Most US women face stroke risk

1) Classic leather handbags suggest strong,smart,no nonsense and professional women. 2) Casual but classy leather handbags suggest a easy going and friendly character. 3) Bold,sparkly and colourful handbags suggest a fun and flirtatious girl. 4) Large leather handbags with plenty of zips and pockets suggest a woman who is prepared for any eventuality. 5) Quirky handbags with unique designs and prints suggest a woman who prides herself on her creativity.

1) Aloe vera products contain the highest concentrations of healing agents which are beneficial for the skin. They make the skin smooth and glowing. 2) It can be used to treat various skin conditions such as eczema,burns,psoriasis,inflammations,wounds etc. 3) It is an excellent skin moisturiser that keeps the skin flexible by giving oxygen to the cells which in turn increases the strength and synthesis of skin tissue. 4) Aloe vera improves the ability of the skin so that it can hydrate itself. 5) It is helpful in removing dead skin cells and has the ability for effective penetration and transports healthy substances through the skin. 6) It is beneficial for cosmetic products such as make up,anti-wrinkle creams,facial masks,skin conditioners and lipsticks. 7) Aloe vera is useful for preventing the aging of the skin. 8) It lightens dark spots on the face and reduces the intensity of pigmentation.

a) Ask them if they want a theme-based party. If the answer is yes, then ask them to come up with suggestions. b) Tell them to give you their guest-list. Ask them to suggest the menu. c) Make your children go out with the invitations. d) Delegate duties for the D-day. This will make them feel wanted and responsible.

1) Drink adequate fluid, at least eight glasses a day, including water, fruit juice, soup, etc. 2) Eat at least two portions of green, leafy vegetables and two portions of seasonal fruits daily. 3) Use moisturising body lotions adequately and regularly. 4) Avoid soap; use facewash, liquid moisture rich hand wash and bath gel instead. 5) Use hand cream, foot cream and overnight face cream daily. 6) Avoid junk food. 7) Don't smoke and try to remain as tension-free as you can.

1) Handfeed your lover with tidbits such as strawberries or chocolates. 2) Turn a cuddle into a sensual neck and back massage. 3) Create a love-tape of your lover's favorite love songs and present it to him. 4) Write a loving a sexy note for your lover and leave it somewhere you know he'll find it during the day. 5) Send a love letter. You don't have to fill pages-just one or two lines saying how you feel about him speaks volumes. 6) Send a text or e-mail that simply says that you're thinking of him at that moment. 7) The next time you have dinner together, light a few candles, put on some soft music and show your lover you want to make him feel good. 8) Offer to go out on an errand for your lover and come back with a surprise gift-it only needs to be a small present yet the gesture seems big on caring.

Every day, millions of people quietly battle a silennt killer. High blood pressure is an elevation in the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. It affects almost one out of every three individuals. High blood pressure is considered a major risk factor for heart attacks, heart failures and strokes. WHAT YOU CAN DO : There are several things you can do to lower your blood pressure. 1) Eat a healthful diet : Excessive sodium intake also has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure. Limiting salt intake to 2,000 milligrams per day may help keep blood pressure low. A diet of 1,500 milligrams or less salt is especially effective at controlling blood pressure. Sodium is found in many foods, so keep an eye on the ingredients list to help rein in your sodium intake. In addition, avoid adding table salt to foods. 2) Avoid smoking and excessive drinking : The nicotine found in tobacco products constricts blood vessels, causing your hear to beat faster and raisi

1) Fill the tub with water annd add some yummy smelling bubble bath or bath salts. 2) If your hair is looking down, then get some olive oil and mix it with one egg white and spread it over your hair, put your hair in a shower cap while you bathe and when you're done, rinse and shampoo. 3) Try not to watch the television if you need to get something done (like for work).If you do, you'll probably be even more stressed out because you didn't get done what was needed to get done.However, if you can, watch TV, pop a movie in and eat some chocolate icecream !

Foodbuffs, it may appear to be a bit difficult option but fasting once a month pays-it can help stave off a heart attack. Experts in the US carried out a study and found that skipping meals for one day a month could reduce the risk of coronary artery disease by nearly 40%.According to the team, the break from food helps in "re-setting" the body's metabolism which enables it to work more efficiently as result. "People who fast seem to receive a heart-protective benefit and this appeared to also hold true in non-LDS (Latter Day Saints) people who fast as part of a health-conscious lifestyle," Benjamin Horne of the University of Utah said. Experts came to the conclusion after analysing a study of Mormons, members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints which requires followers to fast once a month. Please do visit to read my other articles at: www.associatedcontent.com/article/422986/ways_to_unwind_after_work_.html

1) Show gratitude to any money that enters your life. 2) Act as if you are rich already and everything is yours. 3) Be open to money-making opportunities. 4) Do something that makes you feel good. 5) Even if you find a penny,just pick it up,because you should never spurn money. Please do visit to read my other articles at: www.associatedcontent.com/article/422670/youthuninterrupted_.html

1) Never wear burnt or torn clothes.It's a sign of poverty. 2) Choose Mondays and Wednesdays for financial decisions. 3) Pay all your bills on time. 4) Money is your best friend,so treat it with love and respect. 5) Wallets should have only money and credit cards and nothing else. 6) While signing checks,keep a smile on your face. 7) Never come home empty handed. 8) Do not count your money too often. Please do visit to read my other articles at: www.associatedcontent.com/article/421248/sex_bloomers_common_mistakesmen_and.html

Some causes are like: 1) You may be suffering from chronic common cold. 2) You may have constipation or gastric trouble. 3) You may not be consuming adequate proteins. 4) You may be over-exposed to intense heat or bright sunlight. 5) You may be under emotional stress. 6) You may not have a proper hair care regimen.

Regular doses of vitamin E may reduce the risk of life-threatening blood clots in women,researchers reported recently.But they cautioned that more research is needed to confirm the link in the prevention of the clots,known as venous thromboembolism,and said patients should not stop taking prescribed blood thinners."The data indicated that,in general,women taking vitamin E were 21% less likely to suffer a blood clot," the American Heart Association,which published the finding in its journal Circulation ,said in a statement.

To prevent an egg from cracking when it's placed in boiling water,pierce the broader end about 1/4th inch deep with a sharp needle. A quick way to stuff hard-boiled eggs is to place the stuffing in a pastry bag and squeeze away. If you need eggs at room temperature and have forgotten to remove them from the refrigerator,put them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes. A small funnel is a handy tool to separate egg whites.Carefully open the egg over the funnel,the white will run through and the yolk will remain.

1) Talk to your child and find out why he or she is under stress. 2) Once you know the reason,help him or her to relax. Give a head massage or just allow your child to talk. 3) Be a good listner and find the solution together. 4) Do fun things together.Go for movies,eat out or simply go for a long drive.

A man usually needs about two or three minutes of stimulation to have an orgasm,a woman generally needs 10 times more. For a man,an orgasm is instinctive.For a woman,it happens only after direct stimulation of the clitoris. A man's climax usually lasts for 10-13 seconds.For a woman,it lasts 6-60 seconds. A man must recuperate after an orgasm but a woman can have repeated orgasms within minutes or in rapid succession. Wonder why a man rolls over and sleeps after? During sex,his body releases oxytocin,a hormone that induces drowsiness.A woman is more relaxed after sex,which is why she wants to talk or cuddle.

Create a meditative space where you can be still and quiet. Breathe slowly,deeply and evenly. Mentally review and enlist the information about the problem. Don't think too hard but let the problem rest in your consciousness. Take note of the images that pass through your mind. Look around and try and link the first sight that catches your attention with your problem. Follow up on any clues you may have received.If they are good they will lead to the next step.

If you arrive at your desk every week expecting to start with a clean slate,then you're in for a nasty surprise.Always prepare to have last minute things to do. Every task has a degree of importance whn compared to the rest.Use this as a constant benchmark for your to-do list. When negative emotions get tangled with business affairs,nothing positive stems from it.It will cloud your judgment and taint your motivation and stall your productivity. Take care of the important tasks now-the menial things can wait.

To prevent nail damage,don't use your fingernails as tools to pick,poke or pry things. Don't bite your nails or pick at your cuticles.These habits can damage the nail bed.Even a minor cut alongside your nail can allow bacteria or fungi to enter and cause an infection(paronychia).Because your nails grow slowly,an injured nail retains signs of an injury for several months. Wear cotton-lined rubber gloves when using soap and water for prolonged periods or when using harsh chemicals. Trim fingernails and clean under the nails regularly.Use sharp manicure scissors or clippers and an emery board to smooth nail edges.Never pull off hangnails-doing so almost always results in ripping living tissue. Instead clip hangnails off,leaving a slight angle outward. Moisturise your nails frequently.Rub lotion into your nails when moisturising your hands.Be sure to apply a moisturiser each time you wash your hands.

For those with straight hair,divide your hair in thin portions when wet and make small plaits.Keep it for three hours and see the permed effect.Use your hands and not a brush to set your hair. If you want soft curls,then tie your hair into a tight ponytail near the crown of your head.You can either use curlers to roll the end of your hair or just roll and pin your hair or just roll and pin it.Keep if for three hours and do not brush. If you don't want to keep your hair open,just hold it up with a crunch and backcomb the open ends.The effect is dramatic and if you want to be a wee bit adventurous,then go ahead and streak some ends.

Yes,you are,if you have any of the following conditions or practise any of the following unhealthy practices... Obesity High blood pressure High cholesterol level Family history of heart trouble Diabetes Smoking Sedentary lifestyle (lack of exercise) How will you know? Symptoms of heart trouble include the following: Shortness of breath Chest discomfort while exercising or walking Sudden blackouts Unexpected sweating Sudden dip in blood pressure How can you prevent heart trouble? Quit smoking Maintain normal body weight Exercise daily for 30 minutes Eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and fruit Avoid high-cholesterol food Go for regular health check-ups.

MuggleNet.com- Read an overview of all the Harry Potter books,as well as news on the books and movies.Find trivia,character profiles,famous quotes,a look at the book covers,and Harry downloads like screensavers,ringtones... HarryPotterlexicon.com- The site offers an extensive profile of Potter and all his wizard friends,an encyclopedia of spells and magic,introductions to all the creatures,and a look at all the different places Harry visits. Realmofwizardry.com- Find character biographies including one for Harry himself,among other Potter stuff,including famous quotes,forums and chat,rumours,a profile of JK Rowling and fan works. HarryPotterstore.com- This website offers Harry Potter fans to be like their hero.The site sells Harry brooms,wizard wares like robes and ties,and movie merchandise like glasses,candy,and wizard and student hats.Indeed a terrific place for Harry lovers to shop! BeHarry.com- It's your chance to be Harry Potter as the website offers you a chance to

It's not necessary that you immediately get into a passionate relationship,as soon as you go on a first date.So,the first thing is communicating effectively and try to bring in closeness with your date. Notice whether your date exhibits good yet relaxed posture.A slouched date probably isn't having a good time. Observe whether your date makes good eye contact.If your date keeps looking into your eyes,you've got it made. Be seductive and fliratatious with each other.Dress up and take the time to look your best. Act in such a way that makes you very attractive-maybe even irresistible.Create sizzle;ignite passion; feel the rush. Once both of you open up,allow yourselves to share your sexual fantasies or secrets no matter how outrageous or silly they may seem.

Regular exposure to noise in pubs,club and concerts may lead to hearing impairment,suggests a study of 1,381 people in Britain.More than half of the surveyed people visited bars where they had to shout to be heard at least once a week. A quarter said the music in these venues was too loud and a third thought hearing loss would affect their lives. About 90% of people who frequent pubs,clubs and concerts experienced dullness of hearing or ringing in the ears after a night on the town,found the study by RNID-the largest charity representing the nine million hearing impaired people in Britain. Nine out of 10 young people aged between 16-30 experienced signs of hearing damage after a night out in a noisy venue,reported BBC News website.John Low,chief executive of RNID said music lover,musicians and DJs could take simple steps to protect themselves from damaging decibels on a night out while performing.

Experts would tell you that in order to lose weight all you have to do is to exercise,follow your diet chart and above all put 'mind over matter'.That's of course,easier said than done.But,we guess what is important is that you first and foremost have to feel inspired and therein lies the mantra for success.So,here's how you can motivate yourself.Begin by thinking positive.Hang a picture of a gorgeous woman or macho man and think what you would look like after the end of your rigourous regime.If you feel like eating sweets,then brush your teeth.If you get hnger pangs when you are stressed out,then try diverting yourself.While wathcing television,do not munch.Avoid packed and processed food.If hungry,have puffed rice and fresh fruits.Go for daily walks and if you are the partying types,avoid drinks and fried stuffs.Opt for soups and salads,instead.If you do not like to exercise too much,join salsa classes.Set a target and work towards it,cheerfully.

Even if you are healthy and active and definitely not overweight,the beer belly doesn't stop peering out.It's to do with age,sagging muscles,bad posture and lack of exercise. Remedy: Cut down on alcohol and accompanying unhealthy munchies,like salted nuts and spicy crisps.At night,don't stuff yourself to the brim and hit the sack immediately.Don't slouch when you sit at your computer.Sit upright.Walk upright.Do your back and belly a favour.Exercise your stomach muscles.Some ab crunches,sit-ups and leg lifts can battle that bulge. Hot tip: While you are at your workstation,push back your chair,sit upright,raise your hands up and bend forward from the waist to touch your toes.Five such bends every hour help reduce tummy flab.

Pregnant women infected with HIV are more liekly to spread the virus to their children if they are carrying twins,according to a report in the journal AIDS.Laurent Mandelbrot of the University of Paris,and associates investigated mother-to-child spread of HIV in twins,compared with single twins,compared with single infants,born to HIV-infected mothers in the French Perinatal HIV Cohort.Before the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy,an effective combination of anti-HIV drugs,the mother-to-child HIV transmission rate in twin pregnancies was two to three times that in singleton pregnancies.

Eating too much salt is known to cause high blood pressure ,heart attacks and stroke.Now US researchers say it can also give you an ulcer.Presenting the results of their study at the American Society of Microbiology conference,researchers said their findings show salt and Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) bacterium interact to cause ulcers,which affect the digestive track.Found in stomach and duodenum,the H pylori bacterium accounts for up to 90% of duodenal ulcers and up to 80% of gastric ulcers.Many people carry the bacterium without any symptoms .

What is summer without the right pair of shades? But before you go all out to make that perfect style statement,it is definitely important that you opt for the right frame that suits your face as well.If you are one of those with a round face,then opt for thick frames in deep colours so that your face appears elongated.Those with an oval face with high cheek bones,must go for frames that are way broader than the broadest portion of your face.Narrow frames that have more width than depth best suits those with a square face.However,whatever frame you settle for,always opt for a good brand.

You can only have one thought at a time: This is the key feeling optimistic,enjoying your life,and fulfilling your vision for a delightful life.You only can keep one thought in your head at a time.So,what should your one thought be?Dwell on what you want to accomplish.Do not dwell on what you do not want. Expect the best: What are you thinking about?Do you have a goal or an exciting vision for living your life?Ralph Waldo Emerson once said,"A man is what he thinks about all day long." Generally,as you begin your day or a project,your frame-of-mind proves extremely important. Strong ambition: Wishy-washy people do not go very far.They get swayed by whatever crosses their paths.In contrast,the people who move mountains,people who get things done,are people who feel a profound sense of mission.They dive into their projects with gusto.Every highly successful person is a maniac on a mission. Gumption to change how you think: The way you handle situations has served you to s

The most promising of the many experimental HIV vaccines in development will offer only limited immunity against the deadly virus,US government scientists said recently ahead of world HIV Vaccine Awareness Day.Unlike classical vaccines,the first-generation HIV vaccines will not enable people to fight off the virus,but may protect their immune system from the worst ravages of the virus and dealy the onset of AIDS.And because patients are at their most infectious when viral levels are high,such vaccines might also reduce the spread of the sexually transmitted disease,making it a useful tool for public health authorities batting to contain the global HIV/AIDS pandemic."There is optimism that even a less-than-perfect vaccine could benefit both individual recipients and the at-risk community," said the authors in a commentary published in the "New England Journal of Medicine."It is still not clear when the first vaccines will be available .

High levels of cereal fibre and magnesium are associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes melitus,according to reportin the Archives of Internal Medicine .The findings stem from an analysis performed by Matthias B Schulze and colleagues from the German Institute of Human Nutrition PotsdamRehbruecke.Compared to the subjects with the lowest cereal fibre intake,those with the highest intake had a 28% reduction in diabetes risk.Fruit and vegetable fibre intake,by contrast,did not affect the risk.

The human eye is exposed to the largest amount of harmful ultraviolet light on any one day at around 9 am,according to recent joint research by Johnson & Johnson KK and Kanazawa Medical University.The research team examined the amount of UV light to which a sensor in the eyes of a dummy was exposed for one day in each of September and November.According to the September results,the amount peaked at 0.05 volt at around 9 am,followed by 0.04 volt between 2 pm to 3 pm.The figures are higher than 0.025 volt between 11 am and 1 pm,the hours during which the Sun is usually considered the strongest.

1. Your skin has four colours.All skin without colouring,would appear creamy white. 2. The world laughs with you.Just lie yawning,laughter is also a social cue for mimicry. 3. Past episodes are remembered faster and better while in a position similar to the pose you struck during the event. 4. Your stomach secretes acid that can even pickle steel,but mucous lining the stomach wall keeps this liquid safely. 5. If calcium is in short supply,hormones will cause your bones to break down,upping calcium levels in the body. 6. Much of a meal is food for thought.Your brain demands 20% of the body's oxygen and calories. 7. The average adolescent girl has 34,000 underdeveloped egg follicles,although only 350 or so mature during her life. 8. Puberty reshapes brain structure.Hormones like testosterone influence development of neurons in the teen brain. 9. Hair-like organelles called cilia in your nose help drain mucus from the naval cavity down to the throat. 10. Long ago,wisdom teet

Estrogen may give women an edge in resisting heart disease that can be caused in part by air pollution, a new West Virginia University study found.Researchers determined that males and post-menopuasal females are more likely to suffer damaged arteries linked to diesel exhaust than women of childbearing age.That coincides with a national study released this year showing older women are at significantly higher risk for heart problems caused by air pollution than other people.

Keep communication open and ongoing: Talking to someone about your problems promotes mental health.Expressing your frustrations serves as an outlet to your anger and helplessness. Get involved in a support group and accept help: When you are down and out,that's when you need others to lift up your spirits.With encouragement you will be in a better position to regain your lost confidence.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver.Inflammation causes soreness and swelling.Drinking too much alcohol,abusing drugs and taking some medicines can cause hepatitis.Many viruses can cause hepatitis,too.There are 2 main kinds of hepatitis,acute hepatitis and chronic hepatitis.When a person has hepatitis,the liver may become inflamed very suddenly.This is called acute hepatitis.If you have acute hepatitis,you might have nausea,vomiting,fever and body aches. How does Hepatitis affect the liver? The liver breaks down waste products in your blood.When the liver is inflamed,it doesn't do a good job of getting rid of waste products.One waste product called bilirubin,begins to build up in the blood and tissues when the liver isn't working right.The bilirubin makes the skin trun a yellow-orange colour(jaundice). What is Hepatitis C? Several viruses can infect the liver.There are 3 main types:hepatitis A,B and C. Hepatitis C is usually spread through contact with blood products,thr

You need a good PC with a broadband connection. Go through the major Web sites to check which has your songs.Most will allow you to search their catalogue of songs without signing up. If you have a portable music player,ensure it is compatible with your download site. Listen to the music before you buy.Most sites offer short clips of songs,which you can stream to listen before you download. To register you will need to provide your credit card details-so ensure the site is well-known and reliable. Once you register,run a search for your song and pay per download.

Rich in epigallocatechin gallate,a powerful antioxidant,green tea kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissues. Studies confirm that green tea catechins are effective against cancers of the breast,skin,oesophagus,stomach,colon,pancreas,lung,bladder and prostate. Green tea prevents tooth decay by killin bacteria that cause dental plaque. Green tea helps reduce high blood pressure. The polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea are effective in lowering blood sugar. Green tea boosts immunity because of its high concentrations of polyphenols and falvenoids. Green tea helps counter rehumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Green tea burns fat naturally and increases metabolism. It inhibits abnormal blood clotting,thus reduces the chances of heart attacks.

In one of the first studies to examine the relationship between diet and brain lesions,researchers observed that elderly people who reported higher calcium and vitamin D intake were much more likely to have greater volumes of brain lesions-regions of damage that increase risk of cognitive impairment."Our finding of a relationship between brain lesions and consumption of both calcium and vitamin D raises the question about a possible down side to high intakes of these nutrients,"Martha E Payne of Duke University,Durham,North Carolina,said.Higher intakes of calcium and vitamin D have been promoted in recent years as a way to prevent bone loss with ageing.

A new collaborative research has shown that the stem cells in the brain decrease ischemic injury and restore brain function.The research carried out by researchers at the Mario Negri Institute in Milan,Italy, the Istituto Neurologico Besta,and the University of Laussanne has been published online in PloS ONE .Ischemia is an absolute or relative shortage of the blood supply to an organ.Relative shortage means the mismatch of blood supply (oxygen delivery) and blood request for adequate oxygenation of tissue.Stroke is the first cause of permanent invalidity and the third cause of death in industrialised countries.

Sexually active teenage girls infected around the time of birth with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, are more likely to have cervical infections and abnormal Pap test results,new research shows.Extensive research has examined the reproductive health outcomes among teenagers who acquire HIV infection through sex,senior investigator Dr.Susan B.Brogly of Harvard School of Public Health in Boston said.In contrast,this is the largest cohort study,and the first to publish on rates of genital infections,cervical lesions,and pregnancy among girls who had been living with HIV since birth,she said.Their results will be published in the June issue of the American Journal of Public Health .

Men can also experience hot flashes like menopausal women-if they undergo chemical castration.New findings have verified a way to detect hot flashes.This could help develop treatments against these uncomfortable events in patients who endure chemical castration for medical reasons.Chemical castration involves hormonal drugs that suppress testosterone and therefore the male sex drive.The procedure is employed as a punishment for male sex offenders in some American states and also performed on prostate cancer patients to help deplete testosterone and thus slow the disease.

The bark of certain yew trees can yield a medicine that fights cancer.Now scientists find the dirt that yew trees grow in can supply the drug as well, suggesting a new way to commercially harvest the medicine.Scientists originally isolated the drug paclitaxel-now commonly known as Taxol-in 1967 from the bark of Pacific yew trees (Texus brevifolia) in a forest near the Mount St.Helens in Washington.This yew also yields related compounds known as taxanes that can be converted to paclitaxel.Research since then has revealed other yew species generate paclitaxel and taxanes as well,as do some fungi and certain hazelnut varieties.

Elderly people who are depressed are more likely to become diabetic than those who are not,according to a study that suggests depression may play a role in causing the most common form of diabetes.Writing in the "Archives of Internal Medicine," the researchers said people with a high number of symptoms of depression were about 60% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes,formerly called adult-onset diabetes,than people not considered depressed.Unlike some other studies examining a link between depression and diabetes,this one looked at the effects not only of single bouts of depression but also of chronic depression and depression that worsened over time.It found an increased risk for diabetes in each of those scenarios.

Viewing disturbing news footage on television could intensify stress and trauma, according to a latest study.A month before the terrorist attacks on 9/11 in the US,sleep and memory researcher Ruth Propper, at Merrimack College in North Andover,Massachusetts,US,began teaching a class in which students had to record their dreams on the mornings that they remembered them.On the day after the attacks she distributed a questionnaire to the class asking them about their activities the day before,including how much television they watched.The researchers say their dream analysis shows that viewing television coverage of a traumatic event can intensify stress and trauma. Some psycholgists,however, object to this conclusion,contending that dreams do not necessarily reflect a person's mental state.

The more alcoholic drinks that men have at any time of day-not just before bedtime-the greater are the risks of breathing problems druing sleep, a new study shows.However, this effect was not seen among women.Sleep-disordered breathing has been associated with high blood pressure and blood vessel disease,and many studies have found that drinking alcohol before going to sleep increases the likelihood of abnormally shallow breathing or even episodes in which breathing stops,Paul E Peppard and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin-Madison report.

Research on two continents signaled more bad news for menopause hormones,offering the strongest evidence yet that they can raise the risk of breast cancer and are tied to a slightly higher risk of ovarian cancer.New US government numbers showed that breast cancer rates levelled off in 2004 after plunging in 2003-the year after millions of women stopped taking hormones because a big study tied them to higher stroke and breast cancer risks.Experts said the levelling off shows that the 2003 drop in the cancer rate was real and not a fluke.The trend was even stronger for the most common form of the disease-tumours whose growth is fuelled by hormones .

The first dozen Parkinson's patients to have holes drilled in their skulls for a novel gene therapy attempt weren't harmed-and hints at some improvement have researchers embarking on a larger study to see if the treatment really may work.Doctors reported initial results of the closely watched experiment at a neurology meeting,but cautioned that it's far too soon to raise hopes. It helps using a nerve grwoth factor to try to resuce dying brain cells.Some 1.5 million Americans have Parkinson's, a disease that gradually destroys brain cells that produce dopamine, a chemical crucial for the cellular signaling that controls muscle movement. Too little dopamine causes increasingly severe tremors and periodically stiff or frozen limbs.

Men and women solve spatial problems differently, with women having a tendency to use landmarks for navigation,says a study.Spatial problems are those in which the learner is unable to understand the concept of directions:up,down,left,right and so on.In one of the first research studies to assess gender differences in cognitive performance in non-human primates,experts compared normal female and male monkeys to see how they solve spatial problems. Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center,Atlanta,found the tendency to use landmarks for navigation was typical only of females.

Never found a pair of jeans that fits you just right? Have you looked and looked for that perfect fit? Now you have an answer.Go to zafu.com that helps women find jeans from major name brands that exactly match their shape and size. Zafu takes you through a series of questions designed to pin down various aspects of your body shape and your desired pair of pants-everything from your size and weight to how much your jeans typically gape at the waist-and then shows options with links to buy from merchants' websites.In 2006,it featured among "Time's" top 25 websites.

Every time they repainted the lines on the road, you'd have to buy a new car. Occasionally,your car would die on the road for no reason.Accept,restart,drive on. You could only have one person in the car at a time, unless you bought a 'Car 95' or 'Car NT'.But then you'd have to buy more seats. Macintosh would make a solar car, twice as reliable, five times faster, easier to drive-but it would only run on five per cent of the roads. Mac car owners would get expensive Microsoft upgrades, making their cars slower. People would get excited about the Microsoft car's 'new' features, forgetting that they were available in other cars for several years.

Extra vitamin supplements can reduce the risk of having an underweight or undersized baby, and all pregnant women in developing countries should take them,researchers said.But the team, reporting in the New England Journal of Medicine ,said the supplements did not lower the likelihood of premature birth or losing the foetus before birth.The study,conducted in Tanzania,involved 8468 pregnant women who received iron and folic acid supplements. Half were given supplements containing vitamins C,E and a mix of B vitamins.The foetal death rate stayed around 5% and the rate of premature delivery was nearly 17% regardless of whether the mothers got the vitamins.

Experiencing a mild traumatic brain injury may increase the risk of developing a sleep disorder, and a good portion of these appear to be based on disturbances in the body's normal circadian rhythm, according to the results of a new study."As many as 40 to 65% of patients with minor traumatic brain injury complain of insomnia,"L.Ayalon, of the University of California,San Diego, and colleagues write in the medical journal "Neurology".

What is DVT? Deep Vein Thrombosis(DVT) is a condition in which ablood clot forms in the deep veins, usually in the legs. It could be fatal if a part of the clot breaks off and blocks blood vessels in the lugs, a condition called pulmonary embolism. Worldwide,in the last five years, DVT has claimed more lives than AIDS/HIV,breast cancer,prostate cancer and road accidents combined! Causes:DVT can be either hereditary or acquired. People with a family history should get themselves tested to figure out if they have the tendency. In cases of acquired DVT,one factor or a combination of factors like dehydration, immobility,oral contraceptive pills, hormonal therapy,etc,may be the cause. Symptoms:If the clot occurs in the brain, there's persistent headache and alteration in vision.In the lungs,there could be breathing problems. If DVT occurs in the leg,the symptoms could include pain,swelling and/or discolouration of the affected part. Prevention:According to some eminent haematologist

People who tend to be sedentary-as indicated by the amount of time they spend watching television-are likely to have high levels of glucose in their blood, even though they may not be diabetec.David W.Dunstan,of the International Diabetes Institute,Melbourne, Australia,and colleagues examined the association between television viewing and blood glucose levels,measured after fasting and after a glucose test-drink,in 3781 men and 4576 women in Australia. All of the subjects were free of diabetes at the time.

Patients with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop Parkinson's disease,although the reasons are unclear.Finnish researchers reported.They found that people with type 2 diabetes were 83% more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's later in life than people in the general population. This risk was the same for men and women and was independent of other risk factors. "Diabetes might increase the risk of Parkinson's disease partly through excess body weight," the researchers wrote in the April issue of "Diabetes Care". Earn $180 per month without any investment: www.slashmysearch.com/earn/id/21334

Sprucing up its famously plain web site, Google is offering a new option that plants its Internet search box in panoramic settings that change with the time of day and the outside weather. The colourful graphics represent the latest bit of pizazz to be served up on Google's home page as the company caters to the digerati who want to customise everything. While most of Google's users remain content seeing little more than the company logo and the search box, others have created log-ins that enable them to select from a variety of features that appear with each visit. These additional bells and whistles, introduced nearly two years ago, include stock quotes, local weather and news headlines.

Looking at various proteins in urine may help doctors predict the development of diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes patients well before they develop the condition,according toa report in the March Diabetes Care. "We have identified a set of urine proteins almost 10 years before the onset of diabetic nephropathy that identify those who will go on to get diabetic nephropathy, the most common cause of renal failure in the US and the world," Ravi Thadani,from Masachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston,said. Diabetic nephropathy is a serious complication of diabetes in which the kidneys lose their ability to function over time.

You don't have to rush to the gym to get rid off cellulite.A few at-home tips could work as well: 1) Detoxify your body, especially the liver and colon. Cut out nicotine and caffeine, do not eat extra salt or fat and drink a lot of water. Eat things like soya,blueberries and nuts. Onions are good for reducing cellulite as they act like a natural diuretic and will release the excess water from the skin cells. 2) Do exercises that will help you loose weight on your legs and buttocks, like special exercises to improve muscles in your thighs like walking, cycling,climbing stairs, yoga and pilates. 3) Massaging the areas that have cellulite will increase circulation and break the fat up. You can use a body brush or use a body wash or exfoliator while bathing. This will also increase circulation. Use aromatherapy oils like sage,cypress and juniper help in cellulite reduction. 4)Wearing pantyhose helps to reduce cellulite. Wear those that are body shaping and contour your thighs. Pant

Women who use a contraceptive patch appear to be more than twice as likely to develop a dangerous blood clot in their veings as those who use an oral contraceptive, new research shows. Alexander M Walker and colleagues, form i3 Drug Safety in Auburndale, Massachusetts, note that it was not known if users of the patch system ran the same risk of stroke, heart attack and venous blood clots as users or oral contraceptives. They point out that the FDA changed the labelling for the patch contraceptive system in 2005 to warn of a possible increased risk of socalled "thrombotic events," because of a higher average circulating estrogen elvels with the product.

During adolescence, girls but not boys may be more likely to develop depression if they were born weighing less than 5.5 pounds, new research suggests. "Parents and pediatricians of girls who were of low birth weight should pay close attention to their mental health as they enter puberty," write researchers in the medical journal,"Archives of General Psychiatry."

A French study says people with pacemakers suffer from a high incidence of undiagnosed sleep apnea. The study,which looked at 98 patients with pacemakers, found that 57 percent had undiagnosed sleep apnea, WebMD reported. The report, published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, says all potential pacemaker patients should be screened for sleep apnea, which is known to increase risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers say abnormally slow heart rhythms are common among patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

A leading Chinese matchmaking portal will check the age,marital status and other personal details of prospective cyber daters against an official database to prevent deception. The portal,Baihe.com,will screen its eight million online daters from Sunday against an "ID authentication system". The system was jointly developed by the website and the ministry of public security. "In the long run,we'll arrange dates only for those who are proven to be telling the truth,'' company CEO Jason Tian said.Tian said the move would enhance trust among online daters,improve credibility and prevent deception.

For people who suffer a stroke and are treated quickly with the clot-buster drug rtPA to open up the blocked brain artery, recovery of function is likely to be better for men than women, new research shows. However,more men than women die from the stroke. "Other studies have shown that women have worse functional outcomes after stroke;this shows that this is also true when women are treated with rtPA," said lead author Mitchell S V Elkind from Columbia University Medical Centre in New York, in a statement. The goal of stroke treatment is to administer a clot-busting drug within three hours after a stroke begins, so that blood flow to the brain can be restored before too much damage is done.

Teens who lose their virginity earlier than their peers are more likely to steal,destroy property,shoplift or sell drugs than their virgin counterparts, according to one of the first studies to look at what happens in the lives of teens in the years after they start having sex. The study,in February's "Journal of Youth and Adolescence," found that those who had sex early were 26% more likely to be in trouble than those who waited. The protective effect of late sexual debut appreared to last well into early adulthood. Those who had sex later had delinquency scores 20% lower than their "on-time" peers.

The use of light could detect bacteria faster than the current laboratory-based detection system. Sheila MacNeil and researchers at Sheffield University have identified a mothod that could ascertain the presence of bacteria in less then a minute by using light, reported the only edition of BBC News. The technology could have wide applications in would healing, counter-terrorism and screening patients ofr MRSA (bacterial)infection,the experts said. The scientists are developing a portable kit in which specially designed molecules emit a light signal when bound to bacteria .

Cigarette smoking appears to be a risk factor for tuberculosis infection, according to findings from a review of the literature and pooled analysis of studies,Kirk R.Smith,of the University of California ,Berkeley, and colleagues searched eight databases for relevant articles on the topic and identified 24 that met their inclusion criteria. Taken together, the data point to a marked increased the relative risk of TB infection and disease among current and former smokers compared with nonsmokers. There did not appear to be an increased relative risk for death from TB in association with smoking in people with active tuberculosis, the researchers note.

According to your calculation,you know its time to sleep because your child has to be up in the morning for school or you have some other plans.But your naughty little darling doesn't want to sleep.What do you do? Create fuss over his fussiness?Critisise him for not understanding that its time to sleep?Certainly not but exactly what parents do.So how do you ensure that his fussiness changes into readiness at bedtime? First try to understand why putting your child to bed becomes a difficult task. When we force children to sleep at the time we want,they feel their independence is being taken away. In order to be in control of the situation, they rebel.So,always give them a choice to wait for sometime to make it look as if they are sleeping at a time of their own choosing. Also, make bedtime special for your child. A little but of planning and a little bit of flexibility can make bedtime a time you and your child looks forward to. Bedtime is not a time you and your child looks forward

Japanese researchers have developed a prototype miniature robot that can be inserted through an incision and used to perform medical procedures deep inside the body. The beetle-shaped robot,which weighs five grammes and measures two centimetres in length and one in diamter, is the result of three years of work by researchers from Ritsumeikan University and its partners. The tiny robot incorporates various medical devices including a small camera, sensors and a drug delivery injector, which could reduce the need for surgery. Data is sent to a computer through a slim cable although researchers hope to develop a transmitter.

You have waited too long: This is the most important reason why several couples,especially women, are facing infertility problems. These days,couples are postponing their conception,says expert doctors.By the time a woman turns 40,the pool reserve of her eggs gets depleted. So the biological for producing children practically stops, observes doctors.Unlike a man, who can produce sperms till he dies, a woman is born with half a million eggs that deplete as she ages.Till about the age of 35, a woman's chances of conception are very high (about 55 per cent).The 36-40 age-group is the grey zone, where the chances of conception drop to about 20-25 per cent. As a woman ages the success rate of assisted reproduction technologies procedure also drops proportionately. You smoke or drink: Some doctors observed that an ongoing study on the effects of smoking on sperm count at hospital shows a marked increase in abnormal-looking sperm, which also affects men's fertility potential.Internat

Women who use a contraceptive patch appear to be more than twice as likely to develop a dangerous blood clot in their veints as thhose who use an oral contraceptive, new research shows. Alexdender M Walker and colleagues,from i3 Drug Safety in Auburndale, Massachusetts, note that it was not known if users of the patch system ran the same risk of stroke, heart attack and venous blood clots as users of oral contraceptives. They point out that the FDA changed the labelling for the patch contraceptive system in 2005 to warn of a possible increased risk of socalled "thrombotic events," because of a higher average circulating estrogen levels with the product.

A guitar that Paul McCartney threw into a crowd decades ago during a Beatles concert in Britain has tuned up at a school in Montenegro. McCartney had tossed the Hofner violin bass guitar into the audience after its neck broke, said the "Vesti"newspaper without mentioning the year of the concert. Milan Dobrilovic, a Montenegrin cameraman, said he had received the guitar from his cousin Dario Persi, who was the fan who cought the instrument. Dobrilovic recently donated the guitar to a music school in Herceg Novi, a tiny town on the country's Adriatic coast.

A German man, who spent 10 days in a self-made box atop a 72-foot-tall pole to protest a looming jail term,was lured off his perch by his wife-who lured off his perch by his wife-who sent up a topless picture of herself in his lunch box. Fred Gregor,45, was bidding to have his 15-month conviction for fraud overturned by squatting in his tiny cubicle atop a converted television mast.He told reporters in a telephone interview last week that he wanted a new trial. His wife Susanne backed his protest until the former stripper and mother of their five children decided she had had enough.

Canadian researchers have found that a hormone generated during pregnancy may be a potent tool in fighting multiple sclerosis,the crippling disease of the central nervous system, according to a new report.Taking note that MS often goes into remission in pregnant women, scientists at the university of calgary studied the way that the hormone prolactin, generated during pregnancy, acts to protect myelin, the all-important substance which coats nerve cells and helps conduct messages through the central nervous system. Studying mice, the scientists showed that prolactin helps the formation of new myelin, according toa summary of their research. In people with MS,myelin is attacked and damaged by the body's own immune system.

A researcher from the University of Newcastle has been working on a new treatment that only affects cancer cells and not the normal body cells. Kathryn Skelding's work may be an improvement on conventional chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which leave their impact on normal body cells too. "In theory, the viurs is able to selectively target and destroy many different types of cancer cells, including breast cancers, whilst leaving normal cells unaffected,"she said. Debilitating symptoms associated with conventional treatments-nuasea,vomiting and hair loss-could also be avoided by using the Coxsackie virus. "If this research is successful we could have something that produces side effects as harmless as a mild, common cold-like infection yet it could successfully treat breast cancer,"she said.

Breast feeding,which helps build a baby's immune system, may be the best option for HIV-infected mothers in developing countries, despite the risk of transmitting the virus that causes AIDS to their babies, according to new studies presented some days ago. HIV-positive mothes generally are counselled to feed their babies formula to limit the risk of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus, but that has caused problems in nations where clean water and other needs may not be met. Hoosen Coovadia a pediatrician at South Africa's University of KwaZuluNatal said that instructing HIV-infected mothers in developing nations to breast-feed would result in about 300000 children becoming infected with HIV, but would save 1.5 million from dying of other diseases.

Chinese researchers have taken a step towards removing a protein from prawns that cause an allergic response, without resorting to genetic manipulation. Li Zhenxing led the research at the Ocean University of China.The team revealed that treating prawns with a combination of heat and irradiation significantly reduced the level of reactive proteins called allergens. They took blood from patients with shrimp allergies, added samples of treated and untreated prawn, and measured how antiboides in the blood reacted. They found that levels of "Pen a 1" , one of the major allergens, decreased 20-fold after treatment.Zhenxing's team suggests that irradiation damages the proteins, revealing hidden reactive amino acid residues. Subsequent heating then destroyes the exposed residues. "Radiation and heat seems to be a promising method for reducing the immunoreactivity" said the researchers.

Nearly all American women are in danger of heart disease or stroke and should be more aggressive about lowering their risk-including asking their doctors about daily aspirin use,the American Heart Association said on Monday in new guidelines. It is the first time guidelines have urged all women to consider aspirin for preventing strokes, although specialists warn that it can cause ulcers and dangerous bleeding.They said it is probably not a good idea for young women with no big health problems."We do not want women to go to the drugstore and just start taking this themselves. It is critical that every woman talk to her doctor."Said Lori Mosca, director of preventive cardiology at New York Presbyterian Hospital and chair of the expert panel that wrote the guidelines.