My Thoughts/Memories

Healthy, Natural Beauty Section

2011-08-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

I have always been very interested in natural beauty...and I most certainly do not mean pounds of caked on makeup and mascara so waterproof that it stays on for days. I mean the kind of natural beauty that include healthy beauty products, home recipes and actual product information, to give you a truly healthy beauty experience. All-natural beauty care is always the best because clean, healthy beauty care reflects on you as an individual and also makes for a clean and healthy world. I specialize in holistic beauty care because I believe it is natural and therefore here to stay.

I recently experienced the kind of pampering and luxurious products that make you feel like a woman without feeling made-up at a small store I had never heard of before. Recently, I went on a trip to a local mall and came across this tiny but heavenly scented store called Lush. Lush specializes in and believes in making effective products out of fresh organic fruit & vegetables, the finest essential oils, safe synthetics, without animal ingredients and their staff made me feel like I was the most important person in the world. I was literally in natural beauty heaven. Because I pride myself on being a health and environment conscious individual this was a perfect place for me. For those of us that want to remove the harmful chemicals from our lives, and enjoy a healthy beauty alternative Lush is the perfect little store we've been asking for. I decided to write this review of Lush this month because I want to share the benefits I've reaped from lush. I know that there are many health conscious people out there as well as people suffering from chemical sensitivities that are looking for all-natural beauty products that are 100% natural, and Lush offers this.

They have everything for every kind of person. Whether you have sensitive skin, oily/combination skin (like myself), normal skin, aging skin, very dry skin they have a recipe to keep you covered. Literally their facial and body moisturizers are one of the best I've ever experienced. My personal favorites for oily/combination skin are the Breath of Fresh Air Toner which you can spray on anytime of the day to freshen and hydrate your skin which includes rose water and sea salt and also the Imperialis moisturizer which is infused with lavender flowers. And after you're finished with your cleansing and moisturizing regimen you can use their all natural bases and pigments to give your skin a natural glow without the cakey, dry feeling that other powders on the market give off.

Don't get me started on their shampoo bars and bottled shampoos and conditioners! In a nutshell, I will just say I have the most difficult oily roots and dry ends ever and in just one use of their solid squeaky green shampoo bar and jungle conditioning balm bar I had thick, silky, balanced locks like never before. I had never understood the importance of a shampoo bar before, but these shampoo bars lack the sodium sulfates and harsh chemicals that bottled shampoos have in them. Lush makes some of the most effective cleansing and conditioning products you'll ever put on your head because the product inventors Helen Ambrosen, Mo and Mark Constantine formulate them carefully. If you choose yours with equal care you can suit your needs and solve your problems with a little bar of shampoo that is about as big as your fist and yet lasts a full year!

Lush also makes tons of these dreamy, heavenly scented bath bombs, sugar scrubs, bubble bars, emotibombs and shower gels that will suit your mood and allow you to welcome the events of the day to come or wash away the sour patches of a rough day. I will continue to shop at Lush and provide additional feedback about their products. Please continue reading my health and beauty section for other product reviews and suggestions.

A Psych Study: What Mom Thinks Matters When It Comes To Mental Illness

2011-06-08T06:31:00.001-07:00

A new study led by a Northern Illinois University sociologist shows that while family members often provide critical support, they also can sometimes be the source of stigmatizing attitudes that impede the recovery of mentally ill relatives.

"Negative attitudes of family members have the potential to affect the ways that mentally ill persons view themselves, adversely influencing the likelihood of recovery from the illness," said lead researcher Fred Markowitz, an NIU professor of sociology.

Markowitz and his colleagues, Beth Angell from Rutgers, and Jan Greenberg from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, published their findings in the June issue of Social Psychology Quarterly, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Sociological Association.

Over an 18-month period, the researchers studied 129 mothers of adult children with schizophrenia.

"In short, what mom thinks matters," Markowitz said. "It's a chain of effects that unfolds.

"We found that when those with mental illness exhibited greater levels of initial symptoms, lower self-confidence and quality of life, their mothers tended to view them in more stigmatized terms for example, seeing them as 'incompetent,' 'unpredictable,' and 'unreliable,'" Markowitz continued. "When mothers held these views, their sons and daughters with mental illness were more likely to come to see themselves in similar terms what social psychologists call 'the reflected appraisals process.' Importantly, when the individuals with mental illness took on these stigmatizing views of themselves, their symptoms became somewhat greater and levels of self-confidence and quality of life lower."

A long line of research has shown that the stigma associated with mental illness can be a major impediment to recovery, affecting self-esteem and even job prospects. But research has not historically examined the links between stigma, reflected appraisals, identity formation, and recovery, Markowitz said.

"Our study is part of research that is starting to more fully examine how stigma affects the self-concept and identity of those with mental illness," he said.

Markowitz and his colleagues believe it is important to acknowledge that many of the sentiments conveyed toward ill relatives grow out of positive intentions and reflect attempts to cope with the difficulties of having a relative with serious mental illness. Yet, stigmatizing attitudes are of concern because of their potential adverse effects.

"This study highlights the notion that recovery from mental illness is not simply a matter of controlling symptoms as indicated by a strictly 'psychiatric' perspective," Markowitz said. "It is, to a certain extent, a social-psychological process.

"The ways in which people, including family members and service providers, think about persons with mental illness affect the beliefs and actions of the individuals with mental illness, in turn shaping the trajectory of recovery."

Source: American Sociological Association (ASA)

A Psychological study reposted

2011-06-08T06:10:00.000-07:00

Women Found To Be As Resilient To Combat Stress As Men In First Of Its Kind Study Conducted By BUSM

In what is believed to be the first published study on the topic, researchers affiliated with the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) believe female military service-members from Operation Enduring Freedom OEF)/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) may be as resilient to combat-related stress as men. These findings currently appear on-line in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

Though the literature suggests that women may be more vulnerable to the effects of trauma exposure, most available studies on combat trauma have relied on samples in which women's combat exposure is limited and analyses that do not directly address gender differences in associations between combat exposure and post-deployment mental health. However, as a consequence of women's changing role in the war zone, as well as the evolving nature of modern warfare, female service-members have experienced unprecedented levels of combat exposure in the U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. While women are still officially barred from direct ground combat positions in the U.S. military, they serve in a variety of positions that put them at risk for combat exposure.

The study addressed a representative sample of female and male U.S. Veterans who had returned from deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq within the previous year. As expected, women reported slightly less exposure than men to most combat-related stressors, but higher exposure to other stressors (i.e., prior life stress, deployment and sexual harassment). No gender differences were observed in reports of perceived threat in the war zone.

"Contrary to our hypothesis that associations between combat-related stressors and post-deployment mental health would be slightly stronger for women than men, only one of 16 interactions achieved a conventional level of statistical significance and this interaction suggested a stronger negative association for men rather than women," explained lead author Dawne Vogt, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry at BUSM and researcher at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in the VA Boston Healthcare System. "This finding is important because it appears to suggest fairly comparable levels of resilience to combat-related stressors for women and men, at least during the timeframe evaluated in this study," she added.

According to the researchers this finding is striking given that it contrasts with the widely accepted view that women are more vulnerable to the negative impact of trauma exposure than men. Future research is needed to promote a better understanding of the factors that may contribute to similar levels of resilience to combat trauma among female and male U.S. service-members deployed in support of OEF/OIF, as well as the limits of this phenomenon.

This research was supported, in part, by a Department of Veterans Affairs Health Sciences Research and Development Service grant and the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

Taken from: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/227855.php

SAVE MASON NECK!!!

2010-03-09T16:42:00.000-08:00

Growing up all of my life in Northern Virginia, I could proudly say that I live in an area with many great natural parks. Mason Neck is by far the most natural and peaceful of them all. Not only has Mason Neck State Park been a place I grew up visiting, it is a place that is home to bald eagles, heron, other migrating and non-migrating species of birds, including tundra swans and assorted species of duck. My personal favorite memory of Mason Neck has always been the beautiful trails. It is undeniable that no matter what season it is, Mason Neck always looks distinctly charming and unique.

There is a paved hiking trail that boasts breathtaking views of Belmont Bay. The trail is about 300 yards long and includes an observation platform overlooking the bay! It is absolutely breathtaking and this natural wonder has always made me feel a sense of peace and calm.

It is true that in the past Mason Neck has had to endure a series of events which threatened the sanctity of Mason Neck in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Plans for a proposed beltway, an airport, a natural gas pipeline, a landfill and a sewer line were proposed for the area but thankfully all of these proposals met strong opposition from groups such as the Mason Neck Conservation Committee. Because of this strong opposition Mason Neck State Park opened to the public in April 1985 and has been a prosperous park which has provided a rich abundant habitat for bald eagles and heron. To shut down all funding to Mason Neck State Park would be devastating, not only to me, but many families in the Northern Virginia area as well as being very damaging to our ecosystem.

WHAT TO DO:

1. Please invite everyone you know who loves Mason Neck, especially Virginia residents.

2. Please call and email the following, in order of importance. No need to repeat all the information above. Just explain why YOU love the park and why you think this is a bad idea.

Thank you so much.

1. Your own state delegate and senator. Figure this out at http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

2. Governor Bob McDonnell 804-786-2211 804-371-6351 http://www.governor.virginia.gov/TheAdministration/contactGovernor.cfm

3. Secretary of Natural Resources, Doug Domenech

4. Your local newspaper or other news source. Send a Letter to the Editor!

What does Autism mean to YOU?

2009-11-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

So, what does autism mean to you?

Technically speaking, autism is a spectrum of Pervasive Developmental Disorders that affects the brain. However, this spectrum disorder is so wide and our definitions are so limited that instead of understanding it in depth, most people choose to be ignorant about it. That is, unless they are forced with the harsh reality of it because they are a parent of a child with autism. The truth is, that harsh reality is becoming more and more impossible to evade because of autism’s escalating numbers. In just the last ten years the rate of new cases of autism has gone up from 1 in 500 five years ago to 1 in 166 and now experts think the numbers are more like 1 in 99!

But for a disorder that is so prevalent and so detrimental to the way in which children learn and develop, not much is being done to reduce these rates. The cause is still unknown, and although there are several leads, there is not enough money being allotted to study this disorder. Studies on the effects of vaccines on the presence of autism have not concluded much yet because they haven’t been conducted for long enough. In addition although mercury has been shown to have detrimental effects on development in children, some vaccines still contain mercury though they do not say they do. One huge leap for scientists is the results they have found from studying brain and eye patterns in children with autism vs. children without autism. ABA therapy tries to stimulate the areas of the brain that children with autism tend not to use as much as normally developing children, and the sooner ABA therapy is started, the better the outcome. But all this takes money…money that is not being funded.

There is hope though. In addition to the previous studies that have been done, twin studies show that autism is probably genetically based, which points to hope that scientists could someday find a gene that is responsible for autism, and figure out how to halt or slow down autism. Although autism is on the rise, there just has not been a major focus of research efforts to find a cure and there simply isn’t enough awareness and advocacy about this. This is slowly changing, because of how many devastated families have set out to change that, but we need more people, more awareness, and more laws in place to protect these families. Because no mother or father should cry for their child, be forced to split up because of the stress, or take out a second mortgage or even sell their homes to pay for their child to have adequate treatment.

For a disorder that is the fastest growing, why is it that most medical insurances won’t cover any treatments related to it? Why is there literally no money being funded to study the genetic background of this disorder? So, when someone asks you what autism means to you, answer them! Learn as much about Autism as possible. Contact your congressman and make them aware that you want more resources allocated to treating Autism. With 1 in 150 children being diagnosed with Autism it may be affecting you or your children in the near future, but with every single person who donates their time or money, we get closer to the cure!

On a letter

2009-04-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

Recently I received a letter from a PhD student in Turkey who I have never met. He wanted to know a little bit about my views about the Middle East, Turkey, and Obama's visit to turkey. I did not know a lot about the situation, but I am glad that he wrote me because I ended up finding out more than I would have on my own.
I wrote back to him telling him that I'd be glad to tell him a little bit about what I think, though I'm not sure how well I followed the recent relations between Turkey and the U.S. and I'm not entirely sure if my hopes and beliefs are that significant.

Unfortunately, I also let him know that I have not visited Tukey myself and all I know is what has been in the press, and I know Turkey is beautiful as I've heard stories from people who have visited there.

I made sure to let him know that I do believe that President Obama's visit to Turkey was beneficial to relations between Turkey and the U.S. I know that Turkey has one of the lowest rates of approval for the U.S (even lower than Russia, Iran, and Syria), but I am hoping that will change as our administration is making changes.

I agree with Obama when he stated that the U.S. and Turkey "must stand together—and work together—to overcome the challenges of our time.” I believe Turkey could very well be a great connection to have between our world and the Muslim world.

I have also heard that The US also expects Turkey to use its good relations with Pakistan to stabilize the country. I myself am half Indian (my dad is from India, but he was born in 1947 when this particular part of India became Pakistan; therefore he was born in Pakistan). I am hopeful that Pakistan can be more at peace with India and other nations in the world, and I see this as a step in the right direction.

I don't believe that the problems that exist can not be overcome, but I do know that they are very grave and complex problems. I have a feeling that there are individuals and groups on both sides of the world that have their doubts. However, I believe that if the U.S. and Turkey work together, they can convince one another that it is possible to trust in one another, and with that gradual build up of trust, there can eventually be peace within the Middle East and through out the world.

I really look forward to learning more about what Turkey thinks about this. When the PhD student from Turkey writes back to me, I will post more on what Turkey is feeling at this point.

Generation Q Finally Will Be Heard!!

2008-11-17T19:19:00.001-08:00

Almost a year ago I read quite an interesting article about Generation Q or “The Quiet American”. I was struck by the sheer reality of the situation that Thomas Friedman, an opinion columnist for The New York Times describes. According to Friedman, a generation of Quiet Americans known as Generation Q which makes up the population of college campuses around the country both impresses and baffles him. Friedman says he is “impressed because they are so much more optimistic and idealistic than they should be, but I baffled because they are so much less radical and politically engaged than they need to be”.

While I believe this is true, I think our generation has reason to be so quiet. Our generation has only been able to (until recently) quietly pursue our idealism, but we need to do more than that in years to come. Our generation has been handed down problems ranging from the huge budget deficit to the Social Security deficit and ecological deficit. Friedman says he is baffled at how Generation Q has inherited these problems from probably one of the greediest generations alive and somehow they are able to stay quietly optimistic.

Despite the fact that Generation Q will probably spend their entire adult lives digging themselves and future generations out from the deficits which Friedman’s generation has created, these quiet Americans are so courageous! It is apparent in many ways, ranging from the way that college students today are not only going abroad to study in record numbers, but they are also going abroad to build homes for the poor in El Salvador in record numbers or volunteering at AIDS clinics in record numbers. Terrorism has not deterred them from travelling or building houses for those who can’t afford them, but college students at every campus need to do more than quietly try to fix the world. We need to demand answers to our questions from local politicians in addition to remaining optimistic.

It is our generation that needs to ask politicians what their plans are for mitigating climate change, or what their plan for reforming Social Security, and what their plan is for dealing with the deficit? America as a whole needs a jolt of the idealism, activism and outrage (it must be in there somewhere) of Generation Q. That is what we are here for-- to light a fire under the country. But we can’t e-mail it in through an online petition or a blog. These attempts are great at catching other college students’ eyes, but they just won’t cut it. Our generation must get organized in a way that will force politicians to pay attention rather than just patronize us.

Friedman reminds us that Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy didn’t change the world by asking people to join their Facebook crusades or to download their platforms. Activism can only be uploaded, the old-fashioned way — by young voters speaking truth to power, face to face, in big numbers, on campuses or the Washington Mall. Though, I completely agree with Friedman that our generation is much too quiet and that our voice needs to be heard, I have such great hope that the new President will listen and we will have a more active role in fixing these major issues and rebuilding America for generations to come. I believe much will have changed since this article was first published, and hopefully all generations will start to see a change soon.