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Natural Cures For Stretch Marks

2010-03-27T21:51:00.000+07:00

Most people are not very happy about stretch marks and especially pregnant women. You watch your otherwise beautiful body get bigger and bigger and your skin is stretch to the limited and then all the stretch marks start to appear. Stretch marks can be awful to look at and can really make your self esteem go downhill very quickly. Once they are there, you have no hope of having them disappear completely, but you can make them less seeable.

This is where vitamins and minerals can play a big role in the prevention of stretch marks. Vitamins help to keep the skin healthy and elastic. Here is a good recipe to help prevent you form getting stretch marks.

- 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup aloe Vera gel
- Liquid from 6 capsules of Vitamin E
- Liquid from 4 capsules of Vitamin A

Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. Pour the mixture into a jar and store it in the fridge. Apply the oil to the skin where the stretch marks commonly appear which is usually the stomach, thighs, legs and breasts. If you do this every day, you may prevent stretch. So the point here is that if you want to avoid stretch marks you need to maintain a diet that is rich in vitamins A, C, E, and zinc.

There is a lot of hype surrounding herbal stretch mark gels these days. This product is mostly pushed toward those who would prefer a natural or organic method for treating their stretch marks, rather than resorting to surgery and skin peels. There are many different herbal stretch mark gels out there that are worthwhile using.

Herbs play a huge role in dealing with just about everything these days so you can’t really be surprised to see it listed here. In some people, using herbal gels helps to deal with existing scarring but it may not be totally removed, however, these herbal gels will improve your stretch marks with continued use.

Recent studies have shown that you need vitamin C in your body for collagen to be formed, and I would suggest that you intake daily amounts of it included in your herbal gels along with vitamin e if you want the best overall results. I would also suggest that you take them in pill form at the same time as when you apply herbal gels.
By: H H Klein

Enhance The Appeal Of Your Dream Home With Astonishing Types Of Tile Flooring

2010-03-25T17:23:00.000+07:00

To add the wow factor in to your new home or adding a new life by reviewing your old house, a great tiling can significantly contribute. Good kind of durable flooring selected after watchfully deciding keeping all the possible factors in mind can drastically improve and lift up the spirit of your home. Regardless to the maximum number of options available in the home flooring section, tile flooring is something that you need not to manage a lot and yet it is unique, stylish as well as attractive.

In order to sense a new fragrance of style and contemporary appeal the tile flooring can do wonders. You will find the abundance of tile variety in the market that well suits your budget, interiors and your taste. Some of them are really great in design while a few of them are outdated. Finding out the best type for your counter top, flooring or wall is really a confusing task at the time you are confronted with the verities. Thus here we are mentioning the different types for you:

1. Porcelain Floor Tiles
These are the one of the most expensive tiling options that you have and it is completely man made after condensing dust at incredibly high pressures. The porcelain tiles are less water absorbent and mimics as stone. You can get the lagers sizes which are bigger than the usual regular size that also helps in installing it. These flooring options are cheaper but the disadvantage associated with it is that you need to have a diamond wheel to cut this harder flooring.

2. Ceramic Floor Tile
Using the ceramic tiles on your floors you can play with the colors of imagination by showcasing your customizing art that will help you in replacing the typical marble and granite flooring. You can embed any of your favorite scenery, picture, design that you like with the help of these ceramic tiles. With the help of these tiles you can illustrate realistic impressions as well. This is traditional yet modern and appealing. The ceramic tiles are contemporary but they boast of traditionalism and display a unique appeal.

3. Glass Tiles
These tiles allow you freedom to explore something beyond the traditional blocks in the form of designs, shades and textures. Experience patterns like mosaic and shapes like brick which can improve the finishing quality of any room. It is advisable to hire an expert who can install these high cost and complicated tiles for you. The high gloss tiles with superior quality last for lifetime.

4. Metal Tiles
These can comprise of industrial grating, stainless steel and are chiefly used for industrial flooring. The metal tiles resemble the image of bronze, brass or plain steel when used as a mean of tile flooring. You need a skilled fitter to install these highly priced tiles.

A way back the tiles were only restricted to the kitchens and bathrooms but now these have been revamped in an ultra modern look and formed a new segment of floor tiles. These floor tiles are used in almost every part of our house due to their matchless beauty and limitless types.

Monitoring Your Pregnancy on a Weekly Basis

2010-03-16T22:46:00.000+07:00

The excitement and joy for an expecting parent is overwhelmingly priceless as each baby in the womb brings happiness beyond compare. The mother can feel changes in her body as indication of growth of something special right inside of her. The changes range from physical to emotional to mental aspects for both the fetus and the mother. For the first pregnancy week, almost all pregnant mothers can expect pregnancy symptoms. There are so many ways to know if your body is preparing for the coming of the baby or not. Although some pregnancy signs may vary from one woman to another, the general feeling of change is evident to any pregnant woman. Nausea, changes in libido and soreness of the breast are just a few of the generic signs of pregnancy. A pregnant woman can also feel frequent urination which may occur until the third trimester. This happens because there is extra blood and fluid excreted by the kidney when a woman is pregnant. These and more like enlargement of the breast, skin changes and strange cravings are significant signs of pregnancy you should not ignore.

If you’re two to four weeks pregnant, make sure you avoid environmental hazards that will affect the formation of your baby. Refrain from smoking, or drinking alcohol which are medically proven to be dangerous to you and your baby. During this time, the chorionic villi begin to form and gestational sac becomes vivid in a transvaginal ultrasound. The yolk sac or the sac responsible for feeding your baby until the placenta is ready is also evident. Count seven more days from here and you’ll be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat. The fifth pregnancy week indicates that your baby can be the size of the tip of a pen. Hearing your child’s heartbeat is music to every mother’s ear. The wonder of being a mother is greatly felt as another heart beats with yours.

During the seventh week, your baby’s umbilical cord appears, while the fingers and toes form and movement begins during the eighth and ninth weeks respectively. On week ten, neurons multiply and baby’s sex may be apparent on week eleven. This time, your baby’s neurons multiply to 250,000 every minute. Together with this change are eyelids becoming more compact and outer ears assume their final form. For male babies, the testes begin producing testosterone. For those who are ten weeks pregnant, it pays to do pregnancy exercises that will ease the pain of your physical transformation. Seek doctor’s advice before taking some medications. It is also recommended that you take in healthy diet and be able to refrain from stressful activities. Maintain a normal weight and be able to take prenatal vitamins.

Your baby will start to grow and the activities you engaged in during his most crucial stages will greatly affect the person he is when he comes out and become part of the world as an individual. A healthy mother ensures a healthy baby. Your week by week pregnancy monitoring will help you know more of what your child needs.

Expecting a baby is an incomparable joy for expectant parents. The curiosities and concerns about what to expect increases as the baby develops inside the mother’s womb. Each stage of growth represents an achievement for the mother. Monitoring the changes in the development of your child can help you with information about the baby and the expectant mother’s mental and physical well being

Are You In Search Of Memorable Gift For Your Father?

2010-02-04T16:34:00.000+07:00

It is always worthwhile to present your father with a memorable souvenir on a memorable occasion such as an anniversary or Father’s Day. Why must you think of something very special? You must of course know that the value of a gift does not lie in what you give, but the significance of what is given. Gifts are supposed to be memorable items of which the receiver will always think of the giver. This is especially true if the gift will be directed to your father. Remember that your father has invested lots into you and has given up so much only to make you realize your dreams. Thus, a wristwatch should be thought of as a memorable and valuable gift to your father.

A wristwatch is something good as a souvenir and it is even better or best when it emanates from a famous manufacturer. Items from famous manufacturers should be very expensive. But if you think of the forfeitures your dad has forgone because of you, it will even be more gratifying to pay for a very expensive item. If you do have the money to pay for something very expensive, there is always a way out for you. You can opt to do some online shopping.

Shopping through this medium has got a lot of advantages. The first is that you put off the inconvenience and even risk of moving with money. All you need to do is sit at home and from the convenience of your desktop, you can easily get to whichever seller you intend to. In addition, you will have the opportunity to get to as much sellers as possible and you are at leisure to request for quotes and do some comparison shopping ahead of paying for what you want. You will be surprised to know that what may be thought of as being extremely expensive will be reachable to you when shopping through the internet.

If you have made you mind to go shopping through the internet, always think of buying your wristwatch at ShopNBC. This should be the only avenue in which you will find wristwatches of all assortments and from all manufacturers and even at incredible prices. You will be able to find the ideal watch for your dad. It is incredible to find reductions in the prices of watches for almost more than 80%. This is a great chance for you to save up a lot of your money.

One thing about shopping at ShopNBC is that you must find all what you had thought of. The multiplicity of watches makes your preference possible. There will be no need looking for a different market for watches. Shopping through this medium has been made easy. There are no special requirements, but for the obtaining of a credit card or a Platinum Rewards MasterCard and being hooked up to the web. Another thing that will be required from you is a simple registration on their site. This is required in order for your order to reach you. You should not be afraid because all what you disclose will be held as confidential. http://www.shonbc.com is an officially recognized site of which no intruder other than the seller has any of your private information.

All these advantages at ShopNBC may not sound real to you. This is more so if you are a first time buyer or visitor to this site. You can only find this to be true if you visit and place an order on this site. The next Father’s Day or your dad’s anniversary is at hand. Do not let go this opportunity without letting your father be happy about you.

Rarity of Lucid Dreaming

2009-08-19T18:09:00.000+07:00

During most dreams, sleepers are not aware that they are dreaming. The reason why this is the case has not been discovered, and does not appear to have an obvious answer. There have been attempts by various fields of psychology to provide an explanation. For example, some proponents of Depth psychology suggest that mental processes inhibit the critical evaluation of reality within dreams.

Physiology suggests that “seeing is believing” to the brain during any mental state. This being said, if the brain actually believes something so much, it will actually believe that it is real. Even waking consciousness is liable to accept discontinuous or illogical experience as real if presented as such to the brain. Dream consciousness is similar to that of a hallucinating awake subject. Dream or hallucinatory images triggered by the brain stem are considered to be real, even if fantastic. The impulse to accept the evident is so strong the dreamer will often invent a memory or story to cover up an incongruous or unrealistic event in the dream. “That man has two heads!” is usually followed not with “I must be dreaming!” but with “Yes, I read in the paper about these famous Siamese twins.” Or other times there will be an explanation that, in the dream, makes sense and seems very logical, but when the dreamer awakes, he/she will realize that it is rather far fetched or even complete gibberish.

Developmental psychology suggests that the dream world is not bizarre at all when viewed developmentally, since we were dreaming as children before we learned all of the physical and social laws that train the mind to a “reality.” Fluid imaginative constructions may have preceded the more rigid, logical waking rules and continue on as a normative lifeworld alongside the acquired, waking life world. Dreaming and waking consciousness differ only in their respective level of expectations, the waking “I” expecting a stricter set of “reality rules” as the child matures. The experience of “waking up” normally establishes the boundary between the two lifeworlds and cues the consciousness to adapt to waking “I” expectations. At times, however, this cue is false—a false awakening. Here the waking “I” (with its level of expectations) is activated even though the experience is still hallucinatory. Incongruous images or illogical events during this type of dream can result in lucidity as the dream is being judged by waking “standards.”

Another theory presented by transpersonal psychology and some Eastern religions is that it is the individual's state of consciousness (or awareness) that determines their ability to discriminate and differentiate between what is real, and what is false or illusory. In the dream state, many experiences are accepted as real by the dreamer that would not be accepted as real in the waking state. Some religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism describe states of consciousness (i.e., Nirvana or Moksha) where individuals "wake up", and discover a new or altered state of consciousness that reveals their normal waking experience to be unreal, dream-like, or maya (illusion). The assumption is that there are degrees of wakefulness or awareness, and that both lucid dreaming and normal waking experience lie somewhere towards the middle of this continuum (or hierarchy) of awareness. In this context, there must therefore be states of wakefulness that are superior to normal waking awareness. Just as when the dreamer awakens to realize that a nightmare was illusory, the individual can, like the Buddha, undergo a spiritual awakening and realize that what is called normal waking awareness is, in fact, a dream.

It has been hypothesized that Meditation before sleep can also improve the occurrence of a lucid dream as it potentially minimizes the time taken for a person to fall asleep therefore increasing the chances of maintaining awareness to induce a lucid dream.

Side Effect of Too Much Sleep

2009-08-18T13:09:00.000+07:00

A new study finds that adults sleep more than 7 1/2 hours a day may also be at higher risk. After surveying the health and sleep habits of more than 1 lakh people for an average of almost 10 years, Japanese researchers concluded that the lowest mortality risk occurred in people who slept 7 hours a day.

The study, lead by Dr. Akiko Tamakoshi of the Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, appears in the current issue of the Journal's Sleep.

In an accompanying editorial, Dr. Daniel F. Kripke, a sleep expert at the University of California, San Diego said that, 'Although these conclusions might surprise clinicians', they were in keeping with earlier studies.

The study found that people who reported sleeping 8 hours a night had a higher mortality than those who reported sleeping 7 hours. The longer the subjects, the higher the risk. Indeed, Dr. Kripke wrote, 'People who said they slept more than 7 1/2 hours appeared to suffer worse health effects than those who said they slept for 6 1/2 hours.

People who reported sleeping less than 4 1/2 hours had big increases in their mortality risks.

Biology of Dreaming

2009-08-16T23:35:00.000+07:00

Research in recent years has clarified many of these aspects of dreaming, but what may be of greatest significance has been the discovery of a biology of dreaming (see Sleep). Starting with the work of American sleep researchers Eugene Aserinsky and Nathaniel Kleitman in 1953, studies have shown that a dream does not consist of fleeting imagery that occurs while a person awakens from sleep, but instead a dream takes place during a biological state of its own.

Thus, two clearly distinguishable states of sleep exist. The first state, called S-synchronized sleep, or NREM-sleep (non-rapid-eye-movement sleep), occupies most of the sleep period and is associated with a relatively low pulse and blood pressure, little activation of the autonomic nervous system, and few or no reports of dreaming. The second type of sleep, known as D-sleep (dreaming, or desynchronized, sleep), or REM-sleep (rapid-eye-movement sleep), occurs cyclically during the sleep period and is characterized by activation of the autonomic nervous system, rapid eye movements, and frequent dream reports. Typically, a person has four or five periods of D-sleep during the night, whether the dreams are remembered often, rarely, or not at all; they occur at intervals of about 90 minutes and altogether constitute about 25 percent of the night’s sleep (as much as 50 percent in a newborn child). Evidence indicates that a dream period usually lasts from 5 to 20 minutes.

Such stimuli as sounds and touches impinging on a dreamer can be incorporated into a dream if they occur during a D-period. These stimuli, however, do not initiate a D-period if one is not already in progress, so that, at least in such cases, dreams do not protect sleep in the way that Freud suggested. Although mental activity may be reported during NREM-sleep, these are usually short, fragmented, thoughtlike experiences.

How To Sleep Comfortably In A Sleeping Bag

2009-08-16T16:30:00.000+07:00

Have you ever found yourself in a situation wherein you are on a camping trip and you are having difficulty sleeping because you are not comfortable in the sleeping bag that you are laying in?

Some people find it hard to sleep if they are in someone bed else, some only sleep comfortably if they are in their comfort zone their own room and bed. And no one wants a bed night's sleep after a long day. Imagine how difficult it would be for these people to sleep during their overnight camping trips if they only have a sleeping bag to lay into. Sleeping bags are ergonomically designed; it is soft and not hard on the back so why is it that some people are having difficulty sleeping in those things?

One theory is that the problem maybe located within the conscious mind of the person the brain of the person must have dictated to the body that sleeping bags are not comfortable; the person then will respond to the suggestion of brain therefore he or she will find it uncomfortable to sleep in sleeping bags. The cause of the problem is psychological; to solve the problem one must look within and change his or her manner of thinking. It is simply mind over matter. If you keep on saying to yourself again and again that Sleeping bags are comfortable, it will become automatic, your body will respond to your manner of thinking, and then you will now find yourself sleeping comfortably in sleeping bags , it will be like as if you are sleeping in your own bed.

How to Decorate a Celestial Themed Nursery

2009-08-10T19:09:00.000+07:00

A celestial themed nursery is a great way to show your creativity, and you never know, maybe you'll be raising a little astronomer or astronaut! This theme can fit a room that's either small or big, just pick and choose from the suggestions below until you have a space that fits your style. We have also included some budget tips to help you keep some of the expenses of a new baby down.

Celestial Theme

This theme isn't nearly as complicated as it sounds, and it's versatile enough to be used for either a boy or a girl, which is perfect if you're one of those parents who would like a surprise! The predominant color for this theme is blue, but the soft nuances necessary to create the right atmosphere make it gender non-specific. It's also important to keep in mind that a celestial theme means you can either go with a starry night or a sunny day, so this theme is incredibly versatile indeed.

So let's begin decorating!

Walls, Ceilings, Windows and Floor

As mentioned previously, most of the colors used will be blue, whether light blue for the day theme, or dark blue for the night theme. Also, if you're using the day theme, whites and yellows can also be a good choice.

The ceiling is a critical piece for the celestial theme. Either paint it dark blue for a starry night theme, or light blue to depict a sunny day. To make things really fun, you can use those glow-in-the-dark stick on stars to spread across the ceiling. Or alternately, you can add cloud versions of the stars for the day theme. You can even paint or stencil on your own clouds. When it comes to the walls, start by getting a star and moon, or sun and clouds wallpaper.

Budget tip: Wallpapers, while lovely, can be both expensive and difficult to apply. You can save yourself some time and money by using paint instead. No matter the theme, a light blue color would go best. If you still want to include a little wallpaper for that extra oomph, get some funky, sky-themed borders to put around the door.

For the windows, you'll need to add either some drapes or valances. For a classic combination, use white or yellows to compliment the ceiling and walls. Yellow can even be used in the night theme, because a darker yellow can help accent the stars. Lastly, don't forget about the floor. Now, you may already have carpet in the room, but if you don't, you have a couple of choices. You can find a fun star and moon carpet, or if that's too much pattern with what you have already, get plain dark blue.

Furniture Time

Furniture essentials are a must, like a crib, a changing table, and a dresser in which to keep the baby's clothes. With the celestial theme you can really use any color, but white would certainly be a good pick. If you have some extra space in the room, you could also add a small nightstand, a bed, and a couch. The bed is useful as a place for you to sleep on those nights when you feel the need to stay close to the baby, or a bed or a couch can be a good place for friends and family to sit when they are visiting the new arrival.

Budget Tip: This is particularly useful if you plan on keeping that room as the permanent room of the baby. After all, eventually your child will grow into the bed, saving you money later on.

Time to Decorate

Now it's time to put the finishing touches on your baby's room with decorations! A night lamp would be a great idea, and also practical. For the starry night theme, get a moon shaped night light. For the sunny day theme, get one that's shaped like the sun. Put it somewhere where it's convenient and still easily seen. Next, get some celestial-themed bedding for the crib and/or bed. You should be able to find a bedding set with stars or suns on it in most stores.

Budget Tip: Buy all your bedding at once and save with a bed set. The same way you book a vacation flight, hotel and rental, this can save you money.

Health professionals And The Obesity Epidemic We Face

2009-08-10T19:07:00.000+07:00

Converse to what many skeptics and misinformed persons may report or say, even if your body sheds water during the first few days of a calorie controlled carbohydrate diet plan like the South Beach Diet or Atkins, the body's water balance soon returns to normal and the fat loss that follows is the depletion of fat pounds.

Work in conjunction with your natural health care professional if you decide to try an over the counter weight loss pill to help you lose body fat. If you insist on knowing your progress by weight loss and want to use a scale, try to weigh yourself at the same time everyday. Whatever fat loss exercise you choose, try to get your heart rate up to about 65 percent of your safe maximum.

Any fat loss or diet plan, together with low-carb plans like the introduction phase of the Atkins Diet may result in water loss during the first week or two. If you're on a body fat loss program you're under constant attack - attack from the food bandits all around you. It seems everyone is looking for that enchanting bullet like that rapid body fat loss secret that will instantly drop excess fat and turn you into a supermodel. Not likely

The fact is, there are healthy, effective and simple techniques you can use to accomplish body fat loss - and keep it off over the long term. A fat loss coach may help you each and every step of the way giving you support, inspiration, and will show you the secrets that all slim people know, so that you can lose weight in a healthy way and allow you to maintain your weight and get back to your Body Perfect Fitness and Health for life.

Some types of fat loss surgeries reduce the body's ability to absorb important vitamins and minerals. Many people start a body fat loss program with their basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses in a resting state, For many people, the improvement in their overall health, following weight loss surgery, is just as important as the weight loss itself.

Ok, these are a few of the things I used in the past to get through a fat loss plateau. If you have been frustrated with past body fat loss attempts, give the 3 W's of fat loss a try. Discuss the options with your doctor and take his advice in planning your exercise and fat loss system.

So you sweat and strain with your chosen fat loss system, perhaps ecstatically so at the start. So although I don't think you can use fasting as a diet or fat loss system, I do feel that it can be a great start to a proper fat loss diet and exercise system. Therefore, creating a one-for-all fat loss or exercise system simply would not work.

Eczema on Baby Skin

2009-08-10T14:08:00.002+07:00

Atopic dermatitis (Eczema) is a dry skin condition that affects some baby to varying degrees. it's one of common baby skin rashes. It usually doesn't appear until after three months of age, so don't confuse eczema with the normal flaky skin most baby have for up to two months after birth. Eczema is more likely to occur when condition such as asthma and hay fever run in families, although about one baby in five who has eczema has no family history of allergies. Most baby and toddlers outgrow their eczema before the age of five years.

Eczema treatment on baby involves using a combination of moisturizers and cortisone creams. It is advisable to consult a skin specialist for moderate to severe eczema. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months seems to delay the onset of eczema and may reduce its severity.

Home Alarm Security Systems

2009-05-14T15:47:00.001+07:00

When think of home security system, most people seem to think of burglar alarms and little to nothing else. Alarms can be a great way to protect your home, although they are only a small part of what makes up an effective home security system. This is where you will learn how to make the best choice on a security system for your home.

The key to home security will be windows. Homes that have poor constructed windows tend to get broken into a lot more than homes with secure and sturdy windows. Be sure that your home has tough glass and properly fitting locks. A safety precaution that is often overlooked when you leave home is to make sure that not only your door is locked but each window as well. Even if you consider a window to be out of reach, it should always be locked anyway. Burglars are expert thieves and know how to gain entry to your home if there is a way.

Along with the windows, doors are also known to be a weakness of security around the home. When checking your doors, they should be strong, sturdy and have strong locks that will not be forced open. Choose the place where you keep your spare key carefully. Losing your keys can also make you more prone to be a target, especially if there is anything revealing your home address with them.

Monitored security systems are one the the most common options that most people choose to help protect their homes. If you want a system that will monitor your home and record video, this system type will be a great choice for you. If you travel a lot, a home surveillance system can be an ideal way to keep a check on your home while you're away.

Last, but certainly not least are burglar alarms. Most people don't realize that the best use of a burglar alarm is for scaring the intruders away. most burglars won't even attempt to enter your home. Using a burglar alarm alone may scare off thieves, but it isn't the only component to a complete security system. There are still other areas of your home that you will need to secure.

Swine Flu H1N1 Cases and Symptoms

2009-05-13T06:00:00.003+07:00

The 2009 "swine flu" H1N1 virus in human - International cases and the symptoms

The 2009 outbreak of swine flu is an epidemic of a new Influenza A H1N1 strain of flu virus that was clinically identified in April 2009. It is currently a Phase 5 outbreak, one level below an official pandemic.

International cases and responses

Although the exact origin of the outbreak is unknown, it was first detected when officials in Mexico and the United States suspected a link between an outbreak of late-season flu cases in Mexico and cases of influenza in Texas and California. Within days, hundreds more suspected cases were discovered in Mexico, with more cases also showing up in the U.S. and several other countries. By the end of April 2009, governments across the world had taken emergency measures to slow the transmission of a possible pandemic.

Swine Flu H1N1 Symptoms

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in humans the symptoms of the 2009 "swine flu" H1N1 virus are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness in general. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. The 2009 outbreak has shown an increased percentage of patients reporting diarrhea and vomiting. The 2009 H1N1 virus is not zoonotic swine flu, as it is not transmitted from pigs to humans, but from person to person.

Read more International cases and the symptoms of the 2009 "swine flu" H1N1 virus in human on http://amnom.com/swine-flu-h1n1-cases-symptoms/