MS Maze

Would you feed your family with food you dug out of the trash? If you knew where to look, you might consider it. The Food Network recently airedThe Big Waste to draw attention to the problem of food waste in the U.S.

Chefs were assigned the task of creating a gourmet banquet using only food that was destined for the trash, or in some cases, already in the trash. Sounds disgusting, right? It was, but not in the way one might expect.

From restaurants to farms to grocery stores and, yes, into the dumpsters the chefs went in search of discarded food items. The resulting meal was glorious, but the aftertaste is hideous.

Read it: Feeding America…from Food Waste

The number of people living with diabetes may rise from 366 million in 2011 to 552 million by 2030. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) says that’s about ten million new cases per year around the world. The IDF also estimates that as many as 183 million people don’t even know they have diabetes. Other shocking figures reveal:

* The US has the highest number of people with diabetes, followed by Mexico, Canada, and Haiti.

* The US has one of the highest number of deaths due to diabetes of any country in the world.

Read it: 5 New Year’s Resolutions to Help Prevent Diabetes

photo copyright: photoxpress.com

Holidays got you down? Are you stressed about gifts and parties, and financial and social obligations to the point where you just wish you could skip the holidays altogether? Even worse, does the holiday season make you feel depressed?

If so, you’re not alone, but you might want to take a cue from Ebenezer Scrooge.

Read it: Beat the Holiday Blues: Be Like Scrooge

I was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2010. One year later I’ve completed aggressive treatment and, although my doctors won’t say for certain that I am cancer-free, we agree that I should live as though I am – and I do.

Read why femininity is all in your head…of friends and acquaintances…and the do’s and don’ts of dealing with someone else’s cancer: The Anniversary of My Survival: What Breast Cancer Awareness Means to Me

Gut flora could be the key to preventing obesity. A recent study revealed that poor gut flora may trigger obesity and healthy gut flora may reduce the risk of obesity. Of course, a balanced diet and exercise are important parts of the equation, too.

I had a few questions for the lead researcher of this study, and she obliged with some very interesting information.

Read it: The Key to Obesity May Be in Your Gut

The morning of September 11, 2001 is forever seared into our nation’s collective consciousness. Horrific loss of life, massive destruction of landmarks, and infiltration of our air travel system rocked our very foundation, shattering any sense of security we may have had.

We’ve had a lot of healing to do, both as individuals, and as a nation. I asked several experts in human psychology how they think we have healed … or not healed in the past 10 years.

Read it: Ten Years Later: How 9/11 Changed Our Nation

A murderous spree at a youth summer camp in Oslo, Norway last month ended in 76 deaths. Working methodically, a lone gunman fired at teenagers at a youth camp as their young friends watched in horror and scrambled for safety.

Much has been made about the motives and the twisted psyche of the murderer, but not so much attention has been given to the young victims who survived his rampage. What happens when the vague concept of death and the sense of immortality possessed by most teenagers is shattered in an instance horrific violence? How will they recover from such a nightmare?

For insight into the recovery process, we turned to Ellin Bloch, Ph.D., California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, who specializes in trauma psychology and recovery.

Read it: Norway Shooting Survivors: The Long Road to Recovery and Peace

Cancer is a scary word and the diagnosis plunges patients into a search for the most effective treatments. Some gravitate toward modern medical treatments, some to alternative treatments, and some blend the best of both. Doctors, patients, and the National Institutes of Health weigh in.

Read it: Modern Medicine and Complementary Treatments: Can Cancer Patients Have it Both Ways?

More women in the U.S. are opting for giving birth at home. After years of decline, a study published in Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care reveals that home births increased by 20 percent between 2004 and 2008. Still, less than one percent of U.S. babies are born at home.

Is there a right way and a wrong way to choose how to birth your child? Find out what the experts are saying.

Read it: Choosing How to Give Birth: Is there a right way and a wrong way?

Our pets are getting fatter. More than half of dogs and cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese – that’s an estimated 93 million dogs and cats, according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention’s most recent pet study.

Read my interview with the Association’s founder and president, Dr. Ernie Ward, who shares his opinions and insights on how to properly care for our beloved four-legged friends.

Read it: The Super-Sizing of America’s Pets: How to Conquer Pet Obesity Naturally

Image courtesy of Dr. Ernie Ward, author of “Chow Hounds: Why Our Dogs Are Getting Fatter – A Vet’s Plan to Save Their Lives”

Natural disasters like the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan have a profound and lasting psychological impact on individuals and on communities.

Despite Japan’s disaster preparedness systems, the shock of a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, followed by a devastating tsunami, is a psychological minefield. For a glimpse into the complex psychology behind mass trauma, we turned to Ellin Bloch, Ph.D., California School of Professional Psychology, Los Angeles, who specializes in trauma psychology and recovery. (Read it: Feeling for Japan: Coping and Recovering from Disaster)

Breastfeeding is a perfectly natural, healthy human function, some might even call it beautiful.

Mothers have been breastfeeding their offspring since the dawn of humankind, but modern societal pressures place undue burden on breastfeeding mothers. (MORE)

Is it possible to measure happiness? The government of Bhutan has been doing it for years with the Gross National Happiness (GNH) index, developed by the Centre for Bhutan Studies. Bhutan is often noted for being one of the happiest countries in the world, its high happiness index attributed to a culture rich in spiritual practices and strong family and social ties.

The United States places an emphasis on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as a measure of our success as a nation, economic indicators generally being considered a measure of happiness in the developed world. But while the GDP gauges our economic achievements, does that necessarily translate into happiness and well-being? Stress and overwork have an enormous impact on mental and physical health, for instance, but are not part of the equation. (…MORE)

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his life working tirelessly toward a dream of equality and opportunity for all. He challenged us to help build a more perfect union and live up to the purpose and potential of America. Most importantly, he recognized the power of the individual to make a difference.

“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 17, 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day’s designation as a federal holiday, a time for neighborhoods and communities to come together to honor, celebrate, and further the dream of a supremely inspirational human being.

Learn about the MLK Day of Service and more:

Read: Honoring and Furthering The Dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Betsy G. Reyneau, National Archives and Records Administration

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a term used to describe medical and health care practices and products that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicines are used in conjunction with — and alternative medicines are used in place of — conventional medicine. The 2007 National Health Interview Survey indicated that 38 percent of adults use CAM.

What falls under the definition of CAM…

Read the article:

Paying for Complementary and Alternative Medicines: Health Insurance and CAM

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