Breaking Up is Hard to Do

Saying goodbye is never easy. It can be especially hard when one person wants to go their own way, but the other person is perfectly happy where they are. The end of a romantic relationship is an earth-shattering experience that will resonate for a very long time.

Breaking up is hard. Getting dumped might be harder. Whether you are the one breaking up or the one on the losing end, holding onto your dignity and sense of hope is important.

Who hasn’t heard or even said those famous kiss-off words. Remember that the breakup is not about you - it’s about the end of a relationship. People change, relationships change, and sometimes they just don’t work anymore.

Make a Clean Break
If you’ve been dumped, keeping your new ex around will only make the longing worse. If you were the one who did the breaking up, the guilt will eat at you every time you see your former lover. It’s best to make a clean break–at least for now–and revisit the thought of a friendship in the future.

Give Yourself Time
The worst thing you can do after a breakup is play the rebound game. Allow yourself some time to grieve the loss, and then take some time to figure out what you really want in life.

You Will Recover!
The initial pain of a breakup might consume you. You might wonder if you will ever feel whole again. But as the days go by, moving forward will get easier…and eventually you will be ready to give your whole heart again.

Let’s face it. Breakups stink. But don’t let a bad breakup keep you from trying to find the right one for you. Relationships might end, but hope shouldn’t.

Shannon Dauphin

Shannon Dauphin is a researcher, novelist, occasional editor, and owner of a booming freelance business. Her most important job, however, is being Mom to the coolest kids she has ever met.

Would You Ever Use an Online Dating Service?

Do you know someone who met their true love through online dating? Internet dating used to be fodder for jokes, and those who tried it were labeled as desperate. But now that so many people are finding lasting love through the magic of profiles, nobody is laughing anymore!

Online dating can be a fun and easy way to meet someone new. But keep in mind that when you respond to that profile, you’re talking to a stranger. So please, don’t give out personal information or you could be setting yourself up for a stalker moment. Someone can find you easily with just your first and last name or your home number. Keep conversations on a first-name basis. Use a prepaid cell phone for your calls, and set up your profile with a free, anonymous email account.

Ask for a recent photo. Getting a good look at the person you are talking to isn’t about whether they are your type, it’s about honesty. If the person looks different from their photo when you meet them, then you know they weren’t entirely honest–and what else would they lie about?

When you do meet, make sure it is a public place. Never agree to be picked up at your house; provide your own transportation instead. Tell a friend where you are, and carry your cell phone.

Above all, listen to your gut about this person. If you have a bad feeling, there’s a reason. No matter how good they sound or how wonderful they seem, trust your instincts.

Who knows, maybe you and your new love will end up featured on some sappy commercial someday, talking about your online romance.

Shannon Dauphin

Shannon Dauphin is a researcher, novelist, occasional editor, and owner of a booming freelance business. Her most important job, however, is being Mom to the coolest kids she has ever met.

     Joe Tracy • Online Dating Safety Tips • 0000-00-00 

     http://www.onlinedatingmagazine.com
http://www.onlinedatingmagazine.com/features/onlinedatingsafetytips.html

Birds, Bees, and Blushing: Talking to Your Kids About Sex

The mere thought of talking about sex with kids can make even the most cool and collected parent stammer for the right words. Talking about sex is hard, but it’s worth the uncomfortable moments–studies show that those kids who felt they could talk openly about sex with their parents were much less likely to engage in high-risk behavior.

Talking about sex becomes easier if you start the discussions early. When your child is learning the words for fingers and toes, start lessons about naming other body parts, too. Assign the proper names to them–steer clear of the cute nicknames for their privates.

As your child grows, keep the conversations age-appropriate. A young child should be able to understand a basic explanation of how babies are made. Anticipate your child’s next stage of development and discuss what they will experience. For instance, eight years old is an appropriate age to discuss menstruation with a young lady, and ten or eleven is not too young to discuss the consequences of unwanted pregnancy.

If you’re uncomfortable talking about sex with your child, be honest about that, too. Acknowledging that you both feel a bit awkward can be the perfect way to break the ice. By the time your child is a teenager, you will be comfortable talking about more adult subjects, such as sexually transmitted diseases.

Keep the doors of communication wide open! It is the best way to make certain your child has the information they need about sex, and the trust you foster now will last a lifetime.

Shannon Dauphin

Shannon Dauphin is a researcher, novelist, occasional editor, and owner of a booming freelance business. Her most important job, however, is being Mom to the coolest kids she has ever met.

     Talking with Kids About Sex and Relationships • 0000-00-00
http://www.talkingwithkids.org
http://www.talkingwithkids.org/sex.html

Top Five Diet and Exercise Myths

In fact, going for a thirty minute walk several days a week can help you lose weight and get in shape. Beginners can break the walk into smaller chunks if thirty minutes at a time is too much. Aim for three ten minute walks throughout the day. Try to walk fast enough to get your heart rate elevated. If you’re too out of breath to talk comfortably, you’re going too fast.

Stretching can help improve your flexibility, posture, and balance. It boosts circulation and even relieve stress. In short, stretching is an essential part of any exercise routine.

When it comes to losing weight, it doesn’t matter what time of day you eat. What matters is that you burn more calories than you consume throughout the day.

Studies have suggested that an occasional treat can actually help you lose weight, since you ‘re less likely to rebel against your diet and binge. If you’re craving a piece of chocolate or even an ice cream sundae with hot fudge and whip cream, then go for it. Just adjust your other meals accordingly.

Unfortunately, you can’t spot reduce. The only way to get a flat stomach is to exercise regularly and lose weight overall. Working your abs will tone them, but you won’t see the results without getting rid of the flab.

Laura Horwitz

    Joseph Brownstein • Working Out the Kinks in 10 Exercise Myths • Feb 04, 2009 • ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=6797940&page=1

    Charli Penn • Smart fitness tips for stressed-out brides • Apr 28, 2009 • The State
http://www.thestate.com
http://www.thestate.com/health/story/765307.html

     Dr. Nancy Snyderman • Debunking 10 Myths About Dieting • May 13, 2009 • Time
http://www.time.com
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1896439_1896359,00.html

Any exercise at all is better than none. So why the common misconception that you must do twenty (or even thirty) minutes of cardio? Many people believe that it can take about twenty minutes before you start to burn fat effectively. But any exercise can help with weight loss since it at least burns some calories. In addition, any cardio exercise, even ten minutes worth, helps lower cholesterol levels and improves heart function.

If your goal is to burn fat, however, then you need to exercise at 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, and it can take a bit of time for your heart to reach that rate. To calculate that number, subtract your age from 220, and that number is your maximum heart rate per minute. So if you’re 30, your maximum heart rate is 190. 60%-80% of that is 114-152 (0.6×190 and 0.8×190).

The myth of needing twenty minutes of cardio does exist for a reason: Your body gets the most benefits in terms of weight loss and maintaining a healthy heart by exercising for twenty minutes at an elevated heart rate. But experts agree that if you can only exercise for ten minutes, or five minutes, you should do it. It still benefits your health. And if you have kids, this advice applies to them too. If they don’t play sports and you’re having trouble getting them away from their computer or video games, try getting them moving for just five minutes several times a day. Their fitness will improve.

Laura Horwitz

Laura Horwitz has worked as a freelance writer and researcher for nine years in both London and the U.S., focusing frequently on education, career, diet, and exercise advice. She has also taught English and journalism. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

     Sporadic play activity as beneficial to child health as continuous bouts of exercise, study suggests • May 11, 2009 • Physorg.com
http://www.physorg.com
http://www.physorg.com/news161257903.html

     Heather Hatfield • Kick It Up With Cardio Exercise • Dec 01, 2005 • Web MD
http://www.webmd.com
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/kick-up-with-cardio-exercise

What’s the Master Cleanser Diet?

The Master Cleanser is an extreme detox diet that involves drinking a mixture of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper several times a day. And that’s it. You aren’t allowed to consume anything else other than that concoction and water for a minimum of ten days.

The theory is that detox diets flush the body of built up toxins, yet no scientific evidence supports this. Diet and nutrition experts explain that the body’s organs, such as the liver and kidneys, perform this function on a daily basis. In addition, an extreme diet like the Master Cleanser can cause serious health problems since it disrupts the potassium levels in the body, which can lead to heart problems.

Many people who have done the Master Cleanser, however, love its benefits and say it makes them feel more energized and even more spiritual. I personally don’t believe the numerous side-effects, particularly the potentially serious side effects it can have on your metabolism or digestion, are worth it.

By contrast, many healthy diets, even "cleanses," do exist. One has recently been made popular by Oprah, and it’s called "Quantum Wellness." Instead of shocking your body by sending it into starvation mode, it calls for a regimen of strict, healthy eating: You can’t eat sugar, caffeine, alcohol, gluten, or animal products for twenty-one days. This diet still contains all of the nutrition you need, and it doesn’t deprive you of calories so you don’t feel hungry.

Laura Horwitz

Laura Horwitz has worked as a freelance writer and researcher for nine years in both London and the US, focusing frequently on education and career advice. She has also taught English and journalism. Her work has appeared in Film Focus, RH Review, 6 Degrees Film, and BizBash magazines

Ali Gorman, R.N. & Cheryl Mettendorf • What health experts say about detox diets • May 07, 2009 • ABC 6
http://abclocal.go.com
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/health&id=6802253

Patrika Tsai • The Real Deal on the Master Cleanse Diet • Jan 24, 2007 • Health Central
http://www.healthcentral.com
http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/c/56/3124/real-deal-diet/

Irina Aleksander • Not so fast! Kathy Freston sets pace overheated cleansing party • May 07, 2009 • New York Observer
http://www.observer.com
http://www.observer.com/2009/daily-transom/not-so-fast-kathy-freston-sets-pace-overheated-cleansing-party