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Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, has made calls to global governments for initiating efforts to improve women’s health or risk missing an UN-set deadline for reducing the number of maternal deaths.

Ban, speaking at Women Deliver, the largest international women’s health conference in a decade, said health issues pertaining to women and children have been the slowest of the UN Millennium Development Goals to make progress.

From News.yahoo.com:

“Women are dying because their lives are not important enough to policymakers around the world,” said Guttmacher Institute president and CEO Sharon Camp.

She noted that while less than 12 billion dollars were spent last year to promote maternal health — a sum she said should be at least doubled — “Wall Street bosses paid themselves twice that in bonuses last year.”

At the conference, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged 1.5 billion dollars in support of family planning and programs that support nutrition and fight the deaths of newborns and of women in childbirth.

The philanthropic group hoped to set an example for world governments to follow.

“It’s not that the world doesn’t know how to save the 350,000 mothers and three million newborns who die every year,” Melinda Gates said as she announced the grant.

“It’s that we haven’t tried hard enough.”

An initial grant of 94 million dollars has already been made for projects in India, and 60 million dollars have gone to Ethiopia, with the rest due to be disbursed over the next five years.

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation pledged a contribution of 1.5 billion dollars in support of family planning and other programs supporting nutrition and reducing the number of deaths of newborns and of women in childbirth.

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If you want to have a gorgeous body like Britney Spears, heartthrob of the nation, this YouTube video can help you in more than just a way. In this video, you can see celebrity personal trainers suggesting ways for a quick and easy abs routine to be and remain in a good shape.

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If you are planning to visit the land of Zulu, South Africa, to watch FIFA World Cup 2010, this is one YouTube video you must be watching to avoid catching communicable and preventable diseases during the planet’s largest single-sport mass gathering to maintain high standards of health, fitness, and hygiene.

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If you cannot find a reason good enough to leave the iPod at home, there is bad news for you. A recently concluded study has claimed that listening to iPod for an hour daily could cause irreparable damage to your hearing.

It was disclosed by scientists in Europe that listening to music on the headphones could have a temporary impact on the hearing ability due to the damage caused to the hair cells in the outer ear.

From in.news.yahoo.com:

Scientists in Europe have shown that listening to music on headphones for an hour can have a temporary impact on people’s hearing because of the damage caused to the hair cells in the outer ear.

Participants in the study had their hearing tested and were then asked to listen to pop or rock music for six one hour long sessions using two different types of headphones and at varying, preset volumes, ‘The Daily Telegraph’ reported.

After each session, the scientists measured the responses of the 21 men and women aged between 19 and 28 to a very short sound and then two sounds of different frequencies to see how clearly participants could hear the tones.

It is highly recommended that you put off the headphones and iPod after enjoying them for a short while else the consequences can be fatal.

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In this free video on building muscles and bodybuilding, Paul Vinson having 20 years of experience as a professional bodybuilder talks about the best supplements for building solid muscles. The video highlights the benefits of Creatine for adding and retaining muscle mass and muscle quality.

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If you have been reading about health supplements and thinking why they are recommended every where when some people say that they are harmful, it is time for you need to correct your facts.

Health supplements do not result in any side effects unless abused or of a low grade. One can only gain benefits from them if used under qualified medical guidance and as per recommendations.

From Healthandsuppliments.com:

In this blog meant to create general awareness among the masses, we would like to let you know that good health is one thing that cannot be compromised at any stage of time. If you think that your body can take anything that comes its way then you need to think twice. Just because your body has not succumbed to any health risks by now does not mean that it will also not fall in the future. However, the chances are that the bad times will not be too far if you persist with this kind of health approach.

This is exactly where health supplements come into the picture. Apart from health supplements, you can even take popular supplements such as Dianabol, Creatine Serum, Acetyl L-Carnitine, Soy Protein, Glucosamine, and Whey Protein for staying close to health and fitness.

It is sad to know that there are things people know about health but do not implement. Even though good sense prevails over in the initial stages, it comes down after a self-realization of failure (that does not exist at all). It is strange to even note that people expect immediate results from exercise sessions and health supplements after torturing their own body for so many years.  People tend to protect themselves from a disease only when it reaches them and find it wasteful to spend any time in preventing themselves.

In short, be aware, be healthy!

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According to a new study, parents can contribute to a significant extent to behavior and social skills of their wards by being more involved with their children across elementary school.

This study was based on information related to 1,300 children from 10 U.S. cities who were followed from birth to fifth grade and was carried out under the guidance of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

From in.news.yahoo.com:

The study aimed at learning how parent involvement affects children’s academic, social, and emotional well-being in elementary school. The children studied were mostly White and about evenly divided by gender.

According to the findings, parents’ involvement – visits to the school, encouraging educational progress at home, remedied children’s problem behaviors (including both aggressive and disruptive behaviours as well as anxiety and depression. At the same time, their so-called pro-social skills (such as cooperation and self-control) improved.

Their involvement however, did not affect achievement possibly because it wasn’t specific to academic performance of the child.

“The study shows that parents continue to wield considerable influence on children’s development through elementary school,” according to the researchers. “Therefore, the study has implications for policies to encourage involvement.”

The study was published in the May/June 2010 issue of the journal Child Development.

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Want to get qualified insights on high standards of health and fitness? Then this YouTube video is all you need to watch for attaining knowledge on creating and maintaining high standards of health and well being. One thing is for sure, this video will clear some of your doubts related to healthy lifestyle and health foods.

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Despite the cell phone industry crying foul, San Francisco has probably become the first city in the world to make health warning labels mandatory on mobiles from next year.

A legislation passed in San Francisco could mean cell phone shops in the city will be displaying health warning labels in order to prominently show the radio-wave emission levels of various different models they sell from next year.

From Beta.thehindu.com:

The law requires that mobile stores to display the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) levels — that is the amount of radio-frequency energy absorbed by the body per unit of body mass — of every phone either on the handset itself or on a poster within the store.

The legislation was passed despite opposition from mobile phone industry representatives, who argued the measure could be seen as supporting the view that higher emissions might be linked to health risks.

According to U.S. Federal Communications Commission rules, cell phones cannot have a SAR greater than 1.6 watts per kilogramme.

Gavin Newsom, the Mayor of San Francisco, will be signing the ruling into law after a public comment period of ten days.

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A recently concluded study has suggested that women who are into part-time employment are likely to have healthier children those mothers who stay at home or work fulltime.

Children of part-time working mothers ate fewer unhealthy meals, according to a research led by researchers from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, in Melbourne, Australia.

From Timesofindia.indiatimes.com:

“What we’re seeing is that mums who work part-time are better able to balance their work demands with family life and are more able to monitor their children’s eating habits and activities, which has direct health benefits for children,”  telegraph.co.uk  quoted Prof Jan Nicholson, from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, in Melbourne, Australia as saying.

“We need to find ways to provide full-time working parents with the ability to do that by promoting family-friendly work policies,” she added.

Nicholson said that it was still unclear why children whose mothers did not work were more likely to be obese.

It was also revealed that children of part-time working moms watched less of television and were more physically active than other children of the same age.

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Half of the 55 New Zealand women at risk of hepatitis C following treatment at a Melbourne abortion clinic have been identified and health authorities are urging others to come forward.

It is expected that about 3500 women, including the 55 New Zealanders, contracted the disease from Peters.

From Tvnz.co.nz:

Healthline has taken 66 calls from New Zealand women who believe they could have contracted the disease, and transferred 54 calls to the Australian hepatitis C helpline, Ministry of Health deputy director of public health Fran McGrath says.

The calls came after media coverage and advertisements urged the 55 New Zealanders at risk of contracting the disease from Croydon Day Surgery, in Melbourne’s northeast, where anaesthetist James Peters worked between 2006 and late last year, to come forward.

The Victorian Department of Health had notified the ministry 26 of the 55 New Zealand women had been contacted and referred for testing.

McGrath says anyone treated at the clinic between January 2006 and December 2009 should ring Healthline on 0800 611 116 and get tested and treated if needed.

The Victorian police and the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria have already initiated investigations against Peters over his patients’ infections.

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Individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can enhance their mood with apple juice, according to scientists.

It was revealed by the scientists that intake of two 4-oz glasses of apple juice a day for a month by AD patients can change behavioral and psychotic symptoms associated with their dementia, especially in the areas related to agitation, delusion, and anxiety.

From Timesofindia.indiatimes.com:

Alzheimer’s disease is characterized by a progressive loss of memory, decline in cognitive function, behavioral changes, and the loss in ability to do daily activities, all of which causes a significant caregiver burden and increased health care costs.

While pharmacological treatments can provide temporary reduction in AD symptoms, they’re costly and cannot prevent the ultimate decline in cognitive and behavioral function. That’s why the authors considered it important to discover any possible nutritional interventions.

“The modest, but statistically significant, impact of apple juice on the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in this study adds to the body of evidence supporting the usefulness of nutritional approaches, including fruit and vegetable juices, in delaying the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease, even in the face of known genetic risk factors,” said the authors.

The study appeared in American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias (AJADD).

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In the world of vitamins and minerals, Vitamin K is often a neglected name despite the fact that it offers endless benefits and necessary for normal functioning of the body. Let us read more about this vitamin.

Vitamin K, also known as phytonadione, is important for regular normal blood clotting besides imperative for kidney functioning. This vitamin is required by the human body for ensuring its normal growth and development. Vitamin K supplements are recommended by medical practitioners, all over the world, for improving bone health and minimizing risk of bone fractures, especially in postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis.

Sources of Vitamin K

Rich sources of Vitamin K are Alfalfa, Cheddar cheese, Seaweed, Turnip greens, Spinach, Asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and Broccoli.

Deficiency of Vitamin K

The deficiency of Vitamin K is rare and occurs due to inability of the body to absorb it from the intestinal tract and can occur after prolonged treatment with oral antibiotics.

RDA for Vitamin K

The recommended dietary intake (RDA) for Vitamin K is as follows:

1. Infants (0-6 months) – 2 mcg/day

2. Infants (7-12 months) – 2.5 mcg/day

3. Children (1-3 years) – 30 mcg/day

4. Children (4-8 years) – 55 mcg/day

5. Children (9-13 years) – 60 mcg/day

6. Children (14-18 years) – 75 mcg/day

7. Male adults (19 years or older) – 120 mcg/day

8. Female adults (19 years or older) – 90 mcg/day

9. Pregnant and breastfeeding women – (19 years and older) – 90 mcg/day

We hope that this detailed information on Vitamin K helped you gain a clear and complete understanding.

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TOPS Club, Inc. (Take off Pounds Sensibly), the nonprofit weight-loss support organization, recently suggested a variety of tips and ideas in order to provide much-needed guidance on improving a man’s health.

These tips are just on time for National Men’s Health Week from June 14-20, and Father’s Day on June 20.

From Strausnews.com:

Foods just right for men

We hear a lot these days about how important it is for women to eat certain foods containing specific nutrients. What about men? Are there foods men should eat for better overall health? The answer is an unequivocal, “Yes.” In fact, there are several foods and nutrients men should consume most days of the week for optimum health, as outlined by Drs. Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen, authors of the “YOU” series of books.

1. Fiber – Men need to eat at least 25 grams of fiber each day. While that can be daunting, fiber is found in a number of sources, like grapefruit, soybeans, and whole grains. If you’re looking for whole grain products, make sure the ingredients read: “100 percent whole grain” or “100 percent whole wheat.”

2. Folate – Men can significantly reduce their risks for some kinds of cancer by eating food rich in folate. Take a supplement or add dark, leafy greens and orange juice to your diet. Men are advised to look for the words “folate” or “folic” on food labels and to get at least 800 mg each day.

3. Tomato sauce – It takes 165 raw tomatoes to equal ten tablespoons of tomato sauce. This juicy red fruit contains lycopene, which can help fight cancer. Instead of eating all those tomatoes, enjoy ten tablespoons of tomato sauce per week and decrease the chances of arterial aging, heart disease, stroke, memory loss, and other conditions.

4. A handful of nuts – Men should eat walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts to get the powerful omega-3s, healthy fats with multiple benefits. It’s good practice to snack on some before eating foods like pasta or corn on the cob. The fat in the nuts helps the stomach slow down and the body to more effectively process the sugar from the carbohydrates in those meals.

5. Fish – Men also should consider eating a serving of fish three times a week. Tilapia, salmon, flounder, cod, and mahi-mahi are all good choices. They’re high in protein and low in fat and carry a low amount of mercury, a chemical that can increase the risk of heart disease and impaired memory.

The first TOPS meeting is free of charge and interested people can call 800-932-8677 or visit TOPS website.

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