What is a Bulging Disc and How to Treat it?

Bulging disc help may be as simple as finding out the causes, treatments, and what is best for you. In many cases, back pain sufferers have found ways to fix the problem themselves. What has caused your bulging disc and can you really fix it at home yourself?

What Is It?
Since the discs in your spine are used to absorb the stress of physical activity which many doctors refer to as 'absorbing the shock', the disc itself is made to not feel pain. Sounds crazy, right? Think about it. If the disc in your spine could feel pain, each step you took would be painful. Instead, they help keep us from having pain. That is, until one gets moved the wrong way causing it to bulge.

This bulge tends to always happen where the nerve is and causes pressure. The pressure on the nerve causes the pain. Of course, when a disc bulges, you won't just feel pain in that one area. The nerve that the disc is putting pressure on is in charge of other areas of the body. That is why when you have a bulging disc in your neck, you may have headaches, problems with your arms and hands, vision trouble, chest pain, and so on.

Middle back bulging discs can cause chest pain, pain in the ribs, digestive problems, and according to the 'Heal Your Bulging Disc' website, it can even lead to liver and gall bladder problems.

When the disc is bulging in the lower back, it is common to have weak legs, pain shooting down legs and into feet, and it can also cause bowel and bladder problems.

So, as you can see, it is very important to fix the bulging disc as soon as possible and not let the problem persist.

Common Causes
Believe it or not, smoking can be a major factor of back trouble. The toxins from cigarette smoke break down the disc walls which leaves the disc more vulnerable. Other common causes: lack of exercise, poor diet, age, severe trauma, improper heavy lifting, and often a person who works where a lot of bending and driving are involved find themselves with back trouble.

What Will Doctors Do?
As with most back trouble, your doctor will probably prescribe pain killers and muscle relaxers. You may also be advised to have physical therapy, see a Chiropractor, and, as a last resort, opt for surgery. For the most part, these treatments for bulging discs are only temporary and the pain will normally come back leaving you feeling miserable and wonder if there is any place else to turn.

Is There More?
According to 'Home Remedies Central', an herbal mixture of Mugwort, Horsetail, Yarrow, Comfrey, Parsley, and Rosehips could do the trick. Of course, there are many exercises that could be beneficial.

The most important thing to remember is that the bulging back disc needs time to heal. It took time for it to weaken and cause you pain, so it will take time for it to heal. Removing pressure from this part of your back will help it to heal more quickly.

Treatments of a bulging disc needs to include exercises. Not aerobic or weight training exercises, but exercises that target the problem. Targeted back exercises are designed to restore circulation, relax cramped muscles, and ease the pain.

One exercise that has helped many is called the 'crawling baby'. To do the exercise, get down on your hands and knees in the floor. Try to keep your head and spine in line while you slowly kick one leg back toward the opposite wall behind you. Bring the knee back to the starting position. Now, do the other leg. Do 10 to 20 reps alternating legs.

Targeted exercises have been the best solution for many people who find that they have gotten rid of the pain and back to their regular lives. After a doctor has ruled out any serious problems, begin your targeted exercise program to start feeling better.

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What is Head Rush and How to Prevent it?

Depending on your own physical situation, your medication maybe giving you problems with head rushes. Head rushes are caused by a sudden change in blood pressure, they can make you feel dizzy and disoriented. While the head rush may only last a few seconds the actual feeling seems to feel much longer.

Head rushes normally do not inflict any pain on individuals. The problem with becoming dizzy or faint is it can cause you to become disoriented if you experience one in a local that is not familiar to you. Having to grab for a chair, table or anything to hold yourself up is an embarrassing moment that will have people wondering about your over all health.

Falling down from a head rush can cause severe damage and pain to your body. The fall itself can cause you to hit an object such as a table, chair, or any other nearby piece of furniture as you collapse uncontrollably to the floor. Hitting furniture as you fall can cause severe bruising and may possibly tear the skin and cause bleeding. While bruising and bleeding sound terrible the floor can cause the biggest injury. Many people have fallen and broken a bone in their arm or leg, hitting the floor from a head rush greatly increases the chance of breaking a hip.

Here are a couple tips to help you avoid having a head rush.

Getting out of bed
In the morning should take some time. Start by waking up and simply lying in bed for at least one minute. After the minute sit up in bed and slowly move your legs to the floor. Sit on the edge of your bed for half a minute to allow the changes in blood flow. When you stand up do not walk, just stand up. If you experience dizziness or feel faint simply sit back down, if not after standing for 10 - 30 seconds you should be good for walking.

Getting up from a chair
Most people tend to push a chair away from the table by shifting their weight forward. The shift in weight tends to make the head move forward and lower towards the knees. This action increases the blood pressure from bending over followed by a sudden release or drop in blood pressure when you stand up. This can be solved by not bending over and keeping your back upright when moving you chair away from the table. If that is not possible pause after moving the chair away from the table while sitting upright. This will allow your blood pressure to return to normal. When you do stand up, stand straight up and do not lean forward.

Regardless of your body position, break up your movements with a slight rest before getting to your feet. These rest stops will help you from having a dizziness or fainting spells.

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Health tip: Home Remedies for Nausea

Nausea is an unpleasant sensation that arises usually due to ones upset stomach conditions with an urge to vomit and most probably you already have experienced it several times. Simply, you can call it as the state which precedes vomiting. It is not a disease itself, but actually a symptom related to other disorders of our body.

Causes and symptoms:
Being a symptom itself, nausea can be caused by a number of varying factors. The most common among them are

1. Digestion problem: If your digestion system does not work properly due to reasons like food poisoning, then the result will be definitely nausea.

2. Motion sickness: The attack of nausea often can be seen with people traveling in car or bus prone to motion sickness - a state of disagreement between visually perceived movement and the vestibular sense.

3. Pregnancy: When a woman gets pregnant, she often feels the urge to vomit, and it is common to almost 80% women. Therefore, nausea can be caused in case of women by pregnancy at their early stages.

4. Alcoholic beverage: Use of excessive alcoholic beverage can also make a person nauseated.

Likewise, nausea can also be felt due to overeating, mental stress, chemotherapy, vertigo or any such illness. Our body is naturally trained to react under different circumstances differently and therefore, nausea is just a bodily reaction to force discharge of undesirable substances through vomiting.

The urge of one to vomit is the most common symptom of nausea. Besides, feeling of dizziness; sweating and stomach pain, etc are among other symptoms.

Useful home remedies you can try:
As mentioned earlier nausea is not a disease, and you can treat it with various home remedies available.

Empty stomach: In case of nausea the best way to deal it is with an empty stomach. Avoid foods for sometime if the cause is indigestion. Moreover, an empty stomach in nausea often results in vomiting and thus eliminates the whole sensation.

Ginger: In nausea, try to eat a small fresh piece of ginger with tea. This will help you find relief. If you wish, you can add half a teaspoon of honey to the tea at the same time.

Lemon: A cup of lemon juice with a little salt is also very effective in order to subside the nausea. You can as well smell simply a fresh lemon or its leaves.

Baking soda: Take half a teaspoon of baking soda in one cup of warm water and drink it slowly.

Apple cider vinegar: This is another effective home remedy for nausea. Just take one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and honey in a cup of water and drink at regular intervals.

Rice water: You can also try drinking rice water (that you used to cast aside) whenever you feel being nauseous.

However, taking proper healthy diet is very essential along with any remedy. In conditions like food poisoning, it is vital to avoid the poisonous eatables. Likewise, you can also use peppermint and other non-carbonated syrup as home remedies for nausea.

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What are the Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal?

What Is Caffeine Made Of
Caffeine is defined by Merriam-Webster as a bitter alkaloid C8H10N4O2 found especially in coffee, tea, cacao, and kola nuts and used medicinally as a stimulant and diuretic. Although caffeine is technically considered a drug, obviously it is not illegal.

The drug shares many of the same characteristics as other central nervous system stimulants such as heroin, amphetamines, and cocaine. However, do not be alarmed. The effect on the body is typically not negative as long as the amount of caffeine does not exceed 250 mg in a single dose. That number seems quite low considering the amount of caffeine in coffee in a typical 5 oz cup contains approximately 110 to 150 mg.

Caffeine Effects on the Body Affects of caffeine include:

• increased gastric acid and pepsin secretion plus increased secretion into the small intestine
• increased heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and blood pressure at rest
• tachycardia
• increased lipolysis
• increased contractility of skeletal muscles
• increased oxygen consumption and metabolic rate
• increased diuresis
  

Although the effect of caffeine may seem overwhelming, it is not as bad as you may think. Unless you have a condition such as heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and/or high inflammatory indicators like homocysteine, a small amount will probably not harm you. Studies show the amount of caffeine intake that is safe yet still exerts favorable results ranges anywhere from 85 to 200 mg (Mottram, 2005).

One awesome effect caffeine has on the body is the improvement in mood, vigour, and euphoria (Mottram, 2005). To achieve this desirable effect, it is best to consume doses ranging from 100 to 200 mg. On the other hand, any caffeine amount over 400 mg can result in dysphoria (reduction in mood) and increased anxiety. Additionally, just like any other drug, caffeine addiction can occur. According to medicinenet.com, a person suffering from addiction to caffeine may experience caffeine withdrawal symptoms such as:

• headaches
• tiredness/fatigue
• decreased energy/activeness
• decreased alertness/attentiveness
• drowsiness/sleepiness
• decreased contentedness/well-being
• depressed mood
• difficulty concentrating
• irritability
• felling fuzzy/foggy/not clearheaded
  

So, if you decide to stop using coffee and caffeine altogether and experience any of the above symptoms, you may be suffering from caffeine withdrawal symptoms. I know from personal experience that a caffeine headache is not a very pleasurable experience!

Caffeine and Exercise
So now that you know what is caffeine, how can it benefit you in regards to exercise. First off, depending on the amount of caffeine ingested, we have already learned that one effect caffeine has on the body is an increases in energy. For those of you who know what it feels like to drag your body to the gym, caffeine can be your best friend! I personally take 200 mg of caffeine before every workout and it provides me the perfect amount of caffeine to make it through my workout. However, I do not take caffeine in coffee. Instead, I take Prolab Caffeine energy pills, which contains the caffeine amount of 200 mg per pill.

Another benefit of caffeine is that on long term exercise. Studies show that caffeine can improve endurance by enhancing fat utilization, thereby sparing glycogen stores (Mottram, 2005). So for cardio exercise enthusiasts, caffeine may be just what you need to make it through that grueling 10 mile run! On the other hand, to this day it is still unclear as to whether or not caffeine positively affects speed and power. Unfortunately, most of the evidence obtained from the testing of the effect of caffeine on speed and power is inconclusive.

Caffeine and Pregnancy Contrary to popular belief, it is okay for a woman to consume moderate amounts of caffeine during pregnancy, says some experts. According to americanpregnancy.org, a moderate amount of caffeine is anywhere from 150 mg to 300 mg per day.

However, although a moderate amount of caffeine may be okay for most grown woman, it still can have a negative effect on the baby, depending on the caffeine amount that is consumed. Caffeine can definitely cause a drastic change in your baby's normal sleep pattern. After all, caffeine is a central nervous stimulant! Additionally, caffeine in coffee, caffeine in tea, and any other beverage or food containing a high amount of caffeine can significantly increase heart rate and blood pressure, both of which are not recommended during pregnancy.

So, although moderate amounts of caffeine may not negatively affect your pregnancy, you may still want to think twice about using it. Possible negative outcomes of caffeine in pregnancy include:

• delayed conception
• birth defect
• miscarriage
  

As you can see, there can be detrimental side effects of consuming caffeine during pregnancy. On the other hand, many studies have shown that there are no increased risks of drinking a minimal amount of coffee daily. Regardless, to be on the safe side, it is probably best to eliminate caffeine from your diet while pregnant.

Final Note
As you can see, consumption of caffeine is very controversial. Many scientists believe caffeine in coffee, caffeine in tea, and caffeine in other beverages and foods can be safely consumed in moderate amounts, while others believe that caffeine intake should be kept at a minimal.

As for the effect of caffeine on exercise, results from most studies have been inconclusive. We know that a moderate amount of caffeine taken before exercise may prolong time to exhaustion during endurance activities. On the other hand, no study has definitely confirmed that caffeine has a significant impact on speed and power. Additionally, the amount of caffeine consumed and caffeine levels prior to exercise probably play a major role in how different people respond to the drug.

Many experts believe that consuming moderate amounts of caffeine in pregnancy will not negatively affect the mother or the baby, while others believe that moderate amounts of caffeine in pregnancy may cause delayed conception, birth defects, and even miscarriages. As always, it is best to consult a doctor on this issue to ensure you are making the most informed choice.

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What is Self-Fulfilling Prophecy?

Most people have heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy. It has less to do with knowing the future and more to do with shaping your future. Basically, when you believe something about yourself so fervently, it ends up becoming true. It may not have been true before, but because you thought it to be, it ended up being true.

In the world of dating and being a pick-up artist, these self-fulfilling prophecies are also known as self-limiting beliefs. They are the negative thoughts we have about ourselves, often about our insecurities and fears. For example, you think that no one understands your sense of humor. Maybe this belief came about through some experience, but the more you believe it, the less you try making jokes. Before you know it, people generally regard you as someone who isn't funny when the truth is that someone out there would probably laugh really hard at what you have to say.

These self-limiting beliefs affect the way you play the dating game. When you begin to believe that no one will appreciate a certain aspect of you or that you will never score a date with a certain woman because of some attribute, what you are doing is creating a mental barrier. You think that you can't hit on this woman, but the barriers you see are all in your head. So in the end, you can't hit on the woman, or if you try, you fail.

Now, the great thing about self-fulfilling prophecies and self-limiting beliefs is that they work both ways. They can be negative or positive. It's just that most people think negatively and so it often works in a negative way. So you know what that means, right? You can turn things around by thinking positively, and get it to work in a positive way! Easier said than done, I know, but you can get started now.

Start by writing down all your insecurities and fears, everything that stops you from having the confidence you need to approach a woman. Be honest with yourself and accept that these are the things you think. Now, look at your list. Can you change anything? Let's say you think you're very hairy. Is there anything you can do about it? Are you willing to do that? If the answer is yes, then do it! That's one belief killed.

For the ones you can't change, just accept them because you know what? If you ignore them, nobody is going to realize they exist! Or if they do see it, they're going to see that you don't care, and they won't give it importance either!

So get started on that list now! Take the first step to changing your self-limiting beliefs and make sure all your self-fulfilling prophecies yield positive results.

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Enabling - When Helping an Alcoholic or Addict Really Isn't Helping

An enabler in most definitions is a person who through his or her actions allows someone else to achieve something. Most often the term enabler is associated with people who allow loved ones to behave in ways that are destructive. For example, an enabler wife of an alcoholic might continue to provide the husband with alcohol. A person might be an enabler of a gambler or compulsive spender by lending them money to get out of debt.

In this fashion, though the enabler may be acting out of love and trying to help or protect a person, he or she is actually making a chronic problem like an addiction worse. By continuing to lend money to the gambler, for example, the gambler doesn’t have to face the consequences of his actions. Someone is there to bail him out of trouble and continue to enable his behavior.

The term enabler is also part of the larger definition of codependency. Codependency at first arose as a definition of adaptive behaviors a person might make if he or she lives with someone with substance abuse or severe emotional problems. A codependent tends to remain so, because he or she adapts to or ignores the behaviors of the ill person. In fact, the codependent often becomes an enabler because it allows one to be involved in fewer conflicts.

For example, one spouse is an alcoholic, while the other is not. Perhaps the spouse who doesn’t have a problem with drinking has stated that she/he will no longer allow alcohol to be consumed in the house. Then the fights ensue. The alcoholic spouse violates the rules again and again.

Eventually, the non-drinking spouse may simply decide that the fights are worse than the person being drunk. He or she caves in on this issue, perhaps even purchasing alcohol for the spouse. In this way, the spouse is the enabler of the alcoholic, and is codependent, acting in unusual ways that continue to allow the spouse to behave in a destructive manner.

Enabler can be a more broad-based term for other forms of abusive and destructive behavior. The wife who refuses to fill out police reports after being abused by her husband enables his continuing to beat her. Thus the enabler often suffers almost as much as the mentally unbalanced or addicted person.

Not all forms of enabling are necessarily negative. A person can be a positive enabler in a child’s life by behaving in certain ways. For example, a father who spends time with his children, listens to them, and lets them know how wonderful and important he thinks they are is likely to enable the children to be confident and happy children. This is an enabler in the best sense of the word.

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X Out – Acne Meds Go High Tech

Oh the joys of adolescent acne, with few very lucky exceptions, who among us didn’t suffer with at least a few dreaded teenage pimples? I remember making a much bigger deal out of the occasional zit than it actually was, and I guess that’s what being young is all about. Who knew when you got to be an adult you’d have a whole lot more to worry about.

Nonetheless, the makers of Proactiv, arguably one of the most recognized, televised and utilized acne meds of our time has developed an new medication aimed specifically at teens. X Out, which incorporates a nifty high tech idea in order to help teens recognize the recommended two minute wash time for the best acne blasting results. Each bottle of X Out Wash-In Treatment has a QR code can be scanned with a Smartphone that will automatically direct you to the X Out Daily Distraction, which is a new two-minute video that will change everyday. So whether it’s magic tricks, fashion tips, sports tricks or comedy, X Out provides you with just the right amount of entertainment for your 2 minute wash time and will then (hopefully) also provide you with super clean, blemish free skin.

X Out exfoliates with tiny scrubbing beads and contains 8.5% benzoyl peroxide, it is dermatologist tested, non-comedogenic and is paraben and sulfate-free, so it’s suitable for all skin types and you can use the same face wash as a mask or a spot treatment. Hey! that’s different.

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Debunking Myths About the Effects of the Full Moon on Your Health

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How Music Promotes Learning

Music is powerful. It can play a significant part in our lives contributing to positive academic, social, and emotional achievements. Using music in and outside of the classroom has been shown to positively influence children's abilities to process literature and mathematical concepts when used appropriately. Use music as a supplement to instruction, but do not rely on it for the purpose of boosting intelligence. Integrating musical experiences can create excitement for learning with the added bonus of supporting the advancement of developmental milestones.

Math Skills
Children who take piano lessons have been found to display a strong grasp on concepts involving fractional numbers, ratios, proportions, and problem solving. Piano training has also been linked to the improved ability to identify patterns in mathematical equations and when using math manipulatives to express calculations.

The number of beats that each individual note receives requires using proportional thinking. This thought process is a significant milestone in a child's development and is a critical component for reaching proficiency in mathematics. Proportional thinking involves comparing numbers and manipulating variables to gain a specific outcome.

Incorporating rhythm activities in the regular classroom supports learning the essentials of math. Fractions and multiplication skills are important foundations for more complex calculations. Understanding and applying note values contributes to learning how to correctly compute fractional numbers.

Spatial Reasoning
Spatial intelligence involves the ability to transform mental images into a concrete idea. Children who continually work to improve their musical skills have proven that they possess advanced spatial reasoning. These kids are able to visualize information and put meaning behind concepts that are more abstract. Students with strong spatial abilities identify similarities and differences in physical and intangible objects.

Social Skills
Being a part of a musical group supports the development of age-appropriate social skills. Kids learn to work cooperatively and communicate effectively with each other and their instructor. Constructive feedback is essential when perfecting musical performances. The ability to process positive and negative feedback supports kids to gain confidence and determination. Children also thrive when a musical presentation is performed well with encouraging responses.

Music Lessons
Supporting kids to learn how to play a musical instrument or in taking voice lessons has a positive effect on their academic work. Children who take music lessons have been found to grasp mathematical and sciences concepts with more ease than students who are not involved in advancing their musical talents. Learning to play the piano supports improved physical coordination and mental focus. Problem solving skills are increased. Children with developing musical skills tend to have stronger abstract thinking skills. Abstract thinking is the most complex form of thought that is required for drawing conclusions and adapting to situations.

Children who take voice lessons develop excellent pitch discrimination. This, in turn, has been found to support children in cultivating phonemic awareness. There is a clear connection between identifying musical sounds and applying letter sounds correctly while reading.

Background Music
Reliable research-based information is not totally conclusive about using background music in the classroom to enhance learning. However, using music during instruction could be used more as a classroom management tool. Differentiating instruction keeps students engaged; thereby reducing the amount of time the instructor spends on discipline. People traditionally think that a classroom needs to be quiet for the most efficient learning to take place. In some cases, the quiet is actually distracting. Students may be drawn to other actions or sound in the classroom if everything is quiet. Some soothing background noise can help cover environmental noise that causes distractions.

Popular music tends to be more distracting while instruction is taking place. Research has confirmed that loud and harsh tones interfere with concentration and comprehension of material. Some students are affected more so by background sound than others. Slow instrumental music without percussion is generally the best background music for learning situations.

How to Start Introducing Music into Your Classroom
Instrumental music appears to have the most relaxing effects and motivates both the left and right brain to work simultaneously. Learning and retention increase when both sides of the brain work at the same time. Music can be attributed to recalling specific events from our past. Try teaching targeted concepts while playing a specific piece of music that could be easily recalled. Engaging and simple classroom decorations and furniture, coupled with calming Baroque-era music, can support students to focus attentively and retain information more efficiently.

Experiment with background music in the classroom by starting out with Baroque-era pieces. Composers such as Bach, Pachelbel, Mozart, and Vivaldi are perfect to start. Choose pieces with a tempo of about 60 beats per minute and a moderately complex melody. Keep in mind that songs with constant repetition and an overly simple melody tend to be more distracting during learning.

Music can support students to work more productively. Songs with a faster tempo can increase energy and alertness. Experiment with different types of music with similar tempos. One study has shown that the ability to visually recognize images is increased with classical music playing in the background. Use this to your benefit when teaching letters, numbers, or anything that requires visual learning.

Try teaching your students musical notation and fingerings using a recorder. This simple and inexpensive instrument can be included in school supply lists for each child. Kids will quickly be intrigued and eager to perform basic melodies individually and as a class. Use this opportunity to build confidence in your students and enhance their academic skills simultaneously.

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How Love Affects Your Body

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54 pc children prefer to ask GOOGLE if they have a question than their patients

A recent survey finds that most kids would prefer to ask Google if they have a question rather than their parents or teachers.

According to the survey of 500 children conducted by Birmingham Science City, most six to 15 year olds would turn to the search engine first, with 54 percent saying they'd ask Google before their parents or teachers.

Only one quarter of children would ask their parents first over Google.

Encyclopaedias came in a very poor last place, with one quarter of children admitting they don't know what it is.

Almost half of all children - 45 percent have never used a print encyclopaedia and nearly a fifth - 19 percent have never used a print dictionary.

Guesses as to the strange "encyclopaedia" device's function included that an "encyclopedia" might be something you travel on or use to perform an operation.

Teachers also fared badly in the research, as only three percent of children aged six to fifteen would ask their teacher for an answer.

The survey highlighted how central technology has become to young lives, with almost half of children using Google at least five times day.

"With children now growing up in an environment where digital technology is accepted as standard, we wanted to see just how this has affected their approach to research and exploration," the Daily Mail quoted Pam Waddell, Director of Birmingham Science City as saying.

"It's not surprising that with answers at the touch of the button, youngsters often Google questions before asking parents, friends or teachers.

"However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It shows just how commonplace digital technology is for children today and how comfortable they are with using it.

"Children, no matter what generation they grow up in, have an inquisitive and curious nature, and so the fact they are able to use new technology to explore this is a positive sign for the future," Waddell added.

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Why Women are attracted more to Bad Men

The so-called bad men have always charmed their way into women's hearts and now researchers seem to know the reason behind this preference.

Scientists have revealed that women find it hard to resist callous, self-obsessed and deceitful men.

National Review writer Kevin D Williamson however, pointed out, that women might not be able to help it because it's in their genes to like bad men.

Writing in a blog following the show this week he cited several pieces of research that back up his view, including the much quoted 'Dark Triad' work of Professor Peter Jonason.

This combines the self-obsession of narcissism, the impulsive, thrill-seeking and callous behaviour of the psychopath and the deceitful and exploitative nature of Machiavellianism.

However unattractive the combination might appear, women often equate it with masculinity and the ability to father healthy children.

As a result, those looking for the thrill of an affair, or hoping to become pregnant, are very often drawn to 'bad boys'. The men, in return, raise their chances of passing their genes on to the next generation.

Scientist Jonason said James Bond is the perfect example of a ladykiller with a rather questionable personality.

"He's clearly disagreeable, very extroverted and likes trying new things - killing people, new women," the Daily Mail quoted the researcher as telling the New Scientist.

Jonason, of New Mexico State University in the U.S., subjected 200 college students to personality tests designed to rank them for each of their dark triad traits.

The subjects were also quizzed about their attitudes to sexual relationships and about their sex lives, including how many partners they had and whether they sought out flings.

The results revealed that men who scored higher on the trio of traits tended to have more partners and more interest in short-term relationships.

A second U.S. study of 35,000 people in 57 countries also found a clear link between the dark triad traits in men and success with women.

"It's universal across cultures for high dark triad scorers to be more active in short-term mating. They are more likely to try and poach other people's partners for a brief affair," researcher Professor David Schmitt, of Bradley University in Illinois, said.

The researchers also claimed that at their most extreme, the traits would be highly unattractive, leading to men being shut off from society.

But one possibility is that the strategy is most successful when dark triad personalities are rare.

Otherwise others would become more wary and guarded and the strategy would backfire.

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Breast Implant Firm's Boss Jailed, Fails to Pay Bail

The founder of the French breast implant company that sparked a global health scare was jailed on Tuesday after failing to pay his bail.

Jean-Claude Mas, 72, was jailed at Marseille's Baumette prison, the source said requesting anonymity.

In January he was charged with causing "involuntary injuries" but released on a 100,000-euro (131,000-dollar) bail.

Mas is the founder of Poly Implant Prothese (PIP), which shut down in 2010 after it was revealed to have been using substandard, industrial-grade silicone gel. More than 400,000 women around the world are believed to have received the implants.

The French government has advised 30,000 women to have their PIP implants removed, a call repeated in several other countries.

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Prevent New Cholera Outbreak, UNICEF Warns West Africa

The United Nations Children's Fund on Tuesday alerted western African governments on the need to prevent a new cholera outbreak, after the disease claimed nearly 3,000 lives there last year.

Unicef's regional bureau said that "at least 105,248 cases of cholera were registered in 17 countries in 2011, and 2,898 people died" in what was one of the most severe outbreaks of the disease in years.

"The region is now in the inter-season which means that the number of cases is close to zero in most affected countries," it said.

But the UN agency warned that governments should be prepared "to minimize risks for the next season which, in West and Central Africa, is projected to start in April 2012".

It said it was particularly concerned the disease could hit the Sahel zone, where many people are already weakened by a nutrition crisis.

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Exercise Helps your Body Instantly with DNA Modification

Maybe this will motivate you to work out. New research supports the idea that you don't need to spend hours at the gym everyday for your body to start feeling the positive effects of exercise. In fact, a single session on a stationary bike can affect your very DNA.

Okay, so your actual genetic code won't morph into that of Conan the Barbarian. But exercise sets signals in motion almost instantly that determine which genes get turned on and off. These what-are-called epigenetic changes signal to the muscles to, well, tone up. The study is in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Researchers recruited 14 men and women in their mid-20s who didn't usually exercise. After a short but intense spin on a bike, samples of their muscle tissue showed temporary, but big, changes in several types of epigenetic signals. Further tests showed that some of the same effects could be achieved with a jolt of caffeine.

Alas, black coffee can’t provide all the benefits of your morning workout. But if you get to the nearest coffee shop by running, you're definitely starting out on the right foot.

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We Are Alone Together

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