Blog Posts by Blisstree Editors

OK, so apparently I'm the only one who thought naked yoga was something to be done in the privacy of one's own home - preferably in a dim-lit area void of mirrors, windows and nosy, sniffing dogs. But, according to a new report, "exposing" yourself to the benefits of this practice in a public class along with other sans-clothes enthusiasts is a growing trend.

I'm all for a little nakedness from time to time, but all of this brings up more questions than answers. Like, how exactly is one supposed to focus in class when you have someone else's asana all up in your space? Is that boob or butt supposed to be your new drishti? What happens during poses like wide-leg straddle, crow and half-moon when your lady parts are on full display? Won't men be wagging their dog all over the place? How are you supposed to react when the teacher comes up behind you to give you an assist during downward dog? Doesn't your mat get all kinds of yuck on it? And, what's a girl supposed to do during that

It's no secret that Americans have an obesity problem, but since we're awfully skilled at looking away from the scale and towards our next drive thru, it can't hurt to take a moment to check in with the numbers: According to an annual report from the Trust for America's Health, adult obesity rates have gone up in 16 states between 2008 and 2010 (and gone down in none). Which puts over two-thirds of U.S. states at obesity rates of over 25 percent, while only one state - Colorado - has a rate lower than 20 percent.

You could roll your eyes and tell me you've heard it before; you could question all these studies' definitions of "obese." But if I told you that 25% of the population had AIDS, you'd be frantic. Everyone would freak out. The news would make front-page headlines. We'd be raising funds to resolve an epidemic; in fact, that's exactly the reaction that the world's highest AIDS rates, which hover around six percent in Sub-Saharan Africa according to the most recent report

You know how a night of heavy drinking can leave you foggy the next day? Not only is your head throbbing and your stomach swirling, but you can't remember a damn thing. The old theory was that you must have killed a lot of brain cells. Why else would we be acting so stupid, right? Turns out, we didn't lose any of our precious brain parts - we just doused them with so much booze that they stopped working for a while.

A new research study published in the Journal of Neuroscience reported that high levels of alcohol can temporarily impair the parts of your brain that are responsible for memory, but no long-term damage has been confirmed according to study researcherCharles Zorumski, of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The reason, then, for these frustrating blank spots? Apparently, when bathed in alcohol, brain cells lose their ability to connect and communicate with other

Last week I reported on a study about body image and how a woman's impression of her looks is most heavily influenced by what others thinks - not what she thinks. Of course, 0nce we get past caring about other people's impressions, most of us have an opinion on our own looks, too. But our beauty compass is still largely defined by how we judge others.

Body Image: Do Ads Make You Feel Better Or Worse About Your Looks?

Be honest, if you're surrounded by a group of gorgeous women, aren't you more likely to feel inferior or insecure about how you look? It's like all of a sudden there is pressure to up the ante and pull out our sexiest attire and spend more time in the mirror than necessary when you know you're going to be around other women who have done the same. On the flip side, when you're with a more down-to-earth, no-fuss crowd, you tend to be more relaxed about your looks, right?

Psychologist Carlin Flora explains:

Many of us who have struggled with weight over the years were thrilled when all those low-fat and fat-free food products hit the market. But the low-fat era only resulted in the fattening of North America. Although these products were indeed lower in fat, the fats were simply replaced with sugar to make them taste better. (The exceptions to this general rule are low fat cheeses and milk, but non-fat yogurt, unless it is f-- e, is still one to steer away from).

We now know fats - healthy fats - are needed for fat loss. They help us feel full and satisfied because of their effects on our appetite-controlling hormones, leptin and CCK. They prevent cravings and actually help us to lose weight when we consume them in the right forms and amounts. Very convincing evidence of this comes from a team of scientists at the Washington University School of Medicine. Their research showed that old fat stored around the belly, thighs or butt cannot be burned off effectively unless we have new

If you ask women about their most erotic fantasies, sex expert Dr. Laura Schlessinger says most of us won't fess up. Typical responses range from, "Oh, I don't have them. That would be rude." Or, "I can't talk about them. They're really sick." And even, "What difference does it make? He would never do them."

Sick or rude? How can using our sexuality in a consentual, healthy, empowering way elicit such shyness, embarrassment and shame? It's like saying good girls don't think that way or do those things. But as anyone who has been in a long-term relationships knows, sometimes monogamy equals monotony. That's when Dr. Laura says fantasies can spice things up:

3 Percent Of Couples Have Sex Once A Day

The Fourth of July is just days away, which means no shortage of backyard BBQs and festive holiday parties this weekend. But as much as we love all that cookout grub, it can easily mean a few hundred extra calories between potato salad, sausages, chips, and patriotic Jell-O desserts. But no one wants to show up for a party with snacks that taste like cardboard, we asked some of our healthiest friends and experts to give us their favorite healthy recipes that hosts andguests will love.

Check out our best recipes for dips, salads, desserts - we even have a sugar-free BBQ sauce - so you don't have to worry about eating bite-sized portions to make sure your Fourth of July doesn't leave you four pounds heavier:

• Sugar-Free BBQ Sauce
• Low-Fat Beet Tzatziki
• Edamame Salad
• Easiest Greek Salad Ever
• Open-Faced Grilled Vegetable Sandwiches
• Watermelon, Haloumi, Basil-Mint Salad
• Sugar-Free Pavlova With Yogurt and Berries

If you had Type 2 Diabetes, and you knew that living on 600 calories per day for eight weeks would cure it, would you try it?

For me, the question seems like a no-brainer-but, apparently, not everyone feels the same way. The headline for this L.A. Times article on the subject-'British researchers develop "cure" for Type 2 diabetes: Starve yourself'-frames the whole business as preposterous, from the scare quotes around "cure" to equating a few weeks of calorie restriction to starvation (no, eight weeks on 600 calories a day will not be entirely pleasant, but it does not, especially for folks severely overweight to start with, especially eating a balanced diet, amount to starvation).

Taking Pre-Diabetes More Seriously

Type 2 diabetes-in contrast to Type 1 diabetes, which is usually developed in childhood and is independent of lifestyle factors-is usually developed later in life, and most often due to poor nutrition and lifestyle. Adults with diabetes have heart disease