Highest-Paid Actresses 2011

1 - You Could Be Pregnant For Over A Year

Most pregnancies last for about 9 months and doctors are likely to induce labor if pregnancy goes on too long. That being said, it is possible to be pregnant for a whole year. The world's longest pregnancy lasted 375 days, strangely, the baby was only a little under seven pounds.
It certainly puts a whole new perspective on being a few weeks late, doesn't it?

2 - A Male Fetus Can Get Erections In The Womb

Most mothers don't like to think about their baby boys getting erections, even when they are teenagers, but the fact is that many baby boys get boners while they're still in the womb. In fact, babies of both sexes are known to masturbate in utero, but boys are the only ones who can be caught while aroused on the sonogram.

If having sex while pregnant seemed a little creepy before now, just imagine what your baby is doing while you make love.

3 - Your Entire Undercarriage Might Need Stitches

The last place any woman wants stitches is in her taint, but many mothers have to get that area closed up surgically. Nine out of ten women have some type of vaginal tearing after birth, but there are many degrees of tearing. Some tears only require a little care or a few stitches, but the really bad cases go from the vagina all the way to the anus. Some can even affect the muscles beyond your anus. On the upside, tearing that reaches the anus is somewhat rare and only affects one in one hundred mothers.
Massaging the area prior to child birth can reduce tearing, but even then, it won't completely stop tearing in most people.
Suddenly, getting a C-section started sounding a whole lot more appealing, huh?

4 - You May Just Poop Yourself

During childbirth, it is extremely common for a woman to accidentally expel the contents of her bowels. There is a good reason for this –the muscles you use to push the baby out are the same ones you ordinarily use during a bowel movement. As if that weren't enough to get your sphincter ready to go, the baby directly pushes on the rectum as it makes its exit, helping to squeeze out anything near the exit.

In olden times, it was common for nurses to give enemas prior to labor, but this practice didn't end up stopping the mess from happening and often caused dehydration. These days, your doctors and nurses will be ready to help clean up the mess. In most cases, they won't even say anything about it so you won't know the difference.
It does make you think twice about filming the birth though, doesn't it?

5 - You Really Will Glow

Saying a pregnant woman is glowing is a common expression, but most people chalk it up to the woman's excitement about becoming a mommy. As it turns out though, glowing skin is a very real thing for pregnant women. While you're pregnant, the amount of blood in your body will increase by 50%. The extra blood ends up showing through the skin in many areas, particularly the cheeks.

On top of this, hormones cause the oil glands to become more active, resulting in a softer, shinier appearance. When the increased blood flow combines with shine, the result is a noticeable glow.

6 - Your Sense of Smell Gets Better

During pregnancy, your sense of smell increases drastically, as does your sense of taste. Scientists hypothesize that this is to help pregnant mothers avoid eating small levels of toxins that might not be dangerous to an adult, but could be deadly to a fetus. As smoke, alcohol and coffee are all particularly noticeable to pregnant women, this theory certainly seems to be on the right path.

7 - Contractions Don't Stop After Birth

Most mothers will have contractions for the first few days after birth. The muscle cramps are the body's way of stopping excess blood loss. On the upside, if you give birth at the hospital, you'll still be pretty drugged up and will probably barely even notice.

8 - You Don't Really Need To Eat For Two

Despite the widespread rumors that say pregnant women need to gain all the weight they can in order to birth a healthy baby, the truth is that most women will only need an extra 300 calories per day. That's equivalent to about one serving of yogurt and half a bagel. Most women only need to gain about 25 pounds throughout their entire pregnancy.

Of course, if you happen to be at the buffet and are having a tough time resisting the desserts section, go ahead and sneak a little extra. No one will give a pregnant woman a hard time if she pigs out

9 - Your Feet Can Grow Up To One Full Shoe Size

If you're wondering why your feet will get so big when you only gain 25 pounds, it has to do with the excess pressure on your feet paired with relaxed ligaments in your body. As your pregnancy wears on, your body starts to release the tightness of its ligaments to help with the birthing process. Unfortunately for your shoes, this also means your feet start to lose their arch and stretch out on the sides. The flatter, wider shape of your feet will probably be temporary, but if they grew too much, the change could end up being permanent. If your feet do stay a bit larger, it certainly will serve as a great excuse to buy more shoes.

10 - The Father Might Show Symptoms of Pregnancy

It's surprisingly common for a father-to-be to start gaining weight, getting morning sickness and even feel cramps in his lower abdomen. The condition is known as a sympathetic pregnancy or the Couvade Syndrome, which comes from the french word couvee meaning "to hatch".

• Reference/Source: Oddee.com by Jill Harness[3/11/2011]

If your aim is to be lively and robust in your 80s and 90s, you'll need to learn some anti-aging secrets. Forget praying for younger-looking skin. These rules—handed down by the top dermatologists in the country—are guaranteed to deliver brighter skin and fewer lines.

1. Wear sunscreen—and not just at the beach.

Rain or shine, "liberally applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains both UVA and UVB protection every day is the single most important thing you can do to prevent sun damage and skin cancer," says New York City dermatologist Doris Day. We love Neutrogena Pure & Free Liquid Sunblock SPF 50 (for normal skin), Kate Somerville Protect SPF 55 Serum Sunscreen (for oily skin), and Clarins UV Plus HP Day Screen SPF 40 (for sensitive skin).

2. Quit smoking.

In addition to causing cancer and bad breath, smoking cigarettes "destroys collagen and elastin and decreases levels of estrogen, which is necessary to keep skin firm," says New York City dermatologist Fredric Brandt.

3. Use a retinoid.

It's the best way to slow down the clock with a cream. "Retinoids minimize the appearance of existing age spots and fine lines and prevent new ones from forming," says New York City dermatologist Heidi Waldorf. Try Dermadoctor Poetry in Lotion Intensive Retinol.

4. Stay hydrated.

No, Diet Coke doesn't count. "The more hydrated your skin, the better your wrinkles will look," says Montclair, New Jersey, dermatologist Jeanine Downie. "Drink lots of water, cut back on coffee and soda, and moisturize regularly." Try L'Oréal Paris Youth Code Day/Night Cream (for normal to dry skin) or Philosophy On a Clear Day Oil-Free Moisturizer (for oily skin).

5. Sleep well.

The expression "beauty rest" actually has some science behind it. "Not only does your skin require downtime to repair itself, but sagging skin and puffiness around the eyes make wrinkles look much worse," says Great Neck, New York, dermatologist Jeanette Graf.

6. Maintain a healthy weight.

Not surprisingly, yo-yo dieting isn't great for your skin. "Skin loses elasticity over time," Waldorf says. "The more your weight fluctuates, the harder it is to snap back into shape."

7. Eat right.

"Your skin receives nutrients not only from creams and treatments, but also from the food you eat," Waldorf says. "The more balanced your diet, the younger you'll look. And if you're not taking a multivitamin, start now." To keep skin happy, eat more fatty fish (such as salmon), dark green vegetables (like broccoli and spinach), almonds, and walnuts. Drink lots of antioxidant green tea. And lay off the refined sugar and booze—both cause aging inflammatory reactions in the skin.

8. Get moving.

"Exercise increases blood flow to the skin and promotes a glowing, healthy-looking complexion," Downie says. "Working out for just 30 minutes four or five days a week can make a huge difference."

9. Try to relax.

The mind-body connection is a powerful one. "Do whatever you need to do to decompress," Waldorf says. "Stress causes cells to age faster, which absolutely shows on the skin."

10. Don't pick.

You got the same advice when you were a teenager. "Sun damage causes dark spots as you age, but so does picking at your blemishes," Waldorf says. "And since the skin takes a lot longer to repair itself as you age, the spots won't disappear right away." To clear up an outbreak, try La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, which contains benzoyl peroxide to kill acne-causing bacteria, and lipo-hydroxy-acid to help keep pores clear. If—against doctors' advice—you did pop that zit, use Clean & Clear Advantage Popped Pimple Relief Drying Paste, an overnight treatment that will help it heal.

• Reference/Source: Allure.com
• Reference/Source: shopping at yahoo.com by Kristin Perrota(Allure.com)

10 - Mills Darden

19th Century photo of a memorial to Darden. MILLS DARDEN NO PICTURES OF HIM EXIST- HE WAS CAMERA AND ARTIST SHY! BESIDES THEY DIDN’T HAVE SNEAKERS IN THE EARLY
Mills Darden (October 7, 1799 – January 23, 1857 is alleged to have been one of the largest men in history. He was widely reported to have stood approximately 2.3 metres (7.5 ft) tall and is said to have weighed around 454 kilograms (1,000 lb) to 499 kilograms (1,100 lb) at his heaviest. If the reported figures are correct, Darden was 30 percent taller and about six times as heavy as the average American male of today.

Mills (or Miles) was born on October 7, 1799, near Rich Square, North Carolina, to John and Mary Darden. He was married at least once and had several children. His wife Mary, who died in 1837 aged about 40, was 1.50 metres (4.9 ft) tall and weighed 44.4 kilograms (98 lb) and the tallest of their sons reached 1.80 metres (5.9 ft) (tall for an era when the average adult American male only stood about 1.68 metres (5.5 ft)).

Mills made his living as a farmer and reportedly owned a saloon at some point. There are many tales of his enormous size and strength, although it is difficult to tell whether they are fact or fiction. However, a few cunning villagers measured his weight by marking the exact point his one-horse cart (which had springs) lowered to as he sat on it. Later on, they placed large rocks on the cart to see just how much weight it would take to match Mills sitting on it. They concluded that he weighed over a thousand pounds.[citation needed]

Darden died on January 23, 1857. He was buried in Lexington, Tennessee. His grave, and his wife's, have been restored by the local Development Authority. No known photo remains of him.

9 - Kenneth Brumley

Kenneth Brumley was one of the heaviest people ever recorded, whose weight was confirmed. He was featured on the Channel 4 BodyShock documentary "Half Ton Dad", as a father of four, who weighed almost 1,035 pounds (468 kg).

According to Kenneth Brumley's statements in the documentary, he had been bed-bound for four years. After being accepted as a gastric bypass patient at the Renaissance Hospital in Houston, a fire crew had to hammer down a wall in Brumley’s house to get him out.

At Renaissance Hospital, Brumley was treated by the specialist team who treated Renee Williams, the world's heaviest woman at the time. The first step in his treatment was a diet restricted to 1200 calories per day, which made him lose 167.5 pounds (76 kg) in only 40 days.

After that, the doctors surgically removed two gigantic deposits of fatty tissue that had grown on each of his legs and were preventing his legs closing (therefore making it impossible for him to stand up). The first surgery had to be curtailed after five hours, with only one fatty tumour - the one off his right leg - removed. This single tumour alone weighed 42 pounds (19 kg). After a few days recuperation, the doctors removed the remaining tumour from his left leg, along with fatty deposits from his abdomen, for a total additional weight reduction of 209 pounds (95 kg).

After an additional 12 pounds (5 kg) loss by diet, Brumley submitted to a gastric bypass. Now he is 489 pounds (222 kg) lighter (at 531 pounds or 241 kg), and capable of standing up for a few minutes a day.

8 - Rosalie Bradford

Rosalie Bradford (August 27, 1943 – November 29, 2006) holds the Guinness World Record for most weight lost by a woman. (b. 1944) of Sellersville, PA; 5 ft 6 in, measured at 1053 lbs, but estimates that she weighed more than 1200 lbs at her peak two years earlier, a claim accepted by Guinness. Already over 300 lbs when she dropped out of college, Bradford became an exercise instructor, running seven miles three times a week, but continued her steady gain in weight. At 374 lbs she underwent an intestinal bypass operation, which caused serious complications. She was back to 350 lbs when she married her husband Bob in 1973, reached 500 lbs after the birth of her son, and as her body grew, so did her appetite. After contracting septicemia in the early 1980s, she spent most of the next decade in bed, eating - as much as 15,000 calories per day. It wasn't unusual for her to put away three large pizzas in 40 minutes (washing them down with diet soda), then ask for dessert. At her peak, she measured eight feet wide, and took up two reinforced king-size beds. Her bustline measured over 100 inches, and her hips carried 200-lb "saddlebags" that hung down her thighs as far as her knees. "People would visit me and sit on the bed, not realizing they were sitting on part of me," she recalled. When she fell out of bed, rescue workers used an inflatable cushion designed to right overturned cars to get her back into place. After being treated for symptoms of heart failure, she was eventually persuaded by Richard Simmons to embark on a five year diet, an experience she described as hellish. Tortured by hunger, by fast-food commercials, and by dreams in which she ate without limit, she nevertheless got down to under 300 pounds, setting a world's record for weight loss. She later sued the Star tabloid for suggesting that she couldn't have intimate relations with her husband at over half a ton.

7 - Robert Earl Hughes

Robert Earl Hughes (b. 4 June 1926 - d. 10 July 1958 in Baylis, Illinois) was, during his lifetime, the heaviest human being recorded in the history of the world.

His chest was measured at 3.15 metres (10.3 ft), and he weighed an estimated 486 kilograms (1,070 lb) at his heaviest. At the age of six, he weighed 92 kilograms (200 lb); at ten, he weighed 171 kilograms (380 lb). By the time of his death, he weighed over half a ton.

On July 10, 1958, Hughes contracted a case of measles, which soon developed into uremia, resulting in his death. He was 32 years old.

He is often said to have been buried in a piano case. This error stems from a sentence that appeared in successive editions of the Guinness Book of World Records, which read, "He was buried in a coffin the size of a piano case." His headstone notes that he was the world's heaviest man at a confirmed 1,041 pounds (472 kg).

6 - Patrick Deuel

Patrick D. Deuel (born 28 March 1962), of Nebraska, was one of the heaviest people in the world. He was the subject of the documentary “Half Ton Man” in Channel Four's BodyShock series,in which Rosalie Bradford gave advice after achieving a record-breaking weight loss of 410 kilograms (900 lb).

Deuel is a former restaurant manager. At one point, he had not left his house, or even his bed, in 7 years. He stands at 175 centimetres (5.7 ft). At his peak he weighed 486 kilograms (1,070 lb); at the time, the only scale that could be used to weigh him was a livestock scale.

He was so enormous that his bedroom wall had to be cut out to extract him from his home. Then, he was rushed to a Sioux Falls, South Dakota hospital in an ambulance with extra-wide doors and a ramp-and-winch system that had to be dispatched from Denver.

Gastric bypass surgery was thought to be his best chance for permanent weight loss. A second operation removed a mass of fat and skin hanging from his midsection.

After 12 months, Patrick lost 260 kilograms (570 lb)[4]. After leaving the hospital, Patrick lost even more weight, reaching 170 kilograms (370 lb), a notable 318 kilograms (700 lb) loss.

Since then, Patrick had a setback and his guess is that he now weighs 193 kilograms (430 lb)

5 - Michael Hebranko

Michael Hebranko (b. May 14, 1953) is a person suffering from an extreme case of morbid obesity, known to be among the heaviest people in the world.

After a stay at the St. Luke’s Hospital in New York, he dropped his weight from 411 kg (910 lb) to 90 kg (200 lb) and waist size from 290 cm (110 in) to 91 cm (36 in) in 19 months with the help of the dieting and exercise coach Richard Simmons and was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest recorded weight loss in 1990. He lost some of this weight from surgical removal of fat.[citation needed] He then toured the United States lecturing about his experiences and advocating dieting and exercise and appeared in infomercials promoting Richard Simmons. He also appeared on TV talk shows such as The Howard Stern Show and the British chat show Wogan in 1990.

However, seven years later, he gained up to 453 kg (1,000 lb) and had to be repeatedly hospitalized to the Brookhaven Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. In June 1999, Hebranko was at his peak weight of 500 kg (1,100 lb)

4 - Walter Hudson

Walter Hudson (c. 1944 in Brooklyn, NY – 1991) of Hempstead, New York was the fourth most obese human in medical history. He also holds the Guinness World Record for the largest waist. It measured 119 inches (3.02 m) in 1987 when he was at his peak weight of 1,197 lbs. Hudson lived on an average daily diet of two boxes of sausages, a pound of bacon, 12 eggs, a loaf of bread, four hamburgers and four cheeseburgers, eight portions of fries, three ham steaks, two chickens, four baked potatoes, four sweet potatoes, and four heads of broccoli. He also drank an average of 12 pints of soda with every meal.Hudson made headlines after becoming wedged into his bedroom doorway and having to be rescued by firemen. It took 9 men to move him back onto his reinforced bed. Comedian and nutritionist Dick Gregory used Hudson to highlight the virtues of his diet system, often saying that Hudson had lost between 200 and 800 pounds (90–360 kg), and using him for his own Bahamian diet. When Hudson refused to participate in the making of a videotape about the diet, Gregory refused to continue to help him.
Walter Hudson died in his sleep at age 47, weighing 1,125 pounds (510.29 kg), after years of starvation dieting. His death came weeks after he announced his wedding date.

3 - Carol Yager

Carol Ann Yager (1960-1994) holds the distinction of having been one of the most severely obese people in medical history.estimated to have weighed more than 1600 lbs at her peak. She had been fat since childhood. In 1993, she was measured at 1189 lbs when admitted to Hurley Medical Center, suffering from cellulitis. She lost nearly 500 lbs on a 1200-calorie diet, but most of that weight was thought to be fluid, and she regained all of it and more soon after being discharged. Her teenage daughter, a boyfriend, and a group of volunteers helped take care of her. Despite extravagant promises by diet maven Richard Simmons and talk-show host Jerry Springer, Yager received little practical assistance in return for her media exposure (though Springer continues to profit from her appearance on his show, having rebroadcast that episode at least four times). She was refused further hospitalization on the grounds that her condition was not critical, despite massive water retention and signs of incipient kidney failure, and these problems led to her death a few weeks later.
A short time before her death, Yager's latest boyfriend, Larry Maxwell, who was characterized by her family as being "an opportunist who courted media attention for money-making possibilities," married her friend, Felicia White. Maxwell had said that the only donation in Yager's name he ever received was for $20, although numerous talk shows, newspapers, radio stations, and other national and international media are reported to have offered her cash and other gifts in exchange for interviews, pictures, etc. Diet maven Richard Simmons was quoted as saying that he was "angry that Yager's story was actively peddled to tabloid and television media by Maxwell and others."

Yager's death certificate lists kidney failure as the cause of death, with morbid obesity and multiple organ failure as contributing causes.

Yager was buried privately, with about 90 friends and family members attending memorial services.

2 - Manuel Uribe

Manuel Uribe Garza (born June 11, 1965) is a man from Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, and was one of the heaviest people in medical history. After reaching a peak weight of around 597 kg (1,316 lb) and being unable to leave his bed since 2001, Uribe lost approximately 400 lbs (one third of his body weight) with the help of doctors and nutritionists, and by following the Zone diet.

Uribe drew worldwide attention when he appeared on the Televisa television network in January 2006, but turned down offers for gastric bypass surgery in Italy.

In March 2007, Uribe set a goal to lower his weight to 120 kg (265 lb). Uribe has also been featured on "The World's Heaviest Man", a television documentary about his bedridden life and attempts to lose weight.

By October 26, 2008, Uribe had reduced his weight to 360 kg (800 lb). His weight loss efforts continue.

Wedding
After four years together, Uribe—who hadn't left bed for six years, and weighed in at 800 pounds after shedding 592 pounds—on October 26, 2008, married Claudia from his bed. He said: "I am proof you can find love in any circumstances. It's all a question of faith. I have a wife and will form a new family and live a happy life." He was transported to the civil wedding on his specially-reinforced four-poster bed, draped with cream and gold and adorned in bright sunflowers, on the back of a truck. Donning a white silk shirt with a sheet around his legs he waited to greet Claudia as she walked down a flight of stairs wearing a strapless ivory dress and a tiara before over 400 guests. Discovery Channel's The World's Heaviest Man Gets Married documentary will be the third TV show featuring Uribe.

1 - Jon Brower Minnoch

Jon Brower Minnoch (1941–1983) was the heaviest man recorded in history. At his peak weight, he was approximately 1400 lb (635 kg, 100 stone). This figure was only a close estimation, however, because his extreme size, poor health, and lack of mobility prevented use of a scale. He was a resident of Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Hospitalizations
His weight continued to increase steadily until his dramatic hospitalization in March 1978 at age 37 due to cardiac and respiratory failure. That same year, he broke a record for the greatest difference in weight between a married couple when he married his 110-lb. wife Jeannette and later fathered two children. Minnoch was diagnosed with massive generalized edema, which caused his body to accumulate excess extracellular fluid. Upon his hospital admission, it was estimated by endocrinologist Dr. Robert Schwartz that over 900 lbs (408 kg) of his overall body mass was retained fluid.

Transportation for Minnoch was extremely difficult. It took over a dozen firefighters and rescue personnel, a specially modified stretcher, and a ferry boat to transport him to University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. There, he was placed on two beds pushed together, and it took 13 people to simply roll him over for linen changes

Death
He was discharged from the hospital after 16 months on a strict diet of 1,200 calories per day. He weighed 476 lb (216 kg), with his weight loss of approximately 924 lb (419 kg) being the largest ever documented. However, he was readmitted to the hospital just over a year later in October 1981, after his weight doubled to 952 lbs (432 kg). With his underlying condition of edema being incurable and difficult to treat, the decision was made to discontinue treatment, and he died just 23 months later on September 10, 1983, at age 42 and a weight of 798 lbs (362 kg) with a 105.3

• Reference/Source: nachocelebrity.blogspot.com [Tuesday, January 18, 2011]

1. Light Spotting- When implantation occurs, it's possible to see light spotting before your menstrual period begins. It will bee seen in a pinkish or brownish color, but as a discharge. When you have a normal cycle it should start light, get heavy, and then taper offer before it stops.

So if light spotting is noticeable, then it's possible that you have conceived.

2. Frequent Urination - When dealing with frequent urination it's important to think about what you've been drinking. Water and alcohol can cause frequent urination, but it can also be a sign that you're pregnant. Some women experience this before they realize a period has been missed. It's normally about 7 to 12 days before the temperature rise at ovulation.

A lot of it has to do with the changes in hormone levels. This is caused by the implantation of the embryo as well as the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Both can cause more frequent urination.

3. Elevated Body Temperature- When a woman is ovulating, it's normal to see her body temperature rise. Then again, if it stays high through your period, it could be because you're pregnant. Take the time to monitor this when it occurs - another of the 10 pregnancy signs.

4. Missing Your Period- This is usually one of the most common of the 10 pregnancy signs that women look for when trying to figure out if they're pregnant. While this is true, there are several other reasons why a missed period can occur. Whether it's illness, stress, hormone imbalance or reactions to food or medications - any of them can be the reason a period is missed and not necessarily one of the top 10 signs of pregnancy.

5. Fatigue- Even though it's hard to tell if your fatigue is due to pregnancy, it could be an additional sign mixed in with any of the others. It means there is a change in the hormones, but once the body adjusts to the new ones it shouldn't be an issue anymore.

6. Cramping- If you're moving around, exercising, or having an orgasm and experiencing cramps, it might be because you're going to have a baby.

7. Nausea- Another sign most women look for is nausea. We associate this as "morning sickness," However, out of all the early signs of pregnancy here, only half of the women who are pregnant ever feel nauseated throughout the day.

8. Tender Breasts or Nipples- This is also due to the change of hormone levels in the body, but when we adjust then it will go away. If you're pregnant it's going to stick around for awhile.

9. Darker Areolas- Seven days after conception you might notice your areolas becoming darker around the nipples. It's also possible that the bumps will look more prominent.

10. Constipation- Bowel changes can always occur during the early stages of pregnancy. Thanks to the change in hormones your intestines might decide to relax a bit and take a break.

HUMOR Me...
Am I more likely to get pregnant if my husband wears boxers rather then briefs?
~Yes, but you’ll have an even better chance if he doesn’t wear anything at all.


Are birth control pills deductible?
~Only if they don’t work.

What is a chastity belt?
~A labor-saving device.

Should I have a baby after 35?
~No, 35 children are enough.

Can a mother get pregnant while nursing?
~Yes, but it’s much easier if she removes the baby from her breast and puts him to sleep first.

My husband and I are very attractive. I’m sure our baby will be beautiful enough for commercials. Whom should I contact about this?
~Your therapist.

I’m two months pregnant now. When will my baby move?
~With any luck, right after he finishes high school.

How will I know if my vomiting is morning sickness or the flu?
~If it’s the flu, you’ll get better.

Since I became pregnant, my breasts, rear-end, and even my feet have grown. Is there anything that gets smaller during pregnancy?
~Yes, your bladder.

What is the most common pregnancy craving?
~For men to be the ones who get pregnant.

What is the most reliable method to determine a baby’s sex?
~Childbirth.

The more pregnant I get, the more often strangers smile at me. Why?
~‘Cause you’re fatter than they are.

My wife is five months pregnant and so moody that sometimes she’s borderline irrational.
~So what’s your question?

• Reference/Source: safemenopausesolutions.com

1. JOSE LOUIE DELA CERNA REMOTIGUE – SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY – 89.6

2. RAYNA KARIYA ABENDAN – CEBU DOCTORS UNIVERSITY – 87.80

3. PAUL ROTHWEL CONDINO DE JESUS – ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES – 87.50

4. CLINT EDEL BORINAGA FRIAS – OUR LADY OF FATIMA UNIVERSITY-VALENZUELA – 86.70

5. LITO JAY GUTIERREZ DUMAYAS - CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY-MANILA - 86.60

6. TERRENCE EDWARD CHUA LEE - SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY - 86.50

7. JOHN MARK DENIEGA TUTING - ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES - 86.30

8. JOSEPH REUEL BILLETE CRUZ - CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY-MANILA - 86.20

9. JENNIFER AUBREY LOTEYRO MOLINA - ST. SCHOLASTICA'S COLLEGE-TACLOBAN - 86.10
MA CECILIA VANESSA MANLANGIT SERRANO - CENTRO ESCOLAR UNIVERSITY-MANILA - 86.10

10. JENES PAYO MANCHING - ST. SCHOLASTICA'S COLLEGE-TACLOBAN - 85.70

• Reference/Source: board-exam-result-ph.blogspot.com (March 28, 2011)

These products were banned over the last decade because they were either considered to dangerous or unnecessary.

1. Trans Fats
Most food companies add Trans fat to their products because they stay fresh for a longer period of time. However, the body finds it difficult to break it down and starts suffering from heart disease or high cholesterol problems. Denmark and Switzerland banned certain products that were laced with over two percent of Trans fat.
2. Baby Walkers
Canada banned baby walkers in 2004 because according to statistics, over 1,900 babies were injured while using it. The Ministry determined that this happened because infants do not have the required abilities to use the product safely. Parents in Canada need not worry because studies reveal that baby walkers do not help babies walk faster.
3. Incandescent Light Bulbs
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs last much longer than Incandescent Bulbs and use only 25% of the available energy which is why the latter has been phased out by countries like Australia and Cuba. California plans to ban them within the next 8 years.


4. Chewing Gum
Singapore banned chewing hum in 1992 and the bill was revised about 6 years back. People are not allowed to stick their gum under chairs, on the floor or under tables. When somebody stuck it on the doors of the metro, it became necessary to ban it. Those who travel to Singapore are not allowed to carry gum and the Government constantly tells the public about how gum is hazardous to health.
5. Use of Cigarettes on Television and Movies
India banned smoking in movies and on television in 2005 as it was felt that children tend to take up the habit after seeing their favorite actors indulging in it. According to the ban, the actor’s hand is supposed to get blurred out if the scene demands that he should smoke.
6. Plastic Bags
People use about a trillion plastic bags through the year and we all know how harmful plastic is for the environment. Bangladesh banned the use of plastic bags in 2002 after the found that the floods of 1988 and 1998 occurred because the drains got blocked with such bags. The ban was introduced in Africa, United Kingdom and Australia soon after.


7. Extremely Skinny Models
Even though this is not a product; it definitely deserves a mention in this list. Hiring extremely skinny models for advertisements was banned after the model, Luisel Ramos died in 2006. She had a cardiac arrest after which doctors realized that she had been surviving on diet coke and leaves for over 90 days. The Italian Government then declared that the body mass index of all models should not go below 18.
8. Circus Animals
After it was revealed that circus animals were living in miserable conditions and were made to starve just so that they would perform better on the final day; the Bolivian Senate banned the circus in 2009. Denmark, Austria, Finland and Costa Rica introduced similar bans many years back.
9. Cigarettes
Ireland prohibited smoking indoors in 2004 while Bhutan banned the sale of cigarettes in 2008. Those who go against the ban in Bhutan have to pay a fine of about 232 dollars. However, the sad part is that tobacco products are still being traded illegally in this mountainous kingdom.
10. Products used for Spanking Children
Sweden declared in 1979 that parents could not spank their children using certain products or otherwise, after which over 24 countries followed suit. Studies show that after the ban was introduced, child abuse rates were reduced considerably.

• Reference/Source: top-10-list.org by top10contributor

We usually have the freedom to eat whatever we please, and what is considered a taboo in one culture, might be a delicacy in another.

However, there are some foods that are banned in certain parts of the world, due to various reasons like environmental risks, cruelty to animals, or because that certain food was found to be injurious to one’s health.


Here is a low-down on some of the foods that have been banned in some or the other part of the world:

1. Foie Gras 

Foie gras is a delicacy made out of duck or goose liver. It is banned in Turkey, the European Union, and Israel due to a process called force-feeding. To make foie gras, birds are force-fed corn mash or some other type of food about 8 days before they are slaughtered in order to enlarge the liver and give it a fatty consistency. 

Citing cruelty to animals, some countries have placed a ban on this item. However, Foie Gras is still readily found in many of these countries.

2. Japanese Puffer Fish (Fugu)

Sometimes known as blowfish, Fugu in Asian countries, this fish is banned in many countries due to its internal organs and other body parts being highly poisonous. In fact, if you eat the wrong part of this fish, or unknowingly consume a poisonous part of the fish, you will more than likely die from tetrodotoxin, which is a neurotoxin that destroys your body’s nerve tissue, paralyzing the body and then causing asphyxiation. In the European Union, selling or consuming this fish is strictly prohibited. In the U.S., it is illegal to sell, harvest, or serve the fish without having a license to do so. 

3. Sassafras

In the past, sassafras was a widely used plant, often used by Indian tribes to treat common ailments, as well as a way to have some sort of aromatherapy. It is said that the herb could sure a cold, stomach ache, and other ailments. It was also used as a cure for syphilis. Before the 1960s, sassafras was used in many different foods, and even drinks. However, in the 1960s, the FDA banned all use of sassafras and any ingredient made out of it, most notably, safrole. It was banned due to the fact that it is possibly carcinogenic, as determined by lab rat experiments, which concluded that rats given sassafras often contracted liver cancer.

4. Absinthe

In the 1800s, absinthe was gradually banned in many locations around the world. This was due to a large increase in violence and hallucinations, as well as mental illness. Again in the 20th century, researchers looked at absinthe and considered it to be highly unsafe. In 1915, absinthe was banned in most European countries with the exception of a few.

5. Horse Meat

Horse meat is considered to be a taboo food in many countries, including the U.S., Ireland, Australia, Canada, and throughout various cultural groups around the world. Both the U.S. and U.K. have banned the slaughter and consumption of horses, as they are seen as companions and labeled “sports animals.”

6. Casu Marzu Maggot Cheese

Casu marzu, which means "rotting cheese" in Sardinian, is not just an aged and very smelly cheese, it is an illegal commodity in many places. Casu marzu is a runny white cheese made by injecting Pecorino Sardo cheese with cheese-eating larvae that measure about one-half inch long.

7. Blackened Redfish

In 1980, New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme publicized his recipe for blackened redfish, which is still very popular today. The recipe was so popular that it sparked a blackened redfish craze in the 1980s, which so severely threatened the redfish stock that the Commerce Department had to step in and close down fisheries in July 1986.

8. Uncertified Chilean Sea Bass

At first, the uncertified Chilean sea bass was banned by 24 nations, including the U.S. due to the fact that it was extremely popular in restaurants as well as in the home and many feared it would become endangered. The fish is known for having flaky white flesh and a high fat content, which makes it tasty. Today, the fish is banned in even more countries due to the fact that it has become over-fished.

9. Ortolan

In the same cruel fashion as foie gras, this tiny bird has little to sing about, as historically it was horribly tortured before being eaten as a gastronomic treat by the aristocracy of France. 

Its fate was often to be captured, have its eyes poked out, and be put in a small cage, then force-fed until it grew to four times its normal size. Next the poor bird would be drowned in brandy, roasted, and eaten whole. The Ortolan is now considered to be a protected species in France.

10. Shark fins

Though still in the process of being banned world wide, the slicing of shark fins is now banned in Scottish waters, as well as UK waters. In Hawaii, the practice is banned entirely due to the fact that 60,000 sharks were found dead each year. The practice, often seen as barbaric, has been banned in countries because it is seen as cruel and brutal and many species of rare sharks are becoming endangered, or even extinct.

• Reference/Source: ifood.tv

It’s only November, but luckily for us, the fine folks at ACE and ACSM have put together their respective Top 10 Fitness Trends for 2011 lists.




So, if you’re interested in knowing what programs your local health club will be pushing onto you come January, read on.

The ACE Top Ten List includes:

1. Economic Upswing: In general, consumers are preparing for an economic upswing that is motivating more individuals to resume their personal training and fitness regimens.

2. Added-Value Wellness Services: More gyms and clubs will begin to hire other allied healthcare professionals to serve the expanding needs of their health-conscious members – nutrition, physical therapy, etc.

3. Stress Reduction Through Fitness: With the increased knowledge of how stress negatively affects the body, gyms and clubs will start offering wellness programs so their members develop effective strategies for managing their stress levels.

4. Technology Becomes a Support Resource: Although there have been a great deal of technological advances within the fitness industry, online interactive classes will not proliferate in 2011, demonstrating the desire for human contact with fitness professionals. However, social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube will become increasingly popular serving as an online motivational support system to complement personal training sessions.

5. Buddy System: Healthy support groups will become a more popular offering in gyms due to peer encouragement and increased potential for success. This thinking also holds true for older adults, with the majority of them seeking group classes to stay fit.

6. Most Popular Workouts: Boot camp-style workouts will remain popular among consumers based on its intensity and efficiency. Zumba classes will continue to offer a fun alternative to more traditional dance classes, while TRX Suspension training and interval training both offer intense workout experiences with impressive results.

7. Small-Group Workouts: Small-group sessions remain a very popular way for individuals to exercise. Whether through personal training, strength training, cardiovascular exercise, or sessions for older adults, small-group sessions will be “in” as a way to socialize, cut costs and stay motivated.

8. Youth-Based Fitness: Expect to see more youth-focused classes and clients popping up in gyms thanks to the national attention and focus on childhood obesity. Schools and fitness centers will also incorporate more exercise curriculum for the youth population.

9. Corporate Wellness: Whether it is through the hiring of in-house personal trainers or discounts and incentives offered to employees that join a health club, corporate wellness programs will emerge country-wide to help encourage healthy lifestyles among workers, especially time-crunched consumers.

10. Elevated Professionalism: There will be a significant increase in the hiring of personal trainers that hold a NCCA-accredited certification at gyms and fitness centers. With consumers becoming more educated and fitness-savvy, they understand the need for fitness professionals to have the proper education and high-quality certifications…like an ACE certification perhaps?

1. Educated and experienced fitness professionals. see #10 on the Ace list

2. Fitness programs for older adults. As the baby boom generation ages into retirement, some of these people have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts. Therefore, many health and fitness professionals are taking the time to create age-appropriate fitness programs to keep older adults healthy and active.

3. Strength training. Strength training remains a central emphasis for many health clubs. Incorporating strength training is an essential part of a complete physical activity program for all physical activity levels and genders.

4. Children and obesity. With childhood obesity growing at an alarming rate, health and fitness professionals see the epidemic as an opportunity to create programs tailored to overweight and obese children. Solving the problem of childhood obesity will have an impact on the health care industry today and for years to come.

5. Personal training. More and more students are majoring in kinesiology, which indicates that students are preparing themselves for careers in allied health fields such as personal training. Education, training and proper credentialing for personal trainers have become increasingly important to the health and fitness facilities that employ them.

6. Core training. Distinct from strength training, core training specifically emphasizes conditioning of the middle-body muscles, including the pelvis, lower back, hips and abdomen—all of which provide needed support for the spine.

7. Exercise and weight loss. In addition to nutrition, exercise is a key component of a proper weight loss program. Health and fitness professionals who provide weight loss programs are increasingly incorporating regular exercise and caloric restriction for better weight control in their clients.

8. Boot camp. Boot camp is a high-intensity structured activity program modeled after military style training and led by an instructor. Boot camp incorporates cardiovascular, strength, endurance and flexibility drills in both indoor and outdoor settings.

9. Functional fitness. This is a trend toward using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. Functional fitness and special fitness programs for older adults are closely related.

10. Physician referrals. Physician referrals, a key component of the Exercise is Medicine initiative, partner medical professionals with heath and fitness professionals to seamlessly integrate exercise into their patients’ lives.

• Reference/Source: healthhabits.ca by healthhabits

In Apr 2009 I was attacked by my own heart. Imagine that!

It is hard to deal with an attacker that resides right inside your chest, and you consider it your “own”. Isn’t it?

But as it turned out, it was me or rather my stupid habits, that had attacked my heart first, and the hearts backfire was actually a desperate attempt to get my attention and request me (quite boldly) to change my lifestyle.

Source: wegohealth.com | At a party recently I was having a conversation with someone about the health research I do and the subject of the top 10 leading causes of death in America came up. (Don't you want to invite me to all your parties??) I was 100% certain that Alzheimer's Disease is #7 but I couldn't remember the exact order of the other ones. Can you name all 10 in order without checking?

Source: livescience.com | Many people think cancer is entirely genetic and cannot be avoided, but that's not true.

Healthy behaviors could prevent about half of cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society.

Source: www.msnbc.msn.com | The dread and fear that can come with a cancer diagnosis have their roots in its killer nature: It's the No. 2 cause of death in Americans, second only to heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even when diagnosed early and attacked with the latest treatments, it still has the power to kill.

Lung Cancer