Pet Lovers' Community.

I can guarantee this that 90% of us have pets at home. I myself am a very big fan of Tiger, my damn sexy Bull Dog! And I bet you too have a pet and you love it. Right?

So, I come up with something really special for those of you guys, like me who are really crazy about your pets. I have just found a wonderful site for all the Pet Lovers. A Pet Lovers' Community, you can say. Yes I myself am a member there. A wonderful Community, can't afford to miss that, can I?

This site is called PetThoughts. As I have said, it's a Pet lovers' community. Everything you need to know about your pet, you get it here. It's new but it's fast becoming popular. You can see that.

You can expect almost everything in this site. You get Blogs and wonderful articles on "Pet Health" and many other topics like the "Changes In your Aging Dog" and many more. The site has a very active discussion forum for all the pet lovers where you can share and discuss your experiences with your pets. The list don't just end here, you also get a wonderful Pet's Gallery where you can share your pet's photos with your pals worldwide. And not to forget about the “Fun Stuff” this site has, a lot of funny pet videos. I say this, you gonna love this site and the Community.

So just stop reading this and join the Pet Lovers' Community now. You will simply get a lovely experience there.

by vioB

One World, One Global Insurance

One World, One Global Insurance

The world is definitely getting smaller. Gone are the days when we have to be confined in one corner of the world. Now people need to travel. Infact, they love to travel. They travel for bussiness, they travel for knowledge and moreover, they travel for passion. Now no one is confined in one state or one country and the world itself has become our one home.

The world is now "globalising" in an ever increasing pace. Almost all services - the bankings, the telecoms, the markets...everything is globalising . Now we can access the entire shopping markets of the World with a click of the mouse in the internet. So is in the field of bankings, services like "everywhere bankings" are gaining so much of popularities now. Why? Because we travel and world has become one.

Now how about an International Health Insurance? One Insurance that covers you in almost all places of the world, wherever you go, whenever you need?


Think of this: If your one health insurance covers you in all this countries:

Europe: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia.
Asia Pacific and Australasia: Australia, Bali, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Kampuchea, Korea, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Samoa, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam.
Middle East: Bahrain, Djibouti, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Central Asia: Afghanistan, Iran, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iraq, Turkmenistan, Nepal, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
North and South America: Antigua, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Brazil, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, USA, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela.
Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Congo, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon,Chad, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Reunion, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

So, next time when you think of a Health Insurance, just think of it in a globalized way. Think of the world as One and think about it as one Global Insurance.



One World, One Global Insurance by vioB.

How Vaccines Work Against Viruses

From AIDSBluePrint2006 from IAVI [International AIDS Vaccine Initiative] Sorry if the picture is not too clear.

AIDS Treatment and AIDS Vaccine

The Human toll of AIDS is staggering

• More than 25 million men, women and children have died from AIDS.
• AIDS now kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease.
• Approximately 40 million people are living with HIV. Nearly all will die from AIDS-related complications within the next two decades.
• An estimated 5 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2003.

The world needs an AIDS vaccine

More than 95% of all new infections are in developing countries, making HIV/AIDS among the most serious threats not only to global health, but to global development.
Prevention programs-including education, condom and clean needle distribution and peer counseling-have slowed the spread of HIV, but have not stopped it.

Treatment advances have yielded important new AIDS therapies, but the cost and complexity of their use put them out of reach for most people in the countries where they are needed the most. In industrialized nations where drugs are more readily available, side effects and increased rates of viral resistance have raised concerns about their long-term use.

Only an AIDS vaccine can end the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

We can end the AIDS for all time

The scientific consensus is that an AIDS vaccine is possible. Non-human primates have been protected by experimental AIDS vaccines. Some people repeatedly exposed to HIV resist infection and mount HIV specific immune responses, providing important clues for the design of an effective AIDS vaccine. Other infectious diseases have been controlled by vaccines. Smallpox was eradicated in 1977 because of an effective vaccine. Polio has been eliminated from all but six countries in the world. Measles and yellow fever have been controlled by vaccines.

The prospects for success have never been greater.

Advances in molecular biology and basic HIV research have led to the development of promising strategies for effective AIDS vaccines.

Imagine a World without AIDS.

No single organization or government can end the AIDS epidemic. Just as no country, no region, and no community is immune to HIV, all must play a role in the effort to bring the epidemic under control. With greater commitment from a range of governments, foundations, scientists and committed individuals the world will at last have a realistic chance of creating a vaccine to end AIDS for all time.

IAVI and its partners are committed to speeding the discovery and distribution of a safe, effective and accessible AIDS vaccine. Developing an AIDS vaccine to save lives and economies will be one of the world's greatest achievements. Not to do so would be one of its greatest failures.

For more information about the global AIDS pandemic visit the UNAIDS website, and IAVI website.

Managing diabetes

Managing diabetes

In the long-term, diabetes is monitored through routine check-ups by your doctor and/or annual check-ups at the hospital on an outpatient basis.

Their purpose is to determine if treatment is satisfactory and to look out for any evidence of longer-term complications such as eye or kidney disease.

Tests for these complications are usually done at the annual check-up, while routine check-ups may be carried out every three to six months.

Routine check-ups

• Blood sample to check the amount of HbA1c (long-term glucose) in the blood.
• Evaluation of home glucose readings.
• Discussion of diet.
• Blood pressure.
• Weight check.
• Other tests and examinations as determined by your doctor.

Annual check-ups

• Blood sample to check the amount of HbA1c (long-term glucose) in the blood.
• Blood sample to determine the amount of fats in the blood.
• Blood sample to check kidney function and various salts in the blood (mainly sodium and potassium).
• Blood pressure.
• Urine sample to determine the presence of protein (albuminuria). The appearance of protein can indicate that the filtering power of the kidneys is beginning to be affected by the diabetes.
• Foot examination, including a check of various pulse points on the foot.
• Weight check.
• Measuring the waistline.
• Discussion of exercise habits.
• Discussion of smoking habits.

Long-term prospects

Both types of diabetes have the risk of complications.

Acute complications

• Low glucose level, caused by treatment with insulin or oral hypoglycaemic drugs.
• Diabetic acidosis, a life-threatening condition caused by the lack of insulin.

Late-stage diabetic complications

• Retinopathy (eye disease) that can cause blindness.
• Diabetic kidney disease that can lead to kidney failure.
• Diabetic neuropathy (nerve disease) that can cause foot ulcers and foot infections.
• Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), particularly in smokers and those with high blood pressure.

Late-stage complications do not usually develop for 10-15 years with Type 1 diabetes.

In Type 2 diabetes, however, symptoms can appear close to the time of actual diagnosis because the disease may go undetected for longer.

Many studies now show that good glucose control can significantly reduce or even stop complications. This means keeping the blood sugar level as close to normal as possible.
Recent studies have also confirmed the need for people with diabetes to reduce their risk of atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in your arteries).

This is because if you have Type 2 diabetes, you have a four to five times greater risk of developing serious problems with your circulation that can lead to a heart attack or a stroke.

The main factors that increase your risk are:

• smoking
• high blood pressure
• raised levels of fats such as cholesterol in the blood.

By taking measures to address these issues, you will reduce your chance of developing complications such as heart disease.

Please refer THIS for more informations.

How is diabetes treated?

How is diabetes treated?

Diabetes is treated in two ways:

• a combination of healthy diet and exercise
• medication with tablets or insulin.

Insulin injections increase the amount of insulin in your body and bring down the blood sugar level. Insulin injections are used in Type 1 diabetes and in some cases of Type 2.

There are different types of oral medication for treating Type 2 diabetes:

• some increase the amount of insulin secreted by the pancreas
• some increase the action of insulin in the body
• some delay the absorption of glucose from the digestive system.

Treatment for diabetes depends on the individual.

It starts the first time you give yourself an insulin injection or take a diabetes tablet, and continues through eating a well-balanced diet and starting an exercise programme.

To help you get the most out of treatment, consult your GP or hospital healthcare team, which should include a diabetes nurse specialist.

Blood sugar levels

Monitoring blood sugar levels is an important aspect of treatment, especially in Type 1 diabetes where levels can change markedly.

This can be done easily at home with a small blood glucose meter.

Depending on the reading, you may need to adjust your diet, the amount you exercise or your insulin intake.

To be continued...Please refer THIS for more informations

How is Diabetes diagnosed ?

How is a diagnosis made?

Glucose levels are measured in blood samples. This is done using the following tests:

• random glucose test: glucose levels are taken at a random time on two occasions. Any figure above 11.1mmol/l is a diagnosis of diabetes.
• fasting glucose test: the glucose level is measured after an overnight fast and on two different days. Above 7.0mmol/l is a diagnosis of diabetes.

You may only need to give one blood sample if you have other symptoms of diabetes.

Glucose tolerance test

If the diagnosis is still unclear from these tests, a glucose tolerance test can be carried out.
A glucose drink is given containing a standard amount of glucose (75g). Blood samples are taken before the drink is given and two hours later.

The test is done after an overnight fast.

• A two-hour blood glucose level above 11.1mmol/l is a diagnosis of diabetes.
• A level below 7.8mmol/l is normal.

If the level falls between these values, it suggests a decreased tolerance for glucose.
This is known as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

Impaired glucose tolerance is more than just a pre-diabetic state.
People who have IGT are at increased risk of developing some of the conditions associated with diabetes, such as heart disease.


To be continued...Please refer

Diabetes - What you should know

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a condition where the blood sugar level is higher than normal.

There are two main types of diabetes.

• Type 1 diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes. It is usually seen in young people.
• Type 2 diabetes - usually non insulin-dependent diabetes. It tends to affect adults over 40 and overweight people.

There are also other types of diabetes.

• Pregnancy diabetes. This is known as gestational diabetes. It's associated with pregnancy and symptoms usually disappear after the birth. If you get gestational diabetes, you have an increased risk of developing one of the main types of diabetes later in life.
• Secondary diabetes. This is when diabetes is caused as the result of another condition, eg inflammation of the pancreas, or by the use of certain medication such as diuretics or steroids (the most common cause).

How common is diabetes?

In the UK around 1.6 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes.

But Type 2 diabetes often has few symptoms in the early stages - it's estimated that half of those with Type 2 diabetes have not yet been diagnosed.

The last 30 years has seen a threefold increase in the number of cases of childhood diabetes.

Obesity levels have also risen - and this has led to Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to diet, being seen for the first time in young people in Europe and America.

But obesity doesn't explain the increase in the numbers of Type 1 diabetes in children - who make up the majority of new cases.

What causes diabetes?

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas gland in the abdomen. It controls the use of glucose within the body.

The blood sugar level will rise if:

• the pancreas produces little or no insulin (Type 1 diabetes)
• the pancreas produces insulin, but it's inadequate for the body’s needs and its effectiveness is reduced (Type 2 diabetes).

It's thought Type 2 diabetes is related to factors associated with a Western lifestyle, since it's most common in people who are overweight and who don't get enough exercise.
Gestational diabetes is brought about by the many hormone changes and demands placed upon the body during pregnancy.
Secondary diabetes is much like Type 2 diabetes. It's quite variable, depending on the underlying cause.

Common symptoms of diabetes

Glucose is one of the body’s main fuels. If there isn't enough, blood sugar levels rise and glucose is secreted into urine. This causes:

• increased thirst
• frequent urination
• tiredness
• weight loss, although appetite often increases (especially in Type 1 diabetes)
• itchiness, especially around the genitals
• recurrent infections on the skin, eg boils.

People with Type 1 diabetes usually develop these symptoms within days or weeks.
In Type 2 diabetes, these symptoms often don't show for years. Many are diagnosed by chance through routine medical check-ups.
Heredity plays a part in diabetes, but only 10 per cent of people with Type 1 have a family history of diabetes. For Type 2, this rises to 30 per cent.

To be continued...Please refer THIS for more informations.