Coping With Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is a real and serious threat in most urban areas that subject its inhabitants to unacceptably high levels of sound possessing chaotic attributes like sound emanating from - street traffic, airplanes, appliances (garbage disposals, blenders, vacuum cleaners) or music systems (personal stereos, car stereos). Anyone, irrespective of age, is at risk from noise pollution, says the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD). Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a likely possibility when exposed to excessively loud noise over an extended period. Americans, in particular, are badly affected by this menace, with 10 million already suffering from permanently damaged hearing. In children, exposure to high levels of aircraft noise leads to impairments in reading ability. In adults, noise pollution can result in not only stress-related diseases but sleepless nights, aggression and irritability, as well. However, you too can make a difference by refraining from contributing to an already disturbed environment by simple acts like turning down the volume of your TV or using quieter home appliances.

Click here

Exercising To Beat Depression

Psychologist Jasper Smits, who works from his research clinic in Dallas, has to offer a somewhat unconventional treatment for anxiety and mood disorders, including depression. What's striking is that his treatment comes for free and has no side effects. Note, in this context, that antidepressant drugs set Americans back by $10 billion every year, with side-effects ranging from sleep disturbances and nausea to fluctuations in body weight. If depression is what needs to be addressed and which has been pulling down your performance at work and preventing you from spending quality time with family members, why not try out some simple aerobic-exercise regimens for a change instead of popping pills. Research confirms exercising helps us keep in perspective innocuous but upsetting events like missing an appointment or getting a parking ticket. Not much to lose really than a whole load of unnecessary worries...

Click here

What to do (And How to Protect Yourself) if You Get Pulled Over by an Unmarked Police Car

Breathtaking urban legends surrounding unmarked police cars are traversing the globe for some time now. However, before you fall prey to these frightening stories, it helps to perceive the real facts as offered by real-life police officers like Clarence Williams of the Los Angeles Police Department. In the unlikely event that your vehicle is intercepted on the highway by an unmarked squad car, it's important to know what procedures to follow in order to make this a safe encounter and reduce the danger of walking into a trap sprung by an imposter whose likely motive is to relieve you of your valuables. Further, being aware of the prevailing local laws and policies and your legal rights help out as well if you have to interact with a police officer after being pulled over by an unidentified squad car. Moreover, although unmarked traffic-enforcement vehicles sometimes do need to be used for conducting traffic stops, these covert police vehicles usually display telltale LED flashers to distinguish them from civilian cars.

Click here

British Research Recommends Vitamin D For Expecting Mothers

British researchers from the University College London Institute of Child Health claim pregnant women see significant benefits from taking vitamin D supplements, which include reduced incidence of hypocalcaemia and rickets. However, these scientists note that UK is the only country amongst 31 that doesn't officially recommend use of vitamin D for women of reproductive age, although the Department of Health advises a daily intake of 10 micrograms for expectant mothers. Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency in pregnant British women is unacceptably high, according to Dr Elina Hypponen, one of the report authors. Lack of exposure to sunlight and limitations of an average diet is mainly responsible for this deficiency and newborns, in extreme cases, may even face death. Therefore, it is recommended that expecting women deficient in vitamin D use daily supplements in order to reduce related risks to their babies.

Click here

Healing With Tai Chi And Qigong

New research unearths convincing evidence suggesting the health benefits of tai chi and qigong, which are ancient Chinese wellness practices. The study, conducted by Linda Larkey, PhD, of Arizona State University, and her colleagues, found these wellness practices yielded significant physical and mental advantages, including improved functioning of the heart and immune system, and overall enhancement in the quality of life. But these types of activity embrace a wide spectrum of physical movements, some of which are slow, meditative and dance-like. These facilitating exercises highlight regulation of breath and mind coordinated with body regulation. The study, published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, provides a fascinating insight into the natural ability of the body and mind to recover in response to appropriate cues that these fitness practices deliver.

Click here

Heat Stroke: Symptoms And Prevention

Heat stroke is an especially serious and life-threatening condition that may strike when the body temperature reaches or exceeds 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat strokes come in two variants: external and passive. The former type can impact those laboring under hot environments and the latter, elderly, especially sedentary, people exposed to high temperatures. Any of these types of heat stroke can result in brain damage, organ collapse or even death. You need to look out for certain warning signs like high body temperature or speech difficulty that signal an impending heat stroke. Immediate medical assistance is necessary in case you observe or experience any of these tell-tale symptoms on a hot day and the affected person needs to cool off right away. Following best practices to stay safe from heat stroke include drinking plenty of water and limiting activity. Simple steps like these can comprehensively address this potentially dangerous condition. Small change when compared to all the precious things life has to offer...

Click here

Contributing Your Bit To Fight Air Pollution

How often have you felt stifled with all the emissions from car exhausts? And as you gasp for breath, looking around, have you wondered how fantastic it would be to wish yourself amidst refreshing greenery and sparkling waterfalls? Unfortunately, duty calls and you're constrained to define your existence within the concrete jungle that determines every fabric of your life. Pollution is a real and present danger that threatens to spin out of control given the modern lifestyle we pursue. However, the National Women's Health Information Center suggests some redeeming steps for anyone caring enough to lend a helping hand in the fight against air pollution. Why not replace the incandescent bulbs we use with compact fluorescents? Is it too unsettling to, at times, walk, use bikes or public transportation for a change? It needs to be remembered that each and every action we commit counts and united effort can figure importantly in the effort to return to a pollution-free world.

Click here