Some tips for CV Writing

Your CV is your marketing brochure through which you try to sell a commodity, ie your skills to the potential buyer ie the prospective employer. The sole purpose of your CV is to fetch you an interview call. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

However, creating a CV isn't as simple as just using flowery language and pretty fonts. There are certain things that put recruiters off and if you want to make a good impression, make sure you do not commit these mistakes in what is arguably the most valuable document of your job hunt. 

While the rules listed are well-founded, they are not carved in stone. At times you will need to break the rules. If you want to add these things knowingly and purposefully to your CV we advise you to do that.

The points mentioned here are not listed in the order of priority; instead they are listed in the sequence in which they usually appear on a CV.

Colorful or glossy paper and flashy fonts

Your CV is a formal, official document. Keep it simple.

Resume or CV at the top 

Many people tend to add headings to their CV. The usual are CV, Curriculum Vitae and Resume. Do not do this.

Photographs until asked

Do not add your photo to the CV until you have been asked for it. Photographs are required only for certain types of positions like models, actors etc. 

Usage of 'I', 'My', 'He', 'She'

Do not use these in your CV. Many candidates write, 'I worked as Team Leader for XYZ Company' or 'He was awarded Best Employee for the year 2007'. Instead use bullet points to list out your qualifications/ experience like: Team leader for XYZ Company from 2006-2007.

Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors

Proofread your CV until you are confident that it doesn't have any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. These are big put-offs for the recruiters. Moreover, sometimes these mistakes might land you in an embarrassing situation.

A candidate who submitted his CV without proofreading it committed the mistake of wrongly spelling 'ask' as 'ass'. Now you can imagine the type of embarrassment he must have faced during the interview, when the interviewer pointed it out. These mistakes tend to convey a lazy and careless attitude to the interviewer.

Lies about your candidature

Do not lie about your past jobs or qualifications or anything which might have an impact on the job. You may be able to secure a job with these lies today but tomorrow you may lose it as well.

Abbreviations or jargon that is difficult to understand

People screening your resume usually belong to the HR department. If they do not understand what the abbreviations and jargon mean, they will simply dump your CV in the trash can. Avoid over-using such terms as far as possible.

Reasons for leaving last job

Leave these reasons to be discussed during the personal interview. For example, some candidates write: Reason for leaving the last job: Made redundant. Avoid making such statements in your CV, they add no value. Besides, if you do get an interview call, chances are the interviewer will address the issue.

Past failures or health problems

Mentioning these immediately slash your chances of getting an interview call.

For instance, you have a gap in your employment because you started your own business which did not do well. Some candidates might write -- Reason for gap in employment: Started own business which failed. Do not do this type of injustice with your job hunt at this stage of writing the CV.

Current or expected salary

Leave it to be discussed while negotiating the salary.

Irrelevant details

Leave out the details like marital status, sex, passport number, number of kids, age of kids. These are usually irrelevant for most interviewers but at times could be used as a basis for discrimination.

References

Do not include them until asked. In fact, it is not even required to mention the line 'Reference available on request'. If the recruiter requires a reference, he/she will ask you to bring it along for the interview.

Now that you have run through the list, take a fresh look at your CV and prune away unnecessary details and unaffordable blunders that could have cost you your dream job

How to Improve Your Memory & Exercise Your Brain

Everyone can take steps to improve their memory, with time and practice most people can gain the ability to memorize seemingly impossible amounts of information. Whether you want to win the World Memory Championships, ace your history test, or simply remember where you put your keys, this article can get you started. Scientists believe that exercising your brain can create a `cognitive reserve' that will help you stay sharp as you age.

1. Convince yourself that you do have a good memory that will improve. Too many people get stuck here and convince themselves that their memory is bad, that they are just not good with names, that numbers just slip out of their minds for some reason. Erase those thoughts and vow to improve your memory. Commit yourself to the task and bask in your achievements — it's hard to keep motivated if you beat yourself down every time you make a little bit of progress.

2. Keep your brain active. The brain is not a muscle, but regularly "exercising" the brain actually does keep it growing and spurs the development of new nerve connections that can help improve memory. By developing new mental skills—especially complex ones such as learning a new language or learning to play a new musical instrument—and challenging your brain with puzzles and games you can keep your brain active and improve its physiological functioning.

3. Exercise daily. Regular aerobic exercise improves circulation and efficiency throughout the body, including in the brain, and can help ward off the memory loss that comes with aging. Exercise also makes you more alert and relaxed, and can thereby improve your memory uptake, allowing you to take better mental "pictures."

4. Reduce stress. Chronic stress, although it does not physically damage the brain, can make remembering much more difficult. Even temporary stresses can make it more difficult to effectively focus on concepts and observe things. Try to relax, regularly practice yoga or other stretching exercises, and see a doctor if you have severe chronic stress.

5. Eat well and eat right. There are a lot of herbal supplements on the market that claim to improve memory, but none have yet been shown to be effective in clinical tests (although small studies have shown some promising results for ginkgo biloba and phosphatidylserine). A healthy diet, however, contributes to a healthy brain, and foods containing antioxidants—broccoli, blueberries, spinach, and berries, for example—and Omega-3 fatty acids appear to promote healthy brain functioning. Feed your brain with such supplements as Thiamine, Vitamin E, Niacin and Vitamin B-6. Grazing, eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large meals, also seems to improve mental functioning (including memory) by limiting dips in blood sugar, which may negatively affect the brain.

6. Take better pictures. Often we forget things not because our memory is bad, but rather because our observational skills need work. One common situation where this occurs (and which almost everyone can relate to) is meeting new people. Often we don't really learn people's names at first because we aren't really concentrating on remembering them. You'll find that if you make a conscious effort to remember such things, you'll do much better. One way to train yourself to be more observant is to look at an unfamiliar photograph for a few seconds and then turn the photograph over and describe or write down as many details as you can about the photograph. Try closing your eyes and picturing the photo in your mind. Use a new photograph each time you try this exercise, and with regular practice you will find you're able to remember more details with even shorter glimpses of the photos.

7. Give yourself time to form a memory. Memories are very fragile in the short-term, and distractions can make you quickly forget something as simple as a phone number. The key to avoid losing memories before you can even form them is to be able to focus on the thing to be remembered for a while without thinking about other things, so when you're trying to remember something, avoid distractions and complicated tasks for a few minutes.

8. Create vivid, memorable images. You remember information more easily if you can visualize it. If you want to associate a child with a book, try not to visualize the child reading the book – that's too simple and forgettable. Instead, come up with something more jarring, something that sticks, like the book chasing the child, or the child eating the book. It's your mind – make the images as shocking and emotional as possible to keep the associations strong.

9. Repeat things you need to learn. The more times you hear, see, or think about something, the more surely you'll remember it, right? It's a no-brainer. When you want to remember something, be it your new coworker's name or your best friend's birthday, repeat it, either out loud or silently. Try writing it down; think about it.

10. Group things you need to remember. Random lists of things (a shopping list, for example) can be especially difficult to remember. To make it easier, try categorizing the individual things from the list. If you can remember that, among other things, you wanted to buy four different kinds of vegetables, you'll find it easier to remember all four.

11. Organize your life. Keep items that you frequently need, such as keys and eyeglasses, in the same place every time. Use an electronic organizer or daily planner to keep track of appointments, due dates for bills, and other tasks. Keep phone numbers and addresses in an address book or enter them into your computer or cell phone. Improved organization can help free up your powers of concentration so that you can remember less routine things. Even if being organized doesn't improve your memory, you'll receive a lot of the same benefits (i.e. you won't have to search for your keys anymore).

12. Try meditation. Research now suggests that people who regularly practice "mindfulness" meditation are able to focus better and may have better memories. Mindfulness (also known as awareness or insight meditation) is the type commonly practiced in Western countries and is easy to learn. Studies at Massachusetts General Hospital show that regular meditation thickens the cerebral cortex in the brain by increasing the blood flow to that region. Some researchers believe this can enhance attention span, focus, and memory.

13. Sleep well. The amount of sleep we get affects the brain's ability to recall recently learned information. Getting a good night's sleep  a minimum of seven hours a night – may improve your short-term memory and long-term relational memory, according to recent studies conducted at the Harvard Medical School.

14. Build your memorization arsenal. Learn pegs, memory palaces, and the Dominic System. These techniques form the foundation for mnemonic techniques, and will visibly improve your memory.

15. Venture out and learn from your mistakes. Go ahead and take a stab at memorizing the first one hundred digits of pi, or, if you've done that already, the first one thousand. Memorize the monarchs of England through your memory palaces, or your grocery list through visualization. Through diligent effort you will eventually master the art of memorization.

Some useful Tips

Almonds: To remove the skin of almonds easily, soak them in hot water for 15-20 minutes.

Ants: Putting 3-4 cloves in the sugar container will keep the ants at bay.

Biscuits: If you keep a piece of blotting paper at the bottom of the container, it will keep biscuits fresh for a longer time.

Butter: Avoid the use of butter. If it is essential to use, use a butter containing low saturated fat or with plant stanols (which avoid absorption of cholesterol by our body) or similar substitutes.

Apples: Apply some lemon juice on the cut surface of the apple to avoid browning. They will look fresh for a longer time.

Banana: Apply mashed banana over a burn on your body to have a cooling effect.

Bee and Scorpion Sting Relief: Apply a mixture of 1 pinch of chewing tobacco and 1 drop of water. Mix and apply directly and immediately to the sting; cover with band aid to hold in place. Pain will go away in just a few short minutes

Bitter Gourd (Karela): Slit Karelas at the middle and apply a mixture of salt, wheat flour and curd all round. Keep aside for 1/2 an hour and then cook. Stuffed Karela

Celery: To keep celery fresh for long time, wrap it in aluminium foil and place in the refrigerator.

Burnt Food: Place some chopped onion in the vessel having burnt food, pour boiling water in it, keep for 5 minutes and then clean.

Chilli Powder: Keeping a small piece of hing (asafoetida) in the same container will store chilli powder for long time.

Chopping: Use a wooden board to chop. It will not blunt the knife. Don't use a plastic board, small plastic pieces may go with the vegetables.

Coriander/Mint: You can use dried coriander and mint leaves in coarse powder form in vegetable curry or chutney, if fresh ones are not available. To keep them fresh for a longer time, wrap them in a muslin cloth and keep in a fridge.

Cockroaches: Put some boric powder in kitchen in corners and other places. Cockroaches will leave your house.

Coconut: Immerse coconut in water for 1/2 an hour to remove its hust.

Dry Fruits: To chop dry fruits, place them in fridge for half an hour before cutting. Take the fruits out and cut them with a hot knife (dip it in hot water before cutting).

Dough/Rolling pin: If the dough sticks to the rolling pin, place it in freezer for a few minutes.

Egg peeling off: Make a small hole in the egg by piercing a pin before boiling it. You will be able to remove its skin very easily.

Egg fresh: Immerse the egg in a pan of cool salted water. If it sinks, it is fresh; if it rises to the surface, it is certainly quite old.

Garlic: Garlic skin comes off easily if the garlic cloves are slightly warmed before peeling.

Ghee: Avoid the use of ghee. If it is necessary, substitute it with canola oil. Even for making halwa, you can partly substitute it with oil.

Green Chillies: To keep the chillies fresh for a longer time, remove the stems before storing.

Green Peas: To preserve green peas, keep them in a polythene bag in the freezer.

Idlies: Place a betel (paan) leaf over the leftover idli and dosa batter to prevent them sour. Do not beat idli batter too much, the air which has been incorporated during fermentation will escape. If you add half a tsp of fenugreek seeds to the lentil and rice mixture while soaking, dosas will be more crisp.

Fruits: To ripen fruits, wrap them in newspaper and put in a warm place for 2-3 days. The ethylene gas they emit will make them ripe.

Frying: Avoid deep frying. Substitute deep frying with stir frying or oven bake. Don't pour the oil, but make a habit of spraying the oil in the utensil for cooking. Heat the utensil first, then add oil. This way oil spreads well. You will use less oil this way.

Left Over: Don't throw away the foods left over. Store them in Fridge. Use them in making tasty dishes.

Lemon/Lime: If the lemon or lime is hard, put it in warm water for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to squeeze.

Lizards: Hang a peacock feather, lizards will leave your house.

Milk: Moisten the base of the vessel with water to reduce the chances of milk to stick at the bottom. Keep a spoon in the vessel while boiling milk at medium heat. It will avoid sticking the milk at the bottom of the vessel. Adding half a tsp of sodium bicarbonate in the milk while boiling will not spoil the milk even if you don't put it in the fridge.

Mixer/Grinder: Grind some common salt in your mixer/grinder fro some time every month. This will keep your mixer blades sharp.

Mosquitoes: Put a few camphor tablets in a cup of water and keep it in the bed room near your bed, or in any place with mosquitoes.

Noodles: When the noodles are boiled, drain all the hot water and add cold water. This way all the noodles will get separated.

Onions: To avoid crying, cut the onions into two parts and place them in water for 15 minutes before chopping them. Wrap the onions individually in a newspaper and store in a cool and dark place to keep them fresh for long time.

Oven: Watch from the oven window to conserve energy because the oven temperature drops by 25 degrees every time its door is opened, To clean the oven, apply a paste of sodium bicarbonate and water on the walls and floor of the oven and keep the oven on low heat for about half an hour. Dried food can easily be removed.

Paneer: To keep paneer fresh for several days, wrap it in a blotting paper while storing in the refrigerator. Do not fry paneer, immerse it in boiling water to make it soft and spongy.

Papad: Bake in microwave oven. Wrap the papads in polythene sheet and place with dal or rice will prevent them from drying and breaking.

Pickles: To prevent the growth of fungus in pickles, burn a small grain of asafoetida over a burning coal and invert the empty pickle jar for some time before putting pickles in the jar.

Popcorn: Keep the maize/corn seeds in the freezer and pop while still frozen to get better pops.

Potato: To bake potatoes quickly, place them in salt water for 15 minutes before baking.
Use the skin of boiled potatoes to wipe mirrors to sparkling clean. Don't store potatoes and onions together. Potatoes will rot quickly if stored with onions.

Refrigerator: To prevent formation of ice, rub table salt to the insides of your freeze.

Rice: Add a few drops of lemon juice in the water before boiling the rice to make rice whiter.
Add a tsp of canola oil in the water before boiling the rice to separate each grain after cooking.
Don't throw away the rice water after cooking. Use it to make soup or add it in making dal (lentils). Add 5g of dried powdered mint leaves to 1kg of rice. It will keep insects at bay.
Put a small paper packet of boric powder in the container of rice to keep insects at bay. Put a few leaves of mint in the container of rice to keep insects at bay.


Samosa: Bake them instead of deep frying to make them fat free. Don't fry the filling potato masala. Preserve the samosas in freezer. For eating, take out of the freezer two hours in advance and bake them over low temp.

Sugar: Put 2-3 cloves in the sugar to keep ants at bay.

Tadka: Use sprouted mustard seeds (rayee) and fenugreek (methi) seeds for your tadkas. Both of them when sprouted have more nutritional values. Also this add flavour to the dish and can be more beneficial, besides giving decorative look to the dish. Submitted by MS Itisha Madhav

Tomato: To remove the skin of tomatoes, place them in warm water for 5-10 minutes. The skin can then be easily peeled off. When tomatoes are not available or too costly, substitute with tomato puree or tomato ketchup/sauce. Place overripe tomatoes in cold water and add some salt. Overnight they will become firm and fresh.

Tamarind: Tamarind is an excellent polish for brass and copper items. Rub a slab of wet tamarind with some salt sprinkled on it on the object to be polished. Gargles with tamarind water is recommended for a sore throat.

Utensils: Use nonsticking utensils. Use thick bottom utensils, they get uniformly heated. For electric stoves, use flat bottom utensils. Add a little bit of common salt to the washing powder for better cleaning of utensils.

Vegetables: Don't discard the water in which the vegetables are soaked or cooked. Use it in making soup or gravy. To keep the vegetables fresh for a longer time, wrap them in newspaper before putting them in freeze. Chop the vegetables only when you are ready to use them. Don't cut them in too advance. It would spoil their food value.

Sink (Blocked): To clear the blocked drain pipe of your kitchen sink, mix 1/2 cup sodium bicarbonate in 1 cup vinegar and pour it into the sink, and pour about 1 cup water. In an hour the drain pipe will open.

Soup Salty: Place a raw peeled potato in the bowl, it will absorb the extra salt.

Yoghurt (Home Made): To set yogurt in winter, place the container in a warm place like oven or over the voltage stabliser.

Yogurt: If the yogurt has become sour, put it in a muslin cloth and drain all the water. Then add milk to make it as good as fresh in taste. Use the drained water in making tasty gravy for vegetables or for basen curry.To keep the yogurt fresh for many days, fill the vessel containing yogurt with water to the brim and refrigerate. Change the water daily..

Security Tips

1. Safety tips to avoid Identity Theft

Here are some safety tips to protect you from ID theft:--

Never disclose personal information to anyone you do not trust.

Do not provide your information until and unless you are sure about the caller. If in case of doubt you call them using the bank phone number.

Remember that banks always ask for specific characters like last 4 digits of your card or SSN not your entire card number or SSN for verification.

Ensure that your personal documents are always secure. Your personal documents include your bank account details, credit cards, driving license, plastic cards, card receipts, financial statements and even utility bills.

Periodically peruse your bank statements to check for any transactions that have occurred without your knowledge.

Dispose of financial statements, card receipts and other personal documents with utmost care. Tear or cut into pieces any such documents before trashing them.

Keep the authorities informed if you have lost any personal item. For example, report a stolen credit card.

Raise an alarm if you receive a telephone call or letter saying you have beenapproved or denied credit for accounts you know nothing about, or you receive a credit card statement for an account that you never opened.

While paying by credit card, never let it out of your sight. Raise an alarm if the card is being swiped more than required, or if it is being scanned.

In case of a change in address, ensure to notify the correct address to all recipients who send you statements to your address.

2. Safety tips to avoid Phishing

Here are some safety tips to protect you from phishing:--

When you receive emails claiming to be sent by banking institution asking you to enter your account details, DO NOT do so! Your bank already has your details and clearly would not want them again.

Check if the email that you receive has your name spelt correctly. Fraudsters simply try to guess your name by your email address. DO NOT open emails that have your name spelt incorrectly.

Check the email to see if it is addressed to your name. Fraudsters never personalize emails, they will refer you as “Dear Customer” or “Dear Valued Customer” because they send emails randomly to a million email addresses and they even don’t know that you have an account with the bank. Your bank or ecommerce company on the other hand will refer you with your name.

DO NOT respond to emails that seem like they are sent from your bank. Some of the claims made in these emails may be the following:
1. You are to receive a refund,
2. The bank is trying to protect you from a fraud
3. The bank needs some security and maintenance update on your account as asks for your
account details.

If you receive such email always check back with your bank directly or speak to the customer service representative of the bank.

NEVER enter your credit card details and password in a website which you suspect is not genuine.

DO NOT share your account details, password, or credit card details with anyone who you do not know or trust.

DO NOT open unsolicited emails.

It is a good practice to type in the URL of your bank yourself, or bookmark it if the URL is difficult to remember. DO NOT follow links to a banking website from another website or email.

Verify a website’s URL carefully before you provide your login details on any web page.Fraudsters create fake websites that have URLs closely resembling the original.

Log in to your accounts regularly and look for account transactions that you do not recognize.

DO NOT send your account details and/or password over an email to anyone.

3. Safety tips to avoid Card Fraud

Here are some safety tips to protect you from credit card, debit card, and ATM skimming fraud:

Credit Card

Always check your monthly bank statements for any suspicious transactions,

Shred the financial documents with care

Do not store your personal and credit card information on the computer

Do not write the PIN number down.

During the online transactions, check if the web address starts with HTTPS, which ensures the encryption of all important data.

Never delay to report a lost credit card as the repercussions can be highly disastrous.

Close the account that you suspect is being hit by the fraud.

Thoroughly check the authenticity of the firm, the website, or any other transactional society where your money would be flowing through.

Never give away your personal information over the phone unless you are sure of the person the other end.

Take a pause before venturing into any kind of online transaction and decide upon the authenticity of the transaction.

Debit Card:

When you key in your PIN number at an ATM, make sure that you sufficiently obscure the keypad from being viewed by an onlooker.

NEVER let the merchant take your debit card out of your sight. There is no need for him/her to do so, unless he/she intends to do something unlawful.

Secure your debit card physically by storing it at a safe place.

NEVER write your PIN number at a place where it can be seen by someone who you do not intend to show it to.

ALWAYS shred the receipts from merchants that you no longer require, especially when you have paid for using your debit card.

If you do not receive your debit card or PIN number from the bank within a reasonable amount of time after requesting one, check with the bank when it was sent and when you should expect to receive it. It may have been picked up by someone else in transit.

When at an ATM, make sure that no external devices are attached to the ATM machine and no wires are hanging around.

Check your account statements carefully for transactions that you may not have made.


Using ATM machine and Point of Sale:

Safeguard your credit cards and ATM cards at all times.

Never let these cards out of your sight

You swipe a credit card only once, if it’s being swiped more than once, you need to question this action.

If you notice something suspicious about the card slot on an ATM (like an attached device), do not use it and report it to the responsible authorities.

Never trust your ATM card and credit card PIN numbers to strangers.

Beware of your surroundings while withdrawing money at ATM centers. Do not crumple and throw away the transaction slips or credit card memos: read them, make a mental note of the details and then, either tear them or shred them to trash them.

Periodically check your account balances on Internet or by requesting your bank or credit
card company to send you statements to ensure that no transactions are happening behind
your back.

While entering any personal identification numbers, use your discretion to shield the keypad so
that your hand movements are not very visible and you enter your passwords secretly.

4. Safety tips to avoid Online Fraud

Here are some safety tips to protect you from online banking fraud and online auctions fraud:

Online Banking

DO NOT leave your personal documentation at places where it can either be picked up or viewed by anyone who does not need to see them.

DO NOT log in to your online account from an insecure computer network.

When accessing your bank’s Web site, check that the URL is correct and that you are not becoming a victim of phishing.

DO NOT key in your online banking account login details at a website about which you are not sure.

NEVER follow a link in an email which claim is from your bank. Type in your bank’s URL in the browser yourself. DO NOT open any attachments in those emails.

When available, use alternative methods to enter account login details. For example, some banks allow you to click on an on-screen keyboard when logging in and avoid key presses altogether.

DO NOT give your account details over the phone, unless you have initiated the call to a bank’s service center.

Scan your computer periodically to ensure that no spy ware or key logger is installed.

Keep your antivirus software regularly updated

DO NOT respond to emails that ask you to enter your bank account details in any way.

DO NOT send personal information and bank account details over email.

Online Auctions

Be aware of phishing. Verify that you are receiving emails from the correct source and that you are logging in at the correct website.

When making payment, prefer using your credit card over online transfer. Using a credit card give you the opportunity of a chargeback in case the transaction turns out a fraud. Use debit card, wire transfer, or money order only when you trust the seller.

Use reputed escrow services. An escrow service mediates a buyer and a seller. They accept money from buyers and release them to a seller only when the buyer confirms that the product was received to his/her satisfaction. But be wary of sellers or buyers who themselves pose as an escrow service to cheat the other—a buyer posing as an escrow service gets a product released without making payment, or a seller poses as an escrow service to trick the buyer from making a payment.

Check for feedback and rating of the buyer, which most online auction website provide.

DO NOT entertain emails received from outside of the auction website mentioning that the highest bidder has withdrawn and you are now entitled for a product. They veer you off the auction website and you lose any protection that the website may provide.

NEVER make a deal with a seller outside the auction. Although they sound lucrative, you are at a very high risk of being cheated.

READ the auction website’s terms and conditions, buyer protection policy, refund policy before making a transaction. Here, they list in how many days the order will be fulfilled, what if the product you receive is not the same as what was advertised, and so on. Also check that the policies are fair on both buyers and sellers.

Check if the product you are purchasing has appropriate warranty and documentation with it. If not, make sure that you intend to purchase it without that protection. Check if shipping and delivery is covered by the seller or if you have to bear those costs.

Check that you are not purchasing a product that you are not allowed to possess lawfully.

BE WARY of products that offer revolutionary results. In most cases, they are fraudulent claims.

DO NOT respond to emails that ask for your personal information, such as your log in details or credit card details.

READ the online auction website for feedback on the seller and a rating that they give to sellers and buyers. Most online auctions rate the sellers and buyers based on their transactions’ feedback.

READ the product features and the model number that you intend to purchase. Verify these with what is being advertised by the seller.

When giving your credit card details or your debit account details at a website, check that the

Internet connection you are using is secure. Look for a lock at the bottom or https (an‘s’ appended to ‘http’) in the address field of your browser. These indicate that the connection is a secure one.

Avoid making a transaction if anything in the auction seems suspicious to you.

If you are cheated on any product purchase, be sure to post a note on the online auction website and let them know personally.

Romance Scams:

Fraudsters pose as beautiful girls and enroll themselves in various dating and social networking sites. Novice users not aware of this ploy get attracted to them by seeing some fake pictures/videos and contact them. Fraudsters then exploit them to the maximum extent like:

Claiming that they are in deep financial trouble and would like you to support them with some money.

Claiming that they need money as he/she wants to come to US and marry her/him.

Get bank accounts from them for transferring stolen money making them money mules.

Use their address to send bill pay check (sent from compromised accounts) and asking them to cash the check at their bank account and forward the cash to them.

Using their address to send purchased goods bought by stolen cards and then asks them to forward to their country as most of the online shops do not send goods overseas.

Users need to be careful when comes to dating scams because it is an emotional loss apart from a monetary loss. They might lose trust on the Internet and people altogether.

If you are interested in dating an online partner you need to verify the partner carefully before you begin the relationship. If the partner is based overseas, then make sure to call them and verify the phone number and address of the place given by the partner. Because most of the fraudsters even though use a US or UK phone number, they use the forwarding feature of these numbers and stay overseas.

5. Safety tips to protect your Computer

Here are some safety tips to protect you from Key loggers, Trojans, and spy ware:

As a common practice do not open suspicious or unsolicited emails (spam emails). Delete them from your Inbox.

Even if you do open a spam email, under any circumstances do not click on any links, or open/download any files attached to them.

Make sure that you have very good anti-virus software installed on your computer that not only protects your computer from viruses but also from unwanted programs. And make sure you update any latest versions to that software.

Make sure that you have automatic updates / firewall turned on and regularly download the security patches if you are a windows user.

Be very wary when you access websites that provide free downloads (such as music, serial keys, adult content, games, movies etc). They may install harmful programs without your knowledge.

Do not use software on your computer that auto-completes online forms. This can give internet scammers easy access to your personal and credit card details.

While downloading files from the internet make sure it is from a known or reputed source. If the file is an executable application (for example, if the file name ends with “.exe”), make sure you know exactly what it will do.

If a pop-up screen appears on your screen and prompts you for an action (for example if it asks you to ‘Agree’ or ‘Accept’ something), then be sure to read the text in the pop-up screen and any terms and conditions carefully and only when you are sure of the safety should you take an action.

Tata Motors to introduce Air Car

Tata Motors to introduce Air Car - Nano's not the only awaited one now....

Tata Motors to introduce Air Car - Is it the next big thing?
Tata Motors is taking giant strides and making history for itself. First the Landrover-Jaguar deal, then the world's cheapest car and now it is also set to introduce the car that runs on air, compressed air to be specific..

With fuel prices touching nearly $150 per barrel, it is about time we heard some breakthrough!
India's largest automaker Tata Motors is set to start producing the world's first commercial air-powered vehicle. The Air Car, developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy Nègre for Luxembourg-based MDI, uses compressed air, as opposed to the gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models, to push its engine's pistons. Some 6000 zero-emissions Air Cars are scheduled to hit Indian streets by August of 2009.

The Air Car, called the MiniCAT could cost around Rs. 3,50,000 ($ 8177) in India and would have a range of around 300 km between refuels.

The cost of a refill would be about Rs. 85 ($ 2). Tata motors also plans to launch the world's cheapest car, Tata Nano priced famously at One Lakh rupees by October.

The MiniCAT which is a simple, light urban car, with a tubular chassis that is glued not welded and a body of fiberglass powered by compressed air. Microcontrollers are used in every device in the car, so one tiny radio transmitter sends instructions to the lights, indicators etc.
There are no keys - just an access card which can be read by the car from your pocket. According to the designers, it costs less than 50 rupees per 100Km (about a tenth that of a petrol car). Its mileage is about double that of the most advanced electric car (200 to 300 km or 10 hours of driving), a factor which makes a perfect choice in cities where the 80% of motorists drive at less than 60Km. The car has a top speed of 105 kmph. Refilling the car will, once the market develops, take place at adapted petrol stations to administer compressed air. In two or three minutes, and at a cost of approximately 100 rupees, the car will be ready to go another 200-300 kilometers.

As a viable alternative, the car carries a small compressor which can be connected to the mains (220V or 380V) and refill the tank in 3-4 hours. Due to the absence of combustion and, consequently, of residues, changing the oil (1 litre of vegetable oil) is necessary only every 50,000Km.] The temperature of the clean air expelled by the exhaust pipe is between 0-15 degrees below zero, which makes it suitable for use by the internal air conditioning system with no need for gases or loss of power.

See What you inhale every day

Hi All,
Before you smoke kindly see ingredients you inhale.
Decide whether is it worth smoking.

Nicotine
Nicotine is a powerful insecticide and poisonous for the nervous systems. Furthermore, there is enough (50 mg) in four cigarettes to kill a man in just a few minutes if it were injected directly into the bloodstream. Indeed, fatalities have occurred with children after they had swallowed cigarettes or cigarette butts. When diluted in smoke, nicotine reaches the brain in just seven seconds, it stimulates the brain cells and then blocks the nervous impulse. This is where addiction to tobacco arises. Nicotine also causes

accelerated heart rate, but at the same time it leads to contracting and hardening of the arteries: the heart pumps more but receives less blood. The result is twice as many coronary attacks. Nicotine thus also increases the consumption of lipids (which is why it has a weight-loss effect) and induces temporary hyperglycaemia (hence the appetite suppressing effect).

Carbon monoxide (CO)
This is the asphyxiating gas produced by cars, which makes up 1.5% of exhaust fumes. But smokers inhaling cigarette smoke breathe in 3.2% carbon monoxide – and directly from the source. Oxygen is mostly transported in blood by haemoglobin. When we smoke, however, the carbon monoxide attaches itself to the haemoglobin 203 times more quickly than oxygen does, thereby displacing the oxygen; this in turn asphyxiates the organism. This causes the following cardiovascular complaints: narrowing of the arteries, blood clots, arteritis, gangrene, heart attack, etc. . . . but also a loss of reflexes and visual and mental problems. It takes between six and 24 hours for the carbon monoxide to leave the blood system.

Irritants
These substances paralyse and then destroy the cilia of the bronchial tubes, responsible for filtering and cleaning the lungs. They slow down respiratory output and irritate the mucus membranes, causing coughs, infections and chronic bronchitis.

Tars
As the cilia are blocked (see paragraph above), the tars in the cigarette smoke are deposited and collect on the walls of the respiratory tract and the lungs, and cause them to turn black. So, just because a smoker is not coughing, it doesn't mean that he or she is healthy! And this fact merely serves to pour water on one of the most common and poorest excuses given by smokers. The carcinogenic action of the tars is well known: they are responsible for 95% of lung cancers. It takes two days at least after cessation of smoking for the cilia to start functioning properly again, albeit only gradually. By smoking one packet of cigarettes every day, a smoker is pouring a cupful of these tars into his or her lungs every year (225 grams on average)!

Chemistry of Tobacco Smoke
No less than 4000 irritating, suffocating, dissolving, inflammable, toxic, poisonous, carcinogenic gases and substances and even radioactive compounds (nickel, polonium, plutonium, etc.) have been identified in tobacco smoke. Some of these are listed hereafter: Benzopyrene, dibenzopyrene, benzene, isoprene, toluene (hydorcarbons) ; naphthylamines; nickel, polonium, plutonium, arsenic, cadmium (metallic constituents) ; carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia, nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide,
hydrogen sulphide (gases); methyl alcohol, éthanol, glycerol or glycerine, glycol (alcohols and esters); acetaldehyde, acrolein, acetone (aldehydes and ketones); cyanhydric or prussic acid, carboxyl derivatives (acids); chrysene, pyrrolidine, nicoteine, nicotinine, nicoteline, nornicotine, nitrosamines (alkaloids or bases); cresol (phenols), etc.

New FRAUD strategies - Keyboard

PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHENEVER YOU'RE USING A PC AT A PUBLIC PLACE (Like INTERNET CAFES..ETC).
CHECK THE BACK OF THE PC AND SEE IF THE BELOW DEVICE IS THERE..IF SO..DO NOT USE IT!!!!

. New storing device fits at the end of the keyboard cable connecting to the PC specialized to save all typed keys in it… Mostly could be used in net cafes, exhibitions, hotels and airports therefore be careful especially the people who use the internet in these places to enter their bank accounts online or any other important sites. After you enter the bank account and leave the PC it will be easy to open your account again as all what you have typed has been saved in the Black device. Therefore, you should check the PC for any suspicious piece behind it before using the net in public places for important sites

Dangers of Excessive Salt Consumption

Dangers of excessive salt consumption are contributing to diabetes,high blood pressure, cataracts, kidney stones, osteoporosis and stomach cancer.No one challenges that the human body needs salt to function. Sodium is the main component of the body's extracellular fluids and it helps carry nutrients into the cells. Sodium also helps regulate other body functions, such as blood pressure and fluid volume, and sodium works on the lining of blood vessels to keep the pressure balance normal.You cannot exist without sodium, but the amount we need is quite small.The recommended safe minimum daily amount is about 500 milligrams of sodium with an upper limit of 2,400 milligrams. However, lowering sodium intake to 1,800 milligrams would probably be healthier.

Many Americans are consuming much higher amounts of salt, up to 9,000 milligrams a day with harmful effects. Some argue that a healthy kidney can get rid of it [the excess], but in many cases, that happens at the expense of losing calcium. It's likely that the habitual high intake of salt produces physiological changes in the kidney, which increases the risk of high blood pressure. For women, this habitual lack of calcium may eventually be linked to the bone disease of old age, osteoporosis, in which long-term calcium loss causes bones to weaken and break easily.

About 6,000 to 8,000 years ago, our ancestors went from gathering food and hunting to cultivating crops and raising animals. To survive, they needed to preserve and to stockpile foods for the long winter months. You can dry vegetables and dry meats, but the other way to preserve food is to salt it. However, adding salt to food did more than cut bacterial growth. It added a whole new dimension to the pleasures of eating: Salt adds flavor and heightens existing flavors, even in sweets, and salt helps process basic raw ingredients into other food products. Of these, cheese is perhaps one of the most familiar examples, since salt is necessary in its formation.

For Americans today, eating preserved and processed foods has become commonplace. It is almost impossible to prepare a meal without using some processed food. Besides, not only is salt one of the four taste categories-- salty, sweet, sour, and bitter--salt offers certain technical advantages in the kitchen. Salt raises the boiling point of water, which helps heat penetrate into cooking foods, and it helps condition dough in baked products. The biggest advantage of using salt is that it enhances other flavors.

Scientists are concerned about the amount of salt in processed foods. Seventy-five to eighty -five percent of the sodium consumed is in processed foods. What the food industry includes during processing, we can't take out. If we reduce our salt intake [at the table], that won't solve the problem. There's salt in bread, processed meat, cheese, canned vegetables-- these are all hidden sources of salt. Salt in restaurant foods, and that includes pizza, fast-food chains and Chinese restaurants, the sodium levels are very high.

Physicians in China over 4000 years ago warned patients that if they used too much salt in their food, their "pulse" would harden. The higher the salt intake, the higher the prevalence of hypertension. Higher-than- normal blood pressure may lead to heart attacks, kidney disease, and strokes.

Sprinkle salt on a slug and it will shrivel up and die because the salt has dehydrated it, and that is exactly what salt does to the human body.

Too much salt causes 'vasoconstriction' of the blood vessels, which means they shrink in size or constrict because the salt has dehydrated the cells, forcing water out of them and making them narrower.

It's this shrinking or tightening of the blood vessels that pose health risks. When blood vessels become narrower, the heart has to work harder to force the blood around the body and this increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes. If you already have high blood pressure or coronary heart disease (when the arteries become narrowed because fatty deposits have formed on the inside wall of the blood vessels), then you are adding to your risk of having a stroke or heart attack by eating excessive salt.

Persistent high blood pressure--conventio nally defined as readings of 140/90 or above--is one of the most common health conditions, affecting nearly 50 million Americans. People at greatest risk for high blood pressure are those with a family history, the elderly, middle-aged men, and middle-aged Black women.

Yet everyone is vulnerable, because blood pressure normally rises with age, a fact corroborated by numerous studies, and high-salt intake contributes to that rise. The fundamental conclusion is that salt relates to high blood pressure independent of other factors affecting blood pressure, like alcohol and obesity. It is believed that too much salt causes the sodium channels (structures that move sodium into and out of cells) to work too hard and gradually the channels begin to fail. This process is irreversible, so that by old age, even if people cut back on salt, their kidneys can no longer flush extra amounts of salt from the body without an increase in blood pressure.

High-salt intake is bad news for other problems ... it induces insulin resistance and increases the risk of stomach and esophageal cancers by damaging the lining of the throat and stomach. Also, salt allows Helicobacter pylori bacteria to thrive, which can increase the risk of stomach cancer. It also aggravates asthma and contributes to kidney stones, osteoporosis and cataracts. In postmenopausal women the consumption of excessive salt has been shown to increase the level of bone minerals excreted through urine.

While many people say they crave salt and use it liberally in their food, restricting salt intake is only really a matter of making some adjustments. If people make a concerted effort to reduce salt intake,initially they notice that things don't taste salty enough. But if they go through a transition period and then go back to foods they used to like, they find them too salty.

The World Health Organization (WHO) proposes that population average salt intakes should not exceed 5g per person per day. Salt causes food to absorb more water, adding weight to a product at virtually no extra cost. Examples include processed meat products such as sausages, hot dogs and bacon.

Extra salt is added to snack foods to create thirst in consumers, encouraging them to drink more, often in the form of commercial soft drinks. Many soft drinks companies know this and team up with the salty-snack industry to bolster each other's sales. In 1965, the merger of Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola Company was approved by shareholders of both companies, and a new company called PepsiCo, Inc. was formed.

Tips to reduce salt intake:

Take stock of the sources of salt in your diet, such as restaurant meals, pizza, salt-based condiments, and convenience foods. Some of these are really loaded with salt.Read the labels when shopping. Look for lower sodium in cereals, crackers, pasta sauces, canned vegetables, or any foods with low-salt .

Options

Canned foods, especially soups and baked beans are loaded with excessive salt.If you think your meals are high in sodium, balance them by adding high-potassium foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Ask about salt added to food, especially at restaurants. Most restaurants will omit salt when requested. If you need to salt while cooking, add the salt at the end; you will need to add much less. The longer the food cooks, the more the salty flavor is muted and at the end, the final taste is on the top layer.

HOW TO FORWARD E-MAIL APPROPRIATELY

A friend who is a computer expert received the following directly from a system administrator for a corporate system. It is an excellent message that ABSOLUTELY applies to ALL of us who send e-mails.

Do you really know how to forward e-mails? Most of us DO NOT know how.

Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? Do you hate it?

Every time you forward an e-mail, there is information left over from the people who got the message before you -- namely their e-mail addresses & names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every email address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel!

How do you stop it? Well, there are several easy steps:

(1) When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever you know how to. It only takes a second. You MUST click the 'Forward' button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don't hit the forward button first you won't have full editing functions . I particularly dislike having to scroll through 200 Email addresses before I get to the email.

(2) Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person, do NOT use the "To:" or "Cc:" fields for adding e-mail addresses.. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. This is the way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address.
If you don't see your "BCC:" option click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say 'Undisclosed Recipients' in the 'TO:' field of the people who receive it.
That way you aren't sharing all those addresses with every Tom, Dick or Harry..

(3) Remove any 'FW:' in the subject line. You can re-name the subject if you wish or even fix spelling.

(4) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail you are reading. Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? By Forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to open many e-mails just to see what you sent. These are the ones that often end up having picked up a virus from somebody. This is really important!

(5) Have you ever gotten an email that is a petition? It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email addresses.

A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email addresses contained therein. If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundry list of names and email address on a petition. (Actually, if you think about it, who's supposed to send the petition in to whatever cause it supports? And don't believe the ones that say that the email is being traced, it just ain't so!)

(6) One of the main ones I hate is the ones that say that something like, 'Send this email to 10 people and you'll see something great run across your screen.' Or, sometimes they'll just tease you by saying something really cute will happen.

IT AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!!!!! (Trust me, I'm still seeing some of the same ones that I waited on 10 years ago!) I don't let the bad luck ones scare me either, they get trashed. (Could this be why I haven't won the lottery??)

(7) Before you forward an Amber Alert, or a Virus Alert, or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. Most of them are junk mail that's been circling the net for Years!

Maruti Suzuki’s 2008 small car - the splash

Based on an all-new platform Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) is set to launch NEW MARUTI SPLASH in early 2008.This car is likely to replace their existing Wagon R model. but i wish it should come with its own name splash.

Splash comes with attractive styling, compact dimensions, responsive handling, very good build quality and a high degree of environmental compatibility. Splash concept that was shown at last year’s Paris Motor Show and model debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show

ENGINE- MARUTI Splash will also be available in Two petrol versions - 1litre 1000cc,3 Cyl65bhp and 1.2 litre1200cc, 4 Cyl Petrol 86bhp and 1.3 litre diesel engine 1248cc, 4 Cyl, Multijet 75bhp@4000rpm. All these engines will be mated to a 5-speed gearbox and will be within Europe’s much debated C02 emission cap of 140g/km.

FEATURES- Suzuki Splash The car shall also come with Suzuki’s standard set of safety features like ABS, airbags, brake assist,ASP, etc some of which may be trimmed for India, to keep costs into consideration. Also the engine & transmission options may vary for India for the petrol versions.
DIMENSIONS-
Length: 3214 mm Width: 1468 mm Height: 1382 mm

The premium hatchback Splash be available in between price range of Rs 3.5l(petrol) and 4.5l(diesel) in the Indian market by mid-2008. This one’s going to be yet another winner form Suzuki, after SX4 and Swift.

Migraine Headache

Definition

Migraine is a type of headache marked by severe head pain lasting several hours or more.

Description

Migraine is an intense, often debilitating type of headache. Approximately 18% of women and 6% of men experience at least one migraine attack per year. More than three million women and one million men have one or more severe headaches every month. Migraines often begin in adolescence, and are rare after age 60.

Two types of migraine are recognized. Eighty percent of migraine sufferers experience "migraine without aura," formerly called common migraine. In "migraine with aura," formerly called classic migraine, pain is preceded or accompanied by visual or other sensory disturbances, including hallucinations, partial obstruction of the visual field, numbness or tingling, or a feeling of heaviness. Symptoms are often most prominent on one side of the body, and may begin as early as 72 hours before the onset of pain.

Causes

The physiological basis of migraine has proved difficult to uncover. Genetics appear to play a part for many, but not all, people with migraine. There are a multitude of potential triggers for a migraine attack, and recognizing one's own set of triggers is the key to prevention.

PHYSIOLOGY. The most widely accepted hypothesis of migraine suggests that a migraine attack is precipitated when pain-sensing nerve cells in the brain (called nociceptors) release chemicals called neuropeptides. At least one of the neurotransmitters, substance P, increases the pain sensitivity of other nearby nociceptors.

Other neuropeptides act on the smooth muscle surrounding cranial blood vessels. This smooth muscle regulates blood flow in the brain by relaxing or contracting, thus constricting the enclosed blood vessels and stimulating adjacent pain receptors. At the onset of a migraine headache, neuropeptides are thought to cause muscle relaxation, allowing vessel dilation and increased blood flow. Other neuropeptides increase the leakiness of cranial vessels, allowing fluid leak, and promote inflammation and tissue swelling. The pain of migraine is thought to result from this combination of increased pain sensitivity, tissue and vessel swelling, and inflammation. The aura seen during a migraine may be related to constriction in the blood vessels that dilate in the headache phase.

GENETICS. Susceptibility to migraine may be inherited. A child of a migraine sufferer has as much as a 50% chance of developing migraine. If both parents are affected, the chance rises to 70%. However, the gene or genes responsible have not been identified, and many cases of migraine have no obvious familial basis. It is likely that whatever genes are involved set the stage for migraine, and that full development requires environmental influences as well.

TRIGGERS. A wide variety of foods, drugs, environmental cues, and personal events are known to trigger migraines. It is not known how most triggers set off the events of migraine, nor why individual migraine sufferers are affected by particular triggers but not others.

Common food triggers include:

* cheese
* alcohol
* caffeine products, and caffeine withdrawal
* chocolate
* intensely sweet foods
* dairy products
* fermented or pickled foods
* citrus fruits
* nuts
* processed foods, especially those containing nitrites, sulfites, or monosodium glutamate (msg)

Environmental and event-related triggers include:

* stress or time pressure
* menstrual periods, menopause
* sleep changes or disturbances, oversleeping
* prolonged overexertion or uncomfortable posture
* hunger or fasting
* odors, smoke, or perfume
* strong glare or flashing lights

Symptoms

Migraine without aura may be preceded by elevations in mood or energy level for up to 24 hours before the attack. Other pre-migraine symptoms may include fatigue, depression, and excessive yawning.

Aura most often begins with shimmering, jagged arcs of white or colored light progressing over the visual field in the course of 10-20 minutes. This may be preceded or replaced by dark areas or other visual disturbances. Numbness and tingling is common, especially of the face and hands. These sensations may spread, and may be accompanied by a sensation of weakness or heaviness in the affected limb.

The pain of migraine is often present only on one side of the head, although it may involve both, or switch sides during attacks. The pain is usually throbbing, and may range from mild to incapacitating. It is often accompanied by nausea or vomiting, painful sensitivity to light and sound, and intolerance of food or odors. Blurred vision is common.

Migraine pain tends to intensify over the first 30 minutes to several hours, and may last from several hours to a day or longer. Afterward, the affected person is usually weary, and sensitive to sudden head movements.

Diagnosis

Migraine is diagnosed by a careful medical history. Lab tests and imaging studies such as computed tomography (CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have not been useful for identifying migraine. However, for some patients, those tests may be needed to rule out a brain tumor or other structural causes of migraine headache.

Treatment

Once a migraine begins, the person will usually seek out a dark, quiet room to lessen painful stimuli. Several drugs may be used to reduce the pain and severity of the attack.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are helpful for early and mild headache. NSAIDs include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxen, and others. A recent study concluded that a combination of acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine could effectively relieve symptoms for many migraine patients. One such over-the-counter preparation is available as Exedrin Migraine.

More severe or unresponsive attacks may be treated with drugs that act on serotonin receptors in the smooth muscle surrounding cranial blood vessels. Serotonin, also known as 5-hydroxytryptamine , constricts these vessels, relieving migraine pain. Drugs that mimic serotonin and bind to these receptors have the same effect. The oldest of them is ergotamine, a derivative of a common grain fungus. Ergotamine and dihydroergotamine are used for both acute and preventive treatment. Derivatives with fewer side effects have come onto the market in the past decade, including sumatriptan (Imitrex). Some of these drugs are available as nasal sprays, intramuscular injections, or rectal suppositories for patients in whom vomiting precludes oral administration. Other drugs used for acute attacks include meperidine and metoclopramide.


Continued use of some anti-migraine drugs can lead to "rebound headache," marked by frequent or chronic headaches, especially in the early morning hours. Rebound headache is avoided by using anti-migraine drugs under a doctor's supervision, with the minimum dose necessary to treat symptoms. Patients with frequent migraines may need preventive therapy.

Alternative treatment

Alternative treatments are aimed at prevention of migraine. Migraine headaches are often linked with food allergies or intolerances. Identification and elimination of the offending food or foods can decrease the frequency of migraines and/or alleviate these headaches altogether. Herbal therapy with feverfew (Chrysanthemum parthenium) may lessen the frequency of attacks. Learning to increase the flow of blood to the extremities through biofeedback training may allow a patient to prevent some of the vascular changes once a migraine begins. During a migraine, keep the lights low; put the feet in a tub of hot water and place a cold cloth on the occipital region (the back of the head). This draws the blood to the feet and decreases the pressure in the head.

Prognosis

Most people with migraines can bring their attacks under control through recognizing and avoiding triggers, and by use of appropriate drugs when migraine occurs. Some people with severe migraines do not respond to preventive or drug therapy. Migraines usually wane in intensity by age 60 and beyond.

Prevention

The frequency of migraine may be lessened by avoiding triggers. It is useful to keep a headache journal, recording the particulars and noting possible triggers for each attack. Specific measures which may help include:

* eating at regular times, and not skipping meals
* reducing the use of caffeine and pain relievers
* restricting physical exertion, especially on hot days
* keeping regular sleep hours, but not oversleeping
* managing time to avoid stress at work and home

For most patients, preventive drug therapy is not an appropriate option, since it requires continued use of powerful drugs. However, for women whose migraines coincide with the menstrual period, limited preventive treatment may be effective. Since these drugs are appropriate for patients with other medical conditions, the decision to prescribe them for migraine may be influenced by expected benefit elsewhere.

Facts about the human body

The human body is a machine that is full of wonder. This collection of human body facts will leave you wondering why in the heck we were designed the way we were.

1.. Scientists say the higher your I.Q. The more you dream.

2.. The largest cell in the human body is the female egg.

3.. The smallest is the male sperm.

4.. You use 200 muscles to take one step.

5.. The average woman is 5 inches shorter than the average man.

6.. Your big toes have two bones each while the rest have three.

7.. A pair of human feet contain 250,000 sweat glands.

8.. A full bladder is roughly the size of a soft ball.

9.. The acid in your stomach is strong enough to dissolve razor blades.

10.. The human brain cell can hold 5 times as much information as the Encyclopedia Britannica.

11.. It takes the food seven seconds to get from your mouth to your stomach.

12.. The average human dream lasts 2-3 seconds.

13.. Men without hair on their chests are more likely to get cirrhosis of the liver than men with hair.

14.. At the moment of conception, you spent about half an hour as a single cell.

15.. There is about one trillion bacteria on each of your feet.

16.. Your body gives off enough heat in 30 minutes to bring half a gallon of water to a boil.

17.. The enamel in your teeth is the hardest substance in your body.

18.. Your teeth start developing (in your gums) 6 months before you are born.

19.. When you are looking at someone you love, your pupils dilate, they do the same when you are looking at someone you hate.

20.. Blondes have more hair than dark-haired people.

21.. Your thumb is the same length as your nose.

At this very moment I know full well you are putting this last fact to the test ... now remove your thumb from your nose and pass this on to the friends you think might be interested in comparing their thumbs to their noses as well

Vitamin Supplements 'may shorten your life'

Research has suggested vitamin supplements do not extend life and could even lead to a premature death.

A review of 67 studies found "no convincing evidence" that antioxidant
supplements cut the risk of dying. Scientists at Copenhagen University said vitamins A and E could interfere with the body's natural defenses.

"Even more, beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E seem to increase
mortality," according to the review by the respected Cochrane Collaboration.

The research involved selecting various studies from 817 on beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium which the team felt were the most likely to fairly reflect the benefits of the supplements. It has been thought that these supplements may be able to prevent damage to the body's tissues called "oxidative stress" by eliminating the molecules called "free radicals" which are said to cause it. This damage has been implicated in several major diseases including cancer and heart disease.

'Just eat well'

The trials involved 233,000 people who were either sick or were healthy and taking supplements for disease prevention. After various factors were taken into account and a further 20 studies excluded, the researchers linked vitamin A supplements to a 16% increased risk of dying, beta-carotene to a 7% increased risk and vitamin E to a 4% increased risk. Vitamin C did not appear to have any effect one way or the other, and the team said more work was needed into this supplement - as well as into selenium.

In conclusion, "we found no evidence to support antioxidant supplements for primary or secondary prevention," they said. It was unclear exactly why the supplements could have this effect, but the team speculated that they could interfere with how the body works: beta-carotene, for instance, is thought to change the way a body uses fats.

The Department of Health said people should try to get the vitamins they need from their diet, and avoid taking large doses of supplements - a market which is worth over £330m in the UK . "There is a need to exercise caution in the use of high doses of purified supplements of vitamins, including antioxidant vitamins, and minerals," a spokesperson said. "Their impact on long-term health may not have been fully established and they cannot be assumed to be without risk."

A 'stitch-up'

But the Health Supplements Information Service, which is funded by the association which represents those who sell supplements, said many people were simply not able to get everything they needed from their diet. "For the millions who are not able to do that, vitamins can be a useful supplement and they should not stop taking them," said spokeswoman Pamela Mason.

Another nutritionist who has formulated supplements described the review as a "stitch-up" and only reviewed studies which examined the effect they had on reducing mortality, rather than other advantages. "Antioxidants are not meant to be magic bullets and should not be expected to undo a lifetime of unhealthy habits," said Patrick Holford. "But when used properly, in combination with eating a healthy diet full of fruit and vegetables, getting plenty of exercise and not smoking, antioxidant supplements can play an important role in maintaining and promoting overall health."