Lower your heart rate to prevent a heart attack

Try interval training, add fish oil to diet and get a good night’s sleep

Italian researchers found that having a resting heart rate above 70 beats per minute (bpm) increases your risk of dying of heart disease by at least 78 percent. Follow the tips below to help drop your bpm and improve your odds.

Attack your cardio
Run hard, don't just jog. "Exercise increases your heart's efficiency, reducing the number of heartbeats you need to achieve bloodflow," says Dr. John Elefteriades, the chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Yale University. Interval training can increase your heart's stroke volume (the amount of blood it pumps with each heartbeat) by about 10 percent, but slower, sustained running has no effect on it, according to an American College of Sports Medicine study. Try a four-minute run at 90 percent of your maximum heart rate, and then jog for three minutes at 70 percent. Repeat the interval three times. Do this routine three times a week, as the study participants did. Keep track with a Suunto t3c Heart Rate Monitor. ($170, suuntowatches.com)

Trade massages with her
Regular massages may soothe a rapid heartbeat. Relaxation techniques reduce your body's production of adrenaline, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, stress hormones that rev up your heart in the face of danger, says Atman P. Shah, M.D., an assistant professor of medicine at UCLA. A 2007 British study found that people who received an hour of reflexology treatment (a type of foot or hand massage) had rates that averaged almost 8 bpm lower than when they went without.

Steps Toward a Healthy Heart (and Long Life)

Want an "ideal" heart? The American Heart Association defines the most important factors.

7 People Past 90With Lots Left to Do

When you talk wit

h people who are nearing or have reached the century mark, still

vital, you realize that they have arrived not by running for hours a week on a treadmill, downing vitamins by the handful, or spending their free time in the plastic surgeon's office. They've been too busy living—working, traveling, engaging in creative pursuits, spending time with friends and family, doing with gusto whatever it is that gives them joy.

Herb

al Supplements Don't Always Go Well With Heart Drugs

Herbs and other natural supplements are becoming

increasingly commonplace in medicine cabinets as Americans get more proactive about preserving health and defying the diseases of aging. But in some people, pills and extracts often dubbed "all natural"

don't play nice, say some expe

rts.

America's Best Health Insurance Plans

U.S. News and NCQA review over 700 health insurance plans in the Best Health Plan rankings.

9 Mistakes Adult Siblings Make When Parents Are Aging, Sick, and Dying

In her new book, journalist and author Francine Russo discusses one of life's most trying transitions: when parents are aging, sick, and dying. She points out nine ways that adult siblings foul up when attempting to navigate this "new life crisis."

Red Flags Warning Of Serious Infection In Children In Developed Countries

An article published Online First and in an upcoming edition of The Lancet reports that a systematic review of published research shows that a number of factors are considered in confirming or excluding the possibility of serious infection in children presenting to general practice or other outpatient care. These factors include rapid breathing, poor peripheral circulation (circulation of blood to the skin and extremities), and parental concern and doctor's instinct (in one primary care study). The article is the work of Dr Ann Van den Bruel, Department of General Practice, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium, and colleagues.

The authors analysed generally used electronic databases and reference lists of relevant studies. They contacted experts to find articles assessing clinical features of serious infection in children. A total of 1,939 potentially relevant studies were identified. Studies were selected on the basis of six criteria:

• design (studies of diagnostic accuracy or prediction rules)
• participants (otherwise healthy children aged 1 month to 18 years)
• setting (ambulatory care)
• outcome (serious infection)
• features assessed (assessable in ambulatory care setting)
• sufficient data reported

A total of 30 studies were included in the final analysis. The authors calculated 'likelihood ratios' for the presence (positive likelihood ratio) or absence (negative likelihood ratio) of each clinical feature. Clinical features with a positive likelihood ratio of more than 5•0 were deemed as red flags or warning signs for serious infection. Features with a negative likelihood ratio of less than 0•2 were deemed rule-out signs.

Red flags identified in several studies:

• Cyanosis (blue colouration of the skin caused by deoxygenated haemoglobin in the blood vessels near the skin surface): positive likelihood ratio range 2.7 - 52•2
• rapid breathing: 1•3 - 9•8
• poor peripheral perfusion: 2•4 - 38•8
• petechial rash (petechiae are small purple or red spots on the body, and can be indicative of serious infection such as meningitis):6•2 - 83•7

Strong red flags identified in one primary care study:

• Parental concern: positive likelihood ratio 14•4
• clinician instinct: positive likelihood ratio 23•5

Temperature of 40°C (104F) or more has value as a red flag in settings with a low prevalence of serious infection, such as general practice (GP) or paediatric assessment units. However, it is not so useful in emergency departments. The patient populations in emergency departments are different from those in GP practices because they were either referred by their GP because the patient's condition was serious, or self-referred because parents felt it was serious. In general, these patients will have a higher risk of having a serious infection. If they do not have a serious infection, they have a higher risk of having another serious illness or illnesses that are not serious but mimic serious illnesses. Because of the selection process, more children will have higher temperatures at the emergency department and a higher temperature in itself is no longer sufficient to distinguish children with or without a serious infection.

No single clinical feature was deemed to have rule-out value but some combinations could be used to exclude the possibility of serious infection. For instance, pneumonia is very unlikely (negative likelihood ratio 0•07) if the child is not short of breath and there is no parental concern.

The authors explain: "The main strength of this systematic review is that it highlights the nature and difficulty of the diagnostic task facing primary care and hospital clinicians responsible for identifying seriously ill children at initial presentation in countries where serious childhood illness is now rare."

They write in conclusion: "Most of the red flags already recommended by WHO for use in developing countries can be used in the initial assessment of children presenting to ambulatory care settings in developed countries. There should be more emphasis on parental concern in the diagnostic process. However, we now need to identify the level of risk at which clinical action should be taken. Additionally, the relative inability of any combination of clinical features to effectively exclude the possibility of serious illness in a one-off consultation means that parents need to be more actively involved in monitoring red flags and taking precautionary measures."
In an associated note, Dr Martin Dawes, McGill University, Montreal, Canada, comments: "What is clear is that in 2010 we do not know how to effectively recognise or rule out severe disease in ill children and what is more, we do not even have a cohesive national or a global research strategy to address this problem. Notably, of the 30 studies included in today's review, only one was in primary care, where the problem is most frequently present."

He says in closing: "Are we really this poor at undertaking good primary care research on important common problems? We need better-designed diagnostic and prognostic studies in primary care. Such studies require properly documented histories and examination as well as follow-up, but both are well within the scope of an organised practice and if centrally coordinated we could have ten times the evidence within a year or two. This research cannot be done without adequate funding and should be a priority for national and international research foundations."

"Diagnostic value of clinical features at presentation to identify serious infection in children in developed countries: a systematic review" Ann Van den Bruel, Tanya Haj-Hassan, Matthew Thompson, Frank Buntinx, David Mant, for the European Research Network on Recognising Serious Infection investigators

What is anorexia nervosa?

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an irrational dread of becoming fat coupled with a relentless pursuit of thinness. People with anorexia go to extremes­ to reach and maintain a dangerously low body weight. But no matter how much weight is lost, no matter how emaciated they become, it’s never enough. The more the scale dips, the more obsessed they become with food, dieting, and weight loss.

The key features of anorexia nervosa are:

• Refusal to sustain a minimally normal body weight
• Intense fear of gaining weight, despite being underweight
• Distorted view of one’s body or weight, or denial of the dangers of one’s low weight

There are two types of anorexia. In the restricting type, weight loss is achieved by restricting calories. Restricting anorexics follow drastic diets, go on fasts, and exercise to excess. In the purging type, people get rid of calories they’ve consumed by vomiting or using laxatives and diuretics.

Anorexia is most common in adolescent girls and young women, with a typical age of onset between the ages of 13 and 20. But people of all ages­—including men and children—can suffer from anorexia.

The difference between dieting and anorexia

Eating disorders, including anorexia, often begin with normal dieting. A person may start dieting and exercising to get in shape, but as the pounds come off, a desire to lose even more weight is triggered. This cycle continues until the person almost completely stops eating.

Many factors influence this destructive progression from healthy dieting to full-blown anorexia. For many anorexics, self-starvation is a way to feel in control. People with anorexia may feel powerless in their everyday lives, but they can control what they eat. Restricting food is a way to cope with painful feelings such as anger, shame, and self-loathing. Saying “no” to food, getting the best of hunger, and controlling the number on the scale make them feel strong and successful—at least for a short while.

Unfortunately, this boost to self-esteem is short-lived. Anorexics believe that their lives will be better—that they’ll finally feel good about themselves—if they lose more weight. But no amount of dieting or weight loss can repair the negative self-image at the heart of anorexia. In the end, anorexia only leads to greater emotional pain, isolation, and physical damage.

Is it a Diet or Anorexia?
Healthy Dieting	Anorexia
Weight loss is viewed as a way to improve health and appearance.	Weight loss is viewed as a way to achieve happiness.
Self-esteem is based on more than just weight and body image.	Self-esteem is based entirely on how much you weigh and how thin you are.
Is an attempt to control weight	Is an attempt to control your life and emotions
The goal is to lose weight in a healthy way.	Becoming thin is all that matters; health is not a concern.

The Care & Feeding of Healthy Kids

Everyone knows an infant needs regular feedings in order to grow and develop. The trouble begins when people start giving month-old babies tastes of ice cream, pieces of candy, cookies, or even meat, sometimes before they've even grown teeth. Baby foods also contain sugar, an absolutely unnecessary ingredient, but cheap filler for the manufacturer.
The early introduction to overly sweet and nutrient devoid foodstuffs sets you and your baby up for a lifetime struggle of refusing healthful foods in favor of treats. First the struggle is to get them to eat, "Come on honey, just one more bite for mommy," then later you struggle to get them to stop, "No, honey, you can't have another cookie."
Children that are not given sugar during infancy have a greater resistance to disease and are less likely to become sugar addicts in later life. For your sake and theirs, wait to introduce your babies to processed foods, and especially "fast foods" for as long as possible.

Overweight Kids - Don't be Too Quick to Restrict their Eating

Kids learn to overeat at an early age. Cookies and candy are offered instead of hugs when the child falls, or gets his feelings hurt. Food, especially gooey, sweet treats are offered as a reward for good behavior, instead of a small toy, trip to the zoo or park or special favors.

Once a fondness for sweets sets in, it's difficult to change. Many kids are much less active than in previous generations. TV watching, the Internet, Nintendo and PlayStation have all contributed to the "coach potato" lifestyle. The lack of exercise and excess food consumption equals overweight and even obesity.

So what do most parents do when they realize their kids are getting too fat? They put them on the same dangerous fad diets they've tried themselves. Popular diets ("fad diets") are proven ineffective -- they simply don't work. Restrictive dieting for children can be outright dangerous and should be avoided in nearly all circumstances.

Children Need Good Nutrition

Children need good nutrition, meaning a clean diet. The occasional treat is fine but a diet that is primarily based on fast foods, chips, sodas, and hot-dogs is not going to provide adequate nutrition for their growing bodies and minds.

Additionally giving a youngster a lot of junk foods during infancy and the toddler years, then suddenly attempting to restrict a child's foods and choice, is laying the groundwork for eating disorders.

The worst thing that a parent can do is give unrestricted junk foods during infancy and the toddler years, then suddenly restrict a child's foods and choice, or refuse a child enough to eat in the name of "dieting." That is a sure fire way to set up a youngster for an eating disorder, or at best a mistrust of their receiving the basic necessities of life such as love and nurturing.

Restrictive Diets Dangerous for Very Young

Placing a very young child on a diet is dangerous. It places the child's most basic biological needs at risk, i.e. not feeding a hungry child is an emotional trauma. A recent report by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) indicated that very young children (0 - 7 years of age) should not be placed on "diets" but rather should be on a program to maintain their weight, thereby decreasing their overall fat percentage as they grow.

If your child is obese, meaning more than 30% over their ideal weight (and ideal weight is difficult to measure in a child as they are of such varied sizes and shapes), then rather than providing less to eat, instead encourage more movement. Exercise will make the difference. Get the kids up off the couch and moving.

Get Out and Play

Play outdoor sports with them, organize play groups, build or visit a playground. Encourage your kids to race, jump, ride bikes. You get the idea? When I was young we would ride our bikes up and down the street for hours, nearly every day. We climbed trees and played on the swings. Obviously all children don't have nice backyards in which to play, but most neighborhoods have some type of facility. Check your yellow pages or even call your local Chamber of Commerce.

Get yourself and your kids out to play.

Cataract Disease

Introduction
The most common condition related to aging is cataract. More than quarter of all Indians aged 65 and older have a cataract. A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens. When the lens becomes cloudy, the light is blocked and scattered, and therefore the image that appears is blurred. As a cataract develops, it becomes harder for a person to see. The lens is that part of the eye which helps to focus light on the retina. The retina is the eye's sensitive layer that sends visual signals to the brain. To produce a sharp image, the lens must remain clear.

What are the causes of Cataract ?

Cataracts are most often found in persons over the age of 55, but they are also occasionally found in younger people. A cataract can develop in one or both eyes, and it may or may not affect the entire lens. Usually, cataracts develop slowly and cause no pain. For most people, cataracts are the natural result of aging. Some children are born with cataracts or develop it during childhood. These cataracts may not affect vision. Family history can be a genetic predisposition. Cataracts can develop soon after an eye injury, or years later. It is likely to develop in people who have certain other health problems, like diabetes. Certain medications like steroids and cigarette smoking also cause cataracts. Excessive long-term exposure to sunlight and exposure to heavy doses of radiation, as in cancer therapy can also result in a cataract.

What are the symptoms of Cataract ?

Although cataracts develop without pain or discomfort, there are some indications that a cataract may be forming. These include:- Blurred or hazy vision. Sensitivity to sunlight (glare) or the feeling of having a film over the eyes. Appearance of spots in front of the eyes. Double vision or ghost images. Loss of ability to see brightness of colors. Discolored (white) pupil. Difficulty with daily activities such as driving and reading. Poor night vision. Temporary improvement in near vision may also indicate the formation of a cataract. How can we diagnose Cataract ? By doing a comprehensive eye examination, an opthalmologist can diagnose a cataract and monitor its development. A comprehensive eye examination usually includes: Visual acuity test: This is an eye chart test Your eye doctor will ask you to read a letter chart to see how sharp your sight is at various distances. Pupil dilation: In this test, the pupil (the round black centers of your eyes) is widened with eye drops to allow your doctor to see more of the lens and retina and look for other eye problems. Other eye tests: A. Glare test. B. Contrast sensitivity test. How can Cataract be treated ? There is no non-surgical treatment for a cataract. Preventive measures include wearing good ultraviolet (UV) blocking sunglasses as a protection from the sun. Anti-oxidant vitamins may retard cataract changes. There are no medications, dietary supplements, exercises or optical devices to cure cataracts. If symptoms from a cataract are mild, prescription glasses may be sufficient to function more comfortably. Surgery is the only way a cataract can be removed and cured. This treatment involves removing the cloudy lens and replacing it with a substitute lens. Removal of Cataract There are two important ways to remove a cataract: Phacoemulsification, or phaco: In this technique the doctor makes a small incision on the side of the cornea, (dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye). The doctor then inserts a tiny probe into the eye. This device emits ultrasound waves that soften and break up the cloudy center of the lens. Most cataract surgery today is done by this method and is done by using local anaesthesia. This is also called "out patient" or minor cataract surgery. Extracapsular surgery: A longer incision on the side of the cornea is made to remove the hard center of the lens. The remainder of the lens is then removed by suction and replaced by an intraocular lens (IOL). An IOL is a clear, artificial lens that requires minimal care and becomes a less than permanent part of the eye and improves vision. The operation usually lasts 1 hour and is almost painless. Can a Cataract Return? A cataract cannot return because all or part of the lens has been removed. However, in some people who have had extracapsular surgery or phacoemulsification, the lens capsule becomes cloudy after a year. It causes the same vision problems as a cataract does. To correct this, laser capsulotomy can be performed. In laser (YAG) capsulotomy a laser (light) beam is used to make a tiny hole in the capsule to let light pass. This surgery is painless and does not require stay in the hospital. Frequently asked questions about Cataract... Which doctor should I visit when I develop cataract? You should consult an Opthalmologist. What are the common problems encountered after surgery? Problems after surgery rarely occur. These can include infection, bleeding, inflammation or light flashes. With prompt medical attention, these problems can be treated. How soon can vision return to normalcy? Improvement in vision usually begins within 1 or 2 days of surgery. As the eye takes time to heal from surgery, for complete improvement in vision can take up to 4 weeks after surgery. What are the common problems encountered after surgery? Problems after surgery rarely occur. These can include infection, bleeding, inflammation or light flashes. With prompt medical attention, these problems can be treated. How soon can vision return to normalcy? Improvement in vision usually begins within 1 or 2 days of surgery. As the eye takes time to heal from surgery, complete improvement in vision can take upto 4 weeks after surgery. Glossary Cataract - A condition in which the crystalline lens of the eye becomes opaque. Contact lenses - Lenses which fit directly on the eyeball under the eyelids. Cornea - The clear tissue in front of the eye resembling a crystal of a watch. Diplopia - The seeing of one object as two. Nystagmus - An involuntary, rhythmical movement of the eyeballs. Opthalmoscope - Device for viewing the interior of the eye or the retina. Optic nerve - The nerve which carries visual impulses from the retina to the brain. Optician - A technician who designs, verifies and dispenses lenses, frames and other fabricated optical devices upon the prescription of an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. Opthalmologist - A physician who is qualified and specially trained to diagnose and treat all eye and visual system problems, as well as diagnose general diseases of the body. Photophobia - Abnormal sensitivity to light. Refractive error - A defect in the eye that prevents light from being brought to a single focus exact on the retina. Pupil - Apeture allowing light to enter into the eye regulated, by the iris and ciliary muscles. Retina - Light sensitive membrane at the back of the eye. Light is focused onto this membrane and the retina then transmits this information to the brain as impulses which the brain interprets as sight. Sclera - The firm white fibrous membrane that forms the white part of the eye. Visual acuity - Clarity of vision, with corrective glasses. HIGHLIGHTS A cataract is a clouding of the eye's natural lens. Cataracts develop slowly and cause no pain. Likely to develop in people who have diabetes.

Healthy Fast Food

Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices

America has been called a "fast food nation" and for good reason. Everyday, one out of four Americans eats fast food. If you are eating out, fast food restaurants are often the cheapest option, but unfortunately, not usually the healthiest one. Eating just one fast food meal can pack enough calories, sodium and fat for an entire day, but the quick-and-cheap temptation can be hard to resist.

As an informed customer, you can make healthier choices and still enjoy the con

venience of fast food restaurants.

Learning to make healthier choices at fast food restaurants

Making healthier choices at fast food restaurants is easier if you prepare ahead by checking guides that show you the nutritional content of meal c

hoices at your favorite restaurants. Free downloadable guides help you evaluate your options. If you have a special dietary concern, such as diabetes, heart health or weight loss, the websites of national non-profits provide useful advice. You can also choose to patronize restaurants that focus

on natural, high quality food.

If you don’t prepare ahead of time, common sense guidelines help to make your meal healthier. For example, a seemingly healthy salad can be a diet minefield when smothered in high-fat dressing and fried toppings, so choose a salad with fresh veggies, grilled toppings and a lighter dressing. Portion control is also important, as many fast food restaurants serve enough food for several meals in the guise of a single serving.

Top tips for healthy eating at fast food restaurants

Make careful menu selections – pay attention to the descriptions on t he menu. Dishes labeled deep-fried, pan-fried, basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy, scalloped, Alfredo, au gratin or in cream sauce are usually high in calories, unhealthy fats or sodium. Order items with more vegetables and choose leaner meats.

Drink water with your meal. Soda is a huge source of hidden calories. One 32-oz Big Gulp with regular cola packs about 425 calories, so one Big Gulp can quickly gulp up a big portion of your daily calorie intake. Try adding a little lemon to your water or ordering unsweetened iced tea.

“Undress” your food. When choosing items, be aware of calorie- and fat-packed salad dressings, spreads, cheese, sour cream, etc. For example, ask for a grilled chicken sandwich without the mayonnaise. You can ask for a packet of ketchup or mustard and add it yourself, controlling how much you put on your sandwich.

Don't be afraid to special order. Many menu items would be healthy if it weren't for the way they were prepared. Ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served without the sauces. Ask for olive oil and vinegar for your salads or order the dressing "on the side" and spoon only a small amount on at a time. If your food is fried or cooked in oil or butter, ask to have it broiled or steamed.

Watch portion size - an average fast food meal can run as high as 1000 calories or more, so choose a smaller portion size, order a side salad instead of fries, and don't supersize anything. At a typical restaurant, a single serving provides enough for two meals. Take half home or divide the portion with a dining partner. Sharing might make dessert (or something else indulgent) more of an option.

Watch your salt. Fast food restaurant food tends to be very high in sodium, a major contributor to high blood pressure. Don’t add insult to injury by adding more salt.

Avoid buffets – even seemingly healthy ones like salad bars. You'll likely overeat to get your money's worth. If you do choose buffet dining, opt for fresh fruits, salads with olive oil & vinegar or low-fat dressings, broiled entrees and steamed vegetables. Resist the temptation to go for seconds, or wait at least 20 minutes after eating to make sure you're really still hungry before going back for more.

Eat mindfully. Pay attention to what you eat and savor each bite. Chew your food more thoroughly and avoid eating on the run. Being mindful also means stopping before you are full. It takes time for our bodies to register that we have eaten. Mindful eating relaxes you, so you digest better, and makes you feel more satisfied.

Remember the big picture – Think of eating out in the context of your whole diet. If it is a special occasion, or you know you want to order your favorite meal at a nice restaurant, make sure your earlier meals that day are extra healthy. Moderation is always key, but planning ahead can help you relax and enjoy your dining out experience while maintaining good nutrition and diet control.

Healthy Weight Loss and Dieting

How to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

No matter how peaceful your nature, when it comes to the battle of the bulge, you have to put up a good fight. In our eat-and-run, massive-portion-sized world, maintaining a healthy weight can be hard enough, and healthy weight loss can be a real struggle. Adding to the difficulty is the abundance of fad diets and “quick-fix” plans that tempt and confuse us and ultimately usually do not work.

Weight management not only makes you look and feel better, it influences your future health. A healthy weight decreases your chances of developing serious health risks such as heart disease or diabetes.

If your last diet attempt wasn't a success, or life events have caused you to gain weight, don’t be discouraged. The key is to find a plan that works with your body’s individual needs so that you can avoid common diet pitfalls and instead make lasting lifestyle changes that can help you find long-term, healthy weight loss success.

Circumventing roadblocks to healthy weight loss

Why do some weight loss programs fail?

Diets, especially fad diets or “quick-fix” pills and plans, often set you up for failure because:

• You feel deprived. Diets that don’t allow certain types of food (carbs, fat, sugar) in moderation are simply not practical, not to mention unhealthy – eliminating entire food groups doesn’t allow for a healthy, well-rounded diet and creates imbalances in our bodies.
• You “plateau” after losing a few pounds. There’s actually a second component to healthy weight loss: exercise. Often your body adjusts to a new way of eating, and it’s only with increased physical activity that the pounds will continue to melt away.
• You lose weight, but can’t keep it off. Diets that severely cut calories, restrict certain foods, or rely on ready-made meals might work in the short term. However, once you meet your weight loss goal, you have no means of lifelong, healthy diet maintenance, and the pounds quickly come back.
• After your diet, you seem to put on weight more quickly. Restricting your food intake slows down your metabolism – another reason why starvation or “fasting” diets are counterproductive.
• You break your diet and feel too discouraged to try again. Just because you gave in to temptation and overindulged, doesn’t mean all your hard work goes down the drain. Healthy eating is about the big picture – an occasional splurge won’t kill your efforts. And again, diets that are too restrictive are conducive to cheating – when you feel deprived, it’s easy to fall off the wagon.
• You lose money faster than you lose weight. Special shakes, meals, and programs may be cost-prohibitive and less practical for long-term weight loss and healthy weight maintenance.
• You feel isolated and unable to enjoy social situations revolving around food. Without some practical, healthy diet strategies, you may feel lost when dining out or attending events like cocktail parties or weddings. If the food served isn’t on your specific diet plan, what can you do?
• The person on the commercial lost 30 lbs in 2 months – and you haven’t. Diet companies make a lot of grandiose promises, and most are simply not realistic. Unfortunately, losing weight is not easy, and anyone who makes it seem that way is doing you a disservice. Don’t get discouraged by setting unrealistic goals!

Why do some weight loss programs succeed?

While there is no “one size fits all” solution to lifelong, healthy weight loss, try these tips:

• Lifestyle Change – Permanent weight loss is not something that a “quick-fix” diet can achieve. Instead, think about weight loss as a permanent lifestyle change. You are making a commitment to your health for life. Various popular diets can help to jump-start your weight loss, but permanent changes in your lifestyle and food choices are what will work long term.
• Find a cheering section – Social support means a lot. Programs like Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers use group support to impact weight loss and lifelong healthy eating. Seek out support, whether in the form of family, friends, or a support group, so that you can get the encouragement you need.
• Commit to a plan and stick to it – Experiment until you find a good, long-term plan that helps you lose the weight and maintain that loss in a way that works for you. If you cut out just 100 calories a day you could lose 10 pounds in a year. Remember one 12 oz can of a popular soda contains 150 calories.
• Lose weight slowly. Losing weight too fast can take a toll on your nervous system, making you feel sluggish, drained, and sick. When you drop a lot of weight quickly, you’re actually losing mostly water and muscle rather than fat. Aim to lo se 1 to 2 pounds a week to ensure healthy weight loss.
• Stay motivated and keep track – Short-term goals, like wanting to fit into a bikini for the summer, usually don’t work as well as goals like wanting to feel more confident or become healthier for your children’s sakes. Keep a food journal or weigh yourself regularly. Find and use tools that help keep you motivated. Stay focused: when frustration and temptation strike, concentrate on the many benefits you will reap from being healthier and leaner.

Tips for Healthy Weight Loss your Way

Eating and drinking tips

• Focus on fruits and veggies – The high water and fiber content in many fruits and vegetables make them ideal for healthy snacking and incorporation into meals. Add veggies to your favorite main courses (made from lean meats and whole grains) to make your dish “go” further. In addition, vitamins and nutrients in fruits and vegetables can help your overall health and vitality.
• Upgrade your carbohydrates – Switch from simple to complex carbohydrates. This means eating fewer products like white bread and white rice and eating more whole grains such as whole wheat bread, whole grain brown rice, millet, quinoa and barley. They give you long-term energy, and have a high-fiber content so you feel full longer.
• Experiment with protein. Protein keeps you full longer than carbohydrates, but most of us in the U.S. eat more animal protein than our bodies need. In addition, animal protein often comes with high amounts of fat. Figure out how much and what type of protein is the right amount for your body. Choose lean, high quality protein or vegetarian options like beans and nuts.
• Drink more water. You can easily reduce your daily calorie intake by replacing soda, alcohol or coffee with water. Thirst can also be confused with hunger, so by drinking water, you may avoid consuming extra calories, plus it will help you break down food more easily.
• Take a multivitamin. This will help you be sure that there are no nutrient gaps in your diet. But remember that it does not substitute for eating a healthy well balanced diet.

Orgiastic AIDS Awareness Ads

Orgiastic AIDS Awareness Ads

We’ve seen our fair share of safe sex ads in Trend Hunter, but these new HIV awareness ads by One Life are one of the most effective ones I have come across.

Eye-popping visuals of simulated and Photoshopped orgies are coupled with the copy, “Each time you sleep with someone, you also sleep with his past. Get tested for HIV.”

The effect is instant and the message is strongly driven home.

The ads were photographed by Alain Desjean for ad agency Bleublancrouge, Montréal, Canada.

A Citizen Who Will Not Stay Silent

Government’s view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.” —Ronald Reagan

Apparently Ronald Reagan had it right when he said" if it stops moving subsidize it". The "IT" he was refering to was not the it that is being subsidizes(aka given), but money given to the non-earners from hard working tax payers.

When you compare the billions given to Wall Street bankers with the amount that is now given in Detroiy,15 million dollars, it is insignificant. But when you realize that 99% of the recipients are minorities who will vote for Democrats in 2010, and the bankers will not only vote but contribute large sums of money to re-elect those who gave them the money. You can understand that this is just another example of reditribution of wealth only to those who support Obama and the Democrats!

The stimulus bill was sold to the public as a "shovel ready program" that would put people back to work, but with the unemployment hovering around 10% it appears that all the stimulus is doing is reassuring that Obama and his Congressional sycophants get re-elected!

The assistance in Detroit, announced by the media today, is from a 15 million dollar pile of money coming to Detroit, Michigan as part of the stimulus package.
I believe in charity for the homeless in the form of food kitchens and temporary housing for the really homeless, but it should come from the private sector via the Churches and Community organizations like San Francisco's Glide Memorial Center, which has been doing GODS work for decades. Not from the tax payers!

The thing that is going on Detroit has two fatal flaws that make it a non-starter before it began. One is that if you give money in the form of cash or check how do you know that the people whom you are giving it to will spend it on the intended purpose for which you gave the money?
The second is the final qualification sentence in the list of things that woul qualify a person or family for the assistance. "That they must be able to maintain housing after receiving assistance. How can a homeless person do this?And by the wat how will those giving away the money determine that those who apply as homeless have bee residents of Detroit for at least six months. Will they evn try?
Also, a resident must make 50 percent less than the median area income, which would be less than $24,850 for single Detroit residents and less than $35,500 for a family of four.

All this is accomplishing is redistributing the wealth as we know Obama has promised he will do.
But there is a brewing problem with this seemingly good deed. The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center recently disclosed that close to half of all households will pay no income tax this year. Some will pay less than zero -- that is, they'll get money from those of us who do pay taxes.

The Tax Policy Center adds that this year the average income-tax rate for the bottom 40 percent of earners will be negative and that their cash subsidy will equal 10 percent of the total amount the income tax brings in, thanks to the Earned Income Tax Credit and President Obama's "Making Work Pay" program.

The view from the top also shows the lopsidedness of the tax system. The top 20 percent of earners makes about 53 percent of the income in America but pays 91 percent of the income tax. The top 1 percent pays 36 percent. The IRS says the bottom half of earners pays less than 3 percent.
This presents a serious problem because government has such vast powers to dispense favors. As Shaw suggested, people who pay no tax will not hesitate to vote for politicians who promise big spending. Why not? They will get stuff without having to pay for it. Source:PatriotPost.com



And to the insult of the tax payers. The City of Chicago was visited today by the U.S. Attorney General and the Secretary of Education to meet with officials of the Chicago leadership. The meeting was held because of the national outrage from the TV pictures of an honor high school student being beaten to death with large boards.Why did they not visit Los Angeles or New York where crime is rampant?
Why now? I believe that the Obama administration lost the bid to bring the Olympics to Chicago which would have brought millions to Chicago politicians. So now they are going to get money from Obama that will be handed over in the name of reducing the killing of teens, but will in fact be used to buy continued support for Democrats and Obama.
The amount is unspecified as is what they will use it for. Clinton when he was president sent millions to major cities including Chicago to establish midnight basket ball. But the plan failed to stop the killing!

Not one of the participants in the "meeting" mentioned increasing law enforcement and severe punishment for offenders. This is a dirty thought for Liberals who believe, as they have for decades, if you throw money at problems they will fade away. As Thomas Sowell says; ".the problem with the political left is that they seem to have no sense of the tragedy of the human condition. All problems seem to them to be due to other people not being as wise or as noble as they are".
So unknown millions will go to Chicago and it will still have a crime rate among the youth unless the law enforcement people begin a war against the gangs!.

Don't hold your breath until that happens, as long as the Daley machine and the Obama machine believe in spending other peoples money will stop crime and solve all of societies problems!

Family Fitness

Fit families are healthy families who have an active lifestyle. Frequently, they enjoy the things they do together, and the things they do together foster better communication and closer relationships than watching TV does.

Family fitness takes some parental commitment, leadership, and imagination, and you may have to listen to a lot of grousing and whining to start with, but the entire family will benefit as a result. Five factors that affect your family fitness plan are cost, convenience, family-friendly environment, fun, and success.

Cost

Family fitness doesn’t have to be expensive. Sure, you can drop a couple of hundred dollars or more taking the family skiing. But you can find a slope and sled down it on plastic trash bags for free. Most communities have free or low-cost family activities at community centers or parks. Check your local newspaper or parks and recreation department, and use your imagination to come up with activities your family can do together that don’t break the bank.

Convenience

Families are busy, and convenience is essential to a family fitness plan. If you have to go through a lot of hassle or travel a long way on a regular basis, you won’t follow through. Plan activities that you can do in your own backyard or neighborhood, like play Frisbee. You can also stay home to rake up leaves and jump in them, or make snow angels in the winter months. If you join a club or team, make it one that’s convenient to get to, and one the entire family can be a part of. Joining a bowling league is a great way to keep the family involved.

Family-Friendly Environment

When you join a club or plan an activity, make sure your whole family is welcome. It’s not much fun to look forward to an outing, and then discover that your kids are the only ones there. You want an appropriate environment for young children, too, where they will be safe and not exposed to “adult” language or behavior.

Fun

Fun is the key to successful family fitness. If everybody has fun, you’ll all want to do it again. Ask the kids what kind of activities they enjoy. You could even let them choose some family activities and help with the planning. Have a family meeting, and come up with a list of activities your family wants to try.

In addition to making sure your family fitness activities are fun, you can make sure your family fun activities center around fitness. Take everybody miniature golfing for a birthday instead of having a cake-and-ice-cream party. Celebrate Independence Day by going on a 10K walk together (which you’ll have to train for together). Walk around your neighborhood at Christmas and enjoy the lights, or sing carols. Bring fun and activity together as often as you can, and you and your kids will begin to associate an active lifestyle with having fun.

Success

Every member of your family needs to feel successful at whatever activities your family chooses. They don’t all have to be good at the activity as long as they enjoy it and feel good about themselves doing it. Family fitness can become an unhealthy competition that leaves less athletic family members feeling like failures, and that can defeat the purpose. Choose activities that everybody can participate in and enjoy at least moderate success at.

When our families pursue fitness together, we benefit in other ways, too. Your kids will remember and treasure family camping trips, going swimming together, and having family snowball fights. You’re building good health habits and good childhood memories at the same time, and the whole family is having fun doing it.

Blood Pressure

Traffic Noise Raises Blood P

ressure

Living in areas with high traffic noise may lead to higher blood pressure and a concurrently higher risk of heart attack or stroke, according to a study conducted by researchers from Lund University Hospital in Sweden and published in the journal Environmental Health.

"Road traffic is the most impor tant source of community noise," said lead author Theo Bodin. "We found that exposure above 60 decibels was associated with high blood pressure among the relatively young and middle-aged, an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke."

Previous studies have found connections between living near airports and higher blood pressure. Scientists believe that constant noise may place the body in a state of chronic stress, leading to higher heart rate and blood pressure. It may also harm health by disturbing sleep patterns.

Researchers examined health and residence data on more than 24,000 adult residents of Sweden, using their home addresses to determine the average level of ambient traffic noise in their neighborhoods. Young and middle-aged adults being regularly exposed to average noise levels between 45 and 65 decibels were significantly more likely to have high blood pressure than those in quieter neigh borhoods, with risk increasing proportionally to noise level.

Among the middle-aged, 28 percent of those living in areas with noise averaging above 64 decibels reported high blood pressure. Only 17 percent of adults in the same age group and quieter neighborhoods suffered from hypertension. The numbers in younger adults were similar.

The researchers did not know why there appeared to be no link between noise and blood pressure in the elderly.

"The effect of noise may be come less important, or harder to detect, relative to other risk factors with increasing age," Bodin said. "Alternatively, it could be that noise annoyance varies with age."

Sixty-five decibels is a little louder than a normal conversation. Recent data suggest that 30 percent of the European Union's population is exposed to average traffic noise of 55 decibels or higher continually.

Potassium normalizes high blood pressure

High blood pressure isn't a disease, it's just a noticeable symptom of a physiological imbalance with a biological cause. One of the most common biological causes of this symptom is a mineral deficiency.

Specifically: Potassium.

Potassium is a crucial mineral for restoring healthy blood pressure balance in your body, and when you don't have enough potassium, symptoms can start to emerge that may eventually be diagnosed and labeled as "high blood pressure."

Here, we bring you a collection of useful information about how potassium can help regulate and normalize your blood pressure.

Potassium and high blood pressure

The sudden death that can occur in fasting, anorexia nervosa or starvation is often a result of heart failure caused by potassium deficiency. Many population studies have found links between low potassium intakes and an increased risk of high blood pressure and death from stroke. Increasing the amount of potassium-rich foods in the diet can lead to a reduction in high blood pressure. The ratio of sodium to potassium in the diet appears to play an important role in the development of high blood pressure. The typical Western diet is low in potassium relative to sodium.
- The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements and Herbs by Nicola Reavley

The effects of either low potassium or high potassium can be life-threatening. Since potassium is necessary to the healthy functioning of nerves, cells, and membranes, it is an important electrolyte to monitor. Low potassium is a major cause of cardiac arrhythmia; diuretics for the treatment of high blood pr essure or congestive heart failure may interfere with potassium absorption and excretion. Although potassium supplementation is usually not necessary, individuals on diuretics or laxatives or who have excessive diarrhea may require extra potassium.
- Optimum Health - A Cardiologist's Prescription for Optimum Health by Stephen T., M.D. Sinatra

When it comes to lowering blood pressure, potassium packs a powerful punch. Scientists began studying the effects of potassium on high blood pressure as early as 1928. Now a major study of 300 nurses shows that potassium can lower your blood pressure even if it's in the n

ormal range. Good sources of potassium are dried apricots, avocados, dried figs, acorn squash, baked potatoes, kidney beans, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, and bananas. You can also buy potassium supplements. If you're taking a diuretic, your body is getting rid of potassium along with fluid.
- Natural Cures and Gentle Medicines: That Work Better Than Dangerous Drugs or Risky Surgery by Frank K. Wood

For example, a diet low in potassium and high in sodium is associated with high blood pressure. By contrast, a diet high in potassium and low in sodium can protect against elevation of blood pressure. It has become common knowledge that too much salt in our diet may contribute to high blood pressure. Not so commonly known is that high blood pressure is also related to too little potassium in our diet. In fact, restricting salt alone may not be enough to lower the blood pressure. Potassium must be increased. Most Americans ingest twice as much sodium as potassium.

Garlic is natural medicine for treating high blood pressure

Garlic is one of the most amazing medicinal herbs on the planet. It has been among my top-recommended healing foods and medicines for years. Most people know garlic as being anti-cancer. Others recognize its ability to naturally lower high cholesterol. But did you know that garlic also helps normalize high blood pressure?

Here, we present a collection of powerful quotes about garlic and high blood pressure, documented in some of the best health books ever written. Enjoy this collection of knowledge!

Garlic vs. high blood pressure

Onions have similar characteristics and are often used in combination with garlic. To preserve the beneficial effects of garlic it should not be boiled. The fresh juice is the most effective preparation. For nervous spasms, cramps and seizures, crush one clove of garlic in a glass of hot milk. For high blood pressure, take one clove of garlic each morning. Prepare oil of garlic by placing eight ounces of peeled minced garlic in a wide-mouthed jar with enough olive oil to cover. Close tightly and shake a few times each day; allow to stand in a warm place for three days.
- The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra

Garlic has achieved a legendary reputation as an antihypertensive medication. It's been used in China for centuries for that purpose, and the Japanese government officially recognizes garlic as a blood-pressure depressor. American scientists first tried garlic against high blood pressure in 1921. Garlic consistently lowers blood pressure in laboratory animals.
- The Food Pharmacy: Dramatic New Evidence That Food Is Your Best Medicine by Jean Carper

Eat more garlic. It is another legendary folk remedy for high blood pressure, and it is effective, according to recent studies. Long used in China and widely used today in Germany as a blood pressure medication, garlic can have a striking impact. In a recent double blind German test of Kwai, an over-the-counter garlic preparation, doses comparable to a couple of daily garlic cloves pushed diastolic blood pressure down in patients with mild high blood pressure.
- Food Your Miracle Medicine by Jean Carper

I heard a lot about garlic being a good remedy for colds, but I was hesitant to try it because I also heard it lowers high blood pressure. Since my blood pressure is normal, I thought the garlic might cause it to drop. Fortunately, I read where a medical doctor said that garlic normalizes high or low blood pressure, but does not disturb normal blood pressure. With this assurance, I tried Kyolic garlic tablets the next time I felt I was starting to come down with a cold. Within a few days, I felt fine.
- Secrets of the Chinese Herbalists by Richard Lucas

The confidence the Egyptians had in garlic is demonstrated by the fact that they reportedly used it to strengthen the workers who built the pyramids. Pliny recommended garlic for 61 maladies in his Historia Naturalis; Hippocrates recommended it as a laxative, diuretic, and cure for tumors of the uterus. Garlic has been used to treat high blood pressure for centuries in China and Japan. In first-century India, garlic and onion were thought to prevent heart disease and rheumatism. Garlic even had a reputation as an aphrodisiac in Shakespearean England.

High Blood Pressure Linked to Mental Decline for Young and Old

Researchers from the University of Maine reported in a journal published by the American Heart Association, Hypertension, that mental function is measurably affected by high blood pressure in otherwise healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 83. The study was begun in 1974 by Merrill Elias and David Streeten, Professor of Medicine, of the Health Sciences Center, State University of New York at Syracuse and spanned 20 years.

In the same issue of Hypertension an editorial from medical researchers in Belgium and the Netherlands said the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS) of the last 20 years breaks new ground and has far reaching public health implications. Other studies have measured high blood pressure, hypertension and high pulse pressure in older adults and found worse cognitive performance than those having normal readings, but none had examined both younger and older individuals over an extended time period.

A more recent study conducted on participants over the age of 45 underscores the association between high blood pressure and reduced mental ability. For every 10-point increase in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading), the odds of mental impairment increase by 7 percent, though it's not clear why.

In the August 25th issue of Neurology, the official journal of the American Academy of Neurology, results of the study were reported by a team including George Howard, chairman of the department of biostatistics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health. He says other studies have found such a relationship, but this particular one carries significant weight because of its size and efficacy. Dr. David Knopman, a professor of neurology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, says this new study supports a large body of literature that shows hypertension has an impact on cognition.

Dr. Georgios Tsivgoulis, the neurologist who compiled the data and spends his time between Greece and the University of Alabama, believes more research is needed to confirm the findings. He states, "It is possible that by preventing or treating high blood pressure, we could potentially prevent cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to dementia. That`s an important possibility considering the world's population is aging with a forecast of increased dementia for 100 million people by the year 2050.

Deputy director of the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Dr. Walter J. Koroshetz, agrees with Dr. Tsivgoulis's statement and says the National Institute of Health will organize a large clinical trial to further evaluate the association between lowering blood pressure and health issues including cognitive decline.

Whether you are young or older, if lowering high blood pressure can keep your mind sharp and prevent dementia, here are a few ways to do so without medication.

Drink plenty of pure, unadulterated water. Chronic dehydration is often the cause of high blood pressure. The body tries to hold on to water reserves by constricting blood vessels, raising your blood pressure. Soft drinks or fruit juices won't have the same effect as clean filtered water.

Sodium chloride, sodium, and table salt can raise blood pressure. When using salt choose a healthy salt from the ocean-sea salt (often called Himalayan or Celtic) which has important minerals and elements unlike sodium chloride.

Stress is a major contributor to high blood pressure. Research has shown physical exercise is the best tension reliever. Any exercise that gets your heart pumping will get those endorphins (stress-busters) flowing.

Train your mind to become less responsive to stress through meditation, yoga, visualization and deep breathing.

When we think of the health risks associated with high blood pressure, the first one that usually comes to mind is coronary heart disease followed by heart failure, stroke, kidney failure and a host of other insidious health problems. These are just a few of the reasons it is imperative to keep your blood pressure numbers in the optimal range of 120/80. There is certainly an added incentive now that we learn optimal control of blood pressure is vital at any age for protecting your mind.

Hibiscus Tea Significantly Lowers Blood Pressure

Drinking hibiscus tea can significantly reduce blood pressure among people with elevated risks of cardiovascular or kidney disease, according to a new study presented at the annual conference of the American Heart Association.

High blood pressure is a dangerous health condition that triples the risk of heart attack and is responsible for 60 percent of all strokes. The condition is very common in the developed world; one in three people in the United Kingdom, for example, are considered to suffer from high blood pressure.

Researcher Diane McKay and colleagues conducted the study on 65 people between the ages of 30 and 70 whose high blood pressure levels placed them at increased risk of kidney disease, heart attack and stroke. Participants were assigned to drink either hibiscus tea or a placebo three times per day for six weeks.

At the end of the study, blood pressure levels had fallen an average of 7.2 percent in the hibiscus group, compared with only 1.3 percent in the placebo group. Some patients in the hibiscus group actually experienced a 13.2 percent reduction.

"Hibiscus is now the most promising herb for treating blood pressure," said alternative medicine expert Andrew Weill. "Studies have found that people who drank two cups of hibiscus daily for four weeks lowered their diastolic blood pressure by 12 percent -- results similar to those for common blood pressure medication."

Scientists do not know exactly what compounds in hibiscus contribute to its protective effect, but the flowers are known to contain chemicals known as anthocyanins, which have been shown to improve the functioning of blood vessels and strengthen the protein collagen, which helps give structure to cells and tissues, including blood vessels.

Anthocyanins and other components of hibiscus tea are also known to function as antioxidants, cleansing the body of dangerous free radicals that can have been linked to heart disease, cancer and the symptoms of aging.

Beverages made or flavored from the flowers of the plan Hibiscus sabdariffa are popular in many African, Asian and Caribbean countries.

AIDS

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome occurs as a result of infection with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). It belongs to the family of human retroviruses and the subfamily of lentiviruses. There are 2 types of HIV that result in AIDS in humans:

1. HIV-1: common

2. HIV-2: Africa

Mode of transmission

• Sexual transmission: both homosexual and heterosexual. It is particularly more common among homosexual men during receptive anal intercourse. Vaginal transmission to both partners is a common mode of transmission. Oral sex is a much less effective mode of transmission although there have been documented cases.

• Transmission through HIV contaminated blood products.

• Occupational transmission: Health care worker and lab worker maybe infected. Infections resulting from self puncture resulting from a needle or a sharp object is rather low being estimated at a rate of approximately 0.3%

• Vertical tran

  smission from the mother to the fetus (through placental blood) or infant (through breast milk).

• There is no convincing evidence of transmission through other body fluids (e.g. saliva).

Mechanism of disease

The hallmark of HIV disease is a profound immunodeficiency resulting primarily from a progressive deficiency of a the subset of T lymphocytes referred to as helper T cells, or inducer T cells. This subset of T cells is identified by the presence of a the CD4 molecule on its surface which also serves as the primary cellular receptor for HIV.

Clinical picture

1. Initial acute retroviral syndrome: affects 50% of those infected and starts 3 to 6 weeks after primary infection.
2. Asymptomatic stage
3. Generalized lymph node enlargement
4. Symptomatic infection:
1. constitutional disease (fever, loss of 10% body weight, diarrhea).
2. neu rological
3. secondary infection
4. secondary neoplasm
5. other

Diagnosis and screening

Using the CDC system for diagnosis of AIDS, any HIIV-infected individual with a CD4+ T cell count of <200/ul>

The currently used screening methods include various ELISA techniques that may require confirmation with Western Blot or other tests such as DNA PCR, RNA PCR, the (b)DNA assay, or p24 antigen capture that usually take days.

Treatment

There is currently no cure or vaccine for HIV or AIDS. Newer treatments, however, have played a part in delaying the onset of AIDS, on reducing the symptoms, and extending patients' life spans. Over the past decade the success of these anti-retroviral treatments in prolonging, and improving, the quality of life for people with AIDS has improved dramatically.

Current optimal treatment options consist of combinations ("cocktails") of two or more types of anti-retroviral agents such as two nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and a protease inhibitor. Patients on such treatments have been known to repeatedly test "undetectable" (that is, negative) for HIV, but discontinuing therapy has thus far caused all such patients' viral loads to promptly increase. There is also concern with such regimens that drug resistance will eventually develop. In recent years the term HAART (highly-active anti-retroviral therapy) has been commonly used to describe this form of treatment. The majority of the world's infected individuals, unfortunately, do not have access to medications and treatments for HIV and AIDS.

There is ongoing research into developing a vaccine for HIV and in developing new anti-retroviral drugs. Human trials are currently underway. Research to improve current treatments includes simplifying current drug regimens to improve adherence and in decreasing side effects.