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Kylie Minogue on life after
breast cancer  Monday, October 8th, 2007
Kylie Minogue speaks about her battle with breast cancer in the November issue of the British Glamour magazine. I'm not sure why she's on the cover of the Britain version and the U.S. Glamour has to look at Mariah Carey, but whatever. The inspirational singer, 39, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, which led to the postponement of her European tour. Her diagnosis, treatment, and hospitalization was splashed all over the media. Even Prime Minister John Howard issued a statement of support for her at the time. She underwent surgery and chemotherapy. She tells Glamour, "When you are stripped of everything and you have to grow your eyelashes back, grow your hair back, it's just astonishing. It's hard to express what I've learned from that, but a deep psychological and emotional shift has obviously taken place." "As far as my body goes, I've shrunk to nothing...I've ballooned - my body is not what it used to be. But it is the body I am in." Kylie, who split with hottie actor Olivier Martinez this year, says that she is still trying to find perfect harmony between her life and her work, and is still looking forward to having a family. "What I believed before my illness has only been enhanced since, and that's the beauty that comes from within."
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Chicks
only: Ten ways to ease menstrual cramps you
haven't tried
It can affect your mood at home and at work, make it difficult to concentrate, and hurt like hell. Well here's something for you to bookmark and use to combat Aunt Flo. Again, we're here for you, babe! We've compiled ten cool ways to ease the pain of menstrual cramps, naturally. You probably haven't tried them, but you may find your new monthly best friend: 1. Cinnamon tea. Drink up! Cinnamon increases circulation to the uterus and digestive tract, and has anesthetic and anodyne (painkilling) compounds. It can speed up the menstruation process and ease your cramps at the same time! Go ahead, sprinkle it on everything, girl. 2. Relax. When you're tense, you're muscles contract, and this will just make your clenched-up tummy worse. Sneak in some soothing music, lie down with your knees elevated, breathe deeply, and think happy thoughts. 3. Ginger. This herb has half a dozen pain-relieving compounds and six more compounds that reduce cramping. Ginger tea, salad dressing, or even minced on top of a tasty dish can actually become a trustworthy remedy for you. If you like ginger! 4. Avoid a lot of caffeine and sodium. Swap out the Pepsi for juice or tea for a few days - you're likely to feel a major difference. Both caffeine and sodium (high amounts of both are found in carbonated colas and energy drinks) significantly add to bloating and fatigue. The Vitamin C in juice will boost your immune system and help you feel better during your period, and caffeine tea (especially ginger or cinnamon, as mentioned above!) will help soothe you. 5. Boogie down. Light to moderate exercising like walking, stretching, or shaking those hips will stimulate circulation in the pelvic organs, which reduces cramping. 6. I'll take a massage, please. If you've got money to burn, you've got a 42% chance of having your cramps eased by getting a 15 minute massage with aromatherapy oils (lavendar, clary sage, rose, and/or almond oil) seven days before your period and once more on the first day of it. 7. Slap some parsley on your salad. Parsley has apiol, which is so effective at stimulating the menstrual process that it used to be used as a method of inducing abortion in the Middle Ages. Parsley can both relieve menstrual cramps and increase monthly regularity. 8. Banana flower. Eating cooked banana flower (not flour, silly) has been shown in many women to increase the amount of progesterone and reduce menstrual bleeding. Not sure what to do with a banana flower? Here are a few fun recipes to try: Banana Flower Salad; Banana Blossom Guinatan; Banana Flower and Rice Wine Poached Scallop; Banana Flower Chicken Salad. 9. Candles. Many studies have shown the benefits of reduced pain and depression levels through the simple method of scent affecting our moods. So choose your candle wisely: some of the top aromatherapy scents known for calming and relieving stress are lavendar, jasmine, chamomile, rose, sandalwood and vanilla. 10. Water. Taking a warm bath effectively battles menstrual symptoms in a couple of ways: it can cause your period to taper off temporarily to give you a break from cramping; the heat will dilate your blood vessels, enhancing circulation; the comfort of taking a bath and the water temperature can help relax your muscles. Don't forget - I'm a Talker, not a doctor, so if you have serious problems during your time of the month, seek the help of a professional physician! |
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Roundup: News you don't
want to miss
Crime: Interpol unswirls pedophile suspect photo, needs your help identifying him Source: Associated Press Political Humor: No matter what the question is, Rudy says 9/11 Source: NY Daily News Animals: Rebels seize habitat for endangered gorillas Source: CNN Celebrities: Double Diddy news. Sean P. Diddy Combs sued for $19 million; admits paternity of another child Source: NY Daily News; Perez Hilton U.S. News: Wisconsin town in shock after off-duty deputy kills six Source: CNN World News: Secret cremations hide Burma killings Source: Times Online Crime: FBI puts peaceful antiwar protestors in criminal database,
denies entry into Canada Source: OpEd News |
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Jim Carrey asks you to help the
situation in Burma
On September 18th, actor Jim Carrey posted a second message on YouTube for the U.S. Campaign for Burma and Human Rights Action Center: "A couple of weeks ago, I sent you a message about a hero of mine named Aung San Suu Kyi, a brave lady in Burma who won the Nobel Peace Prize and who has often been compared to Ghandi or Nelson Mandela. After she won 82% of the Parliamentary seats in her country, she was denied the right to govern, and held under house arrest by a military regime that has burned over 3,000 villages, forced millions from their homes, raped and tortured thousands, and recruited more child soldiers than any other country in the world. That message got a log of attention because a lot of you watched it. "Now I'd like to ask you to use that power again, by sending your very own e-mail to this address: inquiries@un.org, urging the UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon to coordinate a strong response by the United Nations Security Council to the situation in Burma. Right there in front of your keyboard, you have the power to help. You're the voice they'll listen to. So please, join me, and together we can find the love." And yesterday, Jim showed up and gave a speech to the UN Security Council about the situation in Burma. (On a shallow note, we are soooo glad he's finally gotten rid of the shaggy look! He's dapper once again!)
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Young Japanese teen wins
Rubik's Cube world title
Yu Nakajima, a 16-year old boy from Japan, won the Rubik's Cube world championship yesterday in Budapest (where the cube was invented three decades ago). Yu arranged the puzzle correctly five times in about 12.46 seconds. The fastest single attempt was won by Andrew Kang of the U.S., who came in second place. Participants from 33 countries took part in the contest, and Erno Rubik himself showed up, the inventor of the Rubik's cube. "I'm glad the cube is reaching new generations, who face it with fresh wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm," he said. Although Nakajima won the world championship, the world record of 9.86 seconds is still held by Thibaut Jacquinot of France, from just a few months ago. Now I'm totally jealous because I haven't solved a Rubik's cube once. Boy, I thought I was the world's master speller until I started news blogging. I always thought it was spelled Reubik's Cube. Then again, that's a name, so it doesn't really count as a misspell, does it?... |
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It's National Fire Prevention
Week: Be safe
October 7 - 13 is National Fire Prevention week. The object of the measure is to encourage families to have a plan when it comes to fire safety, and the theme for this year is "Practice Your Escape Plan!" The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) encourages having not only having a home fire escape plan, but making sure everyone in your household has practiced it. Call a family meeting, y'all! Here are some safety tips for the cause: 1. Consider creating a floorplan with two possible escape routes from each room where possible, including windows and doors. 2. Make sure all smoke detectors are always in working order. 3. Have someone assigned to assist any infants, elderly family members, or anyone in the household with mobility limitations, in case of an emergency. 4. Have someone assigned to be responsible for helping any pets out of the house. Don't forget your furry friends! 5. Have an outside meeting place specified, and once outside, NEVER go back in when there is a real fire! Also, check out NFPA.org, where you can download an escape grid, and even learn about how your family can be YouTube stars by videotaping your escape plan in action. |
| Barack Obama talks from A to Z,
Z being Paris Hilton Monday, October 8th, 2007
In an interview that aired October 1st, presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D.- Illinois) talked to Tyra Banks on her daytime talk show The Tyra Show about everything from politics to his family life to - what else? - Paris Hilton. Tyra, seemingly nervous at first, warmed up to Barack and whipped out a copy of The Audacity of Hope. "You know, I read both of your books," Tyra said. "I read Dreams of My Father, and I read The Audacity of Hope...cover to cover. Co-ver to co-ver." (Gee whiz, reading a book cover to cover is unheard of.) She pulled an excellent quote from it, though, and read it aloud: "It sometimes appears that Americans today value nothing so much as being rich, thin, young, famous, safe, and entertained." She then asks him a question about how he raises his two girls in the "young Hollywood" climate. Barack responds, "You know, the nice thing is, my older one - my nine-year-old, Malia - she's very down on Paris Hilton and all that. In fact, when she finds out that we're staying at a hotel, she asks, 'this isn't a Hilton hotel, is it?' She's not big on that whole scene...but you know, so much of this stuff starts at home...I think that if we had more parenting, the kinds of influences that we see on the television don't matter as much." GO MALIA! Here's the video clip of Barack talking family matters with Tyra (and we love you, Tyra, but hush up and let him talk!):
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ConnieTalk.com
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