Do you have those new light bulbs in your home? Well, I guess they really aren’t “new” any longer, but there’s still quite a marketing buzz about them. I’m talking about the compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs)... [More]

A while ago I talked about “calorie amnesia”. You’re sitting at dinner and try to remember what you ate during the day because you would really like dessert. You remember that you had a small breakfast and lunch so you go ahead and eat that piece of left over birthday cake. What you forgot was that you had a blueberry glazed doughnut that your co-worker brought in that morning (in addition to your breakfast). And you sampled a piece or two of the brownies that someone else brought in later that day... [More]

Here’s one I bet you’ve never heard of: tactile-emotion synesthesia. Care to even guess what it is? People with tactile-emotion synesthesia feel a specific emotion is when touching something. For instance, in the article I read, one woman felt emotions of disgust when she touched dry leaves or fleece. The feeling of tennis balls and fresh leaves she described as heaven... [More]

With the current state of our economy, it’s no surprise that money and finances are one of the biggest worries that Americans have. In fact, in a survey done by the American Psychological Association, 73% of Americans listed money as the number one factor that affects their stress level... [More]

I’m reading an excellent book at the moment. My friends over at the County Health Department recommended it. It’s called Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink. The author is a food psychologist who conducts experiments that look at our dietary habits. It’s a good book and pretty funny, too! I’ll highlight some of the information and as I get through the book, I’ll let you know what I find out... [More]

Have you heard of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)? A friend’s mother has had it for a long time. About 15 years ago, she went to a neurologist because she was having pain and discomfort in her legs that was keeping her up at night. She would be in bed and have a sudden need to move her legs. She described the need to move her legs as a feeling of aching, jumpy and crawling... [More]

love holidays and Valentine’s Day is no exception! I remember how much fun I used to have in grade school when we would decorate the room in red and pink and exchange cards asking people to “be my valentine”. It’s definitely a day of temptation though – who can resist all of the chocolate floating around this time of year? I found this great dessert recipe, though, and I think it would make an excellent healthy ending to a Valentine’s Day dinner.. [More]

It’s better to give than to receive. We hear that a lot (especially around the holidays) but did you know that giving does a body good? In 2006, there was an estimated $295 billion of charitable giving in the U.S. – an all time high! There’s no doubt about it – giving back benefits all of those involved, whether it be time or money... [More]