Blog Posts by genConnect.com

We got the blues. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly one in 10 adults in the United States suffer from depression.

When the CDC polled 235,000 adults from 2006 to 2008 in 45 states, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, nine percent of them met the criteria for depression -- and 3.4 percent were found to have "major" depression.

So, why the gloomy nation? Unemployment was a major factor, according to the findings. The researchers also believe that one's physical health relates to mental well-being.

Dr. Janet Taylor - clinical instructor of psychiatry at Columbia University at Harlem Hospital and frequent "Today" show contributor - on the signs that your low spirits may mean that you're clinically depressed. (Click here to watch the video)

The two indicators are time and duration. If you feel down, depressed, sad and with a loss of interest that lasts longer than two weeks it could mean that you're clinically depressed. If your

Last year, Americans spent about $4.2 billion alone on at-home exercise equipment, triple the $1.3 billion spent in 1990, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. Most bought treadmills, the country's No. 1 choice for the home gym.

Considering the billions of dollars spent on exercise, we are clearly on the right track. But exercise doesn't have to be so costly. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on a home gym, you can actually spend less than $100 and burn just as many calories!

All you need are a few essentials: a step, jump rope, exercise bands, and a pedometer, according to Kathy Kaehler, "Today Show" fitness contributor, celebrity trainer and author of How to Get a Hollywood Body; in Just 30 Minutes a Day'(Broadway Books, $22.95).

The products' simplicity, low cost and effectiveness make them enticing, says Ed Howley, past president of the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis. They are part f a larger national movement that

Today the "sandwich generation" - people most often between the ages of 35 and 55 - may find themselves providing care for aging parents and their children under age 21. This group of people is often called "sandwich generation" because they are wedged between dual caregiving responsibilities.

The sandwich generation keeps getting bigger as a result of women bearing children later in life, more women working, and parents living longer due to improved healthcare technology. A national study conducted for AARP shows many older Baby Boomers are confidently assuming these dual caregiving responsibilities because they are well-educated, work full-time with above average incomes, and are married. In fact, more than 70 percent are providing care simultaneously for their parents and children, and believe they're managing quite well and surprisingly with very little stress. These Boomers may also have fewer children under the age of 21, and may have other children over the age of 21 who

I am wondering if your issue isn't actually that you "intimidate" men, but rather that you come across as "snooty?" I have met several very successful career women (and men) who flaunt their status, and not many people actually like them as a result.

First, I want you to do some "market research" (you're a business woman after all, so you understand the value of this exercise!). Ask for very candid feedback from three men and three women about your personal style. Be sure to select these people (friends, family, colleagues, even your hair stylist?) for their honesty: you are looking for real help here, not self-affirmation. If there are consistent issues that arise with the feedback, take them to heart and try to make some adjustments accordingly. This will verify whether the "intimidation" issue is really the root cause of your dating problem, not an alienating personal style.

Second, you may very well intimidate men with your achievements, and that is a common problem

When you look at the Ad Age Power 150 and Twitter Grader Elite the top spots in social media are spoken for by men. However, we think these 10 women are also top contenders in this arena.

Their community-centered practices have allowed them to create very strong platforms. Their messages are read far and wide through their blogs, tweet streams and Facebook presences. They also continue to be be future-thinkers, early adapters and creative users to how they use the Internet to communicate. Here are the 10 power females who deserve recognition for the roles they play in social media.

1. Jessica Gottlieb (@JessicaGottlieb) is the voice of mommy bloggers who mean business. Jessica's background is in consulting online retailers on how to be succeed on eBay. Her blog http://www.jessicagottlieb.com provides inspiration to fellow bloggers who want to make a living blogging - despite the obstacles. What we dig most about this Jessica is her style. She doesn't just tweet links to her

If you have a job that you want to keep, here are five techniques to avoiding a pink slip.

1) Invest in yourself

Brush up on your skills, experience and education. What's missing from your resume? What can make you more valuable to your employer? Identify a class to take, a work project to volunteer for. It is time and money well spent.

2) Make yourself indispensable

Pitch in on extra projects, work overtime if needed. Ask your boss how you can help during these tough times. Let them know you are there, and are willing to do what it takes to help the company pull through.

3) Define your unique skill set

What makes you stand out from your peers in your industry? What unique skill(s) do you possess that you can leverage during this time to demonstrate your value and worth to your employer? Identify it - communicate it - leverage it.

4) Be proactive - network now

Expand your network now. Develop alliances within your industry - for yourself and your

Life in the 21st century poses a whole new set of circumstances and challenges that our ancestors never imagined. With the advent and constant innovation of communication and digital media, the way we receive information is constantly changing - and it's no longer passive. Instant cell phone messaging, Skype calls, friends updating online statuses, RSS feeds, radio on-demand … The world is constantly available at our fingertips. While an omnipresent world offers numerous benefits, it also causes us to feel pressured to keep abreast on our updates, resulting in stolen attention and a scattered focus.

In my sixteen years of experience in teaching employees how to work at their peak performance-level, I've come to believe that the secret to productivity is the ability to effectively control your attention. Here are eight of the more tempting "attention thieves" and ways to handle them:

1. Twitter -- This can be an informative tool or a time sink. If you use it as a business

CC via Flickr by MrUllmiFor lovers of life, staying as young as we can for as long as we can is our only hope for extending this love affair until. that inevitable hour when our time has come.

As a society, we spend millions of dollars on skin-care products, cosmetic surgery, organic foods, preventative medicine, supplements, books and media in an attempt to educate ourselves and make wise decisions on how to maximize our health and live longer lives.

We read what we can on the topic, listen to the experts and implement as many adjustments to our lifestyles as possible in an attempt to stay younger longer.

Probably the single most important element that has a positive effect on our longevity is an intelligent movement and exercise program. Over the past couple of decades, the fitness industry has grown in leaps and bounds - mainly because people are feeling the benefits of a regular movement/exercise program.

Your "healthy habits" result in more energy, reduced stress, lower cholesterol, better