Health Checklist for Women Over 40

Breast Cancer Screening

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Mammogram Checks for breast cancer 40 Annually Doctor's breast exam May detect breast cancers missed by mammography 20 Annually; Every three years for women 20-40

Cervical cancer screening (one of the following):

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Pap smear and pelvic exam Checks for cervical cancer 18 Annually, then every 2-3 years after three normal annual Pap smears in a row Pap smear plus HPV DNA test and pelvic exam Alternative, some experts recommend as more precise means to check for cervical cancer 30 Every three years

Colorectal cancer screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Colonoscopy Outpatient procedure in which a doctor inserts a long, flexible instrument - about 1/2 inch in diameter - into the rectum to view the rectum and entire colon. Many experts say colonoscopy is the most accurate colon cancer screening 50 Every 10 years, more often for those with a family history or history of colon polyps. Fecal occult blood test (FOBT) Stool is tested for blood -- a possible sign of colorectal cancer 50 Annually (in combination with flexible sigmoidoscopy) Flexible sigmoidoscopy Outpatient procedure for examining the lower portion of the large intestine, called the sigmoid colon. A special instrument with a tiny camera attached is used. 50 Every 5 years (in combination with FOBT) Air-contrast barium enema Barium is given as an enema, and then air is blown in to make the barium spread over the lining of the colon, producing an outline of the colon on X-ray. This helps to reveal any irregularities in the lining, such as a polyp. 50 Every 5 years *Your doctor will pick which screening test is best for you.

Skin cancer screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Total body skin exam Doctor examines your skin to detect precancerous and cancerous skin growths 50, or earlier for people with a family or personal history of skin cancer or with excessive sun exposure Annually

Heart disease screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Blood cholesterol test Measures amount of total cholesterol, "bad" LDL, and "good" HDL cholesterol circulating in the blood. Levels of triglycerides, another blood fat, are also usually checked. 20 Every 5 years, or at your doctor's discretion Blood pressure check Measures blood pressure, an indicator of heart risk 18 At least every other year, more often if above normal Fasting plasma glucose Measures blood sugar, an indicator of diabetes risk 45 Every three years, or at your doctor's discretion

Eye disease screening:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Glaucoma test Measures eye pressure and eye health 60 for normal, healthy adults; 40 for those with risk factors for glaucoma (family history,nearsightedness, diabetes, or African-American) Annually

Bone health:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Bone mineral density test Used as an indicator of bone strength and osteoporosis risk 65 or around age of menopause; earlier for women with previous fragility fractures, family history of osteoporosis, on medications that cause bone loss, or have problems with calcium absorption. At your doctor's discretion

Thyroid health:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Thyroid hormone test Blood test that determines whether thyroid gland is functioning properly 35 Every 5 years

Vaccines/immunizati ons:

Procedure/test: What it does: Starting at age: How often: Date performed/results: Tetanus booster Restores protection against tetanus infection Varies Every 10 years Pneumonia vaccine Provides lifelong protection against pneumonia 65 or earlier in people with risk factors, such as heart failure, lung disease, alcoholism, and others Once in a lifetime Influenza vaccine Provides protection against common influenza strains 50 or earlier Annually

National Geographic's top 10 most viewed photos

1. Best Wild Animal Photos of 2008 Announced

Man and right whale size each other up in the winner of the 2008 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition's underwater category, announced on October 30. "The whales were highly curious of us. Many of these animals had never seen a human before," Skerry told National Geographic. 

2. Giant, Unknown Animals Found off Antarctica

Collected from deep Antarctic seas, this 9.8-inch-long (25-centimeter- long) giant sea spider was one of 30,000 animals--many new to science--found during a 35-day census in early 2008 and featured in a National Geographic News gallery on March 28. Other odd discoveries included a balloon-like sea squirt and giant starfish. 

3. Best Science Images of 2008 Announced

Under intense magnification, a long-fin squid's suckers--each no wider than a human hair--resemble the leafy star of Little Shop of Horrors. This electron-micrograph image may have only won an honorable mention in the 2008 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, but thanks to enthusiastic bloggers, these suckers were the breakout stars of National Geographic News's gallery of the contest's highlights, posted on September 25. Among the other marquee attractions: a bugged-out take on the Mad Hatter's tea party and a "glass forest." 

4. Eight Natural Wonders Added to UN Heritage List

Filed with forests, waterfalls, and fantastically shaped granite peaks and pillars, China's 56,710-acre (22,950 hectare) Mount Sanqingshan National Park was among the 174 wild sites--eight of them featured in this gallery--added to the UN World Heritage list in July 2008. Chosen by a committee of the UN's Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), World Heritage sites are natural and cultural areas recognized for their universal value to humanity. (Photo: CRIOnline)

5. Hurricane Ike Pummels Texas Coast

On Sept. 13 a worker inspects damage in front of the JPMorgan Chase Tower in downtown Houston, Texas, after powerful Hurricane Ike slammed into the Gulf Coast, damaging buildings, flooding streets, and knocking out power for millions of people.With winds reaching 110 miles (177 kilometers) an hour, Ike came ashore above Galveston, Texas, as a strong Category 2 storm just after 3 a.m. ET.

6. Chile Volcano Erupts With Ash and Lightning

After 9,000 years of silence, Chile's Chaiten volcano erupted, generating on May 3 what may have been a "dirty thunderstorm." These little-understood storms may be caused when rock fragments, ash, and ice particles collide to produce static charges--just as ice particles collide to create charges in regular thunderstorms. The eruption, which continued off and on for months, forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and cattle from this corner of Patagonia.

7. Alien-like Squid Seen at Deep Drilling Site

A mile and a half (two and a half kilometers) underwater, this alien-like, long-armed, and--strangest of all--"elbowed" Magnapinna squid is seen in a still from a video clip obtained by National Geographic News from and published on Nov. 24.

8. Colossal Squid Revealed in First In-Depth Look

The carcass of a colossal squid floats in a tank at the Museum of New Zealand on April 30, giving scientists their first close look at the elusive deep-sea creature. The squid was frozen for months after being caught by fishers off Antarctica in 2007. A dissection of the thawed beast yielded astonishing discoveries, including the animal kingdom's largest eyes and light-emitting organs that may serve as cloaking devices, scientists said. 

9. Best Microscopic Images of 2008 Announced

Glowing-hot carbon nanotubes form an expanding orange ball in this winning image from the 2008 Small World photomicrography competition, sponsored by Nikon and featured in an October 15 National Geographic News gallery. In nine other masterworks of magnification, a beetle danced on a pin, and drugs yielded crystal rainbows.

10. Hurricane Ike: Galveston Braces for Storm

Sylvia Renteria recoils as a wave churned by Hurricane Ike meets a seawall in Galveston, Texas, on Sept. 12. Before landfall, the National Weather Service's chilling warnings of "certain death" spurred officials and residents of the coastal town to gird for the worst--and stoked fears of a replay of the devastating 1900 Galveston hurricane that killed 6,000.

குறைந்து வரும் சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகளால் அரபிக்கடலுக்கு காத்திருக்கும் அபாயம் !!!

ராமநாதபுரம்: இந்தியாவின் மேற்கு கடற்பகுதியில் சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகள் குறைந்து வருவதால் அப்பகுதி அபாயத்தில் சிக்கும் நிலை உள்ளது.  நிலப்பரப்புக்கும், கடலுக்கும் இடையேயுள்ள வனப்பகுதியே சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகள் ஆகும். இவை உலக அளவில் வளம் மிகுந்த இயற்கை நிலைகளில் ஒன்றாகும். கடலோர வளத்தை அதிகரிக்க செய்வதோடு, வனப்பொருட்களை கொடுப்பதிலும், கடலோரத்தை பாதுகாக்கவும் உதவுகின்றன. குறிப்பாக கடலோர மீன்வள ஆதாரத்துக்கு சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகள் அவசியமாகிறது.

இதன் உயரிய உப்புத்தன்மை, வெப்பநிலை, கடல் ஏற்றம், இறக்கம், பலத்த காற்று , சகதியான மற்றும் பிராண வாயுவற்ற மணலமைப்பு, வேறு வனப்பகுதியில் இல்லாத சிறப்பு அம்சமாகும். இந்தியாவில் சதுப்பு நிலக்காடுகள் 4461 ச.கி.மீ., வரை பரவியுள்ளது. இவற்றில் பெரும்பாலும் கிழக்கு கடற்கரை பகுதியில் தான் அதிகமாக உள்ளது. கிழக்கு கடற்பகுதி (வங்காள விரிகுடா) 59சதவீதமும், மேற்கு கடற்கரை(அரபிக்கடல்) 23சதவீதமும் உள்ளது. அந்தமான் நிக்கோபார் தீவுகளில் 18 சதவீதமும் சதுப்பு நிலக்காடுகள் பரவியுள்ளன. மண் அரிப்பை தடுக்கவும், காற்றின் வேகத்தை குறைக்கவும் உதவும் சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகள் குறைவு காரணமாகவே, அந்தமான் தீவு அடிக்கடி புயல், பூகம்பத்தை சந்தித்து வருகிறது. இதற்கு அடுத்த கட்டத்தில் இருப்பது, இந்தியாவில் மேற்கு கடற்பகுதியான அரபிக்கடலாகும்.

 

வெறும் 23 சதவீதம் மட்டுமே சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகளை கொண்டுள்ளதால்,  அரபிக்கடலும் கடல்வழி அபாயத்தை எதிர்கொள்ளும் தன்மையை இழந்து வருகிறது. போதாக்குறைக்கு, அப்பகுதியில் தொடர்ந்து சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகள் கொள்ளையடிக்கப்பட்டு வருகிறது. இதுவும் அரபிக்கடல் பகுதியின் பாதுகாப்பை கேள்விக்குறியாக்கியுள்ளது. கிழக்கு கடற்பகுதியில் போல, இங்கு ஆறுகள் கொண்டு வரும் வண்டல் மண் இருப்பதில்லை. இதுவும் இங்கு சதுப்பு நிலக்காடுகள் குறைய முக்கிய காரணமாகும். வங்காளவிரிகுடாவில் அரபிக்கடலை விட அதிகமான சதுப்பு நிலக்காடுகள் இருந்தாலும், இங்கு அவற்றை அபகரிக்கும் செயல் அதிகமாக நடந்து வருகிறது. இது சதுப்பு நிலக்காடுகளின் வீழ்ச்சிக்கு  வழிவகுக்கும். இந்திய கடற்பகுதி முழுவதும் சதுப்புநிலக்காடுகளை பாதுகாக்கவும், வளர்க்கவும் நாம் முன்வர வேண்டும்.