Car Insurance: When Not to Skimp on Coverage

Car Insurance: When Not to Skimp on Coverage - When shopping for car insurance, the unfamiliar names and functions of major coverage can read like ancient Sanskrit. Collision sounds self-explanatory enough, but what's up with "comprehensive" and "uninsured/underinsured motorist"?

We asked three auto insurance experts to break down the standard policy to help you purchase the coverage you need at a price you can afford.

Our auto insurance guide ranks each coverage type by its relative urgency to the consumer by a red, orange or yellow designation. Red is most urgent, and yellow is least urgent. While each is an important tool to cover the legal and financial risks of owning a vehicle, it's unwise to skimp on coverage types in the red zone.

"I encourage people to think about auto insurance not from the premium that's on their renewal notice but from what they're trying to protect, what their need is and what their risk tolerance is in certain areas," says Jim Quade, assistant vice president of Liberty Mutual Insurance in Boston. "Then, imagine having a loss, and think about what you would expect your insurance company to do."

Ready to roll? Let's break down a standard car insurance policy into layman's terms and discover ways to save you money without costing you your coverage.

Liability insurance to protect your assets

Coverage: Liability 

Rating: Red

Liability coverage pays for bodily injury and property damage that you, your family or friends cause while driving your car as well as legal and court costs if you're sued in an accident.

Our three experts unanimously place liability in the red zone.

"It's the coverage that is going to protect your assets and earning potential if you're in a bad accident," says Mike Schmisek, a Farmers Insurance agent in Denver. "People can survive financially after totaling their car, but they can't survive a lawsuit after killing somebody."

Skimping on liability coverage in your auto insurance doesn't make sense, according to H.Q. La, a State 

Farm agent in Portland, Ore. "With lawsuits today, even if you doubled the amount of liability you now carry, the cost is just a fraction of what people think it will be. Typically, you're talking about less than $50 more every six months to double your current liability coverage."

Comprehensive coverage for the unexpected

Coverage: Comprehensive

Rating: Yellow

Comprehensive, or "comp," coverage pays for damage to your vehicle not caused by a collision. Typical covered perils include wind, hail, flood, theft, vandalism, fire and impact with animals. Comprehensive coverage doesn't always include a deductible.

La says your need for comprehensive car insurance may vary, depending on your location, financial circumstances, and the age and value of your vehicle.

"Where there's a deductible built in, you can choose a higher deductible. Comprehensive does not have to do with a person's driving record, and it's relatively a lot cheaper than collision coverage," he says.

Quade agrees. "Because of the (affordable) cost of comprehensive, most people make that the last coverage to drop," he says.

Some companies allow you to carry comprehensive car insurance alone, and others require you to carry comp with your collision coverage.

"If you lease your vehicle, (the lender is) going to require you to have both comp and collision," La says. "They want to protect their interest."

Collision coverage for older cars?

Coverage: Collision

Rating: Yellow

Collision pays to repair damage to your car above a deductible amount when it strikes or is struck by another vehicle or object.

How important is collision?

"It depends on the cost and age of the car, how much it's going to cost to repair it, and whether or not you can afford to fix it by yourself without collision coverage," State Farm's La says.

As your car ages and/or declines in value, you may want to increase your deductible to lower your premium or drop collision altogether from your auto insurance.

"Typically, people will drop collision before they will drop comprehensive on an older vehicle, particularly if their driving record and circumstances causes their average premium to be a little bit higher," Liberty Mutual's Quade says.

"If you lease your vehicle, however, your lender will likely require comprehensive and collision, and may even set the amount of your deductible," he says.

Payments for costly medical attention

Coverage: Medical payments

Rating: Orange

Medical-payments coverage pays for necessary and reasonable medical expenses for you, your family and passengers in your vehicle who are injured in an auto accident, regardless of who caused the wreck. You choose the coverage limits.

"Medical really depends on your situation," says Schmisek of Farmers Insurance. "If you don't have health insurance, I'd move it to the red zone and carry the maximum amount that the company will allow."

Quade says the type of driving you do could affect your need for medical coverage as part of your car insurance.

"If you carpool a lot, it can become important to carry a higher medical-payments deductible to ensure that anyone who is injured in your car, especially children, have the medical attention they need," Quade says. "If you loan the vehicle out to somebody and they're injured, medical payment can kick in for those individuals because insurance follows the vehicle."

Cover the risk of uninsured motorists

Coverage: Uninsured/underinsured motorist

Rating: Red

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, or UM/UIM, primarily pays for bodily injury stemming from an accident caused by a driver who does not have or has insufficient auto liability coverage.

The increased risk of being hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver today has pushed UM/UIM into the red zone in recent years.

"Depending on the state you live in, 30 percent of the people could be driving without insurance due to the economy," La says. "If they hit you and you don't have that coverage, your injuries are not going to be paid for, your passengers' injuries are not going to be paid for, and your car is not going to be covered. Even if you're hit by someone who has insurance, a lot of times they might not have enough insurance to cover the injuries or damages you sustain."

Quade says a good rule of thumb is to match your UM/UIM coverage to the bodily injury limits of your auto insurance liability coverage.

That shouldn't bust your budget. "Uninsured motorist is by far the least expensive of all the coverages," La says. "A lot of times, it's like $1 a month. You won't even notice it."

What if you need road service?

Coverage: Emergency road service

Rating: Light yellow

Car rental coverage pays for the cost of a rental car if yours is not drivable due to a covered loss such as an accident. Emergency road service pays for such conveniences as towing, roadside assistance and locksmith service.

Our experts agree that while these car insurance coverage options might seem like luxuries, they can prove cost-effective for many drivers.

"They're inexpensive coverages that are nice to have, especially if you have an older car where you're more likely to use it," says State Farm's La. "You're talking about less than $1 a month usually, and all it takes is one claim to more than pay for the coverage itself."

Liberty Mutual's Quade offers this tip if you're considering car rental coverage. "Ask what kind of car you'll get with the coverage because oftentimes people are surprised that, when their Chevy Suburban is in the shop, they're left to cart their family of six around in a subcompact." ( Bankrate.com )

Blog : Beautiful Scene | When Not to Skimp on Coverage

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Woman's plane photos of space shuttle go viral

Woman's plane photos of space shuttle go viral – Groggy from a late night watching the Yankees, frigid from a chilled airplane cabin, Stefanie Gordon stirred to action after the pilot's announcement. Lifting her iPhone to the plane's window, she captured an otherworldly image that rocketed around the globe as fast as her subject: Space shuttle Endeavour soaring from a bank of clouds, its towering plume of white smoke lighting the azure sky.

She had never imagined the response her airborne image — capturing the last launch of Endeavour and the next-to-last space shuttle flight — would ignite. The images and video have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on Twitter alone, landed on network newscasts and been published in newspapers worldwide.

In turn, they've made a photographic celebrity of sorts of the unemployed 33-year-old from Hoboken, N.J.

"It just blew up," she said of the attention.

Gordon caught an early Delta flight from New York to West Palm Beach on Monday to visit her parents and had a whole row to herself, never imagining the history she would record.

Space shuttle Endeavor as it streaks - This citizen journalism photo taken with a cell phone by Stefanie Gordon aboard a passenger flight from New York to Palm Beach, Fla. shows the space shuttle Endeavor as it streaks toward orbit shortly after liftoff Monday May 16, 2011. Gordon says she had just awakened from a nap on the flight when the pilot announced the shuttle might come into view. (AP Photo/Stefanie Gordon) PREMIUM CONTENT - SPECIAL RATES APPLY ; NO SALES; MAGS OUT; TV OUT

She stretched out and took a nap. Then she awoke shortly before the pilot announced the descent had begun and a sighting of the shuttle was possible. She had forgotten Endeavour was even taking off at 8:56 a.m. EDT, but readied her iPhone just in case.

Then, the pilot came on again, alerting passengers the shuttle was in sight.

"Everybody ran over to the east side of the plane," Gordon said Tuesday, "and all of a sudden there it was in the clouds."

All told, she shot 12 seconds of footage of the shuttle arcing on its simple stream of smoke into space. She also shot three still photographs.

The plane landed minutes later in West Palm Beach and while she was waiting at the luggage carousel, at 9:31 a.m., she began uploading to Twitter. As she waited for her father to pick her up, she realized her work was making a splash.

"My phone just started going crazy," she said.

Among those who reached out to Gordon was Anne Farrar, a photo editor at The Washington Post, who saw the images after they were posted by a friend on Facebook. She said she'd never seen anything quite like this view of a shuttle launch before.

"It was just a really imaginative way to bring it to our readers," Farrar said. "It's almost like an underwater view."

Endeavour is on a 16-day trip — the second to last space shuttle flight. Its main mission is to attach to the space station a $2 billion physics experiment.

The Associated Press contacted Gordon through Facebook and purchased the images. The AP often obtains photos from eye witnesses, called citizen journalists.

As for Gordon, she lost her job at as a meeting planner at a nonprofit organization last month. If the exposure from her pictures helps land her dream job of working in the sports field on special events and promotions, she said, it would all be worth it. Or if someone thinks her photographic eye qualifies her for a permanent job shooting video or photos, she wouldn't turn that down either.

For now, she's basking in the afterglow of her launch shots and hoping for some rest once the media frenzy passes.

"Laying by the pool would be really nice," she said. ( Associated Press )

READ MORE - Woman's plane photos of space shuttle go viral

Radiation Levels in West Coast Milk 5,000 Times Lower Than Danger Threshold

Radiation Levels in West Coast Milk 5,000 Times Lower Than Danger Threshold - Experts Say Milk Still Safe to Drink - Milk from America's West Coast containing trace amounts of radioactive iodine is safe to drink, health officials say.

The Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration reported higher-than-normal levels of radioactive Iodine-131 in milk samples from California and Washington Wednesday. But the levels are 5,000 times below the danger threshold.

"These types of findings are to be expected in the coming days and are far below levels of public health concern, including for infants and children," the EPA said on its website.

A March 25 radiation reading from milk in Spokane, Wash. -- 0.8 picocuries per liter -- is more than 4,000 times less than that of a normal banana, which naturally contains radioactive potassium.

"Radiation is all around us in our daily lives, and these findings are a minuscule amount compared to what people experience every day," FDA senior scientist Patricia Hansen said in a statement.

A person would have to drink almost 1,500 gallons of milk -- two firetrucks full -- in eight days to reach the conservative safe limit.

The agencies will continue to measure radiation levels in milk and other food products in the U.S. during Japan's ongoing nuclear crisis.

"Radioactivity levels in milk products are monitored, so it is unlikely that any significantly contaminated milk would make it to the marketplace," said Dr. Timothy Jorgensen, associate professor in the department of radiation medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center. "The U.S. population need not be concerned about this level of Iodine-131."

On March 28 the EPA reported very low levels of radiation in the air over Alaska, Alabama, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Saipan, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and Washington state.

"The major food concern is with milk, because the I-131 gets concentrated in cow milk, when cows eat I-131 contaminated grass," Jorgensen said. "So although other foods might contain I-131, the major route of human exposure would be through milk products."

On March 22, the FDA banned milk and produce imported from Japan's Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures.

Jorgensen said the levels of radioactive iodine in milk on the West Coast do not warrant the use of potassium iodine tablets.

"It is possible to overdose on potassium iodine tablets, particularly if small children are given adult doses," Jorgensen said. "It is best to follow the advice of public health officials with regard to both food consumption and potassium iodine use."
Radiation Fears in U.S. Still High

Despite reassurance from various governmental agencies, public fears about radiation in the U.S. persist.

"It's very hard to head about radiation and iodine in milk and not be concerned. It sounds scary," said ABC News chief health and medical editor Dr. Richard Besser in an interview on ABC News' "Good Morning America."

But Besser said the ongoing monitoring efforts mean problems would be reported very quickly to the public. And as the situation at Japan's crippled nuclear plant improves, the levels will drop dramatically.

"Once they're able to control this reactor, radioactive iodine does not stay around for very long," Besser said. "The half life is eight days, and so after 80 days it's gone from the environment."

In the meantime, the levels are far too low to cut out milk, he said.

"I drank milk this morning. I'm going to continue to give milk to my children." ( abcnews.go.com )

READ MORE - Radiation Levels in West Coast Milk 5,000 Times Lower Than Danger Threshold

Tea and coffee reduce heart disease risk

Tea and coffee reduce heart disease risk, study suggests - Regularly drinking tea and coffee can significantly reduce the risk of developing heart disease, one of the biggest studies of its kind suggests.

Researchers found that moderate consumption of both drinks can reduce your chance of death from a heart attack by at least a fifth.

At the same time, it showed that risks for other diseases such as stroke were not increased.

"Our results found the benefits of drinking coffee and tea occur without increasing risk of stroke or death from all causes," said Dr Yvonne van der Schouw, professor of chronic disease at the University Medical Center Utrecht, Netherlands.

According to research moderate consumption of tea or coffee can reduce your chance of death from a heart attack by at least a fifth

For the research her team studied tea and coffee consumption among 37,514 people, and followed the participants for 13 years to monitor heart disease and death.

They found that tea had the biggest impact on heart disease but that all but heavy consumption of coffee was also beneficial.

Those who drink between three and six cups are 45 per cent less likely to suffer coronary problems compared to people who had less than one cup daily, a study found.

And drinking more than six cups was associated with a 36 per cent lower risk of heart disease.

It was good news for coffee drinkers too, with the study saying that a modest intake – two to four cups a day – may lead to a 20 per cent lower risk of heart problems.

The researchers believe that the health benefits are down to antioxidants found in both drinks which remove damaging free radicals from the body.

The team, whose research is published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association, also noted that tea and coffee drinkers have different health behaviours – with more coffee drinkers prone to smoke and have a less healthy diet.

This is the latest research into the relative health benefits of two of the world's favourite beverages.

It has been claimed that they can reduce risks of some cancers, diabetes, stress and even acne.

But they have also been linked to increased rates of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and high blood pressure.

Ellen Mason, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study adds further weight to the evidence that drinking tea and coffee in moderation is not harmful for most people, and may even lower your risk of developing or dying from heart disease.

“However, it’s worth remembering that leading a healthy lifestyle is the thing that really matters when it comes to keeping your heart in top condition.

“Having a cigarette with your coffee could completely cancel any benefits, while drinking lots of tea in front of the TV for hours on end without exercising is unlikely to offer your heart much protection at all.” ( telegraph.co.uk )

READ MORE - Tea and coffee reduce heart disease risk

Keep your teen safe behind the wheel

Keep your teen safe behind the wheel - Studies show that parents who initially limit their teens driving privileges have fewer traffic tickets, accidents

If you're the parent of a teenage driver, it can be a bit nervewracking! The best way to keep your nerves in check is to establish and enforce the rules of the road.

Studies have shown that parents who initially limit their teens driving privileges have fewer traffic tickets and accidents than teens whose parents don't apply restrictions.

Banning cell phone use, texting while driving and limiting driving after dark, help reduce accidents and deaths, according to recent studies. (TMS/Fotolia.com)

I'm a huge advocate of graduated drivers licenses and driving contracts between parents and their new teen drivers. Motor vehicle injuries continue to be the leading cause of death in teens with approximately 4,200 deaths per year. Teenage accidents and injuries also resulted in over 380,000 emergency room visits in 2007.

To reduce the risk of injury and death, studies have shown the importance of graduated drivers licenses (GDL), which are now in effect in 49 states and the District of Columbia. But in order for GDL to work, parents must be aware of the laws in their states and then enforce these laws with their teens.

The GDL program gradually phases in driving privileges for new teen drivers as they gain experience behind the wheel.

I've seen too many parents of teens in my practice who are either not familiar with the concept of GDL, or who don't feel that these rules need to be enforced. What are they thinking? Anything that may prevent teenage car accidents and injury is something we should all be aware of, as there's really nothing more frightening to me than putting your child behind the wheel of a car!

To help increase awareness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has developed a campaign targeting the parents of teen drivers.

"Parents are the Key" is being tested in several states. This campaign will help parents manage their teens driving behaviors while simultaneously educating teens about high-risk activities that may lead to car accidents.

Things like drinking and driving, number of passengers in their car, banning cell phone use and texting while driving, and limiting driving after dark all help reduce accidents and death.

The CDC has information on its website about National Teen Driver Safety Week, coming up Oct. 17-23. Take advantage of this opportunity, especially if you have a teen who's begging to start driving! The responsibilities with obtaining a driver's license need to involve both parent and teen. ( latimes.com )

READ MORE - Keep your teen safe behind the wheel

Is Your Job Ruining Your Body?

Is Your Job Ruining Your Body? - The quick answer: YES When a recent study found that sitting all day shortens women's lives, we gasped in our cubicles, leapt to our feet, and then...sat back down. But there's good news: You can undo the damage and the physical symptoms of stress, whether you spend your days stuck at a desk or chasing kids around.

DO YOU SIT ALL DAY LONG?

It's official: Sitting too much is bad for you. Not only does it place pressure on the low back and tailbone, causing pain and even sciatic nerve trouble for some women, but two recent studies also found that the more time people spend on their butts each day, the more likely they are to die of cancer or heart disease. How to stay healthy: The way to ward off both back strain and the scarier, more serious health effects of sitting is fairly simple. "For five minutes every hour, get up and do something — a trip to the bathroom or the watercooler works, but the more active you can be, the better.


DO YOU TAKE CARE OF KIDS?

Many moms end up with soreness and tightness of the low back and shoulders, what should be called "mommy back." Momhood can be so hard on your body, in fact, that there's a whole group of medical experts who specialize in it: pre- and postpartum physical therapists.


DO YOU TYPE CONSTANTLY?

Spending 20 or more hours a week in front of a computer can put someone at risk of wrist injuries. Often the damage is severe enough that surgery is the only real cure, he says. That's why prevention is so crucial. How to stay healthy: "When you're typing, keep your wrists in a neutral position," says John Lloyd, Ph.D., a certified ergonomist in South Florida — never rest them on your desk or hold them up too high. "Ideally, your forearms should be supported on armrests." Interesting Fact: "During 'that time of the month,' your body retains water, including in the arms and wrists, which increases pressure on the nerves," Lloyd says. (Who knew?)


DO YOU WORK NIGHTS?

One major study found that night-shift nurses were more likely to end up getting breast cancer than those who worked during the day, and other new research found that night-shifters are more likely to have irritable bowel syndrome. How to stay healthy: "Once you get home, decrease room temperature in the bedroom, pull down the shades, and use earplugs to block out interruptions," says Joseph Cilona, Psy.D., a psychologist in New York City.


DO YOU STAND FOR HOURS ON END?

Women who stand for more than eight hours a day have significantly higher rates of varicose veins than those who are on their feet less, research has found. How to stay healthy: It seems counterintuitive, but after a long day of putting pressure on your legs and feet, the smartest thing to do is move them. "Sitting with your legs up can relieve engorged veins and soreness temporarily, but increasing circulation by moving around is the best thing," says Andrew Kwak, M.D., a varicose-vein expert in Bryn Mawr, PA.


ARE YOU SUPER-STRESSED?

Where things get ugly is if the pressure becomes chronic and your body and brain are constantly awash in stress hormones like norepinephrine and cortisol. That can lead to extra belly fat, and increased blood pressure and risk of heart disease, says business psychologist Debra Condren, Ph.D., author of Ambition Is Not a Dirty Word. How to stay healthy: Physical activity can stop the production of cortisol and get rid of tension held in your muscles. Though any kind of physical activity will work, intense cardio like jogging or stair climbing may work best. ( shine.yahoo.com )

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FDA Warns Five Companies Over E-Cigarette Claims

FDA Warns Five Companies Over E-Cigarette Claims - Devices Which Vaporize Tobacco Have Avoided Outright Bans So Far, but FDA Says Marketing Claims Violate Law

Citing unproven health claims and poor manufacturing practices, the FDA today warned five firms marketing e-cigarettes that their products violate drug safety laws.

E-cigarettes - electronic cigarettes - are tobacco-free devices usually shaped like cigarettes, cigars, or pipes. Users get a hit of vapor containing nicotine or other substances.

Miao Nan, executive director of Ruyan Group Ltd., puffs an electronic smoke while he shows other designs at his office in Beijing, Feb. 17, 2009. Ruyan was the first company to develop electronic cigarettes. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

They're sold in shopping malls and over the Internet. The FDA says they are unapproved drug delivery devices that cannot legally be sold until proven safe and effective. But last year, the e-cigarette industry filed lawsuits that blocked an FDA ban.

Now the FDA has sent stern warning letters to five companies that market e-cigarettes. The warnings give the firms 15 working days to correct "practices which violate various provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act."

"The companies must demonstrate to the agency that their products are safe and effective for their intended use. Also they must take steps to ensure the quality and purity of the products," said at a news teleconference.

According to the FDA, all five of the firms claim that their products can help people quit smoking cigarettes. Some of the firms also are cited for unsafe manufacturing practices, for "adulterated" products, and for containing ingredients or quantities of ingredients different than those listed on the product label.

One firm, Cixi E-Cig Technology, was cited for products containing drugs in unapproved forms: rimonabant, a weight loss drug not approved in the U.S. or Europe, and a form of tadalafil, an erectile dysfunction drug.

Perhaps more alarmingly, FDA tests found that the firm's Vitamin C E-Liquid product contains dangerous amounts of DEG, a contaminant that the FDA says can cause "serious and irreversible" poisoning.


The companies that received FDA warning letters are:

1. Cixi E-Cig Technology Inc. Ltd., Las Vegas, Nev.
2. E-CigaretteDirect LLC, Parker, Colo.
3. Gamucci America/Smokey Bayou Inc., Jacksonville, Fla.
4. Johnson Creek Enterprises LLC, Johnson Creek, Wis.
5. Ruyan America Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

These are not the only companies marketing e-cigarettes in the U.S. Levy hinted that FDA concerns are not limited to the companies that today received warning letters, but said the FDA is not planning further actions.

"We have not made a decision to remove all e-cigarettes from the market," Levy said. "The action today only concerns the products outlined in the warning letters. We did indicate in the letter to the Electronic Cigarette Association that we are interested in having manufacturers who make these products seek FDA approval of them."

In the warning letter sent to the Electronic Cigarette Association, the FDA noted that e-cigarettes meet the legal definition of both a drug and a device. As such, e-cigarettes would require FDA approval.

To get such approval, companies would have to conduct large-scale clinical trials, submit data showing that use of the products is safe, show that the products are produced according to drug-industry standards, and meet other stringent requirements. ( cbsnews.com )

READ MORE - FDA Warns Five Companies Over E-Cigarette Claims

How Do We Know When A Relationship Has A Future?

How Do We Know When A Relationship Has A Future?. In many instances, we all are “gun shy” after a short-or long- term relationship, because being hurt or feeling bad is not an option.

This stinging feeling tends to guide us as we clamor for something new or fresh. It’s as if the bricks and mortar are suddenly out and there is a new fortress built conveniently around your heart.

So when we do meet someone new, how do we know when a bright future is on the horizon? Furthermore, if we think we have it, how do we really know?

The heart can be deceptive and initially in a relationship, it can be very lustful swaying the mind to a sort of natural high. This period is just that, a period that both people go through that intentionally attempts to highlight your positives and suppress your negatives towards the perspective mate.

We all want to put our best foot forward in any given situation whether it’s landing a special mate or a good job. However, when your worst foot inevitably takes place of your best one is when the real test commences.

In order to properly judge another, one must be able to accept judging themselves!

None of us are perfect and everyone has flaws, but to what degree can we accept them not only in others, but ourselves?

If we all received a piece of paper with a large T on it, and on either side it listed the pros and cons as the average person would perceive positives and negatives, we would most certainly have a “leg up” in the filtering mode.

Most everyone filters through specific traits and qualities when dating anyone to gauge compatibility and get a better handle on their odds. So when your filter gets clogged up after a certain amount of time with their “personal luggage” as most call it, then it’s time to move on, right?

Well, that depends on you obviously....

These negative aspects usually are not revealed until some type of commitment has been agreed upon by both people. Then, the facade and veneer of “look, I have so many positives and I’m so fun and cool to be around”, evaporates and real life sets in.

It’s a deal; or it’s deal breaker time.....

When all the chips have fallen and the proverbial probationary period of lustful highs comes to an screeching end; a couple is left with what they should have came into the relationship with in the first place.........themselves!

An assessment of sorts or a comprehensive evaluation is undertaken in some segregated part of your mind and the conversation is as follows:

“Is this man or woman worth my time? Are we going to make each other better for being with each other, or does he or she make me feel something I have never felt before?” If it’s not the exact internal questions, they certainly are not far off.

If our intentions are truly built on a “good hearted foundation” then not hiding the truth about ourselves when meeting others is a simple task. We can love who we are inside and then proceed to market that love so someone else can enjoy it.

However, we hide and not reveal what we know are our negatives without working internally on them before proceeding into another relationship, where we can inject them all over again. If we ironed out our problems before delving full fledged into another committed relationship, then we wouldn’t have to “put our best foot forward because we would have both feet already firmly on the ground.”

It all starts with you and taking personal accountability for your own heart and what you truly seek in a perspective mate.

False impressions of all positives about yourself put a dishonest spin into a relationship from the get go and point it for a tenuous at best, future.

When you get to know yourself inside and out and what you truly want from a relationship is when you will know if a relationship has a future or not.

Work on eliminating your negative personality traits before ever pursuing a committed relationship. Then attempt to efficiently read your perspective mate's honest intentions before you invest too much time. If done correctly, you will have increased your odds exponentially for a long term relationship and stacked them confidently in your favor. ( loveletterbox.com )

READ MORE - How Do We Know When A Relationship Has A Future?

Instant calmers

Instant calmers. Ten healthy ways to relax, be calm and soothe those frazzled nerves...

Kava Kava:

A pungent herb used for centuries by islanders in the South Pacific to soothe frayed nerves. It has been proved as effective as mainstream tranquillisers such as Valium in relaxing both muscles and emotions. A member of the pepper family, kava kava has no sedative side-effects and is said to sharpen concentration and memory. It is available as a tincture, tea or in tablet form.

Milk:

During the day or before bed, calm down with a glass of milk. Milk releases the amino acid trypto-phan, necessary for the formation of serotonin. And raising the level of serotonin in the brain has a soothing and tranquillising effect on the body, increasing your sense of wellbeing. Don't drink your milk with a protein-rich food such as meat or chicken, though, because the amino acids in these foods compete with the tryptophan to get to the brain first, so interrupting the effective production of serotonin.

Camomile:

The white petalled flowers of the camomile plant are often used in infusions to calm nervous tension and aid sleep.

A gentle but effective relaxant that does not interfere with concentration, camomile is also beneficial against stress-related stomach upsets and can safely be given to hyperactive children.

Ginseng:

Siberian ginseng has been proved to stave off tiredness and strengthen the body's ability to deal with stresses of all sorts. It is an adaptogen, which means it helps the body adapt to stressful situations by stimulating the endocrine glands, including the adrenal gland, and keeping the body in harmony. Its beneficial effects appear to be cumulative and remain with you long after you stop taking the herb.

Valerian:

The herb valerian is often used in the treatment of digestive disorders, but its use as a nerve and brain tonic is also well documented. Traditionally believed to restore straight thinking and memory, valerian is the preferred choice of many herbalists for the management of stress and nervous exhaustion. If you have insomnia, it is best taken, like camomile, an hour before bed.

Bananas:

The old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away can also be applied to bananas. Eating bananas can rid the body of anxiety and aid restful sleep. During times of tension, stress hormones drain magnesium from the body's cells, weakening the immune system and increasing feelings of tiredness. Researchers have discovered that eating magnesium-rich foods, such as bananas, provides a boost to flagging energy levels.

Zinc:

If you are restless and agitated, irritable and jumpy at the slightest noise, or even if you have a nervous twitch, then you may have a deficiency of zinc. An essential trace element for normal growth, zinc replacement is often prescribed by homeopaths to relieve mental and physical exhaustion. If you prefer not to take a supplement, eat plenty of shellfish, nuts and seeds.

Passion flower:

More potent than camomile, passion flower counters a hyperactive mind. If you can't sit still or your mind is full of things you have to do tomorrow, then this remedy is for you. Its sedative properties will promote relaxation and sleep. Taken during the day, its effect will not disrupt concentration or make you drowsy.

Vitamin B:

A full spectrum vitamin B complex can help if you are suffering from low energy levels. Found in greater quantities in foods such as brewer's yeast, wheat germ and liver, vitamin B complex is vital for processing the energy transfer from food to fuel. The greater the stress, the higher the demand.

Calming foods:

Complex carbohydrates such as cereals, wholemeal bread, pasta and potatoes will keep blood sugar levels stable throughout the day, and level out the peaks and troughs of mood swings caused by too little starch or too much sugary food. Mushrooms are good, too. They are full of vitamin B12 and zinc, important in helping to combat anxiety, stress, depression and fatigue. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Cause of death in South Africa

Cause of death in South Africa. Although HIV/Aids is gaining acceptance as a cause of death in South Africa, the leading causes are tuberculosis, influenza and pneumonia, according to a report released by the South African Institute for Race Relations on Tuesday.

"This should not be taken to mean that HIV/Aids was not a direct contributor to a very large proportion of observed mortality, but rather it should be noted that these statistics track, for the most part, direct causes of death," the researchers said.

Close to 70% of all people diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa were also HIV-positive, the report found. There were 353,879 TB cases in 2007 compared with 73,917 in 1995.

"It is thus reasonable to assume that at least 70% of observed mortality from tuberculosis, and by extension a comparable percentage of deaths from influenza/pneumonia, also has HIV/Aids as an underlying cause," the report noted.

Aids-related infections

A person did not die from HIV/Aids directly, as it was a syndrome which caused immune system deficiency.

"Rather, mortality from Aids-related infections will be observed," the researchers said.

"It is possible that a person who is immuno-compromised enough to be classified as having reached 'full-blown' Aids would succumb to a great many infections that a person with a healthy immune system would never suffer from."

This meant that people infected with HIV/Aids could die from a vast range of secondary infections.

"It is impossible to say with certainty how much mortality is directly attributable to HIV/Aids, although the Actuarial Society of South Africa estimates that by 2009 some 2.9 million people will have died from HIV/Aids-related disease in South Africa," according to the South Africa Survey 2008/9.

It records 382,521 HIV/Aids related deaths for 2009. The report found that the "actual" figure of people living with HIV/Aids was 5,728,711, or 11.7% of the population.

Death by race

Researchers said that when analysing causes of death by race, a very clear pattern of mortality emerged for each different race group.

For Africans, the leading causes of death were TB and influenza/pneumonia - the diseases most closely associated with HIV/Aids-related mortality.

Coloureds were likely to die of TB, but also suffered from cerebrovascular disease and diabetes; Indians were most likely to die of diabetes or heart disease; and whites were most likely to die of heart disease.

"These causes of death are closely related to socio-economic status."

There had also been an unprecedented spike in deaths between the ages of 25 and 45, but antiretroviral treatment seemed to be having a positive effect. The researchers estimated that there were 497,756 new infections in 2009.

Other statistics the report identified were:

• An increase in the deaths of children up to the age of four from 32,468 in 1997, to 63,596 in 2006.
• A decline in malnutrition of children up to the age of six from 25% in 2001, to 5.7 percent in 2006.

  The report found that there were five recorded malaria deaths in 1971, but this spiked to 459 in 2000 and declined to 48 in 2007.

  It also found that there were 81,900 terminations of pregnancy in 2007.

  Researchers projected life expectancy for people born in 2008 as 50,5 years.
  

( Sapa, November 2009 / health24.com )

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Healthy workers work hard

Healthy workers work hard. "A healthy workforce is a productive workforce" is a concept embraced by modern day business minds. It implicates that the more companies put into their workforce, the more they will get out."

Dr Glen Hagemann from Energi, a company specialising in workplace wellness, has conducted local research and reviewed various studies related to health in the workplace and has made some astonishing findings.

His review entitled The Total Value of Corporate Health explains the basic logic behind a healthy workforce. "If you improve the health of employees, their quality of life improves. Therefore health care claims are reduced, disability is controlled, and productivity is enhanced. Thus having a positive impact on the bottom line," his report reads.

Preventable illness (i.e. diseases that could have been avoided by adopting a healthy lifestyle) is responsible for 40 to 65 percent of illnesses and their associated costs, reads Hagemann's report. "Modifiable health risk (MHR) factors are precursors to many diseases and premature death … and MHR can be improved through effective health management programmes," says Hagemann. "Improvements of the health risk profile of an employee population can lead to reductions in health-related costs and improvement in productivity."

"South African companies are addressing the health issues of their workforce, however, in some cases they're focussing on one risk while neglecting others," says Hagemann. He argues that HIV/Aids is a serious threat to productivity and indirectly to the country's economy. Therefore, justifiably, most health efforts are aimed towards fighting HIV/Aids. "However, HIV/Aids mostly affect the younger component of the workforce (25 to 40 year olds), while non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, etc. are risk factors among the more experienced senior workforce."

He highlights six key factors implicating employee health:

1. The effect of chronic disease on workers

Seven of the 15 top causes of death among South Africans are largely due to preventable diseases. These include HIV/Aids, ischaemic heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

• The effects of chronic disease on workers
  To illustrate this point Hagemann used rates among South African males according to age distribution. According to the South African National Burden of Disease study conducted in 2000, the death rates among the workforce (25 to 55 year olds) were particularly higher than among the rest of the population. And the two main causes of death among this group were HIV/Aids and non-communicable disease, i.e. mostly diseases that could have been prevented by lifestyle modification.

• Non-communicable disease (NCD) in South Africa
  In 2002, the Medical Research Counsel (MRC) found that 41 percent of mortality in South Africa is due to NCDs, and the figures are ever-increasing. In 1996, 487 people died per day due to NCDs. This figure rose to 536 in 2001, and is estimated to rise up to 563 by 2010.

  "Many of these deaths occur in the middle-aged and senior members of the workforce," says Hagemann, therefore having a substantial effect on the country's productivity and economy.

• Burden of NCDs in South Africa
  The MRC also reported that approximately 6 million South Africans suffer from hypertension, 4 million have diabetes, 7 million are smokers and 4 million have hyperlipidaemia.

  "Approximately 56 percent of the population are reported to have at least one of these risk factors and about 20 percent are at high risk for NCD," says Hagemann.

2. High-risk employees are high cost

The following monetary value has been calculated as the annual healthcare claims cost for certain health risk factors (regardless of whether or not a patient is on treatment):

• Depression risk – R1763
• Elevated cholesterol – R1171
• Stress – R881
• Body mass index (BMI) – R748
• Glucose levels – R558
• Blood pressure – R354
• Alcohol – R329

As the level of these risk factors increase, for example, elevating blood pressure levels, the cost of medical claims also increase.

3. Absenteeism

Health risk factors also impact on the amount of sick leave taken by the employee, ultimately leading to lower productivity output of the company.

• Annually a person with an elevated BMI costs the company 49 percent more in direct costs associated with paid time off (PTO) than a normal weight person.
• An employee at risk for depression takes an estimated 5.7 days sick leave due to this condition, costing the company 65 percent more in PTO payroll costs than a person that’s not depressed.
• High stress levels leads to an average of 4.2 sick days every year, costing the company 98 percent more in PTO payroll costs than a person with normal stress levels.
• An employee with elevated cholesterol levels will take an average of 6.8 days of sick leave due to this condition, costing the company 66 percent more in PTO payroll costs than a person not at risk.

4. Presenteeism – the hidden enemy

Presenteeism is when an employee is present, but unproductive because of ill health. This condition also has a great effect on an employee's work output. Direct costs can be measured for medical and pharmacy claims, absenteeism, workmen’s compensation and long an short term disability. However the indirect cost of presenteeism is more difficult to measure and can be termed the “hidden enemy” as companies do not know the extent of this.

According to an American study, the following diseases are believed to cause an astonishing amount of unproductive work hours per day:

• Heart disease – 4.3 hours/day
• Respiratory infection – 4.1 hours/day
• Diabetes – 4 hours/day
• Blood pressure – 3.4 hours/day
• Migraine – 3.4 hours/day
• Arthritis – 3.2 hours/day
• Allergies – 2.8 hours/day
• Stress – 2.3 hours/day
• Depression – 2.2 hours/day
• Anxiety – 2.2 hours/day

The annual cost of presenteeism (calculated according to disease), according to another US study, are as follows:

• Hypertension - $392.31
• Heart disease - $368.34
• Depression - $348.04
• Diabetes - $256.91

5.Do not neglect the healthy

Hagemann warns that companies should not just focus their health improvement efforts on those at high risk, but also aim to keep healthy employees healthy, as low risk employees could become high risk, eventually leading to higher medical and other related costs. "It’s strategically more cost-effective in the long term to keep a healthy person healthy than to try to move a high risk individual to a medium or low risk."

6. The impact of physical activity

Inactive people tend to take more frequent and on average longer sick leave, and cost the company more in sick leave/payroll costs as active employees.

Hagemann reports that physical inactivity was significantly associated with the female gender, people with an elevated BMI, people with moderate to high levels of stress as well as unhealthy eating habits. However, the same study found, no association between physical inactivity and medical expenditure, which is opposite to the international literature which generally shows an increase in medical expenditure for inactive people vs active people.

Possible solution

In order to reduce these health risks, and in turn increase workforce productivity, Hagemann suggests that companies implement a health management programme tailor-made for the health needs of its employees and aligned with the organisations objectives.

"Resources for such programmes are often limited and companies should spend their money wisely," says Hagemann. "Companies shouldn't settle for a generic health management programme. They should assess their workforce and identify the group's specific needs. Only then should they design and implement an appropriate health risk management programme," Hagemann concludes. ( health24.com )

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Shark fins traced to endangered populations

Shark fins traced to endangered populations. Delicacy from hammerheads of U.S. coastlines ending up in China markets. For the first time, DNA tools have successfully pinpointed the geographic origin of shark fins sold dried in markets to satisfy the demand for shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy.

Using CSI-like genetic methods, scientists have traced scalloped hammerhead shark fins from a burgeoning Hong Kong fish market to the sharks' original populations, some of which are endangered and located in waters thousands of miles away, according to a new study published in the journal Endangered Species Research.

Mahmood Shivji

Hammerhead sharks are being hunted in areas where populations have severely declined.

"Shark fins are popular because serving fin soup at important events, such as weddings and banquets, is a sign of wealth and status," lead author Demian Chapman told Discovery News. "Think of it as a Lexus in a bowl."

Chapman, who is an assistant director at Stony Brook University's Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, and his colleagues analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequences, passed from mother to offspring, for 177 live scalloped hammerheads in the Western Atlantic. They also took fingernail-sized DNA samples from 62 shark fins of this species obtained at a Hong Kong fish market.

A comparison of the two sets of data, along with information from prior research, revealed that the market fins came from populations in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific.

Twenty-one percent of the Hong Kong market fins were found to have originated in waters off of coastlines of the United States, Belize, Panama and Brazil in places where the shark has been categorized as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Proposal plans

Armed with the new information, Chapman and others plan to propose at the March 2010 Convention on International Trade in Endangered SpeciesQatar that scalloped hammerheads should be listed under the organization's Appendix II, which would require permits for, and monitoring of, all trade in the species across international boundaries.

"We now show proof that scalloped hammerhead fins are in the trade and that some proportion of them come from regions where they have been documented to have severely declined," co-author Mahmood Shivji, director of Nova Southeastern University's Guy Harvey Research Institute, told Discovery News.

Shivji, who also works at the Save Our Seas Shark Center, added that this new proof should help get around objections "that there is no point in listing (the sharks) because they are hard to identify and their origin cannot be reliably traced once the fins are detached and in the market pipeline."

Highly sought after

Scalloped hammerhead fins are among the most sought after delicacies by cooks since they help to create a particularly thick, gelatinous soup. Just 2.2 pounds of the coveted fins can sell for $120 U.S. dollars in Asian markets.

"The premium prices commanded by fins have fueled a global shark hunt of epic proportion," said Ellen Pikitch, executive director of the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science, which funded a portion of the research.

"Earlier work found that up to 73 million sharks are killed annually to supply the fin markets, and approximately 1 (million) to 3 million are hammerheads," she added. "Inadequate protection, combined with inexorable pursuit, has placed many shark species at grave risk."

Educational campaigns in Asia about ecosystem threats posed by shark finning, such as announcements featuring basketball star Yao Ming, have had some effect, particularly on younger consumers. But, as Shivji said, "traditional cultures are very hard to change and that will take time."

Although time may be running out for depleted shark populations, Shivji said outright bans on the sale of the fins are thought to be unfeasible and politically impractical at this time.

"Sharks are the top predators of the ocean, and have been for hundreds of millions of years," Chapman concluded. "It would be a tragedy if humankind snuffs them out, especially if for nothing more than an overpriced bowl of soup." ( Discovery Channel )

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