Setiap orang pasti sudah biasa mendengar penyakit kutil. Kutil umumnya berupa benjolan kecil yang kerap tumbuh pada kulit akibat kurangnya menjaga kebersihan tubuh. Ada yang tumbuh di tangan, kaki, muka bahkan di alat kelamin.
Kutil yang tumbuh pada alat kelamin disebut dengan kutil kelamin (condilloma/genital warts). Kutil kelamin termasuk penyakit menular seksual (PMS) yang dapat dialami baik oleh pria maupun wanita.
Tidak seperti kanker yang tumbuh secara ganas. “Kutil kelamin tumbuh tapi jinak,” ungkap dr. Nugroho Kampono, Konsultan dari Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Indonesia (FKUI).
Lebih lanjut, dr Nugroho menjelaskan, “Jika kutil kelamin dibiarkan maka akan tumbuh seperti bonkol yang besar sekali, dapat tumbuh seperti kembang kol dan tidak menyebar.” Karena kemiripan bentuknya, kutil kelamin pun sering disebut dengan ‘jengger ayam’.
Meskipun kutil kelamin hanya tumbuh di alat kelamin tetapi lebih mengganggu dibandingkan kutil di bagian tubuh lainnya. “Kutil kelamin menimbulkan beban psikologis bagi penderitanya,” kata dr. Nugroho.
HPV, Penyebab Kutil Kelamin
Ada lebih dari 100 jenis Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), dimana sebagian besarnya relatif tidak berbahaya. Dari 120 tipe HPV yang telah diketahui hingga saat ini, ada sekitar 30-40 tipe HPV yang menyerang area kelamin termasuk kulit penis, mulut vagina dan anus. HPV juga dapat mengakibatkan masalah pada mulut atau pada lidah dan bibir.
Staff Pengajar FKUI ini mengungkapkan, ”HPV tipe 6 and 11 yang menyebabkan 90% dari kasus genital warts.” Jenis HPV penyebab kutil kelamin berbeda dengan penyebab utama kanker serviks yaitu tipe 16 dan 18.
HPV atau human papillomavirus dapat menular lewat genital, oral dan anal seks. Penelitian menunjukkan lebih dari 75% wanita yang berhubungan intim pernah terinfeksi HPV pada puncak di antara umur 18-22 tahun.
Seseorang bisa terjangkit virus ini dan bisa juga menularkan pada pasangannya lewat hubungan seksual. Kutil bisa berupa mikroskopis dan hanya bisa dideteksi melalui proses pemeriksaan dengan alat yang disebut colposcope.
Kutil Kelamin Sering Kambuh
dr. Nugroho yang juga anggota Divisi Ginekologi Onkologi FKUI/RSCM memaparkan, “Pada wanita, awalnya harus dilakukan pemeriksaan dalam untuk melihat apakah serviksnya normal, ada jamur atau warts.” Umumnya keluhannya selalu keputihan.
“Kutil kelamin dapat diobati dengan dikikis,” kata dr. Nugroho. Menurut situs Yayasan Spiritia, Ada beberapa cara untuk menghilangkan kutil kelamin, antara lain:
1. Membakarnya dengan jarum listrik (kauterisasi listrik) atau laser.
2. Membekukannya dengan nitrogen cair.
3. Memotongnya secara bedah.
4. Mengobatinya dengan zat kimia seperti asam trikloroasetik (TCA), podofilin atau podofiloks. PERHATIAN: Podo-filin dan podofiloks tidak boleh dipakai oleh perempuan hamil.
Pengobatan lain yang kurang lazim untuk kutil termasuk obat 5-FU (5-fluorourasil) dan interferon alfa. 5-FU berbentuk krim.Interferon harus disuntik pada kutil. Suatu obat baru, yaitu imikuimod, disetujui di AS untuk mengobati kutil kelamin.
“Kutil kelamin merupakan penyakit yang sering kambuh,” kata dr. Nugroho. Kutil kelamin disebabkan oleh virus, yang tidak dapat benar-benar disembuhkan. Mereka hanya dapat dikurangi keberadaannya dan tetap berpotensi untuk muncul lagi.
Mencegah Kutil Kelamin
Mereka yang berusia muda (puncak infeksi 20-29), berganti pasangan, melakukan hubungan seksual di usia muda dan merokok memiliki risiko tinggi terinfeksi HPV.
Untungnya kutil kelamin dapat dicegah. Penggunaan kondom dan vaksinasi termasuk cara pencegahan kutil kelamin.
Kondom berguna sebagai pengaman hubungan seksual. Meskipun tidak bisa mencegah 100%, kondom merupakan pencegahan utama terhadap infeksi virus.Dengan menggunakan kondom misalnya dapat menurunkan resiko terkena penularan penyakit seksual (herpes ataupun kutil).
Vaksinasi telah tersedia di Indonesia dengan harga yang tidak murah. Tapi vaksinasi dapat sangat bermanfaat bagi mereka yang berisiko tinggi. “Setelah vaksinasi masih perlu pemeriksaan secara berkala dengan pap smear, vaginal inspection with asetic acid (VIA) dan HPV-hybrid capture,” jelas dr. Nugroho.
Deteksi dini dengan pap smear juga bisa dilakukan. Pap smear dapat menemukan pertumbuhan sel tidak normal pada leher rahim. Tes ini juga dapat dipakai untuk memeriksa dubur pria dan wanita.
Sumber: medicastore.com
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Kawasaki Syndrome
Definisi
Kawasaki syndrome (Sindrom Kawasaki) atau Sindroma Kelenjar Getah Bening Mukokutaneus, Poliarteritis Infantil adalah suatu penyakit non-spesifik, tanpa agen infeksius tertentu, yang menyerang selaput lendir, kelenjar getah bening, lapisan pembuluh darah dan jantung.
PENYEBAB
Penyebabnya tidak diketahui.Sindroma Kawasaki pertama kali ditemukan di Jepang pada akhir tahun 1960. Penyakit ini menyerang anak berumur 2 bulan sampai 5 tahun dan 2 kali lebih sering ditemukan pada anak laki-laki.
GEJALA
Gejalanya berupa:
* Demam yang turun-naik, tetapi biasanya diatas 39° Celsius, sifatnya menetap (lebih dari 5 hari) dan tidak memberikan respon terhadap asetaminofen maupun ibuprofen dalam dosis normal
* Rewel, tampak mengantuk
* Kadang timbul nyeri kram perut
* Ruam kulit di batang tubuh dan di sekeliling daerah yang tertutup popok
* Ruam pada selaput lendir (misalnya lapisan mulut dan vagina)
* Tenggorokan tampak merah
* Bibir merah, kering dan pecah-pecah
* Lidah tampak merah (strawberry-red tongue)
* Kedua mata menjadi merah, tanpa disertai keluarnya kotoran
* Telapak tangan dan telapak kaki tampak merah, tangan dan kaki membengkak
* Kulit pada jari tangan dan jari kaki mengelupas (pada hari ke 10-20)
* Pembengkakan kelenjar getah bening leher
* Nyeri persendian (atralgia) dan pembengkakan, seringkali simetris (pada sisi tubuh kiri dan kanan).
KOMPLIKASI
Sekitar 5-20% penderita mengalami komplikasi jantung, yang biasanya timbul pada minggu ke 2-4:
• Peradangan arteri koroner (arteri yang membawa darah ke jantung)
• Aneurisma (pelebaran bagian dari arteri koroner)
• Perikarditis (peradangan kantung jantung)
• Miokarditis akut (peradangan otot jantung)
• Gagal jantung
• Kematian otot jantung (infark miokardium).
Komplikasi lainnya:
• Ruam yang tidak biasa uveitis anterior)
• Nyeri atau peradangan sendi (terutama sendi-sendi yang kecil)
• Peradangan non-infeksius pada selaput otak (meningitis aseptik)
• Peradangan kandung empedu
• Diare.
DIAGNOSA
Diagnosis ditegakkan jika terjadi demam selama lebih dari 5 hari dan ditemukan 4 dari 5 gambaran berikut:
* Ruam kulit
* Alat gerak (lengan dan tungkai ) merah dan membengkak
* Mata merah
* Perubahan pada bibir dan mulut
* Pembengkakan kelenjar getah bening.
Pemeriksaan yang biasa dilakukan:
* EKG dan ekokardiografi, bisa menunjukkan tanda-tanda dari miokarditis, perikarditis, artritis, meningitis aseptik atau vaskulitis koroner
* Hitung darah lengkap (menunjukkan peningkatan jumlah sel darah putih dan anemia (berkurangnya jumlah sel darah merah); pemeriksaan darah berikutnya menunjukkan peningkatan jumlah trombosit
* Rontgen dada
* Analisa air kemih (bisa menunjukkan adanya nanah atau protein dalam air kemih).
PENGOBATAN
Pengobatan dini secara berarti dapat mengurangi resiko terjadinya kerusakan pada arteri koroner dan mempercepat pemulihan demam, ruam dan rasatidak nyaman. Selama 1-4 hari diberikan immunoglobulin dosis tinggi melalui infus dan aspirin dosis tinggi melalui mulut. Setelah demam turun, biasanyaaspirin dalam dosis yang lebih rendah diberikan selama beberapa bulan untuk
mengurangi resiko kerusakan arteri koroner dan pembentukan bekuan darah.
Dilakukan beberapa kali pemeriksaan EKG untuk mendeteksi adanya komplikasi jantung.
Aneurisma yang besar diobati dengan aspirin dan obat anti pembekuan (misalnya
warfarin). Aneurisma yang kecil cukup diatasi dengan aspirin.
Jika anak menderita influenza atau cacar air, untuk mengurangi resiko terjadinya sindroma Reye, sebaiknya untuk sementara waktu diberikandipiridamol, bukan aspirin.
PROGNOSIS
Jika tidak terjadi komplikasi jantung, biasanya akan terjadi pemulihan sempurna. Sekitar 1-2% penderita meninggal, biasanya akibat komplikasi jantung; 50% diantaranya meninggal pada bulan pertama, 75% meninggal pada bulan kedua, 95% meninggal pada bulan keenam. Tetapi kematian bisa terjadi 10 tahun kemudian dan kadang secara tiba-tiba.
Aneurisma yang kecil cenderung menghilang dalam waktu 1 tahun, tetapi arteri koroner tetap lemah sehingga beberapa tahun kemudian timbul kelainan jantung.
Sumber: mediacastore.com
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Kawasaki syndrome (Sindrom Kawasaki) atau Sindroma Kelenjar Getah Bening Mukokutaneus, Poliarteritis Infantil adalah suatu penyakit non-spesifik, tanpa agen infeksius tertentu, yang menyerang selaput lendir, kelenjar getah bening, lapisan pembuluh darah dan jantung.
PENYEBAB
Penyebabnya tidak diketahui.Sindroma Kawasaki pertama kali ditemukan di Jepang pada akhir tahun 1960. Penyakit ini menyerang anak berumur 2 bulan sampai 5 tahun dan 2 kali lebih sering ditemukan pada anak laki-laki.
GEJALA
Gejalanya berupa:
* Demam yang turun-naik, tetapi biasanya diatas 39° Celsius, sifatnya menetap (lebih dari 5 hari) dan tidak memberikan respon terhadap asetaminofen maupun ibuprofen dalam dosis normal
* Rewel, tampak mengantuk
* Kadang timbul nyeri kram perut
* Ruam kulit di batang tubuh dan di sekeliling daerah yang tertutup popok
* Ruam pada selaput lendir (misalnya lapisan mulut dan vagina)
* Tenggorokan tampak merah
* Bibir merah, kering dan pecah-pecah
* Lidah tampak merah (strawberry-red tongue)
* Kedua mata menjadi merah, tanpa disertai keluarnya kotoran
* Telapak tangan dan telapak kaki tampak merah, tangan dan kaki membengkak
* Kulit pada jari tangan dan jari kaki mengelupas (pada hari ke 10-20)
* Pembengkakan kelenjar getah bening leher
* Nyeri persendian (atralgia) dan pembengkakan, seringkali simetris (pada sisi tubuh kiri dan kanan).
KOMPLIKASI
Sekitar 5-20% penderita mengalami komplikasi jantung, yang biasanya timbul pada minggu ke 2-4:
• Peradangan arteri koroner (arteri yang membawa darah ke jantung)
• Aneurisma (pelebaran bagian dari arteri koroner)
• Perikarditis (peradangan kantung jantung)
• Miokarditis akut (peradangan otot jantung)
• Gagal jantung
• Kematian otot jantung (infark miokardium).
Komplikasi lainnya:
• Ruam yang tidak biasa uveitis anterior)
• Nyeri atau peradangan sendi (terutama sendi-sendi yang kecil)
• Peradangan non-infeksius pada selaput otak (meningitis aseptik)
• Peradangan kandung empedu
• Diare.
DIAGNOSA
Diagnosis ditegakkan jika terjadi demam selama lebih dari 5 hari dan ditemukan 4 dari 5 gambaran berikut:
* Ruam kulit
* Alat gerak (lengan dan tungkai ) merah dan membengkak
* Mata merah
* Perubahan pada bibir dan mulut
* Pembengkakan kelenjar getah bening.
Pemeriksaan yang biasa dilakukan:
* EKG dan ekokardiografi, bisa menunjukkan tanda-tanda dari miokarditis, perikarditis, artritis, meningitis aseptik atau vaskulitis koroner
* Hitung darah lengkap (menunjukkan peningkatan jumlah sel darah putih dan anemia (berkurangnya jumlah sel darah merah); pemeriksaan darah berikutnya menunjukkan peningkatan jumlah trombosit
* Rontgen dada
* Analisa air kemih (bisa menunjukkan adanya nanah atau protein dalam air kemih).
PENGOBATAN
Pengobatan dini secara berarti dapat mengurangi resiko terjadinya kerusakan pada arteri koroner dan mempercepat pemulihan demam, ruam dan rasatidak nyaman. Selama 1-4 hari diberikan immunoglobulin dosis tinggi melalui infus dan aspirin dosis tinggi melalui mulut. Setelah demam turun, biasanyaaspirin dalam dosis yang lebih rendah diberikan selama beberapa bulan untuk
mengurangi resiko kerusakan arteri koroner dan pembentukan bekuan darah.
Dilakukan beberapa kali pemeriksaan EKG untuk mendeteksi adanya komplikasi jantung.
Aneurisma yang besar diobati dengan aspirin dan obat anti pembekuan (misalnya
warfarin). Aneurisma yang kecil cukup diatasi dengan aspirin.
Jika anak menderita influenza atau cacar air, untuk mengurangi resiko terjadinya sindroma Reye, sebaiknya untuk sementara waktu diberikandipiridamol, bukan aspirin.
PROGNOSIS
Jika tidak terjadi komplikasi jantung, biasanya akan terjadi pemulihan sempurna. Sekitar 1-2% penderita meninggal, biasanya akibat komplikasi jantung; 50% diantaranya meninggal pada bulan pertama, 75% meninggal pada bulan kedua, 95% meninggal pada bulan keenam. Tetapi kematian bisa terjadi 10 tahun kemudian dan kadang secara tiba-tiba.
Aneurisma yang kecil cenderung menghilang dalam waktu 1 tahun, tetapi arteri koroner tetap lemah sehingga beberapa tahun kemudian timbul kelainan jantung.
Sumber: mediacastore.com
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History of Harley Davidson
The first Harley-Davidson motorcycle was not made by accident. In 1902, a 21-year-old man by the name of William S. Harley created a design for a one-cylinder motorcycle. A year later in 1903, he partnered up with 20-year-old Arthur Davidson to assemble the first Harley-Davidson Motorcycle.
Harley-Davidson's first real transaction came courtesy of Henry Meyer, a friend of Harley and Davidson from school. He bought one of the racing motorcycles they two had built. This sparked the beginning of over a hundred years of striving business. They had no idea that some years later, the business they started would be worth millions of dollars, with thousands of employees, and millions of riders.
The first Harley-Davidson motorcycles were built in a 10 by 15 foot wooden shack. It had "Harley-Davidson Motor Company" carved into the wooden door.
Later in 1903, Arthur's brother Walter joined the two founders in the new business. This turned out to be a good decision for all three young men. Towards the end of 1903, the first Harley-Davidson dealer opened in Chicago, Illinois and made its first sale.
The first Harley-Davidson was made with the intention of being a racing machine. It was powered with a one-cylinder combustion engine. The first year of selling motorcycles, Harley-Davidson produced eleven which sold rather quickly.
In 1905, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle wins a race, and the first real full-time employee joins the company. 1908 was a landmark year for Harley, with their first addition to a police department in Detroit. Toward the end of the decade in 1909, Harley-Davidson introduced their first V-twin powered motorcycle. It had 7 horsepower, and became wildly popular.
In 1910, the infamous "Bar and Shield" logo that makes Harley-Davidsons famous was created.
Even today, every Harley bears the logo that has made them famous. The F-Head engine was introduced in 1911 and would become the engine of choice for Harley-Davidson until 1929. The year 1912 brought more expansion with the building of a six-story factory. The famous sidecars for Harleys are made available in 1914.
Three years later, Harley-Davidson Motor Company partnered with the U.S. Military to aid in the war. Nearly one third of all motorcycles produced in 1917 were sent over to the war. Over 20,000 motorcycles were used by the military by the end of World War I. A year later, the motorcycles sent to the military goes up to almost half of all those produced that year. Almost all of them were produced by Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
The growth of Harley-Davidson Motor Company was not mistake. By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the most popular motorcycle producer in the world. They had just about 2000 separate dealers in 67 different countries. Leslie Parkhurst used a Harley-Davidson to break 23 different speed records in that year as well. In 1925, the gas tanks that are seen on Harley-Davidson motorcycles today are created. The teardrop shape gas tanks quickly take off, and all Harleys after that follow suit. Also that year Joe Petrali started racing for Harley-Davidson. He would become one of the best Harley dirt-track racers of all time. 1926 brings a year of backtracking. Harley-Davidson decides to bring back single cylinder engines for the first time since 1918.
Side and Overhead valve configurations are offered by the company.
The first time dual cam engines are offered to the public was in 1928. They were available in the JD series of motorcycles. This bike was capable of reaching speeds from 85 all the way to 100 miles per hour. The definition of reliability came in 1929 with the release of the 45 cubic inch V-twin engine. Also known as the flat head, it was so reliable that it was even available all the way up to the year 1973. This is a big accomplishment for the company started in a 10 by 15 foot shack.
The world of racing rang in 1930 when Bill Davidson, Jr. won the Jack Pine Endurance Contest. He had a nearly perfect score of 997 out of 1,000 possible points. It turns out that every winner of that race is using a Harley-Davidson Motor Company motorcycle. All competition for Harley is gone in America, with the exception of Indian. Indian and Harley-Davidson are the only two motorcycle producers all the way through 1953. In 1932 the popular 45 cubic inch three-wheeled Servi Car begins a reign as a police car for 41 years. It was used all the way up to year 1973.
When the depression hit, Harley-Davidson had to do something to keep sales going. They decided to start putting an "eagle" graphic on all the gas tanks of all motorcycles. This was the first time that graphics are put on the motorcycles, other then special order graphics that had been ordered by different customers. This started the trend that still stands today of putting graphics on Harley-Davidsons. The "eagle" would represent the company's ability to fight the struggles of the depression. It was hard, the Harley continued to grow.
Harley-Davidson even aided its own competition in 1935 when they licensed all their machinery, blueprints, and tools to an Asian company, Sankyo. This sparked a new motorcycle industry in Japan called Rikuo. Joe Petrali continues his reign as the greatest on the dirt track by winning all thirteen of the American races.
He also breaks four of the American Motorcycle Professional Association's records in the process. This is done with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
1936 was the year of the "knucklehead," a 41 cubic-inch engine that offered more horsepower then its previous counterparts. Later on that same year, Harley-Davidson offered a 60 cubic inch machine. Harley-Davidson was making bigger engine motorcycles, and supplying more horsepower in the process. The first WL models are offered in 1937. The excellence continues for Joe Petrali when he breaks the land speed record at 136 mph on a Harley-Davidson 61 cubic-inch overhead engine motorcycle. In Daytona, Florida, Ben Campanale wins the Daytona 200 on a 3.6 mile beach course.
World War II begins for America in 1941.This meant that motorcycle production almost went totally to military motorcycles. Civilian motorcycles stopped being made because of the high need for war vehicles. This also meant that all Harley-Davidson service shops would turn into places for military mechanics to learn the ins and outs of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The XA model begins production. It is made for the purpose of being a desert machine, but the deal is cancelled when U.S. moves out of West Africa. Only a little over a thousand of these XA's were made.
In 1943, Harley-Davidson receives an excellence award from the Army and Navy for its wartime production. They would later receive three more of these awards. The military personnel begin to like the Harley-Davidsons over seas, and this would show when they returned back home.
By 1945, World War II is over. And Harley-Davidson has supplied our military with over 90,000 land vehicles. This accounts for much of the U.S.'s hardware during the war.
Later on that year, production begins again for civilian cycles. In 1946, Harley-Davidson introduces the 45 cubic-inch flathead engine racing motorcycle. It turned out to be a real gem, known as one of the best ever made. 1947 was a good year for the company with the opening of a new production facility and the release of what would become a symbol of Harley-Davidson-the leather jacket. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle wins the first of three straight AMA Grand National Championships.
Harley-Davidson won 18 of the 24 national dirt racing championships in 1950. They also set 5 new records. Harley-Davidson was truly a dominant force in the dirt racing arena. In 1952, a side valve K model is introduced to keep up the smaller motorcycles being produced in Great Britain. This would eventually change from model K to the sportster.
The 50th anniversary of Harley-Davidson is celebrated in 1953. For the celebration, a "V" logo is created to put on the fenders of all the motorcycles made in that year. It reads "50 years-American Made." Also this year, Indian Motorcycle Company goes out of business. This makes Harley Davidson the only American motorcycle company for the next 46 years. A monopoly comparable to Microsoft.
1955 was another good year for Harley-Davidson with the start of a domination of the Daytona 200 race victories. Harley-Davidson would be responsible for the next 7 years of victory for racers. Show business even gets in on the action in 1956 when young Elvis Presley poses on the cover of the Enthusiast.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles had really hit mainstream and were growing more and more popular in America. 1957 was the year of the Sportster, a motorcycle that would become known as a "super bike." It was another tradition started that rings true even today.
In 1960, Harley-Davidson introduced the only scooter they would ever produce, the Topper. The top 14 finishers, including the winner, at the Daytona 200 are riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The year 1962, Harley-Davidson made some business decisions. They decided to buy a 60 percent share in the Tomahawk Boat Company. They understood what this industry could do for Harley, so they made a factory that became operational in 1963.
The three wheeled Servi-car is released in 1964. It is the first vehicle that Harley-Davidson has produced that has an electric starter. Records were broken in 1965 when George Roeder broke the speed record on a Streamliner with a 255 cc engine, going an average of 177 miles per hour. Bart Michael, a Harley-Davidson dirt track racer, wins the AMA's for the next two years. A "shovelhead" engine is the new replacement engine in the year 1967. In 1969, Harley-Davidson merged with a leisure product company, the American Machine and Foundry Company.
With Harley-Davidson in full force, some changes had to be made in 1970. A new Sportster, XR-750 is introduced.
It was in compliance with the new rules of the AMA. Later on that same year, Cal Ramburn set the land speed record for motor cycle on a bike with one speedster engine. He averaged over 265 miles per hour in the record-breaking run. A year later, a new type of motorcycle is released, the FX 1200. It is a cruiser motorcycle, which fit the demand of that year. This was also the year that Harley-Davidson first started to produce snowmobiles.
A new race machine is offered in 1972, the XR-750. It wins the AMA's big race that year, and also becomes the dominant dirt track bike for the next three decades. By 1973, Harley-Davidson moves it main assembly factory to a 400,000 square foot building located in York, Pennsylvania. It greatly improves the company's ability to produce motorcycles. The company pretty much has a monopoly over the motorcycle industry. Starting in 1975, Harley-Davidson wins four straight AMA Grand Dirt Track Championships. Three of those wins coming from racing legend Jay Springsteen.
In 1977, the FXS low-rider is introduced. It has drag style handle bars and a unique paint scheme. Its name fit, because it put the rider truly "lower." Two years later, the "Fat Bob" was released. The "fat" in the name is due to the two gas tanks on the bike, while the "bob" stands for the abnormal fenders that were part of the motorcycle.
In 1980, Harley-Davidson released yet another motorcycle, the FLT. The FLT included a vibration dampening system. Its engine and 5-speed transmission was bolted together. Later on that same year, a Kevlar belt replaces the chain on the main drive of ever Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was produced after that date. The AMA Grand goes yet again to a Harley-Davidson driver.
In 1981, a buyback of Harley-Davidson is completed from AMF by thirteen top level executives. Scott Parker would join Harley-Davidson's team to go on to be their most successful racer ever, with 93 victories, and 9 major titles in a 10 year span.
In 1982, Harley-Davidson got smart and implemented a Materials As Needed (MAN) plan. This said that parts and accessories were only going to be made as they were needed. This was a good decision by the company, and this greatly cut down on their production and warehouse costs.
Harley-Davidson started a new club for owners of Harleys in 1983, the Harley Owners Group. This is a place for anyone who owns a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. This group grows at tremendous rates. The firs year, there were about 90,000 members. Today, there are over 500,000 members.
In 1986, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the first time this has happened since the AMF merger years earlier. This was also the year that the famed Sportster gets the exclusive Revolution engine. 1988 brought the opening of a Harley museum, where there are memorabilia and the history of the company.
In 1990, the introduction of the FLSFT Fat Boy was a big deal. This motorcycle is considered a classic among Harley enthusiasts. In 1991, a $31 million facility was built for painting purposes in York, Pennsylvania. This helps the company grow as the need for motorcycles is at an all-time high. In 1993, Harley celebrates its 90th anniversary in Milwaukee with a family reunion parade, where an estimated 1 million Harleys are ridden. In 1995, the 30th Anniversary Ultra Classic Electra Glide is the first to introduce an electric sequential fuel injection. It was a remarkable feat for the company.
In 1997, a new state of the art distribution center is built. After it is all said and done, everything is moved to the new building which is sized at 217,000 square feet. 1998 brought some international relations when Harley built its first foreign production warehouse in Manaus, Brazil.
In the year 2000, the new feature of fuel injections is added to the softail line of motorcycles. Later that year, Harley-Davidson Motor Company introduces the Blast, a single cylinder motorcycle. The purpose of this cycle is to be for learning purposes.
In 2001, the team of Harley Davidson Racing introduced a new member to the team: a 17 year old girl name Jennifer Snyder. She was the first woman ever to win on the Formula USA Dirt Track Series. This was big news in the company, since a woman in this sport was rare, if not none existent in the past. It was certainly a pivotal moment.
Year 2003 brought the company's 100th anniversary. With over a hundred years of solid growth, Harley-Davidson can be admired as a company as well as a motorcycle producer. They have done nothing but grow over the years, and can be admired for being solid and reliable. Supplying our military with motorcycles in two wars, and supplying America with its toy ride, Harley-Davidson Motor Company is truly to be admired. Even today, Harley-Davidson is the prominent supplier of motorcycles in America. They are here to stay, and have 100 years to prove it. Whether you like motorcycles or not, one has got to admit that Harley-Davidson Motor Company is the best motorcycle company there has ever been.
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Harley-Davidson's first real transaction came courtesy of Henry Meyer, a friend of Harley and Davidson from school. He bought one of the racing motorcycles they two had built. This sparked the beginning of over a hundred years of striving business. They had no idea that some years later, the business they started would be worth millions of dollars, with thousands of employees, and millions of riders.
The first Harley-Davidson motorcycles were built in a 10 by 15 foot wooden shack. It had "Harley-Davidson Motor Company" carved into the wooden door.
Later in 1903, Arthur's brother Walter joined the two founders in the new business. This turned out to be a good decision for all three young men. Towards the end of 1903, the first Harley-Davidson dealer opened in Chicago, Illinois and made its first sale.
The first Harley-Davidson was made with the intention of being a racing machine. It was powered with a one-cylinder combustion engine. The first year of selling motorcycles, Harley-Davidson produced eleven which sold rather quickly.
In 1905, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle wins a race, and the first real full-time employee joins the company. 1908 was a landmark year for Harley, with their first addition to a police department in Detroit. Toward the end of the decade in 1909, Harley-Davidson introduced their first V-twin powered motorcycle. It had 7 horsepower, and became wildly popular.
In 1910, the infamous "Bar and Shield" logo that makes Harley-Davidsons famous was created.
Even today, every Harley bears the logo that has made them famous. The F-Head engine was introduced in 1911 and would become the engine of choice for Harley-Davidson until 1929. The year 1912 brought more expansion with the building of a six-story factory. The famous sidecars for Harleys are made available in 1914.
Three years later, Harley-Davidson Motor Company partnered with the U.S. Military to aid in the war. Nearly one third of all motorcycles produced in 1917 were sent over to the war. Over 20,000 motorcycles were used by the military by the end of World War I. A year later, the motorcycles sent to the military goes up to almost half of all those produced that year. Almost all of them were produced by Harley-Davidson Motor Company.
The growth of Harley-Davidson Motor Company was not mistake. By 1920, Harley-Davidson was the most popular motorcycle producer in the world. They had just about 2000 separate dealers in 67 different countries. Leslie Parkhurst used a Harley-Davidson to break 23 different speed records in that year as well. In 1925, the gas tanks that are seen on Harley-Davidson motorcycles today are created. The teardrop shape gas tanks quickly take off, and all Harleys after that follow suit. Also that year Joe Petrali started racing for Harley-Davidson. He would become one of the best Harley dirt-track racers of all time. 1926 brings a year of backtracking. Harley-Davidson decides to bring back single cylinder engines for the first time since 1918.
Side and Overhead valve configurations are offered by the company.
The first time dual cam engines are offered to the public was in 1928. They were available in the JD series of motorcycles. This bike was capable of reaching speeds from 85 all the way to 100 miles per hour. The definition of reliability came in 1929 with the release of the 45 cubic inch V-twin engine. Also known as the flat head, it was so reliable that it was even available all the way up to the year 1973. This is a big accomplishment for the company started in a 10 by 15 foot shack.
The world of racing rang in 1930 when Bill Davidson, Jr. won the Jack Pine Endurance Contest. He had a nearly perfect score of 997 out of 1,000 possible points. It turns out that every winner of that race is using a Harley-Davidson Motor Company motorcycle. All competition for Harley is gone in America, with the exception of Indian. Indian and Harley-Davidson are the only two motorcycle producers all the way through 1953. In 1932 the popular 45 cubic inch three-wheeled Servi Car begins a reign as a police car for 41 years. It was used all the way up to year 1973.
When the depression hit, Harley-Davidson had to do something to keep sales going. They decided to start putting an "eagle" graphic on all the gas tanks of all motorcycles. This was the first time that graphics are put on the motorcycles, other then special order graphics that had been ordered by different customers. This started the trend that still stands today of putting graphics on Harley-Davidsons. The "eagle" would represent the company's ability to fight the struggles of the depression. It was hard, the Harley continued to grow.
Harley-Davidson even aided its own competition in 1935 when they licensed all their machinery, blueprints, and tools to an Asian company, Sankyo. This sparked a new motorcycle industry in Japan called Rikuo. Joe Petrali continues his reign as the greatest on the dirt track by winning all thirteen of the American races.
He also breaks four of the American Motorcycle Professional Association's records in the process. This is done with a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
1936 was the year of the "knucklehead," a 41 cubic-inch engine that offered more horsepower then its previous counterparts. Later on that same year, Harley-Davidson offered a 60 cubic inch machine. Harley-Davidson was making bigger engine motorcycles, and supplying more horsepower in the process. The first WL models are offered in 1937. The excellence continues for Joe Petrali when he breaks the land speed record at 136 mph on a Harley-Davidson 61 cubic-inch overhead engine motorcycle. In Daytona, Florida, Ben Campanale wins the Daytona 200 on a 3.6 mile beach course.
World War II begins for America in 1941.This meant that motorcycle production almost went totally to military motorcycles. Civilian motorcycles stopped being made because of the high need for war vehicles. This also meant that all Harley-Davidson service shops would turn into places for military mechanics to learn the ins and outs of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The XA model begins production. It is made for the purpose of being a desert machine, but the deal is cancelled when U.S. moves out of West Africa. Only a little over a thousand of these XA's were made.
In 1943, Harley-Davidson receives an excellence award from the Army and Navy for its wartime production. They would later receive three more of these awards. The military personnel begin to like the Harley-Davidsons over seas, and this would show when they returned back home.
By 1945, World War II is over. And Harley-Davidson has supplied our military with over 90,000 land vehicles. This accounts for much of the U.S.'s hardware during the war.
Later on that year, production begins again for civilian cycles. In 1946, Harley-Davidson introduces the 45 cubic-inch flathead engine racing motorcycle. It turned out to be a real gem, known as one of the best ever made. 1947 was a good year for the company with the opening of a new production facility and the release of what would become a symbol of Harley-Davidson-the leather jacket. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle wins the first of three straight AMA Grand National Championships.
Harley-Davidson won 18 of the 24 national dirt racing championships in 1950. They also set 5 new records. Harley-Davidson was truly a dominant force in the dirt racing arena. In 1952, a side valve K model is introduced to keep up the smaller motorcycles being produced in Great Britain. This would eventually change from model K to the sportster.
The 50th anniversary of Harley-Davidson is celebrated in 1953. For the celebration, a "V" logo is created to put on the fenders of all the motorcycles made in that year. It reads "50 years-American Made." Also this year, Indian Motorcycle Company goes out of business. This makes Harley Davidson the only American motorcycle company for the next 46 years. A monopoly comparable to Microsoft.
1955 was another good year for Harley-Davidson with the start of a domination of the Daytona 200 race victories. Harley-Davidson would be responsible for the next 7 years of victory for racers. Show business even gets in on the action in 1956 when young Elvis Presley poses on the cover of the Enthusiast.
Harley-Davidson motorcycles had really hit mainstream and were growing more and more popular in America. 1957 was the year of the Sportster, a motorcycle that would become known as a "super bike." It was another tradition started that rings true even today.
In 1960, Harley-Davidson introduced the only scooter they would ever produce, the Topper. The top 14 finishers, including the winner, at the Daytona 200 are riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The year 1962, Harley-Davidson made some business decisions. They decided to buy a 60 percent share in the Tomahawk Boat Company. They understood what this industry could do for Harley, so they made a factory that became operational in 1963.
The three wheeled Servi-car is released in 1964. It is the first vehicle that Harley-Davidson has produced that has an electric starter. Records were broken in 1965 when George Roeder broke the speed record on a Streamliner with a 255 cc engine, going an average of 177 miles per hour. Bart Michael, a Harley-Davidson dirt track racer, wins the AMA's for the next two years. A "shovelhead" engine is the new replacement engine in the year 1967. In 1969, Harley-Davidson merged with a leisure product company, the American Machine and Foundry Company.
With Harley-Davidson in full force, some changes had to be made in 1970. A new Sportster, XR-750 is introduced.
It was in compliance with the new rules of the AMA. Later on that same year, Cal Ramburn set the land speed record for motor cycle on a bike with one speedster engine. He averaged over 265 miles per hour in the record-breaking run. A year later, a new type of motorcycle is released, the FX 1200. It is a cruiser motorcycle, which fit the demand of that year. This was also the year that Harley-Davidson first started to produce snowmobiles.
A new race machine is offered in 1972, the XR-750. It wins the AMA's big race that year, and also becomes the dominant dirt track bike for the next three decades. By 1973, Harley-Davidson moves it main assembly factory to a 400,000 square foot building located in York, Pennsylvania. It greatly improves the company's ability to produce motorcycles. The company pretty much has a monopoly over the motorcycle industry. Starting in 1975, Harley-Davidson wins four straight AMA Grand Dirt Track Championships. Three of those wins coming from racing legend Jay Springsteen.
In 1977, the FXS low-rider is introduced. It has drag style handle bars and a unique paint scheme. Its name fit, because it put the rider truly "lower." Two years later, the "Fat Bob" was released. The "fat" in the name is due to the two gas tanks on the bike, while the "bob" stands for the abnormal fenders that were part of the motorcycle.
In 1980, Harley-Davidson released yet another motorcycle, the FLT. The FLT included a vibration dampening system. Its engine and 5-speed transmission was bolted together. Later on that same year, a Kevlar belt replaces the chain on the main drive of ever Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was produced after that date. The AMA Grand goes yet again to a Harley-Davidson driver.
In 1981, a buyback of Harley-Davidson is completed from AMF by thirteen top level executives. Scott Parker would join Harley-Davidson's team to go on to be their most successful racer ever, with 93 victories, and 9 major titles in a 10 year span.
In 1982, Harley-Davidson got smart and implemented a Materials As Needed (MAN) plan. This said that parts and accessories were only going to be made as they were needed. This was a good decision by the company, and this greatly cut down on their production and warehouse costs.
Harley-Davidson started a new club for owners of Harleys in 1983, the Harley Owners Group. This is a place for anyone who owns a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. This group grows at tremendous rates. The firs year, there were about 90,000 members. Today, there are over 500,000 members.
In 1986, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the first time this has happened since the AMF merger years earlier. This was also the year that the famed Sportster gets the exclusive Revolution engine. 1988 brought the opening of a Harley museum, where there are memorabilia and the history of the company.
In 1990, the introduction of the FLSFT Fat Boy was a big deal. This motorcycle is considered a classic among Harley enthusiasts. In 1991, a $31 million facility was built for painting purposes in York, Pennsylvania. This helps the company grow as the need for motorcycles is at an all-time high. In 1993, Harley celebrates its 90th anniversary in Milwaukee with a family reunion parade, where an estimated 1 million Harleys are ridden. In 1995, the 30th Anniversary Ultra Classic Electra Glide is the first to introduce an electric sequential fuel injection. It was a remarkable feat for the company.
In 1997, a new state of the art distribution center is built. After it is all said and done, everything is moved to the new building which is sized at 217,000 square feet. 1998 brought some international relations when Harley built its first foreign production warehouse in Manaus, Brazil.
In the year 2000, the new feature of fuel injections is added to the softail line of motorcycles. Later that year, Harley-Davidson Motor Company introduces the Blast, a single cylinder motorcycle. The purpose of this cycle is to be for learning purposes.
In 2001, the team of Harley Davidson Racing introduced a new member to the team: a 17 year old girl name Jennifer Snyder. She was the first woman ever to win on the Formula USA Dirt Track Series. This was big news in the company, since a woman in this sport was rare, if not none existent in the past. It was certainly a pivotal moment.
Year 2003 brought the company's 100th anniversary. With over a hundred years of solid growth, Harley-Davidson can be admired as a company as well as a motorcycle producer. They have done nothing but grow over the years, and can be admired for being solid and reliable. Supplying our military with motorcycles in two wars, and supplying America with its toy ride, Harley-Davidson Motor Company is truly to be admired. Even today, Harley-Davidson is the prominent supplier of motorcycles in America. They are here to stay, and have 100 years to prove it. Whether you like motorcycles or not, one has got to admit that Harley-Davidson Motor Company is the best motorcycle company there has ever been.
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Epilepsy - Myths and Facts
Myth: People with epilepsy are "epileptics."
Fact: The word "epileptic" should not be used to descrbe someone who has epilepsy, as it defines a person by one trait or problem. A label is powerful and can create a limiting and negative stereotype. It is better to refer to someone as "a person with epilepsy" or to a group of people as "people with epilepsy."
Myth: People with epilepsy are seldom brain-damaged.
Fact: Epilepsy is a disorder of brain and nerve-cell function that may or may not be associated with damage to brain structures. Brain function can be temporarily disturbed by many things, such as extreme fatigue; the use of sleeping pills, sedatives, or general anesthesia; or high fever or serious illness. "Brain damage" implies that something is permanently wrong with the brain's structure. This kind of damage may occur with severe head injury, cerebral palsy, Cerebral palsyA condition with various combinations of impaired muscle tone and strength, coordination, and intelligence.Close or stroke, or it may occur long before birth, with malformation or infection. Injuries to the brain are the cause of seizures in some people with epilepsy, but by no means all of them.
Brain injuries range from undetectable to disabling. Although brain cells usually do not regenerate, most people can make substantial recoveries. Brain damage, like epilepsy, carries a stigma, and some people may unjustly consider brain-injured patients "incompetent."
Myth: A seizure disorder is epilepsy.
Fact: Because some people fear the word "epilepsy," they use the term "seizure disorder" in an attempt to separate themselves from any association with it. However the term seizure disorder means the same thing as epilepsy. A person has epilepsy or a seizure disorder if he or she has had two or more seizures that "come out of the blue" and are not provoked—even if the problem first develops in adulthood or is known to be caused by something like a severe head injury or a tumor.
Myth: Seizures cause brain damage.
Fact: Single tonic-clonic seizures lasting less than 5-10 minutes are not known to cause brain damage or injury. However, there is evidence that more frequent and more prolonged tonic-clonic seizures may in some patients injure the brain. Prolonged or repetitive complex partial seizures (a type of seizure that occurs in clusters without an intervening return of consciousness) also can potentially cause long-lasting impairment of brain function.
Some people have difficulty with memory and other intellectual functions after a seizure. These problems may be caused by the aftereffects of the seizure on the brain, by the effects of seizure medicines, or both. Usually, however, these problems do not mean that the brain has been damaged by the seizure. There may be a cumulative, negative effect of many tonic-clonic or complex partial seizures on brain function, but this effect appears to be rare.
Myth: People with epilepsy are usually cognitively challenged.
Fact: People with epilepsy usually are not intellectually challenged. Many people mistakenly believe that people with epilepsy are also intellectually or developmentally challenged. In the large majority of situations, this is not true. Like any other group of people, people with epilepsy have different intellectual abilities. Some are brilliant and some score below average on intelligence tests, but most are somewhere in the middle. They have normal intelligence and lead productive lives. Some people, however, may have epilepsy associated with brain injuries that may cause other neurological difficulties that affects their thinking, remembering, or other cognitive CognitivePertaining to the mental processes of perceiving, thinking, and remembering; used loosely to refer to intellectual functions as opposed to physical functions.Closeabilities. The cognitive problems may be the only problem in most people. Less frequently, some people have other developmental problems that can affect the way they function and live.
Myth: People with epilepsy are violent or crazy.
Fact: The belief that people with epilepsy are violent is an unfortunate image that is both wrong and destructive. People with epilepsy have no greater tendency toward severe irritability and aggressive behaviors than do other people.
Many features of seizures and their immediate aftereffects can be easily misunderstood as "crazy" or "violent" behavior. Unfortunately, police officers and even medical personnel may confuse seizure-related behaviors with other problems. However, these behaviors merely represent semiconscious or confused actions resulting from the seizure. During seizures, some people may not respond to questions, may speak gibberish, undress, repeat a word or phrase, crumple important papers, or may appear frightened and scream. Some are confused immediately after a seizure, and if they are restrained or prevented from moving about, they can become agitated and combative. Some people are able to respond to questions and carry on a conversation fairly well, but several hours later they cannot remember the conversation at all.
Myth: People with epilepsy are mentally ill.
Fact: Epilepsy is not the same as mental illness and in fact, the majority of people with seizures do not develop mental health problems. Yet recent research is showing that problems with mood, such as anxiety and depression, may be seen more frequently than previously thought. The causes are not always known. In some people, the cause and location of the seizures may affect certain brain areas and contribute to mood problems. In others, side effects of treatments and the challenges of living with epilepsy may affect a person's feelings and behavior. If these problems occur, a variety of treatments are available.
Myth: Epilepsy is necessarily inherited.
Fact: Most cases of epilepsy are not inherited, although some types are genetically transmitted (that is, passed on through the family). Most of these types are easily controlled with seizure medicines.
Myth: Epilepsy is a life-long disorder.
Fact: Generally, people with epilepsy have seizures and require medication for only a small portion of their lives. About 60 % of people who develop seizures have epilepsy that can be easily controlled and is likely to remit or go away. However, about 25 % may develop difficult to control seizures and likely will require lifelong treatment. More than half of childhood forms of epilepsy are outgrown by adulthood. With many forms of epilepsy in children and adults, when the person has been free of seizures for 1 to 3 years, medications can often be slowly withdrawn and discontinued under a doctor's supervision.
Myth: Epilepsy is a curse.
Fact: Epilepsy has nothing to do with curses, possession, or other supernatural processes, such as punishment for past sins. Like asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure, epilepsy is a medical problem.
Myth: Epilepsy should be a barrier to success.
Fact: Epilepsy is perfectly compatible with a normal, happy, and full life. The person's quality of life, however, may be affected by the frequency and severity of the seizures, the effects of medications, reactions of onlookers to seizures, and other disorders that are often associated with or caused by epilepsy.
Some types of epilepsy are harder to control than others. Living successfully with epilepsy requires a positive outlook, a supportive environment, and good medical care. Coping with the reaction of other people to the disorder can be the most difficult part of living with epilepsy.
Acquiring a positive outlook may be easier said than done, especially for those who have grown up with insecurity and fear. Instilling a strong sense of self-esteem in children is important. Many children with long-term, ongoingic illnesses—not only epilepsy but also disorders such as asthma or diabetes—have low self-esteem. This may be caused in part by the reactions of others and in part by parental concern that fosters dependence and insecurity. Children develop strong self-esteem and independence through praise for their accomplishments and emphasis on their potential abilities.
Famous people with epilepsy include Julius Caesar, Socrates, Alexander the Great, Tchaikovsky, Van Gogh, Dostoyevski, Dickens, Dante, da Vinci, Mozart and Alfred Nobel.
source: epilepsy.com
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Fact: The word "epileptic" should not be used to descrbe someone who has epilepsy, as it defines a person by one trait or problem. A label is powerful and can create a limiting and negative stereotype. It is better to refer to someone as "a person with epilepsy" or to a group of people as "people with epilepsy."
Myth: People with epilepsy are seldom brain-damaged.
Fact: Epilepsy is a disorder of brain and nerve-cell function that may or may not be associated with damage to brain structures. Brain function can be temporarily disturbed by many things, such as extreme fatigue; the use of sleeping pills, sedatives, or general anesthesia; or high fever or serious illness. "Brain damage" implies that something is permanently wrong with the brain's structure. This kind of damage may occur with severe head injury, cerebral palsy, Cerebral palsyA condition with various combinations of impaired muscle tone and strength, coordination, and intelligence.Close or stroke, or it may occur long before birth, with malformation or infection. Injuries to the brain are the cause of seizures in some people with epilepsy, but by no means all of them.
Brain injuries range from undetectable to disabling. Although brain cells usually do not regenerate, most people can make substantial recoveries. Brain damage, like epilepsy, carries a stigma, and some people may unjustly consider brain-injured patients "incompetent."
Myth: A seizure disorder is epilepsy.
Fact: Because some people fear the word "epilepsy," they use the term "seizure disorder" in an attempt to separate themselves from any association with it. However the term seizure disorder means the same thing as epilepsy. A person has epilepsy or a seizure disorder if he or she has had two or more seizures that "come out of the blue" and are not provoked—even if the problem first develops in adulthood or is known to be caused by something like a severe head injury or a tumor.
Myth: Seizures cause brain damage.
Fact: Single tonic-clonic seizures lasting less than 5-10 minutes are not known to cause brain damage or injury. However, there is evidence that more frequent and more prolonged tonic-clonic seizures may in some patients injure the brain. Prolonged or repetitive complex partial seizures (a type of seizure that occurs in clusters without an intervening return of consciousness) also can potentially cause long-lasting impairment of brain function.
Some people have difficulty with memory and other intellectual functions after a seizure. These problems may be caused by the aftereffects of the seizure on the brain, by the effects of seizure medicines, or both. Usually, however, these problems do not mean that the brain has been damaged by the seizure. There may be a cumulative, negative effect of many tonic-clonic or complex partial seizures on brain function, but this effect appears to be rare.
Myth: People with epilepsy are usually cognitively challenged.
Fact: People with epilepsy usually are not intellectually challenged. Many people mistakenly believe that people with epilepsy are also intellectually or developmentally challenged. In the large majority of situations, this is not true. Like any other group of people, people with epilepsy have different intellectual abilities. Some are brilliant and some score below average on intelligence tests, but most are somewhere in the middle. They have normal intelligence and lead productive lives. Some people, however, may have epilepsy associated with brain injuries that may cause other neurological difficulties that affects their thinking, remembering, or other cognitive CognitivePertaining to the mental processes of perceiving, thinking, and remembering; used loosely to refer to intellectual functions as opposed to physical functions.Closeabilities. The cognitive problems may be the only problem in most people. Less frequently, some people have other developmental problems that can affect the way they function and live.
Myth: People with epilepsy are violent or crazy.
Fact: The belief that people with epilepsy are violent is an unfortunate image that is both wrong and destructive. People with epilepsy have no greater tendency toward severe irritability and aggressive behaviors than do other people.
Many features of seizures and their immediate aftereffects can be easily misunderstood as "crazy" or "violent" behavior. Unfortunately, police officers and even medical personnel may confuse seizure-related behaviors with other problems. However, these behaviors merely represent semiconscious or confused actions resulting from the seizure. During seizures, some people may not respond to questions, may speak gibberish, undress, repeat a word or phrase, crumple important papers, or may appear frightened and scream. Some are confused immediately after a seizure, and if they are restrained or prevented from moving about, they can become agitated and combative. Some people are able to respond to questions and carry on a conversation fairly well, but several hours later they cannot remember the conversation at all.
Myth: People with epilepsy are mentally ill.
Fact: Epilepsy is not the same as mental illness and in fact, the majority of people with seizures do not develop mental health problems. Yet recent research is showing that problems with mood, such as anxiety and depression, may be seen more frequently than previously thought. The causes are not always known. In some people, the cause and location of the seizures may affect certain brain areas and contribute to mood problems. In others, side effects of treatments and the challenges of living with epilepsy may affect a person's feelings and behavior. If these problems occur, a variety of treatments are available.
Myth: Epilepsy is necessarily inherited.
Fact: Most cases of epilepsy are not inherited, although some types are genetically transmitted (that is, passed on through the family). Most of these types are easily controlled with seizure medicines.
Myth: Epilepsy is a life-long disorder.
Fact: Generally, people with epilepsy have seizures and require medication for only a small portion of their lives. About 60 % of people who develop seizures have epilepsy that can be easily controlled and is likely to remit or go away. However, about 25 % may develop difficult to control seizures and likely will require lifelong treatment. More than half of childhood forms of epilepsy are outgrown by adulthood. With many forms of epilepsy in children and adults, when the person has been free of seizures for 1 to 3 years, medications can often be slowly withdrawn and discontinued under a doctor's supervision.
Myth: Epilepsy is a curse.
Fact: Epilepsy has nothing to do with curses, possession, or other supernatural processes, such as punishment for past sins. Like asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure, epilepsy is a medical problem.
Myth: Epilepsy should be a barrier to success.
Fact: Epilepsy is perfectly compatible with a normal, happy, and full life. The person's quality of life, however, may be affected by the frequency and severity of the seizures, the effects of medications, reactions of onlookers to seizures, and other disorders that are often associated with or caused by epilepsy.
Some types of epilepsy are harder to control than others. Living successfully with epilepsy requires a positive outlook, a supportive environment, and good medical care. Coping with the reaction of other people to the disorder can be the most difficult part of living with epilepsy.
Acquiring a positive outlook may be easier said than done, especially for those who have grown up with insecurity and fear. Instilling a strong sense of self-esteem in children is important. Many children with long-term, ongoingic illnesses—not only epilepsy but also disorders such as asthma or diabetes—have low self-esteem. This may be caused in part by the reactions of others and in part by parental concern that fosters dependence and insecurity. Children develop strong self-esteem and independence through praise for their accomplishments and emphasis on their potential abilities.
Famous people with epilepsy include Julius Caesar, Socrates, Alexander the Great, Tchaikovsky, Van Gogh, Dostoyevski, Dickens, Dante, da Vinci, Mozart and Alfred Nobel.
source: epilepsy.com
Continue Reading >>>>>
Obesitas Anak
Kita senang melihat anak yang sehat. Tetapi seringkali kita menganggap anak yang sehat haruslah gemuk. Padahal, gemuk tidak berarti sehat. Memberikan nutrisi yang tepat bukan berarti menggemukkan balita kita. Kita seringkali tidak menyadari kalau obesitas anak adalah hal yang serius. Tetapi anak yang obesitas bisa mengalami berbagai komplikasi kesehatan yang membahayakan seperti diabetes, tekanan darah tinggi dan kolesterol. Selain itu, berat badan yang berlebihan pun memberikan tekanan yang lebih kepada tulang dan bisa menghambat pertumbuhan yang sehat.
Obesitas anak bisa disebabkan oleh hormon dan faktor genetis, tetapi pada umumnya disebabkan karena anak-anak makan terlalu banyak dan tidak berolah fisik yang cukup. Jika anak mendapatkan kalori lebih dari yang mereka gunakan lewat olah fisik dan perkembangan fisik yang normal, mereka akan menjadi gemuk. Makanan yang dapat menyebabkan obesitas adalah makanan-makanan yang tinggi kalori, seperti fast food (makanan cepat saji), kue-kue yang manis, minuman soda, dan permen. Selain makanan, kurangnya olah fisik juga dapat menyebabkan obesitas, kegiatan yang tidak aktif seperti menonton TV dan bermain video games dapat menyebabkan anak menjadi kurang aktif. Selain itu, ada faktor lain seperti psikologis; anak yang stress cenderung untuk makan lebih banyak, dan faktor lingkungan seperti jajanan di sekolah.
Obesitas anak dapat menyebabkan berbagai penyakit seperti: diabetes tipe 2, sindrom metabolisme, tekanan darah tinggi, asma dan gangguan pernafasan lainnya, gangguan tidur, penyakit liver, puber dini, infeksi kulit dan lainnya. Karena itu, sangatlah penting untuk menjaga agar anak Anda mendapat nutrisi yang tepat tanpa menyebabkan kegemukan atau obesitas.
Cara mencegah obesitas anak dimulai dari diri Anda sendiri. Berikan contoh yang benar dengan menjaga pola hidup sehat. Bila Anda menjaga berat badan dan mempunyai pola hidup yang sehat, anak Anda pun akan mengikuti dengan mudah. Lalu, ajaklah ia untuk berolah fisik bersama. Selain itu, jangan menggunakan makanan manis seperti permen untuk memberikan “hadiah” untuk mendidik perilakunya. Makanan tidak bisa dijadikan alat untuk memodifikasi perilaku.
Selain itu, tekankan di hal positif, jangan negatif. Jangan menakut-nakutinya tetapi beritahukan betapa menyenangkannya bermain di halaman dan berlari-lari. Beritahukan betapa enaknya buah segar yang ia bisa makan setiap hari dan betapa buah-buahan lebih lezat dibandingkan permen. Tekankan keuntungan berolah fisik selain dari menjaga berat badan, misalnya menguatkan tubuh dan otot mereka. Biarkan anak Anda bermain dan berlari-lari yang aktif di rumah dan hanya makan saat lapar, bukan saat bosan. Dengan ini, tubuh mereka pun dengan sendirinya akan berada pada berat badan yang sehat.
Tentunya kedekatan Anda dengan si Kecil memainkan peranan yang besar. Salah satu penyebab anak makan terlalu banyak adalah karena faktor psikologis seperti stress. Ciptakan hubungan yang dekat dengannya sehingga ia bisa bercerita apa saja kepada Anda. Jadilah orang tua dan temannya yang mau mengerti gejolak kehidupannya. Obesitas anak bisa dicegah dan dihindari. Mulailah dari gaya hidup sehat seluruh keluarga.
Sumber: nutrisibalitacerdas.com
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Obesitas anak bisa disebabkan oleh hormon dan faktor genetis, tetapi pada umumnya disebabkan karena anak-anak makan terlalu banyak dan tidak berolah fisik yang cukup. Jika anak mendapatkan kalori lebih dari yang mereka gunakan lewat olah fisik dan perkembangan fisik yang normal, mereka akan menjadi gemuk. Makanan yang dapat menyebabkan obesitas adalah makanan-makanan yang tinggi kalori, seperti fast food (makanan cepat saji), kue-kue yang manis, minuman soda, dan permen. Selain makanan, kurangnya olah fisik juga dapat menyebabkan obesitas, kegiatan yang tidak aktif seperti menonton TV dan bermain video games dapat menyebabkan anak menjadi kurang aktif. Selain itu, ada faktor lain seperti psikologis; anak yang stress cenderung untuk makan lebih banyak, dan faktor lingkungan seperti jajanan di sekolah.
Obesitas anak dapat menyebabkan berbagai penyakit seperti: diabetes tipe 2, sindrom metabolisme, tekanan darah tinggi, asma dan gangguan pernafasan lainnya, gangguan tidur, penyakit liver, puber dini, infeksi kulit dan lainnya. Karena itu, sangatlah penting untuk menjaga agar anak Anda mendapat nutrisi yang tepat tanpa menyebabkan kegemukan atau obesitas.
Cara mencegah obesitas anak dimulai dari diri Anda sendiri. Berikan contoh yang benar dengan menjaga pola hidup sehat. Bila Anda menjaga berat badan dan mempunyai pola hidup yang sehat, anak Anda pun akan mengikuti dengan mudah. Lalu, ajaklah ia untuk berolah fisik bersama. Selain itu, jangan menggunakan makanan manis seperti permen untuk memberikan “hadiah” untuk mendidik perilakunya. Makanan tidak bisa dijadikan alat untuk memodifikasi perilaku.
Selain itu, tekankan di hal positif, jangan negatif. Jangan menakut-nakutinya tetapi beritahukan betapa menyenangkannya bermain di halaman dan berlari-lari. Beritahukan betapa enaknya buah segar yang ia bisa makan setiap hari dan betapa buah-buahan lebih lezat dibandingkan permen. Tekankan keuntungan berolah fisik selain dari menjaga berat badan, misalnya menguatkan tubuh dan otot mereka. Biarkan anak Anda bermain dan berlari-lari yang aktif di rumah dan hanya makan saat lapar, bukan saat bosan. Dengan ini, tubuh mereka pun dengan sendirinya akan berada pada berat badan yang sehat.
Tentunya kedekatan Anda dengan si Kecil memainkan peranan yang besar. Salah satu penyebab anak makan terlalu banyak adalah karena faktor psikologis seperti stress. Ciptakan hubungan yang dekat dengannya sehingga ia bisa bercerita apa saja kepada Anda. Jadilah orang tua dan temannya yang mau mengerti gejolak kehidupannya. Obesitas anak bisa dicegah dan dihindari. Mulailah dari gaya hidup sehat seluruh keluarga.
Sumber: nutrisibalitacerdas.com
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Sari Kedelai
Lesitin (lecithin) merupakan senyawa phosphatidyl choline yang terdapat di dalam sari kedelai. Nama lain dari lesitin antara lain yaitu phosphatidyl, phosphatidylinositol, PC-55, ethanolamine, serine, choline, kelecin, lecithol, soy lecithin, vegilecithin, atau vitrellin.
Senyawa phosphatidyl choline umumnya ditemukan pada selaput sel tumbuhan dan hewan, serta dalam jaringan urat saraf atau otak kita. Choline (sebagai bagian terbesar dari phosphatidyl choline) dapat ditemukan di dalam hati, oatmeal, kubis, dan kembang kol. Lesitin terdapat juga pada bunga matahari, lobak, dan kedelai.
Kandungan lesitin dalam kedelai cukup tinggi, yaitu 20 - 22%. Lesitin bersifat? lipotropik yaitu mendorong pengangkutan asam lemak dari hati ke jaringan tubuh atau meningkatkan pembakaran lemak di hati. Selain itu, lesitin dapat mencegah tertimbunnya lemak secara berlebihan.
Di dalam tubuh, senyawa lesitin akan bekerja mengikis timbunan lemak pada dinding pembuluh nadi, yang kemudian larut dalam darah. Lesitin juga menurunkan kadar kolesterol.
Lesitin dapat memasok choline pada tubuh dan meningkatkan pembentukan acethylcholine, zat untuk kepentingan neurotransmiter pada otak. Karena itu, lesitin diduga juga dapat membantu meningkatkan kemampuan belajar anak.
Kemampuan lesitin untuk mengurangi lemak disebabkan karena adanya kandungan asam lemak tak jenuh seperti asam linoleat atau omega 6 (sekitar 55%), asam oleat (9,8%), dan asam arakhidonat (5,5%).
Molekul asam lemak tak jenuh tersebut berikatan rangkap dan akan mengikat molekul lemak lainnya. Sesudah berikatan dengan lemak lainnya, kemudian akan dibakar di tempat-tempat yang memerlukannya di dalam tubuh sebagai energi.
Lesitin diduga dapat juga mencegah terjadinya penyakit jantung koroner, stroke, dan demensia (penurunan daya ingat karena terhambatnya pasokan oksigen ke otak akibat pembuluh darah yang tersumbat) pada penderita hipertensi dan diabetes.
Bagi penderita pasca stroke, pasca by pass, dan perlemakan hati, lesitin dapat membantu? menjaga kondisinya agar pembuluh darah tidak lagi tersumbat. Namun, mengapa lesitin sering disebut sebagai "obat" awet muda? Pada mereka yang hatinya banyak mengandung lemak, biasanya pertukaran zat di dalam tubuhnya tidak normal.
Itu disebabkan karena hati (yang seharusnya memecah lemak dan menetralkan racun) tidak bertugas dengan baik. Tubuh menjadi payah dan wajah akan tampak tua. Dengan adanya lesitin, kelebihan lemak pada hati akan? dikurangi. Kerjanya akan normal kembali sehingga tubuh akan kembali segar atau terasa lebih awet muda.
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Senyawa phosphatidyl choline umumnya ditemukan pada selaput sel tumbuhan dan hewan, serta dalam jaringan urat saraf atau otak kita. Choline (sebagai bagian terbesar dari phosphatidyl choline) dapat ditemukan di dalam hati, oatmeal, kubis, dan kembang kol. Lesitin terdapat juga pada bunga matahari, lobak, dan kedelai.
Kandungan lesitin dalam kedelai cukup tinggi, yaitu 20 - 22%. Lesitin bersifat? lipotropik yaitu mendorong pengangkutan asam lemak dari hati ke jaringan tubuh atau meningkatkan pembakaran lemak di hati. Selain itu, lesitin dapat mencegah tertimbunnya lemak secara berlebihan.
Di dalam tubuh, senyawa lesitin akan bekerja mengikis timbunan lemak pada dinding pembuluh nadi, yang kemudian larut dalam darah. Lesitin juga menurunkan kadar kolesterol.
Lesitin dapat memasok choline pada tubuh dan meningkatkan pembentukan acethylcholine, zat untuk kepentingan neurotransmiter pada otak. Karena itu, lesitin diduga juga dapat membantu meningkatkan kemampuan belajar anak.
Kemampuan lesitin untuk mengurangi lemak disebabkan karena adanya kandungan asam lemak tak jenuh seperti asam linoleat atau omega 6 (sekitar 55%), asam oleat (9,8%), dan asam arakhidonat (5,5%).
Molekul asam lemak tak jenuh tersebut berikatan rangkap dan akan mengikat molekul lemak lainnya. Sesudah berikatan dengan lemak lainnya, kemudian akan dibakar di tempat-tempat yang memerlukannya di dalam tubuh sebagai energi.
Lesitin diduga dapat juga mencegah terjadinya penyakit jantung koroner, stroke, dan demensia (penurunan daya ingat karena terhambatnya pasokan oksigen ke otak akibat pembuluh darah yang tersumbat) pada penderita hipertensi dan diabetes.
Bagi penderita pasca stroke, pasca by pass, dan perlemakan hati, lesitin dapat membantu? menjaga kondisinya agar pembuluh darah tidak lagi tersumbat. Namun, mengapa lesitin sering disebut sebagai "obat" awet muda? Pada mereka yang hatinya banyak mengandung lemak, biasanya pertukaran zat di dalam tubuhnya tidak normal.
Itu disebabkan karena hati (yang seharusnya memecah lemak dan menetralkan racun) tidak bertugas dengan baik. Tubuh menjadi payah dan wajah akan tampak tua. Dengan adanya lesitin, kelebihan lemak pada hati akan? dikurangi. Kerjanya akan normal kembali sehingga tubuh akan kembali segar atau terasa lebih awet muda.
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Vitamin - Side Effects, Poisoning and Overdose
A vitamin is an organic compound required in tiny amounts for essential metabolic reactions in a living organism.The term vitamin does not include other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids, nor does it encompass the large number of other nutrients that promote health but that are not essential for life.
Vitamins are bio-molecules that act as catalysts and substrates in chemical reactions. When acting as a catalyst, vitamins are bound to enzymes and are called cofactors. For example, vitamin K is part of the proteases involved in blood clotting. Vitamins also act as coenzymes to carry chemical groups between enzymes. For example, folic acid carries various forms of carbon group – methyl, formyl and methylene - in the cell.
Until the 1900s, vitamins were obtained solely through food intake, and changes in diet (which, for example, could occur during a particular growing season) can alter the types and amounts of vitamins ingested. Vitamins have been produced as commodity chemicals and made widely available as inexpensive pills for several decades,allowing supplementation of the dietary intake.
Vitamin poisoning
Vitamin poisoning, or hypervitaminosis, refers to a condition of high storage levels of vitamins, which can lead to toxic symptoms. The medical names of the different conditions are derived from the vitamin involved: an excess of vitamin A, for example, is called "hypervitaminosis A".
High dosage vitamin A; high dosage, slow release vitamin B3; and very high dosage vitamin B6 alone (i.e. without vitamin B complex) are sometimes associated with vitamin side effects that usually rapidly cease with supplement reduction or cessation. Conversely, certain vitamins do not produce toxicity in excess levels. Vitamin C has been used in dosages over 100,000 mg for serious illness — over 1000 times the daily recommended intake — without ill effects.[citation needed] However, Vitamin C does have a pronounced laxative effect, typically when intake of vitamin C is in the range of 5-20 grams per day for a person in normal "good health".
Overdose
In large doses some vitamins have documented side effects, that tend to be more severe with larger dosage. The likelihood of consuming too much of any vitamin from food is remote, but overdosing from vitamin supplementation does occur. At high enough dosages some vitamins cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. When side effects emerge, recovery is often accomplished by reducing the dosage. The concentrations of vitamins an individual can tolerate vary widely, and appear to be related to age and state of health.
High doses of mineral supplements can also lead to side effects and toxicity. Mineral-supplement poisoning does occur occasionally due to excessive and unusual intake of iron-containing supplements, including some multivitamins, but is not common. The Dietary Reference Intake recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture define a "tolerable upper intake level" for most vitamins.
Overdose of Vitamin A - Hypervitaminosis A
Hypervitaminosis A refers to the effects of excessive vitamin A (specifically retinoid) intake. Its occurs when the maximum limit for liver stores of retinoids is exceeded. The excess vitamin A enters the circulation causing systemic toxicity. Vitamin A in the form of betacarotene is only selectively converted into retinoids, and hence does not cause toxicity.
Although hypervitaminosis A can occur when large amounts of liver are regularly consumed, most cases of vitamin A toxicity result from an excess intake of vitamin A in the form of vitamin supplements. Toxic symptoms can also arise after consuming very large amounts of preformed vitamin A over a short period of time.
Presentation of effects include:
* birth defects
* liver problems,
* reduced bone mineral density that may result in osteoporosis
* coarse bone growths
* hair loss
* excessive skin dryness/peeling
Signs
Signs of acute toxicity include nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, and loss of muscular coordination.
Recommended supplement limits
The Institute of Medicine has established Daily Tolerable Upper Levels (UL) of intake for vitamin A from supplements that apply to healthy populations, in order to help prevent the risk of vitamin A toxicity. These levels for preformed vitamin A in micrograms (ยตg) and International Units (IU) are:
* 0-3 years: 600 ยตg or 2000 IU
* 4-8 years: 900 ยตg or 3000 IU
* 9-13 years: 1700 ยตg or 5665 IU
* 14-18 years: 2800 ยตg or 9335 IU
* 19+ years: 3000 ยตg or 10,000 IU
The dose over and above the RDA is among the narrowest of the vitamins and minerals. Possible pregnancy, liver disease, high alcohol consumption, and smoking are indications for close monitoring and limitation of vitamin A administration. However, vitamin A has also been repeatedly tested and used therapeutically over several decades in larger amounts, 100,000 - 400,000 IU total dosage, for treatment of severe pediatric measles in areas where vitamin A deficiency may be present, in order to reduce childhood mortality.
Polar-bear liver
The liver of the polar bear is unsafe to eat because it is extraordinarily high in vitamin A. This danger has been recognized since at least 1597 when Gerrit de Veer wrote in his diary that, while taking refuge in the winter in Nova Zembla, he and his men became gravely ill after eating polar-bear liver.
Overdose of Vitamin B6 - Impairment of proprioception
An overdose of pyridoxine can cause a temporary deadening of certain nerves such as the proprioceptory nerves; causing a feeling of disembodiment common with the loss of proprioception. This condition is reversible when supplementation is stopped.
Because adverse effects have only been documented from vitamin B6 supplements and never from food sources, only the supplemental form of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is discussed with respect to safety. Although vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is excreted in the urine, very high doses of pyridoxine over long periods of time may result in painful neurological symptoms known as sensory neuropathy.
Symptoms include pain and numbness of the extremities, and in severe cases difficulty walking. Sensory neuropathy typically develops at doses of pyridoxine in excess of 1,000 mg per day.
However, there have been a few case reports of individuals who developed sensory neuropathies at doses of less than 500 mg daily over a period of months. None of the studies, in which an objective neurological examination was performed, found evidence of sensory nerve damage at intakes of pyridoxine below 200 mg/day.
In order to prevent sensory neuropathy in virtually all individuals, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine set the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for pyridoxine at 100 mg/day for adults. Because placebo-controlled studies have generally failed to show therapeutic benefits of high doses of pyridoxine, there is little reason to exceed the UL of 100 mg/day.
Overdose of Vitamin C - Vitamin C megadosage
Vitamin C megadosage is the consumption of vitamin C in doses which are well beyond the current Dietary Reference Intake. Proponents advocate that this dose is similar to the intake of other primates not producing vitamin C, and is required to attain concentrations reached by most other animals, who produce vitamin C.
High doses have been used in an attempt to obtain specific therapeutic effectsThere is a strong advocacy movement for such doses of vitamin C, despite a lack of conclusive scientific evidence of the purported benefits.There also exists some literature critical of governmental agency dose recommendations.
Although vitamin C can be well tolerated at doses well above the RDA recommendations, megadosing may cause side effects such as stomach upset, laxative effects, diarrhea, or kidney stones. The dose at which these effects may occur varies with the individual. Some test-tube experiments have also suggested that Vitamin C can induce production of DNA-damaging compounds, and by implication, cancer growth. However, some test-tube evidence has shown that Vitamin C is toxic to cancer cells, which has prompted new phase I toxicity trials of high doses of intravenous Vitamin C to determine its safety as a treatment modality.
Overdose of Vitamin D - Hypervitaminosis D
Hypervitaminosis D is a state of Vitamin D toxicity. Overdose occurs at more than 100 times the recommended daily allowance (roughly one bottle of vitamin D tablets per day), over a period of months. Acute overdose requires over 50mg (ten thousand times the RDA). Foods contain low levels, and have not been known to cause overdose. Overdose has occurred due to industrial accidents, for example when incorrectly formulated pills were sold or missing industrial concentrate cans misused as cans of milk.
Symptoms and presentation
Symptoms of vitamin D poisoning include:
* Dehydration
* Vomiting
* Decreased appetite (anorexia)
* Irritability
* Constipation
* Fatigue
An excess of vitamin D causes abnormally high blood concentrations of calcium (hypercalcemia) which can eventually cause severe damage to the bones, soft tissues, and kidneys. It can also damage the kidney and produce kidney stones. Ongoing research indicates antagonism with oil soluble menatetrenone, MK-4, an internally transported natural form of vitamin K2, which is associated with bone formation and calcium retention in the bones.
Note: Hypervitaminosis D symptoms appear several months after excessive doses of vitamin D are administered. In almost every case, a low calcium diet combined with corticosteroid drugs will allow for a full recovery within a month.
source: en.wikipedia.org
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Vitamins are bio-molecules that act as catalysts and substrates in chemical reactions. When acting as a catalyst, vitamins are bound to enzymes and are called cofactors. For example, vitamin K is part of the proteases involved in blood clotting. Vitamins also act as coenzymes to carry chemical groups between enzymes. For example, folic acid carries various forms of carbon group – methyl, formyl and methylene - in the cell.
Until the 1900s, vitamins were obtained solely through food intake, and changes in diet (which, for example, could occur during a particular growing season) can alter the types and amounts of vitamins ingested. Vitamins have been produced as commodity chemicals and made widely available as inexpensive pills for several decades,allowing supplementation of the dietary intake.
Vitamin poisoning
Vitamin poisoning, or hypervitaminosis, refers to a condition of high storage levels of vitamins, which can lead to toxic symptoms. The medical names of the different conditions are derived from the vitamin involved: an excess of vitamin A, for example, is called "hypervitaminosis A".
High dosage vitamin A; high dosage, slow release vitamin B3; and very high dosage vitamin B6 alone (i.e. without vitamin B complex) are sometimes associated with vitamin side effects that usually rapidly cease with supplement reduction or cessation. Conversely, certain vitamins do not produce toxicity in excess levels. Vitamin C has been used in dosages over 100,000 mg for serious illness — over 1000 times the daily recommended intake — without ill effects.[citation needed] However, Vitamin C does have a pronounced laxative effect, typically when intake of vitamin C is in the range of 5-20 grams per day for a person in normal "good health".
Overdose
In large doses some vitamins have documented side effects, that tend to be more severe with larger dosage. The likelihood of consuming too much of any vitamin from food is remote, but overdosing from vitamin supplementation does occur. At high enough dosages some vitamins cause side effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. When side effects emerge, recovery is often accomplished by reducing the dosage. The concentrations of vitamins an individual can tolerate vary widely, and appear to be related to age and state of health.
High doses of mineral supplements can also lead to side effects and toxicity. Mineral-supplement poisoning does occur occasionally due to excessive and unusual intake of iron-containing supplements, including some multivitamins, but is not common. The Dietary Reference Intake recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture define a "tolerable upper intake level" for most vitamins.
Overdose of Vitamin A - Hypervitaminosis A
Hypervitaminosis A refers to the effects of excessive vitamin A (specifically retinoid) intake. Its occurs when the maximum limit for liver stores of retinoids is exceeded. The excess vitamin A enters the circulation causing systemic toxicity. Vitamin A in the form of betacarotene is only selectively converted into retinoids, and hence does not cause toxicity.
Although hypervitaminosis A can occur when large amounts of liver are regularly consumed, most cases of vitamin A toxicity result from an excess intake of vitamin A in the form of vitamin supplements. Toxic symptoms can also arise after consuming very large amounts of preformed vitamin A over a short period of time.
Presentation of effects include:
* birth defects
* liver problems,
* reduced bone mineral density that may result in osteoporosis
* coarse bone growths
* hair loss
* excessive skin dryness/peeling
Signs
Signs of acute toxicity include nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, and loss of muscular coordination.
Recommended supplement limits
The Institute of Medicine has established Daily Tolerable Upper Levels (UL) of intake for vitamin A from supplements that apply to healthy populations, in order to help prevent the risk of vitamin A toxicity. These levels for preformed vitamin A in micrograms (ยตg) and International Units (IU) are:
* 0-3 years: 600 ยตg or 2000 IU
* 4-8 years: 900 ยตg or 3000 IU
* 9-13 years: 1700 ยตg or 5665 IU
* 14-18 years: 2800 ยตg or 9335 IU
* 19+ years: 3000 ยตg or 10,000 IU
The dose over and above the RDA is among the narrowest of the vitamins and minerals. Possible pregnancy, liver disease, high alcohol consumption, and smoking are indications for close monitoring and limitation of vitamin A administration. However, vitamin A has also been repeatedly tested and used therapeutically over several decades in larger amounts, 100,000 - 400,000 IU total dosage, for treatment of severe pediatric measles in areas where vitamin A deficiency may be present, in order to reduce childhood mortality.
Polar-bear liver
The liver of the polar bear is unsafe to eat because it is extraordinarily high in vitamin A. This danger has been recognized since at least 1597 when Gerrit de Veer wrote in his diary that, while taking refuge in the winter in Nova Zembla, he and his men became gravely ill after eating polar-bear liver.
Overdose of Vitamin B6 - Impairment of proprioception
An overdose of pyridoxine can cause a temporary deadening of certain nerves such as the proprioceptory nerves; causing a feeling of disembodiment common with the loss of proprioception. This condition is reversible when supplementation is stopped.
Because adverse effects have only been documented from vitamin B6 supplements and never from food sources, only the supplemental form of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is discussed with respect to safety. Although vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is excreted in the urine, very high doses of pyridoxine over long periods of time may result in painful neurological symptoms known as sensory neuropathy.
Symptoms include pain and numbness of the extremities, and in severe cases difficulty walking. Sensory neuropathy typically develops at doses of pyridoxine in excess of 1,000 mg per day.
However, there have been a few case reports of individuals who developed sensory neuropathies at doses of less than 500 mg daily over a period of months. None of the studies, in which an objective neurological examination was performed, found evidence of sensory nerve damage at intakes of pyridoxine below 200 mg/day.
In order to prevent sensory neuropathy in virtually all individuals, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine set the tolerable upper intake level (UL) for pyridoxine at 100 mg/day for adults. Because placebo-controlled studies have generally failed to show therapeutic benefits of high doses of pyridoxine, there is little reason to exceed the UL of 100 mg/day.
Overdose of Vitamin C - Vitamin C megadosage
Vitamin C megadosage is the consumption of vitamin C in doses which are well beyond the current Dietary Reference Intake. Proponents advocate that this dose is similar to the intake of other primates not producing vitamin C, and is required to attain concentrations reached by most other animals, who produce vitamin C.
High doses have been used in an attempt to obtain specific therapeutic effectsThere is a strong advocacy movement for such doses of vitamin C, despite a lack of conclusive scientific evidence of the purported benefits.There also exists some literature critical of governmental agency dose recommendations.
Although vitamin C can be well tolerated at doses well above the RDA recommendations, megadosing may cause side effects such as stomach upset, laxative effects, diarrhea, or kidney stones. The dose at which these effects may occur varies with the individual. Some test-tube experiments have also suggested that Vitamin C can induce production of DNA-damaging compounds, and by implication, cancer growth. However, some test-tube evidence has shown that Vitamin C is toxic to cancer cells, which has prompted new phase I toxicity trials of high doses of intravenous Vitamin C to determine its safety as a treatment modality.
Overdose of Vitamin D - Hypervitaminosis D
Hypervitaminosis D is a state of Vitamin D toxicity. Overdose occurs at more than 100 times the recommended daily allowance (roughly one bottle of vitamin D tablets per day), over a period of months. Acute overdose requires over 50mg (ten thousand times the RDA). Foods contain low levels, and have not been known to cause overdose. Overdose has occurred due to industrial accidents, for example when incorrectly formulated pills were sold or missing industrial concentrate cans misused as cans of milk.
Symptoms and presentation
Symptoms of vitamin D poisoning include:
* Dehydration
* Vomiting
* Decreased appetite (anorexia)
* Irritability
* Constipation
* Fatigue
An excess of vitamin D causes abnormally high blood concentrations of calcium (hypercalcemia) which can eventually cause severe damage to the bones, soft tissues, and kidneys. It can also damage the kidney and produce kidney stones. Ongoing research indicates antagonism with oil soluble menatetrenone, MK-4, an internally transported natural form of vitamin K2, which is associated with bone formation and calcium retention in the bones.
Note: Hypervitaminosis D symptoms appear several months after excessive doses of vitamin D are administered. In almost every case, a low calcium diet combined with corticosteroid drugs will allow for a full recovery within a month.
source: en.wikipedia.org
Continue Reading >>>>>
Caffeine
People throughout Asia have enjoyed foods and beverages containing caffeine for thousands of years. Whether green, black or oolong, tea has been savoured in Asia for almost 5,000 years. Coffee, a relative newcomer discovered some 1,000 years ago, continues to bring people together in the coffee houses and cybercafes springing up across the region. Over the last hundred years, cola drinks, ready-to-drink tea and coffee beverages and a new crop of "energy drinks" have steadily gained in popularity.
All these beverages have a common ingredient - caffeine. Although products containing caffeine have been enjoyed all over the world for centuries, there are still many misperceptions about this common food component. Food Facts Asia looks at some of the more common myths regarding caffeine.
MYTH: Caffeine's effects are addictive.
FACT: People often say they are "addicted" to caffeine in much the same way they say they are "addicted" to shopping, working or television. The term "addiction" actually refers to a strong dependence on a drug characterised by severe withdrawal symptoms, tolerance to a given dose and the loss of control or the need to consume more and more of the substance at any cost. Addicts tend to exhibit anti-social behaviour or even commit crimes to perpetuate the abuse. Consumers of caffeine-containing beverages do not fall into this category. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (1994), a document that characterises various addictions, does not list caffeine as a substance that causes addiction. According to the World Health Organization, "There is no evidence whatsoever that caffeine use has even remotely comparable physical and social consequences which are associated with serious drugs of abuse."
MYTH: Pregnant women should avoid caffeine.
FACT: Just as with nearly everything else they do, pregnant women can take caffeine in moderation. Many women find they experience taste changes during pregnancy and cannot drink tea or coffee. For those who continue to enjoy their tea and coffee, most physicians and researchers agree that moderate amounts of coffee daily will have no adverse effects on the outcome of the pregnancy or the infant's health.
MYTH: Caffeine is a risk factor for osteoporosis.
FACT: The established risk factors for osteoporosis are insufficient dietary calcium and vitamin D, high protein diets, smoking, the onset of menopause, low oestrogen levels, low body weight and a lack of physical activity. Several well-controlled studies have concluded that consuming moderate amounts of caffeine does not increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. A 1994 National Institute of Health Consensus Statement on optimal bone health does not list caffeine amongst the risk factors which modify calcium balance and influence bone mass. A study by Penn State Medical School found that lifetime consumption of caffeine (up to 800 mg daily or the equivalent of 6-7 cups of coffee a day) had no effect on bone density in 188 post-menopausal women.
Nevertheless, caffeine does cause a small amount of calcium to be lost in the urine รข€“ about the amount in one to two tablespoons of milk per cup of tea or coffee. For this reason, nutritionists recommend that women take their coffee with added milk, drink one extra glass of milk daily or take a calcium supplement if they are heavy coffee drinkers (over 5 cups of coffee daily).
MYTH: Caffeine increases the risk of heart disease.
FACT: Despite previous controversy on the subject, scientists now agree that regular caffeine use has little or no effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels or risk of heart disease.
Studies show that while first-time caffeine use can cause a slight increase in blood pressure (similar to that experienced when walking up stairs), the changes are minimal and disappear with regular use.
It has also been found that only boiled, unfiltered coffee, such as that taken in some Scandinavian countries, elevates cholesterol. It seems the oils in the coffee that are not filtered out are responsible for this effect, not the coffee or caffeine. Consumption of caffeine-containing beverages does not typically affect cholesterol levels.
MYTH: Caffeine causes cancer.
FACT: Substantial scientific evidence demonstrates that caffeine is not a risk factor for cancer. A number of human epidemiological studies have examined the risk of developing cancer at different locations in the body. Two studies of large numbers of people in Norway and Hawaii found no relationship between regular coffee consumption and cancer risk. Two projects conducted on caffeine - one in Japan and the other in Germany - demonstrated no link between caffeine consumption and the incidence of tumours in test animals. This confirms the position of the American Cancer Society, that states, "Available information does not suggest a recommendation against the moderate use of coffee. There is no indication that caffeine, a natural component of both coffee and tea, is a risk factor in human cancer."
MYTH: Caffeine adversely affects the health of children.
FACT: Children generally consume much less caffeine than adults do, since soft drinks and tea are their primary sources of caffeine. Children generally have the same ability to process caffeine as adults. Studies have shown that foods and drinks containing caffeine, when taken in moderate amounts, have no detectable effects on activity levels or attention spans in children.
MYTH: Caffeine has no health benefits.
FACT: Recent research has found some surprising health benefits associated with caffeine consumption. Many caffeine-containing beverages, most notably tea and more recently coffee, have been found to contain antioxidants. Antioxidants may have health benefits in terms of heart health and cancer prevention.
Caffeine is well recognised as increasing both alertness levels and attention spans. A cup of coffee or tea is often recommended to counter sleepiness, especially for those driving long distances and many people resort to an afternoon "cuppa" to get back on top of their workload.
Recent reports suggest that caffeine may be useful in treating allergic reactions due to its ability to reduce the concentration of histamines, the typical body response to an allergy-causing substance. More research is needed in this area before conclusions can be drawn. Caffeine has long been known to help many people suffering from asthma.
There is also evidence to suggest that caffeine may reduce the risk of kidney stones.
source: afic.org
Continue Reading >>>>>
All these beverages have a common ingredient - caffeine. Although products containing caffeine have been enjoyed all over the world for centuries, there are still many misperceptions about this common food component. Food Facts Asia looks at some of the more common myths regarding caffeine.
MYTH: Caffeine's effects are addictive.
FACT: People often say they are "addicted" to caffeine in much the same way they say they are "addicted" to shopping, working or television. The term "addiction" actually refers to a strong dependence on a drug characterised by severe withdrawal symptoms, tolerance to a given dose and the loss of control or the need to consume more and more of the substance at any cost. Addicts tend to exhibit anti-social behaviour or even commit crimes to perpetuate the abuse. Consumers of caffeine-containing beverages do not fall into this category. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (1994), a document that characterises various addictions, does not list caffeine as a substance that causes addiction. According to the World Health Organization, "There is no evidence whatsoever that caffeine use has even remotely comparable physical and social consequences which are associated with serious drugs of abuse."
MYTH: Pregnant women should avoid caffeine.
FACT: Just as with nearly everything else they do, pregnant women can take caffeine in moderation. Many women find they experience taste changes during pregnancy and cannot drink tea or coffee. For those who continue to enjoy their tea and coffee, most physicians and researchers agree that moderate amounts of coffee daily will have no adverse effects on the outcome of the pregnancy or the infant's health.
MYTH: Caffeine is a risk factor for osteoporosis.
FACT: The established risk factors for osteoporosis are insufficient dietary calcium and vitamin D, high protein diets, smoking, the onset of menopause, low oestrogen levels, low body weight and a lack of physical activity. Several well-controlled studies have concluded that consuming moderate amounts of caffeine does not increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. A 1994 National Institute of Health Consensus Statement on optimal bone health does not list caffeine amongst the risk factors which modify calcium balance and influence bone mass. A study by Penn State Medical School found that lifetime consumption of caffeine (up to 800 mg daily or the equivalent of 6-7 cups of coffee a day) had no effect on bone density in 188 post-menopausal women.
Nevertheless, caffeine does cause a small amount of calcium to be lost in the urine รข€“ about the amount in one to two tablespoons of milk per cup of tea or coffee. For this reason, nutritionists recommend that women take their coffee with added milk, drink one extra glass of milk daily or take a calcium supplement if they are heavy coffee drinkers (over 5 cups of coffee daily).
MYTH: Caffeine increases the risk of heart disease.
FACT: Despite previous controversy on the subject, scientists now agree that regular caffeine use has little or no effect on blood pressure, cholesterol levels or risk of heart disease.
Studies show that while first-time caffeine use can cause a slight increase in blood pressure (similar to that experienced when walking up stairs), the changes are minimal and disappear with regular use.
It has also been found that only boiled, unfiltered coffee, such as that taken in some Scandinavian countries, elevates cholesterol. It seems the oils in the coffee that are not filtered out are responsible for this effect, not the coffee or caffeine. Consumption of caffeine-containing beverages does not typically affect cholesterol levels.
MYTH: Caffeine causes cancer.
FACT: Substantial scientific evidence demonstrates that caffeine is not a risk factor for cancer. A number of human epidemiological studies have examined the risk of developing cancer at different locations in the body. Two studies of large numbers of people in Norway and Hawaii found no relationship between regular coffee consumption and cancer risk. Two projects conducted on caffeine - one in Japan and the other in Germany - demonstrated no link between caffeine consumption and the incidence of tumours in test animals. This confirms the position of the American Cancer Society, that states, "Available information does not suggest a recommendation against the moderate use of coffee. There is no indication that caffeine, a natural component of both coffee and tea, is a risk factor in human cancer."
MYTH: Caffeine adversely affects the health of children.
FACT: Children generally consume much less caffeine than adults do, since soft drinks and tea are their primary sources of caffeine. Children generally have the same ability to process caffeine as adults. Studies have shown that foods and drinks containing caffeine, when taken in moderate amounts, have no detectable effects on activity levels or attention spans in children.
MYTH: Caffeine has no health benefits.
FACT: Recent research has found some surprising health benefits associated with caffeine consumption. Many caffeine-containing beverages, most notably tea and more recently coffee, have been found to contain antioxidants. Antioxidants may have health benefits in terms of heart health and cancer prevention.
Caffeine is well recognised as increasing both alertness levels and attention spans. A cup of coffee or tea is often recommended to counter sleepiness, especially for those driving long distances and many people resort to an afternoon "cuppa" to get back on top of their workload.
Recent reports suggest that caffeine may be useful in treating allergic reactions due to its ability to reduce the concentration of histamines, the typical body response to an allergy-causing substance. More research is needed in this area before conclusions can be drawn. Caffeine has long been known to help many people suffering from asthma.
There is also evidence to suggest that caffeine may reduce the risk of kidney stones.
source: afic.org
Continue Reading >>>>>
Herpes
Herpes: Description & Prevention
"One in five people has genital herpes, and most of them don't even know it," says Kimberly A. Workowski, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University in Atlanta. Only about one-fourth of the estimated 50 million Americans infected experience any symptoms. But whether or not you have a single symptom, herpes is sexually transmittable.
Herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-2). (Another strain, HSV-1, is the type responsible for cold sores, but it also sometimes causes genital infections.) Once you've contracted the virus, it's with you for a lifetime, living in nerve cells at the bottom of your spine. If you do have symptoms, they usually consist of a tingly or burning sensation in your genital area, followed by the appearance of small red blisters. These grow into larger pimplelike blisters and are often itchy and painful, with a watery yellow center that eventually ruptures and grows a crusty skin. Particularly with the initial infection, other symptoms may include fever, headache, swollen lymph glands, and abnormal vaginal discharge.
To prevent herpes, use a condom! If you don't have herpes, but your sexual partner does, or if you have a new sexual partner and aren't sure, using a condom offers some protection against contracting the virus, says Dr. Workowski. Use a condom even if no blisters are apparent. "The virus is still there," she says. Experts recommend latex rather than animal-membrane condoms.
Best of all may be the female condom, according to Dr. Workowski. This device consists of two plastic rings connected by a polyurethane sheath. "The female condom covers the whole vulva, protecting nearby areas that would otherwise expose the virus or be exposed to it."
Source: prevention.com
Continue Reading >>>>>
"One in five people has genital herpes, and most of them don't even know it," says Kimberly A. Workowski, MD, assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Emory University in Atlanta. Only about one-fourth of the estimated 50 million Americans infected experience any symptoms. But whether or not you have a single symptom, herpes is sexually transmittable.
Herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus type II (HSV-2). (Another strain, HSV-1, is the type responsible for cold sores, but it also sometimes causes genital infections.) Once you've contracted the virus, it's with you for a lifetime, living in nerve cells at the bottom of your spine. If you do have symptoms, they usually consist of a tingly or burning sensation in your genital area, followed by the appearance of small red blisters. These grow into larger pimplelike blisters and are often itchy and painful, with a watery yellow center that eventually ruptures and grows a crusty skin. Particularly with the initial infection, other symptoms may include fever, headache, swollen lymph glands, and abnormal vaginal discharge.
To prevent herpes, use a condom! If you don't have herpes, but your sexual partner does, or if you have a new sexual partner and aren't sure, using a condom offers some protection against contracting the virus, says Dr. Workowski. Use a condom even if no blisters are apparent. "The virus is still there," she says. Experts recommend latex rather than animal-membrane condoms.
Best of all may be the female condom, according to Dr. Workowski. This device consists of two plastic rings connected by a polyurethane sheath. "The female condom covers the whole vulva, protecting nearby areas that would otherwise expose the virus or be exposed to it."
Source: prevention.com
Continue Reading >>>>>
The History of Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels are upscale, full service properties catering to business travel and leisure guests. They are a chain of over 500 hotels all over the world from Rome to Omaha. Hilton Hotels are enjoying a phenomenal growth in online sales. Hilton hotels are the place for you if you want a distinctive hotel. The original company was founded in 1919 by Conrad Hilton.
Conrad Hilton was determined to maximize every square foot of hotel space and serve the hotel guest. Mr. Hilton bought his first hotel in Cisco, Texas in 1919. And, of course there's always Paris. Paris is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotels and source of an estimated $300 million family fortune. Paris Hilton is the daughter of one of the sons of Mr. Hilton, a hotel magnate. Conrad Hilton (1887-1979) was born in San Antonio. He was determined that his hotel to be the best in every city and coined the phrase, "take me to the Hilton".
And, of course there's always Paris. Paris is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotels and source of an estimated $300 million family fortune. Paris Hilton is the daughter of one of the sons of Mr. Hilton, a hotel magnate. Conrad Hilton (1887-1979).
Hilton hotels are known for featuring world class accommodations in the countries hottest destinations. The hotels are adding MP3-friendly alarm clocks, allowing guests to awaken to their own music. They are internationally known for their Hilton Meetings Business Centres. Hilton Hotels are known for a high level of comfort and prestige. The Port of San Diego and Hilton are planning to develop a 1200-room hotel on the waterfront adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center.
Mr. Hilton bought his first hotel in Cisco, Texas in 1919. And, of course there's always Paris. Paris is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotels and source of an estimated $300 million family fortune. Paris Hilton is the daughter of one of the sons of Mr. Hilton, a hotel magnate. Conrad Hilton (1887-1979) was born in San Antonio. He was determined that his hotel to be the best in every city and coined the phrase, "take me to the Hilton".
HHonors program effectiveness has grown from 34% in 2002 to 40% now. The program is designed to thank meeting planners who schedule events at Hilton Hotels worldwide. The program Members can earn both HHonors points and airline miles for the same business rate stay - what we call Double Dipping. MilePoint sponsors, in addition to the Hilton HHonors program, are America West, Continental, Delta, Northwest, TWA, US Airways and Hilton Hotels. The American Express Hilton Hhonors Program Credit card earns points for free stays at Hilton hotels.
Hilton Hotels are internationally known for their Hilton Meetings Business Centers. Business travel has always been a top priority of the chain. Since 1919, Hilton Hotels has led the way with innovations for executives on the road. Maureen Mackey is Managing Director of Sales, Business Travel Sales for Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Hilton hotels are upscale, full service properties catering to business and leisure guests. Hilton hotels are known for featuring world class accommodations in the countries hottest destinations. The prestigious Hilton Malta promises the best in accommodation and a high standard of service for which Hilton hotels are renowned. For business or pleasure the Homewood suites by Hilton hotels are designed with all the comforts of home in mind. The Hotels are the "Official Hotel Group of UK Athletics and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Athletics Team." Hilton Hotels are now building computer files on customer preferences using a system called OnQ, pronounced "on cue". The Hotels are known across the globe and offer a choice of 2700 quality hotels in the UK, Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia. Room 902 in the Amsterdam Hilton became famous when in 1969 Yoko Ono and John Lennon staged their first Bed-In for Peace.
The Corporation is based in Beverly Hills. Hilton hotels are the most recognized name in the global lodging industry and have been in service for more than 80 years. The chain is focused on the needs of business and leisure travelers who desire a full array of quality services.
Continue Reading >>>>>
Conrad Hilton was determined to maximize every square foot of hotel space and serve the hotel guest. Mr. Hilton bought his first hotel in Cisco, Texas in 1919. And, of course there's always Paris. Paris is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotels and source of an estimated $300 million family fortune. Paris Hilton is the daughter of one of the sons of Mr. Hilton, a hotel magnate. Conrad Hilton (1887-1979) was born in San Antonio. He was determined that his hotel to be the best in every city and coined the phrase, "take me to the Hilton".
And, of course there's always Paris. Paris is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotels and source of an estimated $300 million family fortune. Paris Hilton is the daughter of one of the sons of Mr. Hilton, a hotel magnate. Conrad Hilton (1887-1979).
Hilton hotels are known for featuring world class accommodations in the countries hottest destinations. The hotels are adding MP3-friendly alarm clocks, allowing guests to awaken to their own music. They are internationally known for their Hilton Meetings Business Centres. Hilton Hotels are known for a high level of comfort and prestige. The Port of San Diego and Hilton are planning to develop a 1200-room hotel on the waterfront adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center.
Mr. Hilton bought his first hotel in Cisco, Texas in 1919. And, of course there's always Paris. Paris is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, founder of the Hilton hotels and source of an estimated $300 million family fortune. Paris Hilton is the daughter of one of the sons of Mr. Hilton, a hotel magnate. Conrad Hilton (1887-1979) was born in San Antonio. He was determined that his hotel to be the best in every city and coined the phrase, "take me to the Hilton".
HHonors program effectiveness has grown from 34% in 2002 to 40% now. The program is designed to thank meeting planners who schedule events at Hilton Hotels worldwide. The program Members can earn both HHonors points and airline miles for the same business rate stay - what we call Double Dipping. MilePoint sponsors, in addition to the Hilton HHonors program, are America West, Continental, Delta, Northwest, TWA, US Airways and Hilton Hotels. The American Express Hilton Hhonors Program Credit card earns points for free stays at Hilton hotels.
Hilton Hotels are internationally known for their Hilton Meetings Business Centers. Business travel has always been a top priority of the chain. Since 1919, Hilton Hotels has led the way with innovations for executives on the road. Maureen Mackey is Managing Director of Sales, Business Travel Sales for Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Hilton hotels are upscale, full service properties catering to business and leisure guests. Hilton hotels are known for featuring world class accommodations in the countries hottest destinations. The prestigious Hilton Malta promises the best in accommodation and a high standard of service for which Hilton hotels are renowned. For business or pleasure the Homewood suites by Hilton hotels are designed with all the comforts of home in mind. The Hotels are the "Official Hotel Group of UK Athletics and the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Athletics Team." Hilton Hotels are now building computer files on customer preferences using a system called OnQ, pronounced "on cue". The Hotels are known across the globe and offer a choice of 2700 quality hotels in the UK, Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Australia. Room 902 in the Amsterdam Hilton became famous when in 1969 Yoko Ono and John Lennon staged their first Bed-In for Peace.
The Corporation is based in Beverly Hills. Hilton hotels are the most recognized name in the global lodging industry and have been in service for more than 80 years. The chain is focused on the needs of business and leisure travelers who desire a full array of quality services.
Continue Reading >>>>>
Caffeine and Pregnancy
Now that you are pregnant, it is important to ensure that both you and your baby stay strong and healthy. Though it may be difficult, this is the time to give up all those bad habits, like smoking and alcohol consumption. It is also a good idea to give up food or beverages that contain caffeine. Though you may be hesitant to give up your morning cup of coffee, caffeine has been associated with a number of prenatal risks. When consumed in high doses, caffeine has even been linked with increased rates of miscarriage.
What is Caffeine?
Though many of us don�t realize it, caffeine is actually a drug, much like nicotine and alcohol. It is also addictive, which is why so many people crave their coffee and cola! Caffeine, also known as guareine and mateine, is a naturally-occurring substance found in a number of plants, beans, and seeds. It acts as a stimulant on our central nervous system, and is absorbed into our bloodstream just 15 minutes after intake. When absorbed in large quantities, caffeine can cause a number of adverse physical reactions.
Where is Caffeine Found?
Though most of us associate caffeine with tea and coffee, it is also found in a number of other foods and beverages, including:
* colas
* hot chocolate
* chocolate
* various nuts
Caffeine is also found in certain medications, particularly those for migraine headaches, and in some dietary supplements.
What are the Effects of Caffeine?
If you notice yourself feeling jittery after you have has a lot of coffee or tea, there�s a good reason for it. Caffeine can cause a number of physical side effects, including:
* increased heart rate
* increased blood pressure
* increased sweat production
Caffeine also acts as a diuretic. This means that it causes you to lose fluid from your body, which can leave you dehydrated and fatigued. If your body absorbs too much caffeine, it is possible to go into "caffeine overdose," which causes symptoms of nausea and lightheadedness, as well as respiratory problems.
Effects of Caffeine on Your Baby
Caffeine is thought to pose certain risks during pregnancy. Though researchers debate how much caffeine is acceptable during pregnancy, there is evidence to suggest than any amount will cause some physical effects on your little one. This is because caffeine passes through your placenta and is absorbed by your baby. Adults are able to break down caffeine fairly quickly, thanks to chemicals inside of our body. However, your developing baby can�t do this as efficiently. This means that caffeine will be stored inside of his blood for longer periods of time, and could reach dangerously high levels.
Caffeine also affects other aspects of your baby�s health. It is known to increase your baby�s heart rate and may affect how much he moves in utero. Because caffeine is a diuretic, it can also affect the nutrition your baby receives from you. Caffeine intake may cause you to absorb less iron and calcium from foods, a possible detriment to your baby�s overall fetal development.
Coffee and Miscarriage
Recent studies have focused on the effects of coffee intake during pregnancy. A large-scale Danish study polled more than 80,000 pregnant women regarding their coffee intake. This study found that women who drank large amounts of coffee during pregnancy were more likely to experience a miscarriage. Women who drank more than 2 cups of coffee a day had a slightly increased risk of miscarriage, while those that drank 8 or more cups experienced a 59% increase. This is why it is so important to watch your caffeine intake during pregnancy.
Interestingly, this Danish study found that this considerably greater risk of miscarriage was specific to coffee. Other caffeinated beverages and foods did not present the same significant increase, leading researchers to believe that other chemicals contained in coffee could possibly play a role in causing miscarriage.
How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
Most health care providers suggest eliminating all caffeinated foods and beverages from your pregnancy diet. Yet, some pregnant women find this especially difficult, particularly because so many food items contain small amounts of caffeine. If you are finding it hard to eliminate all caffeine from your diet, one caffeinated beverage or food item once in awhile probably won�t make much difference to your baby�s health. However, it is important to realize that caffeine does pose a risk to your little one, especially in large amounts, so work to reduce that caffeine intake.
Tips on Reducing Caffeine Intake
Just as quitting smoking and drinking can be difficult, it can also be hard to eliminate caffeine from your daily diet. After all, caffeine is an addictive drug. Here are some tips on how to reduce your caffeine intake and ensure that you and your baby stay healthy throughout your pregnancy.
* Cut back on your caffeine intake slowly. Going cold turkey can cause you to experience withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and nausea.
* Try replacing your caffeinated beverages with non-caffeinated ones, like decaf coffee.
* Exercise regularly to help combat any withdrawal symptoms and to stay energized.
* Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water will help you manage cravings and fatigue.
Source: epigee.org
Continue Reading >>>>>
What is Caffeine?
Though many of us don�t realize it, caffeine is actually a drug, much like nicotine and alcohol. It is also addictive, which is why so many people crave their coffee and cola! Caffeine, also known as guareine and mateine, is a naturally-occurring substance found in a number of plants, beans, and seeds. It acts as a stimulant on our central nervous system, and is absorbed into our bloodstream just 15 minutes after intake. When absorbed in large quantities, caffeine can cause a number of adverse physical reactions.
Where is Caffeine Found?
Though most of us associate caffeine with tea and coffee, it is also found in a number of other foods and beverages, including:
* colas
* hot chocolate
* chocolate
* various nuts
Caffeine is also found in certain medications, particularly those for migraine headaches, and in some dietary supplements.
What are the Effects of Caffeine?
If you notice yourself feeling jittery after you have has a lot of coffee or tea, there�s a good reason for it. Caffeine can cause a number of physical side effects, including:
* increased heart rate
* increased blood pressure
* increased sweat production
Caffeine also acts as a diuretic. This means that it causes you to lose fluid from your body, which can leave you dehydrated and fatigued. If your body absorbs too much caffeine, it is possible to go into "caffeine overdose," which causes symptoms of nausea and lightheadedness, as well as respiratory problems.
Effects of Caffeine on Your Baby
Caffeine is thought to pose certain risks during pregnancy. Though researchers debate how much caffeine is acceptable during pregnancy, there is evidence to suggest than any amount will cause some physical effects on your little one. This is because caffeine passes through your placenta and is absorbed by your baby. Adults are able to break down caffeine fairly quickly, thanks to chemicals inside of our body. However, your developing baby can�t do this as efficiently. This means that caffeine will be stored inside of his blood for longer periods of time, and could reach dangerously high levels.
Caffeine also affects other aspects of your baby�s health. It is known to increase your baby�s heart rate and may affect how much he moves in utero. Because caffeine is a diuretic, it can also affect the nutrition your baby receives from you. Caffeine intake may cause you to absorb less iron and calcium from foods, a possible detriment to your baby�s overall fetal development.
Coffee and Miscarriage
Recent studies have focused on the effects of coffee intake during pregnancy. A large-scale Danish study polled more than 80,000 pregnant women regarding their coffee intake. This study found that women who drank large amounts of coffee during pregnancy were more likely to experience a miscarriage. Women who drank more than 2 cups of coffee a day had a slightly increased risk of miscarriage, while those that drank 8 or more cups experienced a 59% increase. This is why it is so important to watch your caffeine intake during pregnancy.
Interestingly, this Danish study found that this considerably greater risk of miscarriage was specific to coffee. Other caffeinated beverages and foods did not present the same significant increase, leading researchers to believe that other chemicals contained in coffee could possibly play a role in causing miscarriage.
How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
Most health care providers suggest eliminating all caffeinated foods and beverages from your pregnancy diet. Yet, some pregnant women find this especially difficult, particularly because so many food items contain small amounts of caffeine. If you are finding it hard to eliminate all caffeine from your diet, one caffeinated beverage or food item once in awhile probably won�t make much difference to your baby�s health. However, it is important to realize that caffeine does pose a risk to your little one, especially in large amounts, so work to reduce that caffeine intake.
Tips on Reducing Caffeine Intake
Just as quitting smoking and drinking can be difficult, it can also be hard to eliminate caffeine from your daily diet. After all, caffeine is an addictive drug. Here are some tips on how to reduce your caffeine intake and ensure that you and your baby stay healthy throughout your pregnancy.
* Cut back on your caffeine intake slowly. Going cold turkey can cause you to experience withdrawal symptoms, like headaches and nausea.
* Try replacing your caffeinated beverages with non-caffeinated ones, like decaf coffee.
* Exercise regularly to help combat any withdrawal symptoms and to stay energized.
* Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water will help you manage cravings and fatigue.
Source: epigee.org
Continue Reading >>>>>
Ciuman Berdasarkan Zodiak
Bukan cuma masalah kepribadian saja yang bisa ditilik lewat astrologi. Karena yang namanya gaya berciuman seseorang pun, baik itu yang romantis, hangat atau bahkan kasar sekalipun, bisa diketahui lewat bintangnya.
Penasaran ingin segera mencocokkan bintang dengan gaya berciuman Anda?
Aries
Orang-orang Aries ternyata memiliki gaya berciuman yang cepat dan penuh dengan nafsu. Tapi sayangnya ciuman dahsyat tersebut biasanya cepat pula selesainya.
Taurus
Berbeda dengan mereka yang berada di bawah naungan Aries, dimana ciuman mereka umumnya berlangsung sangat perlahan, tidak tergesa-gesa, tenang, penuh kemesraan dan berlangsung terus… terus… dan terus.
Gemini
Orang-orang Gemini konon merupakan pribadi yang hangat dan ceria. Tidak heran jika gaya berciuman mereka terkadang diselingi oleh senyuman bahkan juga tawa lebar. Asyiknya, sifat warga Gemini yang terkenal gemar melakukan sesuatu yang baru itu pun dilakukannya dalam melakukan ciuman. Jadi banyak kejutannya!
Cancer
Warga Cancer memang terkenal dengan sikapnya yang hati-hati, agak tertutup dan cenderung ingin selalu dilindungi. Tak heran jika dalam urusan berciuman mereka lebih suka melakukannya dengan lembut, hangat, dan seperti tidak mau lepas saja!
Leo
Orang-orang Leo yang terkenal keras dan tegas ternyata memiliki gaya berciuman yang liar, tanpa malu-malu, bahkan tidak segan-segan untuk menggigit dan mencakar! Pun warga bintang berlambang singa ini ternyata sangat senang jika mendapat pujian dari pasangannya, utamanya pujian atas gairahnya yang luar biasa.
Virgo
Warga Virgo memiliki gaya berciuman yang halus, lembut, rapi, sampai-sampai sang pasangan pun bakal terkesima dibuatnya.
Libra
Gaya berciuman warga Libra konon kurang hangat! Kenapa? Karena mereka pada umumnya terlalu khawatir dengan urusan macam-macam di luar hasrat mereka. Belum lagi, mereka gemar menghela nafas di tengah-tengah ciuman.
Scorpio
Percaya atau tidak, orang-orang di bawah naungan Scorpio rupanya tidak terlalu suka dengan ciuman. Karenanya, jangan kaget apabila dalam sebuah hubungan intim mereka kerap melewatkan aktifitas yang satu itu dan lebih suka langsung menuju sasaran.
Sagitarius
Hmmm.berbahagialah Anda yang berbintang Sagitarius atau pun yang memiliki pasangan dengan bintang ini. Pasalnya, mereka yang berbintang dengan lambang busur panah ini memiliki gaya berciuman yang mengejutkan, spontan, dan menggairahkan. Tak heran jika konon banyak orang yang menanti-nanti ciuman ala si Sagitarius ini.
Capricorn
Ciuman-ciuman yang didaratkan oleh orang-orang berbintang Capricorn kabarnya sangat-sangat romantis. Bahkan saking romantisnya, ciuman ala mereka kerap menjadi obat pembunuh stress!
Aquarius
Sesuai dengan lambangnya, air, warga Aquarius ternyata memiliki ciuman yang basah dan agak serabutan. Selain itu, pada saat ciuman berlangsung mereka umumnya cenderung membuka mata lebar-lebar.
Pisces
Orang-orang dengan bintang berlambang ikan ini memiliki gaya berciuman pandangan mata tajam, penuh nafsu dan gairah, serta wow … berlangsung cukup lama!
Artikel ini disarikan dari Berbagai Sumber
Penasaran ingin segera mencocokkan bintang dengan gaya berciuman Anda?
Aries
Orang-orang Aries ternyata memiliki gaya berciuman yang cepat dan penuh dengan nafsu. Tapi sayangnya ciuman dahsyat tersebut biasanya cepat pula selesainya.
Taurus
Berbeda dengan mereka yang berada di bawah naungan Aries, dimana ciuman mereka umumnya berlangsung sangat perlahan, tidak tergesa-gesa, tenang, penuh kemesraan dan berlangsung terus… terus… dan terus.
Gemini
Orang-orang Gemini konon merupakan pribadi yang hangat dan ceria. Tidak heran jika gaya berciuman mereka terkadang diselingi oleh senyuman bahkan juga tawa lebar. Asyiknya, sifat warga Gemini yang terkenal gemar melakukan sesuatu yang baru itu pun dilakukannya dalam melakukan ciuman. Jadi banyak kejutannya!
Cancer
Warga Cancer memang terkenal dengan sikapnya yang hati-hati, agak tertutup dan cenderung ingin selalu dilindungi. Tak heran jika dalam urusan berciuman mereka lebih suka melakukannya dengan lembut, hangat, dan seperti tidak mau lepas saja!
Leo
Orang-orang Leo yang terkenal keras dan tegas ternyata memiliki gaya berciuman yang liar, tanpa malu-malu, bahkan tidak segan-segan untuk menggigit dan mencakar! Pun warga bintang berlambang singa ini ternyata sangat senang jika mendapat pujian dari pasangannya, utamanya pujian atas gairahnya yang luar biasa.
Virgo
Warga Virgo memiliki gaya berciuman yang halus, lembut, rapi, sampai-sampai sang pasangan pun bakal terkesima dibuatnya.
Libra
Gaya berciuman warga Libra konon kurang hangat! Kenapa? Karena mereka pada umumnya terlalu khawatir dengan urusan macam-macam di luar hasrat mereka. Belum lagi, mereka gemar menghela nafas di tengah-tengah ciuman.
Scorpio
Percaya atau tidak, orang-orang di bawah naungan Scorpio rupanya tidak terlalu suka dengan ciuman. Karenanya, jangan kaget apabila dalam sebuah hubungan intim mereka kerap melewatkan aktifitas yang satu itu dan lebih suka langsung menuju sasaran.
Sagitarius
Hmmm.berbahagialah Anda yang berbintang Sagitarius atau pun yang memiliki pasangan dengan bintang ini. Pasalnya, mereka yang berbintang dengan lambang busur panah ini memiliki gaya berciuman yang mengejutkan, spontan, dan menggairahkan. Tak heran jika konon banyak orang yang menanti-nanti ciuman ala si Sagitarius ini.
Capricorn
Ciuman-ciuman yang didaratkan oleh orang-orang berbintang Capricorn kabarnya sangat-sangat romantis. Bahkan saking romantisnya, ciuman ala mereka kerap menjadi obat pembunuh stress!
Aquarius
Sesuai dengan lambangnya, air, warga Aquarius ternyata memiliki ciuman yang basah dan agak serabutan. Selain itu, pada saat ciuman berlangsung mereka umumnya cenderung membuka mata lebar-lebar.
Pisces
Orang-orang dengan bintang berlambang ikan ini memiliki gaya berciuman pandangan mata tajam, penuh nafsu dan gairah, serta wow … berlangsung cukup lama!
Artikel ini disarikan dari Berbagai Sumber
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Radiasi Optical Mouse
“Kenyamanan optical mouse ternyata mempunyai efek samping yang berbahaya. Tiga tahun semenjak peluncuran pertama optical mouse oleh microsoft, telah ditemukan ribuan kasus kelainan pada jaringan tangan akibat radiasi yang dipancarkan mouse. Optical mouse bekerja dengan memancarkan gelombang elektromagnetik frekuensi tinggi ke permukaan di bawahnya. Frekuensi yang digunakan jauh lebih tinggi dari pada pada handphone.
Telah diketahui secara luas bahwa telapak tangan dan kaki merupakan pusat ujung-ujung syaraf tubuh. Radiasi yang dirasakan oleh telapak tangan bisa berpengaruh fatal pada kesehatan, karena menurut laporan WHO radiasi dari mouse setara 5 kali radiasi handphone. Akan tetapi radiasi mouse menjadi berbahaya karena dipegang terus menerus oleh pemakai komputer.
Pengaruh radiasi dari mouse lebih terasa pada produk-produk berkualitas rendah, karena produk-produk yang bagus memiliki shield (pelindung) untuk melindungi pergelangan tangan.”
“WHO, GreenPeace, dan CNN sudah menghentikan penggunaan optical mouse untuk seluruh kegiatan di kantornya, sementara Microsoft dan IBM mengucurkan dana sekitar 2milyar dolar untuk kerjasama pembuatan pointing device yang lebih aman. Industri-industri hardware terbesar di cina dan Taiwan berusaha menutup-nutupi hal ini. Jika diperhatikan, mouse-mouse optical yang beredar di pasaran saat ini diproduksi oleh merk-merk yang tidak terkenal, padahal itu hanyalah sisa produksi industri besar yang sudah menghentikan penjualan.”
“Untuk itu, cobalah memegang mouse hanya di saat diperlukan saja. Berlatihlah menggunakan Hotkey (Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V untuk kopi paste). Kembali menggunakan mouse model lama (bola) adalah salah satu alternative”.
“Sekedar untuk berjaga-jaga, tolong teruskan ke orang-orang yang anda sayangi.”
Telah diketahui secara luas bahwa telapak tangan dan kaki merupakan pusat ujung-ujung syaraf tubuh. Radiasi yang dirasakan oleh telapak tangan bisa berpengaruh fatal pada kesehatan, karena menurut laporan WHO radiasi dari mouse setara 5 kali radiasi handphone. Akan tetapi radiasi mouse menjadi berbahaya karena dipegang terus menerus oleh pemakai komputer.
Pengaruh radiasi dari mouse lebih terasa pada produk-produk berkualitas rendah, karena produk-produk yang bagus memiliki shield (pelindung) untuk melindungi pergelangan tangan.”
“WHO, GreenPeace, dan CNN sudah menghentikan penggunaan optical mouse untuk seluruh kegiatan di kantornya, sementara Microsoft dan IBM mengucurkan dana sekitar 2milyar dolar untuk kerjasama pembuatan pointing device yang lebih aman. Industri-industri hardware terbesar di cina dan Taiwan berusaha menutup-nutupi hal ini. Jika diperhatikan, mouse-mouse optical yang beredar di pasaran saat ini diproduksi oleh merk-merk yang tidak terkenal, padahal itu hanyalah sisa produksi industri besar yang sudah menghentikan penjualan.”
“Untuk itu, cobalah memegang mouse hanya di saat diperlukan saja. Berlatihlah menggunakan Hotkey (Ctrl-C, Ctrl-V untuk kopi paste). Kembali menggunakan mouse model lama (bola) adalah salah satu alternative”.
“Sekedar untuk berjaga-jaga, tolong teruskan ke orang-orang yang anda sayangi.”
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