Antioxidants play a key role in eye health by Al Sears, MD

Are you in danger of losing your eyesight as you age? Over 25% of Americans over 65 have macular degeneration. Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) affects more Americans than glaucoma and cataracts combined. As you grow older, your risk increases dramatically.

AMD is a deterioration of a portion of the retina. The retina is the backside of the eye. It records images and sends them to the brain. The central portion of the retina is the macula.

The macula plays major roles in these features of vision:
• Focusing vision
• Recognizing colors
• Recognizing faces
• Reading
• Driving a car
• Seeing fine details

In AMD, this critical structure of vision is gradually destroyed. There are two types of macular degeneration: "wet" and "dry." "Dry" macular degeneration makes up about 90% of all cases. A yellow substance called drusen collects under the macula. The drusen thins and dries the macula, causing deterioration.

"Wet" macular degeneration affects only a minority of people suffering from AMD. In this case, blood vessels grow abnormally under the macula. These blood vessels eventually leak. The macula bulges, causing vision loss.

Vision loss from AMD dramatically increases with age. It may start as mildly blurred vision. From there, the disease escalates. Straight lines or sentences appear wavy. It becomes difficult to see objects from far away. Fine detail is lost. The ability to distinguish color is gone. Eventually, whole areas of vision disappear.

But there is hope. There are supplements that you can use to maintain healthy eyes.
CoQ10. One of the most powerful nutrients I prescribe to my patients is CoQ10. It's already well known for its heart and brain benefits... and now the news just got better.

A recent study out of Columbia University shows that CoQ10 can also have a profound effect on your eye health.

The study, published this year, showed that CoQ10 levels in your retina fall 40 percent by the time you reach 80.1 And it suggested a link to lower CoQ10 and the overall health of the macula.

The authors of the study showed that lower levels of CoQ10 meant your retina may not produce enough energy to regenerate — or to protect itself from free radical damage.
Three other potent eye nutrients are vitamin E, lutein and zeaxanthin.

The latest research confirms this trio's vision-protecting power. In a study published this year, researchers in Japan gave blood tests to more than 700 people aged 65 and up.2 Those with the highest levels of these three eyesight warriors appear to have overall better eye health.

A 2008 Australian study of over 3,600 people made a similar discovery. People who got a lot of all three nutrients through diet or supplements had better eye health than those who had lower levels.3

Guess what these vision boosters all have in common? They're powerful antioxidants.
It makes sense if you think about it. Your eyes are among the most delicate, complex organs in your body. They work full-time... from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night. They're also under constant strain from inside and outside forces, including:
• UVB rays
• Free radicals and oxygen molecules
• Dust, particles, and pollutants

They need a nonstop supply of key nutrients to stay healthy.
CoQ10 happens to be the strongest antioxidant in Nature. So it's no surprise your eyes may very well need it.

To give your eyes (and the rest of your vital organs) the power they need, I recommend that you take at least 50 mg of the ubiquinol form of CoQ10 daily. It's 8 times more powerful than the ubiquinone CoQ10 that most supermarkets sell.

To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD

References
1. Jinfeng et al. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. 2009. 50:1814-1818.
2. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2009. 18(1):1-7.
3. Tan et al. Ophthalmology. 2008. 115(2):334-41.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is Chairman of the Board of Total Health Breakthroughs. He has written over 500 articles and 7 books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation. To get more information on vision health, go to www.alsearsmd.com.]

"This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise's Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com”

Business as usual.

First thing in the morning, it's breakfast as usual. Recession or not, there must be food.


Others in the family need food too. So, some cooked food to take home. Good family relationship starts here.


Next comes health. Without which, what's the use of wealth? Fruits to provide fibre, vitamins and minerals.


Then, if if you're not a vegetarian, here's lean meat.


Well, vegetables is essential to everyone's health.


According to health experts, fish is better than meat. Oily fish gives important vitamin E.


And unless we go back to our cave-dwelling days, clothes is a must to venture forth from the privacy of our room.



The world may panic. The people may worry about money and business or work. Nonetheless, life goes on. And that is the loveliest part of all.
For when life goes on, the basic necessities of life need to be there. What is more basic to life than food and drinks? That’s besides air, of course. But then, that’s free!

So, in times of recession people in the food business are having the same good or better times. People have to eat. There’s just no way out of that. People still do their marketing. Where they do it, that’s the difference.

Two days ago, Tang, an old friend of mine told me the wife went marketing in the supermarket and found so few people there. According to him, the wife was astonished to find more sales girls than shoppers. For the customers, that was good as choosing the best of the fruits, vegetables, meat and fish could be done leisurely with no worry of being left with the not so good ones. Then, when it comes to paying, there is no need to wait a long time; there’s hardly any queue.

That was true for I did pop into the supermarket she mentioned and … Well, it’s the truth!

Two weeks ago, I did go to another supermarket in the evening and found the place with hardly any shoppers. I commented about the situation to two sales persons.
Cheekily, I told one of them, they must be having a nice time, with time to chat with each other and being paid for it. Oh, no! That was not exactly what they hope for. You see, without work, life as a worker can be pretty boring.

And time drags by when you are not busy with something. Ask for confirmation of this fact from retirees who have no worthwhile hobbies or tasks to look forward to.

Then, yesterday morning, as I passed a morning open-market with makeshift tents and stalls, I stopped and went in to find out more. I noticed a lot of people. There were lots of things sold. There were fruits, meat, vegetables, fish and breakfast. People wander around searching for the best value for their money. The food was generally fresh (Here, we have to be careful as some food may not be as fresh as we wish it to be! But then, even in supermarkets, we do come across such food too. Well, maybe less often.) and good. Even more attractive; people found most of the food cheaper than elsewhere.

Even in this place, there are stalls where more people gather. Why? According to my short survey, price creates the difference. You see, even in places where many people go, the stall with equally good food at a lower price always wins.
Yes, the food that was cheaper than those found elsewhere attract the most buyers. The reason is obvious. Good, fresh food at a reasonably cheap price.
When money is scarce or uncertainly of remaining sufficient, people just have to be careful with their money. We can stop buying luxuries but we cannot stop buying food. To stretch our money, we could hunt around for food that requires less spending and more savings for the very near future.

So, if you were in the food business, what would you do to ensure your business brings in the customers?

And if you are the customer, there's always places to choose to get your food.

Another reason to eat your Broccoli or Sprouts by Joseph McCaffrey, MD, FACS

You may or may not have heard about a bacterium called Heliobacter pylori – H. pylori for short. It’s a unique bug that can survive in the acid of the stomach. We need to know about it because infection with H. pylori is associated with irritation of the stomach wall, ulcers and even stomach cancer.

The H. pylori story is one of my favorites. I like to remind my colleagues of it when they seem to be a little resistant to a new way of looking at health and wellness.

You see, 20 years or so ago, no one had heard of H. pylori. Ulcers were common and the medical world had a whole theory on what caused them (back in the day, it was all about stomach acid and the resistance of the lining of the stomach to that acid). Experiments seemed to support that theory.

Not only that, we had treatments, both medical and surgical, based on that theory that worked.

There was no mention of H. pylori infection as part of the cause of stomach and duodenal ulcers. In fact, when I was in medical school they taught us that bacteria couldn’t survive in stomach acid.

So when a “crazy” Australian researcher claimed that this weird bacterium he found was really the cause of ulcers, the medical establishment responded with ridicule.
Now, of course, medical professionals know the danger of H. pylori. I think this story also makes a point about the importance of keeping an open mind and not being too sure of what we think we know.

Back to H. pylori...
Treatment of H. pylori reduces the risk of recurrent ulcers as well as the risk of stomach cancers.

However, eradicating H. pylori with traditional medications often proves to be difficult. Physicians typically treat the infection with at least three drugs for 2 or sometimes 4 weeks. Even with that, the success rate is only around 80%.
Now there’s good evidence that a simple green sprout added to your diet can reduce or eliminate H. pylori.

The sprout is question is broccoli. You’ve probably heard that vegetables of the cruciferous class (broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, kale, Brussels sprouts and so forth) are especially good for you. There is any number of beneficial nutrients in these vegetables, but one compound that has been studied extensively is sulforaphane.

Sulforaphane is a phytochemical that triggers the production of beneficial enzymes in the stomach. These enzymes protect against inflammation, free radicals and DNA damage — and have a number of health benefits.

Previous studies have shown regular inclusion of vegetables containing sulforaphane protect against several types of cancer (including bladder cancer), heart disease and may even help arthritis.

Sulforaphane levels are 50 times higher in broccoli sprouts than they are in mature broccoli, and now there’s evidence that broccoli sprouts are effective against H. pylori.

In a study in mice infected with H. pylori, over 70% percent of the infections were cleared in the treated group while none were cleared in the placebo group.1
Other laboratory studies have shown that sulforaphane kills over 90% of tested strains of H. pylori, even those resistant to antibiotics, by 2 mechanisms – induced enzymes and direct effect.2

A more important study in humans infected with H. pylori showed significant suppression of H. pylori infection, if not complete eradication, in people who ate about 2 ounces of broccoli sprouts a day.3

You can make your own sprouts, but they’re widely available under the brand name BroccoSprouts. If I can find them in my little town in upstate New York, you can probably find them where you are.

Even if you don’t have any concerns about H. pylori, including broccoli sprouts in your diet regularly is still a great idea. It’s another example of why we all should emphasize a wide variety of fruits and vegetables in our diets.

References
1. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2003 December; 47(12): 3982–3984.
2. PNAS. May 28, 2002 vol. 99; no. 11; 7610-7615.
3. Cancer Prevention Research. 2, 353, April 1, 2009.

[Ed. Note: Joseph F. McCaffrey, MD, FACS is a board-certified surgeon with extensive experience in alternative medicine, including certification as a HeartMath Trainer. His areas of expertise include mind-body interaction and cognitive restructuring. Dr. McCaffrey strives to help people attain their optimum level of vitality through attention to all aspects of wellness. For more information, click here.]

"This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise's Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com”

There was a time when a squat in the toilet brings pain.

Choose a suitable place; one with others exercising, away from traffic and close to plants.


They start so early, even before the lights are off.


Each goes to do his or her own particulat type of exercise.


Walking and jogging are good exercises almost anyone can do.


When you read my title, you might think I was referring to constipation or hard stools due to taking too much hot stuff which might need some exertion to send waste products out of the body, resulting in the medical condition known as haemorrhoids; in which the veins at the anus becomes swollen and painful and sometimes bleeds.

But sorry, I was certainly not referring to that. I am talking about pain in the joints as a result of inactivity. For those who have been leading a sedentary life and approaching the age of fifty, getting up from a squat in the toilet would bring pain to the joints in the knees and the pelvis.

Elvis definitely had no such pelvic pain as he obviously had sufficient exercise in grinding his hips each time he shakes onto the stage. His career was one in which there is assurance that he would get sufficient exercise. I know, he did have a tummy that protruded a little. But then, so does so many active people. I do not consider that obese. It’s merely a little extra saved for a rainy day. The only difference is that rainy days are rare compared with our hunter ancestors. The difference is that they do move enough.

Exercise is one of the essential things in our life. And without it for a long enough period can lead one to obesity, really too much fat, and a number of other medical problems. Because obesity can lead to so many sicknesses, we ought to have a way to prevent it. Exercise is one of them. Consumption of correct food and appropriate amount is another.

All of us are vulnerable when it comes to obesity. However, there is someone I knew who could never put on weight no matter how much he ate. But then, I am not saying that that is healthy. (I will tell you more about that in another posting.) As far as I know almost all of us can be obese if we allow ourselves to.

Look at some of our more prominent sports people after their period of fame. Satisfied with their achievements, a good number of them retired from exercise and put on fat while eating the same amount of food they had been used to consuming when they were active and needed the extra calories. Gradually, slowly but surely, they assume their new shape.

Well, at least these sports-men or women no longer need that much fitness any longer. All they need is to stay healthy and continue moving by taking walks. But, take a look at some people who are still working in jobs which require a hundred percent fitness. Look at some physical education teachers! Look at our law enforcers! Look at people in the army! There are some in such jobs who do not appear to be able to perform at a hundred percent.

So, to stay in good health, exercise is a necessity. There is no need to be as trim as models or as fit as marathon runners. Exercise just enough to live life well; able to stand up without joint pains, can walk at a comfortable pace so as to be a part of community activities and still capable of enjoying life.

As someone rightly said, “The aim is not so much putting years into our lives as putting life into our years.”

What's a game?

There is so much fun in a game. Look at the happiness! Look at the joy!




In the above pictures, there's so much difference in age and size among these children. Some are faster while some are slower. In spite of being small, there are some who manage to beat their opponents.


Some are just too late to react. The bottle has been taken away long before this child could do anything about it.



Everyone has to be alert for action.


Look at how determined that child is!


Of course, knowledge of the game is just as important.


Intelligence comes into play too! Do you know why the kids in the two pictures above wait for their opponents? Children found it easier to get points from tagging when someone is taking the bottle. That's where understanding and intelligence beat trying to outdo an equally good opponent.

And below is the rest of the action.






The other day I watched some children play a game at The Art of Living. They were asked to form two rows of equal number of participants. One of the rows started their numbering of the participants from the front to the back while the other row gave themselves numbers from the back to the front. The row on the left was then told to move to the wall on the left and the row on the right moved to the right, leaving a wide space between the two rows. A plastic bottle was then placed in the centre of the space.

The game was then explained to the children. They were to run to take the plastic bottle back to their line without being tagged by the opposing participant when their numbers are called. The winner would be the one who managed to take the bottle back to his row or the one who tagged the person holding the bottle.

As I observed these children at play, I could see how similar the game was to so many things in life. Just as in life, every participant had advantages or disadvantages. They come from different backgrounds; some rich, some poor, some with more experience, some with less, some better endowed with qualities more suitable for the game.

So, there are some who are more prepared physically and mentally. Some are more alert and faster. They are prepared to rush out to grab the bottle just as those who are better prepared do not have to think twice when faced with an opportunity. The person merely reaches out and takes it as fast as he can.

Sometimes, when opportunity comes, you do face tough competition and both or more reach out for the opportunity just as quickly. Here’s where luck comes in. Here’s the element of uncertainty that keeps those who are alert on their feet, ready for life’s unpredictability.

In a game or life, when all competitors are excellent in one aspect, then another aspect of one’s ability has to be brought into play. In this game, for example, there are children who used intelligence to overcome other opponents. The use of intelligence is important not only when the opponent is equally good; it is also applicable when the opponent is stronger in certain aspects. Look and you see smaller children beating the bigger ones through intelligence. So, our children and us must not merely depend upon knowledge but also intelligence developed through situations encountered.

Games are therefore important as it gives us insight into ways to face those who were born with greater advantages in any sphere of life. It provides us with an understanding of problems we may have to face. It helps us to know our strength and weaknesses, our abilities, our potentials and the probabilities and the possibilities that the future has in store of us. Other than this, it is such joyful exercise.

Be prepared for the opportunities.

As I have written before this, opportunities are always around. The only obstacles are our own differing inclinations and unpreparedness.

When it comes to inclinations, we may be born with certain talents at which we somehow find we are better at. To know our inclinations, our talents, we have to find our strengths and weaknesses, our potentials and our limits, we must be prepared to test ourselves. To do that, we ought to get involved in as many activities as time allows. The opportunities are always out there but if we grab those opportunities which coincide with our strengths and potentials, then success is easily within reach.

If we are prepared and know ourselves well, then, we; our precious children and us, will be ready to take up the opportunities as they are made available.

Recently, I was asked by some parents to tutor their children in the English Language so as to assist them to have a better chance to get the opportunity to be selected for the Asian Scholarships in Singapore.

The children also have to sit for a mathematics paper and an intelligence test. The children knew of their being selected for the qualifying examination only eleven days from the date. So, the parents searched for tutors for the various subjects.
This act of the parents indicates clearly that they realize the opportunities can only be their children’s if their children can prove they are well prepared for the standard expected of them.

Needless to say, those who are not prepared will have to face disappointment. Of course, those who are well prepared ought to be confident of a place.

Here again, we see how important it is to be prepared for any of life’s challenges. Thus, parents ought to know what areas ought to be covered in their parenting so as to enable their children to avail themselves of the opportunities that abound.

How Now, Brown... Fat? by James LaValle, R.Ph, ND, CCN

There are no short cuts to weight loss. In my experience, I still find that the most effective way to help people lose weight is with the combination of a healthier diet and exercise along with addressing underlying metabolic imbalances -- such as insulin resistance, thyroid gland function and stress levels (because stress hormones impact both insulin resistance and thyroid hormones).

However, there have been recent discoveries, and much discussion1 about the role that so-called brown fat may play in weight loss. Brown adipose tissue -- brown fat -- is common to many mammals. It's different from our blobby yellow fat in that it has a very high metabolic rate and contains a protein that converts calories directly to heat. That helps it do its job, which is to keep mammals warm in cold weather. Even when brown fat isn't kicking in to raise body temperature, its high metabolic rate also helps keep those animals lean.

As humans, we are born with some brown fat, but it was thought that we lose all of it as we age. However, recent research in the New England Journal of Medicine2 has discovered that adults do retain some brown fat, and that brown fat is inversely proportional to body mass index (BMI). Researchers now think that increasing our brown fat activity may help us lose weight.

Since the primary trigger for brown fat thermogenesis (burning) is having adequate levels of T3 thyroid hormone,3 metabolic balance and optimization is the most important factor in keeping brown fat as active as it should be.

However, I did some research and there are ways to enhance brown fat activity.
One not-so practical way, the NEJM researchers found, is to keep yourself cold.2 Things like sitting in a very cool room for two hours at one sitting and dipping one's feet into cold water were found to increase brown fat activity. Sitting in a chilly room activates brown fat, but the researchers cautioned that it is not yet clear whether that would translate to weight loss.

I have certainly seen many women who have complained about the cold offices they work in, and who are still overweight. (See my comments above about low thyroid.)
Fortunately, there are other ways to up your brown fat activity. One way is to enhance the production of the fat-burning hormone, adiponectin.3 Two known ways to enhance adiponectin are:
• Eat lots of non-starchy vegetables.
• Get plenty of magnesium.

The omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, which are found in fish oil also up-regulate brown fat activity. In mice anyway, a diet that included DHA and EPA had the most pronounced effect on the thermogenic activity of brown adipose tissue.4
The third way to increase brown fat activity is really interesting to me because it is an herb I use quite often in my practice -- bitter melon.

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a bitter green vegetable from the gourd family that is grown in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the Amazon, East Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and South America. Bitter melon has been used for years in Ayurvedic medicine for its blood sugar regulating effects.

Several studies have confirmed its ability to enhance blood sugar regulating mechanisms in the body.5,6,7 As such, this herb holds promise as an anti-inflammatory and even an anti-carcinogenic substance, and so continues to be the topic of a good bit of research.

I have been using bitter melon (and most recently a proprietary extract of it called Glukokine®) for its blood sugar regulating effects in practice for quite a few years now. Since anything that improves insulin resistance will also typically enhance weight loss, I was not surprised to find that bitter melon is being studied for its potential anti-obesity effects.

But I was surprised to find that, in rats, bitter melon up-regulated the uncoupling protein that activates brown fat and therefore enhanced the oxidation of fat, which means it enhanced calorie burning via a whole different mechanism.4

Further research may indeed find that bitter melon also activates brown fat in humans. Until then, the best way to enhance brown fat would be to follow the two pointers for adiponectin up-regulation and to make sure you are getting DHA and EPA from regular intake of fish or fish oil. And if you are insulin resistant, bitter melon may help not only the insulin resistance, but also the brown fat in your body.

References
1. "Brown Fat Keeps You Thin," American College for Advancement in Medicine. Accessed May 6, 2009. http://acam.typepad.com/blog/2009/04/bat-fat-keeps-you-thin.html.
2. Cypress AM, et al. NEJM. 2009 Apr9; 360:1509-1517.
3. Cannon B. and Nedergaard J. Physiol Rev. 2004. 84:277-359.
4. Oudart H. Intl J Obes. 1997. 21(11):955-62.
5. Qi T et al. Nat Med. 2004 May;10(5):524-9.
6. Laureen LY, et al. J. Nutr. 2005 Nov;135:2517-2523.
7. Fernandes NP, et al. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2007;7:29.
8. Day C, et al. Planta Med. 1990; 56:426-429.
9. Grover JK, Yadav SP. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Jul;93(1):123-132.

[Ed. Note: James LaValle is the founding Director of the LaValle Metabolic Institute, one of the largest integrative medicine practices in the country. Dr. LaValle is the author of The Metabolic Code Diet: Unleashing the Power of Your Metabolism for Lasting Weight Loss and Vitality and the Executive Editor of THB's The Healing Prescription. To learn more, click here.]

"This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise's Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com”

Laughter is important to every human. For, without laughter, life is deprived of an action that brings so much value.

So much joy floods our being when laughter is released from our senses and emotions. In laughter, we forget all our problems and tightness caused by the tenseness of unending workload and unresolved issues. Laughter dissipates whatever tension there is. No wonder someone once claim it could cure sickness. And I believe that! For, today, scientists are saying tension can brings on sickness. Tension causes sleeplessness and weakens our immune system, opening the door to sickness.

The beautiful thing is that laughter can be so infectious. So much so that when laughter has begun, others follow and because of this, once started, it's sometimes so difficult to stop.

A look at truth and lies.

When someone is out to impress, there is often a lot of exaggeration. To have the exaggeration more acceptable, the person may resort to lies. This is especially true of politicians and those who wish to gain the favour of someone in power.

There is also this small group of harmless individuals who merely wish to impress their fellow humans and gain some sense of importance.

In the speeches of politicians, there is the usual use of hyperbole in order to have their listeners realise their beneficial ideas, their wonderful ability, their fantastic achievements, their impeachable honesty and morality, their indispensable presence and their impressive greatness. Who can blame them for their exaggeration as everyone knows they have to be better than any other politician; to become the number one person in that arena.

In Malaysia, there are many blogs such a ‘Lim Kit Siang’s blog’ and ‘Naima!’ as well as the online news from ‘Malaysian Insider ’ where fibs, lies and hypocrisy of Malaysian politicians are exposed.

Once upon a time in Malaysia, the news media put the picture of an opposing politician, a Muslim, wearing a kind of hat with what looked like a Christian cross. The opposing politician lost a lot of Muslim votes because of the picture. While it was true that the politician wore such a hat, it was false to imply that that politician was less religious than any other. He wore it just because the occasion deems it right to wear it. The implication that he was encouraging Christianity or was less a Muslim was false. Nevertheless, the implication was bad enough to cost him the lost of too many votes.

There is a guy I know who claims to win lottery money every week. I like such people. With them, there is no fear of the guy putting out a borrowing hand. Once a man told me that this lottery-winning guy was one of the richest guy in Sungai Petani. I merely smiled at the man. After all, it was harmless of that guy to enjoy such a boast. And if anyone wanted to believe it, who were we to deny him that pleasure. I would say.”Let him have his pleasure.” After all, he hurts no one. If he is happy, we should be happy for him.

Sometimes, people need to fib to avoid misunderstanding. A sensitive wife may be wary of another woman talking with her husband. Even if the husband likes the company of that woman, there is no necessity to inform anyone of it. Just side-step the issue and let peace reign. However, there may be a need to fib to avoid an unnecessary misunderstanding and the problems that may follow.

So long as fibs do not hurt anybody or cause us to become habitual in the practice, a fib can help to calm the waters.

However, like alcohol, used too often and for wrong purposes, lies can lead to problems. Our credibility will be at stake when slowly and gradually, the people close to us get to know that lies flow out of our mouth as easily as water comes forth from a spring. No longer would they believe what we say. Like the boy who cried,’Wolf!’ too often, even our truth will be doubted. That is when we are in deep trouble.

So, truth reigns supreme unless a fib is necessary to calm the threat of an unnecessary storm.

A head start begins with the parents.

The other day I saw this fourteen month old happily pushing his roller-wheeled walking toy around the living room, then head towards one of the rooms, went to one of the drawers at the side and tried to pull them open. Finding them too heavy to get to reveal their contents, he ventured on to other things.

Then, as he began to tire, the mother came with a bowl of soft baby food in a bowl; put him up into a pushchair and wheeled him towards the table for his lunch. On the table was a disc player which the mother turned on and the living room was filled with children’s songs and the child’s own laughter which the mother had recorded.
After his lunch, his parents put him through some language learning flash cards.

Although he had just taken his meal, he was interested and watched the pictures flashed before his eyes as well as listened to the accompanying words in English repeated twice. When he asked for more of the flash-cards when the mother stopped after approximately fifteen minutes, the father took over with Mandarin words as the cards were flashed very quickly before his eyes.

These parents certainly were aiming for the best for their first child. They were providing him with the best possible nutrition, giving suitable baby food, speaking often to the child in English as well as Mandarin, providing proper toddler walking toys for good exercise, building strength in his legs as he walks around, exploring the house with the parents or the maid constantly supervising his every move to ensure safety and right actions; preventing pulling things that may come crashing down on his little head.

With children songs and flash-cards together with names of things, the parents are going the right path to put the child in the position to acquire language sounds and understanding, the beginning of the journey to knowledge and communication, both very essential items for progress in our world.

Books with lots of pictures have also become a constant companion of this child through their introduction by the parents. This child is indeed lucky as the environment is obviously the best possible for his best possible growth and development.

All things are possible for those who plan their future of their children.

How can life be boring?

One day, as I was waiting for my turn at the bank, I met this retired teacher. He asked me how was life. I told him it has been great with retirement giving me more time to do the things I wanted to do. Of course, there was still insufficient time to accomplish a few other interests in my life.

Upon hearing my enthusiastic narrative of life in retirement, he asked me how that was possible. He told me of a routine he followed each day; waking up late, having breakfast, reading the newspapers, lunch, nap, watching television, dinner, television again and sleep. It was boring, without anything to make life something to look forward to.

On my part, I told him of my walks up and down a hill, meeting friends all or part of the way. After the sweating and the exercise, I look forward to breakfast with self-planted raw herbs and vegetables, coconut oil, noodles and sometimes desiccated coconut together with my honey and enzyme or apple-cider vinegar drink.
Even the food I eat changes as I gather new knowledge. Raw edible leaves from plants are a constant interest to me. The search to maintain excellent health is a part of my life.

With that, I look into the cleanliness and health of my fish, tortoise, turtle and birds.

Besides this blog and hobbies such as photography, meditation and breeding of various types of living things, there is always new information on a variety of interesting subjects from the library and the internet.

Of course, each day is an unknown event, sometimes with people needing injury massage service from me early in the morning before I had an opportunity to attend to my pets. During such massage services, I get to meet new people. As I do not maintain a shop or distribute cards, such people know me through word of mouth from those who had been cured. And the stories these people tell are interesting.

Then, there is some volunteer work which I do for The Art of Living from time to time. Whenever possible, I take part in its activities too. Besides this, I serve as the secretary of my housing estate residential association.

I do teach English, mostly to adults. However, recently, I had tutored students to prepare them for the Asian Scholarships. I do some free-lance teaching. When time permits, I agree to teach the English Language to the staff of companies through a Language Institute.

So, each day is totally new, with some known as well as unknown events unfolding as I move along. There’s still so much more to learn, so many interesting people to meet, so many unknown challenges in life. As someone recently remarked, “How can 24 hours be enough?”

In my own mind, the answer to that is “No. It’s certainly not enough.”

As you can see, life can never be more interesting than after retirement. There’s so much more in life if we live it without expecting any financial rewards or returns from it.

Just live it to the full whenever and wherever possible!

Sweet Seduction by Stan Gardner, MD

It pervades our lives, infiltrates our food supply, changes our behavior, interferes with our brain and body function, and can ultimately lead to aches, pains, and disease -- with early death as a side effect. Yet this subtle deceiver is featured at every party and every holiday, given as gifts to loved ones, and paraded before our eyes in an enticing panorama of tempting tastes.

You guessed it -- I'm talking about sugar.

If you want to jumpstart your energy, enhance your overall health, and strengthen your immune system, you'll want to pay careful attention to how you can get off of sugar simply and painlessly.

Researchers recently reported at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology,1 that sugar induced a reaction in the brain of rats similar to the reaction of morphine and other drugs. This may be the first scientific evidence of what we have suspected for years -- sugar is addictive. When I reported this finding on my website, I was flooded with hundreds of pleas for help to get off sugar addiction.

Even knowing the harmful effects that sugar has on our bodies does not stop the cravings and the addictive behavior. One reader wrote, "Please hurry, I need to get off the sugar roller coaster... and get healthy again."

Another writer said, "I have always wanted to be free of my sugar addiction... It just feels like I (and my family) would have to be in a bubble to avoid all that sugar. I was in the store yesterday and passed by a big display of Easter candy. I just got through Valentine's. Help!"

We find sugar or its manufactured counterpart, high fructose corn syrup, in almost all processed food. That is, all food placed in a can or a box. It's even added to ketchup! Soda pop is one of the most pervasive sources of sugar in America.
In order to understand the effects of sugar on our bodies, we need to first understand the normal metabolism of carbohydrates in our bodies. There is no known "minimum daily requirement" for carbohydrate ingestion into our bodies like there is for proteins and fats. All carbohydrates eventually break down into glucose.

Unlike complex carbs (from natural fruit and vegetable sources), which take more effort to digest, and release their sugar load more slowly, simple carbs (including foods containing refined sugar or high-fructose corn syrup) break down quickly, with immediate absorption of glucose into the bloodstream.

This immediate release of blood glucose initiates the production of high levels of insulin to help the cells absorb the glucose. And with this reaction, another set of problems arises. High insulin levels increase fat formation and storage, while inhibiting fat breakdown to be used as energy. This makes it easy to gain weight, and VERY difficult to lose weight.

High insulin also enhances sodium (salt) re-absorption from the kidneys, thus promoting water retention and hypertension. High insulin levels can stimulate certain ovarian hormones that result in elevations in free testosterone, which can lead to male sex characteristics in women.

If you want to get off the sugar roller coaster and permanently improve your health, here are some tips to help you on your way.
• Use fruit as a substitute. Fruit should be the sweetest thing you ingest. In the long term, fruit will fulfill your need for sweets.
• Don't have sugar in the house. Don't buy more sweets. Try the "don't buy it diet."
• Find a buddy to cheer you on, and one you can cheer on in your journey to health.
• Try two supplements that have helped some people with their cravings: the herb Gymnema and the amino acid L-glutamine.
• Be sure to take a potent multivitamin and omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids (finely ground flax seed oil may be your best choice, because it has both).
• Love your body as it is (inside AND outside). Address emotional issues that may be affecting your image or attitudes toward eating and health.
• Focus on "real" food -- natural organic meats and produce with no sugar or chemical additives.

Give it time and realize you are making important, lifelong changes. Perhaps soon, you'll be writing me a message similar to this one:

"I have known for some time that I am addicted to sugar. In September I cut out (for the most part) white refined flour and white refined sugar. I weigh myself every six weeks. Last time I weighed, I was down 20 pounds in 18 weeks. I look better, but more importantly, I feel better. This whole experience has made me want to learn more about sugar and its addictive nature."

To your dynamic health and energy!

Stan Gardner, MD

Reference
1. American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, source: http:www.acnp.org.
[Ed. Note: Stan Gardner, MD, has practiced energy and alternative medicine for over 10 years. He believes that many diseases could be prevented entirely, healed more quickly, and cause less damaging results through the application of proper nutrition. To visit his website and sign up for his free daily health secrets, click here.]

"This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise's Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com”

A story and some wise thoughts.

At the bottom of the following story and some wise thoughts are the author's words: "I pray this moves around the entire universe."

By posting this onto my blog without any edit, I hope to help him or her achieve his prayers. (The story is in English and Mandarin.)


A Story to live by

There was a blind girl who hated herself because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her. She told her boyfriend, 'If I could only see the world, I will marry you.'

有一位瞎女很討厭自己因為眼睛瞎了。她也討厭每個人，唯一不討厭的是她的男朋友，因為他都常守在她身旁。於是她對她的男朋友說：「如果能讓我看到這個世界，我愿意嫁給你！」

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her. When the bandages came off, she was able to see everything, including her
boyfriend.

有一天，有人捐了一對眼精給她。當紗布解開時，她能夠看到一切，包括她的男朋友。

He asked her, 'Now that you can see the world, will you marry me?' The girl looked at her boyfriend and saw that he was blind. The sight of his closed eyelids shocked her. She hadn't expected that. The thought of looking at them the rest of her life led her to refuse to marry him.

男朋友問她：「現在你可以看到這世界，你愿意嫁給我嗎？」那女孩看了男朋友是個瞎子，他那對蓋上眼皮的眼睛嚇到了她，這是她無法想像。她想：要我嫁給他而一生對着他這個樣子，我無法接受。

Her boyfriend left in tears and days later wrote a note to her saying: 'Take good care of your eyes, my dear, for before they were yours, they were mine.'

於是，她的男朋友很傷心的離開她，幾天後寫了字條給她：「親愛的，請你好好照顧你的眼睛，因為它不是屬於你的之前，它是屬於我的。」

This is how the human brain often works when our status changes.
Only a very few remember what life was like before, and who was always by their side in the most painful situations.

這也是人的腦會如何做當情況有所變動。只有少許人會記得他或她之前的生活及誰會在身旁當他或她處在困境的時候

Life Is a Gift
生命是一份禮物

Today before you say an unkind word
- Think of someone who can't speak.
今天，當你要講一句不善之言 － 請想想那些無法講話的人

Before you complain about the taste of your food
- Think of someone who has nothing to eat.
當你要埋怨食物的味道時 － 請想想那些沒有食物吃的人

Before you complain about your husband or wife
- Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.
當你要埋怨你的先生或太太時 － 請想想那些在向上天哭訴要一個伴侶的人

Today before you complain about life
- Think of someone who died too early on this earth.
今天，當你要埋怨生活時 － 請想想那些太早離開人世間的人

Before you complain about your children
- Think of someone who desires children but they're barren.

當你要埋怨小孩時 － 請想想那些渴望小孩而無能生育的人

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or
sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.
當你要爭論沒有人清理屋子時 － 請想想那些住在街邊的人

Before whining about the distance you drive
- Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

當你在哀訴駕駛的路程 － 請想想那些同樣的路程以代步的人

And when you are tired and complain about your job
- Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

當你很疲備而埋怨工作時 － 請想想那些無工作，殘疾的，及那些多麼希望擁有你這份工作的人

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning
another - Remember that not one of us is without sin.

當你想要指著人或互相譴責時 － 請記得沒有一個人是無罪

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down
- Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still
around.
當壓抑的念頭讓你無法振作時 － 請你笑一笑想想：你還活著存在世間！
==========================

I PRAY THIS MOVES AROUND THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE...

我祈禱這訊息能夠繼續傳至全人類...............

Share to double.

In The Art of Living Centre in Sungai Petani, everyone has so much happiness.

Why should that be the case?

First, all AOL (Art of Living) members regard the centre as their home. Here's where everyone looks upon each other as a member of one big family. That's the motto of The Art of Living: One World Family.

And we are! From Christianity and Islam, we have Adam and Eve. From this couple, people all over the world came.

From the angle of science, all of us find our common ancestors in evolution. We evolved from the same source, thus having the same gene pool, giving us the similar physical body. What we evolved from is a matter opinion from various scientists.

Then, as a result climatic differences, we get different skin colours. Food and nutrition brings the differences in size while the tool for communication, language, developed in the areas people commune.

So, we are all humans living in one big wide world. We ought to regard each other as relatives in one big family, living in peace, helping each other and sharing whatever there is in it.

One of the things that costs us nothing to share with others is happiness. When we show our gladness at meeting anyone with smiles, we generate even more smiles.


In The Art of Living, we share our happiness in volunteering as well as in the activities that we have each week. This generates so much happiness that we look forward to gathering there for the activities.

On my walks up and down a hill each morning, I smile and greet everyone, and I am always blessed with a smile in return. That smile brings the light of happiness into our hearts and life. It confirms that we are never alone and there are many who would share their happiness with us. Coupled with the exercise from the walk, this glow of joy of exchanging happiness brings relieve to stress, relief which is so important to our mental and physical health.

In fact, anything that we share with others on this planet will double its value. Even eating when more expenses have to be involved, the joy and happiness will be doubled if not tripled. Just imagine having to eat alone, without someone to enjoy the time with. However, with someone to share the food as well as the good companionship, how much better, how much happier, how much more fun we can derive from life.

Just as I wish to share the things in this blog so that, together, we can develop even more, enjoy even more and live even more.

New Rapid Fire method to Language Learning.

“Boy, look and listen.”

“Banana, banana, banana, apple, apple, apple, pear, pear, pear, orange, orange……………”

As she rattled off the names of the fruits, the mother flipped the cards one after another, showing the pictures of the fruits to her fourteen month old.

After the fruits, she went on to other things which are commonly seen by the child. As she did so, I was amazed at the attention of the child. He looked at the pictures flashed in front of him so attentively. I lasted for approximately twenty minutes. And was I surprised when the child asked for more of the same when the mother stopped. As the mother had to attend to some chores, the father took over and the child continued to listen and watch as the cards are flashed quickly in front of him.
Obviously, such a method of language learning is effective in getting the full attention of the child. This child has been given the same dose of ‘listen while you look’ for more than a week. And each day, he asked for it. Besides, he wanted it to last for until he was satisfied.

Any observer would question why the parents of this child flipped the cards and say the names of the things given on the cards so quickly. Would the child be able to follow? Would the child have the opportunity to hear what was pronounced?

The mother is one who is very concerned about the progress and development of her child. According to her, this is one of the latest methods for introducing language to the child. After all, if the child were to learn language in his natural environment, he hears sounds spoken rapidly in conversations around him. He see things move at speed. With such speed, perhaps that is the reason for the hundred percent attention the child gives to the learning process.

If you have a baby starting to learn a language such as Mandarin or English, why not add this method to whatever methods you are currently using?

Look Before You Leap! By Missy Hawthorne, RN, CSCS

Have you ever watched kids jump rope or play hopscotch? Watch as they approach a set of bleachers. I have yet to see a child slowly take the bleachers one step at a time! Kids love to jump and leap! They jump down from couches and jump on beds! Yes, early in our development, we humans innately know we must develop the ability to absorb force before we get to the point of producing force.1

Movements like jumping, bounding and hopping using the lower body, and swinging, catching and throwing using the upper body are known as plyometric exercise. And whether you are sports-minded or not, plyometric training is one of the best activities you can do to increase your strength and prevent injury in everyday living.

What is Plyometric Exercise?

Plyometrics is defined as “exercises that enable the muscle to reach maximum strength in as short a time as possible.”2 Plyometric exercise is rapid, powerful, explosive movement like jumping, rebounding, or hopping that is repeated again and again. The goal of plyometric training is to raise explosive power.

It does this by training the muscles and tendons of the lower body in movements like hopping and bounding, and the upper body in movements like swinging or throwing. This trains the muscles and tendons to shorten and lengthen as quickly as possible and enables the body to shorten the length of time between each bound or throw.
While at first glance you might think plyometrics would be most useful for an athlete, it is actually great training to prevent everyday injuries that can occur — for example, when moving furniture in your home. Even pushing a chair to vacuum under it could cause a muscle pull unless you’ve been training.

Plyometric exercise is a great way to train, but several considerations need to be made. So here are a few important questions to consider before you take the leap into plyometrics.

Is Plyometrics Appropriate for Me?

If you have remained active throughout most of your adult years, chances are you have been doing activity or exercise that is plyometric in nature. However, a trainer can help you examine if you have the necessary prerequisites to start plyometric training.

The biggest concern with plyometrics is whether the individual can absorb force in a healthy manner? Is there proper stability in the hip, knee ankle complex? Is there proper core mechanics? Age is not a big concern as long as the above parameters of mechanics, absorption capability, core strength and strong posture are evident.
Body type, however is critical. Overweight individuals, whether from muscle or fat, will absorb heavier loads when landing and therefore need to limit the number of jumps and landings in order to prevent injury. Your health status and any past injuries will also affect these considerations.

How Do I Get Started and is Plyometrics Really Safe?

Progression, progression, progression is the key to safe plyometric exercise. Use the K.I.S.S. principle; keep it simple stupid! Begin with simple basic movements like marching or skipping and progress to lunging and then on to jumps.

Here’s an example of a progressive jumping drill: start with stand-in-place jumps, then move on to standing jumps, multiple jumps, bounding/cone drills and box jumps.
If you would like to add plyometric training to your fitness program, enlist the help of a trainer to assess whether you would be prone to injury and to help you build a base level of fitness.

This fun, strength-building exercise activity can play a major role in enhancing your performance, whether it improves your fastball or enables you to jump out of the way of traffic!

References
1. Rogers, R. 2009. Look Before You Jump. IDEA Fitness Journal. 53-58.
2. Chu, D.1996. Explosive & Power. Champaign, IL. Human Kinetics.
[Ed. Note: Melissa Hawthorne, RN, BSN, CSCS is the owner of Priority Fitness Personal Training and Wellness. She is a Master Trainer for the Resist-a-ball Company, ISCA Personal Training, Kick-boxing, and Beamfit. Melissa serves as a fitness consultant for the LaValle Metabolic Institute. To learn more, click here.]

"This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise's Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com

Am I that gullible?

Believe and it will come true; that’s what some people claim. And so should you receive an e-mail proclaiming you to be chosen one to inherit a few million ringgit (that’s Malaysian currency), would you not jump for joy? Would you not want to believe that to be the truth. Well, anybody would. I would have hoped that could be true.

But then, I had read Napoleon Hill and Dale Carnegie and I remember very well their words: Whatever you can conceive and believe, you will achieve.

You see, I did receive an e-mail from a lady who claimed she was suffering from cancer and her doctor has told her she had only a few months left on this earth. Alas, her husband has passed away some years ago. Having a few million dollars and no other relatives she could get to have the money donated to the church, she has no alternative but to find a far away stranger to inherit her money and pass some of it to the church as charity.

The first question was ‘Why me?’
My egoistic self replied, ‘You are the chosen one. God knows you can be trusted.’ My chest bulged with pride.

Okay! Okay! But why does she need me?

Then the voice of Napoleon Hill agreed and added, “Can you conceive and believe such an action from a stranger who took the trouble to find your e-mail address. Why not approach her pastor or priest?”

All the lady needs to do is to approach a lawyer together with the pastor to make a will for her money to go to a church or a number of churches. It’s as simple as that.

In my mind, I nodded in agreement. I truly cannot conceive that she would trust me, an unknown person, more than her own church’s pastor. It’s unbelieveable! It's inconceivable!

Can something you cannot conceive and believe, be achievable? No! That money is not for me to manage. There must be a catch somewhere.

With that, I deleted the e-mail from my mail.

Yoga as taught by a hundred year old man.

“Like a flower bud, human life has the potential to blossom fully. Blossoming of human potential to fullness is yoga….” are the wise words of Sri Sri Ravi Shanker, the founder of The Art of Living Foundation.

Yoga is not merely a form of exercise for the body but a path towards total harmony of body, mind and spirit. It is ancient wisdom for a healthier, happier and more peaceful way of living that ultimately leads to self-realisation.

On Saturday, the 13th of June 2009, from half past seven in the evening to ten o’clock at night, AOL members and the public learned Sukshma Vyayama from Lai Mee, an Art of Living teacher.

All the exercises came from a ninety-nine year old man sent by Sri Sri Ravi Shanker to share the knowledge of these exercises with the world. That man taught this yoga exercises at Butterworth in 2008. It was a number of simple exercises that had taken this man into such excellent health for so many years. The exercises were done from the head to the toes. It started with a head massage and a breathing exercise to help strengthen the memory. Then there were exercises for good eyesight. The ninety-nine year old young man did not need spectacles. His hearing was also good and there were exercises for that too. So that he could still share his secret of youth to people throughout the world, that young old man had tongue, teeth and jaw exercises to keep his mouth in good shape. After that, there were neck, shoulders, hands fingers and feet exercises. There were some exercises that could overcome constipation, improves digestion and prevent arthritis.

At the end of the programme, the participants took part in three different laughter and a smile.

What are the benefits of yoga? It helps one to relax; thus releasing tensions and negative emotions. With the movements in various directions, joint flexibility is improved. What is even more amazing is that joint stiffness and pain could go away. No more pain getting up from the morning squat at the toilet bowl. Isn’t that great? Of course, with every joint and muscles in the body attended to, posture is better and the greater muscle balance is achieved, alignment of body is guaranteed. Just like the tyres on one side of your car having to be worn out faster due to poor alignment, the discs at the joints get worn out too when there is muscular misalignment. With the circulatory system in excellent condition and every part of the body fine tuned with proper exercises, the internal organs, the digestive system, the endocrine system and every other system have to be in tip-top condition. When such perfect condition is in force, we can expect nothing less than increased energy levels, clarity of mind, a sharpened intellect, better focus and concentration resulting in better memory.

That, my dear friends, is a lot to be gained from just some simple exercises, almost every Tom, Dick and Harry can do.

For further information, go to the nearest The Art of Living Centre. Such centres are established in more than one hundred and forty countries throughout the world. And these centres are run by volunteers, some of the best people in the world who are always willing to offer help.

(The Art of Living Centre in Sungai Petani is at number 12, 3rd Floor, Jalan Pahlawan, Taman Legenda Indah, Sungai Petani, Kedah. It’s at one of the shop houses on the road from Village Mall to Swiss Inn.)

The cure for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)

ADHD: The cure is in Plain Sight
by Melanie Segala,
The Managing Editor of Total Health Breakthroughs.

I’d like to share some staggering statistics with you. In the US, 4% of children aged 4 to 8 and 9.7% of children aged 9 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).1 That translates to around 4.5 million young people who have trouble paying attention in class, controlling their impulsive behaviors, finishing tasks, and acting and speaking appropriately.

At least half of these children are taking a powerful psycho-stimulant drug like Adderall or Ritalin to control their symptoms. While these synthetic chemicals are effective at controlling hyperactive and aggressive behavior, they come at a steep price.

Adderall is a cocktail of four different amphetamines. High-dosage and long term use have been linked to erectile problems and other sexual dysfunctions.2 Adderall XR has been taken off the market in Canada because of 20 sudden deaths and 14 strokes associated with its use.2

Ritalin (methylphenidate) is a central nervous system stimulant that is reported to be safer than its amphetamine-based cousins. Yet , it can still cause a number of side effects including dizziness, insomnia, confusion, and an irregular heart beat.3
While well-meaning parents and teachers rely on psycho-stimulant drugs to deal with children that might otherwise be unmanageable, an article I recently read makes me wonder if the cause and the cure of ADHD might be found at the dinner table and school cafeteria.

In 1997, the student body at Central Alternative High School in Appleton, Wisconsin was out of control and only getting worse. According to Dean of Students Greg Bretthauer, students were “rude, obnoxious, and ill mannered." On a typical day, the faculty would cope with discipline problems, drug use, truancies, expulsions, dropouts, and weapons violations. A police officer was on staff to help maintain order.4

That same year, Natural Ovens Inc. of Manitowac, Wisconsin began a 5-year study to find out if healthy nutritious foods could make a difference in reducing the number of behavioral problems and improving academic performance. The company took over providing meals and managing the cafeteria --junk food was banished from the school.

Instead, vending machines offered juice, water and energy drinks only. Gone was the typical cafeteria fare of pizza, burgers, tacos and fries. In their place, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grain breads and entrees free of chemicals and additives were offered.5 Natural Ovens had their own cooks prepare recipes the old-fashioned way. Students learned, maybe for the first time in their lives, how to eat properly. And the changes were dramatic.

Teachers reported that their students were calm and well-behaved. Dropouts and expulsions became almost nonexistent and students that were on a downward spiral turned their lives around. Academic achievement went up while discipline problems went down. Students became more focused in class and had more concentration to study.

The old argument that administrators used to justify feeding children junk food -- “we might as well, because they’re only going to eat it out of school anyway” -- proved to be unfounded. Once students made the connection between nutrition, learning, and behavior, the change stuck. They weren’t running to fast food joints after school for a junk-laden fix.

We can all learn a lesson from the young people in Appleton, Wisconsin. Bad food leads to bad behavior. And even worse -- a lifetime of failures and health problems.

The other day when I was discussing this article with our founder and driving force, Michael Masterson, he made an astute observation. Children all over this country have a metabolism that is off balance and burdened with toxins and chemicals from processed foods, too much sugar, and dangerous additives that affect neurochemistry. Our solution is to mask the problem with even more dangerous chemicals in the form of prescription medications.

How can we call this a cure?

It’s time we paid attention to nutrition as the first and most important influence on our health. If you have a child with ADHD or other learning or behavioral problems, take this article to your next PTA meeting Join other concerned parents and lobby your school district to offer fresh nutritious meals that are free of additives and genetically modified ingredients. The amazing transformation that occurred at a high school in Appleton, Wisconsin could take place in any school in the US that also made healthy nutrition a priority.

Start making the same dietary changes at home. Stop buying junk food and spend the money instead on organic produce and grass-fed meats. Your grocery bill may even go down! If you need some recipe tips, look in our twice-weekly issues of Total Health Breakthroughs. Nutrition experts Kelley Herring and Laura LaValle offer great-tasting, easy to prepare meal ideas that feature fresh organic ingredients and the nutrients our bodies need.

The bottom line is, you and your kids are worth it.

References
1. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/index.html.
2. http://www.adderall.net/.
3. http://www.drugs.com/sfx/ritalin-side-effects.html.
4. http://www.feingold.org/Bluebook/page-09-wisconsin.pdf.
5. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AmericanFamily/Story?id=125404&page=1.

"This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise's Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com”

Could it be all in the mind?

Have you experienced this before?

You had a stomachache. Home and the nearest known toilet was quite far away. You knew you had to hold on. And the beautiful thing was that you did. When you reached home, you immediately headed for the toilet and it was just in time.

Or you were at an important meeting. The tummy said you had to go. The mind said no. You had to wait for the guy to finish so that all of you could put the idea to a vote. Your vote counted. It might make the difference. So you stayed on. The uncomfortable feeling subsided. About three quarter of an hour later, the meeting was over. You moved straight to the toilet just in time to empty the bowels.

What a relief! Saved you the unnecessary embarrassment of having to excuse yourself, all attention suddenly diverted to you, looking askance, probably wondering what you could be up to, to be so bold as to interrupt such an important discussion.

And then, there was the time when you were at home watching a movie on the television. The stomach began to complain. The discomfort and the rumbling continued. The toilet was near but it was the most thrilling part of the movie you’re at. You delay giving attention to the complaint. The waste threatens to exit. Unable to postpone attention to its threat, you ran towards toilet. Just before you reached the door, wet unpleasant drippings descent. Even as you pull down your jeans and sat on the bowl, you knew it was already too late.

What a mess! So near, yet far enough to cause you some inconvenience; cleaning up, washing, bathing and changing.

But then, how is it that it seldom if ever happens in the office or at some place where the toilet do not seem to be around. Have you ever thought about it? Perhaps not; probably because it’s such an unimportant thing.

Nevertheless, it’s one of those small insignificant matters which prove that our mind is a wondrous thing. It clearly shows the control our mind has over our body.

When we realise this, we no longer wonder at stories of yogis who could stay lightly clothed, if not nude, in the Himalayan Mountains. We no longer wonder at those who practice meditation and could get their bodies to levitate. And we no longer wonder how our mind is able to control our body so well as to be well disciplined; and those of weaker minds find discipline so hard to master. The mind controls our body.

That is another reason scientists and doctors find that placebo works just as well as the medicine which is believed to be in it. The mind believes it is the real thing, and the body accepts it as such. And so placebo works!Fantastic? Not if you understand the mind!

Art Excel: There's fun in learning.

Here's another Art Excel activity in which the participants were so curious about the making of burgers. (In this video, the language used by the participants was Mandarin.)They saw how the buns were sliced, a spread of butter and then put into an oven to heat for a short while. Children are by nature so curious about the things around them.

Then, the buns are taken to the table where all the children were given the opportunity to make a burger. They waited eagerly to prepare the food. Parents can make use of this eagerness to make things to teach children about the food they eat and the things in and around the house. Why not take them even further afield and let them have a feel of boats and rowing at one of the ponds where adults are around to ensure their safety.

They were so happy with their achievement of being useful and able to be a part of life and living.

Being useful brings self-esteem to the children. And believe me, they have never tasted burgers as good as the ones they made. And that's what they did; finished all the food they made as well as some noodles made by Mei Mei, fried by one of the volunteers in our The Art of Living.

What a wonderful group of people I had for company that evening.

Art Excel: The fun way to develop.

Between the 4th and 7th of June, The Art of living Centre in Sungai Petani, Kedah, Malaysia held the Art Excel course for children below the age of twelve. It was four wonderful days of knowledge, exercise, games and fun. The above video shows one of the activities which brought the children so much team-work, so much joy and so much happiness during a learning process.(The teachers, volunteers and children spoke in Mandarin and English.)

Knowledge is one of the greatest thing on earth. With it, the future is ever so much brighter. Ignorance is swept aside. Knowledge improves relationships between peoples, countries, religions and cultures and they fall victim less often to fears, doubts and misunderstanding which are the results of false beliefs and presentation.

In Art Excel, children are taught breathing techniques which help them to overcome stress and depression.There is so much stress in the home and schools.

In an increasingly competitive world, competition for marks and grades in examinations puts great stress on young minds, with disastrous results. Yet, they seem to have become an undesirable necessity as examination certificates ensure our young children of places for tertiary eduaction. As stress become more and more unbearable, it's only right that parents give their children a way to relieve stress.

There are many ways to remove stress and one of them is through the breathing techniques taught in The Art of Living which has centres in more than 140 countries throughout the world.

In the course they are taught, through many interesting, enjoyable situations, ways to tackle life's problems. They learn to play and work as a team. They are given the ability to express themselves as individuals as well. They are given the opportunity to discover fun in learning. They are encouraged to discover the usefulness of knowledge.

On the night before the last day, they slept away from home. It was a kind of initiation into independence. They had to cooperate with each other to clean up a place and get themselves clean and tidy for the night without a mummy or a daddy to run to for anything necessary.

Besides all that they have learned, that which is even more important is the stronger, better and happier persons they have beome in those four days.

"We've lost a child."

Some time ago, I wrote about a couple who refused to allowed their youngest child, a girl, to leave the family home in pursuit of further studies. I firmly believe that was selfish of the parents.

This morning I met a lady who told me of a son who went for further studies in Britain.

Actually, that was not her child. You see, that boy was the child of the husband’s first wife. After the divorce from the first wife, the husband got to know her and soon after that they got married.

The first wife had two children, a boy and a girl. This lady, the second wife, knowing how tough it must be for the children to miss the presence of their own mother, did all she could to treat them like her very own. She cared for them so much that they always regarded her as their mother; introducing her to others as ‘our mother’.

She was very proud of her role in the proper bringing up of the two children of the first wife. In her own words: “I know I have done my duty as a mother well. In fact, the role I have played brought the children the chances of further education; even up to tertiary level.You can say I can walk tall with my head lifted up as I'm proud of what I have done for them.” The boy went to Britain and stayed there after his masters. The girl furthered her studies in Singapore and is there today. It was this lady who persuaded the husband to take out money to finance the two children to tertiary level.

Then she told me how the family has lost a son. How could that be? Well, it seems the boy who went to Britain had changed since he got married. She lamented that the boy no longer recognised them or even his real mother, as his parents. Once, his own mother went overseas to visit him. She was not welcome. Sad indeed that a grown child no longer have any respect, if not love, for his own parents. Well, we are not here to judge. We know not the whole story. We know not what had happened. Just let this be knowledge that such things can happen. For those in similar circumstances, know that you are not alone in such sad matters. With this knowledge, it is easier to accept the situation.

Her husband did once remarked, ”Imagine spending so much money for your child to improve himself and end up with such a situation where the child, despite all that knowledge and development, does not even understand love and respect for parents.”

Nevertheless, the situation affected this lady and her husband so much that they were glad that the man’s third child, this lady’s own child, did not do well enough in his studies to go for further studies. According to the lady, this may be a blessing in disguise. As such, she and the husband are happy. Their third child is happy with his present job. And there is no possibility of another lost child.

Well, what can I say? What can you say?

Praises.

On Sunday, 7th June 2009, one of the greatest musician, singer and song-writer, Kenny Rankins, died of lung cancer at the age of 69.

He was still actively involved in his passion of recording songs this year. There is a part written by Associated Press writer, John Rogers, which interested me as a parent and teacher.

According to John Rogers, “Rankin, who signed with Decca Records while still in his teens, once said his music career really began in the fourth grade when he sang "O Holy Night" in a school Christmas play and his teacher walked up to him afterward, patted him on the head and said, "Kenneth, that was lovely." "She set me on the path in music that I find myself on today," he said.”

The man who was much respected by fellow musicians was set on the path to songs, recordings and song-writing by the praise and appreciation of a teacher.

Do we realise the feelings of a child being praise and patted lovingly on the head? Praise and a pat does not need money to give but they are invaluable; priceless! It’s such beautiful actions that bring a glow to the hearts of the receivers. And the receiver may remember the giver for the rest of his/her life.

Words are powerful tools in aiding a youngster towards his/her future. History has proven time and again, that children who reach successfully their goals in life could have been encouraged towards them through such appreciation and praise. And praise and appreciation are even more potent if they are voiced by beloved parents, relatives or close friends. Such praises may not necessarily be direct. It could be the grandmother’s admiration for her grandchild’s abilities. It could be the proud grandpa’s prediction of greatness of his grandchild.

So long as that grandchild could understand the accolades of the grandparents, it raises his/her self-esteem and confidence; self-esteem and confidence which is essential in boosting his ego to stimulate the imagination and belief which enables the child to visualise himself or herself achieving whatever innate capabilities or talent.

Many a time, encouraging words are all that is needed to have children want to learn, to improve and to develop in the right direction. Believe in their ability to achieve all that is good for them and children will prove us right.

Isn’t that easy to do? So what is preventing us from doing it every day of our lives?

Forget About Toxic Sunscreens and Activate Your Body's Own Internal Sunscreen Instead by Al Sears, MD.

One of the biggest hoaxes of our time is that the sun is bad for you. They tell you to avoid it at all costs and to protect yourself with sunscreen lotion if you dare to venture outside.

Here's the real truth...
Sunscreen lotions block the sun's UV rays, but your skin needs exposure to these rays to make vitamin D. This is a huge problem because vitamin D is a critical nutrient for your body. It's a powerful antioxidant and mood booster that your skin cells make with the help of sunlight.

Research shows that vitamin D is the most potent cancer fighter there is. In fact, a report from Nebraska University shows that vitamin D has the potential to lower the risk of all cancers in women over 50 by 77%.1

Not only do sunscreens block your body's ability to produce vitamin D, their ingredients are toxic and have never been safety tested or safety approved by the FDA.

A study in the April 2004 Journal of Chromatography found that the carcinogenic agents found in sunscreens penetrate the skin. This means that when you use most sunscreens, you absorb toxic chemicals. And with so-called experts telling you to generously apply it every few hours, you are likely absorbing a dangerous amount.
The Centers for Disease Control also reports that 97% of Americans are contaminated with a widely used sunscreen ingredient called oxybenzone. It's linked to allergies, hormone disruption, low birth weights, cell damage, and more. It is also a chemical that helps other chemicals penetrate the skin.2

Other dangerous chemicals found in most sunscreens, such as octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC), kill skin cells. And PABA, also known as octyl dimethyl and padimate O, attacks DNA and causes genetic mutation when it's exposed to sunlight.

Luckily, there's a safer way to protect yourself from sunburn. It's a way to tap your body's own natural sunscreen.

Your body has the ability to protect itself with antioxidants. They fight off the free radicals that attach to cells and create damage from premature aging to cancer. And when it comes to protecting your skin, the most beneficial antioxidant enzyme your body makes is called superoxide dismutase (SOD).

SOD is your first-line of defense against free radical damage, including sunburn. It's an incredibly potent free radical scavenger that wards off cancer, inflammation, and the effects of aging. It's also a potent immune booster with the ability to remove toxins from tissues.

In fact, it's so important to your health that some call it the "enzyme of life." SOD is the first antioxidant your body makes after you're born to protect against free radicals. You can't live without it. In one study, mice whose bodies couldn't make their own SOD died within days after birth from massive free radical damage.3

SOD works with your skin cells from the inside, offsetting the damage that comes with sun overexposure. But, your body's ability to make SOD declines as you age.
Researchers proved SOD's effect in a recent study where they split 50 healthy people into two groups, with one taking a new form of SOD per day and the other a sugar pill. After a month, the SOD group could withstand eight times the amount of exposure to UV rays without developing sunburn -- an 800% increase in protection.4

And unlike chemical sunscreens, SOD won't stop the sun from helping your body make essential vitamin D while you're out walking or gardening or spending time with your family outdoors. You get all the sun's benefits and none of the risks.

The good news is there are ways to easily boost your SOD levels. The best food source comes from goji berries, also called wolfberries. These amazing berries have the ability to boost the production of SOD to more youthful levels. Studies found that treatment with wolfberry increased SOD activity in red blood cells while decreasing levels of harmful compounds in the skin.5

You can now find goji berries in some specialty stores or online. But make sure you get them from a reputable source. Goji berries are grown in several different areas around the world, but the berries that you purchase will probably be from China where it has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.6

You can also find SOD in capsule form in health food stores. I recommend 500 mg a day.

To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD

References
1. Lappe et al. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2006; 25(5):395-402.
2. Gouldin, C. "CDC: Caving to Industry, FDA Delays Safety Standards for Decades", Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org, 3/25/08.
3. Li, et al. 1995. Nature Genetics. 11:376-381.
4. Mac-Mary, M. et al. "Evaluation of the Effect of GliSODin on the Intensity of Actinic Erythema," presented at the CARD (Annual Congress of Dermatological Research) meeting.
5. Barclay, L. Replenishing the aging body's antioxidant defenses. Life Extension Magazine. Jan 2007.
6. Cole, J. Goji Berries: What you need to know about this superfood. www.naturalnews.com. Viewed 2/31/09.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears is Chairman of the Board of Total Health Breakthroughs. He has written over 500 articles and 7 books in the fields of alternative medicine, anti-aging, and nutritional supplementation.]

"This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise's Total Health Breakthroughs, offering alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription,
visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com”