Categories
Anti Drug Movement

4-20: Did You Know That This Is More Than Just a Date?

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Parents are used to hearing their teens speak in code – from the trendy catchphrase of the week to the popular acronyms used for text messaging and online chatting. But one term that might come up more frequently this time of year is “420” (pronounced “four-twenty”).

Those familiar with popular drug culture might recognize the code as a reference to the annual pot-smoking holiday on April 20 (or 4-20). There are many theories explaining the origin of the term and the date – from the supposed number of active chemicals in marijuana to an alleged police crime code for drug arrests to the time of day a group of California teens congregated to smoke up in the 1960s.

Whatever the actual origins of 420, many teens now know April 20th as the day to smoke marijuana. So parents should be especially mindful of monitoring for drug use on this day in particular.

Learn more about the risks of marijuana.

Marijuana: Then and Now

So you tried pot at some point in your life and think you’ll feel like a hypocrite telling your teen not to use? Get over it. It’s important to talk about your experiences to help your children learn from them. Be honest and emphasize that this discussion is about your child’s future and not about your past. Marijuana today is more potent than it was a generation ago and more kids are using it at a younger age, when their bodies and minds are still developing. Talk to your teens. Kids who learn about marijuana and other drugs from their parents are less likely to use them.

Tell your teens how to say no, even if you didn’t.

How can you monitor for marijuana use? Follow these four easy steps:

1. Look online. Talk to your teen about pro-drug messages they might find on sites like Facebook and YouTube. Many teens form groups and recruit members online who are proponents of certain drugs or risky behaviors .

2. Listen for slang and look out for paraphernalia. If you hear terms like 420, bake, Mary, bud, blunt, etc., or see them in text messages, call your teen on it. Likewise if you see makeshift pipes or bongs disguised to look like harmless trinkets, it’s time for a larger discussion about drug use.

3. Ask who, what, where, and when. You should always know the details about your teen’s whereabouts, but pay special attention on April 20 as many teens plan to meet for the “holiday celebration.”

4. Watch and smell for signs of use. Red and bloodshot eyes are a symptom of marijuana use, so be on the lookout for recently opened eye drops. A distinct odor is another sign – even if your teen was just hanging out with other people who were smoking. If you detect smoke, alcohol, etc., on your teen’s breath or clothes, it’s time to talk about the dangers of such risky behaviors

Sources:ParentingTips@TheAntiDrug.com

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Categories
Positive thinking

Softening And Expanding

Being Receptive To What You Want
In order to get what we want in life, we have to be willing to receive it when it appears, and in order to do that we have to be open. Often we go through life with defenses we developed early on in order to protect ourselves. These defenses act as barriers, walls we needed at one time to feel safe, but that now serve to shut out desired influences, like intimacy or love. So an essential part of being receptive to what we want is to soften these barriers enough to let those things in when they show up. For example, we may spend a lot of time alone as a way to protect ourselves from being hurt by other people, but we can see how this is now preventing us from meeting new friends.

Another obstacle to our receptivity can be our tendency to believe that we have to act aggressively in order to achieve our desired goal. This can cause us to become mono-focused and to fail to see, and be open to, opportunities on the periphery of our vision. So becoming receptive involves a softening of our defenses and a willingness to remain open to possibilities outside our immediate realm of vision. If we are looking for love or friendship, it means first looking within ourselves to see where we are shut down, and second, not getting too fixated on where we might find the love we want. In this way, we become more open as individuals and more expansive in terms of what we see as possible.

Often, the things and people we want to draw into our lives elude us because we are unconsciously blocking them out, either with our defenses, or with tunnel vision that causes us to not see them when they appear. When this is the case, we can take action by exploring and softening our barriers, and expanding our vision to encompass new possibilities. These actions are the essence of receptivity.

Source:Daily Om

Categories
News on Health & Science

How Can One Combat IHD?

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In their mid-forties, suffer from heart diseases

Heart diseases are becoming common. Why so?
Today, 11 to 12 per cent of the urban and four to five per cent of the rural population are suffering from coronary artery diseases. The percentage is likely to increase every year. The situation in India is worse when compared to other countries.

Many, in their mid-forties, suffer from heart diseases, whereas in the Western countries the age group is higher. This is a malignant form of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD). Initially, scientists felt that IHD happened due to genetic problems but later it was found that lifestyle and food habits are also to be blamed.

What should we do to prevent this disease?
Irregular working hours and excessive smoking lead to IHD. One needs to workout regularly. Food habit is another important concern. Junk food and food with preservatives are extremely harmful. Avoid eating red meat, coconut, butter and prawn.

These increase cholesterol in blood and lead to obesity. The other major risk factors are presence of diabetes and high BP.

What are the symptoms of cardiac problem?
The symptoms are very deceptive. In most cases, people can’t differentiate cardiac pain from gastric pain. And there are misconceptions like cardiac pain will always be felt in the left part of the chest. One can feel the pain even in the middle or right side of the chest.

Regular blood tests are extremely important and your cholesterol level should be below 200 unit, Triglyceride level should be below 150 unit and low-density cholesterol should be below 100.

What are the treatments for IHD?
The treatment is three-fold. Sometimes, it can be treated with medicines. Angioplasty is another good option to remove the blockage and when there Is multiple blockage, one has to undergo a bypass surgery.

Source: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

Categories
Ailmemts & Remedies

Abnormal Puberty in Females

Puberty is the period during which sexual development occurs. in girls, puberty is characterized by a growth spurt, hair growth in the armpits and pubic region, the development of the breasts and reproductive organs, and the onset of menstruation. although there is considerable variation in the age of onset of puberty, girls tend to start this process between age 10 and 14. puberty may be considered abnormal if it starts either earlier than normal or later. early puberty occurs if a girl develops breasts before age 8 or if menstruation starts before age 10. in extreme cases, puberty may begin at age 4. puberty is delayed if menstruation has not started by age 16 or breast development is absent at age 14….you may click & see

Early puberty is rare and may be a sign of an underlying hormonal disorder. delayed puberty is more common. there may be an underlying cause, but many girls who have not menstruated by age 16 are simply late developers, a tendency that often runs in families.

Abnormal puberty can be disturbing for a girl and her family because physical and sexual development will not coincide with that of her peers. medical advice should be sought as soon as abnormal puberty is suspected.

What are the causes?
Puberty in girls is controlled by female sex hormones produced by the ovaries. the production of these hormones is controlled by hormones from the pituitary gland in the brand and from the hypothalamus. disorders of any of these organs may lead to an abnormally early or late puberty.

Precocious puberty may be due to an underlying disorder that leads to a premature rise in female sex hormones. for example, an ovarian cyst that develops in childhood may produce sex hormones, causing early sexual development. a tumor of the hypothalamus or damage to the pituitary gland as the result of a head injury or an infection such as meningitis may also lead to early puberty.

Delayed puberty may be caused by certain chromosomal disorders, such as turner syndrome or less commonly by a pituitary tumor. excessive weight loss or exercise may create a temporary hormonal imbalance that can lead to delayed puberty.In many cases of abnormal puberty no underlying cause is found.

What might be done?
The doctor will do a physical examination to determine whether puberty has started or how far it has progressed. a blood test may be arranged to measure hormone levels or check for a chromosomal abnormality. you may have mri or ct scanning of the brain if a pituitary tumor is suspected or ultrasound scanning of the ovaries to look for cysts.

If there is an underlying condition, it will be treated. for example, an ovarian cyst will be removed. hormonal treatment may be prescribed to suspend precocious puberty or to promote sexual development if puberty is delayed. delayed puberty may be associated with infertility and further evaluation and treatment may be required in the future if a woman who has had a delayed puberty wants to have children.

Sometimes, puberty is simply late and treatment is not necessary. gaining weight and reducing strenuous activity may help if delayed puberty has been caused by weight loss or exercise.

Precocious Puberty
Click for more knowledge on The Problem of Precocious Puberty

Read The Hazards of Abnormal Puberty due to Estrogens in the Environment”

Treatment Of Early Puberty

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.

Source:http://www.charak.com/DiseasePage.asp

Categories
News on Health & Science

Venom may treat cancer

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NEW YORK: Scientists in the US have claimed that scorpion venom may help in the treatment of a wide range of cancers.

Scorpions occur naturally in parts of Africa, America, India and the Caribbean. The majority of scorpions are harmless to human beings although the sting is extremely painful and requires treatment.

Researchers have found that when applied to tumours, the chemical chlorotoxin found in scorpion venom can distinguish cancer from healthy tissue, even when it affects only a few hundred cells and could improve the treatment of a wide range of cancers, reported the online edition of the Daily Mail .

Scientists believe it will help guide surgeons and result in more successful treatment. “By allowing surgeons to see cancer that would be undetectable by other means, we can give our patients better outcomes,” said James Olson, a doctor who led the US research team.

By joining the chemical chlorotoxin to a fluorescent marker, Olson and his team created a molecular beacon that lights up tumours. Painting a suspect area with the compound makes it easier for surgeons to remove every bit of cancer without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue.

This is especially important in the brain, where 80 percent of recurring malignant tumours appear at the edges of the surgical site. The paint marks out tumours with at least 500 times more sensitivity than a magnetic resonance imaging scan, the researchers found.

The scientists said that in tests on mice, it highlighted brain tumours as small as one millimetre in diameter. They are now preparing for human clinical trials. The researchers said the technique could be used in operating theatres in the US in as little as 18 months.

Source: The Times Of India

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