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Showing posts from January, 2013

A Precious Human Life (His Holiness The XIVth Dalai Lama)

" Every day, think as you wake up, Today i am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, i have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it, I am going to use All my energies to develop myself, To expand my heart out to others, To achieve enlightenment for The benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind Thoughts towards other, I am not going to get angry, Or think badly about others I am going to benefit others As much as i can"

An ultimate article on the ultimate thing in Life

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You Are Going to Die By TIM KREIDER My sister and I recently toured the retirement community where my mother has announced she’ll be moving. I have been in some bleak clinical facilities for the elderly where not one person was compos mentis and I had to politely suppress the urge to flee, but this was nothing like that. It was a very cushy modern complex housed in what used to be a seminary, with individual condominiums with big kitchens and sun rooms, equipped with fancy restaurants, grills and snack bars, a fitness center, a concert hall, a library, an art room, a couple of beauty salons, a bank and an ornate chapel of Italian marble. You could walk from any building in the complex to another without ever going outside, through underground corridors and glass-enclosed walkways through the woods. Mom described it as “like a college dorm, except the boys aren’t as good-looking.” Nonetheless I spent much of my day trying not to cry. You are older at th

The True Meaning of Life (His Holiness The XIVth Dalai Lama)

" We are visitors on this planet. We are here for ninety Or one hundred years At the very most. During that period, We must try to do something Good, something useful, With our lives. If you contribute to other People's happiness, you will Find the true goal, The true meaning of life."

Detection Tools for Alzheimer

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I posted earlier on the  Behaviors of Alzheimer patients . Here is an article on the detection tools. Early Detection Alzheimer’s Tests: What’s New By Sarah Stevenson on January 26, 2013 Read about the growing arsenal of Alzheimer’s tests, from simple memory testing for mild cognitive impairment to brand-new brain imaging applications. Photo credit: Akira Ohgaki When it comes to diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease, the prevailing mantra is “the earlier the better.” The problem, of course, is that there are many potential causes for dementia, and by the time doctors are able to detect mental decline, Alzheimer’s has already begun to irreversibly damage the brain. Not only that, until recently it was only possible to confirm an Alzheimer’s diagnosis through posthumous brain examination. Cutting-edge research in the field of Alzheimer’s testing promises to change the way we diagnose the disease, and that’s encouraging news. With a new battery of tests in the arsenal, doctors are

Amazing Phenomenon of the Spine

Explore the Amazing Phenomenon of the Spine and Central Nervous System All functions of the body are controlled and coordinated by a neural network (central nervous system) that sends and receives electric impulses to and from the brain in order to coordinate optimal health and wellness. Take a moment and explore our Interactive Spine. Roll your mouse over the different vertebrae in the spine and get an explanation of how that part of the spine affects different areas of the body. http://www.chiroone.net/why_ chiropractic/index.html I really like the way the presentation has been made.

All About Osteoporosis

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What Is Osteoporosis? A Bone Disease Osteoporosis is a disease that thins and weakens the bones to the point that they become fragile and break easily. Women and men with osteoporosis most often break bones in the hip, spine, and wrist, but any bone can be affected. You can't "catch" osteoporosis or give it to someone else. In the United States, more than 40 million people either already have osteoporosis or are at high risk due to low bone mass, placing them at risk for more serious bone loss and fractures. Although osteoporosis can strike at any age, it is most common among older people, especially older women. What Is Osteoporosis? Video length: 2 min 21 sec Click to watch this video How Bone Loss Occurs Click image for description Bone is living tissue. Throughout our lives, the body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone. But as people age, more bone is broken down than is replaced. The inside of a bone normally looks like

Indian Spices noted for medicinal values

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Johns Hopkins Doc Pursues Health Benefits of Curcumin Dr. Saraswati Sukumar United States A spice commonly used in Indian foods could also double as a powerful weapon to fight against cancer, diabetes, and inflammation. If recent studies on the spice’s effect to continue producing promising results are any indication, Dr. Saraswati Sukumar of Johns Hopkins University hopes curcumin, which gives turmeric its yellow color, will help people fight off or prevent diseases such as diabetes and cancer. In an interview with India-West, Sukumar explained how she and a colleague, Dr. Anirban Maitra, are paying close attention to promising clinical trials of curcumin. Curcumin is the extract of turmeric and may soon be used in pill form. The spice is commonly integrated into many Indian dishes. Sukumar will be giving a presentation Jan. 24 in West Palm Beach, Florida, about the positive health benefits of curcumin. While more clinical trial

Buckle up for Life

The video in this Link (" http://www.causes.com/BuckleUp?utm_source=causes&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=WE773_1327 ") is really useful for all drivers. (Courtesy: causes.com)

Seniors Beware - Could be infection?!

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Could it be an infection? HEMA VIJAY DON'T BRUSH ASIDE THEIR PROBLEMS: Timely treatment can enhance the quality of life the elderly enjoy Is it a sign of aging or is it an infection? This confusion often delays diagnosis and treatment, writes Hema Vijay Restless, confused, flagging appetite or even dullness… all these may not be signs of aging; but might indicate an infectious disease. After the age of 70, infections become very common. In fact, they happen to be one of the most important causes of hospital admission and mortality among senior citizens. “But often, physicians are not able to make an early diagnosis because elderly persons show atypical and confusing symptoms, compared with the symptoms these diseases would produce in the young, and also because many symptoms of infection in the elderly get camouflaged by general age-related symptoms and behaviour,” remarks veteran geriatrician Dr. V. S. Natarajan. In young persons, the temperat

What you should know about GLAUCOMA

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Do You Recognize the Early Warning Signs of Glaucoma? By Sarah Stevenson on January 18, 2013 Nearly 3 million Americans are estimated to have glaucoma, but only half of those are aware they have the disease. It can’t be cured—but it can be treated if it’s detected early enough . January is Glaucoma Awareness Month . The idea of glaucoma awareness, though, is sadly ironic, when you consider that early-stage glaucoma has few or no symptoms. In fact, nearly half of Americans with glaucoma don’t even know they have it, according to the National Eye Institute and Prevent Blindness America . Worse still, there’s currently no cure for glaucoma, and once vision is lost, it can’t be regained. Over 120,000 Americans are blind from glaucoma—between 9-to-12% of all blindness cases, reports the Glaucoma Research Foundation . Seniors are at high risk for glaucoma , and with a growing population of seniors, there could be an epidemic of blindness looming if those with glaucoma go undiagno

Behaviors of Alzheimer patients

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5 Familiar (and Difficult) Behaviors of Alzheimer’s Patients By Sarah Stevenson on January 14, 2013 Alzheimer’s can be tough on caregivers, especially when difficult behaviors like aggression or wandering occur. Read about five common Alzheimer’s behaviors and what you can do to respond effectively. Alzheimer’s disease l eads to progressive deterioration in the brain, which causes problems with memory and cognition. Even more heartbreaking, these changes to the brain can cause a range of behavioral issues. Caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients may find their loved ones acting in unfamiliar, even disturbing or violent ways. Sometimes the behavior is so severe that families place Alzheimer’s patients in nursing homes or dementia care facilities . Fortunately, there are plenty of coping strategies available to help families develop an understanding of what their loved one is going through, as well as helping them manage the behavioral effects of dementia. 5 Common Alzheim

ART OF CHOOSING

"SHEENA IYENGAR" on THE ART OF CHOOSING. Sheena Iyengar studies how we make choices -- and how we feel about the choices we make. At TEDGlobal, she talks about both trivial choices (Coke v. Pepsi) and profound ones, and shares her groundbreaking research that has uncovered some surprising attitudes about our decisions. Columbia Business School social psychologist Sheena Iyengar . The Art of Choosing begins with the story of a man who survived stranded in the middle of the ocean for 76 days because he chose to live, just as Iyengar herself has chosen not to let her blindness prevent her from being a fierce researcher and acclaimed academic . This fascinating piece of pop-psychology offers a fascinating journey into the web of consumerism, woven out of our biological need for choice and control, drawing on everything from the pensées of Albert Camus to The Matrix. "http://www.ted.com/talks/sheena_iyengar_on_the_art_of_choosing.html"

Falling Risk

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This is good information. Do exercise your feet and toes to avoid falling. Increased Risk of Fall Accident Begins at Age 40 by: Junji Takano One of the main health concerns of elderly people is falling, which is often related to poor balance. In fact, many studies show that people begin to have balance problems starting at the age of 40 years. The older you get, the weaker your physical body and sensory abilities will be, which are all factors in having poor balance. In Japan, more than 7,000 people a year die from falling accidents, which already exceeds the number of traffic accidents. In this article, we'll examine in more details the cause of falling and why you lose balance as you age. ## Test Your Balance by Standing on One Leg You can determine how good your balance is by measuring the length of time that you can stand on one leg. The following table shows the average balance time by age group in a stu

Why bosses need to show their soft side

By Daniel H. Pink If you ever want to understand your boss, corner him (or her) at the next office party and see if he’ll play a little game. Tell him (or her) you need only 30 seconds. Then ask your boss to extend his (or her) right forefinger.     “Go ahead,” you might need to assure him, “this won’t hurt” Then ask him to take that extended finger and draw a capital E on his forehead. Does he draw the letter so that it faces him – that is, backward to a person looking at him? Or does he draw the letter so that the viewer can read it? Neither way is right or wrong. But the direction of that letter might tell you something about the disposition of that leader. This seemingly innocent parlour trick is actually a method social scientists have used for more than a decade to measure perspective-taking – the ability to step outside one’s own experience and see the world from someone else’s viewpoint. People who write the E so that it’s backward to themse

Tapping the Power of Influence

“ Because”: Tapping the Power of Influence and Expectation by Kathy Martinez on January 16, 2013 · In life and in the workplace, success does not always come easily. If you ask any accomplished adult how they got where they are today, he or she will likely credit hard work, tenacity and even luck. But most will also acknowledge other people — individuals who encouraged and inspired them to set and achieve their goals, such as relatives, teachers, coaches or colleagues. While messages of high expectations are important for all young people, they are especially crucial for youth with disabilities, who may not always believe that they can work and succeed. In order to dream big and effectively prepare to enter the workforce, youth with disabilities — like all youth — must have support and the opportunity to learn about their individual potential through practical experience and trusted relationships with adults . As a person who was born blind, I understand this firsthand.

Wealth but not health in the USA

Last week, American people, health-care workers, and policy makers received shocking news. Despite spending more on health care per person than other high-income countries, Americans die sooner, are least likely to reach the age of 50 years, and have higher rates of disease or injury. When judged by health alone, Americans are less healthy from birth to 75 years of age than people in 16 other economically wealthy countries, and this health disadvantage has been getting worse for 30 years, especially among women. In a report released on Jan 9 from the US National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health , comprehensive mortality and morbidity data are presented, comparing the USA with affluent democratic countries including Australia, Canada, France, Italy, most of the Nordic countries, Spain, and the UK. Life expectancy is shorter at birth for American men than for men in any of the other 16 countries, and A

Cold, Sinus and You ?!

Now it is the "Cold & Sinus Season". You see everywhere people coughing or sneezing into their tissues. For those, this article may be of more interest . Mucus (Snot, Phlegm) Color, Function, Coughing, and More By Stephanie Watson Reviewed by: Laura Martin Mucus is something everyone has, and some people wish they had a lot less of the stringy, gooey stuff. Sure, it can be gross to blow globs of snot into tissue after tissue when you have a cold or sinus infection , but mucus actually serves a very important purpose. "Mucus is incredibly important for our bodies," explains Michael M. Johns, III, MD, director of the Emory Voice Center and assistant professor of otolaryngology -- head and neck surgery at Emory University. "It is the oil in the engine. Without mucus, the engine seizes." How much mucus is normal, and how much is too much? What does its color tell you about your health? Can you just get rid of it, or at least cut down on it, and h