Though she always exercised avidly, Ali Wray was worried when she was selected to run with the Olympic Torch in St. Joseph.
“I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to carry the torch the whole way,” Ms. Wray says.
So a little more than a decade ago, she sought out the services of Bob Boyles with Body Image Personal Training.
“I just felt like I needed more personal guidance,” she says.

If you can define the word “sanguineous,” you could donate 20 grains of rice to hungry families.
It’s a simple way to make a difference. All you have to do is visit www.freerice.com, answer vocabulary questions and watch the rice donation accumulate. And it isn’t the only Web site that allows people to do good without opening their pocketbook; there are literally hundreds of them.

When you have a problem, there is nothing like talking with a friend who understands. And in today’s global community, that friend could easily be someone on the other side of the world.
Online support groups, with topics ranging from pregnancy to alcoholism, are a growing presence. Organizations like the American Cancer Society are even getting into the act, starting a support group called The Cancer Survivors Network. For more about the risks and benefits to online self-help groups, Tamra Paolillo, counselor with Heartland Counseling, answers a few of our questions.

Every year, the community has a chance to view art from up and coming high school artists.
“The Regional High School Art Exhibition is one of our most popular shows,” says Jennifer Zeller, curator of education at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art.
The annual exhibition features work from 135 students representing 28 schools.

It all started with a simple cough.
“I really didn’t think he had RSV,” says Cathy Caldwell of her 8-month-old son, David.
But then the baby started wheezing.
“Once I heard that wheezing, I called the NurseLine and they told me to go the emergency room,” Ms. Caldwell says.
In the Heartland Regional Medical Center emergency room, doctors put David on oxygen and immediately tested him for RSV. RSV, which stands for Respiratory Syncytial Virus, is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants and children under 1 year of age, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

For this Valentine’s Day, why not give your loved one a little dopamine or norepinephrine?
Doesn’t sound romantic enough? Despite the not-so-sexy name, these two chemicals are largely responsible for creating that loving feeling.
Tamra Paolillo, clinic coordinator at Heartland Counseling Services, says being “in love” is all about chemistry.
“When you fall in love, specific areas of the brain experience increased blood flow,” Ms. Paolillo says. “The chemicals that race around in our brain are many, but of particular interest are dopamine, norepinephrine, adrenaline and phenylethylamine.”
These chemicals are connected with different “love systems,” according to the research of Dr. Helen Fisher, chief scientific adviser with Chemistry.com. Dr. Fisher studies the three different systems and the associated chemicals by putting lovers through brain scans.

If you’ve ever wanted to improve a relationship, all it takes is asking yourself three simple questions.
It’s called Naikan. And it’s a daily meditation that can work wonders with any relationship.
Gregg Krech, a representative with the To Do Institute who recently wrote a book on Naikan, says a man named Yoshimoto Ishin developed the practice in the early 1940s.

For teens hoping to both fit in and distinguish themselves, jeans are the perfect piece of apparel.
Jeans are popular among every group. But because they are so basic, it’s easy to find ways to personalize them. The choices teens make reflects their individual style and personality.

If you’ve been craving the lusty, deep tones of Johnny Cash, you’ll have to look no further than Maryville.
The singer-songwriter, who died in 2003, will be honored with the musical review “Ring of Fire” at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in the Northwest Missouri State University Performing Arts Center. The musical review features 12 performers and musicians. The review cast is touring across the country.

After one session of cardio tennis, Lanny Daise was hooked.
“First of all, I needed a shower,” Mr. Daise says of his introductory session in Kansas City. “But after that, I thought, ‘This is great. It’s like aerobics with a tennis racket.’”
The St. Joseph resident then sought to bring cardio tennis to his hometown. And now in its second season, the hottest trend in fitness is gaining a foothold in St. Joseph.