11 people paying it forward

Take note, these people are doing it right. Everybody loves a random act of kindness and these people are definitely committed to making a difference – big or small.

1. This gas giver

Breaking: Report finds cancer deaths have doubled in Argentina's GMO growing regions

A new report by the Ministry of Health in Cordoba, Argentina, has documented a disturbing trend for those who live in areas where pesticide-intensive GM crops are grown -- specifically, a dramatic spike in cancer deaths.

The report covered five years of collected data. The average cancer deaths in the province is 158 per 100,000 individuals. And yet, four of the "Pampa Gringa" districts have much higher death rates -- between 216 and 230. "Pampa Gringa" is considered the premier agricultural region of the Cordoba province.

The Report on Cancer in Cordoba 2004-2009 is the official investigation which links the use of pesticides -- especially glyphosate -- to the staggering increase in cancer deaths.

Why everyone should be eating more hempseed

A group of centenarians in a Chinese village seem to have stumbled upon a veritable fountain of youth in the form of a well-known seed. Revered for their life expectancy of 100+ years, inhabitants of Bama Yao live in one of the few longevity hotspots of the world. Sharing similar characteristics with other long-lived people, residents of Bama Yao thrive on a nutrient-rich diet and enjoy a pristine environment. The secret to their exceptional life span, however, appears to be their high intake of hempseed.

Not surprisingly, hempseed is a nutritional powerhouse that is rich in many disease-fighting nutrients. Contained within this small seed are a range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and healthy fats -- including calcium, potassium, magnesium, sulfur and iron, as well as vitamins A, B, C, E and D. Brimming with omega-3 and -6 fatty acids, hempseed is one of the best foods we can eat for a sharp mind and robust cardiovascular health. Since hempseed also provides a noteworthy level of phytol (a potent antioxidant), consuming the seed on a regular basis can help reduce the chance of developing cancer. Hempseed also tames inflammation.

A grateful heart

"The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see." —Robert Holden

(As seen in Parade - January 1, 2012) By John Kralik

I’ve received quite a few nice notes and letters from people who saw my piece in Parade. That piece was necessarily much shortened, because of space limitations, so I thought I’d share an earlier draft with those who have taken the time to come to this page. Here goes.

“Knowing that you had to work on Thanksgiving, of all days, I thought I’d express my gratitude that you have taken the time and made the effort to learn my name and greet me each day in a way that makes me feel like a person instead of a number.  It’s a small thing, but on any given day, it can make all the difference.  Thank you!”

I sent this thank-you note to a barista at Starbucks who had brightened my day, and many other days before and after, by remembering my name with a smile every morning.  It was one of the special things for which I was grateful at Thanksgiving of 2008, the year in which I had vowed to write a thank you note every day of the year. It nearly brought her to tears.

How one #Hashtag created a movement to stamp out hunger

(NBC News) Hashtag Lunchbag, a nonprofit that began with a few brown-bag lunches for the homeless on Skid Row, has spread to 100 cities and five continents.

Egloo heats your room without electricity for 10 cents a day

Can you heat your room for just 10 cents a day? Egloo can. Egloo is a clever little heater that harnesses candle power to heat a room without wasting electricity. Egloo works by concentrating the heat from the flame of a few candles inside a terracotta dome, radiating warmth into a room even after the candles are blown out. The concept was developed by Marco Zagaria, a student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, and right now, he is looking for funding for the brilliant little heater. The project is being funded through Indiegogo where you can get in on the project and start heating your office, dorm or bedroom without using electricity.

6 habits of highly grateful people

By Jeremy Adam Smith

(Greater Good) I’m terrible at gratitude.

How bad am I? I’m so bad at gratitude that most days, I don’t notice the sunlight on the leaves of the Berkeley oaks as I ride my bike down the street. I forget to be thankful for the guy who hand-brews that delicious cup of coffee I drink mid-way through every weekday morning. I don’t even know the dude’s name!

I usually take for granted that I have legs to walk on, eyes to see with, arms I can use to hug my son. I forget my son! Well, I don’t actually forget about him, at least as a physical presence; I generally remember to pick him up from school and feed him dinner. But as I face the quotidian slings and arrows of parenthood, I forget all the time how much he’s changed my life for the better.