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What To Add To Your Spring Wardrobe

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With constant trend changes and trying to stick to a budget, shoppers often wonder if they should spend the cash to update their wardrobe or not.

We talked to stylist and wardrobe consultant Nalinie Budhu about which spring pieces will be smart investments for the rest of the year.

"The tuxedo jacket is still a big layering piece to take any outfit from day to night -- over a white tank and a pair of jeans or over a long flowing dress," she says.

Budhu also suggests adding jewellery this season.

"Accessories can make the difference -- layers and chunky [pieces] will give you the added finish you're looking for," she says.

For attire, she recommends wide-legged pants, lightweight fabrics and flowy skirts. While adding leather accessories, wedges and geometric prints can enhance your overall look.

Check out the trends to keep in mind this season.


How Anxiety Affects Your Sense Of Smell

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By Cynthia Graber
(Click here for the original article and podcast)

When an animal faces a predator, its senses go into overdrive. So scientists wondered, could human anxiety be an evolutionary legacy to protect us against potential threats? And if so, might anxious people have a heightened sense of smell, presumably to detect predators or disease-carriers.  

Researchers repeatedly tested 14 mens’ perception of odors, including bad ones. In some trials, the men were in an MRI scanner, and odors were faint. Participants were simply asked if they could detect a scent, yes or no.

They were also tested for anxiety: their breathing and skin electrical conductivity were measured, as in a lie detector. Subjects also estimated their anxiety on a 100-point scale.

Turns out that the more anxious men were significantly better at detecting lower concentrations of scents, particularly nasty ones. They also were more likely to become emotionally aroused in the presence of bad smells. The research was published online in the journal Chemosensory Perception. [Elizabeth A. Krusemark and Wen Li, Enhanced Olfactory Sensory Perception of Threat in Anxiety: An Event-Related fMRI Study]

So if you wig out before, say, a driving exam, remember that anxiety may be part of constellation of physical traits that evolved for survival when the threat was an odorous lion, not a onerous licensor.

Women Exercise Less Than Men -- And It's Making Them Sick

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Women exercise less than men -- and that could have consequences for their physical and mental health alike.

On average, men are nearly twice as active as women -- getting at least 30 minutes of daily exercise, according to a recent study published in the journal Preventive Medicine. That's particularly bad news for women, the researchers say, because their comparative inactivity puts them at greater risk for metabolic syndrome, a descriptor for a cluster of related conditions such as high cholesterol, extra abdominal fat and high blood pressure that often lead to heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes. It's also associated with higher levels of depression, the researchers found.

The good news? There's something we can all do about it. "The results indicate that regular physical activity participation was associated with positive health outcomes for both men and women; however, there was a greater strength of association for women," lead researcher Paul Loprinzi, an assistant professor of exercise science at Bellarmine University said in a statement. He conducted the study with Bradley Cardinal, a professor of social psychology of physical activity, while at Oregon State University.

Cardinal and Loprinzi found that, of a nationally representative sample of 1,000 men and women, there was a disparity of 12 minutes of daily exercise between the genders. While men got an average 30 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, women only got 18 minutes, on average. The activity was measured by accelerometers that participants wore for the duration of the study, rather than notoriously unreliable self-reporting.

The experiment began as an effort to understand the relationship between exercise, metabolic syndrome and depression. Indeed, they found a relationship between the two conditions and the activity; one in three women had metabolic syndrome, while one in five suffered from clinical symptoms of depression. That was particularly intriguing to the researchers because, aside from exercise, women outpaced men in all other health behaviors, such as not smoking and superior diet.

How the three conditions fit together remained unclear. Previous studies have found that exercise can help reduce symptoms of depression -- and separate studies have found that depression is associated with a higher risk of abdominal fat and insulin resistance, which are both metabolic conditions.

Introducing The Adastra, $15 Million Superyacht

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There are yachts, and then there are superyachts. If your boat is 139 feet long, costs $15 million and can be controlled by an iPad from half a football field away, it's probably a superyacht.

The Adastra, which launched in China earlier this week, boasts all of the above, and more.

Designed by UK-based John Shuttleworth, the trimaran is the second largest of its kind and took four years build.

Shuttleworth told Tab Times that with a customized app, an iPad can handle a range of responsibilities for the boat including "steering and flicking switches."

The Adastra can house up nine guests, in addition to six crew members, and travel at a speed of up to 22.5 knots. It's fuel efficient, too, able to make it 4,000 miles -- longer than a trip from London to New York -- without stopping for gas.

"No effort has been spared in the challenge to produce a beautiful yacht that will have low fuel consumption and yet provide excellent sea keeping qualities and luxurious accommodation," Shuttleworth says on his website. "'Adastra' takes the power trimaran concept further than has ever been attempted before."

According to Shuttleworth's website, the yacht's hull is made of glass and Kevlar, while the interior consists of lightweight oak cabinetry using honeycomb panels. To reduce weight, everything on the boat was custom made.

The style of the Adastra has been described as "futuristic" by some and akin to an "alien attack vessel" by others. As for what comforts the boat offers, there's a sauna, a whirlpool, luxury kitchen and baths, and a spacious saloon with panoramic views.

Shipping magnate Anto Marden, who lives in Hong Kong, commissioned the boat and, according to the Daily Mail, he and his wife plan to sail it between the two islands they own in Indonesia.

If the couple is ever looking to play a friendly game of "who's boat is more tricked out?" they might find a good match with Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. His 557 foot yacht, Eclipse, was completed in 2010 and features two swimming pools, a dance floor and a missile detection system.

Check out photos of the Adastra in the slideshow below:

How Exercise Could Boost Breast Cancer Patients' Quality Of Life

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Exercise could be the secret weapon to help breast cancer patients combat common side effects of cancer and cancer treatments.

A new study that was presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine shows that physical activity could help women being treated for breast cancer to have less fatigue and depression.

The study included 240 women with non-metastatic breast cancer, who were enrolled in the study anywhere from four to 10 weeks after they'd undergone surgery for their cancer. Some women who were put in a 10-week program where they learned Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management, while the other women completed a one-day "self help" group. Researchers also kept track of how much exercise all the study participants were getting.

The researchers found that the women who exercised the most during the time between the surgery and starting their assigned therapy were also the ones whose fatigue got in the way of their daily lives the least. In addition, these women's moods were not as depressed.

"Women who are physically active may also have more confidence in their own ability to continue with family-related, household, work-related, or social activities, which bring meaning and satisfaction to their lives," Jamie M. Stagl, M.S., doctoral student in at the University of Miami, said in a statement. "This may lead to appraisals of lower fatigue, heightened quality of life, and less depression."

Similarly, a study published earlier this month in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons showed that taking regular walks could help to decrease exhaustion commonly felt by cancer patients.

That study included 102 people who had just had surgery done for their pancreatic or periampullary cancers. Eighty-five percent of them reported having fatigue at a moderate to severe level.

However, the researchers from Thomas Jefferson University found that people who walked 90 to 150 extra minutes a week had a decrease in their fatigue of 27 percent. Comparatively, people who were not instructed to do any sort of walking exercise after being discharged from the hospital experienced a decrease in fatigue of 19 percent.

10 Ways To Order Healthier Asian Takeout

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By Kate Ashford

You know a little something about how to order healthy at Asian restaurants. Brown rice trumps white, summer rolls are lower cal than egg rolls and you should run from General Tso's anything. But with the explosion of Asian fusion, figuring out what to order can be as murky as a bowl of freshly stirred miso soup.

"There are hidden fats and preparation details that can really keep you guessing," says Angela Ginn, R.D., a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. And those unknowns can double, even triple, the calorie count and fat content of a dish. Here's how to dig in without blowing your diet.

For more on diet and nutrition, click here.

8 Bad Brushing Habits That Harm Your Teeth

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By Amanda Schupak for YouBeauty

Yes, there is a right way and a wrong way to brush your pearly whites. The most important reason to brush your teeth is to fight off cavities (and consequently prevent bad breath). But what if the way you brush your teeth actually makes you more susceptible to cavities, tooth decay and gum disease? Take these tips to heart and habit and smile better.

For more on dental health, click here.

Why Is Religion Linked With Better Health And Well-Being?

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By Philip Moeller, for U.S. News

Choral singing is great for health: It engages people mentally and physically. There is also a strong social networking benefit of a shared activity that is often emotionally uplifting. Now, if this experience occurs in a church service, does it produce even greater well-being and happiness? Is there, in short, a God dividend?

The benefit of choral singing "is pretty cool, really," says Ellen Idler, a professor of sociology at Emory University. Singing can get everyone in the church literally on the same page, moving their bodies and voices in unison, usually with stirring songs. "The singing can be very important" to improving well-being and happiness, she says.


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It's also true, researchers say, that people who regularly attend religious services enjoy a boost in their happiness. However, research findings don't agree on how much of the benefit is religious and how much derives from the benefits of social networking and being with other like-minded people.

There is overwhelming research evidence that people can live longer if they actively engage in formal religious activities and follow their faith's behavioral prescriptions. This is especially true for religions that espouse healthy diets and discourage smoking and alcohol.

Research conducted decades ago on Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, and the Amish "found stunningly lower mortality rates in these religious groups," Idler says. "Overall, they really are much healthier than the rest of us ... In some of them, the mortality rate is 25 percent, 30 percent, or even 50 percent lower, which is really astonishing."

These groups were chosen, in part, because they keep extensive genealogical records. They also advocate healthful lifestyles that set them apart from other religious groups as well as the broader public. However, later research with broader groups has found that religious observers generally enjoy happiness and mortality benefits.

"Regular and frequent religious attendance does seem to be one of the significant predictors of less stress and more life satisfaction," says Scott Schieman, a professor of sociology at the University of Toronto. "It just puts people in touch with like-minded congregants," he says, and thus produces many of the benefits of a strong social network. "It's a period of time when you can actually connect with others and you're not alone in your beliefs."

To identify a deity "bonus," though, is much harder. "You have to break it down into components and look at religious activities and religious beliefs," he explains, "and you have to look at them during times of stress. Is it the activity? If so, which kind of activity? Is it the belief? If so, is it [a belief in] life after death" or some other belief?

Idler grants that some of the most dramatic health benefits of religious observance involve faiths that require adherence to positive lifestyle behaviors. "Some people may write it off as nothing more than a result of lifestyle issues," she says. "My perspective on that is that if you want to have people follow a really restrictive lifestyle over their entire life, you have to have something that holds them together and perpetuates it. You could take religion out of the equation and it would fall apart."

"No matter if it is ancient burial practices or modern injunctions against smoking, the mechanism for the effect of religion on health seems to be that religion provides an effective social control mechanism for compelling behaviors over the course of their lifetimes that may deny individuals freedom, pleasure, or stimulation, but which appear to promote survival," Idler wrote last year in a paper that reviewed studies about religion's impact on mortality.

She also notes the ubiquity of religious symbols and imagery that add meaning and richness to religious observance.

Janet Ramsey, a pastor and theology professor at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., sees such symbols as part of a broader religious narrative that undoubtedly adds support and meaning to people's lives. In her research, she says, "people in a faith tradition find ways for their lives to intersect with that larger narrative" and a "much deeper, symbolic life."

"There is power there that gives meaning to life, and it also helps people as they get older with their self-identity and aging," Ramsey adds. "It makes you feel like you are part of an ongoing relationship that is bigger than yourself." In her research, she adds, being in a religious organization was not more beneficial in this regard than being spiritual but not active in an organized religion.

Feeling that we are part of something larger than ourselves can be tremendously comforting and supportive, Schieman agrees. "There's an assumption that most people want to feel that there's a sense of order, a sense of certainty [in life] rather than a cold randomness," he says. "Religion provides answers to a lot of these questions and if not answers, at least a big answer: There is God. There is a sense of meaning."

This sense of support produces great comfort and help to people as they get older, and especially as they near the end of their lives, Ramsey says. "The approach of death, coupled with a loss of control during the last days of life, can easily lead to anxiety and anger," she recently wrote. "Spirituality is one pathway among others that appears to mediate end-of-life anxiety by allowing older persons to remain peaceful, even when facing their own death and losing personal control."

Religion and spirituality also can help people achieve a sense of closure about their lives that includes a very important stage of forgiveness—to others, but also to themselves. "Some language and beliefs and rituals are provided [by religion] that help people with their needs for forgiveness," Ramsey says. "We finally make peace with the things we have done."


How Springtime Allergies Can Affect Your Pet

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By Denise Maher for Vetstreet

Sniffly, scratchy, wheezy... and grumpy. That essentially sums up what spring can mean for a lot of allergy sufferers across the country.

But what about our pets? Can four-legged family members feel the effects of springtime allergens in the same way that we do?

More from Vetstreet:
5 Ways to Control Allergies in Your Pet
6 Foods You Should Never Give Your Pet
10 Most High-Maintenance Dog Breeds

We spoke to a specialist in pet dermatology, Dr. Heather Peikes, V.M.D., of Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in New York City, to get the skinny on pets and seasonal allergies.

Q. Are pets affected by springtime allergies in the same way as people?
A. Dr. Heather Peikes: "Animals are susceptible to the same airborne allergens -- pollen, trees, grasses, mold and insects -- that we are. They're also affected by similar uncomfortable symptoms, such as a runny nose, watery eyes, itchiness, coughing and disturbed sleep. The most severe conditions usually involve secondary bacterial or yeast infections that can cause extreme itchiness, which often leads to excessive scratching, licking, chewing and rubbing. Some pets get to the point where they're so uncomfortable that they can't play or rest properly."

Q. How can I tell if my pet's watery eyes and habitual scratching are caused by allergies and not by something else?
A. "Dramatic symptoms always require an evaluation by a veterinarian, but there are clues that can point to allergic reactions. Observe your pet's behavior. Is it normal? Overgrooming, for example, is often dismissed as stress or nerves, when it's really related to allergies. Also, is there a pattern? Do symptoms worsen during the spring or fall, possibly when your own allergies are problematic?

Certain signs warrant an immediate visit to your vet. These include a foul odor (persistent smells may be caused by a buildup of bacteria or yeast on the body, inside the ears, on the lips or in between folds of skin), hair loss and behavioral changes, such as if your pet is simply not playful or not acting like himself."

Q. What can a vet do to treat the symptoms of pet allergies?
A. "First, there are steps that you can take to reduce exposure to allergens and head off reactions. Wipe down your dog or cat -- especially the paws -- after he comes in from being outside.

To limit the amount of airborne particles that get into your house, take off your own shoes right after you walk through the door. Keep windows closed, bathe your dog or cat with a mild cleanser frequently, and run a HEPA air filter around the clock.

The vet or specialist may recommend the use of antihistamines, but it's very important to note that these should not be administered without medical supervision. Depending on existing conditions, formulations and dosage, they can be toxic and can even cause death in pets. Never use OTC medications without consulting a vet.

Other prescription treatments include omega-3 fatty acids (for the anti-inflammatory effect) and probiotics. Like some people, pets with allergies may need 'allergy shots' or regular treatment with a vaccine. Treatment with topical or oral steroids, or another systemic immunosuppressant, may also be options. Consult with your veterinarian for the best course of treatment."

For more on pet health, click here.

Flickr photo by shannon abigail simbulan.

How Eating Nuts Could Help Lower Diabetes Risk

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People who choose nuts as their snack of choice are doing their health a benefit, new research suggests.

A recent study shows that people who regularly eat tree nuts -- including almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts and cashews -- also have lower risks for Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and heart disease.

The researchers from Louisiana State University Agricultural Center found that nut consumption is linked with lower levels of an inflammation marker called C-reactive protein (which is associated with heart disease and other chronic conditions) and higher levels of the "good" kind of cholesterol.

In addition, people who regularly ate the tree nuts had lower body mass indexes (BMI, a ratio of height to weight) than people who didn't regularly eat nuts, the study said.

It should be noted that the study was funded by the nonprofit International Tree Nut Council Nutrition Research & Education Foundation. It appeared recently in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

The research included 13,292 adults whose diets were analyzed through the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys between 1999 and 2004. The researchers considered a "tree nut consumer" as someone who ate at least a quarter of an ounce of nuts a day. The researchers found that about 18.6 percent of people between ages 19 and 50 and about 21 percent of people ages 51 and older were regular nut consumers.

The researchers found that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among people who regularly consumed the nuts was 5 percent lower than those who didn't consume the nuts. (Metabolic syndrome is known to be a risk factor for conditions like heart disease and diabetes.)

This is certainly not the first evidence linking nut consumption with body benefits. Last year, a Spanish study showed that, particularly among people with metabolic syndrome, eating an ounce of nuts (raw walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, all with the peels on) a day is linked with higher levels of serotonin, reported Shape Magazine. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is linked with feeling happy.

And last year, Reuters reported on a study in the journal Diabetes Care that showed that swapping out carbs for a half-cup of nuts could help people with Type 2 diabetes to decrease their blood sugar and "bad" cholesterol levels.

The Mayo Clinic reported that nuts have powers to lower "bad" cholesterol levels, and eating them could even lower the risk of blood clots linked with heart attack. That's because nuts contain "good" fats, omega-3 fatty acids, cholesterol-lowering fiber and plant sterols, and vitamin E (which could help keep arteries clear of plaque), according to the Mayo Clinic.

Specifically, walnuts may have the highest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids compared with all the other nuts; omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects, Joy Bauer, NBC's Today Show nutritionist, told Everyday Health.

But even though nuts have health benefits, that doesn't mean you can go hog-wild with your portions. Diet and fitness expert Dr. Melina Jampolis told CNN that people should not eat more than a quarter of a cup of nuts or seeds a day, since they have so many calories from fat.

"Eating unlimited amounts can easily add an extra several hundred calories a day to your diet, which could lead to weight gain and increased cholesterol levels," Jampolis told CNN.

Ban On Gay Blood Donors Brings 'Shame'

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A controversial ban on gay men being blood donors is bringing shame on Northern Ireland, student leaders are set to claim.

The ban is to be raised by student union officials at the NUS-USI annual conference which begins in Co Fermanagh today.

Health Minister Edwin Poots came under fire for maintaining the ban after the announcement it was to be lifted in Britain, but his officials said he has yet to make a final decision.

The union is also set to call on Stormont ministers to reassure students that they will not suffer from the planned scrapping of the department responsible for further education.

President of NUS-USI Adrianne Peltz said the organisation wanted to see equality across society.

"That's why at this year's conference will also be raising the issue of putting more pressure on the Health Minister to remove the despicable ban on gay men from donating blood, which has been lifted in other parts of the UK," said the union leader.

"For a ban to exist on gay men giving blood is an absolute disgrace as it flies in the face of equality and fairness. Think of the appalling message that this ban sends out. The fact that this blood donation ban is being lifted elsewhere but still exists here brings shame on Northern Ireland.

"For government to fail to lift the ban would be scandalous. As well as this being a key equality issue, we also need more blood donors here and this is literally a matter of life and death for a significant number of people in Northern Ireland."

A department of health spokesperson said: "The Minister has not yet made a final decision on this matter. He has asked for further information regarding the level of risks.

"Before making a final decision the Minister will consider all the relevant evidence and will take into account the issue of wider public confidence."

NUS-USI Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Officer Chris Geddis said the ban must be overturned and added: "Government must reflect on what having this ban says to the rest of the world about Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland simply must be a society that has equality and respect for everyone, and this ban must be removed as a matter of urgency."

The conference is taking place at the Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen on Monday and Tuesday and will mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the NUS-USI.

In 1972 it was agreed that the National Unionist of Students and the Union of Students in Ireland would campaign together across the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland.

But on the proposed scrapping of the Department of Employment and Learning (DEL), the union said: "It is incumbent upon the First and Deputy First Ministers to reassure students that they will not be adversely affected by the scrapping of DEL."

The conference is to hear from DEL Minister Stephen Farry.

Girls Episode 1: The Gchat Recap

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After months of publicity, HBO's new sitcom "Girls," written and directed by and starring Lena Dunham, premiered tonight. Was it everything we were promised? Is it worth watching? Here's our take:

Margaret Wheeler Johnson: Hi guys
Lori Fradkin: Hi!
Lori Leibovich: hello
Lori Fradkin: Can I just say something first? I find it kind of incredible that a few months ago I thought I was going to be the "in the know" one about "Girls"
Like it would be this hidden gem that I would tell people about
Lori Leibovich: I know! I remember when you flagged it
and thinking oh so glad Lori told me about this!
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: Blame the SXSW rent-a-lady-bike campaign.
Lori Fradkin: The HBO publicity machine is on top of its game on this one
Like beyond its game if that's a thing
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I do think it's great that they were willing to invest that much in a show written and directed by such a young woman
But do we know the timing of Lena Dunham's pitch?
Were "New Girl" and "Don't Trust The B---- In Apt 23" and "2 Broke Girls" already in the works?
Did HBO seize on "Girls" as a way to get in the game?
and not be late to the party?
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: (even though they are a little late to the party, as Emily Nussbaum pointed out)
(in a possibly fortuitous way)
Lori Leibovich: I actually think they mishandled the publicity
over-did it completely
b.c there is no way anything can live up to that kind of hype
Lori Fradkin: Are you having Girls fatigue?
Lori Leibovich: as you know I was disappointed.
I mean, I liked it
but the way it had been heralded I thought this was going to be the Wire or My So Called Life or Six Feet Under or some other game changing show
and while I think it's clever and endearing and interesting
and while I'm thrilled that there is a smart show about young women and their friendships and sex lives
I was not blown away the way I expected I would be
given the fact that so many critics I truly admire -- Emily N., Ken Tucker -- were salivating over it
Lori Fradkin: I'm having a bit of fatigue with the think pieces -- which is why I loved Jessica Grose's tweet last week so much -- but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the show
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I think it's always safer and wiser to let viewers decide that a show is game changing, but I have to say, I was impressed by Dunham
Lori Leibovich: I LOVED "Tiny Furniture"
Lori Fradkin: Me too!
LOVED
Lori Leibovich: LOVED
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I found it brilliant but the navel-gazing also annoyed me
Lori Leibovich: It stuck me as way more original then the show
even the opening of the show -- at dinner with her parents -- seemed scripted and cliché in a way that none of the scenes in TF did
Lori Fradkin: Do you have specific issues with the show or just that it's not the game-changing show it's been billed as?
Lori Leibovich: I wish I had been able to see it without reading about it first
I think I would have appreciated it a lot more
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I agree with that.
There were moments in the pilot where I was like, that is supposed to be profound but isn't
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: like when Jessa arrives in the taxi and the taxi driver says, "We're here," and Jessa says, "Already?" Get it? Resisting adulthood?
Lori Leibovich: I think the characters in Tiny Furniture were a lot more authentic somehow. I find Shoshanna, for example, completely unbelievable
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: She's a caricature, agreed
Lori Fradkin: She's over-the-top, and yet Zosia Mamet is so good
I love seeing the contrast with her Mad Men character
Lori Leibovich: yes she's a great actress but c'mon -- that character does not exist in real life. and I don't think those other women would be friends with her if she did
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: Her main purpose in the pilot is to address the SATC issue, and it's waaaay too overt
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: (see the enormous SATC poster on her wall)
Lori Leibovich: right
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: Look, I think they had a lot to accomplish in the pilot
and some of it's not that artful
but the foundation is necessary for some of the more brilliant stuff that follows
Lori Leibovich: i guess i can't ask you what you think is brilliant
because we don't want to spoil it
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: not 'til next weeeeeek
but in the pilot, I liked the undoing of the romantic comedy morning after
where Allison Williams' boyfriend's adoration in the kitchen is bookended by Allison Williams waking up in her roommate's bed (not his)
and then Allison Williams saying she can't feel his love anymore
Lori Fradkin: in the tub (again with Hannah)
Lori Leibovich: I liked that too. The too nice boyfriend as turnoff is a great idea to explore
and really rings true for so many women
Lori Leibovich: (in my experience)
Lori Fradkin: I really liked their honest conversations about it too
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: and that that conversation takes place in a bathtub
with a cupcake
Lori Leibovich: that seemed over the top to me
not realistic
Lori Leibovich: putting too fine a point on the idea that "we're so intimate that we bathe in front of each other! And I don't care about my body so I eat cupcakes -- even in the bath!"
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I think she does care about her body
Lori Fradkin: Lena Dunham has said she's eaten a loaf of bread in the shower
Lori Fradkin: So maybe it's not so unrealistic
Lori Leibovich: sorry to be so cynical
Lori Fradkin: OK, maybe bathing is a lot. But the peeing together -- it happens
Lori Leibovich: i don't hate the show as much as it sounds like i do
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I think your disappointment is justified
Lori Leibovich: thank you!
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: but I think there's interesting stuff to come
And I guess I appreciate the ambition of it
Lori Leibovich: I think the best part of the series so far is... the men.
they are fantastic actors.
Lori Fradkin: Yes, I love Adam Driver -- even if I don't love his character
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: That character is wonderfully awful
and rings really true
Lori Fradkin: Let me ask you guys about something that I've heard come up a lot:
Are these women too privileged to be sympathetic?
Lori Leibovich: Their privilege is problematic
in that it's hard to have a lot of empathy for them
on the other hand, as anyone who has lived in NY after college knows, the vast majority of people trying to be writers or work in galleries get help from their parents
and so I liked that they were so honest about that
Lori Fradkin: I think I found her entitlement a bit much -- "it's only $1,100 a month" -- but I didn't mind that they could be privileged and still struggle
Lori Fradkin: Though if you want to take it back to the beginning, it was a little weird that this conversation of cutting her off was out of the blue
Wouldn't they have been having ongoing discussions of it?
I know that's the premise, though, so...
Lori Fradkin: I just don't think they would have suddenly said, "No more money!" It would have been more subtle.
Lori Fradkin: Unless she was tuning it out
Lori Leibovich: did either of you watch Freaks and Geeks?
Her mom is the mom from Freaks and Geeks
Lori Fradkin: No, but it's on my to-watch list
Lori Leibovich: as it should be
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I liked the mother. I believed her totally
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: and I think that scene was supposed to be Lena Dunham, Millennial, acknowledging Millennial ridiculousness
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: which made Hannah likeable to me
Lori Fradkin: I did love the fact that she was "trying to be who I am"
Lori Leibovich: The scene was definitely important in establishing how ridiculously privileged her existence was
Lori Leibovich: and was confirmed when Jessa made the Flaubert comment
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: also by Jessa's Louis Vuitton
Lori Fradkin: That scene with the Flaubert comment was so good angel-bad angel
With Marnie and Jessa
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I loved the incorporation of therapy language of a group likely brought up on therapy: "in a really good place" ; "mothering her"
Lori Fradkin: To take it back to the Sex and the City comparison, do you think you people will start saying, "I'm a Marnie!" "I'm such a Jessa"?
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: Maybe, but with immediate, self-conscious regret
Lori Leibovich: i think these characters are more complex than SATC ones
can't be easily characterized as the slut, the good girl, the wild writer, the buttoned-up lawyer
so no.
to continue the comparison
i think the SATC girls liked sex more
these girls don't seem to.
Lori Leibovich: i know that's a sweeping and over-simplified statement but it seems bleakly realistic
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I'm inclined to agree.
Lori Fradkin: One of the things I found realistic was how nerve-wracking it can be -- like how Hannah kept making small talk
Lori Fradkin: Like sex can be sexy, but it's not always sexy
Lori Leibovich: here's what I thought was really interesting about the sex
how pornified it was
how the guys are so clearly trying to re-enact with real life women what they see online
Lori Leibovich: and how unsatisfying that seems to be for the women
who are really just means to an end
Lori Leibovich: and i think that this generation of women is the first one to deal with this on this scale
Lori Leibovich: and how problematic that is for women and their pleasure and sense of agency
Lori Fradkin: The line "you're doing great" from Adam Driver
It just felt like those three words said so much about that relationship
Lori Leibovich: yeah, "you're doing great playing out MY fantasy. Keep doing it and shut up."
Lori Fradkin: And then he actually says "let's play the quiet game"
Lori Leibovich: that felt so sadly true
Lori Leibovich: i kept wishing that she'd take some control and say "this sucks for me. let's do it THIS way"
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: So we're saying sex for real young women is this bad
Lori Leibovich: I don't want to say it's realistic for everyone
Lori Fradkin: I think realistic, but not necessarily representative?
Like it happens, but not always like that?
Lori Leibovich: but for casual sexual relationships i think it seems to be, yes.
Lori Fradkin: What I found so sad about that scene was when at the end she says "that was really, really nice"
Lori Fradkin: No, it wasn't!
Lori Fradkin: So I agree -- she needs the warmth more than the control
Lori Leibovich: yes.
exactly
that was heartbreaking
tragic even!
Lori Leibovich: like, cmon! you went to oberlin! this is NOT the way it's supposed to be!
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: but are we supposed to believe she believes that it was nice? or just that she wants to believe that?
Lori Fradkin: I think she wants to believe it. I think she probably deep down knows it's not right
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: It's interesting to contrast Hannah's experience with Marnie's
Marnie seems to want less control
Lori Fradkin: Right -- I think that's realistic too
Lori Leibovich: do you think Hannah wants more control?
I think she just wants more pleasure.
and warmth
not necessarily control
she's aware that she's essentially invisible during sex
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I think she's trying to gain some control over the situation -- get him to use a condom and not to have anal sex with her --
to keep it from going from bad to really bad
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: but ideally, yes, she wants more pleasure, and then she wouldn't need control
Lori Leibovich: huh. I didn't get that sense
Lori Leibovich: i sense that Marnie wants someone who is going to, yes, boss her around a little in bed but not in a humiliating way
Lori Leibovich: let's talk about Hannah's body
it's amazing to me how much discussion has taken place around it
it's so depressing that an actress with a perfectly normal body is being scrutinized this way.
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: but I think she invited it by putting her own body in the show, a body she knew didn't match the insane ideal out there. I think it's part of her commentary.
"here is a normal body. on tv. deal with it"
Lori Leibovich: yes, and god bless her for doing it
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: she's my body image hero
truly
Lori Leibovich: i think that may turn out to be the most important thing to come out of this show
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: which is why I say, I think she -- Lena, Hannah, both -- does care about her body.
and a lot of other people's
that aren't usually represented onscreen
Lori Fradkin: I also have to say that I am just rooting for her in general -- like I like Lena so much that I want her show to do well
I do like the show, but it's also a personal thing
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: I feel that, too. It's sort of like, if this passionate, creative person who is so articulate and has clearly poured her soul into this thing and put herself out there in every way
can't win, who can?
Lori Leibovich: or, rather, she SHOULD win
and she is!
if the conversation around the show is any indication
so yay. go lena. I mean that.
and now I must go. bye guys.
xx
Lori Fradkin: Bye! Fun chatting with you!
Margaret Wheeler Johnson: Bye!

Haven't gotten your fill of "Girls" commentary? Take our "Girls" Hype Quiz:

QUIZ: Are These Quotes About "Sex and the City" Or "Girls"?
(Scroll down for attribution of each quote.)







Slide 1: Caryn James, New York Times, 1999
Slide 3: Emily Nussbaum, New York Magazine, 2012
Slide 5: Kara Warner, MTV's "Hollywood Crush" Blog, 2012
Slide 7: Caryn James, New York Times, 1999
Slide 9: Leah Beckmann, Gawker, 2012
Slide 11:John Tierney, New York Times, 1999
Slide 13: John Tierney, New York Times, 1999
Slide 15: Leah Beckmann, Gawker, 2012
Slide 17: Jason Bailey, Flavorwire, 2012
Slide 19: Matthew Gilbert, The Boston Globe, 1998
Slide 21: The Toronto Star, 1998, "The Best Chickcom Since Ally McBeal"
Slide 23: Margaret Talbot, The New Yorker, 2012

Recovering Anorexic Can Only Eat Chocolate Mousse And Custard After Bullies Left Him Afraid Of Solid Food

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Source: Barcroft Media

Recovering anorexic Marc Corn only eats chocolate mousse and custard since childhood bullies left him with a fear of solid food.

The 23-year-old suffers panic attacks unless his food is soft and fears he is going to choke.

Marc, from Basildon, Essex, eats ten Tesco value chocolate mousses, four pots of Ambrosia custard and three vitamin shakes each day.

He also drinks around ten cups of tea. But the idea of eating anything different - particularly solid food - leaves him terrified.

Marc, who now weighs just 7st 12lbs (110lbs), spoke out about his eating disorder after NHS figures last week revealed hospital admissions for male sufferers of eating disorders had doubled since last year.

Scroll down for more pictures of Marc Corn

Marc, who also suffers from cerebral palsy, weighed less than 7 stone (98lbs) at his thinnest

He said: "When I was 14 I weighed 17 stone (238lbs) and was tormented by bullies who called me fat.

"I pretty much stopped eating solid food and was surviving on cans of Coke.

"I got incredibly skinny, you could see all my bones jutting out. But I preferred looking like that to feeling fat.

"At my skinniest I weighed less than 7 stone (98lbs). I barely ate anything. But with the help of my family I'm on the road to recovery.

"Now I can't eat solid food and I refuse to eat in front of people. But at least I can eat - and that's something.

"I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but I really am scared of eating solid food."

It is estimated that 20 per cent of the 1.6million people with eating disorders in the UK are male.

As a child Marc says he used to gorge on sweets and takeaways and was a stone and a half overweight by the time he was nine, weighing six stone.

He said: "I loved food. If somebody left something on their plate I would eat it.

"I loved chips and kebabs. I used to wake up at 5am and eats tons of chocolate bars that were in the cupboards."

But after being targeted by other children at school he shed around 10 stone (140lbs) between the ages of 14 and 19.

He said: "I was teased and called fatty at school. I felt so ashamed that I became obsessed with losing weight.

"I used to eat in my room but was consuming less and less. I used hold my arms under a hot lamp hoping it would make me lose more weight."

His worried parents, Daniel, 59, and Janice, 50, took him to see an eating specialist who diagnosed Marc as suffering from anorexia.

With the support of his family Marc began eating yogurt and scrambled egg in a bid to increase his weight.

Marc, who suffers from cerebral palsy and can't work, said: "My family made me see what I was doing was dangerous and they are helping me to beat my demons.

"I still don't like to eat in front of anyone but at least I am not starving myself.

"I won't eat anything during the day and I sleep at lot because my cerebral palsy causes me pain.

"At 10pm I will eat something in my room, then have more at about 4am."

Mother, Janice, also unemployed due to disability, said: "We still worry about Marc although he says he has it under control.

"I would like to see him put on weight and I like him to eat at the table with the family again.

"He used to eating anything and everything but suddenly stopped after being bullied.

"It's a long road to recovery but we're proud that he had recognised his illness."

China Suspends Sales Of 13 Drugs Over Unsafe Capsules

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BEIJING -- China's State Food and Drug Administration has suspended the sale of 13 drugs that it says are believed to have been made with capsules that contain excessive chromium.

State broadcaster CCTV ran a report Monday quoting the administration as saying it has started an investigation into the case.

The report says the capsules were made from industrial gelatin, which has more chromium than edible gelatin.

China suffers from a slew of food and drug safety problems and faces an uphill battle eliminating the rampant use of illegal additives and drugs, which are often churned out by makeshift chemical factories.

Michelle Obama Shared Her Prom Night Photo -- We Want Yours!

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Prom: That often over-hyped, teen dream night that has spawned entire songs, movies, books and of course, an episode of "Glee." All of these idealized versions of prom night (minus so-not-ideal prom horror films "Prom Night" and "Carrie") make it easy to overlook the plethora of awesome -- and sometimes less than awesome -- real-life prom experiences.

Luckily, on her show today, Ellen Degeneres took the audience back in time to her own prom -- and to Michelle Obama's.

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In a clip released earlier this weekend, Ellen revealed her prom photo first. She described her all-plaid dress as something that "was a tablecloth at one point." The First Lady -- who as HuffPost Style points out was a "total babe" -- had a more risque approach to prom fashion. "That split was a little high," she told Ellen. "I don't know if I'd let my kids go out in a split that high."

Today, when prom is heralded as "the new wedding," and some parents spend upwards of $1,000 on their teen's big night, what we remember most is passing a milestone with our friends, not how pricy our outfits were.

Since prom season is right around the corner, we want to hear about your prom experiences! What did you wear? Who was your date? Was the dance even any fun? Send a photo from your prom night to women@huffingtonpost.com along with a few lines about your experience. We'll feature them here in a slideshow.

LOOK: Women Share Their Prom Pictures


Toronto Man Diagnosed With Rabies

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A Toronto man is being treated for the first case of rabies in a human in the city in more than 80 years, CBC News has learned.


The 41-year-old man had been working as a bartender in the Dominican Republic for four months.


He had already reported symptoms at the end of last month in the Dominican Republic where he was seen three times at a resort clinic.


His condition worsened to the point that he was having trouble swallowing and was afraid of food, water and even the air.


He returned to Toronto a week ago by airplane. He was taken to hospital by police after behaving erratically at the airport.


His symptoms worsened by April 11, and on April 12, samples were sent for testing. It was then determined he had rabies, a virus that attacks the brain and nervous system.


Dr. Donald Low, the medical director of the public health laboratories at the arms-length government agency Public Health Ontario, said rabies in humans is rare.


Last Ontario case was in 1967


The last case of rabies in a human in Ontario was an Ottawa valley girl in 1967. The last case in Toronto occurred in 1931 when a three-year-old girl contracted the virus.


There have only been three cases of human rabies in Canada in the last 12 years. All of those people were bitten by infected bats.


"There's a good chance if you grow the virus, which is in the process of being done, you can fingerprint the virus," said Low.


"It can give you a clue as to where it might have come from — whether it came from a bat, whether it came from a skunk or a dog and also ... there might be some evidence there to be able to say in hindsight that it came from an area similar to the Dominican Republic."


Rabies is preventable in animals through vaccinations, but humans can only be treated after exposure.


The infected Toronto man is being treated in the neurological intensive care unit at Toronto Western Hospital.


Human-to-human transmission of rabies is extremely rare, Low said, but the man's family members are being treated with vaccines.


Most people who show symptoms of rabies don't survive. Those who do usually suffer severe neurological damage.


Why Women Are More ‘Moral’ Than Men

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Recent research by a leading philosopher has revealed that women are more moral than men – and it's ladies over 30 who are the most honest.

The study, by professor Roger Steare, based its conclusion on a ‘Moral DNA test’ which 60,000 participants from 200 countries completed in a bid to test their moral levels.

The test was created by professor Steare four years ago and involves the participant answering multiple questions about their work and personal life, basing their answers on what others think about them.

An example of questions include: ‘People who know me well in my personal life would describe me as… compliant, ethical, caring, deferential, compassionate’ - with the response options being: ‘not at all’, ‘a little’, ‘somewhat’ and ‘very’.

The aim of the questionnaire is to measure people’s moral compass based on honesty and competency. The last section of the test labels the participant as one of six personality types: philosopher, angel, teacher, enforcer, judge or guardian.

The results revealed that women are more likely to make decisions based on how they impact others – in work and in their personal life – compared to men.

Commenting on the results, professor Steare told HuffPost Lifestyle: “We assess characteristics such as gender, age, nationality, education, occupation, religion and politics. You will see how you score against the average for human beings on three scales that measure how we prefer to do the right thing, both at work, and in our personal lives.

"You'll also see how you compare with others on 10 moral values including Love, Fairness and Wisdom and in conclusion discover if you are a Philosopher, Judge, Angel, Teacher, Enforcer or Guardian.”

Explaining how age comes into the equation, prof Steare told the Daily Mail: “What this shows is that when it comes to work men have to grow up, put their ego to one side and show some humility and compassion – qualities they all too often have in their personal lives but put to one side when they walk into the office.”

Who is professor Steare?

Steare is a ‘corporate philosopher’ who advises executives who regularly face critical decision making.

If you want to find out how moral you are, take the Moral DNA Test here…

The Cost Of Healthy Eating

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By Krystal D'Costa
(Click here for the original article)

S has taken the lead in preparing our weeknight meals. It helps us get dinner on the table earlier but he’s also interested in helping us eat more healthfully. He’s invested a great deal of time into learning about healthy food options and healthy substitutes for the richer foods he enjoys. Our daily menu has shifted to include brown rice regularly, lots of salads and vegetables, and lean white meat. Oh, and oatmeal. Lots and lots of oatmeal. The reduced-fat milk is the hardest for me. Although he’s made it clear that I can eat what I want, but since he’s ramped up his efforts to eat well and get in better shape, it seems the right time to make this change together. It means that the days of savory lasagnes and chicken marsala and pesto have been limited to Sunday dinners, which is fine, but I really, really miss whole milk.

The change has made us more aware of what we’re buying, and what it costs to create a healthy meal. It’s hard—and that’s more than just typical whining about having to give up culinary treats. It requires a social and behavioral shift, but is also requires a serious reconsideration of our food budget and means questioning the effectiveness our personal food environment—where you get your foods is as important as what your foods are.

In addition to watching our fat and sodium intake, there’s something else to consider: The distance people are willing to travel for foods appears to be related to their weight and wellness. A recently published study in PLoS One found that among the French, those who shop at the same local supermarkets tend to have a similar body mass index and waist circumference. And while Basile Chaix and colleagues admit there are some challenges with this study, there are some general ideas that can be applied to our overall relationship to food and food procurement.

The study found that the greater the distance a person has to travel to his primary supermarket, the greater the person’s BMI and waist circumference. One possible reason for this may be that because supermarket visits are few and infrequent, the person is relying on canned and less-fresh products and not obtaining the maximum nutritional value from the foods available. Other factors that appear to be associated with a greater BMI and waist circumference include, a lower SES customer base, purchasing specific supermarket brands, and shopping at discount supermarkets.

New York City recognized the challenges residents of lower SES neighborhoods face in obtaining fresh produce and other healthy food options. For example, in both Bedford-Stuyvesant and Central Harlem, bodegas are more common than supermarkets. While they often function as food centers, they are severely limited in their offering:

  • While offering convenient locations and hours, bodegas carry a narrower range
    of products at higher prices than supermarkets and other stores.
  • Bodegas are less likely than supermarkets to carry reduced-fat milk, apples, oranges, bananas, and green vegetables.
  • Bodegas are also more likely to have ads for sugary juices, energy drinks, and tobacco.

Fast food is a prevalent option in lower income neighborhoods, as well. Taken together, the available food environment in these neighborhoods offers few options. To combat these limitations, the City launched the Green Cart initiative in 2008, a program that uses food carts as mobile produce stations throughout the five boroughs.

However, the green carts have not been without their own challenges. They must deal with low foot traffic, competition between vendors, finding and purchasing affordable produce, storing their carts, the weather, and fines for breaking the City’s strict rules (like vending too close to an intersection). And green grocers, supermarkets, and even bodegas view these mobile produce stands as competitors, whether they’re down the block or three blocks away, and are less than welcoming. So what’s the bottom line with these carts? Have they been successful in increasing fresh produce intake in lower SES neighborhoods? Results are mixed:

From 2008 to 2010, the percentage of residents in Green Cart communities who reported consuming no fruits or vegetables the previous day increased from 17.1 percent to 18.1 percent, while in non-Green Cart neighborhoods, the same number decreased from 10.7 percent to 9.5 percent. During that same period, the number of residents in Green Cart areas who reported consuming between 1-4 servings decreased by 2 percent. However, residents with Green Carts in their neighborhoods reported consuming five or more servings a day increased 1 percent.

It’s true that change takes time, but Chaix and colleagues offer an observation that may help us understand the slow adoption of the Green Carts: Access alone is not enough to change behavior. If shoppers in Supermarket A were suddenly placed in Supermarket B, their shopping behavior would reflect tendencies rooted in shopping at Supermarket A.

It’s not entirely about access—although that’s definitely part of the issue. The quality of the goods available is questionable, according to Chaix and colleagues:

Another French study published in 2009 reported no systematic difference between low priced and branded products in terms of nutrient content, raw materials, microbiological analysis, or taste. However, in the aforementioned French study, a weak relationship suggested that the overall quality of ingredients increased with the price of foods (within a given food category). Moreover, basic nutritional information and dietary recommendations were less often provided on low priced foods than on branded products. Overall, the published information is scarce and provides only mixed evidence in support of the idea that hard discount supermarkets are obesogenic nutritional environments.

If shoppers will retain their tendencies even if given the option to shop elsewhere, then they are will likely continue to by the non-perishable staples that are familiar to them—especially in the face of sticker shock.

Habits are notoriously difficult to break. For many residents in lower SES neighborhoods, relying on non-perishable goods that can be obtained at little to no cost from food banks and churches and other social centers continues to represent a viable option for feeding their families. Or purchasing goods from bodegas and discount stores that accept food stamps is a more realistic option—though some carts have adopted an electronic machine that would allow them to do this as well.

The amount of money in your pocket really does influence where and what you can eat. And that in turn influences the quality and variety of foods you have access to. Fresh fruits and vegetables start to look like a serious luxury when you realize that you can triple your purchase of canned goods for what you would spend on perishables, which will spoil within the week if not used. Or that a lunchtime salad—in New York City, at least—will cost you almost three times what a slice of pizza and a fountain soda will cost. There is a premium on healthy foods, which of course is not such a new thing: kings and lords have always tended to eat better than commoners. But if we want to break unhealthy food habits at an early age, are we putting those healthy options within reach of children, whose spending money may not match the premiums?

S and I were considering the changes in our personal food environments over the years, reflecting on the degree that our finances determined what we could eat and where we could shop—so that even when we had the means of traveling beyond our local food neighborhoods to green grocers and other specialty stores, we often didn’t (and the truth it, we still don’t). This discussion was spurred by wondering where we could shop to increase our healthy food options and realizing that at an early point in our lives together, our primary supermarket was a discount supermarket with canned goods that were dented and deformed. We shopped there when we needed pantry staples, got our deli meats from a bodega, and were surrounded by fast food options—there were three Chinese take-out places within a 2 block radius of our first apartment. And it’s not that we didn’t have a model of shopping in place: My parents did travel to increase their food options as did S’s parents, but they didn’t do so because they were health conscious, they shopped at different stores to help save. And they did buy fresh produce because it figured heavily in their diets in the first place.

The costs of healthy eating are negotiated by a number of factors: financial means, yes, but also by dietary preference, transportation, availability, and quality. What lengths do you go to to get variety in your diet?

Can A Brush Dry Your Hair Faster? We Put One To The Test

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At some point, we've all purchased something whose results were, er, questionable, and didn't live up to our expectations or deliver the results we were so boldly promised. But no more! For the sake of you and your hard-earned money, The Huffington Post Canada Style team is putting the latest products to the test every week.

Testing: Goody QuikStyle Paddle Brush

Tested By: Arti Patel, Associate Editor

Price: $15.99

What It Is: Water absorbing hair brush with built in micro-fibres that can absorb 30 per cent of the water in your hair.

How To: Just like any hair brush, stroke the brush from top to bottom, making sure you untangle all of your mane's knots. If you prefer, you can section your hair off into parts, but I worked my way from the front to the back.

What We Thought: After using the brush four to five times I did notice a few things. For starters, it actually does the job of collecting excess water from your hair. I tried it once getting out of the shower and after drying my hair with a towel -- in both cases there was less water dripping from my hair and all over my clothes. Secondly, this brush does an amazing job of untangling locks. My hair is naturally straight so it only took me one to two strokes to achieve smooth straight hair. The brush is also very light, so you don't have to worry about it getting heavy as it fills with H2O.

The Downfalls: If you shed a lot of hair, this brush can make it a little more difficult to remove your hair if it gets caught in the bristles. My tip: Use a pair of pointy tweezers to pull out your hair from the brush. Also, because the micro-fibres get wet -- leave your brush to dry overnight.

Final Remarks: For me, the brush didn't make my hair any "dryer" but it did absorb a lot of water. If you're tired of water all over your shirt and skin after a shower, this brush is for you.

Do you have something you want us to test out? Let us know on Twitter.

Check out these other products we've put to the test.

How A Woman’s Face Reveals Where She Lives

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According to recent research, the type of make-up a British woman wears (and how much) can reveal where part of the country she lives in.

The study by Superdrug has revealed that women with blemish-free complexions are most likely to reside in Newcastle and those with fluttering fake eyelashes will probably live near The Only Way Is Essex cast members.

According to the study, which analysed recent sale figures, Essex girls are 13% more likely to wear fake eyelashes than their regional counterparts and Liverpudlian ladies wear the least make-up, with 55% admitting to going bare-faced at least 17 times a month.

In fact, make-up loving women from Essex love fake lashes so much, sales of the ‘double lash’ look (eyelashes designed to look like you’re wearing two pairs at once) have risen by 39% in Lakeside, Essex and 300% in Romford Essex.

With women from Leeds following behind the Essex lot with their increased interest in Bambi-like lashes, ladies from Nottingham, Barnsley, Worcestershire, Somerset and Wales prefer to keep their eyes au-natural.

And it’s not just fake eyelash sales that has highlighted a distinct north-side divide in the way women paint their faces.

A recent study by John Lewis discovered that although women from Liverpool are cutting back on the eyelashes – they’re making up for it on orange-hued fake tan, as they spend 35% more on tanning products than women in the rest of the country.

Geordie women from Newcastle splash their cash on posh face creams and spend 15% more on moisterisers than those in Edinburgh - although Scottish women spend the same price stocking up on blemish-fixing foundations.

Wealthy women who reside in affluent London areas like Chelsea, spend 21% more than any other women on facial serums.

In Wales, Cardiff ladies purchase the most blusher for their cheeks and girls from Bristol shell out 12% more on lipsticks and women from the West Midland spend 20% more on lip gloss than other women in the UK.

Mascara is the biggest make-up purchase for women in Staffordshire and ladies from Manchester are most likely to sport a perfectly manicured nail.

A separate study by Debenhams looked into make-up habits of women – but this time, where they applied their make-up, rather than how much they wore.

According to the study, 67% of British women are happy to apply their morning make-up on public transport (a statistic many commuters will not be surprised at), with women from London being the most likely to carry round a full bag of make-up for on-the-go touch-ups.

Vivienne Rudd, head of beauty and personal care insight at research analyst, Mintel, said: "I think stereotypes exist for a reason.

"I am not saying that all the women in the North-west and North are the same as you see on the reality TV programmes but there is a grain of truth there, that the women in these regions do like to be seen to have a flawless appearance."

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