How Alcohol Can Affect Your Diabetes

How Alcohol Can Affect Your Diabetes - Diabetes and Alcohol Consumption - If you have diabetes, you need to be careful with alcohol. Alcohol can affect how well you control your blood sugar (glucose) level. It can also increase risks to your health. Before choosing to drink alcohol, discuss it with your doctor. He or she can help you decide whether you can drink safely. This sheet tells you more about risks of drinking alcohol. It also gives you tips for staying safe when you drink.

How Alcohol Can Affect Your Diabetes

Here are some of the ways alcohol can affect your health if you have diabetes:


It can make certain health problems worse.
Alcohol may worsen disease of the liver, kidney, or pancreas. It may also make nerve or eye damage more likely. If you have any of these health problems, your doctor will likely advise you not to drink alcohol.


It can increase your risk for low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
The liver helps prevent low blood sugar by releasing extra glucose into the blood. Alcohol in the blood keeps the liver from doing this. Low blood sugar is more likely if you drink alcohol on an empty stomach or during or right after exercise. It is also more likely if you take insulin or medications that help lower blood sugar. Also, alcohol may affect your ability to tell whether you have symptoms of low blood sugar. This may keep you from getting needed treatment.


It can increase your risk for high blood sugar (hyperglycemia).
Many alcoholic drinks contain carbohydrates (carbs). These include beers, sweeter wines, and drinks mixed with fruit juices or sugar. Carbs raise blood sugar levels higher and faster than other kinds of foods. Drinking may throw off your ability to monitor your carbs.

It can affect how well you manage your weight.
Alcohol is high in calories and has no nutrition. If you are on a meal plan to help control your weight, you will need to count alcohol as part of your daily calorie intake. A standard drink is usually counted as 90 calories or two fat exchanges. In addition, alcohol can cause you to feel hungrier than normal. This makes you more likely to overeat, which can affect your weight and blood sugar level.

Tips for Safer Drinking

Your doctor may give you the okay to drink in moderation. Here are some steps you can take to drink safely:

• Strictly follow the drink limits given to you by your doctor. Or use the American Diabetes Association guidelines (see box below).
• Check your blood sugar level before drinking. Do not drink if your blood sugar level is too low or too high. Also, check your blood sugar level after drinking or before going to bed. This is because alcohol can stay in the blood for many hours after drinking. If your blood sugar level is low or dropping, you may be able to treat it with a snack or glucose tablet before it worsens.
• Ask your doctor how alcohol will affect insulin or any medications you take.
• Never drink on an empty stomach.
• Never drink during or after exercise.
• Do not drink any alcohol if you are going to drive.
• Be smart about what you drink. This means choosing drinks that are lower in alcohol, calories, and carbohydrates. Options include dry wines, light beers, or mixed drinks with sugar-free juice, club soda, or sparkling water.
• Carry medical ID that tells others you have diabetes. This helps ensure that you receive proper treatment, if needed.

American Diabetes Association Alcohol Guidelines

If your doctor has cleared you to drink, limit drinking to:

• Women: No more than 1 drink a day

• Men: No more than 2 drinks a day

One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor. ( about.com )

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Viruses are 'new normal' for honey bees

Viruses are 'new normal' for honey bees - California scientists said Tuesday they have identified four new viruses in healthy honey bee colonies, a finding that could help solve the mystery of mass bee die-offs in some parts of the world.

The previously unknown viruses turned up during a 10-month study of a commercial beekeeping operation that included more than 70,000 hives and 20 colonies that were transported across the United States to pollinate crops.

The colonies appeared healthy and did not see any of the mass deaths that have eradicated as much as 30 percent of the US population of honey bees since 2006.

Understanding the 27 unique honey bee viruses -- including four new ones and others possibly involved in colony collapse -- and how they circulate in healthy populations could offer scientists a baseline for further study.

"You can't begin to understand colony die-off without understanding what normal is," said senior author Joe DeRisi, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at the University of California, San Francisco.

Honey bee colony declines in recent years have reached 10 to 30 percent in Europe, 30 percent in the United States, and up to 85 percent in Middle East, according to a UN report on the issue released earlier this year.

Honey bees are critical to global agriculture. They pollinate more than 100
different crops, representing up to $83 billion in crop value world wide each year and roughly one-third of the human diet.

According to co-author Michelle Flenniken of the study published in the online journal PloS One, the patterns of infection show that more than one factor is likely to blame for colony collapse.

"Clearly, there is more than just exposure involved," said Flenniken.

"We noticed that specific viruses dominated in some seasons, but also found that not all of the colonies tested positively for a virus at the same time, even after long-distance transport in close proximity."

The researchers also found six species of bacteria and six fungi, four types of mites and a parasitic fly called a phorid, which had not previously been seen in honey bees outside California.

Among the four newly discovered viruses was one that "turned out to be the primary element of the honey bee biome, or community of bacteria and viruses," said the study, identifying it as a strain of the Lake Sinai virus.

Hundreds of millions of its viral cells were "found in each bee in otherwise healthy colonies at certain times of the year," said the research.

"Here's a virus that's the single most abundant component of the bee biome and no one knew it was there," said DeRisi said.

World health experts believe some combination of parasites, viral and bacterial infections, pesticides, and poor nutrition resulting from the impact of human activities on the environment have all played a role in the bees' decline. ( AFP )

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Australia gay safe sex ads reinstated amid furore

Australia gay safe sex ads reinstated amid furore - Safe sex advocates claimed a victory over Australia's Christian lobby on Wednesday when their HIV campaign posters featuring two men hugging were reinstated at bus stops after an intense online backlash.

The black and white posters, in which one man has his arm draped across his partner's chest and is holding a condom, are part of the Queensland Association for Healthy Communities "Rip and Roll" campaign promoting condom use.

The ads were withdrawn by billboard company Adshel after it received a string of complaints, but the company later reversed this decision, saying it had unwittingly been targeted by the Australian Christian Lobby.

Dancers take part through streets - Dancers take part in the 32nd Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade through the streets of Sydney in 2010. Safe sex advocates have claimed a victory over Australia's Christian lobby when their HIV campaign posters featuring two men hugging were reinstated at bus stops after an intense online backlash

"This has led us to review our decision to remove the campaign and we will therefore reinstate the campaign with immediate effect," Adshel chief executive Steve McCarthy said in a statement.

Healthy Communities executive director Paul Martin said that Australians were generally supportive of gay rights, and that he had been heartened by the public backlash against the decision to remove the posters.

"Most people don't have a problem with gay people," he said.

By late Wednesday some 40,897 people had joined a Facebook page called "Homophobia -- NOT HERE" created by one of the men featured in the posters, and protesters had held an afternoon rally outside Adshel's Brisbane office.

Australian Christian Lobby Queensland director Wendy Francis said she had personally complained about the ads because she had objected to what she said was the sexual nature of the posters.

"They show two young homosexual men in some sort of act of foreplay," she said. "It's talking about a sexual act and I don't think that's appropriate for the general public."

But Queensland State Treasurer Andrew Fraser rejected her comments.

"Check the calendar, it's 2011," he said. "I think we should call it for what it is and this is basic homophobia."

Healthy Communities said that more people were diagnosed with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in 2010 than at any time since the mid-1980s and it was therefore important to discuss safe sex. ( Agence France Presse )

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Makena Pregnancy Drug Fight Rages On

Makena Pregnancy Drug Fight Rages On - In February 2011, A furor erupted across the nation as KV Pharmaceuticals, a company that had gained the Food and Drug Administration's approval to sell a commonly prescribed pregnancy drug, was going to raise the price of that drug from $20 to $1,500 per dose.

Previously, hydroxyprogesterone capoate, a synthetic hormone referred to as 17P, could only be obtained from compounding pharmacists, which sometimes led to irregularities in the consistency of quality. Makena promised this consistency, as well as the ability to preserve the drug, which had not been possible before.

Every year 17P is administered to approximately 300,000 pregnant women in America on a weekly basis for an average of 20 weeks, as an effective means of preventing per-term births that could lead to serious complications. Makena's initial list price raised the cost of saving a single baby from $400 to $30,000.

Lawmakers, medical professionals, and the public responded angrily, calling KV's move unthinkable. KV pharmaceuticals proceeded to send threatening letters to pharmacists across the nation, demanding that they stop making 17P, promising an FDA crackdown on those who continued to do so.

On March 30, the FDA responded with a statement which said that no such crackdown was coming and that pharmacists were allowed to continue compounding the drug. Effectively, generic forms of the drug were still legal and would remain available.

On April 1, KV responded by slashing its list price from $1,500 to $690 per dose, a price which many claimed was still too high. Charity giant, March of Dimes, reacted by cutting all ties with Makena, and KV Pharmaceuticals.

The makers of Makena are quick to point out that they have a patient assistance program, through which patients may obtain the drug for as little as $20 per dose, or in some extreme cases, completely free of charge. Unfortunately, the assistance program involves a complicated sliding scale that will still drive up the cost of medical coverage. For those on Medicaid the news is even worse. KV only offers a 23.1 percent rebate to Medicaid, which means the government will still have to pay $530.61 for a drug that is has never paid for in the past. ( yahoo.com )

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Bugs that do More than Bug You, They Make You Sick

Bugs that do More than Bug You, They Make You Sick - They are small creatures that easily could be swatted or stepped on. But boy do they bug us.

Tiny, slimy and quite annoying, bugs can pose real health problems, from Lyme disease from tiny ticks or West Nile from mosquitoes to life-threatening allergic reactions to bee stings. Most bug bites in this country are an itchy nuisance.

Outside the country, dengue from mosquitoes have killed hundreds of thousands of people in Latino America.

How itchy or big the welt depends in part on your own skin, how much of the chemical histamine it harbors. Yes, some people really are mosquito magnets. And no, most of the bites people blame on spiders aren't from them at all.

In fact, chances are you won't be able to tell the culprit unless you catch it in the act. Yet doctors and entomologists alike field calls asking, "What bit me?"

"People call up really bummed out," says spider expert Jonathan Coddington of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History, who points to just two worrisome types in the U.S., the black widow and brown recluse family. Spider phobia, he says, is "out of all proportion to actual risk."

It's not uncommon to have a large skin reaction to any bite or sting, and Dr. Reid Blackwelder, a family physician from East Tennessee State University, sees a couple of them a week in the early spring and summer.

"Most of the time, what people need is reassurance," he says.

Mosquito bites probably are the most common. Sure we've been told to watch out for them at dusk and dawn. But the Asian tiger mosquito — a fairly recent immigrant that has spread to 30 states since arriving hidden in some tires in Texas — bites all day long. It's a more aggressive, harder-to-swat version than native species, Coddington says.

If it seems every mosquito's after you, well, there are about 3,500 species around the world and Coddington says most don't bite humans, preferring other animals instead. But those who do can be attracted by sweat, alcohol, perfumes and dark clothing.

Bedbugs are the latest headline-maker. Scientists can't explain why they've suddenly rebounded in many U.S. cities after all but vanishing in the 1940s and '50s. But once they're in a building, they're famously hard to eradicate. You won't feel their needle-like bite, but you might see a line of red dots in the morning.

Not so with horse flies and black flies. They cause painful welts, and they'll chase any blood meal. And yellow jackets may be a bane of summer picnics, but they're most aggressive in the fall, the reproductive mating season, Coddington notes.

Most people face no risk other than infection from scratching, but there are some important exceptions:

—Blacklegged tick species, commonly called deer ticks, that are as small as poppy seeds can transmit Lyme disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention counted more than 35,000 confirmed or probable cases of Lyme in 2009, the latest data available. These ticks are most active from May through July, and are most common in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, upper Midwest and Pacific coast.

If a tick's been biting for less than 24 hours, chances of infection are small. So do a daily tick check. And the CDC recommends using insect repellent with DEET.

Antibiotics easily cure most people of Lyme. But other than Lyme's hallmark round, red rash, early symptoms are vague and flu-like. People who aren't treated can develop arthritis, meningitis and some other serious illnesses.

Different tick species around the country can transmit additional diseases, such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tickborne relapsing fever, and STARI or Southern tick-associated rash illness.

—West Nile virus is the main mosquito concern in the U.S. Although cases have dropped in the last decade, the CDC recorded 45 deaths from West Nile last year. Severe symptoms fortunately are rare but include high fever, neck stiffness, disorientation, coma, muscle weakness and paralysis, and the neurological effects sometimes are permanent.

To avoid mosquitoes, the CDC advises wearing insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Empty standing water where mosquitoes breed.

Mosquitos could cause West Nile virus, dengue or malaria.

— At least 40 people a year die from allergic reactions to stings from bees or other insects, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Potentially life-threatening reactions occur in fewer than 1 percent of children and 3 percent of adults.

But seek care quickly for signs of an emergency, Blackwelder stresses: Swelling on the face or neck, shortness of breath or feeling dizzy. People who know they're allergic should carry an EpiPen.

— Bites from a black widow or brown recluse can require medical care, although fatalities are incredibly rare. You may not feel the black widow's bite, but within about an hour pain spreads through the abdomen, with cramping or rigid abdominal muscles. Poison centers stock antivenom, but most people do fine with muscle relaxants and other care, says Blackwelder, a spokesman for the American Academy of Family Physicians.

A brown recluse bite eventually forms an ulcerlike lesion that can get fairly large but usually requires just good wound care, he says. But other infections can be mistaken for these bites, so Coddington says bringing in the suspect spider helps identification. ( Associated Press )

READ MORE - Bugs that do More than Bug You, They Make You Sick

Drinking coffee with a high-fat meal 'can raise blood sugar to harmful levels'

Drinking coffee with a high-fat meal 'can raise blood sugar to harmful levels' - Drinking coffee after a high-fat meal can raise your blood sugar to potentially harmful levels, a study has found.

Not only are blood sugar levels increased after a fatty meal, but the rise doubles if the meal is followed by caffeinated coffee, researchers discovered.

Drinking coffee while eating junk food causes your blood sugar levels to soar

The study used a specially prepared drink containing molecules of fat, known as lipids, enabling researchers to mimic what happens to the body when fat is ingested.

Healthy men drank about one gram of the fat beverage for every kilo of body weight. Six hours later they were given a sugar drink. Typically when sugar is ingested, the body produces insulin, which takes the sugar out of the blood and distributes it to muscles.

But the researchers, from the University of Guelph in Canada, found fat affected the body’s ability to do this. Blood sugar levels were 32 per cent higher than they were when the men had not ingested the fat cocktail.

In further tests, participants received the equivalent of two cups of caffeinated coffee five hours after ingesting the fat beverage. An hour later, they were then given the sugar drink.

The results, published in the Journal of Nutrition, showed blood sugar levels increased by 65 per cent compared to what they were when participants had not ingested the fat and caffeinated coffee.

Study author Marie-Soleil Beaudoin, said: 'Ultimately we have found that fat and caffeinated coffee are impairing the communication between the gut and the pancreas, which could be playing a role in why participants couldn't clear the sugar from their blood as easily.'

She added: 'We have known for many years that people with or at risk of Type 2 diabetes should limit their caffeine intake.

'Drinking decaffeinated coffee instead of caffeinated is one way to improve one's glucose tolerance.

'Limiting the intake of saturated fatty acids found in red meat, processed foods and fast food meals is also beneficial. This study has shown that the effects of these foods can be severe and long-lasting.' ( dailymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - Drinking coffee with a high-fat meal 'can raise blood sugar to harmful levels'

In a Brazilian Town, a Rogue Gene and a Boom in Twins

In a Brazilian Town, a Rogue Gene and a Boom in Twins - For years, so many twins have been born in the small southern Brazilian town of Cândido Godói that residents wonder whether something mysterious lurks in the water, or even if Josef Mengele, the Nazi physician known as the Angel of Death, conducted experiments on the women there.

But a group of scientists now says it can rule out such long-rumored possibilities. Ursula Matte, a geneticist in Porto Alegre, Brazil, said a series of DNA tests conducted on about 30 families since 2009 found that a specific gene in the population of Cândido Godói appears more frequently in mothers of twins than in those without. The phenomenon is compounded by a high level of inbreeding among the population, which is composed almost entirely of German-speaking immigrants, she said.

Tânia Moelmann, in 2009, with her 3-month-old twins, Kiara, left, and Yasmin, in the Brazilian village of São Pedro in Cândido Godói.

“We analyzed six genes and found one gene that confirms, in this population, a predisposition to the birth of twins,” Dr. Matte said.

She was the first scientist to document, in a study published in the 1990s, that the rate of twin births in the town was unusually high. It was especially high in São Pedro, a village of about 350 residents that is part of Cândido Godói. Dr. Matte found that from 1990 to 1994, 10 percent of the births in São Pedro were twins, compared with less than 1 percent for Brazil as a whole.

The high concentration of twins has stirred outlandish theories. Residents say Mengele moved around southern Brazil in the 1960s, posing as a veterinarian, at about the time the twin births were thought to have really taken off. An Argentine journalist suggested in a 2008 book that Mengele conducted experiments on women in Cândido Godói that resulted in a baby boom of twins, many of whom have blond hair and light-colored eyes.

Mengele, who died in Brazil in 1979, was notorious for his often-deadly experiments on twins at Auschwitz, ostensibly in an effort to produce a master Aryan race for Hitler.

But the study led by Dr. Matte analyzed 6,615 baptism certificates dating back 80 years in the predominantly Roman Catholic town and found that the twins phenomenon existed in the 1930s, “long before Mengele’s period,” she said.

“In the initial stages of our research we immediately disproved any involvement with Mengele,” Dr. Matte said.

Her team of 20 researchers also analyzed the town’s water supply — residents believe a mysterious mineral may be responsible for the high rate of twin births — and uncovered no abnormalities.

While studying the baptism certificates, the scientists confirmed that the highest concentration of twins has been in São Pedro, with 33 pairs out of 436 births from 1959 to 2008, all living in a one-and-a-half-square-mile area.

In São Pedro, they concluded their research by analyzing last names and conducting genetic tests on women. “With a small population of about 80 families, it was a challenge to find women that did not have twins within a first-degree relation,” Dr. Matte said.

The scientists believe that a small number of immigrant families living in São Pedro may have brought the variant gene to the region. “This does not mean that it is a universal gene,” Dr. Matte said. “If I take twins from New Zealand and test them, it will probably generate a different result.”

Dr. Matte has yet to publish the results of her findings but was set to present them in Cândido Godói on Friday.

“The entire city supports this study, and they have great hopes of finding out why they have so many twins, and to better understand what is behind their story,” said Daniela Junzvier, the culture coordinator at the mayor’s office. ( nytimes.com )

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Not getting enough sleep? Turn off the technology

Not getting enough sleep? Turn off the technology - Dependence on televisions, cellphones and laptops may be costing Americans dearly -- in lack of sleep.

The national penchant for watching television every evening before going to sleep, playing video games late into the night or checking emails and text messages before turning off the lights could be interfering with the nation's sleep habits.

"Unfortunately, cell phones and computers, which make our lives more productive and enjoyable, may be abused to the point that they contribute to getting less sleep at night leaving millions of Americans functioning poorly the next day," Russell Rosenberg, the vice chairman of the Washington DC-based National Sleep Foundation (NSF), said in a statement.

Nearly 95 percent of people questioned in an NSF study said they used some type of electronics in the hour before going to bed, and about two-thirds admitted they do not get enough sleep during the week.

Charles Czeisler, of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said exposure to artificial light before going to bed can increase alertness and suppress the release of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone.

"Technology has invaded the bedroom," Czeisler explained in an interview. "Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents who reported they routinely get less sleep than they need."

Baby boomers, or people aged 46-64 years old, were the biggest offenders of watching television every night before going to sleep, while more than a third of 13-18 year-olds and 28 percent of young adults 19-29 year olds played video games before bedtime.

Sixty one percent also said they used their computer or laptop at least a few nights each week.

And a propensity to stay in touch means that even people who have managed to fall asleep, are being woken up by cellphones, texts and emails during the night.

"One in 10 kids report they are being awoken by texts after they have gone to bed. People don't turn off their Blackberries," said Czeisler, adding that much of this is happening at the expense of sleep.

Generation Z'ers, 13-18 year olds, were the most sleep-deprived group, with 22 percent describing themselves as "sleepy," compared to only nine percent of baby boomers.

Sleep experts recommend that teenagers get 9 hours and 15 minutes of sleep a night but adolescents in the study were only averaging 7 hours and 26 minutes on weeknights.

"I am the most concerned about how little sleep 13-18 years are getting," said Czeisler. "Kids today are getting an hour and a half to two hours less sleep per night than they did a century ago. That means that they are losing about 50 hours of sleep per month," said Czeisler.

Americans' lack of sleep is negatively impacting their work, mood, family, driving habits, sex lives and health, according to the NSF.

All age groups are coping by consuming caffeinated drinks -- about three 12-ounce (354 ml) beverages per person -- per day, and taking naps, sometimes more than one during the day.

"Parents should get these technologies out of the bedrooms of kids if they want them to do well (in school)," said Czeisler. (Reuters)

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For battered Japan, a new threat: nuclear meltdown

For battered Japan, a new threat: nuclear meltdown – Cooling systems failed at another nuclear reactor on Japan's devastated coast Sunday, hours after an explosion at a nearby unit made leaking radiation, or even outright meltdown, the central threat to the country following a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami.

The Japanese government said radiation emanating from the plant appeared to have decreased after Saturday's blast, which produced a cloud of white smoke that obscured the complex. But the danger was grave enough that officials pumped seawater into the reactor to avoid disaster and moved 170,000 people from the area.

Japan's nuclear safety agency then reported an emergency at another reactor unit, the third in the complex to have its cooling systems malfunction.

Minamisanriku town - Minamisanriku town is submerged after Friday's strong earthquake-triggered tsunami in Miyagi prefecture, northern Japan, Saturday, March 12, 2011

Japan dealt with the nuclear threat as it struggled to determine the scope of the earthquake, the most powerful in its recorded history, and the tsunami that ravaged its northeast Friday with breathtaking speed and power. The official count of the dead was 686, but the government said the figure could far exceed 1,000.

Teams searched for the missing along hundreds of miles (kilometers) of the Japanese coast, and thousands of hungry survivors huddled in darkened emergency centers that were cut off from rescuers and aid. At least a million households had gone without water since the quake struck. Large areas of the countryside were surrounded by water and unreachable.

The explosion at the nuclear plant, Fukushima Dai-ichi, 170 miles (274 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo, appeared to be a consequence of steps taken to prevent a meltdown after the quake and tsunami knocked out power to the plant, crippling the system used to cool fuel rods there.

The blast destroyed the building housing the reactor, but not the reactor itself, which is enveloped by stainless steel 6 inches (15 centimeters) thick.

Inside that superheated steel vessel, water being poured over the fuel rods to cool them formed hydrogen. When officials released some of the hydrogen gas to relieve pressure inside the reactor, the hydrogen apparently reacted with oxygen, either in the air or the cooling water, and caused the explosion.

"They are working furiously to find a solution to cool the core," said Mark Hibbs, a senior associate at the Nuclear Policy Program for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Nuclear agency officials said Japan was injecting seawater into the core — an indication, Hibbs said, of "how serious the problem is and how the Japanese had to resort to unusual and improvised solutions to cool the reactor core."

Officials declined to say what the temperature was inside the troubled reactor, Unit 1. At 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit (1,200 degrees Celsius), the zirconium casings of the fuel rods can react with the cooling water and create hydrogen. At 4,000 F (2,200 C), the uranium fuel pellets inside the rods start to melt, the beginning of a meltdown.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said radiation around the plant had fallen, not risen, after the blast but did not offer an explanation. Virtually any increase in dispersed radiation can raise the risk of cancer, and authorities were planning to distribute iodine, which helps protect against thyroid cancer. Authorities ordered 210,000 people out of the area within 12 miles (20 kilometers) of the reactor.

It was the first time Japan had confronted the threat of a significant spread of radiation since the greatest nightmare in its history, a catastrophe exponentially worse: the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States, which resulted in more than 200,000 deaths from the explosions, fallout and radiation sickness.

Officials have said that radiation levels at Fukushima were elevated before the blast: At one point, the plant was releasing each hour the amount of radiation a person normally absorbs from the environment each year.

The Japanese utility that runs the plant said four workers suffered fractures and bruises and were being treated at a hospital. Nine residents of a town near the plant who later evacuated the area tested positive for radiation exposure, though officials said they showed no health problems.

As Japan entered its second night since the magnitude-8.9 quake, there were grim signs that the death toll could soar. One report said no one could find four whole trains. Others said 9,500 people in one coastal town were unaccounted for and that at least 200 bodies had washed ashore elsewhere.

The government said 642 people were missing and 1,426 injured.

Atsushi Ito, an official in Miyagi prefecture, among the worst-hit states, could not confirm the figures, noting that with so little access to the area, thousands of people in scores of towns could not yet be reached.

"Our estimates based on reported cases alone suggest that more than 1,000 people have lost their lives in the disaster," Edano said. "Unfortunately, the actual damage could far exceed that number considering the difficulty assessing the full extent of damage."

Japan, among the most technologically advanced countries in the world, is well-prepared for earthquakes. Its buildings are made to withstand strong jolts — even Friday's, the strongest in Japan since official records began in the late 1800s. The tsunami that followed was beyond human control.

With waves 23 feet (7 meters) high and the speed of a jumbo jet, it raced inland as far as six miles (10 kilometers), swallowing homes, cars, trees, people and anything else in its path.

"The tsunami was unbelievably fast," said Koichi Takairin, a 34-year-old truck driver who was inside his sturdy, four-ton rig when the wave hit the port town of Sendai. "Smaller cars were being swept around me. All I could do was sit in my truck."

His rig ruined, he joined the steady flow of survivors who walked along the road away from the sea and back into the city Saturday.

Smashed cars and small airplanes were jumbled against buildings near the local airport, several miles (kilometers) from the shore. Felled trees and wooden debris lay everywhere as rescue workers in boats nosed through murky waters and around flooded structures.

The tsunami set off warnings across the Pacific Ocean, and waves sent boats crashing into one another and demolished docks on the U.S. West Coast. In Crescent City, California, near the Oregon state line, one person was swept out to sea and had not been found Saturday.

In Japan early Sunday, firefighters had yet to contain a large blaze at the Cosmo Oil refinery in the city of Ichihara. Four million households remained without power. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that Japan had asked for additional energy supplies from Russia.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said 50,000 troops had joined the rescue and recovery efforts, helped by boats and helicopters. Dozens of countries offered to pitch in. President Barack Obama said one American aircraft carrier was already off Japan and a second on its way.

Aid had just begun to trickle into many areas. More than 215,000 people were living in 1,350 temporary shelters in five prefectures, the Japanese national police agency said.

"All we have to eat are biscuits and rice balls," said Noboru Uehara, 24, a delivery truck driver who was wrapped in a blanket against the cold at a shelter in Iwake. "I'm worried that we will run out of food."

The transport ministry said all highways from Tokyo leading to quake-stricken areas were closed, except for emergency vehicles. Mobile communications were spotty and calls to the devastated areas were going unanswered.

One hospital in Miyagi prefecture was seen surrounded by water, and the staff had painted "SOS," in English, on its rooftop and were waving white flags.

Around the nuclear plant, where 51,000 people had previously been urged to leave, others struggled to get away.

"Everyone wants to get out of the town. But the roads are terrible," said Reiko Takagi, a middle-aged woman, standing outside a taxi company. "It is too dangerous to go anywhere. But we are afraid that winds may change and bring radiation toward us."

Although the government played down fears of radiation leak, Japanese nuclear agency spokesman Shinji Kinjo acknowledged there were still fears of a meltdown — the collapse of a power plant's systems, rendering it unable regulate temperatures and keep the reactor fuel cool.

Yaroslov Shtrombakh, a Russian nuclear expert, said it was unlikely that the Japanese plant would suffer a meltdown like the one in 1986 at Chernobyl, when a reactor exploded and sent a cloud of radiation over much of Europe. That reactor, unlike the reactor at Fukushima, was not housed in a sealed container. ( Associated Press )

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Top Ten heart healthy foods

Top Ten heart healthy foods - Think heart disease is a man's disease? Think again. While men's rates of heart disease have declined over the past few decades in many countries, women's have been climbing steadily and continue to rise. Nutritionist Michelle Gelok tells you how you can reduce your risk by adopting a healthy diet.

Avocados are rich in folate and potassium, two nutrients essential for heart health

1. Avocado

Once banished for their highfat content, avocados are making a health food comeback. While it's true that avocados are high in fat (one medium avocado has a whopping30g of fat!) it's actually their fat content that is responsible for their many health benefits. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fat, the type of fat that can lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. What's more, avocados are also rich in folate and potassium, two nutrients essential for heart health.

Need to know: One medium avocado delivers over 300 calories, so a little goes a longway. Keep portion sizes to a minimum, for maximum health benefits. Add diced avocados to salads, or serve on wholegrain toast with coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2. Dark chocolate

Chocolate lovers rejoice! Dark chocolate doesn't just taste good, studies show it can also boost heart health. Dark chocolate contains flavonoids, compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting properties. Studies show consuming as little as 7.5g of dark chocolate per day can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of a heart attacks and strokes.

Need to know: The heart health benefits of chocolate are limited to dark chocolate, and don't include milk or white chocolate. Choose dark chocolate that contains at least 70 per cent cocoa for the most health benefits, and avoid chocolate that contains added ingredients, such as nougat or caramel. Keep portion sizes small to avoid extra calories and weight gain - both of which can cancel out chocolate's heart healthy benefits.

3. Salmon

Salmon tops the list of heart healthy foods, thanks to its exceptional omega-3 fatty acid content. Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce blood pressure, triglycerides, blood clots and can also protect against irregular heartbeats. Studies show that consuming fatty fish, such as salmon, as little as one to two times per week is enough to lower the risk of dying from a heart attack by over 30 per cent.

Need to know: The British Heart Foundation recommends eating one to two portions of oily fish each week. People who have had a heart attack should aim to increase this to two to three portions per week. For the most health benefits, steam, grill or bake salmon, instead of frying it.

4. Lentils

Lentils are an exceptional source of fibre, which helps keep heart disease at bay. In fact, of all the beans and legumes, lentils outrank them all when it comes to fibre; a half cup (175ml) serving of cooked lentils delivers a whopping 12g of fibre, half the daily recommended intake for women. They're also packed with folate and magnesium, two nutrients essential to heart health. Studies show that a diet rich in legumes, such as lentils, can lower the risk of heart disease by up to a third.

Need to know: Compared with other dried beans and legumes, lentils are perhaps the easiest to prepare thanks to their small size. Boost your intake of fibre-rich lentils by adding them to soups, stews and salads.

5. Soy milk

Studies show substituting animal protein from meat, poultry and dairy with protein from soy foods, such as soy milk, can reduce total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides. What's more, soy foods can help boost HDL (good) cholesterol, lower blood pressure and keep blood vessels healthy.

Need to know: When added to your diet in combination with other known cholesterol-lowering foods, soy's effect becomes even stronger. For the most health benefits, choose a soy milk product that is fortified with vitamins and minerals and contains at least

6. Flaxseed

Flaxseed may be small in size, but it delivers big benefits when it comes to heart health. Flaxseed contains three heart-healthy compounds, alpha-linolenic acid (an essential omega-3 fatty acid), lignans (a type of antioxidant) and dietary fibre. Together, these compounds help protect against heart attacks and strokes by lowering blood lipids, maintaining healthy blood vessels, and decreasing inflammation. Studies show eating as little as two to six tablespoons (15g to 50g) of milled flaxseed every day for six weeks can significantly decrease your overall and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

Need to know: Flaxseed has a very hard shell, which means they can pass through the body undigested if eaten whole. Grinding flaxseed enhances its digestibility and increases its nutritional value. Purchase milled flaxseed, or grind your own in a clean coffee grinder. Ground flaxseed has a shorter shelf life than whole flaxseed and is best stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Add ground flaxseed to hot or cold cereal, cookies, muffins and low-fat yoghurt.

7. Oats

Few other foods outshine oats when it comes to heart health. Oats is an excellent source of soluble fibre, which helps lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Studies show that consuming just 3g of soluble oat fibre per day, equivalent to one and a half cups (375ml) cooked oatmeal or half a cup (175ml) uncooked oats, can lower total cholesterol levels by up to 23 per cent. What's more, oats help stabilise blood glucose levels, which may benefit people with diabetes.

Need to know: Adding oatsto your diet couldn't be easier,try adding it to your favourite cookie or muffin recipe, stirringit into a bowl of low-fat yoghurt, or enjoying a bowl of warm oatmeal sprinkled with honey and fresh berries.

8. Kale

Green leafy vegetables, such as kale, can be a lifesaver when it comes to heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes. Studies show high intakes of fruits and vegetables can offer protection, but green leafy vegetables seem to offer the most protection. One study found eating just one serving of green leafy vegetables every day reduced the risk of heart disease by 23 per cent.

Need to know: When it comes to green leafy vegetables, the darker the colour the more nutrients it contains, which is why kale is one of the most nutritious green leafy vegetables around. Kale is low in calories, fat-free and packed with nutrients and disease-fighting antioxidants. Kale's sturdy leaves make it a welcome addition to soups, stir-fries and salads.

9. Tea

The heart health benefits of tea are hard to beat. Not only is tea calorie-free, it's packed with disease-fighting antioxidants. Studies show that both green and black teas are effective at warding off heart disease. One study found that older adults who drank at least one and a half cups (375ml) of black tea per day were 43 per cent less likely to suffer a heart attack than non-tea drinkers. Likewise, studies show that drinking at least half a cup (125ml) of green tea every day may reduce the risk of high blood pressure by nearly half.

Need to know: The health benefits of tea are limited to green and black tea, and don't include white or herbal tea. For maximum health benefits, steer clear of tea with added sugar, such as bottled iced tea.

10. Pistachios

Pistachios are a no-brainer when it comes to heart health. Not only are they packed with heart-healthy antioxidants, amino acids and unsaturated fat, they also contain more potassium, a mineral essential for proper heart function, than any other nut. Studies show that a diet rich in nuts, such as pistachios, can help protect against heart disease by lowering the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Need to know: While pistachios contain the least amount of calories per gram than any other nut, they should still be enjoyed in moderation. Replace other, less healthy foods in your diet with pistachios, but remember to limit yourself to a 30g (1 ounce) serving per day (about 45 nuts, or a small handful). ( gulfnews.com )

READ MORE - Top Ten heart healthy foods

Man’s best friend may help kids with allergies

Man’s best friend may help kids with allergies - Life with the family dog will give young children hours of loyal companionship, cherished memories — and, in some cases, possibly even better health.

A study in the Journal of Pediatrics says that children with a family history of allergies may be less likely to develop eczema, an allergic skin condition, if they live with a dog when they are younger than one year.

But living with a cat may increase those odds, though only among children who are sensitive to cat allergen — substances in pet dander, saliva and urine.

Given the complexity of the situation, it is hard to give parents specific advice about pets, said Tolly Epstein, an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine in Ohio, who led the research team.

But as far as eczema goes, a number of studies have shown there is a consistent relationship among dog ownership and lower risk, she added.

“It may be that these children develop a tolerance, but we don’t know that for sure,” she told Reuters Health.

The study involved 636 children enrolled as infants in a long-term study of environmental exposures and allergy risk. All were considered to be at increased risk of allergies because they had a parent with a history of asthma, nasal allergies or eczema.

When the children were younger than one year, researchers visited their homes to collect dust samples.

The children also underwent yearly exams, including a skin-prick test to see whether they’d become sensitised and their immune systems were producing antibodies after being exposed to allergens such as pet dander.

Overall, 14 percent of the children had eczema at age 4. But that rate fell to 9 percent among the 184 children who’d had a dog in their home during infancy.

Of the 14 children who were sensitive to dog allergen and lived with a dog, only 2 — 14 percent — developed eczema. That compared to 57 percent for dog-sensitive children who didn’t have a dog at home during early life.

The situation with cats is harder to call.

Epstein’s team found that there was no clear relationship between having a cat in the house during infancy and an increased eczema risk among children overall, but that the picture changed with children sensitive to cat allergens.

Among 13 such children who lived with a cat during infancy, 54 percent developed eczema by age 4 compared to 33 percent who did not have a pet cat. The rate of eczema fell to 11 percent for non-sensitive children even when they did live with a cat.

Epstein noted that her study was looking specifically at the development of eczema and not other conditions, such as asthma.

She also said the results applied only to children with parents who have allergies, and little is known about how a family pet could affect children at average risk. ( arabnews.com )

READ MORE - Man’s best friend may help kids with allergies

Consult Your Doctor If ...

Work out your fitness level. Consult Your Doctor If ...

• You have a history of heart disease, high blood pressure or diseases of the bones and joints.

• You are over 35, have led a sedentary life and have decided to embark on an exercise programme that is more vigorous than brisk walking.

• You are recovering from a major illness.

• You are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

• You are very overweight.

Finding Your Fitness Level

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How often do you work up a sweat?

If your answer is less than three times a week, then you're not at the peak of fitness. To be moderately fit you need three workouts a week; four will give you optimum fitness.

2. Are you physically active at work?

If your job requires a lot of moving around, walking or lifting, then you're probably already quite fit. But if you spend most of your time sitting down, then you should seriously consider exercising in your spare time.

3. Are you overweight or always on a diet?

Being marginally overweight will not shorten your life. Medical obesity, however, puts a serious strain on all your internal organs - particularly your heart. You should aim to cut down on your calorie intake and start doing some aerobic exercise - now!

4. Do you have high blood pressure?

Exercise can greatly reduce your blood pressure. High blood pressure is one of the main causes of strokes and heart attacks.

5. Do you suffer from stress or depression?

If you are the type who gets easily stressed and depressed then you are making your body prone to disease and illness. Aerobic exercise is one of the best ways to relieve both stress and depression.

6. Do you find time to chill out every day?

People who regularly relax and 'switch off' whether through exercise or just by taking time out suffer fewer illnesses and may even live longer.

If you are reasonably active and your blood pressure and stress levels are under control, you are in a good position to start - and do well on - an exercise programme. If you have any doubts, consult your doctor or a qualified sports instructor for advice. ( dailymail.co.uk )

READ MORE - Consult Your Doctor If ...

No Time for Good Sex?

No Time for Good Sex?. Now you may be wondering: Why the heck am I reading this? After all, aren’t newlyweds supposed to have scorching sex all the time? Truth is, even at this amazing stage, you can have an unexpected sex stall. Here are some common culprits:

Your libidos are out of sync.

You’re supposed to be soul mates…so why is it that you want it slow and sensual at night but he wants it fast and furious in the morning? Well, guys wake up with high levels of testosterone and energy and crave sex first thing in the a.m. But at night, testosterone levels dip right when you’re revved up.

Sexy solution: If he’s never in the mood after dinner, grab him before you open the take-out. If you dislike a.m. sex, join him in his morning shower.

Long workweeks leave you both sapped.

His afternoon meeting ran late and he’s exhausted; your boss yelled at you (again). By the time you make it through the front door, your sex drives are MIA.

Sexy solution: Studies show that lovemaking boosts levels of brain chemicals that trigger desire. So the more you push past your tiredness and get busy, the more you’ll want to do it. You can start by trading five-minute massages (no, you aren’t too tired). Conjure up an erotic scenario—research shows women who fantasize often have more frequent and satisfying sex.

The honeymoon is over.

Why can’t sex be as hot as it was during those 10 days in Anguilla? Was it the plush mattress? The sound of the ocean at night? Now sex feels like a letdown.

Sexy solution: Start turning things around when you’re not in the sack. Devote the weekends to reconnecting. Unplug from the world and fantasize about that sexy anniversary trip you’ll be booking in the Bahamas. Anticipation in itself can be a surprising aphrodisiac.

You’re trying to get pregnant.

When you’re in baby-making mode, sex can start to feel methodical, even frustrating—especially if you’ve been trying for a while.

Sexy solution: Make the rest of the month (i.e., your nonpeak-fertility days) all about pleasure. For starters, zip your lips on the baby topic so your minds are clear and sex can be more fun. Your next steamy step? Try a new position or grab your partner for a quickie before you head out to a party—everyone will wonder what that smirk is on your faces. ( thenest.com )

READ MORE - No Time for Good Sex?

Five Ways to Get in the Mood

Date Idea 1: Call in Sick

Never underestimate the power of spending an entire day alone with your significant other, especially when you're supposed to be somewhere else. Park yourselves in the living room and hibernate in your pj's. Order takeout, watch movies, and get busy.

Date Idea 2: Start a Tradition

While cooking together might be something you do every day, there's no reason it can't be special (think: French bistro night, or ragin' Cajun cuisine). Start the tradition now and it'll become your go-to sexy dinner on Saturday nights.

Date Idea 3: Put on a Show

Buy three new lingerie outfits in totally different styles and use your shopping spree as an excuse for a predinner fashion show. Model each in a private performance and have your hubby pick his favorite for you to don after the meal.

Date Idea 4: Get a Rubdown

Book a couples massage at a local spa or set the mood at home with candles, scented oils, and your imagination.

Date Idea 5: Send an Office Surprise

Send your spouse a pizza at lunchtime or have coffee and treats delivered in the afternoon. You'll get kudos from everyone in the office, especially from your mate when they come home. ( thenest.com )

READ MORE - Five Ways to Get in the Mood