Berkeley, Wanita yang sedang hamil sebaiknya berhati-hati memilih sayuran atau buah-buahan. Konsumsi pestisida yang tinggi pada sayur dan buah saat hamil bisa membuat bayi terlahir dengan tingkat IQ lebih rendah.
Menurut tiga buah studi, anak-anak yang lahir dari ibu yang sering terpapar pestisida tertentu saat hamil memiliki IQ (Intelligence Quotient) yang lebih rendah ketimbang rekan-rekannya yang tidak terpapar pestisida sejak dalam kandungan.
Pestisida yang dikenal sebagai organofosfat, umumnya disemprotkan pada tanaman pangan dan dapat ditemukan pada berry, kacang hijau, buah-buahan dan sayuran lainnya yang dijual di toko-toko.
Pestisida juga telah digunakan di rumah dan kebun, walaupun penggunaan indoor (untuk dalam ruangan) telah secara luas dibatasi karena masalah keamanan.
Organofosfat yang membunuh hama dengan menyerang sistem saraf, sebelumnya telah dikaitkan dengan keterlambatan perkembangan dan masalah perhatian pada anak-anak yang terpapar di dalam rahim.
Sekarang, para peneliti di dua lokasi yang berbeda telah menemukan bahwa IQ anak-anak cenderung menurun secara proporsional karena paparan pestisida saat ibu hamil.
Salah satu studi diikuti ratusan ibu dan anak-anak Latin di California's Salinas Valley, pusat pertanian komersial. Banyak wanita yang menjadi pekerja kebun atau memiliki anggota keluarga yang bekerja di ladang.
Ketika wanita-wanita tersebut hamil, peneliti menguji air seni mereka untuk beberapa bahan kimia produk standar organofosfat dengan menggunakan alat pengukuran eksposur.
Hasilnya, para ibu hamil yang terpapar pestisida tingkat tertinggi memiliki anak-anak pada usia 7 tahun dengan IQ tujuh poin lebih rendah dibandingkan rata-rata anak yang ibunya sangat rendah terpapar pestisida (rata-rata adalah 100).
"Ini tidak berbeda dengan penurunan yang kita lihat pada anak yang terkena paparan timbal tinggi," jelas penulis senior studi, Brenda Eskenazi, Ph.D., seorang profesor epidemiologi dan kesehatan ibu dan anak di University of California, Berkeley, seperti dilansir Health.com, Selasa (26/4/2011).
Menurut catatan studi, organofosfat yang 'lolos' dari ibu ke janin melalui plasenta dan tali pusar, bisa lebih merusak perkembangan janin ketimbang yang langsung terpapar pada anak-anak (yang sudah dilahirkan).
Peneliti mengatakan, tren serupa juga bisa ditemukan di luar komunitas pertanian. Wanita hamil di luar komunitas pertanian juga bisa terpapar pestisida tingkat tingg dari buah dan sayur yang dimakannya.
Namun Eskenazi menekankan, bagaimanapun wanita hamil tidak boleh berhenti makan buah-buahan dan sayuran.
"Benar-benar penting bahwa mereka (ibu hamil) memiliki pola makan yang memadai dalam hal kesehatan anak mereka," kata Eskenazi.
Namun, ia menambahkan, sangat penting untuk mencuci buah dan sayuran, bahkan pada buah yang memiliki kulit.
"Buah dan sayur tetap harus dicuci sebelum Anda mengupasnya," tegasnya.
sumber : detikhealth
Selengkapnya...
A wedding guest book is something that you should be able to enjoy forever. You should be able to open it and reminisce about all of the wonderful people that were able to take part in this special event with you. Many people overlook this simple aspect of the wedding. Try these great tips to make your wedding guest book memorable.
More Than Just Names - Custom Question and Answer Page
Are you looking for a unique way to remember that special event? Are you looking for something different than the typical guestbook? Create a guest book with more than just names. Custom question and answer pages are a great way for the guests to share memories about the bride and groom. These can range from "How do you know the bride a groom?" to "Share a funny story about the bride and groom." Every guest fills out a unique guest book page to be put into an album later.
Add Pictures to the wedding Guest Book
Have someone take pictures of the guests as they arrive. You can then put these pictures into an album for the guests to sign and write their own message. This can also be combined with the custom question and answer pages. This is an easy way to remember the guests and gives the guests a chance to share their favorites memories of the bride and groom. The bride and groom will enjoy looking back and reading about all the favorite memories the guests have about them.
Combine a Photo Booth and Album
A photo booth is the new craze at weddings. Guests enter the photo booth which then takes up to four crazy pictures of the guests. The pictures print out immediately. You can then put these pictures in an album and have the guests write a brief message underneath. The bride and groom are given the album at the end of the wedding. Photo booths give the guests something else to do than just dance. Both young and old love to jump in the booth for all sorts of unique pictures.
A wedding guest book is not just a book with names. Use your creative ideas to make lasting memories of the special event. Guests love to share memories of the bride and groom. They just need a creative way in which to do this. Combine these ideas with high quality pictures for a lifetime of lasting memories.
Article Source: Eric Perino
Selengkapnya...
If you're looking to the internet for help with your wedding plans, you're sure to benefit from the wealth of organizational and comprehensive wedding tips, ideas, tools and resources available right at your fingertips! The internet is packed with useful websites, as well as online stores offering every wedding product and service imaginable. You'll find everything from wedding invitations, wedding keepsakes and wedding favors to online bridal gift registries, travel agencies for destination weddings and honeymoons, wedding consulting services and much more. To ensure that you can recognize and hire or purchase from qualified wedding vendors, the key is to be aware of a few general guidelines.
First, it's important to understand the two basic kinds of online wedding vendors with whom you may choose to do business with.
Wedding Vendor Type 1) An actual, physical storefront who opts to have a website to further broaden their customer base and supplement their offline business.
+ Possible benefits of this type of wedding vendor: This is a wonderful opportunity for you, as you may familiarize yourself with the wedding vendor's offerings via their website and then choose to drop by their store to have a look around and complete your purchase in person. Or you may do this vice-versa - have a look around their store and then go online to make your purchase. This is a very flexible consumer environment for you, as there can be multiple sources of contact and convenient ways to browse! You can also get a personal feel for the type and level of service you may expect from the wedding vendor and their staff.
- Possible drawbacks to this type of wedding vendor: Though not true or hard to measure in many cases, the wedding vendor with a physical storefront does have the potential to be more expensive. And though the storefront exists, it may not be within reasonable driving distance for you to visit in person and explore.
Wedding Vendor Type 2) A virtual store who deals exclusively online.
+ Possible benefits of this type of wedding vendor: You'll often find a reasonable value for your dollar here, as in many cases, online wedding vendors tend to have lower overhead. As well, take advantage of shopping anytime you feel like it...even if it's the middle of the night!
- Possible drawbacks to this type of wedding vendor: In general, you will never actually meet the wedding vendor with whom you are entrusting a certain aspect of your wedding to. To some brides and grooms, this may be worry-some, for others, not a big deal. Do what feels right for you, as this issue may be dependant upon what item or area of your wedding you are shopping for.
What to Look for in an Online Wedding Vendor:
1. Quality and selection: Look around the website to gain a sense of the overall image of the wedding vendor or their company as a whole. What general impression do you get from the products or services offered? What about the tone, variety and general appearance of the website? As with offline wedding vendors, first impressions speak volumes online. If applicable, browse through photographs, screenshots, detailed spec lists, virtual tours and any other information provided. When dealing with products specifically, many websites display close-up versions of product pictures, which accurately showcase items from several different angles or viewing points.
2. Availability and delivery: Check into shipping rates and time frames for delivery, as well as possible limitations/restrictions of service in your area of residence. In regards to products, ensure that you are aware of shipping cost variations for items exceeding a certain weight, or oppositely, any shipping discount awarded for purchases in large quantities, such as wedding favors.
3. Physical address or mailing location: Many wedding vendors are eager to supply this information to give customers a sense of security that they're a dependable and trustworthy "real" business.
4. Methods of contact: Wedding vendors want to communicate with you! Quality wedding professionals look forward to meeting your needs and usually provide several means of communication. Look for email addresses, online forms or phone numbers. Some wedding websites even provide a "Live Help" button with which you can carry out a real-time conversation with a staff member. In addition to giving you many options for contact, many online wedding vendors also have a "Frequently Asked Questions" page on their website that may be of some assistance to you. Often, common questions are outlined and explained for immediate answers.
5. Helpful suggestions or advice: Not to be confused with the above point! While a wedding vendor may offer open lines of communication with you, they must follow through on it! Keep an eye out for their attitude toward you. Was their response to your inquiry prompt? Enthusiastic? Informative? Look for a willingness from the wedding vendor to answer your questions, provide details and offer you suggestions. See if they have an overall positive attitude toward you and about your wedding, as well as toward their business in general.
6. Experience: Wedding vendors want to prove that they are trustworthy and reliable! Check out the wedding vendor's "Testimonials" or "Reviews" web page. See what other brides and grooms have had to say about their experience with this wedding vendor's product or service. If available, check out their "Press" section to see what media coverage they have experienced and for what reasons. Look for a wedding vendor who takes pride in what they do and in the level of service they provide to their clients. Take it a step further and type the appropriate business name or web address into your search engine of choice to spend at least a few minutes paging through the search results on a particular wedding vendor before buying. You may find articles and press releases about the wedding vendor. Even more helpful: you may come across forums or other valuable feedback from brides and grooms who have personally dealt with the wedding vendor.
7. Free sample or trial options: With wedding products, many online wedding vendors get your attention by offering a free sample of their wares. For example, a wedding stationery store may offer to mail a sample invitation kit mailed right to your door so you can see the quality of the cardstock and design in person. With wedding services, many online wedding vendors may offer a free trial option. For example, a guest list software company may offer a trial version or time period for you to check out their system and see how easy it is to use. Often, if a wedding service provider does not offer a free trial, they will provide screenshots or an online tour for you to experience a "sneak peek" of their services. If no sample or trial options are available, see what money-back guarantees or refund policies are in place.
8. Secure payment options: Many online wedding vendors accommodate with several payment options for your convenience. Some process credit cards directly on their website, or through a third party website. You may also have the option to mail in a personal check or money order. Please be advised that this could delay processing and shipping until payment is received by the company. It may require longer, more flexible timelines on your part, often by one week to 10 days.
Keep these general guidelines in mind while shopping online for your wedding, and you'll be ready to make smart, conscientious decisions. When you choose to be informed and aware, you possess savvy online shopper skills that enable you to make the best wedding product or service purchases for you and your dream wedding!
Article Source: Jennifer Benson
Selengkapnya...
What is motivation? Many people use the word to describe the inner push to get them to take a first step. For example, "I do not have the motivation to go to the gym," or "I need the motivation to start going to the gym." A search of the word in the dictionary may provide definitions that substantiate the use of the word in these examples. However, there is another angle to motivation that can be considered.
Instead of waiting for the motivation to start going to the gym or start eating correctly or whatever the action is, how about making a choice?
"I choose to start going to the gym." That means that I am not waiting for motivation to go to the gym, I am simply making a choice. This is what would move me from passively waiting to actively pursuing a goal. Anyone waiting on the motivation to do anything is in a state of passiveness. The problem with being in that state is that there is no forward movement. Life is there for the taking. Sitting idly by and waiting for the fire to be kindled inside of you will only delay your destiny! Yet that is exactly what most people are doing when they wait for the motivation to do something.
On the other hand, if a choice is made to go to the gym then there is forward motion. This does not mean however that motivation is thrown out the window. In fact, after the decision is made, motivation steps up to the plate. Once the choice is made to go to the gym, do you know what it is that keeps you going back? Yes, it is motivation.
Motivation does not feed passivism. It is an inner propulsion mechanism. When there is motion, motivation will keep the momentum going. Do not think of motivation as the force that will take you from a standstill to movement. Think of it as the force that propels your movement in a given direction. So think of any area of your life where you are waiting for the motivation. If you find an area, then change your attitude and make a choice. Anything you have been wanting to do and you are not taking any forward action towards, does not need motivation. Those are areas where you need to make a choice to get going. Once you are moving, then motivation will play its part.
Let motivation be the force that keeps you going and not the one to get you going.
Copyright © 2008, Mark A. Singh. All rights reserved.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_A._Singh
Selengkapnya...
Motivation is sometimes tough to maintain, particularly for those who suffer from low self-esteem. However, motivation is integral to our ability to accomplish our goals and even complete tasks throughout our lives. We require daily motivation at work, at home, at the gym and even at play. Sometimes depression can rob us of our motivation and we stagnate. It is a difficult cycle as lack of motivation keeps us from completing tasks, which equates to failure to most people. This failure, in turn, causes people to have even less self-esteem. In order to prevent this, a motivation strategy must be implemented to achieve motivation success. It can be done, but it takes work. It is also important to recognize and overcome some common motivation killers.
Depression is a major motivation killer. People who are depressed will experience a significant decrease in motivation. In order to combat this it may be necessary for the person to use medication therapy to treat the depression. Depression may cause the person to experience a lack of desire to even get out of bed. It may be difficult for the person to leave the house or even to complete daily tasks. A motivation strategy to combat this is for the patient to first get a physical to make sure that the depression is not a symptom of an underlying, serious health condition, and then seek psychological counseling and possible medication therapy. Motivation success is possible if proper steps are taken to seek treatment.
Another condition that will rob a person of their motivation is insomnia and fatigue. Being sleepy all the time can distinctly impact daily motivation. Insomnia can cause excessive daytime sleepiness, or EDS, which can zap a person of their energy, thus destroying their motivation. When lack of motivation turns into failure on projects or daily tasks, a person’s self-esteem can be further robbed. He or she may feel like a complete failure and that frame of mind spills over onto other aspects of their life. Of course, treating the insomnia can have a dramatic affect to the person’s daily performance. In best-case scenario, motivation will return naturally. However, once the habit of procrastination and lack of motivation is set, it is difficult to break. Motivation success can be accomplished by time management and set time schedules to complete projects. It is important that a person be evaluated by a physician to ensure that the insomnia is not caused by a more serious health issue.
Perhaps the greatest robber of a person’s motivation is low self-confidence. Low self-esteem can cause a person to feel that they are unable to effectively complete projects or that if they try they will only fail. This is the most common barrier to a person’s motivation success. This goes far beyond just “sucking it up and moving on,” it becomes a physical inability to complete or sometimes even begin tasks. Sometimes the project may be too large or overwhelming or the person may lack the organizational skills necessary to be effectively self-motivated. This could range from cleaning a closet to working of a multi-million dollar project at work. All the talent in the world is useless if motivation is lacking. Organization is a good motivation strategy because it breaks down the task into parts that can be accomplished. Another motivation strategy it to set small goals over short periods of time. Try setting daily goals, weekly goals and monthly goals as well as long-term goals. Once you see that you can accomplish your daily goal, you will see that you are not a failure. Success feels good and it a great motivation booster.
Psychological counseling can help a person suffering from lack of motivation and low self-esteem. This is not the “head shrinker couch” that you see on TV. Those are exaggerated versions of counseling and you won’t likely have someone peer intently at you are ask repeatedly, “Now, how does that make you feel?” Instead, your therapist is likely to become a major player is increasing your self-esteem and motivation. Counseling can help you achieve motivation success. The counselor will walk you through exercises to increase your self-confidence which, in turn, will help your motivation increase. Additionally, the counselor can give you motivation strategies and if you follow the direction and work with the counselor, you will boost your self-confidence and achieve motivation success.
Kevin Christopher is the creator of http://www.time-success-freedom.com. Your online source for personal development and motivational tips and ideas.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Christopher
Selengkapnya...
Cara menghemat air. Kenapa kita harus menghemat air??
Air, siapa yang tidak membutuhkannya. Mulai dari manusia sampai hewan dan tumbuhan memerlukan air. Setiap hari kita membutuhkan air untuk kelangsungan kehidupan kita. Kita membutuhkan air bersih untuk kita konsumsi atau untuk kita gunakan untuk membersihkan diri. Agar kita tidak kesulitan mendapatkan air, maka kita harus mencari cara menghemat air.
Saat ini mungkin anda tidak kesulitan untuk mendapatkan air bersih bagi kehidupan anda. Tapi bukan tidak mungkin, suatu saat nanti air bersih akan menjadi langka dalam hidup kita.
Berikut enam cara menghemat air :
1. Hindari botol plastik
Air mineral yang dikemas dalam botol plastik sekali pakai sangat tidak efisien. Kemasan botol plastik sangat sulit mengurai dalam tanah, untuk mengurai pun membutuhkan waktu lama. Racun dalam botol plastik juga bisa mengontaminasi tanah dan sumber-sumber air. Sebaiknya gunakan botol kemasan yang bisa digunakan berkali-kali dan diisi ulang.
2. Gunakan filter air
Jika Anda peduli dengan kualitas air, untuk mendapatkan air minum gunakanlah alat filter air. Lebih hemat karena Anda tidak perlu membeli air setiap waktu dan tidak memerlukan plastik galon. Mudah, murah dan bebas sampah.
3. Dekatkan shower
Tempatkan shower lebih dekat dengan kepala. Ini akan membuat Anda berbilas lebih cepat, sehingga mandi bisa dilakukan dalam lima menit maksimal 10 menit.
4. Ganti flush toilet
Banyak toilet yang boros air. Jika toilet Anda demikian segera ganti dengan tombol flush baru yang lebih hemat air.
5. Kurangi rumput
Jangan terlalu banyak menanam rumput. Untuk memeliharanya membutuhkan banyak air. Pilih saja tanaman yang tidak terlalu banyak air untuk memeliharanya. Anda bisa menanyakannya pada penjual tanaman.
6. Jangan biarkan kran bocor
Segera perbaiki atau ganti jika ada kran yang bocor. Membiarkannya hanya akan membuat air terbuang percuma. Belum lagi pompa yang bisa terus-menerus menyala. Bukan hanya menghemat air tetapi juga listrik.
Kalau kita bisa menerapkan 6 cara menghemat air di atas, paling tidak beberapa puluh tahun ke depan air bersih masih bisa dengan mudah kita dapatkan :-)
sumber : vivanews
Selengkapnya...
Meski pergi dengan niat beribadah ke tanah Suci, cobaan bisa saja dialami para jamaah haji Indonesia.
Salah satunya, jadi korban peristiwa kriminal -- baik ketika berada di Mekah, Madinah maupun Jedah.
Untuk menghindari terjadinya peristiwa kriminal, Kepala Daerah Kerja Madinah, Subakin Abdul Muthalib memberikan tips sebagai berikut:
1.Calon haji jangan membawa uang dalam jumlah banyak saat akan ke Masjid Nabawi. Membawa uang untuk membeli air mineral sekitar 10-20 riyal saja sudah cukup.
"Intinya kita ibadah saja, jangan pikirkan yang lain-lain dulu," kata Subakin.
2. Karena baru tiba di tempat yang asing, kenali dan hafalkan gedung pemondokan. Upayakan catat nama gedungnya dan nomor sektornya. Catatan ini akan diperlukan bila sewaktu-waktu anda lupa.
3. Hafalkan jalan menuju dan pulang dari Masjid Nabawi. Ingat lewat pintu nomor berapa anda masuk Masjid dari situ pulalah sebaiknya anda keluar agar tidak bingung. Belokan apakah belok kanan atau belok kiri dan berapa kali belokan sebaiknya diingat karena gedung-gedung di sekitar Nabawi nyaris seragam.
4. Kalau tersesat jalan, jangan tampak bingung. Langsung cari petugas haji Indonesia yang banyak bertugas di Masjid Nabawi.
Petugas haji Indonesia dari Kementerian Agama yang resmi mengenakan seragam kemeja biru muda dipadu celana biru tua. Kemeja dilengkapi nama dan bendera merah putih kecil di lengannya.
Bila memakai rompi atau jaket warnanya biru tua bertuliskan, `Petugas Haji Indonesia` di bagian belakang bendera merah putih di dada.
Sementara petugas dari kesehatan mengenakan kemeja warna putih dan celana biru dongker. Rompi berwarna abu-abu tua dan jaket berwarna biru benhur. Lambang bendera merah putih di dada serta tulisan `Petugas Haji Indonesia` di punggungnya.
5. Upayakan pergi dan meninggalkan Masjid Nabawi tidak sendirian, selalu bersama-sama teman atau rombongan, jangan berpencar, lebih baik saling menunggu bila salah satu teman belum selesai dengan urusannya.
6. Jangan mudah percaya terhadap tawaran-tawaran ataupun bantuan orang yang tidak dikenal meskipun orang itu pandai berbahasa Indonesia dan memakai batik.
(Departemen Agama)
• sumber: VIVAnews
Selengkapnya...
Postingan
