Borges

The FDA is not always thorough in their approval of drugs or herbs! They don't always make sure that pharmaceutical and herbal supplement companies perform thorough studies. They often let them rush to put their products on the market. Consequently this results in the banning of products later on. Such was the case with Ephedra.

Ephedra is a botanical that has many uses and purposes in the medicinal field. There are more uses for ephedra available today, however, science has not yet developed it into its full potential. Science, herbs and medication do go hand in hand when combined properly. To eliminate any of these would be a major mistake. To invest in further development is a wise thing to consider especially when the future of our health is at stake.

Any medicine, scientific drug, natural or man made or herb that causes a rapid heartbeat is a risky substance for the body. This is the primary reason the FDA placed a ban on Ephedra in the first place. Now that we have established some basics, let's take a further look at what the FDA did regarding Ephedra and why?

Lets look at Ephedra through the eyes of the Consumer Advisory Board and the US Food and Drug Administration, FDA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises consumers to stop using any dietary supplements containing ephedra. In order to protect consumers, the FDA published a final ruling on April 12, 2004 that bans the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids. This was the active ingredient in Ephedra.

After careful review of evidence about the risks and benefits of Ephedra in supplements, the FDA did find that these particular supplements present an unreasonable risk of illness and or injury to the consumers. The information showed little evidence of Ephedra's effectiveness, except in short-term weightloss use. This evidence also confirmed that this substance raises blood pressure and stresses the heart. The increased risk of heart problems and the risk of strokes negates any benefits of short-term weightloss.

This information is correct and very much on target to help and prevent heart as well as nervous system conditions. So we can see how the FDA does intervene and take action against botanicals that can have harmful effects on the body when consumed, especially in high quantities.

Ephedra and its uses need to be reconsidered. What its purpose is. What it can safely be used for. And most importantly, what it should not be used for. These issues and more are currently being addressed with research.

Disclaimer - The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Ephedra.

Copyright © 2006, Heather Colman. Find more Ephedra resources at: http://www.ephedra-discussion.info and http://www.ebookpalace.com

The Olympics are in Beijing in 2008, how are the teams chosen for the fencing competition?

Over the last 100 years, the number of sports represented in the Olympic games has mushroomed and the IOC took action to attempt to keep the total number of athletes participating in the games to a reasonable level so that the host nations will have a chance at running a decent games.

The FIE is now rotating which events will sit out the team portion of the Olympics (since the IOC won't grant additional medals for fencing), and for the 2008 Olympic Fencing competition, Men's Foil and Women's Epee will only hold an individual tournament.

The mandated levels of athlete participation has led to changes in the selection process for the Games. Each nation is no longer guaranteed an athlete in each sport - now nations and athletes have to compete against not only their countrymen, but against others in their region or continent for an Olympic slot.

Who gets to go?

Athletes are competing for slots based on their nation's standing in the world (for team events) and based on individual world rankings (for the individual event.) Total participation is limited to 212 athletes over 10 events (4 team and 6 individual). Here's a breakdown of what it will take for an aspiring swordsman (or swordswoman) to get a ticket to Beijing:

Weapons with Team Events (Men's Epee, Men's Sabre, Women's Foil, Women's Sabre):

Team Events are comprised of teams of 3 fencers with 1 alternate. A total of 8 teams can compete in each team event (9 if China fails to qualify a team directly). The top 4 teams in the world standings will qualify directly to the Olympics. The remaining 4 teams are chosen based on regional qualification. The top team from each region (Americas, Asia, Europe, Africa) that is not already qualified will earn a regional berth.

The individual event is a tournament with a field of 39 fencers. For the individual competition, the 24 fencers that competed in the team event qualify. After the first 24 fencers are chosen, the top 3 in the World standings qualify, with only one fencer from any one country. The next 7 are pulled from the Olympic zones as the top 2 from Europe, 2 from Asia, 2 from the Americas, and 1 from Africa, again with only 1 fencer from a country. The remaining 5 slots are determined by a continental qualifying competition with 2 from Europe and 1 from each of the remaining regions.

What about Men's Foil and Women's Epee?

A different set of criteria is used to pick the 24 fencers who will compete in the Men's Foil and Women's Epee events. Because there is no team event, each individual will have to qualify on their own merit and not on the ranking of their national team. The following formula is used to pick the 24 individual entries:

1. The top 8 in the World rankings (max of 2 from any country)
2. Top 3 individuals from Europe
3. Top 2 individuals from Asia-Oceana
4. Top 2 individuals from North/South America
5. Top 1 individual from Africa
6. The last 8 qualify based on continental competitions where countries that haven't qualified any fencers on the first 2 rounds. In the last round, the allocation of slots remains at 3 Europe, 2 Asia and Americas, and 1 for Africa.

C Harkins runs Fencing.Net - with resources on Olympic Fencing and also has a Fencing Equipment Store that offers a wide range of fencing blades, uniforms and other gear for beginning to advanced competitors.

The skin is the largest organ in the body. Because it is an organ, it needs to be treated well. If it isnt, it will become sick or will become hurt. What is amazing is that the skin is the surface that is most abused and least taken care of. Many people even eat right and exercise daily without ever thinking of their skin. Doesnt seem right does it? It is when we age that we think our skin looks wrinkled or frail. Age spots make us think twice about the things we do and the products we use. But, having healthy skin starts long before we are old. It starts when we are young.

All parents need to teach their child the proper way to treat their skin. From head to toe we need to thoroughly clean it and protect it from the beginnings of life. Harsh soaps can lead to damaged or dry skin even when we are young. Parents should provide a daily regimen for their child to follow which includes bathing, washing of the face, and treating cuts, scrapes or other wounds.

In the teenage years, skin becomes the enemy for many teens. Because of the increased hormone activity in the body, skin can develop acne. No teenager wants to be seen with that, but unfortunately, it is not always a choice. Acne severity has been linked to genetics as well as unhealthy treatment of the skin. There are medications that can help lessen the effects it has though.

As we age, we need to continue to properly take care of the skin. There are many products on the market that claim to provide healthy skin treatments. Sometimes they work others they do not. It is true, in fact, that eating a balanced diet that is full of antioxidant rich foods can reduce wrinkles and dry skin. Just eating right can help you avoid those overpriced products.

To maintain healthy skin, people need to treat it properly and protect it. For this reason, we have saved the most important feature for last. It is essential that any amount of exposure to sun be done only with the use of sun screen. The suns harmful rays can cause cancer with just a slight amount of exposure. You do not need to burn for this to happen either. You may never even realize it in fact.

To have healthy skin, you just need to follow a healthy diet and maintain proper cleansing habits. Then, you and your skin can be at peace with each other!

Tim Jackson
Skin Directory

Would school events ever be the same without cheerleaders cheering us on? Win or lose, every school has vivacious and optimistic cheerleaders to stand by them. They lift our spirits with laughter and song and keep everyone in a good mood. What would we do without cheerleaders? To keep cheerleading an active part of the school circular, funds have to be raised to help meet expenses like uniforms, travel, etc.

Apart from typical fundraising events like car washes and bake sales, there are some very unique opportunities for cheerleaders to raise funds for their squads. Any cheerleader would be thrilled to receive a CheerStix Cheer Bear. The darling bear wears a uniform that is a replica of the schools team colors. Not only do cheerleaders love them, but also friends and family love to receive and give them as gifts. A percentage of the proceeds go to the cheerleaders. The more bears sold, the more money made.

Other great ideas include designing a cookbook with recipes donated by students, teachers, family and friends. Cookbooks can be sold at all school events. Local bookstores would also be good distribution points. Promise to include the bookstores name and logo in the cookbook as a sponsor. The team can hold a raffle with several items up for grab. Ask local shops to donate the winning prizes. Carnivals offer a variety of fundraising opportunities with admission fee; bake sale and game booths among them.

If your squad has a website use it! You can publicize your fundraising events, as well as sell items on your site. Just be sure to be specific about what you are selling, and what the money will be used for.

School Fundraisers provides detailed information about school fundraisers, elementary school fundraisers, high school athletics fundraisers, high school fundraisers and more. School Fundraisers is the sister site of Student Loan Debt Info.