Creative ways to de-stress

I) Hydrotherapy- To release the muscle tension, you can soak in a hot bath. You can add epsom salts, dead sea salts,rose petals, and lavender oil to the water.You will smell great and feel better at the same time.

2) Create a sacred space- You can set aside a small area of your home where you can go to relax. You can put a small table where you place candles, pictures, incense, flowers or a book of poems. You decide on what items you want there but they should be things that will have a relaxing effect on you.

3) Write a love poem or love letter- Write a poem or letter to yourself. We don't often stop to think about how we truly feel about ourselves. What do you love about yourself or your life? This can give you new insight about yourself and your life.

4) Pamper yourself- Go and get a manicure, pedicure, massage, or facial. You'll find that you will look and feel better.

5) Photography- Get a camera and go outdoors. Find an interesting scene like a sunrise, sunset, fall foliage, or children playing in the park.Taking pictures is a great way to show our creativity and appreciation of art.It also allows us to take the time to really look at the world around us.

6) Dancing- If you like to move and exercise, try signing up for a dancing lesson. You will learn some new steps or dances and may also make new friendships as well.

7) Painting-You don't have to be artistic to try your hand at painting pictures. All you will need is some paint and paper, brushes and some water.Try to pick a color that expresses how you are feeling at the moment and then paint what you feel. Painting allows us to express our artistic side as well as provide a great way to calm down. You can use any medium to create your own personal piece of art.

8) Bake a pie or bread- Invite a friend to share in this activity.You will discover that baking is a great way to release stress.All you will need is a recipe for either a pie or bread.Mix the ingredients, knead the dough, let it rise, and then bake. The added benefits of this activity are: kneading may release some tension,your home will smell wonderful,and you will be able to share time and a meal with a close friend. Even if you are not great at it, please try it. You will have fun.

9) Create a mosaic- Before starting this fun and creative endeavor,it is a good idea to decide where you are going to put your mosaic. Will it be on an old table or perhaps a tray? You decide. Now get some old dishes and saucers with nice patterns and break them up into small pieces and design a simple pattern. It is wise to wear gloves and protective glasses while doing this. Then start to glue them in place. You will need to use grout to finish your project. This is a great stress buster.

10) Create your own top 10 list- If you think back to your childhood days which most likely were relatively stress-free,you will find activities you enjoyed doing. Was it hiking through the woods,swinging on an old tire, flying a kite, bird watching, skipping stones on water, or swimming in a lake? Now try to incorporate these activities into your live. Feel like that kid again.

I am confident that you can come up with a great list of your own personal creative and fun things to do to de-stress.

Dancing with the Stars

Insult comic Jeffrey Ross was the first casualty of Dancing With the Stars last night. The eye-patch-wearing "Roastmaster General," who garned the lowest score on Monday's season premiere, was booted from the A-B-C show. Ross, who wore the patch because he was poked in the eye by partner Edyta Sliwinska during rehearsals, summed up his pathetic dance moves by saying, "I'm more ha ha ha than cha cha cha."

Swimsuit model Brooke Burke again had the night's highest score, impressing the judges with her Quick Step. And again old-fogey Cloris Leachman got plenty of laughs but few points. The 82-year-old actress, who pleaded with the judges and viewers to keep her on the show, received the lowest score, a 16.

The night was highlighted by a number of redemptions. Chef Rocco DiSpirito, who had the second-worst score on the first night, shocked the judges with what Carrie Ann Inaba called a "super sexy" Mambo. Soap star Susan Lucci, who mustered only a 15 Monday, improved to a 22 -- the night's third-best score. Another star will be eliminated tonight. -- James Aquilone

Dancing With the Stars leader board

TEAM
SCORE

Brooke Burke & Derek Hough
26

Cody Linley & Julianne Hough
23

Toni Braxton & Alec Mazo
23

Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani
22

Warren Sapp & Kym Johnson
22

Rocco DiSpirito & Karina Smirnoff
21

Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke
21

Lance Bass & Lacey Shwimmer
21

Misty May-Treanor & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
21

Ted McGinley & Inna Brayer
19

Kim Kardashian & Mark Ballas
18

Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas
16

Date night

Teen Dating: Is My Teenager Old Enough?
Parents often try to figure out the right way to make decisions by watching what other parents do. This isn't always the best way to decide what is right for your pre-teen or adolescent. Some parents would rather let their child do what they want than deal with the confrontation that might ensue if they forbid certain activities. One of the biggest decisions parents make is when to allow a child to begin dating.

Here is a great article that may help you with this decision.

Teens dating

Teens need to learn many things while traveling through the life stage of adolescence. Help your teen learn about dating by knowing these five truths:
It is normal for a teen to be interested in dating.
While some teens tend to be interested in dating earlier than others, it is a normal adolescent life stage experience for all teenagers. Girls are more vocal about the dating interest and tend to be interested to a greater degree at a younger age, but boys are paying attention also. There is no way around it; your teenager is going to want to date. When he/she does, you’ll have to step up to the plate with some parenting skills.(Try this parenting contract for teen dating too.)

Teenagers do not know how to date.
A teen does not learn how to date in the classroom and most likely has only picked up on some of the basics, like respecting someone’s personal space, at home. But they haven’t learned the ins and outs of a give and take relationship yet. They will be learning this as they date, and ‘on the job’ type of training. You can reinforce the values that concern dating and relationships by discussing them with your teenager and modeling them with your spouse or significant other. Do not be afraid to bring up these issues. Do not feel that they are not important. Teens that are taught values are important will look for dates with similar good values. That is who you want your teen dating, right?

Teens whose parents talk to them about dating are better prepared and happier.
You want your teenager to grow up happy, so remember that happiness in life is found in the journey. While the topic of teens and dating can make the most confident parent nervous, you should do your best not to project those anxious feelings when discussing dating - and the rules and limits of dating - with your teen. Relax and have informative dating conversations that will strengthen your relationship with your teen and empower you both to enjoy this part of their life.

Your teen will need privacy.
As parents, we are not very comfortable not knowing what is going on in our child’s life. But as your teen starts to date, you will need to take a step back and not try to know ‘everything’. You may at first have a hard time and feel like something is wrong. That is normal – your parenting role is changing. Change always feels awkward at first. On the other hand, your teenager may want to chat about the experience. He/she may have some questions to ask. If so, make yourself available. But remember to try not to ‘read into’ any of the questions and begin prying.

Your teen will still need you to be ‘around’.
When you have one of your talks with your teen about dating, you will need to set up a pick up scenario. Teens are notorious for getting themselves into situations that they have a hard time getting out of by themselves. Many times this happens on dates. Therefore, let your teenager know you are available for a ride home. You will pick him/her up at anyplace or anytime, even three o’clock in the morning. You will do so without any consequences to your teenager with the understanding that everyone makes mistakes in judgment. You simply want your teen to be safe. Arguments, drinking, etc can all be a part of a bad dating experience. So, hope for the best, prepare for the worst and be there for your teen.

Dancing with the Stars

DANCING WITH THE STARS: Battleship Geriatrica

Actress Cloris Leachman wasn't the best dancer of the night, but she was the true star of Dancing With Stars as the competition series kicked off its seventh season last night. Swimsuit model Brooke Burke earned the night's best score, followed closely by a couple of pop singers -- Lance Bass and Toni Braxton. The hulking Warren Sapp was the night's big surprise. After the retired N-F-L star's energetic Cha Cha, judge Bruno Tonioli exclaimed, "Big boys can dance!"

The 82-year-old Leachman, who is the oldest person ever to compete on the A-B-C show, garnered a standing ovation after her routine. Bruno lovingly compared her Foxtrot to a battleship, saying, "You were floating around out there with the imposing presence of Battleship Geriatrica, but with a bit of a refit you'll turn into the Enterprise." She pleaded with the judges to go easy on her, even going so far as to sit in judge Carrie Ann Inaba's lap. Leachman, best known for her role in 1974's Young Frankenstein, received the fourth-worst score (16).

The lowest scores belonged to chef Rocco DiSpirito, who was told he "lacked finesse," and potbellied comic Jeffrey Ross, who exhibited bad "form." Tonight one of the 13 contestants will be eliminated based on votes by the viewers. -- James Aquilone

Dancing With the Stars leader board

TEAM
SCORE

Brooke Burke & Derek Hough
23

Lance Bass & Lacey Shwimmer
22

Toni Braxton & Alec Mazo
22

Misty May-Treanor & Maksim Chmerkovskiy
21

Warren Sappe & Kym Johnson
21

Kim Kardashian & Mark Ballas
19

Cody Linley & Julianne Hough
18

Maurice Greene & Cheryl Burke
18

Ted McGinley & Inna Brayer
18

Cloris Leachman & Corky Ballas
16

Susan Lucci & Tony Dovolani
15

Rocco DiSpirito & Karina Smirnoff
14

Jeffrey Ross & Edyta Sliwinska
12

The latest fashions for our feet!

Fall is here so get ready for new fashions for your feet...from shoe booties to fringe. DSW calls them the lust list. They are the most lust worthy trends for fall. No matter how many shoes are in your closet, there's always room for more.

And if you're strapped for cash, don't stress. You don't have to purchase a payment plan to add designer shoe trends to your attire.

I got a chance to speak with L.A. Stylist, Kara Birkenstock about the Lust List and the latest trends.

Want to hear the whole interview? click here

Genetically engineered food

Genetically modified (GM) foods are food products that have had their DNA directly altered through genetic engineering. Unlike conventional genetic modification that is carried out through time-tested conventional breeding and that have been consumed for thousands of years, GM foods were first put on the market in the early 1990s. The most common modified foods are derived from plants: soybean, corn, canola, and cotton seed oil.[1][2]

Many major controversies surround genetically engineered crops and foods. These commonly focus on the health and safety effects on human children, long-term health effects for anyone eating them, environmental safety, labeling and consumer choice, intellectual property rights, ethics, food security, poverty reduction, environmental conservation, and potential disruption or even possible destruction of the food chain. The multi-national corporations and governments engaged in the genetic engineering of food claim the technology to be a boon for the human race, while many health-conscious people believe it to be a potential and/or actual disaster.

Learn more about GM foods.