Louisiana couple's message about love is inspiring thousands

The Monroe, Louisiana, pair wore matching T-shirts — with Mrs. Bell (for her) and Mr. Bell (for him) etched on the back.

More: Man wishes old girlfriends a Merry EX-mas and all hell breaks loose

"Me and my husband, we are a happy couple, so we did silly poses with the photographers," Tynedria told Good Morning America. "He [photographer Keyston Harris] uploaded them on Facebook."

Tynedria Bell 1

Tynedria Bell 1

The happy photos — including one where Tynedria is giving Pendarius a piggy back ride — were meant to be a keepsake for their family, but the photos went viral on social media after they were posted online. The reason: The Bells don't fit the "typical" idea of what a couple should look like because Tynedria is plus-sized while Pendarius is thin.

But so-called norms don't fit the pair, who has been together for eight years and married for four. Tynedria and Pendarius are in love — and now they are inspiring others.

More: The sweet thing one man does nightly for his diabetic girlfriend

“I got all these messages, saying ‘They say plus-size women don’t have any hope in relationships, but if we could do it, anybody else could do it.’ Some said it inspired them to keep pushing when they were thinking about giving up,” Tynedria told The News Star, adding that she's received several thousand messages and friend requests over the past few days.

Tynedria Bell 2

Tynedria Bell 2

One woman told Tynedria that the "fact that you all don’t mind taking pictures, doing silly things and posting them online is amazing. This is a beautiful relationship and I am truly happy for the both of you.”

"Just last night I was telling my aunt I'm never gonna find love because of my weight," another follower wrote. "You and your husband inspired me to know there's someone out there for me. Thank you."

And it's about time. We've made strides toward being a more size-accepting society, but there's still a rather large stigma that questions why a man would want to date a woman who weighs more than him. Those who do are viewed as fetishists or "chubby chasers," when that is definitely not the case for many men in love with plus-sized women. People of all sizes deserve to be and feel loved and not have it questioned or dismissed.

More: Man text-proposes to girlfriend while stranded at Chicago O'Hare

All of the positive messages make "me feel excellent," Tynedria told GMA. "When I was young I was so negative and now I see people looking up to me. For the people that didn't have faith in themselves, they didn't need me to boost their ego, but I thank God that they paid attention to me to help do that. They have nothing more to hide or have to be depressed, or stressing. Everybody's got to be loved."

Nine-year-old brain tumour patient has testicular tissue frozen

NHS and Oxford University medics have carried out an operation on a nine-year-old boy with a brain tumour to preserve some of his testicular tissue. Nathan Crawford has become the first boy in the UK to have the operation, with the hope he can have children later in life.

How to tone up at home

Dec 22, 2015

Boost your metabolism and re-energise your body with this 10 minute workout

Try ‘every minute on the minute’. Set one timer for 10 minutes and another for 60 seconds and do the following circuit. If you complete all the moves in the circuit within the minute, rest until the end of the minute before starting again, doing 10 circuits in all! 

Fitness

Workout Routines

home workouts

workout routines

fast workouts

20 Best holiday dessert recipes to make the season even sweeter

Below you'll find 20 of our best holiday dessert recipes including trusty staples like cookies, cakes and pies. We've also included some desserts that are sure to wow your friends and family, such as a festive cream puff Christmas tree and cherry-filled gingerbread tarts.

During this holiday season, you won't serve just one dessert because you'll want to try many when faced with all these exciting choices. Happy baking!

1. Gingerbread chocolate chip cookies

Everybody loves a chocolate chip cookie. This one gives the classic a holiday spin with the taste of gingerbread.

2. Stuffed and baked pear dumplings

Elegant baked pears can be stuffed with anything you like. They're wrapped with premade dough and are deceptively simple to make.

3. Caramel apple pie

We've added depth and richness to ordinary apple pie by incorporating caramel into the filling. It will be a surefire hit at your holiday party.

4. Chocolate raisin apple pie

With the smooth appeal of cake and the crunchy appeal of pie, this is a tasty combination dreamed up in holiday heaven.

5. Spice cake with apple cider caramel sauce

Special is what you get when you mix a regular box mix with a homemade apple cider caramel sauce slathered on top of a Bundt cake.

Next: More holiday dessert recipes

{pageBreak}

6. Crimson cranberry-orange tart

Cranberries aren't just a relish to other dishes, but make the perfect dessert when they're treated properly. Let ice cream or whipped topping play second fiddle to this dish.

7. Rum raisin tiramisu

This is a dessert for the adults in the group, as it holds a lot of rum that doesn't cook out during preparation.

8. Copycat Starbucks gingerbread biscotti

You don't need to fork out the big bucks anymore. With this copycat recipe, you're going to be the stop for coffee on your friends' route.

9. Chocolate-dipped Christmas treats

Turn your store-bought cookies, pretzels and whatever else tickles your fancy into decadent treats with these tantalizing recipes of dipped chocolate.

10. Homemade gumdrop candies

Never buy boxed gumdrops again. You can choose your favorite flavors and make as much as you want. You'll wonder why you never did it before.

Next: More holiday dessert recipes

{pageBreak}

11. Double Dutch chocolate mocha cupcakes

Coffee, chocolate and peppermint buttercream sounds like your favorite seasonal coffee, right? That's the inspiration. Enjoy.

12. Snowy mountain cookies

A no-bake cookie that looks just like little mountain tops is the perfect treat for your holiday table. With cocoa and peanut butter, they're a tasty treat to eat as well!

13. Festive cream puff Christmas tree

It looks absolutely beautiful on your table as a centerpiece and tastes incredibly scrumptious when your meal is over and it's time for dessert.

14. Cherry-filled gingerbread man tarts

The recipe calls them handheld pockets of holiday happiness. They'll certainly surprise your guests who are expecting a more traditional treat.

15. Wiener dog Santa cookies

A simple molasses cookie recipe, some icing and some candy pieces will create an adorable 3D dog cookie that will stand on its own. They're almost too cute to eat.

Next: More holiday dessert recipes

{pageBreak}

16. Olaf the snowman treats

Disney's movie Frozen is coming to a theater near you. Celebrate the season and the premiere with these tasty treats made of marshmallows and graham crackers.

17. Ice cream cone Santa hats

These look daunting, but don't let that fool you. They're relatively simple to make and will look smashing over a dollop of ice cream.

18. Snowman doughnut faces

These are a kid-friendly treat that are super easy to make and will put a bright smile on your kids' faces. Use store-bought doughnuts to make them even easier.

19. Buckeye bark

There's no need to sit around and roll buckeyes anymore. Just make bark! It's the combination of creamy peanut butter sandwiched between semisweet chocolate layers that does it.

20 . Chocolate snowball crinkles

Soft and fudgy, these cookies pack a powerful chocolate punch. Rolled in powdered sugar and baked, these tasty treats won't last long, so think about doubling the recipe.

More holiday recipes

50 cookie recipes
Guilt-free holiday cookies
Pumpkin pie and other holiday recipes with superfoods

Helping Others Dampens the Effects of Everyday Stress

Providing help to friends, acquaintances, and even strangers can mitigate the impact of daily stressors on our emotions and our mental health, according to new research published in Clinical Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

pH Balance: Easy Tips On How To Balance pH Naturally

This article will give a simple approach to balancing pH as well as understanding the implications of out of range pH numbers. This little known, and often misunderstood, aspect of health can be the missing key that so many need to move forward in their journey to optimum health.

Joey Feek leaves hospice bed to play with her baby (VIDEO)

More: Joey Feek shares an adorable moment with her daughter, Indiana (PHOTO)

The terminally ill country singer was able to leave her hospice bed for the first time in weeks in order to get on the floor and play with her baby girl, Indiana.

"I guess the power-of-the-will is much stronger than the power of fear," her husband, Rory Feek, wrote in a blog post about the day. "Honestly, I think Joey just got tired of listening to life going on in the rooms outside of her bedroom and tired of wondering what it would be like to be part of it."

A video of the occasion shows Joey, assisted by her sister, shocking her friends and family by walking into the living room. Joey, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2014, stopped treatment last fall when it was discovered that her cancer was continuing to spread, and entered hospice care in her home.

Joey Feek leaves hospice bed to play with her baby girl

Joey Feek leaves hospice bed to play with her baby girl

"We almost couldn't believe our eyes," Rory wrote in his blog post, titled "The Gift." "We were all so proud of her, but I think Joey was even more proud of herself."

More: Joey Feek makes emotional plea about her baby (PHOTOS)

Rory also shared photos on Facebook showing Joey on the floor with Indy, soon to be 2 years old, playing and teaching her sign language.

Joey Feek leaves hospice bed to play with baby girl 2

Joey Feek leaves hospice bed to play with baby girl 2

"She was a mama again," he wrote. "Playing with and teaching sign language to her little girl, like she'd been dreaming of being able to do."

Rory, who has been documenting his wife's illness and treatment on the blog, wrote that although her looks have changed, she has "the same joy in her spirit and the same beautiful smile is still there, shining through."

More: Joey Feek's husband gives heartbreaking update on his wife's health

The Duggars accused of lying in Jill & Jessa: Counting On premiere

But the facts weren't just spun to make the family sound better. According to In Touch, many of the details weren't even facts, but fiction.

More: Anna Duggar may have sad motives for appearing on Jill & Jessa: Counting On

Specifically surrounding the counseling the family received following the revelation that their brother, Josh, had sexually molested multiple young girls, his sisters among them, for years as a teenager.

In the premiere of the show last night, Jessa said, "There was a period of time in our family when Josh was not to be trusted," but she said that through counseling and over time, "that relationship was restored."

But In Touch reports that Josh never had any formal counseling. And Jill and Jessa, who were both among their brother's victims, didn't receive professional help until years after the initial incident.

Rather, Josh built houses and participated in manual labor activities under the supervision of a family friend, not a certified mental health professional.

Still, Jill claimed the family went through "lots of different steps" after the incident to heal, including counseling "when that situation took place."

More: Jessa Duggar's new show to feature intimate moments from her labor (VIDEO)

However, court documents revealed that it wasn't until child services did a probe, years after the molestation, that the family finally got the girls into counseling.

During the year and a half between the initial discovery of Josh's actions and parents Michelle and Jim Bob going to the authorities, In Touch reveals that the police reports state the girls were repeatedly molested.

Furthermore, Jill also said in the show last night that she felt it "wasn't right" for her to be exposed as a victim and she said that she felt like she and her sister had been "thrown under the bus."

But In Touch states that Jill and Jessa weren't named in Josh's crimes until they themselves chose to come out publicly.

All in all, if these reports about the Duggars' lies are true, then it sounds like there was a lot of sympathy baiting going on that should have been carefully managed by TLC, but wasn't.

The network knew they were taking a risk by allowing the Duggars to return to television. Jill & Jessa: Counting On has already been the subject of a lot of controversy.

More: Anna Duggar gets emotional on camera talking about Josh Duggar

Now to allow lies about the molestation to be further permeated, thus lightening the truth of the situation and making it seem like it all wasn't as big a deal as reported, the show is creating more harm than good.

Do you think TLC should cancel Jill & Jessa: Counting On?

Cryo-electron microscope research reveals structure and mechanism of Bluetongue virus

UCLA scientists collaborate on study offering new understanding of disease that has killed millions of cattle

Tips to Help You Lose Excess Belly Fat

Everyone has some belly fat, but if you have a large amount it can cause …

The post Tips to Help You Lose Excess Belly Fat appeared first on The Best Of Health.

RHONY's Bethenny Frankel to produce 'porn-oriented' programming

Variety reported that, alongside Brent Montgomery, CEO of reality television company Leftfield Pictures, Frankel announced today that she and Leftfield have signed a deal to develop and produce television projects together. Frankel’s work with Leftfield will be under the banner of her newly launched production company, B Real Productions.

More: RHONY's Jill Zarin admits she misses Bethenny Frankel

For those following the RHONY star’s recent career moves, this announcement should come as no surprise. Her newest television program, Food Porn, premieres on FYI this Thursday, Dec. 3 at 9/8c. Hosted by restaurateur Michael Chernow, the show will follow the restaurants, chefs and diners behind the delicious meals represented under Instagram’s #foodporn hashtag. Frankel is Food Porn’s executive producer.

It is fitting, then, that the first two shows that B Real and Leftfield will coproduce operate under similar branding. Closet Porn is likely to look at fashion trends through the lens of social media, while Cocktail Porn will presumably do the same for bars and mixology. It remains to be seen how many more of B Real’s shows will fall under the same branding, though they will all certainly remain within Frankel’s general areas of lifestyle interest.

More: Bethenny Frankel says she's sleeping with Eric Stonestreet (VIDEO)

Frankel celebrated the news on Twitter this afternoon, and her fans are already sharing in the excitement.

Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Response 1 to Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Response 1 to Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Response 2 to Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Response 2 to Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Response 3 to Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Response 3 to Bethenney Frankel B Real Tweet

Excited to see where the reality television superstar will be taking her porn empire next? You won't have to wait too long to find out! Be sure to tune into Food Porn when it premieres on Thursday on FYI.

9 Things to know about The Biggest Loser Season 17 cast

Here's what you can expect from Season 17.

1. They all mean business

"The big challenge was, how much do you value your health?" explained contestant Hope Wright, who is on the ranch competing with her husband Colby Wright. "Do you value your health enough to be here? And so all 16 of us stayed."

"[Bob] offered us $25,000 to leave," Colby revealed, echoing his wife's statements. And none of the contestants took the offer. Instead, they started the season with a trial run.

2. There is a reality TV team

Survivor: Borneo winner Richard Hatch and The Voice Season 2 semi-finalist Erin Willett will both be joining the show. And, as luck (or, more correctly, producers) would have it, the two are partners this season on The Biggest Loser.

"As much as your life can be crazy and there can be a lot of things in your way, you have to take the time to focus on yourself," Willett said. "If you don't put yourself first then nothing's going to be able to change."

3. They're all about getting healthy

The skinny standard is out the window.

"Be healthy," best friends and partners Whitney Clay and Felicia Buffkin said almost immediately in unison when asked what advice they would give young girls.

"Focus on health and then the outward will fix itself," Buffkin added.

4. There are former athletes

Husband and wife team Jacky and Stephen Kmet both come from athletic backgrounds.

"That's one of my toughest things," Jacky revealed, "How did I let this happen to my body? The difficulty level."

Jacky played softball and basketball in college at a D3 school while Stephen played ice hockey in college.

"One of the things that even led us here was that we lost our athletic backgrounds," Stephen explained. "I want my son to see me play ice hockey. And he's a great athlete now and my daughter's a great athlete. But my son has never seen me play ice hockey and that bothers me."

5. There are big challenges for some

Father/daughter duo Sarah Gilbert and Rob Kidney experienced their fair share of struggles after only the first week.

Kidney admitted movement was his biggest hurdle, "I'm the oldest guy on the show. I'm 56 and I came in with having been a cancer survivor and several other things. Our whole story is a story of addiction. We consider what we do with food an addiction just like an alcoholic uses alcohol."

As for Gilbert, she has a tight IT band, which causes her knee cap to shift when she walks. Luckily, the show has been carefully monitoring it and taping her knee in order to avoid the movement.

6. There's plenty of inspiration

Mother/daughter duo Vicki and Lauren Clark really showcased the emotion on the show when discussing their experience with the pressure to look a certain way.

"I just don't want little girls growing up to be like me and getting to be an adult and having treated themselves so poorly when they were little," Lauren revealed between tears. "To be an adult and look back at pictures of themselves when they were little, and think, 'I wasn't even that big. I was never that ugly. Why was I so mean to myself?' So just be kinder to themselves and give themselves a break and don't listen to what everyone else says because a lot of the time it's just their own insecurities coming out.

7. There's tons of liberation

Vicki revealed that the ladies have been taking it off.

"Hope started it," she said with a laugh. "We're out there working out in our bra."

And while she lamented at the loss of her modesty some, it also seems entirely freeing and fabulous. We say take it off!

8. Their families are on board

Gilbert's husband was probably the most inspiring.

"Both of them are pretty healthy," Gilbert revealed of her and Kidney's respective spouses. "But my husband, just since we've been gone, has already lost 12 pounds. And he really doesn't have that much more to lose. He's really excited for me and wants to be as healthy as possible so that when I come back we can both be in the same gear."

9. There's already competition

After the first team challenge, Jacky of the husband and wife team revealed that the competitiveness had started to settle in.

"The hard part is, because we're all living together, we really bond with our team as well as the other team, so honestly, first and foremost, I do want to win. I want to win," she said.

Her husband, Stephen, agreed, "Everybody's got their game face on."

The Biggest Loser premieres Monday, Jan. 17 on NBC.

Sinusitis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Colds are common at this time of year and unfortunately they can sometimes lead to …

The post Sinusitis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment appeared first on The Best Of Health.

New Skin Cancer Treatment Could Soon be Available on the NHS

A revolutionary treatment for skin cancer could be available on the NHS within months. Results …

The post New Skin Cancer Treatment Could Soon be Available on the NHS appeared first on The Best Of Health.

Canadian company's sexist job ad sparks controversy online

More: Female surgeon brilliantly tackles discrimination in the workplace

The post starts off pretty promising, and explains the job requirement and the list of skills that job applicants should possess, including the normal "computer knowledge," "superior organizational abilities" and "responsibilities of a receptionist" — oh wait, the last one is not exactly normal. But, it only gets worse.

More: Women in film fare worse now than 30 years ago — where do we go from here?

In the closing line of the description, the recruiter writes, "Please note that the Position requires filling in the responsibilities of a receptionist, so female candidates are preferred." They. Went. There.

Image: LinkedIn

Who knows, the company might be a brilliant place to work, but their job description was particularly ill thought-out, and follows an outdated gendered way of thinking that we are all too familiar with; you see a female surgeon and she is assumed to be a nurse, or in this case, only a woman can be a receptionist. We're tired of female stereotypes associated with various professions, and judging by the fact this post has now been deleted, it certainly seems to suggest we are not the only ones who feel this way.

In fact, some Twitter users have reacted in outrage.

Reaction to sexist job posting

Reaction to sexist job posting

Reaction to sexist job posting 2

Reaction to sexist job posting 2

More: Awareness campaign exposes double standards in sports coverage (VIDEO)

In fact, this ad makes a pitiful comment about society; when it comes to men and women in the workplace, there are still gross double standards. But it's never too late to encourage people to drop gendered, sexist behaviour, and one way of encouraging that is by calling it out.

Vestra Inet addressed their post via Twitter, explaining that they had not intended to discriminate.

Vestra Inet Twitter

Vestra Inet Twitter

Let us know your thoughts on this job description in the comments below.

A cellular symphony responsible for autoimmune disease

By Angela Page - Broad core member Aviv Regev thinks about the immune system as if it were an orchestra: “Some instruments need to play strong, others need to pull back or push forward. It all has to form a harmony and this harmony changes with time,” she said. “Everything has to know its role and it has to be orchestrated — except you don’t have a conductor.”

The Moringa Oleifera Tree - Top 10 Healthy Benefits Of The Miracle Tree of Life

About a year ago, an Australian friend boasted about a plant that she grows in her garden. She talked about the magnificent properties of this plant. I was so intrigued, the next day, my husband and I found it at our local Nursery plant store. This 6 inch plant went on to grow to nearly seven feet tall. The next year we ordered seeds and grew several pots. This was new to us, but not to many others around the world.

5 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Exercise During the Colder Months

Co-authored by Carly Alaimo, content manager at Avelist



But it's. So. Cold.

1. Get some new gear. A little lycra can go a long way. It's called "enclothed cognition" - a scientific term describing the influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological processes due to the symbolic meaning of the garment. When you dress the part, you act the part; meaning if you look gym-ready, you will be. Investing in activewear (leggings, tanks, shoes, pads, etc.) for the big chill will motivate you to get out of the house and get moving. It's science.

2. Make plans for the warmer months. This is a good one. Book a spring or summer vacation somewhere tropical, sign up for a marathon, or plan a two week hiking excursion. Maybe you want to lose 10 lbs before a week on the beach, or improve your stamina for a national park camping trip. Training for a marathon is its own beast. Impending commitments will help you visualize where you want to be physically and mentally by a certain date - and not to mention, you've already paid for it (hello, $600 plane ticket). Pressure's on.

3. Take advantage of the weather. Take a break from couching a couple weekends a month and do something active with the crew. A brisk run, skiing, iceskating, snowboarding, hiking, and sledding are just a few cold weather activities that will warm you up in no time.

4. Get some new ear candy. You might be taking a break from sweets, but that doesn't mean your ears can't have a snack. Instead of listening to the same old mix while exercising, download a few new podcasts and tracks for your workout. A solid selection of tunes can spice up even the dullest fitness routine and have you looking forward to spending an hour at the gym.

5. Take it one day at a time. Whatever your goals are, focus on the day at hand and try to be patient. It's natural to feel impeded by the miserable weather and overwhelmed by all the things you feel you haven't accomplished. It's OK to have an "off-day" or even a few -- give yourself a break. Focus on the successes of the day, not your failures. Eventually, you'll feel like the cold never bothered you anyway.

You might also like:

A Beginner's Guide to Forming Lifelong Exercise Habits
4 Ways to Use Goals and Rewards to Beat Procrastination
Exercise Tips for Busy People

Want more great advice? Head over to Avelist. Learn from others. Adult together.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.

5 Dystopian books that are too close to reality for comfort

While this may sound like the tired beginning of any dime store dystopian thriller, it's actually a description of what I experience every morning as I descend into the underworld of the Oakland public transportation system.

During the long, arduous commutes of our hyper-industrialized world, it's hard to walk more than a few steps without feeling crushed by technology — talking watches and self-driving cars make you think, "Wait... is this real life or a sci-fi novel?" We so readily accept this booming technological metropolis as the norm, and yet, we know so little about where it is all going. The consequences.

If you have similar strands of thought, you are not alone. People have been asking these questions for decades (centuries even!), and many have put those thoughts into writing. Enter the genre of: The Dystopian Novel. These books, which cover every societal issue imaginable, grapple deeply with these questions of humanity (i.e., Where is this all going? What does humanity mean? What if it all fails, miserably?). These author's daring imaginations give us space, and permission, to pause and wonder. But more than that, they give us hope. Hope that we can be strong enough to make the right decisions for ourselves and our future.

I recommend picking up one of these books for your morning commute — at the very least, it will give you something to talk about by the watercooler at work. And, if you order them on Amazon, you can get free shipping.

Fahrenheit 451by Ray Bradbury

Image: Amazon

There’s no book that will make you value books more than Fahrenheit 451. Written in a heavy-hitting prose that moves, unflinchingly, from action to emotion to long poetic monologues — this book is always on the run. The dystopian world it contains is set in a near-future, where society has turned against books because of all the conflicting (and therefore existentially confusing) information they contain. And it resembles our own era of 2015 a little too eerily: a society of people who spend all day sitting in rooms constructed of television screens, participating in their favorite programs and wearing little musical shells in their ears whenever they are faced with being alone in the "real world." The problem? Outside of the bubble of their city, war rages. And, despite all that they do to distract themselves from the sadness of thinking, no one seems particularly happy.

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart

Image: Amazon

If you're looking for a really dynamic and intriguing narrator, look no further. Written in an epistolary form as a series of journal entries, letters and freaky emails, this dystopian soon-to-be-classic is set in the mid-2000s. Technology has overrun human relationships in ways that feel particularly close to home: People wear their phones like necklaces (ahem, Apple Watch, ahem) and run around live-streaming their days, rating the "hotness" of the people around them (Tinder, anyone?), and completely ignore the geopolitical conflicts that rage around them. Read this one if you've been feeling especially creeped out by your social media addiction recently... and then delete everything.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Image: Amazon

An old school parable taken to new school levels: This dystopian classic sets its sights into a complex analysis of power and shows how well-intentioned systems of governance (ahem, communism, socialism) can be corrupted by politics and turn fascistic. Though the story features a society of animals living on a farm, it's rare to read a story that feels so human. We watch as the pigs incite rebellion against the farmers, declare equality for everyone and then swiftly become a maniacal and power-hungry monopolistic elite. This book asks some big questions about community and human nature. It's also always fun to read about talking animals, particularly when their struggles resonate so deeply.

The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin

Image: Amazon

Ursula K. Le Guin is a dystopian-novel-writing master with nearly 25 books to her name — many of which have racked up some serious awards. This particular one, The Dispossessed, has taken home three major literary awards and has never been out of print since its pub date in the late 1970s. It is an intergalactic novel that flashes back and forth between different planets, and we travel along with a physicist named Shevek as he explores the human differences between socialism and capitalism and ultimately makes a case for the strength of anarchism within humanity. Fierce characters and expertly explored moral questions mark this book as a tour de force.

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nestby Ken Kesey

Image: Amazon

You've probably heard of the film adaptation of this class novel — Jack Nicholson is hard to forget, especially when he does his crazy eyes. Whether or not you've seen the film, I highly recommend reading the book. Kesey is a master at writing steadily beating prose that catches you unaware — that hooks you in and holds you tight. Written in the late 60s as a commentary on our newly minted societal conceptions of mental illness, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest strives to complicate our narrow understandings of normalcy. The book is narrated by a mute patient in a psyche ward — a big guy dubbed "Chief" — which is the perfect vantage point, given that people assume he lacks intelligence and ignore him. This provides us with total access to all the goings-on that occur in the hospital. I challenge you to read this book and to then think really critically about what it has to say about how we treat each other — and ourselves.

IL-21 repairs immune function in primate model of HIV infection

Antiretroviral drugs can suppress HIV for years, but a residual inflammatory imbalance contributes to health problems in individuals who are infected with the virus. A novel combination treatment aimed at repairing the immune system has shown encouraging effects in a nonhuman primate model of HIV infection, both during and after a course of antiretroviral drug treatment.

Jimmy Fallon's career reportedly in danger because of a scary problem

More: Tori Spelling is furious with Andy Cohen for insulting her — twice (VIDEO)

But is the NBC host just naturally goofy or is there another reason for his behavior?

The New York Post reports that a string of injuries starting over the summer and continuing until next week could be a result of the comedian's drinking and partying — the most recent event had him getting his hand stitched after falling and landing on broken glass from a smashed Jägermeister bottle while receiving the Harvard Lampoon’s Elmer Award for Excellence in Humor.

"I threw the bottle and then I landed on broken glass," Fallon explained about his bandaged hand on his show Monday. "There [were] pools of blood everywhere."

Now, the Post reports that sources in the entertainment industry are saying NBC feels Fallon's over-the-top partying may be endangering his career.

More: Jimmy Fallon with Kerry Washington's lips is hilariously creepy (VIDEO)

"It’s gone from being a whisper to a chatter," one insider reportedly said about rumors surrounding Fallon's drinking.

The stories are wild and numerous. The Post chronicles rumors that Fallon was involved in a late-night brawl at an East Village dive bar in 2014, that he buys shots of vodka for everyone at the bars he frequents and that, in January, he was seen crawling across a bartop while singing a Katy Perry song.

"He's a mess… everything you’ve heard [about his behavior] is true," a Manhattan bartender who serves Fallon reportedly told the Post, adding, "I love him."

More: Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake talk about sex, baby (VIDEO)

But even if the rumors are true, NBC isn't ready to admit to them. The Post reports that a representative for the network said in a statement, "Jimmy Fallon is a highly valued member of the NBC family who is both a tireless worker and an extraordinarily gifted performer. His dedication in putting on a great show each and every night is unparalleled, and that is reflected in the large amount of viewers who tune in — he frequently outrates the broadcast competition combined. We are proud of his accomplishments on and off camera and look forward to working with him for many years to come."

7 Best Fitness & Nutrition Apps

Keeping track of your fitness and nutrition goals has never been easier. With lots of great free apps on the market, you never have to pick up pen and paper again. Here are 7 of the Best Fitness & nutrition apps available on the market today.

Intestinal worms “talk” to gut bacteria to boost the immune system

EPFL researchers have discovered how intestinal worm infections cross-talk with gut bacteria to help the immune system.

Sexy book excerpt: A disgraced chef finds romance with a local farmer

Read the excerpt from Nuts by Alice Clayton:

Now I had a quest: to make a perfect steak fry, fast. I shut out the noise and the clatter and bent my head to the task. Hands flew, pruney fingers danced, and the pan filled with starchy, pointy art. Time flew by as I filled pan after pan, the sacks dwindling.

When one of the other waitresses patted my shoulder in greeting it startled me, and my knife slipped from my hand, landing in the back of the water pan. Leaning across the pan to retrieve it, I overbalanced and managed to submerge my front in cold potato water. “Bleagh,” I said, feeling the cold water running down the inside of my shirt and across my belly. Paused from my fry frenzy, I looked around. There were pans of fries on every work surface in my corner. Huh. Might have gone a little overboard.

“Land’s sake, Roxie, how many fries did you think we need?” my mother asked as she came around the corner.

“They’ll keep until tomorrow — the next day, even,” I replied, a little sheepish.

“It’s fine, I’ll make some room in the walk-in. How about cleaning some sugar snap peas?” she asked, thunking down a big pan of pea pods. “Cut off the end, strip out the stringy part.”

“I know how to clean a sugar snap,” I grumbled. “Cut off the end...” I filled the pan with water, huffing, “Strip out the stringy part. No shit, strip out the stringy part.”

“You start talking to yourself out there in Hollywood?” my mother teased, sticking her head around the corner and very nearly getting hit in the face with the snap pea I threw at her. She laughed and disappeared back into the kitchen.

I sighed, stretched and went to work again. After this, I was taking a nap.

More: An unlikely pair find romance in risque romance excerpt

After a while I became aware of a tingling on the back of my neck, and I looked over my shoulder to find the source. Then several things happened within mere seconds, though I saw them in super slo-mo:

1. A man was standing right behind me.

2. He was holding a basket.

3. The basket contained some lovely walnuts.

4. I shrieked, because he was standing right behind me.

5. I dropped my pan.

6. Snap peas shot out in all directions.

7. Some of the peas landed on his work boots.

8. I looked above the boots. Jeans.

9. I looked above the jeans. Vintage Fugazi concert tee. Green flannel shirt.

10. I looked above the flannel. Two weeks’ worth of shaggy blond beard. Mmm. Country hipster.

11. I looked above the beard. Lips.

12. I looked at the lips.

13. I looked at the lips.

14. I looked at the lips.

15. COME ON.

16. I looked above the lips.

17. I was glad I looked above the lips.

More: Sexy excerpt from Emma Chase's Sustained

18. The eyes and the hair were a package deal, the hair was falling across his eyes in a careless way that said “Hey, girl. I’ve got peas on my shoes, but who cares, because I’ve got these eyes and this hair, and it’s pretty fucking great.”

19. The hair was the color of tabbouleh.

20. His eyes were the color of . . .

21. Pickles?

22. Green beans?

23. No. Broccoli that had been steamed for exactly sixty seconds. Vibrant. Piercing.

24. I stood — and slipped on the snap peas.

25. At his feet, I stared up at him.

26. One corner of his mouth lifted for the tiniest moment.

27. He looked at my nearly transparent wet T-shirt for the tiniest moment before decency dictated that he not do that.

28. He set down his basket of nuts and extended a hand to me. Callused. Rough. Both corners of his mouth now lifted.

29. I took his hand to stand. Slipped again on a snap. Worlds collided when my skin met his. Heads collided when my forehead conked his.

30. One of my pea pods wedged under his boot

31. He fell down too.

32. His nuts went everywhere.

33. Our legs tangled.

34. His head fell into my... lap.

35. Sugar snap peas were my new favorite vegetable.

About the author: Alice Clayton worked in the cosmetics industry for over a decade before picking up a pen (read: laptop). She enjoys gardening but not weeding, baking but not cleaning up and finally convinced her longtime boyfriend to marry her. Now, about that Bernese Mountain dog....

More: What Alice Clayton is reading

PH3: Layne Norton's Power And Hypertrophy Trainer, Nutrition & Supplementation Overview

Layne Norton's no-nonsense approach to nutrition is the perfect complement to PH3's classic lifts and airtight programming. Here's everything you need to dial in your calories and macros for performance and growth!

Stem cell therapies for neurological injury

Professor Divya Maitreyi Chari, Professor of Neural Tissue Engineering at Keele University, will give the opening lecture in Keele's programme of Inaugural Professorial Lectures 2015-16, on Monday, 19 October 2015, in the Westminster Theatre, Chancellor's Building, on the University campus. The title of her lecture is: "Stem cell therapies for neurological injury: Developing realistic solutions for clinical use".

9 Foods This Nutritionist Stocks in Her Kitchen

The people we surround ourselves with help to contribute to our happiness. In food speak, the foods we surround ourselves with, help keep us healthy.

As a nutritionist, I have seen first hand that our environment plays a huge factor guiding our food choices. If our "default" environment is filled with large portions of junk food, it becomes increasingly difficult to make healthy food choices. If, on the other hand, we keep healthy foods handy, we are more likely to make more nutritious food choices.

While everyone -- including me -- loves to indulge on occasion, eating well at least 80 percent of the time is the key to staying healthy. And surrounding ourselves with nutritious foods certainly helps us to make healthy food choices.

Here are nine healthy foods I try stock in my kitchen regularly.

1. Greek yogurt

I make sure to keep Greek yogurt in my refrigerator at all times. It tastes great and contains protein which helps keep me full along with the mineral calcium necessary for bone health. Greek yogurt is a great snack and the sky is the limit as far as nutrition goes; adding ground flax or chia seeds, nuts, and your favorite fruit adds a huge nutrition boost. Greek yogurt is also rich in good bacteria called probiotics known to have a multitude of health benefits, among them aiding in digestion.

2. Almonds

Almonds are packed with nutrients and are a filling and flavorful snack. They contain protein, vitamin E, heart-healthy fats, along with the minerals calcium and magnesium. I try to pack a one ounce serving -- 23 nuts to be exact -- in a small tin or baggie to take along with me if I will be out all day.

Almonds are also very versatile and make for a delicious addition to both fruit salads and green salads. I also love sprinkling slivered almonds into my morning oatmeal or yogurt.

And you have no reason to avoid eating nuts if you are watching your weight. Even though they are high in fat, research found that including a serving of nuts (approximately a handful) in your diet may actually prevent weight gain and possibly even promote weight loss, as long as you control total calories. One caveat: include a handful of nuts instead of chips (the key word being "instead of.")

3. Oatmeal

Not only does oatmeal taste delicious, it is also filling, chock full of fiber, and lower in calories and sugar than many breakfast cereals. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber which has been shown to reduce cholesterol level, making it a great choice to prevent heart disease. Oatmeal also contains magnesium and potassium, two minerals also good for your heart.

4. Apples

I love eating apples especially in the Fall season in New York. Apples are high in fiber, antioxidants, low in calories, and an apple a day may even keep your prescription medication away. I enjoy an apple (Fuji is my favorite) as a snack most days and also love making baked apples to enjoy while home. I suggest buying organic apples and eating the entire apple along with the skin.

5. Blueberries

These tiny blue-colored berries are among my favorite fruits. Not only do they taste great, they are relatively low in calories and pack in nutrients including vitamin C, manganese, and fiber ( 4 gram of fiber per 1 cup serving). I often eat them by the handful or throw them into yogurt, smoothies, or salads. Frozen blueberies also taste great after nuking them in the microwave for a minute or so.

6. Peanut butter

I must confess that I love peanut butter and find it hard to stick with just a tablespoon or two even though I have spent a good part of my life studying portion control. If you can get a handle on your portion (2 tablespoons look like a walnut in a shell), peanut butter makes for a great snack or even a quickie mini-meal for kids and grown ups (remember peanut butter on whole wheat bread with sliced bananas). Peanut butter is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fat, and contains protein which helps you to feel full.

7. Broccoli

I am a huge fan of eating a diet high in vegetables and fruit not just because they are healthy and relatively low in calories but because they taste great. Broccoli is one of my favorite vegetables and is a true nutrition powerhouse. A cruciferous vegetable from the Brassica family, broccoli is high in the antioxidant vitamins A and C, the mineral calcium, fiber, and is also rich in sulforaphane, a health-promoting compound that can help ward off cancer. While I prefer fresh broccoli, I always keep a bag of frozen broccoli on hand for a rainy day. Sautee broccoli with a drizzle of olive oil and you are good to go.

8. Olive oil

While olive oil is high in fat and calories, and should be used sparingly (1-2 tablespoons as a serving on a salad), it is rich in monounsaturated fat and contains many health benefits, among them controlling cholesterol and regulating blood sugar levels. I always keep a bottle of extra virgin olive oil handy -- in a cool dry place -- to toss on salads, drizzle on fish, and add zest and flavor to my favorite vegetables.

9. Avocados

Avocados taste great and add zest to a meal. They are also rich in healthy nutrients -- including heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, fiber, vitamin E and potassium -- while also keeping your hunger at bay. I love to add avocado to a salad or spread it on whole grain crackers as a late-afternoon snack.

We would love to hear which healthy foods you stock in your kitchen.

-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.