What Do You Know About Saturated Fats?

I found this article in The Star which explains about saturated fats and its effect on our health. Most of us tend to relate saturated fats to health problems, but that has already been proven as being a misconception. Read this article to understand why we should not eliminate saturated fats from our diet.

Article: Saturated, but necessary
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/2014/03/02/Saturated-but-necessary/

Here are some excerpts I find to be important from the article:

In fact, Assoc Prof Ng says that if we were to take away all saturated fats from our diet, and only consumed a diet of proteins, carbohydrates, polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats, we would get sick in a matter of weeks.

And then there is the fourth type of fatty acid that raises our cholesterol – trans-fat. This, according to Assoc Prof Ng, is the worst type of fat to have in the diet. “They are not saturated, but they have the trans configuration. They are really bad because they raise blood lipid levels and they raise lipoprotein(a), which is a risk factor (for cardiovascular disease),” he says. Trans-fat is deemed so harmful that the United States Food and Drug Administration is moving towards banning the use of partially-hydrogenated vegetable cooking oils, which are the main source of trans-fat in our diets.

Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010, the comparative study found no association between dietary saturated fat and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. ”Saturated fat intake, in fact, lowered the risk of stroke by some 19%,” says Assoc Prof Ng, adding this is a powerful paper as it is a summary of several clinical trials. He points out that while saturated fats do raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL, or “bad”) cholesterol, they also raise the high-density lipoprotein (HDL, or “good”) cholesterol. Conversely, polyunsaturated fats do decrease LDL-cholesterol, but they also decrease HDL-cholesterol.

It's important to get ourselves educated with facts rather than just rely on hearsay from others, just as how the article explains about a misconception which has lasted for one generation. 

Omega-3 for Better Sleep

Here's another piece of article highlighting the wonders of omega-3 fatty acids.

Article: Omega-3 consumption linked to better sleep
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/2014/03/10/Omega3-consumption-linked-to-better-sleep/

These are the important excerpts:

The study found children who took the daily omega-3 supplements enjoyed 58 minutes more sleep and seven fewer awakenings per night than those who took the placebo. Higher blood levels of the long-chain omega-3 DHA was linked to improved sleep, including “less bedtime resistance, parasomnias and total sleep disturbance”.

“Various substances made within the body from omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have long been known to play key roles in the regulation of sleep,” said lead study author Professor Paul Montgomery of Oxford University. “For example, lower ratios of DHA have been linked with lower levels of melatonin, and that would fit with our finding that sleep problems are greater in children with lower levels of DHA in their blood.”

Omega-3s are associated with a number of other health benefits, including their ability to lower blood pressure. A study announced last week and published in the American Journal Of Hypertension found omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA are as effective, if not more so, in lowering blood pressure than commonly recommended lifestyle changes, such as exercising more, consuming less sodium and drinking less alcohol.

Again, understand your personal needs before taking any drastic change to your diet.

Blood Donation

Last Friday I went for a blood donation. I thought it was just to fulfill one of my resolutions for Year 2014. But I ended up achieving more than just my resolution.

It happened by chance. As I was filling up my form, a couple walked into the office wanting to donate their blood too. We struck and a conversation. I found out that they actually drove all the way from Gurun to Penang for this blood donation, to help replace the amount of blood which had been used for their friend's mother's heart surgery.

I thought I should offer my blood to them for the replacement, for it can be done just as easily as circling the word "replacement" on the form. So I did. And I made two new friends. The couple even asked me to pay them a visit in Gurun, and they'll bring me for some exotic meal.

I almost gave up the idea of going for the blood donation on that day. But I was glad I went, and I was really happy that my decision had made a difference to others lives.

Enough of stories. Here's an article I found which highlighted the health benefits of being a blood donor.

Article: Donating blood is as good for your health as it is for the receiver
By EMMA ROBERTSON
Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2333882/Donating-blood-good-YOUR-health-receiver.html

We all know giving blood provides an essential lifeline to those in need, but a growing body of research demonstrates that it could have health benefits for the donor too.

Findings have shown that donating blood reduces the risk of heart attacks and even cancer.

It even burns 650 calories for every pint given. 

The news could come as welcome boost to British blood banks which use an average of 7,000 units of blood every day. 

It is thought that the benefits arise from lowering high iron levels. 

Iron affects how thick and sticky the texture of the blood is. High iron levels causes the blood to be thicker. 

Raised iron levels also accelerate the oxidisation process of cholesterol. 

This can affect blood consistency and create increased friction as it travels through blood vessels. 

As this increases wear and tear to the lining of arteries it could then contribute to cardiovascular disease. 

Because donating blood removes some of its iron content, it may therefore have a protective benefit if done on a consistent basis by helping thin the blood. 

According to a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that those aged 43 to 61 had fewer heart attacks and strokes when they donated blood every six months.

A study of 2,682 men from Finland found they had an 88 per cent reduced risk of heart attacks than those who don’t donate, reported Medical Daily.

Likewise, a study published in the Journal of the National cancer Institute also links iron to an increased cancer risk as it’s believed to increase free-radical damage in the body.

In line with this theory, a four-and-a-half-year study involving 1,200 people found those who made bi-annual blood donations had a lower incidence of cancer and mortality than those who didn’t because blood donations lowered their iron levels.

However, these benefits depend on making donations on a regular basis, rather than once in a while.

Another side effect of donating blood is that it can burns a large number of calories too.

After donating blood, the body replaces all of the blood volume within 48 hours, and all the red blood cells within four to eight weeks.

The University of California in San Diego estimate that for every one pint of blood donated, 650 calories are burned as the body must replenish itself.

Although this could be seen as an attractive effort-free way to lose weight, the NHS Blood and Transplant centre still encourage people to donate for altruistic purposes for the benefit others first, rather than for themselves.

The NHS Blood and Transplant service currently collects 2 million units of blood each year from 1.3 million British blood donors.

Come join me in setting blood donation as part of your yearly resolutions!

Is it safe to consume fish oil as a long-term food supplement?

Information taken from ConsumerLab.com.

Question:

Is it safe to consume fish oil as a long-term food supplement?

Answer:

Long-term use of fish oil is safe as long as the daily dose is not too high and the fish oil is not contaminated. In fact, long-term daily use of fish oil is safer than eating fish each day due to much higher amounts of mercury in many types of fish. In contrast, there is essentially no mercury in fish oil, as it binds to proteins and not oils. PCBs, however, can be found in fish oil as well as fish meat. 

The concern with too much fish oil is the potential for suppression of the immune system, which may occur at daily doses above 2,000 mg of EPA and DHA. Be aware that fish oil may also have a blood thinning effect and may lower blood pressure. 

Keep in mind that you may be better off eating fish twice a week than taking fish oil, as there is more evidence of cardiovascular benefit from eating fish than from taking fish oil. If you already eat fish twice a week, taking a fish oil supplement may offer no additional benefit, unless you are trying to reduce elevated levels of triglycerides with high-dose fish oil. 

Of course, if you don’t eat fish twice a week, you should consider supplementing with fish oil, as the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may help with inflammatory diseases, eye disease, mental health disorders, and even the prevention of some types of cancer.

Question:

The suggested daily serving for my fish oil supplement, three 1,000 mg softgels, seems like a lot. Do I really need to take this much?

Answer:

First, it is very good that you are questioning the suggested dose on your supplement. Unlike OTC and prescription drugs, recommendations on supplements are not set or approved by the FDA and often vary widely from product to product, even among those which have the same ingredients. Supplements are actually classified as a food and not a drug. This is also why supplement labels don't refer to a "dose" but to a "serving size."

If you are taking fish oil for general cardiovascular health (as opposed to treatment for elevated triglycerides, for example), or because you think you might not be getting enough omega-3s from your diet, a single 1,000 mg softgel (providing about 300 mg EPA and 200 DHA) should be sufficient. This amount of EPA and DHA is roughly equivalent to the amount of omega-3s obtained from two servings of fish per week, as suggested by the American Heart Association. In fact, health agencies in some countries suggest that even half that amount may be adequate.

If you are taking fish oil for a specific health concern, a higher dose may be beneficial. Specific amounts for purposes such as the treatment of high triglycerides, improving mood, reducing anxiety, and even maintaining weight during chemotherapy, are listed in the ConsumerTips section of the Fish and Marine Oil Supplements Review. Be aware that there are safety concerns with high doses of fish oil, particularly a risk of bleeding and immune suppression.

Question:

Is fish oil safe? Is it contaminated with mercury and PCBs?

Answer:

ConsumerLab.com's tests of fish oil supplements have found none to contain mercury and most, although not all, to have only trace levels of PCBs (which can't be fully avoided since PCBs are found in water everywhere). A serving of fish meat is likely to contain far more contamination than a fish oil supplement. However, we have found some supplements to contain less fish oil than listed and some to be spoiled. In addition, the enteric coatings on some supplements have not worked properly.

Clinical studies have shown fish oil to be safe, but it is recommended that you get no more than 2 grams (2,000 mg) of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) from fish oil supplements per day.

Here's my personal input on things to note:

1. Avoid mercury and PCB contaminants.
• If you're taking fish oil, make sure you check the manufacturer's credibility and reliability in terms of its research and technology, source of ingredients, good manufacturing practices, etc.
2. Avoid overdose.
• Understand your personal needs. Talk to your medical consultant especially if you have health issues such as elevated levels of triglycerides.
3. Supplementing, not replacing.
• Taking oily fish such as salmon and tuna gives us other essential nutrients for maintaining good health. Fish oil is only for supplementing if you're not taking enough of these fish in your diet.

The Goodness of Fatty Fish

Here's a good article for those of you who wish to enjoy having good cardiovascular health throughout your entire lifetime, especially if your dietary menu doesn't feature a regular feast on fatty fish.

Article: Fatty fish boosts good cholesterol levels
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Health/Nutrition/2014/03/05/Fatty-fish-boosts-good-cholesterol-levels/

A UNIVERSITY of Eastern Finland study has found that eating more fatty fish can increase good cholesterol levels. 

The study was published in the journal PLOS ONE and found participants who increased their fish fatty consumption to three or four fish meals per week had more large HDL (high-density lipoprotein) – also known as “good cholesterol” – particles in their blood than those who did not eat fish so frequently. 

For the study, 131 participants with “impaired glucose metabolism and features of the metabolic syndrome” were divided into three groups, the first asked to eat wholegrain products and bilberries as well as three to four weekly servings of fatty fis, the second asked to eat whole grains in addition to their regular eating habits, and the third, a control group, asked to eliminate whole grains and limit their intake of berries and fish. A total of 106 participants completed the trial. 

Daily fish intake in the three groups worked out to be 67g, 42g and 16g respectively. Participants who experienced the most positive changes were those eating three to four fish meals per week, and the greater the increase in fish intake, the greater the increase in concentration of large HDL. 

Fish consumed for the study included fatty options such as rainbow trout, salmon, vendace and herring. The fish were prepared without additional butter or cream. 

Cholesterol is generally divided into “good” and “bad,” with good cholesterol capable of removing bad cholesterol from arteries in addition to lowering risk of cardiovascular disease. Bad cholesterol contributes to increased risk of this disease. 

“People shouldn’t fool themselves into thinking that if their standard lipid levels are OK, there’s no need to think about the diet, as things are a lot more complicated than that. Soft vegetable fats and fish are something to prefer in any case,” postdoctoral researcher Maria Lankinen says. 

Researchers also emphasize the importance of maintaining a heart-healthy diet that’s low in red meat and high in fish and other foods that lower bad cholesterol, such as olive oil, whole grains and nuts. – AFP Relaxnews

It's time to start eating more fish! 

How Technology is Affecting Your Children's Sleep

Our ancestors used to have lots of sleep in a day. They rose with the sun, and slept with the moon. There's nothing much one could do in the midst of total darkness back in those days when there were no electricity and light bulbs. With better sleep quality, our ancestors had enjoyed having better health, with most of them dying of old age instead of heart attack or cancer.

Today, with the invention of light bulb and other electronic devices, people are staying up late at night. This has not only affected our health, but also our next generation - children - as they face trouble sleeping.

The following article is a good read on how technology has affected children.

Article: Limit kids' technology use for better sleep: survey
Link: http://sg.news.yahoo.com/limit-kids-technology-better-sleep-survey-102521293.html

If your child is having trouble sleeping, or isn't getting the amount of sleep he or she needs, it may very well have to do with electronic devices. A new survey by the US National Sleep Foundation found American kids ages 6 through 17 aren't getting enough sleep, with almost 72 percent sleeping with at least one electronic device in their bedrooms. 

In a survey of more than 1,100 American parents, teens who slept with devices in their bedrooms were reported to get half an hour less sleep than those who didn't have devices in their rooms. 

The National Sleep Foundation recommended turning electronic devices off about an hour before bedtime following a 2011 study, as they keep the brain stimulated and suppress melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. 

Over 90 percent of parents surveyed highly valued sleep in regards to their children's school performance, health and overall happiness. However, this survey indicates parents may need to do more in terms of ensuring their children get the shut-eye they need. This includes rules about caffeinated beverages and TV shows before bedtime in addition to limited electronic device use. 

"A good first step in setting and enforcing sleep-related rules is to establish bedtimes," poll task force member Jim Spilsbury, Ph.D., MPH, said in a statement. 

The National Sleep Foundation survey also stressed that parents should be good role models for their children regarding electronic device use, as less than a quarter of children own such devices if their parents do not.

I'm definitely going to sleep earlier every day from today onwards! 

Your Crowning Glory

This is an interesting article from the Star about our hair and how it's linked to our body system.

Title: If Hair Could Talk
Link: http://www.thestar.com.my/Lifestyle/Viewpoints/Womens-World/Profile/Articles/2014/02/09/If-hair-could-talk/

These are some of the problems related to our hair and the causes:

#1- Dandruff

• For most people, the real reason which cause dandruff is oily scalp, not dry scalp.
• Stress, certain diseases like Parkinson's, and hygiene can also cause dandruff.

#2 - Hair loss

• The usual causes for hair loss are genetic (for men) and hormonal imbalance (for women).
• Excessive weight loss, eating disorders, thyroid problems, stress and certain medications can also contribute to hair loss.
• When our diet lacks protein, the body is forced to conserve protein stores for other more crucial body functions, thus causing hair loss.

#3 - Dry and brittle hair

• Maintaining healthy hair requires essential vitamins and minerals, such as iron and vitamin E. Fat-rich foods, fast foods and processed snacks laden with sugar, salt, additives and flavourings lack these essential nutrients.
• It can also be the result of excessive styling, washing, blow-drying or colouring.

#4 - Gray hair

• Graying hair is generally linked to genetics.
• Hair colour can also be affected by stress.

Other things which may contribute to hair problems:

• Drinking coffee or alcohol and smoking can affect your body's nutrient absorption from the foods you eat.
• Hair loss can also occur from food allergens such as dairy, wheat, soy, corn and food additives.
• Harsh hair treatments, blow-drying or excessive hair products, and even UV rays can stress your hair roots.
• Tying, braiding or over-combing, which stresses hair roots and can lead to hair breakage over time.

Your hair is your crowning glory. Learn how to protect it  :)

Shocking Truth on Wealth Inequality

Have you ever calculated your networth?

My mentor always say that "whatever gets measured, gets improved". In other words, if you have never calculated your networth, your networth will never get improved.

This is a shocking revelation of the wealth inequality in America.

Wealth Inequality in America

Despite the statistics showing only those in America, yet I believe it is pretty much the same for our country as well. And I believe that the fundamental cause of wealth inequality around the world is down to these 3 things:

1. Wrong attitude
2. Wrong education
3. Wrong vehicle

"Most people are busy and working very hard to climb up the ladder, but not knowing that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall," another of my mentor's favourite quote.

As the video clip has shown, the middle-income group is fast depleting in numbers. Are you prepared to be wiped out together with your indulgence and ignorance? Or are you going to take action to right the above wrongs?

Scary and Worrying Things You Should Know About GMOs (Must Watch)

If you believe in whatever you've seen here, and believe that others also deserve having the same education on this topic, please kindly share it with your friends and loved ones.

Sometime ago, I was introduced to this topic about GMO (genetically modified organisms) by my mentor, and was advised to take precautionary steps to protect myself against any potential health hazards caused by GMOs. Out of trust, I took heed of his advice and started paying attention to my gut health.

Today, after spending nearly an hour watching this film below, I finally realize how serious this problem can be if no action is taken to protect ourselves from the GMOs.

Here's a film produced by the Institute for Responsible Technology about the untold story of GMO's harmful effects on humans and nature. I really recommend that you spend some time watching this film, as there are simply too many things to be discovered about this topic.

Original link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=YDzZc-QFIwk

Genetic Roulette: The Gamble of Our Lives

Here are some of the points which I have got out of watching this film:

• From the laws of nature, we understand that all organisms which have gone through thousands of years of evolution to survive until today are basically part of this whole big ecosystem to maintain harmony and balance. GMOs are simply created in labs and have not gone any "test of evolutionary process", thus may cause unpredictable effects when consume by our body.
• GMOs contain "Frankenstein elements" which our body system do not recognize, thus resulting in allergies when consumed. If your children have suffered from allergies to a certain food, most likely you've got in touch with GMOs in your diet. Children are more likely to suffer the effects of GMOs because their immune and digestive systems are much more sensitive compared to adults.
• GMOs are highly resistant to pests. Once consumed, it will turn our intestinal flora into a living pesticide factory. And this "living pesticide" will continue to live and duplicate in our intestines, causing problems like leaky gut syndrome.
• Statistics have shown a direct correlation between the increasing consumption of GMOs and the increasing frequency of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colotis, chronic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, diabetes, autism, etc. 
• GMOs generally contain lower nutritional values compared to natural organic crops, therefore resulting in chronic malnutrition which leads to various types of diseases.
• Even if we were to avoid direct consumption of GMOs, we still couldn't know for sure whether GMOs exist in our meats (chicken fed with GMOs), dairy products (cows fed with GMOs), soy milk (made of GMO soy beans), supplements (derived from GMOs), and even infant formula (made of GMO soy beans). There are 4 major brands of infant formula shown in this film which contain more than 40% of GMO substances, which is rather worrying.
• If a product is not labelled as "organic" or "non-GMO", chances are, it is a GMO.

And many more.

Here are some precautionary steps which we can take to protect ourselves:

• Read labels.
• Choose organic or non-GMO certified foods.
• Always question the source of the foods - are they grown in organic or non-GMO certified farms?
• Eat foods which repopulate our intestinal flora with good bacteria.

Most importantly, share this knowledge with more people, so that the drastic drop in sales of GMO foods will trigger the manufacturers to stop producing GMO crops and foods.

How to be The Best?

Here are 5 popular questions and beliefs which all of us are very keen on getting answered.

Are vegetarians physically weaker than meat eaters?

Is there any food that can help reduce stress at work?

Are 3 meals a day or snacking better for your working day?

Why does a high carb diet keep you going longer?

Does caffeine give us a mental edge?

In this BBC documentary, they have conducted some studies to answer the 5 questions above. I believe these findings can be very helpful for all of us. Do have a look.

BBC's the Truth About Food: How to Be the Best

Summary:

#1 - Meat eaters have yet to be scientifically proven to be stronger than vegetarians.

• The experiment here shows that there is no "statistically-significant" improvement in the physical strength of vegetarians when they start taking meat, even though most of them have felt slightly improved.
• As for Colin Jackson, after turning into a vegetarian for one month, he has shown a drop in physical strength, as well as experiencing weakening muscles.

#2 - Omega 3 may well help you deal better with stress.

• 7 out of 10 people don't eat oily fish because they don't know how to cook it.
• The experiment here shows that eating oily fish 4 times a week for 12 weeks has helped reduce stress hormone in the body by 22%, and increase anti-stress hormone by 12%.

#3 - Snacking can make you more productive than eating large meals.

• After a big meal, blood rushes into the gut to help digest the food. This temporarily reduces the blood supply to other parts of the body, which means muscles can't work efficiently. This causes a dip in the body's energy level.
• Snacks are easier to digest, requiring lesser blood in the gut to help digestion, thus keeping sufficient amount of blood supply to other parts of the body to maintain the body's energy level.
• The experiment here shows that snackers (who snack on healthy food) produce 25% higher performance.

#4 - A high carb diet is better for long endurance activities.

• Carbs can be easily turned into energy during strenuous exercise.
• Fat molecules are structured in a way that the body finds harder to convert into energy during strenuous exercise.

#5 - Caffeine vs decaf for mental edge? It makes no difference.

• The experiment here shows that when someone quits coffee, initially there will be a coffee withdrawal symptom where alertness will drop drastically, but as time goes by, the mental alertness will get back to its normal state as before (all within 7 days).

Thanks to BBC's effort in making these documentaries, now we can be better informed when it comes to health related topics.  :)

How to Stay Healthy

Would you like to know how you can stay healthy by eating the right food?

Continuing my research on health related topics, here's a documentary by BBC which explores the effects of certain food to our health.

#1 - Things you need to know about cholesterol health

• Cholesterol is produced naturally by the liver, and released into the blood to be transported all over the body to build healthy cells.
• There are good and bad cholesterol. Diets too high in saturated fat will increase the amount of bad cholesterol, which can stick to the walls of arteries and cause blockage, thus resulting in cardiovascular diseases.

#2 - Things you need to know about your gut health

• Foods high in fibre helps to reduce the transit time of waste through our digestive system.
• The intestinal walls squeeze and push any food that are not absorbed through our digestive system all the way to the anus. The squeezing slows down if there is insufficient fibre in our diet.
• Potentially toxic substances need to be passed out from the body before they cause any harm to our body, such as bowel cancer.
• Scientists also believe that fibre plays a role in lowering cholesterol in the body.

#3 - Things you need to know about garlic

• When the level of cholesterol rises, it causes blockage in the arteries leading to the penis, thus not having enough rush of blood into it to cause an erection. Erection problem is normally a prerequisite to heart attack.
• Garlic reduces the deposit of cholesterol in the arteries, thus allowing more blood flow to the penis to produce an erection.
• Improve your erection by eating 4 cloves of raw garlic per day.

#4 - Things you need to know about vegetables

• There are billions of bacteria living inside our colon, both good and bad ones.
• Vegetables with prebiotics encourage the growth of good bacteria in our body. These good bacteria give us 10% of energy, extra vitamins and crucially to prevent an over-growth of bad bacteria, thus help protect our body against infection.

#5 - Things you need to know about our "ancestor's" diet

• Eating like an ape for 12 days, i.e. eating raw fruit and vegetables only, can lower cholesterol level by 23%.

Choose your food wisely to stay healthy.

How to Stay Young and Beautiful

If you hate tomatoes...if you like drinking wine...if you've ever been told to drink extra amounts of water...if you like eating berries...if you don't like eating greens like spinach...if you have tried a detox programme...I'm sure you'll get a whole lot from watching this documentary by BBC Health Care, as many of your questions would be answered scientifically.

[Discovery Health Care] How To Stay Young and Beautiful

Here's a summary of the important discoveries:

#1 - Eating tomatoes can help your skin stay younger for longer.

• One of the main cause of aging is free radical attack in our body.
• Tomatoes contain a phytochemical known as lycopene (colour pigments which make tomatoes red), which acts as a natural antioxidant to prevent wrinkles and skin damage from sunlight.
• The group of people in this experiment, as a whole, experienced 30% less damage to their skin when exposed to the same amount of UV light.

#2 - Red wine from high altitude grapes and made traditionally are better for your heart.

• Polyphenols (pigments which give the red colour in the skin of grapes) make our blood flow more easily, make blood vessel more flexible, and help prevent fatty deposits from building up, thus reducing the risk of heart disease.
• The French, despite their high-fat diet, have one of the lowest incidents of heart diseases in the world. This is also known as the "French paradox".
• Red wine made in the traditional way, where the grape skin and seed are soaked longer in the wine, allows the maximum amount of polyphenols to be absorbed into the wine, thus giving better health benefits.
• Grapes grown in higher altitudes are also known to have higher amount of polyphenols in them.
• Some grape varieties like cabernet sauvignon and tannat grapes have naturally higher levels of polyphenols.

#3 - Eating food when you drink red wine can help your heart and help your liver.

• Drinking wine with an empty stomach causes a person to get drunk more easily.
• Drinking wine with an empty stomach allows the alcohol to reach our intestines faster in huge amount, being absorbed into our bloodstream far too quickly, and reach our brain within just a few minutes.
• When drinking wine together with food, as the food and wine enters our stomach, the pyloric valve clamps shut holding the food in our stomach to be broken down, same for the alcohol. The gradual release of food by the pyloric valve allows alcohol to reach our intestines in smaller amount, and reaching our bloodstream slowly, giving our liver plenty of time to neutralize it.

#4 - You don't need to drink extra litres of water on top of your normal diet.

• A suitable allowance for water for adults is 2.5 litres daily.
• Most of the amount of water that we need daily can already be obtained from our normal diet.
• Drinking extra amount of water on top of those obtained from our normal diet doesn't change the condition of our skin.

#5 - Can berries improve memory?

• Experiment has shown that for some people berries do improve their memory, but not all of them experience the same. Overall not being significant.

#6 - To help protect your eyesight, you should eat spinach once a week.

• Spinach contains lutein (a yellow compound giving spinach its colour) which is used by our body to build a jelly-like solution in our eye to protect the retina and prevent macular degeneration.
• Macular degeneration, a kind of blindness in the eye normally related to aging, is caused by damage of the retine due to sunlight.
• Experiment has shown that eating spinach has helped the group of people achieve 19% increase in levels of macular pigment.

#7 - A detox regime won't improve your body's natural detox processes.

• Experiment has shown that there's no difference in the level of detox processes in the body between those on a detox diet and those on a normal diet.

This is truly an education for all of us. I hope this helps quell some of the arguments on these topics, where most people are still relying on "hearsay" for information.

Why Are Thin People Not Fat?

Some people remain overweight despite working very hard to lose weight, while some people remain underweight despite trying hard to put on weight.

Here's a fat cell under the microscope

Is there a scientific explanation for this?

This interesting documentary explains it all, backed by findings from a very controversial "over-eating" experiment.

BBC Horizon: Why Are Thin People Not Fat

Here are some important points taken from this documentary:

• Fat is stored in our body as a emergency source of energy during times of famine, when food is scarce.
• People whose body is genetically better at storing fat have a higher chance of surviving a famine. Therefore these genes have a higher chance of being passed on to the next generation. This explains why there are more people who easily put on fat than people who don't.
• Putting on fat easy might be an advantage for people living in the past, but in today's environment the opposite is true.
• All of us have a natural body weight which our brain remembers, and our brain will always work very hard to keep us at our natural body weight. Some people can easily resist the urge of over-eating because their brain wants to stop them from gaining weight, and vice versa.
• Scientists have also found that a common human virus called "adenovirus-36" is strongly linked to human obesity. Those infected with the virus are significantly heavier than the average. But this viral infection is NOT the only cause for obesity, as obviously there are other reasons causing people to become obese.
• When a normal healthy cell becomes a fat cell, it will grow bigger having the ability to accumulate more fat in the cell. At the same time, our body will also grow more and more fat cells to accumulate more fat when it finds that the existing cells have achieved their maximum fat storage.
• Once these fat cells have grown in our body, it is almost impossible to remove them.
• It's easier for our body to produce fat cells during childhood or adolescence. Overweight children have a higher tendency to grow up as overweight adults.
• For some people, over-eating will result in more muscle mass being produced, instead of fat. This also contributes to weight gain.
• Once stopping ourselves from over-eating, our brain will act to bring us back to our natural body weight which it remembers.

Here are some information regarding the findings on "adenovirus-36" obtained from WebMD.

Title: Obesity Virus: More, Bigger Fat Cells 

Link: http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20070820/obesity-virus-more-bigger-fat-cells

"Dhurandhar's team finds evidence that Ad-36 has a direct effect on human fat cells. Infection of adult stem cells from human fat triggers their transition into pre-fat cells. And these virus-infected cells hold much more fat than normal pre-fat cells. The end result: more, fatter fat cells." ~ WebMD

To me, these findings from the documentary sound more like good news than bad news for me. Why? Because it says that our brain remember the body's natural weight and will do all it can to prevent us from gaining weight. So, the catch here is that, in order to gain or lose weight, apart from going through the weight gain or weight loss process, we must make our brain "reset" the natural body weight which it remembers and to create a new reference point.

"Kangkung" the Superfood

In the midst of this "kangkung craze" created by the beloved PM of our country (see "Cultural reference"), I made a search for "kangkung" on Google and found some amazing facts about this food.

A fellow blogger referred to "kangkung" a.k.a. water spinach as a "superfood"...
Article: "Superfoods you don’t know: water spinach"
Link: http://johnswannack.com/superfoods-you-dont-know-water-spinach/

While there's a website called "Nutrition Rank" which rated the water spinach as a "good food" for its nutritional values. By the way, this website is really cool!
Link: http://www.nutritionrank.com/calories-water-spinach-415826

While I personally think that the PM's "endorsement" of the water spinach was merely a political "spin" instead of an intention based on nutritional facts, I somehow have to thank him for bringing up this topic and lead me to find out more about this unsung "superfood" that grows in abundance in our country.

I guess the message is right -- let's eat more kangkung!  :)

Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?

William Li: Can we eat to starve cancer?

In this TED video, the speaker William Li talks about "angiogenesis", which researches have claimed to have caused the growth cancer in a human body.

In short...

"Angiogenesis, the growth of new capillary blood vessels in the body, is an important natural process in the body used for healing and reproduction. The body controls angiogenesis by producing a precise balance of growth and inhibitory factors in healthy tissues." ~ The Angiogenesis Foundation

You can read more about works done in the field of angiogenesis at the following link:

http://www.angio.org/

Here are some important points taken from the video:

• Angiogenesis is important for the healing and reproduction of cells and tissues in the body.
• When angiogenesis gets out of balance in the body, it causes diseases such as heart disease, cancer, obesity, etc.
• Having insufficient angiogenesis means that normal healthy cells and tissues heal too slow or little compared to the on-going damage incurred.
• Having excessive angiogenesis means that abnormal unhealthy cells and tissues grow too fast or much that the body fails to dispose them.
• Cancer cells are just like normal cells in the body, which also require feeding from blood vessels in order to grow. With antiangiogenic theraphy, the feeding of cancer cells is cut off, thus stopping the growth (or ending the life) of cancer cells.
• Most of the time cancer is treated too late. A better way to fight cancer is to prevent angiogenesis by means of early intervention, effectively inhibiting the spread of cancer cells.
• Diet accounts for 30-35% of environmentally-caused cancers. Instead of just reducing the intake of food which increases the risk of cancer, we can also resort to increasing the intake of food which reduces the risk of cancer.
• There are many natural antiangiogenic foods which can be taken in our diet to prevent cancer, such as green tea, fruits, ginseng, spices, tuna, olive oil, dark chocolate, tomatoes, etc. Each food has different level of antiangionenic potency.

In my personal opinion, there are many similarities between the concepts of "antiangiogenesis" and "antioxidant". Both serve the purpose of inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in the body.

It is important to get ourselves educated more on these topics so that we can make a better choice of the nutrition that we take.

Mediterranean Diets Starve Off Diabetes

Source: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/features/article/study-even-without-weight-loss-mediterranean-diets-stave-off-diabetes

MADRID, Jan 8 ― A new study finds that even if you don’t lose weight or boost exercise, following a Mediterranean diet can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

In the Spanish study, people at risk for heart disease who followed a diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and fats from nuts or olive oil were about 30 per cent less likely to develop diabetes over a four-year period than those who ate a low-fat diet.

The research was a subanalysis of last year’s influential PREDIMED study, involving 7,447 subjects at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Researchers from Universidad de Navarra found that subjects who ate a Mediterranean diet had a 30 per cent greater reduction in the risk of heart attack, stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease than those who ate a low-fat diet. The new paper, published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine, looked at the development of diabetes among 3,541 subjects who didn't have diabetes at the beginning of the study.

Even just adding olive oil to your diet resulted in a health boost, the study suggests. Participants who added fats from extra-virgin olive oil were 40 per cent less likely to develop diabetes during the study compared with those who followed a low-fat diet.

Recent evidence from Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston also found that middle-aged women who follow a Mediterranean diet may live healthier, longer lives. Scientists evaluated the diets and medical records of 10,670 women and found that after 15 years those women who followed a Mediterranean diet were 40 percent more likely to survive to age 70 or over without heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic disease. ― AFP-Relaxnews

Low Fat Food? Think Again

It was quite fun watching this documentary about processed low fat food that is commonly sold over the counters in grocery shops. It featured a British TV personality Zoe Salmon, who was put through a 4-week "low fat diet", and at the same time, recorded the changes she had been through and how she had felt throughout the 4-week diet.

BBC Horizon: The Big Fat Truth About Low Fat Foods

These are the key messages I get from the documentary:

• Processed low fat food is not the same as natural low fat food.
• Food which is low in fat typically don't taste so good.
• In processed low fat food, when fat is removed from the food, manufacturers have to replace it with sugar or alternative sweeteners to improve the taste of the food.
• The added sugar and alternative sweeteners result in more frequent hunger pangs and makes a person eat more frequently.
• Interestingly, low calorie processed food may still contain high levels of artificial sweeteners which deliver the same damaging impact on our body, just like sugar do.
• In general, when food is processed, it loses a lot of its nutrients. Therefore, going on a diet with processed low fat food will deprive the body of essential nutrients and antioxidants.
• Processed food, as compared to natural food, breaks down faster in our digestive system, thus increasing the amount of glucose in the body, which may result in higher risk of getting diabetes and other diseases.
• Instead of helping consumers lose weight, processed low fat food may actually cause weight gain and increased body fat due to the increase of glucose in the blood. The over supply of glucose will also be converted into body fat.

Choose natural whole food which is low in fat, and NOT processed low fat food. There's a whole lot of difference. Don't be fooled by the "low fat" label.

What Has Quantum Physics Got to Do with You? MUST READ!

I came across this article written by John Assaraf and found it mind-blowing. Read the article yourself, and you'll understand why.

Article: Why You Should Be Aware of Quantum Physics?

Link: http://johnassaraf.com/law-of-attraction/why-you-should-be-aware-of-quantum-physics-2

If you understand and buy into the ideas presented in this article, then you'll find that some of the supernatural phenomenon which you have seen in television make more sense now, such as:

People who can bend a spoon just by concentrating their thoughts on the spoon.

REAL Matrix Spoon Bending - Telekinesis!!

People like David Blaine who can hold his breath for 17 minutes.

David Blaine: How I held my breath for 17 min

People who have psychic healing powers.

REAL PROOF of psychic energy (Amazing footage)!!!

The common theme found in these cases is that all of them attributed their capability of doing such supernatural acts to the power of concentration of their mind, or in other words, meditation.

Buying into what John Assaraf has explained in his article, this is how I would simplify my understanding:

• First, I form a mental picture of an object in my mind (such as a house).
• Then, my thoughts gather all the energy in my body to take action, such as getting a piece of blank paper and a pencil.
• Next, my thoughts transfers the energy from my body, through the pencil, onto the paper.
• After a while, the mental picture is transferred onto the piece of paper.

This is an example of what our conscious mind can do. And our conscious mind works only when we're focusing our thoughts on something.

As we know, our subconscious mind runs all the time without stopping. If our subconscious mind also works with the same process as our conscious mind, think about the amazing potential and opportunities that we can tap into to help us achieve our goals in life.

This is simply amazing. Thank you very much for sharing this article, Mr John Assaraf!

The 4 Stages of Learning

While reading this book by John Assaraf, I found this to be quite interesting. Learning is something that we experience throughout our life, though sadly to say, for most people, the amount of learning is somehow indirectly proportional to their physical age.

Here are the 4 stages of learning shared in this book:

First stage: Unconscious incompetence

• The state of ignorance, i.e. we don't know what we don't know.

Second stage: Conscious incompetence

• We know and admit that we're incompetent.

Third stage: Conscious competence

• We understand and know how to do something, but it requires a lot of focus and concentration.
• This comes from doing the right things in the right order repeatedly.

Fourth stage: Unconscious competence

• We had so much practice and become so good at the skill that it has become second nature and can be performed effortlessly.

I can easily relate this to my experience in driving. When I was small, I didn't even bother whether I knew how to drive. As I grow older, I realized that I needed to learn how to drive or else I'll be a burden to others. I remembered that on the first day of my driving lesson, it was such hell of an experience that I had so much stress focusing on the road, cars and my instructor. But as time went by, it got easier and easier, and today, I don't even have to remind myself what to do when I step into my car driving to my destination.

If you watch in envy wondering how some people can do something so effortlessly, it is because they have been through the 4 stages of learning. It's impossible for anyone to just jump from the first stage to the fourth stage of learning in a short period of time. As long as you understand this concept, I'm sure one day you can do what those people you envy did too  :)

10 Things You Need to Know About Sleep

Here's some useful tips for some of you who face problems in having good quality sleep at night.

BBC: 10 Things You Need to Know About Sleep

This BBC documentary talks about 10 things that you need to know about sleep. I have summarized the key points in the following:

#1 - Bath before sleep

• It's not the temperature of your body, but rather the drop of your body temperature that makes you feel sleepy.
• Taking a warm bath at least an hour before you sleep will first raise body temperature, then allow it to go down after that.

#2 - Beating insomnia

• Most people with insomnia spend longer time in their bedroom trying to get to sleep, but that doesn't work.
• To overcome insomnia, try restricting the amount of time you spend in your bedroom for getting to sleep, and always get up at the same time each day.

#3 - When to nap

• The best time to nap is between 2-5pm in the afternoon, and ideally for 30min.
• Your body will fight any attempt to nap between 7-12pm in the morning and 6-8pm in the evening, so do avoid those times.

#4 - How to stop snoring

• The mechanics of snoring (video 19:17).
• Over-the-counter remedies like moistening strips are designed to reduce the vibration of tissues in the mouth that causes snoring.
• Heavy snorers who also fall asleep during the day should consult the doctor as it may be a sign of a serious health condition.

#5 - Don't mess with your sleep cycle

• There are 5 stages of sleep which form a cycle: Stage 1 (feel drowsy), Stage 2 (light sleep), Stage 3 & 4 (deep sleep), Stage 5 (dream or REM).
• A healthy sleep will consists of 4-6 cycles.
• Taking coffee before sleep causes a person to experience more moments of light sleep and less moments of deep sleep, which results in a restless sleep cycle.
• Taking alcohol before sleep helps a person to fall asleep quickly and have quite amount of deep sleep, but later on experience more moments of wakefulness, i.e. not able to maintain sleep.
• Don't drink coffee or alcohol more than 4 hours before bed.

#6 - Power of daylight

• A remarkable finding on how daylight affects sleep pattern (29:00).
• At night the body increases the supply of melatonin hormone to help you sleep.
• During the day, when the retina senses the "blue light" from daylight, it sends a signal to the brain to reduce the production of melatonin hormone, as a result helping you becoming more alert.
• To sleep better, your bedroom should be blocked out of any daylight.
• You can also use daylight to make you more alert and make it easier for you to get out from bed.

#7 - Eat to sleep

• A comparison of the effects of carbohydrate and protein to our sleepiness (37:00).
• Taking a carbohydrate-rich meal makes you feel sleepy, while taking a protein-rich meal makes you feel more alert and energetic.

#8 - How to beat jet lag

• How human's internal clock works (39:50).
• When the body is starved 16 hours hours, the food clock is activated and took over the sleep pattern.
• To prevent jet lag, try avoid eating for the whole flight, and only eat again at the first regular meal time when you arrive (quite some sacrifice, but it works).

#9 - Relax

• Stress affects the quality of our sleep.
• See how a simple relaxation therapy can help you sleep better (48:00).
• Try tense and relax your muscles for 15 minutes before bedtime, is a simple and effective method to help you sleep better.

#10 - Herbal potions

• The smell of herbs like lavender helps you to relax and thus induce sleep.

Hope this helps. Have a good sleep tonight  :)