Diabetes:
• Sugar or glucose in our diet, provides energy to the body
• Diabetes occurs when the sugar concentration in the blood increases

Causes:

 Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas. It facilitates the movement of glucose from the blood to
 the liver, muscles and fat cells.

The causes for diabetes are:

• Type 1 Diabetes: Body is incapable of producing insulin
• Type 2 Diabetes: Body becomes resistant to insulin
• Hormonal changes during pregnancy can also result in temporary diabetes

Natural home remedy using bitter gourds:

1. Remove the skin and seeds of 4-5 bitter gourds
2. Crush them to a make a paste
3. Press this paste on a sieve an extract the juice
4. Drink this juice on an empty stomach every morning

Natural home remedy using cinnamon powder:

1. Boil 1 L of water
2. Let it simmer for 20 min on low flame
3. While simmering, add 3 tsp of cinnamon powder
4. Strain the mixture
5. Drink entire amount of this water everyday

Natural home remedy using fenugreek seeds:
1. Take 4 tbsp of fenugreek seeds
2. Soak them in 250 ml water overnight
3. Crush them in the morning
4. Strain the mixture and collect the water
5. Drink it everyday for 2 months

Tips:
• Eat 8-10 black berries daily
• Lower the consumption of sugar in your diet. Avoid sugary foods like sweets and cakes

These remedies are based on the principles of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian science of healing, and are completely natural, non-invasive, and can be prepared at home. Consult your doctor if the symptoms persist.  Refer to the terms of use.

Try out natural hair masks the next time you want to give your hair a deep treatment.

Treating your hair to a deep, nourishing mask every few weeks will make the world of difference. Women have been looking after their locks for decades - way before famous brands were around - so what did they use to use to give wonderful shine and soft-to-touch finish?

There are an astonishing amount of items in your kitchen which are great to use on your tresses. One which may surprise you is the banana, which is high in potassium and vitamins A, C and E.
Pop the mushy filling into a bowl or food processor and mix into a smooth paste. You want to make sure it's lump free as any small bits may prove tricky to rinse out.

Once easy to handle simply apply it to your hair and cover with a shower cap or plastic bag to stop the dripping. Or, if you wanted to really stimulate your roots to absorb extra nutrients, use your hair dryer after around 20 minutes to allow the banana to set.
Then all you have to do is rinse out the fragrant mixture, using a fine-toothed comb if needed as well as your regular shampoo.
If dry hair is your problem you may be brave enough to try out the next option.

Mayonnaise is a cheap, easy to purchase beauty treatment for your dehydrated locks. The gloopy white mixture is packed full of oil, which is guaranteed to add an extra shine and moisture to your hair. You don't need to go out and buy a whole new jar - a little amount will go a long way for this process.

Pop a small dollop of mayonnaise onto your hand and work it through your hair from roots to the tips. If the eggy smell is too much for you add a drop of scented oil to the mixture before applying.

You can leave this on for up to an hour to ensure your hair soaks up the oil before rinsing out thoroughly and shampooing.
Not all old-fashioned hair masks are made up of squidgy ingredients. One suggestion aimed at getting rid of dandruff is lemon and olive oil. Make sure your oil is plain - a flavoured one won't leave the nicest of smells!

All you need to do is squeeze two table spoons of fresh lemon juice into a small bowl with the same amount of olive oil and water. Mix thoroughly and rub into your hair, wrapping a warm damp towel over your hair to make sure no excess liquid evaporates. The good thing about this method is that it can be done once or twice a week as it's easy to make, apply and doesn't leave you with banana or mayonnaise smeared hands.

New research from Africa suggests that basic multivitamin and selenium supplements might greatly lower the risk that untreated people with the AIDS virus will get sicker over a two-year period.

It's not clear how patients who take the vitamins and mineral might fare over longer periods. And the impact of the study in the United States will be limited because many Americans diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, immediately begin treatment with powerful medications known as anti-retroviral drugs. Those in the African study hadn't yet begun taking drugs to keep the virus at bay.

Still, "it is incredibly useful to find new strategies to delay the progression of HIV disease," said Dr. Jared Baeten, an associate professor of global health at the University of Washington in Seattle who's familiar with the findings. "Not every HIV-infected person is immediately willing, or able, to initiate anti-retroviral therapy. Inexpensive, proven treatments ahead of starting anti-retroviral therapy can fill an important role."

At issue: Do HIV-infected people benefit from nutritional supplements? Previous research has suggested that even well-fed people infected with HIV may not properly process nutrients in food, said study author Marianna Baum, a professor of dietetics and nutrition at Florida International University's Stempel School of Public Health.

The researchers wondered whether the immune system would get a boost if patients who hadn't yet begun anti-retroviral treatment took nutritional supplements. No study had looked at this before, Baum noted.

For the study, published in the Nov. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the researchers divided nearly 900 HIV-infected patients in the African country of Botswana into several groups. Some took a placebo, a sugar pill with no active ingredients. Others took a multivitamin including B, C and E vitamins. Another group took the multivitamin along with supplements of the mineral selenium, and still others took only selenium.

None of the treatments had a noticeable effect except the combination of multivitamin and selenium. After adjusting their statistics so they wouldn't be thrown off by various factors, the researchers reported that those who took the combination were about half as likely to show signs over two years that their infection had progressed toward AIDS as those who took the placebo.

Overall, the risk that the disease would progress over the two years of the study was fairly low: 32 of the 217 who took the placebo suffered progression of the disease, she said, compared to 17 of the 220 who took the vitamin/mineral combination.

Baum didn't have information about the costs of the supplements, but she said they are low. In the United States, supplements that contain many vitamins and minerals can cost just pennies a day.

The supplements appeared to have no side effects, said Baum, who recommends that people newly diagnosed with HIV begin taking multivitamins. They seem to boost the immune system, she said. The selenium supplements, in particular, may provide enough of the mineral that the virus isn't able to hog it, she said.

Baeten cautioned that not just any multivitamin will do. "The results of this study appear to illustrate that it is not just any supplement," he said.

"Only the combination of vitamins plus selenium was effective," Baeten said. "For U.S. patients, this latter point is relevant, as there's a huge variety of supplements available. I would suggest talking with a doctor before taking any supplements."

He added that the study doesn't detract from the crucial importance of anti-retroviral drug treatment.

Researchers next want to see if the supplements help patients already taking anti-retroviral medications, study author Baum said.

A vaginal yeast infection is mostly caused bij a yeast called Candida albicans. This animation explains what a vaginal yeast infection is.

What causes a vaginal yeast infection, which symptoms can occur, and what can you do to prevent it? Finally, treatment options are discussed.

1. Stop smoking. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. Smoking is linked to several types of cancer — not just lung cancer. Stopping now will reduce your risk of cancer in the future.

2. Avoid excessive sun exposure. Harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can increase your risk of skin cancer. Limit your sun exposure by staying in the shade, wearing protective clothing or applying sunscreen.

3. Eat a healthy diet. Choose a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Select whole grains and lean proteins.

4. Exercise most days of the week. Regular exercise is linked to a lower risk of cancer.

5. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. If you haven't been exercising regularly, start out slowly and work your way up to 30 minutes or longer.

6. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese may increase your risk of cancer. Work to achieve and maintain a healthy weight through a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise.

7. Drink alcohol in moderation, if you choose to drink. If you choose to drink alcohol, limit yourself to one drink a day if you're a woman or two drinks a day if you're a man.

8. Schedule cancer screening exams. Talk to your doctor about what types of cancer screening exams are best for you based on your risk factors.

9. Ask your doctor about immunizations. Certain viruses increase your risk of cancer. Immunizations may help prevent those viruses, including hepatitis B, which increases the risk of liver cancer, and human papillomavirus (HPV), which increases the risk of cervical cancer and other cancers. Ask your doctor whether immunization against these viruses is appropriate for you.

Breast self-examination (BSE) is a screening method used in an attempt to detect early breast cancer.

Watch the video here:

• Cardiovascular Health – If you enjoy eating Mediterranean or Far Eastern food you’ll notice that garlic is used a lot.The good news is that people from areas also have low incidences of cardiovascular disease.

• Cholesterol can be a confusing area of health. On one hand it is essential whilst on the other hand it can kill us. This is because there are two types of Cholesterol – HDL and LDL. The latter type is considered bad. Modern medicine has found that garlic contains allicin which scavenges hydroxyl radicals (OH). This is turn is thought to prevent LDLs from being oxidised. Unfortunately a number of studies that have been carried out have shown mixed results. It only goes to show how much more seriously natural remedies needs to be taken. Of course, we all know that there’s no incentive for drug companies to research natural products due to the lack of financial reward. If you have problems with high cholesterol go ahead and take some garlic. Just make sure it’s part of a balanced diet and you don’t ignore your doctor’s advice.

• Antioxidant – Allicin naturally increases antioxidant enzymes atalase and glutathione peroxidase in your blood. It can help against the damaging effects of nicotine and slows the aging process of your liver by inhibiting lipid peroxidation.

• Anti-Bacterial – Garlic has 1% of the potency of penicillin and can ward off a number of bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, Cryptococcal meningitis, Candida albican and Staphylococcus. The problem with most antibiotics is that bacteria develops resistance to them, however this is not the case with garlic. These benefits were first realized back in the early 19th century when English priests caught infectious fever. The French priests, who ate garlic every day, didn’t.

• Blood Clots – Clinical trials, which were published in the Journal of Hypertension, showed that the blood pressure of volunteers was reduced 1 – 5% after taking garlic supplements. This may not sound a lot but this small reduction can reduce the chance of a stroke by 30-40% and heart disease by 20-25%.

Some Pointers about Garlic:-

• Garlic is most effective when crushed or chopped and when raw.
• One clove a day will improve your health and 2-3 cloves will help prevent a cold.
• When cooking garlic wait until the last 10 minutes of cooking to add the garlic.
• Be careful about taking too much as it can irritate your digestive system.
• Don’t microwave garlic as this kills the active ingredients.
• Don’t take garlic instead of a healthy balanced diet.
• Always consult a doctor if you are unsure about anything.

US scientists seeking to unravel the mysteries of HIV have made an important breakthrough after capturing the clearest image yet of a protein which allows the deadly virus to attack human immune cells, new research showed Tuesday.

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and Weill Cornell Medical College have managed to obtain a detailed view of the atomic structure of the protein which envelops HIV, the virus which causes AIDS.

The development could potentially pave the way for a vaccine, according to the findings published in the US journal Science.

"In order to develop a vaccine, you have to understand what bits on that very important trimeric protein can be recognizes by broadly neutralizing antibodies," said Scripps Institute cell biologist Bridget Carragher.

"And in order to understand that, you need to understand what the structure of the thing looks like.

"Then once you do, you can start designing a vaccine that will mimic that thing and elicit an antibody response and get the human being to fight the real virus when it comes along."

Although sophisticated antiviral drugs have been used to manage HIV infections in many developed countries, a vaccine against infection has proved elusive.

The failure to find a vaccine is often attributed to the complex nature of HIV's envelope protein, known as Env.

The delicate structure of Env has hampered efforts to obtain the protein in a form that allows for the atomic-resolution imaging necessary to fully understand it.

"It tends to fall apart, for example, even when it's on the surface of the virus, so to study it we have to engineer it to be more stable," said TSRI biologist Andrew Ward.

However the researchers were able to engineer a version of the Env trimer, or three-component structure, that has the stability required for atomic-resolution imaging.

The scientists were then able to study the Env trimer using cutting-edge imaging and electron microscopy.

The use of X-ray crystallography allowed researchers to examine the Env trimer in more detail than previous attempts.

The data also shed light on the process by which Env assembles and later shifts shape during infection, and also allowed researchers to make comparisons with protein envelopes from other deadly viruses such as flu and Ebola.

Common Cramps

World-class athletes have been troubled by them, swimmers often complain about
them - but muscle cramps can happen to anyone, anywhere. Sudden, painful and
involuntary contractions of muscles are called as cramps. Lasting from couple of
seconds to few minutes, muscle cramps can be extremely painful.
When muscles contract involuntarily and are unable to relax, they squeeze the nerve
endings causing unbearable pain.

Muscle cramps can trouble you while exercising, sleeping even during your day-to-day
activities. Everyone is susceptible to cramps, with the aged being more vulnerable while
doing strenuous activities.

Common occurrence of muscle cramps in the body

• Thighs
• Calf
• Feet
• Abdomen
• Hands

Types and causes of muscle cramps

• Overuse of muscles during strenuous activities leading to muscle fatigue
• Insufficient supply of blood and nutrients to an exercising muscle results in muscle
cramping
True cramps - The most common type of cramps involving a single muscle or a group of
muscles that perform the same function. These may occur while you are doing the
activity or after few hours.
Though the exact cause for muscle cramps is not known, they can be triggered by a
variety of reasons:
• Dehydration - Loss of fluids from the body due to sweating can lead to cramps.
Exercising or doing vigorous activities under the sun also causes dehydration.
• Insufficient levels of minerals such as Sodium and Potassium - Muscle weakness
and cramps are known to occur in any condition that leads to low levels of
minerals in the blood. These can be due to nutrient-deficient diet, dehydration
or excessive vomiting. Pregnant women most often complain about cramps due
to low levels of Calcium.
• Lying or sleeping in the same position for long can lead to rest or night cramps.
The pain usually awakens the sleeping, affecting the sleeping patterns
• Leg cramps are common during pregnancy due to weight gain and changes in
blood circulation. Athletes also suffer from these cramps due to over use of calf
and thigh muscles.
• Some medications are also known to cause cramps as they deprive the blood of
nutrients
The less common cramps include Contractures (muscles unable to relax even after a
long time) and Dystonic cramps (involuntary contraction of muscle that may cause
abnormal movements). The muscle cramps that most people suffer from are the true
cramps.

What are the symptoms of common muscle cramps?

• Sudden, sharp pain
• Hard lump forms in the area of cramp
• Red swelling
• Weakness or fatigue

What is the treatment of muscle cramps?

Most of the cramps can be treated by taking rest and does not require the person to be
hospitalised.
• If you get muscle cramps while doing strenuous activity, then immediately put a
stoppage to it.
• Get lot of fluids that can replenish the lost minerals from the body. Physiotherapists
advise more intake of water, juices and some sports drinks to replenish the lost minerals
from the body
• Gently massage the cramped area
• Do stretching exercises
• Hot or cold packs would also help in easing the pain
• Over-the-counter medicines also help in relieving the pain
• Take a warm shower to relax the muscles
However, consult the doctor, if:
• Pain is severe
• Cramps trouble you frequently
• Home treatments do not relieve you from the pain
How can muscle cramps be prevented?
• Exercise regularly
• Stretch before and after you exercise
• Ensure that the body remains hydrated
• Avoid strenuous activities under the sun
• Eat a healthy diet enriched with all the necessary nutrients and minerals. Consult a
dietician to make a diet chart for you. You can also take multi-vitamin tablets after
consulting with your doctor or dietician
• Frequently massage the muscles
• Correct your posture while sleeping – use pillows to prop up your legs
Are there particular concerns for older adults?
Like most of the other body parts in the elders, their muscles too wear out and function
less effectively:
• Once contracted, muscles do not relax immediately. This makes them more vulnerable
to cramps.
• Older people tend to lie down in the same posture for long. This puts pressure on their
muscles leading to night or rest cramps.
• If elderly persons are frequently troubled by muscle cramps, they need to consult a
doctor to find out whether it is an indicator for any underlying medical condition.

In medical parlance a stroke is also referred to as cerebrovascular accident or CVA. A stroke occurs
due to a dysfunction or disturbance in the flow of blood to the brain. When this happens
the brain cells are starved of oxygen and as a result get damaged or die. This in turn
causes havoc to the blood flow making it ripe for a stroke. Causes of a stroke

• Lack of blood supply or Ischemic stroke
• Hemorrhagic stroke

Ischemic stroke

Most of the strokes that occur are ischemic strokes. And these occur when the blood
carrying veins /arteries to the brain are narrowed or blocked, causing totally reduced or
no blood flow at all. The common ischemic strokes that occur are:

Thrombotic stroke- When a blood clot or thrombus forms in one of the arteries that
supplies blood to the brain, the stroke that follows this blockage is called thrombotic
stroke. This cause for the clot in the arteries may be due to fat deposits that build up in
the arteries causing strain in flow of blood called atherosclerosis or due to other
debilitating conditions.

Embolic stroke- Another kind of ischemic stroke is an embolic stroke. This occurs when a
blood clot or blockages or debris forms elsewhere in the body, away from the brain, but
gets carried to the brain through the bloodstream and lodges in the brain’s arteries. The
stroke that occurs is called embolic in nature.
Hemorrhagic stroke

This occurs when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or ruptures. Brain haemorrhages
occur as a result of many conditions such as high blood pressure and presence of weak
spots in the vessel walls or aneurysms as they are called. Another less common cause of
haemorrhage could be due to the rupture of blood veins that have got entangled. This is
mainly seen in very rare cases among babies at birth and called arteriovenous
malformation (AVM).

Hemorrhagic stroke in turn could include intracerebral haemorrhage, when the blood
vessel in the brain bursts and spills into the surrounding brain tissue and subarachnoid
haemorrhage that occurs due to the rupture of a small sack-shaped or berry-shaped
pouch on an artery in the brain.

Risk Factors of a Stroke

Many factors increase the chances of a stroke and these include-

High Blood Pressure
Smoking
High Cholesterol
Diabetes
Obesity
Physical inactivity
Sleep apnea
Cardiovascular diseases
Usage of some birth control pills
Addiction to drinking
Severe drug abuse
Personal or family history
Old age
Gender and
Racial factors

Management of Stroke

The goal for emergency medicine physicians, neurologists and other physicians is to
provide stroke care within the first 24 to 48 hours of hospitalization. It is imperative that
people who are having symptoms of a stroke are rushed to a hospital or seek urgent
medical care at its first signs.

At the hospital physicians and emergency medicine specialists need to address the
diagnosis and emergent treatment of an acute ischemic stroke in addition to the
management of its acute and sub-acute medical complications arsing thereof.
The steps to management include-

1. Evaluation and affirmation to confirm that the patient’s impairments are due to
ischemic stroke
2. If the stroke is due to a blood clot a clot busting drug to be administered
3. Medicine to control the symptoms of high blood pressure
4. Special surgery to prevent the occurrence of further strokes
5. Nutrients and fluids
6. The evaluation in turn would help in determining the next steps of treatment
7. Diagnostic studies to screen out neurological complications of stroke
8. Lastly historical data to assess or provide clues regarding the pathopysiological and
etiological implications of the stroke.

Prevention of Stroke

Patients who have had previous experience of stroke are at a greater risk of a
recurrence. Preventive measures are essential to reduce the risk. These include-
1. Quit smoking
2. Healthy eating
3. At least 30 minutes of exercise daily
4. Maintenance of healthy weight
5. Limited consumption of alcohol and
6. Regular health checkups

1. Improve Concentration
Good nutrition affects a child’s ability to learn. Research has shown that eating a balanced breakfast that include eggs can improve children:
• Concentration level
• Math and reading skills
• Attendance
• Behaviour
• Test scores

2. Maintain Healthy Weight
Eggs are the best source of complete protein which contain all essential amino acids for human body. They helps control the rate at which the body absorbs calories. When managing your weight, choose foods that provide the maximum amount of nutrition for the least amount of calories. Eggs are a great nutritional value for those trying to lose weight and maintain healthy weight.

3. Brain Development
Choline, a substance found in egg yolk, stimulating brain development and function. Since it necessary for brain development, but is not produced by our bodies in sufficient amount, a continuous new supply must be provided by our diet. Two large eggs provide the adult with the recommended daily intake of choline.

4. Improve Eyesight
Lutein and zeaxanthin are antioxidants found in egg yolk and are believed to help improve eyesight and reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (leading cause of blindness in people over age 65 years) as well as the risk of cataracts.

5. Prevent Blood Clots
Eating eggs may help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by prevent blood clots. An important antioxidant called selenium found in eggs inhibit clot formation in a dose-dependent.

6. Healthy Pregnancy
Choline is an essential nutrient that contributes to fetal brain development and helps prevent birth defects. Two eggs provide about 250 milligrams of choline, or approximately half of the recommended daily intake for pregnant and lactating women.

7. Strengthen Bones
Egg is an important source of vitamin D, which is important in bone strengthening and improving immunity.

8. Maintain Healthy Hair and skin
Eggs contain protein and sulfur which together help in the promotion of healthy hair and skin.

9. Prevent Breast Cancer
A study found that women who consumed at least 6 eggs per week have 44% less risk of developing breast cancer.

• Juice of Drumstick when mixed in milk and obtainable to children greatly helps by strengthening their bones as it is said to be a huge source of Calcium. Also drumstick is said to be a great blood cleanser.

• Pregnant women must often eat drumsticks as it helps relieve any kind of pre and post delivery problem.

• Drumstick soup helps easiness any kind of chest congestions, coughs and painful throats.

• Inhaling vapor of water in which drumsticks have been boiled helps ease asthma and extra lung problem.

• Finally drumstick juice deeply adds to the flush on one’s face. Make a mix of drumstick and limejuice and pat it on your face. You will put your face glowing greatly.

• Drumstick increases starvation in a human being. Cures stomach ache, heals headache, cures blood consumption by motion, cleanses urinary water, Weekly take 2 times drumstick, it removes the high temperature in the body, gas problems.

We expect our drinking water to be germ free, but what about drug free? You probably haven't given it much thought...but new research is showing our water is teeming with all kinds of drugs! Trace looks at what this is doing to our bodies and the environment.
"All across the world, people are polluting waterways with estrogen.
"External Medicine: Discarded Drugs May Contaminate 40 Million Americans' Drinking Water""Although millions of people flush unused medications down the toilet and discharge them in bodily waste, sewage treatment plants and septic systems are not required to deal with such contaminants."

"Drugged Fish Lose Their Inhibitions, Get the Munchies"
"Residues of birth control pills, antidepressants, painkillers, shampoos and a host of other compounds are finding their way into the nation's waterways, and they have public health and environmental officials in a regulatory quandary."

How to Dispose of Unused Medicines"
"Most drugs can be thrown in the household trash, but consumers should take certain precautions before tossing them out, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)."

The maxim "He knows me better than I know myself"? Well, it probably doesn't hold true when it comes to pleasure centers. If you're like many women, you have had a long-term relationship with a vibrator and, with concentration, can get the deed done during a commercial break—without even muting the TV—if you so choose.

All joking aside, self-pleasure is important because it "lets you take control of your satisfaction," says Charlie Glickman, Ph.D., a sexuality educator. "It also gives you room to try new things without stressing about a partner's expectations." Add to that: Masturbation is a pressure release, a natural sleeping pill, and a plain old-fashioned good time (as if we needed to sell you on it).

Still, even if you and your vagina are so in sync you finish each other's sentences, your sex life with yourself, like with any long-term partner, has room for improvement.

So put away your vibrator. Not forever—just for a few minutes. Because to improve your self-loving skills, the best place to start is the mind. "Seduce yourself," suggests sex coach Amy Levine, founder of IgniteYourPleasure.com. That doesn't mean making a rose-petal path to your bed, but some low-maintenance pampering can get you in the mood. Levine recommends playing soft music and lighting candles. Porn works too, if that's your thing. So does eyes-closed fantasizing. Says sexuality educator Timaree Schmit, Ph.D.: "Envision a situation that turns you on, and let it fully develop. Never judge yourself or say you should be thinking about something or someone differently. There's no so-called thought police."

Once you've worked yourself into a mental lather, focus on your body. Levine suggests starting with a slow full-body self-massage. You already know the one or two spots that can send you over the edge, but now is your chance to discover untapped sources of pleasure. Levine says to pay special attention to your neck, the back of your knees, your thighs, and your perineum, which is the stretch of skin between your vagina and anal opening.

After your massage, avoid falling into your time-worn getting-off pattern. Switch up your position, suggests Levine: If you always masturbate while lying on your back, try it on all fours, or sitting in a comfortable chair, or even standing, bent over a table or the bed. Try kneeling as if you're straddling your partner.

Variety is key to your sex life, so why shouldn't that extend to your self-love life? If you need more convincing, know this: By masturbating the same way every time, you might have more difficulty getting off when you're with a partner. So stay flexible.

Speaking of which, consider taking a yoga class and then getting it on with yourself as soon as you arrive home, says Levine. "The breath work and the flow of the poses allow us to be in the moment and out of our head," she says. In other words, yoga can diminish all those thoughts of your boss, your bank account, or whatever other worries might distract you.

Now, getting back to your vibrator. If yours is a trusty rabbit style, it might be time to introduce vibrator 2.0. Perhaps something that hits the doubted-by-scientists-but-not-by-women G-spot? (A rabbit is tailored to the clitoris.) "Look for something that has a curve," suggests Glickman. "Stronger vibrations, or ridges or bumps, often help too."

Glickman recommends using a G-spot wand that's waterproof, like the Good Vibrations Silky G Waterproof G Spot Vibrator. Draw a bath, climb in, and go to town. Aim the toy's curve toward your navel when you insert it—the G-spot is a couple of inches inside the vagina, on the front wall. "Try to find an area the size of a dime or a nickel that feels raised, or ridged, or firmer than the tissue around it," says Glickman. "It's often easier to find when you're turned on, because it swells."

Don't feel like embarking on The Great G-Spot Hunt? No problem, says Leigh, who is all for clitoral focus. "There's increasing pressure that you should be able to get off from G-spot stimulation," she says. "But just do what feels best to you." She recommends clitoris-specific egg-shaped vibrators for easy use and storage.

"But the Cadillac of vibrators is still the Hitachi wand," she says of the massage device that resembles a giant microphone. "It's huge. It often requires an electrical outlet and can be noisy as all get-out. But if nothing else will get the job done, this will."

Of course, toys aren't everyone's cup of tea. And that's fine. All that matters is that you feel good. And if you're playing sexy music, massaging yourself, and writhing in a chair while feeling good, all the better.

A preview clip of my animated and interactive application based on the poster by Fritz Kahn: Der Mensch als Industriepalast [Man as Industrial Palace] from 1926.

There's nothing like a good kiss. There's also nothing like a bad kiss. But why do we kiss in the first place? It's such an odd activity, yet 90% of all people do it.

What's in a kiss? A study by Oxford University researchers suggests kissing helps us size up potential partners and, once in a relationship, may be a way of getting a partner to stick around.

'Kissing in human sexual relationships is incredibly prevalent in various forms across just about every society and culture,' says Rafael Wlodarski, the DPhil student who carried out the research in the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University. 'Kissing is seen in our closest primate relatives, chimps and bonobos, but it is much less intense and less commonly used.

'So here's a human courtship behaviour which is incredibly widespread and common and, in extent, is quite unique. And we are still not exactly sure why it is so widespread or what purpose it serves.'

To understand more, Rafael Wlodarski and Professor Robin Dunbar set up an online questionnaire in which over 900 adults answered questions about the importance of kissing in both short-term and long-term relationships.

Rafael Wlodarski explains: 'There are three main theories about the role that kissing plays in sexual relationships: that it somehow helps assess the genetic quality of potential mates; that it is used to increase arousal (to initiate sex for example); and that it is useful in keeping relationships together. We wanted to see which of these theories held up under closer scrutiny.'

The researchers report their findings in two papers, one in the journal Archives of Sexual Behavior and the second in the journal Human Nature. They were funded by the European Research Council.

The survey responses showed that women rated kissing as generally more important in relationships than men. Furthermore, men and women who rated themselves as being attractive, or who tended to have more short-term relationships and casual encounters, also rated kissing as being more important.

In humans, as in all mammals, females must invest more time than men in having offspring - pregnancy takes nine months and breast-feeding may take up to several years. Previous studies have shown women tend to be more selective when initially choosing a partner. Men and women who are more attractive, or have more casual sex partners, have also been found to be more selective in choosing potential mates. As it is these groups which tended to value kissing more in their survey responses, it suggests that kissing helps in assessing potential mates.

It has been suggested previously that kissing may allow people to subconsciously assess a potential partner through taste or smell, picking up on biological cues for compatibility, genetic fitness or general health.

'Mate choice and courtship in humans is complex,' says Professor Robin Dunbar. 'It involves a series of periods of assessments where people ask themselves "shall I carry on deeper into this relationship?" Initial attraction may include facial, body and social cues. Then assessments become more and more intimate as we go deeper into the courtship stages, and this is where kissing comes in.'

He adds: 'In choosing partners, we have to deal with the "Jane Austen problem": How long do you wait for Mr Darcy to come along when you can't wait forever and there may be lots of you waiting just for him? At what point do you have to compromise for the curate?

'What Jane Austen realised is that people are extremely good at assessing where they are in the "mating market" and pitch their demands accordingly. It depends what kind of poker hand you've been dealt. If you have a strong bidding hand, you can afford to be much more demanding and choosy when it comes to prospective mates.

'We see some of that coming out in the results of our survey, suggesting that kissing plays a role in assessing a potential partner,' Professor Dunbar explains.

Past research has also found that women place greater value on activities that strengthen long-term relationships (since raising offspring is made easier with two parents present).

In the current study, the team found that kissing's importance changed for people according to whether it was being done in long-term or short-term relationships. Particularly, it was rated by women as more important in long-term relationships, suggesting that kissing also plays an important role in mediating affection and attachment among established couples.

While high levels of arousal might be a consequence of kissing (particularly as a prelude to sex), the researchers say it does not appear to be a driving factor that explains why we kiss in romantic relationships.

Other findings included:

In short relationships, survey participants said kissing was most important before sex, less so during sex, was less important again after sex and was least important at other times. In committed relationships, where forming and maintain a lasting bond is an important goal, kissing was equally important before sex and at times not-related to sex.
More frequent kissing in a relationship was linked to the quality of a relationship, while this wasn't the case for having more sex. However, people's satisfaction with the amount of both kissing and sex did tally with the quality of that relationship.

In a companion paper in the journal Human Nature, the researchers report that women's attitudes to romantic kissing also depend on where in their menstrual cycle and their relationship they are. Women valued kissing most at initial stages of a relationship when they were in the part of their cycle when they are most likely to conceive. Previous studies have shown that hormonal changes associated with the menstrual cycle can change a woman's preferences for a potential mate. When chances of conceiving are highest, women seem to prefer men who display supposed signals of underlying genetic fitness, such as masculinized faces, facial symmetry, social dominance, and genetic compatibility. It appears that kissing a romantic potential partner at this time helps women assess the genetic quality of a potential mate, the researchers say.

Scientists have just discovered a new, very important reason for you to get a good night's sleep. For the first time, they've actually been able to see the brain physically cleaning itself while you're catching Zzz's! Anthony explains how this cerebral garbage disposal system works.4.

When should I start to feel my baby move?

You probably won't feel your baby kick until sometime between 16 and 22 weeks, even though he started moving at 7 or 8 weeks, and you may have already witnessed his acrobatics if you've had an ultrasound.

Veteran moms tend to notice those first subtle kicks – also known as "quickening" – earlier than first-time moms. (A woman who's been pregnant before can more easily distinguish her baby's kicks from other belly rumblings, such as gas.)

Your build may also have something to do with when you'll be able to tell a left jab from a hunger pang. Thinner women tend to feel movement earlier and more often than women who carry more weight.

What does it feel like?

Women have described the sensation as being like popcorn popping, a goldfish swimming around, or butterflies fluttering. You'll probably chalk up those first gentle taps or swishes in your belly to gas or hunger pains, but once you start feeling them more regularly, you'll recognize the difference. You're more likely to feel these early movements when you're sitting or lying quietly.

How often should I feel movements?

At first the kicks you notice will be few and far between. In fact, you may feel several movements one day and then none the next. Although your baby is moving and kicking regularly, many of his jerks and jolts aren't yet strong enough for you to feel. But later in the second trimester, those reassuring kicks will become stronger and more regular.

If you're tempted to compare notes with other pregnant women, don't worry if your experience differs from that of your friends. Every baby has his own pattern of activity. As long as there's no decrease in your baby's usual activity level, chances are he's doing just fine.

Do I need to keep track of the kicking?

Once you're feeling kicks regularly, pay attention to them and let your practitioner know right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity level. Less movement may signal a problem. You'll need a biophysical profile or a nonstress test plus an ultrasound measurement of amniotic fluid to check on your baby.

Once you're in your third trimester, some practitioners will recommend that you spend some time each day counting your baby's kicks. There are lots of different ways to do these "kick counts," so ask for specific instructions.

Here's one common approach: Choose a time of day when your baby tends to be active. (Ideally, you'll want to do the counts at roughly the same time each day.) Sit quietly or lie on your side so you won't get distracted. Time how long it takes for you to feel ten distinct movements – kicks, punches, and whole body movements all count. If you don't feel ten movements in two hours, stop counting and call your midwife or doctor.

It has been defined by researchers as a developmental disorder that may affect individuals at a younger age, falling in the category Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Predominantly Inattentive (ADHD-PI).

Such individuals may be tagged as daydreamers, inattentive, confused, and blank in most cases.

It has been found that the cause of this condition is primarily hereditary in nature. However, research has shown that SCT emerges from problems with the prefrontal cortex of the brain, and problems with retrieving memory. Further, lack of production of dopamine and norepinephrine may also be responsible for this condition.

Symptoms:

-Lack of Focus
-Sluggish Demeanor
-Lack of Motivation
-Social Withdrawal and Depression
-Low Comprehension Abilities
-Forgetfulness
-Day dreaming

It is commonly due to an infection (usually viral, but sometimes bacterial or an allergic reaction.

Classification

Classification can be either by cause or by extent of the inflamed area.

By cause:

-Viral conjunctivitis
-Allergic conjunctivitis
-Bacterial conjunctivitis
-Chemical conjunctivitis
-Neonatal conjunctivitis is often defined separately due to different organisms.

By extent of involvement:

-Blepharoconjunctivitis is the dual combination of conjunctivitis with blepharitis (inflammation of the eyelids).

-Keratoconjunctivitis is the combination of conjunctivitis and keratitis (corneal inflammation).


Symptoms:

-Red eye (hyperaemia),
-swelling of conjunctiva (chemosis)
-and watering (epiphora) of the eyes
are symptoms common to all forms of conjunctivitis. However, the pupils should be normally reactive and the visual acuity normal.

Viral

-Viral conjunctivitis is often associated with an infection of the upper respiratory tract, a common cold, and/or a sore throat.

-Its symptoms include excessive watering and itching.

- The infection usually begins with one eye, but may spread easily to the other.

-Viral conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye, shows a fine, diffuse pinkness of the conjunctiva


Bacterial

-Bacterial conjunctivitis causes the rapid onset of conjunctival redness, swelling of the eyelid, and mucopurulent discharge.

-Typically, symptoms develop first in one eye, but may spread to the other eye within 2–5 days.

-Bacterial conjunctivitis due to common pyogenic (pus-producing) bacteria causes marked grittiness/irritation and a stringy, opaque, greyish or yellowish mucopurulent discharge that may cause the lids to stick together, especially after sleep.

- The gritty and/or scratchy feeling is sometimes localized enough for patients to insist they must have a foreign body in the eye.

The more acute pyogenic infections can be painful. Common bacteria responsible for non-acute bacterial conjunctivitis are Staphylococci and Streptococci.

Chemical

-Chemical eye injury is due to either an acidic or alkali substance getting in the eye. Alkalis are typically worse than acidic burns.

- Mild burns will produce conjunctivitis while more severe burns may cause the cornea to turn white.


Allergic

-Itching (rubbing eyes) is the hallmark symptom of allergic conjunctivitis.

- Other symptoms include history of eczema, or asthma.

Management

Conjunctivitis resolves in 65% of cases without treatment, within two to five days. The prescription of antibiotics is not necessary in most cases.

Allergic

-For the allergic type, cool water poured over the face with the head inclined downward constricts capillaries, and artificial tears sometimes relieve discomfort in mild cases.

- In more severe cases, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications and antihistamines may be prescribed.

- Persistent allergic conjunctivitis may also require topical steroid drops.

Bacterial

-Bacterial conjunctivitis usually resolves without treatment. Antibiotics, eye drops, or ointment may only be needed if no improvement is observed after three days.

-In people receiving no antibiotics, recovery was in 4.8 days, with immediate antibiotics it was 3.3 days, and with delayed antibiotics 3.9 days. No serious effects were noted either with or without treatment.

Viral

-brief povidone iodine eye wash

Chemical

-Conjunctivitis due to chemicals is treated via irrigation with Ringer's lactate or saline solution

Even though otitis media is the most common complication of measles, pneumonia remains the most important cause of death following measles.

Usually, the main symptom of a heart attack is a heavy, squeezing, constricting, burning pain or discomfort occurring in the center of the chest.
This pain may sometimes radiate down the left arm, across the left shoulder and upper back, or up to the neck and to the lower jaw. Anxiety, profuse sweating, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, and fainting may also be present. Fortunately, in most cases, the pain or discomfort is severe enough to cause an individual to seek medical attention.
In some instances, however, the pain lasts for only an hour or less and the individual mistakenly believes that the chest pain is simply due to indigestion or skeletal muscle spasms.
The following questions can be useful in helping individuals to differentiate cardiac chest pain from non-cardiac chest pain:

Does the pain/discomfort get better or worse when changing body position?
Cardiac chest pain is not influenced by changes in body position.

Is the pain/discomfort better or worse with respirations?
Cardiac chest pain is not exacerbated by respiration.

Is the pain/discomfort intense, dull, or knifelike?
Cardiac chest pain is usually described as a dull ache or heaviness; it is seldom characterized as being sharp or stabbing.

Is the pain/discomfort deep or close to the surface?
Cardiac chest pain is deep, not superficial.

Learn about the causes of kidney stones and ways of preventing them.

lithotripsy - stone breaking

endoscopy - treating stones by using small cameras that can be placed via penis or women's pee hole (urethra) and can be moved all the way up to the kidney to see the stone and break it with a small laser
percutaneous treatment - treatment of stones by entering the kidney through a small cut in the back that tunnels directly into the kidney.

Fibroadenoma is a non cancer tumour of breast, it is common to find it, it is very mobile in breast as it has its own surrounding layer known as capsule which is say not strongly attached to the breast tissue. It is removed along with its capsule. Ladies should always be vigilant to look for any new nodule in their breasts or old nodules increasing rapidly in size. Only 5% of nodules in the breast of a lady are cancer, so their is no need to panic but must consult the surgeon if you so find a nodule. Like this nodule is harmless in a way except that the lady had to undergo anesthesia and surgery for its removal as it had grown very big.

Diarrhea refers to loose stools or an increase in the frequency of passing stools. There is a loss of bodily fluids when diarrhea occurs and this can result in dehydration and imbalance of electrolyte levels. In some cases symptoms such as abdominal pain, headache, fever and vomiting may accompany diarrhea. It is a common condition and most individuals experience it at some point in their lives. Diarrhea mostly occurs due to viral or bacterial infection and may be acute or chronic. The infection usually occurs when you consume contaminated food or beverages. Disorders of the intestine and allergies may also lead to diarrhea.

Symptoms of Diarrhoea

The most common symptoms of diarrhea include:

Acute diarrhea usually subsides within a couple of days. In case the symptoms persist or become aggravated, it is essential to seek medical care. Some of the more serious symptoms of diarrhea include:

In case there is passage of black stools, it may be indicative of bleeding in the stomach or upper intestine. Individuals, who suffer from kidney or heart disease, should seek quick medical attention when diarrhea occurs.

Causes of Diarrhoea

The most common causes of diarrhea are as follows:

Bacteria: Various types of bacteria may be responsible for causing diarrhea. These bacteria are usually present in contaminated food and water. Some examples of bacteria that cause diarrhea are salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli.
Viruses: Herpes simplex virus, rotavirus and Norwalk virus are some of the viruses that cause diarrhea.
Parasites: These can cause infection in the digestive system when they enter the body through food and water.

Intolerance to Certain Foods: Some individuals cannot digest the components present in certain foods. Lactose allergy is one of the most common food allergies.
Medications: The intake of certain medications can result in adverse reactions in the body. Many individuals react in this manner to antibiotics or medications used to treat hypertension.
Diseases: Conditions that affect the intestine such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease usually trigger diarrhea.

Bowel Disorders: Irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions that hamper the functioning of the intestine commonly cause bouts of diarrhea.
Hormone Disorders: Conditions that arise due to hormonal imbalances such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes can also lead to diarrhea.
Cancer: One of the symptoms of bowel cancer is diarrhea.
Remedies for Diarrhoea

It is important to consult your doctor for diarrhea treatment in case the symptoms are severe. Quick medical attention is also necessary in case of diarrhea in infants and young children. The treatment for diarrhea will depend on the underlying cause and may include the intake of oral rehydration drinks, medications to relieve pain and anti-nausea medications. In severe cases, intravenous fluid replacement may become necessary. Anti-diarrhea drugs are helpful in alleviating the symptoms; however you should consult your doctor before taking them. Treatment of diarrhea may also involve treatment for the underlying disorder, such as Crohns disease, or Ulcerative Colitis or infections.

There are also some natural ways to treat diarrhea symptoms. Some common home remedies for diarrhea include:

Herbs such as chamomile and thyme are known to help in relieving diarrhea. You may use them in the form of tinctures, pills or teas.

Some studies have found that an arrowroot solution prepared with boiled water, or simply a glass of tender coconut juice could help alleviate the symptoms. In the same study, like arrowroot, a water based solution with African finger millet was also tested and the findings indicate that all of these solutions decreased water loss induced by a cholera infection, while instead increasing water absorption.
Turmeric helps to destroy bacteria and thus helps in treating infection. Add one teaspoon of turmeric to warm water and drink.

To treat dehydration caused by diarrhea, add a little salt to the juice of bitter gourd and drink.
To reduce abdominal cramps arising from diarrhea, add half a teaspoon each of lemon juice and ginger juice to black pepper powder. Consume the mixture thrice daily.

Indian gooseberry serves as an effective diarrhea treatment. Add a pinch of black salt to half a teaspoon of Indian gooseberry powder and consume after meals.
Mashed apples are known to be a beneficial food for those with diarrhea.
The herb goldenseal helps to kill the bacteria that cause diarrhea. It contains berberine which has antibiotic properties. It is available in the form of capsules and you can take a couple of goldenseal capsules a day until the condition is resolved.

Black tea contains beneficial tannins which help to alleviate inflammation and infection in the intestines. You can add some sugar to the tea since it helps to enhance the absorption of water and sodium.
Blackberries also contain tannins which help in naturally treating diarrhea. Add some dried leaves of blackberry to boiling water, steep for about ten minutes and then filter. Drink about three cups of this tea daily. You can also boil fresh blackberries in water and drink the solution after straining.
Black seed oil is known to help in treating diarrhea. Add one teaspoon of black seed oil to a cup of yogurt and consume twice daily.

To reduce pain and cramps, soak a small towel in warm water and place it over your abdomen. The heat will help to relieve cramping and muscle spasms.
Do keep in mind, that while many of these remedies can help reduce the discomfort of diarrhea and hasten recovery, not all of them will be equally effective in all situations and for everyone. Many of these home remedies have also not been researched adequately.

Diet for Diarrhoea

Your diet, quite naturally, has a direct influence on the outcome of the condition and it would be absolutely necessary for you to adhere strictly to the dietary recommendations given to you by your doctor. You can also incorporate some of these diet tips to help with the recovery:

Diarrhea can be alleviated by following a diet comprising of foods such as ginger, garlic, cumin, fennel, carom seeds, buttermilk and bananas.
Drink fruit juices such as orange and pomegranate juices.
Doctors usually recommend eating bananas, rice, toast, yogurt, tea and applesauce during bouts of diarrhea. These foods help to regulate bowel movements by making the stools firmer. Stick to a diet comprising mainly of these foods until the symptoms subside. You can then slowly progress to eating foods such as rice cereal, crackers, baked fish and steamed vegetables.
Probiotics contain ‘good’ bacteria that help to alleviate diarrhea. Consume foods containing probiotics such as yogurt and cheese.

Avoid eating foods that are high in sugar, spices and oil. Also avoid those foods which are difficult to digest.
Avoid eating foods which are high in fiber as it is difficult for the stomach to digest them properly.
Suggestions for Diarrhoea

Some people find benefits in alternative therapies. The most common alternative treatments for diarrhea include:

Acupuncture: Stimulating certain points in the body may help to reduce discomfort and improve functioning of the digestive system.

Aromatherapy: The use of essential oils helps to relieve different ailments, including intestinal problems. The oils may be used in a diffuser or during massage therapy.
Meditation: Relaxing the body through meditation helps to reduce anxiety and stress.
Yoga: Certain yoga poses help to stimulate and strengthen the stomach and intestines.

It turns out there are. Researchers have done a lot of work in recent years looking at the signs and symptoms patients experienced in the months or even years leading up to a heart attack. “The heart, together with the arteries that feed it, is one big muscle, and when it starts to fail the symptoms can show up in many parts of the body,” says cardiologist Jonathan Goldstein of Saint Michael’s Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey. Here are seven surprising clues that your heart needs a check. Any of these signs — and particularly two or more together — should send you to the doctor for tests.

Sexual problems

Something cardiologists know but the average guy doesn’t: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the best early tip-offs to progressive heart disease. “Today, any patient who comes in with ED should be considered a cardiovascular patient until proven otherwise,” says Goldstein. In women, reduced blood flow to the genital area can impede arousal, make it harder to reach orgasm, or make orgasms less satisfying.

Scary stat: Researchers at the Mayo clinic followed men ages 40-49 with erectile dysfunction and found they were twice as likely to develop heart disease as those with no sexual health problems. Another study looked backward and found that two out of three men being treated for cardiovascular disease had suffered from erectile dysfunction, often for years, before they were diagnosed with heart trouble.

Why it happens: Narrowing and hardening of the arteries restricts blood flow to the penis, which can give men trouble when it comes to getting or keeping an erection. And because those arteries are smaller than the ones leading to the heart, erectile dysfunction can occur before any other sign of artery stiffness. Lack of oxygen can also lead to ongoing fatigue and weakness, which can sabotage libido, so lack of desire may accompany lack of success.

What to do: If you or your partner has difficulty getting or maintaining an erection or has problems with sexual satisfaction, that’s reason enough to visit your doctor to investigate cardiovascular disease as an underlying cause. Get a full workup to assess possible causes of erectile dysfunction or difficulty with orgasm. (Guys, see your GP, not just a urologist; gals, don’t just see an ob/gyn.) If your doctor doesn’t mention heart tests, request them.

Snoring, Sleep Apnea

If you snore loudly enough to keep your sleeping partner awake or to force him or her to resort to earplugs, your heart may be at risk as well. Restricted breathing during sleep — the underlying cause of snoring — is linked with all types of cardiovascular disease. Sleep apnea, in which breathing briefly stops during sleep, is linked with a higher risk of both cardiovascular disease and heart attack.

Scary stat: Those with sleep apnea were found to have three times the normal risk of having a heart attack within five years.

Why it happens: Sleep-disordered breathing, which includes sleep apnea and a lesser condition known as UARS, lowers the blood oxygen that feeds the heart. Obstructive sleep apnea is thought to damage the right side of the heart, which has to pump harder to support the lungs, which are strained by trying to overcome the airway obstruction.

What to do: Any sleep-related breathing problem is a clue that something’s wrong, so call the doctor. She may recommend a sleep study, but get your heart checked out too.

Sore, swollen, or bleeding gums

Sore, swollen, or bleeding gums are symptoms not only of periodontal disease — in which exposure to bacteria causes the gums to become inflamed and pull away from the teeth — but also a possible early sign of underlying cardiovascular disease.

Scary stat: A 2010 study by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) estimated that the prevalence of periodontal disease may be underestimated by as much as 50 percent.

Why it happens: Experts believe that poor circulation due to heart disease could be an underlying cause of periodontal disease. Researchers are also studying whether a common bacteria is involved in both gum disease and plaque buildup inside coronary arteries.
What to do: See a dentist to treat gum disease and prevent the presence of bacteria. Because gum disease can be a red flag for inflammation and circulatory problems, ask your doctor if ongoing gum symptoms warrant a checkup.

Puffy or Swollen Legs

If you notice that your feet swell enough to make your shoes tight; your ankles, wrists, or fingers are noticeably puffy; or there are deep pressure marks or indents when you take off socks or hose, you may have a problem with fluid retention. Also called edema, fluid retention can be a sign of coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and other forms of cardiovascular disease.

Scary stat: More than 80 million people have one or more forms of cardiovascular disease, and approximately 900,000 people die from it each year.

Why it happens: Fluid retention occurs when the heart doesn’t pump strongly enough and blood doesn’t carry waste products away from tissues. Edema usually starts in the feet, ankles, fingers, hands, and legs because they’re furthest from the heart, where circulation is poorer.

What to do: Report problems with edema to your doctor, who can run tests that may indicate CAD and can determine if your heart function is normal.

Shortness of Breath

An early sign that something is wrong with a major bodily system is shortness of breath, typically with exercise, exertion, and stress. (Typically, shortness of breath indicates either early-stage heart disease or early-stage lung disease, and it’s not possible to know which it is without seeing a doctor.) It may feel like you can’t catch your breath, or you may notice a feeling of compression in the chest and lungs, making it difficult to take a deep breath. Another breathing symptom of poor circulation may be labored breathing, which occurs when fluid accumulates in the lungs. If you notice that your breathing problems are worse at night or anytime you lie down, that can also indicate a heart problem.

Scary stat: In a landmark study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Institute, 95 percent of women who’d had heart attacks reported experiencing unusual symptoms in the weeks and months before the attack, and 40 percent reported shortness of breath.

Why it happens: When your heart isn’t pumping strongly enough, less oxygen circulates in your blood. The result is shortness of breath; you might feel like you do at high altitude or when you’ve run for the bus, unable to draw enough oxygen into your lungs.

What to do: Shortness of breath, either with exercise and stress or all the time, is always a reason to see the doctor for a checkup, since it can be a symptom of a number of serious conditions.

Constriction or aching in the chest or shoulder

The most common symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD) is angina, a type of chest pain. Angina (officially called angina pectoris) is different from the sharp clutching pain of a heart attack; it’s likely to feel like a deep ache or a constriction or weight on the chest, and it may worsen when you draw in a breath. One of the reasons angina is often missed is that it feels different to different people; to some it’s more of a heaviness, fullness, or pressure rather than pain. It can also be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn when the pain occurs lower down in the abdominal area. The tightness, constriction, or pain may also occur in the shoulder, neck, jaw, arm, or upper back, where it may be mistaken for a pulled muscle.

A tip-off to angina versus a pulled muscle or gastrointestinal problem is that you’re likely to experience the problem repeatedly rather than to have one isolated or prolonged episode.

Scary stat: According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 17 million people are living with angina. Cases of angina are divided almost equally between men and women, with men being slightly more at risk.

Why it happens: When plaque builds up in the coronary arteries, it deprives the heart muscle of blood, making it feel squeezed. Most people with stable angina find that episodes are most often triggered by anything that puts an additional strain on the heart, such as exercise or stress.

What to do: If you’re diagnosed with angina, your doctor will recommend resting when episodes occur; or she may prescribe nitroglycerin, which relaxes the coronary arteries and other blood vessels, increasing blood supply to the heart and easing its workload.

“In your lifetime or my lifetime, we may be able to have a vaccine capable of stopping this terrible disease,” says Vincent Tuohy, PhD, at the Cleveland Clinic. After 11 years, his dream to develop a breast cancer vaccine is coming to fruition.

“We came up with this idea in 2002 when we realized we have this enormous deficiency in our healthcare system. We have a wonderful childhood vaccine program that protects us,”. “Yet we reach our adult years and face all these adult-onset cancers like breast cancer, ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.”
This led him to his groundbreaking finding: a single vaccine could prevent breast cancer tumors from occurring in mice genetically bred to develop the disease as well as stop the growth of already present breast cancer tumors. The research was published in 2010 in the journal Nature Medicine.

For the past three years, Dr. Tuohy and his colleagues have built upon that breakthrough. “I refer to it as my retired protein hypothesis,” he says. “With age, we retire proteins. They are no longer being made and almost every tissue goes through this process.” Think of it as grey hair: hair turns white because the pigment units in the follicle retire. This is what happens in the breast; certain proteins retire except that they can be rejuvenated by tumor tissue. “We identified a protein—more than one protein actually—that is overexpressed in the most aggressive form of breast cancer called triple negative breast cancer,” Dr. Tuohy says. The vaccine would be made up of these proteins, which would provide the immune system the ability to be pre-emptive against emerging breast tumors.

More from Prevention: 12 Myths To Ignore About Breast Cancer

Triple negative breast cancer is the most lethal form; it kills women at a three-fold greater rate than all other forms of breast cancer. It is highly aggressive and it recurs very rapidly with a very poor five-year overall survival rate compared to other breast cancers. What’s more: it is the most predominant form of breast cancer that occurs in high-risk patients with BRCA-1 mutations, who also have an 80% chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime, Dr. Tuohy says. This perfect storm of breast cancer provides the team with the clinical trial population to determine safety and efficacy.

There will be two Phase I trial groups. “The first trial is the treatment arm where we will be testing the vaccine on women who already have triple negative breast cancer and have recovered. It is designed mostly, primarily, for safety and dosage. We need to determine the dosage in this population; the right dose that gives us the right immune response,” Dr. Tuohy explains. “We can see in that population, hopefully, whether or not our vaccine prevents or significantly delays the development of breast cancer in this high risk population.”

More from Prevention: Medical Tests That Can Save Your Life

For the second trial, Dr. Tuohy and colleagues hope to recruit some of the women who voluntarily undergo prophylactic mastectomies to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer. They will ask these women a few months prior to their procedure if they will be willing to be vaccinated. Then upon their mastectomy, Dr. Tuohy and his team will examine the tissue to see if the vaccine did any damage to the normal healthy tissues and ducts. “It is more of a safety trial after we have determine the right dose.”

Recruitment for Phase I testing will be done at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland. But for Phase 2 and, definitely Phase 3, there will be multicenter trials involving several sites where people can be recruited. “We don't want to go into what will and won't go into the inclusion or exclusion of subjects right now because that won't happen for another five years,” he says.

Yes, it will be five years before a breast cancer vaccine will see rounds of clinical trials that determine effectiveness. All in all, a breast cancer vaccine will not be publicly available for at least 10 years.

“It takes at least 10 years to develop a drug,” Dr. Tuohy says. “That is the reality. I didn't make the rules.”