Wonder what comes next…
One minute the authorities say we should avoid eating tuna and next, it is alright to eat but within limits, would you???

What is mercury?

“Mercury poisoning is the ill effects on humans nervous system and other bodily systems due to the over-exposure of mercury. Mercury is a neurotoxin, meaning it affects the nervous system. The “mad hatters” of the 19th century suffered from mercury poisoning which caused personality changes, nervousness, trembling, and even dementia. The hatters were exposed to mercury in the felting process, where mercury was rubbed onto cloth to preserve it.

Today, people are more aware of the dangers of mercury and many of its uses have been discontinued. However, mercury exposure is still an occupational hazard for people in many industries and mercury is present in the environment around us. There is also the risk of exposure due to a thermometer breaking or mercury leaking out of a thermostat or any number of mercury-containing devices. If mercury vapor is inhaled, as much as 80 percent may enter the bloodstream.”

So what is the mercury doing in the oceans and seas in the first place?

Do you think that you are hungry because you’re fat, or are you fat because you’re hungry?

Hmmm…. this is no chicken-and-egg question. To some degree, at least, you are hungry because you’re fat. You have more body area and that means greater surface to radiate heat and call for calories.

So, here’s how to put a rein on your appetite starting today:

1. Stop eating while you’re still a little hungry.

2. Revise your eating habits and find something to distract you from thinking about food.

3. Find foods that requires slow chewing such as raw carrots, celery, etc

4. Don’t wash food down with water because drinking water with meals may wash down masses of half-chewed food and thus unconsciously step up your food intake instead.

5. Don’t be tricked by fancy foods such as an ice cream sundae topped off with nuts and whipped cream.

6. Learn to keep a count on calories and read the labels.

7. Place a variety of fruits in a fruit bowl on the coffee table instead of a box of chocolates, candies and pastries.

8. Don’t go without breakfast because that is not a smart move, you will put on weight instead!

With these eight ways you can now learn to take control of your health STARTING NOW…

After last month’s news on polluted drinking water, most probably they meant don’t drink 8 glasses of tap water with all the pharmaceutical drugs and what not found in drinking water???

Here’s the video about the new research :

Sometime ago, I read a book titled Your Body’s Many Cries for Water: You Are Not Sick, You Are Thirsty by an ex- political prisoner Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj, a renowned researcher who spent more than 20 years of research on dehydration, painful diseases and how water can cure our body pains after he discovered the healing powers of water while in prison.

This is what he has found out during his research:

• Without water, Nothing lives
• Water is an important source of energy
• Water is the bonding adhesive for cell structures
• Water increases the rate of absorption of all substances in food
• Water is responsible for the transport of all substances in the body
• Water generates electrical and magnetic energy in every cell in the body
• Water increases the efficiency of the red blood cells in collecting oxygen in the lungs
• Water increases the efficiency of the immune system including fighting against cancers

I personally believe each person is different and though water drinking is essential to health, each person has different needs. From my experience, drinking warm water and a brisk walk has helped me to solve those irritating headaches and my occasional joint pains ….so for me its bye bye painkillers! What about you…?

What about bottled water? A lot of brands start at the water tap too …

Besides being told upteem times about toxins gathering around the environment, recently we are being informed that pharmaceutical drugs have been found polluting our drinking water too.

Apparently they get deposited into our drinking water in two ways:

• excretion- drugs that you take, or drugs given to livestock, some of the active components that are not absorbed in the body are deposited into sewage treatment centers. Drug-ridden waste from livestock also ends up polluting water in the soil, rivers, streams and lastly drinking water.
• disposal - unused or outdated medications being flushed down the toilets or disposed as trash by people, pharmaceutical companies and hospitals which ultimately ends in the environment.

Incase, you have missed this breaking news about drinking water being polluted by the Associated Press investigations, just click on the arrow now to play the video…

I must say, nothing surprises me these days as I believe this is an age old issue, otherwise why are these water filtering devices and systems have been in business for so long?

Today I have finally purchased my personal pedometer and it doesn’t come cheap…cost me about SGD41 or US$29! I was told there are many cheap ones from China in the market which cost about US$10 but they also conked off very fast and most of them are not accurate in their readings due to their mercury movement detection mechanism. Upon weighing my options I decided to invest in the OMRON HJ-113 Walking Style at a reputed chemist, its still made in China, no warranty, but under the well-known Omron company. It is even endorsed by the Singapore Heart Foundation.

It also detects whether your steps are normal or aerobic and thus capture accordingly and their duration taken. I was too excited to complete the rest of the settings, so tomorrow I’ll report back again.

About the features of my Omron HJ-113 Walking Style pedomter :

• has an aerobic step counter, besides the regular step counter.

• uses a new sensor technology called accelerometer which means you can either put it in your pocket shirt, front trousers pocket, put it in your bag or hang it from your neck and it will calculate your steps automatically.

• can differentiate whether your steps are normal or aerobic by detecting the rhythmic pattern of your steps.

• has the ability to count your calories and fats burnt

• can review your full week of exercise because of the stored memory.

• can also set the time, weight and stride length.

Now no more mentally calculating my steps or rounds for an estimation when I go for my daily brisk walking again which is limited to the track path in the park. I can’t wait to carry my new pedometer with me knowing I can track my steps whenever I walk.

My challenge now is to achieve the 10,000 steps a day! Anyway, I have a Walker Tracker’s widget installed in my blog for easy tracking which I highly recommend anyone who wants to keep fit to join this community…. See ya soon & Happy Walking!

Eating disorder is conventionally seen as a lifestyle disease, with worrying consequences. Females seem to appear more vulnerable to eating disorders than males. Self-starvation is one of the salient features of eating disorder, denies the body of nutrients it needs to function optimally, as it is forced to conserve energy. So how does one detect a sufferer’s eating disorder?

Even though eating disorders are difficult to detect, actually, there are many signs to be aware of, especially if it concerns our loved ones and close friends that something seems not right in that person as we already know them well.

Here are some of the give-aways to look out for:
1. Obsession with information regarding or related to food.
2. Changes in eating habits, such as being particular about the type or amount of foods or the cooking methods.
3. Changes in mood, interaction or communication
4. Signs of hiding or throwing foods away.
5. Feelings of anger, anxiety, depressed, guilty feelings and moody after each meal.
6. Being anti-social, avoiding gatherings and parties where food is involved.
7. Weakened physical conditions such as feeling sick, lethargic, losing weight, dropping hair and dry skin.
8. Frequent visits to the toilet after meals or using laxatives when there is no such need.
9. Sudden changes in sleeping patterns
10. Having distorted and low self-esteem.

Early detection by psychological intervention and nutritional counselling will greatly reduced the sufferer from further deterioration. In a severe case, medical treatment is required to stabilise the sufferer.

Importantly, we must bear this in mind, we must never use force but be there for them to show our concern and love, give support, encouragement and best of all - a listening ear whilst the sufferer to find a mode of recovery that is suitable for themselves.

According to statistics in 2005, there were already 20.3 million people in the UK who were aged 50 and over. This revolution of longevity has been largely due to better and improved measures on health, nutrition and medical care.

So what does this indicate as the population ages? Due to the ageing process, rising rates of chronic diseases and disabilities will be the main issue in long term health care and soon I will also be joining the statistics.

This has set me thinking that if I want better caring, the solution of a care home would be the best answer but there are so many different types of care homes for different types of specific needs. It is a daunting task for the family to search an ideal care home as there are so many things that have to take into considerations like, what kind of level care is needed, the budget, checking on the homes, the staff , making more enquiries and so many others. Most people do not have the time, energy and resources to look for an appropriate facility be it for self or their loved ones.

Therefore, to save myself and my family from more emotional stress, my best option is to consult an independent care home expert who can answer crucial questions about care, advice on the best care options that are available in the area, as well as search for care homes that fit special requirements. Take care.

I am not sure about you but I find it quite amusing, imagine… we may one day have to get a prescription for our supplements from the doctors. Even massage stones if they do get classified as “medical devices”.

This move by the FDA is designed to once and for all destroy the 1994 DSHEA law that has made supplements “legal” while eliminating nutritional supplements and natural medicine from the United States, ensuring monopoly profits and control by drug companies and the FDA. It is the latest action item by the FDA / Big Pharma conspiracy that will not stop until health freedom has been abolished, drug companies rule the nation, and every citizen is diagnosed with a fictitious disease and drugged up on monopoly-priced pharmaceuticals…by Mike Adams.

What made me brought this question up is because of the video I came across which you can watch at the end of this post.

Anyway forward or backwards, walking will still be my favourite form of exercise and I believe it should be easily fit into anyone’s lifestyle. Walking as everyone knows is a low-impact form of exercise and is also one of the safest as it does not aggravate the structures of your lower back.

Why Walking promotes general health and longevity:

* Lowers blood pressure
* Reduces high cholesterol and improves blood lipid profile
* Reduces body fat as it improves metabolism
* Enhances mental well being, elevates good mood
* Increases bone density, hence helping to prevent osteoporosis
* Reduces the risk of cancer of the colon
* Reduces the risk of non insulin dependent diabetes
* Helps to control body weight and maintain it
* Helps osteoarthritis and reduces arthritis pain
* Helps with flexibility and co-ordination hence reducing the risk of falls

Studies have been done extensively and now supports the many benefits of regular walking.

Regular participation in physical activity (like walking) is associated with reduced mortality rates for both older and younger adults (US Dept of Health 1996). In other words, walkers live longer!

In particular, walking has a high impact on cardiovascular disease. Fit and active individuals have around half the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to unfit inactive people. This level of risk is similar to smoking, high blood pressure or high cholesterol in causing heart disease.

Fit walkers are less likely to fall and suffer injuries such as hip fractures because the bones are strengthened; less likely to sustain injury because joints have a better range of movement and muscles are more flexible; less prone
to depression and anxiety; tend to be good sleepers; and are better able to control body weight.

For general health, experts recommend accumulating a total of 30 minutes of brisk walking on most, preferably all days of the week.

(Sources: US Dept of Health 1996, UK Dept of Health 2000, Health Education Authority 1996)
(Sources: Davison & Grant 1993, US Dept of Health 1996, British Heart Foundation 2000)

In this video, this chap says he does backwalking and encourages it because apparently he claims that backwalking has improved his eyesight which is something new.

Anyone game to give it a try?