Healing Power of the Mind - Treating Illnesses with Mind Power

Do you ever wonder why some cancer victims heal and recover from their illnesses while some don’t? Do you ever wonder what defines the difference between these two kinds of cancer-afflicted people? It is true that those who have been healed have a secret: the healing power of the mind. The healing power of the mind is not a mysterious thing that can be activated by gibberish and mumbo-jumbo rituals and words. The healing power of the mind is actually based on one thing: positive thinking.

Maybe you’re thinking that these people are super-optimists. No they are not. They too, have had their share of discouragement and had reacted accordingly. They too had felt that life had been unfair to them.

Hip Arthritis: Resurfacing vs. Replacement

QUESTION: Is there a benefit to hip resurfacing instead of hip replacement in surgery for painful hip arthritis?

ANSWER: Theoretically, resurfacing the worn out ball-and-socket joint of the arthritic hip with metal shells seems like a good "conservative" idea, avoiding throwing away the ball (femoral head) as done in a hip replacement, possibly withstanding running and jumping sports better over time. But early experience with resurfacing in the '80s was disastrous, and recent designs, despite newer materials, are as yet unproven over the long term. What is clear so far is that current resurfacing hip surgery has a higher incidence of complications including hip fracture, loosening of the cemented shell on the femur bone, and metal ion wear particles spread to the entire body via the bloodstream with unknown future consequences. The operation requires a larger incision, more muscle and tendon dissection, likely greater blood loss (increasing the chance of a need for blood transfusions), and a longer period of rehabilitation. Minimal incision, muscle sparing, uncemented total hip replacement with state-of-the-art bearing surface materials remains the gold-standard treatment for painful, disabling hip arthritis for the vast majority of patients.

Healthy Reminder: Sign Up for Facebook Connect

Did you know that happiness is contagious? Seriously, studies have shown that if one of your friends is happy, that emotion can spread to you--and more of your friends. We like that news so much that we're making it even easier for you to spread the happiness bug to your friends.

You can now comment on glamour.com (including Vitamin G, of course!) using your Facebook login. Why would you want to do that, you might ask. Well, for one thing, if you don't have a glamour.com username yet, this is a super-easy way to get one.

Already a die-hard commenter? By using Facebook Connect, you can now choose to have the comments you leave on glamour.com appear in your Facebook newsfeed for your all of your FB friends to see. (Don't worry, we always give you the option to share those comments--it doesn't happen automatically.)

Healthy Relationships: What Do You Fight With Your Guy About Over the Holidays?

So funny: I caught a clip of Oprah's White House Christmas special, where the Obamas appeared to be just a teensy bit tense with each other about this funny holiday topic (and I totally related!) ...

Gifts!

President Obama insisted that he gave better gifts than Michelle gave him, and I think it offended her just a teensy bit. She objected, then he pointed to her pearl necklace and said something like this, "now who gave you that strand around your neck? Huh?"

I love these kind of moments because it reminds us of how alike we all are, you know? I mean, if the President and his wife bicker about presents, it makes me feel a tad more normal. (Jason, if you're reading this post, I just have two words for you: scented candles.)

Health Controversy: Did You Know That It's Illegal to Enter the U.S. if You Have HIV?

Say you live in another country and want to visit the U.S. If you're HIV-positive, you'll be turned away at customs. Why? Did you know that U.S. law forbids HIV-positive people from visiting the states? However, this controversial restriction is finally getting repealed ...

President Obama's announced Friday that he would end the two-decade ban on people with HIV from entering the country. He called the restriction "archaic" and "discriminatory," and public health experts hailed his decision.

Shockingly, the United States is just one of a small group of countries including Yemen, Qatar and Sudan, that bar HIV-visitors from crossing into their borders.

Have You Ever Been in a Loooong Line at a Public Restroom, and Considered ... Using the Men's Room?

Raise your hand if you've thought about it ... or done it! Recently, before I ran a 5-mile race, the line for the women's restroom was so long, I almost missed the beginning of it. I was tempted to use the guy's facilities, but the line started moving at the very last minute. If you've ever been frustrated that guys have it better than we do when it comes to bathrooms, you'll love this new proposed law ...

You could call it potty parity, because that's what a group behind a new proposed law is after. Guys can buzz in and pee in a long line of urinals--or urinal stations, whatever you call them (what do you call them?)--while gals have to wait in long lines for one, maybe two stalls. Fair? I say not!

Happiness Flashback: Did You Collect Anything as a Kid? My Little Ponies? Stickers? Rocks?

Did you collect anything as a kid? Stickers? Strawberry Shortcake dolls? My Little Ponies? Baseball cards? Rocks? Pennies? Didn't it make you insanely happy? Tell me about your collections ...

As a kid, I collected the following things, all of which--at one time or another--made me happy:

*Cabbage Patch Kids: Well, I guess I actually didn't collect them, but I had six and I loved them so much. There were five girls and a boy, named Leland. I think I still have his "birth certificate" in a box from childhood somewhere.

*Rocks: I used to love my rock collection, until my younger brother decided to bury it (he went through a pirate phase when he was into burying "treasure"--only problem was this: He buried my rock collection in the yard and then forgot where he buried it. To this day, it is still lost.)