A New Way To Keep Your Resolutions: Go to Church?

You guys got into a spirited debate about whether going to church can make you live longer, and now a new study suggests that religious people are more likely to have better self-control. Should you go to church to boost your chances of sticking to your resolutions this year?

In a review of 80 years worth of studies, Michael McCullough, a psychology professor from the University of Miami found that that religious people had more self-control than people who weren't religious. "When people pray or meditate, there's a lot of activity in two parts of brain that are important for self-regulation and control of attention and emotion," McCullough explained to The New York Times. That extra bit of self-control could be enough to help people reach goals like quitting smoking, training for a race or losing a few pounds. Other studies have found that pious people tend to perform better in school, have more satisfying marriages and are generally happier. They are even more likely to wear a seat belt, go to the dentist and take vitamins!

A New Bed Designed for a Woman's Body--Seriously?

People send me all kinds of story ideas. Some are interesting, some are not. And some just make me scratch my head. Take the pitch I got yesterday from a company hawking a mattress specially designed for women ...

HerMattress.com is touting their product, FloBed For Her, as the "first custom bed for women." According to their press release: "It is a mattress that comfortably and intuitively recognizes the difference between straight lines and curves," writes Dave Turner, the bed's inventor. "The FloBed protects sensitive areas, supports body contours, including her hips."

The FloBed (is it just me, or does the name of this product conjure up images of menstruation?) will set you back around $2,000 for a queen, but that depends on your level of customization and choice of organic/non-organic materials. And, in case you're wondering, the company can customize the other side of the mattress for a man's body, too--so you're guy wouldn't have to sleep on the couch.

A Natural Treat Your Cat Will Love!

If you feel like treating your cat to a healthy snack he or she will enjoy, why not make it from scratch? Here is a recipe I found pretty simple to put together and even easier when preparing a similar vegetable concoction for myself (minus the catnip).

"BETTER THAN GRASS SALAD" courtesy of www.remedies4.com

1 small sized carrot peeled and grated

1/4 cup of peeled and grated zucchini

1/2 cup chopped of alfalfa sprouts

1 tsp.  parsley chopped finely

1/8 cup chicken stock

1/4 tsp dried or fresh catnip

Combine the vegetables in a medium-sized bowl. Add chicken stock and mix. Finish this natural treat by sprinkling  catnip over it. This treat should be served at room temperature and any leftovers can be refrigerated for up three days.

Home Remedies for Sterility and the Dietary Guidelines

Sterility is a common problem that many of the couples face today. There are several home remedies and dietary guidelines that help in the treatment of sterility.

Sterility is a very common problem seen today where a person is biologically incapable to produce children. It is the problem of a couple rather than of an individual. Sterility can be of either the male or the female partner, so in general, we say that the couple is suffering from sterility. One of the preliminary steps in treating sterility is to determine whether the problem lies with the male or the female partner.

Sterility is also known as infertility. There are two basic types of sterility seen in people. The first type is known as primary sterility. In this the couple has never conceived a child. The second type, known as secondary sterility occurs when the couple has conceived a child, but has had a miscarriage. Primary sterility can be due to the male or the female partner; but secondary sterility is only due to problems with the woman’s reproductive system.

Vegetarian Meal Plan

Whether you are a vegetarian by choice or due to health reasons, having a good vegetarian meal plan is absolutely vital. In this article we will discuss all about vegetarian meal plan and how it can be a healthy alternative.

The number of vegetarian people are increasing each year and there are people who are actually looking for a meal plan that is healthy and does not involve eating meat. Whether you are a vegetarian due to religious, cultural or health reasons, it is essential that you draw up a meal plan that is healthy and nutritious. Since meat and sea food is excluded from a vegetarian diet, you need to supplement it with good protein sources for vegetarians like legumes, whole wheat, and dairy. You also need to eat a variety of nuts, soy products and green leafy vegetables to make up for omega 3 essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. A healthy vegetarian diet plan might also be adopted by overweight people to lose weight. It is a very healthy way of eating and who knows you might stick to it for the rest of your life. Here we are going to discuss about vegetarian meal plan.

Psychiatric Medications and Violence

Many people believe there's so much danger of psychiatric medications causing violent behavior that these drugs should be banned. A huge 2011 study found that there is indeed a connection between some of these drugs and violence.

However, does the study provide evidence that there's enough reason to ban selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants (the class of drugs most targeted by groups opposed to psychiatric drugs) or any others based on incidence of violent acts? The answer is no.

Facts and Figures Regarding Drugs and Violence

In the study, called "Prescription Drugs Associated with Reports of Violence Towards Others," researchers reviewed five years worth of reporting data. First they selected drugs that had 200 or more "serious adverse events" reported. These events included:

    Death
    Disability
    Hospitalization
    Life-threatening events
    Events requiring medical intervention to prevent harm
    Other serious medical conditions
    Violence events

At this stage they had found 484 drugs that fit the above criteria. Among those drugs there were reports of 1,937 cases of violence toward others in these categories:

    387 homicides
    404 physical assaults
    27 physical abuse
    896 homicidal ideation (envisioning killing someone - compare suicidal ideation)
    223 violence-related symptoms

Violence cases accounted for 0.25% of all adverse events - meaning that 99.75% of the total number of serious issues fell into the other categories. Seventy-nine percent, or 1,530, of those violent incidents were linked to 31 specific drugs, meaning that those particular drugs had the highest likelihood of being associated with violence.

5 Best post-binge breakfasts

It’s holiday time—and excuses to binge abound. If you overdo it on the hors d’oeuvres (or cocktails), rebound in the morning with a nutritious, restorative breakfast. Follow our fast tips—and healthfully delicious morning meals—to get back on track:

1. Choose the Right Combo. The ideal breakfast will be a mix of protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Protein and fats keep you satiated, while carbohydrates give you a boost of energy. Just be sure to avoid saturated fat and opt for whole grain, like oats and wheat, over refined carbohydrates.

2. Aim for 400. A 400-calorie meal will keep you energized and jump-start your metabolism without giving you that too-full feeling. Plus, if you’re aiming for a 1,600 calorie diet, a 400-calorie breakfast fits in perfectly with your plan.

What is your Thanksgiving trigger food?

Parties, big dinners, holiday celebrations, and events where there's a bounty of food and drinks don't normally worry me. If I eat a lot at one of those meals, I'm pretty good about scheduling some kind of activity the next day or counter-attacking with lots of vegetable and healthy stuff. I also recognize, however, that sometimes out of boredom, nervousness, or buzziness from a glass of wine or two, I eat more than I really want. Usually, that slow-building binge starts at the bowl of chips.

Salt does me in way more than sugar -- even in the form of delicious pies and delicate truffles and gooey brownies. I'm happy to eat one or even just take a taste of those desserts. But chips and salsa? Parmesan breadsticks? Cashews and pretzels? Forget it. I'll clear out the bowl long before the host comes by to pour out more salty goodness.

Eat-All-You-Want Thanksgiving Weight Prevention Plan

It's inevitable: In less than a month, you'll sit down to a dinner table and eat well beyond the "normal portion" of appetizers, main course(s), side dishes, and desserts (mmm, pie). In fact, there's a chance you could end up consuming at least 1,705 calories and 61 grams of fat during that one Thanksgiving day meal. (As my dramatic mother would say, "Ooo-fah!")

Considering what a gluttonous occasion it will be, you may think (consciously or subconsciously) that it might be best to try to eat next to nothing the day before and day after. Stop being silly—you know you have to eat and not eating will only make you hungrier. And since you have to eat, you might as well eat certain foods and adopt behaviors that work better than others at keeping unwanted holiday pounds away, right?

Seven Ways To Make The Most Of Your Long Commutes

For a good number of us, long commutes are unavoidable. ABC News reports that “the traffic watchers at Texas Transportation Institute shows that cities across the nation are facing more congestion than ever. In the 68 urban areas studied, the average driver spends 34 hours a year in traffic jams. In Los Angeles, drivers sit stagnant for 82 hours each year. The amount of time drivers spend stuck in traffic has grown by at least 350 percent over the past 16 years.” The tedium can become almost unbearable at times but there are ways to make that time in traffic more pleasant and hey, maybe even enjoyable. Here are some ways to combat the commuter blues.

Today's Meditation - The Secret Successful Women Know

“I will be successful, no matter what.”

This is the mantra that successful women live by.

They know the secret of success is to believe in themselves and believe in the possibilities. They succeed because they have created a vision for themselves and have taken responsibility for their own future. They refuse to feel like victims or waste time blaming others.

When faced with a challenge, they don’t give up. They persevere. They believe they can do whatever it takes to get the job done. They have made peace with the fact that it won’t be an easy road and failure may come their way. Instead of giving up, they learn from their failures and keep forging ahead.

Tips For Taking Care Of Your Winter Clothes

Winter laundry has its own distinct character and needs. Things get cold and wet, dirty, and crusty. We wear heavier weights of clothes of course, and our washers get a real workout. It seems like mine is going constantly. To make your winter clothing last longer, feel great, and smell fresh, follow these simple rules for laundering cold weather clothing.

Wool. Wool can be wonderful but lots of people avoid it because they mistakenly think it cannot be machine washed. For the most part, this is not the case, but check the label first. If it says that you can machine wash it, for best results and to keep it from becoming scratchy, use a perfume and dye-free detergent. Add a towel or two as well, which will help absorb the great amount of moisture wool can hold. Always wash wool on the gentle cycle. Lay woolen items flat to dry.

Maintain Your Living Space To Keep It Organized And Clean

Christmas is over. You have lots new stuff. You have lots of old stuff. In fact, if you don’t do something about it soon, you are in danger of a friend or family member reporting you to that show Hoarders. Before things get that out of hand, be proactive and make a pre-New Year’s resolution to put things in order. Here are some great tips for helping you de-clutter and de-stress.

Pick a Room, Any Room. It can seem overwhelming to consider what needs to be done in each room of your home, so micromanage. Begin in one room and stay there, exclusively, until it is done. This does not mean that you have to complete your task at one given time. You might find it helpful to set a timer for one hour and give yourself a break for a bit before continuing. A break might include watching television for 30 minutes, having a snack, or taking a walk. Repeat for every room in your house.

The Heart Of Humanity: Sitting With Our Sadness

When we are dealing with sadness it is important to really sit with it and have to courage to do so

The last thing most of us want to hear or think about when we are dealing with profound feelings of sadness is that deep learning can be found in this place. In the midst of our pain, we often feel picked on by life, or overwhelmed by the enormity of some loss, or simply too exhausted to try and examine the situation. We may feel far too disappointed and angry to look for anything resembling a bright side to our suffering. Still, somewhere in our hearts, we know that we will eventually emerge from the depths into the light of greater awareness. Remembering this truth, no matter how elusive it seems, can help.

Have You Considered Making 5 Different Resolutions?

We all know the most common resolutions concerning health. However, have you considered that these resolutions are merely branches emanating from a single tree trunk? It makes more sense to create resolutions which strengthen your core identity. Your ability to change depends on a good self-concept.

The first resolution one needs to make is to: Harness your power!

5 New Year’s Evolutions:

* Change your verbiage, especially when you qualify a compliment with a negative. For example, “Wow, I did twenty pushups. I didn’t think I would be able to do that.” Instead, “Wow, I got stronger. I did twenty pushups.” Words are powerful persuaders.

12 Household Cures for Indigestion

There all time when we all over-indulge in rich or spicy foods and suffer the uncomfortable, sometimes painful, results: indigestion. If you don’t want to go to the store or don’t like the idea of yet another over-the-counter medication, there are a number of household remedies you can try and get immediate relief.

Almonds. Eat about 10 skinned almonds or mix a teaspoon of almond oil in warm milk to relieve indigestion. Almonds are high in fiber and reduce constipation, too.

Baking Soda. Mix a half a teaspoon of baking soda with warm water and a few drops of lemon juice and drink it slowly.

Complete the Year Consciously

These few days before the start of the New Year have a magical and sacred quality to them. I appreciate the lull in activity that often takes place this week and the opportunity we have to reflect back on the year that is ending, as well as to create new possibilities and intentions for the year that's about to start. It often seems more exciting to focus on our "resolutions" for the coming year than it does to look back. However, before we jump ahead and start making our goals for next year, it's essential that we complete the year that is about to end consciously.

As much as I personally love this completion process, I usually have mixed emotions reflecting back on the year. There is often excitement, gratitude, and joy for all of the wonderful accomplishments, experiences, insights, and more. There is also sadness, disappointment, and sorrow over the things that I didn't accomplish, the people and things I'll miss, and the places in my life where I struggled or failed.

Healing Crooked Genes

Most of us think of genetics as fate. Tough luck if some of your genes are programmed for trouble. Well, there is ,more to it than that.

It now seems likely that genes can be reprogrammed, through something as simple as a basic shift in attitude or change in life style. It’s the discovery in a field of genetics called epigenetics that has identified a biochemical code carried in our DNA. Epigenome is the name of this code has been given. It acts on genes like a dimmer switch. Epigenomes can turn up the power in genes that make life wonderful and turn down the power in those that make life difficult.

IMS Founder And Meditation Teacher Joseph Goldstein's Talk At InsightLA Next Week

Right after "Plop-plop, fizz-fizz," the first thing that comes to mind when I hear relief is . . . .

A handful of Buddhist teachers have been credited for making classical training accessible to Westerners without dumbing it down and Joseph Goldstein is one of them. His message is clear, too: if you're suffering you can find relief through meditation. And you don't have to be Buddhist to meditate.

The last time Joseph Goldstein gave a public talk in Los Angeles was in 2003 and that was the first time I saw him teach in person. I had heard audio tapes of his lectures and read some of his writings but they hadn't prepared me for the power that underscored his soft-spoken presentation. I could feel it and with that feeling of presence came a visceral sense of release and relief. His book One Dharma had just been published and he talked about a time, early in his meditation practice, that he tried to untangle what he saw as inconsistencies between two schools of Buddhist thought. He struggled to 'figure out' which view was correct until he realized that one didn't have to be right and the other wrong, that it was possible to understand both views as means to an end rather than statements of absolute truth. "Well," he told us, "that was a huge relief."

My Favorite Tips for Making the Law of Attraction Work

1. Act “as if.” A recent study showed that the brain waves generated and neurotransmitters released when someone visualizes sitting on a beach (for example) are exactly the same as the brain waves of a person who is actually sitting on that beach. Your mind (and the Universe) doesn’t recognize the difference between what you perceive as “real” and “imaginary.” It only reads vibration. The easiest way to attract something into your experience is to evoke the FEELING and VIBRATION of already having it, and then hold your attention to that feeling as long as possible, preferably until it becomes second nature. Feeling as if what you want is already here may seem like a exercise in delusion, but remember, reality is pliable. Your physical reality is constantly changing and conforming to the energy frequency you are holding.

11 Tips: Will Your New Year's Resolutions wear THIN?

Whether you are one of the 44% of Americans who make New Year's resolutions or not, the new year does present an opportunity to reassess, revamp and revive.

Here follows 10 tips from the Our Lady of Weight Loss Vault that speak to ...

Why do our New Year's Resolutions Wear Thin???

1. How Excited and Inspired Are You, Really? Are the goals you set your own, or are they coming from the 'shoulds' - 'musts' and 'have tos' that other people have laid upon you? If you are not excited, forgetaboutit.

2. Did You Bite Off More than You Can Chew? Be realistic for goodness sake. You can't start off with 300 pound weights. Try a 3 pounder first! Small changes create big results.

Are the new airport body scanners safe?

YES: The radiation dose is too small to be dangerous.

Kimberly Applegate, MD Vice Chair For Quality and Safety in the Department of Radiology at Emory University School of Medicine

* You get more radiation from the flight itself.

In March, some airports began installing a new security device called a backscatter machine. It uses low-level X-rays to create an image that reveals if anything is hidden under your clothing. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says that one scan is equivalent to the radiation you get flying two minutes at cruising altitude—and if that were harmful, we’d have been warned to not fly at all.

World's Youngest Yoga Teacher Schools Om Gal

I began practicing yoga at the age of 16, which, by most standards, is young, particularly when you consider that yoga was not widely available at the time. At 20, I started teaching small groups of my peers, fellow college students on a study abroad program without access to a gym or other forms of exercise. This peer group soon attracted teachers and faculty and swelled in size to more than 100 people on some days. In my early 20s, I was the youngest “senior” teacher at one of the most popular yoga studios in the country.

Well, la-di-da, you say, and I tend to agree. This doesn’t make me special. It just means that I got an early start in terms of age and experience in the field of yoga. Unless you compare me to Shruti Pandey.

Letting Nature Work: Silent Change

Often, when we are not looking, in the silence of nature's embrace, the miracle of change happens.

We all see things about ourselves, our relationships, and our world that we want to change. Often, this desire leads us to take action toward inner work that we need to do or toward some external goal. Sometimes, without any big announcement or momentous shift, we wake up to find that change has happened, seemingly without us. This can feel like a miracle as we suddenly see that our self-esteem really does seem to be intact, or our partner actually is helping out around the house more. We may even wonder whether all of our hard work had anything to do with it, or if it just happened by way of grace.

Don't Be A Gym Jerk: 11 Health Club Pet Peeves

Recently, I found myself racing around a posh health club—typically a peaceful place for me—annoyed. Really miffed. Possibly on the verge of going bat shit crazy… Over a jump rope. I couldn’t find one, and this was irksome. After all my holiday indulging, I was hoping my high intensity interval jump rope routine would be just the workout to incinerate a surplus of gingerbread cookies.

Jump ropes are pretty standard pieces of equipment for a gym—maybe the single, most standard; yet, they were nowhere to be found. It was the health club equivalent of standing in line at Dunkin’ Donuts to be told they weren’t serving coffee that day. I don’t even drink coffee, but I imagine this would make me peeved if I did. I imagine it would make me want to climb over the counter and throw Munchkins at someone.

Ten Ideas to Make Your Home Help in Your Weight Loss Goals

Home: a time to relax, to be with your family, and, unfortunately, a trigger for straying from your weight-loss goals. It’s all too easy to grab a “convenience” snack or sit on the couch for hours on end, watching television or surfing the ‘net. Here are ten ways for you to make your home help, not hurt, your progress:

A Remote Remote. If you tend to watch television to relax, move the remote so that you must physically get up to retrieve it to change the channel.

Clean Sweep. Get rid of all non-nutritious snacks: sodium and calorie-laden chips, candy bars, or whatever your vice may be. If it’s not present, and you would have to actually leave your home to go get it, chances are you will elect to do without.

Eight Simple Ways to Improve the Quality of Your Life!

As a new year begins, most people decide to change something about their lifestyles to improve the quality of their health, relationships, and/or working life. Some of those desired changes can be daunting, however. Fortunately, there are many small steps all of us can take to help us live a better and more fulfilling life. Here are eight ways to get started:

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables. It’s advice we have all heard but instead of just acknowledging the benefits (among them, reducing your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and eye problems, as well as keeping your blood sugar steady, thus reducing your appetite), actually do it. For both fruits and vegetables, the most nutritious are the colorful ones: orange, yellow, red, and dark green. Add fruit to your cereal; take a piece or two with you to work. Make sure both lunch and dinner include fresh vegetables.

Oh The Email Games We Play!

So the first work week of 2011 is here and so commences the great email games.

1) Monday email: Reserved for very few. You're all pumped up about your resolutions, have new projects you want to get off the ground, or inject life into old ones and need to start reaching out to folks to get things moving. But....what may be a priority to you ain't always priority to someone else. In fact, by sending the Monday email you could just sabotaging yourself because if it's going to get ignored by the recipient, inevitably it's gonna lose energy and momentum as more prioritized emails and projects pile on top of it. In short: be wary of the Monday email.

Do What You Really Want To

I have a lot of thins I can do. There are many things available to do. You have many things you can do. We have choices... lots of choices.

This morning I have some of my favorite distractions calling me. I have my music calling me. I have my meditation practice calling me. Reading, learning, blogging, etc. Honestly, no matter my choice, nobody dies. Do you recognize all the choices you have every minute? I look at all the expectations I put on my life yesterday and yesterdays before that. Those expectations I laid for myself really don't matter as much as I thought when I created them. I'm a different person now.

Confessions from a Shopaholic

I saw a commercial today with Brooke Shields, advertising a new medical wonder solution that makes your eyelashes grow in thicker. Following the list of potential side effects, a friendly voice chimed, “Consult your doctor to see if FluffyEyes (or whatever it was called) is right for you!”

Considering Brooke’s most recent claim to fame is her book, Down Came the Rain, about her struggle with postpartum depression, I’d say she should probably consult not just her doctor, but her psychiatrist. Because, honey, if you’re trying to fix things by pharmaceutically plumping your eyelashes, you need to get back in that chair and have a long talk.

5 Ways to Wipe Out Your Credit Card Balances

Now, you really want to pay off your balances once and for all, don't you? Here's all you need to know about that. In truth, paying off your balances is simple; there's nothing complicated about it. But it's not easy, because it does require sacrifice and scraping together the cash that will get it done. Here are five techniques you can easily put into practice to pay off your credit card debt.

1. Set your goal. Make paying off your credit cards your top financial priority. Use the Federal Trade Commission's calculator (www.ftc.gov/creditcardcalculator) to see just how credit card interest drains your household budget. The average balance-carrying customer now owes $5,729 on his or her cards, according to the findings of a TransUnion survey. Even at the comparatively low (for credit cards) interest rate of 14 percent, that's taking $67 a month in interest payments alone out of your budget.

4 Things to do With Your Tax Refund

Stop! It’s easy to blow your refund on stuff you don’t really need. This year, take the time to consider some options that will benefit you financially.

An Emergency Fund: Consider adding some or all of these monies to your own slush fund. Given the uncertainty of the economy and jobs nowadays, you should always try to maintain at least 3-6 months worth of living expenses in a savings account, money market account or CD in case of an emergency.

Pay Down Your Credit Card Debt: Consider applying this money to any outstanding debt you have such as credit cards. Eliminating that pesky balance that never seems to disappear could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in interest over your lifetime.

Six Calming Scents For The Stressful Holiday Season

Let’s face it. Even those of us who are ready to put up Christmas trees immediately following Halloween can succumb to the pressures of the holiday season. There are relatives to contend with, children who have to have this season’s hot gift, parking nightmares, and budgets to juggle, just to name a few of the stresses associated with the holidays. At some point during the festivities, you may find yourself wanting to crawl into bed and not emerge until January 2 nd . To ward off the winter blues, why not stock up now on some calming scents? Aromatherapy has numerous benefits including tension reduction and relief of symptoms of depression. Here are the top scents that will make your season brighter, or, at least, calmer:

How the Recession Forever Changed Marriage

Examining the economic downturn's effects on how we find and show love.

With strapped wallets, tightened belts and the national unemployment rate nearing double-digits, we can only hope that rumors of the recession's demise prove true—and soon. Here at YourTango, we wanted to know how the economic downturn in the U.S. has affected marriage, sex and family already, and which of these changes will stick when the recession's over.

Baby-Making

Children are expensive: from diapers to college, there are high costs to having babies. The Agriculture Department estimates that middle-income families, who earn an average of $61,000 a year, spend about $11,000 each year on each child under the age of two.

Married Men Getting Richer, Thanks To Women

Bachelors have a reason to tie the knot: more money!

According to a new study by the Pew Research Center, married men are leading richer lives. Literally. Here's the breakdown: the median household income for married men has gone up by 60 percent since 1970, while the income for single men has only shot up by 16 percent. The trade-off for succumbing to a life limited to one sexual partner for the rest of one's life? Maybe. Though Pew has several other, more logical explanations.

Among them is the fact that more men these days are marrying women who are bringing in even more money than they are, making their combined income pretty darn awesome. In 1970, fewer women worked outside of the home, and those who did certainly weren't pulling in income like we do today. Yes, men. You're welcome.

We're Not Buying Anything New For School. Could Your Family Do the Same?

This mom is helping her kids find use for last year's lunch boxes, backpacks, pencils...

My kids start school tomorrow (crazy, I know!), and like every other parent, I have been diligently getting my ducks in a row. But UNlike most parents, this year, the Lambie household is doing a "green" back-to-school. What is that, you ask? Well, we're not buying the kids any new school supplies.

My kids will not have new L.L. Bean backpacks and lunch bags with their names embroidered on them. They will not open their desk to that "new crayon smell." Nope, my kids will come to school wearing used uniforms, carrying last year's backpacks and lunch pails and using a recycled Tupperware full of half-used glue sticks and pre-sharpened pencils.

Couponing in the Digital Age

In the more than hundred years since Coca Cola and Post Grape Nuts issued the very first coupons, the face of the industry and of the coupon shopper have transformed. With overall coupon use up 27% last year, after nearly two decades in decline, the coupon has made its comeback! But this time around both the coupons and the consumers who use them have changed!

Coupons Go Digital. Step aside Sunday coupon inserts, digital coupons are a rapidly growing force that will likely take over as the primary distribution method for coupons in the next 5-10 years. Companies like General Mills say they’re moving more of their coupon budget toward digital coupons and away from Sunday papers. Digital coupons boast higher redemption rates and often cost less to distribute.

Instilling Financial Values in Your Children

Tips to Sharing Lessons Learned With Kids of All Ages

Wondering how to teach children about money when you're still working on getting them to do their homework or clean their plate? It’s never too early ? or too late ? to start sharing money lessons with your kids. And more women are taking the lead in this discussion at home. According to Women & Co. research, 91% of women are talking about money with their family, and 86% of mothers are teaching their children lessons from the economic downturn.

To help keep the momentum going, Lisa Caputo, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Women & Co., and Linda Descano, CFA, President of Women & Co., offer the following ideas for talking to children of any age about money:

Moms as Financial Role Models

7 tips on how to talk to your kids about money

Today, women are helping to shape new conversations around the dinner table, and one of them is about money. According to a Women & Co. study, 91% of women are talking about finances with their family; two-thirds believe that talking about money is much more socially acceptable than it was before the recession. And women are feeling a responsibility to pass along lessons learned in the economic downturn to others, particularly their children. Eighty-six percent of mothers are sharing their insights with their children, family, friends, and colleagues.

Holiday Tipping Etiquette

The holiday season is here, and with the good cheer comes gifts and thank-yous and tips. Who gets what, and how can the kids get involved?

Encourage your child to make a gift for any professional who works with them, whether it is a teacher, bus driver, or babysitter. Not only will this personalize the holiday gift, it will also give your child responsibility and the early foundation for proper etiquette and protocol.

Standard holiday tips and gifts:

* • Teacher: Check the school policy. Generally, a gift certificate to a bookstore, local restaurant, mall or even something home made.

Acthar

Generic Name: corticotropin (Injection route)

Commonly used brand name(s):

In the U.S.

* H.P. Acthar

In Canada

* Acthar

Available Dosage Forms:

* Gel/Jelly

Therapeutic Class: Diagnostic Agent, Adrenocortical Function

Pharmacologic Class: Corticotropin

Uses For Acthar

Repository corticotropin injection is used to treat infantile spasms (seizures) in babies and children younger than 2 years of age. It is also used to treat multiple sclerosis in adults.

This medicine is also used to treat joint disorders (e.g., psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis); autoimmune diseases (e.g., systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE, polymyositis); and certain conditions of the skin (e.g., erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome), eyes (e.g., keratitis, optic neuritis), and lungs (e.g., sarcoidosis). It is also used to treat certain allergies (e.g., serum sickness) and swelling (edema) of the body.

Aldex AN Suspension

Pronunciation: dox-IL-a-meen

Generic Name: Doxylamine

Brand Name: Aldex AN

Aldex AN Suspension is used for:

Why managing blood sugar is so important.

Treating symptoms of allergies such as runny nose, sneezing, nose or throat itching, or itchy, watery eyes. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Aldex AN Suspension is an antihistamine. It works by depressing the central nervous system (brain) to produce drowsiness.

Do NOT use Aldex AN Suspension if:

* you are allergic to any ingredient in Aldex AN Suspension or other similar medicines

* you are taking sodium oxybate (GHB) or you have taken furazolidone or a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (eg, phenelzine) in the past 2 weeks

Aldex D

Generic Name: phenylephrine and pyrilamine (FEN il EFF rin and pir IL a meen)

Brand Names: Aldex D, Deconsal CT Tannate, K-Tan, Pyril Tann-12, Pyrlex PD, Ry-T-12, Ryna-12, Ryna-12S, Rynesa 12S, V-Tann, Viravan-S, Viravan-T

What is this drug?

Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

Pyrilamine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

The combination of phenylephrine and pyrilamine is used to treat runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

Fitness Myths Debunked

Jessica Biel and Jennifer Garner's trainer sets the fitness record straight.

When it comes to the rules of fitness, we’ve heard them all. There are so many misconceptions about the “right” way to exercise that it becomes virtually impossible to know what we should actually believe. We wanted a trust-worthy pro to set the facts straight, so we enlisted the help of celebrity trainer Valerie Waters. Since Waters is responsible for both Jennifer Garner and Jessica Biel’s hot bodies, we’d say it's safe to trust her judgment. Read on to see what she has to say.

Myth #1: You shouldn’t work out if you’re sore.

Delhist D

Generic Name: pheniramine/ pyrilamine/ phenyltoloxamine/ phenylpropanolamine (fen IR a meen/pie RILL a meen/fen ill toe LOX a meen/fen ill proe pa NOLE a meen)

Brand Names: Delhist D, Delhistine D, Histine-D, Iohist D, KG-Hist D, Liqui-Histine-D, Metahistine D, Multihist D, Multihistamine-D, Poly-D, Poly-Histine-D, Prohistine-D, Trihist-D

What is Delhist D (pheniramine/ pyrilamine/ phenyltoloxamine/ phenylpropanolamine)?

Why managing blood sugar is so important.

Pheniramine, pyrilamine, and phenyltoloxamine are antihistamines. They block the effects of the naturally occurring chemical histamine in the body. Pheniramine, pyrilamine, and phenyltoloxamine prevent sneezing; itchy, watery eyes and nose; and other symptoms of allergies and hay fever.

Equaline Sleep Aid

Generic Name: doxylamine succinate

Dosage Form: tablet

SuperValu Sleep Aid Tablets Drug Facts

Active ingredient (in each tablet)

Doxylamine succinate 25 mg

Purpose

Nighttime sleep-aid

Uses

* helps to reduce difficulty in falling asleep

Warnings

Ask a doctor before use if you have

* a breathing problem such as asthma, emphysema or chronic bronchitis

* glaucoma

* trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate gland

Do not give

to children under 12 years of age

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before use if you are

taking any other drugs

When using this product

* avoid alcoholic beverages

HP Acthar Gel

Pronunciation: core-tih-koe-TROE-pin

Generic Name: Corticotropin

Brand Name: HP Acthar

HP Acthar Gel is used for:

Learn the signs of RA and how to relieve the pain.

Diagnosing adrenal gland function. It may be used to treat certain conditions caused by allergies; breathing, blood, or endocrine problems; arthritis; skin or eye problems; bowel inflammation; multiple sclerosis; or certain cancers. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

HP Acthar Gel is a hormone. It works by stimulating the body to produce more adrenocortical hormones (eg, corticosteroids, glucocorticoids).

Hismanal

Generic Name: astemizole (a STEH mih zole)

Brand Names: Hismanal

What is Hismanal (astemizole)?

Astemizole was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1999.

Astemizole is an antihistamine. Antihistamines prevent sneezing, runny nose, itching and watering of the eyes, and other allergic symptoms.

Astemizole is used to treat allergies, hives (urticaria), and other allergic inflammatory conditions.

Astemizole may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Hismanal (astemizole)?

Astemizole was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1999.

Histine-D

Generic Name: pheniramine/ pyrilamine/ phenyltoloxamine/ phenylpropanolamine (fen IR a meen/pie RILL a meen/fen ill toe LOX a meen/fen ill proe pa NOLE a meen)

Brand Names: Delhist D, Delhistine D, Histine-D, Iohist D, KG-Hist D, Liqui-Histine-D, Metahistine D, Multihist D, Multihistamine-D, Poly-D, Poly-Histine-D, Prohistine-D, Trihist-D

What is Histine-D (pheniramine/ pyrilamine/ phenyltoloxamine/ phenylpropanolamine)?

Why managing blood sugar is so important.

Pheniramine, pyrilamine, and phenyltoloxamine are antihistamines. They block the effects of the naturally occurring chemical histamine in the body. Pheniramine, pyrilamine, and phenyltoloxamine prevent sneezing; itchy, watery eyes and nose; and other symptoms of allergies and hay fever.

Nytol Maximum Strength

Generic Name: doxylamine (dox IL a meen)

Brand Names: Aldex AN, Nytol Maximum Strength, Unisom

What is Nytol Maximum Strength (doxylamine)?

Why managing blood sugar is so important.

Doxylamine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Doxylamine is sometimes combined with other medicines to treat sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose caused by allergies or the common cold.

Doxylamine as a single drug (not part of a combination) is used as a short-term treatment for sleep problems (insomnia).

Pyrlex PD

Generic Name: phenylephrine and pyrilamine (FEN il EFF rin and pir IL a meen)

Brand Names: Aldex D, Deconsal CT Tannate, K-Tan, Pyril Tann-12, Pyrlex PD, Ry-T-12, Ryna-12, Ryna-12S, Rynesa 12S, V-Tann, Viravan-S, Viravan-T

What is this drug?

Phenylephrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

Pyrilamine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

The combination of phenylephrine and pyrilamine is used to treat runny or stuffy nose, sneezing, watery eyes, and sinus congestion caused by allergies, the common cold, or the flu.

Seldane

Generic Name: terfenadine (ter FEN a deen)

Brand Names: Seldane

What is the most important information I should know about Seldane?

Why managing blood sugar is so important.

Seldane was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1998.

Do not take Seldane with any of the following medicines: the antifungal drugs ketoconazole (Nizoral) or itraconazole (Sporanox); the antibiotics erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, Ery-Tab), clarithromycin (Biaxin), or azithromycin (Zithromax); or the ulcer drug cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB). A dangerous drug interaction could occur.

What is Seldane?

Seldane was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1998.

Unisom

Pronunciation: dox-IL-a-meen

Generic Name: Doxylamine

Brand Name: Examples include Medi-Sleep and Unisom

Unisom is used for:

Why managing blood sugar is so important.

Treating occasional sleeplessness and reducing difficulty falling asleep.

Unisom is an antihistamine. It works by depressing the central nervous system (brain) to produce drowsiness.

Do NOT use Unisom if:

* you are allergic to any ingredient in Unisom or other similar medicines

* you are taking sodium oxybate (GHB) or you have taken furazolidone or a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (eg, phenelzine) in the past 2 weeks

Why you need to relax at work: Job strain ups heart-attack risk in women

Women with very demanding jobs are nearly twice as likely to have a heart attack as their peers in more easygoing occupations, a new study suggests.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed 10 years of survey and medical data on more than 17,000 women in the health profession. The women, who were enrolled in a long-running study on heart disease, were all in their 50s or early 60s when the study began.

The women who said their job requires them to work "very hard" or "very fast" but who have little say over their day-to-day tasks–a combination known as "job strain"–were 88 percent more likely than those in less-stressful jobs to have a heart attack.

5 Strategies for Mindful Eating and a Healthier, Slimmer You

Nourishment is not just what you eat (good nutrition) but how you eat, too. That’s where the act of eating intersects the realm of the mind as well as the body, and why it’s so important to practice mindful eating in your every day.

Did you know that you’re likely to mindlessly dip your hand into the candy dish at work 70% more frequently if the dish is clear than if it’s opaque and covered resulting in an extra 77 calories consumed each day without even realizing? It’s true! But why is that? And, more importantly, how can we make simple changes to help us be more mindful?

When we know a little bit more about how to take charge of our external and internal environments, we can actually start to really enjoy our food more and feel ‘nourished’ without feeling stuffed. That’s what mindful—or conscious—eating is all about.

Gwyneth Puts on 20 Pounds—And We Didn't Even Notice

For Gwyneth Paltrow's starring role as an alcoholic singer in the film Country Strong, she gained 20 pounds by eating fried chicken, according to her trainer Tracy Anderson.

We all carry weight differently, and it's not that I expected a 20-pound pile-on would make Paltrow look like her character in Shallow Hal, but I was shocked when I saw her "after" photo and didn't notice a difference from "before" (or "after-after"—Anderson said she's already lost the weight). Since there was no apparent physical difference—and even after her weight gain, Paltrow still looked thinner than most country stars—I have to wonder why she did it.

Are Energy Bars Your Diet Enemy?

Do you know what you're really eating when you pick up that energy bar?

If there’s one thing in this world I can’t get enough of, it’s a quick fix. Anything that makes my life easier, less stressful and adds some time to my day is a winner in my book. That being said, energy bars can be the perfect convenience food – that is, if you know how to decipher the good stuff from the junk. With so many health and nutrition bars on the market these days, sifting through all the choices has become almost as hard as finding that perfect dress hidden among the racks at a sample sale.

There are gender specific bars, meal replacement bars, workout fuel bars – between all of that and the fancy packaging, it becomes virtually impossible to know whether you’re making the right choice. Top nutritionist to the stars, Dr. Oz Garcia says "the main thing to look for is that the bar is low in both carbohydrates and saturated fats. You also want about 10 to 15 grams of protein. There are so many versions out there these days, so find one that tastes good too." We break it down for you below!

How to find time to run during the holidays

Holidays are certainly joyous, but family gatherings, holiday parties, and office functions can bump running right off your to-do list. Fortunately, you don't need to spend a lot of time to maintain your fitness during this busy time of year. Our advice? Split working out into 20-minute chunks and you’ll make staying on track seem less daunting. The following 20-minute (or less) workouts cover all the bases of strength, speed, and endurance well enough so you can start the New Year strong.

Build Endurance: BREAK IT UP

Stringing together several 20-minute runs across a single day can boost your stamina. Identify a day that’s destined to be booked with chores. Go for an easy 20-minute run, spend the next hour or two running errands or doing things around the house, then head out for another 20-minute run. Do up to three of these segments once per week.

Seven herbs for indigestion

Common causes for indigestion include overeating, eating too quickly, fatty or greasy foods, too much caffeine, too much alcohol, too much chocolate, nervousness, and emotional trauma. Translation: The holidays.

Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a term used to describe one or more symptoms including a feeling of fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and burning or pain in the upper abdomen; it may cause bloating, belching, and nausea. One thing is certain, it's no fun!

If that last wafer-thin mint has you cowering on the couch, you may want to try one of these natural aids for indigestion. Herbs have been used for millennia to treat any matter of ailments, and indigestion seems to be one woe that is well-suited for natural remedies.

Your Happiness: 3 Things Every Woman Needs to be 100 Percent Happy

These days, happiness is a big business--authors sell books on the topic, marketers try to get you to buy their products in the name of improved happiness, etc. But when it boils down to it, experts say that for almost every one of us, happiness boils down to three simple things--do you have them in your life?

The happiness trio? Huffington Post blogger Joe Robinson recently wrote about three core psychological needs that stem from past research from scientists at The University of Rochester:

Autonomy: Having independence, control over your home or work environment--the feeling that you are freely choosing things in your life and not being controlled by anyone or anything.

5 Ways Your Job Is Killing Your Body

Do you leave your job every day with a headache? Do you have a large kink in your neck by the end of the week? Is your lower back constantly hurting? Your job is probably trying to kill you.

Ok, so it’s not chasing after you with an axe, but poor conditions at your office can actually take a deathly toll on your body. But that doesn’t mean you have to succumb to your cubicle’s torture. Find out what practices can leave your body in pain and what you can do to prevent those annoying aches.

1. Stress is wreaking havoc on your hormones

Most jobs these days have a high level of demand. Your boss is yelling. Your presentation is due in an hour. You have eight hours of meetings before you can even start to work. It’s like the stress level of a warzone, but you have to deal with it every day. When you are this stressed out, your body is in survival mode.

Why we're cheering the proposed ban on caffeinated alcohol

The writing would seem to be on the wall for Four Loko and other beverages that combine alcohol and caffeine, as the FDA considers an outright ban of the combination. Anyone who is for sanity and safety in marketing should read it and cheer, not weep.

Combining alcohol and caffeine is -- in a word -- crazy. Don't do it! It has an excellent chance of hurting you, and a fairly good chance of killing you. Recent news reports feature tragic victims of this deadly duo. As the companies and federal authorities decide what to do, you can make up your own mind to steer clear of this bad brew.

As I suspect everyone knows, alcohol is a central nervous system depressant. It is certainly possible to drink enough alcohol for it to be lethal -- people have. But the depressant effect tends to limit the damage, because people fall asleep or pass out before they reach a truly lethal level of intake. Alcohol is more likely to kill by impairing judgment, and responses behind the wheel of a car. But here, too, the intrinsically sedating effects of alcohol help limit these incidents- which are horribly too numerous as is.

10 ways to walk off fat faster

Here’s how to boost your calorie-burn big time—without much extra effort.

Get some poles

Using Nordic poles torches an average 20 percent more calories by engaging the muscles in your upper body and torso, says Mark Fenton, author of The Complete Guide to Walking. Plant the pole firmly at a 45-degree angle behind you, then push back forcefully against the ground to propel yourself forward.

Skip killer hills

Don’t assume the biggest inclines are the best for burning fat. “It’s better to maintain your speed on a moderate hill than to slow down substantially on a steeper one,” Fenton says.

Use your arms

The 4 Best Fast-Food Snacks

When we're on a road trip or running an insane amount of errands, sometimes we have no choice but to pull up to a fast-food restaurant for a quick snack. Hey, a girl gets hungry!

While fast food generally isn't the best choice in terms of nutritious eats, there are smart orders that keep calories and fat to a minimum while making you feel full and satisfied.

We analyzed nutritional information provided by major fast-food chains to come up with 4 yummy options that won't break the caloric bank. Remember them the next time you pull up to the drive-thru!

McDonald's Fruit 'n' Yogurt Parfait 160 calories, 2 grams of fat (1 saturated), 21 grams sugar, 85 mg sodium If you have a hankering for something sweet, this mix of low-fat vanilla yogurt, strawberries, blueberries and granola is the perfect quick fix. The berries give you a shot of vitamins, the yogurt is a great source of dairy and granola helps you feel satisfied.

Easy Ways to Turn Your Holiday Shopping into a Workout

Although you simply cannot reap the benefits of a good workout by just shopping, Geralyn Coopersmith, director of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute points out that there are still ways to improve your health while making your rounds at the mall and the supermarket. Learn how here:

* First, walk as much as possible. This means not using your grandmother's handicapped tag for a front space and parking in the back of the lot instead. If your mall has an option to take the stairs, skip the escalator. These are activities that mimic cardiovascular exercise and, therefore, burn calories.

* Just because shopping doesn't have the same effect as running a 5K doesn't mean you should slack off. Carole Carson, author of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction, says that shopping can often help women reach their goal of 60 minutes of cardio a day — the amount required to avoid gaining weight with age. In fact, the average shopping trip involves walking almost three miles. Add that to the number of times you hit the mall during a given week or month, and you've got yourself a serious workout.

The Best Bets For Pie on Thanksgiving

Yesterday I was asked a tough question - what is the best (as in healthiest) pie to eat on Thanksgiving? Pie by nature is not a very healthy option given the crust and the shortening or butter used to make it but I can give you some advice for choosing wisely when dessert is served later this week!

What would Thanksgiving dinner be without pie at the end of it?! Pie is the customary dessert served in most homes on Thursday. On a day where calories are everywhere, pie would not be the best dessert choice you could make but if that is your only option, here is what you should know.

Any good pie is built on a nice crust. Pie crust is almost always made with vegetable shortening due to its ideal flaky baking properties. Unfortunately this great texture comes with a cost - shortening is a common carrier of partially hydrogenated oils and trans fat. If the crust is not made with shortening, then it's likely made with butter or lard which comes with saturated fat. Both types of fat are hard on the heart so the number one rule with pie is to limit your intake. If Thanksgiving is the one day a year you eat pie then you don't have to fret much over which type to chose but it's always good to know what is in your food so be aware of what you are eating.

How Do You Normally Sleep on Your Pillow? Face Up, Down, on the Side? (One Causes More Wrinkles)

Sleep is supposed to be healing and restorative to the body--and skin! That's why they call it "beauty sleep." But the way you sleep on your pillow could be having the opposite effect on your skin, say experts. One way, in fact, may be giving you premature wrinkles. See if it's the way you snooze...
A word of caution for us gals. According to Michelle Halpern, over at StyleCaster, your sleep style could be bad for your skin:
"If you're a face-to-pillow kind of guy or girl while sleeping, you best change up your habits as soon as possible," she writes. "You know those sleep lines on your face etched into your skin when you wake up in the morning? While they may have disappeared by breakfast time today, over the course of many years, sleeping in the same face-down position will cause permanent wrinkles to form as your skin loses its youthful elasticity. Start sleeping on your back, or at best, switch up your sleep routine from time to time. And while you're at it, get more of it--getting plenty of sleep will decrease under-eye circles, which are never a good look."
I'm in the clear (sort of)! I'm a side and mostly back sleeper. (Joanna, over at Smitten, is adorable: She sleeps diagonally.) And, I just can't understand how anyone could sleep face down. Doesn't this deprive you of oxygen? Seems like it would feel so suffocating! But, I do know people who tell me they love sleeping with their faces smashed into their pillows.
How do you tend to sleep?