Blog Posts by Oprah.com

Photo: ThinkstockBy Corrie Pikul

They Can Get It Up in the Womb

Fetuses as young as 16 weeks have been spotted with teensy protuberances that rise and fall throughout gestation, according to studies in the Journal of Ultrasound Medicine. Scientists aren't sure why this happens, but one theory, reported in the Los Angeles Times, is that these periodic movements help the penile tissue stay oxygenated and healthy.

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Even the Most Masculine of Them Aren't Exactly Surging with Testosterone

Early in a life, males experience two bursts of testosterone: one tells their genitalia to develop male characteristics, and the other is believed to imprint a male pattern on their brains, writes urologist Abraham Morgentaler, MD, FACS, in his forthcoming book, Why Men Fake It: The Totally Unexpected Truth About Men and Sex. From shortly after birth and throughout childhood, though, little boys and girls have the same nearly undetectable levels of

Photo: ThinkstockBy Corrie Pikul

Here we are again: bleary-eyed and foggy-brained. We've heard the experts repeatedly warn against getting less than seven to eight hours of quality sleep a night, but you know what? Those experts don't have any advice for dealing with a crying baby, a raucous neighbor, a seriously aching back or a demanding boss who enforces impossible deadlines. Instead, they remind us how hard it is to make up for sleep deficits. If you went to bed late for five nights in a row, says Clete A. Kushida, MD, PhD, medical director of Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, it will take another five nights (and then some!) of turning in a little earlier to feel fully rested. But we don't have a week. We need to wake up now.

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Kushida suggests that a well-orchestrated catnap can be the best solution. "A brief rest will probably keep you going for the rest of the workday," Kushida says. Research has shown that just a few minutes of shut-eye will

Photo: Sergio KurhajecBy Jenny Bailly

Colorist Rick Wellman of the Patrick Melville Salon & Spa in New York City offers his tips for getting rid of grays.

The Trick: Cover gray roots and revitalize natural color.

The Tools: John Frieda Precision Foam Colour in Deep Brown Black and Deep Cherry Brown ($13 each; drugstores)

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The Method: For Khadijah Queen, Wellman prescribes two shades of a permanent foam dye--dark brown for her gray roots and rich cherry for the length of her hair. "Foam dyes are the best choice for women who have very thick hair," he says. Why two colors? Applying brown from roots to ends could create a severe, monotone effect, and putting cherry or mahogany shades on gray hair can result in a pink tint. Together, though, the colors cover gray and create a vibrant shade with subtle dimension.

Step 1
Mix the dark brown dye in the bottle, dispense the foam into a bowl, and, using a two-inch foam brush, apply it to the roots, starting

Photo: Thinkstock By Lynn Andriani

Turn Cauliflower into Steak

The old way: Trim off and discard the stems; roast or boil the florets. 



The new way: Sear it and bake it--like you would do with a rib eye--which makes the exterior crisp and the inside soft. Bonus: You don't throw anything out. Cut the entire head into inch-thick slices, forming cauliflower "steaks." Season with salt and pepper, and brown in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil until golden brown, about three minutes per side. Finish in a 350-degree oven, baking for 10 minutes or until tender.

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Photo: ThinkstockBring Tilapia to the Tropics

The old way: Olive oil, garlic, lemon, broil, yawn. 



The new way: Pair the fish (which famously--or infamously, depending on how much you like seafood--doesn't taste like fish) with bold flavors. Our latest go-to: Puree some mango chunks, a dash of coconut milk and even smaller dashes of fish sauce and chili powder; then pour the

Photo: Marianne HaasBy Jena Pincott

Your Parents Were Yuppies
A person born to a couple in their 30s grows up to find older faces more attractive than does one with younger parents, finds a study from the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland. That is, college-aged women with "older" parents were likelier to find wrinkled, weathered faces attractive for either a fling or a marriage. The same was found for young men when considering a woman for a long-term relationship. (Take note: Only a man's mother's age, not his father's, influenced his attraction to older women.)

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Your Limbal Rings Are Riveting
The eye's limbal ring goes in the category of overlooked but not unseen. It's the dark circle around the iris that enhances the whiteness and brightness of the sclera (the whites of the eyes). Researchers at the University of California at Irvine asked people to rate sets of faces that were identical except for the eyes--one had dark and distinct limbal

By Rose Tarlow

Photo: ThinkstockBy Corrie Pikul

The last thing a yogi wants to do is create stress--or talk about it. But when we asked these top instructors to tell us what they're really thinking, they divulged a few pet peeves (as well as some secret tips for Zen seekers). Here's what kept coming up.

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1. If you're more than 10 minutes late, please consider skipping the class--even if we welcome you in.
"Coming in late can not only be distracting to the rest of the class, it can also lead to injury, especially if you've missed the warm-up and sun salutations. Peek into the room. If people are still sitting on the ground, then it's fine to join in. It's even better if you can wait until we're getting up, because then it's less disruptive for everyone to move over."
-- Kristin McGee, a New York-based instructor for more than 15 years, creator of over 15 yoga and Pilates DVDs and an iPhone app.

2. Definitely bring your own mat...
"Most studios are good

Photo: Michael Maren

Karen Thompson Walker, author of the The Age of Miracles: A Novel (now out in paperback) reveals the kind of "I'm sorry" that can turn a marital mistake into a moment of connection.

1. I'm sorry I locked us out of our apartment building that night last January, while you were dragging our Christmas tree out to the curb and it was 20 degrees outside and we didn't have our coats or our phones. But I saw the tree catch in the wind like a sail, and I could tell that you were about to run out into the street after it, and I wanted to help you, so I ran outside, too, but you know how forgetful I am and how absentminded, and I guess we'd be stranded like that a lot more often if you were that way, too.

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2. I'm sorry I was too shy to tell you how I felt when we were 18 and lived on the same dorm floor, and so instead I just stood in the hall, talking loudly to other people, hoping you might hear my voice and want to open your door, which