ranjan

Cholesterol is a natural substance made by the body. Most of the Cholesterol in our blood stream (75%) is produced by the Liver and (25%) from foods we eat. It is well known that elevated Blood cholesterol levels are not good for health, but the right levels play a vital role in maintaining cell membrane and synthesizing hormones. Usually high Cholesterol does not produce any symptoms and one may not know that Cholesterol is high. Too much Cholesterol can build up in arteries, causing Artherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. This restricts blood flow through the arteries and can lead to serious medical problems such as Heart attack or Stroke. It is recommended that all adults above the age of 20 years should get their Cholesterol levels checked every four to six years. It is done with a Blood test that measures three things. 1. High Density Cholesterol (HDL) - Good cholesterol     HDL is considered good because it works up to keep LDL (Bad cholesterol) from building ...

Thyroid disorders can be treated by medications, or in some cases, Surgery. Treatment will depend on the particular disease of Thyroid. Medications can be given to replace the missing Thyroid hormone in Hypothyroidism. Synthetic thyroid hormone is given in pill form by mouth. When Hypothyroidism is present, medications can be used to decrease production of Thyroid hormone or prevent its release from the Gland. Other medications can be given to help manage the symptoms of Hypothyroidism such as Increased Heart Rate. If Hypothyroidism is not controlled with medications, Radioactive Ablations (procedure done to decrease function of some, or all of Thyroid gland- is usually done with medicine called Radioactive Iodine) can be performed. Ablation involves giving doses of Iodine labelled with Radioactivity that selectively destroys the thyroid tissue. The goal of treatment for any Thyroid disorder is to restore normal blood levels of Thyroid Hormone. There are several nutrients which ar...

 A ductless gland in the neck which secretes hormones regulating growth and development through the rate of metabolism. Its correct functioning depends on having a good supply of Iodine from the Diet. Thyroid disorders are the conditions that affect the Thyroid gland. A butterfly-shaped Gland in front of the neck, it has important roles to regulate numerous metabolic processes through out the body. Different types of thyroid disorders affect either its structure or function. Thyroid gland is located below the Adam's apple wrapped around Trachea (windpipe). A thin area of Tissue in the gland middle, known as Isthmus, joins the two lobes on each side. Thyroid uses Iodine to produce vital hormones. Thyroxine (T4) is the primary hormone produced by the gland. After delivery via the blood stream to the body's tissues, a small portion of T4 released from the gland is converted to T3 (Triiodothyronine) which is the most active hormone. The function of Thyroid gland is regulated by ...

You may be encouraging, without knowing, Neck pain by the way performing daily activities. In most cases, pain occurs due to a muscle strain or another benign case. In general, try to keep your head balanced directly over your spine, so it is not leaning forward or cocked to one side. That's because neck's main job is to support your head, and your head weighs about 10-12 pounds. Even without a clearly diagnosed cause, today's treatment can effectively relieve neck pain and help you learn how to prevent its return. Here are some hints for achieving a healthy neck posture in common activities - 1) At the Desk or Computer - Keep your head balanced directly over your spine as much as possible.     That means setting your chair height so both your feet can rest on the ground and sitting with     your buttocks far back in your chair using a small pillow, if needed, to support your lower back.     Properly adjusting the key Board and monitor with a Laptop...

Love it or hate it, we live in Digital age and there is no going back. Today Tsunami of Digital distractions can pose challenges to the Neural networking that regulate attention. Digital literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, utilize, share and create content and design nuanced communication across fluid digital forms. Managing Digital distractions is a learning skill in itself, so by banning personal devices, the learners will be deprived of the opportunity to develop this skill. In less than three decades, computer technology has moved from being in the room (Desktop) to being anywhere we like (Laptop) and now computers have shrunk to fit in a pocket, to be always in our hands (Smartphones). This has ushered in a culture of nonstop use that is compulsive and , quite simply distracting. Our connectedness is now so that as per one study- we pick up our devices every 12 minutes which is roughly 80 times during one day's working hours. Following steps to gauge the extent o...

Flood control is important in Netherlands, as due to its low elevation. Approximately, two-third of its area is vulnerable to flooding while the country is densely populated. Natural sand dunes and constructed Dikes, Dams and Floodgates provide defense against storm surges from the sea. After a devastating North sea flood in 1953 which resulted in 1800 deaths, nation adopted a "never again" attitude. The floods stuck the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, England and Scotland as well. Landscape dimensions of Netherlands has one-third lies below sea level, lowest point being 22 ft' (6.7 meters) below sea level and the highest point is about a 1000 Ft. above sea level. This is how Netherlands look alike. Dutch expertise in Water Management is as old as the Netherlands itself, and as the global seas rise, the Dutch are still on the front lines in dealing with flooding and sea-level rise. This exercise is not only helping them in their efforts, but now they are going all a...

From a medieval settlement in the swamps of the Senne ( a principal water source for the city) to the beating heart of European Union, Brussels certainly has an interesting history. Brussels humbly started out as a small settlement by the river Senne, around 10th century. It is said that the name Brussels originates from the word ' Broekzele' translates into "Settlement in the swamp". Some historians state the existence of Brussels began as early as 7th century while others claim the city started as a fort built by Charles of Lorraine around 979. What is certain is that Brussels originates from three spots around Senne, a valley and two nearby hills. The city was first mentioned as a Portus - a River post. The Grand place was referred to in 1147 as the 'Lower Market' situated close to the port on Senne and along an important road. The market place did well as a bustling center for trade. But the buildings that make the Grand Place famous today were built ...

The idea of co-operation across European borders came after Second World War. After signing the Maastricht treaty in 1992. European Union was born on 1st November 1993. Brussels was not the only candidate to harbor the new European institutions, Strasbourg, The Hague, Liege, and Saarbrucken were all proposed as hosts. Eventually, Brussels was chosen for various reasons, like, historical buffer state between  France and Germany, located on the borders between Latin and Germanic cultures, located between cities like London, Paris, major metropolitan region in Germany and the Dutch cities. The European Commission, Council of the European council and the European council are all located in the European quarter in Brussels. This is the area between three parks - Leopold park, Brussels park and the Cinquantenaire park. During my visit to Brussels recently, I have visited EU Parliamentarian office. It is the place where decisions taken have an impact on daily life of 500 million Euro...

                                                                                                               (continue from my earlier post) There are two types of Migraine. This classification depends on whether the individual experiences any disturbance of the senses leading up to migraine. These are known as Auras - 1) Migraine with Auras - For many people with Migraine, Auras act as a warning, telling them that a  headache is soon to come. The effects of the Aura can include :   - Confusing thoughts or experiences.   - Perception of strange, sparkling or flashing lights.   - Zig-Zag lines in the visual field.   - Blind spots or Black patches in the vision.   - Pins a...

A migraine (Neurological disease) can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It is often accompanied by vomiting, nausea and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last hours to days and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with daily activities. The causes of migraine is not yet known. However, the following triggers are likely to set off migraines - 1) Emotional Triggers - Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Excitement and shock can trigger a migraine. 2) Hormonal Changes - Women may experience migraine symptoms during mensuration due to     changing hormone levels. 3) Physical Causes - Tiredness and insufficient sleep, shoulder or neck tension, Poor posture and     physical over exertion have been linked to migraines. Low Blood sugar and Jet Lag can also act     as triggers. 4) Triggers in the Diet - Caffeine and Alcohol can contribute to triggering migraines. Some specific ...

Hand pain is more than just annoying. The stiffness and swelling that go along with hand pain can sap strength and diminish the ability to carry out routing functions like Buttoning clothes. One common cause of hand pain is Osteoarthritis - when the shock absorbing cartilage between the bones in the finger joints and at the base of the Thumb becomes worn or damaged. Hand pain can also result from Nerve conditions, like the pain and tingling you feel when there is pressure on the median nerve in the Wrist or the Ulnar nerve near the Elbow. Sometimes hand pain results from Tendinitis, an inflammation of the Tissue that attacks muscles to the Bones. Here are six methods to help manage hand pain, retain hand function and avoid surgery. These nonsurgical solutions will enhance daily activities and independence. 1. SPLINTING - A Splint - a strip of rigid material for supporting and immobilizing a broken bone when it has been set, for a few weeks. It stabilizes the position of fingers, ...

A desert is an Arid, barren land with little vegetation. Essentially uninhabited Deserts make up roughly one-third of planet's land area. Deserts are no less inhospitable today than in the past. Modern methods of transportation allows to take a close-up look on these regions which were considered extremely difficult in the past -impossible to reach. These are : - 1)  NAMIB DESERT - At an age of 43 million years is widely accounted for the world's oldest      desert  is located on the coast of Southern Africa. A diverse set of animals live here, many of      which exist  nowhere in the Planet. This desert overlays coastal Namibia extending to Angola      and South Africa. 2)  SAHARA DESERT - This desert, which carpets a large part of Northern Africa is the third       largest desert in the world. Winds and sporadic rainfall have shaped the Sahara into a landscape       of dunes,Valleys...

Despite impressive changes being made by Govt. of India, there is still need for old-fashioned investment in transportation, power and internet to create more employment for Women and Youth in Rural areas and Human capital. Despite technology promise, around 25% of Indian adults cannot read or write. India needs to bridge the Gender divide, particularly investing in Rural women's education, training. Innovative technologies can be a significant engine of growth, equity and sustainability, but their geographical application is limited to rural areas, and many farmers remain unaware of advancements. Insufficient connectivity in Rural areas, lack of basic computer knowledge and literacy bars rapid development of e - agriculture. Substantial investment is needed in physical infrastructure (only 27% of villages have banks within 5 kms.), power, transportation, Broadband, education particularly in poorer regions and in the poorest people. Criticism mounts - Across thousands of schools...

Development of Windmill power began in 1952 in India. Windmill is a structure that converts the energy of wind into Rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or Blades. The majority of Windmills take the form of wind turbines used to generate electricity or wind pumps used to pump water either for land drainage or extract groundwater. From Netherland to USA farms, Windmills have been used for pumping water or grinding Grain. Today, Windmills modern equivalent - A Wind Turbine - can use the wind's energy to generate electricity. Wind turbines are mounted on a tower to capture the most energy at 100 Ft. (30 meters) or more above ground. They can take advantages of faster and less turbulent wind. Turbines catch the wind's energy with their propeller like Blades. Usually two or three Blades are mounted on a shaft to form a Rotor. A blade acts like an Airplane wing. When the wind blows, a pocket low-pressure air forms on downward side of the blade. The low- pressure Air po...

It is believed that in just six hours, world's Desert receive more energy from the Sun than human consume in a year. For example, take an area of the size of Indian state of reasonable size in the Sahara desert and fill it with solar panels and you could power the whole of India, rather some surplus may remain. The move to clean renewable energy is very important when fighting climate change. By using natural resources such as the Sun, wind and tides, energy can be created without any pollution. Presently, we use lot of oil, Gas and coal to power our country, but there are several large solar projects such as in Africa, Europe etc. underway working to harness the power of the desert Sun. The Sahara is the largest hot desert on Earth (some deserts are cold like Gobi desert in Asia) and can reach temperature of 50 Degree Centigrade. There are few problems to solve first such as how to stop sand causing damage to the solar panels. Cleaning them daily uses up a lot of water - some...

Somewhere between 10000 to 15000 years ago, communities learnt to cooperate with each other in a way that gave them access to a wider range of resources. Trade was no longer limited to those who had goods that were valuable to each other allowing people to benefit from the fruits of many other types of labor. For this to work, they needed something to symbolize the exchange of resources, something offering a common measure of value. Early money came in a variety of formats, from feathers and Vodka, to cow dungs and grains. Coins did not emerge until between 500 to 700 BC. Both currency and accounting began ''concrete counting'' which means counting being object-specific. As long as the civilizations have been engaging in trade or organized system of Govt., methods of record keeping, Accounting and Accounting tools have been in use. Some of the earliest known writings discovered by Archaeologists are ancient tax records on clay tablets from Egypt and Mesopotamia (anci...

Machines have been taking our jobs forever. But Economists, as practitioners of the " dismal science", have always been upbeat about that. Sure, machines destroy jobs. But, for new industries that new technology enables create even more new jobs. There may be a bit of disruption between destruction and creation, but that's Capitalist's business as usual. We have lived through the stage, call as Automation 1.0. A typical example - car manufacturing. Henry Ford's production line to change into Toyota's machine and as a consequence where few humans are visible on an assembly line. Once upon a time, car industry employed thousands of people called as Blue collar workers. Now, it employs far fewer. The Robots did take their jobs. In some cases, those made redundant found other jobs but many didn't. Some times, communities were devastated as a result. But, GDP went up, so Economists were happy. Now, we are beginning on automation 2.0. This is largely drive...

Everyone knows that stretching is a part of healthy living. Since no one has ever enough time, one should reconsider how you view exercise as there are so many benefits from stretching which exists while doing so. Stretching should be a part of your daily routine whether you exercise or not. Though it does not involve huge amount of time, but stretching can end up giving you huge results. Stretching is not a prelude to an exercise rather it is recommended by Physicians to do some quick aerobic exercises to warm up self for exercises. Following are the important benefits of stretching - 1. Increased range of movement in the joints. Stressed people often have their Muscles contract.     These contractions gives a physiological and emotional feeling of tension and uneasiness. So,     by trying stretching, it loosens muscles that are tight and increases Blood flow. It also helps in     release of  a natural body substance to attain a feeling of jo...

A good Cardio exercise does not require big space, fancy equipment. With little creativity, one can put together a fitness routine with a range of effective cardio exercises which will tone muscle, burn calories and help lose weight. Below are some exercises which one can do anytime, anywhere : 1) Jumping Jacks - Repeatedly jumping the feet wide while circling the arm overhead, then back     again. It burns about 100 calories in ten minutes. Use Jumping jacks in a circuit, doing them for     30-60 seconds and alternating them with marching, Jogging, jumping rope Try different variations. 2) Jump Rope - Turning rope repeatedly with handles and jumping over it. Burns about 220 calories     in 20 minutes. Requires practice. Alternate 30-60 seconds of jumping with marching, jumping and     jogging. 3) Jogging in place - Lift your feet an inch or two off the ground and hop from foot to foot, making     sure to engage arms, in a stat...

Until just after second world war, most aircraft exteriors were left unpainted or decorated with only the aircraft emblem for economical reasons. While this saves money, it leaves the aircraft exposed and unprotected, especially in harsh weather conditions. Paint is more than aesthetic ,affects the weight of aircraft and protects the integrity of the Air frame. There are exceptions. Air New Zealand once turned a Boeing 777 into a giant Ad for Lord of the Rings, Mango, based in Johannesburg utilises a bright orange hue, while Siberian Carrier S7 colors its planes with Lime green. But the vast majority of passenger aircraft are painted white. why? Paint adds between 600-1200 Lbs. (273 to 544 Kg.) of weight to an aircraft. Extra weight means more fuel is burned and 544 Kg. equates to around eight passengers. Airlines take the view of weight very seriously. In 1980, American Airlines claimed annual savings of $ 40,000 by removing just one Olive from every salad served on Board in its...