Emotions: Five Ways Parents Can Fight Facebook Depression | Therapy Soup

Five Ways Parents Can Fight Facebook Depression | Therapy Soup: (pls click site for more info)

"The solution to Facebook depression (as well as online safety issues for kids) isn’t rocket-science. We identify five simple things parents can do.

1. Spend more time—a lot more time—with your kids. Don’t feel you have to plan something special: just spending time together, one on one, and showing them that you are willing to talk about what’s important to them is what counts. Even activities like baking cookies, playing a sport, or going for a walk are fine. Even doing chores together is something you can do.

Some research shows that the quantity of time you spend with your kids can be more important than the quality. Half an hour a week of one-on-one bonding is nice, but spending several hours each evening together as a family can have an even greater impact.

In traditional cultures and even in some Western families today, children are taught that their relationship with their parents is the most important relationship in their lives (at least until they become adults, and form new primary relationships). This takes effort on the part of parents."

2. Create a family tech-room. Computers are the new TV. Remember playrooms and family rooms? All computers, cell-phones, Ipods must be used in a public family space, just like the televisions of what I guess now is yesteryear. You can have a homework quiet time rule if necessary. If you have the room, this is a truly amazing preventative (we know a family who does this). You will not only be able to keep an eye out for your kids’ safety, you’ll send the subtle message that being together is what’s really important and that family comes first. Parents: Your kids do NOT need privacy online. You can help them establish safe privacy and safe personal boundaries in other areas of their lives.

3. Get a strong Internet safety filter. Parental controlled Internet filters can help you do your job. You’re the parent so you get to make the decisions that will keep your kids safe. Can kids bypass filters? Some of them, yes. Comparison shop.

4. Set curfews and time-limits. Just like bedtimes (hey, even adults need bedtimes), setting curfews and time-limits for non-school related computer use is essential. If you aren’t ready for solution number 5, below start by limiting social media use. For example, no non-school related computer use after 7:00 for younger pre-teens and 9:00 for teens is one way to go. Plus, limit non-school related computer use to 30 minutes. That might seem draconian from your teen’s standpoint, but if your kids have after-school lessons, sports, homework, chores, and are spending time with family and friends, there won’t be much time left over for social media.

5. Rethink and restructure your family culture. Ban social media!Don’t worry, you’re not the only parent doing this—there are many local groups of parents doing this. Schools are asking parents to ban social media, too. Get together with your kids’ friends’ parents. Many of them feel exactly the same way you do.

Banning it will be difficult. But will it be worth it? Do a cost-benefit analysis of the use of social media.What are the benefits? What are the problems (and potential dangers)? Is it time well spent?

It’s best to begin building values obviously, when children are young. We love the idea of showing children what’s wonderful about life, but we also believe that it’s good to openly tell children (at an appropriate age), the things that are dangerous or not consistent with your values. We know this goes against the conventional wisdom, and we know it’s important for your children to have friendships, however, if the medium in which those friendships take place is social media, safety should be your number one priority. How to prevent the problems of social media’s impact on your preteens and teens is up to you.

*Diagram of social media by Khalid Albaih.

Richard Zwolinski, LMHC, CASAC is the author of Therapy Revolution: Find Help, Get Better, and Move On Without Wasting Time or Money and is an internationally licensed psychotherapist and addiction specialist with over 25 years experience as well as a consultant to organizations and companies in the fields of mental health and addiction. Learn more about Richard here.

Emotions: 5 Ways to Silence Your Inner Critic | World of Psychology

5 Ways to Silence Your Inner Critic | World of Psychology:

"1. Monitor your thoughts.

Jotting down your self-critical judgments — I’m a loser, I’m stupid, I’m ugly — in a journal or a personal-digital assistant is the first step to mastering them: That process alone may decrease the intensity and frequency. Also note the situations in which these feelings occur and see if you can spot patterns.

2. Evaluate your judgments.

Define your terms and examine whether your standards are arbitrary or fair. If you think you’re a “bad person,” are you a bad person all the time? Are there times when you are adequate? Dr. Muller says patients often find that their views are internally inconsistent. “I’ll ask, ‘What does a loser look like to you?’ The patient is picturing a guy in sweatpants sitting around the house drinking beer. I say, ‘Is that what you did yesterday?’ And he’ll say, ‘Well, no.’ ”"

3. Collect objective data.

Challenge negative thoughts with hard facts. Keep a short list of your achievements on a note card and pull it out when your self-criticism threatens to overwhelm you. Or look back at your own CV and review what you’ve accomplished. “Focus on the fact that you made it as a scholarship student — not that nobody asked you to dance for two years,” says Dr. Legato.

4. Conviction or condemnation?

Recognize the difference between thoughts that are critical and those that are constructive, suggests Therese J. Borchard, whose Beyond Blue blog on Beliefnet.com often deals with such issues. If you overeat at a picnic, thinking “I am a fat pig” is a condemnation, she says, whereas thinking “I’ll try to start eating better tomorrow” is a conviction. Dr. Leahy agrees: “Your goal should be improvement, rather than putting yourself down.”

5. Re-evaluate your values.

Make sure that whatever you are beating yourself up about is worth striving for. Some goals, like kindness, integrity, and being self-disciplined, enhance the meaning and quality of life, whereas others only feed into your sense of defectiveness, Dr. Leahy says. “Some people think, ‘I can get Botox and then I’ll be lovable.’ But the way to be lovable is to do lovable things,” he adds.

Therese J. Borchard is Associate Editor at Psych Central, where she regularly contributes to World of Psychology. She also writes the daily blog, Beyond Blue, on Beliefnet.com. Therese is the author ofBeyond Blue: Surviving Depression & Anxiety and Making the Most of Bad Genes and The Pocket Therapist. Subscribe to her RSS feed on Psych Central or Beliefnet. Visit her website or follow her on Twitter @thereseborchard.

Emotions: Postural Problems a Sign of Bipolar Illness? | Psych Central News

Postural Problems a Sign of Bipolar Illness? | Psych Central News: "

Areas of the brain that are critical for motor control, mainly the cerebellum, basal ganglia and brain stem, also aid in mood regulation and are areas where abnormalities often are found in people with bipolar disorder.

Postural sway — a measure of the endless adjustments people make in an attempt to stand still — is considered a sensitive gauge of motor control that likely is affected by these abnormalities.

In the study, participants who had bipolar disorder displayed more postural sway, particularly when their eyes were closed, than study participants who had no psychological disorders. The troubles, which involved the study participants’ proprioception, or ability to process non-visual sensory information related to balance, were not affected by their mood or the severity of their disorder.

“It appears that people with bipolar disorder process sensory information differently and this is seen in their inability to adapt their movement patterns to different conditions, such as eyes open vs. eyes closed or feet together vs. feet apart,” said Hong, whose research focuses on how humans control motion. “The different conditions will cause people to use the information their senses provide differently, in order to allow them to maintain their balance.”"

Healthy Mind: Your Brain, Mindful Presence and Five Practices to Energize Love In Your Relationship, 2 of 2 | Neuroscience and Relationships

Your Brain, Mindful Presence and Five Practices to Energize Love In Your Relationship, 2 of 2 | Neuroscience and Relationships: By ATHENA STAIK, PH.D.

"Emotions of love and compassion give meaning and purpose to life. The brain is wired with circuitry for caring and empathic connection.

It is “a relationship organ,” as described by researcher Dr. Daniel Siegel. It can be said that all experience in life is relational. Your experience of self is always in relation to self, other persons, to life itself, for example.

Your deepest strivings are for love and meaningful connection to life within and around you. This explains why responses that convey love enhance your sense of security – and why some of your greatest fears, as rejection or abandonment, have to do with a sense of loss of love or connection."

The link between your health and key relationships?

It’s not surprising to learn, therefore, to learn that when your key relationships are off balance so are many other aspects of life. In other words, your physical, mental and emotional health are affected by the quality of your relationship.

Without question, one of the relationships we are most deeply concerned with is our love relationship.

Whether married or dating, divorced or single, we seem to spend (nearly) a lifetime concerned with how to resolve the intense mixture of feelings we feel with regard to our ability to find the happiness and love we seek in our relationship with a special person.

You want happiness? The best option is to grow your ability to empathically connect to your self and partner, in present moments of awareness. It’s a way of knowing, understand your self, and life around you that is connected to your compassion, and that allows you to best understand and empathically connect to your partner.

The good news?

• The brain has incredible plasticity from what the latest findings tell us, capable of changing and healing, restructuring and reorganizing faster than ever imagined, according to neuroscientist Dr. V. S. Ramachandran.
• The brain not only generates experience, every experience changes the structure of your brain. Thus, your day-to-day life experience wires and re-wires your brain.
• Also notable, according to Dr. Siegel, is that change takes place in the context of new experience in relationship contexts.

Thus, healthy relationship patterns are potentially healing in nature, literally, ones that allow the brain to rewire itself for more flexibility, permitting new associations of neural networks, the growth of new neurons, the expansion of existing ones, changes in existing connections, and so on.

Got presence?

The quality of the functioning of your brain establishes the quality of the functioning of your mind. This means you need healthy (conscious and subconscious) thinking and emoting patterns.

To love authentically is a conscious act of courage in present moments that allow you to respond with love rather than react with fear. You’re human, which means your deepest fears have to do with inborn strivings to feel loved and valued in life. It takes courage to love with your whole heart and it necessitates a willingness to be vulnerable and face your deepest fears.

This is where practicing mindful presence comes in.

Practicing presence is the fastest and most efficient way to transform your relating patterns in order to deepen your connection and understanding of your self, which is the basis for understanding your partner.

How presence affects your brain?

When you practice mindful presence in your responses to one another, your actions send a message that affirms your commitment to the relationship, and good feelings cause your brain and your partner’s to release Oxytocin, a hormone linked to felt sense of safety, love and connection. Actions that stem from a sense of presence convey a sense of safety and trust.

Happy partners intuitively practice presence in their responses to one another. Regardless where you are in your relationship, however, you can learn new behaviors that allow them to create new experiences and thus transformative changes in their behaviors, changes that stem from actual structural changes in their brains.

When partners make a conscious choice to remain aware of what is happening both inside and around them in the moment – and simultaneously, they own the ability they each have in moments that most challenge and trigger their stress response – to maintain an optimal state of mind, one that best ensures they will respond in a way that promotes their overall happiness.

What does it mean to be present?

For partners in couple relationships, it means:

• They empathically connect with their compassion and understanding for self and their partner in the moment.
• They know how to keep their heart open to courageously face the universal fears (i.e., rejection, inadequacy, etc.) every human being has to contend with on a daily basis.
• They are aware of their fears and have developed belief system that allows them to not only feel their fears, but also use them as teachers and assets.
• They remain curious and genuinely strive to understand and find validity in the other’s perspective, regardless whether they agree or not.
• They convey honor and respect for self and the other as individuals with unique yet both shared and unique dreams and aspirations.
• They consciously act in ways that let the other know of their sincere interest and love, and their commitment to nurturing a healthy relationship.
• They treat self and other with dignity — especially when they are triggered — making no excuses or exceptions should they slip up.

Plasticity is now considered a basic principle of all healthy brains throughout life. If you and your partner have relating patterns you need to change because they are preventing you from feeling the love you have for one another, have you considered the power of practicing presence? It can help you energize more happiness in your personal life and relationship.

Here are five areas to practice growing your presence muscles:

• Be present to your breathing. Observe your breath, and allow your inhale and exhale to be deep and complete. Set an intention to connect to your breathing, in key moments, to ensure you remain and keep returning to the present moment.
• Be present in your listening. When you are present to listen, you are listening with your whole heart to better understand, know your self and your partner. More than anything, life is ever inviting you to learn. From birth, in a natural state, your brain is in learning mode. When your stress response gets activated, your brain is in protective mode. Your brain is always in either love and learning mode, or fear and protective mode. When you consciously remain present in difficult moments, you are actively allowing your brain to remain in learning mode, thus, potentially make new positive neural changes.
• Be present to your thoughts. Notice what you are telling yourself in the moment. This helps you tune into any assumptions or beliefs you hold that are not serving you, for example, if you tell yourself “I always get the short end of the stick,” this is likely to activate intense painful feelings inside. This tells you that you are likely holding a limiting belief (i.e., that your worth as a person depends on others). You will improve your life dramatically by replacing this with a life energizing belief, such as “I no longer need others’ approval to love and accept myself.”
• Be present to your emotions and felt sensations. Feel your feelings with your whole heart. This means to be willing to feel painful emotions. When you love half-heartedly, it means you only love the parts of yourself or your partner that please you. This type of love naturally never satisfies, as it is superficial. It is how we love when we are still wounded, needy and feeling incomplete inside. Painful emotions and fear are great teachers, letting you know where you are at any given time in relation towhere you aspire to be in the future.
• Be present to your five senses. What are your eyes and ears and felt sensations in your body, perhaps even your taste buds and nose, telling you about the present moment? This is about being aware, being a conscious observer of events and actions around you, rather than a harsh judge of self and other. Just noticing and observing permits you to identify and release any rigid, limiting beliefs, judgments, etc., about yourself or the other, your life or relationship.

When you stretch your heart to love consciously, you are making a conscious choice to act in ways that express you care about your relationship, one that stems from inner wisdom and understanding.

This allows your wise self, the part that is connected to your highest purpose in life, to lead the way. This is a gift you can give to yourself and one another at any time, in present moments.

In my work, I call this conscious-love, an intention to supercharge your life by embracing your feelings of vulnerability at deep levels, so that you can heal and transform them into joy and meaningful connection in relating contexts. It is an experience of balancing your giving and receiving, your love for self and other, your attunement to your mind and body, your heart and logic.

You can learn to harness amazing inner resources, among them, your brain’s capacity for neuroplasticity, on behalf of your own personal and relational well-being and growth. It is through a set of skills that connect to resources you have inside to regulate your emotions, make effect repairs, release fear patterns of coping with stress, and consciously rewire your brain to be more consistently receptive to create, integrate, shift to the most optimal states possible.

Practicing presence allows you to love consciously, a practice that is to the human heart what swimming is to the entire body.

RESOURCES:

Ramachandran, Vilayanur S. (2011). The Tell-Tale Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Quest for What Makes Us Human. NY: W.W. Norton and company.

Siegel, Daniel J. (1999). The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are. NY: Guilford Press.

Relationship consultant, author, licensed marriage and family therapist, Dr. Athena Staik shows clients how to break free of anxiety, addictions, and other emotional blocks, to awaken radiantly healthy lives and relationships. Dr. Staik is currently in private practice in Northern VA, and writing her book, Safe Enough to Love™: Breaking Free of Addictive Love in Couple Relationships. To contact Dr. Staik for information, an appointment or workshop, visitwww.drstaik.com, or visit on her Facebook fan page DrAthenaStaik

Healthy Food: Organic food keeps you healthy and slim - The Times of India

Organic food keeps you healthy and slim - The Times of India: "Fruit and vegetables grown without artificial fertilizers have significantly more key nutrients, including vitamin C.

As a result, going organic can extend average lifespan, typically by 25 days for men and 17 days for women.

'But a lucky few could live for many months longer and some for up to five years more,' suggest the researchers.

The University of Newcastle study argues it is on a par with the benefit for the country from the national breast cancer-screening programme, reports the Daily Mail.

It also suggests eating organic is likely to improve general health, highlighting the higher levels of compounds which encourage the body to burn fat. This can help devotees shed the pounds.

The conclusion challenges the Food Standards Agency, which has long dismissed the health gains of organic food.

Lead researcher Dr Kirsten Brandt, a senior lecturer in food quality and health, said, 'The figures represent a 'best guess' based on all available information. She suggested most people probably would not live any longer but a lucky few could add many months, and even up to five years, to their lives.'"

Climate Change Update: CC not a priority in Tallahassee - Florida - MiamiHerald.com

Climate change not a priority in Tallahassee - Florida - MiamiHerald.com: "Four hundred scientists gathered in Copenhagen recently to talk about the warming temperatures in the Arctic. Their conclusion: The Arctic’s glaciers are melting faster than anyone expected due to man-made climate change.

As a result, the world’s sea level will rise faster than previously projected, rising at least two feet 11 inches and perhaps as high as five feet three inches by 2100, they said.

In low-lying Florida, where 95 percent of the population lives within 35 miles of its 1,200 miles of coastline, a swelling of the tides could cause serious problems. So what is Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection doing about dealing with climate change?

“DEP is not pursuing any programs or projects regarding climate change,” an agency spokeswoman said in an email to the Times earlier this month.

“That’s a crying shame,” said former Gov. Charlie Crist.

But it shows how fast popular causes can come and go in Florida politics — even ones that are put into state law. Yet even when causes lose favor in Tallahassee, that’s not necessarily the end of them."

Wellness Update: Africa: key to improving the tenuous state of health care in sub-Saharan Africa is to train and retain more doctors and other medical

UMB News: "Professor George Magoha, vice chancellor of the University of Nairobi (UoN), understands that the key to improving the tenuous state of health care in sub-Saharan Africa is to train and retain more doctors and other medical professionals.

Last week, Magoha led a 12-member UoN delegation, including the deans of its schools of dental sciences, medicine, and pharmacy, and directors of its schools of nursing and public health, on a fact-finding trip to the University of Maryland's (UM) Baltimore campus. 'We came to strengthen our partnerships with the University of Maryland by visiting firsthand to our contemporaries in each of your schools, because this is one of the premier universities in the U.S.,' said Magoha.

According to World Health Organization records, Africa has only 2.3 health care workers per 1,000 people, compared with the Americas, where there are 24.8 health care workers per 1,000 people. There is an estimated shortage of 817,992 health care workers in Africa.

The Kenyans' visit is part of a five-year, National Institutes of Health-funded Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI) to the UoN in partnership with UM and the University of Washington."

WHO: World Health Leaders Meet to Tackle Health Challenges

allAfrica.com: Africa: World Health Leaders Meet to Tackle Health Challenges: "Washington — Public health officials from almost 200 nations will be in Geneva May 16-24, trying to devise strategies to address the many health problems that shorten life and diminish its quality for millions of people.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will lead a U.S. delegation of about 25 to the World Health Assembly, an annual gathering for member states of the World Health Organization (WHO)."

Wellness Update: Antarctica: Polar explorer to take students to Antarctica

gulfnews : Polar explorer to take students to Antarctica:

"As Swan pursued his childhood dream of becoming an adventurer and environmentalist, 20 years later he is on a mission to create sustainability champions focusing on youth in various countries, including the Middle East, India and China.

'On those journeys 20 years ago, I walked under a hole in the ozone layer in the South Pole and my eyes burnt out… when I walked to the North Pole all the ice caps were melting and I made a decision back then that my job would be to inspire young people. I took up the role of being the Indiana Jones of environment for young people globally.'

Adventures with youngsters

In September he will take a group of schoolchildren, who won the Shell Better Environment Award 2011 in collaboration with Shell and the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, on a trip on his yacht to Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
This comes after a series of recent school visits to encourage students to participate in programmes supporting the UAE environment and urging them to heighten their interest in health, safety and the environment.

The Shell Better Environment Awards 2011 were launched in November 2010 to raise awareness and inspire the younger generation to contribute in addressing key challenges concerning the environment, health and safety."

Wellness Update: North America: Hospital Supplies Market Outlook to 2017 - Business Wire - SunHerald.com

Research and Markets: North America Hospital Supplies Market Outlook to 2017 - Business Wire - SunHerald.com: "DUBLIN -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/bc312a/north_america_hosp) has announced the addition of GlobalData's new report 'North America Hospital Supplies Market Outlook to 2017' to their offering.
The new report, North America Hospital Supplies Market Outlook to 2017 provides key market data on the North America Hospital Supplies market - Canada and United States. The report provides value (USD million) data for all the market categories - Disposable Hospital Supplies, Mobility Aids and Transportation Equipment, Operating Room Equipment, Patient Examination Devices, Sterilization and Disinfectant Equipment and Syringes and Needles. The report also provides company shares and distribution shares data for each of the aforementioned market categories. The report is supplemented with global corporate-level profiles of the key market participants.
This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by a team of industry experts."

Wellness Update: Europe: E.U. Approves Blood Thinner From Bristol-Myers, Pfizer - WSJ.com

E.U. Approves Blood Thinner From Bristol-Myers, Pfizer - WSJ.com: "European health regulators approved a new blood thinner from Pfizer Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. for the prevention of blood clots in people who have undergone hip or knee replacement surgery.

The drug, Eliquis, was approved by the European Commission for sale in the 27 countries of the European Union. It was the first regulatory approval for Eliquis, which analysts think could eventually generate annual sales exceeding $1 billion."

Healthy Mind: 40 Inspirational & Motivational Songs That'll Keep You Refreshed! at Goal Setting College at Goal Setting College

40 Inspirational & Motivational Songs That'll Keep You Refreshed! at Goal Setting College at Goal Setting College

Women's Cancer Pictures Slideshow: 15 Symptoms Women Ignore on MedicineNet.com

Women's Cancer Pictures Slideshow: 15 Symptoms Women Ignore on MedicineNet.com: "Women tend to be more vigilant than men about getting recommended health checkups and cancer screenings, according to studies and experts. But not always. Younger women, for instance, tend to ignore symptoms that could point to cancer. Of course, some women are as skilled as men are at switching to denial mode.
With that healthy balance between denial and hypochondria in mind, WebMD asked experts to talk about the symptoms that may not immediately make a woman worry about cancer, but that should be checked out. The following slides cover 15 possible cancer symptoms women often ignore.
Previous
1/17
Nex"

Men's Cancer Pictures Slideshow: 15 Symptoms Men Ignore on MedicineNet.com

Men's Cancer Pictures Slideshow: 15 Symptoms Men Ignore on MedicineNet.com: "See Your Doctor When Symptoms Occur, and Get Regular Checkups.
Experts say that men could benefit greatly by being alert to certain cancer symptoms that indicate a trip to the doctor's office sooner rather than later. Some of those cancer symptoms in men are specific. They involve certain body parts and may even point directly to the possibility of cancer (for example, a mass in the scrotum or testicle). Other symptoms are not specific. For instance, pain that affects many body parts could have dozens of explanations and may not be cancer; however, that circumstance doesn't mean you can rule out cancer without seeing a doctor.
The following slideshow of pictures explain 15 symptoms and possible clues to finding cancer early. Unfortunately, many men ignore these symptoms with the result of sometimes discovering a cancer that might have been more easily treated if the cancer had been detected at an earlier date in its development."

Skin and Beauty Pictures Slideshow: Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair on MedicineNet.com

Skin and Beauty Pictures Slideshow: Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair on MedicineNet.com: "Top 10 Foods for Healthy Hair
When it comes to foods for healthy hair and beauty, variety is the best way to go. 'An overall balanced diet of lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fatty fish like salmon and low-fat dairy will help keep hair healthy,' Giancoli says."

Alcohol Abuse Pictures Slideshow: 12 Health Risks of Chronic Heavy Drinking on MedicineNet.com

Alcohol Abuse Pictures Slideshow: 12 Health Risks of Chronic Heavy Drinking on MedicineNet.com:

"Alcohol and Health Risks
It's no secret that alcohol consumption can cause major health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and injuries sustained in automobile accidents. But if you think liver disease and car crashes are the only health risks posed by drinking, think again: Researchers have linked alcohol consumption to more than 60 diseases.

1. Anemia

Heavy drinking can cause the number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells to be abnormally low. This condition, known as anemia, can trigger a host of symptoms, including fatigue, shortness of breath, and lightheadedness

2. Cancer

"Habitual drinking increases the risk of cancer," says Jurgen Rehm, PhD, chairman of the University of Toronto's department of addiction policy and a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, also in Toronto. Scientists believe the increased risk comes when the body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, a potent carcinogen. Cancer sites linked to alcohol use include the mouth, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), esophagus, liver, breast, and colorectal region. Cancer risk rises even higher in heavy drinkers who also use tobacco.

3. Cardiovascular Disease

Heavy drinking, especially bingeing, makes platelets more likely to clump together into blood clots, which can lead to heart attack or stroke. In a landmark study published in 2005, Harvard researchers found that binge drinking doubled the risk of death among people who initially survived a heart attack.

Heavy drinking can also cause cardiomyopathy, a potentially deadly condition in which the heart muscle weakens and eventually fails, as well as the heart-rhythm abnormalities atrial and ventricular fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation, in which the heart's upper chambers (atria) twitch chaotically rather than constrict rhythmically, can cause blood clots that can trigger a stroke. Ventricular fibrillation causes chaotic twitching in the heart's main pumping chambers (ventricles). It causes rapid loss of consciousness and, in the absence of immediate treatment, sudden death.

4. Cirrhosis

Alcohol is toxic to liver cells, and many heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis, a sometimes-lethal condition in which the liver is so heavily scarred that it is unable to function. But it's hard to predict which drinkers will develop cirrhosis. For some unknown reason, women seem to be especially vulnerable.

5. Dementia

As people age, their brains shrink, on average, at a rate of about 1.9% per decade. That's considered normal. But heavy drinking speeds the shrinkage of certain key regions in the brain, resulting in memory loss and other symptoms of dementia.

Heavy drinking can also lead to subtle but potentially debilitating deficits in the ability to plan, make judgments, solve problems, and other aspects of "executive function," which are "the higher-order abilities that allow us to maximize our function as human beings," says James C. Garbutt, MD, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.

In addition to the "nonspecific" dementia that stems from brain atrophy, heavy drinking can cause nutritional deficiencies so severe that they trigger other forms of dementia.

6. Depression

It's long been known that heavy drinking often goes hand in hand with depression, but there has been debate about which came first -- the drinking or the depression. One theory is that depressed people turned to alcohol in an attempt to "self-medicate" to ease their emotional pain. But in 2010, a large study from New Zealand showed that it was probably the other way around -- that is, heavy drinking led to depression.

7. Seizures

Heavy drinking can be a cause of epilepsy and can trigger seizures even in people who don't have epilepsy. It can also interfere with the action of the medications used to treat the disorder.

8. Gout

A painful condition, gout is caused by the formation of uric-acid crystals in the joints. Although some cases are largely hereditary, alcohol and other dietary factors seem to play a role. Alcohol also seems to aggravate existing cases of gout.

9. High Blood Pressure

Alcohol can disrupt the sympathetic nervous system, which, among other things, controls the constriction and dilation of blood vessels in response to stress, temperature, exertion, etc. Heavy drinking -- and bingeing, in particular -- can cause blood pressure to rise. Over time, this effect can become chronic. High blood pressure can lead to many other health problems, including kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.

10. Infectious Diseases

Heavy drinking suppresses the immune system, providing a toehold for infections, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases (including some that cause infertility). People who drink heavily also are more likely to engage in risky sex. "Heavy drinking is associated with a threefold increase in the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease," Rehm says.

11. Nerve Damage

Heavy drinking can cause a form of nerve damage known as alcoholic neuropathy, which can produce a painful pins-and-needles feeling in the extremities, as well as muscle weakness, incontinence, constipation, erectile dysfunction, and other problems. Alcoholic neuropathy may arise because alcohol is toxic to nerve cells or because nutritional deficiencies attributable to heavy drinking compromise nerve function.

12. Pancreatitis

In addition to causing stomach irritation (gastritis), drinking can inflame the pancreas. Chronic pancreatitis interferes with the digestive process, causing abdominal pain and persistent diarrhea. Some cases of chronic pancreatitis are triggered by gallstones, but up to 60% stem from alcohol consumption.

Healthy Relationships Pictures Slideshow: 18 Secrets Men Want You to Know on MedicineNet.com

Healthy Relationships Pictures Slideshow: 18 Secrets Men Want You to Know on MedicineNet.com: "Men Will Talk About Feelings
Was your guy raised as a traditional, stoic, man's man? If so, let WebMD walk you through 18 relationship secrets, gathered from psychologists who study gender roles. Secret No. 1: It may be easier for your man to talk about feelings indirectly. Ask what he'd do during a romantic weekend. Or what he thought the first time he met you. His answers will reveal how he feels and bring you closer."

Infectious Mononucleosis Pictures Slideshow on MedicineNet.com

Infectious Mononucleosis Pictures Slideshow on MedicineNet.com: "What is infectious mononucleosis ('mono')?
Infectious mononucleosis, 'mono,' 'kissing disease,' and glandular fever are all terms popularly used for the very common illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). This common viral infection causes fever, sore throat, and enlarged lymph nodes. The illness generally goes away without medical help. However, it may last from weeks to months. Treatment is mainly to ease symptoms, usually at home, with plenty of rest and fluids."

Infectious mononucleosis (“kissing disease”) is a very common illness caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV).

Peace! John Lennon

Imagine Live - John Lennon - 72

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q0Eyw3l3XM

Mother's Day in space: Astronaut mom connects with son from orbit - Technology & science - Space - Space.com - msnbc.com

Mother's Day in space: Astronaut mom connects with son from orbit - Technology & science - Space - Space.com - msnbc.com: "Cady Coleman won't be the only mom spending this year's Mother's Day away from her child and family, but she will be higher up than any other.
Coleman is a NASA astronaut who's been living 220 miles (350 km) above the planet on the International Space Station since December 2010. And, she's the only mom in space for Mother's Day (her five crewmates are all men). [ Video: Cady Coleman Plays the Flute in Space ]"

Climate Change Update: UN Climate change panel concludes renewable energy will be key tackling global warming

The Canadian Press: UN Climate change panel concludes renewable energy will be key tackling global warming: "The four-day meeting of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which began Thursday in Abu Dhabi was largely bullish on replacing fossil fuels.
'It is likely that renewable energy will have a significantly larger role in the global energy system in the future than today,' said the report. 'The scenarios indicate that even without efforts to address climate change, renewable energy can be expected to expand.'
A spokesman for the IPCC refused to comment on the report, saying it was still subject to several days of negotiations.
The report found that renewable energy — including solar, hydro, wind, biomass, geothermal and ocean energy — represented only about 13 per cent of the primary energy supply in 2008. But its growth is picking up with almost half of new electricity generating capacity coming from renewables in 2008 and 2009.
That growth will continue through 2050 with 164 different scenarios predicting the use of renewables significantly increasing as the world shifts to a low-carbon economy.
The most ambitious projected it will represent 77 per cent of global energy sources in 2050."

Climate Change Update: Already Reducing Crop Yields

Climate Change Already Reducing Crop Yields | Environment | English: "Climate change is already beginning to hurt maize and wheat production, according to a new study.

Higher average growing season temperatures in most major grain-producing countries are beginning to work against the progress made by improving seeds and farming practices, according to the study published in the journal Science.

'It is better for yields if it gets warmer, but only up to a point,' said economist and study co-author Wolfram Schlenker at Columbia University.

Once temperatures rise above a certain point, which varies for each crop, 'yields fall off a cliff,' he said.

Improving technology vs. hotter climate

Global crop yields have been increasing slowly, but steadily, over the decades as farming technology has improved."

Wellness Update: Africa

Who will lead? - JSOnline:

We have passionate people involved in the infant mortality crisis, but the efforts are fragmented. Needed: leadership.....

Poverty, unemployment, segregation, teen pregnancy, obesity, stress and race all play a role in poor birth outcomes for African-American women.....

"Anything that can be done to reduce stress in a woman's life can make a difference in birth outcomes, said George Morris, immediate past president at the Medical Society of Milwaukee County.

Morris believes that it's important for someone to lead the infant mortality effort so that everyone can understand their roles. An effort to combat teen pregnancy, now on the decline in Milwaukee, is an example of how positive leadership can change bad outcomes.

When Milwaukee led the nation in teen pregnancies, many people had become complacent with children having children. But the United Way of Greater Milwaukee got involved and made curbing teenage pregnancies one of its primary goals.

The organization brought together partners from across all sectors of the community and explained that teen pregnancy was not just a problem in minority communities - it was everyone's problem. They were able to rally the community around the issue, and the results have been four straight years of reductions."

Wellness Update: South America: Viagra is Huge in Mexico

Viagra is Huge in Mexico - What's up with That? - Fox News Latino: "Mexico is the largest market for erectile dysfunction in the developing world, with about $200 million in sales every year.

That is why Pfizer has chosen the country for the introduction of Viagra Jet, a tablet that can be taken without water and will dissolve quickly -- making it more convenient to use in the heat of the moment. Pfizer hopes that this innovation will help it keep keep its foothold in Mexico’s lucrative erectile dysfunction drug market a year before their patent on the drug runs out and generics enter the picture.

Viagra’s success in Mexico is obvious, but experts in sexual health are not entirely sure why.

Two years after Viagra hit the market in Mexico in1998 and Pfizer launched a multi-million dollar advertising campaign, the number of visits to doctor in Mexico where patients mainly complained about erectile dysfunction increased 279 percent, according to a study."

Wellness Update: Australia: "TRAINEE dentists who complete training in the public system will receive $15,000 bonuses

More cash for dental health in Federal Budget | Adelaide Now: "TRAINEE dentists who complete training in the public system will receive $15,000 bonuses.

Describing the $52.6 billion announcement to be unveiled on Tuesday as a 'downpayment' on future reforms, Prime Minister Julia Gillard is pledging further action when the Budget allows.

A national advisory council will be set up to develop dental policy including 'priority areas for consideration in the 2012-13 Budget'.

The new scheme will also target rural and regional areas that suffer from a chronic shortage of dentists, contributing to poor dental health in the bush.

The Prime Minister's promise to the Greens to fix dental care was one of the prices Julia Gillard had to pay to form a government."

Wellness Update: Asia: Leading Experts Call For Urgent Action To Avoid Stroke Crisis Across Asia-Pacific Region

Leading Experts Call For Urgent Action To Avoid Stroke Crisis Across Asia-Pacific Region: "According to a new report, How Can We Avoid a Stroke Crisis in the Asia-Pacific Region?, urgent coordinated action is needed to avoid millions of preventable strokes, which leave many patients who have atrial fibrillation (AF) both mentally and physically disabled, or dead, every year.

The report, launched today during the 18th Asian Pacific Congress of Cardiology (APCC) by Action for Stroke Prevention, a group of health experts from across the globe, proposes urgent measures to prevent stroke in Asia-Pacific patients with AF, the most common, sustained abnormal heart rhythm and a major cause of stroke.2 The report's recommendations are endorsed by 32 leading Asia-Pacific and other global medical societies and patient organizations, reinforcing and recognizing the need for a call to action.

A stroke epidemic across the Asia-Pacific region, and indeed the rest of the world, is imminent if actions are not taken now to slow the rising tide of preventable strokes occurring every year. Dr. Sim Kui Hian, Head, Department of Cardiology and Head, Clinical Research Centre, Sarawak General Hospital, Malaysia, commented, 'The incidence of stroke across the Asia-Pacific region is continuing to grow and constitutes both a major public health issue and a significant economic burden."

Wellness Tip: Healthy Relationship: How to deal with embarrassment?

Offra Gerstein, Relationship Matters: Feeling embarrassed by your spouse's behavior? - Santa Cruz Sentinel: "Respect and social approval is individually earned and each person's perceptions dictate his/her actions. The man who feels embarrassed by his wife's attire may worry about her vulnerability, reputation or safety, which she may not share. The wife's concerns about her inebriated husband's acts may or may not lose him the respect of his friends. Adult children are not likely to attribute unkind or impolite gesture of one parent to both parents.

Since a spouse is unlikely to be demerited in the eyes of others for actions he or she did not undertake, a case can be made that the embarrassment a partner feels when the other falters is a compassionate response of feeling embarrassed for, not about the other.

Very often discussing the socially unpopular conduct with the offending partner does not result in a behavioral change. As long as the erring mate does not personally feel embarrassed about his/her conduct, no change is likely to occur. Embarrassment cannot be transferred from one individual to another. It requires sufficient self-awareness and discomfort to motivate one to modify his/her ways."

Wellness Tip: Healthy Emotions: Guide: Yoga

Health fair focuses on female veterans: "Some examples of how women can maintain their health and reduce disease include staying centered through exercise and meditation, deep breathing exercises and progressive relaxation. Weyer demonstrated progressive relaxation by having the audience picture a peaceful place, imagine a restful color, or focus on a phrase to help them release stress and 'stay in the moment.' Weyer explained how by simply adopting a different mindset, an individual can effectively manage issues involving anger and depression.
'No feeling is final; things can and will change,' she said. 'Staying centered can help you lower your blood pressure, reduce stomach disorders and deal with sleep issues. Think about where you store your stress and work on reducing tension in that area.'
Doc Savage, owner of The Yoga Studio of Rapid City, also gave a demonstration on how practicing yoga can help vets.
'If you can breathe and smile, you can practice yoga,' Savage said. 'You don't have to do the 'pretzel pose.' Breath is the power of the yoga practice.'"

Wellness Tip:Healthy Body: Bad blood pressure can affect whole body - Health & Fitness - Modbee.com

Bee Healthy: Bad blood pressure can affect whole body - Health & Fitness - Modbee.com: "The standard numbers for a normal blood pressure are 120/80 or less. You have hypertension if the systolic (top) number is 140 or greater or if the diastolic (bottom) number is 90 or greater.
Why is it important to keep your blood pressure well controlled? Because an elevated blood pressure also affects all of the organs in our body.
The heart becomes enlarged and 'stiff' when it has to work too hard to push the blood out to perfuse the organs. This results in a form of heart disease called diastolic (filling) dysfunction, which causes blood to backflow to the lungs instead of effectively pumping blood out to our body, and we can again experience fatigue and shortness of breath with exertion.
The organs — from our head to our toes and including the skin — are all affected by high blood pressure. It increases our risk for stroke, heart attack and peripheral artery disease. It affects our kidney function by 'pounding' away at our kidney filters, leading to poor kidney function."

Wellness Tips on Healthy Mind: Musical notes that keep you healthy - The Times of India

Musical notes that keep you healthy - The Times of India: "'Musical notes help harmonize the body and psychosomatic diseases, where mind is the cause of illness. Meditation and Yoga help to canalize body energy. There are seven chakras in our body and they can be stimulated by certain notes and Ragas,' stated Dr Joshi.

Dr Joshi is a homeopathy practitioner and has mastered the art of singing. He regularly organises music workshops for different age groups. He conducted a demonstration about the effect of musical notes where he sang selected composition in different Ragas. He used Raga Bhimpalas to stimulate the first chakra, Raga Des for the second, Yaman for the third, Rageshre for the fourth, Kedar for the fifth, Darbari for the sixth and Bhairavi for the seventh. He said, 'Each Chakra governs different parts of the body and when we stimulate the chakras, it harmonies the body and helps us feel good. The seventh chakra relates to the spiritual quotient and meditation like bliss to health.' Dr Joshi kept students engaged by telling them moral stories and jokes and the pleasant atmosphere helped to enrich the musical effect."

Healthy Food: part 2: Healthy ways to sweeten your food - The Times of India

Healthy ways to sweeten your food - The Times of India: "Figs (also known as anjeer) were used instead of sugar even when the concept of sugar was unknown to man. They contain fifty per cent sugar content and are a rich source of iron too. Pre-soak them for adding a better and richer taste to your food.

Fruits: Fruits such as apples, strawberries, blueberries, mangos and pineapple can be served as desserts. All you need to do is lightly sauté them in a bit of olive oil, add the said fruit and a bit of water. Let the fruit cook in its own juices and relish it as a dessert or as an evening/mid-morning snack.

Jaggery (also known as gur) is prepared by the extract of sugarcane juice, gur is dark, unrefined sugar and is one of the most available ingredients in Indian households. An excellent source of iron, gur is also full of many medicinal properties. However, one needs to be careful when eating gur as it can lead to a sudden hike in the blood sugar levels. Diabetics, watch out for the quantity of gur you eat!"

Healthy Food: part 1: Healthy ways to sweeten your food - The Times of India

Healthy ways to sweeten your food - The Times of India: "Honey is an excellent way to do away with the phlegm and allergies from the body. Not only this, honey is much sweeter than white sugar and acts as a healthy substitute to it. Therefore, if you use only one-third amount of honey as compared to white sugar, your desserts are bound to taste much richer and creamier. Add it homemade sauces and salads and you can add texture and varied consistency to any dish. Drizzle it as a dressing on piping hot vegetables or mix it with a bit of chilli sauce and lemon, it is an ideal natural sweetener.

Raisins or Kishmish can be added to any sweet dish as the sweetening agent present in them gives ample amount of taste.

Dates (also known as khajur) have around 60% sugar content and the more you dry them, the more water evaporates from them, increasing the sugar content in them. However, make sure that when you use dates, you don't use them in dishes which require liquefying sugar in a liquid. This is because date sugar does not dissolve well. They are best when used along with baked dishes. So, ditch the white sugar this festive season and sweeten your desserts and baked dishes with khajur instead."

HEALTH CHECK YOUR WAISTLINE!: Belly fat--not BMI--is a killer for patients with clogged arteries - latimes.com

Belly fat--not BMI--is a killer for patients with clogged arteries - latimes.com: "For people with coronary artery disease, including those with a 'normal, healthy' body-mass index (or BMI), having even a little flubber around the middle is a bad omen, increasing the risk of death as much as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day or having very high cholesterol. But having a BMI in the 'overweight' or 'obese' category does not, by itself, imply a grim prognosis, says a new study.

The new research, published Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, makes clear that when it comes to body composition, it is better to be pear-shaped--carrying fat deposits in the hips, buttocks and thighs--than to be shaped like an apple, carrying excess fat around the middle. And it makes clear that for a patient with clogged or obstructed coronary arteries, a large waist circumference and high waist-to-hip ratio are better prognosticators of death than is his or her BMI, which is a poor measure. "

......But those whose BMIs are between 25 and 29.9 (overweight) and above 30 (obese) are at high risk, too, if their midsections are larded with extra fat. A waist circumference above 35 inches for women and 40 for men is considered dangerous, and gets more dangerous with every added inch. Figuring out the waist to hip ratio requires a tape measure and the back of an envelope (ideally, it should be no more than 0.8 for women and 0.95 for men), but here's a calculator to check that too. (PLS CLICK WEBSITE FOR MORE IFO)

HEALTHY PARENTING: Family Meals Might Help Kids Keep a Healthy Weight - FoxNews.com

Family Meals Might Help Kids Keep a Healthy Weight - FoxNews.com: "Kids who sit down to eat with their families are less likely to be overweight and eat unhealthy foods, according to U.S. researchers who call for more shared meals.

In the first report to combine all existing studies on the issue, they found kids who eat with their parents at least three times a week had 12 percent lower odds of being overweight.

The children were also 20 percent less likely to eat junk food, 35 percent less likely to have eating problems like skipping meals or bingeing, and 24 percent more likely to eat vegetables and other healthy foods.

'Sitting down together as a family, there are nutritional benefits from that,' said Amber Hammons, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, whose findings are published in the journal Pediatrics."

HEALTHY MOVE: Legislation Will Improve Health, Safety of Hawaii Residents | Hawaii Reporter

Legislation Will Improve Health, Safety of Hawaii Residents | Hawaii Reporter: "Leaf through any magazine or newspaper, turn on the TV or listen to the radio. We get hit with heavy advertising that promotes less healthy food and less exercise. Children are especially vulnerable because they are so dependent on grown-ups for their food and activities. Many schools now offer sugar drinks and unhealthy snacks, although more are now looking into healthier foods and menus. A mere 18% of all students have the opportunity for one hour of aerobic exercise each day. Only 1/3 of students take PE classes. Half of American’s children don’t have access to a park, community center, or even sidewalk in their neighborhood where they can be active in a safe environment. Many people can’t get to supermarkets that sell healthy food or afford healthy food. High calorie food and sugar drinks are more available nowadays. Portion sizes have increased. Children aged 8 to 18 spending an average 7.5 hours a day using entertainment media, so that they aren’t exercising."

HEALTHY FOOD: FOR YOUR PETS!: Holistic Select® Natural Pet Food Launches Online Health Tool -- TEWKSBURY, Mass., May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Holistic Select® Natural Pet Food Launches Online Health Tool -- TEWKSBURY, Mass., May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --: "TEWKSBURY, Mass., May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Holistic Select® pet food recently launched the Holistic Select Health Scale (www.petwiseparent.com/healthscale), a tool designed to help pet parents evaluate and improve the holistic health of their cats and dogs. The new tool focuses on five main areas of holistic health: nutrition, education, socialization, physical health and environment. Participants rank their pets on a scale of one to five based on the accuracy of a set of statements pertaining to each area. The fun and interactive online tool is a great way for pet parents to discover how they're doing with respect to their pet's whole-body health and gain valuable insight with our experts' tips for improvement or just as a refresher. And, for a limited time only, each pet parent that completes the Holistic Select Health Scale will receive an exclusive savings offer for Holistic Select pet food. "

Wellness Update: Africa: Rwanda to Lead Region Health Labs Networking

allAfrica.com: East Africa: Rwanda to Lead Region Health Labs Networking: "Dr Daniel Ngamije, the Global Fund and World Bank project management unit coordinator said countries will provide leadership at the regional level by leading working groups in key technical areas where each country has a comparative advantage.

Rwanda will take the lead in determining the applicability of the performance- based financing approach to public health laboratories, document and share lessons.

Rwanda's Ministry of Health is planning to invest approximately $32million in e-health to support development of ICT mechanisms for its healthcare system including hospital management information systems, telemedicine and community based information systems across the country.

It has also been selected as a centre of excellence for MDR-TB for the Africa region by the Dutch TB Foundation (KNCV) and will also share lessons in this area."

Wellness Update: North America: Medical News: Salt Study Discounts Link to Hypertension - in Cardiovascular, Hypertension from MedPage Today

Medical News: Salt Study Discounts Link to Hypertension - in Cardiovascular, Hypertension from MedPage Today: "Staessen and colleagues found:

Cardiovascular deaths decreased across increasing tertiles of 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. There were 50 deaths in the low group, 24 in the medium tertile, and 10 in the high group – 4.1%, 1.9%, and 0.8% of the cohort, respectively – and the differences were significant at P<0.001.
The risk of cardiovascular death was significantly elevated in the low tertile, with a hazard ratio of 1.56 and a 95% confidence interval from 1.02 to 2.36, which was significant at P=0.04.
24-hour urinary sodium excretion was not associated with incidence of hypertension. There were 187 new cases of hypertension in the low tertile, 190 in the medium, and 175 in the high group over the follow-up period.
In multivariate analyses, a 100-millimole increase in sodium excretion was associated with a systolic blood pressure of 1.71 millimeters of mercury (significant at P<0.001) but no change in diastolic pressure."

Wellness Update: South America: Smoothie King Debuts Organic Apple Acai Smoothie -- NEW ORLEANS, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Smoothie King Debuts Organic Apple Acai Smoothie -- NEW ORLEANS, May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --: "The Organic Apple Acai Smoothie is a delicious blend of organic apple juice, acai and herbal nutrients. Combining the super food powers of the acai berry with the clean, tart flavors of fresh organic apple juice, the Organic Apple Acai Smoothie makes for the perfect snack or meal replacement at under 360 calories. Native to Central and South America, the acai berry is rich in antioxidants and amino acids and can help boost energy and promote weight loss.
'More and more people are looking for organic options—for themselves and their families,' said Cindy Kuhnau, co-founder and executive vice president of Smoothie King. 'We wanted to provide our fans with an organic product they can fit into their busy lifestyles—that both tastes good and satisfies this need. The Organic Apple Acai Smoothie is the first in what we hope to be an extended organic product line.'
The first organic smoothie to launch in the major quick service restaurant market category, the Organic Apple Acai smoothie further enhances Smoothie King's lineup of healthy, function-based smoothies and snacks. The new offering is a part of Smoothie King's 'Be Good to Yourself' campaign and is available at all of its locations across the U.S."

Wellness Update: Europe: Healthy Workplace Campaign

EU-OSHA announces British winner in the 10th European Good Practice Awards : News from The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work: "Tarmac introduced a comprehensive health and safety training programme for new employees and personalised health competency evaluation plan for its maintenance staff. Its commitment to raising the standards of its employees’ knowledge and skills resulted in a significant reduction in injuries, accidents and lost time.

The eight winners are Voestalpine Hytronics GmbH and Voestalpine Weichensysteme GmbH (Austria, iron and steel production) for their use of technology and organisation to achieve safer maintenance; Protón Electrónica SLU (Spain, electrical equipment) for coordinating repair and maintenance with the client; Actavis Ltd (Malta, pharmaceutical products) for its proactive and reactive interventions to improve maintenance safety; Skellefteå Räddningstjänst (Sweden, fire services) for its development of safe work routines for firefighters; Sonae (Portugal, retail trade) for its management of preventative and corrective maintenance; GHT - Glass Handling Technic Vof (Netherlands, Horticulture) for maintaining and repairing horticultural glasshouses safely and effectively; Tarmac Quarry Materials (United Kingdom, mining and quarrying) for its competent maintenance teams and STIB-MIVB (Belgium, transport) for its comprehensive approach to maintenance starting from the design of the work area."

Wellness Update:Australia: Alcohol consumption linked to increased cancer risk | HemOncToday

Alcohol consumption linked to increased cancer risk | HemOncToday: "Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking combined have a greater effect on the risk for some cancers. According to the statement, compared with non-smokers and non-drinkers, the risk for mouth and throat cancer is seven times higher among tobacco smokers, six times higher among drinkers and 35 times higher among those who are regular, heavy users of both (more than four alcoholic drinks and 40 or more cigarettes per day).
According to the statement, there is a complex correlation between drinking and body weight and fat. In addition, the evidence linking body fat and risk for the following cancers is convincing: esophagus, pancreas, bowel, breast (in postmenopausal women), endometrial and kidney. There is probable evidence that excess body fat is associated with gallbladder cancer, they wrote.
Evidence supporting low-to-moderate alcohol consumption and reduced coronary heart disease incidence may be flawed, according to the statement. “The putative benefits of moderate alcohol consumption on heart disease appear to be confined to middle-aged and older people,” they wrote.

Wellness Update: Asia: Hologic's CEO Discusses Q2 2011 Results - Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha

Hologic's CEO Discusses Q2 2011 Results - Earnings Call Transcript - Seeking Alpha: "Turning now to some key points of interest, I'd like to provide you some details on the FDA approval and commercial launch of our Dimensions 3D system. As you know, the Dimensions 3D received approval on February 11 of this year. We're very proud to be the first company that has an FDA-approved product in the groundbreaking technology for both screening and diagnostic indications. Moreover, this product was approved on the basis that it's superior to 2D digital mammography. We launched the product in the U.S. immediately following approval. Our sales force was well-prepared for the launch, and we had already begun to provide comprehensive physician training. Since approval, we have successfully upgraded a number of domestic systems to Dimensions 3D and are extremely pleased with the early uptake so far and the high level of excitement and enthusiasm from our customers and potential customers. In fact, we are hearing that a large number of customers want the product as soon as their capital budgets permit so that they can remain competitive within their local communities."

Oil and the War on Terror Have Always Been Intertwined—and the Death of Osama bin Laden Won't Change That - Ecocentric - TIME.com

Oil and the War on Terror Have Always Been Intertwined—and the Death of Osama bin Laden Won't Change That - Ecocentric - TIME.com: "In January 2010, in the wake of the failure of the Copenhagen summit, bin Laden added climate change—and specifically, American inaction on the issue—to his long list of grievances. From Al-Jazeera English:

In an audio tape obtained by Al Jazeera, bin Laden criticised George Bush, the former US president, for rejecting the Kyoto pact and condemned global corporations.

'This is a message to the whole world about those responsible for climate change and its repercussions - whether intentionally or unintentionally - and about the action we must take,' bin Laden said.

'Speaking about climate change is not a matter of intellectual luxury - the phenomenon is an actual fact.'

In the new recording, bin Laden says 'all the industrial states' are to blame for climate change, 'yet the majority of those states have signed the Kyoto Protocol and agreed to curb the emission of harmful gases.'

He continued: 'However, George Bush junior, preceded by [the US] congress, dismissed the agreement to placate giant corporations. And they are themselves standing behind speculation, monopoly and soaring living costs.'"

New report confirms Arctic melt accelerating - Forbes.com

New report confirms Arctic melt accelerating - Forbes.com: "A summary of the key findings obtained by the AP on Tuesday shows Arctic temperatures during that period were the highest since measurements began in 1880.

It said melting Arctic glaciers and ice caps are projected to help raise global sea levels by 35 to 63 inches (90-160 centimeters) by 2100. That's up from a 2007 projection of 7 to 23 inches (19-59 centimeters) by the U.N.'s scientific panel on climate change."