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Interestingly enough I am not as good at spotting a fake smile as I thought I would be. To me the eyes tell a great story and I thought by looking at their eyes I would know whether or not their smile was genuine or fake.

Take the short quiz and see if you can spot the fake smiles.

My score was 16 out of 20.

According to research, smiling affects how we speak, to the point that listeners can identify the type of smile based on sound alone, according to a study by scientists at the University of Portsmouth. I can see, or hear, how this might be true. Happier people definitely do sound different than somber people. But if you can't hear the person and you can only see them would you know whether or not their smile is sincere? I thought it would be a piece of cake. I was sure I am intuitive enough to know the difference, but I ended up getting some wrong.

Also a fun smiling fact is in regards to gender. It is true women smile more than men, but the difference isn't large; it is modest. However, it is also true the difference is more distinct when women and men think they are being watched. Women will smile more if they think their behavior is being watched. Whereas men will smile less. Interesting.

In addition, when people are tense or uncomfortable men will scowl where as women will try and restore harmony to the environment with a smile. I suppose the gender difference here is how women tend to do "emotional work" more than men when in stressful situations.

Labels: smile

We're nearing the end of April which has been Autism Awareness Month and it is time to reflect over what you have done to help make a difference in regards to this cause.

Toy 'R Us has been pushing Autism Awareness by sending out e-mails to people who opted into their online newsletters. Being one of those people I have been smiling each time I see one of their e-mails in my inbox.

Today they had a downloadable PDF of ten toys which they say "speak to autism." I'm going to link to it so you can have a copy, too because in addition to talking about toys they sell which is their marketing ploy, it also discusses the reasons why certain toys might be helpful. I found the information helpful and enlightening.

Today their are nearly 1.5 million children in the United States alone who have been diagnosed with a form of autism. An estimated 150 additional children are add to that number each year. These numbers are alarming and they should make it obvious just how important it is for more research to be done in this area. Research in terms of the cause, the biological effects, treatments and a cure are absolutely necessary.

Click through with this link for information on different Autism Awareness Walks all around the world. Make sure you at least participate by educating yourself further on the topic but it would be wonderful if you could also participate in a walk for the cause and/or donate money to fund research.

As cliche as it might sound, it is true we can all make a difference one person at a time.

Labels: autism

My Goddaughter has been going through troubles with her digestion or lack thereof. She is very young and it has been a difficult time for her in coping with the pain associated in both being constipated and than trying to relieve herself.

Both her Mom and I have experienced similar troubles and so we hate that it has somehow jumped onto her when she only just turned three.

So I have been trying to keep up with research related to these issues in children and today I came across a helpful article.

"Probiotics are good for kids too, say experts at Harvard Medical School's Division of Nutrition. To date, probiotic supplements have been recommended as an aid to various intestinal disorders, but not solely as a means of preventive maintenance to digestive health."

I think it is important to note that the use of probiotics is valuable for digestional health whether related to constipation or an overactive system which would lead to diarrhea and in worst cases also dehydration.

Recent studies conducted on daycare children using Nature's Way Primadophilus indicate the potential for a lower incidence of fever, flu and the common cold, highly contagious viruses kids love to bring home to their families.

Probiotics (which is health bacteria) can help with such a wide range of things that it is beneficial for everyone to make sure they get enough. It can help with digestive issues but can also help with urinary tract infections, yeast infections and even bad breath.

It's worth a try, right? The least invasive and most natural ways of helping children are often the best way to go.

SOURCE

Labels: probiotics

We all know I like my wine, I'm a complete wine addict and until this very morning I was okay with it. Until, of course, I read an article in which research shows even having one to two alcoholic drinks in a day can raise your risks of certain types of breast cancer.

"While the studies do not prove cause and effect, they lend plausibility to growing evidence implicating drinking as a risk factor for breast cancer, says Elizabeth Platz, ScD, a specialist in cancer prevention at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health."

Given the high rate of cancer in Delaware, where I live, and in my family history reading reports like this is alarming. When you put all these factors in the same bowl of likelihood then your risks appear ready to overflow, right?

The researchers reviewed data on 184,418 postmenopausal women, who answered questions about how much alcohol and what type of alcohol they drank each day. They were followed for an average of seven years.

Overall, moderate drinking raised the risk of developing breast cancer, regardless of whether a woman's preference was for beer, wine, or hard liquor. And the more she drank, the greater the risk.

Aw hell.

In other reports, we hear how a glass of wine a day is good for your heart. So how do you weigh the risks? Which studies should take precedence? This I do not know and even my assumptions should be taken lightly because I lack any type of medical background.

I suppose the biggest argument would be regarding your other behavior. When it comes to heart disease there are a plethora of preventive measures you can take to lower your risks. Whereas with breast cancer...well..not so much, unless maybe this means not drinking alcohol is your only preventive measure.

Decisions, decisions.

SOURCE

Labels: alcoholism, breast cancer, heart disease, research

Many thanks to my brother, Gregory J. Mannering, for making me aware of Dining Out for Life 2008.

Did you know that AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, or that women account for approximately 30% of new HIV infections? I didn't know this and the numbers astound me. Thankfully there are several ways I can take part in helping fund research to stop the numbers from escalating.

"Dining Out for Life started in Philadelphia as the brainchild of an ActionAIDS volunteer. It is now in over 45 cities across North America, and raises well over $3,000,000 a year for people living with HIV & AIDS. With cities signing on all of the time, the map keeps growing! They just signed on New York, New York & Fairbanks, Alaska!"

On one day, over 200 restaurants across the Delaware Valley will donate 33% of their food sales to benefit tens of thousands of men, women and children living with HIV and AIDS. It is a perfect event for our 20,000 participants - all they need to do is dine out in a participating restaurant.

Diners who make an additional contribution of $25 or more on May 1st will receive a 20% Off Tuesday Card in mail with their thank you note. This card entitles diners to 20% Off their table's food bill on Tuesday nights at participating 20% Off Tuesday Restaurants all year long.

As a writer born and raised in Delaware, I am located perfectly to participate in this amazing opportunity. But those of you who might be a couple of hours away should still participate and/or look at the map to find a location nearer to your home. This is something you can easily do and it will get you out of the house for a day while also helping to raise money for a great cause.

However, I ask you to look even further into what you can do to help the fight against AIDS and for better treatments which will lead to a cure. This one day event is only a small step in the right direction. ActionAIDS is always looking to recruit new volunteers for their non-profit organization.

You can do something as simple as pick up a phone and offer emotional support to someone struggling with this disease. Volunteering as a "Buddy" can mean saving a life. When you offer your support and compassion to someone they will have the strength to hold onto hope and keep moving forward. A stronger mindset means a healthier outlook on life in general and that can do wonders for your buddy and for you!

"ActionAIDS is a Philadelphia-based organization in partnership with people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, works to sustain and enhance quality of life."

SOURCE

I'd also like to quickly update, 10:25 p.m., my brother quickly sent a note to tell me some of the participating Delaware restaurants: "Cafe Gelato, Home Grown, Logan House, Melting Pot, Mikimotos, Moe's Grill, Soffritto's or even Timothy's." Yum-o!

Labels: AIDS, Dining Out For Life

Amino acids are nitrogen-containing compounds that occur naturally in the body and are essential to good health.

Eight of the 20 commonly known amino acids are needed to maintain a healthy metabolism, promote tissue repair and growth, protect nerves and synthesize the protein needed to build lean muscle. Unfortunately, your body doesn't produce the essential eight. You must obtain these through diet.

Figures, right?

So what do you need to eat to get the essential 8?

Animal foods will contain all eight essential amino acids, but most plant foods lack in one or more. Meat in general is a good source of protein, with a full mixture of all the essential amino acids. However, it can be high in fat. Try to select lean cuts such as top round and sirloin. Poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes (dry beans or peas such as lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans) are also good sources of protein.

To give you an idea of the amount of protein you can find in certain foods, check out the following list:

1 cup milk…8 grams

1 ounce cheese…7 grams

1 ounce meat…7 grams

1 egg…6 grams

½ cup legumes…7 grams

2 tablespoons peanut butter…8 grams

¼ cup nuts…6 grams

½ cup cooked non-starchy vegetable…2 grams

1 serving of grain (1 slice bread, ½ bun, 1 c. dry cereal, 1 small muffin)…3 grams

And there's the lesson for the day. =o)

Labels: amino acid, diet, protein

Emmy Award-Winning Filmmaker Takes On The Question 'How Far Have We Come In the War on Cancer?'

"What is the truth about cancer? Is it the same deadly killer it was 30 years ago -- or are we making progress? Find out through the poignant stories of patients battling the disease in The Truth About Cancer premiering nationally on PBS Wednesday, April 16 at 9:00pm ET."

Part science, part personal catharsis, part character-driven storytelling, the 90-minute documentary is narrated by Linda Garmon, who tells the moving story of her husband's battle with cancer. Sounds like it will be quite the tear jerker.

Following the 90-minute documentary is a 30-minute panel discussion entitled Take One Step: A Conversation About Cancer with Linda Ellerbee. News journalist and breast cancer survivor Linda Ellerbee moderates the dialogue featuring a panel of doctors, all of whom are cancer survivors themselves.

SOURCE

Labels: cancer, documentary, PBS

The appearance of a cold sore is a visible sign that your immune system is having a rough time and needs some attention.

Worldwide, between 80% and 90% of the adult population have the cold sore virus (Herpes Simplex Virus or HSV-1), according to Dr. Sherman, who is the author of The Complete Botanical Prescriber.

So what can you do?

- Cut the sugar. Cold sores tend to emerge when your body is too acidic.

- Buy organic. Organic foods supply more trace minerals that help alkalinize your blood, reducing acidity and thereby reducing outbreaks.

- Trust your body. The prescription anti-viral cold sore drugs on the market can have serious side effects on your liver and kidneys and may actually weaken your body's ability to fight the virus naturally.

It is also important to note the topical treatments available in drug stores are great for reducing symptoms of the cold sore, but they do not cure the sore.
It will take from 7 to 10 days for the virus to go away and the cold sore to naturally heal. If it lasts more than 10 days then you should see a doctor because there may be something more going on causing your immune system to not be able to heal it.

Labels: cold sores

Some people sit down to read the morning paper and others, like me, sit down to read their RSS feeds. =o)

This morning the headline which caught my attention before all others was, "Diagnosis: ADHD-or Is It Trauma?" and it was written by Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness.

It piqued my interest because I firmly believe children are more often inaccurately diagnosed with ADD or ADHD than they are accurately diagnosed. And putting your child on drugs to calm them down is not going to teach them how to cope and be calm on their own. Especially if your child truly does not have ADD or ADHD. Right? (Now, I'd like to note I do believe some people probably do need medicine for this and that is fine, I have no qualms with it. What I argue is diagnosing a child, because children are supposed to run around and have short attention spans it is how they develop and learn.)

In this article an adoptive Mom discusses how her child was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 7 and she hesitated to have him further evaluated or to give him medicine, because, "She knew that Dylan had been starved and neglected by his cocaine-addicted mother." Her argument was that due to the trauma in his early life, he was behaving inattentive and hyperactive.

"Though we tend to think of traumatic experiences as rare, in fact, by age 16, seven of 10 children have been exposed to at least one potentially traumatic event-such as a natural disaster, severe car accident, child abuse or the loss of close family member-according to a study of a representative sample of more than 1,400 children living in North Carolina published in 2007."

I can attest to this being true. By the age of 16 there are more than a handful of traumatic events in the timeline of my life. To this day my Mom says they should make a Lifetime made for TV movie about my life.

In fact, I have very early memories of traumatic events and can describe everything right down to the amount of light, the smell and the textures in certain memories of mine. If only my long term memory were as bad as my short term memory these days. =o)

How do you handle a child who has been molded early on in their life by experiences which were far less than stellar? I honestly am not sure if it is possible. I spent a year of my recent life trying to sort things out with a psychiatrist. While medicine certainly took the edge off my extreme emotions; it can't make the reasons go away.

The article at one point discusses some of what this adopted child had witnessed before the age of 7.

"Dylan had seen his mother use drugs and had witnessed a stabbing. In response, his developing brain-in an effort to protect himself-would have tried to predict which adult moods were most likely to erupt in violence."

"These children are hypervigilant because they are looking for dangers or threats," says Frank Putnam, professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. "They become exquisitely attuned to sights, sounds and especially facial expressions or tones of voice that might be linked with impending trouble."

"Hypervigilance can look like hyperactivity or inattentiveness in school because these children are paying attention to "distractions" like the teacher's face or another child's movements, not their schoolwork. A slammed door might prompt them to jump from their seats—and cause a "fight or flight" response that might seem aggressive or defiant."

How do you break a cycle like this? Can time, patience, love and understanding really get through? I'm not so sure. I hate to sound like doom and gloom, but once your brain as been molded and developed with those acute responses, how do you change it?

I often find myself saying "well in my world" when I'm talking about life. How selfish it must seem to outsiders to hear me say something like that. But the truth of the matter is there is a "my world" my own internal world; it does exist. And no, you're not invited. Why would you want to enter? I'm still trying to find a way to keep the doors nailed shut.

Labels: ADHD, children, depression, mental health, trauma

Man oh man, if you ever want to get me riled up then talk to me about child abuse. My best friend was abused her whole life and I have known many, many other children throughout my lifetime who have been abused. It is completely unacceptable and I have absolutely no tolerance for someone who feels the need to hit or verbally accost a child. Quite frankly, those people deserve torturous suffering.

Nearly 1 million children in the U.S. were victims of abuse or neglect from October 2005 to September 2006, a figure government researchers Thursday called distressing.

What is more distressing is how many millions of children are abused and were NOT listed as a part of that figure. Of course I have no proof of that, but am 110% certain I am correct. It breaks my heart.

Neglect accounted for about 70% of the total reported cases in infants 1 week old or less, researchers say, while physical and sexual abuse accounted for 13%.

With that data all I can say is of course 70% was neglect, that is the one easiest for outsiders to spot. A child comes to school in the same clothes all week, hasn't been bathed and looks malnourished. A teacher is obligated to report something like that and if reported there is an obligation for investigation. However, a child can be sexually and physically assaulted and if there is no visible wound than outsiders will not see, right? Many, MANY of those cases go unreported. And you know, children feel guilty, they think it is their fault. It kills me, it pains me, you have no idea how deeply.

I hope this is looked into more frequently and with greater depth. I'm glad the research is being done, it's about flippin' time.

I urge you to stand up for children even if you only have an inkling that something might be going on. It is better to be safe than sorry, you can be a child's hero. I have stood up for children many times. It is VERY difficult, but there is no other choice as far as I am concerned. Silence is acceptance.

SOURCE

Labels: children, drug abuse, neglect

Before writing about Naked Naturals I decided I needed to try it. Not once, not even twice, I used the sample I received in the mail until it was gone before I decided I was comfortable enough to write about it.

I have tried other organic or natural shampoos and I have found them to be really heavy and hard to wash out. So this particular line, Naked Naturals, claims it's all natural, makes hair up to 7x stronger, etc. I admit I didn't believe a word of it, but I have to tell you now after having used it three times, it is by far the best natural shampoo I have tried.

My hair does feel more strong and it feels silkier. That is probably because this shampoo doesn't have any harsh chemicals, like DEA, TEA, or lauryl / laureth sulfates. The secret is in a key ingredient, Keravis. It's a plant protein that's exclusive to Naked Naturals. The citrus formula is the one I'll shout for, because it smells amazing, but also because my hair can get oily and citrus extracts will remove excess oil while keeping your hair shiny.

It's up to you. If you've been looking for a new hair care product and you'd like one that is better for the environment AND your hair you should head to the Naked Natural site and check it out. =o)

Labels: hair care

Each woman's breast cancer has several genetic signatures that help predict her risk - and help pinpoint the most effective treatments.

I think I learned about this first while watching an episode of "Everwood" seriously, I did. It may have been the only show I watched but it interested me. Well now more studies and stats are being published regarding these genetic ID tags.

Breast cancers with the same clinical features have very different genetic profiles. These "gene expression signatures" can be used to predict an individual woman's risk of a bad outcome - and to identify treatments most likely to help individual patients.

So if you know breast cancer runs in your family, is it safe and beneficial to have a test done?

Well, genetic testing can cost thousands of dollars. Your health insurance may not cover the cost. So even though this test should be covered and shouldn't cost so much, I know I wouldn't have it done unless there was an extremely STRONG line of cancer in my family history.

The test itself is simple. It involves taking a small sample of your blood and sending it to a special lab. But the results-whether positive or negative-could have a big effect on your life.

The opportunity is out there. The choice is yours. God bless.

Labels: breast cancer, genetic testing