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Serena Outclassed Groth

June 25, 2009 By

serena_williamsSamantha Stosur is the sole Australian woman left in the women’s singles draw at Wimbledon after Jarmila Groth was unceremoniously bundled out by Serena Williams.The two-time Wimbledon champion made quick work of her 6-2 6-1 win, seeing off the Slovakian-born Groth in just 58 minutes. Groth was easily outclassed by Williams, struggling with returning the American’s powerful serve and notching up 10 double faults. “I did try, but didn’t play as I did the first round, not even close,” Groth said. “There were a couple of games and points that it looked like it may sort of start doing something. “I thought it wasn’t as bad until my serve just went completely berserk and decided to go every time long. “But she’s a great player so she didn’t really let me get into it. “She took all the chances she got, the ones I gave her, and yeah, I got beaten.”

Williams broke Groth twice in the first set as the Australian made six double faults. The Victorian appeared frustrated in the second set, mis-firing several returns into the net and over the baseline as Williams raced to a 4-0 lead. Groth enjoyed a brief reprise in the fifth game when she managed to break Williams. But Williams immediately broke back after Groth unsuccessfully challenged a return ruled just out over the baseline. With three match points in hand, Williams finished off the match when Groth hit a forehand return into the net.

Williams, who is one of the favourites for the tournament, paid tribute to Groth. “She hit the ball so hard so I had to come back and be ready for a really good match,” Williams said. “I was just focusing on what I was doing and doing the best I could against such a hard hitter. “I thought I played really well. I knew she was going to be tough so I knew I had to be ready for the match.” Groth’s departure from the All England Club leaves only Stosur in the women’s draw and compatriot Lleyton Hewitt in the men’s. Both are due to play their second round matches on Thursday night (EST). Stosur, who reached the semi-finals of the French Open, faces German qualifier Tatjana Malek, who cut down Australian Jelena Dokic in the first round, while Hewitt goes up against world No.5 seed Juan Martin del Potro.

Filed Under: Recreation & Sports Tagged With:

Mood Boosting Foods

June 24, 2009 By

mood-boosting-foods_

Suzanne Flynn – According to experts, diet can significantly influence our moods and behavior. Some foods have a calming effect, while other types of foods make us feel happy. Topping the list of “happy” foods are those containing Omega-3 fatty acids. Foods containing Omega-3 fatty acids include herring, salmon (wild is best), tuna, sardines, and lake trout. Non fish sources of Omega-3 fatty acids include walnuts, flax seed, olive oil, and soybean oil. In numerous studies, individuals with lower levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in their diet were more likely than individuals with higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids to suffer from depression.

Carbohydrates can also significantly improve mood by boosting production of serotonin levels in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical produced by the brain that makes us feel calm and happy. Skip the sugary carbohydrates though, which will produce extreme mood highs and lows, and opt instead for healthy carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Also on the list of “feel good foods” are those containing vitamin D. There is strong evidence that links depression with lower levels of vitamin D in the blood. Foods naturally containing vitamin D include butter, eggs and fish oils. Short periods of exposure to sunlight will also provide the recommended daily amount of vitamin D.

Filed Under: Health & Fitness, Home & Family Tagged With: ,

Awareness Of Diabetes

June 23, 2009 By

walk_raises_awarenessThe eight finger pricks each day are to test his blood sugar levels since McLellan has Type 1 diabetes, an auto-immune disease where the body’s immune system attacks cells that produce insulin, leaving people dependent on the hormone. McLellan had just celebrated his sixth birthday when he was diagnosed with the disease that affects more than 240,000 Canadians. Canada has the sixth highest rate of Type 1 diabetes in young people 14 and younger in the world yet those figures are expected to climb, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Experts expect diabetes will affect an extra 134 million people worldwide by 2025, up from the estimated 246-million diabetics to date.

McLellan’s sister Lydia, 4, does not have diabetes and the diagnosis was something mom Tamara knew virtually nothing about. She had taken a lethargic Jaedon, who suffered mood swings and frequent urination, to the doctor. Three years later, she still researches new developments about diabetes. “It’s a huge learning curve at the beginning,” said Tamara. “(But Jaedon) still does everything. It doesn’t limit him, barely at all.”

On Sunday, the McLellans made up three of an estimated 300 people who gathered at Maffeo-Sutton Park for a five-kilometre waterfront walk to raise awareness and funds as part of the Telus Walk to Cure Diabetes. It is the eleventh walk in Nanaimo, which raised more than $40,000, but similar walks were held across the country, where proceeds are forwarded to the JDRF. Research hopes to eventually find a cure. Jaedon enjoys sports and said he does not get bugged at school about his condition, which was explained to classmates. Three other students at his school are also Type 1 diabetics.

Filed Under: Education, Health & Fitness Tagged With: ,

‘A Risk To Child Health’

June 22, 2009 By

ebay_medicinesA pediatrician is warning that “net literate” parents are putting their children at risk by buying drugs on the web. Dr Nadeem Afzal, a consultant pediatric gastroenterologist, carried out an investigation of medicines for sale on eBay for common gut complaints such as constipation, diarrhea, colic and abdominal pain. He found that 53% of the 186 gastrointestinal drugs on offer were advertised for children. One of these, Infacol for colic, was being sold with a broken seal and the description “slightly used”.

Other sellers did not list side-effects or provide use-by dates, and some suggested double the dosage that would normally be given in the UK. His findings have concerned the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the British Medical Association. Afzal said he was particularly worried that 42% of sellers gave no contact or address information so purchasers would have no legal recourse in the event of a problem. Other “dangerous practices” included laxatives being described as slimming pills and as treatments for diarrhoea.

Afzal, a consultant at Southampton General hospital, presented his findings to the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health spring meeting to raise awareness and is now calling on eBay to place better guidance on the site. The drugs on offer over a period of a month were mainly over-the-counter remedies, but did include some antacid treatments that are prescription-only for the under-16s. One seller’s listing said it was suitable for over-12s.

ABPI spokesman Crispin Slee said: “Anyone who buys prescription drugs over the internet is taking a huge risk. It is worrying enough to think that adults are self-prescribing in this way. But to learn that parents are putting their children in harm’s way beggars belief. Parents from the Google generation are playing russian roulette with their children’s wellbeing.”

In the study, 42% of sellers did not mention dosages, 93% ignored side-effects and 14% didn’t list what the drug was suitable for. Almost a third of sellers were offering drugs alongside household goods such as gardening tools, cosmetics and toys. “I suspect net literate people are tempted to buy online to save money and for convenience’s sake,” Afzal said. “This is not about the blame game, this is about awareness.”

He added: “The onus is on the lister, not on eBay. That should change. They should state online: ‘Check the MHRA [Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency] guidance on the sale of medicines.’ Also, people need to be made aware that just because a seller has got a 99% positive feedback rating, it does not mean that this [product] is not counterfeit.”

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society estimates that two million people buy drugs regularly over the internet, many from legitimate online pharmacies. But other sellers are offering counterfeit or substandard drugs. In April, GP magazine reported that one in four family doctors has treated patients for adverse reactions to medicines bought online.

David Pruce, director of policy and communications at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, said: “It’s horrendous that people would even consider buying medicines with broken seals or from unknown sources. You should never take a prescription medicine without a valid prescription, let alone give these to your children. The medicine could have bad side-effects or worse.” A spokesperson for eBay said: “We strongly encourage our users to be entirely accurate in their listings and to ensure that the packaging is intact. We are now looking at new ways of strengthening safeguards in this area.”

Filed Under: Education, Health & Fitness Tagged With: , ,

Water Illnesses In Public Swimming Pools

June 21, 2009 By

urine_fecal_matterWarm weather has finally arrived in Michigan and many families will enjoy water sports at public swimming pools or relaxation in hot tubs and whirlpools. But people who go into public pools and whirlpools should be aware of the illnesses they can get from bacteria in the water, mostly from human bodily fluids. Everyone who uses public pools can make them safer for themselves and other users by showering prior to entering pools to wash away fecal matter, not using pools while sick with a cold or diarrhea, and not urinating in pools.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises everyone to be aware of recreational water illnesses (RWIs), and to follow certain rules for water safety. Chlorine takes time to kill germs in pools, so contaminants can affect the health of pool users. Germs can be spread in and around pools.

· A. The most common RWI is diarrheal illness caused by E. coli O157:H7 and the cryptosporidium (crypto) parasite that occurs in infected stools. Crypto can resist chlorine and live in pools for days, which is people should not swim when they have diarrhea. Invisible amounts of fecal matter can spread germs in water and make others sick if even a little contaminated water is swallowed.

· B. Avoid getting water in your mouth and don’t swallow pool water.

· C. Practice good hygiene by showering with soap before entering a pool, to clean away germs, especially any fecal matter on the rear end. Adults should also shower or wash children thoroughly, (especially fecal matter on the rear end).

· D. Don’t urinate in a pool. Go to a bathroom and wash your hands after using a toilet. Sweat and urine in water can combine with chlorine and irritate eyes and the respiratory system.

· E. Adults should take children for frequent bathroom breaks or check diapers often. Diapers should be changed in a bathroom or changing station, not at poolside. Adults should wash their hands after changing diapers and wash children’s hands after they use the bathroom.

· F. Beware of public pools with dirty or cloudy water with a strong chemical smell. Properly chlorinated pools have little odor, with clean and clear water, as well as functioning ventilation and filtration systems.

A recent study by the Water Quality and Health Council found that nearly 20 percent of adults surveyed have swum in public pools with a runny nose, an exposed rash or diarrhea. In a CNN study of 1,000 adults, 17 percent reported that they urinate in public pools.

The CDC reports that RWIs have been increasing for the past 20 years, and from 2005 to 2006, the agency reported 78 outbreaks of RWIs associated with swimming pools, water parks and hot tubs, as well as rivers, lakes and oceans that affected 4,412 people, causing 116 hospitalizations and five deaths.

Filed Under: Education, Health & Fitness, Recreation & Sports Tagged With:

Mass Protest Today In Tehran’s Streets.

June 20, 2009 By

tehrans_Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday sternly cut off any compromise over Iran’s disputed presidential election. In a lengthy sermon, he declared the election valid and warned of violence if protesters continued, as they have pledged, to fill the streets in defiance of the government.

Opposition leaders who failed to halt the protests, he said, “would be responsible for bloodshed and chaos.” The tough words seemed to dash hopes for a peaceful solution to what the opposition calls a fraudulent election last week, plunging Iran into its gravest crisis since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Opposition leaders called for another huge rally today, setting the stage for a possible showdown between protesters and security forces, perhaps a violent one.

Another sign of possible resistance came shortly after nightfall Friday in Tehran. Cries of “Death to the dictator!” and “Allahu akbar” — “God is great” — rang from rooftops in what’s become a nightly ritual of opposition unity.

Khamenei’s sermon, which was broadcast around Iran and the world, presents Mir Hossein Mousavi, who the opposition says was the real winner of the June 12 election, with an excruciating choice. The former prime minister must decide whether to escalate his challenge to Iran’s religious leaders and risk a bloody showdown or abandon his support for a popular uprising that his candidacy inspired.

During the tough sermon at Tehran University during Friday prayers, Khamenei hardened his stance on the election results and dismissed allegations of fraud. “Perhaps 100,000 votes, or 500,000, but how can anyone tamper with 11 million votes?” he asked.

“If the political elite ignore the law — whether they want it or not — they would be responsible for the chaos and bloodshed.”

Show by government supporters

Tens of thousands of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s supporters gathered for the sermon in a clear show of force to counter the mass rallies by protesters. State-controlled television showed the streets filled with people near Tehran University, where the Friday prayer is given.

The ayatollah also offered muted criticism of pro-government militias and Ahmadinejad for their roles in the crisis.

Newspapers said Thursday that a group of members of Parliament reported that the pro-government militia known as the Basij was responsible for the attack on a student dormitory in Tehran and a housing complex called Sobhan this week. Students said that two women and three men were killed.

In his sermon, Khamenei criticized those who carried out that attack. “Have you calculated the impact of going to the dormitories in the name of the leader?” he asked. “Muscle-flexing after elections is not right. Put an end to this.”

As he concluded his sermon, Khamenei invoked the names of Shiite saints and began weeping.

Among the worshippers seen on TV at the mammoth prayer hall was Ahmadinejad and one of his three election rivals, former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei.

Mousavi and the other opposition candidate, Mahdi Karroubi, weren’t shown on the state TV coverage and apparently didn’t attend Khamenei’s sermon.

A spokesman for Mousavi said Friday that the opposition leader isn’t under arrest but isn’t allowed to speak to journalists or stand at a microphone at rallies.

Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf told The Associated Press from Paris that it was even becoming difficult to reach people close to Mousavi.

Makhmalbaf said he hadn’t heard from Mousavi’s camp since Khamenei’s address.

Mounting U.S. criticism

The U.S. House and Senate both approved a resolution Friday condemning “the ongoing violence” by the Iranian government and its suppression of the Internet and cell phones. It also expressed support for Iranian citizens who embrace freedom.

The House voted 405-1 for the Republican-authored resolution. The lone holdout was Rep. Ron Paul, R-Lake Jackson, who said, “I have admired President Obama’s cautious approach to the situation in Iran and I would have preferred that we in the House had acted similarly.”

President Barack Obama was asked Friday in an interview with CBS News’ Harry Smith what he made of Khamenei’s remarks.

“I’m very concerned, based on some of the tenor and tone of the statements that have been made, that the government of Iran recognize that the world is watching,” Obama said.

“And how they approach and deal with people who are, through peaceful means, trying to be heard will, I think, send a pretty clear signal to the international community about what Iran is — and is not.”

Filed Under: Government, News & Media Tagged With: , ,

Who Should Answer For The Bill?

June 20, 2009 By

wildlife_Two Utah students feel goosed by a moose on the loose. Their cars were parked on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo when a young bull moose showed up June 4. State wildlife officials shot it with a tranquilizer gun, but before it fell, it busted through a barricade and collapsed on the cars.

One of the students, Cassi Elton, said she expected the state to pick up the $1,500 in damages. State officials say there’s no provision for reimbursing for that kind of damage.

An auto body shop in Orem has offered free repairs for the students. And the moose? He was released into the wild and hasn’t been seen since.

Filed Under: Environment, Government, News & Media Tagged With: ,