Long distance relationship? Physics it is!

It is evident that we humans prefer to go with someone who is nearly similar to us. This is also one of the basis of non-physical attraction. And if you spent more time with someone you'll not only get to know that person well but you might also be able to absorb some of that person's trait and the same goes with that person, this is what we all know as influence. Let me share you something related to physics.

In physics we have the zeroth law of thermodynamics, that is when two substance of different temperatures are placed each other they will give and receive heat and will only stop once they end up with the same temperature. This is known as thermal equilibrium.

The same idea applies at quantum scale, far smaller than subatomic particles. In this case we are dealing with vibrational frequency. I honestly don't know yet how but two particles with exactly the same frequency transfers information instantaneously, even if they are galaxies apart.

Just I have mentioned earlier, like thermal equilibrium, synchronizing frequencies is made the same way, just place 2 particles next to each other for a certain period of time. This is known as quantum entanglement, or what Einstein called as "spooky action on a distance". Well, distance is nothing on entangled particles, what one particle is experiencing will also be experienced by the other.

Now think of this, your closed friends or even best friend is always with you. I guess you have come to a certain point that similarities have been developed, a trait that isn't existing before you have met them. This is probably the same reason why many twins act as if they can read each other's mind, and also why a mother knows when her child is in danger, that sort of uneasiness.

Now, do you believe that distance is a hindrance?

Written by: CER0 of Blue Bloods

What is a year?

You gotta be kidding me..

You might be thinking that this post is hilariously stupid, of course a year is the revolution of the earth in the sun or exactly 365 and 1/4 days. Well somehow that's true, but somehow it's also incorrect in some sense. There are different types of years with different length for each years, the most common is the Tropical Year (which is the basis for most calendars) but there are more kinds of years not just two or three, but more than five excluding the other planet's year (Martian/Uranian Year).

Tropical, Sidereal and Anomalistic Year

Most of our calendars uses the Tropical Year or the Solar Year and it is also the kind of year that you know since elementary, and if you forgot what it is, Tropical Year is the total time it takes for the Sun to return to the same position in the cycle of seasons or period of time from vernal equinox to vernal equinox and summer solstice to summer solstice, the exact length of one (1) Tropical Year is 365.242 Days or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds.

What about Sidereal? Well Sidereal Year is the amount of time it takes for the earth to complete one revolution with respect to fixed stars (One of the most popular fixed star is the Sun itself). One Sidereal Year is equal to 365.256 Earth Days or 365 days,6 hours 9 minutes, 9.76 seconds and if you're not happy with those conversion it is 1.00003878 Tropical/Solar Year.

Another kind of year is the Anomalistic Year, it is defined as the revolution of Earth to the sun with respect to its apsides, well you might be wondering what in seven hell is an apsides. Apsides are the extreme points of the Earth's Orbit (Since Earth's orbit is elliptical), apsides are the Farthest (Aphelion) and Closest (Perihelion) distance of the Earth to the Sun. An Anomalistic Year is defined by the Perihlion Passage or the closest point of the Earth to the Sun. Anomalistic Year is not fixed however, but the average length of one Anomalistic Year is approximately 365.260 Earth Days or 365 days, 6 hours, 13 minutes, 52.6 seconds.

Yay! Atleast they're just three different years!

Relax! We're not done yet, I mean I'm not done yet making you feel bad that what you learned in highschool and even in college is somewhat inaccurate or incomplete! To complete your total confusion about these kinds of years I'll give the other kinds of years, but don't worry most of them are not that important and just for educational purpose.

Julian Year - This is the unit used for Astronomy, A Julian Year is defined as 365.25 days or 86,400 SI Seconds, and most of us only know this kind of year since we started learning things. the Julian Calendar that we use today is based on Julian Years, but what about Tropical Years?

To make things clearer, Julian Year does not follow anything, unlike the other years that counts the time span with respect to different things. However, Julian Year was intended to approximate the Tropical Year, since a tropical year was a few minutes shorter than 365.25 days, it's like rounding it off. If we use the Tropical Year for our calendars (which is the accurate measurement rather than Julian Year) we will gain about three (3) days every four centuries (Today we use the Leap Year System or one day every four years).

Draconic/Eclipse Year - The revolution of Sun with respect to the Lunar Node. One Draconic Year is equal to 346.620 Earth Days or 346 days 14 hours 52 minutes 54 seconds.

Full Moon Cycle - Complete Revolution of the Sun with respect to the perigee of Moon's Orbit. A Full Moon Cycle is 411.784 Earth Days or 411 days 18 hours 49 minutes 34 seconds.

Lunar Year - This is defined as the twelve full cycles of the Moon's Phases, Muslim's Calendars is based on Lunar Year and Ramadan is also based on this one. A Lunar Year is approximately 354.37 days.

Besselian Year - The Besselian year was named after Friedrich Bessel, a German Astronomer. A Besselian Year starts when the Sun raches 280° of ecliptic longitude. To calculate for the Besselian Year you can use this equation:

Besselian Year = 1900.0 + (Julian date in Terrestrial Time Scale/Ephemeris Time − 2415020.31352) / 365.242198781

Sothic Year - The interval between heliacal risings of a star Sirius (Current Northern Star) is called a Sothic Year. The duration of one Sothic Year is extremely close to a Julian Year (365.25 Days).

Heliacal Year - This is the interval between the heliacal risings of a star, while it is almost identical to a Sothic Year, a Heliacal Year doesn't have a specific star for its identification where a Sothic Year is based on the Sirius only.

Vague Year - Also known as annus vagus (don't laugh please), this system is mainly used in the calendars of Ancient Egypt, Armenia, Mesoamerica and Iran. This is defined as the approximation to the year equaling 365 days, typically a vague year is divided in 12 months with 30 days each plus 5 epagomenal days (days within a solar calendar that are outisde any regular month).

Gaussian Year - The Gaussian year is the sidereal year for a planet of negligible mass (relative to the Sun) and unperturbed by other planets that is governed by the Gaussian gravitational constant. Such a planet would be slightly closer to the Sun than Earth's mean distance. One Gaussian Year is 365 days, 6 hours, 9 minutes, 56 seconds or 365.256 days.

That's all..

Well I guess I ran out of source for other kinds of years, you can try including other years of your favorite game or show maybe 1 San Andreas Year or 1 Pokemon Year. Since the Full Moon Cycle is the longest year among them all you can use it in tough situation like on those projects that you need to complete at the end of the year, just say "I'm using the Full Moon Cycle Year System" then point them out to this article.

Disclaimer: I (SalbagSanting) do not take responsibility to any problem that may arise from using a different system other than the Tropical Year/Lunar Year.


Source(s):

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=53glKEPzElA
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fixed_star
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidereal_year
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_year
• Christopher De Pree, Alan Axelrod (2004). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Astronomy (3rd ed.). Alpha Books.
• Calendar Description and Coordination Maya World Studies Center
• http://hpiers.obspm.fr/eop-pc/models/constants.html
• Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada 
• Astronomical Almanac for the year 2011. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office.
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_year_(astronomy)
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_calendar

Written by SalbagSanting of Red Masterminds
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Rare Diseases : Dercum's Disease

Dercum's Disease

Dercum’s disease is an extremely rare disorder characterized by multiple, painful growths consisting of fatty tissue (lipomas). These growths mainly occur on the trunk, the upper arms and upper legs and are found just below the skin (subcutaneously). Pain associated with Dercum’s disease can often be severe. Pain may be caused by these growths pressing on nearby nerves. Dercum’s disease mainly occurs in adults and more women are affected than men. In some cases, affected individuals may also experience weight gain, depression, lethargy, and/or confusion. The exact cause of Dercum’s disease is unknown.

Symptoms of Dercum syndrome


The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources for Dercum syndrome includes the 8 symptoms listed below: 

• Painful skin lumps 
• Asthenia 
• Headache 
• Absence of menstruation 
• Bruises 
• Reduced sweating 
• Reduced skin sensitivity 
• Fatty skin lumps

What causes Dercum disease?

The understanding of the cause and mechanism of Dercum disease remains unknown. The origin of the pain is obscure, and the disease is better known as a description of its symptoms rather than as a physiologic or metabolic process. The fatty deposits (lipomas) cause nerve compression and result in weakness and pain.

Some cases reported in the literature have suggested possible causes for Dercum disease, such as the use of corticosteroids, a disturbance of endocrine function, or a genetic cause since it seems to run in some families. Some researchers have suggested that Dercum disease is an autoimmune disorder (a condition that occurs when the body's immune system attacks normal, healthy body tissue). However, no single cause has been pinpointed.

What do we know about heredity and Dercum disease?

Dercum disease has been reported to occur in families, and in some of these cases it seems to be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait (this means that one out of a person's two copies of the gene, inherited from one parent, is altered). However, most reported cases of this condition are sporadic (the only case to occur in the family).

What is the treatment for Dercum disease?

There is no "cure" for Dercum disease. At the present time, treatment for this condition is symptomatic, meaning that it focuses on one symptom at a time rather than the whole condition. Depending on the person, options can include weight reduction, surgery for the most painful lipomas, and medications to control pain. Liposuction has been used in some cases.

Sources : 
http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/rare/10-rare-diseases3.htm
http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/d/dercum_syndrome/symptoms.htm
http://www.genome.gov/17516629

Rare Diseases : Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes (PNS)

 Paraneoplastic Neurologic Syndromes (PNS)

Paraneoplastic neurologic syndromes (PNS) are a group of conditions that affect the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, nerves and/or muscles) in patients with cancer. The term "paraneoplastic" means that the neurological syndrome is not caused by the tumor itself, but by the immunological reactions that the tumor produces. It is believed that the body’s normal immunological system interprets the tumor as an invasion. When this occurs, the immunological system mounts an immune response, utilizing antibodies and lymphocytes to fight the tumor. The end result is that the patient’s own immune system can cause collateral damage to the nervous system, which can sometimes be severe. In many patients, the immune response can cause nervous system damage that far exceeds the damage done to the tumor. The effects of PNS can remit entirely, although there can also be permanent effects.

Epidemiology

PNS are rare diseases occurring in less than about 0.01% of patients with cancer. Only the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome is relatively frequent, occurring in about 1% of patients with small-cell lung cancer  

Classes : 

* Endocrine - can be related to : 

                          > Cushing`s Syndrome

                          > Syndrome of Inappropriate Anti-Diuretic Hormone

                          > Hypercalcemia

                          > Hypoglycemia

                          > Carcinoid Hormone

                          > Polycythemia 

                          > Hyperaldosteronism 

* Neurological - can be related to :

                    > Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS)
                    > Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration
                    > Encephalomyelitis
                    > Limbic encephalitis
                    > Brainstem encephalitis
                    >Paraneoplastic Opsoclonus (involving eye movement)-Myoclonus
                    > Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
                    > Polymyositis

Diagnosis and management

PNS may affect any part of the central and peripheral nervous system, the neuromuscular junction and muscle. They can be isolated or occur in association. An important point to keep in mind is that none of these disorders are specifically paraneoplastic, as each disorder can also occur in patients without cancer. The incidence of malignancy in patients with potential PNS varies depending on the disorder and ranging from 5 to 60%. In almost 80% of patients, the PNS antedates the diagnosis of cancer by several months to several years. Most tumors are diagnosed within 4–6 months. It is accepted that the risk of cancer development decreases significantly two years after diagnosing PNS and becomes very low after four years. All these data explain why it is often difficult to recognize a given neurological disorder as paraneoplastic.

Treatment

The different subtypes of PNS are defined by the presence or the absence of paraneoplastic antibodies and the type of antibodies. Management and treatment should be tailored to each subtype. For example, patients with SCLC and PCA have different course of the neurological disorder, response to treatment, tumor prognosis and cause of death, according to the presence or the absence of Hu-Ab. Patients with Ma2-Ab generally develop limbic and brainstem encephalitis with testis tumors, but patients with Ma2-Ab and additional antibodies directed against other Ma proteins develop additional cerebellar symptoms and have tumors other than testis neoplasms. The mean survival time for patients with SCLC and CV2-Ab is 2.5 times longer than for patients with the same cancer, similar neurological symptoms and Hu-Ab. All these data suggest that the type of the immunological stimulation against the tumor can determine a specific course of the neurological disorder and give information of whether the immunological response against the tumor is more or less effective.

However, PNS rarely improves with immunomodulatory treatment as in the majority of cases the neurological symptoms are due to neuronal damage. The early and non-reversible destruction of neural structures by the inflammatory process accounts for both the severity of most PNS and for the usual ineffectiveness of immunomodulatory treatments. The best chance of at least stabilizing the syndrome is to induce a complete response of the tumor. Although immunotherapy is rarely effective, the use of intravenous immunoglobulins, steroids or plasmapheresis is indicated because a few patients have been reported to improve with these treatments. Patients with Tr-Ab and Ma2-Ab and testicular cancer are more likely to improve than those with other antibodies.

Sources : 

http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/rare/10-rare-diseases2.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/cgi/mesh/2011/MB_cgi?mode=&term=Nervous+system+paraneoplastic+syndromes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1868710/

Rare Diseases : Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML)

Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML)

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a neurological disorder characterized by destruction of the myelin, an oily substance that helps protect nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, also known as central nervous system (CNS) white matter. It is caused by a virus called JC virus (JCV), named after the initials of the patient in whom it was first discovered. The virus is widespread, found in at least 85% of the general adult population. It remains inactive in healthy individuals and causes disease only when the immune system has been severely weakened, such as in people with HIV/AIDS, or hematological malignancies, and in organ transplant recipients who receive immuno- suppressant medications to avoid rejection of the transplanted organ. Altogether, PML occurs in approximately one in 200,000 people.

The term "progressive" in PML means that the disease continues to get worse and often leads to serious brain damage. The term "multifocal" means that JCV causes disease in multiple parts of the brain. However, it is possible for an individual with PML to have only one brain lesion instead of several lesions. The term "leukoencephalopathy" means that the disease affects mainly the white matter of the brain or myelin, although there are some rare cases in which the gray matter neurons is also involved.

Is there any treatment?

Currently, the best available therapy is reversal of the immune-deficient state, since there are no effective drugs that block virus infection without toxicity.  Reversal may be achieved by using plasma exchange to accelerate the removal of the therapeutic agents that put patients at risk for PML.  In the case of HIV-associated PML, immediately beginning anti-retroviral therapy will benefit most individuals.  Several new drugs that laboratory tests found effective against infection are being used in PML patients with special permission of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Hexadecyloxypropyl-Cidofovir (CMX001) is currently being studied as a treatment option for JVC because of its ability to suppress JVC by inhibiting viral DNA replication.  

What is the prognosis?

In general, PML has a mortality rate of 30-50 percent in the first few months following diagnosis but depends on the severity of the underlying disease and treatment received.  Those who survive PML can be left with severe neurological disabilities.

What research is being done?

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and other institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct research related to PML in laboratories at the NIH, and support additional research through grants to majorresearch institutions across the country.  Much of this research focuses on finding better ways to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure disorders such as PML.

Sources : 

Annals of Neurology (Author[s]: Mateen, F. J.; Muralidharan, R.; Carone, M.; Van De Beek, D.; Harrison, D. M.; Aksamit, A. J.; Gould, M. S.; Clifford, D. B. et al)

http://health.howstuffworks.com/diseases-conditions/rare/10-rare-diseases1.htm
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/pml/pml.htm

Rainbow Rainbow in the sky

A colorful arc of colors in the sky that symbolizes hope and beauty, rainbow, legend says that there is a pot of gold in the end of a rainbow but that's just a myth. Well in reality a rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky, the color is formed because of the moisture in the air where it reflect and refract.

When can you see a rainbow?

Well mostly after a rain, but that's not the deal, a rainbow can occur when there are water drops in the air and sunlight shining from behind. Water drops mostly occur after a rain that's why rainbow usually appear after a rainbow.

Colors of rainbow

In 1672 Newton named five colors of the rainbow (Red, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet), he later included two more colors (Orange and Indigo). But the truth is that a rainbow is composed of the entire spectrum of colors and not only that, it also include impossible colors (colors that we can't see such as red-green).

Other types of rainbow

Multiple Rainbow

Multiple or Double rainbow are caused by double reflection of sunlight inside the raindrops. Most people usually can't see them because they are fainter than the primary bow. The second bow has an inverted color (picture above).

Monochrome Rainbow

Occasionally a shower may happen at sunrise or sunset, where the shorter wavelengths like blue and green have been scattered and essentially removed from the spectrum. Further scattering may occur due to the rain, and the result can be the rare and dramatic monochrome rainbow.

Reflected Rainbow

When a rainbow appears above a body of water, two complementary mirror bows may be seen below and above the horizon, originating from different light paths. Their names are slightly different. A reflected rainbow will appear as a mirror image in the water surface below the horizon, if the surface is quiet (see photo above).

Fire Rainbow

Fire Rainbows are not rainbow or fire, they are "Halo" but mostly known as a rainbow because of its color.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow
http://www.eo.ucar.edu/rainbows/
http://www.enotes.com/science/q-and-a/what-order-colors-rainbow-289367/

How fun is sex?

Introduction

We cannot admit that this generation has become so adventurous that even as early as 14 years old some of them are already engaged in sexual intercourse. But did you know that sex has benefits in both of our physical and emotion aspect. Well anything in excess is not good, there are also what we call sexually transmitted disease, but don't worry there are different ways on how to protect ourselves with these diseases.

Benefits of Sex

I know what you are thinking now, fun and pleasure right? Yes that's true, that is one of the benefits of having sexual intercourse, but there are other surprising benefits of sex.

A great stress reliever:

Maybe this doesn't surprise you but countless research has proven that having a regular sexual intercourse will greatly lower your blood pressure, relax your body.

Immunity booster

Study shows that having sex once or twice a week will increase your antibody called immunoglobulin A or igA, which is a good protection against cold and other infections.



Burn Calories

Thirty minutes of sex can burn up to 85 calories, but having 42 half-hour sessions can burn up to 3,570 calories, enough to lose 1 pound. So no wonder why pornstars have a slim body.

Healthy Heart

They say that having a long sex can cause stroke, that's just a folklore. Having sex can reduce the risk of fatal heart attack. Since we are burning calories it means we are also exercising our body, and we all know that exercise is good for the heart and body.

Boost self-esteem

 It was proven in a research that people who are having sex has more self-esteem than those who don't, that's why in most movie we can see that nerds usually don't have self-esteem why douchebags are full of self-esteem.

It improves intimacy

When a couple had sex their hormone oxytocin level increase, this is the so called "Love Hormones" which help us build bonds and trust to each other.

Pain Killer

As you are having a sexy time with your partner your oxytocin increases dramatically, this is our natural pain killer. That's why headache, arthritis, PMS or other kind of pain is not an excuse not to get laid.


Reduces the risk of prostate cancer

Research proves that frequent ejaculation (by sex or masturbation) can reduce the risk of having prostate cancer in the long run, having 21 or more ejaculation monthly is proven to be healthy (not too much ofcourse) to men.

Sex Strengthens Pelvic Floor Muscles

For women, doing a few pelvic floor muscle exercises known as Kegels during sex offers a couple of benefits. You will enjoy more pleasure, and you'll also strengthen the area and help to minimize the risk of incontinence later in life.

To do a basic Kegel exercise, tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor, as if you're trying to stop the flow of urine. Count to three, then release.

"Sleep Well"

As I stated before, having sexual intercourse releases oxytocin, and this also promotes sleep. We all experience that after sex we feel so tired as if we really like to sleep right? that's because of oxytocin.

Healthy skin

Having is sex is having a better circulation, and a better circulation means that more oxygen can flow through our body and to our skin which will give a brighter and healthier skin. This is the reason for the so called "after-sex-glow". More wrinkles in the bed = fewer wrinkles in the face.

Gives us great hair.

Hormones not only control our sex drives, but also the condition of our hair. Research has shown that a satisfying sex life results in healthy, lush hair due to the body's increased ability to receive and metabolize nutrients efficiently.


Healthier sperm count

Several studies show that men who have frequent sex have higher volumes of semen, a higher sperm count and a higher percentage of healthy sperm compared to men who have infrequent sex. This is good news for women, as research shows the absorption of semen helps you combat depression, boosts your energy and even helps you have a smoother delivery, if you're pregnant.

No more zits!

Sex can balance our hormones which can give a clearer and brighter skin, maybe you're wondering why pornstars have a perfect skin complexion right?

Fights cavities. 

Turns out that semen is chock-full of zinc, calcium and other tooth decay-fighting minerals that benefit us when our bodies absorb it. While having lots of sex can't replace a biannual trip to the dentist, having extra doses of these minerals certainly can't hurt our pearly whites.

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD's)

"Many people think there are only two STDs ­ syphilis and gonorrhea. In fact, there are many other diseases that can be spread through sexual contact, including herpes, chlamydia, genital warts, vaginitis, hepatitis B and HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). Without treatment these diseases can lead to major health problems such as sterility (not being able to get pregnant), permanent brain damage, heart disease, cancer, and even death. If you think you have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease, you and your sex partner(s) should visit a free health clinic or doctor for treatment."

 -State of New York Department of Health "Diseases that can be spread during sex"

Information about some sexually transmitted disease

Hepatitis

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by a virus carried in the blood, saliva, semen and other body fluids of an infected person. Like HIV, it is spread by sexual contact or sharing works to shoot drugs. It can also be passed from mother to baby around the time of delivery. Symptoms may include tiredness, poor appetite, fever, vomiting, joint pain, hives, rash, or jaundice – a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes.

Aids

AIDS is the end result of infection with the virus HIV. HIV attacks the body’s defense system, making the body less able to fight off infections or cancers. People with HIV may have no symptoms, or may not even know that they have HIV.

Gonorrhea

Gonorrhea is caused by bacteria spread from one infected person to another during sex. It can attack the urethra in a man’s penis, the cervix in a woman’s vagina, and the rectum and throat.

Syphilis

Syphilis is caused by an organism that enters the body through the skin, the mouth, or the anus during sex. Within 10 to 90 days after infection, a sore may appear anywhere on the body including on or around the genitals, the rectum, or mouth.

Herpes

Herpes is a viral disease. It produces groups of blister­like sores on the genitals about two to 14 days after a person is exposed to the virus. Sometimes a fever is present. The sores will break open and become painful, especially if they come in contact with urine.

Chlamydia

Chlamydia produces an infection that is very similar to gonorrhea. Men may experience burning during urination and discharge from the penis. However, up to 50% of men may have no symptoms or the symptoms are so mild, they may be ignored. In women, chlamydia causes an inflammation of the cervix (cervicitis).

Non­gonococcal Urethritis (NGU)

NGU is an infection that may cause burning upon urination and discharge from the penis. It is not caused by gonorrhea, even though the symptoms are similar.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are caused by a virus, Human Papillomavirus (HPV). There are over 70 types of HPV that infect humans including 35 that infect the genitals. Most people (about 75%) with HPV have no obvious signs of infection. When present, visible warts usually develop on the genitals one to three months after exposure.

Vaginitis

Vaginitis is an inflammation of a woman’s vagina caused by tiny organisms that can be passed during sex.

Protect yourself

Protecting yourself against these diseases doesn't only benefit you, but also your partner and your family in the long run. The best way to protect yourself against these diseases is by using condom, but use the right kind of condom, latex condoms are the best protection that you can get, HIV virus can get through skin or natural condoms. Also, avoid using fatty substances or petroleum jelly when having sexual intercourse as this can weaken the latex. There are also condoms for women, which is better when it comes to protecting both of you. Having a single non-infected partner is the best way to avoid this.

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/10-surprising-health-benefits-of-sex
http://www.yourtango.com/experts/tristan-coopersmith/16-unexpected-health-and-beauty-benefits-sex
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/std/std4.shtml
"Diseases that can be spread during sex" - State of New York Department of Health

Cracking your knuckles - myth?

Cracking your knuckles affect your joints – Fact or Myth?

Some says that cracking your knuckles, neck, back and other parts of your body will affect your joins and sometimes result to arthritis. But Did you know? that the sound we hear are actually air pockets in your body, and they just pop when you crack them. Each joints in our body is filled with synovial fluid, a thick fluid that lubricates our joints. When we don’t usually use joint the pressure in our synovial fluid drops and form bubbles (just like other fluids, stop stirring them and they will form bubbles or other noticeable changes), when we crack them they are not actually “Cracking” sounds they are “Popping sounds”.

Did you know? The process of cracking a joint is called “Cavitation”.

Is it good?

Notice why we need to warm up before doing some physical activities such as jogging? We do that so that our joints will not be forced by our movements, and cracking our joints is one way of doing it. As long as it doesn’t hurt it’s still a good thing, but something in the neck must be done with care because our neck is a very vital part.

So it doesn’t cause arthritis?

As of this time there is no scientific proof of that claim. There is still NO link between arthritis and Cavitation. Although cracking your knuckles feels good specially after a hard day of work, we still need to take precautions, don’t overdo it and when you feel a pain after you crack them then stop it for a while or consult a doctor.

Sources:

http://voices.yahoo.com/when-knuckles-crack-facts-faqs-cracking-129593.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/When_you_crack_your_knuckles_what_cracks_is_there_air_bubbles

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090531203517AAT872E

Facebook Addiction Disorder

Introduction

Just like drug, Facebook can be addictive in a way that it affects your life, education, word, socialization, family and other important things rather than liking, commenting and sharing to useless things we see on facebook. An American psychologist believes so. In fact, he even introduced a new term to describe such an addiction. FAD, or Facebook Addiction Disorder, is a condition that is defined by hours spent on Facebook, so much time that the very life of an individual is already affected (Mostly in work or school). It has been said that approximately 350 million people are suffering from this disorder that is detected through a simple set of six-criteria. People who are victims of the condition must have at least 2-3 of the following criteria during a 6-8 month time period.

These are the 6 symptoms of FAD:

1.Tolerance: A person suffering from this disorder cannot live a day or minute without seeing his/her precious wall. If you are the type of person that can’t live a moment without opening your account then you should think twice.

Did you know? An average facebook user spend 7 hours a month.

2.Withdrawal symptom: If by any chance you don’t have the chance to login your facebook account and you feel anxious and depressed then you might have this kind of disorder. Withdrawal symptoms is normal to other kinds of addiction (such as to nicotine) and they tend to feel stressed out or the worse, they’ll do any possible solution to feed their hunger.

3. Reduction of normal social/recreational activities: People suffering from this disorder will have a visible reduction to their social activities, such as going to parties, talking to friends and family.  They usually reject social and recreational activities in exchange for the fun-pack facebook experience.

4. Virtual dates: This is a new trend today, but this can be a symptom of FAD too, people with this disorder will just prefer to have an online conversation with their partner instead of going out to see a movie or have a dinner.

5. Fake friends: Facebook addicts normally add person they don’t really know, but isn’t this normal to other people? Well, yes but people with FAD have 8 friends they don’t know and only 2 known friends in real life, maybe because of the games they play on facebook?

6.Complete addiction: This a clear symptoms of addiction, when they met new friends they often say “I’ll see you on facebook” or when they met new people they first ask for their facebook account before knowing other details.

How can you fight it?

1. Admit it: The very first thing you need to do is to admit it, how can you fight a disorder that you can’t accept that you have? It would be stupid to have a chemotheraphy without cancer right?

Did you know? 41% of FB users are addicts

2. Ask your friends and family: asking the close people to you about how they feel about the amount of time you spend on facebook might surprise you. They might also give you motivation and reasons to stop your addiction.

3. Keep track of your facebook usage: After you decided to stop this craziness the first thing you have to do is to know how addicted you are.

4. Limit yourself: After you know everything you need to know it’s time to start the process, if you spend 10 hours a day maybe you can cut it to 5 hours a day first then 3 hours and so on until you can live a day without it anymore.

Different ways to limit yourself:

Software based: There are different softwares that can help you manage it; even windows have a feature where a certain account can access the computer in a specific time only. But ofcourse you need to help yourself do this, not cheating the system.

Facebook as a reward: Since you are still addicted to it, you can ask your parents to hold your laptop and just give it after you finished your homework or activities such as playing some physical sports and helping to household thingy. After you did all of this you can enjoy facebook now, and in the end you’ll end up to refuse to have it as a reward and avoid it completely.

Step away from PC: The machine itself that you can use for facebook is a big factor, try to go out to stay away from your computer so you can easily avoid from using it.

Clarify the role of FB to your life: Always think that facebook is a medium to connect you from people far away from you, and it doesn’t mean you need to disconnect your life from people around you.

Sources:

http://socialtimes.com/facebook-addiction-disorder-the-6-symptoms-of-f-a-d_b60403

http://www.techaddiction.ca/facebook-addiction-disorder.html

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/infographic-how-bad-your-facebook-addiction-disorder-140722

Smoking and its benefits

Everyday we can see people from teens to adults smoking a stick of cigarette. We can also see the word “Cigarette smoking is dangerous to your health”, but do we really know the danger that this stick can bring to our lives?

How dangerous is it?

We all know that cigarette has lots of chemicals in it, but do we really know how dangerous they are?

Carcinogens

Carcinogens are substances that can cause or worsen an existing cancer, and Did you know?that in every stick of cigarette there are about 60 carcinogens present in this deadly little sticks.

Common Carcinogens present in a Cigarette

Benzene – Gasolines and pesticides contain this kind of chemical, and cigarette also contain this kind of harmful substance. There is a very high amount of Benzene in every stick of cigarette and half of our exposure to this hazardous chemical comes from cigarettes.

Formaldehyde – When the morgue needs to preserve a dead body they put Formaldehyde to prevent the body from decaying for some moment, this is also a very hazardous chemical and it is the reason why smokers experience throat, nose and eye irritation while smoking cigarette.

TSNA - Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines are also present to cigarette sticks and is a kind of carcinogen.

Toxic Metals

Toxic metals or heavy metals are metals that when taken in a very small can support life (some), but when taken in large amount it can become toxic and might kill a person.

Note: Taking a little amount everyday is not an excuse.

Common Toxic Metals present on cigarettes

Arsenic – Arsenic is a common ingredient for rat poisons and pesticides.

Cadmium – Cadmium is found on batteries, and inhaling batteries doesn’t sounds a good idea anyway.

Radioactive toxic metal

Lead (Pb) and Polonium (Po) are both radioactive and heavy metals and the good news here is that they are present in every cigarette sticks. Radioactive materials are very dangerous to our health, and they can cause abnormalities to our body such as shrinking the penis of a man or lower the sperm cell count.

Poisons

A poison is a substance that when inhaled, consumed or applied to a living thing can cause severe physical distress or death. On average, a single cigarette stick contains more than 200 types of poisons.

Most common poison in a cigarette

Amonia – This is a compound mostly used for cleaning and for fertilizers, it is also known to boost the effect of nicotine to smokers.

Carbon Monoxide – Car exhaust has a high amount of this poisonous gas, and a cigarette can contain a high amount of carbon monoxide too.

Hydrogen Cyanide – We all know Hitler right?And we know that he killed millions of Jews using the gas chamber. Hydrogen Cyanide is the exact poison used to kill the Jews in the gas chamber and is also present to cigarette.

And finally….

 Nicotine – The very reason for your addiction to smoking, when your body became dependent to nicotine it will need continuous supply of nicotine or else you will feel uncomfortable, this is the reason why smokers always tell you that smoking can relieve stress, because the stress itself was created by the nicotine they inhaled with each cigarette they consume.

Why you should stop right now?

Health benefits

Cigarette smoking has been proven increase our life expectancy by about -10 minutes per stick, and the number of health benefits we can gain from smoking is not more than -100. Isn’t that great?

Some health benefits are:

-Cardiovascular diseases

-Cancer (Lung, Mouth and throat cancer are the most common)

-Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

-Bronchitis

-Emphysema

-Heart diseases

-High blood pressure

-Fertility Problems for both men and women

-It will worsen asthma (Smokers and Secondhand smokers)

-Increased risk to cataracts

-Stain in the teeth and gums

-Can increase the acid in your mouth and can cause ulcer

-Smoking can cause wrinkles and pale skin because of the lack of blood supply and Vitamin A

-Being dependent to cigarette (Nicotine)

-Possible risk to blood clot in the heart

-Erectile Dysfunction for men (Lack of bloodflow in the penis means lack of erection)

What will you get when you stop smoking?

-Normal blood pressure in the first 20 minutes of not smoking

-Oxygen level will return to normal 8 hours after stopping (Carbon Monoxide)

-Normal sense of taste and smell

-Nicotine will be removed in your system in the 2nd day

-Decreased chance of having a heart attack

-Increased energy level and relaxed bronchial tubes

-Lung capacities improves up to 10%

-Your chance of having a stroke will be the same of those non-smokers after 2 years

Death related to cigarette smoking

In the US alone there are about 500,000 annual death related to cigarette smoking where a large part of this is caused by Lung Cancer (2000-2004 Data).

1 out of 10 moderate smokers and 1 out 5 heavy smokers will die from Lung cancer.

Only 0.5% of people who never touched a cigarette developed Lung cancer.

Did you know?

Smoking a stick of cigarette will shorten your life by 11 minutes.

How to stop?

There are different methods to stop the urge to smoke every minute of your life, the only thing you need is to remove the nicotine in your body.

NRT – Also known as nicotine replacement treatment, they come in different types from patches, nasal spray or gum.

Zyban – It is a medicine licensed to help smoking cessation.

Champix (varenicline): Is a type of medicine that will mimic the effect of nicotine in your body, it also reduce the withdrawal symptoms and the chance of successfully quitting is doubled with this medicine.

Mind over matter – Without the will to stop you cannot stop no matter how many NRT you use or even if you overdose yourself with Champix. Controlling yourself not to smoke is the best remedy, it is normal to suffer from withdrawal symptoms but remember that this sacrifice will give a lifetime benefit to you and your love ones.

If you can’t control your body using your mind does this means that your body is more abundant than your mind?

Have mercy!

Second hand smoking is very common to everyone, children, men, women and elders suffer from this curse even if they do not smoke at all. Some merciless smokers don’t care if they are smoking in a public place or if there are people that can inhale their puffs, as long as they are satisfied they will do it regardless of the consequences that others might suffer. This is a common thing in a family where one of the members is a smoker, small children will suffer greatly from this, because their body is still young and their defense against these deadly toxins is still low. If you want to smoke then why not do it in a private place?or in a place designed for smoking, if you don’t care for your health please care for someone else health.

Recommended video: Great Anti-Smoking Advertisement

Sources:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/smokehealth.htm

http://www.wanderings.net/notebook/Main/WhatHappensToYourBodyWhenYouStopSmoking

http://quitsmoking.about.com/od/chemicalsinsmoke/a/chemicalshub.htm

http://www.stop-smoking-programs.org/smoking-diseases.html