What to Do During an Earthquake

Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake. Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur. Minimize your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place and if you are indoors, stay there until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.

If indoors

• DROP to the ground; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
• Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.
• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.
• Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, loadbearing doorway.
• Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.
• Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on.
• DO NOT use the elevators.

If outdoors

• Stay there.
• Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.
• Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls. Many of the 120 fatalities from the 1933 Long Beach earthquake occurred when people ran outside of buildings only to be killed by falling debris from collapsing walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.

If in a moving vehicle

• Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
• Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges, or ramps that might have been damaged by the earthquake.

If trapped under debris

• Do not light a match.
• Do not move about or kick up dust.
• Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.
• Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort. Shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

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GSM Awareness..Must read it friends..as we use a lot of mobile phones these days..

GSM Awareness :

Really worth reading this article as we use a lot of mobile phones these days...

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Online DOCTOR - TOO Informative....Just go through it friends...

HI friends,

Came across following email, so thought to share with you.

This site is very informative, which ever diseases you click-upon (I wish you don’t have one),.... it gives you the video explanation !!!!  Interactive Sites on Medical Information  The tutorials listed below are interactive health education resources from the Patient Education Institute . Using animated graphics, each tutorial explains the procedure or condition in easy-to-read and  understand language. You can also listen to the tutorial.  JUST CLICK ON YOUR AILMENT  These tutorials require a special Flash plug-in, version 6 or above... If you do not have this in your PC, you will be prompted to obtain a free download of the software before you start the tutorial.  Diseases and Conditions ·         Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm ·         Acne ·         AIDS ·         Allergies to Dust Mites ·         Alopecia ·         Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) ·         Angina ·         Anthrax ·         Arrhythmias ·         Arthritis ·         Asthma ·         Atrial Fibrillation ·         Avian Influenza ·         Back Pain - How to Prevent ·         Bell's Palsy ·         Brain Cancer ·         Breast Cancer ·         Burns ·         Cataracts ·         Cerebral Palsy

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Healthy Foods for Skin

You cannot just expect to keep your skin healthy and glowing by using expensive lotions, creams, moisturizers or sunscreens, but essentially by eating right.

A host of healthy and natural foods offer potential healing and preventive powers against skin troubles. You can start out by making tiny alterations to your diet and adding these foods to keep your skin healthy & glowing.

Berries

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Top 10 Foods to Reduce Belly Fat

Not only does belly fat make your abdomen bulge out, it also poses grave risk to of diseases like hypertension, diabetes and stroke. While you should obviously give up oily stuff and junk food, you must incorporate these foods in your diet to get rid of a bloated belly.

Obese people find it the hardest to deal with the fat stored in and around the abdomen and the waist.

Not only does belly fat make your abdomen bulge out, it also poses grave risk to of diseases like hypertension, diabetes and stroke. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), men who have a waist more than 40 inches have heightened risk of heart diseases and diabetes.

The most common reasons for the accumulation of fat in the tummy are hormonal imbalance, excessive eating, intake of large quantities of alcohol, sweets and chocolates and lack of exercise. Stress is also one of the prominent reasons for the storage of fat in the belly. Stress triggers the secretion of a hormone called cortisol. Excess of cortisol stimulates the storage of fat around the waist. Then there's another factor of improper digestion. Due to malfunctioned digestion gastro problems arise and this leads to a persistently puffy belly. As we add years, our efficiency of burning calories goes down, so sluggish metabolism also sets off the buildup of fat around the midsection.

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“Artificial retina” wins European approval

The Argus II Retinal Implant from California-based company Second Sight has become the first retinal prosthesis for treatment of the blind approved for sale in Europe. The approval follows a successful clinical trial that ran for almost four years and saw more than 30 patients around the world using the device at home as they went about their daily lives. While the system isn't able to restore normal vision, the majority of trial subjects gained the ability to perceive colors, recognize large letters and locate objects, while two were even able to read short sentences.

Intended for the treatment of degenerative diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP), the Argus II system works by converting images captured by a miniature video camera housed in the patient's glasses into a series of small electrical impulses that are then transmitted wirelessly to an array of electrodes implanted onto the patient's retina. These impulses stimulate the retina's remaining cells and result in the perception of patterns of light in the brain. By learning to interpret these visual patterns, the patients were able to gain some functional vision.

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The facts-Sitting is killing you.the truth about sitting down.

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Some of the home remedies can help us in relieving pain and cure the disease

Let us see how some of the home remedies can help us in relieving pain and cure the disease we come across in our everyday living:

OIL PULLING:

Dr. Med. Karch, a Russian, introduced a simple process for the Human body by using oil. This was further popularized by Lt. Col T. Koteswara Rao (Retd.). Initially it causes doubts, but after trying it out the results are astonishing.

The Process:

1. Take one spoon of refined oil in the mouth on an empty stomach early in the morning, before eating or drinking anything.

2. Without much effort or speed, slowly suck and pull the oil through the teeth. Gargle the oil within closed mouth for 15 - 20 minutes.

3. During this process, the oil becomes liquid and white like milk. Spit the liquid out and wash your mouth thoroughly, preferably with warm water.

4. DO NOT SWALLOW the oil as it contains toxins and harmful bacteria drawn from the body through the saliva. Continue this process everyday for better results.

The Cure:

The process of Oil Pulling can give relief and cure Headaches, Asthma, Bad Breath, Nose Block, Tooth Pain, Acidity, Ulcers, Cracked Feet, Joint Pains, Stomach Problems, Problems related to Lungs, Liver & Nerves.

Who can practice this:

Oil Pulling can be practiced by all from the age of 5 years onwards for any type of health problems. People who are in a habit of taking a lot of medicines should try this, as it will release a lot of toxins from the body.

Which Oil to be Used:

Any cooking oil can be used, but the most preferred is the Sesame Oil.


CURE FOR ACIDITY:

Acidity, it is said, is worse than Cancer. It is one of the most common dis-ease people encounter in their daily life. The home remedy for Acidity is Raw Grains of Rice.

The Process:

1. Take 8 - 10 grains of raw uncooked rice

2. Swallow it with water before having your breakfast or eating anything in the morning

3. Do this for 21 days to see effective results and continuously for 3 months to eliminate acidity from the body

The Cure:

Reduces acid levels in the body and makes you feel better by the day.

CURE FOR CHOLESTEROL:

Cholesterol problem accompanies with Hypertension and Heart Problems. This is also one of the common problems in people who have High Blood Pressure and Diabetes. The home remedy for Cholesterol problem is RAW SUPARI.

The Process:

1.Take Raw Supari (Betel Nut that is not flavoured) and slice them or make pieces of the same

2.Chew it for about 20 - 40 minutes after every meal

3.Spit it out

The Cure:

When you chew the supari, the saliva takes in the juice that is generated and this acts like a Blood Thinner. Once your blood becomes free flowing, it brings down the pressure in the blood flow, thereby reducing Blood Pressure too.


CURE FOR BLOOD PRESSURE:

One of the simple home remedy cure for Blood Pressure is Methi Seeds or Fenugreek Seeds.

The Process:

1.Take a pinch of Raw Fenugreek Seeds, about 8 - 10 seeds

2.Swallow it with water before taking your breakfast, every morning

The Cure:

The seeds of Fenugreek are considered good to reduce the blood pressure.

CURE FOR DIABETES:

There are 2 home remedies for Diabetes. One is Ladies Finger and the other is Black Tea.

BLACK TEA:Due to high medication, the organ that is worst affected is the Kidney. It has been observed that Black Tea (tea without milk, sugar or lemon) is good for the Kidney. Hence a cup of black tea every morning is highly advisable.

The Process:
1. Boil water along with the tea leaves (any tea leaves will do).

2. Drink the concoction without addingmilk, sugar or lemon.

The Cure:

Black Tea will help in enhancing the function of the kidney, thereby not affecting it more.


LADIES FINGER or OKRA:

Ladies finger is considered to be a good home medicine for diabetes.

The Process:

1.Slit the ladies finger into 2 halves vertically and soak it in water overnight.

2. The next morning, remove the ladies fingers and drink the water, before eating your breakfast.

The Cure:

After the ladies fingers are soaked overnight in the water, you can observe that the water becomes sticky in the morning. This sticky water is considered to be good for people who suffer from Diabetes.

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New Hair Loss Prevention Robot Approved By FDA

In an attempt to fight balding, The Food and Drug Administration has approved a machine called the Artas System for commercial use that intends to bring one's follicles back to life.

The System combines several features including an interactive, image-guided robotic arm, special imaging technologies, small dermal punches and a computer interface.

After the System is positioned over the patient's scalp, Artas is capable of identifying and harvesting follicular units. The follicular units are stored until they are implanted into the patient's recipient area using manual techniques.

The production company says the system can improve extraction rates to 750 to 1,000 units per hour. This is much quicker and less invasive than traditional harvesting techniques.

However there is a catch; only males with brown or black hair are candidates.

There are many causes for hair loss in men. However, in the overwhelming majority of males with hair loss, the cause is hereditary androgenetic alopecia, more commonly known as "male pattern baldness." The tendency for male pattern hair loss is genetically inherited from either side of the family.

According to the manufacter's website:

"The presence of the hormone, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), in a genetically susceptible man, is necessary for this problem to occur and begins to develop after puberty. Hair on the scalp that is genetically susceptible (the hairline, crown and top of the scalp), starts to shrink in its shaft diameter and potential length, until it eventually disappears in a process known as hair miniaturization. The hair on the back and sides of the scalp is usually genetically 'permanent' hair, which is destined to remain for that man's lifetime."


What can be done for a man losing his hair that wants to keep it around? First, hair restoration surgery offers a permanent solution to lost scalp hair. Modern techniques of surgical hair transplantation can restore lost hair and replace the hairline with your own natural growing hair, which needs no more care than the ordinary washing, styling, and trimming you have always done.

Hair transplantation involves removing permanent hair-bearing skin from the back and/or sides of the scalp. There are two main techniques by which hair follicles can be harvested from the donor area: follicular unit extraction (FUE) and strip harvesting. FUE involves using a small dermal punch (e.g. 1mm in diameter or smaller) to individually dissect out follicular units directly from the scalp. Strip harvesting is carried out by excising a strip of scalp from the donor area and dissecting out the follicular units under a microscope.

These small follicular unit grafts are then meticulously implanted into the bald or thinning area of the scalp (recipient area) so as not to injure any follicles already existing in the area and at the same angle as the other hairs present. The creation of small follicular unit grafts has enabled hair restoration surgeons to create natural appearing hairlines and results.

Second, medical treatments are now offered in the form of a pill (finasteride) and a topical liquid (minoxidil). They require a life-long treatment however to maintain their effect.

Then there is the good old fashioned wig. Hairpieces are a non-surgical means to restore hair by covering bald areas of the scalp. There is a large variety of means for attaching these such as glues, "weaves," and clips.

Source: medicalnewstoday.com

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How to Use Coconut Oil As A Hair Treatment

Coconut oil has been used in India and other parts of Asia as a hair treatment for many years. Used as a hair treatment and a conditioner, coconut oil is known to add bounce and shine to dry and damaged hair. When combined with other essential oils, coconut oil makes an excellent dandruff treatment. Recent research shows that coconut oil has the ability to penetrate the hair shaft and reduce protein loss as compared to other oils such as sunflower oils or mineral oils. Making a hair treatment out of a good quality coconut oil is fun and easy to do. Here is how.

Instructions

things you'll need:
pure coconut oil
4 drops each of essential oils of lavender and geranium
4 drops of any two of these: essential oils of rosemary, cedarwood, tea tree, or neem
Comb or brush
A gentle shampoo

1.Buy a good quality coconut oil from a health food store. Use a virgin coconut oil that is made from fresh coconut meat rather than a refined coconut oil that has been stripped off its beneficial nutrients.

2.Brush hair thoroughly and comb out all the tangles.

3.Scoop out some coconut oil into a cup. Put the cup in a pot with warm water to melt the oil gently. Even though coconut oil stays a liquid in tropical climates, it solidifies at room temperature in most of North America. Coconut oil melts at around 76 degree centigrade.

4.Add essential oils to enhance the coconut oil treatment. A couple of drops of rosemary, neem, tea tree, or cedarwood essential oil added to the treatment will help fight dandruff and encourage hair growth. A few drops of lavender and geranium essential oils added to the coconut oil will nourish dry hair and also have an added bonus of being a soothing and stress relieving treatment.

5.Pour some of the warm oil into hands and massage scalp for a few minutes. Coat hair thoroughly with the rest of the coconut oil in the cup.

6.Put on a shower cap, or just use some saran wrap to cover hair. Leave the hair treatment on overnight for very dry hair. For oily or normal hair, leave the treatment on for two hours.

7.Wash out hair with a gentle shampoo. Hair may have to shampooed out twice to get all the oil out. Skip using a post shampoo conditioner.


Read more @ http://www.ehow.com/how_5000732_use-coconut-oil-hair-treatment.html#ixzz1KbEp4qfm

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Don't Touch That! 8 Ways to Protect Yourself From Germs in Public Places

Beware of these locations and surfaces

1. Restaurant Menus

Have you ever seen anyone wash a menu? Probably not. A study in the Journal of Medical Virology reported that cold and flu viruses can survive for 18 hours on hard surfaces. If it's a popular restaurant, hundreds of people could be handling the menus — and passing their germs on to you. Never let a menu touch your plate or silverware, and be sure to wash your hands after you place your order.

2. Lemon Wedges

According to a 2007 study in the Journal of Environmental Health, nearly 70 percent of the lemon wedges perched on the rims of restaurant glasses contain disease-causing microbes. When the researchers ordered drinks at 21 different restaurants, they found 25 different microorganisms lingering on the 76 lemons they secured, including E. coli and other fecal bacteria. Tell your server that you'd prefer your beverage sans fruit. Why risk it?

3. Condiment Dispensers

It's the rare eatery that regularly cleans its condiment containers. And the reality is that many people don't wash their hands before eating, says Kelly Reynolds, Ph.D., a germs specialist and public health professor at the University of Arizona. So while you may be diligent, the guy who poured the ketchup before you may not have been, which means his germs are now on your fingers — and your fries. Squirt hand sanitizer on the outside of the condiment bottle or use a disinfectant wipe before you grab it.

4. Restroom Door Handles

Don't think you can escape the restroom without touching the door handle? Palm a spare paper towel after you wash up and use it to grasp the handle. Yes, other patrons may think you're a germ-phobe — but you'll never see them again, and you're the one who won't get sick.

5. Soap Dispensers

About 25 percent of public restroom dispensers are contaminated with fecal bacteria. Soap that harbors bacteria may seem ironic, but that's exactly what a University of Arizona study found. "Most of these containers are never cleaned, so bacteria grow as the soap scum builds up," says microbiologist Charles Gerba, Ph.D., who directed the study. "And the bottoms are touched by dirty hands, so there's a continuous culture feeding millions of bacteria." Be sure to scrub your hands thoroughly with plenty of hot water for 15 to 20 seconds — and if you happen to have an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, use that, too.

6. Grocery Carts

The handles of almost two-thirds of the shopping carts tested in a 2007 study at the University of Arizona were contaminated with fecal bacteria. In fact, the bacterial counts of the carts exceeded those of the average public restroom. To protect yourself: Swab the handle with a disinfectant wipe before grabbing hold (stores are starting to provide them, so look around for a dispenser). And while you're wheeling around the supermarket, skip the free food samples, which are nothing more than communal hand-to-germ-to-mouth zones.

7. Airplane Bathrooms

When microbiologist Charles Gerba, Ph.D., tested for microbes in the bathrooms of commercial jets, he found surfaces from faucets to doorknobs to be contaminated with E. coli. It's not surprising, then, that people often get sick after traveling by plane. Clean your hands thoroughly with a sanitizer and try not to directly touch the surfaces.

8. Doctors' Offices
A doctor's office is not the place to be if you're trying to avoid germs. To limit your exposure: Bring your own books and magazines (and toys, if you have your children or grandchildren with you) and pack your own tissues and hand sanitizers, which should have an alcohol content of at least 60 percent. If possible, in the waiting room, leave at least two chairs between you and the other patients to reduce your chances of picking up their bugs. Germ droplets from coughing and sneezing can travel about 3 feet before falling to the floor.

Source:http://www.aarp.org/health

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Some Useful Tips For Getting a Good Night's Sleep Article Source

Many people have difficulty getting enough sleep at night. All of them consume medicine that could help them to fall asleep. But, you need to know the consumption of the medicine in an excessive amount will give many bad effects.

For getting a good night's sleep, you need to know about some useful tips here that will help you to sleep enough. All of those tips are easy to be done so you need to check them out. It is the right solution that you need to do.

You need to avert the consumption of tea and coffee late at night. Those beverages contain ingredients that could make you get difficulty in sleeping. If you would like to drink them, it is better for you to do it in the evening. So, you are able to enjoy your time to sleep. But, you can drink herbal tea which is useful for you than ordinary tea.

If you are a smoker, it is time to stop your bad habit. Smoking is another reason why you could get any difficulty to sleep because it contains nicotine. Nicotine is considered as a stimulant to make you not fall asleep. So, you need to avoid smoking if you would like to get enough time to sleep.

Also, you do not need to do some exercises at night because it only gives you a tired feeling and sleepy feeling. It is better for you to do the exercise at the early part of the day that could help you in getting a restful sleep. Try it now and you will see the differences in your body and it will help you to be healthier.

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