Parenting Advices

Like any addiction, smoking can be overcome with patience and perseverance. But first of all, congratulations for deciding to quit smoking. That’s the single most important step. Your family, especially your kids, would be very glad to see you finally standing your ground against smoking.

Nicotine, the drug that is found in cigarettes, is highly addictive like cocaine or heroin. It gives you a pleasant feeling and acts like a depressant that slows down the flow of information between nerve cells. That makes it very hard to quit and stay smoke-free, as your body gets accustomed to effects it gets from nicotine.

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An angiogram is not an operation; it’s an x-ray of blood vessels. In some cases, it’s a procedure to visualize the arteries on the surface of the heart to see if any of them are blocked. When blood flow to heart muscles is diminished, it often manifests as chest pain. The patient’s doctor is justifiably worried that problems with the coronary arteries are creating his new symptoms.

With the usual chest x-ray, you can’t see coronary arteries. They have to be made visible using a special dye. The dye is delivered through a catheter that is guided from a blood vessel in the upper thigh all the way up to the heart. Once the catheter is in position, a dye is injected and it goes right into the coronary arteries. The x-ray is taken at the precise time the dye flows through the arteries. Later, the dye is excreted with the urine.

The angiogram helps to answer these questions: Are there problems in the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle? How many vessels are affected? How bad is the problem?

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Dogs aren’t too finicky or delicate to care for. Except for the occasional hairball, dogs are generally low-maintenance pets. But good care doesn’t just mean providing food and a decent home, or playing with them when you have the time. It goes beyond the regular bath and brushing.

Grooming your pet can be an excellent way to bond with him. If you don’t have the time, however, consider a visit to the grooming center. Despite the cash outlay, it becomes worth the trip when you consider efficient service and guaranteed outcome.

A growing number of pet grooming centers have sprouted all over the city. Some offer dog training services or sell pet supplies. Others are expanded veterinary clinics where your pet gets the added bonus of a physical check-up before grooming. Managed by licensed veterinarians, these centers can give your pet the grooming he deserves.

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Parenting is difficult as it is without the added responsibility of caring for a special child. Here are points to help in the process.

Parents with a special child undergo the grieving process of denial, anger/blaming, bargaining, guilt/depression, and acceptance. Facing the problem in itself is an important, complex journey that begins when the parents react to the doctor’s news. But remember that in dealing with a problem involving special kids, it is important to view the issue as temporary and has some solution; and that any obstacle can be faced as a team, as a family.

Parents and relatives can join support groups. The idea is that you will always have someone who will be able to help you out. There are support groups for people with depression, so that parents of special children can compare notes or gather more information should they see that their teenager is exhibiting signs of the malady or just has a case of the blues.

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Of course you love your newborn, but the sleepless nights, hourly feedings, and the cold panic when he gets sick is no picnic, especially when you have to drag yourself to work the next morning. Help is on the way with some personalized baby items. Breakthrough products simplify some common newborn woes. Now, if only they’d invent self-changing diapers.

Bottles that beat colic

Babies get gassy when they swallow air with milk. Avent is the only bottle that has been clinically proven to prevent gassiness. The patented nipple has a one-way air sucking rhythm, making it easier for him to properly “latch”. Better fit means less air gets trapped. The skirt around nipple also pushes air into the bottle, away from baby’s mouth and tummy. (more…)

Did you know that some of our bad habits may lead to possible brain damage? Scary but true. Find out if you’re guilty of any of the following:

1. Skipping Breakfast. People who skip this important meal get lower blood sugar levels that lead to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain, and therefore cause brain degeneration.
2. Overeating. Excessive food intake hardens brain arteries and causes hypertension and small strokes, which decrease mental power.
3. Sleepless nights. Depriving yourself of sleep will increase the death rate of brain cells. Remember that sleeping allows our brain to rest.
4. Smoking. There are about 4000 different chemicals in a cigarette that cause multiple brain shrinkage and Alzheimer’s Disease.
5. Substance abuse (alcohol and drugs). Avoid alcohol as much as possible or at least keep to a minimum. Do not take drugs and medicines unless absolutely necessary. If you’re burned out, stressed, or depressed, why not rely on meditation, exercise, and a healthy diet instead?