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Monday, December 12, 2011

Poor mental health harming productivity, says OECD

One in five workers suffer from a mental illness such as depression or anxiety and these conditions increasingly affect productivity in the workplace as many struggle to cope, a report by the OECD said on Monday. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found people with mental illness are often off sick from work, and between 30 and 50 percent of all new disability benefit claims in OECD nations are now due to poor mental health. Policymakers need to find new ways to tackle the social and economic problem of mental illness, the report said, as trigger factors, such as stress at work, are likely to increase. "Increasing job insecurity and pressure in today's workplaces could drive a rise in mental health problems in the years ahead," it said. "The share of workers exposed to work-related stress, or job strain, has increased in the past decade all across the OECD. And in the current economic climate, more and more people are worried about their job security." Depression alone is already a major cause of death, disability and economic burden worldwide and the World Health Organization predicts that by 2020 it will be the second leading contributor to the global burden of disease across all ages. Two studies published in September and October found that up to 40 percent of Europeans suffer from mental and neurological illnesses each year, and the annual cost of brain disorders is almost 800 billion euros. The OECD's report, entitled "Sick on the Job? Myths and Realities about Mental Health at Work" found that most people with a mental disorder are in work, with employment rates of between 55 percent and 70 percent -- about 10 to 15 percentage points lower than for people without a disorder. But people with mental illness are two to three times as likely to be unemployed as people with no mental health problems. This gap represents a economic major loss, the report said. "Most common mental disorders can get better, and the employment chances be improved, with adequate treatment," the OECD said. But it said health systems in most countries were narrowly focused on treating people with severe disorders such as schizophrenia, who account for only a quarter of all sufferers. "Taking more common disorders more seriously would boost the chances for people to stay in, or return to, work," the OECD said, adding that around 50 percent of people with severe mental disorders and more than 70 percent of those with moderate illness currently get no treatment at all. The OECD urged policymakers to focus on providing good working conditions which help employees reduce and manage stress, to introduce systematic monitoring of sick leave, and to help employers reduce workplace conflict and avoid unnecessary dismissal caused by mental health problems.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Medicare to cover obesity counseling, screening

The U.S. Medicare program for the elderly will cover counseling for obesity in an effort to reduce the condition that has reached epidemic proportions and leads to serious health problems. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said on Tuesday obesity counseling and screening has been added to its portfolio of preventive services. "Prevention is crucial for the management and elimination of obesity in our country," CMS Administrator Donald Berwick said in a statement. More than 30 percent of both men and women in the Medicare population are estimated to be obese, CMS said. Obesity can lead to a host of health problems and complications and is a leading cause of diabetes and heart disease. Screening for obesity and counseling for eligible beneficiaries by primary care providers are covered under the new benefit, CMS said. For patients deemed to be obese based on body mass index measures, the benefit would include one face-to-face counseling visit each week for one month and one face-to-face counseling visit every other week for an additional five months. Medicare patients who lose at least 6.6 pounds (3 kilograms) during the first six months of counseling would be eligible to receive addition face-to-face counseling once a month for an additional six months for up to a total of 12 months of counseling, the agency said. "This decision is an important step in aligning Medicare's portfolio of preventive services with evidence and addressing risk factors for disease," Patrick Conway, the CMS chief medical officer, said in a statement.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Cosmetic surgery gets cheaper, faster, scarier

Lindsay Lohan starts new modelling job for fashion designer.


Just one day after she was introduced as the new face of designer Philipp Plein's clothing collection, Lindsay Lohan showed off her sexy style.

Lindsay Lohan is set to make a very fashionable step toward a career comeback.

The actress, now most known for court appearances and rehab stints landed the role as the new face of Philip Plein’s fashion line.

Plein announced Saturday that Lohan will model for the Spring and Summer 2012 line.

Despite her troubled past, Plein is confindant the actress was a great choice to represent his line.

“Lindsay is a beautiful, highly acclaimed actress and model. We will be able to create unique images: Refined anuriousd lux, but also full of sensuality,” Celebritygossip.net reports.

This isn’t the first fallen star Plein put his faith in. For his 2010 line he featured star and tabloid regular Mischa Barton.

HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY TO GOOGLE

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Get Ready Get Set Dont Go Billy Ray and Miley Cyrus

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London Fashion Week

TWICE a year, in spring and autumn, London’s fashionistas go crazy at the second of the world’s “big four” fashion weeks. From September 16th to the 21st, 68 catwalk shows displayed the wares of mainly British-based designers, with celebrities as oddly assorted as Samantha Cameron (designer wife of the prime minister), Pippa Middleton (sister-about-town of Britain’s future queen) and Andy Murray, a tennis ace not known for his clothes sense, in attendance. The talk was of colours (hot), prints (prominent), and how the dastardly Gucci had stolen London’s best models by summoning them early for Milan’s week, which followed.
The fashion industry is much more important than the frothing over foxy frocks made of recycled metal scraps and PVC suggests. A study by Oxford Economics for the British Fashion Council (BFC), published last year, found that the business added about £21 billion ($33 billion) to GDP directly, twice as much as carmaking. High fashion accounted for only a fraction of that, but top-end, trend-setting design sits at the heart of the broader retail market. The BFC, which stages London Fashion Week, estimates that its six days will have yielded perhaps £100m in orders.
More than that, fashion is just the sort of thing Britain is supposed to be good at in this post-industrial age: creative, high-value-added, cluster-based. And the country does excel. Its offerings run the gamut from the edgy outpourings of Central St Martins, a well-known fashion college, to the classical style anglais. Much of its brightest talent comes from elsewhere—Greek-born Mary Katrantzou, for example, or the half-Austrian, half-Italian Peter Pilotto. And the now-infamous John Galliano, once of Christian Dior, is only one of many British designers snapped up by foreign houses.
But there are characteristically British downsides, too. Many talented designers (like some British inventors) have trouble converting their ideas into cash. This is only partly because capital is hard to come by. “Here, it’s all about art. In other places it’s much more of a business,” says a Central St Martins student who has worked in France. The agent for a number of new designers agrees: “Young designers here just make what inspires them without thinking enough about how much they’ll have to charge for it, or who will buy it.” A great many fold after a few years.
A big challenge now is to conquer developing markets before developing-world fashion houses conquer Britain. The BFC is taking designers to Hong Kong next month, and to Beijing and Shanghai next year, says Harold Tillman, its chairman (pointing to Paul Smith and Stella McCartney as examples of global British names who started small). One ace up his sleeve? The appeal of the Duchess of Cambridge, a photogenic pin-up with a well-judged penchant for British designers.

BNGLADESH FASHION HOUSE.

Bangladesh Fashion
Ready made garments clothing and fashion wear. Salwar kameez , sari , etc.
http://www.bangladeshfashion.com


Anjans Fashion
At the beginning Anjan’s widely introduce achieved for its fashion designs and loveliness accessories. The second branch of the Anjan’s opened at Dhanmondi near Sobhanbagh in 1998.
http://www.anjans.com


Fit Elegance
Fit Elegence, committed to provide guaranteed quality and service for its pool of Suits, Blazers & Trousers.
http://www.fitelegance.com


BRAC Aarong
Aarong is the handicraft-marketing arm of BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee), the largest NGO in Bangladesh. Aarong means a village fair, where craftsman of all trades exhibit and sale their traditional handicrafts. It helps vitalize the tradi
http://www.aarong.com


Orvisbd Bangladesh Quality Mens & Womens Clothing
Orvis is a vary popular Fashion Brand in Bangladesh. Orvis Started in 2001 with an aim to establish it self as a trendy RMG brand. We have 8 existing branch across the city.
http://www.orvisbd.com [1334]-[History]


Dressy Dale
Dressydale is a name devoted to making trendy designs with a traditional appeal for people with unique and distinctive tastes.
http://www.dressydale.com [1106]-[History]


Basonti Fashion House
Fashion House. Salwar Kameez, Panjabi etc.
http://www.basontifashion.com


Fashion Bangla
This is a site of Fashion of Bangla. Catagories- Women dress, Mens dress, child dress, Fashionable dress, etc.
http://www.fashionbangla.com


Bibi Russell
Bibi Russel, the astounding model who rose to stardom in the late 70s and early 80s, now works to establish a cause that is much closer to her heart: the plight of the hand woven textile industries and their workers in her native Bangladesh.
http://www.bibirussell.org


Punjabi Salwaar kameez
Looking for Mixer grinder, punjabi salwar suits, cricket bat, bridal wear, preethi mixer ? your search ends here. visit www.eastwestusastore.com for detailed information.
http://www.eastwestusastore.com


Rang Fashion House of Bangladesh
Rang A leading fashion house of Bangladesh.
http://www.rang-bd.com


Zarif Fashion : Fashion house of Bangladesh
Zarif Fashion & crafts is an exclusive fashion house, buy gorgeous sharee via online, Jamdani sharee, Mosline sharee, Silk Sharee, Katan Sharee and salwar kamiz.
http://www.zariffashion.com


Rang
RANG is a prime boutique house in our country. RANG has established itself as an unique and a prime boutique shop and a fashion house of innovative design.
http://www.rangbd.com


Kanishka
Mrs. Fauzia Amin (Neena) founded Kanishka in the year 1984. From then on it has been an uphill journey in making the simple housewives of Bangladesh to be more aware of fashion...
http://www.kanishkabd.com


SadaKalo
Fashion is a part of daily life. The work of a designer is to create a feeling of unexpressed desire- that is after a designer designs something a fashion conscious individual should say to him.
http://www.sadakalo.net


Official site of Ecstasy Bangladesh
Catalog of ecstasys product and purchase online. Exclusive Fashion, Clothing & Design house of Bangladesh.
http://www.ecstasybd.com


Surjomukhi
Surjomukhi is a handicraft organization in Dhaka,who exports their products to Europe, USA and Australia. The products are made by skilled women and men from different cities and villages in Bangladesh.
http://www.surjomukhi.net


Fashionline Chittagong
The only comprehensive fashion catalogue of Chittagong, the second capital of Bangladesh. Fashions in various colours and forms.
http://www.fashionline.tk


Kanchkupi.com - Fashion House of Bangladesh
Kanchkupi Fashion House of Bangladesh, Interior, Fashion Designing, Home Attair. Decorate your house with modern accessories.
http://www.kanchkupi.com


Kanchkupi.com - Fashion House of BD
Fashion House of Bangladesh. Home attair, Product & Services Home. Dress, Event Management, Interior.
http://www.kanchkupi.com?cat=fashion.

Bandbox - dry cleaning and laundry services
The project is an automated laundry service located at Mohakhali C/A, Dhaka. In December 1989, Bandbox started its operation with 2 outlets only. Now by rendering quality dry cleaning and laundry services and focusing on customer satisfaction, Bandbox ex
http://www.bandbox.info


E-garments Solution
Marketing and sourcing partner in RMG Industry
http://www.egsbd.com


Banglar Mela
Branded showroom of handloom in the town. Panjabi, Sharee, Shalwar Kamiz, Baby Dress, Fatua. Ladies & Mens clothing.
http://www.banglarmela.org


Zaara Fashions
We design, retail, wholesale, manufacture & export women fashion apparels. Its old meets new, east meets west, traditional meets contemporary.
http://www.zaarafashions.com


Westecs Fashion Wear
A brand fashion shop. Suit, Socks, Blazer, Shorts, Shirt, Bath Robe, Trouser, Towel, Underwear, Vest, Hand Made Leather Shoe, T-Shirt, Ladies Leather Bag & Full Range of Ladies Wear.
http://www.westecs.net


Banglar Fashion
Bangladesh Fashion portal. Lots of information and display about top products of best fashion houses in Bangladesh.
http://www.banglarfashion.com


Kanchkupi.com - Fashion House of Bangladesh
Kanchkupi Fashion House of Bangladesh, Interior, Fashion Designing, Home Attair. Decorate your house with modern accessories.
http://kanchkupi.com

Bangladesh Fashion
Ready made garments clothing and fashion wear. Salwar kameez , sari , etc.
http://www.bangladeshfashion.com


Anjans Fashion
At the beginning Anjan’s widely introduce achieved for its fashion designs and loveliness accessories. The second branch of the Anjan’s opened at Dhanmondi near Sobhanbagh in 1998.
http://www.anjans.com


Fit Elegance
Fit Elegence, committed to provide guaranteed quality and service for its pool of Suits, Blazers & Trousers.
http://www.fitelegance.com


BRAC Aarong
Aarong is the handicraft-marketing arm of BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee), the largest NGO in Bangladesh. Aarong means a village fair, where craftsman of all trades exhibit and sale their traditional handicrafts. It helps vitalize the tradi
http://www.aarong.com

Orvisbd Bangladesh Quality Mens & Womens Clothing
Orvis is a vary popular Fashion Brand in Bangladesh. Orvis Started in 2001 with an aim to establish it self as a trendy RMG brand. We have 8 existing branch across the city.
http://www.orvisbd.com


Dressy Dale
Dressydale is a name devoted to making trendy designs with a traditional appeal for people with unique and distinctive tastes.
http://www.dressydale.com


Basonti Fashion House
Fashion House. Salwar Kameez, Panjabi etc.
http://www.basontifashion.com


Fashion Bangla
This is a site of Fashion of Bangla. Catagories- Women dress, Mens dress, child dress, Fashionable dress, etc.
http://www.fashionbangla.com


Bibi Russell
Bibi Russel, the astounding model who rose to stardom in the late 70s and early 80s, now works to establish a cause that is much closer to her heart: the plight of the hand woven textile industries and their workers in her native Bangladesh.
http://www.bibirussell.org


Punjabi Salwaar kameez
Looking for Mixer grinder, punjabi salwar suits, cricket bat, bridal wear, preethi mixer ? your search ends here. visit www.eastwestusastore.com for detailed information.
http://www.eastwestusastore.com


Rang Fashion House of Bangladesh
Rang A leading fashion house of Bangladesh.
http://www.rang-bd.com


Zarif Fashion : Fashion house of Bangladesh
Zarif Fashion & crafts is an exclusive fashion house, buy gorgeous sharee via online, Jamdani sharee, Mosline sharee, Silk Sharee, Katan Sharee and salwar kamiz.
http://www.zariffashion.com


Rang
RANG is a prime boutique house in our country. RANG has established itself as an unique and a prime boutique shop and a fashion house of innovative design.
http://www.rangbd.com


Kanishka
Mrs. Fauzia Amin (Neena) founded Kanishka in the year 1984. From then on it has been an uphill journey in making the simple housewives of Bangladesh to be more aware of fashion...
http://www.kanishkabd.com


SadaKalo
Fashion is a part of daily life. The work of a designer is to create a feeling of unexpressed desire- that is after a designer designs something a fashion conscious individual should say to him.
http://www.sadakalo.net


Official site of Ecstasy Bangladesh
Catalog of ecstasys product and purchase online. Exclusive Fashion, Clothing & Design house of Bangladesh.
http://www.ecstasybd.com


Surjomukhi
Surjomukhi is a handicraft organization in Dhaka,who exports their products to Europe, USA and Australia. The products are made by skilled women and men from different cities and villages in Bangladesh.
http://www.surjomukhi.net


Fashionline Chittagong
The only comprehensive fashion catalogue of Chittagong, the second capital of Bangladesh. Fashions in various colours and forms.
http://www.fashionline.tk


Kanchkupi.com - Fashion House of Bangladesh
Kanchkupi Fashion House of Bangladesh, Interior, Fashion Designing, Home Attair. Decorate your house with modern accessories.
http://www.kanchkupi.com


Kanchkupi.com - Fashion House of BD
Fashion House of Bangladesh. Home attair, Product & Services Home. Dress, Event Management, Interior.
http://www.kanchkupi.com?cat=fashion.

Autumn Book Fair at Public Library

In an attempt to popularise creative and innovative publications throughout the year, leading publishing houses of the country have arranged a month-long book fair titled “Shoroter Boimela” (Autumn Book Fair) at Central Public Library, Shahbagh in Dhaka. Bhashachitro, Anya Prokash, Charulipi, Muktodesh Prokashan, among other publishing houses, are taking part in the fair.

The book fair was inaugurated by media personality Faridur Reza Sagar on September 20. Noted and promising writers, poets, publishers and cultural personalities were present at the inauguration programme.

Manipuri Theatre to celebrate 15th anniversary


Manipuri Theatre, a troupe that aims to popularise Manipuri performing arts and culture across the country, will celebrate its 15th anniversary through a daylong programme on September 23 at the Experimental Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka. The Maulvibazar-based troupe will stage its most recent play “Kohe Birangana”, while invited troupe Manipuri Natpala Shilpi Shangstha will stage a demonstration of the indigenous performing art form, Manipuri Natpala.

Seasoned theatre personality Mamunur Rashid will be present as chief guest at the inaugural programme.

Manipuri Natpala usually narrates the akhyan (story) of Radha, Krishna with a strong essence of Vaishnavism. Incorporating traditional Manipuri dance and music, the performance features local instruments such as mridanga, dhol and kartal. The pala will be directed by noted artiste of the genre, Bidhan Chandra Sinha. The pala will feature eleven performers.

“Kohe Birangana” has been written and directed by Shubhashish Sinha, chief of Manipuri Theatre. The play is based on Michael Madhusudan Dutt's “Birangona Kabyo”.

“Birangona Kabyo” features the agonies of major female characters from the epic “Mahabharat”. “Birangona Kabyo” has 11 verses, from which Shubhashish has adapted four for his play. The play features stories of Shakuntala, Draupadi, Dushala and Jona.

The play has been written and is performed in a lyrical form known as 'poyar'. Jyoti Sinha plays the four characters. It will be the 25th show of the play.

During its 15-year journey, Manipuri Theatre has produced 27 plays. Some of its notable productions are “Shri Krishna Kirtan”, “Dhajo Mestorir Maron”, “Ingal Andhar Pala” and “Kohe Birangana”. Apart from theatre productions, the troupe regularly holds shows featuring traditional performing arts such as Raas Leela, Natpala, Rakhal Raas etc. The troupe has also published a journal -- “Manipuri Theatre Potrika”.

Health secretary calls for global action on lifestyle conditions

Health secretary Andrew Lansley has urged governments across the world to be “bold and determined” in working together to tackle so-called ‘lifestyle’ conditions caused by poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking and alcohol abuse.
He made his call for action on cancer, respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes at a speech to the United Nations conference on non-communicable diseases this week, saying that preventing the risk factors which led to them could in turn prevent millions of deaths.

Lansley invoked the spirit of UN meetings more than 50 years ago on infectious diseases such as smallpox and polio, “the greatest health challenges of their day”.

“Today, we face new challenges from obesity, lung disease and alcohol-related diseases,” he told an audience in New York.

“These are inextricably linked to the way we live our lives. They are just as widespread, just as chronic and increasingly threaten early mortality and disability,” he went on.

Tackling the causes of health inequalities would only be possible via what he called a “whole government” approach “looking at better outcomes and helping individuals to make better choices about their own health”.

“With an emphasis on prevention, on physical activity, on personal and corporate responsibility and with unified government action, we can make a big difference,” he concluded.

Delegates to the UN conference will sign a declaration on how they are to effect a global response focusing on preventing these conditions.

In the UK, the government is to set out later this year how obesity will be tackled in the restructured NHS.

The Department of Health says food producers are already removing transfats and reducing the levels of salt in their food, while drinks companies are reducing the amount of alcohol in some brands.

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Thursday, September 8, 2011

Pennsylvania Floods



Officials in northeastern Pennsylvania called for a mandatory evacuation of more than 100,000 residents living along the Susquehanna River on Thursday due to expected flooding. The area was inundated in the historic Agnes flood of 1972.

Luzerne County Management Agency official Frank Lasiewicki told The Associated Press Thursday the river is projected to crest at 41 feet between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday — the same height as the levee system protecting riverfront communities including Wilkes-Barre and Kingston.



Residents were ordered to leave by 4 p.m.

Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton said residents should prepare for an extended evacuation of 72 hours and advised them to take clothing, food and prescription medicine. He also asked city businesses to close their doors by noon.

The evacuations come as the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee dumped heavy rain and caused havoc around the Northeast on Thursday, bringing floods that cut off major highways and caused some schools to open late or not at all.

Flood watches and warnings were in effect from Maryland to New England.

Roads and highways were closed around the region. In Philadelphia, flooding and a rock slide closed the eastbound lanes of the Schuylkill Expressway, a major artery into the city, and it could take hours for the road to reopen. In New York, the Thruway Authority expected Thursday to close a 105-mile stretch of Interstate 90 where it runs along the Mohawk River, which had overflowed its banks in some areas. It's the state's most heavily traveled east-west highway.

In eastern New York, thousands of people were expected to evacuate the flood-battered Binghamton area Thursday, and some schools were closed in the surrounding area.

Flood of Pennsylvania :100,000 Evacuated, 4-10 Inches of Rain on the Way

Emergency management officials in Broome County ordered additional evacuations early Thursday for Binghamton neighborhoods near where the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers converge. Mandatory evacuation orders were also issued for the neighboring villages. In all, some 10,000 residents in the county were under mandatory evacuation, officials said.
Two rain-related deaths were reported in Pennsylvania. Police in Derry Township said a man who was removing water from his basement was killed when the house's foundation collapsed, and a motorist trapped in a vehicle drowned early Thursday morning in Elizabeth Township, in Lancaster County. "Now it's getting on my last nerves," said Carol Slater, 53, of Huntersfield, N.Y., on the northern edge of New York's Catskill Mountains and just outside of hard-hit Prattsville.

The National Weather Service predicted rain would continue to fall heavily across the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states through Thursday with anywhere from 4 to 7 more inches falling and up to 10 inches in isolated pockets.

In New York, Prattsville was cut off on Wednesday afternoon, its main roads covered with water as public works crews tried to dredge the creeks to alleviate the flooding. Trash bins stood in the mud-caked streets to collect debris left by Irene and the wreckage of houses destroyed by the earlier storm still dotted the area.

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Michael Hill and Rik Stevens in Albany, N.Y.; John Curran in Montpelier, Vt.; Genaro C. Armas in State College, Pa.; Bill Poovey in Chattanooga and Alex Dominguez in Baltimore.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Healthy choice for this Eid


A leading doctor is urging the Muslim community participating in the holy month of Ramadan to use Eid to reinforce the good habits they have achieved over the past month.
Many people use the month of fasting to also renew their spiritual energies by individual and group prayers, as well as not ingesting any material orally during daylight hours. This includes smoking.
Dr Gora Bangi, NHS Central Lancashire clinical commissioning executive committee chair, said: “If you can manage to go without a cigarette during these long days of fasting, then why not give up altogether?
“With Eid approaching, you can really use this time to reflect on the lifestyle changes you could make more permanent.
“Do you feel different for not smoking? Think about how much better you feel now, think of all the money you have saved in the past month. Many people also feel better in themselves, because they have a better spiritual base from which to work from – and the improvement in mental wellbeing is one of the many great benefits of Ramadan.”
NHS Central Lancashire is also urging people to be careful in the kitchen as Eid is typically a time for family gatherings and a significant amount of cooking and eating.
Dr Bangi said: “Fasting during Ramadan requires a lot of self-control when it comes to food. Use this opportunity to look at your portion sizes and what you eat normally to see if any changes can be made.
“Your stomach capacity may have shrunk. It is healthy to eat and drink not till you are full-to-bursting. Leave space, and it will leave you comfortable.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

The 10 Best Superfoods that will help you withstand any physical challenge


Food is fuel.Everyone is different. Age, weight, stress, gender, exercise intensity—all these things factor in to which supplements are important. At certain life stages many people require more of particular nutrient than their diet can provide, such as folic acid for women of childbearing age or calcium for pregnant and nursing women. And I’m sure you know that boning up on calcium may help some women stave off the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis. Calcium, combined with other nutrients, may also protect us against colon cancer.

Just as your health needs change over time as you enter new stages of life, so do your supplement needs. It’s a good idea to periodically review your supplement regimen to see if there are supplements you no longer need, or others you should add to your overall plan. Certain life-changing events, such as having surgery, being injured, losing a job or changing jobs, getting married or divorced, losing a loved one, and many other situations, can change your nutritional needs.

Endurance athletes can suffer up to 200 times the free radical damage of regular folks. But how many of them know which foods and supplements to consume to fight the damage and recover faster?

Research shows that the combinations of antioxidants in whole fruits and vegetables are more effective than isolated nutrients at neutralizing free radicals. Here are the 10 best whole foods for endurance athletes, plus the supplements that aid antioxidant performance and recovery.

Blueberries.
Research has attributed cancer, stroke, and heart disease prevention, as well as brain health; anti-aging; and anti-inflammatory effects, to these little blue North American natives. Whenever possible, choose wild blueberries (usually in the frozen fruit section); they’re botanically distinct and came in at the top of the list in a 2008 Cornell University study of the antioxidant capabilities of 25 commonly consumed fruits and berries.

Tip: Several of the less-studied berries may also provide benefits. “For our athletes, we recommend the darker berries, such as pomegranate, acai, blueberries, raspberries, and goji berries,” says Ben Greenfield, an Ironman triathlete and coach based in Spokane, WA and Coeur D’ Alene, ID.

Walnuts
Walnuts are king of nuts in terms of total antioxidants, and they’re also rich in vitamin E, fiber, and minerals. But while nutrient-dense, nuts are also calorie-dense, and more than a handful can turn a healthy snack into a diet-busting meal. “For the average person, I don’t recommend much more than 2 servings [i.e., 14 walnuts—roughly one handful],” says triathlete trainer Greenfield.

Too many nuts can also disrupt the balance of essential fatty acids in your diet. “The calorie density doesn’t bother me as much as the unfavorable omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids ratio in nuts,” says Greenfield. Studies show a higher proportion of omega-6 promotes cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, while higher omega-3 consumption has the opposite effect. So treat nuts as a snack, not a meal.

Sweet Potatoes
Some of the worst (and most confusing) news about antioxidants is a group of studies that showed that the antioxidant beta carotene increased lung cancer rates. However, the studies were conducted using high doses of antioxidant supplements, not whole foods, and the lung cancer victims were largely smokers, not normal healthy individuals. For athletes, colorful beta carotene-rich foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, and peaches provide micronutrients as well as a healthy form of carbohydrate fuel.


Red Peppers

Scurvy (a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C) isn’t a concern for most modern landlubbers. Still, it’s vital to ensure you get recommended levels of the vitamin, as C is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body and is involved in processes including bone formation, free radical scavenging, and building other important antioxidants. Also known as “ascorbic acid,” it is only found in plant foods. Oranges and lemons famously cured scurvy and are known for their levels of the vitamin, but raw red peppers actually rank at the top for C content. Other surprising foods ahead of citrus on the list are parsley and broccoli.

Tip:
To preserve the nutrients in the peppers, eat them raw, steamed, or very lightly cooked.

Chia Seeds
Chia seeds (yes, the same ones used on Chia Pets) are an ancient American staple known as “running food” to Aztec and Mayan cultures. The tiny, tasteless seeds recently got a nod in the paean to running Born to Run, as the primary fuel of the mysterious Tarahumara Indians of Mexico who run barefoot across miles of deadly canyons. Their unique nutrient profile makes chia seeds a great choice for endurance athletes. One tablespoon contains 6 g carbs, 6 g protein, 6 g fiber, and a very high level of antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, making them a nutrient-rich energy source.

Whey Powder
Hey, wait a second. That’s not a brightly colored fruit or vegetable!

No, but whey powder can play an important role in helping the body synthesize a lesser-known antioxidant, glutathione.

“Glutathione is the body’s master antioxidant and it has many immune-boosting functions such as maintaining blood levels of other antioxidants such as vitamins C and E,” says Brian St. Pierre, CSCS, a nutritionist at BSP Training and Nutrition. Since supplementing with glutathione isn’t effective, healthy levels depend on eating a variety of plant and animal foods.

Acai Berries
While research has shown that isolated antioxidant supplements such as lycopene pills don’t confer the same benefits as the whole foods they come from, whole food supplements such as juices and extracts can be a convenient way to get powerful doses of real antioxidants.

Acai berries, by nature of their large seeds and their production in the Amazon, are difficult to eat in their natural state. However, minimally processed frozen pulps for smoothies and juice extracts are widely available in the United States and deliver a unique flavor. Look for antioxidant extracts and juices without sugar or other low-cost additives such as apple and grape juices.


Antioxidant Supplements
Research and common sense overwhelmingly suggest that whole foods promote health better than isolated antioxidant supplements. Because the research on antioxidants is still new, St. Pierre says, “My advice would be to eat a lot of high-quality real food, which will contain a plethora of antioxidants, and have aided the health of humans throughout history.” However, there may be a time and place for the right kind of antioxidant supplement.

Greenfield recommends a “full-spectrum” supplement such as LivingFuel SuperBerry for hardcore athletes stressing their bodies to the point where it becomes difficult for them to eat enough fruits and vegetables to get enough antioxidants. “If you’re shopping for an antioxidant supplement, you should ideally be looking for all these ingredients: vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin E (tocopherols), vitamin A (carotenes), polyphenols, selenium, lutein and lycopene, and a high overall ORAC score.
Wild Salmon
Certain animal foods can help round out your antioxidant profile. Cold-water fish such as salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, shown to reduce inflammation and the risk of the major chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer, and stroke. One concern is the high level of PCBs found in a majority of farmed salmon sold in the United States, which could negate some of the benefits of the antioxidants. To play it safe, look for wild Alaskan salmon, which have lower levels of contaminants as well as higher levels of omega-3s.


Obesity a brain condition, not just a lifestyle disorder


It has been stated by a controversial study that weight gain is more likely among people who are poor-decision makers and bad planners.

A link has been found between the executive part of the brain and obesity by researchers from the University of New South Wales following a review of 38 studies that were conducted on obesity and cognitive function. This part of the brain controls a lot like decision-making, planning, achieving goals etc.

They said, “The novel finding, which comes amid growing evidence of a link between obesity and dementia, meant obesity may be better treated partly as a brain condition like anorexia nervosa, rather than a lifestyle disorder.”

Obese people should face a test on cognitive remediation therapy, which helps people understand how they think and teaches them ways of changing it as this will generate a better picture about this link.

There definitely was a link between the two but when it came to whether cognitive deficits were a cause or consequence, nothing was clear.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Faster Help for heart attack patient



Hospitals all over the country are getting faster at giving lifesaving angioplasties to patients who have heart attacks, according to a report published today in the American Heart Association's journal, Circulation.

The five-year study of more than 300,000 patients found that the average time it took for doctors to perform an angioplasty -- a procedure used to open a blocked or narrowed artery in the heart -- after they were admitted decreased from 96 minutes in 2005 to 64 minutes in 2010.

During a heart attack, blocked blood vessels prevent the heart from getting the blood it needs to function. Angioplasty opens the blood vessels -- often using a balloon passed through the narrowed locations which is then inflated -- and, if performed quickly, can keep the patient's heart from getting damaged by a lack of blood.

Getty ImagesSurgeons performing angioplasty on a patient. View Full Size Getty ImagesSurgeons performing angioplasty on a patient.



Harlan Krumholz, the study's lead author, called the results "medicine in one of its finest moments.

"Five years ago, people believed it was impossible to get this done in under 90 minutes," said Krumholz , whose colleagues at Yale-New Haven Hospital gave a patient an angioplasty in 16 minutes last week. "This study means that for any American who has a heart attack, you can feel confident that you're going to get the procedure you need quickly."

Krumholz and his co-authors said the improvement is the result of concerted efforts by doctors, hospitals, federal agencies, and other groups to get more efficient in how they treat patients with heart attacks.

Previous practice guidelines have recommended that patients should get emergency angioplasty in less than 90 minutes after a heart attack. In 2006 and 2007, the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association launched campaigns to get cardiologists and hospitals to lower their door-to-balloon times to give the best care to heart attack patients.
Mike Valentine, a cardiologist at Centra hospital in Lynchburg, Va., said patients with heart attacks there get angioplasty in an average of 43 minutes. Several years ago, the door-to-balloon time was about 80 minutes.

"Our times are excellent, but we try to never be satisfied," Valentine said. "We're constantly trying to improve those times and get that care to our patients faster

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Food Allergies in Kids more common...



Childhood food allergies More Common Than Thought..Survey Shows 8% of Children Under Age 18 Are Allergic to at Least 1 Food.
The study, a detailed survey of families with at least one child younger than 18, shows that 8% of kids under age 18 are allergic to at least one food. Surveys for about 38, 000 children were completed.

Previous studies, including a government survey published in 2009, had pegged that number at around 4%.

Allergies to peanuts were the most commonly reported, affecting 2% of kids. Milk and shellfish allergies ranked second and third. Tree nuts, egg, fin fish, strawberry, wheat, and soy rounded out the top nine food triggers.

"This study shows that there's a very high, and higher than we thought, prevalence of food allergy in the U.S." says Susan Schuval, MD, pediatric allergist at Cohen Children's Medical Center in New Hyde Park, N.Y., who was not involved in the study.
Many food allergies in children are mild and fade over time. But in other cases, reactions to food can be dangerous and even deadly.

The new study offers one of the first estimates of these severe reactions in children, showing that 40% of kids with food allergies experience severe symptoms such as wheezing and anaphylaxis, which is characterized by difficulty breathing and a sudden drop in blood pressure.

Preparing Safe Meals and Snacks
Families with food allergies often have to change the way they eat and the way they shop for groceries."Finding safe options that children are willing to eat can be a challenge," says Marion Groetch, RD, a dietitian at the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "Families have to learn how to prepare safe meals and snacks from whole foods and also how to find allergen-free convenience items."

Reading product labels is also an important habit in attempting to avoid reactions to food allergies. The FDA requires that the 8 major dietary allergens (milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and crustacean shellfish) be fully disclosed on product and ingredient labels. But other minor ingredients may not appear on packaging so clearly. If you have questions about something your child might ingest or eat, you should call the manufacturer before you serve it to them.

"There's always a risk of hidden ingredients," says Bahna. "Labeling is not always complete, nor clear."

Preparing meals and snacks at home allows you to have greater control over the ingredients used in your child’s food. There are many cookbooks and web sites that can help you design an allergen-free diet for your child.

For special events, like birthday parties, Rhonda Lewis will call ahead of time to ask whether the cake is from a nut-free bakery. If not, she'll send an amazing dessert so her daughter "doesn't feel like she's missing something if she's eating something different."

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Healthcare Insurance Tips


Healthcare Insurance Tips To Help Save Your Money.....
Are you planning to get new health care insurance coverage for yourself? Well, this is simply a great idea because in the days of rising expenditure it becomes absolutely essential to cover up the cost of the medicines and to receive the maximum health benefits.

There are different kinds of insurance policies available under different kinds of plans. You must always try to compare and find out the one which you think is the most suitable option for you and can save your money to a great extent.

Tip 1: Check Out The Different Options Available
You might not be aware of the fact but this is true that there are plenty of options on the insurance of health care coming up every day. Therefore before purchasing any of them, you must know about the different options available to you. There are chances in this case that you would be able to save your money on the purchase of the insurance.

Tip 2:
Go For Lower Monthly Premiums
There are many insurance companies that can offer you the option of paying lower monthly premiums in lieu of paying more costs of out of pocket. These out of cost expenditure might include the co payments for the services, the yearly deductible and even the medicines that are prescribed. Therefore if you think that you are healthy now, you can of course think of giving more out of pocket expenses this would definitely help you to.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

A new research:The healthcare IT market of the US is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 24% during 2012 - 2014


Report from RNCOS:Healthcare IT Market Surging High in US

The US healthcare IT industry has been taking huge strides for the past few years. Currently, the US healthcare IT market is highly fragmented with local vendors, known for their legacy systems, retaining a strong position. As it is still at its development stage, various companies are making hefty investments in the country. Thus, the healthcare IT market of the country is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of over 24% during 2012 - 2014, says our new research report “US Healthcare IT Market Analysis”.

Our report provides extensive study of the US healthcare IT market and has included detail description of the factors driving the growth of the industry. Among several factors discussed in the report, consolidation of the industry has been identified as the critical factor for the surging revenue of the healthcare IT industry. It is also considered important due to the fact that, it helps in technology exchange and development of advanced and technologically innovative healthcare services. Further, mergers & acquisition activities in the healthcare IT space will continue to be strong in coming quarters. During 2008 and Q3 - 2009, 112 mergers & acquisitions related to the healthcare IT market were completed across the globe, major were from the US.

Our team of experts has segmented the healthcare IT market into IT hardware, IT software, and IT services. Besides, various components of the healthcare IT market, such as hospital IT market, m-health market, e-health market etc. have been covered in the report. Most importantly, detail statistics regarding all the segments and components has also included in our report.

“US Healthcare IT Market Analysis” also provides information of the key competitors in the market along with their business information and areas of expertise. It provides segment level analysis of the industry along with the emerging trends that may shape up with the betterment of economic conditions. The research will help consultants, industry analysts, and vendors to get an in-depth knowledge of the current, past, and future performance of the industry.

Monday, May 23, 2011

How your brain works, amazing connections between billions of neuron cells.

The Miracle in Human Brain

Supreme beans



Rancho Gordo's heirloom dried beans turn up on some of the swellest tables in the Bay Area, from Manresa to the French Laundry. With evocative names like 'Eye of the Goat' and 'Sangre de Toro' (bull's blood), these splotched and speckled beans have made Napa's Rancho Gordo, the distributor and online retailer, into a million-dollar business.

Now for the news flash: You can grow these beans at home. Many of Rancho Gordo's customers may not realize that they can buy a pound of 'Good Mother Stollard' beans, save a dozen and cook the rest. Planted in warm ground in late spring or early summer, the saved beans will sprout, grow like mad (remember Jack's bean stalk?) and produce a modest crop suitable for soup and for bragging rights in the neighborhood.

"In Napa, I've planted as late as July 1, and those plants caught up with the ones I planted in late April," says Steve Sando, Rancho Gordo founder and author of the new "Rancho Gordo Heirloom Bean Growing" Guide. "June is safe for everybody."

Planting heirloom bean seeds (see Resources) ensures that you can save some of your harvest as seed for the following year. Hybrids do not "come true," meaning that if you save their seeds for replanting, the next generation may not look like the parents. What's more, heirlooms provide the satisfaction of knowing you are perpetuating beans with long histories and often deep cultural significance but little commercial utility. Heirlooms may not produce the yield or have the disease resistance that commercial growers require, but they endure in communities because of their superior taste.

And Sando insists that growing heirlooms successfully takes no special soil, skill or attentiveness.



"You can almost just stick the seed in unprepared ground and prepare to be amazed," says the merchant, who grew some of his own supply initially but now contracts with growers in the United States and Mexico for his inventory.

But you will need sun, so choose a site that gets six to eight hours of sunlight a day. Beans prefer a very slightly acidic soil (pH of 6.0 to 6.8); an inexpensive soil-testing kit from a nursery or hardware store can give you a reasonably accurate pH reading. If your soil is too acidic, dig in some dolomitic lime. If too alkaline, add some compost or composted manure. Avoid adding too much nitrogen, however, or your plants will produce mostly leaves and not much crop.

Some heirloom beans are bush types that don't require support; others are tall-growing pole beans that want to clamber up a trellis, tepee or fence. Sando says that his Mexican growers never use supports, even for pole beans, and that his own trials showed no advantage to trellising pole types. If you have enough room, says Sando, you can simply let them sprawl. If your garden space is more limited, or if you would rather it look a little more as if Martha Stewart lived there, provide some support (see "How to make a trellis").

Beans germinate slowly, if at all, in cold ground, so wait until the soil temperature warms to at least 60 degrees. A soil temperature of 80 degrees is even better for germination. Plant the seeds about an inch deep and 4 to 6 inches apart. Provide moderate water - about an inch a week, depending on weather - and watch for bean beetles. Hand-pick any you see. Floating row covers can provide some protection for bush beans.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

lifestyle behaviors can keep improve heart health


Heart disease and stroke, the number one and three causes of death of Americans..
Seven lifestyle behaviors for healthy heart...

The American Heart Association calls these “Life’s Simple Seven.” Improvements in these seven areas can greatly impact quality of life and life span. Life’s Simple Seven recommends that people:

1. Stop smoking
2. Get active
3. Lose weight
4. Eat better
5. Manage blood pressure
6. Control cholesterol
7. Reduce blood sugar


Regular exercise, especially aerobic exercise, has many benefits. It can:

.Strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system.
.Improve your circulation and help your body use oxygen better.
.Improve your heart failure symptoms.
.Increase energy levels so you can do more activities without becoming tired or short of breath.
.Increase endurance.
.Lower blood pressure.
.Improve muscle tone and strength.
.Improve balance and joint flexibility.
.Strengthen bones.
.Help reduce body fat and help you reach a healthy weight.
.Help reduce stress, tension, anxiety, and depression.
.Boost self-image and self-esteem.
.Improve sleep.
.Make you feel more relaxed and rested.
.Make you look fit and feel healthy.


My Life Check is an accurate, personal assessment in the seven areas. After entering your information, the personal heart score will suggest simple steps to improve your heart health and quality of life. It will provide specific action plans that designed to help change behaviors and realize individual health goals.

These measures have one unique thing in common: any person can make these changes, the steps are not expensive to take and even modest improvements will make a big difference.

It’s never too late to make better choices for health. It’s better to stop heart disease before it even starts. The AHA recommends starting with small, simple changes and goals. The idea is to eventually stop making poor lifestyle choices.

Research shows those who can reach cardiovascular wellness goals by age 50 can expect to live another 40 years free from heart disease and stroke.

How Often Should I Exercise?

In general, to achieve maximum benefits, you should gradually work up to an aerobic session lasting 20 to 30 minutes, at least three to four times a week. Exercising every day or every other day will help you keep a regular aerobic exercise schedule.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Obesity in the U.S.


Obesity in the U.S....

Fine Food and Fat: Are Chefs to Blame for Obesity.

Obesity — or fatness, as it used to be called — is the touchiest of topics. From Michelle Obama to Anthony Bourdain, when you talk about America's weight, you talk at your own risk. And a lot of chefs, restaurant chains and food manufacturers face the same quandary. Our feelings are mixed-up at best. Fatness is a thing to be loathed and a condition to be accepted; a medical contagion but also a lifestyle choice; a condition defined by body mass index, or self-esteem, or coercive fashion magazine editrixes, depending on your point of view. At the very least, it is the specter and shadow of eating in the U.S., and as complicated as the great, conflicted, hungry nation that is its natural habitat.

The facts of obesity are well known to everyone. By some estimates, roughly two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese, and over 25% of American children are. There is a corresponding epidemic of heart disease, diabetes and various other life-threatening ailments to go with all this weight gain, to the point that obesity has been called the No. 1 health problem in the U.S. by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the National Institutes of Health.



For Bourdain, having made the transition from chef to food personality, obesity has risen to the level of a public-health problem — or so he said on Nightline last week. "I think that if you're at the point that you need help getting out of the car, if you're raising kids that are morbidly obese by the time they're 5 or 6, or if you're clogging an exit, now it's not a lifestyle choice: it's a problem that others will have to deal with." In fact, the svelte former chef was much less guarded in 2008 with Ted Nugent, a noted fatty basher: "If you're leaking over into my seat on a plane that I paid full price for, you're paying half my seat, jumbo."

Bourdain speaks plainly what a lot of people in the food business think themselves. At the same time, we've seen culinary trends that aren't exactly a formula for manufacturing Audrey Hepburns: the past few years have seen a major embrace of animal fats, offal, bacon and the like. That's part of the energy of the all-potent marketplace, in which better-tasting, more explosively delicious food crowds out its more pallid rivals in a Darwinian race to the bottom of your large intestine. Any number of food personalities have tried over and over to combat obesity via low-calorie cooking — from Rachael Ray to Rocco DiSpirito to Rozanne Gold to Jamie Oliver and innumerable others. Some have even tried to teach kids to eat well, which is invariably an uphill battle. I've written before about Oliver's monumental failure to get children to not like processed chicken nuggets on Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. If the most likable man in food can't gross out kids with blendered bones, what hope does anyone have of getting them to eat healthily?

Saturday, May 14, 2011

U.S. tosses immigrant visas lottery results after computer glitch


The State Department apologized for a computer glitch that invalidated results for thousands who thought they were chosen in the most recent green card visa lottery.

Millions of people worldwide apply for the 50,000 permanent resident visas issued a year to relocate to the U.S.

A computer randomly picks would-be immigrants who then undergo interviews, background checks and medical exams before visas can be issued.

"Due to a computer programming problem, the results of the 2012 diversity lottery that were previously posted on this website have been voided," the State Department said in a statement Friday. "We regret any inconvenience this might have caused."

The results of lottery were not valid, and the drawing will be redone.

"They did not represent a fair random selection of the entrants, which is required by U.S. law," said David Donahue, a deputy assistant for the State Department.


US Apologizes for Visa Lottery Error..


The State Department is apologizing for a computer error that led thousands of people to believe they had been selected as finalists in a U.S. immigrant visa lottery. The selection process, involving nearly 15 million visa applicants, will be re-run.

The State Department is making a rare public apology for an embarrassing computer error that has prompted it to re-do its 2012 diversity immigrant visa lottery.

The diversity visa lottery was established by the Congress in 1994 to increase the number of immigrants coming to the country from developing states and other countries with traditionally low rates of immigration to the United States.

Nearly 15 million people, representing about 20 million with family members included, registered late last year for the 2012 computerized lottery under which 50,000 visa winners were to be selected.

State Department officials say the error caused 90 percent of the people selected as visa finalists to have been drawn from applications received on the first two days of the month-long entry process that began last October.

When the error was discovered in recent days, officials decided that the selection was neither random nor fair and would have to be done again.

But they estimate that in the meantime more than 20,000 applicants had been informed erroneously that they had been chosen to move ahead in the process.

In a message posted Friday on the State Department's visa website, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Donahue explained and apologized.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Brain chemical memory link found

Memory maker

Scientists believe that periods of sleep called short-wave sleep are important for the consolidation of "memories" acquired during the day.

Just before going to bed, some of the volunteers were given a drug designed to increase levels of acetylcholine, which is a chemical neurotransmitter found in the brain and central nervous system.

The others were left with normal levels of acetylcholine.

In the middle of the night, they were re-tested on a list of words they had been asked to memorise the previous day.

Those with high acetylcholine levels did worse than those who had not been given the drug.

Researchers from a German University found that volunteers with boosted levels of acetylcholine performed less well in night-time memory tests.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is intriguing for experts interested in Alzheimer's disease.

A lack of the chemical is currently thought to play a role in the illness.

The small study at the University of Lubeck focuses on healthy young men - rather than older subjects or Alzheimer's patients.

The researchers wanted to test the relationship between levels of the brain chemical to their ability to lay down new memories during the night.

Alzheimer's question

While the aim of the study was primarily to test the mechanisms of memory storage, the authors said it might suggest ways of improving the treatment of some Alzheimer's patients.

Many take drugs that boost acetylcholine levels before going to bed because they will then sleep through any unpleasant side-effects.

However, the researchers wrote: "The finding implies that the administration of cholinesterase inhibitors before sleep in Alzheimer's patients should be reconsidered."

India brings luxury lifestyle title Robb


India brings luxury lifestyle title Robb; The new emerging destination of luxury .

India has witnessed the launch of its very own edition of Robb Report. The premiere issue of Robb Report India reached the country’s most affluent readers on 5th May, 2011. CurtCo Media, the publishers of Robb Report across China, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, Spain, and Middle East has partnered with India Today Group to present the international luxury lifestyle in India.


Aimed at the country’s most wealthy individuals, India’s richest connoisseurs, gourmands, thrill seekers and treasure hunters can now turn to the pages of Robb Report India to discover how to spend their money on the finer things in life. From art, watches, yachts, private jets, wine, haute cuisine, travel, style and sport, Robb Report India will define elegance and distinction for India’s discerning luxury consumers.Robb Report India will focus on luxury goods and services offered both internationally and in India. It will be a guide to the best-in-class the world has to offer including some of the finest experiences and must-haves from the Indian subcontinent.


The 8th international edition, Robb Report India will match the exacting standards set by its cousins around the world.


“India is fast becoming a hub of luxury, with its growing clan of über-rich billionaires and booming businesses. For connoisseurs seeking the very best that life has to offer, Robb Report remains the essential luxury resource. We are therefore pleased to add Robb Report to our stable of market-leading brands, and to growing our relationship with the wealthiest homes in India.” said India Today Group Chairman & Editor-in-Chief, Aroon Purie.


Robb Report India will publish 12 issues every year and will be available only by invitation to a restricted list of readers. With an initial print run of 35,000 copies, the magazine will reach out to high net worth individuals and connoisseurs across India. The inaugural issue will showcase the products and services available from the most prestigious luxury brands around the globe, and will also provide its sophisticated readership with detailed insight into a range of these subjects, which include antique and luxury automobiles, yachts, real estate, destinations, exquisite real estate, private aircraft, fashion, fine jewellery and watches, art, wine, state-of-the-art home décor and much more.


Govind Dhar has been appointed as the Executive Editor of Robb Report India. Govind has extensive experience in the field of lifestyle luxury journalism and has lent his expertise to some of the most respected media houses and publications.

The Minister of Health, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, has emphasized the need for Ghanaians to live a healthy lifestyle

The Minister of Health, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, has emphasized the need for Ghanaians to live a healthy lifestyle ..
The Minister of Health, Joseph Yieleh Chireh, has emphasized the need for Ghanaians to live a healthy lifestyle in order to ensure universal healthcare in the country.

He said the country could achieve universal health service delivery and prevent deaths caused by preventable diseases such as cholera, malaria and diarrhea if Ghanaians lived a healthy life.

The minister made this call during the opening ceremony of a three-day national wellness and healthcare conference and exhibition held in Accra.

Speaking on the theme for the occasion, 'A Healthy Productive People Create a National Legacy of wealth', the minister noted that health service personnel would be more effective if they did not have to treat preventable and contagious diseases like cholera, malaria and diarrhea.

He said deaths which resulted from contagious diseases could be prevented if people lived a healthy lifestyle and ensured that their environment was clean.

'No matter the health facility, people will die if we do not take care of our bodies and environment,' he stated.

He said his ministry had been given the mandate to ensure that universal health care was made possible to everyone, hence a series of activities initiated by the ministry to achieve that aim.

'This we are doing by providing financial access to health services as well as training more health personnel to ensure they are skilled and available to everyone at all times,' he noted.

He further called on Ghanaians to take their life seriously by eating healthy foods and exercising as well as keeping their surroundings clean.


Rev. Sam Korankye Ankrah, Chairman of the planning committee of the conference and exhibition, in his address, said solving the problem of quality healthcare delivery should be looked at wholly, as healthcare institutions alone could not solve the problem.

He said the conference was aimed at bringing other sectors together to deliberate on the issue of how to provide quality healthcare delivery to citizens in the country.

'As money is invested into education, job creation, environment, and building of infrastructure, we must also look at how much is needed for the provision of quality health care in the country so that sicknesses such as cholera and malaria can be eradicated from our communities,' he said.

Rev. Korankye Ankrah also expressed the need for the private sector and other government departments to collaborate in order to ensure that quality healthcare was provided.

'This is the reason we have all this personalities from the private sector to discuss the strategies we can take to ensure quality health delivery,' he said.

He observed that healthcare extended from homes to schools, offices, streets, gutters and to the hospital, inviting everyone to get involved in ensuring that communities are sanitary.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Can you tailor a credit card to fit your lifestyle and keep you out of debt?


Can you tailor a credit card to fit your lifestyle and keep you out of debt?
Can a credit card fit your lifestyle?

If you're looking for the perfect credit card, don't just focus on the interest rate. It's the perks that make the difference.

Here are some tips from the experts on the perfect card for you depending on your stage of life.

First off, when it comes to credit cards for college students or recents grads they need to realize that they should only charge what they know they can pay off the next month or over the next few billing cycles.

The Sony Card from Capital One is a good one. It's starts off with the low introductory rate of 0% APR for the first 10 months, and it's rich in rewards points especially for tech products and items that'll go into that first apartment.

Another great card for the 20 and 30 somethings who love to socialize is the Citi Forward card. For those who go to bookstores, restaurants, bar, theatres, you get a lot of rewards points for all of that socializing.Five points per dollar spent. And you get extra rewards for getting your statements online and going paperless.

When it comes to credit cards for parents a great one is the American Express 529 College Rewards card because you need to thinkin about savings for your child's education. Two percent of your purchases are put aside into an account with Fidelity Investments and that goes into your child's college fund.

Finally if you have bad credit because of bankruptcy or divorce the Orchard Bank Classic Mastercard is great for starting over. It's not a traditional credit card. It's a secured card. You put up a certain amount of money, like $200, and that becomes your credit limit. It helps you to rebuild your credit rating, and it reports to the credit bureaus for you so when you make your payments on time it boosts your credit rating.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Salad with Tomato, Onion and Corriander

Salad with Tomato, Onion and Corriander ..

Simply delicious ingredients come together in this simple tomato salad
Ingredients
3 ripe Tomatoes sliced
1 finely sliced white salad onion
2 tablespoons coriander leaves
2 tablespoons Lime juice
½ teaspoon sea salt
Measurement Conversion Calculator.

*Method
Arrange tomatoes on a serving plate and top with onion and coriander.
Drizzle over lime juice and sprinkle with sea salt to serve.
Recipe by Bill Granger from bill's food

Saturday, May 7, 2011

The San Francisco Chronicle Launches New Style Section

The San Francisco Chronicle Launches New Style Section :2011

The San Francisco Chronicle will debut a new weekly style section, SFiS Style, this Sunday, May 8. The new glossy section will feature high-end fashion, home design, lifestyle stories and profiles of well-known Bay Area personalities.

Through quality photography and writing, the 12-page section will bring together the latest in Bay Area fashion, beauty, lifestyle trends, cutting-edge design, social events, weddings and new and notable store openings. Along with a pick for "hot spot" of the week, insiders will offer tips on their favorite places to shop, eat or find serenity in the Bay Area.

"The new SFiS Style section has the look and feel of a magazine - printed on glossy paper with dazzling color reproduction that enhances content unique to San Francisco," said Ward Bushee, executive vice president and editor of The Chronicle. "It is a one-of-a-kind section among Sunday newspapers around the country."

About the San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com
The six-time Pulitzer Prize-winning San Francisco Chronicle is the Bay Area's leading news and information source and has been connecting the region with its award-winning journalism since its founding in 1865. Combined with its online home, SFGate.com, the San Francisco Chronicle reaches 1.8 million Bay Area adults each week.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

“Family Fashion Fling Fair” to Warri – 1st of May 2011


The first edition of the Brad E’s fashion and lifestyle event...
The Brad E 4Fs is a fashion and lifestyle event geared towards the fashion and beauty needs of very vibrant and stylish family. This event will feature an interesting mix of everyday essentials from fashion and beauty to travel and household essentials, interior decor to photography and food of course! All for your shopping pleasure.

The Family Fashion Fling Fair will create a conducive and classy environment for networking and fun shopping for the whole family. Various indigenous designers will be showcased at the event including Akpos Okudu, Outspoken by Olujimi, Warri based VWD and Makarizo. There will also be beauty items and free makeover from Oma Makeover and Dolface Studio. Beautiful clothes, shoes, bags and accessories from Jays Gorgeous, Outfittas and Twice as Nice. Homafez will be catering to your interior decor needs There will be loads to eat from Da Range, desserts and cakes from Wedding World, Cupcakes and Pastries by Rufes.

Other exhibitors include Goody2Shoes from Port Harcourt, Naija Sistas Book Stop from Lagos, Canvas Print, Exclusive Daviva!, Schuh, Ify from Port Harcourt, Gubeez Photography, Children’s World & Motherhood Stores, Flomat Bookstore, Pixque and many more.

In the spirit of being socially conscious, Family Fashion Fling Fair has partnered with the Pink Pearl Foundation to help raise breast and cervical cancer awareness. There will be information available on breast and cervical cancer screening at the event.
The Family Fashion Fling Fair take place on the 1st of May 2011 at The Moms Civic Center, Airport Road Warri. From 12pm to 7pm. There are limited spaces available for prospective vendors.
Call 08168480564 or 08098336346 for additional information or any enquiries.

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Family Fashion Fling Fair
Date: Sunday 1st May 2011
Time: 12Noon to 7PM

Venue: The Moms Civic Center, Airport Road, Warri

Genetic testing of kids popular with parents


Genetic Testing for Kids......

Genetic tests are tests on blood and other tissue to find genetic disorders. About 900 such tests are available. Doctors use genetic tests for several reasons. These include

•Finding possible genetic diseases in unborn babies
•Finding out if people carry a gene for a disease and might pass it on to their children
•Screening embryos for disease
•Testing for genetic diseases in adults before they cause symptoms
•Confirming a diagnosis in a person who has disease symptoms
People have many different reasons for being tested or not being tested. For many, it is important to know whether a disease can be prevented or treated if a gene alteration is found. In some cases, there is no treatment. But test results might help a person make life decisions, such as career choice, family planning or insurance coverage. A genetic counselor can provide information about the pros and cons of testing.

Parents believe the benefits of testing their children for the genetic risk of some diseases outweigh the negative consequences, according to US scientists.
parents considering personal genetic testing to predict their own risks for common conditions are also likely to have their children tested, a new study suggests.
"
The more a parent believes they're going to get good news, the more likely they'll want their kids to be tested," said senior study author Colleen McBride, chief of the social and behavioral research branch of the National Human Genome Research Institute, in Washington, D.C. "But that can backfire. Most of them are not going to get a clear, straight-A report card."

In fact, because the tests measure incremental risks and the diseases screened are so common, a majority of parents would learn their children are at risk for developing potentially serious conditions, McBride said.

Hoping to explore the controversial topic of direct-to-consumer genetic testing -- whose accuracy and benefits are still in question -- researchers evaluated responses from 219 parents enrolled in a large health plan. Participants were offered genetic tests to assess their susceptibility to eight adult-onset diseases, including colon, skin and lung cancer; heart disease; osteoporosis; high blood pressure; high cholesterol; and type 2 diabetes.

Parents were more likely to want their child tested if they believed the child was at risk for a condition, were interested in genes' effects on health, or anticipated relief from learning their children were at decreased risk of disease, researchers said. Mothers were more likely to favor testing than fathers.

The study, part of a larger effort by the National Human Genome Research Institute, is published online April 18 in advance of the May print issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Study participants, whose average age was 35, were asked by telephone about their beliefs about the risks and benefits of predictive gene testing for their children, although no children were actually tested in this research.

The parents most interested in the test for themselves made little distinction between the pros and cons of testing for themselves and their children, the study authors reported, generally favoring the information and believing it could lead to better health maintenance and disease prevention.

Organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics have advised against genetic testing of children for adult-onset diseases when the information has not been shown to reduce deaths or disease complications through interventions begun in childhood.

"The big concern out there is these kids are going to show up at the pediatrician and say, 'Hey doc, what do I do?'" McBride said. "Parents see more perceived benefits than may be true."

Dr. Robert Saul, senior clinical geneticist and training program director at the Greenwood Genetic Center in South Carolina, said one worry is that a family might negatively change its lifestyle -- perhaps exercising less -- if they find out their child is likely not at risk for a certain condition, such as high blood pressure.

"The assumption is the tests are conclusive . . . and nothing could be further from the truth," said Saul, also incoming chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on Genetics. "I thought it was an important study because it shows that we -- the medical genetics and pediatric communities -- have a lot of work ahead of us to impart information to parents to make sure genetic tests will be used appropriately and judiciously."

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Chicago public school bans kids bringing lunch, from home....

One Chicago school has banned lunches brought from home, the Chicago Tribune reports. Administrators at Little Village Academy, a public school, say the policy is all in the name of good health. Principal Elsa Carmona told the Tribune she created the policy after watching students bring "bottles of soda and flaming hot chips" for their lunch.

"It's about the nutrition and the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke,” Carmona said.

Some kids and parents at the school beg to differ about the food quality, saying it doesn't taste good, and the Tribune reported that dozens of kids threw food in the garbage, uneaten. We don't know what's on the menu at Little Village, but these photos of "an enchilada dish" are less than appealing. And really, when is the last time you sampled delicious fare in a school cafeteria? (I am forever haunted by the glue-like yellowish thing my elementary school called lemon pudding.)

Recipes aside, the policy leaves a bad taste in the mouth for plenty of other reasons.

Unless a student has a medical excuse to bring food from home, the only option other than eating cafeteria food is to eat nothing. (Think those kids will ace a quiz on an empty stomach?) And does something like glucose intolerance merit a medical excuse? What about vegetarianism?

Cost is another matter. What if parents don't want to spend money on school lunch because they can send less expensive food from home?
Little Village Academy has good intentions of nutritional tough love. But have they gone too far?

What do you think? Should schools be able to ban homemade lunches?

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Passport Day canceled in the US


The United States Postal Service will not be permitted to accept passport applications. According to information recently released by The Department of State-Passport Services. ...
A possible shutdown of the federal government has already created a casualty: Passport Day in the USA. The event scheduled for Saturday at passport offices across the country, including South Norwalk, has been canceled.
The U.S. State Department issued the following statement: "Because of a possible government shutdown, the Department of State must cancel 'Passport Day in the USA,' which had been scheduled for Saturday, April 9, 2011. During this annual event, passport agencies and participating passport acceptance facilities nationwide open their doors for U.S. citizens to receive passport services without an appointment. We regret that we cannot offer this service as planned."
Jamiss Sebert, director of the Norwalk office, said, "I'm sure it will be rescheduled once the budget problem is worked out. I would guess sometime in May." For further updates on the status of Passport Day and other passport issues, check the State Department website.


source: google us event news.

Best of both world:hannah montana


Best of both world:hannah montana

Oh yea
Come on

You get the limo out front oh
Hottest styles, every shoe, every color

Yea when your famous it can be kinda fun
It's really you but no one ever discovers

In some ways you're just like all your friends
But on stage you're a star

You get the best of both worlds
Chillin' out, take it slow
Then you rock out the show

You get the best of both worlds
Mix it all together and you know that
It's the best of both worlds
The best of both worlds

You go the movie premiers
(Is that Orlando Bloom?)
Hear your songs on the radio
Livin' two lives is a little weird
But school's cool cuz nobody knows

Yea you get to be a small town girl
But big time when you play your guitar

You get the best of both worlds
Chillin' out take it slow
Then you rock out the show

You get the best of both worlds
Mix it all together and you know that
It's the best of both
You know the best of both worlds

Pictures and autographs
You get your face in all the magazines
The best part's that
You get to be who ever you wanna be

Yea best of both
You get the best of both
Come on, best of both

Who would of thought that a girl like me
double as a superstar?

You get the best of both worlds
Chillin' out, take it slow
Then you rock out the show

You get the best of both worlds
Mix it all together and you know that
It's the best

You get the best of both worlds
Without the shades and the hair
You can go anywhere

You get the best of both girls
Mix it all together
Oh yea
It's so much better cuz you know
You've got the best of both worlds