John Gibb asked:




Calcium is not only important for strong bones and teeth but it is also required by many other systems of the body to perform their functions in a healthy environment. Calcium deficiency causes weak bones, brittle and yellow teeth, muscle cramps and a lot of other complications. Calcium dietary sources are very important to know if you want to prevent or overcome calcium deficiency.

Milk and dairy products are well-known calcium dietary sources. However, many of us are found complaining that we can’t digest milk or are allergic to it or do not like its taste and so on. What we don’t realize is: if milk is not a regular constituent of our diet we are at high risk of developing bone disease in old age.

So, what’s the solution? A possible solution is to add green vegetables to your diet like broccoli, spinach, kale, mustard greens and turnip greens. Fish and seafood are also good calcium dietary sources. Salmon, sardines, mackerel and shrimps are rich sources of calcium. In fruits, oranges and dates provide optimum levels of calcium and many other important minerals.

Yet another solution is to consume calcium-fortified food materials like calcium-fortified orange juice and cereals. Eating a whole bowl of oatmeal in breakfast is a good way to ensure that you are receiving adequate quantities of calcium everyday.

Other calcium dietary sources include pinto beans, soy beans, navy beans, hazelnuts, walnuts, sesame seeds and tofu. You can make a diet plan and include 2 or 3 of the above-mentioned calcium sources to fulfill your daily calcium needs. However, people who are already calcium deficient may want to try something else in addition to a proper diet.

The solution is to use calcium-rich supplements. Normally, 1000 – 1500 milligrams of calcium are required by an average, healthy person. It is recommended that you buy coral calcium supplements instead of normal calcium carbonate because coral calcium gets readily absorbed and helps in overcoming calcium deficiency fairly quickly.

In addition to a well-balanced diet and a daily dose of high-quality calcium tablets, avoid junk food, soft drinks, coffee, tea and too much sugar. Coral calcium supplements will be more effective if you also exercise on a regular basis and avoid smoking. If possible, try to find those supplements that contain other vitamins and minerals in good quantities to assist in maximum calcium absorption by the blood.

Jeffrey Hamilton asked:




Having safe drinking water in the event of an emergency is essential for survival and should be a vital part of your emergency preparedness and your disaster supplies. We take fresh water for granted every day, but in the case of an major emergency, such as a flood or earthquake, safe drinking water becomes a scarce commodity. Above all, knowledge in the care and mechanics of producing safe water can avoid the unpleasant side effects that can even result in a life threatening situation. By far the easiest way is to be prepared with commercially available emergency water that typically has a five year shelf life. Always have at least a 72 hour supply with your emergency supplies and don’t forget to include enough for you’re your pets. You should have at least one gallon per person and pet per day.

Sources Of Water

In the event that you run out of your emergency supplies or need to prepare for an event that is longer than 72 hours, there are several sources to consider and they all need to be treated for safe drinking. Don’t forget the following:

Rainwater, streams, rivers, etc Water heater Toilet tanks (not bowls) if the water has not been chemically treated Canned and/or bottled beverages and make sure that the seals have not been compromised. Residual in household pipes - learn how to shut off the commercial water supply to avoid highly contaminated water getting into your home. Open the highest faucet in your home to let air into the system so you can remove from the lowest faucet Ice cubes
Disinfection Methods

Above all, never assume that water is safe based on its source (unless from your emergency water supplies within date code) and take the proper steps to disinfect. Extreme care must be taken as to not cross contaminate containers and hoses from questionable sources to those where you are storing and using your disinfected water. Disinfection is to kill disease-causing micro-organisms like Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium. As outlined by the EPA, there are several methods of disinfection.

Boiling - the best method is to boil your water. Boil water at a rolling boil at least one minute. Cool it and pour it back and forth between two containers to improve the taste after boiling. At high altitudes, boil at least three minutes. Chemical Treatment - there are several commercially available chlorine or iodine treatments available that should be a part of your emergency kits. However, if not available, household chlorine bleach (not non-chlorine bleach) typically has 5.25% available chlorine. Treat and wait at least 30 minutes (double when cold) with the container covered. There should be a slight chlorine odor, if not, repeat the procedure and let stand an additional 15 minutes. Be sure to check the bottle and use the following guidelines based on the bottles information:
1% available chlorine, use 40 drops per gallon of water 4-6% available chlorine, use 8 drops per gallon 7-10% available chlorine, use 4 drops per gallon
Filtration - there are many commercially available filtration systems that are capable of filtering out micro-organism down to the Giardia level. When using filtration, it is very important to not cross contaminate the components that are in contact with the unfiltered water and that of the filtered water. It never hurts to filter and do the above chemical treatments just to be sure.
Summary

As outlined above, be sure to have plenty of emergency water on hand as well as methods to treat water should additional supplies be needed. Be sure to be very methodical and strict with procedures when it comes to handling and sanitizing your water supplies. Contaminated water can have life threatening effects, especially on young children, the elderly, or people with poor immune systems. Follow recommended procedures and, above all, don’t cross contaminate.

John Gibb asked:




Green leafy vegetables are not only excellent sources of calcium but they also provide adequate amounts of magnesium. Spinach is one of the vegetables that can be considered a good source of calcium and magnesium. Almonds, beans and other nuts are also rich sources of these two nutrients and come under the vegetarian diet.

Milk and dairy products are good non-vegetarian sources of calcium but they do not provide adequate amounts of magnesium. Children under the age of 10 require up to 120 mg of magnesium and 800 mg of calcium. ¼ cup of almonds, soybean, peanuts and cashews provide 30 – 100 mg of magnesium.

To balance your daily intake of minerals eat non-fat foods. Avoid saturated fat, a protein-rich diet coming from animal sources, alcoholic and soft drinks, too much sugar and tobacco. Any good source of calcium and magnesium is effective only if both these minerals are readily absorbed by the bloodstream. Furthermore, to prevent calcium loss through urine you need to increase your daily intake of vitamin D and phosphorus.

Many nutritional supplements available out there contain calcium and magnesium together along with many other vitamins and minerals. These supplements or tablets can also be considered a good source of calcium and magnesium. Try to find good-quality calcium tablets that contain high concentration of calcium along with adequate amounts of magnesium, sodium, potassium, vitamin D and vitamin K2.

Calcium tablets that fulfill both calcium and magnesium needs on a daily basis are the best ones to buy. It has been discovered that coral calcium obtained from fossilized coral reefs above sea level contains magnesium, potassium and sodium along with high concentration of calcium carbonate in just the right quantities. This particular compound helps to fights against many degenerative diseases and also acts as a good source of calcium and magnesium.

To buy high-quality calcium and magnesium supplements, look around for Okinawan coral calcium supplements. This special coral calcium comes from Okinawa island of Japan and is popular for its purity and effectiveness. It is easy to absorb and digest and can be used by people of all ages without any reservation.

Normally doctors recommend consuming 2-3 calcium tablets daily after each meal. Calcium carbonate and coral calcium supplements are best absorbed in the presence of stomach acid. Consequently they reduce acidity, helps in proper digestion of food and also assist in weight loss.

Victoria Gibbins asked:




Helping our planet has been on everyone’s mind over the last couple of years. If it has been on your mind you should consider switching your home to a renewable source of energy. Using a renewable source of energy has been gaining in popularity from the public. Why you ask? With major changing happening to our planet daily it doesn’t take one long to realize that things have to change.

The advantages of using a renewable source of energy out weigh the common methods currently in use by far.

1) The most important one on my list is the green factor. No I’m not talking about money…yet. The green I’m talking about is environmentally green. Renewable resources are clean, and pollutant free. Using common fossil fuels gives off carbon molecules which impact our environment tremendously. By using renewable resources you are helping win the fight on global warming.

2) Renewable resources will always be here, they will never ever deplete. Unlike common fossil fuels being used by nearly everyone world wide, they will soon cease to exist.

3) The initial start up cost for renewable resources may be more expensive then electricity at first, but the potential of saving money out weighs those costs. It won’t take long for your system to make back the money you put into it. Renewable wind and solar systems can work so well that power companies will pay you to use your energy.

4) You never have to worry about power again. Once your solar or wind system is up and running you will never have to worry about running out of energy. Using renewable energy gives you the ability to store and use your own energy, this in turn will help our economy.

Using renewable energy is the biggest trend out there right now. With more people becoming aware of our planets dyer situation, more people are starting to step up and do what’s best for our environment.

Dr John Anne asked:




It was studied by Keilin and Mann that zinc is essential for the activity of some enzymes. It is a component of vital enzyme carbonic anhydrase, and other enzymes like several dehydrogenises (alcohol, glutamics, and certain pyridine nucleotide) and pancreatic carboxypeptidase’s.
It is found in traces in all tissues, except the bones, teeth, and pancreas which have slightly more amount of zinc. A normal adult contains 1.4-2.5 gm of zinc. Zinc level for adults in plasma or serum is 0.1/100 ml, and in whole blood it is 0.7mg/100 ml. The need for zinc is small but its role in growth and well being is great.

It exists in the body mostly in combination with other constituents. It is bluish-white, metallic element. It is excreted mainly in urine. A study results said that rheumatoid arthritis can be taken care of by a diet rich in vitamin E, zinc, and beta carotene.

Recommended Daily Allowance: The RDA of 3 mg for infants, 10 mg for children, and 10-15 mg for adults is suggested. Most human diet provides these requirements. Growing children, pregnant and lactating women need more.

The zinc is administered on medical reasons for rapid healing of skin ulcers, acne, eczema, wounds, and prostate disorders.

Too much of zinc can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and damage to the kidneys. 50-75 mg a day can backfire or lower HDL (good) cholesterol. Too much of zinc can cause loss of iron and copper in the body.

Dietary Sources: Whole wheat, breakfast cereals, nuts, legumes, animal food, like crabs, sardines, oysters, lean meat, eggs, cheese, and fish are good sources of zinc. The bioavailability of zinc in vegetables foods is low whereas animal foods are dependable sources.

Intensive cultivation over hundreds of years has caused depletion of zinc in soil, and thereby in the food crops grown in the area.

Functions of the Body: Zinc is an integral and essential element of insulin molecule. Zinc easily forms a compound with Insulin, and thus prolongs insulin action. As pancreas is rich in zinc, it helps storage of insulin in the pancreas.

Zinc promotes growth and sexual maturity, improves immune system and hastens healing of wounds, and helps digestion of protein. It is an ideal remedy for fatigue. It is needed to transport Vitamin A to the retina.

Deficiency Sources: The negative zinc balance could be due to low protein diet, pregnancy, refined foods, intestinal diseases, chronic alcoholism, diabetes, chronic fever, and haemodialysis. The deficiency of zinc can cause loss of appetite and taste, alopecia, skin lesions, reduced growth, and dysfunction of reproductive system. A syndrome of growth failure (dwarfism), hypogonadism, anemia, delayed ******* maturation and hepatomegaly due to zinc deficiency has been found. Acute zinc efficiency results in mental apathy, diarrhoea, moist eczema, and dermatitis especially around the mouth. In advanced age, deficiency of zinc is more prominent but, in young age, there can be slow hair growth and decrease in blood corpuscles. Its deficiency adversely effect utilization of iron, and copper. More on Zinc- Benefits, Dosage, Deficiency, Sources

Joseph Devine asked:




Once new software is unleashed into the current market, those who decide to use or develop the new software are often faced with the challenges of updating, protecting, maintaining, and overall improving the product. Because of the differences in structure between open and closed source software, the way in which it is supported and maintained varies as well.

Support for Closed Source

Closed, or proprietary software, is much different than open source software. The main difference between the two is the access of the source code. For closed source, access to the source code is denied and solely controlled by the developer of the software. This means that if a problem arises, or updates need to be made, the developer of the software is the only group that can make the appropriate changes.

This puts many companies and organizations at the mercy of the closed source software developers. If the developers choose not to update or fix any problems, the organization that utilizes the software will be stuck with a useless product. Having to filter any and all problems through one location causes problems to be solved at a very slow pace. Users are not given the opportunity to attempt to fix the software on their own. While there may be alternative fixes, these are often illegal to use with proprietary software.

The main argument for closed source software is the ability to control the quality of the product. While this is a valid argument, the needs of all users can often overwhelm the developers, causing changes to come very slowly, if at all.

Support for Open Source

Unlike closed source, open source software makes the access code accessible to all users and developers. This allows users and developers to quickly take care of any issues that arise with the software. Instead of having to take all of your concerns to a centralized group, the users and developers are given the chance to create their own fixes.

This kind of innovation allows users to truly customize and control their software, with the support of the developer whenever needed. The resources available to users of open source software far exceeds those who use proprietary software. The potential for users to customize their software to meet the needs of their organization is practically endless. Organizations are only limited to the reaches of their own creativity.

While closed source software is less customizable, open source is less simple to control as far as quality is concerned. The potential of the software is completely in the hands of the users, meaning that development can either be very fast of very slow. Without careful planning, open source software can cause confusion, inconsistencies, and even compatibility problems. Users of open source software must be careful to avoid this type of confusion.

Contact an open source software developer [http://www.mpoweropen.com/support.shtml] to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of open source software.

Micheal Thomas asked:




Did your doctor suggest that you increase your intake of oily fish or green leafy vegetables? Including sources of omega 3 in your daily diet can help you get rid of itchy skin, increase your I.Q, reduce joint pain and even control your cholesterol levels.

Omega 3 or polyunsaturated fats form an important part of our cell membranes and are crucial for the healthy functioning of our brain and heart. However, these fats cannot be synthesized by our body and we need to obtain them from our diets.

The three essential fatty acids or Omega 3 are Docosahexaenoic acid, Eicosapentaenoic acid and Alpha-linolenic acid. While DHA and EPA fats can be instantly absorbed and used by our body, ALA fats need to be converted into DHA and EPA fatty acids.

When it comes to increasing your omega 3 intake, you do not need to carry a food index chart to your kitchen. Simply include more sources of omega 3 fatty acids in your daily diet and benefit in innumerable ways.

The dietary sources of Omega 3 can be divided into three categories - Aquatic or Non-vegetarian sources, Egg sources of omega 3 and Vegan or Plant-based sources of omega 3 fatty acids.

The Aquatic sources primarily include cold-water fishes such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines and Hoki. Other seafood such as halibut, scallops, shrimps and crabs are also considered good sources of Omega 3.

The Hoki fish found in the cold ocean waters of New Zealand has naturally high contents of DHA and EPA fatty acids. Fish oils extracted from the Hoki fish are considered quite superior since they have 40% higher DHA content than other fish oils.

We prefer fish oils over eating fish in the natural form; we will come to the reason behind this later.

The opinion of various researchers is divided on the egg sources of omega 3. However, most of them consider duck eggs and chicken as good sources of omega 3 fatty acids.

Plant-based sources of omega 3 include dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, tofu and soybeans. Walnuts, hemp seeds and certain vegetable oils like flaxseed oil, canola oil & sunflower oil are good vegan sources of Omega 3 fats.

Unless you have an aversion or allergy with fish, it is best to consume fish oils for obtaining the maximum amount of omega 3. Plant-based sources of Omega 3 contain ALA or alpha-linolenic acids that need to be further converted into EPA and DHA fats by our body.

Fish oils provide both EPA and DHA fats in the natural form which can be easily absorbed by the cell membranes. Consuming fish oil regularly will keep your heart healthy and your nervous system functioning effectively.

Coming back to our preference for fish oils over eating fish in the natural form, let us tell you why.

We all are aware of the growing levels of mercury in ocean waters. Such toxins make regular consumption of fish in large quantities unsafe for your health. This is the reason why doctors and health experts consider fish oils to be one of the best sources of omega 3.

Not all fish oils are created equal and only the fish oils that are molecularly distilled are free of all toxins such as mercury, metals and PCBs. Purchase pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled fish oils since they are the purest form of omega 3 fatty acids.

Charles Johnson asked:




Had a romp with your hubby on bed last night? Then it’s time for pregnancy test! Ya, we know you’re desperate to hear the good news. That’s why we’re here to tell you about home pregnancy tests, and more. Continue reading…

Facts About Home Pregnancy Tests

These kits are 99% effective, if used as per instructions. Even a urine pregnancy test conducted by your doctor has the same level of accuracy. You can easily get a test kit over-the-counter. The biggest advantage of conducting tests at home is privacy.

Testing for pregnancy at home is easy. You just need to collect urine in a clean bottle. Put 1-2 drops of urine on the chemical strip provided in the kit through a dropper. The strip detects the presence human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This is a pregnancy hormone.

When you’re pregnant, hCG hormone is released in the urine by your placenta. Many of the early pregnancy symptoms like sore ******* and morning sickness are due to this hormone. Pregnancy kits work by detecting this hormone in your urine, which shows traces about 10 days after fertilization. Therefore, a kit may give an incorrect result, if you take the test 10 days before conception. You might be pregnant, but the test may show negative.

Hence, it’s best to wait for 5-10 days after you miss your period before taking a pregnancy test. If the test shows negative, take it again after a few days. If it’s still negative, wait for some more days and call on your doctor for advice. You should not be content with testing just once. Test 2-3 times at intervals, and if it stills shows negative, you’re NOT pregnant.

In some cases, the fertilized egg doesn’t get implanted in the uterus, but makes its home in the fallopian tube. This condition is called ectopic pregnancy. In this situation, your pregnancy kit may not be able to detect hCG levels in the urine, as it might be low. Therefore, if you THINK you’re pregnant, even if the test shows negative, consult your doctor. This is the time to go by your gut feeling! And yes, ectopic pregnancy is dangerous. Ask your doctor more about it.

3 Things To Remember While Taking A Test

*Collect the first morning urine (it’s easy to detect hCG levels in such sample). If it is not possible, collect urine that was present in your bladder for 4 hours or more.
*Avoid drinking excess water or fluids before taking the test. Increasing the amount of urine may dilute hCG levels.
*Read and follow every instruction given in the kit carefully. Only then can you expect accuracy in the result.
*There are certain medications and fertility drugs that may meddle with pregnancy test results. For more information, check the labeling on kit or consult your doctor.

There are also highly sensitive pregnancy tests available in the market. They detect your pregnancy just 6-8 days after ovulation. But, their accuracy is low. Most of the women get accurate results only on testing 9-10 days after ovulation. Therefore, patience pays in case of pregnancy tests. Till then, arrange for the party!

Steven P. Ross asked:




Depression is a very vague term, that confuses a lot of people. It’s hard to tell whether you suffer from depression or not. However, there are certain depression tests are out there to help diagnose someone suffering from depression, and what kind of treatment is required, based on the type of depression they may suffer from. If you want to learn about the different depression tests potential depression patients undergo, then you should read this article.

The fact is, the quicker you can identify the depression, the quicker you can expect to recover from it. It is important to recognize early warning signs of depression, before it has a chance to fully set in. One of the best ways to determine if you have depression is to undergo different depression tests with the help of a professional.

Typically, when any relationship is created between a patient suffering from depression and a professional therapist, the first part of the relationship is spent on diagnosing the patient. Depression is a generic term that is used to cover a variety of different disorders which cause unhappiness in an individual. This means the doctor needs assessment time for figuring out exactly what the type of depression is, in order to know what to do to effectively treated.

Unless a proper diagnosis is made, relief from depression can be troublesome.

Some of the ways the doctor uses depression tests to make a diagnosis is to first consider the patient’s background as well as their symptoms which seem to trigger the depressive episodes. This means the more truthful you are to the professional’s questions, the more accurate the results of your depression tests will be.

They also observe the different types of emotional and physical suffering processes of the patient. For example if a symptom of withdrawal occurs in the patient, the doctor looks at this as a signal that the person may be in a state of depression, because of this emotional suffering. Other indicators that doctors use are extended fatigue, low motivation and energy, chronic frustration, disruption of eating habits, and irregular patterns asleep, just to name a few.

Also, there are certain tests used to determine the mental state of the patient. These tests may cover a patient’s reaction time, certain word association exercises, as well as examining whether the patient’s core beliefs are healthy or not.

In conclusion, these are some of the depression tests that are administered for feedback, to get information on what type of depression, if any, the patient suffers from, as well as what type of treatment is required.

Thomas Parker asked:




In my last article I discussed the multiple benefits of consuming protein. However, many people are often unaware of where they can source additional protein for their diets. Furthermore, vegetarians often struggle to get enough protein in their diets, because meat (a very rich source of protein) is off the menu. In this article I show you how you can increase your protein intake by discussing five different protein rich food groups.

1) NUTS:- Nuts (such as almonds, cashews, ground nuts and peanuts) are all very rich in protein and available from the majority of food stores. Plus, they are suitable for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians.

2) SOY PRODUCTS:- These include soy milk, soy yoghurt, tofu and even soy protein supplements. Soy products (particularly tofu) are increasingly becoming available in the major food stores and can also be purchased online. Although most soy products are aimed at vegetarians, they are suitable for non-vegetarians also.

3) DAIRY PRODUCTS:- Dairy products include eggs, milk, cheese and yoghurt. They are one of the best sources of protein available with eggs and milk having a very high biological value (a value that measures how well the body can absorb the protein). Plus, dairy products are a fantastic option for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Furthermore, they are available in a wide variety of locations including your local store.

4) LEAN FISH AND MEATS:- Lean fish (such as cod, salmon and tuna) and meat (such as beef, chicken and lamb) are very rich in protein. Although they are not suitable for vegetarians, non-vegetarians should definitely consider adding more meat to their diet if they feel they are not consuming enough protein. Leans fish and meats can be purchased from most grocery stores and specialist butcher shops.

5) PROTEIN SUPPLEMENTS:- Protein supplements come in many forms including bars, drinks, powders and shakes. There are also many types of protein supplement including; whey, miscellar casein, egg and soy, with whey being the most popular. Although, protein supplements are not as readily available as the foods listed above, they are highly convenient. Protein supplements can be purchased from specialist health shops and from multiple online stores.

A lot of people struggle to meet the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein. However, with a little thought, adding protein to your diet is not that difficult and you will discover that there are a lot of rich sources out there. I hope this article helps you supplement your diet with the necessary amounts of protein.