Health & Fitness
PTPTN Loan Defaulters
by admin on May.19, 2011, under Health & Fitness
Came across this news from TheStar.com (20 May, 2011):
“On loan recovery…mere RM600mil was recovered from “blacklisted” loan defaulters…The defaulters were barred from leaving the country, adding there were still 228,000 defaulters who stubbornly refused to settle a whopping RM2.5bil in loans.”
Perhaps just stopping the defaulters to leave the country will not be sufficient. I was thinking, tagging the defaulting loan too CRIS/CTOS to freeze/blacklist future borrowing will be good. These people are loan defaulters anyway.
But please, those who have gotten the opportunity to study using these monies, be a little considerate. Time to return the favour. Think about those who to be denied the chance because of insufficient funds…RM2.5billion is a lot of money for a lot of students.
Top 10 Fruits (vitamins, fibers, phytonutrients)
by admin on Dec.01, 2010, under Food and Nutritions, Health & Fitness
Fruits are essentially imperative for our daily nutrients, but how many of us actually made it a part of our daily diets?
Check out some of the most common fruits that are not only easily obtainable and is very much appreciated by our body:
These ranking is based on the fruits nutrients (vitamin C, fiber, carotenoids (beta-carotene), calcium, and folic acid). The aspects of availabiliy, safety and versatility of each fruit is also taken into consideration.
- Avocado
- Papaya
- Guava
- Cantaloupe
- Orange
- Apricots (dried, unsulfured)
- Mango
- Strawberries (organic)
- Kiwi
- Grapefruit (pink or red)
Source: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T042600.asp
H1N1 – Simple Self Prevention Method
by admin on Aug.17, 2009, under Health & Fitness
I’ve received this piece of information from a forwarded email by a colleague of mine, which I think is really worth sharing.
——————————————————————————

“With the constant fear of H1N1 symptoms, the following measures can be practiced by one and all. This is an information which I just received from my father who is a Consultant General Surgeon & Gastoenterologist, based in India and I do hope it could be beneficial to the students and their families alike.
Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation till the virus limits itself in about 1-2 weeks (its natural cycle). H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tract and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps – not fully highlighted in most official communications – can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).
2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless
you want to eat, bathe or slap).
3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc/bioflavonoids to boost absorption.
6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside public hospitals.
I do hope, this information could be passed on to one and all, for a healthy and H1N1 free environment.
With regards
Dr. Snigdha Misra”
—————————————————————————————–
Why Male Circumcision is GOOD while Female Circumcision is BANNED?
by admin on Jul.12, 2008, under Medical and Drugs, Society
Being one of the oldest and most common surgical procedures known, perhaps the term Male Circumcision (surgical removal of some or all of the foreskin from the penis) is not uncommon to us. Normally this procedure was undertaken due to cultural, religious and social reasons. But with the advancement of the medical studies, male circumcision is now strongly encouraged by WHO as scientific evidence have tied the benefits of this procedure to the reducing possibility of sexually transmitted disease including the most serious type of STD: HIV.
HOWEVER, do you know that while male circumcision is strongly encouraged, female circumcision on the other hand is strictly opposed?
Female Circumcision, is also known as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) (surgical removal of all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs). Similar to male circumcision, this practice is conducted in regards to traditional, cultural, and religious procedures.
Unfortunately, on the contrary to male circumcision, female circumcision practice that happens frequently in Africa, is extremely controversial due to 2 reasons: (a) issue of consent and (b) safety and consequences of the procedure.
(a) Issue of Consent – Most of the time, the procedure is normally carried out when child is between the ages of 4 to 8, in which it means that the child are still at innocent age to determine if they want the procedure or not. Decisions were being made merely by parents.
(b) Safety and consequences of the procedure - Due to the banned of this procedure, superstitions that persist have led to illegal/underground circumcision practices. Female circumcision performed by under the lack of medical training, anesthetics, sterilization and use of proper medical instruments have caused: death through shock from immense pain, excessive bleeding, infections, urinary and reproductive tract infections, menstrual flow blocked, scarring, infertility, infibulated women, increase risk of infant death during delivery, and many more side effects.
Horror of Female Circumcision
The issue of female circumcision is therefore still hot debate as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has stated that [the] practice violates the basic rights of women and girls, [...]” and “[...] female genital mutilation or cutting is not required by any religion.”
References:
http://www.unaids.org/en/PolicyAndPractice/Prevention/MaleCircumcision/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumcision
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Female_genital_cutting
Caffeine – Coffee, Tea, Chocolates, Soft Drinks
by admin on Mar.20, 2008, under Health & Fitness
I think enjoying my 1 cup of coffee or tea everyday is one of the most pleasurable moments of the day (I limit myself to only 1 cup a day). However, having heard of medical experts encouraging us to have less coffee and tea due to it’s’ caffeine nature, I think the below caffeine information can guide us in selecting the best type of caffeinated beverage.
Double espresso (2oz) 45-100 mg
Brewed coffee (8 oz) 60-120 mg
Instant coffee (8 oz) 70 mg
Decaf coffee (8 oz) 1-5 mg
Tea – Ceylon/black (8 oz) 45 mg
Tea – green (8 oz) 20 mg
Tea – white (8 oz) 15 mg
Coca Cola (12 oz can) 34 mg
Pepsi (12 oz can) 38 mg
7-up (12 oz) 0 mg
Chocolate milk (8 oz) 4 mg
Dark chocolate (1 oz) 20 mg
Milk chocolate (1 oz) 6 mg
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
http://coffeetea.about.com/library/blcaffeine.htm
Cord Blood Stem Cell Preservation
by admin on Mar.10, 2008, under Medical and Drugs, Technology
Cord Blood Stem Cell Preservation is a more and more common topic of discussion among expecting parents. A lot of people however are not very sure of what is the actual usage of cord blood stem cell, why are stem cells stored, and how are cord blood stem cells collected?:
What are cord blood stem cells? Cord blood is blood collected from the umblical cord and placenta after the birth of a baby. It is rich in stem cells, the special cells of the body that have the ability to develop into any cell types in the body (eg. body organs, blood elements, nerves and muscle cells).
Why are stem cells stored? The storage of stem cells from cord blood can be potentially life-saving for your child, as his stem cells can be accessed at a later date when needed to provide therapeutic treatments available currently and in the future. In addition, brothers and sisters can possibly share the use of each other’s stem cells. Stem cells have been used in therapy of various disease such as: Cancers, Leukemias, Stem Cell Disorders, Inherited/Cogenital Disorders (Thalassaemia, Severe combined immunodeficiency), etc.
How to collect cord blood stem cells?
Nowadays, some stem cells preservation providers also bundles their services together with insurance for the stem cells preservation. So you can also check out about it from your own insurance agents before you deliver your child.
Source: CellSafe International leaflet & http://www.cellsafegroup.com/newwebsite/. CryoCord Sdh. Bhd leafelt & http://www.cryocord.com.my.Omega Egg Vs. Standard Egg
by admin on Mar.05, 2008, under Food and Nutritions, Health & Fitness
Eggs are an excellent nutrient-dense food that packs six grams of protein, a bit of vitamin B-12, vitamin E, riboflavin, folic acid, calcium, zinc, iron, and essential fatty acids into a mere 75 calories. Second to the lactalbumin protein in human milk, eggs have the highest quality protein of any food.
People always say that having too much eggs are not good as eggs contain large amount of cholesterol. The concerns about unhealthy eggs which contributes to cholesterol has lead to the innovation of OMEGA EGGs.
Omega eggs are a type of “designer egg,” in which the yolk’s fatty acid profile has been modified by altering the hens’ diet. This egg is an excellent model for the saying, “you are what you eat.” Specific lipids — fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins — can be modified in the egg yolk by feeding the hen increased proportions of “good” fatty acids and increased amounts of fat soluble vitamins from dietary sources such as flax seed, fish oil or bioengineered algae. Check out the below nutritive comparison between Omega Eggs and Standard Egg.
|
|
Omega Egg |
Standard Egg |
|
Calories |
75.0 |
75.0 |
|
Protein |
6 grams |
6 grams |
|
Carbohydrate |
.6 grams |
.6 grams |
|
Total Fat |
6.0 grams |
6.0 grams |
|
Saturated Fat |
1.5 grams |
2.2 grams |
|
Polyunsaturated Fat |
1.35 grams |
.90 grams |
|
n-6 Fatty Acids |
750 mg |
800 mg |
|
n-3 Fatty Acids |
350 mg |
60 mg |
|
C18:3 |
250 mg |
40 mg |
|
C22:6 |
100 mg |
20 mg |
|
n-6:n-3 Ratio |
2.6 |
13.0 |
|
Monounsaturated Fats |
2.8 grams |
2.4 grams |
|
Cholesterol |
180 mg |
210 mg |
For more reading about eggs:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T041100.asp
http://www.northland.cc.mn.us/biology/Biology1111/Bioreadings/Omega%20Eggs.htm
Cancer Prevention Tips (2) – Little things that you should DO
by admin on Feb.25, 2008, under Food and Nutritions, Health & Fitness
As mentioned in the earlier post, an acidic environment encourages growth and multiplication of cancer cells causing tumors. Here are some easy tips (suggested by John Hopkins) that you can do everyday to neutralize the acidic environments:
![]()
d) Positive mindset:
Cancer Prevention Tips (1) – Little things that you should AVOID
by admin on Feb.25, 2008, under Food and Nutritions, Health & Fitness
Cancer cells is inside every human being. It is whether we have activated those cells to multiply enormously and turn into tumors.I received a forwarded powerpoint slides (summarized from John Hopkins – 20/Oct 2007) about cancer and it’s prevention today. I think it’s a simple guide that we all can follow:
a. Avoid Sugar: Sugar is a cancer feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to cancer cells. Sugar substitutes made of Aspartame is harmful. A better natural substitute would be honey or molasses but only in very small amount. Table salt that has chemical added to make it white in color should be substituted with sea salt.
d. Say no to high caffeine food: Avoid coffee, tea and chocolate which contain high caffeine. You can use green tea as a substitute. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
e. Reduce plastics: Make sure there are no plastic containers/wrappers in microwave. Bottle water in freezer should also be avoided. According to John Hopkins recent newsletter, dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to cells of our bodies. Don’t freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from plastic. We should not reheat our food in microwave using plastic containers. This applies to food that contain fat. The combination of fat, high heat and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Replacing with glass such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers are highly recommended.
Facts on Fats: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
by admin on Jan.30, 2008, under Food and Nutritions, Health & Fitness
There are three types of fat: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated.
Monounsaturated fats — including olive oil, sesame oil, canola oil, almond oil, flax oil, and fish oil — are good fats. These contain essential fatty acids such as omega-3 and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that are critical in brain development and function, skin health, vascular health, proper immune function, fertility, and normal physical development.
Polyunsaturated fats, such as margarine, corn oil, hydrogenated safflower oil, and sunflower oil, also contain essential fatty acids. Unfortunately, these fats are highly refined and contain large amounts of trans fat. Trans fat, created by hydrogenating vegetable oil to make it spreadable, is implicated in both cancer and heart disease.
Saturated fats are the bad kind of fat. Included in this category is butter, peanut oil, coconut oil, palm kernel oil, and lard. These saturated fats elevate cholesterol and triglyceride levels, leading to an increased chance of heart attack and stroke. These oils are best avoided.
by Dr. Mao
For more information => http://health.yahoo.com/experts/drmao/1165/health-tips-about-oil-pros-and-cons








