back now with more of "today" on a friday morning, january 20th already, 2012. sunny but a little bit on the chilly side in new york city. we are preparing for the storm of the century. >> no, no, no. >> i'm kidding. we'll get a little dusting of snow tonight. >> 2 to 4 inches tops. a little more north and west of us. >> just a little bit. >> and apparently more on natalie morales. >> i'm matt lauer. >> a camera shot over there. getting creative. >> i'm matt lauer with al roker and tamron hall. ann had to take off a little early. time is running out for rescue crews that are trying to find possible survivors on the cruise ship we've been watching so much off the coast of italy over the last seven or eight days. the operation was delayed yet

again. we'll get the latest in a live report from italy coming up. also ahead gop presidential candidate newt gingrich is denying his ex-wife's claim that he asked her to agree to an open marriage when he admitted to having a six-year affair with his now wife calista. what effect will this have on his campaign? we'll get the latest on the republican race. >> he jumped right out of the box tackling that issue. no question. >> just to think, the inaugural is a year from today. >> wow. >> there you go. and later on on "today's real estate" we'll take you on a virtual tour of homes on sale right now for $250,000 or less from a three bedroom home in a great fishing town to an open floor plan in atlanta. we have great homes to show you. we have advice when it comes to your kids. don't wait for the report card. find out how your kids are doing in school. if there are problems, we'll find out how to nip them in the bud. >> let's go back over to natalie at the news desk with the headlines. good morning, everyone.

mitt romney's taxes and newt gingrich's personal life were hot topics during last night's republican debate. the final face-off before tomorrow's pivotal south carolina primary. nbc's peter alexander is in charleston, south carolina with more. good morning. >> reporter: natalie, good morning to you. you'll excuse the people of south carolina if they're waking up this morning asking themselves what just happened? yesterday was a wild, jam packed day unlike any other we've seen this entire political cycle. it began with one candidate, rick perry, dropping out, and ended with another candidate newt gingrich's ex-wife speaking out. she says you asked her sir to enter into an open marriage. would you like to take some time to respond to that? >> no, but i will. >> reporter: straight out of the gate newt gingrich unleashed a fiery assault. >> i think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office, and i

am appalled that you would begin a presidential debate with a topic like that. he attacked the media for foc focusing on his second wife's claim that he wanted to continue his affair with his then mistress now wife. >> he was asking to have an open marriage and i refused. >> he wanted an open marriage. >> yeah. that i accept the fact that he has somebody else in his life. >> to take an ex-wife and make it two days before the primary a significant question in a presidential campaign is as close to despicable as anything i can imagine. >> the story is false. every personal friend who knew us in that period says the story is false. i am tired of the elite media protecting barack obama. >> gingrich and santorum now battling to be the conservative alternative toitt romney traded attacks on their contrasting styles.

>> grandiosity has never been a problem with newt gingrich. he handles it very, very well. >> i think grandiose thoughts. this is a grandiose country of big people doing big things and we need leadership prepared to take on big projects. >> newt's a friend. i love him but at times he just sort of has that, you know, worrisome moment that something is going to pop and we can't afford that in a nominee. >> when will you release your tax returns specifically? >> an hour ago. >> putting pressure on romney to release his taxes, gingrich put his online just before the debate. but romney appeared to stumble again when asked if he would follow his father, who also ran for president and released several years of his tax returns. >> maybe. you know, i don't know how many years i'll release. i'll take a look at what the -- what our documents are. >> at times thursday night's debate got so intense it was even hard for the candidates to keep track. >> beats me.

i don't know. where are we at, john? >> reporter: as for newt gingrich's tax returns they show he and his wife made more than $3 million in 2010 and, natalie, they paid nearly $1 million in federal taxes. >> peter alexander in charleston, south carolina. thanks, peter. now to italy where rescuers are running out of time to find any possible survivors. and overnight the operation was delayed yet again. nbc's michelle kosinski is on giglio island. what's the latest there? >> reporter: hi, natalie. we saw searchers dropping these big sensors i guess you would call them on to the ship. they work. they picked up vibrations that could mean the ship is settling into the reef or slipping toward an edge that drops 300 feet. either way, divers can't work in danger of being trapped themselves. they shared with us some of their incredible views of that ship, determined to find all of the 21 people still missing and then to remove the more than 500,000 gallons of fuel before it leaks.

more video was also posted to youtube showing the chaos of last friday night while police still investigate the captain accused of manslaughter and abandoning ship they want to know why evacuations seem delayed and why when authorities called the ship a crew member said no help was needed. it was just a blackout. natalie? >> michelle kosinski in giglio, italy, thanks. the military is investigating a helicopter crash that killed six u.s. marines in southern afghanistan thursday. officials say there were no signs of enemy fire in the area at the time. meanwhile four french troops were killed this morning in eastern afghanistan prompting france to suspend military operations in the country. a spectacular night time launch at cape canaveral sent a delta rocket into orbit to deliver a half billion dollar military satellite. the air force says the satellite will let the u.s. military and overseas embassies send large volume computer files at ten times the current speed. check out the way some children are getting to school

in indonesia. recent flooding damaged the only bridge that leads to their school so they have to walk across the rickety remains held together by little more than wooden planks and wire. it's pretty scary there. seven minutes past the hour right now. you're up to date. let's go to al with a check of your weather. >> unbelievable video. scary. thanks so much. let's see what's happening weatherwise. first, winter storm warnings and watches and advisories from des moines, iowa all the way to new england, including new york city. we are expecting a swath of snow that, between now and saturday, to include 3 to 5 inches in milwaukee, 4 to 7 chicago. 3 to 5 in cleveland. pittsburgh up to 5 inches of snow. 2 to 4 inches in new york city. boston about 1 to 3. then out west we've got another heavy round of rain, mountain snow, looking for flooding, rivers and streams in the northwest. could be more power outages. big problems anywhere from 1 to 3 inches, locally 4 inches of rain along the coast. mountain snows of up to 2 to 3 feet.

>> good morning. the weather will turn slippery with some freezing rain and some snow. partly cloudy skies today. time now for "today's real estate." what can you get for under $250,000? we'll show you. "today" contributor barbara corcoran scours the country for great deals and is here now to show us what she found. >> good morning, al. >> we'll go to dallas, texas. a nice three-bedroom home for under $250,000. way under at $199,900.

>> that's code for 200 is a better way of saying it. don't be fooled. this is on a quiet cul de sac street. it has a pool, tennis club, club house all for $28 a month included. >> wow. >> it looks neat and trim and that grass in the front needed a little ferfertilizer. my only critique. a sunny yellow kitchen with vaulted ceilings, blonde floors and i can't picture it without that pretty window. the highlight of that kitchen. a wide open living room with high ceilings, cozy fire place, master bedroom with cathedral ceilings, extra long arches and windows that look out on to the front yard. almost feels like a villa. doesn't feel like you're in dallas, texas. there is a community lake that has green lawns and shade trees surrounding a little bit of the green guacamole on the top. not sure what's going on there. out back there is a deck that's been freshly painted and what a difference a coat of paint makes with plenty of space for a party. one nice house for under 200. >> now we got a nice tudor for you in fond du lac, wisconsin. it's a three-bedroom house near

the -- fond du lac is french for bottom of the lake. >> i didn't know you spoke french. >> i know you like it when i speak french. >> yes. you're turning me on. this house is also in the walleye spear fishing capital of the usa. perfect for you, al. >> yeah. >> an important part to mention here. it is a pretty tudor revival corner lot and looks very expensive to my eye. more than 214. it's got a beautiful kitchen that's a bit dark, just needs to be lightened up a bit. it has a balanced, big window in the formal dining room. i like the baseboard moldings you'll see here that surround the windows, very elegant. again, making it look like an expensive house. the living room is a perfect pottery barn style type of furnishings with windows that flank the fire place and line both walls. you see the right wall and also another set on the left wall and a fenced back yard with a grassy lawn and they trim up the flower beds nice and neat. >> all right. now we'll head to a place i went to school and right near bald winsville, new york just outside of syracuse. this is a seven-bedroom, three

and a half bath home in upstate new york. kind of looks like a little frank lloyd wright. >> it does. especially when you get inside. what is wrong with this house is it needs a real good clipping job. it is beautifully grown but too much. you can't even find the house frankly. inside there is a kitchen that's really square and big. plenty of space but the cabinets are dark. it needs lightening and certainly new hardware. easy fix to make a big difference in that house. there is real wood panel throughout almost the entire house and this wrap-around windows that run the full length of the dining room and the living room connect the space. that gives you that frank lloyd feeling you were just mentioning. the floors are stone quarry from nearby ithica. the living room has floor-to-ceiling windows throughout. there's also a guest room with its own bath and fire place. not unusual. but it comes with its own built-in oven. come on over and stay a while. >> cool. >> and cook under that buck head for a while. but the patio out back has a fish pond surrounded by mature oak and ginkgo trees. one nice house for a very inexpensive price. >> beautiful.

now down to atlanta, georgia where homes are not cheap but you got a nice three-bedroom, two-home we found for 234,750. >> this is a very traditional looking home east of downtown atlanta, a close commute. it looks like a house kind of mom and dad could grow up in and be in happily ever after. i love those hollywood rose bushes out front that look like they have uplifts. don't know how they got that done. inside is a total surprise from the outside. it's very modern with open kitchen, refinished floors, the open dining room, granite counters. looks super modern. you don't expect that looking on the outside. the living room feels pristine with the gleaming hardwood floors. i love that extra tall wainscoting painted clean white. there is another great shot of the living room. the fire place is nice. it comes with a built-in wet bar with a wine rack and out back the flagstone patio looks like an expensive estate because of the furniture with bushes and vines. >> all right. then we'll finish up in tacoma, washington. got a nice, urban modern look for this house.

three bedroom home. right now it's priced at $242,000. totally different from the other houses. you know that tacoma is perched high above the puget sound surrounded by gorgeous mountains. this is ultra modern, an urban style home with no taxes for seven years. how many times do you find a house that has no taxes? this is one of them. the interior is a knockout. it's bright, clean, and airy as you would expect. but look at the views. the kitchen is sleek with granite counters and nice back splash. everything is beautifully done. this is an open living room with views of mount rainier from both windows. and remember, still with no taxes. it's full of light. even in rainy washington which gets so much rain it has glass doors and recessed lighting and perfectly situated windows. there's a bedroom, all the bedrooms are carpeted. and they have the same spectacular mountain views. i could live there for 242. that is a pretty house. >> that looks like a professionally staged home.

>> it does. it looks better than professionally staged. >> thanks so much. gorgeous. great houses. >> my pleasure. coming up next a mid-term exam. it's a good time to check in on your kids' progress at school. we'll give you an idea what to look for. plus going gray with style. we'll show you how to flaunt those silver streaks just like the stars. to walk like one. when you walk 10,000 steps a day, it's the same as walking a professional golf course. humana. proud supporter of health and well-being. the best approach to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. that's what they do with great grains cereal. they steam and bake the actual whole grain while the other guy's flake is more processed.

mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. set out to create a different kind of cold remedy using powerful medicine and natural ingredients from around the world. he called it vicks vaporub. today, the vicks journey continues. introducing new vicks nature fusion cold & flu syrup. powerful multi-symptom medicine flavored with natural honey instead of artificial flavors and dyes. have you tried this yet?

save on vicks nature fusion and other innovative products with p&g brandsaver. 10 freshly prepared pieces just 11 bucks. any recipe. any way. only saturday and sunday. so pick up a bucket right now. and make this weekend one to remember. today tastes so good. [ male announcer ] what if we could keep enough plastic waste to cover all of manhattan out of landfills each year? the equivalent of 140 million trash bags, gone. by using new glad trash bags, designed with reinforcing bands to be stronger with less plastic waste, we can. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference.

♪ ♪ eat well, live long ♪ have a good daisy, work out, get strong ♪ [ female announcer ] enjoy the fresh, 100% natural choice in cottage cheese. ♪ have a good daisy ♪ have a good daisy this morning on "parenting today" a mid-term checkup with the second semester now in full swing. don't wait to see your child's report card before assessing their progress in school. how do you identify and resolve perhaps any academic problems? "today's contributor is an educational psychologist with

some important advice for parents. good morning, michelle. >> good morning. >> good time of year. mid point right now. first things first. we have to make sure they're doing okay in school and check on their academic progress. how do we know if there is a problem? >> number one go to the school website and the classroom website. there is almost always posted, not looking for one dip of a grade but for an overall patt n pattern. if you see a problem do not wait for the spring conference. set up a conference immediately with the teacher and say what can we do? if you need a tutor, economic ways to do it, a retired teacher. high school students, many of them have to do with service learning project and check on upcoming projects that are long. the report that's going to take forever, sit down with a calendar with your child and say, let's not dawdle. let's give ourselves enough time and a little effort and it'll help. >> if your school doesn't have a website, i imagine just checking with the teacher periodically. >> check in with the teacher. they appreciate it. do it. >> okay. next thing attendance and tardiness. i think a lot of parents tend to be surprised when they realize wait a minute. my son was tardy how many times

this year? or missed school how many times? >> i sent him to school on time. how could that be? check, check, check. whether or not your child shows up on time eager to learn in that seat makes a huge difference on the task. check the tardys. it's always overlooked. if you see a pattern in the tardies don't be quick to blame your child. make sure you are there on time. if you are always losing the keys get an extra set and put it on the hook by the door. >> it can affect their grades right? >> a huge dip. >> this is one my son complained about just last night. that is activity overload. he has something every night of the week and just wants a little break. how do you know how much is too much? >> you're looking for a pattern, particularly based on from last semester. a little bit more irritable, a little bit more complaining. but i don't have enough energy or time. that means you got to check that calendar. just cut one thing. it can free up the time and put energy into what he is supposed to be doing, which is learning. >> exactly. the other big problem is lack of

sleep. >> yes. >> i think a lot of kids kind of got into this pattern over the holidays where they weren't on schedule, like my kids. and they're not going to sleep when they should. how do you break the habit? >> a lot of the kids are on jet lag mode on beijing time and not u.s. time when they walk into that first period class. what you're looking for is how refreshed are they when they wake up in the morning? then you rewind the clock. number one, a routine sleep schedule is probably the number one thing. number two, though, please make sure you're turning off computers and tv 30 minutes before your child goes to sleep. those flickering images rob the sleep patterns. also, collect the kids' cell phones. 62% say they're still texting, tapping, and talking after lights out. >> really. >> that's the teens. they admit it to us not the parents. >> and then starting off with a good breakfast every morning. so key. >> we know our mothers told us. it really refuels the brain. but look. busy xe yy schedules are tough

particularly in the morning. if that is a reoccurring problem you know your kid needs the energy source. look for quick alternatives even a quick orange juice to go or healthy granola bar. you can find it. make sure there is something in your child's backpack. >> okay. then a problem that can be overlooked quite often. we hear so much about it. bullying comes in many different ways now whether cyber bullying or physical bullying. what are some tell tale signs? >> first of all 162,000 kids a day are skipping school because of it. they're not going to be tuning into their lessons as a result. so here are some things. a lot of times they don't tell. look for signs that are different from last semester. your child's more irritable. he's clingy, avoiding school or he can't sleep. hot spots are key. if he's running home to use the bathroom, we're looking at 43% of kids afraid to use the school restroom. is that a problem? mean girls scene is starting a lot earlier. have your kid draw a map of the cafeteria. where does he sit? where do the other kids sit?

if there's nobody around your child it could be bullying. google your child's name. you'll see an online presence go off in terms of cyber bullying. watch how he responds to an e-mail or a text. if it's jittery or he cuts it up it could be a problem. >> great advice. really good pointers. thanks again, michelle. coming up this morning, we'll hear more about the mystery illness that seems to be affecting 12 girls at the same high school. affecting 12 girls at the same high school. but first, these messages. and p unloading a puddle of water. female voice: turn right ahead. so i make sure i have the right guidance to get me exactly where i need to be. it's the same with taxes. turbotax has a unique gps feature that guides me step by step, and if i have any questions, i can even ask a tax expert by phone or chat, for free, which helps me know it's done right and get my maximum refund, guaranteed. man: get free, one-on-one, expert tax advice. go to turbotax.com.

♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] take the special k challenge. lose up to six pounds in two weeks. get your free, delicious personalized plan at specialk.com. what will you gain when you lose? nyquil (stuffy): just reading whatyour label.ing? wait! you relieve nasal congestion? tylenol: sure. don't you? tylenol (another bottle): hmmm...no... nyquil (stuffy): dude! anncr vo: tylenol cold multi-symptom nighttime relieves nasal congestion... nyquil cold & flu doesn't. e garden's new chicken & potato florentine soup

made from scratch daily with roasted chicken. it's part of our $6.95 unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks lunch. and it's only here for a limited time. with tasty grilled flavor and goodness to savor ♪ ♪ friskies grillers blend. ♪ feed the senses. [ male announcer ] why do we grow quaker oats? because there are mountains to climb. ♪ dreams to be realized. ♪ new worlds to be explored and hearts to be won. quaker oats. energy to get you going, fiber to help fill you up and help keep your heart healthy. super people eat super grains.

still to come this morning making the most of gray hair without hair dye. >> plus health foods from around the world. >> after your local news and weather. while melting into those creamy mashed potatoes... bringing a rich, warm tenderness to your peas. ohhh! it's i can't believe it's not butter! fresh butter taste with 70% less saturated fat than butter go ahead. cheat on butter. you naughty thing. taste so uniquely fresh and delicious? is it the rich florida soil? or the perfect blend of sunshine, rain, and temperature? maybe it's the fact that florida's natural oranges are never imported. they're raised right here in florida, and passed with care from our hands to yours. 100% pure.

100% florida. florida's natural.

>> live, local, latebreaking. this is a wbal-tv 11 news updates. >> departing start producing mice clouds with the sunrise this morning. another storm out to the west. today, increase in clouds in the area. temperatures in the 30's to mid- forties. tonight, a wintry mix, starting with snow and ending wi

and the golden globe goes to "the artist." >> "the artist!" >> yes, it was "the artist" one of the big win aerts the golden globes this year. does that mean it'll sweep the oscar nominations? we'll get some of the other strong films getting votes and have the oscar nominations for you live right here next week on "today." meanwhile coming up in this half hour seize the grave! you don't automatically have to run for the hair dye the minute you get a few gray hairs. we'll show you how to sport your silver strands with class and style. >> kelly osbourne is dying her hair gray. she is only in her 20s.

it's almost like a lavendar gray. got this purplish hue to it. >> my grandma. that's my grandmother. >> you used to call that blue rinse. >> exactly. >> anyway, health food from around the world from danish herring to indian curry powder the foods that are good for you from all corners of the globe. good and tasty. >> then also ahead new details on the mysterious illness that affected 12 girls at the same high school in upstate new york all developing severe tics and uncontrollable verbal outbursts. we'll hear from the doctor who is treating 10 of the 12 teens. first we want to check in with lester holt and jenna wolfe with a preview of "weekend today." >> good to see you guys. coming up tomorrow of course the south carolina primary with only four gop contenders left. we'll see who walks away with the victory in the first southern contest. recent polls show newt gingrich gaining ground on front-runner mitt romney so the drama is building there. then we'll talk cruise ship

safety. the disaster onboard the costa concordia raises questions about how safe cruise ships really are. we'll get some answers for you on that. and then we'll line it up a little bit. what is it really like to be mayor toyed the mob? a real life mafia insider will share her story. equally as serious, i dive into synchronized swimming. that is a one piece and i wore it proudly. it's a sport for just about every age. this was the 75 to 90-year-olds that invited me to come hang out with them. classy. as always. as everything i do. believe me, it is not as easy as it looks. we had a blast. so all that and some other news this weekend on "today." >> looks impressive. >> doesn't look easy. >> i'm nothing if not graceful you guys. >> in the water. >> sorry. in the water. >> all righty. now let's check our weather from mr. roker. we're looking forward to a little bit of snow here. >> that's right. like winter finally around here. let's check it out. the weekend ahead. saturday we've got rain and wind. big problems continue central california into the pacific

northwest. snow in the mountains there. rain along the mid-atlantic and southeastern coast. we've got icy conditions in the northeast. sunday, sunny and cold in the northeast with plenty of sunshine. the rain continues in the pacific northwest. we'll be dealing with problems there again. look for more wet weather in the mid-atlantic states and the mid mississippi river valley. we expect frigid conditions, really arctic cold to move into >> good morning. for now the weather is nice and quiet. a mixture of sun and clouds. high temperatures in the upper 30's.

what is the perfume you're wearing? everybody is sniffing you. >> we're on the air guys. >> i know. >> went like that. >> natalie you saboteur. >> she has a great scent on this morning. >> coming up how do we brace your gray hair? the right cut makes all the difference. right after this. but with advair, i'm breathing better so now i can take the lead on a science adventure. advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most copd medications, advair contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help improve your lung function all day. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis

and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. if you're still having difficulty breathing, take the lead. ask your doctor if including advair could help improve your lung function. get your first full prescription free and save on refills at advaircopd.com. [ laughs ] ♪ [ female announcer ] hey, ladies. here's a little something you'll find irresistible. cinnamon toast crunch, with a delicious cinnamon and sugar taste that's amazing. crave those crazy squares.™ gives you a 50 percent annual bonus. so you earn 50 percent more cash. if you're not satisfied with 50% more cash, send it back! i'll be right here, waiting for it. who wouldn't want more cash? [ insects chirping ] i'll take it. i'll make it rain up in here. [ male announcer ] the new capital one cash rewards card. the card for people who want 50% more cash.

what's in your wallet? sorry i'll clean this up. shouldn't have made it rain. chili's lunch break combos are full of delicious choices, starting at just 6 bucks. choose from savory favorites or our new philly cheesesteak sandwich. layers of shaved steak and grilled peppers served with fries and a tasty soup or salad. chili's lunch break combos. is really my mother. they keep asking me if the dirty guy is really my son. huh -- what do you tell 'um? holy smokes, these viva towels really are tough, even when wet! [ mike ] for the record, that's my real father, cleaning up a real mess on a real grill. see? very impressive! you're a natural. oh that's much better... dad's got his tough mess, i've got mine.

[ female announcer ] grab a roll and try it on your toughest mess. i think you got it. beautiful furnishings from the romance and explorer lifestyles. with 10% savings or 36-month financing, your design aspirations are delightfully attainable. the drawer closes on these offers january 31st.

♪ i'm going to see beauty >> this morning on "today's beauty" seize the gray from jamey lee curtis's pixie cut to emmy lou harris's long locks the days of hiding your gray hair long gone. here are tips for silver strands as "prevention" magazine's beauty director jennifer goldstein joins us. great to see you. >> good to be here. >> i love this a lot of celebrities are rocking it even if they don't have naturally gray hair like kelly osbourne. >> we saw at the golden globes this past weekend she dyes her hair gray prematurely. that's how cool it can look. we did a study at prevention.com and found 71% of people think women with gray hair can be sexy. that is only a few percentage points behind the number of people who think men with gray hair can be sexy. >> right. we often hear of a man with salt and pepper hair but for women -- >> yes. i think people have a hesitation to do it. now you can see you can make it look really gorgeous. if someone in their 20s is doing it then it can look great. >> let's talk about the source of gray hair. you hear people especially moms say you're giving me gray hair.

is that possible? >> a lot of people think stress can cause gray hair and they are studying that but so far there is no proven link. what we do know is that as we age there is a decrease in melanin and that's how you get gray hair. >> let's look at how you make it work for you. first up is pamela. let's look at pamela's short hair off the top there. what did you do? >> well, pamela had a -- was growing in her gray hair but her cut is what we want to talk about. a lot of women think when they have gray hair they have to go short. what you don't want to do is get a really feathery or layered cut. you want something sharp and modern. look how great she looks now. you can ask your stylist not to use a razor because a razor frays the end of your hair and that can have that fly away quality. >> it can look dry. >> untidy and dry. >> yes. >> another good tip is if you have a hair cut like this or any hair cut with gray hair use a blue tinted shampoo once a month. >> blue tinted. >> you don't want to use it every day. >> does it give you blue hair?

>> you won't look like marge simpson. once a month. this is clairol shimmer lights. it counteracts any yellow from the gray hair. >> i want to touch it. it looks so soft. >> shiny, beautiful. modern and cool. >> please don't be offended that i am rubbing your hair. really gorgeous. next up maureen. she has longer hair. again, a little bit of the frizziness. how did you improve the look? >> when you have gray hair it is importt to style it correctly. and maureen air dried i think in this picture and what you need to know with gray hair is it can look dryer like we said. >> why is that? >> it grows in more coarse and is more porous than pigmented hair. it is important to use shine products and it's important to try and get that smooth, polished finish stow doo it doe look wiry and crazy. >> so this is solely with shine products. >> this is ultra shiny silver spray from sally beauty. you don't want to use anything that has alcohol which can be drying. you don't want to use anything too heavy because it can coat the hair and make it look sort

of dusty. >> now with maureen and pamela their hair, the gray seems so perfectly placed. you can't control that. >> you can't control where you're going to get the gray hairs unfortunately. >> it looks gorgeous. >> it seems that when people's gray hair grows in it looks great whatever shade it is. silver gray, white. >> both of them have dark hair. is it harder if you're a blonde going gray? >> either way. there is a study that shows gray goes faster. if you want to grow in your gray hair it's going to grow a lot faster than it does when it's pigmented. it's not that hard. >> we have judy. let's take a look at the before picture. she looks absolutely lovely. i think the only thing that is missing, lip stick or something? >> exactly. you have to change your makeup a little bit when you do go gray. >> why? >> you tend to look washed out because the white or the gray around your face sort of gives you that washed outlook. so it's really important to do your makeup correctly. one of the key things is brows. usually when your hair is growing gray your brows are going gray also. >> right. >> you want to pencil them in. don't make them dark brown or really severe. >> do you make them the color of

your natural color hair? >> usually a taupe color half way between gray and brown looks good on anybody. we used sonia taupe brow pencil and then if you see here we have a selection of makeup products. you don't want beiges and browns and taupes. >> corals there. >> you want coral, apricot, rose, those kind of colors that bring life back to the skin and add rosiness. >> does it matter if you are as fair as she is or dark as i am? >> she might wear a lighter pink or you might use a fuschia. you don't want mauve or beige. it would look washed out. >> absolutely beautiful. let's go out. it's friday night. all right? still to come, health foods from around the world. they are quick and easy to prepare. after these messages. laces? really? slip-on's the way to go. more people do that, security would be like -- there's no charge for the bag. thanks. i know a quiet little place where we can get some work done. there's a three-prong plug. i have club passes. [ male announcer ] now there's a mileage card that offers

special perks on united, like a free checked bag, united club passes, and priority boarding. thanks. ♪ okay. what's your secret? ♪ [ male announcer ] the new united mileageplus explorer card. get it and you're in. ♪ ♪ [ female announcer ] take the special k challenge. lose up to six pounds in two weeks. get your free, delicious personalized plan at specialk.com. what will you gain when you lose? honey, don't use your sleeve. [ male announcer ] for cold and flu season,

there's clorox bleach. . . . . [ gasp ] [ mom ] my husband -- he thinks it's a 3-sheeter. i say 1-sheeter. bounty can clean the mess with less. [ female announcer ] in this lab demo, 1 sheet of bounty leaves this surface as clean as 2 sheets of the bargain brand. ♪ dance cooking? bring it. super durable. super absorbent. super clean. bounty the 1-sheet clean picker-upper. and try bounty napkins.

10 freshly prepared pieces just 11 bucks. any recipe. any way. only saturday and sunday. so pick up a bucket right now. and make this weekend one to remember. today tastes so good. the bestd make this weekend approach to foodremember. is to keep it whole for better nutrition. that's what they do with great grains cereal. they steam and bake the actual whole grain while the other guy's flake is more processed. mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal. it's good. honey, i love you... oh my gosh, oh my gosh.. look at these big pieces of potato. ♪ what's that? big piece of potato. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. new details now on that mystery illness that's affected 12 girls at one high school in upstate new york. today national correspondent amy robach has the latest.

amy? >> reporter: well, since we first reported this story on monday we've been overwhelmed with phone calls and e-mails from concerned viewers all wondering what has caused these girls to have severe tics almost like tourette's syndrome and why they haven't been cured. since october, sarah sanches and at least 11 other girls at le roy high school have been suffering from severe tics and verbal outbursts. now a doctor treating some of the teens says the diagnosis is a rare condition called mass psychogenic illness. >> it's happened before all around the world in different parts of the world. it's a rare phenomena. physicians are intrigued about it. >> reporter: the doctor says the illness is a physiological problem that can happen in groups like female teenagers. sarah sanches has had the symptoms for months and says she's missing out on important moments of her senior year. >> go out with my friends, do

whatever. i used to work and i used to love going to school every day. now i am not in school. i start home tutoring soon. i'm very behind. i feel very behind. now i am. >> reporter: on tuesday sarah told ann she is frustrated by the lack of answers on how she contracted the illness in the first place. >> i want an answer, a straight answer. i've had psychological treatment. they say this is stress induced. my psychological treatment stresses me out more and i get worse thanc worse. >> that frustration is shared by her friend katy who also suffers from the same type of outbursts. >> i can't explain it. they told us it was traumatic but i really don't think any of us have that traumatic of a life

and that it would randomly happen. >> the state health department conducted a three-month investigation and ruled out environmental factors or infection as a cause. the le roy school district did their own private testing and came up with the same conclusion. still, parents want answers. >> we're not getting anywhere. we're not, you know, it's a couple months into this, three months now. and you have no conclusion. they say there's a diagnosis and a cause. we don't know this. is there a treatment plan? is there an end date to this? and the frustration of not having these is too much to bear. the school district says the building at risk. coming up next health foods from around the world but first this is "today" on nbc.

what makes the sleep number store different? the sleep number bed. with the sleep number bed, it's not about soft or firm. it's about support where you find it most comfortable. the magic of this bed is that you're sleeping on something that conforms to your individual shape. on a traditional mattress, there is no adjustment. you get what you're buying that day. with our bed, you change the setting to something you like. this way, if you change your mind once you get home you can adjust it. wow! that feels really good. it's hugging my body. you can adjust it to whatever your needs are. your body changes over time. the bed can adapt with you. not only does it work for you today, but it's going to work for you 20 years from now. so whatever you feel like, the sleep number bed's going to provide it for you. and now, the company that redefined sleep is redefining memory foam. save $400 on our all-new memory foam bed the only bed that combines cool, contouring gel foam with sleep number adjustability. and stock up and save on our exclusive bedding collection at our white sale.

only at the sleep number store, where queen mattresses start at just $699. today's daily dose is brought to you by progresso. you've got to taste this soup. this morning on today's daily dose when it comes to foods wit the greatest health benefits time to think out of the box. better yet out of the country. cultures from around the world seem to be offering healthy options easy to prepare. we have our diet nutrition editor with a great selection. nice to see you. first we'll start in denmark. >> one of the best health foods is going to be herring. you might be a little surprised by this. this has got three times your daily amount of omega iii fats and vitamin d and is also loaded with protein. just this serving. three ounces is going to be one-third of your protein for the whole day. it's power packed.

>> i like herring. >> it's good, too. >> cabbage. one of those vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower. it has a cancer fighting compound and if you eat this regularly it seems to reduce your risk and is also loaded with fiber. remember to just eat it raw or cook it lightly because people boil cabbage to death and all the nutrients go into the water. >> what about like kinchi from korea? >> that or bok choy. any of those and try different colors. oatmeal, oats are the perfect carbohydrate, rich in fiber, especially soluble fiber the one that helps lower cholesterol. it can help your blood sugar be stable and can help with weight control because it is very satisfying. it is a starch you want to turn to. >> now we move to africa. >> africa, chick peas are such a winner. number one they are a vegetable protein full of nutrients, plain protein, really good for you and loaded with fiber. one cup of chick peas has half your fiber for the day. a lot of people say well start with the raw ones.

they're really small and narly. the ones in the can are fine. dump them in soup, salad, mush them up and make humus. perfect. >> let's head to russia. >> who doesn't like beets? >> especially when you roast them. >> you can get fresh beets and people say, yikes. i can't do this. hack off the stems. cook them. or the best things that have been discovered now are the ones in supermarkets. they're vacuum wrapped. just open them up. they're ready to eat and you can put them in a salad. eat them out of hand. eat them with goat's cheese. roasting is certainly number one. >> now we move to india. >> the use of curry. curry is a mixture of spices. turmeric has the greatest health promoting potential. it's called the spice of life in india. it's used to fight inflammation. there is some evidence it is a cancer fighter with long-term use but the jury is still out. it's really a winner. >> the best way to add it to food? >> while you're cooking to any kind of vegetables, meats, chicken use any kind of curry flavor and get some indian

recipes. they're easy to follow. >> let's head to the middle east. >> middle east one of the best things is mint. mint is used in cooking. it's used in teas. and fresh mint is great for digestion, nausea, anything related to digestive health. it's easy to make. use tea bags but you can just take a bunch of fresh mint and dump it in some water and some natural breath freshener. >> and speaking of helping you digest, we head for ginger as we move into china. >> ginger -- >> i love ginger. >> ginger for centuries has been used for all kinds of digestive health, especially an anti-gas compound. >> look who walked in. >> gas compound. perfect timing. >> here we go. >> all right. >> as we speak. >> actually with the mint. >> that's right. >> we end up in thailand. >> with hot chili peppers good for a lot of things, heart health, keeps your blood vessels open. can be good for weight control, nerve pain. you can eat it. good for what ails you. you can make it into a paste.

>> get global. >> thank you so much. great tips. still to come, the lucky ladies from the crowd getting an instant makeover. >> we'll show you the results after your local news and weather. [ male announcer ] get ready for some deli-style delic-ious-ity:

the subway big hot pastrami melt. take a moment to ponder tender cuts of pastrami, piled sky high atop your favorite freshly baked bread with spicy mustard, pickles and melt-a-licious cheese. okay, enough imagining how this fresh toasted number would tantalize your taste buds -- it's time to actually experience the subway big hot pastrami melt, built by the sandwich experts the way you love --

to per-fec-tion. subway. eat fresh.