Sharing everything life has to throw at them: Extraordinary story of conjoined twins charted in new reality show . . . just don't ask about boyfriends - They were never expected to survive beyond a few days

Sharing everything life has to throw at them: Extraordinary story of conjoined twins charted in new reality show . . . just don't ask about boyfriends - They were never expected to survive beyond a few days.

But conjoined twins Abigail and Brittany Hensel have not only proved doctors wrong, they have astonished them with their development into darling children, typical teenagers and, lately, beautiful young adults.

Now the 22-year-olds, who share one body fused at the torso, will be starring in their own reality TV show chronicling their graduation from Bethel University in Minnesota, their post-grad job search and their travels through Europe with friends.

Extraordinary bond: Conjoined twins Abigail and Brittany Hensel have been given their own reality TV show charting their graduation and travels through Europe

Astonishing development: The 22-year-olds, who share one body, have amazed doctors who thought they wouldn't survive the night as newborns

The girls first captivated the world in 1996 when they appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the cover of Life Magazine.

Since then they have lived a quiet, normal life with their family in Minnesota, keeping away from the media spotlight until they agreed to appear on a documentary for TLC when they turned 16.

The broadcaster has now given them their own show called 'Abby and Brittany' which will premiere on August 28.

When the Hensel twins were born on March 7, 1990, in Minnesota in the United States, doctors warned their parents Patty, a registered nurse, and Mike, a carpenter and landscaper, that they were unlikely to survive the night.

But that prediction was to prove wildy wrong.

Feat of teamwork: The girls passed their driving test on their 16th birthday, with each twin using one arm to control the steering wheel

Remarkable: The girls have two spines, two hearts, two oesophagi, two stomachs, three kidneys, two gall bladders, four lungs, one liver, one ribcage, a shared circulatory system and partially shared nervous systems

When growing up, they, like many twins, had very different personalities and tastes.

Abigail, the feisty, stubborn one, liked orange juice for breakfast, while Brittany, the joker of the family, would only touch milk.

They also stunned doctors with their astonishing co-ordination while playing the piano, with Abigail taking the right-hand parts and Brittany the left.

They enjoyed sports such as bowling, volleyball, cycling, softball and swimming.

And on their 16th birthday they passed their driving test, a mind-boggling feat of teamwork with each twin using one arm to control the steering wheel.

Speaking at the time, their mother Patty, a registered nurse, conceded that could have been a problem.

'I don't know what would happen if they got pulled over for speeding. Would they each get a ticket or just Abby because it's her foot on the accelerator?'

Much-loved: The girls attended a private church school and are popular with their friends, who treat them no differently from anyone else

One in a trillion: The Hensels are believed to be one of only a few sets of dicephalus twins in history to survive infancy

The Daily Mail first introduced the Hensel twins 16 years ago, when they were six years old, and now their latest escapades show the dramatic progress they have made into early adulthood.

The Hensels are believed to be one of only a few sets of dicephalus twins in history to survive infancy, and when they turned 16, they allowed the cameras into their fiercely guarded private world to share this milestone in their lives.

Speaking back then, Brittany said: 'Believe me, we are totally different people.'

It has not been unknown, however, for the twins to go out in a specially made top with two different necklines - to reflect their unique tastes - and leggings with each leg a contrasting colour and a different shoe on each foot.

Just one set of twins in every 40,000 is born connected in some way to each other and only 1 per cent of those survive beyond the first year.

Unique parenting skills: Their mother Patty has encouraged the girls to develop their own individuality and to ensure that if one of the twins misbehaves, she is careful to only scold the one responsible

In unison: The twins display an astonishing sense of co-ordination, with each using one arm to perform tasks, including playing the piano and sport

HENSEL GIRLS ARE RAREST FORM OF CONJOINED TWINS

The Hensel girls are the rarest form of conjoined twins, the result of a single fertilised egg which failed to separate properly in the womb.

They have two spines (which join at the pelvis), two hearts, two oesophagi, two stomachs, three kidneys, two gall bladders, four lungs (two of which are joined), one liver, one ribcage, a shared circulatory system and partially shared nervous systems.

From the waist down, all organs, including the intestine, bladder and reproductive organs, are shared.

While they were born with three arms, one was removed surgically.

Although Brittany - the left twin - can't feel anything on the right side of the body and Abigail - the right twin - can't feel anything on her left, instinctively their limbs move as if co-ordinated by one person, even when typing e-mails on the computer.

It is rare for twins conjoined the way that Abby and Brittany are to survive into adulthood, but despite this they are in good health, without heart defects or organ failure.

Yet Patty, 46 and Mike, 47, never once considered having the twins separated, through fear that one or both might die or be left with such severe disabilities their quality of life would be compromised and could no longer enjoy all the activities they love.

They would each have just one arm and one leg and be confined to a wheelchair.

Patty had no idea she was carrying twins until the birth at the local hospital where she worked

'The paediatrician said my babies were together but they had two heads,' she recalled in 2006. 'It was blunt, but completely accurate.

'From the first time we saw them, we thought they were beautiful.

'I kissed Abigail and then Brittany and gave them a hug. It's like that every time I pick them up from school, two kisses and one hug for the most beautiful children in the world.'

Both Mike and Patty's families have lived in a small midwestern farming community of 300 people for generations and it is here where they have brought up the twins and younger brother Dakota, 20, and sister Morgan, 18, away from the media spotlight.

Although Brittany is more susceptible to colds and has twice suffered pneumonia, the twins have remained in good health despite a series of operations.

In infancy, a third undeveloped arm was removed from their chest and aged 12 they underwent surgery to correct scoliosis - curvature of the spine - and expand their chest cavity to prevent future breathing difficulties.

They attended a private church school and are popular with their friends, who treat them no differently from anyone else. Only when the family ventures outside this close-knit community does the curiosity of strangers have the potential to wound.

Once Patty heard a child at a swimming pool ask his mother if she had seen the little girl with two heads. 'We have talked about that with Abigail and Brittany,' she said.

'When children ask the girls if they have two heads, they say they don't but that each has their own head. That's what we have encouraged them to do, to develop their own individuality as much as possible.'

Give and take: What is perhaps most touching about Abigail and Brittany has been their ability to get on, despite their different personalities

That has meant buying two seats every time they go to the cinema - even though only one will be used - separate meals and two different birthday cakes with candles each year. If one of the twins misbehaves, Patty and Mike are careful to scold the individual responsible - even if the other has been dragged unavoidably into the misdeed.

Yet, while the twins have developed their own tastes in food, drink, clothes and separate personalities, their body works as one - although they have different urges to eat and sleep.

When they eat, they have separate plates. One of them holds the fork and the other the knife to cut the food, and then take turns to put the meal in each other's mouth.

What is perhaps most touching about Abigail and Brittany, however, is their ability to get on - despite their different personalities. They seldom argue, despite Abigail always wanting to be the leader and - according to their mother - liking 'to rule the whole house'.

Only once have the twins talked about separation, in childhood, when Abigail became bored and restless after Brittany fell ill with pneumonia and was confined to bed. But when Brittany began to cry Abigail reassured her that everything was fine and that they'd never be parted

One twin will scratch an itch the other cannot reach or hold her hand still so the other can count during a maths lesson and when Brittany was ill with pneumonia and couldn't keep the medicine down, Abigail volunteered to take it in the hope of making her twin better.

Only once have the twins talked about separation - in childhood - when Abigail became bored and restless after Brittany fell ill with pneumonia and was confined to bed.

She started to suggest being separated from her sister, but when Brittany began to cry Abigail reassured her that everything was fine and that they'd never be parted.

Despite their optimism, devotion to each other and apparent happiness, what of the inevitable challenges they will face in life? It is not clear if either has yet, but will they fall in love and with whom?

Three years ago, unconfirmed reports claimed Brittany was engaged, but no details were given about the fiance.

What if one of the twins detests the boy the other one likes? Will they have children - a choice they must both make in tandem because they share one reproductive system?

There is no medical reason why they shouldn't be able to have children and they have in the past said they would like to start a family.

Their father Mike certainly believes the girls will at the very least get married one day. ( dailymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - Sharing everything life has to throw at them: Extraordinary story of conjoined twins charted in new reality show . . . just don't ask about boyfriends - They were never expected to survive beyond a few days

Depression in Men

Depression in Men - While clinical depression was once considered a "woman's disease," more than 6 million men in the U.S. have depression each year. Unfortunately, the lingering image of depression as a female condition may keep men who are clinically depressed from recognizing the symptoms of depression and seeking treatment.

Depression actually affects both sexes. It disrupts relationships and interferes with work and daily activities. The symptoms of depression in men are similar to the symptoms of depression in women. But men tend to express those symptoms differently. Common symptoms of depression include loss of interest in usually pleasurable activities, fatigue, changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, and apathy. In women, depression may be more likely to cause feelings of sadness and worthlessness. Depression in men, on the other hand, may be more likely to cause them to be irritable, aggressive, or hostile.

Why is depression in men commonly not recognized?

There are several reasons why the symptoms of clinical depression in men are not commonly recognized. For example, men tend to deny having problems because they are supposed to "be strong." And American culture suggests that expressing emotion is largely a feminine trait. As a result, men who are depressed are more likely to talk about the physical symptoms of their depression -- such as feeling tired --- rather than symptoms related to emotions.
Does depression in men affect sexual desire and performance?

Yes. Depression in men can affect sexual desire and performance. Unfortunately, some antidepressants and other medications can do the same. Men often are unwilling to admit to problems with their sexuality. Many mistakenly feel that the problems are related to their manhood, when, in fact, they are caused by a medical problem such as clinical depression.
What are some observable symptoms of depression in men?

Men are less likely to show more "typical" signs of depression such as sadness. Depression in men may cause them to keep their feelings hidden. Instead of expressing a depressed mood, they may seem more irritable and aggressive.

For these reasons, many men -- as well as doctors and other health care professionals -- may fail to recognize the problem as depression.

What are the consequences of untreated depression in men?

Depression in men can have devastating consequences. The CDC reports that men in the U.S. are about four times more likely than women to commit suicide. A staggering 75% to 80% of all people who commit suicide in the U.S. are men. Though more women attempt suicide, more men are successful at actually ending their lives. This may be due to the fact that men tend to use more lethal methods of committing suicide, for example using a gun rather than taking an overdose of pills.

Why is depression in men so hard to accept?

Understanding how men in our society are brought up to behave is particularly important in identifying and treating their depression. Depression in men often can be traced to cultural expectations. Men are supposed to be successful. They should rein in their emotions. They must be in control. These cultural expectations can mask some of the true symptoms of depression. Instead, men may express aggression and anger -- seen as more acceptable "tough guy" behavior.

Is a stigma attached to depression in men?

Yes. And men generally have a hard time dealing with the stigma of depression. They are more likely to deal with their symptoms with by drinking alcohol or abusing drugs, and/or pursue other risky behavior. Many men avoid talking about depressed feelings to friends or family.
Is depression common in elderly men?

Although depression is not a normal part of aging, senior men may have medical conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, or other stressors that may contribute to depression. For example, there is the loss of income and meaningful work. Retirement is difficult for many men because they end up with no routine or set schedule to follow. These changes may increase the stress they feel, and a loss of self-esteem may contribute to depression. In addition, the death of family and friends, the onset of other health problems, and some medications can contribute to depression in men.

How is depression in men treated?

More than 80% of people with depression -- both men and women -- can be treated successfully with antidepressant medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. If you are uncertain about whom to call for help with depression, check out the following list from the National Institute of Mental Health:

• community mental health centers
• employee assistance programs
• family doctors
• family service/social agencies
• health maintenance organizations
• hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics
• local medical and/or psychiatric societies
• mental health specialists such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors
• private clinics and facilities
• state hospital outpatient clinics
• university or medical school affiliated programs ( webmd.com )

READ MORE - Depression in Men

How to Talk to Your Child About Obesity

How to Talk to Your Child About Obesity - Stop it! Leave me alone! My life stinks and food is the only thing that makes me feel happy!

And so ends a very short conversation between a parent and her teenager about obesity.

Wanting to avoid such a scene may explain why a WebMD study has shown that it is more difficult for parents to talk to their kids about obesity than sex, smoking or alcohol.

Why the avoidance of such a conversation and what can parents do about it?

One of the reason parents take on a "don't ask, don't tell" conversation with kids about a number of topics including obesity, alcohol, drugs, s-ex and suicidal thinking is that you can't be informed about some awful place your kid is in and not take action. But when taking that action is likely to trigger uncontrollable rage, violent destructive or self-destructive behavior, it is chilling to parents and like deers in the headlights of a car, they just don't want to go there.

So what are you as a parent to do? You can roll the dice, stay in denial and hope something awful doesn't happen or that it is just a phase your child is going through. But "hope" is not a strategy.

Here is something else to consider, but you have to care enough about your child giving up their overeating for you to give up a self-defeating or even self-destructive habit you have. The "do as I say, not as I do" approach is just not going to cut it. You need to have skin in the game.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: While you are driving or in an activity with your kid (they hate "face to face/heart to heart" talks), say to them, "I need your help with something, which you don't have to do, but I'd like to ask you anyway. Would that be okay?" If they say, "No," respond, "Okay, I can wait until another time." When you say that, mean it. Don't pout or get all passive aggressive at them. In all likelihood, their curiosity will make them nuts and they will say, "Okay, what is it?"

Step 2: Then say, "I would like your help to take better care of myself, be nicer to your mom/dad and to be a better parent. You and mom/dad have told me that I smoke/drink/don't exercise/mope/yell/tune out too much and I have said I will change and never have. I think I need to be motivated to break that bad habit I have. One other area that I am bad at is protecting and preventing you from doing or not doing things that can hurt you or your future, especially when you yell at me when I try and that is my job."

Step 3: Then continue with: "So here is the deal. You know you've got a food issue just like I know I have a smoking/alcohol/food/exercise/mope/yell/tune out issue. And my not doing anything about your food issue makes me also feel like a lousy parent. I would like you and I to do a trade. One day at a time or maybe even one meal at a time you will start to eat healthier -- and that means we will get rid of the junk food in the house -- and I will not smoke/eat healthier/exercise/not pout/not yell/not bicker with your mom/dad. That would be very hard for me to do, but if I know you are eating more healthily, I'd be willing to commit to it. Also I'd like us to check in with each other about how we each resisted temptation that day. Also we need to allow each other to slip without throwing it all away, because that is where the real strength comes in. It takes much more strength to stop a slip from becoming a slide than to just stay eating healthy for you and stopping smoking (or other habit) for me."

Step 4: To seal the deal say: "Furthermore, if neither of us can do this, I'd want both of us to attend a 12 step program together or individually. And the idea of doing that about my bad habit is about as appealing as your doing it for your eating issue."

For any of you parents who would balk at such a deal, you can see why your kid may be having trouble breaking their bad habit. And you may expect them to do something you wouldn't, but it is helpful to keep in mind: "Children rarely listen to their parents, but they never fail to grow up to be like them." ( huffingtonpost.com )

After all, "kiddie see, kiddie do."

READ MORE - How to Talk to Your Child About Obesity

Obese Ohio Man Found Fused to Chair He Sat in for 2 Years

Obese Ohio Man Found Fused to Chair He Sat in for 2 Years - A morbidly obese Ohio man was in the hospital Tuesday after police found him fused to a chair he had not moved from in two years and were forced to cut a hole in the wall of his house just to get him out, WTRF-TV reported.

The unnamed man lived with two able-bodied roommates -- including his girlfriend, who officials said fed him since he never got up -- in a home in Bellaire, Ohio. The roommates called police upon finding the man unresponsive on Sunday.

Officers who responded to the scene said that the man's skin was fused to the fabric of chair and that he was sitting in his own feces and urine with maggots visible.

One officer said it was the worst thing he had ever responded to. Another told the local TV station he had to throw away his uniform after helping remove the man from the chair.

"The living room where the man lived in his chair was very filthy, very deplorable. It's unbelievable that somebody lives in conditions like that," Jim Chase, a local city code enforcer, told WTRF.

"I instructed the landlord this [Monday] morning and the two people, the tenants at the house, they had to get it cleaned, there's no way they can live in something like that, and so they are working on it," he added.

The landlord told WTRF that the man used to be an active person and said she had no idea how bad his condition was since he covered himself with a blanket every time she came to visit. ( foxnews.com )

READ MORE - Obese Ohio Man Found Fused to Chair He Sat in for 2 Years

Three Red Flags That You're Headed for a Breakup

Three Red Flags That You're Headed for a Breakup - When it comes to breaking up, hindsight is 20/20. But wouldn't it be nice if you could tell that you and your partner were headed for a falling out before it happened?

Fortunately, you can predict a break up. And with just a little bit of tweaking, you can get back on track and rescue your relationship before it hits the rocks.

Red Flag #1: Tuning Out

One of the most common reasons relationships fail is because one or both partners is tuning out. It might sound minor, but in actuality, few things are more hurtful than being ignored by your loved one, whether that is accompanied by emotional neglect or physical distance.


The Cure: Take Down the Wall

Tuning back in is easy. All you have to do is agree to listen to your partner's feedback and dedicate time and emotion to the relationship again. Start taking down the emotional wall, brick by brick. Look at your partner in the eye when he or she speaks (even if it is not what you want to hear), make physical contact daily (even if it is just holding hands), and re-commit to the relationship.


Red Flag #2: Fighting Fire with Fire

Couples who fight fire with fire can expect a relationship that is constantly up in flames. Name-calling, sarcasm, criticism, and violence (from throwing things, slamming doors, to actual physical abuse) result in emotional wounds that are hard to heal and relationships that are hard to rescue.


The Cure: Pour Water on the Flames

The next time you feel anger guiding you to say, or do, things you might regret, take time to cool off. If that's not possible, try framing your complaints as requests. For instance instead of, "Why did you forget our date?," you could say, "I feel sad that you forgot our date. How can we make sure this doesn't happen again?" If your partner is the one who is fanning the flames, don't engage in the vicious cycle of insults and tantrums. You can't fight fire with fire if the other person won't engage in the flame-throwing.


Red Flag #3: Refusing to Own Up

No one is perfect, so why is it that some of us refuse to take responsibility in our most important relationships? Passing the buck and playing the victim are surefire ways to put a relationship in jeopardy.


The Cure: Take Responsibility for Your Actions

The next time you forget an anniversary, or say something hurtful to your spouse, don't try to pass the buck and refuse to take responsibility. Instead, admit where you went wrong and try harder next time. Sounds simple... but it can save your relationship.

By making simple changes to the way you and your partner communicate, you can keep your relationship intact. All couples fight and argue, but it is how you fight and argue that determines whether your love can weather the storm. ( lifestyle.yahoo.com )

READ MORE - Three Red Flags That You're Headed for a Breakup

Lohan to be charged with grand theft over necklace

Lohan to be charged with grand theft over necklace – Prosecutors said Tuesday they plan to charge Lindsay Lohan with felony grand theft of a $2,500 necklace reported stolen from a jewelry store last month — the most serious count the actress has faced in more than three years of trouble with the law.

District Attorney's spokeswoman Jane Robison said the charge will be filed Wednesday. Lohan, 24, is due in court for an arraignment on Wednesday afternoon.

Lindsay Lohan - FILE - In this Jan. 9, 2011 file photo, Lindsay Lohan attends the Los Angeles Lakers New York Knicks NBA basketball game in Los Angeles

Los Angeles police said Feb. 2 that Lohan was under investigation for taking a necklace from a Venice store later identified as Kamofie and Co. Detectives obtained a search warrant to try to retrieve the item from Lohan's home, but it was turned in to a police station before any search was made.

Police said they had no update on the case Tuesday and did not say whether the actress had made arrangements to turn herself in at court or at a police station.

Robison said bail would be decided by a judge.

A phone message to Lohan's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, was not immediately returned. Holley has previously denied any wrongdoing by Lohan.

"We vehemently deny these allegations and, if charges are filed, we will fight them in court, not in the press," Holley said in a statement released Saturday.

Arrested twice in 2007, Lohan was charged with drunken driving and drug possession, but both were misdemeanors.

The "Mean Girls" star has been jailed three times in that case, but has been granted a quick release due to jail overcrowding and a requirement that bail be set on misdemeanor cases.

Lohan remains on probation for drunken driving, and a judge has threatened to throw her in jail if she runs into trouble again.

Prosecutors in Riverside County have been considering whether to press charges against Lohan for a December altercation with a worker from the Betty Ford Center, where she was being treated.

The treatment, her fifth rehab session, came after she admitted failing a drug test shortly after being granted early release from another treatment program.

Lohan's court struggles and treatment have taken a serious toll on the former Disney star's career. Her role as porn star Linda Lovelace in a biopic was recast last year while Lohan was at Betty Ford and no replacement projects have been announced.

She had been due in court on Feb. 25 for a probation status hearing and a judge had said he would be willing to loosen the terms of her probation if she remained out of trouble. ( Associated Press )

READ MORE - Lohan to be charged with grand theft over necklace

India's Female Peacekeepers Inspire Liberian Girls

India's Female Peacekeepers Inspire Liberian Girls - It is break time at the Victory Chapel School in Congo Town. Children dressed in their royal blue uniforms with bright yellow and white trim fight to get under the shade of the only mango tree in the yard. It is the start of the dry season and the scorching sun will soon be almost unbearable to stand in.

This small school, on the outskirts of Liberia’s capital, Monrovia, is much like any other in the city until you see what stands beside it. More than a hundred female peacekeepers patrol the grounds of a big white fenced compound, the first all-female unit of UN police in history.

The women are an arresting sight: dressed in their blue army combat uniform, black boots, the signature United Nations blue cap and each carrying an AK-47. But the school children are so used to their presence they barely give them a second glance.

"It surprised me at the beginning because it is my first time to see different people come around me," says Wokie Sarchie, a fifth grade student at the school.

Indian peacekeepers drilling in Li

The Indian peacekeepers arrived in Liberia in 2007. Their main role is guarding the president’s office on Capitol Hill on the other side of the city. When they are not protecting the president, they are often here helping the teachers at the school.

According to Jickson Sargeor, the principal of Victory Chapel School, the Indian peacekeeping contingent provides the children with medication, lessons on using computers and Indian dance and self defense. In addition, the principal believes the Indian women have brought a much more important message to the children.

"It has made the girls to believe that they are not just people to sit at home, they are people to get out there," he says.

Sandra Weah, an eighth grade student, toyed with the idea of following her peacekeeper role models into the security field, but her new love for dancing and music made her change her mind. "For me I wanted to be an army woman but then when I saw my friends doing music, I decided to leave the army to go and be a musician."

The female contingent of peacekeepers came to Liberia in response to the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. Liberia is the first African country to complete a National Action Plan to implement the resolution.

Fourteen years of civil war in the West African state saw some of the worst atrocities women and children have ever experienced on the African continent. More than 60 percent of women say they were raped, according to the U.N. Mission in Liberia, UNMIL.

When Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first female president, took office in Liberia in 2005, increasing the number of women in the country’s security services was one of her top priorities.

The numbers speak for themselves. Five years ago, one in 20 police personnel was a woman. Now, nearly one in five is female. According to UNMIL, applications from women to join the police force tripled the year after the female Indian peacekeepers arrived.

There is still some way to go with the armed forces, where women make up less than one in ten. But Carole Doucet, the U.N. Gender Advisor in Liberia believes this is still an achievement.

"It is still an improvement from the one in one hundred figures from 2005," she says.

There are still many challenges facing the full implementation of Resolution 1325 in Liberia, especially in the rural areas. Poverty, access to education and the lack of economic power put women in a difficult position. A recent article in one of the capital’s newspapers found children as young as ten were having sex with men for as little as three U.S. cents.

But in Congo Town, at the Victory Chapel School, there is a feeling that the next generation of Liberians are growing up with the view that women can do anything and everything men can do.

Schoolteacher Gloria Adjer, a young women herself, believes the peacekeepers are giving women the strength and inspiration to stand shoulder to shoulder with the men.

"The Indian people have come and taught us that we women too are necessary to do the work they are doing," she says. "We believed that not only men do these [kinds of] work but women too are capable of doing it."

"It makes the boys to feel that women are also part of society. It also makes boys think women can do what men do," says Principal Sargeor. ( OneWorld )

READ MORE - India's Female Peacekeepers Inspire Liberian Girls

Vertical Resolutions

Vertical Resolutions. What if, instead of mainly aiming to move forward this year, you wrote a list of resolutions that move you “up?”

As we move forward through time, nose and toes pointing straight ahead, we see what we want and we go for it. Advancing, advancing, advancing.

As we press on, step after step, year after year, lifetime after lifetime, one shocking and irrefutable truth shines through all our goals, plans, longings and resolutions causing us to pause and reflect.

That transformational truth, when deeply considered, can cause you a change in direction. The shift is so profound that it will benefit you for lifetimes to come. Paradoxically, that truth, which can so alter your vast and distant future, is that there is no future. No matter how much you progress, it is still always now. While the future lives somewhere out ahead of you, unknowable, unreal and untrue, the now is ever present.

Umbrella Resolutions. If you need help accessing the consciousness of the now, get an umbrella. Your upright open umbrella diagrams the now for you. It is made out of one vertical marker with a circle drawn around it indicating the space of your awareness.

Would you like to join me this year in setting vertical resolutions? Here is the key: We designate the area of our intentions as the space under our umbrella. Does that feel too limiting to you? Think about it. The space under your umbrella, the region of your now, your current vibratory signature, is the only aspect of this enormous universe that you have any control over. And it is enough. It is your portal to all your true power.

This mystical now-umbrella, that you can easily imagine, is analogous to the consciousness that Moses used to part the Red Sea and that Jesus used to heal the sick. It is also yours to claim to transform your life. Anything that does not fit under that umbrella is irrelevant. And right there with you in that small space is the awesome and infinite mystery of the now.

Karma Resolutions. The path of Karma Yoga coaches us to serve God wherever we are and however we can with no attachment to the fruits of our labors. This is a plan that perfectly fits under the umbrella. It gives us clarity and a stable orientation for meeting whatever might arise in our now. It also has a built in release valve for anything that is outside of the circle of our now awareness (the anticipated future fruit.)

If you decide to join me in setting vertical intentions this year, this is where it begins. The basis of our vertical resolution is service. If you approach this correctly, you feel its instant and undeniable effect. First comes a wave of relief, then a sensation of freedom.

The Intention to Let Go. Freedom results from letting go of trying to control things that you cannot control. Then something funny happens. You realize that even your idea about service was pulling you outside of the circle of your umbrella. Soon it becomes clear that the best mode of service that fits within your now every time is simply being joyful. You serve others by being the bright light of your unique joy.

Watch Gene Kelly in his famous Singin’ in the Rain scene. At the time of this writing it is posted on YouTube. It perfectly illustrates the spirit of the vertical intention. And you will see that after a while you don’t even need the umbrella anymore. Your now becomes so dominant in your awareness that you start to dance.

The Intention to Smile Without Warning. More specific vertical intentions involve your relationship with what I like to call the “up force.” You can easily set a resolution to open yourself to the uplift of joy whenever you can access it. It lifts the corners of your mouth in a smile. It puts spring in your step. It lifts your spirits. You can get very specific about how you want to amplify the uplifting presence of the vertical in your awareness.

Radical Resolutions. Beginning your year with vertical resolutions can radically shift the course of your life. The release of tension can actually cause you to have more energy, vitality and enthusiasm. The elimination of overwhelm can make you more productive, successful and prosperous. You will still move forward and by tending to your now each step of the way, your life becomes lush and enjoyable, regardless of circumstances ( yofa.net )

READ MORE - Vertical Resolutions

Supplements May Help Women Conceive

Supplements May Help Women Conceive. Of course, women struggling to have a baby should consult a fertility doctor too. Female fertility can be a mysterious business. No matter how carefully a woman tracks her ovulation or times her romantic encounters, there's no guarantee that a baby will be on the way.

Women who have trouble conceiving get lots of free advice: Relax, take a cruise, try different intercourse positions, etc. But could the solution lie in a supplement? Two companies promise to boost female fertility through blends of herbs, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

The ingredient list for FertilityBlend for Women, manufactured by Daily Wellness Inc., includes the herb chasteberry (Vitex agnus-castus) along with the amino acid L-arginine, green tea, B vitamins, vitamin E, folic acid, iron and zinc. Women are instructed to take three capsules daily for three to six months. A three-month supply costs $74.99 through the company website; a six-month supply can be had for $129.99.

FertilAid for Women, a supplement from Fairhaven Health, also contains chasteberry and every nutrient found in FertilityBlend except for L-arginine. It also throws in extras such as ginkgo, ginseng and vitamins C and D. Users are instructed to take three capsules a day for at least three months. The company's website sells a three-month supply for $77.95

FertilityBlend and FertilAid both offer different formulations for men.

The claims: FertilityBlend's website says the supplements have "helped hundreds of thousands of couples safely and naturally improve their fertility health." It also claims to be "clinically validated by a study done at Stanford University School of Medicine."

FertilAid's website says that supplement "promotes reproductive wellness, supports fertility and optimizes your chances to conceive." The site goes on to say that the product for women will "restore female hormonal balance" and "promote regular ovulation."

The bottom line: There's no doubt that good nutrition can help boost fertility, and there's also good reason to believe that fertility supplements could help some woman conceive, says Dr. Lynn Westphal, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Westphal was the lead author of a 2006 study of FertilityBlend. (A researcher with Daily Wellness co-authored the study, but Westphal herself has no ties to the company.) The study included 93 women who had previously tried to conceive for at least six months without success.

Fifty-three of the women took three capsules of FertilityBlend every day, and the rest took a placebo. After three months, 14 of the 53 women taking FertilityBlend had become pregnant, a success rate of 26%. Meanwhile four out of 40 -- only 10% -- of the women taking a placebo conceived.

The study also found that women who took FertilityBlend produced more progesterone, a hormone that encourages fertilization and prepares the uterus for pregnancy.

According to Westphal, FertilityBlend might be worth a try, especially for younger women with irregular periods. "You could take it in place of a prenatal vitamin," she says.

Still, the baby-making powers of fertility supplements are far from certain, says Cathi Dennehy, an associate professor in the Department of Clinical Pharmacy at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine. The FertilityBlend study was relatively small, she says, and there just isn't a whole lot of other evidence that it really does the job. And since there have been no published studies of FertilAid, its effectiveness is even more of an open question, she adds.

According to Dennehy, the extra vitamin C in FertilAid could theoretically be helpful for some women. At least one study has suggested that the antioxidant vitamin can improve fertility in women with luteal phase defect, a type of mistimed cycle that's a common cause of infertility.

Westphal suspects chasteberry is the key ingredient in FertilityBlend. European studies suggest that the herb can help encourage a baby-friendly blend of hormones without serious side effects.

Clearly, many couples will need more serious help than can ever come from a supplement, Westphal says. "Women who are over 35 and have been trying for at least six months should not try this in place of seeing a physician," she explains.

Somewhat surprisingly, the president of Daily Wellness, Denny Kwok, completely agrees. Women in their late 30s or 40s should definitely see a doctor before trying his product, he says. "It would be disingenuous of us to say that it works for everyone," he explains. "The clock is ticking, and we don't want anyone to miss their chance." ( The Los Angeles Times )

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"Help! I'm unable to climax during sex!"

"Help! I'm unable to climax during sex!" . My partner and I love being with each other, enjoy long sessions of lovemaking, but I never reach a climax. Is something wrong with us or the situation?

Ironical that in our society good sex education is still frowned upon. Even when we do get some, it is taught in such a way that the focus is on hygiene and prevention against diseases. Hardly ever, do we find that anyone is willing to teach us about the pleasure aspects, which are even more important.

No wonder, we learn only through trial and error about intimacy for couples. If we end up being with a partner who is not adventurous enough, we might just as well will die without ever experiencing anything. So it is very likely that you and your partner are not doing the right body motions.

A woman's private organs are hidden and hard to reach if the man does not know where they are and how he can reach them. A visit to a couple of good websites and books on female anatomy will be helpful for both of you to read. You must then let him explore your body, preferably in front of a mirror as you help him learn more about the female body.

A man is typically trying to please himself as much as he is trying to please you. This is very natural. However, all couples have to realise that there will be times when your job is to please only your partner whether you achieve a climax or not. In most cases, if you have a strong emotional bond with your partner, you will feel a sense of pleasure by helping your partner reach a climax. Thus, you must emphasise to your partner that he needs to make love to you for your own sake also, at least some time.

You must also make sure that you are physically able to experience pleasure. If certain positions are uncomfortable for you, please try other ones. You may also try pleasure creams for women that will help with lubrication. Consult a doctor for more help.

You must also ask your partner if he is experiencing discomfort or pain. Does he suffer from any other complications? He must immediately see a physician for advice.

If none of the above applies to you, then just keep trying. Gather as much knowledge as you can through websites, videos, and books and a personal advisor and then do not hesitate to try till you achieve a climax. ( indiatimes.com )

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How stress can ruin your skin

How stress can ruin your skin. Is stress ruining your skin?. Most of us suffer from stress at some time in our lives. But while its effect on our health are well known, feeling stressed can also cause problems for our skin.

According to Peter Goodwin, chairman of the Association Of Stress Management, 80 per cent of patients who visit the doctor's surgery are suffering from stress and related illnesses.

Most of us are aware of how stress can affect our health - from an increased risk of heart disease, depression and insomnia to loss of sex drive, phobias and even the possibility of triggering breast cancer - but few of us realise how it can affect our skin.

Dr Nicholas Lowe, consultant dermatologist at the Cranley Clinic in London, explains: 'If you have a genetic tendency to suffer from skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis and eczema, stress will definitely make them worse.

'It's important to recognise the part stress plays, and to be aware of the benefits of relaxation and psychotherapy, especially in problems like adult eczema.'

Dr Lowe often refers patients with skin conditions that are being exacerbated by stress for psychotherapy. This involves a clinical psychologist evaluating what is triggering the stress, and working out how the patient can cope more readily.

'These types of complementary treatments can actually help conventional medicine,' says Dr Lowe. 'In fact, in the United States there is a new sub-speciality division in dermatology called psycho-dermatology, where dermatologists focus on the role that stress, worry and anxiety can have on skin disorders.' ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Nature's Air Conditioner

Nature's Air Conditioner. Does it really save gas to roll down your windows instead of flipping on the AC?

It's summer, which means many drivers will be cranking up the AC or rolling down the windows to keep their cars from turning into mobile toaster ovens. Which method uses more gas? In a column first published last summer and reprinted below, the Green Lantern explained that it depends on how fast you're driving.

Like most people, I crank up my car's air conditioning on hot summer days. But my wife has recently been tsk-tsking me for this practice—she says the AC wastes too much $4-a-gallon gas, and that we should roll down the windows instead. But I've read that rolled-down windows also decrease fuel economy, since they increase drag. What's the most efficient way to cool ourselves while driving?

The rule of thumb is to keep the windows down while on city streets, then resort to air conditioning when you hit the highway. Every car has a speed at which rolled-down windows cause so much drag as to decrease fuel economy more than a switched-on AC. As you might expect, however, that milestone speed varies widely from car to car—and in some cases, it may be well north of posted speed limits.

Your wife is certainly correct that air conditioners sap power from the engine and increase gas consumption. Depending on your vehicle's design, an active AC can cut fuel economy by anywhere from 3 percent to 10 percent in standard summertime temperatures. During a brutal heat wave, though, the power drain can be near 20 percent—the hotter it is outside, the harder the AC needs to work at maintaining your cabin climate. (It's worth noting here that automotive air conditioners no longer use ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons; now they use much safer tetrafluoroethane.)

Does an open window make a car use more energy?At low speeds, at least, the fuel-economy losses associated with rolling down your windows are minuscule. But as your foot gets heavier on the accelerator, the situation rapidly begins to worsen. That's because drag increases with the square of speed. So when you hit the highway, all that wind whipping through your open windows begins to take a major toll. Even with the windows sealed tight, the majority of your car's power goes toward fighting wind resistance when you're cruising at 55 miles per hour. With the windows down, the engine really starts to strain.

But at what exact point do the numbers tilt in favor of air conditioning? The Society of Automotive Engineers studied (PDF) this issue back in 2004, using both a wind tunnel and test track in Mesa, Ariz. The organization's researchers looked at two vehicles, an SUV and a full-size sedan, both of which featured powerful eight-cylinder engines. (The tests were conducted at an average ambient temperature of approximately 86 degrees Fahrenheit.)

The engineers found that rolling down the windows on the SUV had only a small negative effect, in part because the vehicle's big, boxy shape was already creating a lot of drag. So, from a fuel-economy standpoint, a driver of an SUV will always do better to shut off the air-conditioner. The sedan, on the other hand, has a sleeker shape and a lower drag coefficient. As a result, its fuel economy was noticeably affected when the windows were rolled down at highway speeds; at around 68 miles per hour (the test's maximum), there was barely any difference between air conditioning and nature's cooling. If you were driving the sedan any faster than that, the increased drag would presumably make AC the more efficient option.

The Lantern would be curious to see this same test run for smaller cars designed with fuel savings in mind, rather than V8 behemoths. Paradoxically, because many fuel-efficient vehicles have low drag coefficients, they may actually experience larger relative increases in drag when the windows are rolled down at high speeds. (As the SAE researchers noted, the sedan's drag increased by 20 percent with the windows rolled down, versus just 8 percent for the SUV.) Some engineers have claimed that 45 miles per hour is the break-even threshold for average-size cars; others put the figure closer to 75 miles per hour. The Lantern can't vouch for the accuracy of either estimate, as there are no scientific data to analyze, but the truth may lie somewhere in the middle. Of course, that "truth" may vary according to such factors as ambient temperature and wind velocity.

Even if rolled-down windows eke out a win at all but the highest speeds, the Lantern realizes that many drivers will balk at the idea of zipping along the highway while exposed to the elements. There are safety issues to consider, as well as noise and general comfort. Having once made a punishing mid-June drive from Las Vegas to Los Angeles sans air conditioning, the Lantern knows that natural cooling isn't always as effective as man-made.

So stick with the rule of thumb mentioned in the first paragraph, and you should save a few gallons of gas over the course of the summer—though not nearly as much as if you decided to cut down on your driving a bit. You needn't feel too guilty about bathing in the air-conditioned splendor of a mass-transit vehicle. ( slate.com )

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Are blackboards more environmentally friendly than whiteboards?

Are blackboards more environmentally friendly than whiteboards?. Veteran teachers will debate endlessly the merits of chalk vs. dry-erase. Some insist that their preferred system has pedagogical benefits (one science teacher told the Lantern that she wrote more slowly with chalk, giving students more time to absorb difficult concepts), while others appreciate its feel or smell.

With apologies to both camps, let's assume that blackboards and whiteboards are completely interchangeable with respect to teaching, so we can figure out which is better for the planet.

The Lantern was surprised to discover that the boards themselves are going to be more or less the same whether you're writing in chalk or dry-erase ink. Until the 1960s, chalkboards were made from slate, which is extracted from the earth through quarrying. These days, though, a blackboard consists of a steel core with a porcelain overlay—just like most wall-mounted whiteboards. So the primary comparison here comes down to a face-off between chalk sticks and markers.

Chalk is a relatively simple product: Start with either calcium sulfate or calcium carbonate—the main sources of which are gypsum and limestone, respectively—mix with water and pigments, extrude into stick form, and then bake. All these steps require energy, and quarrying gypsum and limestone has the potential to cause air pollution.

Dry-erase pens, on the other hand, have a number of components—plastic barrels, caps, filaments, and ink—so they're going to have a much more complicated life cycle. As with mechanical pencils—the subject of the Lantern's last back-to-school column—the main issue here is the plastic: Plastic manufacturing requires petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. And at the end of their lives, whiteboard markers are virtually guaranteed to end up in the trash bin. Even if you felt motivated to disassemble your pens so you could dispose of them more responsibly, it wouldn't do much good—most markers don't indicate what kind of plastic they're made out of, and those that do are often polypropylene, which generally isn't recyclable.

Chalk, however, can theoretically be a very low-waste product, especially if you use a chalk holder that allows you to keep using the sticks until the bitter end. (And once you're left with nothing but nubs, you can take them home and use them for other purposes—like keeping your silver from tarnishing or removing grease spots from your clothes.) Chalk also tends to be packaged much more simply, which means less trash headed for the landfill. There is the issue of chalk dust, which can trigger allergies and aggravate asthma. Some teachers also report that chalk dust can muck up electronic equipment—that means more cleaning supplies, plus the potential need for more frequent replacements. Dry-erase pens can produce dust, too, though, and the residue left on the board often requires special cleansers.


Many chalk adherents claim that chalk is cheaper than its competitor, which would certainly boost their green cred. Money saved on writing implements, after all, can be put toward other, environmentally friendly classroom upgrades—like swapping out T-12 fluorescent bulbs for the T-8 variety, which the Department of Energy estimates can save up to 30 percent (PDF) of a school's lighting energy. It's not obvious, though, that the math works out in favor of chalk. It's true you can get a box of 12 colored chalk sticks for just 99 cents on OfficeDepot.com, while a four-pack of colored markers costs $5.39. But some veteran teachers say it is possible that a single pen would outlast 16 sticks of chalk, making it a better value overall.

To properly compare a stick of chalk with a disposable dry-erase marker, we'd need to have better data on how the manufacturing impacts stack up, since they're likely to be the biggest factor in the equation. The pen maker BIC, for example, says 90 percent of the environmental impacts of its Cristal-brand plastic ballpoints stem from the production phase. Since your school has already made the wholesale switch to whiteboards, reusable pens—like AusPens and Artline's ECO marker—are probably your best bet, provided that the ink refills and replacement nibs for these products aren't themselves overly packaged.

Of course, as an individual teacher, you might not have much say in your school's procurement policies. And having once been a high-school teacher herself, the Lantern knows how whiteboard pens have a tendency to migrate from classroom to classroom. If you have the time and the resources to buy your own pens—and then ensure that they're used properly and not chucked as soon as they run out of ink—the Lantern heartily applauds your efforts. But if that's unrealistic, there are plenty of free, easy things you can do to reduce your classroom's footprint.

For example, you can shut off all the lights if the room is going to sit empty for more than a few minutes. According to Pacific Gas and Electric, up to between 8 percent and 20 percent of a school's lighting energy can be saved this way. Keep computers, printers, televisions, and other electronics powered down when not in use. Better yet, involve your students in your monitoring efforts. If you can help them understand how small choices made in individual classrooms can add up on an institutional level—a lesson that they'll hopefully take into adulthood—you'll be doing a lot more for the planet than you would by personally choosing one type of writing utensil over another. ( slate.com )

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Anniversary Plans for All Budgets

Anniversary Plans for All Budgets. C'mon, it's the one day of the year where creativity counts. Blow your partner's mind with these cool suggestions-by-budget:

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Make a book of the highlights of your life together. Paste in pictures, starting with your wedding day, followed by trips, holidays, and moving into your first house. Fill it in with candids and cute quotes. Leave blank pages in the back so you can load up with new memories next year.

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Picnic at the spot where you got engaged. If it's so unique that you can't go back in a day's trip, re-create the moment closer to home. Proposed in France? Pack up a baguette, brie, and olives, and head to a secluded spot. Said yes at a vineyard across the coast? Order one of its wines online and toast to another happy year.

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Have a spa day right in your own home. Pour your favorite bubbles in the tub, break out your favorite bubbly (maybe the one you enjoyed on your wedding day), and make a toast.

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Splurge on a honeymoon-style dinner. If you went to Puerto Vallarta, check out an authentic Mexican restaurant where you can dig in to your favorite meals from your most romantic trip. Or if you visited in the Greek isles, find a Mediterranean bistro.

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For the ultimate foodie couple, skip an overpriced dinner out and take a cooking class together. Not only is it a fun way to bond, you'll walk away with tons of recipes you can make for special occasions.

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Go dancing. Okay, it doesn't have to be Dancing With the Stars, but twirling and dipping can make you feel like a bride and groom again.

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Score a weekend away at a secluded Bed and Breakfast that's close enough to home that you don't spend hours traveling in the car.

$$$

Hightail it to an exotic locale. Your honeymoon shouldn't have to be your only romantic vacation! (thenest.com )

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Get in Good With His Family

Get in Good With His Family. Even if you hit the in-law lottery and win a stellar set of bonus-parents, it's not always easy to get on their good side (even if you're the most charming person in the world, which we know you are). So instead of shying away from hanging out with them, try jumping in and making an amazing impression. Here's how:

Bring a Special Dish

This 9 x 13-inch offering the next time you're invited over is your clever token of gratitude. It shows you appreciate how much effort they put into hosting dinner. Aren't you a peach! The real truth is you've guaranteed there's something digestible on the table.

Embrace Their Weird Habits

Their thermostat never rises above 60 degrees, they eat dinner at 5:30 p.m., and the whole gang gathers around the TV whenever there's a M*A*S*H marathon. Whatever you do, don't whine, or you'll look super high-maintenance. Solution: Bring a turtleneck, Powerbars, and an iPod shuffle to weather the storm, and you'll be golden.

Accept Gifts Strategically

No, you can't immediately go on eBay and list the 3-foot-tall, electric-pink Easter bunny his mother gave you because they'll just look for it on their next visit to your place...unless you conveniently tell them that you love the gift so much that you brought it to work (wink, wink).

Throw the Family Pet a Bone

Nobody seems to mind that your man's family dog isn't house-trained and bites. But insult Thor at your own risk! The way to their hearts is through their best friend. So bring along pet toys. You may even avoid getting tooth marks in your leg.

Silence Your Inner Cruise Director

Recommending cutting-edge novels, restaurants, or movies to his parents in the same way you would to your own family can be risky. Sometimes, it's best to be bland, boring, and unopinionated—for once. The more you get 'em talking about their own favorite things, the faster they'll warm up to you. (thenest.com )

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Poor diet during pregnancy does 'irreversible damage'

Poor diet during pregnancy does 'irreversible damage'. Women who eat a diet of junk food while pregnant could condemn their unborn children to obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes in adult life, scientists have found.

A study found that the damage done by a mother's poor diet during pregnancy or while breastfeeding could be irreversible.

Scientists suggest that the research proves that "you are what your mother ate".

The finding comes from a study involving rats at the Royal Veterinary College in London but scientists believe it also applies to humans.

Researchers studied the health patterns of a "junk food generation" of rats whose mothers were fed a diet of doughnuts, muffins, biscuits, crisps and sweets during pregnancy and lactation.

They found that the second generation had unusually high levels of cholesterol an increased risk of heart disease because of fats in the bloodstream.

The animals also had higher than average levels of glucose and insulin, making them susceptible to type two diabetes.

"It seems that a mother's diet whilst pregnant and breastfeeding is very important for the long-term health of her child," Dr Stephanie Bayol, one of the researchers, said.

"We always say 'you are what you eat'. In fact it may also be true that 'you are what your mother ate'.

"This does not mean that obesity and poor health is inevitable and it is important that we take care of ourselves and lead a healthy lifestyle. But it does mean that mothers must eat responsibly whilst pregnant."

In previous research the same team fed pregnant rats a diet rich in fat, sugar and salt and found that many gave birth to offspring which over-ate and had a preference for less healthy food.

The new study, reported in The Journal of Physiology, found that even after the second generation were weaned off junk food, their metabolism remained altered, making them overweight and unhealthy.

Their health problems persisted beyond adolescence even after they switched to healthier diets and they stayed fatter than rats whose mothers had not eaten junk food.

Crucially, much of the extra fat surrounded the kidneys - another diabetes risk factor.

Professor Neil Stickland, a fellow researcher, said: "Humans share a number of fundamental biological systems with rats, so there is good reason to assume that the effects we see in rats may be repeated in humans.

"Our research certainly tallies with epidemiological studies linking children's weight to that of their parents." ( telegraph.co.uk )

READ MORE - Poor diet during pregnancy does 'irreversible damage'

Sports drinks linked to tooth damage

Sports drinks linked to tooth damage. Sipping on sports drinks can damage your teeth because of the high levels of acid in them, dentists have warned.

Dental experts placed teeth in sports drinks and in water to compare the effects and found the citric acid in the sports drinks caused corrosion and could result in severe tooth damage if left untreated.

The erosion on teeth placed in sports drink were clearly visible as dozens of tiny holes appeared while there was no damage on the teeth immersed in water
Photo: GETTY

The results of the experiment were presented at the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research in Miami.

Researchers at the New York University College of Dentistry cut calves' teeth in half and immersed each half in either a sports drink or water and compared the results after 75 to 90 minutes.

"This is the first time that the citric acid in sports drinks has been linked to erosive tooth wear," said Dr Mark Wolff, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care at the college, who led the study.

The erosion on the half placed in the sports drink was clearly visible because dozens of tiny holes had appeared while there was no damage on the half which was immersed in water.

Brushing teeth immediately after the drinks would compound the problem, Dr Wolff said, because the acid in the drink softens tooth enamel leaving it vulnerable to the the abrasive brushing with toothpaste.

In another study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists found cutting out one serving of sugared soft drink led to weight loss of just over one pound after six months and 1lb 4oz after 18 months. Cutting out other drinks did not have the same effect, the researchers said.

A spokesman for the British Soft Drinks Association said: "This study does not replicate real life as the teeth were studied outside of the mouth. A real-life study conducted by Ohio State University, which is the most comprehensive study to date, found that there is no relationship between the consumption of sports drinks and dental erosion. Anyone concerned about this issue should consult their dentist for advice on how to minimise the effects of dietary acids from all sources in the diet." ( telegraph.co.uk )

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Danger of children brushing teeth too much

Danger of children brushing teeth too much. Children should not brush their teeth after every meal because they could be doing more harm than good, according to experts.

More than three-quarters (79%) of dental professionals are seeing more acid erosion on children's teeth on a weekly basis than ever before, according to new research.And more than half (53 per cent) of five year olds have some form of the problem which is caused by acid in food and drink rotting away the enamel of the tooth

Careful: Dentists have warned that children should not brush their teeth after every meal as it may be doing more harm than good Photo: PHILIP HOLLIS

Professor Jimmy Steele of the School of Dental Sciences at The University of Newcastle analysed the results of the study.

He said: "Adult teeth generally start to appear when children are six years-old and need to last a lifetime, so protection from an early age is key.

"Encourage them to drink acid drinks with a straw placed towards the back of the mouth away from teeth.

"And encourage children to avoid brushing their teeth immediately after consuming acidic food or drinks as this is when the enamel is at its softest - it's best to wait as long as possible after an acidic meal or brush beforehand."

The main cause of acid erosion is drinks, not only fizzy ones but those containing fruit are high in acid.

According to the research even eating an orange and sucking out the juice from segments is bad for erosion.

The data, compiled by Sensodyne, a toothpaste producer, came from 214 dental professionals and 1,964 parents, of children aged six to 10.

The research found that more than nine in ten (93 per cent) of parents are not aware of which types of food and drink contain acid and almost six in ten parents (58 per cent) say their children smother food in sauces or dressings, most not realising this is a major cause of acid erosion.

Dr Peter Huntley, an orthodontic specialist, said: "It's a huge problem for the future, acidity in drinks is damaging the enamel, but its not well publicised and there should be a warnings issued." ( telegraph.co.uk )

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Big explosion reveals most massive star known

Big explosion reveals most massive star known. Supernova still visible 2 years later, and may have had mass 200 times sun’s. All supernova explosions are violent affairs, but this one takes the cake. Astronomers have spotted a new type of extremely bright cosmic explosion they think originates from an exceptionally massive star.

This breed of explosion has been long predicted, but never before seen. Like all supernovas, the blast is thought to have marked the end of a star's life. But in this case, that star may have started out with 200 times the mass of the sun.

The supernova in question, SN2007bi, was observed in 2007 in a nearby dwarf galaxy. Scientists knew at once it was something different because it was about 50 to 100 times brighter than a typical supernova.

"It was much brighter, and it was bright for a very long time," said researcher Paolo Mazzali of the Max-Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Germany. "We could observe this thing almost two years after it was discovered, where you normally don't see anything anymore."

After analyzing its signature, astronomers published a paper in the Dec. 3 issue of the journal Nature confirming that it matches theoretical predictions of a so-called pair-instability supernova.

"There were some doubts that they existed," said astronomer Norbert Langer of the University of Bonn in Germany, who did not work on the project. Langer wrote an opinion essay on the finding in the same issue of Nature. "There were severe doubts that stars that massive could ever form in the universe. Now we seem to be very sure that there was a star with 200 solar masses."

In a pair-instability supernova, the star has neared the end of its life and exhausted its main supplies of hydrogen and helium, leaving it a core of mostly oxygen. In smaller stars, the core continues to burn until eventually it is all iron, then collapses in a Type II supernova, leaving behind a remnant black hole or neutron star.

But in the case of an extremely massive star, while its core is still made of oxygen, it releases photons that are so energetic, they create pairs of electrons and their anti-matter opposites, positrons. When the matter and antimatter meet, they annihilate each other. This reaction reduces the star's pressure, and it collapses, igniting the oxygen core in a runaway nuclear explosion that eats up the whole star, leaving no remnant at all.

The discovery of this rare type of supernova suggests that a few stars actually can grow into such large behemoths — which has long been a topic of debate.

"I was never a believer in very massive stars," Mazzali told SPACE.com. "Seeing something like this explode means these things exist. This is a fairly new development in the formation of stars." ( space.com )

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