10 Amazing Bee Facts

12 Essential Items to Help Your Loved Ones When You're Gone

What happens for mom when dad passes away? After attending to the myriad details that go into planning a funeral, smack dab in the middle of tremendous grief, the family turns to the matter of making sure mom will be OK. Did dad leave any lists of bank accounts, life insurance, instructions? Not that mom knows of...

It is not something we do very well as a culture, preparing for our own deaths, even though it is said that, "Dying is the only thing we will all do successfully." When we lose a loved one, grieving "well" takes a lot of space; it is an opportunity to press the "pause" button and tend to yourself and your community and vice versa. However, if one is buried in the task of unraveling all the details of their future and security, then grieving can take a back burner. Leaving our loved ones with the information and details that they will need in order to manage the future, is a tremendous gift.　

Below is a list of things that will be helpful to collect for ourselves and our loved ones so that they can feel grounded in their lives and their future when that time comes. Digging through your desks and files looking for the answers can be unraveling.　

This proactive effort may be as simple as writing the information on a piece of paper, to organizing a sectional binder. In this day an age it wouldn't be uncommon to set this up on your computer, just remember to leave the location of the information and password to unlock this document somewhere obvious.　

I suggest we collect and make available:

1 Attorneys, Accountants, Financial planner, an Executor of Estate Names and numbers of those you hired. List the reason these relationships were important and the documents, investments created. Where are these documents located?

2 Insurance Names, phone numbers, policy numbers for life, health, home, etc.

3 Bank Accounts This is the time to divulge any secrets! List the location, type, numbers and passwords, etc.

4 Social Security So much of what we do in life is linked back to our social security number. Clearly write out your number, as those you leave behind may be entitled to further benefits.

5 Work-Related Policies Life Insurance, 401k, Health Insurance...If something happens to you, what department at work does your loved one call & what are the details of your arrangements there?

6 Bills This area of our life is never cut and dry. List out your bills, automated payments or deposits and any special situations you have garnered.

7 Vehicles There are two cars parked in the driveway and you just helped buy your grandson’s! Title, maintenance, insurance & anything owed on all of your vehicles.

8 Credit Cards And you most likely don’t have just one! Names, numbers, pins, passwords will all be helpful.

9 Financial Documents Of course, the financial planner will be helpful with some of this and you may have had your hand in more than one pot. List all stocks, bonds, investments, titles, retirement accounts, etc.

10 Safety Deposit Box Always a mystery, these treasure chests! List the Location and address, number of box and where the key is to open it.

11 Home Mortgage & Real Estate Investments All relevant information should be compiled and numbers provided of any professionals that have helped in these transactions.

12 Material Objects If you have not indicated in your Will, how would like your stuff distributed? Your nice watch, your favorite piece of memorabilia and your golf clubs could be a sweet way to recognize your loved ones.

There are legal documents that should be taken care while all parties are alive and of right-mind.  

6 Sounds Humans Love Most

1. Hydrotherapy

Whether it’s a babbling brook, waves breaking onshore, the steady rush of a waterfall, or the drumming of a rain shower, the sound of water is unprecedented in its ability to calm our jangled nerves and lull us to sleep — just ask the droves of music producers who earn their livelihood by recording aquatic melodies and selling them to insomniacs and stressed-out individuals. The secret to water sounds — relaxing effects may lie in the primal rhythms they contain, which help people regulate their breathing, quiet their minds, and call forth memories of blissful time they’ve spent in nature.

2. Snap, Crackle, Pop

Certain repetitive sounds have the opposite effect water does: each sonic burst is a mini-pick-me-up. These noises include dry autumn leaves, hard-packed snow, or loose gravel crunching underfoot, as well as bacon grease popping in a frying pan. Like a rushing river, such sounds have a rhythm all their own, but it’s more staccato and therefore more invigorating. In addition, the sound of a car rolling up a gravel driveway can fill listeners with excitement as they anticipate the arrival of a long-awaited guest.

3. Light My Fire

Whether it’s outside at a campground or inside in a fireplace, the crackling of a fire is mesmerizing to most people; it hypnotizes them into a drowsy, quiet state, punctuated by an occasional mm-hmm. These hearthside sounds may resonate because of humans’ age-old fascination with fire, one of the first tools they used to consciously manipulate their natural environment to keep themselves warm, cook their food, and even herd animals.

Nocturnal gatherings around fires at night were also some of the earliest social gatherings, spurring communication and fostering relationships. Many millennia later, the sound of a fire may trigger some primitive memory of this turning point in human evolution.

4. Laugh-In

If laughter is indeed the best medicine, then an infant’s delighted squeals as she discovers her own toes or a toddler’s raucous giggles when he’s being tickled are the ultimate panacea. The pure, unself-conscious joy that children’s laughter projects is contagious; it liberates adults from their day-to-day stresses by reminding them of more innocent and carefree times. And for the parents of youngsters, their kids’ belly laughs can be a reassuring sign that all is well psychologically and that the parents are making sound child-rearing decisions.

5. Noise Pollution

Ironically, one of the most widely used therapeutic sounds is not a single tone at all, but rather a combination of all sonic frequencies playing simultaneously: white noise. So named for its similarity to white light–which is not an absence of color, but a mixture of all colors–white noise works by absorbing all background noise and “reprogramming” it as a steadier, more calming buzz, not unlike the sound of radio static. As a result, it’s an effective sleep aid, a treatment for tinnitus, and a concentration booster (to block out the distracting sounds of noisy coworkers, for example).

6. And the Winner Is…

In 1935, two Bell Labs researchers named Harvey Fletcher and W.A. Munson conducted an investigation into human hearing that remains the most renowned study of its kind to this day. In measuring the frequencies that the ear is most responsive to, Fletcher and Munson discovered that people’s favorite sound of all is that of the human voice, which falls right within the ideal range of frequencies (300-3,000 Hertz) for our hearing. The only question is, did our voices evolve to suit our ears, or was it the other way around?

7 Herbs for Indigestion

Common causes for indigestion include overeating, eating too quickly, fatty or greasy foods, too much caffeine, too much alcohol, too much chocolate, nervousness, and emotional trauma. Translation: The holidays. Indigestion, also known as dyspepsia, is a term used to describe one or more symptoms including a feeling of fullness during a meal, uncomfortable fullness after a meal, and burning or pain in the upper abdomen; it may cause bloating, belching and nausea. Woohoo!

If that last wafer-thin mint has you cowering on the couch and emitting noises only a mommy hog could love, you may want to try one of these natural aids for indigestion. Herbs have been used for millennia to treat any matter of ailments, and indigestion seems to be one woe that is well-suited for natural remedies.

Fennel/ Fennel Seed

There is a reason Indian restaurants serve the fennel seed mix, Mukhwas, after dinner. Fennel seed has long been used to help fight gas, cramps, acid indigestion, and help ease spasms in the intestinal tract.

Fennel has a long history of use in both food and medicine. Traditionally, it is said to act as a carminative, which means that it helps the body expel gas and sooth indigestion. Fennel is also a common ingredient in “gripe water,” a traditional (and very alcoholic, by the way) preparation used for treating infant colic. Fennel leaves can be used to make tea; NYU Langone Medical Center says that a typical dose of fennel is 1–1 1/2 teaspoons of seeds per day.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm (commonly referred to as Melissa, how pretty) is a member of the mint family and has been a favorite since the Middle Ages for reducing stress and anxiety, abetting sleep, sparking appetite, and easing indigestion. These days, lemon balm is commonly mixed with other calming herbs to help promote relaxation. Evidence suggests that lemon balm, in combination with other herbs, may help treat indigestion–although just soothing the stress alone can sometimes help with dyspepsia.

To reduce indigestion, flatulence, or bloating, the University of Maryland Medical Center recommends:
Capsules: Take 300 – 500 mg dried lemon balm, 3 times daily or as needed.
Tea: 1.5 – 4.5 grams (1/4 – 1 teaspoonful) of dried lemon balm herb in hot water. Steep and drink up to 4 times daily.
Tincture: 2 – 3 mL (40 – 90 drops), 3 times daily

Turmeric

Turmeric is the little minx of the spice drawer; super bright, spicy, and boasting a broad array of health claims. You may know it as the main spice in curry and the one which imparts that intense golden glow, but turmeric is also used for health remedies. In traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine, turmeric has been used to aid digestion and liver function, relieve arthritis pain, and regulate menstruation; it has also traditionally been used for heartburn, stomach pain, diarrhea, intestinal gas, and stomach bloating.

According to the NYU Langone Medical Center, turmeric’s superpower comes in the form of the substance, curcumin, which, among other properties, may stimulate gallbladder contractions. One double-blind, placebo-controlled study showed that 87% percent of the curcumin group experienced full or partial symptom relief from dyspepsia as compared to 53% of the placebo group.

The National Institutes of Health recommends a dosage of 500 mg of turmeric four times daily for dyspepsia.

Ginger

Ginger has long been used as a medicine in Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions. In China, ginger has been used to aid all types of digestion disorders for more than 2,000 years. Fast forward to modern medicine, and health care professionals still commonly recommend ginger to help prevent or treat nausea and vomiting. It is also used as a digestive aid for mild stomach upset. Germany’s Commission E has approved ginger as a treatment for indigestion and motion sickness. Curiously, while most antinausea drugs work on the brain and the inner ear, ginger seems to act directly on the stomach.

For most purposes, the standard dosage of powdered ginger is 1 to 4 g daily, divided into 2 to 4 doses per day. (To prevent motion sickness, you should aim to begin treatment 1 or 2 days before the trip and continue it throughout the period of travel.)

Artichoke Leaf

If you have ever wondered what in the world were those Italians thinking when they invented the artichoke apéritif liqueur, Cynar, here’s you answer. In traditional European medicine, the leaves of the artichoke plant (not the leaves of the bud, which is the part that we eat) were used as a diuretic to stimulate the kidneys and as well as the flow of bile from the liver and gallbladder; which plays a starring role in digestion.

Over the past century much research has been done looking into the traditional medicinal uses of the artichoke plant; conclusions suggest that the plant does indeed stimulate the kidney and gallbladder. In the mid-twentieth century, Italian scientists isolated a compound from artichoke leaf called cynarin, which appeared to duplicate many of the effects of whole artichoke. Salute!

In 2003, a large study evaluated artichoke leaf as a treatment for dyspepsia; artichoke leaf extract proved significantly more effective than placebo for alleviating symptoms of functional dyspepsia. Germany’s Commission E has authorized the use of artichoke leaf use for “dyspeptic problems”–they recommend 6 grams of the dried herb or its equivalent per day, usually divided into 3 doses. Artichoke leaf extracts should be taken according to label instructions.

Peppermint

Peppermint is often used to soothe an upset stomach or to aid in digestion. Because of its subtle numbing effect, it has been used to treat everything from headaches, skin irritations, and anxiety to nausea, diarrhea, menstrual cramps, and flatulence.

Peppermint oil seems to be helpful for a variety of conditions that involve spasm of the intestinal tract. Most studies have involved irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for which peppermint oil has shown considerable promise.

Peppermint relaxes the muscles that struggle with digestive gas and improve the flow of bile, which the body uses to digest fats. In studies on using peppermint to treat IBS, there seems to be a trend indicating mild effectiveness in the reduction of some symptoms, especially flatulence and abdominal pain and distension. However, if your symptoms of indigestion are related to a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, peppermint should not be used.

Cayenne

Okay, this one is confusing: doesn’t spicy food cause stomach aches? According to the folks at NYU, evidence suggests that oral use of cayenne can reduce the pain of dyspepsia! Counter-intuitive, at best, but apparently hot peppers don’t actually inflame the tissues they contact; in fact, hot peppers aren’t even harmful for ulcers. Rather, they merely produce sensations similar to those caused by actual damage.

Oral use of capsaicin seems to reduce discomfort in the stomach. In a double-blind study, individuals with dyspepsia were given either 2.5 g daily of red pepper powder (divided up and taken prior to meals) or placebo for 5 weeks. 21 By the third week of treatment, individuals taking red pepper were experiencing significant improvements in pain, bloating, and nausea as compared to placebo, and these relative improvements lasted through the end of the study.

For treatment of dyspepsia, cayenne may be taken at a dosage of 0.5 to 1.0 g three times daily (prior to meals).

For these and all herbs, do not exceed dosage recommendations; and be sure to consult with your doctor if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medication.

Medical Tests That Could Save Your Life

We’ve all heard the scary stories. Someone in his 40s, seemingly in perfect health, suddenly drops dead during his morning run. Or someone we love discovers too late that she has cancer that’s already beyond treatment. And we wonder: Is there anything we can do to make sure this doesn’t happen to us? Yes, there is. Here, five medical tests designed to catch killers like cancer and heart disease before they can do deadly damage.

1. Early CDT-lung test for lung cancer

What it does: Measures autoantibodies the immune system produces in response to lung cancer proteins, known as antigens. These autoantibodies show up early in the cancer process, which gives this test the advantage of being able to detect lung cancer before symptoms appear.

Why it’s important: With an accuracy of greater than 90 percent, this brand-new test is a significant tool for assessing lung cancer risk at an early stage, says pulmonologist Keith Kelly of Paducah, Kentucky, who offers the test to his patients. Lung cancer kills more than 160,000 people a year in the U.S. — and the reason it’s so deadly is that it’s rarely caught early, when tumors are operable. Currently lung cancer still has only a 16 percent five-year survival rate. “With this test as a supplement to CT scan, we can diagnose people earlier and, hopefully, finally begin to improve the survival rate,” says Kelly.

How it works: A sample of your blood is sent to a laboratory, and results are sent to your doctor about a week later. A positive result means the test detected signs your immune system’s been activated in response to the presence of cancer cells. In that case, your doctor will arrange for you to have an imaging scan to search for the presence of tumors. A negative test can’t guarantee that you’re cancer free, but it does mean your body isn’t reacting visibly to the presence of protein-producing tumors.

Cost: $475

Covered by insurance? The CDT-lung cancer test is now covered by the majority of major medical insurers and is also covered by Medicare Part B. The testing company will bill your insurance provider for you.

Who should get it: Long-term smokers and former smokers are at high risk for lung cancer and qualify for this test. Exposure to radon, asbestos, or significant secondhand smoke also puts you in the high-risk category. Oncimmune, the test maker, hopes to have a breast cancer blood test based on the same science available within the next year.

Tests for heart disease and colorectal cancer

2. Corus CAD

What it does: Evaluates your risk for narrowing or blockage in your coronary arteries.

Why it’s important: “To my knowledge, this is the only test that can tell you what’s going on in your arteries at the cellular and molecular level,” says physician Alan Grossman, medical director of the Nuclear Cardiology and Echocardiography Laboratories at the Heart and Vascular Center of Arizona, which this year introduced the Corus CAD test. “Using this test, we’ve found people with severe multivessel coronary artery disease whom we would not have considered at high risk otherwise.”

How it works: A small sample of your blood is sent to the laboratory of the test’s maker, where it’s screened for the presence of 23 genes that have been found to be associated with narrowing or blocked arteries.

Cost: $1,195

Covered by insurance? Some insurance companies cover this test, but many don’t yet. However, the company that makes the test is committed to helping people get coverage, and it provides a patient advocate to help you through the process. And with Time magazine having picked Corus CAD as one of the top-ten medical breakthroughs of 2010, wider adoption and coverage are sure to come quickly.

Who should get it: The most definitive risk factor for a coronary artery blockage is chest pain, particularly chest pain or discomfort that comes on or increases when you exercise. Other risk factors: a family history of heart disease or heart attack.

The company that makes the test, CardioDX, currently offers the test in nine states: Kentucky, Maryland, Illinois, Washington, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Carolina, Texas, and Arizona. If you don’t live in one of these states, you may have to travel to get the test, or wait a few months. Additional availability is expected in 2011.

3. Virtual colonoscopy

What it does: Uses a computed tomography (CT) scan to image the colon.

Why it’s important: Colorectal cancer, which is cancer of the lower part of the intestines, is the second-leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., yet it’s curable in 90 percent of all cases if caught early. Unfortunately, this still isn’t happening as often as it should; currently almost 40 percent of cases are already stage III or IV when discovered.

Virtual colonoscopies are not only much more comfortable than traditional colonoscopies but eliminate the risk of anesthesia and prevent puncture of the colon. According to Judy Yee, professor and vice chair of radiology at U.C. San Francisco, only 30 percent of people who should be getting colonoscopies actually get them, and increased use of virtual colonoscopy could up that percentage and save lives.

How it works: A computed tomography scanner uses sophisticated software to generate a 3D image of your colon, looking for polyps and cancerous tumors. It takes just 10 to 15 minutes, and the dose of radiation is quite low — about the equivalent of having conventional X-rays taken of the pelvis and abdomen. Because virtual colonoscopy scans the entire abdomen and pelvis, recent studies have shown that it also increases the detection rate for other pelvic diseases affecting the ovaries in women and the prostate in men.

Cost: $500-$1,000

Covered by insurance? Virtual colonoscopy is gaining popularity at major medical centers, but many insurers still consider it experimental and don’t cover it. Medicare doesn’t yet cover virtual colonoscopy but does cover traditional colonoscopy.

Many experts expect this to change, however, now that the American Cancer Society and many other organizations recommend virtual colonoscopy. And some states, including Kentucky, Maryland, and Virginia, now require private insurers to cover the procedure. (That’s also the case in Washington, D.C., where President Obama got his virtual colonoscopy.)

Who should get it: Like colonoscopy, virtual colonoscopy is recommended for anyone over age 50. However, if you have a first-degree family member who’s had colon cancer before the age of 50, it’s recommended that you begin screening when you’re ten years younger than the age at which your family member was diagnosed. If a family member was diagnosed at age 45, for example, you should have your first screening at age 35. Indicators such as blood in the stool are also a reason to have a virtual colonoscopy.

New heart disease test and genetic testing

4. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein test

What it does: Measures even very low blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced by the liver in response to inflammation. CRP is an indicator for cardiovascular disease — among other conditions – - because chronic inflammation damages the interior of artery walls. Because hs-CRP, also called ultra- sensitive CRP or cardio CRP, is sensitive enough to detect lower concentrations of the protein, it can detect inflammation in a healthy person, indicating the early onset of cardiovascular disease.

Why it’s important: This is the first new general screening test for heart disease to be recommended by the American Heart Association in 20 years. The reason: The hs-CRP takes the traditional heart checkup a step further, more accurately predicting who’s at risk for heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. People whose hs-CRP results are in the high end of the normal range have 1.5 to 4 times the risk of having a heart attack than those whose hs-CRP values are at the low end of the normal range. In addition, recent studies demonstrated an association between elevated CRP levels and colon cancer.

How it works: The hs-CRP is a blood test used in concert with other tests, such as a blood pressure check and a lipid profile to check cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Cost: $40-$70

Covered by insurance? If your doctor recommends the hs-CRP test because you have a family history of heart disease or other risk factors, most insurers, including Medicare, will cover it.

Who should get it: Currently the hs-CRP test is recommended for anyone considered to be at moderate or intermediate risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next ten years. While hs-CRP isn’t yet considered a screening tool for the general population, an important recent study called the JUPITER study found that hs-CRP predicted heart disease even in people with no risk factors, and some experts now believe everyone in their late 50s and older should have it, even if they have minimal risk factors. The test is simple and inexpensive, and your doctor can order it based on his or her recommendation. So discuss your concerns with your doctor, mention any relatives who had an early heart attack, and you should be covered.

Unfortunately, certain conditions such as arthritis, autoimmune conditions, and chronic infection also cause inflammatory response, so if you have one of these conditions, the hs-CRP test can’t be used.

5. Genetic analysis

What it does: Tests you for approximately a hundred traits, providing a genetic blueprint known as a comprehensive genotype that predicts your risk of developing a variety of conditions and diseases. Genotyping also offers information on how you respond to certain key medications such as blood thinners, and it lets you know if you’re a carrier for certain genetic traits.

Why it’s important: Based on the genetic information you receive, you could find out you’re at risk for certain cancers, Alzheimer’s, macular degeneration, and other conditions. Knowing what may lie in your future makes you more alert for warning signs. In the case of lung cancer, diabetes, and other conditions strongly affected by lifestyle, finding out you’re at risk might increase your motivation to make important changes, such as losing weight or quitting smoking — or to take specific tests to detect a condition early enough to treat it. In this case, knowledge really is power: Knowing you’re at risk empowers you to take steps to protect yourself.

How it works: Personalized genotyping is done by saliva testing. Your saliva sample is collected in a tube and shipped off to a sophisticated genetic testing laboratory that analyzes your DNA. The results are ready in two to three weeks, at which point you’re given access to a comprehensive report and interactive genetic counseling via a secure online account. The testing kits are provided by private companies, which include 23andme, Navigenics, and Pathway Genomics; each company then provides its own ongoing health management service.

Cost: Varies, depending on the company and the extent of the services provided. You can pay for the initial testing only, then be billed for regular monthly reports and genetic counseling; or you can pay upfront for the comprehensive service. Range is $99 plus a $5-per-month subscription access fee with a 12-month commitment, or $399-$499 for full-service access.

Covered by insurance? Insurance doesn’t cover this type of comprehensive genetic analysis. However, if you have a health savings account or a flexible spending account for healthcare, you’ll likely be able to use those dollars to purchase a genotyping service and submit it for reimbursement. Check with the administrator or benefits specialist to find out.

Who should get it: Anyone concerned about their genetic risk for health conditions such as cancer, macular degeneration, heart disease, and diabetes, particularly those already at risk due to family history or from other risk factors. If you smoke, for example, knowing your genetic risk of lung, breast, and colorectal cancer could be extremely useful. And if you carry a lot of extra weight, you might want genetic information to better evaluate your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

One more merry christmas photo... couldn't resist

from http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=428585&page=791

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