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Bin Laden Bite-Size Vegan Chocolates Are Tasteless

We were certainly no friends of Osama bin Laden, but we already told you earlier this week how we feel about people triumphantly celebrating his death. (And since then, a lot of you have made your own strong reactions to this controversial subject known.) So what do you think about “bin Laden Bites,” the small vegan chocolate squares that PETA is sending to U.S. servicemen and women to thank them for a job well done? (Apparently, in addition to people, the evil mass-murderer also killed an awful lot of dogs, which is why PETA’s involved.) Personally, we find the whole idea rather tasteless and unappetizing, no matter who’s behind it. More »

Health Scares: 5 Smart Things My Mother-In-Law Taught Me

My mother-in-law has had a few serious health scares recently. Well, one wasn’t so much a scare as it was full-on breast cancer. (Luckily, they caught it early; she had surgery; she’s in remission; and is fine now.) But the other was an actual scare, and it sure was scary: A few weeks ago they found a small tumor on her brain behind her eye. There was talk of a biopsy and, perhaps, brain surgery. Thankfully, the neurosurgeon determined that he’s quite certain the tumor is benign, harmless, and will just sit there for the rest of her life. It’s not painful, so they’ll just watch it and give her another MRI in three months to make sure it hasn’t grown or changed. Health crisis averted. Still, as the Editor-in-Chief of a health and wellness website, I thought about what her recent health experiences could teach me (and you), especially with Mother’s Day just two days away, and the birth of my own first child just four-and-a-half weeks away. So here are five important health lessons I’ve learned from my mother-in-law’s recent health scares that — fortunately — turned out to be false alarms: More »

Flashback Friday: Florence Henderson and Mr. T on Mother’s Day

It’s now time for Flashback Friday: The Mother’s Day edition. Frankly, I can’t imagine a Mother’s Day weekend during which I didn’t watch Mr. T’s Treat Your Mother Right at least half-a-dozen times. In fact, I’ve already watched it twice today. (If you don’t know what the hell I’m talking about, read on.)

In honor of all you special, beloved moms (and non-moms) out there, I present to you three funny, cool, cheesy, and/or vintage maternal-related videos that are available on YouTube. Because what would Mother’s Day be without Legos, Florence Henderson, and Mr. T? (If your mom is the computer-savvy-type who has a sense of humor, forward this post to her, but don’t expect that to replace the flowers you should be sending her on Sunday. Or the brunch reservations you should be making.)

So watch these short videos in good health as much as you like, but just don’t forget to call your ma on Sunday — or else she may kill you. For in the wise rapping words of Mr. T: “She’s a queen, second to none. Take care of Mother. You only get one.” More »

Drug Addiction: How I Went From Addict to Sober Coach to A&E’s Relapse

Do you know Seth Jaffe? I didn’t, but now I kind of do, which makes me lucky. Seth is a sober coach for drug addicts who appears on the A&E docu-reality show Relapse. A few weeks ago, I wrote a Blisstree post called 6 Reasons to Watch A&E’s Relapse Even If You’ve Never Met a Junkie, and in it I said some positive things about Seth regarding his sober coaching techniques and the very affecting presence he projects on the show. Seth saw my post and liked it. He found my email and contacted me. I was both surprised and thrilled: I knew I had a million questions for him about drug addiction and being a sober coach that I’d want to get answered for Blisstree readers. Also, I respect Seth, and it’s always fun to interview someone you hold in high regard. Being the good sport that he is, Seth agreed to answer my questions. (Okay, there are seven, not a million.) So prepare for some sober coach schooling, and then watch Relapse, because it’s fascinating, thought-provoking, and terrifying. More »

Morning Links: 10 Health Conditions We Inherit From Our Moms

– Five delish diet-friendly foods. (That’s Fit)

– Semen may be a type of antidepressant, and not just according to male scientists. (Vitamin G)

– Seven myths about diets and dieting revealed. (FitSugar)

– Yoga studios may be the latest trend in hot-spot nightclubs. (Well + Good NYC)

– How to know if you expect way too much from your relationship. (Betty Confidential)

– Do you judge other people’s homes and the way they live? (Shelterpop)

– Ambitious action: Seven things to know before you start your own farmers’ market. (Organic Authority)

– Some say praying together may actually prevent you both from cheating. (YourTango)

– Ten health conditions (and disease risks) we may have inherited from our dear mothers. (ThirdAge)

– Go to bed earlier and you may wake up slimmer. (MyDaily)

photo: Thinkstock

Porn, Strip Clubs, and Flirting Don’t Always Lead to a Cheating Affair

I read an interesting post this morning on Betty Confidential about whether or not lap dances can be considered cheating, which got me thinking about all the other murky, gray areas surrounding infidelity. Of course, when you or your partner actually have sex with someone outside your relationship, that’s generally recognized as being unfaithful, but are there other things we do all the time (perhaps without even realizing it) that border on having an affair? To find out, I caught up with Dr. Julie Elledge, a psychotherapist, sexpert, and friend of Blisstree who loves giving us the goods on solutions to all kinds of relationship dramas from her professional point of view: More »

Mother’s Day Musings: My Mom Has Nothing to Do With Blood or Biology

For obvious reasons, we’re writing about our mothers this week on Blisstree (and particularly about any health-related lessons we may have learned from them). And while I could write about my actual mom (a damn fine woman, if I do say so myself), right now I’d rather celebrate someone who doesn’t have her own holiday: My non-mom.

You may have a non-mom in your life, too. A non-mom is anyone who (obviously) is not your biological mom, but with whom you share a maternal-like bond that doesn’t have anything to do with bloodlines, biology, race, religion, or even geographical distance. If you have a non-mom, you know exactly what I’m talking about, and you know how lucky you are. (Especially if you have both a mom and a non-mom.) But even if your life doesn’t contain a non-mom, I’m hoping somehow you’ll be able to relate.

Helen was my non-mom. I hesitate to tell you that she was also our housekeeper when I was growing up, because then you might get the wrong idea. More »

Doctor Tips on How to Quit Chronic Pain at Work

Did you know that it’s North American Occupational Health and Safety Week? Neither did we, so don’t feel too badly. Even though we don’t happen to work in an inherently dangerous industrial factory, mine, on a construction site, or an oil rig, sometimes going to work can be a real pain. Meaning that, aside from the normal stresses that can surround our daily job, where and how we toil can actually cause serious chronic pain. And because most of us spend an inordinate amount of time at work, we’d prefer it to be a pleasant, rather than painful experience. So how can we avoid developing physical pain in the workplace? (Besides not tripping over that power cord.) For answers, I turned to Charles Friedman, a Florida-based doctor who specializes in pain management issues. (And because it also happens to be Employee Health and Fitness Month and Healthy Vision Month, we think our Q&A with the good doctor is right on time.) More »

Gym Rant: Respect the Weight Training Line, Please Don’t Cut It

Today’s Gym Rant is less of a rant and more of an amused observation. You know the circuit weight training line at the gym? The one where there are nine or so circuit weight training machines arranged in a particular order that target specific major body parts? It’s one of my favorite things to participate in at the gym. The idea here is to get in as efficient a muscle-building workout as possible in the shortest amount of time. During off-peak hours, you can use the circuit weight training line however you please. (Stay on a machine as long as you like; skip two machines in a row; only use the arm machines, etc.) But, at least in my gym, during peak (and clearly posted) hours in the morning and evening, you have to follow the rules. And here are my gym’s longstanding rules:

1. You must follow the circuit weight training line. That is, you must use the machines in order. (They’re marked from one through nine on the floor in front of them.) So if you can read numbers, you’re golden. More »

What We're Reading:

Morning Links: 3 Ways to Handle Mother’s Day Stress

– Eight ways carbs can actually help you lose weight. (That’s Fit)

– Your bikini line may be able to tell you important things about your fertility. (Vitamin G)

– Six exercises every new jogger should start doing to prevent injuries while running. (FitSugar)

– Three ways to handle stress and anxiety caused by Mother’s Day. (Well + Good NYC)

– Are lap dances the same thing as cheating on your partner? (Betty Confidential)

– If you want to create a special place in your home that’s just for you, check out this writer’s personal space. (Shelterpop)

– Making non-soy, non-dairy milks at home may sound impossible, but just check out these seven easy recipes for blending your own non-moo juice. (Organic Authority)

– How to give your ex the space he/she needs, even if you really don’t want to. (YourTango)

– Five comfort foods that aren’t so fattening? Sign us up. (ThirdAge)

– One woman’s story about what she learned about herself and life when she cut off all her hair. (MyDaily)

photo: Thinkstock

Healthy Vegans Can Teach Unhealthy Vegans About Food Menus

It happened again. Recently I was eating a meal out with a few pals, and there was a friend-of-a-friend vegan among us I had just met for the first time. The fact that this person is vegan and I’m not is absolutely fine with me. (I have several good friends who are vegan and highly respect them.) That day, this particular vegan made it clear that we all needed to respect his food rules (no problem!), so I happily researched vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants in the neighborhood where we wanted to eat and presented my findings to everyone in the group including my new friend, the vegan. We settled on a good, vegan-friendly option within walking distance. It was a sunny weekend day and everyone was in a good mood. When it came time for our table to order, I happened to notice and be impressed by the fact that almost everyone in our party — all omnivores or vegetarians — ordered relatively healthily: Salads, grilled vegetable sandwiches on multigrain bread, grilled fish, vegetable sides, and the like.

Except the vegan. Do you know what the vegan ordered? A bowl of pasta with red sauce, a side order of French fries, and not one, but two Cokes. More »

I’ll Never Smoke Pot Again, Because I Don’t Support Murder

I don’t smoke pot. (It just makes me sleepy. Plus, I’m 35 weeks pregnant, so it’s probably not the best time to be taking up weed as a hobby.) But when it comes to marijuana, I’ve always adopted kind of a live-and-let-live mentality. Oh, I know full well that it’s illegal in all but 15 U.S. states, but like a lot of people I know (and Willie Nelson, who I don’t know), I don’t think pot should be illegal in any of them. I even know someone who knows someone who knows someone who’s related to someone who may be (or may not be ) a full-time, professional ganja dealer to rich people who like to have their drug of choice delivered to them directly and regularly in a civilized manner. And near where my husband and I own a weekend country home, there’s a really nice estate that everyone always knew housed a grassroots pot-growing establishment. (Of course, the people finally got busted and, needless to say, don’t live there anymore.) I know lots of people who smoke weed on occasion, but they don’t bother me and I don’t bother them. Frankly, I’ve never seen pot as being any more dangerous than alcohol. But it is as dangerous, and may actually be worse. More »

10 Hilarious Mother’s Day Someecards Just In Time For Sunday

Mother’s Day can be a complicated affair. First of all (and most importantly), you have to remember it in time. Then you have to decide what to do, get, buy, or where to make brunch reservations. Plus, you may have to grapple with the added bonus (read: burden?) of a mother-in-law who also expects her due. And what about grandmas — do they count? Yesterday, one of my colleagues and I were chatting on the office elevator about how she’d just picked up two Mother’s Day cards to send to both of her grandmothers. Wait a minute, I thought. Since when did it become standard practice for Nana and Grammy to horn in on all this faux-holiday action and annual mom worship?

All of this is why Blisstree appreciates the genius of someecards. Not only are they consistently hilarious, but they’re also free to send and receive. Which means you can email as many of them as you like to as many mother figures as you have in your life (including Auntie Mabel, your computer-savvy elderly neighbor, or your friend who just recently gave birth or adopted for the first time). Even better: If you end up almost forgetting Mother’s Day (as some of us are likely to), you can send someecards at the absolute last minute and still come off looking like the world’s greatest daughter or son to Mommie Dearest — as long as she has a wickedly good sense of humor.

So click through our gallery of ten of our favorite someecards celebrating the often very-tricky-to-navigate holiday that falls on the second Sunday of May, along with my own personal commentary on each one: More »

8 Healthy Body Tips to Prep You for Memorial Day and Bikini Season

Memorial Day Weekend is just about three weeks away, which means that bathing suits will soon enter the picture for many of us. (Not likely for me, as I’m due with a baby on June 8. The perfect, built-in excuse not to have to worry about how I look in a swimsuit this summer!) And let’s face it: It was a long, cold, dark, and brutal winter for many people. But I’m not recommending that you crash-diet for the next three weeks (or months) to squeeze into a two piece. So I asked our Fearless Foodtrainer, nutritionist Lauren Slayton (@foodtrainers), to provide us with effective tips for getting into healthy and happy bathing-suit-shape this season. Here’s her sage spring and summer swimsuit advice: More »

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