Like Humans, Dogs Distinguish Words And Intonation

Dogs distinguish words and intonation in the same region of the brain as humans, according to a new study of how man's best friend interprets our language.

Published Monday in the journal Science, the report by researchers at Budapest's Eotvos Lorand University shows the canine brain is capable of interpreting both what we say and how we say it.

Dogs, like humans, use the brain's left hemisphere to interpret words and regions of the right hemisphere to analyze intonation.

The brain's pleasure center is activated only when words of kindness and praise are accompanied by the appropriate intonation, the researchers determined.

The observations suggest that the neural mechanisms for processing words evolved much earlier than previously believed and that they are not unique to the human brain.

In surroundings with many spoken words such as a family home, understanding of word meanings can develop even in the brains of animals unable to speak, the study shows.

"The human brain not only separately analyzes what we say and how we say it, but also integrates the two types of information, to arrive at a unified meaning," says Attila Andics, a research fellow at Eotvos Lorand University.

"Our findings suggest that dogs can also do all that, and they use very similar brain mechanisms," a discovery that could help facilitate communication and cooperation between dogs and humans.

The scientists studied thirteen dogs who remained lying still while a brain scanner measured their brain activity as they listened to their owners speak.

They found the dogs would activate an area of the right brain to distinguish between intonation signaling kindness and neutral tones. The researchers had already identified that the same part of dogs' brains interprets non-verbal sounds that elicit emotions.

The same area of the human brain plays a similar role, suggesting that the mechanisms for interpreting intonation aren't specific to speech.

"What makes words uniquely human is not a special neural capacity, but our invention of using them," the scientists said.

Having No Friends Can Be As Bad As Smoking

Having no friends could be as deadly as smoking, researchers at Harvard University have suggested after discovering a link between loneliness and the levels of a blood-clotting protein that can cause heart attacks and stroke.

Social isolation is known to activate the "fight or flight" stress signal, which increases levels of protein fibrinogen in anticipation of injury and blood loss.

But too much fibrinogen is bad for health, raising blood pressure and causing the build-up of fatty deposits in the arteries.

Harvard researchers compared levels of the blood-clotting protein to the numbers of friends and family in a person's social network and found a striking correlation. As the number of social connections fell, the level of fibrinogen rose.

Individuals with just five people in their social network had 20% higher levels fibrinogen than those with 25. Having 10-12 fewer friends had the same impact on levels as taking up smoking.

It is thought that social isolation leaves people feeling threatened and vulnerable, which triggers an ongoing "fight or flight" response which, in turn, can be lethal in the long term.

How to Get Rid Of Vaginal Odor

American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) reports that around 9 out of every 10 women experience an unusual vaginal odor at least once in their lifetime.  The ACOG states that feminine odor changes throughout your normal monthly menstrual cycle, and is subject to outside situations such as the presence of bacteria, foods that you eat, or hormonal functions. Vaginal odor to a certain degree is absolutely normal!

Vaginal odor is an embarrassing problem that can hugely affect your self confidence. Moreover, vaginal infections also affect the quality of your sex life. Vaginal odor can be a tough problem for both partners in a relationship. It can be embarrassing for the female, and frustrating for the male. Vaginal odor will affect almost every woman at some time in her life.

Understanding vaginal odors symptoms and causes can help you identify whether there is a need to see a physician right away, or whether you should look for natural methods to treat at home.

Symptoms of vaginal odor

• A kind of metallic smell comes from the vagina.

• Often the odor may also smell like fish.

• Itchy feeling in the vagina.

• Burning sensation in the vagina. 

Causes of vaginal odor

Vaginal odor is almost always associated with an infection. There are several causes of vaginal odor but 95% of vaginal odor is caused by an infection that causes bacterial vaginosis (BV).

Even unprotected sex which can lead to sexually transmitted disease (STD) can also be the cause behind vaginal odor. Eating spicy foods and taking certain medications can also result in an unpleasant odor. Even something as simple as a new detergent for washing your underwear can cause itching, irritation, and vaginal odor. Shaving the hair around your vagina can also result in a strong odor as it will irritate the region and cause it to itch. Some other contributing factors include pregnancy, smoking, use of contraceptives in improper procedures.

Some easy ways to get rid vaginal odor

If you are looking for ways to get rid of vaginal odor, then you will be happy to know that there exist several solutions.

• Avoid douching the vagina as it can cause irritation. Douching can alter the balance of healthy bacteria in your vagina, causing other bacteria to grow and create a foul vaginal odor.

• Avoid using fragrant body washes and soaps as such products contain too many chemicals and fragrances that can actually make your vagina produce more discharge that gives off the unpleasant odor.

• Washing your vagina with warm water and a mild soap can also resolve the problem to a great extent.

• Choose cotton underwear as panty hose and any synthetic material will block air flow to your vaginal area. Loose cotton garments will give the region more ventilation, which will help get rid of vaginal odor. Also try to change your underwear every single day.

• Also try to wear a panty liner. A thin, scented panty liner can absorb vaginal discharge and sweat and thus help a lot to get rid of the unpleasant odor.

• Make it a habit to include fresh fruits and leafy vegetables in your daily diet. Within a few weeks the problem of vaginal odor will be resolved. At the same time avoid spicy and starchy foods, and alcohol and caffeinated beverages as such items can increase the amount of yeast in your vagina and thus worsening your condition.

• Drink eight to ten glasses of water daily to keep your body well hydrated body and to keep your body free from bad toxins and harmful bacteria.

• Before and after having sex, wash the genital area in order to keep the area clean and to avoid infection.

• During menstruation, change the bandage after 3-4 hours or if it is wet. Avoid using tampons because it is unhygienic and can spread bacteria or promote the growth of bacteria in the vagina.

Natural solutions to get to rid of vaginal odor

There are many easy solutions to treat vaginal odor at home with the help of easily available ingredients from your kitchen.

• Regular consumption of fenugreek helps to balance the body hormones, promotes regular menstrual cycles and keeps the inner body system healthy. All these factors help to reduce vaginal odor.

• Yogurt contains lactobacillus which helps to restore the normal vaginal pH level. With balanced pH level there can never be the problem of vaginal odor. Try to eat at least two cups of unsweetened, plain yogurt daily.

• White vinegar can neutralize odors and so when suffering from vaginal odor you must try white vinegar rinse. Add half cup of white vinegar and salt to your lukewarm bath water and soak yourself in it for a few minutes.

• Garlic, a kind of natural antibiotic can also help to deal with vaginal odor. Just eat garlic in raw or cooked form on an empty stomach with one glass of warm water daily for one or two weeks.

• The natural anti-bacterial property present in apple cider vinegar can also be used in the treatment of vaginal odor. In a bath tub, add some warm water and apple cider vinegar and use it to take a long bath and soon the problem will be solved.

Final Words:

When trying to deal with vaginal odor, you must follow some of the above mentioned tips. Also try to have patience and follow the tips religiously for a few weeks in order to see positive results. However, if you notice a sudden change in your vaginal odor, which is accompanied with pain and discomfort – you may need to seek medical attention.

Culled from: howtoremovethat.com

If Your Shoes Stink, Here’s a Nifty Trick

Try as you might, smelly shoes are pretty much unavoidable. When you catch a whiff of them after a long day in the hot sun and have to crinkle your nose, whip out this quick and easy fix.

What you need: A few unused teabags and your smelly sneakers.
What you do: Pop two to three bags into each shoe and let sit for 24 hours in a cool, dry area. Voilà!

Why it works: Shoe odor is usually caused by bacteria in moisture (which is extra evident in the summertime). Tea bags are super-absorbent, so they dry out that gross dampness that tends to linger and replace it with a clean herbal scent.

Factors That Can Destroy Male Fertility

According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the world’s largest medical research groups, the causes of male infertility come under three broad categories; medical causes, environmental factors and lifestyle.

The Mayo Clinic said medical causes of infertility may come from infection or antibodies attacking the sperm. There are many other medical causes like undescended testicles and hormone imbalance.

The following are the other factors that may destroy your fertility:

1) Exposure to lead or other heavy metals

2) Exposure to radiation or X-rays

3) Overheating the testicles through frequent use of saunas or hot tubs

4) Sitting for long periods, wearing tight clothing or working on a laptop computer for long stretches of time

5) Use of anabolic steroids taken to stimulate muscle strength and growth can cause the testicles to shrink and sperm production to decrease

6) Use of cocaine or marijuana may temporarily reduce the number and quality of your sperm as well

7) Drinking alcohol can lower testosterone levels, cause erectile dysfunction and decrease sperm production.

8) Liver disease caused by excessive drinking also may lead to fertility problems.

9) Tobacco smoking

10) Emotional stress

11) Obesity can impair fertility

5 Signs The Person You Love Is NEVER Going to Marry You

You’re 100% wasting your time. If you’re wondering why the person you’re with isn’t making a deeper commitment to you, these 5 things might be the real reason why they aren’t moving closer to settling down with you:

1. They’re currently at a life stage where a committed relationship is NOT a priority.

Is your boyfriend or girlfriend going through higher education, recently out of a serious relationship, or dealing with a lot of ex drama? Or they’re working really hard toward something in their life besides you that they’re totally focused on?

Then they’re probably not thinking about settling down right now. Getting them to say yes to your marriage proposal or give you a rock isn’t very likely. They might genuinely love you and be cool with having a relationship with you, even one where they see you all the time. But if they’re not in an emotional space where they can handle further responsibilities, it might be a considerable wait before they’re ready to settle down— if it happens with you at all.

2. They actually say they never want to get married.

Trying to change their mind by morphing into super boy/girlfriend just screws up your own confidence and happiness. If you want a commitment and they very clearly don’t see themselves taking that step, respect their position and take their word on it.

3. Their emotional baggage is overwhelming.

Emotional roller coasters do not create situations where people are dying to settle down. If they’ve recently been divorced, abused or are working through a stressful time, they are bound to be hard to tie down. Sometimes waiting and helping someone through the situation works, sometimes not— it’s very circumstantial.

4. You feel like a temporary fling.

Things like 1:00 AM booty calls, not being a priority, and their staunch avoidance of introducing you to their friends or family is a dead giveaway that this pairing is probably not going anywhere. They don’t see you as marriage material— and most likely never will.

Of all of the situations on this list, this one is the most doomed. If you really want to settle down, have the hard talk and move on from this type of casual fling. Trying to turn it into anything more is a recipe for pain and frustration.

5. Your life goals don’t line up.

If you want a drastically different life than they do over the long term, the fact that they don’t want to tie you down is actually a huge blessing in disguise. Love does not conquer all. It waxes and wanes.

Beneath it all, you MUST have a sense that your lives are going in the exact same direction for something to work out in the long run. You might feel like this is the greatest love the world has ever known, but trying to bring them home and domesticate them just isn’t going to work out.

You might be ready to settle down, but remember that one major key to getting a commitment is to pick someone who is ready for that.

Abstinence From Sex, Yoga Key To Long Liife Span - Indian Monk

Looking remarkably unlined for his claimed 120 years, an Indian monk who says he is the oldest man to have ever lived puts his longevity down to no sex or spices, and daily yoga.

Hindu monk Swami Sivananda was born on August 8, 1896, according to his passport. If true, his life would have spanned three centuries, but despite his apparent age he remains strong enough to perform yoga for hours at a time.

He is now applying to Guinness World Records to verify his claim. It currently lists Japan’s Jiroemon Kimura, who died in June 2013 aged 116 years and 54 days, as the oldest man to have ever lived.

India’s passport authorities confirmed Sivananda’s age from a temple register, the only record many Indians even decades younger have of their date of birth.

However it would be extremely difficult to independently verify his age.

Sivananda was featured by local media earlier this summer, with the Times of India noting he looked 50 years younger than his apparent age but taking his claims at face value.

Sivananda, from the holy city of Varanasi, grew up in extreme poverty and chose to become a monk, saying he owed his age to “yoga, discipline, and celibacy”.

“I lead a simple and disciplined life. I eat very simply — only boiled food without oil or spices, rice and boiled daal (lentil stew) with a couple of green chillies,” he told AFP after a two-hour yoga session in Kolkata, the eastern Indian city where he had come for a short visit.

Standing 1.58 metres (five feet two inches) tall, Sivananda sleeps on a mat on the floor and uses a wooden slab as a pillow.

“I avoid taking milk or fruits because I think these are fancy foods. In my childhood I slept many days on an empty stomach,” he said.

Sivananda said he had not previously come forward to claim the record because he did not seek publicity, but was eventually persuaded by his followers to apply.

The elderly man lost both parents before he was six and was given away by his relatives to a spiritual guru, whom he travelled with around India before settling in Varanasi.

Fit and without any medical complications, he lives independently and even travels alone on trains.

Sivananda, who was born in colonial-era India without electricity, cars or telephones, says he is not enthused by new technology and prefers being on his own.

“Earlier people were happy with fewer things. Nowadays people are unhappy, unhealthy and have become dishonest, which pains me a lot,” he said.

“I just want people to be happy, healthy and peaceful.”

Five Benefits Of Sleeping Naked

1) It encourages greater intimacy

Apart from making sleeping next to a loved one exciting, our naked body releases oxytocin, often referred to as the “love hormone.”

A 2009 study published by the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden, says “Oxytocin reduces blood pressure, cortisol levels and helps to reduce stress.

This hormone does not only help relationship, but also your health!

2) It can keep you cool

One way to be cool during sleep is to abandon cloths.

3) It may help relieve insomnia

According to Dr. Cameron Van den Heuvel of University of South Australia’s Centre for Sleep Research, regulating sleep temperature may bring some relief to sufferers of insomnia.

“Studies of sleep onset insomniacs show that they consistently have a warmer core body temperature immediately before initiating sleep, when compared with normal healthy adults. This results in a state of heightened arousal that prevents them from falling asleep when they go to bed, probably because they have to wait for their bodies to lose the heat that’s keeping them awake. We’re only talking about a half to one degree but that small temperature change can result in significant differences in arousal between insomniacs and people without sleeping problems.”

The implication is that sleeping naked relieves insomia.

4) It can help relieve stress

Sleeping naked can relieve stress because it lowers cortisol levels. Cortisol is a hormone commonly referred to as the “stress hormone,” and when levels are chronically spiked, health problems can arise, such as a propensity towards high blood pressure, weight gain, and a compromised immune system.

5) It can make you look and feel young

During sleep a variety of growth hormones, as well as anti-aging hormones such as melatonin, are released. These hormones serve to keep us looking and feeling young. To encourage the optimal release of these growth hormones, we need to get those seven to eight hours of sleep.

Exercise That Can Improve Men's Sex Lives

Do you need to exercise down there? If you aren't doing so already, there are serious benefits to Kegel exercises, tiny contractions of your pelvic floor's pubococcygeus (PC) muscles. 

The exercises - which women often practice to help recover from childbirth and increase sexual pleasure - are becoming increasingly popular among men across the country. And for good reason: It turns out Kegels can curb everything from premature ejaculation and, on the flip side, erectile dysfunction to crooked organs. They can also make orgasms more intense.

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't teach Kegels to at least five guys for various conditions," says Brian L. Steixner, MD, director of the Institute for Men's Health at Jersey Urology Group.

He explains that the pelvic-floor muscles are a group of tissues that hang out in (you guessed it) your pelvis and act like a sling, holding up your internal organs and intestines.

But the different muscles that make up the pelvic floor, most notably the PC muscles, which stretch from your back hole to your urinary sphincter, are critical in your male organ's health.

For instance, Kegels are a mainstay treatment option for both ED and premature ejaculation. After all, by working the pelvic-floor muscles, you not only strengthen the muscle that support erections, but you also improve blood flow to the male organ (as Steixner notes, "ED is really just a heart attack of the male organ").

In one BJU International study of men ages 20 and older, 40 percent kicked ED completely by performing Kegels for six months. Another 35,5 percent significantly improved their symptoms.

What's more, when you are erect, you'll look, well, more erect. "Some research shows that Kegel exercises can make erections point further up in men whose organs tend to point down or straight forward when erect," says urologist Darius A Paduch, MD, PhD, a male sexual medicine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Centre.

As far as premature ejaculation goes, Kegels work largely by strengthening the urinary sphincter and other muscles that control ejaculation.

In a 2014 Therapeutic Advances in Urology study, 82 percent of men who had suffered with lifelong premature ejaculation increased their latency time after just 12 weeks of Kegels.

You can also perform Kegels during sex to delay the inevitable, Paduch says. That's because, when you squeeze your PC muscles, you are telling your brain that you want to pee (don't worry, you won't!). And since your organ has only one urethra, it puts a hold on ejaculation, he explains.

When you are getting close, perform five quick Kegels and you should be good to go. Steixner notes that pulling this trick also makes you experience a longer build-up and stronger orgasms.

How To Kegel

The next time you're peeing, try stopping and starting your stream. Or pretend you're in a crowded elevator and need to hold a fart in, Steixner says. That muscle you feel tightening is the one you need to work.

That simple squeeze will work your pelvic-floor muscles and, if you're doing it right, you'll actually see your organ "jump" a bit, Paduch says. You can also make sure you're doing it right by placing a couple of fingers behind your testicles and feeling for the muscles there to tighten, he says.

Either way, perform three sets of 10 reps, three times a day.

Source - the herald

The 2017 Range Rover Is The Most Powerful And Hi-Tech In History

The Range Rover is already renowned for its off-road capabilities and benchmark setting levels of luxury but with its latest refresh, Land Rover's flagship SUV is about to make a name for itself in terms of semi-autonomous driving and connected car technology, too.

For 2017 the Range Rover is getting some cutting-edge driver assistance tech, from autonomous emergency braking to collision avoidance and intelligent adaptive cruise control systems.

However, as the Range Rover is meant to be the king off the road, many of the new features have been tweaked to take into account how the typical Range Rover owner actually uses his or her vehicle.

So while a host of powerful vehicles have launch control for a perfect racing start from standstill, the Range Rover's system does the opposite. Low Traction Launch ensures a gentle, slip-free departure when stopped on snow, ice, wet grass or muddy fields.

Then there's Advanced Tow assist that will be a huge hit with the Range Rover faithful as it takes the stress and frustration out of manoeuvring with a trailer or horsebox in tow. Using the car's surround camera system and the dashboard display a driver can pre-plot the course he or she needs to take when reversing, for instance, and then the car will automatically do the rest.

Other smart features include a set of apps that can plan journeys including the sections of a route that will be on foot, and that can even start learning the owner's routine so that it can automatically offer the best route in real time and send friends or family updates regarding the estimated time of arrival.

But as well as new tech, the Range Rover is getting a new sportier flagship option -- the Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic.

With 542bhp on tap it is the most powerful series-production Range Rover in history -- capable of going from 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds. It also has sharper suspension and steering and a lower ride height for better control, but so as not to make passengers uncomfortable it uses a system that applies equal and opposite forces to stop the body from rolling when cornering or turning at speed.

Mark Stanton, Director of Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations, said: "The Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic has been specially developed by the Special Vehicle Operations team to deliver a more engaging driving experience. It delivers the ultimate combination of performance and Range Rover luxury, befitting its unique position in the portfolio."

Facts Deflate Zimbabwe's Claim To Have Highest Condom Use In The World

Zimbabwe had 157 million male and female condoms available in 2015 and a relatively high self-reported use of condoms among adults who have multiple sexual partnerships.

But is their condom use per capita the highest in the world?

A claim about Zimbabweans’ high condom use cropped up again, this time at the International AIDS 2016 conference in Durban recently.

The head of Zimbabwe’s mother-to-child HIV prevention efforts, Dr Angela Mushavi, reportedly said: “Our infection rate is going down. Zimbabwe has the highest per capita condom use in the world.”

News24 reported the statistic last year too. But does it hold true?

157 million condoms distributed

Africa Check first contacted Mushavi. She sent us figures for the number of condoms distributed in Zimbabwe in 2015, showing over 150 million male and 7 million female condoms.

She said it was from  Population Services International (PSI), a global health non-profit focusing on HIV and the social marketing of condoms, and put us in touch with a PSI representative in Zimbabwe, Kumbirai Chatora.

Chatora confirmed that the distribution data was theirs but said that PSI does not collect data on the use of condoms. We asked Mushavi why she spoke of condom use when the data she provided was for condom distribution but have not yet received a reply.

Only have data for ‘at risk populations’

Working out condom use is difficult, according to experts we spoke to.

Deputy executive director of the Wits Reproductive Health Institute, Professor Francois Venter, told Africa Check “it’s a very difficult indicator to measure”.

Chief of the fertility and family planning section in the UN’s population division, Dr Ann Biddlecom, pointed out that data is only collected on condom use among people at higher risk of HIV transmission such as people aged 15 to 49 with multiple sex partnerships.

The UN data shows that Zimbabwe has the 10th highest condom use of 37 countries in this higher risk group, with 44.3% of respondents reporting having used a condom when they last had sex. The 37 countries are those in which there is a generalised epidemic of HIV/AIDS, Biddlecom said.

Country 2015         Source

Armenia 72.3% 2008-09 DHS

Swaziland 71.5%% 2010 DHS

Nigeria 64.5% 2014 KAP Study

Ukraine 61%         2011-12 DHS

Belize 60.5% 2010 DHS

Mauritius 50.7% 2010 DHS

Gabon 48.5% DHS 2014

Lesotho 46.4% 2011 DHS

Haiti        46.2% 2004 DHS

Zimbabwe 44.3% 2010 DHS

Honduras 41.4% 2011-12 DHS

Cameroon 41.1% 2011 DHS

Malawi 35.4% 2012 DHS

Togo         31.2% 2013 DHS

Uganda 30.1% 2014 DHS

Burkina Faso 29.4% 2008-09 DHS

Rwanda 28.9% MICS 2010

Zambia 27.1% 2013 DHS

Mozambique 26.9% MICS 2014

Chad   25.7% 2014 KAP Study

Benin 23.6% 2014 BSS

Cambodia 22.0% 2012 DHS

Senegal 20.9% 2009 DHS

Liberia 20.7% 2012 DHS

Ghana 17.5% 2014 MICS

Mali         10.1% 2011-12 DHS

Sierra Leone 9.6% 2011 DHS

Madagascar 2.0% 2014 MDG Endline Survey

Nine countries – Albania, Burundi, Colombia, Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guyana, Kenya and Peru – recorded that none of the people in the higher risk group reported using a condom at last sex.

Not enough condoms for sub-Saharan Africa

A “Prevention Gap Report”, published by UNAIDS in July, aimed to document the success in tackling the spread of HIV/AIDS so far. On the distribution of condoms, the report suggests more needs to be done. It states that “progress in the provision and use of condoms has largely stalled; the gap in sub-Saharan Africa alone is more than 3 billion male condoms a year.”

In 2015, in sub-Saharan Africa, an average of 10 male condoms was available for every man aged 15 to 64 years and just one female condom per eight women aged 15 to 64 years.

Condom availability varied between as many as 40 condoms per man aged 15 to 64 years in Namibia and South Africa to fewer than five condoms per man aged 15 to 64 years in Angola and South Sudan. Condom distribution was particularly low in some countries in western and central Africa, such as Burundi, Chad, Guinea and Mali.

The report did not specifically mention Zimbabwe, but based on the country’s statistical agency’s population projections and the PSI distribution figures, the country also had 40 condoms available for every man between 15 and 64 years.

In Zimbabwe, the high availability of male and female condoms and the relatively high self-reported use of condoms among adults who have multiple sexual partnerships are evident, Biddlecom told Africa Check. These form a critical part of HIV prevention efforts, she said.

Conclusion: Claim about condom use in Zimbabwe incorrect

There is no data to prove that Zimbabwe has the highest per capita condom use in the world.

Self-reported data about condom use among high-risk populations shows that Zimbabwe has the 10th highest number of condom users in this category among 37 countries.

Yet there is a large gap between the number of condoms available and the need for them in sub-Saharan Africa. Higher condom distribution is correlated with decreased HIV prevalence and is therefore an important part of HIV prevention efforts.

-This article was first published at AfricaCheck.

How To Protect Your Liver From Developing Cancer

The  most significant risk factor for liver cancer is chronic infection with hepatitis B virus  and hepatitis C virus. These are viruses that can spread from person to person through the  sharing of contaminated needles (such as in drug use) and through unprotected sex. Hence some liver cancer may be prevented by not sharing needles and by engaging in safer sex practices (such as consistent use of condoms).

Blood transfusions were once a major source of hepatitis infection as well. But because blood banks now test donated blood to look for signs of these viruses, the risk of getting a hepatitis infection from a blood transfusion is extremely low. 

Other risk factors

You could be at risk of having hepatitis B if you have sex with someone who is infected or if you have multiple sex partners or have a sexually transmitted disease. A baby born to a mother that is infected with hepatitis B virus is also at risk for being infected.

You can lower your risk for developing liver cancer by following healthy lifestyle measures, such as regular exercise, controlling your weight, and eating a healthy diet with limited amounts of alcohol. It’s also important to avoid infection with the hepatitis B and C virus infection. If the infection isn’t treated, hepatitis B infection can lead to cirrhosis (scarring), liver failure, and cancer.

Screening for hepatitis B or hepatitis C infection 

Consider undergoing a screening test if you have chronic hepatitis B, because you might be a candidate for antiviral therapy, which can slow down the progression of liver disease and decrease (although not eliminate) the risk of liver cancer

While there is no vaccine for hepatitis C, the right treatment can eliminate the virus in most people. If you have chronic hepatitis, you should visit your doctor for regular surveillance with imaging tests, such as ultrasound, CT, or MRI.

Limit alcohol and tobacco use

 Drinking alcohol can lead to cirrhosis, which in turn, can lead to liver cancer. At the same time, not drinking alcohol or drinking in moderation could help prevent liver cancer. Since smoking also increases the risk of liver cancer, not smoking will also prevent some of these cancers. If you smoke, quitting will help lower your risk of developing this cancer, as well as many other cancers and life-threatening diseases.

Maintain healthy weight 

Avoiding obesity might be another way to help protect against liver cancer. People who are obese are more likely to have fatty liver disease and diabetes, both of which have been linked to liver cancer. 

Treat diseases that increase liver cancer risk

 Certain inherited diseases can cause cirrhosis of the liver, so finding and treating these diseases early in life could lower this risk. For instance, all children in families with hemochromatosis (high iron in blood) should be screened for the disease and treated if they have it. 

Treatment regularly removes small amounts of blood to lower the amount of excess iron in the body. Common causes of primary liver  cancer includes scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) caused by too much alcohol use or infection with hepatitis B or C infection are largely to blame. 

You can get infected with the hepatitis B or C virus through unprotected sex, sharing unsterilized needles and a blood transfusion. Because primary liver cancer caused by viral hepatitis tends to develop slowly over the course of two to three decades, there are steps you can take to get screened for the infection and prevent it from becoming advanced.

- Vanguard

Menopause Really Does Speed Up Ageing

Women who enter menopause early age faster than others, according to a new study

"For decades scientists have disagreed over whether menopause causes ageing or ageing causes menopause," said Steve Horvath, a professor of human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine, in Los Angeles.

"Our study is the first to demonstrate that menopause makes you age faster."

Horvath analysed DNA samples taken from more than 3100 women in a 15-year study of post-menopausal women.

Measuring the biological age of cells from blood, saliva and inside the cheek, Horvath and his team were able to pin down the relationship between chronological age and a woman's biological age.

"Menopause speeds up cellular ageing by an average of 6%," said Horvath.

Woman who entered menopause at 42 would on average be biologically a year older eight years later than women who began menopause at 50.

New Study Finds Breast Milk Protein Protects Preterm Babies From Infection

New research from scientists at an American university reveals that giving premature babies a synthetic form of lactoferrin -- a protein naturally present in breast milk -- can eliminate staphylococcus epidermidis, a staph infection that can be deadly in infants born preterm.

Researchers from the University of Missouri, Columbia, USA, have identified the role of a protein, called lactoferrin, that protects preterm babies from a type of staph infection.

This antimicrobial protein occurs naturally in breast milk and helps the body absorb iron from food.

Babies born preterm don't get the full level of protective bacteria from their mothers to help fight dangerous infections. What's more, these vulnerable infants are often not able to be nursed and so don't receive lactoferrin from breast milk.

"Babies born with low levels of protective intestinal bacteria are at an increased risk of devastating and sometimes deadly infections," said Michael Sherman, M.D., the study's lead author.

The scientists studied the immune systems of 120 premature babies in neonatal intensive care units between July 2009 and January 2012.

Sixty of them were given a lactoferrin supplement via a feeding tube twice a day for 28 days. At the end of the study period, the researchers analyzed stool samples from the babies to identify the protein's role in the development of protective intestinal bacteria.

They found that harmful germs responsible for the colonization of staph infection were virtually eliminated in newborns who received lactoferrin.

Cost could be a factor in the development and use of lactoferrin treatment, as it can be priced at $25 to $500 per dose. However, "an infection can extend an infant's hospital stay by 10 to 14 days at a cost of $40,000 to $56,000," the study's authors said.

In conclusion, lactoferrin is a promising avenue of further research in the prevention of staph infections in preterm babies and as a means of bolstering their immune systems. However, at this stage, the scientists consider it too early to recommend lactoferrin as a standard treatment for babies born prematurely.

The study was published in the journal Pediatrics.

What It Means When Kids Walk On Their Toes

When toddlers are learning to walk, many spend some time walking up on their tip toes, which is known as toe walking.

Commonly this is to get into things they aren’t meant to, but as they perfect their walking, they walk more with their whole foot on the ground.

The majority of toddlers will walk with their whole foot by the time they are three. Some toddlers are unable to walk with their whole foot, and this is something that should be checked out by a health professional.

Causes

Toe walking can be classified into four groups. Some neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy cause the calf muscle to be tighter or change the way it works. This makes it hard or impossible for the child to get their heels onto the ground to walk with their whole foot.

There are also orthopaedic conditions such as congenital talipes equinovarus (also known as club foot) or calcaneal apophysitis (inflammation of the growth plate in the heel) which cause toe walking. The structural change in the foot or leg makes getting the heel to the ground impossible or painful.

However, some children who can get their heels to the ground prefer to walk up on their tip toes. This group of children also has other behavioural characteristics, such as delays in achieving milestones or ritualistic behaviours. Here toe walking is associated with autism spectrum disorders or developmental delay.

Then there are healthy children with no medical conditions who still persist in walking on their toes. This is known as idiopathic toe walking and is diagnosed through exclusion of all other medical conditions known to cause toe walking. Idiopathic toe walking has historically been called habitual toe walking with the presumption that the child has formed a habit of walking on their tip toes. It has also been called familial toe walking, as some studies report family members sharing the trait.

Idiopathic toe walking affects between 5% and 12% of healthy children and researchers don’t know its causes.

There may be a genetic cause as it is often seen in multiple family members. There are also other features often observed in children with this gait type. In some small studies, children with idiopathic toe walking have also shown speech and language delays and challenges with motor skills and sensory processing such as difficulty with balance and seeking out movement.

The most common observation in idiopathic toe walkers is tight calf muscles. This can make getting the heel to the ground even harder and can cause pain when children are trying to play sport. As you can imagine, children may be teased for walking differently.

What can be done?

No single treatment permanently fixes idiopathic toe walking. Often time is the greatest fixer as the children get heavier and the toe walking gets harder to maintain.

However, as many children with idiopathic toe walking also have tight calf muscles, many health professionals recommend treatment primarily focused on making these muscles longer. Tightness in calf muscles in adults has been known to cause trips, falls and foot and leg pain.

Treatment for idiopathic toe walking can be broken into two types: conservative and surgical.

Conservative treatment includes verbal reminders, stretching, heavy footwear, full-length orthotics, ankle foot orthotics, whole-body vibration, vinyl, carpet or gravel flooring, plaster casts to stretch the calf muscles, and injections of Botox into the calf muscles. Surgical intervention has primarily focused on lengthening the Achilles tendon.

Many of these treatments have limited evidence supporting their use.

At present, the best evidence supports plaster casts or surgery. Both of these treatments have shown the greatest improvement in the length of the calf muscles. Yet one longitudinal study found that many children who had been treated with serial casts or surgery still continued to toe-walk for up to 13 years after treatment.

Having multiple treatment options with varied success makes it hard for parents to choose the best treatment option. It’s also a challenge for doctors in knowing what treatment to recommend.

Researchers agree that keeping calf muscles long enough to easily make heel contact with the ground is important for children who are diagnosed with idiopathic toe walking. If this isn’t able to happen, a health professional will commonly then encourage treatment. There is also agreement that any child who is unable to get their heels to the ground at any time or continues to toe walk after three, should be assessed by a health professional.

Cylie Williams: Adjunct Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Monash University

This article was first published in The Conversation

15 Tips For Buying a Woman The Perfect Gift

Buying a gift for a woman is a delicate topic – you are tiptoeing along the boundary line of making her feel on top of the world or like you don’t care at all.

It’s the ideal time to show her how special she is to you, so here are 15 tips to help you pick the perfect gift!


1) Don’t Buy Clothes Unless You Know Her Really Well
That dress may look great on the mannequin in the shop window, but have you considered your lady’s size, shape and the style that suits her? Unless you are 100% sure of her specific taste, this one could go badly wrong. Buying something too small will make her feel fat and embarrassed and buying something too big will leave her feeling insulted! Sorry guys, but unless you know your girl perfectly, you just can’t win with this one!

2) Pick Up Hints and Show That You Listen
If a girl wants something specific, you can be sure that she will have dropped a few hints, in the hope that you’ll pick up the clues and surprise her. Of course if these hints are that she wants a whopper of a diamond ring, you can always pretend you weren’t listening. As a general rule though, if there’s something she really wants, she will have probably already told you.

3) Don’t Buy Her a Gift That You Would Rather Have For Yourself
This one can be pretty transparent and it’s not going to impress her. If you’re big on video games, and you buy her a games console so you can “play together” – she’ll see right through you. Similarly, if you buy her a snooker cue so you can “teach her” or tickets to a sporting event she’s not interested in, it’s not going to go down well.

4) Experiences Are Often Better than Material Gifts
Life should be more about cherished memories than material possessions and planning a great experience together is one of the best gifts you can buy. Whether it’s a romantic spa getaway, a food tour or even a pair of plane tickets to somewhere she’s always wanted to go to, this sort of gesture will definitely impress. A shared experience will be something that you can reminisce about for years to come.

5) Don’t Assume It’s All about Money
Anybody can flash the cash but what women really care about is the thought that goes into the gift. So instead of aiming for quantity, go for quality and a present that really shows you’ve put thought into it.

6) Plan in Advance
Nothing shouts out last minute like a wilted bunch of roses you’ve bought from the petrol station. Is her favourite band going to be performing next month? Take the time to research and plan rather than leaving it to the day before, and your gestures will not go unnoticed.

7) Makeup Good, Soap Not So Much
Women love to make themselves look beautiful, so if you buy her some of her favourite makeup, this is guaranteed to be a hit. If on the other hand, you buy her a bar of soap and some shower gel – this conveys a less romantic message, as they are “essentials” she’d buy for herself on a daily basis, not as a special treat.

8) Be Romantic and Do Something Personal
Women love romance, so if you’re struggling with gift ideas, there’s one golden rule; do something romantic to show her you care. This could be a surprise – perhaps a little note telling her where to go that evening, or anything personalised, such as a handmade card, a picture frame, a scrapbook, a poem or even a song (if you’re musical).It’s all about being creative and romantic at the same time. Just don’t put a ring in her cake or her glass of champagne as accidents do happen and you might need to practice your best Heimlich manoeuvre!

9) Timing Is Important
If you’ve only been dating a week and it’s her birthday, then that diamond ring is going to be too much, and will definitely scare her off. She’ll think that you’re moving too fast and will worry that you expect an expensive present in return. For someone you’re just casually dating, a meal at her favourite restaurant and a small thoughtful gift always goes down well.

10) The Triple Threat – Shoes, Handbags, Jewellery
If in doubt, you can’t go wrong with choosing either shoes, handbags or jewellery. All of these things require some background knowledge though. With shoes, makes sure you are 100% sure of her size and favourite style. Handbags are always a hit – a woman can never have too many, and there’s something about a jewellery box that makes every woman melt. Just make sure you pay attention to her specific style. Does she like large statement chunky jewellery or more delicate pieces? Of course the age old phrase goes: “diamonds are forever” so that’s always guaranteed to be a hit. As a general rule though – look at the current style that she wears and buy something that fits the mould.

11) Give Her Your Time
Plan a romantic evening in for just the two of you, cook her a meal, buy her favourite film and focus on the quality time together. Giving her your time is far more important than the amount of zeros on the gift receipt. Material goods cannot compensate for you not giving a girl your time.

12) Ask Yourself What Would Make Her Life Easier
When you’re at her house, look around and ask yourself, what could you buy her that she needs and would make her happy that you’ve noticed? Perhaps she’s missing some champagne flutes, or her laptop is on its way out? Maybe she could do with a dressing table or a beautiful jewellery box? Look for problems that you could create thoughtful solutions for. Just make sure that you’re not too practical with your gift ideas though. For example, household appliances are a big no-no. Her vacuum cleaner may have broken but DO NOT use her birthday as the perfect opportunity to replace it. If this is the case – you’ll be the reason she starts thinking romance is dead.

13) Don’t Be Frightened To Ask Her Friends or Her Mum
They’ve known her longer than you have and will actually be pleased you’ve asked for their help. If anything, it will get you in their good books, for showing how much you care about your lady.

14) If You’re Struggling – Ask Her for a List
If she hasn’t dropped any hints, her friends can’t help you, and you don’t have the confidence in your own present choosing skills, then one simple solution is to ask her directly. Instead of asking her the one present she wants, ask her to write a list; that way, whatever you do get her will still be a surprise.

15) Ask Yourself One Important Question – What’s Unique about Her?
What women really want is for you to show that you know her well and recognise her interests and passions in life. Before you buy a woman a gift, take some time to really think about what she likes. What kind of person is she? What are her favourite things to do? Where has she always wanted to visit?

For example, if she’s a fan of 60s music, why not get her a vintage record player? If she loves to travel – get her a nice hand luggage bag, a unique map of the world or a trip away. If she likes to cook – why not get her a cooking class with a top chef? There are so many ideas that will show you pay attention to what she likes, so always remember to link the gifts you buy to what you’ve already learnt about her.

So there you have it – fifteen tips to ensure your gift is a hit! The most important thing is the thought and the message behind the gift. Women want to feel loved, special and appreciated, so that’s why well thought out presents go a long way. If you buy her something that’s personal to her rather than a generic gift, she’ll know that you really care.

Source: http://www.welovedates.com/

How To Tell If He Is 'Mr. Right' Or Just a 'Mr. Right Now'

Quite a good number of ladies are guilty of settling down with Mr Right Now instead of Mr Right, simply because they couldn't tell the difference between the two.

It is important that you are able to differentiate between the boy you date and the man you marry.
Marriage is supposed to be a lifetime arrangement, and not something you get in and out of at your convenience.

According to YourTango, here are 10 ways to know if you've found 'The One' or if you still have to keep searching.

What do you truly want in life (and in a mate)? It's easy to confuse needs and wants, but what we want is not always not what we need, and vice versa. You require different things in your life at different seasons. For instance, hooking up with a guy who has his life together while you're still struggling to finish school, find a job, rebuild your life, or establish yourself is more of a hindrance than a catalyst (to both him and you). Poorly-timed relationships can unintentionally interfere with your focus. This typically results in you either delaying or abandoning your own goals altogether.

What's your long-term vision? People change with time, and so will you. Right now, partying and shopping are the top priorities on your to-do list, but 10 years from now, will you still be interested in hanging out with your girls and shopping? As you mature, things you want today won't matter tomorrow. Think five and 10 years down the road, and weigh your now versus your long-term priorities. What's attractive in a boyfriend won't be attractive in a husband.

Are you strong within yourself? Committing yourself to someone before you are truly ready is a prelude to disaster. Your number one priority should be getting your life together. That is something you need to do before bringing someone into your life. Every successful relationship requires a solid foundation.

Do you two have the same vision about relationships? Do the two of you share the same views about friends of the opposite sex, spiritual practices, what you disclose to others (especially family members and friends), and the sharing of individual resources? Being on the same page about how a relationship works is crucial to long-term success.

Do the two of you match? Do you have far more in common than you do differences? This is important because the primary reason that most relationships fail is because couples don't share common beliefs, don't possess shared values, or have mutual respect (or reverence) for the same things. The lack of communal consciousness is often the cause of much miscommunication, which will ultimately result in one, or both parties, feeling disrespected and deprecated. Those things lead to apathy and distrust. Without trust, respect, and compassion, even the strongest relationships will inherently fail.

What are the most important character traits? Being with a guy who is awesome in bed but absolutely emotionally and financially irresponsible may not be a big deal to you now, but as time goes on, you will desire a stable family. So obviously, this guy is not a good partner for you in that respect. Be wise; assess the cost before starting a life's journey with a man.

Do you like your relationship with him exactly as it is now? Personality type and personality traits remain stable over time. If you don't know your mates personality type, then try taking a MBTI to determine compatibility. Couples should get the facts about a partner's personality type before moving forward in any potentially long-term relationship. Because, it's very likely that your man's traits and preferences will not change. Would you want to spend the rest of your life with him exactly as he is right now? If not, he's not right for you.

What do your doubts tell you? Are your doubts and fears about this man linked to your past experiences or your present expectations? Try paying attention to what your man says and does (do the two align?) and do the same thing with yourself. If you notice red flags or inconsistency in your behaviour or feelings, then pause going any further with the relationship until you understand why.

How do you handle conflict? Conflict is an inherent part of every relationship. The issue isn't conflict itself, but how the two of you handle conflict. If either you are volatile, melts down, is self-centered, bears grudges, or avoids confronting issues, this is a red flag. You'll never successfully resolve problems that either of you won't admit are present. The fact that you and your mate are willing to put fires out together is a good indicator that your relationship can withstand pressure. However, if you're constantly feeling bombarded with one issue after another, that's a major warning sign.

Where is this relationship heading? Stable relationships only happen when both parties have a structured plan for personal growth. If you aren't both thriving individually, you cannot thrive collectively or as a couple. The key here is make sure your individual life plans complement each other's if a future together is the goal.

The verdict...

If your answers are negative, or even doubtful, to at least 4 of those questions, you're probably dating Mr. Right Now, as opposed to Mr. Right.

If your answers were indecisive or negative to more than 6 of those questions, this is a relationship that should NOT move beyond the casual dating stage.

However, if over 8 of your answers reveal that these things are NOT an issue in your relationship, congratulations. This guy is a keeper. More than likely, this could be Mr. Right.

But, if he concurs that this is a significant relationship for him too, allow things to continue to develop organically.