Category Archives: Quotes

Searching for Happiness

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We are all searching for happiness. But how do we achieve it? What are its greatest determinants?

The Harvard Study of Adult Development may be the most comprehensive study ever conducted, as it followed its participants for their entire adult lives. The study was started in Boston in 1938 and has already covered three generations: grandparents, parents, and children, who are now considered “baby boomers.” It analyzed more than 2000 people throughout 85 years of longitudinal study. By following this large population for more than eight decades, the study uncovered the factors most correlated with well-being and happiness. Here, I have summarized some of the authors’ main concepts.

The study’s happiest participants had two major factors in common throughout its 85 years: taking care of their health and building loving relationships with others. It seems obvious that being in good health is essential to living well. However researchers determined that good relationships were the most significant predictor of health and happiness during aging. The happiest people valued and fostered relationships.

Professional success on its own does not guarantee happiness, even though it may be gratifying. Levels of education and cultural awareness, which tend to be higher among those with higher salaries, were also important factors for adopting healthy habits and for better access to healthcare.

Loneliness is increasingly common and creates challenges when dealing with stressful situations. It is essential to have someone with whom we can vent. Therefore, one should foster, strengthen, and broaden relationships. Maintaining social connections requires constant practice. Friendships and relationships need regular commitment to keep them from fizzling out. A simple telephone call can help. Participating in activities that bring joy and encourage camaraderie, such as sports, hobbies, and volunteer work, may broaden the relationship network.

Social media almost always shows the positive side of people’s lives and suggests that everyone lives worry-free. However, the truth is that no one’s life is free of difficulties and challenges. Social skills contribute to resilience.

It is never too late for a turnaround and change life through new relationships and experiences. The study showed that good things happened and good news appeared when least expected it.

IRRESISITIBLE Accidental Heroes

They never intended to become heroes…
But actions speak louder than words.

Find true love with these accidental heroes, in the pages of EIGHT BRAND NEW, full-length steamy stories, from New York Times and USA Today Bestselling, Award-Winning Authors.

No Expiration Date for Sex!

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“Humans are sexual beings throughout their lives, yet the culture has concealed that fact,” says Dr. W. Gianotten.in an interesting article I want to share with you

According to Rome, the purpose of sex is to make children. According to Hollywood, sex is only for the young, the healthy, and the beautiful. For the medical profession, sex consists mainly of risks or dysfunctions.

The results of these biases? Many middle-aged people fear their later sexual life. And medical professionals rarely ask about sexuality. “That failing can be harmful. Sexuality and intimacy are essential elements for quality of life, with clear physical, emotional, and relational benefits. Let’s look at the data when researchers dared to ask seniors about their sexuality,” Dr. W. Gianotten added.

The 2015 UK national research study on sexuality found a link between age and a decline in various aspects of sexual activity — but not a zeroing-out. For example, among men ages 70-79, 59% reported having had sex in the past year, with 19% having intercourse at least twice a month and 18% masturbating at least that often. Above age 80, those numbers dropped to 39%, 6%, and 5%, respectively. The reason behind the declines? A combination of taboo, fear of disease, use of medications or other interventions that disrupt sexual function or cause disfigurement, and a little bit of age itself.

What about women? Among women ages 70-79, 39% said they’d had sex in the past year, with 6% having intercourse at least twice per month and 5% masturbating two times or more monthly. Above age 80, those numbers were 10%, 4.5%, and 1%, respectively. Driving the fall-off in women were the same factors as for men, plus the sad reality that many heterosexual women become widowed because their older male partners die earlier.

Although erectile problems affect many in long-standing relationships, there is no reason to abstain from sexual pleasure. Many couples will replace intercourse with more cuddling, kissing, digital stimulation, and other forms of sexual pleasure.

What about the expiry date for sex? Beckman’s group interviewed 269 Swedish seniors, all without dementia, at age 97. Sexual desire was affirmed by 27% of men and 5% of women in the survey. Meanwhile, 26% of the men and 15% of the women said they missed sexual activity.

When caring for those with chronic diseases, or cancer, in the course of physical rehabilitation, and even in the last phase of life, the clinical experience indicates that patients are happy when physicians address sexuality and intimacy. Roughly 25% of patients are sufficiently helped simply by talking about sex. Addressing the importance of sexual pleasure is nearly always valuable.

If addressing sexuality has benefits, what about sex itself? We are gradually learning more about the many short-, intermediate-, and long-term health benefits of solo and joint sexual activity. Short-term benefits include muscle relaxation, pain relief (even, perhaps ironically, for headaches), and better sleep — all pretty valuable for older adults. Examples of intermediate-term benefits include stress relief and less depression.

Research from the United States has found that hugging can reduce the concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines, and kissing positively influences cholesterol levels. Finally, while the long-term benefits of sex might be less relevant for seniors, they do exist. Among them are delayed onset of dementia and a substantial reduction in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular problems in men. More sex has been linked to longevity, with men benefitting a bit more than women from going through the entire process, including an orgasm, whereas women appear to gain from having a “satisfying” sex life, which does not always require an orgasm.

MHO, any book dealing with romance or sex will greatly benefit you. Voila!!!

Amazon

Celebrate the Big 30 with Romance!

Once again, the amazing writers of The Authors’ Billboard have come together to bring you a box set filled with amazing stories of Unforgettable Love: Unforgettable Wonder. The 30th in the Unforgettable Romance Series box set collection will give you tingles and set your heart atwitter.
Join these talented and award-winning ladies on incredible and diverse journeys, where lovers find each other for the first time – sometimes under difficult or seemingly impossible conditions – or are reunited by fate after being torn apart by situations or deceptions.

No matter what life throws at them, these strong men and women will discover that Love will prevail.

Mona Risk – Secret Kisses: Will the three friends manage to convince their families to let them marry for love or will tradition tear the lovers apart?

Rebecca York – Nightfall: Will the mail-order bride be able to introduce her virgin husband to the pleasures of married love, while hiding her secret, all while living on a nearly lawless planet where savage wildlife roams?

Susan Jean Ricci – Sharing Sea Glass: A summer adventure nearly turns tragic when a young woman almost drowns. Her gratitude morphs into something else entirely different when she gets to know her handsome savior.

Stacy Eaton – Sometimes You Win: Can Haley be lucky enough to win the lottery and Devon’s heart too?

Josie Riviera – 1-800-IRELAND: A strong minded Irishwoman pursuing her dream. A disillusioned businessman ready to retire. Can two determined people separated by years find true love at the end of a rainbow?

Susanne Matthews: Beneath the Ashes: Can the archeologist’s fantasies really be memories of a past life in Pompeii? And if she gives in to them, what will happen to the future she has planned?

Rachelle Ayala – Longer Than: Storytelling and horses foil Desiree’s father’s plan to marry her off to Kyle’s cousin, the town’s most eligible bachelor. Desiree wants to please her father, but when Kyle weaves his magic with her as his muse, she’s drawn into a romance haunted by his dark tales.

Taylor Lee – All Gia’s Men: Fiercely independent, accustomed to controlling and managing every element of their lives, will this go-it-alone couple embrace or reject the joys of parenthood?

Mimi Barbour – My Cheeky Angel: In one sweet night of loving, everything changes friends. Due to an overabundance of nightcaps, his lady ‘buddy’ doesn’t remember the night he can’t forget!

Travel with Mona to Spain

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We went to Spain several times, mostly to Madrid and Barcelona, but my favorite trip was the bus tour we took around the south and west. I will share here some of my favorite places, mainly Cordova and Seville.

We flew to Lisbon, Portugal, and drove through Andalusia, a region of hills, rivers and farmland bordering Spain’s southern coast. It was under Moorish rule from the 8th-15th centuries, a legacy that shows in its architecture, including such landmarks as the Alcázar castle in Seville, the capital city, as well as Córdoba’s Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral and Granada’s Alhambra palace.

Our first stop was in Cordova (Cordoba). It was an important Roman city and a major Islamic center in the Middle Ages. It’s best known for La Mezquita, an immense mosque dating from 784 A.D., featuring a columned prayer hall and older Byzantine mosaics. After it became a Catholic church in 1236 and the Cordova Cathedral, a Renaissance-style nave was added in the 17th century. 

A new capital

Following the overthrow of his family (the Umayyads) in Damascus by the incoming Abbasids, Prince Abd al-Rahman escaped to southern Spain. Once there, he established control over almost all of the Iberian Peninsula and attempted to recreate the grandeur of Damascus in his new capital, Córdoba. He sponsored elaborate building programs, promoted agriculture, and even imported fruit trees and other plants from his former home. Orange trees still stand in the courtyard of the Mosque of Córdoba, a beautiful, if bittersweet reminder of the Umayyad exile.

Known locally as Mezquita-Catedral, the Great Mosque of Córdoba is one of the oldest structures still standing from the time Muslims ruled Al-Andalus (Muslim Iberia including most of Spain, Portugal, and a small section of Southern France) in the late 8th century. Córdoba is a two hour train ride south of Madrid, and draws visitors from all over the world.

Temple/church/mosque/church

The buildings on this site are as complex as the extraordinarily rich history they illustrate. Historians believe that there had first been a temple to the Roman god, Janus, on this site. The temple was converted into a church by invading Visigoths who seized Córdoba in 572. Next, the church was converted into a mosque and then completely rebuilt by the descendants of the exiled Umayyads—the first Islamic dynasty who had originally ruled from their capital Damascus (in present-day Syria) from 661 until 750.

Seville

This southern Spanish capital is famous for its historic churches and palaces, Moorish buildings, flamenco dancing, and more.

Plaza de España is a semi-circular brick building, Renaissance/neo-Moorish in style, with a tower at either end (tall enough to be visible around the city, these towers – north and south – are major landmarks). In front of the building, following the curve of its façade, is a 500-metre canal crossed by four bridges, and in the center is the Plaza itself. Plaza de España, Seville’s most impressive after the cathedral, was built for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929 (Expo 29), along with many of the pavilions in and around the Parque Maria Luisa.

All along the wall by the canal are 48 alcoves with benches, one for each province of Spain, each with a relevant tableau and map, all designed on colorful azulejos (painted ceramic tiles). 

Considered the heart of Seville’s tourist district, Santa Cruz is easily one of the most beautiful barrios (neighborhoods) in the whole of Spain. This neighborhood is home to many popular tourist sites, including the Seville Cathedral and the Real Alcázar, an old palace with stunning gardens to explore.

We spend a day in Santa Cruz, walking through the picturesque streets of Seville.

Going from shop to shop, looking for unique handicrafts and ceramics.

The fans of Game of Thrones will recognize the Real Alcázar de Sevilla as the Water Gardens of Dorne. The incredible royal palace was built for King Peter of Castile, a Christian king and the Alcázar was constructed on the site of a Muslim fortress.

Cathedral of Seville

Also known as the Cathedral of St. Mary of the See, it is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and the third Christian temple after St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London. Since the conquest of the city, on November 23, 1248, the building of the aljama, or the Almohad Mosque, was converted into the cathedral of the archdiocese of the Kingdom of Seville.

The Tomb of Christopher Columbus and behind the statues of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella
Inside the huge cathedral

A flamenco show to end a long day.

The next day, tasting wine in Malaga.

Last Chance Plans

Love Plans Series, book 10
Sweet and Sassy
Emotional, Sensual, Humorous

NEW RELEASE

A Bad Boy Billionaire story

At twenty, Rick Lambert ran away from the US to escape the accusations hurled at him. Fifteen years later, he returns to settle in Fort Lauderdale.
Flight attendant, Madison Howell loves nothing more than her job. During a flight from Dubai to Miami, she meets the authoritative businessman and his mother.
When people from long-ago cross his path, secrets are revealed, threatening to ruin their romance. Now mature and powerful, Rick confronts his enemies to clear his name, but will it cost him the woman he loves?

About Heart Disease Risks

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Heart Disease Risks You’ve Probably Never Heard About
By Alan Reisinger, MD

If you’re trying to protect your heart, you probably already know the things you should do: Eat a healthy diet, get plenty of exercise, manage your weight, minimize stress and make sure you’re seeing your doctor regularly.

But there are other things that can put you at risk for heart disease that you may not even be aware of. Some of them are really unusual (such as living near noisy roads) while others (like crinkled ear lobes) can help identify people at risk earlier than cholesterol tests or blood pressure screenings.

Oral Health

If you were a patient in my practice, chances are you’d know about this connection. For years I’ve preached the gospel that poor oral health and heart disease are linked. While research hasn’t completely explained what’s going on, it’s clear that inflammation in your gums (periodontal disease) can influence the development of atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaque along the walls of your arteries. People with gum disease have a 49 percent chance of having a heart attack. The good news: This is one risk factor you can control by working with your dentist and your primary care doctor.

Sleep 

Not getting enough sleep – less than seven hours a night – creates a host of heart-related risks that you may not be aware of. For example, lack of sleep can impact your blood pressure, put you at risk for type 2 diabetes and encourage unhealthy weight gain.

More severe sleep issues, like sleep apnea and insomnia, can both increase your risk and be an early indicator of heart disease. Sleep apnea happens when your air flow stops while sleeping. This causes stress hormones to be released, contributing to hypertension, stroke and heart disease risk. Insomnia can increase stress, lower your motivation to move and exercise and lead to poor food choices — all of which contribute to heart disease. If you’re not sleeping well, talk to your primary care physician.

Extreme Weather

If you live where lots of snow falls, you’ve probably heard about people having heart attacks while shoveling snow. Heavy snowfall, in fact, is associated with 16 percent greater odds of men being admitted to the hospital with a heart attack, and a 34 percent increase in the chance of men dying from a heart attack. But it’s not just snow. According to a new study published in the journal Circulation, there are more cardiovascular deaths on extreme cold and hot days. It’s a good reminder not to overexert yourself when the weather is bad.

Grip Strength

Remember those old arcade games where you test your grip by squeezing a set of bars? A high grip strength set off bells and lights and made you the envy of others … okay, that didn’t happen for me either.

But there is a connection between your grip strength and cardiovascular risk. Lower grip strengths are associated with heart disease and deaths from the disease. In fact, grip strength is “a stronger predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality than systolic blood pressure,” according to a 2015 study in The Lancet.

Wrinkles, Creases and Hairline

Since 1973, we’ve known about a little quirk in anatomy: People with a diagonal earlobe crease, called Frank’s sign after the doctor who first observed it, are at higher risk of heart disease. People with this crease (called DELC) include the famous such as George W. Bush and Stephen Spielberg. Despite this correlation which includes cerebral vascular events like ischemic stroke, Frank’s sign is not typically used by doctors to measure heart disease risk because there are better tests and screenings to determine risk.

Similar research has linked wrinkly foreheads to a higher risk of heart disease. Could doctors one day diagnose heart disease with a quick glance? Maybe. Similarly, a few years ago researchers in India discovered that male-pattern baldness is associated with a five-fold increase in heart disease risk — greater than obesity — for men under the age of 40.

Your Height

Like creases in your ears and wrinkles in your forehead, you can’t do anything about your height. But unfortunately, it too can increase your risk for heart disease. Researchers have linked genetically related shorter stature with higher blood pressure levels, higher levels of LDL cholesterol (the so-called bad cholesterol) and diabetes. The study authors suggested that some of the genes that cause shorter height may also increase cholesterol levels.

Giving Birth to a Premature Baby

Women who give birth to their first child before 37 weeks of gestation have a 40 percent greater risk of heart disease later in life than women who delivered at full term. For women who gave birth before 32 weeks, the risk doubles verses women who delivered at full term. Another study found that women who give birth to four or more children in their lifetime also have a higher risk of atrial fibrillation compared to women with no pregnancies. 

The Flu

Sadly, influenza can do more than make us miserable for a week: The flu may induce a heart attack. In a five-year-old study, researchers linked incidents of flu to acute heart attacks. Severe respiratory illnesses like the flu put undue stress on our heart, which researchers speculate lead to the higher risk. If you’ve got a severe case of the flu, make sure your primary care doctor knows, especially if you are already at risk for heart disease.

Where You Live

Where you live can also play a role in your cardiovascular risk. Although much of America is in the grips of an obesity epidemic, which increases our risk of heart disease, people who live in the South and the Midwest are particularly at high risk of cardiovascular-related death because of the generally poor cardiovascular health in those regions. This is well known (in fact, part of the South is now referred to as the “stroke belt”) and there are multiple studies demonstrating it.

What’s lesser known is that things like altitude (the higher you live the lower your risk of metabolic syndrome) and latitude (the further you live from the equator, the greater your risk for heart disease). In the case of the former, people who lived at higher altitudes have fewer incidents of metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that include being overweight and having high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol or excess body fat. Metabolic syndrome raises your risk for heart disease. 

Researchers have been looking at latitude as a factor since the 1970s. Much of the research has speculated that sunlight (increased levels of sunlight lower cholesterol levels), which affect vitamin D levels, may impact our heart disease risk. There was a difference in both blood pressure and cholesterol levels between people living near the equator (BP and cholesterol were lower) and those living farther from it (higher BP and cholesterol levels).

What do these more obscure risk factors mean? Some of them are significant. If you have periodontal disease, talk to your doctor and your dentist. If you’ve had high-risk pregnancies or severe flu, make sure your doctor knows these things. But if you’ve got creased ears, wrinkles on your forehead, male-pattern baldness or live close to the north pole, I wouldn’t worry too much (unless you need to shovel 50 inches of snow from the driveway). 

Worry more if you have other classic risk factors for heart disease like abnormal cholesterol levels, diabetes, hypertension or you’re overweight, sedentary or smoke. These are risks you should work on with your doctor, because mitigating these risks are going to lower your risk for heart disease more than smooth ear lobes.

A good advice (from me, not from an MD): to relax and avoid heart problems, read a good novel by the ABB authors, or even better a box of novels.

IRRESISTIBLE NEW BEGINNINGS WITH A FIRST LOVE


No love can ever be as special as your first.
What if you could have the chance at a new beginning with your first love?

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Unforgettable Devotion: Passion and Pain

One can be smitten by a person
but Unforgettable Devotion leaves us truly breathless, satisfied…
and complete.
Dedication, support, and loyalty are qualities we all look for in our relationships. When we add love into the mix, then we’ve hit the jackpot.
But finding love is not easy as we’ll see with these NINE tales of intrigue, suspense, and adventure our wonderful New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Authors have created.
Whether the Pain and discomfort are caused by terrorists, criminals, the deranged, or inhospitable environments, these heroes and heroines discover that what is most important is having people nearby to trust. When Passion develops, too, the Devotion is Unforgettable.

LAST CHANCE PLANS, Love Plans Series, book 10

At twenty, Rick Lambert ran away from the US to escape the accusations hurled at him. Fifteen years later, he returns to settle in Fort Lauderdale. His mother agrees to live with him and take care of his two sons who have been raised by nannies and boarding schools.
Flight attendant, Madison Howell loves nothing more than her job. During a flight from Dubai to Miami, she meets the authoritative businessman and his mother. The sweet old lady befriends her, and Rick doesn’t hide his attraction. When his children come home, Madison finds herself entangled with the Lamberts way too often. As she helps the young boys adapt to their new life, she falls in love with their gorgeous father, but she’s not sure she really knows Rick, her charming lover. A loving son and dedicated father but also a womanizer and tough businessman with a hidden past.
When people from long-ago cross his path, secrets are revealed, threatening to ruin their romance. Now mature and powerful, Rick confronts his enemies to clear his name, but will it cost him the woman he loves?