7 Surefire Ways To Increase Your Traffic

Internet. Business. Profit. To fully integrate all of these words into a successful merging you will need another word. Traffic. Every article you will find about making your site or company successful would always include the importance of generating traffic.

So, we all know that in the core of it all, traffic is the most essential thing to a successful internet based business company. Aside from ensuring that you have a great product to sell, and you have your company’s internal organization well taken core of, it would be time to get to the nitty gritty of things, generating traffic.

If you already have a site and you want think that you're not getting the traffic that you're supposed to be getting, then its time to reconsider. If you are contending in these very competitive business, you should always be a step ahead of your competition, increasing your traffic flow should have been done starting yesterday.

Timing is essential, that’s an old adage known to everyone. But with generating traffic, you should always be on your toes and be a day ahead of everyone. Never think of today and tomorrow as a starting point for making your site traffic laden, it should always have been yesterday.

To help you out in generating more traffic for your site, here are some seven surefire ways to increase your traffic starting from yesterday.

1) Invest in good advertising with search engines

Google’s Adwords and Yahoo’s Overture provide great advertising schemes that are very truly popular and assures great traffic. Although with this surefire way to increase your traffic would cost some money. While some would shy away from spending money to increase traffic, it is imperative in this case to do so because Adwords and Overture is the top surefire way to increase your traffic.

You could see for yourself the success this search engine advertising methods have reaped rewards for so many companies. Lots of site feature these advertising system and many have signed on to reap the benefits. Do not be left behind. Every penny is worth it with using Google and Yahoo’s advertising.

2) Exchange or Trade Links with other sites

With exchanging links with other sites, both of you will benefit from the efforts both of you do to enhance your sites traffic. When one site features another sites link, they could provide one another with the traffic one site generates. The efforts are doubly beneficial because it would seem like both of you are working to generate more traffic. The more links traded with more sites the more traffic could be expected.

3) Use Viral Marketing

Viral marketing allows you to spread the word about your company and product without any costs or if ever low costs only. This is a marketing method that can be quite sneaky; you can attach your company’s name, product or link to a certain media such as a funny video, entertaining game, an interesting article or a gossip or buzz. With this method, people get infected with the creativity and entertainment of the medium that they will pass it on to many people.

4) Search and use proper keywords or keyword phrases for your sites content

Search engines look for certain keywords that they would show in their results page. In doing so, having the right keyword and keyword phrase is a high requirement in ranking in high in search engine results. You could write your own content or you could hire someone to do it for you.

5) Write Articles that can lead traffic to your site

Submit articles to sites that would contain the same subject that your site deals in. If you sell car parts write press releases and articles about cars and car parts. Attach your sites description and services at the end of the article as well as the link.

6) Join forums and form online communities

Capture a market and show your expertise and credibility. When you found a good foundation for your site, people will trust you and your site and will pass on to many people their trust. Traffic will certainly increase because they know that you can provide what they need.

7) Lastly, Offer newsletters.

If many people know what you are about and your existence is shared with many others, you will find a loyal traffic that can provide you with more traffic by recommendation. If you arouse the curiosity of your customers they would be pushed to help you with your traffic.

In the mean time, Good Luck on your journey to success…

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The Legend Big Turtle

Many years ago the world had two parts.

Animals lived in the lower part, which was was completely covered in water and had no land or soil. Above was the Sky World, where the sky people lived.

The Sky World had lots of soil, with beautiful mountains and valleys. One day a girl from the Sky World went for a long walk and became very tired.

"I'm so tired, I need to rest" she said. She sat down under the spreading branches of an apple tree and quickly fell asleep.

Suddenly, there was a rumbling sound like thunder and the ground began to crack. A big hole opened up next to the apple tree.

"What's happening?" screamed the frightened girl. She tried to move but it was too late. She and the tree slid through the hole and tumbled over and over towards the watery world below.

"Help me! Help me!" screamed the girl. Luckily two swans were swimming below and saw the girl tumbling down from the sky.

"Come on!" yelled one swan. "Let's catch her before she hits the water"
"Okay!" yelled the other.The swans spread their wings together and caught the girl on their soft feather backs.

"Whew! That was lucky" said the girl. "But what do I do now? I can't get back up to the Sky World and I can't stay on your backs forever.

"We'll take you to Big turtle" said the swans. "He knows everything".

After hearing what happened, the Big Turtle called all the animals in the water world to a meeting. He told them an old story about soil being found deep under the water.

"If we can get some of that soil, we can build an island on my back for you to live on" said the Big Turtle. "Sounds good to me" said the young girl.

The Otter, Beaver and Muskrat started arguing over who would dive for the soil.

"I'll go" said the sleek Otter, brushing his glossy fur.

"No! I'll go" said Beaver, slapping the water with his big flat tail.

"I'm the best swimmer" said Muskrat "I'll go."

"Aaaachooo!" sneezed the young girl. "Guys, guys, would just one of you go. These swan feathers are getting up my nose and making me sneeze".

"Sorry" said the swans.

"That's alright" said the young Sky girl.

Then Toskwaye the little Toad, popped up out of the water. "I'll go. I can dive very deep" she said.

The other animals started laughing and pointing at Toskwaye. "You! You're too small and ugly to help". cried the others, laughing.

"Be quite!" said Big Turtle in a loud, stern voice. "Everyone is equal and everyone will have a chance to try"

The sleek Otter smoothed his glossy fur, took a deep breath and slid into the water. He was gone for a long time before he came up gasping for air.

"It was too deep" he said. "I couldn't dive that far.

"Now it's my turn" said Beaver. He slapped the water with his tail as he disappeared. After a long time he came to the surface again.

"It's too far" he gasped. "No one can dive that deep."

Muskrat tried next and failed. "Aaaachoo!" sneezed the young girl. "This is not looking good"

"Now it's my turn" said little Toskwaye the Toad. She took a deep breath and jumped into the water. She was gone a very long time and everyone thought they wouldn't see her again.

Suddenly Otter pointed at the water, shouting "Look, look! Bubbles!"

Toskwaye's small, ugly face appeared through the water. She spat a few grains of soil onto the Big Turtle's back, then fell back into the water - dead.The Turtle ordered the others to rub the soil grains and spread them around on his shell. The grains grew and grew, until a large island was formed - big enough for the girl to live on.

It grew into our world as we know it today. And the descendants of the Sky girl became the Earth's people.

Today, some people say the whole world still rests on Big Turtles back. When he gets tired and changes his position, we have earthquakes.

Toad has not been forgotten either. American native Indians call her "Mashutaha", which means 'Our Grandmother'. No one is allowed to harm her.

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WINDOWS SEVEN

History

In 2000, Microsoft started the planning to follow up Windows Xp and its server counterpart Windows Server 2003 (both codenamed Whistler) with a major new release of Windows that was codenamed Blackcomb (both codenames refer to the Whistler-Blackcomb resort). This new version was at that time scheduled for a 2005 release.

Major features were planned for Blackcomb, including an emphasis on searching and querying data and an advanced storage system named WinFS to enable such scenarios. In this context, a feature mentioned by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates for Blackcomb was "a pervasive typing line that will recognize the sentence that [the user is] typing in."

Later, Blackcomb was delayed and an interim, minor release, codenamed "Longhorn", was announced for a 2003 release. By the middle of 2003, however, Longhorn had acquired some of the features originally intended for Blackcomb, including WinFS, the Desktop Window Manager, and new versions of system components built on the .NET Framework. After the 2003 "Summer of Worms", where three major viruses − Blaster, Sobig, and Welchia − exploited flaws in Windows operating systems within a short time period, Microsoft changed its development priorities, putting some of Longhorn's major development work on hold in order to develop new service packs for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Development of Longhorn was also "reset" in September 2004.

Naming

As major feature work on Windows Vista wound down in early 2006, Blackcomb was renamed Vienna. However, following the release of Windows Vista, it was confirmed by Microsoft on July 20, 2007 that "the internal name for the next version of the Windows Client OS" was Windows 7, a name that had been reported by some sources months before. On October 13th, 2008, it was announced that Windows 7 would also be the official name of the operating system.

Mike Nesh, Microsoft's vice-president of Windows product management said:

The decision to use the name Windows 7 is about simplicity. Simply put, this is the seventh release of Windows, so therefore Windows 7 just makes sense.

Coming up with an all-new 'aspirational' name does not do justice to what we are trying to achieve, which is to stay firmly rooted in our aspirations for Windows Vista, while evolving and refining the substantial investments in platform technology in Windows Vista into the next generation of Windows.

Focus

Microsoft's Ben Fathi stated on February 9, 2007 that the focus of the operating system was still being worked out, and he could only hint at some possibilities:

We're going to look at a fundamental piece of enabling technology. Maybe it's hypervisors. I don't know what it is, Maybe it's a new user interface paradigm for consumers.

Bill Gates, in an interview with Newsweek, suggested that the next version of Windows would "be more user-centric." When asked to clarify what he meant, Gates said:

That means that right now when you move from one PC to another, you've got to install apps on each one, do upgrades on each one. Moving information between them is very painful. We can use Live Services to know what you're interested in. So even if you drop by a [public] kiosk or somebody else's PC, we can bring down your home page, your files, your fonts, your favorites and those things. So that's kind of the user-centric thing that Live Services can enable. [Also,] in Vista, things got a lot better with [digital] ink and speech, but by the next release there will be a much bigger bet. Students won't need textbooks; they can just use these tablet devices. Parallel computing is pretty important for the next release. We'll make it so that a lot of the high-level graphics will be just built into the operating system. So we've got a pretty good outline.

Gates later said that Windows 7 will also focus on performance improvements:

We're hard at work, I would say, on the next version, which we call Windows 7. I'm very excited about the work being done there. The ability to be lower power, take less memory, be more efficient, and have lots more connections up to the mobile phone, so those scenarios connect up well to make it a great platform for the best gaming that can be done, to connect up to the thing being done out on the Internet, so that, for example, if you have two personal computers, that your files automatically are synchronized between them, and so you don't have a lot of work to move that data back and forth.

Senior Vice President Bill Veghte stated that Windows 7 will not have the kind of compatibility issues with Vista that Vista has with previous versions:

You've let us know you don't want to face the kinds of incompatibility challenges with the next version of Windows you might have experienced early with Windows Vista. As a result, our approach with Windows 7 is to build off the same core architecture as Windows Vista so the investments you and our partners have made in Windows Vista will continue to pay off with Windows 7. Our goal is to ensure the migration process from Windows Vista to Windows 7 is straightforward.

Speaking about Windows 7 on 16 October 2008, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer confirmed compatibility between Vista and Windows 7:

Our next release of Windows will be compatible with Vista. The key is let’s get on with it. We’ll be ready when you want to deploy Windows 7.

Ballmer also confirmed the relationship between Vista and Windows 7, indicating that Windows 7 will be an improved version of Vista.

Builds

Milestone 1

The first known build of Windows 7 was identified as a "Milestone 1 (M1) code drop" according to TG Daily with a version number of 6.1.6519.1. It was sent to key Microsoft partners by January 2008 in both x86 and x86-64 versions. Though not yet commented on by Microsoft, reviews and screenshots have been published by various sources. The M1 code drop installation comes as either a standalone install or one which requires Windows Vista with Service Pack 1, and creates a dual-boot system.

On April 20, 2008, screenshots and videos of a second build of M1 were leaked with a version number of 6.1.6574.1. This build included changes to Windows Explorer as well as a new Windows Health Center.

Milestone 2

According to the TG Daily article of January 16, 2008, the Milestone 2 (M2) code drop was at that time scheduled for April or May 2008. A Milestone 2 build was demonstrated at the D6 conference with a build number of 6.1.6589.1.x86fre.winmain_win7m2.080420-1634. The build had a different taskbar than found in Windows Vista, with, among other features, sections divided into different colors. The host declined to comment on it, stating "I'm not supposed to talk about it now today".

Milestone 3

According to Paul Thurrott, Milestone 3 (build 6780) was shipped to Microsoft employees and close partners in the week of September 7, 2008. Described as visually and functionally similar to Windows Vista by Mary Jo Foley of ZDNet and Stephen Chapman of UX Evangelist, some bundled applications in Milestone 3 now use a ribbon interface similar to that of Office 2007.

Many applications that had been integrated into previous versions of Windows have been removed, including Calendar, Contacts, Mail, Meeting Space, Movie Maker, and Photo Gallery and are available as downloads in the Windows Live Wave 3 beta release. WinFuture.de has since leaked 192 images of Windows 7 build 6780.

Build 6801

On October 8, 2008, screenshots of Windows 7 build 6801 were leaked. On October 28, 2008, Microsoft distributed build 6801 to attendees at its Professional Developers Conference (PDC). It has since been leaked to bittorrent networks It features a Superbar similar to the one in build 6933 although it is disabled by default. An unofficial patch has been released to enable the Superbar in build 6801.

Build 6933

Microsoft also demonstrated build 6933.winmain.081020-1842 during the PDC, but did not give it to attendees.

Beta 1

Beta 1 is to be released to the public in mid-December 2008 or early 2009 and the official system requirements for Windows 7 will be available at that time.

Release Candidate

The release candidate for Windows 7 will be available after beta testing.

Final Build

While officially Microsoft has stated that Windows 7 will be released by January 2010, which is three years after Vista was shipped, the company has indicated that it plans to release Windows 7 in mid-2009, in time for installation in PCs that will ship for the Christmas 2009 buying season.

Features

Windows 7 includes a number of new features, such as advancements in touch, speech, and handwriting recognition, support for virtual hard disks, improved performance on multi-core processors, improved boot performance, and kernel improvements.

According to reports sent to TG Daily, the Milestone 1 build of Windows 7 adds support for systems using multiple heterogeneous graphics cards from different vendors and a new version of Windows Media Center. New features in Milestone 1 also reportedly include Gadgets being integrated into Windows Explorer, a Gadget for Windows Media Center, the ability to visually pin and unpin items from the Start Menu and Recycle Bin, improved media features, the XPS Essentials Pack being integrated, Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE), and a multiline Calculator featuring Programmer and Statistics modes along with unit conversion.

Reports indicate that a feedback tool included in Milestone 1 lists some coming features: the ability to store Internet Explorer settings on a Windows Live account, updated versions of Paint and WordPad, and a 10-minute install process. In addition, improved network connection tools might be included.

Many new items have been added to the Control Panel including: Accelerators, ClearType Text Tuner, Display Color Calibration Wizard, Gadgets, Infrared, Recovery, Troubleshooting, Workspaces Center, Location and Other Sensors, Credential Manager, Biometric Devices, System Icons, Windows Solution Center, and Display.Windows Security Center has been renamed the Windows Solution Center (Windows Health Center in earlier builds) which encompass both security and maintenance of the computer.

The taskbar has seen the biggest visual changes, where the Quick Launch has been merged with the buttons to create the superbar. The superbar also enables the Jump Lists feature to allow easy access to common tasks.

According to released PDC 2008 (taking place in October 27-30, 2008) session information, Windows 7 discussions will cover "enhancements to the taskbar, Start Menu, thumbnails and their desktop elements" a new networking API with support for building SOAP based web services in native code (as opposed to .NET based WCF web services), new features to shorten application install times, reduced UAC prompts, simplified development of installation packages, and improved globalization support through a new Extended Linguistic Services API.

Windows 7 will also contain a new FireWire (IEEE 1394) stack that fully supports IEEE 1394b with S800, S1600 and S3200 data rates.

Antitrust regulatory attention

As with other Microsoft operating systems, Windows 7 is being studied by federal regulators who oversee the company's operations following the 2001 United States Microsoft antitrust case settlement. According to status reports filed, the three-member panel began assessing prototypes of the new operating system in February 2008. Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at Jupiter Research said that, "[Microsoft's] challenge for Windows 7 will be how can they continue to add features that consumers will want that also don't run afoul of regulators."

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How to Protect Yourself From HPV and Cervical Cancer

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is nicknamed "the common cold of STDs" because if you're a sexually active adult, you've probably contracted several of the 100 different types out there—more than 30 of which are sexually transmitted—and you probably had no idea. A new vaccine promises to make the virus much more scarce in the future, but HPV is still the number one cause of cervical cancer and genital warts.

Pap smears are a must for all women
"HPV really is harmless to the vast majority of people," says H. Hunter Handsfield, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle and a nationally recognized STD expert. "It's like having staph or strep on our skins," he says, "pretty universal, unavoidable, and usually not harmful." But several strains can lead to cervical cancer, so all women should have yearly Pap smears to screen for cancerous changes.

Genital warts can be pesky and unattractive, and removing them can be painful, but they are more of a cosmetic effect of HPV than a true health risk, experts say.

Introducing the Gardasil vaccine
Gardasil, the HPV vaccine introduced in 2006, protects against the two strains of the virus that are most likely to cause cancer, as well as the two strains of the virus that are the culprits in most cases of genital warts.

The CDC recommends that girls be immunized against HPV at age 11 or 12, before they are sexually active, but girls and women ages 9 to 26 are approved to get the vaccine, in hopes they haven't yet caught the cancer-causing strains of the virus.

Also use condoms to prevent HPV
Using condoms or other latex or plastic barriers can help prevent HPV infection, although they are not completely effective because the virus can be present on areas of the skin not covered by the latex. The best prevention available, other than abstinence, is believed to be the HPV vaccine.

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Heart Attack Calculator: Quitting Smoking Can Save Your Life

Smoking significantly ups your odds of having a heart attack; within a year or two of quitting, your risk decreases substantially.
(123RF)

If asthma, lung cancer, and emphysema aren't enough to scare you off, it turns out smokers are two to four times more likely to develop coronary artery disease (CAD) than nonsmokers. Cardiovascular disease—including CAD, heart failure, and heart attack—is the leading killer in the U.S., claiming more than 860,000 lives in 2005.

Smoking ups your risk for heart disease by decreasing the flow of oxygen to the heart and raises your risk for atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Lighting up also damages the cells that line the coronary arteries and increases your likelihood of blood clots. In fact, heart-related complications are one of the main reasons cigarettes can take so much time off a smoker's lifespan.

But there's good news: Once you quit, your risk for heart disease is substantially reduced within one to two years. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death, and putting out your butts significantly brings down your risk for heart disease.

Interactive tool: How does smoking increase your risk of heart attack?

Click here to find out how much smoking increases your heart attack risk.

This interactive tool measures how smoking—independent of other risk factors—affects your chance of having a heart attack in the next 10 years. The tool uses the values you enter to calculate your risk. The information is based on the Framingham Heart Study. During the past 50 years, the Framingham Heart Study has studied the progression of heart disease and the risk factors of heart disease. The data were then developed into a risk assessment by the U.S. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP), part of the National Institutes of Health.

The values you enter include your age and gender. The tool uses a systolic blood pressure of 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg), an HDL cholesterol measurement of 55 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), and a total cholesterol measurement of 200 mg/dL to calculate your risk based on smoking alone.

In the real world, smoking has some additional negative effect on both cholesterol and blood pressure. If you smoke and also have other risk factors for heart disease, your risk may be higher than this tool says it is.

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Green

Life and Renewal: 
Green is life. Abundant in nature, green signifies growth, renewal, health, and environment. On the flip side, green is jealousy or envy (green-eyed monster) and inexperience.
Nature of Green: 
Green is a restful color with some of the same calming attributes of blue. Like blue, time moves faster in a green room.
Culture of Green: 
Green is the national color of Ireland and is strongly associated with that country. Green also has close associations with Islam. Because of all the green in nature the color is reminiscent of Spring. Coupled with red it's a Christmas color.
Using Green: 
With both a warming and cooling effect, the color green denotes balance, harmony, and stability. Use several shades of green for a fresh, Springtime feel. Olive green, also called olive drab, is a not so drab summery green that may have military overtones for some people.
Using Green with Other Colors: 
Green with blue produces echoes of nature - water and forest and can denote new beginnings and growth. Green with brown, tan, or beige says organic or recycled and can be a good color combination for packaging of those type of products. Tri-color combinations of green with yellow and black or white are sporty, outdoorsy colors. Purple with green can be high contrast, lively. Lime green with orange and yellow is a fresh and fruity palette.
Green Color Palettes: 
These green color palettes feature shades of green combined with gray, yellow, black, purple, lavender, and brown for some earthy, retro, and conservative looks. Shades of Green from COLOURlovers with HEX and RGB Codes 
Green Color Palettes from COLOURlovers 
Shades of Green from COLOURlovers with HEX and RGB Codes 
Green Color Palettes from COLOURlovers 
Using Green in Other Design Fields: 
Feng Shui Use of the Color Green 
Bathroom Decor in Cottage Green 
Language of Green: 
The use of green in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good green 
Green light - go, permission to proceed (with a task) 
The green room - in theater or televisions it is the room where performers and guests go to relax 
Green thumb - good with plants 
Greenback - US dollar bill, money 
Greener pastures - something newer or better (or perceived to be better), such as a new job 
Bad green 
Green-eyed monster - jealosy 
Green with envy - jealous or envious 
Green - inexperienced, untested, untrained 
Greenhorn - novice, trainee, beginner 
Green around the gills - pale, sickly

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Pink

Cotton Candy and Little Girls:
Pink is a softer, less violent red. Pink is the sweet side of red. It's cotton candy and bubble gum and babies, especially little girls.
Nature of Pink:
While red stirs up passion and action, studies have shown that large amounts of pink can create physical weakness in people. Perhaps there is a tie-in between this physical reaction and the color's association with the so-called weaker sex.
Culture of Pink:
In some cultures, such as the US, pink is the color of little girls. It represents sugar and spice and everything nice. Pink for men goes in and out of style. Most people still think of pink as a feminine, delicate color.
Using Pink:
Both red and pink denote love but while red is hot passion, pink is romantic and charming. Use pink to convey playfulness (hot pink flamingoes) and tenderness (pastel pinks). Multiple shades of pink and light purple or other pastels used together maintain the soft, delicate, and playful nature of pink. Add strength with darker shades of pinks and purple and burgundy.
Using Pink with Other Colors:
All shades of pink get sophisticated when combined with black or gray or medium to darker shades of blue. Medium to dark green with pink is also a sharp-looking combo.
Using Pink in Other Design Fields:
Feng Shui Use of the Color Pink
Language of Pink:
The use of pink in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others — both the positive and negative aspects.

Good pink
In the pink - healthy
Tickled pink - happy, content
Pink collar - female office worker (sometimes used in a derogatory manner)
Bad or neutral pink
Pink collar - female office worker (sometimes used in a derogatory manner to imply low person on the office totem pole)
Pink - cut, notch, or make a zigzag Read More..

Purple

Royalty and Spirituality: 
Purple is royalty. A mysterious color, purple is associated with both nobility and spirituality. The opposites of hot red and cool blue combine to create this intriguing color. 
Pantone has selected the color Blue Iris (PANTONE 18-3943) as the 2008 Color of the Year telling us: "Combining the stable and calming aspects of blue with the mystical and spiritual qualities of purple, Blue Iris satisfies the need for reassurance in a complex world, while adding a hint of mystery and excitement."
Nature of Purple: 
Purple has a special, almost sacred place in nature: lavender, orchid, lilac, and violet flowers are often delicate and considered precious. Because purple is derived from the mixing of a strong warm and strong cool color it has both warm and cool properties. A purple room can boost a child's imagination or an artist's creativity. Too much purple, like blue, could result in moodiness.
Culture of Purple: 
The color of mourning for widows in Thailand, purple was the favorite color of Egypt's Cleopatra. It has been traditionally associated with royalty in many cultures. Purple robes were worn by royalty and people of authority or high rank. The Purple Heart is a U.S. Military decoration given to soldiers wounded in battle.
Using Purple: 
Deep or bright purples suggest riches while lighter purples are more romantic and delicate. Use redder purples for a warmer color scheme or the bluer purples to cool down.
Using Purple with Other Colors: 
A deep eggplant purple with neutral tans or beige is an earthy, conservative color combination with a touch of the mystery that purple provides. Green and purple can be a striking combination in deep or bright jewel tones or use lighter shades for a cheerful, springlike feel. Pink and purple has feminine appeal.
Purple Color Palettes: 
These color palettes feature shades of purple combined with shades of green, orange, blue, and yellow.
Using Purple in Other Design Fields: 
Feng Shui Use of the Color Purple 
Language of Purple: 
The use of purple in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others, both the positive and negative aspects.

Good purple 
Purple cow - something remarkable, eye-catching, unusual 
Purple prose - exaggeration, highly imaginative writing (also has negative connotations) 
Bad purple 
Purple speech - profanity, raunchy language 
Purple prose - exaggeration, colorful lies 
Purple haze - state of confusion or euphoria, possibly drug-induced, type of marijuana

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Red

Love and War: 
Red is hot. It's a strong color that conjures up a range of seemingly conflicting emotions from passionate love to violence and warfare. Red is Cupid and the Devil.
Nature of Red: 
A stimulant, red is the hottest of the warm colors. Studies show that red can have a physical effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure. 

The expression seeing red indicates anger and may stem not only from the stimulus of the color but from the natural flush (redness) of the cheeks, a physical reaction to anger, increased blood pressure, or physical exertion.
Culture of Red: 
Red is power, hence the red power tie for business people and the red carpet for celebrities and VIPs (very important people).

Flashing red lights denote danger or emergency. Stop signs and stop lights are red to get the drivers' attention and alert them to the dangers of the intersection.

In some cultures, red denotes purity, joy, and celebration. Red is the color of happiness and prosperity in China and may be used to attract good luck.Red is often the color worn by brides in the East while it is the color of mourning in South Africa. In Russia the Bolsheviks used a red flag when they overthrew the Tsar, thus red became associated with communism. Many national flags use red. The red Ruby is the traditional Fortieth Wedding Anniversary gift.
Using Red: 
Use the color red to grab attention and to get people to take action. Use red when you don't want to sink into the background. Use red to suggest speed combined with confidence and perhaps even a dash of danger. A little bit of red goes a long way. Small doses can often be more effective than large amounts of this strong color. Multiple shades of red and even pink or orange can combine for a cheerful palette. 

Look at the use of the Color Red on the Web to find which of the named colors in the red family are the most attention-grabbing, mysterious, friendly, sophisticated, or mentally stimulating.
Using Red with Other Colors: 
Although not normally considered an ideal coupling, in combination with green, red is a Christmas color — a joyful season.

Cool blues provide contrast and tone down the heat of red. Light pinks and yellows are harmonizing colors that can work well with red if not too close in value such as dark red with a pale or golden yellow. Be careful using purple. It can be an elegant combination but too much could be overpowering.Add a dash of red to a soft but sophisticated pink and gray combo. For some countries, including the US, red, white, and blue is a very patriotic trio even if the shades of red and blue differ from those used in the flag.
Red Color Palettes: 
These color palettes feature shades of red used with a variety of yellows, blues, greens, and neutrals.
Using Red in Other Design Fields: 
Feng Shui Use of the Color Red 
Language of Red: 
The use of red in familiar phrases can help a designer see how their color of choice might be perceived by others — both the positive and negative aspects.

Good red
Red letter day - important or significant occasion 
Red carpet treatment - make someone feel special, treat them as if they are a celebrity 
Roll out the red carpet - same as above 
Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning; red sky at night, sailor's delight - pay attention to good and bad warning signs 
Paint the town red - celebrate, go out partying 
Red eye - an overnight flight 
Bad red
Seeing red - to be angry 
Red herring - something that deceives or distracts attention from the truth 
In the red - being overdrawn at the bank or losing money 
Red flag - denotes danger, warning, or an impending battle

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Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky (Russian: Сибирский хаски, Sibirskiy Haski) is a medium-size, dense-coat working dog breed that originated in eastern Siberia. The breed belongs to the Spitz genetic family. It is recognizable by its thickly-furred double coat, sickle tail, erect triangular ears and distinctive markings.

Siberian Huskies share many outward similarities with the Alaskan Malamute as well as many other Spitz breeds such as the Samoyed, which has a comparable history to the Huskies. Siberians have a thicker coat than most other breeds of dog. They come in a variety of colors and patterns, usually with white paws and legs, facial markings, and tail tip. The most common colors are black and white, grey and white, copper-red and white, and pure white, though many individuals have blondish, or piebald spotted. Striking masks, spectacles, and other facial markings occur in wide variety. They tend to have a wolf-like appearance.

Temperament
As a working breed, Siberian Huskies are a high-energy canine requiring lots of exercise. They have served as companions and sled dogs, but they are unsuitable as guard dogs. Over time, this combination of factors has lent the Siberian Husky a strong sense of gentleness and devotion. The Inuit tribes who used this breed for utilitarian and survival needs trained them to pull heavy sledges for great distances over frozen tundra, drawing umiaks, and securing game by assisting in hunting. 
Health
Siberian Huskies, with proper care, have a typical lifespan ranging from twelve to fifteen years of age. Health issues in the breed are genetic defects of the eye such as juvenile cataracts, corneal dystrophy, and progressive retinal atrophy. Hip dysplasia is not often found in this breed, though as with many medium or larger-sized canines, it can occur. However, Siberians in general have remarkably good hips. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (the OFA) currently has the Siberian husky ranked 143rd out of a possible 150 breeds at risk for hip dysplasia, with only 2% of tested Siberian huskies showing dysplasia. Compare this percentage to that of those of some other breeds - Golden Retriever (22%), German Shepherd (20%), Pugs (60%) and French Mastiff (55%), and it is clear that the Siberian husky is a breed with solid hips. Siberian Huskies used for sled racing may also be prone to other ailments, such as gastric disease, bronchitis or bronchopulmonary ailments ("ski asthma"), and gastric erosions or ulcerations 
 

Care
Siberian Huskies shed their winter coats in spectacular amounts and daily brushing is vital otherwise hair will be left everywhere! The coat also sheds during the seasonal transition into winter but to a lesser extent. A thorough brushing every few days at other times of the year will keep the dog neat. 
History
The Siberian Husky, Samoyed, and Alaskan Malamute are all breeds directly descended from the original "sled dog." Recent DNA analysis confirms that this is one of the oldest breeds of dog as can be seen with the Alaskan Malamute. In this breed of canine, the word "husky" derives from Inuit tribes called "huskies", named by Caucasians who made early expeditions into their lands. The word "Siberian" in this breed's name is derived from Siberia itself, because it is thought that Eskimo or sled dogs were used to cross the land bridge of the Bering Straight on the way into, or out of, Alaska, though this theory is continuously disputed by scholars. Breeds descending from the Eskimo dog were once found throughout the Northern Hemisphere from Siberia to Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Labrador, and Baffin Island. With the help of Siberian Huskies, entire tribes of peoples were able to not only survive, but push forth into terra incognita. Admiral Robert Peary of the United States Navy was aided by this breed during his expeditions in search of the North Pole. The Siberian Husky's role in this feat cannot be over estimated. Dogs from the Anadyr River and surrounding regions were imported into Alaska from 1908 (and for the next two decades) during the gold rush for use as sled dogs, especially in the "All-Alaska Sweepstakes", a 408 mile (657 km) distance dog sled race from Nome to Candle and back. Smaller, faster and more enduring than the 100 to 120 pound (45 to 54 kg) freighting dogs then in general use, they immediately dominated the Nome Sweepstakes. Leonhard Seppala, the foremost breeder of Siberian Huskies of the time, participated in competitions from 1909 to the mid 1920s. 
On February 2, 1925 Gunnar Kaasen was first in the 1925 serum run to Nome whom delivered diphtheria serum from Nenana over 600 miles to Nome. This was a group effort comprised of several sled dog teams and mushers. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race commemorates this famous delivery. The event is also loosely depicted in the 1995 animated film Balto, as the name of Gunnar Kaasen's lead dog in his sled team was named Balto. In honor of this lead dog a bronze statue was erected at Central Park in New York City. The epitaph upon it is inscribed with Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the sled dogs that relayed antitoxin six hundred miles over rough ice, across treacherous waters, through Arctic blizzards from Nenana to the relief of a stricken Nome in the winter of 1925. Endurance--fidelity--intelligence. In 1930 the last Siberians were exported as the Soviet government closed the borders of Siberia to external trade. The same year saw recognition of the Siberian Husky by the American Kennel Club. Nine years later the breed was first registered in Canada. Today’s Siberian Huskies registered in North America are largely the descendants of the 1930 Siberia imports and of Leonhard Seppala’s dogs. Seppala owned a kennel in Nenana before moving to New England. Arthur Walden, owner of Chinook Kennels of Wonalancet, New Hampshire, was by far the most prominent breeder of Siberian Huskies. The foundation of his kennel stock came directly from Alaska, and Seppala's kennel. 
Only beginning to come to prominence, in 1933 Navy Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd brought with him around 50 Siberian Huskies, many of which were assembled and trained at Chinook Kennels in New Hampshire, during an expedition in which Byrd hoped to journey around the 16,000-mile coast of Antarctica. Called Operation Highjump, this historic trek proved the worth of the Siberian Husky due to its compact size and greater speeds. Siberian Huskies also served in the United States Army's Arctic Search and Rescue Unit of the Air Transport Command during World War II.

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Maltese

The Maltese is a dog belonging to the toy group that is covered from head to foot with a mantle of long, silky, white hair. Adult Maltese range from roughly 3 to 10 lb (1.4 to 4.5 kg), though breed standards, as a whole, call for weights between 4 and 8 lb (1.8 to 3.7 kg). There are variations depending on which standard is being used; many, like the American Kennel Club, call for a weight that is ideally between 4 and 6 lb (1.8 to 2.7 kg), and no more than 7 lb (3.2 kg). The coat is long and silky and lacks an undercoat. The color is pure white and although cream or light lemon ears are permissible, they are not desirable. Some individuals may have curly or woolly hair, but this is outside the standard. Characteristics include slightly rounded skulls, with a one (1) finger width dome. Also, a black nose that is two (2) finger width long.The drop ears with long hair and very dark eyes, surrounded by darker skin pigmentation that is called a "halo", giving Maltese their expressive look. The body is compact with the length equaling the height. Their noses can fade and become pink or light brown in color. This is often referred to as a "winter nose" and many times will become black again with increased exposure to the sun.

Temperament
Maltese can be very energetic and are known for their occasional wild outbursts of physical activity, running around in circles chasing their tail, and bolting at top speed with amazing agility; given this, they still do well for apartment dwellers. They are relatively easy to train and enjoy a playful game of fetch. These intelligent dogs learn quickly, and pick up new tricks and behaviours easily. Since they were bred specifically for companionship, they do not do well being left alone for long hours.
The breed has a reputation for being good-natured, but may be intolerant of small children or other dogs. They can be protective of their owner and will bark or may bite if animals or people infringe on their territory or are perceived as a threat.
For all their diminutive size, Maltese seem to be without fear. In fact, many Maltese seem relatively indifferent to creatures/objects larger than themselves (unless of course it is the owner). They are among the gentlest mannered of all little dogs, yet they are lively and playful as well as vigorous. Because of their size, Maltese dogs are not a good choice for families with small children because they can be easily injured.
The Maltese is commonly bred with other breeds to further express its temperament and intelligence.

Care
Maltese have hair, not fur and have little to no shedding if cared for properly. Like their relatives Poodles and Bichon Frisé, they are considered to be largely hypoallergenic and many people who are allergic to dogs may not be allergic to the Maltese (See list of Hypoallergenic dog breeds). Regular grooming is required to prevent their coats from matting. Many owners will keep their Maltese clipped in a "puppy cut," a 1 - 2" all over trim that makes the dog resemble a puppy. Some owners, especially those who show Maltese in the sport of conformation, prefer to wrap the long hair to keep it from matting and breaking off. Dark staining in the hair around the eyes ("tear staining") can be a problem in this breed, and is mostly a function of how much the individual dog's eyes water and the size of the tear ducts. If the face is kept dry and cleaned daily, the staining can be minimized. Many veterinarians recommend avoiding foods treated with food coloring and serving distilled water to reduce tear staining.  

Health
The Maltese is generally a healthy breed with few inherent problems. Some problems seen are luxating patella, portosystemic liver shunt, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). The average life span is 12-15 years.

History
The Maltese is one of the oldest breeds and the most ancient of the toy breeds. The island of Malta was visited by Phoenician sailors around 1500 BC and is the homeland of this tiny dog. The breed has been mentioned in early writings and Greek art. Tombs have been fashioned after the Maltese, and poetry has been written about it. In Italy, the miniature spaniel and poodle were added into the bloodline. Even though the breed was often exported, it retained its distinctive look because the breed’s chief population remained in relative isolation on the island of Malta. One of the modern day traits is the breed’s white silky coat, although that was not an original characteristic. The Maltese came in a multitude of colors and was most recognized for its small size. In the 14 th century, this feisty breed arrived in England via the Crusaders who were returning from the Mediterranean. It quickly became an accessory for every well-to-do lady. Upper-class women often carried the little dogs in their sleeves and even brought them to bed with them. Even though it was very popular, its numbers were limited; and it may have even been in danger of extinction. When the Maltese first arrived in England, it was dubbed the “Maltese terrier,” even though the breed is nothing like a terrier. In 1877, the dog made its first appearance in America. It was called the Maltese lion dog because of the Asian practice of lion-like coat styles. Recognized in 1888 by the AKC, this stunning breed is an extremely popular toy and loved as both a show dog and pet. 

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Cihuahua Blue

We were not convinced whether this was good or bad but this that happened in the Land of the Cherry Blossom (Japan) in recent times. One of the dog livestock breeding there succeeded in carrying out a genetic change in the Chihuahua kind dog and being given by the Chihuahua Blue name (Chihuahua was blue). With this "scientific trial", one of Chihuahua was changed by his color (usually chocolate, white or black) became blue dark, more small and funnier. This one "creation" in fact became trend just recently and to have him, someone must spend money almost 10 thousands dollars. Although funny and rare was available, because of this genetic change, there was the news that said that several of Chihuahua Blue this was rather "askew" his brain as continuing to proceed all day long without stop and other. So whether you were prepared to have the rare dog but his brain was "askew"? We ourselves more liked what indeed was created by the Lord and did not have the interference from humankind completely. Read More..

Arctosa Silver

• Fully-programmable keys with macro capabilities 
• Selective anti-ghosting for WASD gaming cluster 
• Slim keycap structure with Hyperesponse™ technology
• Easy access media keys
• Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key
• 10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time
• Detachable wrist rest
• Approximate size: 
470mm (length) x 165mm (width) x 20mm (height) – without wrist rest
470mm (length) x 222mm (width) x 20mm (height) – with wrist rest Read More..

Arctosa Black

• Fully-programmable keys with macro capabilities 
• Selective anti-ghosting for WASD gaming cluster 
• Slim keycap structure with Hyperesponse™ technology
• Easy access media keys
• Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key
• 10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time
• Detachable wrist rest
• Approximate size: 
470mm (length) x 165mm (width) x 20mm (height) – without wrist rest
470mm (length) x 222mm (width) x 20mm (height) – with wrist rest Read More..

Lycosa Mirror

• High gloss mirror finish keytop  
• Backlit illumination with WASD cluster lighting option 
• Fully-programmable keys with macro capability
• Gaming cluster with selective anti-ghosting capability
• Slim keycap structure with Hyperesponse™ technology
• TouchPanel™ easy access media keys
• Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key
• 10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time
• Earphone-out and microphone-in jacks
• Detachable wrist rest
• One integrated USB extension port  
• Approximate size: 
470mm (length) x 165mm (width) x 20mm (height) – without wrist rest
470mm (length) x 222mm (width) x 20mm (height) – with wrist rest Read More..

Lycosa

• Keytop with non-slip rubber finish 
• Backlight illumination with WASD cluster lighting option 
• Fully-programmable keys with macro capability 
• Gaming cluster with anti-ghosting capability 
• Slim keycap structure with Hyperesponse™ technology 
• TouchPanel™ easy access media keys 
• Gaming mode option for deactivation of the Windows key 
• 10 customizable software profiles with on-the-fly switching 
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time 
• Earphone-out and microphone-in jacks 
• Detachable wrist rest 
• One integrated USB extension port 
• Approximate size: 
469mm (length) x 168mm (width) x 15mm (height) – without wrist rest
469mm (length) x 221mm (width) x 15mm (height) – with wrist rest Read More..

Tarantula

• Anti-ghosting capability for up to 10 keys 
• 32KB Razer Synapse™ onboard memory 
• On-the fly profile switching 
• 10 programmable gaming hotkeys 
• Normal keys can be programmed to act as other keystrokes 
• 1000Hz Ultrapolling™ / 1ms response time 
• Hyperesponse™ gaming keytop with fully interchangeable keys 
• Headphone-out and microphone-in jacks 
• Media center keys 
• Two USB ports 
• Gold-plated USB connector 
• Razer Battledock™ for add-on accessories 
• Approximate size: 522mm (length) x 220mm (width) x 33mm (height) Read More..

Mystery of the Dead Sea

13 February 2008 | www.blogberita.net |Costumers RSS free» 
On the western shores of the Dead Sea a young Bedouin boy known as Muhammed the Wolf was tending to his herd of goats in 1947. He was part of a band of hearty adventurers who were smuggling goats from Transjor and into Palestine. This required that they take the long way around to avoid the Jordan Bridge and the customs officers who guarded it.
The route they chose took them through a barren ravine known to the Arabs as Qumran to the spring waters of the oasis at Ain Feshkha. Being a good shepherd Muhammed chased after one of his goats that had strayed up a cliff and got lost. When he found the goat he noticed the opening of a cave in the cliff wall. Curious, but wary of the snakes that would often hide from the heat of the sun in such caves, Muhammed simply threw a stone into the dark cave opening. He was intrigued when he heard the stone make a sharp crack but decided to tell his friends before he went into the cave.
Muhammed returned a while later with a friend of his and the two Bedouin boys found they could not resist exploring the cave, snakes or no snakes. What they discovered inside was collection of several large clay jars and the fragments of several others. Muhammed and his friend were fascinated and could only guess at what treasures might be hidden inside the mysterious jars. With visions of a Princes gold and jewels in their eyes the two boys lifted the lid off one of the great jars and with eager anticipation looked inside.
What they found inside was certainly a treasure but not the hoard of silver and gold they had dreamed of. Instead, the jars contained thin scrolls wrapped in linen that had been coated with pitch and wax. Remarkably, the scrolls were still legible, but the boys could not read the strange manuscripts as they were not written in Arabic. Muhammed and his friend decided their unusual find might still be worth something at the bazaar in Bethlehem.
As the story goes the Bedouins sold a few samples of the scrolls to a merchant in Bethlahem for a mere 20 Pounds, though some say it was 50. Oddly, the next several years saw the samples of the scrolls pass through many hands yet there was little interest in them. Finally, the scrolls were recognized for their incredible historical significance and most of them now reside in the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem. [Burl Collins] Read More..

Journey to a Healthier Heart: Your First Step Begins Now and Learn to Manage Stress and Decrease Your Risk of Heart Disease

Journey to a Healthier Heart: Your First Step Begins Now

Heart disease remains a leading killer in America, but consider the progress: the routine nature of lifesaving surgeries, the rise of cholesterol-controlling drugs, and the ever-deeper understanding of the roles stress, diet, and exercise play in maintaining a healthy heart.


If you have a reason to believe you’re at risk from bad genes, a weight or smoking problem, or a cholesterol count that has crept into the red zone, there are a lot of options and solutions available (we’ve put a lot of them here), and we have deeply knowledgeable experts to guide the way.

Don’t put off your journey to a healthier heart. Many of the signals of an impending problem are silent until disaster happens. Better diet and more exercise require time and must become routine. Be encouraged too: The patients and doctors we’ve spoken with, who know the disease from both sides, agree that it's never too late to get started

Learn to Manage Stress and Decrease Your Risk of Heart Disease

The cardiologist in urgent care at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., was puzzled. Sandy Levin had had a heart attack, yet she didn't show any of the classic risk factors. "I looked like the perfect picture of health," she said. "But I was under excessive stress, and that's what did it."

Levin, 56, of San Diego, wasn't overweight and didn't have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. But she'd recently started taking care of her mother, who had Alzheimer's disease.

"While people know stress plays a role in how they feel physically, they're often unaware that it is a risk factor for heart disease," says Suzanne Steinbaum, MD, an attending cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Stress creates inflammation
Several studies have linked stress, job strain, and general demoralization to a greater risk for heart disease, though the relationship is less causal than other lifestyle factors, like smoking.

Stress triggers an increase of cortisol, a "stress hormone," which can raise blood-sugar levels and blood pressure. The overproduction of cortisol can lead to a constant state of chemical arousal, which can eventually cause a heart attack.

One study of Belgian workers found that those who reported feeling they had little control of their work life had increased levels of markers of inflammation such as C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, which are linked to heart disease.

Like the Belgian workers, Levin felt she had little control over her circumstances. But protecting your heart doesn't always require stress reduction, says Dr. Steinbaum. Rather, you need a plan of action when the stressful situation presents itself.

Learning to change your response to stress
"You can't always change circumstances," she says. "If you get in a taxi cab and there's tons of traffic you can hyperventilate and your heart rate increases and your blood pressure increases. Or you can reframe the situation and take the time to relax and breathe. That's taking a stressful situation and making it less stressful. Everyone has stress," she adds. "Don't react by internalizing it."

Levin made that mistake. "When I was stressed, I'd get angry at everything and everybody," she says. "I'd hold that anger inside and I wouldn't show it, and by holding it in, it would hurt my heart more."

After her heart attack, she took an eight-week stress management class. She now does yoga almost every day and credits that with protecting her heart.

"Before, my head was going a mile a minute," says Levin. "It was only after I learned how to meditate and relax my mind that I was able to control my stress."

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Simple Article for Diets.

Basic principles:

Since a pound of muscle can burn between 20 and 50 calories per day—even at rest, it uses twice the calories of a pound of fat—dieters who can’t exercise must preserve what muscle they already have to keep metabolism high. Cruise lists several studies he claims show that eating frequently (about every 3 hours) helps preserve lean muscle tissue while promoting weight loss. Why does this happen? Cruise contends that frequent eating prevents the body’s starvation protection mechanism (what he calls the SPM) from kicking in. When SPM begins, Cruise says, the body tenaciously holds onto fat stores just as it would during a famine.

How the diet works:

The goal is to eat within an hour of rising and then every 3 hours after that for a total of five meals per day. If breakfast is at 7 a.m., eat a snack at 10 a.m., lunch at 1 p.m., another snack at 4 p.m., and dinner at 7 p.m. Counting calories isn’t necessary, but dieters do watch portions, eating three moderate meals and two small snacks a day. The plan also allows for a daily treat such as a licorice twist, four chocolate-coated mints, or a cup of air-popped popcorn.

What you can eat:

No foods are banned, but Cruise encourages dieters to pick and choose from specific lists of fruits, veggies, meats, dairy, and preferred fats. He also offers two approaches to meal planning. One is a blueprint that calls for specific numbers of servings from different food groups. For example, lunch includes two to three servings from the meat group (one serving of meat is listed as a slice of bacon, an ounce of buffalo, or a reduced-fat hot dog). The second approach is called a “Cruise Down Plate.” Dieters fill up half of a 9-inch dinner plate with veggies (or fruit for breakfast) and the remaining half with small portions of meat and starch, plus a teaspoon of oil or butter. Both methods boil down to about 1,450 calories per day.

Does the diet take and keep weight off?

The evidence is purely anecdotal. There are no scientific studies to support that The 3-Hour Diet works or that it delivers on the cover promise of losing 2 pounds every week.

Is the diet halthy?

Probably. The diet adds up to about 1,450 calories a day-a safe and effective amount for most dieters and one that will likely promote slow, gradual weight loss.

What do the experts say?

Registered dietitian Jane Kirby, author of Dieting for Dummies (For Dummies), likes Cruise’s emphasis on eating more frequently. “So many of us eat mindlessly,” she says. Cruise’s plan “constantly makes people aware of what and how much they eat.” What Kirby doesn’t buy: Cruise’s theory on how the 3-hour window affects metabolism. “Metabolism depends on a lot of things-how much you eat, body composition, activity levels.” Leslie Bonci, director of sports nutrition at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, shoots more holes in Cruise’s 3-hour theory. “Our bodies are smart enough that they don’t go into starvation mode after only 3 hours,” she says.

Who should consider the diet?

Dieters who skip meals, or those who overeat when they feel sad or depressed. Eating more frequent meals is a good way to control appetite and squelch the desire to pig out
.

Bottom line:

Even if some of his reasons for eating more frequent meals aren’t always on target, Cruise’s approach to weight loss is practical and doable. At some point, though, dieters will need to start exercising.

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When Should You Have a Cholesterol Test?

Some doctors and health organizations recommend that everyone older than 20 be checked for high cholesterol. How often you should be checked depends on whether you have other health problems and your overall chance of heart disease.

Most experts agree that the following people should have their cholesterol checked:

Anyone who has strong risk factors for heart disease
People who have a strong family history of heart disease
Men ages 35 to 65
Women ages 45 to 65
An adult who has coronary artery disease (CAD) should have a cholesterol test at least once a year.

An adult who is being treated for high cholesterol may need more frequent tests, depending on his or her cholesterol level and the type of treatment being used.

An adult who has diabetes should be tested once a year.

Adults and children with a family history of very high cholesterol levels or early-onset CAD may need more frequent tests and may need to begin tests at an earlier age. In some cases, a special test may be done to check for inherited lipid disorders.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has guidelines for lipid disorder screening for various age groups. There are also cholesterol screening guidelines for children and teens.

Public cholesterol testing can be convenient and helpful. However, most doctors will want to verify public test results. Because the doctor can evaluate risk factors and provide counseling, having your cholesterol level checked during a doctor visit is the preferred method.

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Influenza

Influenza (flu) is a viral infection. People often use the term "flu" to describe any kind of mild illness, such as a cold or a stomach virus, that has symptoms like the flu. But the real flu is different. Flu symptoms are usually worse than a cold and last longer. The flu usually does not cause vomiting or diarrhea.

Most flu outbreaks happen in late fall and winter.
What causes the flu?

The flu is caused by influenza viruses A and B. There are different strains, or types, of the flu virus every year.
What are the symptoms?

The flu causes a fever, body aches, a headache, a dry cough, and a sore or dry throat. You will probably feel tired and less hungry than usual. The symptoms usually are the worst for the first 3 or 4 days. But it can take 1 to 2 weeks to get completely better.

It usually takes 1 to 4 days to get symptoms of the flu after you have been around someone who has the virus.

Most people get better without problems. But sometimes the flu can lead to a bacterial infection, such as an ear infection, a sinus infection, or bronchitis. In rare cases, the flu may cause a more serious problem, such as pneumonia.

Certain people are at higher risk of problems from the flu. They include young children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with long-term illnesses or with impaired immune systems that make it hard to fight infection.
How is the flu diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and examine you. This usually gives the doctor enough information to find out if you have the flu, especially if many cases of a similar illness have occurred in the area and the local health department reports a flu outbreak.

In some cases, the doctor may do a blood test or take a sample of fluid from your nose or throat to find out what type of flu virus you have.
How is it treated?

Most people can treat flu symptoms at home. Home treatment includes resting, drinking plenty of fluids, and taking medicine to lower your fever.

If you think you have the flu, your doctor may be able to give you medicine that can make the symptoms milder. But you need to start taking it within 2 days of your first symptoms.
Can the flu be prevented?

You can help prevent the flu by getting the flu vaccine every year. The best time to get the vaccine is in October or November, just before the start of flu season. You can get the vaccine as a shot or in a spray that you breathe in through your nose.

Almost anyone over 6 months old can have the flu vaccine. The vaccine is especially important for people who are at higher risk of problems from the flu, including:1
Children between 6 months and 5 years of age.
Adults age 50 and older.
Adults and children who have long-term health problems or an impaired immune system.
Women who will be pregnant during the flu season.

The flu vaccine is also recommended for health care workers and anyone who lives or works with a person who is at higher risk of problems from the flu. Your doctor can help you decide if the flu vaccine is a good choice for you.

The vaccine prevents most cases of the flu. But even if you do get the flu after you've had the vaccine, your symptoms will be milder and you'll have less chance of problems from the flu. You cannot get the flu from the flu vaccine.

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