"Resilience is contagious." -Amy Estrada.

"Resilience is contagious." -Amy Estrada. Sure, life comes along now
and thenand blows you off your feet. That's alright. You don't have to
have the answers. You don't have tobe superman or superwoman. When the
thundercloud opens up, who among us can stop the rain? When the
hurricane blows, who can stay on his feet? No one. What matters is
that you get back up, dust yourself off, take stock, and move forward
in the name of Allah. Others see that, and it rallies them.
Superman is no hero, he's impervious to bullets! Real heroes get hurt,
they get down on themselves sometimes, they're imperfect, they
struggle to pay the bills and raise theirchildren, they struggle to be
become stronger in their faith, but they struggle! They don't give up.
That's inspiring, and it'scontagious, and maybe sometimes it will be
someone else inspiring you, and maybe sometimesit will you, getting up
after the hurricane, showing us all how it's done.

Diabetes is a chronic (lifelong) disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas to control blood sugar.
Diabetes can be caused by too little insulin, resistance to insulin,
or both.
To understand diabetes, it is important to first understand the normal
process by which food is broken down and used by the body for energy.
Several things happen when food is digested:
*. A sugar called glucose enters the bloodstream. Glucose is a source
of fuelfor the body.
*. An organ called the pancreas makes insulin. The role of insulin is
to move glucose from the bloodstream into muscle,fat, and liver cells,
where it can be used as fuel.
People with diabetes have high blood sugar. This is because:
*. Their pancreas does not make enough insulin
*. Their muscle, fat, and liver cells do not respond to insulin normally
*. Both of the above
There are three major types of diabetes:
*. Type 1 diabetes is usuallydiagnosed in childhood. Many patients are
diagnosed when they areolder than age 20. In this disease, the body
makes little or no insulin. Daily injections of insulin are needed.
The exact cause is unknown. Genetics, viruses , and autoimmuneproblems
may play a role.
*. Type 2 diabetes is far more common than type 1. It makes up most of
diabetes cases. It usually occurs in adulthood, but young people are
increasingly being diagnosed with this disease. The pancreas does not
make enough insulin to keep blood glucose levels normal, often because
the body does not respond well to insulin. Many people withtype 2
diabetes do not know they have it, although it is a serious condition.
Type 2 diabetes is becoming more common due to increasing obesity and
failure to exercise .
*. Gestational diabetes is high blood glucose that develops at any
time during pregnancy in a woman who does not have diabetes. Women who
have gestational diabetes are at high risk of type 2 diabetes and
cardiovascular disease later in life.
Diabetes affects more than 20 million Americans. Over 40 million
Americans have prediabetes (early type 2 diabetes).
There are many risk factorsfor type 2 diabetes, including:
*. Age over 45 years
*. A parent, brother, or sister with diabetes
*. Gestational diabetes or delivering a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
*. Heart disease
*. High blood cholesterol level
*. Obesity
*. Not getting enough exercise
*. Polycystic ovary disease (in women)
*. Previous impaired glucose tolerance
*. Some ethnic groups (particularly African Americans, Native
Americans, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and Hispanic Americans)
Symptoms
High blood levels of glucose can cause several problems, including:
*. Blurry vision
*. Excessive thirst
*. Fatigue
*. Frequent urination
*. Hunger
*. Weight loss
However, because type 2 diabetes develops slowly, some people with
high blood sugar experience no symptoms at all.
Symptoms of type 1 diabetes :
*. Fatigue
*. Increased thirst
*. Increased urination
*. Nausea
*. Vomiting
*. Weight loss in spite of increased appetite
Patients with type 1 diabetes usually develop symptoms over a short
period of time. The condition is often diagnosed in an emergency
setting.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes:
*. Blurred vision
*. Fatigue
*. Increased appetite
*. Increased thirst
*. Increased urination
Signs and tests
A urine analysis may be used to look for glucose and ketones from the
breakdown of fat. However, a urine test alonedoes not diagnose
diabetes.
The following blood tests are used to diagnose diabetes:
*. Fasting blood glucose level -- diabetes is diagnosed if higher than
126 mg/dL on two occasions. Levels between 100 and 126 mg/dL are
referred to as impaired fasting glucose or prediabetes. These levels
are considered to be risk factors for type 2 diabetes and its
complications.
*. Oral glucose tolerance test -- diabetes is diagnosed if glucose
levelis higher than 200 mg/dLafter 2 hours. (This test is used more
for type 2 diabetes.)
*. Random (non-fasting) blood glucose level -- diabetes is suspected
if higher than 200 mg/dL and accompanied by the classic diabetes
symptoms of increased thirst, urination, and fatigue. (This test must
be confirmed with a fasting blood glucose test .)
Persons with diabetes need to have their hemoglobin A1c ( HbA1c )
level checked every 3 - 6 months. The HbA1c is a measure of average
blood glucose during the previous 2 - 3 months. It is a very helpful
way to determine how well treatment is working.
Treatment
The immediate goals are totreat diabetic ketoacidosis and high blood
glucose levels. Because type 1 diabetes can start suddenlyand have
severe symptoms, people who arenewly diagnosed may need to go to the
hospital.

Islam Portal Kaaba

Islam ( Arabic : الإسلام‎ al-'islām, pronounced [ʔislæːm] ( listen )
is the religion articulated by the
Qur'an , a book considered by itsadherents to be the verbatim word of
the single incomparable God ( Arabic : الله‎, Allāh ), and by the
Islamic prophet Muhammad 's demonstrations and real-life examples
(called the Sunnah , collected through narration of his
companions in collections of Hadith ). The word Islam, a triliteral of
the word salaam , is a
homograph , having multiple meanings, including peace and surrender
(to God). Adherents are known as Muslims, which is the active
participle of the verb of which Islām is the infinitive. Muslims
regard their religion as the completed and universal version of a
monotheistic faith revealed at many times and places before,
including, notably, to the prophets Abraham ,
Moses and Jesus . Islamic tradition holds that previous messages and
revelations have been
changed and distorted over time. Religious practices includethe Five
Pillars of Islam , which are five duties that unite Muslims into a
community. Islamic law ( Arabic : شريعة Šarīʿah) touches on virtually
every aspect of life and society, encompassing everything from dietary
laws and banking to warfare , welfare , and Jihad . Almost all Muslims
belong to one of two major denominations, the
Sunni (87-90%) and Shi'a (10-13%). Islam is the predominant religion
in much of Africa , the Middle East and major parts of Asia . Large
communities are also found in China , Russia and the Caribbean .
Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of
the world. With 1.57 billion Muslims (see Islam by country ), Islam is
the second-largest religion in the world and arguably the fastest
growing religion in the world .

15 distinct regions identified in Antarctica

Scientists have identified 15 distinct regions of Antarctica and its
near-shore islands, based on the geography, geology, climate, flora
and fauna of the ice-free areas, including the biologically distinct
Antarctic Conservation Biogeographic Regions.
Australian Antarctic Division terrestrial biologist Aleks Terauds, who
led the study, said thisis the first time a continent-wide
assessmentof the biogeography of Antarctica has been made using all of
the available biodiversity data.
"The new research amalgamated 38,000 terrestrial records, including
the diverse biology such as microbes, invertebrates and plants.
Itrevealed a complex ecosystem which can be divided into 15 very
distinct and potentially delicate biogeographic regions which are
characterised by different climates, landscapes and species," Terauds
said.
"Previously terrestrial Antarctica has been dividedinto two main areas
based on aspects like geography geology or specific types
ofbiodiversity," Terauds said, Diversity and Distribution Journal
reports.
Introduced species are identified as one of the biggest threats to the
Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in a warming climate,
according to an Australian Antarctic statement.
"With about 40,000 peoplevisiting Antarctica over a summer, as
tourists, scientists or station support personnel, there's the
potential that more species will be accidentally transferred to and
within Antarctica."
"While quarantine procedures are already in place for
inter-continental travel, such as cleaning clothing and equipment
before arriving in Antarctica, there are less biosecurity measures for
intra-continental movement," he said.
"The Antarctic ConservationBiogeographic Regions represent an
important basis for biosecurity measures to manage the risk of
species, including species native to Antarctica, being transferred
from one biogeographic zone to another."
Terauds presented the newresearch at the Scientific Committee on
Antarctic Research lecture at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative
Meeting in Hobart, Australia.