Blog Posts by genConnect.com

When it comes to getting summer wine recommendations for you, genConnect goes directly to the most reputable source: The country's top sommeliers.

At the 2011 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, genConnect connected with some of the finest wine gurus in the United States and beyond to get their picks for which bottles you should have on your wine racks and shelves this summer.

Here's what some of them had to say:

Marnie Old @MarnieOld - Leading wine personality, host of Philly.com's weekly wine and spirits webisode series "Uncorked," and author of Wine Secrets, a collection of practical wine advice shared by 40 of the world's top wine experts. Watch genConnect's video interview with Marnie here.

Q. You recommend Rieslings in the summer. What reds would you recommend?

A. "Riesling is at the very top of my list … it is so refreshing," Old said. "I want a wine where I can finish a glass and want another … any day at any time."

As for which red she would pick, her

Let's toast to more women in wine. The wine industry, which has traditionally been male dominated, has evolved over the last 20 years to include an increasing number of women participating in all aspects of the wine industry.

Women are becoming winery owners, sommeliers, writers, educators, winemakers and vineyard managers. From the way they purchase, taste and evaluate wine, women have made a lasting impression.

"About 80 percent of wine purchase decisions are made by women," said Mary Ann Vangrin, Director of Communications and Social Media at The Wine Sisterhood, a digital community promoting wine conversations to engage female consumers. "This creates a huge female marketplace." (Watch Aliza Sherman discuss The Wine Sisterhood )

And more women are pouring into the marketplace. At the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, June 17-19, where genConnect will be official press, the lineup of presenters includes talented female wine experts. Not only do these experts hold advanced

As former International Monetary Fund Chief Dominique Strauss Kahn pleaded not guilty to rape Monday, many are wondering whether the IMF will soon see its first female leader: France's Finance Minister Christine Lagarde.

Lagarde, who has the support of U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, is touring the globe to promote her candidacy and espouse her views that developing countries should have more power at the IMF. The IMF is an organization of 187 countries that work to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment, sustain economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. Countries have until the end of this week to nominate a candidate and the IMF wants to make its final decision by June 30.

Here are 8 facts about Christine Lagarde:

1. She is 55 and mother of two children.

2. In 2009, Lagarde was ranked 17th in the list of most influential women in the world by Forbes and 5th in the Women's

By Elisabeth Halfpapp/ genConnect

Add the office desk to the growing list of obesity contributors. According to a recent study published in the PLoS ONE journal, a sizable contribution to the nation's rising obesity rate is the lack of physical activity during the workday. To find out how to turn the office environment into a calorie-burning zone, we reached out to fitness expert Elisabeth Halfpapp, founder of Exhale Spa and CoreFusion trainer.

Why you should move around every 20 minutes at the office.

• Exercise during the day. If possible, the company you work for should require their associates to exercise during the work day one hour, three times a week. It is in all Exhale Spa associate's job descriptions to take class 3 times a week!
• Posture at your desk. Ears over shoulders, shoulders over hips, and engage your abdominal to support your back. This will help avoid slouching and bring proper oxygen to the body.
• Get up from your desk. While up, try some leg

mother daughterBy Margery Fridstein, psychotherapist and child development specialist / genConnect.com

It's hard parenting an ADHD child. Don't let anyone tell you it isn't. As a parent you need to find strategies that are appropriate for your special child. Many ADHD kids are extremely distractible, often recklessly impulsive and so hyperactive that sitting still is almost impossible. However, never forget that they are wonderful and someday may be hugely successful, but living with them and helping them grow up is demanding. If it's any help, you're not alone. According to pediatrician Michael Reiff's research, 6 percent to 9 percent of the American school age population has this disorder. We now know that it's likely if a child is ADHD, that one of their parents were diagnosed or undiagnosed with ADHD when they were growing up. We once thought that this was a childhood problem but we now know that ADHD stays with a person throughout life.

In my long career as a psychotherapist and child

By Rachel Sussman, LCSW / genConnect.com

After a recent trip to the ballet, I read a fascinating article about the tremendous amount of knowledge and science that goes into keeping professional dancers in top form. Dance is so demanding on the body and a serious injury can be a huge set back for a performer resulting in a lengthy recovery. Today, highly skilled physical therapists help dancers know the limitations of their bodies and give them tools for preventing injuries. PTs also teach dancers to make accurate assessments because catching an injury early can dramatically improve the outcome and prevent a more serious injury down the road.

As a couple's therapist, this wise philosophy really resonates with me. I try to teach individuals and couples to identify potential problems and create lasting solutions before the problems become embedded in the relationship. When troubles are caught early on and worked through in a mature solution-focused style, this can be a real "teaching

By Dr. Marianne Brandon, clinical psychologist/ genConnect.com

Ask any mother and she'll tell you - sometimes sex is the last thing on her mind. It just makes sense, considering all the stresses and responsibilities involved in the world's most important profession. And when lack of interest lasts for more than a few weeks, a couple's intimate relationship can suffer. BUT here's some good news. These are five simple, almost effortless things you can do to maintain your intimate connection with your beloved, making him feel loved and appreciated-even when making love is the last thing on your mind!

1. Touch Him

Brush his cheek while you speak with him, stroke his arm lightly at dinner, hold his hand while watching TV, or rub his back while you hug. Touch can say things to him that words never could.

2. Make Eye Contact

When you greet him in the morning and evening, when you ask him about his day, even when you talk about household chores. Eye contact acknowledges

By Margery Fridstein, psychotherapist/ genConnect.com

Parents need to talk to their kids about sex. And they need to do it at a much earlier age than their parents talked to them.

I find that kids - some as young as 7 - who come to my office have no hesitancy in talking about sexual topics that they have picked up from their parents, their older siblings or the media. That doesn't mean they understand what they are saying, but they experience no taboos in talking about breasts, body parts and making out! As parents, we are proud when our kids are inquisitive and we consider it being a good parent to find answers for them. And sex is no different from understanding why the sky is blue or why mommy and daddy don't live together any more. Talking about sex doesn't require a special presentation; it needs to be as much a part of daily living as any other topic parents educate their kids about.

All the research tells us that kids are much less likely to act out sexually when they