Pray for Nelson Mandela's health

Mr Mandela, 94, has spent four days in hospital and there are no details yet on much longer he will stay

  there. 

Churches across the country have held prayers for Mr Mandela, who led the struggle against apartheid.

In the statement, released shortly before the former leader was due to spend a fifth night in hospital, President Jacob Zuma thanked "the thousands of South Africans who prayed for Madiba at various Easter church services".                                         -curtsey BBC NEWS

Johannesburg - There has been no update on former president Nelson Mandela as he spent his third night in hospital to receive treatment for a recurring lung infection, the presidency said on Saturday.

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said there was no update when called at 10.20am and said a statement would be released later in the day.

On Friday, Maharaj said Mandela was in “good spirits” and enjoyed a full breakfast.

“The doctors report that he is making steady progress,” Maharaj said in a statement on Friday.

Maharaj said Mandela remained under treatment and observation after he was taken to an undisclosed hospital just before midnight on Wednesday.

On Thursday, President Jacob Zuma told BBC news that people needed to “slow down the anxiety”.

“In Zulu, when someone passes away who is very old, people say he or she has gone home. I think those are some of the things we should be thinking about,” the news service quoted him as saying.

Earlier this month, Mandela was admitted to a Pretoria hospital for a scheduled check-up relating to a long-standing abdominal complaint. He was discharged the following day.

In February, he was admitted to hospital with a stomach ailment.

Last December, Mandela spent 18 days in hospital during which he underwent an operation to remove gallstones and received treatment for his recurring lung infection.

South Africa's first black president has a long history of lung problems, dating back to the time when he was a political prisoner on Robben Island during apartheid. While in jail he contracted tuberculosis. - Sapa

Top TABLETS

Top 10 Budget Tablets In India

The Indian market is buzzing with a host of tablet PCs, but only a handful are really worth your time. EFYTimes picks the top 10 best budget tablet devices available in the stores for you. Welcome to the world of tabbing!

PCs are passe. Tablets are the talk of the town these days. There was a time when Apple iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Dell Streak and BlackBerry Playbook were some of the few known names in the tablet domain. With their exorbitant price tags and high-end specifications, most of these gadgets still remain elusive to the common man's reach. However, in the present scenario, there are a slew of tablet devices available online as well in retail stores that are designed for the masses and offered at budget prices to the Indian consumers.

With the festive season round the corner, there is no dearth of sub-10K tablets in the market today. Check out the best deals available in the market via Flipkart, Letsbuy, Homeshop18, eBay and Infibeam online.

Olive Pad
The Olive Pad has earned rave reviews in the recent times. It also happens to be one of the earliest local devices to hit the Indian market. The Olive Pad boasts of some excellent features at a very reasonable price tag. It comes preloaded with Android V2.2 (Froyo) OS, a 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT capacitive touchscreen and 3G features.

The other key specs of Olive Pad include 0.3-megapixel secondary camera, 600 MHz ARM11 processor, Wi-Fi, 32 GB expandable memory and push mail support.
Online Price: Rs 14,999

iBall Slide
Offered at a budget price, the iBall Slide also found a place in our shortlisted tablet devices' list. Powered with Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS, iBall Slide offers a 17.8-cm (7-inch) capacitive touchscreen display, 3.2-megapixel front camera and 2 GB expandable memory storage. Armed with 1 GHz ARM Cortex- A8 processor, iBall Slide comes Wi-Fi enabled for the users.

Online Price: Rs 13,995

Reliance 3G Tab
A recent entrant into the tablet domain, the 3G Tab by Reliance comes preloaded with superb features at a budget price range. The Reliance 3G Tab comes integrated with a 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT LCD touchscreen display, 2-megapixel camera and Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS. It offers expandable storage capacity of 32 GB, Wi-Fi and 800 MHz processor.

Online Price: Rs 12,999


Spice Mi-720
A recent offering from Spice Mobility, Spice M1-720 tablet is an entry-level tablet device designed for the masses. The key features of th‎is tablet include a 2-megapixel camera, 0.3-megapixel secondary camera and 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT touchscreen display. The device packs a 800 MHz Scorpion processor, Wi-Fi, 32 GB expandable memory and Android 2.2 Froyo OS.

Online Price: Rs 11,990
Creative Z1107
Next in the line of budget tablets' listi is the ZII07 by Creative. Powered with Android 2.2 Froyo operating system, it boasts of a 2-megapixel primary camera as well as a 2-megapixel secondary camera. The other key features include a 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT touchscreen display, 768 MHz processor, 16 GB expandable storage and Wi-Fi.

Online Price: Rs 11,000



HCL ME AE7-A1
HCL has recently announced its 'ME' series tablet PCs that are offered at exceptionally low bracket price range. One of the devices in this series, HCL ME AE7-A1, comes equipped with a 17.8-cm (7-inch) resistive touchscreen display, Wi-Fi, ARM 11 800 MHz processor 256 MB DDR2 of RAM, in-built accelerometer, G Sensor and Android V2.2 (Froyo) OS.

Online Price: Rs 10,333

Beetel Magiq II
If your budget happens to be below 10K, the remaining tablets are designed for you too. These devices offer decent features to the users at extremely low prices. The Beetel Magiq II packs a 2-megapixel primary as well as secondary camera, a 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT touchscreen, 768 MHz processor, Android 2.2, 16 GB expandable storage and Wi-Fi.

Online Price: Rs 9,500

Black Elemente 701
The Black Elemente 701 tablet is another budget device which comes equipped with basic but decent specs to match the price tag. This low-cost tablet comes preloaded with a 17.8-cm (7-inch) multi-touch HD display, external 3G, Wi-Fi, Android 2.1 OS and a 1 GHz processor. You can get 32 GB expandable memory and 8GB internal memory storage with this device.

Online Price: Rs 8,999

          Binatone HomeSurf

Binatone has released tablets tailor-made to your tight budget. It offers HomeSurf in the range of 8K and easyTab as low as Rs 6,699 in the Indian market. Binatone HomeSurf packs Android 2.1, a 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT colour display, eBook reader, voice recorder, Web browser and voice recorder. Whereas the easyTab comes enabled with QWERTY keypad, a 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT display, music player, video player and Android 2.1 OS.

Online Price: Rs 7,999

Fly Vision

The most recent entrant to join the tablet bandwagon in the Indian market is the Fly Vision. This low-cost Android tablet packs a 17.8-cm (7-inch) TFT LCD touchscreen, Android 2.2 and a 1.3-megapixel camera. The Vision tablet comes powered with 600 MHz Rockchip 2818 chipset processor, 256MB RAM and 16GB external micro SD card. It also features Bluetooth, USB 2.0, WiFi and 3G.

Online Price: Rs 7,299

DIABETES PREVENTION TIPS

Diabetes prevention: 5 tips for taking control

Changing your lifestyle could be a big step toward diabetes prevention — and it's never too late to start. Consider these tips.- By Mayo Clinic staff

Controlling Your Diabetes

      When it comes to type 2 diabetes — the most common type of diabetes — prevention is a big deal. It's especially important to make diabetes prevention a priority if you're at increased risk of diabetes, for example, if you're overweight or have a family history of the disease. 

      Diabetes prevention is as basic as eating more healthfully, becoming more physically active and losing a few extra pounds — and it's never too late to start. Making a few simple changes in your lifestyle now may help you avoid the serious health complications of diabetes down the road, such as nerve, kidney and heart damage. Consider the latest diabetes prevention tips from the American Diabetes Association.

Tip 1: Get more physical activity

There are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you:

• Lose weight
• Lower your blood sugar
• Boosts your sensitivity to insulin — which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range

Research shows that both aerobic exercise and resistance training can help control diabetes, but the greatest benefit comes from a fitness program that includes both.

Tip 2: Get plenty of fiber

It's rough, it's tough — and it may help you:

• Reduce your risk of diabetes by improving your blood sugar control
• Lower your risk of heart disease
• Promote weight loss by helping you feel full

Foods high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds.

 

Tip 3: Go for whole grains

Although it's not clear why, whole grains may reduce your risk of diabetes and help maintain blood sugar levels. Try to make at least half your grains whole grains. Many foods made from whole grains come ready to eat, including various breads, pasta products and many cereals. Look for the word "whole" on the package and among the first few items in the ingredient list.

Tip 4: Lose extra weight

If you're overweight, diabetes prevention may hinge on weight loss. Every pound you lose can improve your health. And you may be surprised by how much. In one study, overweight adults reduced their diabetes risk by 16 percent for every kilogram (2.2 pounds) of weight lost. Also, those who lost a modest amount of weight — at least 5 to 10 percent of initial body weight — and exercised regularly reduced the risk of developing diabetes by almost 60 percent over three years.

Tip 5: Skip fad diets and make healthier choices

Low-carb diets, the glycemic index diet or other fad diets may help you lose weight at first, but their effectiveness at preventing diabetes isn't known nor are their long-term effects. And by excluding or strictly limiting a particular food group, you may be giving up essential nutrients. Instead, think variety and portion control as part of an overall healthy-eating plan.

When to see your doctor

If you're older than age 45 and your weight is normal, ask your doctor if diabetes testing is appropriate for you. The American Diabetes Association recommends blood glucose screening if:

• You're age 45 or older and overweight
• You're younger than age 45 and overweight with one or more additional risk factors for type 2 diabetes — such as a sedentary lifestyle or a family history of diabetes

Share your concerns about diabetes prevention with your doctor. He or she will applaud your efforts to keep diabetes at bay, and perhaps offer additional suggestions based on your medical history or other factors.

Top 10 Tips to Control Diabetes

The following are helpful tips to help you stay in control of managing diabetes.

1. It's not about your diabetes — It's about your life

Ask yourself:

• What do I love to do?
• What things about diabetes keep me from doing it?
• What are some solutions?
• How can making an action plan help?

2. It's not just about blood sugar

Heart disease and stroke are the big killers for people with diabetes. Here's how to lower your chances:

• If you use tobacco, quit.
• Keep your blood pressure at or below 129/79.
• Consider taking a statin drug.
• Ask your doctor about ACE-inhibitors.
• Talk to your doctor about whether a daily aspirin is right for you.
• Make healthy lifestyle choices.

3. Stress makes everything worse

Stress can get in the way of taking care of yourself and managing your diabetes.

• Find out what's causing stress in your life.
• Learn ways to reduce or cope with daily stressors.
• Schedule something fun for yourself on a regular basis.

4. Exercise makes everything better

Exercise is good for everybody. It gives you more energy, reduces stress, helps you relax, and makes it easier to fall asleep.

• Work towards doing at least 30 minutes every day.
• Make it fun, not a chore.
• Try a pedometer.

5. Don't diet — Make healthier food choices

Find a healthier way of eating that you can stick with for life.

• Instead of thinking about food as either "good" or "bad," think about which foods support good health.
• Eat a variety of foods to make sure you're getting the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
• Talk to your dietitian to find a meal plan that works for you.

6. Be smart and use your "flashlight"

Your blood sugar monitor helps you see in the dark, like a flashlight. Test your blood sugar to get information you can use, for example:

• When you first wake up in the morning.
• Before or after meals.
• Before, during, and after exercising.
• Whenever you feel "odd."

7. Get regular checkups

Keeping regular appointments with your doctor and getting tests and screenings on time, helps you be an active partner with your health care team.

• Know what questions to ask.
• Write them down ahead of time.
• Let your doctor know at the beginning of each visit what specific things you want to talk about.

8. Make sure you're not depressed

It's often hard for people to know when they're depressed. Here are some common signs:

• Feeling down, blue, hopeless, sad, or irritable
• Not enjoying activities that used to be enjoyable
• Feeling as though you're letting other people down
• Trouble concentrating
• Tired all the time, no energy
• No interest in food
• Overeating
• Trouble falling asleep
• Feeling like life isn't worth living

9. Write down your care plan

Work with your doctor to design a diabetes care plan that's right for you. Be sure to include:

• What drugs you're taking and why you're taking them.
• Your daily targets for the numbers you can control.
• The goals you want to achieve.
• Who you should call and when.

10. Join a group

Groups work magic!

• A problem shared is a problem solved.
• You'll be amazed at how much you have to offer others.
• Check out in-person and online Living Well With Chronic Conditions workshops.

Clinical review by David McCulloch, MD
Group Health