Tip for father to be a friend with the baby blues

If you are a young father of his wife experienced baby blues, you may feel confused akan what you should do. Difficult for you to understand how a woman with a beautiful baby in her arm can be such a sad and maudlin. You might try cheers, let invites capricious or she wept, but no one who can help. What is your wife needed is your love, a lot of attentions, support and understanding, even though you do not truly understand :) .

Baby blues are often caused fear and solitude, but also can be caused by feeling anxious and lonely. Many young mothers do not feel confident they will maintain the ability of a new born baby and they are often very sensitive to comments that they consider critical to the way they treat the baby. The most important thing you can do is to let your wife know that he is always ready to assist you.

Try to get your wife in order to rest and recreation he needs and the most important, show him that you love and care about him.

Oh! And do not surprised if you feel a little sad too. This occurs in many young father. If this happens to you, follow the same advice that I give to your wife.

How to manage the baby blues?

"I can not explain to my husband what I felt. When feeling sad over, I gave in and the baby does ask. But, of course, will feel more comfortable if he lengannya to roll my shoulder. "
Approximately 50 to 80 percent of young mothers experience "baby blues". Usually starts on the second or third day after the baby is born and end no more than 10 days kemudian.

The symptoms

That include:
* Cry.
* Changes in feelings.
* Anxious.
* Lonely.
* A decrease in sexual appetite.
* Worried about the baby.
* Less confident about the ability to become a mother.

What should be done to prevent?

There are many things to do, such as:
* Prevention baby blues is still initiated at the time of pregnancy.
* Care of yourself.
* Eat a balanced menu, sports, and rest essential to prevent and reduce the feeling of change.

Your brain is controlled by a number of chemical and hormonal production is dependent on the supply of blood and oxygen and nutritional substances. The most effective way for the production of hormones is that sports will stimulate blood circulation, relax, making your body repair the damaged parts and restore energy, and good nutrition, which provides what is needed by the central nervous system to maintain a balance of emotional healthy. (Continue to eat a vitamin consumption during pregnancy during the next few months so that you get all the nutrition needed).

Feel Comfort

What should be done ?
* Many of rest. Ask for help the family, neighbor, friend or helpmate to keep your baby while you siesta.
* Each day try berekreasi. Plan out the baby with you, or ask the family to maintain the poppet while you go shopping, roads, following the exercises, or go for a night out with her husband.
* Eat foods with a balanced menu. Including many cereals, dairy products, fruits and fresh vegetables, and foods rich in protein such as fish, chicken, beef, cheese and pod-polongan.
* Ask for support. Tell a pair of what you feel and ask for help and support. Follow the assembly mothers, or mother's complicated friendship with another young mother-in your office.
* Trust yourself. Note that even without experience, many new parents do what is right for their baby.

What to Avoid ?
* Avoid too analyze your feelings. Baby blues is a normal event.
* Avoid trying to do all that you do like before your baby is born. Think a moment before giving the command in other people.
* Avoid exclude themselves from family and friends. You need private time, but also need support and friendship.

The period of depression in childbed

Depression during childbed or postpartum depression (PPD) is a term for the syndrome is very serious misconception. Experts do not agree with the very definition of this, then I will not try to define you. But I will tell you what it, what should I do if my experience it.

Symptoms of PPD include:

* It's hard to sleep, even when your baby is sleeping.
* Lost appetite.
* The freeze does not control or lose.
* Too worried or not at all the attention on the baby.
* No fear or touch like a baby.
* A scary thought about your baby.
* Little or no attention to personal appearance.
* Physical symptoms such as difficulty breathing or a feeling pulse.

If you experience these symptoms, you should inform your husband, the midwife / doctor and the trainers of childbirth preparation, about what you feel. Since if found early, the disease can be cured with medication and counseling. If the depression very heavy, you may need to be treated in the hospital.

Caesar Surgery (seksio sesarea) and Tips That Surgery

The process of the birth of a baby often does not smooth that and be like. Many factors that cause a mother can not reasonably undergo childbirth (per vaginam). Caesar surgery (seksio sesarea) often become the last option.

The advancement of Caesar Surgery Technology

Now with the advancement of medical science majunya field surgical technique, anesthesia, and perineonatologi (areas that deal fetus aged 28 weeks, born to be born after 28 weeks), surgical technology caesar experience rapid progress. At this time the frequency of the mother who can undergo surgery safely caesar increased to four times during her life. At the past, she only have chance in three times.

At the past, only known classical techniques of caesar surgery (Corpora) with a longitudinal slice from the navel down to the bone genitalia. Now slice can cross from left to right in the top right above the bikini. The aesthetic, this new surgical technique better.

The Cause of the Caesar Surgery
There are several causes of why the operation should be made caesar, namely

* Plasenta position under the womb
* Tumor arising in the way of birth
* Deviation disposition baby
* Baby is too big
* Maternal pelvis is too small
* Crisis occurred in the infant, such as lack of oxygen
* Plasenta functions that are not too good because the time limit or have a particular disease.

From a variety of factors, which most often is found so that the expectant mother must caesar surgery is risky because the fetus, plasenta location below, and the location of the baby aberration. Caesar operation can be predicted since the beginning of the pregnancy. For example, because the mother's narrow pelvis. However, the decision can also be done for caesar operation some time before birth, such as due to gravity on the fetus or plasenta function that is not good.

Advice and Tips

In each operation requires special preparation. Moreover surgery including caesar is large surgery. Here are suggestions and tips on caesar surgery :

1. Necessary preparation, both physical and mental capital. In this case, the doctor who will perform the operation will give the mother to know about the process of operating it. For example akan injected in the spine or dibius.

2. Doctors also need to know that to the mother after the surgery there will be some inconvenience is felt, can not drink like some time and can not move much.

3. With caesar surgery, then the next pregnancy will be greater the risk. The former have injured surgery have the potential for a lacerated during birth. Therefore, to be more secure, the next pregnancy for at least six months after the caesar surgery done. The next time the pregnancy, will be the better for the mother.

4. There is no prohibition in the food. Mother after surgery is recommended to eat foods that contain many nutrients and vitamins.

5. Just do normal activity as usual, but to accelerate the healing process after surgery. Avoid activities and sports that weight. Healthy way can still be home not too heavy.

6. Injury due to the surgery will usually recover in a total time of six months. Therefore, if you want to get pregnant again, so it's six months after surgery .

Epilepsy -- Myths and Facts

Myth: People with epilepsy are "epileptics."

Fact: The word "epileptic" should not be used to descrbe someone who has epilepsy, as it defines a person by one trait or problem. A label is powerful and can create a limiting and negative stereotype. It is better to refer to someone as "a person with epilepsy" or to a group of people as "people with epilepsy."

Myth: People with epilepsy are seldom brain-damaged.

Fact: Epilepsy is a disorder of brain and nerve-cell function that may or may not be associated with damage to brain structures. Brain function can be temporarily disturbed by many things, such as extreme fatigue; the use of sleeping pills, sedatives, or general anesthesia; or high fever or serious illness. "Brain damage" implies that something is permanently wrong with the brain's structure. This kind of damage may occur with severe head injury, cerebral palsy, Cerebral palsyA condition with various combinations of impaired muscle tone and strength, coordination, and intelligence.Close or stroke, or it may occur long before birth, with malformation or infection. Injuries to the brain are the cause of seizures in some people with epilepsy, but by no means all of them.

Brain injuries range from undetectable to disabling. Although brain cells usually do not regenerate, most people can make substantial recoveries. Brain damage, like epilepsy, carries a stigma, and some people may unjustly consider brain-injured patients "incompetent."

Myth: A seizure disorder is epilepsy.

Fact: Because some people fear the word "epilepsy," they use the term "seizure disorder" in an attempt to separate themselves from any association with it. However the term seizure disorder means the same thing as epilepsy. A person has epilepsy or a seizure disorder if he or she has had two or more seizures that "come out of the blue" and are not provoked—even if the problem first develops in adulthood or is known to be caused by something like a severe head injury or a tumor.

Myth: Seizures cause brain damage.

Fact: Single tonic-clonic seizures lasting less than 5-10 minutes are not known to cause brain damage or injury. However, there is evidence that more frequent and more prolonged tonic-clonic seizures may in some patients injure the brain. Prolonged or repetitive complex partial seizures (a type of seizure that occurs in clusters without an intervening return of consciousness) also can potentially cause long-lasting impairment of brain function.

Some people have difficulty with memory and other intellectual functions after a seizure. These problems may be caused by the aftereffects of the seizure on the brain, by the effects of seizure medicines, or both. Usually, however, these problems do not mean that the brain has been damaged by the seizure. There may be a cumulative, negative effect of many tonic-clonic or complex partial seizures on brain function, but this effect appears to be rare.

Myth: People with epilepsy are usually cognitively challenged.

Fact: People with epilepsy usually are not intellectually challenged. Many people mistakenly believe that people with epilepsy are also intellectually or developmentally challenged. In the large majority of situations, this is not true. Like any other group of people, people with epilepsy have different intellectual abilities. Some are brilliant and some score below average on intelligence tests, but most are somewhere in the middle. They have normal intelligence and lead productive lives. Some people, however, may have epilepsy associated with brain injuries that may cause other neurological difficulties that affects their thinking, remembering, or other cognitive CognitivePertaining to the mental processes of perceiving, thinking, and remembering; used loosely to refer to intellectual functions as opposed to physical functions.Closeabilities. The cognitive problems may be the only problem in most people. Less frequently, some people have other developmental problems that can affect the way they function and live.

Myth: People with epilepsy are violent or crazy.

Fact: The belief that people with epilepsy are violent is an unfortunate image that is both wrong and destructive. People with epilepsy have no greater tendency toward severe irritability and aggressive behaviors than do other people.

Many features of seizures and their immediate aftereffects can be easily misunderstood as "crazy" or "violent" behavior. Unfortunately, police officers and even medical personnel may confuse seizure-related behaviors with other problems. However, these behaviors merely represent semiconscious or confused actions resulting from the seizure. During seizures, some people may not respond to questions, may speak gibberish, undress, repeat a word or phrase, crumple important papers, or may appear frightened and scream. Some are confused immediately after a seizure, and if they are restrained or prevented from moving about, they can become agitated and combative. Some people are able to respond to questions and carry on a conversation fairly well, but several hours later they cannot remember the conversation at all.

Myth: People with epilepsy are mentally ill.

Fact: Epilepsy is not the same as mental illness and in fact, the majority of people with seizures do not develop mental health problems. Yet recent research is showing that problems with mood, such as anxiety and depression, may be seen more frequently than previously thought. The causes are not always known. In some people, the cause and location of the seizures may affect certain brain areas and contribute to mood problems. In others, side effects of treatments and the challenges of living with epilepsy may affect a person's feelings and behavior. If these problems occur, a variety of treatments are available.

Myth: Epilepsy is necessarily inherited.

Fact: Most cases of epilepsy are not inherited, although some types are genetically transmitted (that is, passed on through the family). Most of these types are easily controlled with seizure medicines.

Myth: Epilepsy is a life-long disorder.

Fact: Generally, people with epilepsy have seizures and require medication for only a small portion of their lives. About 60 % of people who develop seizures have epilepsy that can be easily controlled and is likely to remit or go away. However, about 25 % may develop difficult to control seizures and likely will require lifelong treatment. More than half of childhood forms of epilepsy are outgrown by adulthood. With many forms of epilepsy in children and adults, when the person has been free of seizures for 1 to 3 years, medications can often be slowly withdrawn and discontinued under a doctor's supervision.

Myth: Epilepsy is a curse.

Fact: Epilepsy has nothing to do with curses, possession, or other supernatural processes, such as punishment for past sins. Like asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure, epilepsy is a medical problem.

Myth: Epilepsy should be a barrier to success.

Fact: Epilepsy is perfectly compatible with a normal, happy, and full life. The person's quality of life, however, may be affected by the frequency and severity of the seizures, the effects of medications, reactions of onlookers to seizures, and other disorders that are often associated with or caused by epilepsy.

Some types of epilepsy are harder to control than others. Living successfully with epilepsy requires a positive outlook, a supportive environment, and good medical care. Coping with the reaction of other people to the disorder can be the most difficult part of living with epilepsy.

Acquiring a positive outlook may be easier said than done, especially for those who have grown up with insecurity and fear. Instilling a strong sense of self-esteem in children is important. Many children with long-term, ongoingic illnesses—not only epilepsy but also disorders such as asthma or diabetes—have low self-esteem. This may be caused in part by the reactions of others and in part by parental concern that fosters dependence and insecurity. Children develop strong self-esteem and independence through praise for their accomplishments and emphasis on their potential abilities.

Famous people with epilepsy include Julius Caesar, Socrates, Alexander the Great, Tchaikovsky, Van Gogh, Dostoyevski, Dickens, Dante, da Vinci, Mozart and Alfred Nobel.

source: www.epilepsy.com

People with Disability or Disorder -- Myths and Facts

Myth: People with disabilities are brave and courageous.
Fact: Adjusting to a disability requires adapting to a lifestyle, not bravery and courage.

Myth: All persons with hearing disabilities can read lips.
Fact: Lip-reading skills vary among people who use them and are never entirely reliable.

Myth: All persons who use wheelchairs are chronically ill or sickly.
Fact: The association between wheelchair use and illness may have evolved through hospitals using wheelchairs to transport sick people. A person may use a wheelchair for a variety of reasons, none of which may have anything to do with lingering illness.

Myth: Wheelchair use is confining; people who use wheelchairs are "wheelchair-bound."
Fact: A wheelchair, like a bicycle or an automobile, is a personal assistive device that enables someone to get around.

Myth: People with disabilities always need help.
Fact: Many people with disabilities are independent and capable of giving help. If you would like to help someone with a disability, ask if he or she needs it before you act.

Myth: The lives of people with disabilities are totally different than the lives of people without disabilities.
Fact: People with disabilities go to school, get married, work, have families, do laundry, grocery shop, laugh, cry, pay taxes, get angry, have prejudices, vote, plan and dream like everyone else.

Myth: People who are blind acquire a "sixth sense."
Fact: Although most people who are blind develop their remaining senses more fully, they do not have a "sixth sense."

Myth: People with disabilities are more comfortable with "their own kind."
Fact: In the past, grouping people with disabilities in separate schools and institutions reinforced this misconception. Today, many people with disabilities take advantage of new opportunities to join mainstream society.

Myth: Non-disabled people are obligated to "take care of" people with disabilities.
Fact: Anyone may offer assistance, but most people with disabilities prefer to be responsible for themselves.

Myth: Curious children should never ask people about their disabilities.
Fact: Many children have a natural, uninhibited curiosity and may ask questions that some adults consider embarrassing. But scolding curious children may make them think having a disability is "wrong" or "bad." Most people with disabilities won't mind answering a child's question.

Myth: It is all right for people without disabilities to park in accessible parking spaces, if only for a few minutes.
Fact: Because accessible parking spaces are designed and situated to meet the needs of people who have disabilities, these spaces should only be used by people who need them.

Myth: Most people with disabilities cannot have sexual relationships.
Fact: Anyone can have a sexual relationship by adapting the sexual activity. People with disabilities can have children naturally or through adoption. People with disabilities, like other people, are sexual beings.

Myth: There is nothing one person can do to help eliminate the barriers confronting people with disabilities.
Fact: Everyone can contribute to change.

source: http://ryanshopeinc.org/

Night Eating Syndrome (NES) -- Sign Diagnose, Symptoms, Triggers, Prevention and Treatment

Do You Have Night-eating Syndrome?

• You eat 50 percent or more of your daily food intake after dinner
• You have no appetite for breakfast
• You have trouble falling and/or staying asleep
• When you wake up during the night you often eat
• The foods you eat at night are mostly carbohydrates

When you’re spending more time each night in the kitchen than in the bedroom, you may have a newly identified eating disorder. Called night-eating syndrome (NES), the condition is characterised by a lack of appetite for breakfast; the consumption of more than 50 percent of daily calories after the evening meal, and waking up, at least, once a night to consume high-carbohydrate snacks. To receive a diagnosis of NES, symptoms must have continued for a minimum of three months.

If you have any combination of these signs, consult your doctor.

What is Night Eating Syndrome?

A new eating disorder spells a nightmare for those who suffer from it. Night eating syndrome is an eating disorder that has only been recognized as such since 1999, and affects between 1 and 2% of the population. NES is also characterized as a sleeping disorder. NES is often accompanied by or confused with sleep-related eating disorder (SRED), although the two are distinct.

Night Eating Syndrome is a disorder where the affected individual wakes multiple times during the night and is unable to fall back asleep unless they eat something. Foods eaten during the binge are often high caloric in content and unhealthy. The night eating behavior seems totally beyond the effected individual's control. For these individuals, 35% or more of their calories are eaten after dinnertime. Following the night binge, the person is often not hungry in the morning. Individuals suffering from Night Eating

This is an ongoing, persistent behavior, unlike the occasional late snack or skipped meal that most people have from time to time. In fact, people with this disorder are often unaware of their nocturnal meals, although some feel they won't be able to sleep without eating first. ( Note: a person falls asleep more easily on a full stomach. ) Among those who are aware of their night eating, there is often an emotional component; the diet of the night eater is comfort food.

What are the symptoms or behavior of NES?

People who suffer from night eating syndrome generally:

• Skip breakfast, and go several hours after waking before their first meal.
• Consume at least half their calories after dinner. (Many sources would list this as after 9 or 10 pm; dessert is generally not included, if one is eaten. ). Late night binges almost always consist of carbohydrates. However, this eating is typically spread over several hours, which is not consistent with a typical eating binge as seen in other eating disorders.
• Suffer from depression or anxiety, often in connection with their eating habits. These night eating episodes typically bring guilt rather than hedonic enjoyment.
• Has trouble sleeping in general; see insomnia. Is more likely than the general public to sleepwalk.

To be considered a bona fide disorder, this pattern should continue for two months or more. Syndrome are often caught in the vicious cycle of binge eating during the night and eating less during the day.

Are there Specific Triggers for NES ?

Triggers for Night Eating Syndrome include

• depression
• anxiety
• interpersonal stressors
• boredom
• prolonged dieting
• body image dissatisfaction

Night eating may temporarily relieve the stress of these unwanted feelings, but for the night eater these episodes are unfortunately followed by feelings of guilt, shame, disgust, and further depression. For the person suffering from NES, the eating episodes usually occur in secret and any evidence is often hidden from others. Similar to Anorexics, Bulimics, and Compulsive Overeaters, individuals suffering from NES are often struggling and unhappy with their weight. It is estimated that up to one percent of the population may be suffering from NES. Like Anorexia Nervosa Bulimia Nervosa, and Compulsive Overeating, NES is a disease and cannot be cured with willpower alone.

How is NES different from Binge Eating and Bulimia?

It is different from binge eating and bulimia. Individuals with night eating disorder consume relatively small snacks (with high calorie content) at night but far more frequently. Individuals with binge eating disorder and/or bulimia have very large and infrequent binges.

Can NES be Treated?

Yes. If you suspect that a family member has NES. Suggest that your family member see an eating disorder expert. Be prepared for denial, resistance, and even anger. A doctor and/or a counselor can help them battle their eating disorder. Treatment involves counseling, and paying attention to medical and nutritional needs.

The treatment should be tailored to the individual and will vary according to both the severity of the disorder and the patient's particular problems, needs, and strengths.

NES tends to lead to weight gain; as many as 28% of those seeking gastric-bypass surgery were found to suffer from NES in one study. In fact, while sufferers are not always overweight, one in four people who are overweight by 100 lbs or more are thought to suffer from night eating syndrome. The disorder is accompanied by what sufferers describe as an uncontrolable desire to eat, akin to addiction, and is often treated chemically.

Therapy to increase the natural nocturnal rise in melatonin, reduce the body's adrenal stress response and raise leptin levels or improve leptin sensitivity are options that may help these patients overcome the disorder. Another key may involve the availability of tryptophan, an important amino acid, in the body. More than 70% of the nighttime eating to combat anxiety involved binging on carbohydrates. These foods are believed to increase the amount of tryptophan available for conversion to serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter in the brain that promotes an overall sense of well-being and, in turn, converts to melatonin.

The antidepressant drug Zoloft has shown some ability to help NES sufferers.

NOTE: Addressing hormonal and biochemical imbalances in patients with chronic eating and mood disorders can be crucial for uncovering fundamental causes and contributing factors that underlie cyclical, habitual patterns of insomnia, overeating, and depression.

From Many Source

Learn How One Man Went from Breasts to Pecs

By Melissa Browne

Some women may be willing to pay for nice ones. But for many men, having breasts is an embarrassing and sometimes devastating problem.

"I was in 8th grade and I had taken my shirt off in the locker room and one of the kids next to me who was playing sports with me was like, 'Wow you have like boobs,'" said Edward Brodrick. "From then on it was just tormenting."

The medical term for what Broderick was suffering is gynecomastia. It's what many crassly refer to as "man boobs."

Click here to watch a video on Broderick's pectoral procedure

No man wants them. And many will do just about anything to get rid of them - diet, exercise, even hormonal therapy. But what some guys don't understand is that there are hidden health factors that are associated with this condition.

"Sometimes, we see it caused by obesity or gaining a lot of weight," explained Dr. Stephen Greenberg, a board certified plastic surgeon in Woodbury, N.Y. "And other times, (it's caused by) medications, prescription medications for high blood pressure or even steroid use. When you hit puberty, there are a lot of hormonal changes that set in and sometimes the boys get gynecomastia."

Greenberg also said use of illegal drugs by males during their teens and early 20's can cause the condition.

This condition is common and Greenberg said nearly 30 percent of men are affected by gynecomastia. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 14,000 boys ages 13-19 underwent surgery to remove unwanted breast tissue in 2006. Greenberg said it's one of the number one cosmetic procedure that men come to see him for.

"In general, when you are talking about gynecomastia, it’s a benign situation" said Greenberg. "The appearance of it is what bothers most people."

And that's exactly what bothered 28-year-old Broderick.

"I have wanted to do this my whole life," he said recently, just before undergoing corrective surgery for the problem.

Greenberg said surgical options are really the only way to rid this problem, and the procedure is quick with little downtime -- something men look for in cosmetic procedures.

"We do a little liposuction in the area of the chest, followed by a small incision at which time we remove the actual gland, the breast tissue is removed," he said. "The whole procedure takes less than an hour, and patients go back to work within 48 hours. And they’re back to normal with gym activity within about three to four weeks."

Patients will see an immediate difference, but full results can take up to a month.

And it was worth the wait and the pain for Broderick, who said the first thing he'll do once healed, "Oh take my shirt off and go to the beach."

Alcohol -- Top 10 Consuming Countries

Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries on per capita Basis Country / Consumption in Gallons of absolute or pure alcohol.

1. Portugal 2.98

2. Luxembourg 2.95

3. France 2.87

4. Hungary 2.66
5. Spain 2.66
6. Czech Republic 2.64
7. Denmark 2.61
8. Germany 2.50
9. Austria 2.50
10. Switzerland 2.43

Source: http://www2.potsdam.edu

Alcohol -- Facts & Fiction

This page corrects common alcohol and drinking myths, with research based facts and statistics.

Myth: Alcohol destroys brain cells.
Fact:
The moderate consumption of alcohol does not destroy brain cells. In fact it is often associated with improved cognitive (mental) functioning.

Myth: White wine is a good choice for a person who wants a light drink with less alcohol.
Fact:
A glass of white or red wine, a bottle of beer, and a shot of whiskey or other distilled spirits all contain equivalent amounts of alcohol and are they same to a Breathalyzer. A standard drink is:

* A 12-ounce bottle or can of regular beer
* A 5-ounce glass of wine
* A one and 1/2 ounce of 80 proof distilled spirits (either straight or in a mixed drink).

Myth: A "beer belly" is caused by drinking beer.
Fact:
A "beer belly" is caused by eating too much food. No beer or other alcohol beverage is necessary.

Myth: Switching between beer, wine and spirits will lead to intoxication more quickly than sticking to one type of alcohol beverage.
Fact:
The level of blood alcohol content (BAC) is what determines sobriety or intoxication. Remember that a standard drink of beer, wine, or spirits contain equivalent amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is alcohol and a drink is a drink.

Myth: Drinking coffee will help a drunk person sober up.
Fact:
Only time can sober up a person...not black coffee, cold showers, exercise, or any other common "cures." Alcohol leaves the body of virtually everyone at a constant rate of about .015 percent of blood alcohol content (BAC) per hour. Thus, a person with a BAC of .015 would be completely sober in an hour while a person with a BAC of ten times that (.15) would require 10 hours to become completely sober. This is true regardless of sex, age, weight, and similar factors.

Myth: Drinking long enough will cause a person to become alcoholic.
Fact:
There is simply no scientific basis for this misperception, which appears to have its origin in temperance and prohibitionist ideology.

Myth: Drinking alcohol causes weight gain.
Fact:
This is a very commonly believed myth, even among medical professionals, because alcohol has caloric value. However, extensive research around the world has found alcohol consumption be does not cause weight gain in men and is often associated with a small weight loss in women.

Myth: Alcohol stunts the growth of children and retards their development.
Fact:
Scientific medical research does not support this old temperance scare tactic promoted by the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Anti-Saloon League, the Prohibition Party, and similar groups.

Myth: Binge drinking is an epidemic problem on college campuses.
Fact:
Binge drinking is clinically and commonly viewed as a period of extended intoxication lasting at least several days during which time the binger drops out of usual life activities. Few university students engage in such bingeing behavior. However, a number sometimes consume at least four drinks in day (or at least five for men). Although many of these young people may never even become intoxicated, they are branded as binge drinkers by some researchers. This practice deceptively inflates the number of apparent binge drinkers. In reality, the proportion of college students who drink continues to decline, as does the percentage of those who drink heavily.

Myth: Men and women of the same height and weight can drink the same.
Fact:
Women are affected more rapidly because they tend to have a slightly higher proportion of fat to lean muscle tissue, thus concentrating alcohol a little more easily in their lower percentage of body water. They also have less of an enzyme (dehydrogenase) that metabolizes or breaks down alcohol, 9 and hormonal changes during their menstrual cycle might also affect alcohol absorption to some degree. 10

Myth: A single sip of alcohol by a pregnant woman can cause her child to have fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Fact:
Extensive medical research studying hundreds of thousands of women from around the world fails to find scientific evidence that light drinking, much less a sip of alcohol by an expectant mother, can cause fetal alcohol syndrome. Of course, the very safest choice would be to abstain during the period of gestation.

Myth: People who abstain from alcohol are "alcohol-free."
Fact:
Every person produces alcohol normally in the body 24 hours each and every day from birth until death. Therefore, we always have alcohol in our bodies. 11

Myth: Alcohol abuse is an increasing problem among young people.
Fact:
Heavy alcohol use among people in the US 17 years of age or younger actually dropped by an amazing two-thirds (65.9 percent) between 1985 and 1997, according to federal government research. 12 The proportion of young people who consumed any alcohol within the previous month dropped from 50% to 19% in about the same period. 13 Other federally funded research also documents the continuing decline in both drinking and drinking abuse among young people. 14 Similarly, alcohol-related traffic injuries and fatalities among young people continue to drop. Deaths associated with young drinking drivers aged 16 to 24 decreased almost half (47%) in a recent 15-year period.

Myth: People in the US are generally heavy consumers of alcohol.
Fact:
The US isn't even among the top ten alcohol consuming countries. Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries on per capita Basis Country / Consumption in Gallons of absolute or pure alcohol: At a consumption rate of only 1.74 per person, the US falls far down at 32nd on the list. 16

Myth: The US has very lenient underage drinking laws.
Fact:
The US has the most strict youth drinking laws in the Western world, including the highest minimum drinking age in the entire world. 17 And this is buttressed by a public policy

Myth: Alcohol advertising increases drinking problems.
Fact:
Hundreds of scientific research studies around the world have clearly demonstrated that alcohol advertising does not lead to increases in drinking abuse or drinking problems. Alcohol advertising continues because effective ads can increase a brand's share of the total market.

Myth: Bottles of tequila contain a worm.
Fact:
There is no worm in tequila. It's in mescal, a spirit beverage distilled from a different plant. And it's not actually a worm, but a butterfly caterpillar (Hipopta Agavis) called a gurano. 19

Myth: People who can "hold their liquor" are to be envied.
Fact:
People who can drink heavily without becoming intoxicated have probably developed a tolerance for alcohol, which can indicate the onset of dependency. 20

Myth: Many lives would be saved if everyone abstained from alcohol.
Fact:
Some lives would be saved from accidents now caused by intoxication and from health problems caused by alcohol abuse. However, many other lives would be lost from increases in coronary heart disease. For example, estimates from 13 studies suggest that as many as 135,884 additional deaths would occur each year in the US from coronary heart disease alone because of abstinence.

Myth: Drunkenness and alcoholism are the same thing.
Fact:
Many non-alcoholics on occasion become intoxicated or drunk. However, if they are not addicted to alcohol, they are not alcoholic. Of course, intoxication is never completely safe or risk-free and should be avoided. It is better either to abstain or to drink in moderation. While consuming alcohol sensibly is associated with better health and longer life, the abuse of alcohol is associated with many undesirable health outcomes.

Myth: Alcohol is the cause of alcoholism.
Fact:
As a governmental alcohol agency has explained, "Alcohol no more causes alcoholism than sugar causes diabetes." The agency points out that if alcohol caused alcoholism then all drinkers would be alcoholics. 22 In fact, a belief common among members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is that people are born alcoholic and are not caused to be alcoholic by alcohol or anything in their experience. They argue that many people are born and die alcoholic without ever having had a sip of alcohol. Of course, a person can't be a drinking or practicing alcoholic without alcohol.

Myth: If alcohol were less available there would be fewer alcoholics.
Fact:
This is an idea that has been tested through prohibition in the US and a number of other countries. There is no association between the availability of alcohol and alcoholism.

Myth: College life leads to drinking by most students who enter as abstainers.
Fact:
According to Federal statistics, most students arrive at college with prior drinking experience and te proportion of drinkers doesn't increase greatly during college.

Myth: Although not totally incorrect, but certainly not the whole truth, is the assertion that the younger children are when they have their first drink the more likely they are to experience drinking problems.
Fact:
Generally speaking, people who on their own begin drinking either much earlier or much later than their peers begin are more likely to experience subsequent drinking problems. 27 This appears to result from the fact that either behavior tends to reflect a tendency to be deviant. Therefore, delaying the age of first drink would not influence the incidence of drinking problems because it would not change the underlying predisposition to be deviant and to experience drinking problems. 28 And, of course, children who are taught moderation by their parents are less likely to abuse alcohol or have drinking problems.

Prohibition problems

Unfortunately, prohibition leads to a number of alcohol and other problems such as death and disability from contaminated illegal alcohol, the growth of organized crime, an increase in heavy drinking when alcohol can be obtained, a serious loss of tax revenue, the discouragement of moderation in consumption, a widespread disrespect for the law, and many other social ills.

Even if it were somehow possible to prohibit the consumption of alcohol, people who have emotional or psychological problems and need a "crutch" would simply turn to the abuse of other, frequently illegal, substances.

Source: http://www2.potsdam.edu

Ways to Help Your Teen Stay Out of a Gang

Criminal street gangs are a serious problem nationwide. Gangs recruit new, very young members every day; many of those new members will become career criminals.

Here are some ways to help your teen stay out of a gang:

• Get him or her involved in activities such as sports or music lessons
• Get involved in his or her school
• Establish rules; set limits, and be consistent, firm and fair
• Get to know his or her friends, as well as the friends' parents
• Show respect for his or her feelings and attitudes
• Develop good communication
• Spend time as a family
• Be a good role model
• Educate yourself about gang and drug activity in your community
• Know where your child is-be aware that 3 to 6 pm is an especially risky time

What are the signs that your child is involved with a gang? You need to pay attention to his or her friends and habits. Has there been a change lately? Here are some things to look for:

• Excessive need for privacy and secrecy
• Use of hand signs with friends
• Injuries from his "friends"
• Peculiar drawings or language on school books
• Unexplained cash or expensive clothing or jewelry
• Gang-member friends
• Obsession with a particular color of clothing
• Withdrawal from family
• New, undesirable friends-and loss of old friends
• Disrespect for you and your expectations

It is extremely difficult for a gang member to get out once he or she has been initiated.
If your child is already in a gang, don't try to handle the situation on your own.

You need to draw on all the resources possible to ensure your child's success. Find out about anti-gang organizations in the community. Contact local law enforcement and the school administrators and counselors.

Source: http://www.parenting.org/

Protecting Your Child from a Sexual Predator Kidnapping

How can you educate your kids and keep them safe from an abductor? Start with these five tips.

Games to Kidnap-Proof Your Child

Most often, sexual predators are people kids know. So how do you help them discern the good from the bad? These resources and tips -- some from organizations created by parents of high-profile kidnapping victims like Polly Klaas and Megan Kanka -- can help.

1. Test your child's safety IQ -- and yours

Does your child know who to ask for help if he's lost? Or what to do if a nice lady asks for directions? The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) offers online safety quizzes that make great educational tools -- for parents and kids. Do you know what to do if you suspect online "stalking" or sexual exploitation of a child? Go to their site and find out at www.missingkids.com.

2. Use online games to practice "What would you do..." scenarios
There are lots of games (most for kids ages 5 to 17) that simulate online and day-to-day activities to help kids identify potential dangers. Use them as a springboard to teach your child how to handle them. Pretend you're a stranger on the phone, asking questions about when Mom and Dad come home from work. Would your child know what to say?Here are some of the sites to check out:

• NetSmartz.org -- Meet Clicky, a cute robot that sings catchy rap songs to help kids memorize safety rules. He also stars in videos and games that show kids the right thing to do when approached by a stranger when online. NetSmartz is a joint program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
• McGruff.org -- McGruff is the dog from the National Crime Prevention Council that tells kids to "take a bite out of crime." Puzzles, slide shows, and games teach kids how to say "No!" to strangers and how to get home safely.
• idthecreep.com -- This game teaches kids how to identify the "creeps" on e-mail, chat, and IM. It simulates conversations tweens and teens might have, using different characters kids can select. This site is also from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, and it's available in English and Spanish.
• Wiredkids.com -- Superheroes and cute cartoons are the spokespersons for four connected sites: Wiredkids.org, InternetSuperHeroes.org, Katiesplace.org, and Teenangels.org -- all part of Wired Kids, a worldwide charity that offers information on how to keep children safe from online sexual exploitation. Let your kids check out their games and quizzes.

Parental Controls and Training Programs

3. Use Parental Controls and make a safety pledge
Net Nanny Parental Controls, CYBERsitter, and Cyberpatrol are popular software that let you specify with which buddies your child can chat or e-mail and which sites are okay to visit. For a comparison chart, visit http://internet-filter-review.toptenreviews.com.

Once you have the right filtering system for your computer, print out a safety pledge you and your child can sign and post by your computer. Here's one from Safekids.com: http://www.safekids.com/safekidscontract.pdf.

4. Train them to fight back
A program called radKIDS, an offshoot of Rape Aggression Defense, trains kids ages 5 to 12 defense skills against abduction. (Screaming "Stay back, you're not my parent!" when sensing an attack is one of them.) Explain that they'll probably never have to use any of these techniques, but you want them to know what to do -- and that knowing these things will help them feel safer. To locate a program near you, visit www.radkids.org/programs.html.

Be Prepared and Raise Awareness

5. Do some prep work -- just in case
Did you know it takes parents about two hours to gather all the information law officials need to find a missing child? Scary stat: According to the Department of Justice, 74 percent of the children murdered by non-family members are killed within the first three hours of abduction. Always keep pictures of your kids at hand, and consider using some of these tools to help you maximize this crucial time should the unthinkable occur.

• Do-It-Yourself DNA Sampling Kit -- There are several sites that offer them. Check out the one from the KlaasKids Foundation and the State of California DNA Laboratory at www.klaaskids.org/pg_cs_dnakit.htm.
• Child ID Kit -- The National Alert Registry offers a free printable where you can include your child's photo, weight, height, and fingerprints. Visit http://www.registeredoffenderslist.org/child-id-kit.pdf.
• AMBERstick -- This is a USB flash drive where you can store your family's vital information, including photos, and carry it on your key chain. All the information is encrypted and secured with a password. If a family member goes missing, a police officer can plug it into his cruiser's computer USB port and transmit all the info to law enforcement -- even "Missing Person" flyers are automatically created. For more information, visit www.codeamber.org.

source: http://www.parents.com/

Hint to Help Pressure-proof Your Children

Young people are susceptible to social pressure due to insecurities, desire to fit in, looking for status, need for excitement, fear of losing friends, wanting to be noticed or envied, looking to assert autonomy, find an identity, looking for support/approval, wanting to succeed at something. Here are five helpful hints you as a parent can use to help pressure-proof your children:

• Identify what and why your children are susceptible to peer pressure.
  
  
• Protect them by finding ways to lessen how much time they spend in unsupervised activities where sources of social pressure are present.
  
  
• Teach and empower your children with skills that will help them to deal with stressful/pressure-packed situations.
  
  
• Design and implement appropriate ways for your children to get their needs (to fit in, belong, excitement, etc.) met. This might include maximizing the time they spend with appropriate social influences.
  
  
• Maintain strong relationships with your children that include open, honest communication.

source: ttp://www.parenting.org/

Five Conversations to Have with Your Teens

One of the most important things you can do is to take time to talk to your teen, says WebMD's Dr. Charlotte Grayson Mathis. And not just on the topics mentioned below—sit down every day with your teenager and keep up with what's going on in his or her life. Be open-minded, curious and avoid judgments that may backfire on you! Use these talking points to get the conversation started.

Dating and Sex

It's likely that you've already addressed this topic in some form in your child's preteen years. If you haven't, now's the time—and if you have, it's time for a refresher. Most importantly, give your teen the facts about anatomy, sexual intercourse, pregnancy, fertility, birth control, self-image, peer pressure, sexually transmitted diseases, rape and the emotional aspects of sexuality.

If you're uncomfortable with the subject, practice beforehand. You can use available opportunities to open the discussion about sex-related issues, such as a TV show or a book. Help your teen know that it's not cool to date just because everyone else is—dating is a responsibility and he or she should treat others with respect. Share your values and expectations with them and make sure they know that no means no.

Dating should be fun, not stressful, scary or threatening. If any of that happens, tell your teen they should talk to a trusted adult.

Smoking, Drinking and Drugs

The teen years are often your child's introduction to these deadly habits. You need to send a clear—and consistent—message to your teen that smoking, drinking alcohol and using drugs are not tolerated. They may listen to their friends, but you're the most important influence in their lives. If you're clear, they'll hear you. Work hard to bolster your teen's self-esteem so he or she can resist the temptations and pressures to try drugs.

Creating a Healthy Body Image

Take the time to sit down and have a conversation with your teen to find out what she thinks of her body. If her thoughts seem unhealthy, you should make an appointment with your doctor.

To create a healthy atmosphere for your teen at home, you should always avoid talking negatively about weight and food. You can keep them on track by stocking your kitchen with healthy food choices and remember—they are growing, so they're always hungry. Lastly, don't forget to compliment their actions more than their appearance. Instilling these simple concepts will help your children grow up feeling confident and secure about who they are.

Money

Now's the time to help your child develop the financial habits that will make or break them in the future. Make your teen responsible for his or her own money. Help them set a budget and track their income and expenditures so they can learn to save—for both short and long-term goals. It's also important to educate them on the wise use of credit and how to start investing.

Getting a Good Education

While the ultimate decision on career or jobs is up to your teen, you can have a tremendous influence on their choices. If you truly want your child to go to college, they usually want to go, too. Help them to choose the right course work in high school to prepare them for college.

You can do wonders for your children if you instill in them a great attitude and thirst for learning—make academics, not social life a priority.

Source: http://www2.oprah.com/

Be a Character Role Model

One of the most powerful teaching tools parents have is modeling the behavior they want children to learn. In character education, that means "walking the talk," or being the person of high integrity you're helping children to become.

You may be a good role model now, but remember, you don't have to be sick to get better. Everything you do, and don't do, sends a message to children about your values. Be sure your messages are about doing the right thing, even when it is hard to do. When you slip (and all of us do), act the way you want your children to behave when they make a mistake - be accountable, apologize sincerely and work to do better.

The following "Parents' Pledges" were developed by the CHARACTER COUNTS! Coalition to help parents focus on specific behaviors they can model as part of their teaching. Perhaps they will be a source of inspiration for you.

A Parent's Pledge: Trustworthiness

• I will be as honest as I want my children to be.
• I won't lie to my children or in front of them.
• I will not treat honesty as a rule of convenience by excusing acts of dishonesty or deception as exceptions.
• I will avoid hypocrisy like preaching against smoking, drinking or drugs while doing those activities.
• I will demonstrate consistently the strength of my moral convictions by paying whatever price necessary to do what I think is right, risking loss of money, approval and even employment.
• I will treat my word as my bond in all cases.
• I will avoid legalistic escape hatches in dealing with my children, honoring the spirit as well as the letter of my promises.

A Parent's Pledge: Respect

• I will listen with respect and treat my children's views seriously.
• I will avoid selfish and petty behavior and power plays, especially where my children are concerned.
• I will exercise self-restraint and maintain the kind of self-discipline I expect from my children with respect to violence, yelling or other displays of temper.
• I will use only the kind of language I want my children to use.

A Parent's Pledge: Responsibility

• I will demonstrate a willingness to admit when I am wrong and to take my medicine, and expect the same from my children.
• I will avoid shifting the blame and making excuses regarding my own shortcomings or mistakes, and expect the same from my children.
• I will assign reasonable age-appropriate responsibilities to my children and see that there are meaningful consequences if they fail to perform their duties.
• I will insist that my children keep their commitments at home, at school and in extracurricular activities.

A Parent's Pledge: Fairness

• I will not resort to arbitrary power to get my way when I have taught that general rules of fairness are applicable.
• I will treat all my children equally and fairly.
• I will be open and reasonable to discussion and criticism.

A Parent's Pledge: Caring

• I will remember that my children are stakeholders in everything I do.
• I will demonstrate compassion and respect for others, especially my children.
• I will be visibly charitable and involve my children in choosing charities to support.
• I will not discount, belittle or trivialize my children's feelings and fears.

A Parent's Pledge: Citizenship

• I will obey the law in all matters.
• I will vote in all elections and perform other civic duties such as jury duty, testifying as a witness and reporting crimes as the opportunities arise.
• I will conserve energy and avoid littering or other forms of pollution.

Source: http://www.parenting.org/

Five Conversations to Have with Your Children

It's not always easy to talk to a child, says WebMD's Dr. Charlotte Grayson Mathis. They are always on the go, they have short attention spans and it's often hard to explain things to them in a way that makes sense. There are some important lessons though that you can teach your preschooler or big kid.

Most importantly, make a habit when your child is young to talk to them every day about their life and activities. Don't judge them, just listen…and learn. Developing the habit now will serve you well for the years to come.

Controlling Their Temper

Thankfully, tantrums are far less common than when your angel was a terrible 2. As they get older, it's much easier to talk to your child and teach them how to handle his or her anger and frustration. Just remember to avoid conceding to their demands, and defuse any physical outbursts toward a sibling or others by removing the child from the situation. After the storm's passed, talk to your child about what's troubling him or her.

Why They Shouldn't Use Swear Words

It's shocking to see your precious child say the "s" word. It may even seem a bit funny, but don't laugh. Tell your child to not use the offensive word and offer alternatives to help him or her express themselves. If that doesn't work, consider punishing the child for the behavior.

Eating Right

The battle over what your child will or won't eat is a familiar and frustrating problem for most parents. Remember this: Try to offer your child a variety of healthy choices at each meal, including one thing they definitely like. Don't worry if they eat nothing one day, and pig out the next. And recognize that while their diet may be awful and one dimensional for a few days, over time, it usually balances out.

Sharing

At different ages, kids have different capacities to share their toys and personal items—and every kid is different. So, set a good example, show your kids how you're cooperative at home and reward good behavior. It will come in time.

Recognizing a Stranger

One thing's for certain, our idea of a stranger is very different than our child's. Explain "stranger danger" in an age-appropriate way. For instance, use the movie Finding Nemo to introduce the topic to a preschooler. Tell your child that a friendly face doesn't mean that a person's not a stranger. A stranger is anyone your child doesn't know.

With an older child, review the scenarios in which they may be lured away from you, including offering candy or requesting help finding a lost pet. Tell your kids to always stick with their friends and not go off alone. Teach your kid how to shout "NO" and run away from a situation that's uncomfortable. Make sure to teach them their address and home phone number.

source:http://www2.oprah.com/