scoobyjosh Blogspot

How to Get Rid of Black Circles Under Your Eyes

2009-03-03T05:01:00.002+08:00

Skin discoloration under the eyes affects just about everybody at some time or another. For some of us, however, these “dark circles” are a near-constant bother. While these conditions are occasionally symptomatic of other illnesses, the usual cause is allergies, tiredness, or, unfortunately, heredity. No matter what the cause, you can still reduce the appearance of dark circles, and in some cases, you may be able to get rid of them altogether.

Steps:

#1. Schedule a blood test with your physician. Establish whether or not this condition runs in your family. Dark circles are believed to frequently be hereditary. This doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about the conditions, but you should be prepared for minimal success actually trying to get rid of them. Dark circles under the eye may also, in fact, be light carbon deposits that result from incomplete protein digestion. Incomplete protein digestion may result from insufficient hydrochloric acid in your stomach that may be caused from a lack of primarily B6 and Folic Acid. About 30% of the population does not absorb regular B6 (pydroxine) or folic acid and need to take in these vitamins in a different form or another way.

#2. Identify allergens. Allergies may be the most common cause of skin discoloration under the eyes. If allergies are the root of your problem, you simply need to treat them or remove the allergen (i.e., the thing to which you are allergic). Seasonal allergy problems such as the hay fever can frequently be effectively treated with over-the-counter and prescription medications. For other allergies the best course of action is usually avoidance. If your dark circles or puffiness are constant, you may have an undetected food allergy or an allergy to a chemical in your home or workplace. Talk to a dermatologist for help determining what you may be allergic to. People with allergies also tend again to be deficient in B6, folic acid and B12 on occasion. Taking a multivitamin, if you don't already, may help with your allergies as well as black circles.

#3. Get plenty of sleep nightly. It’s not entirely clear why inadequate sleep results in dark circles under the eyes, but we’ve all seen it happen either to ourselves or someone we know. For one thing, lack of sleep tends to cause the skin to become paler (thus increasing the appearance of darkness under the eyes), and it reduces circulation. It’s also believed that too little time lying down is a cause in itself. Determine how much sleep you need (it’s usually 7-9 hours per night, but varies throughout different people) and try to get that amount regularly for a couple of weeks to see if that helps. Remember that alcohol and drugs can adversely affect the quality of your sleep; abstain from these products or use only in moderation for best results. A lack of sleep, coupled with poor vitamin absorption also tends to reduce adrenal function. The less adrenal function you have the less B6 you tend to absorb, the less B6 you absorb, the less well your adrenal glands work and alas you end up in a vicious circle. Sleep, regular vitamins for those that need them, and good calcium/magnesium support in the form of milk or good mineral supplement restores adrenal function. So if you want to break the cycle and the black circles under your eyes, you've got to reduce your stress, sleep more and take the proper vitamins and minerals to support the adrenal function in general.

#4. Treat your skin while you sleep. There are overnight facial masques available that may help reduce the appearance of puffiness or discoloration, but you can also make your own. Just before you go to bed, take a washcloth and wet it just a bit with cold water. Then squeeze out any excess water and place it over your eyes as you sleep. Treating your skin may help, but the real problem may also be that you have a poor vitamin and mineral absorption problem that must also be corrected. Seeing a naturopathic physician may help for those people who suffer other ailments such as miscellaneous aches and pains that come and go and a general run down feeling.

#5. Apply cool tea bags, an ice cube wrapped in soft cloth, or cucumber slices to your eyes daily. The tannin in tea bags has been shown to reduce swelling and discoloration, and cucumber slices have long been used to reduce puffiness and refresh the appearance of skin around the eyes. Lie down, preferably in the morning, and leave fresh cucumber slices or cool, damp caffeinated tea bags (you can refrigerate them overnight so they’ll be ready) over your eyes for about 10-15 minutes. Keep your eyes closed.

#6. Try to relax the space. You can do this by wetting a cotton swab and then freezing it for a little while. Then you should gently wipe under your eyes in the areas where the circles are occurring. When wiping, close your eyes and try not to flinch.

#7. Apply an eye cream containing vitamin K and retinol. Dark circles may be caused by a deficiency of vitamin K. Regardless of the cause, however, recent research has shown that skin creams containing these two ingredients reduce puffiness and discoloration significantly in many patients. Long-term daily use seems to have the greatest effect.

#8. Avoid rubbing your eyes. Usually rubbing of the eyes is brought on by allergies, but not always. Regardless of the reason, stop doing it. The rubbing irritates the skin and can break tiny capillaries beneath the skin, causing both puffiness and discoloration.

#9. Eat a healthy, balanced diet, take vitamins, and drink plenty of water. A whole host of cosmetic problems can be attributed to vitamin deficiencies. Dark circles and puffiness are often attributed to lack of vitamin K or inadequate antioxidants. Also, a deficiency in B12 (usually anemia-related) can result in dark circles. Be sure to get plenty of fruits and vegetables—especially cabbage, spinach, and other leafy green vegetables—and take a daily vitamin supplement if necessary. Get adequate fluids to improve circulation.

#10. Reduce salt intake. Excess salt causes the body to retain water in unusual places, and this can result in puffiness under the eyes. Too much salt can also impair your circulation, and cause the blood vessels under the skin to appear bluer.

#11. Quit smoking. Smoking causes vascular (blood vessel) problems that can not only threaten your life, but also make your blood vessels appear more prominent and bluer beneath the skin.

Beer Hair Rinse

2009-03-01T05:06:00.001+08:00

Don't throw away the last few drops of beer in the can: did you know that you can get great benefits by rinsing your hair with beer? Beer is actually an excellent hair tonic. You can try out Beer Hair Rinse in four forms, Simple Beer Hair Rinse, Beer Conditioner with Jojoba Oil, Beer and Cider Vinegar Rinse and Beer Tonic. Beer Hair Rinse is in fact a quite popular and surely effective solution among the homemade beauty recipes.

Simple Beer Hair Rinse:

What you need:
A can of flat beer which does not have a strong odor of alcohol.

Frequency of use:
Once a month

How to Apply:
It is very easy to apply a simple beer hair rinse. Rinse your hair thoroughly with the beer. You can then wash off the beer with warm water.

Benefits:

* Beer is rich in vitamin B.
* The sugar content in beer (along with vitamin B) adds body and shine to hair.

Digital Photography: All About Flash

2009-02-27T02:35:00.000+08:00

WHEN TO USE FLASH

Most amateur photographers and all snapshooters use flash exactly at the wrong times, ensuring amateur-looking images. Proper use of flash is far more important than what kind of camera you have. Any point-and-shoot used properly will give far better results than any Leica, Canon or Nikon used the way most amateurs do.

Most people incorrectly leave the flash OFF in daylight which leads to harsh, ugly sunlight on their friends' faces. Turning the flash ON in bright sunlight will help lighten the shadows to make them look much more natural. On a P/S camera just push the flash button a few times until the little flash icon appears, on a Nikon just turn on the flash. Also in backlit photos you'll be able to see your friends instead of just getting silhouettes.

SYNC MODES

Most people incorrectly use flash indoors or in low light at night. Using the flash with the usual default sync mode indoors leads to the nasty black backgrounds and washed out people indoors. What's worse, those nasty black backgrounds confuse printing machines into making the prints too light, and then these poor photographers blame the camera for over exposing their flash shots!

If you are doing studio strobe work or macro photography lit only by the flash of course it's OK to use fast sync. This just isn't what most ordinary people photograph.

With disposable cameras this is your only choice. With most point-and-shoots and all Nikons you should either turn the flash OFF and shoot by available light if your subject is reasonably still, or for photographing people or moving objects use the flash in the SLOW REAR or SLOW sync mode.

These SLOW sync modes are also in many P/S cameras. In a P/S camera one typically pushes the flash button until a little moon and city icon ("Night Mode" in Japanese) appears.

The SLOW sync modes allow the camera to make a long enough exposure of the background (ambient) light for it to look natural. Otherwise it always looks way too dark at the usual 1/60 sync speed people use. Really stupid photographers use the 1/250 sync speed for indoor photos and make the effect even worse. Best to try the slowest speed you can, like 1/30, if you're setting the shutter manually.

Both SLOW and SLOW REAR give the same exposure and f/stops. SLOW pops the flash at the beginning of the exposure, and SLOW REAR pops it at the end.

This matters if you have an exposure long enough to blur anything. If you do, the effect of the flash popping at the start of the exposure makes the subject appear to streak backwards from the ghost image frozen by the flash. You see the ghost and the streak moves forwards from it, showing the ghost at the back of the streak. Bad. SLOW REAR reverses this effect and gives the illusion of the subject moving forward from the ghost. This is because you see a streak, and then the flash pops at the end (front) of the streak. It might make more sense to rename SLOW REAR to "front" sync, but that's another story.

Since SLOW REAR mode fires the flash at the end of the long exposure it serves another purpose: people think the photo is taken when the flash fires, so having the flash fire at the end (rear) of the exposure keeps them still and smiling the whole time the shutter is open waiting for your camera to go off. This trick goes away for digital and newer SLR cameras since most of them fire very visible preflashes before the exposure. (The camera companies lie about them being invisible.) Thus you'll get a double flash effect.

Of course if you are trying to freeze moving things you won't with SLOW sync. You'll get the blurry streaks behind people that you see all the time in National Geographic Magazine. These streaks convey a sense of motion and I like them.

FLASH DIFFUSION

Flash on the camera is the nastiest looking light you can get. For use as fill this is usually fine, however you'll get more natural results by using a cheap diffuser if your subject is close enough. Even many professionals don't realize this, and you'll often see famous photographers suggest turning the flash fill level down a stop or two. They have to do this because the harsh on-camera fill flash may look unnatural. If you diffuse the flash (as simple as bouncing it off a big white card) then you can let the camera use the normal amount of fill flash and it will both look natural due to the diffusion, and be more effective because it can be at the correct level and not turned down a stop or two.

I prefer the $20 Lumiquest reflector gizmo that folds flat in my case and attaches with Velcro. Note that the area of the reflector is much bigger than the lens of the flash itself, giving a much softer quality to the light.

GREAT FILL FLASH INDOORS

Here's how to get great, natural looking fill indoors with most SLR cameras:

a.) Set the camera to SLOW sync

b.) Point camera-mounted flash up at the ceiling

c.) Pull out a built-in little white card or rubber-band one behind the flash so a little bit of light will bounce forward off the card. This light from the card will give a nice catchlight to their eyes while most of the light goes up to the ceiling to fill the room with soft, natural fill light. (Hint: if the room light is too dark to give a reasonably short exposure time in SLOW sync you can try the regular sync mode, in which case the entire shot is lit only by the flash bouncing off the ceiling and the little off the little white card. In this case forget bothering with color compensation filters mentioned in e.) below.)

d.) Set flash to TTL exposure mode. This will vary with camera brand. You want the mode that will blend the levels of ambient and flash light automatically.

e.) Filter or gel the flash to match the color of the existing room light, and filter your camera to match it. This way both the ambient room light and flash fill match. With a digital camera of course you set the camera's white balance to match room lighting and then get a colored gel to put over the flash for tungsten or fluorescent. You can get these gel filters in sheets for a few dollars at theatrical stage and lighting stores found in every decent sized city.

New LG notebook to hit Europe this March 2009

2009-02-23T11:08:00.001+08:00

The yet-unnamed netbook will feature built-in 3G connectivity, a 160GB hard drive, and integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam. All these run on Windows XP, backed by an Intel Atom 1.6Ghz processor and 1GB of RAM. Line-in and line-out, at least one USB port, and VGA out also seem to be part of the package.

Definitely not a portable gaming powerhouse, but netbooks were never about high-level framerates on-the-go anyway. And the use of XP makes this gadget a great performer for “low-intensity” tasks like surfing, presentations, typing out reports, and the like.

Guide to Quit Smoking

2009-02-03T22:39:00.000+08:00

Guide to Quit Smoking
("It Kills you before you pull the trigger")

What do I need to know about quitting?

The US Surgeon General has said, "Smoking cessation [stopping smoking] represents the single most important step that smokers can take to enhance the length and quality of their lives."

Quitting smoking is not easy, but you can do it. To have the best chance of success in quitting, you need to know what you’re up against, what your options are, and where to go for help. You'll find this information here.

Why is it so hard to quit smoking?

Mark Twain said, "Quitting smoking is easy. I've done it a thousand times." Maybe you've tried to quit, too. Why is quitting and staying quit hard for so many people? The answer is nicotine.

Nicotine

Nicotine is a drug found naturally in tobacco. It is highly addictive -- as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Over time, a person becomes physically and emotionally addicted to (dependent on) nicotine. Studies have shown that smokers must deal with both the physical and psychological (mental) dependence to quit and stay quit.

How nicotine gets in, where it goes, and how long it stays

When you inhale smoke, nicotine is carried deep into your lungs. There it is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and carried throughout your body. Nicotine affects many parts of the body, including your heart and blood vessels, your hormones, your metabolism, and your brain. Nicotine can be found in breast milk and even in mucus from the cervix of a female smoker. During pregnancy, nicotine freely crosses the placenta and has been found in amniotic fluid and the umbilical cord blood of newborn infants.

Several different factors can affect how long it takes the body to remove nicotine and its by-products. In most cases, regular smokers will still have nicotine or its by-products, such as cotinine, in their bodies for about 3 to 4 days after stopping.

How nicotine hooks smokers

Nicotine produces pleasant feelings that make the smoker want to smoke more. It also acts as a kind of depressant by interfering with the flow of information between nerve cells. As the nervous system adapts to nicotine, smokers tend to increase the number of cigarettes they smoke. This, in turn, increases the amount of nicotine in the smoker's blood. After a while, the smoker develops a tolerance to the drug. Tolerance means that it takes more nicotine to get the same effect that the smoker used to get from smaller amounts. This leads to an increase in smoking over time. The smoker reaches a certain nicotine level and then keeps smoking to maintain this level of nicotine. In fact, nicotine inhaled in cigarette smoke reaches the brain faster than drugs that enter the body intravenously (IV).

Nicotine withdrawal symptoms can lead quitters back to smoking

When smokers try to cut back or quit, the lack of nicotine leads to withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal is both physical and mental. Physically, the body reacts to the absence of nicotine. Mentally, the smoker is faced with giving up a habit, which calls for a major change in behavior. The physical and mental both must be addressed for the quitting process to work.

Those who have smoked regularly for a few weeks or longer, and suddenly stop using tobacco or greatly reduce the amount smoked, will have withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms usually start within a few hours of the last cigarette and peak about 2 to 3 days later when most of the nicotine and its by-products are out of the body. Withdrawal symptoms can last for a few days to up to several weeks.

Withdrawal symptoms can include any of the following:

* dizziness (which may only last 1 to 2 days after quitting)

* depression

* feelings of frustration, impatience, and anger

* anxiety

* irritability

* sleep disturbances, including having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and having bad dreams or even nightmares

* trouble concentrating

* restlessness

* headaches

* tiredness

* increased appetite

These symptoms can lead the smoker to start smoking cigarettes again to boost blood levels of nicotine back to a level where there are no symptoms. (For information on coping with withdrawal, see the section, "How to quit.")

Smoking also makes your body get rid of certain drugs faster than usual. When you quit smoking, it changes the way your body handles some medicines. Ask your doctor if any medicines you take regularly need to be checked or changed after you quit.

Why should I quit?

Your health

Health concerns usually top the list of reasons people give for quitting smoking. This is a very real concern: About half of all smokers who keep smoking will end up dying from a smoking-related illness.

Cancer

Nearly everyone knows that smoking can cause lung cancer, but few people realize it is also a risk factor for many other kinds of cancer too, including cancer of the mouth, voice box (larynx), throat (pharynx), esophagus, bladder, kidney, pancreas, cervix, stomach, and some leukemias.

Lung diseases

Pneumonia has been included in the list of diseases known to be caused by smoking since 2004. Smoking also increases your risk of getting lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. These diseases are grouped together under the term COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD causes chronic illness and disability, and worsens over time -- sometimes becoming fatal. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis can be found in people as young as 40, but are usually found later in life, when the symptoms get much worse. Long-term smokers have the highest risk of developing severe COPD.

Heart attacks, strokes, and blood vessel diseases

Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as are non-smokers. And smoking is a major risk factor for peripheral vascular disease, a narrowing of the blood vessels that carry blood to the leg and arm muscles. Smoking also affects the walls of the vessels that carry blood to the brain (carotid arteries), which can cause strokes. Men who smoke are more likely to develop erectile dysfunction (impotence) because of blood vessel disease.

Blindness and other problems

Smoking causes an increased risk of macular degeneration, one of the most common causes of blindness in older people. It also causes premature wrinkling of the skin, bad breath, bad-smelling clothes and hair, yellow fingernails.

Special risks to women and babies

Women have some unique risks linked to smoking. Women over 35 who smoke and use birth control pills have a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and blood clots of the legs. Women who smoke are more likely to miscarry (lose the baby) or have a lower birth-weight baby. And low birth-weight babies are more likely to die, or have learning and physical problems.

Years of life lost due to smoking

Based on data collected in the late 1990s, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that adult male smokers lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking. And given the diseases that smoking can cause, it can steal your quality of life long before you die. Smoking-related illness can limit your activities by making it harder to breathe, get around, work, or play.

Why quit now?

No matter how old you are or how long you've smoked, quitting can help you live longer and be healthier. People who stop smoking before age 50 cut their risk of dying in the next 15 years in half compared with those who keep smoking. Ex-smokers enjoy a higher quality of life with fewer illnesses from cold and flu viruses, better self-reported health, and reduced rates of bronchitis and pneumonia.

For decades the Surgeon General has reported the health risks linked to smoking. In 1990, the Surgeon General concluded:

* Quitting smoking has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. These benefits apply to people who already have smoking-related disease and those who don't.

* Ex-smokers live longer than people who keep smoking.

* Quitting smoking lowers the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease.

* Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birth-weight baby to that of women who never smoked.

* The health benefits of quitting smoking are far greater than any risks from the small weight gain (usually less than 10 pounds) or any emotional or psychological problems that may follow quitting.

When smokers quit -- What are the benefits over time?

20 minutes after quitting: Your heart rate and blood pressure drops.

(Effect of Smoking on Arterial Stiffness and Pulse Pressure Amplification, Mahmud, A, Feely, J. 2003. Hypertension:41:183.)

12 hours after quitting: The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1988, p. 202)

2 weeks to 3 months after quitting: Your circulation improves and your lung function increases.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp.193, 194,196, 285, 323)

1 to 9 months after quitting: Coughing and shortness of breath decrease; cilia (tiny hair-like structures that move mucus out of the lungs) regain normal function in the lungs, increasing the ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce the risk of infection.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. 285-287, 304)

1 year after quitting: The excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker's.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

5 years after quitting: Your stroke risk is reduced to that of a non-smoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

10 years after quitting: The lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker's. The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease, too.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, pp. vi, 131, 148, 152, 155, 164,166)

15 years after quitting: The risk of coronary heart disease is the same as a non-smoker's.

(US Surgeon General's Report, 1990, p. vi)

Immediate rewards of quitting

Kicking the tobacco habit offers some benefits that you'll notice right away and some that will develop over time. These rewards can improve your day-to-day life a great deal.

* your breath smells better

* stained teeth get whiter

* bad smelling clothes and hair go away

* your yellow fingers and fingernails disappear

* food tastes better

* your sense of smell returns to normal

* everyday activities no longer leave you out of breath (such as climbing stairs or light housework)

Cost

The prospect of better health is a major reason for quitting, but there are other reasons, too.

Smoking is expensive. It isn't hard to figure out how much you spend on smoking: multiply how much money you spend on tobacco every day by 365 (days per year). The amount may surprise you. Now multiply that by the number of years you have been using tobacco and that amount will probably shock you.

Multiply the cost per year by 10 (for the next 10 years) and ask yourself what you would rather do with that much money.

And this doesn't include other possible costs, such as higher costs for health and life insurance, and likely health care costs due to tobacco-related problems.

Social acceptance

Smoking is less socially acceptable now than it was in the past.

Almost all workplaces now have some type of smoking rules. Some employers even prefer to hire non-smokers. Studies show smoking employees cost businesses more because they are out sick more. Employees who are ill more often than others can raise an employer's need for expensive short-term replacement workers. They can increase insurance costs both for other employees and for the employer, who often pays part of the workers’ insurance premiums. Smokers in a building also can increase the maintenance costs of keeping odors down, since residue from cigarette smoke clings to carpets, drapes, and other fabrics.

Landlords may choose not to rent to smokers since maintenance costs and insurance rates may rise when smokers live in buildings.

Friends may ask you not to smoke in their homes or cars. Public buildings, concerts, and even sporting events are largely smoke-free. And more and more communities are restricting smoking in all public places, including restaurants and bars. Like it or not, finding a place to smoke can be a hassle.

Smokers may also find their prospects for dating or romantic involvement, including marriage, are largely limited to other smokers, who make up less than 20% of the adult population.

Health of others

Smoking not only harms your health but it hurts the health of those around you. Exposure to secondhand smoke (also called environmental tobacco smoke or passive smoking) includes exhaled smoke as well as smoke from burning cigarettes.

Studies have shown that secondhand smoke causes thousands of deaths each year from lung cancer and heart disease in healthy non-smokers.

If a mother smokes, there is a higher risk of her baby developing asthma in childhood, especially if she smoked while she was pregnant. Smoking is also linked to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and low-birth weight infants. Babies and children raised in a household where there is smoking have more ear infections, colds, bronchitis, and other lung and breathing problems than children from non-smoking families. Secondhand smoke can also cause eye irritation, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.

Setting an example

If you have children, you probably want to set a good example for them. When asked, nearly all smokers say they don't want their children to smoke, but children whose parents smoke are more likely to start smoking themselves. You can become a good role model for them by quitting now.

Help is available

With the wide range of counseling services, self-help materials, and medicines available today, smokers have more tools than ever to help them quit smoking for good.

Remember, tobacco addiction is both mental and physical. For most people, the best way to quit will be some combination of medicine, a method to change personal habits, and emotional support. The following sections describe these tools and how they may be helpful to you.

Help with the mental part of addiction

Some people are able to quit on their own, without the help of others or the use of medicines. But for many smokers, it can be hard to break the social and emotional ties to smoking while getting over nicotine withdrawal symptoms at the same time. Fortunately, there are many sources of support out there -- both formal and informal.

Telephone-based help to stop smoking

As of 2008, all states run some type of free telephone-based program, such as the American Cancer Society's Quitline® tobacco cessation program that links callers with trained counselors. These specialists help plan a quit method that fits each person's unique smoking pattern. People who use telephone counseling are twice as likely to stop smoking as those who don't get this type of help. Help from a counselor can help quitters can avoid many common mistakes.

Telephone counseling is also easier to use than some other support programs. It doesn't require driving, transportation, or child care, and it's available nights and weekends.

Counselors may suggest a combination of methods including medicines, local classes, self-help brochures, and/or a network of family and friends.

Call us to get help finding a Quitline® or other phone counseling program in your area.

Support of family, friends, and quit programs

Many former smokers say a support network of family and friends was very important during their quit attempt. Other people who may offer support and encouragement are co-workers and your family doctor. Choose to spend time with non-smokers and ex-smokers who support your efforts to quit.

Members of support groups for quitters can be helpful to you as well. Nicotine Anonymous, for instance, is an open support group that offers a way to find others who are quitting tobacco. It also offers a long-term approach to quitting. (See the "Additional resources" section for contact information.) But it is only one of many types of support groups. You can check with your employer, health insurance company, or local hospital to find support groups. Or call the ACS at 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345).

What to look for in a stop smoking program

Stop smoking programs are designed to help smokers recognize and cope with problems that come up during quitting. They also provide support and encouragement in staying quit. Studies have shown that the best programs will include either one-on-one or group counseling. There is a strong link between how often and how long counseling lasts (its intensity) and the success rate. In general, the more intense the program, the greater the chance of success.

For example, intensity may be increased by having more or longer sessions or by increasing the number of weeks over which the sessions are given. So, when looking for programs, try and find one that has the following:

* each session lasts at least 20 to 30 minutes

* there are at least 4 to 7 sessions

* the program lasts at least 2 weeks -- longer is usually better

Make sure the leader of the group has training in smoking cessation.

Some communities have a Nicotine Anonymous group that holds regular meetings. This group applies the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) to the addiction of smoking. This may include admitting you are powerless over your addiction to nicotine and having a sponsor to talk with when you are tempted to smoke. These meetings are free, though most will take donations if you like.

Often your local American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, or your local health department will sponsor quit smoking classes. Call us for more information.

There are some programs to watch out for as well. Not all programs are ethical. Think twice about any programs that do the following:

* promise instant, easy success with no effort on your part

* use injections or pills, especially "secret" ingredients

* charge a very high fee -- check with the Better Business Bureau if you have doubts

* are not willing to give you references from people who have used the program

Help with the physical part of addiction: Nicotine replacement therapy and other medicines

Nicotine replacement therapy

As mentioned earlier, the nicotine in cigarettes leads to actual physical dependence. This can cause unpleasant symptoms when a person tries to quit. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) gives you nicotine -- in the form of gums, patches, sprays, inhalers, or lozenges -- but not the other harmful chemicals in tobacco. It can help relieve some of these symptoms so that you can focus on the psychological (emotional) aspects of quitting.

How nicotine replacement works

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can help with the difficult withdrawal symptoms and cravings that 70% to 90% of smokers say is their only reason for not giving up cigarettes. Using NRT reduces a smoker's withdrawal symptoms.

Although many smokers can quit smoking without using NRT, most of those who attempt quitting cannot do it on the first try. In fact, smokers usually need many tries -- sometimes as many as 8 to 10 -- before they are able to quit for good.

Lack of success is often related to the onset of withdrawal symptoms. And most quitters go back to smoking within the first 3 months of quitting. So don't be discouraged if you start smoking again. Just try to stop again and make your attempt more successful by adding another method or technique to help you quit. You can reduce withdrawal symptoms with NRT and reduce their impact with support techniques. This gives you a better chance of quitting and staying quit.

Getting the most from nicotine replacement

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) only deals with the physical addiction. It is not meant to be the only method used to help you quit smoking. You should combine it with other smoking cessation methods that help the psychological (emotional and habitual) part of smoking, such as a stop smoking program. Studies have shown that this approach -- pairing NRT with a program that helps to change behavior -- can double your chances of quitting and staying quit.

The US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Clinical Practice Guideline on Smoking Cessation in 2000 recommended NRT for all adult smokers except pregnant women and people with heart or circulatory diseases. But more recent data suggest that NRT (specifically the nicotine patch) can be used safely under a doctor's careful monitoring, even in people who have heart or blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease. These studies have found the benefits of quitting smoking outweigh the risks of NRT in patients with cardiovascular disease. When looking at these situations, the benefits of quitting smoking must outweigh the potential health risks of NRT for each person. As of late 2008, there is still not enough good evidence one way or the other to recommend using NRT in pregnant women. Pregnant smokers should talk with their doctors before using over-the-counter nicotine replacements.

The best time to start NRT is when you first quit. Many smokers ask if it is possible to start a program of nicotine replacement while they are still smoking. At this time the companies that make NRT products say that they should not be used if you are still smoking. There is some research being done with smokers using NRT while still smoking, but it is still too early to tell if this is dangerous to your health. The most important thing is to make sure that you are not overdosing on nicotine, which can affect your heart and blood circulation. It is safest to be under a doctor's care if you wish to try smoking and using NRT while you are tapering down your cigarette use.

Often smokers first try to quit on their own then decide to try NRT a day or more into quitting. This method does not give you the greatest chance of success, but do not let this discourage you. There are still many options available for quitting smoking and staying quit.

Note that NRT has not yet been proven to help people who smoke less than 10 cigarettes per day. You may want to talk with your doctor about a lower dose of NRT if you smoke less than half a pack per day but feel you need nicotine replacement.

When may I begin using nicotine replacement therapy?

You may start using NRT as soon as you throw away that last cigarette. You do not need to wait a certain length of time to put on the patch or start using the gum, lozenge, nasal spray, or inhaler. You should double-check this information with the instructions on your chosen method of nicotine replacement, but in general there is no need to wait to start using NRT.

How do I know if I'm a light, average, or heavy smoker?

Some NRT products make their recommendations based on what kind of smoker you are. But there is no formal category in any textbook or group that defines a light, average, or heavy smoker. In general, a light smoker is someone who smokes less than 10 cigarettes per day. Someone who smokes a pack a day or more is a heavy smoker. An average smoker falls in between.

Sometimes a doctor will use the term pack year to describe how long and how much a person has smoked. A pack year is defined as the number of packs of cigarettes a person has smoked every day multiplied by the number of years he or she has smoked. Since 1 pack is 20 cigarettes, a person who has smoked 20 cigarettes a day for a year is considered to have smoked 1 pack year. Someone who has smoked 30 cigarettes a day (1½ packs) for 3 years has smoked 4.5 pack years (1½ x 3), and so on. This is just another way to figure out how high your risk of smoking-related disease might be.

Types of nicotine replacement therapy

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 5 types of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT):

Nicotine patches (transdermal nicotine systems): Patches give a measured dose of nicotine through the skin. You are weaned off nicotine by switching to lower-dose patches over a course of weeks. Patches can be bought with or without a prescription. Many types and different strengths are available. Package inserts describe how to use the product, and list special considerations and possible side effects.

The 16-hour patch works well if you are a light-to-average smoker. It is less likely to cause side effects like skin irritation, racing heartbeat, sleep problems, and headache. But it does not deliver nicotine during the night, so it may not be right for those with early morning withdrawal symptoms.

The 24-hour patch provides a steady dose of nicotine, avoiding peaks and valleys. It helps with early morning withdrawal. But there may be more side effects such as disrupted sleep patterns and skin irritation.

Depending on body size, most smokers should start using a full-strength patch (15-22 mg of nicotine) daily for 4 weeks, and then use a weaker patch (5-14 mg of nicotine) for another 4 weeks. The patch should be put on in the morning on a clean, dry area of the skin without much hair. It should be placed below the neck and above the waist -- for example, on the upper arm or chest. The FDA recommends using the patch for a total of 3 to 5 months.

Side effects are related to:

* the dose of nicotine

* the brand of patch

* skin characteristics (such as the person's tendency to have a skin reaction to the patch)

* how long the patch is used

* how it is applied

Some possible side effects of the nicotine patch include:

* skin irritation -- redness and itching

* dizziness

* racing heartbeat

* sleep problems or unusual dreams

* headache

* nausea

* vomiting

* muscle aches and stiffness

What to do about side effects:

* Do not smoke while you are using a patch.

* Try a different brand of patch if your skin becomes irritated.

* Reduce the amount of nicotine by using a lower-dose patch.

* Sleep problems may be short-term and go away in 3 or 4 days. If not, and you're using a 24-hour patch, try switching to a 16-hour patch.

* Stop using the patch and try a different form of NRT.

Nicotine gum (nicotine polacrilex): Nicotine gum is a fast-acting form of replacement in which nicotine is taken in through the mucous membrane of the mouth. You can buy it over the counter without a prescription. It comes in 2 mg and 4 mg strengths.

For best results, follow the instructions on the package insert. Chew the gum slowly until you note a peppery taste. Then "park" it inside your cheek, chewing it and parking it off and on for about 20 to 30 minutes. Food and drink can affect how well the nicotine is absorbed. You should avoid acidic foods and drinks such as coffee, juices, and soft drinks for at least 15 minutes before and during gum use.

If you smoke a pack or more per day, smoke within 30 minutes of waking up, or have trouble not smoking in restricted areas, you may need to start with the higher dose (4 mg). Chew no more than 20 pieces of gum in one day. Nicotine gum is usually recommended for 1 to 3 months, with the maximum being 6 months. Tapering the amount of gum chewed may help you stop using it.

If you have sensitive skin, you may prefer the gum to the patch.

Another advantage of nicotine gum is that it allows you to control the nicotine doses. The gum can be chewed as needed or on a fixed schedule during the day. The most recent research has shown that scheduled dosing works better. A schedule of 1 to 2 pieces per hour is common. On the other hand, with an as-needed schedule, you can chew when you need it most -- when you have cravings.

Some possible side effects of nicotine gum:

* bad taste

* throat irritation

* mouth sores

* hiccups

* nausea

* jaw discomfort

* racing heartbeat

Symptoms related to the stomach and jaw are usually caused by improper use of the gum, such as swallowing the nicotine or chewing too fast. The gum can also damage dentures and dental work.

Long-term dependence is one possible disadvantage of nicotine gum. In fact, research has shown that 15% to 20% of gum users who are able to quit smoking keep using the gum for a year or longer. Although the maximum recommended length of use is 6 months, continuing to use the gum is probably safer than going back to smoking. But since there is little research on the health effects of long-term nicotine gum use, most health care providers still recommend limiting its use to 6 months.

Nicotine nasal spray: The nasal spray delivers nicotine to the bloodstream as it is quickly absorbed through the nose. It is available only by prescription.

The nasal spray relieves withdrawal symptoms very quickly and lets you control your nicotine cravings. Smokers usually like the nasal spray because it is easy to use. But the FDA warns users that since this product contains nicotine, it can allow the addiction to continue. The FDA recommends that the spray be prescribed for 3-month periods and that it not be used for longer than 6 months.

The most common side effects last about 1 to 2 weeks and can include the following:

* nasal irritation

* runny nose

* watery eyes

* sneezing

* throat irritation

* coughing

There is also the danger of using more than is needed. If you have asthma, allergies, nasal polyps, or sinus problems, your doctor may suggest another form of NRT.

Nicotine inhalers: Inhalers are available only by prescription. The nicotine inhaler is a thin plastic tube with a nicotine cartridge inside. When you take a puff from the inhaler, the cartridge puts out a nicotine vapor. Unlike other inhalers, which deliver most of the medicine to the lungs, the nicotine inhaler delivers most of the nicotine vapor to the mouth. Nicotine inhalers are the FDA-approved nicotine replacement method that is most like smoking a cigarette, which some smokers find helpful.

The recommended dose is between 6 and 16 cartridges a day, for up to 6 months.

The most common side effects, especially when first using the inhaler, include:

* coughing

* throat irritation

* upset stomach

At this time, inhalers are the most expensive forms of NRT available. They are not the same as electronic cigarettes, which have not been proven in clinical trials to help with quitting and are not approved by the FDA. (See section, "Other nicotine and tobacco products, not reviewed or approved by the FDA.")

Nicotine lozenges: Nicotine-containing lozenges as an over-the-counter aid to stop smoking are the newest form of NRT on the market. As with nicotine gum, the Commit® lozenge is available in 2 strengths: 2 mg and 4 mg. Smokers choose their dose based on how long after waking up they normally have their first cigarette.

The lozenge manufacturer recommends using it as part of a 12-week program. The recommended dose is 1 lozenge every 1 to 2 hours for 6 weeks, then 1 lozenge every 2 to 4 hours for weeks 7 to 9, and finally, 1 lozenge every 4 to 8 hours for weeks 10 to 12. The manufacturer also recommends the following:

* Stop all smoking when you begin to use the lozenge.

* Do not eat or drink for 15 minutes before using the lozenge. (Some drinks can reduce how well the lozenge works.)

* Suck on the lozenge until it is fully dissolved, about 20 to 30 minutes. Do not bite or chew it like a hard candy, and do not swallow it. The medicine is taken in through the tissues of the mouth.

* Do not use more than 5 lozenges in 6 hours, or more than 20 lozenges total per day.

* Stop using the lozenge after 12 weeks. If you still feel you need to use the lozenge, talk to your doctor.

* Do not use the lozenge if you keep smoking, chewing tobacco, using snuff, or use any other product containing nicotine (such as the nicotine patch or nicotine gum).

Possible side effects of the nicotine lozenge include:

* trouble sleeping

* nausea

* hiccups

* coughing

* heartburn

* headache

* flatulence (gas)

Which type of nicotine replacement may be right for you?

There's no evidence that any one type of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is any better than another. When choosing which type of NRT you will use, think about which method will best fit your lifestyle and pattern of smoking. Do you want/need something to chew or occupy your hands? Or are you looking for once-a-day convenience?

Some important points to think about:

* Nicotine gums, lozenges, and inhalers are substitutes you can put into your mouth that allow you to control your dosage to help keep cravings under better control.

* Nicotine gums and lozenges are generally sugar-free, but if you are diabetic and have any doubts, check with the manufacturer.

* Nicotine nasal spray works very quickly when you need it.

* Nicotine inhalers allow you to mimic the use of cigarettes by puffing and holding the inhaler.

* Nicotine patches are convenient and only have to be applied once a day.

* Both inhalers and nasal sprays require a doctor’s prescription.

* Some people may not be able to use patches, inhalers, or nasal sprays because of allergies or other conditions.

Whatever type you use, take your NRT at the recommended dose, and for as long as it is recommended. If you use a different dose or stop taking it too soon, it can't be expected to work like it should. If you are a very heavy smoker or a very light smoker, you may want to talk with your doctor about whether your NRT dose should be changed to better suit your situation.

Combining the patch and other nicotine replacement products: Using the nicotine patch along with shorter-acting products such as the gum, lozenge, nasal spray, or inhaler is another method of NRT. The idea is to get a steady dose of nicotine with the patch and to use one of the shorter-acting products when you have strong cravings.

The few studies that have been done on combination NRT used in the way described above have found that it may work better than a single product. Still, more research is needed to prove this and to find safe and effective doses. The combined use of NRT products has not yet been approved by the FDA. If you are thinking about using more than one NRT product, be sure to talk it over with your doctor first.

High-dose nicotine replacement therapy for heavy smokers: Another NRT option is to give smokers a higher dose based on the amount of nicotine that they have been getting from cigarettes. Sometimes this method has required larger doses of nicotine replacement than have been used before. High-dose NRT with patches has been studied with patients getting from 35 mg to 63 mg of nicotine per day. The research suggests that patients' withdrawal symptoms go away with these higher doses and their cravings improve without harmful effects on the heart and circulation. Patient were carefully watched in these studies to make sure they were doing well and were not becoming ill or having any problems. This is still a new option that should be considered only with a doctor's guidance and supervision.

Stopping nicotine replacement therapy

As mentioned before, most forms of NRT are meant to be used for limited periods of time. Use should be tapered down to a low dose before NRT is stopped. Research is still being done to refine the use of NRT. For example, even though the patch is usually used for 3 to 5 months, some studies have suggested that using it for 8 weeks or less works just as well. But other researchers have noted that the risk of relapse goes up when nicotine replacement is stopped, even after it has been used for 5 months. These differences have not been fully explained. More studies are needed to learn which smokers are likely to be successful using shorter or longer NRT than usual. If you feel that you need NRT for a different length of time than is recommended, it is best to discuss this with your doctor.

Bupropion (Zyban®)

Bupropion (Zyban®) is a prescription anti-depressant in an extended-release form that reduces symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. It does not contain nicotine. This drug acts on chemicals in the brain that are related to nicotine craving. It can be used alone or together with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Bupropion works best if it is started 1 or 2 weeks before you quit smoking. The usual dosage is one or two 150 mg tablets per day.

This drug should not be taken if you have ever had seizures, heavy alcohol use, serious head injury, bipolar (manic-depressive) illness, or anorexia or bulimia (eating disorders).

Some doctors may recommend combination therapy for heavily-addicted smokers, such as using bupropion along with a nicotine patch and/or a short-acting form of NRT (such as gum or lozenges). The combination has been found to work better in some people than using any one part alone.

Varenicline (Chantix™)

Varenicline (Chantix™) is a newer prescription medicine developed to help people stop smoking. It works by interfering with nicotine receptors in the brain. This means it has 2 effects: it lessens the pleasurable physical effects a person gets from smoking, and it reduces the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal.

Several studies have shown varenicline can more than double the chances of quitting smoking. Some studies have also found it may work better than bupropion, at least in the short term.

Varenicline comes in pill form and is taken after meals, with a full glass of water. The daily dose increases over the first 8 days it is taken. The dose starts at one 0.5 mg pill a day for the first 3 days, then the 0.5 mg pill twice a day for the next 4 days. At the start of the second week, the dose is raised to 1 mg each morning and evening. For people who have problems with the higher dose, a lower dose may be used during the quit effort. Varenicline is given for 12 weeks, but people who quit during that time may get another 12 weeks of treatment to boost their chance of staying quit.

Reported side effects of varenicline have included headaches, nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, unusual dreams, flatulence (gas), and changes in taste. There have also been more recent reports of depressed mood, thoughts of suicide, attempted suicide, and changes in behavior in people taking varenicline. People who have these problems should contact their doctors right away. Although these side effects may happen, varenicline is usually well-tolerated.

Since varenicline is a newer drug, research has not been done to find out if it is safe to use along with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products. But the company that makes varenicline noted that people who used the drug along with NRT had more side effects such as nausea and headaches.

Other drugs that are not FDA-approved for helping smokers quit

For those who cannot use any of the FDA-approved drugs for helping smokers quit, or for those who have not been able to quit using them, there are other drugs that have shown promise in research studies. They are recommended by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality for this kind of use, but have not been approved by the FDA for this purpose and are used "off-label." (See our document Off Label Drug Use for more information.) These drugs are only available with a prescription and are not recommended for pregnant smokers, teens, or people who smoke less than 10 cigarettes per day.

Nortriptyline

This is an older anti-depressant drug. When used in groups of smokers, it has been found to double their chances of success in quitting smoking. It is started 10 to 28 days before you stop smoking to allow it to reach a stable level in the body.

Some people have side effects such as fast heart rate, blurred vision, trouble urinating, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain or loss, and low blood pressure when they stand up. The drug can impair your ability to drive or operate machinery, and there are certain drugs that cannot be used along with it.

Be sure your doctor and pharmacist know exactly what you are taking before you start this medicine. Also be sure you know how to take it and how to taper it down when you are ready to stop. The dose of nortriptyline must be gradually lowered, since the drug cannot be stopped suddenly without the possibility of serious effects. The drug must be used with caution in people with heart disease.

Clonidine

Clonidine is also an older drug that is FDA approved for the treatment of high blood pressure. When used for smoking cessation, it can be given as a pill twice a day or as a once-a-week skin patch. In one study of heavy smokers who had failed in previous quit attempts, the group treated with clonidine was twice as likely to succeed in quitting smoking as the control group (which was given a fake pill) at the end of 4 weeks.

Be sure your doctor and pharmacist know exactly what you are taking before you start this medicine. The most common side effects of clonidine are constipation, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, and unusual tiredness or weakness. There are rarely more severe side effects, such as allergic reactions, slow heart rate, and very high or very low blood pressure. Your doctor may want to watch your blood pressure while you are on this drug. The drug can impair your ability to drive or operate machinery

Clonidine can be started up to 3 days before you quit smoking but can also be started the day you quit. Like nortriptyline, it shouldn't be stopped suddenly. The dose must be lowered over a period of 2 to 4 days to prevent a rapid increase in blood pressure, agitation, confusion, or tremors.

Other methods of quitting

Other tools may also help some people, although there is no strong evidence they can improve your chances of quitting.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis methods vary a great deal, which makes it hard to study as a way to stop smoking. For the most part, reviews that looked at studies of hypnosis to help people quit smoking have not supported it as a quitting method that works. Still, some people find it useful. If you are interested in trying it, ask your doctor if he or she can recommend a good hypnotherapist.

Acupuncture

This method has been used to quit smoking, but there is little evidence to show that it works. Acupuncture for smoking is usually done on certain parts of the ears. Although there is a very weak suggestion that acupuncture might lower the desire to smoke, there still is no solid evidence that it is truly effective as a smoking cessation tool. (See our document, Acupuncture for more information.) For a list of local physician acupuncturists, contact the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture at 1-323-937-5514 or visit their Web site at www.medicalacupuncture.org.

Low-level laser therapy

This technique, also called cold laser therapy, is related to acupuncture. Cold lasers are sometimes used for acupuncture. The laser beams are used instead of needles to stimulate the body's acupoints. The treatment is supposed to relax the smoker and release endorphins (pain relief substances that are made naturally by the body) to mimic the effects of nicotine in the brain, or balance the body's energy to relieve the addiction. Despite claims of success by some cold laser therapy providers, there is no scientific evidence that shows this is an effective method of helping people stop smoking. (See our document, Cold Laser Therapy for more information.)

Filters

Filters that reduce tar and nicotine in cigarettes are generally not effective. Studies have shown that smokers who use filters actually tend to smoke more.

Smoking deterrents

Other methods have been used to help stop smoking, such as over-the-counter products that change the taste of tobacco, stop-smoking diets that curb nicotine cravings, and combinations of vitamins. At this time there is little scientific evidence to support that these efforts work.

Herbs and supplements

There is little scientific evidence to support the use of homeopathic aids and herbal supplements as stop-smoking methods. Because they are marketed as dietary supplements (as opposed to drugs), they don't need FDA approval to be sold. The manufacturers don’t have to prove they’re effective, or even safe. Be sure to look closely at the label of any product that claims it can help you stop smoking. No dietary supplement has been proven to effectively help people quit smoking. Most of these supplements are combinations of herbal preparations, but not nicotine. They have no proven track record of helping people to stop smoking.

Atropine and scopolamine combination therapy

A few smoking cessation clinics offer a program using shots of the drugs atropine and scopolamine, sometimes along with other drugs, to help reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms. These drugs block the action of acetylcholine, a signal transmitter in the nervous system. Called anticholinergics, they are more often prescribed for other reasons, such as digestive problems, motion sickness, or Parkinson's disease. People who are pregnant or have heart problems, glaucoma, or uncontrolled high blood pressure are not allowed to take part in these programs.

The treatment usually involves shots given in the clinic on one day, then a few weeks of pills and wearing patches behind the ear. Other drugs may be needed to help with side effects. Side effects of this treatment can include dizziness, constipation, dry mouth, changes in the sense of taste and smell, problems urinating, and blurry vision.

Some clinics claim high success rates, but the available published scientific research does not back up these claims. Both atropine and scopolamine are FDA-approved for other uses and have not been formally studied or approved for help in quitting smoking. Before going into such a program, you may want to ask the clinic about long-term success rates (up to a year). These medicines are directed only at the physical aspect of quitting, so you may also want to find out if the program includes counseling or other methods aimed at the psychological aspects of quitting.

Other nicotine and tobacco products, not reviewed or approved by the FDA

Tobacco lozenges and pouches

Lozenges that contain tobacco (Ariva®, Interval®), and small, pouches of tobacco (Revel®, Exalt®) are being sold as other ways for smokers to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed. The FDA has ruled that these are types of oral tobacco products much like snuff and chew, and are not smoking cessation aids. This means that the FDA does not have authority over them. There is no evidence that these products can help a person quit smoking. Unlike scientifically proven treatments with known effects, such as nicotine replacement products, anti-depressants, nicotine receptor blockers, or behavioral therapy, these oral tobacco products have never been rigorously tested to see if they can help people quit tobacco.

We know that oral tobacco products such as snuff and chewing tobacco contain human carcinogens. These products cause mouth cancer and gum disease. They also destroy the bone sockets around teeth and can cause teeth to fall out. There are studies showing potential harmful effects on the heart and circulation, as well as increased risks of other cancer. They also cause bad breath and stain the teeth.

Electronic cigarettes

In 2004, a Chinese company started making a refillable "cigarette" that had a battery and an electronic chip in it. It is designed to look like a cigarette, right down to the glowing tip. When the smoker puffs on it, the system delivers a mist of liquid, flavorings, and nicotine that looks something like smoke. The smoker inhales it like cigarette smoke, and the nicotine is absorbed into the lungs.

The electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, is sold with cartridges of nicotine and flavorings. Several brands and varieties of the e-cigarette are now sold in the US. Here, the e-cigarette is usually sold as a way to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed, although some may sell it as a way to quit smoking. The cartridges are sold in different doses of nicotine, from high doses to no nicotine at all.

The e-cigarette has no published clinical trials that suggest it might work as a way to help smokers quit. No clinical trials have been submitted to the FDA. As of early 2009, the FDA has not ruled as to whether e-cigarettes are medical devices but it is investigating. There may also be questions about how safe it is to inhale some of the flavorings and other substances in the nicotine mists into the lungs. Even substances that are safe to eat can harm delicate tissues inside the lungs.

Like other forms of nicotine, the e-cigarettes and nicotine cartridges can be toxic to children or pets. They can also pose a choking hazard.

Nicotine lollipops and lip balms

In the past, some pharmacies made a product called a nicotine lollipop. These lollipops often contained a product called nicotine salicylate with a sugar sweetener. Nicotine salicylate is not approved by the FDA for pharmacy use. The FDA has warned pharmacies to stop selling nicotine lollipops and lip balm on the Internet, calling the products "illegal." The FDA also said "the candy-like products present a risk of accidental use by children."

Other smoking cessation products like these may not use nicotine salicylate and, therefore, may be legal. But they still pose a risk for children if they are not well-labeled and stored safely.

Nicotine water and nicotine wafers

These products are advertised as ways to get nicotine in places where smoking is not allowed. They are not marketed as aids to quitting smoking, but questions about their safety have been raised. Some of these formulas can be quite dangerous if accidentally taken by children or pets, so they must be stored carefully.

A word about quitting success rates

Before you start using nicotine replacement or sign up for a stop smoking class or program, you may wonder about its success rate. Success rates are hard to figure out for many reasons. First, not all programs define success in the same way. Does success mean that a person is not smoking at the end of the program? After 3 months? 6 months? 1 year? Does smoking fewer cigarettes (rather than stopping completely) count as success? If a program you're considering claims a certain success rate, ask for more details on how success is defined and what kind of follow-up is done to confirm the rate.

The truth is that quit smoking programs, like other programs that treat addictions, often have fairly low success rates. But that does not mean they are not worthwhile or that you should be discouraged. Your own success in quitting is what really counts, and that is under your control.

Success rates in general

Only about 4% to 7% of people are able to quit smoking on any given attempt without any medicines or other help.

Studies in medical journals have reported that between about 25% and 33% of smokers who use medicines can remain smoke-free for over 6 months. There is also early evidence that combining some medicines may work better than using them alone. (See the section, "Help with the physical part of addiction.")

Behavioral and supportive therapies may increase success rates even further. Check the package insert of any product you are using to see if the manufacturer provides free telephone-based counseling.

How to quit

Smokers often say, "Don't tell me why to quit, tell me how." There is no one right way to quit, but there are some key elements in quitting with success. These 4 factors are key:

* making the decision to quit

* setting a quit date and choosing a quit plan

* dealing with withdrawal

* staying quit (maintenance)

Making the decision to quit: How do people change?

The decision to quit smoking is one that only you can make. Others may want you to quit, but the real commitment must come from you.

Researchers have looked into how and why people stop smoking. They have some ideas, or models, of how this happens.

The Health Belief Model of behavior change

The Health Belief Model says that you will be more likely to stop smoking if you:

* believe that you could get a smoking-related disease and this worries you

* believe that you can make an honest attempt at quitting smoking

* believe that the benefits of quitting outweigh the benefits of continuing to smoke

* know of someone who has had health problems as a result of their smoking

Do any of these apply to you?

Stages of Change Model of behavior change

The Stages of Change Model identifies the stages that a person goes through in making a change in behavior. Here are the stages as they apply to quitting smoking:

Pre-contemplation: At this stage, the smoker is not seriously thinking about quitting.

Contemplation: The smoker is actively thinking about quitting but is not quite ready to make a serious attempt. This person may say, "Yes, I'm ready to quit, but the stress at work is too much," or "I don't want to gain weight," or "I'm not sure if I can do it."

Preparation: Smokers in the preparation stage seriously intend to quit in the next month and often have tried to quit in the past 12 months. They usually have a plan.

Action: This is the first 6 months when the smoker is actively quitting.

Maintenance: This is the period of 6 months to 5 years after quitting when the ex-smoker is aware of the danger of relapse and takes steps to avoid it.

Where do you fit in this model? If you are thinking about quitting, setting a date and deciding on a plan will move you into the preparation stage, the best place to start.

Setting a quit date and making a plan

Pick a Quit Day

Once you've decided to quit, you're ready to pick a quit date. This is a very important step. Pick a specific day within the next month as your Quit Day. Picking a date too far in the future can allow you time to rationalize and change your mind. But do give yourself enough time to prepare and come up with a plan. You might choose a date with a special meaning like a birthday or anniversary, or the date of the Great American Smokeout (the third Thursday in November each year). Or you may want to just pick a random date. Circle the date on your calendar. Make a strong, personal commitment to quit on that day.

Plan for your prescriptions: Remember that if you are planning to use a prescription drug, you will need to talk with your doctor about getting it in time for your Quit Day. If you plan to use bupropion (Zyban) or varenicline (Chantix), you must start taking the drug a full week before your Quit Day. If you are using one of these medicines, add a note on your calendar for the week before your Quit Day to remind you to start taking the drug.

Prepare for your Quit Day

There is no one right way to quit. Most smokers prefer to quit cold turkey -- they stop completely, all at once. They smoke until their Quit Day and then quit. Or they may smoke fewer cigarettes for 1 or 2 weeks before their Quit Day. Another way involves cutting down on the number of cigarettes you smoke each day. With this method, you slowly reduce the amount of nicotine in your body. You might cut out cigarettes smoked with a cup of coffee, or you might decide to smoke only at certain times of the day. While it sounds logical to cut down in order to reduce withdrawal symptoms, in practice this can be hard to do.

Quitting smoking is a lot like losing weight: it takes a strong commitment over a long time. Smokers may wish there was a magic bullet -- a pill or method that would make quitting painless and easy. But there is nothing like that. Nicotine substitutes can help reduce withdrawal symptoms, but they work best when they are used as part of a stop-smoking plan that addresses both the physical and psychological components of quitting smoking.

Here are some steps to help you prepare for your Quit Day:

* Pick the date and mark it on your calendar.

* Tell friends and family about your Quit Day.

* Get rid of all the cigarettes and ashtrays in your home, car, and place of work.

* Stock up on oral substitutes -- sugarless gum, carrot sticks, hard candy, cinnamon sticks, coffee stirrers, straws, and/or toothpicks.

* Decide on a plan. Will you use NRT or other medicines? Will you attend a stop-smoking class? If so, sign up now.

* Practice saying, "No thank you, I don't smoke."

* Set up a support system. This could be a group class, Nicotine Anonymous, or a friend or family member who has successfully quit and is willing to help you. Ask family and friends who still smoke not to smoke around you or leave cigarettes out where you can see them.

* If you are using bupropion or varenicline, take your dose each day of the week leading up to your Quit Day.

* Think back to your past attempts to quit. Try to figure out what worked and what did not work for you.

Successful quitting is a matter of planning and commitment, not luck. Decide now on your own plan. Some options include using nicotine replacement or other medicines, joining a stop-smoking class, going to Nicotine Anonymous meetings, using self-help materials such as books and pamphlets, or some combination of these methods. For the best chance at success, your plan should include 2 or more of these options.

Your Quit Day

On your Quit Day, follow these suggestions:

* Do not smoke. This means none at all -- not even one puff!

* Keep active -- try walking, exercising, or doing other activities or hobbies.

* Drink lots of water and juices.

* Begin using nicotine replacement if that is your choice.

* Attend stop-smoking class or follow your self-help plan.

* Avoid situations where the urge to smoke is strong.

* Reduce or avoid alcohol.

* Think about changing your routine. Use a different route to go to work, drink tea instead of coffee. Eat breakfast in a different place or eat different foods.

* Read on to find out more about the kinds of thoughts and temptations that come up when you try to quit, and ideas for strategies to deal with or avoid them.

Dealing with withdrawal

Withdrawal from nicotine has 2 parts -- the physical and the mental. The physical symptoms, while annoying, are not life-threatening. Nicotine replacement and other medicines can help reduce many of these physical symptoms. But most smokers find that the bigger challenge is the mental part of quitting.

If you have been smoking for any length of time, smoking has become linked with nearly everything you do -- waking up in the morning, eating, reading, watching TV, and drinking coffee, for example. It will take time to "un-link" smoking from these activities. This is why, even if you are using a nicotine replacement, you may still have strong urges to smoke.

Rationalizations are sneaky

One way to overcome these urges or cravings is to notice and identify rationalizations as they come up. A rationalization is a mistaken thought that seems to make sense to you at the time, but the thought is not based on reality. If you choose to believe in such a thought, it can serve as a way to justify smoking. If you have tried to quit before, you will probably recognize many of these common rationalizations:

* I'll just have one to get through this rough spot.

* Today is not a good day. I'll quit tomorrow.

* It's my only vice.

* How bad is smoking, really? Uncle Harry smoked all his life and he lived to be over 90.

* Air pollution is probably just as bad.

* You've got to die of something.

* Life is no fun without smoking.

You probably can add more to the list. As you go through the first few days without smoking, write down any rationalizations as they come up and recognize them for what they are: messages that can trick you into going back to smoking. Look out for them, because they always show up when you're trying to quit. After you write down the idea, let it go from your mind. Be ready with a distraction, a plan of action, and other ways to re-direct your thoughts to something else.

Use the ideas below to help you keep your commitment to quitting.

Avoid temptation

Stay away from people and places where you are tempted to smoke. Later on you will be able to handle these with more confidence.

Change your habits

Switch to juices or water instead of alcohol or coffee. Take a different route to work. Take a brisk walk instead of a coffee break.

Alternatives: Use substitutes you can put in your mouth such as sugarless gum or hard candy, raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, or sunflower seeds. Some people chew on a coffee stirrer or a straw.

Activities: Do something to reduce your stress. Exercise or do hobbies that keep your hands busy, such as needlework or woodworking, which can help distract you from the urge to smoke. Take a hot bath, exercise, or read a book.

Deep breathing: When you were smoking, you breathed deeply as you inhaled the smoke. When the urge strikes now, breathe deeply and picture your lungs filling with fresh, clean air. Remind yourself of your reasons for quitting and the benefits you'll gain as an ex-smoker.

Delay: If you feel that you are about to light up, delay. Tell yourself you must wait at least 10 minutes. Often this simple trick will allow you to move beyond the strong urge to smoke.

Reward yourself

What you're doing is not easy, so you deserve a reward. Put the money you would have spent on tobacco in a jar every day and then buy yourself a weekly treat. Buy a magazine or book, go out to eat, develop a new hobby, or take a yoga class. Or save the money for a major purchase. You can also reward yourself in ways that don't cost money: visit a park, go to the library, and check local news listings for museums, community centers, and colleges that have free exhibits, films, and other things to do.

Staying quit (maintenance)

Remember the quotation by Mark Twain? Maybe you, too, have quit many times before. So you know that staying quit is the final, longest, and most important stage of the process. You can use the same methods to stay quit as you did to help you through withdrawal. Think ahead to those times when you may be tempted to smoke, and plan on how you will use other ways to cope with these situations.

More dangerous, perhaps, are the unexpected strong desires to smoke that happen sometimes months, or even years after you've quit. To get through these without relapse, try these:

* Review your reasons for quitting and think of all the benefits to your health, your finances, and your family.

* Remind yourself that there is no such thing as just one cigarette -- or even one puff.

* Ride out the desire to smoke. It will go away, but do not fool yourself into thinking you can have just one.

* Avoid alcohol. Drinking lowers your chance of success.

* If you are worried about gaining weight, put some energy into eating a healthy diet and staying active with exercise.

Recovering from slips

What if you do smoke? The difference between a slip and a relapse is within your control. A slip is a one-time mistake that is quickly corrected, whereas a relapse is going back to smoking. You can use the slip as an excuse to go back to smoking, or you can look at what went wrong and renew your commitment to staying away from smoking for good.

Even if you do relapse, try not to get too discouraged. Very few people are able to quit for good on the first try. In fact, it takes most people many attempts before quitting for good. What’s important is figuring out what helped you when you tried to quit and what worked against you. You can then use this information to make a stronger attempt at quitting the next time.

Some special concerns

Weight gain

Many smokers do gain some weight when they quit. But even when steps aren't taken to try to prevent this, the gain is usually less than 10 pounds. Women tend to gain slightly more weight than men. There is some evidence that smokers will gain weight after they quit even if they do not eat more. For some, a concern about weight gain can lead to a decision not to quit. But the weight gain that follows quitting smoking is usually very small. It is much more dangerous to keep smoking than it is to gain a small amount of weight. While there are some studies that suggest that nicotine replacement therapy or bupropion may help delay weight gain, they do not prevent it.

You are more likely to be quit smoking successfully if you deal with the smoking first, and then later take steps to reduce your weight. While you are quitting, try to focus on ways to help you stay healthy, rather than on your weight. Stressing about your weight may make it harder to quit. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and limit the fat. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and get enough sleep and regular physical activity.

Try walking

Walking is a great way to be physically active and increase your chances of staying quit. Walking can help you by:

* reducing stress

* burning calories and toning muscles

* giving you something to do instead of thinking about smoking

No special equipment or clothing is needed for walking, other than a pair of comfortable shoes. And most people can do it pretty much anytime. You can use these ideas as starting points and come up with more of your own:

* walk around a shopping mall

* get off the bus one stop before you usually do

* find a buddy to walk with during lunch time at work

* take the stairs instead of the elevator

* walk with a friend, family member, or neighbor after dinner

* push your baby in a stroller

* find a dog (yours or a neighbor's) you can take out for a walk

Set a goal of 30 minutes of physical activity 5 or more times a week. But if you don’t already exercise regularly, please check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Stress

Smokers often mention stress as one of the reasons for going back to smoking. Stress is a part of everyone's lives, smokers and non-smokers alike. The difference is that smokers have come to use nicotine to help cope with stress and unpleasant emotions. When quitting, you have to learn new ways of handling stress. Nicotine replacement can help to some extent, but for long-term success you will need other strategies, too.

As mentioned above, physical activity is a good stress-reducer. It can also help with the short-term sense of depression that some smokers have when they quit. There are also stress-management classes and self-help books. Check your community newspaper, library, or bookstore.

Spiritual practices such as admitting that you cannot control your addiction and believing that a higher power can give you strength have been used with much success to deal with other addictions. These practices, along with the fellowship of others on a similar path, are a key part of 12-step recovery programs. These same principles can be applied to quitting smoking.

Taking care of yourself

It is important for your health care provider to know of any present or past tobacco use so he or she can be sure that you will get the preventive health care you need. It is well known that using tobacco use puts you at risk for certain health-related illnesses, so part of your health care should focus on related screening and preventive measures to help you stay as healthy as possible. For example, you will want to be certain that you regularly check inside your mouth for any changes. Have your doctor or dentist look at your mouth, tongue, or throat if you have any changes or problems. The American Cancer Society recommends that medical check-ups should include oral cavity (mouth) exams. This way, tobacco users may be able to detect changes such as leukoplakia (white patches on the mouth membranes) early, and prevent oral cancer or find it at a stage that is easier to treat.

You should also be aware of any of the following changes:

* change in cough

* a new cough

* coughing up blood

* hoarseness

* trouble breathing

* wheezing

* headaches

* chest pain

* loss of appetite

* weight loss

* general tiredness

* frequent lung or bronchial infections

Any of these could be signs of lung cancer or a number of other lung conditions and should be reported to your doctor. While these can be signs of a problem, people with lung cancer often do not notice any symptoms until the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Remember that tobacco users have a higher risk for other cancers as well, depending on the way they use tobacco. You can learn about the types of cancer you may be at risk for by reading our document that discusses the way you use tobacco (see "Additional resources" section). Other risk factors for these cancers may be more important than your use of tobacco, but you should know about the extra risks that might apply to you.

If you have any health concerns that may be related to your tobacco use, please see your health care provider as soon as possible. Taking care of yourself and getting treatment for small problems will give you the best chance for successful treatment. The best way, though, to take care of yourself and decrease your risk for life-threatening health problems is to quit using tobacco.

Where can I go for help?

It is hard to stop smoking. But if you are a tobacco user you can quit! More than 47 million Americans have quit smoking for good. Many organizations offer information, counseling, and other services to help you quit, as well as information on where to go for help. Other good resources to ask for help can include your doctor, dentist, local hospital, or employer.

Celebrating love festival in 15th day of February

2009-01-29T09:02:00.000+08:00

Valentine's Day originates from the ancient Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia, which was celebrated on 15 February in honour of the gods Lupercus and Faunus, as well as the legendary founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus. During the festival, young men would draw the names of women from a box, and each couple would be paired until next year's celebration. Often they would fall in love and marry.

At around 270AD Rome was facing battles and civil uprising. The men were not keen to join the army. Emperor Claudius II believed that the men did not want to leave their loved ones and summarily cancelled all marriages and engagements. Two priests, Valentine and Marius, disobeyed the decree and secretly performed marriage ceremonies. Valentine was caught on 14 February and dragged to jail. Later in the day he was clubbed to death and beheaded. It is said that, before his execution, Valentine himself had fallen in love with the jailer's daughter. He signed his final note to her, "From your Valentine."

Valentine's Day

In 391AD, Emperor Theodosius I declared Christianity as the official religion of the Rome. The fertility festival was celebrated until 496AD when Pope Gelasius replaced it with a similar celebration. For patron saint of the celebration, he chose the "lovers" saint, St Valentine. He also moved the date of the celebration from the 15 February to the date of St Valentine's death, 14 February. Through the centuries, Valentines Day became to be remembered more as the festival of love instead of a religious day. In 1969 it was dropped from the Roman Catholic calendar as a designated feast day.

Cupid

Cupid has always played a role in the celebrations of love. Those whose hearts are pierced by his arrows fall deeply in love. In Greek mythology he was known as Eros, the young son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. To the Romans, he was Cupid, son of Venus. But where there's love, there often is jealousy. Venus was jealous of the beauty of Psyche, a mere mortal, and ordered Cupid to punish her (for being so beautiful). Instead, Cupid fell deeply in love and took her as his wife.

As a mortal Psyche was forbidden to look at him. Eventually, her sisters convinced her to look at the handsome Cupid. As punishment, Venus demanded that she perform three difficult tasks, the last of which caused Psyche's death. Cupid found her lifeless on the ground and removed the eternal sleep from her body. The gods, moved by their love, then granted Psyche immortality.

The symbol of Cupid became part of Valentines Day only recently. Cupid is still around shooting his arrows. Psyche represents the struggles of the human soul.

Happy Valentine's!

Esther Howland, the woman who produced the first commercial American valentines in the 1840s, sold a then mind-boggling $5,000 in cards her first year of business. Today, over 1 billion valentine cards are sent in the US - second in number only to Christmas cards.

Did you know?

* The rose is the symbol of love but the flower symbol for February actually is the violet. A rose is the symbol for June.

* It is said that Cupid's arrows are tipped with diamonds, lending it magic without equal.

Valentine's Day originates from the ancient Roman festival of fertility, which was held annually on 15 February. The 14th of February was celebrated in honour of Juno, the queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. Juno was also the goddess of women and marriage.

Decision making skills and techniques

2009-01-23T09:04:00.000+08:00

We use our decision making skills to solve problems by selecting one course of action from several possible alternatives. Decision making skills are also a key component of time management skills.

Decision making can be hard. Almost any decision involves some conflicts or dissatisfaction. The difficult part is to pick one solution where the positive outcome can outweigh possible losses. Avoiding decisions often seems easier. Yet, making your own decisions and accepting the consequences is the only way to stay in control of your time, your success, and your life. If you want to learn more on how to make a decision, here are some decision making tips to get you started.

A significant part of decision making skills is in knowing and practicing good decision making techniques. One of the most practical decision making techniques can be summarized in those simple decision making steps:

1. Identify the purpose of your decision. What is exactly the problem to be solved? Why it should be solved?

2. Gather information. What factors does the problem involve?

3. Identify the principles to judge the alternatives. What standards and judgement criteria should the solution meet?

4. Brainstorm and list different possible choices. Generate ideas for possible solutions. See more on extending your options for your decisions on my brainstorming tips page.

5. Evaluate each choice in terms of its consequences. Use your standards and judgement criteria to determine the cons and pros of each alternative.

6. Determine the best alternative. This is much easier after you go through the above preparation steps.

7. Put the decision into action. Transform your decision into specific plan of action steps. Execute your plan.

8. Evaluate the outcome of your decision and action steps. What lessons can be learnt? This is an important step for further development of your decision making skills and judgement.

Final remark. In everyday life we often have to make decisions fast, without enough time to systematically go through the above action and thinking steps. In such situations the most effective decision making strategy is to keep an eye on your goals and then let your intuition suggest you the right choice.

How to get rid of Phlegm

2008-12-17T08:23:00.000+08:00

Have you ever been embarrassed when you develop a hacking cough while in the middle of some place crowded - like the subway - and then you feel a particularly large chunk of sticky phlegm in mouth? It gets especially distressing when you don't have any tissue to temporary put the phlegm in before throwing it away. Spitting it just anywhere is unhealthy, gross, and, in some places, totally illegal since it's a health risk. When that happens, you probably curse phlegm and wish that you never had it again.

You might want to hold off with that wish. Phlegm is actually good for you. Well, not the thing itself, but what it represents. Phlegm is mucous that becomes congealed and visible. It's almost always a sign of your body fighting off whatever infection is wreaking havoc on your respiratory system - which is actually a good thing. Phlegm is primarily composed of mucous, dead bacteria and virus, dead white blood cells, and various tissues and cells. The difference between phlegm and other mucous is that phlegm comes from your lungs, not from your nasal passages.

In around 400 B.C. it was thought that phlegm was part of the four humours, the four basic substances that were supposed to comprise the human body. The other three humours were black bile, bile, and blood, and when they were balanced, the body would achieve harmony and would thus be healthy. A lack or excess of any of the humours resulted in diseases or disabilities.

It was the ancient Greek philosopher Hippocrates (of the Hippocratic Oath fame) who is credited for coming up with this theory. For 2,000 years, it influenced medical thinking until it was discredited in the 1800s.

While phlegm is an indication that your body's immune system is working overtime to get rid of those nasty invaders that are trying to make you sick, coughing up phlegm every few minutes is still a rather unpleasant practice. Here are several things you can do to get rid of the phlegm quicker so you won't have to find yourself in potentially embarrassing and totally awkward situations.

Phlegm Elimination

If you’re a smoker, cut the habit. Everyone knows that smoking aggravates and promotes several lung and bronchial problems. As if body infections are not enough, respiratory diseases caused by smoking will give your body additional health issue baggage it does not need. Smoking interferes with your body’s ability to fight off any infection, so whatever problems it is currently engaged in that resulted in the formation of mucous will be prolonged. Thus, your phlegm problem will drag on longer. Smoking also kills the cilia that line your lungs, making it harder for you to cough out phlegm. If you’ve been coughing up brown or gray-colored phlegm, it means that your body is screaming for you to lay off the cigarettes. It would do you well to cut out the filthy habit before those browns and grays become speckled with red - a sure precursor to something serious, like lung cancer.

Treat any nasal or sinus infection that you have. As mentioned earlier, phlegm is just an accumulation of mucous and other dead substances that coagulate and become visible. Mucous isn’t a foreign object - your body’s airways produce mucous regularly. These mucus secretions don’t accumulate because they’re regularly cleared to your throat where they are carried down by the saliva. If you have an infection that blocks normal passage to the airways and throat, the mucus doesn’t get drained down by the saliva and thus accumulates. Fixing the infection will help fix the additional congestion, easing the accumulation of mucus and phlegm.

Take an expectorant. Expectorants are medicines you can take to clear and loosen up any mucus and phlegm in your respiratory tract. They work by thinning out the mucus so you will be able to easily dislodge it when you cough. Common expectorant medicines are those that contain guaifenesin and bromhexine, so when buying expectorants, be sure to check if these ingredients are present. As with buying any medicine over the counter, be sure to consult with your physician first, just in case you might be subject to complications because of them.

Don’t take cough suppressants. Sure, it is pretty annoying when you have a hacking cough every five minutes, causing you to spit out phlegm at pretty much the same rate, but coughing is your body’s way of trying to dislodge the phlegm. If you’re taking cough suppressants or anything that inhibits your ability to cough, you’re essentially allowing the production and build-up of mucus and phlegm in your system since you’ve basically shut down your body’s mechanism to expel them. The sooner you get all the phlegm out of your system, the sooner your coughing will stop, and the sooner you will find relief.

Drink plenty of fluids and liquids. Plenty of liquids and fluids help loosen up any hard, sticky phlegm that is congesting your system. Fluids also help wash down mucus that is regularly deposited on your throat, thereby lessening their chances of building up and coagulating. There are also herbal teas and drinks that help you deal with respiratory problems, and the fewer complications you have, the better your chances of getting rid of respiratory disease effects - mucus and phlegm included.

Spit the phlegm out; don’t swallow it. Among the many components that make up phlegm are substances like immunoglobulins and glycoproteins that help your body fight off the infection. When these substances get killed (together with the bacteria and virus they were fighting), they become part of what makes up phlegm. When phlegm gets coughed out, it means that they have served their purpose - remnants and refuse of the battle, so to speak - and are no longer necessary in the proper functioning of the body. They have to be expelled. Therefore, spit them out and don’t swallow them back. Aside from the fact that swallowing phlegm is gross and unsanitary, it sometimes gets reintroduced to your pulmonary system, worsening your situation.

There are also home brew remedies you can try that will help in getting rid of your phlegm. Eucalyptus oil mixed with boiling water is a good way to decongest your chest and lessen the abundance of phlegm in your respiratory system. Two to three drops of the oil in boiling water should be enough to do the trick. Hold a towel over your head and deeply breathe in the steam. This will help clear out congested passageways of your respiratory tract, allowing you to spit out the phlegm more easily. Garlic is also said to have expectorant properties, and is considered to be a good supplement for treating congestion.

When your phlegm starts showing up in different colors, it’s about time to have yourself checked by a physician. Take a sample of your phlegm for analysis. Different colors usually indicate an underlying condition. Normal phlegm is usually clear and white. Yellow phlegm means that your immune system is functioning properly and is responding to something. Greenish phlegm means that there is definitely an infection in your body. Rusty spots in green phlegm are often an indication of something serious, like internal respiratory micro-bleeding or pneumonia. Brownish phlegm can be a sign of infection, as well as symptoms of too much smoking, as resin is sticking to the phlegm. When this happens, it is always advisable to limit or just stop your smoking habit, as it may be exacerbating whatever respiratory condition you may have.

About Santa Claus

2008-12-13T15:37:00.000+08:00

The American version of the Santa Claus figure received its inspiration and its name from the Dutch legend of Sinter Klaas, brought by settlers to New York in the 17th century.

As early as 1773 the name appeared in the American press as "St. A Claus," but it was the popular author Washington Irving who gave Americans their first detailed information about the Dutch version of Saint Nicholas. In his History of New York, published in 1809 under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, Irving described the arrival of the saint on horseback (unaccompanied by Black Peter) each Eve of Saint Nicholas.

This Dutch-American Saint Nick achieved his fully Americanized form in 1823 in the poem A Visit From Saint Nicholas more commonly known as The Night Before Christmas by writer Clement Clarke Moore. Moore included such details as the names of the reindeer; Santa Claus's laughs, winks, and nods; and the method by which Saint Nicholas, referred to as an elf, returns up the chimney. (Moore's phrase "lays his finger aside of his nose" was drawn directly from Irving's 1809 description.)

nast 1881The American image of Santa Claus was further elaborated by illustrator Thomas Nast, who depicted a rotund Santa for Christmas issues of Harper's magazine from the 1860s to the 1880s. Nast added such details as Santa's workshop at the North Pole and Santa's list of the good and bad children of the world. A human-sized version of Santa Claus, rather than the elf of Moore's poem, was depicted in a series of illustrations for Coca-Cola advertisements introduced in 1931. In modern versions of the Santa Claus legend, only his toy-shop workers are elves. Rudolph, the ninth reindeer, with a red and shiny nose, was invented in 1939 by an advertising writer for the Montgomery Ward Company.

In looking for the historical roots of Santa Claus, one must go very deep in the past. One discovers that Santa Claus as we know him is a combination of many different legends and mythical creatures.

The basis for the Christian-era Santa Claus is Bishop Nicholas of Smyrna (Izmir), in what is now Turkey. Nicholas lived in the 4th century A.D. He was very rich, generous, and loving toward children. Often he gave joy to poor children by throwing gifts in through their windows.

PictureThe Orthodox Church later raised St. Nicholas, miracle worker, to a position of great esteem. It was in his honor that Russia's oldest church, for example, was built. For its part, the Roman Catholic Church honored Nicholas as one who helped children and the poor. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of children and seafarers. His name day is December 6th.

PictureIn the Protestant areas of central and northern Germany, St. Nicholas later became known as der Weinachtsmann. In England he came to be called Father Christmas. St. Nicholas made his way to the United States with Dutch immigrants, and began to be referred to as Santa Claus.

PictureIn North American poetry and illustrations, Santa Claus, in his white beard, red jacket and pompom-topped cap, would sally forth on the night before Christmas in his sleigh, pulled by eight reindeer, and climb down chimneys to leave his gifts in stockings children set out on the fireplace's mantelpiece.

Children naturally wanted to know where Santa Claus actually came from. Where did he live when he wasn't delivering presents? Those questions gave rise to the legend that Santa Claus lived at the North Pole, where his Christmas-gift workshop was also located.

In 1925, since grazing reindeer would not be possible at the North Pole, newspapers revealed that Santa Claus in fact lived in Finnish Lapland. "Uncle Markus", Markus Rautio, who compared the popular "Children's hour" on Finnish public radio, revealed the great secret for the first time in 1927: Santa Claus lives on Lapland's Korvatunturi - "Ear Fell"

The fell, which is situated directly on Finland's eastern frontier, somewhat resembles a hare's ears - which are in fact Santa Claus's ears, with which he listens to hear if the world's children are being nice. Santa has the assistance of a busy group of elves, who have quite their own history in Scandinanvian legend.

Picture: Ear FellOver the centuries, customs from different parts of the Northern Hemisphere thus came together and created the whole world's Santa Claus - the ageless, timeless, deathless white-bearded man who gives out gifts on Christmas and always returns to Korvatunturi in Finnish Lapland.

Picture: North American SantaSince the 1950s, Santa has happily sojourned at Napapiiri, near Rovaniemi, at times other than Christmas, to meet children and the young at heart. By 1985 his visits to Napapiiri had become so regular that he established his own Santa Claus Office there. He comes there every day of the year to hear what children want for Christmas and to talk with children who have arrived from around the world. Santa Claus Village is also the location of Santa's main Post Office, which receives children's letters from the four corners of the world.

Christmas Tree History

2008-12-13T14:57:00.000+08:00

CHRISTMAS TREE HISTORY

Did a celebration around a Christmas tree on a bitter cold Christmas Eve at Trenton, New Jersey, turn the tide for Colonial forces in 1776? According to legend, Hessian mercenaries were so reminded of home by a candlelit evergreen tree that they abandoned their guardposts to eat, drink and be merry. Washington attached that night and defeated them.

The Christmas tree has gone through a long process of development rich in many legends, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture, with the Springfield Extension Center.

Some historians trace the lighted Christmas tree to Martin Luther. He attached lighted candles to a small evergreen tree, trying to simulate the reflections of the starlit heaven -- the heaven that looked down over Bethlehem on the first Christmas Eve.

Until about 1700, the use of Christmas trees appears to have been confined to the Rhine River District. From 1700 on, when lights were accepted as part of the decorations, the Christmas tree was well on its way to becoming a tradition in Germany. Then the tradition crossed the Atlantic with the Hessian soldiers.

Some people trace the origin of the Christmas tree to an earlier period. Even before the Christian era, trees and boughs were used for ceremonials. Egyptians, in celebrating the winter solstice -- the shortest day of the year -- brought green date palms into their homes as a symbol of "life triumphant over death". When the Romans observed the feast of saturn, part of the ceremony was the raising of an evergreen bough. The early Scandinavians were said to have paid homage to the fir tree.

To the Druids, sprigs of evergreen holly in the house meant eternal life; while to the Norsemen, they symbolized the revival of the sun god Balder. To those inclined toward superstition, branches of evergreens placed over the door kept out witches, ghosts, evil spirits and the like.

This use does not mean that our Christmas tree custom evolved solely from paganism, any more than did some of the present-day use of sighed in various religious rituals.

Trees and branches can be made purposeful as well as symbolic. The Christmas tree is a symbol of a living Christmas spirit and brings into our lives a pleasant aroma of the forest. The fact that balsam fir twigs, more than any other evergreen twigs, resemble crosses may have had much to do with the early popularity of balsam fir used as Christmas trees.

Written by: David Robson Extension Educator, Horticulture Springfield Extension Center

About Email Fraud

2008-12-04T13:01:00.000+08:00

Many types of fraud exist, and email is an inexpensive and popular method for distributing fraudulent messages to potential victims. According to the US Secret Service, hundreds of millions of dollars are lost annually and the losses continue to escalate. Most fraud is carried out by people obtaining access to account numbers and passwords. Never respond to any message that asks you to send cash or personal information. You won't receive any riches, and in fact you could get into legal trouble if you become involved with one of these scams.

Some of the most common fraudulent messages are non-monetary hoaxes or non-monetary chain mail. Treat these as you would spam; for more information, see What should I do when I get spam email? However, if you receive an email message that appears to involve money, or asks for personal information, do not respond.

What Is "Phishing"?
"Phishing" refers to a person or a group of cyber-criminals who create an imitation or copy of an existing legitimate Web page to trick users into providing sensitive personal information. Responding to "phishing" emails put your accounts at risk.

Large numbers of recipients are being "spammed," without actual knowledge of their banking affiliation. They request and collect email addresses and other confidential information like financial account numbers, IDs and passwords. The cyber-criminals have copied the logos and the content styles of widely known and respected financial institutions (including U.S. Bank) in an attempt to elicit a response from a recipient who may or may not be a customer of that financial institution.

Who Are Cyber-Criminals?
"Phishing" cyber-criminals solicit personal data from unsuspecting victims via the Internet - like personal IDs, passwords, card numbers and PINs - and sell this information to other criminals who use it for financial gain. They can also access a customer's accounts through online banking and set up false bill payments that send checks to the criminal or a conspirator. In other cases, criminals transfer funds from all available customer accounts, including credit cards, savings accounts and home equity loans into their checking account. A copy of the customer's credit card or check card is then used with their PIN at ATMs around the world to withdraw cash from their checking account.

How Cyber-Criminals Operate
To increase the number of responses, cyber-criminals include upsetting or exciting statements in their emails. They want people to react immediately and respond with the desired information without thinking. To protect yourself, take the time to examine the claims made in the email. If you receive an email requesting sensitive information, check its authenticity by contacting the company that appears to be the originator of the email.

Defense of the Ancients (DotA) Allstars Items and Recipes

2008-12-04T12:42:00.000+08:00

DotA Allstars 6.35 Item ChartDefense of the Ancients (DotA) Allstars is a Warcraft III mod that is insanely popular and equally fun. Currently this happens to be the only online game I play. DotA Allstars, or just DotA, is a mod so popular and well put together that Blizzard has recognized it and even hosted tournaments at BlizzCon!

One of the key things to being successful at playing DotA is constructing the right items in the right situations. In game there isn’t a ton of time to spend agonizing over what to build. DotA Allstars 6.35 Item Table Luckily, there are a ton of great items lists you can check out or print and use during the game. This should help you to come up with the best possible builds in all kinds of situations.

The most interesting guides I’ve seen are these two images from “thenonhacker”:
DotA Allstars 6.35 Item Table and DotA Allstars 6.35 Item Chart. These are the images I have thumbnails of on the left. The item chart shows visually what items lead to what other items. The item table categorizes each item and shows in chart form exactly what benefits each will provide.

On the official DotA site there are three must see pages:

An interactive one page listing of all the items by shop.

A basic item list for printing.

A recipe item list which can be printed in either HTML or PDF.

Note these links and this information was updated as of DotA version 6.34/6.35b

What can you do about dry eyes?

2008-10-07T04:23:00.000+08:00

To give tired, scratchy eyes soothing relief, try these preventive steps:

1. Make your world more humid.
If your dry eyes are due to dry air, running a portable humidifier in your home may alleviate symptoms by adding moisture to dry indoor environments, especially during the winter. Or, wearing a wet gauze eye mask while sleeping can keep eyes moist and prevent tear evaporation.

2. Eat more eye-friendly foods.
Although it's rare in developed countries, dry eyes can be caused by a lack of vitamin A. Either way,

ensuring that you get the optimal amount of vitamin A can boost your overall eye health. Vitamin A-rich foods include carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, pumpkin, and mango. Other nutrients that may be good for your eyes include lutein and zeaxanthin.

3. Take note of medication side effects.
Certain prescription and over-the-counter medications, such as antihistamines, diuretics, sleeping pills, beta-blockers, and pain relievers, can reduce your body's ability to create lubricating tears. If you experience dry eyes as a medication side effect, ask your healthcare provider and/or ophthalmologist about alternatives, or find out if you are a candidate for lubricant eye drops that you can use while taking your
medication.

4. Wear sunglasses.
Protecting your eyes when you are outdoors on bright or windy days not only shields your eyes from harsh UV light, but also will help keep eyes moist by preventing tear evaporation. Wrap-around sunglasses may help minimize the wind's drying effect.

5. Rest your eyes often.
If you spend several hours in front of the computer, give your eyes a break now and then. Look away from the screen and focus your attention on an object that is more than 8 feet away and concentrate on it for about 5 seconds. Repeat this exercise a few times every hour.
Also, blinking frequently can help distribute lubricating tears evenly throughout your eyes.

Funny Pictures

2008-10-04T06:03:00.001+08:00

Tips to make money from online writing

2008-10-04T04:01:00.000+08:00

Here are some tips to help you to make money:

* There are three main methods to making money by writing articles - write them for yourself, to get traffic to your own sites; write articles for others; and write articles to promote products, as an affiliate marketer. Which method will work for you? Give them all a try.

* Some kinds of articles pay better than others. Generally speaking, selling packs of articles - five, ten or even more per package, pays better than selling single articles.

* Get some article-writing experience on the out-sourcing sites. You can turn articles into a profitable full time business, once you have experience. You won't be paid much on the out-sourcing sites, but you will get priceless experience.

* There are many formulas for writing articles. Many depend on keywords. Learn as much as you can about keywords, but remember that you're writing for readers first, rather than the search engines.

* You need to promote your article writing services - get a site and blog, and learn how to get traffic. The more traffic you get, the more money you will make.

* Writing articles isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. It's a way to build a solid business, with minimal startup costs. Your business will build, as you write articles, and promote your business. As with all business, the more time and energy you spend on it, the more your business will thrive and prosper.

2008-10-04T03:55:00.001+08:00

Here is the top ten:

1) IT professionals
2) High School Teacher
3) Police Officer
4) Miner
5) Air Traffic Controller
6) Medical Intern
7) Stockbroker
8) Journalist
9) Customer Service/ Complaint Worker
10) Secretary

Starwars - Attack of the clones

2008-10-04T02:49:00.000+08:00

Starwars - The Phantom Menace -

2008-10-03T04:53:00.000+08:00

Starwars - Clone Wars Trailer -

2008-10-02T03:47:00.000+08:00

Star Wars The Clone Wars Trailer -

Top 10 Best Phones with 3D support

2008-10-01T15:29:00.000+08:00

Hungarian tech company Kishonti, which specializes in testing the performance of mobile devices has compiled a TOP 10 list of the most powerful handsets in terms of 3D performance. The list is based on the GLBenchmark test results from February 14th 2008.

As expected, Nokia N-series phones are in the top 3.

1. Nokia N93 (442 frames)

2.Nokia N93i (433 frames)

3.Nokia N95 (413 frames)

4.Dell Axim X51v (412 frames)

5.Nokia N95 8GB (395 frames)

6.Nokia N82 (392 frames)

7.Dell Axim X50v (390 frames)

8.Motorola RIZR Z8 (389 frames)

9.Nokia E90 (386 frames)

10. SonyEricsson W950i (171 frames)

=10. SonyEricsson M600i (171 frames)

=10. SonyEricsson P990i (171 frames)

=10. SonyEricsson P1i (171 frames)

by http://www.cellaz.com/news/1857/top-10-of-the-best-phones-with-3d-gaming-support/

Oily skin to right skin care

2008-10-01T02:11:00.000+08:00

Oily skin can be really frustrating. While Oily skin definitely has more benefits than dry skin, it is still quite difficult to balance. Luckily, there are various products out there designed to help with oily skin. There are also homemade beauty recipes that you can easily create yourself.

The Best Homemade Recipes to Treat Oily Skin

Homemade beauty recipes are definitely worth trying out. They are all natural, you know exactly what is in them and better yet - you can save a lot of money by preparing your own skincare products. Here are a few of the best oily skin homemade recipes that you should find really helpful:

Oily Skin Strawberry and Lemon Face Mask

Strawberries and lemons are natural astringents and they really do help with oily skin. You will need:

1) 1 tablespoon of lemon juice,
2) 2 Tablespoons of Honey
3) 2 Egg whites
4) 4 drops of Eucalyptus or Jojoba oil
5) 1 cup of Strawberries, mashed

Simply blend all of the ingredients together and apply onto the face for about ten minutes. The recipe above will suffice for two applications. It is important to prepare the mask prior to each usage to ensure freshness and effectiveness. This mask does not contain any preservatives and thus, has a very short shelf-life.

Plain Yoghurt

Plain yoghurt has several skin-benefiting uses-- it can be used as a moisturiser, a face mask or even as a cleanser to help balance oily skin. Apply plain yoghurt onto your problematic oily skin areas, leave it on for twenty minutes and then rinse it off with warm water. For best results, repeat this process daily.

Tea Tree Oil and Sea Salt

A great way to balance out oily skin is by using Tea Tree oil, which has natural and soothing properties. Tea Tree oil freshens the skin without leaving it dry. All you need for this recipe is some coarse sea salt and around ten drops of Tea Tree oil.

Mix both ingredients, rub the mixture onto your face in circular motions and wash it off. The salt exfoliates the skin, while the Tea Tree oil clears the skin and dries up the oily areas.

Overall, the above recipes are inexpensive and effective. You should notice results after a week or two but sometimes results may take a few months to be completely noticeable!

The diamonds of the ocean

2008-09-26T13:34:00.000+08:00

Imagine a million of diamonds in the ocean. What would you do? Sell them or collect them??
Well, i guest you can't sell them but perhaps giving them importance is such a good idea that could help these diamonds exist thorough ages of our grand children. Hmmmf, i think you have no clue about these diamonds living under the oceans cause if you do, then perhaps many people nowadays would be millionaire but wait, it's not, its more than a diamond, its a nature miracle. Its a gift from the ocean. Wow! Kinda amaze, a diamond? Well well, its "my precious" for the cartoons under water. Okay okay, i know you're bothered about this mysterious diamonds under water. Where did they come from? And why thus no one bother about them if they're precious enough.

Oh well, I guess i can't hide it anymore this secret. It's a shell! Shells?? Yes, Shells. Oh, i see and now im quite interesting about this small gift from the sea. I'll tell you more about this interesting diamonds of the sea which is the Shells of course.

An exoskeleton or known as Shells(seashells) is an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body and most often can be found in animals living in the sea, in contrast to the internal endoskeleton of, for example, a human.

Mineralised exoskeletons first appeared in the fossil record about 550 million years ago, and their evolution is considered by some to have played a role in the creatures who doesn't have any internal bones on them to support at.

Marvelous right? Yes, they are wonderful. They can be found in the seashores, grouping themselves and waiting to be discovered by passers by. They can be available in different sizes and added with unique colors. Most people collect them as they can be made as beautification in crafts, houses, and even personal accessories. They're so much abundant in the sea but no one cares nor appreciate its miraculous significance.

They are somehow the gift of science. Children study them for educational purposes. And don't you know that by studying them you can know the diversity and environment of the sea?
They may find so many groups but still they make a significance in the biodiversity of the ocean. Servers as home, protection neither others find it a food.

Now that you know these secret. I'll ask you as question?
If you got this right, you might already know where are the other diamonds in the ocean can be found.

Who comes first in the ocean? Is it the fish or the shells??

The New Ayala of Davao City

2008-09-23T11:17:00.000+08:00

The arise of new Ayala Mall here in davao city. "Abreeza" is the first and only Ayala mall in the island of Mindanao. It’s going to be a mixed use project, a mall with ICT/BPO buildings for call centers and other IT corporates.
Mix with fun, luxurious leisure, shopping bazaar and alot of dinning activities in a one stop big mall in davao.

The construction is located in JP Laurel, Bajada, Davao City fronting Redemptorist Church Bajada. The construction for the completion of phase 1 would be at 2009 and the target year to complete this amazing landmark would be on 2012. By that year, the project would at least accommodate two buildings for BPO/IT and the other building would be for the Mall. This will indeed generate more jobs for people in Davao. For me, this is another destination for shopping, malling.

Photos of the said proposed Ayala Center Davao:

How to reformat your Nokia 60series

2008-09-22T17:07:00.001+08:00

It worked on All nokia series 60 phones

Nokia-N-gage,Nokia N-gage Qd, Nokia 3650,Nokia 3660,Nokia 6600,Nokia 6620,
Nokia 3230,Nokia 6260,Nokia 6670,Nokia 7610,Nokia 6630,Nokia 6680,Nokia 6681,
Nokia N70,Nokia N90,Nokia 3250

It may happens that a program corrupts the C: drive of your phone. In such case, some data can be lost of course but, more annoying, some applications may not work or work only partially,...

On a Series 60 based phone, two key sequences will allow to restore your phone to a cleaner state:

Normal Reset (*#7780#) : Restores ini files from rom but preserves user data (photos, 3rd party apps etc)

Deep Reset (*#7370#) : This reformats completely the C: drive. All applications and files stored on this drive will be lost and clean default files will be rewritten.

In both case, the phone will ask you a confirmation and you will have to enter a security code (12345 by default).

Files and applications stored on E: drive are not be affected by these sequences.

Useful helps : Full phone formatting a 6600! Here to let everybody how to perform a Full phone formatting on a 6600! If you encounter situation like below on your 6600, 1. Blank screen phone unable to reboot. 2. Phone only able to boot-up to "Nokia" word screen. 3. Install some program but not able to uninstall it after that. 4. Unable to delete unwanted files on C drive. Do a Full phone formatting on your 6600! as steps below, 1. Make sure you have at least 3/4 charge of battery power left. 2. Backup your contacts list and personal files to MMC memory card. 3. Switch-off your 6600 phone. 4. Press and hold 3 keys; Green dial key, * Star key, no. 3 key on keypad and then press the power on/off to swtich on the 6600 phone. Remember, do not let go the 3 press and hold keys until you see a formatting word screen show! 5. After a few minutes when the Full phone formatting completed, your 6600 will back to original system and factory settting.

StarCraft 2 (New Released)

2008-09-20T21:08:00.000+08:00

Once again the three races will rock your gaming world in a new rage arena. The Terran, Protoss and Zerg with the new breed of legions, new mechanical frontier, upgraded edge and new missions, all battle will cross path in every galaxy, a battle of survival and a struggle of a new faction.ill do battle across the galaxy, as each faction struggles for survival.

The new breed of mutalisk of Zerg is on the loose once again to outcome each legion in the galaxy.

The unstoppable army of Terrans, the marines, with their heavy, new equip fire power for a raging action against any hostile enemies.

Featuring a unique single-player campaign that picks up where StarCraft: Brood War left off, StarCraft II will present a cast of new heroes and familiar faces in an edgy sci-fi story filled with adventure and intrigue.

Blizzard offer again, unparalleled online gaming through Battle.net with its several enhancement and features to make this game an ultimate battling, real time stategy game.

Finding the right job at the right sense

2008-09-10T05:45:00.000+08:00

When finding a job, better use your sense whether this job is preferably fit to your
skills and knowledge. Don't take it for granted cause in some point at your job work, you might have a problem in handling it. Some people forget the essence of their dream job. Don't worry, you'll come over there, just don't rush, better start smart and work smart. Choose the right job with its description on the table, read it and carefully
think if it will do a good habit to your lifestyle.

Most people nowadays, look for a job that is competitive when it comes to compensation, but the big question is, can your skills be competitive to your job description to get that good compensation?hmm... Well, there are some jobs right now that only requires a small amount of participation and you're In already. But don't you remember those days in college, that you're dreaming a job that you really wanna be with. A job that you wanna enjoy in your daily life. For example, A graduate of mass communication degree, he got a diploma and where looking for a job in ads. He saw an ad showing a job opportunity open for all graduates. The job is preferably doesn't required to much skills and all you need is your presence and your dedication to job and you'll be paid a high salary. There was also this another ad showing, a job opportunity that requires good skills but as for a starting level, the compensation is just not quite to big compared to first one he saw at ad. By practicality, he may took the first ad but, he stop and thinks like he was at his past years in college. "I got a degree and earned skills from my college that I can surely develop well in a job that will mold my degree and personality".

Now if you where to be question by your employer? Why would you take a job that has a good compensation but not related to your degree.? Simply, you wont answer "practically in life". Cause in the world where big boss live in tall corporates, they won't take thats a great answer in a degree earner person. Now, If i where you. Think first and act twice so you'll have many steps to create.

Make sense. Make a good point of choosing a right job for you.

Its better to be smart than to be good!

Benefits of Drinking Water

2008-09-05T00:21:00.000+08:00

Want to know how much liter of water you should take every day?
Hmmm.. Well in that case, i really can help you. Fact;

8 glasses a day x 300 mL a glass = 2400 ml a day
2400 a day x 365 days = 876000 ml in a year
876000 mL = 876 Liters in the whole calendar year of a persons survival.

An average of 8 glasses fo water per day is a total of 2400 ml in take. As much as I know, every person drinks 2.5 glass of water after every meals and a glass of it before sleeping for other purposes.

Don't you know that water naturally helps metabolize the body fat in your body. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits. Drinking water can prevent diseases and some stress from working whole day. When our body gets less water, it perceives this treat to all our body system resulting in a stressful manner nor we get dehydrated. Water from history is our key in man's survival. Water get rids of natural waste and some left over toxins from the food we eat. Water also reduce weights number and can make our skin more highly pinkish in our daily routine of work.

Stay fit and work smart by drinking atleast 8 glass of water a day.

Crazy about ringtones?

2008-08-29T04:39:00.000+08:00

Ringing, buzzing and having all kinds of sounds that goes gagas. Well, that’s just the life of your mobile phone. Before, only chimes and bells are giving us the attention to look after them. So many histories had past and people try and try to put sounds to technology and to all gadgets that where made to put people work at ease and having it the sense of connectivity to our attention. Telephones and beeper where the most common at those time to have that kinda silly sound that goes dazzling in the pocket and goes beeping around your waist. As time goes by, mobile phones compete with the telephones and beepers and the rating goes on a high crave and almost the features are similarly adapted to mobile technology. As mobile technology evolve, people find ideas to come up with a new sensation that will bring the true color of each mobile phones and for it to become popular. Mobile companies comes up with a special sound especially built only for mobile phones. And here it was, the ringtone was invented and suited to the mobile phone's life.
Ringtones comes up with different variants of sounds and types, such like Monotones type, the Polytones type and the lately the Realtones(.mp3 or wav) which use real sounds compare to instrumental tones(Monotones and Polytones).
Inventors, young individual and even big companies nowadays try to have new gimmicks and effects that would make there mobile phones so trendy and the consumer would try to have them. Mobile phone users used these highly specialized sounds for them to differ which is for the messaging tone and another from calls.
You see, even this simple kind of ringtone can be use in a different usage. Whether you want it in your SMS or in your calls, no cares which will you choose from and how you will use it. As long as theirs a ringtone that keeps buzzing your mobile phones. You and your mobile phone will survive in this fast changing world.

Chasing my 22 words for you

2008-08-28T05:14:00.000+08:00

1.im so glad im yours
2.your the best part of my heartbeat
3.im attracted to you in pieces and I love you as a whole
4.ill jump if ill knew you'll catch me
5.I realize that, its just me and me alone to complete you!
6.You where there when I needed you
7.Our hands are completely unbreakable
8.Just lay your head and you'll know your next to my soul
9.Hello! I'm just right here, standing all alone at your front door.
10.I wanna be there always, when you wish
11.My face will never be complete without your smile
12.You label my colors
13.I love you and i need you
14.Empty without you
15.ni hao ma? ni hao pa? =)
16.Laugh with me
17.Your picture will always be colorful when i am your partner
18.Your magic spell really works on me
19.Your love of my life
20.Day by day, it keeps better cause you're so special
21.Take my hand, and will fill our future with "us"
22.You will always be my best and i wanna be honest to say this, I love you so much!

The Greatest Journey

2008-08-27T05:37:00.000+08:00

Who says man cannot reach his goal?
Where all definitely questioned by that phrase! Know Why?... Know How?... Know What?...
Simple, it can be found at the top of Mt. Everest

A "C" that contains vitamin

2008-08-27T05:25:00.000+08:00

Vitamins are substances that play an essential part in animal metabolic processes, but which the animals cannot synthesise. In their absence the animal develops certain deficiency diseases or other abnormal conditions. Vitamins are chemicals other than proteins, carbohydrates, fats and mineral salts that are essential constituents of the food of animals. Although certain animals can synthesise certain vitamins and all animals needing vitamin D can manufacture it from ergosterol in the presence of u.v. light, the precise mechanism of action of many vitamins is still poorly understood. Small amounts of vitamins are essential for the regulation of all bodily processes. With the exception of vitamin D, the human body cannot make its own vitamins, and some cannot be stored. Vitamins must therefore be obtained from a food on a daily basis. A person's diet must provide all the necessary vitamins he/she need. For me, C is more than a word, its a Vitamin.

The place my heart wanna be with

2008-08-27T05:02:00.000+08:00

They say that this place is the most mysterious haven. Its because, legend said that the great civilization of Atlantis, submerge into the deepest side of the island.

Well, i think the story is quite fascinating like the beat of each person who wanne be there
and feel the history once again.

I don't know but one thing for sure, that the place i wanna be with, and be with the girl of my name.

What's my favorite food chain

2008-08-26T23:46:00.000+08:00

The best home town meals are served here with the best wishes to fight hunger.

Served with different meals with egg, are the best partner to full your craving stomach.

Tell me about yourself

2008-08-26T23:31:00.000+08:00

Do you always think that you can be somebody without having a thought you could do what he/she can do?

WALL-E

2008-08-26T01:25:00.001+08:00

I'm currently watching WALL-E from the animation of Disney and pixar production.

I find it cute and heart touching cutie movie.

[COPY URL]
http://videogrounds.blogspot.com/2008/06/wall-e-2008.html

What can you say about Kadayawan?

2008-08-22T04:55:00.001+08:00

More ever and most over, the city's event of the year has come to our big attention as flowers, food and even the people join together to celebrate the festival among festivals in the country.