How to be positive

You're about to hear 7 simple insights that will completely change the way you feel right this minute... and will impact the happiness of everyone around you, too.

--> Watch the Attitude Is Everything movie <--

crochet bags

This crochet bag is for my cell phone, specs, small coin purse, keys & handkerchief ! I can hang it on my shoulder or around my neck, as basically I always forget to carry my cell & specs when I go out. So, with this hanging around my neck, I hope I'll remember to take these basic necessities of life now !

Why One Should Give Up SODA?

 Fact #1: Soda fattens up your organs

A recent Danish study revealed that drinking non-diet soda leads to dramatic increases in dangerous hard-to-detect fats. Researchers asked participants to drink either regular soda, milk containing the same amount of calories as regular soda, diet cola, or water every day for six months. The results? Total fat mass remained the same across all beverage-consuming groups, but regular-soda drinkers experienced dramatic increases in harmful hidden fats, including liver fat and skeletal fat. The regular-soda group also experienced an 11 percent increase in cholesterol compared to the other groups! And don’t think switching to diet varieties will save you from harm: Artificial sweeteners and food dyes have been linked to brain cell damage and hyperactivity, and research has shown that people who drink diet soda have a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Fact #2: Soda contains flame retardants

Some popular soda brands, including Mountain Dew, use brominated vegetable oil—a toxic flame retardant—to keep the artificial flavoring from separating from the rest of the liquid. This hazardous ingredient—sometimes listed as BVO on soda and sports drinks—can cause bromide poisoning symptoms like skin lesions and memory loss, as well as nerve disorders. If that’s not a good enough reason not to “Do the Dew,” I don’t know what is.

Fact #3: Drinking soda makes you a lab rat

Many American soda brands are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a heart-harming man-made compound derived mainly from genetically engineered corn. The problem? Genetically engineered ingredients have only been in our food chain since the 1990s, and we don't know their long-term health impacts because the corporations that developed the crops never had to test them for long-term safety. Case in point: Some recent findings suggest that genetically engineered crops are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility!

Diseases for which there are vaccinations

You are unlikely to meet these if your child has been vaccinated, but this is what to watch out for.

Diphtheria

What it is
A serious illness, caused by diptheria toxin, affecting the airways and making breathing difficult.
Signs and symptoms
High temperature with severe difficulty in breathing because of a membrane covering the airway. The condition is serious and can be fatal. it is rare in this country because of the effectiveness of the vaccine. This disease will return unless we keep up a high vaccination rate amongst children.

Measles

What it is
A highly infectious and potentially fatal illness caused by the measles virus.
Signs and symptoms
Your baby will probably have a runny nose, a cough, a fever, red, watery eyes and a blotchy red rash, which starts behind the ears and spreads to the rest of the face and body. There are white spots on the inside of the cheeks on the third or fourth day. There will sometimes be vomiting and diarrhoea. Complications include breathing difficulties, ear infections and brain damage.
Incubation time
8–14 days. The illness is infectious from when the child develops the first signs (see above) until 4 days after the start of the rash.
What your doctor can do
Prescribe an antibiotic to prevent complications if a bacterial infection develops.
What you can do
If you think your baby has measles, call your doctor as it is a serious illness. Keep your child cool (see ‘Nursing a poorly baby’) and bathe sore eyes with cooled boiled water. If your child worsens, call your doctor again.

Mumps

What it is
An illness caused by a virus, which affects the salivary glands.
Signs and symptoms
Your baby may have a fever, dry mouth, and difficulty swallowing.
A swelling will appear below the ears and around the jaws, on one or both sides of your baby’s face.
Incubation time
14-21 days. The infectious period starts a few days before, and continues until about 5 days after, the swellings appear.
What your doctor can do
Prescribe antibiotics for any secondary infections.
What you can do
Call your doctor if you think your baby has mumps. Give your baby plenty of drinks, and soft foods. Keep your baby cool (see ‘Nursing a poorly baby’) while she has a temperature. Give the correct dose of liquid medicine if your baby is in pain. Keep an eye on your baby; she may need further treatment if complications develop. If your child becomes drowsy and will not take fluids, or if you feel that she has worsened in any way, then call your doctor again.

Polio

What it is
A viral infection, poliomyelitis, which affects the central nervous system.
Signs and symptoms
Sore throat, fever, stiffness and muscle pains. Polio can cause limbs to become paralysed and sometimes affects the breathing muscles. It can lead to meningitis and can be fatal. Polio has become almost unknown in the UK since most babies are vaccinated against it, but it can be caught abroad, which is why it is so important that your baby is protected from this disease.

Rubella (German measles)

What it is
A virus that causes swollen glands and a rash.
Signs and symptoms
The symptoms are usually mild in children and can include swollen glands behind the ears and a bright pink rash on the face and body. Rubella is only a serious illness if a mum-to-be catches it in the first three or four months of pregnancy; then there is a serious risk that her baby will be born with birth defects. It is for this reason that the Department of Health advises you to vaccinate your baby against rubella.
Incubation time
14–21 days. The infectious period starts roughly one week before, and lasts until 4 days after, the rash appears.
What your doctor can do
Treatment is not usually necessary.
What you can do
Give your baby drinks and plenty of rest.

Tetanus

What it is
A serious, often fatal, illness caused by tetanus toxin which affects the nervous system. Tetanus spores are present in soil and may get into the body through small wounds or scratches.
Signs and symptoms
Muscles become stiff, often starting in the jaw (lockjaw) before spreading. There are often painful muscular spasms. Tetanus spores in the soil can never be eradicated. Immunisation is very effective and it vital to prevent this serious disease. Tetanus is rare in this country because of the effective vaccine.

Whooping cough

What it is
A bacterial disease, which affects the respiratory system, and can be very dangerous.
Signs and symptoms
Whooping cough starts with a cold, fever and cough. The cough changes to an unmistakeable pattern of violent coughing bouts ending in a ‘whoop’ as your baby draws air back into her lungs. Some babies may turn blue and stop breathing instead of making the whooping noise. Vomiting sometimes follows the bouts of coughing and can lead to dehydration. Complications can include ear infections, convulsions, pneumonia, hernias and sometimes brain damage.
Incubation time
7–10 days. The infectious period starts 7 days after the child has been exposed to whooping cough and lasts for 3 weeks after the start of the symptoms. The child is most infectious during the initial stages when there is usually a rather irritating cough, and before the onset of the typical whoop.
What your doctor can do
Prescribe antibiotics to help reduce the severity of the illness.
What you can do
Call your doctor. Offer drinks and soft food after each coughing attack so that your baby stays nourished. Give rehydration fluids (available from the pharmacist or on prescription), if your baby isn’t keeping much down.
Incubation time
7–10 days. The infectious period starts 7 days after the child has been exposed to whooping cough and lasts for 3 weeks after the start of the symptoms. The child is most infectious during the initial stages when there is usually a rather irritating cough, and before the onset of the typical whoop.
What your doctor can do
Prescribe antibiotics to help reduce the severity of the illness.
What you can do
Call your doctor. Offer drinks and soft food after each coughing attack so that your baby stays nourished. Give rehydration fluids (available from the pharmacist or on prescription), if your baby isn’t keeping much down.

Meningitis

Meningitis

What it is
Inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord; infection can be viral or bacterial.

Signs and symptoms
Your baby will have a high fever, may be irritable with a highpitched, moaning cry; vomit or lose her appetite, have pale or blotchy skin, a tense or bulging fontanelle, fast/shallow breathing and/or very cold hands and feet. A rash may develop with purple/red bruiselike spots that do not fade when under pressure.
Don’t wait for a rash to appear before seeking medical advice. This only happens in the type known as ‘meningococcal meningitis.’

What your doctor can do
Refer baby to hospital immediately for antibiotic treatment and intensive care.
What you can do
See your doctor or go to A&E immediately if your baby has these symptoms.

Meningitis vaccinations

There are vaccinations for Meningitis C and HiB (Haemophilus influenzae type B) infection, which can cause meningitis, and pneumococcal infection, a very dangerous illness causing blood poisoning, meningitis and pneumonia. Having these immunisations will reduce the risk to your baby of developing meningitis and serious breathing problems (epiglottitis). However, there are other forms of meningitis for which there are no vaccinations so you should still be on the look out for the signs and symptoms of this serious condition, see previous page.

Meningitis

meningitis is always a medical emergency needing urgent attention. Call your doctor or go to A&E if your baby has signs of meningitis.
a rash does not appear in all forms of meningitis. it occurs in the type known as 'meningococcal meningitis' only.
don't wait for the rash to appear before seeking medical advice.
immunisation cannot protect against all forms of meningitis; if your baby shows signs of miningitis seek medical advice straight away.
don't worry about it being a false alarm. Every doctor would prefer to see a baby who doesn't have meningitis , than miss one who does!

Febrile convulsions

Febrile convulsions

What it is
Involuntary contractions of the muscles often associated with a high temperature. A few babies will have a fit or convulsion as a result of running a high temperature; this is alarming, but not usually dangerous.

Signs and symptoms
If your baby has a convulsion, she will go rigid, her arms and legs will jerk, her eyes will roll and she will lose consciousness.
What your doctor can do
Stop the fit quickly by giving your baby an injection. Advise you on how to minimise the risk of your baby having another fit.

What you can do
If your baby has a fit, you can protect him during the fit (see box right) and then seek help from your doctor or an A&E. If this is the first time your baby has had a fit, or the fit lasts more than five minutes go straight to A&E. Almost all children who have febrile convulsions grow out of them by the time they are five.
Coping with a febrile convulsion Febrile convulsions or fever fits are often caused by high temperatures:
they can be frightening to see but last only a few seconds or minutes, and do not usually cause any lasting harm
try not to panic. You can help him by staying calm
lay him in the recovery position, on the side with head titled back slightly so that the airway is clear
move any things that may harm him out of the way
don’t try to insert anything into his mouth. Biting the tongue is rare and you may break teeth
if he is sick, clear his mouth with your finger
open a window to cool him down and gently remove his outer clothes if you can
when he comes around he may be confused and need your reassurance
offer him some water, and let him rest.

Breathing difficulties

Breathing difficulties

What it is
Usually, it is due to an inflammation of the airways or lungs caused by an infection such as pneumonia (due to a bacteria or a virus), bronchiolitis (often caused by RSV – respiratory syncytial virus) or croup (usually due to a virus). It could be an obstruction in the airways caused by your baby having placed a small object into her mouth, which she has then inhaled into her lungs.

Signs and symptoms
Your baby will wheeze, look bluish, and suck her ribs in with each breath.
What your doctor can do
Diagnose the problem and treat accordingly.
What you can do
Take your baby immediately to your doctor or an A&E.

Anaphylactic shock

Anaphylactic shock

What it is

A life-threatening allergic reaction possibly to certain foods, such as peanuts, or to a bee or wasp sting.

Signs and symptoms

Sudden dramatic swelling of your newborn baby’s face. Your baby will have difficulty breathing, turn pale, feel clammy and cold and may lose consciousness.

What your doctor can do

Give the baby an injection to reverse the shock.

What you can do

Take your baby immediately to your doctor or to an A&E.

Health Tips to ward off Alzheimer's, dementia, depression

More and more studies confirm that engaging in frequent cognitive activity is the surest way to ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Keeping the brain active by reading, solving crossword and sudoko puzzles, and other brain-boosting activities like eating a healthy diet, exercising, socializing, losing weight, learning a second language etc. can go a long way in staving off dementia.


Reiterating the importance of a healthy work-life balance, a new study reveals correlation between long work hours and the incidence of depression. The study found that people who worked 11 or more hours a day were twice as likely to be depressed when compared to people who worked to seven or eight hours a day.

1. 
   

   Looking for shortcuts to losing a few kilos? Who isn’t! Here are ten simple ways to drop upto 100 calories from your diet. From swapping mayonnaise for a tasty scoop of hummus, to open-faced sandwiches, Shine gave us some practical ways to a healthier diet.

2. Read that newspaper! More and more studiesconfirm that engaging in frequent cognitive activity is the surest way to ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Keeping the brain active by reading, solving crossword and sudoko puzzles, and other brain-boosting activities like eating a healthy diet, exercising, socializing, losing weight, learning a second language etc. can go a long way in staving off dementia.

3. All you junk food addicts, pay heed! Seventeen year-old Stacey Irvine, of Birmingham, UK, collapsed and had to berushed to the hospital last week. The reason behind her distress? She’s been on a diet of McDonald’s chicken nuggets and potato chips since the age of 2! Her extreme food addiction has left her body starved of iron, calcium, antioxidants, vitamins and good fats. She has been warned that unless she varies her diet to include fruits and

   ...more 

4. Reiterating the importance of a healthy work-life balance, a new study reveals correlation between long work hours and the incidence of depression. The study found that people who worked 11 or more hours a day were twice as likely to be depressed when compared to people who worked to seven or eight hours a day.

1. Looking for shortcuts to losing a few kilos? Who isn’t! Here are ten simple ways to drop upto 100 calories from your diet. From swapping mayonnaise for a tasty scoop of hummus, to open-faced sandwiches, Shine gave us some practical ways to a healthier diet.

2. Read that newspaper! More and more studiesconfirm that engaging in frequent cognitive activity is the surest way to ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Keeping the brain active by reading, solving crossword and sudoko puzzles, and other brain-boosting activities like eating a healthy diet, exercising, socializing, losing weight, learning a second language etc. can go a long way in staving off dementia.

3. All you junk food addicts, pay heed! Seventeen year-old Stacey Irvine, of Birmingham, UK, collapsed and had to berushed to the hospital last week. The reason behind her distress? She’s been on a diet of McDonald’s chicken nuggets and potato chips since the age of 2! Her extreme food addiction has left her body starved of iron, calcium, antioxidants, vitamins and good fats. She has been warned that unless she varies her diet to include fruits and

   ...more 

4. Reiterating the importance of a healthy work-life balance, a new study reveals correlation between long work hours and the incidence of depression. The study found that people who worked 11 or more hours a day were twice as likely to be depressed when compared to people who worked to seven or eight hours a day.

crochet bags

 Crochet bag to carry my specs & cell, it can also store a small coin purse, which I can hang on my shoulder/ around the neck.

This is a small gift bag I made to give some small precious gifts, as you know expensive ones come in small size !

Dyslexia shows up in brain scans at the age of 4

Dyslexia can now be identified using brain scans before children start school, long before they’re labeled as stupid/ lazy. Although typically diagnosed during the 2^nd or 3^rd grade of school, around the age of 7/ 8, a team from Children’s hospital in Boston said brain scans show signs of the disease in children as early as 4. Dyslexics struggle with reading, have poor spellings & experience difficulty decoding words. Early signs include difficulty with rhyming, mispronouncing words or confusing similar sounding words

Sugar in packaged food worse than table sugar

Teenagers who have a lot of fructose, a mega sweetening sugar used in packaged food, are at a higher heart disease & diabetes risk than those who have table sugar, more so if they also have belly fat. A study of 14-18 years linked high-fructose diets with higher blood pressure, fasting glucose insulin resistance & factors causing heart disease & vascular disease. Heavy consumers also had lower levels of HDL cholesterol

Bosses who exercise are nicer to employees

If your boss is giving you a hard time, gift him/her with a pair of running shoes. Stressed bosses who exercise are less likely to vent their frustration on their employees than those who don’t.

As expected, the more stressed the supervisors, the more likely were their subordinates to feel victimized. Interestingly, the study found that only moderate levels of exercise were necessary to minimize abusive supervision, such as working out one to two days a week. All types of exercise- working out in a gym, swimming, playing a sport, or running- buffered the hostility between the boss & employee.

Teaching autistic kids to talk can help

Teaching children with autism to ‘talk things through’ in their heads may help them solve tricky day-to-day tasks & cold increase the chances of them living independent lives when they grow up, British scientists have said. Psychologists who studied adults with autism found that the mechanism for using ‘inner speech’, or talking things through in your head is intact, but they don’t always use it in the same way as typically developing people do. The results suggest teaching autistic children how to develop inner speech skills may help them cope with daily tasks later in life. It also suggests children with autism may do better at school if they’re encouraged to learn their daily timetable verbally rather than using visual plans, which is currently a common approach. Among core features of autism are poor communication skills & difficulty with social

engagement.

Turning kettle-bells to ease back pain

Kettle-bells, cast iron weights that have been used for centuries to train Russian soldiers & athletes, appear to be a promising therapy for back, neck pain, new research shows. Kettle-bells work out strengthen the posterior muscle chain & the increased blood flow to the back & leg muscles also may lessen pain by reducing the building of lactic acid, the authors wrote.

Consumption of Beef linked to Colon cancer

Consumption of beef raised the risk of colon cancer, according the evidence from around the world, according to a Noble Laureate. According to him, the low incidence of colon rectal cancer in India cold be due to less consumption of beef here., (except in Kerala).

South American countries like Argentina, Uruguay, the US, Australia & Europe, where red meat is favoured, witness a high incidence of this form of cancer, according to researchers. They said high rectal cancer may be caused by undiscovered heat-resistant carcinogens present in beef & its products. These may be undiscovered carcinogens, which are thermo-resistant, present predominantly in beef. Some polymaviruses are known to survive temperatures up to 80 deg C for 30 minutes leading to their survival in partially cooked meat, they said.

Red meat could also be linked to breast cancer & lung cancer in the West, according to the Nobel laureate.

But in India, the reasons for the high incidence of breast cancer, despite low consumption of red meat could be linked to dairy products, he said.

With cervical cancer being a common cancer among Indian women, he felt that administering vaccines against the pappillomavirus to men & not just women  alone could help restrict its spread & help in its eradication.

Healthy Juices for Healthy Life

HEALTHY JUICES 

Carrot + Ginger + Apple - Boost and cleanse our system. 

Apple + Cucumber + Celery - Prevent cancer, reduce cholesterol, and eliminate stomach upset and headache. 

Tomato + Carrot + Apple - Improve skin complexion and eliminate bad breath. 


Bitter gourd + Apple + Milk - Avoid bad breath and reduce internal body heat. 

Orange + Ginger + Cucumber - Improve Skin texture and moisture and reduce body heat. 

Pineapple + Apple + Watermelon - To dispel excess salts, nourishes the bladder and kidney. 

Apple + Cucumber + Kiwi - To improve skin complexion. 

Pear & Banana - regulates sugar content. 

Carrot + Apple + Pear + Mango - Clear body heat, counteracts toxicity, decreased blood pressure and fight oxidization . 

Honeydew + Grape + Watermelon + Milk - Rich in vitamin C + Vitamin B2 that increase cell activity and str engthen body immunity. 

Papaya + Pineapple + Milk - Rich in vitamin C, E, Iron. Improve skin complexion and metabolism. 

Banana + Pineapple + Milk - Rich in vitamin with nutritious and prevent constipation 

Onions helps clear wastes from body !

Citrus fruits

Olives Improves ovarian functions

Sweet Potatoes good for pancreas !

Figs increase the mobility of male sperm

Avocadoes, Eggplant, Pears good for womb & cervix !

Herbs for bone strength

Goodness of Grapes

Why Tomatoes are good for heart

The Healing Walk:

The Healing Walk:

1) Think of any issue that is troubling you and give it an intensity rating from 0-10 based on how much stress or anxiety it creates when you think about it in the present. 

(2) Take a walk in a place you like. Let your arms swing freely as you walk. Keep your mind on the issue, without trying to find any solution. Allow yourself to feel whatever you are feeling. 

(3) Whenever the mind wanders, which it prob(1ably will, gently bring it back to the present and to the inner feelings surrounding the issue you have chosen. While walking, sometimes you may spontaneously get insights into your situation that had not occurred to you before. The more present you are, the more likely they are to come. 


(4) After ten to twenty minutes, shift your attention to gratitude. Focus on all that is good and beneficial and supportive in your life. More than thinking about it, focus on the inner feelings of gratitude as you continue walking. Fill your whole being with this gratitude.

(5) Complete your walk with bright present moment awareness. Let the sights, the sounds, the smells, the thoughts, the feelings, the walker, and the walking itself all merge into just one flow now. 

(6) Rate your feelings on this issue from 0-10 again. You are likely to notice a significant reduction in your stress levels and feel more at ease. Even if there is no clear reduction, don't be discouraged, just keep walking in this way everyday for half an hour or more and you will certainly return to clarity, strength and peace. 

crochet doily

Crochet trees

10 Heart Attack Symptoms Normally ignored

Heart attacks don't always strike out of the blue -- there are many symptoms we can watch for in the days and weeks leading up to an attack. But the symptoms may not be the ones we expect. And they can be different in men and women, and different still in older adults. Last year, for example, a landmark study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Institute found that 95 percent of women who'd had heart attacks reported experiencing symptoms in the weeks and months before the attack -- but the symptoms weren’t the expected chest pain, so they went unrecognized.

Don't let that happen to you. Here are 10 heart symptoms you're likely to ignore -- and shouldn't.

1)  Indigestion or Nausea

One of the most oft-overlooked signs of a heart attack is nausea and stomach pain. Symptoms can range from mild indigestion to severe nausea, cramping, and vomiting. Others experience a cramping-style ache in the upper belly. Women and adults over age 60 are more likely to experience this symptom and not recognize it as tied to cardiac health.

Most cases of stomach ache and nausea aren't caused by a heart attack, of course. But watch out for this sign by becoming familiar with your own digestive habits; pay attention when anything seems out of the ordinary, particularly if it comes on suddenly and you haven't been exposed to stomach flu and haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary.

2) Jaw, Ear, Neck, or Shoulder Pain

A sharp pain and numbness in the chest, shoulder, and arm is an indicator of heart attack, but many people don't experience heart attack pain this way at all. Instead, they may feel pain in the neck or shoulder area, or it may feel like it’s running along the jaw and up by the ear. Some women specifically report feeling the pain between their shoulder blades.

A telltale sign: The pain comes and goes, rather than persisting unrelieved, as a pulled muscle would. This can make the pain both easy to overlook and difficult to pinpoint. You may notice pain in your neck one day, none the next day, then after that it might have moved to your ear and jaw. If you notice pain that seems to move or radiate upwards and out, this is important to bring to your doctor’s attention.

3) Sexual dysfunction

Having trouble achieving or keeping erections is common in men with coronary artery disease, but they may not make the connection. Just as arteries around the heart can narrow and harden, so can those that supply the penis -- and because those arteries are smaller, they may show damage sooner. One survey of European men being treated for cardiovascular disease found that two out of three had suffered from erectile dysfunction before they were ever diagnosed with heart trouble.

4. Exhaustion or Fatigue

A sense of crushing fatigue that lasts for several days is another sign of heart trouble that's all too often overlooked or explained away. Women, in particular, often look back after a heart attack and mention this symptom. More than 70 percent of women in last year's NIH study, for example, reported extreme fatigue in the weeks or months prior to their heart attack.

The key here is that the fatigue is unusually strong -- not the kind of tiredness you can power through but the kind that lays you flat out in bed. If you're normally a fairly energetic person and suddenly feel sidelined by fatigue, a call to your doctor is in order.

5. Breathlessness and Dizziness

When your heart isn't getting enough blood, it also isn't getting enough oxygen. And when there's not enough oxygen circulating in your blood, the result is feeling unable to draw a deep, satisfying breath -- the same feeling you get when you're at high elevation. Additional symptoms can be light-headedness and dizziness. But sadly, people don't attribute this symptom to heart disease, because they associate breathing with the lungs, not the heart.

In last year's NIH study, more than 40 percent of women heart attack victims remembered experiencing this symptom. A common description of the feeling: "I couldn't catch my breath while walking up the driveway."

6. Leg Swelling or Pain

When the heart muscle isn't functioning properly, waste products aren't carried away from tissues by the blood, and the result can be edema, or swelling caused by fluid retention. Edema usually starts in the feet, ankles, and legs because they're furthest from the heart, where circulation is poorer. In addition, when tissues don't get enough blood, it can lead to a painful condition called ischemia. Bring swelling and pain to the attention of your doctor.

7. Sleeplessness, Insomnia, and Anxiety

This is an odd one doctors can't yet explain. Those who've had heart attacks often remember experiencing a sudden, unexplained inability to fall asleep or stay asleep during the month or weeks before their heart attack. (Note: If you already experience insomnia regularly, this symptom can be hard to distinguish.)

Patients often report the feeling as one of being "keyed up" and wound tight; they remember lying in bed with racing thoughts and sometimes a racing heart. In the NIH report, many of the women surveyed reported feeling a sense of "impending doom," as if a disaster were about to occur. If you don't normally have trouble sleeping and begin to experience acute insomnia and anxiety for unexplained reasons, speak with your doctor.

8. Flu-like Symptoms

Clammy, sweaty skin, along with feeling light-headed, fatigued, and weak, leads some people to believe they're coming down with the flu when, in fact, they're having a heart attack. Even the feeling of heaviness or pressure in the chest -- typical of some people's experience in a heart attack -- may be confused with having a chest cold or the flu.

If you experience severe flu-like symptoms that don't quite add up to the flu (no high temperature, for example), call your doctor or advice nurse to talk it over. Watch out also for persistent wheezing or chronic coughing that doesn't resolve itself; that can be a sign of heart disease, experts say. Patients sometimes attribute these symptoms to a cold or flu, asthma, or lung disease when what's happening is that poor circulation is causing fluid to accumulate in the lungs.

9) Rapid-fire Pulse or Heart Rate

One little-known symptom that sometimes predates a heart attack is known as ventricular tachycardia, more commonly described as rapid and irregular pulse and heart rate. During these episodes, which come on suddenly, you feel as if your heart is beating very fast and hard, like you just ran up a hill -- except you didn't. "I'd look down and I could actually see my heart pounding," one person recalled. It can last just a few seconds or longer; if longer, you may also notice dizziness and weakness.

Some patients confuse these episodes with panic attacks. Rapid pulse and heartbeat that aren't brought on by exertion always signal an issue to bring to your doctor's attention.

10. You Just Don't Feel Like Yourself

Heart attacks in older adults (especially those in their 80s and beyond, or in those who have dementia or multiple health conditions), can mimic many other conditions. But an overall theme heard from those whose loved ones suffered heart attacks is that in the days leading up to and after a cardiac event, they "just didn't seem like themselves."

A good rule of thumb, experts say, is to watch for clusters of symptoms that come on all at once and aren't typical of your normal experience. For example, a normally alert, energetic person suddenly begins to have muddled thinking, memory loss, deep fatigue, and a sense of being "out of it." The underlying cause could be something as simple as a urinary tract infection, but it could also be a heart attack. If your body is doing unusual things and you just don't feel "right," don't wait. See a doctor and ask for a thorough work-up.

And if you have any risk factors for cardiac disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, or family history of heart disease, make sure the doctor knows about those issues, too.

Heart Attacks symptoms normally ignored

Heart attacks don't always strike out of the blue -- there are many symptoms we can watch for in the days and weeks leading up to an attack. But the symptoms may not be the ones we expect. And they can be different in men and women, and different still in older adults. Last year, for example, a landmark study   found that 95 percent of women who'd had heart attacks reported experiencing symptoms in the weeks and months before the attack -- but the symptoms weren’t the expected chest pain, so they went unrecognized.

Don't let that happen to you. Here are 10 heart symptoms you're likely to ignore -- and shouldn't.

1)  Indigestion or Nausea
One of the most oft-overlooked signs of a heart attack is nausea and stomach pain. Symptoms can range from mild indigestion to severe nausea, cramping, and vomiting. Others experience a cramping-style ache in the upper belly. Women and adults over age 60 are more likely to experience this symptom and not recognize it as tied to cardiac health.

Most cases of stomach ache and nausea aren't caused by a heart attack, of course. But watch out for this sign by becoming familiar with your own digestive habits; pay attention when anything seems out of the ordinary, particularly if it comes on suddenly and you haven't been exposed to stomach flu and haven't eaten anything out of the ordinary.

2) Jaw, Ear, Neck, or Shoulder Pain

A sharp pain and numbness in the chest, shoulder, and arm is an indicator of heart attack, but many people don't experience heart attack pain this way at all. Instead, they may feel pain in the neck or shoulder area, or it may feel like it’s running along the jaw and up by the ear. Some women specifically report feeling the pain between their shoulder blades.

A telltale sign: The pain comes and goes, rather than persisting unrelieved, as a pulled muscle would. This can make the pain both easy to overlook and difficult to pinpoint. You may notice pain in your neck one day, none the next day, then after that it might have moved to your ear and jaw. If you notice pain that seems to move or radiate upwards and out, this is important to bring to your doctor’s attention.

3) Sexual dysfunction
Having trouble achieving or keeping erections is common in men with coronary artery disease, but they may not make the connection. Just as arteries around the heart can narrow and harden, so can those that supply the penis -- and because those arteries are smaller, they may show damage sooner. One survey of European men being treated for cardiovascular disease found that two out of three had suffered from erectile dysfunction before they were ever diagnosed with heart trouble.

4. Exhaustion or Fatigue

A sense of crushing fatigue that lasts for several days is another sign of heart trouble that's all too often overlooked or explained away. Women, in particular, often look back after a heart attack and mention this symptom. More than 70 percent of women in last year's NIH study, for example, reported extreme fatigue in the weeks or months prior to their heart attack.

The key here is that the fatigue is unusually strong -- not the kind of tiredness you can power through but the kind that lays you flat out in bed. If you're normally a fairly energetic person and suddenly feel sidelined by fatigue, a call to your doctor is in order.

5. Breathlessness and Dizziness

When your heart isn't getting enough blood, it also isn't getting enough oxygen. And when there's not enough oxygen circulating in your blood, the result is feeling unable to draw a deep, satisfying breath -- the same feeling you get when you're at high elevation. Additional symptoms can be light-headedness and dizziness. But sadly, people don't attribute this symptom to heart disease, because they associate breathing with the lungs, not the heart.

In last year's study, more than 40 percent of women heart attack victims remembered experiencing this symptom. A common description of the feeling: "I couldn't catch my breath while walking up the driveway."

6. Leg Swelling or Pain

When the heart muscle isn't functioning properly, waste products aren't carried away from tissues by the blood, and the result can be edema, or swelling caused by fluid retention. Edema usually starts in the feet, ankles, and legs because they're furthest from the heart, where circulation is poorer. In addition, when tissues don't get enough blood, it can lead to a painful condition called ischemia. Bring swelling and pain to the attention of your doctor.

7. Sleeplessness, Insomnia, and Anxiety

This is an odd one doctors can't yet explain. Those who've had heart attacks often remember experiencing a sudden, unexplained inability to fall asleep or stay asleep during the month or weeks before their heart attack. (Note: If you already experience insomnia regularly, this symptom can be hard to distinguish.)

Patients often report the feeling as one of being "keyed up" and wound tight; they remember lying in bed with racing thoughts and sometimes a racing heart. In the NIH report, many of the women surveyed reported feeling a sense of "impending doom," as if a disaster were about to occur. If you don't normally have trouble sleeping and begin to experience acute insomnia and anxiety for unexplained reasons, speak with your doctor.

8. Flu-like Symptoms

Clammy, sweaty skin, along with feeling light-headed, fatigued, and weak, leads some people to believe they're coming down with the flu when, in fact, they're having a heart attack. Even the feeling of heaviness or pressure in the chest -- typical of some people's experience in a heart attack -- may be confused with having a chest cold or the flu.

If you experience severe flu-like symptoms that don't quite add up to the flu (no high temperature, for example), call your doctor or advice nurse to talk it over. Watch out also for persistent wheezing or chronic coughing that doesn't resolve itself; that can be a sign of heart disease, experts say. Patients sometimes attribute these symptoms to a cold or flu, asthma, or lung disease when what's happening is that poor circulation is causing fluid to accumulate in the lungs.

9) Rapid-fire Pulse or Heart Rate

One little-known symptom that sometimes predates a heart attack is known as ventricular tachycardia, more commonly described as rapid and irregular pulse and heart rate. During these episodes, which come on suddenly, you feel as if your heart is beating very fast and hard, like you just ran up a hill -- except you didn't. "I'd look down and I could actually see my heart pounding," one person recalled. It can last just a few seconds or longer; if longer, you may also notice dizziness and weakness.

Some patients confuse these episodes with panic attacks. Rapid pulse and heartbeat that aren't brought on by exertion always signal an issue to bring to your doctor's attention.

10. You Just Don't Feel Like Yourself

Heart attacks in older adults (especially those in their 80s and beyond, or in those who have dementia or multiple health conditions), can mimic many other conditions. But an overall theme heard from those whose loved ones suffered heart attacks is that in the days leading up to and after a cardiac event, they "just didn't seem like themselves."

A good rule of thumb, experts say, is to watch for clusters of symptoms that come on all at once and aren't typical of your normal experience. For example, a normally alert, energetic person suddenly begins to have muddled thinking, memory loss, deep fatigue, and a sense of being "out of it." The underlying cause could be something as simple as a urinary tract infection, but it could also be a heart attack. If your body is doing unusual things and you just don't feel "right," don't wait. See a doctor and ask for a thorough work-up.

And if you have any risk factors for cardiac disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, or family history of heart disease, make sure the doctor knows about those issues, too.

Cure for Dengue

I would like to share this interesting discovery from a classmate's son who has just recovered from dengue fever. Apparently, his son was in the critical stage at the ICU when his blood platelet count drops to 15 after 15 liters of blood transfusion.

His father was so worried that he seeks another friend's recommendation and his son was saved. He confessed to me that he gave his son raw juice of the papaya leaves. From a platelet count of 45 after 20 liters of blood transfusion, and after drinking the raw papaya leaf juice, his platelet count jumps instantly to 135. Even the doctors and nurses were surprised. After the second day he was discharged. So he asked me to pass this good news around.

Accordingly it is raw papaya leaves, 2pcs just cleaned and pound and squeeze with filter cloth. You will only get one tablespoon per leaf.. So two tablespoon per serving once a day. Do not boil or cook or rinse with hot water, it will loose its strength. Only the leafy part and no stem or sap. It is very bitter and you have to swallow it like "Won Low Kat". But it works.

*Papaya Juice - Cure for Dengue*

You may have heard this elsewhere but if not I am glad to inform you that papaya juice is a natural cure for dengue fever. As dengue fever is rampant now, I think it's good to share this with all.

A friend of mine had dengue last year.. It was a very serious situation for her as her platelet count had dropped to 28,000 after 3 days in hospital and water has started to fill up her lung. She had difficulty in breathing. She was only 32-year old. Doctor says there's no cure for dengue. We just have to wait for her body immune system to build up resistance against dengue and fight its own battle. She already had 2 blood transfusion and all of us were praying very hard as her platelet continued to drop since the first day she was admitted.

Fortunately her mother-in-law heard that papaya juice would help to reduce the fever and got some papaya leaves, pounded them and squeeze the juice out for her. The next day, her platelet count started to increase, her fever subside. We continued to feed her with papaya juice and she recovered after 3 days!!!

Amazing but it's true. It's believed one's body would be overheated when one is down with dengue and that also caused the patient to have fever papaya juice has cooling effect. Thus, it helps to reduce the level of heat in one's body, thus the fever will go away. I found that it's also good when one is having sore throat or suffering from heat.

Please spread the news about this as lately there are many dengue cases. It's great if such natural cure could help to ease the sufferings of dengue patients.

Furthermore it's so easily available.

Blend them and squeeze the juice! It's simple and miraculously effective!!

Benefits of Arugula leaves

It is considered as one of the most useful & healthiest natural super foods.

It is very low in calories, 20 gm leaves has only 5 cal & a great source of dietary fibre, vitamins C, A, K &  iron & potassium. It improves the quality of blood.

Arugula is believes to stop cough. Vitamins P & K in this plant have positive effects on liver function. Its leaves & seeds are widely used in modern cuisine. It can be combined with vegetarian & non-veg foods. When combined with nuts, it makes an excellent dressing for salads & pasta. It can be substitute for basil.

Microwave- is it safe to continue to use these?

Microwave test -an eye opener Very interesting!!!! Is it time to act??????? Below is a Science fair project presented by agirl in a secondary school in Sussex. In it she took filtered water and divided it into two parts. The first part she heated to boiling in a pan on the stove, and the second part she heated to boiling in a microwave. Then after cooling she used the water to water two identical plants to see if there would be any difference in the growth between the normal boiled water and the water boiled in a microwave. She was thinking that the structure or energy of the water may be compromised by microwave. As it turned out, even she was amazed at the difference, afterthe experiment which was repeated by her class matesa number of times and had the same result. It has beenknown for someyears that the problem with microwaved anything is not the radiation people used to worry about, it's how it corrupts the DNA in the food so the body can not recognize it. Microwaves don't work different ways on different substances. Whatever you put into the microwave suffers the same destructive process. Microwaves agitate the molecules to move faster and faster. This movement causes friction which denatures the original make-up of the substance. It results in destroyed vitamins, minerals, proteins and generates the new stuff called radiolytic compounds, things that are not found in nature. So the body wraps it in fat cells to protect itself from the dead food or it eliminates it fast. Think of all the Mothers heating up milk in these 'Safe' appliances. What about the nurse in Canada that warmed up blood for a transfusion patient and accidentally killedhim when the blood went in dead. But the makers say it's safe. But proof is in the pictures of living plants dying!!! Ten Reasons todispose off your Microwave Oven From the conclusions of the Swiss, Russian and German scientific clinical studies, we can no longer ignore the microwave oven sitting in our kitchens. Based on this research,one canconclude this article with the following: 1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by 'shorting out' electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue]. 2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food. 3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods. 4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body. 5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down. 6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens. 7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumours]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in UK andAmerica . 8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood. 9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations. 10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.