You've Heard of Sex Addiction, Now Health Experts Warn of Love Addiction: Are You Addicted To Love?

We've talked about sex addiction here on Vitamin G, but I bet you didn't know that one could have an addiction to ... love. Yep, what sort of sounds like a good thing can actually morph into a serious affliction, says one health expert. Could you be addicted to love?

On the Oprah Show yesterday, TV M.D. Dr. Drew discussed the world of love addiction, where people become obsessed with ... that loving feeling. It's not always about sex, but rather the kissing and the snuggling and the attention from a partner--to the point that it becomes a constant need.

One woman, "Amber," joined him on Oprah's couch, where she confessed her struggle with love addiction (and simultaneously scared away all future dates for the next century). She talked about meeting a guy when she was 19 and staying obsessed with him for 12 years.

What Holiday Food Makes You Weak in the Knees?

I've been doing a lot of writing about holiday foods these days (check back here on Vitamin G this week and next for some fabulous holiday eating tips--coming soon!) and suddenly it's turned me into the Cookie Monster of holiday food. I swear, I could subsist on a diet of turkey, sweet potatoes and cranberries, with a slice of pumpkin pie thrown in for good measure. So I wondered, what holiday food gets you a little ga-ga?

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Pecan pie (or any pie with whipped cream for that matter)? Turkey with gravy? Mashed potatoes? Stuffing (I love this stuff--even better when it's my mom's cornbread stuffing)? Eggnog?

What's Your Favorite Workout Song?

Most days, my iPod is the only thing that keeps me from running off the treadmill and back on my couch. And like Margarita, I've been known to belt out a tune if I'm running outside and no one's around. FitSugar recently asked readers which song gets them motivated to work out, and Britney Spears's "Womanizer" came out on top. What's on your playlist?

On cardio days, I have a mix of Rihanna, Justin Timberlake and Chris Brown on heavy rotation. On days when I take an easy stroll in the park or lift weights, I'll listen to anything from MGMT to public radio to short story podcasts. (Yes, that's why I'm either giggling or dead-serious when I use the weight machines!)

Watch Me Diet: Just Say No! (Or, How I Learned to Prioritize)

I'm a pleaser. No matter who's asking for a favor--a boss, a friend, a family member--I'll usually say yes. Two birthday parties in one night? Yep, I can make it. Another work assignment when I'm already stretched to the max? Of course! Will you donate money to this cause? Obviously; let me get my checkbook. But this weekend, I put myself (and my body) first.

An expert once told me that when I'm feeling stressed, I should make two lists: One of things I have to do and one list of things I want to do. Then, she suggested I whittle down the must-do list and cancel or postpone the truly nonessential plans.

Warning! 6 Calorie-Bomb Salads

Don't let the lettuce fool you: These salads pack half a day's worth of calories and a shocking amount of fat...

I'm always leery of ordering salads at restaurants, but this run-down of the worst salads in America made me want to hide under a menu. How can something made with seared scallops and leafy greens go so horribly wrong? Check out this list before your next lunchtime order:

1. Chili's Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken and Caesar Dressing: 930 calories, 71 g fat (13 g saturated),1,840 mg sodium

2. Chili's Boneless Buffalo Chicken Salad: 1,070 calories, 78 g fat (15 g saturated), 4,440 mg sodium

Want to Know What You'd Look Like at Your Goal Weight?

Are you ready for some instant diet inspiration? Forget mentally visualizing your weight loss. One website will take a current photo and shave off however many pounds you want to lose. (For free!) Talk about motivation...

Users can go to WeightView.com and fill out a form telling them how many pounds they're looking to lose. Send WeightView a digital photo and in 48 hours, you'll get a slimmer shot of yourself. Put it on the fridge, tack it up by your desk or stick it in your wallet for instant encouragement.

Has anybody out there tried this program yet? What did you think of it? Would seeing a photo of yourself at your dream weight motivate you to stick to your diet?

Desires of the Body

Question:

Your meditation on realizing one's deepest desires may lead to the recognition that one desires deeply and passionately things of the body. Intellectually one knows these are temporal desires and one 'should' desire and strive for God and God alone. But the truth remains, confusion results.

Answer:

Desires are the force of evolution manifesting in our life, so the underlying intent of every desire is to bring real fulfillment, and union with God. We don’t need to eliminate desires of the body, but rather we need to listen to and satisfy the deeper drive underneath superficial desires, for that will always lead to greater awakening. Spirituality encompasses the entire range of life - body, mind, and spirit. Some desires through ignorance and habit have twisted the normal evolutionary intelligence in desire. These distorted desire patterns lead to further imbalance, such as eating disorders, drug addictions, or other unhealthy dependencies. These desires are really compulsions that are counterproductive and distract us from our path to fulfillment. In that situation one must discriminate whether the desire is coming from the part of you that seeks wholeness and harmony, or whether it is a pattern of imbalance that seeks to perpetuate itself. Then locate the deeper spiritual intent at the source of the desire and follow that.

Learning to Trust Divine Guidance: Trial and Error

Anyone who has asked for divine guidance knows that it can be challenging to trust it when it comes. This is because divine guidance comes in many forms and it is sometimes hard to locate it. We aren't sure if we are meant to trust our thoughts, our feelings, our dreams, or our intuitions to be the carriers of divine wisdom. We are not sure if advice from a friend is the form in which the guidance has come into the world, or if our own opinion is the source of wisdom we need to take seriously. The ability to sort all this out comes with trial and error, and the best way to learn to recognize divine guidance is to engage in the process of asking and receiving.