neglect estimated in a 2003 report that between one and two million Americans, aged 65 or older, have been injured, exploited, neglected, or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depend for care or protection. To persons of good will, it is hard to understand what kind of person would abuse the elderly. There are signs you can watch for.

Talking to Your Child about Race
Many parents feel awkward or uncomfortable when their child asks a question about racial differences, but it can be a great opportunity to teach him or her to value unique qualities in others and to lay a solid foundation for tolerance and understanding. Despite popular belief, racial tolerance is not about being colorblind, but about recognizing and respecting the differences in others. When talking to your child about race, consider the suggestions in this article.

Let Go and Grow
Now is the time to be honest with your wardrobe: donate items that you didn’t wear this past season, ones that might be a bit too tight or itchy. If you look at it, and it doesn’t make you feel good, you’re not going to wear it. Whether it was a gift or a great buy, if you aren’t wearing it, release it so that someone else has the chance to wear it and appreciate it.

Victim reaction to Abuse by Narcissists and Psychopaths
Personality disorders are not only all-pervasive, but also diffuse and shape-shifting. It is taxing and emotionally harrowing to watch how a loved one is consumed by these pernicious and largely incurable conditions. Victims adopt varying stances and react in different ways to the inevitable abuse involved in relationships with personality disordered patients.

Saying No To Toxic Relationships
Spring is a great time to fall in love. But before you take that exuberant leap into a special someone's arms and fall head-over-heels, here are some suggestions to keep your head in the clouds, while your feet are firmly planted on the ground.

What advice can you give me regarding evaluating the credibility of online courses and online degree programs?

My mother is homeless and can't take care of herself. I'd like her to get help, but she thinks everyone is against her. What can I do?

Hair colour extremes embrace black and white
Fashion is going back to basics this season with designers and hairstylists focusing on both ends of the colour spectrum. The runways of London, Paris, New York and Milan were awash with simple black and white streamlined silhouettes like those from Chanel, and hair has followed suit.

Hottest hairstyles bring back bangs
Once thought of as a little girl's hair 'do, the full fringe has taken on a new sexy and sophisticated persona. Thanks to celebrities like Nelly Furtado, Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon and fashion icon Sienna Miller who have all posed with this latest trend, the fringe is one of the hottest hairstyles this season.

For Financial Success in Retirement, Know Your Retirement IQ
As children, many baby boomers went through a familiar right of passage — the IQ test their parents forced on them to learn just how intelligent they were. Today, many of those baby boomers are increasingly concerned about their "retirement IQ," or where the stand on the path to a successful retirement. So where does one go to get their retirement IQ?

Power to the Parents: Keep Teens Safe During Prom and Graduation
Prom and graduation are two memory-making milestones in a teen's life. And these days, it's not just the students who get excited about the planning and the celebrating. Many parents are involved in every step of the way, too — from picking out the right clothes to extending curfews for these special evenings. It's also a time when parents should ask themselves, "What can I do to make sure my teen stays safe and makes smart decisions?" Good questions, considering that for some teens, these events bring increased pressure to break the rules like drinking when under age.

Wise Choices Ease the Sting of Swimsuit Season
The end of winter seems like it should be a time to rejoice. Instead, many people experience a twinge of dread when they realize that the arrival of spring also means the advent of swimsuit season. But a few simple, wise food and exercise choices can help people embrace the sights and sounds of spring and a healthy lifestyle.

Shopping for that special prom dress
As prom night approaches, most teen age girls go into panic mode about what their going to wear on the big night. Sears Canada has what teens need to up their glam quotient to look their absolute best for that special evening at prices they and their parents can afford.

How to Create a Career that Fits Your Life
Whether you're dreaming of a career change or just want a career that fits your lifestyle, finding that perfect next step can be difficult. Job forecasts can be disheartening, especially if you are looking for a fun, flexible career that allows time for personal obligations. But one industry is booming — travel. Right now business is growing for travel professionals. And that includes tour directors.

Ten Tips for Working Your Way Up
When it comes to the working world, there are myths and there are realities. Attaining a promotion by simply showing up on time and doing your job proficiently is the stuff of folklore. These days, employees have to really prove their worth to gain advancement, as many employers are asking employees to do more with fewer resources, find hidden efficiencies and keep operating costs low. Peter Harris offers tips to help employees make the most of the career opportunities that present themselves each day.

Get ready to reveal beautiful, glowing skin this summer
It's that time of year again. Get ready to say goodbye to winter and welcome a new season of patios, vacations, and sexy summer outfits. There's just one problem — pale, winter-weary skin. Weeks of bundling up outside, dry, parched air inside and lack of attention can leave our skin looking dull and lifeless. Late spring is a perfect time to take a fresh look at your skin, prime it for sunless tanning and intensify your sun protection regimen. That way, when the temperature rises, you'll be ready to bring those summer outfits out of storage and show them off right away.

It's time to face up to spring
It's spring and with the change in weather, it's a good idea to adjust your skin care regimen to reflect warmer days and stronger UV rays.

Skin 101: Understanding your skin type
Experts agree that in order to establish an effective skin care regimen, it is important to first identify your skin type. From pollutants to weather changes to hormonal fluctuations, there are a variety of factors that can influence your skin — making it, at times, difficult to understand.

Choose cosmetics that are good for you and the environment
The world is changing and is making it easy to be green, even when selecting cosmetics. Here are some corporate commitments to look for when purchasing cosmetics.

Melt away your winter beauty blahs
Spring brings new things — to your cosmetics bag, that is! Let these fun, fresh skin care and beauty products melt away your winter beauty blahs and put a spring in your step!

Honey and the Honeymoon
Did you know that the word honeymoon traces its roots back to ancient times? In some cultures, mead (a drink made with honey) was given to newlyweds during their first month of marriage to increase fertility. Today, honey is used in many other ways to celebrate marriage. Consider a beauty treatment using pure, natural honey. In terms of wedding food, honey can be incorporated into the menu in several places.

New Registry Concept: Think Outside the Place Setting Box
Remember Grandma's cherished wedding china that only came out of the cabinet for holidays or other special occasions? Or the silverware that made an appearance only when it needed to be polished? Maybe because so many of us have similar memories of underutilized heirloom pieces, modern brides are now opting for beautiful and practical when creating their bridal registries. More casual items — from flatware to stemware — are gaining popularity on bridal registries. Also in favor are items that offer heirloom-quality beauty and everyday durability.

Ease the Stress of Providing Care for an Elderly Parent
There are over 22 million households in the U.S. that care for someone over the age of 50. Caring for an aging loved one can be a real challenge and doesn't always come with a "How-to" guide. People simply don't know where to turn for advice or help, compounding the difficulty of the situation. Doctor Marion Somers, Ph.D. has provided ten simple steps to make caring for an aging loved one more enriching and less stressful for everyone involved.

Need Help Improving Your Relationships?
In today's fast-paced world most people don't have time to drive to a therapist's office to sit and talk. Some people want immediate help or would prefer a more private approach. According to the American Counseling Association, in recent years, tens of thousands of people have been able to get the help they need through online counseling — a way for patients to connect with professional counselors and other life experts over the Internet for emotional support or mental health advice.

Stocking Your Bar
Next to the kitchen, the home bar is where many guests are likely to congregate. Unfortunately, this area of the house tends to get overlooked because the idea of properly setting up a bar can be rather overwhelming for most people.

New On-Line Survey Quizzes Americans' Knowledge of Eye Care Topics
True or False: It is more important for adults to wear sunglasses than it is for children to wear sunglasses. If you answered "True," you would be incorrect. The statement is false. The sun's rays can cause damage over a period of years, so it's important to begin wearing sunglasses in childhood. However, 80 percent of respondents agreed with that statement in just one of several questions included in the first American Eye-Q survey, created by the American Optometric Association (AOA), to determine how informed Americans were on a range of eye care topics.

It's Not Your Mother's Menopause
Gone are the days when menopause was referred to quietly as "the change". Today, women are taking charge by managing their symptoms so they can feel like themselves again. With so many women concerned about recent news on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) treatments, they are looking for natural options to relieve everyday symptoms. From dietary to lifestyle changes, Estroven, the leader in the natural supplements category for menopause, offers simple ways to manage the symptoms of menopause.

What to Look for When Buying Organic
When you pick up a head of lettuce, a tray of tomatoes or a bag of apples in the produce aisle of your local grocery store that claims to be "natural" or "organic," do you know what you're buying? hat exactly does it mean when a product claims to be organically grown? If it says natural on the label, doesn't that mean the same thing? Not necessarily.

You Can Be an Expert at Losing Weight
Would you like to change your calling and become an expert at losing weight? Just like you learned how to be an accomplished overeater and weight-gaining expert, you can learn to do something different, something much better for you. Here are steps to take so you can now become a pro at losing weight.

What you can do today for arthritis, to get your life back!
Red, burning, swollen, and so stiff you don't want to move… that's what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a daily basis. If you know this all too well, you are probably one of the 46 million Americans (that's one out of every five people) living with arthritis. To better understand how to get relief from this debilitating disease, we need to dive deeper into its root cause: inflammation. Treating inflammation is key to managing the pain and discomfort associated with this condition.

The Sorry Secrets of Sweeteners
Some believe our current epidemic of obesity and skyrocketing health problems including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer can be directly traced to the abundance of high fructose corn syrup in our packaged foods. It is a highly processed sweetener, one of the many synthetic sweeteners available that fool the body into secreting extra hormones and packing on the pounds. Organic, unrefined, unbleached sugar from sugar cane is always a more health-conscious choice over high fructose corn syrup or other artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-k and sucralose. This article includes a tangy recipe that uses citrus and honey to be sweet and healthy without resorting to synthetic ingredients to cut calories.

Buying Eggs: Carton Confusion
Today, walking past the egg section in the dairy case is quite a different picture — new fangled plastic containers with brightly-colored imagery packed with claims and commentary fill most of the shelves. While the updated packaging is nice to look at, all of the jargon and phrases on this packaging is downright confusing. What does it all mean? Learn the answer and try out some egg-ceptionally good recipes too.

Transitioning Tuesdays: How to Make the Best of Shuffling Your Child Between Divorced Homes
One million American children experience their parents' divorce each year. That means one million new children enter into what has become commonplace in our society: "doing the kid shuffle". No longer does the shuffle mean getting them to soccer practice on time. Today, it means helping them cope with living in two homes with two sets of rules and often two sets of belongings. Here are ten ways you can help your child cope with this split-family living lifestyle.

How You Can Stop Procrastinating and Start Your Diet
So many women want to lose weight but have trouble getting started. This is understandable, especially for someone who has dieted before and failed. If you're one of those people, you know how hard it is to overcome past failures and feel confident about attempting to diet again. Why not try a new way to get yourself ready to go? Why not try something completely different this time so you can finally stop procrastinating and start dieting?

The Popularity Game: Teaching Kids How To Cope
Apparently there is and will always be a social order of "who is best" and "who is not", and the "who is not" will always suffer.

The "popular kids" are always the same. As a parent, watching kids go through this is very difficult, sad, and anger provoking. As a parent, you need to think carefully: it is easy to say the wrong thing and anger your child or to unintentionally reinforce her feelings of helplessness. Here are some DO's and DON'Ts for parents.

Does my recent behavior constitute stalking behavior?

On the Outside Looking In: How to Make a Difference for a Child of Divorce even as a Bystander
Divorce these days surrounds us. Children everywhere are affected. Sometimes on the outside, it's hard to know what to do. From the outside looking in, it's a helpless feeling watching these situations. So just what can you do? Here are ten suggestions to help make a difference for a child of divorce you might know

Coping With a Difficult Former Spouse as You Co-Parent
Consider that this co-parenting situation with your former spouse is a spiritual test. The immediate goal is to resolve the current issue, but the ultimate goal is to walk away from any interaction, no matter how unpleasant, with a greater connection to your soul. Here are some tools to keep with you and practice when faced with difficult behavior from your former spouse.

6 Things You Can Do To Get A Better Night Sleep Tonight
Our lifestyle is harried, our food is fast, and statistics now show it's taking a toll on one of the most important parts of our life — our sleep. The 2002 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Sleep in America poll found that 74 percent of American adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more, 39 percent get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37 percent) are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities. Our fast-paced way of life is getting the best of us. Consider these tips to help you get a better night's sleep.

Healthy Habits: Make the Most of Your Child's Day
It's a fact — eating and good eating habits make you and your children brighter and better throughout the day. Here are a few tips that will help you and your family make the most out of each day.

The Art of Being Crabby
Often, when we're crabby, it's a sign that someone has crossed a personal boundary we have. Plus, when we stop fighting feeling crabby, and just let ourselves feel as crabby as we want, the feeling usually goes away much faster because it's been given the airtime and release it needed. The thing to remember is that feelings are just feelings and they don't last forever. If you're in such a crabby mood that you can't see it ending, remind yourself that "this too shall pass" and that you'll feel better soon. But while you're riding the waves of crabbiness, try one or some, or all of the following to get through to the other side where rainbows and pots of gold await you…

What's the Key To Health? Look to your stomach!
Good health is based in the digestive tract. Not in the heart, not in the lungs, not in the brain: health starts in the stomach. Health is a result of what you put in your mouth and then how it is digested, absorbed, and eliminated. Digestion is the foundation for how everything else in the body functions.

Dieting – The Dangerous New Trends
When no one knows what's going on or where to look for answers and when the panic begins to set it — that's when the witch hunts begin. It's starting to get nastier as we journey through yet another year amid claims of an ever-expanding obesity problem across the developed world, yet still with no serious answers being advanced by either our political leaders or through the mass media. So, who is to blame? This is the most important question currently being widely asked. It is most important in this context because it is the wrong question. Until we move away from the finger pointing of the blame games, there will be little room for a calmer and more appropriate consideration of causation.

The Difference Between Headhunters and Recruiters
Titles can be misleading as, like many companies, each recruitment firm has different definitions and responsibilities. What is more important, when dealing with a TPR (third-party recruiter), is its relationship with the hiring company it is representing. There are probably three main distinctive TPR's: retained, contingency, and agency. As for the relationship with its clients, any recruiter should be able to answer five key questions. If the answers are vague or not forthcoming, you may be putting your effort in the wrong direction.

The World of Work Has Changed … Forever.
Why is personal branding starting to be recognized as a very legitimate way for people to be identified and to manage their careers now? Personal branding is no more than the opportunity for all of us to be ourselves. Personal branding is not just for the self-employed or small business owner, but it is also for job seekers at the professional level, career changers and even students. Personal branding is the way to expand success and still be in touch and focused on who you are, so jump on the "brand wagon" now.

Makeover Your Child's Reaction to Stress
Many, if not most of our children's problems come from their inability to deal with stress in a healthy way. But a child is unlikely to know when he or she is overstressed and it's up to the parents to watch for tell-tale signs which may include: difficulties with sleep, health, mood, and learning. We can help our children recognize and face their anxious feelings and react to them in a healthy way.

3 Tips For A Seductively Healthy Valentine's Dinner
What can you do to make a special Valentine's Day dinner for your sweetie? Make it hot, make it healthy, and make it easy! Studies show that spicy foods can raise your heart rate, cause flushing, and generally mimic some of the effects of sexual stimulation. Try pomegranates: they not only offer the luscious crimson color but also come packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals to keep you in top lovin' form. Try this fabulously different recipe for Piri-Piri Pomegranate Chicken on your honey for Valentine's Day. It's sweetly spicy, inherently healthy, and couldn't be easier to prepare or clean up.

Who Says Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend?
Consider that many people work at jobs that they don't even like in order to pay the bills and the mortgage and how many continue to buy stuff that doesn't even make them happy. Many of us continue to shop in a never-ending quest for peace and well-being and fail to recognize that that experience already lies within us; we simply need to sit quietly and ask to meet it.

The Family Dinner: Fast and Simple
Home made foods are healthier than processed, prepared, or restaurant meals. Take-out foods and prepared foods are generally much higher in fat, salt, and calories than home-cooked foods. We would encourage you or your spouse to make home-cooked dinners at least three times per week. If just the thought of making dinner exhausts you, here are few tips to ease the burden of getting dinner on the table during your busy week.

Knowledge is Power: Twelve Questions that Lead to Diet Success
Do you know the real trick to being a successful dieter? The best way is just what the age-old saying tells you to do: "know thyself." Diets are good; some are excellent. Whether you succeed or fail is almost never the diet's fault. You won't be able to succeed on any diet, and you certainly won't be able to achieve permanent weight loss if you keep yourself in the dark about your own behavior. Self-knowledge is diet power. Get to your source of diet know-how. It's definitely in you, and here's a great way to access it.

A New Year's Resolution: Building A Bridge with Your Former Spouse
Recent research indicates that divorce itself may not be damaging to children. Rather, the ongoing conflict, anger, and unresolved feelings that are exhibited by one or both parents create a great deal of distress in children, especially when they are put in the middle and witness conflicts and arguments or hear one parent speak negatively about the other. You stand the best chance of truly benefiting your children if you and your ex-spouse participate — in a cooperative manner — in their lives. The process is more effective if the parents are working together and are focused on their children's healthy development. Parents must put their emotional pain aside while they come together to discuss, support, and respond to the needs of their children. The mission is to build a bridge with your ex-spouse and to raise healthy, secure children. Here's how.

How Connection Parenting Makes Child Raising Easier
A good parent-child relationship gets you through the hard times and creates more frequent good times. It helps you meet the unique needs of your growing child. It makes it easier for you to influence your kid so he's more cooperative and discipline isn't a challenge. A strong relationship helps your child love herself and to love others. Kids whose emotional needs are met express the traits we all want in our kids: consideration and respect for others, self-confidence, integrity, self-discipline. Connection Parenting is about the bond with your child, rather than about "skills" to make you a better parent. You're a fine parent already if you're in touch with your natural parenting instincts. Here's what you need to know.

Avoiding the Switch Battle: What to Do If Your Child of Divorce Doesn't Want to Go to the Other Parent's House
Children of divorce often ride a roller coaster of emotions that can sometimes make even the best of divorces seem chaotic. Even when both parents are very involved and there is absolutely no abuse or other negative activity going on, kids go berserk. Sometimes they dig in their heels and refuse to leave one parent to go to the other parent's house at switch time. You're in the middle of a switch and your child refuses to go. What can you do? Here are ten ideas to keep in mind if you ever find yourself in the middle of the switch battle.

Start Some Sugary Soul Searching to Break Free From Your Sugar Habit
In those gotta-have-goodies-now moments, it usually doesn't help to know that eating a bunch of sugary foods and processed carbohydrates just isn't good for you. That's why, now, when you're not rattled by cravings, is a good time to embark upon

5 Tips for Eating Your Way Through A Healthy New Year
If one of your resolutions is to eat healthier and/or lose weight, then you're like millions of other people with the same goals. Making big changes is always easier when it can be looked at as doing something little here, making a positive choice there. Soon all the little choices will add up to a habit, and before you know it, you will be feeling stronger, healthier and weighing less. Here are five easy tips to guide your eating decisions on a regular basis. Even if you just choose one aspect to follow, your body will thank you for it.

Tuesdays in the Pocketbook:How to Keep Divorce from Devastating Your Family Finances
Getting divorced is a financial blow to any family. Even in the best of circumstances, there are double the housing expenses because suddenly there are two homes to support. When there are kids involved and split-family living becomes the lifestyle of choice for the foreseeable future, finances can get even stickier. If you are on reasonable terms with your ex-spouse, there are some ways to avoid common pitfalls of supporting your kids financially. If you are not, there are still limited actions you can take without having to involve the family lawyer; they simply may not be as equitable.

My best friend is being abused by her husband. My best friend never confided this to me and even got mad at her own family for trying to interfere. Her mom called me to confide in me and to ask for help. What should I do?

When Your Loved One Wants to Go Home: Sources of Support for Friends and Families of Alzheimer's Patients
Susan Alexander, who lost first her father, and later her brother to Alzheimer's Disease, shares coping strategies friends, families, and caregivers may wish to consider when looking for sources of support.

Making Changes at Work: How To Create Lasting Change and Achieve Greater Success At Work
To truly change your behavior and achiever greater business success requires three things: desire, intent, and persistence. You have to identify what you desire enough to be willing to stick to. You have to make SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) like "leave the computer at the office and don't look at the Blackberry after 9" rather than "having more balance". You need determination and persistence to try again no matter how many times you blow it. Most importantly you need to avoid the top 10 common resolution pitfalls.

Say 'I Do' to New Wedding Gift Ideas
Here comes the bride! That means it's time to shower the newlyweds with gifts. However, with many couples getting married later in life — nearly five years later on average today than in 1970 according to the U.S. Census Bureau — they have accumulated many of the common wedding gifts, such as dishes and linens, leaving guests with the challenge of finding the perfect gift. Luckily, there are a vast number of unique gifts for those who have it all.

Are Seniors Eating Right?
Older adults have all heard what they should be eating each day. Three servings of fat-free or low-fat milk, cheese or yogurt. Three or more ounce-equivalents of whole-grain products. And abundant amounts of fruits and vegetables, striving for variety across all five vegetable subgroups. But how many people 50 years or older, are actually meeting those daily nutrition requirements?

Balancing Act: The Art of Achieving Work/Life Stability
The phone is ringing. Your inbox is overflowing with new projects. You have exactly ten minutes to meet a deadline, and the morning has just begun. Stress in the workplace is common, but research conducted by Kelly Services reveals that the American workforce is less stressed than Europe's.

How to Be a Better Boss
How is it that some managers are able to inspire top performances from their employees while others can barely extract an honest day's work from the people who report to them? The secret is out.

I Want to Go Home: An Alzheimer's Story
Imagine watching not only your mother and your father, but also your brother fade away. Imagine watching each one of them as they lose their dignity. Imagine having to feed, bath, and change their diaper. Imagine having to make their funeral arrangements. Which casket will you pick out for your brother? Imagine having to watch them take their last breath. Imagine your brother crying to you and out of his mouth he utters those horrible words, "I want to go home."

When Your Heart is Hungry
You have this sense of yearning and food sounds like an easy answer. But in reality, the hunger isn't from your stomach; it's inside your heart. Instead of eating to fix this hollow feeling, you need ways to nurture and comfort yourself and renew your spirit.

Fighting Fair: Three Rules to Keep in Mind
Shakespeare's oft-quoted line, "All's fair in love and war," may be true, but it shouldn't be interpreted as license to do whatever we feel like — at least not if having a happy marriage is our goal. If you want to be happily wed, you will need to establish and follow some basic ground rules for resolving your differences. We might call this "Fighting Fair".

One Magic Strategy for your Relationship
Whether you are in a happy time with your partner right now or experiencing stress, there is one powerful, easy strategy you can use by yourself to create a more pleasant atmosphere in your home, almost instantly! At the same time, this new tactic will begin mending the chronic issues that recur between the two of you over and over. I call it a Loving Action, and, like all the Loving Actions taught by author Susan Page, it is based on universal spiritual principles, or Spiritual Partnership.

Now Hiring: The All-Inclusive Employee
n the business environment, a new skill set is emerging. These skills can ultimately determine how successful a candidate will be in the workplace. Even the most qualified candidate in the bunch may not get the job if these skills are not mastered. Compared with the traditional "hard" skills, or the technical requirements of a job, the interpersonal "soft" skills a potential employee can offer are quickly gaining the attention of employers.

Be a Savvy Senior: Tips for Staying Happy & Healthy This Winter
Ice and snow. Colds and coughs. The upcoming winter months can be a tough time for anyone, but for older adults this time of year is not only treacherous, but stressful. According to the American Psychological Association's 2006 Stress Survey, the number one stressor is a sick family member. And, stress can lower your resistance to infection and increase the intensity of illness. But don't stress yet! Now's the time to prepare to fight the effects of the upcoming winter season. Be a savvy senior and use the tips in this article.

Make Out-of-Town Wedding Guests Feel at Home
Weddings are a big occasion not only for the bride and groom, but for their friends and families as well. It is a great chance for people who don't see each other as often as they would like to reconnect. Of course, the ceremony is the main focus, and the reason that everyone is gathered. But for out-of-town guests, spending time together at their hotel is another opportunity to visit and catch up.

Honeymoon Packing Made Easy
Honeymoons are big business in the United States. With more than 2.4 million weddings occurring each year, those happy couples spend $8 billion a year on their honeymoon. With that kind of serious money going into a dream (hopefully!) honeymoon, it's no wonder that brides spend a considerable amount of time and effort planning what to pack. After all, not every honeymoon destination includes a place to pick up a pair of jeans, especially if a couple chooses an increasingly popular honeymoon destination like a safari, hiking trip, mountain climbing, or a boat trip down an exotic river.

New Ring in the New Year? Time to Countdown to "I Do"
Get engaged recently? According to Cond�© Nast Bridal Media's American Wedding Study, this is one of the most popular times of year for proposals. Twenty-five percent of brides get engaged between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. With all of the excitement comes the planning and countless decisions. To simplify the process, follow these helpful tips to ensure that preparing for the day of your dreams is a piece of (wedding) cake.

Relative Expectations: Caring for Older Family Members
The holiday season has passed. Family gatherings, guests from afar and the special times you shared together have taken their place among your most cherished memories. Post holiday however, you might continue to feel troubled by the realization that your parents, grandparents, or other aging loved ones seemed less able to function physically and/or mentally in their daily lives. While these things can be depressing, you and your family can proactively turn concern into action by taking the necessary time to assess how to help your loved one in the coming year.

What to Expect This Cold and Flu Season
Have you seen the headlines recently? Listened to the news reports? Overheard the other moms stressing out at the carpool lane? To hear the media (and other parents) tell it, you'd think that germs that cause colds and the flu are hanging out in every corner of your house (and the rest of your environment), ready to infect anyone and everyone. But despite the hype, there's no need to panic. Believe it or not, your house is probably a lot cleaner than you think — even with all the sneakers strewn in the hallway, the hundreds of toys littering the living room floor, and the piles of dirty clothes that never seem to make their way into the laundry basket. A few preventative measures and a dose of common sense is all it takes to keep your home and family healthier. It's easier than you think.

The Top Three Cold & Flu Myths: Separate Fact from Fiction
"Feed a cold, starve a fever." "Wet hair will make you catch a cold." Paging Dr. Mom: If you have children under the age of two, it's likely you've heard at least one of these theories. But are these myths — or actual medical advice worth following? One thing is certain, cold season is here and it's nothing to sneeze at. More than 90 percent of all Americans have at least one cold a year, and many have several. To keep your family healthy, let's sort out what's fact — and what's not — regarding the top three cold and flu myths.

Wrinkles – 2 Ounces of Prevention
DermaLastyl wasn't originally intended to be a skin cream. Its inventor, Dr. Burt Ensley, a noted Arizona microbiologist, stumbled upon the anti-aging breakthrough while doing research focused on tissue and organ regeneration. He synthesized the cream’s main ingredient, Elastatropin, the precursor to human elastin, to act as a bonding material for tissue regeneration. In earlier clinical trials, Dr. Ensley tested out the theory that the substance could also be used to reverse the signs of aging, and turns out he was right.

Why Is the Teacher Giving My Kid M&M's?
Most parents know that rewards produce short-term compliance. Any parent who has ever offered a child a trip to the movies if they clean their room knows that. And external rewards are incredibly easy to use. The problem is that many parents and some teachers do not know that external rewards do not produce lasting change. In fact, these extrinsic reward systems often have the reverse effect. They teach children that the reason to act responsibly, read, study, or behave altruistically is to get rewarded. An increasing number of parents realize this and have moved past just asking the question,

Jump Start Your New Year: Clear the Clutter
If you are no longer functioning effectively in your space and recognize that you need to do something about it, perhaps this will add to your resolve: clutter keeps us stuck in the past and prevents new opportunities from coming into our lives. In short, your accumulated mounds of "stuff" may be blocking the very things that you most desire: meeting your soul mate, getting promoted, attracting opportunities for travel, increased wealth and improved relationships. All of these possibilities are waiting for you; they may simply need the space to come in to your life. Having said that, here are a few tips to assist you in the de-cluttering process.

Can you please help me? I need to find a list of at least 10 activities for myself to do, as I'm a depressed person.

Is the pain in my neck and head a result of 'popping' my neck?

Teaching Kids to Make A Difference In The World
Look at the adult who feels that she is 50 or so years old and hasn't done anything in her life that really matters. Many children grow up thinking more about financial success, making money, and what they can buy — often at the expense of wanting to help others or without even knowing how others have to live. It is important to teach your children to care about others more than about themselves. When children are made aware of the importance of helping others, they become better rounded and more emotionally aware. They become more productive leaders.

The Key to Successful Relationships
Relationships can be the most difficult and joyful part of your life. You cannot avoid them unless you never get out of bed in the morning and sometimes not even then. You will find yourself interfacing with others almost immediately each day. One of the most important skills you need in any and all of these relationships is the ability to listen. Better listening skills will allow you to create a more harmonious relationship where respect and cooperation are more likely to occur.

Do You Know What Makes People Change?
In order to lose weight for good, you need to accomplish personal change. There are important principles involved in personal change. Being aware of how people change empowers you to lose weight and keep it off. How much do you really know about the way change works?

Easing the Transition from the Family Bed
The family bed, also called co-sleeping, is an extremely common practice in which babies and young children sleep with one or both of their parents. It's estimated that approximately 1/3 of American families frequently sleep together during all or part of the night. And throughout most of the world, co-sleeping is a way of life; it is the norm for 90 percent of the world's population. There has been a great deal of research suggesting that it is normal and healthy.

Flu Fighting Foods
Winter doesn't have to mean the misery of colds, flu and other viral infections if you feed your body what it needs to fight them off. A run-down body that is out of balance internally and externally provides an inviting environment for viruses to come in and stay for a while. While it is difficult to live in a society and not come into contact with the multitude of germs that are literally everywhere during the winter months, you can reduce your own susceptibility and strengthen your immune system by simply choosing the right foods to put on your plate.

For Aging Adults, Depression Does Not Need to Be Part of the Picture
Depression does not go hand in hand with aging. In fact, older adults who are able to stay engaged in day-to-day living and find simple joys to fill their days can go a long way toward avoiding the debilitating effects of depression.

Nutritional risk quiz: Do seniors have special nutritional needs?
We may be as young as we feel, but as our bodies reach "senior" status, good nutrition - important throughout our lifetime — becomes imperative. After age 50 — although 50 can hardly be considered "senior" — calorie needs (and appetites) gradually decrease, but nutrient needs remain the same or even increase.

Take Control of Your Allergies Naturally — Whatever the Season
It's common knowledge that allergy sufferers dread spring, which brings with it the pollens that make them miserable. But the coming of cooler weather doesn't necessarily mean that allergies will clear up. According to the American Lung Association, in many parts of the country, allergy-causing pollens bloom well into the fall, and in warm-weather parts of the country, pollens can start to bloom with the coming of the new year.

Are You Hitting Roadblocks Along the Way to Retirement?
More and more Americans are facing the reality that the financial demands of everyday living are getting in the way of their ability to save for tomorrow. They are not paying nearly enough attention to their long-term needs, especially the need to save and plan for retirement. Some people plan to simply work longer to better position themselves for the transition into retirement, but are not considering the possibility that they may not have the luxury of retiring on their own terms.

Riding the peaks and valleys of rheumatoid arthritis
For most people, the very term arthritis conjures up images of the elderly and the slow degeneration of joints that comes with age. But for the nearly 300,000 Canadians who suffer rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the term is anything but a natural part of growing old.

Time to retire the word retirement
With Canadians living and working longer than ever before, it's only fitting that the term retirement be reinvented. In fact, a recent BMO Retirement Trends Study has found that 87 per cent of Canadians 45 and over believe the word 'retirement' should be retired. Up until recently, the term retirement often conjured up images of elderly individuals slowly retreating into restful old age. Today, retirement is about choice, ambition and freedom.

Moving Mom and Dad
Helping your parents move from the home they have lived in for many years is difficult. Normally, this move is not made by choice, but due to the death of a spouse, an illness, accident or other negative event. It also often signifies the loss of independence if they are being moved in with a adult child or into a community setting. No, making this transition is not easy, but it can be manageable if you keep these things in mind.

Get Ready to Diet
If you have a problem with eating and weight, you might not want to push yourself into action right away. If you are not ready to diet, and you jump into it, you might be making a big mistake. That is what so many women do when they want to lose weight. They go right for the latest diet book and they start, never considering whether or not they are ready. Being ready to lose weight involves many things. There is definite preparation to be done, and without the right kind of preparation, it is unlikely that you will be able to maintain your weight-loss effort.

Video File — Depression Study
Whether it's a family member, friend, colleague, or even yourself, at one time or another, all of us will be affected by mental illness. It's now estimated that 20 per cent of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime. And, according to new research, it's never been more important to seek treatment.

Video File — Nutrition and Osteoporosis
Nearly half of our bone mass is formed during adolescence so it's particularly important at that age to consume enough calcium.

Video File — Arthritis and Exercise
Here's an important message for arthritis sufferers... regular exercise helps, not hurts. If you're living with arthritis, it's time to get off the couch and get moving. New research finds that people living with this painful chronic condition can benefit from regular exercise. Recent studies suggest that people with arthritis benefit from regular exercise. It doesn't cause further damage to joints and bones as some people believe. In actual fact, activity is good to reduce overall pain.

Video File — New Osteoporosis Treatment Now Available in Canada
An innovative new treatment for osteoporosis is now available in Canada, combining two essential elements of treatment, medication and vitamin D3, in a single weekly tablet.

Video File — Osteoporosis
Every year, thousands of Canadian women are diagnosed with osteoporosis, and the risk tends to be highest during the post-menopausal years. We review the risk factors for osteoporosis and preventative measures that you can take to keep your bones strong and healthy.

Video File — Hair Colour Trends
From Hollywood to your home… one of North America's top hair colourists to the stars is contributing her knowledge to help women achieve natural-looking hair colour at home. The Harris survey found that 53 per cent of women prefer to colour their hair at home. And new technology is ensuring more vibrant colour.

Holiday Recipe for Blended Families: Mix with Love and Care
For 7-year-old Caroline, Christmas isn't so much Santa up and down the chimney as it is Caroline up and down the driveway; heading for Dad's house to open presents followed by lunch back at Mom's followed by dinner at her stepmother's half brother's house. Has this become the "traditional" holiday experience for kids?

A Pearl Primer for Brides
Pearls are perfect any time, but they seem especially appropriate for weddings. Known by some as the

How to Have Celebrity Hair this Holiday Season
Celebrities aren't the only ones with a full schedule of parties this holiday season. You're already booked for two office parties (yours and his), a family get-together, at least one gathering of friends, a New Year's party or two, and your child's holiday pageant. You may be asking yourself the same question every celebutante considers before stepping out on the town: "What am I going to do with this hair?"

Winter-proof Your Skin with Pure Honey
As colder weather blows in, consider a new beauty regime that protects against the bite of chilly temperatures. To beat the winter beauty blues, use 100 percent pure honey for soft, smooth and glowing skin.

Renew your Skin for the New Year
Every new year, women everywhere make resolutions such as "lose weight," "pay off credit cards," and "eat healthy." A lot of times these promises fall by the wayside. Why not make a resolution that is easier to keep? Something as easy as starting a new skin care regimen can make a difference in your whole outlook this year.

Safety Is the Name of the Game When It Comes to Your Eyes
Contact lenses have been in the news a lot lately, especially with the recent outbreak of a rare and potentially blinding eye infection called fungal keratitis. Many of the more than 30 million Americans who wear contact lenses may be asking if this form of vision correction is still safe.

Wave Goodbye to Winter Blues
During the winter months, days are shorter, colder and can often leave you feeling stuck in a rut with the winter blues. Many people report experiencing symptoms similar to depression — negative mood, irritability, lack of energy, increased need for sleep and change in appetite. These indicators may be experienced as soon as the days begin to shorten in the fall and can last through the spring.

Custom Sunglasses Make Great Holiday Gifts
Looking for a holiday gift for that special someone on your list? Something unique, personalized and sure to impress? Consider sunglasses. But not just any sunglasses — Oakley Custom Eyewear sunglasses featuring High Definition Optics (HDO).

Now Hear This: Ability to Listen is Top Job Skill
What's the most-sought-after, useful and underdeveloped skill employers want in an employee? The answer may strike you as being surprisingly low-tech. It's the ability to listen well.

Parents Facing Enormous Loss Band Together to Fight Childhood Flu Deaths
The parents of the three young girls whose stories are told in this article were grief-stricken and searched for answers. One by one, they turned to a nonprofit volunteer organization called Families Fighting Flu, Inc., and quickly the parents realized they were not alone. The organization, established in 2004, is made up of families and healthcare practitioners who have experienced first-hand the death of a child to the flu or witnessed severe medical complications caused by the flu.

Wine and the Holidays: How to Achieve the Perfect Pairing
When it comes to choosing wine to serve at your holiday celebration keep this in mind: the spirits you serve should complement the spirit of the occasion. You probably wouldn't serve whiskey shots at the family holiday dinner, nor fruit punch at your adults-only New Year's bash. Learning a little about wine can help you make the right choice for your party.

New Year, New Career
A new year can mean different things to different people. We've all made New Year's resolutions to lose weight, exercise more and not yell at our children. But for many people, a new year means a new career and to make that transition, a return to school may be just the ticket.

Fighting Flu the Natural Way
The arrival of cold and flu season doesn't mean you have to choose between pharmaceutical drugs and the misery of colds or flu. With aromatherapy, you can use totally natural essential oils to relieve congestion, sore throats and other symptoms.

Take Preventive Measures to Ward Off Colds, Flu
It's hard to stay healthy during the winter months. Everyone from your kids to your co-workers seems to be sniffling, coughing and sneezing. Not only is being sick unpleasant, the cost adds up fast — there's missed time from work or school, doctor's visits and medication. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so take steps now to ward off winter illness.

To Salt or Not To Salt
Table salt, the kind that is ubiquitous in shakers on restaurant tables and in pantries across this country, has been so processed and refined that it is devoid of nutritional benefits. Further, it can contain additives such as aluminum, which has been linked to Alzheimer's disease, and other desiccants to keep it smooth-flowing and clump-free. Common table salt can contribute to heart disease, overload internal organs and exacerbate hypertension. Sea salt, on the other hand, can contain some 80 or so minerals and trace elements that contribute to overall health as well as fulfilling the body's need for beneficial sodium. Simply substituting sea salt for your regular table salt can result in a multitude of health benefits. This article includes a great recipe to try out with sea salt.

How to Avoid Slipping Through the Cracks of Depression After Divorce
You can feel like you are fully recovered and then suddenly find yourself crying periodically or being irritable, withdrawn or hyperactive as a holiday approaches. You may not know why or what to do. It is important to know that this is normal. Understanding your feelings and anticipating them can help you to avoid becoming depressed. If you embrace the feeling instead of depressing the feeling, it will change. Here are some helpful things to consider as you continue up the hill.

Making it Easy for Your Toddler to Dress Himself
Teaching your toddler to dress himself can be a real challenge. Inwardly you cringe at his mismatched socks and inside-out sweatshirt, while loudly praising him for dressing himself like a big boy. Ease your child's transition by following these great tips.

How You Can Help Your Child Form Their Own Identity
Children develop their identity by learning to know what they like about their environment, their way of dressing, their way of relating to others and the world. In order for children to develop an identity of their own, parents — the children's earliest programmers — must foster this development of identity by being aware of their child's actions and behaviors and what those say about him/her. This article offers useful suggestions to help parents foster this healthy identity in their children.

Ten Tips for a Peaceful Holiday Season: Helping Kids Relax
Kids get pretty anxious over the holidays. It's a time of excitement and wonder, and they often have a hard time relaxing, staying calm and sleeping well. Here are some tips to help your kids stay relaxed and on a healthy sleep schedule.

Trust Your Gut!
The whole concept of "women's intuition" may seem somewhat medieval and goofy to some of us, but there's a good reason that this concept has stuck around for so long without being discarded like so many frivolous ideas of the past. Women often don't listen to themselves and to their internal wisdom. Red flags, by the way, are a sure sign that our intuition is in fine form and is trying to tell us something; if only we would listen to it!

I'm Fabulous, Right?
If only it were as easy to have self-esteem as it is to define it! While it's great to be reminded in our low times, we also need to work on remembering how fabulous we really are all on our own and not become dependent on hearing it from other people so much of the time. Why is this so hard for so many of us? This article provides some some tips on how to boost your self-esteem when you're having a "low self-esteem attack".

Surviving Your Family This Holiday Season
Why do we individually and collectively delude ourselves into believing that there is such a thing as the "perfect holiday" anyway? Why do we hold up such great hopes for the season, and then often end up landing flat on our faces in the mud full of sadness, anger, and great disappointment? It makes sense to do all that we can in terms of healthy self-care when planning to spend time with family; especially during important holidays when everyone's expectations are high and nerves are frayed. Here are a few suggestions and ideas for taking care of yourself over the holidays.

How does one begin to heal from a painful love affair?
Oh, if only there were a simple answer to heartbreak. When a healthy intimate relationship ends, the pain can feel unbearable at times. The only way out is through: allow yourself to go through the grieving process until you're done. There's no strict formula here for what that should look like or how long it should take, but in general, there are definite stages of grief.

Sex and Back Pain
If you or your partner is among the 35 million people who have back pain, you know that back pain can disrupt your sexual relationship. Sex is an important part of the intimacy between couples, and attitudes about sex, rejection, and our self-image when we just don't feel up to a sexual encounter can haunt us for a long time. Sex is supposed to be pleasurable for both of you and the fear of hurting yourself or your partner inhibits the spontaneous joy that you probably felt before your back pain developed. But what can you do about it?

Angry? Who, Me???
Strategies to Cope with Anger After Divorce
Unresolved and misdirected anger can keeps the heart closed, the body tense, and the mind chaotic. Anger that is not felt, expressed, and managed gets suppressed and affects our health and our relationships. Try these steps to help you connect with and manage your anger in a healthy way.

The Fail-Safe Holiday Diet Plan
Since there is not enough self-control energy to cover everything you need it for over the holidays, why not ease up on your eating restrictions during this limited period of time? Here's how to do it and still not go overboard. Give yourself this holiday-friendly set of guidelines. You'll find it works wonders.

Unique Wedding Ideas: Everything Old is New Again - 5 Fun Tips for a Retro Wedding
Magazines and websites are bursting with the latest trends in wedding ideas and themes — and just trying to sift through them can be as overwhelming as actually planning an entire wedding! So take a deep breath, relax and consider this: some of the most unique wedding ideas can be found by looking back to fashions and trends of days gone by.

We're All Winners!
Women are so wise and brilliant: why do we so often lose our way and forget why we were put here on earth in the first place? Maybe there isn't a satisfactory answer, but perhaps we can stop doing this and reclaim and own our place in the world? This article briefly explores the topic of women and why we should acknowledge and celebrate our achievements. It includes a couple of useful exercises to help women do this.

Getting Along Over the Holidays
The holidays are coming. That means gifts, parties, smiling faces, and mounting tensions. Let's be honest. Holidays are fun, but they can also be stressful. Here are a few tips to help keep those tensions from spilling over into your relationship.

Gratitude is More Than an Attitude: Teaching our Children the Joy of Being Grateful
Gratitude is more than an attitude. Recent studies show that grateful people are happier, more resilient, and less depressed. They also have higher self-esteem and better relationships. These results prove that gratitude is more than polite manners and positive thinking. It is a way of life, and a wonderful legacy to leave our children.

No More Toys — Send Money for College
If the parents had the choice between another toy, or an extra contribution going into their children's college funds, the money going into the college fund is the clear winner. This is according to a recent nationwide survey that measured the opinions of parents and grandparents on various issues such as sharing household tasks, college savings habits, and aspirations for their children and grandchildren.

Take Five Steps to More Energy
Energy is the key to life. When you have energy you are able to do more, see more, and be more. Unfortunately, we have lost touch with what our bodies need to perform well. This often leaves us chronically exhausted and sluggish. The good news is that there are positive steps we can take to remedy this situation.

I have a hump on my back and a lot of neck and back pain.
Do you believe this is a Dowager's Hump?
What treatment/surgery options are available?

Toddlers and sleep
Does uttering the phrase "bedtime" send your toddler into squeals of hysterical protest? Do you sink onto your sheets in grateful exhaustion each night, only to hear the plaintive call of "Mommy" as your child creeps through your bedroom door? Then you are in desperate need of these terrific tips, designed to end every mom's epic struggle for a good night's rest.

Tension-Free Toilet Training
Toilet training can be a difficult and frustrating time for both you and your child. It is important to know when and how to approach this important step. Pay attention to your child to gauge his readiness, take steps to allay his fears, and reward him when he reaches various stages of success! Most importantly, remember to be patient — potty training takes time and kids have really different ages of readiness. And reassure yourself with the reminder that no one has gone to college in diapers yet!

But Thanksgiving Doesn't Fall on Tuesday??? How to Deal with Children and the Holidays After Your Divorce
So you think you're moving along and adapting to your new split-family living situation. You take your children to their Mom on Tuesday and you'll see them again on Saturday. It is a bumpy cycle and there's much to be learned, but you're getting the hang of it. Then what do you spy on your calendar as you turn the page? Thanksgiving doesn't fall on Tuesday? It doesn't fall on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday either. You realize you are going to have to go dig out those divorce papers and see what year it is and if it's odd or even and if you get to see your children or if you'll be attending that function without kids in tow. So what can you do to make split-family living better during the holidays?

Have you taken your multivitamin today?
Have you taken your multivitamin today? It's a question we should all be asking ourselves, says Valerie Bell, president of the Canadian Health Food Association, especially since November is National Health Food Month.

How to instill generosity in your child
With so many presents, the holiday's can turn the focus for some children into "getting" instead of "giving". Christian Children's Fund of Canada, an organization that helps children in need around the world, has some helpful hints to use during the gift-giving season as a way to instill generosity in your child.

Tuesdays with Teenagers: How Teenagers and their Divorced Parents can Speak Up about the Difficulties of Living in a Split-Family
If going back and forth between two families is becoming difficult, it can be difficult to get the communication flowing. Sometimes having a simple tool like having a song or book relating to the subject will jump-start the process. It may seem silly, but something as basic as sharing a story like "We're Having A Tuesday", a picture book aimed at younger children, may bring the memories of how it used to feel forward and then open the subject to a conversation about how things are feeling today.

Is Your Child's Homework Worth Doing?
The drive to assign more and more homework to children at younger ages is in full force in some schools. The homework binge threatens to cut into prime family time, extra-curricular activities, and rest and relaxation. It also increases conflict over scheduling and completing the ever-increasing number of assignments. But is that homework worth the time and effort you and your children put into it? Is it worth the hassle of deciding when, where, and how to do the homework? Is your child's homework worth giving up prime family time that you could be using to read to each other, play checkers, have a discussion, go for a walk together, or participate in creative or recreational activities? Here are some criteria to help you determine if your child's homework is worth the effort. Keep his or her latest homework assignments in mind as you review them.

Getting Your Baby to Actually Sleep
While there is no one strategy that works for everyone, there are many tried and true techniques and tricks that can help your infant (and you!) fall asleep. Goodness knows there have been dozens of books dedicated just to this subject (which as a new Mom I was frankly too exhausted to read more than a few pages of), so I go for the Cliff notes approach. Now if I had only had these handy in the middle of that night!

Keeping Your Baby Entertained During Diaper Changes
Dealing with a squirming baby during diaper changes is no easy task. If you're tired of watching your baby wiggle and wail as you grope for the baby powder, use these strategies to keep him entertained. These are some creative ways to use toys (or yourself!) to keep your baby's interest and distract him from the change. All will be going smoothly in no time!

Bottlefeeding
Although often it seems like there is a lot of pressure to breastfeed your baby, this option simply does not work for everyone. There are many advantages to bottlefeeding your child as well, especially if you work or have other young children to look after. Mothers who bottlefeed will also likely get more sleep! Follow these simple steps to help you master the art of bottlefeeding your newborn.

Baby Bath
The transition from a sponge bath to a baby bath can be a big step for you and your child. Some babies take to the water with splashes and squeals of joy, while others begin to wail the second you begin to ease them into the bath. However, there are certain approaches that ensure a safe comfortable bath time for your baby.

The Courage to Rebuild After a Break-up or Divorce
To bring structure back to your life, there are two distinct types of work to be done: inner work and outer work. The inner work is about understanding and expressing your feelings. Outer work is creating your new life as a single person and single parent. Honesty, courage, faith and self-love will grow and never fail to bring you through the changes in your life. Our deepest sorrows and more difficult challenges can unfold into our greatest accomplishments.

The Keys to Good Self-Esteem: Free Time and a Passion
If children believe in themselves and feel good about themselves, they can do most anything. One way to sponsor self-esteem is to help children to occupy their free time in ways that are productive and to encourage them not only to play with their friends, but to do something that creates a passion and a meaning in life. Here are eight things to keep in mind to help motivate your kids to reach out and discover their passion.

Helping Kids Overcome Their Fears and Phobias
By nature, some children seem to have more fears than others. When the word "fear" is used correctly, it refers to the feeling experienced in response to a tangible danger, such as a speeding car or an angry dog. "Phobias" are excessive or exaggerated fears of specific objects or situations. If your child's fear is having a negative impact on his life, there are steps you can take to help your child overcome it early on.

A friend is engaged to be married in December to a man she met on the Internet just a few months ago.
Things she has told me have sent up the red flags.
What are some signs to look for in her that she is in denial and may be setting herself up in another abusive relationship?

I have been researching my infertility.
I found that a BMI of lower than 20 can cause some problems with fertility.
My question is how can I safely increase my BMI?

Throwing the Perfect Holiday Bash
As the holiday season approaches, it's time to hang the lights, dust off the china, pull out your favorite recipes and get set to throw the perfect bash.

Holiday Banquet Basics
Gone are the days of scanning the barnyard for the fattest fowl on the farm. Nowadays, turkeys come frozen, thawed, pre-cooked, organic, smoked, fried, glazed, sliced and diced. Despite the luxuries today, the pressure's still on to plan ahead for a memorable, home-cooked holiday feast. Getting started, you'll want to make sure to have these essentials on hand.

Infuse Your Cocktail Party with Flavor and Flair
From New York to L.A., infused vodkas and the creative cocktails made with them are all the rage at trendy bars. And while infused vodkas add a stylish twist to any cocktail, they are surprisingly easy to make. The fresh, vibrant flavors of infused vodka are perfect for holiday entertaining. Why not impress guests at your next cocktail party with custom infusions you make yourself?

Don't let winter bring back dry, itchy, bothersome skin
It's that time of year again — the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder and Canadian women are digging out their winter wardrobes. For many of us, the change in seasons can also mean the return of bothersome dry skin. While we may not appreciate the humidity of the summer months, we like the effect of additional moisture on our skin, and miss it in the winter months.

Maintaining a healthy and loving relationship
Couples need romantic time and fun together. They need a sense of security and commitment, and they need meaningful communication. This will keep the spirit in the relationship and allow each to open to the other to the point where intimacy can occur. Here are some ways to achieve these essential elements so you can maintain a healthy and loving relationship. Integrate them into your daily life as best you can, but start today.

I have a good friend in an emotionally abusive relationship which has definite potential to be physical.
we've tried to get through to her, but have been unsuccessful.
What can/should we do?

I have ended a 2-year rocky relationship with a man I met on the Internet.
He is constantly harassing me. I fear for my safety.
How can I stop this man from contacting me?

Halloween Haywire
A car blaring bass-driven music slowed in front of us. A teenager in a Scream mask yelled out, "Happy Halloween!" then chucked an egg that smacked my pant leg. My children thought it was hysterical.

"Look, guys, this house has a hundred cool pumpkins!" I said like a cheerleader. "This one is mean, this one is silly, and this one looks like Mommy without her makeup."

I realized my youngest had slipped away. I ran up and down the block before spotting him hiding behind a bush, about to eat an unwrapped popcorn ball.

"Don’t — eat — that!" I shouted as I swatted away the sticky clump like it was some kind of grenade.

Today’s Family Man: Helping a Perfectionist Student
We're seeing younger and younger children begin anxieties over grades, body image, and old-fashioned popularity, so it's wise to start working on this issue now. Getting all or most of the answers right gives a child a sense that she's got a hold over some part of her life, when other things may be less manageable. Author Gregory Keer offers parents some suggestions geared to helping a perfectionist student.

Diversity and Bully-busting: 4 Tips To Stop Bullying and Bias Before It Happens
Kids are less likely to be bullied or tolerate bullying of any sort if they are exposed to diverse people as early as possible. How can you become a bully buster? Just follow these simple steps and empower one child, one family, one school, and one community at a time. These four simple steps to stop bias and bullying in its tracks will provide everyone with a huge payoff: safer, more secure children who can thrive in an incredibly complex and diverse world. And who knows where that might lead? Next stop: world peace!

Handling Homework
One of the purposes of homework is to begin to teach responsibility and for it to serve its purpose, a child must receive appropriate homework assignments. While it's difficult for parents to see their child frustrated by inappropriate homework, doing too much of your child's work is likely to lead to an overly dependent child who may be convinced that he cannot accomplish anything on his own. This article suggests ways parents can help children organize assignments, budget time, and chip away at larger projects. It also provides tips for working with your child's teacher.

A Well-Stocked Freezer and Pantry Can Mean Better Nutrition for Seniors
For many older adults, getting to the grocery store is not as easy as it used to be. Nutrition experts say that eating right and maintaining good nutrition is key to healthy aging, and seniors need to develop other strategies for eating right. Toby Amidor, M.S., R.D., a registered dietician and instructor at The Art Institute of New York City, suggests that a well-stocked freezer and pantry can go a long way toward helping seniors eat better when they can't get to a food market.

The Last-Minute Cook
Here's a solution for our time-crunched lives: quick, healthy and easy infused one-pot meals. With a few strategic purchases stocked in your freezer and pantry, you can bring out your inner intuitive chef and eliminate the drudgery of meal-planning. Almost the opposite of crock-pot cooking, which requires that you think about dinner in the morning or it won't be ready, infused one-pot meals can cater to your last-minute mentality, allowing you to get a nutritious dinner on the table in about an hour with only a few minutes of actual hands-on preparation and less than 50 minutes of unattended baking.

Annual World Beyond Dieting Week Launched
A campaigning weight-control charity has launched a World Beyond Dieting Week to focus attention on what it says are the often-ignored real reasons for eating, overweight and self-image crises. Its researchers are asking all long-term dieters and everyone who is overly weight-obsessed to use the time to concentrate on their personal issues and to help the charity in its ongoing work to develop solutions for lasting and natural weight control. World Beyond Dieting Week runs from October 9-15 and is intended to become a major annual knowledge gathering and sharing event for the international struggle against rising obesity and failed dieting solutions.

Creating Healthy Boundaries in Stepfamilies
To have a healthy and happy stepfamily, you must know the importance of boundaries. Stepfamilies are difficult and many fail, often because the children don't get along at all. The children may not like a stepparent, or the parents' own individual ability to deal with these problems is impaired, one-sided, or simply exhausted. All of these factors contribute to the toppling over of the stepfamily. Here are some examples of how to ease this situation before it gets out of control.

Beyond Fine - Opening the Door to Conversation with Your Teen
Only three in ten adolescents communicate well with their parents, according to studies from Search Institute, an independent non-profit organization that provides leadership, knowledge and resources to promote healthy children and communities. Communication is an age-old dilemma between teens and parents but one that can be greatly improved with many rewards for the whole family. Search Institute has identified eight categories of positive experiences that anyone has the power to bring into the lives of children. They're called Developmental Assets -- concrete, common sense, experiences and qualities essential to raising successful young people.

The career that helps doctors get results: histotechnology
Alongside doctors, surgeons, pathologists, and lab technicians, another team of dedicated hospital personnel makes a big difference in saving people's lives. Histotechnology professionals play an important part in the diagnosis of illnesses and treatment of patients, and with more medical facilities available around the world, the need for well-trained histologists continues to grow.

What Do Employers Want? Smooth Talkers, Good Readers
Talk is cheap, unless you are competing against hundreds of other candidates for your dream job. In that case, the ability to communicate effectively can land you a secure, opportunity-filled future with a good company. Faced with a sizable pool of trained workers, many employers rely on basics — like communication, problem-solving and interpersonal skills — to help them choose the right person for a job.

Criminal Justice degree puts your career on the fast track
Television programs like "CSI" and "Without a Trace", with their state-of-the-art technology and intriguing cases have many people thinking about working in the criminal justice field. While forensic science and computer technology are certainly part of this exciting field, a degree in criminal justice opens up many career opportunities.

The Next Career for the Gaming Age: Simulation
Since teenagers first picked up joysticks and batted small blips of light back and forth on TV screens, parents have been shaking their heads and saying, "You'll never make a living playing video games!" The booming computer graphics industry has proven them wrong, and simulation, an outgrowth of that industry, is poised to become the next hot career inspired by those old video games.

The Key to Career Advancement
Whether you're considering a job change, or just want to get ahead at the company you work for today, what is the key to career advancement? Ask any job counselor and they'll tell you, in today's fast paced world, you need to get up to speed on the latest technology. Employers are especially impressed with people who have degrees or experience in Web development, computer networking, systems security and advanced software applications, no matter what field they work in.

Fall into beautiful skin this season
As the dog days of summer fade into the shorter, cooler autumn nights, the change in temperature may also bring changes to your skin. So what better time to update your skin care regime to reflect the change in season?

Pregnant and nursing moms need to replace nutrients
Pregnant and nursing mothers are highly conscious of the importance of milk in their diet to nourish their unborn or nursing infants and replace nutrients that are being drawn from their own bodies during pregnancy and lactation. Ensuring that their fluid — and, even more important, their milk — intake is adequate is an ongoing challenge for busy moms. Thanks to a new innovation in milk processing, getting enough milk just became a lot more convenient.

The Baby's Coming! How to Make Sure Your Older Kids are Sleeping Through the Night
If you are expecting a baby and already have one or more children, it's wise to solve their sleep problems before the new baby arrives. Remember, a newborn typically awakens every three to four hours and adapting to a new baby's schedule is very tiring for everyone in the house. If you also have a toddler or a child who is having a difficult time falling asleep, or who regularly gets out of bed during the night, the stress of this is likely to hinder your ability to get much-needed rest. By solving your child's sleep problems in the months before the new baby arrives, the entire family will be in a better position to enjoy the newest member of the family with the least amount of sleep interruptions as possible.

Wedding Day Tips: 5 Easy and Practical Wedding Day Tips For The Bride
Every bride has lots of things to think about when she's planning her wedding, but so many brides tend to forget about taking care of themselves on the day of their wedding. And it's important that those small but mighty details not escape even the most well-prepared bride! Here are 5 simple, but practical tips to help pave the way to truly enjoying your wedding day.

Nine Ways to Help Children to Cope With Loss and Grief
The biggest problem children have in coping with their grief is the inattention and lack of awareness adults have in the need to talk about it, express all kinds of feelings around it, and to help children to find a way to compensate for the loss. If you are a parent dealing with a child who has lost someone dear — as you have — get help for yourself and help your child. Here are nine things you can do.

Secrets to Selecting Produce
We all know buying fresh is best, but when it comes to shopping for fresh produce, it is not always easiest. In fact, it is a little tricky and can be time consuming. Here are a few of our secrets to shopping smart for the fresh stuff in the produce aisle.

8 Tips to Lose Weight Easily: Just Cut Out Soda & Sugary Drinks
Soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks are on my mind lately. Not because I drink them myself, but because just cutting out the non-nutritive, sugar-filled, potentially harmful beverages is a highly effective way — if not the easiest way —to lose weight and improve your health. If you're a soda drinker, I urge you to tackle your habit right now, whether it's to lose weight or improve your health. Here are 8 tips to curtail your soda guzzling when you hanker for this empty-calorie beverage.

"No Meal Stealing!" Demand Dieting Experts
At The Weight Foundation, we have launched an awareness campaign concerning a disturbing escalation of the Food Industry's hard sell, which we call Meal Stealing. Extra pressure is piling up on the millions of people already suffering confusion and panic regarding what they should do next about their growing dieting and weight worries. And the attack on promoting unhealthy habits coincides with the release of our new 3 Small Steps self-help system, designed to be a collaborative solution towards assisting problem dieters worldwide to regain self-control against all of the influences supporting obsessive dieting.

On a Diet, It's the Little Decisions that Count
The big goal is to lose weight, so you go on a diet. What will get you to achieve that big goal is not just the decision to diet. It is a set of smaller decisions that will add up and translate into success. Taken separately, they may seem inconsequential. But put them together, and they will result in high performance dieting. Here is a list of decision you can make that will greatly strengthen your diet.

Baby Shower Gift Ideas That Won't Put A Strain On Your Busy Schedule Or Your Budget
Is there anything more exciting than the arrival of a new baby? The instant the parents-to-be find out that they're expecting, every moment in life takes on an added layer of meaning. Whether it's thinking of names, planning a nursery or breaking the news to an older brother or sister, it seems that everything is suddenly a special event.

Send Kids Back to School with a Healthy Diet
It's time for kids to gear up for school. So what does that mean for your child's diet? Hopefully not a strict diet of fast food five days a week as you run to football practices and dance lessons. The start of the school year can indeed be a busy time for families, but it is possible to make healthy meals even with time constraints. It just takes a little know-how.

How to Move Up the Corporate Ladder
Are you a hard worker who always goes above and beyond what's expected of you, but never seems to get promoted? You may suspect the problem is that someone in the company doesn't like you, but it probably has more to do with procedures. In a lot of companies, it doesn't matter how hard you work, or how likeable you are. If you don't have the certification or education a job calls for, you don't stand a chance against competitors with the necessary qualifications.

Worn Out by the Wall of Wines? Join the Club!
If you've ever bought a bottle of wine, you have likely faced one of the greatest social challenges known to modern humans — the "Wall of Wine". Maybe you go it alone, picking a variety you recognize from a vintner you've heard of. Or throw caution to the wind and choose the bottle with the brightest label. Or seek advice from the store clerk. Wine clubs have evolved in response to the Wall of Wine.

The New Wedding Etiquette
Wedding traditions can and do change. And, sometimes, traditions should change. So says Peggy Post, the great-grand-daughter-in-law of Emily Post, today's leading authority on etiquette and the author of a dozen books. As 1-800-FLOWERS.COM's etiquette expert, Post provides enlightened solutions to wedding questions. Here are a few established wedding traditions that have taken on a fresh twist in recent years.

Dangers of Making too Big a Meal of Eating Disorders
While eating disorders are undoubtedly unpleasant and quite often life threatening, pushing too many problem eaters and hardcore dieters towards definitive eating disorder status may be causing harm. Is there a problematic eating disorders bandwagon on the roll?

Cookin' Couscous
Many people think of couscous as Middle Eastern or Mediterranean in origin, but it is really from Western Africa where details of cooking and making couscous date back to the 10th century. Today, couscous remains a staple in Moroccan, Tunisian, and Algerian cuisine.

Digesting The Often Unpalatable History Of Dieting
Modern dieting fashions often follow ideas that have been tried before. Dieters need to place what they are doing within a detailed history of diets and to understand that any diet cannot be the whole story of weight-control because only fundamental behavior change can ensure long-term weight-loss success.

Converting a Picky Eater
Parents tend to feed their babies and toddlers "kid food". We all know what this is. It's pizza, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, chips, etc. and we know this stuff is not healthy. So if it is just as easy to open a bag of baby carrots as it is a bag of chips why do are many parents reaching for chips over carrots? Many parents say it is because they have a "picky eater" and these are the only foods the child will eat. All toddlers are picky eaters. This can be a difficult time. Here is our advice.

Connecting with Yourself and Achieving Success
The better you know yourself, the more successful you can be in your relationship. Stop and consider that your body, mind, and heart carry your personal histories, which you bring with you into all of your relationships. These include the state of your self-esteem. What you don't know about yourself controls you and keeps you stuck in negative beliefs and feelings that are unresolved from childhood. These early self-esteem wounds unconsciously play out in your significant relationship/marriage and show themselves as unrealistic expectations. Here are 5 healing tips.

The Power of a Child's Imagination
Most people have used creative visualization their entire lives, long before they knew there was a name for it. Children have vivid imaginations and creative visualization usually comes quite naturally to them. However, because we have so many ready-made images from such sources as TV, computers, video games, etc., it is more important than ever to encourage and provide opportunities for our children to use their imaginations.

In Sickness and In Health: How What You Eat Can Affect Disease
Chronic disease sufferers typically receive detailed instructions regarding dosages of medication, but the conventional medical community is just starting to recognize the effects of diet on disease. For almost any type of ailment, choosing to practice a healthy diet can be an effective tool in any disease management strategy.

Six Ways to Protect Your Latchkey Kids
As a parent, you don't choose to have your kids at home alone, but sometimes the pressures of two parents' working, school schedules, and baby sitting problems conspire to leave your kids home alone. But there are some very easy things you can do today to reduce the risk for your kids. Here are 6 ways to protect your latchkey kids.

Button Down Healthy Sleep Habits for Special Needs Kids
More children than ever before are being diagnosed with special needs

Keeping Eye Health in Sight for the Summer
Summer is here and millions of Americans are gearing up for vacations, road trips or just fun in the sun. However, many vacationers and recreational enthusiasts have a tendency to take for granted the important role that good vision plays in enjoying these activities to the fullest. That is one of the reasons why it's important to take preventative measures against common summer-related eye problems.

Despite Its Weight Loss Benefits, Fiber Falls Short on Americans' Dietary To-Do Lists
With swimsuit season underway, weight control is top of mind for many Americans. While most dieters keep tabs on calories, fat and even carbohydrates, one thing that's often missing from weight management plans is fiber. According to the new "FiberChoice Fiber Facts" survey, almost two out of three adults say they would take steps to increase their fiber intake if they thought it would help them control their weight.

Do You Know How to Cheat and Still Reach Your Weight-Loss Goal?
Cheating on a diet is one of the most crucial aspects when it comes to success or failure. If you can handle those inevitable lapses, you will be overcoming an important obstacle. It is in this area of mistakes―cheats―where dieters� attempts can live or die. Do you have what it takes to turn a cheat into a tool for success? Take this quiz and find out.

New Survey Shows More Can Be Done to Help Manage Arthritis Pain
Despite tremendous advancements in treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a nationwide survey by the Arthritis Foundation shows that nearly 70 percent of people currently receiving RA treatment still experience pain, stiffness and fatigue on a daily basis. Results also reveal that more than one-third rank their quality of life with RA at only a five out of ten. To identify unmet needs of the RA community regarding treatment options and quality of life, the Arthritis Foundation, in collaboration with Harris Interactive, surveyed 500 adults with RA. This survey brings to light the need for aggressive research in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a disease affecting more than 2.1 million Americans.

The Smart Way to Watch Your Weight
Along with swimsuit season comes its eternal dance partner, dieting. New books line the shelves and it seems everyone has a plan for weight loss. Eating certain foods, avoiding certain foods, pills and even surgery are touted as the sure-fire way to shed unwanted pounds. But are any of these methods really right for you?

Cooking Organic is Easy, Healthy and Tasty
Not too long ago, if you were committed to cooking and serving organic foods, you had to go out of your way to find the ingredients you wanted — tracking down hard-to-find foods meant special trips beyond your neighborhood grocery store. But as more consumers seek out organic products for their superior quality and taste, chances are a one-stop shopping trip to your local supermarket will provide you with everything you need for your organic kitchen.

Pesticides for Dinner? Organic Foods Offer a Healthier, Tastier Alternative
Do you know what's in your food? Most of us check food labels for fat and cholestero, high sodium content and artificial colors and flavors, but what about other harmful substances? More and more, savvy, health-conscious consumers are seeking out organic alternatives.

What do Star Wars and Better Dentistry Have in Common?
Not so long ago, the first thing people would think of when you asked them what lasers are used for were the weapons in the Star Wars movies. Today, lasers are making a name for themselves not as weapons but as healing tools capable of modern day medical miracles, and in some cases, completely changing the patients' dental experience.

There's More to Type 2 Diabetes Than Blood Glucose
It's no secret that maintaining blood glucose (sugar) levels is central to diabetes management. In fact, reaching the recommended blood glucose goals could limit serious diabetes complications such as blindness, nerve damage and amputation. Another condition that many people with type 2 diabetes face is diabetic dyslipidemia, a condition which can damage blood vessels. Learn more about this condition.

Fortify Sensitive Kids
As parents, we naturally modify our parenting to suit our child's temperament. However, when children go to school, they will interact with all sorts of children and teachers who will be unlikely to modify their behavior to suit our child's disposition. This can cause a sensitive child to become frustrated and anxious. There are times when it's appropriate to step in and help our children and there are times when they must learn to stand on their own two feet.

The Whole Story on Whole Foods: Why they're important for a healthy body
Whole food is food that has only one ingredient: itself in its natural form. In other words, a food that hasn't been processed into another state. Our bodies — our systems for digestion, absorption, and metabolism — evolved to utilize nutrients in the amounts and combinations provided by the food that grows naturally on this planet. Foods are made up of hundreds of different, health-giving substances that work together synchronistically to deliver health. The only way to take advantage of this packaging is by eating the whole food itself rather than a product that is a derivative of it.

Diet with Your Girlfriends: A Key to Successful Weight Loss
Do you talk with other women about food and weight? Do you really talk, or do you only speak about it superficially � What diet you are currently on, what you ate today, how you cheated, how much you've lost or not lost? Do you ever really talk about what you go through in relation to your eating and your weight? Do you think you could share your secrets as you diet with another woman? If you haven't done this, it could be a great support system for you. Here's how to partner up when you diet.

Avoiding Food Battles
It's common for food to become a source of conflict in most families. Many parents employ a bargaining or bribing approach to get their kids to eat healthy foods. This is not the best strategy as it encourages your child to resist — a trait that most kids excel at from a very young age. An alternate strategy that will net better results is to give kids some control in deciding what foods to eat. Your child can decide if she is hungry, what she will eat from the foods that you are serving, and when she is full. Here are some tips that may help you out.

Healthy Habits: Fun Food Activities
One way to get your kids feeling better about eating fruits and vegetables is to wrap some fun around them. Here are some activities that will bring you and your family closer to fruits and vegetables.

Healing the Family Heart: The definition of discipline is teaching
When does the child learn that not everyone is going to love them through a fit of rage if they aren't taught consequences of actions? We need to go beyond this behavior and beyond consequences to first see that negative behavior is a form of communication. If we see the kicking and screaming child as one who is having difficulty regulating, we can learn to stay present with the child in order to help build his regulatory system.

Healing the Family Heart: Children and the family bed
Unfortunately, in Canada (and most Western countries), society has moved away from shared sleeping arrangements toward the rather rigid supposition that children must learn to sleep by themselves as soon as possible. In fact, bonding through physical proximity, touching, holding each other and sleeping together is a basic human need, particularly for children.

Families for Depression Awareness Uncovers the "Family Ties" of Bipolar Disorder through Unique, Online Tool
Bipolar disorder can be difficult to diagnose properly because its symptoms often masquerade as depression, trouble at work, out-of-control spending, substance abuse or even suicide attempts. But a new program that addresses the family connection of bipolar disorder is now available to help families improve the speed and accuracy with which bipolar disorder is diagnosed.

The Keys to Survival:
Seven Laws of Critical Focus
What's the difference between those who survive and prosper in the midst of adversity and those who are crushed by it? It's what people focus on, what they believe and what they expect — in the heat of the moment. There are seven natural laws that determine what you focus on, what you believe, and what you expect in any given situation. They are called The Seven Laws of Critical Focus.

10 Questions to Ask Before You Start Day One of Your Diet
Willpower is fueled by commitment, belief in yourself, awareness of your problem, good information, common sense, and hope. These are among the things you need in order to keep up your "willpower" and reach your goal. Before you take one bite of your first diet meal on Monday morning, ask yourself the following essential questions. The answers you give will inform you and give you the strength you need to stick to your decision to diet.

Battling an Eating Disorder: When Bulimia Becomes a True American Idol Sized Problem
In a People Magazine article, American Idol contestant, Katherine McPhee disclosed that she has secretly suffered from builimia for the past five years. It was her success in television's American Idol competition that inspired her to come forward and get help to recover from her life-threatening eating disorder. In her forthright and courageous stand, this American Idol contestant has become a true American idol.

How to Find an Open-Minded Doctor Who "Gets" Your Sugar Habit
Annoyed because your allegedly smart, qualified MD thinks your so-called

Home Alone this Summer
Here comes summer and if you're the parent of a pre-teen, you can bet this question is coming, too: ""Why can't I stay home by myself this summer?" How do you know when they're ready to be on their own at home while you're at work?

Tips for Traveling with Kids this Summer
As any parent knows, traveling with kids can be wonderful, sharing their excitement as they explore new places or reconnect with distant relatives. But traveling does take its toll. Here are some easy ways to make the trip more fun for everyone.

Fresh Ideas for Summer Picnics
Warm, sunny weather beckons us outdoors for picnics. For some people, though, preparing a picnic can be daunting. Not anymore. Sandra Lee, the internationally acclaimed lifestyle expert, bestselling author and host of Semi-Homemade, offers tips for an easy, fun and satisfying picnic experience without all the work. Here are her easy tips.

Is Your Child Abusing Drugs?
your kids more distant than they used to be? Do they seem tired all the time and moody, yet when asked if something is wrong, insist they're okay and storm off? If so, they may be dealing with more than just growing pains. They could be abusing drugs.

Suffer from Chronic Depression? New Treatment Offers Hope
Do you feel sad all the time? Have trouble concentrating and making decisions? Or experience feelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness that won't go away? If so, you may be one of the 19 million Americans who suffer from depression. For the 23 percent of depression patients who suffer from Treatment-Resistant Depression, vagus nerve stimulation offers new hope.

Career Shopping? Check Out This Hot Option
With the national unemployment rate hovering around 5 percent, many Americans are seeking new career opportunities. Career experts point to several fields where employment and compensation opportunities are set to boom.

ADHD and Sleep
Children with ADHD are more likely to have sleep difficulties. However, good sleep hygiene in conjunction with self-soothing relaxation techniques may help to solve your child's sleep problems.

Slow Down and Enjoy the Magic of Summertime
Unexpected, delightful events are part of the fun and wonder of the summer. But if our children's days are overscheduled, they're likely to miss these unexpected delights—and so will we, as we frenetically drive from one activity to the next. Even though your intentions may be good, avoid being overzealous about providing structured activities for your children. By eliminating the summer activities that are not particularly enjoyable or important to your child, you are likely to find the time and space to enjoy the surprises of the day as they arise. Even the smallest events can be exciting to children, and it's a wonderful gift to be able to see the world through their eyes.

Make Healthy Choices Easy
The best way to encourage your child to successfully make healthy food choices is to have plenty of them available and to avoid or limit the number of unhealthy food choices in your home.

Survey Shows What Today's Woman Wants in a Relationship
Forget the mystic power of perfect pecs—when a woman is looking for her guy, smart and funny beats a hot bod, hands down. Sure there are other pitfalls ahead, like married and/or gay men, unseemly body odor, cheap cologne, overly demanding sexual partners, witless first dates, and the timeless allure of the "bad boy." But at the end of the day, none of this matters because if George Clooney or Patrick Dempsey come a' knocking on her door�

How to Get Back On Your Feet After a Layoff
If you haven't been laid off from a job yet, consider yourself lucky. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, 851,997 Americans lost their jobs last year.

Switching Jobs? Consider This…
Fifty years ago, a person typically stayed with the same company for their entire career. Today, most people will hold three to seven positions during their lifetime. Switching jobs is an important decision. Be sure to make it for the right reasons.

How to Get a Promotion at Work
Tired of feeling like you're stuck in a deadend job? Can you do a better job of managing your department than your boss? If so, what's preventing you from being promoted? It may not be what you think.

Vow to Make the Most of Your Wedding Ring Investment
Tying the knot is one thing. Getting tied up in knots about your wedding rings is another. Purchasing wedding bands is an important investment�both financially and emotionally. To help you maximize your wedding jewelry investment, here are some tips from Brian Patch, an industry veteran for more than 32 years and president of e-weddingbands.com, a premium online wedding band retailer.

Tips for Making Your Skin Radiant on Your Wedding Day
Every bride wants her wedding to be picture perfect—from the dress to the flowers to the food at the reception. And of course, brides want to be beautiful, both for the ceremony and for the wedding pictures. Beauty starts with good skin, so start planning ahead to ensure flawless skin on the big day.

Find a Ring That Fits Your Lifestyle
The wedding ring is how you show the world that you're married. You'll wear it everyday, whether you're dressed up for a night on the town, or spending a lazy afternoon on the couch. So it's important to choose a ring that not only fits your personal style, but also your lifestyle.

A Foolproof Plan for Weight Loss
Any endeavor as important as losing weight requires that you have a solid plan in place before you start. You may think that choosing a diet is enough, but the diet is only one part of it. You don't need to make a very complex plan, but you need one that includes techniques for handling the issues that will come up. Here are the five critical areas you need to incorporate into your plan.

Beauty secrets for busy moms
So you've traded in your high heels for sneakers. Who says you can't still look and feel beautiful? After all, if anyone deserves to feel gorgeous, it's the mothers among us. Here are quick tips from Suave (www.homebasics.ca) to help you make the most of the things you have on hand.

The skinny on fats
If you are watching what you eat, start off on the right foot by becoming more familiar with the different types of fats and learning how to distinguish between

Keeping kids hot on the trail of good nutrition and active living
"Because I said so" probably won't encourage them to turn off the TV and play outdoors. Telling them to eat it because "it's good for you" certainly won't make them give it a try. So what's the secret to success when it comes to making those healthy habits part of their everyday routine? Here are a few ways to help get your kids to commit to active, healthy living.

Extend fashion from the runway to the tabletop for summer '06
Fashion is generally associated with apparel but true fashionistas and entertaining gurus know how to take the latest style trends and colours from the fashion runway to the tabletop. This year, Botanical Safari, Riviera and Victoriana stormed the runways. To add a fashionable flare to your next dinner party or get together, take some creative advice from Food is Fashion guru Susan Niczowski.

Step into summer with a pretty pedicure
There's nothing quite like a day at the spa—unwinding, relaxing and revitalizing your body, mind and spirit. What better way to say hello to summer than by treating yourself to a luxurious pedicure in the privacy of your own home? Here, the experts at Mary Kay Cosmetics Ltd. share how you can enjoy a professional pedicure that will have your tender tootsies ready to step into sandal season with their Private Spa Collection Mint Bliss Pedicure Set.

Make a splash this summer with a marvelous manicure
Have your hands had enough of the harsh winter weather? Give summer a high five with an at-home manicure that will add a little sizzle to your look this season. Just follow these 10 simple steps to help you make your manicure simply stunning.

How to choose the perfect swimsuit
The backyard pool party season is here and you need a new swimsuit. Sears Canada's Apparel Trend Manager, Sarah Chrystman, offers advice on how to choose a bathing suit - one piece or two - that looks great, feels comfortable and enhances your best features while minimizing those trouble areas—waist, hips, tummy and bust.

Uncork the Mystery Grape: Zinfandel Facts
Did you know that almost 92% of Canadians who participated in a recent poll had never tried Zinfandel? Only 58% were sure that Zinfandel was even a type of wine and of those, less than 40% were aware Zinfandel was made in both red and white style. Here are some quick facts to clear up the confusion so Canadians can discover this quintessential barbecue wine, just in time for summer.

Let's plan healthier meals
Believe it or not, it is possible to plan healthy meals that your family will enjoy and that will not have you in the kitchen for hours. As the nationanl spokesperson for Balanced Living for McCain Foods, I do it all the time, and so can you.

Celebrate summer: Tips for simple party planning
Time to spruce up the backyard, dust off the patio furniture and fill up the propane tank. With the weather reaching the double-digits and long weekends around the corner, it may be time to host an outdoor party. While the thought of planning a party can be daunting, with these hints, you will have people envious of your party planning skills.

Al fresco dining with a dash of style
Dress up your backyard this summer with this season's fashion trends and colours when you take your entertaining from the living room to the outdoors.

Impress your friends with a tea party in your garden this summer
This summer, host an unforgettable tea party in your backyard garden. A tea party is the ideal format for celebrations such as a bridal or baby shower, a retirement party, or a birthday party. Or, invite your closest friends over for an afternoon of good food, great conversation and refreshing iced tea.

The business of depression in the workplace
Typically, a depressed economy refers to an economic downturn; in relation to the wellness of the Canadian work force, however, it could relate to the burden mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety, places on corporate Canada.

Reading Aloud: Help Prepare a Child for a Lifetime of Learning
Reading aloud to a child is one of the best, and easiest, things parents can do to help prepare him or her for a lifetime of learning. A child who is read to from an early age is far more likely to succeed in school, in a career and in life because he or she starts school ready to learn. Also, reading aloud helps familiarize a child with books, and encourages excitement around reading. How can parents make reading aloud an enjoyable and educational experience? Consider the suggestions in this article by Sharen Hausmann.

The Choice to Age Well: Refresh Yourself in Spirit
I can think of no more essential way to keep vibrantly alive than to find spirit everywhere and take vital nourishment in it. Do that, and age becomes just a number; life remains abundantly fresh. Here are five ways you can refresh yourself in spirit.

Live and Let Live, Nature's Message
Natural selection rewards those forms best suited to carry out the function of survival ("survival of the fittest") in each and every habitat (through the mechanism of adaptive radiation). But whose survival is natural selection concerned with? Is it the survival of the individual? Of the species? Of the habitat or ecosystem? These three—individual, species, habitat—are not necessarily compatible or mutually reinforcing in their goals and actions.

Envisioning Your Ideal Self
An ideal is a principle or standard worth trying to achieve. Your ideal self is the person that you've always imagined being; it encompasses all the power, strength, and integrity, you've aspired to. This ideal invokes a sense of confidence, pride, and serenity, and is you at your best.

Seven Simple Mommy Secrets for Calming Tempers (Including Yours)
anger is normal, but how you choose to deal with yours can make you the Queen Role Model for your family or the Wicked Witch of the North. The important Mommy Secret is finding a way to keep those meltdowns to a minimum. The good news is there are a number of strategies that will help us keep the peace and cool those quick tempers. The real trick is discovering works best for you, and then rehearsing it over and over until it kicks and becomes a habit. Here are seven Mommy Secrets that help you stay calmer, control anger and keep your household more peaceful and harmonious.

How to Say "I Love You" With Meaning
"I love you" are three words all children need to hear often from their parents. Do you want those words to have real meaning to your child? Do you want them to connect one heart to another? Do you want to use them to develop a level of intimacy in your family that communicates your heartfelt affection for your children? If so, consider strengthening "I love you" with these suggestions.

Great Green Beans
Green beans are available year round, with a peak season of May to October. Here are a few easy ideas to add green beans in your meals.

Six steps to seasonal style: Paul Venoit's tips for getting this Spring's healthy-looking hair
Helping to protect damaged hair and getting this season's healthy-looking hairstyles is easier than you think. Celebrity stylist, regular on Star! TV's makeover show Look-A-Like and consultant to Infusium 23, Paul Venoit offers some suggestions.

Let loose with a new spring 'do : A good cut and deep conditioning can help you achieve this season's soft, healthy-looking hair
Problem-free hair is the basis of any beautiful hairstyle. Deep conditioning and a good cut can help fortify damaged hair, making it easier to achieve the season's most romantic styles.

Get your skin ready for this summer's hottest trends
When it comes to summer styles, skin is in. And that means that women everywhere are getting ready to flash some skin in everything from gaucho shorts to halter tops. To get your skin hair-free and ready for summer, the Veet line of hair removal products provides long-lasting smoothness and touchably beautiful skin.

Learn how to feed your skin
Want healthy-feeling and looking skin? Then take care of it and take care of yourself. The overall health of your skin is closely linked to your diet, level of activity, personal hygiene, environmental conditions and even sleeping habits. The following are some great health habits and tips that can help you maintain healthy-feeling, touchable skin.

Caring for sensitive skin made easier
Many things determine if you have sensitive skin, including your genes, gender, age and ethnic background. Environmental and medical factors also play a role in sensitive skin. Even products such as soaps, shampoos, lotions, harsh preservatives and household cleaners may contain ingredients that can make your skin red, itchy and dry. Here are a few tips to keep your sensitive skin happy.

Find your own path to radiant skin
Beautiful luminous skin doesn't have to come from exposure to the sun. With the right products and techniques, you can keep that straight-from-the-shore look 12 months of the year.

Make your lips luscious and irresistible
Lipstick mistakes seem to be inevitable. It can rub off on your teeth, remain in the crease of your lips, or smack on your cheek from a friendly greeting. The importance of creating a flawless lip line that stays put, cannot be overestimated, so here are a few ways that Q-tips cotton swabs can help you create long-lasting kissable lips.

Winter skin care solutions
The snow! The slush! The sleet! It's enough to make even the most beautiful skin shiver. The combination of cold air, heavy clothing and indoor heating can leave skin feeling dry, itchy and irritated. So before you settle in for a long winter's nap, grab hold of these beauty-boosting winter skin care wonders that are sure to beat your winter blahs—and put a warm smile on your face.

How to Lose Weight with a Heart Healthy Diet
You may have gained a little weight over the winter. That's the bad news. The good news is that a new season can be the start of a new you! Now that the warm weather is here, it is time to get serious about losing those extra pounds and more importantly, commit to a heart healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

Give a Wine Experience
A nice bottle of wine—it's long been the gift of choice for nearly any occasion, from your first visit to a friend's home to the grown-up gift you give Mom or Dad on their special days. But wine as a gift is evolving, thanks to America's continued interest in all things "viticultural." Wine classes, wine clubs and accessories are all part of the growing trend to give a "wine experience" as a gift.

Ten Tips for the Perfect Deck Party
The outdoors is in. The number of homeowners with an outdoor living space of some kind is expected to double by 2007. With the summer months coming many people want to show off their decks and outdoor living spaces. One way to do so is by hosting an outdoor party or event. One way to do so is by hosting an outdoor party or event. Susanna Salk, editor at House & Garden magazine, offers these 10 tips for planning and hosting the perfect deck party.

Top Teen Chef's Recipe for Backyard Entertaining
Adreena Winnfield knows a little something about cooking. As winner of The Art Institutes Best Teen Chef 2005 scholarship competition, Winnfield beat out competitors from all over the U.S. and Canada to take home the prestigious title and a full scholarship worth $35,000 to study culinary arts. Here, she shares some of her recipes.

Spring into Action to Combat Seasonal Allergies
After the long, dark cold of winter, many people look to spring to bring them bright sunshine, warmer weather—and non-stop sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes. According to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI), seasonal allergic rhinitis, also known as "spring allergies" or "rose fever," is one of the most common allergic conditions in the United States, affecting approximately 36 million people. The best way to keep from suffering the symptoms is to simply avoid the allergens.

Relief from Indoor Allergies
It's not just seasonal allergies that cause problems; perennial allergies triggered by dust, dust mites, animal dander, mold spores and flea eggs afflict 50 million Americans. And, regardless of the conditions outside, all of these culprits can use your upholstered furniture as a comfortable home!

Personalize Your Wedding from Start to Finish
Your wedding should be a reflection of you and your spouse-to-be, and for many modern brides, the perfect wedding means one that is personalized and unique. There are many ways to customize your wedding, but it is especially meaningful if you craft some of these special touches yourself.

A Wedding Gift that Promotes Togetherness
When it comes time to pick out a wedding gift for that special couple in your life, you want to find something that will communicate exactly how much you care. A gift the couple will fondly remember, when they're walking down memory lane years later, is what you're aiming for.

When Styles Collide: Five Tips for Merging His and Hers
Couples spend months planning every detail of their wedding day, but what about the planning that goes into creating a new home together and combining two separate styles into one living space? Philips Electronics Home Designer Stephen Saint-Onge provides helpful tips for merging his and hers styles together in perfect wedded bliss.

Wedding Day Stress: Focus on What Matters
The wedding day is considered to be the happiest day of many people's lives. It also ranks as one of the most stressful. Invitations. Flowers. Catering. Dresses and tuxedoes. The reception. But ultimately, according to Dr. Dan Clement, associate professor of psychology at Argosy University/Dallas, the most important thing to concentrate on is not the size of the wedding cake or the color of flowers—it is the goal of committing to the person you love. Dr. Clements suggests that the bride and groom should look beyond the actual day and view it as a launching time for the couple beginning their lives together.

Healthy Habits: Juice and Kids
It is not uncommon, for children to want to drink juice all day long. For children, juice can be a refreshing drink, but drinking too much is not good. Along with a potential link to obesity, juice can replace healthier foods, cause diarrhea and promote tooth decay. This article includes recommendation about juice—suggestions from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Perfect Papaya
Papaya is available in most supermarkets all year round. Here are easy ideas for putting a tropical papaya spin on your family's meals, including recipes for Papaya Salsa, Tropical Side Salad, Simple Thai-Spiced Shrimp and Papaya, and Papaya Summer Soup.

Teach Kids to Be Active
Physical activity is one of the simplest and most effective ways to help reduce stress and ensure that a child gets a good night's sleep. It releases both physical and emotional tension and has a positive effect on the neurotransmitters in the brain that affect mood. Unfortunately, the rise in childhood obesity is a telltale sign that many of our children are not getting adequate exercise. Children should have at least thirty minutes of moderate-intensity activity every day. Here are some useful tips to get your child moving.

How to Cope with Your Paranoid Ex
How to cope with delusional, paranoid—and, therefore, dangerous—stalkers? The only viable coping strategy is to ignore your abusive ex. Take all necessary precautions to protect yourself and your family. This article provides several steps you can take to minimize the danger to yourself and to your family.

Avoiding Your Paranoid Ex
The paranoid's conduct is unpredictable and there is no typical scenario. But experience shows that you can minimize the danger to yourself and to your household by taking some basic steps. Author Sam Vaknin explains how.

Eating for Weight Loss
Healthy weight is just one part of an overall healthy lifestyle. The conclusion of all the research conducted by so many respected organizations is that people are overweight because not only do they intake more calories than they burn, but overweight people also tend to eat too many rich foods high in fat and sugar and devoid of nutritional value. I'll bet this sounds familiar. The most surefire way to lose weight is the one that people in our immediate-gratification society hate most to hear: eat less and exercise more.

Toddler Treat: Maple Carrots and Cashews
Baby carrots are very toddler-friendly and most children love cashews. We've teamed up these two great tastes in a simple side dish that will appeal to both the young and old.

Simple Mom-Tested Secrets for Setting Up Successful Playgroups
Playgroups are a wonderful chance for your child to be with other kids, participate in new activities, and develop social skills such as taking turns, sharing, cooperating, and solving conflicts. But playgroups are also a chance for parents to enjoy each others' company. So whether you're wondering how to start a playgroup or improve the one your child is already in, here are a few important secrets to ensure it is successful as well as fun.

Simple Mommy Secrets to Stop Your Little Biter
Infants and toddlers often bite to relieve teething or gum soreness or think it's just a game. Preschoolers typically bite because they haven't yet developed the coping skills to deal with stress appropriately or the verbal skills to express their needs. Whatever the reason, we knew that this behavior is clearly upsetting to all involved. And it has been known to continue as kids get older if not dealt with. Our job was to nip this behavior before it becomes a habit. Here are a few Mommy Secrets and steps you can take to help you handle this annoying (but common) behavior.

Simple Mom-Tested Secrets to Raising Well-Mannered Kids
Make no mistake, Mom: Courtesy does enhance our kids� chances of success! Scores of studies find that well-mannered children are more popular and do better in school. You just can't help but react positively to people who are polite and courteous. By prioritizing polite behaviors with our children, we can enhance their social competence and give them a big boost towards success. Here are five simple secrets to enhance good social graces in your children and give them that edge for a better life.

Nine Simple Mommy Secrets for Boosting Sibling Harmony
Our kids come packaged with different temperaments, interests, and needs. So we can't drive ourselves too crazy trying to make things always fair. It just isn't realistic. Besides, real life isn't fair. It's up to we moms to keep things in perspective. Here are nine simple Mommy Secrets to guide you in minimizing jealousy and boosting harmony amongst your kids.

Six Simple Mommy Secrets to Help the Kiddies Get Along
Whenever kids get together, blissful, happy times are not always the outcome. At least that was true at my house with my three kids. If you're at your wits' end from hearing kid-battles and are tired of refereeing or playing "negotiator," have faith. There really is a way to curb kid bickering, tattling, and tears, and save your sanity. Here are a few mommy secrets that teach your kids how to get along, tattle less, and solve their problems without you.

Raising Courageous, Compassionate Kids
While it's important to protect and reassure our children in today's turbulent times, it's also important to focus on courage and understanding. If we completely shield our children from every challenging situation, they are likely to become more vulnerable to manipulation, fear and intimidation. Today, it's especially important to find a balance between protecting our children and teaching them to courageously and compassionately protect themselves and others.

Coping with Anger
Besides the child's actual behavior, things like job pressures, financial difficulties, health problems, or even car trouble can be redirected and make us lash out at our kids. Whatever the reason is for your anger, remember that there's nothing wrong with feeling it. It's what you do with it, however, that can be a problem. Here are some suggestions that will help you understand—and better deal with—your anger.

Parenting Your Teenager -- What You Need to Know in Advance
When their kids turn into adolescents, parents often feel blindsided. They knew that the teenage years were tough, but they didn't expect them to start so early. The preteen years are critical to helping adolescents grow into strong, motivated, self-aware teenagers and young adults, but parents often need to brush up on their skills in order to know how to help their kids move into and through this difficult time.

Spring Cleaning For Parents
What if Spring Cleaning took on a new twist this year, one that would benefit your children greatly? What if you cleaned the cobwebs out of your mind? What if you wiped away all the limiting beliefs that keep you from becoming the parent you always wanted to be? What if you cleaned up a broken relationship, mended a mental fence, or reminded yourself about the importance of you role in your child's life? This spring might just be the ideal time for cleaning up your responsibility as a parent.

Tips for Choosing the Right Nutrition Expert
Who is the most qualified nutrition expert? Sometimes it's hard to tell. Letters after a person's name don't necessarily qualify them to give reliable nutrition advice. In many states, titles like "nutritionist" and "diet counselor" are not regulated, so these terms may be used by people who are not properly qualified.

Separating Fat from Fiction: Fat is No Foe
Saturated fat is the Rodney Dangerfield of the fat world. Not only do saturated fats not get any respect, they've been maligned by the health community for decades. The Food and Drug Administration put one type of saturated fat—trans fat—front and center earlier this year by requiring that packaged foods carry the amount of these manmade partially or fully hydrogenated oils on their labels. While this practice has brought to light that trans fats are bad for your health, it also left consumers believing there was no room for any saturated fat on their plates.

Glaucoma Takes Sight Without Warning
What has the power to steal your eyesight without warning, affects an estimated 4 million Americans and has no cure? Glaucoma.

Keep Eyes Safe During Summer
Summer just wouldn't be summer without spending some time in the sun or watching a great fireworks display on the Fourth of July. But without precaution and protection, these mainstays of summer can be harmful to your eyes.

TV Chef Shares Last-minute Entertaining Tips
A beautiful spread of delicious food is the easiest way to impress when entertaining. But, how to impress without the stress can be an ongoing challenge for many home cooks, especially when friends and family drop by for an impromptu gathering. There's no need to sacrifice taste or your nerves when short on time.

Make Summer Entertaining a Breeze
This summer, stop struggling to find the time and money needed for formal entertaining and focus on casual, inexpensive get-togethers in your own back yard. Make the switch from uptight to laid-back and get ready to greet company with a glass of wine in your hand and flip-flops on your feet. Whatever the occasion, here are a few major ideas that require only minor planning.

A New Spin on Entertaining Traditions
From Mom's secret meatloaf recipe to Grandma's antique tablecloth, family tradition remains a strong influence when it comes to entertaining. In fact, according to the sixth annual Lenox gift-giving and etiquette survey, 59 percent of respondents cited family and tradition as the most important influences on their entertaining styles.

Planning Your Wedding while Planning for the Future
Your wedding day should be special, with family and friends gathered to help you celebrate, the ceremony reflecting your love and the reception providing a perfect finale.

Getting Married? A Step-By-Step Guide to Picking the Perfect Diamond
Proposing is tough enough, but finding the perfect ring, set with the perfect diamond is even tougher. To eliminate the headache, here are step-by-step instructions from Whiteflash.com, an online diamond and jewelry boutique specializing in Hearts & Arrows diamonds.

Ten Finance Tips for Newlyweds
After the wedding bells stop ringing and the bills for the dress, flowers, photographer and honeymoon arrive, many newlyweds find their physical and emotional compatibility may be trumped by their financial incompatibility.

Top Ten Habits for Blood Sugar Control
This list of 10 Habits teaches you how to conquer your irritability, sugar cravings, and chronic tiredness by controlling your blood sugar. Everything from alcohol and cigarettes to caffeine, and of course, sugar, affects your blood sugar and your well-being. Explore this list and get your health back.

Preparing for Total Hip Replacement
Five Important Tips
Total hip replacement is a major operation. Recovery time varies considerably among individuals, but much can be done beforehand to prepare for hip replacement and to ensure a smooth and rapid recovery.

Preparing for Total Hip Replacement
Five Important Tips
Total hip replacement is a major operation. Recovery time varies considerably among individuals, but much can be done beforehand to prepare for hip replacement and to ensure a smooth and rapid recovery.

The Original Intent of Mothers Day
Mother's Day is a time for honoring and thanking our own mothers for giving us life, raising us and being a source of emotional support and love. But the original intent of Mother's day is unknown to the general population. To the women who contributed to its inception, Mothers Day was much more than a recognition of individual mothers. It was an opportunity to use mother love as a powerful force for peacemaking, reconciliation and community cohesion. Learn more about the history of Mother's Day.

Sleep Deprived Children Have Health Problems
If your child has frequent health and/or emotional problems, consider that a lack of sleep may be all or at least part of the problem. Every function in the body is affected by sleep. And for a child, the risks of sleep deprivation are m