Fried food raises stroke risk in older women

Report from AFP dated 1 March 2012 :-

Fried food raises stroke risk in older women     
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Older women who eat high amounts of the kind of fat found in fried foods and baked goods face a greater risk of stroke than women who eat lower fat diets, a US study suggested on Thursday.

However, aspirin use could cut those risks, said the researchers from University of North Carolina whose findings are published in the Annals of Neurology.

The data came from the largest study to date of post-menopausal women and their eating habits, and included 87,025 women between the ages 50 and 79 who were generally in good health at the time of enrolment.

Women who reported eating diets high in trans-fatty acids, or 6.1g a day, showed a 39 per cent greater incidence of stroke due to a blocked artery than women who ate 2.2g per day of such fats.

Coffee drinking not linked to chronic illness: Study

Report from Reuters dated 1 March 2012 :-


Coffee drinking not linked to chronic illness: Study     
Coffee drinkers have no more risk of getting illnesses such as heart disease or cancer, and are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a German study involving more than 40,000 people over nearly a decade.
 
(REUTERS) - Coffee drinkers have no more risk of getting illnesses such as heart disease or cancer, and are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a German study involving more than 40,000 people over nearly a decade.

The findings, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, came in the wake of many previous studies that produced conflicting results, with some tying coffee drinking to an increase in heart disease, cancer, stroke and more.

'Our results suggest that coffee consumption is not harmful for healthy adults in respect of risk of major chronic disease,'said Dr Anna Floegel, lead author of the study and an epidemiologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke.

The researchers collected information at the beginning of the study on coffee drinking habits, diet, exercise and health from more than 42,000 German adults without any chronic conditions.

Dr. Oz -Weather causes 'Fake Allergies Attacks' and Thunderstorms Cause Asthma Attacks

Dr. Oz

I saw something interesting on the Dr. Oz show, he was talking about how changes in weather can affect your health. One of the things they talked about was a 'fake allergy attack.' The guest on his show was talking about what can happen when there is a sudden drop in temperatures-say 10 to 20 degrees in an hour.

Dr. Oz explains what happens inside the nose, but I can't tell it as good as he does, so if you want to watch the story, click here.

He also talks about how thunderstorms can trigger asthma attacks. The wind gusts that come before thunderstorms are often filled with dust and pollen. And guess what happens when we breathe all of that in? Yep, the Drama Queen Effect-our bodies over react and cause an asthma attack.

He also showed a stretch that has been shown to reduce asthma attacks. You put your hands above your head, lace your fingers together (palm side up) and stretch. I would like to find the research on that, or at least know how to spell the name of the stretch. You'll have to watch the video and let me know what you think.

He also suggested a few other things to avoid an asthma attack during a thunderstorm:


  • Close the windows in your house to keep the dust and pollen out
  • Put the windows up in the car, and shut the vents
It seems like I find out new things about allergies and asthma all of the time. Good to know too, in case we need to protect ourselves from a thunderstorm or sudden drop in temperatures.


Colorectal-cancer cases on the rise

Colorectal-cancer cases on the rise

Tuesday, Feb 28, 2012
my paper ( Singapore )
Colorectal-cancer cases are on the rise, with 8,206 cases diagnosed over five consecutive years ending in 2010, according to findings revealed yesterday.

This is a nearly 4 per cent increase from the 7,909 cases diagnosed from 2005 to 2009.
Also, nine in 10 diagnosed with the cancer of the large intestine between 2006 and 2010 were aged 50 and above.
These statistics, from the Singapore Cancer Registry Interim Report, were highlighted yesterday at a media conference for the 11th Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

Associate Professor Tang Choong Leong, head of Singapore General Hospital's department of colorectal surgery, said there are many reasons for the rise in colorectal cancer.

But diet could be a contributing factor for the cancer, which has the highest number of diagnosed cases for men and women combined.

"When people take a lot of red meat and very little fruit and vegetables, it increases the risk of cancer," said Prof Tang.

He added that the chance of getting colorectal cancer increases significantly for people aged 50 and above, so more cases will likely surface as Singapore's population ages.

Despite the increase in cases, the incidence of colorectal cancer per 100,000 people in a year fell slightly by 1.4 points to hit 39.7 for males for 2006 to 2010, compared to the five-year period before.
The rate for females also fell 1.2 points to 28.1.

But Prof Tang said that it is too early to tell if this signals the start of a fall in colorectal-cancer rates, noting that more studies have to be done.

As there are no symptoms in the early stages of colorectal cancer, experts said regular screening can help to detect the disease early.

Statistics show that those diagnosed at stage one of the cancer have an 80 per cent chance of surviving for at least five years. This drops to 7 per cent when diagnosis is done at stage four.

People aged 50 and above are also encouraged to undergo the Faecal Occult Blood Test annually which involves collecting a stool sample and sending it to the Singapore Cancer Society for tests.

The society will refer those who tested positive to a hospital for check-ups.

As part of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the society is holding two roadshows and working with polyclinics and Guardian retail stores to distribute the stool test kits.

Public forums on colorectal cancer will also be held at the end of next month.

Climbing 23 flights of stairs for asthma?







We went up to our local American Lung Association's event, called the "Fight For Air Climb." It's where people climb 23 flights of stairs to raise money for the local American Lung Association's asthma programs. They asked my daughter, Kitty, to hand out medals again this year, so that was fun for her. Even if she is a little shy....


The most amazing part of the event was to watch the fire fighters climb the 23 flights of stairs-in full gear. Many people have a hard time climbing the stairs on their own, but try adding 60-70 pounds of fire fighting gear! By the time many of them reached the top of the stairs, they were exhausted. Several collapsed at the top of the stairs, and their buddies would remove their gear so they could go sit down. I could always tell when they were nearing the top, because their alarms would go off on their oxygen tanks (I think that's what the alarm was for.) As they reached the top, they would run out of oxygen. And I can tell you that they always got loud cheers from those of us already on the floor. What amazing men.


Hubby remarked that all the firefighters looked like ex-football players. They would have to be to carry 60 pounds of equipment. For those of us with asthma, some days can be a challenge to breathe. And that doesn't include strapping 60 extra pounds on while we get a little exercise.

I looked like a manly competition too, to see which firefighters could make it to the top the fastest. I think there were several different agencies from the city there. I'm not sure who ended up with bragging rights for the best time.


For my part, I manned the display table and told people about programs that are available for people with asthma. Open Airways is a great class that helps kid aged 8-11 manage their asthma. We show the kids how to use an inhaler, peak flow meter, explain about different types of medication, etc. Studies show that kids that complete this course (6 weeks- one 45 minute class one day a week ) have less asthma attacks, fewer visits to the emergency room and less missed school days.


If you are interested, contact your local American Lung Assocation, the class are free, and the kids get a t-shirt on the last day of class and a fun party.


If you missed the Fight For Air Climb, there's always next year. Until then, look forward to summer when our local American Lung Assocation sponsors a Fight For Air walk. Now that's more my speed-a stroll around a local park. If you ask me, that beats climbing 23 flights of stairs!



Physical activity and older adults

Physical activity and older adults

Friday, Jan 13, 2012
The Star (Malaysia) Asia News Network
IN adults aged 65 years and above, physical activity includes leisure time physical activity (for example, walking, dancing, gardening, hiking, swimming), transportation (e.g. walking or cycling), occupational (if the individual is still engaged in work), household chores, play, games, sports or planned exercise, in the context of daily, family, and community activities.

In order to improve cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, bone and functional health, reduce the risk of chronic lifestyle diseases, depression and cognitive decline:

· Older adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
· Aerobic activity should be performed in bouts of at least 10 minutes duration.

· For additional health benefits, older adults should increase their moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to 300 minutes per week, or engage in 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity per week, or an equivalent combination of moderate-and vigorous-intensity activity.

· Older adults, with poor mobility, should perform physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls on three or more days per week.

· Muscle-strengthening activities, involving major muscle groups, should be done on two or more days a week.

· When older adults cannot do the recommended amounts of physical activity due to health conditions, they should be as physically active as their abilities and conditions allow. – World Health Organization

Western food in Thailand

Report from Bangkok Post dated 26 February 2012 :-

Western food in Thailand has gone from something accessible only to an elite few to fare enjoyed in neighbourhoods throughout the country

More than a century ago, many Thai civil servants travelled to study in the West, sent off to acquire knowledge that they could use in the country's development. When they returned home they brought the new methods, foreign languages and innovative approaches to administration and management that they had learned abroad. They also brought the knowledge they had gained of Western culture, including the delights of European food.

RAISING STEAKS: Steak Sam Yan.

In those days Western food was considered beyond the reach of ordinary Thais. They knew that it was supposed to be delicious, but they had no way of tasting it themselves because the meats, vegetables, fruits, butter, seasonings and tinned goods needed to prepare it were unavailable. Few cookbooks were being written to provide recipes, and the equipment needed to make Western food, like the table settings used to serve and eat it, were expensive. Only one hotel had a Western-style kitchen, and prices for dishes there were exorbitant. In short, for all but the moneyed elite, foreign food was just something for most Thais to dream about.

It was not only the privileged class who ate Western food, however. The staff of Western embassies ate it regularly and the chefs who did the cooking were exclusively Hainanese Chinese who had been brought in by the embassies.

The Hainanese were experts at preparing Western food because the province of Canton in southern China was under Western control and Shanghai was the centre of trade between China and the West. During that era, Shanghai was a kind of Paris of the East, and Chinese there from many ethnic groups chose work that answered the needs of the Western business and diplomatic communities.

The Hainanese specialised in cooking Western food, although the dishes they made were not authentically Western. They mixed in Chinese ideas and strong flavours to create a special sub-cuisine that their employers liked. When Western diplomats relocated to other countries, they brought their Hainanese cooks along with them, and this was especially true of those who came to Thailand.

With the passage of time, the Chinese cooks who had come to Thailand began looking outside of the embassies for jobs for their children and grandchildren. Commerce seemed the best choice, and since their main skill was as cooks specialising in foreign food, many opened food shops or restaurants.

The earliest ones were located in the financial district around Silom and Sathon roads, where there were many Western companies with employees who were knowledgeable and affluent.

Business in these restaurants was good. When word of their success got back to China, relatives, friends and others from the cooks' villages decided that running Western-style restaurants in Thailand was the way to get rich, and set off for Bangkok.

SHIFTING PLATES: Newstyle foreign food served in Bangkok.

Half a century ago there were quite a few of these Chinese Western food restaurants in the city. Some of the best-known were Silom Restaurant and Fu Mui Kee, both near Silom Road; Ming Lee, across from the Royal Palace (in the past the Finance Ministry was in the same area), and several smaller places located in lanes in the Silom-Sathon area.

The menus in all of them were pretty much the same, and featured salad nuea san (green salad with sliced beef), sattu lin wua (beef tongue stew), sattu phok chop (pork chop stew), see khrong moo choop paeng thawt (breaded, deep-fried spare ribs) and kaeng karee gai (a mild chicken curry) that was eaten with bread.

These Hainanese-style Western restaurants opened the door to Western cuisine for ordinary Thais, and Western dishes became the rage, especially well loved by people who had a modest income.

About 30 years ago, the 13 Rien (13 Coins) restaurant came on the scene. The owner had previously worked as a chef in the US and when he returned home he opened restaurants in areas where there were many students or crowds of people - across from Ramkhamhaeng University, for example, and on Sukhumvit Road. The menu included items such as chicken steak, spaghetti with fried chicken and chicken tacos, all offered in large servings at a low price. Of course, this approach was a hit with students, and 13 Rien became a great success, with branches everywhere.

Western food had a strong appeal for students, who were at the age where they liked to experience new things but had to keep their expenses down. Later, Steak Sam Yan opened on the second floor of Sam Yan Market, near Chulalongkorn University. Every student at the university soon knew it. The food offered was foreign and it was inexpensive, but there were only two small branches.

Eventually Sam Yan Market moved to a new location not far from the original one. The second floor of the new market is more spacious than at the previous location, and it is completely filled by Steak Sam Yan. Now it is not only Chula students who eat there. It fills up with employees from nearby companies at lunchtime and in the evening who come to order beef, pork, chicken or salmon steaks, which share the platter with a green salad topped with mayonnaise, a slice of bread with butter and French fries, all for just 100 baht.

Today, cheap foreign food like this is popular everywhere. Some of the shops that sell it are very small and set in ordinary neighbourhoods. Cook Chom (the chef's name is Chom), for example, is located on the edge of Khlong Thewes.

It is very small with a worn wooden floor, and prepares food to order, but it does such booming business that eating there usually means a long queue. The menu includes see khrong moo op nam pheung (honey-baked spare ribs), spaghetti kai goong (spaghetti with shrimp eggs), and hoy shell op sauce farangset (scallops baked with "French sauce"), each priced at a little more than 100 baht.

The Chef Krai restaurant is in Ramkhamhaeng Soi 29 in a neighbourhood where there are many residences for students at nearby Ramkhamhaeng University. It is very small and run by a young man who wears a chef's toque. Seating is on long benches, like in a school cafeteria, and the offerings include spaghetti with fried, breaded pork or chicken. A serving costs only 70 baht, and the shop is so busy that eating there also often involves a long queue.

There are many more little places of this kind in different communities around town, and they have begun spreading to other provinces.

Their proliferation is the latest stage of a trend that has seen Western food change from an expensive luxury for a privileged elite to a popular option for Thais at every level of society.

Its future looks bright, too, provided that chefs maintain standards and the price stays right.

Deadly asthma attacks

I hear a lot of people say "oh, it's JUST asthma." Well, JUST asthma can kill you. It is rare, but every day in the United States, 11 people die from asthma attacks.

I was watching NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, and he told about a New York Times correspondent that died of an asthma attack in Syria. Anthony Shadid was covering the unrest in Syria when he had an asthma attack and died at the age of 43.

Anthony Shadid had survived being shot and also being kidnapped while covering stories in other countries. But it was an asthma attack that killed him. I found an AP article on MSNBC, that interviewed Anthony's father. The father says Anthony had asthma all of his life, and had medication with him. (I don't know if that means he had an inhaler with him or that he had taken his maintenance medication that day.) But it appears that he was walking to the border, since traveling by car was too dangerous. He was walking behind horses, which he is allergic to. When another journalist asked him if he was okay, Anthony just collapsed. His breathing was very shallow, then it stopped all together. The story also report that a colleague tried to revive Anthony, but couldn't. When someone stops breathing, you have 4 minutes to try to save their life. In a war zone, it looks as thought they were too far away from any hospitals to get help.

To read the MSNBC AP story from Fort Meyers Florida, click here.

What a sad end to a talented man. Anthony can survive being shot, and kidnapped, but he didn't survive an asthma attack. So, what can I learn from this? I know what my asthma triggers are and I try to avoid them like the plague! I do have my medication handy at all times and I'm not afraid to use it. Sometimes I wonder if people wait too long to take their inhaler. I don't know what happened to Anthony. But I know that he left behind a wife and two children.

A brilliant life cut short.


Link

Citrus intake can lower stroke risk

Report from AFP dated 24 February 2012 :-

Citrus intake can lower stroke risk


Oranges for sale at a market in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (AFP PHOTO/ANTONIO SCORZA)

WASHINGTON: Women who regularly eat citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit may have a lower risk of blood-clot related stroke, according to a US study published on Thursday.

Researchers looked at 14 years of data from a US nurses survey that included 69,622 women who reported what they ate, including details on fruit and vegetable consumption, every four years.

The aim was to study the effects of flavonoids -- a class of compounds present in fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate and red wine -- on health.

While total flavonoid consumption across all six main types found in the typical US diet did not show a benefit in preventing stroke, those who ate lots of oranges and grapefruit and their derived juices showed a 19 percent lower stroke risk than their counterparts in the study.

"Studies have shown higher fruit, vegetable and specifically vitamin C intake is associated with reduced stroke risk," said Aedin Cassidy, lead author of the study in the Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

"Flavonoids are thought to provide some of that protection through several mechanisms, including improved blood vessel function and an anti-inflammatory effect," added Cassidy, a professor of nutrition at Norwich Medical School in the University of East Anglia.

The researchers called for more studies to better understand the apparent link, and urged women to consume oranges and grapefruit rather than their juices to avoid high sugar content from drink additives.

Previous research has suggested that citrus-derived flavonoids may help prevent weight gain and metabolic syndrome which can lead to Type 2 diabetes and higher risk of heart disease.

Clearing the myth about hypnosis

Clearing the myth about hypnosis

Julian Leicester
| February 24, 2012
 
Most Malaysians associate hypnosis with stage shows and think that it is perhaps mystical or dangerous. In the public imagination, a hypnotist is a man with piercing eyes and a pocket watch.
 
Hypnosis has long been associated with the strange and mysterious, with sideshows and faith healers. But the truth is that hypnosis isn’t the least bit mysterious or supernatural. In fact, you are in a hypnotic state everyday. You don’t notice it because it seems such a natural state of mind.

Everyone experiences a trance many times daily, but we don’t usually call it hypnosis. All of us have been so absorbed in thought – while reading a book or driving the car to work – that we fail to notice what is happening around us. While we were zoned out, another level of consciousness, which we refer to as “our subconscious mind, came forward and took over”.

It has been proven that there is a mind-body link connection. Self-hypnosis is a method that allows you to access this connection for the purpose of helping yourself. All hypnosis is an altered state of relaxed consciousness, between wakefulness and sleep, where ideas are accepted by suggestion rather than by logical evaluation.

I use the term self-hypnosis because it is you who are placing yourself into this hypnotic state. It is important for you to remember that a trance state can be terminated by you at any time. It is your choice to enter the hypnotic state, and you can always choose to leave it. If you were left in this state by a hypnotherapist or by your hypnotic tape, you would either return to full consciousness on your own or enter a natural sleep and awaken after a pleasant nap.

Most Malaysians associate hypnosis with stage shows and think that it is perhaps mystical or dangerous. In the public imagination, a hypnotist is a man with piercing eyes and a pocket watch. He swings his watch, your eyes droop and you fall into a trance. He can then get you to do anything.

Sinister thoughts that he will ask you, your bank PIN number or your deepest secrets or make you do something foolish tends to keeps you cautious and away from hypnosis.

If you buy this myth, it’s not just the movies and television that are to blame. The truth about hypnosis is far more down to earth than the mythmakers would have you believe. Hypnosis is not black magic and has no religious blending and is more of a science.

In fact the opposite is true. It’s a practical skill. Hypnosis is not a mind control method where a person is tricked to give up his or her control. It actually helps you to gain more control of your own life. Some people are skeptical about hypnosis and believe that you need to be gullible or weak-minded to be able to use hypnosis. This theory is also not true. People with above-average intelligence actually are better at using self-hypnosis techniques. Work with hypnosis is successful for people who want to be helped.

Self-hypnosis is one of the most powerful tools that you can use to accomplish your goals. In this new millennium, hypnosis is becoming a promising tool that can help society extensively in coping with daily stress related issues.

Cigarette smokers are able to kick their habit overnight, weight gain could be controlled, to relax and live, freeing from fear and phobias, relieving pain, etc. Hypnosis is now being used in emergency centres and surgeries in western countries. Hypnosis can be used to improve your general functioning because of its effect on the functioning of the mind as well as of the body and is now slowly taking its proper place as a serious part of medical and social science.

Julian Leicester is a London trained subconscious specialist with Hypno-Station. He is Malaysia’s most renowned clinical hypnotherapist, media personality, columnist, event host and book author. He can be contacted at julianleicester@gmail.com.

Can A Cavity Be Healed?

OK, y'all.  I have something really cool/freaky to share with you that happened to me yesterday. But first, you need a little back story. :0)


My dad was an auto worker, so we had AWESOME insurance when I was growing up.  This meant that I saw the dentist every six months for my entire growing up years. Then, as an adult I couldn't rely on Daddy's insurance. Unfortunately, Daddy's insurance is hard to come by. My husband's insurance rarely included dental, so I would go years without seeing a dentist. We all would. Anybody relate to that? 


About a year and a half to two years ago I got one of those fliers in the mail for a free cleaning and exam from a dental office. So, I made an appointment for me and Isaac to get our teeth cleaned. It was one of those offices with the newest high-tech equipment that probably cost a fortune and the bill gets passed along to the patients. Both of us had cavities. I don't remember which was which at this point, but one of us had four and the other had five. The estimate they gave us to get them filled was $800 and $900. That just seemed astronomical to me so I called around and found a much more reasonable dentist just around the corner from me. He had actually been recommended by our tax guy. First, I made Isaac an appointment. The dentist found all the same cavities that the high-tech place did using nothing more than his metal pokey thing and his training. We got Isaac's cavities filled for a third of the price it was going to cost us at the other place. Plus, we just love the dentist and hygienists that work there. They have this rare trait called bedside manner. Or, maybe it's personality. It could be that they just care more about their patients than raking in as much dough as possible. Whatever it is, it roped us in.


Well, after we got Isaac fixed up, we got Dad in there. He had some pretty serious dental work that needed to be fixed. My cavities could wait. And, wait they did. Until yesterday.


Now, remember, it's been a year and a half to two years since I had that initial exam that showed I had four or five cavities. In the mean time, we've been slowly making changes to our diet. When the dentist examined my teeth yesterday I only had one small cavity. He said it was very small - just how they like to catch them.  One cavity? Now under different circumstances I would be tempted to think that maybe he just didn't find the other ones without all of the new-fangled, high-tech equipment that the other place had. But remember, he found all of the same cavities that they said Isaac had.  


I've read in several places lately where cavities can actually be healed just like any other bone can be. Although, most mainstream dentists would disagree, the scientific proof is there and the research all started because of a dentist named Weston A. Price. Ever heard of Nourishing Traditions? Evidently, diet plays a crucial role. 


I can't put my finger on one specific thing that we've changed in our diet that would cause these results in my teeth, because we've made a lot of little changes. I began using traditional fats, eliminating most of the processed food we ate, began including coconut oil in my diet and recently we bought a pastured hog and half of a grass-fed cow. I make bone broth. We don't eat nearly as much bread as we used to and started taking fermented Cod Liver Oil.  We stopped using toothpaste that has fluoride in it and just used tooth soap for a while. Some of these things we've been doing for a while, some are more recent. And, we don't do any of these things perfectly. In fact, we still eat too much sugar. We're baby stepping. I think it must be working, though. Even though I can't see the effects of our changes on the outside as much, yet (That stubborn weight!) - the fact that my teeth are actually healing from cavities is pretty strong evidence to me that these are very healthy changes.


This is all pretty new and still wild to me. I never believed that a cavity could be healed because I'd never heard it was possible. I thought that once the damage was done that was the end of the story. But, after reading some about it, the possibility became believable. Especially when I started thinking about how God created our bodies to heal themselves. If a cut, wound or bone can heal - why not a tooth? And then I went to the dentist. I have seen the proof for myself.


Here are a few of links to articles on this in case you're interested in reading more about it.
http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/how-i-healed-my-childs-cavity/
http://gnowfglins.com/2010/02/08/rfqm-curing-tooth-decay-by-ramiel-nagel/
http://www.learningherbs.com/news_issue_79.html


So, what do you think? Have you ever heard of cavities being healed? Any thoughts you'd like to weigh in with?


I'm linking this up at Simple Lives ThursdayHomestead Barn Hop, and Your Green Resource.

Many blind to the risks of contact lenses

Many blind to the risks of contact lenses

Thursday, Feb 23, 2012
China Daily/Asia News Network
By Yang Wanli
 
It is 2.30 pm on a Wednesday. Xidan, one of Beijing's largest shopping areas, is swamped with trendy adolescents and 20-somethings all looking for the latest fashion in shoes, clothes and accessories at bargain prices.

Many of them are especially in the hunt for cosmetic contact lenses, a craze that made it to the mainland a few years ago.

The lenses are popular because they enhance the color of the iris, making the eye appear brighter or larger, and in some cases entirely changing its color.
Although unregulated, central authorities last month promised to reclassify the product to ensure those sold on the Chinese market meet strict safety standards in the future.

Until then, however, health experts warn that consumers and traders are largely blind to the risks that shoddy contact lenses pose, and say youngsters are in danger of sacrificing their sight for fashion.
Cosmetic lenses can be bought almost anywhere in China, from trained optometrists to small accessory stores, which offer them alongside nail polish, face glitter and hairclips.

"We have dozens of colors, so you will at least find one suitable for you," said a saleswoman called Zhang at Mingzhu shopping center in Xidan. The most expensive pair at her shop cost 90 yuan (S$18). "The gray and black colors are very popular.

"For a more comfortable feeling, I'd choose a pair priced at more than 60 yuan," she said. "There are cheaper ones, though 30 to 40 yuan. Don't worry, the quality is also OK."

Of course, it is not something she can really guarantee. The packaging for a mid-price pair she handed over as an example was all in Korean and carried no stamp to show it had cleared the Chinese quality supervision authority.

Even optometrist stores do not require a medical checkup before they sell cosmetic lenses, which can also be made to order for shortsighted people.

As Zhang was making her pitch, Xu Yuan, a regular customer, arrived and ordered five pairs of gray and purple lenses. She has been wearing them for about 10 hours a day for the past year.

"I didn't have an eye test (before wearing cosmetic lenses)," said the 20-year-old saleswoman, who also works in Mingzhu mall. "I think they are safe, as I haven't suffered any severe problems. If I feel uncomfortable, I just take them out and let my eyes have a rest for a day or two."

Shortsighted fashion
Cosmetic contact lenses may get harder to come by for shoppers like Xu in the coming months.
According to a statement by the State Food and Drug Administration on Jan 19, the fashion accessories have been re-classified as "medical apparatus", the same as corrective lenses.

The decision, made after medical professionals raised concerns over health and safety, means products entering the Chinese market will be subject to regulation.

Although no date has been given for when the new rules will come into effect, the statement advised producers and vendors to cease making or importing cosmetic contact lenses to avoid potential financial losses, as products without the necessary certification will be blocked from sale.

The difference between good and bad lenses is "like night and day", said Lu Yanyun, director of Tongren Hospital's contact lens center in Beijing.

Manufacturers of quality products have devised a way to cushion the colored part of the lens so that it does not put pressure on the eye, she said, warning that people who use inferior varieties are risking their eyesight.

"Poor-quality lenses can scratch or even poke holes in the cornea, which can basically make you go blind," Lu said.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, one of the best-selling brands of contact lenses in China, produces two kinds of cosmetic lenses in three "natural" colors. Spokesman Yu Guoxiong said the colored layer of its lenses "doesn't touch the eye directly", while the design ensures permeability.

"Although the changes (by the central government) will have an impact (on the market in China), I think a well-regulated market will encourage more people to choose cosmetic contact lenses," Yu added.

At Bright World Glasses, a Beijing-based chain store, a saleswoman called Li said the brands she sells already meet the standards for medical apparatus.

More than half of the store's customers buy colored lenses, with lenses that replicate an animal's eyes also selling well. "They are priced at about 1,000 yuan a pair," she said. "Cheaper ones have poor permeability and often lose their color."

Even at Bright World Glasses customers do not need eye examinations prior to purchase.

Yet, contact lenses in general greatly increase the risk of infections like pink eye and can deprive the eye of oxygen. Li Zhong at Intech Eye Hospital recommended that users wear products no longer than 10 hours straight. For cosmetic lenses, it should be no more than four hours.

Online challenge
Cheng Yuan, 26, has lived in Britain for five years. There, contact lenses, including cosmetic varieties, cannot be sold without a prescription.
"If you want to buy just ordinary contact lenses for the first time, you have to undergo an eye test first," said the Chinese-language teacher, who lives in Scotland. "They check the health of your eyes and decide whether you can try lenses or not."

At the branch she visited, customers were unable to purchase lenses until after a free trial of at least a week and then a second test to check for side effects.

The final price for a reusable lenses was about 20 pounds ($30), Cheng added, about double what she now pays in China.

Like in the West, cosmetic lenses are also readily available online. This will be another challenge for the central government to overcome in its drive to improve safety standards.

Taobao, China's largest Internet shopping platform, has myriad companies that stock the lenses, including Sasa Optical Store, which offers a range of brands - Eva, Misseye, Cocoeye and Komi-look - not available in large specialist shops.

Using the website's instant messenger, a salesperson told China Daily that the store stocks Chinese products, as well as imports from Japan and South Korea. The cheapest was a pair of lenses costing just 28 yuan that came in more than 20 colors.

When asked whether there were any risks involved, the vendor insisted the lenses are safe as long as the wearer has no history of eye disease.

'Biological clock' is linked to heart attacks

Report from AFP dated 23 February 2012 :-

'Biological clock' is linked to heart attacks

PARIS: Scientists on Wednesday said they had uncovered the first molecular proof that the "biological clock" is linked to a type of sudden, fatal heart attack.

Ventricular arrhythmia, or abnormal heartbeat, occurs most frequently after waking in the morning - and also to a lesser degree in the evening hours - and causes a high number of deaths.

Reporting in the journal Nature, researchers in the United States said they had uncovered the first molecular link between this risk and circadian rhythm, the term by which biological processes vary according to a 24-hour period.

The finger points at levels of a protein called Klf15, they said.

Previous research has found Klf15 to be a circadian controller - and, startlingly, is also lacking among some patients with heart failure.

The team created mice that had been genetically engineered to either lack Klf15 or make the protein excessively.

In both cases, the rodents had a much higher risk of arrythmias compared to normal counterparts.
"It is the first example of a molecular mechanism for the circadian change in susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmias," said Xander Wehrens of Baylor College School of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

"If there was too much Klf15 or none, the mice were at risk for developing the arrhythmia."

Klf15 is only one step in a complex molecular cascade, the researchers believe.

It controls another protein, KChIP2, which affects potassium-generated electrical current that flows though heart muscle cells called cardiac myocytes.

When levels of KChIP2 fluctuate, this causes electrical instability in the myocytes.

As a result, the heart muscle's action becomes impaired and it takes longer (or conversely, less time) to empty the ventricle - the heart's pumping chamber. The heart loses the regularity of the beat and labours to pump blood efficiently.

Co-author Mukesh Jain of the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio said that further work could well uncover other circadian-related causes.

The discovery opens up intriguing paths of research, in pinpointing individuals at risk of nocturnal death and devising drugs to shield them, Jain added.

You're only as good as your gut

You're only as good as your gut

Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012
Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
By Anne A. Jambora
 
You've heard it before: Death begins in the colon. Your gut is home to millions and millions of bacteria, good and bad. Keep it healthy and you'll create a balanced environment that will boost your immune system and help you fight off diseases.

Approximately 30 feet long, it is that tube that runs from your mouth to your anus and plays a vital role to the health of your mind, body, and spirit, said Dr. Teresa Bitanga Valeros, NMD and PhD.

Your colon has been working hard to keep you in good condition since you were born. When you eat meat, for instance, it takes three days for your stomach to digest. That's three days of meat sitting in your gut, fermenting and rotting away.
This is not about turning vegan, said Valeros. This is about keeping your gut healthy. It's not a detox diet but rather a remedy, a way to "reverse from illness to wellness," she said.

When you're healthy, that means the bacteria population in your stomach is balanced-there are more "good" than "bad" bacteria. If you easily contract diseases, then balance must be restored.

"Eat a princely breakfast, a kingly-or queenly, as the case may be-lunch, and a meager or pauper's supper," said Dr. Valeros.

Born a very sick child to a very ill mother, Valeros, now 62, is only too familiar with coping with diseases. Describing her childhood home as a virtual hospital-her mom had Parkinson's, she had celebral allergy and inborn scoliosis, among other diseases, and a sibling had brain damage-Valeros said she came close to death so many times she never thought she'd find peace until she changed her diet.

Finding the balance
"When I started to eat right I found the balance. I still get allergy attacks, but my body is able to deal with it better," Valeros said.

The stomach has often been referred to as the body's "second brain" by medical practitioners and professors. Ever felt queasy before a big interview? That, they say, is your stomach listening to your brain.

"Only 10-20 per cent understand how the mind-body connection is very important. What you eat can make you irritable or happy. There are even some foods that can make you feel suicidal. And this is proven by science. This is all about the immune system. My job is to strengthen it," Valeros said.

Every person has a unique biochemical individuality; not even twins are the same, she said. Valeros said a four- or seven-day nutrition diet can help strengthen your immune system.

Upon consultation, patients will be required to make a diary that includes not only food choices and diseases, but a list of genetically transferred diseases. Then she'll recommend either a barium enema or flat/supine preparation, and total abdomen ultrasound. The focus of the tests is the digestive system.

There are four factors that come into consideration during assessment: allergy, fungal infection, pollutants and parasites. From there, she can draw up a nutritional diet tailored specifically for you.

"Negative emotion can bring about uric acid so we need to heal the spirit, mind and body. When you talk about complementary medicine, the simple layman's term would be therapy. That includes music or art therapy. In fact, the principles of art have to be there," Valeros said.

Like music, she continued, the music of digestion is a waltz. Everything has a rhythm and a cycle. The goal is to achieve balance.

"Whether it's Traditional Chinese Medicine or Ayurvedic medicine, the goal is always balance-restoring balance in your being," she said.

Too rigid
A monotrophic diet, or eating only one food at a meal, can help restore a healthy gut environment, but it is far too rigid for many to follow. Valeros has come up with a diet program/chart that allows one to combine some food without disturbing the restoration of balance in your gut.
Carbs, she said, are digested with an alkaline condition in the stomach; protein is digested with an acid condition. Combining both starches and proteins at a meal is not good because it "confuses the stomach," she said.

So carbs such as potatoes, whole grain cereals, chestnuts, etc. are better off paired with greens and veggies. Proteins such as nuts, dairy products, seafood and "flesh" food (meat) are better paired with greens and veggies. Fruits should be eaten on their own, preferably 30 minutes before mealtime.

"Fruits should be eaten alone. It will be digested in 30 minutes. Never take fruit after a meal, except papaya, because this has digestive enzymes. Never take overripe fruits either because of the molds and fungus there," she said.

While fruits may be good, some fruits are not to be combined with other fruits. Rule of thumb is to never eat sweet fruits with sub-acid or acid fruits. Valeros said it is better to stick to one classification of fruit.

For instance, you can eat acid fruits like citrus with pineapples or strawberries or sour plums. Just don't eat them together with sub-acid fruits like apples, apricots, or grapes. Or with sweet fruits like bananas, dates, or prunes.

"Just focus on your good partners. A good mix is two or three types. If you overdo things, your stomach will get confused. One leads to wellness while another leads to illness. Heavy meals should already be eaten by lunchtime to give your body the chance to do its homework. The human digestive system is like sunrise and sunset," she said.

Eat six meals a day, with merienda in between. Valeros also recommends the Formula 8 for maximum energy: eight hours of sleep, eight hours of relaxation, and eight hours of work.

"The body can heal itself, but then again it's very subjective. It depends on how your body responds to the modification. Without a doubt it will get better, but probably not as good as your friend's. Nobody has the perfect colon."

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE: Time to load!

Report from The New Straits Times dated 21 February 2012 :-

RUN FOR YOUR LIFE: Time to load!

By Zalina Mohd Som
czar-lina@nstp.com.my

It’s the last week of training for her marathon and Zalina Mohd Som is thinking carbs and more carbs

IT’S finally here! It’s the last week of training before I make my way to the Land of the Rising Sun on Thursday evening and run the 42km Tokyo Marathon on Sunday morning.

So what do I look forward to the most this particular week? Carb-loading!

In fact, for all my runs, I’ve always cheered the week before the race as it’s a rare opportunity to carb-load without feeling guilty. This is the time when I pile on the rice and hot and spicy dishes, especially masak lemak cili padi cooked the Negri Sembilan way.

And we very well know eating such rich Malay lauk, especially sambal, without rice is no fun at all.

With rice, I can go for a second, and perhaps third helping if it’s my favourite dish.

But my trainer, Mohd Hoesni Rahmat, warns me that carb-loading starts just two days before the race and that I should maintain my diet until then. So yes, the official loading can only go into full swing on Friday, but since I would already be in Tokyo, I reason, why not start slowly, say, from today?

GO EASY
OK, I promise to go easy. I will have nasi separuh (half portion of rice) with plenty of sambal, grilled fish and vegetables. Then on my take-off day, I will go nasi penuh (full portion) with two smoked catfish cooked in coconut milk with chilli and turmeric at my favourite neighbourhood stall.

On Saturday, if I can’t find anything that tickles my Malay tastebuds (I’m not a big fan of Japanese food), I won’t complain as I would already have had my fill of rice back in Kuala Lumpur.

See, I have it all planned out. That’s how much I’m looking forward to for the week.

Based on my first full marathon last year, I don’t foresee myself craving certain foods after the race. I reckon I would be too tired and sticky to comfortably sit down and enjoy a plate of nasi goreng kampung.

And since I would only reach the finishing line at about 3pm, I figure I would hit the sack early, perhaps even before dinnertime.

CRAVINGs
But what worries me is the cravings I could experience on the day after the race.

Usually after each run, I would treat myself to McDonald’s spicy fried chicken and roti canai banjir. I guess that would have to wait till I touchdown on Malaysian soil on Wednesday evening. Well, I may even head straight for McDonald’s at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

And I would have roti canai banjir for breakfast the next day. Looks like everything has been thought out.

After these treats, I will go back to my diet of less carb, more protein (fish or chicken with two servings of vegetables and lots of fruit). This will continue till the next carb-loading comes knocking.

I’ve not lost a lot of weight after seven weeks of training with Hoesni. So yes, desperate situations require desperate measures.

I braved myself to follow a strict three-day diet programme a friend suggested some 10 years ago. I tried it once and managed to lose almost 5kg, but I was way heavier then. So I thought, why not give it a try this time round.

DO THE DIET
You see, I don’t like this diet programme as it requires me to consume things that I don’t fancy – cottage cheese and beetroot. It suggests having three meals a day, but the meals are small, except for dinner which is two types of vegetables, a portion of protein (tuna, cold meat or frankfurter), ice-cream and fruit.

So yes, it was a struggle having to settle for five pieces of cheese crackers and a tub of cottage cheese while my friends enjoyed the delicious goodies at the food court. But I survived the course.

This morning, I stepped on the weighing scale and it showed a beautiful number – I had lost almost 3kg! OK, it’s not 5kg, but it’s better than what I achieved early this month.

This morning was also my last workout session with Hoesni. He promised me that it would be an easy, total body workout. And he kept his promise!

Yesterday, he asked me to run for an hour and told me that I only needed to run 5km tomorrow and the day after. For the first time, I felt Hoesni was not being mean to me. Perhaps, it was his way of showing his compassion as I would be finishing what both of us started eight weeks ago, alone.

Now that my mind is back to the run, am I worried and nervous? Hell, yeah!

The writer is leaving for Japan on Thursday to take part in the 42km Tokyo Marathon on Sunday. Wish her luck!


Last-minute tips
Professional marathoner M. Thanasekaran suggests:

• Cut down on red meat. Eat more fish, fruit and vegetables.

• Drink plenty of water.

• Do light jogs on Friday and Saturday to get the body acclimatise to the weather.

• Wake up at least two hours before the race.

• Take two bananas two hours before the race.

• Take a sachet of power gel about 20 minutes before the race.

• Do basic stretching and warm-up exercises before the race.

• Take a sachet of power gel for every 10km.

• Do basic stretching and cool-down exercises after the race.

• Take one banana and drink plenty of water after the race.


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There's no place like home for working out

There's no place like home for working out

Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012
Reuters
NEW YORK - Working out at home is easier than ever, thanks to the wealth of online instruction and a new generation of multi-tasking, space-saving fitness tools.

Fitness experts say all that is needed is some space, a mat and a few favorite things.

"Most important is that you have at least a five-foot by five-foot (1.5 by 1.5-meter) space, so that you're not worried about doing a movement full range, and a mat, so you've got a soft surface for work on the floor," said Lisa Wheeler, program director of DailyBurn.com, an online workout site.
"Then just add what you like to do," she said. "If you don't like dumbbells, don't buy them."

Wheeler's personal preference runs to resistance tubes.

"I think they are a great piece of equipment because you can use them for several different exercises and you can travel with them," she said.

For people who would rather not buy any equipment, Wheeler suggests using what is at hand.

"You can use things you find around the house," she said. "I often encourage moms to pick up a soccer ball or basketball to use as a medicine ball."

Jessica Matthews, of the American Council on Exercise, said if space is small and money is tight, look for strength-training equipment that is affordable and storable.

"I like medicine balls for rotational work and sandbells are among my new favorites," she said, referring to the soft, neoprene-filled bags of varying weights. "You can slam them on a hardwood floor and they won't roll away from you."

Home workouts are the norm for many people. Only 16 per cent of Americans belong to a health club, according to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA).

Matthews said some gyms are beginning to stream live videos of their fitness classes into people's homes via the internet.

"Streaming classes are great to find ways to move your body. You can still be at home but have the guidance of an instructor," she said. "The downside is they can't see you."

Colleen Logan of ICON, an exercise equipment manufacturer, said treadmills account for 58 per cent of all home gym equipment purchases.

"The treadmill has huge benefits," she said, "But any exercise expert will tell you fitness includes strength, flexibility and balance training. And to think you're going to get all your strength training needs solved by a treadmill is limited."

Some of the latest strength training products also focus on improving balance, Logan said, such as Rip60, a body suspension/weight training seatbelt-like strap that can be secured over a door or looped around a tree trunk.

There's also a disk filled with sand for practicing unstable planks, push-ups and crunches. Its handles allow kettlebell-like moves as well.

Even some kettlebells are going soft.

"Instead of a chunk of metal, the soft kettlebell is adjustable, like a stack of donuts," Logan said. "It can range from four to 20 pounds. The weighted disks can function separately as hand weights."

Nicole Nichols of fitness website sparkpeople.com suggests mining the many free exercise sessions on YouTube and workout DVDs at your local library.

"Realistically, you can set up your own gym at home for less than $50," she said. "A simple tool like a pedometer will help you realize how much you're moving."

Daily diet soda may increase risk of heart attack, stroke: Study

Daily diet soda may increase risk of heart attack, stroke: Study
(REUTERS)  Feb 21, 2012

Diet soda may benefit the waistline, but people who drink it everyday may have a heightened risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new US study.
 
  Diet soda may benefit the waistline, but people who drink it everyday may have a heightened risk of heart attack and stroke, according to a new US study.

Although the researchers, whose work appeared in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, found that older adults who drank diet soda every day were 44 per cent more likely to suffer a heart attack, their research did not prove that the sugar-free drinks alone were to blame.

There may be other things about diet-soda lovers that explain the connection, said lead researcher Hannah Gardener, of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and her team.

'What we saw was an association. These people may tend to have more unhealthy habits,' she said.

5 things to remember when you feel blue

5 things to remember when you feel blue

Monday, Feb 20, 2012
Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network
By Cathy Babao-Guballa
 
This past week I found myself weepier than usual.

I found my patience wearing thin and I felt more tired. Things I would normally let go of, seemed to be magnified. There was something amiss, and for a few days I couldn't figure out what it was.

Then I went to see "The Descendants"-a gem of a film, which I highly recommend. The story deals with anticipatory grief and loss, and struck close to home. It brought to light why I was down.
My son, who passed away in 1998, would have been 18 on Feb 21. If he were still with us, next month, he would have completed high school. It's a landmark year of sorts, letting emotions rise, unsettling my equilibrium this time of the year, and manifesting in my weepiness.

Over the last few days I've been wanting to alternately hide in a cave, drown myself in work, or hit the gym until I drop. Somehow, I've managed to find a balance by throwing in trips to the spa, watching action and romantic comedies, and just being kinder to myself.

Psychotherapist Bobbi Emel, who writes the Bounce Blog, gives the following tips for whenever people find ourselves in a funk.

1. The blues will pass
One, we need to remember that emotions are often short-lived and transitory. The blues do not last forever and the funk you are in can just be a phase.

However, sitting with sadness is very important. Introspection, inner work must be done so you can find out what's causing the blues.

"The examined life is so worth living!" a poster outside the Ateneo's Philosophy department read. I passed it on the day I was feeling down.

Socrates was certainly spot on. Examine, confront and act on it.

2. Introspection is key
Second, Emel suggests that we think about our experience in the present-in the moment-rather than fall prey to words like "always" and "forever."
No emotion lasts forever unless you have something that can be found in DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

Even then, all is not lost, because in addition to talk therapy, there is now a wide array of medicines to help address profound sadness (like depression), or other mental issues.

Not everyone who experiences sadness from time to time is depressed.

In my case, my son's upcoming birthday was a grief trigger. Knowing that, I've given myself permission to allow the ups and downs of my emotions until his landmark birthday passes. After that, I know in my heart I'll be all right again.

Being aware of what's going on inside helps keep your emotions in check.

Rather than lash out at your nearest and dearest or rant and rave about insignificant issues, which many people who are in denial often do, you can opt to leave the room, run around the block, or do whatever it is that will get your boat to float.

3. Deep breathing
Third, Emel says, "Take a deep breath and tolerate the painful emotion, holding on to the certainty that it won't last forever."
What I've found helpful is to go on a long hike by myself or attend dance class.

Deep breathing, like the kind you do in yoga, always has a magical way of alleviating pain, making you aware that whatever it is, this is just for the moment. Hold it, then release.

Dance class has the same effect. After an hour of sweating to Beyoncé, Maroon 5, Nikki Minaj or whatever else is on the instructor's playlist, I find that my blues have melted away.

Movement in any form-walking, running, dancing-helps release toxins by increasing your happy hormones.

4. Note the symptoms and triggers
Next, allow yourself to be really present and notice when your emotions change. When I shut other things out and focus on the task on hand, my emotions are able to rise to the surface.

I was eating my salad and talking about my son casually to a colleague at work when all of a sudden I began to feel a lump in my throat and my eyes began to blur.

Emel says that sometimes the difference is subtle, but once you begin to see the transition, you become more confident that your pain will eventually change, too. Emotions all have their own season, they come and go.

5. Make yourself feel good. Pamper yourself
During difficult periods, do something nice for yourself.

It can be as simple as an extra half hour in the bath, sleeping in for a few hours, a massage, indulging in dessert, a trip to the salon, or okay, some degree of retail therapy.

Whatever you do, just don't go overboard and binge. Remember, everything nice, kind and ideally healthy, in moderation is perfectly all right.

Lastly, keep in mind four important words and believe in their promise - "This, too, shall pass." At the end of a long and difficult day, let this be your prayer, that no matter how sad you might be, it will pass, and the morning will bring not just the light, but the chance for you to start anew.