Diary 235: Cartagena Protocol

It is Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Malaysia ractified this Protocol.

It is an international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology from one country to another.

It seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by these modified organisms.

It affects our health as biological diversity resources are used in many medicinal and herbal as well as food supplements.

Diary 233: Good and bad bacteria

Bacteria can be divided into the good and the bad.

We have these bacteria in our body.

Some of these bacteria help our body to function better.

Basically, good bacteria help our body to resist invasion by other foreign, potentially harmful microorganisms, regulate the immune system, and perform metabolic activities.

It is these functions that are the basis behind probiotics.

There are many brands of probiotics in the market these days.

Diary 231: Fibre and illnesses

Fibre is found in the cell walls of plants.

A lack of fibre in daily diet can cause ill health.

Among the diseases due to a lack of fibre in foods are:

Digestive: bowel cancer (cancer of the large intestine, colon & rectum), constipation and diverticulosis.

Heart and circulatory: linked with high consumption of saturated fats, artherosclerosis, atheroma, varicose veins.

Others: obesity, kidney stones, gallstones and diabetes.

What are best sources of fibre?

Wholewheat bran, wholemeal flour and bread, wholemeal pasta and brown rice.

Other forms fibres include the followings.

Pectins found in fruits, vegetables.

Hemicelluloses found in oat brans, seeds, peas, beans, grains, vegetable and fruits.

Diary 230: Water of life

Water is very essential to sustain our life.

We may be able to survive a few weeks without food, we will die within a few days without water.

Our body is made up of about 60% water that must be replenished as it is constantly being lost.

An average adult needs about 3 litres of water a day, depending on body size and weight.

If we do not drink enough water, our body will be dehydrated.

Dehydration causes headache, irritability and forgetfulness.

It also puts a strain on the kidneys.

Elders’ sensation of feeling thirsty does not work as effectively as in youths.

Drinking plenty of plain water helps to reduce the risk of kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

It is important to drink clean and healthy water.

Diary 229: Cataract

Cataract is an ocular opacity, partial or complete, of one or both eyes, on or in the lens or capsule, especially an opacity impairing vision or causing blindness.

The subsequent cloudy appearance of the eye resulted in the origin of the name cataract.

Causes of cataract:
1. Age-related cataract: Most cataracts are related to aging.
2. Congenital cataracts: Some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, often in both eyes.
3. Secondary cataract: Development in people who have certain other health issues, such as diabetes or steroid use
4. Traumatic cataract: cataracts which develop after an eye injury

How to prevent cataract?
Intake of dietary antioxidants prevents cataract formation by blocking the oxidative modification of the lens.

Vitamins A, C and E are known to prevent cataract. Take these from the natural sources. Eating green leafy vegetables and fruits provides the best sources.

Diary 228: Kidney stone flush formula

All of us have some kidney stones although its seriousness may vary from one person to another.

The below formula may be helpful to those who wish to remove kidney stone naturally to attain good health.

I have done this twice over the last 15 years and find it helpful.

Duration: 10 days.

Method:
1. Every day take 6 fresh lemons made into juices.
2. It can be diluted with water or sweetened with honey.
3. Divide and consume the lemon juice several times within a day.
4. Consume consistently for 10 days.

Reminder:
1. Citric acid in lemon juice will slowly dissolve the calcium deposit (kidney stones).
2. After some time, the stones that come out will be like sand through urinary tract.
3. When experiencing the passing of the stones in stool, it could be quite painful, especially for those having a lot of stones. Hence, it is important to observe how your body respond to this.

I have done this twice in the last 15 years and feeling great about it.

Diary 227: Talk and discussion

I was invited by Dr Peter Yee of Innova Technology to share health information and experience with a group of participants on 31 October 2010.

Some of them have high awareness on healthy living.

This is good as those knowledgeable are able to share health information with the group.

For example, someone raised the question of whether taufu and soy products are healthy.

Another raised the issue of the effectiveness of herbs.

All these are useful for all of us to think.

I would not eat something if the source or content is unknown.

The talk and discussion was a good learning process for all of us.

Diary 226: Thin but healthy

Some new and old friends have commented that I am too thin.

To them, I should put on more weight so that I look healthy and strong.

Yes, there is no denial that I am thin. I have lost 20 kg from 78 kg since 1996.

Yes, if one is thin, one becomes an alien in the eyes of others.

When I stand among the obese, it becomes very obvious that I am thin indeed.

I always tell them that I am thin but healthy.

Being healthy has been the dream of many but it is hard to achieve.

Because of good health, I have not taken any medicine for the last 15 years.

Medicine, MC and food supplement is not part of my life.

This is admired by many, including those feeling that I am thin.

Welcome to the world of healthy living!

Do something to transform your life so that you too are healthy.

Diary 225: Have a good night’s sleep

Yes, a lack of a good night’s sleep can have grave consequences on our health.

It is about both the quantity (number of hours) and quality (how sound you sleep).

One of the things that we need to do to ensure a good night’s sleep is watching our diet.

What we eat influences how well we sleep.

Consuming foods containing caffeine about 4 hours to bedtime may hinder our sleep.

Do not take solid food 2 hours before bedtime.

Eating natural diet is helpful in getting a good sleep.

Simple exercise such as stretching your legs, arms and massaging our eyes as well as body also put us into a good night’s sleep.

Let’s enjoy a good sleep every night. It is part of healthy living.

Diary 224: Promoting health books the special way

I am on leave today (19 November) to settle some personal and family matters in Kuala Lumpur city centre.

After completing the tasks, I spent some time going around promoting by health books as usual.

This time I told those interested that the ownership of the books is based on donation.

They were free to donate any amount.

Some were shocked while others could not believe this was happening in their life.

Well, I write health books to help others to lead a healthier and happier life.

The aim is not to make a profit.

I just want to help fellow Malaysians of different background.

How was the promotion?

The donation managed to cover the cost of publishing. That is good enough.

In fact, three persons (2 Malays and 1 Chinese) donated more than the book price.

It is a wonderful world to interact people in this way.

Diary 223: Phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables

Our body needs phytochemicals to maintain good health.

Phytochemicals act as antioxidants that combine with other nutrients to help protect body cells.

Among the important phytochemicals are:

Carotenoids: beta-carotene in mangroes and carrots; lycopene in tomatoes.

Polyphenols: resveratrol in grapes, quercetins and anthocyanins in red dragon fruit.

Glucosinolates/indoles: in cauliflower, brocoli, cabbage and kailan.

Diary 222: Choose wholegrain foods

Let’s take wholegrains to maintain good health.

Wholegrains retain all parts of the natural grain, including the bran and germ.

Wholegrains contain more vitamins, minerals, healthy plant compunds and fibre, compared with refined grains.

Wholegrains help improve gut health, reduce common gastrointestinal problems (such as constipation).

Wholegrains lower risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease and cancers.

What are the wholegrain foods?

Unpolished rice.

Wholemeal biscuits and bread.

Whole wheat noodles.

Wholegrain breakfast cereals.

To you can afford, choose organically certified wholegrains for better health.

Diary 221: Energise our life with food

What types of foods energise our life and enable us to live healthily?

At every main meal,

First, eat adequate amounts of brown or unpolished rice.

Second, eat other cereals (e.g. noodles, bread, oats, biscuits), preferably wholegrain, that are high in fibre and low in fat, sugar and salt.

Third, eat tubers (e.g. potato, sweet potato).

In the meantime, reduce or avoid the consumption of foods that have a negative impact on our health.

What are the main negative foods?

Meat.

Eggs.

Dairy products.

Diary 220: Eating to meet our nutritional needs

Why do we eat?

Eat to live. Yes.

Eat to satisfy our taste buds. Yes.

Meeting our nutritional needs. Some people do. Many people are not aware of these nutritional needs.

Our body needs the followings to function well.

Energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats.

Our body needs different nutrients in varying amounts (e.g. more energy-giving carbohydrates, moderate levels of proteins and small quantities of vitamins and minerals).

It simply means that we do not need a lot of protein, vitamin and minerals each day.

All these can be obtained from plant based foods.

Diary 219: Kidney strengthening food and lifestyle

Sakinah sent me an email inquiring the kidney strengthening food.

First, let’s look at the kidney weakening food: all refined foods, including salt, sugar and soft drinks, which deplete minerals from our body system.

Second, avoid coffee, alcohol and chemicals in food. It simply means taking light cooked and steam food where possible.

Third, take mineral rich, whole foods diet. These are the grains.

Fourth, kidney-strengthening foods include all beans, seaweed, root vegetables and melons. Dark-colored foods energetically support the kidneys and these include wild rice, black beans or black currants.

Fifth, in addition to diet, regular weight-bearing exercises, such as walking, strengthens the kidneys.

Sixth, standing for long periods of time weakens the kidneys, as does too much sitting or lying down.

Seventh, it's important to keep the lower back area, over the kidneys, warm and protected from the cold.

Finally, to strengthen our kidneys, tell them every morning that we love them and care for them.

Diary 218: Cold and warm weather

It was cold in Vienna after spending 5 days there.

I had to wear a few later of winter clothing when going out of the building.

The day temperature was about 5 degree Celcius.

The winter has just begun.

In summer, the day temperature may reach 45 degree Celcius in Vienna.

At both temperature extremes, you may fall sick if not physically fit and strong.

I am happy to be back in Malaysia again, by the evening of 12 November 2010.

Goodbye to the cold weather in Vienna.

It is certainly not a place for me to stay for a long period.

Tropical weather suits me best.

Really happy to be home.

This is the place where I can maintain reasonably good health.

Diary 217: Organic shops in Vienna

Whenever I go, looking for organic shops becomes part of life.

Last evening (9 November 2010), I bought some organic foods from a shop located in the central train station at Karlsplatz, Vienna city centre.

It was the best dinner I had in Vienna.

I had sesame, almond and nut organic cakes.

I was trying to buy some organic food for dinner today (10 November 2010) but the organic shops close by 6pm.

I need to buy some food for my lunch tomorrow when taking my flight back to Malaysia.

The good thing is that the nearby organic shops open as early as 6.30am.

Diary 216: Clean and healthy water in Vienna

This is the second day of our meeting in Vienna.

Last night, I learned the following interesting and important aspect of water supply in Vienna.

You can drink the water directly from the tap.

The authority in Vienna manages a wide forest area which supply clean and healthy water.

The hill water is filtered by the soil.

It is not treated with chemicals in the modern treatment plants.

The hill water is channeled to households and shops diretly.

We were at the restaurant last night (8 Nov 2010) and I asked for a glass of water.

The waiter just turned on the tap and passed me a glass of water.

The cold water from the tap is free at the restaurant.

However, if you asked for some hot water, you will be served in a pot.

Energy is used to boil the water.

The pot of hot water costs about $4 Euro at the restaurant.

Diary 215: PS Ramakrishnan

7 November 2010, I met PS Ramakrishnan, an international well-known researcher on traditional knowledge from India, again in Vienna, Austria.

For the next 3 days, we are attending a meeting at International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) HQ to finalise a book on traditional forest-related knowledge.

He is 72 years old.

He has not visited medical clinic for the last 50 years.

Fantastic achievement.

How?

He is on vegetarian diet since young.

He does about 2 hours of yoga in the morning after waking up at 5.30am.

In the evening, he walks/runs for about 45 minutes.

He lives a disciplined life. Ho goes to bed latest at about 10.30pm.

He also practises the art of living and yoga.

Diary 214: No time to eat right or exercise

While many people acknowledge that it is important to exercise and eat right to attain good health, some of them also claim that they have no time to do so.

Why do they have no time?

Too busy with work.

Do not cook at home.

Have to take care of growing children.

No matter what excuses given, it is wise to remember that we have to take charge of our own lives, which is very much related to our health condition.

Health is our own responsibility, not the doctors’.

You need to be motivated to give up your excuses.

Take action from today, do some exercise daily and choose health food when there is a choice.

Diary 213: Types of anaesthesia

When a patient goes for an operation, he may be placed under 3 types of anaesthesia.

Local anaesthesia: the relevant part of the body is numbed.

Regional anaesthesia: numbs a larger area of the body through administering an anaesthetic drug to a cluster of nerves.

General anaesthesia (GA) refers to a state of unconsciousness (like sleep) and the lack of awareness or sensation.

GA can be induced by intravenous (IV) injection, or by breathing a volatile (a liquid that evaporates easily at normal temperatures and pressures) anaesthetic through a face mask (inhalational induction).

The onset of anaesthesia is faster with IV injection than with inhalation, taking about 10-20 seconds to induce total unconsciousness.

The IV inductions agents work in 5 to 10 minutes. Hence, anaesthesia must be prolonged or maintained for the whole process of surgery.

Diary 212: Nutrition labeling (NL)

Nutrition labelling (NL) is a declaration of the amount of energy (in cal) and nutrients (in gram or ml) in a particular product on its label.

It serves as a guide to consumers to make an informed choice when buying the particular pre-packaged food.

In Malaysia, a wide variety of pre-packaged foods are required to have nutrition labelling, and the declaration must be in per 100g or 100ml, and per serving.

Examples of nutrition labelling are as below.

A serving (5g) of X product provides sugar (0g), sodium (3mg), saturated fat (1g) and energy (27 cal).

Per serving of Y product: fat (7.5g), saturates (2.0g), sugar (40g) and salt (3g).

Product Z: 800 Cal per 100g.

Each 250ml bowl contains calories (150), sugars (3g), fat (2g), saturates (0.5g) and sodium (0.5g).

Note that the NL is for pre-packaged food.

Pre-packaged foods do not feature so prominently in the diets of Malaysians.

To benefit the consumers, NL needs to be placed on ready-to-eat meals, such as hawker foods and franchised fast foods too.

Diary 211: Couple diagnosed with cancer

In the evening of 22 October 2010, I visited a couple at their home.

The wife is under chemotherapy for her breast cancer while the husband was just suspected to be diagnosed with a tumor in the brain.

They have 4 children, the eldest completed her SPM last year and currently looking for a job. The second child will be sitting for his SPM soon.

Sitting on the floor, I shared my view on health food for cancer patients with the two elder children and their untie (mother’s sister) and her husband from Kedah. I gave a copy of my health book and advised the children to go through. It may help.

It is going to be a tough time for the family. I motivated them to be mentally strong.

When the male cancer patient woke up from rest after our discussion, I told him to adjust his diet. I touched his forehead to render moral support. Tears dropped his eyes.

He is willing to take less acidic food and more alkaline food from now on.

As long as one is willing to change, there is always hope to regain health.

You must be wondering who this couple is and why I went to see them.

Malays.

We work at the same place.

Diary 210: Metabolism and losing weight

Metabolism is the process by which our body converts calories from food consumed into energy.

To lose weight, we need to burn more calories than our consumption.

This can be achieved by the following means.

Taking smaller portions (quantity) of food.

Exercising moderately for about 30 minutes at least 4 times a week.

Detoxifying by taking fruit and vegetable juice.