Help a Cancer Patient!!!

Your hair is your CONFIDENCE! 

Help a cancer patient RESTORE that CONFIDENCE!

All of us have hearbout donations, whether it is materialistic donations (money, food, clothes...) or blood and organ donations. But few of us have heard about hair donations. Well this is a new way to help cancer patients. If you want to do a good deed but don't have the time to spare to commit to volunteer work, donating hair for cancer victims could be the solution. It won't take up all your time on the weekends, but it's still a way to show that you care. In Lebanon, the Children Cancer Center, accepts hair donations to weave them into wigs, that are free of charge for kids that have lost their hair during the process of fighting cancer and that cannot afford a wig themselves. These wigs are professionally done, at well known places. Hair donations have to be of a minimum length of 10 cm, as long as the longest lock is 10cm. It can be coloured, permed, or bleached, as long as it is at least 10 cm. First you have to wash it well with shampoo. Then comb it to make sure that you have the required length, using a rubber band, measure the length you want to cut off. You just have to tie it in a pony tail(securely). Then cut it above the rubber band. This way the cut hair is secured with a rubber band. Then let it dry. You can either send it to the Children Cancer Center personally, or it could be sent via Aramex (also free of charge).

You might not be able to donate money, but you can donate your hair. Hair grows out. So you are not really losing anything. Hair cells grow an average speed of 1.25 centimeters or 0.5 inches per month, being about 15 centimeters or 6 inches per year. So there you go, in a matter of a year you will have the length of your regular hair. Why not do it? Why not help some kid in need.

When a person loses their hair due to cancer, they sometimes feel they've lost their identity. What results is a lack of self-esteem and lowered spirits. Isn't it nice to know you can help combat those feelings to some degree in a patient? That's why donating hair for cancer victims is so beautiful. It doesn't just give them hair - it gives them confidence. Donating hair to create a natural looking wig will also allow patients to go on with their lives without waving a big "I'm sick" to the rest of the world...To you it is just hair, that eventually will grow. But to them it is the confidence, it is the strength, power and the will to fight, to defeat cancer. Help a kid restore that smile that they lost because of their sickness and weeks they spent in the hospital.  Help a kid restore the confidence- that they are not any different from the rest of the world. Last but not least, help a kid be strong!!

DONATE YOUR HAIR!! AND YOU WILL FEEL GREAT ABOUT HELPING OTHERS!!

Is sleeping with your baby okay??

Don’t believe the hype: sleeping with your baby is not okay!

Rosemary Horne, Monash University

Thursday, 16 February 2012

Image: ffolas/iStockphoto The safest place for a baby to sleep is on their back, in their own cot or bassinette in the parent’s room.Why? SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome, is the sudden and unexpected death of an infant under one year of age, usually while sleeping, for which no cause can be found. A number of risk factors increase the chance of an infant dying. They include being placed to sleep on their tummy, allowing them to get their face covered by bedding and exposing them to cigarette smoke. The Reducing the Risks for SIDS public awareness campaign, which alerted parents to these risks and explained how parents could protect their infants, successfully reduced the incidence of SIDS in Australia by more than 80% over the past 20 years. It is true that around the world the majority of babies will sleep in the same bed with their mothers. However, in western cultures the sleeping arrangements are generally very different from those in the developing world. We usually sleep in a soft bed which is raised from the floor and have pillows and soft bedding such as doonas. And there are often two adults in the bed with the infant. All of these factors pose a suffocation risk to an infant, in addition to the risk of a parent suffocating their child inadvertently, and therefore, increases the risk of SIDS. More than one in two babies who die suddenly and unexpectedly are found sharing a bed. The Melbourne Coroner John Olle found that 33 out of 72 SIDS deaths in three years occurred when infants were co-sleeping. Most of these deaths were among babies less than six months of age. Co-sleeping is most dangerous if the mother smokes, but the risk is also increased if just the father smokes. It is also very dangerous if the parents have been exposed to alcohol or drugs, as they’re less able to be roused. The safest place for a baby to sleep is on their back, in their own cot or bassinette in the parent’s room. The cot should be made so the baby’s feet meet the foot of the bed (known as “feet to foot”, which prevents the baby from wriggling under the covers) and should also be free of any bedding such as doonas, pillows or bumper pads and soft toys that could cover the baby’s face. It is critical that parents, carers and health professionals are aware of the risks of co-sleeping and take steps to avoid it. Breastfeeding is protective for SIDS.

Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

BY: Bronnie Ware

(Writer, Songwriter)

For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone's capacity for growth. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed.

When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five: 

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honored even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.

It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children's youth and their partner's companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners.

By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle. 

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming.

We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win. 

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Often they would not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called 'comfort' of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.

When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind.

Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.

10 Weird and Unusual Phobias:

10 weird and unusual phobias:

A phobia refers to an intense and irrational fear of a specific situation, object, person or activity. While we are generally familiar with common phobias such as acrophobia (fear of heights) and claustrophobia (fear of small spaces), some phobias are less well known. Here are 10 of the most bizarre phobias.

Optophobia: Fear of opening one's eyes:
If ever an award was given for Most Inconvenient Phobia, it would have to go to optophobia — the fear of opening one's eyes! Although the act of opening our eyes is something that few of us ever give thought to, for optophobics this simple, daily act can be a nightmare. Luckily, if you are reading this list, you most likely aren't suffering from this condition!

Chorophobia: Fear of dancing:
If nightclubs, weddings and small children in tutus fill you with an overwhelming sense of dread, you could be suffering from chorophobia — the fear of dancing. Regardless of dance ability and whether or not you are required to hit the dancefloor, any situation or event that relates to dancing can be a source of fear for chorophobics.

Geliophobia: Fear of laughter:
Many studies suggest that laughter is great for our health; helping to build social bonds, improve mental health and look after the heart. However, for those suffering from geliophobia, the act of laughing, or being around those who laugh, can actually cause overwhelming fear and anxiety. Suggested reasons for geliophobia are anxiety about laughing in inappropriate situations or of being laughed at by others.

Arachibutyrophobia:Fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth:

It may not be a debilitating or life-altering condition, yet no list of bizarre phobias would be complete without the inclusion of arachibutyrephobia — the inexplicable fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of your mouth. While peanut butter is clearly not obligatory for a healthy and satisfactory life, arachibutyrophobics could miss out on the speculated health benefits of peanut butter, including its abilities to lower cholesterol and help ward off heart disease.

Heliphobia: Fear of sunlight:
A rare but unfortunate condition, heliphobia refers to the fear of sunlight. Not only does going out in the sun instigate severe feelings of anxiety and panic in sufferers, but heliophobics may also experience fear of bright lights. Most often the condition is associated with an anxiety about the perceived dangers of the sun; however, unless you happen to be a vampire, avoiding the sun entirely is likely to be an impossible and unnecessary task. It can also be dangerous for your wellbeing, as sunlight is good for regulating the mood and protecting bone health.

Deipnophobia: Fear of dinner conversations:
While many people suffer from a general form of social anxiety, deipnophobia takes a rather more specific twist and is restricted to a fear of carrying on a conversation while eating. Although this can cause discomfort and awkwardness for dinner party guests, it seems that deipnophics could be on to something, as remaining silent while eating can actually help benefit digestion.

Neophobia: Fear of new things:
While many people are wary of change, neophobia refers to an intense and irrational fear of all new things and experiences. Neophobia can impact on happiness and wellbeing as sufferers miss out on many life-enhancing experiences. When applied to the diet it can also mean that sufferers miss out on various healthy foods and nutrients. Research has also shown that the stress of neophobia can shorten life expectancy.

Syngenesphobia: Fear of relatives:
Many of us experience embarrassment or irritation with our families at times. However, those with syngenesphobia suffer from an excessive fear of their relatives. Unless there is a specific, explicable reason for these fears, it is worth seeking help to alleviate this phobia and help you bond with relatives as research shows that forming strong family ties can help to increase life span.

Ablutophobia: Fear of washing and bathing:
Although many children are resistant to being washed, this condition is much less common in adults. However, for a rare few the thought of stepping under a shower is quite literally terrifying! The good news for ablutophobics is that skipping the occasional shower can help to preserve natural oils and good bacteria that protect your skin and help to prevent disease. However, making it a regular habit is unlikely to benefit either your health or social life.

Source

10 ways to break bad habits

How to free yourself from bad habits:
If you've been promising yourself that you're going to ditch that bad habit for a while but have never quite got around to doing so, it could be time to take the plunge. To help ensure your success and make the process a little less painless, check out these 10 ways to break bad habits.

Change one thing at a time:

You may have a few vices you would like to be rid of, but it is important that you don't try to break all your bad habits at once. You're not superhuman and trying to kick a smoking habit, give up chocolate and stop biting your nails all at the same time is probably going to be hard to achieve. Instead, prioritise and pick the habit you most urgently need to change first. Also, try to set a definite goal to work towards rather than a vague "I'm going to stop being so unhealthy". Identify what exactly it is you need to do (or stop doing) and make that your focus.

Go public:

When trying to kick a bad habit, it is important to tell at least one person about it so that you have somebody to be accountable to. When you are craving a cigarette on your lunch hour it is far easier to give in to your craving if you have nobody to answer to than if you know your colleague is going to quiz you later. You could even consider starting up a blog so that others can follow your progress — having to write about your lapses for others' viewing may help you think twice about giving in.

Recruit a friend:

Even better than just telling someone about your goal, if you know someone who's been talking about giving up the same bad habit for a while, or who has been inspired by your decision, why not talk them into getting onboard too? Having someone else who knows what you're going through is great motivation as you will always have someone to call for a moan or some support when the going gets tough.

Take it one day at a time:

Setting out to break a bad habit with the thought of "I can never do so-and-so ever again" can be extremely daunting; instead, tell yourself, "I won't eat junk food/ smoke a cigarette/ have a gossip for the rest of today". Concentrating on kicking your habit one day at a time makes it seem a lot more achievable, and each day that you beat that habit will inspire you to try again tomorrow. For added motivation, try charting your success on a calendar, marking each day that you have resisted your habit.

Prepare for weak moments:

Although it is great to go into this positively, being too confident — and failing to prepare for those moments of weakness — could be your biggest mistake. Don't rely on being too disciplined to fail; instead accept that we all lack willpower at times and try removing temptation to prepare for those weak moments. Clear the cupboards of chocolate, stay out of stressful situations, or get some distance from friends who encourage you to drink, for example — make it as difficult for yourself to indulge your habit as you can.

Replace your bad habit with a good one:

Cutting something out of your life entirely can be difficult, inconvenient and even plain depressing. To compensate for the sudden gap in your life, try finding substitutes for your bad habit that help to ease the pain. For example, swap junk food (like crisps) for healthy snacks (such as popcorn), or try replacing swear words with other, more innocent phrases (think Ross and Rachel's "boohockey" and "brother pucker" in the sitcom Friends). You could also try taking up a hobby to compensate for the time you previously spent indulging a TV or shopping habit or hanging out in bars.

Set regular reminders:

Our bad habits are often so deeply ingrained in us, sometimes they can catch us unawares. To help prevent those accidental slip-ups, try setting yourself regular reminders to resist those habits. You could paint your nails, for example, as a reminder to stop biting them, or set a reminder on your work computer not to slouch. If you have a tendency for thoughtless snacking, try sticking motivational quotes on your fridge or cupboards as reminders.

Reward your success:

The key to breaking bad habits is to make the process as enjoyable and rewarding for yourself as possible. If you are having difficulty focusing on the long term benefits of breaking bad habits, arrange small rewards for yourself as you go along to help to keep you motivated. For instance, for every time you don't give in to your habit, treat yourself to a relaxing bath, an hour of your favourite TV show or a small purchase you've had your eye on for ages.

Don't let setbacks get you down:

It's easy to let one small wobble ruin all your best intentions, so it's important not to let any lapses get you down. So, you caved in and had a cigarette, indulged in a gossip session or ate your body weight in chocolate? Don't dwell on it. Just because you have given into temptation once it doesn't mean that you will again, and it doesn't mean that you have failed. Put the past behind you, pick yourself up and carry on — we know you can do it!

Remind yourself why you're doing it:

In order to successfully break a bad habit, you have to be sure of your reason for doing it. There's no point in giving something up just because you think should, as you will have no motivation to keep going next time weakness strikes. Find a solid reason for breaking your habit that really means something to you — such as improving your health, appearance or relationship — and keep your goal in sight. Reminding yourself regularly of the bigger picture and the reasons why you are doing this will help you to carry on and stay strong in moments of weakness.

Source

How to control your anger?

Anger is a natural emotion and when one is angry, his body shifts into the autonomic nervous system gear that controls all the sudden responses. Anger not only harms you, but it can lead to detrimental consequences. It is important for a person to know how to deal with anger. Here are some tips by psychologist Harish Shetty, which will help you to rein in that avoidable outburst.

Once you know the reason behind your anger, you can use the given relaxation methods.

1- The best method to control your anger in social or public situations is to start taking deep breathes while counting from 1 to 10. This is a common method.

2- If at home, relaxing yourself with a shower can also work wonders.

3-Leaving the place instead of facing the person, who makes/ has made you angry, can also help you in avoiding confrontations that might end up in dire consequences. Go out, visit a park or explore a market. Jogging can also aids in relieving anger as it pushes happy chemicals instead of the angry or negative emotions. Working out may be another anger-buster.

4- Another trick to master your anger is to sip water slowly. It makes your breathing normal, which in turn helps in relieving anger.

5- Try to shift your focus by avoiding things that turn you off. Distract your mind and involve in light activities.

6- Another sure-shot trick for letting off your anger is indulging with dear and near ones such as partner, friends or family. You can talk about your fear to a person, who is close to you, without any fear of being judged. This could be over a phone or meeting with your confidant so you can discuss things in a better way.

7- Yoga and vipasana can be extremely helpful in managing anger effectively. These exercises will calm your mind thereby, curbing your anger.

Source

Moms, the best kind of superheroes!!

A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary.
Dorothy Canfield Fisher

 ~

We never know the love of the parent until we become parents ourselves. 

Henry Ward Beecher

 ~

Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother.
Lin Yutang

 ~

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
Tenneva Jordan

 ~

A mother is a person who if she is not there when you get home from school you wouldn't know how to get your dinner, and you wouldn't feel like eating it anyway.

Anonymous   

 ~

All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his. 
Oscar Wilde

 ~

A mother's love liberates.

Maya Angelou 

~

A mother, There to support you, And hold you up whenever you need her.

Laurel Stephens 

~

All mothers are working mothers. 

Author Unknown
~

All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother.

Abraham Lincoln

~

Before becoming a mother I had a hundred theories on how to bring up children. Now I have seven children and only one theory: Love them, especially when they least deserve to be loved.

Kate Samperi

~

Everybody wants to save the earth; nobody wants to help Mom with the dishes.

P.J. O'Rourke

 ~

God could not be everywhere, so he created mothers.

 ~

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

~

Grown don't mean nothing to a mother. A child is a child. They get bigger, older, but grown? What's that suppose to mean? In my heart it don't mean a thing. 

Toni Morrison 

~

I know how to do anything - I'm a mom. 

Rosanne Barr 

~

I miss thee, my Mother! Thy image is still The deepest impressed on my heart. 

Eliza Cook

 ~

I never knew how much love my heart could hold until someone called me "mommy." 

Author Unknown 

~

I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.

Eleanor Roosevelt

 ~

I thought my mom's whole purpose was to be my mom. That's how she made me feel.

Natasha Gregson Wagner

 ~

I'd rather be a mother than anyone on earth
Bringing up a child or two of unpretentious birth...
I'd rather tuck a little child all safe and sound in bed
than twine a chain of diamonds about my [carefree] head.
I'd rather wash a smudgy face with round, bright, baby eyes
Than paint the pageantry of fame or walk among the wise. 

Meredith Gray

~

"M" is for the million things she gave me,
"O" means only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her heart of purest gold;
"E" is for her eyes, with love-light shining,
"R" means right, and right she'll always be,
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER,"
A word that means the world to me.

Howard Johnson

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Mother might not have been perfect, but she did her best with what she had at that time, with all she had at that time: LOVE!! And I love HER for that!!

I love you MAMA!!!<3

How to Save a Life

The Lebanese Red Cross (LRC) is a humanitarian organization. The LRC was established on July 9, 1945 as an independent national society. A year later, it was recognized by the State as a public non-profit organization and as an auxiliary team to the medical service of the Lebanese Army. In 1947, it joined the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement which has today affiliates in 175 countries and became a member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies ever since. In addition, the LRC is a founding member of the Secretariat General of the Organization of the Arab Red Crescent and Red Cross Societies.

The Lebanese Red Cross Society is led by volunteers, whose mission is to provide relief to victims of natural and human made disasters, and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies, and to mitigate the suffering of the most vulnerable.

The Fundamental Principles of the Lebanese Red Cross

1. Humanity

2. Impartiality

3. Neutrality

4. Independence

5. Voluntary Service

6. Unity

7. Universality

Becoming a volunteer in the Red Cross, is one of the life experiences that you would not want to miss out on.  As a volunteer, you have the chance to help people in need in their most critical times, whether it is an injury from war, or a person having a heart attack, or just another kid who fell off of his bike. You learn all the skills, and get several trainings on the essential skills, so you can perform the work on national, and international levels. 

Call 140!!

As a kid who grew up beside a Red Cross Branch, the slightest injury would result in me going there and getting my wound cleaned and have a band aid put on it... As I grew up, that aroused  my interests, in the meaning of who are these people, what do they do, and why do they do what they do... And that was the beginning of the journey as a volunteer-although it was not a very long duration, and I would have liked it to be much longer... There is a rush , that can not be explained when you rush in the ambulance to answer a call of a person in need... Mind you, it's not only the critical situations that make you feel good, it is also the simplest acts, where you did something, to help someone that makes you feel good about yourself, and about what you are doing as a whole thing; it can be taking the blood pressure of someone who does not know how to do it, can make you feel good.

Another important thing is what you learn in the process before you can become a volunteer. You will learn all the first aid techniques and some surviving strategies that you need as a human being, if you ever face an ordeal. For example what to do when there is a fire at your house(call 125, and breathe through a wet cloth), and what not to do(break glass, or turn on the lights). Another example, what to do if you get bit by a poisonous snake. And one of the most important things you learn, is how to do CPR...

Last but not least, one of the most enjoyable things, that made my experience as a volunteer was the people that I met, and the friends that I made! :)

So, GO AHEAD, and volunteer in the Red Cross. You owe it to yourself, and to other people. The feeling you get when you help people, and save lives, is really priceless and out of this world. In addition, you will learn all the basic first aid techniques, so you can use them anywhere while waiting for the ambulance to come. You can help spread awareness, and help other people know what you know. Volunteers trained in health education disseminate correct health information and promote healthy habits in nutrition, hygiene, environment, prevention against common and transmissible diseases and home accidents... I'm not going to say how great it is to be a volunteer, but if you want to start repaying society, this is a good way to start!

... because TOGETHER WE COULD SAVE A LIFE

International Women’s Day

IWD provides a common day for globally recognising and applauding
women’s achievements as well as for observing and highlighting gender inequalities and issues. But not just on IWD, but all year round, many organizations and individuals work tirelessly to support gender equality through a multitude of initiatives, causes and actions.

This day exists to celebrate the respect, appreciation, and love towards women, along with their economic, political and social achievements.  Globally, the 2012 theme for International Women’s Day is Connecting Girls, Inspiring Future.

The ideas and celebrations behind Women’s Day is meant to be liberating and inspiring to people all over the world, however the reality is that we do not live in a perfect world, and women still suffer in their own unique way on a continuous basis. Many girls across the globe struggle to accept themselves for who they really are, and suffer with the idea that they have to look the way the media portrays women to be. Too many girls do not feel beautiful. Too many girls are not comfortable with their appearance. Too many girls lack confidence, resulting in disrespecting their bodies, eating disorders or mental health conditions. Young girls should not feel worthless and should not feel afraid to have standards.

For March, 8th, 2012 Women of all ages will be posting a self profile picture with no makeup, to give hope and to inspire females everywhere to get in touch with their natural beauty.

If Jersey Shore’s star, Snooki, can feel comfortable posting a picture without her famous poof and without wearing her many make up products for the world to see, then why not show your friends your own true beauty. This International Women’s Day, make a difference in women’s lives and help raise awareness.

Resource: http://www.internationalwomensday.com/confidencisbeautiful

Teachers

     

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than parents, for these only gave life,
those the art of living well.

Aristotle

~

What office is there which involves more responsibility, which requires more qualifications, and which ought, therefore, to be more honorable than teaching?

Harriet Martineau

~

By learning you will teach;
by teaching you will understand.

Latin Proverb