If you’re looking to lose weight, here’s a simple tip: don’t dine with the skinny dude who stuffs his face. According to a study that will appear in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and the consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake.

A Connecticut woman is hoping to use her lifelong struggle with anorexia to make a difference for others.

Writer Tom Hodgkinson learned to embrace doing nothing and started a magazine called “The Idler,“ in order to remind people of the forgotten, simple pleasures of doing nothing. Based on his years of research, here are histop tips for people who find it difficult to just be.

When Carolyn and Sean Savage were told they were carrying another couple’s child after IVF treatment, they were shocked. How they chose to handle the situation may surprise some.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that affects millions. You will see why the pain in our joints is no longer just a part of aging.

In one east Dallas, Texas park, grown adults are acting like kids again.

Crying. An emotional response to something negative or positive in your life. But when the river of tears flow, one scientist believes it can act as a handicap to show you’ve lowered your defenses.

Setting bedtimes can improve sleep quality and quantity for infants and toddlers, according to a growing body of research. Not getting enough sleep affects children’s behavior, memory, attention, and emotional well-being, experts said.

Believe it or not, when it comes to health rules, you’ve got some wiggle room, too. So before you feel guilty about blowing off the gym or eating cookies for dinner or [insert your personal health confession here], find out which rule-breaking behaviors worry the experts most — and which aren’t so unhealthy after all.

Whoever said names will never hurt you was wrong, according to a new study. The study from the University of Illinois suggests dealing with classmate put-downs can make it harder for good students to learn and make it more difficult for students who are behind to catch up.

The jump to high school can lead to some anxiety. But when nerves kick in, there are ways to cope.

Parenting coaches are growing in popularity. But they’re not cheap.  But to according to many parents, the peace and joy it’s brought into their house is worth every penny.

Watch out for binge drinkers. A new government study finds one in 10 got behind the wheel the last time they drank heavily

Computer-based therapy has come a long way since ELIZA, a 1960s computer program designed to emulate (and parody) a therapist. Today, with the Internet, people can use the instant message format to communicate with real therapists.

Caring for an elderly, disabled, or chronically ill loved one, requires superhuman strength and patience—and loads of compassion and all that empathy can backfire, flooding you with the other person’s pain, and leaving you exhausted, angry, even unable to care anymore

Some childhood milestones—like braces and broken bones—are a lot less fun than others. Here are some tips to help you get through some of the most common rites of passage.

Most women see their OB-GYNs once a year, but because of the economy, more patients are turning to them for general medical advice.

We rounded up the five worst coffee creations in America — next time you need your caffeine fix, be sure to trade them in for the smarter alternatives. Making these simple swaps every day can help you lose 10, 20, or even 30 pounds in a year — without even dieting!

Darcel de Vlugt has white skin — which would be unremarkable but for the fact that she was born black and never tried to be anything different. And that’s why, since she was a girl, she’s always looked to Michael Jackson to help her cope with the rare skin condition that once made her the object of ridicule.

Should parents get involved in their children’s issues? Here’s some expert advice on seven common situations, so you’ll know when to meddle and when to stay mum.

According to new research, African-American women face a series of challenges in navigating education, career, marriage and child-bearing, dilemmas that often leave them single and childless even when they’d prefer marriage and family.

New research shows that drinkers who preferred a sweet taste in wine were more likely to be impulsive while those who chose dry varieties had greater openness.

As college students across the country tuck into their first dining hall meals, thoughts of unwanted weight gain may be dancing through their heads. Here are some tips on how to avoid the dreaded “Freshman 15.“

Space. Sound. Smell. Humans constantly process a slew of variables in their surroundings. According to new research, the wiring of the brain may be even more complex than we knew.

When it comes to getting their lumps of sugar, Americans are overdoing it, says the American Heart Association.

First came saddle bags and love handles, then muffin tops. Today’s new focus for the body-conscious: cankles.

A new article in “Time” magazine says exercise won’t make you lose weight and might even cause some people to gain weight.

If you’re working in a stressful environment, you and your colleagues may be communicating tension to one another without even realizing it.

Stressed out about the economy?  Need a hug? How about snuggling with strangers to relax?  That’s what dozens of people are doing at “cuddle parties”.

When Michael Cover decided to quit at age 47, he knew he would need support from his friends, and a lot of it…Try about 500 friends.