Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus. Answer: Introduction: Yes. The researcher clearly stated in the objectives that the aim of the systematic review was to examine and determine whether Vitamin D oral supplements alone or in combination with other vitamins or calcium and minerals improve neonatal and maternal outcomes when administered to women during their pregnancy (De-Regil et al., 2016). Previous studies provided evidence for occurrence of adverse effects among pregnant women who were deficient in Vitamin D (Burris et al., 2012). The use of Vitamin D as a nutritional supplement management has been widely accepted. Thus, the systematic review addressed a focused question in investigating the effects of vitamin D on pregnant and infant outcomes. Yes. The systematic review contacted the Trails Search Co-ordinator and searched for papers from the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Groups Trials Register. The register contained trial records which were identified from weekly searches of Embase and MEDLINE (Ovid), monthly searches of CINAHL and CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and proceedings from 30 journals that were hand searched (McGowan et al., 2016). All relevant research studies that illustrated the effects of Vitamin D supplementation on gestational and neonatal health were included in the review. Most of the studies were randomized controlled trials. Yes. The study intended to include all quasi-randomised and randomized trials at cluster or individual levels. However, only randomized controlled trials were available. The review did not include any observational designs such as case-control studies or cohort. Nor did it focus on cross-over trials for carrying out this meta-analysis. Any discussion that contained relevant information on interventions that focused on Vitamin D during pregnancy in women, irrespective of the gestation time, chronological age, fetus number or number of births were included. Yes. All the references that were included in the meta-analysis after rigorously searching the electronic database management were independently assessed by two authors of the research. Duplicate analysis was conducted for all the selected papers. Disagreements were resolved through discussion between the two authors. At times, consultation of a third author was asked for, as well to resolve differences that arose while including the papers. The authors of certain studies that had been published only in the form of abstracts were contacted to procure more information on the design and results of the study. Similar procedure was followed for those reports that had less information on the methodology. Thus, all potentially eligible studies were screened and included. The results and data analysis of most of the studies were combined based on the primary and secondary outcomes they reported. The data analysis of the studies was grouped according to the outcomes on which they showed the effect of vitamin D supplementation. The results were combined into the groups that showed the effect of vitamin D pre-eclampsia on women, gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preterm birth, infant underweight, neonatal death and many other parameters (Asemi et al., 2012). It was completely reasonable to combine the statistical results from the studies that were selected to give a broader understanding of the efficacy of Vitamin D intervention among pregnant women and infants. This review evaluated the effects of vitamin D supplementation either alone or in combination with other vitamins, calcium and minerals during pregnancy. It included 15 small trials that involved 2833 women. 9 of those trials compared effect of vitamin D intervention alone versus placebo or no treatment and 6 trials compared its effects in combination with calcium in comparison with no intervention. The effects of vitamin D and calcium were not compared with calcium or other micronutrients among the target population in comparison with the group that received no intervention or a placebo (Asemi et al., 2012) (Brooke et al., 1980). Women, who received daily supplements of oral vitamin D during their pregnancy, reported significantly greater concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D at the end of their gestation period. However, their response to Vitamin D supplementation was heterogeneous. No statistically significant differences were observed for the risk of pre-eclampsia. However, two st udies reported a low risk of pre-aclampsia mong women who were on Vitamin D intervention. Reduction in pre-eclampsia risks was statistically significant among women who received vitamin D supplementation along with calcium (Marya, Rathee Manrow, 1987). Moreover, the rates of preterm births and low birth weights showed a reduction in 3 trials and 4 trials respectively where women were on Vitamin D supplementation. In addition, the intervention demonstrated a longer birth length (4 trials) and greater head circumference among infants who were born to women, subjected to the intervention during their pregnancy (Marya, Rathee Manrow, 1987) (Sablok et al., 2015). Birth weight differences were not seen between placebo and no intervention group with respect to supplemented groups. However, vitamin D supplementation in combination with calcium increased the risk of preterm birth significantly in 3 trials (Diogenes et al., 2013) (TAHERIAN, Taherian Shirvani, 2002) (Asemi et al., 2012). Adverse effects were reported by only few trials. 1 trial demonstrated the incidence of nephritic syndrome in a woman who was not under intervention. Effects of oral Vitamin D supplementation alone when compared to no intervention or placebo showed borderline statistical significance with respect to pre-eclampsia (average risk ratio (RR) 0.52; 8.9% versus 15.5%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25-1.05), no clear difference in incidence of gestational diabetes (RR 0.43; 95% CI 0.05-3.45) and highly heterogeneous response to maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations (I = 99%, Tau = 554.9 and Chi test for heterogeneity P 0.00001) (Sablok et al., 2015) (Grant, 2010). It ranged from 16.3 nmol/l (95% CI 13.6-19.0) to 152 nmol/l of 25- hydroxyvitamin D (95% CI 127-177) (Mallet 1986) (Brooke 1980). No statistically significant risks were found associated with the intervention and risk of nephritic syndrome among pregnant women (RR 0.17; 95% CI 0.01 to 4.06). A lower risk of preterm births (average RR 0.36; 3.3% versus 9.9%; 95% CI 0.14-0.93) and less frequent birth weight below 2500gm was recorded from the analysis (average RR 0.40; 9.2 % versus 19.6%; 95% CI 0.24-0.67). Neonatal death did not show any clear difference (RR 0.27; 95% CI 0.04 to 1.67). Supplementation of Vitamin D along with other minerals and calcium showed less occurrence of pre-eclampsia (5% versus 9%; average RR 0.51; 95% CI 0.32 to 0.80) (Marya, Rathee Manrow, 1987). No clear evidence was found for the effects of the intervention on gestational diabetes (RR 0.33; 95%CI 0.01 to 7.84), 25- hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and low birth weight. Preterm births were showed more likelihood to occur before 37 weeks among women who received the intervention (RR 1.57; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.43; low quality) (Asemi et al., 2012) (TAHERIAN, Taherian Shirvani, 2002). No statistically significant differences were observed in gestational hypertension risks (RR 0.26; 95% CI 0.06 to 1.12). Therefore, it can be stated that the results were quite precise. Cant tell. The effects of Vitamin D supplementation, alone or in combination with calcium or other minerals have shown improvements in increase length, pre-eclampsia and circumference of the head at birth. However, before the interventions can be applied to all populations as a part of routine care procedure to improve infant and maternal health outcomes, there is a need to confirm the effects by a detailed analysis of many more randomized trials (Pludowski et al., 2013). Definite conclusions on the safety and usefulness of the intervention in all population cannot be drawn from the results. No. The effects of an increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration on improved infant and maternal outcomes in different populations that have different degrees of skin pigmentation, body mass index and settings were not measured (Pludowski et al., 2013). Furthermore, the effects of vitamin D supplementation among women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes or greater risk of pre-eclampsia were not assessed. Overdose of vitamin D supplementation can lead to several harmful effects such as hypercalciuria, hypercalcemia, delayed ossification, growth restriction and craniofacial hypoplasia (Vanstone et al., 2012) (Schroth et al., 2014). Thus, adequate information on effective and safe usage of the supplement and the probable toxic effects should be considered before applying the intervention. From the critically analyzed study, I developed the idea that maintaining maternal and infant health safety should be my utmost priority. I need to develop competence and clinical skills to create a sense of trust among pregnant women under my care. I need to make them realize that they are safe in my hands and I will adopt all possible methods to ensure safety of their child (Noseworthy et al., 2013). I will develop knowledge on the prevalence of Vitamin D insufficiency among women and the adverse effects it can create on maternal and infant health outcomes. I will try to develop my communication skills and gain knowledge from the patient on their Vitamin D consumption rates. I will make them aware of the necessity of the supplement for proper growth of the fetus. I will seek help of experienced midwives to learn the effective dosage and timing of vitamin D administration among pregnant women who have been admitted. A knowledgeable and competent midwife will help me identify the dif ferent approaches that I need to develop while dealing with women who show deficiency of Vitamin D in their diet. Showing empathy towards them would enhance in building a rapport with the women and their families (Doust, 2016). That would provide them support if any adverse incidents of stillborn child occur (Ayers, 2014). Thus, from the above reflections I conclude that I will display clinical excellence while caring for pregnant women and would administer Vitamin D supplements by considering the effectiveness of the drug dosage and timing to prevent occurrence of any untoward incident. References Asemi, Z., Tabassi, Z., Heidarzadeh, Z., Khorammian, H., Sabihi, S. S., Samimi, M. (2012). Effect of calcium-vitamin D supplementation on metabolic profiles in pregnant women at risk for pre-eclampsia: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.Pakistan journal of biological sciences: PJBS,15(7), 316-324. Ayers, S. (2014). Fear of childbirth, postnatal post-traumatic stress disorder and midwifery care.Midwifery,30(2), 145-148. Brooke, O. G., Brown, I. R., Bone, C. D., Carter, N. D., Cleeve, H. J., Maxwell, J. D., ... Winder, S. M. (1980). Vitamin D supplements in pregnant Asian women: effects on calcium status and fetal growth.Br Med J,280(6216), 751-754. Burris, H. H., Rifas-Shiman, S. L., Kleinman, K., Litonjua, A. A., Huh, S. Y., Rich-Edwards, J. W., ... Gillman, M. W. (2012). Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus.American journal of obstetrics and gynecology,207(3), 182-e1. De-Regil, L. M., Palacios, C., Lombardo, L. K., Pea-Rosas, J. P. (2016). Vitamin D supplementation for women during pregnancy.Sao Paulo Medical Journal,134(3), 274-275. Diogenes, M. E. L., Bezerra, F. F., Rezende, E. P., Taveira, M. F., Pinhal, I., Donangelo, C. M. (2013). Effect of calcium plus vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy in Brazilian adolescent mothers: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.The American journal of clinical nutrition,98(1), 82-91. Doust, J. (2016). Young women midwifery care: A community engagement.Australian Midwifery News,16(1), 26. Grant C. (2010) Randomised placebo controlled study of vitamin D during pregnancy and infancy. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Register [www.anzctr.org.au] (accessed 17 August 2010). Mallet, E., Ggi, B., Brunelle, P., Henocq, A., Basuyau, J. P., Lemeur, H. (1986). Vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy: a controlled trial of two methods.Obstetrics Gynecology,68(3), 300-304. Marya, R. K., Rathee, S., Manrow, M. (1987). Effect of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on toxaemia of pregnancy.Gynecologic and obstetric investigation,24(1), 38-42. McGowan, J., Sampson, M., Salzwedel, D. M., Cogo, E., Foerster, V., Lefebvre, C. (2016). PRESS peer review of electronic search strategies: 2015 guideline statement.Journal of clinical epidemiology,75, 40-46. Noseworthy, D. A., Phibbs, S. R., Benn, C. A. (2013). Towards a relational model of decision-making management in midwifery care.Midwifery,29(7), e42-e48. Pludowski, P., Holick, M. F., Pilz, S., Wagner, C. L., Hollis, B. W., Grant, W. B., ... Soni, M. (2013). Vitamin D effects on musculoskeletal health, immunity, autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fertility, pregnancy, dementia and mortalitya review of recent evidence.Autoimmunity reviews,12(10), 976-989. P?udowski, P., Karczmarewicz, E., Bayer, M., Carter, G., Chlebna-Sok?, D., Czech-Kowalska, J., ... G?uszko, P. (2013). Practical guidelines for the supplementation of vitamin D and the treatment of deficits in Central Europerecommended vitamin D intakes in the general population and groups at risk of vitamin D deficiency.Endokrynologia Polska,64(4), 319-327. Sablok, A., Batra, A., Thariani, K., Batra, A., Bharti, R., Aggarwal, A. R., ... Chellani, H. (2015). Supplementation of vitamin D in pregnancy and its correlation with feto?maternal outcome.Clinical endocrinology,83(4), 536-541. Schroth, R. J., Lavelle, C., Tate, R., Bruce, S., Billings, R. J., Moffatt, M. E. (2014). Prenatal vitamin D and dental caries in infants.Pediatrics,133(5), e1277-e1284. TAHERIAN, A. A., Taherian, A., Shirvani, A. (2002). Prevention of preeclampsia with low-dose aspirin or calcium supplementation. Vanstone, M. B., Oberfield, S. E., Shader, L., Ardeshirpour, L., Carpenter, T. O. (2012). Hypercalcemia in children receiving pharmacologic doses of vitamin D.Pediatrics,129(4), e1060-e1063.

Matchmaker Essays - English-language Films, Hello, Dolly!

Matchmaker Characters The Matchmaker has four main characters Mrs. Dolly Levi, Mr. Horace Vandergelder, Cornelius Hackl, and Mrs. Irene Molloy. Each character has his or her own personality, but one thing that each character has in common is that they want some type of adventure or change in their life. How they go about these changes they each do differently. Mrs. Dolly Levi is a lady who likes to get what she wants. She has ambitions and likes to live life to its fullist. These are all positive characteristics about Mrs. Levi. It is how she goes about getting what she wants that makes her a interesting character. Mrs. Levi enjoys getting into other peoples business and telling them how to conduct their lives. Even though that fits her job description as a matchmaker, she goes about doing it in a very manipulitive way. I, Mrs. Dolly Levi, intend to make the most of my life. I want to spend lots of money and enjoy doing it. I want to marry Mr. Vandergelder and I will lie and cheat in order to do so. Without money I am not happy and I want to be happy, that is why I will marry Mr. Vandergelder. I think that Mr. Vandergelder is a nice old man on the inside once you get past his grumpy facade. He needs a little excitement in his life and I will give it to him. Mr. Horace Vandergelder is a stingy, cruel and miserable old man. He wants things done his way or no way at all. If things are not the way he wants them they are wrong and "foolish". Horace has all this money and has nothing to spend it on. He just wants to control his nieces life. For the first time it seems, in this play, he realizes he may want to take a little risk in his life. I, Mr. Horace Vandergelder, want to get married. I am willing to take the first risk that I have taken in a long time and get married. I need a little bit of order in my house and that is what a wife will do for me. I like Mrs. Levi, mainly because I am paying her to find a suitible wife for me. I love my niece Ermengarde but she is a fool for wanting to marry Ambrose, a man with no money. I do not understand why she would want to marry a poor artist. Cornelius Hackl is a very spontaneous character who is the most willing to take large risks in his life. He is now thirty-three and realizes that his life is not moving as fast as he would like for it to. This is why he chose to go to New York and do something about it and it sure paid off for him. Cornelius is a leader and not afraid to take chances. He feels a great need for adventure in his life and takes Barnaby with him. I, Cornelius, am getting too old to have the same position that I have had at work for so long now. I feel that I need a change in my life, an adventure. Even if I need to risk everything I have, which is not much, I am willing to do it to get something more out of my life. I am really fed up with Mr. Vandergelder always bossing me around and never showing me any gratification for it. He does not appreciate anything that I have ever done for him. Barnaby is one of my best friends and it is my responsibility to show him how to have a good time and make life a little adventerous. Mrs. Molloy is the kind of women that I have always wanted, I dream about marrying her. Mrs. Irene Molloy, is another character who is searching for some kind of adventure in her life. Mrs. Molloy, like Mr. Vandergelder, is looking to get married. She says she wants to marry a husband who will have good fights with her. Mrs. Molloy despite having strange views on marriage is a very nice lady who was willing to help Barnaby and Cornelius when they were in trouble. I, Mrs. Irene Molloy, want to find a man for marriage. I do not care if I love the man or not. All that I want right now is to get out of the millinery business. I believe that all millineries are seen as wicked women

75th Percentile SAT Scores

An Explanation of 25th / 75th Percentile SAT Scores Much of the SAT data on this site and elsewhere on the web show SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of matriculated students. But what exactly do these numbers mean, and why dont colleges present SAT data for the full range of scores? Key Takeaways: SAT Percentiles The 25th and 75th percentiles mark the boundaries for the middle 50% of admitted students. Half of students scored above or below these numbers.Having a score above the 75th percentile does not guarantee admission. Grades, essays, and other factors are important parts of the equation.Having a score below the 25th percentile does not mean you should not apply. Just be sure you consider the school a reach. How to Interpret 25th and 75th Percentile SAT Score Data Consider a college profile that presents the following SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentiles: SAT Critical Reading: 500 / 610SAT Math: 520 / 620SAT Writing: 490 / 600 The lower number is for the 25th percentile of students who  enrolled in (not just applied to) the college. For the school above, 25% of enrolled students received a math score of 520 or lower. The upper number is for the 75th percentile of students who enrolled in the college. For the above example, 75% of enrolled students got a math score of 620 or lower (looked at another way, 25% of students got above a 620). For the school above, if you have an SAT math score of 640, you would be in the top 25% of applicants for that one measure. If you have a math score of 500, you are in the bottom 25% of applicants for that measure. Being in the bottom 25% is obviously not ideal, and your admissions chances will be lessened, but you still have a chance of getting in. Assuming the school has holistic admissions, factors such as strong letters of recommendation, a winning application essay, and meaningful extracurricular activities can all help compensate for less-than-ideal SAT scores. Most important of all is a strong academic record. Numerous studies have shown that high school grades are a better predictor of college success than standardized test scores. What the SAT Numbers Mean for You Understanding these numbers is important when you plan how many colleges to apply to, and when you figure out which schools are a reach, a match, or a safety. If your scores are below the 25th percentile numbers, you should consider the school a reach even if other parts of your application are strong. Note that this does not mean you wont get in- remember that 25% of students who enroll have a score that is at or below that lower number. However, when your scores are on the low end for admitted students, youll have an uphill fight to win admission. Because SAT scores still play a significant role in the admissions process for the majority of selective colleges and universities, youll want to do all you can to get the best scores possible. This may mean taking the SAT more than once, often at the end of junior year and again at the beginning of senior year. If your junior year scores arent what you had hoped for, you can use the summer to take practice tests and learn test-taking strategies. Fortunately, with the redesigned SAT, preparing for the exam focuses much more on learning skills that will help you in school than memorizing obscure vocabulary words. SAT Score Comparison Tables If youre interested in  seeing what the 25th and 75th percentile scores are for some of the countrys most prestigious and selective  colleges, check out these articles: Ivy League | top universities | top liberal arts | top engineering | more top liberal arts | top public universities | top public liberal arts colleges | University of California campuses | Cal State campuses | SUNY campuses | more SAT tables Keep in mind that many of these tables focus on the countrys most selective schools, so youll see a lot of schools for which SAT scores up in the 700s are the norm. Realize that these schools are the exceptions, not the rule. If your scores are in the 400 or 500 range, youll still find plenty of good choice. Options for Students with Low SAT Scores And if your SAT scores arent what youd like, be sure to explore some of these excellent colleges where the SAT doesnt carry much weight: 20 Great Colleges for Students with Low ScoresColleges that dont require SAT scores Hundreds of colleges have joined the test-optional movement, so if you have good grades but simply dont perform well on the SAT, you still have lots of excellent options for college. Even at some top schools like Bowdoin College, College of the Holy Cross, and Wake Forest University, youll be able to apply without submitting SAT scores.

Sociology of Health and Illness

Sociology of Health and Illness The sociology of health and illness studies the interaction between society and health. In particular, sociologists examine how social life impacts morbidity and mortality rates and how morbidity and mortality rates impact society. This discipline also looks at health and illness in relation to social institutions such as the family, work, school, and religion as well as the causes of disease and illness, reasons for seeking particular types of care, and patient compliance and noncompliance. Health, or lack of health, was once merely attributed to biological or natural conditions. Sociologists have demonstrated that the spread of diseases is heavily influenced by the socioeconomic status of individuals, ethnic traditions or beliefs, and other cultural factors. Where medical research might gather statistics on a disease, a sociological perspective of an illness would provide insight on what external factors caused the demographics who contracted the disease to become ill. The sociology of health and illness requires a global approach of analysis because the influence of societal factors varies throughout the world. Diseases are examined and compared based on the traditional medicine, economics, religion, and culture that is specific to each region. For example, HIV/AIDS serves as a common basis of comparison among regions. While it is extremely problematic in certain areas, in others it has affected a relatively small percentage of the population. Sociological factors can help to explain why these discrepancies exist. There are obvious differences in patterns of health and illness across societies, over time, and within particular society types. There has historically been a long-term decline in mortality within industrialized societies, and on average, life-expectancies are considerably higher in developed, rather than developing or undeveloped, societies. Patterns of global change in health care systems make it more imperative than ever to research and comprehend the sociology of health and illness. Continuous changes in the economy, therapy, technology, and insurance can affect the way individual communities view and respond to the medical care available. These rapid fluctuations cause the issue of health and illness within social life to be very dynamic in the definition. Advancing information is vital because as patterns evolve, the study of the sociology of health and illness constantly needs to be updated. The sociology of health and illness is not to be confused with medical sociology, which focuses on medical institutions such as hospitals, clinics, and physician offices as well as the interactions among physicians. Resources White, K. An Introduction to the Sociology of Health and Illness. SAGE Publishing, 2002. Conrad, P. The Sociology of Health and Illness: Critical Perspectives. Macmillan Publishers, 2008.

Evidence Based Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evidence Based Practice - Essay Example The society expects the public to provide the highest quality of health care for individuals with smallest costs. Nurses need to have clinical information and use their expertise in analyzing it. Analysis of the information is crucial because of its application to the clinical practice. Evidence-based Method involves the practice where nurses use their knowledge to make the decision based on research facts (Jeffs et al., 2013). The nurses use clinical experience to manage and take care of patients. Evidence-based Method works best because there is sufficient evidence of the publication on nursing topics. Nurses should have the ability to access and scrutinize the research of a particular topic (Jeffs et al., 2013). There is anticipation from the society for hospitals to have access to printed health journals. Evidence-based Method is crucial in the modern health care because it creates the atmosphere for nurses to provide care for patients. It is important for the incorporation of the best research with clinical knowledge. The approach also provides the nurses with quality health outcomes. The evidence-based approach gives nurses confidence to use their knowledge of basic principles for the provision of appropriate health care to patients. The nurses should offer suitable health care and manage their patients. All the nurses should have full-time access to up to date evidence to sustain the best practices. Nurses have to stick to their morals and ethics when applying evidence-based Method in their day-to-day activities. Nurses have a strong culture of providing excellent health care to the patients, and they should maintain the culture. Incorporation of evidence-based practices into the education system is important to the nursing sector. It leads to the development of a system that will help nurses manage their patients. The

Violence in the workplace(hospital nursing department)plan of action Essay

Violence in the workplace(hospital nursing department)plan of action - Essay Example The proposed program to respond to the issue of workplace violence in nursing, workshop will be conducted among the nursing staff. There are four main components of the interventions: assessment, program development, implementation and evaluation. The whole program will consist of three months for assessment and dry runs, twelve sessions during a period of six months and three months for the evaluation of the program. Successful outcomes for the intervention will be established at 50% decrease in reported cases of violent behavior among nursing staff and satisfaction rating of 75% from participants. Assessment will determine were conflicts or violence occurs between nursing staff. The dry-runs will be evaluated as they are completed and will serve as reinforcement to workshop strategies. The program development will involve nursing managers, human resource development consultants and staff representatives. The implementation of the programs will be initiated with a series of three work shop sessions with eight to ten participants. Participants will be chosen at random among the population defined as most vulnerable or susceptible to conflicts that led to violence. The issue of violence either against or by nursing professionals has a considerable impact to society not just health care. Current legislation emphasizes the responsibility of administrators and managers to create safe and secure working environments. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (2002), the safety and well-being of nursing professionals directly affects the quality, delivery and value of health services. Though the workplace safety statutes have been in place to address the issue in the industry, the NIOSH (2002) saw it fit to develop specific legislation for the nursing profession in consideration of th professional exposure to risk, stress and violence. Case in point:

The differences between Christianity and Buddhism Essay Example for Free

The differences between Christianity and Buddhism Essay Basic Belief Systems Buddhism is different from Christianity in many ways. The Christian founder, Jesus Christ was the Son of The Father, God, while the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama was a normal human being, who achieved enlightenment through meditation and later on was referred to as The Buddha(The Awakened). This brings us to the first major difference, the existence of the supernatural. While Buddhism does not completely reject the Hinduism Gods, it does not see them necessary. At the same time, Christianity has its one and only God, who comes in three faces, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. Christian meditations are also very different from Buddhism ones, while Christians have an open minded meditations, where the mind can wonder off freely, Buddhists have a closed ends meditations, in which there is only one goal to the meditation and your thoughts are limited to concentrate only on certain things. The perception of life differs very much in two religions. Buddhists state that Life Is Dukka, life is pain and suffering, while Christians treasure life in every way, and believe that life is the most important thing that God gave us. These are the major differences between the two religions belief systems. Main Rituals and Symbols While both religions use their own rituals and symbols, these are very different from each other. Christianity uses symbols such as the Crucifix, Icons, statues, etc, the Buddhism followers are more used to symbols like The Dharma wheel, The victory banner, The knot of eternity, The conch shell, The lotus, The vase, The fish and The umbrella, which are The Eight Auspicious Signs. Christians usually use these signs during their ceremonies and processions, while Buddhists apply the signs in their life, or during meditation and study. The Christian rituals include the celebration of Christmas, Easter, Sunday Masses and other similar rituals and ceremonies, and Buddhists have their rituals too. They include Offering of Light, Offering of Flowers and Offering of Incense. All these offerings are presented to Buddhas statues to show that people still follow his teachings. This would be strictly prohibited by any real Christian religion,  as it involves creating idols, and is prohibited by the Bibles Ten Commandments. Chanting verses on the Buddhas Teachings is believed to give protection to those who listen to them., which is different from Christian chanting which is only used in Masses and are simply used to praise The Lord, All-mighty. Sacred Texts The sacred texts of Buddhism and Christianity do not have much in common. The Christian main book, the Bible consists of passages and chapters written before and after Jesus death. It consists of two main parts, the Old Testament, and the New Testament. The Buddhists sacred text is called the Pali Canon, which consists of three groups of discourses, called the Tripitaka, which consists of Sutra saying of Buddha, Vinya discipline of the brotherhood and Abidharma a set of creeds based on essential teachings. The canon includes poetry and prose, Buddhas conversations with others and myths about the life of Buddha. While the Bible teaches us the words of God, the teachings of Christ, talks about the Afterlife and Creation, The Pali Canon simply talks about Buddhas life, what he did, his thoughts, and reminds me more of a Biography, rather then a sacred text of a religion. There are other sacred texts including stories, myths and teachings of Buddhas disciples, but those are not considered as major and important as the Pali Canon. Christianity concentrates on The Bible more then any other minor sacred texts, while Buddhism considers all the minor texts as important as each other. The Christian Religion answers all the lifes fundamental questions. If you search within Christianity, you will be able to find answers to questions like what is the meaning of life and how the world was created and why and is there life after death? Buddhism does not give these answers, it concentrates more on self-perfection of the soul and achieving awakening, only then one can understand the mysteries of the universe, but not many can achieve this, while in Christianity all and everyone is able to find answers to these questions. Christians believe that God created the world, he created hell and heaven, the two places where a human soul will spend its  afterlife. Some believe that the meaning of life is for God to decide whether a person was good or bad and where will he end up, some think its is simply to help others during our lives. While no-one knows the right answer to these fundamental questions for sure, we may speculate or try to understand the Bible more closely to fin d the answers we seek. The main difference between Buddhism and Christianity in these questions is that Buddhists believe in reincarnation, where a humans soul will be reborn in a different body after death, and this process is only stopped by reaching Nirvana, a stage of complete enlightenment. Christians however believe that after death, the human soul will travel and be judged and either sent to Heaven, closer to God, or Hell, where Satan is. It is believed that Buddha achieved Nirvana, and therefore will not be reborn again, although some believe that Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of Buddha, but their numbers are few. The teachings of Buddha help Buddhists understand their purpose in life, to achieve Nirvana, enlightenment. This is achieved through deep meditation and self control, including self-denial. Meditation performs an important role in achieving Nirvana. Buddhist monks sometimes go and spend years living by themselves and meditating for most of their time, believing that such deep devotion will help them reach enlightenment and perfection. Some strive to become Buddha themselves, this is achievable through attaining enlightenment on their own, without the help of anyone else. This is considered the highest stage of awakening, and these Buddha are then allowed to go and teach others, and become spiritual leaders. It is obvious that both religions help individuals to answer lifes fundamental questions, and one cannot say for sure, which one helps more or is more right, everyone chooses for themselves, but Christianity is closer to me, and that is the path I choose to walk upon.