Jim Litz lived to tell about a harrowing encounter with a black bear. Riding on his biycle to work in Missoula, Mont., on Sept. 9, Litz struck the bear. Both went tumbling before the bear clawed Litz on his back. Litz also bruised his ribs. Click for more survival and rescue stories.

Michael Gallacher, The Missoulian / AP

A rescuer helps Chris Marino, 12, in the Atlantic Ocean, Sunday. Marino and his father, Walter, spent 12 hours floating overnight before being found separately eight miles off of central Florida. Walter had pursued Chris after currents swept the boy away while swimming.

U.S. Coast Guard

German tourist Jost Ben slid down a Big Sur cliff while trying to retrieve a football on Aug. 3. Here, a California rescue officer checks on his condition before a team helped him scale the cliff.

Laith Agha, Monterey County Herald

Twelve-year-old Grace Bergere, here in 2006, survived a 14-story fall down her apartment building's chimney on July 31. She landed in a 2-foot cushion of soot in the basement furnace.

Kate Milford, AP

A 52-year-old fisherman survived 16 hours in a frigid stream in Utah after his foot became stuck under rocks July 27. Here, medical personnel stabilize Dean Ririe during his rescue in Little Cottonwood Canyon, near Murray, Utah.

Scott Sommerdorf, The Salt Lake Tribune / AP

Five divers were rescued June 7 after surviving 36 hours floating in treacherous waters and wandering an island off Indonesia, where they reportedly fought a deadly komodo dragon. Here, they arrive at Flores island after their rescue.

Oby Lewanmeru, AP

Two missing scuba divers were rescued May 24 near the Great Barrier Reef off Australia, after spending 18 hours floating in the ocean. The two became lost when they resurfaced from a dive and were a long distance from their chartered boat. Here, a helicopter pulls one of the divers to safety.

RACQ-CQ Rescue / AP

A rescue worker comforts Nathan Bowman after he survived a 500-foot fall into an inactive coal mine in Coaldale, Pa., April 25. Authorities said Bowman's friend -- who had called for help -- pushed him over the edge after the two had an argument. The friend was charged with aggravated assault and other offenses.

Sarah Curran Smith, AP

Firefighters worked for over an hour in March to rescue Shooter, a 2-month-old foal, from a septic tank at a farm in Citra, Fla. Shooter apparently followed his mother, Reba, out of an enclosure. Reba then walked over the tank, and her weight either broke or displaced the cover, and Shooter fell in. He had some minor scrapes but was OK.

Judge Cochran, Marion County Fire and Rescue / AP

Firefighters found Kyson Stowell, 11 months, in a muddy field after a tornado flung him 100 yards away from his home in Castalian Springs, Tenn. in February. The rescuers first thought he was a doll. Kyson suffered only minor injuries. His mother, Kerri Stowell, died in the storm.

Mark Humphrey, AP

Provided by Prevention
Flatten Your Belly

So you want to trim your middle. Time to hit the floor for a zillion crunches, right? Not so fast: Power crunching alone isn't necessarily the best -- and certainly not the most enjoyable -- way to flatten your belly. Leading weight loss and fitness experts suggest adding some simple lifestyle changes to provide you with a complete belly-flattening program.

So if you're sick of crunches -- or not getting the results you want -- read on for surprising ways to get a belly worth baring this summer.

Calm Down

Too much stress can contribute to a potbelly. Stress increases levels of cortisol, a hormone that seems to direct fat to our middle, says Jacob Seidell, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Public Health in Bilthoven, Netherlands. To keep levels low, try this 5- to 10-minute stress reducer: Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. Next, take several slow, deep breaths to help clear your mind. Continue breathing deeply and repeat the word "one" to yourself as you exhale. (If you get distracted, just bring your focus back to the word "one.") Practice this for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice a day.

Skip the Alcohol

That glass of wine with dinner may be part of the reason your jeans are too tight. Alcohol also tends to raise cortisol levels, sending fat to your belly, Dr. Seidell says.

Stop Smoking

"It keeps me thin," proclaim many smokers. But the truth is that smokers tend to have more abdominal fat than nonsmokers, says Dr. Seidell. (The stress hormone cortisol seems to be the culprit here too.) "When people stop smoking, the amount of abdominal fat actually decreases," he says.

Eat More Fiber

Not only is fiber great for overall weight loss (it fills you up so you don't eat as much), it also prevents constipation, which can cause your tummy to bulge, says Lawrence J. Cheskin, MD, a gastroenterologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore. To stay regular, aim for 25 to 35 g of fiber a day by eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables; or try a fiber supplement such as Metamucil.

Drink Up

For premenstrual bloating, drink lots and lots of water. This will actually help flush away bloating, not make it worse.

Tuck That Tummy

Jeanette Friedman, of Austin, Texas, suggests imagining there's a "magnet pulling your belly button back toward your spine. Practice the tuck until it becomes comfortable, and soon it will come naturally -- like breathing," she says. "Do it every chance you get. That's how habits start."

Stand Up Straight

Heeding Mom's advice can make you look 5 pounds thinner (and your abs flatter) instantly. To straighten up, imagine a string tugging you from the top of your head toward the ceiling.

Sit Like a Royal

Slumping accentuates your stomach. To improve your posture while sitting, start with your chair. If your chair seat is too high to let your feet touch the ground without slumping, find a footstool about 4 inches high to let you sit up straight. Or place a pillow at the small of your back to help bring you forward in your chair.