Great Articles

Cloning : Scientists Must Speak Out

2010-11-08T09:49:00.000-08:00

Scientists say evidence is mounting "that creating healthy animals through cloning is More difficult than they had expected." So began a front-page story in the New York Times (Marching 25), highlighting the frustrations of animal cloners, and the chance that person cloning whitethorn prove technically inconceivable. Those worried about the ethics of individual cloning have greeted this as good news, a sign that the slippery slope is leveling come out of the closet. Unfortunately, the new obstacles English hawthorn prove less than insurmountable in the hanker tally--and in bioengineering, the yearn running often proves surprisingly short. For those whose doubts about ergonomics ar expressed by the philosopher Leon Kass as "the wisdom of repugnance," it is no meter to relax: The slope Crataegus laevigata soon steepen once Thomas More. In cloning, a cellular cell nucleus from the grownup to be cloned is injected into an testis from which the karyon has been removed.

As it turns , the environment of the unfertilized testicle, hijacked for cloning purposes, is able-bodied to "reprogram" big nuclei, returning their DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID to a naive, pseudo-embryonic state. As the orchis develops, it follows the familial blueprint of the full-grown from which the core was derived, essentially producing an identical twin of that individual. But at that place problems. When Ian Ian Wilmut and his co-workers produced the cloned sheep Doll, they caught about biologists unawares because it was thinking out of the question to clone a mammal. Frogs had been cloned Sir Thomas More than twenty-five years ago, but many biologists cerebration that a phenomenon termed "imprinting" would prevent mammalian cloning. Imprinting confers "memory" on a developing cell, helping to distinguish fully grown skin cells, for instance, from heart, liver, and blood cells.
Experiments in mice suggested that imprinting permanently altered the DESOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID, making it unimaginable to derive a feasible embryo from an grown core group. changed all that. Still, the cloning of mammals is a precarious enterprise. himself acknowledged that cloning was ineffective and fraught with grotesque loser, and he strongly advised against trying to clone world. Even the just about experienced researchers to generate executable clones only 2 to 5 percent of the metre. The failures appear to stem from the imprinting phenomenon, which had been discounted post-: the hereditary absolution conferred by the ball turns to be at best, and memories persist in the of cloned embryos, interfering with their development.

This point was made by MIT developmental biologist Rudolf Jaenisch during testimony earlier a House subcommittee on Master of Architecture 28, and in a forceful article he co-authored with , "Don't Clone Humans!" (Science, MArch 28). As Jaenisch and others stressed ahead Congress, the high unsuccessful person rate in animal cloning should make somebody cloning unthinkable. The proponents of cloning, a motley crew of UFO cultists and fringe physicians, argue that they volition succeed in human race where experts have failed in animals. Their position is, of course, untenable.

For now, soul cloning testament probably end up prohibited. However, in that location is a danger in arguing against cloning on technical grounds alone: Once the procedure is perfected, it implicitly becomes ethically permissible.

Contents of a Self Improvement Course

2010-11-08T09:31:00.000-08:00

When most people think of Self Improvement Courses, what comes to mind is usually basic information that's not particularly interesting or beneficial. But there's a lot more to Self Improvement Courses than just the basics.

Introduction

If selected properly, your life can tremendously change for the better with a self improvement course. Look for the course that offers the right self improvement plan to serve you and the support systems to help you change. The self improvement course should teach you how to outline what you want, how to set up a realistic plan to achieve your goals and how to train your mind to work with your subconscious so that you get results.

Always opt for the self improvement course that suits you and interests you. Grab one or two programs so you always have the right tools for the right challenge in life. Basically, the self improvement course educates you on how to unlearn negative attitudes and prejudice that society places on you, and helps you to be able to pursue your dreams and goals without fear or embarrassment. The course intends to help you regain control of your life and health. With the self improvement course, you can be what you want to be, notwithstanding what you are and you have been.

Go for a self improvement course that offers you the following:

The program content - Must be able to help you improve your mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional awareness.

Powerful tools and exercises - To draw out your inner wisdom.

If you base what you do on inaccurate information, you might be unpleasantly surprised by the consequences. Make sure you get the whole Self Improvement Courses story from informed sources.

Fundamental skills - Must be able to put together a firm foundation for your life with goals, time management, and inspiration. All this would bring more control and focus into your life.

Personal development awareness programs - Must make you understand yourself and how life goes on. It should be able to put together your self-esteem, inner power, discipline, and self worth with the personal development awareness programs.

Open to a superior control - Must be able to find more significance, rationale and joy in life.

24x7 email support - Must provide 24x7 email or online support to keep you disciplined, focused, and motivated.

Convincing - Must convince you that increasing your self-awareness can change your life and that you can accomplish it with the course..

Apart from the above, the self improvement course must be able to improve your total personality. That includes spoken skills, i.e.,\ communication skills, presentation, manners, dress sense, etc., so that you could feel better and accomplish your goals.

The self improvement course, in the end, would eliminate pressure from your life and replace it with self-confidence, improve your self-esteem, eliminate a negative approach towards family and friends and substitute them with feelings of love. This can make you a more complete human being.

Is there really any information about Self Improvement Courses that is nonessential? We all see things from different angles, so something relatively insignificant to one may be crucial to another.

Effects of the United Nations on Human Rights

2010-01-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

Uploaded by JonLedbetter on Oct 31, 2006

Effects of the United Nations on Human Rights

The United Nations is an organization created at the end of World War 2 as a place to discuss international matters in peace and to solve problems diplomatically. During its years of existence the United Nations has dealt mostly with matters concerning peace keeping; but lately it has spread its influence over many different issues including the protection of Human Rights. In the many cases of Human Right violations that the United Nations handled, it was generally successful in preventing any further instances and punishing the government/organization responsible for the violation.

The greatest tool in preventing these violations that the United Nations has put into play is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document signed December 10th, 1948 was a guideline for all future cases on the issue. It outlines the basic human rights of man and gave a starting point for any country attempting to create a bill of rights. As the document, it was very specific thus there was little need for improvement and it has been almost unchanged since its creation. The first article of the declaration states, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights” (Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1). By giving equality to all human beings, the declaration immediately alleviates any loopholes that may be used to undermine the authority of the document. The declaration prevents exemptions from this article to those countries that consider part of their population to not be a part of the general term, man. In many societies women are also considered to be below the status of being part of mankind and are therefore exempt from any legislature directed through that word. The proceeding is also prevented by the second article that supports the first by stating that all are subject to the rights set forth in this document. Finally the document states the ever-important right of Life, Liberty and Security. By outlining these basic rights the United Nations has outlawed the following; Homicide and manslaughter, the violation of the right to life in any human being; Suppression of freedom of speech, the right of liberty is the right of speaking about your government freely, taking that away is taking your liberty; and finally slavery, a slave has no security and never will, therefore slavery is forever outlawed along with the preceding. This single amendment covers such a broad range that it is almost impossible to find a way around. Although the Declaration has been implemented and accepted almost everywhere, there are still countries that are have not conformed to the ideals outlined in this Declaration.

There are many of countries in Africa where human rights violations are occurring in gross quantities, even today. One of these many countries is Zaire. “United Nations human rights investigators had charged that soldiers loyal to Laurent Kabila, during his push to overthrow dictator Mobutu Sese Seko, massacred Rwandan Hutu refugees in 1996 and 1997” (Vo 1). These charges were immediately reported to the Zaire government and an investigative report was demanded. Immediate action is how the United Nations handles situations, by letting the world know of wrongdoing it puts the accused party in the spotlight and forces them, without force, to succumb, and possibly reverse the crime. Security Council members are giving Kabila a chance to reform his ways but if he doesn’t, the United Nations will act immediately and send an investigative team. Later, a United Nations special reporter was sent to investigate and reported many issues which were previously unknown. The reporter suggested that the government should put an end to incitement of ethnic hatred and requested the rebel forces to comply with international law applicable to internal affairs. By saying this, the reporter is implying that if the international law is not followed, international actions will be taken. This again puts the people responsible under pressure to change their ways. Although the people of Congo disagree with the reporter and are convinced the matter is internal; the United Nations is sure to follow with a disciplinary action. The reporter also believes that Human Rights improvements have been slow due to the ongoing wars in the Congo and so the United Nations will be supporting its peacekeeping troops in the area to kill two birds with one stone.

Another problematic country in Africa is Burundi. According to the reports, there has been no reply from the Burundi authorities in regards to the issues brought forth by the special reporter. The issues set forth here are as follows. The government militia needs to be under stricter control for the purpose of preventing its abuse of authority. It has been reported, that the conditions of the detentions centers and penal facilities are abysmal, thus reforms are urgently needed. In addition, it has also been proposed that foster child rights legislature needs to be set up. For all these reforms to be worked into the general reform plan of Burundi, the country needs funding. The United Nations had therefore decided on the following actions. Economic sanctions on Burundi have been lifted; by removing these sanctions a new flow of money will be inbound to Burundi to fund reforms and reconstruction. With more income, the government will be able to improve conditions in penal colonies and create foster homes. Having removed many problems and creating a stable economic environment, the lifting of these sanctions will have also created a safer political setting in which democracy will be able to thrive. Transition measures by the government will also have been a contributor to the forming of a republic. With economy and politics stabilized the next step towards peace is the pacification of radical fundamentals. Without opposition to the government a democracy will surely arise. Therefore the United Nations has created a perfect environment for the healing of the country, and therefore, through reforms, a prevention of further infringements on human rights.

The general United Nations influence in Africa is based on the fact that the Security Council thinks that words will be enough. By calling African governments to investigate their own crimes against humanity the Human rights commissions in Africa trying to indicate that the United Nations is only a guiding force and that, in the end, it is up to the countries themselves to handle their issues. The third article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights outlines the right to liberty of all peoples which includes these African nations. The United Nations is trying to give each of these countries their liberty in the form of self-reliance. Since the United Nations has never strived to be an authoritative figure it believes diplomatic influence is the best way. Although there has been trouble in the Rwanda tribunal and getting people to serve is starting to get tough, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Bagota to discuss the creation of human rights laws and reforms. The visit turned out to be a success with much potential possible and many legislatures already created.

Although human rights conflicts are to be expected in less than civilized countries in Africa, a situation arising in an advanced country is of much surprise. Recently, a United Nations human rights committee gave Britain a devastating record. Just an example of the verdict on Britain was that “the 18 experts condemned the abolition of the right to silence, as a breach of two basic principles-an accused person’s right to a fair trial and protection against self-incrimination” (Klugland 1). As the 18 lawyers revealed, Britain’s whole system for ensuring and securing citizens’ basic political and civil rights was lacking. Although the decision doesn’t have much legal value, it has a large amount of moral authority (Klugland 2). Such legal declarations have been known to work before when governments assured the United Nations that actions will be taken at a ministerial level. Thus the United Nations has brought attention to the long ignored human rights problem in Britain and it has again stressed the importance of a Bill of Rights. Britain, lacking such a document as we see here, has underestimated the importance of a Bill of Rights that would seam unneeded in such a modernized country.

In recent events Yugoslavia has most likely been the most stressful test of United Nations influence in the world. Relying on the power of NATO the United Nations first condemned Serbian activities in the former Yugoslavia and then moved in with international military peacekeeping forces. Dealing with one of the European nations as opposed to an underdeveloped third world country proved to be a challenge in its self. The international community in the face of the United Nations called upon the Yugoslavian president Milosovich to grant authority to the small province of Kosovo located in the southern region of the country. Kosovo, a predominantly Muslim community, was ethnically cleansed even with the lack of a religious war. Other concerns in the Yugoslavia issue include various reports of homicide, torture, rape, and “mass graves”. An investigation was quickly sent out to handle these issues and a request to the General Assembly was sent to allocate all available resources to Yugoslavia. This gave the Human Rights committee of the United Nations to handle the situation and even call upon Yugoslavian parties to take anti-human rights violation measures.

In 1991 an observer force of 170 members was sent to El Salvador to investigate compliance of the San Jose agreement, a human rights accord signed by the parties in the Costa Rican capital in July 1990. After a cease-fire in the area allowed for more freedom in UN operations ONUSAL was created to “monitor the human rights situation in the war-tom Central American nation and investigate specific cases of alleged human rights violations” (MasterFILE 2). Soon regional offices were opened and recruitment started. As the organization grew in strength and in members it started influencing the governments of Haiti, Nicaragua and Namibia to stress military, police, and electoral powers in improving the human rights scene in those countries.

Human Rights committees handle all activities in the United Nations relating to any human rights issues. They’re procedure is strict but works well to fit any situation. The procedure consists of the following. The first optional protocol allows individuals to submit complaints to the human rights committee in an anonymous communication. The person who claims to have been violated must send this communication. Once communication has been declared admissible, the committee may ask for clarification. The second optional protocol consists of the abolition of the death penalty to prevent any violator from killing the victim and overruling the authority of the committee to do anything about it because the victim did not communicate with them. This very effective method allows for total equality for the supposed victim and the supposed violator. As for sessions of the committee the following rules apply. Two working groups precede each session. The first working group prepares concise lists concerning the state reports to be examined by the committee. The second working group makes recommendations to the committee regarding communications received under optional protocol one. About 12-18 months are needed for the declaration of a case to being admissible. Finally the committee is bound to consider all written material made available by both parties concerned. All these procedures have been laid out to protect possible victims and falsely accused possible violators.

Although the United Nations, as an international organization, has no real way to enforce its resolutions, it still has the ability to apply political pressure and boycotting/embargoing a disobedient nation. Although this may not sound very powerful, this is the closest we, as a disorganized world at this time, can get to true unity and world peace.

A perfect reformer

2010-01-12T02:19:00.000-08:00

By Prof Mohammed Rafi

Today, more than ever, the Muslim world needs to look back at the practical aspects of the Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH) life and try to imbibe them in our daily lives for peace and harmony. This is what Islam is all about. When Muslims accept some person as a Nabi (Messenger), they must as well believe in emulating the example set by the Nabi.

It is understood that anything actually taught by the Nabi was either done or would have been done by him had the occasion arisen. The Quran tells us that all Messengers were charged by Allah with the same mission (2:136). It is also written that all people are a single nation, so Allah raised Messengers as bearers of His news and as warners and He revealed unto them the Book with truth (2:213).

In other words the message that comes from Allah of human guidance is a practicable verity and not a dreamer's ideal. Prophet Mohammad received Divine Revelation and translated it into action through his own example (2:129 & 151). He was the first to obey these laws (39:11-14) and led others to pursue the path of guidance.

Earlier Messengers had come with Allah's message and guidance, but people changed these, corrupted them or simply hid them. The Quran says 'O people of the Book there has come to you Our Messenger revealing to you much that you used to hide in the Book' (5:15).

Pre-Islamic Arabia was a seat of different religions and sects, each decrying the other as is being done nowadays. Prophet Mohammad denounced division and sectarianism and decried the hostile attitude of the followers of these separate religions and sects.

'And the Jews say that the Christians do not follow anything good, and the Christians say that the Jews do not follow anything good while they recite the same book' (2:213). People were more inclined, like today, on rituals which were supposed to be the essence of all religions.

The Quran says, 'It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East or West, but righteousness (Taqwa) is that one should believe in Allah, the day of judgment, the Malaika, the Book and the Messengers and give away wealth out of love for Him to the nearest of kin and to the orphans, the needy and the wayfarer.

The captives pray and pay Zakat and fulfil the performance of their promises and be patient in distress and adversity and in time of conflict. Such are the righteous ones' (2:177).

Prophet Mohammad did not propagate Islam through miracles. He worked what was more than a miracle: striving against odds and achieved success never seen before or since in history, and in the adverse circumstances to which he had been subjected. But to achieve this unique success he did not resort to things beyond human reach, in which case he could not have acted as an exemplary personality.

He used all honest and honourable means that were open to others. He would plainly say that he was a man like others (18:1110) and 'It is not in my power to cause you harm or bring you to the right path' (72:21) and 'The unseen is only known to Allah (10:20) 'with Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures no one knows but He' (6:59).

One supreme quality that shows he had achieved the zenith of character and morality that must be the final goal of human endeavour, where man reflects Divine values, was his steadfastness.

In victory or in defeat, in power or in adversity, he remained the same. According to Washington-Irving 'His military triumphs awakened no pride or vain glory, as they would have done had they been effected for selfish purposes.

If he aimed at universal dominion, it was the dominion of the faith'. Gibbon writes in the "Rise and fall of the Roman empire" that even at the zenith of his worldly power, the good sense of Mohammad despised the pomp of royalty.

How many of us claiming to be his followers practise what he advised to do? In Madinah he had the opportunity of practising what he had preached at Makkah. He ennobled and enlarged the laws of Moses and brought upon earth the kingdom of heaven prayed for by Jesus.

He established a state with those at helm of affairs not ruling but serving the citizens. There was no prejudice of class, colour, race or descent.

To demolish this long prevailing social injustice, it was emphasized that the noblest in the sight of Allah was he who was most virtuous among men. The state belonged equally to one and all, male and female - and all, in turn, belonged to one universal God, all obeyed one law, not man-made but sent down from the All Merciful and impartial God, which was the same for rich and poor alike.

His life was very simple. He would put on whatever kind or quality of cloth he could get. He would eat whatever was placed before him. He would sit wherever he could find room, whether on a mat, carpet or the ground (Tirmizi 'Shumail').

Unlike the rulers of the modern world, he entered into treaties with his enemies and honoured them. Following the treaty of Hudaybiah in 6 A.H., he discouraged the Muslims of Makkah to flee the city.

The surrender of Makkah offered him ample opportunities of revenge, but he did not avail himself of them. As a role model we must remember that he ordered us to obey Allah's commands, give alms, speak the truth, give back safe and whole what is entrusted to us by others, to be affectionate to our neighbours, to shun wicked acts and avoid bloody quarrels.

The Encyclopaedia Britannica says: "It is easy to make good and far reaching plans, but more difficult to carry them out. Moses, Jesus and many of the prophets before Mohammad did not live to see the success of their respective missions.

The emancipated children of the Egyptian bondage repeatedly disobeyed Moses; Peter and other disciples denied their Master and left him in the moment of his dire need. But Mohammad the humble preacher to the haughty Makkans, who had only the other day been ridiculed, stoned and hunted out of their city of his birth, had within the short span of nine years after his flight from Makkah lifted up his people from the abysmal depth of oral and spiritual degradation to a conception of purity and justice.

"These who had dwelt in a state of permanent warfare among themselves and had revelled in bloodshed and murder on the most trifling pretexts became wedded into a unique brotherhood. Those who cherished no respect for women became the foremost champions of female rights."

The spirit infused by Mohammad enabled the Muslims to face courageously the most formidable foes that a man has to grapple with - one's own corrupt nature and evil habits.

He understood human nature and mind and did not propose to kill our instincts or crush our passions. Instead he propounded a system to control them so that they may function to our best advantage and pass from the bestial to the noble.

Muslims today are more inclined towards an individual and self-conceited Islam for entry into heaven which lies somewhere beyond the sky. Mohammad pointed out the error of such crude notions.

Heaven is the evolved condition of our soul, the casting or not casting of human passion into the mould of divine attributes that makes our Heaven both here and in the hereafter - for the Quran promises two Heavens (55:46) and also its reverse - Hell. He repeatedly said that every person who seeks to observe good morals must tread God's earth reflecting Divine attributes.

Every Muslim should examine, search and assess his deeds and review his conduct several times a day. For this we were ordered to establish the system of 'Salaat' five times a day. This involves the total submission to the laws of Allah in a practical shape.

Mohammad also proposed greetings through "Salaam Alaikum" (Peace be upon you) as As-Salaam is one of the attributes of Allah and means peace. The western equivalent of this is 'Have a nice day' which is oft repeated.

He also quashed a centuries old system of invoking God's mercy through an intermediary. This belief had crept into almost all religions. No religion of Divine origin in its subsequent stages remained free from it.

Islam has no priestly class. Addressing Mohammad (PBUH), Allah says, "And when my servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am near; I answer the prayers of the supplicant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me, that they may find the right way" (2:186).

For the first time, the principle of 'No compulsion in religion' was enunciated and acted upon by Mohammad. Differences of opinion in religious matters were respected and freedom of conscience was allowed. History is full of religious persecutions of the worst type and that is evident even today.

Mohammad preached religious tolerance that had never been known before. To the Christians of Najran and adjoining areas he promised the security of God and his own pledge 'No cross or image shall be destroyed, they will not be oppressed, they shall not be required to furnish provisions for the troops' were his standing orders.

Today a large part of the wealth and brain of the West is expended in discovering ways in which they may utilize destructive weapons to pander to the spirit of aggression.

Mohammad allowed the use of force in three conditions only 1) To protect a house of worship from destruction be it Christian, Jew or Muslim (22:40) (2) In self defence (22:39). (3) To establish freedom of conscience and fight religious persecution.

He was the first leader of a religion that made religion and science help-mates. He abolished dogma and made reason and logic the test of religious truth. He placed the cultivation of knowledge on top.

For him, exploring the realms of nature for the benefit of humanity was the real glorification of God. He gave such an impetus to learning that it brought forth within a century after him a tremendous upheaval in the world of scientific research work.

Mercy for the worlds

2010-01-12T02:15:00.000-08:00

By S.G Jilanee

EVEN after the passage of nearly fifteen hundred years the personality and character of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) continues, still, to amaze and fascinate thinkers, historians and intellectuals. And not only Muslims but even those who have little love lost for him — even the Jews, Christians, and others — are impressed and charmed.
Countless treatises have been written on the subject but there always remains something more to be said.

If you look for any unusual factor or any spectacular feature such as in the field of miracles, that distinguished him from his “colleagues,” — the other Messengers of Allah, you may be disappointed. For Muhammad was a “plain,” down-to-earth human, and the message he propagated was equally plain and down-to-earth. There was nothing supernatural about either his person or his work.

Yet, this very factor, this want of any superhuman traits, this absence of incredible performances, was what separated him from other Prophets. For example he performed no such miracles as Noah, Abraham, Swaleh, Hud, Loot, et al. He did not sail in an ark over an all-consuming flood. He was not swallowed by any fish. He was not thrown into a pit of flaming fire. He was not asked to sacrifice his son in the way of Allah. He was not a king like David and Solomon. His club did not turn into a snake, nor did the palms of his hand emit any effulgence.

Born like any other human, Muhammad did not speak in his cradle. He did not make birds with clay and breathe life into them. He did not heal lepers and congenitally blind people nor bring the dead to life. Nor were there jinns to do his biddings nor did he communicate with birds. Yet, he was designated as “Mercy for the worlds,” the “Seal of the Prophets,” blessed with “Me’raj,” — the celestial journey by night into Divine presence, and he stood “on an exalted standard of character.”

As a Messenger of Allah, Muhammad was like unto all other Messengers. Men of faith “make no distinction between one and another (2:285).” However, the miracles his predecessors performed were, by their very nature, beyond human comprehension. But they were also transitory, ephemeral, like a flood or a rain of rocks or other calamity. It came and went and became history. On the other hand, what Muhammad performed and achieved was something tangible; concrete; comprehensible. His miracle was reality, enduring, abiding, permanent.

He transformed a wild people into law-abiding citizens, disciplined the undisciplined, civilized the uncivilized, and established a “modern” society with a working system of governance all within a span of about ten years. In response to defiance, denial and persecution he did not invoke Divine retribution upon his tormentors and have them wiped out like the ‘Aad, Thamud and others. This is the most glaring testimony to his being an embodiment of mercy, and one that largely distinguishes him from other Prophets.

Answering those who wanted him to perform miracles, he pointed to the miracles scattered all around them, in the earth and in the sky. As truth can be stranger than fiction so realities can be miracles, calling for open-jawed amazement. Look over the world, says he; is it not wonderful, the work of Allah; wholly “a sign to you,” if your eyes were open! This earth, Allah made it for you; “appointed paths in it;” you can live in it, move about in it.

Great clouds, black, awesome, with their thunder and lightning, — where do they come from! They pour down copious showers on a parched, dead earth, and grass springs, and “tall leafy palm-trees with their date-clusters hanging round, wherein is a sign.” Your cattle too, he points out, Allah made them; serviceable dumb creatures; they change the grass into milk; you have your clothing from them. Ships, like huge moving mountains, with their cloth wings spread out, go bounding over the waves, driven by Heaven’s wind, His wind, under His command. And when Allah has withdrawn the wind, they lie motionless, dead, and cannot stir!

These, indeed, are miracles par excellence! Besides, look at the creation of humans. Is that anyway less than a miracle? Allah made you, he says, “created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh partly formed and partly unformed.” (22:5). Ye were small once; then ye grew. Ye have beauty, strength, thoughts and then old age overtakes you; your strength fades into feebleness; ye sink down, and again are not. And, above all, “Ye have compassion on one another.” Is that not a great miracle in itself, — mutual compassion? What if Allah had made you having no compassion on one another?

As among Allah’s Messengers, so with other people; Muhammad (S.A.W.) was like a common human, yet uncommon; similar, yet different. Totally free from cant, he never pretended to be what he was not. He therefore repeatedly emphasized, “I am a human like unto you.” (basharum mithlukum).

But Muhammad (S.A.W.) was not an ordinary person. The purpose of emphasizing the likeness was to generate empathy with his interlocutors and his audience and to reassure them that he was on the same grid with them. He felt the anguish of pain and the comfort of pleasure, hunger and thirst, joys and sorrows, same as any human. Another reason for repeating this reminder, frequently, was to prevent his followers from lapsing into the same pitfall as the Christians, who, in their zeal called him the son of God. So he pointed out that what distinguished him from ordinary humans was that he received wahi, — the Revelation. “I am like unto ye, (but) on whom Divine Revelation has come that assuredly there is no other deity for you but only One, Allah!”

Events about his birth and childhood are too well-known to require any detailed treatment. The man who was to be ordained as the last Messenger of Allah and who would testify to the credentials of all other Messengers of Allah before him, was yet born an orphan. His mother also died when he was only a child. His grandfather, a hundred year old man, Abdul Muttalib, deeply loved the little orphan boy, the child of his youngest and most beloved son, Abdullah. But Abdul Muttalib also died when Muhammad (S.A.W.) was only two years old, leaving him to the care of his eldest uncle, Abu Talib.

What put him way above other humans was Muhammad’s character. That was his forte — character born of Sincerity and nurtured by truth. His companions, friends and relatives named him Al Amin, “The Faithful, the Trustworthy.” Even at a young age, he was recognized as a man of truth and fidelity; true in what he did, in what he spoke and thought. From an early age he had been remarked as a thoughtful man. He was silent when there was nothing to be said; but pertinent, wise and sincere, when he did speak; always throwing light on the matter. Throughout his life he was regarded as an altogether solid, brotherly, genuine man, a serious and sincere character; amiable, cordial, and companionable.

Why would the Bedouins obey him, recognize him unless he had the mesmerizing power of sincerity, the magic of truth and plain words? They were wild men, bursting ever and anon into quarrel, into all kinds of fierce fights; no one without right worth and manhood could have commanded them. Yet they accepted him as Prophet of Allah, because, there he stood face to face with them; “bare, not enshrined in any mystery; visibly clouting his own cloak, cobbling his own shoes; fighting, counselling, ordering in the midst of them.” They had seen what kind of a man he was, judged him and then bowed before him. “No emperor with his tiaras was obeyed as this man in a cloak of his own clouting.”

Muhammad had to deal with the ferocious bloodthirsty Arab heathens, who drove him out of his home. He had to deal with the plots of the scheming Jews. It was a life-and-death war with them. Carlyle takes note of the fact that in such situations “cruel things could not fail,” but asserts that “neither are acts of mercy, of noble natural pity and generosity wanting.” Such acts were each the free dictate of his heart; each called for, there and then, on the spur of the moment, yet each done not as a self-seeker, not for personal aggrandizement or ambition but in the way of Allah.

A tender heart was another facet of his character. His emancipated and beloved slave, the first among slaves to embrace Islam, had fallen in the Battle of Tabuk. He said it was well of the man. He had done his Master’s work and has now gone to his Master. Yet the martyr’s daughter found him weeping over the body, melting in tears! “What do I see?” said she. “You see a friend weeping over his friend,” answered the Prophet.

Muhammad personally led at least nineteen engagements with the heathens. There was booty from those battles. Yet, his household was the most frugal; his common diet barley-bread and water and occasionally some dates: sometimes for months there was not a fire once lighted on his hearth. He would mend his own shoes, patch his own cloak, — a true paradigm of the man who “having nothing yet hath all.”

Seerat, a perfect model

2010-01-12T02:12:00.001-08:00

By Muhammad al-Ghazali

THE entire history of mankind in the post-Muhammadan period provides testimony to the Prophet’s impact on humanity. With the emergence of the Prophet (SAWs) on the stage of history, humanity clearly entered a new decisive and final stage of religious consciousness and cultural development.

When the Qur’an proclaimed in unmistakable terms that the institution of Prophethood had reached its final stage with Prophet Muhammad (SAWs), this proclamation was also fully attested by the subsequent course of human history.

No new Prophet or messenger, nor any other Divine scripture succeeded the Prophet (SAWs) or the Qur’an. The Qur’an and the Prophet’s Sirah remain the authentic touchstone of the truth and the reliable source of Divine call to humanity.

The foremost thrust of the Prophet’s teaching that changed the erstwhile religious perspective was to liberate humanity from the animistic notions of the past that involved a deification of the phenomenal world. The primitive religiosity of man largely prevailing in the world before Prophet Muhammad (SAWs), was to invest everything beneficial or harmful in this universe, with a supernatural sanctity or even at times with divinity.

Thus, man humbled himself before sun and moon, stars and galaxies, sky and earth, rivers and oceans, even beasts and animals. This pantheistic notion constructed for man’s servitude and compelled him to bow before millions of gods and deities.

Another less primitive but equally obscurantist view that was held by a number of other creeds was to see this world as an evil satanic scheme which undermines the spirituality of man. These creeds also enfeebled man before the diabolical and devilish influences of this world represented by corporeality and matter and body and flesh and thus took a negative view of man and this phenomenal world.

These creeds and cults projected this world as a prison house in which man is placed by destiny and from which the deliverance should be sought by emancipating oneself from all sanguine, social, marital and material involvement. While one view imposed on man a direct servitude of this material world, the other painted the world in evil and adversarial terms.

The Prophet’s sound and rational teaching dealt a powerful blow to all such obscurantisms and superstitions. He taught in unambiguous terms that man’s habitat and environment have been created for the service of man. He reminded that this world has been created, designed and tailored to suit the survival of man and to serve the needs of human life. Said he in one of his oft-quoted sermons: ‘indeed this immediate world has been created for you, but you have been created for the ultimate world of the hereafter’. For the eternal home of lasting bliss which will be the final abode of mankind is really worth man’s while.

It was precisely this teaching of the Prophet (SAWs) clearly articulated in the Qur’an that gave rise to the crystallization of the empirical methodology of natural sciences. For unless one has the satisfaction of knowing that this world is not essentially man’s enemy, but friendly and compatible to humanity’s well-being and amelioration, natural science is hardly tenable. Science and all its modes and methods of inquiry and investigation seem to proceed clearly from the monotheistic doctrine of Islam taught by the Qur’an and the Prophet. The Qur’an contains profuse statements that fully substantiate this contention.

All these statements of the Qur’an as explained by the Prophet’s teachings are premised on the doctrine that nothing created by Allah is futile and fruitless. But on the contrary, everything that He has created, He has created for a definite purpose. And the noblest of these purposes has been assigned to man under the terms of his august office of ‘vicegerent’. In this way, the Prophet (SAWs) emerges as a great benefactor of humanity.

People might still be persisting in their polytheistic or pantheistic views of religion, but the enterprise of science is definitely a monotheistic enterprise. Sooner or later, humanity is going to reach the stage when it is no longer possible to disbelieve in One Supreme God Who alone is the Creator, Sustainer and Controller of this cosmos.

The logical flow of the overwhelming scientific evidence that is continuously pouring in will also eventually shatter the myth that reason and revelation or theology and science were incompatible. Those shallow interpreters of science in post-medieval Europe who, fascinated by Newtonian physics, Darwinian biology and Freudian psychology, tried to dismiss theo-centric worldview and circulated the view that science had rendered god irrelevant, are now open to serious criticism by scientists themselves. The findings of ecological sciences, inter-alia, have furnished an un-controvertible evidence that the entire cosmos is serving the interest of human kind.

Another conspicuous impact of the Prophet’s dispensation which is a logical corollary of the first doctrine is the elevation of the status of man. In the first place, the emergence of a man of the Prophet’s calibre on the scene of history in itself brought the status of man to great heights unknown to mankind previously. The Prophet repeatedly reiterated the lofty locus of man. He reminded him that his destiny lay in his own hands. He put great premium on the value of human endeavours and achievements. The Prophet rejected all erstwhile claims to pre-natal distinctions of race or colour, or clan or caste. He blotted out from the innocent face of humanity the stigma of original sin.

Moreover, he declared in his last public sermon that all notions of mutual superiority among humans are false, and that man had been created in the best form and invested with unlimited potential for self-development. Thus he was fully eligible to fashion his own destiny. He could make or unmake success or failure by his own conscious deeds and misdeeds. What is more, the Prophet equalized genders. He recognized full value of woman and her natural God-given gifts and talents.

The course of human cultural career subsequent to the Prophet (SAWs) is an ample self-evident commentary on these monumental cataclysmic reforms introduced by the Prophet (SAWs) and fully promulgated in the socio-cultural, moral and spiritual dispensation established by him and by his companions.

These are only some aspects of the many significant changes in thought and behaviour, vision and perspective that the Prophet of Islam effected in the world. Humanity as a whole and not merely the community of his loving followers owe to the Prophet (SAWs) a great debt.

A tale of two classes

2010-01-12T01:53:00.000-08:00

In Pakistan, two dominant classes compete with each other for influence and privilege. One is the middle class, which provides the catchment area for the civil bureaucracy, technocrats, the military’s officer cadre and the business community.

The other can be called, for lack of a better term, the political class that includes political entrepreneurs of various kinds at various levels, led by the landed and tribal elite.

These two classes represent the two power centres in the country. The middle class operates as the most stable, influential and status quo-oriented segment of society. The institutional expression of this class is realised through the state apparatus. The process of post-recruitment socialisation in the form of the training of the bureaucracy and army officers aims at merging their individual ambitions with an all-pervasive institutional ethos.

The middle class has a near-monopoly over higher education, professional expertise and the cultural universe of the nation. Very few on top and at the bottom level of society make it to these fields. The three metropolitan centres of Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, followed by Faisalabad, Multan, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Sukkur, Quetta, Sargodha and a host of other cities represent a sprinkling of the middle class in varying degrees.

More than any other section of society, the middle class is ideologically oriented in the two domains of religion and nationalism. It adheres to scriptural Islam as opposed to syncretic Islam. It supports the madressah-oriented written tradition as opposed to the shrine-based oral tradition of Islam. It is pan-Islamic in its vision. It seeks the unity of the Muslim world and upholds a dichotomous worldview based on conflict between Islam and the West.

Secondly, the middle class supersedes all other classes in its nationalist framework of thought, which operates essentially in negative terms. In six decades, it has projected nationalism in the context of the perceived enemies of the nation. It has been all along anti-Indian, anti-Soviet Union in the first four decades and anti-American in the last two decades. It is also anti-communist and anti-secular.

The composition of the middle class has changed in two generations. Previously, it came from the impoverished aristocracy, politicians, the intelligentsia, lawyers, judges and public careerists of various kinds.

In recent decades, the professional middle classes — doctors, engineers, architects, accountants, corporate managers and information technologists among others — have been the descendants of military officers and bureaucrats in increasingly larger numbers. Their political outlook reflects their social background.

The middle class, most typically if not universally, hates democracy. Partition shaped the social, cultural, political and economic views of the emergent middle class along security-oriented lines and a state-centred rather than society-oriented policy framework.

This class lacks a social reformist vision and a public conscience. It distrusts the capacity and thus the right of what it considers the uneducated, irresponsible, superstitious and ‘primitive’ masses to exercise their vote and elect governments.

An absolute majority of the middle class is rightist in its collective thrust for policy and ideology. This includes: the moneyed right, i.e. the commercial elite committed to the preservation of the current privileged structures; the moral right, as the upholder of a conservative code of ethics; and the religious right, with its increasingly radical Islamic worldview. The rightist middle class, or parts of it, often served as a constituency of army rule in Pakistan.

At the other end, the political class comprises electoral heavyweights vying for power. Politicians are strong in the locality but weak in terms of institutions such as political parties or parliament. They are more pragmatic than visionary. While the middle class vows to serve the ‘national interest’ conceived in an idealised form, the political class pledges to serve ‘the public interest’ understood in terms of the distribution of resources on the ground.

Instead of mosque and madressah, the political class adheres to pir and shrine. The vast rural hinterland of Pakistan is studded with a number of devotional sites belonging to Sufi orders. The political class reflects the social structure based on caste and tribe. Partisanship rather than consensus is the hallmark of its political imagination. Ultimately, it depends on the civil bureaucracy for the articulation of its interest.

The political class considers nationalism as the outermost expression of collective life, not as a mission-mantled agenda. It adheres to various sub-national identities based on ethno-linguistic ties, and seeks to build alliances across communities and regions. If ideology is at the heart of the middle class ethos, identity is the rallying point of the political class in pursuit of electoral victory or a popular movement.

The middle class has enhanced awareness about the issue of corruption. It finds it extremely difficult to understand why people vote for ‘corrupt’ politicians. It fails to appreciate that the state structure, run by an administrative elite rooted in the middle class, bars people’s access to the system of governance. People seek to break open the gates of the remote, impersonal ruling mechanism with the help of politicians, corrupt or otherwise.

The middle-class public officials have been generally more powerful than those from the political class, ranging from Ghulam Mohammad and Iskandar Mirza to Ayub, Yahya, Zia, Ghulam Ishaq and Musharraf. Among politicians, only Z.A. Bhutto was a strong ruler, preceded by Liaquat Ali by a generation.

However, it is the less visible and more powerful bureaucrats, generals, judges and ulema from the middle class who wield real power in the administrative, legal, economic, security, cultural and ideological spheres of public activity.

Their stock-in-trade is: democracy is hijacked by ‘feudals’; politicians are corrupt and inefficient; society is not yet fit for democracy.

Of course, there are liberal, progressive and public-spirited intellectuals, lawyers, civil society activists, trade unionists, poets, writers, playwrights and media persons, all from the middle class, who uphold the cause of democracy. They speak, write, demonstrate, sing, strike, organise, and perform, all for democracy. Unfortunately, they are only a fraction of the middle class.

By Mohammad Waseem
Daily DAWN
Tuesday, 15 Dec, 2009

Loving Life in Pain

2010-01-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

How can you continue loving life if you are constantly suffering from back pain, migraines, knee pain, foot pain, or neck and shoulder pain? Embracing life can be very difficult if one is in fear of stretching their physical bodies and experience pain and stress.

There are different ways of relieving pain and stress without taking any medication or drugs. There are even methods that not only relieve the pain but even increase the level of energy and quality of life. Taking drugs to manage pain tend to take away mental clarity. But being in pain also distract one from being in focus with what they are doing.

When a person is interested in managing pain and stress without medication, it is best to inform the doctor or the attending physician first. They would know appropriate methods that are best fit for the patient’s condition.

There are different methods of pain management without taking any drugs or pain relievers. In Healthy Visions Wellness Center, they have been using hypnosis to teach patients to control their pain.

How does it work?

When a patient is experiencing pain, electrical signals are sent to the brain. What they do is they stop the signal to stop the pain. An example experience is to imaging or pretend to ear a lemon. For most people they feel the tart, tangy and sometimes pain in the jaw while eating the lemon. That is because the memory or the thought of the lemon to the subconscious mind is real so it responds as it would to the actual eating of the lemon. It creates, the same biochemical, physiological response as if the lemon was actually eaten. So, one can change the though in order to change the response.

Another example of natural healing is reflexology. This is the practice of massaging, squeezing or pushing on parts of the feet, hands and even the head to produce a beneficial effect on different parts of the body or relieve pain. There are points on the foot and hand that correspond to areas of the body.

It is important, though, to know that reflexology has no proven efficacy. Some patients delay seeking conventional help because reflexology has helped them deal with the pain. There are concerns from health care professionals that sometimes potentially serious illnesses were not treated accordingly or addressed immediately. For pains that are not usually encountered or unusual, it is very important to consult a doctor to diagnose the source or reason of the pain.

Acupuncture, which is an ancient practice, has also provide pain relief for many patients. Fine needles are inserted into the skin at strategic points on the body to relieve pain and treat disease. This method has been developed by the Chinese in accordance with the theory that energy flows through channels between the surface of the body and internal organs.

According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, there is evidence that acupuncture stimulates the points that releases electromagnetic signals. These signals send the flow of healing or pain-killing chemicals to injured areas. Acupuncture may increase the flow of these natural pain killers. That is why patients feel relieved from pain, they even say that they have a greater sense of well-being, both physically and emotionally.

More and more people are showing interest in unconventional medical approaches to cure pain and also other health problems. According to the survey by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 38 percent of adults are using alternative medicine. Children taking alternative medication for back pain, cold, anxiety, stress and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have also increased.

Pain can be cured and addressed through different methods. It is just a matter of choosing the best way that is suitable for our needs. Loving life in midst of pain can still be a reality.

Loving Life During Retirement

2010-01-04T11:55:00.001-08:00

Different people see retirement differently. There are some who eagerly wait for it believing that it would be the beginning of loving life again. There are some who may dread retirement for the simple reason that they don't want to reach a point of being seen as useless and unproductive. But whatever the reason, working people should bear in mind that retirement is something that everyone must go through after reaching a certain age period.

The difference in mindset over retirement may depend on how well people have prepared themselves for it. Some people have started preparing for their early retirement at such as early age that by the time they reach it, they already have everything set. These are the ones who now eagerly await it.

There are other people on the other hand that seem to put of preparing for their eventual retirement until it is already too late. While young, some people never bother about preparing for their retirement, thinking that it is still a long way off. Time comes that they are left with a short time to prepare for it eventually. The result is that they approach retirement with some dread because they might not have well prepared themselves for it.

Aside from becoming well prepared for retirement, some people just don't look too eagerly at this point of their lives thinking that they might end up not becoming any more productive than before. The sense that they might not have anything to do with their lives can worry quite a number of retirees.

Such a concern should not be something that retirees should be worried about. For others who are not fond of going into a permanent vacation during their retirement, there are quite a number of ways that they can still enjoy life. Retirees need not worry about not becoming productive at this point of their lives. Yes, retirees may no longer be productive working, but there are a bunch of activities in store that retirees can eventually take part in.

Retirement life can be spent doing some things that people enjoy. Retirees should realize some of the times during their younger days that they do not have the time to do the things that they love doing. Work may have prevented the then. But by the time retirement comes, people may now have all the time on their hands to spend on some things that they consider meaningful doing. So why not start doing so during retirement.

Retirement life can be spent doing a certain hobby. Retirees may now have the time to give themselves in pursuing a lifelong hobby. It can even be considered as a full time job of sorts. It is just one way that retirees can have their time spent more meaningfully aside from just sitting on the porch and watching time go by.

Retirement does not even have to mean a jobless period for people. There are still jobs available out there that retirees can still do productively. If it is not becoming productive the main concern for some people not eager about retirement, then getting a job would be the solution. People should just need to bear in mind that there is still life after retirement. Loving life during retirement is just a matter of planning and having a good imagination.

Loving Life By Keeping Fit

2010-01-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

Loving life means trying to take care of your health. In order to do so, you must try to make it a lifelong habit to keep fit. It can be challenge for some just to try and maintain a fitness regimen and transform it into a habit. But there are way in which keeping fit can be made a little bit easier.

Keeping fit does not always mean trying to kill yourself just going through the round of exercises day by day. In order to make a fitness regimen easier to follow as a habit, there are times that just making it simple is the best way. You do not have to go to the gym just to stay fit. There are simple and easier ways to do this.

What is important is that you try to find some physical activity that you love to do and would enjoy while doing it. The main idea is to get and stay active by working out your body in a way that can allow you to burn fat and lose some of that excess baggage. It can be as simple as having a daily walk on the park or just by going around the city by foot instead of by car. Hiking in the woods and using your bicycle to get around also makes for a good workout especially if you do it regularly.

If you are really serious about trying to stay fit, start making some goals in losing weight. Try to be more realistic and specific about it. Sure having lofty goals can sometime be great to think about. But if these goals are too difficult to achieve, then they do not mean anything at all. Try to start your fitness goals simple. You can try having to lose a pound in a week as a reachable goal. Keeping in mind to walk at least five minutes a day can be a goal simple enough to follow. But what is important about these goals is that you may be able to achieve them. Little by little, you then try to reach out for something bigger as you grow accustomed to doing your simple goals.

Another way to make it easier for you to keep fit is by trying to keep track of your progress. Being able to see that you are actually losing weight and getting active can easily strengthen your resolve to continue on. Make sure that you have your progress report in a place where you can see it and update often.

One way to make a habit of keeping fit is by having someone to join in with you. Having a friend along or even joining in a group of individuals trying to keep fit will make the habit become interesting and enjoyable. The challenge to do better in keeping fit becomes appealing and attractive if you have someone with you doing the same thing.

Keeping fit need not be something that should be boring to do. In fact it can also be an enjoyable endeavor only if you know how to. One of the best ways to keep a fitness regimen a habit is by trying to make it fun to do. You can easily follow it on a daily basis if you find it fun and enjoyable. The best part is that you are having fun while trying to stay trim. Now that is loving life in a sense.

Loving Life By Eating Right

2010-01-04T11:42:00.000-08:00

Loving life means taking care of your health. In order to do this, you might want to watch what you eat. Eating right is a good way to keep yourself healthy. With the right nutrition and a balanced diet, people live longer and feel more energetic. Eating right can help you enjoy and love life even better.

When it comes to eating right, you need to consider getting your body with the essential nutrients that it needs to function properly. A good way to effectively do this is by getting the nutrients from a variety of sources. If you regularly eat a wide variety of different foods, chances are that you are getting your daily essential nutrient requirements. It would not do you any good in trying to eat or pick the same foods over and over again. Doing so would only be letting your body get the same types of nutrients over and over again.

If you are trying to maintain an ideal weight or even trying to get rid some of it, you might be better off eating healthy choices instead of the common fast food variety. And because many people today are getting accustomed to a fast paced lifestyle, everything is needed quickly. Fast food seems suited for people who wish to live on the fast lane. But this choice can be very unhealthy.

Choosing to eat the healthy variety of foods can help you become better in the long run. Unlike fast food, the healthy organic variety such as vegetables, fruits and other unprocessed food products usually provide you with a host of nutrients your body needs. In the long run, these types of foods can give you the energy that you need to go on day after day, unlike unhealthy fast food. Over time, people accustomed with fast food only find themselves getting fat and getting tired often.

Aside form eating healthy, it is also important to have the body thoroughly hydrated. This means drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Keeping the body hydrated helps keep it functioning properly. Not only that, water also helps get rid of toxins in the body which can make it unhealthy.

Another tip that may be helpful to people who plan to eat right is by proper scheduling their eating time. It is important to know that the body works better if it gets the nutrients on a steady flow throughout the day. This means that instead of eating three big meals day in and day out, it may be preferable to eat five to six small meals everyday. This helps the body get the nutrients that it needs throughout the day. Not only that, eating six small meals at the proper intervals helps avoid the getting the body to feel hungry. Hunger slows down the body’s metabolism and can make one feel tired and slow.

Avoiding alcohol is also a good way of keeping healthy. For some, drinking alcohol in moderation may be the acceptable option. The reason is that, alcohol may increase the risk of developing certain health problems that may greatly affect how one lives life. Not only that, alcohol may also help drain the body’s supply of vitamin B, an important nutrient for normal body functioning.

Loving Life Beyond Crisis

2010-01-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

Loving life though a crisis can be a big challenge indeed. Once a crisis happens in one's life, the general feeling for many people would be quite on the negative.

A crisis breeds negativity and hopelessness for a lot of people who go through it. But there are ways that this can be managed. People can try to handle a crisis from a more objective view and try to come out of it wiser and stronger instead of feeling failure and defeat.

One way to handle a crisis without letting it overwhelm you is by trying to objectively assess the magnitude of the situation. There are times that a certain crisis only seems to look hopeless until one tries to take a closer look. Initial reactions to certain crises tend to be a bit exaggerated. A crisis can look quite hopeless at first glance but can actually be something not as serious after making some assessments.

Another way to effectively handle a crisis is by trying to look for ways that one can still have some control over. Crisis can make people think that the situation is beyond their control and may feel helpless. But a crisis can still have something that people may have control of to handle such a situation. During times of crisis, reacting emotionally can lead to rash decisions tat can even put one into more serious circumstances at the worst. Trying to find some means of control over the situation can have a stabilizing effect that would help one think more objectively rather than emotionally.

Another way to effectively handle a crisis is by not looking at it as a whole. Doing so can make the crisis look like that it affects ones entire life. But there are usually some things that may not be affected by the crisis. There are some aspects in life that are way outside from being affected by a certain crisis. It is important for a person to be able to separate those things that are directly affected by the crisis from those that are not. Separating things that are affected by the crisis from those that are not can help reduce the situation to its actual size.

Another way to effectively handle a crisis is by not doing it alone. There are times that people would try to isolate themselves during a crisis. A possible reason would be not trying other people to be affected by it. But this can be a big mistake. It may be possible that there are some people who may have once gone through a certain crisis similar to yours. By not being able to share it, you may not be able to get wise and sagely advice on how to handle it from the very person who has actually gone through the same ordeal. And just by knowing that someone has done better after going such a crisis may also help give hope and reinforcement that such a situation can effectively be overcome.

Another way to effectively handle a crisis is by searching for information. The world is full of information regarding anything in the world, including coping up with crisis. All a person needs to do is to look for it and use the ones that may prove helpful in trying to handle the crisis. Doing these things effectively can help a person still experience loving life despite crisis.

Loving Life Again After a Loss

2010-01-04T11:36:00.000-08:00

When somebody loses a person who is important for them, they undergo grieving. Grieving helps the person to accept and understand their loss. It also helps them to accept or come to terms with the loss of the loved one. After a period of grief, it is then that they would be able to step forward and start living and loving life again.

When a death takes place, even if it is expected especially coming from a long illness, you may still experience a wide range of emotions. There can be denial, disbelief, confusion, shock, sadness, yearning, anger, humiliation, despair even guilt. Feeling these emotions are pretty normal, and even healthy.

It takes time for a person to fully grasp the concept that their loved one is no longer around. There are times when intense feelings of missing that person happen. But the pain eases after time and allows the person left behind to move on with their lives.

When in grief, there are people who report to experience physical symptoms like stomach pain, loss of appetite, intestinal upsets, sleep disturbances and loss of energy are all common symptoms of acute grief. There may even be extreme reaction like anxiety attacks, chronic fatigue, depressions and thoughts of suicide.

To cope with the pain and loss, getting support from people who acknowledge and understand the loss, and who have experienced the pain of separation will help you to adapt to a new life.

To cope with the loss, here are some things that can be done:

• Give permission to yourself to acknowledge and feel the pain
• Be patient with the process and avoid putting pressure to yourself in order to meet certain expectations.
• Express the feelings. Crying are both necessary and part of the healing process.
• Get support. There are people that you can talk to about your loss and memories.
• Take care of yourself. Eat well and exercise. Physical activities release tension.
• Avoid overindulgence in alcohol. Alcohol will make things and your feelings worse in the long run.
• Forgive yourself for all the things you said or didn’t say
• Accept that life is for the living
• Postpone major life changes like moving to a new house, changing jobs or having another child.

Death or loss arouses some feelings that are deeply overwhelming. A death of a child may awake feelings of injustice, frustration over lost potential, lost dreams and senseless suffering. Some parents feel they are responsible. Meanwhile, for a spouse’s death, aside from the shock, it may also be the cause of a potential financial crisis, especially if the spouse is the main provider.

Elderly people losing a spouse are very vulnerable, for these cases they feel that they are losing a lifetime of shared experiences. A loss due to suicide can be among the most difficult loss to face and bear. Survivors are burdened by guilt, anger and shame.

Children who have experience loss may react differently than adults. Parent’s death is very difficult for small children. Their inability to express their feelings and limited understanding put children in a very difficult situation, they revert to earlier behaviors like bet-wetting, asking insensitive questions about the deceased, invent games about dying and pretending that nobody died.

Shouting or harsh criticism directed to the child only deepens the child’s anxiety and sense of insecurity and instability. It is important to talk to children honestly.

Surviving loss and grief can be done with support, patience and effort. Some day the pain would pass, and you can gull get back to the memories of your loved ones and loving life would come with ease.

Learning the Art of Loving Life despite the Tough Times

2010-01-04T11:03:00.001-08:00

Loving life may prove to be a difficult task especially when times are hard and the economy is bad. If you no longer know where are you going to get the resources that you need to get past through the days, you will be faced with an even bigger dilemma. Where are you going to find the strength just so you will be able to live past the tough times and survive the whole situation?

It’s all in the attitude. If you will face each day thinking that you will be defeated, what do you think will happen? You must practice looking at the brighter side of things. The economy is unpredictable. You do not know what tomorrow will bring. So you have to prepare for the good and worst that you may be faced with as days go by.

Here are some reminders that you can consider if you are faced with such situation.

1. Think positive. There are many advantages that this will cause you. This attitude will prove to be beneficial especially at times when you are feeling so low and think that nothing seems to be going right. By looking at the negative things and aspects at a positive note, you will be able to conquer everything with the right attitude and a warm heart.

You cannot stop hunger, poverty, war and the other problems in the world. It is okay to be concerned and help in your own little ways. But you have to face your own situation first. What are the problems that you are continuously faced with? You have to learn how to cope on your situation and emerge a better person throughout it all.

You must always start with your own life. You cannot help in creating a better world if you will not create a better life for yourself first. You must always think positive and act with glee on all the things that you do. This way, despite the weary situation that you are faced with, you can still find some light and reasons to smile and act kindly to be able to face the days ahead with the right attitude and a brighter outlook.

2. Know who you are. You must understand your strengths and weaknesses to know how you can handle things better. The problems that you are faced with help define you as a person. In understanding the scope in which you can handle such hurdles, you will be able to face the situation with more maturity and understanding as to where life is leading you.

3. Maintain a lifestyle that you can support. Sometimes, people are lured to money and more of it. They are eaten by greed and desire. After tasting some luxury, they will want more and experience such extravagance even if they can no longer afford it.

What do you hear people complaining about these days? They are indebted to credit card companies for being lured to acquire more than what they can really afford. Credit cards give people false hopes and take away their attention to the real ways into loving life.

These can buy you things that you have been wanting for a very long time even if you really cannot afford to pay up for them. In the end, what happens is that your bill becomes too much a burden that you can no longer think of ways of how you can ever repay for your purchases.

Creating a Loving Life Feel to Your Advertising Stints

2010-01-04T11:00:00.001-08:00

There are many tips that you can gather from research on how you can utilize postcard printing to the fullest in your marketing gimmicks.
And in business, it is a must that you regularly update your target market about what’s up about you. One thing that you can focus into is how you can influence people into loving life and loving your products in the process.

You want to continuously seize their attention and sustain their interests. This way, you will stand a better chance that they will think about you and might even choose you over your competitors.

If you are only starting on your venture, you must look beyond what you are seeing now. You must see yourself lasting in the industry. And that will only happen if you are going to do everything right to last and to thrive as long as you want and as long as people allow you to.

Your customers are the most essential aspect of your business. They are your bosses. So in everything that you do, especially in your marketing strategies like postcard printing, they are the ones that you must first think about.

Here are some good reminders that you must follow with regards to your postcards use. These can help you utilize the material in ways in which you can benefit in the process and people are going to like what they will get.

1. Know as much information that you can gather about your clients and probable ones. You can collect such through market research. At this phase, you will be able to determine who you should be targeting with your ads. But you must not stop with that. Once people have started coming to you, you must add the information that you already know about them. This way, you can serve them better as time goes on. You will also know how you can get in touch with them the best ways possible in times when you really have to.

2. Pay attention to details and buying patterns of the people who have already availed your products and services. You cannot treat everybody the same. There needs to be more weight and importance placed on those who have already availed from you. They need to be reminded that they have made the right choice and it is only the most perfect thing to do that they keep on doing so.

Gaining new clients can be more expensive and risky. You must prioritize maintaining the existing ones and converting them to become loyal. This way, you will create a stronger base as you last in the biz. And once you have achieved that, you can have more allowance in acquiring new people to come in to the scene.

3. You must be creative with the design. You must bear in mind that you are not the only company who is sending out such material to people. You need to make your cards stand out so that people will have more reasons to hold on to them and proceed in reading your ads.

Postcard printing can help you spread the word out about you. The process can help you advertise at an affordable cost. Loving life is only one theme that you can use to instill a positive image that will stick to your brand and your name.

How to Find Joys in the Workplace and Loving Life

2010-01-04T10:57:00.001-08:00

Do you still remember your first job and the thrills of finding and landing that stint? Do you sometimes look back as to how you act unto loving life and the job that you were able to write proudly on your resume when you were still young?
Young people must have lots of dreams and goals that they must work hard for in order to attain and accomplish. This must drive them towards success. Everybody started young. And it is always nice to look back to realize how things and your attitude were far different at that point of your life.

Red Warning

As you last in the industry you are in, there are points in your life and career when you just want to pause and stop. You may even think of giving everything up for the main reason that you no longer want to move on doing the same things every day. This situation places a red signal warning on you. This is especially true if you are already getting bored with the same things that you do at work from the moment you enter the office in the morning until it is time for you to come home.

If you are facing this dilemma right now, you are not alone. There are many people who are unsatisfied with their work life that they are always thinking of how they can get out of the situation. Before you head on and compose your resignation letter, you may want to look at the following tips of how can you find joys in what seems to be a boring workplace that you are stuck into.

1. Change your routine. You may want to start your day fresh and new. If you are used to opening your computer first thing in the morning, you may want to try to read the papers waiting for you first before you open your PC. You can interchange the things that have become a routine for you. This way, your body will not feel the boredom of knowing what will happen next after you are done with your first task.

2. Redecorate your workstation. If you spend lots of your time at work at the cubicle with your PC and other things in front of you, you should make it your kingdom. What makes you happy? If you love your dogs, you can place funny pictures of your pets all around you. You can place flowers on your desk if this will make you feel light. You should also have some stress relievers handy, like balls, a piece of a puzzle game and anything that can help you last your day at work.

3. Talk to people. You can do this during breaks. This way, you endear yourself to the other employees in the office. You will get to know them better and can even make some good friends in the process. Having people whom you enjoy being with will make it more exciting and fun to come to work every day.

4. If you have problems with your work, you must talk to your superior regarding such. Do not handle your problems by yourself especially when you badly need the help of other people. By finding solutions to your problems and solving them fast, you can skip out on causing more stress to yourself and likewise prove that you are indeed loving life and loving the job that you are in.

Creating a Loving Life Feel to Your Advertising Stints

2010-01-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

Aging and Still Loving Life

2010-01-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

Aging started on the minute that we were born. Loving life and living it to the fullest is something that we should have done since the start. So how can we age with grace?
Exercise is something that we should to keep a body fit. It would also help us live a longer productive life. As we grow older, the body functions start to slow down. It is important to stay active. Exercise also improves the cardiovascular system or our heart. Exercise increases the heart rate and enable blood to flow smoothly to the heart.

For older adults there are low impact activities like walking, swimming, yoga at tai chi that can be done. These trainings will reduce the risk of falls and fractures even increase endurance and boost bone density.

The kind of activity that the person is doing is not only what is important. Activities or exercise should be done at least once a week. Research showed that participants aged 65 and older who exercised once a week reduced their risk of death by 40 percent compared to participants of the same age who did not exercise at all.

Also changing the diet is very important in living a healthy aging life. As people get older, there is a need for an increase level of certain nutrients. Nutrient deficiency appears to increase with age. Some nutrients that are lacking in older adults are folate; calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins D, E, B6, and C. Aside from these lacking nutrients, older adults also lack iron, zinc, riboflavin, and vitamins A and B12.

To change diet, the first thing to do is plan. Some people find it difficult to change their diet since they are used to unstable meal plans. Eating three healthy meals daily would require diet and daily meal plan. Diet for older people would require plenty of vegetables and fruits. Fibers are also necessary to keep cholesterol and sugar level down.

Dehydration is also another problem for older people. It is more difficult for them to know they are dehydrated because signals going to the brain signaling the need for water is no longer functioning properly. While there are older people who reduce their water intake to avoid trips to the bathroom.

Dehydration may lead to headaches, digestive problems, constipation and worse, kidney failure. Water intake should not be less than eight glasses a day. Take note of how much water you are taking in. You can add a squeeze of lemon or a little club soda if you are getting tired of drinking just ordinary water.

Not only our physicality is affected by aging but also out mental health. There are older people who experience mild impairment of thinking and memory. Because older people are no longer feeling or able to do the things that they were able to do before, many older adults become depressed.

Some symptoms of depression for older adults are social withdrawal, decreased activity with no apparent physical cause, loss of interest or pleasure in things previously enjoyed, loss of appetite, loss of weight, restlessness and expressed feelings of worthlessness, such as being a burden or a bother.

It is important these feelings. Being around with people like friends and family can definitely give support and security older adults are looking for. To achieve healthy aging, it is important to have close relationships with others and participate in regular activities that give meaning and excitement to life. Try visiting friends, volunteering, maintaining some form of physical activity and increasing leisure time.

Aging is inevitable – it happens to everybody. But healthy aging is something you should and can do to embrace life to the fullest and show your next generation relatives how loving life should be done.

You Too Can Prevent Swine Flu

2010-01-04T09:18:00.001-08:00

Majority of the readers in any search engine are looking of anything under the sun. They are looking about animation, love, pornography, showbiz, politics, cartoons, masquerade, games, cards, download materials, travel and leisure, heartache, etc. They are more familiar of the mentioned topics, but are they aware of the recent pandemics that outbreaks the world? What? The pandemics! What? The Swine Flu! Swine or pigs, then Flu means respiratory infections.

So, a simple man will ask: “Am I interested with the Swine Flu outbreak? There’s no flu-like in my community, even I, doesn’t have a swine flu, we don’t have pigs in our community, why should we afraid of the swine flu? Why should I know about that? Should I know to prevent the swine flu?”

The answer is: “Even if, there’s no swine flu in your community, you must know how to prevent that kind.” This article, will teach you the basic steps on how to prevent the Swine Flu virus in a very simplest way.

First, washing our hands frequently using any germicidal soap with water can help us prevent with the spreading virus especially if we suspected someone. If you don’t have available germicidal soap in the area, you can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Either if you are using soap or hand sanitizer, you must follow this steps: connects your two palms facing each other, rub them horizontally, vertically then squeeze each other throughout your fingers. Do it for five to six times a day.

Secondly, you must cover your nose with a tissue paper before you deliver a cough and sneeze especially if you are talking to somebody else. Throw your tissue in the trash can after you use it, so that transfer of the virus coming from your respiratory will be avoided.

Third, if you are not feeling well avoid going out to your friends, playground, schools and offices, much better you have to stay in your house and quarantine yourself for three to four days.

Fourth, avoid hugging or kissing at any public occasions instead gesture your hands and smile at each other until the Swine Flu Outbreak diminish.

Fifth, if you suspected yourself of a possible flu-like virus, you better report to your nearest Health Officer in the community for proper diagnostic. (Note: if you suffered fever, sore throat and cough for more than two days, don’t hesitate to go to your Health Officer, its better to check as early as possible than to die early).

Sixth, there are a number of things that you can do in preparing yourself and those around you for a flu pandemic. It is important to think of it the challenges that you might face, particularly if a pandemic is severe.

Seventh, for assurance in planning for the impact of a Swine Flu virus on you, your family and your business, go to your Health Officer for more information about swine flu careers from individuals, families, and your workplace, and for information directed from schools, health care providers, community organizations and governments

Aside from your own Swine Flu prevention, there are some government agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Education and the Department of National Defense to help us strengthen our immune system and detect a possible Swine Flu in our community. Planning and preparation can be lessened the effects of a pandemic if do it ahead of time.

You And The Swine Flu: Knowledge That May Save You

2010-01-04T09:17:00.003-08:00

With this new strain of influenza running around, properly called Type A H1N1 swine influenza, but more popularly known as the swine flu, I think it would be nice to give people the 411 on the latest medical emergency that's got the world's attention. Swine influenza came from pigs, hence the name, and pigs usually have regular outbreaks of this disease. The problem with it this time is that this strain of influenza has managed to jump the species and went over to us Homo sapiens and cased a bit of havoc.

Pigs don't have to worry about it because most of them have built-in resistances to the diseases, mostly because of the constant evolutionary exposure to the disease. They like us when we receive the flu: a few chills, sniffles and a bit of bed rest and we're right as rain. Problem with that is us humans don't have this resistance to swine flu, mostly because we're not pigs. The pigs would be in the same boat if a human strain had jumped into the porcine population.

The other problem with it is its virulence. The Center For Disease Control have determined that this strain of swine flu is contagious and can be passed to other people through the normal vectors: the virus can be transmitted when someone touches something that is contaminated and the puts it in his eyes, nose, or mout. It's even airborne as microscopic droplets can travel through the air when someone sneezes. The CDC, however, is still a bit hazy on some other factors like incubation time and much contact is too much contact.

Another problem is that the swine flu has the same symptoms as regular human flu, just worse by an order of magnitude. High fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headaches, chills and fatigue can either mean you've been hit by the ordinary human flu and should take the usual cures or maybe you have the swine flu and need to go to the doctor immediately. Personally, it would be better to take no chances and just go to the doctor. Diarrhea and vomiting are the big warning signs though. Death by flue isn't direct though. It just compounds with other diseases like pneumonia and makes it even worse. It can also kick any existing medical conditions you have like asthma up a notch.

So, the question on your mind now probably is: is there no hope or should I just run to the hills to avoid human contact? Thankfully, you don't have to go that far. The CDC has recommended the use of several medicines to treat yourself with and to prevent the spread of the disease. Oseltamivir and zanamivir are viral inhibitors that make sure that the virus does not reproduce. More common antiviral drugs that are bought over the counter can also be effective. They make the symptoms milder and help your body heal itself faster. They can also stop some of the higher level complications that can happen when you are infected, if you take them early enough.

Of course, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. To avoid getting infected, try to avoid close contact with sick people and wash your hands on a regular basis, especially before you eat. If you have the unfrotunate luck of getting sick, isolate yourself and check your symptoms. Immediately consult with your doctor if your sickness persists more than usual.

The swine flu is just the latest in a long line of diseases that have endangered the human race. No matter how frightening it is, it's still pretty survivable. All you need to have is the right knowledge to win the battle.

You And The Swine Flu: Knowledge That May Save You

2010-01-04T09:17:00.001-08:00

Vaccinations of Swine Flu

2010-01-04T09:16:00.001-08:00

Vaccine against seasonal influenza strain H1N1 is not believed to protect us. Vaccines against the Swine Flu to cope with seasonal flu to minimize infection rates are typically developed, and yet annually it still kills around half a million of the world’s population. Today, they use an injection of "killed virus", the world’s flu vaccines. Manufacturers are asked to produce a vaccine for H1N1, they are unlikely to be able to respond quickly enough if a global pandemic is declared.

About a billion doses of any one vaccine each year is the only they can produce, so that even if all the capacity was switched to fight a pandemic flu, as opposed to a seasonal flu. Few years ago, the supply of the vaccines they have produced were enough to epidemic but now is not enough for the total population’s outbreak.

Deadlier wave of a new H1N1 strain they forecast will reappear this fall and they have to produce pandemic vaccines as early as now to prepare for a turn out as the vaccine may not be as effective will be sure to a big waste of resources with serious results, and there would also be a shortage of seasonal flu vaccine available. Only a few more weeks were needed for the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) CDC to develop a "seed strain" of the pandemic virus on the first days May, but producers would then need four to six months before they could create large volumes of vaccine.

In other point of view, the WHO will attempt to make sure that a substantial amount is available and should a pandemic be declared and a vaccine produced, for the benefit of developing countries. Vaccine manufacturers and countries with standing orders, such as the U.S. and some European countries will be asked to share with developing countries from the moment the first batches are ready if an H1N1 vaccine is made.

2009-2010 flu seasons are ineffective against the new strain with the previous influenza vaccines for the north and south hemispheres. The WHO claims that two separate immunizations will be required for seasonal and swine flu, but no decision would be made on whether to begin producing a swine flu vaccine. The board will receive inputs from manufacturers (e.g. GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis and Baxter International) regarding when they are able to finish manufacturing the seasonal shot and begin production of the swine flu vaccine, waiting from the WHO of their recommendations and "seed virus", and some may be ready to proceed with production at that time.

There also antiviral drugs available for treatments of influenza, the virus is resistant to amantadine and rimantadine but sensitive to the oseltamivir and zanamivir. There remains concern that this strain may mutate develop resistance to oseltamivir in the future. For the treatment and prevention of the Swine Flu, the CDC recommended the use of Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir). Studies shows that the medication continues to maintain its effective that why the U.S. government had already extended the shelf life of federally stockpiled Tamiflu from their original five years to seven years.

Buying medications from online sources is not recommended by the WHO because they believed that half of the drugs they sold are counterfeited. Others are thinking if they grab up antiviral drugs for their safe even if they have no symptoms, the health officials warned them may eventually lead them to the Swine Flu virus developing drug resistance.

The Phases of Swine Flu

2010-01-04T09:15:00.003-08:00

A process that happens if two different types of influenza virus infected a single cell and it can produce a new strain of influenza is called re-assortment. It will act as a "mixing vessel" in which re-assortment can occur between flu viruses of several species such as pigs are prone to influenza viruses that can also infect both humans and birds. This is because if the virus allows pieces of RNA from different viruses to mix together and form a novel type of virus as a new virus particles are being assembled from a virus splitting between eight independent pieces of RNA.

On the other hand, the World Health Organization raised the pandemic alert level from phase four to phase five, signaling that a pandemic is "imminent".

To know more about different phases of Swine Flu as defined by the WHO, I enlisted six of them" defined by the WHO:

If a virus circulated among animals but there are no reported cases of infections to humans will fall under phase one. An example of this phase is an outbreak of flu symptoms in your hog race backyard.
In phase two there is an identified animal flu virus and caused infections to human, and it will be considered a potential pandemic threat.

An example is when the owner either the child or an adult within the hog race backyard got infected with a flu from their animal symptoms.
Phase 3 specified that a confirmed animal or human-animal flu virus has caused small outbreaks in human race, but has not resulted in human-to-human transmission that is sufficient to sustain community-level outbreaks. An example in this phase is when a child within the hog race backyard got infected together with his father, his mother and his siblings.

Radically in Phase 4, there is a cause of community-level outbreaks of human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal flu virus. This phase will focus to contain the spreading of the virus. The United Nations will then inform different countries asking to advice their people such as traveling to containment areas. All countries with infected with the swine flu must also consider in deploying a pandemic vaccine. An example of this when the infected family member went out from their backyard decided to talk to his friends and unaware that he’s spreading the virus.

In the 5th phase, if there are at least two countries in one region and spread the virus by means of human-to-human transmission. The signal of the pandemic is imminently strong. The infected countries are required to advise people with respiratory illnesses to stay home. There should be an advisory of suspension of classes. An example of this is when a man-infected virus either a family member or any of his friends travel to another neighboring country.

The sixth and final phase also called the pandemic phase. A pandemic phase is just like a spread of virus in phase 5 but extended at least one other country outside their geographic region. There must be an implementation of contingency plans of health systems in all levels. An example of this is when a man-infected virus travel to another continent.

Whatever phases of Swine Flu outbreak, we are experiencing in our country or geographic region we must prepare and prevent it to spread to lessen the death toll.

The Lowdown on The 2009 Swine Flu Outbreak

2010-01-04T09:15:00.001-08:00

The 2009 outbreak of swine flu or H1N1 virus is recently hugging the limelight due to the potential harm or effects it can have on a patient or on a community. Unfortunately, the source of the virus still cannot be traced.
Before the first case in the United States was discovered, the illness was believed to have started in Mexico which eventually spread to other countries. Recently, the first case of swine flu was reported in
Costa Rica. Alarmed that it could grow into a worldwide flu epidemic, the World Health Organization of the United Nations and the Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) in the United States raised its pandemic alert level to Phase 5, which signifies that a "pandemic is imminent."
While experts believed that the recent outbreak is not as fatal as previous epidemics, such as the SARS virus, health officials believe that the number of cases could go up as the new flu is expected to make its way throughout the United States.

The new swine influenza strain is apparently a new variant of four strains of influenza A virus subtype H1N1. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the strain is endemic in humans and birds and a couple are endemic in pigs.

However, according to scientists the 2009 H1N1 outbreak is of swine origin which is associated with the virus isolated in North America in 1998. To hasten understanding of the current outbreak as well as in coming up with a vaccine, scientists from Canada have completed the full genetic sequencing of the H1N1 virus.

The new strain of H1N1 has become widespread in Mexico and the United States with confirmed cases in 18 countries and suspected cases in 42 others. Travelers have been warned not to travel to affected countries such as Iceland, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, to name a few.

In addition, warnings have also been issued warnings to visitors of countries affected by the outbreak. It is advisable for visitors to see the doctor right away if they experience flu-like symptoms.
In Mexico, schools, universities, and all public events were suspended from April 24 to May 6, 2009. In the United States, over 400 schools were closed as of May 3, 2009, which included schools in Texas and about 250,000 confirmed or probable cases.

Dr. Keiji Fukuda, who is the Assistant Director-General for Health Securiy and Environment of the World Health Organization confirmed that efforts to control the outbreak is already too late and should now focus on lessening the effects of the virus. He also clarified that closing borders or limiting travel to infected areas will do little in stopping the spread of the H1N1 virus.

On April 28, 2009, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggested that as much as possible, people should avoid non-important travel to Mexico.

According to Dr. Ira Longini, who is an expert in the mathematics and statistics of epidemics, staying at home, seeking medical care, closing public venues, and making anti-flu medicines accessible can help reduce the sickness by almost two-thirds.

Finally, according to Dr. Longini, the focus of efforts is to slow transmission until there is a vaccine that can be developed and made available for controlling swine flu outbreaks.

The Latest Killer Flu: Swine Flu And You

2010-01-04T09:14:00.001-08:00

The Center for Disease Control has probably had some very wild times this past decade. First SARS, then the bird fle, and now today's potential epidemic is the swine flu. First manifesting itself in Mexico this past April, this new and terrible strain of Type A H1N1 influenza is one of those things that every microbiologist and health care professional is afraid of.
The reason for that fear is pretty simple. Like the bird flu, this particular strain crossed species. Specifically, it crossed over from the swine population, a species that has an in-built resistance to it, to the human population, a population that does not. If this spreads and becomes a full blown epidemic, the swine flu may reach the heights of the 1918 Spanish Flu, which killed fifty to a hundred million people worldwide and devastated the post-World War I generation.

The CDC has stepped up its alert levels and some governments have instituted quarantine procedures, but still more and more cases are emerging across the world. Mexico City has most of the fatalities though, with most other cases outside of city being less severe in symptoms. However, this is just a month into the outbreak and anything can still happen. With the continuing spread of the disease, let's talk about how this affects you.

Let's be honest here, after all that I've just said, there's actually no real reason to panic. Actually, we shouldn't panic. That's because panic just confuses people and to deal effectively with something of this magnitude, being confused is not the state of mind you want to be in. What you really need to be is to be aware and knowledgeable about what you're dealing with. This and quick ddecisive action is what got the world through SARS and the bird flu, and it most likely will help us make sure that the swine flu isn't the one that kills us all.

The swine flu is pretty much like your normal human flu. It has all the same infection vectors, all the same symptoms, and all the same treatments. It's all just heightened by a factor of two, mostly because humans haven't any natural resistance to the disease. If you want to avoid getting infected do all the same things that you'd do to avoid getting the flu: wash your hands regularly, take your vitamins, and avoid sick people.

If you somehow get sick, it's not the time to run around like a headless chicken. You immediately isolate yourself so you won't infect others and observe your symptoms, all of the while taking your regular flu medicine. Note that even if it is called swine flu, it's still a virus and antiviral drugs are pretty effective in putting a dent in the symptoms you may experience and help your immune system kick the infection out.

It your symptoms persist despite your efforts, you better start calling for a doctor. Don't worry if it really is the swine flu - the CDC has recommended the use of antiviral inhibitors that help stop the reproduction of the disease and the sickness is definitely treatable.

Let's all just remember that the swine flu maybe deadly, but it's still just a disease. And the only things you need to have to beat a disease is being smart and being careful. With all the noise that the media brings up about it, that fact may get lost in the shuffle. Remember it and it may just save your life.

Tamiflu And Relenza Against Swine Flu

2010-01-04T09:13:00.001-08:00

Newsbreak on the flash: “A new strain of Swine Flu that has killed 149 and sickened nearly two thousand in Mexico has spread to the United States and is raising fears of a possible pandemic.” Through this article you will learn more about the disease and why it is causing concern among health officials and inform the readers about the two suggested antiviral drugs by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to fight Swine Flu pandemics.

This prescription of antiviral medication that can be used to treat influenza infections between children and adults is called Tamiflu. If their symptoms have started within the last two days they are advice to start taking the Tamiflu. This antiviral medication can also be used to prevent children, teens and adults if they are exposed to the influenza virus.

Relenza (ruh-LENS-uh) is more active than the Tamiflu. This kind of medicine, aside from treatment of influenza they can also prevent the suspect to getting the flu again. While some antiviral medicines only protect against influenza A, Relenza is effective against both influenza A and B. This Relenza drug belongs to neuramidase inhibitors group of medicines. These medications target the influenza virus and prevent it from spreading inside your body.

Relenza treats the cause of influenza at its source, rather than simply treating the symptoms like the role of Tamiflu. Simulations suggest that if physicians choose a second effective antiviral such as zanamivir. Zanamivir is the generic name of Relenza as first-line treatment in even a few percent of cases, but can solve to delay the spread of resistant strains.

The available antiviral treatments for influenza, the virus is resistant to rimantadine and amantadine, but sensitive to the oseltamivir and zanamivir. Oseltamivir is the generic name Tamiflu. This strain may mutate develop resistance of oseltamivir in the future.

Tamiflu and Relenza is highly recommended by the CDC for both treatment and prevention of the new strain. The shelf life of federally stockpiled Tamiflu from the original five years to seven years because studies indicated that the medication continues to maintain its effectiveness had already extended by the United States government and Roche Applied Science. Not only that, the other members of the G8 Countries extended their contract stockpiled of Tamiflu from vaccine manufacturers.

It is highly recommended not to buy from online pharmacies without an address of these two types of medications because their stockpiled are counterfeited. Consult to the World Health Organization for information about the antiviral drugs before making any steps in your country.

Medical experts warned the public not to take the antiviral drugs if you are not ill. You only want to be safe but the worst thing is if you take any of this antiviral drugs may lead you to a virus developing drug resistance. They suggest that antiviral drug should be taken only to very sick people or an individual with low immune system.

From the undetermined source that only one out of three Americans would get Swine Flu vaccine or antiviral drugs. So, it means the vaccine manufacturers especially the manufacturers of Tamiflu and Relenza have no enough capability to do more drugs against the pandemics.

According to CDC, testing has found that the Swine Flu virus remains at risk to two common antiviral drugs, Tamiflu and Relenza.

Swine Flu: Overview, Treatment, and Prevention

2010-01-04T09:12:00.004-08:00

Swine flu is an illness that is affecting hundreds of individuals in the United States as well as worldwide. According to the CDC, the illness may take some more time. Since one is likely to become infected with the condition, they need to understand swine flu symptoms in order for them to obtain proper treatment or medicaion.

The Symptoms

The symptoms of H1N1 infection is similar to that of seasonal flu. Among the symptoms include cough, sore throat, running or stuffy nose, chills and fatigue, to name just a few. Several people infected with the virus have complained of diarrhea and vomiting. The high risk groups prone to H1N1 is not yet known at the moment but it is likely that they are similar to those suffering from seasonal influenza.

People at greater risk of serious side effects from seasonal flu include people more than 65 years old, children below 5 years old, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical consitions as well as those who are taking immunosuppressive medications or with HIV infection.

Avoid Social Contact

If you are feeling sick, your condition may last for more than a week. You should remain at home and refrain from making social contact. As much as possible, you should not communicate with other people to avoid the spread of the virus.

At the moment, the CDC believes that H1N1 has similar properties on the aspect of transmission with seasonal flu virus. If you go out of the house to consult your doctor, wear a mask or use a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

According to recent studies, people suffering from seasonal flu are at risk to transmit the disease a day prior to development of symptoms for up to seven days after getting sick.

Children are more likely to be at risk for a longer period of time so it is best to consult a healthcare provider.

Emergency Warning Signs

If you suddenly become sick and experience any of the following warning signs, this is your cue to seek emergency medical assistance.

In the case of children becoming ill due to H1N1infection, the following warning signs may require immediate medical attention:

* Fast or difficulty in breathing
* Bluish or gray colored skin
* Insufficient amount of liquids
* Severe or continuous vomiting
* Lack of sleep or interaction
* Irritability
* Recovery from flu-like symptoms but the symptoms come back with fever and worse coughing

Among adults, the following emergency warning signs demand immediate medical attention:

* Trouble with breathing or shortness of breath
* Abdominal pains or pressure in the chest
* The individual suddenly becomes dizzy
* The patient is confused
* Severe or continuous vomiting
* Recovery from flu-like symptoms but the symptoms come back with fever and worse coughing

Prevention Is The Best Treatment

You can do your part in preventing the spread of the H1N1 virus. Here are some tips on how you can take part in efforts for preventing the spread of infection.

* Be aware. Obtain information about H1N1 by visiting the website of the CDC.

* Use a tissue in covering your mouth and nose when sneezing. Afterwards, throw the tissue in the trash.

* With soap and water, wash your hands after coughing or sneezing. If possible, use alcohol-based sanitizers.

* Refrain from touching your nose or mouth as this could lead to easy transmission of germs.

By being aware of swine flu symptoms, the spread of the H1N1 virus would easily be prevented.

Swine Flu: What You Need To Know

2010-01-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

With the new strain of influenza running around, I think everyone should know a few things. The thing is with any disease, even the swine flu, is it's not the disease that really kills you. It's ignorance that does it. You have to know enough to take care of yourself.

One of the things you have to remember is that influenza is spread via germs, and germs are spread via contact with contaminated items then contact with either your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs can't get through the pores of your skin and need a convenient opening to get into. Don't give them that opening. There's a simple and easy way to do it: just wash your hands regularly, especially before eating anything or touching anything that you want to eat - like that tasty sandwich you're about to have for a snack

It may seem rather simplistic but the regular act of rinsing and disinfecting your hands can help make sure that you never get infected with the swine flu. Another way to avoid infection is to avoid close contact with sick people. Remember germs can also be transmitted by air though microscopic droplets that are released when a person coughs or sneezes. Standing around sick people increases the chance of infection so try to avoid doing that, mostly because you can't avoid touching stuff that they've sneezed on and those germs can go directly into your nose and mouth when you inhale.

So what if you suddenly get the sniffles? Is it time to hie off to the doctor for a consult? The smart thing to do is to just stay at home first and monitor your condition. The problem with identifying the swine flu is that it shares many of the same symptoms as the normal run-of-the-mill human flu: coughs, colds, fevers and the whole nine yards. Take the usual medicine at first and see if you settle down after that.

The over-the-counter antiviral drugs aren't as effective on swine flu as human flu but they can make you feel a whole lot better and rev up you immune system to deal with your infection. You should also try your best to limit the infection to yourself. Cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing so as to prevent the spread of germs in your environment.

If your symptoms are taking too long to cure, you might be infected. Note that swine flu is like the normal flu in that it manages to weaken your immune system for other respiratory diseases like pneumonia and bronchitis to spread. It can also worsen any conditions that you might currently have, like asthma. If you start vomiting or start suffering from diarrhea, it's time to have the doctor drop by immediately.

Although it has caused a few deaths, the swine flu is nothing to worry about. As long as it has been caught early, there is treatment available in the form of antiviral inhibitors that help stop the virus from reproducing, which should help make you feel a whole lot better.

The current situation may all seem a bit frightening, but the swine flu is just a disease. All you need to protect yourself from it is to act smart and be prepared. Hopefully, this information can help a bit and act as theat ounce of prevention so you won't have to use that pound of cure.

Swine Flu: The New Pandemic

2010-01-04T09:11:00.001-08:00

Everyone's all abuzz with panic nowadays it seems. That's mostly because after SARS and bird flu, another new strain of virus has managed to rear its head. The H1N1 influenza virus, more popularly known as the swine flu, exploded on to the global scene last April via a large-scale infection in Mexico City. I think everyone's seen the images on CNN a thousand time. Surgical-masked Mexicans crowding the hospitals with worrisome shots of full hospital beds.The Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization raised their alert levels in hopes of catching and cutting off the infection at the bud, but it seems that cases have been reported all over the world. It seems that the current fatalities from disease are from Mexico but everyone is just expecting for the other shoe to drop.

To understand all of this panic, ypou need to have a little background. Influenza, or more popularly known as the flu, is probably one of the most infectious diseases out there. Airborne and highly contagious, it could spread like wildfire all across the world. Now you're asking what's the matter with a few people getting a bit of sniffles? That's because this isn't your ordinary flu.

A lot of the flu viruses we are exposed to have been in the human system for hundreds of years. We've managed to build an immunity to these strains. The big problem that's got everyone running scared is the idea that a flu strain has crossed species. This is what happened with the bird flu and now, with the swine flu. The pigs and birds have also built up resistances to these diseases, however, since humans are not used to them, these strains of flu have a very large potential of being fatal.

The last time a large-scale flu epidemic raged around the world, electricity was just coming into vogue and cars were all Model Ts. The Spanish Flu Epidemic of 1918 literally set the bar for every modern disease in terms of casualties. Fifty to a hundred million people worldwide died over a period of two years from 1918 to 1920 as the disease spread worldwide. Following on the heels of the Great War, it was a one-two punch that killed an entire generation of young men and women. What everyone's afraid of is this: the 1918 epidemic was a subtype of the H1N1 flu virus, the same virus that seems to have crossed over and become a real threat to humans.

This is why the CDC is keeping a close watch on Mexico and hoping all of the subsidiary cases worldwide aren't indications of the beginning of some worldwide epidemic. The good news about this is that the disease is treatable. Medicine and vaccine production alerts have been sent out by the CDC and most pharmaceutical companies have started churning out oseltamivir and zanamivir.

The problem with that is the demand may outstrip the supply depending on the swine flu's virulence. More common antiviral drugs are also available but they're not exactly definitive cures. They serve to weaken the symptoms and give you a fighting chance and prevent some of the worse flu symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.

So as the world waits and watches the situation in Mexico, it would be a good idea to take a few precautions. Regular hand washes and vitamins can help make sure you avoid the initial infection of the swine flu. Avoiding pork's not needed though. Swine flu can't be transmitted through food. Remember to just a take a few preventive measures and you can come through clean and healthy.

Swine Flu Vaccine Productions

2010-01-04T09:10:00.001-08:00

To discuss and make strong decisions to fight the widespread Swine Flu, the World Health Organization set a meeting with the vaccine manufacturers together with other health experts to stop the Swine Flu Outbreak. Different Pharmaceutical companies are ready to begin making a Swine Flu vaccine — but as the virus may alter, there are questions formed:How much should they have to produce? How will the government distribute the vaccines to the infected areas? Who should get it, babies, youngsters, adults, men, women, pregnant?

Most flu vaccine companies mentioned that they can only make one vaccine at a time: either seasonal flu vaccine or pandemic vaccine. Production takes months and it is impossible to switch halfway through if health officials make a mistake. Vaccine makers can make limited amounts of both seasonal flu vaccine and pandemic vaccine — though not at the same time — but they cannot make massive quantities of both because that exceeds manufacturing capacity.

Even if we are in the modern era, still the health officials have a big problem to solve the spreading of deadly swine flu is, and whether they will need more seasonal flu vaccine or swine flu vaccine. Scientists are not sure the effectiveness of a vaccine, if the swine flu will transmute. Only two billion doses of swine flu vaccine could be produced annually based on the estimation of World Health Organization officials, though the first batches wouldn't be available for four to six months.

A "seed stock" to make the vaccine, which should be ready and it will be distributed to manufacturers worldwide so they can start producing the vaccine is now on the go as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works on. After the vaccine manufacturers get the seed stock, they won't know how many doses of vaccine they can make or how long that would take.

Including vaccine producer, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the World Health Organization is under negotiation process to save some of their swine flu vaccine for poorer nations. A couple of years ago members of the rich nations like United States, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Canada and Britain signed deals with the vaccine makers to guarantee them pandemic vaccines as soon as they're available.

Cipla (The pharmaceuticals giant in India) instructed by the World Health Organization to make a generic version of Tamiflu antiviral drug. Tamiflu also known as oseltamivir, one of the two antiviral drugs to treat the Swine Flu. Then WHO said Cipla's generic version was more effective than the original made by Swiss firm Roche Holding AG and would hopefully make the drug more accessible to the third world countries. As we all know that Indian pharmaceuticals produce drugs in very affordable prices.

North America has been the hardest-hit continent for the Swine Flu virus that kills two Americans from Texas (including a pregnant woman) and one in Washington. If the vaccine productions are enough to all suspected Swine Flu carrier, it won’t happen again that a simple pregnant woman died fighting the virus.

Through this article, we will inform the public of an early planning and prevention against Swine Flu for their safety. Consult to the Health Officers about planning and prevention against the virus. According to an unidentified source that one out of three Americans can only take the Tamiflu.

Swine Flu Vaccine Close To Reality According to Experts

2010-01-04T09:09:00.001-08:00

Officials of the Federal government believe that the swine flu vaccine that would protect all Americans from future H1N1 outbreaks would be available by January or late November at the earliest.

HoTop of Form

wever, countries outside the United States and other nations that manufacture vaccines would take several years to generate sufficient vaccines to meet global demands.

Although manufacturing of the vaccine is faster than it was a few years back, it may still not be enough to prevent death and illness if the dreaded virus begins to spread and becomes virulent, experts predict.

In the United States, the main obstacle despite long years of effort remains to be the 50-year old technology they use in manufacturing flu vaccines. The Federal government had invested time and billions of dollars shifting to a quicker and more reliable method.

One such procedure involves cultivating the vaccine viruses in vats of cells instead of hen's eggs. There are several small companies that are developing new methods that would pave the way for the creation of large volumes of vaccines in a span of weeks.

Dr. Greg Poland, who is the head of the vaccine research program at the Mayo Clinic, admits that the cell-based cultivation technology is not yet available while the never technologies have not yet been proven to satisfy most experts.

In addition, government officials have also not yet decided on whether or not H1N1 is a potential risk that demands production of vaccine. However, they are implementing the initial steps. Andrin Oswald, Chief Executive of the Vaccine Division of Novartis, revealed that one possible problem would be the manufacture of vaccines for swine influenza could hamper the production of seasonal flu vaccines for the coming winter. The most likely thing to do is to compromise, according to Oswald.

However, Robin Robinson, who manages the Emergency Preparation Research Program of the Department of Health and Human Services, believes that majority of manufacturing efforts of vaccine makers would have been completed by June.

According to Dr. Robinson, if the manufacture of the H1N1 vaccine would commence after that, the first 50 million to 80 million would be ready by September.

Dr. Robinson continued by saying that the entire 600 million doses, which are sufficient to give the required two shots for every American would be available by January. Adding the immune stimulant adjuvant to the vaccine could greatly reduce the required dosage, paving the way for the availability of the doses by the latter part of November.

The vaccine industry in the country is now very much capable of responding to the outbreak than it was five years back, when there were only two vaccine manufacturers and encountered a severe shortage. At present, there are five manufacturers supplying vaccines to the domestic market. The vaccine industry, which is used to be the backwater of the pharmaceutical industry, is generating new investments, as a result of government subsidies and higher cost for vaccines.

Despite of this, a World Health Organization and International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations revealed that it would still require four more years of manufacturing to meet global demands for a vaccine that would provide protection against bird flu strain that has been the major concern of health officials over the last few years.

Finally, the Federal government is encouraging manufacturers to shift their production in the United States, since all except Sanofi Aventis is now importing swine flu vaccines.

Swine Flu Thousand Cases

2010-01-04T09:08:00.001-08:00

A pandemic second quarter of 2009 outbreak of influenza A (H1N1) virus is a new strain of influenza virus identified commonly referred to as Swine Flu confirmed cases topped almost 6,000 individuals, as Belgium became the latest European nation to be hit by the influenza A(H1N1) virus.
World Health Organization (WHO) officials said the number of cases of influenza A(H1N1) stood at around 6,000 and nearly 7,000 in more than 30 countries, with more than 60 people having died from the disease.

Cases were first discovered in the U.S. and officials soon suspected a link between those incidents and an earlier outbreak of late-season flu cases in Mexico. In less than a week hundreds of suspected cases, some of them serious, were discovered in Mexico. Soon thereafter, the WHO along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expressed concern that the A(H1N1) could become a worldwide flu pandemic, and WHO then raised its pandemic disease alert level to "Phase 5" out of the six maximum, as a "signal that a pandemic is at about to happen level".

More than three thousand cases of infections including three deaths was the recorded highest number of A(H1N1) by the United States compared to Mexico where only more than two thousand reported cases of infection including 60 deaths were confirmed. The WHO said 389 people were also confirmed with the virus – and one person had died – in Canada who happens to be with the 19-year-old Chinese career that brings in to China a spread out. Two other cases have been confirmed in Hong Kong. Authorities there said they had quarantined six people who traveled with the second case, a 24-year-old man, by plane from San Francisco. A further 45 people who sat near him on his journey had already left Hong Kong, they said.

China, in the meantime, stepped up the search for people who came into contact with the mainland's two confirmed Swine Flu patients. A 30-year-old man was confirmed to have the virus in the southwestern city of Chengdu. He had been in the United States before his homecoming to China. Plane (Air Canada flight to Beijing) and train (for Shandong Province with 20 people on board) travelers with a 5 meter contact with a 19-year-old student (his surname is Lu: second confirmed victim) are being haunted by Chinese Authorities in Beijing and Eastern Shandong province.

He’s not feeling well, a couple of days after his arrival in Beijing but still continue to travel by train with a fever, sore throat and a headache. They believed that virus highlighted in China and Hong Kong could be a mix of bird and human flu which came together in pigs.

Belgium confirmed its first case of Swine Flu in a 28-year-old man who also had been in the United States. Jose Angel Cordova (Health Minister of Mexico) moved to reassure tourists, saying that the country's beaches and resorts – an important source of foreign income -- were safe for visitors. "There's no risk to tourists," he said, noting that most of the flu cases detected in holiday hotspots like Cancun and Acapulco dated back nearly two weeks.

The Swine Flu outbreak was expected to cost Mexico's economy of more than 2 billion dollars – or about 0.3 percent of gross domestic product.

Swine Flu Phase 5

2010-01-04T09:07:00.001-08:00

Of this Swine Flu’s 5th phase spread out, if there are at least two countries in one region and spread the virus by any means of human-to-human transmission.
The signal of the pandemic is strong. The infected countries are required to advise people with respiratory illnesses to stay at home. There should be an advisory of suspension of classes. Some key states in the United States already announced suspension of classes. An example of this is when a man-infected virus either a family member or any of his friends travel to another neighboring country.

If an infected man goes out from his community booked a flight to another country such as China, that country will get infected too. People whom he talked while in plane even if he’s experiencing a fever, sore throat and headaches can be possible Swine Flu career after few more days before he/she can discover the virus. Similar case from a 19-year old Chinese student from Canada (he closely contact with dying man by Swine Flu virus and later traveled home to Beijing and boarded the train.)

In the Philippines, no outbreak of swine flu yet but the government is now planning and preparing for the possible spread out. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo instructed Health Secretary Francisco Duque III to closely monitor the possible spread out to the Filipino. Some Filipinos are aware of the pandemic but they still go to the countries with flu spread out cases believing themselves that they have strong immune system.
In Mexico, some of the schools are already closed to protect their children from bigger numbers of flu cases.

This massive spread out was all started from scratch—the phase one. This article will try to reenact the source of Swine Flu with a short fiction story. In the first phase, there is an animal-flu governed the hog farm in a poor community. Suddenly by the next phase, this cute little pig started delivering sneezed out from the slimy and shiny nose to his owner. The owner suffers with a sneeze, cough, sore throat, fever and headaches by the next few hours.

Unintentionally, as a Swine Flu carrier, will be sharing his cough to his child on the next phase. And on the fourth phase the child greets her friend who is now leaving for another country for a vacation. And that friend while in the plane experiencing a fever and sore throat with headache until her father discovered in that country that she had a Swine Flu virus.

Some countries are also doing their planning and preparation for the prevention of the Swine Flu virus spread out. Advance preventive measures will lessen the spread out. Check your health officers about the information available against Swine Flu.

Signs And Symptoms Of Swine Flu

2010-01-04T09:06:00.003-08:00

Most of the human race is now aware of the news outbreak about Swine Flu — but are we aware of the signs and symptoms of swine flu? We already know how to prevent but the signs and symptoms is still a puzzle in our mind. Well, through this article, I will give you insights if you are now a victim of Swine Flu virus.
But before, we proceed let me introduce to you first about Swine Flu. The 3-10% of the global population estimated to affect the yearly influenza epidemics that can be a result in severe illness in 3–4 million patients and causing 200,000–400,000 deaths worldwide. Severe illness and deaths occur mainly in the high-risk populations of infants, the elderly, pregnant women and chronically ill patients in industrialized nations.

In addition to these yearly epidemics, the influenza A virus has caused three major global pandemics during the 20th century: there was the Spanish flu in 1918, the Asian flu in 1957 and in 1968–69 was the Hong Kong flu. These pandemics were caused by an Influenza A virus that had undergone major genetic changes, due to which the population did not possess significant immunity.

In pigs influenza infection produces lethargy, sneezing, fever, coughing, difficulty breathing and decreased appetite. In some cases especially the pregnant women, the infection can cause abortion. Although mortality is usually low (around 1-3%), the virus can produce weight loss and poor growth, causing economic loss to farmers. Infected pigs can lose up to 10 pounds of body weight over a 2 to 3 week period.

Main symptoms of swine flu in humans can be a direct transmission of a swine flu virus from pigs to humans is occasionally possible (called zoonotic swine flu). Under phase one, an animal outbreak of flu symptoms in your hog race backyard.

In phase two considered when the owner within the hog race backyard got infected with a flu from their animal symptoms.

Phase 3 reviewed when a child within the hog race backyard got infected together with his father, his mother and his siblings. The fourth phase, there is a cause of community-level outbreaks of human-to-human transmission of an animal or human-animal flu virus. This phase will focus to contain the spreading of the virus.

Countries will be informed asking to advice their people such as traveling to containment areas. All countries with infected with the swine flu must also consider in deploying a pandemic vaccine. (e.g. when the infected family member went out from their backyard decided to talk to his friends and unaware that he’s spreading the virus.)

Second to the last phase, when a man-infected virus either a family member or any of his friends travel to another neighboring country. You will know if there your country is in a phase 5 dominant when there is an announcement suspension of classes because of flu spread out.

This final and a pandemic phase is just like when an unaware man-infected virus travel to another continent unaware that he spread out the Swine Flu virus to another races. Now with the above mentioned signs and symptoms, you are now ready to plan and prepare immediately of the possible attacks of the Swine Flu virus. Consult to different agencies that concerns with the Swine Flu pandemics.

Recalling the 1976 Swine Flu Debacle

2010-01-04T09:05:00.001-08:00

In the history of the United States, this is not the first time that the country is experiencing a swine flu outbreak. The first recorded incident of H1N1 infection in the US was recorded on January 27, 1976, when there was a small outbreak of mild respiratory illnesses took place at Fort Dix Army Base in New Jersey.
According to throat cultures obtained from sick soldiers, each of the patients were infected by "swine-like flu virus" which have been unknown to humans since 1930. It was believed that the same virus was also responsible for the worst flu pandemic in the United States in 1918-1919 which led to the death of half a million Americans.

To many people, the discovery of the 1976 was more of a debacle than a victory because after only 10 weeks of implementation, vaccination efforts came to a premature close as the program led to complications which were associated to the shots.

After the death of Private David Lewis after participating in a forced five-mile march the night before his demise, Dr. David Sencer and his colleagues attributed the death to strains of swine-like flu virus. Upon the advice of specialists across the United States, Dr. Sencer called on then President Gerald Ford to launch a nationwide mass inoculation.

President Ford and the US Congress heeded the call and in October implemented the $137-million National Inoculation Program. However, after only several days of implementation, there were reports that the vaccine being used for the program made the patients prone to Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare neurological disorder which results to temporary paralysis but could be risky.

Prior to its premature end in December 1976, the vaccine was administered to over 40 million Americans comprising almost 25% of the population. From the over 500 people who experienced Guillain-Barre Syndrome after vaccine administration, 25 people died. As a result, the Federal Government paid millions worth of damages to the families of the victims.

Meanwhile, the epidemic which some experts predicted would affect 50 to 60 million Americans during that time never happened. According to the Center for Disease Control, there were only 200 confirmed cases and one death.

It is understandable why the current H1N1 outbreak has been a source of anxiety for the public who recalls the 1976 event. It serves as a lesson for the government and health officials who needs to make a decision on the current swine flu in the days and weeks to come.

Dr. David Sencer, who is now retired and resides in Atlanta, believes that the 1976 debacle brought good things as well as bad. The belief that the 1918-19 flu epidemic resulted from swine-like virus partly contributed to the 1976 setback.

Although current studies have shown that the cause of the epidemic was bird flu, it did not ease the current anxiety prevailing in the public. The 1918-19 epidemic led to the death of 500,000 people in the United States and more than 50 million worldwide.

In Mexico, where the 2009 swine flu outbreak, originated, 22 people have died from the most recent outbreak. Government officials have been under fire for the way they have handled the situation. However, with such a mystery surrounding the threat, Dr. Peter Katona, who is an authority on infectious disease from UCLA, believes that people have failed to understand the challenges posed by such problem.

Pregnant Women Are More Risky In Swine Flu

2010-01-04T09:04:00.000-08:00

Some complications among pregnant women as the Swine Flu continue to spread across the country, and soon to the world, and that this high-risk group needs to take antivirals as soon as infection is suspected.
Just like what happen to a pregnant woman in Texas who suffers and died of Swine Flu infection. Medical officials believe that pregnant women are at higher risk of complications of influenza, whether it's the seasonal influenza or pandemics of the past.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigates twenty cases of pregnant women with the swine flu, most of them experienced complications. Complications can include pneumonia, dehydration and premature birth. It is very important that doctors who are caring for pregnant women they suspect may have influenza, that they issue prompt treatment with antiviral medicines – the Tamiflu and the Relenza. Doctors can be hesitant to take care of pregnant women with antiviral drugs and pregnant women may be disinclined to take them out of fear that they may pose a risk during pregnancy.

The benefits of using the antiviral drugs to treat influenza in a pregnant woman outweigh the theoretical concerns about the drugs strongly say by the medical experts who have looked into this situation. Of the three swine-flu related deaths in the United States, one involved a 33-year-old pregnant woman from Texas who had other health problems before she was infected with the virus.

From the undetermined source that only one out of three Americans would get Swine Flu vaccine. So, it means the vaccine manufacturers have no enough capability to do more drugs against the outbreak.
There are many people who become ill don't seek medical attention and are never tested for this strain of flu especially if they only knew that they only have simple kind of flu.

In other news that we’ve read about the number of Swine Flu cases from hospital records doesn’t match with the real numbers suspected because they declined to seek medical attention.

The report also suggested that the true number of – largely unreported – swine flu infections in Mexico, the outbreak's epicenter, possibly had already reached 32,000 cases and approximately 1% of them are pregnant women too. The World Health Organization's official tally for Mexico stood at 2,059 confirmed human infections, including 56 deaths.

The United States has now surpassed Mexico – believed to be the source of the outbreak – as the country most affected by the epidemic, according to WHO statistics. The agency reported that there are 6,497 confirmed cases of swine flu in 33 countries, with Canada, Spain and the United Kingdom having the most cases outside of the United States and Mexico.

In the meantime, back in Mexico, federal health officials said that the worst seemed to be over despite more deaths, toll rose to 58 deaths and 2,282 confirmed cases of swine flu – a rise of two deaths and 223 more cases.

World Health Organization expert expressed support for the more selective use of antiviral medicines such as Tamiflu and Relenza against Swine Flu even though the pregnant women and the doctors of the pregnant women are declining the use of antiviral drugs. According to health officials that there are some European countries aggressively take antiviral drugs throughout their population to save themselves.

While countries like the United States and Mexico, they are trying to save their patients with underlying conditions and also the other groups at risk, such as pregnant women and be treated. Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG offered a charitable work to donate some of their Tamiflu supplies to the WHO enough for nearly 6 million people.

In Dire Need of Swine Flu Vaccine

2010-01-04T09:02:00.001-08:00

According to the World Health Organization, efforts for developing a swine flu vaccine has been ongoing since the first human case of the virus has been confirmed. Estimates place the initial doses of the vaccine will be administered in 5 to 6 months time.
While people diagnosed with H1N1 virus seems to be headed for recovery, there have been deaths recorded. Aside from that, receiving vaccines for this virus is important particularly the elderly and individuals with a weak immune system, since they are prone to complications such as pneumonia.

Likewise, the vaccine will serve as protection in case the condition persists particularly during the winter months which is the time when influenza is at its peak.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), although they are still incomplete, current evidence shows that seasonal influenza vaccines will provide minimal or no protection against swine flu. Every year, a new batch of flu vaccine is developed and matched with strains that the WHO determines will most probably circulate in the winter months, which happens to be the peak season for influenza outbreaks.

Influenza virus comes in various strains which contains different proteins on their surfaces. The body's immune system can only fight and destroy a virus if they are able to recognize these proteins. It is worth noting that antibodies that recognize one strain may not detect other strains.
Existing vaccines may only offer some protection against swine influenza if the proteins on its surface are identical to strains used to develop previous vaccines. According to the NIBSC, they are trying to determine if the swine flu virus, which is an H1N1 strain of type A influenza, as well as previous H1N1 vaccines match current vaccines.

The preparation of a vaccine commences after a virus develops as they provide the starting point for the production of the vaccine. As such, there is always a time delay while a vaccine is being developed. Preparation of a vaccine involves several steps so it would take several months before a vaccine becomes available.

According to WHO estimates, the virus needed for producing the vaccine will be accessible to vaccine manufacturers by the middle of May while the initial dose for a new vaccine would be ready within 5 to 6 months after that. Waiting time would be much longer if the growth of the vaccine proceeds rapidly.

Vaccination plays a crucial role in the prevention and reduction of the effects of serious conditions. Unfortunately, they are not entirely effective and could lose its effectiveness if the virus mutates.
Existing flu vaccines are valid for about one year and are 70% - 80% effective against transmission with strains of influenza virus that are identical to strains used in the production of vaccines.

The WHO believes that it is too early to tell how the A(H1N1) virus would change. It is closely monitoring any changes in the virus and this would help countries quickly react to any important changes that the virus may show.

Vaccines help the body combat certain diseases in case an individual becomes afflicted with the illness in the future. On the other hand, an antiviral drug is used on people who is already infected with a virus. Although they work in various ways, they generally work to prevent the virus from spreading to different cells in the body.

Swine flu vaccines are administered prior to exposure to a virus so they would be protected from that agent. Antivirals only work if administered within a certain period of time before or after they are exposed to the virus.

How To Keep Yourself from Being Infected With Swine Flu

2010-01-04T09:01:00.000-08:00

Swine flu is an illness which derives its name from a virus that infects pigs. While the virus cannot affect people, they are likely to get an infection from time to time. The virus is communicable and can be transmitted from one person to another.
The symptoms of swine flu are like those manifested in a regular flu and may include cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, fever, chills and fatigue.

The H1N1 virus continues to become widespread in the United States. The Center for Disease Control believes that the number of cases, hospitalizations, and deaths will continue within the coming days and weeks.

The Center for Disease Control is aggressively responding to the growing outbreak. The objective of the agency is to curb the spread and severity of the illness as well as to inform health care providers, public health officials, and the general public to fend off the challenge by the medical crisis. Likewise, the CDC is giving interim guidance on a daily basis as a response to the rapidly growing crisis.

For treating swine flu, there are antiviral medicines that can be administered. So far, oseltamivir, amantadine, rimantadine, and zanamivir are the approved drugs for swine influenza treatment in the United States.
However, amantadine and rimantadine will not work against swine flu as the H1N1 virus was found to be resistant against these medicines. Laboratory procedures, on the other hand, have proven that H1N1 is susceptible to oseltavimir and zanavimir.

Using antiviral drugs in the treatment of swine influenza works by making your illness milder and making you feel relieved earlier than expected. Aside from that, antiviral medicines prevent the onset of serious complications.

Antiviral medicines are most effective when administered after the onset of the illness usually within a couple of days. However, it should be considered two days after the onset of symptoms, especially for hospitalized patients or those at greater risk for influenza-related complications.

Administration of anti viral drugs is also useful in preventing influenza when given to an individual who is not sick but has exposed to a person with swine influenza.

It can reduce the possibility of infection by 70% to 90%. The duration of intake will be determined by the condition of the patient. Currently, there are no accessible vaccines for protecting against H1N1.

In order to keep yourself from getting infected by the virus, here are some of the things that can be done:

- Keep yourself informed about H1N1. You can visit the official website of the World Health Organization or check brochures from local hospitals or medical facilities.
- Since the influenza virus can be transmitted from one person to another through coughing or sneezing, you can keep yourself busy by doing the following:

- When coughing or sneezing, cover your nose and mouth with a tissue. After using the tissue, dispose of it and throw it in the trash.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after coughing and sneezing. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers whenever necessary.
- To prevent germs from spreading, refrain from touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.
- If you become ill, the CDC recommends that you avoid contact with other people at work or school so as not to infect them.
- Comply with public health advice concerning school closures, crowd avoidance, and social distancing efforts.

As far as swine flu is concerned, health authorities are doing everything they can to prevent the outbreak of another deadly virus.

How Serious Is Swine Flu?

2010-01-04T08:57:00.000-08:00

The United Kingdom has become the latest country to confirm cases of the swine flu. At the same time, the World Health Organization has raised its alert level from 3 to 4. With 150 people already killed in Mexico, the WHO revealed that the influenza virus has the sustainability for human-to-human transmission and can cause community level outbreaks.
One can recall a similar outbreak known as bird flu which was more risky than H1N1 virus. According to Professor Neil Ferguson of the World Health Organization, H1N1 is nothing when compared to other similar outbreaks such as SARS or the 1918 Spanish flu.

According to the professor, the evidence is clear that the United Kingdom is headed for a swine influenza pandemic in the coming months. However, it would be difficult to determine the extent of the epidemic since this is usually the time of the year when flu is prominent in the United Kingdom.

It is likewise almost sure that if the H1N1 outbreak disappears in the coming weeks, there might still be an outbreak of the virus in the autumn. If the situation indeed transforms into an epidemic, then 30% - 40% of the general population might become susceptible to infection. Professor Ferguson believes that any outbreak might become longer since the summer season in the United Kingdom is fast approaching.

On the other hand, Sir Liam Donaldson, who is concurrent Chief Medical Officer for England, believes that this new strain of H1N1 virus is something which people has natural immunity and has not received any vaccination yet. For this reason, one becomes susceptible to infection and spread to other people.
However, there is no sufficient information about the virus yet and H1N1 is still a subject of studies by major laboratories in the world. Once there is sufficient information about the virus, only then can it be possible to make improved predictions about individuals who are at higher risk and likely to have serious complications.

At present, the situation in Mexico is creating confusion and it is hard to make a firm a conclusion about what is likely to happen. In any case, there is a need to be ready for any untoward incidents that may happen.

Professor John Oxford, meanwhile, believes that the H1N1 outbreak is not as alarming as the H5N1 bird flu virus. He believes that the country can provide the basic H1N1 immunity for the population. The outbreaks outside of Mexico have not resulted to deaths which is an indication that the virus is not that aggressive.

Aside from that, the summer months is fast approaching so it is less probable for the H1N1 virus to cause an outbreak as well. In any case, the United Kingdom has enough antiviral medicines to treat half of the population.

With this in mind, there is no cause for worry about the H1N1 virus, as it appears that it would cause an outbreak that would be felt all over the world and increase mortality rates.

The outbreak of H1N1 began in Mexico City and as of today has resulted to the death of 42 people and more than 800 confirmed cases of swine flu infection. Although it has now spread in 22 countries, it is believed that this new virus outbreak would not be result to a pandemic and is milder than similar virus infections.

H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)

2010-01-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

Responsible for binding the virus to host cells is called the HA (hemagglutinin) peplomer while the virus that allows to break its bonds to the host cell once it is ready to move on is called the NA (neuraminidase) peplomer.
This type is also called H1N1 Flu or well-known as Swine Flu. Swine flu is a type of virus infected from pigs. Humans do not normally get swine flu, but human infections can and do happen.

But, randomly, the human race got infected with Swine flu. Most frequently, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (example: owner and or workers in the swine backyard or industry or even the children near pigs at a fair).

The virus is contagious and can spread from human to human. Symptoms of swine flu in people are similar to the symptoms of regular human flu such as cough, fever, body aches, sore throat, chills, fatigue and headache.
Swine Flu is a respiratory track infection from the hogs. This kind of virus can kill the human race just like what happen to a pregnant woman and another individual in Texas with also reported death in Washington. This infection is a worldwide virus outbreak that started in Mexico and eventually spread from one country to another continent including China.

A flu deadly disease occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity at all and those whom their hospitals are more than 10 to 20 miles from their community can easily infected with the Swine Flu. The transmission of human to human of Swine flu can also be done.

This is thought to happen in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus to an uninfected individual will be infected also. People may also become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then they touch their mouth or nose. The disease spreads easily by human to human transmission and can be cause with serious sickness, and can spread to other individuals in your community, spread out across the country and even worldwide in a very short period of time.

A big NO-NO to some individuals who think that swine flu can also get from foods we eat. Take note that influenza viruses cannot be transmitted by food by means of eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and properly cooked pork is safe.

Swine Flu can be monitor if you consult to your health officer directly if you are not feeling well for more than 24 hours especially if you have a hog race industry in your backyard. They will advice you on how to plan, prepare and prevent the Swine Flu virus that spread out worldwide.

Don't Touch That Pork: A Few Swine Flu Truths And Myths

2010-01-03T10:12:00.000-08:00

With all the wailing and gnashing of teeth involved with the latest flu outbreak, I think it's time we set a few things straight about the swine flu. Think of it as a little public service announcement just to shock some of you out of that panic and get you thinking straight.

First of all, pork is safe. Yes, I know it's called swine flu but it's nothing like mad cow disease. That's why there's a flu at the end instead of disease, of course. The disease spreads via the same way normal flu spreads: contact with a contaminated area or person then contact with either the eyes, nose, or mouth of the prospective infected. Cooked pork can't possibly be ever infected because cooking and preparation make sure that the meat is clean and healthy for consumption. So, yeah, no need to worry about the ham and bacon in the supermarket.

Secondly, there's a treatment. Zanamivir and oseltamivir are neuroaminidase inhibitors which is a fancy description of what they do; they're a type of antiviral drugs that inhibits cell reproduction of viruses so that they won't spread in the patient's body. The Center for Disease Control has highly recommended their use for the treatment and control of the disease. Actually, if you find yourself sick, you can do initial treatment via the normal over-the-counter antibiotics that you use when dealing with the normal flu. These can help make the symptoms more bearable and help your body resist the disease better. Those and quite a bit of bed rest can go a long way to make you feel better.

Thirdly, it's not gonna kill us all. Even at the height of the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic, with its more than fifty million worldwide death count, the human race wasn't exactly in danger. Plagues and diseases have been a part of human civilization and history for years. Humans have a way of surviving and infections eventually burn out, one of the disadvantages of killing your hosts too quickly. The bodycount may pile high but no natural disease can eliminate the human species that easily. Besides, like I mentioned earlier, it is treatable and you can recover from it.

Fourth, it's not that contagious. Okay, yeah, it's contagious, but like all diseases it has its particular infection vectors and if you know those vectors, a disease can easily be avoided. In this case, swine flu it may be, but it's still the flu. This means it spreads through the contact points I said earlier. Regularly washing your hands before eating is a step in the right direction and, also, not hanging around sick people, though that one should be pretty obvious.

Fifth, it's still the flu. The description maybe a bit vague and the name exotic, but it's still the flu in the beginning. You'll know you're from it the same way you know you're sick from the flu: colds, coughs, chills, and fatigue. That's the initial stuff though. If you were smart, you'd have taken your antibiotics and lessened the effects. If you're okay after a few days, that was just the normal flu. However, if the symptoms persist, and you start to vomit or start to suffer from diarrhea, then it's swine flu and you better call for a doctor.

Well, that's all then. Hopefully, these bits of information help clear up a few things about the swine flu and help you to undestand the currect situation the world is in.

An Overview of Swine Flu

2010-01-03T10:10:00.001-08:00

Swine flu or influenza is a condition caused by strains of subtypes of Influenza A virus called H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H3N3. These viruses are common in pigs located in midwestern United States, Canada, South America, Mexico, Mainland China, Japan, Taiwan, Europe, and other Eastern Asian countries.

Transmission of influenza virus from swine to humans is relatively uncommon and does not always result to human influenza but often leads to production of antibodies in the blood. When properly cooked, pig meat does not have the potential of passing the virus. Transmission that leads to human influenza is called zoonotic swine flu.

People who work with pigs, particularly those with direct exposure, are at greater risk of being infected with swine flu. Towards the middle of the 20th century, identification of influenza subtypes became likely paving the way for an accurate diagnosis of transmission to humans. Since then, 50 infections have been confirmed and recorded.

It is rare for these strains of swine flu to be transmitted from one human to another. In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to common influenza as well as influenza-like illness such as chills, sore throat, fever, coughing, muscular pains, severe headache, and general discomfort.
The 2009 swine flu outbreak in humans was caused by a new strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 which have genes that closely resemble swine influenza. The root of this new strain is not known. According to the World Health Organization for Animal Health, this new strain has not been isolated in pigs. It is capable of human-to-human transmission and manifests the normal symptoms of influenza.

Swine can be infected with human influenza such as the case of the 1918 flu pandemic and the 2009 flu outbreak. Swine flu was first proposed as a disease associated with humans during the 1918 flu pandemic. During that time, pigs became simultaneously sick with humans.

Influenza virus as a cause of disease in pigs was first identified in 1930. For the next six decades, strains of swine influenza became almost exclusively H1N1. From 1997 to 2002, new strains of three varied subtypes and 5 different genotypes were identified as the cause of influenza among pigs in North America.

From 1997-1998, H3N2 strains developed. They included genes acquired through reassortment of human, avian, and swine viruses and have been a principal cause of wine influenza in North America. Reassortment between H1N1 and H3N2 resulted to the development of H1N2. In Canada, a strain of H4N6 resulted from the reassortment of avian and swine flu but was isolated on a single farm.

The H1N1 variant of swine flu is one of the descendants of the strain that brought about the 1918 flu pandemic. While persisting in pigs, the descendants of the 1918 virus have also been transmitted throughout the 20th century which resulted to the usual seasonal influenza outbreaks.
It is interesting to note that direct infection from pigs to humans is rare, with only 12 confirmed cases in the United States since 2005.

However, since the influenza strains remain in the pigs after they have disappeared in the human population can make these pigs a reservoir where the influenza virus could survive and later on transmitted to humans as soon as their immunity to the strain is no longe effective.

Swine flu has been recorded as zoonosis in humans several times, oftentimes with limited distribution and rarely with massive distribution. Swine outbreaks are common and can lead to significant economic losses in the industry, mainly leading to stunting and expanded market time. Swine influneza, for instance, the British meat industry has experienced £65 million of losses annually.

An Introduction To Swine Flu

2010-01-03T10:09:00.000-08:00

Swine Flu-Is a respiratory track infection from the hogs. This kind of virus can kill the human race. This infection is a worldwide virus outbreak. A flu deadly disease occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which people have little or no immunity and for which there is no vaccine.
Those whom their hospitals are more than 10 miles from their community can easily infected with the Swine Flu.

The disease spreads easily person-to-person, and can be cause with serious illness, and can spread out across the country and even worldwide in a very short span of time. An influenza pandemic may be caused by either swine (pig) or avian (bird) flu viruses.

Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. But, randomly, the human race got infected with Swine flu. Most frequently, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (example: owner and or workers in the swine backyard or industry or even the children near pigs at a fair).

Human-to-human transmission of Swine flu can also occur. This is thought to happen in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus to an uninfected individual will be infected also. People may also become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then they touch their mouth or nose.

Some think that swine flu can also get from foods we eat. Take note that influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You cannot get the influenza virus by means of eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork is safe. Proper cooking of pork or pork products with an internal temperature of 160°F will kill the swine flu virus as it does with other bacteria and viruses.

Fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and coughing are some of the following symptoms of swine flu in people.

In diagnosing influenza infection, a respiratory specimen would generally need to be collected within the first 3 to 4 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be contagious). However, some persons, especially children, may be infectious for 10 days or longer.

If you get sick, there are two antiviral drugs (Tamiflu and Relenza) available with prescription can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious influenza complications. In treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started as soon after getting sick as possible, and might not work if started more than 2 days after illness starts.

There are a number of things that you can do to prepare yourself and those around you for a flu pandemic. It is important to think about the challenges that you might face, particularly if an epidemic is rigorous.

The effects of a pandemic can be lessened if preparation is made ahead of time. Planning and preparation information and checklists are being prepared for various sectors of society, including information for individuals and families.

Different agencies are providing funding, advice, and other support from different rich nations to every country to assist with Swine Flu epidemic planning and preparation. Reading articles like this can help you plan against the spreading of the Swine Flu.

Reflexology Is Another Form of Massage Therapy

2010-01-01T21:24:00.001-08:00

Reflexology is another form of massage therapy. Similar to shiatsu, it is a physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hands using specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of lotion. It is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect the human anatomy on both the feet and hands which in theory have significant effects on the entire body. This form of massage therapy has been around for thousands of years. There is archaeological evidence that suggests this was used by the Egyptians in 2330 BC, China in 2704 BC and Japan in 690 BC. The West only knew about reflexology in the 19th century.

Although reflexology is usually applied to the feet and hands, there are those who also apply the same thing to the ear. This technique is considered to be a modified from auricular therapy which is an acupuncture technique.

In general, reflexology is used to reduce stress because both the feet and hands help set the tension level for the rest of the body. If you are able to fix that, then there is balance in the body. It can also help those who are suffering from arthritis, back pain, digestive disorders or problems, hormonal imbalance, insomnia, menstrual disorders, sports injuries and tension headaches.

You must never go for reflexology if you are pregnant, have foot ulcers or blood clots. If you are doing this for the first time, you better tell the professional your medical history.

Whether reflexology can help certain conditions and diseases is still being determined. But even if other tests need to be made, many experts agree that it is complement to standard medical care. With that said, patients should never use it as a replacement to medical help.

The best part about reflexology is that it is not painful. If this happens, you should tell the reflexologist to go down one notch. If there are certain areas in the body that are sore, tell them to focus on it as this will decrease with pressure.

Reflexology can be done at anytime and anywhere. If you have the time, you can even do this once a day. In fact, given its popularity most hospitals and HMO’s now consider this for insurance reimbursement as it is often used for post-operative or palliative care. In fact, one third of cancer patients undergo reflexology regularly.

Most sessions being conducted by practitioners may last from 30 minutes to an hour. It is also a clothed session so the only thing you have to remove is your shoes and socks. You don’t even have to lie down on a table because some will perform this while you are seated on a chair.

At the end of each session, you should feel relaxed. How long it lasts is a good indicator as to how effective it was. If you will be having another session in the future, you should give feedback to the reflexologist so they know what to do the next time you drop by.

Reflexology is another form of massage therapy you can try if you want to relieve tension from the body. If you are interested in trying it, all you have to do is check if there is one within your neighborhood.

Massage Therapy Benefits

2010-01-01T10:41:00.001-08:00

Massage therapy has been used for centuries. In fact, there are so many of them around with the purpose of encouraging healing by promoting blood flow, relieving tension, stimulating nerves as well as stretching and loosening muscles and connective tissue to keep them elastic. Read on further to find out what are the other massage therapy benefits.
Massage therapy is beneficial because it reduces waste products such as lactic and carbonic acid that builds up after an activity which causes cramping, discomfort and irritability that can happen after working out at the gym. By working with a therapist, he or she will be able to enhance your immune system and aid in the recovery of the tissues by increasing blood circulation in the affected areas.

If you are ill, massage therapy dilates and opens up blood vessels, improves circulation and relieves congestion. It also increases the number of red blood cells for those who are anemic.

Massage therapy also acts as a mechanical cleanser pushing along the lymph and hastening the elimination of wastes and toxic debris. It also helps to eliminate edema or dropsy of the extremities.

It also increases blood supply and nutrition to the muscles without adding to the load of toxic acid produced by muscle contraction. This helps you overcome harmful fatigue resulting from strenuous exercise or injury.

This will also improve muscle tone and prevent or delay muscular atrophy resulting from forced inactivity. It can also relax muscle spasms and relieve tension.

Massage to some extent compensates for lack of exercise or muscular contraction especially for those who are recovering from an injury by returning venous blood to the heart and at the same time eases the strain on this vital organ.

Depending on the type of massage therapy given, some people may feel sleepy, stimulated or exhausted.

Some forms of massage therapy are able to separate muscle fibers and undo or prevent the formation of adhesions. It also stretches the connective tissue which all helps reduce the danger of fibroids.

Believe it or not, massage may burst the fat capsule in the subcutaneous tissue so that the fat exudes and becomes absorbed. Combined with proper nutrition and exercise, this can help the person lose weight.

Massage therapy also increases the excretion of fluids via the kidney, nitrogen, inorganic phosphorous and salt in normal individuals. But for those who are injured, it does the exact opposite because these are needed for tissue repair.

Studies have shown that massage therapy improves the general circulation and nutrition of joints and hastens the elimination of harmful particles in the synovial fluid. It helps lessen inflammation and swelling of the joints thereby alleviating pain.

It also disperses the dema following injury to ligaments and tendons, lessening pain and facilitates movement.

Massage therapy improves the general circulation and nutrition of tissues often accompanied by an increase interchange of substances between the blood and tissue cells thus heightening tissue metabolism.

This type of therapy also empties the larger ducts and channels of the body thereby decreasing the auto intoxication resulting from re-absorption of toxic materials in these channels due to constipation or inflammation.

There are so many benefits with regards to massage therapy which is why almost everyone needs it. If you haven’t found a favorite yet, you can try one style this week and then another next week to how different they are from the other.

Massage Therapy: More than Just Relaxation

2010-01-01T10:40:00.000-08:00

Left and right massage therapy clinics are setting up shop in the Metro. Perhaps more and more people are getting into the healthy living trend that has taken over Hollywood.More than just being a stress and pain reliever, massage therapy has a lot more benefits to offer that actually contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Though not known to many, massage therapy lowers blood pressure, strengthens the immune system, facilitates faster recovery from injury and healing and even improves posture. Not only that, it also enhances attentiveness and flexibility in an individual. Certainly, these are things that lie beyond the relaxation it is known for. This is perhaps why massage therapy as an industry has become so big nowadays.

Through constant application of pressure, massage therapy relaxes blood vessels and decreases systolic and diastolic blood pressure, decreases the level of cortisol or stress hormones and prevents anxiety and depression. These reduce the threat of heart attack and create a clear mind and body making the individual more dynamic and active. Massage also helps relax the muscles itself, allowing people to become more energized. This is the reason why people are so much into massage therapy. It rejuvenates the body from all the stress that we encounter everyday.

Since massage decreases one’s stress levels, it also lessens the possibility of an individual’s vulnerability to pathogens by increasing the body’s cytotoxic capacity. When the number of active natural killer cells increases, our body’s line of defense becomes stronger and more stable and becomes more effective in shielding us from illnesses.

Faster recovery from injury is another benefit of massage therapy because it relaxes the muscles and improves circulation of important body fluids making it easier for the body to deliver nutrients to vital organs and other parts of the body. It also initiates pain management when the injured part is undergoing treatment since it activates the parasympathetic nervous system causing the production of endorphins which are natural pain killers thus speeding up the healing process.

Other than these good effects, massage therapy can correct bad posture which causes pain and stress in muscles that can lead to the body’s breakdown. It eases the tension in worn out muscles, soothes pressure points and increases the flexibility in joints by stimulating the production of body fluids and lubricants, so as to allow the body to position itself in a painless way. Thus, the individual can move freely and carry out daily tasks without hassle.

As shown in electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns, regular massage can also improve a person’s mathematical ability due to increased attentiveness because of the elimination of stress. The absence of stress imposes less pressure on an individual resulting to a more concentrated and focused mind, free of worries and distracting thoughts.

Massage therapy may be considered as a simple recreational activity however it does more than just restoring one’s vitality because it lessens or even eliminates the dangers imposed on a person’s health. It also helps an individual loosen up because it releases unwanted energy and leaves the person with a renewed outlook and refreshed senses.

Study even shows that HIV patients who have regular massage therapy sessions notice an improvement in their condition. This proves that massage therapy is not a waste of time rather it is an individual’s key to having a sound mind and body.

Licensure in Massage therapy

2010-01-01T10:39:00.000-08:00

Massage therapy as a profession has come a long way. From the first few years where anyone good with their hands can do the kneading and the massaging to now where only the licensed can perform massages.
With state laws regulating massage therapy clinics, people can now breathe a sigh of relief. No more problems with massage therapists who don’t know how to massage. Now, when you get a massage, you don’t have to be afraid that you will end up having sore muscles and aching bones instead of the relaxed feeling that you are aiming for. Nowadays, you can be assured of a superb service that will be worth every penny that you paid for.

You will find, however, that different laws govern different states. This is because the laws in massage therapy have not yet reached the federal stage. This is the reason why every state has unique regulations. It seems that the government feels that this is an issue that is best dealt with per state and not federally. And the United States is not alone in this regard.

Canada, for instance, only have three provinces that actually enforce massage therapy regulations— British Columbia, Newfoundland and of course, Ontario. Only these three have registered and licensed therapists working in clinics. The other provinces are still non-regulated. This means that anybody can do the job without having to get some training.

Getting regulated is actually advantageous to clients who expect good service. Besides they deserve to put their bodies in the hands of those who know what they are doing. Because of the regulation and additional training, massage therapists do not only act as masseurs but also health advisers and sometimes even doctors.

They can assess and sometimes also respond to medical issues especially if it involves physical wellbeing and injuries. Another benefit in the regulation is that massage therapists are also given identified according to a field of expertise be it shiatsu or the more technical aromatherapy and acupressure.

This however is bad news to massage therapy practitioners who still don’t have the time or the money to avail of the training that is required of them. You see, in order to get a license you need to be able to pass the standards that are set by a group of massage therapy experts. Sometimes, these standards can be very hard to reach.

Industry regulating standards often focus on the education and training. In Canada, for instance, one must need about 3000 hours of training in order to get a license. That is equivalent to years of training. And though massage therapists have the skills to get through these training programs, most of them cannot start because of lack of money and time.

Some of them need the money to support their families and would rather use their earnings to buy food and other necessities than send themselves to training schools. Some feel that the number of experience in the job should also count for something when getting a license.

To answer this problem, many massage therapy organizations have established programs where people who are experienced in the industry can avail of scholarships and free training. Morning and Night classes have also been started to cater to those who have job shifts and have no time to go and study.

How to Give a Soothing Massage

2010-01-01T10:32:00.001-08:00

Massage relieves stress and tension as well as give the person renewed energy. If you want to do this, you have to know how to do it. 1. The first thing you have to do is create the right atmosphere or ambiance. This means finding a cozy, quiet and warm room. You can even use aromatherapy oil or light a scented candle to make the place smell good. It is best to close the curtains so nobody will see that you are giving a massage.

2. You then prepare the massage oil. The best one to use is Jojoba oil but since this is too expensive, you can try almond oil or lavender instead.

3. The best place to give a massage if you don’t have the massaging bed is on the floor. So it is not too hard to lie on, you should spread linen and then cover it over with a blanket.

4. When the room is ready, you tell the person to take off their clothes and lie in between the blanket. If the person is shy, it is okay and let them just lie down in their underwear. Make sure to cover them up to keep them warm.

5. The proper way of giving a massage is by working from right to left. So, you should sit on the right side of your partner on the thigh or between the legs.

6. You then use your flat hands to smoothly slide from the foot to the bottom on top of the back of the right leg and slide again down. Knead the right leg from the bottom to the top in 3 parts by working inwards then outward and then start over. When you are done, the same thing will be done to the opposite leg.

7. Once you are done with the legs, it is time to work on the back by placing yourself at the head facing the legs. Again, you use your flat hands to smoothly slide from head to the bottom with each hand close to the spine. Slide over the edge of the bottom to the side and then slide on the sides upwards just underneath the scapulas, you slide back and move the rest back up to the beginning of the shoulders. This should be done 3 times.

8. You then move over to one side and then use your left hand to do a full circle on their back. With your right hand, you do a half circle beginning away from your left going clockwise. This should be done very slowly, smoothly and sensitively starting at the bottom and then moving all the way up to the shoulders and the back again.

9. Now that you have finished working on the back, it is time to work on the front by letting the person lie down on their back. But before you do that, the steps taken to massage the legs should also be done on the left and right arms.

10. Next, you rub your hands and then place these slowly over your partner’s eyes. This must be placed inches away from the face for about 1 to 2 minutes before you slide your thumbs from the part between the eyebrows to the point where the hair starts.

11. You place the thumbs a bit higher then move it apart. This should be repeated until you reach the beginning of the ear then you move on to the nose, cheeks, upper and lower lip.

The secret of how to give a soothing massage should come from your hands and not your eyes. If the person wants less or more pressure, be ready to respond so they get the best out of what you are giving them.

How to Become a Massage Therapist

2010-01-01T10:30:00.001-08:00

If you love to work with your hands, perhaps you should be in a profession that does exactly that such as massage therapy.
In fact, the US Department of Labor has shown in their latest report that there is demand for such professionals until the year 2012. If this sounds appealing to you, then you should know how to become a massage therapist.

Those who want to become massage therapists should enroll in a program that is accredited by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork or NCBTMB. To become a licensed professional, you must complete at least 500 hours of training including subjects such as ethics, anatomy and physiology among others.

If you happen to study massage therapy in a school that is not accredited by this body, you will not be allowed to take the national certification exam. This may prevent you from practicing in states that require this prior to employment which is why you should check first if the school you plan to enroll in is in the program.

Should you somehow be able to find work without getting a license, you could be penalized with fines and even be banned from every practicing there.

The advantage of enrolling in a program under the NCBTMB is that you can apply for federal financial aid if you don’t have the funds to pay for your schooling.

But the big question is how much do massage therapists earn? One research group has pointed out the median salary is $45,611. The report also says that half of those working earn between $36,930 and $55,920 as this varies with experience. If you are new, you will probably just have one or two clients a day while more experienced individuals will have more than 5. This isn’t bad because massage therapy program can go as high as $12,000.

If you are serious about pursuing this as a career, ask yourself some questions. Are you patient? Are you customer oriented? Do you really want to help the patient? If your answer to all three questions is yes then the next thing you have to do is check what specific interests do you have.

Just like medicine, massage therapy has various specialties and these include sports massage, clinical massage and Swedish massage to name a few. While you will probably learn all of these in school, you should already see which one you want specialize in after graduation.

To help you out, it will be a good idea to visit massage parlors and talk to those who are already working. You can also do some research online as there are articles that have been written about the profession.

Once you get your degree and the license, you have the option of working for someone or opening up your own establishment. This will be easy if you had the capital since you will need to buy your own massage table, chairs, pillows, sheets and lotions. But if you want to learn first, then go find work, learn the tricks of the trade and then set up shop.

Now that you know how to become a massage therapist, the ball is already in your court. The right attitude will get you through school because with that you will be able to understand the techniques in helping a customer.

How to set up a massage therapy clinic

2010-01-01T10:26:00.001-08:00

Massage therapy has become a really big industry in the country. As proof of this, clinics have sprouted like mushrooms at every block and there are a lot of more coming.
The booming industry is both a boon and a bane for people who want to set up their own massage therapy clinics. the good news is, you have a lot of clients as massages have become a fad. On the bad side, there are already a lot of massage clinics in the block and you have to compete with them for clients. And being the new kid in the block, this may not be an easy thing.

Before you get disheartened by this, remember that when you plan it right, any business can be a potential cash cow. Here are some tips on how to set up a massage therapy clinic that is guaranteed to make money.

1. Location

With so many massage clinics in the area, you would want a location that guarantees a lot of foot traffic. As much as possible look for places that are near major public areas like the park, schools, markets and even department stores. Being near public places will help you in terms of publicity. You are already being seen. All you actually need is a set of signboards announcing your services and of course a good display window. Another reason why it is good to place your clinic in a public area is the fact that when people walk by all the time, some of them would think of trying your services.

2. Services

Your location is just the design of your product. It is the one that you use to encourage people to get a taste of your massage therapy clinics. But what will make your business thrive and last is the service that you provide to your clients. Once they try your services and find it to their satisfaction, they will be your lifelong customers.

One way to do this is to include a unique service that one cannot find in other massage clinics in the area. Research on some ancient massage techniques that no clinic is offering yet. Introduce the massage in the area. For sure, you will be an instant hit. People by nature would want to try something new. Make sure though that you can sustain the new service through training employees and using products that are appropriate to the massage.

3. Employees

Another way to build a successful massage therapy franchise is to hire people who can do the job for you. Of course when you are starting, you will not be able to afford people who are already experienced. Because of this, it will be up to you to train your employees. That is why it is also important that if you are setting up a massage clinic that you know a lot about the industry. You must know for yourself how to massage people. Otherwise, you must know someone who knows the massage therapy techniques. That way, he or she can be the one to train your new employees.

4. Ambiance

Another important part of the massage therapy business is the ambiance. People go there to relax so you must also create a relaxing and comforting environment, somewhere where your clients can escape to.

How to look for the best massage therapy clinics

2010-01-01T10:14:00.001-08:00

It seems that everybody in America is having some massage therapy nowadays. Popularized by Hollywood celebrities who schedule a massage and a spa twice and even thrice a week, Americans have also started to get into the program.
The result? A goodly number of massage therapy clinics that have opened shop in virtually every street corner.

With so many clinics to choose from nowadays, it has become really hard to choose a good one. Because some of these so-called massage clinics are only there for the fad, one must be shrewd enough to separate the legitimate ones from those who are just riding the bandwagon but are not really adept with the real techniques of massage therapy. Below are some tips on how to find a good massage clinic in the metro.

1. Go for the tried and tested

When looking for a good massage therapy clinic, go for the tried and tested. They may be more expensive but you can be sure that what you are getting is a safe and effective massage. You see, if not done correctly, massage therapy can also cause health problems especially problems that involve the bones. A little too much pressure can also bruise the skin and even cause sprains on the bones.

You don’t have to go for the massage therapy that celebrities frequent. When you say tried and tested, it does not mean that you will go for the upscale ones whose therapy can be ultra expensive. What you can do is ask for referrals from people who are very much into massage therapy. Those who do this on a weekly basis will definitely have one or two recommendations that you will definitely use.

2. Join internet forums

The internet is a rich source of information about anything under the sun. One information that you can get from the internet especially from forums are names of massage therapy clinics that give good service. You can either read through the forums or join in on the conversation with the members of the sites.
You can also look into blogs and check what they recommend for good massage therapy clinics. These people will frequently have recommendations on the best massage therapy in the country.

3. Try it out

If you are the adventurous type and you are not afraid of trying out a service, then try the service of different massage therapy clinics. You will not always get good service and at some point, you will even experience the worst kind of service but at least you have tried the service yourself and have not relied on mere hearsay.
Of course, when you say trying it out for yourself, this does not mean that you will just go inside any massage therapy clinic.

What you can do to keep safe is to also discriminate among the massage therapy clinics in your neighborhood. Check out the place first and try to learn about the various massages that they do. You can also look into the oils that they use as well as strokes that they employ.

Ask about the massage therapists and ask if they have licenses to practice. This way, you can be sure that what you are getting into is completely safe for your body and your mind.

How to land a job in a massage therapy clinic

2010-01-01T10:12:00.001-08:00

Massage therapy clinics are setting up shop all over the metro. They are like mushrooms that have sprouted out of nowhere. But though one would not know where they come from, one certainly has an idea why. Massage therapy is one of the fastest growing industry in the country.
This is perhaps because of the fact that people are looking for ways to relax after a hard day’s work. This is especially true for people who live in the city where life is more fast-paced. Another reason is the continued publicity coming from celebrities. Massage therapy is becoming a fad.

Because of this, many people are looking into the massage therapy industry for jobs. Although the pay is not lucrative enough for most people, the tips can be pretty amazing especially if you already have a steady list of clients. If you are one of those people wanting to have a career in this industry, here are some ways on how to land that job.

1. Get some training

Unlike other professionals, you don’t need a degree to be able to land a job in a massage therapy clinic. Most clinics do not even require college degrees especially for starting employees. This does not mean however that you won’t make an effort to learn the job. One way that you can get a massage therapy job easily is to get some training on massages.

Remember that in the job, you will not just knead the shoulder blades and back of your clients in the directions that you want. You will also have to follow certain massage techniques. It is a plus point to know even a little of these techniques before you apply for a job.

2. Visit massage therapy clinics

One way to get to know the industry is to observe first hand what goes on inside these clinics. Visit some of them in your spare time. Look at their list of massages and if you can, observe how they do the massages. Check out the directions of their massages and the products that they use on their customers. While there, formulate any questions that you have because for sure you will have.

You can use these observations, questions and your experience inside the massage therapy clinics during your job interview. Employers are impressed with potential employees who are interested in the job enough to make such observations.

3. Ask the massage therapists

Ask people who are already working in massage therapy clinics about their experiences. That way, you will know what to expect when you are there on the job. Ask about the hours that they put in, the tips that they get every day, their monthly salary. You can even ask for their worst experiences in the job. This will also help you decide if the massage therapy industry is the one that you want to get into.

Don’t be afraid to ask. Often, they will be more than happy to help you through their insights. You can even ask them if there are any vacancies in their clinics. If you can, leave your number with them so that they can contact you should a vacancy come up. Remember, most of these clinics will not advertise job openings. They would just rely on referrals.

How to choose a good massage therapy school

2010-01-01T10:11:00.001-08:00

Perhaps because of its increasing popularity, states have taken notice of massage therapy clinics and created laws to regulate its practice in the country.
Although this is largely advantageous to the millions of Americans who have been availing of their services in the country, it has frustrated a lot of massage therapists in the country. After working in the industry for so many years, suddenly they need to get a training certificate that tells that they can perform the work that they have been doing for a lot of years.

Still, state laws are state laws and one cannot do anything about it unless of course they want to go to another state and see if the laws are different there. But most people would like to stay in their states and continue the services that they have already established in the country. In fact, most are going to massage therapy training schools in order to obtain their certificates. After all, schooling will be a breeze considering that they already know what they will be training for. They just need the paper.

One problem though that face these people is how to find the right training school that will fit their schedule and their budget. Here are some tips to help them.

1. Location

One way to save money and time is to find schools that are near your home or your place of work depending of course in your schedule. For instance, if you are going to school after work it is logical to look for schools that are near the massage therapy clinics you are working for.

2. Tuition fee

Another big consideration for people is the tuition fee. This is especially true with people who don’t have enough money to send themselves to school. As much as you can, look for programs that have flexible payment terms and If possible, a school that offers a scholarship programs. You can offer to teach part time or to work in the school in exchange for a discount. Some people have more time than money in their hands so this can work.

3. Certification

Remember that not all schools are recognized by the governing bodies that issue the certification and the license. It is important that before you enroll, make sure that the school you have chosen are certified by the state regulatory board. Otherwise, all your time and money will go to waste. Actually, as an advice: ask for a list of the schools that they are recognizing before you look for a massage therapy school. That way, you can be sure that whichever you choose is already legitimate. No time is wasted looking for schools that is not accepted in the first place.

4. Specialization

Like ordinary schools, there are massage therapy training schools that have more expertise in a particular field. If you want to focus on a particular field then it is logical for you to choose the school that is known for that field. This way, you will be able to benefit from better education as most of the instructors there will probably be specializing in that field of specialization.

This is especially true if the field that you want to get into is the more technical one that may require more difficult training and study.

Aromatherapy Is a Unique Form of Massage Therapy

2010-01-01T10:09:00.001-08:00

Aromatherapy is a unique form of massage therapy because of the oils that are used during a session. The therapist may use one from more than 90 oils to provide psychological and physical benefits to the body.
Most of the oils used for aromatherapy come from natural ingredients. Examples of these include herbs, milk powders, hydrosols, sea salts, sugars, clays and mud. It is frowned upon when some use synthetic ingredients.

It is widely practiced in the US and in Europe and integrated into holistic treatments. Aside from oils, aromatherapy can be using candles and bath salts which allow you to enjoy it in the comforts of your home.

Aromatherapy is used to treat various health conditions. These include allergies, bruises, burns, diarrhea, bronchitis, colds, ear ache, energy, flu, headaches, insomnia, menopause, nervousness, scars, sprains, stress, shingles and wounds.

For home treatment, you can buy these oils off the shelf and then use it whenever you feel like it. These are easy to spot as they are all packaged in small bottles with the name of the oil and the ingredients that are used. If you are not familiar with the oil, you can open it and smell it to see if it is worth buying.

With the oil in your possession, you only have to add 2 to 3 drops like eucalyptus, tea tree or rosemary in hot water. You then hold your head over the bowl and then inhale the fumes. For other problems, you can apply oils to baths and compresses.

Aromatherapy per se is not designed to treat any major illness. It can only relieve minor problems so before you try aromatherapy, it is best to first consult with a doctor.

If you decide to go for a massage, talk with the practitioner about your medical history and current physical condition. Knowing how you feel is the only way for him or her to determine what oil should be used for the session.

Women who are pregnant or nursing should never undergo aromatherapy as the scents from the oils could be harmful to the infant.

For those who want to know more about aromatherapy, they can read it in books or in the Internet. There are also classes that can people of all levels can join so they can learn how to mix the oils together.

The benefits of aromatherapy as mentioned earlier are psychological and physical because the scent simulates the brain to trigger a reaction and at the same time supply therapeutic relief. A good example is eucalyptus oil which is known to ease congestion.

When the oil is applied to the skin, it is absorbed by the bloodstream and aids in certain health, beauty and hygiene conditions.

If you want to learn more about aromatherapy, you can take up classes. Here you will learn how to mix the oils together and create your own concoctions. Most programs will cost a little over $500 and with it, the materials to be used during the sessions.

Aromatherapy is a unique form of massage therapy because you don’t need physical contact all the time to get relief. You can inhale it or bathe in it. It is truly, a holistic form of healthcare that is worth checking out.

A Choice between Swedish and Ayurvedic Massage Methods

2010-01-01T10:08:00.001-08:00

Various influences in massage therapy have cropped up leading to the creation of several methods that differ in techniques but offer the same health benefits. The Swedish and Ayurvedic massage both have different origins and use contrasting styles but contribute a lot to achieve a healthy and relaxed body. With all the kinds of massage therapy programs available today, it has become really difficult for people to choose.

The Swedish Massage, which is also known as the classic or traditional massage is the most common massage therapy method and is usually preferred by the majority of people. It is characterized by long and flowing strokes which relax muscles, improve joint flexibility and aid in better circulation.

The first stroke is known as effleurage, involves long, gliding strokes from the neck down to the base of the spine or from the shoulder down to the fingertips. It is also done on the limbs with all strokes directed toward the heart to aid blood and lymphatic flow. The therapist uses his whole hand or a thumb pad. This technique is done for familiarization of the person’s body

Next is petrissage that consists of the gentle lifting of muscles up and away from the bones, then rolling and squeezing them, with a gentle pressure. It generally involves rolling, squeezing, or pressing the muscles to enhance deeper circulation. It increases circulation through eliminating toxins from muscle and nerve tissue.

Friction, the third technique and the most forceful one is characterized by deep circular movements using fingertips applied near bony areas and joints and it relaxes the muscle fiber which enhances flexibility in muscles and joints.

After friction, another technique called tapotement is done. Tapotement is a series of quick forceful movements made by striking or tapping the muscles with the hand. It can be applied with a closed fist, fingertips and the edge of the hand. It releases tension and relieves muscle cramps.

Lastly, the therapist uses vibration or shaking that entails the pressing of hands on the back or limbs and shaking in a rapid motion for a few moments. It improves circulation and muscle contraction and is beneficial to people with low-back pain.

On the other hand, Ayurvedic massage originated from India and its aim is to create harmony and balance within the individual and it aids in the removal of toxins and rejuvenation of the body. It was not practiced publicly until Indian practitioners decided to roam around and give muscle, joint and back massages

Ayurvedic massage is based on a special system that includes the knowledge of Ayurvedic and Greek systems of medicine which is focused on Ayurvedic doshas and marmas or pressure points. Muslim massage techniques were also adapted in this system.

Ayurvedic massage techniques uses specific oils that suit your dosha and depends on your being. One is the Abhyanga-Garshana which comprises of skin brushing followed by an oil massage, Udwarthanam which is a slimming massage that uses herbal powders and the Ayurvedic foot massage which is a deep massage where the therapist uses his feet.

Now with enough knowledge on both Swedish and Ayurvedic massage, a person has of course the privilege to choose among the two which best suits his/her style of relaxation. But with both massages having unique techniques, the choosing part can be a little tricky though.

What is the Lemon Law

2010-01-01T10:02:00.000-08:00

The lemon law provides protection to people who buy cars. In the event that the vehicle he or she has purchased fails to meet standards of quality and performance, the manufacturer is required to fix the defects which are stipulated in the warranty within a certain period of time or a certain mileage whichever comes first.
If after the repair the same problem still happens, this is considered to be a breach of contract with respect to the warranty and the manufacturer is required to give you a partial or full refund. You may even be given a new car.

A breach of warranty often means 4 repair attempts on the same problem or anything directly related to it within a period of six months of one year. It could also mean that the car is no longer working within a year it was purchased or within the duration of the express warranty, whichever comes first.

An express warranty may be the balance of the manufacturer’s warranty, a separated limited warranty given by the dealer or an extended warranty or service contract which is added at the time you purchased the vehicle.

The lemon law varies by state and some do not include leased or used vehicles. Some provide consumer protection statutes that prohibit deceptive acts in selling used cars. This means if you are planning to buy a second hand car, the dealer must answer each question truthfully so you will know if it was a rental, salvaged or involved in a serious accident in the past.

There are steps you have to take to see if the lemon law is applicable. First, if there is a problem with the car, you have to report this to the manufacturer. When the car is released to you and the same thing still happens, you should keep track of it by keeping the repair or service receipts so you can argue your case.

In some states, there is an arbitration procedure which determines if you will get a refund or a replacement. This program is very objective and free. If you are not satisfied with the decision, you can skip that and take this matter to the courts.

If things go in your favor, you can get refund and reimbursement for other charges which you have incurred. Given the choice, you can get a replacement car instead. Just make sure you are happy with what they are going to replace it with.

But not all vehicles are protected by the lemon law. These include motorcycles with engine displacements of less than 750 cubic centimeters, trucks that have a gross weight rating of over 19,000 lbs, motor homes and vehicles that are used by a business with a fleet of more than 10 vehicles.

Given that the lemon law in each state is different, it is best to talk with your local representative to be familiar with it. If you happen to encounter this problem and the manufacturer says that you waived your rights when you signed the purchase contract, don’t believe it because it is invalid and the lemon laws still applies.

So, talk to your attorney or hire one that is well aware of the lemon law. Some offer free consultations and if you happen to win the case, you don’t have to shell out anything because the manufacturer will be the one to shoulder the attorney’s fees.

The Massachusetts Lemon Law

2010-01-01T09:57:00.003-08:00

The Massachusetts lemon law is designed to protect customers who have serious defects in their new cars. The state defines a lemon as a vehicle that impairs the use, market value or safety of the vehicle and which has not yet been fixed after a reasonable number of attempts.
This law applies to new cars, motorcycles, cans and trucks bought in Massachusetts from a car dealer for personal or family use. This is valid for one year or 15,000 miles from the original date of delivery whichever comes first. The law does not cover auto homes as well as vehicles used for off-road or business.

Under the law, repair attempts must be done during this period but the manufacturer’s final attempt can be done after the term of protection.

For you to take advantage of this law, you have to show specifically how the defect impairs its use, depreciates its market value or endangers those who use it. You must also have a record of at least 3 or more attempts to try and fix the vehicle as well as show that nothing has changed.

This means keeping a record of all repair work done and making sure that the problem you have complained about is mentioned in the report.

Before you can ask for a refund or a replacement, you have to give the manufacturer one last chance to try and fix the defect. Once the letter is received, they have to do their part within seven business days. This should be sent by certified mail with a return receipt requested.

If at the end of 7 business days nothing happens, you have the right under the lemon law to get a refund or a replacement. If the manufacturer refuses, it is time to request for an arbitration hearing.

Arbitration is inexpensive and an informal way to resolve a complaint. Here, both sides are given the chance to show evidence about the condition of the vehicle. You can either do this with state run arbitration or manufactured sponsored arbitration.

The difference between the two is that state sponsored arbitration bases its decision on the lemon law standards while the manufacturer does not. You can expect a decision in 45 days for a state sponsored one and another 21 days if the manufacturer decides to appeal while the manufacturer is much shorter. If the decision does not go in your favor, you will not get anything.

You have the right to refuse the manufacturer-sponsored arbitration and then take this matter to court. You should just meet the lemon law requirements so that the judge will easily grant a decision in your favor. Failure to do so could mean fines and penalties which you have to pay for so it is best to consult a lawyer so he or she can begin by writing a demand letter to the manufacturer.

When you have the lemon law on your side, you are hoping to get a refund or a replacement vehicle. For those who want a refund, this means the full purchase price including all credits and allowances for any trade in vehicle but part of it will be deducted based on the vehicle’s price and mileage.

If you get a replacement, this is usually of similar model and make. You will also be reimbursed of transfer of registration fees, sales tax, unreimbursed towing and rental charges.

The Lemon Law in New Jersey

2010-01-01T09:52:00.001-08:00

The New Jersey lemon law protects the consumer because it is designed to assist customers who have purchased a vehicle and experience repeated problems during the first two years or 18,000 miles whichever comes first.
Its intent is simply to let the manufacturer correct these defects or find a way to appease the customer.

Vehicles that are covered under the New Jersey lemon law have to be purchased, leased or registered with the state.

Your car is only considered to be a lemon if it is one or more defects and this continue to exist after three attempts to fix it or if it has been out of service for a total of 20 cumulative calendar days. The problem should substantially impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle. What are not covered under this law are defects caused by abuse, accidents, neglect, modification or vandalism.

For you to take advantage of this law, you must write a letter to the manufacturer giving them notification of one last chance to repair the defect.

If nothing happens, then you have three choices. First, ask for a hearing through the Division of Consumer Affair’s Automotive Dispute Resolution Program. You can also send your complaint to the manufacturer many of whom have an informal dispute settlement program. The last is to file a civil action in court.

For a hearing to occur, you have to fill up the application form, present certain documents and pay the application fee of $50. If you win here, the fee will be returned to you as part of the amount to be awarded. The hearing is usually be set in the next 20 days. Once the case is heard, a decision will be issued within another 20 day period.

Not that many people resolve the matter with the manufacturer because any findings here can be used against you during a hearing or in court which is why many go straight to court. For this to work, you have to hire a lawyer.

If you win, the manufacturer must repay you for the costs including attorney fees and expert witness fees. But things don’t end there because the manufacturer may file an appeal in the Appellate Division of the Superior Court to challenge the decision of the lower court. You can also do the same if the decision did not go in your favor.

Should they decide to do this, the manufacturer must first pay a bond equal to the amount awarded to you by the final decision plus an extra $2,500 to cover your attorney’s fees. This bond is payable to you and the amount will only be turned over if you win the appeal.

A favorable outcome from the lemon law in New Jersey may mean a refund or a replacement.

A refund includes the full purchase of the vehicle minus any reasonable allowance for vehicles use. This is equivalent to the purchase price multiplied by the mileage at the time the vehicle was first brought to the dealer or manufacturer for repair divided by 100,000 miles.

A replacement is usually of similar model and make which you may reject if you want to receive instead a full refund.

Nobody expects to buy a brand new car and encounter any problems. But since this happens, it is your right to get your money back or get a replacement which is stipulated under the New Jersey lemon law.

The Lemon Law in Illinois

2010-01-01T09:47:00.001-08:00

The Illinois Lemon Law is also known as the Illinois's New Vehicle Buyer Protection Act. It protects the customer who bought or leased a new car, pickup, truck or van as long as this does not exceed 8,000 pounds. There are no warranties here but it provides people a remedy if the dealer fails to live up to its commitment. Leased vehicles are also covered under the lemon law as long as this was leased for 4 months and that 40% of the time this is used for personal, family or household use. It does not cover used cars, altered or modified vehicles, motorcycles and boats.

The statutory warranty period where the lemon law applies is to vehicles for one year or 12,000 miles whichever comes first. If the warranty expires, then the law no longer applies. However, if the warranty expires, the dealer is still required to fix it because this was first reported during the warranty period.

If the manufacturer is not able to fix the problem after repeated attempts, the law states that the customer has the right to go to the manufacturer’s arbitration program or to court in order to get a full refund or a replacement vehicle.

For this to work, the customer must give the manufacturer at least 4 chances to fix the defect, more than once if this involves the steering or braking system that is likely to cause serious injury or death or the vehicle has been out of service for more than 30 business days.

You should keep accurate records so this can be presented if it comes to a point where you have to fight the manufacturer for it.

A final letter is written to the manufacturer for them to repair the defect. If they fail to correct it, you can claim a refund or a replacement through a third party dispute resolution program. Your car manual should give you an idea how this works.

Sadly, nothing will happen if you are dealing with the dealer because they will do their best to stonewall your claim or at worse, the decision will favor the manufacturer.

They may even say that the problem you are experiencing is minor and that you do not qualify under the lemon law for any sort of relief. You shouldn’t feel discouraged when this happens because this is another tactic they do.

The only person that can make that determination is a lawyer so head on over the to the Illinois Attorney General’s office so they can recommend someone who can help you with this problem if you don’t know anyone. If you are not sure about this person, ask first for a free consultation.

Here, you can ask how long has he or she been practicing lemon law cases, how much is their fee, will they be able to refer a few previous clients and can they estimate how long the case will take.

You should know that when you file a civil action in court, the decision made during the third party dispute resolution program is admissible.

If after everything you are able to win your claim, you will likely receive a vehicle of similar like and value or the manufacturer will buy back the vehicle from you less than value of the mileage driven.

The Lemon Law

2010-01-01T09:44:00.001-08:00

The lemon law is designed to help customers who are experiencing repeated problems with their vehicles. The parameters by which this works varies from state to state but the end result is still the same since this entitles the customer to a full refund or a replacement vehicle.
For you to avail of the lemon law, the defect must be reported to the dealer or manufacturer within the first 2 years or has traveled 12,000 to 18,000 miles whichever comes first. The vehicle in question must only be for personal use.

Vehicles covered by the law are usually brand new while some states allow leased and used vehicles as long as they are registered there. In the state of California, this also includes boats, motorcycles and motor homes.

But nobody can write to a manufacturer and claim their car is a lemon without due process. Did you give the manufacturer time to repair the vehicle? This usually means giving the manufacturer at least 2 chances to fix the vehicle.

If the defects are still there, did you give the manufacturer a written notice of its last chance to repair it? When you send this, make sure to send this by certified mail and request for a return receipt. Otherwise, they may argue that they never received it.

Should the manufacturer fail to respond after having received the written notice within 10 days, then it is time to demand a refund.

If the manufacturer does not agree, under the lemon law, it is time to file for a dispute resolution through the Division of Consumer Affairs, the manufacturer’s system or in court. The first two is often referred to as arbitration since the person who will be reviewing the case is not a judge but someone very familiar with the lemon law. In the third, together with counsel, you will have to show cause as to why a civil action was filed.

In any of the three scenarios, you need to gather all the necessary documents, prepare questions and arrange for the testimony of witnesses.

When you look for a lawyer, make sure that is his or her specialty. First time consultation is usually free. When you decide to pursue this and maybe even win, the manufacturer will be directed to pay for the legal fees so those who can’t afford to hire one will be able to get proper presentation. One thing you should know about bringing this matter to court is that you can win or lose but it doesn’t end there because you can always appeal the court’s decision.

If you win unopposed, the manufacturer or dealer can give you a refund or give you replacement unit. The good news is that this is not their choice but yours. If you want to the money, you can probably buy another car but this time a different brand. If you prefer the replacement unit, you will be given a car of the same model and make.

The lemon law is valid even if you are told to sign a waiver when you purchase a vehicle. You should just be familiar with how this is done in your state by calling up the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs so you know your rights as a car buyer.

The California Lemon Law

2010-01-01T09:37:00.001-08:00

A customer has rights when he or she purchases a vehicle. The Song-Beverly Consumer warranty act which is the lemon law of California was enacted to give this protection to the buyer.
The lemon law of California applies to vehicles which auto dealerships have failed to repair within a warranty period despite being given a reasonable number of times to do so.

There is no specific number of visits to make such a claim but typically 4 visits will suffice. The law is also on your side if the vehicle has been in the shop for a total of more than 30 days for warranty repairs. But you have to know that everything is assessed on a case by case basis.

If your vehicle meets these conditions, the manufacturer must give your money back and pay off any outstanding loan balance or replace the vehicle with a similar model. The law also requires the manufacturer to pay the customer’s hourly attorney’s fees on a meritorious claim which is very convenient especially for those who cannot afford one.

You can even file for a claim if the problems of your vehicle did not occur within the unit’s first 18 months or 18,000 miles of use.

The California lemon law also applies to used and leased vehicles including boats, motorcycles and recreational vehicles which should be primarily for family, personal or household use. This is also applicable for business purposes as long as the gross weight is not over 10,000 pounds and not more than 5 vehicles are registered in this state.

As the customer, you are not required to first arbitrate your case. However, if the manufacturer maintains a state certified arbitration program, you have to submit the warranty dispute to them first before you can go to court. Information about arbitration must be described in the warranty or the owner’s manual but in most cases, this will just tell you to bring your vehicle back to the manufacturer for repairs.

If you are still not satisfied with the way you were treated by the manufacturer, then it is time to go to court. The first step is to hire a lawyer and then fill up a questionnaire or interactive complaint form from the Californian Vehicle Warranty Rights Act Department.

You should write her the make and model of the vehicle, the year of manufacture, current mileage, name, address and contact details of the dealer, date of purchase together with the copy of the document, details of the warranty, the list of problems encountered, number of attempts to fix the vehicle and the number of days it was inside the shop.

Once this form is submitted and approved, you will be given another form that outlines the eligibility parameters. Your attorney should be able to process the paperwork like filing a claim under the California lemon law by drafting a letter to the manufacturer.

The letter will let the manufacturer know you are initiating what is known as a breach of express or implied warranty. A copy of this document must also be submitted to the Consumer Affairs Department and the Attorney General’s office.

The California lemon law should help you get a refund or maybe a new car. This can only happen with the proper documentation and an experienced attorney who will be able to make the courts decide in your favor.

The Arbitration Process in the Lemon Law

2010-01-01T09:33:00.001-08:00

The arbitration process in the lemon law is not that complicated compared to court trials. This is because a judge and a jury are not needed to decide on the matter. The individuals that will hear the case have an automotive and legal background so they know what details to look at in making a decision.
If you are the customer who wants arbitration, you need to complete the form, have copies of all the designated documents including the written request to the manufacture to get a refund or replacement, file for a request for arbitration within 1 to 2 years of the vehicle’s original delivery date and pay the filing fee. Should your request for arbitration be denied, a letter will be sent to you explaining why. If it is approved, the only thing to do now is show up on the date of the hearing.

Arbitration does not need counsel but if you are not comfortable, then you can hire someone. When the hearing begins, the arbitrator will ask which category of your claim is the lemon law based.

Is it a serious safety defect that has undergone at least 2 repair attempts, is it to repair a nonconformity that has had 4 attempts or is your claim based on the fact that your vehicle has been out of service for more than 30 days?

Your claim can be based on one or more defects that have to be backed up by the documents like repair work and maintenance reports. These papers will show the exact nature of the problem, the mileage of the vehicle, the dates which the vehicle was in and out of the shop. You may also provide expert witnesses to testify in your behalf as this will bolster your claim.

Within a matter of days, the panel should already be able to come up with a judgment. If they rule in your favor, then chances are you will be given the choice whether to get a replacement vehicle or get a refund. The manufacturer can appeal this decision and you can also do the same if you are not happy.

If the appeal is denied, this is the only time that you can bring this matter to the court. You will have to get a lawyer for this so he or she can brief you on how this is done. The end result is the same because if you win, you can get your money back or another car.

Sometimes, the hearing will even happen if the manufacturer decides to contact you and makes you an offer. In fact, customers and manufacturers are encouraged rather than going through a hearing. Before you make a decision, you should see what they have to offer in writing before agreeing to anything.

Customers who decide to withdraw their claim can only do this once because you are not allowed to re-file later on the same grounds.

There are two kinds of arbitration when it comes to the lemon law. The first is the state sponsored while the second is a program set up by the manufacturer. You don’t have to go through the one organized by the manufacturer if it is not certified by the state so if the state sponsored one does not produce anything good, then it is time to settle this in court.

Things to Remember for Used Car Lemon Law

2010-01-01T09:29:00.003-08:00

As automobiles are becoming ubiquitous and indispensable today, people are hitting the road with greater ease and convenience by the use of their own cars. The car industry continues to experience boom in spite of the scary oil price hike, a sign that many would choose to cars than mass transportation system. People are also choosing to buy less expensive second hand automobiles, opting to make a good deal with this cheaper variety.

But what if the vehicle you have bought came from a shady deal? How can you protect yourself from irreparable defects of a car that you have unknowingly purchased? This is where used car lemon law comes in.

Lemon law for used cars is a protective shield that people can use in order to avoid unfair purchases and report crooks in car dealership industry. Remember that a defective car is not only a danger to itself, it is a ticking time bomb for people using it. We there cannot understate the importance of knowing how we can protect ourselves from lopsided car deals and how the law can facilitate this for us. Below are the things that we need to remember about lemon law for used cars.

One, just because it is a second hand car does not mean you have waived all the rights to demand quality vehicles. A low cost deal does not mean we should jump into a bogus deal. It is the right of everyone to buy a product that can deliver its utility the easiest, safest, and most useful way – and this applies primarily on automobiles.

The reason why we might be buying used cars is that we want to save on money, or that we want to have a car on a limited budget. This should not stop us from demanding honesty on the transaction of the deal, and the quality of the car that we are buying.

So what right do we have under the lemon law? We should bear in mind that states have different versions, but all of them have a universal tenet that all used cars within the warranty period can still be eligible for the law’s protection. If you will ever encounter problems or defects in the car that you purchase, defects that trouble you a lot and have cost you money for repairs, defects that you are not aware of at the time the transaction was materialized, then you can process a claim for reimbursement and refunds.

Two, the vehicle must not be serviced for commercial use. If it does, the lemon law cannot be applied. A lot of us may wonder why, but people in the know say that commercial vehicles can earn money for repairs. Moreover, the vehicle in this case will be worn out by frequent business trips.

While for those used for personal or family use, the owners usually are not earning money when using the car. In fact because of the rising fuel prices, owners might be forced to economize its use to save on oil. Therefore, the brunt for repairs is more burdensome, troublesome, and risky for this situation.

The used car lemon law provides ordinary people a chance to assert their right against unscrupulous car dealers. When used with prudence, discernment and a sense of justice, we can put integrity back to business.

The Lemon Law in Washington

2010-01-01T09:26:00.000-08:00

Under the Washington State Motor Vehicle Lemon Law, a vehicle is considered a lemon when attempts to repair a vehicle have not been successful. It could have one or more substantial defects and attempts of two or more were initiated but the problem still continues to exist.
In the state of Washington, your vehicle may be covered if it is a passenger car, small or medium sized truck, large motorcycle or motor home. It has to be originally purchased or leased in Washington State and also registered there.

If you do own a lemon, you can request an arbitration hearing thought the Attorney General’s office which has to be submitted within 30 months of the vehicle’s original delivery date. Unlike other states which require you to pay a small filing fee, here you don’t have to pay anything. The only thing you have to do is prove your case.

Vehicles which are not covered under the Washington lemon law include motorcycles with engine displacements of less than 750 cubic centimeters, trucks that have a gross weight rating of 19,000 lbs, portions of a motor home and vehicles that are part of a business consisting of more than 10 units.

The documents you need when you request for arbitration include the purchase or lease agreement, the title or lease registration and the vehicle repair orders. The repair order which is the most important document to have must identify the problem of the vehicle, the diagnosis, work done, the mileage and the dates that the vehicle was in the shop.

To strengthen your case, you are entitled to get a copy of any report with regards to the inspection and diagnosis of your vehicle. This includes the technical service bulletin that is sent regularly by the manufacturer. The TSB describes common problems in certain vehicles and how to repair it.

If there are some documents missing, you should write a written request to the manufacturer to obtain copies of these documents.

But before you go off writing a letter, you should give the manufacturer ample time to try and repair the vehicle. If after two attempts nothing chances, you should request the repurchase or replacement of the vehicle.

This letter must be sent by certified mail with a return receipt requested. This will verify that the manufacturer received your letter.

You should give the manufacturer at least 40 days to respond to your request. If nothing happens, then it is time to write the request for arbitration from the Attorney General’s office.

The hearing will be over in matter of days. Under the law, if you arbitrator rules that your vehicle is a lemon, you will be given the choice whether to repurchase or get a replacement vehicle.

A repurchase is another word for refund and this is based on the cash price of the vehicle. This includes collateral charges, incidental costs and legal fees. If you are getting a refund for a used vehicle, naturally this will be based on the purchase price. A replacement vehicle is similar to what you previously purchased.

The lemon law in the state of Washington requires you to return the lemon vehicle back to the manufacturer free of any damage. This shouldn’t be a problem because you are getting your money back or getting a new unit to take its place.

The Lemon Law in Texas

2010-01-01T09:23:00.003-08:00

If you are experiencing repeated problems with your car after it has been brought in the shop and you purchased or leased this from a licensed Texas dealer or lease company, the Texas Lemon Law may be able to help you get it refund or have it replaced.
The Texas lemon law was first enacted in 1983. It is administered by the Texas Department of Transportation's Motor Vehicle Division and the Motor Vehicle Board.

Vehicles that are covered by the Texas lemon law include cars, trucks, motorcycles, motor homes and ATVs. It also covers new and demonstrator vehicles that develop problems covered by a manufacturer’s written warranty. If you happen to own a towable recreational vehicle, it must first be titled and registered in Texas to be eligible.

Your used vehicle may also be covered under the Lemon Law if it is still within the manufacturer’s original warranty and not an extended service contract or if the problem started while it was still under warranty and it continues to exist.

To know if the Texas lemon law is applicable, your vehicle must meet certain conditions. The vehicle must have an abnormal condition or serious defect, the defect is covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, the defect is reported to the dealer during the warranty term, you must give the manufacturer a letter stating the problem and ample time to repair the problem and the problem still persists after everything was done.

There is nothing in the lemon law that states the number of times that the customer has to wait before filing a complaint. For many, four times seems to be sufficient. This may happen two times to repair the same problem of defect within the first 12 months or 12,000 miles whichever comes first or twice more during the 12 months or 12,000 miles after the second repair was done without any improvement.

Some will tell you to undergo the serious safety hazard test where the vehicle in question was once brought into the shop during the first 12 months or 12,000 miles whichever comes first and once during the 12 months or 12,000 miles after the first repair attempt.

The Texas lemon law may also apply if the vehicle has been out of service for a total of 30 days or more during the first 24 months or 24,000 miles and there were at least two repair attempts during the first 12 months of 12,000 miles after this was delivered to you with no changes in the vehicle’s condition.

If you happen to experience one of these three scenarios, you must file your Lemon law complaint as soon as possible so the Motor Vehicle Board will be able to help you.

A hearing will be conducted and before going in, be sure to prepare all the necessary documents so you can prove your case in front of the Administrative law judge. You should present your own testimony since you are the owner of the vehicle, the testimony of witnesses, receipts, letters and other documents which are needed.

A decision with regards to your case will be made within 150 days after receiving the complaint and paying for the filing fee. If no decision is made during that period, you can make your argument in court as though the Lemon law process were complete.

The Lemon Law in New York

2010-01-01T09:19:00.001-08:00

The lemon law in New York provides a remedy for customers that have had problems with their vehicles despite the number of times that these have been brought in for repairs. The manufacturer is also held liable if the car sold does not conform to the terms of the written warranty.
In New York, this covers new and used cars including “demos” under 4 conditions.

1. First, the car was covered by the manufacturer’s new warranty at the time it was delivered to the owner.

2. The car was purchased, leased or transferred within the first 18,000 miles or two year from the original date of delivery.

3. The car should be purchased, leased or transferred in New York and presently registered there.

4. The vehicle is primarily used for personal purposes. The definition of personal includes using the car to do household errands, drive to and from work. You can however use this for business and still be covered under the lemon law as long as personal use is predominant.

Just like the state of California, New York allows motor homes to be covered under this law except to other items like the appliances, fixtures, systems and other parts that are residential in nature. Motor vehicles and off road vehicles are not also covered. Leased cars are covered only if the lessee is responsible for the repairs.

If you suspect that your car is a lemon, you must immediately report this matter to the manufacturer or authorized dealer. Under the law, the notice given to the dealer is considered also a notice to the manufacturer.

During this time, the dealer has to conduct the necessary repairs. If they refuse to do so, another letter must be written and this time addressed to the manufacturer which must be completed within the next 20 days. If the problem is not repaired after reasonable attempts, the manufacturer or dealer has no choice but to refund the full purchase or offer a comparable replacement unit. The decision is up to the customer.

If you are getting a refund, this includes the price of the car, title and registration fees as well as any other governmental charges. There may be some deductions if the car has traveled more than 12,000 miles but less than that, there are none. Should the lemon car be leased, the refund is divided between you and the leasing company.

Those of you who choose to get a comparable replacement car should know that what you get in exchange for the lemon car is usually the same model and year as well as approximately the same mileage as the one being replaced.

But before a refund or a replacement car is given, you have the choice of participating in an arbitration program or suing the manufacturer and taking this matter to court. If the manufacturer has an arbitration procedure, you have to participate in this first. This consists of a hearing and a decision will be made after 10 days.

If you go to court, this will take some time but should you end up in winning, you can recover the amount you spend on attorney fees.

The lemon law of New York does not have a specific number of repair attempts but four instances within the span of two years is the ideal number. If this happens, you should just document it by keeping a copy of the work orders, repair bills and correspondence.

Lemon Law in Wisconsin

2010-01-01T09:14:00.001-08:00

The lemon law in Wisconsin is pretty simple. If the vehicle you purchase turns out to be a lemon, the manufacturer has to replace the vehicle or refund the purchase price minus a reasonable amount based on mileage.
This law only applies to new vehicles no more than a year old and is still under warranty. This includes cars, trucks, motorcycles and motor homes which you have purchased or leased as well as those used as demonstrator or executive vehicles.

The vehicle itself can only be considered defective if the dealer cannot fix it after four tries or if the problem prevents you from using it for more than 30 days which does not have to be consecutive. This means that it should seriously affect the use, value or safety of the vehicle.

Unlike other states where there is a deadline given to which you have to file a suit, Wisconsin doesn’t but a judge will be the one who will decide the merits of the case.

Before you file a case, you should get a repair order for reach visit even if the shop does not diagnose the problem or attempt to do any repairs because this document shows that the problem you encountered was reported and the date it was brought in the shop. You should also keep contracts and warranties in a safe place so this will easily be found when it is needed.

The best place to get help if you have a lemon is to get assistance from Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation since they have the proper forms to request the manufacturer for a refund or replacement vehicle. They will also be able to give you more information about how to exercise your rights as a consumer under the law.

Once the form has been filled up, this has to be mailed to the manufacturer’s address that can be found inside the user’s manual. You should probably send this through certified mail to make sure that it was received.

The manufacturer has 30 days to respond to your request. If you are asking for a refund, aside from the full purchase price they have to include sales tax, any finance charges and collateral costs again minus the mileage. If you are getting a replacement, the manufacturer should only refund your collateral costs and charge nothing from mileage.

Collateral costs refer to alternative transportation expenses because the vehicle was in the shop, towing charges if the vehicle broke down in the middle of the road and repairs costs that were incurred to try and fix the problem.

If the manufacturer refuses to give you a refund or replacement, you can consider an arbitration program. This is free and you don’t need a lawyer. In fact, most car companies have one and you are required to go through the process if it is certified.

But if it is not certified by the state, you are not required to. Instead, you can hire an attorney and take this matter to court so the judge can decide on the matter. If you sue the manufacturer and win, you may get double the vehicle’s purchase price plus other costs including the attorney fees.

The lemon law is quite complex so it is best to hire a lawyer that specializes in it. You can look for someone in the directory or get help from the State Bar of Wisconsin Attorney Referral Service or the WisBar Layer Referral and Information Service.

Lemon Law in Rhode Island

2010-01-01T09:11:00.003-08:00

The Rhode Island Lemon Law applies to new cars, vans, motorcycles or trucks less than 10,000 lbs that were purchased, leased and registered in Rhode Island that have a defect or condition that has not yet been fixed after 4 attempts by the manufacturer.
It may also apply if the vehicle has been in the shop for more than 30 days during the first year.

The problem must impair the vehicle’s use, value or safety and must be reported within the first 12 months or 15,000 miles whichever comes first. If your vehicle falls outside such guidelines, you can check what federal warranty laws may apply.

In order for the lemon law to apply in your situation, you have to give the manufacture some time to try and fix the problem. If they are unable to fix it after 3 attempts, you can already write them a formal notice stating that if this matter is not resolved, you have no other recourse but to demand for a refund or replacement. The manufacturer has 7 days to comply with this or face arbitration.

If nothing still happens, a hearing will be scheduled and a panel of experts will be called in to review your case. During the hearing, you will have to present documents that show you gave the manufacturer ample time to repair the problem. This law also applies to leased vehicles.

When the ruling is made in favor of the customer, you can choose whether to get a refund or have this replaced. Just remember that the manufacturer may appeal that ruling just like you if it did not go your way.

Should this happen, you can take this matter to court hoping that a judge will look favorable on your situation. If you win, you don’t have to worry paying for legal fees because under the law, the manufacturer is required to shoulder it.

It will take some time to find a lawyer that will handle your case. You can get help from the office of the Attorney General or look online to find someone who specializes in these matters. So you know that this person will be able to devote their time and effort, ask them some questions like what is their workload, how often have they done this and the length of time it will take before a decision is made.

If you think that the fees that the lawyer will be charging are way beyond your budget, don’t worry because if the judge sees that your car is indeed a lemon, the manufacturer will be instructed to pay for the legal fees.

The Rhode Island lemon law only applies to new cars so if you can’t argue this if you are driving an old car. Will you be able to tell at once if your car is a lemon? The answer is no because this is something you will know in time when you are already behind the wheel and get the chance to drive it.

If a problem appears, take note of it and keep track if it happens again. Remember, one instance is not enough to tell you that your car is a lemon. By law, there has to be four repair attempts to try before you can exercise your right to get a refund or a replacement.

Lemon Law in Florida

2010-01-01T09:06:00.001-08:00

The lemon law in Florida only applies to new or demonstrator vehicles that are either sold or leased on a long term basis.
Unlike other states, the lemon law does not cover motorcycle, mopeds, off road vehicles, living facilities inside motor homes, trucks with a gross weight of 10,000 pounds or more as well as vehicles that were purchased for the purposes of resale.

This law covers defects or conditions that impair the use, value or safety of the vehicle which can only be determined if the vehicle has been in and out of the shop several times but no significant improvements are reported for 15 or more cumulative days. These defects have to be reported within the first 24 months after the date of delivery.

If the manufacturer fails to repair these defects, it has no choice but to buy back the vehicle and give you a purchase price refund or a replacement vehicle.

You won’t know if your car is a lemon once you get this from the dealer. It takes time which is why you should always keep records repair and maintenance. If you have encountered the same problem at lest 3 times, you can already send the manufacturer a written notice to give them one last chance to fix it.

If you don’t know how to write letter, you can get a motor vehicle defect notification form. Once this is received, they have to respond within 10 days to take the proper action and another 10 days to fix the vehicle.

Should the problem still exist, you can settle this dispute through an arbitration program. Some companies have one that is state-certified. If the program fails to issue a decision within 40 days or you are not happy with the ruling, you can bring this matter to the Florida New Motor Vehicle Arbitration Board.

Cases that are approved will be scheduled within 40 days. The panel will be composed of three individuals who are knowledgeable about the lemon law as well as have automotive technical experience and a background in engineering. The hearing ends when the group renders an oral decision and submits a written copy both to you and the manufacturer.

If the panel decides in your favor, the manufacturer has no choice but to respect the decision and comply with it. You will be given the choice to get a replacement vehicle that must be of similar make and model. This must not exceed 105% of the MSRP. You can also get a refund that is the purchase price of the vehicle which also includes costs incurred in connection with the purchase of the vehicle as well as incidental charges.

A certain amount will be deducted for the use of the vehicle which is a statutory formula based on the mileage attributable to the consumer as of the date of settlement or an arbitration hearing whichever comes first.

But if the panel again decides in favor of the manufacturer, you can make one more effort by bringing this matter to the circuit court within the next 30 days. Just remember that the manufacturer can also do the same since they can also file for an appeal.

The lemon law in Florida is only valid during the first 2 years of use of the vehicle. So if you have a recurrent problem, it is best to report this to the manufacturer at once.

Lemon Law in Arkansas

2010-01-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

Each state has its own interpretation of the lemon law and vehicles can only be covered in the state of Arkansas if it was bought, leased and registered there.
The Arkansas lemon law is only valid up to two years after the original date of delivery of the vehicle or the first 24,000 mile whichever comes last. If you decide to sell the vehicle, the one who gets it will still be covered under the lemon law.

Vehicles covered under the lemon law do not include the living quarters of mobile homes or trucks that exceed 10,000 pounds gross weight rating.

For you to claim under the lemon law, manufacturers should be given at least 1 repair attempt if the defect may cause death or serious injury or 3 attempts for the same defect or 5 attempts for separate problems or 30 days out of service.

If you did not give the manufacturer ample time to fix the problem, they can argue that the time given was unreasonable and you may not be able to get a refund or a replacement. The lemon law may also not apply if damage to the vehicle was caused by your personal negligence.

In order for you to prove that your car is a lemon, you should report any problems directly to the manufacturer. Naturally they will try to fix the problem so keep all the receipts and any correspondence with them. It should state here that nature of the problem, the time it was brought in and picked up, repair work performed, odometer reading and the charges for parts and labor.

Let’s say repairs were done but nothing changes. When this happens, you have to give the manufacturer one last attempt before you can file a claim under the lemon law. You first have to send the manufacturer a final notice stating that unless they fix the problem, you have no choice but to file a claim against them.

It may come to a point where they have tried their best and decide to settle by offering you a replacement vehicle. If you decide to do this, you should not accept a refinancing agreement because it will create a financial obligation that is way beyond the original agreement.

You should instead demand a refund. Here, you will receive the full purchase price of the vehicle minus a reasonable allowance for vehicle use. The same happens if the vehicle was leased thus this agreement ends so you should not be charged any penalties for ending it early.

Some manufacturers will not refund or replace your vehicle. When this happens, you have to file for a hearing through the manufacturer’s informal dispute settlement program before you can bring this matter to court.

No fees are paid during the settlement program. You simply have to submit your complaint together with a copy of your documents. A decision will be made after 40 days and you can accept or reject the decision. If you accept, the manufacturer has to comply within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied, you can assert your right in court as the lemon law allows by getting the help of a lawyer. If you win, you are given the choice to get a refund or a replacement vehicle.

The Deal about Lemon Law Lawyers San Diego

2010-01-01T08:52:00.003-08:00

California Lemon Laws apply to anything that is mechanical like most federal lemon laws. This law also states that the warranter must pay the attorney fees that you have paid if ever you do win a lemon law suit.
This means that you are to be totally compensated for whatever mishaps there may be in the purchasing and warranty process. These things can only be possible with lemon law lawyers San Diego.

With this law, you are entitled to be compensated for breach of warranty if you have one of these warranties. First is that of any warranty from the manufacturer upon purchase of vehicle, usually those under 36,000 miles unless stated in the warranty itself. Another is that if your car was labeled “Certified” by the manufacturer, which means that it comes with a 1-year manufacturer's warranty. Finally, a purchased extended warranty from the manufacturer of the usual five years or so also applies here.

If there is no manufacturer's warranty to be found, then you will have to resort to filing complaint under violations of consumer protection that are outside of lemon laws. This means that the lemon laws do not cover this, but is possible for you to still file a complaint by utilizing your rights to consumer protection as stated by the law. Such things as laundered lemons, previously salvaged or wrecked vehicles, cars with intentionally-rolled back odometers, those that have been stolen and rebuilt, rental cars, police cars, taxi cabs, and even those that have been in a flood are examples of vehicles that are eligible for complaint.

The California Lemon Law are under various legal codes like Civil Code Section 1790-1790.4, also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, and Civil Code Section 1793.22, or the Tanner Consumer Protection Act. A lawyer specializing in such cases can give you more information regarding these laws and what you can do and cannot do regarding your particular case.

Upon knowing of your case's particular code, you will have to gather the documents regarding your car's defects. These are to contain descriptions of the problems within the engine, transmission, brakes, paint, electrical parts, and so on. The repair invoice history, service record, and other paperwork related to the purchase of the vehicle are also required.

After this is all gathered together, you will then have to fill up the relevant information onto a questionnaire that serves as your complaint form coming from the Californian Motor Vehicle Warranty Rights Act department. Upon submission and approval, you will then get the parameters to eligibility. By this time, you should have your lawyer already because it is he/she who is to file this stuff to whoever it may concern.

What you really need to know about these proceedings is that if you hired a good lawyer, he/she will then draft a letter to the manufacturer regarding your initiation of a case. It's a so-called legal process for breach of express or implied warranty, which is also submitted to the Consumer Affairs Department and the Attorney General if the case is very significant.

Things can get confusing regarding the paperwork. Those that need to be filed are the Office of Consumer Protection Complaint Form, Lemon Law Complaint Form, generic online complaint form, purchase and repair history, and so on. List them down if your must because they could mean the difference between getting back your money's worth and getting duped.

With good lemon law lawyers San Diego around, you should not worry too much about it.

Four ways to look for lemon law lawyers (Los Angeles)

2010-01-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for lemon law lawyers (Los Angeles) who can assist, represent, and manage your indemnification claim against a car dealer?
Do you know what kind of lawyers you have in mind but do not know where and how to begin looking? These are just some of the ordinary ordeals that people experience as they process a lemon law claim for the first time. It is not only confusing to look at the dizzying law firms that can be found in Los Angeles, it is also very tricky to look for lawyers who will give the most affordable yet quality legal advice and assistance.

Below are four ways in beginning to look for legal assistance in consumer warranty rights. By starting your search on a sure footing, you do not have to worry about working with your chosen lawyer in the future because you have received the most reliable feedback and information when you selected them in the first place.

One, there has never been an effective way in combing for deadly accurate information than word of mouth. Here, your friends and families, even colleagues and school friends, can recommend a law firm or two that they have got wind about. You can never go wrong with people who know you best, so asking advices from friends and family members would go a long way. You can put your confidence in their word because of your relation to them, as you believe that they would never let anything bad to happen in your life. With their stamp of approval, you can look for law firms that you already know much about – thanks to the word of mouth.

Two, trust on the advertisements. Majority of the states in America have different stands on the issue of allowing lawyers or law firms to go on advertisement spree due to ethical and professional issues. This is the reason why that in most states, you cannot see full page advertisements of law practitioners in print, radio, and television media.

With limited venues of advertisement, most law firms turn to the yellow page (for some states, this is legal) and internet. With fewer avenues for telling people their company, they will put their best foot forward. Almost always, they will make available their portfolio of cases won and with just a few clicks, you can view their experience and credentials.

Three, visit law firms. This might not prove to be very cheap, but this will be very great for people living in the city where law firms abound. Stroll around, look through their glass walls, and talk to people around their offices. You may even meet clients like you who are there for the same reason. Or, you may chance upon people who know about the company and tell you something or two before you proceed to bolt into the law firm’s door.

Four, trust your gut feeling. You can never have better instrument against shady lawyers and companies than your instinct. Trust your inner voice before making the big decision of hiring your legal representatives. Choosing law firms are like choosing your own friends – not everyone can be your mates but eventually you can find those that are just perfect for you.

By going around and gathering information, and to never be contented on advertisements alone, you might hire the best Lemon law lawyers (Los Angeles) to help you out.

What You Need To Know About Lemon Law Lawyers California

2010-01-01T08:48:00.001-08:00

Lemon law lawyers California are all about ensuring that your rights to consumer protection are upheld in occasions of injustice regarding a defective vehicle. If ever your car suddenly breaks down suspiciously, you should take it up to the dealership or manufacturer to get it fixed or replaced. If your expectations are not met, then action must be taken so that you actually get your money's worth.

The manufacturer gets the chance to repair the said vehicle, but this is defined by law. If they are not to fix it properly after four attempts or take care of minor defects after two attempts or within 30 days, then your vehicle is considered a “lemon”. You are then able to press action against the manufacturer to demand either a refund or replacement.

These defects are defined as those that significantly impair the use, value, or safety of the vehicle itself. While four attempts are generally accepted as the maximum number of chances a manufacturer is availed, the actual number is still sketchy according to the law. The same can be said about the warranty period. These terms have been recently amended and the said warranty period has been defined as extended to either eighteen months or 18,000 miles. Before that, it used to be 12,000 miles or a full year of twelve months.

Within this defined warranty period, a reasonable number of attempts must be carried out before you can actually declare the manufacturer responsible for having your car still in shambles. After all, it is your responsibility to have the car that you have bought fixed if ever there is a defect. This condition becomes void if ever the vehicle was damaged due to either negligence or misuse. That means you cannot cheat by claiming the manufacturer responsible for selling you a lemon if you are actually the one that damaged it. If you did that, then you could be charged with fraud with all evidences and previous statements made turned against you.

The California Lemon Law is quite complex regarding these cases, especially for the uninitiated. There are all these nuances in the law itself that it is best to have an attorney at the ready regarding these matters, especially someone who specializes in these kinds of cases. Such an attorney is best equipped to guide you through this whole process, making it easier for you to wage war against those who have wronged you about your car.

To file a complaint, documents such as complete service history, original lease or purchase agreement, and current registration documentations are needed. Regarding the service history, it is needed to verify if the manufacturer's service adviser or technician within the service department actually entered inaccuracies and other irrelevant information on the service orders. These services orders compose the entire service history, which is usually needed in proceedings of a lemon law claim within the state of California. To prevent future problems, these service orders have to be checked and corrected by the technician immediately upon seeing any mistakes or inaccurate information.

The process can be quite grueling if all the paperwork is to be considered, but lemon law lawyers California make it easier for everyone who gets into these conditions. Do not willingly charge into the fray without leverage and care.

A Guide to Lemon Law Attorneys Southern California

2010-01-01T08:45:00.003-08:00

Whenever you're buying a car, there are those that don't seem to meet your standards. These are called lemons, and they are the bane of every car buyer's money.
To protect the people, lemon laws are in effect. For those who got stuck with a lemon, call lemon law attorneys southern California to get back at those who have wronged you. Upon qualification, it becomes a “no cost to consumer” lawsuit.

For example, you just bought a car that you thought was nice and had all that you ever need. But suddenly, the engine dies on you when it rained. You may have gotten it fixed, but it would die again the next time it rained. In Southern California, it only rains in winter, so it's not so bad. But still, why own a car that breaks down during rain?

Also imagine that it happens to be a sports car. With the body close to the ground, its inner parts will get wet when you hit a puddle. That would make it break down then and there, regardless of rain. This means that you have been sold a lemon and have been scammed. You have tried everything you can to fix it like spraying coatings on the distributor wires to waterproof them, but to no avail. This calls for a lemon law attorney.

You know that you're going to need one if you actually took this car to the dealership and had them work on it until it got fixed, but breaks down at the next possible chance. If this happens, then numbers have to be crunched or heads will roll. A lemon law attorney will help you with this by making sure that you get compensated for being sold a wreck.

Lemon laws apply to many products, but it has been mostly applied to motor vehicles. The California Lemon Law protects the consumer from the consequences of buying or leasing a defective automobile, making either dealership or manufacturer responsible for it. While the warranty still stands, the manufacturer is responsible for having the car in perfect working condition if ever it is taken in for either repair or replacement.

In California, the consumer is protected by a set of laws that are there to ensure the integrity of the trade and to thwart deception in transactions. With these laws, defective cars will have to be replaced and may even incur huge penalty fees for those who deliberately make fools out of their customers. They also ensure the enhancement of the driver and passengers' basic safety by having the cars more carefully manufactured and monitored. This observance of consumer rights ensures that the customer always gets it right.

Take note that these lemon laws also apply to leased cars, as long as they are under warranty upon lease. The warranty itself should not be invalidated upon reaching 18,000 miles or 18 months if it indicates higher values. As long as they apply, then the lemon laws definitely apply. Also, by the first repair attempt within the warranty period, they do apply even after the warranty.

Upon hiring lemon law attorneys southern California, you can get a refund or complete repair for a purchased or leased secondhand vehicle in the same way as a brand new one if it was bought for non-commercial private use. These lemon laws can also apply to RV's, motor homes, motorcycles, boats, and many others.

Tips about Lemon Law Attorneys San Diego

2010-01-01T08:44:00.001-08:00

Consumer rights is applicable to everything when it comes to buying goods, and that includes the purchasing of automotive vehicles. The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, more commonly known as the California Lemon Law, sees to it that consumer rights is always upheld and protected, especially by lemon law attorneys San Diego.
The California Lemon Law applies to cars where the dealership has failed to repair successfully within the warranty period, despite the number attempts to do so. While the number of visits is not that specific, it usually is about your fourth visit when you should start taking the legal route. Also, if the car has been in there for over 30 days, you can apply it then as well. However, keep in mind that it is assessed case-by-case.

If ever your situation satisfy these conditions, then the manufacturer or dealership is supposed to refund your money or replace the vehicle with a similar one. The attorney's fees are also to be included, which is good for those who can't afford one. These can apply even if the car started going haywire outside the 18-month period or has already exceeded 18,000 miles.

This lemon law also applies to used and leased vehicles, which include boats, motorcycles, and recreational vehicles that are private and non-commercial. It can apply to business as long as they are under 10,000 pounds in total gross weight and at a total of five vehicles or less.

Customers are not necessarily in need of self-arbitration, but they will have to settle a warranty dispute to the manufacturer before taking the case to court if a state-certified arbitration program is maintained. This process usually is outlined in the warranty or owner's manual. But then again, it would usually tell you to have it repaired by the manufacturer, which just leads you back to square one.

If the manufacturer still does not comply to the terms and conditions of warranty, then it would be wise to take it to the court. By this time, a good lawyer experienced in this field is to be hired and a questionnaire or complaint form from the Californian Vehicle Warranty Rights Act Department is to be filled up. Information such as the brand and model of the vehicle, year of manufacture, mileage, name, contact details, date of purchase, and so on is to be written down and submitted with copies of documents needed.

Upon submission and approval, you are to fill up another form that states the parameters of eligibility. Your lawyer should be able to handle this by filing a claim under the California Lemon Law with a letter to the manufacturer.

This letter will notify the manufacturer of your intentions to initiate a breach of express or implied warranty. With that, a copy of that document must also be submitted to the Consumer Affairs Department and the Attorney General's office. These requirements are necessary for the proper processing of your case.

The California Lemon Law is there to assist in obtaining either a refund or a replacement of the car if ever bad things do happen. This is only possible if you have filed the proper documents and hired some lemon law attorneys San Diego who is experienced in this field. If you have all of those, then things can turn to your favor.

How to work with Lemon Law Attorneys, Los Angeles

2010-01-01T08:35:00.001-08:00

If you has already chosen one of the many lemon law attorneys (Los Angeles area), you might soon find out that there are many things that you do not know of about litigation, legal paperwork, and circuitous court appearances.
The problem that most people encounter is that they have difficulty in telling whether their attorneys are attending to their case the best way possible.

This is extremely bad considering that the outcome of a lemon law claim would mean either a brand new car and reimbursement of all repair cost or nothing at all. Most people would therefore lapse into a robot, agreeing to whatever the lawyers are saying and nodding to all demands that they have.

Right now, with internet and online communities vibrant and active, you do not have to become robotic clients who say yes to everything that your lawyer dispenses you. In choosing to be assertive and smart without appearing show off, you can prevent the situation where you do not know what your lawyer is actually doing on your case. Here are a few tips in maintaining a good working relationship with your hired legal representatives.

Listen. You hired law practitioners to bail you out of trouble or to claim what you think you justly deserve. Whether you like or not, you need to trust his or her ability to give you justice that you want. Because lemon law is basically about consumer rights protection, you need to listen to all the rights that you, as a citizen and as a buyer, are entitled to. Listen to what he has to say about the legal standing and condition of the case, whether you have fighting chance to go on the charge in the court.

As you literally do not have any knowledge on court proceedings, always be careful in following to the letter any tips in how to appear before courts. Lawyers know too well the circuitous intricacy of the law and legal rites that have to be observed. If your lawyer has an instruction to file and sign for an affidavit, to retrieve documents of car repairs and receipts, and to never talk to any car dealer attorneys, then you need to lend him or her an ear. Listening might prove to be a wise decision

Talk. You do not have to follow or do everything that you hear from your lawyers of course. Make an independent research, equip yourself with a crash course on lemon law and consumer warranty rights. Search around your circle of friends who have had similar situations before or talk to somebody who has gone through the same ordeal. By arming yourself with information on the law, its ways, and its interpretation, you will be able to form independent and intelligent decision with regards to your indemnification claim.

Afterwards, pepper your attorney with questions, possibilities, and the exact plan you have in mind.

Compromise. It’s no good that you just stick to your plans when your lawyer has a better idea. In the same way, it is bad to be always gullible and in the receiving side of the discussion table. Learn to compromise, be quick to find a common ground, and together work as a team.

If you listen, talk and compromise with lemon law attorneys (Los Angeles) , you will find out how easy and manageable it is to seek justice.

Lemon law attorneys, California: Qualities to look for

2010-01-01T08:32:00.003-08:00

Economists often make a passing remark on the crop of lawyers that we have. They say that it is cannot be denied that most of them spend their money investing in wardrobes so that when they dispense advisory to clients, they are dressed to the nines. They do so at the expense of actually spending time to pore over laws and their intricacy.
While looks may blow you away and may forget that there are things that would last longer than the first impression, you should be wary in hiring any of them if you want your case to prosper in court. So if you’re looking for lemon law attorneys, California has many law firms to choose from. But before you pick that phone and dial their number you found on dog-eared yellow pages, make sure you find in them the qualities of a true law practitioner.

Before you look for a law firm, you need to look at your financial capacity to hire so. Filing a claim will entail legal work and papers, and thus you have to shell out money most of the time. Not those good lawyers always come with exorbitant price (there are many lawyers who do service pro bono); rather, you should prepare yourself for any expenses. After that, you can look for the two characteristics that mark a good lemon law attorney.

Reputation. Reputation is basically the public record and image that people attach to a law firm. A good company elicits a nod from ordinary people and enjoys popularity through the word of the mouth. An ordinary one is unknown to the many, while a bad one attracts negative feedback.

Reputation is fragile, so a good law firm spends its time and work to buttress it. The staff and lawyers under it practice law with utmost professionalism and a strong sense of dedication in winning the client’s case. As clients, you can check a law firm’s reputation through experience in lemon law it has earned through the years, the number of cases it has successfully defended or won, success rate of these cases, number and status of their clients.

Credibility. Credibility is the extent of a law firm’s ability to do law practice with expertise and knowledge. You may be able to evaluate credibility through the number of qualified, licensed lawyers that the law firm has. You do not want to hire someone who is yet to prove his worth, and whose knowledge of law is wobbly. You want to bank on the experience, the school that the lawyers have gone through, and the license that they get by passing competitive national law examination.

At the same time, you may actually hire a lawyer who dishes out sound legal advisory and good knowledge of lemon law. You can test your lawyer through a quick phone call and a simple inquiry on what vehicles are eligible for California lemon law. Of course, you can recheck his or her answers by visiting online law sites or reading the law yourself. A simple test like this will definitely lead you to find the perfect legal counsel for your case.

If you search hard enough and check law firms and their status, you will eventually find good Lemon law attorneys (California) who will assist you attain justice for lemon indemnification claims.

When Should Your Stuttering Child See a Specialist

2010-01-01T06:59:00.001-08:00

Babies are not able to speak yet for the first few years after they are born. However, if the child is already 5 years old and is still stuttering, perhaps you should already see a specialist.
Some instances that merit the need to see a specialist include repeating whole words or phrases, sound and syllable repetitions start to happen more often, an increase in the prolongations of words, the child’s speech begins to be effortful or strained, an increase in facial tension or tightness in the speech muscles, vocal tension resulting in high pitch or loudness, the child chooses to avoid speaking and other facial or body movements that go along with stuttering.

The specialist who will see your child is a called a speech language pathologist. This person is trained in human communication, its development and the various disorders including stuttering. Most individuals have a master’s degree and must pass a state certification or licensure exam in order to practice as well have a certificate from the ASHA or American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. If the doctor is not around, a speech assistant can help out.

It is hard to ask your friends the name of a specialist. Fortunately, you can turn your attention to the Stuttering Foundation of America who will be able to provide you with the name of a pathologist. You may also check out the nearest university, hospital or clinic for assistance. These places will offer testing and therapy for those who are stuttering.

At home, you should be very understanding with your child by talking to him or her slowly and encouraging the other family members to do the same. Give them some quality time so they can ask questions and you should wait at least a second or two before giving your response. Just don’t make the mistake of speaking too slowly since this will sound strange.

The most challenging thing to do is not being upset or annoyed when the stuttering increases. Remember you are already getting help and it takes time for the child to learn new skills and overcome this situation.

You should also reassure your child because if you think that you are the only one who feels frustrated, they feel it too.

There are 3 basic categories of stuttering and the second and third category will need the help of a professional because you don’t have the expertise to do this on your own.

Some parents wait several months before doing anything but you don’t have to wait that long. You can do a simple test by observing your child for ten minutes when he or she is very talkative. If the child stutters more than three times and there is a history of this in the family then you need to seek the help of a speech language pathologist.

There is no cure yet for stuttering. The only thing professionals can do is treat it. If you talk to someone who claims that they have a cure, don’t buy it. If you have tried one form of therapy and it does not work, don’t give up because there are others you can try.

You should not take any chances if your child stutters because you are not sure if he or she will be able to outgrow this like others have in the past.

What Can Parents Do To Help a Child That Stutters

2010-01-01T06:50:00.001-08:00

Stuttering is something that happens to a child is between the ages of 2 and 5. It may disappear as the child grows older but it doesn’t mean you should not take any action. To help you, here are a few things that you can do together. 1. Whenever you speak, make sure to say it slowly and with frequent pauses. Studies show that this is more effective than criticizing your child because it is not their fault that they have this problem.

2. If you know what your child wants to ask, never cut them off and just give them time to finish what they have to say. Remember to listen to what he or she is saying, not how it is expressed.

3. You should also reduce the number of questions you ask your child. By giving them more time to speak freely, you enable the child to express their own ideas. Of course, you have to acknowledge what they said so they know you heard them by using facial expressions or other body language. If the child is right in front of you, always maintain eye contact.

4. Letting your child speak should be done at a regular time daily. One good example is when you are eating. This is because everyone is present at the table. There shouldn’t be any disruptions while you are together so you should turn off the television or the radio.

5. If you are not doing anything during the day, set a certain time in the morning or the afternoon. Give them the opportunity to do whatever they want and you should join in. This is considered as a confidence builder especially among children since they know they can talk about anything with the parent.

6. You are not the only one who should take the brunt when your child stutters. Your spouse needs to help out. If you have other kids, they should do the same because those who stutter will find it easier to talk with people around.

7. Should you correct a child for mispronouncing a word? Not all the time. The important thing is that hey enjoy talking because corrections although well intentioned have a way of making the child very self-conscious of the way they speak.

These are the things you can do as a parent and as a family if one member stutters. But a parent can only do so much if the problem is getting out of hand. For that, you will need to see a specialist who is trained in various techniques to help treat the disorder. This person is known as a speech language pathologist.

Before treatment is done, the pathologist will have to do ask you some questions. There will be one on one interaction between the specialist and the child. You will also have to keep a journal as to how often the stuttering occurs. There is no cure or one treatment that works so this is done through trial and error.

When you look for speech language pathologist, make sure that he or she is a licensed professional certified by the state and by ASHA or American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. You can also get a referral from the Stuttering Foundation of America, a nearby university, hospital or clinic.

Ways of helping stuttering kids

2010-01-01T06:47:00.001-08:00

Stuttering is a very common problem in the world today. There are millions of people in the world today suffering from stuttering and they need our help.
But to help these people—especially the kids—we must first understand how stuttering affects them. In finding out how kids are affected by stuttering then we can formulate a good way of helping stuttering kids.

Awareness is a must

To better help kids with stutters we must first know what stuttering is. "Stuttering" or "stammering" in modern medicine is described as a speech impediment that involuntarily disrupts the flow of normal speech. Normally, some words, sounds, and syllables are repeated in a specific pattern such as "li-li-like this", or prolonged excessively such as "lllllike this".

Oftentimes, it could also be that there are abrupt stoppages or absence of sounds of sounds and syllables at all. And in some cases, especially in kids, they usually stutter from the beginning of a word or phrase and there are also those who show difficulties at the end of the word/s.

The next step to help kids that stutter is to know what causes stuttering. Studies show that the causes of this speech impediment range from virtually unidentifiable at all to genetic and inherited reasons. More and more experts believe that genetics could cause stuttering because there are cases that this speech problem runs in the whole family.

Some scientists also say stress—along with rejection, anxiety, and other negative emotions—can be related to stuttering because these contribute a lot on how kids express themselves.

Another possible of stuttering is the stage of language development. This theory says that stuttering may be caused by a developmental recession when small children who are learning to talk find it hard to express themselves fluidly—especially when it comes to expressing their needs. But, as they grow older, many kids overcome this kind of stuttering with proper encouragement from parents and siblings as well as support and motivation from teachers and peers.

There is also a theory, which says that stuttering is neurogenic—meaning the connection between the brain and the muscles are disrupted somewhere along its path. Experts say that this can cause stuttering especially to people who have suffered from cardiac arrests, repeated strokes and even mild heart attacks. This is more applicable to older people but can appear in kids who have accidents, which can cause brain injury, and underwent medical procedures or operation.

After knowing the possible reason, you can now look for alternative—which comes in the form of therapies. Today, there are many therapies available that may improve stuttering, but at the present time there is no cure. In treating cases of developmental stuttering, therapy generally involves helping the parents to restructure the child's speaking environment to reduce episodes of stuttering.

Other suggestions for treating kids suffering from speech impediments such as stuttering is providing a relaxed speaking environment with few distractions, practicing attentive listening, and refraining from being critical about the child's condition. For other types of stuttering, medication may be prescribed, or electronic devices may be used to improve fluency.

Some therapies focus on relearning how to speak, or in unlearning faulty ways of speaking. To find the best course of action, it is best to consult with a competent speech and language pathologist first.

Understanding stuttering

2010-01-01T06:29:00.001-08:00

There are a lot of times when we encounter people with speech impediments. Some are brought about by stress, some are brought about by after surgery wounds and some are from birth.
These impediments vary from lisps, stuttering, stammering and hairlips. Some are easily curable but some may just as be psychological in symptoms and causes. Understanding it needs a lot of open mindedness and patience.

What is stuttering?

One of the major speech impediments that haunts people—both young and old—nowadays is stuttering. Stuttering refers to an impediment in speech. This is accompanied by symptoms like repeating or prolonged syllabication of a word, repetition of a single syllable or repetition of whole phrases or stopping anytime during the utterance of a sentence and sometimes it also involves not producing the sound for a certain syllable, word or sentence.

There are a lot of factors involved in the worsening or alleviation of a persons stuttering. Most of the time environmental factors, human intervention, drugs and other things and situations around a person's living space or environment, of these factors affect stuttering adversely. In most cases it causes stuttering to occur more often and in extended periods.

Factors like stress, fatigue, over excitement and nervousness can effectively make stuttering in a person worse. Other than these situations in which you are put on the spot, situations where you are asked to publicly speak in front of an audience. Or it could be worsen by asking to explain on the spot or generally speaking about things that you have little knowledge of. Generally, stuttering becomes a defense mechanism in people that are put in an embarrassing situation or situation that would make them feel rejection. And essentially when people are in a state of relaxation they become less prone to any stuttering.

People of all ages can fall victim to stuttering. In adults the effects of stuttering are rooted early in their lives, but as adults stuttering completely affect their social skills and their adult lives in general. People—adults—with stutters are often times put to the sidelines because when the need to speak up arises they are burdened by their stuttering. Aside from the fact that it is difficult for them to have a normal relationship with other people, this is because communication is hindered by the person's stutter.

Stuttering develops early on in a person's life. It is especially common with developing children, usually at the time when they are learning how to speak; this is usually at the age of 2 up to 5 years old. While most of the to time majority of children outgrow the problem of stuttering on their own, yet there are those who bring with them stuttering in their late toddler years. For the children who were not able to outgrow the problem of stuttering there are specialized doctors and facilities that offer speech therapy. These therapies help children with stuttering problems live a normal life that is free from stuttering.

There are studies that show that the living conditions at home play a big role in the development and the discontinuing of stuttering in children and in adults. Since the root cause of stuttering in all ages is stress and anxiety, it is highly recommended for parents and family members to have an open mind about children that stutter.

Understanding where they are coming from and building confidence in the child guarantees for them that they will win the fight against stuttering.

The stuttering miracle cure

2010-01-01T06:25:00.001-08:00

People who suffer form stuttering have been looking for the miracle cure for stuttering ever since stuttering was discovered.
People have been crossing oceans to find the stuttering miracle cure to no avail. There is o miracle cure for stuttering but there are therapies and treatments that are available for people who suffer stuttering and who are looking for a cure.

For years and years people thought that there is no cure or people would never be able to rid themselves of the stuttering sickness that they endure. Well, like most speech impediments stuttering has a cure though it is not a miracle cure that takes away stuttering overnight rather a series of carefully laid out steps that take time to take effect. Because of the time tolling nature of this cure it is highly recommended for the individuals that are trying to rid themselves of stuttering to be patient and understanding.

The treatments and drugs that can be used to cure stuttering

There is no medicinal cure for stuttering. Since most children develop stuttering at an early age most of them outgrow it before it becomes and actual burden to the child, because of this stuttering in children requires no special therapy and treatments. But in any case that the child reaches the age of five and still has problems regarding their stuttering the parents should see a speech therapist of a developmental pediatrician to consult if the child's stuttering is still within comfort zones.

In most cases of adult stuttering it has been found that they developed stuttering as children and never outgrew it because of the lack of professional help and treatment.

Experts' advice

Speech therapists' claim that good practice can cure people of their stutters even without the help of a trained professional, all they need to do is follow a few simple exercises/ tips to make sure that they out grow the burdens of a stutter.

1. Good posture at all times. Having a god posture is the key to eliminate speech impediments in both young and old. It is particularly effective for people who tend to slur their words when they speak. Slurring of words can be closely associated with stuttering because of the slow production of sounds that words have. Though similar in some aspects some speech therapists' claim that having a good posture may not be enough to make sure that a person can get rid of their stutter. Though there is scientific basis that relates stuttering to bad posture there is still nothing bad to have you shoulders rolled back and your chin up.

2. Push out your stomach when producing the sounds of the letters b,d,g,k, and v. Some experts say that most of the stuttered on letters are the letters that are listed above, they say that reasons for it is because of the air pushing nature of the sounds of the letters that make it difficult for some people to say correctly thus creating a stuttering effect on the letters and the words containing the letters.

3. Breathing in deeply. Deep breaths are essential to speech because air flow controls the sound production of letters in the words. Keeping your body aligned by breathing in and out properly makes it easier for the body to control the flow of air out of the mouth. Another reason relates to how air relaxes the muscles of our body.

Pressure and anxiety are key factors to stuttering and with more air that we take in the less stressed our muscles become.

The Lidcombe Program Can Help Treat Stuttering During the Pre-School Years

2010-01-01T06:21:00.001-08:00

There are a lot of techniques that can help children who stutter. One example of this is the Lidcombe program.
The Lidcombe program was developed to treat stuttering in children below the age of 6. It is based on a body of laboratory-operant condition research and is done in two stages. In the first stage the objective is to stop the child from stuttering. The second is to reinforce the first so this can be maintained for a longer period.

The Lidcombe program was developed in Australia and used widely in Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Some are already using this in the United States, South African and several non-English speaking countries.

What makes the Lidcombe program so different from others is the fact that this is conducted by parents and not a speech language pathologist. This person is still there and his or her job is simply to teach the parents how to do this treatment.

Treatment using the Lidcombe program is very direct. This means directly giving feedback to the child about their speech. There is no negative feedback when this is being done with a child. If the child does not make any mistakes, the parent will reply “ no bumps there” or “that was lovely smooth talking.” However if the child stutters, the parents will acknowledge it and say “that was a stuck word” or “ try it again without the stuck word.” The parent does not have to give feedback each time the child speaks but chooses specific times.

A daily log is also used so the parent will be able to measure the child’s progress. The scale is from 0 to 10. If the child was rated a 0, this means this it was a stutter free day. Should the child score 10, then there was severe stuttering.

At the end of each week, the child, parent and speech language pathologist will examine the scores of the previous week.

As mentioned earlier, the Lidcombe program is comprised of two stages. When the child maintains a low stutter score, this is the time that stage 2 begins.

Treatment for the Lidcombe program varies and this depends on the child. But on average, most children move to stage 2 after 11 visits to the clinic.

The key to the Lidcombe program’s success is the positive support of both parents and children. This is because treatment is done in a comfortable environment namely the home and the one who is treating the child is either the mother or the father.

Parents who want to try the Lidcombe program should remember that this treatment must never interfere with the child’s communication. It should be a part of the child’s everyday life so you don’t need to set a time and place.

It will take some time to learn which is why from time to time, the speech language pathologist will visit the home to make sure the parents are doing it correctly.

The success of the Lidcombe program lies in the hands in the parents. Once they are able to master the skills that are taught to them, only then will the child be able tor reduce the number of times he or she stutters. If you have a child who stutters beyond six years of age, another program has to be used because this can only work for children in their pre-school years.

The emotional effects of stuttering on children

2010-01-01T06:18:00.001-08:00

Many people don’t realize it but stuttering greatly affects the emotional state of a person, especially that of a child. The emotional effects of stuttering on children alone are very much devastating on his or her emotional health. Not only that, stuttering unfavorably affects not just a child's social skills but his or her communication skills as well.

Because of stuttering, many kids think that making friends and building relationships become very disappointing and sometimes traumatizing. Having to live through stuttering at this stage in a person's life is very awkward and painful. Friends also don't come easy for children with stutters according to research kids with a stutter often have to cope up with bullying from peers and classmates.

Studies say that 40 percent of school-aged kids who suffer from stuttering reveal that they been a victim of teasing, bullying, name-calling and worst of all, experienced physical harassment because of their condition. They confess that just because they don't speak too well, other kids simply don’t respect them and don’t listen when they try to say something. The tendency of this inability to express one's self is for stuttering kids to be introverts, always veering away from crowds who might judge and tease them.

Majority of school administrators also agrees that children that stutter are bullied 82 percent of the time inside the classroom, within the school vicinity, and even outside the school premises. This is because many kids without speech problems try to make fun of them especially when there's no adult nearby.

Kids get their self-confidence and esteem from the people around them, people like their families, authority figures or people outside their family unit that they look up to and of course their localized peer group. As children become more mature, the influence that their friends have on them steadily increases and the need to be part of a bigger stratum in society becomes more prevalent.

Children suffering from stuttering are often set aside and picked last or not picked at all to join any of the related activities of a certain group. This makes them feel that they are unwanted, resulting to low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence, mood swings, lack of initiative, depression attacks, and a weak personality in the long run.

What can be done?

Parents and teachers can greatly help a lot to lessen the emotional effects on shuttering on children. This is because they can directly affect how the child with stuttering problems think and socialize with others.

For parents, they should always give their full support to their kids that suffer from stuttering no matter what. They should be able to explain to their kids what is their condition, its causes, how it happens, and what could be done about it to make kids feel that they are not alone in dealing with the problem. Parents must always provide their kids an environment that where they can feel safe, loved, and nurtured for them to overcome the condition at their own pace.

Teachers can also play a big role in helping minimize the effects of stuttering on kids. This is by extending a helping hand and more patience to child in the school setting. Teachers must realize that kids who stutter tend to lose self esteem quickly so they must do something to make the child understand that he or she is not inferior compared to other classmates.

Stuttering Treatment for School Aged Kids

2010-01-01T06:16:00.001-08:00

Stuttering treatment for school aged kids is different from the one used on preschoolers. This is because the objectives for both are different. The goal for preschoolers is simply to help the child develop fluent “normal” speech. For school aged children, the goal is to treat what causes stuttering.
Another thing that school aged kids need to do is learn to control their physical behavior whenever they stutter. The eyes usually blink while the body or the head shakes. School aged kids need to improve on that too so the type of therapy they need does not only focus on fluency.

For that, you will need to bring your child to a speech language pathologist who is comfortable working with kids at their age. They have to be certified and licensed as well so if you don’t know where to find one, look online and visit the website of the Stuttering Foundation of America.

There is no cure for stuttering. In fact, each case is different which is why treatment for school aged kids has to be customized. This begins of course by bringing your kid to the clinic so the speech language pathologist can make a diagnosis.

Whichever treatment is used, the objective is the same and that is to ensure kids who stutter are able to communicate effectively and freely. Given that there is no cure for this disorder, you cannot expect that the child will be 100% fluent.

What you should expect is that your kid will be able to deal effectively with stuttering so it will not prevent them from communicating.

So how does stuttering treatment work for kids? This involves many components. One example which is very common is that when kids stutter, there exists physical tension and disruptions in timing.

If this is the case, the speech language pathologist may use one of several techniques such as easy onsets, easy speech, easy starts, slow speech and smooth movements. It will be a trial and error phase until such time that the most effective technique is found.

Physical tension is normal whenever the person feels stuck. The only solution is to learn how to relax but this is easier said than done given that when the kid is in a moment of stuttering, things get worse. One technique is to let the kid accept the fact that this disorder is not going away. There is no cure so there is n point in fighting it.

Strange as it may seem, this strategy works because the kid no longer feels scared about how people will react. Studies have shown that this leads to less stuttering and more effective communication.

Treating school aged kids for stuttering takes time and there are many things that the specialist has to consider before recommending the proper treatment. You as a parent should do your share by working together with the specialist and at the same time reinforce the lessons with love and support at home.

School aged kids who do not get proper help for stuttering will have problems for the remainder of their lives. They will not be able to socialize properly and always avoid opportunities in which they are given the chance to speak. They are in short, missing out on a lot of things that are good for their development.

Stuttering Treatment for Adults

2010-01-01T06:15:00.001-08:00

Don’t you think you are too old to stutter? Well, believe it or not, some people who are already adults still have this problem.
While many young children are able to outgrow stuttering with or without treatment, this is different for adults because this has already been going on for many years. But this doesn’t mean you should give up because there are some people who do with a little modification in the techniques used. But there is a danger because adults who get used to it may soon experience a relapse.

This brings the important question. Should practitioners who are teaching adults focus on how to help the clients improve their speech or should they help the client accept the fact that this is permanent.

Some experts will go one way while others will go with the other. The more challenging one is improving one’s fluency because this involves speech modification. Examples of these include easier beginnings, fluency shaping, prolonged speech and reduced speaking rate as well as pausing.

If you want to accept stuttering, a very popular technique is called stuttering modification therapy. It is done in four stages namely identification, desensitization, modification and stabilization.

In identification, you recognize the events that cause you to stutter. In the second stage, whenever you are able to speak, you already tell the public already to bear with you because you have a stuttering problem. In modification, you learn to talk and stop. This gives you time to look ahead for easier words to use. The last stage is an extended version of the third because you are already an expert and you occasionally stutter.

There is also fluency shaping therapy which teaches you to speak with relaxed breathing, articulation and vocal folds. You learn to breathe using your diaphragm, gently increase vocal fold tension when you start a word and stretch vowels. You will speak slower but at least your language is fluent.

Should you have a stuttering problem, you should be the one to decide which way to go. Yes you will be the one who will find a specialist so you have the right to dictate what you want to achieve when you get help.

But some doctors will not accept that and do their best to try and integrate the two. This means combining fluency techniques with those that will make the speaker accept that this is a part of his or her life.

Some adults have resorted to electronic devices that are designed to change how the speaker hears his own voice. The three most common are delayed auditory feedback, frequency shifted auditory feedback and masking auditory feedback.

The first two reduce stuttering from 70% to 80% and this is without the use of any training or therapy. No studies yet have evaluated the third device but it shows promise because it can pull users out of silent blocks.

Adults can also take a pill to help reduce stuttering which is better known as dopamine antagonist medications. The problem with using them is that there are severe side effects and it reduces stuttering by only 50%.

Unlike other disorders, there is no one sure fire solution to treat stuttering. The technique used in one patient may not work for the other. Given that you are much older, instead of working on fluency or just accepting it, you can bring balance between the two. As a result, you become a better speaker with occasional stuttering.

Stuttering Brain – Explaining the Connection

2010-01-01T06:13:00.001-08:00

Stuttering may be hard to be dealt with by adults, especially when they can’t get the jobs that they want simply because they don’t have enough confidence or the right approach to be able to express their thoughts.
But just imagine how this situation affects children who are only starting to spread their wings and socialize only to be ridiculed because of the condition that they have. Ones stuttering brain and words will have a great impact on one’s life if they will not get the proper treatment and actions to try and cure the condition.

On Your Mind

It may be amazing to see this condition being able to sing fluently, even read aloud with such ease and talk to oneself with not so much of fumbling. What does this prove? Up to this date, studies are still being conducted to strengthen the claims and proofs to relate one’s stuttering to something that has gone bad on their brains.

But is this really all on your mind? In Minnesota, researchers proved that more than the emotional anxieties that a person who stutters goes through, what gravely affects the condition are the irregularities in the composition and anatomical being of their brain areas which directly affect language and speech patterns.

It was also published on the scientific journal called the Neurology, owned by the American Academy of Neurology that there are evidences leading to the conclusion that the brain affects the speech patterns. They published the first findings about how the specific brains areas that are responsible for such patterns affect and puts the person at risk of developing the condition.

Different Studies

Specialists continue on finding explanations and solutions about the root of this condition. Anne Foundas, MD of Tulane University in New Orleans conducted a study. She tested 16 patients with unrelenting PDS or persistent developmental stuttering and 16 with controlled cases of stuttering. She used MRI scans for this purpose to measure these people’s brains. She found out that all patients with PDS have significantly bigger right and left temporal lobes and the shapes of their brains contain irregularities than with those who can control their condition.

Your Call

If you have a child who is suffering from stuttering, you cannot just sit comfortably at your homes while waiting for these studies to be completed. These studies can give evidences or might also strengthen the beliefs that you already have about the condition of your child. But you can help in your own way by observing and determining other factors which might worsen your child’s situation.

1. Look at their environment. Where do they usually go? How do people react to their situation? The way these people respond to your child will also affect how your child responds to them. So if you can still intervene to make the situation lighter and better for your child, then do so. It is your responsibility as a parent. And you will be helping your child in the process.

2. Observe their social skills. Your child might be feeling intimidated when associating with other people, especially those with strong personalities. Maybe you can make the process easier for them by preparing them as to what to expect once they have met with certain people with different attitudes and skills.

3. If the problem all lies in the stuttering brain, do your part in healing your child. If studies haven’t progressed that much about this field, you can opt for other ways like speech therapies and the like to control the situation while you still can.

Stuttering Brain – Explaining the Connection

2010-01-01T04:16:00.001-08:00

Some Important Notes about Stuttering

2010-01-01T04:08:00.001-08:00

What do you know about stuttering? Everybody experiences this at times, especially when the pressure is on and the stress is becoming too much to bear.
But this is actually a medical condition which symptoms include repetition, stumbling on words while speaking and far out hesitation as to go on with the thought or not.

The Factors
This case is very likely to run in families. But until now, it is still unclear how the genetic factors affect the condition and how important are these in such case. Another source that experts are looking into is the neurological area. There are some evidences that points to this as the source of the situation.

The Stages

You will notice that little kids do stutter. But they only do so for a short period of time. Only a little percentage from such case will develop the situation into something of a medical condition. They usually go from repeating consonants or having a hard time starting out their thoughts into repeating of words, phrases and sentences. Studies show that this will likely to develop more on males than females on the adulthood phase.

The situation is a passing phase on children's lives. This is more common on ages 3 to 5. It will return to normal once the person has developed their speech patterns as well as their confidence. Too much fuss about the situation will only make the situation worse. This will make the person who has this self conscious to the point that they will think about it too much and that will only make the situation worse.

But a person who has this will often be able to overcome the situation or the sickness, if they are alone and talking to themselves or if they are singing. They will also find themselves being able to overcome the condition when they are reading aloud.

The Treatment

A person who is experiencing this kind of problem no longer needs to be examined to know that something is wrong because it is very evident with the way they talk. Check ups will follow up if more than having speech difficulty, other conditions arise.

As the earlier cases of people who tend to stutter have likely been resolved on their own and happen only on a short term period of time. That is why there is not one best cure for this condition. But studies are still being done as well as the observation of people who have this. But if the problem becomes uncontrollable, then you may need to go through speech therapy.

The Setbacks

People who always stutter tend to shy away from other people. As a result, their social skills are being affected in a negative way. Children fear the fact that other people will make fun of them and that they will be ridiculed. If parents will not intervene at such point, children may tend not to speak at all. And this must be avoided.

So when stuttering is already affecting the person on a different level, like they cannot concentrate on school or they cannot make friends in fear of the consequence, consult a medical expert about this. Do not wait for your child to miss out on the glee moments that they must experience just because they have a difficulty in communicating their thoughts.

Some Facts about Stuttering and Drugs for a Cure

2010-01-01T04:06:00.001-08:00

Many experts continue their studies about stuttering and drugs for a cure up to this time. But up to now, this remains to be an unsolved case and a mystery to many, especially the people who are suffering from the condition. Many parents resort to speech therapy. Other adults stay away from the public light to avoid scrutiny.
But we are used to a comfortable and easy life. Thanks to the ever developing technology and science. You may not be used at hearing about an area where there is no definite answer as to how to remedy the situation. But this is really the case with regards to stuttering.

There are a lot of studies being done and have been conducted, as well as researches and tests about this medical condition. But the researches have been taking many routes because the roots of the problem are not that clear yet. There are studies that point to the brain as the main culprit. These show that there are some irregularities at the anatomy of the brain that control the speech pattern.

Many people also point to the emotional toots of the problem. Many people who are experiencing turmoil with regards to their feelings often cannot express their thoughts well. This can be brought about by a lot of factors.

For example, when you are in love and you have to tell the other person about how you feel for the first time, you will feel jitters on your whole system that may cause you to stutter. On presentations, whether it is for a business or academic type, when it is time for you to tell many people about what you have practiced for a time, the pressure will get into you that may also cause the stuttering.

This is also true when you have a stage fright but you have to perform in front of many, your fear will surely affect your performance that may also affect how you relay what you have to say.

The Medicines
The medicines available for this condition may be few. But the good news is that there are really drugs which you can turn to when the problem becomes too incontrollable. But the sad news about this is that these meds do not necessarily have the same effect on different people. Not everybody will react to the drugs positively. Most of them say that the drugs can only lessen the stuttering up to 50 percent.

So how do you know if the drugs work? If you suffer from the condition, the only way to know if the drugs available are effective is for you to try and experience their effects on your system. It is still a trial and error process that you have to take in order to alleviate the effects of stuttering.

Here is a list of the known drugs which you can try to lessen the effects of your condition and the drugs that you should be careful about.

1. Anti-dopamine medicines. This drug is known for its effects to suppress and stifle stuttering. The reason for this is that the brains of stutterers were found to have high levels of dopamine. The known brands for this purpose are Haldol, Zyprexa and Risperdal. These three are known to have worked to many stutterers.

2. Be careful in using Prozac and Zoloft. These two can aggravate the situation because these tend to increase the dopamine levels on your brain.

Make sure to read a lot about stuttering and drugs for a cure topic before you commit yourself to your chosen therapy. This way, you are assured that you are very much aware about what you will be getting yourself into.

Solving stuttering

2010-01-01T04:02:00.001-08:00

We often encounter in our lives people who have speech impediments. But the most common among these speech impediments is stuttering, a condition which, is caused by stress and anxiety starting from the person's developmental stages.
In fact, studies show that more and more adults and kids suffer from speech impediments such as stuttering because it is not addressed properly during the early stages of growth.

As these kids grow up, stuttering becomes a problem because it hinders them from communicating properly not only with their peers but to people across all age brackets. People who stutter often times find it hard to communicate with people that can speak normally because they are afraid of rejection, it's up to people who are lucky enough to speak clearly to understand these people who are not as good as them with words.

Day-to-day struggle due to stuttering

Stuttering is indeed a very serious problem for young and old people. With stuttering problems, simple daily tasks like saying their names when somebody asks for it, answering the telephone for a call or making a phone call, giving out directions for people asking, asking for specific instructions, and even ordering a meal from a fast-food store can be hugely disappointing and frustrating.

People who suffer from stuttering experience being ostracized in the society just because they cannot speak well. This inability of self expression makes other people irritated at times so the tendency is for the stutter to veer away from the crowd as much as possible. In a school setting, studies show that other children who don't have problems in speech are bullying almost 90 percent of kids who are stuttering.

This bullying happens everywhere—inside the classroom during a recitation, inside the canteen during recess or snack break, within the campus during break hours, and even outside the school when classes are over. This is because many kids find stuttering funny and they would want to make fun of stutters without realizing its adverse effects on their peers.

In work places, adults who stutter also experience the same kind of exclusion. Many people don’t usually mingle with stutters because they feel that it's such a waste of time talking to somebody who cannot express him or herself freely and fluidly. The tendency is that the person who suffers from stuttering will become an introvert, avoiding crowds and people just to be spared from being teased and ridiculed.

What the society can do

The components of the society can play a major role in solving the stuttering problems among kids and adults. First of all, the parents themselves can greatly help their kids overcome this condition by giving them guidance and all kinds of support that they need. Parents must make their kids understand that stuttering does not make them less of a person and that they should not feel intimated by others.

Parents must also emphasize that a child's dreams, desires, and talents should determine the focus of their future and not their stuttering. When parents motivate their children to dream high and have high hopes for the future, when they tell their kids that even the most successful people are sick in a way just like them—the kids will be encouraged to do better and be better in all aspects of their lives.

For teachers, they should always make the child feel secure and understood whenever he or she is inside the classroom. They should avoid pressuring the child who is stuttering because the more pressure he or she feels the bigger room for mistake there is. Teachers should always act as the second parents of children in school, providing them all the support, care, and understanding they need.

The society at large can also greatly help people who are suffering from stuttering by giving them proper respect and treating them as normal people who equally deserve the rights and freedom they enjoy.

Neurogenic Stuttering, Other Symptoms and Causes

2010-01-01T04:01:00.001-08:00

Neurogenic stuttering is caused when some nerves would not respond how the brain wants them to. This is only one of the causes that is being looked into by endless studies that are being done regarding the matter.

What is Stuttering?

This is a speech disorder that can happen with children and adults alike. When a person stutters, the natural flow of the words spoken are being disrupted by so many repetition of syllables, words or phrases. Other people who have this condition prolong sounds that they hear or sounds that are part of the speech that they want to say.

The other symptoms of serious stuttering include rapid blinking of the eyes. The lips and jaw are also seen tensed. The upper body of the stutterer also experiences tremors when they can’t get across what they really want to say.

Although different studies have already been done about this subject, it is still a mystery in the world of medicine. But the experiments are continuously going on. So if you are a stutterer or you know someone who has this condition, you must not feel that there is no hope because the fact of the matter is that the experts aren’t stopping in learning its roots, causes and the medications that can aid such condition.

Stuttering and stammering is the same. But this condition is different from other speech problems such as spasmodic dysphonia and cluttering.

What remains to be a mystery with stammering is that the person who has this condition can clearly be understood when they read aloud, talk to oneself and sing. The condition are often directed towards the brain. Experts said that the brain areas that handle the speech patterns are often disfigured on people who have this sickness.

But you need not worry about the intelligence of a person who is a stutterer. This aspect is not affected by the condition. And they must be reminded about this important note. If a person feels pressured about how the society reacts to their condition, they might tend to shy away from the public’s eye and scrutiny.

In America alone, about three million of its population suffers from stuttering. The situation usually becomes apparent when a child reaches the age of two up to five or six years old. If nothing is done to remedy or lessen the situation, it will become serious as the person grows old and matures.

So if you are a parent of a child with this condition, make sure that you provide them with support and proper speech therapy. If you want to feel enlightened about the situation, here are some people who have suffered from the condition but have surpassed its negative consequences. These people are known as best speakers in the world who suffered the condition during their childhood. These include Mel Tillis, Bruce Willis, James Earl Jones and Carly Simon.

There is hope for people to overcome this obstruction. You just have to have the right support from your loved ones. You must also be exposed to the right set of friends. You must thrive in an environment that can accept you regardless of your condition. And you must also be in constant search for drugs, medicines and therapies that can help alleviate and cure the condition.

Neurogenic stuttering also happens when a person is hit by a stroke and other form of sickness that may injure the brain. When this happens, the therapy will surely alleviate the problem.

Is there a miracle cure for stuttering among kids?

2010-01-01T03:58:00.001-08:00

Most of the time people look for easy fixes and miracle cures for a lot of different illness and diseases. In a lot of instances people are asking to be rid of their sickness without really understanding what the symptoms and causes of the illness is.
People are easy to think that a miracle cure can help them save the day. The truth is the no miracle cure for AIDS, there is no wonder drug for HIV and as true as those two truths can be, there is no cure for stuttering.

Stuttering is a speech impediment that causes a person to repeat or prolong the syllables, a word or a single phrase in their statement. This is often caused by severe anxiety, over excitement, self consciousness, embarrassment and stress. People who are put in a hot seat situation often times stutter and stammer for the words to say. People who experience stuttering may experience it as a self-defense mechanism. Adults who have most likely developed stuttering as a defense mechanism also suffer from low self esteem, lack of self confidence, weak personality and weak communication skills.

Most of the time children who have developed stuttering outgrow it in their early toddler years. Children develop stuttering at the time that they are just about learning how to speak. The reason behind is that they are yet to be familiarized with the different textures of sound and they are comfortable in reciting the words or phrases that they find most convenient to them.

Children who are well observed and guided outgrow stuttering without any problems, but for children who do not out grow stuttering there are some factors that contribute to it. One may be the child's confusion in the language usage. Multi-lingual families often have this kind of setback in the speech development of a child, especially when the child is exposed to different words of different etymologies. Families having and using different dialects or languages to communicate makes it difficult for a child to learn which one language they need to use.

Another problem or factor is the child's ability to receive proper coaching and encouragement from parents, children who are rarely monitored by parents often never over come their stuttering because no one was there to help them out. Stuttering in adults causes serious social issues, all of it could have been detected and taken care of as children when they were developing.

For parents, finding the time to stimulate and motivate your children to develop their esteem and their communication skills helps a lot in changing the way people talk. People with stutters of ten need help early on.

Lastly, one of the major factors that contribute to development of stuttering is the refusal of parents to submit their children to professional help. Some parents, especially those with close minds find it a disgrace to them as parents to have a child with defects. Considering the lack of communication skills in a child is considerable defect which constitutes to abnormality. Though a rarity nowadays people who are stuck in the medieval times still think it is god's punishment to have children with defects.

The real cure for stuttering is knowledge and understanding, there are a lot of speech therapy classes and facilities that specialize in helping people with stutters live a normal life and all it takes is for people to understand.

How to spot a Stuttering Stanley

2010-01-01T03:56:00.001-08:00

People with stuttering problems are easy to pinpoint in crowd, usually there are the ones who hide in their shells and never try to open up to people. Usually they keep to themselves or stay in a corner out of attention's way. We don't even have to know what the symptoms are, we just need to be observant enough to spot them from a distance. The main reason they stay in the dark is because they don't want people making fun of them or their stutter. It is understandable enough that these people only want to live a normal life but because of their stutter they have a hard time having one.

If people can still remember the movie about a kid who thinks he is a freak because he can see ghosts. Of course we can't mention it proactively but we are going to use it as a reference to the point we are trying to get to, if one can remember the teacher who scolds the kid for not paying attention. He has a problem with nervous stuttering or stuttering triggered by nervous reaction and anxiety.

When the boy mentions the incident when the teacher was back in elementary school they used to call him "stuttering Stanley", the teacher in his anxiety and nervousness starts to stutter to himself words and phrases that is meant to clam him down. But when the boy kept on repeating what the teacher's class used to call him with he snaps and with a stuttering tone he tells the kid "shut up you freak!" clearly a statement made out of anxiety and pressure.

This is the kind of burden people who suffer from stuttering have to deal with every single day of their lives, yes it's easy to tell them that you need to see a speech therapists to straighten out your tongue or you need to go through this kind of anxiety therapy to over come you stutter. Even though the therapies and the treatments are for their own good sometimes these people are reluctant to adhere to them because they find it embarrassing and shameful to admit to the fact that they have this kind of problem. With out the proper support group and emotional encouragement these people would go on their lives having the label of stuttering Stanley.

How do we spot people that need our help?

Look for the signs and the signals. First off all, to help these people we have to avoid calling stuttering a sickness or say that the signals are symptoms. People with stuttering issues usually have confidence issues as well. So let's not dampen their already wet spirits.

Be aware of what you need to look out for. People need to be educated about what exactly it is they are trying to find., you wouldn't just go out and catch fish without knowing how to. First of all, know the signs of stuttering, the signs and signals of stuttering are:

- Speech. A person suffers from stuttering when he or she person is having a hard time starting a word, sentence or phrase, there is repetition or prolonging of a sound, syllable or word, and difficulty in pronouncing certain letters;

- Physical signs. The person who has speech problem such as stuttering experiences a succession of rapid eye blinks, trembling and tremors of the lips or jaw, and the involuntary tension, tightness or movement of the face or upper body.

How to Overcome Stuttering

2010-01-01T03:54:00.001-08:00

Stuttering is a disorder not a disease. No one knows why it happens but it can be treated. Did you know that some of the most famous people in the world once stuttered? Yes it’s true and this happened years before the world ever head of them. But stuttering can also happen later on in life. The question now is how to overcome stuttering.
Since you are not a kid anymore, don’t expect your parents to be the ones to get you some help. This is something you are going to have to do yourself and you have to do whatever it takes to improve your speech abilities. You may need to get professional help which was not available years ago and try various techniques to find that right one that works.

The professional you should consult with it a speech language pathologist because he or she has the experience to deal with such a disorder. When you go looking for one, make sure he has a certificate from ASHA or American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and has passed the state licensure exam. Once he is able to assess your condition, only then will he be able to recommend the right treatment.

Someone once said that the greatest “fear is fear itself.” If you let your fear take control, you will not be able to achieve any progress with the various techniques given by the specialist. You just have to bite the bullet and remember that you are working to become a better person.

While you are still “a work in progress,” you should be able to keep your stuttering within manageable limits. If you have to talk slowly, go ahead because again, this is much better than repeating a letter or word several times which, others may find annoying. On times that the fear gets the better of you, think nothing of it and try to control it much better next time.

Action speaks louder than words and this is so true when you have a stuttering problem. If one form of therapy does not work, tell your doctor about it so something new can be attempted. Role play is quite effective in this case so you just have to practice some scenarios so you are comfortable with it when its time to face the real thing.

Patience is one virtue you really need to control your stuttering. This is because the problem will not go away overnight. The progress which you hope for can only be achieved by the amount of effort you put in. Your determination or motivation should not be to impress others but to improve who you are. Yes there will be setbacks but this should drive you to work harder.

If you have patience and have the determination to become a better person, you also have a feeling of self worth. This is because your stuttering problem has not controlled your life and you are taking steps to control it. Stuttering may be your flaw but if you are able to show your other qualities, this will not really matter.

We are not perfect and all of us have our own deficiency of some sort. We can let others feel sorry for ourselves or we can make the best of what we have and put some humor into it because we should be able to be happy and enjoy the rest of our lives.