Here are this weekend's reading diversions for your personal enlightenment. Have a great weekend!
Why Do We Have Christmas Trees? | Christian History
The evergreen tree was an ancient symbol of life in the midst of winter. Romans decorated their houses with evergreen branches during the New Year, and ancient inhabitants of northern Europe cut evergreen trees and planted them in boxes inside their houses in wintertime. Many early Christians were hostile to such practices. The second-century theologian Tertullian condemned those Christians who celebrated the winter festivals, or decorated their houses with laurel boughs in honor of the emperor:
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Light at Night Creates Changes in Brain Related to Depression | Psych Central News
Exposure to even a dim night-time light may cause physical changes in the brain linked to depression, according to an Ohio State University hamster study.
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Alcohol Abuse: Do You Drink Too Much? - AOL Health
Go on: Have another. You'll be hailing the cab anyway as you're a bit over the limit now. As for tomorrow, you survived work with a hangover last Tuesday, didn't you? Besides, it's your boss offering the next round! Make it a pint. Oh, and mental note: Don't forget to pick up some beer tomorrow for Sunday's game.
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10 Habits for a Stronger Heart - AOL Health
Men who drink that many 8-ounce glasses are 54 percent less likely to have a fatal heart attack than those who drink two or fewer. Researchers say the water dilutes the blood, making it less likely to clot.
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Keeping Kids Healthy During Back-to-School Season - AOL Health
So how can you keep your kids healthier? Teaching and enforcing good hygiene habits is key. "Hand washing really is the most important thing," Fischetti said, explaining that touching infected surfaces and then touching your mouth or eating food you handled is a prime transmission route.
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Christine Carter, PhD: Teenagers: Are Yours More Entitled Than Grateful?
"My teenager is just not grateful for anything we do for him. I keep trying to introduce gratitude practices into our family dinners, but he just sulks through them. What can I do?" I hear this a lot in my classes for parents.
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Dr. Maoshing Ni: The Top 5 Ways to Live Longer, Stronger and Happier
Life in the 21st century can certainly derail our longevity plans! Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, too little physical activity, unhappiness and daily stress are five major rapid-aging culprits that wreak havoc on our health and shorten our lifespan.
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Leo Galland, M.D.: How To Recover From Thanksgiving Excess (PHOTOS)
Holiday shopping, parties and the stress of the season create the perfect storm that can lead you to eat -- and drink -- in a way you hadn't planned
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Gretchen Rubin: Back to the Basics of Happiness: Smile!
I'm not a very smiley person, and lately I've noticed that when I do smile, my face sometimes feels like I haven't smiled in a long time.
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Dr. Maoshing Ni: The Top 5 Ways to Live Longer, Stronger and Happier
Life in the 21st century can certainly derail our longevity plans! Lack of sleep, poor nutrition, too little physical activity, unhappiness and daily stress are five major rapid-aging culprits that wreak havoc on our health and shorten our lifespan.
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Vitamin D: More Is Not Necessarily Better, Long-Awaited Diet Guidelines Show
Got milk? You may need a couple cups more than today's food labels say to get enough vitamin D for strong bones. But don't go overboard: Long-awaited new dietary guidelines say there's no proof that megadoses prevent cancer or other ailments ā sure to frustrate backers of the so-called sunshine vitamin.
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Why sitting all day is slowly killing you - TODAY Health - TODAYshow.com
Do you lead an active lifestyle or a sedentary one? The question is simple, but the answer may not be as obvious as you think. Let's say, for example, you're a busy guy who works 60 hours a week at a desk job but who still manages to find time for five 45-minute bouts of exercise. Most experts would label you as active.
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Leslie Nielsen Quotes: Funniest Jokes From Comedian's Characters In 'Airplane' And 'Naked Gun'
Surely, he would have wanted us to remember him with the same joy and tears of laughter that he brought us throughout his career.
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8 bad eating habits to break - Weight Management - Body & Health
Do you skip meals? You set yourself up for trouble when you skip breakfast or work straight through your lunch. Delaying meals and ignoring hunger often leads to overeating or opting for whatever food is closest to your mouth, regardless of how nutritious it is (see the previous tip!). Regularly eat breakfast to lower your risk of developing insulin resistance (a diabetes risk) and your cholesterol (a heart disease risk).
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Probiotics May Have Some Benefits For Kids
A leading medical group says there's some evidence that probiotics, or "good" bacteria, may have limited benefits for certain illnesses in children.
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Riva Greenberg: What Does It Take to Stay Happy When Times Are Tough?
I wonder almost every day why the world hasn't yet realized that the attainment of wealth, status, bigger houses, having the latest gadget -- and being the star of your own reality TV show -- doesn't make people happy. In fact, it leaves many miserable.
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