In an effort to better educate consumers about the products in their grocery carts, and dare I say coax us into buying their goods, some major food manufacturers will start using a new "Smart Choice" label in 2009.

The labels aim to provide at-a-glance nutritional guidance as the products bearing the label cannot exceed certain levels of fat, cholesterol, sugar, and sodium. The product must also be from a healthy food group (fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy, etc.). I especially like that the foods with the Smart Choice label will have the calories per serving and number of servings per container displayed clearly on the front of the package.

At launch, the label will be on products from General Mills, Unilever, Coca-Cola, Pepsico, Kellogg, Con-Agra, Kraft, and Wal-Mart. It seems like a great idea to me. Simple but effective, especially for those of us that find reading labels confusing. Hopefully if the label is effective, more brands will get on board.

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You can be sick with worry, but did you know you can also be itchy with stress? That's what researchers are saying. They believe that stress activates your immune system and causes an itchy reaction. Your skin is the first line of defense of your immune system when your body comes in contact with a virus. White blood cells attack incoming bacteria, but your immune skin cells can overreact, leading to inflammation, redness, and itching. Researchers think stress plays a role in the reaction because it can increase the number of immune cells in your skin. The more cells you have, the worse the reaction.

The researchers tested their theory on mice. I'm not sure how they did this (and I don't want to know), but they stressed some poor mice. Then, as they predicted, the scientists found an increase of white blood cells in the skin. This is elementary evidence that stress can lead to skin rashes, and may even worsen disorders such as psoriasis and dermatitis. One more reason to de-stress with some yoga, a hot bath, a cup of soothing chamomile tea, or a much-needed shoulder massage.

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"It is our choices that show who we truly are, far more than our abilities."
— JK Rowling




Need more motivation? Check out all my words that move you.

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Not having a ball while you work your abs? Then try this fun variation of the bicycle crunch. It will not only work your abs and obliques, but since you're holding an exercise ball with your feet you'll work your hamstrings and inner thighs, too. Talk about an effective exercise. I highly recommend wearing sneakers to help you grip the ball.

To learn how to do this ab exercise read more