Drug Link To Sunburn Risk

The claim: Some types of medication can raise the risk of sunburn.

The facts: Most people know what precautions to take to protect their skin at the beach: slather on the sunscreen, reapply as needed and take breaks in the shade as often as possible.

              However, few people know that a number of common medication can intensify the effects of sunlight, greatly raising the risk of burning, getting rashes and other skin problems, even after a short time out in the sun.

              Studies show that this can happen in at least two ways.

              The first, known as a photoallergic reaction, occurs when a certain medicine or substance is applied to the skin.

              Ultraviolet light from the sun transforms the substance in a way that provokes the immune system, leading to irritated skin and eczema-like rashes. The onset of visible symptoms is usually delayed from 24 hours to several days.

              Far more common is a phenomenon called phototoxic reaction. It occurs when a person ingests the drug or substance in question, then spends time in the sun.

              Exposing the skin to ultraviolet rays excites molecules of the ingested substance, causing damage to skin tissue – severe redness and sunburn, for example – that is almost immediately apparent.

              The list of drugs that can cause sun sensitivity is long, but among the most common culprits are antibiotics like tetracycline, certain antihistamines and topical antimicrobials.

              The best remedy is either to limit the use of the offending substance or to take extra precautions, like wearing protective clothing.

The bottom line: Many drugs can raise a person’s sensitivity to sunlight.

- The New York Times 

Bitterness A Destructive Emotion

You know them. I know them. And, increasingly, psychiatrists know them. People who feel they have been wronged by someone and are so bitter they can barely function other than to ruminate about their circumstances.

This behaviour is so common – and so deeply destructive – that some psychiatrists are urging it be identified as a mental illness under the name post-trumatic embitterment disorder. The behaviour was discussed before an enthusiastic audience some time ago at a meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in San Francisco.

The disorder is modelled after post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because it, too, is a response to a trauma that endures. People with PTSD are left fearful and anxious. Embittered people are left seething for revenge.

“They feel the world has treated them unfairly. It’s one step more complex than anger. They’re angry plus helpless,” said Dr Michael Linden, a German psychiatrist who named the behaviour.

Embittered people are typically good people who have worked hard at something important, such as a job, relationship or activity, he said. When something unexpectedly awful happens – they don’t get the promotion, their spouse files for divorce or they fail to make the Olympic team – a profound sense of injustice overtakes them.

Instead of dealing with the loss with the help of family and friends, they cannot let go of the feeling of being victimised. Almost immediately after the traumatic event, they become angry, pessimistic, aggressive, hopeless haters.

“Embitterment is a violation of basic belifes,” Dr Linden said. “It causes a very severe emotional reaction … We are always coping with negative life events. It’s the reaction that varies.”

There are only a handful of studies on the conditon, but psychiatrists at the meeting agreed that much more research is needed on identifying and helping these people.

“These people usually don’t come to treatment because ‘the world has to change, not me,’ “Dr Linden said. “They are almost treatment resistant … Revenge is not a treatment.”

Nevertheless, he suggested that people once known as loving, normal individuals who suddenly snap and kill their family and themselves may have post-traumatic embitterment syndrome. That’s reason enough for researches to study how to treat the destructive emotion of bitterness.

- Los Angeles Times 

Special Friends

No man has a greater host of friends than I. Of an evening, some will take me on high adventure. Through icy blasts and over frozen regions we will journey. I will be numb with cold, and my eyes will ache from the unrelenting glare of sun on eternal white. Then again occasion, in torrid lands we will travel, each cutting and hacking his way through the green hell, as savage eyes peer out at us from the dismal darkness of the shadows. 

Some of these companions of mine, of a night, will choose to leave the confines of this earth. With them I will vault into space. They stop at the moon, push their way through its moribund canyons, and thence they swirl and dance with the nebulae as I breathlessly keep pace. Never a night the same. Others of this host lead me into the past to silently witness sacred ceremonies of the ancients. We dine with Caesar. We fight in the legions of Alexander the Great, or we tarry a while to listen to the deathless words of the sages who are gathered in the shadows of the Parthenon. 

My life is ever a full one, for my friends are full of spirit. Their resourcefulness is the capacity of all human thought and endeavour. These friends are ever near. Their escapades, lives and sentiments are just within the reach of my extended arm, for these friends are the treasured books upon my shelves. At attention they stand, a legion of personalities waiting to leap at my desire and serve my every mood and interest.

- Author Unknown

On Living Longer

Those who are slightly on the heavy side would be please to read the following news. It’s all right to be slightly chubby after all. 

Health experts have long warned of the risk of obesity, but a new Japanese study warns that being very skinny is even more dangerous, and that slightly chubby people live longer.

People who are a little overweight at age 40 live six to seven years longer than very thin people, whose average life expectancy was shorter by some five years than that of obese people, the study found.

"We found skinny people run the highest risk," said Shinichi Kuriyama, an associate professor at Tohoku University's Graduate School of Medicine who worked on the long-term study of middle-aged and elderly people.

"We had expected thin people would show the shortest life expectancy but didn't expect the difference to be this large," he told AFP by telephone.

The study was conducted by a health ministry team led by Tohoku University professor Ichiro Tsuji and covered 50,000 people between the ages of 40 and 79 over 12 years in the northern Japanese prefecture of Miyagi.

"There had been an argument that thin people's lives are short because many of them are sick or smoke. But the difference was almost unchanged even when we eliminated these factors," Kuriyama said.

The main reasons for the shorter lifespan of skinny people were believed to include their heightened vulnerability to diseases such as pneumonia and the fragility of their blood vessels, he said.

But Prof Kuriyama warned he was not recommending people eat as much as they want.

"It's better that thin people try to gain normal weight, but we doubt it's good for people of normal physique to put on more fat," he said.

The study divided people into four weight classes at age 40 according to their body mass index, or BMI, calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by their squared height in metres.

The normal range is 18.5 to 25, with thinness defined as under 18.5. A BMI of 25 to 30 was classed as slightly overweight and an index above 30 as obese.

- Agence France-Presse 

At A Murder Trial

              One of the defence witnesses at a murder trial years ago testified that the accused had not been out of anyone’s sight and had the opportunity to commit murder for a matter of “only two or three minutes.”

              The district attorney then turned to the jury and said, “Gentlemen, here is my watch which I hold before you. We shall all pause, not for three minutes, but for only two minutes, and you may judge what could have been done by the defendant in that space of time.”

              As the jury waited for one hundred and twenty seconds, the time seemed to drag on forever.

              The final verdict: guilty!

Don't Be Fooled By Me

Don't be fooled by me. Don't be fooled by the face I wear. For I wear a thousand masks, masks that I am afraid to take off and none of them are me. Pretending is an art that's second nature with me, but don't be fooled. I give the impression that I am secure, that all is sunny and unruffled with me, within as well as without, that confidence is my name and coolness my game; that the waters are calm and I am in command, and that I need no one. But don't believe me, please. My surface may seem smooth, but my surface is my mask, ever-varying and ever-concealing. 'Neath this lies no complacence. Beneath dwells the real me in confusion, in fear, and aloneness. But I hide this. I don't want anybody to know. I panic at the thought of my weakness and fear of being exposed. That is why I frantically create a mask to hide behind; a nonchalant, sophisticated facade, to help me pretend, to shield me from the glance that knows. But such a glance is precisely my salvation. My only salvation. And I know it. That is, if it is followed by acceptance, if it is followed by love. It is the only thing that will assure me of what I can't assure myself, that I am worth something. But, I don't tell you this. I don't dare. I am afraid to. I am afraid your glance will not be followed by acceptance and love. I am afraid you will think less of me, that you will laugh at me, and that you will see this and reject me. So I play my game, my desperate game, with a facade of assurance without, and a trembling child within. And so begins the parade of masks, and my life becomes a front. I idly chatter to you in the suave tones of surface talk. I tell you everything that is really nothing, and nothing of what is everything, of what is crying within me; So when I am going through my routine do not be fooled by what I am saying. Please listen carefully and try to hear what I am not saying. What I would like to be able to say, what for survival I need to say, but I can't say. I dislike hiding, Honestly! I dislike the superficial game I am playing, the phony game. I would really like to be genuine and spontaneous, and me, but you have got to help me. You have got to hold out your hand, even when that is the last thing I seem to want. Only you can wipe away from my eyes that blank stare of breathing death. Only you can call me into aliveness. Each time you try to understand and because you really care, my heart begins to grow wings, very small wings, very feeble wings, but wings. With your sensitivity and sympathy, and your power of understanding, you can breathe life into me. I want you to know that. I want you to know how important you are to me, how you can be the creator of the person that is me if you choose to. Please choose to. You alone can break down the wall behind which I tremble, you alone can remove my mask. You alone can release me from my shadow world of panic and uncertainty; From my lonely person. Do not pass me by. Please . . . do not pass me by. It will not be easy for you; a long conviction of worthlessness builds strong walls. The nearer you approach me, the blinder I strike back. I fight against the very thing I cry out for. But I am told that love is stronger than walls, and in this lies my hope. Please try to beat down those walls with firm hands, but with gentle hands for a child is very sensitive. Who am I, you may wonder? I am someone you know very well. For I am every man you meet and I am every woman you meet. 

- Charles C. Finn 

Trivia

Here are some facts about the 1500's: However, I can't guarantee the accuracy of all the points. :-)

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled pretty good by June. However, they were starting to smell, so brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odour. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don't throw the baby out with the bath water.”

Houses had thatched roofs - thick straw - piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, “It's raining cats and dogs.” 

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how four-poster canopy beds came into existence. 

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entranceway. Hence the saying “a thresh hold.” 

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme, “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.” 

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, bring home the bacon. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat. 

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust. 

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake. 

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.

Shyness

Another article on Shyness 

A shy person wants very much social success — wants to be liked by other people but is afraid to make the first step. Behind his or her timid behaviour hides an inner storm. Shy people continually think of themselves in a negative way and are excessively preoccupied with what others think of them. Instead of simply meeting and talking with friends, they wildly build plans about how to make a favourable impression on them. At the same time they are so worried that they actually begin to experience physical symptoms of stress — their adrenaline rushes, their heart accelerates and their whole body prepares to flee. 

Shy people should not be confused with introverts — persons who are focused on their inner world, who prefer solitude by their very nature. Introverts know how to be with others, are not afraid to socialize and have a healthy sense of self-esteem which is necessary for successful interaction among people but they are content to be alone. Shy people, however, like very much to be with others but they lack the social skills and the self-esteem to accomplish this. 

Shyness has many unpleasant consequences: it is difficult for shy people to meet people and start new friendships. This frequently leads to loneliness and even depression. Shy people have difficulty thinking clearly in the presence of others. They often behave in a conceited way or as if they are not interested in others while they are simply worried about possible rejection. They constantly obsess about everything associated with their behaviour and appearance. Shy people are so shy that they can be intimidated by their own shyness. Their main trouble is that they spend so much time on their self-preoccupation that they have no time or interest to look outside. (Please note that the shy person may not be conscious of his or her behaviour as described above.) 

On a positive note, shy people frequently have a gift of knowing how to listen to others. It is easy for them to learn to pay attention to and empathize with others. They usually have close and loyal friends who value and respect them. And we always need people who know how to hear us out. 

- Source Unknown 

Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look, how we perform, is truly important to other people. - André Dubus 

The way you overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid. - Lady Bird Johnson 

Shyness

An article on Shyness.

Shyness plagues millions of people every day. It invades all professions. Age, socio-economic status and race matter not. 

What is shyness? 

Shyness is a complex combination of feelings and behaviours that each person experiences in his own unique way. Though the intensity may vary from one person to another, most consider it an experience they would rather do without. 

A shy person is defined as ‘an individual who consistently has difficulty making conversation with others or experiences severe physical symptoms of anxiety in social situations. 

For the majority of people, shyness means occasional awkward feelings in certain situations, such as when asking for a raise, meeting new people, or speaking before a group. This type of shyness is due to low self-confidence and a lack of social skills. 

For others, however, shyness may mean a tremendous anxiety that is life disrupting. The chronically shy may find themselves prisoners of their shyness and experience great anxiety and physical discomfort. In its most extreme form, shyness can result in depression and suicide. 

Many shy people experience a painful self-consciousness; a concern about one’s effect on others one’s appearance, or making a good impression. It may involve feelings of inferiority – that one is stupid, ugly, or not as deserving as others; it may cause a person to feel tongue-tied and awkward in social situations. 

The physical symptoms of shyness may include blushing, butterflies, weak knees, jerky body movements, nervous perspiration, and rapid heartbeat. The shy person’s self-consciousness merely aggravates the situation – by concentrating on the symptoms, they frequently become worse, leaving him flustered and embarrassed. 

Shy people are probably their own worst critics. Many see others as constantly evaluating them in a negative way. They often set unrealistically high standards for themselves, which only contribute to feelings of inadequacy. 

It is difficult for a shy person to initiate conversation. So much easier, it seems, to remain quiet rather than risk speaking poorly and making a fool of oneself. Thus, shyness makes it hard to meet new people and make friends, which often leads to feelings of loneliness and depression. 

Many people managed to conceal their shyness. They may still suffer inwardly, but through practice and concentrated effort they appear calm instead of nervous, and are able to function well in public. 

How to overcome shyness? 

Shyness can be overcome. With time and dedicated effort, change is definitely possible! By building a series of successful interactions with others, your self-confidence will increase, your shyness diminish, and your relationships lengthen and deepen in trust. 

The first step is to convince yourself that change is possible, and then dedicate your efforts to making it happen. 

Learn to relax in a 'threatening' situation. Breathing slowly and deeply will help you overcome initial anxiety. If you stay with the frightening situation and do not flee, your fear will subside. 

Smile, make eye contact and give compliments. 

A smile says that you are positively disposed to others. People will notice your smile and will smile back at you. A sad or lowered gaze tells others that you are in a bad mood and do not wish to socialize. 

Looking in the eyes of others shows that you are interested in them and are paying attention to them. Give compliments — people will feel good around you and, therefore, also about being with you. Learn to accept compliments: offer thanks and return the compliment immediately. Then use the moment to begin a real conversation. 

Stop expecting the worst. 

Dark thoughts are emotionally unsettling — they make you nervous and confused causing you to forget what you were trying to say. Fear tends to exaggerate things: therefore, the sooner you jump into the situation you fear, the sooner you will notice that it is much easier on you than you imagined and that much sooner you will understand how unnecessary your dark forebodings were. 

Stop beating yourself up emotionally. 

Every time you meet others, dark thoughts go through your head: "What a stupid thing to say!" "No one likes me!" No one judges you as strictly as you do yourself! Do just the opposite: search for signs that disprove your negative thoughts about yourself. 

Stop demanding perfection from yourself. 

Some of your jokes will not be funny, some of your comments will not be insightful. Your problem is that you expect so much of yourself and fear so much that you will not live up to your own expectations that you condemn yourself to a constant failure. Assign yourself more realistic goals. 

Learn to accept rejection. 

Rejection is a natural risk — everyone in society is exposed to it. Do not take it personally — refusal to socialize with you may not be connected with your perceived faults or behaviour at all. 

Finally, the most important thing that you need to overcome your shyness is to break through your self-centeredness. When you socialize with others pay attention to them and not to your timidity. If after meeting you people think ‘it was so nice to be around him/her’ then you have transformed your shyness into social competence. 

- Source Unknown 

Do Eyes Need A Workout?

The claim: Eye exercises can enhance your vision.

The facts: For almost a century, eye exercises have been promoted as a way to strengthen vision and ease near-sightedness and astigmatism, much like exercise for the body trims fat and improves health.

              Some of the most popular techniques include eye-hand coordination drills, eye movement routines and caucusing on blinking lights.

              The techniques are widely promoted online and advocated by various companies. Some even claim that they can reduce the need for glasses and ease learning disabilities.

              However, several studies have concluded that many of these do-it-yourself techniques are baseless.

              One of the latest studies, published this year, found little evidence in support of vision exercises that supposedly slow or reduce myopia, ease dyslexia and correct conditions caused by physiological problems, like blurred vision.

              A similar conclusion was reached in a 2005 report that reviewed 43 previous studies finding no clear scientific evidence for most of the methods reviewed.

              There are some areas of vision therapy thought that have been scientifically validated, including one called orthoptics.

              In this therapy, eye doctors prescribe exercises that can relieve double vision, focus problems and conditions like strabismus, also known as crossed eyes.

             Orthoptics can treat convergence insufficiency, in which the eyes have trouble working together. It affects as many as one in five people, but with the right exercises it can be all but cured, studies show.

The bottom line: Eye exercise are useful for some problems, but they do not seem to relieve myopia or dyslexia.

- The New York Times