I turned 55 this year. After having a mammogram, I was diagnosed with atypical lobular hyperplasia. This year, the American Cancer Society came out with guidelines that women shouldn’t have mammograms until they reach age 45, and then only go every two years once they hit 55 — unless you are high risk, meaning you have first degree relatives with breast cancer.They also mentioned that the mammogram didn't help 85 percent of those who succumbed to breast cancer. I know many women in their 30s and 40s with breast cancer who have no family history.

It is important to remember exactly what the mammogram does. It finds the microscopic evidence of precancerous cells, which wouldn’t necessarily show before it was too late to save a life. These indicators are called calcifications and hyperplasia.

Calcifications and hyperplasia can indicate a possibility of cancer. Not right now, but in the future. Biopsies are performed that show what is really happening.

It is important to remember that with lobular hyperplasia, there is only a 9 to 13 percent chance that you will get cancer. With the ductal hyperplasia, it is a lot higher.

Without the mammogram machine, no one would be able to tell that you have any form of hyperplasia. You do not feel it. It is not a lump. You wouldn’t have it removed. You wouldn’t know to have a doctor monitor you. You wouldn’t be put on an anti-cancer drug until it was very late. Yes, the majority of women will not develop cancer with hyperplasia, but what if you were one of those that did and you could have been saved the trauma associated with cancer simply by having the doctors perform these life-saving procedures?

So yes, while we complain about mammograms, there is that reality that mammograms can and will save your life. And no, simply because you are in your 40s doesn’t mean that it can’t happen to you. Yes, there are a lot of false positives when it comes to mammograms, but what if you are the one whose biopsy isn't benign? What if those bureaucrats had someone they loved whose life is saved by a mammogram in their 40s?

Luckily, some national breast cancer organizations said the decision to have mammograms should be between a patient and her doctor. Of course, it will eventually also be between the insurance company, the patient and the doctor. Should some expert decide mammograms are an unnecessary procedure, insurance companies will rewrite their guidelines and not pay for the procedure except in egregious cases.

Meanwhile, I turned 55 this year. I was just diagnosed with atypical labular hyperplasia. I had both types of biopsies. I also just had the effected areas removed from my breast. I will be followed more closely by my gynecologist, and I will meet with an oncologist. Remember, this diagnosis means I also have an increased risk of developing breast cancer — and not just in the breast with the hyperplasia.

My chances of becoming really ill have just gone down, since I will now have a group of doctors monitoring my health. Just think what would have happened if I had followed the American Cancer Society's recommendation and not had my mammogram for another two years. Yes, maybe I am one of the 15 percent whose life has been saved because of a mammogram, or maybe I wouldn't have developed breast cancer anyway. But who are these people making recommendations that take risks with my life?

The reality is that a mammogram is a necessary and much needed tool in women's health care. I think the real question that needs to be asked is whether the different outcomes in cancer treatment have something more to do with the accessibility of, and professionalism of the healthcare providers, and not the test itself. What we are still dealing with is ultimately the human quotient. No one is perfect. Yet, according to these experts, it is simply better to risk women's lives rather than to create an across the board competency test for breast care. It is better to say that the test doesn't do anything in the vast majority of cases rather than outline a plan to make those who read mammograms more competent.

So, the upshot is this. Get. Your. Mammogram. Make all the jokes you want. Laugh. Be silly. Complain. But one day, it might be the reason you dance at your grandchildren’s weddings.

For me, my nervousness shows up in really small ways. I am obsessing over which curtains are gender-neutral enough, without being totally boring. I am stuck deciding between two bedspreads, wondering which is durable enough to withstand wear and tear, but is also comfortable enough for sleeping. Some moms rearrange furniture and sort through baby clothes for the one hundredth time, while other moms read every book written that has anything to do with parenting or childbirth.

More: Hottest baby-naming trends, revealed

Bringing a new child into your home is overwhelming and exciting. I know, because I have been feeling it for weeks now. But here’s the thing — I am not pregnant, or even trying to get pregnant.

My husband and I are adding children to our home in a less conventional way: We are becoming foster parents. In our family, we have two toddler girls, both of whom I gave birth to. During those pregnancies, I experienced all the ups and downs of waiting for my due date, and going crazy with anticipation, wondering what each new life would mean for our family. Now that we have completed our home visits and stacks of paperwork, we are waiting for our very first foster care placement. I have been surprised by how similar all of this waiting feels to how I felt while I waited for my two daughters to be born.

More: Dad fights for baby he says was put up for adoption against his will

What sits on the surface is how I feel as I prepare a room for our new child. I know there is a good chance our first placement, and any other placements that follow, will only be a part of our family for a little while. But I want to do everything I can to make our child feel safe, I want him to feel he belongs with us, and I want our home to feel as close as possible to his home. This isn’t unlike preparing a nursery, really. Why did I obsess so much over buying the right crib and perfectly decorating the nursery before my daughters were born? For all the same reasons — I wanted them to feel safe and at home with us.

More: This viral child-care instruction sheet is one only a new mom could write

Underneath all of my nervous preparation are bigger feelings. The real driving force behind my to-do lists and furniture rearranging is quite honestly a fear of the unknown. Sure, I have been a parent before, but I have never been this kind of parent before. Foster parenting, for all intents and purposes, is essentially like becoming a brand-new mom for the very first time (all over again). I find myself experiencing all the excitement and nervousness I felt during my very first pregnancy. I catch myself worrying that I won’t be good at this, that I don’t have the skills to parent well. And as each day passes, I know I am one day closer to having our worlds turned upside down, all over again.

This is what waiting for a foster care placement is really like. It is a lot of emotion and a whole lot of worrying. It is complicated, becoming a foster parent, because you are excited to be making a difference and meeting a need, but you are mostly heartbroken that there is a need in the first place. Maybe that is why I find myself worrying about each detail of his life in our home, because I know I have no control over what is bringing him into our home.

When Donald Trump entered the Republican race, he immediately took on front-runner Jeb Bush. Jeb alternately tried to ignore Trump, and then obviously let Trump’s jabs get to him.

Rand Paul tried another tack when Trump attacked him at the beginning of a debate. Paul fought back, diving into the gutter with Trump, only to fall back as Trump’s verbal body-slams demonstrated the difficulty of out-trumping Trump.

Two other candidates employed different tactics. When Carly Fiorina responded “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said,” her savvy remark created a poll surge. Meanwhile, Ben Carson used humor and won voter admiration when he called Trump an “OK developer” after Trump called him an “OK surgeon.”

What do you do — and fast — if a workplace street fighter challenges you to a match? Take lessons from the dramas playing out on the nation’s political stage. Street fighters bait you, hoping you’ll trip into a trap. Maintain your cool and avoid these seven traps: denial, reaction, collusion, delusion, stooping, appeasing and chasing. Here’s how.

Trap 1: Denial

When a street fighter attacks you, a million thoughts run through your mind. “This can’t be happening.” “This is unfair, and everyone will realize that.” “All I need to do is wait this out.”

The opposite proves true. Your inaction lets the street fighter know that you’ll go down easy. Every candidate initially tried to ignore Trump’s attacks, only to learn this allowed Trump to change how voters perceived them. If a street fighter launches an attack on you, you need to deal with it, or you allow him free rein.

Trap 2: Reaction

Trump knocked several candidates off balance and led them to change their strategies for ones that were out of character and less effective. Like mosquitoes that fuel themselves on human blood, street fighters feed off your reaction to their words and antics. Don’t let a street fighter dictate how you’ll act — or you give them a free ride at your expense.

Trap 3: Collusion

If you swallow an attacker’s judgments or allow a street fighter to shape how you see yourself, you aid and abet him and become less of who you are. You wouldn’t let another person stomp on your foot or physically slam you off balance. Don’t let a street fighter bump into and push you over inside your head.

Trap 3: Delusion

Several candidates tried to ally themselves with Trump, only to learn that they were alone in the eyes of the voters. Hoping for partnership with or good treatment from a street fighter is like entering a ring with a bull, believing he’ll treat you well because you’re a vegetarian.

Trap 4: Stooping

Street fighters have years of experience, giving them the advantage if you climb into the ring with them. Multiple candidates found themselves skirmishing with Trump, and few emerged the better for it. Don’t let a street fighter push you into being less than you are or make you regret how you act.

Trap 5: Appeasing

Street fighters love to make others back down. Don’t be afraid to firmly and professionally dish out negative consequences to someone who attacks you. Give a street fighter an inch and he becomes your ruler.

Trap 6: Chasing

Street fighters excel at launching salvos over the bow, leading you to spend energy chasing trumped-up issues while the fighter perfects his onslaught. Don’t reach for everything tossed at you by a street fighter. By disengaging, you give the street fighter less attention and therefore less power.

What do you need to do if a street fighter takes you on? Keep your cool, avoid the classic traps and, from a position of strength, call out, “nice try, it didn’t work.”

Have a question for Lynne? Email her at lynne@thegrowthcompany.com with subject “SheKnows” and she may answer your question (confidentially) in an upcoming piece on SheKnows.

Lynne Curry has written Beating the Workplace Bully and Solutions. You can follow Lynne @lynnecurry10 on twitter or access her other posts on SheKnows, www.workplacecoachblog.com or www.bullywhisperer.com.

1. Nutritional health

It is easy with all of the holidays to break a diet or a healthy eating lifestyle. This — obviously — is fine, but not letting your diet break snowball past the holidays is extremely important. If you can avoid alcohol as well this holiday season or at least eliminate drunk eating, you might be able to keep yourself at your desired weight. Most things that are served during holidays are relatively healthy until the desserts come out. Try to limit yourself to a predetermined amount of cheat items that you have. If you can send leftovers home with someone else as far as the desserts go, then this might be your best bet if you have a sweet tooth. Just a word of advice, avoid eggnog at all costs as this can put on excessive amounts of weight in just a few days of consuming it.

2. Eye health

Getting checked out by an optometrist before the snow really hits is important. The wrong contact lens prescription can lead to a car accident, especially if the visibility is terrible with snow or sleet. Some people do not see very well at night; and with the time change, it gets darker in many places. Having a contact lens that will not begin to fail you if worn too long is important on the dark rides home from a long day at the office. Dry eyes can also plague many people during the winter, and having a contact lens that reduces irritation on dry eyes can get rid of eye irritation and them being dried out. Some people put in an excessive amount of eye drops during this time, which can reduce the eye's natural ability to produce its own lubrication.

3. Mental health

The holidays are a happy time for some, but for those who have lost a loved one recently the wounds of this loss can still be open. The holidays are a perfect time to reminisce and talk to family if you are having any emotional problems. Some people get down as the sun isn’t seen for weeks at a time in some of the colder places in the country. There is actually a condition called seasonal affective disorder that explains some of these symptoms. If possible, taking a vacation to somewhere where it is sunny can be a huge help when it comes to emotional problems caused by weather or a death in the family. It can also be beneficial to go somewhere new as old memories could bring up negative emotions.

4. Physical health

A workout plan can be decimated by a cold front or snow. Another thing that can derail workout plans is family visiting over the holidays. A good way to stay in shape while family is in town is by enlisting them to exercise with you. This will not only keep you accountable, but it can be quite a good time to play pickup sports with your siblings or other family members. Make sure to also take vitamins and supplements during the winter since this can help ward off any illnesses that could be brought into the house via company.

More: Gardening with young kids

Laura Watt, owner of Cubit's Seed Company, has been gardening for over 14 years and is no stranger to all kinds of garden-damaging weather. She notes that many people are still growing greens and root vegetables right in their gardens with some preparation, like cold frames (a small unheated greenhouse — a cold frame is heated by the sun and will be warmer than the air outside. It's ideal for plants like pots of bulbs and plants that need just a bit of protection from the cold) and row covers, may be needed.

"The weather may be unpredictable but there's no reason not to take advantage of it and grow some kale and arugula right now. The late frost this year was really helpful to farmers and gardeners who could wait a few extra weeks before harvesting crops such as carrots and beets," she explains.

More: 5 Tips for taking captivating photos of your garden

Watt says choosing local heirloom varieties is a great way to ensure a healthy crop. The varieties that have been grown locally will always fare better than ones from other climates. Ask your neighbours what they are growing and swap some seeds.

According to Watt, hardy greens like kale, chard and bolt-resistant lettuces are great things to grow that will survive fluctuations in weather and frost. Kale will survive heat waves and continue growing in snow. Root vegetables like carrots or beets are safe in the ground once you get them going. Fall radishes are wonderful addition to any garden.

"We are always at the mercy of the weather. Paying attention to the forecast and acting fast if bad weather is coming can save your garden." She also suggests that you cover delicate plants with blankets or row covers, bring potted plants inside or under shelter, and mist your garden with water in the case of frost.

More: 8 Surprisingly easy ways to dress up your garden

Taking more precaution than normal will also ensure a successful harvest. Using row covers, low tunnels, cold frames and hoop houses will extend your season: You can start earlier and leave plants in the ground longer, she suggests. Alternatively, ignore the outdoors for now.

"Growing inside means having great lights and warmth as well and space constraints. You have full control over the growing conditions which is both helpful and high pressure."

According to Larry Hodgson, a garden writer, author and garden tour leader living in Quebec City, it's important to look for plants in your hardiness zone (there are maps of Canadian hardiness zones you could use). Hardy plants like perennials, shrubs, conifers and trees — if chosen according to the local hardiness zone — are the best bets in Canada. They'll usually recover eventually from inclement weather. Annuals are less likely to recuperate when unexpected cold hits.

As a seasoned gardener, Hodgson is far less concerned with snow than he is with hail and overnight frost. "Snow itself is rarely damaging. Off-season snow tends to melt fairly rapidly and causes little damage. I've even seen it cover my tomato plants (and tomato plants are very fragile to cold) and disappear without doing any damage," he explains. But he cautions that you need to be mindful of below-freezing temperatures. Frost can severely damage or kill many plants.

Hodgson says when expecting frost, you cover plants overnight (when frost usually hits) with newspaper or an old blanket or simply turn on a sprinkler (moving water rarely freezes). Hail can occur in any season and isn't linked to cold temperatures, nor can you prepare for it. It can tear leaves, knock fruit off, etc.

"There is nothing you can do other than clean up afterwards and hope for the best. In some cases, the damage is so severe the plant doesn’t recover, and the ones that do usually have visible damage for the rest of the season."

1. Women get fired because they raise children

This year, I met many women who got fired just because they were on maternity leave. Unfortunately, one of them was my friends' wives, who is a computer engineer. She had her salary decreased during the leave, which is, in Serbia and many other countries, completely normal and legal. When she got back to work after few months, they told her that she had “lost touch” with the business as, according to her boss, “The business changed in a year, and she cannot keep up with it now.”

This is nonsense, and we all know it. When did being a mom become illegal? Why do women have to be fearful about starting a family? Then, even if they have one baby, they are scared to have another child because it can put their job at risk.

2. Older women get fired

Women in their 50s get fired because youth and appearance are important, even though younger women might not have the experience or skill levels of the women being replaced. The excuse is that they will somehow do a better job because they are younger, but we’re talking about office jobs here, not about hard manual labor on a ranch, which makes this argument nonsensical.

My neighbor, a 55-year-old woman, recently got fired because she hadn’t met the requirements of the job position anymore, as the position now required somewhat higher computer skills. It sounds reasonable to change your position if the requirements change, but it’s definitely not a reason to get fired. Also, what about some training? A secretary isn’t supposed to know how to develop software or anything like that, and all these new skills can be learned fairly quickly.

There is nothing you can do and there are many women with families without a single penny — no retirement, nothing to hold onto.

Now, you may not be aware of this kind of a problem when you are young, sitting in your office and assuming you are doing a job you love and you want to do for the rest of your life. However, imagine yourself in your 50s, getting fired for no good reason, or even worse, in your 40s, when your children still depend on you financially. If you are single mother, it gets tougher.

What should you do? Become an intern again? How can you earn money to pay your bills and support your family?

3. Girls actually don’t realize how far they can go

As it is the 21st century, I thought children were taught to "dream big" and chase worthwhile goals in this modern society, and that they can become whatever they want. However, it actually isn’t the case everywhere. I was a teaching a few classes in a small private school, and some of the girls already knew the importance of education and were encouraged by their families. The income of the families differed and wasn’t a factor.

However, some girls still thought there are jobs for women and jobs for men. One girl said that she needs to get married and have children, and that is more important than enrolling in university. Jobs that she could see herself doing included working as an assistant, nurse or teacher at an elementary school. When I asked her what her dream job was, she replied a pilot because she likes flying — but she still thought the only possible career related to flying for a woman was being a stewardess. As it turns out, according to her, it’s not acceptable because you cannot have a family, as you’ll need to travel a lot. Many families teach their children that girls should be mothers and have a family and that a career isn’t something they should strive for.

We cannot all be CEOs and millionaires, and not everyone wants that. Many women will want to be stay-at-home moms, and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem occurs when you have a girl who wants to succeed and have a career, but she is taught that it’s not a suitable life choice for her.

Also, how should she pursue a career when there is always a risk of getting fired for having a family or simply getting old?

Start making changes within your city

It is important for all of us to stop just reading about discrimination and only supporting the cause via social media. We need to act and help those women by helping them get a job and educating young girls about their possibilities. We need to raise awareness in our cities and present it as a problem. We cannot solve this problem in a month or even a year because it is deeply embedded in many girls' minds, and there are still many sexist and uncaring bosses around the world.

This is a very complex issue, as there are many factors affecting our decisions (e.g., cultural beliefs and traditions, beliefs and opinions of family members, the financial status of the family, etc.). We can start small and hope that, someday, we will be able to open a little window in the minds of girls, who will then be able to consider starting a career in their 20s as a viable path for them to take in life. Don’t just call women to action, but also men, influential people and anyone who can help your cause go viral.

Stumped? You should be: People who suffer from these mental illnesses look just like everyone else — they're women and men from all different races and backgrounds.

More: Vlogger's confession about depression is a must-watch

Every person with mental illness has their own story, too. Photographer Natalie McCain wants to put a face on an invisible disease by showcasing a few strong women in "The True Faces of Depression," a new installment in her Honest Body Project. "Depression doesn't always look sad," McCain wrote on her website. "It can be the forced smile on a new mother's face, or your best friend who keeps canceling plans. It hides behind your friend saying she is 'okay' when you know she isn't."

McCain features each woman's story alongside her photos. Though each story is completely different, they all have one thing in common: mental illness. Her hope, she says, is for those suffering in silence to read the stories of others and reach out for help, because things can get better.

"I was no longer functioning in the real world"

"I have been suffering from PTSD since I was 19 years old. The reason I suffer from PTSD is because I was sexually assaulted. Once at a house party when I was 19, by a 'friend' and again this past year, outside of a bar, by another supposed friend. This caused me to become extremely paranoid of the people around me. This led me to realize that I needed to reach out for help, since I was no longer functioning in the real world. I found myself wanting to stay in bed all day and sleep," she said.

More: The best resolution you can make for you mental health

What helps her cope is writing, venting and working out.

"Another huge struggle for me is that I self mutilated to escape from my problems. I have been clean from self mutilation and prescription drug use for 9 months," she continued. "I’ll tell you first hand that cutting or any type of self mutilation is harder to quit than any drug. This is because you are your own drug."

"I figured it was just part of being a new mom"

"My first child was born at 36 weeks and I went on bed rest about 27 weeks. My pregnancy was a very difficult and uncomfortable time for me. I didn’t have that pregnancy glow or that feeling that women say that they have when they’re pregnant, that they’re just so elated. I can truly say that I just didn’t enjoy being pregnant," she said.

She tried to go back to normal life, but cried the whole way when she went back to work after maternity leave.

"I think that was the beginning of me being truly depressed," she continued. "I kind of went through a fog for the next several months, I couldn’t get my performance at work to be as good as it was in the past and felt like I was just struggling to get through the day. But I figured it was just part of being a new mom."

"I always feel like people are laughing at me"

"I have had low self esteem and been self hating since I was 7 years old. I started getting bullied in the 3rd grade about my weight and the way I looked, not being pretty, because I was smart, etc. When I was 13, in 7th grade gym class, I was spit on by a boy I had a crush on, just because I wasn’t pretty enough, I had never even spoken word to him," she said.

More: Reasons we body shame ourselves (and why we really shouldn't)

"I began seeking help both with medication and counseling when I was 18," she continued. "... I am finally on a regimen that is working well. ... It is not easy, and sometimes the road is a long one, but do not give in. The world needs you, even though this disease is lying to you saying it doesn’t."

1. Carol

Cate Blanchett is transfixing as Carol, a strong-minded woman who defies the conventional roles expected from a wife and mother in the 1950s. You feel like a fly on the wall in someone else's life when you watch Carol seduce Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), a young woman working in a department store over the holidays, with aspirations of being a great photographer. It's hard to look at Mara and not be reminded of Audrey Hepburn, but her depiction of Belivet is wildly different from most of the female characters coming out of Hollywood. With her deadpan, monotone voice, Belivet cuts through social niceties, clumsily arriving at the truth of most situations. Carol, by contrast, cultivates a number of glamorous disguises and secrets. Watch the two drastically different women embark on a trip together that will radically change the course of both of their lives and reveal the quiet pain endured by many women who didn't fit the mold in the '50s.

More: 5 Classic films that showcase strong female characters

2. The Danish Girl

Based on the tragic but inspiring true story of artist Einar Wegener (played by British actor Eddie Redmayne), The Danish Girl brings the experiences of the first-known transgender woman to undergo a sex reassignment surgery to the big screen. Remember Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and how freaky his ability to transform himself into Hawking was, as he precisely mirrored his movements and expressions? Once again, Redmayne has proved he's quite a chameleon, as his transformation into Wegener is incredibly powerful to watch. Redmayne will take you on a roller coaster of emotions as you watch Wegener try to adapt to life as transgender in a society that views the artist's orientation as a sign of mental illness. And Alicia Vikander gives a compelling performance as well in her role as Gerda, Wegener's wife and creative partner, a woman pulled between her desire to have her husband back and to do the right thing.

More: How Supergirl is disappointing feminist fans

3. Joy

While it may be getting panned by critics, no one can argue that Joy, the latest film starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, doesn't have heart. Lawrence plays Joy, a woman trying to rise above her circumstances to prove she's capable of being more than "just an unemployed housewife." Joy has dreams of patenting her household inventions and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty in the process. And say what you will about Joy, but I'll never pass up an opportunity to see actress Isabella Rossellini, who plays the wealthy girlfriend of Joy's father (Robert De Niro) do anything.

Rossellini recently told The Sunday Times' Style section that Joy is "a very feminist film." She explained: "Every time we see a film about a woman who wants a career, invariably there must also be love. Or it's the man, her Prince Charming, who helps her make it. I thought that it was very modern to show a woman solely focused on her career."

4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens

When I went to see The Force Awakens recently at the theatre and strapped on my 3-D glasses, I was expecting to see expensive explosions, weird alien bar brawls and to hear the familiar growls of my old friend Chewbacca. But having gone in cold without reading the reviews, I was not expecting to see a feminist sci-fi film — which is exactly what it is. Daisy Ridley is a force to be reckoned with as Rey, a street-smart heroine who knows her way around a fuse box and has a knack for ensuring the survival of herself and those around her. And Carrie Fisher isn't waiting around to be rescued in a gold bikini as Leia this time — instead you'll find her calmly relaying orders and working to save lives.

More: Ask a Raging Feminist: Is the male feminist real or simply a unicorn?

5. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

And if you're looking for a movie with a strong female lead that you can take your whole family to, be sure to catch Mockingjay Part 2. Part of what makes The Hunger Games a feminist series is that Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen isn't boxed into any conventional gender roles. She's free to lead rebel troops into bloody revolution, act as a caregiver, argue with authority, rock a fashionable dress and find true love. Because why shouldn't she have it all?

More: 10 Archaic relationship standards we should just stop

What the digital age has done is put modern relationships out there for us all to analyse. From reality TV to Instagram, we know more about what couples are getting up to than ever before — whether we like it or not. Here are 10 images that perfectly sum up relationships of the modern age.

1. Computer games can be make or break.

2. You only need your thumb to ditch or date.

3. Love doesn't mean going offline.

4. Everything has another meaning.

5. Nobody is allowed to be unavailable. Ever.

More: Living together may be better than getting married after all

6. Because who needs words anyway?

7. Divorce doesn't have to be the end of the world.

8. In fact, let's make it a reason to celebrate.

9. True love comes in all forms.

10. Ultimately, the most important relationship is the one you have with yourself.

More: Woman outs her cheating husband on Craigslist in hilarious fashion

This assessment comes as the country shows troublesome signs linked to consumer spending. According to the CBC, Canadians are holding a record-high debt-to-income ratio, and the central bank has called out rising household debt as a growing weak spot in Canada's entire financial system.

More: Financial planning shouldn't be a nightmare — here's how to get started

Unsurprisingly, low interest rates have been a major contributor to rising household debt. As borrowing became even cheaper in 2015 (after the Bank of Canada dropped its benchmark rate twice), many Canadian households are at the mercy of potential rising interest rates. It also means the average household had nearly $1.64 in debt for every dollar of disposable income, a record high.

But at least for now, most analysts don't see a huge spike in interest rates rising, nor are they predicting huge defaults on mortgage or credit card debt. The hope is that as interest rates slowly climb, it will curb consumer spending rather than force Canadians into defaults. So while The Bank of Canada has described the country's mounting household debt level the most important vulnerability in the financial system — yet delinquency rates on mortgages are near record lows, said Sherry Cooper, chief economist for Dominion Lending Centres, the CBC reported. "If people were stretched, you would expect that there would be an increase in delayed mortgage payments — and we've seen none of that," Cooper said. "We're all assuming that there's a huge problem here because debt-to-income ratios for households are at record highs. But the reason they're at record highs is because interest rates are at record lows. So, people, in fact, can afford to take larger mortgages than historically."

More: How to invest your way to wealth with $50 a month

For Canadians like Nicole P. of Toronto, it means that while she enjoyed the initial benefits of low interest rates on her mortgage, she is now hovers occasionally at being house-poor as she sees other costs (mainly food, energy, transportation) going up, while her income growth has stalled. Still, she sees her home as forced savings rather than worrisome debt. "I've gained equity over the years and like where I live. I never would have saved the amount of money on my own without a forced savings such as a mortgage," she explains.

Her concern with cost-of-living expenses like food and energy are not unfounded. Across the country, food costs are continuing to rise steadily as our loonie plummets. The University of Guelph's Food Institute estimates the average Canadian household spent an additional $325 on food in 2015. On top of that, consumers should expect an additional annual increase of about $345 in 2016.

More: Tips for budget-conscious families to manage their money

Still, it's encouraging to note that analysts are not considering the current economic situation dire. In fact, Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced that other than raising the down payment on homes (costing over $500,000) to 10 percent, up from 5 percent, he has no immediate plans to make additional changes to address growing debt loads, but added he would continue to monitor the issue closely in the new year. Maybe not as uplifting as we'd like, but as Canada's Finance Minister, I'll take that to the bank and trust him on that.

Saucy and cheesy is the way to go with mac and cheese. Only this macaroni and cheese comes with a bonus: big pieces of shredded chicken.

My favorite thing about this recipe besides everything is how good the shredded chicken tastes in the cheese sauce. I like to keep the pieces of chicken on the larger side when making this dish.

This macaroni and cheese is definitely second helping worthy.

I can say that from experience, since the cook has to taste test it a number of times to make sure it's just right.

Slow cooker chicken Alfredo macaroni and cheese recipe

Serves 4

Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 2 hours | Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups elbow macaroni, cooked al dente (equals about 2 cups or 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni)
• 3 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked (each breast pulled apart into 2 large pieces)
• 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• 3 dashes ground black pepper
• 2 pinches dried red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons butter, cut in small cubes
• 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for macaroni and cheese)
• 1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
• 4 dashes paprika, for garnish (1 dash per serving)
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley, for garnish
• Cooking spray

Directions:

1. Spray the bowl of the slow cooker with cooking spray.
2. To the bowl of the slow cooker, add the chicken broth, evaporated milk, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese. Stir together.
3. Add the large pieces of shredded chicken. Make sure the chicken is immersed in the liquid.
4. Add the butter evenly on top of the mixture, cover with the lid, and set the total time for cooking at 2 hours.
5. After the mixture has cooked for 1-1/2 hours, stir in the Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, cheddar cheese, cream, macaroni and cornstarch.
6. Cover with the lid, and let cook for the remaining 30 minutes.
7. If the sauce is too thin, stir in a bit more cornstarch. If it's too thick, stir in a little more cream until it reaches the desired thickness.
8. Pull out the pieces of chicken, and put them on a plate. Use 2 forks to shred them into pieces that are on the larger side, then return the chicken to the sauce, and add the macaroni.
9. Stir together, and taste test to see if it needs more salt.
10. Serve while hot.
11. Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese, paprika and parsley.

More slow cooker pasta recipes

Slow cooker hard cider bacon macaroni and cheese
Slow cooker curry mac and cheese
Slow cooker Italian-style tortellini

It's a new year and new assault allegations for Chris Brown.

Police in Las Vegas are investigating Chris Brown for possible misdemeanor battery and theft after an altercation in a hotel room. A woman claimed Brown assaulted her and took her cell phone at an after party.

Brown hasn't yet been arrested or charged with a crime, and his rep told E! News that the woman's accusations are "completely false." Neither the accuser or any of the attendees of the after party have commented. Brown has had a number of run-ins with police and several lawsuits stemming from accusations of violence, most notably his 2009 incident with Rihanna.

More: Are prosecutors torturing Chris Brown for his past mistakes?

Las Vegas Police said they were notified about a report of battery on Saturday morning that had allegedly occurred inside a hotel suite at the Palms Casino Resort. At the scene, officers encountered a woman who "appeared to have minor injuries sustained as a result of a battery." Their investigation indicated she had attended a party inside a hotel room and that an altercation took place over a cell phone when the woman attempted to take a picture of Brown.

"The victim was alleged to have been battered by Brown, who at the same time took her cell phone," police said in a statement.

"A crime report has been taken for misdemeanor theft and misdemeanor battery listing Mr. Brown as a suspect," the statement read, adding that the investigation was ongoing. Police have not been able to contact the singer.

More: Chris Brown: furious over trial delay, "broken" by jail

His rep told E! News the woman made "false accusations" against Brown and that she was escorted out of the private party "for being disruptive and out of control."

The rep continued, "Once she was in the hallway, while waiting for Chris Brown's security to bring out her phone, she had a total meltdown — throwing her purse to the ground and claiming that she 'could buy everyone in the hotel' — as witnessed by numerous people waiting to get into the party. The Palms Casino Resort security also saw her wild behavior via hotel security cameras and immediately came up to the hallway to escort her out of the hotel."

"Her claim that she had her phone in her possession inside the after party and was able to take a photo causing an altercation with Chris Brown is a complete fabrication. The woman's statements are completely false and not based in reality," continued the rep.

More: Chris Brown's daughter steals the spotlight with adorable dance (VIDEO)

Brown took to Instagram to share his thoughts for 2016, which seemed to address this latest incident.

"Keeping my circle small in 2016! I'm done taking the care of grown ass men," he wrote. "And I'm going to be hella rich after all the lawsuits I file from these crazy individuals who keep lying on my name. Happy NEW YEAR! Time for some of us to grow the f--k up!"

Brown certainly has a violent history and one would hope that anger management and his parole would have helped him overcome any violent tendencies. He certainly has a target on his back for people who would take advantage of his reputation. But it's also his responsibility to protect himself from these kinds of situations. If you don't want your picture taken, then don't be at parties with strangers. If someone does something you don't like, resolve the situation peacefully and not with your hands.

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas.

More: Downton Abbey trailer teases new details about the emotional final season

There's no doubt the final season is all about moving "forward," as Lady Edith put it. From Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes getting married to Lady Mary taking a strong place as runner of the Crawley estate to Lady Edith establishing a life to Lord Grantham weighing the possibilities of the times and downsizing at Downton, there is a lot of change happening, which is to be expected.

The same can be said for Bates and Anna, who are seeing change in a positive way. After five stressful and tumultuous seasons, it's about time there is some happiness in the beloved couple's lives. I mean, how much more can they really take? So, when it was announced during the Season 6 premiere that the real culprit who pushed and killed Mr. Green confessed to the crime (and her confession was proven by a witness), I'm pretty sure all fans rejoiced.

For those who don't recall, Season 5 closed with Anna being the main suspect. Sunday's brand new episode opened up with Anna being released on bail, but still not officially cleared of the murder. However, at the end, a police officer announced that Anna is off the hook. It's about time that this storyline came to a close. Finally, both Bates and Anna can move forward.

More: Downton Abbey: Season 6 predictions for the ladies of the Grantham household

Before viewers get too excited, yes, the two found some peace, but it's definitely not as simple as it appears. It wouldn't be Downton without Anna and Bates facing some kind of trouble in their marriage — or on the show, right? For them to have happiness is just out of the question at this point. Anyway, this season it looks like it's going to be Anna's struggle to get pregnant. As she revealed to Mr. Bates, she's had several miscarriages. She knows how much Bates wants children, and she feels like she let him down for not being able to carry a child to full-term (at least at this point in time).

In typical Bates fashion, he assured her that all he needs in his life is Anna. After everything they've been through, Bates let Anna know that she is what truly makes him happy and the only thing that matters. Anna doesn't seem convinced and is still quite upset about the situation, and rightfully so.

So, despite their little bit of happiness, it sure seems like Anna and Bates are going to encounter even more hard times. That said, at least they have each other to lean on during all the difficult times. If anyone can work through it as a team and loving husband and wife, it's Anna and Bates.

Plus, seeing as it is the final season, there's no way the series would create an unhappy ending for the two, right? Let's keep those fingers crossed.

Downton Abbey airs Sundays at 9/8c on PBS.

More: Downton Abbey empowers women of all ages to keep having sex

Teresa Giudice is back! To New Jersey, her family and Twitter. She sent her first post-prison tweet to her fans on Sunday, Jan. 3.

"Wishing everyone a healthy and happy New Year from our family to yours!" Giudice tweeted with a photo of her, her husband Joe and their four daughters in front of their Christmas tree.

More: Teresa Giudice blaming her lawyer for her incarceration is concerning

@TheRealBillyS responded, "@Teresa_Giudice OMG QUEEN SAINT I WAS WAITING FOR THIS."

More: Teresa Giudice's marriage is reportedly suffering while she's in prison

@SummerPic wrote, "@Teresa_Giudice Beautiful Teresa! So happy to see you and your beautiful family together again! Thank you."

"@Teresa_Giudice Love you Tre. this year is your year!" tweeted @JayBCGBlog.

@HappyCougar1 tweeted, "@Teresa_Giudice the Giudice's have amazing strength..happy new year to you from @burgundylue @leeanne_1976 and I." She included a photo that said, "You never know how strong you are until strong is all you have."

More: Joe Giudice reveals how family life changed after Teresa's prison sentence

@B_deconstructed wrote, "@Teresa_Giudice welcome home!! Wishing you & your beautiful family a year of love, renewal & happiness! Your Tre Hugger crew has missed you!"

I had no idea Giudice had a group of fans called "Tre Huggers." It's safe to say all of these fans are happy that Giudice is out of prison and that her parole officer is allowing her to film Real Housewives of New Jersey.

No word on whether her parole officer is limiting the drama, but it's safe to say her fans will love her anyway.

Star Wars-inspired fitness classes using lightsabers are now the norm at studios in New York City, Honolulu and Los Angeles.

More: The 'Voga' fitness trend will make '80s babies really happy

"Where's the fun of just simply watching something?" Daniel Reiser, class instructor at New York Jedi Fitness Studio in Manhattan, asked CNN recently. His studio has been offering the classes for nearly eight years. "I mean, you look at, say, a football fan — a lot of them are never gonna be an NFL player, but they're gonna go in the back yard and throw that football around. It's the same thing, but instead of footballs, we have lightsabers. It's a way of becoming part of something that we truly love."

Precision Parkour in Honolulu, Hawaii now has a Hawaii Jedi Saber Academy as part of their gym, too.

The workouts at the Academy are martial arts-based and focus mostly on the upper body by using staffs, sticks or swords as props. They do use LED-lighted sabers that "really adds fun, excitement and that geek factor that makes saber dueling so awesome," Keith Mylett of Hawaii Jedi Saber Academy told LiveScience. It ends up being a mega burner for the arms and shoulders.

More: Cat yoga is the new fitness trend you and your fur babies need to try

"When held at arms length for nearly an hour straight, there is definitely some burn in the arms, back and shoulders," he said. The core is engaged, too, thanks to standing in a "strong, mindful stance."

But don't expect to just walk into class and transform into a Jedi. Mylett first has students — padawans, or Jedi trainees — use a lightsaber with a two-handed grip "this is to emphasize safety and control — two hands can more easily stop a blade," he said. More advanced fighters can use the one-handed technique "perfect for battling a Sith Lord one on one."

But the biggest draw for participants is the chance to be one of their on-screen heroes.

“It just feels satisfying to pick up one of these and all of a sudden you are a Jedi Knight, you are a Sith Lord,” New York Jedi Fitness Studio member Russ Briggeman told CNN.

More: Turn your car into a gym with 9 quick exercises

Few Real Housewives of Atlanta viewers have been surprised to see Moore once again stirring the pot. Outside of Moore's antics, there just isn't much drama on the show, especially now that the drama between Peter Thomas and Cynthia Bailey has died down. But while Moore's behavior typically annoys viewers, most actually were on her side during tonight's episode.

More: 5 Reasons why the RHOA ladies can't stand Porsha Williams

Moore's troubled past with her father appears to be preventing her from finally landing a long-term, fulfilling relationship. Thankfully, she may finally be ready to address those issues. She certainly made an effort during tonight's episode. However, fans of the Real Housewives of Atlanta think Moore still has a long way to go before she's actually a literal housewife.

More: Kenya Moore wasn't to blame for Miami brawl

When Moore invited her father over to visit her perpetually under-construction home, she probably wasn't expecting to be lectured about her love life. But that's exactly what happened when Ronald Grant (who became Moore's father at just 16 years old) suggested that she should have stuck it out with an agent that she had previously been dating.

More: Porsha Williams scares off her new man on RHOA

After Grant shared an odd metaphor about men and scorecards, it was clear that his advice was falling on deaf ears. Parents adding two cents in regards to RHOA cast members' relationships isn't a new phenomenon. Who could forget Kandi Burruss and Mama Joyce's arguments about Todd Tucker? What was new, however, was the revelation that Moore had attended a relationship seminar hosted by controversial psychologist Dr. Umar Johnson just a few weeks earlier. Twitter users were quick to scoff at the idea that Moore's love life could be fixed by anyone, be it her father or a slick-talking self-help guru.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

Don't worry, Lorde didn't turn into a mean girl on New Year's Eve. But that didn't stop her Instagram followers from thinking otherwise.

It all started when Lorde posted a painting of a girl enjoying a private yacht to Instagram on Saturday, Jan. 2.

More: Lorde disses Photoshop, explaining that flaws are OK

Lorde wrote, "When you scroll through your feed and all the pretty famous boys and girls are on yachts or in saint barth's and you're at home where it's raining and you've never even been on a holiday to another country before. Never been to a tropical island let alone saint barth's and actually you aren't even sure if you're spelling saint barth's right."

It just so happens that Kendall Jenner and Harry Styles had been photographed making out on a yacht in St. Barts. Naturally, followers assumed that Lorde was throwing shade at the couple.

More: Lorde's parents are engaged after 30 years together

Of course the controversy got back to Lorde and she quickly clarified her remarks in an edited post.

"LOL no ‘shade' folks," she added in her original post. "If I were on an island or in even nearish proximity to a yacht, you would be hearing all the f--k about it. Just making fun of my own lameness."

Everyone can go back to loving Lorde and anticipating her new album. While everything about it is top secret, it seems like at least her mom is in the know.

More: Lorde wants the world to know she's not a prude

"Whispered the album name to my mum in the car today," she shared with her followers on New Year's Eve. "Feeling quietly excited about 2016."

Maybe when it goes platinum, her record company can send her to St. Barts and let her stay on a yacht.

WhereWhitePeopleMeet.com was launched in late fall, but it didn't really take off until a billboard placed in Salt Lake City, Utah, made people take notice. Its goal, as you'd probably expect, is to help white people meet each other.

More: Woman created a robot that'll help find true love on Tinder

"People ask all the time ‘Why White People Meet’? I always say, why not? Just about every other race, religion and walk of life have dating websites, so why not Where White People Meet?”

Um, OK. The reason why niche dating websites like JDate and BlackPeopleMeet are available is because these groups are considered minorities, meaning that by design there aren't as many potential matches if people are looking for dates with similar racial backgrounds. On the other hand, white people make up the vast majority of online daters, so the need for a whites-only website isn't necessary.

"I just thought it was kind of strange they would put it in Utah," NAACP Salt Lake branch President Jeanette Williams told the Salt Lake Tribune. "A large population here is white. So you're going to put up billboards here so you can meet other white singles? Every day you can meet white singles."

More: Man just raised the bar for dating with Tinder PowerPoint presentation

The membership has increased seven-fold in the week since the billboard went up, but that's not impressive, given that the current total is only 732.

Despite the name, the people behind WWPM says anyone can join as long as they follow the golden rule of "treat others as you want to be treated” and stay away from "rude, aggressive or racist behavior." But their view of "anyone" is limited to heterosexual couples — no same-sex searches are allowed.

The cost to join is $4 to $6, but some snarky commenters on the website's blog give other ideas for finding dates without the price tag.

"White people have lots of places to meet — Whole Foods, Starbucks, a lacrosse match, NASCAR... did we need an isolated website? Thank you for the laugh."

More: Couples rereading their first conversations are hilariously cringeworthy (VIDEO)

Warning: spoilers ahead!

More: Galavant: 8 Things you need to know before Season 2 premieres

Galavant kicked off Season 2 with surly pirates, all our returning cast members, and plenty of tongue-in-cheek pop-culture references... basically, it began with just the opening number we'd been hoping for. There was also an excellent guest appearance by Kylie Minogue, who wasted no time in ordering Galavant to show us his sexy chest! Her song, "Off With his Shirt," was on point!

But even though Galavant began tonight's episode determined to get back to his new beloved, Isabella (after finally realizing that Madalena is a total psycho), it was King Richard and his unexpected paramour who won our hearts.

Awwww!

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Yes, we know there are other couples in the show to root for — Gwynne and Chef, who just keep getting cuter and cuter (even as they get weirder and weirder), for example — but the fact that King Richard practically dissolved into child-like glee when he saw the unicorn was too adorable.

Of course, there was the issue of the unicorn liking King Richard because he's a virgin that made Richard immediately want to distance himself from his new friend... but what TV romance is ever smooth sailing from the get-go?

I mean, just look at Galavant and Isabella, for instance. Everything seemed primed for a happy reunion, and now because of one shoddy fortune teller, Isabella thinks Galavant doesn't love her... Great romances are built against a background of conflict!

Which is why, even though Richard scared the unicorn away with the Hero's Sword tonight (hmm, I wonder if that will come back later — wink, wink), we're holding out hope that he and that one-horned magical beast will overcome their differences and reunite in the end.

More: 40 Ridiculous Galavant-spawned text messages

Also, unicorns are awesome, so this one should make all the guest appearances it can!

Kourtney Kardashian finally decided to end her relationship with Scott Disick, but now that she knows more about his mindset in the aftermath of his indiscretions with Chloe Bartoli, she may be rethinking things. Even after everything he's done, Disick knows how to make people feel bad for him. He once again tugged at the heartstrings of the Kardashians and KUWTK viewers when he apologized for his terrible behavior and admitted that his bad decisions had cost him a lot.

More: Keeping Up with the Kardashians viewers have no sympathy for Scott Disick

In an especially poignant — and rather alarming — moment, Disick admitted that the thought of suicide had crossed his mind on several occasions in the aftermath of last summer's scandal. Additionally, Disick confessed that when he reached his lowest point, the thought of his kids was enough to keep him going. However, despite the kids being a bright point in his otherwise miserable life, Disick claimed that he was more unhappy than he had ever been.

More: Kim Kardashian's recent pregnancy comments spark major backlash

Typically, Disick likes to deflect blame. He's not one for making big apologies, as evidenced by his awkward conversation with Kris Jenner during a previous episode. However, while chatting with the Kardashians about his bad behavior, he finally seemed willing to own up to his mistakes. He also shared his intention to get a handle on his issues so that he can be a better dad. A surprising number of viewers found themselves convinced by his resolution. A few of these individuals even claimed that Disick should have another chance at a relationship with Kourtney Kardashian.

Disick gained the sympathy of several viewers during tonight's episode of KUWTK, but his "poor me" shtick certainly didn't have everybody convinced. Many viewers are just as determined as ever to see the worst in Disick — and he doesn't exactly make this difficult! Prior to his big apology, Disick was criticized for his apparent pursuit of other attractive women. As the annoyed Kardashians implied, actions often speak much louder than words. If Disick really wanted to make amends, he would avoid the behavior that landed him in so much trouble in the first place. It's easy to apologize and talk about feeling regret, but now, it's up to Disick to prove that he's a changed man.

More: Kim Kardashian scolded by KUWTK viewers for disrespecting Kris Jenner

Did you feel bad for Scott Disick when he apologized to the Kardashians? Or did you view his apology as another form of manipulation? Comment and share your opinion below.