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Saturday, June 11, 2016

The Reason Why Nutella Is Poisonous For You And Your Children

 

Every day, millions of people buy this product and feed it to their families believing that they are feeding them a nutritious product; when in reality it's the opposite. The scariest thing that people don't know about Nutella is that it contains monosodium glutamate (MSG), also known as E621. It's cleverly hidden inside an artificial flavor called vanillin which is labeled on every Nutella jar. It also contains the toxic GMO emulsifier soy lecithin and palm oil whose extraction is ravaging forests and wildlife throughout the world
Nutella was introduced in 1964 by the Italian company Ferrero who still manufactures the product, however they do have local manufacturers in many countries. As kids we went crazy over nutella in the 70s and 80s, but parents back then weren't taking as many precautions as they are today, especially when it comes to reading ingredient labels. According to the official US Nutella Website, the ingredients are as follows: “sugar, palm oil, hazelnuts, cocoa, skim milk, reduced minerals whey (milk), soy lecithin as emulsifier, vanillin: an artificial flavor”. Nutella claims their product contains “No Artificial Colors and No Artificial Preservatives”. The definition of artificial is “made or produced by human beings rather than occurring naturally.” Every single one of their ingredients goes through very heavy processing which would imply that the natural state of these ingredients which contribute to color and preservation is completely absent from their formula. Their soy lecithin alone is about as artificial as an emulsifier/preservative gets. Nutella contains 67% saturated fat and processed sugar by weight. A two-tablespoon (37 gram) serving of Nutella contains 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 3.5 of which are saturated and 21 grams of sugar. To put that into perspective, a typical chocolate and nut candy bar has 250 to 300 calories and 12 to 16 grams of fat. Vanillin: An Artificial Flavor (MSG) When most people see vanillin, they think…oh it has vanilla. However, this is likely one of the most harmful ingredients in Nutella. Scent and flavor of vanillin are nothing but chemicals. When we talk about actual real-life non-imitation vanilla flavor, what we're really talking about is a bunch of molecules that are extracted from a vanilla bean. The grandest chemical of all of these is vanillin. Sure, vanilla has plenty of other odor molecules, but vanillin is about 95% of the scent. And, thanks to technology, you can make it cheaply from petroleum and in a lab. The largest vanillin manufacturers in the world are in China and more than 90% of food products manufactured contain vanillin from China including Nutella. The worst part of vanillin is that it contains unlabeled MSG. It is not a nutrient, vitamin, or mineral and has no health benefits. The part of MSG that negatively affects the human body is the “glutamate”, not the sodium. The breakdown of MSG typically consists of 78% glutamate, 12% sodium, and about 10% water. Any glutamate added to a processed food is not and can not be considered naturally occurring. Natural glutamate in plants and animals is known as L-glutamic acid. MSG Lurks As A Slow Poison In Common Food Items Without Your Knowledge and vanillin is one of them. MSG has been proven to act as an excitotoxin which stimulates the reward system of the brain, so we think it tastes better (than it actually does) and consequently consume more. There are a growing number of Clinicians and Scientists who are convinced that excitotoxins play a critical role in the development of several neurological disorders, including migraines, seizures, infections, abnormal neural development, certain endocrine disorders, specific types of obesity, and especially the neurodegenerative diseases; a group of diseases which includes: ALS, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, and olivopontocerebellar degeneration. Palm Oil Palm oil is taken from the fruit of the oil palm tree. The use of palm oil in processed foods, its most widespread application in the United States, jumped sharply after government authorities took aggressive steps to reduce the trans fat content in processed foods. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that palm oil is second only to soybean oil in terms of worldwide popularity as a food oil. In support of its warnings about the dangers of palm oil, the center cites two meta-analyses that show that palm oil raises blood cholesterol levels. A 1997 British analysis evaluated 147 human trials and concluded that palmitic acid, an active ingredient in palm oil, raised total blood cholesterol levels. A Dutch analysis, released in 2003, weighed data from 35 clinical studies and found that palmitic acid significantly increased the ratio of total cholesterol to so-called “good cholesterol,” a widely recognized risk factor for heart disease. In a study published in a 1999 issue of “Plant Foods for Human Nutrition,” three Nigerian biochemistry researchers extol some of the nutrients found in fresh palm oil, but point out that the oil in an oxidized state can threaten physiological and biochemical functions of the body. They acknowledge that manufacturers of processed foods oxidize palm oil in their products for a variety of culinary purposes, meaning that much of the palm oil consumers eat is in an oxidized state. The dangers of oxidized palm oil include organotoxicity of the heart, kidney, liver and lungs, as well as reproductive toxicity, the researchers claim. Additionally, they note, oxidized palm oil can cause an increase in free fatty acids, phospholipids and cerebrosides. Indonesia has achieved its goal of becoming one of the two largest palm-oil producers and exporters in the world. But at what cost? At least half of the world's wild orangutans have disappeared in the last 20 years; biologically viable populations of orangutans have been radically reduced in size and number; and 80 percent of the orangutan habitat has either been depopulated or totally destroyed. The trend shows no sign of abating: government maps of future planned land use show more of the same, on an increasing scale. In Malaysia, peat swamp forests are being obliterated, and the disappearing forests endangering the habitat of the “pygmy elephant — the smallest elephant on Earth — the clouded leopard, the long-nosed tapir and many rare birds.” As word spreads about the devastation that palm oil cultivation can cause, people are beginning to take notice and companies are beginning to make changes. Sustainable palm oil is in its infancy, and according to Worldwatch Institute, palm oil sustainability criteria remain controversial. Check out saynotopalmoil.com to get a full perspective on what's happening throughout the world because of palm oil. Palm Oil is simply another ingredient that needs to be banned from our food supply. We don't need it if it's not sustainable in the health of our ecosystems or wildlife. Soy Lecithin Soybean lecithin comes from sludge left after crude soy oil goes through a “degumming” process. It is a waste product containing solvents and pesticides and has a consistency ranging from a gummy fluid to a plastic solid. Before being bleached to a more appealing light yellow, the color of lecithin ranges from a dirty tan to reddish brown. The hexane extraction process commonly used in soybean oil manufacture today yields less lecithin than the older ethanol-benzol process, but produces a more marketable lecithin with better color, reduced odor and less bitter flavor. Today soy lecithin is ubiquitous in the processed food supply. It is most commonly used as an emulsifier to keep water and fats from separating in foods such as margarine, peanut butter, chocolate candies, ice cream, coffee creamers and infant formulas. It also helps prevent product spoilage making it a preservative and extending shelf life in the marketplace. The majority of soy sources in the world are now genetically modified (GM). Researchers have clearly identified GM foods as a threat to the environment, pollution of soils and a long-term threat to human health with links to of the world with unnatural genetic material that may have unknown long-term consequences with links to decreased fertility, immunological alterations in the gut and the exacerbation and creation of allergies. Genetically engineered soy contains high concentrations of plant toxicants. The presence of high levels of toxicants in the GM soy represent thousands of plant biochemicals many of which have been shown to have toxic effects. Reduced Minerals Whey Whey protein production starts with dairy cows and was actually considered a waste byproduct of cheese production. It was typically discarded. Dairy companies now recognize the value of whey and have set up factories to concentrate and purify it from sources that are substandard from cows fed GMO foods, antibiotics and hormones to boost their production. Reduced-minerals ends up being a dark cream-colored product which companies acquire raw from the same handful of manufacturers. Whey powder is an additive commonly used in spreads to prevent the coagulation of the product because it stabilizes the fat emulsions. It is manufactured by drying whey that has been heat treated to remove a portion of the minerals. It is used as animal feed and also by the pharmaceutical industry. Levels of demineralization of this type of whey can exceed 90% making this ingredient completely useless in terms of nutrition. So dump this toxic brew of a spread and opt for healthier alternatives. Recipes For Healthy Alternatives To Nutella Raw Nutella Recipe #1 (makes about 1 cup) Ingredients: 1 cup hazelnuts, soaked for 8-10 hours 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 cup raw cacao powder 2-4 tbsp coconut milk Drain and rinse hazelnuts and place in food processor or high-powered blender. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Depending on the strength of your blender, this may take 10-15 minutes to get the desired consistency. Once the hazelnuts turn into a buttery consistency, add the sweetener, vanilla, salt, and cacao powder and blend until smooth. Slowly add the milk until desired consistency. Raw Nutella Recipe #2 (makes a 330ml jar) Ingredients: 15 dates (around 90 g. or 3 oz.) 1/2 cup almond butter 4 Tbsp maple syrup 1/3 cup carob powder 1Tbsp coconut oil Rehydrate the dates in hot water for about 10 minutes (or 2 hours in cold water). Combine all your ingredients in a blender. Scrape the sides as needed to make sure the spread is smooth. Add only water or oil; never milk for this recipe. Sources: Prevent Disease, My Darling Vegan, Antigone XXI, Complete Health and Happiness Related
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Thursday, May 26, 2016

American Women Marries A Donkey

 

In a strange kind of reason to laugh at times and disgusting at other times may seem to many also hold that marriage a man to cat or a piece of furniture or a building
In a strange kind of reason to laugh at times and disgusting at other times may seem to many also hold that marriage a man to cat or a piece of furniture or a building, or a marriage contract single-sex is a strange and unacceptable and surprising, but the Americans are accustomed to marriage cases such as these
In another incident in a series of cases the marriage is such a normal married an American woman living in the city of Seattle Northwest United States donkey. The woman said she decided to marry a beloved fauna after the great love story between them collected for two years and culminated in marriage
And delicious that many of the comments fell on the image next to the donkey which Ms. embrace, and the funniest comments “creates alum of forty,” and another comment “Praise be to Allah for the blessing of Islam and reason.” With the lip with one like you
This is not only a unique event of its kind in the city of Seattle, where he married another citizen living in the city abandoned building over 100 years old. But this time were not intimate feelings behind the pair, as the U.S. embarked on the move in an attempt to save the building from the risk of dismantling and to draw the attention of the authorities and society to the problem of re-construction of some residential neighborhoods in the city
There is also the story of a strange place for one of American citizens, called “Linda”, where Linda has decided to marry her dog “Max” after four failed attempts at marriage ceremony was held from her marriage to Max the dog the center of gatherings of friends
The strange thing is that one of the dignitaries of the region attended the marriage, and said I wish the newlyweds a happy married life for each of the couple on the night of marriage, Linda wore all her finery and her dog Max decorated and dressed the groom suit
When asked why she left her marriage for men and the dog responded that the dog will be fulfilled with all of her husbands former will not establish relations with other taboo as the ex-husbands to do so
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How to Manage Higher Health Insurance Costs in 2016

 

If you have health insurance, there's a good chance you'll pay more for it in 2016
Health care and health insurance costs increase year to year, like most expenses. Since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, growth in premiums has mostly slowed (as has the rise in health care costs overall), while your share of expenses – like deductibles – has increased. For several reasons, increases in both premiums and other out-of-pocket costs are expected in the coming year
You can cope with these cost increases by understanding how they'll happen and what you can do to mitigate their effects. How they affect you depends largely on where you get your insurance.
Employer-Based Health Insurance
About half of all Americans receive health insurance through an employer, less than in years past. Although having a job with health insurance is a perk, that doesn't mean the benefit comes cheap
Employer-based insurance premiums have grown relatively modestly over the past few years, according to Sabrina Corlette, senior research fellow and project director of Georgetown University's Center on Health Insurance Reforms. This is due, in part, to slower growth in health care costs, but also because employers are shifting other costs to their workers, a practice known as "cost-sharing"
For instance, the number of workers with a health insurance deductible grew from 55 percent in 2006 to 80 percent in 2014, and the average deductible more than doubled, from $584 for individual coverage to $1,217, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Further, more employers are offering only plans with high deductibles
In 2016, if you receive your insurance through your job, you may see modest premium increases and are likely to see increased cost-sharing, like bigger deductibles
Depending on the size of your employer, you will likely have a few plan options at open enrollment time, which is usually in the fall. Here are some tips for choosing the right health plan to help keep costs in check
● Opt for a smaller provider network (HMO) or a high-deductible plan if you'll feel the pinch in premiums. Both of these options could reduce your monthly costs. Remember, these plans have trade-offs. In an HMO, you have less freedom to go to the doctors of your choice. With a high-deductible health plan, you'll cover more of your health care costs upfront until your insurance starts picking up the tab
● Choose a higher premium plan like a PPO if the thought of that big deductible scares you. These plans may have higher monthly costs, but allow you greater freedom to visit the doctors you want without such high out-of-pocket expenses
● Take advantage of health spending accounts no matter your plan choice. These accounts allow you to set aside pre-tax dollars for out-of-pocket medical expenses, and they're usually taken directly from your paycheck. The two most common types are health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts. HSAs are available only to people with high-deductible plans, but have benefits over FSAs because you are able to carry your unused balance from year to year. With FSAs, if you don't use the money you've allocated to the account, you're likely to lose it at the end of the year
"Marketplace"-Based Health Insurance
During the second open enrollment period of the ACA, an estimated 11.7 million people had selected or were automatically re-enrolled in health insurance plans on the federal and state marketplaces, according to the Department of Health and Human Services
Recent media coverage of planned 2016 premium hikes refers to plans purchased by individuals on these health care exchanges. But these reports don't tell the whole story
"The data that's out there about 2016 premiums is a little deceiving," Corlette says. "And that's because, in most states, the only rates that have to be posted right now are those that are proposed to be over 10 percent increases." Insurance companies projecting more modest increases, therefore, don't have to share that publicly, creating a skewed sample
But, Corlette says, that doesn't mean there won't be premium increases. They're driven largely by rising prescription drug costs, insurers having a clearer picture of their policyholders' health care needs and the end of temporary "risk mitigation" programs that gave cash incentives to insurers for approving everyone
In 2016, if you buy your insurance on state or federal health insurance marketplaces, you're likely to see both increased premiums and cost-sharing. But unlike employer-based coverage, increased premiums on these plans are often offset by subsidies
The solution, as with employer coverage, lies in shopping carefully
● Reapply for the premium tax credit or health care subsidies. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates 87 percent of people purchasing marketplace plans receive this financial assistance to help lower premium costs. Updating your income information each year will ensure you're getting the maximum allowable benefit
● Be flexible and willing to part with your current plan. As costs change, the government may label another marketplace plan the "benchmark," or the plan to which subsidy amounts are tied. If the price of your current plan goes up and another goes down, that lower-priced option may be deemed the benchmark. By switching plans, you'll likely avoid cost increases altogether
"The subsidy is almost like a gift card," Corlette says. "So if you take it and stay in your same plan, even though that plan has gone up, yes, you'll be paying more. But if you take it and go shop for a lower-priced plan, you should be fine"
● Apply for Medicaid or CHIP coverage if you have children. If you make too much to qualify for Medicaid, your children could still be eligible for it or for The Children's Health Insurance Program. Both are designed to provide health insurance to children at no or low cost. Eligibility varies by state, income and family size. In some states, children in a family of four could be eligible even if the household adjusted gross monthly income is as much as $6,000 or $7,000
Stay Calm
When you're reading about potentially dramatic health care cost increases, 2016 doesn't seem so far off. Take this time to understand what is and isn't working for you on your current plan and what your other options are. This way, when open enrollment comes around, you're prepared to make savvy decisions about your health care
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Friday, May 20, 2016

The World’s 10 Most Dangerous Foods People Actually Eat

 

Many of us take pride in experimenting with adventurous new foods, especially when we travel abroad.  But, as tempting as these mysterious delicacies can often appear, some of them can make us violently ill or even worse can be fatal.  So without further ado, here are 10 of the world’s most dangerous foods according to Conde Nast Traveler, that you can eat but probably shouldn’t. You have been warned
 Raw Cashews. Most of us wouldn’t hesitate to buy a bag of these delicious nuts from the local bodega.  But, what you don’t know is that the ‘raw’ cashews you purchase from the store shelf are not exactly ‘raw.’  The kernels have actually been steamed to remove the dangerous chemical urushiol which is related to poison ivy and can cause an unpleasant reaction on your skin.  In large amounts, raw cashews can be fatal, so steer clear
 Elderberries. While elderberries are often used as a medicinal plant and found in homeopathy remedies to treat skin wounds and colds, the leaves, twigs and seeds contain a deadly chemical related to cyanide, which can cause severe illness and nausea if ingested. While some varieties are safe to eat, those that aren’t ripe or cooked properly can cause diarrhea and seizures
 Fugu. Also known as the puffer fish, fugu is a Japanese delicacy that if not prepared correctly can kill you or cause asphyxia. The fish, normally eaten raw, can only be served by highly trained chefs with years of experience in preparing fugu. This is because its internal organs contain the lethal poison tetrodotoxin.  This substance is 1,200 more toxic than cyanide, which for the more daring foodies provides a slight tingling sensation. When consumed, the toxin does not enter the “blood-brain barrier” so a person can remain completely unaware that his/her central nervous system is slowly closing down, before experiencing paralysis, according to News.com.au. But this hasn’t stopped the Japanese, who continue to consume 10,000 tons of the fish every year
 Cassava. Cassava is a tropical root crop, known also as tapioca, that is found in South America, Asia and Africa and used as a filler in chips and cakes.  Imported raw cassava is particularly dangerous because it contains a toxin called linamarin which the body converts to the deadly cyanogenic glycoside when eaten raw.  The only way to ingest it safely is to first peel it and then boil it thoroughly
 Blood Clams. Blood clams are harvested in areas of the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic and the Pacific. Unlike other varieties of clams that are safe to eat, the blood clam can ingest viruses and bacteria including hepatitis A, typhoid and dysentery because it lives in lower oxygen environments.  Conde Nast Traveleradvises to query where exactly your blood clams herald from when dining and to especially avoid all blood clams from Chinese waters which have beenknown for hepatitis outbreaks
 Casu Marzu. Ready to be turned off your food for life? What the Sardinians call tradition and an aphrodisiac is none other than rotten maggot cheese. Say what?  Yes, this sheep’s-milk cheese is laid outside in the open to allow flies to lay eggs inside which then hatch into maggots and feed on the cheese causing fermentation.  When ingested, the larvae survive and wiggle through your intestinal walls causing severe illness.  This “delicacy” has been banned by the Europe Union but there’s still a black market for it and shepherds continue to produce it, according to reports. When consuming, local recommend wearing eye protection because the maggots can jump six inches into your eyeballs. Enough said
 African Bullfrog. Those thrill seekers trekking across southern Africa may come across this amphibian on the menu in places like Namibia. But be warned: the African bullfrog contains a variety of substances toxic to humans.  Locals say that young frogs who have not yet begun to mate are the most lethal because of a toxin they carry. But, even if you eat the wrong parts of a post-mating frog at any time of the year, you risk kidney failure.  Best advice? Avoid eating or as many others around the world do -  keep it as a pet
  Hákarl. Described as the “worst tasting food on earth,” this rotten smelling shark from Greenland is considered a traditional Icelandic food and makes the list because it does not have a kidney or urinary tract.  Why does that matter, you ask? Well, put simply, it means all the waste and toxic substances are filtered directly into the animal’s skin so is essentially a recipe for food-borne illness. In order to filter the waste appropriately to ensure it is safe for human consumption, chefs must ferment the shark and hang it to dry for up to six months
 Ackee. Taking a bite of Jamaica’s national fruit can cause severe vomiting known as Jamaica Vomiting Sickness thanks to a poison it contains called hypoglycin. It can also cause coma or death if eaten before it's fully ripe. Originally indigenous to West Africa, the black seeds of this fruit are always toxic, but the yellow-hued flesh is apparently okay to consume if the red fruit has burst open. Best to avoid
 Sannakji. Last on the list is this Korean raw baby octopus, which is particularly deadly because it continues to move after it has died even after it has been chopped up into small pieces.  Even when the limbs have been removed from the body and covered in sesame oil, its suction caps still conserve their gripping power so they are able to latch onto your mouth and throat, becoming a choking hazard for novice eaters and causing asphyxiation.  Then again sannakji connoisseurs actually get off on the sensation of the octupus’ legs attempting to climb back up the throat. Advice for beginners? Chew before swallowing
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Friday, May 13, 2016

World’s Most Expensive Tea Is Worth over 30 Times Its Weight in Gold

 
  Paying $ 10,000 for a pot of tea sounds excessive
but that’s the kind of price that wealthy tea-collectors are willing pay for a few sips of original Da Hong Pao, perhaps the world’s rarest tea. With a single gram priced at a whopping $1,400, this famously pricey tea is actually worth over 30 times its weight in gold!
So what make Da Hong Pao tea so valuable? According to Chinese tea master Xiangning Wu, it’s mainly its rarity. There are hardly any original Da Hong Pao trees left, and the antique varieties that grow in Wuyi mountains, China’s Fujian Province, are so rare that they’re considered almost priceless. In fact, generations-old tea makers have a special yearly ritual to  Da Hong Pao – they go into the mountains every spring to pray to tea god Lu Yu for new shoots. Some reports suggest that the leaves are wiped with goat’s milk as they grow, and after harvest, they’re baked and then left to gain flavor for up to 80 years
Legend has it that these original Da Hong Pao also has incredible medicinal value – it is said that the when the mother of a Ming Dynasty emperor fell ill, she was cured by this particular tea. Following the incident, the emperor clothed the four bushes that provided the medicinal leaves with great red robes. And that’s how the tea got its name – ‘Da Hong Pao’ – which translates to ‘Big Red Robe’. Today, six Da Hong Pao bushes growing on a brick terrace in a vertiginous limestone face, in the Wuyi Mountains, are believed to be offshoots of those original bushes
Travel writer Theodora Sutcliffe, who recently visited Wuyishan city in the mountains to find out more about the tea, confirms this, explaining that not all varieties of Da Hong Pao are expensive. “Though aged or antique versions can sell for extremely high prices, a Da Hong Pao of reasonable quality can cost around $100 per kilo in Wuyishan,” she writes in her BBC report. “But every genuine Da Hong Pao originates with a cutting from a single group of mother trees. And it’s these original trees that produce the rare and sought-after original tea
The original bushes are so valuable that they are kept under close guard at all times, and their “dark, tangled, unfinished-looking” leaves are not easy to buy. Da Hong Pao leaves are so exclusive that only specialist brokers can connect wealthy Chinese buyers to the right tea producers.
Da Hong Pao has garnered interest among tea connoisseurs outside of China as well. In fact, in 1849, British botanist Robert Fortune visited Wuyishan on a secret mission to obtain a few Da Hong Pao seeds, to grow them himself in other locations like India. Where previous spies had failed, Fortune is said to have succeeded in disguising himself as a local and managed to acquire seeds, seedlings, and even valuable information regarding their cultivation. He ultimately merged these seeds with indigenous Indian tea, which Sutcliffe explains was the “beginnings of an industry now worth billions of dollars a year
Sadly, the only Da Hong Pao leaves in circulation today were harvested several years ago. As Sutcliffe writes, the 350-year-old bushes, last harvested in 2005, are now reduced to straggly bushes with no new growth. “On 1 May, soon after the tea harvest begins, a red carpet will be rolled out to mimic the emperor’s gift,” she writes. “Beautiful women dressed in traditional costume will ascend the mossy steps and perform a ritual. But there will be no harvest. Which means that the scattered few grams collectors are lovingly storing, drying them each year to mature their flavor, will be more valuable than ever before. Perhaps as expensive as diamonds, given time
If you’re interested in having a taste of the rare Da Hong Pao before it completely dies out, it is currently on the menu at the Royal China Club in central London, priced at around $250 for a pot of four small cups
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Indian Barber Cuts Hair Holding the Scissors in His Mouth

 
Ansar Ahmad, a young barber from Varanasi, has become somewhat of a national celebrity after a video of him cutting hair with the scissors in his mouth recently went viral online
From barbers using samurai swords and hot metal tongs to cut hair, to others practicing their trade blindfolded orsitting on their heads, we’ve featured some pretty bizarre hair-styling talents on Oddity Central, but Ansar Ahmad’s skills are new, even to us. The Varanasi-based barber holds the scissors in his mouth to cut hair, and does such a good job that customers line up his shop to get what some describe as “the perfect haircut”
Ansar has been cutting hair since childhood and first mastered the art the old fashioned way, using his hands. But an accident 15 years ago pushed him to come up with an alternative way of practicing his trade. He soon discovered his mouth was just as able as his hands, when it came to cutting hair. “As I couldn’t work with one hand, I used to face a lot of problem that time. It took me three years to learn the art. Now, I can easily cut hair holding scissors in my mouth,” he told ANI News
Even though he can’t handle the scissors as swiftly with his mouth, as he would with his hand, Ansar claims it only takes him 25 to 30 minutes to cut a person’s hair. His clients don’t mind the longer waiting time and are in awe of his ability. “Whether he uses his hands or mouth, he will always give you the perfect hair cut,” one happy customer said
Inspired by all the media attention, Ansar now wants to have his name mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records. On May 3rd, he announced an attempt to cut people’s hair holding scissors in his mouth continuously for 25 hours. The haircuts will take place at his salon in Jagatganj and will be free of charge, so he’s sure to have plenty of volunteers
But making a name for himself is just one of the talented barber’s goals. He also wants to open a hair cutting training centre for the physically handicapped and visually impaired, so they can support themselves. He told reporters that he has already trained several physically disabled children in his village
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Friday, May 6, 2016

10 Health Benefits of Living with Cats

 
Cats have made a special place in our society since thousands of years now. Long ago they used to be worshipped and even today animal lovers hold them in high regard. But these feline creatures are not just a ball of fur to be kept because we think they are cute. They have a lot more to offer to us than just that. And that is apart from the fact that they are great for companionship and are always present when you want to cuddle with them. Actually, keeping a cat as a pet is good for your health. They are great healers and help you save loads in medical bills. Your trips to the doctor are decreased due to having a cat. Imagine what all you can do with these savings! Here is how cats have managed to prove beneficial to our health. Checkout these 10 health benefits of living with cats

10. Companionship

When you have a cat, you feel less lonely than if you do not have one. Cats are very loving creatures and bonding with them helps us a lot. Those who are not in a relationship and feel lonely should opt for keeping a cat. Companionship has been proven to be beneficial for your health, and cats are no less of a company than a person

9. Autism

It has been found that petting a cat calms down autistic children. What better pet to get a child with autism than a cat. Not only will it keep him company but also help him with his medical condition. Is there be a more natural and effective way to help such kids? They get a playmate and their problem is taken care of as well. Researchers believe this to be one of the 10 major health benefits of living with cats

8. Purr Therapy

A cat’s purr is soothing not only for our nerves but it also has healing properties. A cat’s purr comes within the medically therapeutic frequency range – from 25 to 150 Hz – making it a healing agent for bones. The benefits are not limited to bones though; it also helps in relieving pain, reducing swelling, healing wounds and repairing muscles and tendons. Well, looks like purring is one of the 10 health benefits of living with cats

7. Boost Immunity

This works especially for infants. Having a cat around while they are growing up helps strengthen their immunity. They are less likely to get infections, allergies and respiratory tract symptoms later if they have been exposed to a cat during their first year. It has been found that children growing up with pets are comparatively healthier than those without. The idea is that exposing them to allergens early on helps them develop the required immunity. Therefore having a beneficial cat is really beneficial

6. Boost Your Mood

Spending time with cats helps boost your mood. If you are feeling low, play with your cat or simply pet it. It will cause serotonin to be released which is a feel good chemical produced in your body, thus lifting up your spirits. When you are happy, your body also feels good and healthy

5. Combat Stress

In one of the many health benefits of living with a cat as a pet, it helps cortisol levels in your body to be inhibited. This chemical is produced due to stress. When it goes down, you obviously feel better and de-stressed. Stress is certainly not good for your health. It poses a variety of health risks to us, such as heart disease, headache, depression, eventually leading to premature death. Getting rid of stress is one sure way to keep healthy

4. Therapeutic Benefits

When you have a cat around you, oxytocin is released in your body. This is a hormone responsible for stimulating love and trust. When you are feeling upset and your life is going down, talking to your cat helps. You feel better because you are able to get your feelings and without even being judged, which is usually what happens if you turn to a fellow human being instead

3. Lower Cholesterol

It is common knowledge that high levels of cholesterol in our body causes health problems such as stroke and heart attack. These could be minor or even turn out to be fatal, depending on how severe it has become. The good news is that keeping a cat means you are doing a favor to your health as it helps lower cholesterol in your body

2. Lower Blood Pressure

Those who keep a cat do not get their blood pressure spiked so much in stressful situations as do those without a cat. Researchers found that the stress-induced peaks in blood pressure were more controlled in the former than in people who took drugs for the purpose and did not have a cat. How great is it that keeping a cat works better than taking medication

1. Heart Benefits

If you own a cat, you are less likely to get a stroke. The probability goes down by almost 30%. This is actually not surprising considering that cats help you get over stress and make you feel relaxed. Stress is an important reason behind heart problems. Considering that heart disease is one of the leading causes behind deaths throughout the world, getting a cat is an easy way to ensure a healthy heart
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Tuesday, May 3, 2016

10 Alarming Medical Mistakes You Should be Aware of

 
Hospitals are supposed to be safe places where healing and heath are found.  Patients look to the educated staff and specialized equipment for answers to their sicknesses.  Unfortunately, hospitals sometimes let us down. Humans make errors.  Blunders can happen in any profession.  Some of the most disturbing mistakes happen when someone is unconscious in the operating room.  There are many things that can go wrong in the hospital.  Here is a list of 10 alarming medical mistakes

10. Removed More Than Expected

Imagine waking up from surgery only to find your genitals gone owing to some medical mistakes.  Hurshell Ralls, sixty seven years old, awoke from surgery to hear that the doctors were able to remove all the cancer from his bladder.  However, the doctors also removed his penis and testicles.  “I was one mad dude,” Ralls said in an interview.  Ralls also said that the doctors never suggested the possibility of removing his testicles and penis.  The situation became worse when later it was found that cells from Ralls’s penis tested negative for penile cancer.  A settlement was reached in Ralls’s civil suit for an undisclosed amount

9. Wrong Kidney

A patient at Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park, Minnesota encountered a different but equally alarming medical error in 2008.  The unnamed patient checked into the hospital to remove a cancerous kidney.  A day after the surgery doctors realized they had removed the healthy kidney instead of the cancerous kidney.  This happened when the kidney on the wrong side was labeled on patient’s medical charts as cancerous.  “An error of this degree has, to the best of our knowledge, never happened at this hospital before,” said Dr. Samuel Carlson, chief medical officer for Park Nicollet Health Services which owns Methodist Hospital

8. Wrong Eye

Operations on the wrong body part are terrible when you are the victim.  When the wrong surgery is done to your child it is a parent’s nightmare.  Jesse Matlock was only four years old when a heartbreaking hospital error occurred.  He went to the hospital to correct his wandering eye.  It was a standard procedure.  The problem was the wrong eye was operated on.  The surgery took place at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. The doctor said she did not realize she had operated on the wrong eye until the surgery was completed.  “It just blows me away,” said Dale Matlock, Jesse’s father.   “I can’t comprehend what happened in that operating room.  This is a medical mishap that is never supposed to happen.  Something had to happen with their procedure

7. Wrong Patient

Most patients do as they are told because they believe that the doctors and nurses have a competent knowledge of what they are doing.  Kerry Higuera went to the emergency room in Arizona when she was pregnant because she was experiencing bleeding.  Little did she know that she would become a victim of one of the most alarming medical mistakes ever.  The nurse took Carrie to a CT scan room.  “Is this really what I need to have done?” Kerry asked assuming that radiation would harm her three-month old fetus.  The nurse assured her that “this is what the doctor wants” so she submitted to an abdominal CT scan
Later Higuera was visited by the emergency room physician, two radiologists and someone representing the human resources department of Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale.   Higuera said she was informed that there was a mistake.  Kerry said she remembers, “They said ‘There’s another patient here named Kerry, and you two are the same age. We mixed you up. She was supposed to have the CT scan, not you.’ “Higuera is cautious because her baby could have mental retardation, a low IQ or growth problems because of the radiation exposure

6. Surgical Souvenir

Donald Church, forty nine year old, was not identified as the wrong patient.  However, he was in tremendous pain after having a cancerous tumor removed in 2000.  At first doctors told him it was just the normal pain that patients experience after surgery.  However, after months of continued pain the doctors found the source of his pain.  Church had a thirteen inch medical instrument inside his body that had accidentally been left there after his surgery.  The retractor, which holds tissue and organs in place near an incision, is about the size of a rule.  This is even odder because the instrument is not typically inserted completely into the body during surgery.  It was removed and Church has not suffered any long term health effects from the grave mistake.  He received a $97,000 settlement from the university of Washington Medical Center for the error

5. Wrong Organs

Some medical mistakes can have far reaching and fatal consequences.  Jesica Santillandid not have extra instruments left in her.  Instead Jesica Santillan was seventeen years old when she received the heart and lungs that did not match her blood type
Santillan was a Mexican immigrant who came to the United States of America seeking a treatment for a life-threatening heart condition.  Duke University Medical Center failed to check the compatibility of the organs before her surgery.  After a second transplant operation to fix their mistake she suffered brain damage and complications that lead to her death.  The surgeons at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, gave her organs from a type A blood donor and she had type O blood.  The blunder sent her into unconsciousness.  She died shortly after an attempt to switch out the organs failed.  Duke reached a settlement with the family for an undisclosed amount

4. Too Many Teeth

Imagine walking into a dentist office with a minor toothache and coming out missing all your teeth.  Christopher Crist, a twenty one year old, was experiencing pain in his mouth so he went to the dentist.  Crist went to Amazing Family Dental in Indianapolis, Indiana.  He was expecting to have three teeth pulled from his mouth.  Instead he woke up to find that all thirty two teeth had been pulled.  Now he is facing life without any teeth.  Sheena Cortez said she was in another exam room and said she was in disbelief that something like this could happen.  She said Crist’s face “looked scary.”  Crist said, “They pulled every last one of them [referring to his teeth].  I am going to look like a freak now

3. Not Enough Anesthesia

Most people who go in for surgery get knocked out and the next moment wake up in the recovery room.  Erin Cook was not so fortunate. He was a victim to one of the most spine-chilling medical mistakes in history. Cook had a procedure to have an ovarian tumor removed.  During the procedure she awoke to learn she could feel everything that was happening, but was unable to communicate.  This was due to an under dose of anesthesia which causes the brain to stay awake but the muscles to stay frozen.
She felt the pain of every cut during the surgery without numbness and without any way to tell the surgeon to stop.  No part of her body would respond no matter how hard she tried to move it.  Later she was told the vaporizer that was supposed to be keeping her asleep malfunctioned and was leaking gas.  As a result only five percent of the anesthesia was making it to her system.  The ordeal left Cook physically and emotionally traumatized

2. Wrong Tube

Alicia Coleman was nineteen months old when she went to an Omaha, Nebraska hospital.  She had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest after medicine was improperly routed into her system.  Coleman was born twelve months premature and had a gastrointestinal disorder, but had been improving.  Alicia’s mother, Dominique Coleman, said Alicia was staying in the Children’s Home Healthcare’s World where a nurse mistakenly gave Alicia a drug, designed to slow the absorption of food, via a central line to her heart rather than through Alicia’s feeding tube.  This caused the seizure and cardiac arrest.
Doctors tried to resuscitate Alicia for over an hour.  The hospital said they believe human medical mistakes led to the accidental death of Alicia. Dominique said she believes the death to be accidental, but cannot move on until she knows that the hospital has taken responsibility for the disastrous actions and changes are put into place to make sure that this kind of blunder never happens again

1. No Water

Patients at hospitals expect certain things, for instance water.  Kane Gorny, age twenty two, was hospitalized at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, south London.  Gorny would become a unfortunate victim of a hospital neglect.  He could not obtain a glass of water at the hospital.  He was so desperate he called the police from his hospital bed because he was so thirsty.  Nurses and doctors continued to ignore his request for water and he died the next day.  Gorny died of dehydration.
Gorny’s  mother,  Rita Cronin, said that the ward was “in absolute chaos” when she arrived to visit her son, with the nursing staff “very confused themselves, they looked way out of [their] depth”. Gorny was aggressive towards the staff caring for him and nurses said he had a “fixation” with water.  Speaking of one of the most tragic medical mistakes, a Department of Health spokeswoman said: “Every patient expects to receive safe and high-quality care, and to be treated with compassion
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10 Worst Effects of Fast Food

 
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. Fast food can also be defined as any food that contributes little or no nutrient value to the diet, but instead provides excess calories and fat. Fast food can be a good way to save time ,but it is not the proper way for nutrition. Some of these foods that are of little nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar, and calories. Common foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried fast food, and carbonated beverages. Fast food may include chips, hot pies ,pasties, sandwiches, burgers, croissants, kebabs, pizzas, chicken, soups, and salads. It also includes drinks, for instance, milkshakes, and soft drinks

Disadvantages of fast food

When you feel like eating something and think of food, the things come to mind first are the taste, odor or color. Those who have to look after their weight will think of the portion size, many others think of energy, fats, sugars, vitamins or minerals. But do you know that the food we eat may cause side effects and a list of disadvantages. We are not talking about spoiled or poor quality food. Freshly harvested or just cooked food may also cause side effects, some are serious, some are just disturbing, and some may put you into embarrassing situation. Over time, this can lead to an increased risk for illness and disease. Fast food is harmful to health. It is a cause of various diseases. Here we discus some most common disease and other side effects caused by fast food

10 Worst Effects of Fast Food

Obesity

Obesity means having too much body fat. It is not the same as being overweight, which means weighing too much. Fast food is high in calories and sugar that contribute to increased-weight gain. Even small amount of fast food can increase your calorie intake considerably. Fast foods also replace healthy eating habits, People who consume fast foods are less likely to eat fruits, vegetables, milk etc. This change in eating habits can easily lead to obesity

Heart Disease

People who eat fast-food four or more times a week, up their risk of dying from heart disease by 80 percent. Fast foods create a much higher risk of heart disease because of the high level of saturated or trans fats found in much of the food. Those fats can clog the arteries and, over time, contribute to high cholesterol levels

Type 2 Diabetes

Fast food has become a way of life for many busy persons seeking a fast and inexpensive alternative to cooking at home. Although they may develop type 2 diabetes, this type of diabetes is often caused by poor lifestyle choices, such as being overweight and not being physically active. There is a side effect to consuming frequent amounts of fast food ‘obesity’ which can lead to the development of diabetes

Peptic Ulcer

A peptic ulcer, also known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is the most common ulcer of an area of the gastrointestinal tract that is usually acidic and thus extremely painful. For almost 100 years, doctors believed that stress, spicy foods, and alcohol caused most ulcers. Fast Foods which may causes Ulcer are Pizzas, Chips, Salted snakes etc

Lack of Family Gathering

fast food does not provide family members opportunity to set and eat at one place. Every one can buy and eat walking in the way, driving a vehicle and during his work in office. The satisfaction which a combine meal provide is lacking in Fast Food

Irregular Timing of Eating

A healthy person need to eat at a proper time which fast food doesn’t have. Fast food can be consumed at any time or some time twice or thrice a day, while home cooked food is served at proper time which provides opportunity to take rest after eating

Waste of Money

Fast food consumes too much money as compared to home prepared food. Low income people can hardly afford continuous use of fast food. It spends a lot of budget and is also cause of loss of healthy body

Loss of Appetite

Normal food contains appetizer which are not properly present in fast food. Continues use of fast food may cause loss appetite, abnormal digestion and sometime food poisoning. Fast food does not satisfy all needs of stomach

Lack of Essential Nutrients

A well-balanced food contains all essential elements which are necessary for human development. Whereas fast food does not have all these elements, this type of food contains some elements in high quantity while others are absent. So, fast food does not fulfill all needs of body and sometime causes disorder

Stress

Foods rich in fat are reason for many diseases related to heart, blood vessels, liver and many more. It also increases the level of stress. It has been observed that a rich fat meal can increase your stress level and make you at a greater level of stress in comparison to those who have a low fat meal. Certain foods and drinks act as powerful stimulants to the body and hence are a direct cause of stress. Like caffeine containing foods (coffee, tea, colas and chocolates), White flour, Salt, Saturated fats, Processed foods, such as junk foods and fast foods, contain synthetic additives – preservatives, emulsifiers, thickeners, stabilizers and flavor-enhancers. These foods are called “pseudostressors” or sympathomimetics
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