Understanding Osteoarthritis

Photo source : CV Technologies Inc

I heard of this word last night at the hospital. Apparently osteoarthritis is a condition that affects mostly elderly people. It occurs when the cartilage that surrounds the joint area becomes frayed and in some instances, becomes completely worn away from age, years of use or injury. Without the cartilage, which acts as cushion for the joint, the bones will rub together, causing pain, swelling and possible loss of mobility.

And that was probably what happened to my mum yesterday morning in the hospital. She was checked in the hospital the 3rd time since she was first admitted in August. On Monday, she was admitted for the 3 round of endoscopy to ensure that the bandings have worked and there were no more new lesions. She was scheduled to do it on Tuesday morning but when she woke up in the morning, there was no water at the toilet at her end of the ward. So, she was asked to walk over to the other end of floor. Apparently she could not sleep the night before and having "sea-legs" and coupled with the fact that she has terribly weak knees (have been complaining about knee joints pain since a while back), she fell in the toilet. When my brother arrived at the hospital, he found her bed empty. As he walked out of her ward, found her hobbling back with blood streaming out of her face. Man, that really gave him a fright. SMSed me and the other brother. My 2nd brother went to see mum at the hospital during lunch. I was stuck at work :(

Apparently osteoarthritis is common among older people, it does not discriminate of age groups, sex and geographic areas. Regular symptoms of osteoarthritis includes the following:-

• joint soreness after periods of inactivity or even overuse
• morning stiffness that usually does not last more than 30 minutes
• swollen joints and accummulation of join fluid
• pain from weakend muscles surrounding the joing
• decline in coordination, posture and movement due to pain and stiffness
  

The usual treatment for osteoarthritis normally involves therapy to strengthen the muscles through exercise, application of hot and cold compresses on the painful join, oral medications, use of supportive devices such as crutches and weight controls.

Surgery, such as joint replacement surgery or arthroplasty, can be an option to consider for those experiencing severe pain, joint damange and very limited mobility.

However, I am likely to start mum on an alternative therapy, which includes chiropractic therapy and vitamins such as C and E and also glucosamine. According to a friend of mine, glucosamine is a nutritional building block required in the formation and repair of cartilage. Although naturally occurring, the level of glucosamine production in the body decreases with age. The higher the level of glucosamine, the faster the rate of cartilage formation. Studies have shown that glucosamine was able to provide pain relief similar to that of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and aspirin for people with mild to moderate oeteoarthritis.

Glucosamine is extracted from crustacean shells like crab, lobster and shrimp. Read more at wiki. But there is also glucosamine to avoid. Read more here. Meanwhile, I will check with the nutritionist at the hospital for more information. If you need more information on this, let me know.

Mum before her fall and yesterday after her fall at the hospital.

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Beware! If You Like Ramen

These pictures were from a email which I received from a friend, and just as I have finished a bowl of home cooked Japanese Ramen at home. When I first read the title of the email, I was a little bit skeptical about the truth in that email. But after looking at the photos, it reminded me of an incident long time ago when a local "low shui fun" noodles factory in my country made the noodles yummy by adding boric acid. Anything to make the noodles yummier and tastier.

Anyway, have a look at the pictures which were sent to me and the text and decide for yourself as to whether this could be fact or not.

There is a restaurant located in Fushan, China serving very popular Lanzhou Ra-Mien (noodle) with daily sales of 700-1200 bowls.

According to the boss, to make such "nice" noodles, some chemical tenderizer have been added during the mixing process. All Lanzhoa Ra-mien contains this chemical.



This chemical is packed in two different packaging. RM3 for the white and RM5 for the blue.


If you could read Chinese, you may be able to tell what is in the contents of the packets.


The function of the chemical is to tenderize and improve the elasticity/softness of the noodles

Experiments were conducted with this chemical in a paper cup and you will see the damages it caused.



On the 2nd day, the chemical has seeped out through the paper cup and caused damage to the floor.

After washing the floor, this was left


The damaging effect was still visible after a long time.

I reckon that if one were to ingest this chemical continuously, problems will arise. But before you throw out all your bags of noodles, perhaps you ought to do a little bit more research first.

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A Fart A Day, Keeps Your High Blood Pressure At Bay

Do you agree that everyone learns something new everyday? That is what exactly happened to do me. I never knew that farting (excuse me) could possibly save my life :D.

I read an article today at the Live Science blog which reported that the smelly rotten-egg gas in farts controls blood pressure in mice. This unpleasant aroma of the gas, called hydrogen sulfide is actually expelled by the bacteria living in the human colon.


The article further goes on to read “Now that we know hydrogen sulfide’s role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension,” said Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., a co-author of the study detailed in the Oct. 24th issue of the journal Science.

To read more, click here.

So, how to make us fart more? Haha .. if you find this post rather disgusting, please force yourself to read on. It might save your life. And more importantly, it will make you more tolerant to those who needs to fart for their good health..haha.

Apparently all humans, as long as they eat and drink, are likely to fart. Some more discretely, some are proud to do it aloud and admits to it. Sometimes, there is no ordour but we now know that these are not very healthy farts. Healthy farts must be those fragrant ones, as they can only be produced by the colonies of bacteria in our intestinal tracts. To be most effective in creating large amounts of these "fragrant" gas emissions, one should take more sugary products.

This is extracted also from the Live Science blog. Read on my friends :)

Although the gaseous response of bacteria to food differs from person to person (as every one has a unique collection of their own), the biggest gas-generating ingredients are sugars, especially the following four:

• Fructose – A natural ingredient in plants like onions, corn, wheat and even pears. It's often concentrated into a sugary syrup for soft drinks and fruit drinks.

• Lactose – Milk's sweet natural ingredient, also added to foods like bread and cereal. Some people are born with low levels of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, a fact that inflates their gassy susceptibility.

• Raffinose – The secret gassy ingredient in beans, which is also found in broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, asparagus and other vegetables. Products like Beano, designed to reduce gas production, break down the sugar before it can reach eager intestinal bacteria.

• Sorbitol – Found in almost all fruits, this indigestible sugar is also used as an artificial sweetener in "diet" and sugar-free foods. Yes, sugar-free gum, candy, soda and anything else deceptively sweet can cause gas.

Other fart-forming ingredients include fiber and starches found in foods like corn, potatoes and wheat. While fats and protein don't cause gas, they can make a meal take longer to digest—and give bacteria more time to generate gas from other ingredients.

Just about the only food that doesn't give us gas? Rice.

Fighting flatulence takes trial and error to figure out which foods excite your intestinal friends and cutting back on them. As a general rule, taking anti-gas products like alpha-galactosidase (Beano) or lactase enzyme (Lactaid) with problematic foods can curb some flatulence—simethicone (Gas-X) only helps relieve bloating by passing gas faster.

FART for HEALTH! my friends hahaha

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Eating Well for Heart Health

I spent dinner with a friend last evening and amongst some of the topics we talked about was Heart Health. I should know as my dad passed on, due to heart failure. It was not a heart attack. His heart just could take the load anymore, it just gave up.

My friend gave me some reading materials, which he happened to have with him and the first paragraph read " Heart Disease affects about 9million adults, killing one every 37 seconds in the US. It is the number 1 killer in Malaysia and number 2 killer in Singapore. What research has shown is that 90 percent of heart diseases can be prevented by changing one's diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight and not smoking.

Currently, I am working on a personal project in collaboration with a few people to come out with a 3 prong approach to a better health, maintaining a desired weight and fat levels without having to starve (I for one love food to much to ever want to give up on eating all those yummilicious foods), with an exercise routine that you can incorporate into your daily life (without having to pay fees to join a club, if you don't want to or have the extra money to throw away) and an overall good health program.

These are just a few things to think about in the mean time.

1. Carbohydrates is something you need, in order to ensure a balance diet. But you can choose whole grains instead of refined ones. Whole grains such as brown rice, wheat, whole-wheat pastas contains more fibre which slows the conversion of starch to glucose and fats. Desserts and pastries which are normally made of refined flour often contain a lot of hidden fats and unwanted sugar.

2. Saturated Fats vs Unsaturated Fats. Saturated fats leads to plaque buildups in the arteries. Cut down on butter, sour cream, margarine, fatty meats. Instead go for olive oil or canola oil which contains healthy monounsaturated fats.

3. High quality proteins. These provides the essential amino acids necessary for a healthy heart. Natural protein comes in the form of soy, legumes and marine fish.

4. Vegetables and Fruits. Eat vegetables and fruits in as many color as you can. These color vegetables and fruits are a natural source of phytonutrients that neutralizes free radicals in our bodies and prevents premature aging of the heart, the arteries and the cells.

5. Supplements. In our fast paced lives, we will find it hard sometimes to have all the necessary food types to ensure a balanced diet, which is essential to maintain a healthy and fit body. Supplements like fish oil and vitamins as red yeast rice, omega-3 fatty acids and multivitamins do provide valuable benefits for lowering cholesterol and protecting the heart. Make sure that you get them from reliable manufacturers that ensure safety, efficacy and integrity.

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The Humble Little Petai

Do you like Petai? I love these smelly little fellas in sambal(chilli) and udang (prawns). The funny thing is that they don't emit any smell in their raw form. But after you have taken them in, and the body has processed it and purges it out.. yucks! Stinks to kingdom come I tell ya.

This is extracted from Wikipedia "Parkia speciosa (petai, twisted cluster bean, yongchaak, zawngtah or stink bean), is a plant of the genus Parkia in the family Fabaceae. It bears long, flat edible beans with bright green seeds the size and shape of plump almonds which have a rather peculiar smell, characterised by some as being similar to that added to methane gas"

My friend sent this one to me and after reading it, I will never look at the humble little Petai in the same way again.

Petai contains three natural sugars -sucrose, fructose and glucose. Combined with fiber, petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two servings of petai provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder petai is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way petai can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating petai. This is because petai contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS(premenstrual syndrome): Forget the pills - eat petai.. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anaemia: High in iron, petai can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the petai industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power : 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating petai at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. Undrstand that bananas contain lot of potassium too so eat more banana. Just look at those monkeys, they are really active, alert, smart and funny too!!

Constipation: High in fiber, including petai in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a petai milkshake, sweetened with honey. The petai calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating petai for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness : Snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites : Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of the petai skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight: Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report c oncluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases.. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control : Many other cultures see petai as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In holland, for example, pregnant women eat petai to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) : Petai can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking: Petai can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium petai snack. Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating petai as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%".

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai and place it on the wart. Carefully hold the petai in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, as you can see, petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A Petai a day keeps the doctor away".

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Facial Tics

Have you met a person with a facial tic? As a person from Chinese decent, I have heard stories from my grandma that a person who has a facial tic was probably hit by an evil wind whilst he was making faces at another person. That is just an old folk’s tale. The common cause for facial tics is a nervous disorder.

I had a colleague from my previous company who has a repetitive, spasmodic movement involving his eyes. When I first met him, I found it very distracting. It felt like he was perpetually winking at me. However, with time, I got used to it. I was also working with a General Manager of a bank who kept making this grunting noise which I thought was caused by his weight issue (as he was rather overweight at that time). But then, subsequent to his losing quite a bit of weight years on, the grunting was still very audible. It was actually another form of tic. All this came back to me when I was at the local McDonalds having my lunch and I saw a little boy who kept wrinkling his nose.

These days, it is not very often that we come across people with facial tics. Perhaps it is due to the fact that as tics occur most often in children, the treatment may have been already been administered to the child. Most of the treatment for children is in the form of medications.

I happen to chance upon this website on facial tics which has a solution to treat a child’s facial, vocal and motor tics without dangerous medications which can cause harmful side effects. The more I read what was written at the website, the more I was convinced that no parent would want to put his or her child at the risk of medications which will likely caused the child to have queasiness or vomiting, plus a whole list of other side effects. If there is an alternative to having to ingest dangerous drugs, parents will definitely want to consider it.

This was extracted from the facial tics website.

It almost seems that every child who suffers has their own unique tics since they can be extremely diverse.The most common tics are usually:

• Eye blinking
• Mouth twitches
• Eye squinting
• Throat clearing
• Facial contortion
• Wrinkling nose
• Compulsive grunting

Children who suffer from these facial tics might find them hard to live with (especially older children) because it can be frustrating, embarrassing and even a little scary.
But for most parents, prescription drugs can be very scary since they have side effects like:

• Extreme depression
• Queasiness or vomiting
• Hostility or violent behavior
• Exhaustion
• Tardive Dyskinesia – a condition that causes involuntary movements to worsen

If you have a child who may have what you think is a facial tic problem, or a friend’s child with such a problem, do hop over to facialtics.com. There is indeed an easier, safer and more effective treatment than drugs.

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Alert! Milk Based Food Recalled

Just got an sms from my cousin sister in Ipoh and one of my baker sifu regarding the dangerous foods to beware of as a result of the current Milk Powder issue in China. The email reads as follows:-

For your information, the following items have been recalled due to China's milk scandal:

1. M&M
2. Snickers
3. Mento's Yoghurt Bottle
4. Dove Chocolate
5. Oreo Wafer Sticks
6. Dutchlady Sterilised Milk
7. Wall's all natural mango
8. Mini Poppers Ice Cream
9. Magnum Ice Cream
10. Moo Sandwich Ice Cream
11. Mini Cornetto
12. Youcan Ice Cream

Stores have been asked by AVA Singapore to remove them. If u have any of these items at home, don't eat them.

Going to surf the site and check the information. Meanwhile, if anybody has any updates, please put in your comments. Thanks :D

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How to Prevent a Sore Throat from turning into a Cold

I think this is the season to be coughing and sneezing. A lot of people seem to start of with a sore throat before they progress to a full blown cold. A friend of my Suzan shared something which I thought would help to prevent a sore throat from turning into a cold. This remedy was also practiced by my late dad as he really hates visiting doctors. No harm trying I reckon, if it will save you a bit of money and the ordeal of sitting in an air conditioned place with a stuffed nose.

What Most Doctors Won't Tell You About Colds and Flus... if you don't know, read on.

You just won't get this information on why colds and flus can
help you stay healthy over the long run from medical textbooks
and mainstream media - please consider sharing it with family
and friends.

Although experiencing a cold or the flu once in a while can help
rid your body of your weakest cells, I'm willing to bet that there

are times when you would really prefer to delay such a period of

cleansing and malaise.

Here's how you can stand a good chance of preventing a cold from developing:

As soon as you experience that sore, tickly feeling in your
throat that precedes a full-blown cold, gargle with warm salt water.
And when I say gargle, I mean really gargle; take in a mouthful
of warm salt water, look up at the ceiling, and gargle aggressively.

You may want to tap at your throat (the Adam's apple region) with your fingers while you gargle to encourage the warm salt water to trickle

deeply into your throat.

Gargle like this several times with a glass of warm salt water, and

repeat as often as possible throughout the day.

Warm salt water can remove viruses from the tonsils and adenoids
that line the back of your throat region. Viruses that cause colds and flus typically get caught by your tonsils and adenoids before they spread through your body. Your tonsils and adenoids are important parts of your immune system because they are located near the entrance of your breathing passages, and they serve as a first line of defense against undesirable airborne microorganisms and substances.

This, by the way, is why it is best not to remove tonsils and adenoids from your throat region. Chronic swelling of tonsils and adenoids is best addressed by reducing sugar intake, adopting a minimally processed diet that is rich in fresh plant foods, and supporting immune system health by getting plenty of rest, exercise, and exposure to sunlight and fresh air.

Cold salt water may also help to remove viruses from your tonsils and adenoids, but warm salt water tends to be more effective. Warm water may help to melt the fatty coating that protects viruses that cause the cold and flu.

What if you gargle for all you're worth but still end up developing a full-blown cold?

Get lots of rest, drink plenty of fluids, and take comfort in knowing that countless viruses are at work destroying your weakest cells. And don't forget to blow your nose as often as it runs; help your body get rid of what it wants to get rid of.

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Yikes...Malaysia is in the News again

As usual, instead of reading the newspapers over breakfast, I think many of us surf blogs and the internet news over breakfast. As I was just about to swallow my last mouthful of nasi lemak, I saw this headline "California Department of Public Health Warns Consumers Not To Eat Ego Hao Jin Bang Candy imported from Malaysia". Wah...better check liow as I love to buy all these local junk food (especially preserved fruits) from the supermarket and the name Ego does ring a bell.

Found Ego's website without too much difficulty and when it flashed up, my first thought was "Alamak. I have bought and eaten quite a fair bit of their products and if I am not mistaken, I still have some at home". I bet if you were to go to the website to have a look, you would probably have seen their products in most of the supermarkets but may not have bought any. My consolation is perhaps this. The report read "Pregnant women and parents of children who may have consumed this candy should consult their physician or other health care provider to determine if medical testing is needed". I am not pregnant and neither am I a child, perhaps it would not affect me. Ahhhh.... now I understand why I seem to be gaining a fair bit of weight lately. It was not all those cakes and cookies from the Food Exchange Program, but the lead bits that I am swallowing down....phew... and here I thought I had to cut down on the cakes and cookies.

This is the picture of the accused product. I will be keeping an eye out for statements from the manufacturer to dispute this.

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Reconnective Healing

Have I ever mentioned that I am very interested in all things unconventional, whether it is unconventional music, food, religion, healing. Well, I have been a reiki level 2 student since many years ago and have been using it mainly to heal myself and some of those close to me. In the beginning, I was also a bit skeptical as to how effective this form of healing can be until a very personal experience I had in my office some years back. A colleague was having an awfully painful encounter in the office which later was diagnosed as a spontaneous abortion. Well, that experience really changed my entire perception and understanding on the potential of using reiki as an alternative form of healing.

Yesterday, as a result of much encouragement and sponsorship by a good friend, I made my way to Lighworks at the back of Wisma NPL for my Reconnective Healing. At times, we are not even aware of what sort of healing we need. Most of the time, we are only aware of our physical needs, but there is also our emotional needs, our psychological needs and also our body's hormonal needs. When I went through my reiki level 1 attunement process, which basically enables a recipient to open up and connect to the Universal Reiki Energies on a mental, physical, emotional and psychic level plus it also clears and balances many important energy channels within the body, I never thought that what I needed healing most was my emotional side. After the attunement process, my Reiki Master did ask me to be prepared as sometimes healing takes place after experiencing some unexpected results due to "cleansing" or what others would call de-toxification. Little did I know that my healing started in the middle of the night, in a cyber cafe. Half way chatting to a friend in Canada, suddenly, I felt quite emotional and tears started to roll down my face. Heck, we were chatting about his lakeside holiday the weekend before. I had to quickly bade him goodbye and log off my MSN and practically ran out of the cafe. The bout of tears went on for almost 5 whole minutes. Mmmm... according to my Reiki Master, I must have been carrying these emotional baggages without knowing that I was. Cool...hahaha..

Anyway, after the healing treatment yesterday, the facilitator informed me that healing will take place when when his treatment stopped ... yikes...i hope it is not with another bout of tears to kick off the healing .. haha.. but i doubt it..my emotional baggages have all been cried out the last time...but let me share this with you (hopefully he is not going to kill me when he finds out that I have posted his less than attractive picture here)... a friend who went for his healing session almost a month back was a-ok until 2 days ago. He broke out in rashes.. from the scalp on his head to the soles of his feet... he looked like he was going to transform into the THING.. from the Fantastic Four Team. Asked him if he felt any super powers surging in... for that I got a growl... oh well, it is not everyday one has a superhero for a friend mah!! According to the facilitators at Lightworks, this is likely to by my friend's way of his body getting rid of all the toxins. Each person will experience different results after the treatment.


This reminded me of the healing potentials of lingzhi. Many have spoken of the lingzhi's ability to heal a lot of illness but before healing can take place, one has to experience some form of detoxification. Some people even get fevers, coughs, colds. Well, I will soon know :)

Lightworks

General Line
Tel: +6 03 2143 2966
Fax: +6 03 2143 2977

Address:
19, Jalan Mesui
Off Jalan Nagasari
Kuala Lumpur
50200

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How to Stop a Cough in 5 mins

My friends and business associates, Zul and Fathiah sent me this home remedy that is supposedly very effective in stopping coughs. This is truly something worth sharing. Apparently, this has been tried and tested and confirmed to work. Furthermore, the technique used here is external, so, honestly, no harm trying.

This is what they sent in their email to me....

We have all been kept awake by our own or someone else's cough. Try this and pass it on. The tip and not the cough. ANYTHING is better than antibiotics. Even babies could benefit from this and the parents wouldn't worry about the safety of their child. And of course, it is harmless and free from any type of side-effects. WOW! I was raised, and raised my kids with Vicks. How come I never knew this? I can't wait for my next cough. Amazing! READ IT ALL. It works 100 percent of the time, although the scientists at the Canada Research council (who discovered it) aren't sure why.



Treatment: To stop night time coughing in a child (or an adult, as we found out personally), put Vicks Vapor Rub generously on the bottom of the feet at bedtime and then cover with socks. Even persistent, heavy, deep coughing will stop in about five minutes and stay stopped for many, many hours of relief. This works 100 percent of the time, and is more effective in children than even very strong prescription cough medicines. In addition it is extremely soothing and comforting and they will sleep soundly. I heard the head of the Canada Research Council describe these findings on the part of their scientists when they were investigating the effectiveness and usage of prescription cough medicines in children, as compared to alternative therapies like acupressure. I just happened to tune in to a.m. Radio and picked up this guy talking about why cough medicines in kids often do more harm than good due to the chemical makeup of these strong drugs, so I listened. It was a surprising finding and found to be more effective than prescribed medicines for children at bedtime, and in addition to have a soothing and calming effect on sick children who then went on to sleep soundly. My wife tried it on herself when she had a very deep constant and persistent cough a few weeks ago, and it worked 100 percent! She said it felt like a warm blanket had enveloped her. The coughing stopped in a few minutes, and believe me this was a deep (incredibly annoying!) every few seconds, uncontrollable cough and she slept cough-free for hours every night she used it. If you have children or grandchildren, pass it on. If you end up sick, try it yourself and you will be absolutely amazed.

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Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

I just got this email from a friend after lunch I just want to share it with you...

Cancer News from Johns Hopkins

1. No Plastic Containers in Microwave Ovens

2. No Water Bottles in the Freezer
3. No Plastic Wrap in the Microwave Oven


A dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic.

.

Recently, Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. This especially applies to foods that contain fat.

He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body...

Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food... You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.

Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc.

He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons...

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead

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Looking for a Partner........(not one in crime or in love thou)

Just came back not long ago from lunch with a friend (haha.. can you imagine after that yummy sinful nasi lemak breakfast this morning, I can still think let alone eat lunch?).

I have not seen Ming for more than 6 months and I just could not believe my eyes. Yeah.. he told me that he was on a diet over the phone and yada yada yada.. hey ain't tis the season to be round and jolly?

When I saw him... he was really looking good. His little round santa belly is now almost like a washboard. Geezz... if he was not married already with a kid.. I could fall for this guy's (body shape) :).

Seriously, I was rather doubtful as to the lasting power of all these fancy diets. But he has been on it for more than 60 days or so and the best thing for a glutton like me is when he tells me that he is having 3 main meals and no less than 3 snacks to a maximum of 9 snacks a day. Wow.. this really really my kinda diet.. a (see) food (and eat 'em) diet. He promises to send some reading materials over to me over the weekend. Of course there will be some supplements to take in order to keep the body energetic and in good shape. I reckon that most of us are taking some form of vitamins already, so that is not a big deal for me.

I can't wait for him to send me this 3 main meals and up to 9 snacks a day diet plan. Exercise (like 10,000 steps a day, no need for fancy gym membership) and sufficient sleep (hey.. that is one of my mostest favoritest hobby) is also important.

But one thing though, he advises that I should find myself a partner or some partners to do this diet with as it will be much more fun and effective, either as encouragement for each other or as a needle in the other's butts when they slack off. So.... where are my friends who want to give it ago?? I wanna start quick quick.. :)

My dream body shape is like this....

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Not all Carbs are created equal

I have been following dcyk's progress on his weight loss program and I reckon that he is rather successful. I also reckon that what he is doing is great coz he is on this emergency weight loss program to look very "leng chai" (handsome) during his big wedding day but I would not think that one should go off carbs for ever as it definitely goes against what we've been taught in school about having a balanced diet to keep us well and healthy.


I have been doing a little research of my own on Glycemic Index (GI). Apparently not all carbohydrate foods are created equal and the GI is the ranking of carbohydrates according to how they affect our blood glucose and thus our weight gain.

It seems that choosing low GI carbs - the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels - is the secret to long-term health reducing our risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss.

The following has been extracted from The Glycemic Index site.

What are the Benefits of the Glycemic Index?

Eating a lot of high GI foods can be detrimental to your health because it pushes your body to extremes. This is especially true if you are overweight and sedentary. Switching to eating mainly low GI carbs that slowly trickle glucose into your blood stream keeps your energy levels balanced and means you will feel fuller for longer between meals.

# Low GI diets help people lose and control weight
# Low GI diets increase the body's sensitivity to insulin
# Low GI carbs improve diabetes control
# Low GI carbs reduce the risk of heart disease
# Low GI carbs reduce blood cholesterol levels
# Low GI carbs can help you manage the symptoms of PCOS
# Low GI carbs reduce hunger and keep you fuller for longer
# Low GI carbs prolong physical endurance
# High GI carbs help re-fuel carbohydrate stores after exercise

How to Switch to a Low GI Diet

The basic technique for eating the low GI way is simply a "this for that" approach - ie, swapping high GI carbs for low GI carbs. You don't need to count numbers or do any sort of mental arithmetic to make sure you are eating a healthy, low GI diet.

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# Use breakfast cereals based on oats, barley and bran
# Use breads with wholegrains, stone-ground flour, sour dough
# Reduce the amount of potatoes you eat
# Enjoy all other types of fruit and vegetables
# Use Basmati or Doongara rice
# Enjoy pasta, noodles, quinoa
# Eat plenty of salad vegetables with a vinaigrette dressing

This is a list of GI Values of some of the more common foods that I got from a fitness instructor but for a specific GI search, this is quite a useful site, The Glycemic Index.

GI of Breakfast Cereals
Kellogg's Cornflakes 84
Kellogg's Rice Krispies 82
Kellong's Special K 54
Oatmeal 49
Quaker Puffed Wheat 67

GI of Grains
Basmati Rice 58
Brown Rice 55
Long Grain White Rice 56
Short Grain White Rice 72
Noodles (Instant) 46

GI of Fruit
Apple 38
Banana 55
Cantaloupe 65
Cherries 22
Grapefruit 25
Grapes 46
Kiwi 52
Mango 55
Orange 44
Papaya 58
Pear 38
Pineapple 66
Plum 39
Watermelon 103

GI of Vegetables
Beets 69
Broccoli 10
Cabbage 10
Carrots 49
Corn 55
Green Peas 48
Lettuce 10
Mushrooms 10
Onions 10
Parsnips 97
Potato (baked)93
Potato (mashed, instant) 86
Potato (new) 62
Potato (french fries) 75
Red Peppers 10
Sweet Potato 54

GI of Legumes/Beans
Baked Beans 48
Broad Beans 79
Chickpeas 33
Navy Beans 38
Pinto Beans 39
Red Kidney Beans 27
Soy Beans 18
White Beans 31

GI of Breads, Muffins and Cakes
Blueberry Muffin 59
Doughnut 76
Pita Bread 57
Sponge Cake 46
Waffles 76
White Bread 70
Whole Wheat Bread 69

GI of Pasta
Spaghetti 43
Ravoli (Meat) 39
Linguine 46
Macaroni 47
Rice Vermicelli 58

GI of Dairy Foods
Milk (Whole) 22
Milk (Skimmed) 32
Mikl (Chocolate flavoured) 34
Ice Cream (whole) 61
Ice Cream (low fat) 50
Yogurt (low fat) 33

GI of Snack Foods
Cashews 22
Chocolate Bar 49
Corn Chips 72
Jelly Beans 80
Peanuts 14
Popcorn 55
Potato Chips 55
Pretzels 83
Snickers Bar 41
Walnuts 15

GI of Cookies and Crackers
Crackers 74
Crispbread 71
Melba Toast 70
Oatmeal Cookies 55
Rice Cakes 82
Rice Crackers 91
Soda Crackers 74
Water Crackers 78

GI of Sugars
Fructose 23
Glucose 100
Honey 58
Lactose 46
Maltose 105
Sucrose 65

Notes on GI of Foods
- Reference Food is glucose (GI100)
- Glycemic values may vary, hence the above values are approximate
- Foods that score higher than 70 on the GI are considered high GI foods
- We cannot avoid all high GI foods in our diet, but at least we are aware of what they are and we are able to make better choices on the food we eat.

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Is Ageing Optional?

Did you know that ageing is optional? Hah…. really? How come nobody told me? I have always thought that it was an inevitable and natural process… unless you had money for some Nip Tuck…. haha.

Cosmetics salespersons and MLM businesses have been pushing lotions and creams, vitamins and food supplements respectively to help reverse the aging process for many people. I reckon all these may work, to a certain extent but it will surely cost lots of money.

What if someone came along and told you that the “Fountain of Youth” is actually available and relatively affordable? Would you be interested to listen? I would.

Apparently, this is nothing new and most of us already knew it. Know something and doing it is where we all failed. Did you know that staying healthy and looking young (relative) is 3-pronged?

Food, Sleep & Exercise.

Food – we just have to know what’s right to eat and what’s not. I think we have all gone through lessons in school which has taught us the various food groups. Not to much carbohydrates and fats, more fruits, proteins & drink lots of water. Hence, food to eat more often would be in the form of white meat (fish & chicken), lots of beans and legumes, plenty of fruits and vegetables. The trick here is also moderation and balance. I have been told by friends who are in the nutrition field that eating fruits and vegetables also meant selecting a wide variety to eat from and more importantly, to have them in all colors in each sitting.


Sleep – we really have to sleep sufficiently and that would mean at least 6 hrs a night. The key word here is night. Sleeping 6 hrs in the day with the blinds drawn is not the same as 6 hrs in the night. The body apparently is too smart to be tricked and some cells regeneration can only be done effectively in the night-time darkness. Proof of this is confirmed by the Chinese sensei who treated my Guru H.E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche during his recent bout of illness.

Exercise – the body must be made to exercise at least 30 mins a day on a stretch. I reckon one does not have to join a gym just to do this. Parking further away or walking up to your office floor is a great start. But getting up in spurts or 2 mins from the TV couch to the fridge and adding it up to 30mins a day does not work out to be the same.

I think I will seriously look into this formula and use it together with the British Foundation Diet which babe mailed me a few weeks ago. Look out world to a slimmer and younger ME… buahahah….

Also do check out this Food Guide Pyramid site.

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