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Posts Tagged ‘self improvement’

Learning Speed Reading

July 6th, 2011

What have you been reading lately? In a gathering, you can tell who the broad-spectrum readers are. Wide readers often think and speak well. They win the admiration, respect, and good opinion of others. After all, reading expands the mind. In fact, many people consider it one of the most satisfying pleasures of mankind, combining, as it does, mental agility and physical relaxation way above the scale of television.

Reading is primarily a mental activity, as you read with your mind and use your imagination to paint the setting of the detective thriller you are reading. You use your mind to imagine the pain that the main characters in the story are experiencing as the plot unfolds; or you contemplate the various arguments and ideas introduced by the author in that self-help book you are studying.

Reading effectively helps you to develop an extensive range of vocabulary by reading different kinds of books. A skillful reader recognizes a wide range of vocabulary. The reader may not understand exactly what every word means, but he/she will have a good idea of what the sentence is trying to say.

The act of reading makes you more aware and more curious about new words. Some readers even like to employ 'the dictionary habit', which means that whenever they find a new word, they attempt to work out what it means from the context. If they cannot do this, they refer to a dictionary.

Similarly, reading develops intellectual curiosity by exposing the reader to different subjects. He/she learns to read by reading books of increasing difficulty and variety. Just as in other forms of education, he/she is learning by actually doing and while he/she is reading he/she is automatically learning about the subject matter of the book too - a free by-product!

Reading trains you to have an active and open mind. Merely understanding the writers idea is not enough, you have to make a positive response to what you read. Be an active, not a passive, reader. Develop the habit of drawing your own conclusions, the habit of active thinking, of agreeing or disagreeing with the author. Always keep your mind open; understand and weigh the ideas that you read. A practical part of active reading is the drawing of conclusions.

Now let me introduce you to the idea of speed reading. All of the above applies three, four, eight, nine, even ten times over, because speed readers can read that much faster than the average reader! Imagine that ... being able to read, comprehend and remember all those books. You would certainly become well-read in your subject far more quickly than others. Just think how that could help you at work or in school or college ...

Now, let me tell you the four primary rules for better reading and better comprehension:

1) Try to read more and more every month. Remember that practice makes perfect. 2) Learn the habit of reading the main ideas, ie look for the subject and predicate - the principal ideas 3) Learn to read with focus and concentration. Good readers read with understanding. 4) Learn to budget your time. Experiment with your reading time. Try to read faster. Give yourself a time limit for the specific article that you are reading.

Reading is a wonderfully stimulating mental activity. It expands your understanding and capability. You have so much to gain by discovering the joy of reading. So, go on and take down a book right this minute.

Are you interested in speed reading for yourself or a loved one? If so, please pop along to our website focusing on Speed Reading.

What Are The Symptoms Of Ovarian Cancer?

July 5th, 2011

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are fairly problematic to recognize regrettably. This is because they are similar to the indications of regular menstruation or menopause that many (or most) women experience frequently anyway. The chance that women who still menstruate have, is if they notice that some of the regular feelings are not quite right.

Menopausal women have a bigger problem because they are new to their condition and it is so unpredictable anyway. The symptoms of ovarian cancer include: abdominal pain, a feeling of being bloated, twinges and tiredness.

That is why it is so difficult to use these symptoms as predictors or ovarian cancer. However, if you have these indications at a time when you would not normally do so, or if they last longer than usual, then it would be worth checking with a doctor or your gynecologist.

If you are concerned, obviously, you will have to have a check up, but if you are 'umming and ahhing', attempt to find out whether someone in your family has had ovarian cancer before. There is a tendency for it to run in families, but that is true or most types of cancer really.

However, if you are looking into your family's history of cancer, remember that cancer can out itself in different forms. for example, a man naturally cannot get ovarian cancer, but if your dad passed away of cancer you have an increased chance too, albeit it in possibly another kind.

Age is another issue in the likelihood of someone having this form of cancer - the older the more likely to be expected. There is also another bizarre twist here. Women who have had a number of children are least at risk, women who have chosen not to have children are more at danger, and women who have always been incapable of having children are most at risk.

The fact is that this is such a difficult form of cancer to home-diagnose that it is hardly worth the effort. You have to listen to your body and trust your gut feelings. If things are not the same as you are used to, go and have a check up as soon as you can.

Apart from that, go for a ordinary check up anyway. Different countries have different recommendations, but whatever advice that your doctor or gynecologist gives you, you should follow. Ovarian cancer can be treated successfully and not only that but if it is caught early enough in young women, treatment does not necessarily mean loss of fertility.

So, the watchword is do not miss your check ups. Almost 75% of women who are diagnosed early can expect a complete recovery. Young women have an even higher chance than older women, which means that older women should go for check ups more often than younger women.

Do not be apathetic about this form of cancer even though the symptoms of ovarian cancer are not simple to recognize, in fact that is a very good reason for you to let an expert check you out. The tests are not invasive and consist of merely a blood test and an ultra sound scan.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Ways To Raise Your Self-Esteem

June 20th, 2011

A lot of people have the ability ascertain for themselves if if they suffer from low self esteem. Your self esteem affects your outlook. This can make you doubt your choices and look for what is not going well. The dangerous aspect of poor self esteem is it may push numerous outcomes to turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. There are techniques that can raise self esteem, especially with the right support.

Bear in min that low self esteem is a an acquired behavior that can be modified. There can be numerous factors that can lead to this specific frame of mind. In general you began placing more value on the behaviors and words other people say to you. Our parents and teachers have a big impact on us when we are young. How our peers at school interact with us us will impact our self image as well. Early experiences of low self worth can lead to life-long beliefs.

The starting step is to resolve to changing your self esteem. You will feel empowered, and hopefully a little self-confident, if you educate yourself about the subject. Changes like this occur step by step and call for doggedness. Bit by bit you will see results, if you stick with it. Noting your thoughts is the first step. Be conscious of your feelings in different social interactions. Recurring thinking patterns will shortly become obvious. Awareness of your thinking patterns will enable you to ascertain what needs to change.

There are numerous ways to approach it, and each has its pros. A great place to start is with your overall outlook. Rather than saying nothing you do turns out the right way, or is successful, then start out with that. Make it a practice to replace every last bad thought you notice with a good one. Also, it is very helpful to take a few minutes and do the following mental exercise. Ask yourself what is good about it. When we look for good things, we find them. You can pick out the littlest thing to feel good about. Look for more great things to feel positive about.

There's always something positive if pause to seek it. It is simply that you have been focusing a lot on the bad stuff. With perseverance you will be able to discover new ways of thinking. You will discover that it involves time to accomplish that, but you absolutely can learn to do it. All of these techniques take time to master, and that is why you need to be persevering and endure in your endeavors.

Find more health articles by the same author:

Read my homepage about the much hyped African Mango extract. Take a look at my home page about the HCG diet side effects.

Having A Better Look At The All-natural Hemorrhoid Cure Called The H Miracle

June 17th, 2011

Lots of individuals have had to cope with the pain and shame of hemorrhoids. Surgery has been done as a very last resort for many people who could not find relief any other way. For many people daily ointments and lotions have been the easiest way they can deal with it. And until recent times these were actually your only choices. Now there's a new program available called the H Miracle, this is an organic and natural approach to curing your hemorrhoids.

The very fact that hemorrhoids can be painful and also humiliating is only the beginning as they can also affect other aspects of your life. This is certainly true for people who operate in an office building and spend almost all of their time sitting at their workplace. In the event you happen to be one of these people you understand how this can affect your job.

It is presumed that millions of people have problems with this affliction around the world. While some individuals may only need to utilize hemorrhoid ointments every now and again other people have more serious cases and are using medications throughout the day in order to deal with the pain.

In this product you will learn four blunders that people commonly make in their eating habits. You'll additionally learn why you'll want to stay away from these errors at all costs. One more thing you're going to learn in this program is the actual cause of hemorrhoid flare ups.

You will also find many testimonials all of which are actually unsolicited. For people who are unaware, an unsolicited testimonial is a testimonial from people who chose to provide it without even being asked. And out of these numerous testimonials you'll locate that many people found relief in just a couple of days.

Many doctors have begun promoting this to their patients when typical treatments are not sufficient. And simply because this all natural cure is getting the interest of doctors it goes to say something regarding the power of this program. One more thing you should know about this program is that it actually attacks the root factor of hemorrhoids as opposed to just dealing with the symptoms.

And when you take into consideration the cost of these creams and prescription drugs the fact that this program only costs $69.95 means you could end up saving a whole lot of money. And if you're one of the sufferers who needs to use creams and medications multiple times a day this could easily be thousands of dollars in savings.

As I mentioned earlier the creator of this program, Holly Hayden, is definitely not a doctor. This program also is sold with other natural remedy ebooks as a bonus with your investment decision. And the very fact that this program provides a money back guarantee makes this a excellent choice. And because you can be cured within a month, you are going to have plenty of time to obtain a refund if this program did not work. The bonus natural remedies books will be yours to keep whether or not you ask for refund.

So for any individual suffering from hemorrhoids, and trying to find all natural cure, this could be the answer to your problems. Don't forget that this program comes with a 60 day money back guarantee so you have absolutely nothing to lose except your hemorrhoids.

Find more health articles by the same author:

Read my website about irvingia gabonensis, aka, the African Mango diet pill. If you're anxious about the the HCG diet, check out my thorough HCG diet reviews at my homepage.

Is Hair Transplant Surgery Good For Women?

June 9th, 2011

People associate balding with men and that is not surprising as most western men do go bald sooner or later. Most men really hate going bald. Some take to brushing their hair in a different way, having it cut short or even shaved off altogether or they wear a hat. Increasingly, men are seeing balding as a natural process over which they have no control and merely get on with their lives. This is a step in the correct direction.

However, women go bald too, or at least they can do. Traditionally western women worry more about their looks than their men folk do and so women can take it very badly when or if they begin losing their hair. Some women take to wearing a wig and others attempt a hair transplant.

The difficulty is that men and women lose their hair for different reasons and hair transplants favour the causes of men's baldness rather than women's.

Typical male baldness is known as 'male pattern baldness' and everybody knows men whom it has affected. It means that men lose hair initially at the front, a receding hairline, and then on the top; leaving a band of hair running around three sides of the head. The three lower sides in fact have healthy, growing, self-replicating follicles.

It is this hair that is used if a man opts for a hair transplant - healthy hair and it has to do with testosterone, the male hormone, as oestrogen is the female hormone.

Female baldness tends to affect the whole of the head at the same time, which means that there is not a crop of healthy hair follicles from which to transplant hair to other regions of the head. This makes most women inappropriate clients for a hair transplant.

Fortunately for women up to around retirement age, baldness only affects a small percentage of them unless it is through illness or the treatment of an illness. On the other hand, only about 5% of women are good candidates for a hair transplant. Women who have lost their hair through using rollers for a long period of time, usually have a few patches of healthy hair left that can be used for transplanting.

Other women who have a good chance of a successful hair transplant are those who have a kind of male pattern baldness and those who have lost hair due to trauma surrounding areas of surgery. Those who have lost their hair due to chemotherapy, will frequently make a full or near full recovery when the chemo sessions are complete.

The easiest alternative for older women is to wear a wig. It is not ideal, obviously, but it does restore some confidence to those who could not otherwise go out without hair. Other choices are hats, scarves and turbans, jus like many women wore in the Twenties and Thirties.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of topics, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Cancer Prevention And Green Tea Consumption

June 1st, 2011

Most people are scared stiff of contracting cancer. That is perfectly understandable - who wants to spend a couple of years undergoing chemotherapy only to die a few years later? Or even if you recover it is a few years out of your life that have been worrying and gruelling. And not just for the patient but for friends and family as well.

So, individuals do everything possible to reduce the risks of getting cancer. Most of us do not believe we know how to do this, others are not certain, but they have heard or read something that sounds 'around about right' and others are convinced that they know how to avoid developing cancer.

My wife is convinced that I may get cancer from eating burnt toast and others are convinced that they can stave off cancer by saturating their body with green tea. It has often been pointed out and for decades too, that countries where green tea is the norm, say the Far East, have a much lower incidence of cancer than we do in the West.

And this is almost certainly true at the moment. But why is it a fact? I live in Asia and diabetes is the number one killer near me. Do Asians not get cancer as much as we do because they drink green tea or for other reasons?

In fact, where I live in Northern Thailand, I have never seen anyone drink tea or coffee or accept a cup off me, except my wife. Villagers here drink water or alcohol, depending on the time of day. Kids love Cola or Sprite or whatever because they watch as well much television, but drink a lot of water.

It is stated that green tea is an anti-oxidant and it is alleged that anti-oxidants help eliminate free radicals which could cause cancer. If this is the case, then the claims for green tea are perhaps more believable.

However, the claims are so all-embracing that it makes me sceptical. I am reading a report just now that claims that green tea will prevent the formation of cancerous cells in the: "... aesophagus, bladder, on the skin, in the ovaries, the pancreas and the prostate".

That is a very tall order indeed.

The problem for me with all these claims is that they are not substantiated - there are no references that you can follow that do not lead to businesses selling green tea. This is a difficulty.

Some will say that the government or the pharmaceutical firms are suppressing the knowledge because they want to sell more costly drugs - and this might be a fact - grist to the mill for conspiracy theorists and sellers of Chinese tea.

Now that we seem to be entering into a 'new era', a more sceptical and more progressive era (thanks a great deal to the World Wide Web), couldn't someone do some research on green tea and Acai berries and all the rest of the stuff you read of in your junk emails and put an end once and for all to the false hopes, if that is what they are, that we are being sold every day by unscrupulous advertisers looking for a quick dollar?

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on quite a few topics, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Melanoma: Skin Cancer By A Different Name

May 28th, 2011

Melanoma is the most common kind of skin cancer and skin cancer is the most prevalent kind of cancer in the Western world. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes.

Melanocytes are found under the skin, which is made up of two strata: the epidermis on the outside and the dermis below that. To be accurate, melanocytes are found in the lowest levels of the epidermis, but not actually in the dermis.

These cells produce melanin, which has an effect on the epidermis? pigmentation, both natural skin colour and because of exposure to the sun as in tanning.

Sometimes, a group of near-by melanocytes combine with a little local tissue to form a mole (also called a nevus; plural nevi). The average individual has between ten and forty moles, which usually seem before the fortieth birthday. They often fade or disappear with age.

Moles are non-malignant (non-cancerous) and can be flat or raised in shape and almost any colour. Normally, they are slightly darker than one?s natural skin colour. Dark skinned individuals are likely to have more moles.

Cancer starts in cells where the normal cycle of decay and replacement by regeneration has been Upset. Under these conditions, cells do not always die when they ought to and new cells are produced needlessly.

This, in turn, creates a growth (also known as a tumor), which can be either benign or malignant (that is to say cancerous or non-cancerous).

Benign tumors can be surgically taken away and seldom come back. They do not spread or affect surrounding tissue.

Malignant tumors are cancerous and can have an effect on adjacent tissue and organs. In these cases, cancerous cells can break away from the primary tumor and affect other organs or enter the blood stream (lymphatic system), whereby it will spread to other parts of the body (metastasis) very quickly. The rate of metastasis is a deciding factor in how a surgeon deals with cancer.

Melanoma occurs when melanocytes are malignant. It can occur at any age, but the chances increase with age. Fair-skinned individuals are more probable to develop it than dark-skinned individuals. In fair-skinned races, men tend to get it on the torso and neck, whereas women get it on their calves (lower legs).

Dark-skinned people hardly ever suffer from melanoma, but if they do, it is usually under the finger and toe nails or on the soles of the feet or palms of the hands. When cancerous cells from melanoma enter the lymphatic system and affect other organs, it is still attributed to melanoma. For instance, if the liver becomes affected by cancerous cells from melanoma, it is referred to as metastatic melanoma, not liver cancer.

Often, the first indication of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, colour, or texture of an existing mole, although it often first manifests itself with a new mole or moles. Self-diagnosis is not to be relied on - always seek specialized advice if you have any problems relating to your skin. However, it is wise to bear in mind ?The ABCD of Melanoma?, which goes like this:

Asymmetry: the shape of one side of the mole is not the same as the other side.

Border: the border or edges of the mole are not clearly defined; a bit tattered or the colouration ?blurs into the adjacent skin.

Colouration: the mole is not consistently of one colour, although it is not so vital what that colour is.

Diameter: there is a modification in size or a new mole grows larger than 5mm in size.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on quite a few subjects, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Who Is At Risk Of Ovarian Cancer?

May 21st, 2011

Ovarian cancer that accounts for more than 25,000 newly diagnosed cases of cancer each year just in the United States Of America is by and large detected in the later stages when it has already spread outside the ovaries. Ovarian cancer or a group of malignant tumors start in tissues of different types in the ovary.

Most cancers of the ovary start in the epithelial or outer layer of cells, with rarer kinds beginning in the egg forming germ cells or the stroma in the ovaries. However it is incorrect to assume that all tumors and cysts could become cancerous, for non-cancerous or benign tumors are more common than cancer of the ovary.

Cancer of the ovary or ovarian cancer is the 7th most common cancer among women in America; with just one out of five instances diagnosed in the early stage when effectual treatment can be implemented. However most women might like to know the risk factors for ovarian cancer and take care to go in for early analysis.

It is best to understand that risk does not mean a certainty, it only indicates an increased chance to develop this type of cancer.

They say that a strong family history of cancer of the breasts, uterus, colon and rectum could expose a woman to cancer of the ovaries also. A family history could include one's blood relations like grandmother, mother, daughter or sister, with a family history of cancer at a young age contributing to a higher likelihood for ovarian cancer. A genetic counselor could suggest genetic check ups for you, certain genetic alterations indicating an increased risk for cancer of the ovaries.

It is important to note that every woman that has a personal history of cancer and has been already afflicted with cancer of the breast, uterus, colon or rectum stands a higher chance to get ovarian cancer.

It is to be noted that cancer has the tendency to spread quickly and chemotherapy and radiation can only treat or remove cancer for some time. In addition to the growth of new cells there is every chance for it to spread to other organs of the body also.

It is the case that women that have reached menopause and older women that have never had children have a greater likelihood to develop cancer of the ovaries. Postmenopausal use of hormones like hormone replacement therapy for a period of 10 years and more could rise the likelihood of acquiring ovarian cancer, with estrogen replacement therapy or ERT having the highest risk followed by estrogen-progestin replacement therapy or EPRT. It is also the case that obesity and use of talcum powder also create a higher danger factor.

The indications of ovarian cancer after it develops to some extent could be pressure with or without pain and bloating experienced in the abdomen, pelvis, back and legs, feeling of nausea with indigestion, flatulence, constipation or diarrhea and a feeling of tiredness most of the time. In rare instances you could experience shortness of breath, the frequent urge to urinate and heavy periods after stoppage of periods.

However it can be hard to diagnose ovarian cancer and the only one who can do it properly is a doctor.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on quite a few topics, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

Information On Breast Cancer

May 17th, 2011

The official phrase for breast cancer is 'malignant breast neoplasm'. Breast cancer originates most frequently in the inner lining of the milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. The general term for cancers that originate in ducts is ' ductal carcinomas' and the term for cancers originating from the lobules is 'lobular carcinomas'.

Successful therapy depends hugely on the type of cancer, staging and the age of the patient, however the figures vary from 10% to 98%. Worldwide, malignant breast neoplasm accounts for just more than 10% of all cancers in women, which makes it the second most frequent form of cancer in women after skin cancer.

In 2004 (the latest figures available at the moment), breast cancer caused almost 520,000 deaths worldwide, which is 7% of all deaths by cancer and 1% of all deaths. One more interesting statistic is that women are 100 times more likely to get breast cancer than men, but women have a far higher likelihood of recovery (usually due to more frequent screening).

October has been nominated as 'Breast Cancer Awareness Month' and the symbol used (not only in October) is the 'Pink Ribbon'. It has become a global symbol of breast cancer awareness.

However, some businesses have been criticized for putting the pink ribbon on the labels of their products (see Kentucky Fried Chicken and some alcoholic drinks). The lesson to be learned is to check out how much that firm actually donates to breast cancer awareness and research.

If Breast Cancer Awareness month is to do any use, the one thing it ought to concentrate on is making women aware that this kind of cancer is not a death sentence, because if it can be treated early the survival rate is very high. Even cancers that have been caught 'a little late' can be treated successfully although the treatment will almost certainly be much more harsh.

All women ought to go for frequent screening by a professional - at least once a year - but they ought to also learn how to test their breasts themselves and get into the habit of doing the self-test every day whilst washing in the shower. You could also get a friend to lend a hand by incorporating it into foreplay.

The information necessary for self-testing is widely accessible all year round (not just in October) at your doctor's surgery or at your gynecologist's. It is also accessible in libraries, clinics, some schools and on Net. One of the main factors that you should take in to account whilst deciding on your plan for counteracting the threat of cancer is whether any other members of your family have had breast cancer or any other kind of cancer for that matter.

One anxiety that numerous people in the know have is that breast cancer research is receiving too high a proportion of the total funding for cancer research. This means that more patients are dying of other types of cancer than should be.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you would like to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer

A Brief Outline Of Birth Control And Cervical Cancer

May 15th, 2011

Birth control is a large issue, there is no doubt of that and women are more aware than ever that having children is not a necessary result of having sex. They are also conscious that having children at the wrong time can damage their careers and they are also conscious that passions or alcohol get in the way of safe sex using condoms very often.

This results in women taking care of the vast majority of birth control by taking 'the pill'. The contraceptive pill caused an uproar in the Sixties with the Establishment and the Churches predicting the downfall of society and morality. And after a fashion, they were correct. But what happened was to sweep away a great deal of social barriers and privileges that previously just the rich (and men) had enjoyed. The 'old order' lost a bit of ground.

The problem with the manner that women took control of their sex lives was or is twofold: firstly, men leave 'that sort of thing' to the woman and secondly, taking the pill can lead to cervical cancer. The likelihood of acquiring cervical cancer from taking the pill are small (15,000 Americans a year, of which a third dies), but they do exist.

However, there are no recorded cases of men developing cancer from using a condom.

Women usually get cervical cancer from having sex. They pick up the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Most of the time, the woman's immune system will stop that virus from causing cancer, but research has shown that women who take the pill for more than five years in a row have a higher risk than women who have not.

So a condom would help here.

Unfortunately, there are no symptoms in the early stages of cervical cancer, but later on, there may be heavier losses of blood, pain after sexual intercourse and even unpleasant smells. Periods could also last a great deal longer than 'usual'.

The difficulty with studies is that, there often comes another study to prove something else and this is true here too. Some studies have shown that the use of the contraceptive pill lessens the occurrence of ovarian cancer.

It is like old sayings, there is always a opposite, as in: 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' and 'Familiarity breeds contempt'.

If you listen to the 'experts', you would be in a permanent state of quandary. Therefore, the only actually safe course to take is to go for frequent tests or screenings - at least once a year, unless your doctor or gynecologist tells you different and if he or she does, query it.

The pharmaceutical companies have been promising a male contraceptive pill or implant for decades. In fact, the pill might even be there. But that is not the point usually. The problem is normally men. The majority of men cannot be relied upon to provide sufficient contraception while they are concerned in casual relationships.

As long as this state of affairs continues, women will continue to take risks so that they are not bogged down by a family of 10 kids like their great-grandmothers were.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on quite a few topics, but is now involved with the stages of ovarian cancer. If you want to know more, please visit our web site at Signs and Symptoms of Ovarian Cancer