All about health and welth

2008-02-18T18:50:00.002+05:30

Expatriate International Auto Insurance

Automobile Primary Liability (also known as Third Party Liability) insurance is generally a required purchased in the country in which you are located. Local governments will require this in order to register your vehicle. Be aware that limits of coverage can be very low in some countries. If you are uncomfortable with the level of coverage available with Third Party coverage, you may wish to obtain Comprehensive Motor insurance. This type of plan can increase coverage to an appropriate level of protection.

Be aware when shopping for Third Party Liability insurance that rates may vary drastically. Do not assume that the premium quote you receive is the standard within that country. Shopping for competitive rates is as essential abroad as it is in the United States or Europe.

It is very difficult to transfer auto insurance from country to country. No Claims Discount (NCD) or No Claims Bonus (NCB) can be transferred however, and offer substantial discounts for expatriates world wide.

The main types of Auto (or Motor) insurance available internationally are:

* Third Party Coverage - This will provide coverage for an individuals liability at law to any third parties who have died or been injured, or any damaged to property resulting from an accident.
* Third Party Fire and Theft Coverage - Comprising the scope of cover described above with the addition of property insurance on the vehicle but only in terms of a loss resulting from fire or theft.
* Comprehensive Coverage - This is the insurance with the widest scope of cover. It includes both Third party, Fire, and Theft coverage with the addition of "all risks" insurance. Typically the premiums for Comprehensive Vehicle Cover are the highest on the market.

Different countries will have different requirements in regards to the minimum amount of coverage that an individual must have. These requirements are usually set forth by the country's Insurance Authority or Regulator. In nations that where previously British Colonies it is usually the case that every vehicle should be covered under a basic Third Party Liability Plan or ACT policy. ACT Insurance refers to the British Road Traffic Act of 1930, which laid out the basic requirements for motor insurance at that time. ACT insurance will only cover the insured for any death or injury resulting from an accident.

2008-02-18T18:44:00.001+05:30

Expatriate International Health Insurance

If you are not covered under a group medical insurance program, an individual international medical policy should be purchased. These policies include worldwide medical protection and also can include evacuation services. Costs are reasonable and, in many cases, less expensive than coverage in the USA.

Generally an International Health Insurance policy will calculate premiums based on a policyholders age and area of coverage rather than on their claims history. These plans will normally offer two areas of cover; Worldwide or Worldwide excluding the USA. The reason for this is that medical care in the USA is the most expensive in the world, however, most international insurance companies (BUPA for example)will rank countries by medical costs and have premiums adjusted accordingly.

The majority of international health insurance plans for expatriates are, however globally portable. This allows foreign nationals overseas to move fluidly form one country to the next without any periods of no cover. This is a significant difference from Local health insurance plans and makes these policies attractive to many individuals. For the most part, however, an international health insurance policy will not cover an individual when they have returned to their home nation, making the investment practical only if the policyholder is planning to be overseas for an extended period of time.

Those traveling abroad for shorter periods of time, may wish to purchase a travel medical policy which can provide assistance during emergency medical situations abroad. These policies are less expensive as they are time specific rather than annual policies, this allows the policyholder to specifically tailor the plan to the exact length of their trip. A majority of international travel insurance policies will also allow the policyholder to be evacuated to the nearest center of medical excellence in the event of a serious illness or injury; it is also possible to obtain repatriation coverage.

It is important to understand how your medical policy will assist you should you need urgent medical care in your host country. May countries have less than adequate facilities and may require immediate payment for services. Therefore, it is advisable to understand the assistance your policy will provide to locate suitable medical facilities

2008-02-13T22:31:00.000+05:30

Deadliest Days to Drive

Safe driving is no accident. As incentive for motorists to think safety-first, consider this sobering data on drivers' deadliest days, dates and times, published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Deadliest Days of the Week To Drive

1. Saturday
2. Sunday
3. Friday
4. Thursday
5. Monday
6. Wednesday
7. Tuesday

Deadliest Times of the Day to Drive

1. 3 p.m.-6 p.m.
2. 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
3. 9 p.m.-midnight
4. noon-3 p.m.
5. midnight-3 a.m.
6. 6 a.m.-9 a.m.
7. 9 a.m.-noon
8. 3 a.m.-6 a.m.

Four Deadliest Days on Roadways

1. July 4
2. July 3
3. December 23
4. December 24

Three Deadliest Days for Pedestrians

1. December 23
2. January 1
3. October 31

Data Source: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

The safe-driving theme and NHTSA data resonate with insurance industry insiders Brent Gregory, senior vice president of the American Safety Council, in Orlando, Fla.; Mike Barry, director of media relations for the Insurance Information Institute in New York; Dave Snyder and Jim Whittle, both assistant general counsels with the American Insurance Association in Washington, D.C.; and Lynn Knauf, director of personal lines for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, in Des Plaines, Illinois. Drivers should be especially alert during major holiday periods, asserts Brent Gregory, senior vice president, the American Safety Council, in Orlando, Fla. Says Gregory: "Motorists should take extra precautions, particularly during the holiday periods ... Memorial Day, Labor Day, July 4, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. Those seem to be among the deadliest days to drive according to data that we've looked at. Be that as it may, motorists should always practice safe driving no matter what the traffic conditions, 24-7. Doing so can be a life saver, maybe your own." Visit Insurance.com for more info.

2008-02-13T22:19:00.000+05:30

Top Banking firms

This year's edition of the Vault Guide to the Top 50 Banking Employers rates 74 firms, all of which principally operate in either commercial banking or investment banking (or both). To begin our survey ranking process, we chose 74 investment and commercial banking firms this year, based on previous Vault surveys that gauged opinions of industry insiders, as well as on various factual data, including league table standing and size in terms of revenue or assets.

These days, corporate structures, and especially corporate structures of finance firms, can be as complicated as deriving the Black-Scholes model. That said, you'll notice that some of the 74 firms are holding companies (HSBC, ABN AMRO), others are subsidiaries (UBS Investment Bank, Morgan Keegan) and a few double as divisions of large institutions (Citigroup's Global Corporate and Investment Bank, Banc of America Securities). In deciding whether to include all or part of a firm, we identified that part (or whole) of a firm most appropriate for banking-position seekers in the U.S., based on how the company conducts its recruiting efforts and what services the firm provides in the States.

The 74 firms we identified were asked to distribute our online survey to relevant employees. The survey consisted of questions about life at the firm (or former firm) and a prestige rating. Participants were asked to rate companies with which they were familiar on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most prestigious. They were not allowed to rate their own employer. For those companies that did not distribute surveys, Vault sought contacts at the firm through other sources. Those finance professionals took the same survey as the employees at firms that participated. All surveys were completely anonymous.

All told, 603 finance professionals filled out Vault's 2003 finance employee survey from February 2004 through May 2004. Vault averaged the prestige scores for each firm and ranked them in order, with the highest average score belonging to our No. 1 firm.

2008-02-11T20:00:00.000+05:30

Lycopene
Effective for
Prostate Cancer Treatment

Men with prostate cancer who take supplemental lycopene inaddition to surgical removal of the testicles may experience lessactive disease, less bone pain, and live longer than those who onlyhave surgical removal of the testicles, according to a new study inBritish Journal of Urology International (2003;92:375-8).This is exciting news for millions of men who have to undergoaggressive treatment for advanced prostate cancer.

In the new study, 54 men with advanced prostate cancer wererandomly assigned to have surgical removal of the testicles(orchidectomy) alone or orchidectomy plus oral supplementation with4 mg of lycopene a day. Measurements of PSA (a blood marker ofprostate cancer activity), bone scans, and urinary flow were takeninitially and every three months for two years. Men receivinglycopene started on the day of their surgery.

After six months, PSA had decreased in bothgroups, indicating a reduction in prostate cancer activity.PSA levels in those receiving lycopene more than 65%lower than in those who did not receive lycopene. After two years,PSA levels in the lycopene treatment group had fallen into thenormal range, while those who only underwent surgery still had PSAlevels more than twice the upper limit of normal. Urinary symptomssignificantly improved in both groups, but better improvement wasagain observed in the lycopene group. The lycopene group alsoexperienced less bone pain.

The survival rates after two years in the lycopene-plus-surgerygroup and surgery-only groups were 88% and 77%, respectively, astatistically significant difference. No adverse side effects wereobserved in men taking lycopene.LycopeneLycopene is one of a groupof compounds called carotenoids. It is found in high amounts intomatoes.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer found in men over theage of 50 years, with more than 200,000 new cases each year in theUnited States. The cause of prostate cancer, like many othercancers, is unknown; however, some studies suggest alterations intestosterone metabolism may play a role in its development.Prostate cancer is generally slow growing and may not cause anysymptoms until late in the disease. Symptoms may include frequentor painful urination, dribbling after urination, sensation ofincomplete emptying of the bladder, or blood in the urine. Thesymptoms of prostate cancer are similar to those of a non-cancerouscondition called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), so menexperiencing these symptoms should consult their physician for anaccurate diagnosis.

The findings of this study corroborate the findings of othersimilar studies examining the effectiveness of lycopene in thetreatment of prostate cancer. However, the amount used in thecurrent study (4 mg per day) was substantially less than theamounts used in other studies (30 mg per day). It may also helpstimulate the immune system and has been shown to cause cancercells to die on their own. Although more research is needed toclarify what amount of lycopene is most effective, men withprostate cancer may benefit from taking daily lycopene supplements.Eating one moderately sized tomato a day also providesapproximately 4 mg of lycopene. Other tomato products, such as an8-ounce portion of tomato juice or tomato paste may provide up to25 mg of lycopene.

2008-01-19T10:01:00.000+05:30

Gene That Creates Cerebral Cortex Discovered

Researchers have identified the gene responsible for creating the brain's thinking center, in a finding that could one day help people with brain injuries and neurodegenerative diseases.

The gene, called Lhx2, tells stem cells in the developing brain to form the cerebral cortex, which controls functions such as language, decision-making and vision, according to a University of California, Irvine, study published in the Jan. 18 issue of Science. Without the Lhx2 gene, these cells wouldn't form, the researchers said.

"This new understanding of Lhx2's role in cortical development can potentially be used in stem cell research efforts to grow new cortical neurons that can replace damaged ones in the brain," Dr. Edwin Monuki, an assistant professor of pathology at the university, said in a prepared statement.

"This finding has implications for continuing efforts to help people recover from a stroke or slow the progress of neurodegenerative diseases," he said.

Researchers in Monuki's lab are now trying to activate Lhx2 genes in neural stem cells to prompt the growth of cortical cells. If successful, their efforts could led to clinical studies that could one day help treat patients, he said.

2008-01-15T17:11:00.000+05:30

Auto coverage explained

Understanding Your Auto Insurance

Auto insurance can seem confusing. But once you understand the different types of coverages that make up your policy, it’s not hard at all. Your auto insurance is really a package of seven primary coverages. Taken together, these coverages make up a standard auto policy. Each of these coverages has its own separate premium. Your premium payment is the total of these separate premiums.

In addition to the primary coverages, for additional premiums you can also add on coverages such as GEICO’s Mechanical Breakdown Insurance and Emergency Road Service.

1. Bodily injury liability provides protection if you injure or kill someone while operating your car. It also provides for a legal defense if another party in the accident files a lawsuit against you.

In the event of a serious accident, you want enough insurance to cover a judgment against you in a lawsuit, without jeopardizing your personal assets.

Bodily injury liability covers injury to people, not your vehicle. Therefore it’s a good idea to have the same level of coverage for all of your cars.

2. Medical payments, no-fault or personal injury protection coverage usually pays for the medical expenses of the injured driver and passengers in your car. There may also be coverage if you are injured by a vehicle as a pedestrian.

3. Uninsured motorists coverage pays for your injuries caused by an uninsured driver or, in some states, a hit-and-run driver, in a crash that is not your fault. In some states there is also uninsured motorist coverage for damage to your vehicle.

Given the large number of uninsured motorists, this is very important coverage to have, even in states with no-fault insurance.

4. Comprehensive physical damage coverage pays for losses resulting from incidents other than collision. For example, comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car if it is stolen; or damaged by flood, fire or animals. To keep your premiums low, select as high a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket.

5. Collision coverage pays for damage to your car when your car hits, or is hit by, another vehicle or other object.

To keep your premiums low, select as large a deductible as you feel comfortable paying out of pocket. For older cars, consider dropping this coverage, since coverage is normally limited to the cash value of your car.

6. Property damage liability protects you if your car damages someone else’s property. It also provides you with legal defense if another party files a lawsuit against you. It is a good idea to purchase enough of this insurance to cover the amount of damage your car might do to another vehicle or object.

7. Rental reimbursement coverage pays for a rental vehicle (usually up to $25 a day) when the insured's vehicle is out of commission as a result of a loss covered under comprehensive or collision coverages.

2008-01-12T21:57:00.001+05:30

Stages of Breast Cancer

Is it Stage II? Is it inflammatory breast cancer? Although learning where you fit in the scheme of breast cancer stages can feel like a jail term ("So now I guess I'm stuck at stage III"), this information is a key part of figuring out how you and your doctors will approach your treatment. The purpose of the staging system is to help organize the different factors and some of the personality features of the cancer into categories, in order to:

* best understand your prognosis (the most likely outcome of the disease)
* guide treatment decisions, since clinical studies of breast cancer treatments that you and your doctor will consider are partly organized by the staging system, and
* provide a common way to describe the extent of breast cancer for doctors and nurses all over the world, so that results of your treatment can be compared and understood.

3 spheres measuring 1 cm, 3cm, 5cm

Stage 0

This stage is used to describe non-invasive breast cancer. There is no evidence of cancer cells breaking out of the part of the breast in which it started, or of getting through to or invading neighboring normal tissue. LCIS and DCIS are examples of stage 0.
Stage I

This stage describes invasive breast cancer (cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighboring normal tissue) in which

* The tumor measures up to two centimeters, AND
* No lymph nodes are involved.

Stage II

This stage describes invasive breast cancer in which:

* The tumor measures at least two centimeters, but not more than five centimeters, OR
* Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm on the same side as the breast cancer. Affected lymph nodes have not yet stuck to one another or to the surrounding tissues, a sign that the cancer has not yet advanced to stage III. (The tumor in the breast can be any size.)

Stage III

Stage III is divided into subcategories known as IIIA and IIIB.
Stage IIIA

Stage IIIA describes invasive breast cancer in which:

* the tumor measures larger than five centimeters, OR
* there is significant involvement of lymph nodes. The nodes clump together or stick to one another or surrounding tissue.

Stage IIIB

This stage describes invasive breast cancer in which a tumor of any size has spread to the breast skin, chest wall, or internal mammary lymph nodes (located beneath the breast right under the ribs, inside the middle of the chest).

Stage IIIB includes inflammatory breast cancer, a very uncommon but very serious, aggressive type of breast cancer. The most distinguishing feature of inflammatory breast cancer is redness involving part or all of the breast. The redness feels warm. You may see puffiness of the breast's skin that looks like the peel of a navel orange ("peau d'orange"), or even ridges, welts, or hives. And part or all of the breast may be enlarged and hard. A lump is present only half of the time. Inflammatory breast cancer is sometimes misdiagnosed as a simple infection.
Expert Quote

"When you're in the midst of the diagnosis and staging process, and the tumor information is coming back in bits and pieces, at many different times, it is an extremely stressful time in your life. Uncertainty really stinks! But you will feel SO much better once you know what you're dealing with, when your treatment plan has been worked out, and you start your treatment. Only then does much of that dreadful uncertainty lift, and you finally feel that you are doing something to get rid of the problem." —Marisa Weiss, M.D.

Stage IV

This stage includes invasive breast cancer in which

* a tumor has spread beyond the breast, underarm, and internal mammary lymph nodes, and
* a tumor may have spread to the supraclavicular lymph nodes (nodes located at the base of the neck, above the collarbone), lungs, liver, bone, or brain.

"Metastatic at presentation" means that the breast cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes, even though this is the first diagnosis of breast cancer. The reason for this is that the primary breast cancer was not found when it was only inside the breast. Metastatic cancer is considered stage IV.
Additional staging information:

You may also hear terms such as "early" or "earlier" stage, "later" or "advanced" stage breast cancer. Although these terms are not medically precise (they may be used differently by different doctors), here is a general idea of how they apply to the official staging system:
Early stage:

* Stage 0
* Stage I
* Stage II

Later stage:

* (stage II if there are many lymph nodes involved)
* Stage III (IIIA, IIIB)

Advanced stage:

* Stage IV

You may also hear the cancer described by three characteristics:

* size (T stands for tumor),
* node involvement (N stands for node), and
* whether it has metastasized (M stands for metastasis).

The T category describes the original (primary) tumor:

* TX means the tumor can't be measured or found.
* T0 means there isn't any evidence of the primary tumor.
* Tis means the cancer is "in situ" (the tumor has not started growing into the breast tissue).
* The numbers T1-T4 describe the size and/or how much the cancer has grown into the breast tissue. The higher the T number, the larger the tumor and/or the more it may have grown into the breast tissue.

The N category describes whether or not the cancer has reached nearby lymph nodes:

* NX means the nearby lymph nodes can't be measured or found.
* N0 means nearby lymph nodes do not contain cancer.
* The numbers N1-N3 describe the size, location, and/or the number of lymph nodes involved. The higher the N number, the more the lymph nodes are involved.

The M category tells whether there are distant metastases (whether the cancer has spread to other parts of body):

* MX means metastasis can't be measured or found.
* M0 means there are no distant metastases.
* M1 means that distant metastases were found.

Once the pathologist knows your T, N, and M characteristics, they are combined, and an overall "stage" of 0, I, II, III, IIIA, IIIB, or IV is assigned.

For example, a T1, N0, M0 breast cancer would mean that the primary breast tumor:

* is less than two centimeters across (T1),
* does not have lymph node involvement (N0), and
* has not spread to distant parts of the body (M0).

This cancer would be grouped as a stage I cancer.

lung cancer

2008-01-12T21:47:00.000+05:30

Q. What causes lung cancer?

A. The vast majority - over 80% - of lung cancers are caused by smoking tobacco or by indirect exposure to tobacco smoke (passive smoking). The other main causes are breathing industrial chemicals such as asbestos, arsenic and polycyclic hydrocarbons or the natural radioactive gas, radon .

Q. Who is at risk?

A. Like most cancers, the risk of lung cancer increases with age. The longer you smoke, the greater your risk. Very few cases are diagnosed in people under 40 and the most common age of diagnosis is between 70 and 74. In the US 91,000 men and 79,000 women are diagnosed with lung cancer each year. In the UK the figures are 23,000 men and 15,000 women .

Q. Does lung cancer run in families?

A. There are very few, if any, inherited conditions that increase the risk of lung cancer in non-smokers. However, not all of the people who smoke get lung cancer and there may be an inherited component which influences whether or not smoking will cause lung cancer .

Q. Does diet affect the risk of getting lung cancer?

A. This is still being investigated, but research to date has not found any link between diet and lung cancer .

Q. Are there different types of lung cancer?

A. There are four main types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. Tobacco smoking is strongly linked to the first three but only weakly linked to adenocarcinoma. However, this type of lung cancer has been linked to the use of low-tar cigarettes .

Q. What are the symptoms of lung cancer?

A. There are a variety of symptoms of lung cancer, including difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, chest pain, loss of appetite, weight loss and general fatigue. Some lung cancers do not cause any noticeable symptoms until they are quite advanced and have spread to other parts of the body .

Q. How is lung cancer diagnosed?

A. Lung cancers are sometimes first detected on routine chest X-rays. However, the main method of diagnosis is bronchoscopy, in which a thin, flexible tube is inserted down the airways (under anaesthetic), allowing doctors to see the inside of the lungs and even take a biopsy (a sample small of the suspect tissue). A CT scan, liver ultrasound or bone scan may also be used to find out if the cancer has spread .

Q. How is lung cancer treated?

A. Drug treatment (chemotherapy) is the usual treatment for small cell lung cancers, because they usually spread too quickly for surgery to be useful. Radiotherapy is also often used. For the other types of lung cancer, surgery is first used to remove the main tumour, if it has not spread too far. If surgery is not possible, then radiotherapy is used instead. Depending on the type of tumour and how advanced it is, chemotherapy can be used in different ways: either to shrink the tumour before surgery or after surgery to kill off any remaining cancer cells .

Q. How effective is the treatment?

A. cancer is one of the most dangerous cancers. The available treatments can prolong the patient's life, but complete cures are very rare. Four out of every five lung cancer patients die within one year of being diagnosed. Only one in twenty is alive five years after diagnosis. Many of these are people diagnosed with early squamous cell carcinomas, which can be treated successfully by surgical removal .

2007-12-25T12:51:00.001+05:30

Keys to Successful Day Trading

The market is an ever-changing entity, presenting us every day with different and unique scenarios. Nevertheless, the market is more or less a reflection of people's ideas and attitudes and while it is also true that no two people are alike, each and every one of us has something in common with someone else, whether it be the way we get out of bed in the morning or the foods we prefer to eat. Additionally, we tend to repeat actions such as preferring to brush our teeth at a certain time of day or making sure we try to catch the Thursday night prime time television shows. No matter which angle you look at it from, humans are creatures of habit and this tendency gets reflected in stock movement. It's what makes technical analysis a reliable and profitable way to trade.

Unfortunately, technical analysis is not always cut and dry. The same core pattern does not work the same in every market environment. For instance, one of the setups I often look for on a daily chart is a 3-5 day pullback in an up trending stock for buying opportunities. Where newer traders tend to get in trouble, however, is taking such a setup to mean that every time an up trending stock pulls back 3-5 days and then breaks the previous day's highs that means they enter long. In reality, there are always exceptions and it's learning what these are that can be the dividing line between those traders who are successful and those who fail. In this example, how a stocks pulls back in a primary uptrend as well as overall market conditions will greatly influence whether taking such a pullback as a long is really worth the risk to reward. In some cases it is not.

The ability to adjust to changing market circumstances is just one of the traits of a successful trader. In truth though, there are quite a few. Something that I've found helpful is taking the time to look at other successful traders and trying to identify characteristics that may have contributed to their success.

2007-12-24T23:23:00.000+05:30

Car Insurance Quotes

The car insurance industry is a lot like other businesses with which we are familiar, in that just when we think we know what"s happening, it all seems to change. And like other industries, the car insurance business experiences cycles. When car insurance is difficult to find and car insurance rates climb, it is considered a hard market. Conversely, when there is a great deal of competition for your business and car insurance rates drop, it is referred to as a soft market. Car insurance is no exception. The cheapest car insurance is normally available during a soft market. Whether you are interested in online car insurance or you prefer to see a car insurance agent, the best time to buy is when car insurance rates are cheap. The industry is presently in a down or soft period and it is expected to last for a few years. This is the time to get a free car insurance quote to make sure you have the best car insurance rate available. By purchasing your car insurance now, you can assume that you will also get the benefit of having your rate go down because of renewal car insurance discounts. These discounts apply no matter who the driver is or what kind of car they drive, even sports car insurance gets the discounts.

Avoiding Cancer

2007-12-24T23:18:00.000+05:30

Avoiding Cancer

It is automatically assumed that cancer, being a degenerative disease, is a natural consequence of growing old and that this is the reason for its prevalence in the elderly. This is wrong because it equates ageing with cancer.

There are two interdependent causes for the high incidence of cancer in old age. The first is a genetic one. As already explained, the probability of any cell suffering a mutation increases in proportion with time, the oddities of lifestyle and careless attention to diet, smoking, etc. So, the longer we live, the greater the probability will be that even our efficient genetic repair processes will eventually start to break down in one after the other of the controlling genes.

The length of time it will take for such mutations to become established in all the controlling genes will largely depend on the availability of oxygen. Our arteries can be kept young and clear (ensuring a quick, thin bloodstream and thus an excellent oxygen supply for all body tissues) by careful diet and exercise, and mutations have less chance of becoming established when the body cells are oxygen-saturated.

As a direct result of habitual physical inactivity and gluttony, fatty cholesterol-plaques form on the arterial walls, causing, with advancing years, the arteries to harden and the bloodstream to become sluggish and oxygen-depleted. As a result the oxygen-starved cells, which can no longer find enough energy for their continuing healthy survival from blood-oxygen, will try to get this energy from fermenting sugar, a process requiring no oxygen. Normal body cells are obligate aerobes (oxygen-requiring cells) and they usually meet their needs by breathing oxygen gas. All cancer cells are partial anaerobes (not requiring oxygen for their survival) and their energy needs can be met in great part by fermentation. Although cancer has countless secondary causes, one of these is the replacement of respiratory oxygen gas in normal body cells by fermentation of sugar. This fermentation provides the impetus for carcinogenesis and only occurs when the blood is oxygen-depleted. Therefore, maintenance of an adequate oxygen supply is of great importance at all ages, but particularly so with advancing years.

Clean arteries without fat deposits are achievable only by regular vigorous exercise, because physical activity has dramatic, almost spectacular effects on the body. These are the results of a steadily rising stroke-volume (beat) of the heart with regular exercise. The volume of blood pushed out with each heartbeat continues to increase and this has a number of beneficial effects: the bloodstream's speed increases and it gets thinner. By this, oxygenation throughout the body is improved, and there Will be no need to meet the cells' energy requirements through fermentation.

During exercise, two substances are released: the prostacyclins and the endorphins. The prostacyclins are fibrolytic, which means they prevent the formation of the fatty plaques on the arterial walls. The endorphins promote a sense of well-being and counter depression. Vigorous exercise also prevents obesity, which is one of the most important contributory causes of cancer.

In short, being lazy is basically being sick and those who do not find time for exercise early on in life will later have to find time for sickness.

2007-12-17T15:52:00.000+05:30

Laser Surgery for Distance Vision

Laser surgery to correct nearsightedness is the latest high tech eye surgery. It has evolved into Lasik, an incisional surgery in the cornea done by a micro-keratone cutter that lifts up an ultra-thin flap of cornea. The laser is then applied to the intact eye beneath the lifted corneal flap. Nearsighted people are treated with Lasik as an office procedure that takes about 10 minutes. Recovery of vision is instantaneous. The cost for Lasik, the most advanced surgery to correct distance vision, ranges from $1,500 to $4,000. Insurance does not cover it. Due to hormonal changes lasik is not recommended for pregnant women or women who are planning to get pregnant.

10 Essential Health Tips

2007-12-17T15:46:00.000+05:30

10 Essential Health Tips

The Basics to Practice Every Day

1. Move More
Make it a daily challenge to find ways to move your body. Climb stairs if given a choice between that and escalators or elevators. Walk your dog; chase your kids; toss balls with friends, mow the lawn. Anything that moves your limbs is not only a fitness tool, it's a stress buster. Think 'move' in small increments of time. It doesn't have to be an hour in the gym or a 45-minute aerobic dance class or tai chi or kickboxing. But that's great when you're up to it. Meanwhile, move more.

2. Cut Fat
Avoid the obvious such as fried foods, burgers and other fatty meats (i.e. pork, ribs and sausage). Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, milk and cream should be eaten in low fat versions. Nuts and sandwich meats, mayonnaise, margarine, butter and sauces should be eaten in limited amounts. Most are available in lower fat versions such as substitute butter, fat free cheeses and mayonnaise.

3. Quit Smoking
The jury is definitely in on this verdict. Ever since 1960 when the Surgeon General announced that smoking was harmful to your health, Americans have been reducing their use of tobacco products that kill. Just recently, we've seen a surge in smoking in adolescents and teens. Could it be the Hollywood influence? It seems the stars in every movie of late smoke cigarettes. Beware. Warn your children of the false romance or 'tough guy' stance of Hollywood smokers.

4. Reduce Stress
Easier said than done, stress busters come in many forms. Some techniques recommended by experts are to think positive thoughts. Spend 30 minutes a day doing something you like. (i.e.,Soak in a hot tub; walk on the beach or in a park; read a good book; visit a friend; play with your dog; listen to soothing music; watch a funny movie. Get a massage, a facial or a haircut. Meditate. Count to ten before losing your temper or getting aggravated. Avoid difficult people when possible.

5. Protect Yourself from Pollution
If you can't live in a smog-free environment, at least avoid smoke-filled rooms, high traffic areas, breathing in highway fumes and exercising near busy thoroughfares. Exercise outside when the smog rating is low. Exercise indoors in air conditioning when air quality is good. Plant lots of shrubbery in your yard. It's a good pollution and dirt from the street deterrent.

6. Wear Your Seat Belt
Statistics show that seat belts add to longevity and help alleviate potential injuries in car crashes.

7. Floss Your Teeth
Recent studies make a direct connection between longevity and teeth flossing. Nobody knows exactly why. Perhaps it's because people who floss tend to be more health conscious than people who don't?

8. Avoid Excessive Drinking
While recent studies show a glass of wine or one drink a day (two for men) can help protect against heart disease, more than that can cause other health problems such as liver and kidney disease and cancer.

9. Keep a Positive Mental Outlook
There's a definitive connection between living well and healthfully and having a cheerful outlook on life.

10. Choose Your Parents Well
The link between genetics and health is a powerful one. But just because one or both of your parents died young in ill health doesn't mean you cannot counteract the genetic pool handed you.

Forex News

2007-12-10T23:14:00.000+05:30

Forex trading has become a very much interesting trading company for Indian people.
so for more latest information keep visiting this blog.thanks.
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Forex The foreign exchange

2007-10-04T18:40:00.000+05:30

Forex The foreign exchange

forex The foreign exchange (currency or forex or FX) market exists wherever one currency is traded for another. It is by far the largest financial market in the world, and includes trading between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and other financial markets and institutions. The average daily trade in the global forex markets currently exceeds US$1.9 trillion. Retail traders (individuals) are a small fraction of this market and may only participate indirectly through brokers or banks. Contents

1 Market size and liquidity
2 Market participants
2.1 Banks
2.2 Commercial companies
2.3 Central banks
2.4 Investment management firms
2.5 Hedge funds
2.6 Retail forex brokers
3 Trading characteristics
4 Factors affecting currency trading
4.1 Economic factors
4.2 Political conditions
4.3 Market psychology
5 Algorithmic trading in forex
6 Financial instruments
7 Speculation
8 References
9 See also
10 External links

Market size and liquidity The foreign exchange market is unique because of: its trading volume, the extreme liquidity of the market, the large number of, and variety of, traders in the market, its geographical dispersion, its long trading hours - 24 hours a day (except on weekends). the variety of factors that affect exchange rates,

According to the BIS [1], average daily turnover in traditional foreign exchange markets was estimated at $1,880 billion. Daily averages in April for different years, in billions of US dollars, are presented on the chart below:
Global foreign exchange market turnover:

$621 billion spot

$1.26 trillion in derivatives, ie

$208 billion in outright forwards

$944 billion in forex swaps

$107 billion in FX options.

Exchange-traded forex futures contracts were introduced in 1972 at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and are actively traded relative to most other futures contracts. Forex futures volume has grown rapidly in recent years, but only accounts for about 7% of the total foreign exchange market volume, according to The Wall Street Journal Europe (5/5/06, p. 20). Average daily global turnover in traditional foreign exchange market transactions totaled $2.7 trillion in April 2006 according to IFSL estimates based on semi-annual London, New York, Tokyo and Singapore Foreign Exchange Committee data. Overall turnover, including non-traditional foreign exchange derivatives and products traded on exchanges, averaged around $2.9 trillion a day. This was more than ten times the size of the combined daily turnover on all the world’s equity markets. Foreign exchange trading increased by 38% between April 2005 and April 2006 and has more than doubled since 2001. This is largely due to the growing importance of foreign exchange as an asset class and an increase in fund management assets, particularly of hedge funds and pension funds. The diverse selection of execution venues such as internet trading platforms has also made it easier for retail traders to trade in the foreign exchange market.

Because foreign exchange is an OTC market where brokers/dealers negotiate directly with one another, there is no central exchange or clearing house. The biggest geographic trading centre is the UK, primarily London, which according to IFSL estimates has increased its share of global turnover in traditional transactions from 31.3% in April 2004 to 32.4% in April 2006. Other large centres include the US (with a 18.2% global share), Japan (7.6%) and Singapore (5.7%) (Chart 2). Most of the remainder was accounted for by trading in Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, France and Hong Kong.

The ten most active traders account for almost 73% of trading volume, according to The Wall Street Journal Europe, (2/9/06 p. 20). These large international banks continually provide the market with both bid (buy) and ask (sell) prices. The bid/ask spread is the difference between the price at which a bank or market maker will sell ("ask", or "offer") and the price at which a market-maker will buy ("bid") from a wholesale customer. This spread is minimal for actively traded pairs of currencies, usually only 0-3 pips. For example, the bid/ask quote of EUR/USD might be 1.2200/1.2203. Minimum trading size for most deals is usually $100,000.

These spreads might not apply to retail customers at banks, which will routinely mark up the difference to say 1.2100 / 1.2300 for transfers, or say 1.2000 / 1.2400 for banknotes or travelers' checks. Spot prices at market makers vary, but on EUR/USD are usually no more than 5 pips wide (i.e. 0.0005). Competition has greatly increased with pip spreads shrinking on the major pairs to as little as 1 to 1.5 pips.

Market participants
Financial markets

Bond marketFixed incomeCorporate bondGovernment bondMunicipal bondBond valuationJunk Bond Stock MarketStockPreferred stockCommon stockStock exchange Foreign Exchange MarketRetail forex Derivative marketCredit DerivativeHybrid securityOptionsFuturesForwardsSwaps Other MarketsCommodities marketOTC marketReal estate marketSpot market Valuation and TheoriesMarket ValuationFinancial market efficiency Finance seriesFinancial marketFinancial market participantsCorporate financePersonal financePublic financeBanks and BankingFinancial regulation v d e

Top 10 Currency Traders
% of overall volume, May 2006
Source: Euromoney FX survey

Unlike a stock market, where all participants have access to the same prices, the forex market is divided into levels of access. At the top is the inter-bank market, which is made up of the largest investment banking firms. Within the inter-bank market, spreads, which are the difference between the bid and ask prices, are razor sharp and usually unavailable, and not known to players outside the inner circle. As you descend the levels of access, the difference between the bid and ask prices widens. This is due to volume. If a trader can guarantee large numbers of transactions for large amounts, they can demand a smaller difference between the bid and ask price, which is referred to as a better spread. The levels of access that make up the forex market are determined by the size of the “line” (the amount of money with which they are trading). The top-tier inter-bank market accounts for 53% of all transactions. After that there are usually smaller investment banks, followed by large multi-national corporations (which need to hedge risk and pay employees in different countries), large hedge funds, and even some of the retail forex market makers. According to Galati and Melvin, “Pension funds, insurance companies, mutual funds, and other institutional investors have played an increasingly important role in financial markets in general, and in FX markets in particular, since the early 2000s.” (2004) In addition, he notes, “Hedge funds have grown markedly over the 2001-2004 period in terms of both number and overall size” Central banks also participate in the forex market to align currencies to their economic needs.

Forex currency trading

2007-09-30T00:36:00.000+05:30

Forex currency trading

Forex currency trading is a great way for use to be able to easily double the currency in the forex market. Investing currency in the forex is the easiest way to earn substantial profit, because this is one of the few ways of entering into forex currency trading. We have to learn more about the currencies where we are going to invest our money.

Make sure you take the time to study about the currency you plan to put your money in. The companies we are going to be investing it in will be based on other currency, so we will have to exchange your money into that currency before investing in the stocks and forex. We have to understand about the forex currency trading market and companies in which we are going to invest before we place our money into it.

People always invest money in the stocks and forex to make money. To invest in the forex we are allowed directly to invest in the market or through a forex broker. In forex many of them will be the investing currencies in the forex currency trading and the traders will approach in the market, but it will be first time for the investors and it can appear at times daunting and this influences us to use the interactive forex currency trading. The dollar will change to some other currencies which are equal to the opportunities to purchase some additional stocks. Now even banks and the financial institution will help us by giving some currency for the low investment investors who are all involved in stocks and Forex.

The bank will provide us online services. The majority of the banks and financial institutions have clients who are all in high level trading. It tells that if someone opens a small account in forex marketing then he will have the ration of one to one hundred. There is a large investment in the trades which make up the forex market. The forex investing involves in making high profits with low amounts of investment.

In today's world most of them invest some level of currencies or transaction to be made, for trading on the stock market, futures and options, or any other market, foreign exchange is almost always involved. This has created a diverse market in the forex investing. The investors are based on the offer of forex trading online. The forex investor will receive various choices for investing in stocks and forex. This service is offered by the forex markets. A forex currency investor is also like a regular employee in the office. We can learn more about the markets and the forex trading companies, and about the value of foreign currencies