According to NPR.org, brown fat generates heat and helps maintain the body’s core temperature. It is predominant in infants, as they are more prone to colds, and as age increases, brown fat decreases. Though younger people have more brown fat than older people, leaner people have a higher distribution than obese individuals. It is unknown whether or not obesity is caused by the lack of brown fat or if the amount of brown fat decreases as the individual gains weight. 

This discovery could reinvent the weight-loss industry as it could generate new ways to burn fat. Researchers speculate there could be a drug formulated to activate brown fat. Brown fat is activated in the presence of cold weather, so keeping the thermostat down could also be of benefit for people looking to shed some weight.

A strong core is synonymous with a strong athlete. 

The core can be thought of as the link between the upper half of your body with the lower half. In order to ensure both sections operate smoothly and in-balance, a strong core is necessary to develop. The majority of movements in sports, like running, throwing a ball, pivoting for a tennis shot, or jumping for a jump-shot, all require a powerful core for success. 

Many athletes believe training at higher altitudes can increase their fitness level, oxygen intake, and overall performance.

Reasons altitude training may be beneficial for athletes include the following:

Oxygen efficiency. Higher altitudes boast lower oxygen levels. This results in the body being forced to improve its ability to provide oxygen to the muscles.

Acid disposal. Acid buildup has a negative effect on athletes’ performance. Adjusting to higher altitudes forces the body to more efficiently deal with excess acid waste.

There is nothing easy about being diagnosed with a chronic illness. Shock may be felt, followed by a slew of emotions like denial, grief, and anger. Confusion, fear, avoidance and guilt may all be felt in different stages.

Accepting a chronic illness can be extremely difficult, but not impossible. Relinquishing control of different aspects of your life, whether it be tracking your medical procedures, estate planning, and solving daily problems that arise as complications with your illness.

Other benefits can surround you in trying to cope with a chronic illness. Relationships can be deepened, knowing each day is a gift, or new relationships can be formed through support groups. Experiencing personal growth through all the adversity can often occur, and many feel an enhanced spirituality and connection with their body.

Regardless of the illness suffered, life does not have to cease all of its pleasure, growth, or hope. There are many ways to keep living life to the fullest, despite your physical condition.

Everyone says that you’re glowing, right?  Oh, it must be the pregnancy, they say.  But perhaps that glow could also be due to the fact that your skin is on the verge of breaking out.

As any woman who has every been pregnant will tell you, it can be incredibly challenging to handle the hormonal changes created by pregnancy. Migraines. Nausea. Fatigue. Swollen and tender breasts. Constipation. Backache. Bloating. Mood swings. Increased emotional sensitivity. Skin problems can be just one of the many symptoms created by these hormonal changes.

The following are a few tips to keep your skin actually glowing, rather than having a pre-breakout glisten.

Eat well.  Aside from the importance of eating healthy for the health of your baby, which can’t be overemphasized, a nutritious diet will improve your skin.  Foods that contain high levels of Vitamin E can be especially helpful, such as avocados and figs (with figs, it’s important to chew the seeds up thoroughly in order to get the maximum amount of Vitamin E).  Avoid unhealthy oils that can be found in fried foods (burgers, fries, potato chips, etc.) and opt instead for healthy oils such as olive oil, safflower oil, sunflower seed oil, and even fish oil (with fish oil, taking it as a supplement may be more palatable than sipping it off a spoon).  

Hydrate.  The importance of drinking enough water during pregnancy cannot be stressed enough.  This will hydrate your whole body as much as your skin, allowing your body plenty of fluids that are needed to carry toxins away, many of which can clog your pores.  As an alternative to water, you can also make it your habit to constantly drink herbal teas while pregnant.  Red raspberry leaf, nettle, and oatstraw tea are all great for pregnancy.  Most natural food stores carry pregnancy and mother-to-be teas that are specially-formulated with herbs for pregnancy.  This is also a good practice to get into for the postpartum period as well; hydration will help with breastfeeding and recovering quickly from labor.  

Exercise.  It’s always a good idea to exercise regularly when you’re pregnant, especially as you get closer to labor.  Your body needs lots of exercise in order to detoxify your organs, including the largest organ in your body – your skin.  Your pores need to breathe in order to remain clear and exercise is a great way to get your heart rate up, your body sweating, and your skin breathing.

Use quality organic skin care products.   Belly butter, cocoa butter, coconut oil and the like are great to decrease stretch marks on your breasts and belly, but they may be too harsh for your face.  Find really high quality, gentle facial scrub and facial moisturizer products and use them daily. Always moisturize after you clean your skin because many skin problems are actually the result of dry skin as much as oiliness.  

Consider medication only as a last resort.  There are a number of pharmaceutical medications on the market to treat acne but many of them should be avoided like the plague when you’re pregnant.  Any medications that contain Tetracycline, Salicylic Acid, Tretinon, or Isotrentinoin should not be used during pregnancy.  These medications have been linked to birth defects, miscarriage, and infant death.  Consult your healthcare provider if you’re seriously considering medication to treat your skin problems.  

Plan on breastfeeding if at all possible.  Chances are that your skin will clear up immediately after the birth when hormonal levels suddenly drop.  Breastfeeding releases a chemical called Oxytocin (which is also important in creating the contractions necessary for labor), setting off the stimulus for a cascade of hormonal responses necessary to get your body back to its pre-pregnant state.  Your body is designed to do this so skipping the breastfeeding part can throw everything off.  If you can’t breastfeed for some reason, try to express your milk from your breasts anyway to release the oxytocin.  But breastfeeding is as important to the health of your baby as it is to the health of your skin and, for this reason, it’s a good idea to contact a lactation consultant if you have any concerns about breastfeeding.  

You probably know that a deeper and more relaxed sleep will make you feel better and more alert the next day.  But have you considered using meditation to help you to fall asleep quicker and sleep more soundly through the night?  Meditation can relax the mind and the body, helping to improve the quality of your sleep.  

Though there are many OTC pills to aid in getting a better night’s rest, most of these medications bring with them some less-than-desirable side effects.  It’s not uncommon for sleeping pills to make you feel groggy or drowsy during the daytime or make your sleep too heavy or too light.  

As well, sleeping pills can be dangerous if used in combination with alcohol or other medications.  For these reasons, it may be best to try meditation before medication.  

Meditation takes a comprehensive approach to sleep therapy, addressing the root causes of sleeping difficulties rather than the symptoms.  If you’re having trouble sleeping, there may be a deeper, underlying reason for your troubles.  Meditation is geared towards helping you notice and address these issues, unlike sleeping pills that simply narcotize you into forgetting about them.  In this way, meditation is often a more sustainable approach to sleeping problems than pharmaceuticals.  

Not unlike pharmaceuticals, however, there are a wide variety of meditation techniques.  Give yourself some time to find and learn the meditation practice that’s right for you.  Some meditation techniques are about changing one’s thought patterns and retraining the mind to take different approaches.  Other techniques are focused on simply noticing thoughts as they arise and letting them go without touching them.  No matter what approach you take, however, almost every form of meditation is likely to help you sleep better.  

Here are a few time-honored meditation techniques that you might try: 


• Sit quietly, with our without music.  You can light candles if you want but make sure you don’t fall asleep with them burning!  You may want to sit in a comfortable position on the floor or lie down on your bed with your body relaxed. Let your mind wander and see what comes up.  Perhaps it will surprise you.  If you have the urge to give up or notice yourself thinking, “This is stupid – why am I doing this?” don’t touch the thought.  Just notice it and let it go.  Sometimes it helps to set a timer for yourself and agree beforehand that you will sit for a certain amount of time no matter what.  Start out small, maybe 5 or 10 minutes and then gradually increase your meditation time after a couple days or weeks.  Some people practice this form of meditation with a visualization to help them deal with their thoughts.  Perhaps you could think of your thoughts as boats floating on the river of your mind.  If one thought seems difficult or troublesome, just let it keep floating and watch it go by.  Another visualization might be to see your thoughts like balloons floating up in the air until they disappear and others come in their places.  

• Find a mantra that appeals to you.  It could be a phrase you’ve adopted from a world religion that resonates with you, or something secular that appeals to you.  Some people use single words such as a “love” or “peace” or “God.”  Whatever you choose, stick with it.  You can repeat it silently or aloud.  You may want to coordinate it with your breathing.  When thoughts arise, let them be there and simply return to your mantra.

• Focus on your breathing.  This works similarly to meditation with a mantra, but in this case your breath is the mantra.  Some breathing-centered meditation techniques ask you to do something with your breathing, i.e., slow it down, keep it consistent, or visualize inhaling troublesome things and then releasing them as you exhale.  Other techniques ask you only to notice your breathing, not to control it.  When your mind wanders, notice that your mind is wandering but don’t beat yourself up about it (because the guilt is really another set of thoughts, another story spun by the mind) and then return your attention to your breath. 

• Feel your body.  Pay acute attention to your senses.  Gradually, increase your awareness to include the space around you.  See if you can find the boundaries between yourself and the not-you spaces around you.  Are there boundaries that you can perceive?  Gradually expand your awareness further to include the entire room or space that you’re immediately in.  Sense this.  Then expand yourself even further to include the city that your in.  Then the state, the country, the continent, the world, the atmosphere, etc.  Spend an ample amount of time at each increment truly sensing the sensations of having an expanded sense of self. Explore this thoroughly.  In the end, slowly return your awareness back down to your immediate surroundings and your own body, then something as simple as your breathing and heartbeat.  Chances are that this exercise will relax you and put your problems in perspective.  

When your wife is chronically ill it can be hard for her to think romance. Know that her lack of interest likely has nothing to do with you but rather is the result of being one of the 133 million people who deal with an illness. Sadly, a staggering 75% percent of marriages end in divorce when an illness is present.

With a few simple ideas, you can keep your marriage healthy in the face of challenges as immense as chronic illness. If you choose to see the illness as a potential blessing as much as a curse, then the hardship may actually end up bringing both of you closer together and making your marriage stronger.  

1. Chocolate. As an aphrodisiac, chocolate contains a chemical called phenyl ethylamine that actually enhances feelings of love and happiness.  
2. Be affectionate by simply reaching for her hand.  You may be hoping for more than holding hands but if she’s in physical pain it’s important that you respect her boundaries. Rub her back gently.  Kiss her lightly. Cuddle and snuggle with her in bed.   If she feels up to it, give her a massage to perhaps alleviate some of her pain and manage some of her symptoms.
3. Pour your heart out to her about how much you admire the strength she shows in the darkest moments. This is the true meaning of unconditional love.  
4. Pamper her by giving her something that she wouldn’t splurge on for herself.  Let her know that you are listening to her by paying attention to things she mentions – CD’s that she might mention, books she’s been wanting to read, etc.  Buy her a down comforter for a cozier bed. Brainstorm about item that she would enjoy while she isn’t feeling well.
5. Schedule a retreat for her at home. Give her a special night or weekend where the weight of the world can dissipate for a while.  
6. Write little notes that she can find any time.
7. Don’t forget to make a few changes in the bedroom to spark some romance. Candles, roses, and a great playlist on your iPod tells her that you cared enough to set the mood for her.  
8. Ask her if she might like to go to a few couples therapy sessions with you. Chronic illness can be a major stress on relationships and letting her know that you want to discuss these stresses in a safe space with someone who is there to listen to you and help you both to navigate through the difficulties will show her that she can trust you during even the hardest times.  
9. Throw her a party.  If you think she’s up to it, invite a few close friends over to celebrate her on a day other than her birthday.  Ask the people you invite to each write your wife a letter letting her know how much they all love her.  

What constitutes an organic product? Organics must be grown without the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides and without the presence of either industrial or human waste.  Organic foods cannot be processed with food additives or irradiation.  In terms of meat and dairy products, livestock must be raised without the continual use of antibiotics or growth hormones.  They are also much more likely to be fed a healthy diet.  Most countries in the world with organic standards for produce also require that organic foods cannot be genetically modified.  

Researchers have concluded that organic produce contains significantly higher levels of the following:

• Chromium, which prevents Type 2 Diabetes and hardening of the arteries 
• Calcium and Boron, which prevent osteoporosis and build strong bones, especially in small children
• Selenium, which boosts the immune system and prevents heart disease and certain cancers 
• Lithium, an element commonly found in antidepressants and mood stabilizers
• Salicylic acid, an anti-inflammatory which prevents heart disease and eases aches and pains in the body
• Antioxidants, which fight free radicals, protects cells from damage, prevents cancer, and strengthens the immune system
• Magnesium, which prevents death in the case of a heart attack and also helps the body to absorb calcium
• Vitamin C, which is essential for a healthy immune system and for the absorption of other nutrients

8 steps to deliciously fried food:

1. Be sure to read the instructions that came with your deep fryer.

2. Pour the oil into the fryer, making sure it is well below the indicated maximum fill line.

3. Heat the oil using the temperature dial, being sure the oil is not too hot or too cool.

4. Use a slotted spoon or tongs and carefully add the food if your fryer does not have a basket, being sure not to overfill the fryer.

5. If frozen food is added to the fryer, remove as many ice crystals to reduce spattering.  Closing the lid (if your fryer has one) will also reduce the spatter factor.

6. Be aware that deep-frying is a rapid process. Use the slotted spoon or basket to remove the cooked food.

7. Excess oil on the food can be absorbed with paper towels.

8. Enjoy your delicious, homemade, fried delight! 

Suffering from excessive sweating? By pinpointing the cause of your sweating, you too can sweat in a normal amount. The following are the top 5 causes for excessive sweating:  

1. Puberty

As a result of spiked hormones, teenagers tend to sweat more than the average adult.

2. Obesity

Overweight individuals’ sweat glands have to work harder due to the increased amount of waste products in the body, causing excessive sweating.

3. Food Reactions

Spicy food increases sweat production. Reducing the amount of spicy foods consume can help cutback on sweat.

4. Illness Or Infection

Many viruses and illnesses that can cause an increased body temperature and excessive sweating as a result.

5. Heredity

Genetics play a role in sweat production. If your parents are chronic sweaters, you may sweat excessively as well.