WORLD RENOWNED HEART SURGEON SPEAKS OUT ON WHAT REALLY CAUSES HEART DISEASE

Here is a great article of utmost importance if you really care about preventing heart disease. Forget about what you've learned about cholesterol causing heart disease. Time to re-learn!

Link: http://myscienceacademy.org/2012/08/19/world-renown-heart-surgeon-speaks-out-on-what-really-causes-heart-disease/

Important points:

Inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease.

The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes.

Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped.

If we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process,a condition occurs called chronic inflammation.

The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine.

The biggest culprits of chronic inflammation are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods.

Foods loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates, or processed with omega-6 oils for long shelf life have been the mainstay of the American diet for six decades. These foods have been slowly poisoning everyone.

While omega-6’s are essential -they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell – they must be in the correct balance with omega-3’s. If the balance shifts by consuming excessive omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.

Today’s mainstream American diet has produced an extreme imbalance of these two fats. The ratio of imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of omega-6. That’s a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation. In today’s food environment, a 3:1 ratio would be optimal and healthy.

The excess weight you are carrying from eating these foods creates overloaded fat cells that pour out large quantities of pro-inflammatory chemicals that add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar.

There is no escaping the fact that the more we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day. The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils.

Choose foods closer to their natural state. To build muscle, eat more protein. Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables. Cut down on or eliminate inflammation- causing omega-6 fats like corn and soybean oil and the processed foods that are made from them. Instead, use olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef.

The cholesterol theory led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation. Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers.

The Principle of the Path

Here's an awesome principle called the "Principle of the Path" which many people understood, but oftenly being taken for granted when it comes to application in real life.

The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley

If you want to stay fit (intention), but you're not consistently exercising (direction/path), then you're not going to be fit (destination).

If your ambition is to be a doctor (intention), but you're enrolled in a law school (direction/path), no matter how hard you studied in school, you'll never get to be a doctor (destination).

If your goal is to achieve financial freedom (intention), but your attention is focused on your job (direction/path), no matter how much time and hard work you put into your job, you'll never be financially free (destination).

"Direction, not intention, determines our destination." 

~ Andy Stanley

Selling and Promotion

Many people have the tendency of mistaking promoting their value for blowing their own trumpet. When others praise them for something good they have done, the most common response given is, "Nah...I'm just normal lah...(with a shy look)". Honestly, I have also been guilty at times for doing so.

But imagine if you were to praise a customer service officer for something good they had done, and the person replied, "Nah...we're just normal lah...(with a shy look)", what would you think?

My point here is that, while it's important to stay humble all the time, we must also know how to accept praise and be proud of the good qualities that we have. All you need is just to say, "Thank you. I'll take that as a compliment and encouragement to improve further."

Why exactly do we have to change and adopt this new behaviour? Here are some of the perspective offered in this book:

Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their value. Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.

Resenting promotion is one of the greatest obstacles to success. People who have issues with selling and promotion are usually broke.

People have a problem with promotion or sales for several reasons. First, you may have had a bad experience in the past with people promoting to you inappropriately. Second, you may have had a disempowering experience when you tried to sell something to someone and that person totally rejected you. Third, you issue might come from past parental programming, where many were told that it's impolite to "toot your own horn". Finally, some people feel that if others want what they have, those people should somehow find and come to them.

There's a huge difference between a best-selling author and a best-writing author. One pays a lot more than the other.

Rich people are usually leaders, and all great leaders are great promoters. They are adept at selling, inspiring, and motivating people to buy into their vision.

The critical point isn't whether you like to promote or not, it is why you're promoting. Do you really believe in the product or service you're offering? Do you really believe that what you have will be of benefit to whomever you're promoting it to?

People who have a problem with promotion don't fully believe in their product or don't fully believe in themselves. If you believe that what you have to offer can truly assist people, it's your duty to let as many people as possible know about it.

It's a matter of perspective. One leads you to wealth. One leads you to obscurity. Choose whichever serves you better  :)

The Power Association

I remember when I was small, my parents would ensure that I study hard and get good grades in school every year...but why? They said, "So that you can get into a good school/class and mingle around with students who are keen to study hard." And so I did, and I became a student who studied hard.

Disclaimer:

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not implying that students who study hard are good, and students who don't study hard are bad. In fact, nowadays I would question the purpose and objective of our education system, and I would empathize with people who are excellent learners but just simply don't fit into our current education system and ended up being labelled as bad students.

After reading this book, now I finally understand why my parents had pressured me so hard in my studies. That's because they understood the power of association.

Here are some excerpt which I find very interesting:

Rich people associate with positive, successful people. Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.

Successful people look at other successful people as a means of motivation and model to learn from, because modeling is one of the primary ways that people learn. Rich people are grateful that others have succeeded before them so that they now have a blueprint to follow that will make it easier for them to attain their own success.

The fastest and easiest way to create wealth is to learn exactly how rich people play the game. If you take the exact same actions and have the exact same mindset, chances are good you will get the exact same results.

When poor people hear about other people's success, they often judge them, criticize them, mock them, and try to pull them down to their own level.

Don't bother trying to get negative people to change. That's not your job. Your job is to use what you've learned to better yourself and your life. Be the model, be successful, be happy, then maybe they'll see the light (in you) and want some of it. If they choose to ask you your secret, tell them.

Just as steel is hardened in the fire, if you can remain true to your values while others around you are full of doubt and even condemnation, you'll grow faster and stronger.

Practice reframing other people's negativity as a reminder of how not to be. The more negative they are, the more reminders you get about how ugly that way of being really is. If you do begin to judge, criticize, and put them down for who they are and what they do, then you are no better than them.

You may have to make some courageous decisions about who you are and how you want to live the rest of your life. I for one would never live with a person who was negative and pooh-poohed my desire to learn and grow, be it personally, spiritually, or financially. I wouldn't do that to myself because I respect myself and my life and I deserve to be as happy and successful as possible. Either they move up or I move on!

"Birds of a feather flock together." Did you know that most people earn within 20% of the average income of their closest friends? That's why you'd better watch whom you associate with and choose whom you spend your time with carefully.

If you want to fly with the eagles, don't swim with the ducks.

Rich people hang around with winners. Poor people hang around with losers. Why? It's a matter of comfort. Rich people are comfortable with other successful people. They feel fully worthy of being with them. Poor people are uncomfortable with highly successful people. They're either afraid they'll be rejected or feel as if they don't belong. To protect itself, the ego then goes into judgement and criticism.

There is no statistics proof for the above claims. To me, these are common sense which are just uncommon to most people.

These two words "rich" and "success" are also very subjective terms. That's why it's up to you to define what do these two words mean to you, and what are the kind of association that you would be looking for.

Opportunities vs Obstacles

There's always a saying, "With opportunities come obstacles." And vice versa.

What you choose to focus on will determine you level achievement financially. Just as mentioned in this book.

Rich people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles.

Poor people make choices based upon fear. Their minds are constantly scanning for what is wrong or could go wrong in any situation. Their primary mindset is "What if it doesn't work?" or, more often, "It won't work."

Middle-class people are slightly more optimistic. Their mindset is "I sure hope this works."

Rich people take responsibility for the results in their lives and act upon the mindset "It will work because I'll make it work."

Rich people expect to succeed. They believe that, if worse comes to worst, they can always make their money back.

Poor people expect to fail. Because they constantly see obstacles, they are usually unwilling to take a risk. No risk, no reward.

Rich people take educated risks. They research, do their due diligence, and make decisions based on solid information and facts.

Although poor people claim to be preparing for an opportunity, what they're usually doing is stalling. They're scared to death, hemming and hawing for weeks, months or even years on end, and by then the opportunity usually disappears.

"Action always beats inaction." Rich people get started. They trust that once they get in the game, they can make intelligent decisions in the present moment, make corrections, and adjust their sails along the way.

Poor people don't trust in their abilities, so they believe they have to know everything in advance, which is virtually impossible.

To become rich is basically a choice. It means you'll choose to say "It will work because I'll make it work." It means you'll take educated risks by making decisions based on solid information and facts instead of hearsay. It means you'll take action. "Ready, fire, aim."

If you want to be rich, the good news is it's a choice; The bad news is it's a choice.  :)

Getting Back to Sleep

For most people, getting back to sleep after waking up is not really a challenge...in fact, most people do fall back into their sleep after waking up to the alarm clock in the morning  :)

But if you're one of those very few people who have problems getting back to sleep after waking up, do read these:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/insomnia/AN01611

http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/sleep/help-what-to-do-when-you-wake-up-too-early-and-cant-get-back-to-sleep-1


Hope these articles help  :)

10,000 Steps A Day

If you're looking for a way to burn fat, read this:

http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/2013/09/22/Take-steps-to-get-walking.aspx

Here are some excerpts to open your eyes:

Walking not only increases a person’s physical activity and controls weight gain, but also has many important health benefits, including maintaining heart health, improving cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and improving mood.

Most experts agree that walking 6,000 steps daily can improve a person’s health, and that taking 10,000 steps a day will contribute to weight loss.

In fact, research shows that women who averaged more than 10,000 steps a day had 40% less body fat and waist and hip measurements, and were four to six inches narrower than those who averaged fewer than 6,000 steps.

Time to get a pedometer if you haven't got one yet  :) 

Integrity in Leadership

This is a story about INTEGRITY in leadership.

“The Little Boy and Sugar”

One day a mother came to Gandhi with her little boy for help. She asked Gandhi, Please, Bapu, will you tell my little boy to stop eating sugar. He simply eats too much sugar and will not stop. Gandhi told the mother to leave and come back with the boy in three days.

The mother returned with her son and said to Gandhi. We have come back as you asked, Gandhi turned to the boy and said, “Young boy, stop eating sweets. They are not good for you.”

The mother then asked Gandhi, “Bapu, why didn’t you tell my son that when we first came to see you? Why did you ask us to leave and come back in three days? I don’t understand.”

Gandhi said to the woman, “I asked you to return with the boy in three days, because three days ago, I, too, was eating sweets. I could not ask him to stop eating sweets so long as I had not stopped eating sweets.”

~ Taken from http://gandhimemorialcenter.org/activities/educational-programs/children/ 

Before you think about leading other people, look into the mirror and ask yourself are you able to lead this person inside the mirror.

Think Big vs Think Small

What is the difference between people who think big and people who think small?
Their value in the marketplace.

Here are more interesting reads from T, Harv Eker:

Rich people think big. Poor people think small.

The Law of Income: You will be paid in direct proportion to the value you deliver according to the marketplace.

Four factors determine your value in the marketplace: supply, demand, quality, and quantity. The factor that presents the biggest challenge for most people is the quantity. The quantity factor simply means, how much of value do you actually deliver to the marketplace? How many people do you actually serve or affect?

Most people choose to play small. Why? First, because of fear. They're scared of failure and they're even more frightened of success. Second, because they feel small. They feel unworthy. They don't feel they're good enough or important enough to make a real difference in people's lives.

The definition of an entrepreneur is "a person who solves problems for people at a profit."

The by-product is that the more people you help, the "richer" you become, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and financially.

And I personally like this quote the most:

"You're a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." ~ Marianne Williamson

 Our networth is in direct proportion to the number of people we serve. Learn how to serve better

Playing to Win vs Playing Not to Lose

I was reading this awesome book "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind" by T Harv Eker, and found the following ideas very meaningful:

If you were to play any sport or any game strictly on defense, what are the chances of your winning the game? Very slim or none.

Most people's primary concern is survival and security instead of creating wealth and abundance.

The goal of truly rich people is to have massive wealth and abundance. The big goal of poor people is to "have enough to pay the bills and on time". While the middle-class people just want to be comfortable. 

If your goal is to be comfortable, chances are you'll never get rich. But if your goal is to be rich, chances are you'll end up mighty comfortable.

Rich people are committed to being rich. Poor people want to be rich.

The number one reason most people don't get what they want is that they don't know what they want.

Rich people are totally clear that they want wealth. As long as it's legal, moral and ethical, they will do whatever it takes to have wealth. Rich people do not send mixed messages to the universe.

Poor people have plenty of good reasons as to why getting and actually being rich might be a problem. They are not 100% certain they want to be rich. Their message to the universe is confusing.

If you are not fully, totally and truly committed to creating wealth, chances are you won't.

Are you the sort of people playing to win? Or are you the sort of people playing not to lose?

I'm looking for winners!

Boiling Water vs Burning Fat

For those who are working hard on losing fat, here’s an analogy:

Imagine 2 scenarios where you’re

• boiling the same amount of water on a gas stove
• using two different pots, and
• the same amount of heat.

Scenario #1

• You’re using a pot made of material with a higher heat transfer coefficient.

Scenario #2

• You’re using a pot made of material with a lower heat transfer coefficient.

Questions:

• Which pot boils water faster?
• Answer: Scenario #1
• How do we make scenario #2 boil water as fast as scenario #1?
• Answer: Increase the amount of heat in scenario #2

What does this imply?

1. You can condition your body to be more efficient at burning fat. Or,
2. You can work harder and longer to burn fat.

Just my humble opinion. Hope this helps.

The First Four-Minute Mile

Two months ago, I was deeply inspired by the story of Sir Roger Bannister, which prompted me to attempt at breaking my very own "four-minute mile".

Today I found a short historical write up on Sir Roger Bannister's famous feat, which changed our perception on humans' capabilities forever: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/first-four-minute-mile .

Here are some of the lessons I learned from this story:

For years, so many athletes had tried and failed to run a mile in less than four minutes that people made it out to be a physical impossibility. The world record for a mile was 4 minutes and 1.3 seconds, set by Gunder Hagg of Sweden in 1945. Despite, or perhaps because of, the psychological mystique surrounding the four-minute barrier, several runners in the early 1950s dedicated themselves to being the first to cross into the three-minute zone.

This tells us that sometimes we tend to develop a self-limiting belief on our own capabilities based on other people's failures.

His world record in the mile did not stand long, and the record continued to be lowered with increasingly controlled climatic and surface conditions, more accurate timing devices, and improvements in training and running techniques.

Sometimes it just takes one person's focused effort and courage to break the psychological barrier of self-limiting beliefs to change the outcome.

In a carefully planned race, Bannister was aided by Chris Brasher, a former Cambridge runner who acted as a pacemaker. For the first half-mile, Brasher led the field, with Bannister close behind, and then another runner took up the lead and reached the three-quarter-mile mark in 3 minutes 0.4 seconds, with Bannister at 3 minutes 0.7 seconds. Bannister took the lead with about 350 yards to go and passed an unofficial timekeeper at the 1,500-meter mark in 3 minutes 43 seconds, thus equaling the world's record for that distance. Thereafter, Bannister threw in all his reserves and broke the tape in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds. As soon as the first part of his score was announced--"three minutes..."--the crowd erupted in pandemonium.

When we're setting ourselves on a "mission impossible" goal, we need running mates to help keep us focused on the destination, as well as keeping track with our own progress.

Taking a cue from Sir Roger Bannister's incredible feat, I decided to take the lead and break my very own "four-minute mile" to show people that some things can indeed be achieved...IF WE REALLY HAVE THE DESIRE TO!

WHEN THE DREAM IS BIG, THE "FACTS" DON'T COUNT!

If you think you can do it, you can  :)

Crab Bucket

Some time ago I wrote an article titled "A Bunch of Crabs". Back then I couldn't find a term to describe the situation.

Coincidentally, today I found it on Urban Dictionary. It's called "Crab Bucket"

Here are excerpts taken from Urban Dictionary:

#1 - A crab bucket is what it is: crabs in a bucket. However, what happens in the bucket full of crabs is what makes it a famous saying.

When a single crab is put into a lidless bucket, they surely can and will escape. However, when more than one share a bucket, none can get out. If one crab elevates themselves above all, the others will grab this crab and drag them back down to share the mutual fate of the rest of the group.

Crab bucket syndrome is often used to describe social situations where one person is trying to better themselves and others in the community attempt to pull them back down.

#2 - When a crab is put into a bucket, it will try to escape. As soon as another crab is placed into the bucket, they will start fighting one another and get so caught up in it that they forget about escaping. Basically, to get caught in the 'crab bucket' is to be working hard on something, then one person gets distracted and starts watching YouTube or something stupid, and then another person starts, and then by the end of it, everyone that was working is now distracted and nothing gets done.

Can you identify who are the "crabs" in your life?

When you regard someone as your "good friend"...

Are they the ones who encourage you and help keep you focus on achieving that goal?

Or are they the ones who distract and slow you down from achieving that goal?

 To me, a real good friend is one who says to me:

"You can do it!"

"Hey, stay focus, buck it up!"

While a real good "crab" is one who says to me:

"This guy has gone crazy about his goals and forgotten about us friends."

"Hey, come join the fun! Why work so hard? Relax, take a break, have a Kit Kat!"

My friendly advice:

Stay away from the crabs! They are robbing you, your family and your loved ones of your well-deserved success!

The Meaning of Time

What happens when humans start to measure time?

Some people pray for time to move slower...

Some people pray for time to move faster...

That is when time starts to lose it's meaning.

In this brilliant book "The Time Keeper", Mitch Albom (one of my favourite authors) wrote about the story of two fictional characters who were caught in these two scenarios, and the journey they went through to discover the true meaning of time. It has definitely touched my heart and mind.

Here are some of the meaningful quotes found in this book:

Try to imagine a life without timekeeping. You probably can’t. You know the month, the year, the day of the week. There is a clock on your wall or the dashboard of your car. You have a schedule, a calendar, a time for dinner or a movie. Yet all around you, timekeeping is ignored. Birds are not late. A dog does not check its watch. Deer do not fret over passing birthdays. an alone measures time. Man alone chimes the hour. And, because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creature endures. A fear of time running out.

It is never too late or too soon. It is when it is supposed to be.

With endless time, nothing is special. With no loss or sacrifice, we can’t appreciate what we have.

There is a reason God limits our days..to make each one precious.

Knowing something and understanding it were not the same thing.

As mankind grew obsessed with its hours, the sorrow of lost time became a permanent hole in the human heart. People fretted over missed chances, over inefficient days; they worried constantly about how long they would live, because counting life’s moments had led, inevitably, to counting them down. Soon, in every nation and in every language, time became the most precious commodity.

Mankind is connected in ways it does not understand - even in dreams.

Everything man does today to be efficient, to fill the hour? It does not satisfy. It only makes him hungry to do more. Man wants to own his existence. But no one owns time. When you are measuring life, you are not living it.

Consider the word “time.” We use so many phrases with it. Pass time. Waste time. Kill time. Lose time. In good time. About time. Take your time. Save time. A long time. Right on time. Out of time. Mind the time. Be on time. Spare time. Keep time. Stall for time. There are as many expressions with “time” as there are minutes in a day. But once, there was no word for it at all. Because no one was counting. Then Dor began. And everything changed.

Time is a very precious commodity. Spend it wisely on matters which matter the most to you.

The Scroll Marked X

Oh creator of all things, help me. For this day I go out into the world naked and alone, and without your hand to guide me I will wander far from the path which leads to success and happiness.

I ask not for gold or garments or even opportunities equal to my ability; instead, guide me so that I may acquire ability equal to my opportunities.

You have taught the lion and the eagle how to hunt and prosper with teeth and claw. Teach me how to hunt with words and prosper with love so that I may be a lion among men and an eagle in the market place.

Help me to remain humble through obstacles and failures; yet hide not from mine eyes the prize that will come with victory.

Assign me with tasks to which others have failed; yet guide me to pluck the seeds of success from their failures. Confront me with fears that will temper my spirit; yet endow me with courage to laugh at my misgivings.

Spare me sufficient days to reach my goals; yet help me to live this day as though it be my last.

Guide me in my words that they may bear fruit; yet silence me from gossip that none be maligned.

Discipline me in the habit of trying and trying again; yet show me the way to make use of the law of averages. Favor me with alertness to recognize opportunity; yet endow me with patience which will concentrate my strength.

Bathe me in good habits that the bad ones may drown; yet grant me compassion for weaknesses in others. Suffer me to know that all things shall pass; yet help me to count my blessings of today.

Expose me to hate so it not be a stranger; yet fill my cup with love to turn strangers into friends.

But all these things be only if thy will. I am a small and a lonely grape clutching the vine yet thou hast made me different from all others. Verily, there must be a special place for me. Guide me. Help me. Show me the way.

Let me become all you planned for me when my seed was planted and selected by you to sprout in the vineyard of the world.

Help this humble salesman.

Guide me, God. 

 ~ Og Mandino