Herbs and Vitamins

In our developed society people are constantly trying to adopt a healthy life style. Every day numerous dietary supplements with herbs and vitamins are being advertised. All of these products claim to help a wide range of medical conditions and diseases. Is it true? How safe are these products really? I find myself easily influenced by such commercials. I remember asking my daughter's doctor (when she was a baby) what kind of vitamins I should give her in order to keep her in good health. The answer was that there was absolutely no need of any additional supplements in the form of vitamins and that kids are able to obtain all the vitamins they need from a well balanced diet. Although I knew this was true it was a bit of a "disappointment" because I, as any other parent, want to do all I can to help my children.

We always start with good intention, but could the use of herbs and vitamins actually hurt us? Could it be a double-edged sword? We mustn't forget that the herbs contain drugs that could be dangerous, especially for ill people taking prescribed or over-the-counter medicine. All of these chemicals could combine with one another and form an undesired outcome.

Without a doubt, small doses of herbs can be beneficial, but high quantities of any herbs have the power to cause irreversible organ damages. It sounds scary, but I have read stories of people self-medicating themselves with no supervision and developing very serious and even life-threatening diseases.

It is no surprise that the FDA warns consumers, especially those with health issues, to avoid certain herbal products. This is ironic because people who to take good care of themselves and try to prolong their life could actually be getting the opposite effect by taking vitamins.

What I'm trying to say is that we have to be cautious when we use vitamins and herbs. We have to remember that herbs, are drugs and just because they're "natural" doesn't automatically mean they're safe. We must always consult with our doctors before using vitamins and herbal remedies and we have to be wise and educated consumers.

Friday the 13th

Last Friday, when I got up in morning, my husband Boris was already up and reading the news. The first thing he told me was "Today is truly Friday the 13th for 50 people." He meant the airplane crash that happened in Buffalo, N. Y. When I went to work the first thing that one of the nurses on the floor asked me was, "Are people in Bulgaria superstitious about Friday the 13th?"

The plane in flames after crashing into a private home in Clarence Center.

Of course, people are just as superstitious in Bulgaria as they are here and everywhere else in the world, but this question provoked the following thought: really, why is Friday the 13th supposedly unlucky? Where are the roots of this superstition? I still remember the last time when we had to buy airplane tickets. The tickets we chose happened to be on the 13th (Saturday). I argued with Boris not to pick this date, being a little bit superstitious myself. But Boris opposed me. "Do you know how many airplanes are in the air on each 13th day of each month? What is this fear of yours?" What could I possibly say? He was right.

It is believed the combination of the date 13 and the day Friday is very unlucky (it happens 1 to 3 times a year). I was interested to learn more about this popular superstition, so I went online to look for some information. Of course, there was a lot of it. For example, numerous of hotels and hospitals don't have rooms under the number of 13, and many skyscrapers don't have a 13th floor. Also, people avoid to fly on that date, and some even avoid going to work. This was all very interesting, but I still wanted to know more about the roots of the superstition. There were lots of different theories, most of them with biblical roots. The one I liked the best was one which related to the last days of Jesus's life on earth. For instance, there were 13 people (12 and Jesus himself) present at the Last Supper and Jesus was crucified on a Friday (Good Friday). The importance of both the 13th date and Friday have come to be viewed as unlucky. Without a doubt this started many years ago and will play an important role in some people's lives for the years to come.

DID YOU KNOW??

1) 8-15% of Americans take Friday the 13th into account when making plans.
2) Each Friday the 13th costs America an estimated $750 million in lost business because of superstitious people who chose to stay at home.
3) The U.S. Navy refuses to launch ships on any Friday the 13th.

Lord of the Dance

Last Sunday (Feb. 8th, 09) my husband, my son, and I went to my daughter's band concert at Central High School which is something we always enjoy. After she performed, another group was scheduled to play and we were going to stay and listen to them. However, I noticed that my husband, Boris, was becoming very anxious, frequently checking his watch. Suddenly he said, "Let's go". We all wondered where he meant we should go. At this point he informed us that "Lord of the Dance", a traveling Irish dancing group, was going to perform at the La Crosse Center at 3:00 p.m. I mumbled that we have homework to do and that we have to study for an upcoming exam, but ultimately the decision was made...

We had about an hour before the show started so we left before the other group had started playing and went straight to the La Crosse Center. The seats we got weren't close to the stage, but they were right across from it so we had a good view. I knew that the dancers performed Irish dance all over the world, but that was the extent of my knowledge on this subject. Therefore, I was excited and impatient for the show to start. Finally, it began. Right away, it caught my attention and left me speechless and breathless. I can't find the words to describe it, for such words do not exist, but I will do my best. It was a faerie of dance, Irish music (both traditional and modern), songs and violin performances. In addition, the costumes they wore were remarkable and the lights show accentuated them. They were able to communicate an ageless story of good vs. evil by means of these effects and mainly, by dancing. Everybody danced as one and although they made it look effortless I couldn't help but wonder how much time and work was put into this. Furthermore, one of the most impressive parts was (although it was hard to realize this immediately) when the music stopped and the only rhythm we heard was escaping from underneath the dancers' feet as they made their way across the stage. The whole performance was fascinating and enveloped the audience in its magic. Toward the end it was impossible to miss the positive energy emitting from everyone in the arena.

At the end of the show, I didn't regret the time or money spent - it was worth every penny. My whole family fell in love with it and left in a good mood. We would go see it again if such an opportunity presented itself. It is something I would recommend to all of you, it is truly astonishing.

DID YOU KNOW: I later found out that this show, created by the talented Irish-American dancer Michael Flatley, has been seen by over 50 million people in 40 different countries.

Click here for a video of a "Lord of the Dance" performance:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-pGzCre7Po

Michael Phelps

I would like to share with you my thoughts regarding the recent incident concerning super-swimmer and Olympic star Michael Phelps. The swimming sensation, in case you missed the news, was caught on camera smoking a bond of cannabis. It happened last November at a University of South Carolina house party. Soon after his photo appeared in the British tabloid news he made an official apology to his fans.

The question is: is he guilty as charged or are there circumstances that could diminish his behavior and excuse him from what he did?

I have read many different opinions on this matter and have decided to organized them in two groups.

On one hand he made a huge mistake. Yes, he was irresponsible and he put his career, reputation and future at risk. Also, it is not the first time he was exhibited such behavior -- he has also been caught for drunk driving. He is a celebrity and a public person, a role model and idol for millions of teenagers (I know, I have a teenage daughter) so he is expected to be mature and carry his glory with dignity. I have read that according to rules set out by the World Anti-Doping Agency athletes who are caught using cannabis face a ban of up to 2 years, which would, without a doubt, affect Phelps's career. In addition he is risking to lose many sponsorships, the public's trust, and possibly his income. Michael Phelps makes an estimated 5 million euros a year from deals made with 10 major companies. Some people would argue that this is a personal matter and that people shouldn't be judgemental of him based on his personal life. However, Michael Phelps isn't just anybody, his achievement (8 gold Olympic medals) is amazing and unique. He has definitely made a mistake and will have to suffer the consequences.

On the contrary, I think that we don't have to be so harsh on him. According to an old saying, the truth is always somewhere in the middle. We shouldn't ignore the fact that he is young (23 years of age) and hasn't had much experience in life. Also, he did apologize to the public for his doings. We all know that he has immense talent and potential and his success so far has been astonishing. I believe that his apology was sincere, that he regrets his behavior, and that he realizes the situation he has put himself in. Phelps needs support right now, and with it I think he will be able to pick himself up and get back on his feet.

I will Michael Phelps and his family all the best and hope that people will remember his success long after his pictures in the tabloids fade away.