Seat belts protect unborn babies

A pregnant woman who wears a seat belt greatly reduces the risk that her baby will die or be seriously hurt in a vehicle crash, according to a study that debunks the notion that seat belts are harmful to the fetus.

“Seat belts absolutely protect the fetus — and not wearing a belt is a big problem," Dr. Mark Pearlman, who led the study, said. "Every single time they get in a motor vehicle, pregnant women should wear their seat belts without question — every single time."

In the study, 72 percent of the women were wearing seat belts. Only 38 percent of the women whose babies died or suffered serious complications were wearing seat belts.

The serious non-fatal complications included the woman's placenta prematurely separating from the uterine wall, preterm birth prior to 32 weeks of pregnancy and direct fetal injury, the researchers reported in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Pearlman offered some tips on the proper way for pregnant women to wear seat belts.

He said the lap strap should be placed under the belly as much as possible, across the hips. The shoulder strap should be placed between the breasts and to the side of the belly. Seat belt straps should not go directly across the stomach and should be below the belly button as low they can comfortably go. And the seat belt should be snug, not loose.

VIA

Protect yourself from computer vision syndrome

Computers have now become an important part of our daily life. We sit in front of it day and night for many reasons. But continuous exposure to fluctuating ray can decrease our eye’s accommodation power and may lead to a number of visual problems collectively called Computer Vision Syndrome (also called CVS). Many of us are suffering from this syndrome without noticing any problem. Eye specialists predict that it may widespread and may emerge as one of the commonest eye problems.

Computer Vision Syndrome is a relatively new medically defined ailment, and it is on the rise as the number of people using computer is increasing gradually.

This syndrome leaves people vulnerable to problems like dry eye, eye strain, neck and/or backache, light sensitivity and fatigue. These symptoms can result from individual visual problems, poor workstation configuration and improper work habits.

Pre-existing, uncorrected vision problems like farsightedness and astigmatism, inadequate eye focusing or eye coordination abilities, and age-related eye issues also contribute to computer vision syndrome.

Some people feel pain as a symptom of computer vision syndrome. Some they have experienced eye strain, and others have cited neck or back pain after prolonged computer or handheld device use.

Many of these symptoms are temporary and will improve after ceasing computer work. However, some individuals may continue to experience visual problems, such as blurred distance vision, even after computer work has stopped. If the causes of the problem are not addressed, the symptoms will recur, and perhaps worsen, with future computer use.

Working at a computer requires a great deal of eye movement and eye focusing. When we look in the distance, our eyes are relatively relaxed and at rest. But while doing near work, such as reading your computer screen, muscles in your eyes have to work harder to keep a clean near focus. These muscles get tired after extended use; resulting in variable visual problems.

Dry eyes can also occur because we tend to blink less as we concentrate on our computer screen and keep our eyes wide open when working at the computer, resulting in drying up of the tear film.

Tips to alleviate symptoms

Computer users can follow these guidelines to prevent or reduce eye and vision problems associated with computer vision syndrome:

One of the most common problems in workstation set-up is that the monitor of the computer is placed too high. The top of the screen should be at eye level. This is because the ideal gaze angle is 10 to 20 degrees below the eye. A screen that is too high can lead to dry, irritated eyes because it forces you to constantly keep your eyes wide open and blink less frequently. A screen that is too high can also cause headaches and neck and upper back pain because the head is tilted back to see.

Use a document holder placed next to your computer screen. It should be close enough so you do not have to swing your head back and forth or constantly change your eye focus.

Change your lighting to lower glare and harsh reflections. Glare filters over your computer screen can also help.

Staying hydrated is important, because insufficient water intake can worsen irritated, dry eyes. Computer work can be very engrossing and you may forget to get something to drink. Or you may not feel you have the time to get up.

Concentrate on blinking whenever you begin to sense symptoms of dry or irritated eyes.

Take frequent breaks. Follow the 20-20-20 rules. This simply means every 20 minutes, look away beyond 20 feet and blink 20 times.

Reduce the amount of lighting in the room to match the computer screen. A smaller light can be substituted for a bright overhead light or a dimmer switch can be installed to give flexible control of room lighting. Turn three-way bulbs to the lowest setting.

Have your vision checked regularly. Eye experts recommended comprehensive eye exams every two years before the age of 60 and yearly above 60. Vision and eye health can change rapidly and frequently, particularly as one ages. Therefore, having one's vision examined on a regular, timely basis is important to maintaining overall health and for preventive reasons.

VIA

Meditation as anti-aging medicine

Oxidative stress is considered a primary agent of aging in many leading theories of aging, and is conceptualised as a product of oxygen radical formation during normal metabolic functioning and/or resulting from deficiencies in protective endogenous antioxidant, free radical scavenging capacities.

Several studies on meditation have demonstrated reduced indices of oxidative stress during meditation and such reduced levels of oxidative stress have been hypothesised to reflect a slower rate of aging. According to some scientists, meditation is the best anti-aging medicine.

In particular, the idea that normal metabolic functioning, which causes oxidative radical byproducts, in turn causes aging over time (i.e. the "rate of living" theory of aging), is currently a subject of broad and intense debate, with proponents and critics offering many explanations to resolve apparent inconsistencies and contradictions in the data.

If, as some contend, reduced metabolic rate leads to the (relative) retardation of aging, then the practice of the classic meditative regimen may indeed be associated with significant retardation of aging and/or extension of life span and health span on the basis of much data on the metabolism-lowering effects of meditation.

Of particular interest in this regard are studies by researchers from Stanford, Harvard, Rockefeller University, and other research institutions on the special ability of some long-term, virtuoso yoga practitioners to induce and maintain profoundly lowered metabolic rates during meditation, with reductions ranging from 38–64 percent below resting levels!

Such lowered metabolism is actually within the range of hibernating animals, and hibernation has been associated with extended longevity in some studies because of lowered metabolism, according to some investigators.

Research now shows that meditation also increases levels of melatonin. Melatonin has several anti aging effects, and studies done on the compound suggest that it helps protect against age-related degenerative diseases. The scientific connection between melatonin and meditation was first explored in 1995 by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center's Stress Reduction and Relaxation Programme.

A recent study published in the journal Biological Psychology confirmed this finding. A 1995 study conducted on rats however, suggests that consistent small doses of Melatonin may prevent the normal age-related decline in male testosterone levels, possibly increasing sexual activity levels in later years. The researchers found that meditation before bedtime increased melatonin levels for that night. No increases in blood melatonin levels were noted on nights where participants did not meditate. This suggests that regular practice of meditation is necessary.

One of the most popular results of meditation is that it can clean and transform your skin seemingly overnight. It is the "premier drug" for maintaining youthfulness and fighting aging.
(VIA)

First aid to handle stroke

A stroke occurs when there is bleeding into our brain, or normal blood flow to our brain is hampered. Within minutes of being deprived of essential nutrients, brain cells start dying — a process that may continue over the next several hours.

A stroke is a true emergency. Seek immediate medical assistance. The sooner treatment is given, the more likely it is that damage can be minimised. Every moment counts. If you notice a sudden onset of one or more of the following signs or symptoms, seek for local emergency medical assistance immediately:

• Sudden weakness or numbness in your face, arm or leg on one side of your body
• Sudden dimness, blurring or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
• Loss of speech or trouble talking or understanding speech
• Deviation of mouth to a direction
• Sudden, severe headache — a bolt out of the blue — with no apparent cause
• Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or a sudden fall, especially if accompanied by any of the other symptoms
• Vertigo or unconsciousness for a while that is the sign of TIA (transient ischemic attack in the brain)

Risk factors for stroke include having high blood pressure, having had a previous stroke, smoking, having diabetes and having heart disease. Your risk of stroke increases as you age.

VIA

Salt restriction necessary in high blood pressure

Many people with high blood pressure see salt as a villain. According to conventional wisdom, just a few shakes can send blood pressure high. But is salt really so dangerous?

After decades of studies, scientists finally have answer to the question: Yes and no. For many people, extra salt really does raise blood pressure. In a few cases, however, it seems to lower pressure. And for some people, it does not really matter.

Nobody knows why some people are sensitive to salt and others are not. But researchers have some clear-cut advice — to be on the safe side, everyone should keep a lid on salt intake. The amount of salt that we eat has a direct effect on our blood pressure.

The more salt we take, the higher our blood pressure goes. This is true, not only in people with high blood pressure, but also in people with normal blood pressure. A high salt intake also causes other health damage such as greater retention of water in your body, which leads to swelling of the ankles.

How much salt should I consume each day?
The Food and Nutrition Board (of America) recommends a daily intake of no more than 2,300 mg. And as one study shows, reducing salt to 1,500 mg a day may be even better. The study published in the December 18, 2001 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, examined six diets and found that a low-sodium regimen could make a healthy diet even healthier.

Half of the study subjects ate a typical diet but were divided into three groups, each consuming different levels of sodium: high (3,300 mg each day), intermediate (2,400 mg per day), and low (1,500 mg each day). The participants in the other half of the study ate meals rich in fruits and vegetables but low in fat and cholesterol (also known as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet).

Their diets also were subdivided into three different levels of salt consumption. The one-sixth of the subjects who ate the lowest-sodium DASH diet enjoyed the greatest reduction in blood pressure, even among people who did not have high blood pressure (also called hypertension) to start with. This group lost an average of 9 points from their systolic pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) — the biggest drop in any group.

Weinberger's findings highlight two important points. First, some people can significantly reduce their blood pressure by cutting back on salt. Second, salt is just a start. You can give your heart extra protection by getting plenty of fruits and vegetables every day and going easy on fats. Not only will you lower your blood pressure, you will reduce your risk of atherosclerosis (a form of hardening of the arteries) and heart disease.

If I do not have high blood pressure, do I still need to watch my salt?
Another recent NHLBI study suggests that salt sensitivity can be a dangerous condition — even among people who do not have high blood pressure. Researchers followed up on a group of 708 people who had been evaluated for salt sensitivity and hypertension 25 years ago and were surprised by their findings.

Subjects who had normal blood pressure but were sensitive to salt were just as likely as subjects with hypertension to have died of heart disease.

Since there is no blood test or other quick way to measure salt sensitivity, it is best not to take any chances.

How can I cut back on salt?
You can start by going easy on the saltshaker. It is important to understand, however, that the average person gets 90 percent of his or her salt from other sources. Many "convenience" foods such as frozen dinners, restaurant meals, luncheon meats, fast foods, and canned soups are extremely high in salt.

The best way to protect yourself is to prepare meals at home. If you do eat processed foods, check the labels carefully — and aim for a daily dose of 2,300 mg of sodium or less from all your food sources.

Source

Indian Water Therapy

This water therapy also known as ancient Indian water therapy.If you wish you can give it a try..

Drink six (6) glasses of water (1.5 litre) everyday and avoid medicine, tablets, injections, diagnosis, doctor fees etc. You can never believe before practicing. Here is the list of diseases that can be cured by this water therapy:

1. Head Ache
2. Blood Pressure / Hypertension
3. Anemia (Blood shortage)
4. Rheumatism (Pain in joints/muscles)
5. General Paralysis
6. Obesity (Fatness)
7. Arthritis
8. Sinusitis
9. Tachycardia
10.Giddiness
11 Cough
12.Asthma
13.Bronchitis
14.Pulmonary Tuberculosis
15.Meningitis
16.Kidney Stones
17.Urogenital Diseases
18.Hyper acidity
19.Dysentery
20.Rectal Piodapse
21.Constipation
22.Hostorthobics
23.Diabetes
24.Eye diseases
25.Ophthalmic Hemorrhage & Opthalmia (Reddish eye)
26.Irregular Menstruation
27.Leukemia
28.Uterus Cancer
29.Breast Cancer
30.Laryngitis

HOW TO DO THIS WATER THERAPY?
1. Early morning, after you get up from bed, (without even brushing your teeth) drink 1.50 litters of water i.e. 5 to 6 glasses. You may wash your face thereafter.
2. Here it is very essential to note that nothing else, neither drinks nor solid food of any sort should be taken within 1 hr. before and after drinking these 1.5 litters of water.
3. It is also to be strictly observed that no alcoholic drinks shall be taken the previous night.
4. If required, boiled and filtered water may be used for this purpose. Is it possible to drink 1.50 litters of water at one time? This is a BIG QUESTION? To begin with, one may find it difficult to drink 1.50 litters of water at one time, but one will get used to it gradually. Initially, while practicing you may drink four glasses first and then the balance two glasses after a gap of 2 minutes.Initially you may find the necessity to urinate 2-3 times within an hour, but it will become normal after quite some time.

By research and experience, the following diseases are observed to be cured with this therapy within the indicated days as below:
Constipation -- 1 day
Acidity -- 2 days.
Diabetes -- 7 days.
Cancer -- 4 weeks
Pulmonary TB -- 3 months
BP & Hypertension -- 4 weeks

NOTE:
It is advised that persons suffering from Arthritis or Rheumatism should practice this therapy thrice a day i.e. morning, mid day and night, 1 hour before breakfast,
lunch and dinner for one week and twice a day subsequently until the disease disappears.
HOW DOES PURE WATER ACT ?
Consuming ordinary drinking water by the right method purifies human body.
It renders the colon more effective by forming new fresh blood, known in medical terms as Haematopaises.
That the mucousal folds of the colon and intestines are activated by this method, is an undisputed fact,
just as the theory that new fresh blood is produced by the mucousal fold.
If the colon is cleansed then the nutrients of the food taken several times a day will be absorbed and by the action of the mucousal folds they are turned into fresh blood.
The blood is all-important in curing ailments and restoring health and for this water should be consumed in a regular pattern.

Wishing you a happy and healthy life..