Fruits for 'health-boosting' [Part 2]

Guess how many of us have ever heard of the fruit named "Pomegranate"? I've not really seen this fruit being sold in market, but have been planted in home gardens instead. Let me show you how the fruit looks like.........

Apart from being a 'health-boosting fruit', it's leaves are also of great use by the olden Chinese. They believe that if a baby or child is unwell or tends to cry unnecessarily, letting them bath with the leaves of it will help heal them. Though this is a superstitious belief but what I understand is, it does help. Wanna try???

Regarding it's fruits, let me share with you all an article which I've read........

Pomegranate

In ancient Babylonian mythology, the pomegranate was regarded as an agent of resurrection. Latest scientific evidence shows that the fruit does have restorative powers.

Offering higher antioxidant activity than red wine and green tea, it's no wonder studies have shown that is may prevent skin cancer and kill cancer cells. The fruit is rich in antioxidants that have been said to protect LDL "bad" cholesterol from oxidation.

An Italian study showed that the juice reduced the effects of stress on blood vessel cells by stimulating nitric oxide production. This chemical helps keep arteries open and blood flowing.

But if you're on medication, talk to your doctor first. There is some concern that it may lower blood pressure when combined with certain medicines.

The 'Honourable' DOGS!!

How many do agree that Dogs are man's best friend?? Dog lovers will sure agree to this phrase but for those who dislikes Dogs, am not sure of it, but it will then depends on each individuals.

As Dogs selfless service are seldom matched by anyone else, so we have this week to honour them - a special friend of all dog lovers!! 21st to 27th September is Dog Week. It is indeed a great honour to have this opportunity to give special attention and thoughts to our lovable pet dogs at home.

On this Dog Week, I would like to wish all dog lovers out there "Have a warm, cuddly & good time with your pet".

Let me share with you some cute photos/pictures of dogs with you all........

Wanna see a 'couple-dog' in their wedding suite and dress??? I just received these pictures from a great friend Lena, who is also a dog lover yesterday......... Sure you all love these cute pictures!

Fruits for 'health-boosting' [Part 1]

Like vegetables, most fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals - all the good stuff for our bodies. Recent research has cast new light on certain fruits that pack a punch with not only their great taste but is also health-boosting and contains disease-fighting benefits. So, we should all try to add them to our diets now........

The fruit that I would like to share for now is KIWI and I wonder how many likes it?? Can it be because of its small seeds?? Let me share with you all an article which I've read about Kiwi Fruit.

A Rutgers University study shows that kiwi is the most nutrient-dense fruit - meaning it contains more vitamins and minerals per gram than 27 of the most commonly consumed fruits. University of Oslo researchers also found that consuming three kiwis daily can reduce clotting and lower fat in the blood that can cause blockage.

Another study by the renowned Rowett Research Institute in the UK showed that eating a kiwi a day can speed up the repair of DNA damage, as well as provide protection against free radical damage that can cause cancer.Kiwis also contain substantial amounts of vitamin E and lutein, a carotenoid pigment found in green and yellow fruits and vegetables. Lutein is essential for maintaining healthy vision as we age. It reduced the risk of cataracts and mascular degeneration, the leading causes of blindness in older people.

How Blessed We Are Today!

I wonder, how many of us got the opportunity to listen to tales of the olden days - days of our grandparents or even our parents, for the matter.........

I am indeed very lucky, as when I was young my late father used to tell us lots of stories about their hard life and off course my mum also tells us her side of her childhood stories as well as their parents and grandparents. If only we know their stories, then we can appreciate our own life today.

Can you imagine a time with no gas or electric burners, electric rice cookers, washing machines, dryers, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, etc....etc..... All those chores have to be done using bare hands and mind you...... in the olden days, such chores are only done by girls or women!! See how pity they are in those days!!! Don't dare to imagine!!!

I still remember clearly, being a little girl, how my mum do the cooking....... using woods to start the fire and mind you it is never easy....... have to use paper to fan it until the fire starts, then controlling the fire is another hard task!! Not only that....... washing of those pots, with the bottom all BLACK is another tedious task when everyone in the family finishes their meals each day.......... Oh.... all those poor mums, aunties, sisters, grandmas.........

Another good example is doing laundry : clothes were manually beaten or kneaded to get suds through the fabric, then scrubbed on a washboard with a brush and hand-wrung dry. Not to mention the tedious ironing methods of those days???

Today, we are indeed "blessed" as everything is made easy with the latest technology of electrical & electronic household appliances. A fully automatic washing machine with press button control for timers, water control and programme selection can be bought from any electrical store. I believe most household today own though not all but most of these household appliances, which makes life much more easier as compared to the olden days!

Indeed, we should be thankful for all the technologies of today, which gives us all we need in the comfort of our very own home!

Strategy for Victims of Insomnia

I would like to share this plan which is used by Dr. Richard M. Coleman, a former Co-Director of the Stanford University Sleep Disorders Clinic. Whereas Dr. Coleman may prescribe sedatives for short-term insomnia, the steps suggested here avoid their use. Chronic insomniacs should aim for a specific number of hours of sleep, perhaps 4 to 5 hours, which approximates their current maximum sleep time. Once the insomniac sleeps about 90 percent of the alloted time--say 4 1/2 out of 5 hours -- then the sleep schedule can be increased by 30 to 60 minutes.

Strategy for Victims of Insomnia

• Get into bed at 1:00 a.m. and get out of bed at 5:00 a.m., even if you are blissfully asleep. You are trying to establish a structured sleep schedule, so rigid timing is important. Set your alarm for the chosen wakeup hour.
• The bedroom must be completely dark while you sleep, but be sure to turn on the lights or raise the shades as soon as you get up.
• If awake and relaxed during sleep period, stay in bed.
• If you cannot help feeling anxious about being awake during a sleep period and efforts to relax do not work, get out of bed.
• When you are out of bed, do household chores (laundry, cleaning, etc). If you feel sleepy, get back into bed. No matter what time you return to bed, get up at 5 a.m.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes within 5 hours of your bedtime. If possible, stop smoking and drinking alcohol and cut back on caffeine drinks.
• Do not exercise within 2 hours of bedtime. Over all, exercise is not a key factor in improving sleep. Neither are meals. But it is best to avoid spicy foods near bedtime.
• If active thoughts persist near or during bedtime, keep a diary. Put aside 20 minutes after dinner and work on your worries. Write the problems down, along with short-term or long-term solutions.
• Avoid naps during the day.

If you stick to these rules, you should get good results within three to five weeks. Remember, following the sleep schedule is probably 75 percent of the battle. Keeping a sleep diary can contribute to the cure.

Those who are not helped by this treatment may suffer from a psychological or physiological problem and should consult a sleep specialist.

Article on Insomnia

We all need ample sleep each night in order to replace the energy we have used up throughout the day and when we wake up each morning, we will be feeling fresh and healthy to start another new day!

In today's hectic world, I believe that many people are unable to get a "goodnight" sleep, thus feeling lousy and tired the next day. I've once overheard a conversation between two patients in a clinic "I haven't been having good sleep lately due to worrying about work targets and datelines"!

As I come across this useful article related to "sleep", I really feel the need to share with all friends and readers, as it might be of help, in one way or another.........

Why do some people have trouble sleeping?

Nearly a third of American adults report some difficulty with sleep, and more than half of those consider their sleeping problems a major disruption in their lives. The complaints are usually of insomnia, the inablility to sleep at night, and hypersomnia, excessive sleepiness during the day.

According to psychologists, most sleep problems have underlying causes that are either temporary or can be effectively treated. For example, family or job worries are a frequent cause of insomnia. When they clear up, so may the insomnia.

In recent studies, a number of sleep clinics investigated complaints of sleep loss. They found that 10 percent of the patients who reported severe insomnia actually slept a full eight hours a night. These "pseudo-insomniacs" apparently have a problem of perception that causes them genuinely to believe that they sleep as little as three or four hours a night. That belief is so firmly held that it affects their whole day, making them feel constantly tired.

A Day In Memorial Of Our Pet

Today, 14th September is Pet Memorial Day! For those who love pets, you sure tend to agree with me that Pets fill our lives with so much love and joy in our everyday lives. So, when we lost them, it is a very painful experience.

So, on this Pet Memorial Day, let us cherish the memories of all those beautiful moments that we spent with our pet. On this day, I would like to remember our family pet cats.........

(Left) Mew-mew (Right) T-ger

"Happy Mooncake Festival"

I am sending you all a warm Hello and wishing that your Mooncake Festival be bright with joy and may good fortune shine on all of you everyday!!

The Mid-Autumn Festival also known as the Moon Festival, is a popular East Asian celebration of abundance and togetherness, dating back over 3000 years to China's Zhou Dynasty. In Malaysia and Singapore, it is also sometimes referred to as the Lantern Festival or "Mooncake Festival".

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th Lunar month of the Chinese Calendar. This is the ideal time, when moon is at its fullest and brightest, to celebrate the abundance of the summer's harvest. The traditional food of this festival is the mooncake, of which there are many different varieties.Farmers celebrate the end of the summer harvesting season on this date. Traditionally, on this day, chinese family members and friends will gather to admire the bright mid-autumn harvest moon, and eat mooncakes with Chinese Tea, as well as lighting of lanterns.

A 'Bright' start for a 'Positive Day'!

WOW! What a great start for today......... bright morning sun!! It has always been said that "The bright morning sun helps brightens up our day". It seems to gives us more energy especially to help us to have a good start of our day and off course through the day, and everywhere we go, faces of people are seen to be like the sun "shining-smiling".

Today, 13th September is 'Positive Thinking Day'! Let's all brush away all the negative thoughts from our minds and hearts and start to think positively from today onwards. In every person, there are sure to be ups and downs in life, which if not being handled properly will lead to negative thoughts. So, let us all try our level best to empty those negative thoughts and fill it with the positive instead, as we welcome this special day today into our lives!

"Cheerfulness removes the rust from the mind, lubricates our inward machinery, and enables us to do our work with fewer creaks and groans. If people were universally cheerful, probably there wouldn't be half the quarreling or a tenth part of the wickedness there is. Cheerfulness, too, promotes health and immortality. Cheerful people live longest here on earth, afterward in our hearts." ~ Author unknown ~

"Have a great day ahead & wish you all cheers towards a Positive Thinking Life"

A cute poem on "Colours"

Here's a cute, childish poem on colours by Divya Jain to be shared with all.........

Colours

The sun above is bright and yellow
On the phone we all say hello.

Oceans and seas are deep and blue
We should always be honest and true.

The night sky is dark and black
To naughty children mummy gives a smack.

Roses are so pretty and red
After supper is time for bed.

The grass in the garden is wet and green
We should never ever be mean.

The milk we drink is ever so "white"
Little children should never fight.