Happiness isn't something that happens to you, it's determined by your personality, thoughts, and behaviors. Although you may have thought, as many people do, that happiness comes from being born rich or beautiful or living a stress-free life, the reality is that those things don't confer lasting happiness. Lasting happened is cultivated when you focus on the positives in the present moment. 

I recently came across this brief video from the Mayo Clinic that demonstrates the way in which nicotine stimulates receptors in the brain to release dopamine, thus triggering a pleasure response, and how, over time, the brain's anatomy changes as the number of nicotine receptors increases.

We all know about the many health risks associated with smoking, From cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx, to shortened life spans compared to those of non-smokers, the outlook for smokers is never positive. All the more reason, then, to partner with your doctor to find a way to kick the habit — once and for all.

When it comes to offsetting the many changes that their bodies go through as they age, postmenopausal women often turn to vitamins and supplements. Until recently, Vitamin D and calcium supplements were believed to be two such remedies to help prevent bone fractures. However, a recent study conducted by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggests that there was "adequate evidence" that taking 400 International Units (IU) of vitamin D in combination with 1,000 milligrams of a calcium supplements had no effect on the incidence of osteoporotic fractures.

Parlez-vous francais? Here's a great article on how, just by learning (and speaking) a second language or studying music, it's possible to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s symptoms by an average of five years. What's more, a recent study also suggests that increased mental activity can offset the effects not just of degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, but of normal aging as well. Read more on how brushing up on your high school French lessons can augment your cognitive reserves and keep your brain fresh for many years to come.