Physiologically, our body reacts to a kiss.  It takes 34 muscles in the face to get the lips going just so.  Blood rushes, the body warms, saliva is stimulated, testosterone levels rise, and those feel-good chemicals like endorphins and oxytocin are released in the brain.  At the same time, blood pressure goes up, and the heart beats faster, we burn more calories per minute than just sitting around.  Anthropologists speculate that kissing could have evolved from sniffing, rubbing noses together to get a scent in greeting each other as animals often do.  Others think that kissing evolved from a kind of feeding behavior, as with the birds.  In ancient Egypt, eating was referred to as “kissing one’s food.”  A German researcher found that 65% of people who kiss tilt their heads to the right.  The record for the longest-held kiss in the United States is almost 31 hours.  And the record for the “biggest kiss” was set at a music festival in England in 2007 where about 30,000 people kissed at the same time.

The Beloved

A “Blue Zone” is an area where there are a high percentage of people happily, and healthfully, living past 100 years of age.  Dan Buettner, who is a National Geographic Explorer, traveled the world and identified these areas, and also researched the strategies that the people living in these areas utilize to live long lives.  Okinawa, Sardinia, Costa Rica, and one town in California all made the list!  And for the most part, the healthy habits are what make difference in the centenarians lives.  Here are some of the examples that we can follow:

– Have a strong and supportive social structure.  It is important to have friends and family around you, to be active in the community, and to participate in group activities.

-Exercise regularly.  Most people in these blue zones are engaged in physical labor daily, so exercise comes as a matter of course.  Look at physical activity as something to be enjoyed, rather than as a chore.

-Cut down drastically on your intake of meat.  Consider meat to be a condiment, or a small side dish, rather than the main part of a meal.

-See the big picture.  Have a purpose in life.  Wake up with something to do.

Last day of the “old” year.  Tomorrow will you wake up and make resolutions, set goals for the coming year?  It’s a tradition with me.  Sometimes the old resolution ends up carrying over into the new year, so I have to adjust, and figure out just where I can make changes so that I can actually reach my goal.  But usually I can look back and say – pretty good!  Having these goals helps to keep me on track.  Having goals helps us to prioritize, and to be more aware of how we are spending our time and energy.  So what’s it going to be for 2009?  I’ve decided to learn Spanish.  Yep, I’m really going to do it!  And I’m taking a rather novel approach.  First of all, fearlessness.  I’m not going to worry about being perfect, I’m going to just dive in and do it.  I’ll practice at every opportunity and not worry about how others perceive my attempts.  Second, fun.  This is something I want to do, not something I have to do.  So I’m not putting any pressure on myself, and I’m just going to enjoy the process.  Learning is best when it is effortless.  And third, persistence.  I’m going to do a little bit every day.  What are your goals for the new year?  Whatever they are, approach them with fearlessness, fun, and persistence.

At this time of year there is so much hustle and bustle, so much busy-ness, so much commotion from parking lots, and shoppers, and piped-in music.  But then, at about midnight on December 24, it all comes to a halt.  There is a silence that blankets the community.  A stillness settles as we all come home, and find peace.  The stores close, the streets are mostly empty, and the only music we hear outside is from nature.  This is a time of rest.  It is a time for love and gratitude and gathering our thoughts.  It is a time to reflect, to appreciate, to share, and simply to be.  It is a reminder to us that this peace is within us at all times, we only have to notice it to benefit from it.  Today, and every day, may we each and every one of us experience peace on earth.

We can give money to charitable causes, and we can volunteer and give our time.  But even if money is in short supply and demands on our time are high, there something else we can give: blood.  Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood.  Yet only 5% of the eligible US population donates blood in any given year.  For nearly 5 million people who receive blood transfusions every year, each donation makes a difference.  And now there is evidence that giving blood is beneficial for the person who donates as well.  Preliminary studies from the American Medical Association show that we can lower the risk of heart disease by giving blood every six months or so.  This is because many people take in too much iron, mostly from eating red meat.  Excess iron can create free radicals in the body, speeding aging and raising the risk of heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s.  So donating blood is good for our local community blood supply, but it can also be good for our bodies as well!  The American Red Cross has more information.

Now you can be fashionable, and make a statement that really makes a difference.  That’s the philosophy behind the “I’m Tired” eco-friendly bracelets.  These fashion-friendly bracelets are made from recycled tires (get it?) and metals.  They retail for just $10, and $5 from each sale is donated to one of 10 charities that you choose!  These charities support issues that we are all “tired” of: AIDS, Alzheimers, animal cruelty, diabetes, child abuse, autism, cancer, world hunger (my favorite cause), heart disease and global warming.  The bracelet represents the cause of your choice.  The band is made from recycled tires, and the bead is made from recycled metal, with “I’m Tired of” and the cause emblazoned on it.  Wear one, give one, support a fabulous cause and give a meaningful yet inexpensive holiday gift.  Or give a bunch!  It’s a great way to look good, feel good, and do good.

You probably know that I am a big supporter of Plan USA.  I have a sponsored child, a beautiful little girl in India named Swapna, whom I have never met, and yet totally adore.  Plan USA is one of the more wonderful non-profit organizations that I have come across.  They help children all around the world in so many ways.  And now they have a program that helps teach children the meaning of giving.  If you’re looking for ways to introduce children to concept such as global awareness, social responsibility and charitable giving, you will love this.  KidsGive has partnered with Plan USA to bring the child into the actual process of giving to, and understanding the development of, children’s humanitarian projects around the world.  Karito Kids makes a wonderful gift, and every product comes with a special code.  When children visit the website and enter the code in the online activation process, they can direct 3 percent of the retail price to one of four issues impacting children: health, food, homes, or school.  Children can also make a difference by playing games on the Karito Kids website.  As they play the games, and learn about other cultures, they earn points.  With the points they can vote on how Kids Give applies its financial support.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the USA.  One of our traditional dishes served alongside the turkey dinner is sweet potatoes.  Whether you make them roasted or mashed, or serve them in a pie for dessert, sweet potatoes are one of the most nutritious vegetables you can eat.  They are an excellent source of both vitamins A and C, they’re full of dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium, and iron.  Despite the “sweet” in their name, sweet potatoes help stabilize blood sugar levels and lower insulin resistance.  Sweet potatoes are also good for your liver.  And they are delicious!  Do you have a favorite sweet potato recipe?  Or another dish you love to make for the holiday? 

Hypnosis is for fun at magic clubs and stage shows, but in reality, hypnosis can be a very effective tool for healing.  Hypnosis is a state of heightened awareness in which suggestions for change and healing can be more easily absorbed.  A Harvard Medical School study shows that the fractured bones of patients who received regular hypnotherapy actually fused at an advanced rate.  Just six weeks after the break, the bones appeared to have been healing for eight and a half weeks!  Another study showed that the incision wounds of women who were hypnotized before and after breast-reduction surgery healed more quickly, and the women also had less pain.  You can try self-hypnosis yourself at home.  My friend Dick Sutphen is an author and world renown hypnotherapist.  You can learn more about hypnotherapy and see all that he has to offer on his site: www.dicksutphen.com

The holiday shopping season is upon us.  Here are some tips to give great gifts:

-Make a list of everyone you need to buy gifts for.

-Write down a couple of ideas for each before you get to the store.  Don’t think “you’ll know it when you see it” because you won’t.  At least give yourself some direction where to start.

-Think about that person’s style – how they have their home decorated, what kinds of clothes they wear.  Buy gifts to suit their style, rather than your own.

-Think about how that person spends their time, and where they like to shop.  Go there for gift ideas, talk to the salespeople for suggestions.

-Think about giving experience gifts – and bundling small gifts together.  For example, a certificate to a movie theatre for tickets and popcorn, and a book about a famous director for the movie fan.

-Consider wrapping the gift in a gift itself, go green to show creativity and save wrapping.  For example, wrap the makings for a pasta dinner in a reusable grocery bag.  Wrap some kitchen utensils in a pretty kitchen towel.  Wrap an antique pin in a scarf.

-Think about what people “want” as much as what they “need” – for example, a business person always needs a pen – but you could get them a really elegant pen that they would love but wouldn’t splurge on for themselves.

-Include gift receipts with the gift in case they want to exchange.

-Keep some general “all purpose” gifts on hand for times when you need a last minute gift.