V is for Vegetables

V is for Vegetables.

- Vegetables and fruits are an important part of a healthy diet, and variety is as important as quantity.

- No single fruit or vegetable provides all of the nutrients you need to be healthy. Eat plenty everyday.

A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar which can help keep appetite in check.

Eat a variety of types and colors of produce in order to give your body the mix of nutrients it needs. Try dark leafy greens; brightly colored red, yellow and orange vegetables and fruits; and cooked tomatoes.

The above is borrowed from the Harvard School of Public Health website. It goes on with more information..

Eat more vegetables and fruits each day

1. Keep fruit where you can see it. That way you’ll be more likely to eat it.

2. Explore the produce aisle and choose something new. Variety is the key to a healthy diet.

3. Skip the potatoes. Choose other vegetables that are packed with more nutrients and more slowly digested carbohydrates.

4. Make it a meal. Try cooking new recipes that include more vegetables. Salads and stir fries are two ideas for getting tasty vegetables on your plate.


This one is interesting. There' also a suggestion of a Healthy Eating Plate vs. USDA’s MyPlate. Take a look.

This is the Healthy Eating Plate...

And this is the USDA's My Plate..

The Healthy Eating Plate, created by experts at Harvard School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, points consumers to the healthiest choices in the major food groups. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate, though it has been revised to reflect some key findings, still doesn’t offer the most complete picture when it comes to basic nutrition advice.

The Healthy Eating Plate is based exclusively on the best available science and was not subjected to political or commercial pressures from food industry lobbyists. Here’s a table showing how the Healthy Eating Plate compares to the USDA’s MyPlate, section by section.

Details on the comparison is available on Healthy Eating Plate vs. USDA’s MyPlate. Worth reading.


Source: Harvard School of Public Health

Longevitology or the Study of long life

L is for Longevitology.

Longevitology, ever heard of this technique of healing by way of adjusting energy flow in one's body?

Longevitology (Chang Sen Xue in Chinese, which translates as "study of long life") is one of several healing modalities intended to adjust energy flow throughout the body to improve the body's ability to heal itself.

The general theory of health and illness underlying Longevitology is the same as in other forms of Asian medicine: Good health is the result of energy (referred to as Ch'i, Qi or Prana) and blood flowing smoothly through the organ systems of the body; illness results when the flow of ch'i is disrupted. When proper energy flow has been restored, conditions are optimized for the body to heal. The body lives in a rich field of universal yang energy. Just as a healthy body draws oxygen into the lungs to breathe, it also draws in universal energy to replenish itself. It does so through points on the body, neural plexes called chakras. Chakras are the body’s power centers, energizing cells and organs so they can function. Each chakra governs the functioning of a different organ system. When all chakras are operating properly, metabolism will be efficient, the immune system will be effective, and waste and toxins will be readily excreted.

In Longevitology, Master Lin Tzu-Chen and Wei Yu-Feng opens the student’s chakras to receive this universal energy. Students are taught how to use this energy to heal themselves and others of common ailments. Master/Teacher Lin Tzu-Chen and Wei Yu-Feng travel throughout the world annually to teach Longevitology.

Courses are taught in Mandarin and English translation is available in some locations. Classes in Malaysia are taught in Mandarin and English translation is available. I completed all the three classes - beginning, intermediate and advance classes. I must admit, I see results, not that I have any major illness or anything like that but I find that little, little discomforts disappear much faster than they used to. I also do adjustments for family members.

People who received Longevitology energy adjustments reported the following common benefits:

•Calmness;
•Reduced stress
•Pain relief; deeper, more restful sleep
•Increased energy
•Relief from migraines, tension headaches and back pain
•Increase mental alertness
•Faster healing of injuries
•Regular elimination
•Shrinking of tumors
•Improved quality of life
•Among others.

I strongly encourage you to join a class not only for your own benefit but also for the benefit of those around you. But in the meantime if you need some adjusting to relieve some pain due to an injury or to accelerate recovery after a surgery or for any of the above, visit an adjustment center near you, if any. Adjustment centers are available to the public. There are quite a number of adjustment centers in Kuala Lumpur as well.

Here's a class schedule for you to check out. Two classes were just completed in Vancouver, Canada and the next class with be in Los Angeles and then back to Canada, Toronto, Las Vegas and then in Phnom Penh in Cambodia. This is all for April.

In Malaysia, the next class will be in June and that's in Sarawak. And then classes will move on to London, Wells in the UK and then on to Lille in France. That's all in June. Sign up, you won't regret it. Oh, did I mention that it's all free of charge? This is a non-profit organization started in Taiwan.

Perak will have a class in June, and one in Pahang in July. There's one in Selangor in July too. Yay for people in the Klang Valley. There are three classes in Myanmar in July too. Singaporeans are not left out. There's a class in July as well, end of July. And if you are in Taiwan, you are lucky because there are two classes running simultaneously in two different cities fortnightly.

Good news for you if you are in the KL area. Though not in the schedule yet, there's a class already in the pipeline to be held in Setapak in November. Let me clue you in on that, so check back on the Longevitology for updates and contact details.

If a picture tells a thousand words, here are a few more thousand words. These images show attendance and participation in class in a number of cities. No bluffing one. This is a serious affair.

Don't worry. Longevitology is not a business; nothing is bought or sold. It is not a religion, and it has no political aspirations. Longevitology groups are present in several nations, including Taiwan, the US, Canada, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Japan, Singapore, Germany, Austria and Belgium. Like I said earlier, classes are FOC.

For more information, visit the Longevitology site which is the source of information and images on this post.

Dengue treatment, not!

D is for Dengue fever.

DENGUE fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Here in Malaysia it is a problem that just won't go away. On the contrary, the number of dengue cases has escalated by 314% compared to the same period last year according to the Health Ministry.

There is no cure for dengue and locally, out of desperation people have resorted to traditional treatment. One such popular treatment is drinking the juice of the papaya leave. It has been reported that papaya juice increases platelet count.

However, the information on the chart below advises otherwise.

Swimming for health

Some people need to have their workout everyday. One of my girlfriends is missing her workout in the pool at the club which she makes it a point to go to a few times a week. The pool is now closed while the management is awaiting replacement of the pool water pumps.

Do you swim? Swimming is a wonderful exercise. Studies have shown that swimming can reduce cholesterol, prevent diabetes, relieve pain for arthritis patients, help asthma sufferers, improve the heart and it even can increase lifespan meaning swimmers live longer. Of course we don't have to be like Michael Phelps, the American swimmer and the most decorated Olympian of all time, with a total of 22 medals. We just need to swim at our own  pace, for health.

Chinese simple life-saving tips

Sometime ago, there was an email that was going around suggesting a tip to quickly react to someone who is suffering from a stroke to reverse the effects. The other day, I received an email with the same tip plus a few others - good to know, actually.

Apparently, these are traditional Chinese health tips. Four situations are covered as per below. Take a look. They are worth a try just to prove that the tips work, if nothing else.

I'm posting it verbatim from the email and it's in both Chinese and English translation - but no source indicated, so whoever compiled this, thank you.

A disclaimer though: do it at your own risk, but pass on the information, anyway.


Subject: Fwd: FW: 4 Important Tips & 3 Saving a life three therapeutic methods To Know-- 四个重要的 简单知识

FYI

四个重要的 简单知识

1 Choked While Eating 噎到东西
2、Getting A Stiff Neck 落枕
3、Foot Cramp 脚抽筋
4、Foot Numb 脚麻了

这个请大家千万千万要努力传哦，因是个知识，可以教人，也可以救人哦！
Everybody try to pass on these knowledge, may teach the others, may save life !
救命的方法分享：

Method share that saving a life:

１.噎到东西之处理方式----只要「把手举起來」。
1. Treatment for choked----"Raise Up Your Hands" Or "Hands Up"

２.落枕
您偶而早上起床会发现自己落枕了吗？就是脖子疼痛。
一旦落枕您該怎麼办？一旦落枕时，只要將你的脚抬起來！
把大脚姆指給掰开來，慢慢的以順时或逆时的方向按摩旋转。
2. You get out of bed by chance in the morning and discover getting a stiff neck? Is neck ache.
What to do once gets a stiff neck you should lifts your foot!
Slowly massage your big toes counter clockwise and clockwise .

3. 脚抽筋时
左脚抽筋时高高的举起右手，右脚抽筋时高高的举起左手，马上舒緩。
3. When the left leg cramps holding up high right hand, right foot cramp holding up high left hand, recover immediately

4. 脚麻了
若左脚麻了，用力甩你的右手掌。若右脚麻了，則用力甩你的左手掌。
4. If the left foot has been numb, swing your right hand palm. If the right foot has been numb, swing your left palm.


为咱爸咱妈一定记下来【救命三法】
Writes certainly down for our father our mother [Saving a life three therapeutic methods]
一、半身不遂（不管脑出血还是栓塞）、口眼歪斜，马上取缝衣针将患者双耳垂最下点刺破，各挤出一滴血，病人马上治愈，而且愈后不留任何后遗症。

First, is paralyzed ( no matter cerebral hemorrhage or embolism), the mouth & eye is crooked, takes the sewing needle to puncture the patient double earlobe most under spot immediately, squeezes out a drop of blood respectively, the patient cures immediately, moreover, does not have any side effect .


二、心脏病猝死发生后，马上脱掉患者袜子，用缝衣针分别刺破其十个脚趾尖，各挤出一滴血，不等挤完十个脚趾尖，病人即清醒过来。
Second, after heart disease sudden death occurred, takes off the patient sock immediately, punctures its ten foot tiptoes with the sewing needle respectively, squeezes out a drop of blood respectively, having finish punctures ten foot tiptoes, the patient wake up .


三、不管哮喘还是急性喉炎等，发现病人出不来气，憋得脸红脖子粗，赶紧用缝衣针刺破其鼻尖，挤出两滴黑血即愈。
Third, no matter asthma acute laryngitis and so on, discovered that the patient cannot breathe , hurry up to puncture its tip of the nose with the sewing needle, squeezes out two drops of black blood to recover.
以上三法均无任何危险，请放心操作，都在10秒内有效。一份孝心，我转了！[爱心]

The above three methods: there is no any danger, feel relieved about operation please equally, is effective all within 10 seconds. A love toward parents, I have sent my [Loving heart]

Who has come visiting?

Sometimes I do wonder what were people looking for when they were directed here by the search engines. If you are one who looks at your blog statistics, you would have an idea what post(s) of yours are bringing in traffic, albeit just a one-time visit thingy maybe.

I've had people arriving here looking for 'sex partner in KL'.  My bad, it must have been a few supposedly 'sexy' jokes I posted.  And then there is the occasional visitor hoping to find KL rehab information, i.e., availability of rehab centers in KL.  I wish I have that information though I've written a few times about rehab centers in the U.S. either for oxycodone rehab or for other problems that may need some professional attention.

What's the most unusual keyword or keywords that you have encountered on your blog stats? Or you don't care?

Apricot seeds are beneficial to health

Plums are not grown in Malaysia, yet we do get them here almost all year round in our supermarkets and hypermarkets.

Apricots, on the other hand, are rarely seen here except in their dried form. Did you know that apricot kernels or seeds are edible and they are consumed for their health benefits? It is true. You can read about it here: http://www.apricotpower.com/

It's common knowledge that prunes (dried plums) are good for the bowel system. According to Wikipedia, due to the high fiber to volume ratio of apricots, dried apricots are sometimes used to relieve constipation or induce diarrhea. Effects can be felt after eating as few as three. Now you know..

What 4 Things You'll Feel Before a Heart Attack

It has been reported that more people in the US die due to a heart attack than from cancer, including breast cancer. This could be the case in many developed or developing countries including Malaysia.

I came across this special video presentation from Newsmax Health titled 4 Things You'll Feel Before a Heart Attack by renowned cardiologist Dr. Chauncey Crandall. He said that we can easily train ourselves to listen to our own body's signals when it comes to the state of our heart health.

Watch the video to see four major ways your body tries to warn you — before it’s too late to intervene and survive the damage.. Watch until the end. It has useful information about the kind of food to avoid or reduce and what to eat more, how a heart attack is caused, the kind of test to ask for, other options besides an open-heart surgery and more. Here's the video..



The video also discusses simple strategies to prevent and reverse general heart disease and high cholesterol.

5 Tips to avoid heartburn and indigestion

Have you sometimes experienced heartburn and indigestion after a hearty meal? Perhaps it was the chilli from the curry laksa or the assam gravy from the assam fish meal?

Here are 5 tips from Marica Caposaldo on how to avoid heartburn and indigestion as well as the kinds of food to avoid and the food to replace them with.

5 tips to avoid heartburn and indigestion

1. Avoid alcohol and stop smoking. It’s ok to have a drink from time to time, but don’t overindulge on alcohol. Try to find the drink that makes you the least acidic, and always eat before you go out. If you are a smoker, try to quit. Start with a daily cut down, and see if it makes you feel better. Once it does, you won’t want to go back to it.

2. Don’t overeat. Try to have smaller meals spread out during the whole day, and try to especially avoid eating too much in the night, before going to bed or right before lying down. Take a walk instead.

3. Avoid drinking soda and coffee. They’re not healthy anyways, so you might as well avoid them as much as you can. Alternatively, drink your coffee with a lot of milk, and drink your tea once it’s cooled down.

4. Stay away from spicy and fatty foods. You will want to keep this in mind, if you don’t want to roll around the floor in pain. Don’t eat very spicy foods at all, and cut down on the fried foods as much as possible.

5. Work out more. This applies especially if you are the right candidate to shed some pounds; but generally speaking, exercising increases your metabolism, which in return will help your stomach work better.

Ultimately, if nothing works, and you are experiencing some excruciating pain and discomfort, there is still hope. In case of emergency, try Gaviscon.

Gaviscon is a medicine that fights indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux. It helps keep acid down in the stomach, where it belongs, by creating a foam barrier on top of the stomach acid. This foam barrier helps reduce the number of reflux episodes and provides longer lasting action against heartburn and indigestion than ordinary antacid products. And the best thing about it is that it works in only 3 minutes, and provides a long lasting relief of up to 4 hours!

You can get it in the form of tablets, liquid, and liquid sachets. Take a look at the list of products here.

Stay healthy..

Diabetics statistics in Malaysia alarming

Besides weight loss products, medical scrubs and medical equipment are what Internet users look for on this blog. If you are looking for medical equipment, medical equipment at medicaldevicedepot.com may be your answer.

Speaking of medical equipment and health,  at the 4th National Diabetes Conference here yesterday, Obesity Prevention Council President, Jong Koi Chong reported that compared to 2006 where only 8.6 percent adults in Malaysia had diabetes, the most recent study done in 2011 showed 15.2 percent adults were diabetic. An alarming 3.6 million adults are estimated to be affected by diabetes in Malaysia.

He's right when he said that is not an achievement to be proud of.

More bad news, Malaysian Diabetes Association (MDA) President, Professor Datuk Dr Ikram Shah Ismail, said Malaysia had surpassed the World Health Organisation's estimation of 807,000 diabetics in 2025.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that can be prevented and for those affected, diabetes can be managed to delay or prevent its complications. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and making better choices in one's diet can prevent or manage diabetes and its complications - Director of Medical Development department in the Health Ministry, Datuk Dr Azmi Shapie.

Blindness, kidney failure, gangrene leading to amputations and heart disease are complications that can be prevented by making better choices and having a balanced diet, Dr Azmi added.

"Making small changes in our lifestyle will make a big difference. We should walk more, take the stairs instead of an elevator and avoid fatty food, especially, late night," he said.

Dr Azmi also advised the public to go for regular medical check up at least twice annually. - Bernama


Source: The Star

H7N9 - What You Need to Know

Two days ago, it was reported that a 53-year-old Taiwan businessman has contracted the H7N9 strain of bird flu while travelling in China. This is the first reported case outside of mainland China.

Malaysia too had a death of a woman with quite the same symptoms early this month which caused some jitters but more of that later.

So far, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission in the case of the H7N9 flu.  Transmission is from bird to human though some infected patients were nowhere around poultry when they contracted the flu.

As of today, infected are 108 people in mainland China, one in Taiwan
People killed as of today: 23

Here is some information on what we need to know about the H7N9 flu.

Excerpt from MSN.com:

What's so bad about this flu:
- It's "one of the most lethal" strains of bird flu scientists have ever seen.

- A World Health Organization expert says the virus transmits more easily to humans than another deadly flu strain that appeared in 2003.

- It's still evolving. Influenza experts say it's probably still swapping genes with other strains, potentially making itself stronger.

- If it succeeds, the world could be facing a deadly flu pandemic. But like other flu viruses, it may also fail and just fizzle out.

- It doesn't seem to sicken poultry, however. This alarms scientists, leading them to believe it's been silently spreading in the bird population.

How it's transmitted:
- Bird to human
- So far, evidence shows it's not spread from person to person, according to the WHO.

Measures taken to prevent it from spreading:
- In early April, China shut down live poultry markets in many affected regions. This slowed the virus' spread almost immediately.

- Thousands of ducks and chickens have been killed, though officials didn't order wide-scale slaughter of poultry.

- Airports in Asia set up stricter controls: Taiwan will test travelers who show flu symptoms. Vietnam is screening temperatures of all visitors. Starting in May, Japan will make "thermographic inspections" of all travelers from China.

- Poultry imports from China are banned in Vietnam and the Philippines. Other countries are considering restrictions.

- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is prepping a vaccine, just in case.

Symptoms: Fever, breathing problems, pneumonia

How to avoid getting it:
- Stay away from live poultry in China — not only chickens but ducks, geese, pigeons, etc.

- If you have symptoms or come in contact with someone who has the flu, follow the CDC's advice to prevent its spread. And see a doctor as soon as you feel sick.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.


Excerpt from CNN:

It's dangerous and deadly to humans

"This is definitely one of the most lethal influenza viruses that we have seen so far," said Keiji Fukuda, the World Health Organization's assistant director-general for health, security and the environment, told a news conference Wednesday in Beijing..

The H7N9 strain was never known to infect people until March. Before then, it was only found in birds.

If the virus does start to spread easily between people, it could trigger a pandemic.

Cooking poultry can kill the virus before you eat it

In normal cooking temperatures -- so all parts of the meat reach at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius) with no "pink" -- the virus would be inactivated, including in poultry and game birds.

Generally, eating raw meat is discouraged anyway, as doing so can lead to a variety of foodborne illnesses.

You should not, however, eat diseased animals or animals known to have died from diseases.

No travel restrictions; low U.S. risk

The CDC is not advising against traveling to China, but travelers who go there should refrain from touching birds and other animals and wash their hands often.

"Anyone with fever, coughing or shortness of breath within 10 days of traveling to China should see a doctor and tell the doctor about the recent travel to China," the CDC said on its website.


In Malaysia, the Health Ministry has issued a Press Release clarifying on a case of Legionella virus infecting one person in the country. The patient, a 40-year-old woman died on Apr 5 2013 due to the severe broncho pneumonia with Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS).

Initial investigation showed that there was another case admitted to a private hospital on 10 April 2013 and discharged on 13 April 2013 with a diagnosis of acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. Patients tested positive for legionella and negative infections for influenza A (H1N1), dengue fever and leptospirosis.

There are 2 more hospitalized cases respectively on 17 April and 18 April 2013. Both were discharged in good health after a few days of stay in hospital with their diagnosis - were caused by acute tonsillitis and acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma. Both of them were negative for legionella, influenza A (H1N1), dengue fever and leptospirosis.


Some information about Legionnaires' disease or Legionellosis..

Legionnaires' disease (LEE-juh-nares) is caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella. The Legionella bacteria are found naturally in the environment, usually in water. The bacteria grow best in warm water, like the kind found in hot tubs, cooling towers, hot water tanks, large plumbing systems and decorative fountains. However, they do not seem to grow in car or window. air-conditioners.

The bacteria are not spread from one person to another person.

Read more about Legionnaires' disease - causes and transmissions, signs and symptoms, etc.

Prescription drugs at the best prices

In recent years, there appears to be more pharmacies here in Kuala Lumpur, more than the regular few that have been operating all these years. This is good as it provides better access and wider choice to prescription drugs though understandably not every drug is available on the shelf.

The Internet has also provided another avenue to purchase desired pharmaceutical drugs. As with shopping for other products, online shopping for drugs can result in savings.

Take Klonopin for instance.  If you can't find it at the pharmacy in your area, a good source would be from an online pharmacy.  You can visit this website to check out the price.  The site is easy to navigate with appropriate categories to enable you to easily locate what you need.

A little about Klonopin (clonazepam).  Klonopin is generally used to treat those who suffer from panic disorders or seizures by working to control brain chemicals responsible for balance and anxiety.   It has been advised that patients should check with their doctor before beginning treatment on this medication in view of possible severe side effects that may require hospitalization.  People with liver disease, asthma or who have allergies to certain drugs or are pregnant should get their doctor's advice.

If you are already on Klonopin from a doctor's prescription, here is another source on where to buy klonopin medsindia.com for a better price.  Speaking of a better price, online shopping could save you a substantial stash if you require a regular dosage of whatever prescription drugs or food supplements -  http://medsindia.com is where you'd want to go shopping at for the best prices and quality.

How to boost brain performance and energy

Provigil - ever heard of it? Not interested? Provigil has been nicknamed "Viagra for the brain." Now, are you interested?

Provigil is a wake-promoting agent and is approved only for narcolepsy, sleep apnea or for people who work irregular hours, but among those who take it are many other healthy people taking it to boost energy and focus.

If you are buying Provigil over the counter, you would need a doctor's prescription but nowadays with the advent of online-shopping, you can now buy Provigil online and at a lower price too.  One such safe website that you can buy Provigil online is http://buyprovigilonlinenow.com.

Though doctors admit they don't really know how Provigil works plus there have been no long-term studies of Provigil and its effects on healthy brains, people who are on this "wonder" drug are not giving it up anytime soon. Like most drugs, Provigil has its side effects too. The known side effects include sleep deprivation and potentially lethal rashes and worse.

Provigil not only keeps one awake, it also boosts one's energy level.  Imagine getting up at 5am in the morning, run a few miles, kept busy with an extremely tight schedule the entire day and still be as sharp and focussed late into the night as when you first started the day. All this is possible with Provigil which you can buy cheaper now at http://buyprovigilonlinenow.com.

Provigil being a brain-enhancing drug improves cognitive skills as well. Taking Provigil can stretch your day, everyday, for that improved quality of life that many people are experiencing at the moment. Being able to buy it online (http://buyprovigilonlinenow.com) is making thousands of people happy and zesty.  Many are keeping it a secret too but now you know.

Update on the H7N9 bird flu in China

I have family members who have signed up for a tour of Shanghai and a few other cities nearby. I have been asked to join them and am now wondering whether it is a good idea to still go ahead with the plan or otherwise. The visit is in October.

China reported that it had confirmed 14 cases of the new flu, and on Friday it reported that six cases were fatal according to NY Times.

Though only made as a precaution, U.S. federal health officials have begun to make a seed vaccine against the mysterious new H7N9 flu circulating in China. A spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized, an agency virologist said the agency was “fairly worried” about the new virus.

No cases of human-to-human transmission have been confirmed. It is also not known how people are getting infected. The few known cases are spread out in a wide area around Shanghai. Exposure to infected poultry is an obvious suspicion. With the new flu, only two of the 14 known cases are poultry workers; a third was a cook.

On Thursday, the virus was found in pigeons in a Shanghai live bird market. The authorities began culling every bird there.

It will take at least a month to create the seed vaccine, even though the agency is speeding the process by building it from synthetic DNA rather than waiting for a virus sample to arrive from China, said Michael Shaw, associate laboratory director for the C.D.C.’s influenza division.

According to the World Health Organization, preliminary tests in China suggest the new virus is susceptible to the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.

Several countries have acted against the flu. Vietnam banned imports of Chinese poultry. Japan posted airport notices urging people to report flu symptoms. Hong Kong banned the import of live birds from the mainland.


Full article: NY Times..C.D.C. Begins Work on Vaccine for China Flu

New bird flu strain - H7N9 - killed 3 people in China

Source: Reuters
Is the world about to face another health scare?

China is mobilising resources nationwide to fight a new strain of deadly bird flu virus, H7N9, that has killed three people. Japan and Hong Kong have stepped up vigilance against the virus and Vietnam banned imports of Chinese poultry.

The new H7N9 bird flu strain does not appear to be transmitted from human to human but authorities in Hong Kong raised a preliminary alert and said they were taking precautions at the airport.

In Japan, airports have put up posters at entry points warning all airline passengers from China to seek medical attention if they suspect they have bird flu.

A total of nine people in China have been confirmed to have contracted H7N9, all in the east of the country. Three infected people have died.

All passengers on flights in and out of Hong Kong were being asked to notify flight attendants or airport staff if they were feeling unwell.

Vietnam said it had banned poultry imports from China, citing the risk from H7N9.

Read: Reuters..China mobilizes to fight new bird flu; Japan, HK on guard

Protect your Health with an Air Purifier

Development and industralization go hand-in-hand and as a result, air quality suffers if steps are not taken to contain contaminants that are emitted into the atmosphere.

For the individual, he can only safeguard his own health by improving the space he lives in. In the home, an iq air healthpro plus air purifier will ensure that he and his family have better quality air to breathe in.

What this air purifier does is, through their different air filtration system, it drastically reduces the particulate and molecular air pollutants in the space it is operating in. For anyone who is concerned about his health or suffers from respiratory ailments, this makes an ideal air purifier.

Rain, rain, go away!

December may be a merry month but the rainy weather in this monsoon season here could be a dampener of spirits if you have an itinerary that includes the outdoors.

Damp weather is certainly no friend either to people with creaky old bones coupled with joint problems. Mobility can be an issue but thanks to something as helpful as the free spirit knee walker moving around would be much less of a hassle, I suppose.

Yeah, Rain Rain, go away!

Spinal Stenosis and Scoliosis

We take everything for granted, don't we? For instance, we think nothing of being able to walk straight without having any pain in our back.

Having a number of colleagues with spinal injuries and one with scoliosis makes me appreciate a backbone that is in pretty good shape. Thank my lucky stars.

I learned of a new spinal condition today and that is Spinal stenosis.

Spinal stenosis is a medical condition characterized by a narrowing of the spine that pinches or otherwise irritates the spinal nerves unlike scoliosis which has the spine curving from side to side. On an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C", rather than a straight line. My poor friend with scoliosis suffers from constant back-pain.

Thank your lucky stars? You bet!


Image of Scoliosis - Source: Wikipedia

Bird flu 'emergency' declared in Mexico

Today is a lovely day out there. No complaint. We have to thank our lucky stars that we are just battling the haze here in our country, and that too is only intermittently. Out there, people are fighting wildfires in Colorado, unrest in many parts of the world including in Timbuktu where there are tomb attacks, or in Syria where patients at a military hospital in Syria were killed by "custom injections". What about the Eurozone crisis that is causing unemployment rises to record high 11.1%. And more..

The Star reported today that

The Mexican government declared a national animal health emergency on Monday in the face of an aggressive bird flu epidemic that has infected nearly 1.7 million poultry.

The article added that more than half the infected birds have died or been culled, the agriculture ministry said of an epidemic that was confirmed on Friday by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The outbreak was first detected on June 20. On Friday, 1.7 million birds had been contaminated and 870,000 had died at 10 breeding farms in the western state of Jalisco as reported by the FAO.

The emergency was declared on Monday and include provisions for quarantine, slaughter, vaccination, and the destruction of infected products.

Poultry farming contributes up to 40 percent of the total volume of the country's livestock production.

Wherever you are reading this, I pray you are safe and well.


Source: The Star..Mexico declares bird flu 'emergency'

Observing Good posture at the Computer desk

How many of us are suffering or have suffered from shoulder aches due to working long and hard at the computer either at home or in the office?

Ergonomics is defined as the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements and its cognitive abilities. If ergonomic principles are observed, the practice will help in reducing risk of developing a repetitive strain injury and other stress-related injuries.

There is a lot more to ergonomics. The Internet is a wonderful resource for more information. Suffice to say that the right type of computer desks with regard to height and so forth, could help in complying with the principles of ergonomics in turn preventing physical stress to the body.

The image above is an all-too-familiar illustration of the ideal posture when working at a computer desk. Image courtesy of Wikieducator.com