MARFAN SYNDROME - What is Marfan Syndrome?

Marfan syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the body’s connective tissue. Connective tissue holds all the body’s cells, organs and tissue together. It also plays an important role in helping the body grow and develop properly.

Connective tissue is made up of proteins. The protein that plays a role in Marfan syndrome is called fibrillin-1. Marfan syndrome is caused by a defect (or mutation) in the gene that tells the body how to make fibrillin-1. This mutation results in an increase in a protein called transforming growth factor beta, or TGF-β. The increase in TGF-β causes problems in connective tissues throughout the body, which in turn creates the features and medical problems associated with Marfan syndrome and some related disorders.

Because connective tissue is found throughout the body, Marfan syndrome can affect many different parts of the body, as well. Features of the disorder are most often found in the heart, blood vessels, bones, joints, and eyes. Some Marfan features – for example, aortic enlargement (expansion of the main blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart to the rest of the body) – can be life-threatening. The lungs, skin and nervous system may also be affected. Marfan syndrome does not affect intelligence.

Who has Marfan syndrome?

About 1 in 5,000 people have Marfan syndrome, including men and women of all races and ethnic groups. About 3 out of 4 people with Marfan syndrome inherit it, meaning they get the genetic mutation from a parent who has it. But some people with Marfan syndrome are the first in their family to have it; when this happens it is called a spontaneous mutation. There is a 50 percent chance that a person with Marfan syndrome will pass along the genetic mutation each time they have a child.

Knowing the signs of Marfan syndrome can save lives

People with Marfan syndrome are born with it, but features of the disorder are not always present right away. Some people have a lot of Marfan features at birth or as young children – including serious conditions like aortic enlargement. Others have fewer features when they are young and don’t develop aortic enlargement or other signs of Marfan syndrome until they are adults. Some features of Marfan syndrome, like those affecting the heart and blood vessels, bones or joints, can get worse over time.

This makes it very important for people with Marfan syndrome and related disorders to receive accurate, early diagnosis and treatment. Without it, they can be at risk for potentially life-threatening complications. The earlier some treatments are started, the better the outcomes are likely to be.

Knowing the signs of Marfan syndrome can save lives. Our community of experts estimates that nearly half the people who have Marfan syndrome don’t know it. This is something we are working hard to change.

MARFAN SYNDROME - An overview

Marfan syndrome is a disorder of connective tissue, the tissue that strengthens the body's structures.

Disorders of connective tissue affect the skeletal system, cardiovascular system, eyes, and skin.

Causes

Marfan syndrome is caused by defects in a gene called fibrillin-1. Fibrillin-1 plays an important role as the building block for connective tissue in the body.

The gene defect also causes too much growth of the long bones of the body. This causes the tall height and long arms and legs seen in people with this syndrome. How this overgrowth happens is not well understood.

Other areas of the body that are affected include:

• Lung tissue (there may be a pneumothorax, in which air can escape from the lung into the chest cavity and collapse the lung)
• The aorta, the main blood vessel that takes blood from the heart to the body may stretch or become weak (called aortic dilation or aortic aneurysm)
• The eyes, causing cataracts and other problems (such as a dislocation of the lenses)
• The skin
• Tissue covering the spinal cord

In most cases, Marfan syndrome is inherited, which means it is passed down through families. However, up to 30% of patients have no family history, which is called "sporadic." In sporadic cases, the syndrome is believed to be caused by a new gene change.

Symptoms

People with Marfan syndrome are usually tall with long, thin arms and legs and spider-like fingers -- called arachnodactyly. When they stretch out their arms, the length of their arms is greater than their height.

Other symptoms include:

• A chest that sinks in or sticks out -- funnel chest (pectus excavatum) or pigeon breast (pectus carinatum)
• Flat feet
• Highly arched palate and crowded teeth
• Hypotonia
• Joints that are too flexible (but the elbows may be less flexible)
• Learning disability
• Movement of the lens of the eye from its normal position (dislocation)
• Nearsightedness
• Small lower jaw (micrognathia)
• Spine that curves to one side (scoliosis)
• Thin, narrow face

Exams and Tests

The doctor will perform a physical exam. There may be hypermobile joints and signs of:

• Aneurysm
• Collapsed lung
• Heart valve problems

An eye exam may show:

• Defects of the lens or cornea
• Retinal detachment
• Vision problems

The following tests may be performed:

• Echocardiogram
• Fibrillin-1 mutation testing (in some people)

An echocardiogram should be done every year to look at the base of the aorta.

Treatment

Vision problems should be treated when possible.

Monitor for scoliosis, especially during the teenage years.

Medicine to slow the heart rate may help prevent stress on the aorta. Avoid participating in contact sports to avoid injuring the aorta of the heart. Some people may need surgery to replace the aortic root and valve.

People with Marfan syndrome who have heart valve conditions should take antibiotics before dental procedures to prevent endocarditis. Pregnant women with Marfan syndrome must be monitored very closely because of the increased stress on the heart and aorta.

Support Groups

National Marfan Foundation -- www.marfan.org

Outlook (Prognosis)

Heart-related complications may shorten the lifespan of people with this disease. However, many patients survive well into their 60s. Good care and surgery may extend the lifespan further.

Possible Complications

Complications may include:

• Aortic regurgitation
• Aortic rupture
• Bacterial endocarditis
• Dissecting aortic aneurysm
• Enlargement of the base of the aorta
• Heart failure
• Mitral valve prolapse
• Scoliosis
• Vision problems

When to Contact a Medical Professional

Experts recommend genetic counseling for couples with a history of this syndrome who wish to have children.

Prevention

Spontaneous new gene mutations leading to Marfan (less than 1/3 of cases) cannot be prevented. If you have Marfan syndrome, see your doctor at least once every year.

References

Pyeritz RE. Inherited diseases of connective tissue. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 268.

Doyle J, Dietz III H. Marfan syndrome. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 693.

Update Date: 4/30/2012

Updated by: Chad Haldeman-Englert, MD, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Section on Medical Genetics, Winston-Salem, NC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.

MARFAN SYNDROME - Top 10 Famous People with Marfan Syndrome

Article by supriya jha

Syndromes and disorders have always been an interesting part of the biological world. The kind of sea changes that take place inside the human body due to the rupture of just an extra cell or tissue really fascinates us to get deeper into this domain and study its root causes as well as diversity. However here we are talking about one such syndrome which is known as ‘Marfan’s Syndrome’. Now the first question that is quite obvious to sprout in your mind is, ‘What is Marfan’s Syndrome?’ Well before that I would like to explain why it is named so. It is named after Antoine Marfan, a French pediatrician who first described this condition in 1896. It is basically a genetic disorder of the connective tissue which affects smooth muscle development and has serious complication over heart valves and aorta (You can read more details about this syndrome here).
What are the main traits of this syndrome? Well, people having Marfan syndrome are unusually tall with long limbs and fingers. Though it cannot be diagnosed accurately on the basis of physical appearance, DNA tests confirm whether there is some kind of mutation in the FBN1 gene on chromosome 15.

So here we have a list of 10 famous people who have/had this syndrome during their life:

10. ROBERT JOHNSON

He was a famous ‘Blues’ guitarist who died at the young age of 27. There were rumors that he died of pneumonia, syphilis, poisoning etc. But the actual reason behind his death was severe heart complications. Also his unique way of playing guitar was because his fingers were more flexible than that of a normal person’s. This condition is known as arachnodactyly or loose joints. The most serious effect of this syndrome is over the cardio-vascular tissue which also includes fluctuations in heart palpitations.

9. VINCENT SCHIAVELLI

The specialty about him was that he was one of the first famous people to have been diagnosed with this genetic defect. He was a famous American actor, who died in the year 2005 because of this disorder. One of his classic movies which has been my all time favourite is ‘One flew over the Cuckoo’s nest’. His lungs got affected due to which air escaped from a lung thereby causing contraction and collapse ultimately leading to pain and shortness of breath. He was also a member of the NMF (National Marfan Foundation) which is an organization to help people affected with this disorder.

8. FLO HYMAN

She was an American volley ball player and Olympic silver medalist. Due to weakening of her connective tissue, she suffered from aortic dissection which is a surgical emergency. She died during a volleyball match in Japan in 1986 which means that she was diagnosed of her disorder only after she died. As mentioned earlier, people having Marfan syndrome are unusually tall. Similar was the case with Flo. She was 6 feet 5 inches tall and also an amazing volleyball player. Though she had a lifetime of only 32 years but she changed the definition of volleyball with her extraordinary abilities.

7. MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS

She was the famous queen of Scotland who died of rheumatoid arthritis. She also had an unusual height of 5 feet 11 inches and was exceptionally beautiful. She ruled for almost 25 years despite being affected by this disorder. A significant figure in history and also popular for her physical appearance she had to spend several years of her life in captivity. At the tender age of six days she inherited the throne because she was the only survivor from her family. She had long fingers and delicate beautiful hands. But after a particular stage her connective tissue began to rupture. A figure of utter bravery and confidence she was a beheaded for planning conspiracy to kill Queen Elizabeth.

6. TUTANKHAMEN

He was an Egyptian pharaoh. This genetic disorder had been continuing in his family since generations. Tutankhamen died at a tender age of 17 years because he had a curved spine. His father had unique physical characteristics which made him look quite feminine. Also his mother had several traits of this syndrome. Though Tutankhamen’s death has been a mystery for a long time but scientists suspect this might be the reason since this was a family trait and many females in the family had long limbs and fingers. He was 1.65m tall and is quite famous for his mysterious death.

5. JONATHAN LARSON

He was an award winning playwright who died in the year 1996 because of aortic dissection. His disorder was diagnosed at a very later stage. He was a very classic case of undetected Marfan syndrome. He received three Tony awards and one Pulitzer Prize for his rock opera. Larson was also a famous music composer but he became famous only after his death. During Princess Diana’s funeral his cello piece ‘Song for Athene’ was played. He kept complaining of regular chest pains but nobody could suspect that he had Marfan syndrome.

4. NICCOLO PAGANINI

A very famous Italian composer and violinist had complete traits of this disorder. He was extremely tall and thin and his fingers were very disproportionate to his palm size. He died due to the paralysis of his laryngeal nerve. During his death he lost his voice and many people believe that his unusual long and flexible fingers were the reason behind his extraordinary ability to play violin. He relatively had a longer life span and his abnormal joint flexibility contributed in his work sphere as well.

3. JOHN TAVENER

John Traverner was a very famous British classical composer. He had Marfan syndrome which was diagnosed when he had spent 46 years of his life struggling with it. Many members of his family were suffering from this disorder. His brother and his two daughters were also among them. Traverner has publicly spoken about his disorder and how it affects him. He needed an aortic root development in 1991. One impressive thing about him was that he had a very positive spirit towards life and he believed in public awareness of the disorder.

2. BRADFORD COX

He is the lead singer of the band ‘Deerhunter’. Moreover his unique physical appearance added to the weird kind of music his band produced. He has spoken in media about his disorder and he was diagnosed of this disorder when he was a child. According to Cox, “Besides its obvious physical effects, it affects your personality because a lot of your personality affects your self- image”. His band shows an experimental blend of electronic psych rock. He has turned his inherent weakness as his strength and the lead singer’s appearance complements the music of the band perfectly.

1. OSAMA BIN LADEN

Well this person needs no introduction since we all know who he was. Born in a family of 16 children, he was 6 feet 6 inches tall. His long and bony face with long fingers and arms do point towards to the fact that he had this disorder. Despite of being so tall he weighed only 160 pounds and had difficulty in walking which means he had some spinal problem which is again a symptom of Marfan syndrome. However his disease could not be diagnosed because he stayed in hills and jungles as a fugitive. He is one of the most famous Marfan syndrome sufferers. No deny he has been famous for all the wrong reasons but what we know for sure is that continued having certain health problems because of this disorder.

Well this list gives us an example of such people who have learnt to live with their disabilities and yet excelled in life. The way we look at things in life also makes a big difference since human life is full of complexities, be it physical or mental. Life has several good things in store for all of us. If these people mentioned above had given up in the very beginning, do you think they would have been famous in whatever they did? Of course not. Thus we should learn to develop a positive attitude to deal with adversities in life instead of getting discouraged and demoralized.

INDIA - Top 10 India’s Most Haunted Places

Article by Dimple Negi

Ghosts, spirits, djinns and other paranormal entities while some believe in them others rubbishes them as something that science hasn’t proven yet. But there are places which offers an eerie experience that definitely reinstate our belief in such things. Listed below are some of the haunted places in India.

10) Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi

 

Tucked away beyond the fandom and bustle of the famous cricket ground are the ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla, which once was the glory of Firuz Shah Tughlaq’s beloved city, Firozabad.  However it’s just the Djinns now, who dwell in these ruins. The moment you enter the compound an air of mystery envelops you. On either sides, dilapidated stone staircase leads to two identical rooms with slit for windows and a low roof, apparently these were the room where the evil Djinns tortured their victims. The vicinity is filled with letters and waft of incense sticks. Numerous rooms and dark hallways are scattered over the place giving it a hauntingly beautiful look. Apart from the mosque and the Ashokan Pillar the Baoli is another significant attraction, it’s inaccessible to general public. The legend has it that fairies descend every night around the baoli and who so ever witnesses the specter will go blind. The guard rubbishes the stories and owes it to bad lighting and accidental death but we couldn’t help notice that most of the building faced away from the monument.

9) Tunnel no 33, Shimla

This famous town of Himachal Pradesh has been the favorite background of numerous horror stories and there seems to be a good reason for that. Tunnel no.33 is one such place; allegedly the current owner of this damp, dingy tunnel is the ghost of British Railway Engineer, Colonel Barog, which merrily chats away with anyone who walks in with a question.

How he died is yet another sad story. Barog was overseeing the construction of tunnel no. 33 and to complete it in time he dug the tunnel from both ends of the hill. As a result of gross miscalculation the tunnel could never meet. He was fined Re. 1 by the British Army which was a pretty big amount at that time, disappointed and humiliated Colonel Barog shot himself. The vicinity of Pine Wood Hotel now marks the location of this site. Though colonel Barog riding his horse is a happy spirit but there are two other ghosts which make people avoid this area, one that of a lady who screams and another man who can be seen asking for a lighter.

8) Malcha Mahal, Delhi

I don’t think it’s wise to include this place in this list but a when the forest part and the iron grill of this place appear like a ghost you can’t help yourself.  After a long fight with the Government of India over her regal rights Princess Wilayat Mahal great granddaughter of Nawab of Oudh was given this place along with her children Prince Riaz and Princess Sakina, embittered by her fate Wilayat Mahal committed suicide and her children have lived here ever since with their ferocious hounds, with no connection to the outside world.  Terrified of constant robberies and intruder they were given the right to shoot in self-protection. Ever since countless number of people including reporters have tried going in but no one really returns. Even the forest guards avoid this area. The mystery shrouds this place and time seems to have forgotten it as well.

7) Lohaghat, Uttrakhand

   

This town is tucked away in the folds of Himalayan foothills. It’s an ordinary town save for a bungalow named ‘Abbey’. It’s on Abott Hill and belonged to the founder of this place. In his fond memory and love for the people of Lohaghat, it was converted into a hospital. Things were fine until in the mid 1900 a doctor joined the staff but what marked him from the rest was his ability to predict deaths, the manner was very eerie. During his morning routine checks he would scribble the names down along with precise timings on a pad and then ask the patient to move to a different room where they’d die the following day. This room was renamed ‘Mukti Kothri’. Did he murder his patients or was he a really good doctor? The true story is buried in the abyss of time and mystery but the spirits of those who died still haunt this place especially the ones called ‘Bhoot ki Daang’ they are recurring spirits who walk down the roads of Lohaghat after dark. Local claim that it’s due to these spirits, the place never flourishes.

6) Lothian Cemetery, Delhi

Spirits and unnatural powers seem to have taken a liking to this city. There goes a saying about Delhi that who so ever tries to rule this city will only see it devastated ( surprisingly enough this curse was resonated when the British had to leave India, after they moved their capital from Kolkata to Delhi).

Lothian cemetery is the perhaps the oldest cemetery in Delhi built in the year 1808 this cemetery has seen more than 200 years of unusual happenings. The paranormal expert says that it might be due to the many unnamed victims of 1857 uprising that were buried here. But the most intriguing is the headless ghost. No not the headless Sir Nicholas, but a soldier who fell in love with a sweeping lady. He shot himself near Delhi gate, when she married someone else. The story is that every night people see him walking near Delhi gate before disappearing in Lothian Cemetery right before the break of dawn.

5) Agrasen ki Baoli

On Hailey Road near C.P Agrasen ki Baoli is just a short walk from Jantar Mantar. The hustle of city smothers when you walk down this step well’s steps. This Baoli was constructed on the orders of Maharja Agrasen. On the left side is the water reservoir and around 105 stairs lead to it. Built in 14th century although the well has dried up but that just adds more to the haunt as you go deeper the sounds completely die down and all you can hear is the echo of your own footsteps.

But what marks this place as haunted is the story that we heard from locals. Before the place lost its sheen, the Baoli was filled with black water which would call out to people mysteriously and ask them to scarify their lives. One really old feller recounted to us the horror of watching someone jump to his death, “He was fine and then we saw him standing there. He wasn’t himself it seemed as he was hypnotized, taken over by an unseen force, before we could reach him, he was gone.”

4) Dow Hill, Kurseong, West Bengal

For everyone who is unaware of its horror tales, Kurseong or Kharsang (the land of white orchids) may appear as a pleasant hill station. But things change here in the long winter lull of December to March. Mostly famous for schools and tourist spots one can’t avoid over hearing the mystery of Victoria Boys Hostel. Locals are dead sure that spirits dwell there as they have heard distinct footsteps. Although no foot-marks are ever found, this place has seen numerous mysterious murders.  On the stretch that links the Kurseong Dow hill and Forest office, woodcutters and labourers have reported the sighting of a headless boy walking and disappearing in the forest. The milieu around this area is very spooky, even those oblivious of this story have claimed to feel something near this area

3) Jamali-Kamali Masjid

The Jamali Kamali mosque and tomb are located in the famous Mehrauli Archaeological Complex. Jamali and Kamali were Sufi saints who preached here and were buried in the tomb when they died, around 1528 (source: R.V Smith ‘A Delhi that no one knows’). Though now the place is said to be haunted with banished djinns who try to converse with the passer by in animal voices. Many have claimed hearing growls and anguished cries in strange languages. One account was in particular, very scary. “My son wouldn’t stop crying, then I noticed a small hand imprint on his face. I thought he must have gotten into a fight but, he kept saying that a spirit had slapped him”. People also complain of prolong nightmares and strange experiences post a visit to Jamali- Kamali.

2) The Lambi Dehar mines, Mussoorie

On the outskirts of Mussoorie these abandoned quarry mines have haunted the surrounding area from the early 1990s when an unfortunate event led to the death of around 50,000 workers.  Ever since the area has been deserted and natural forces have taken over the vacant houses. Far from civilization this place gives off a post-apocalyptic feel.

1) Bhangarh, Rajasthan

You knew this was coming, didn’t you?  A lecherous priest, a beautiful princess and a curse marks the story of Bhangarh. At the edge of Sariska it is India’s most famous ghost town. The extent of the mystery can be estimated from a Google search for India’s most haunted places, every second link will take you to Bhangarh and hundreds of horror accounts that follows. By dusk no one dares to venture around this area and the guards listen to Sundar Kand at full volume.

PEOPLE - Top 10 Superpowers you have that you don’t know

Article by supriya jha

The concept of superpowers is not confined to superman or batman movies. It’s even beyond that. And no deny each one of us has that special power within ourselves. It’s just that we haven’t discovered it yet. Well look within yourselves, there is something which you have never noticed and that is what makes you a distinct personality. The term ‘superpower’ itself sounds so amazing to us. The power that is preeminent, superlative and supreme and uncommon to the average human. Isn’t it? Well yes. But the same objectified power could be somewhere within you. All these superman, batman and x-men movies are nothing but a mere work of fiction. What we are talking about here is the concept of ‘realistic power’ which anyways seems unreal, something which can astound the world and create an iconic image. It might seem hard to digest this fact, but all we need to do is explore our hidden potentialities which can transform our perception about human abilities. Hence we the real people can be unique, despite being similar. So here we have a list of ten such amazing superpowers which we humans possess, but never knew about it.

10. BRAVERY

So when we speak of bravery in terms of superpowers we don’t mean deflecting bullets with our eyeballs or smashing a building with one hand. The courage to face odds and overcome one’s fear is not something everyone is bestowed with. Life is full of challenges and bravery is one such power that makes us less vulnerable to the difficult things in life which can scare us back home. Anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. You are given this life because you are strong enough to live it. It is our struggle that develops our strength and not our success.

9. IMAGINATION

An active imagination is a blessing and not everybody is born with this ability to imagine what normal senses cannot. Also,it is a diversified ability since it is not confined to a particular sphere of mind. It can be about anything and everything, be it images, ideas, concepts or objects. Imagination is how our mind visualizes something and comes up with some extraordinary notion which nobody had ever thought of. The root of all innovations and discoveries lies nowhere else but in the genius brains of human beings like us. So this confirms that if you are imaginative enough, you already have a superpower in your hands.

8. PREDICTING THE FUTURE

We have this term called ‘intuition’ used quite often in our day to day conversation. And few of us have this extraordinary ability to look through the future and predict what is going to happen next. Though this sounds unbelievable but we have people around us whose intuitions are always correct be it good or bad. Subjects like palmistry and astrology also come within this wide sphere of future prediction, but some own a natural talent without any specific knowledge of stars, zodiacs or position of the planets. And undoubtedly such people have come up with great predictions too.

7. COMPASSION AND SYMPATHY

Most of us must not have thought compassion and sympathy to be a superpower. But yes, it is. Mental and emotional suffering is always worse than the physical wound and we know this very well, since all of us have been through such a phase. The pain of an emotional trauma does not need any doctor’s prescription or antibiotics. All it needs is compassion and sympathy. And in this era of modernization, all we see is self centered and selfish people around us. Nobody sympathizes or is concerned about your sufferings and misfortunes. Hence someone who holds the ability to relieve such pain is a real superhero. No matter whether he has a superman physique or not, what matters is he should have a good heart.

6. EMPATHY

Sympathy and empathy are two different terms. Though they sound quite similar, but they aren’t the same. Putting yourself into the shoes of somebody is what we call ‘empathy’. It is both a character trait and a superpower. It is the supernatural ability to interpret and replicate emotions, moods and temperament of others. However,a trait has to be learned, and superpower is something you are born with. Most of us have become too individualistic in our approach,and all that we think about is our problems and miseries. We generally don’t bother to visualize situations through somebody else’s perspective. Do we? No, we don’t. But those who do, are benefited with this extraordinary quality which does not change your outward appearance but brings a transformation in your inner self.

5. CREATIVITY

With each new pair of vision, comes a new idea, a new vantage point. Creativity simply means ‘being creative’. Hence we can call it as the next step to imagination. Though they are two different abilities, but are quite interrelated. Creativity means giving voice to your ideas, bringing them in a wider picture and implicating them so that the great ideas that hover in your minds can be seen practically. Imagination is confined to our minds and intellect where we visualize things internally. Creative people use imagination for their original ideas and also look at it from multiple perspectives just with one pair of eyes and one brain. Impressive, right?

4. TELEPATHY

The power to connect through human minds is not an ordinary phenomena. Whether it is a hallucination or some other mind game, it requires great concentration and extraordinary ability to communicate through mind and not through words. And as far as the super human features are concerned, telepathy needs a great deal of meditation for the mental connection. Some people have this inherent potential to look through the eyes of a person and figure out what is going in the mind. Interesting, isn’t it? Yes, it is only if you are not the one whose mind is being read or else you never know what interesting stuffs might come out in the picture.

3. MEMORY

Memory is nothing but the ability to remember things. It is as simple as that. But people don’t tend to remember everything and anything they heard, saw or did. Do they? Think about yourself. Can you remember what you did on 20th of June, 1994 at 10:30 pm? The clear answer would be no because it takes great effort to build up your memory in such a way that it remembers every single thing. But some of us are born with this rare ability called ‘hyperthymesia’, a condition of perfect autobiographical memory where one can remember every trivial thing that happened to occur on a certain date.

2. NOT BEING SCARED OF DEATH

Man is mortal. Someday each one of us has to face death, and naturally nobody wants to take it willingly. We are all scared of it. Aren’t we? But have you ever thought of those people who face death every hour, every minute and every second of their lives. They know life can shoot upon them any time but still they don’t care. What they care about is their duty and loyalty to their work. Such brave hearts deserve great appreciation. Those who stand up for their country on the border line or the ones who fight against deadly diseases like AIDS, cancer etc. are the real superheroes who should be respected and not the ones whom we see on television faking action and earning fame.

1. SEEING WITH YOUR EARS

Seeing through your ears is something you would have never thought of. The world we live in is a beautiful place and to visualize it we have been gifted a beautiful pair of eyes. But what about those who are visually impaired? Do they have no choice? Of course they have. It all depends on how you utilize your one sense organ to facilitate the other. Well let’s make it a little simpler through an example. This is a real thing which guys like Daniel Krish have. He is completely blind and uses his sonar-like sense of hearing which is so sharp that it basically replaces his vision. This phenomena is called ‘echolocation’ where one uses sound waves to mentally paint a picture of the world. And just because we rely so much on our vision to look for everything, most of us have failed to discover this amazing hidden superpower within us.

So do you have any kind of superpowers listed above? Well, if yes then you can proudly claim to have a superhero trait and move around because all of us are capable of amazing things. It’s just that most of the time we have been hiding this from ourselves. Each one of us is born with some special ability. All you need to do is figure it out and bring it into the picture since you cannot estimate the power of a common man.

10 GREAT FACTS A DAY - Part 119 (30/12/2013)

1181.            In the 1985 Boise, Idaho mayoral election, there were four write-in votes for
    Mr. Potato Head.

1182.            MS-DOS was originally calle QDOS and was bought of the author by Microsoft for
    a small fee. The rest is history.

1183.            Marilyn Monroe had six toes.

1184.            The Roman emperor Commodus was at one time going to change the name of
    Rome to Colonia Commodiana.

1185.            The state of Alaska has almost twice as many caribou as people.

1186.            Another way to say "every 9 years" is Novennial.

1187.            In the spring of 1975, a baby in Detroit fell 14 stories and landed on Joseph
    Figlock, who was walking below. A few years later it happened again. Figlock and
    both babies survived.

1188.            Close to fifty percent of Internet shoppers spend over five hours a week online.

1189.            Los Angeles is the most polluted city in the USA.

1190.         For people that are lactose intolerant, chocolate aids in helping milk digest easier.

FITNESS - Top 10 Reasons Why Gyming is Healthy

Article by sakshi bhalla

In times when people are more concerned about Facebook activity than physical activity, junk food chains and obesity seem to be ruling the game. So much so, that obesity by itself has been deemed an epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), killing nearly 2.8 million people every year (according to WHO). Initially considered to be limited to rich and well developed economies, it has now become just as rampant in the developing world too. Add to that, the increasingly mechanical lifestyles driven from one end to the other by technology. The increased campaigning for health, while it has enlightened a few, most stay out of its ambit. Keeping all of this in mind, we bring to you the Top 10 reasons Why Gyming is Good for Health, to motivate you to get off that couch you are so comfortably settled in, and achieve a good physical and mental shape (if not the John Abraham-esque physicality!).

10. Activity

It will not be wrong to say that we are a generation of couch potatoes who can happily go on flipping channels on the television and websites on the computer all day long. Add a can of coke and cheesy pizza, and some of us might just achieve nirvana. As fantastical as it may sound, a sedentary lifestyle is just grossly unhealthy, for your physical as well as mental well being. A nice session of gyming gives one a taste of the much needed activity during the day, making us move those muscles, we didn’t even know existed – all, to balance out the level of inactivity during the day. A given benefit is the increased blood circulation which enables healthy organ function and promotes growth of cell renewal – which will make you feel healthy too!

9. Strength

Gyming regularly, adds to muscle mass and strength, by subjecting them to closely controlled movement and activity, mostly targeting one muscle group at a time. It also goes on to add to muscle endurance. Muscle size increases too, due to Hypertrophic Adaptation (which is basically an increase in the size of the cell due to change in its environment, which here, happens due to movement of the said muscle). And as much as we would want it to be otherwise, this does remain the only (healthy) way to achieve that muscular look. Strong muscles not just make you look and feel better, but also give greater functional strength and more energy.

8. New Company

At any age or stage in life, we rarely ever tend to go out and meet new people and interact with them, unless they’re in some kind of professional association with us. Breaking this convention is gyming.  It makes you step out of the humdrum of your routine and leads you to interact with possibly like minded people who may be there for the same purpose as you are, which just goes on to make the whole process more engaging, more efficient and more fun. This further acts as a stress buster.

7. Healthy Cardiovascular System

From what medical experts predict, cardiovascular disorders, already on the rise with people as young as twenty five years of age succumbing to them, are set to increase manifold over the course of the next twenty years. Add to that, the very recently published research by a group of Swedish scientists suggests that being just four pounds (or 1.8 Kg) overweight can increase your heart risk by twenty percent – suggesting that it was never more important to hit the gym and start working out, full throttle. An increased heart rate (especially so, in the case of a cardiovascular workout, or just cardio) can lead to innumerable health benefits like better recovery ability, better hormonal profile etc. besides just a healthy heart. All this goes on to toss odds like obesity, blood pressure problems, increased cholesterol and sometimes even diabetes out of the window.

6. Metabolism

That you burn calories during a workout is common knowledge. But what’s better news is that you continue burning calories after a workout of moderate to high intensity, get this, without even trying. Here’s presenting the divine concept of the Afterburn. The rate of metabolism of the body increases by several times during a workout. And this stays till much after the workout itself. The best afterburn happens after a long, strenuous weight training workout (when compared to cardio). So you continue burning more calories even without really trying, with the effects sometimes lasting even overnight! Sounds like a good deal to make, doesn’t it?

5. Discipline

We find ourselves, too many times, putting things (like exercising, for example) off, being too laid back, lazing around, gorging and binging on whatever we may feel like etc. – all, instances of being undisciplined, sometimes, despite not even wanting to. The one stop cure to all this is regular exercise. Indulging in a regular activity, like gyming, induces self discipline and self control, reducing the chances of such behavior. So next time, you’ll be sure to be a little thoughtful about adding extra cheese on your pizza.

4. Smooth functioning body

Exercising is essential for overall health. This is a tenet that has reinforced itself on us time and time again. Think about our grandparents who come from a time when cars were few and far, when fun implied a good two-three hours of playtime outside, when the alternative to walking was cycling… And look how healthy they’ve been, going nice and strong at eighty years of age. It’s hard to go back to that time, but it’s relatively easier now to attain or at least work towards that level of health, with the easy access to gyms today. A little bit of effort today will go on to keep all those joints and muscles in place for when you grow old.

3. Weight loss

It is only when our body reaches a certain level of intensity during a workout, does the glycogen start getting oxidized. To put it in simpler, layman terms – you need to exercise for a given duration of time, nonstop, for the fat to get burned. And disappointing as it may be, this does not happen even if your job has you running up and down staircases or walking a lot, because of the lack of consistency and intensity. Enter gyming. It is where you focus single-mindedly on your workout for the period that you do workout for. Plus, with trainer, you have someone guiding your every move. And this is what actually helps.

2. Guilt Free Eating

How heart rending it is, to not add a little butter on top of the popcorn, to not eat that last slice of pizza, to not add cream to your coffee! And if you do, do any one of these things, then the guilt that takes over is absolutely insurmountable. The quick-fix to this is a regular gyming practice. Since you’ll be burning away most of what you’ll eat during the day (and possibly more),you will no longer have to feel sorry or guilty for that dash of chocolate syrup in your coffee, or butter on your popcorn, or extra cheese on the pizza, or…

1. Endorphins

This is the one, single reason behind our ability to perceive happiness, comfort, wellness and love. And, their production undergoes a boost when you exercise. Think about how great you felt, when you were younger and played in parks. ‘Runner’s High’ is one of the well known outcomes of a moderate to high intensity workout and is said to occur when the body is at the threshold of endorphin release. So, once out of gym, you are bound to feel stress free, relaxed, satisfied and remarkably happy with yourself. You start feeling fit too, even if it is just the first day of your workout, which just adds on to the endorphin magic!