Established in 1994, the IAIS represents insurance regulators and supervisors

Established in 1994, the IAIS represents insurance regulators and supervisors of more than 200 jurisdictions in nearly 140 countries, constituting 97% of the world's insurance premiums. Its objectives are to:

• Promote effective and globally consistent supervision of the insurance industry in order to develop and maintain fair, safe and stable insurance markets for the benefit and protection of policyholders; and to 
• Contribute to global financial stability

This website is designed to provide you with an overview of the activities of the IAIS and give you access to its publications.

Public / Stakeholder registration: click here 

Member registration: click here

To visit the Annual Conference website: click here   

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ICP 1 Objectives, Powers and Responsibilities of the Supervisor

The authority (or authorities) responsible for insurance supervision and the objectives of insurance supervision are clearly defined.

1.1	Primary legislation clearly defines the authority (or authorities) responsible for insurance supervision.

1.1.1

The authority (or authorities) responsible for insurance supervision should be clearly identified in primary legislation. Where there are multiple authorities responsible for insurance supervision (e.g. separate authorities for prudential and market conduct supervision, for macro and micro prudential supervision, or for licensing and ongoing supervision), it is important that the institutional framework and the responsibilities of the respective authorities are clearly set out in legislation for clarity and to ensure all the objectives of insurance supervision are met.

1.2

Primary legislation clearly defines the objectives of insurance supervision and the mandate and responsibilities of the supervisor and gives the supervisor adequate powers to conduct insurance supervision, including powers to issue and enforce rules by administrative means and take immediate action.

1.2.1

Publicly defined objectives foster transparency. With this basis, the public, government, legislatures and other interested bodies can form expectations about insurance supervision and assess how well the authority is achieving its mandate and fulfilling its responsibilities.

1.2.2

Being entrenched in primary legislation ensures that the mandate and functions of the supervisor cannot be changed on an ad-hoc basis. The process of periodically updating the primary legislation can promote transparency by way of public discussions on relevant issues; however, if done too frequently, stakeholders may form the impression that the policymaking process is unstable. Therefore, it would be prudent to avoid being overly specific in the primary legislation, which could be supplemented as needed with updated regulations, for example.

1.2.3

Legislation should be clearly specified and sufficiently extended so that the objectives of legal entity and group-wide supervision are allowed for and the supervisor has adequate powers to achieve these objectives.

1.2.4

The objectives of group-wide supervision could be achieved either by direct means where the supervisor has explicit authority and powers over entities within the group, including the head of the group, or via the use of an indirect approach where the supervisor has adequate power and authority over the regulated insurer to access information in respect of the head of and other entities in the group and apply relevant requirements.

1.2.5

As overall coordinator for the supervision of the group, the group-wide supervisor should have sufficient legal power and authorities in place in order to practice supervision on a group-wide basis whilst also effecting coordination and collaboration with other relevant supervisors.

1.2.6

The group-wide supervisor should have sufficient authority and power in order to coordinate and disseminate the essential information needed for reviewing and evaluating risks and assessing solvency on a group-wide basis. A group-wide supervisor ultimately should be responsible for ensuring effective and efficient group-wide supervision.

1.2.7

At a jurisdictional level, it is important that legislation supports the supervisor of an insurer which is part of a group to appropriately contribute to the supervision of that group on a group-wide basis.

1.3	The principal objectives of supervision promote the maintenance of a fair, safe and stable insurance sector for the benefit and protection of policyholders.

1.3.1

While the precise objectives of supervision may vary by jurisdiction, it is important that all insurance supervisors are charged with the objective of protecting the interests of policyholders.

1.3.2

Often the supervisor’s mandate includes several objectives. As financial markets evolve and depending on current financial conditions, the emphasis a supervisor places on a particular objective may change and, where requested, this should be explained.

1.4	Where, in the fulfilment of its objectives, the supervisor identifies conflicts between legislation and supervisory objectives, the supervisor initiates or proposes correction in legislation.

1.4.1

As markets evolve, the supervisor may identify changes in the environment that affect the fairness, safety or stability of the insurance sector that are not currently addressed by legislation. The supervisor should initiate or propose changes to legislation to ensure supervisory objectives can continue to be achieved.

15 Important Etiquette Rules That Everyone Should Know By Now.

Etiquette is all about how to conduct yourself beautifully in every situation. The basic rules of etiquette are simple. It’s a combination of proper speech, common courtesy, neat appearance, and controlling your emotions.
#1. When you say, ’I invite you,’ that means you pay. If you say, ’Let’s go to a restaurant,’ then in that case, everyone pays for themselves. If a man offers to pay for a woman, she must agree.
2. You should never visit someone at their home without making a call. In case you appear on their front door all of a sudden, you may find them in their pajamas or bathrobe.
#3. Never place your smartphone or tablet on the table when you are out. This gesture shows that your smartphone is more important than the meeting you have and people may think that you are bored. Most people will be offended if you are checking Facebook’s news feed while they are talking. That’s rude!

#4. Don’t ask a woman on a date in case you are planning to make calls and send text messages all the time.
5. Men should never carry a woman’s bag. On the other hand, they may take her coat and leave it in the cloakroom.
#6. If you are having a walk with another person, and she/he greets someone with Hello, you should say Hello as well, even though you don’t know the people.
#7. If someone offends you, you should never return the favor or raise your voice. Never sink to their level. Smile and leave the ill-mannered company.
#8. A man should always walk on a woman’s left-hand side, unless they’re in the military, because they should be ready to salute.
#9. Nine things that should never be discussed: age, wealth, family quarrels, religion, medical problems, love affairs, gifts, honor, and disgrace.
#10. In the cinema, theatre, or concert hall, you should always move to your seat facing those sitting and men always go first.
#11. Women should not be touched by men without their strict permission. In other words, taking a woman by her hand, holding her hand, pushing her or touching her while you are talking is strictly forbidden.
#12. In case someone is trying to get your attention in a primitive way (by saying something like “Hey, you there”, ignore them.
#13. When it comes to using perfumes, moderation is crucial. In case you still feel the perfume after 2-3 hours, you can rest assured that people around you will get sick of it.
#14. It doesn’t really matter whether you are a CEO, a professor, a student, a doctor or an older woman, whenever you enter some room you must greet everyone inside.
#15. Place knife and fork as shown below to let others know whether your meal is finished or if you are waiting for dessert.

The goal of such rules is to make the world a better place. Sometimes, acquiring these good manners can be hard or may need some time, but be patient and master them to perfection. That will be a great trait of your personality.
Remember, good manners never go out of style.

This Is the Reason Why Cabbage Compresses Are so Popular Worldwide!

We all know the pain and discomfort of swollen feet. Whether from a plane ride or pregnancy, an injury or simply standing too long, swollen feet is a common ailment. Beyond throwing yourself on your bed after a long day, there are a number of home remedies that can bring much needed relief.

Cabbage has been used as a folk remedy for hundreds of years to soothe painful joints. Cabbage leaves act as a diuretic, and they contain powerful anti-inflammatory compounds. Cabbage juice is rich in lactic acid, a known anti-bacterial. Applied to the skin, these compounds are remarkably effective at relieving swelling and the pain associated with it. Cabbage leaves wrapped around painful joints can help with joint pain relief.

 

• Use clean leaves and – if at all possible – ones that have been grown organically. Peel off the outer layers of cabbage and remove the hard stem. Bruise them slightly with a rolling pin or other hard cylinder.
• Use gauze or other cotton cloth to hold the leaves in place. An additional layer of plastic wrap can be applied, unless you are dressing a burn.
• Keep the cabbage wrap on the area for two to four hours. You may want to repeat the process, using new leaves. Some people apply the leaves at bedtime and keep the poultice on overnight.

Cabbage Leaves and Breastfeeding
Cabbage leaves are used by some women to help reduce breast swelling and relieve the pain and discomfort that breast engorgement or weaning a baby from breastfeeding can cause. Researchers do not know if there is a property within the cabbage itself that helps to decrease the pain and swelling, or if the swelling goes down because the cabbage leaves are acting as cold compresses.

Either way, studies show that if you’re breastfeeding and you put cold cabbage leaves directly on your breasts, it’s not only soothing, but it can be soothing can help lessen your breast pain and swelling.

Seven Indications Your Business Needs A Mobile App

Now a day's mobile apps have proved to be a robust marketing channel, it isn't proper for every enterprise to invest the time and money to support an app. Having an app means investing in really growing the app - or apps - if you wish to serve both iPhone and Android customers, as well as sources in getting folks to truly download it.
Here are 7 Indications your brand needs a cell app:
1. More than 25% of your clients are opening your e-mail on cellular
If more than a quarter of your viewers is opening your emails on mobile, it signifies that it's easier for you to attain them on their mobile machine. According to research, forty nine% of email opens in July 2015 occurred on mobile.
Yet, these figures could vary significantly, relying in your audience, your services or products and the kind of emails you might be sending. These numbers could improve month over month, so that you better check your personal numbers: are email opens on cell considerably excessive? Do they seem to be growing even further? If your answer is 'sure', it is time in your brand to have an app.
With a mobile app it is a lot simpler to focus on your mobile customers with a view to send the precise message to the correct person at the right time, thus rising your open rates even additional. In addition, cell messages are machine suitable and supply a greater consumer expertise.
2. You have lower than 35% returning guests to your website
If your aim is to create an engaged audience, desperate to return to your web site again and again to see fresh content material, read updates or interact in every other method along with your model - cellular apps must be proved your finest friend.
While with desktop or cellular web sites you must invest in building a big following on social media and spend money on advertisements each time you need your users to return to your web site, with cell apps, all you need is for them to download your app once. After that, it does not matter if the user follows you on Facebook or not, or whether they've seen your expensive retargeting adverts - whenever you want to carry a person again all it is advisable do is send them a push message. The right message on the right time will get them back, no need to spend more money on advertisements.
three. Your opponents have apps
If your competitors have already got apps, it is a nice sign. It signifies that they've finished the hard work of educating your target audience that communication in your trade is finished, amongst different channels, via mobile apps.
All that's left so that you can do is to consult your rivals apps, see what works for them and what doesn't, and create a useful app that your audience could be incentivized to obtain. They are most likely already anticipating that transfer, so be certain not to disappoint them - make your analysis quick so your brand doesn't get left behind. It can be important to verify your app is providing users with actual worth and a smooth consumer expertise.
4. Your audience is younger
If your audience is seniors over the age of 55, you in all probability don't need an app. Most of these individuals nonetheless watch TV and only a small share of them even personal a smartphone.
Millennials then again, these sixteen-34 younger adults, are spending a large portion of their time on cell. Almost 90% of them own a smartphone, in keeping with a research
Furthermore, Nine out of ten of those that go surfing on a smartphone or pill use apps on these devices, and it was discovered that they prefer accessing content by apps moderately than browsers for some forms of content material.
5. Your electronic mail click on-by-price is low
As talked about above, almost 50% of e-mail respondents will open your electronic mail on their cellular. Yet, in response to Mailchimp and Litmus, click-throughs on desktop are nonetheless 40% larger than on cell.
6. Your model is e-commerce primarily based
If your model is an e-commerce brand, relying on purchases made by guests to your website for income, a cellular app ought to be central to your online business profitability.
With cell apps, it's a lot simpler to have interaction active users and produce back dormant ones.
Use cases for e-commerce embody: announcing special gross sales, permitting customers to trace their purchases as they're delivered to them, sending a reminder for objects left within the purchasing cart and more.
In the second quarter of 2014 m-commerce noticed an astonishing progress of forty seven%, in contrast with solely 10% growth in e-commerce.
7. You have a brick and mortar retailer
E-commerce manufacturers usually are not the only benefactors from the expansion in cellular commerce. A examine carried out by the Local Search Association revealed that seventy eight% of cell searches for local companies ended up with a purchase.
With mobile apps, brick and mortar retailers together with eating places, bars and entertainment venues can target users by geographic location. This allows them to offer guidance, updates and discounts to any of their clients reaching a certain distance of their store. They may increase in store purchases and ship messages to dormant customers based mostly on their last exercise or different related information.
The options are unlimited, and with customers downloading your app you at the moment are able to launch inventive campaigns focused to individual customers.
If one or more of the above apply to your brand, it's time to start researching and constructing a strategy to have your own mobile app. Whether it is best to construct the app in-home or rent an company.
Arun Kumar works at Prima Business Solutions, A cellular apps development company based in London. With potential clients all across the Untited Kingdom, we cater to each startups and large organizations. Arun has a fun and frolic persona and he loves to put in writing about expertise and mobile app development articles.
Arun Kumar is working as an internet marketer in a UK based IT company, providing Web software growth and cell app improvement providers... (present bio)

Solution For Legal Translation

If Judiciary or court docket is your skilled area, there is no need to explain the term 'legal translation' to you. However, authorized translation is not applied within the judiciary discipline solely relatively it has huge software on deeds, citation and so forth. Usually authorized translation means to translate any text inside the field of law. Since it's fairly a hard activity and there is no room for mistranslation, none but professionals are required for legal translation and scholarly writing. So, in an effort to translate authorized paperwork, you must find a reliable and pro degree translation as a result of a single mistranslation in a deed or contract paper could lead you to considerable loss of cash. However, finding such translator shouldn't be that easy in addition to time consuming. But in present days there is no such thing as a must search for particular person translator the place several web sites are prepared to do that job for you. Besides these website will not be deal with particular type of translation, fairly they provide various translation providers resembling technical translation, authorized translation, engineering or scientific doc translation and so forth. Such a reliable website for translation service is "Sydney Translation Service".
Considerable Factors for Quality Legal Translation
As I stated earlier, authorized translation is bounded by the field of law and want to maintain tradition depended factors in accordance with the source doc or source text. So, supply textual content gives the construction of sentence which is the reflection of legislation or tradition. The translated doc or target text wants to fulfill this cultural construction accordingly so that there is no slight violation of cultural manner, precise that means or jurisdiction. This is why authorized translation focuses extra into clear definition of rights, duties, obligation, and different contract specific so that these factors stay unchanged after translation. This just isn't all but legal translation usually require certificates of accuracy. In case of translating documents concerning wills, articles of incorporation, trusts, depositions, immigration, property exhibit ranges usually ask for the presence of translator.
Difficulties of legal translation
Since legal translation want to maintain the unique construction of source document, some word or time period which are immediately related to the culture or method of source document might discovered improper irrelevant for goal language. In these instances translator has to search for the most appropriate equal phrases and linguistic structure that matches with those in supply text. However, problem arises when deciding on equal phrases or linguistic construction since there are occasions when equal time period may present little relation with the unique term or construction and causes alternation in meaning. In order to avoid this, translator usually has to keep some phrases or terms unchanged in the translated document. Sometimes these unchanged terms or names also create confusion throughout trial or testimony since legal professionals and judges won't acquainted with these overseas phrases or words thus they want the assistance of courtroom interpreters and translators for word for word translation. However phrase to word translation to the target language might sounds a collection of meaningless phrases and creates extra confusion. This is why many translators select to stick with the standard manner of authorized translation fairly than utilizing unchanged word or term in translated document.
About Sydney Translation Service and its translation companies
Being an Australian based mostly Translation Company; Sydney Translation Service is licensed by Australian authorities and devoted to full-time skilled translation service. This company has recruited more than five hundred full-time skilled translators, proof-readers, editors, interpreters and copywriters thus capable of offering quality translator according to customer's requirement in addition to legal translation. Their language coverage is great as effectively since they will provide translation over forty different languages. Sydney Translation Service affords numerous translation companies thus it is the perfect platform for many who seek for translators however having different requirement. In technical field, they supply translation associated to engineering, mining & building, medical and so forth. Federal, authorized quotations, authorized translation, state or local government associated companies are inside judiciary or court docket sector translation services. Beside specific sectors they also present miscellaneous providers like, immigration, tutorial, HR coaching documentation, accounting & monetary, advertising and website associated translation providers.
Translation rates
For a legal translation or another translation, charging for service will depend on the amount of the doc, degree of difficulty and time line. Moreover translation charges rely on translation type as well. For example; authorized translation charge is a bit increased than rate of website translation. Sydney Translation Service present comparatively low translating cost and offers low cost of 5-10% if the amount of the document exceeded 80,000 words.
So, in case you are searching for a dependable supply for authorized translation, I suggest you to try Sydney Translation Service for once. Their accuracy degree in authorized translation is quite high and so they have a great number skilled translator in their translation service company so, you may entrust them with your invaluable document and anticipate a precise authorized translation of it.

Tariffs And Energy Management 2

a) Electricity value
b) Advantages and disadvantages of power factor
i) Main bus bars
a) Power saving Calculate
c) Explanation of the graph
5. Miniature fluorescent lamp and peculiar GLS lamps
a) Advantages and drawbacks of fluorescent lamp and extraordinary GLS lamps
b) Cost of Miniature fluorescent lamp and extraordinary GLS lamps
1a) Discuss briefly the elements governing tariff structures.
The tariff construction of vitality is governed by the components:
Demand
The demand degree of power will decide the tariff construction of vitality, when the demand is excessive the tariff is more likely to be low and when the demand is low the tariff is more likely to be high.
Rate
The charge charge of unit consumption of energy may also decide the construction of vitality tariffs; the speed is the unit cost of 1 unit of vitality consumed.
Distribution voltage
The distribution voltage can even determine the structure of vitality tariff when the distribution voltage is excessive then the tariff is more likely to be high.
User utility:
The different issue that determines the construction ids the consumer application, this is whether or not the consumption is for home utility or for industrial or industrial functions.
Accounting methods
The other determining issue is the accounting methodology used in figuring out the consumption stage of electricity, essentially the most used software of determining the consumption degree is the usage of electric meters that determine the watt consumption degree over a time frame.
Social and economic components:
The structure of vitality tariff may even be decided through considering the social and economic elements in a region, the adoption of a certain construction will take into accounts other elements of a region.
1b) Describe a typical tariff for:-
i) domestic consumers
The domestic consumer can pay for the variety of models consumed per thirty days, these fees may embrace a month-to-month standing cost, for example the rate will likely be charged per KWH, for example a domestic consumer could also be required to pay a twenty dollar standing charge and along with this pay 40 cents per KWH. The tariff can even change in terms of peak and off peak consumption, peak items will likely be charged larger than off peak.
ii) industrial customers
An industrial consumer will still pay a standing month-to-month charge if applicable, he may even be required to pay for the variety of items consumed per 30 days, for industrial consumption of power the consumer will pay much less due to bulk consumption than the home consumer, peak prices can be larger than the off peak expenses and summer season tariffs may even be different from the winter charges the place winter fees will likely be greater than the summer tariffs.
2) A factory with a foundry and a machine store has a maximum demand of 750 kW and a load factor of 0.2. The tariff is 20 Pound/kW of maximum demand + 4 Pence/kWh of vitality consumed.
a) Calculate the annual price of electrical energy.
Load factor = (KWH/ whole KWH) X 100
0.2 = (750/ Y)
Cost for max demand 750 X 20 = 15000
Total value = 15000 +150 = 15150 pounds
b) Discuss briefly a method by which the energy price of the manufacturing unit could also be reduced with out lowering the number of kWh consumed.
Because most of tariffs are charged higher during peak hours then the agency could cut back the cost of energy by utilising the off peak hours when the tariffs are lower. Lower vitality prices can be achieved by decreasing the load factor of the agency, if the firm achieves a lower load elements then the price of power can be lower which can be achieved without reducing the variety of KWH consumed.
3a) State one technique of elevating the general energy factor of an industrial load.
Use of an energy corrector either passive or lively (PFC)
3b) Discuss briefly the benefits and disadvantages of making use of power issue correction at:
i) the main bus bars
Advantage:
The use of a filter can reduce the harmonic current
Disadvantage:
The rectifier used in this case is non linear and subsequently there's energy on the harmonics of the frequency of the input current.
The above drawback also posses an issue to the energy providing company as they can't rectify this downside, whereby they cannot use capacitors to rectify the harmonic present
ii) individual hundreds
It is a useful technique inpower factor correction
It is straightforward to adjust the correction stage because the correction acts as a variable capacitor
Disadvantages:
It will not be price effective because it requires the set up on each load or machine
4) A manufacturing facility has most demand of 400 kW at a lagging power factor such that 600 kVAr of re-lively power must be supplied.
The tariff in operation includes a most demand charge of 12 Pound/kVA.
Consider the effect of adding capacitor banks to the system in SIX phases, each drawing 100 kVAr leading. The capital fees on every 100 kVAr bank are four hundred Pound per annum.
a) Calculate the net saving and total power issue at every stage.
Power factor = actual energy (p) watts/ apparent power (s) volt amperes
S2 =P2 + Q2
preliminary
zero
593.9994338
1079.999122
1457.998975
1727.99892
1889.998907
1943.998906
b) Plot a graph of internet saving (vertically) against total power issue (horizontally)
c) Explain what your results and graph present.
From the above graph it's clear that as we improve the number of bank capacitors the response vitality is lowered till it is zero, the agency makes a save on their price of energy as shown above.
5) Energy-efficient lamps are miniature fluorescent lamp designed to switch abnormal GLS lamps.
a) Discuss briefly the advantages and downsides of energy-efficient lamps in contrast with different sources of illumination.
Advantages of miniature fluorescent
Longer life span
Cannot be used at low voltages
Do not lender desired color
Advantages of GLS lamps
They lender good color
Consume extra energy
Short life span
b) Obtain manufacture's data and evaluate the full cost of utilizing an power-efficient lamp with that of an peculiar GLS lamp, assuming illumination is supplied for 8000 hours.
GLS price in kilos
Florescent value in kilos
Electricity bulbs (2007) benefits and drawbacks of GLS and florescent, retrieved on thirteenth October
The E Shops(2007)bulb prices, retrieved on 13th October
Lewis Evans (2006) Alternating Currents, Victoria University Press, New Zealand
Author is associated with which is a world Research Papers and Term Papers Writing Company. If you would like help in... (present bio)

How Business Growth is Impacted by Education

As right stated by Nelson Mandela “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. Any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts may be considered educational. Education is the factor that influences owner mangers entrepreneurial success.

For the success and growth of any business, communication skills, team working , having a business mind, innovation and a positive attitude are the most important ones. These skills needs to be taught via formal education  where the young people are prepared to face challenges in a virtual situation, where they are formally shown how to speak to people in a better manner, how to tackle business obstacles and coming up with innovative strategies for the business to survive and grow in the competitive environment. A lot of information is available on the topics which may not directly provide solution to our business problems, it is the education that formally points out to the resources and to the ways such resources can be helpful to tackle the current situation facing business.

The diversity of the educational level of the 10,000 Small Businesses is a hallmark of the program, and business growth is achieved by business owners with all types of educational backgrounds. With the exception of having less than a high school degree (60% grow revenues at six months) and a high school degree (75% grew revenues at six months), all the rest of the educational levels’ revenue growth rates are similar across educational attainment levels, with more variation seen in the creation of jobs. At the six month point, the educational attainment categories with the most job creators are Associate Degrees (52%) and Some College/No Degree (49%).

Entrepreneur’s ages have also been a popular point of discussion in the media, with focal points often either millennials or those considered older. While our numbers of participating business owners in some of these age categories are still small, intriguing themes are emerging. Our youngest business owners (those under 44) who grow the revenues are the most likely to increase their growth between the six and 18 month follow-ups. Also, when looking at what happened by 18 months after program completion, the number of businesses with younger owners that grew by more than 100% nearly doubled.

The purpose of education is to replace an empty mind with an open one. Education grooms young potential youth to be the future face of business with innovation and continual growth.

What Kind Of Woman Are You Based On Your Birth Month

Most scientists won't believe on the whole horoscope thing. For them, it's just a mere tell tale. But new research suggests your birth month may count for something, after all. It could predict your personality and how you view life. Refer below to know if the predictions about you and your birth month are almost correct. January Ladies born in January are ambitious,conservative and serious.They want to criticize but they don’t want to talk about their feelings,they are closed ladies.Rarely are angry, but when they are not be in their presence.they want intellectual people that share same views of life. February These women are very romantic,you should treat them with patience because of the changing mood, not everyone could understand them.Have abstractly thinking, if you betray them you will never see them again. March Women born in this mount have strong charisma and charm,are dedicated and loyal. They hard fall in love.These woman are cute until you upset her but in fact it is pleasure to live with person like this. April These women are diplomats have easy communication, but sometimes know to pity themselves. They are very jealous, which once if it burst, you better move away. The April girl, she will make you the happiest man on the planet. Only to those who deserve they open their soul . May Women born in May are very persistent and faithful to their principles and are very nice, in a physical way. However, combined with the difficult character, they become dangerous to any man who falls in love with them because will remember as long as they are alive.
June They are very creative and communicative , curious girls. But they believe that this is right – better truth to be told in the face, rather than spoken from the back. . In love are very dangerous players. Men are like toys in their hands. July These girls are very honest, do not allow anybody to come close near them , mysterious,very intelligent, beautiful and at a higher level than the rest. Do not want conflicts and are polite to everyone. They often suffer for the past times. Moreover if this July-woman falls in love in you, the greatest mistake will be if you cheat her because you will lose her forever. August A unique combination of great heart and egoism…! Do not mess with these ladies, because sooner or later she will win. Despite being happy with an incredible sense of humor, they do not allow anyone to mock them. If this happens, you won’t know what hit you. They always want to be in the spotlight and never suffer from men’s attention. Men lose their heads in their presence. September They are kind, disciplined, beautiful girls but never forgive the one who will betray them. So be careful not to hurt them because they’ll revenge you. September girls want long relationships. They are not girls for one night. On the other hand they are very critically tuned towards their partner and ask of him to meet all their requirements. The man who would prove, he will win. Their mind does let them to make a mistake, no matter their heart wants the opposite.
October Women born in October have demonstrate strength and independence,have an iron character,but are very emotional. Rarely cry in front of other people. They are smart ,not open their soul to everyone, knowing that people tend to abuse it. Other women often hate them because they envy them. November November lady is always one step ahead of everyone else. They immediately recognize a lie. You should not play with these women because you will get the worst end of it. An important thing to know about these women – if you are ready to hear the truth, you never ask them for their opinion. December Born with a lot of luck, impatient, too fast, always find a way to get out of any situation as winners. They know how to lift the mood. Usually, it takes only a few minutes to conquer you. Their heart is great, people sometimes hurt them, but because God is on their side at the end they get what they deserve.

10 Things A Woman Should Avoid During Her Monthly Period

Women who undergo so much of pressure during their periods also do the craziest of things which one would find no explanation. During this time of the month, there are some women who are blessed with an easy period and there are some who go through hell. When you are in pain there is a lot of discomfort in the body. Therefore, there are things you should refrain from doing. Here are the list of the things you should not do if you have your monthly visitor:
1. COOK One of the things you should never do while on your period is enter the kitchen, not even for a snack. What if one of your emotional attacks occur while you have a knife in hand? Scary right? 2. WATCH ROMANTIC COMEDIES You are undeniably emotional during this time so if you’re single, romantic comedies can make you miss dating. If you’re in a relationship, they can make you miss being single. 3. USE MOBILE PHONES If you pick up phones check on Facebook, you might end up calling your ex. It’s an emotional time of the month, so how can you stand to be alone? 4. START ARGUMENTS If you start a fight with a friend, you’re going to say things that you don’t mean, because like it or not, our hormones mess with us. 5. GET OUT OF BED You feel horrible, and no one wants to deal with your emotional outbursts. Just stay in bed and sleep. 6. EAT TONS OF CHOCOLATE You don’t have to stuff yourself with chocolate, because you’re on your period. It’s not going to make you feel any better. Don't believe those cliches. 7. TAKE A SHOWER You don’t want to stand up straight anyway, so don’t put yourself through the agony. You can, however, sit in warm bath and try to forget your troubles.
8. DO HOUSEWORK Don’t make yourself miserable trying to take care of things when you’re having your period. Just leave the mess and crawl back into bed and rest. 9. RUN Running while you’re menstruating is probably one of the worst ideas ever. It won’t feel good. 10. EXERCISE IN ANY WAY You only feel bloated because you’re on your period. Once the week is over, you’ll be your sexy self again.

Want To Have Long And Shiny Hair That's Envied By Other? Try This Miracle Shampoo

Like skin, hair just looks better when it glows. Having shine means hair is healthy. It reflects light, creating natural highlights and making the face appear radiant. The outer layer of healthy hair contains natural oil to keep it moist and shiny. When this layer is damaged, your hair will look dull, unhealthy and dry.
Some of the factors that contribute to dull hair are illness, nutritional deficiencies, use of harsh hair care products, not using a good conditioner, over exposure to sun, frequent use of hair dyes, age, excessive stress, high mineral content in the water, chlorine in swimming pools and use of heating tools. But you don’t have to worry about how to maintain healthy hair anymore. Here is a perfect natural shampoo which will help you to restore the volume, health, and shine of your hair almost instantly. Things you'll need: * Nettle shampoo - 750 ml (plain) * Vitamin B - 2 ampoule * AD drops - 30 ml (aqueous solution) * Castor oil - 50 ml * Panthenol - 100 ml (aqueous solution) * Nettle drops - 30 ml Procedure: 1. Take 1 liter empty bottle and add 70 ml nettle shampoo into it. 2. Add 100 ml of panthenol along with 30 ml of AD drops and 50 ml of castor oil. 3. Shake the bottle properly to mix all the solution. 4. At the end add 30 ml of nettle drops and shake the bottle again. Your shampoo is ready to use. How to Use: Before each application just shake the bottle properly. Take out some solution and massage it gently on your hair and scalp. Allow it to remain for 10 minutes and then wash it off with warm water.
Video :https://youtu.be/Z224ZX_kOmY

How To Whiten Dark Knees And Legs Fast And Easy

Dark knees are commonly seen in people who suffer from very dry skin. People with dark complexion also have dark and ashy knees. To treat dark knees and legs one must always use the trusted and tried home remedies.
There are many effective yet simple home remedies to lighten the color of the knees and legs. However, you have to be regular with the treatments and you can even use two or more natural treatments at the same time since these treatments are without any side effects. Treat Dark Knees: 1. Lemon juice and white sugar - Take 2 tbsp lime juice and mix it with 1 tbsp white sugar. - Now use it to scrub your knees or other discolored area of your leg. - Scrub firmly for around 10 minutes and then wash off with plain water. Repeat this for at least one week regularly to see results. 2. Lemon juice and coconut oil - Mix one tbsp of lemon juice with 1 tbsp of coconut oil. - Mix it well and apply directly on your leg focusing more on your knee area. - Keep it for 15 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water. This will not only lighten dark spots but it will also keep your legs moisturized and smooth. Bright Tips:
* If you have dark spots on your leg then mix some foundation with your regular body and apply on your leg directly. This will hide dark spots and will give you shiny smooth legs. * To get sexy shiny legs then mix some face highlighter with your body lotion. This recipe will give you shiny legs just like actresses. Video : https://youtu.be/ECdrQdl71-8

If You Knew Someone Biting Their Nails, Tell Them To Stop Before It's Too Late

Your fingernails have a couple of big jobs to do. They protect your fingertips and make it easier for you to pick up tiny things, like loose threads. They also come in handy when you have an itch that needs scratching. But when you bite your nails, your nails aren't there to do those things. And by biting them, you are breaking the skin and maybe bringing germs into these openings in your skin. In fact, some people bite their nails and cuticles down so far, they bleed! When germs invade, they can get an infection. It can be hard to break this habit, but learning about the potential dangers of nail biting might finally stop the urge once and for all.
1. Disease-Causing Bacteria As you bite your nails, those bacteria easily transfer into your mouth and the rest of your body, where they may lead to infections. Your fingernails may actually be twice as dirty as your fingers making this a prime point of transfer for infectious organisms. 2. Nail Infections Nail biters are susceptible to paronychia, a skin infection that occurs around your nails. As you chew your nails, bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms can enter through tiny tears or abrasions, leading to swelling, redness, and pus around your nail. This painful condition may have to be drained surgically. 3. Warts Due to HPV Infections Warts on your fingers caused by human papillomavirus, or HPV, are common among chronic nail biters. These warts can easily spread to your mouth and lips as you bite your nails. 4. Dental Problems Nail biting can interfere with proper dental occlusion. Your teeth may shift out of their proper position, become misshapen, wear down prematurely, and become weakened if you bite your nails over time.
5. Impaired Quality of Life A study published this year found that people who chronically bite their nails report significantly higher quality of life impairment than those who do not. Tension when trying to resist nail biting, suffering due to nail biting or nail-eating behavior also negatively influenced quality of life. Simple Tips to Stop Biting Your Nails Whether you’re an adult who can’t seem to kick the habit, or a parent of a child or teen who bites his or her nails, here are simple options that are often effective for quitting: - Keep a journal to identify your nail-biting triggers, such as boredom or watching TV, then avoid the triggers as much as possible - Wrap your fingertips with Band-Aids or electrical tape - Keep your nails trimmed short or manicured - Keep your hands busy with other activities, such as knitting - Put an unpleasant tasting substance on your fingertips (vinegar, hot sauce, or commercially available bitter-tasting options) Video :https://youtu.be/Zxvm5QIpX60

Only 5 Minute Exercise Routine To Improve Your Eyesight Naturally

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Our eyes are the most precious sensory organs of our body, so we should be doing all we can to take care of them. However, in today’s world, it can be difficult to find the time to really take care of our eyes. Here are some simple things that you can do to take care of eyesight and make it better. They are easy to do and can be done anywhere and anytime.

1. Palming

• Sit comfortable on a chair. Close your eyes.
• Rub the palms of your hands vigorously, until they become warm and place the palms gently over your eye lids.
• Hold your hands over your eyes until the heat from the hands has been completely absorbed by the eyes.
• Repeat the process at least three times.

2. Blinking

• Sit comfortably with your eyes open.
• Blink around 10 times very quickly.
• Close your eyes and relax for 20 seconds. Slowly take your attention to your breath.
• Repeat this exercise about 5 times.

3. Range of Motion

The following eye patterns are designed to strengthen the muscles of the eyes in a mobilizing way which will ultimately improve your eye sight naturally.

• 1. Look straight ahead and look all the way up. Count 2 seconds, then look all the way down.
• 2. Count 2 seconds. Then look to the extreme left. Repeat and look to the extreme right.
• 3. Now you have to move your eyes to the four diagonal corners. (you may feel tight stretches in your eyes which is a good thing).Begin with looking to the extreme top-left corner, bottom-right, top-right and end with bottom-left for one whole cycle.
• 4. Rolling of eyes is also a good exercise. This can be done by slowly circling your eyeballs in clockwise and anticlockwise directions.
• As you do each one, remember to keep breathing. Do each one 8 – 10 times. Remember to maintain your head stationary.

4. The Cross Eye

• Lift the right arm straight directly in front of the face. Making a fist, keep your thumb pointing upward.
• Focus on the tip of the thumb, now bend the arm and gradually bring the thumb closer to you, focusing until your thumb is about 3 inches in front of your face. Remain in this position for a while
• Continuing to gaze at the tip of the thumb, slowly straighten the arm.
• This is one round. Perform at least five such rounds.
• You can also practice this exercise by holding a pencil in front of you at arm’s length.

Transform Your Thinning Hair Overnight With Only 1 Solution

As hair is regarded as an asset that enhances one’s physical appearance, balding or thinning hair is a problem that many want to correct as soon as possible. If you have thinning hair, there is no need to spend money on expensive treatments and products. Here, we present you the one natural remedy that will make your hair more voluminous than ever.
Having egg yolk based masks in your hair care routine will make your hair grow stronger and also stopped it from falling out. This is the beauty secrets used by many celebrities that have seen its benefits on lifeless hair. By applying this once a week you will too, notice its benefits. It is extremely beneficial for:- Lifeless or Dull hair - Dry hair - Fine hair - Dyed hair - Damaged hair How To Make The Mask For Lifeless Hair You will need: - 1 Egg Yolk - 1 TSP Honey - 1 TSP Castor Oil Steps: 1. Place the egg yolk in a bowl. 2. Add your honey followed by the castor oil 3. Mix your ingredients really well until your hair mask’s consistency is smooth and runny. 4. Apply this mask from the root to the tip of your hair. 5. Let it set for 30 minutes but for better results try leaving it for an hour. 6. Rinse it out by washing your hair with shampoo and conditioner Egg yolk combined with this wonderful oil along with the honey had truly made wonders.
Castor oil is wonderful for regenerating and stimulating the growth of hair: either on your head, eyebrows or eyelashes. Honey will contribute in healing your hair from potential harmful environmental factors. Checkout the full tutorial below: Video : https://youtu.be/Va0DB35OT88

Use This Ointment And Never Experience Pain Again In The Next 5 Years

Osteochondritis is a condition followed by a strong pain in the neck. It is very painful, but fortunately, can be healed.
While there are certain over-the-counter medications for this kind of pain, we all know that these drugs will always get their toll on your health. So here, we present to you an extraordinary solution which will heal the pain and remove it for several years. Ingredients: - 10 tablespoons of high quality salt - 20 tablespoons of unrefined olive or sunflower oil Preparation: Simply mix the ingredients in a glass container. Seal the container well and leave it for 2 days. After 2 days, your remedy is ready to use.How to use it: Apply the mixture on the affected area, in the morning – immediately after you wake up. You just have to rub this homemade remedy on your skin in 2-3 minutes, then gradually increase the time. Wipe off the excess with a damp towel. Just after 10 days of using this remedy, you will notice great changes. It will stimulate your circulation and muscle regeneration in your cartilage and bone tissues.
Moreover, your body will be free of toxins, and your metabolism will reach its highest peak. It should be noted that you may feel a bit dizzy after the massage, but it is worth it. The best part is that this home remedy has no side-effects. Watch Video :https://youtu.be/cjJz91R9Yg0

Larry Page has secretly spent $100 million building flying cars

 
USPTO/Zee.Aero An early patent held by Zee.Aero.

Larry Page, one of the cofounders of Google who is now the CEO of its parent company, Alphabet, has secretly spent more than $100 million to develop flying cars.
That's according to a bombshell new report from Bloomberg Businessweek, based on conversations with numerous sources.
Page reportedly also owns a secretive startup called Zee.Aero, which launched in 2010.
David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Larry Page, Google cofounder and CEO of parent company Alphabet.
The billionaire exec has apparently spent more than $100 million of his own money on the company, which is based in Mountain View, California, (near Google's HQ) and now employs nearly 150 people.
And that's not all: Page is also reportedly funding a second flying-car startup called Kitty Hawk. Kitty Hawk works independently from Zee.Aero, but has similar goals. (It's not clear how much Page has invested into Kitty Hawk.)
This isn't all just hypothetical, either. Zee.Aero has two prototype aircrafts based in a hanger nearby, Bloomberg says, which take "regular test flights." Its vehicles are electric-powered.
The diagram above, from a patent originating in 2011, was an early design, Bloomberg reports. It is now pursuing a "simpler, more conventional-looking design."
The long-term vision for flying cars is to build a light aircraft capable of acting in a similar way to earth-bound cars. Designs made by Zee.Aero use propellers for vertical take-offs - essential for saving space - and some diagrams even show the vehicle wings folding up so it can fit in car parking spaces.
Zee.Aero's website doesn't give much away. "Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, Zee is developing a revolutionary new form of transportation," it says in a call for job applicants. "Working at the intersection of aerodynamics, advanced manufacturing, and electric propulsion, we provide a stimulating environment where creative employees can explore new challenges."

Zee.Aero Zee.Aero's website.
Page has apparently worked hard to keep his involvement in Zee.Aero secret. Early in the company's history, when it was based in a building that he rented the upper floor of, he wasn't even called by his true name, Bloomberg reports. Instead, employees only said "GUS" - short for "Guy UpStairs."

5 Eyeliner Mistakes Girls Usually Do And How To Correct It

Eyeliner is not only a way to play with color and make a statement; it's also the perfect instrument to reshape your eye. You don't have to go under the knife for bigger-looking eyes if you know how to wield an eyeliner brush for your eye shape. Eyeliner is one of the trickier makeup products out there but it’s not the easiest product to master because When applied correctly, eyeliner can make your eyes look bigger, wider, and more alert. It can enhance the color of your eyes and make your whole face pop. It takes a lot of patience to apply it.
Don’t worry. You don’t have to have a perfectly steady hand to have gorgeous eyeliner. 1. Pick the right product A creamy pencil that isn’t waterproof glides on smoothly and is easiest to blend. One that also has a built-in smudger, which will come in handy when blending. 2. Take a seat Sit, place a mirror on a flat surface and look down when applying liner. This gives you a better angle to see the grove between your lashes and lash line, so you can draw on color with precision. 3. Connect the dots up top The upper lash line doesn’t draw as much attention as its lower counterpart, but it’s equally important. To apply, create three short strokes as close to the lash line as possible. Don’t worry about creating a super straight line. The trick: Trace over it with black shadow until the line is smooth. 4. Go easy on the bottom One of the biggest problems is when the lower lash line is too dark or too hard. For soft definition, apply a short stroke of color along the outer corner under your lower lashes.
5. Always finish with mascara Liner looks best when paired with lush lashes. Clamp and squeeze a lash curler three times—at the lash line, in the middle and again at the ends—then seal the curl with a few coats of lengthening mascara. The result: perfectly defined, every time. Watch Video : https://youtu.be/MKpUaSWVG68

Fighting Depression With Antioxidants

Fighting Depression With Antioxidants

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rates of all of our top 10 killers have fallen or stabilized except for one, suicide. Accumulating evidence indicates that free radicals may play important roles in the development of various neuropsychiatric disorders including major depression, a common cause of suicide. In a study of nearly 300,000 Canadians, for example, greater fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with lower odds of depression, psychological distress, self-reported mood and anxiety disorders and poor perceived mental health. They conclude that since a healthy diet comprised of a high intake of fruits and vegetables is rich in antioxidants, it may consequently dampen the detrimental effects of oxidative stress on mental health. But that study was based on just asking how many fruits and veggies people ate. Maybe people were just telling the researchers what they thought they wanted to hear. What if you actually measure the levels of carotenoid phytonutrients in people’s bloodstreams? The same relationship is found. Testing nearly 2000 people across the United States, researchers found that a higher total blood carotenoid level was indeed associated with a lower likelihood of elevated depressive symptoms, and there appeared to be a dose-response relationship, meaning the higher the levels, the better people felt.

Lycopene, the red pigment predominantly found in tomatoes (but also present in watermelon, pink grapefruit, guava and papaya) is the most powerful carotenoid antioxidant. In a test tube it’s about 100 times more effective at quenching free radicals than a more familiar antioxidant like vitamin E. So do people who eat more tomatoes have less depression? Apparently so. A study of about a thousand older men and women found that those who ate the most tomato products had only about half the odds of depression. The researchers conclude that a tomato-rich diet may have a beneficial effect on the prevention of depressive symptoms. Higher consumption of fruits and vegetables has been found to lead to a lower risk of developing depression, but if it’s the antioxidants can’t we just take an antioxidant pill? Only food sources of antioxidants were protectively associated with depression. Not antioxidants from dietary supplements. Although plant foods and food-derived phytochemicals have been associated with health benefits, antioxidants from dietary supplements appear to be less beneficial and may, in fact, be detrimental to health. This may indicate that the form and delivery of the antioxidants are important. Alternatively, the observed associations may be due not to antioxidants but rather to other dietary factors such as folate that also occur in fruits, vegetables, and plant-rich diets. In a study of thousands of middle-aged office workers, eating lots of processed food was found to be a risk factor for at least mild to moderate depression five years later, whereas a whole food pattern was found to be protective. Yes, it could be because of the high content of antioxidants in fruits and vegetables but could also be the folate in greens and beans, as some studies have suggested an increased risk of depression in folks who may not have been eating enough.
Low folate levels in the blood are associated with depression, but since most of the early studies were cross-sectional, meaning a snapshot in time, we didn’t know if the low folate led to depression or the depression led to low folate. Maybe when you have the blues you don’t want to eat the greens. But since then a number of cohort studies were published, following people over time. They show that a low dietary intake of folate may indeed be a risk factor for severe depression, as much as a threefold higher risk. Note this is for dietary folate intake, not folic acid supplements, so those with higher levels were actually eating healthy foods. If you give people folic acid pills they don’t seem to work. This may be because folate is found in dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, whereas folic acid is the oxidized synthetic compound used in food fortification and dietary supplements because it’s more shelf-stable. In health, Michael Greger, M.D.

Make Pimple Scar Disappear With These Home Remedies

 One day, you stand before the mirror and a red, hot and swollen pimples on your face appears which eventually spoils your time and mood.

What do you do then? You can either bear with it and leave it on its own or try to take some easy and homemade treatments to remove pimples at the earliest.

Though when they popped up, pimples tend to disappear after 3-5 days, it can make one appear less attractive. When it dries out, they will leave a scar that will stay on.

Luckily, there are many ways to treat pimple scars as early as possible.

Ways to Remove Your Pimple Scars:

Apple Cider Vinegar: It is a good toner that helps to clear up scars and acne marks. Vinegar is a powerful astringent that also stimulates blood flow to areas, which speeds healing and regeneration of cells.

Egg Whites: Egg whites are easier to obtain and are effective in treating acne scarring. Apply egg whites on the scars using a cotton ball and leave it on overnight to get the best effect. Eggs contain a huge amount of protein and by applying that directly to your skin, you can speed the healing process. Proteins are the building blocks of cellular tissue, and muscle, so directly applying and leaving it on your face can boost the speed of your acne scar recovery by quite a bit.Tomato Slices: Rubbing tomato slices on scars is also found to be effective in reducing the appearance of the marks or scars. This is partially due to the vitamin A and carotenes in tomatoes, which not only provide the red color, but are also antioxidant compounds that can heal damaged tissues and promote the healthy regrowth of cells.

Cucumber Juice: Cucumber juice is an ideal skin toner, which improves the texture of the skin. Cucumbers reduce inflammation, soothe the skin and heal the scars caused by acne.


Ice: Applying ice to the face helps to tighten pores and reduce secretions of acne causing sebum. Ice also works as a natural astringent to tighten up the pores around marks and scars, making scarring, less obviously, by decreasing the size of the pores that were affected by the acne in the first place.

Watch Video :

https://youtu.be/9GW09OZF7IQ

BI answers: W

Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and can't move — here's why

BI answers: What is sleep paralysis?

Every few months I have a terrifying experience in the middle of the night.
I wake up but can't move, except for my eyes, which dart frantically underneath fluttering, heavy lids. I feel a heavy presence on top of my chest, squeezing the air from my lungs and throat. Then a shadowy, cloaked figure starts looming just within the corners of vision.
I'm not dreaming. And no matter how many times it happens, the panic sets in. As a kid, I thought the devil had paid a visit to my bedroom.
Now I know these symptom stem from a strange sleep phenomenon called sleep paralysis. While various social and psychological factors can influence the prevalence of sleep paralysis, a 2011 paper combined 35 studies with more than 36,000 participants total. The authors found that 7.6% of the general population experiences sleep paralysis, rising to 28.3% in high-risk groups, like students who have a disrupted sleep pattern. And in people with mental disorders, like anxiety and depression, 31.9% experienced episodes.
"When you're experiencing sleep paralysis, you become conscious," Daniel Denis, a PhD candidate in cognitive neuroscience and researcher at the Sleep Paralysis Project, tells Business Insider. "The idea is that your mind wakes up but your body doesn't."

Why you can't move

Sleep has three or four stages of non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and one REM state. While people can dream in any stage, REM is the most closely associated with vivid dreams, the type that seem real.
The brain also stays active during REM — "almost comparable to during the day," Denis explains. People naturally become paralyzed during REM, probably to prevent themselves from acting out their dreams, a process known as REM atonia.
Many who wake up during this state simply open their eyes and quickly begin to move around. But those suffering from sleep paralysis experience "a sort of failure of the molecular clock," as Denis puts it. For whatever reason, REM atonia continues after you've waken up. Most episodes last a few seconds to a minute, but in much rarer cases, people can require 10 to 15 minutes before they fully regain motion.
About that shadowy friend of mine — researchers don't have the best explanations for he/she/it. To start, I could be experiencing my brain's interpretation of myself. The parietal lobes may be monitoring the neurons in my brain telling my limbs to move, according to a study from UC San Diego, published in the journal Medical Hypotheses. Since they can't, the brain hallucinates the intended movement.
Denis explains that the "intruder" might also be due to an over-active amygdala, a part of the brain responsible for fear (among other things). "You wake up with your amygdala screaming, 'There's a threat!'" he explains. "So your brain has to invent something to fix the paradox of the amygdala being active for no reason." While the amygdala remains active during REM sleep, total paralysis right after awakening can send it into overdrive.
The Devil in the Room

The experiences

One of the first in-depth studies on sleep paralysis in 1999 defines the three main categories of sleep paralysis hallucinations as the "incubus," the "intruder" and "unusual bodily experiences."
In the first case, people feel an intense pressure on their chests, inducing the feeling that they can't breathe.
As the authors note, sleep paralysis affects only the "perception of respiration." Breathing is reflex-based, so nothing truly separates these poor few from the oxygen they desperately need. It just feels that way because they're afraid.
“When you’re in REM, your breathing is very shallow and your airways become quite constricted, so it would be difficult to breath anyway," Denis explains. "But when you become conscious of that, it can be terrifying."

People experiencing the second category, the "intruder," can feel a "sensed presence, fear, and auditory and visual hallucinations," the researchers note. Essentially, your mind invents a vision to solve some sort of paradox in the brain that occurs during sleep paralysis. The authors describe it as a "hypervigilant state of the midbrain," which can make people highly aware of even the smallest stimuli and "biased toward cues for threat or danger." That's why a small sound can seem horrifying to someone experiencing sleep paralysis.

The intruder and the incubus go hand-in-hand. Both symptoms typically involve the threat-activated systems in the amygdala, as mentioned earlier. Some people even relate the "intruder" and the incubus, reporting that they feel someone strangling or suffocating them, Denis says. But the third type of sleep paralysis hallucination, the "unusual bodily experiences" are the least common.

When people experience "unusual bodily experiences," they often feel like they're having an out-of-body experience, levitating or flying around the room, as the 1999 study explains. This third type appears to be associated with REM stages where the brainstem, cerebellar, and cortical vestibular centers are activated, according to a 2013 study of 133 patients with panic disorder.

The pons, which inhibits movement during sleep, falls into that area, Denis notes. "You feel like you're moving when you're not because the area of the brain that coordinates that is overactive," he says.

Myths and folklore

Cultural beliefs also strongly influence these hallucinations and experiences, leading to the creation of folklore and myth, which can blur fact with fiction. The "Old Hag," for example, is the primary interpretation of sleep paralysis in Newfoundland. And similar fantastical stories exist about the Boto, a pink river dolphin in the Amazon Basin that transforms at night into a lustful prowler, explains "The Devil in the Room," a documentary that explores the paranormal and mythical aspects of sleep paralysis.

Take a look at Henry Fuseli's 1781 oil painting, "The Nightmare," shown below, thought to be one of the clearest artistic interpretations of sleep paralysis.

Wikimedia CommonsHenry Fuseli's "The Nightmare," 1781.

Personally, my over-active amygdala conjures images of the devil — unsurprising considering I live in a majorly Christian nation and grew up mildly Catholic. From his research, Denis says that "modern Western culture" tends to see burglars, rapists, and aliens.

Prevention

While sleep paralysis can be hereditary, it can happen to anyone. Factors like lack of sleep, sleep disturbances, jet lag, and shift work can increase someone's likelihood of experiencing it, and certain groups, like African-Americans, can also experience it more commonly. Sleep-paralysis episodes have been linked to hypertension, seizures, and narcolepsy, a sleep disorder where people lose their ability to regulate sleep cycles and can fall asleep at random and unexpected moments.
While stress, anxiety, and depression often trigger the episodes, we can't exactly control these factors. So beyond trying to reduce stress and getting plenty of sleep, how can you prevent the terrifying onset of sleep paralysis?
Avoiding sleeping on your back could help. Research has shown that people that experience sleep-paralysis episodes are three to four times more likely to occur in people who sleep in the supine position. Some people even use nightwear that makes lying on their back uncomfortable, according to Denis.
But if you do wake and find yourself unable to move, focus all your energy on wiggling a toe or finger. "So long as you can move one muscle, that breaks the paralysis," Denis advises.

Silent Signs Your Body Might Be in Big Trouble

Subtle clues—from handwriting to snoring—can reveal the earliest warnings of illness. Here's how to read your own distress signals. Unintentional weight loss Unintentional weight lossGabrielle Revere for Reader's Digest If you've lost more than ten pounds with no diet or exercise changes, get it checked out, says Richard Wender, MD, chief cancer control officer at the American Cancer Society. This happens most often with pancreatic, stomach, esophageal, or lung cancer. These are other cancer symptoms people easily ignore. Damage to your teeth Damage to your teethiStock/PonyWang “I often get referrals from dentists with patients who don’t feel heartburn or other reflux symptoms, but their teeth enamel is completely worn down,” says Evan Dellon, MD, a gastrointestinal (GI) specialist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. Many are shocked to learn they have acid reflux. While sugary drinks wear down teeth at the front of your mouth, acid from your esophagus tends to dissolve enamel of the teeth at the back. Other subtle but suspicious symptoms of reflux include a persistent sore throat, coughing, unexplained wheezing, or a frequent foul taste in your mouth. If you or your dentist notices any of these warning signs, see a GI specialist promptly. Untreated reflux not only leads to tooth decay but can also increase your risk for esophageal cancer. Itchy, blistery skin rash Itchy, blistery skin rashGabrielle Revere for Reader's Digest This reaction, which breaks out on the elbows, knees, butt, back, or scalp, may look suspiciously like eczema, but it could be a more serious issue: celiac disease, an autoimmune condition in which ingesting even the tiniest amount of gluten causes your body to attack its own intestines. Up to 25 percent of people with celiac have this rash, known as dermatitis herpetiformis. Many patients have no digestive symptoms. When someone with celiac consumes gluten, the body releases an antibody known as IgA, which attacks the intestines; sometimes IgA also collects in small blood vessels underneath the skin, triggering the telltale rash. Unlike people with other forms of celiac, patients with dermatitis herpetiformis don’t have to undergo an endoscopic biopsy for a definitive diagnosis. A doctor can biopsy the rash and look for antibodies that indicate celiac. Once you start a gluten-free diet, the rash should disappear, and you’ll protect your body from other long-term, serious damage of celiac disease, such as osteoporosis or small intestine cancer. Bowel or bladder changes Bowel or bladder changes iStock/Staras Peeing more or less than usual could indicate bladder or prostate cancer. Constipation or diarrhea may signal colon or ovarian cancer. These are other sneaky colon cancer symptoms. You may attribute gassiness or bloating to your diet, but talk to your doctor if it lasts more than a week. Hemorrhoids HemorrhoidsiStock/GeorgeRudy About one third of patients with Crohn’s disease—an inflammatory disorder of the GI tract—have a form that affects just the anal region. It manifests as sores, ulcerations, or fleshy growths outside the area, which can be mistaken for hemorrhoids. “Patients will say sitting is so unpleasant, it’s like they’re perched on top of a marble,” says David Rubin, MD, chief of gastroenterology at the University of Chicago Medical Center. This type of Crohn’s disease is often the most painful and has the worst prognosis, says Dr. Rubin. (If left untreated, Crohn’s can lead to bowel obstruction, painful fissures, and even colon cancer.) If you have what appear to be hemorrhoids that don’t respond to treatment, Dr. Rubin recommends seeing a GI specialist for a second opinion as soon as possible. He or she can run blood tests to check for white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, and other markers that can indicate undiagnosed disease.
Changes in handwriting Changes in handwritingiStock/Szepy When you think of Parkinson’s, you probably think of tremors, but a more telling early Parkinson's warning sign is handwriting that gets much smaller. Handwriting analysis identified patients in early stages more than 97 percent of the time, a 2013 Israeli study found. "I have patients write a sentence such as 'Today is a nice day ten times,'" says Michael S. Okun, MD, national medical director for the National Parkinson Foundation. “As they write, each sentence gets smaller and smaller, and the words become more crowded together.” Parkinson’s disease occurs when nerve cells in the brain become damaged or die off. They stop producing as much dopamine, a chemical that sends signals to produce movement; this causes muscle stiffness in hands and fingers, which affects handwriting. Two other early red flags of Parkinson’s: loss of smell—so you don’t notice mouthwatering odors—and really intense dreams in which you thrash, kick, and punch during sleep. If you notice any of these symptoms—and they last more than a couple of weeks—see a neurologist. The earlier Parkinson’s is diagnosed, and the sooner you get control of symptoms, the better your quality of life will be. Random bursts of anger Random bursts of angeriStock/mihailomilovanovic For many people, depression doesn’t translate to weeping or lying listlessly on the couch. More than half of patients with depression have irritability and anger; in fact, those depression symptoms are associated with a more severe, longer-lasting form, according to a 2013 University of California, San Diego, study. “A classic case: Someone never suffered from road rage before, but now if they get cut off, they get so furious, they go crazy blaring their horn,” says Philip Muskin, MD, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center. Women are found to have depression more often than men, but men are more likely to experience the disease through irritability and anger, according to a 2013 University of Michigan study. If you’re constantly snapping at your spouse or the slightest annoyance gets your heart racing—and these reactions have lasted for more than two weeks—there’s a real chance that depression is the culprit. Many cases of major depression respond well to a combination of antidepressants and cognitive behavior therapy, a short-term therapy that teaches skills to avoid damaging thoughts or actions. A British study published this past April found that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which helps increase awareness of negative spirals, was as effective as meds in preventing a recurrence of depression over a two-year period. Nagging cough Nagging coughiStock/Michelle Gibson Coughs don't usually mean cancer, but if you develop a cough that won't disappear, even though you've never had allergies, asthma, or sinus problems, take note. It could be lung cancer, or, if accompanied by hoarseness, cancer of the larynx or throat. Are you eating these 30 proven cancer-fighting foods? Difficulty managing finances Difficulty managing financesiStock/Catherine Lane When University of Alabama researchers followed 87 seniors with mild memory problems, the 25 who went on to develop Alzheimer’s showed declines over a yearlong period in skills like managing bank statements and paying bills. “One question we often ask: ‘You’re out to lunch, and the bill is $60. What’s a 15 percent tip?'” says Daniel Marson, PhD, director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Center at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. “People in the early stages of Alzheimer’s might struggle for a minute or two and then say, ‘It’s $7.’ ” (The answer is $9.) While everyone has an occasional senior moment, “it’s a red flag if these issues persist on a regular basis,” says Marson. As Alzheimer’s develops, the brain’s cortex, which includes areas involved in thinking, planning, and remembering, shrivels up. This makes managing day-to-day finances increasingly difficult. Trouble completing other daily tasks, like following a favorite recipe or driving to a familiar location, is another early Alzheimer's warning sign. Snoring SnoringGabrielle Revere for Reader's Digest It’s a commonly known symptom of sleep apnea, which is associated with increased heart disease risk. But snoring may play a bigger role in cardiovascular disease than experts thought. A 2013 study found that even among patients without sleep apnea, snoring was linked with thickening of carotid arteries in the neck; such damage is a precursor to stroke and heart attack. Snoring was more strongly associated with this wall damage than were smoking, high cholesterol, or being overweight. Why? Snoring may damage the carotid arteries, which supply blood to the brain. “We think the arteries are reacting to the vibration of the snoring, since they’re very close to the throat,” says study author Kathleen Yaremchuk, MD, chair of the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. These are other surprising symptoms of sleep apnea. Unexplained bleeding Unexplained bleedingiStock/Marcela Barsse Anytime strange—coughing up blood (lung cancer), unusual vaginal bleeding (cervical or endometrial cancer), blood in stool (colon or rectal cancer), blood in urine (bladder or kidney cancer), or bloody nipple discharge (breast cancer)—should be brought to your doc's attention. These 30 healthy habits are powerful ways to prevent cancer.
Impotence ImpotenceiStock/OJO_Images Men over age 45 who weren’t found to have heart disease but who had moderate to severe erectile dysfunction were up to 60 percent more likely to be hospitalized for heart problems over a four-year period, according to a 2013 Australian study. Arteries to the penis are smaller than elsewhere in the body, so they may become blocked even before a man has any other heart disease signs. “It’s embarrassing. Many men just want to get a prescription and avoid discussing the problem with their doctor,” says New York–based cardiologist Nieca Goldberg, MD. “But it’s really important that they not dismiss it and get evaluated for heart disease.” If men have other risk factors, such as a family history of heart disease, the doctor may recommend advanced screening tests such as a coronary calcium scan. Inflamed gums Inflamed gumsiStock/poco_bw A preliminary University of Florida study found that the same bacteria that cause gum disease also promote heart disease. Other research shows that older adults with high levels of certain bacteria in their mouths have thicker carotid arteries, a predictor of stroke and heart attack. “The link has to do with the body’s response to inflammation,” says Stuart Froum, DDS, director of clinical research at NYU College of Dentistry. Frequent cleanings (every three to six months) by a dentist can usually control early-stage gum disease. Treating gum disease was associated with fewer hospitalizations among people with heart disease or type 2 diabetes, according to a 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine study. Frequent bathroom trips Frequent bathroom tripsiStock/mauro grigollo When you start developing type 2 diabetes, your body becomes less efficient at breaking down food into sugar to use as fuel for energy. As a result, sugar builds up in the bloodstream, where it does silent but significant damage to blood vessels and nerves, says Ashita Gupta, MD, an endocrinologist at Mount Sinai Roosevelt Hospital in New York City. Your body frantically tries to dump the glucose buildup by flushing it out in your urine. Translation: “You’re going to the bathroom more frequently—and producing much more when you go,” says Dr. Gupta. You may find yourself getting up a few times during the middle of the night to pee. Since you’re urinating so much, you may be thirstier. Ask your doctor about getting an A1c test, a blood test that measures your average blood glucose over the course of three months (other tests, such as the fasting blood glucose test, measure blood glucose levels only on the day of the test). “The sooner type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, the more likely you can reverse it with lifestyle changes such as weight loss and exercise,” explains Dr. Gupta. These are other sneaky diabetes symptoms. Forgetting people’s names Forgetting people’s namesGabrielle Revere for Reader's Digest Spaced out on your neighbor’s name at a barbecue? It may be owing to stress or fatigue, but forgetfulness about little things such as names or grocery lists could indicate hypothyroidism, or low levels of thyroid hormone. “Patients complain that their brain just feels ‘fuzzier.’ Without thyroid hormone, everything just slows down,” says Dr. Gupta. “I ask whether they still feel tired after a full night’s sleep. If they still feel foggy, it may signal that something hormonal—like an underactive thyroid—is the culprit.” Other low thyroid signs include always feeling cold, low libido, and food not tasting as good as it used to. Because these symptoms are often vague and seemingly unrelated, it’s easy to blow them off. About half of the 30 million Americans who suffer from a thyroid disorder are unaware of it, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. But if you have any of the symptoms, it’s worth getting tested. “When patients are treated with thyroid medication, they’re always amazed at how much sharper they feel—that their memory lapses and difficulty concentrating weren’t due to just menopause or aging,” adds Dr. Gupta.