The best time to stretch

There has been a long standing debate among athletes, coaches and sports physicians  on when is the best time to stretch ... before exercise or after exercise?

This latest study from the Archive of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine published November 7, 2011, supports the theory that neuromuscular warm-up training (NMT) before  a game reduces lower extremity injury.
The group was composed of 105 girls' soccer and basketball teams from all Chicago high schools.
Half of the teams were asked to perform a prescribed 20-minute neuromuscular warm-up while the other teams stuck to their standard methods including no warm-up exercise at all or simply jogging around the track on their own.
Overall, there was less lower extremity injury in the group that performed the prescribed neuromuscular warm-up compared to the other teams.
There was a forty-four percent decrease in acute non-contact lower extremity injury and a thirty-four percent decrease in non-contact ankle sprains among players who performed the NMT warm-up.
Seven athletes in the group with no warm-up sustained anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and six of them required surgery. Only two sustained ACL injuries in the warm-up group and both girls did not need surgery.
This theory is not new to us. It just further supports the idea that NMT warm-up may have a role in preventing injury.
Coach Binky Favis, the former coach of professional basketball teams Coca-Cola and Ginebra has this advice "Make sure your warm-up program consists of agility, balance and biometric exercises. Widen your stance, don't let your knees bump each other and always, always land on flexed knees and hips."
Here is an example of a 20-minute warm-up program before engaging in exercise or sports ( visit www.usfsa.org/content/Exercises.pdf for the complete instructions with images)
1. Jump Rope. Using a fast twirl, rapidly jump up and down, using spring in the feet and ankles, not in the knees.
2. Ankle Bounces. Rapidly jump up and down using spring in the feet and ankles not in the knees.
3. Jumping Jacks. Jump feet wide and together while bringing arms over head then down to hips.
4. V-Jumps. Start with opposite arm and foot to the front. With small jumps, quickly alternate the lead foot and arm on each jump.
5. Walking Quad Stretch. Bring heel to butt and press hips forward.
6. Walking Lunge Stretch. Keep belly button facing straight ahead.
7. Side Step Lunge. Step directly to the side, keep head, knee and toe in straight line.
8. Standing Hamstring. Keep hips square.
9. Kneeling Hip Flexor. Keep belly button facing straight ahead.
Do all exercises 16 counts each for 2 repetitions.

Source: yahoo news

This Christmas... Give Love

Give love, and you give strength. Give love, and you give life meaning. That's the real essence of Christmas in each of us.

When you desire to truly make a difference, let your actions be guided by love.

Remember that even when all else fails, love grows stronger.

When love surrenders, that is its greatest triumph. Could anything be more miraculous or powerful or enduring?

Give love, and align your world with the highest and best possibilities. Expect nothing of love and you will have everything.

Love can never be fully comprehended. And so, it is an endless source of delightful and joyous discovery.

Give love, again and again. For you can always know it even better and experience it even more.

The Joy Of Giving

It is a blessing on Christmas Day and in everyday to be able to give. For it is through giving that life's greatest joys are created.

Sincerely give of yourself today, with no agenda other than to celebrate the pure spirit of giving. And truly experience life in all its richness.

When you give, you open your heart to life and allow great measures of abundance to come pouring in. What could possibly bring more meaning and fulfillment to life than making a difference in the lives of others?

Giving is more than merely offering objects. When you give, give your time, your attention, your love, compassion, consideration, patience and respect.

Give a part of yourself, and you will not ever lose it. That part of you takes on greater influence and value as it touches other lives beyond your own.

On this day, simply give because you can. And know the unmatched joy that giving brings to life.

Everything You Have

Here is so very much available to you. In reaching for your dreams, make use of everything you have.

Don't be dismayed or embarrassed by what you have to work with. Instead, work with whatever you have and it will grow more useful and effective with each effort.

Don't place a judgment on your abilities before you even put them to use. Go ahead, get to work, and see how quickly your skills increase.

Look back at the good things you've accomplished in the past. That power of accomplishment is still with you, so choose now to put it to use again for even more exciting and compelling purposes.

Think of all the great ideas you've had but have never followed through on. Now is when you can make the best of them come to life.

The challenges are great and yet the value that flows through your life is far greater. Use everything you can, and you can accomplish anything you choose.

Get Here

Artist: Oleta Adams 
Song: Get Here (Written and originally performed by Brenda Russell)

Lyrics:

You can reach me by railway, you can reach me by trailway 
You can reach me on an airplane, you can reach me with your mind 
You can reach me by caravan, cross the desert like an Arab man 
I don't care how you get here, just - get here if you can

You can reach me by sail boat, climb a tree and swing rope to rope 
Take a sled and slide down the slope, into these arms of mine 
You can jump on a speedy colt, cross the border in a blaze of hope 
I don't care how you get here, just - get here if you can

There are hills and mountains between us 
Always something to get over 
If I had my way, surely you would be closer 
I need you closer

You can windsurf into my life, take me up on a carpet ride 
You can make it in a big balloon, but you better make it soon 
You can reach me by caravan, cross the desert like an Arab man 
I don't care how you get here, just - get here if you can

I don't care how you get here, just -- get here if - you can

Marriage

Married or not… you should read this.
Marriage.

“When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I’ve got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn’t know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly. She didn’t seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why? 

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn’t talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn’t love her anymore. I just pitied her! 

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now. 

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn’t have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane. When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again. 

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn’t want anything from me, but needed a month’s notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month’s time and she didn’t want to disrupt him with our broken marriage. 

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day. She requested that every day for the month’s duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request. 

I told Jane about my wife’s divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully. 

My wife and I hadn’t had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don’t tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office. 

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn’t looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her. 

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me. On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn’t tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. 

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily. 

Suddenly it hit me… she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head. 

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it’s time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day. 

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn’t noticed that our life lacked intimacy. I drove to office…. jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind…I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore. 

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won’t divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn’t value the details of our lives, not because we didn’t love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart. Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away. At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I’ll carry you out every morning until death do us apart. 

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead. My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push through with the divorce.— At least, in the eyes of our son—- I’m a loving husband…. 

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves.

So find time to be your spouse’s friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage! 

If you don’t share this, nothing will happen to you. 

If you do, you just might save a marriage. Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” 

I saw this on the internet.. I thought I would share this on tumblr to my followers and randoms.
(Source: nathanpersuasion)

The Meaning of Snakes in Your Dreams

It has been 2 or 3 consecutive nights that i am dreaming of sneaks more on sneaks and sneaks everywhere, so i try to look over the net what does dreaming of sneaks mean, and i found some interesting meaning on it

Snake, is a Powerful Totem Animal!   The Symbol of Death and Rebirth, of Life-Changing Transformation, Snake Might Well be the Mascot for the New Age!

The Symbolism of Snakes

 Snakes, a Symbol of Sexuality.

I had snakes (cobra) in my dreams for 4 days continuously. I would like to know that this signifies.

Well, generally snakes are predominantly a symbol of fear and also a sexual symbol.  They say every woman dreams of snakes at least once in her life and the interpretation is often fear of a rival or fear of the male gender.  I suggest this may be speaking to you of the fears around sexual expression and fullness that you may have.  The serpent stands for physical drives and if something is not quite right in that area of life, the snake dreams can come. Now often by the time the dreams come, it is also signifying healing of this area or the desire to heal and balance this area of life.

Something in you has been oppressed.  This could be by outside forces, societal rules or inner oppression of true desire.  Something quite important is happening in your subconscious and will eventually give rise to a new dimension within your outer life.  I will also say that sometimes the snake images do warn of danger, but mostly of hidden truths coming up for healing and often around sexual energy.  The danger warnings are about not heeding the call to heal a particular area and so making the issues "worse" somehow.  However, the predominant images do speak of a healing of fear surrounding the sexual expression area of life or fear surrounding men or a male in your life. Ponder on these thoughts and feel if there is any connection with these symbols inside of you. Take care. Mary-Anne

And Also of Change and Transformation...

Snakes speak to transformation, death and rebirth, the taking on of a new skin, new roles, responsibilities and even attitudes... and the cobra would speak to the fact that you may be afraid of the changes you feel coming.  Lotsa LLLove, Danielle

Very often the snake can be symbolic of a message coming to you from a higher plane. As this is a cobra my sense is that you are being "challenged" in your life by the circumstances of your birth and family. I have this further sense that you are getting ready to "break free" in some way. Listen to your inner self for the Wisdom messages that the snake may have. Geri De Stefano, Ph.D.

Usually when you dream of Snakes, it has to do with some form of the Kundalini (sexual grounding power)  You need to look at what the snake was doing and if you were frightened of it, than likely you would be subconsciously dealing with something of the sexual nature that makes you uncomfortable.  Or if you were not afraid of it, maybe a part of you is breaking free and developing new strength.

Another meaning of snake is letting the old go and accepting the new. Because snakes shed their skin.  You could be afraid of something new coming to be or you may be stepping into something new with ease.  It does feel however  that with the Cobra and it being so big to protect itself with the way it is built that you are trying to protect yourself from things that are happening around you.  It feels like you want to accept some new things but are afraid of being hurt, and thus you can sometimes attack and get your back up instead of just accepting. I hope this has helped. Love n' laughter Kimmi

5 Foods that Keep You Thin

• by LIVESTRONG.COM, on Tue Jul 5, 2011 10:42am PDT

Take a look around any book store, and you'll find dozens of diet books lining the shelves. Despite their bright and cheerful covers, with their positive, upbeat claims, many of them are filled with information that promotes all the wrong messages.

"The word 'diet' is negative and implies people can go on and off them," said Jane Korsberg, a senior instructor in the department of nutrition at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Korsberg is one nutritionist who thinks it would be better to re-think the whole concept of dieting.

"'Diet foods' are confusing to many people," she explained. "What diet is the 'diet food' geared for? Is it low-calorie, low-fat, low-sodium, low-sugar, gluten-free, et cetera?"

Besides, many of the foods that specifically target dieters seem to rarely satisfy. Take those 100-calorie snack packs, for example, made to help people control calories. Those often don't even work, Korsberg says. After all, few people actually stop at only one pack.

You don't need fancy plans or complicated point systems to be thin. All you need to do is make smart food choices, watch your portion sizes and stay active.

"Learning to eat properly for a lifetime is more beneficial," Korsberg said. "The emphasis should be on choosing healthful foods every day and changing lifestyles for the better."

So instead of sticking to diet fare, fill up on nutritious, wholesome foods. And if you need some recommendations, you can start with these five options, which are among the many delicious foods that make a good addition to healthy eating while keeping you slender.

Apples

Apples are a good source of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber not only contributes to a healthy digestive system and reduced cholesterol, but it also benefits smart eaters by yielding no calories while keeping them satisfied.

And there's something else about the fruit that might help you feel full. A study in the journal "Appetite" found that when women added either three apples or three pears to their daily meals, they lost more weight than people who added three oat cookies to their diets -- even though the fruit and the cookies contained the exact same amount of dietary fiber.

Although the reason behind this finding may be a mystery, there is something to be said for the findings. According to Alan Aragon, a nutritionist and author of "Girth Control: The Science of Fat Loss & Muscle Gain," crunchy foods in particular can trick a person into feeling fuller. The act of chewing may send satiety signals to your body, he says, making you think you've eaten more than you really have and keeping hunger at bay.

Almonds

If you're looking for a tasty midday snack, a handful of almonds are a well-regarded option. A study in 2009 in "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that women who ate nuts at least two times a week were more successful at keeping weight off than those who didn't eat this food.

One particular favorite among some nutritionists is almonds, says Aragon. One ounce of this food contains only 167 calories, plus it packs roughly 6 g of protein and 3 g of fiber, both nutrients that can make you feel full. Furthermore, like apples, almonds are crunchy and require a lot of chewing, so they, too, can make you feel like you've eaten more than you actually did and keep you fuller longer.

Salmon

If you're uncertain about fish, there's no need to fear. Seafood can be part of a healthy diet. And there's some evidence that the fat in foods such as salmon can boost satiety levels, says Aragon. For example, a study published in the "International Journal of Obesity" found that when dieters ate salmon a few times a week, they lost about two more pounds than those who didn't include seafood in their meals.

And in spite of the mention of salmon's fat content, the food is relatively low in calories. One 3-oz. serving has just 175 calories. Salmon is a good source of protein as well.

Eggs

There's no doubt that protein, like fiber, has impressive satiating powers. And while eggs seem to have a bad reputation in some circles, there can be no contesting their ability to help keep your weight in check.

Research has shown that eating eggs at breakfast can help you fight weight gain all day long. A study reported in 2008 in the "International Journal of Obesity" found that when dieters ate two eggs for breakfast for five days out of the week, they lost 65 percent more weight than dieters who consumed a bagel in the morning. Although protein is likely to fill you up whenever you eat it, some scientists suspect that having more in the morning can keep you feeling fuller all day long.

Tomatoes

It's true that most veggies make for great diet fare. Non-starchy vegetables in particular, such as carrots, celery and spinach, are filled with fiber. Like other foods high in fiber, they can help keep you feeling satiated.

Plus, they're pretty self-regulating, says Aragon. You can't really overeat with nonstarchy vegetables. After all, how many baby carrots can a person eat without needing to dunk them in some ranch dressing?

So while there are many veggies that can help you stay slim, tomatoes might be a particularly good option because they're so tasty. And, besides, with that whole a-tomato-is-a-vegetable-no-it's-a-fruit argument, you might have forgotten all about eating them. One cup of cooked, red tomatoes contains just 43 calories, but tastes just as delicious as any number of high-calorie foods.

And that's at least half the secret, finding foods that are both healthy and tasty. The good thing is, they do exist. Over time, you'll discover what wholesome, filling foods you prefer, expanding your choices while shrinking your waistline. 

By: Kristin McGrath

In my DREAMS

All i know is that you LUV me, in my DREAMs, to bad to wake up facing that reality, maybe that's how life mold me, reshape me to become the best person that i can be





There was a time some time ago
When every sunrise meant a sunny day, oh a sunny day
But now when the morning light shines in
It only disturbs the dreamland where I lay, oh where I lay
I used to thank the lord when I'd wake
For life and love and the golden sky above me
But now I pray the stars will go on shinin', you see in my dreams you love me

Daybreak is a joyful time
Just listen to the songbird harmonies, oh the harmonies
But I wish the dawn would never come
I wish there was silence in the trees, oh the trees
If only I could stay asleep, at least I could pretend you're thinkin' of me
'Cause nighttime is the one time I am happy, you see in my dreams

We climb and climb and at the top we fly
Let the world go on below us, we are lost in time
And I don't know really what it means
All I know is that you love me, in my dreams

I keep hopin' one day I'll awaken, and somehow she'll be lying by my side
And as I wonder if the dawn is really breakin'
She touches me and suddenly I'm alive

We climb and climb and at the top we fly
Let the world go on below us, we are lost in time
And I don't know really what it means
All I know is that you love me, in my dreams

We climb and at the top we fly
Let the world go on below us, we are lost in time
And I don't know really what it means
All I know is that you love me, in my dreams
Oho only, in my dreams

T.G.I.F

its another legacy from Katty Perry featuring a Ugly Betty's lead actress the very pretty Rebecca Black, love this song, hope you love it too

5 Easy Steps to Becoming a Millionaire

Who wouldn't want to be worth a million dollars? Many of us dream of achieving this goal, more often than not for the sake of the freedom financial stability would bring. So how can we get there? The answers are actually much easier than you might expect. Here are several easy steps to get you into the millionaires' club. (With a little discipline and the help of some powerful savings vehicles, anyone can hit this mark.)

1. Only Marry Once
According to "The Millionaire Next Door" by Thomas J. Stanley, Ph.D and William D. Danko, Ph.D, the average millionaire is married with three children. The wives of these millionaires are good budgeters and most often described as even more frugal than their husbands. Interestingly, according to Stanley and Danko's survey, half of these wives do no work outside the home and of those who do, they are most likely teachers.

One upside of only marrying once is avoiding the costs of divorce and of subsequent weddings. The cost of a divorce depends on many factors including income, attorney fees, court fees, and the assets a couple has and how they are divided. The average wedding cost in the United States in 2010, according to The Wedding Report.com, was $24,070.

2. Live Off One Income
One of the advantages of having a life partner is the potential to pull in two incomes. If you are able, consider structuring your set expenses based on only one income, and save what comes in from the other income. Doing so strengthens your financial position in two ways: In case of an emergency or if one partner loses their job, you will not only have less set expenses to cover, but you will also have built up your net worth as a safety measure.

3. Choose the Right Career
According to The Millionaire Next Door, "self-employed people make up less than 20% of the workers in America but account for two-thirds of the millionaires." The book goes on to list an average of 45 to 55 hours spent working per week, so by no means is this the self-employed fantasy of playing golf while your business grows.

The idea of the "right" career can encompass a myriad of factors. Ideally, this would be a career you enjoy, otherwise you likely won't be putting in the dedication required to be successful. The right career would also coincide with overall working trends, or at least not work directly against them. For example, starting a career in typewriter manufacturing may be something you are passionate about, but it would likely suffer due to the current technological trends.

4. Put Your Money in Appreciating Assets
According to Stanley and Danko, the millionaires in their survey invested nearly 20% of their realized household income each year. Nearly 20% of the household's wealth is held in "transaction securities such as publicly traded stocks and mutual funds" and the millionaires tended to rarely sell their equities. Only a very small number of the millionaires surveyed had ever leased a car; few even drove the current year model. Half of those surveyed had lived in their homes for more than 20 years, which, as the authors point out, means they have likely enjoyed "significant increases in the value of their homes."

The end result? These people put a financial priority on assets that will make them money, from their homes to their businesses.

5. Don't Live the Millionaire Lifestyle
Warren Buffett's frugal lifestyle (especially relative to his net worth) is the go-to example for this point. The average value of the surveyed millionaires' homes was $320,000. The bottom line is, those who spend their money on non-appreciating assets cannot put that same money in an asset that will net them a return and increase their wealth. If it is important to you to build your financial worth, stop spending it on new cars, toys and clothes. (The Oracle of Omaha has a net worth in the billions, but his lifestyle is not as rich as you may think.)

The Bottom Line
Becoming a millionaire is easier than ever. While this is a dream that will take work and discipline to achieve, it isn't as far out of reach as you might think. Be smart with your money and before you know it, you'll be able to count yourself among the world's wealthier citizens.

Must watch-out with "Nicole Santos"

“Nicole Santos” recently became trending topic on Twitter.

But “Nicole Santos” is not a person. She is a malicious Trojan software that made her presence known on May 12 on Facebook. Facebook users receive numerous, profane, and accusatory messages from one “Nicole Santos.”

A shirt was made in her honor by an enterprising person from the buy-and-sell site Etsy. A comedian named Ethan Newberry made a music video parody about her.

The inflammatory messages also contain the statement “Vote for Nicole Santos,” which was used by the Etsy T-shirt maker. Later messages will contain a link that claims to be a solution that will stop the flow of more vulgar messages.

However, the link is actually the script that accesses the users’ Facebook accounts and also taps into the victims’ network to spread itself.

One variation of the “Nicole Santos” Facebook spam had legitimate-looking links, asking users to “VERIFY THE ACCOUNT” that actually lead users to spread the malware even more. As such those within the Facebook network of victims Facebook networks will also get flooded with spam.

Facebook officials have so far stalled the spread after numerous complaints from victims of their service

“Nicole Santos” is a variation of a remove-this-app worm that was previously spread through Facebook. There are several types of this worm such as the Palevo.AP, Netsky.AP

Attacks on Facebook users have been increasing lately as cybercriminals see more effective use ofsocial engineering in the service. People tend to trust people more within their networks, which is what cybercriminals are hoping to target.

There are at least 500 million active Facebook users today, 70 percent of whom are outside the United States. The Philippines as at least 23 million Facebook users and continues to grow.

Software security firm Sophos has some tips that should remind people to protect their social network services from such attacks. These include adjust Facebook privacy settings to protect identity and content, carefully thinking who would be allowed to be part of one’s network, showing "limited friends" to cut-down versions of personal profile.

Other tips include avoiding clicking on suspicious links and reporting them to Facebook’s helpdesk, thinking first what to put in one’s Facebook Wall, and keeping PC security software up-to-date.

New weight-loss virus causes a stir

Health and science bloggers and website are abuzz with news of a virus that could be used to "rewire" your brain to eat less.

In a study published May 4 (and reportedly the first of its kind), researchers at the renowned Johns Hopkins University in the US infected rats with a virus that inhibited hypothalamic neuropeptide Y (NPY), a protein linked to appetite.

The virus-laden rats ate less and lost weight compared to the healthy rats. What’s more is that researchers found that when they gave the rats a high-calorie diet, brown fat, which is easier for the body to burn off, formed instead of hard-to-shed white fat.

"Every few months there's a new diet fad in the media that's allegedly helping various celebrities lose weight and look fabulous,” writes website Pop Gadget (www.popgadget.net). “I know some people would jump at the chance to lose weight regardless of the repercussions, but a system that involves ‘infecting’ patients just seems so wrong!”

“Currently the virus is still under ‘testing’ and its unclear as to when it will be tested in humans, but I think I can see a little bit of I am Legend in this story,” writes tech blogger Tek-Bull (www.tek-bull.com).

Prior research has revealed that a common virus may actually play a role in obesity. Scientists have for years been investigating the link between adenovirus-36, linked to colds and eye infections, andchildhood obesity. Research has shown that being exposed to the virus not only boosts human fat-cell production, but also makes fat cells fatter.

Access the latest study on the weight-loss virus in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Funny Stuff

just for laugh, trying to ease stress :D

Break Even

SmartLyrics | Break Even lyrics

Mistakes you're making with your skin (that you might not know about!)

Despite our efforts to achieve glowing, flawless skin, many of us are making mistakes that stand in the way of the finest potions and lotions. Here, the 14 biggest mistakes women are making with their skin, and the fixes to set things right. Gorgeousness, here we come! 

Mistake: You're not wearing sunscreen every single day
We are all sick of hearing this advice (it gets more play than Lady Gaga!), but dermatologists are probably just as tired of repeating it. This is the single biggest mistake most of us are making with our skin, and there's no need: it's an easy gaffe to fix.

The Fix: You know it already: Wear an SPF lotion or cream with broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection every single day. But why every day? While UVB rays are strong in summer, UVA rays stay the same year-round. "If you go outside to shovel shovel snow on the most overcast day of the year, you're getting the same amount of UVA as if you were on the beach during the summer," says Dr. Jeannette Graf, a Board certified, clinical and research dermatologist. Slather up, whether or not the sun's out.


Mistake: You think the SPF in your makeup is good enough.
We love a time-saving double duty product as much as the next lady, but this kind of two-fer just doesn't cut it. Why? Because dotting foundation on to even out skin tone or sweeping a powder across the t-zone simply isn't a generous enough application to offer real sun protection.

The Fix: "You really need to use an SPF cream or lotion," says Dr. Graf. In the winter, wear a moisturizer with SPF, but "during the summer you really need to bump it up and use a real sunblock that doesn't have any other ingredients but sunscreen and antioxidants," advises Dr. Graf. "You need that extra protection."


Mistake: You pick and squeeze.
We've all been there––it's just so hard not to!––but it's a habit that's not doing anything to help. "When you have a pimple under the skin, there is absolutely no way that you are going to be able to do anything about it in terms of squeezing," says Dr. Graf. "Nothing will come out and nothing good will come of it if you touch it." That is, unless you call scarring a good thing. (Nope!) Another mistake? Using a warm compress to draw out whatever is in there. That just expands the irritation even more, explains Dr. Graf.

The Fix: "If you start to feel a blind pimple under the skin, take it to the dermatologist's office for a shot." Can't make it to the doctor? Apply an ice pack, suggests Dr. Graf. The cold will help constrict the blood vessel and could help make the blemish smaller.


Mistake: You over-dry your skin.
It's the battle of the blemish, and we're all just trying to use our strongest artillery. But this plan of attack actually backfires. Over-drying the skin creates irritation and redness, and what's worse, dry skin leads to clogged pores. Keep this up, warns Dr. Graf, and "you're actually going to get more breakouts and more clogging."

The Fix: Take the path of moderation and lay off the full-on product offensive. You might need to try using your acne treatments every other evening or only a few times a week.


Mistake: You treat your entire face like it's a problem area.
It's like trying to use a chainsaw to shape your eyebrows. While you might have a few oily areas, like across your t-zone, you don't need to treat your entire face with products formulated for oily skin. When you treat combination skin like an oil slick it leads to irritation. And you know where irritation gets you––more clogging and more blemishes.

The Fix: As adolescence turns into adulthood, what was once oily skin is more often combination skin, explains Dr. Graf. Evaluate your skin type and treat it accordingly, whether you're dry, oily, or somewhere in between.

Mistake: You only protect your face from the sun.
Since we're trying to protect ourselves from the signs of aging, it makes sense that we'd focus on putting our best face forward. But as Dr. Graf  warns, "one of the biggest places I see aging is on the chest." Also scary: covering up with clothing isn't much help. "A white t-shirt gives you an SPF of about 5," explains Dr. Graf.

The Fix: Any day you're going to be outside for a prolonged period of time, apply sunblock from head to toe, not just on your face and exposed arms and legs. Don't forget your ears!

Mistake: You're religious about using oil-free or non-comedogenic products.
Women with oily or blemish-prone skin have been taught that these words are the preventative gold standard for a break-out. In fact, many of us won't buy products that don't boast these terms on the bottle. But we might want to think again. "The terms non-comedogenic and oil-free are not FDA-approved terms. That's really just a selling point," explains Dr. Graf. The terms date back to the 1950s when beauty products used industrial-grade mineral oil that could break you out. "Today's mineral oil is a totally different cosmetic grade and is not going to break you out."

The Fix: If you're someone with oily skin who lives in fear of a break-out, you should use a pH-balanced foaming cleanser on your face, and you might want to add in a silicone-based powder or gel, suggests Dr. Graf. But you don't need to rely solely on products billed as oil-free or non-comedogenic. Seek out products you like, regardless of meaningless marketing terms.


Mistake: You're over-exfoliating.
Quick science lesson: Over the course of 28 days, the bottom layer of your skin––the basal layer––migrates toward the surface of your skin. When it gets there, it dies. Enzymes in the dead skin cells then cause the dead layer to fall off. That natural process is called exfoliation. Got it?

"If you see a 3-year-old child, that process is working perfectly. As we get older, that's not working as well. Why? Because the enzymes in our skin require hydration and moisture in order to be activated. When we lose that natural moisture over the years, our enzymes don't work. We have that dead skin cell layer that hangs on, and we need to remove it. That's why we use exfoliators."

But exfoliation needs to be gentle in order to be effective. "I've seen doctors on television talking about exfoliating. 'If it burns, great.' I see this, and I want to cringe."

The Fix: Steer clear of harsh scrubs and exfoliators like BuffPuffs, which can break blood vessels, and apricot scrubs, whose needle-sharp pits will break your skin and cause redness. At home, "using a peel kit or microdermabrasion kit is great. Using it every single day is not," says Dr. Graf. Any deeper exfoliation should be done in the care of a skin care professional, she says.


Mistake: You're using the right products at the wrong time.
You've got an all-star line-up of retinols, sunblock, and microdermabrasion kits in your medicine cabinet. Butwhen you use your products is as important as what you're using. "Everybody's using the kitchen sink in the morning," complains Dr. Graf. Retinols are light-sensitive, so using them during the day isn't such a bright idea.

The Fix: "You want to use protective products in the daytime," says Dr. Graf, so slather on sunscreen twenty minutes before you leave the house. At bedtime, bring out the big guns, like exfoliators and retinols, "when your skin's natural circadian rhythms renew themselves," explains Dr. Graf.


Mistake: You use products with gold or metal in them.
It might seem super luxe to use creams flecked with gold, but you're better off keeping your money in your pocket. "They can cause contact dermatitis and there's no evidence that they do anything except drain your wallet."

The Fix: Invest your money in gold you can wear around your neck. And when you feel like splurging on a rich potion, pick something that smells divine or has a luxurious texture––but is free from any precious metals.


Mistake: You go to sleep with your makeup on.
We've all been there: You get home late and can't quite muster the energy to wash off the day or your makeup. (And waking up looking as "done" as Kim Kardashian can seem kind of screen goddessy.) "A lot of people will go to bed with makeup on. And a lot of people who don't go to bed with makeup on won't wash their face in the morning," says Dr. Graf. Both are big mistakes.

The Fix:  Wash your face morning and night. But doctors sympathize with real life; they just want us to be prepared. "You go out on a Friday night and come home at 2am––it's going to happen. At the very least, have those pre-moistened makeup removers at your bedside. I'd rather you do that than not do it at all."


Mistake: You don't give your skincare products a chance.
We live in a quick fix world, so when we don't immediately see results from a new skin care regimen, we can get frustrated and give up. We then bounce from product to product, trying to find the magic potion.

The Fix: Exercise some patience. We take multivitamins, Dr Graf explains, knowing they're good for us, even when we don't see results. Sometimes you have to give your products the same measure of faith. "When you're using a skincare product, don't be so hard on the product. Understand that it's doing something for you." And that means waiting more than two days to see a difference––more like four to six weeks.


Mistake: You smoke.
If your health isn't motivation enough to quit, let vanity convince you. The toxins in cigarettes cause decreased oxygen flow to the skin, resulting in a dull complexion, explains Dr. Amy S. Pappert, assistant professor of dermatology at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Repeatedly contracting your muscles to inhale, or squinting to protect your eyes from smoke can deep, premature wrinkles around the mouth, frown lines, and crow's feet.

The Fix: There's no better time to quit than now. Talk to your doctor about a game plan, and comb online resources like the Mayo Clinic, the American Cancer Society, and the American Lung Association. Your skin, not to mention your family and your friends, will thank you.

Lowering your bad cholesterol level

YOU may have noticed that pork and eggs have become four-letter words. It's all because of cholesterol, a substance that's gotten a reputation for breaking hearts than your loved one.

But cholesterol isn't entirely bad. The human body actually needs it, and produces it, to help protect nerves and build new cells and hormones. In fact, our bodies get all the cholesterol they need by making it on their own. The trouble starts when we add to the cholesterol our bodies produce.

Excess cholesterol settles along arterial walls, and that excess can clog arteries and restrict blood flow, leading to angina pain, heart attack or stroke. (Cholesterol is also a leading cause of gallstones.)

Unfortunately, there's a lot of confusion surrounding this substance. And it's no wonder, with similar terms like serum cholesterol, dietary cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and LDL cholesterol being bandied around, you may have trouble telling the good from the bad and the ugly.

Serum cholesterol is the amount of this fatty substance in our bloodstream. Our serum cholesterol is what our doctor measures in a cholesterol test. A reading under 200 is desirable; a reading over 240 may be dangerous and is cause for concern.

Meanwhile, dietary cholesterol is what we eat. For instance, an egg has 213 milligrams; an apple has none. Experts recommend that we eat no more than 300 milligrams a day.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) is the bad cholesterol that clogs arteries. It simply means that if our LDL is lower, it is better. On the other hand, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) is the good cholesterol that scours artery walls and helps remove harmful LDL. The higher our HDL, experts say, the better.

To lower bad cholesterol, doctors usually prescribed simvastatin, atorvastatin, and rosuvastatin. All three belong to a class of drugs called the statins, which are very effective in lowering cholesterol levels.

In his book, How To Live Longer, Dr. Willie T. Ong shares this information: "For persons with total cholesterol of more than 280 mg/dl or an LDL cholesterol of greater than 190 mg/dl, drug treatment may be started after (a) an eight-week trial of diet and exercise and (b) confirmation of cholesterol levels beyond the above cut-offs.

"For those persons who have heart disease, hypertension or are heavy cigarette smokers, drug treatment is started at a much lower cholesterol level of 240 mg/dl and higher or an LDL cholesterol of more than 160 mg/dl.

"And for those who have diabetes or have already suffered a heart attack or stroke, they are the ones who would most benefit from the statin drugs, even if their cholesterol levels are just a shade over 200 mg/dl."

But before taking any drug, Dr. Ong urges that you should check the accuracy of the test. "First, cholesterol test results are notoriously inaccurate, unless it is taken from a reputable laboratory," writes the heart doctor. "Second, make sure the 12-hour fasting requirement is followed - no food and just a minimum of water before testing. For these reasons, a repeat test after 1-2 months of diet and exercise may save the patient money and needless worry."

Dr. Ong, who was named Outstanding Filipino Physician by the Department of Health in 2007, admits that drugs are "expensive and entails frequent monitoring for side effects." As such, he recommends that "lifestyle changes should be maximized."

For one, you must eat breakfast every morning. Breakfast skippers tend to have higher levels than those who start of their mornings with a bellyful, according to studies. One reason may be that breakfast skippers make up for missing the morning feast by munching on unhealthy snacks later on, suggests Dr. John L. Stanton, professor of food marketing at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia.

For another, don't depend on decaf. Decaffeinated coffee actually raises LDL levels more than regular brew, so it's the worst beverage selection if you have high cholesterol. That's according to David Jenkins, director of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Factor Modification Center at St. Michael's Hospital at the University of Toronto.

It may be because the coffee beans used for decaf are stronger than "regular" beans. Frequent coffee drinkers (those who drink it daily) typically have a 7 percent cholesterol increase, as shown in a study at Stanford University in California.

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on March 30, 2011.