Push traces Lee Min Ho’s career after ‘Boys Over Flowers’

With his latest soap The Heirs set to air next week, Push.com.ph traces Lee Minho's career after he shot to fame playing Goo Jun-Pyo in Boys Over Flowers, the Korean adaptation of the popular Japanese drama Hana Yori Dango.

After the success of Boys Over Flowers in 2009, Minho starred in another TV drama titled Personal Taste in 2010 where he took on the role of an ambitious young architect who pretends to be gay in order to become roommates with a young woman.

In an interview, Minho explained that he chose the colorful role of Jeon Jin-ho simply because he thought he could give it justice at that point in his life. "I think I would do a better job playing heavy and more defined roles when I am older. I think Personal Taste was perfect because it is bright, cheerful but you can also laugh and cry over it as well," he explained.

The Korean superstar then headlined the award-winning action drama City Hunter in 2011 opposite Park Min-young. The said drama, where he played an assassin of sorts who is hell bent on avenging his father's death, is known for furthering Lee's popularity in Asia, particularly in Japan, China, and in the Philippines.

Even before the series aired, its broadcast rights had already been granted to other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States where it was made available for streaming with English subtitles on Hulu.

His success continued in 2012 with a drama titled Faith, where Minho played the role of a warrior with the royal guard who became the object of affection of a modern-day plastic surgeon who traveled back in time to the Goryeo period.

Last year, Minho essayed the role of Kim Tan in The Heirs opposite singer-actress Park Shin-hye. The series hogged the headlines in Korea for being co-created by the writer behind the cult favorite Koreanovela Secret Garden.

In 2013, he launched his first album and led a 10-city tour to promote his debut album in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Thailand.

Early this year, he made history by being the first Korean star to perform in China's CCTV's Lunar New Year gala. He earned citations after performing with Harlem Yu, the original singer of the soundtrack used for Meteor Garden, the Taiwanese version of his show Boys Over Flowers.

The 26-year-old star will soon be in his first big screen project. Minho will take on the leading role in director Yoo Ha's upcoming crime drama titled Gangnam Blues.

Catch more of Lee Minho and Park Shin-hye in The Heirs starting on May 26 on Kapamilya Gold.

Source: http://push.abs-cbn.com/features/12027/push-traces-lee-min-hos-career-after-boys-over-flowers/2/http://push.abs-cbn.com/features/12027/push-traces-lee-min-hos-career-after-boys-over-flowers/2/

Popular Study Drugs Pose Special Risks for Young Brains

Stimulant drugs, or “smart drugs,” may provide a short-term mental boost for college students looking to ace their finals, but misusing these drugs can cause long-term harm to the brain, according to a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience.
Illegally taking stimulant prescription drugs, such as Ritalin, has grown more popular among college and high-school students who are trying to meet strict academic requirements, keep up in an increasingly competitive job market, and cope with the pressure to become successful, the researchers said. According to the study’s press release, “more than one million American students misuse prescription drugs or take illegal stimulants to increase attention span, memory, and capacity to stay awake.”
The lasting side effects of taking these drugs include impairments in working memory, multitasking ability, and attentional flexibility—“skills that become very important in the workforce and managing the many demands and stressors of modern adult life,” said study author Kimberly Urban, Ph.D., in an interview with Healthline.
“These medications have been developed to treat specific illnesses, and are well suited for that intended purpose,” Urban said. “However, because they were developed to treat illnesses, they may have very different effects on healthy brains.”
“A short-term bump in studying prowess, or a bit more energy, or a slightly better grade in a class are not worth risking permanent damage to the brain,” Urban added.
Learn About the Nine Most Addictive Prescription Drugs on the Market

Stimulants and Their Effect on the Developing Brain

In this study, researchers focused on three types of stimulant drugs: methylphenidate (Ritalin and Concerta), moda?nil (Provigil), and ampakines.
“Ritalin is particularly interesting because it is one of the most commonly prescribed medications for children,” Urban said. “There had been no work attempted to examine how this drug might affect a normal young brain, even though it is often abused and prescribed with increasing ease and frequency. So we decided to examine on a cellular basis the possible effects on normal, adolescent brains.”
Methylphenidate, used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is one of the most common drugs misused by young people and sold on the black market, the researchers said. According to survey results released by Drugfree.org and MetLife Foundation, about 1.9 million teens report having misused stimulants, including Ritalin, in the past year, and 1.3 million report having misused Ritalin or other stimulants in the past month. Trials on rats have shown that methylphenidate is particularly damaging when the brain is still developing.
Modafinil, a treatment for narcolepsy and other sleep disorders that works by promoting wakefulness, is another popular "smart drug." The drug raises dopamine levels in the brain and can improve pattern-recognition memory, number recall, and the ability to solve mathematical problems, researchers said.  However, if abused, it can cause long-term impairments similar to those caused by methylphenidate.
While not yet FDA-approved, ampakines are a new class of drugs currently being investigated as treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ADHD, Rett syndrome, schizophrenia, depression, autism and Angelman syndrome. These drugs have also been studied by the U.S. military to enhance alertness for soldiers in high-stress, extended-combat situations, the study authors said.
“Doses of ampakines given to humans thus far have been tightly controlled,” they wrote. “If the drug became available as a cognitive enhancer, or reached the black market, individuals could easily exceed safe doses and suffer neuronal damage from glutamate toxicity.”
Learn More About Stimulant Medications and Kids

Is Taking 'Smart Drugs' Cheating?

With the increasing popularity of these drugs among high-school and college students, researchers have begun not only considering the long-term effects of these medications, but also questioning whether taking such drugs to enhance cognitive ability is considered cheating.
According to a study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, about one in five students at an Ivy League college reported using stimulant drugs, such as Adderall, for academic purposes, and one-third of those students said they did not consider it cheating.
The study showed that 69 percent of Ivy League college students who used stimulants took them to write an essay, 66 percent took smart drugs to help them study for an exam, and 27 percent said they took the drugs right before taking a test.
However, only about 40 percent of these students said they believed taking stimulants to enhance performance was unethical, about 30 percent did not see it as a form of cheating, and 25 percent were unsure, according to the press release.

Students’ Take on Using 'Smart Drugs'

Kevin Palmer, a senior at New Mexico State University, said he took Adderall once to get through finals.
“About three hours after taking it, I had written an eight-page paper, which is extremely fast for me,” Palmer said in an interview with Healthline.
“I think it's just like any other drug or vice where too much of something can be a bad thing,” Palmer said. “I think most of the students using it in this way are usually trying to make up for their lack of effort earlier in their semesters. Of course in some cases, it really is a matter of competition to get the ‘A,’ and you do what it takes.”
A recent graduate from the University of Texas (UT), who wishes to remain anonymous, also shared his opinion.
“Every semester during finals I would take Adderall for a couple nights of studying,” he said. “I tried Ritalin and liked it, but it didn't help clear my exam stress. Adderall helped me focus a lot. I could go hours and hours reading and memorizing flash cards for courses I knew would never benefit me in the future.”
The UT graduate said he took stimulants because he lacked the motivation to study something he didn’t care about and that he didn’t see anything wrong with the practice.
"During the time they were extremely necessary for the type of stress and studying that came with college exams,” he said.

How to Bring About Change

Urban said that—in order to keep adolescents off smart drugs—more stringent, reliable diagnostic criteria for determining who suffers from cognitive disorders like ADHD needs to be established.
“These medications should likely be a final resort and not the first course of treatment sought,” Urban said. “We are not clinicians, however, and cannot detail exactly how a diagnosis should be made.”
“We also need to educate young people on the risks of abusing these drugs, and teach them the skills needed to critically evaluate research into these drugs so that they can make informed decisions for themselves,” she said.
As for future research, Urban said a wide variety of studies, cognitive tests, and experiments with animal models are still needed.
“The understanding of how these drugs act in young brains versus adult brains is still very rudimentary, and is a very large gap in the research and scientific knowledge that needs to be addressed by multiple teams with many different skills and areas of expertise if we  are to discover the  exact risks and benefits of these drugs,” she said.
Read this article at Healthline.com

4 Deadly Food Allergies And How You Can Avoid A Reaction

Food allergies affect many people at different points in time in their lives — allergies of all kinds are triggered by certain external stimulants. The allergies involving food are the effect of immune responses to different things we eat. Oftentimes, small amounts of the ingested food can cause a severe reaction. Victims can develop rashes, hives, diarrhea, nausea, other digestive issues, or even anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening allergic reaction. Some people even have allergies that are exercise induced, meaning that certain foods trigger an immune response once a person begins to exercise.

Many physicans and experts believe that food allergies and associated anaphylaxes are on the rise. According to Tonya A. Winders, president and CEO of Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics, "risk factors associated with food allergy include: family history of asthma and allergies, genetic predisposition to allergic disease, elevated allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin levels, and being younger than 3 years of age," she told Medical Daily in an email.

It’s important to be aware of your allergy and avoid places that might put you in contact with that particular food. If you’re eating packaged food, take a look at the ingredient label to make sure that it’s not made in a factory with ingredients that might cause an allergic reaction. And if you’re out at a restaurant, be sure to ask your server about any possible contact with said food. Even some cosmetic products might have food traces in them, so be sure to read those labels, too. Moreover, it’s important to speak with your doctor about any emergency remedies, such as the use of an epinephrine auto-injector pen of some sort.
1. Peanuts and Tree Nuts

This tops the list. Approximately one percent of the world has a deadly nut allergy. Being the most common cause of food allergy deaths, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, it’s important that many people are aware of the foods they eat and how to treat a potential allergy outbreak. In the U.S. alone, around three million people report allergies to peanuts and tree nuts, and about every year around 150 to 200 people die. Fifty percent to 62 percent of those deaths can be attributed to peanuts.
2. Milk

This is most common among young children who develop it within the first six months of their lives. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America finds that two to five percent of babies develop a milk allergy within the first year of their life. Milk allergies are three times as common as peanut allergies, but children will lose their hypersensitivity to milk by the time they are 3 years old.
3. Soy

Since many products are made with soy, it might be hard to avoid. However, if you do have an allergy, ingesting soy drinks or foods can also cause an unpleasant reaction. Soy allergies can cause a tingling in the mouth, swelling of the lips, abdominal pain, and a number of other reactions. Approximately 0.4 percent of American children, or about 298,410 under the age of 18, are allergic to soy, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). This is important to be aware of because soy is also found in many baby products as well.
4. Shellfish

For people over the age of 6, this is the most common allergy that will send them to the emergency room. Unlike milk allergies, many people develop a shellfish allergy later in life, and it usually lasts a lifetime. Shellfish allergy affects nearly seven million people, or about 2.3 percent of the U.S. population, ACAAI reported. Foods like shrimp, lobster, and crab all fall under this category. Fortunately, they are easy to spot and are not “hidden” ingredients in most foods.

James Reid admits getting ‘kilig’ over tandem with Nadine Lustre

James Reid was all praises for his Diary Ng Panget co-star Nadine Lustre. "She's so easy to work with, she's a great actress," he said in an interview with Push.com.ph. James admitte

Diary ng Panget was James and Nadine's first film together. The actor shared that he took acting classes for his role and had been working out daily. He also spent time with Nadine to establish a good rapport. "My preparations, nag-gym ako every day and I had acting classes, Tagalog lessons especially. Preparations as a tandem was just hanging out together, even us, the whole cast, we were bonding," he relayed.

James is set to record a new album this year. He also revealed that he is going to do a movie again with Nadine. "I have plans for a new album, I have plans for a movie with Nadine which is starting very soon actually,” he said. The actor is looking forward to doing more projects with the actress.

Looking back, James shared that he never considered becoming an actor after Pinoy Big Brother. "When I joined PBB, it was actually just to make friends. I didn't know that later on I will become an artista. Because in Australia (James is half-Australian) once you win, you get the money and that's it. But I didn't realize that once I've won people expected me to continue," he stated.

The actor shared that he started to take acting more seriously. "Kasi dati I didn't really had my mind set on doing show business. I really didn't want it but after I learned to sing that's when I really wanted to do it, the passion kind of move from there. I think I just learned to take it seriously and really reach for the goal," he said.
d that he actually gets “kilig” with their tandem. "At the end of our movie, even during the dubbing, I dubbed the last scene [of Diary ng Panget], kinilig ako."

Mavy and Cassy Legaspi on joining showbiz

Mavy and Cassy Legaspi are already used to being recognized as the o
ffspring of celebrity couple Zoren Legaspi and Carmina Villaruel. “Yeah we're both used to it. Pero kasi if we saw our celebrity crushes then we'd also be like that,” said Mavy who admitted to having a big crush on Hollywood actress Selena Gomez while Cassy likes One Direction member Harry Styles.

The 13-year-old twins admitted they have been enjoying attending basketball camp at school this summer. Mavy has always considered basketball as his favorite sport while Cassy is just a beginner. “I joined the camp because I play varsity for my school so I want to play again with my teammates,” he said.

The two siblings said they enjoy spending time with their parents when they have free time. “Maybe our favorite activity is going out for a movie. Anything is okay as long as I'm with them whether it's at the house or at the mall to watch movies. Anything we do as long as we're together,” Mavy shared.

Even when their mom is busy with hosting or acting duties on ABS-CBN, the family still tries to find ways to bond. “Our dad brings us to the set at like at midnight or 1 am then we surprise her, we stay there lang and talk to her, ganun. And everyday like every time her show appears we always have to watch her, we call her to give her feedback, good or not,” Cassy revealed.

The model teen said they used to be very affected by their mom's roles on TV. “Before we used to cry when we'd watch her and she would cry or be slapped. (Mavy) before I really thought it was real, the stories are real so, but she would tell us it's not real, it's just acting so we got used to it na,” Cassy said.

The twins shared that they have similar interests apart from sports and outdoor activities. “We're the same in music and then everything else different (laughs). Some sports yes,” Cassy admitted.

Even though he prefers house music and she likes Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez, the two are both in agreement when it comes to trying out showbiz someday. “I would like to try, but of course I have to ask my parents first. I would like to try it,” Mavy admitted.

Although Carmina has always been vocal about them finishing their studies first, Cassy said she hopes her mom will change her mind. “I want to be in showbiz. My mom said no (laughs) so I said, 'Awww, okay,'” she said. The two teens say they totally understand why their parents are reluctant for them to start acting. “They both discipline us in the same manner,” Cassy added.

The same goes for them having a love life. Mavy said he knows his mom is joking when she tells the press she wants them to wait until they're 35 to have a relationship. “Not really like 35 probably she'll know when is the right age for us to have a girlfriend, but so far we're both not thinking of that and we're not thinking about our love life yet because we're too young for that,” he explained.

Having appeared in numerous commercials and billboards, it's no surprise the twins also have their own following. But the two choose to downplay it when people share their admiration for them. “I respect them because that's their own interest. I don't really say anything,” Mavy admitted while his sister agrees with the sentiment, “Wow, yeah the same thing I respect them but thank you naman that's nice to know that they like me (laughs).”

Source: Push.com.ph

Natural Diet Foods to Avoid Cancer

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Cancer is also called as Malignancy. Symptoms of cancer depend on the type and location of the cancer. There are 1.7 million people’s are affected by this disease per year. Natural diet prevents you to avoid cancer and keep you healthy.

Top 5 Natural Diet foods fight against Cancer

Mushrooms
Mushroom is one of the most important natural diet food to prevent against cancer. Mushrooms contain compounds that can help the body to fight cancer. Shitake, Reishi, Maitake and even inexpensive button mushrooms all have the immune boosting properties that helps prevent cancer. Maitake mushrooms help reduce blood sugar levels and reduce cancer risk.
Green leaf vegetables

Broccoli, Cabbage and Cauliflower contain a chemical part that can fight against breast cancer by converting a cancer promoting estrogen into a more protective. Cauliflower control body weight regularly.

Tomato

Tomato is rich in vitamin C antioxidant that can prevents cellular damage leading to cancer. It can help the body to fight and protect against dangerous diseases.The antioxidant lycopene, which gives it the red colour plays an important role in reducing risk of many types of cancers.
Garlic

Garlic has a powerful phytonutrient called allicin that protects the body against cancer. Various research shows that allicin has power to kill tumor cells. Garlic also release a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against free radicals.
Grapefruits
Natural diet fruits like orange, grapes and other citrus fruits contain monoterpenes that helps prevent cancer by dropping carcinogens out of the body. They also contain vitamin C, beta carotene and folic acid that makes you healthy.

Top 5 Cancer causing foods to Avoid

White bread
Any unnatural food that is white colour is unhealthy because white means processed food. White bread comes from bleached flour and even unbleached white flour is processed and contain high level of saturated fats, that cause breast cancer.
Sodas and soft drinks
These two soft drinks contain chemical additives sugar and caffeine. These causes double the risk of getting pancreatic cancer.
Pickles
Everyone loves pickle because it increase the taste of dish. But pickled food increase risk of stomach cancer.
French fries and chips
The process of making French fries and potato chips create acrylamide which linked to cancer. These foods are baked, fried or grilled at temperature higher than 120°C.
Red Meat
Most of the people like red meat because it’s more attractive than white meat. Red meat is good for health but it’s safe to eat up to 300 gm per week. If you eat more than limit it increase the risk of breast, colon and prostate cancers.

Muslim rebels locked in standoff with Philippine army

Philippine troops were locked in a standoff with hundreds of Muslim gunmen who killed six people and took at least 20 hostages in the south on Monday in a bid to derail peace talks.

A night-time curfew was imposed in the southern port city of Zamboanga a
s armoured security forces surrounded between 200 and 300 Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) gunmen holed up in six coastal villages on its outskirts.
"We want an independent Mindanao," one of the gunmen, Asamin Hussin, told local ABS-CBN television, referring to the southern third of the mainly Catholic nation.
The gunmen launched their attack before dawn as the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which split from MNLF in 1978, prepared to resume peace talks aimed at ending a 42-year-old rebellion that has claimed 150,000 lives.
The city of nearly one million people woke to loud explosions as troops exchanged fire with the gunmen.
Heavily armed soldiers and police streamed into the streets firing machine guns at the rebels, sending terrified residents running from their homes clutching small children and scant belongings, ABS-CBN footage showed.
"They were trying to march on the city hall and we cannot allow that," military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon Zagala said of the gunmen, adding that two had been arrested.
The men are identified as belonging to a faction led by MNLF founder Nur Misuari, Zagala added.
The fighting quietened down in the afternoon, but there were sporadic sniper fire and mortar shell explosions as the gunmen dug in, military officials said.
City authorities later declared a curfew between 8pm and 5am as President Benigno Aquino dispatched top aides, including Interior Secretary Mar Roxas, to Zamboanga to help resolve the crisis.
"There will be no movement (by the security forces). As much as possible we will solve the case in the most peaceful manner," Roxas told reporters, adding that third parties, whose names he would not disclose, were trying to initiate negotiations.
"The authorities are in the process of identifying and pursuing all those responsible for this attack and bringing them to justice," he said.
City officials said two security forces and four civilians were killed, and 24 people wounded, while 1,500 others had fled their homes.
At least 20 people have been taken hostage and are being used as "human shields", Zagala said. Scores of others remained trapped inside their homes in the besieged villages.
The long-running Muslim insurgency in the Philippines has led to a proliferation of armed groups that have left parts of Mindanao in a constant state of lawlessness.
Misuari has criticised a preliminary peace deal signed last year by the government and the MILF, saying it marginalised his group and a peace treaty it signed in 1996.
Rommel Banlaoi, executive director of the Manila-based security think-tank Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence, and Terrorism Research, said the action was likely designed to sabotage the peace talks.
"Misuari's motive is to convey a message... (that) the signing of the peace agreement between the government and the MILF will no longer guarantee the end of war," Banlaoi told AFP.
Jose Lorena, a senior Aquino adviser on the peace talks, dismissed Misuari's concerns Monday.
"It is an inclusive process, not just MNLF or MILF. Whether we like it or not, there is only one people and one area," Lorena told AFP.
Monday's attack came a month after Misuari declared "independence" in Mindanao and called on his forces to "surround and secure all military, police and all other installations".
In 2001 his men also took dozens of hostages and left many more dead in Zamboanga and in nearby Jolo island.
The MNLF later freed all the hostages after several days, in exchange for free passage out of the city as Misuari fled to Malaysia, where he was arrested and deported.
He was held in a police camp near Manila until 2008, when the government dropped all charges against him.
Military officials say Misuari no longer commands all of the MNLF, which has splintered into a number of groups.
"We do not support this. This is about power. This independence thing is maybe secondary," Abdul Sahrin, secretary-general of a rival MNLF faction, told ABS-CBN in an interview.
However, analyst Banlaoi said: "The fear now is Misuari could create one united front along with other threat (armed) groups against the Philippines."

Source: Yahoo News

Justice sought for slain 25-year-old account executive

(UPDATE) Family and friends are seeking justice for Kristelle "Kae" Davantes, an advertising executive reportedly abducted in Bonifacio Global City Taguig and later fou

On social networking site Facebook, the page "Justice for KAE" has been created by the victim's family and friends. "Families and friends, let's all unite. We will not stop until we find justice. #justiceforkae," according to the page.  

"To those asking for additional details, we will inform you at the right time. We'd appreciate that you give us time to grieve on this tragic moment that has come to our family," a post in the page added. Police have yet to report the motive.

nd dead in Cavite.
Davantes, described by her co-worker Budjette Tan as "hard-working and passionate," was last seen driving out of the parking area, after a night-out in Bonifacio Global City.

"One of my last meetings with her was about an upcoming pitch. She said she wanted to personally handle the project because she was determined to win it. Despite all the OT we do and all the weekly workload that leave us with little personal time, she was still excited to work on a new project and win a new account," Tan said in his Facebook post.

Davantes, who was working as a senior account manager at the advertising agency, McCann World Group Philippines' MRM, was last seen Friday night and "Kae," as she was fondly called by friends, never got home.

According to an ABS-CBN report, Davantes' body was found on the Tibagan Bridge in Barangay Sabutan in Silang, Cavite at around 6am last Saturday.  Her mouth was covered with a handkerchief while her hands were tied using a car seatbelt. Her neck also bore several wounds.  A knife and a piece of wire were also found near Davantes' dead body, leading Cavite Police to suspect that she may have been strangled.  
According to the advertising publication, Adobo Magazine, Davantes' car with plate number PIM 966 is still missing.     
The family meanwhile posted a poem dedicated for Kae, part of which read:

"My heart aches for you my love
You've been snatched away so cruel
I look for answers from above
So senseless and so obscure

Your precious life so fleeting
How do we say goodbye?
Our hearts ache for you leaving.
We will cry till our tears run dry.

We can't help but ask why.
Please God help us understand.
Don't let justice pass us by.
We swear we will take a stand.

We give each other comfort.
And peace you will soon find.
No choice but to let you go forth
Fly with angels now dearest fly

As you close your eyes to sleep forever.
We'll hold on to all our memories
In heaven you don't have to suffer
Rest well our dearest, kae, you're free."
Meanwhile, here are what netizens say:

Source: Yahoo News

Kelly Osbourne to Launch Clothing Line for All Shapes

Celebrities no longer just wear the hottest fashions, now more are designing them. Two big names are coming out with new clothing lines and—best of all—say they’re making them to flatt
er every woman. Read on for more details and the rest of this week’s celeb news.

1. You’ll soon be able to wear Kelly Osbourne’s clothes. Not really, of course, but we were excited when Kelly Osbournelet slip to Fashionista that she plans to launch a clothing line and will “never make anything that won’t be translated to plus-size as well. Because everyone deserves to wear fashion.” She refused to say much more, but you know the Fashion Police star’s designs will all be “dos.”

2. Or you can dress like Ryan Gosling’s girlfriend. Well, kinda. New York & Company approached Eva Mendes to design a collection for them, and after urging from her sisters, she said yes. The line will be day-to-night looks for women of all ages, sizes, and professions, the actress/model/singer told Lucky. Now if only we could be Gosling’s girl.

3. A fresh face is at one with nature. Shailene Woodley may be one of Hollywood’s hottest new starlets, but she has her feet firmly on the ground and has a refreshing lifestyle. “I gather my own spring water from the mountains every month. I go to a farm to get my food. I make everything from my own toothpaste to my own body lotions and face oils,” The Descendantsstar dished to US Weekly.

4. Kate Upton can’t be stopped. As if gracing the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue twice, being one of the faces of David Yurman (along with Kate Moss and Gisele Bundchen), starring in an upcoming movie with Cameron Diaz, and looking stunning onVogue’s cover this year weren’t enough, Kate Upton has walked away with the prestigious title of 2013 Model of the Year, which is a slam in the face of those who called her “obvious.” Personally, we’ve got a girl crush on her.

5. The best actresses only get better with age. Fifty-five-year-old Michelle Pfeiffer is back on the big screen, starring in new movie The Family with Robert De Niro. Growing older in Hollywood isn’t easy, she admitted to Ladies Home Journal, but she’s more focused on being healthy than looking young. The blonde beauty works out five days a week and has been vegan for a few years, and said she’s happy “looking great” for her age. And that she does!

6. Fizzy yoga may be the next cosmo. We’re into bikram, kundalini, and hatha yoga, and now we can add fizzy yoga to the list thanks to Kim Cattrall. The carbonated-sounding workout is physioyoga, which combines yoga moves with physical therapy that is meant to heal and prevent injuries. The 57-year-old actress told New York Daily News that cardio was less important to her as she got older, and she preferred to do intense stretching. 

Source: Shape.com

Mini Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecakes

When you make dessert, even if you are disciplined and can keep yourself to one slice of cheesecake, the leftover sits in your fridge, tempting you to have a sli

ce here and a nibble there. This recipe from Fit Pregnancy solves both problems: The muffin-sized cakes make for easy portion control, and since it only makes four servings, chances are you won’t have any remaining. But if you want to make more for a party, it’s easy to double or triple.

Ingredients:                                                                                                  This Recipe

• Skill Level:
• Serves: 4
• Start to Finish: Less than 1 hour
• Prep:
• Cook:

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving:

Total Calories: 168

• 253mg Sodium
• 21g Carbs
• 1g Fiber
• 5g Fat
• 3g Saturated Fat
• Sugars
• 9g Protein
• 46mg Calcium
• 0mg Iron

• 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs (from 2 whole crackers)
• 1 teaspoon melted butter
• 1/8 teaspoon table salt
• 1/3 cup light cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup lemon 2% Greek yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• For blueberry topping:
• 2/3 cup blueberries
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a muffin pan with 4 paper cupcake liners.
2. Combine graham crumbs, melted butter, and salt in a small bowl. Spoon crumb mixture into bottom of cupcake liners, pressing down lightly with the back of a spoon to flatten. Bake for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile in a medium bowl beat together cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, egg white, and lemon zest until smooth. Pour evenly into baked cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes or until set on top.
4. In a small bowl toss together blueberry topping ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds and mash lightly with a fork to release juices.
5. Chill mini cheesecakes and blueberry topping. Garnish cheesecakes when ready to serve.

Source: Shape.com