Radical increase in Swine Flu deaths

The Americas have seen the sharpest rise in swine flu deaths

Swine Flu does not seem to spare anybody. Not even the famous political leaders in India. The latest VIP to be diagnosed as suffering from Swine Flue is the Chief Minister of Gujarat Mr Narendra Modi. As I wish him a speedy recovery, here is the latest update on swine flu...

The number of swine flu deaths reported worldwide has jumped by more than 700 in a week, latest World Health Organization figures reveal.

More than 5,700 swine flu deaths were reported by 25 October, compared to nearly 5,000 the week before.

The biggest rise was in the Americas where 4,175 deaths have been reported, up 636 from the week before.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has shut all schools and banned public meetings for three weeks after its first swine flu death.

Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko said the measures were to prevent the spread of the H1N1 virus.

Mrs Tymoshenko said there would also be restrictions on what she called non-urgent travel between different parts of Ukraine.

Cases 'unreported'

The latest WHO figures showed there had been 440,000 confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus worldwide.

But the organisation said that as many countries have stopped counting individual cases, the actual number is likely to be significantly higher.

The BBC's Imogen Foulkes says the WHO has warned for months that as winter sets in, the northern hemisphere can expect swine flu cases to rise. Now that appears to be happening.

The virus emerged in Mexico in April and was declared a global flu pandemic on 11 June.

"In the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, influenza transmission continues to intensify, marking an unusually early start to winter influenza season in some countries," said the WHO's latest update.

Statistics showed fatal cases in Europe climbed to at least 281, while those in Asia-Pacific rose to 1,070.

In a separate statement, the WHO said that experts meeting this week had concluded that a single dose of swine flu vaccine was sufficient to immunise adults and children over 10.

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (Sage) said that countries that had made vaccinating children a priority could administer them a single dose to ensure that as many as possible are immunised quickly.

It said that while more data on children between six months and 10 years was needed "the priority should be to give them at least one dose of vaccine now, and to cover as many of them as possible".

Loosing weight-the easy way!

This is an interesting article on "weight loss" that I read recently. I am sharing this article on my Blog for the kind information of my friends who are interested in loosing weight... the easy way!

Daily consumption of vegetable juice may not just help increase vegetable consumption, but also improve the effectiveness of weight loss strategies, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of California-Davis and presented at the Experimental Biology Conference in New Orleans. The study was funded in part by the Campbell Soup Company.

The researchers conducted the study on 81 adults with metabolic syndrome, three-quarters of them women. Metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of symptoms -- central obesity, high blood levels of trigylcerides and fasting glucose, high blood pressure, and low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol -- that significantly raise a person's risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. All the participants were advised to follow an American Heart Association-recommended diet high in fiber, fruit, vegetables, minerals and low-fat diary, and low in salt and saturated fat. They were also told to drink 0, 1 or 2 cups of low-sodium, high-potassium V8-brand vegetable juice daily.

After 12 weeks, participants who drank either one or two cups of vegetable juice per day lost an average of four pounds, while those who drank no vegetable juice lost only one pound. The researchers also found that people in the vegetable juice groups had significantly higher vitamin C and potassium intake, and a significantly lower intake of carbohydrates.

Drinking vegetable juice also made people significantly more likely to reach the recommended intake of five fruits and vegetables per day. Among those not drinking vegetable juice, less than 25 percent reached the daily fruit and vegetable goal, in contrast with more than 50 percent of those in the one-cup-per-day group and 100 percent of those in the two-cups-per-day group.

"What we found in this study is that drinking vegetable juice seemed to address some of the key barriers to vegetable consumption such as convenience, portability and taste, so individuals were more likely to meet their daily recommendations," researcher Carl Keen said. "Furthermore, vegetable juice drinkers reported that they actually enjoyed drinking their vegetables, which is critical to adopting dietary practices for the long-term."

Recipe for a "Miracle"

In this Blog I am forwarding a very beautiful and relevant email I received this morning. It is about allowing 'miracles' to happen in our lives. And having experienced many miracles in my own life, I am 100% convinced, that miracles do happen. We only got to let them happen.


And here is the Recipe I received this morning from a friend...


Important Ingredients:

1 cup Tension
2 cups Stress
1 ½ teaspoons of Guilt
2 heaping cups of Limited Time
3/4 tablespoon of Urgency
A dash of "No Other Choice"
3 heaping cups of Faith

Fold ingredients gently into a bowl. Mix vigorously and add a few tears. You'll sweat a little as you knead the dough. Pack it firmly between your hopes and dreams and form into a perfect little
ball. Sprinkle it with a little faith (I recommend Hebrews 11), rolling the ball in the flour until fully covered.

Place it under a veil of belief and allow it to rise.

Put it in an oven that has been pre-set at the perfect temperature for the heat of trials and tribulations.

Allow it to brown under the warmth of God's love. Remove after due season and allow to cool in the confidence of His promise.

Garnish with your praises. Arrange neatly on a platter of thankfulness and serve to friends, families
and, oh yes, strangers . . . invite them too!

"Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him".

Pass on the recipe to all who request it and let them know that with this recipe, they have the makings of a "miracle"!

Are 'white wines' bad for your teeth?

This is an interesting article I read this morning. As I have a lot of my friends who enjoy 'white wines', I thought it would be good if I share this write-up with them. Enjoy!

Wines vary in acidity, but whites tend to be worse Enjoying a glass of white wine on a frequent basis can damage the teeth, something many wine makers and tasters will know first-hand, experts say. Pale plonk packs an acidic punch that erodes enamel far more than red wine, Nutrition Research reports. It is not the wine's vintage, origin or alcohol that are key but its pH and duration of contact with the teeth. Eating cheese at the same time could counter the effects, because it is rich in calcium, the German authors say. It is the calcium in teeth that the wine attacks.  If you're going to have a glass of wine do so with your meal and leave a break of at least 30 minutes afterwards before you brush your teeth and go to bed  Professor Damien Walmsley of the British Dental Association In the lab, adult teeth soaked in white wine for a day had a loss of both calcium and another mineral called phosphorus to depths of up to 60 micrometers in the enamel surface, which the researchers say is significant. Riesling wines tended to have the greatest impact, having the lowest pH. A "kinder" tooth choice would be a rich red like a Rioja or a Pinot noir, the Johannes Gutenberg University team found. Power of saliva Even if people brush their teeth after a night of drinking, over the years repeated exposure could take its toll, say Brita Willershausen and her colleagues. Indeed, excessive brushing might make matters worse and lead to further loss of enamel. But they said: "The tradition of enjoying different cheeses for dessert, or in combination with drinking wine, might have a beneficial effect on preventing dental erosion since cheeses contain calcium in a high concentration." This helps neutralise and boost the remineralising power of saliva to halt the acid attack. But eating strawberries while supping on your vino or mixing sparkling whites with acid fruit juice to make a bucks fizz may spell trouble because this only adds to the acid attack. Professor Damien Walmsley, of the British Dental Association, said: "The ability of acidic foods and drinks to erode tooth enamel is well understood, and white wine is recognised as being more erosive than red. "But it's the way you consume it that's all important. If you're going to have a glass of wine do so with your meal and leave a break of at least 30 minutes afterwards before you brush your teeth and go to bed. "Consuming wine alongside food, rather than on its own, means the saliva you produce as you chew helps to neutralise its acidity and limits its erosive potential. "And leaving time before brushing teeth gives the enamel a chance to recover from the acid attack and makes it less susceptible to being brushed away."

White wines 'bad for the teeth'

Wines vary in acidity, but whites tend to be worse Enjoying a glass of white wine on a frequent basis can damage the teeth, something many wine makers and tasters will know first-hand, experts say. Pale plonk packs an acidic punch that erodes enamel far more than red wine, Nutrition Research reports. It is not the wine's vintage, origin or alcohol that are key but its pH and duration of contact with the teeth. Eating cheese at the same time could counter the effects, because it is rich in calcium, the German authors say. It is the calcium in teeth that the wine attacks.  If you're going to have a glass of wine do so with your meal and leave a break of at least 30 minutes afterwards before you brush your teeth and go to bed  Professor Damien Walmsley of the British Dental Association In the lab, adult teeth soaked in white wine for a day had a loss of both calcium and another mineral called phosphorus to depths of up to 60 micrometers in the enamel surface, which the researchers say is significant. Riesling wines tended to have the greatest impact, having the lowest pH. A "kinder" tooth choice would be a rich red like a Rioja or a Pinot noir, the Johannes Gutenberg University team found. Power of saliva Even if people brush their teeth after a night of drinking, over the years repeated exposure could take its toll, say Brita Willershausen and her colleagues. Indeed, excessive brushing might make matters worse and lead to further loss of enamel. But they said: "The tradition of enjoying different cheeses for dessert, or in combination with drinking wine, might have a beneficial effect on preventing dental erosion since cheeses contain calcium in a high concentration." This helps neutralise and boost the remineralising power of saliva to halt the acid attack. But eating strawberries while supping on your vino or mixing sparkling whites with acid fruit juice to make a bucks fizz may spell trouble because this only adds to the acid attack. Professor Damien Walmsley, of the British Dental Association, said: "The ability of acidic foods and drinks to erode tooth enamel is well understood, and white wine is recognised as being more erosive than red. "But it's the way you consume it that's all important. If you're going to have a glass of wine do so with your meal and leave a break of at least 30 minutes afterwards before you brush your teeth and go to bed. "Consuming wine alongside food, rather than on its own, means the saliva you produce as you chew helps to neutralise its acidity and limits its erosive potential. "And leaving time before brushing teeth gives the enamel a chance to recover from the acid attack and makes it less susceptible to being brushed away."

How to prevent 'back pain'?

Dr Marcus, who is the director of muscle pain research at the New York University School of Medicine said on "The Early Show," that people seek medical advice for back pain most than for anything else.

Also, the National Institutes of Health revealed that four out of five Americans would suffer from disabling back pain during their lifetime, reports CBS News.

However, Marcus offered tips to prevent back pain:

1. Your bed does matter- The physician advised tossing and turning at night and getting rid of sagging mattress if you have one.

2. What you do in bed matters- Reading or watching television while lying down is best avoided as when you lift your head to view the screen your muscles may contract causing pain in the neck.

3. Don''t just sit there- Apparently, staying in a particular position for too long stresses the postural muscles in your body. Hence, one should frequently change positions.

4. Cross your legs- The doctor advised alternately crossing a leg if you are sitting for long hours in a particular place, like while in a theatre, as it helps move back and hip muscles.

5. Around the house: Regularly used household items should be preferably kept on easily accessible shelves, as it can help avoid bending and stretching movements.

6. Watch where you put your wallet: Marcus advised men to completely stop sitting with wallet in the back pocket as it can result chronic pain.

7. Just say no- Lifting heavy weights should be avoided. Marcus added: "Ask for help, wait for help, hire help -- or walk away."

8. When you do have to lift a heavy object, bend with your knees and hips -
While lifting heavy objects it should be brought close to the body, such that leg muscles bear maximum pressure.

9. Shoveling snow: A short walk to warm up before beginning to shovel may be a good idea. Also, a smaller blade can help limit each load¸ as snow is pretty heavy.

10. For women only: Women should try to lose weight after pregnancy and strengthen key postural and abdominal muscles, as it is weakened and stretched.

Apart from all the above advice, Marcus also suggested not putting computer keyboards on top of the desk in office to be handy for office employees.

He said: "To avoid neck, shoulder and back muscle strain, your arms should be positioned so that you reach down to use the keyboard, which is the reason keyboard trays can be found under desktops."

Do it anyway!

This is a beautiful Poem I read many years ago. I am sure you will enjoy reading it.

The Paradoxical Commandments
by Kent Keith, 1968

People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may just never be enough;
Give the world the best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it's all between you and God;
It was never between you and them anyway.

Cure for Migraine headache?

Surgery to remove so-called trigger points for migraines can lead to dramatic improvements in patients' health, researchers from University Hospitals in Cleveland reported today at a Seattle meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Although surgery may seem like a drastic solution for what some people consider simple headaches, migraines are a major, debilitating problem for those who suffer them. They can produce severe pain and sensitivity to light and noise, sometimes restricting a patient to bed for a day or longer and dramatically interfering with their ability to function normally. Migraines can sometimes be prevented or mitigated with prophylactic drugs, and a relatively new family of drugs called triptans can reverse symptoms for many people. Surgery could be a last resort for those who can't find relief through other treatments.

Dr. Bahman Guyuron, chairman of plastic surgery at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and his colleagues performed surgery on 79 migraine sufferers, who were then followed for at least five years. Ten of the patients required additional surgeries and were removed from the analysis. Sixty-one of the remaining 69 patients maintained their positive response to the procedure for the full five years. Twenty patients reported elimination of the migraines entirely, 41 reported a significant decrease in symptoms and frequency, and  eight experienced less than a 50% improvement.

For patients with frontal migraines, Guyuron removes the corrugator supercilii (frowning) muscle group in the forehead, which is thought to compress nerves and produce inflammation. For temple migraines, he removes a small branch of the trigeminal nerve. For headaches that are located behind the eye and triggered by weather changes, he works on the nose septum and surrounding structures. Guyuron said he had performed more than 1,000 procedures on more than 450 patients total.

New way to 'stop' premature birth

Premature birth rates are rising in the UK A drug used to treat cancer can stop contractions and may prevent premature labour, researchers say. The Newcastle University team tested the drug Trichostatin A on tissue taken from 36 women undergoing a caesarean. The researchers said the therapy worked by increasing the levels of a protein that controls muscle relaxation. One expert said with rates of premature births rising - there are 50,000 a year in the UK - a new treatment was badly needed.  When you consider that preterm birth rates are rising in all four countries of the UK a new more effective drug is badly needed  Professor Jane Norman, RCOG Preterm labour and birth continue to be the single biggest cause of death in infants in the developed world and around 1,500 babies die in the UK every year. A number of drugs are used to try to stop early labour, but most have serious side effects. Trichostatin A (TSA) is known to promote the death of cancer cells. The researchers got permission to take samples of the muscles of women undergoing caesarean sections at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, the Cellular and Molecular Medicine journal reported. Contractions They exposed the muscle to TSA and measured the effects on both spontaneous contractions and those induced by the labour drug, oxytocin. They found an average 46% reduction in contractions for the spontaneously contracting tissue and an average 54% reduction in the oxytocin induced contractions. It has been previously shown that a protein kinase A (PKA) is involved in controlling the relaxation of the uterus during pregnancy. The researchers showed that TSA increased the levels of a protein sub-unit of PKA. Professor Nick Europe-Finner, who led the research, said: "We will not give this drug to a patient because it can damage as many as 10% of the genes in a cell. "But it does show us that other more specific agents that act on the same enzymes but only one at a time are worth investigating." New treatment Dr Yolande Harley, deputy director of research at Action Medical Research which funded the study, said: "This project has uncovered some of the molecular pathways that regulate uterine contractions and so could be linked to premature birth. "It could have a role in preventing premature birth - finding a new treatment for early labour would be a major step forward." Professor Jane Norman, a spokeswoman for the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG), said: "At the moment, it's not possible to treat preterm labour effectively. We only have drugs that delay it by 24 hours or so - not enough to deliver the baby safely. "One of the interesting things about this research is that they are using a new kind of drug - the drugs we are currently using have been around for a long time. "And they are targeting pathways we have not known about before. "When you consider that preterm birth rates are rising in all four countries of the UK a new more effective drug is badly needed."

Are you living on Auto-Pilot?

It is mind-blowing how many of us are living our lives on auto-pilot. We do the same things, meet with the same people, have the same conversations over lunch, go to the same supermarkets to buy our groceries and watch the same TV shows when we get home. Even the arguments that we have with other people seem to evolve around the same issues.

Our life is built around certain behavior patterns that we follow without thinking.

In fact, multiple psychological findings suggest that about 95% of what we do, we do automatically. And only in 5% of cases do we actually make conscious decisions about our life.

This auto-pilot behavior keeps us securely tied to our daily routines, preventing us from growing professionally, slowly killing the excitement of relationships, and sucking the fun out of our lives.

But the really devastating part about living your life automatically is that most of us do not even realize that we are doing it. Our days blend in together. We have a hard time recalling what we did last week and we have very little to look forward to. We find ourselves reacting to outside circumstances, rather than controlling events of our life. Deep down we keep wishing for more, without being sure if there is more or how to get it.

Fortunately, there are few things that you can do to switch off the “auto-pilot mode” and put yourself back into the driver’s seat, by choosing the direction of your life and getting there:

1. Be present. As ridiculous as it sounds we spend very little time in the moment. Our mind needs direction and guidance. Being left alone it wanders around and gets easily lost in past events, problems, fears, future plans, and aspirations. It takes a conscious effort to get your thoughts back to the present moment and practice being in the NOW. But it is a very gratifying experience! When you focus your attention on a single thing such as smiling, driving, eating our delicious sandwich or really listening to our child talking about their day at school, we get a lot more satisfaction out of every second that passes by. It brings our consciousness back to being alive and our life instantly becomes colorful, more interesting and more exciting.

2. Make a vow to do something new every day. The best way to break free from the repetitive pattern of pre-existing habits is to promise yourself to try something new every day. It does not have to be huge or time consuming. It can be something as simple as buying a strange tropical fruit that you have not tried before, painting a pretty picture with your children or taking a different road when driving back home.

I am sure that there are tons of interesting things that you have not tried yet. Now is a perfect opportunity to do it!

3. Do the opposite of what you would normally do. Look at your “normal” routine and think about what you could do differently. If you usually eat lunch at your work desk, go outside and eat it in a park instead. Surprise your beloved with an unexpected gift or flowers, just because you feel like it, not because there is an official reason for the celebration. After a day of work, instead of spending your evening in front of TV, take your family out to the Zoo or to see a movie. Ask yourself what would you normally do in certain situation and do the exact opposite!

This is also applicable to such negative situations that trigger our automatic reactions like anger, frustration or offense. Whenever you feel like expressing these negative emotions, stop yourself and try to respond consciously. You will be really surprised at the results!

4. Do not think that you get it. All the information that we receive is limited by our senses, past experiences, beliefs and knowledge. Our mind tries to cover this up by creating categories and slapping labels on situations, events, other people and even ourselves.

We often base very serious judgments on the illusory feeling that “we get it” or that “we know better” and this misconception directs our behavior.

Do not delude yourself with a notion that you have figured it all out! Instead keep in mind that everyone, yourself included, deserves the “benefit of doubt”.

5. Say it differently. We all have certain words and verbal expressions that we use unconsciously as an automatic response to situation. For example, for many people sayings like “Oh my God!”, “Whatever”, “It’s like so cool!”, “What the hell?”, “Sorry”, “Shut up!”, “He will kill me!!!” have become auto-pilot expressions that they use without thinking. But the problem is that to express our genuine feelings we rarely talk like that.

Moreover, neurologists have run multiple tests and proved that using what they call “words-parasites” slows down our thinking process, not to mention that they make it challenging for other people to follow the conversation.

Find your own auto-pilot words and consciously replace them with different phrases. Make your language more powerful, rich and expressive!

Every second we are faced with different choices. We can either make them consciously or react automatically. Even now as you are reading these words, you can choose to apply what you have learned and make a conscious decision to change your life. Or you can just nod your head in agreement, close the window, make yourself a cup of coffee and get back to your normal routine.

I sincerely hope that you will make the right choice.

It is mind-blowing how many of us are living our lives on auto-pilot. We do the same things, meet with the same people, have the same conversations over lunch, go to the same supermarkets to buy our groceries and watch the same TV shows when we get home. Even the arguments that we have with other people seem to evolve around the same issues.
Our life is built around certain behavior patterns that we follow without thinking.
In fact, multiple psychological findings suggest that about 95% of what we do, we do automatically. And only in 5% of cases do we actually make conscious decisions about our life.
This auto-pilot behavior keeps us securely tied to our daily routines, preventing us from growing professionally, slowly killing the excitement of relationships, and sucking the fun out of our lives.
But the really devastating part about living your life automatically is that most of us do not even realize that we are doing it. Our days blend in together. We have a hard time recalling what we did last week and we have very little to look forward to. We find ourselves reacting to outside circumstances, rather than controlling events of our life. Deep down we keep wishing for more, without being sure if there is more or how to get it.

Fortunately, there are few things that you can do to switch off the “auto-pilot mode” and put yourself back into the driver’s seat, by choosing the direction of your life and getting there:
1. Be present. As ridiculous as it sounds we spend very little time in the moment. Our mind needs direction and guidance. Being left alone it wanders around and gets easily lost in past events, problems, fears, future plans, and aspirations. It takes a conscious effort to get your thoughts back to the present moment and practice being in the NOW. But it is a very gratifying experience! When you focus your attention on a single thing such as smiling, driving, eating our delicious sandwich or really listening to our child talking about their day at school, we get a lot more satisfaction out of every second that passes by. It brings our consciousness back to being alive and our life instantly becomes colorful, more interesting and more exciting.
2. Make a vow to do something new every day. The best way to break free from the repetitive pattern of pre-existing habits is to promise yourself to try something new every day. It does not have to be huge or time consuming. It can be something as simple as buying a strange tropical fruit that you have not tried before, painting a pretty picture with your children or taking a different road when driving back home.
I am sure that there are tons of interesting things that you have not tried yet. Now is a perfect opportunity to do it!
3. Do the opposite of what you would normally do. Look at your “normal” routine and think about what you could do differently. If you usually eat lunch at your work desk, go outside and eat it in a park instead. Surprise your beloved with an unexpected gift or flowers, just because you feel like it, not because there is an official reason for the celebration. After a day of work, instead of spending your evening in front of TV, take your family out to the Zoo or to see a movie. Ask yourself what would you normally do in certain situation and do the exact opposite!
This is also applicable to such negative situations that trigger our automatic reactions like anger, frustration or offense. Whenever you feel like expressing these negative emotions, stop yourself and try to respond consciously. You will be really surprised at the results!
4. Do not think that you get it. All the information that we receive is limited by our senses, past experiences, beliefs and knowledge. Our mind tries to cover this up by creating categories and slapping labels on situations, events, other people and even ourselves.
We often base very serious judgments on the illusory feeling that “we get it” or that “we know better” and this misconception directs our behavior.
Do not delude yourself with a notion that you have figured it all out! Instead keep in mind that everyone, yourself included, deserves the “benefit of doubt”.
5. Say it differently. We all have certain words and verbal expressions that we use unconsciously as an automatic response to situation. For example, for many people sayings like “Oh my God!”, “Whatever”, “It’s like so cool!”, “What the hell?”, “Sorry”, “Shut up!”, “He will kill me!!!” have become auto-pilot expressions that they use without thinking. But the problem is that to express our genuine feelings we rarely talk like that.
Moreover, neurologists have run multiple tests and proved that using what they call “words-parasites” slows down our thinking process, not to mention that they make it challenging for other people to follow the conversation.
Find your own auto-pilot words and consciously replace them with different phrases. Make your language more powerful, rich and expressive!
Every second we are faced with different choices. We can either make them consciously or react automatically. Even now as you are reading these words, you can choose to apply what you have learned and make a conscious decision to change your life. Or you can just nod your head in agreement, close the window, make yourself a cup of coffee and get back to your normal routine.
I sincerely hope that you will make the right choice.