Malaysian Artistes For Unity Project VIDEO

Doing my bit for National Unity Month by sharing this video produced by Pete Teo. Kudos to the Malaysian artistes for this feel-good video. Music unites us all. Enjoy!

A FOOD-LOVER TEEN

This article was contributed by Form 3 student, Rou Min, who decided to share her own tips about food after visiting our blog. Never too early (or late!) to start eating right for life-long good health

When we are in our golden years, how we look and feel depends very much on what we ate as a child and as a teenager. So as a growing teenager, I agree that we should eat healthily as health is wealth. Ever so often we get cravings for pastries, chips and all that junk! Here are a few tips I personally have tried when a craving strikes:

1. When you have a craving for sodium (and crunch), switch a bag of potato chips with a handful of roast nuts lightly salted, or better – unsalted! Your energy level will certainly get a boost!

2. Have a craving for M&Ns? Trade a handful of this yummy treat for some researcher wrote how a handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips (dark chocolate) contain heart-health falconoid.

3. If you are craving for a creamy dish, sauté broccoli in olive oil and dip it in a dollop of nonfat yogurt. Desire something spicy? Sprinkle lemon juice and cayenne pepper on cooked broccoli. It is more nourishing.

4. If you crave for pizza, try topping a whole-grain pita tomato sauce or purée and some mozzarella cheese (if possible, low fat), pop it into the toaster oven and indulge.

5. Eat the real thing – the natural not the processed. Exchange orange soda with a cup of refreshing squeezed orange juice, which is rich in vitamin C. You can get a daily dosage of vitamin C that way and keep cold at bay.

6. Make coke your enemy. I am sure you know that one can of coke contains seven spoons of sugar that equals to seven scoops of ice cream!

7. Love popcorn? Pop some kernels (no butter, sugar or salt, of course!) then sprinkle some cinnamon onto the popcorn and indulge (cinnamon helps to speed up your metabolism). Not a spice lover? Then toss the popcorn in chopped parsley and a little bit of olive oil.

8. Do not forget to drink at least eight glasses of water a day as it helps to detox the body and keep us hydrated.

9. Be sure to take at least three types of fruit a day, especially those that are rich in vitamin C, to help de-tox the internal organs.

10. If you are an ice-cream fan, put a tub of low fat or fat free yogurt into the freezer. You will have the same texture of an ice cream but with good bacteria and a guilty-free treat to enjoy. You will soon develop a taste for it and may even forget what ice-cream really tastes like!

11. There are lots of salad lovers around these days but the dressing they handsomely spread on it, takes away all the goodness of their greens! Do you know that some salad dressings can add up to hundreds of calories! So instead, mix two tablespoons of olive oil with one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar per serving. Not only does it taste scrumptious, it is nutritious too!

12. Instead of ice cream pop, stick an ice cream stick into a banana and coat it with melted dark chocolate and roasted, unsalted chopped nuts and pop it into the freezer until the chocolate hardens and enjoy it (banana is rich in vitamin B and gives us energy).

13. When having a craving for cakes, go for a lighter cake as it usually has lower fat content. Go for sponge or angel cake rather than that rich butter cake.

14. Not all breakfast cereals provide a head start for the day as many are high in fat, sugar and sodium. However, cereals are a quick convenient source to power up yourself through the morning, and if you check the label, many provide a low fat, high-complex carbohydrate breakfast.

15. Instead of fried chicken, try grilled or roast chicken - it is not as oily.

AN INSPIRING STORY WE CAN SHARE WITH OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

"The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch is truly inspirational. You can click on the Youtube video link below for the full lecture delivered at Carnegie Mellon University in September 2007. The book is also available at all major bookstores.

One of Randy Pausch's unfufilled childhood dreams was to play for the NFL. He got the opportunity to practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers recently, and he kicked a field goal on his first try. (Ken Andreyo, Carnegie Mellon University )

The Last Lecture: A Love Story for Your Life

Diane Sawyer Talks to Randy Pausch and His Family Seven Months After Inspiring Lecture By GEOFF MARTZ and SAMANTHA WENDER April 9, 2008

What would you say if you knew you were going to die and had a chance to sum up everything that was most important to you?

That's the hypothetical question posed to the annual speaker of a lecture series commonly known as "The Last Lecture." But for Randy Pausch, the charismatic young professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, the question wasn't hypothetical.

The 47-year-old father of three small children had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer -- and given six months to live. Friends and colleagues flew in from all around the country to attend his last lecture. And -- almost as an afterthought -- the lecture was videotaped and put on the Internet for the few people who couldn't get there that day.

That was all it took.

Somehow amid the vast clamor of the Web and the bling-bling of million-dollar budgets, savvy marketing campaigns and millions of strange and bizarre videos, the voice of one earnest professor standing at a podium and talking about his childhood dreams cut through the noise.

The lecture was so uplifting, so funny, so inspirational that it went viral. So far, 10 million people have downloaded it. And thousands have written in to say that his lecture changed their lives.

If you had only six months to live, what would you do? How would you live your life? And how can all of us take heart from Pausch's inspiring message to live each day to its fullest?

Do watch the video. Hope it changed how you look at life and what really matters in life.

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.

This is so very inspiring and touching. Much to learn from this incredibly amazing father and lecturer!

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

Thanks for sharing the cartoons, Lauren. Nothing like a good laugh to keep old age at bay!

FRACTURE PREVENTION TIPS

6 tips to fight fractures, slips, and falls

Tip 1:
Exercise to improve balance and strength. Exercising reduces your risks of falls. Keeping physically active helps your reflexes stay sharp, and your muscles stay strong. That can help with coordination and lower your risk of falling. If you are fit, your balance is better, and that makes you much less likely to take a fall than someone who has become bedridden and infirm. Exercise also has a direct impact on the strength of your bones. High impact exercises, e.g. jogging, tennis, may not be safe for some people with osteoporosis, since the physical pounding could cause a fracture.

Tip 2:
Tread carefully. Wearing the wrong sort of footwear can really increase your risk of a fall. Just look for low heeled shoes that offer good support and have rubber soles rather than leather ones. While sneakers are fine, avoid ones with deep treads that can trip you up. It’s time to wear shoes inside the house too; socks and slippers can increase your risk of falling. Use any assistive device recommended by your doctor or therapist. When you are walking outside, play it safe. Walk on the grass when it’s been raining, since you are more likely to slip on concrete.

Tip 3:
Know how medicines might affect you. Unfortunately, as you grow older, you’re more likely to need daily medications. All medications have side-effects, some of which can increase your risk of falling. Medications that can cause dizziness and lack of coordination include sedatives, sleeping pills, drugs that lower blood pressure, anti-depressants, anti-convulsants, muscle relaxants, those for heart conditions. Studies have shown that taking 4 or more medications has a higher risk of falling.

Tip 4:
Lighten up. Your vision isn’t as good as before. This makes it harder to discern objects especially in low light. Brighten up your home and consider fluorescent bulbs. Install overhead lights in all rooms so that you don’t have to stumble around in the dark to find the lamp. Use night lights in your bedroom, bathroom, and any hallways that connect them. Make sure all stairways both inside and outside are well lit. Keep a flashlight in your bed.

Tip 5:
‘Fall-Proof’ your home. Keep rooms free of clutter. Put down carpet or plastic runners on polished floors. Get throw rugs, electric cords and phone lines off the floor. Have hand-rails on all stairs. Install railings in the bathroom around the toilet and shower. Put a rubber mat on the floor of your bath or shower. Many people just don’t do a very good job fall-proofing their homes.

Tip 6:
Treat health conditions. Some chronic illnesses can affect your strength or physical functioning and increase the risk of a fall. Arthritis can make it hard to move around. Vision problems can increase your risk of tripping. Check with your doctor as to which of your health conditions may increase your risk of falling, and on whether any treatment might help.

(This article was first published in Berita Menopos, and reproduced here with permission from the Malaysian Menopause Society. For more information about MMS, please visit the website at http://www.menopause.org.my/ )