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The flu virus: tracking its origins. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

The work, published online in Nature , highlights the need for systematic surveillance of influenza in swine, and provides evidence that new genetic elements in swine can result in the emergence of viruses with pandemic potential in humans.

‘Using computational methods, developed over the last ten years at Oxford, we were able to reconstruct the origins and timescale of this new pandemic,’ said Dr Oliver Pybus of Oxford University’s Department of Zoology, an author of the paper. ‘Our results show that this strain has been circulating among pigs, possibly among multiple continents, for many years prior to its  transmission to humans.’

Dr Pybus, along with Andrew Rambaut from the University of Edinburgh and colleagues, used evolutionary analysis to estimate the timescale of the origins and the early development of the epidemic. They believe that it was derived from several viruses circulating in swine, and that the initial transmission to humans occurred several months before recognition of the outbreak.

The team conclude that ‘despite widespread influenza surveillance in humans, the lack of systematic swine surveillance allowed for the undetected persistence and evolution of this potentially pandemic strain for many years.’

The team included researchers from Oxford, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Hong Kong and the University of Arizona.

Retrieved June 24, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2009/06/090613063849.htm

As we all know, dengue fever caused by aedes mosquito has no known cure. I know as I have been diagnosed with dengue, TWICE! And all the hospital could do was put me on glucose drip for a week and that is all/

A friend of mine had dengue last year. It was a very serious situation for her as her platelet count had dropped to 28,000 after 3 days in hospital and water has started to fill up her lung. She had difficulty in breathing. She was only 32-year old. Doctor says there’s no cure for dengue. We just have to wait for her body immune system to build up resistance against dengue and fight its own battle. She already had 2 blood transfusion and all of us were praying very hard as her platelet continued to drop since the first day she was admitted.

Fortunately her mother-in-law heard that papaya juice would help to reduce the fever and got some papaya leaves, pounded them and squeeze the juice out for her. The next day, her platelet count started to increase, her fever subside. We continued to feed her with papaya juice and she recovered after 3 days!!!

Amazing but it’s true. It’s believed one’s body would be overheated when one is down with dengue and that also caused the patient to have fever papaya juice has cooling effect. Thus, it helps to reduce the level of heat in one’s body, thus the fever will go away. I found that it’s also good when one is having sore throat or suffering from heat.

Please spread the news about this as lately there are many dengue cases. It’s great if such natural cure could help to ease the sufferings of dengue patients.

Furthermore it’s so easily available.
Blend them and squeeze the juice! It’s simple and miraculously effective!!

A busy lifestyle can make finding the time to exercise a nightmare. Most adults who work out also have a little thing called a job, which can add up to big-time exhaustion.

This puts time on short supply, and unfortunately one of the first things to bite the dust is your fitness program.

What time of day do you exercise?

We surveyed 500 fitness buffs and this is what we discovered: About 28 percent of you exercise any time you can — a dead heat with those who prefer an evening workout. Morning received more than 200 votes out of 500 exercisers polled (44 percent). The least favorite time to train the body was during the afternoon hours (at only 10 percent).

Your Body’s Natural Rhythm
Throughout the day, there is also a natural ebb and flow of energy that we all experience. We adapt to our daily schedules of sleep, work and rest, becoming stronger during periods of the day when our bodies instinctively anticipate greater amounts of work (based on previous behavior).

In other words, if you work out every day at 6 p.m., your body will get the most from a workout that takes place at 6 p.m. Because you’ve grown accustomed to exercise in the evening, you won’t be as energetic and strong during a workout that takes place in the early morning hours. For you, a morning workout will not be quite as effective. Fortunately, any differences will be minor, and a workout that takes place during the evening hours is still far better than no workout at all.

Practicality Rules
So should you rearrange your life around exercise just to ensure an evening workout, or a workout that happens at the same time every day? Researchers are apt to answer with a very adamant, “No!” Ultimately, finding enough time (and energy) to exercise — no matter what the time of day — is what’s important.

Ideally, it’s best to stick to your scheduled program. Here are five ways to help you get around a hectic day.

1. Shrink to Fit: Cut workouts in half and squeeze in a 15- or 20-minute session instead of your normal workout. These “short, but sweet” workouts can produce dramatic results.

2. Start Your Day Early: Set the alarm clock for 30 minutes earlier and work out before your day starts. Eventually, your body will adjust to the earlier wake up call.

3. Split Lunch: Split your lunch hour in two and devote half an hour to exercise before you eat. This will also curb your appetite and make it easier to cut lunchtime calories.

4. Rock-A-Bye, Baby: When the little one goes down for a nap, squeeze in 10 or 15 minutes. Whether you’re a work-at-home mom or dad, take every opportunity you get to squeeze in some exercise. Repeat throughout the day to add up to 20 or 30 minutes.

5. Double Up: Create combination workouts you can perform three or four times weekly. For example, combine 10 minutes of strength with 20 minutes of cardio training for three or four 30-minute weekly workouts.

Don’t allow strict rules on what time of day is best for exercise to dictate your workout schedule. You may wind up exercising less. Be flexible in your scheduling, and do what you can when you can to get the most from any exercise program!

Just because we can’t turn back the hands of time doesn’t mean we can’t look like we’ve done it. Achieving a more youthful appearance is possible with just a few simple tricks of the trade.

Read on to see what some of beauty’s brightest experts recommend.

Skip the Straw
Although sun damage may be the biggest culprit for lines and wrinkles, facial expressions and excessive use of certain facial muscles are also a contributing factor. Smiling and squinting, for instance, play a large part in development of crow’s feet around the eyes.

You already know that cigarette smoking causes unsightly, age-adding lines around your lips. But think about it: Drinking from a straw can do the same damage.

“When drinking out of a straw, you have to purse your lips, which causes unnecessary wrinkles around the mouth,” says Renee Rouleau, founder of Renee Rouleau Skin Care Salon in Plano, Texas. “If you’re concerned about lines and wrinkles, then drinking directly from the glass is a much better option. Save those puckered lips for kissing!”

Don’t Forget the Fats
Although fat has a reputation of being a dietary no-no, when it comes to caring for your skin, it’s definitely a yes-yes. In fact, the right fats can prevent or lessen eczema, psoriasis, redness, wrinkles and swelling.

Melissa Jochim, an organic beauty specialist and director of product development at Juice Beauty, says that beneficial fats maintain the correct balance of a family of chemical messengers called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins, which strongly influence skin health, are the body’s chemical messengers, governing many processes, including inflammation, which leads to aging.

“Prostaglandins are not stored in the body, but they must be constantly synthesized from essential fatty acids (EFAs) that are taken in from the diet,” Jochim says.

The best dietary sources of EFAs include flaxseed oil, select types of seafood (salmon, mackerel and trout) and evening primrose oil, as they contain both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (the omega good guys).

Take your good fats in either liquid (a tablespoon each daily) or soft capsule form, and follow the label’s directions.

Shine Smart
Shimmer is fun… in the right places. When applied correctly, cosmetics containing shimmer can add life to your face. Applied incorrectly, shimmer products will highlight problems such as wrinkles, excessive dryness, or acne scarring.

According to Boston-based makeup expert Debra Macki, “Our skin loses its natural sheen as we age because the cellular renewal process is slowed down. This results in a dull, matte look.”

Use a shimmer product such as a bronzing powder or shimmer blush to add the shine back to your skin, but be careful. Only highlight an area of your face that has great, smooth skin; when shine is applied in the right area, you create a youthful glow.” The cheeks, for instance, might be a great place to start.

“Cheeks don’t wrinkle as fast as the eye or mouth area,” Macki says. “If you have wrinkles around your eyes or mouth, keep those areas matte (no shimmer), and use shimmer on your cheeks to draw attention away from those other areas.”

Apply the shimmer powder with a blush brush according to your face shape. Thin faces should apply at the apple of the cheek. Round or full faces should apply at an angle, along the cheekbone.

Start at your hairline and come forward with the brush along your cheekbone. The shimmer should fade out where the outer part of the iris of your eye begins.

If your eyes are free of wrinkles, feel free to use shimmery shadows. If lips are without lines, lightly frosted lipsticks are fine.

A Handy Tip Whoever coined the phrase “the hands of time” didn’t realize how right they were! Your hands certainly tell a story when it comes to age. Remember when those little old ladies in movies of yesteryear wore white gloves year-round? It surely wasn’t to make a fashion statement!

“The No. 1 cause of wrinkles and brown spots on the hands is from sun exposure of your hands on the steering wheel as you’re driving,” says Rouleau. “Front windshields do little to filter out ultraviolet rays, so when you’re in the car, your hands are getting a lot of sun damage.”

Rouleau says that studies show 78 percent of all sun damage is caused by “incidental exposure” — all the times that you aren’t actually trying to get a tan, such as driving, walking and sitting next to windows.

Just as you use a suntan lotion on your face, be sure to always do the same for your hands. Simply make sure that your hand cream contains sunscreen and use it daily.

Raising Eyebrows
“A well-proportioned brow will make you look years younger,” says Macki. The question we all have: How do I make my brows well-proportioned?

“Frame your eyes as you would a piece of artwork,” Macki says. “Light, sparse brows will only accentuate fine lines and wrinkles. Using a brow pencil or powder will make the signs of aging in your eye area less noticeable. When choosing the right color for you, do not match your hair exactly; go one shade lighter. Most people make the mistake of going too dark.”

To create the best brows for you, hold the straight edge of your eye brush or a ruler from the outer corner of your nose to the outer corner of your eye, and you will find where your brow should end. Take that same straight edge and hold it from the outer corner of your nose to the outer part of the iris of your eye (while looking straight ahead).

This is where your arch should be. Holding the straight edge straight up and down from the outer corner of your nose to the inner corner of your eye, you will find the best starting place for your brow.

Close-set eyes could tweeze brows a littler farther apart than the regular guideline. This will open your eyes up more. Wide-set eyes can grow brows together just a touch, for the illusion of better-balanced eyes.

When using a pencil, Macki suggests applying it in hairlike strokes through the brow to fill in. Then, extend outward with a thin line. Powders are best for filling in only — not for extending the brow. But filling the brow in correctly can give the illusion of a brow lift.

Homemade Hair
Soft, silky and luminous locks are certainly symbols of youth. But regular use of chemical processes and harsh shampoos can end up wreaking havoc on hair over the years.

Use of a high-quality store-bought deep conditioner once or twice a week is a great way to hydrate and nourish your hair Additionally, Haime Munoz, a New York stylist and salon owner, offers some quick, simple remedies you can create at home — right out of your kitchen — to bring back some life to your tresses.

The Mayonnaise Treatment (restores shine to dry, damaged or color-treated hair): Begin by shampooing and towel-drying hair. Massage two tablespoons of mayonnaise through hair. Leave on for 45 minutes with a shower cap, then rinse out and follow with conditioner.

The Lemon Treatment (adds shine and brightens dull strands): Shampoo and towel-dry, then massage strained juice from several lemons into hair. Leave in for three to five minutes and then rinse out. Follow with conditioner.

The Honey Treatment (for oily hair and scalp): Dilute two tablespoons of honey with enough water to thin it out. Massage into scalp and hair; leave in for 10 minutes. Rinse and condition for less oily, yet shinier hair.

Don’t Neglect the Neck
Sagging skin on the neck is not pretty, and it surely isn’t a sign of youth.

Preventive measures against wrinkling and drooping in this area should begin early on: The skin of the neck is very thin and can therefore lose elasticity much more easily than the skin on the face. In fact, it is not too uncommon for a person’s neck to look years older than their face!

“Whenever you treat the skin on your face, treat your neck the very same way,” says former model and author Oleda Baker. “If you are moisturizing, using a night cream or having a facial treatment, always include your neck. If you don’t, you may eventually have soft, youthful facial skin with a neck that feels and looks rough and coarse. I have seen this happen so many times.”

The sun will also take its toll on the neck faster than most other parts of the body. Start making a habit of including the neck in your daily sunscreen application.

Massage is another way to keep the neck firm and taut. “Massage your neck lightly with an upward slow motion toward the chin. Use a moisturizer while doing this so your fingers don’t pull or stretch the skin too much,” Baker says. “Additionally, this stimulates the small capillaries, bringing more blood to the surface.”

Good posture will also help keep your neck looking youthful. “Back straight and chin up forces a more youthful look,” says Baker. “Curved back, chin down will give almost anyone an older looking neck. This is almost the first thing a NY photographer’s model learns when in front of the camera.”

“Have you seen pictures of yourself and thought, ?I didn’t realize I have a double chin!’ Well, you may not have one. Were you sitting down with a curved back and your chin down when the picture was taken? No model would ever do that and be booked again — it’s not a flattering picture.”

Many people fail at losing weight because they attempt to make drastic changes and rearrange their lives to fit into some strict diet. This is a recipe for disappointment. People make drastic changes and expect to see drastic results.

However, you didn’t wake up one morning 20 pounds overweight. It was a gradual progression packing those pounds on and it will be a steady process taking them off. So any dramatic changes that seem unnatural probably are and the key to proper weight loss is in the details.

Following these 3 easy steps can help you shed several pounds over the course of the year without abandoning your favorite foods or trading your social life for a gym membership. It’s the simple switches in life that will make weight loss manageable and let you keep living your life.

1. Think before you drink! A 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola packs 140 calories and 39 grams of carbs. If you have one can a day as an afternoon pick-me-up, over the course of the year that adds up to over 51,000 calories — that’s roughly 14 pounds! Switch to coffee or tea to save calories and carbs, but stay away from sugar and cream to keep the count down.

Sports drinks are another way to cut calories. The casual exerciser does not need them. If you are exercising for 45 minutes or less, water will be just fine to replenish you. Most of these other drinks pack over 100 calories and can undo a lot of the exercise you just did.

2. Sandwich switch: Hold the mayo when it comes to sandwiches — or anything else for that matter. One tablespoon adds about 100 calories and 10 grams of fat to your sandwich. If you must use mayo, switch to the light stuff and get about half the fat and calories. Mustard is the best bet for your sandwich; it has 10-20 calories per tablespoon.

3. Tiny steps to weight loss. It’s not necessary to wake up at 5 a.m. every day for a grueling gym workout. That works for some people, but is not necessary. Start by making little moves to get more motion in your daily activities. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a walk after lunch, park further away in the parking lot, do jumping jacks while you watch TV, play basketball with your kids, walk the dog… There are a million ways to get a few more steps and burn a few more calories daily. A pedometer is a great way to track this progress.

5 DON’TS when you are sleeping

DON’T SLEEP WITH PHONE
Putting the phone beside your bed or anywhere near you is not encouraged. Though some of us will use phones as alarm clocks, but please put the phone as far as possible. Scientists have proved that electrical items including mobile phone and television sets emit magnetic waves when used. These waves can cause disruptions to our nervous system. Therefore if you need to put your mobile phone near you, switch it off first.

DON’T SLEEP WITH WATCH
Watches can emit a certain level of radioactivity. Though small, but if you wear your watch to bed for a long time, it might have adverse effects on your health.

DON’T SLEEP WITH BRA
Scientists in America have discovered those that wear bras for more than 12 hours have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. So go to bed without it.

DON’T SLEEP WITH MAKE UP
People who sleep with makeup might have skin problems in the long run. Sleeping with makeup will cause the skin to have difficulty in breathing and problem in perspiring You will also need a much longer time to go into deep sleep.

DON’T SLEEP WITH OTHER MEN’S WIVES
You may never wake up again.

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Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables . So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products
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Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!
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Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.
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Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…Good!
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Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
A: You’re not listening…. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
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Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.
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Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable. It’s the best feel-good food around! !
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Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.
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Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! ‘Round’ is a shape! !
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Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
And remember:
‘Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways – Chardonnay in one hand – chocolate in the other – body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming,

1. Eat healthy and start doing daily exercises

The body and mind are tightly connected, therefore by eating healthy you’ll not only strengthen your body that is most likely to be weakened after you quit smoking but you will provide the right nutrients and vitamins that you need to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and cravings to smoke another cigarette.

2. Have a positive mind-set and fix a specific date to quit

The first essential step in your “quit-smoking” journey is definitely your decision to quit. However fixing a date is important as well. It would be perfect if you could take a few days of work so you have the chance to relax a bit more. Don’t hide your desire to quit from anyone, actually telling your co-workers, friends and family members that you want to become smoke-free, will bring you lots of benefits. You will need support!

3. Last but not least, try and stay away from people or situations that will remind you of smoking. The temptation is high!

You can read a great book for example that will keep your mind of cigarettes. Try and do jogging, tennis or anything that involves movement! Stay away from bars or discos where your friends might offer you a cigarette.

Fortunately for you I am here today to give you some great tips to making the most of what you have got and making her orgasm even if you do have a small penis!

Foreplay is a must – get your lover nice and warmed up with lots and lots of foreplay, this will have her aroused and will make it much easier to give her an orgasm later on.

Choose positions that offer maximum penetration – if you are trying to make her orgasm with a smaller penis you will need to be able to use as much of your penis as you possibly can. Try doggy style as this will allow for the maximum penetration possible from any position.

Who says you have to use your penis? – You can try using any other part of your body to bring pleasure to her, it does not always have to your penis that you use. Try using your fingers or your tongue and really bring her to orgasm without even using your penis regardless of its size!

Hot cocoa is actually healthier for you than hot chocolate because of what it is made from. Hot cocoa is made from raw cocoa powder, which is simply chocolate that has been pressed to remove the fat of the cocoa butter. Hot chocolate on the other hand is made from chocolate bars melted into a cream or ground into a powder.

The key is minimizing the sugar and fat content. If you can do this, it is possible to make healthy hot chocolate from scratch. But it can be difficult finding healthy hot chocolate on the market for this very reason.

More and more people are beginning to discover the nutritional benefits of cocoa beans and hot cocoa, especially when you make it at home. It has been found that the flavonols in chocolate are more powerful than many vitamins are, especially for cardiovascular health and anti aging. This does not mean that pigging out on chocolate will benefit you, but including sweets and chocolate to your diet a few times a month can actually extend your life.

If you want to make your own health hot cocoa, make sure to get pure cocoa powder. Anything else is just a joke and will not provide you with the nutritional benefits you are looking for. It is easy to identify because it is dark brown and has a bitter taste. Then add water or low fat milk to the powder and stir it up. Lastly, add a natural sweetener like honey or coconut palm sugar and you are on your way. There are a few commercially sold mixes that are organic and naturally sweetened, but read the labels carefully before you buy.

While hot cocoa is much healthier than hot chocolate, the key is to reducing the fat and sugar content and adding pure ingredients to the drink. Purchasing healthy hot chocolate that has pure cocoa powder and a natural, low glycemic sweetener can give you all of the nutritional benefits you are looking for while still allowing you to enjoy the enriching flavor. Your kids will love it and you will feel great giving it to them.

The next time you see hot cocoa and hot chocolate on the market, the safe bet is to go for the organic, naturally sweetened hot cocoa. It will provide you with a much healthier drink while still giving you the flavorful drink. However,look at the fat and sugar content in hot chocolate because reducing these two can give you a healthy hot chocolate drink full of antioxidants and flavenols.