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Orthorexia: How Healthy Is Too Healthy?

2009-07-10T18:44:57Z

Since writing about Michael Pollan's "In Defense of Food", I have been thinking about a point he explores in his book and I only touched on in my last post: the idea of Orthorexia, that is, an obsession with being healthy. Coined by Stevan Bratman, MD, in 1997, the term stems from the greek worth ortho meaning straight and correct. As stated in an article by ABC News, Anorexics seem to always think they're fat, but orthorexics know they're thin, but they want to be pure."

7 Wedding Planning Tips For Brides To Be

2009-07-10T18:01:08Z

I never daydreamed about my wedding day. I never closed my eyes and pictured myself teetering down the aisle in a cloud of tulle. I never stared longingly at my left hand, with its nibbled-on fingernails, and envisioned the space above my knuckle bedecked in anything other than the scar I got when I was 12 from a jagged can of cat food.

Eat Less, Live Longer, New Study Says

2009-07-10T17:44:34Z

A long-awaited study of aging in rhesus monkeys suggests, with some reservations, that people could in principle fend off the usual diseases of old age and considerably extend their life span by following a special diet.

Known as caloric restriction, the diet has all the normal healthy ingredients but contains 30 percent fewer calories than usual. Mice kept on such a diet from birth have long been known to live up to 40 percent longer than comparison mice fed normally.

Ready, Set, Volunteer!

2009-07-10T15:40:58Z

President Obama has called on Americans to make this a summer of service., and with beautiful weather expected and a post-4th of July BBQ lull, this is the perfect time for New Yorkers to take up that call. Here's a list of the top five opportunities in and around the Big Apple this weekend:

1. Get Your Feet Wet

Remove tires and trash from the Shiawassee River. Bring your own canoe or flat-bottom boat, or rent one there. Spend the day floating along the peaceful river and doing a good dead! Check out this website for all the details.

2. REALLY Wet

Volunteer to crew the South Street Seaport Museum's schooner, the Pioneer. While there's no experience necessary, you'll need to attend two on-boat training sessions, so get started this weekend and you'll have plenty of time to volunteer before the summer is over. Visit the museum's website to fill out an application.

3. For the Land Lubbers among us

Roll up your sleeves and spend the day in any one of New York's many community gardens. Most welcome volunteers during open hours on the weekends, but check the garden's website first to be sure. The Clinton Community Garden is open to volunteers this Sunday and La Paz Cultural and the Liz Christy Garden are open on Saturday. Or check out the New York Community Garden Database to find a community garden near you.

4. Take Fido for a Walk

Man's best friend sometimes needs a friend too. Give some of your time this weekend to walk a dog from a local animal shelter. It won't take more than an hour, and , hey, it's good exercise. Check out this Long Island-based shelter, or find one where you are. Or, if you can't resist those puppy-dog eyes, become a foster parent and take the pooch home with you for a short or long-term stay until it's adopted.

5. Cook for the Community

For a warm and fuzzy feeling that's not so furry, spend a few hours at a soup kitchen. The Village Temple Soup Kitchen serves 150 homeless and needy people every Saturday in Greenwich Village, and they could certainly use a hand. Or, check out the New York City Coalition Against Hunger website for an opportunity to cook up a good deed in your own neighborhood.

So take up the president's call, get out there, start volunteering!

And send us your stories. We want to hear all the ways you're serving the community.

As a counterpoint to the (justifiably) gloomy tone of much reporting about the economic crisis, HuffPost is highlighting stories of service, local heroes, and acts of kindness (random and otherwise). If you read about or hear about uplifting stories or good deeds in your community (or do a good deed yourself), please let us know by emailing allforgood@huffingtonpost.com.

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Mending Wall Street Soles

2009-07-09T21:50:23Z

For the unemployed, putting your best foot forward is sometimes hard to do.

But Lisa Hancock-Jasie tells us that her New York cobbler has given her a step up on the competition in job interviews. She sent us this email to tell how Minas, of Minas Shoe Repair in the Financial District, has performed a little act of kindness that has made a big impact:

When I became unemployed, Minas fixed the heels of my old shoes, worn out from pounding the pavement for a new job. And he would not take money for the job well done. Instead, he told me that whenever I was gainfully employed, we'd talk about it then. To date, we've never returned to that conversation, although I've tried...He does it because he cares. Well, that and the cobbler in him wants to be sure our shoes are in tip-top shape.

I caught up with Mina himself to talk about the recession, September 11 and helping out friends.

I've seen a lot of young guys and young girls loosing their jobs here on Wall Street. They keep coming in to say hi at least. So, if you see your friend needs some help, you've got to do it. You've got to do what you've got to do, as the Americans say.

How is it you came to think of your customers as friends?

I've had my store for more than 35 years. In the 70's I was one of the first tenants in the basement of the World Trade Center. But after September 11, I lost everything. So I opened this store here on Wall Street in 2004 and we started from zero. And my customers, they came back to me. People came here and they were bringing their shoes, or bags, just to give me some work.

Have your customers been bringing in less work since the recession hit?

No, no, I think we increase business, because we save money for the customers, if you have a good pair like Manolos, and if you paid $500 dollars for them, I'll charge you maybe $40 to bring them back to life. That saves you money.

But for some of your customers, like Lisa, even $40 is too much to pay?

Yes, but she didn't ask me. It's just, I knew she lost her job and I wanted to help. When people are good to you, you have to be good to them. It's a two way street here, not a one way street.

Do you expect Lisa will ever repay you?

I don't expect her to repay me. I feel that I've done something. That's my payment.

And do you think what you've done will help her to get a job?

No matter if it's your shoes or your clothes, to be a person with decency and presentation it's so important. Whether you're a janitor or a businessman, it's always so important. Anybody that needs help with that, I will help them.

As a counterpoint to the (justifiably) gloomy tone of much reporting about the economic crisis, HuffPost is highlighting stories of service, local heroes, and acts of kindness (random and otherwise). We've featured the stories of a marriage therapist counseling couples suffering the stress of financial hardship, dry cleaners offering free suit cleaning for unemployed job applicants, and many more. If you read about or hear about uplifting stories or good deeds in your community (or do a good deed yourself), please let us know by emailing allforgood@huffingtonpost.com.

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Stop Positive Thinking, Study Says

2009-07-09T15:59:24Z

In the past 50 years, people with mental problems have spent untold millions of hours in therapists' offices, and millions more reading self-help books, trying to turn negative thoughts like "I never do anything right" into positive ones like "I can succeed." For many people -- including well-educated, highly trained therapists, for whom "cognitive restructuring" is a central goal -- the very definition of psychotherapy is the process of changing self-defeating attitudes into constructive ones.

TIME MAG: Why Are Southerners So Fat?

2009-07-09T14:34:01Z

People from Mississippi are fat. With an adult obesity rate of 33%, Mississippi gobbled its way to the "chubbiest state" crown for the fifth year in a row, according to a new joint report by Trust For America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Alabama, West Virginia, and Tennessee aren't far behind, with obesity rates over 30%. In fact, eight out of the 10 fattest states are in the South. The region famous for its biscuits, barbecue and pecan pies has been struggling with its weight for years -- but then again, so has the rest of the country. Wisconsin loves cheese, New Yorkers scarf pizza, and New Englanders have been known to enjoy a crab cake or two. So why is the South so portly?

Baba Ramdev, Yoga Guru, Challenges Gay Verdict In Indian Supreme Court

2009-07-08T20:25:24Z

By Varun Bubber

It's been less than a week since the Delhi High Court abolished Section 377 of India's Penal Code, decriminalizing consensual sexual intercourse between homosexuals. Ever since, the historic verdict has created waves in Indian society, invoking joy and relief among the nation's embattled gay community and its supporters, and outrage from several sections, including religious and moral leaders, as well as some politicians.

Yoga a Cure for Homosexuality?

Most recently, an influential yoga guru, Baba Ramdev, has filed a petition in India's Supreme Court demanding that High Court's verdict be struck down, claiming that "homosexuality is a disease that is curable" and that [the] "right to privacy as a facet of right to life cannot include the right to enjoy deviant sexual preferences and sexual behaviour."

An ardent proponent of ancient Hindu techniques like yoga and herbal medicine, Baba Ramdev commands a massive following in India, claiming over 2 million followers (including several key politicians and celebrities) and presiding over televised "yoga camps" that attract over 20,000 participants and millions of viewers. The West's recent interest in yoga notwithstanding, Baba Ramdev is widely credited with reviving the practice of yoga in a nation that is growing increasingly apathetic towards ancient traditions.

Religious Rage

The Baba's legal move comes after religious leaders from several faiths condemned the High Court's decision in the media, with the Catholic Church being particularly vocal in its dissent.

Joseph Dias, general secretary of the Catholic Secular Forum (CSF), said recently that Indian Christians were in "greater danger" of being lured by the "glamour of the gay world" and were in "imminent risk of getting drawn into vice and sin, as homosexuality is forbidden by the Church." He called for the Central Government to appeal in India's Supreme Court, echoing demands by the leading Islamic organizations in India.

Politically Correct

And while the bulk of India's political establishment has remained guarded in its reaction to the verdict, the notoriously outspoken Member of Parliament and Ex-Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, has demanded that the central government appeal the judgement in the Supreme Court, saying that "some people may like or consent to these things, but these things are not acceptable in our society" and "[homosexuality is] a crime... Such obscene acts should not be allowed in our country. The society is adversely affected." Yadav has also threatened to raise the matter in India's Parliament, which may force the government to take a stand.

A Queer Future

The Delhi High Court, however, seems to have anticipated such morality-based appeals, and the judgement appears to pre-emptively counter them. "Moral indignation, howsoever strong, is not a valid basis for overriding individuals' fundamental rights of dignity and privacy. In our scheme of things Constitutional morality must outweigh the argument of public morality, even if it be the majoritarian view," wrote the two-judge panel of Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah and Justice S Muralidhar. So for now at least, the striking down of Section 377, this first, crucial step in the gay rights movement in India, remains safe, buffered against the storm of public outrage that is coming its way.

O. Carl Simonton Dies At 66: Pioneer Of Mind-Body Approach To Battling Cancer

2009-07-08T19:57:38Z

Dr. O. Carl Simonton, a radiation oncologist who popularized the mind-body connection in fighting cancer and helped push the once-controversial notion into mainstream medicine, has died. He was 66.

The New Sex Worker: Recession-Plagued Women

2009-07-08T18:53:03Z

"Boob play," "pics of kitty," "topless housecleaning" and "hypno role play." The list, scribbled in a lined yellow notebook, is followed by a double-underlined figure: $725.

Health Class No Longer Required In Texas High Schools

2009-07-08T16:14:23Z

AUSTIN, Texas (AP)-- Health class will no longer be a state requirement for high school students this fall, making Texas one of the few states in the country with no required health education, officials said.

Education Commissioner Robert Scott announced the move in a recent letter to school districts, causing some to worry Texas students will miss out on critical topics like alcohol awareness, sex education and basic nutrition.

"It was very surprising to a lot of people," said Diana Everett, executive director of the Texas Association for Health Physical Education, Health, Recreation and Dance. "We've all been in shock."

Individual school districts still can require students to take health classes, but Scott eliminated the state requirement to comply with a new law that bumps up the number electives required to graduate. Starting this fall, students must take six elective courses, instead of the currently mandated three-and-a-half.

Officials wanted to give students more flexibility to pursue electives of their own choosing, so while two required semesters of fine arts were maintained, a semester of physical education and two semesters of a technology class also were removed from the state's recommended high school program.

"It's a major statement about where we're going," Everett said. "We've been trying to address the issue of childhood obesity, but we seem to be losing ground every time the Legislature meets."

One national health education advocate said removing the course requirement is likely to contribute to students making poor choices.

"It runs the gamut, from tobacco use ... substance use and abuse, nutrition and physical activity levels, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, injuries," said Susan Woolley, executive director of the Ohio-based American School Health Association. "It covers a wide area and it also covers being informed health consumers, knowing when to use medicines or over-the-counter products, properly using the health care system ... all of these things should and could be covered in a good curriculum somewhere between first grade and high school."

Everett said the decision came too late for many school districts and students to change schedules, so many districts will still teach health as if it were required during in the upcoming school year. But schools will have to decide next spring if they'll continue with the courses.

Without a state mandate, "there are going to be a lot of people saying 'well I don't have the time, I'm not comfortable with this, I don't have to hire these teachers or I can get rid of that out of the day,"' Woolley said.

Fine arts advocates, meanwhile, are applauding the state's decision to maintain that requirement.

"Creative aspects of what students learn in fine arts classrooms contributes to 21st century work force preparation," said Robert Floyd, chair of the Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education. "Having more electives also gives students who are truly interested in the fine arts the opportunity to take additional courses beyond the fine arts requirement."

The state's recommended high school program still will require most students to complete 26 credits. Each semester counts for a half-credit. In addition to the core requirements of math, science, English/language arts and social studies, Texas high school students also will be required to take two years of a foreign language and one year each of fine arts and PE.

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Alzheimer's, Diabetes, Parkinson's: Environmental Link

2009-07-08T15:12:45Z

A new study by researchers at Rhode Island Hospital have found a substantial link between increased levels of nitrates in our environment and food, with increased deaths from diseases, including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009).

Saving Marriages Strained By The Recession

2009-07-07T20:48:51Z

Jobs have been lost and homes have been lost, but if Dr. Alan Singer can help it marriages will not be lost to this recession.

Singer is a family therapist in central New Jersey, and he's volunteering his services on the weekends for couples hard-hit by the recession. These are the couples most in need of help, but who often can't afford professional counseling.

"Finances are a source of marital conflict in good times, so imagine how it is now," he said. "If I had money, I'd say, here, let me pay your housenote for six months, let me take that stress off. But I don't. I wish, when I meet with them, that I had money. I wish I had money to give them."

Instead, he gives them what he can: counseling.

"If somebody's telling me, 'I'm in tremendous financial hardship and I've had my house foreclosed on and I've lost my job,' I'm ready to make an appointment. That's enough to me. I can see the stress or the tension in their call or their email," he said.

Singer began by offering the hour-long sessions for free in February, but after a few no-shows, he began charging the couples a $30 fee to cover his operating costs, an 80% discount on his usual rate. Several times, he's returned the payment as a way of further helping these downtrodden couples.

Singer's clients for these extremely low-cost sessions are a varied set, from the young couple ambivalently yearning for a second child despite financial instability to the older couple looking at their uncertain future with fear after their retirement savings have been ravaged by the cruel fall of Wall Street.

Singer has seen the "nightmarish" stress that unemployment and foreclosure can impose on a marriage. He said there's an overwhelming lack of hope among these victims of the recession, for whom each new day brings only a new bill to pay or resume to submit.

"Hopelessness is very stressful," he said, "and terribly discouraging."

The prospect of a quick economic turnaround brings little encouragement for troubled couples. Historical trends show that divorce rates typically fall during economic hard times as all members of a family pull together to make ends meet, but peak again just after the economy recovers. For troubled couples, it appears there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

"And when clients are in tears, I'm in tears," Singer said of his personal connection to the recession. "But I'm happy if they say it helps, it gives me a feeling of doing something, in an area where I think I can help."

Singer began this service after reading Steve Waldman's blog criticizing the president for not including a provision for national service in his economic recovery plan. Waldman called for a national service plan at the center of the recovery, in the vein of Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps. Singer was inspired, and he sent us this note:

"I want to take it one step further during these stressful times of increasing unemployment and home foreclosures. I believe it is time to think about giving one day a month to help others by using our profession skills, especially to help those who recently lost their job or their house."

He hopes that other working professionals will follow his lead.

"Maybe I'm dreaming, but I think dentists, doctors, certainly accountants, could give a little service, too."

As a counterpoint to the (justifiably) gloomy tone of much reporting about the economic crisis, HuffPost is going to be highlighting stories of service, local heroes, and acts of kindness (random and otherwise). So if you read about or hear about uplifting stories or good deeds in your community (or do a good deed yourself), please let us know about them by emailing allforgood@huffingtonpost.com.

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Why Girls Like Bad Boys

2009-07-07T19:43:54Z

Ricky Menezes, a 22-year-old from Marlborough, Mass., says he knows he will hook up with "about 20 girls" in the next month.

How does he know this, you ask? Ricky knows this because he's what we call a "bad boy" -- the type of guy who knows exactly how to act, what to say and how to manipulate women into giving him what he wants.

New research suggests that bad boys may indeed beat nice guys when it comes to getting female attention.

Amazing Homes Of World Leaders (VOTE!)

2009-07-07T18:56:19Z

How would you like to live in the White House? Take the HuffPost Poll of World Leaders' Residences - compare the photos and vote for your favorite. Don't forget to compare results with your friends on Facebook.

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