Healthy Eating Habits Tips

    Eating healthy is something that many people find difficult to do over time. People give all kinds of reasons not to manage their bad eating habits and many times the source has something to do with past issues.

    In this current economy, a big reason for unhealthy eating habits may be that one can’t afford to eat healthy. However, the below article will prove that it is possible to eat healthy on a budget. Sticking with the boring recommended food pyramid is not what this is about!

    Although fitness and nutrition are not the same thing they are very related since they deal with the same area, which is health. If you want to improve your overall health level you should consider exercise of course. This will actually help you to stay motivated about your good eating habits as your body will start to crave healthier foods.

    When it comes to nutrition you want to make sure you are constantly keeping an eye on the latest information available to you. With science, it is always about learning new things about what is healthy and unhealthy for you, you want to try your best to always be informed. You never know, something that you think could be helping you today could actually end up harming you in the future, so try your best to stay informed.

    The first step to a more nutritious lifestyle is cutting out all refined flour. Whole wheat has a large amount of benefits including higher fiber, better general nutrition, and less likelihood to develop problems in the future. This includes pastas, breads and even rice. Your taste will quickly change when you start getting used to these types of foods and your eating habits will certainly improve.

    Plan your consumption of fruit. Fruit is quite beneficial in a diet but if you want to control your insulin levels better, only eat it after doing physical exercise to have the best results. It may be fine for some people to eat it for breakfast but if you feel as if you are having trouble with your insulin levels, only consume after physical exertion.

    Do not get yourself on the diet roller-coaster. There are so many different diet plans out there that many people will try for a few weeks and then go back to their unhealthy eating patterns. If you just skip the diet plan and start eating healthy foods, you will have much better success in controlling your weight.

    American eating habits are not the best to model after, and if one were to look at a better diet, look to Chinese eating habits since they incorporate plenty of healthy vegetables, smaller portions plus the frequency of their meals is how we all should think about eating.

    In order to develop healthier eating habits, consider eating a handful of nuts instead of something sweet and fattening. Many nut varieties are available, and they are chock full of substances which produce health benefits. In fact, nuts have been shown to help maintain a healthy heart and may help to reduce bad cholesterol.

    Try helping your overall daily nutrition by stocking up on fresh fruits and vegetables. These are a nutritious alternative to snack foods. With fewer calories, they are more nutritious and help you to achieve a healthy diet. The more you begin to enjoy eating nutritious snacks such as fruits and vegetables, the less you will crave in non-nutritious junk foods.

Hypertension:
    Hypertension is something that everyone should watch out for. Do your best to control the stress level in your life. High stress can lead to several health problems, such as: stroke, hypertension, heart attacks, ulcers, insomnia, depression and muscle aches. Getting the proper amount of sleep will help you avoid some of the added stress in your life and will reduce the risk of becoming overweight. Be very aware that eating disorders can develop if you are the type to take the easier but of course unhealthy route.
    
    Eat smaller, more nutritious meals throughout the day. Eating smaller-portioned meals that are several hours apart five or six times a day not only helps with digestion, but also helps to keep your weight down. Keeping your weight down can prevent diseases like diabetes and hypertension. Eating more frequently also helps you to feel less hungry, making it unlikely that you will binge on unhealthy foods.

    Healthy eating habits start with good nutrition. Staying away from fast foods, fatty or fried foods, and foods high in added sugar can help you to avoid such health issues as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart attack, and stroke. The more people know about how nutrition works, the better their choices can be.

    Calcium is a beneficial mineral that should be a part of a healthy diet. Calcium is involved in teeth and bone structure. It also helps in blood clotting, nerve function, muscle contraction, and blood vessel contraction. Calcium helps prevent many diseases such as osteoporosis, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer, high cholesterol, and obesity.

    Therefore, eating healthy and following good eating habits on a budget is certainly possible. In fact, eating healthy can be cheaper than actually going out to eat at fast food restaurants.

3 Easy Tips for Better Health

   When your body is unhealthy, almost every other area of your life is affected. People that are unhealthy typically do not eat the right types of foods, sleep enough, or may have too much stress in their lives. It is NOT necessary to take drastic measures in order to improve your health such as not eating meat or anything extreme. You simply need to think about adding a few simple things into your daily routine that will make you feel bright, alert, energized and motivated. Here are some simple things that will get your body back into a healthy mode again.

Eat Fruit:
    This is a necessary component to a healthy diet. How many times a week do you actually have fruit? Fruit has natural minerals and supplements that make us much healthier overall. Besides, fruit is also an excellent source of fiber as well as being very low in calories. Fruit makes an excellent snack food throughout any day. Your snack time should migrate from unhealthy food to healthy choices like eating a banana or an apricot. So if you’re watching your figure, and don’t want to add on the extra pounds, eat vitamin rich fruit everyday.

Physical Activity:
    One of the easiest ways to begin improving your health is to try to work in a little extra physical activity into each day. The local fitness center will not be one of your focal points. There are a lot of little techniques that will give you that extra bit of physical exertion, like parking further away from your destination and walking part of the way. These may not feel like they’re having much effect, but when you increase your fitness level even a little, your health will improve. This is because your respiratory system will be stronger and so will your heart muscle. Anytime you can add a little exercise, it will be a plus.

    If you didn’t know, happy people are less likely to get sick than unhappy people and we know this thanks to research. Maybe laughter really is the best medicine. Look at some ways to add some fun to your day to get healthy.

    Here are some suggestions if ideas aren’t jumping into your head. You could watch something silly on T.V or have a joke with your friends. Play with your kids or your spouse and enjoy it. You will raise your endorphin levels by laughing and you will feel good. Seems simple enough but amazingly you can greatly combat depression, anxiety and high blood pressure this way.

    By being in a healthy state and enjoying your life, you are able to have the optimal lifetime experience. Yet if you’re constantly putting your body under pressure with too much weight, unhealthy habits, lack of exercise or too much stress, your health will suffer as a result. Work on simple things you can do to add healthier options and choices into your day and you’ll be rewarded as your health begins to improve.

Heart Palpitations Causes

   

    Sudden racing or pounding of your heart, known as heart palpitations, happen even when we are just walking or sitting and if you notice this happening to you then it could definitely be a big problem that needs to be checked by a medical professional.

    If you are relatively healthy, and you notice a fluttering or racing heartbeat once in a while, then you probably don’t have to worry, but you should still pay attention to it. Heart palpitations represent the physical irregularities in the beating of your heart that feels more like fluttering in your chest usually followed by a racing pounding sensation.

    What could be the primary causes of heart palpitations and are there ways to avoid the symptoms from happening so often? You may have been born with these heart problems and recognizing them early and learning how to deal with them will go a long way to leading a normal lifestyle.

    Fear, stress or anxiety are all things that can lead to heart palpitations and should be avoided at all costs if you are found to have problems with your heart. Many times, panic attacks can lead to symptoms that are very similar to a heart attack, and mistakenly diagnosed as such. Identifying what you are experiencing can be done through analysis of data accumulated by a device known as a cardiobeeper.

    A cardiobeeper is usually used when your palpitations occur infrequently enough to cause some concern. Recording your heart beat for an extended period of time (24-48 hours) will go a long way in helping identify the problem.

    Heart palpitations could also be the result of low levels of oxygen in your blood, either through strenuous exercise, anemia and other possible reasons. The rate of your heart may still be within normal range even with all these external stimulus that can usually cause stress, but be mindful that there are many medications that can contribute to bringing out these symptoms as well.

    Medical conditions like thyroid problems and something known as mitral valve prolapse can cause you to have palpitations as well. Stimulants like caffeine, nicotine, energy drinks and many over the counter medications are big offenders when it comes to causing disruptions in your heart rhythm.

    Don’t forget that emotional factors are heart palpitations causes that makes your heart skip a beat. Palpitations initially are usually not serious, especially if you are of even average health, but it would still depend on whether or not the sensations represent arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm).

    Basically after reading the above, you understand you should limit the intake of your caffeine and limit exercise enough to make your heartbeat manageable and thus preventing any more heart palpitations and other symptoms associated with it. Pursed-Lip breathing, is a form of breathing exercise that helps you reduce your stress and anxiety and also reduce your heart palpitation frequency.

    As a reminder what one might feel when experiencing heart palpitations, there would be discomfort in your chest area, paused heartbeats before proceeding to another and irregularities in your heartbeats. People may experience light headedness or lose consciousness from the causes of heart palpitations and you may identify whether this is a palpitation itself or not.

    Although being generally acclaimed as good for the heart, significant side effects of wine could result in cardiac irregularities or cardiac arrhythmias so it would be advisable to be honest when the doctor is assessing you.

    Employ the proper means in coping with stress and anxiety and applying sufficient time for exercise to prevent heart palpitations. If you have any other conditions that requires treatment, ask your health professional for the medications contraindications to manage the possible side effects, and employ the above mentioned techniques to reduce your stress.

The Dangers Of "Smoking" Alcohol

It seems that people are always trying to find new and innovative ways to get drunk. However, a re-emerging trend, referred to as “smoking” alcohol, which seems to have recently become popular not only among teens and college students, has health care providers quite concerned.

While many people may take regular shots of alcohol, or even do so- called “eyeball shots” or use “alcohol enemas”, a number of drinkers are now “smoking” alcohol. The consequences of “smoking” or vaporizing alcohol can be quite dangerous.

One method described on multiple internet sites is to pour the alcohol over dry ice in a thermos-type bottle, and inhale it directly using a straw or pipe. Another option is to make a vaporizing kit using a bike pump. In this method, the alcohol is poured into a bottle, then corked, while the needle from the bicycle pump is poked through the top of the cork. Following this, air is pumped into the bottle in order to vaporize the alcohol, with the user then inhaling. Another method is to free-base the alcohol over a flame which ultimately produces vapors for inhalation.

In 2004, a machine called the AWOL (Alcohol without Liquid) became popular as a way to vaporize alcohol. However, the product was rapidly banned in the US and people lost interest in the fad.

Ten years later, we are now seeing a re-emergence of this dangerous trend. The concerning issue is that it is gaining popularity among people who don’t want the added calories that come from consuming alcohol, and see this trend as a way to lose weight. Coined “drunkorexia’” some teens may be particularly vulnerable, and may see this as a way to limit their calories, while still enjoy the effects of alcohol.

One of the myths of vaporizing alcohol is that there are no calories associated with this method. In truth, there are still calories involved when you vaporize alcohol. If you are feeling the effects of the alcohol, it means that you are absorbing the calories associated with ethanol, the active component in alcohol. Although you may not absorb the added calories of the sweetners or mixers if you vaporize pure spirits, there are still calories absorbed.

In fact a man in North Texas, Broderic Allen, says he started smoking alcohol to lose weight, and reportedly lost nearly 80 pounds in the process. A recent video of him smoking alcohol has parents and healthcare providers extremely worried.

As one inhales alcohol vapor, it bypasses the stomach and liver going from the lungs directly to the brain and then into the bloodstream, leading to rapid alcohol intoxication. Since the alcohol is not metabolized by the liver, it has a higher strength and more potent effect as it enters the bloodstream going directly to the brain.

People have described that they experience the effects of the alcohol vapors almost immediately. However, the danger and risks are much more significant. Individuals who smoke alcohol are at a much higher risk of an alcohol overdose, referred to as “alcohol poisoning”. In the normal course of drinking, as people become more intoxicated, they generally vomit. Vomiting is the actually your body’s way of preventing an overdose. However, when alcohol bypasses the stomach and liver– as in “smoking” alcohol– there is no effective way to get rid of it. Once your brain has absorbed the ethanol, there is no way to expel it from your system.

More concerning with this method is that there is no effective way to measure how much alcohol you are consuming. As an example, if a single cup of alcohol is poured into a container and then vaporized, the drinker can’t discern if they are inhaling the entire cup or a few sips, as residual alcohol remains in the bottle, often obscured by lingering vapors.

An additional risk centers around the addictive potential of vaporizing alcohol. The rapid and intense effect of vaporizing alcohol–similar to the “quick hit” of cocaine, cigarettes, and methamphetamine—has tremendous potential to reinforce the addictive effects, leading to greater abuse potential. This is markedly different than drinking alcohol whereby effects can be slowed by a meal, as well as drinking in a slower fashion. As alcohol is absorbed through the stomach, its metabolism or breakdown by the liver helps to regulate the intoxicating effect of ethanol, the active ingredient in alcohol.

New products to vaporize the alcohol, such as the “Vaportini” have emerged on the scene in the past 5 years. The product, created in 2009, is sold legally in the US. The manufacturer explains that the Vaportini involves “no calories, no carbs, no impurities and the effects of consuming alcohol are immediately felt, making it easier to responsibly imbibe.”

An additional concern is that the process of inhaling the vaporized liquid into the lungs could potentially be quite irritating, leading to bronchospasm, as well as a drying effect of the alcohol to the respiratory tract passages and nasal lining. This drying effect of the alcohol could predispose individuals to a higher risk of lung infections such as pneumonia, or pneumonitis- an inflammatory condition in the lung.

If you can imagine just pouring a bottle of alcohol into your lungs and the effects it may have, some may then think twice about this dangerous practice. Inhaling dry ice (with the alcohol) which is difficult to humidify inside the lung tissue, could potentially lead to a “burn” of the lining of the lung. Overall, this practice could be even riskier for those who smoke, or have asthma or COPD.

Although there have been no formal published scientific studies describing the negative effects of “smoking” alcohol, the potential for harm, based on the mechanism, is concerning.

I urge parents to have a discussion with their children and teens regarding the significant dangers associated with this activity.

Good Eating and Sleep Habits Help Kids Succeed in School

Adults often hear what they should be doing to improve their health. But many of these known wellness behaviors are important for kids, too

Health habits, such as eating and sleep patterns, are linked to academic success, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Your brain can't work if you're not consuming enough calories, and in general that's not a problem," explained Krista Casazza, Phd , R.D., assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition Sciences. "But when kids go to school without eating breakfast, their cognitive function can be affected."

Casazza suggests kids start the day with fruits, proteins and whole grains. Avoid sugary cereals because they cause a sugar high, then a crash."A balanced breakfast will fuel the body for a long period and help sustain their attention level through lunch, when they need to eat well again," Casazza said. "This will hold them until dinner, and they won't snack ravenously after school."If the kids do need to eat something prior to dinner, consider these options: • Offer healthy choices like yogurt, fruits and veggies. • If they want "kid stuff," baked chips can be an option, in moderation. • Drink water. Soda lacks nutritional value.Once homework and dinner are done, sleep needs to be the priority.

"Children need a good night's sleep for their overall school performance," said Kristin Avis, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Pediatrics Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine."Lack of sleep can lead to problems with attention and memory in the classroom, affect impulse control and mood regulation lead to anxiety and even depression," Avis said.Avis said kids ages 6-12 should get nine hours sleep nightly as should adolescents ages 13-18 -- but typically they average little more than seven hours per night.

"Often parents think one night of sleep loss won't matter, but that's all it takes to affect them the next day," Avis explained. "If they are chronically deprived, it can snowball and make matters worse."Catching up on lost sleep on the weekend can make matters worse.
"If kids sleep in Saturday, they have a hard time going to bed Saturday night; so they sleep in Sunday and have a hard time going to bed Sunday night," Avis said. "Monday morning they are tired, and it's hard to wake up for school. They struggle to get back on a good sleep schedule."

Avis recommends a consistent bedtime seven days a week."It keeps their clock set so they can go to bed at a certain time, sleep well through night and wake up well rested the next morning," Avis said

Air Pollution Responsible for More Than 2 Million Deaths Worldwide Each Year, Experts Estimate

More than two million deaths occur worldwide each year as a direct result of human-caused outdoor air pollution, a new study has found.

In addition, while it has been suggested that a changing climate can exacerbate the effects of air pollution and increase death rates, the study shows that this has a minimal effect and only accounts for a small proportion of current deaths related to air pollution.

The study, which has been published today, 12 July, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, estimates that around 470,000 people die each year because of human-caused increases in ozone.

It also estimates that around 2.1 million deaths are caused each year by human-caused increases in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) ? tiny particles suspended in the air that can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing cancer and other respiratory disease.

Co-author of the study, Jason West, from the University of North Carolina, said: "Our estimates make outdoor air pollution among the most important environmental risk factors for health. Many of these deaths are estimated to occur in East Asia and South Asia, where population is high and air pollution is severe."

According to the study, the number of these deaths that can be attributed to changes in the climate since the industrial era is, however, relatively small. It estimates that a changing climate results in 1500 deaths due to ozone and 2200 deaths related to PM2.5 each year.

Climate change affects air quality in many ways, possibly leading to local increases or decreases in air pollution. For instance, temperature and humidity can change the reaction rates which determine the formation or lifetime of a pollutant, and rainfall can determine the time that pollutants can accumulate.Higher temperatures can also increase the emissions of organic compounds from trees, which can then react in the atmosphere to form ozone and particulate matter.

"Very few studies have attempted to estimate the effects of past climate change on air quality and health. We found that the effects of past climate change are likely to be a very small component of the overall effect of air pollution," continued West.

In their study, the researchers used an ensemble of climate models to simulate the concentrations of ozone and PM2.5 in the years 2000 and 1850. A total of 14 models simulated levels of ozone and six models simulated levels of PM2.5.

Previous epidemiological studies were then used to assess how the specific concentrations of air pollution from the climate models related to current global mortality rates.The researchers' results were comparable to previous studies that have analysed air pollution and mortality; however, there was some variation depending on which climate model was used.

"We have also found that there is significant uncertainty based on the spread among different atmospheric models. This would caution against using a single model in the future, as some studies have done," continued West.

Jharkhand: The Fire In The Earth's Belly

 

     The haunting inscription that marks the gates of hell in Dante's Inferno could well be true for Jharkhand. For, the underground fires that have been raging in the coalfields of this state over several years are now beginning to engulf its thickly inhabited areas as well.

An underground mine fire that has been raging for nearly six months now poses a threat to railway tracks after it led to the closure of the Ranchi-Patna National Highway last year.

The mine fire spotted at four to five places near the Kalyani project of Central Coalfield Limited at Bermo in Bokaro district has posed a threat to both the Bermo-Chandrapura-Dhanbad highway and the Gomoh-Barkakana railway route. The railway track is around 40 feet away from the fire and the highway is around 10 feet away. The fire is spread out in a two-kilometre area.

Earlier, the National Highway-33, which connects Ranchi and Patna via Hazaribagh and Koderma, was closed August 7, 2009 because of the underground mine fire that touched the road.

Meanwhile, another underground mine fire now poses a threat to railway tracks at Bansjora, a railway halt in Dhanbad district. It falls between Dhanbad and Katras railway route used daily by the Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express trains.

The fire broke out at quarry No. 15 of Godhra coal mine in 2008 and spread fast almost two kilometers from the Godhra railway station near Dhanbad town forcing 400 families to be evacuated from near the open-cast mine belonging to Bharat Coking Coal Limited.

Residents said they saw flames as high as 15 feet, forcing them to flee onto the highway where traffic had to be stalled for nearly an hour.

Panic gripped Sudamdih new mines area under eastern Jharia on December 28, 2007 when large cracks developed on the road and buildings spread over an area of nearly half km due to the land subsidence. While major cracks developed in almost all the rooms of Birsa Memorial High School, minor cracks were seen on walls of many houses of mini slum area situated by the side.

According to eyewitness, the residents of the locality heard some gurgling sound from beneath the earth at around 9.30 in the morning and cracks started developing on the surface. Fearing major land subsidence, residents came out of their houses and started running helter-skelter.

In October 2007, the area had experienced gas leakage from beneath the earth after which the coal organisation management dug many holes to control the underground fire by stowing water mixed with sand through the holes. It is all due to underground mine fire which is now slowly engulfing the area.

Such is the intensity of the fires that even a mid-summer sun pales in the smoky haze that they generate. After dusk, the flames take on morbid hues. "Jharia resembles a cremation ground at night". 

Few years ago the town's temple snapped into two. The next moment, flames leapt out from underneath spewing noxious gases. The people of Jharia then realised that the underground fire had finally reached their doorstep.

Some 150,000 miners, truck drivers, loaders and other workers brave this hazard to eke out a living. The fires have consumed about 42 million tonnes of India's best coking coal.

There appears to be no permanent solution in sight. The only opinion seems to be cut out trenches to disconnect fire seams which have been identified. But this would require a huge investment. But the extent to which has flared up in Jharia makes dousing it an uphill task-particularly when all the prevailing conditions further fan the fire.

The only solution which is now seen is the shifting of the town. This means that the relocation would affect the nearly 3 lakh population of Jharia, approximately 1 lakh houses and other buildings and a prospering economy.

Safety From Electric Shock

   The human body conducts electricity. If any part of the body receives an electric shock, the electricity will flow through the tissues with little obstruction.

Depending on the length and severity of the shock, injuries can include:

• Burns to the skin
• Burns to internal tissues
• Electrical interference or damage (or both) to the heart, which could cause the heart to stop or beat erratically.
• Always disconnect the power supply before trying to help a victim of electric shock.

Symptoms of electric shock:

• Unconsciousness
• Difficulties in breathing or no breathing at all
• A weak, erratic pulse or no pulse at all
• Burns, particularly entrance and exit burns (where the electricity entered and left the body)
• Sudden onset of cardiac arrest.
• Sometimes victims of electric shock may appear to be unhurt, but they should still be treated as a victim of electric shock. Some injuries and further complications may not yet be obvious. An examination in hospital is important after any electric shock.

 Causes of electric shock:

• Some of the causes of electric shock include:
• Faulty appliances
• Damaged or frayed cords or extension leads
• Electrical appliances coming in contact with water
• Incorrect or deteriorated household wiring
• Downed powerlines
• Lightning strike.

How to help a victim of electric shock:
    The first thing you must do is disconnect the power supply. Don’t even touch the victim until you are sure that the power supply is turned off. Be especially careful in wet areas, such as bathrooms, as water conducts electricity. It may be safer to turn off the electricity supply to the building if possible to be absolutely sure.

First aid for electrical shock includes: 
    Check for a person’s response and breathing. It may be necessary to commence cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).Call triple zero (000) for an ambulance. If you are unsure of resuscitation techniques, the ambulance call-taker will give you easy-to-follow instructions over the telephone, so you can increase the person’s chances of survival until the ambulance arrives.
    If their breathing is steady and they are responsive, attend to their injuries. Cool the burns with cool running water for 20 minutes and cover with dressings, if available, that won’t stick. Simple cling wrap found in most kitchens is very suitable to cover burns as long as it is not applied tightly. Never put ointments or oils onto burns. If the person has fallen from a height, try not to move them unnecessarily in case they have spinal injuries. Only move them if there is a chance of further danger from the environment (such as falling objects).
Talk calmly and reassuringly to the person.

Downed powerlines:
    Sometimes, powerlines are downed in car accidents. The powerlines may drape over the vehicles. The tyres act as insulation, so urge anyone inside the car to stay there where they will be safe from electric shock. Do not approach the scene until it has been declared safe by the proper authorities. Stand well back and try to encourage any bystanders to keep a distance of at least six metres.
    Even if the lines or wires are not moving, they may still be live. All wires should be treated as if they are live. If a person is forced to get out of the vehicle because of a hazard such as fire, instruct them to keep their feet close together and to jump away, not walk. This can reduce the chance of an electric shock if wires are on the ground. Only advise this action if the person is definitely unable to remain in the vehicle.

Safety tips around the home:

• Always hire a licensed electrician for all wiring jobs.
• Don’t use extension leads or appliances if the cords are damaged or frayed.
• Don’t remove a plug from a power point by pulling on the cord – pull the plug instead.
• Keep electrical appliances away from wet areas.
• Have safety switches installed by an electrician.
• Buy portable power boards with built-in safety switches.
• Insert safety plugs into power points not in use to stop children from inserting objects into them.

How a safety switch works:
    A safety switch, or residual current device, is designed to save lives by monitoring power flow and making sure the flow is even. This is different to a circuit breaker, which is designed to protect household wiring from power surges.
    A safety switch is intended to trip out an electricity supply in the event of a current flow to earth. It can provide protection from harmful electric shocks in situations where a person comes into contact with a live electrical circuit and provides a path to earth. Typical examples of this occurring are with the use of faulty electrical leads and faulty appliances. These switches operate in one thirty-thousandth of a second.

Where to get help:
    In an emergency, call triple zero (000)

Things to remember:

• The human body conducts electricity.
• Disconnect the power supply before trying to help someone suffering from an electric shock.
• Be especially careful in wet areas and around downed powerlines.
• Always hire a licensed electrician for all wiring jobs around the home.

Toronto Storm 2013

TORONTO (AP) 
     A severe thunderstorm caused flash flooding in Toronto during the Monday evening rush hour, cutting power to at least 300,000 in Canada's largest city, shutting down subways, and leaving about 1,000 passengers stranded for hours on a commuter train filled with gushing water.

Environment Canada said some parts of the city had been drenched with more than 3.9 inches (10 centimeters) of rain in the evening storm, easily beating the previous one-day rainfall record of 1.4 inches (3.6 centimeters) in 2008.

Scores of Toronto police and firefighters used boats to rescue commuters from a 10-car, double-decker train that stalled in floodwaters that reached up to the lower windows. Murky brown water spilled through the bottom floor of the carriages, sending passengers fleeing to the upper decks. Power was shut off and the windows were opened to provide ventilation.

"There's a full-on river on either side of us... We. Are. Stuck. Hard," passenger Jonah Cait wrote on Twitter.

A Metrolinx spokeswoman told the broadcast news network CP24 that about 1,000 passengers were aboard the train. Rescue workers were pulling weary passengers through the windows about 3 ½ hours after the train got stuck.

Another passenger told CP24 that she could see people clinging to trees after abandoning their cars on a flooded highway alongside the tracks.

All of Toronto's subway service was temporarily halted due to power and signal issues. Some stations were also flooded. Partial service later resumed but large parts of the system were still shut down.

The storm left the downtown core dotted with abandoned vehicles, some sitting in water up to their windows. One woman, in a T-shirt and shorts, dove head-first through the window of her marooned car before wading away in the thigh-deep currents.

Porter Airlines canceled all flights out of the downtown airport due to power outages in the terminal Monday evening. It was not clear how many flights were affected.

As many as 300,000 Toronto Hydro customers lost power. Hydro spokeswoman Tanya Bruckmueller said efforts to restore power to customers might be slowed as night fell.

Another utility, Enersource, said power was cut to about 80 percent of Mississauga, a suburb of 700,000 west of Toronto. By around 10 p.m., only about 50,000 were without power.

Toronto's flash flooding comes two weeks after extensive flooding in Calgary turned parts of the western Canadian city into a lake and forced up to 100,000 Albertans from their homes. Three bodies were recovered during the floods

Home Fire Prevention And Safety Tips

Working Together for Home Fire Safety:
    More than 3,400 Americans die each year in fires and approximately 17,500 are injured. An overwhelming number of fires occur in the home. There are time-tested ways to prevent and survive a fire. It's not a question of luck. It's a matter of planning ahead.

Every Home Should Have at Least One Working Smoke Alarm:
    Buy a smoke alarm at any hardware or discount store. It's inexpensive protection for you and your family. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. A working smoke alarm can double your chances of survival. Test it monthly, keep it free of dust and replace the battery at least once a year. Smoke alarms themselves should be replaced after ten years of service, or as recommended by the manufacturer.

Prevent Electrical Fires:
    Never overload circuits or extension cords. Do not place cords and wires under rugs, over nails or in high traffic areas. Immediately shut off and unplug appliances that sputter, spark or emit an unusual smell. Have them professionally repaired or replaced.

Use Appliances Wisely:
    When using appliances follow the manufacturer's safety precautions. Overheating, unusual smells, shorts and sparks are all warning signs that appliances need to be shut off, then replaced or repaired. Unplug appliances when not in use. Use safety caps to cover all unused outlets, especially if there are small children in the home.

Alternate Heaters:
    Portable heaters need their space. Keep anything combustible at least three feet away.
Keep fire in the fireplace. Use fire screens and have your chimney cleaned annually. The creosote buildup can ignite a chimney fire that could easily spread.
Kerosene heaters should be used only where approved by authorities. Never use gasoline or camp-stove fuel. Refuel outside and only after the heater has cooled.

Affordable Home Fire Safety Sprinklers:
     When home fire sprinklers are used with working smoke alarms, your chances of surviving a fire are greatly increased. Sprinklers are affordable - they can increase property value and lower insurance rates.

Plan Your Escape:
    Practice an escape plan from every room in the house. Caution everyone to stay low to the floor when escaping from fire and never to open doors that are hot. Select a location where everyone can meet after escaping the house. Get out then call for help.

Caring for Children:
    Children under five are naturally curious about fire. Many play with matches and lighters. Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching your children that fire is a tool, not a toy.

Caring for Older People:
    Every year over 1,000 senior citizens die in fires. Many of these fire deaths could have been prevented. Seniors are especially vulnerable because many live alone and can't respond quickly.

What Should I Do During Tornado?

   When a tornado warning is issued, it means that a government agency believes that there is a serious risk of tornadoes, due to the weather conditions, or that tornadoes have been spotted in the area. The most important thing to do during a tornado warning is to take cover in a secure place, and to bring a radio along to listen for an all clear, which will indicate that the warning has been lifted. However, it helps to prepare ahead for tornado warnings, especially in areas of the world where this type of weather is common.

   The best place to shelter during a tornado is in a basement or storm cellar. If such a space is not available, staying indoors in the center of a building is a good solution. People in cars, trailer homes, tents, and other unstable structures should exit and find a solid building to shelter in. If no indoor shelter is available, the best thing to do is to lie flat in a low area such as a ditch, taking care to watch out for flooding. Sheltering under bridges and overpasses may be popular in the movies, but it can be dangerous in real life, as these structures can collapse, and falling debris can hit people trying to take shelter.

   At home, it's a good idea to have a tornado plan and to practice for it at least once a year so that people and pets can get to a shelter in a few minutes if necessary. The designated safe space for sheltering should be stocked with food, water, blankets, batteries, flashlights, and entertainment. It's also a good idea to remind people that flying debris is a big risk in a tornado, and that protective coverings such as blankets, tarps, or heavy jackets should be used to cushion the body while approaching a shelter when a tornado warning is issued.

   Tornadoes can also be accompanied by severe thunderstorms, which carry some additional hazards. Heavy weather can cause power outages or block roads, which can become an issue if someone is injured, and such storms can also cause flooding or fires. During a tornado warning, people should be aware of these hazards, and the fact that the risk of thunderstorms can persist after a tornado warning is canceled or lifted.

   A weather agency may also issue a tornado watch, which means that conditions are ripe for the formation of tornadoes, so people should be careful. Weather agencies are not infallible, and a tornado can occur during a tornado watch without any warning. If a watch is issued, people should watch out for changes in the sky's color, swirling clouds, or disturbances in the landscape such as clouds of dust which can indicate the presence of a tornado.

The Human Brain

         How do you remember the way to your friend's house? Why do your eyes blink without you ever thinking about it? Where do dreams come from? Your brain is in charge of these things and a lot more.
         In fact, your brain is the boss of your body. It runs the show and controls just about everything you do, even when you're asleep. Not bad for something that looks like a big, wrinkly, gray sponge
        Your brain has many different parts that work together. We're going to talk about these five parts, which are key players on the brain team:

Cerebrum (say: suh-REE-brum)

Cerebellum (say: sair-uh-BELL-um)

Brain Stem
Pituitary (say: puh-TOO-uh-ter-ee) Gland
Hypothalamus (say: hy-po-THAL-uh-mus)

The Biggest Part-the Cerebrum:
    The biggest part of the brain is the cerebrum. The cerebrum makes up 85% of the brain's weight, and it's easy to see why. The cerebrum is the thinking part of the brain and it controls your voluntary muscles — the ones that move when you want them to. So you can't dance — or kick a soccer ball — without your cerebrum.

The Cerebellum's Balancing Act:
   Next up is the cerebellum. The cerebellum is at the back of the brain, below the cerebrum. It's a lot smaller than the cerebrum at only 1/8 of its size. But it's a very important part of the brain. It controls balance, movement, and coordination (how your muscles work together).
   Because of your cerebellum, you can stand upright, keep your balance, and move around. Think about a surfer riding the waves on his board. What does he need most to stay balanced? The best surfboard? The coolest wetsuit? Nope — he needs his cerebellum!

Brain Stem Keeps You Breathing — and More:
   Another brain part that's small but mighty is the brain stem. The brain stem sits beneath the cerebrum and in front of the cerebellum. It connects the rest of the brain to the spinal cord, which runs down your neck and back. The brain stem is in charge of all the functions your body needs to stay alive, like breathing air, digesting food, and circulating blood.
   Part of the brain stem's job is to control your involuntary muscles — the ones that work automatically, without you even thinking about it. There are involuntary muscles in the heart and stomach, and it's the brain stem that tells your heart to pump more blood when you're biking or your stomach to start digesting your lunch. The brain stem also sorts through the millions of messages that the brain and the rest of the body send back and forth. Whew! It's a big job being the brain's secretary!

Pituitary Gland Controls Growth:
   The pituitary gland is very small — only about the size of a pea! Its job is to produce and release hormones into your body. If your clothes from last year are too small, it's because your pituitary gland released special hormones that made you grow. This gland is a big player in puberty too. This is the time when boys' and girls' bodies go through major changes as they slowly become men and women, all thanks to hormones released by the pituitary gland.

Hypothalamus Controls Temperature:
   The hypothalamus is like your brain's inner thermostat (that little box on the wall that controls the heat in your house). The hypothalamus knows what temperature your body should be (about 98.6°F or 37°C). If your body is too hot, the hypothalamus tells it to sweat. If you're too cold, the hypothalamus gets you shivering. Both shivering and sweating are attempts to get your body's temperature back where it needs to be.

You Have Some Nerve:
   So the brain is boss, but it can't do it alone. It needs some nerves — actually a lot of them. And it needs the spinal cord, which is a long bundle of nerves inside your spinal column, the vertebrae that protect it. It's the spinal cord and nerves — known as the nervous system — that let messages flow back and forth between the brain and body.
   If a spiky cactus falls off a shelf headed right for your best friend, your nerves and brain communicate so that you jump up and yell for your friend to get out of the way. If you're really good, maybe you're able to catch the plant before it hits your friend!

Emotion Location:
   With all the other things it does, is it any surprise that the brain runs your emotions? Maybe you got the exact toy you wanted for your birthday and you were really happy. Or your friend is sick and you feel sad. Or your little brother messed up your room, so you're really angry! Where do those feelings come from? Your brain, of course.
   Your brain has a little bunch of cells on each side called the amygdala (say: uh-MIG-duh-luh). The word amygdala is Latin for almond, and that's what this area looks like. Scientists believe that the amygdala is responsible for emotion. It's normal to feel all different kinds of emotions, good and bad. Sometimes you might feel a little sad, and other times you might feel scared, or silly, or glad.

Be Good to Your Brain:
So what can you do for your brain? Plenty. 

• Eat healthy foods. They contain potassium and calcium, two minerals that are important for the nervous system.
• Get a lot of playtime (exercise).
• Wear a helmet when you ride your bike or play other sports that require head protection.
• Don't drink alcohol, take drugs, or use tobacco.
• Use your brain by doing challenging activities, such as puzzles, reading, playing music, making art, or anything else that gives your brain a workout!

Global Warming

Global Warming Causes:
    Global warming is primarily a problem of too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere—which acts as a blanket, trapping heat and warming the planet. As we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas for energy or cut down and burn forests to create pastures and plantations, carbon accumulates and overloads our atmosphere. Certain waste management and agricultural practices aggravate the problem by releasing other potent global warming gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide. See the pie chart for a breakdown of heat-trapping global warming emissions by economic sector.

Global Warming Is Urgent and Can Be Addressed:
    CO2 survives in the atmosphere for a long time—up to many centuries—so its heat-trapping effects are compounded over time. Of the many heat-trapping gases, CO2 puts us at the greatest risk of irreversible changes if it continues to accumulate unabated in the atmosphere—as it is likely to do if the global economy remains dependent on fossil fuels for its energy needs. To put this in perspective, the carbon we put in the atmosphere today will literally determine not only our climate future but that of future generations as well.

   Substantial scientific evidence indicates that an increase in the global average temperature of more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (°F) (or 2 degrees Celsius [°C]) above pre-industrial levels poses severe risks to natural systems and to human health and well-being. The good news is that, because we as humans caused global warming, we can also do something about it. To avoid this level of warming, large emitters such as the United States need to greatly reduce heat-trapping gas emissions by mid century. Delay in taking such action means the prospect of much steeper cuts later if there is any hope of staying below the 3.6°F (2°C) temperature goal. Delayed action is also likely to make it more difficult and costly to not only make these reductions, but also address the climate consequences that occur in the meantime.

The Consequences of a Warming World:
   Over the last century, global average temperature has increased by more than 1°F (0.7°C). The 2001-2010 decade is the warmest since 1880—the earliest year for which comprehensive global temperature records were available. In fact, nine of the warmest years on record have occurred in just the last 10 years. This warming has been accompanied by a decrease in very cold days and nights and an increase in extremely hot days and warm nights. The continental United States, for example, has seen record daily highs twice as often as record daily lows from 2000 to 2009. While the record shows that some parts of the world are warming faster than others, the long-term global upward trend is unambiguous.

Of course, land and ocean temperature is only one way to measure the effects of climate change. A warming world also has the potential to change rainfall and snow patterns, increase droughts and severe storms, reduce lake ice cover, melt glaciers, increase sea levels, and change plant and animal behavior

Solutions to Global Warming:
        There is no single solution to global warming, which is primarily a problem of too much heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere. The technologies and approaches outlined below are all needed to bring down the emissions of these gases by at least 80 percent by mid-century.

Boosting energy efficiency: 
   The energy used to power, heat, and cool our homes, businesses, and industries is the single largest contributor to global warming. Energy efficiency technologies allow us to use less energy to get the same—or higher—level of production, service, and comfort. This approach has vast potential to save both energy and money, and can be deployed quickly.

Greening transportation:
    The transportation sector's emissions have increased at a faster rate than any other energy-using sector over the past decade. A variety of solutions are at hand, including improving efficiency (miles per gallon) in all modes of transport, switching to low-carbon fuels, and reducing vehicle miles traveled through smart growth and more efficient mass transportation systems.

Revving up renewables:
    Renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and bioenergy are available around the world. Multiple studies have shown that renewable energy has the technical potential to meet the vast majority of our energy needs. Renewable technologies can be deployed quickly, are increasingly cost-effective, and create jobs while reducing pollution.

Phasing out fossil fuel electricity:
    Dramatically reducing our use of fossil fuels—especially carbon-intensive coal—is essential to tackle climate change. There are many ways to begin this process. Key action steps include: not building any new coal-burning power plants, initiating a phased shutdown of coal plants starting with the oldest and dirtiest, and capturing and storing carbon emissions from power plants. While it may sound like science fiction, the technology exists to store carbon emissions underground. The technology has not been deployed on a large scale or proven to be safe and permanent, but it has been demonstrated in other contexts such as oil and natural gas recovery. Demonstration projects to test the viability and costs of this technology for power plant emissions are worth pursuing.

Managing forests and agriculture:
    Taken together, tropical deforestation and emissions from agriculture represent nearly 30 percent of the world's heat-trapping emissions. We can fight global warming by reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and by making our food production practices more sustainable.

Exploring nuclear:
     Because nuclear power results in few global warming emissions, an increased share of nuclear power in the energy mix could help reduce global warming—but nuclear technology poses serious threats to our security and, as the accident at the Fukushima Diaichi plant in Japan illustrates to our health and the environment as well. The question remains: can the safety, proliferation, waste disposal, and cost barriers of nuclear power be overcome?

Developing and deploying new low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies:
    Research into and development of the next generation of low-carbon technologies will be critical to deep mid-century reductions in global emissions. Current research on battery technology, new materials for solar cells, harnessing energy from novel sources like bacteria and algae, and other innovative areas could provide important breakthroughs.

Ensuring sustainable development: 
   The countries of the world—from the most to the least developed—vary dramatically in their contributions to the problem of climate change and in their responsibilities and capacities to confront it. A successful global compact on climate change must include financial assistance from richer countries to poorer countries to help make the transition to low-carbon development pathways and to help adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Adapting to changes already underway:
    As the Climate Hot Map demonstrates, the impacts of a warming world are already being felt by people around the globe. If climate change continues unchecked, these impacts are almost certain to get worse. From sea level rise to heat waves, from extreme weather to disease outbreaks, each unique challenge requires locally-suitable solutions to prepare for and respond to the impacts of global warming. Unfortunately, those who will be hit hardest and first by the impacts of a changing climate are likely to be the poor and vulnerable, especially those in the least developed countries. Developed countries must take a leadership role in providing financial and technical help for adaptation..

Lightning Safety Education

The National Weather Association(NWA) Council approved this policy statement on lightning safety education and requests the support of NWA members in implementing it.

Lightning is an underrated weather hazard. It is the second leading cause of storm-related deaths in the U.S., exceeded only by floods. In an average year, lightning kills more people in the United States than tornadoes or hurricanes. Of the estimated 1,000 people who are struck by lightning each year in the U.S, only 10% are killed, but survivors may suffer life-long disabilities.

The majority of lightning casualties (deaths and injuries) are preventable. Therefore, all NWA members are encouraged to proactively educate the public on the threat of lightning and on lightning safety. Radio and Television weathercasters and teachers, with their access to large segments of the public, can be especially effective in this effort. By increasing efforts to educate the public about the dangers of lightning, NWA members could substantially decrease the number of lightning casualties.

Understanding The Lightning Threat-Minimising Your Threat:

There is no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area. If you hear thunder, you are likely within striking distance of the storm. Just remember, “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors.” Too many people wait far too long to get to a safe place when thunderstorms approach. Unfortunately, these delayed actions lead to many of the lightning deaths and injuries in the U.S.

The best way to protect yourself from lightning is to avoid the threat. You simply don’t want to be caught outside in a storm. Have a lightning safety plan, and cancel or postpone activities early if thunderstorms are expected. Monitor weather conditions and get to a safe place before the weather becomes threatening. Substantial buildings and hard-topped vehicles are safe options. Rain shelters, small sheds, and open vehicles are not safe.

When inside, do not touch anything that is plugged into an electrical outlet, plumbing, and corded phones. Cell phones and cordless phones are safe. Also, keep away from outside doors and windows and do not lie on a garage floor.

The threat that someone will being struck by lightning depends on their behavior when thunderstorms are in the area. The graphs below provide some insight into why and when people are struck by lightning and what can do to lower their risk.

In the first graph, the threat of lightning increases as a thunderstorm approaches, reaches a peak when the storm is overhead, and then gradually diminishes as the storm moves away. At the same time, it’s people’s behavior that determines the risk of a fatal lightning strike. While some people move inside at the first signs of a thunderstorm, many people wait far too long to get to a safe place. Some wait until the thunderstorm is overhead and it starts to rain. Others, due to poor planning, are caught outside and can’t get to a safe place. Although most people got inside, some put themselves at risk by touching items that could become electrified by a nearby lightning strike. Finally, many people go outside too soon after the storm has seemingly passed, often only waiting for the rain to become lighter or end. It is all of these  unsafe behaviors that put people at risk when thunderstorm are in the area.

Minimizing The Risk:

            To minimize your personal risk of being struck by lightning, when going outside, plan ahead so that you can get to a safe place quickly if a thunderstorm threatens. If the sky looks threatening or if you hear thunder, get inside a safe place immediately. Once inside, avoid contact with corded phones, electrical equipment, plumbing, and windows and doors. Finally, wait 30 minutes after the last lightning or thunder before going back outside. If everyone followed those simple rules, the number of lightning casualties in this country could be greatly reduced.

Remember, it is your behavior when thunderstorms are in the area that determines your personal risk of being struck by lightning. When Thunder roars, Go Indoors!