Happy Chinese New Year 2008

For all who celebrate Chinese New Year, I hereby

Gong Xi Fa Cai and have a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous Chinese New Year!

Eat Less To Live Longer

According to Science Daily dated September 21, 2007, when cells experience certain kinds of stress, such as caloric restriction, these genes rev up and help protect cells from diseases of aging.

A decrease in calories can therefore extend lifespan by as much as one-third.

"To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals." - Benjamin Franklin

“To insure good health: eat lightly, breathe deeply, live moderately, cultivate cheerfulness, and maintain an interest in life.” - William Londen

“The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not.” - Mark Twain

"Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon." - Doug Larson

Therefore, it's important to watch what you eat. We should eat to live and not live to eat!

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Lack of sleep kills

Worst Traffic Accident
An express bus overturned on Malaysia's main highway on August 13, 2007 tearing the vehicle's roof off, flinging seats into the air and leaving at least 20 people dead. The worst traffic accident in the history of Malaysia was due to the driver who may have fallen asleep at the wheel. - CNN.com

“Sleep is the best meditation.” - Dalai Lama

Sleep is essential
People who fail to get enough sleep after a long day at work could be putting their lives at risk, according to scientists. Research carried out in Australia suggests that the effects of sleep loss can be similar or worse than the effects of drinking alcohol to excess. - BBC News

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” - Ovid

Why Sleep is important?
A good sleep is necessary to help us to maintain good health and enable us to function at our best. You can’t focus and pay attention or respond quickly if you don't have enough sleep. A lack of sleep may even cause mood problems. In addition, a chronic lack of sleep increases the risk for developing diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and infections.

Research has also suggested that sleep loss may increase the risk of obesity because chemicals and hormones that play a key role in controlling appetite and weight gain are released during sleep.

A comprehensive new handbook from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that sleep is not merely “down time” when the brain shuts off and the body rests.

“A well-spent day brings happy sleep” - Leonardo da Vinci

"The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep." - Ecclesiastes 5:12 (NKJV)

Serious problem
Nowadays, Kids and teens are not getting enough sleep because they are watching too much TV and playing computer games. And we too are not getting enough sleep because of blogging. Indeed computer games, online chats and bloggings are fun. However, we ought to make sure we have enough sleep. Otherwise we are killing ourselves.

What do you think? Do you have enough sleep? If not, what is taking away your sleep time?

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The Power of Music

“Music is the universal language of mankind” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow


“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes you feel a thought.” - E. Y. Harburg

This post was composed while I was listening to my favorite music and songs. Without it, I was dozing off. Well, according to Science Daily, Music could be a way that the brain sharpens its ability to anticipate events and sustain attention.

“Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Andersen

"Without music, life is a journey through a desert." - Pat Conroy

“Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without” - Confucius

"I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music." - Billy Joel

Baroque music (those that are of 60 beats per minute) has been known can accelerate learning, and enhances both short-term and long-term memory.

Besides, Music does bring people together and it does have healing power. There were experiments that have evidence that Baroque music actually increases the growth of plants, while acid rock kills plants! So be very careful with the type of music you listen to. There is power in Music!

What to do you think? Do you agree?

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Learn to Rest and Relax. It is necessary!

It is very important that you recognize the signs and symptoms of burnout. Anyone can have burnout caused by long-term exposure to demanding work situations.

Burnout is the cumulative result of stress. It is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. - more details

“Your mind will answer most questions if you learn to relax and wait for the answer.” - William S. Burroughs

“Rest when you're weary. Refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.” - Ralph Marston

Take a look at this illustration:

A lecturer was giving a lecture to his student on stress management. He raised a glass of water and asked the audience, "How heavy do you think this glass of water is?"

They answered anywhere from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, "It does not matter on the absolute weight.
It depends on how long you hold it.
If I hold it for a minute, it is OK.
If I hold it for an hour, I will have an ache in my right arm.
If I hold it for a day, you will have to call an ambulance.
It is the exact same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.

The lecturer continued, "If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, we will not be able to carry on, the burden becoming increasingly heavier." "What you have to do is to put the glass down, rest for a while before holding it up again."

We have to put down the burden periodically, so that we can be refreshed and are able to carry on. So before you return home from work tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it back home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you are having now on your shoulders, let it down for a moment if you can. Pick it up again later when you have rested... Rest and relax.

"Learn to relax. Your body is precious, as it houses your mind and spirit. Inner peace begins with a relaxed body." - Norman Vincent Peale

Do you have a lot of burden that you find it difficult to put down? For those that have good tips how to put down your burden, please comments and share your wisdom.

(Source of this illustration: Internet; Author Unknown)

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Caffeine replacement found!

Today, I came across a thought-provoking post by Ilker Yoldas that mentioned our popular beverages such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, soft drinks and energy drinks contains the evil caffeine.

Modern drug of choice
According to Steve Pavlina (How to Give Up Coffee), Caffeine is the modern drug of choice in the work world, easily accessible, socially acceptable, readily affordable, and of course perfectly legal.

Well, now that worries me after knowing the fact that it can affect my health because I just got myself addicted to coffee. Somehow, I need a cup of coffee every night to come out with a post for this blog! I am not blaming anybody except myself for being such a perfectionist. Some posts can really take me 2 to 4 hours to complete.

Encouragement - the replacement
What surprises me was that I wasn't tired at all to come out with this post. How come? Well, today I received a message from Jesse about her new post. After seeing her encouraging post about my blog, my passion suddenly shot up. That was indeed a great caffeine replacement for me today!

My heartfelt thanks to you Jesse!

"Taking an interest in what others are thinking and doing is often a much more powerful form of encouragement than praise." - Robert Martin

"The more you practice stepping into other peoples' shoes, the more you'll experience the results and benefits. This encourages and inspires you to do it even more." - Wendy Hearn

Our needs to do well
I believe everyone needs encouragement, support and motivation to do well. Be an encourager! You will definitely feel good after you have encouraged someone. By mutual support, we can build a great community!


Do you agree? If yes, do share your comments, come back often and I will likewise try my very best to visit your blog and do likewise. Hope this is agreeable to you.

“Good communication is as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.” - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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The Power of Expectation

"Patients tend to heal in accordance with their expectations."

Research is showing the power of expectations, that they have physical not just psychological effects on your health. - CBS News

A doctor can take a placebo and tell a patient that it is a powerful medicine, and the patient will react as though the actual medicine had been taken. Of course, this does not work all of the time. If it did, no one would need to take any medicine at all. It does, however, work with a significant percentage of success.

"Life is largely a matter of expectation." - Horace

"Whatever we expect with confidence becomes our own self-fulfilling prophecy." - Brian Tracy

"Your expectation opens or closes the doors of your supply. If you expect grand things, and work honestly for them, they will come to you, your supply will correspond with your expectation." - Orison Swett Marden

"We tend to live up to our expectations." - Earl Nightingale

“Don't lower your expectations to meet your performance. Raise your level of performance to meet your expectations. Expect the best of yourself, and then do what is necessary to make it a reality.” - Ralph Marston

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What is your greatest loss?

When Wealth is lost, nothing is lost;
When Health is lost, something is lost;
When Character is lost, all is lost!

We all value things differently. So what is the most precious thing in life you value most? Is it Wealth, Health, Relationship or Career? Well, why don't you spend some time and find out for yourself. Then do something about it!

The Bible tell us the greatest loss in Matthew 16:25-26 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"

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Take good care of your Heart!

“Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it.” - Albert Smith

"Tears are words the heart can't express"

“Always give people a piece of your heart, not a piece of your mind”

"A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up."

"The nearest thing to perpetual motion is the heart. Guard it well. When it stops, you stop."

“It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.”

Happiness is not something you have in your hands; it is something you carry in your heart.

"Drive too fast and invite a car wreck; live too fast and invite a heart attack."

There's no reason to be the richest man in the cemetery. You can't do any business from there. - Colonel Sanders

Photo by Face It taken from this source

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Stay healthy

Health is not valued till sickness comes.

“Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.” - Socrates

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” - Buddha

“To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” - Buddha

You are what you eat.

He that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well.

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Count Your Blessings

"Be thankful for each new challenge, because it will build your strength and character."

“It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart.”

“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” - Oprah Winfrey

"There is always, always, always something to be thankful for."

"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you'?" - William Arthur Ward

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Health is Wealth

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”

It takes many people a lifetime to learn that health is more important than money, fun and fame.

“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” - Mahatma Gandhi

“So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.” - A. J. Reb Materi

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