In today’s world, TV and newspapers are filled with advertisements of several male enhancement pills which claim to increase the size of your penis but not all pills are effective. The question is which pills are effective and how the people will come to know about that? Well the easiest way to know the effectiveness of any pill is to read its reviews and feedback. Reviews will give you a fair idea whether the pills are effective or not. If you find credible and good reviews about specific pill then you can surely employ it.

However if still you are not able to judge the credibility of any pill then the best way to cure your sexual problems is by employing herbal products. There are several quality herbal male enhancement pills available in the market which does not pose any side effect. In fact such pills are composed of natural herbs which work to increase the blood circulation to the penis area.

There are few people in this world who think that a small pill cannot do any wonder to their sexual health and they tend to go for surgical methods. The negative thing about surgery is that the after-effects of surgery are hard to tolerate. In fact some of the side effects stick with the person for lifetime. Therefore surgical methods should be avoided for sexual treatment and herbal ways should be given much importance.

There are other methods available to cure sexual problems like pumping, exercises but these methods are not fruitful and often give bad results. However these can be employed along side an effective treatment. If you are finding difficulty in locating the best source for buying quality male enhancement pills then access online companies. The internet world has made it easy for the people to buy their required sex pills at discounted prices. The advent of online stores lures consumers as they don’t have to wait for their doctor’s appointment to buy the pills.

Always access credible and reputed websites because there are few companies operating which offer fake sex pills and deceive consumers by not delivering the pills at their home even after taking payment from them. Remember that it’s your sexual health which is delicate and critical. Don’t play with your sexual health by employing fake pills otherwise you will regret in your life.

It is estimated that two thirds of people of 45 years and older have higher than optimal blood pressure. In addition to the many people do not know that they have high blood pressure, there are a large number who have been diagnosed with high blood pressure but do not have it properly controlled. The incomplete control is due to either the particular drug regime not working well for that individual, or they are not taking the drugs regularly, or at-all.

The problem with high blood pressure is that there are no symptoms. From an early age we learn that our body signals us if something is wrong. We get pain or itching, we throw up or get diarrhea, we get a fever or the chills, our eyes water, we get dizzy and so on. So for something like high blood pressure that is silent; it is easy for us to not to bother to get tested, and if pressure is elevated to ignore it.

Another consideration for treatment of high blood pressure particularly in the elderly is the feeling that, “we all have to die of something”. This view besides being ageist, does not consider the likely consequences. There is a range of potentially very debilitating but non-lethal consequences of having sustained high blood pressure. These will seriously affect the quality of the remaining life, and have significant costs, both to the individual and the healthcare system.

The consequence of having sustained high blood pressure that most people will thing of first is stroke, also called brain attack. Stroke is one of the major causes of permanent disability and reduction in the quality of life. The after effects of a stroke will vary, depending on both the location in the brain of the attack and how much of the brain is damaged. Permanent effects can result in loss of function of one of more parts of the body, such as being unable to speak, loss of control of bodily functions, paralysis and confused mental state.

Another common consequence of uncontrolled or poorly controlled high blood pressure is heart failure, due to the heart having to continually work harder to pump blood round the body. After the heart has been working hard for a period of time, there are changes in the heart, and it becomes unable to pump as efficiently. A long-term effect is that body does not get enough oxygen, which can result in a number of problems such as shortness of breath, swelling, lightheadedness and memory problems. All of these will result in a much-reduced quality of life. Other common side effects of uncontrolled high blood pressure include heart attack, permanent eye and kidney damage.

Since hypertension is so easy to diagnose and there are a range of inexpensive treatment options, there are few major barriers to determination and control. Get your blood pressure checked, get medication if you need it and make sure you monitor the pressure regularly.

Anxiety disorders are characterized by fear, anxiety, and mental disturbance. Such a disorder may also result in physical symptoms like shakiness or a racing heart. If you are suffering from anxiety disorder, there are usually two options to address the issue. You can either resort to traditional medical treatment or choose to follow alternative natural solutions available. Let us know more about anxiety disorders.

Basic Reasons for Anxiety Disorder

In most cases, anxiety results from the stressful modern life. The entire world is running at hectic speed and this leaves most people exhausted and drained physically and mentally at the end of the day. Such anxieties also emanate from non-fulfillment of desires and failure of expectations. The result is stress, anxiety, and depression following each other in rapid succession. These situations could be the result of family problems, social disturbance, workplace issues, or financial stringencies or any such matter that has an impact on one’s day to day live living and well-being.

Downsides of Traditional Treatment

Most of the traditional treatments for depression and anxieties are based on medications and drugs. These drugs usually create a tranquilizing effect on the patient. Some even go to sleep due to use of medicines. For the time being, a patient may get relief from the stressed feelings and somber moods they are in. Unfortunately, these medications and drugs might have serious after effects. They may adversely affect health conditions. The patient also runs the risk of falling prey to drug addiction. Slowly but steadily, anxiety patients get into the habit of using tranquilizers drugs to get rid of immediate depressed feelings, but over a period of time, a lot of patients become blind to the dangers of drug addiction.

To get rid of the anxiety disorder, people have to look out elsewhere than the traditional drug and medication based treatments. There are some natural methods that are known as alternative treatments and they help in stress management.

These solutions help the patients to dispense with the use of harmful drugs and medications.

Things to know About Natural Solutions

Natural solutions for stress and anxiety related issues are often preferred as they generally do not have any side effects that allopathic medicines have. However, it is advisable to consult your doctor before resorting to any such method.

Since natural treatments take a longer time to show its results, you need to be patient enough to wait for the desired results.

The best natural solution for stress management is a balanced diet, healthy lifestyle, adequate rest and physical exercises. A couple of popular natural solutions for anxiety disorder are herbal supplements and yoga exercises. The most important reason for preferring natural solutions is that they help the patient live a healthy life, eliminating the stress factors.

The Safest and Holistic Way to Control Anxiety –

Supragya Plus is a herbal nerve tonic that aids in resolving any nerves related problem like ion, lack of confidence, sleeplessness, etc. This tonic has been into use since years and has showed positive effects in all people who consumed it regularly. It keeps you happy and cheerful without the fear of any side effects. Devoid of any chemical composition, Supragya Plus is a must try for everyone for a healthy mental state.

The tattoo trend is still very much in fashion these days. While a few individuals want to ink their body permanently, others think having the same tattoo on their body for whatever remains of the life is never a sensible choice, so they rather go for temporary ones. In specialized terms, tattooing is a sort of pigment implantation process.

In general, there are two methods of this pigment implantation:

• Permanent: Needless to say, these kinds of body art are permanent in nature. Sure with aging, they slowly fade, but they will never be entirely gone unless you conduct any treatments. Laser treatment is an option that you can use to remove these pigments from your skin. But the pain associated with this process is excruciating in addition to being extremely expensive. More often than not, the cost of removing these pigments far exceeds the cost of applying them. So it’s important to think it through before applying them.
• Temporary: This kind is anything but its permanent counterparts. The pigment is applied only to the outer layers of the skin so that only the epidermis gets colored. But as you lose your skin cells, they will slowly fade away. Usually, these pigments last for 1-2 weeks, but it can be even less if you use hot water and detergent more often.

There are lots of differences between permanent and temporary tattoos, some of which are:

• After-effects: When it comes to temporary ones, there is no harm caused unless you are allergic to paints. After a couple of weeks, you can just wash it off completely. When after you put permanent pigments over your skin, it will take the time to heal; at least three weeks to be precise. During this period, you can’t even pour water over the design.
• Pain: Pain of any kind isn’t experienced in case of impermanent ones because only paints, brushes and stickers are used. But you do need to have a high pain threshold in case you are looking to ink your body permanently. Sure the amount of pain caused by this process will depend on how much you can bear.
• Blood: There is no chance of any blood dripping out of your skin in case of impermanent pigment implantations. But you do see a little bit of blood when it comes to their counterparts. But that’s nothing to be squirm about.
• Cost: Getting permanently inked is a costly affair and might set you back several dollars. But it also depends on the size and design of the body art you are getting. Big, colorful ones will generally cost much more than others.

“I chew gum because it distracts me from eating and helps curb my appetite.”

Those that think chewing gum can be used as an aid to dieting or to maintain proper food consumption, may have another thing coming to them. According to studies, the gains, made by the associated reduction of hunger, is mitigated by the resulting ingestion of less nutritious foods than non gum-chewers. Results of research in fact show that gum chewers are more prone to eat junk food, such as potato chips and candy. The junk food preference may well be the after-effects of the common gum mint flavor that causes fruit and vegetable to taste bitter.

Desperately need that stick of gum? Check out these suggestions to curb food cravings and relieve life’s stress; they may just be the perfect substitute!

To reduce food cravings:

• Drink more water

• Exercise

• Don’t skip breakfast

• Eat wholesome, protein-rich small meals, frequently, instead of three large daily meals

• Satisfy yourself with tea

To relieve life’s stress:

• Eat wholesome foods and don’t skip breakfast

• Enjoy a hot glass of chamomile or green tea

• Take a brisk walk

• Exercise

• Refresh yourself with a drink of water

• Catch a brief catnap

• Use relaxing breathing techniques

Who created gum in the first place?

Incredible as it seems, the concept of gum dates back at least to the time of the Greek Empire when people would chew on resin from the mastic tree, named specifically because of the chomping that it provided for humans. Back then, the activity served dually as a tooth-cleaning exercise and a breath freshener. Later, The New England colonists learned the art of spruce resin gum chewing from the Native Americans that they encountered.

Like many innovations, contemporary chewing gum is a product of a business manufacturing gaffe.

In 1869, the exiled previous Mexican president, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, lived in Staten Island. Hearing the rumors about latex derived from a tree in Yucatan that might be rubber’s counterpart, he decided to try his luck in the venture despite any potential risks or liability losses that the undertaking might have. After purchasing a massive amount, he hired the inventor, Thomas Adams, to process it. Unfortunately, there was no insurance coverage policy that protected either de Santa Anna or Adams. Not only did the assignment fail, it left poor Adams with a surplus of ‘useless’ material.

Then, Adams detected some notable qualities in the substance. In its dried form, the latex was insoluble in water; in addition, it was fairly plastic. Placing it in his mouth, Adams discovered a chewable pleasure, likened to the paraffin matter sold in drug stores of the times.

In 1871, the ‘failed’ inventor patented his gum, ultimately adding flavors that forwarded his brand. Adam’s gum became a genuine sensation when the Wrigley Company expanded the popularity with advertising.

Despite the success that developed until today, you can bet your bottom dollar that Wrigley’s currently has the necessary general liability, business insurance and commercial auto insurance that protect their booming enterprise from lawsuits, claims, and so on.

The US Department of Health and Human services estimated 906,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect in 2003. While physical injuries may or may not be immediately visible, abuse and neglect can have consequences for children, families, and society that last lifetimes, if not generations.

The after affects of child abuse and neglect is discussed in terms of physical, psychological, behavioral, mental, behavioral, spiritual and societal consequences. In reality, however, it is impossible to separate them completely. Physical consequences (such as damage to a child's growing brain) can have psychological implications (cognitive delays or emotional difficulties). Psychological problems often manifest as high-risk behaviors. Depression and anxiety compel a person more likely to smoke, abuse alcohol, use illegal or prescription drugs and / or eating disorders. High-risk behaviors, can lead to long-term physical health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, cancer-vaginal, ovarian or breast in women; prostate, testicular in men, MS, chronic fatigue, lupus, etc.

Physical or sexual abuse can weaken survivors' immune systems according to Dr. Frank Putnam of the National Institute of Mental Health and Dr. Martin Teicher of Harvard Medical School. Putnam conducted studies on 170 girls, age 6-15-half had been abused, half had not-for seven years. The abused girls displayed symptoms such as:

o Abnormal high stress hormones, which can kill neurons in brain areas crucial for thinking and memory

o High levels of an antibody that weaken the immune system.
Teicher completed a series of brain studies on 402 children and adults, many of whom had been sexually or physically abuse. His findings revealed that sexual or physical abuse creates:

o Arrested growth of the left hemisphere of the brain which can hamper development of language and logic

o Growth of the right hemisphere of the brain (the site for emotion) at an abnormally early age

Physical Health after effects:

The immediate physical effects of abuse or neglect can be relatively minor (bruises or cuts) or severe (broken bones, hemorrhage, or even death). In some cases the physical effects are temporary; however, the pain and suffering they cause a child needs to be addressed. Meanwhile, the long-term impact of child abuse and neglect on physical health is just beginning to be explored.

Below are some outcomes researchers have identified:

o Shaken baby syndrome. The immediate effects of shaking a baby (child abuse in infants) can include vomiting, concussion, respiratory distress, seizures, and death. Long-term consequences can include blindness, learning disabilities, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, or paralysis (Conway, 1998).

o Impaired brain development. Child abuse and neglect have been shown, in some cases, to cause important regions of the brain to fail to form properly, resulting in impaired physical, mental, and emotional development (Perry, 2002; Shore, 1997). In other cases, the stress of chronic abuse causes a "hyperarousal" response by certain areas of the brain, which may result in hyperactivity, sleep disturbances, and anxiety, as well as increased vulnerability to post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and learning and memory difficulties (Perry, 2001; Dallam, 2001).

o Poor physical health. A study of 700 children who had been in foster care for 1 year found more than one-quarter of the children had some kind of recurring physical or mental health problem (National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being). A study of 9,500 HMO participants showed a relationship between various forms of household dysfunction (including childhood abuse) and long-term health problems such as sexually transmitted diseases, heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, skeletal fractures, and liver disease (Hillis, Anda, Felitti, Nordenberg, & Marchbanks, 2000; Felitti, Anda, Nordenberg, Williamson, Spitz, Edwards, Koss, & Marks, 1998).

Psychological after effects:

The immediate emotional effects of abuse and neglect-isolation, fear, and an inability to trust-can translate into lifelong consequences including low self-esteem, depression, and relationship difficulties. Researchers have identified links between child abuse and neglect and the following:

o Poor mental and emotional health. In one long-term study, 80 percent of young adults who had been abused met the diagnostic criteria for at least one psychiatric disorder at age 21. These young adults exhibited many problems, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicide attempts (Silverman , Reinherz, & Giaconia, 1996). Other psychological and emotional conditions associated with abuse and neglect include: panic disorder, dissociative disorders, attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and reactive attachment disorder (Teicher, 2000).

o Cognitive difficulties. The National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being recently found children placed in out-of-home care due to abuse or neglect tended to score lower than the general population on measures of cognitive capacity, language development, and academic achievement (2003).

o Social difficulties. Children who are abused and neglected by caretakers often do not form secure attachments to them. These early attachment difficulties can lead to later difficulties in relationships with other adults as well as with peers (Morrison, Frank, Holland, & Kates, 1999).

Behavioral after effects:

Not all victims of child abuse and neglect will experience behavioral consequences; however, child abuse and neglect appear to make the following more likely:

o Difficulties during adolescence. Studies have found abused and neglected children to be at least 25 percent more likely to experience problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy, low academic achievement, drug use, and mental health problems (Kelley et al., 1997).

o Juvenile delinquency and adult criminality. A National Institute of Justice study indicated being abused or neglected as a child increased the likelihood of arrest as a juvenile by 59 percent. Abuse and neglect increased the likelihood of adult criminal behavior by 28 percent and violent crime by 30 percent (Widom & Maxfield, 2001).

o Alcohol and other drug abuse. Research consistently reflect an increased likelihood that abused and neglected children will smoke cigarettes, abuse alcohol, or take illicit drugs. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as many as two-thirds of people in drug treatment programs reported being abused as children (2000).

o Abusive behavior. Abusive parents often have experienced abuse during their own childhoods. It is estimated approximately one-third of abused and neglected children will eventually victimize their own children (Prevent Child Abuse New York, 2001).

Societal after effects:

While child abuse and neglect usually occurs within the family, the impact does not end there. Society as a whole pays a price for child abuse and neglect, in terms of both direct and indirect costs.

o Direct costs. Direct costs include those associated with maintaining a child welfare system to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect, as well as expenditures by the judicial, law enforcement, health, and mental health systems to respond to and treat abused children and their families. A 2001 Prevent Child Abuse America report estimates these costs are $ 24 billion annually.

o Indirect costs. Indirect costs represent the long-term economic consequences of child abuse and neglect. These include juvenile and adult criminal activity, mental and emotional dysfunction, substance abuse, and domestic violence; loss of productivity due to unemployment and underemployment; the cost of special education services, and increased use of the health care system. Prevent Child Abuse America recently estimated these costs are more than $ 69 billion per year (2001).

Summary

Of the research that has been done about the after effects of child abuse and neglect, the effects vary depending on the circumstances of the abuse or neglect, personal characteristics of the child, and the child's environment. Consequences whether mild or severe lasts a lifetime, unless there is emotional and spiritual healing. Ultimately, due to related costs to public entities such as the health care, human services, and educational systems, abuse and neglect impact not just the child and family, but society as a whole. Total estimated Direct and Indirect cost to society for child abuse – verbal, physical / sexual and neglect is $ 103 billion annually.

It’s Holi round the corner and one can already see a lot of colors floating in the air. It’s the time of festivities, joy, and togetherness but apart from adding colors to the festival, Holi gulal also carries with it the chemicals that it possesses. These chemicals in gulal powder can actually blur the entire flavour of the festival if the Holi colors enter our sensitive eyes. Eyes being one of the most susceptible parts of our body can severely get affected due to the chemicals present in artificial gulal powder. For instance, the artificial green gulal used in Holi is derived from copper sulphate. If this chemical makes entry into your beautiful eyes, it can cause eye allergy, temporary blindness and conjunctivitis (pink eye). Let’s discuss about these eye allergies in detail.

Temporary Blindness

Playing Holi with synthetic green gulal powder can cause temporary blindness if the colour enters your eyes. Temporary blindness or fleeting blindness is a sudden loss of vision or blurred vision for some time. A gray patch comes before the retina thereby blocking the sight. Temporary blindness due to gulal powder can last for a few minutes, few hours or can be even prolonged to a lifetime. It is a serious medical condition and should not be ignored or there should be no delay in the treatment as it can lead to permanent loss of sight. Apart from Holi gulal, sprays or mace can cause temporary blindness. The quick way to get rid of this condition is to wash off your eyes with cold water. Washing it quickly will protect you against losing sight.

Eye Allergy

There is a typical kind of eye allergy that one experiences after playing Holi. It’s nothing but the after effects of playing Holi with chemical based colors. Eye allergy symptoms include redness of the eye, itching, tearing, burning, stinging, and watery discharge. Eyelids experience burning sensation and one might feel blurred vision too. The effect of Holi gulal lingers even after you are done with playing Holi. The longer it remains in the eye, greater will be the damage to the eyes. Once the color enters your eyes, you can quickly wash it off with cold water. This will get the chemical particles out of your eyes and your eyes can be saved.

Chemicals in Holi Gulal

Unfortunately, most of the synthetic Holi gulal contain harmful chemicals these days. These chemicals include heavy metals, acids, alkalis and powdered glass. Black Holi color contains lead oxide, green gulal contains copper sulphate, while red Holi color contains mercury sulphite. All these chemicals are highly toxic for human health and can cause skin allergies, eye irritation, cancer, temporary blindness and much more. Many synthetic Holi gulal are made with a base of asbestos talc, chalk powder or silica. Asbestos is a type of human carcinogen which gets accumulated in the body tissue and can cause cancer. The water colors used in Holi are made with an alkaline base that can cause severe injuries. If these Holi colors enter the eyes, it can lead to loss of vision. Many water colours have an alkaline base capable of causing severe injuries. If it enters the eyes, it can pose a great danger to the vision.

A Natural Solution

The best way to avoid these synthetic Holi colors is to go for natural Holi gulal that are made out of naturally extracted ingredients like flowers, herbs, leaves, and so on. These natural and organic colors do not pose any threat to human health and are eco-friendly too. These natural Holi colors will never fade away the charm of the festival and will keep you protected against all sort of health dangers. You can easily find natural Holi gulal at various online stores and if you have enough time, you can even prepare these colors at home and enjoy the festival with no worries at all.

So HAPPY HOLI to all and keep the safety at the priority.

It's amazing how the human brain will pick up something in childhood and hold onto it. So that it affects everything about a person years down the line. I discovered this in the course of therapy I received to help with the after-effects of mental illness.

What happened to me was crazy, I'd seen and done so much in a short space of time. There's no way I'd come through it unscathed. I served in Iraq and Afghanistan, I married twice, had three children and tried to be in too many places at the same time. Too many spinning plates which inevitably came crashing down.

Now everyone looks at me cautiously, thinking I'm about to go off the rails again. Then again, life's still pretty hectic.

You see, my second wife lives 200 miles away and try as we might, we can't move on. We're at a stalemate, neither wanting to move to be with the other. As you will begin to see, I just bit off more than I could chew.

So let me set the scene. In 2006 I joined the army and went to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the home of the British Army's Officer Corps. Around the same time I met my first wife and fell pregnant. Our eldest was followed by twin boys within 2 years. Time I wasn't at home due to consecutive operational tours. Destined to fail, my wife left me when I was in Afghanistan and returned to our home town. I suppose I could have left the army then but I didn't. I stayed in, was posted near to London and met my second wife.

This is when it got even more complicated for me. I'm trying to be a father whenever I can, trying to be the best husband and career driven but I cannot manage it. I deployed again but knew my heart wasn't in it. I wanted to be at home but me and my wife seemed to attack each other all the time. I got angry and stayed that way. I didn't know what was going on but she was in tears just as much as I was in a rage. I went to the doctor and was quickly diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I don't know if it was just that but my head was screwed. I started to drink more, withdraw into myself and generally blame my wife for everything.

Then I made a mistake which started a spiral into despair, mental hospital and separation. I took my children away on holiday and chose to drink. They got scared and I lost them for a year. No contact.

I admitted myself to mental hospital but just couldn't seem to recover. I was in such a dark place. I threw everything away in order to escape from my brain. Left the wife, our home, everything.

And so began my descent to rock bottom before I decided enough was enough and I needed to fix myself or be doomed. I completely embraced my therapy, I quit drinking, I spent a lot of time being mindful.

It was during this time that I learned so much about how my brain worked and why I reacted the way that I did. It began with my Dad leaving when I was 4 years old. My young mind decided at this point that if he wasn't around, then I needed to replace him. I guess this was rational to my immature mind but the problem is you can't be anyone else, you can only be yourself.

I tried to be him, act how he would have acted, place him on a pedestal and try to aspire to him. That's why I joined the army too. Thought I'd follow in his footsteps.

But again, if that isn't me, how did I think that by trying to be someone else for years, it'd help me? The other issue was that as I'd placed him so far out of reach, I felt I was never good enough.

This continued for years and resulted in me developing an increasing sense of resentment whenever I felt someone was being dismissive of me or belittling me. Therefore with so many plates to spin along with this growing sense of discontent, I started to take my frustration out on my wife.

It is only with hindsight that I can see this. At the time it was totally her fault, or his or hers. Never mine. Recipe for disaster which took me to the brink.

So I left, got a small apartment and cut myself off. I worked down to the darkest place and then brought myself back. Now I'm not totally fixed. I'll still get an urge to drink too much from time to time, I'll still get stroppy but I don't get the sense of resentment which has eaten me for years. I now see things for what they are. My brain working against me, maybe due to the alcohol, maybe due to the frustration.

I had to learn to enjoy my own company, find an inner peace and I think I'm there now. Which now means I have to pick the pieces of what was my life up and fix them too. I've started seeing my kids again but know I'll be under the microscope for a long time yet. I've started to make peace with my wife but will be working at that for a long time to come.

I've accepted that my army career is over and started to plan a future based on using my experiences to help others like me. I mean, if I can help just one person I'm doing the right thing.

Each year, somewhere in America, families must struggle to rebuild what nature has taken away. It may be a tornado that rips off the roof of a family business, or a fire that leaves the family homestead in ruins. The after-effects can be mind-boggling, as husbands and wives must deal with insurance claims, medical bills, and the logistical nightmares that characteristically follow tragedy: finding a new storefront, a new place to live, a new school for the kids.

Invariably, people who live through such calamities come to the conclusion that, as difficult as it is to deal with the fall-out from a catastrophe, they must count their blessings. After all, they survived. There may be a great deal missing from their lives–but at least they have their lives. The promise of tomorrow can overcome the heartache of today.

Hurricane Katrina definitely tested the strength and stamina of the people of New Orleans. Certainly, the hearts of people around America went out to those who lost their homes and nearly all of their personal belongings in the wake of Mother Nature’s wrath. In fact, ordinary citizens around the country opened up their homes–and their hearts–to Katrina survivors. And it’s clear that a number of those survivors appreciated the help.

And yet, there are some individuals who are determined to get as much mileage as they can out of the political storm that swirled around Katrina. In fact, they’re holding onto the hope that the ghost of Katrina will haunt the fall elections.

One recent news report suggested that many New Orleans natives believe that the chaos that erupted in the city following Katrina shows that the government does not care about black people.

Such a conclusion is mystifying.

After all, New Orleans has a black mayor. While there are mechanisms in place for the federal government to respond to disasters, it’s primarily up to local communities to have plans in place to deal with catastrophes–whether they are natural or man-made. If local leaders proved to be weak, ineffectual, and demonstrated a lack of foresight, is racism really the cause of New Orleans’ plight?

No rational human being can accept racism as legitimate–hatred against people because of their skin color is repulsive to the modern mind. No man or woman should be denied education, employment, or a small business loan because of his or her race–and there are plenty of laws on the books to ensure those equal opportunities.

Given the many black Americans who have achieved positions of prominence and distinction–Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas among them–it’s a little far-fetched to claim that the government is apathetic toward blacks.

The fact is that, when any of us are hit with tragedy, we cannot expect the government to be our savior. It’s up to us as individuals to rise above the rubble and reclaim what disaster stole from us. It may not be pleasant; it may not be the greatest ride–but it’s what we do as Americans. We triumph over adversity–family by family, block by block.

The hurricanes will come–there’s no way the President–or any other elected official–can stop them. But the real test for us as Americans is how we respond to those storms that come our way. And it doesn’t matter what color you are–you can find the strength and courage to take control of your life and forge a new path.

And, when a neighbor offers a helping hand, the color of the hand doesn’t matter at all.

The body is producing and synthesizing various kinds of hormones every day. We can include human growth hormones in the same category. The primary function of the hormone is to help in the overall growth of the body. The hormone acts on various cells and thus will accelerate the cell growth in different organs. The cellular repair and replacement are occurring at all times. The body produces only nominal amounts of this hormone. In order to accelerate the cell growth, professionals use synthetically derived human growth hormones. Over dosages will lead to further complications, and I will list some of them in the following sections.

One of the first complications that will arise due to the over usage of the human growth hormone is Acromegaly. Acromegaly is a condition that is brought out by the accelerated growth of the facial bones. Disfigurement of the face will be the result of the condition. The reasoning is self-explanatory. The bones cannot differentiate between naturally synthesized HGH and the synthetic HGH (that is injected artificially into the body). The after effects of the hormone are not just limited to the face. It can spread to the hands and the feet (over growth of these structures will be the ultimate result).

Another side effect of human growth hormone is the increase in the size of the heart. The size of the heart varies and is primarily dependent on the overall body mass index. Think of it like this – installing a bigger engine on a small car has its own share of advantages and disadvantages. In fact, the disadvantages will always outweigh the other. Likewise, when the proportion of the heart size is altered, it will induce additional complications. Some other drawbacks of the same hormone will be outlined in the succeeding passages.

Water is an important substance and the body must be nourished with it at all times. Most of us are already aware of this simple fact. The water concentration of the body is determined by an appropriate ratio. Injecting the body with excess human growth hormones will increase the water retention ability of the body. Although this might seem as a wonderful phenomenon at the first glance, you must realize that it will lead to even further complications. Listing all the problems associated with high water retention in the body is beyond the scope of this short article.

The accelerated growth induced by human growth hormone will induce additional damage to the organs. This is true for all the enzymes and hormones injected artificially into the body. If you do not wish to damage your liver or other glands that aid in the normal metabolism like the thyroid, it is imperative that you must control the quantity of HGH administered into the body. It is, in fact, wiser to contact someone who is well versed with such activities (like a physician) and proceed according to the instructions issued by his or her office. Please keep us posted with your experiences.