Beauty benefits from fruits

By KATE HALIM 

Eating fruits does not mean buying fruits, cutting it and popping it into our mouths. It involves more than that. It is important to know how and when to eat fruits then correct way of eating fruits.

Research has shown that it is important not to eat fruits after your meals, fruits should be eaten on an empty stomach. If you eat fruits like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

Bear in mind that fruits is the most important food but eating fruits after meals causes stomach discomfort as the fruits come in contact with the meal. The whole meal rots and ferments turning into acid. This could lead to cancer because the moment fruits come into contact with food in the stomach and digestive juices, the food begins to spoil.
Taking fruits on an empty stomach prevents graying hair, balding, nervous outburst and dark circles around the eyes. Fruits that are considered acidic like oranges and lemon don’t cause harm because all fruits become alkaline in our bodies according to research.
The secret of true beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight lies in mastering the correct way of eating fruits.Try this and achieve your desired weight and beauty. 

Car A/C (Air Conditioning)

 MUST READ!!!
Sent by Armanda Delgado - Portugal

Please do not turn on A/C as soon as you enter the car. Open the
windows after you enter your car and turn ON the air-conditioning
after a couple of minutes.

Here's why: According to a research, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emit Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen - take time to observe the smell of heated plastic in your car).
 
In addition to causing cancer, Benzene poisons your bones, causes anemia and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer. May also cause miscarriage. Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft.. A car parked indoors with windows closed will contain
400-800 mg of Benzene.
 
If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level... People who get into the car, keeping windows closed will inevitably inhale, in quick
succession excessive amounts of the toxin. Benzene is a toxin that affects your kidney and liver. What's worse, it is extremely difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.

So friends, please open the windows and door of your car - give time for interior to air out -dispel the deadly stuff - before you enter.

Have a good valentine's day

Sent by Hiyab Tsegay - Eritrea

Buddies:
This is about Valentines Roses Rose Colors and Traditional Rose Meanings, you'd to Know what rose colors symbolize before sending a bouquet.
Infact, Roses are the traditional gift, that given on Valentines Day, but they're certain to be well-received any time of year. But before you send any color of roses, you gotta know what message you're sending.

The color of a rose can have a very different meaning from what you intend. To ensure that your love understands what the roses you bestow mean, check this guide to rose colors and their meanings:
Red roses
Proclaim "I love you." They are the ultimate symbol of romantic love and enduring passion. Florists can't keep up with Valentines Day demand for red roses, which makes them especially expensive in February.

Yellow Roses
Yellow roses indicate friendship and freedom -- so don't send them if your intentions are romantic and long-lasting. Yellow roses are also appropriate for sending congratulations to newlyweds, graduates, Texans, and new mothers.

Pale Pink Roses
Pale pink roses connote grace, gentleness, and gratitude

Light Pink Roses
A joy to behold, light pink roses express fun and happiness.

Deep Pink Roses
Deep pink roses say "Thank you."

Lilac Roses
Lilac roses indicate the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted.

White Roses
Pure white roses symbolize truth and innocence. They also send other messages: "I miss you" and "You're heavenly."

Coral Roses
Coral roses express one thing with their passionate color: Desire.

Peach Roses
Peach roses speak of appreciation, gratitude, and also sympathy.

Orange Roses
Orange roses communicate enthusiasm and desire on the part of the sender.

Dead Roses
Regardless of the original color, dead roses say "It's over" loud and clear.

COMBINED ROSES
Put two or more colors of roses together, and a new rose meaning arises:

White Roses + Yellow Roses
A symbol of harmony.

Red Roses + Yellow Roses
A message of happiness and celebration.

Red Roses + White Roses
An indication of bonding and harmony.

MORE ROSE SYMBOLISM
While roses are traditionally presented in bouquet form, these are also acceptable:

Single Red Rose
"I love you" (but I'm not going to go broke telling you).

Single Rose Any Color
"I thank you" (and I'm still not going to go broke saying so).

Two Roses Entwined
An engagement or marriage is imminent.

http://honeymoons.about.com/od/valentinesday/tp/red_roses.htm

THE LAWS OF ULTIMATE REALITY

Sent by Kouassi Etien - Cote D'Ivoire

Law of Mechanical Repair
After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch and you'll have to pee.

Law of Gravity
Any tool, when dropped, w ill roll to the least accessible crevice furthest away from you.

Law of Probability
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Law of Random Numbers
If you dial a wrong number, you never get a busy signal and someone always answers.

Law of the Alibi
If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire while running late for work.

Variation Law
If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will always move faster than the one you are in now.

 Law of the Bath
When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

Law of Close Encounters
The probability of meeting someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

Law of the Result
When you try to prove to someone that a machine won't work, it will.

Law of Biomechanics
The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Law of the Theater
At any event, the people whose s eats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.

The Starbucks Law
As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

Murphy's Law of Lockers
If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

Law of Physical Surfaces
The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the new ness and cost of the carpet/rug.

Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

Brown's Law of Physical Appearance
If the shoe fits, it's ugly.

Oliver's Law of Public Speaking
A closed mouth gathers no feet.

Wilson's Law of Commercial Marketing Strategy
As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.

Doctors' Law
If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go to the doctor, by the time you get there you'll feel better. Don't make an appointment and you'll stay sick

The many benefits of honey

By Ada Onyema

If you are one of those who avoid pap because you want to minimise your sugar intake, there is a way out. You can avoid sugar and still enjoy sweet tasting pap by simply adding honey.

Honey is man's oldest sweetener, so it serves as a good substitute for sugar. But much more important than that, it is highly medicinal and have been scientifically proven to be able to penetrate certain tissues that some orthodox drugs cannot penetrate to take kill certain variants of virus that often prove stubborn.

Honey is composed of sugars like glucose and fructose, as well as minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate.

It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3, all of which change according to the qualities of the nectar and pollen. Besides the above, copper, iodine, and zinc exist in it in small quantities.

If you have allergies, honey can be beneficial. If you eat the honey that is found in your locality, it may prevent your seasonal allergies.

Honey may also be good for your skin. It has the ability to attract water. You can use honey instead of alpha hydroxyl masks because of its high content of the acid. It is also safe for sensitive skin.

You can also use it as a moisturiser and a hair conditioner. To use it as a conditioner, mix the honey with olive oil. Be sure to wash your hair thoroughly before you go outside.

If you have sore throat, take some honey. Due to its natural anti-inflammatory effect, it will help to heal the wounds more quickly. It also contains chemicals that are capable of killing viruses, bacteria and fungi, making it a good substitute for wound dressing. The taste may also take your mind off the pain.

Experts are of the opinion that honey diluted in water can help to ease stomach aches and take care of dehydration. Honey may also be effective in the treatment of ulcer.

A major advantage of honey is that it does not only prevent infections, it accelerates the healing of wounds.

Because sugar molecules in honey can convert into other sugars, like fructose to glucose, it is easily digested by the most sensitive stomachs, despite its high acid content. It helps kidneys and intestines to function better.

Another quality of honey is that, when compared with the same amount of sugar, it gives 40 per cent less calories to the body. Although it gives great energy to the body, it does not add weight. It has a laxative effect on the digestion system of an individual and helps provide relief from constipation.

Honey has been associated with treatment of persistent coughs and sore throat and its consumption is believed to provide relief from diarrhoea and dysentery. It has been found to have anti-bacterial properties, which seem to increase when it is diluted with water.

Honey helps in cleansing blood and has positive effects on the regulation of blood circulation. Having antiseptic properties, honey is good for treating burns and infected surgical wounds.

Honey helps to improve appetite, especially in children. It reduces the production of acid in the mouth, so it is good for oral health.

Being much lower in calories, as compared to sugar, and having a very low fat content, honey is good for those who are trying to lose weight.

When used in the form of face packs, honey helps in rejuvenating the skin and also helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Honey has been found to be beneficial to those suffering from anaemia, asthma, baldness, fatigue and exhaustion, headache and migraine, high blood pressure and insect bites.

Make love last for you

Relationships, By Ebele Peters,
Email: ebipeter34@yahoo.com
A great relationship is not just something obtained on a platter. It is actually something that happens when both partners work consciously to make it stronger, safer, caring and of course with commitment. A relationship is like a refuge against the storms of the outside world. And like a house, it requires a good foundation to make it stand the test of time. You have to find ways to turn me, myself and I into a “we”.

So what really makes a relationship last, and last and last? Affection yes; respect, of course but a great relationship is much more than these. Some pointers below should help you and your partner create a relationship that will last a very, very long time, if not forever.

• Compromise, trust and unselfishness: This is paramount for any relationship to stand the test of time. If either of you is stubborn and insists on having their way all the time, you’ll both end up in tears or resentful of each other. It just as important that lies and deceptions are kept out of a relationship as much as possible, because once a precedent is set, it is very hard to build trust and every word or gesture is received with suspicion. It is just as important that both partners are considerate of each others feelings. A major deal breaker in lots of relationship stems from the fact that partners take each other for granted with the passage of time. This is very dangerous and paves the way for resentment to set in. This is particularly more prevalent among men who take their partners for granted under the misconception that she will stick with them through fire and brimstone. To avoid this, learn to say thank you and show appreciation both by saying it and through gestures. Don’t take it for granted that the responsibility of taking care of the home and the kids is hers alone. It is a partnership and should be shared by the couple in it as often as possible. Sometimes, it doesn’t require that you buy her an expensive gift or car to show that you appreciate everything she’s done for you, your actions such as helping out with her problems, taking the kids off her sometimes, and lending a listening ear or offering help to resolve a nagging problem bothering her, says a lot about how much you care.

• Lending a listening ear: It’s amazing how tense most men are after a hard days work. They have to contend with all sorts of issues ranging from providing for the home front to contending with an ever hostile environment outside. So the last thing they need when they get home is a nagging partner or a sullen face. More than anything else, the need a partner that can help them unwind, listen to their problems and hold an intelligent conversation that can help them resolve the external issues bothering them. If a man finds anything lacking at home or in a relationship, he’ll look for it elsewhere.

• Make the home front inviting: This is very important for women who want to ensure their partners come home and don’t seek alternatives outside. A clean and comforting environment, backed by a delicious meal, is very important to everyone. So if you want to be sure he comes home, make an effort to make your home inviting and his haven where your partner can escape to after the rat race outside. But if you decide to make the home front a war zone, don’t be shocked if your partner starts to spend more time anywhere else but home.

• Touchy, touchy, feely, feely: Even if there is no plan of it turning into a physical marathon, just touching your partner goes a long way in expressing how you feel about him or her. It’s amazing what a little rub on his head as you walk past him while he sits on the couch watching TV can do to your relationship. As you come into the kitchen, just brush her hand with yours as you walk past, or give her a pat on the bum. When both of you are relaxed watching a programme together or reading the papers, lean against each other, rest your head or feet on her thighs or vice versa. Even while outside, when having an animated conversation don’t be shy to touch his/her arm to make a point; and when walking together, it the mood catches you hold hands. And don’t forget, if either of you is tired, don’t hesitate to offer a rub down or massage. It may or may not lead to a wrestle in the sack, but the fact that either of you has offered to help ease stress by giving a massage shows that you care. These little gestures say a lot about the relationship. For one, it means you’re both comfortable with each other, have a passionate physical chemistry and don’t find each other repulsive even when there’s tension in the air.

• Do something unusually nice for your partner: While she loosens her braids, ask her to show you how to do it and sit down to help out even if it means you have to remain on one string of braid until she has finished loosening the rest of the braids. The fact you are doing a thing like that for her, says a lot about your feelings and your desire to spend time with her doing things that may be considered inconsequential. Alternatively, women that are adept at using razors can help their partners shave. It is an intimate and sexy gesture, and signifies that you trust each others implicitly, because trust me, no man who has doubts about his partner will allow her near his throat with a razor.

• Being too serious could be a problem on its own sometimes. I mean, if you can’t crack a joke or two with your partner, or if you can’t tease each other from time to time without being hyper-sensitive, then who else can you do these with? The stress of the outside world alone is enough to drive one crazy, so why bring it home with you? Learn to laugh and play with your partner. Laugh at their jokes and make them know you are there for company. Our mothers always said that the best lovers always start out as best friends.

• Be there for your partner through thick or thin: The only permanent thing in life is change. This is so even in your relationships. It never can be rosy day in day out and challenges must be faced. It could come from your work place, or your business. Sometimes, immediate or external families could pose challenges, and even your partner could be the ones to trigger off difficulties. Remain loyal and unselfish. Make your shoulders available to cry on and your ears wide open to listen. The pains would be greatest if you of all people along with others, desert them when they need you most.

• Always include, or better still try as much as possible to include your partner in your schedule. Agreed these schedules are important, but what could be more important than your relationship? You have the right to choose, and if you choose to still have a functional relationship, then you have to fit them in as well as a matter of priority. Your partner should also be supportive and understanding about schedule as well. Your business is very important, yes. But remember that your partner is your business as well.

• Be very understanding. After all you will not kill your own child because they are naughty. In the same vein, you should try not to get rid of your partner because they do not meet up to your expectations. Try to understand they are humans just like you, and what you think of them matters most to them. You would be very surprised what people would tell you if you gave them the chance to say what they honestly felt about you. In other words, no one is perfect. If it’s a problem that can be resolved or a habit/trait that can be worked on, both of you should work at doing away with the trait that causes friction.

• Your partner should take centre stage in your life. Not your external family, nor your work colleagues, because if you could just take a moment to sit down and think of it, when your mum and dad decide to face their own relationship in old age or pass on, and when your friends find new acquaintances, it is your partner who remains there for you as a pillar. Always remember that.

• Granted that the economy is very tight now. What, with prices of almost everything hitting the rooftops. As such, most of us try to be very careful with how we spend money. But my friend, something as small as dinner in that restaurant next door just for the two of you, that simple box of chocolate or cologne on their birthday, or your anniversary, or even just because you thought of them, goes a long way to show them you care.

In what ever you do especially when it comes to your relationship, try to put in a little effort. It does not have to be riches and joy all the time, but if you just tried then you would understand that a relationship worth keeping is one worth working on.

Boundary Setting for the Work Obsessed

Sent by Kouassi Etien.
Email: kouassie2002@yahoo.com

Boundary Setting for the Work Obsessed

Yes !

Do you find yourself waking in the middle of the night, thinking about work?

Do you check your work email at home in the evenings or on weekends?

Do your family and friends get tired of hearing you talk about work?

Do you frequently take work home with you?

Do you find yourself thinking about work issues when you’re supposedly doing something recreational?

If you checked more than one or two of these as yes, then you may be obsessed with your work. Consider some of the following ideas for setting boundaries that will help you to separate your professional and personal lives.

1. Choose flow-inducing hobbies that really engage you and pull your mind away from work.

Flow is a sense of effortless engagement in what you’re doing. You’ll find it in activities that have clear objectives and challenge you to stretch a bit beyond your current level of skill. What kind of hobbies can produce flow? Sports like martial arts or soccer, games like poker or bridge, art like painting or pottery, and puzzles like crosswords or sudoku are a few examples. Such activities will lure you away from thoughts about work because, unlike passive activities such as watching TV, they can provide the same sense of engagement and challenge that your work life offers.

2. Set goals in your personal life just like you do in your professional life.

Working towards goals is a sure way of getting yourself excited enough about non-work activities that you can pull yourself away work. This tip works in tandem with the first, because goal-oriented activities are more likely to provide a sense of flow than activities taken on for relaxation.

3. Schedule dates with other people for non-work activities.

For example, arrange to meet a friend for drinks and conversation after work, or make weekend plans with your friends or family to go hiking. Solo plans are easier to break in favour of work. If you have a commitment to another person, you’ll be more likely to shut the laptop and mobile phone off.

4. Use tech boundaries to separate your work and your life.

Think about whether you need to create different computer, email, and instant messaging accounts for personal versus professional activities. If you have access to all your work tools when you log in to upload vacation photos or video chat with a friend, you’re likely to get drawn into work email and work tasks even when you intend otherwise.

5. Decide your “no’s” in advance.

Figure out which types of activities in your work life just aren’t worth the time you put in. This might be meeting people for lunch, attending unnecessary meetings, or taking on extra projects that require weekend work. Whatever your low-value activities are, make a rule up front to say “no” instead of deciding on a case-by-case basis. This way you’ll leave more room for your personal life and boost your professional effectiveness at the same time.

UNHCR Management Minute

Beneficial things in daily life...

Ants Problem:

Keep the skin of cucumbers near the place or ant hole.

To get pure and clean ice:
Boil water first before freezing.

To make the mirror shine:

Clean with spirit

To remove chewing gum from clothes:
Keep the cloth in the freezer for an hour.

To whiten white clothes:

Soak white clothes in hot water with a slice of lemon for 10 minutes.

To get maximum juice out of lemons:

Soak lemons in hot water for one hour, and then juice them.

To avoid smell of cabbage while cooking:
Keep a piece of bread on the cabbage in the vessel while cooking.

To rid the smell of fish from your hands:

Wash your hands with a little apple vinegar.

To check freshness of fish:
Put it in a bowl of cold water. If the fish floats, it's fresh.

To boil eggs quickly:

Add salt to the water and boil.

To check freshness of eggs:
Put the egg in water. If it becomes horizontal, it's fresh. If it becomes slanting, its 3-4 days old. If it becomes vertical, its 10 days old. If it floats, it's stale.

To remove ink from clothes:

Put toothpaste on the ink spots generously and let it dry completely, then wash.

To skin sweet potatoes quickly:

Soak in cold water immediately after boiling.

To boil potatoes quickly:

Skin one potato from one side only before boiling.

To get rid of mice or rats:

Sprinkle black pepper in places where you find mice or rats. They will run away.

To avoid tears while cutting onions: Chew gum.

Why a wedding ring should be put on the fourth finger??

Sent by: Hiyab Tsegay (MONUC)

Thumb represents parents
Second finger represents brothers and sisters
Center finger represents own self
Fourth finger represents your partner
Last finger represents your children
Really interesting !

Why the wedding ring should be put on the fourth finger??
Please follow the step below, really God made this a miracle (this is from a Chinese excerpt)

Firstly, show your palm,

Bend the center finger and put together back to back.

Secondly, the rest 4 fingers join tips to tips as illustrated below.

Now the Game begins... !!

Follow the arrangement below:

You have 5 paired fingers

Try to open your thumb, the thumb represents parents, so it can be open because for a man or woman shall leave his/her parents to form his/her own family and also all human go through sickness and death. Which means our parents will leave us one day.

Please close up your thumb, then open your second finger pair, the finger represents brothers and sisters, they do have their own family and will leave us too.
Now close up your second finger, open up your little finger pair, this represents your children. Sooner or later they too will leave us for they have their own lives to live.

Nevertheless, close up your little finger, try to open your fourth finger on which we put our wedding rings; you will be surprised to find that it cannot be opened at all. Because it represents husband and wife, this whole life you will be attached to each other.
Real love will stick together forever and ever .

Amazing Mathematics

Sent by Benjamin Kennechuque Mogor

Beauty of Mathematics !!!!!!!
Hint:You may need your calculator to verify)!

1 x 8 + 1 = 9
12 x 8 + 2 = 98
123 x 8 + 3 = 987
1234 x 8 + 4 = 9876
12345 x 8 + 5 = 98765
123456 x 8 + 6 = 987654
1234567 x 8 + 7 = 9876543
12345678 x 8 + 8 = 98765432
123456789 x 8 + 9 = 987654321

1 x 9 + 2 = 11
12 x 9 + 3 = 111
123 x 9 + 4 = 1111
1234 x 9 + 5 = 11111
12345 x 9 + 6 = 111111
123456 x 9 + 7 = 1111111
1234567 x 9 + 8 = 11111111
12345678 x 9 + 9 = 111111111
123456789 x 9 +10= 1111111111

9 x 9 + 7 = 88
98 x 9 + 6 = 888
987 x 9 + 5 = 8888
9876 x 9 + 4 = 88888
98765 x 9 + 3 = 888888
987654 x 9 + 2 = 8888888
9876543 x 9 + 1 = 88888888
98765432 x 9 + 0 = 888888888
Brilliant, isn't it?

And look at this symmetry:

1 x 1 = 1
11 x 11 = 121
111 x 111 = 12321
1111 x 1111 = 1234321
11111 x 11111 = 123454321
111111 x 111111 = 12345654321
1111111 x 1111111 = 1234567654321
11111111 x 11111111 = 123456787654321
111111111 x 111111111 = 12345678987654321

Now, take a look at this...

101%
From a strictly mathematical viewpoint:
What Equals 100%?
What does it mean to give MORE than 100%?
Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?
We have all been in situations where someone wants you to GIVE OVER 100%.
How about ACHIEVING 101%?

What equals 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help
answer these questions:
If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

If: H-A-R-D-W-O- R- K
8+1+18+4+23+ 15+18+11 = 98%

And: K-N-O-W-L-E- D-G-E
11+14+15+23+ 12+5+4+7+ 5 = 96%

But: A-T-T-I-T-U- D-E
1+20+20+9+20+ 21+4+5 = 100%

THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:
L-O-V-E-O-F- G-O-D
12+15+22+5+15+ 6+7+15+4 = 101%

Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that:
While Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, It's the Love of God that will put you over the top!

What is depression?

Sent by: Mikal Asmelash

What is depression?
Depression is an illness that causes a person to feel sad and hopeless much of the time. It is different from normal feelings of sadness, grief, or low energy.
Anyone can have depression. It often runs in families. But it can also happen to someone who doesn't have a family history of depression. You can have depression one time or many times.
If you think you may be depressed, tell your doctor. There are good treatments that can help you enjoy life again. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you will feel better.
What causes depression?
The causes of depression are not entirely understood. Things that may trigger depression include:
· Major events that create stress, such as childbirth or a death in the family.
· Illnesses, such as arthritis, heart disease, or cancer.
· Certain medicines, such as steroids or narcotics for pain relief.
· Drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs.
These and other factors can cause certain brain chemicals to get out of balance. As soon as the imbalance is corrected, symptoms of depression generally go away.

What are the symptoms?
Depression can cause different symptoms in different people, and they may be hard to notice at first. For example, a child may seem grouchy and irritable. An older adult may be forgetful. If you think a loved one is depressed, learn more about what symptoms to look for, and urge the person to get help if needed.
People who are depressed may:
· Think and speak more slowly than normal.
· Have trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions.
· Have changes in their eating and sleeping habits.
· Lose interest in things they enjoyed before they were depressed.
· Have feelings of guilt and hopelessness, wondering if life is worth living.
· Think a lot about death or suicide.
· Complain about problems that don’t have a physical cause, such as headache and stomachache.
All of these symptoms can cause a problem with your quality of life. If you have had a few of these symptoms for at least 2 weeks, talk to your doctor. You may have depression that requires treatment.

How is it treated?
Depression is usually treated with counseling or antidepressant medicine, or both. It sometimes takes a few tries to find the right treatment, and it can take several weeks for the medicine to start working. Try to be patient and stay with your treatment.
If you have mild or moderate depression, you may be diagnosed and treated by your family doctor and a therapist or psychologist. If you have severe depression or do not respond to treatment, it may be helpful to see a psychiatrist. This is a medical doctor who specializes in mental health problems. Severe cases of depression may need to be treated in the hospital.
Let your doctor know if you believe you are depressed, because depression is often overlooked. If you are diagnosed with depression, you and your doctor can decide on the best treatment. The earlier you are treated, the more quickly you will recover.

How common is depression?
Many people will have depression at some point in their lives. Chances of becoming depressed are higher for certain people. For example:
· Women have depression twice as often as men. But men are more likely to commit suicide because of depression.2
· Separated or divorced people, especially men, are more likely than married people to become depressed.
· People who have a serious illness are more likely to have depression.
If you have had depression before, there is a good chance that it will happen again. Taking your medicines even after you feel better can help keep you from getting depressed again. Some people need to take medicine for the rest of their lives.
What can you do if a loved one has depression?
Depression can lead to suicide. Learn the warning signs of suicide, and if you see them in a loved one, get help.
Watch your loved ones for these warning signs of suicide:
· Planning to, or saying they want to, kill themselves or someone else.
· Having a way to commit suicide, such as having a gun.
· Being out of touch with reality, having severe anxiety, or thinking they hear voices giving them commands.
· Using alcohol or drugs, especially in large amounts.
· Talking, writing, or drawing about death. This includes writing suicide notes and talking about items that can cause physical harm, such as pills, guns, or knives.
· Spending long periods of time alone.
· Giving away possessions.
· Acting mean and aggressive, or suddenly acting calm.
If a suicide threat seems real, with a specific plan and a way to carry it out, the following guidelines may help:
· Stay with the person, or ask someone you trust to stay with the person, until the crisis has passed.
· Encourage the person to seek professional help.
· Don't argue with the person ("It's not as bad as you think") or challenge him or her ("You're not the type to commit suicide").
Tell the person you don't want him or her to die. Talk about the situation as openly as possible.

Harvard Health Publications
Harvard Medical School

The 3 Deadly Mistakes Women Make With Men Without EVER Realizing It.

Christian Carter a relationship expert in a book, Catch Him, keep Him : A woman’s guide to finding Mr Right and keeping Him identified that these 3 three mistakes are responsible for more failed dates and relationships with men than any other factors.
Here they are:

Leading A Man To Think You Are “Needy” And “Insecure” Did you know that there are 6 ways you can set off a man’s “Insecurity Alert” and make him think twice about pursuing a relationship with you? Sadly, even confident women often “accidentally” give off one of these signs... and just one can kill the chance of a man asking you on a second date. As you read through these signals men pick up on as “needy” and unattractive, ask yourself if YOU have ever been guilty of committing one of these deadly mistakes:

Talking or saying nasty things about your past boyfriends. Saying bad things about men you have been involved with actually reflects negatively back on YOU. It makes a man worry you are carrying around “baggage” that HE will have to deal with should he become involved with you.

Speaking negatively about other women. When women call other women names like “slut”, “bitch”, and “crazy”, it is anything impressive to a man you are attracted with. Women will often do this when they see a good looking, desirable woman, especially if they feel their man might be attracted to her. This just makes a man think you are trying to cover up your own insecurities, and looking for validation and attention. Not good.

Too much physical contact, especially in public. If you are constantly hanging on a man or touching him too much he’ll start to see it as clingy behavior... but you’ll never hear about this from him. It’s far better to save your touches for short and infrequent moments that will surprise and enchant him.

Appealing To His “Sexual” Side Instead Of His Emotional Side Many women make the mistake of thinking that men are primarily driven by sex alone... and think if they can attract a man SEXUALLY they will be able to attract him EMOTIONALLY as well. Women too often give up sex to a man in the hopes that it will translate into a relationship and get them what they want. In reality, a man has the capacity to view a sexual connection and an emotional connection as two entirely different things, and it requires a special set of skills to mould these two things together in a man’s mind... and keep them connected. Men are out for far more than just sex... and a woman who knows how to fulfill a man EMOTIONALLY and SEXUALLY will be the woman who captures a man’s heart... and gets that same fulfillment for HERSELF.

In a moment, I’ll show you how you can learn to do just that... Not Knowing How To Size Up A Man’s “Relationship Potential” A lot of women will decide whether or not they should put energy into building a relationship with a man based on ATTRACTION.
Yes, attraction is important. But it can also be DANGEROUS. When we feel a strong sense of attraction for someone, it can cause us to override our logic and ignore our instincts... leading us to overlook potential partner’s deadly faults that could spell trouble down the road. If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a relationship that is dragging you down, this is probably why. It’s important to be able to size a guy up and spot any “warning signs” of a future bad relationship FAST... so you don’t waste any of your time or emotional energy on someone who isn’t right for you... or who will leave you heartbroken. Fortunately this is a fairly easy thing to do...

Do We Really Need to Yawn

Forwarded by Mikal Asmelash.

It takes about six seconds. Slowly, you take in a deep breath, exhale more quickly, stretch out your arms, contort your face, and your narrowed eyes may tear a bit. You have just yawned, something that almost all vertebrate animals do many times a day by some estimates, 10 times per hour, though more often in the early morning and late evening.

Does it mean you are tired? Bored? Trying to give someone a hint? As common as it is, little is known for sure about yawning, but it is probably a myth that yawning always indicates a need for sleep. It is true that people often yawn as they are ready to retire for the night; but it is also true that it happens when first arising in the morning, and at other times during the day depending on a variety of factors such as arousal level, distraction, and even seeing someone else yawning. Because breathing takes in oxygen and removes carbon dioxide, theories in the past about why we yawn centered on the assumption that it was a reflex in response to low oxygen or high carbon-dioxide levels. This theory lost favor after a study in 1987 in which volunteers subjected to high oxygen levels did not yawn less, and after high carbon dioxide exposure did not yawn more. Any explanation about why we yawn will have to explain a number of interesting observations:
• Yawning occurs even when oxygen and carbon dioxide levels are normal.
• Yawning may make others yawn (that is, it seems “contagious”).

An increase in yawning has been described in a number of diseases or conditions affecting brain function, as discussed below. A fetus in the womb yawns, beginning as early as 11 weeks of development. Theories There seems to be no shortage of potential explanations for yawning. Some of the most reasonable theories follow, though none has been proven:
• Yawning stretches out the lungs and nearby tissues, preventing tiny airways in the lungs from collapsing. This could explain why yawning seems to occur around the time of shallow breathing (when tired, bored or just arising from bed).

• Yawning distributes a chemical called surfactant, a gooey liquid that coats the tiny air pockets in the lungs and helps to keep them open. Adequate amounts and function of surfactant is a critical to the ability of a newborn to survive outside the womb. This theory could explain why fetuses yawn during development, as they prepare to use their lungs

• Because yawning is associated with stretching of the muscles and joints and an increased heart rate, it may serve as a preparation for an increased level of alertness, especially after a period of relaxation. This could explain why athletes and professional musicians often find themselves yawning just before periods of increased focus or activity.

• Yawning could provide nonverbal communication to others that it is time to relax and put aside the activities of the day. Extensive yawning among members of a baboon group signals the time to sleep, typically with the leader (“alpha male”) ending the ritual with a giant yawn. For humans, yawning could be a remnant of evolution that communicates the desire to be left alone, including the need for rest.

• Yawning could serve as a warning system to alert the yawner that sleep may soon take over. If you are driving a car and relaxing to the point where you might soon fall asleep, yawning might make you more conscious of the need to take a break.

Why Is Yawning Contagious?
It is probably the power of suggestion that leads one person to yawn after seeing someone else yawn.
If the theory about nonverbal group communication is true, as it seems to be for baboons, the contagiousness of yawning may be an involuntary, genetically programmed phenomenon; once one person in the “tribe” yawns, others do so because this behavior pattern helped our evolutionary ancestors to communicate with one another.

Yawning as a Sign of Disease Believe it or not, yawning may be a sign of disease. Although rarely the first sign, excessive yawning has been observed among people with multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also called Lou Gehrig’s disease), following radiation injury (as during radiation therapy), and among people treated for Parkinson's disease. Rarely, it may even signal the onset of migraine headache.
On the other hand, yawning seems to occur less frequently among people with schizophrenia. The reasons for yawning more or less often in certain diseases are unknown. Researchers have noticed in animals and humans that electrical stimulation of certain parts of the brain can provoke yawning.
In addition, certain chemical messengers in the brain (including dopamine and ACTH) seem to be important in yawning as well.

Yawning seems simple enough, but is actually complex behavior serving an uncertain purpose.

The Bottom Line Don’t take it personally if someone yawns in your face. While it is possible they are bored, tired or trying to send you a message, there’s plenty about yawning we do not yet understand. Maybe they just want to be left alone, need to stretch out the small airways of their lungs, or are preparing to focus even more closely on what you are saying.
Then again, maybe you should take a hint and put away those slides of your summer vacation.

Culled From: Harvard Health Publications/HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL

How to know if your spouse is having an affair.

Written by Bunmi Sofola

HERE, a marriage counsellor who has 'spent over sixteen years sifting through the ruins of other people’s relationship,’ gives his analysis of how partnership can lose its way, and a few suggestions for not letting it happen:

(a) Signs she is having an affair:
Look for a sudden short term drop-off sex. Every one has appetite - exactly where is she satisfying hers?

Radically, different sexual behaviour: If she suddenly starts suggesting things he hasn’t done before, or doing things very differently even if it's better, where is she getting the idea from?

Sudden increase in working hours: This can easily be innocent, but where is the extra cash? (you might never know if lover boy is giving her over-time pay!)

Sexually transmitted infections: Towels and toilet seats explanations simply aren’t good enough.

(b)Things she is getting from an affair that she is not getting at home:
Excitement, that is the main thing. Having a secret life. If you are clever enough, your marriage should be her secret life!

Full time attention: He is trying harder than you. Usually a step up, someone better than the husband in at least one respect - looks, money, youth.

(c) Mistakes husbands make:
Not adjusting to the fact that you are married. Like it or not, you are now part of a double act, and you can’t carry on as if nothing’s happened. Women like to see visible signs of commitment, so cut down on after-work drinks with the boys.

Getting fat: It sounds harsh, but there are a lot of thin guys out there who’ll be trying it on your wife.
Taking her for granted: Undervaluing her, expecting her to be there and expecting her not to get suspicious when you’re having affairs.

Overworking: A lot of high-achieving guys drive themselves hard often thinking it is for the sake of their wives or family. But putting in excessive hours to generate your wealth just provides her with motive, means and opportunity for adultery. However painful, there comes a time when a marriage is beyond repair, continues the counsellor. According to him, “Violence is not a good sign.
Some relationships survive it, but it’s always a black mark, never to be forgotten. It happens to the men more than you’d think; big strong men sometimes; they just don’t defend themselves against their violent wives.

Child Abuse: Again mainly perpetrated by men, but very occasionally women. “If she’s with someone clearly out of your league. If she’s that ruthlessly upwardly mobile, you’ve had it.

If addictions are involved: Gambling, drinking, drugs, whatever, it blocks everything else out and people get pushed away past their limits. Finally, you are to remember that when your relationship is threatened, you must spend some time away from the environment which reminds you of your problems, and try to address the root cause of your differences which may lie all the way back in the unrealistic expectations built up in the honeymoon phase.
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Breach of contract? (Humour)

A MAN meets a woman and agrees to spend the night with her for N10,000.They do the deed - but he says he’ll ask his secretary to send a cheque to her, calling the payment ‘rent for apartment.’ Later, he decided it wasn’t worth the price.

So his secretary sends a cheque for N5,000 with a note: Dear madam, please find a cheque for the reduced amount of N5,000 for rent of your apartment. When I rented the apartment, I was under the impression that:
It had never been occupied; there was plenty of heat.; it was small enough to make me cosy.

The woman returns the cheque, writing: Dear Sir, I return your cheque because: I cannot understand how you expect a beautiful apartment to remain unoccupied indefinitely
2. There is plenty of heat - if you know how to turn it on; the apartment is of regular size. But if you don’t have enough furniture to fill it, don’t blame the landlady.