25 habits of people who are happy, healthy and successful

Who among us doesn't want to be a happy, healthy and successful human being? So what is it about happy people that makes them the way they are? Below are just some of the ways they separate themselves from the rest of the crowd.

1. They don’t hold grudges.

2. They think outside of the box.

3. They go by a routine and make exercise a part of it. It takes practice to develop healthy habits and stick with them. Once you do, your internal foundation will be strong.

4. They have a supportive tribe, thereby not wasting time with negative or toxic people.

5. They don’t care about what other people think. Does a tiger lose sleep over the opinion of sheep?

6. They don’t people please.

7. They see difficult and challenging situations as opportunities for personal growth.

8. They consider handling rejection a skill and are resilient.

9. They make time for themselves. Whether it’s getting eight hours of sleep every night, finding 15 minutes to read the newspaper in peace or an hour to go to the gym, they make it a priority — just like everything else. When you take care of yourself, you have a bigger impact on others.

10. They are spiritual. This doesn't necessarily mean religious. It could mean setting aside time for reflection through yoga or meditation.

11. They practice deep breathing.

12. They know there isn’t such a thing as “having it all,” and they’re happy about that. Wouldn’t the world be a boring place for them otherwise?

13. Fear doesn't hold them back. They're ready to take risks.

14. They know how to say “NO,” and don’t hold back. These people have learned to set boundaries. Plenty of them.

15. They learned a great deal from other people whom they admire. Either they had a great mentor, or they took note of how those they aspired to be like handled various situations.

16. They follow their inner guidance. Not only do they have a vision, but they follow it.

17. They give without expecting anything in return.

18. They aren't pretentious or conceited.

19. Passion is what drives them. They authentically believe in what they're doing.

20. They don't complain.

21. They live by their core values in both their professional and personal lives.

22. They're happy to swim against the tide.

23. They finish what they start.

24. They don't compare themselves to other people.

25. They want you to succeed, too.
(Story credits: Kristy Rao)

Living longer = good sleep + sushi

Seeking advice on how to live a long time? You could do a lot worse than Misao Okawa. The Japanese woman will celebrate her 116th birthday on Wednesday.

Okawa (pictured above, celebrating her 115th birthday in 2013) spoke to the U.K. Telegraph about her secrets for longevity. Those hoping for an obscure secret trick ("Always jump on one foot at exactly 3:43 a.m. while playing the banjo") are in for a disappointment.

Okawa attributes her incredible life span to getting plenty of sleep, eating well, and taking a nap as needed.

She told the paper, "Eat and sleep and you will live a long time. You have to learn to relax."

Easier said than done, of course, but when advice on living a long life comes from the world's oldest person, it's worth heeding. Okawa, born in 1898 and great-great-grandmother to six, eats sushi "at least once every month," Tomohito Okada, head of the retirement home where Okawa has lived for the past 18 years, told the Telegraph.

When asked by the Telegraph about her happiest and saddest moments, she spoke about her 1919 marriage to her husband and the birth of her three children. Her husband passed away in 1931. Her surviving children are 94 and 92, according to the Telegraph.

Okawa became the world's oldest living person last year when the previous title holder, Jiroemon Kimura, passed away at the age of 116.

(story courtesy of Yahoo news)

3 Simple Reasons You Should Stop Eating French Fries-"Chips"

3 Simple Reasons You Should Stop Eating French Fries (courtesy of fitnea.com)

French fries have got a bad reputation and for good reason. French fries are not exactly the most healthy food and you all know that eating too much of anything is not a good thing. Read more here about why you and your family especially your kids should not eat french fries. Check on for the hard truth.

French fries contain bad fats:

Frying up your food is sure tasty, but bad fat or saturated fat is what turns a potato into a time bomb for cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Not all fats are bad and more people are learning that fats come in the categories of the bad fats and good ones. While good fats such as vegetable oils including olive oil and sunflower are actually having some protective effects on your health, the bad fats or saturated fats are directly linked to the clogging of your arteries, it is the bad fats that cause far greater damage. Damage done by saturated fat is found in margarines, vegetable shortening and everything that is partially hydrogenated. Bad fats have been shown to raise levels of bad cholesterol or low density lipoprotein. Saturated fats also stay in your body longer and raise circulating blood triglycerides that lower the good cholesterol or high density lipoprotein. When you consume these bad fats they make the platelets in your blood streams. These sticky little platelets then form clots that connect to the walls of arteries which supply vital areas of your body with oxygen and nutrition. These little clots create a wall of plaque which will eventually lead to heart attack or a stroke.

French fries are made of the worst carbohydrates:

No potato in its natural state is bad for you, but rather you make it bad because of how you eat it or when you decide to have it. Potatoes are starch and they are made up of simple carbohydrates. Most conventional French fries are prepared with white potatoes and white potatoes have been proven to more easily convert in the body to sugar. When your body takes in these quickly absorbing carbohydrates you are forced to use them as energy right away or store them in fat. Unless you are headed to the gym after you eat or consume them after exercise, you are more likely to gain weight from these kinds of potatoes. When you continually eat quickly absorbing carbohydrates, the high conversion of sugar causes an increase of insulin production. When you continually spike your insulin, you develop a resistance to insulin that has been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and diabetes. Sadly, your kids are not an exception to the process. Some will say that children need lots of carbohydrates and many nutritional experts push whole grains, but the reality is that healthy grains are becoming more and more difficult to find. In theory, raising the whole grains in your children’s diets is a smart suggestion. Whole grains are more difficult to convert to energy, producing a steadier and slower supply of carbohydrates for the body. Choosing the right grains is important and many companies have found ways of turning a good thing into something more profitable. Huge profits are made on things that are tastier and have long shelf life.

French fries contain trans fats:

Frying up your food is very tasty. But do not forget trans fatty acids are what turns a potato into a ticking time bomb for heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Damaged fats act as carcinogens in your body. French fries have high levels of acrylamide, claimed to be a possible cancer causing substance. While there are not yet any conclusive results in children that show a link has been established to consuming French fries and cancer, it has been suggested that cancer in children is on the rise in ages 3-5 years old. It makes sense to keep the French fries out of the hands of your children until more is known.

Lupita Nyong'o pride's + hair style

Lupita Nyong'olet out a smile that is pure joy while she accepted her Oscar on stage at the 2014 Academy Awards held at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday (March 2) in Hollywood.

The 31-year-old actress won the award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in the movie 12 Years a Slave.

  “When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you’re from your dreams are valid,” Lupita said during her emotional speech.