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For years, doctors have been telling their patients to eat more fish in order to boost heart health. They may want to start giving out recipes with that advice: According to a new study, how fish is cooked can make a dramatic difference in the heart benefits it provides.

The study followed the eating habits and health of about 85,000 postmenopausal women for an average of 10 years. Compared to women who rarely or never ate fish, those who ate five or more servings per week had a 30% lower risk of developing heart failure—but only if the fish was baked or broiled.

If the fish was fried, it appeared to be harmful, not healthy. Eating just one serving of fried fish per week was linked to a 48% higher risk of heart failure, even after the researchers accounted for the participants’ overall diet (including french fries and other fried foods) and medical histories.

“How you prepare fish is just as—if not more—important than the type of fish in terms of seeing benefits,” says the senior author of the study, Donald Lloyd-Jones, MD, the chair of preventive medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Evanston, Ill. “This may not be earth-shattering news, but it is important to get people focused on a healthy diet, because that is what helps us avoid disease.”

Nearly 6 million people in the U.S. are estimated to suffer from heart failure, a chronic condition in which a weakening heart is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood and oxygen to the rest of the body. Heart failure is often a result of heart disease, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions, and it kills 1 in 5 people within a year of diagnosis, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

In a separate analysis, Lloyd-Jones and his colleagues also found that some types of fish appear to be healthier than others. Eating dark, oily fish such as salmon and mackerel was associated with a lower risk of heart failure, whereas eating tuna fish or white fish such as sole and cod were not.

The findings, which appear in the AHA journal Circulation: Heart Failure, “reinforce current dietary recommendations” that encourage eating fish as part of a balanced diet, says Gregg Fonarow, MD, codirector of the preventative cardiology program at UCLA, who was not involved in the study. “In light of this new study, greater emphasis on encouraging baked [or] broiled fish and dark fish—salmon, mackerel, and bluefish—should be considered.”

Dark fish may be especially beneficial for heart health due to its high content of omega-3 fatty acids, good fats that appear to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering inflammation, blood pressure, and cell damage. (Atlantic salmon, for instance, contains roughly three to six times as much omega-3s as cod or sole.)

There may be more to it, however. Using detailed diet questionnaires, the researchers estimated the study participants’ total intake of omega-3 fatty acids (including from fish oil supplements), and found no link between omega-3s on their own and reduced rates of heart failure.

This suggests that it’s the whole fish—rather than its component parts—that provides heart protection, Lloyd-Jones says. “Pills just don’t have the same benefits,” he adds. “It’s a mistake to think that we know all the benefits of fish, and clearly not all of those benefits come from omega-3s.

At least 35 million people are expected to hit the road this Memorial Day Weekend, choosing cheaper hotels and restaurants because of high gas prices. If gas prices will determine if you're going to get behind the wheel, here are some tips on how to find the cheapest way to fill up your car's tank.

Fill Up On Fridays: Using mapping firm Esri, ABC News looked at prices at more than 5,100 gas stations in four areas of the nation: Chicago, Boston, Orange County and Jacksonville. In April, when the average price of gas shot up 30 cents, ABC News found that filling up on Friday saved the most money. In three of the areas, gas prices increased most on Saturdays.

 Go to Warehouse Clubs: Gas prices at warehouse clubs like Sam's, Costco and BJ's are at least 3 percent lower than the average gas station. With gas prices hovering at nearly $4 a gallon, you could save nearly $2.25 every time you fill up at a warehouse club.

Choosing the Right Location: On the way to the beach, the countryside or the big city, it might seem easiest to fill up along the highway, but that could cause you more pain at the pump. ABC News found that finding a gas station just one minute from a highway can save you 11 percent or about $7 to fuel your trip. Also, avoid filling up downtown.

With gas prices hovering near $4 a gallon, Americans are already feeling the effects of gas prices well before the summer driving season kicks off this Memorial Day weekend. Gas prices are the highest they've been since August 2008. The national average for retail gas prices is $1.07 per gallon more than last Memorial Day Weekend.

There are some signs of relief. The national average for unleaded regular gasoline was $3.81 on Thursday, 9 cents less than it was last week.

Pump prices this weekend are expected to drop even more because oil prices are down about 12 percent since the beginning of the month.

How to prevent lung disease

If you take good care of your lungs, they can last a lifetime. “The lungs are very durable if they’re not attacked from the outside,” says Norman H. Edelman, MD, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association (ALA). With a few exceptions, your lungs don’t get into trouble unless you get them into trouble, he says.

However, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth-leading cause of death in the U.S. after heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Here are 12 things you can do to keep your lungs healthy as you age.




Don’t smoke...anything

Smoking is, hands down, the worst thing you can do to your lungs on a regular basis.

There’s no safe threshold when it comes to smoking, Dr. Edelman says; the more you smoke, the greater your risk of lung cancer and COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Secondhand smoke is harmful, too, and there’s mounting evidence that even thirdhand smoke—or just being in an environment where people have smoked—is dangerous.

It’s not enough to skip only cigarettes. Pipes, cigars, or marijuana can harm lungs too.




 Fight for clean air

While U.S. air is cleaner than in the past, more than 154 million Americans still live in areas where air pollution is a threat to health, according to the ALA’s annual State of the Air report.

"Air pollution can not only make diseases like COPD and asthma worse, [but] it can also kill people," Dr. Edelman says. You can make a difference by supporting clean air laws and opposing efforts to cut regulation.

On the individual level, cut your electricity use, drive less, and avoid burning wood or trash.



 Exercise more

Exercise in itself won’t make your lungs stronger, Dr. Edelman says, but it will help you get more out of them.

The better your cardiorespiratory fitness, the easier it is for your lungs to keep your heart and muscles supplied with oxygen. Regular exercise is particularly important if you have chronic lung disease; your lungs need all the help they can get.

If cold air triggers your asthma symptoms, use a scarf or face mask to warm the air before it hits your lungs.




Beware of outdoor air pollution

In some areas, especially in the summer, ozone and other pollutants can make working out or even spending time outdoors an unhealthy proposition.

People with a lung disease are particularly sensitive to air pollution. The U.S. government’s AIRNow web site, provides up-to-date information on air quality, as well as an explanation of Air Quality Index (AQI) numbers.

Sign up for EnviroFlash, email alerts on your local air quality.


 Improve indoor air

Air pollution isn’t just an outdoor problem. There are a number of indoor sources, including fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, mold, pet dander, construction materials, and even air fresheners and some candles.

The Environmental Protection Agency recommends a three-pronged approach: Eliminate sources, improve ventilation, and use air cleaners.

Air cleaners remove particulate matter, but won’t impact gases.





 Eat right

There is evidence that antioxidant-rich foods are good for your lungs. (Research suggests it has to be food, not supplements.)

A 2010 study found that people who consumed the most cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, kale, and more) had almost half the risk of lung cancer compared to those who consumed the least.

"All those nice, leafy green vegetables that have lots of antioxidants do seem to have a protective effect," says Dr. Edelman.





Protect yourself on the job

Many jobs can put your lungs at risk, from construction work to styling hair. (Here are some of the worst jobs for your lungs.)

In fact, occupational asthma accounts for approximately 15% of cases, says Dr. Edelman. Potential culprits include dust; particles; diacetyl, a chemical that adds a buttery flavor to food; paint fumes; and diesel exhaust, among others. If your employer provides protective equipment, wear it. If not, Dr. Edelman says, contact your union representative, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or any state or local agency with the same function as OSHA.


Don’t skimp on shots

Respiratory infections can be particularly devastating if you have COPD or other lung problems. Get the flu shot in time for flu season, and if you’re 65 or older, get the pneumococcal vaccine too.

Also, take steps to avoid infection: Wash your hands frequently, avoid crowds during peak flu season, get plenty of rest, eat well, and keep your stress levels under control, too.







 Stick to safe products

Many at-home activities—cleaning, hobbies, home improvement—can expose your lungs to harmful particles or gases.

Protect yourself by choosing safer products, working in a well-ventilated area, and using a dust mask. (The ALA offers tips for working with fiberglass.)

Avoid oil-based paints, which release volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and choose water-based paint instead. Cleaning products can contain harmful chemicals too, like VOCs, ammonia, and bleach; read labels before you buy. (The ALA provides suggestions for safer cleaning products.)





Check for radon

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in the ground. It typically leaks into a house through cracks in the foundation and walls. Radon is the main cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers, and the second-leading cause of the disease after smoking.

Get your home tested; if radon levels are between 2 and 4 pCi/L, consider radon reduction. There are no known safe levels of radon, so the lower, the better.




Know the warning signs

If you have a cough for more than a month, or if you have a hard time breathing with little or no physical exertion, you should see a doctor, according to the ALA.

Wheezing, coughing up blood, or coughing up phlegm for more than a month are also problematic, and if you have chest pain lasting a month or longer, get it checked out, particularly if breathing in or coughing makes it worse.









Control your condition

If you’ve got asthma or COPD, do your best to keep it under control.

Preventive medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids, can cut your risk of asthma attacks, and rescue medications, such as albuterol inhalers, can stop symptoms like coughing or wheezing. Other medications can control COPD.

Know your triggers, and avoid them, if possible. Also do your best to stave off respiratory infections, which can exacerbate both conditions.

With no sign of Judgment Day arriving on Saturday as forecast by an 89 year-old California evangelical broadcaster, followers were faced with trying to make sense of his failed pronouncement.

Harold Camping, the former civil engineer who heads the

Family Radio Network of Christian stations, had been unwavering in his message that believers would be swept to heaven on May 21.

His Oakland, California-based network broadcasts over 66 U.S. stations and through international affiliates. With the help of supporters it posted at least 2,000 billboards around the United States warning of the Judgment Day.

In New York, retired transportation agency worker Robert Fitzpatrick was inspired by Camping's message to spend over $140,000 of his savings on subway posters and outdoor advertisements warning of the May 21 Judgment Day.

As he stood in Times Square in New York surrounded by onlookers, Fitzpatrick, 60, carried a Bible and handed out leaflets as he waited for Judgment Day to begin.

By his own reading of Bible, which was slightly different than Camping's, Fitzgerald expected the great worldwide event to begin at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

When the hour came and went, he said: "I do not understand why ...," as his speech broke off and he looked at his watch.

"I do not understand why nothing has happened."

Camping, who previously made a failed prediction Jesus Christ would return to Earth in 1994, had said doomsday would begin at 6 p.m. in the various time zones around the globe.

NEW DAY COMES

That meant it would begin in Asia and Oceania, but with midnight local time having come and gone in those areas, taking them well into May 22, and no indication of an apocalypse, Camping seemed to have gone silent.

During the day, his Family Radio played recorded church music, devotionals and life advice unrelated to Judgment Day.

The headquarters of his network was shuttered on Friday and Saturday, with a sign in the door that read "This Office is Closed. Sorry we missed you!"

Camping, whose deep sonorous voice is frequently heard on his radio network expounding the Bible, could not be reached for comment.

The shades were drawn and no one answered the door at his house in Alameda, California.

Sheila Doan, 65, who has lived next door to Camping since 1971, said he is a good neighbor and she was concerned about Camping and his wife because of the attention his pronouncement has received.

"I'm concerned for them, that somebody would possibly do something stupid, you just don't know in this world what's going to happen," she said.

Tom Evans, a spokesman for Camping, said earlier this week that at least several tens of thousands of people listen to Family Radio's message.

The network is heard in more than 30 languages through international affiliates, according to Family Radio.

In recent weeks, dozens of Camping's followers had crossed the United States in recreational vehicles emblazoned with the May 21 warning. Volunteers also handed out pamphlets as far away as the Philippines, telling people God had left clear signs the world was coming to an end.

In Camping's description of Judgment Day, the Earth would be wrenched in a great earthquake and many inhabitants would perish in the coming months, until the planet's total destruction on October 21.

On Saturday, some atheists in different parts of the country held celebrations and get-togethers to mark the failure of Camping's May 21 prediction to come true.

In Oakland, the same city where Camping's network is based, over 200 people gathered at an atheist convention where speakers joked about the Judgment Day pronouncement and a vendor sold jewelry with the words "Good without God."

Cara Lee Hickey, 32, a Christian turned atheist, said Camping's prediction got people talking.

"I've heard a lot of name-calling, but most of it is from other Christians calling him a false prophet," she said.

The Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland's most active Vatnajokull glacier started to erupt in the late hours of Saturday, an English-language magazine about Iceland said on its web page.

The volcano showed clear signs of "volcanic unrest" at around 22:00 Moscow time (18:00 GMT on Saturday), with Icelandic media quoting geologist Hjorleifur Sveinbjornsson as saying the eruption was imminent. Plumes of ash and smoke were seen rising from the crater an hour later.

Iceland Review, the country's oldest English-language magazine, said on its website that the eruption will not disrupt air travel in the way the eruption of another Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, did last year.

"The eruptions have had almost no effect on air travel. Airplanes do of course have to avoid the surrounding area, but the circle has been very limited," the magazine said.

The eruption on the Eyjafjallajokull Glacier in Iceland, which began on April 14, paralyzed air traffic throughout central and northern Europe, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and forcing more than 20 European countries to close their airspace.

"Most of the time the eruptions are followed by floods which sometimes cause damage in roads and bridges," Iceland Review said. "The area affected is sparsely populated and there is no report of any human casualties in recent times."

The volcanic cloud reached the height of 20,000 meters by 21:00 GMT, but has dispersed in the atmosphere by now.

The Vatnajokull area is the most active volcano location in Iceland. Since records began in 1920, it has erupted nine times, the previous eruption recorded in 2004. Most of them lasted at least one week, but the 2004 eruption took only four days.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck near a group of South Pacific islands, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says.

There are no reports of damage or risk of tsunami.

A statement by the USGS says the quake struck Sunday 19km under the Kermadec Islands, a New Zealand group with no permanent population that lies 1000km east of the city of Auckland.

New Zealand has been shaken by a series of quakes and aftershocks since the city of Christchurch was devastated by a temblor on February 22 that killed 181 people.

New Zealand sits above an area where two tectonic plates collide. The country records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year - but only about 150 are felt by residents, and fewer than 10 a year do any damage.

A small US religious group had predicted that Judgement Day would begin a day earlier, on Saturday, with an earthquake in New Zealand.

Everybody feels down for a day or two. But one in 14 American adults—15 million in all—has clinical depression each year.

Depression is a complex condition characterized by profound sadness, lethargy, feelings of worthlessness, and a loss of interest in social activities. These feelings can last for two weeks or go on for decades. The difference between the blues and clinical depression is one of length and severity of symptoms.

"If you've gotten to the point where you're looking up depression on the computer, then there's a good chance it's a real depression, not the blues," says Tracey Lipsig Kite, MSW, a licensed therapist in private practice in Evanston, Ill. "If you really are to the point where you think you might need therapy, you're probably right."

Physical symptoms of depression
Depression doesn't always look or feel like a dark mood.

"Irritability is one of the most under-recognized symptoms of major depression," says Rakesh Jain, MD, director of psychopharmacology at R/D Clinical Research Center, in Lake Jackson, Tex.

Doctors also often overlook physical symptoms, says Dr. Jain. Some 67% to 69% of people who receive a diagnosis of major depression also have muscle and joint pain, headaches, and fatigue.

Sharon Charles Haznedar, an administrative director for behavioral health services at New York City's Saint Vincent Catholic Medical Centers and a psychiatric nurse practitioner, says depression is insidious because it often renders victims unable to ask for help: "I've had depressed patients tell me that they need a plan just to walk across the room."

"Depression drains a person's energy," Haznedar continues. "The idea of visiting the doctor, figuring out whether your insurance plan will cover the visit, and filling prescriptions can be daunting when you're depressed. If you're already seeing one or more doctors for other health conditions, the difficulties associated with another illness can be overwhelming.

Gender differences in depression
Women are twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. However, men more often commit suicide as a result of this debilitating condition. And debilitating it is: Numbers from the National Institute of Mental Health indicate depression is the leading cause of disability in Americans between the ages of 15 and 44.

Depression begets more depression
Like an open wound or a broken bone, depression rarely heals itself.

Half of all people who have had one episode of depression and are not taking antidepressants will have another, according to The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. A second episode makes the risk of a third one even higher. A person who has had three episodes and is still not taking medication has a 90% risk of having a fourth.

And it's like falling downhill. Successive episodes tend to get more severe and occur more frequently. People with depression have an average of four to eight episodes in a lifetime.

"If you think you may be depressed, get an evaluation," says Walter Brown, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry at Brown University in Providence, R.I., and Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston. "If you had bad headaches or stomach problems, you'd see a doctor without hesitation. The same principle applies if you think you are depressed."

Sleep problems and depressed mood often go hand in hand. Insomnia, early-morning waking, and nighttime disturbances can be symptoms as well as warning signs of depression—as can too much sleep and daytime fatigue.

For the past several decades, the treatment of depression has centered on medications that affect levels of brain chemicals involved in mood, such as serotonin. But the growing awareness of the link between sleep problems and mental health has led researchers to take aim at a new target to combat depression: the body’s internal clock.

Specifically, doctors and drug companies are investigating the role of melatonin, a hormone released by the brain in response to darkness. Melatonin levels vary naturally throughout the day in what’s known as circadian rhythm. When properly tuned, this rhythm helps us sleep and wake at the proper times. But when it gets out of whack, it can disrupt energy, alertness, and mood.

Doctors have long prescribed over-the-counter melatonin for insomnia and other sleep disorders, and even as a remedy for jet lag. Although there are skeptics, some experts now believe that drugs that mimic the effects of melatonin might simultaneously stabilize the internal clock and help relieve depression.

“We’ve been working with the same theory of depression since 1960, focused on moderating a group of chemicals that include serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine,” says psychiatrist Ian Hickie, MD, of the Brain and Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney, in Australia. “Now, we’re considering a completely different notion of what the problem is.”

In an article published this week in the Lancet, Dr. Hickie suggests that melatonin-based drugs could prove to be safer and more effective treatments for depression than the antidepressants currently in use. In particular, he and his coauthor highlight the potential of a new drug called agomelatine, a synthetic version of melatonin that also increases concentrations of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.

The drug, known as Valdoxan, is currently approved for the treatment of depression in Europe and Australia, and may be reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as early as next year. Both Dr. Hickie and his coauthor have received research funding and other financial support from Servier, the French pharmaceutical company that developed the drug.

In clinical trials, agomelatine has improved the symptoms of depression more effectively than placebo, and it has appeared to be as effective as widely prescribed antidepressants such as Zoloft and Prozac. Many patients taking the drug also reported improved sleep.

Melatonin is a relative of serotonin, and while agomelatine does bind to serotonin receptors, it does not actually increase serotonin levels. Dr. Hickie says this may boost mood without the side effects of many serotonin-based drugs, which can include nausea, headaches, weight gain, and a loss of sexual desire. “That’s the real beauty of it,” he says. “You don’t get the serotonin side effects.”

Not all psychiatrists are as excited about melatonin-based drugs, however. Marc Serfaty, MD, of Priory Hospital North London, in the U.K., says it’s “debatable” whether the relatively small improvements in depression symptoms seen in the agomelatine studies are “clinically relevant.”

Moreover, Dr. Serfaty’s own research—including a recent clinical trial that compared melatonin and placebo in people with depressed mood and sleep problems—suggests that the over-the-counter melatonin pills found at the local drugstore may be as effective as agomelatine.

Researchers have explored the use of melatonin in people with mood disorders in a series of small studies dating back to the late 1990s. Melatonin consistently improved the sleep quality of the study participants, but it appeared to have nonexistent, slight, or even negative effects on mood.

The research on melatonin in depression is thin and inconclusive partly because funding is difficult to come by, says Robert Sack, MD, a psychiatrist at Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland.

“I don’t think melatonin itself has been sufficiently tested as an antidepressant,” says Dr. Sack, who has consulted for Takeda Pharmaceuticals, the maker of a melatonin-based insomnia drug, ramelteon (Rozerem). “The problem is that there is no commercial incentive for drug companies. [Melatonin] is readily available and not subject to copyright.”

However, Dr. Sack adds, depression comes in many varieties, and agomelatine and similar drugs may prove especially effective in certain subgroups of depressed patients in whom circadian factors play a major role. (In patients with bipolar disorder, for instance, sleep disruption can even trigger episodes of mania.)

Dr. Hickie, too, is quick to acknowledge that agomelatine will not replace other antidepressants. “This is not the answer for all people with depression,” he says. “I still think Prozac-like drugs are marvelous for anxiety and obsessionality, while this new drug might help a different group of people.”

The Novartis Corporation, which has partnered with Servier to market agomelatine in the U.S., has already completed several clinical trials of the drug for depression. Julie Mascow, a spokesperson for Novartis in New York City, says the company will continue testing the drug and plans to file for FDA approval in 2012.

Expert tell-all

It’s tick season, which means Lyme disease is back in the news, putting hikers, gardeners, campers, and even beachgoers on high alert. Lyme is the number-one insect-borne disease in the United States—there are nearly 40,000 reported cases a year, and that number is on the rise—but there are still plenty of questions when it comes to diagnosis and treatment.

For smart answers, Health turned to world-renowned Lyme expert Brian Fallon, MD, director of the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at Columbia University Medical Center. Here, he answers the absolute latest questions on the disease:



Symptoms

Q: Is it true that you can have Lyme disease even if you don’t develop a bull’s-eye rash?

A. Yes. About 60 to 80 percent of Lyme cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have the rash, but not everyone gets it. It’s also important to know that the rash doesn’t always look like a bull’s-eye—it can appear elongated and oblong rather than round, and can sometimes even be raised like a spider bite rather than flat. The key with a Lyme rash is that it has crisp, clear margins that expand over time to at least 2 inches in diameter.





Diagnosis

Q: What makes Lyme so tricky to diagnose?

A. It’s not always difficult if you know what to look for. If you develop the Lyme rash, you should be put on antibiotics right away—you don’t need a blood test, which may come back negative in the early stages anyway. (The test detects antibodies to the bacteria, and your body doesn’t develop the antibodies until at least 10 days after you’ve been infected.)








The problem

The difficulty comes when a person doesn’t remember being bitten or developing the rash. For example, if you only have symptoms like fatigue, painful joints, and headaches, some doctors may think it’s the flu or stress.

The blood test isn’t foolproof, either. You can get a false negative or false positive—and not all strains of Lyme are picked up by the test. This is an area of current research, so hopefully in the next several years we’ll see newer, better tests.






Treatment

Q: Why do some people need to be treated for only a couple of weeks, while others are treated for longer?

A. If a person is treated right away, a two- to three-week course of oral antibiotics will usually eradicate the bacteria. However, if the bacteria has spread to your central nervous system (symptoms include bad headaches, confusion, and memory loss), you usually need a four-week course of intravenous antibiotics.




Effectiveness

Q: What if you’ve been treated and are still sick?

A. If you’ve been treated with the standard course and you relapse, seek a second opinion from a Lyme specialist. You’ll likely be tested for tick co-infections (other diseases ticks can transmit, such as babesiosis and ehrlichiosis, that mimic some symptoms of Lyme). These are on the rise in the United States, though still not as common as Lyme.










Prevention

Q: What’s the best way to protect myself and my family from Lyme?

A. Aside from applying repellents with DEET on exposed skin, using permethrin on clothing, and checking for ticks whenever you’ve been outside, research suggests that people who shower within two hours after being outdoors are less likely to develop the disease.

Clear away leafy debris around the edge of your lawn, and keep a crisp margin of wood chips, mulch, or gravel between your yard and the woods. Teach kids to stay away from the perimeters: Research has shown that 82% of ticks found on lawns are within 3 yards of the edge, particularly along woodlands and ornamental plantings.

Beautiful skin from within

Women whose diets are rich in olive oil have less skin damage and wrinkling, says Lisa Drayer, RD, author of The Beauty Diet: Looking Great Has Never Been So Delicious. For big beauty benefits, "cook with it instead of vegetable oil and use it on bread instead of butter," she advises.








Master cleanser

Super nourishing  L’Occitane En Provence Olive Tree Cleansing Milk ($22) contains antioxidant-rich water that is squeezed out of olives during processing.











 Eye reviver

Dab on Serious Skin Care Olive Oil Moisture Replenishing Eye Balm($20) before bed and wake up looking well-rested thanks to the anti-inflammatory power of extra-virgin olive oil.










Gentle anti-ager

Does your skin react to harsh anti-aging ingredients? Rich but gentle olive oil-based Crème d’Olives ($135) is loaded with free radical-fighting vitamins and pea extract to improve elasticity.










 Skin softener

Thymes Olive Leaf Triple-Milled Bar Soap ($13; ) creates a creamy lather infused with olive oil and olive-leaf extract. The result? Clean skin that feels silky-soft, not stripped.









Mild moisturizer

Finely ground corn in DHC Olive-Corn Body Scrub and Polish ($17; ) makes an amazing body exfoliator in the shower. But the special ingredient—you guessed it, olive oil!—soothes and moisturizes so irritation isn’t an issue.

The Times is pleased to have Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward guest-blogging for us while he competes on "Dancing With the Stars." Every Wednesday, Ward, a Super Bowl MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion, will answer a few questions from Fabulous Forum editor Houston Mitchell and give some insight into the competition. Here are Ward’s thoughts about Week 9, which he offered via email.

Q: There were tears in your eyes after finishing your first dance on Monday. It has been such an emotional week for you because of Kym’s injury. Take us back to that moment right after the dance ended. What was going through your mind?

Aww, I was just happy we made it through the dance. I mean after seeing Kym get injured like she did, nothing mattered to me except her health. I thought she had broken her neck at first and it really hit me. My first thought was that this competition wasn't worth her future or her life. So when we were able to complete the dance and seeing her go through it after what she went through was overwhelming for me. She has done so much for me and I was just so glad she was OK. I guess I lost it for a moment. She is the best and I am just glad she is OK.

Q: So Kym nearly breaks her neck and comes out dancing like nothing is wrong on Monday. Will that make it hard for any Steelers rookie to complain to you about feeling banged up this season?

Kym is a trooper. She is an athlete and a true Steeler and has the never-quit mentality. She believes in me and that we can win this competition and will push herself beyond her limits. I respect and admire her for that. She is a great coach and I owe my success in dancing so far to her. I think our team shares the same never-quit mentality and I am sure my teammates, veterans and rookies alike, appreciate Kym's work ethic like I do.

Q: We promote the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation at the bottom of all of your blog posts. What can you tell us about it, and what is the organization’s main goal?

The Helping Hands Foundation is my baby. I started the foundation after my first visit to Seoul, South Korea. There I saw firsthand how biracial kids were being discriminated against because of their mixed blood. The goal of my foundation is to fight biracial discrimination and discrimination of all kinds around the world. I want the children of today to have an equal chance to pursue and achieve their dreams. My foundation provides them with hope and encouragement for a brighter tomorrow. And it provides these children with the resources necessary to educate and equip them to handle the challenges life brings them.

Q: Next week is the finale. I’m sure you entered the competition with the desire to win, but, deep down, did you really expect to do as well as you have done?

No. My goal coming into it was to just not be the first one kicked off. And honestly, to be doing the types of dances I've been doing and to still be here in the finals speaks volumes of my coach. Kym is amazing and I owe it all to her.

Q: Many of your teammates, coaches and ex-teammates had great things to say about you in the footage they showed before your second dance Monday. How did you feel while listening to that, and does the pre-dance footage ever take your focus away from the dance you are about to perform?

It was very encouraging and humbling to hear the comments made by my coaches and teammates. I was and am always proud to wear the black and gold because we stick together and have each other's backs. So I was grateful to my coaches and teammates for taking the time out of their busy schedules to record the piece for me. Hearing their comments doesn't take away from my focus at all. It only motivates me more to do the best I can to represent and make them all proud.

Besides being a Super Bowl MVP, Hines Ward is the founder of the Hines Ward Helping Hands Foundation, which focuses on improving literacy among children and provides programs and services to better equip them for achieving and handling success in life.

Memorizing the multiplication table is as important as memorizing the streets of a city and memorizing the rules of taxation. To expound: the ability to store, retrieve and apply information is very important in life, whether an individual is a high school student, a taxi driver or a taxation lawyer. All kinds of labor and profession require some usage of wit and intellect; hence, the level of a person's mental abilities determines his or her success in life. The ability to store, retrieve and apply information is an indispensable skill which every individual who wants to succeed in life must master.

But of course, not everyone is gifted with an excellent memory and high IQ. However, even though there are a more average Joes than geniuses, everyone has the capacity to improve and sharpen his or her memory. There are a number of average people that have succeeded in their respective jobs and professions, all because they have improved their memory through constant use and through engaging in mentally stimulating activities. And even if it is just for remembering phone numbers or appointments, having a good memory is very important in everyday life. Although there is no instant way to boost the mind, the following are some tricks to memorization that could help improve your memory.

First, it is important to know that committing bits of information into memory requires a certain amount of concentration and focus. That is why a student cannot study in a noisy room, because for the mind to be able to store information it must not be preoccupied with other irrelevant thoughts. Therefore, a good tip on how to improve your memory is to be focused and alert at all times, especially when some memorization is needed. Perpetual daydreaming won't do any good to a person's mental health. Whether it is just for remembering an office meeting or a shopping list, having an ever-present and alert mind would ultimately be very beneficial.

Because the brain is like the rest of the muscles in the body, playing intellectually stimulating games regularly would improve concentration and memory; and this is also another good tip on how to improve your memory. Board games such as chess, sudoku, crosswords and etc require some amount of retrieval of memory and its application to win on these games. They even require the use of logic and creativity in the nuances of their game play.

With the mental requirements of such games, it is not surprising when some behavioral scientists have lauded certain video games, which most parents are avoiding their children against, for their ability to stimulate and exercise the player's mind. As muscles in the physical body strengthen when they are flexed and stretched, so do the mental capacities of the brain increase as a person plays these mind games.

In fact, most neuro-scientists acknowledge the benefits of and recommend these kinds of past-time activities. Therefore, a little mental exercise on a Saturday morning with these board games, played together with group of friends, would be very fun and beneficial.

Clean energy advocates are calling on the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) to give serious consideration in securing an offshore wind project for Long Island. LIPA recently released information regarding its RFP for an additional 2,500 megawatts. Stakeholders were excited to learn that offshore wind is part of the mix of responses.

“Massive oil spills, rising gasoline prices, and poor air quality can all be attributed to our addiction to harmful polluting fossil fuels. The time to act is NOW. Clean, stable, renewable wind energy is a much needed part of Long Island’s next energy mix. LIPA needs to advance large-scale wind to help us meet our clean energy goals,” stated Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment.

“This is the perfect opportunity for LIPA to begin to repower Long Island’s antiquated fleet of polluting power plants with clean 21st century technology at predictable prices,” said Gordian Raacke, Executive Director of the not-for-profit group Renewable Energy Long Island. “Investing in renewable energy sources with known long-term cost makes much more sense than committing unknown amounts of ratepayer dollars to 20 year power purchase contracts for price-volatile fossil fueled power supplies,” said Gordian Raacke, Executive Director of Renewable Energy Long Island.

Unfortunately, NY has fallen behind in advancing large-scale renewable wind energy. Surrounding states such as New Jersey and Rhode Island are taking aggressive steps to site offshore wind projects. Long Island’s fuel mix is mostly oil and natural gas. Clean renewable energies, such as wind power, will work to stabilize rates and diversify fuel mix. Large scale offshore wind is needed to reach state-mandated clean energy goals.

“In order to reduce our carbon footprint and dependence on fossil fuels it is essential that we integrate renewable energy into Long Island’s energy mix. An environmentally acceptable competitively priced offshore wind project connected to the power grid should be seriously considered,” said Robert Catell, Chairman of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University.

The Phoenix City Council today will consider a development agreement that would contribute up to $14 million to help build a $135 million Arizona Cancer Center outpatient clinic in downtown Phoenix.

Phoenix and biomedical leaders have long sought a hospital or clinic at the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, and the University of Arizona Cancer Center wants a major clinical presence in downtown Phoenix to reach the bulk of the state's residents.

Under the proposed deal, Phoenix would contribute $14 million toward design and financing costs for a six-story, 250,000-square-foot outpatient center planned at the northwestern corner of Fillmore and Seventh streets.


Mayor Phil Gordon said he is optimistic that construction could start before the end of this year. The deal the council will vote on today requires the Arizona Cancer Center to complete design of the outpatient clinic by June 2012 and start construction by the end of 2012.

Gordon said the downtown Arizona Cancer Center would benefit the state's residents through cutting-edge medical treatments and would provide an economic jolt with both temporary construction jobs and permanent medical and research jobs.

"This will add jobs - crucial, high-paying jobs," Gordon said. "It also starts to add to that 24/7 downtown knowledge economy that we have all focused on."

The outpatient center would bring the first clinical center to the downtown campus anchored by the UA College of Medicine-Phoenix, Translational Genomics Research Institute and the International Genomics Consortium.

UA has talked with other health-care providers to build a downtown hospital, but no deal has progressed as far as the cancer-center plan. Maricopa Integrated Health Systems and Banner Health both discussed downtown hospital plans with UA, but talks fizzled.

Those deals prompted UA to plot a strategy that called for ties with existing Phoenix-area hospitals such as St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center and Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Meanwhile, other Phoenix-area health providers are also expanding their cancer-fighting offerings.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Banner Health will open a 120,000-square-foot clinic this fall at Banner Gateway Medical Center in Gilbert.

Mayo Clinic is developing a $182 million proton-beam-therapy center that will include a towering three-story machine that offers targeted doses of radiation to tumors.

The Cancer Treatment Centers of America has purchased a 42-acre site next to its existing campus in Goodyear and plans an expansion.

Under terms of the deal that the Phoenix council is scheduled to vote on today, Phoenix would pay a total of $4 million in 2011 and 2012 to help pay for design costs followed by annual $2 million payments over the next five years. The money would come from the city's genomics-facilities-operations and -maintenance fund, which is generated from leases and other revenue from the Phoenix Biomedical Campus.

Councilman Bill Gates said the Arizona Cancer Center development would benefit all of Phoenix.

"The cancer center will be important to the success and growth of downtown," Gates said.

The University of Arizona Foundation is seeking to raise private funds to pay for the planned cancer center, which eventually would treat about 60,000 patients each year.

The Arizona Cancer Center already has bolstered its ties with metro Phoenix health-care providers. The Tucson-based center signed a letter of intent to open a new unit within St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix this summer. The cancer center has an affiliation agreement with Pinnacle Oncology Hematology in Scottsdale.

The Arizona Cancer Center also reached a pact with Phoenix Children's Hospital for joint research, academic programs and revenue exchanges to help train young doctors.

Arizona Cancer Center Director David Alberts said the agreements with local health-care providers are important steps as it builds its clinical ties in the Phoenix area.

Alberts emphasized that the downtown center would be an "open practice," meaning it would offer space and privileges to community oncologists who wanted to treat patients there.

In addition to cancer, the new center would have medical providers and researchers who would focus on other diseases, including arthritis, diabetes and heart disease.

"The vision of the city (Phoenix) has been so important in building a modern medical and genomics program for Phoenix," Alberts said.

"The cancer center is one piece of that vision."

Working from home has quite a number of advantages. It means that you can save on fuel, set your own time to wake up, take a nap on those hot and long afternoons and even work in your undies if you so fancy!

But even with so many advantages, poor working space will be detrimental to your business in the long run, hence the need for efficient working space.

A spare bedroom or a large walk-in closet would be an ideal location for an office due to the limited number of visitors it receives. Other areas of the house with possibilities for office space are the attic and the basement.

When considering the location it is important that you consider a number of things including privacy and client accessibility to the office. You should also take in to consideration that you will be spending a significant amount of time in your office; therefore pick a location that will help you become creative.

One important thing to remember is that a business anywhere needs a communication channel and so fixing a landline is quite important to establish a professional communication channel with clients. This is important so that potential clients can contact the management in confidence for enquiries and even follow ups. Additionally communication accessories like faxes are an integral part in communicating with stakeholders.

Furthermore most businesses today use the internet to ensure efficiency and even promote the business, so space to accommodate your PC, printer, scanner and modem is essential.

And to give your home office that professional look, place some basic office furniture for good organization and meetings with clients. You can get comfortable and great ergonomic furniture in most furniture shops today at very affordable prices.

Lastly will you be holding important business meetings in your home office? Will meetings be a key feature in your business? These are important questions that you should ask yourself in setting up your office.

If so, such meetings should be done in a professional and organized manner, so a boardroom would feature in your plans. It would be a good idea to include such a design when coming up with your home office.

However some people may prefer to have meetings informally over meals or cocktails. Though hospitable it may not be the best mode of meeting with new clients with whom you have not created any rapport.

So there you have it, your home office done and ready for business. So what are you waiting for? Set up that home office now and let your dream fly!

The 2011 apple-growing season is underway, despite the cold, wet spring.

More than ten million apple trees are in various stages of bloom across the state, with most tree varieties in bloom or near bloom in western and central New York. Orchards along Lake Champlain are expected to bloom in another week or so.

“It’s been a cold, nasty spring but our trees don’t seem to care,” said NYAA President Jim Allen.

“Our trees are pretty much right on schedule, believe it or not,” he said. “Depending on how the rest of the growing season shakes out, we should have apples ready for market by mid to late August.”

Growers are reporting large “bud counts” meaning trees are blooming well. Growers are also saying that trees survived one of the coldest winters in history with little or no affect.

A good stretch of mild, sunny weather this week will help with the pollination of trees.

Warm sunny temperatures forecast across the state are good for generating bee activity in the orchards, which means better pollination.

Trees will be offering spectacular vistas over the next two weeks or so.

“We encourage photographers, or anyone who appreciates spectacular scenery to visit our orchards to witness this most beautiful time in the orchard,” Allen said.

Consumers can click on www.nyapplecountry.com to find a nearby orchard.

Fruit develops from clusters of blossoms after they are pollinated by bees.

New York is coming off an excellent 201 crop, where approximately 30 million bushels were picked. New York ranks second in apple production nationwide.

There are 697 commercial orchards in the state, on approximately 42,000 acres.

Construction crews are setting into place stone columns and arches that will frame the 28,000-square-foot addition to Atlantis Marine World Aquarium that will open as the brand-new Long Island Exhibition Center and Sea Star Grand Ballroom.

On Saturday, July 1, the Long Island Exhibition Center will open to the public. This highly anticipated addition is part of Atlantis Holdings three-phased $24-million-dollar plan for the reinvention of downtown Riverhead’s waterfront, and represents the transition between the second and third phase of the original expansion plans, the grand opening of the Sea Star Grand Ballroom and the adjacent Hyatt Place East End hotel (both scheduled for completion in summer 2011).

The Long Island Exhibition Center’s first exhibit – Butterflies! – will showcase thousands of butterflies and birds set in an enchanted garden – a beautiful and colorful display of blooming flowers and trees throughout the year. The exhibit will feature more than 30 species of North American and exotic, tropical free-flying butterflies, 20 different types of birds, and archerfish.

“No matter what age you are, no matter what language you speak, everybody loves butterflies,” says Executive Director, Bryan DeLuca. “And even though the exhibit will only be on display for a limited engagement, we encourage visitors to linger as long as they like while they can.”

The butterflies on display will come from all around the world and through butterfly distributors in other parts of the country, from Los Angeles, CA, to Kissimmee, FL. The more than 5,000-square-foot exhibit will not only be the largest butterfly habitat in New York State, but has also been designed with a storybook theme like no other in the country. Visitors will wander a loop trail that includes a giant tree house, a pond, and numerous gardens. The message of the exhibit will talk about the life cycle of the butterfly, why pollination is so important, and what we can do to attract butterflies to our own gardens.

The new exhibit is part of a structure that includes a 28,000-square-foot exhibition, banquet, and conference center, and is part of a 97,498-square-foot, $24 million expansion that takes visitors beneath the waves and beyond the ocean.

“So much has happened here in the last decade since we first opened our doors – and tanks – to our public,” says DeLuca. “Riverhead is steadily growing into a family-friendly destination where you can experience several attractions, as well as experience its natural beauty along the scenic Peconic River. We truly believe that the Long Island Exhibition Center is sure to be the next ‘Must-See Destination’ on Long Island.”

Construction on the space began in summer 2010 and all components are slated to open to the public in summer 2011.