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TRUE FACT the things we think about repeatedly, and the things our eyes behold really have an affect on us!
You know this innately. For instance, children watching violence does affect their
thought process. It will desensitize the horror of violence and make it more acceptable in their minds.
We create brain cells according to what we see and hear habitually….and the thinking does become altered accordingly.
An old Cherokee tale explains it quite beautifully:
An old Grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice…
“Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt great hate for those who have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It’s like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die.”
“I have struggled with these feelings many times. It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.
But…the other wolf… ah! The littlest thing will send him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all of the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.”
“Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit.”
The boy looked intently into his Grandfather’s eyes and asked, “Which one wins, Grandfather?”
The Grandfather smiled and quietly said, “The one I feed.”
So pay attention to what you FEED your mind and the minds of your family and those you share life with daily. We can help change the world if we work at it from within our own minds!
Better to be prepared and have nothing happen than to be unprepared and have something terrible
happen. This is not a panic post but is meant as information and preventative tips. Knowledge is power. Blessings to you all!
The best way to keep the disease from spreading, Besser said, is by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if not feeling well. He said authorities are not recommending that people wear masks at work because evidence that it is effective “is not that strong.”
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Swine flu Q&A: What it is, symptoms, how to fight it
It’s a common respiratory ailment in pigs, but this strain appears to b ea subtype never before seen in pigs or humans. Here are answers to questions you may have about swine flu.
Q: What is swine flu?
A: It’s a common respiratory disease in pigs that doesn’t usually spread to people. When pigs catch this flu, many get quite sick, and 1% to 4% die, according to the World Health Organization. In the past, people have sometimes caught swine flu if they worked directly with pigs.
YOUR QUESTIONS: What do you want to know about swine flu? Ask here
STATE BY STATE: How officials across the USA are facing the threat
WHO: 40 U.S. cases confirmed
PHOTOS: Global citizens, travelers try to protect themselves
Q: How is this swine flu virus different?
FIND MORE STORIES IN: United States | White House | Minnesota | Mexico | North Dakota | World Health Organization | Elizabeth | Janet Napolitano | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
A: This strain appears to be a subtype not seen before in humans or pigs, with genetic material from pigs, bird and humans, according to WHO. Unlike most cases of swine flu, this one can spread from person to person, said Richard Besser, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at a White House press conference Sunday. One of the confirmed cases in the USA caught swine flu from a spouse, who had been to Mexico.
Q: Were pigs the carriers of this virus?
A: It’s closer to say that pigs were the mixing bowl for this virus. Birds can’t pass bird flu to people. But pigs are uniquely susceptible to getting flu viruses that infect birds. Experts have long worried that a pig would catch a bird strain of the flu and then the virus would mutate inside the pig to a form that could also infect other mammals. That may be what happened in this case. Pigs can also be infected with more than one influenza virus at a time, allowing the viruses to share genes, called “genetic reassortment,” creating new and potentially much more virulent viruses.
Q: Can you catch swine flu from eating pork?
A: No, according to WHO. Pigs coming in to slaughter facilities are monitored for flu symptoms, and those that are ill are not allowed to enter the food supply. Cooking also kills the virus. People who work with pigs, however, can catch the virus. The Department of Agriculture is conducting tests to confirm that the food supply is safe, said Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
Q: Is there a vaccine against swine flu?
A: No, but government scientists could try to create one, according to the CDC. “We’ve identified the virus,” Besser said. “Should we decide to manufacture a vaccine, we can work toward that goal very quickly.” CDC scientists don’t know if this year’s flu vaccine offers any protection.
Q: What about antivirals? Can they prevent swine flu?
A: This strain of swine flu does appear sensitive to the antiviral drugs Relenza and Tamiflu, but not to amantadine, or Symmetrel, and rimantadine, or Flumadine, Besser said. With normal seasonal flus, if taken within the first 48 hours after symptoms appear, antivirals can help people recover a day or two sooner. Doctors sometimes prescribe antivirals to household members of people with the flu to prevent them from getting sick.
Q: What are the symptoms?
A: The most common symptoms are fever, fatigue, lack of appetite and coughing, although some people also develop a runny nose, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea, according to the CDC.
Q: What should you do if you have these symptoms?
A: Stay home from work or school, to avoid spreading your illness to other people, Besser said. Don’t get on an airplane. People should call their doctors to ask about the best treatment, but should not simply show up at a clinic or hospital that is unprepared for their arrival.
Q: How can people protect themselves?
A: As always, people should wash their hands frequently, Besser said. In the past, the CDC has said there isn’t conclusive evidence to support using face masks. Surgical masks are designed to prevent the wearer from spreading germs, but may also catch large respiratory droplets if someone sneezes nearby. In a 2007 statement, the CDC said these masks could be worn if someone needs to go to a crowded place, such as a grocery store, for a short time. N95 respirator masks filter out 95% of particles to prevent the wearer from breathing them in. These must be fitted properly around the nose to create a seal, so they can make breathing difficult.
Q: What does it mean for the government to declare a public health emergency?
A: While the declaration “sounds more severe than it is,” Napolitano said Sunday, it will free up funds and allow health officials to use medications and tests that aren’t normally used. The government also issued a public health declaration during recent floods in North Dakota and Minnesota, she said, and noted that the government often issues such declarations when hurricanes are approaching. The federal government is also releasing 25% of the 50 million doses of antiviral medications in the nation’s Strategic National Stockpile, Napolitano said. The Department of Defense is also making 7 million doses available.
Q: Why has the virus been so much deadlier in Mexico, where 1,300 have become ill and more than 80 people have died, than in the USA?
A: “What we’ve seen in this country is not anywhere near the severity of what we’re seeing in Mexico,” Besser said. Doctors don’t yet know why cases have been milder in the USA, where only person has been hospitalized, although 20 cases have been confirmed, Besser said.
By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY
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The best way to keep the disease from spreading, Besser said, is by taking everyday precautions such as frequent handwashing, covering up coughs and sneezes, and staying away from work or school if not feeling well. He said authorities are not recommending that people wear masks at work because evidence that it is effective “is not that strong.”
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A Timeline of Events in the Swine Flu Outbreak
Monday, April 27, 2009
— December 2005 to January 2009: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention receives reports of 12 cases of human infection with swine flu. Five of these 12 cases occurred in patients who had direct exposure to pigs and six reported being near pigs. Exposure in one case is unknown.
— March 28: Believed to be the date of the earliest onset of the swine flu cases in the U.S., Dr. Nancy Cox of the CDC said in an April 23 press briefing.
— April 2: A 4-year-old boy contracted the virus before this date in Veracruz state, Mexican Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova later said citing test results. A community in Veracruz has been protesting pollution from a large pig farm.
— April 6: Local health officials declare a health alert due to a respiratory disease outbreak in the Mexican town of La Gloria in Veracruz state. Health officials record 400 cases of people who sought medical treatment in the previous week in the town. About 60 percent of the town of 3,000 are affected.
— April 17: CDC determines that two children in adjacent counties in southern California had illnesses caused by infection with swine flu. Both children became sick in late March.
— April 22: CDC confirms three additional cases of swine flu in California and two in Texas, near San Antonio.
— April 22: The Oaxaca Health Department indicates that 16 employees at the Hospital Civil Aurelio Valdivieso have contracted respiratory disease.
— April 24: Mexico’s Minister of Health confirms 20 deaths from swine flu, but 40 other fatalities were being probed and at least 943 nationwide were sick from the suspected flu. Mexico City shuts down schools, museums, libraries, and state-run theaters across the capital.
— April 26: The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. climbs to 20 in five states. Mexico reports suspect clinical cases have been reported in 19 of the country’s 32 states. Canada confirms six cases.
— April 27: The World Health Organization raises its pandemic alert status to Phase 4, meaning there is sustained human-to-human transmission of the virus causing outbreaks in at least one country.
Cordova said 1,995 people have been hospitalized with serious cases of pneumonia since mid-April and about half of those have been released. The government does not yet know how many were swine flu. The CDC reports the suspected death toll in Mexico has climbed to 149.
The number of confirmed cases in the U.S. climbs to at least 42 in five states.
Spain reports its first confirmed swine flu case.
Take a deep breath and remember:
You may not always have control over your circumstances, but you ALWAYS have the choice in your response. Before that response take a deep breath (in through the nose). Get extra oxygen to the brain to make a better choice in your response.
Did you know the brain needs 50% more oxygen that the rest of the body to function optimally? When we are stressed we actually hold our breath and cut off our own oxygen supply! So take that breath, exhale through the mouth, and then make a better resolve to the situation.
CREATE a wonderful day and enjoy the moments. Each moment is all we really have to celebrate life so get on it and take advantage the choice you have to do so! 
If you are “under pressure”………
……..just remember: You can only do so much in one day! Believe me, whatever doesn’t get done will be waiting for you tomorrow.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to achieve perfection, to accomplish all our tasks, to be the perfect parent. You know what I mean. Well let it go! None of us will achieve perfection in this lifetime.
What we can work up to is a heart attack if we take all the stress placed in front of us DEAD serious. I don’t mean to slack and procrastinate. I simply mean, step back and take a breath. Appraise what can ACTUALLY be accomplished this day. Step forward now into a realistic picture.
Don’t let others push your buttons. Guard your life and your heart. You are the only one who can do this, and remember, you only have one place to live – YOUR BODY!
If you screw it up by overplaying every day, and suddenly die from a heart attack…or go insane, how good will that be towards all you are working to achieve?????
Don’t be blind and say THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME.” It can certainly happen to any of us if we don’t take care of ourselves and let stress run us over!
Please stop throughout the day and take a breath. Remember this is your life, and
return to your days with a more positive attitude, keeping in mind – You can only
do so much in one day!
I mean it. If you have a boss that is trying to put you into an early grave, perhaps you should re-think things a bit!
TAKE CARE OF YOU AND YOU WILL BE TAKING CARE OF THOSE YOU LOVE BY DOING SO!
My husband had for months been quite negative about some important things. He had valid reasons to have concerns and 99% of the men I’ve known in my lifetime would have been right there with him – grumbling, unhappy, and negative as hell!
But here is where my man differs from so many men. He decided to use his intellect and do something about it. He said, “I’m going to change my attitude about things. I can’t do anything
about these things right now anyway, and I can’t keep going down this path as it’s damaging my position at work and my relationships there too. From now on, “It’s all good.”
He may have been kind of tricking his own brain when he started, but he’d made a choice that
since nothing could be done to change these things right now – he wasn’t going to let himself turn into a grumpy, miserable kind of guy! GOOD FOR HIM!
Last night, after several weeks of training himself to get in the habit of thinking and saying,
“It’s all good”, he was relaxing in his recliner and he turned to get my attention.
“You know,” he began, “since I’ve been saying that it’s all good – things have gotten much better. I feel better, it’s better at work, and it’s all good!”
So there it is. Use your intellect, change your thinking and the words that exit your mouth, and change your life! It’s all good! CREATE a wonderful day for yourself and those around you!
I read a statistic recently that declared that children laugh over 400 times a day and adults only laugh about 15 times a day. To me that is very sad. It indicates that because of all the responsibility and stress in life, we have forgotten our sense of humor and the ability to spontaneously laugh. We take things so seriously that we don’t see a “funny side” to much that
transpires in our daily lives.
Laughter is actually good for your health! When we laugh it lowers our blood pressure. Our
biochemical state is changed when we laugh. Laughter decreases stress hormones while it also tends to increase the ability to fight infections,
Laughter also protects the heart. The University of Maryland Medical Center did a study that
indicated people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in various situations
presented to them (compared to people of the same age without heart disease.)
When we laugh we relieve stress and actually improve our brain function. Laughing eases muscle tension and actually tones our intestinal function. Laughter stimulates both sides of the brain and can enhance learning.
When we keep our sense of humor, others like to associate with us. There are so many benefits I won’t mention them all, but the list goes on and on.
I want to offer a suggestion about humor. There is one kind of “humor” that is not beneficial.
When jokes and laughter take punches at others, and are hurtful, you are actually increasing
the pain of others, and isolating yourself, as well. Don’t do that, please:)
Laughter’s best benefits are shared when others are laughing too. I admit though, I think I am really funny, and I see many situations as humorous as opposed to being difficult. I’ve cracked myself up and laughed until rolling on the floor with my sides hurting from the laughter. My
husband says there is an eight year old trapped in my body.
Mama told me one time, “Think of life as a party. It started before you got here. It will continue after you leave. Try not to take everything so seriously. Take the high road and
have a good laugh more often.”
How right she was. So start today and find your sense of humor. There are constantly things around that can cause us to laugh. Rent a funny movie. Tickle someone and it might tickle you too. Read a few jokes. Listen to the unrestricted laughter of a child. HAVE FUN!! This is YOUR LIFE!
My twin brother wrote a wonderful song many years ago, and that is the title of it. But the words ring so true in my head this morning. We all have the choice to see beauty in this time we spend on earth. There is still abundant beauty close by. This morning I watched the sun rise and it was so lovely I had to take a photo. Probably not an award winning photo, but one that shows how lovely things can be right in front of our eyes – if we only look.
The wispy clouds laying in the blue sky meandered northward as the light of the rising sun shone brightly through the huge oak tree. The tree brimming with new leaves was breathing-taking as the light peeked through the branches.
Find beauty in your own “backyard” – even if you don’t have one.
It’s all around us. Take a breath and share love with someone today. Do something kind, just for the fun of it. It will come back to you!
…..take a breath and wait a moment! When we get upset about stuff we
automatically hold our breath, which cuts off our oxygen supply – which stops oxygen from going to the brain (the brain needs 50% more than the rest of the body to function optimally), which results in less than productive and peaceful resolve to any situation.
Our oxygen is a gift. An important one. Trying going without it for 5 minutes or so…..
Use this gift to calm down. It will also keep the supply going so you can think, therein finding an answer to the immediate situation. It really
works. It will calm you and energize you at the same time! What a gift!
Speaking of which, this is going to be a short post. I have to be about other business. I will celebrate the resurrection of my Lord tomorrow, and the gift we’ve been given if we opt to CHOOSE and BELIEVE. As a mother I could not do what God has done for us. Open your heart.
He has such love for us we can choose to be one of His….or not!
Blessings to you and your family. Believe me, I am an imperfect human;
I am also forgiven.
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