2010 August

Type 2 Diabetes Food List

Many patients, when asked to change their eating habits, do not comply with the instructions of the healthcare professionals and ask different questions. The answer to all their questions lies in the causes and effects of type 2 diabetes. Very few people are aware of the fact that type 2 diabetes is a direct result of eating disorders and unhealthy diets. Once diagnosed with diabetes, it becomes extremely important for the patients to take care of their eating habits.

Type 2 diabetes is related primarily to your diet. Patients should know that it is mostly caused by high intake of simple sugars and carbohydrates. You might be wondering, how it can be the cause of type 2 diabetes? The answer is very easy; simple carbohydrates can easily be broken by the digestive system and glucose is readily transferred into the blood stream. This creates instant rise in blood sugar levels. Increased blood glucose levels trigger the pancreas, causing it to produce more insulin in order to get rid of such large amounts of sugar present in the blood. Otherwise, it can severely damage all the organs. But, if the blood sugar levels remain high over longer periods of time, then body develops a resistance against insulin and sugar remains intact in the blood stream. This condition is called type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance. This is why the patient should adopt a special diet.

So, what a patient should eat? In simple words, the patient should take the diet that includes high ratio of complex carbohydrates, proteins, saturated fats and fibers. The foods that include all these good components are natural, and they are usually considered healthy for everyone. It may be hard for some but patients should include most kinds of meats in their diet. Diabetics can have the pleasure of eating great food such as chicken, turkey and fish. They can even eat meats such as bacon, lamb and beef. All kinds of sea foods are beneficial for them. Eggs are also a great addition, but patient should avoid too many eggs as they can make it difficult to maintain a healthy level of blood glucose.

All kinds of cheese are good as they contain a good level of protein, but still patients should consult their doctors before using them in high quantity, as they contain a fair amount of fats too. Fresh and natural foods are a great source of complex carbohydrates. Foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits are superb options. Salad should also be taken twice or thrice a day. Patients should avoid overcooking of vegetables for their meals. Non flavored, plain yogurt is a yummy treat for diabetic patients. These are some basic foods for the type 2 diabetics, but one should still consult the doctor before following any diet.

ADHD and Anxiety

ADHD and anxiety regularly coexist and there is some question as to whether ADHD drives anxiety, anxiety drives ADHD, or whether they are they separate overlapping conditions caused by a biological imbalance of brain neurotransmitter chemicals. To add to the confusion symptoms and proportion of ADHD and anxiety may vary greatly from person to person.

Nevertheless, in this article we will delve into the quandary which is ADHD and anxiety seeking to find some answers.

Most agree that arriving at a definitive diagnosis for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is no easy task with no definitive test currently available to either rule in, or rule out, the condition. When comorbid conditions exist such as ADHD and anxiety the plot thickens even more.

Research tells us that between 50 and 70 percent of individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder suffer from overlapping (comorbid) conditions such as anxiety, clinical anxiety, depression, learning disorders, bipolar disorder, and substance abuse. Of these approximately 60 percent are dealing with anxiety on a regular and persistent basis.

Additionally, in a test group of teens and adults with overlapping conditions a whopping seven out of every ten had at least some history of substance abuse and dependence.

Let’s take a moment to quickly refresh our memory by looking at how the American Medical Association defines ADHD, anxiety, and anxiety disorders in our quest to find answers.

ADHD: A mental illness characterized by difficulty paying attention and a high degree of restlessness and impulsive behavior that begins before the age of seven, lasts for at least six months, and can cause the individual substantial difficulty in at least two settings, usually family and school.

Anxiety: A general feeling of uneasiness, dread, uncertainty, and fear in response to, or in anticipation of, a real or imagined threat.

Anxiety disorder: A group of mental illnesses characterized by overpowering and long lasting fear, dread, unease, apprehension, obsession, compulsions, and unpleasant physical symptoms, such as sweating, elevated heartbeat, shaking, and trembling.

Could ADHD actually cause mild or generalized anxiety?

The three primary symptoms attributed to ADHD are inattention/distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity/restlessness. Those with the condition tend to underachieve academically, have trouble socially, are forgetful and/or absentminded, be worry warts, have a negative outlook on life, have disciplinary problems, and have low self esteem.

In looking at this list it becomes pretty clear that if in fact and ADHD child or adult didn’t have some anxiety it would be miraculous. Add into the mix the chance that they may be under a great deal of pressure to do such things as improve their grades or unruly behavior and all of the sudden we are looking at a person who is under so much pressure in all aspects of their lives that they might simply raise the white flag of surrender, figuring what’s the use in trying since I am going to fail anyway.

Of course this isn’t the reality since many great names throughout history (Einstein, Franklin, Edison, Lincoln) have had ADHD but one could sure understand how the ADHD child or adult could end up so riddled with high and persistent anxiety that struggling to find the confidence and willpower to forge on might be prove challenging.

From my point of view it appears, that at least most of the time, it is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder that is driving the bus when it comes to ADHD and anxiety, but as with so many things ADHD their seems to be no firm evidence to definitively prove or disprove this hypothesis.

By Health Care on August 30, 2010 | Mental health
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How Does Asperger Syndrome Affect Social Behavior?

Asperger syndrome is a type of highly functional autism. People with this disorder are usually able to function normally within society; however, they do have their share of struggles. These struggles are usually more obvious in certain social situations.

First, it is important to understand some of the underlying symptoms that can impact social behavior. People with Asperger syndrome are easily overstimulated by noise and crowds. They have a tendency to focus inwardly instead of on their surroundings, or on other people. Also, they usually have a few obscure areas of interest where their knowledge is very deep, and they tend to focus heavily on these interests.

To most people, someone with Asperger syndrome will seem a bit withdrawn. They are usually not talkative, especially in crowds, and tend to keep to themselves. In fact, they may avoid social situations entirely, preferring to spend their time in quiet isolation where they can think about their interests.

A person with Asperger syndrome may be happy to engage in a conversation with you, especially if you focus on their favorite interests. However, they may talk endlessly about those interests and you might find yourself completely overwhelmed. It is OK to change the subject in these situations. Be understanding, but do not let them dominate the conversation. Politely mention that you do not know much about their favorite subject, and would like to talk about something else.

People with Asperger syndrome will also be hesitant to approach others. Often, they make friends with those who approach them first. They may even seek out a highly social friend who can handle some socialization tasks, such as meeting new people, for them.

A person with Asperger’s will be much more comfortable in an intimate environment, especially if it encourages intellectual conversation. For example, a discussion about the merits of a particular jazz musician, or the theories presented in a book, are the kind of discussions where these people will excel. Such socialization allows them to connect with people, but also use their strong reasoning and analytical skills.

You may notice that people with Asperger syndrome do not pick up on the subtleties of conversation. They may not get a joke until they have had more time to think about it. Also, they might not wear trendy clothes. Dealing with such subtleties is difficult because people with Asperger’s are not as sensing and do not pick up on what other people are wearing.

In general, a person with Asperger syndrome may come across a quirky or eccentric, and definitely withdrawn. However, they usually learn to compensate for many of these issues, and can succeed socially. Often, they make up for their shortcomings by sheer reasoning; they deliberately study the social behaviors of others and try to model them, often with success.

By Health Care on August 27, 2010 | Autism
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Simple Headache Fixes

Most people have very stressful lives. People have to work very hard just to make ends meat and feed themselves. This does not even take into consideration of the stress that comes from having a family. It is no wonder why you keep seeing headache medicine commercials on TV and prescription drugs that are supposed to help with migraines. Well if you want to try something else besides drugging yourself there are a few things that you can do to help with your stress and headaches.

The first thing that you can do is really attack your senses with woodwick reed diffusers. This may not be the best option for everyone but it is certainly worth a try. If you can add a smell to your home or room most people will react by calming. You can pick certain smells that you like that really will help you feel comfortable and calm down. To help with a headache the best sent to try out is a hone suckle or a sweet scent. This helps your head by allowing your nerves to calm. The last thing that you want to get is a scent that is a strong popery smell. You want to stick to an oil smell that is faint and not overbearing. This is your best bet to help you relax and calm you nerves.

The second thing you can do is something while you sleep. This tends to help people that have shoulder pain and tension as well as relaxing issues at night. You can try a buckwheat hull pillow. These pillows have so many health benefits as far as cleanliness goes and allergies but no one really pays attention to what these pillows can do as far as comfort and alignment of you back. These pillows really help with your neck and strain that can occur while you sleep. This in turn relieves the tension on your neck which can reduce the headaches that you might have or wake up with.
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These pillows really are something that can help you sleep better and hopefully get rid of those nasty head pains. You can also try both of these at the same time. I have put a diffuser in my bedroom as well as slept with a buckwheat pillow and it really helps me to relax and calm down. Everyone needs to find a way to relax and this is just an option that may work for you. Try it out and see how you feel.

Diabetes & Insulin Resistance

Recently reruns were being played of The Price is Right. When I saw Drew Carey I gasped, I couldn’t believe how much weight he had gained. All I could think was, “He’s a walking heart attack!”. Then I saw a post on Facebook that said he had cured his own diabetes and lost 80 pounds – the new skinny Drew was almost unrecognizable. Drew’s drastic weight loss made the news on television, the web, and heath magazines.

Over the years I witnessed Drew gaining weight and was concerned he might be another cardiovascular casualty like John Ritter, John Candy, or Dom DeLuise. But insulin resistance and it’s companion heart disease aren’t exclusive to famous people. Almost 8% of Americans have been officially diagnosed with diabetes and the #1 cause of death is heart disease.

Insulin resistance is when the cell becomes resistant to the hormone insulin. This happens from repeated spikes and drops in blood sugar levels from eating refined carbohydrates, aka: junk food. The body gets adapts to elevated insulin levels by increasing insulin receptors on the cells. Craving for sugar, diabetes, inability to loose weight, fat around the abdomen can be signs of insulin resistance. Severe insulin resistance leads to type II diabetes and hypoglycemia.

Back to Drew Carey, I didn’t know he had diabetes. It is exciting and refreshing he figured out what to do by get rid of high glycemic fat causing carbs. The terms low and no carb diet are actually deceiving. Carbohydrates are in just about every food at some level; some are higher than others. More appropriate terms would be “no grain” or “no starch” diet. Even if Drew was eating vegetables he was still getting carbs. But if he cut out all the corn, pasta, sugar, bread, and potatoes, he would be eliminating the empty diabetes / fat causing trouble makers.

Drew also did something else right because he exercised. Exercise is a proven way to increase insulin resistance. This helps repair blood sugar problems over time. For example, in 2007 I was borderline diabetic. My insulin resistance problem was so severe that my blood sugar levels would swing into the 200′s and drop under 50 – all in the same day. Sometimes within the same hour! Not good. The result: severe panic / anxiety attacks and 55 pounds overweight. Not only that, but I had candida overgrowth, hormone imbalance, and bad attitude! I’m sure Drew had none of those issues either, right? Unfortunately, all of these issues are all inter-related and millions of people experience one or all of them.

Diabetes poses greater risk of depression and other mental disorders. It makes sense because blood sugar levels are directly impacted by neurotransmitters (the brain chemical adrenalin) and hormones (HGH and cortisol). Let’s say Drew did experience “the blues”, he may now have a much more uplifted outlook on life now he’s got his blood sugar levels under control.

By Health Care on August 25, 2010 | Diabetes
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How to Lower Cholesterol

Having high cholesterol is something that all adults need to be worried about. While the main culprit is a bad diet, there are those that have a genetic predisposition to this condition. Sodium is a big proponent of the human body producing high cholesterol and eating too much of this substance can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, such as clogged arteries and heart attack. A great way to attack this condition is through medication and a proper diet.

The first type of food that can help someone lower their cholesterol levels in their body is fish. Fish have great enzymes, including fish oils which are great to lower these levels in the body. The enzyme that lowers rates is called omega-3 and there are high concentrations of this in halibut, mackerel, lake trout, sardines, salmon, and Albacore tuna.

An assortment of nuts can also help somebody maintain healthy levels of cholesterol while helping the blood vessels themselves found in human circulation to get stronger. Walnut and almonds are two varieties of nuts that are best suited for this purpose, but all nuts that are unsalted are beneficial to consume. This is because nuts have unsaturated fats in them which can reduce cholesterol.

Foods that have a high concentration of fiber can also aid the body in keeping the appropriate levels to reduce the risk of heart problems. Some of these foods include oatmeal, fruits like pears and apples, and kidney beans. These fiber rich food help to regulate the bad proteins in the body and aid in fighting against high cholesterol.

An ingredient that is already in many households and that works very well is extra virgin olive oil. This works so well because olive oil contains high amounts of antioxidants in its general makeup, which in turn lowers the level of low density lipoproteins. HDL is much better for the body than LDL, which is synonymous with high cholesterol.

How to lower cholesterol can be based on what we eat which is the cheaper way of dealing with this problem. There are also a variety of wonder drugs like Lipitor on the market, but controlling cholesterol through diet will limit the side effects of these drugs. Eat the right things like nuts, olive oil, fish, and high fiber foods to keep cholesterol at healthy acceptable levels to reduce the risk of heart problems.

Sciatica Pain Relief Methods

Sciatica is the term that is usually described for pain that is generated from the sciatic nerve. Sciatic pain relief is possible, but first it’s important to understand the causes of the pain, which include standing or sitting for long periods of time, heavy exercising or weight lifting, as well as over exerting yourself. If you’re not sure if you have sciatica, a doctor can do tests to determine your condition. If you do have sciatica, there are various methods of treatment and pain relief methods that you can use to get rid of this pain.

1. Visit a physician – Not only will you be able to help determine the severity of your sciatica pain condition, but you will also be given proper treatment to help cure the problem. This can be as easy as relaxing and taking it easy for a while, or as difficult as prolonged physical therapy. A physician can also prescribe you medication if your case is serious enough. Sciatica pain relief differs in each individual and a doctor will help decide the best route for you to take.

2. Over the counter medication – If you’d rather take care of the problem on your own without visiting a physician, you can always get over the counter medication that will help control the pain, give you sciatica pain relief, and also help with the inflammation.

3. Physical therapy – One of the most popular methods to relieve sciatica pain is to do physical therapy. There is a broad range of workouts and exercises available that help the body to restore it’s lost strength. Stretches are also very popular for sciatica pain relief. Physical therapy cannot help your own individual body anatomy, but it can help restore oxygen to the proper areas that have been oxygen deprived, as well as help with the leg or back pains that you are experiencing.

4. Surgery – although surgery is not usually recommended to treat sciatica pain, it is sometimes the only alternative left for people who have a very serious condition and can’t prevent the suffering with any other methods. Surgery for sciatica pain relief can can be very painful, and it can also be dangerous because it deals directly with the nerves and nervous system. Only a license physician should be able to make the decision on whether this is the right method for you.

Whichever method you choose, sciatica pain relief does not come overnight. It can be a long, drawn out process and you must have patience if you want to cure this ailment for good. Like any other pain relief method, if one doesn’t work for you and your particular condition, it’s easy to try another method. Good luck!

By Health Care on August 23, 2010 | Back Pain
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4 Types of Hair Loss Treatment

Hair is an integral part of every person’s appearance and changing your hair style can bring about a complete metamorphosis to your looks but what if you are losing hair at a rapid rate and don’t know what is to be done? Well there are several kinds of treatment that can help you but you need to understand the reasons behind your hair loss to get the best and the most effective treatment. So the first and foremost thing you need to do is understand the causes.

The Causes of Hair Fall

If you have been suffering from an illness or have undergone a major surgery you may suffer from large amount of hair loss. This hair loss is due to the illness and is temporary in nature. Other causes of hair fall include hormonal problems, infections and side effects to certain medication. In certain cases women loose hair after they conceive. Be rest assured there are several kinds of treatment that will help you enhance the growth of your hair.

4 Types of Hair Loss Treatment

There are mainly four types of popular treatment and they are very effective and beneficial. The first type of treatment is the DHT inhibitors. They work to reduce the level of DHT by restricting its creation. This results in less of DHT on your scalp and save your hair follicles from damage. You will be able to find the DHT inhibitors in products like Revivogen and Propecia. The inhibitors restrict the cause of hair fall and are on of the essential components of reducing hair fall.

Another very important hair loss treatment is the growth stimulants that include products like Tricomin and Rogaine Foam. Though the stimulants do not stop the cause of hair fall it is effective in creating new hair. Therefore using a growth stimulant can prove to be an uphill task. The best is to combine the stimulants with the inhibitors. It restricts hair fall and also works on the causes of the same.

One very good hair loss treatment is the antiandrogens. Antiandrogens like S5 cream or topical spironolactone lotion block the DHT from reaching your hair follicles. This will enable you to avoid the side effects of lowered DHT and it plays a very important role in stopping the hormonal aspect take a different angle altogether. If you want to take a multifaceted approach you can try out the inhibitors, stimulants and the antiandrogens together. They are known to be quite effective.

Finally, another treatment is the anti inflammatory treatment that reduces the itching, flaking and redness.

Cure Panic Attacks Without Medication

Panic attacks can be terrifying experiences that you just don’t want to repeat. However, that very fear of having another attack, can actually trigger one! So how do you deal with that?

More and more sufferers are turning to natural treatment methods because drug-based treatments don’t really address the underlying causes, plus, they have some really terrible side effects. So here are 10 great tips on how to cure your panic attacks without medication…

10 Tips to Cure Panic Attacks Naturally

1. First, don’t expect that you’ll beat panic attacks overnight, and accept that you’ll have some anxious moments and relapses before you finally beat them. But you will cure your anxiety and panic as long as you are positive and stick with it.

2. Use every panic attack that you suffer as a learning experience that teaches you that you can cope with them, even though you are in a great deal of discomfort. And grasp the key fact that an attack cannot harm you; you’re still here right?

3. At the first signs of a panic attack, start to control your breathing using deep, slow breathing, concentrating on using your abdomen, as well as your chest. And focus your mind externally on things around you, rather than on your symptoms.

4. Learn some relaxation and breathing exercises and practise these everyday. By mastering these types of exercises you will reach a point where you will be much more relaxed and confident and more in control of your emotions, thus helping to reduce your anxiety and prevent panic attacks.

5. Get healthy and fit. As with most conditions and illnesses, if you’re healthy and fit you are better able to combat them and prevent them. Make sure you’re eating healthily, reduce your alcohol and caffeine intake a lot. And stop smoking; period! Do physical exercise daily; get into a routine and get enough sleep.

6. Do everything in your power to improve your self-esteem and get your confidence back. It is known that a strong self-image does lead to a growing belief in oneself and power. This can be both physical (e.g. your appearance) and mental (e.g. you improve your golf game, reach an objective you set yourself, etc.).

7. Learn about homeopathic and herbal remedies for panic attacks and anxiety that work. There are tons out there and they can be found easily online. But before using them, discuss them with your doctor and certified herbalist, etc.

8. In tip 3. above, I gave you two techniques to use during a panic attack. Get to know as many other techniques as you can. With many of these at your disposal, you’ll have a much better chance of controlling your attack; reducing it’s time span and reducing its intensity. For example re-breathing in a paper bag.

9. Don’t hide your condition from your family and friends. By sharing your experiences and your feelings, it’s surprising how beneficial this can be, in terms of getting a proper perspective on things, releasing emotions, and, reducing your ‘fear’ which is critical. And, of course, always consult your doctor.

10. Stay positive always. Remember that the symptoms of a panic attack are just your body’s natural reaction to your high anxiety and stress levels being ‘misread’ by your body’s in-built safety mechanism as you being in physical danger. But you aren’t, it’s just a mistake. It’s a medical fact that a panic attack cannot harm you. So accept an attack for what it is and meet it head-on.

As you can see, and it shouldn’t be surprising given that we are looking at an emotional condition, a real cure is all about you, and how you face up to your condition. Only you can get rid of this horrible affliction. But you need help of course…

And the most critical aspect, as I mentioned earlier, is to eliminate your ‘fear’ (which can be unconscious or conscious) of another panic attack. If you don’t do this, then anything else you attempt is almost doomed to failure, because fear alone can trigger an attack.

Higher Than Normal Blood Sugar Levels

What is blood sugar and why is it in the blood?
The term Blood Sugar refers to the simple sugar known as glucose, also called a mono-saccharide, meaning that in its chemical form it is a single molecule composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Glucose, as can be seen from its chemical formula, is a carbohydrate like all sugars and there are many different other sugars of varying complexity.

The sugar in the blood is obtained from the foods we eat, especially the carbohydrate foods such as breads, cereals, pastas, potatoes, fruits, and many others, that are typically part of our daily diet. The digestion process that takes place after eating, breaks down the carbohydrates to glucose which then passes into the blood stream to be delivered to organs and cells throughout the body that use the glucose as a source of energy.

Why is too much blood glucose dangerous?
While sugar, in the form of glucose, is an essential energy source for the body’s cells, too much glucose remaining in the blood stream for too long a period of time is associated with many serious health problems. The classic disease in which higher than normal blood sugars exist is diabetes, the complications of which are the major cause of heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness in America. According to the American Diabetes Association there are 24 million people in America who have diabetes.

What level of blood glucose is too high?
In the United States, blood glucose levels in the human body are measured using metric units of milligrams per deciliter. A milligram is one thousandth of a gram and a deciliter is one hundredth of a liter. Almost every other country measures blood sugars in millimoles per liter.

Without a blood test requisitioned by a doctor, individuals are unlikely to know whether their own glucose levels are above normal or not. And they do fluctuate throughout the day in response to foods eaten and physical exertion and as the blood cells convert glucose to fuel their metabolic activities. Blood sugar levels will be higher after meals and for the non-diabetic person, will usually return to the normal range of 64.8 and 104.4 milligrams per deciliter, usually expressed as mmg/dL.

Blood sugar levels are often relatively lower than normal after a night’s sleep, usually referred to as overnight fasting, and the breakfast meal serves to replenish the needed glucose supplies for the cells. However, if during the night the sugars begin to get too low, the body’s liver may come into action and initiate steps to provide a supply of glucose.

Anyone with persistently higher than normal blood sugar levels must be under the care and supervision of a doctor.

How Do Asthma Inhalers Work?

The dramatic symptoms of asthma including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing are caused by three events in the airways:

  • the lining of the airways beginning to swell
  • mucus being secreted
  • the muscles that surround the airway going into spasm

There are two types of asthma inhalers called bronchodilators that counteract all three of these events and open (dilate) your airways (bronchi).

Controller Inhalers

Sometimes called preventers, these inhalers are used every day to reduce inflammation. If you have been diagnosed with asthma, your airways will always be more swollen than those of somebody without the condition. By using an asthma controller each morning and evening, you can reduce that baseline swelling in your airways. If you now come across an asthma trigger causing your airways to swell even more, the resulting inflammation will not be as severe. Controller inhalers can also make you less reactive to those triggers.

The most effective controller inhalers use low doses of steroids called corticosteroids. They should be used every day even if you are feeling well; otherwise the asthma symptoms can come back. There also exist combination inhalers which include steroid prevention medication along with a long-lasting reliever medication.

Reliever Inhalers

These emergency inhalers are often referred to as rescue inhalers. They are to be used only when you feel your airways tighten and it is hard to breathe. Your symptoms will go away fast and you will feel instant relief. These inhalers work by relaxing the muscles around the airways making the airways wider. They do not however, have an effect on inflammation or build up of mucus; so you must continue to take your controller medication for those. You can use a rescue inhaler up to four times a day until your symptoms subside. You may also be advised by your doctor to use the inhaler before sports or other activities.

MDI

Of the more popular types of inhalers are MDI’s, or metered dose inhalers. The medicine is in the form of a mist and comes out when you press down the inhaler. You may want to use a spacer, sometimes referred to as a holding chamber with your metered device which enables the medicine to reach deep into your airways with less remaining in your mouth. A spacer helps reduce the risk of side effects of bronchodilators including hoarseness or irritation of the throat or tongue.

Controller and reliever inhalers work the same way though the medicine inside is for different purposes. To make distinguishing between the two easier, rescue inhalers are blue while controller inhalers come most often in orange and brown but are available in purple and red.

By Health Care on August 17, 2010 | Asthma
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