Battle Creek: Vince Gilligan’s Breaking Bad follow-up was conceived over a decade ago

“It’s embarrassing to note that I’ve never actually been to Battle Creek, Mich.,” laughed Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) last summer at a press conference introducing his new series Battle Creek. “I am fascinated by the name because it’s such a great name, because it’s got the word ‘battle’ in it.” Despite Gilligan not having been inspired by the city because of a visit, Battle Creek manages to capture the ambience of a hardscrabble small town. The drama follows mismatched law enforcement officers (Josh Duhamel and Dean Winters) with polar-opposite views of the world, who work to clean up the streets … Continue reading →

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Top-Line Questions From Moms About MMR

We all want our children to be safe and healthy. Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease, but, fortunately, we can prevent it with immunizations. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is safe and the best way to protect your child against measles and other diseases.



I understand that some parents are concerned about vaccines. The evidence about the vaccine's safety and benefits is strong and consistent. There is a lot of inaccurate information circulating about the measles vaccine, so let's make sure we separate the facts from the myths. If you have any concerns or questions, talk to your child's health care provider.



In the meantime, here are some answers to the most commonly asked questions I get:



How easy is it to get measles if you aren't vaccinated?



If you aren't vaccinated and you are exposed to measles, you have a 90 percent chance of getting measles.



We know that measles is extremely contagious. It spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. It spreads so easily that if one person has it, nine out of 10 of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected. You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, even several hours after that person has left. A person is infectious from four days prior to rash onset through four days after rash onset.



Unvaccinated people put themselves and others at risk for measles and its complications.



If a person hasn't been vaccinated or isn't protected by virtue of having previously had a case of measles, they can get measles anywhere (school, work, gyms, etc.) and at any time of year because they can be exposed to the disease by unvaccinated and contagious people who may have entered or returned to the U.S. from another country. That's why vaccination is so important.



Should parents ever be worried about the vaccine? If so, which parents should be worried?



The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is very safe, and it is effective at preventing measles (as well as mumps and rubella). Vaccines, like any medicine, can have side effects. But most children who get the MMR shot have no side effects.



Many parents have some anxiety when it comes to health care visits, including those involving vaccines. However, parents can be reassured by the safety record of vaccines and the fact that they provide excellent protection. We take vaccine safety seriously. We have strong systems that monitor vaccines before they are licensed and after they go into widespread use.



In addition, it's important to remember that vaccines can provide parents with peace of mind when it comes to a number of diseases. Most parents choose the safe, proven protection of vaccines and are vaccinating their children according to the recommended immunization schedule. Thanks to vaccines, very few children now contract what used to be common diseases of childhood.



I encourage parents to talk to their health care professionals about their vaccine-related questions and concerns. There is a great deal of conflicting and often inaccurate information circulating about vaccines, so it is understandable that parents will have concerns. Parents may also have questions about which vaccines are being administered at a specific visit and how to recognize and manage any potential side effects. I always encourage parents to raise these kinds of questions with their children's health care providers.



What percentage of kids who get the MMR vaccine have a reaction?



Most children have no side effects from the MMR vaccine. The side effects that do occur are usually very mild and temporary, such as a fever or rash. More serious side effects are rare. These may include high fever that could cause a seizure (in about one person out of every 3,000 who get the shot) and temporary pain and stiffness in joints (mostly in teens and adults).



As America's doctor, I want our children to be safe and healthy. Nothing is more important than that. So I can understand why parents want to be sure that vaccines are safe for their kids. The evidence about the MMR vaccine's safety and benefits is strong and consistent. Many sources, like the independent Institute of Medicine report, have confirmed that the MMR vaccine is safe.



The measles vaccine has been used in the United States for more than 50 years and is 93-97 percent effective at preventing measles with long lasting protection. Because of measles vaccination, we have prevented more than 15.6 million deaths globally since 2000.



How would a parent know if they need to ask about their child getting a medical exemption?



I encourage all parents to talk to their doctor or health care provider about vaccinating their children for measles. There are cases in which some children should delay or should not get the MMR or MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella) vaccines and your doctor will be able to help guide you.



You should talk to your child's doctor if your child:

• Has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to the antibiotic neomycin, or any other component of MMR vaccine


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• Has had a life-threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose of MMR or MMRV vaccine.


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• Has HIV/AIDS, or another disease that affects the immune system, or has a parent, brother or sister with a history of immune system problems


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• Is being treated with drugs that affect the immune system, such as steroids


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• Has cancer or is being treated for cancer with radiation or drugs


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• Has ever had a low platelet count, or another blood disorder, or has recently had a transfusion or received other blood products


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• Has a history of seizures, or has a parent, brother or sister with a history of seizures


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• Has received another vaccine within the past four weeks

The bottom line: talk to your child's health care provider if you have any questions or concerns about vaccinations for your child.



When are kids supposed to get their vaccines?



Different vaccines are recommended at different ages. The recommended immunization schedule is designed to protect infants and children early in life, when they are most vulnerable and before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. CDC recommends the first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age.



Check schedules on when to get your child vaccinated. Talk with your health care provider about what is best for your child, including how to schedule any missed vaccinations.



My kids aren't vaccinated, and now I'm worried that they are at risk. What do I do if my kids are late on their vaccines?



If your child isn't vaccinated, work with your child's health care provider to determine vaccination dates for the missed or skipped vaccines. Although it is advised to follow the recommended vaccine schedule so that you don't leave your child vulnerable to disease, there are catch-up schedules for many vaccines, including MMR. School-aged children and adolescents are recommended to have had two doses of MMR vaccine, with at least 28 days between the two doses.



Does it make a difference, medically speaking, if the vaccines are all given on the same day or are spread out over time?



CDC recommends the first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age, or at least 28 days following the first dose.



MMR vaccine combines protection against measles, mumps and rubella in one vaccine. However, your child may also need additional vaccines to protect against other diseases, such as Hepatitis A, on the same day that he/she receives the MMR vaccine. Your children can safely receive other recommended vaccines at the same visit that they receive the MMR vaccine. Giving a child several vaccinations during the same visit offers two practical advantages:

• It provides protection as soon as possible to children during the vulnerable early period of their lives. It is important to help build and strengthen children's immune systems as early as possible because vaccine-preventable diseases can cause severe illness in infants and toddlers.


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• It reduces the number of office visits, saving parents both time and money, and may be less traumatic for the child.

If a child doesn't have health insurance, how do I get them the vaccine?


If you don't have insurance, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program may be able to help. This program provides vaccines at no cost to doctors who serve eligible children. Children younger than 19 years of age are eligible for VFC vaccines if they are Medicaid-eligible, American Indian or Alaska Native or have no health insurance. "Underinsured" children who have health insurance that does not cover vaccination can receive VFC vaccines through Federally Qualified Health Centers or Rural Health Centers. Nationally, there are nearly 44,000 healthcare providers enrolled in the VFC Program.



There is no charge for any vaccines given by a VFC provider to eligible children, but there may be other costs such as a fee for the office visit or non-vaccine services (like a blood test). If your child is VFC-eligible, he or she cannot be refused a vaccination if you cannot pay the fee for administering the shot. For more information, visit this website.



Additionally, your child or teen may qualify for free or low-cost health insurance coverage through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Many parents may be eligible for Medicaid, too. If you or someone in your family needs health coverage, you should apply. Enrollment is open year-round. Visit here or call toll-free: 1-877-KIDS-NOW (877-543-7669). Under the Affordable Care Act, all children and adults enrolled in new group or individual private health plans will be eligible to receive the MMR vaccine without any cost-sharing requirements when provided by an in-network provider.



How long does the immunity from the mom last in an infant?


Most infants born in the United States will receive passive protection against measles, mumps, and rubella in the form of antibodies from their mothers if their mother has had measles or the MMR vaccine. By 12 months of age, almost all infants have lost this passive protection. While immunity from the mom can last for up to 12 months, this varies from child to child. All infants (of any age) are considered to be at risk for getting measles if they are exposed to the virus.



Should I be worried about measles when I bring my infant out in public, to events or to day care?


It depends.



Most infants born in the United States will receive passive protection against measles, mumps and rubella in the form of antibodies from their mothers - though by age 12 months almost all infants will have lost this passive protection.



Overall the U.S. has high national vaccination coverage of roughly 92%, meaning that the risk of measles transmission is low. However, there are pockets of people within communities where vaccination rates are lower than the national average, making the risk of measles spreading in these communities higher.



Because risk of exposure to measles depends on whether it is circulating in your community, in places where measles is not currently circulating and vaccination rates are high, we'd generally state that it is safe for your child to go to day care. Day care facilities are required to report vaccination records to the state health department each year. Talk with your child's day care provider, or check with your state health department, to obtain these records. I also encourage you to consult with your doctor or local health department to get their advice on the risk of measles in your community.



The best way to protect infants before they are able to get the vaccine is to make sure people around them are vaccinated. The bottom line: talk to your doctor, talk to your day care, and make sure your kids get vaccinated on time.



What percentage of the population needs the measles vaccine in order to make everyone safe?


Preventing measles cases and outbreaks requires having as many people vaccinated as possible. Generally, about 92 percent to 94 percent of people need to be immune to measles to protect others who cannot get vaccinated. In 2013, the overall national coverage for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine among children aged 19--35 months was 91.9 percent. However, even with very high national vaccination coverage, there can be subsets of the population that have much lower rates of vaccination. Rapid and early public heath responses to limit transmission, particularly in communities that may have groups of people who are not vaccinated, are equally critical to maintaining measles elimination.



The more people who are vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles, the more we decrease everyone's risk for getting measles. However, this "community immunity" cannot provide 100 percent protection, so we recommend that everyone who can, get vaccinated.



If a child is medically at risk and has been advised by their health care provider not to get the vaccine, then how many people around them need to be vaccinated in order to keep them safe?


Generally, about 92 percent to 94 percent of people need to be immune to measles to protect others who cannot get vaccinated. However, the concern is that some individuals in the community are opting out of vaccination, and these individuals tend to cluster in groups. These groups of susceptible individuals then accumulate and age over time. This, in turn, makes them susceptible to outbreaks when someone brings the virus into the group from abroad.



In 2013, the overall national coverage for measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine among children aged 19--35 months was 91.9 percent. But pockets of unvaccinated people can exist in states with high vaccination coverage, underscoring considerable measles susceptibility at some local levels.



The best thing families can do to protect children who can't get vaccinated because they are too young or have a medical condition is to make sure their own vaccines are up to date.



"What's the contagion level from kids who have recently been vaccinated? I heard they shed the live virus for a while after receiving the vaccine."



People who receive an MMR vaccine do not shed the live measles virus. Measles, mumps and rubella vaccine viruses are not transmitted from a vaccinated person.



It takes about 10-14 days for your immune system to fully respond to the MMR vaccine and protect you against measles.



As an adult, should I get another MMR vaccine?


People who received two doses of measles vaccine as children according to the U.S. vaccination schedule, have had measles, or are born before 1957 are considered protected for life and do not need a booster dose. If you're not sure whether you were vaccinated, talk with your health care provider.



When my child goes on a playdate, how should I ask the parents about whether their kids are vaccinated?


Parents generally understand and empathize with each other's concern for the safety and well-being of their children. However, we must also respect people's privacy when it comes to health issues.



Vaccinating your child is the best way to ensure that your own child does not get the measles. After receiving the recommended two-doses of the MMR vaccine, it is 97 percent effective at preventing measles. Your child is also at lower risk if there are no active measles cases in the community and vaccination rates are higher than 90 percent.



If your child cannot get vaccinated for medical reasons, you may consider sharing that information with the parents of your child's playdate. You can let them know that you are concerned about the risk of your child getting measles.



If I know parents who are not vaccinating their kids, what should I say to them?


Parents have an important role in making decisions about their children's health. You can help provide accurate scientific and public health information by referring peers to sources such as this or www.vaccines.gov. Additionally, the CDC has an excellent brief video of mothers talking with a pediatrician about vaccinations here. You should also encourage them to talk to their own pediatrician or health care provider to answer questions they may have about vaccines.



How can I help increase the vaccination rates in my community?


The best way to help increase vaccinations rates in your community is to ensure that you and your family are vaccinated. You can also support activities, such as National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW), to help recognize the critical role vaccination plays in protecting our children, communities, and public health. To learn more about NIIW, which is being held this year April 18-25, 2015, visit here.



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The Science Behind Anti-Depressants May Be Completely 'Backwards'

Anti-depressants are the most commonly-prescribed medication in the U.S., with one in 10 Americans currently taking pills like Zoloft and Lexapro to treat depression. But these pharmaceuticals are only effective less than 30 percent of the time, and often come with troublesome side effects.



In a controversial new paper published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, psychologist Paul Andrews of McMaster University in Ontario argues that this failure of medication may be based in a misunderstanding of the underlying chemistry related to depression.



Andrews surveyed 50 years' worth of research supporting the serotonin theory of depression, which suggests that the disease is caused by low levels of the "happiness" neurotransmitter, serotonin.



But Andrews argues that depression may actually be caused by elevated levels of serotonin. And this fundamental misunderstanding may be responsible for inappropriate treatment: The most common form of antidepressants are selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which operate by targeting serotonin receptors in the brain in an effort to amplify serotonin production.



Currently, scientists are unable to measure precisely how the brain releases and uses serotonin, because it can't be safely observed in a human brain. But Andrews points to research on animals which suggests that serotonin might work just the opposite from what we've assumed.



In this scenario, elevated serotonin levels that are released and used by the brain during depressive episodes trigger processes that promote rumination -- the obsessive negative thinking that is the hallmark of depression. Then, because they facilitate the production of serotonin, SSRI treatments exacerbate rumination and actually worsen symptoms of depression, especially at first, Andrews explained. Over time, in come cases, the SSRIs can reverse ruminative processes and reduce symptoms -- but this is in spite of the medication, not because of it.



HuffPost Science spoke to Andrews about why we've gotten anti-depressants "backwards" -- and what the future of depression treatment might hold.



HuffPost: Where did the low-serotonin hypothesis originate?



Andrews: The hypothesis didn't originate because anybody measured serotonin in depression or in any depressed-like state in an animal. It's really based on circumstantial evidence. Researchers back in the '40s and '50s happened to find that certain drugs that were trying to treat tuberculosis and schizophrenia had depression-relieving properties, and they wondered, why were they relieving depressive symptoms? They eventually figured out that the drugs increased serotonin in rodent models.... They reasoned that if these drugs relieved depressive symptoms in humans -- and, as best as we can tell, they increased serotonin -- then depression must be a state of low or reduced serotonin transmission.



There have been problems with the low-serotonin hypothesis for a while. If you look to any serious neuroscientist, they'll all acknowledge that there are serious problems with it. It still is, nevertheless, the backbone of research on depression in neuroscience.



What evidence is there to suggest that the low-serotonin hypothesis of depression may not be accurate?



There is no way to be absolutely certain for two reasons. First, we cannot directly measure how fast serotonin is released, or transmitted. You can't do that even in a rat. You can measure the concentration of serotonin in a particular brain region, but you can't measure the transmission of it. The transmission would be to measure the release of the serotonin into the synapse.



The only thing we can measure is a marker of transmission, which reflects what happens to serotonin after it is released into the synapse and metabolized. Second, it is currently impossible to study this issue in humans without cutting holes in their skulls. But these studies can be done in animals. In these studies, there is abundant evidence that this marker of transmission is elevated.



We reviewed 15 different models of depression that are used in neuroscience research that had measured this particular marker that we're concerned with. Of those 15 studies, 13 were consistent with the high-serotonin hypothesis, and the other two were not inconsistent with it. If you extrapolate to humans... that would strongly suggest that the evidence is in favor of the high-serotonin hypothesis of depression.



OK, so how do anti-depressants work then?



Another problem with the low serotonin hypothesis is that these drugs increase serotonin pretty rapidly, within minutes to hours. You'd think that if the low serotonin hypothesis was true, the anti-depressant drugs would work rapidly too. But they don't -- it takes three to four weeks for their symptom-reducing effects to kick on. So there's always been this disconnect between the onset of the pharmacological effects of the anti-depressants and their therapeutic effects.



So what's actually happening to depressive symptoms when you first start taking these drugs? Well, it's extremely common for people to start saying "I feel worse" rather than getting better. That's theoretically important because these drugs are working very quickly in terms of increasing serotonin. So what's happening to serotonin in the brain as those three or four weeks pass? It's falling.... As time goes on [after the initial peak], serotonin dips below the baseline and that's when you actually start feeling better.



But things will eventually smooth out again and the brain will return to its steady state. That's what happens over prolonged anti-depressant use. Even when taking the drugs, people experience relapses. They might have that initial worsening of symptoms, then they'll feel better, and over prolonged period of use, they'll tell the doctor that the drugs aren't working anymore... And commonly the doctor will increase the dose or add on another drug.



But the brain is always fighting these drugs and trying to bring itself back to its homeostatic equilibrium.



Antidepressants are known to cause many side effects. What are some of the most common?



Limited efficacy at reducing depressive symptoms, sexual difficulties, difficulty concentrating, and problems with the digestive system are the most common. But many other types of problems can occur, including increased risk of relapse, a decrease in bone mineral density, abnormal bleeding, stroke, suicidal behaviour. Some of these problems can cause death -- several studies have shown that anti-depressants, especially in older people, are associated with an increased risk of death.



You all them all up, and they all can be potentially serious things.



What do you think is the future of depression treatment?



As people and physicians become more aware that antidepressants only work for a limited period of time, and are less safe than they have been supposed, the use of antidepressant medications will decline and the use of psychotherapies will increase.



I would suggest that the attempt to pharmacologically reduce depressive symptoms is not likely to produce lasting effects. You can get these temporary effects, but they're not likely to be lasting effects, and they can cause a whole lot of problems.



Psychotherapy is more likely to produce lasting effects, and can help people cope with the things that actually triggered their depressive episodes, and that's why these therapies are more productive in the long run.



This interview has been edited for clarity and length.



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Wesleyan Struggles To Deal With Student Drug Use

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. (AP) -- As drug overdoses left two Wesleyan students fighting for their lives, witnesses helped investigators quickly identify the suspects: The drug-dealing was an open secret, according to court documents, even as the university has gotten tougher on drug violations.



The club-drug overdoses, which sent a total of 12 people to hospitals, are likely to bring more scrutiny to drug policies on college campuses, including Wesleyan's, which have wrestled with how to approach enforcement and when to involve local police.



"I think it will force schools to examine their policies," said state Rep. Matthew Lesser, a member of the Wesleyan class of 2005 whose district includes the Middletown campus. "It forces us to look at what we can do to make sure students are safe."



Four students have been arrested in connection with last weekend's overdoses, which left two students in critical condition. Authorities say the drug was presented as Molly, a popular name for the euphoria-inducing stimulant MDMA, but was likely cut with other designer drugs.



As on other campuses, the unlawful use and distribution of illicit drugs is prohibited at Wesleyan, but the issue is often complicated by a desire to treat substance abuse as a health issue first and what some describe as society's ambivalence about the use of certain drugs.



Tucker Andersen, a Wesleyan trustee, said the administration has been very thoughtful and tried to balance all the issues involved.



"This is an issue where there is no disagreement on the board. You want a policy which keeps students safe. You don't want them to experiment with all this sort of stuff," Andersen said. "You want to get the message out loud and clear that nobody in a position of authority is in favor of addictive and dangerous substances, but that doesn't mean you have to close your eyes to that it's going to occur anyway."



The school referred 154 students for disciplinary action on drug violations in 2011 but that number jumped to 281 in 2012, according to data reported to the U.S. Education Department. There were 240 students disciplined in 2013 on the campus of 3,200.



"At Wesleyan, we don't sweep these problems under the rug," Dean Michael Whaley said.



University President Michael Roth told the campus newspaper, The Wesleyan Argus, he does not anticipate major changes to drug policies that have been effective in "trying to point students toward making responsible choices, not overly policing them, while at the same time putting up pretty clear guardrails." An interview request from The Associated Press was denied.



A spokeswoman for Middletown police, Lt. Heather Desmond, said Wesleyan has been more "forthright" in recent years about involving them in drug cases. Still, she said there are cases of drug-related illnesses on campus that involve emergency medical responders, but not police.



Dispatchers sent police to campus to aid with the response to a 19-year-old woman who became ill after taking Molly on Sept. 13, the second of two consecutive weekends in which Wesleyan students were hospitalized after taking the drug. Desmond said police did not follow up, likely because it would be difficult to pursue a case involving an intoxicated woman who took a single pill. Wesleyan health officials alerted students to the hospitalizations in an all-campus email that urged them to be aware of the drug's effects and potential side-effects.



As students began getting sick on the morning of Feb. 22, a witness told Wesleyan public safety that they bought what they thought was Molly from one of the four defendants in September, took half the pill and had a reaction similar to the students involved in latest incident. Information from students, the dean's office and public safety sources led police to the suspects, including two who were known to sell Molly from their residences, according to arrest warrants.



The family of the only victim still in the hospital said Friday night that "against all odds" the student would survive.





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How To Beat A Bad Mood

By Jancee Dunn



Sigh if this has happened to you: You're heading out the door, feeling reasonably upbeat -- your outfit is cute, the weather is sunny. And then, wham! Your husband asks, "Why do you look so tired?" You forgot your phone. Oops, it's dead. And now you're late. A rotten mood builds. Though you're aware of what's happening, you can't stop it.



It's probably not much comfort to know that bad moods are having a moment: Americans reported record high levels of negativity about the future in an NBC-Wall Street Journal poll. "If things look uncertain, there's no question that people will be crankier than normal," says Jair C. Soares, M.D., director of the University of Texas Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders. Kicking it up another notch is the amplification of social media (ISIS! Ebola!): "The 24/7 media frenzy of contemporary life makes people even more apprehensive," Soares notes.



Meanwhile, we're in one of the least perky times of year, which wears on some of us more than others. A study published in the journal Emotion found that inclement weather can make a person's foul mood even worse. It sure doesn't help when someone tells you to cheer up. "You're not getting any empathy," points out psychologist Guy Winch, Ph.D., author of Emotional First Aid, "and that only makes you feel annoyed."



If reading this has upset you, take heart: "It's important to have emodiversity -- a variety of negative and positive feelings," says June Gruber, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at the University of Colorado, Boulder. If we're never out of sorts, we can't fully appreciate the sweetness of happiness. That said, nobody wants a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. The key to keeping it cheerful: Squash that snit before it starts.



Here's how to tame your bad-mood triggers:



Soothe your grumpy mind-set.





Psychologists believe that we're wired to react more strongly to crummy happenings than pleasant ones -- that on-the-edge feeling lingers as a primitive form of self-protection. And a combination of nature and nurture makes some of us moodier types. "Think of emotional resilience like an immune system," Winch says. "There are people who tend to have a stronger one than others." We're also likely to model our parents' reactions, so if Dad flipped out about small stuff like misplaced keys, you may have the same tendency.



Once you're sulky, that state spirals; grouchy people view events through tunnel vision, finds research in The Journal of Neuroscience. Subjects were hooked up to an MRI and shown pictures of faces superimposed over images of houses. Those in meh moods only took in information about the face; happier folks could also remember the surroundings. Per the lead study author, good moods "enhance the literal size of the window through which we see the world."



When certain irritations are repeated enough, they turn into triggers that set us off even when things aren't so bad, Winch says, "because they create a kind of emotional wound." If you've dealt with a lot of computer crashes, for example, then even just Chrome quitting on you could be maddening. And watch out if the colleague in the next cubicle is a grump; a University of Notre Dame study showed that negative thinking can be passed along from one person to another, like the flu. We copy one another's nonverbal cues, including frowns and grimaces, then internalize them.



What to do: To help prevent a dour mood from brewing into a storm, take a walk or try another change of environment to stop the cycle of rumination, Gruber suggests. Or focus on doing just one thing, like crafting or cooking; a recent Harvard University study found that bad moods were most apt to strike when the subject's mind was wandering. If you're in danger of being infected by a grouch, make like a public health expert and contain it. "When someone is complaining, you can say, 'It sounds like that was very hard for you,' and do not engage," says New York City psychologist Paulette Sherman. Instead, go find someone perky: A Harvard and University of California, San Diego study concluded that if a nearby friend is happy, you have a 25 percent higher chance of feeling brighter.



Deal with your no-sleep situation.





The number of Americans who get eight hours of shut-eye is at an all-time low, per a Gallup poll -- so it makes sense that crankiness may be at an all-time high. Our average is 6.8 hours a night, but it's not just quantity that's lacking -- quality is compromised by our inability to surrender our smartphones and tablets until our heads hit the pillow. A survey by the marketing agency Rosetta found that 68% of tablet owners use the device in the bedroom. Yet a growing pile of studies assert that the blue light from gadgets ramps up our alertness and disrupts our circadian rhythms.



Why does sleep deprivation make us snappish? The emotional part of the brain, the amygdala, is much more active when deprived of sleep, finds a study by Matthew P. Walker, PhD, director of the Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. Normally, the more rational prefrontal cortex would put everything into context -- but when the brain is sleep-addled, this relationship breaks down. Suddenly, your responses are less controlled—and you wig out when someone cuts in front of you in the ATM line.



Adding to the problem is our belief that we can power through fatigue, which only brings on more bad moods. Walker compares this mind-set to that of drunk drivers. "After five drinks, they may think they're fine to drive home, but they're markedly impaired in their brain function," he says. "The same is true of sleep: When people regularly get less than seven hours, we can measure significant cognitive impairment."



What to do: For sounder sleep, power down gadgets an hour before bed. If you keep your iDevice in your bedroom, apply a blue-light protector film over the screen. Mega-texters, take note: A new study from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, found that higher levels of texting were directly associated with more sleep problems (likely from being too wired, literally and figuratively).



Swiss researchers have discovered this not-sexy-but-effective tip for better slumber: Wear socks to bed. When your body has to work to redistribute heat from your core to the extremities, the process upsets the natural release of the sleep-giving hormone melatonin. Or try the "quiet ears" technique from the University of Maryland's Sleep Disorders Center: Lie on your back with your eyes shut. Place your hands behind your head and put your thumbs in your ears so you close the ear canal. Listen to this soothing, rushing sound and off you go to dreamland. The morning after a night when you've skimped on rest, do a few minutes of meditation; it has been shown to boost energy and dampen the production of stress hormones.



Stop the stress tornado.





Anxiety has the unfortunate habit of also making you crotchety. It's similar to toddler behavior, Dr. Soares says: "Getting worked up overstimulates our minds, and it's hard to come down." One Swiss research team recently unearthed the key connection between frayed nerves and bad moods: When triggered by stress, an enzyme attacks a synaptic molecule in the brain that usually regulates mood.



What to do: Prevent that giant list of to-dos from freaking you out: "Research shows that just jotting down quick ideas for tackling things is enough to eliminate mental nagging and improve your mood," Winch says.



Of course, exercise is the magic bullet for stress reduction. Even moderate workouts help spur the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), reversing the negative effects of stress. Hanging outdoors is another good idea: An analysis of 10 studies published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology found that people's stress levels dropped if they walked in a natural setting, like a park.



Also consider the tea cure; a study in Psychopharmacology found that downing a few cups of black tea daily lowered people's cortisol levels (a hormone tied to stress) by 47 percent. If nothing else, popping a piece of gum in your mouth may help, according to a recent study that found that keyed-up people had lower saliva levels of cortisol after chewing gum.



Head off hangry.





There's a reason you get prickly when your stomach has been empty for too long: Skipping meals causes fluctuations in serotonin, the brain chemical responsible for mood balance. When your blood sugar plummets, loved ones may suffer along with you (as your partner might well know): A new study of married couples from Ohio State University found that people with low blood sugar were much more likely to get angry at their spouse.



Refined sugar is another crabbiness culprit. That vending-machine candy bar will spike your blood sugar—then plunge both it and your mood lower. Down too much sugar and the brain's reward system goes through withdrawal if you don't give it a constant supply, says Nicole Avena, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. "The resulting 'sugar rage' looks like what you'd see if there was an addiction to something like nicotine," she says. "There have been lab studies on rats who eat sugar where the rats will actually bite investigators when they take it away because they're so angry."



What to do: Eat every three to four hours or so if you're prone to food mood swings, choosing unprocessed foods as much as possible. Regularly nosh on good-mood foods. Stick with your resolve to avoid trans fats; researchers at the University of California, San Diego have discovered a link between trans fats and irritability (it's been shown that they interfere with the production of mood-stabilizing omega-3s). Oh, and if you need to have a difficult conversation with your mate, it couldn't hurt to first have some protein. Major issue? Break out the porterhouse steaks.



Head over to Health.com to read more about how to prevent a bad mood.



More from Health.com:

12 Worst Habits For Your Mental Health

11 Surprising Health Benefits Of Sleep

13 Ways To Beat Stress In 15 Minutes Or Less



How To Beat A Bad Mood originally appeared on Health.com



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How Our Social Connections Can Help Relieve Our Worries

Improve Sleep to Improve Health

Now that we are well into 2015, many people are struggling to keep their New Year's resolutions to improve their health. According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology , only 8 percent of people actually achieve their resolutions. That's the discouraging statistic we're up against in making our resolutions a reality.



Two of the most common New Year's resolutions are losing weight and lowering stress levels. One common factor that can help achieve both of these goals is sleep.



Regularly getting a full night's sleep can reap many health benefits, including weight loss and stress management. In contrast, getting too little sleep can cause us to eat more than we normally would and increase our tendency to choose unhealthy, higher calorie foods, according to The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition . Not surprisingly, this pattern can lead to weight gain.



Poor sleep can also boost the level of cortisol -- the stress hormone -- your body produces, which can increase your blood pressure, heart rate and anxiety levels. The body repairs and rejuvenates during sleep, helping you physically and mentally recover from the stresses of the day. If you don't get enough quality sleep, you're missing a chance to take a break from stress.



Despite the important role sleep plays, a recent Gallup Poll reveals that 43 percent of Americans report their sleep needs are not being met. Fortunately, there are several ways to start sleeping more soundly:



Set Sleep Habits -- Set your body clock by going to sleep and waking up at the same time every day. To signal to your body that it is time to go to bed, create a nighttime routine that helps you relax, such as reading, stretching or listening to soothing music. Avoid TV, computers and smartphones before bed, as the light from these devices can keep the brain stimulated and can make it difficult to wind down.



Work it Out -- Regular exercise, especially cardio, has been shown to improve sleep quality. Aim for a healthy mix of both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even exercising for as little as 10 minutes at a time can promote health benefits.



Avoid alcohol -- When it comes to sleeping, a nightcap is a misnomer. Alcohol can impair sleep quality by causing more frequent awakenings at night, producing less satisfying sleep. Drink in moderation and come home from happy hour a few hours before bedtime to allow enough time for the alcohol to wear off before you hit the sheets.



Treat Problems -- A serious health issue, such as sleep apnea could be the cause of some people's sleep woes. For the 25 million Americans losing shut-eye to sleep apnea, there are many treatment options available. Patients who don't like wearing a CPAP mask should consider oral appliance therapy (OAT). Provided by dentists who are knowledgeable in dental sleep medicine, OAT uses a custom-fit "mouth guard-like" device to help keep the patient's airway open.



Quality sleep is essential to healthy living and, therefore, to accomplishing New Year's resolutions to lose weight or lower stress. Get on the right path to healthy sleep and take the first step to a healthier 2015.



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A Test For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

By Nathan Collins



Chronic Fatigue Syndrome affects one million Americans, according to recent estimates. Yet there's no reliable lab test for the illness, and researchers are still struggling to understand why and how the disease develops. That situation may soon improve, as researchers have found key disruptions in the immune systems of patients who've had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome fewer than three years, a discovery that could open the door to new tests and more individually tailored treatments for the debilitating illness.



"Over 70 percent of patients have a delay in diagnosis of at least a year" and sometimes a decade, says Mady Hornig, lead author of the new study and an associate professor of epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. That's partially because diagnosing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome—more properly known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS—is usually a matter of tracking specific symptoms and ruling out a variety of other, more easily identified disorders.



Now, Hornig and her collaborators have discovered specific differences in blood samples taken from patients still in the early phases of the disease compared with other patients and healthy people. That suggests "there may be hope for early diagnosis," she says.



That optimism stems from two separate studies on a total of 298 people with ME/CFS and 348 healthy individuals. Of that ME/CFS test group, 52 patients had had the disease fewer than three years. Because diagnoses are so often delayed, Hornig says, that group is often overlooked.



Overlooked but crucial, it turns out. When Hornig and colleagues studied blood samples from the different groups, they found higher levels of a few dozen different cytokines, the chemical messengers that mobilize the immune system in response to infection, compared with the control group.



"We know that [the immune system] should shut down" after fighting off a virus or bacteria, but instead the system that regulates cytokines themselves "goes off the rails" in the early stages of ME/CFS, Hornig says. That suggests doctors could use high cytokine levels to help diagnose the disease in its early stages.



Curiously, though, many of the same cytokines that were abundant in the early stages were in unusually low supply after three years. That's an observation Hornig says could help researchers understand the genesis and trajectory of ME/CFS. It could also lead to treatments specific to a patient's stage of the disease.



"The message is not that once you're past the three-year mark," you've missed your chance, Hornig adds. "There may be different treatments that are effective in early-stage disease versus later-stage disease."



While the latest report compares people with early-stage ME/CFS to those in later stages, the team is working on tracking individuals with the disease as it develops over time. That will help researchers understand whether ME/CFS develops similarly across all patients, and it might help reveal treatments aimed at resetting the immune system to it's natural state. "We're eager to keep forging on," Hornig says.



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3 Quick And Easy Ways To Prevent Running Injuries

By Jason Fitzgerald, founder of Strength Running, for Life by DailyBurn



We get it. You want to get better at your sport while keeping running injuries at bay -- but you're busy. You don't have time for an extra 30-minute strength session on top of your current training plan. And forget about that 20-minute head-to-toe flexibility "warm-up." You're just struggling just to get your runs in, period.



It's true that a comprehensive injury prevention routine can be time consuming. In fact, many professional athletes devote hours every day to core exercises, cross-training and massage (among many other things), on top of their sport-specific training.



But keeping your body healthy doesn't always need to be a time suck. In fact, some of the best techniques take little or no extra time at all. One of the secrets of the best runners is that they include injury prevention methods within their training routines. And usually, they focus on preventing problems from occurring in the first place.



Each of these three methods for preventing running injuries can be built into your current workout schedule -- and won't take much, if any, time at all.



The Busy Person's Guide To Avoiding Running Injuries



1. Improve your running form.



Fixing your form is one of the simplest and most beneficial changes you can make to avoid injury. Bad form typically includes issues such as:

• Over-striding (your foot lands far in front of your body)


• 
  


• Slouching or leaning from the waist


• 
  


• Aggressive heel-striking (often a result of over-striding)


• 
  


• Running at a slow cadence (fewer than 170 steps per minute)


• 
  


• Running with poor form will often contribute to overuse injuries because inefficiencies in your technique can result in excessive wear and tear on your body. Over many weeks and months, and hundreds of thousands of foot strikes, those little problems add up and increase your injury risk. Thankfully, improving your form requires no extra time investment!

The next time you're running, make these four quick fixes:

• Maintain good posture by imagining there is a string attached to your head and someone is pulling it straight up toward the sky. This will prevent you from leaning forward and keep your back straight.


• 
  


• Run gently to minimize impact forces. Listen to your footsteps: Do you hear a loud, slapping sound with every strike? If so, you need to run softer, which is only done through practice and repetition. If you can sneak up on a dog, you're doing it right!


• 
  


• Ensure that your feet are landing directly beneath your center of gravity (i.e., not in front of your body, which increases over-striding). Focus on putting your foot down underneath your body. You can find a local running store that offers gait analysis, but you can also improve your stride just by working on it on your own.


• 
  


• Increase your cadence to about 170 to 180 steps per minute to reduce your injury risk. Run with a metronome app, like Run Tempo, to set a beat that you can match to your stride.

The surface you're running on matters, too. For example, if you always run on the left side of a road that has been graded (slightly slanted) for water runoff, your body will eventually become imbalanced. Be mindful of this and try to run on even grades when possible (or varied grades, such as when trail running).



2. Don't get too crazy with your training.



When it comes to injury prevention, Steve Magness, author of the Science of Running blog and coach to both professional runners and the cross-country team at the University of Houston, says athletes should avoid the "3 Toos."



"The biggest thing that runners can do prevent injuries is eliminate training mistakes," Magness says. "Often, runners try to do too much, too soon or change things too soon. They're looking for ways to bump up their performance so they add mileage, intervals and speed before they're ready."



Instead, follow a smart running program that will have you build mileage and increase speed gradually. Try to adhere to the 10 Percent Rule (or even something less aggressive than that) if you've been struggling. The 10 Percent Rule simply states that you shouldn't increase your mileage by more than 10 percent per week. However, there are exceptions to even this rule.



If something you're doing is causing pain, stop or find a way to work around the issue. Magness adds, "Keep workouts and long runs proportional to what your body is ready for and what the rest of your training week looks like."



Constantly dealing with chronic, recurring injuries? You may need to lower your expectations. If training for a marathon has become too painful, consider signing up for a half-marathon instead. You may even need to cut back on races, speed work and other high-intensity training. This will give you more time to focus on getting healthy so that you're back to training at your peak soon.



3. Don't wreck your recovery (or waste time).



By making some easy lifestyle changes, you can avoid undermining your recovery process. Be sure you're on top of these three tactics to stay healthy while training.

• Avoid dehydration, which can delay recovery and increase your injury risk. When you're dehydrated, your performance suffers and your form is often compromised. This extra strain can create inefficient movement patterns that are more likely to result in injuries.


• 
  


• Eat enough protein to ensure your muscles can rebuild after a challenging workout or long run (and make sure you consume the right amount of carbohydrates for fuel beforehand, too).


• 
  


• Take at least one day off per week and enjoy a vacation from running for at least a week, two to four times per year.


• 
  

It's also beneficial to avoid time-wasters that aren't helping you stay healthy. "Static stretching is the number one time waster for most runners," Magness says. "Stretching doesn't do a whole heck of a lot." Instead, of stretching, Magness advises completing the first mile of your run at a super easy, slower pace.



If you like to rev up your body before you hit the roads, try this warm-up routine, which integrates dynamic (not static) stretching and light strength work to prepare your body to run.





Implementing these simple changes can make a big difference to your running over time. But they aren't a cure-all. If these three strategies don't cut it, consider swapping out one weekly run for a strength workout or aerobic cross-training activity, like cycling. And if you continue to get hurt, you may want to talk to a coach who can evaluate your training and help you escape your chronic cycle of injuries, once and for all.



More from Life by DailyBurn:

The 15 Best Fall Marathons in the U.S.

5 Expert Tips for Proper Running Form

Infographic: What 25 Grams of Protein Looks Like



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What Nutrition Experts Eat On Vacation

If you're a healthy eater who practices portion control, you know a vacation can put a dent in your healthy lifestyle. Whether you're kicking back and relaxing for a week or getting to know a new city, counting calories doesn't exactly sound appealing when you're trying to have a great time.



So, how can you have a blast on vacation without packing on the pounds? We consulted a number of nutrition experts, and they let us know what they eat when they leave town -- and, truthfully, it sounds pretty awesome.



They eat dessert!



Think nutritionists are skimping on fun foods, even on vacation? Joy Bauer, nutritionist for "The Today Show," certainly isn't. "I generally go out of my way to eat as healthfully as possible when I'm away from home -- but I allow myself something fun and indulgent each day," she said. "I try to make it indigenous of the area, so it's special and memorable, like key lime pie in Florida, a piña colada when I'm in a tropical setting, or clam chowder in the northeast."





They don't skimp on produce.





Regardless of anything else she's eating on vacation, Katherine Brooking, MS, RD, makes sure her diet is full of fruits of vegetables. "Even when vacationing, I don't skimp on produce. I just buy more pre-washed, ready-to-eat options like ... pre-cut fruit cups sold in most supermarkets," she said.





They eat one big a meal a day.





Easing up on portion control on vacation isn't a bad idea at all -- just make sure every meal isn't a huge one. "I either have a big lunch or big dinner, not both, and will snack on a granola bar or nuts," Elisa Zied, MS, RDN, CDN, and author of Younger Next Week said. "I usually bring mixed nuts with us on vacation-cashews, pistachios, almonds, pecans."





They try healthy new things.





Why not take advantage of being in a new place to get to know the local healthy cuisine? That's what Susan Mitchell, Ph.D., RDN, does. "Before I go, I ask around to find out about the best restaurants, local fare, farmers markets or fun places that give me a feel for the food in the area that I'm going to," she told HuffPost. "I always want to try local specialties. At the same time, I look for venues that give healthier options too such as salads, locally grown vegetables and fruits, or fish so that I continue to make smart choices and eat healthy and well for my body."





They make smart alcohol choices.





It's no secret that a vacation spent sipping sugary drinks can tack on a lot of extra calories. So Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, and author of The Flexitarian Diet says she doesn't budge on her alcohol choice. "Instead of high-sugar topical drinks, I lean toward light beer with lime or club soda with a shot of fun-flavored vodka," she said.





They don't eat every meal out.





Julie Upton, MS, RD, doesn't avoid restaurants on vacations, but she does only eat at them once a day. "Research consistently shows that the more you eat out, the harder it is to maintain a healthy weight. That means I make my own breakfast every day," she explained. "I find starting your day out right is really important to keep your overall diet on track. I will eat a bowl of instant oatmeal with Greek yogurt and fruit or some type of whole-grain, fiber-rich cereal with soy milk and fruit or Greek yogurt with fresh fruit. I like to pick up lunches at a salad bar or piece that meal together from yogurt, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, deli meat. These are items you can pretty much find anywhere so you can avoid eating lunch out."



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Troy Roness And Zach Stafford Discuss Eating Disorders With HuffPost Live

What's it like to identify as a male and struggle with an eating disorder?



While eating disorders are usually portrayed exclusively as issues that women struggle with in our culture, they also affect a significant number of men.



According to The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), the percentage of college-age men dealing with of eating disorders falls somewhere between 4-10 percent.



And while straight men certainly struggle with eating disorders as well, the gay community can especially place unrealistic expectations of how a man's body should look through body policing and shaming.



In this clip from HuffPost Live, Troy Roness and Zach Stafford share their own experiences with battling eating disorders.



"Even within the gay community, as I came out and I moved to Chicago and went to college, my eating disorder, while I can talk to other gay men about it, was sometimes really celebrated," Stafford told Huff Post Live. "And even now when I go to bars and talk to friends about it, it's joked about as a thing that we should all be doing -- we should all be obsessed with restricting calories, purging etc. So it's really complicated and I think the reason it's so accepted in the gay community, per se, is because so many of us are battling it."



Check out the video above to hear more about eating disorders among men or head here to watch the segment in full.



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Why I Thought My Eating Disorder Was The Answer

21 Glorious Vintage Photos Of Kids Having Fun Before The Internet

Bell, Denton and Madison Charm In Hallmark’s Good Witch.

Catherine Bell has starred in seven original movies as charming witch Cassandra “Cassie” Nightingale, and now she is thrilled to continue that enchanting journey in a weekly Good Witch series, premiering in a 2-hour special Saturday on Hallmark Channel. Bell is excited to spend more time with, and put a fresh spin on, a character she loves. “That’s been the most interesting part,” she says. “Finding the voice of this series. You want to make it so people are invested in the characters and want to tune in every week, while keeping — of course — the magic that everyone … Continue reading →

The post Bell, Denton and Madison Charm In Hallmark’s Good Witch. appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

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Overwhelmed By Your Life? Perhaps It Is Time to Simplify

If you had millions of dollars, what would you do? Buy an expensive house and car? How about a used van and park it by the ocean? That is exactly what Major League pitcher Daniel Norris did. Instead of spending his multimillion dollar contract to live up to the appearance of a celebrity ball player, this 21-year-old pitcher chose a simpler life. In a segment on the Today Show Daniel Norris said, "When I can simplify outside of the fair and foul lines, that's so much less to think about off the field and all my focus is put onto the baseball field."



As you go through your day, what is causing your stress, worry, and distraction? Is it a desire for a new car? Is it ensuring your dinner party is as good as your neighbor's was? Are you concerned about people stealing what you own? Are you having difficulty paying your mortgage but worry you have failed if you downsize? Are you stressed because you can't seem to achieve the American dream? Perhaps your unique dream life is different from the one society has dictated for us all.



Are the issues causing stress in your life providing you with any value? Start cataloging everything in your life. What brings you joy? What makes you feel whole? What helps to make you your best? Now, what is causing you to feel overwhelmed? What is a distraction? What is more hassle than it is worth? Next explore what is keeping you from removing things from your life that are affecting you negatively. Do you keep them around for your values or someone else's? Are you living your unique Type Me life or are you unhappily living someone else's life? Your ideal life might not to be living in a van, but is it the way you are living now?



Look around you. Did you create your life or are you living the life your parents, society, or your peers instilled in you? Are you trying to win at a game you don't want to play? If you had the courage and the means, what life would you create? What would be included? What would you remove?



Henry David Thoreau wrote in the book Walden, "Simplify, simplify, simplify." Simplifying your life is not just about downsizing your house or selling your possessions. At its heart, simplifying means living by your values. What do you personally value? When you choose to add something in your life, do you first gauge it against what you values? If you lived by your values, what would you experience? Make a list of all of the adjectives that would describe your life if you lived by your values. Perhaps it would be calm, peaceful, and content. Perhaps it would be exciting, adventurous, and joyful. What makes your heart sing? What truly makes you happy? Are you actively bringing into your life those things that make you happy?



Can you be as brave as Daniel Norris and remove yourself from the expectations of your role and status to remain true to your Type Me? Are you willing to stand up to ridicule and live the life that brings you joy? Are you ready to choose your version of living no matter what society expects? It is time to simplify your life by removing everything that is not you?



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If We Are What We Eat, Then We Are Becoming Coffee Cups

KFC



After you've swilled down that last gulp of coffee, make sure you've saved room to start munching the cup.



That's what KFC wants us to do, apparently having decided that they can increase their profits along with our waistlines by inducing us to eat things we wouldn't normally ingest.



As if we are not already devouring (way more than) enough calories, the marketing division at Yum! Brands -- the weirdly-named and-punctuated multinational conglomerate that owns KFC -- has decided that the world would be a better place if we ate our packaging after we're done with it.



"The new cup addresses several of the trends bedeviling the food business today, including consumer concerns about the environmental impact of packaging, as well as their desire for simplicity," according to The New York Times .



The folks at Yum! have probably discovered, as the cigarette industry did in the last century, that tapping into our oral fixations is a lucrative enterprise.



I like the idea of eliminating some packaging waste, but as Barry Commoner reminds us in his Four Laws of Ecology (#2), "Everything must go somewhere." Do the math . . . or, rather, the biology. And the physics, too: matter cannot be created or destroyed in an isolated system. Still, poop is better than trash (maybe?).



Yum!'s innovation just doesn't seem all that yummy. It transgresses Michael Pollan's maxim -- "Don't eat anything your grandmother wouldn't recognize as food" -- a mantra that is probably the most intuitively sensible guideline amid the ever-changing flurry of messaging about our diets.



On the same day we learned about edible coffee cups, another story, "Food Waste Is Becoming Serious Economic and Environmental Issue," revealed that it costs $1.5 billion just to dispose of all the food Americans throw away. The actual value of that food itself -- the one-third of all food produced that is never consumed -- is a stunning $162 billion.



When we're throwing out such an obscene amount of food (which is, presumably, actual food: broccoli, juice, cheese, and the like) do we really need to be eating coffee cups? I'd say we have enough things to eat already that we don't need to be inventing new stuff. The average supermarket carries over 40,000 items.



The edible coffee cup may be a sensory novelty, which reminds me of another invention from the 1970s that's still going strong today, edible underpants.



Taffy thongs are harmless enough, and may even have the benefit of spicing up people's sex lives. But it seems to me that there's a line we shouldn't cross (though in all likelihood we crossed it long ago) about what we eat and what we don't.



Pica is a psychological disorder that involves eating things we're not supposed to eat. ("Pica" is the Latin word for magpie, a bird known for eating indiscriminately.) While it's normal for young children to put things in their mouth as a way of exploring objects and exploring their own sense of taste, it's not normal to eat your sofa. Adele Edwards, a pica sufferer from Florida, has eaten seven.



A TLC cable show, "My Strange Addiction," features people who eat cigarette ashes, chalk, glass, toilet paper. Some sufferers of this disorder eat their own hair, stones, car keys, silverware.



French epicure Michel Lotito earned himself a bizarre fame by eating bicycles, shopping carts, and televisions. He called himself Monsieur Mangetout ("Mister Eats-All"). You can watch him eating a car, as his interviewer observes, "you're a nutter, you are." Limiting his metal intake to one kilogram per day, it took him two years to eat a Cessna 150 airplane.



Trigger warning: researching pica will take you into some strange and unpleasant corners of the internet, exposing you to things you can't un-see and websites you probably don't want cached in your browsing history.



The future promises to deluge us with many more foods that Michael Pollan's grandmother wouldn't recognize. At the vanguard of efforts to create ridiculous digitally-designed products, 3-D printers filled with hummus or chocolate or marzipan pastes extrude previously unimaginable edible artifacts. A Cornell lab has made miniature space shuttles out of ground scallops and cheese: brave new world.



Cultural anthropologists remind us that any society is keenly identified with its food -- what and how people eat, and where, and why. More likely than not this ship has already sailed, but in case there's still time for us to repent: let's try not to go down in history as the people whose appetites were so peculiarly deranged that they ate their coffee cups.



Randy Malamud is Regents' Professor of English and chair of the department at Georgia State University.



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6 Months Into My Anorexia Recovery, I Finally Smashed My Scale

By Annie Zomaya



On the 18th of this month, I will be a solid six months into recovery from anorexia nervosa. That is such a huge milestone! By no means has this journey been easy. A lot of people think that recovery from a restrictive eating disorder is as easy as "sit down and eat," but we know that there is so much more to it than that. Within the past six months, I have had my share of ups and downs. There have been days where I barely pay any mind to the ED, and other days where it's a struggle just to eat breakfast. There have even been days when I just sat in my room and cried, asking myself, "What's wrong with me?" But looking back from where I am now, I'm proud of myself for always getting back up and moving forward.



One pivotal day in this process was the day I smashed my scale.







I was only a couple months into recovery and I was about to have a serious relapse. I would just stand in the mirror and cry, and then stand on the scale and cry some more. The reason I still had a scale in my room was because I wanted to track my progress in weight restoration. I even drew the ED recovery symbol on it for motivation. That only worked for a little while. Soon the process began to reverse and I wanted to make sure I didn't gain too much weight. My mother finally hid my scale from me, but one day in a fit of anger I searched the house and found it.



I stood on it one last time. I became angry with myself. Part of me was angry for putting on weight, but the better part of me was even angrier that I had come so far and allowed myself to fall back into old habits that kept me in bondage to this monstrous eating disorder. That was it. I knew that the only way to stop this relapse was to give up the things that were holding me back from a full recovery. When my mom got home later that day, I confessed to her what I had done and told her what I thought I needed to do. It was time to break up with my scale. I had to completely give up any excuse I had for keeping it. This was really hard and scary, but also extremely liberating. I thought of my scale as a security blanket -- as long as I had it, I felt like I had some sort of control. In reality, the scale controlled me. It wasn't a security blanket; it was a ball and chain.



I thought of a song I had heard a few days before: "I Wanna Get Better" by Bleachers. When I heard it I thought to myself, "Hey, that's me... I want to get better!" So I blasted some music and took out all of my rage on the little twerp. This was really hard. And I don't just mean emotionally -- that thing was ridiculously durable. I mean, what are those things made of? Vibranium or something? We should make cars out of that stuff...



Anyway, so I didn't actually get to grind it to a pulp like I wanted to, but symbolically I had finally found the strength to destroy what had tried to destroy me. I also cut up the measuring tape I had hidden in my closet, and my mother took down the body-length mirror from the bathroom door and threw my scale in the trash where it belonged. This day was monumental.








My recovery quickly picked back up and has been on a mostly positive slope ever since. Of course I still have off days, but I am no longer a slave to a scale or mirror. The funny thing? I am more confident now than ever! I guess that's what happens when you force yourself to recognize your own inner beauty and give up the superficial.



The only thing a scale can tell us is about our relationship with gravity. Defy gravity. No scale can measure how much we are loved or how incredibly precious we are.



This was originally published on Proud2BMe.org.



About this blogger: Annie Zomaya is a college sophomore from Kentucky, currently debating what to major in. She also has her own blog, reconstructingannie.wordpress.com. She is almost six months into recovery from anorexia nervosa.



Here's a How-To Guide on how to host your own scale smashing!



Are you struggling with an eating disorder or do you know someone who is? Call the National Eating Disorders Association's toll-free helpline for support: (800)-931-2237.



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6 Eating Disorder Myths Debunked

How much do you actually know about eating disorders? For National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we've rounded up common misconceptions that make it more difficult for people living with these illnesses to be recognized, to be understood and to access appropriate treatment.



Here are six myths about eating disorders debunked.



MYTH: Eating disorders happen only to white women.



In reality, people of all genders and racial groups can suffer from disordered eating. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, an estimated 20 million women and 10 million men today will suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder in their lifetime. A 2007 survey showed no difference in eating disorder rates among people of different races and ethnicities, although NEDA has found that minorities are much less likely to receive help.



Because eating disorders are so commonly seen as a women's problem, men can also struggle to find recovery programs and helpful literature.



"My entire recovery (and likely, [that of] countless other males) was about fitting myself into a recovery culture mostly designed, tailored, and intended for females," wrote survivor and activist Matt Wetsel in a February 2015 blog post. "I even got turned away initially from the group therapy which played an integral role in my recovery –- the only one my school offered -– because I wasn’t a woman."



MYTH: Eating disorders happen only to young people.



A 2012 study found a high rate of eating disorders in women over 50.



"I think there is such pressure on older women to not look like they're becoming older," Dr. Cynthia Bulik, director of an eating disorders program at the University of North Carolina, said in a CBS interview about the study. "Everything is about looking younger, trying to stay thin and attractive, whether that means surgery or cosmetics or whatever. The pressure to not age is so strong. That leads them down the path of unhealthy eating and diet behaviors."



MYTH: All those with eating disorders are skeletally thin.



"Someone with bulimia or binge-eating disorder, or an eating disorder unspecified, could be any weight," Dr. Edward Selby, an eating disorders specialist at Rutgers University, told The Huffington Post. "They could be underweight, normal weight, overweight or even obese. You cannot tell if someone has an eating disorder just by looking at them."



Because sufferers might not "look" sick, they may be less likely to reach out for help or may be taken less seriously when they do.



MYTH: Anorexia and bulimia are the most common eating disorders.



According to Dr. Selby, the most common eating disorder is EDNOS: "eating disorder not otherwise specified."



"That means they're having eating problems or weight and body image issues, but they don't fit the diagnosis for anorexia or bulimia," Selby said.



Because the symptoms and experiences of EDNOS vary so widely and because this "other" category receives much less coverage in the media, its sufferers may not even realize they have a problem.



MYTH: Eating disorders are a lifestyle choice.



"This is perhaps the most damaging myth that our patients have had to deal with," Dr. Bulik said during a Feb. 14 talk at the National Institute of Mental Health. "Eating disorders are illnesses, not choices."



The idea that eating disorders are a "choice" may make it difficult for sufferers to open up to family and friends for fear of being judged or told to "just eat."



MYTH: Eating disorders are caused by dysfunctional families.



"You'll hear the myth that it's the family's fault, but a lot goes into an eating disorder, including genetic, societal and cultural factors," Dr. Selby told HuffPost. "It can really tear up families, when the family is crucial to eating disorder recovery."



In its resources for parents and other family members on supporting a child or sibling with an eating disorder, NEDA encourages parents not to blame themselves.



Need help? Call the National Eating Disorders Association hotline at 1-800-931-2237.



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How to Meditate While Walking

Thus far we've learned how to perform Son Buddhist meditation in several common physical positions ("How to Meditate Sitting in a Chair, Parts 1 and 2," "How to Meditate Standing Up," "How to Meditate Lying Down"). We've also learned how to set up a daily meditation schedule ("How to Set Up a Meditation Practice at Home"). Finally, we worked on incorporating micro-sessions of meditation into the routines of our daily life ("How to Meditate During the Workday"). If we've been diligent in our meditative practice, if the various postures, diaphragmatic breathing technique, and regulation of the Great Doubt through the "Yi-mwot-go?" hwadu have become familiar, then we're ready to go to the next level of Son meditation. This is formally called "Son in the midst of commotion." I simply call it the "active" mode of Son meditation. Active Son meditation means learning how to meditate while in physical motion. Today we'll learn how to meditate while walking.

You already may have heard of so-called "walking meditation." The most well-known version of walking meditation consists of walking very slowly and carefully observing the various components of the mechanical process of walking. For example, practitioners observe in stepping forward the extension of the lead foot, contact of the heel with the ground, transferral of weight to the lead foot as it rolls forward onto the sole to make uniform contact with the ground, and so forth.

What we need to understand in the context of active Son meditation, however, is that when we meditate while walking, it's not a meditation about walking. There is no contemplative study of the physical act of walking.

And it's not slow either.

In a traditional Son Buddhist meditation hall, roughly hour-long sessions of seated meditation are interspersed with 10-minute breaks during which the monks silently walk in a large circle around the room. They are expected to maintain meditative focus even during the break. But all of the windows and doors are opened to bring in fresh air and the meditators are free to go to the bathroom or step into another room to stretch out. The point of this break is not to rest, but to refresh and recharge. Thus, when we walk around the room, the pace is brisk and the atmosphere is energetic. Walking Son meditation, to put it simply, is a wake-up call.

Son meditation is not intended to create a state of laxity. Quite the opposite, Son meditation should induce a state of heightened mental alertness and presence. We're not taking a vacation from reality, but plunging into it with our eyes, heart, and body wide-open. Son meditation may be quiet, but it's immersive and electrifying, a direct, no-holds-barred physical and mental engagement with reality. With the pure perceptual experience of living. The art of Son meditation consists of being able to maintain pinpoint mental concentration without physical tension or emotional agitation. Your mind is a diamond drill, but your heart and body are calm and at peace.

Active Son meditation requires that we maintain this exquisitely delicate psycho-physical balance while moving. So the last thing you want to do is break down a physical movement into its components. Just the opposite, you want your body to glide even as your mind stays gyroscopically still, focused on the "Yi-mwot-go?" hwadu. Let's learn how to do this.

Walking Son Meditation

1. Assume standing meditation posture (Refer to "How to Meditate Standing Up").

2. Remember to hold your left hand in your right hand as shown in the photo and place both hands on your abdomen. The pressure of your hands on your abdomen will help you keep your focus there as you walk.

3. Begin walking slowly while keeping your gaze on the ground ahead.

4. Keep your focus on the "Yi-mwot-go?" hwadu. Imagine that it resides in your dantien, the center of qi energy in your lower abdomen. Keep your attention there with the same urgency you feel in keeping your eye on your infant child as you go about your chores. One part of your attention is always on the "Yi-mwot-go?" in your gut. You may feel a kind of mass, heat, or vibrating resonance there. That's where you keep your attention. If this description makes no intuitive sense to you, that's okay. Simply keep your attention on the contact point between your hands and your abdomen and intone "Yi-mwot-go?" in a calm and clear mental voice as you walk.

5. Don't obsess over keeping your breathing slow. Your rate of breathing will naturally pick up speed as you move. Just make sure you don't move so fast that you start panting.

6. Don't obsess over the in-out motion of your abdomen used in diaphragmatic breathing. Let your breathing occur naturally. Again, simply keep your attention fixed on the interior space of your lower abdomen while intoning "Yi-mwot-go?"

7. Remember to keep your back straight and be aware of tension in your neck and shoulders as you attempt to concentrate. Many people thrust their head forward in the effort to focus. Be careful to avoid this and keep the line of your spine upright and fully extended.

8. When you get used to coordinating the various mental and physical actions of Son meditation with those of walking, try moving a little faster. You can also drop your hands and walk naturally.

Externally, this meditation looks like you're just walking with a solemn expression on your face. But by now you know that internally you're practically conducting a symphony of diverse micro-actions. This is why it's important to gain proficiency in the mechanics of seated, standing, and lying meditation first. The truth is walking Son meditation comprises the first step in learning how to incorporate meditation -- and its benefits -- into the multi-tasking that occupies so much of modern daily life.

Recommendations and Suggestions

1. Learn proper walking technique. There are many good books on this topic as well as helpful videos on sites like Youtube.

2. You want to feel that you're gliding. This means your speed stays relatively constant and you accelerate and decelerate smoothly, gracefully even. Furthermore, you're not bobbing up and down as you walk nor are you swaying from side to side. Your arms and legs move together, left arm swinging forward as your right foot extends forward and vice versa. You move like you're on a railroad track, but your body is relaxed and your gaze steady.

3. I recommend practicing on a treadmill first. This way you're not distracted by passing scenery. The treadmill also keeps your pace and rhythm constant.

4. Alternatively, you can practice by circling the periphery of a large room. Just remember to practice walking in both directions, clockwise and counter-clockwise.

5. If you want to practice outdoors, pick a quiet place with relatively bland surroundings. An empty beach or parking lot or outdoor running track are good.

6. Be prepared for your thoughts to wander. People tend to ruminate while walking. If you're not careful, you can direct an entire movie or plot your career to retirement in your mind as you walk. Remember that you're not "taking a walk." You're walking purposefully, with energy and focused intent.

Walking Son meditation, obviously, is a great way to combine meditation and exercise. When you get good at it, this way of walking, interestingly enough, is helpful for moving quickly through crowded places such as train stations, airports, and department stores. When human traffic is congested and we're in a rush, we tend to get annoyed with the stop-and-go of people in front of us. However, when we meditate and keep our minds focused and present as we walk, we begin to move highly efficiently, weaving our way and slipping through the crowd without bumping into anyone. Somehow we are simultaneously both comfortably aloof from and intensely committed to our physical actions.

This becomes the first proof in our lived experience that meditation actually enhances our work efficiency rather than distracts us from it. It's a remarkable discovery and eliminates the false distinctions between stillness and movement, contemplation and action, passivity and assertiveness, and meditation and work that most beginning meditators unconsciously harbor.

In Son Buddhism, the ancient masters tell us to "walk all day long without ever taking a step." This is interpreted to mean that we walk with purpose and successfully arrive at our destination, but during all of that time our minds are engaged in meditation and we never become distracted by our physical actions or our worries. In other words, we have achieved perfect balance between living in the present moment and getting the results that we need.

Ultimately, we no longer have to feel conflicted between our desire to stop and smell the roses and the incessant demand that modern life places upon us to keep moving forward. As consistent daily practice in the basics of Son meditation -- posture, breathing, and "Yi-mwot-go?" -- improves our meditative skill, we learn to meditate as we perform increasingly complex tasks. We discover that meditation actually enhances our problem-solving ability and creativity. Later, incredibly enough, we can meditate in the present even as we plan, prioritize, and execute for the future. We are no longer overwhelmed by the constant juggling of tasks. Instead, just as we have learned to orchestrate the actions of our own inner mind and body, so, too, can we now manage the multiple responsibilities of our outer lives. Like a dancer or figure skater whose mind is calm and focused as she performs the most complicated and spectacular choreography, we, too, can learn to be completely present for the full tapestry of events and duties that unfolds for us every day of our lives.

This is not a question of being spiritual enough. It's an issue of committing to the mastery of a skill. Son meditation is the art of living.

Palms together,

Hwansan Sunim

You can now submit questions for Hwansan Sunim to answer on the Son meditation TV program, "Hello, This Is Hwansan Sunim." If possible, record your question on an audio or video file and send it in an email to ask.hwansan@gmail.com . (You may also send your question in written form.) Your email submission should contain the following information: 1) Name, 2) Photo file of you, 3) Age, 4) Occupation, and 5) City of residence. The broadcast date of your question will be sent to you. For further information about communicating with Hwansan Sunim, please visit the Facebook page at http://ift.tt/1zrf9u9 .

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