10. Countries that Have Highest Rate of Schizophrenia

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According to statistics, United States incurred the highest number of patients who are diagnosed of this disease. The unreported ratio is not yet included in over 2.7 million people in the US that are suffering from schizophrenia. In fact, there are great figures coming from Wyoming and North Dakota. According to reports, there is one citizen in America that is susceptible out of 100 people. Canada is another country that has another highest numbers of people who have this disease that could reach up to 280,000.

9. Is it A Multiple Personality Disorder?

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There is and was a wrong notion about this disease, wherein some attributed it as a multiple personality disorder neither a split personality. In fact, they are not even violent so they won’t really harm people around them, but they have the tendency to commit suicide.

8. Percentage of Patients with Schizophrenia

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You’ll observe that there is a higher percentage found in identical twins for about 46%, which is also same with offspring with two patients. In fact, based on research, about 75% of people who are diagnosed of this disease would likely to develop it when they reach between 16 to 25 years of age.

7. Familiar Symptoms

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Some of the common symptoms of this disease are also attributed as positive signs such as thought disorder, hallucinations, movement disorders, and delusions. In fact, they are considered as psychotic behaviors which others find not normal to a typical or healthy person. Hence, they are individuals who cannot identify real from counterfeits or daydreams. You can’t notice or recognize it right away, but often times when severe cases arrive at its peak, you’ll know that the symptoms are already pointing to this disease.

6. Connection to Substance Abuse

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Initially when you recognize the symptoms, you would think that this person is affected by drugs since they have the same signs. Not in all cases, but according to reports, those people who have been abusing drugs are prone to develop schizophrenia disease. Some of these drugs that may trigger this sickness are cocaine, amphetamines, and marijuana.

5. Cognitive Signs

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You’ll recognize the symptoms if the person cannot focus or concentrate; poor understanding of details or information is evident, they are troubled or bothered and they could not even grasp new things being discussed. They have emotional distress and they can’t even work because of poor attention.

4. Who Gets this Disease?

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You could see on the table that higher risk is placed on group of 15-35 years old, whether you are rich or poor. It typically strikes to young and single people, which normally disables them. The onset of this disease may start at age 10, but development of it happens when one reaches 16 and 25 years old. In fact, there are higher percentages in women who have reached 30 onwards. Nonetheless, young males occupy the largest percentage, especially at age 15 and 40.

3. Negative Symptoms

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This is another group of signs that a person has schizophrenia. Some of which are social withdrawal, inability to complete activity, and lack of pleasure. You’ll get to notice disruptions from someone’s behavior and emotions, which are different from the normal reactions that a person does. In fact, some could not even detect it, and would even misdiagnose it as anxiety or depressive condition.

2. It is Treatable

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Whether individuals have a severe case or not, this disease is treatable, and we would like to correct that notion or perception that it will be irreversible or non-curable. The treatment process will always depend on the patient and to the people who are willing to support and understand the individual untiringly. There are advancements in the medical field that makes things possible that it even decreases the number of people who have received proper evaluation and treatment. There are also institutions designed to those people who have this kind of disease. The choice is up to the members of the family and to the patient.

1. It is a Biochemical Brain Disease

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All of the symptoms mentioned on this article are the results of the biochemical brain disease wherein most of the people who have this kind of situation could not even recognize that there is a problem. In fact, studies show that there is this brain chemical doparmine that is evident to someone who has schizophrenia that is different from that group who has normal behavior and thinking. This is still being studied and discussed by several scientists.

10. Greenhill Family

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The Greenhill Family is led by parents Elizabeth Greenhill and William Greenhill who had a total of 39 children. Throughout her life, Elizabeth Greenhill conceived 32 daughters and 7 sons, the youngest of which was Thomas Greenhill, who is one of the most famous surgeons in London, United States today. Of their 39 children, two were twins and the rest were single births. The children of Elizabeth and William were all born alive, and all of them were baptized except for Thomas, who was born soon after the death of his father William. Stories say that according to Elizabeth, she and William would have had three or more children had William not died that soon.

9. Pullan Family

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50 year old husband Roseturai Pullan and his 45 year old wife Mani is the first white skinned Indian couple to have raised the largest albino family in the history of the world. The Pullan Family is composed of eight albino members and is officially on the Guinness Book of World Records. The members of this family are all suffering from poor vision and have extremely pale skin and white hair, which are very atypical of Indian nationals. The Pullan Family claims to suffer from grave prejudice in India because of their condition. All the children inherited the albinism of their father Roseturai. Currently, the members of this family dwell inside a crammed flat in Delhi, New India.

8. Kardashian – Jenner Clan

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The Kardashian – Jenner Clan is composed of a total of ten siblings, of which the most popular in the news are Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and their step brother Brody Jenner. The parents of all of the ten siblings were married in 1991. The background is that in 1979, Robert Kardashian married Kristine “Kris” Houghton and they had four children—Kourtney, Kim, Khloe and Rob. When they divorced in 1990, the wife married Olympics star Bruce Jenner just a year following the approval of her divorce with her former husband. Kris and Bruce had two daughters together, Kylie and Kendall Jenner. The members of this family are all celebrities today.

7. Luiz Costa de Oliveira Family

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The 90 year old Brazilian father Luiz Costa de Oliveira admitted to have had secret love affairs with the sister and mother of his second wife following his two marriages. All in all, he had a total of 50 children. 17 of that number were conceived by his first wife. When he remarried, he had another 17 children, totalling to 34. But Luiz Costa de Oliveira did not just stop at that. Instead, he entered into an affair with the sister and mother of his second wife and conceived 15 more children. He became romantically involved with the sister and mother of his second wife when they moved into their house to help in taking care of the rest of his children.

6. Bates Family

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Headed by couple Gil and Kelly Bates, the Bates Family is a close friend of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar. This family originally had a total of 18 children, but mother Kelly Bates miraculously gave birth to her 19^th child, Jeb Colton Bates, in February 2012. This family is from Lake City, Tennessee, United States and stars the American reality television show entitled United Bates of America. The miracle child of the family, Jeb Colton, is often dubbed as a miracle baby because he came out dead after failing to breathe on his own. Of the 19 deliveries, Kelly Bates gave natural births to the 14. Tied with the Duggar Family, Bates Family is known as the largest family in the United States today.

5. Duggar Family

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Composed of father Jim Bob, mother Michelle Duggar and their 19 children, the Duggar Family is one with the Bates Family in being the largest family known in the United States today. Of the 19 children, 9 are girls and 10 are boys, and this includes two sets of fraternal twins. This family from Arkansas, USA announced in 2012 that the immediate family would just get bigger as Michelle Duggar openly revealed that she and her husband were already expecting their 20^th child this year. The couple has been married for more than 27 years now and Michelle was already 45 years old when she gave birth to her youngest child. This family has already had several appearances in television shows such as TLC and Discovery Health.

4. Chana Family

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Ziona Chana is believed to have the largest family in the world with a total of 30 wives, 94 children, 14 daughters in law and 33 grand children. The head of the family currently lives with all his wives and 94 children in a spacious, four storey 100-room mansion in Baktwang in the state of Moziram, India and admits to have married more than 10 women in just a span of one year. This was so because Ziona Chan has long been the head of a religious sect that permits the practice of polygamy. According to him, it takes plucking more than 30 whole chickens and cooking more than 220 lbs of rice to be able to feed his entire family every meal.

3. Daad Clan

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60 year old Muslim father Daad Mohammed from the United Arab Emirates had 17 wives and a total of 60 children. According to stories, Daad would have sex with his wives twice in the morning and seven times in the evening that is why he was able to create such a great number of children in his entire lifetime. His clan is now the biggest and oldest of the Dwarven clans of Ardrana. Even today, Daad Mohammed is just too mad about sex that he would divorce his wife the moment he finds out that she is no longer fertile and could conceive a child.

2. Albina Family

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None of the 64 children of Mr. and Mrs. Albina was adopted. The couple was married when Mrs. Alona was only 12 years of age and Mr. Albina was already 30. Today, Mr. Albina is already 79 and Mrs. Albina is already 61. They no longer know the whereabouts of each of their daughters and sons, and they currently live with just a few of them in a small house in Chile. Most of the children of the Albina couple are twins and triplets. Mrs. Albina very seldom gave single births.

1. Vassilyev Family

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The Vassilyev couple currently holds the record for the most number of children in the world. Mrs. Vassilyev gave birth to about 69 children, only 67 of which were able to survive their infancy. Of this number, there were 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets and 4 sets of quadruplets. She gave birth to all her children between the 1725 to 1765 period.

10. Sheryl Sandberg

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Born on August 28, 1969, Sheryl Sandberg is an American business tycoon who has been the chief operating officer of Facebook since 2008. In 2012, she became the first woman to have ever been elected in the board of directors of Facebook. She completed her AB Economics degree at Harvard University in 1991 as summa cum laude and was awarded the John H. Williams Prize for the top graduating students in Economics. She used to be a research assistant in World Bank and worked on health projects in India, particularly those dealing with AIDS, leprosy and blindness. She finished her MA degree in Harvard Business School where she got the highest distinction. Since 2007, she has been among the most powerful women list of the Forbes Magazine because of her unparalleled leadership skills. Before she served Facebook, she was the Vice President of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google.

9. Janet Napolitano

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A member of the Democratic Party, Janet Napolitano is known as the first woman to serve as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security. She has been in the office since 2009, following her six-year term as the 21^st Governor of Arizona. She was also the first woman and the 23^rd person to serve as the Attorney General of Arizona, where she pushed for innovative gun laws such as the Youth Handgun Safety Act. She began entering the public stage when she served as attorney for Anita Hill during the Senate testimony against the US Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas in 1991. Among her major achievements was her being one of the prosecutors of the first Violence Against Women cases in the United States, punishing offenders who committed acts of domestic violence. As the Governor of Arizona, she converted $1 billion deficit in year 2003 to a $300 surplus without calling for a raise in taxes.

8. Christine Lagarde

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Christine Lagarde is the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Union for a Popular Movement politician. As a French lawyer, she was appointed as the Minister of Economic Affairs, Finances and Industry, as well as the Minister of Agriculture and Fishing of the French Government. She was the first woman to have ever become the Finance Minister of a G8 economy and was also the first woman to have been called to the IMF leadership. Aside from being an active lawyer who held several ministerial positions in the French government, she also was the first female chairman of Baker & McKenzie, an internationally acclaimed law firm. Following her appointment, the Financial Times recognized her as the best Minister of Finance in the Eurozone. In 2012, she finished her doctoral degree from the KY Leuven.

7. Michelle Obama

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An American lawyer and writer, Michelle Obama is known as the first African-American First Lady of the United States. She grew up in the South Side of Chicago where she attended Princeton University and Harvard School of Law. She previously worked as one of the staff members of Richard Delay, former Mayor of Chicago. When her husband ran for US Presidency in 2007, Michelle Obama was there to help in the campaign. Since President Barack Obama won the presidential bid in the United States, his wife Michelle has been a fashion icon and a role model for women as well as an advocate for poverty awareness, nutrition and healthy eating. She has been widely admired because of her decorum and sense of style. Among the advocacies that she championed was the amendment of the Human Rights Act, in which she included the protection of the LGBT people through prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

6. Sonia Gandhi

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The widow of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi is an Indian politician who was elected as President of the Indian Congress in 1998. Since 2004, she has been the Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance since 1998 and has been the longest-running President of the Congress party. In 1999, Sonia Gandhi was also elected the Leader of the Opposition of the 13^th Lok Sabha where she called for a non-confidence motion against the NDA Government. During the 2004 general elections in India, she initiated a nationwide campaign to counter the “India Shining” slogan of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) by launching a slogan saying “Who is India Shining for?” She won the 2004 elections and became the Prime Minister of India, and was elected to lead a 15-party coalition government which eventually became the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), where she played a key role in making the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the Right to Information Act into law.

5. Jill Abramson

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Jill Abramson was the first woman who held the executive editor position of the The New York Times in its 160-year history. She finished her B.A. in History and Literature Degree from Harvard University in 1976. During her undergraduate years, Abramson served as the Arts editor of The Harvard Independent and also became one of the editors of Time Magazine. She had served as a senior reporter in the Washington Bureau of The Wall Street Journal until she got her promotion as the deputy bureau chief years in 2000. With Jane Mayer, she co-authored Strange Justice: The Selling of Clarence Thomas, a controversial publication which exposed the confirmation hearings of Justice Clarence Thomas. In 2011, she replaced Bill Keller as the new executive director of Times.

4. Melinda Gates

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The wife of the richest man in the world Bill Gates, Melinda Gates is an American businesswoman and philanthropist who once served as a Project Manager for Microsoft Bob, Microsoft Encarta and Microsoft Expedia. As one of the members of the Board of Trustees of Duke University from 1996 to 2003, she took part in several Bilderberg Group Conferences. Melinda Gates also held a Director position in the Washington Post Company. Since she retired from the board of Drugstore.com, she has been actively serving the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which she established herself together with her husband Bill Gates. She has been widely recognized for her world impact through charity, particularly in the areas of health and education. She was also the one who chaired The Campaign for Children, a fund raising campaign that sought to expand the facilities of hospitals for better healthcare among children.

3. Dilma Rouseff

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Known as the first female president of Brazil, Dilma Rouseff is a Brazilian politician who previously served as the Chief of Staff of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil. Together with her partner Carlos Araujo, Rouseff founded the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) in Rio Grande do Sul where she participated in several electoral campaigns. Prior to that, she was also the Secretary of the Treasury of the City of Porto Alegre during the administration of Alceu Collares. Following her term, she joined the Worker’s Party and was appointed as the Minister of Energy. She took over the post of Jose Dirceu following his resignation due to issues on corruption. She ran and was elected President of Brazil in 2011.

2. Hilary Clinton

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The 67^th United States Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton was the wife of former US President Bill Clinton and is currently a diplomat serving under President Barack Obama. In 1977, she cofounded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and served as the first female chief of the Legal Services Corporation a year after. In 1979, she became the first female partner at Rose Law Firm and was tagged among the most influential lawyers in the United States. As the First Lady during the reign of President Bill Clinton, she led a task force to reform the education system of Arkansas. The Clinton Health Care Plan was also among her major initiatives, though it failed to gain approval from the US Congress. Since 1997, she has been an advocate of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program as well as the Adoption and Safe Families Act.

1. Angela Merkel

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Dubbed as “The De Facto Leader of the European Union,” Angela Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany and the Leader of the Christian Democratic Union. She is a German female politician who began to make a name in the field of politics during the Revolutions of 1989, when she served as the deputy spokesperson for the East German Government. Following her appointment, she became the Federal Minister for Women and Youth in 1991 and was promoted as the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety three years after. In 2007, she chaired the G8 and was elected President of the European Council. Among her advocacies since she started politics are the strengthening of transatlantic economic relations, energy development and healthcare reform.

10. Home schooling

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Home schooling or home-based education is common among mothers. Unlike schooling in a formal setting, home schooling involves staying at home and doing assignments given by a tutor. Though this practice has been adopted as an alternative form of education in other nations, most people still believe that going to a formal school is better than staying at home to study.

Some parents opt for home based education for their children for a broad range of reasons. Most of the time, mothers who opt for home schooling for their children are those who would not want their children to get bullied in crowded classrooms. Also, these mothers believe that it is better to study at home because it is more conducive for learning and it helps children achieve better focus when studying. This is hardly possible in a classroom setting, where 30-50 students normally crowd a single classroom and not everyone gets the same attention from the teacher.

9. Vaccination

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Vaccination involves the administration of a vaccine to an infant to stimulate his immune system, thus allowing him to develop adaptive immunity to pathogens. The common notion is that when a child gets vaccinated, he is less likely to catch diseases in the future because he is already immune to those diseases. Sometime in the past, however, there was a doctor who conducted a study and published a book that stated that the development of autism and other neurological conditions stem from vaccination. Since then, a good number of mothers have been opting not to get their babies vaccinated when in reality, they should. Just recently, the medical license of the doctor who published the misleading study was taken from him because of the confusion that he spurred among mothers. Since his study was published, there came a rise in the number of communicable diseases afflicting children.

8. Cloth Diapers vs. Disposable Diapers

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Whether to use cloth diapers or disposable diapers has been a bone of contention among mothers. Both diapers have their own share of advantages and disadvantages, but mothers have got to pick the one whose advantages outweigh its disadvantages. Disposable diapers are reusable and create less waste than disposable diapers. Also, this kind of diaper is far less costly than disposable diapers because these diapers are washable while disposable diapers are not. For most mothers, however, disposable diapers are more convenient because they never have to wash every now and then. All they just have to do is to make sure that they never run out of stock.  Also, they are more breathable and convenient, because with disposable diapers, they do not need to deal with complicated folds and pins. Some mothers who prefer cloth diapers, however, complain that disposable diapers increase the risk of diaper rash among their babies.

7. Discipline

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Mothers have different concepts of discipline. For some, spanking their children is the right way to teach their children discipline, while for some, this is not the way to go. A recent study in the United States showed that more than one third of parents in the United States prefer to spank their kids so they will be forced to behave as their parents would want them to. Whenever a child does something wrong, what most parents do is spank the child so he would learn his lesson. Several mothers go up against this practice, saying that using physical force does not teach children discipline but fear towards their parents. These mothers believe that they can bring up their child into becoming well-rounded individuals even without having to inflict physical pain on them.  Mothers can choose not to become violent in rearing their children, though this is case-sensitive.

6. Organic Products

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Most mothers would prefer feeding their babies with organic products, believing that they are healthier. While it is true that eating organics allows one to reduce his exposure to chemicals, many experts believe that it is not always so. In fact, a large group of pediatricians recently revealed that parents who buy organic food for their children are actually wasting money. Experts say that to believe that organic products are more nutritious than non-organic products is nothing but a false notion because the nutritional differences between conventional food and organic food are far more minimal than most mothers think. Most mothers also use organic milk to feed their babies believing that it is more nutritious than the processed ones, when in fact, it is not worth it. Mothers who are working on a limited budget should not go for organic because they are costly. Those who have more than enough budget argue that organic is still better, though.

5. Attachment Parenting

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Attachment parenting refers to the tendency of a child to develop or form very strong emotional bond with his mother. One of the practices that lead to attachment parenting are co-sleeping with babies until they come of age, extended breast feeding and baby wearing. Some mothers believe that practicing attachment parenting allows them to produce healthier and better nurtured babies and children. On the other hand, those who oppose the practice believe that it only delays the socio emotional development and well-being of the child because he tends to become too much dependent on his mother. Today, the population of mothers is halved by this practice. Those who are up for attachment parenting argue that the practice is nothing but a simple demonstration of love, while those who think otherwise argue that this is detrimental to the development of a child and will do no good to him.

4. Breast-feeding vs. Bottle-feeding

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Determining whether to breastfeed or bottle-feed her baby is one of the first decisions that an expectant mother makes. Because the very first thing that a baby looks for as he gets out of her mother’s womb is milk, this is one of the most basic decisions that a woman makes as she enters motherhood. The common notion is that breast milk is the most valuable source of nutrition for babies because it helps defend the baby from harmful infections as well as protect him from allergies and other chronic conditions. But working mothers would prefer bottle-feeding their babies because they need to earn money and go to work. These mothers cannot afford to stay at home and breastfeed their babies the entire day, unless the earnings of their husbands are enough to provide for the needs of the family.

3. Scheduled Caesarean Sections

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Cesarean section is a surgical procedure that is performed when a mother gives birth, characterized by one or more incisions made on her abdomen and uterus to deliver her baby. Normally, this procedure is the last resort when vaginal delivery poses death risk either on the mother or the child. Nowadays, however, some mothers who are capable of normal vaginal delivery would still opt for cesarean section because it is less painful. In fact, celebrities are known to have scheduled caesarean sections even months before the due date of the baby. This practice has been emulated by several mothers today, believing that this makes the birth of the child more convenient. Those who go for vaginal delivery argue that those who go for C-sections are harder to recover compared to those who go for normal delivery.

2. Natural Birth

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Though cesarean sections are growing in popularity these days, giving birth the natural way is still generally the most preferred of most mothers. Mothers who have laboured and gave birth to their babies without the need for an epidural or medications are often prouder than those who underwent procedures because they were able to suffer the real pain of giving birth. However, some mothers are just not healthy enough to go through the natural way of giving birth so doctors prefer having them incised. Mothers who argue that those who go for c-sections are weaker should understand that what may be good for them may not be good for another.

1. Cord Blood Banking

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Cord blood banking is a practice wherein the blood from the umbilical cord of a baby is saved and stored in a facility for possible use in the future. The umbilical cord of a baby is the major source of stem cells, which are used today the way bone marrow cells are used to treat different kinds of illness, particularly leukemia. This is a more guaranteed match compared to a donor. Cord blood banking is a choice that mothers make. Most mothers oppose the idea of cord blood banking because it is too expensive, while those who are up for the practice claim that this practice is life-saving.

10. Personalized Bouquet and Chocolates

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Flowers and chocolates will never go outdated on this list. Whatever contemporary gift selections that you might be thinking for you moms, they will still love the personal and conservative effect of chocolates and bouquet of flowers. There are different online stores, and even local stores in your area that offers creation of personalized stuff, gives you the power to choose the flowers to be included in the bouquet and makes her favorite chocolates. A simple message attached to it would surely touch her heart.

9. Personalized Photo Canvas

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Discreetly sneak in to your mom’s room and find a memorable photo of her, whether it’s a solo picture of her or not, making sure that she has a perfect beam in it. You could scan it and upload it to an online photo canvas for printing. You may include titles or messages on it to really have a personal touch. You may check some local stores that offer this kind of service so you could have an actual look of their products.

8. A Floral Scent

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Mothers do not need traditional perfume scents just because of the impression that they are already in another stage of womanhood, wherein most people think that they don’t need to wear fresh scents. That’s a big no! Mothers still need to exhibit the feminine side in them, where a floral scent will truly renew the feeling that they are still women, just like in days past when they were single ladies.

7. A Dinner Date

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Let your mother rest from her daily household chores where she prepares and cooks meals for you. Reserve the night for her where she won’t do any chores; where you could bring her to the coziest restaurant with the whole family. Make sure that all the foods that will be served on the dinner table are the ones that she wants and she prefers. So, this is the best time to share a perfect dinner night out with her, where the perfect accessory to this surprise dinner is your father.

6. Personalized Card

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You may shower your mother all the materials gifts that she wants, but what would really make her cry are words coming from your heart. Take time to write a note or simple messages of gratitude to her via your very own personalized card. You could buy a readymade card that has a blank space on it where you could put all the feelings that you have towards your mother. You could also order a card before hand, and include her name on it along with the messages. It’s still nice to receive cards that express one’s innermost thoughts and feelings. They are worth keeping and remembering.

5. Jewellery

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There are several jewellery items that are being sold these days, where there are encryptions of words like mothers, and other words that define motherhood, whether it’s a pendant necklace or a bracelet. Of course, find something that will fit her personality. The preference of your mother will be determined as to how much you know her. Consider her age, and ask sales clerks family members as you do your jewellery hopping.

4. Getaway

Photo Source: http://www.chfi.com/2013/05/06/the-chfi-top-10-mothers-day-gifts/

Aside from her birthday and other important occasions, mothers also need to relax. In fact, aside from fathers, they are the most tired and stressed people each day. Imagine those moms who have experienced the joy and pain of tending a growing family with lively children. They have to take care of them every day. They have to wake-up early morning, and do all what the typical domesticated responsibilities required. Giving them a perfect getaway for about 2-3 days would let them enjoy the place where none else is already a wonderful gift that they would treasure forever. For the meantime, even just this day, they would feel that they can be a queen, where they would also be pampered.

3. A Beauty Treatment

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Bring them to a spa or any salon where they could have a relaxing beauty treatment. Give them a full blown or half blown treat like a new hair style, complete manicure, and pedicure services. This will be a perfect bonding time for mother and daughters. Nonetheless, whether you’re a son, you can still award your mom with this beauty treatment. Let her have renewed skin through foot spas, and even derma treatments.

2. A Cruise for Two

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There are local cruises in your area that offer special promos on Mother’s Day. Take advantage of it. You could set-up a cruise for her and your father that will serve as a romantic getaway for them. This is one of the nicest Mother’s Day gifts that you can give to your mothers since it has a complete package of meals, floats, and other complimentary services that they will truly enjoy while sojourning the city, and witnessing the beauty of the night.

1. Fashion Makeover

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Make her feel fantastic from the very first day that she will be waking up, where she would be welcomed by a new haircut, new clothes, shoes, and to top it all, a professional photographer that would capture each moment. Consult someone who can do a home service beauty regimen and someone who knows the right clothing for your mother. Of course, the last touch of make-up will complete the one day make-over for her. The final stage will be a shopping spree for her, while you are helping her out to choose what’s best for her.

10. Mother India (1957)

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A melodramatic movie about an impoverished woman who raised her son with dignity despite life’s challenges, Mother India was directed by Indian director Mehboob and starred Indian artists Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar. This movie was a remake of the movie of Mehboob Khan entitled Aurat which was staged in 1940 and featured a poor woman who struggled in raising her sons and eventually went on top of an evil money lender. Mother India is a good choice for Mother’s Day since it demonstrates the goddess-like example of mothers. Even today, this film is ranked among the top grossing movies of India and is often described as “an all-time Indian blockbuster.”

9. Steel Magnolias (1989)

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Shown in year 1989, Steel Magnolias was directed by Robert Harling and featured the story of the friendship of a bunch of women from a parish in the Natchitoches, Louisiana. This movie was starred by Sally Field, Olympia Dukakis, Daryl Hannah, Shirley MacLaine and Julia Roberts and was based on a play that was staged two years prior to its showing, entitled Steel Magnolias. The director of the film, Robert Harling, was inspired to do the film following the death of his sister. He entitled the movie that way to suggest that women can be as delicate as magnolia flowers though they can also be as hard-hitting as steel.

8. Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

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Directed by Shawn Levy, Cheaper by the Dozen was a story of a father who lived with his wife and his dozen kids while he was experiencing a grave struggle in his new job. This American family comedy film took its title from the biography of a man named Frank Bunker Gilbreth and his wife Lillian Maller Gilbreth who had a problem raising their twelve children. Both the title and the concept of a family having a dozen kids were greatly inspired by the story of the couple, though it greatly deviated from the original Cheaper by the Dozen book. The film was released in year 2003 and was produced by the 20^th Century Fox.

7. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)

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Starred by Hollywood stars Ellen Burstyn, Kris Kristofferson, Alfred Lutter III and Mia Bendixsen, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore featured the story of a woman who got widowed and had to find herself and her son a new life despite never ending difficulties. The main character in this film travelled with her preteen son through the American Southwest and tried to live anew by pursuing her career as a singer. This movie was directed by Martin Scorsese and  co-starred Diane Ladd, Leila Goldoni, Billy Green Bush, Jodie Foster, Vic Tayback and Harvey Keitel. It was in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore that Ellen Burstyn got her first Best Actress award from the Academy Awards.

6. Sophie’s Choice (1982)

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Directed by Alan J. Pakula, Sophie’s Choice featured the story of a woman who survived the Nazi concentration camps and was able to find a reason to live her life the way she used to in the character of a man named Nathan. This romantic drama movie starred Kevin Kline, Peter Mac Nicol, Rita Karin and renowned Hollywood actress Meryl Streep. In this film, Sophie was a Polish immigrant who fell in love with a sparkling lover and lived under the same roof as a young writer from Brooklyn. Sophie’s Choice won Meryl Streep one of her earliest Academy Awards for Best Actress as it is considered even today as one of her finest performances in the silver screen.

5. Gypsy (1962)

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An American musical film that was staged in 1962, Gypsy was based on a Broadway hit that featured the life of a burlesque dancer named Gypsy Rose Lee together with her stage mother Mama Rose. This movie was film-produced and directed by Mervyn Leroy and was an adaptation of a stage musical that was completed by 1959 entitled Gypsy: A Musical Fable by Arthur Laurents. This play was also adopted from another earlier play entitled “Gypsy: A Memoir by Gypsy Rose Lee. The 1959 adaptation of this play was starred by Natalie Wood, Karl Malden, Rosalind Russell and Paul Wallace and featured the songs of renowned composer Jule Styne.

4. Forrest Gump (1994)

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A popular 1994 American epic comedy-drama romance film that featured Tom Hanks, Sally Field, Robin Wright and Gary Sinise, Forrest Gump was about a man named Forrest Gump—a not so intelligent man who accidentally got involved in several historic moments. It generally depicted several decades in the life of the naive and stupid Forrest Gump who also happened to witness and influence some of the most defining events of the 20^th century. This movie was well received by critics and became one of the top grossing films of the 20^th century. It was later adapted into a television series which expanded to several countries worldwide. In total, Forrest Gump sold more than 8 million copies around the world.

3. Erin Brockovich (2000)

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Directed by Steven Soderbergh, Erin Brockovich featured the story of an unemployed single mother who eventually became a legal assistant. The main character in this movie was able to bring down a giant California-based power company that was accused of polluting the water supply of the city. Erin Brockovich starred Albert Finney, Dawn Didawick, David Brisbin and Julia Roberts who played the role of Erin. In real life, this character fought against the US West Coast Energy Corporation Pacific Gas and Electrical Company. This film can be an excellent choice for Mother’s Day since it demonstrates the empowerment of women in the 20^th century.

2. Volver (2006)

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A 2006 Spanish thriller film that was written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, Volver was about the story of a mother who died and returned to her home town in spirit as she sought to fix the tough situation she was not able to resolve within her family when she was still alive. Starred by actress Penelope Cruz, this movie featured a family of women from Madrid, including a working woman named Raimunda and her daughter Paula, as well as the mother of Raimunda and the acting head of the family, Irene. Volver successfully tackled several themes such as sexual abuse, death and magic realism and was originally adopted from the film entitled The Flower of My Secret.

1. Terms of Endearment (1983)

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Directed by James L. Brooks, Terms of Endearment was a drama film that was shown in 1983 and was adapted from the Larry Mc Murtry novel that starred Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson and Shirley MacLaine. The movie featured the three decades of relationship between a mother named Aurora Greenway and her daughter Emma. Terms of Endearment is the best movie to watch this Mother’s Day as it tackles how far a mother can go for the love of her daughter.

10. Ethiopia

Almost 60 percent of the children living in Ethiopia are forced by their parents to work to complement the income of their families. These children are deployed to farms, although the most common practice is sending them to mining areas to prospect for gold. Each child earns just one dollar every month, which is just enough to feed an entire family for a day or two. Several local awareness campaigns have been implemented in Ethiopia to inform its people about the policies of the Ethiopian government against child labor and neglect. Since the 20^th century, several organizations have reached out to rural communities in this country to offer educational opportunities to children who have no access to formal schooling.

9. Pakistan

Around 11 million Pakistani children work to earn a living by the age of 7. International organizations attribute the prevalence of child labor in Pakistan to poverty, which is said to be the single greatest cause of child labor in most countries around the world. More than 90 percent of children working in Pakistan are deployed in the wholesale and retail industry and the rest are in the service industry and manufacturing. Child labor is most common in a small community in the north eastern part of Pakistan called Sialkot near the border of Kashmir, where children are exploited to toil in factories engaged in the production of export goods.

8. Burundi

Children in Burundi work in the areas of agriculture, fishing and herding. Most of the Burundian children who are subjected to child labor come from the rural areas since they are the ones who generally have lesser opportunities to attend school. Children in urban areas who suffer from child labor are generally street children who get involved in hawking goods or in carrying heavy loads in ports. Some of them also work as domestic servants in affluent families and unfortunately become victims of commercial sexual exploitation. Child trafficking is also common in Burundi. Some locals sell children for the purpose of domestic service or soldiering. Most of these children start working even before they reach the age of 12.

7. Afghanistan

Poverty and lack of quality education are the major causes of child labor in Afghanistan. More than 30 percent of Afghan children are forced to work in illegal remote mines at a very young age to search for gold, which is the major source of income for poor families in the country. Some of those who are not deployed in mines are sent to factories or construction sites to do heavy work. They go to work in food processing, textile and cement industries, while some labor in poppy fields. There is also a rise in the number of underage girls exploited in this country, as they are sold for a price so their parents can pay for their debts.

6. Zimbabwe

Around three million children in Zimbabwe are out of school. A recent study showed that a big percentage of children who do not have any formal schooling participate in prostitution, mining, agriculture and other illicit activities in the country. Just like in many other countries, the underlying cause of child labor in Afghanistan is poverty, followed by the breakdown of family units due to sexually-transmitted diseases, and the lack or inadequacy of a good social services delivery system for its locals. Because of these factors, many children grow up being poor orphans who have no other choice but to subject themselves to exploitation and abuse just to earn a living and be able to sustain their everyday needs.

5. Democratic Republic of Congo

More than 14% of the population of the Democratic Republic of Congo depend on artisanal mining to earn a living. A huge part of this population is composed of children who use their hands, hammers, picks and other materials to pick through rocks on riverbeds or leftovers from mines to search of gold. Around a million children from the Republic of Congo work underground or in pit mines to earn a little and supplement the money earned by their parents. Child miners face health risks everyday as they handle minerals, dig tunnels and dive into wells.  Some of them even get killed due to cave-ins and explosions, and sometimes drowning.

4. Sudan

Slavery is a common practice in Sudan that has been since the ancient times. Most of Sudan children especially in the south are captured and taken away from their families during military raids so they can be sold to well-heeled families and serve as unpaid household servants. Some Arab militias and soldiers raid houses in small villages and take children with them as they return to their homes where they have them do unpaid labor within their homes. Most of these children work in herding animals for fear of beatings from their masters. There are also instances of sexual abuse among these children. The government of Sudan recently took steps to help the poor children be reunited with their parents in the camps by piloting projects that seek to alleviate poverty and abuse.

3. Somalia

According to statistics, more than half of the population of children in Somalia work starting the age of 7 so they can provide for themselves and their families. These children engage in one of the worst forms of child labor in the whole world. Most of the schools in Somalia have been transformed to recruitment centres, and nearly all children living in the poverty line are forced to be trained by the Somali army so they can soon join the military. By 15, most of the poor children of Somalia are already armed and trained to be involved in violent conflicts, act as bodyguards to the high-ranking officers of the military or work in agricultural fields and quarries.

2. North Korea

At age 14, the children of South Korea go to the military and are forced to stay in hard labor camps for up to 6 months and work 15 hours a day. Barely fed, these children are deployed to engage in hard labor activities such as mining, logging and agricultural work. Girls of the same age also get sexually abused by the guards of labor camps while they labor. In this country, children are placed in labor camps to punish them for the political offenses that they have committed. That is why it is called “re-education through labor.” If they are not placed in labor camps, children are deployed in factories to labor in the area of manufacturing.

1. Myanmar

In Myanmar, minors are forced to work as cheap labor. Most of the children in this country, especially the orphans, are separated from their parents by force to abandon schooling and start working either in farmlands or construction sites for less than a dollar earning a day. Several fishing boat owners in Myanmar also employ children not just because they are easier to control but because they can be paid with very cheap wages.

10. Dean Koontz ($19 million)

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The 67 years old American author did not climb to the ladder of writing in an instantaneous manner, but the physical abuse that he has experienced from his father became a catalyst to his decision to speak his mind through pen and paper. Although he is a teacher by profession, he used his spare time to write a novel, and who would have thought that he could produce dozens of it, especially in the science fiction genre. Since 1968, his inclination to write continued until he went to another line of writing under the horror fiction, which he is popularly known. With his wife’s challenge that she’ll support him in 5 years, otherwise, he had to quit and forget his dream as a writer, which pushed him to fulfill it.

9. Suzanne Collins ($20 million)

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Her path to writing began when she pursued a double major course in the field of Telecommunications and Drama at Indiana University, which placed her to a children’s television show as its writer in 1991. Some of the shows where she’d worked closely were Nickelodeon, Oswald, The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, and a lot more. She is expert in Children’s literature, Fantasy, Young-adult fiction, and Science Fiction. She has published well known books that she authored like The Hunger Games, and Gregor the Overlander, which became a New York Times best seller.

8. Danielle Steel ($23 million)

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Her passion in novel writing is evident because of more than 800 copies that were sold. Some of the top favorites from her loyal and new patrons that became internationally acclaimed for the content and approach are One Day at a Time, 44 Charles Street, Matters of the Heart, Legacy, Bright Light, Southern Lights, Family Ties, and a few more. Novelist is her lifetime career, and she’s been doing it since 1978 despite of the break-up marriages that she had. Her writing genre is focused alone in romance and mainstream.

7. Nora Roberts ($23 million)

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The 62-year old awardee of Quill Award for Book of the Year, Quill Award for Romance, and RITA Award for Best Novel has been a novelist since 1981, and is still working until now. She carries different pen names when she writes like J.D. Robb, Sarah Hardesty, Nora Roberts, and Jill March. She is expert in suspense, romance, and fantasy genres. She was not able to complete any related course in novel or writing since she married after she graduated from high school. She just had the opportunity when she married her husband who happens to be a bookstore owner. Their meeting started when she hired her second husband to work on her bookshelves. Since she was housebound in 1979 along with her two kids, she started drafting ideas until she was able to finish that day, 6 manuscripts. Of course, her path towards the novelist title was never easy; she received several rejections before her works were recognized. She’s thankful to her family because they love reading, which she has witnessed at an early age.

6. Bill O’Reilly ($24 million)

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Who would have thought that this 63-year old and bubbly guy, who is much known as a Fox News Host, would have more bucks out of his historical books? According to his biography, he served as a writer in his school newspaper at Marist College in New York, where he received his degree in history and after two years, he completed his Master of Arts degree in the field of journalism at Boston University. Hence, he also served as a columnist and a reporter in several local newspapers in Boston. So, we could see broadcasting and writing are two of the most important jobs that he loves the most, but he earned much when he focused himself in writing.

5. Jeff Kinney ($25 million)

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He is the youngest author millionaire on this list, and at his age, he has accomplished and exceeded the expectations of others who are ahead of him. Imagine, with his just two books, The Wimpy Kid and Dog Days, with the combined sold copies, it got $18.3 million already. He also received various awards like Kid’s Choice Award for Favorite Book, and Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award. It is pretty obvious which genre he is focused on with the awards that he got. His first frustration was really becoming a cartoonist, which he has humbly exemplified when he led their campus newspaper at the University of Maryland at College Park. He is also cited as one of the Most Influential People in Time Magazine.

4. John Grisham ($26 million)

Photo Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2012/0607/Name-that-character-in-John-Grisham-s-new-novel

He could have achieved this grandiose state of wealthy living because of his earnings from his writing job as a writer, but he came from a humble family where his parents were not even able to finish college. He might have shifted from different degrees thrice, but he was able to finish accounting, and became a tax lawyer. He also dreamt to become a baseball player, but his career turned into writing where he focused on what he knows, such as legal thriller, baseball, and crime fiction. Two of his best sellers are Calico Joe and also The Firm, but before entering the bandwagon of writing he was also an active politician and a lawyer.

3. Janet Evanovich ($33 million)

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No one and nothing can stop her from producing quality novels in the field of mystery, romance, and suspense. She’s been writing since 1987, and at her age, she still finds the energy to squeeze out more of her creative imagination, which proves that her age does not really matter in this field of work. She began writing short novels carrying the Steffie Hall pen name, but she made a name out of the modern mysteries which are in series that became best sellers in Amazon and New York Times. Her quest in writing started when she made a decision to be a stay-home mother to take care of her kids, she tried writing, but was never able to push through it. She tried improving her craft, until someone told her to try the romance genre, which she enjoyed after reading several romance novels. The rest became a history for her, and the humorous side that she had shown in most of her novels.

2. Stephen King ($39 million)

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His name is being echoed in four quarters of the earth because of his talent in writing, where he authored more than 50 books, and majority of which became best sellers. His passion in writing happened while studying in high school, but later started contributing at Dave’s Rag. His love in horror became a channel for him to write what he has watched, and share it to his friends. He even pursued Bachelor of Arts in English and finished it in 1970 at University of Maine. He was not able to work right away, so he decided to sell some short stories that he personally wrote to sustain himself and his daughter. Although prior to the peak of his writing career, he had faced serious personal problems, but starting in 1973, his success began. Some of his notable works are The Dark Tower, Carrie, It, the Stand, and among others. He also received various awards like Fantasy Award, Bram Stoker Award, and other distinguished recognitions.

1. James Patterson ($94 million)

Photo Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/authorinterviews/7052581/James-Patterson-interview.html

Majority of his earnings came from his occupation as an author, and he’s proud of that. He is expert in science fiction and thriller, and some of his notable works are Witch and Wizard Series, Maximum Ride, Daniel X series, Alex Cross Series, and others. He got several recognitions and awards as well including the Edgar Award, the Children’s Choice Book Award Author of the Year, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, and others. Although Stephen King described him as a terrible writer, but he has better earnings than Mr. King, but having 230 million total copies sold proved that he is way better than the prominent and respected author, Stephen King. He finished his education at Manhattan College and Vanderbilt University with the degree in English and Master of Arts in English.

10. Homeopathy

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According to Samuel Hahnemann back in 1796, you can be cured with the very substances that make you sick in the first place. This is the doctrine he used when he instituted Homeopathy in those days, which is still being implemented even today. What happens is that as your body is checked and analyzed, understanding what your sickness is, you are given pills in order to promote chemical balance into your body in getting rid of diseases that you feel. However, they prescribe you small amounts in order to make sure that your body adapts with whatever is being consumed. It is oftentimes used to cure stomach pains, allergies, and even asthma.

9. Ayurveda

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Ayurveda originated in India as a form of traditional medicine where the use of herbs, meditation, breathing, and diets in achieving a state of peace and balance, pretty much like Yoga, except that the methods used are different. The principle of Ayurveda centers on the sustenance of positive energy in the body, known as prana, which dictates the health state of a person. Meaning, if one has an unhealthy prana, then diseases easily creep into the system. It is used in different forms such as treating illnesses in the body, curing children, removal of substances that entered in the body, poison remedy, and more.

8. Hypnosis

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Even without much introduction, many people know of hypnosis as putting a person into a state of sleep and telling them certain commands that they would follow at will, surpassing choice and decision-making. Though it has flocked negative reactions from people, especially when it is being abused, hypnosis being used in treating people of various ailments have been proven helpful, aiding various physical and psychological challenges. When being utilized by medical professionals, hypnotherapy can help a person quit smoking, break addictive habits, manage weight, overcome fears, tolerate pain, perform well in sports, and so on, by providing instructions, suggestions, and directions that are to be given while the individual is in the sleep state. Since it taps the mind, it is advised that open-minded people should consider this mode of treatment.

7. Guided Imagery

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Guided imagery does not really use images in order to help people become healthy and well, but professionals using this alternative method of medicine are using words and descriptive language in order to guide patients in imaging different thoughts in their mind. Such practices actually help people in facing various personal problems, treating certain diseases, and could go as effective as treating certain cancers. The one who listens create an image in their mind, seeing that cure of their ailments are achieved through positivity and optimism, and following powerful directions in attaining better health.

6. Chiropractic

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Although this term may not sound familiar to you, Chiropractics is a form of alternative medicine that focuses in aligning and fixing bone joints such as the spinal column, the shoulders, and even the jaw in assuring overall health to its patients. This method of medicine is actually famous in countries in the United States, in Europe, and in Australia. Majority of those who resort in this activity are those that suffer from lower back pain. However, other ailments that can be treated include neck pain, whiplash, headaches, hypertension, vision problems, and more.

5. Yoga

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Thanks to Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda who has brought Yoga into the western world in the late 19^th century, people these days are enjoying the peace and harmony they find as they engage themselves in finding physical, mental, and spiritual balance as they control their breathing and as they stretch their arms, legs, and back to health and wellness. It has served well in Indian culture in attaining a state of spirituality being close to the gods, and people in these modern days use Yoga in tapping their inner selves. Reducing stress, improving blood circulation, working out for a healthy heart, and relaxing the back are some of the most popular benefits of undergoing this eastern form of workout.

4. Massage

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Famous to be one of the most talked about wellness activities everywhere in the world, a body massage is indeed healthy to those people who would like to rest and relax their tired bodies from everyday stressful activities and pursuits. It is so well-known that the Indians, Indonesians, Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Filipinos, and even the medical community have come up with customized massage styles depending on tools being used, areas to apply pressure on, methods of pressure application, territory where the massage is done, and so on. This has also been considered an alternative form of medicine as it can alleviate pain, increase blood circulation, promote proper digestion, and hasten muscle recovery.

3. Meditation

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As a free and personal form of alternative medicine, meditation is often done by people in order to relieve themselves of stress, problems at work, and improve their lives through retrospection, and soul-searching, while controlling their breathing to promote better lung health and a healthier mind. It is also the most accessible as it can be done anywhere, as long as the surrounding is suitable and peaceful. There are also reliable health sources stating that meditation can resolve ADHD, high blood pressure, anxiety, insomnia, and other mind-related problems.

2. Acupuncture

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Aside from being the most effective alternative medicine treatment in the world, acupuncture is also recognized to be one of the most ancient practices applied in modern times. Acupuncture is done through the use of very thin needles, and having them placed in one of the 400 points in the body that channels Chi, or human energy, in the body. Whenever an individual feels something, it is understood that such points are being blocked by negative energy, which is then addressed through pushing the needles in through the skin at the right place, letting the distributed energy flow for remedying the particular ailment. The World Health Organization is aware of this practice and supports the administration of it, as done by experts and professionals.

1. Herbal Medicine

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Herbal medicine simply involves the use of medicinal herbs, plants, even roots in addressing health concerns of patients. Even if pharmaceutical companies would not make the confession, almost all nutrients found in multivitamins, supplements, and other consumables have been extracted from plants of different sorts, where they even use fruits and other natural sources to produce nutrients that are needed by the body. Fish oil, vegetables, flowers, seeds, and even root crops or fruits have their share of addressing various ailments, depending on how these are being processed for healing and remedy. It is not only widely accepted in the United States, but in many places all over the world.

10. Mud Bowl

Photo Source: http://solneelman.photoshelter.com/image/I0000MGrDt5SB_oE

An annual sports event played in knee-deep mud, the Mud Bowl is a highly amusing sports event normally held at the Hog Coliseum in North Conway, N.H. This sport is also known as “the championships of mud football” and is commonly participated in by teams made up of clans and several grand marshals from New England. Families engage in zany games such as the Mud Bowl as part of their annual festivity called “The Tournament of Mud Parade.” Participants in this fun sports event join to raise money for local charities in New England, the most common of which are the North Conway Day Care, North Conway Community Centre and the Carroll County Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

9. World Urban Golf Day

Photo Source: http://om911.com/the-most-unusual-kinds-of-sport.html

Every year, 30 countries around the world participate in the World Urban Golf Day—an event that promotes Urban Golf as a sport. This international event is held in a “live aid” style of format and has been one of the most exciting street sports since its inception six years ago, especially in Australia. Australian golf enthusiasts participate in the annual Urban Golf Australia to raise thousands of dollars for several charities, particularly Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off the Streets Program. Normally, golfers who take the streets to take part in the annual World Urban Golf Day are clad in their fun golfing attires and bring with them their own pitching wedges and golf balls. Sometime in the past, however, a photographer spotted a woman who participated in the sports event and pitched a tennis ball, not a golf ball.

8. Summer Redneck Games

Photo Source: http://www.frogcitycheese.com/east-dublin-georgia-2010-summer-redneck-games/

Since its inception in 1996, the Summer Redneck Games has been an annual major event in East Dublin. For the last decade, about 95,000 individuals from the United States have been participating in the one-day event, which features a host of fun sports such as the Hubcap Hurl, the Bobbin’ for Pig’s Feet Fest and the Redneck Horseshoes. More than pleasurable and energy-sucking, the Summer Redneck Games is known for being among the dirtiest sports event to have ever been incepted, akin to Mud Bowl. Participants in the sports event under this banner enjoy a silly time adhering to the mechanisms of each sport for a prize, only to end up grimy. This photo features the mud pit belly flop, the highlight of the Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin.

7. Water Hockey

Photo Source: http://news.discovery.com/adventure/extreme-sports/slideshow-extremely-unusual-sports.htm

A non-contact sport that was invented in 1954 by four sporty individuals who sought to have a means to stay fit even during winter, underwater hockey is pretty much like ice hockey, except that players of this sport compete underwater. Underwater hockey players are grouped into two teams and compete against each other in maneuvering a puck across the bottom of a swimming pool until they arrive at their goals. The puck is a sports equipment made from vulcanized rubber and usually serves as a ball, especially in conditions when the use of a ball is unfeasible. This photo features four female divers trying to get hold of the puck during an Underwater Hockey event in America.

6. Cardboard Tube Fighting

Photo Source: http://www.wired.com/playbook/2012/05/cardboard-tube-fighting/

If one is to create a list of the oddest sports events that exist today, the Cardboard Tube events certainly won’t miss a spot. Every year, the Cardboard Tube Fighting League (CFTL) spearheads sports events that are based on cardboard tubes, of all sports equipment there are. The cardboard duelling event happens every year in several parts of the world, including San Francisco, California, Sydney, Australia and Seattle, Washington, above all. The cardboard tube events are held during summertime in public parks and encourage participants to crack down on fun over competition. This odd sports event was started by Robert Easley, who used to love hitting his enemies with cardboard tubes as a child. This photo features a cardboard tube duel in Seattle, where kids wrestle with one another just to win a customized cardboard tube.

5. Dodgeball

Photo Source: http://www.solneelman.com/blog/2010/05/13/grab-life-by-the-ball/

Dodgeball is a sport participated in by two teams whose fundamental objective is to throw large balls against their opponents without being hit by the balls their opponents throw to them. Typically, this sports event is played by kids 6-12 years of age, though it has evolved into a popular informal game played by people of all ages in not-so-formal recreational settings such as playgrounds and barren lands. The normal number of balls used in an episode of a dodgeball game is three. Sometime in the past, however, the largest dodgeball game, which featured larger than life figures, was held in Manhattan, USA. This photo features the most massive dodgeball game to have ever been held in history, featuring 600 balls and 712 players.

4. Dirty Dash

Photo Source: http://pdnphotooftheday.com/2012/12/17960

Dubbed as “the dirtiest race,” Dirty Dash is a race that lets people look at race events in a whole new dimension. It is a mud run obstacle course where, according to its organizers, “military boot camp meets your inner five-year fantasies.” Because of the backbreaking and grubby stunts involved in joining dirty dash, this all-fun event is said to transform boys into men, and men into swine. Participants, normally boys, race through a long, extremely dirty and exigent obstacle course until they finish the race stinking after dipping into a pit of mud. This photo features a woman who once joined the dirty dash, leading through a six-foot wall—one of the first hurdles in the course.

3. Outhouse Race

Photo Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/07/nyregion/07outhouse.html?_r=0

Every year, thousands of people come out to witness what is known today as the oddest sporting event in the upper Peninsula—the Outhouse Race. This race happens along the snow-covered Main Street and is held under changing themes every year. In this sports event, participants go on head-to-head races under different divisions, normally depending on their age and height. Watchers of this special festivity often shout out the names of their bets all throughout the competition, so it is always raucous right the way through the end. This photo features teams of male players who joined the amusing Outhouse Race in the Washington State.

2. Chessboxing

Photo Source: http://www.solneelman.com/blog/2011/07/04/the-king-of-chessboxing/

Considered as a hybrid sport that fuses chess and boxing in sporadic rounds, chess boxing is a not so popular sport that was introduced in 1992. Invented by French artist Enki Bilal in a comic book that he once wrote, chess boxing requires players to be good at playing both chess and boxing at the same time, as this can be won either way. For a specified period of time, both players box at the boxing rink, then go down the rink to play chess. The first real sports event of its kind was organized in 2003 in Denmark, until its thrill has become viral among the people of Berlin, Germany and London, United States. This odd photo features two players in their boxing attires, playing chess beside the rink following a round of boxing match. The sports event only ends once one of the players beats the other either through a knockout or a checkmate.

1. Tough Guy Competition

Photo Source: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/28/the-weird-world-of-sports/

Fondly known as the most taxing one-day survival ordeal in the world, the Tough Guy Competition is an extreme challenge that has never been finished by anyone since its first staging in 1987. Because of the tests involved in joining this arduous sports event, many people describe it as “the toughest race in the world.” It has been staged 25 times since 1987 and has suffered two fatalities throughout its history. The odd thing about this sport is that it is held during freezing winter conditions and involves a cross-country run and an “assault course.” This photo features the dirty participants of a Tough Guy Competition held in Staffordshire, England.