Trust and Nature

Never trust anyone who wants what you've got.

Never trust anyone who wants what you've got.

Unconditional

Unconditional love really exists in each of us, in nature. 
It is part of our deep inner human being. 

Mercury and Its Effects

Mercury pollution can be a serious health threat, especially for children and pregnant women.

Mercury is emitted to the air by power plants, cement plants, certain chemical manufacturers and other industrial facilities. In addition, over the years, many companies have used mercury to manufacture a range of products including thermometers, thermostats and automotive light switches. These products can release mercury, particularly at the end of their useful life during waste handling and disposal. Mercury pollution released into the environment becomes a serious threat when it settles into oceans and waterways, where it builds up in fish that we eat. Children and women of childbearing age are most at risk.

Mercury in Fish

Once mercury enters a waterway, naturally occurring bacteria absorb it and convert it to a form called methyl mercury. 

This transition is particularly significant for humans, who absorb methyl mercury easily and are especially vulnerable to its effects.

Mercury then works its way up the food chain as large fish consume contaminated smaller fish. Instead of dissolving or breaking down, mercury accumulates at ever-increasing levels. Predatory fish such as large tuna, swordfish, shark and mackerel can have mercury concentrations in their bodies that are 10,000 times higher than those of their surrounding habitat.

Mercury and Human Health

Humans risk ingesting dangerous levels of mercury when they eat contaminated fish. Since mercury is odorless, invisible and accumulates in the meat of the fish, it is not easy to detect and can't be avoided by trimming off the skin or other parts.

Once in the human body, mercury acts as a neurotoxin, interfering with the brain and nervous system.

Exposure to mercury can be particularly hazardous for pregnant women and small children. During the first several years of life, a child's brain is still developing and rapidly absorbing nutrients. Even in low doses, mercury may affect a child's development, delaying walking and talking, shortening attention span and causing learning disabilities. Less frequent, high dose prenatal and infant exposures to mercury can cause mental retardation, cerebral palsy, deafness and blindness.

In adults, mercury poisoning can adversely affect fertility and blood pressure regulation and can cause memory loss, tremors, vision loss and numbness of the fingers and toes. A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to mercury may also lead to heart disease.

Mercury and a High-Fish Diet

A 2009 study of federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data concluded that roughly one in 40 women of childbearing age have mercury in their blood above 5.8 micrograms per liter of blood - a level that could pose a risk to a developing fetus. This is a significant improvement from data ten years ago, which showed that one out of 15 women had mercury in their blood at this level. Newer science indicates, however, that mercury actually concentrates in the umbilical cord blood that goes to the fetus, so mercury levels as low as 3.4 micrograms per liter of a mother’s blood are now a concern. Nearly one in 13 women of reproductive age in the United States has mercury in her blood at or above this level, according to the latest data.

Dr. Jane Hightower, a doctor of internal medicine at the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco also linked fish consumption to elevated mercury levels when she tested her own patients. Her 2003 study found that 89 percent of the participating patients - chosen because of their fish-heavy diets - had elevated mercury levels. Many had levels as much as four times that which the Environmental Protection Agency considers safe.

The good news is that Dr. Hightower and other health professionals conclude that high mercury levels are reversible: cutting consumption of mercury-contaminated fish causes blood mercury to drop, though it can take six months or more.

Poisoned by Mercury

Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80.

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and soil. A highly toxic form (methyl-mercury) builds up in fish, shellfish and animals that eat fish. Fish and shellfish are the main sources of methyl-mercury exposure to humans.

Mercury exposure at high levels can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system. High levels of methyl-mercury in the bloodstream of unborn babies and young children may harm the developing nervous system, making the child less able to think and learn.

Symptoms of methyl-mercury poisoning may include impairment of peripheral vision; disturbances in sensations ("pins and needles" feelings); lack of coordination; impairment of speech, hearing, walking; and muscle weakness.

Elemental (metallic) mercury primarily causes health effects when it is breathed as a vapor where it can be absorbed through the lungs. Symptoms include tremors, emotional changes, insomnia, weakness, muscle atrophy, twitching, headaches, disturbances in sensations, changes in nerve responses, and performance deficits on tests of cognitive function. Higher exposures may result in kidney effects, respiratory failure and death.

Consult your doctor if you believe you have been exposed to mercury.

Recycling of mercury-containing products is one of the best ways to help prevent mercury releases to the environment by keeping these products out of landfills and incinerators.

Mercury poisoning facts by John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

Honor the Children Globally

June 1 - the first day of summer. 

June 1 – International Day for Protection of Children. 

"We were all Children once. And we all share the desire for the well-being of our Children, which has always been and will continue to be the most Universally cherished aspiration of Humankind." 

The World Conference for the Well-being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland, proclaimed June 1 to be International Children's Day in 1925. It is usually marked with speeches on Children's rights and well-being, and other events involving or dedicated to Children.

Armenia ratified the Convention on Children’s Rights in 1992, after which in 1996 the Law of the Republic of Armenia “Children’s Rights” was adopted. Armenia organizes and holds different events dedicated to the Children Protection Day.

In Armenia June is made a real festivity for Children by the cultural and entertainment organizations. Different events are held in Armenia.

Another Diversification of Laughter

Laughter also can be divided into following groups:

Basic Laughter

Normally they are performed every day and all the other laughter’s are based on this i.e. mixing up of one or two laughter to create another one. 

Warm up Laughter

HO HO HA HAA HA – Chant in the beginning with claps to assemble all who are walking or enjoying some other activity on and around venue.

HO HO HA HO HO – Anchor person say 1, 2 and 3 looking at three different direction giving starts, so all members on oneness throws their hands in front at shoulder height and chants HO HO repeatedly looking at members standing opposite to them.

HA HA HA HAAA HI HI HI HA – All laughter members are need to throw their hands twice up chanting HAA HAA and bring their hands down chanting twice HI HI , this are done repeatedly and then increase the speed of chanting with hands movement gradually and then at the end every one break down with family laughter and looking at each other banging hands with each other.

Spontaneous Laughter

In this mouth will be wide open raising both the hands with maximum sound, all the members look at each other to have eye contacts and bang hands with each other so as to have close look for person so that will act as stimulant to increase the length of the laughter to around 30 seconds or more according to practice. We will feel something is jogging inside and biochemical reaction taking place producing positive hormones.

Jokers Laughter

It is the same as Spontaneous laughter only difference is no sound only facial expression indicating happiness on the face. When we perform this we will have effect of producing positive hormones. 

Etiquette Laughter

In this we have not to show teeth and to make humming bees’ sound or pigeon sound, rest of the things remain same as spontaneous and jokers laughter’s. We can have variation by blowing our chicks. When we perform this again we will have effect of producing positive hormones.

Baby Crying Laughter

A partly nervous kind of laughter that we have all been guilty of at some time in our lives when we have said the wrong thing. Laughter like this is a distressing display to watch because it mimics a baby crying rather than an adult laughing. The mouth is pulled down at the edges in an expression of sadness and the laugh emerges in staccato gulps of the type a baby makes when it needs feeding. The unhappy-sounding giggling keeps on coming out of the mouth in a bid to drown out the mistake.

Suppressed Exploding Laughter

Suppressed exploding laughter occurs when someone tries to smother their laughter, creating a pressure cooker effect – leaking out small, seemingly helpless explosions. This kind of laughter is prompted by guilt that produces feelings of naughtiness, which in turn intensifies the laughter need.

Types of Laughter: from Belly to Cruel

Laughter is a social structure, something that connects humans with one another in a profound way. People usually are 30 percent more likely to laugh in a social setting that warrants it than when alone with humor-inducing media. That means that you're more likely to laugh with friends while watching a comedy together than when you're watching the same show or movie by yourself.

There are many ways to laugh, from giggles to guffaws and from chuckles to cackles. Humans laugh for many reasons, some of them odd. About 90 percent of our laughter is related to jokes or humor.

There are some of the different types and reasons for all the laughter.

Belly Laughter

Belly laughter is considered the most honest type of laughter. It may also be the hardest type to experience, because we have to find something truly hilarious before we'll let go with the kind of laughter that has us clutching our bellies and gasping for air. Of course, that's not the only description for true belly laughter; as you might guess, we all laugh differently. Researchers found that men are more likely to grunt or snort at something they find funny, while women let loose with giggles and chuckles. 

It's good to take note of what tickles your funny bone, however, because it just might save your life. The laughter can be used to fight near incurable illness. Ten minutes of genuine belly laughter had an anesthetic effect and can give at least two hours of pain-free sleep. 

Etiquette Laughter

At the end of a long day, you and your colleague together in the elevator. Instead of talking up your latest accomplishments, though, you find yourself laughing at everything you are talking about. You sounded like a fool and you did just fine. People rely on laughter to get along with others, so whether we're with our colleagues or friends, we tend to laugh at things that just aren't funny.

In a study of laughter episodes, is found that people tend to laugh at perfectly bland statements like "Can I join you?" or "See you later". Laughter could have developed in our ancestors before full speech, so the sound is merely a way to communicate and show agreement.

We tend to laugh with anyone who can help us out, which is why a group of undergraduate students may guffaw at a professor's bad joke, while a job applicant's attempts at humor may fall flat with those who are already gainfully employed.

Contagious Laughter

You're out for dinner with a group of friends. Someone tells a joke and gets one person laughing, which gets a second person laughing, and so on. Catching laughter is like catching a cold. It's very likely. In research experiment is found that nearly half of his 128 undergraduate students giggled on first response to a simulated laugh. And they did this despite knowing the source to be an artificial laugh-simulator. 

Contagious laughter raises the possibility that humans have laugh detectors. In other words, people are made to respond with laughter on hearing laughter itself, much like the mystery of spreading a yawn. Contagious laughter isn't necessarily a laughing matter. Laughter among the group can spread to the much wider community. And it suspected to be a case of mass hysteria.

Nervous Laughter

There are times when we need to project dignity and control, like during presentations to the CEO or during a funeral. Unfortunately, these are the times when uncontrollable nervous laughter is likely to strike. 

During times of anxiety, we often laugh in a subconscious attempt to reduce stress and calm down. However, nervous laughter usually just heightens the awkwardness of the situation.

Nervous laughter is often considered fake laughter. Researchers advised women to stop this kind of laughter immediately. Researches recommended spanking young girls who were developing such a bad habit, told women that once they broke themselves of nervous laughter, they would wonder how people even stood their company before.

Silent Laughter

Those of us who work in cubicles may think that silent laughter is a skill we've perfected. Mindfully practicing silent laughter, though, can have real benefits because it involves the same type of deep breathing that comes with belly laughter.

Teaching sick kids the art of silent laughter enabled them to go back to sleep after waking up from a bad dream. The children got the calming benefits of the rhythmic exhalations without waking up any roommates.

This type of laughter is also practiced in laughter yoga and laughter therapy, where it's often called joker's laughter. To try it on your own, freeze your face into a smile, and then let your belly do the work of pushing air in and out as if you were laughing out loud.

Stress-relieving Laughter

Laughter is a skill we've perfected. Let's face it, life can be tough sometimes. The end of a workday doesn't mean everything's peachy keen. Muscles are still tight. It's a sign you're still carrying the stress of the day. Stress is one of the most important reasons to find something humorous. Laughter is a sure cure for stress. Stress builds tension in the human body, and that tension has to go somewhere. Usually it's the muscles. So what to do? Yes, you could get a massage, but have you ever considered a good laugh? Stress-relieving laughter can encompass many forms, but it's usually found in an outburst, much like belly laughing.

Pigeon Laughter

Say you're out for a walk with a friend when something falls from the sky: pigeon droppings. You're splattered, but your friend is untouched. This event is anything but funny to you, yet your friend can't stop laughing. This is not pigeon laughter. Pigeon laughter, which is often practiced in laughter therapy or laughter yoga, involves laughing without opening your mouth. By keeping your lips sealed, the laughter produces a humming sound, much like the noises a pigeon makes. It's also been compared to the humming of bees, so if you're still angry at those darn pigeons for dropping poop on you, feel free to call it bees' laughter.

Snorting Laughter

When you aren't actively trying to practice the art of silent laughter, odds are some kind of sound will occur when something strikes your funny bone. Most laughter is, after all, a string of vocal ha-has or ho-hos. But what if you're one of the roughly 25 percent of women or 33 percent of men who laugh through the nose? Then you'd be a snorter. 

We all knew the kid in elementary school, the one who blew milk out his nose when the class clown cracked jokes in the cafeteria. You can guess his kind of laughter.

If this is your kind of laughter, you're either blowing air out or sucking it in through the nose when you laugh. There's nothing wrong with this - but you may want to drink in sips for those times when your friends try to catch you off guard with a new joke.

Canned Laughter

Canned laughter is another term for what's commonly referred to as the "laugh track." Canned laughter is real laughter - it just happens to be laughter taken completely out of one context and placed in another. 

Because of laughter's social connection, television producers understand that placing canned laughter over the soundtrack to programming increases the chance of an audience finding humor in the material - or at least laughing in response to it. Of course, the laughter has to "sound" genuine to the audience; humans can quickly tell the difference between genuine and fake laughter.

Cruel Laughter

You've probably heard some motherly person say, "It isn't polite to laugh at others' expense." That probably hasn't always stopped you, either. Let's face it: Whether you were a bully in school or the kid getting picked on, you've found yourself breaking this rule at some point. We may think of cruel laughter as insensitive and out of touch today, but it's been around for a long time.

Add to that derisive laughter's place in ancient texts. Cruel laughter isn't just a thing of the ancient past. In cultures like the Inuit of Greenland, contests of derision and ridicule were their only judicial procedure, even for serious cases.