If you’re one of those people who wake up in the morning complaining about “not feeling yourself” or are constantly hunting down new pimples and fighting back the hair in your ears, you could have bigger problems… Alien Hand Syndrome, for one. Here are six syndromes and disorders documented in the medical literature of unusual maladies that have made the news but possibly missed your attention. While none of them are considered life-threatening disorders, they do represent some of the nasty tricks the body plays on us. Who is That in the Mirror? Take the case of Robert (not his real name) who was recently diagnosed with Capgras Syndrome, a…
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A Hairdresser’s Lament Things I learned (but will never repeat) in beauty school
While wrapping up the 1972 ski season, I met a male hairdresser who seemed to have everything I wanted: nice clothes, a new Porsche and lots of women. Wads of cash, thick hair on his chest, and lots of women. Socks with no holes, gleaming teeth and lots of women. But, what particularly impressed me was that he could afford a place without 18 roommates. So, at the end of the ski season, I moved into a studio apartment with two friends and enrolled at The Hair Academy of Beverly Hills. I didn’t do much research to see if it was a good school – I surmised if it was…
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Twelve Ways to Feel Healthy & Beautiful without Losing a Pound There's more to appearance than how you look
Imagine for a moment, that someone came up with a health and beauty scale that had nothing to do with how much you weigh or the way you look. How do you think you’d rate? Would you score a 10? Or, maybe a 5? More importantly, who would be the judge? Nearly everyone has chased their perfect image at one time or another. Spurred by television, magazines and social media, we convince ourselves that we won’t be happy until we’re a lithe, alluring, knockout. In fact, less than 2 percent of American women have the bodies of runway supermodels. Those who do, often suffer from physical and emotional disorders, trying…
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Shenandoahs, Pixie Cuts and Afrobobs Wigs, eybrows, moustaches, mutton chops and comb overs... it's getting hairy out there
At the end of a haircut the other day, my barber asked, “Would you like me to touch up your eyebrows a bit?” “I don’t know,” I said. I never really thought about it. “Do they need it?” The mere fact that he asked means that they probably did. People don’t usually ask you, “Would you like an Altoid?” unless your breath is already peeling paint off the walls. There was a time when no one would have asked me about my eyebrows. But, I guess that’s one of the drawbacks of getting older. I also have to trim the inside of my ears, nose, my chest and have my…
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Just Call Me Admiral The secret to earning respect: uniforms for everyone!
Immediately after graduating from high school, I made a bold move – I enlisted in the Navy. Even though the Vietnam War was revving up, it seemed like the right thing to do. I was a prime target for the draft, I had no aspirations for higher education and more importantly, I was sorely in need of discipline and organization. Unfortunately, it didn’t take me long to figure out that military life wasn’t for me – about 3 weeks. I didn’t particularly care for living in the same room with 40 other guys, I was never allowed to sleep in and I wasn’t very good at taking orders. But, it…