Tuesday, September 01, 2009

Wearing contact lenses for prolonged periods can damage cornea

Channel NewsAsia - Tuesday, September 1

SINGAPORE: Wearing contact lenses for prolonged periods can damage the cornea, a transparent layer covering the eye.

Australian researcher Professor Brien Holden was in Singapore on Monday to highlight the problem.

He said the majority of Asians use traditional contact lenses which reduce oxygen flow to the eye. This causes the corneas to age prematurely, resulting in dry or red eyes and blurred vision.

Diabetes can also cause premature corneal ageing.

Professor Holden has had first hand experience. He wore contact lenses for 16 hours every day for 36 years.

Now, he can only wear contact lenses for up to six hours and he has this advice for other users.

Professor Holden, CEO, Institute for Eye Research, Optometry, University of New South Wales, said: "The first thing to do is to consult your local optometrist or ophthalmologist and talk to them about whether you are showing signs of excessive redness of the eye associated with low oxygen of your lenses.

"But by and large, the simplest thing is for everybody to move towards high oxygen permeable contact lenses." — CNA/vm


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though i dun need to wear contact lenses or specs anymore (thanks to lasik), it's scary to hear of such news...
cos i do believe sometimes i do wear my contacts for more than 16 hours due to work...

so contact lenses wearers...
better be careful...
maybe it's time to consider lasik?

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
专属天使の悪戯なKiss m(~_~)m


동방신기,
언제나 비가와도 칠흙같이 캄캄한 어둠이 와도...
그대 곁에서 기다릴께 ...
Nothing better than that...



[Color - Melody & Harmony]

誰かのために
For someone’s sake
僕らはここで
we are here,
小さな事しかできないけれど
Although we can only achieve small things,
一秒だけでも
Even just for 1 second,
世界上に涙止めて
We still want to stop all the tears in this world,
笑顔になってくれるのなろ
And turn them all into smiles

My music is my life
For you, for your smile...

Friendster Layouts

Flat Abs Diet: What to Eat For A Slimmer Tummy

Researchers have found that women put on more fat around their midsection as they get older -- and if you're stressed, overweight or menopausal, your waistline is more likely to balloon. But that's not to say a poochy tummy is inevitable with age: Couple cardio and core exercises with a sensible eating plan and you can stay trim and look fab, say health experts. With these belly-friendly diet tips, you'll be empowered to beat the flab.

1. Up your fiber intake

A recent Danish study found that women who ate more fiber gained less weight with age, particularly around their middle, than women on low-fiber diets. So how much fiber should you aim to take? 25 to 30 grams a day, recommend experts. Good sources include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

2. Eat frequently

Stress causes weight gain because when you're often anxious or feeling overwhelmed, your body produces stress hormones like cortisol, which encourages the storage of fat in the abdomen. Studies have shown that hunger can trigger the same effect and send cortisol in overdrive, leading to an expanding waistline. To keep your hunger under control, eat five or six smaller meals instead of three main meals.

3. Cut back on salt

Sodium causes your body to retain fluids. That's why a diet high in sodium can result in a bloated stomach as well as raise your blood pressure. Stay away from high-sodium culprits such as processed and canned foods, and whenever possible add flavor to your foods with herbs and spices instead of salt.


4. Eat less fast food

Here's yet another proof that fast food isn't exactly the most diet-friendly food around: A study by the University of Minnesota found that people who ate fast food more than twice a week gained an extra 10 pounds over 15 years, compared with people who ate fast food less than once a week. Fast foods are notoriously high in saturated fat and sodium, which not only lead to weight gain, but also elevate your risks of health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.

5. Cut back on refined carbs

According to recent findings published by the American Journal of Epidemiology, it's not the amount, but the kind of carbohydrates you consume, that triggers weight gain. Contrary to popular belief, overweight people don't eat more carbs than normal-weight individuals, but nutrition researchers found that they are more inclined to eat an excess of refined carbs.

Refined carbohydrates are, for example, those found in sugar, white bread, white rice, white bread, pasta and cereals. Meals and snacks that are laden with refined carbs have a high glycemic index, meaning they quickly break down into sugar, causing insulin levels to skyrocket and blood sugar to spike. If this blood sugar is not used by the body, it is stored as fat.

Replace refined carbs with unrefined carbs (wholemeal bread, whole wheat pasta, oats, veggies) and protein (lean meat) in your diet -- these nutrients break down more slowly, so you'll stay fuller for longer.


☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
专属天使の悪戯なKiss m(~_~)m


동방신기,
언제나 비가와도 칠흙같이 캄캄한 어둠이 와도...
그대 곁에서 기다릴께 ...
Nothing better than that...



[Color - Melody & Harmony]

誰かのために
For someone’s sake
僕らはここで
we are here,
小さな事しかできないけれど
Although we can only achieve small things,
一秒だけでも
Even just for 1 second,
世界上に涙止めて
We still want to stop all the tears in this world,
笑顔になってくれるのなろ
And turn them all into smiles

My music is my life
For you, for your smile...

Friendster Layouts

Yes, diet soda DOES make you fat...

We all know by now that soda (aka "pop" in some areas) is one of the most evil things you can put in your body... the nasty chemicals, the gut-fattening high fructose corn syrup, and a myriad of health problems caused by this carbonated cocktail worshipped by those that don't care about their health or body.

Since you're one of my subscribers, I know that you actually do care about your health and the appearance of your body.

Surprisingly, many people falsely believe that "diet" soda is in some way a good thing for losing body fat. In fact, I hear people all the time proudly state that they eat so healthy and only drink diet soda.

So let's set the record straight...

There is NOTHING even remotely healthy about drinking diet soda. In fact, I've even seen several studies that showed dedicated diet soda drinkers got even FATTER than their regular soda drinking counterparts.

Here's some findings from an 8-year University of Texas study that I had read...

An excerpt from the study author:

"What didn't surprise us was that total soft drink use was linked to overweight and obesity," Fowler tells WebMD. "What was surprising was when we looked at people only drinking diet soft drinks, their risk of obesity was even higher."

"There was a 41 percent increase in risk of being overweight for every can or bottle of diet soft drink a person consumes each day," Fowler says.

Ok, as if we didn't already know how bad regular soda was for us, and now they're showing us studies that diet soda makes us even fatter than the already bad stuff!

There's a lot of complicating factors as to why this occurs...

One reason is that the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas create a negative hormonal response in the body that increases fat storing hormone production and increases cravings for more sweets and refined carbohydrates in the time period after consuming the diet drink.

Another reason is that people may subconsciously think that because they are drinking a diet soda, that gives them more leeway to eat more of everything else, hence consuming more calories overall.

I've said this all along, but the bottom line is that if you're serious about your health and body, soda of any kind (and artificial sweeteners in anything for that matter!) should be avoided at all times, except for very rare occasions when you can't avoid them.

Another article I did about artificial sweeteners explains more of the problems with them and good substitutes...

http://www.truthaboutabs.com/artificial-sweeteners-natural-stevia.html

So what is a good alternative to diet sodas?

The best alternatives are good old water with lemon or unsweetened iced teas... you have plenty of options with teas - green, white, black, oolong, red... be creative in making your iced teas and you'll enjoy it more. Plus, you get a greater array of anti-aging antioxidants.

I just add a little of the natural non-caloric sweetener stevia to my iced teas and I love them. I get my stevia here...

http://www.steviva.com/cgi-bin/cp-app.pl?rrc=N&pg=store&affl=m231g

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

TTT, now we know why someone gained instead of lost weight from drinking diet Coke...

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
专属天使の悪戯なKiss m(~_~)m


동방신기,
언제나 비가와도 칠흙같이 캄캄한 어둠이 와도...
그대 곁에서 기다릴께 ...
Nothing better than that...



[Color - Melody & Harmony]

誰かのために
For someone’s sake
僕らはここで
we are here,
小さな事しかできないけれど
Although we can only achieve small things,
一秒だけでも
Even just for 1 second,
世界上に涙止めて
We still want to stop all the tears in this world,
笑顔になってくれるのなろ
And turn them all into smiles

My music is my life
For you, for your smile...

Friendster Layouts

DRINKING COLD WATER AFTER A MEAL

DRINKING COLD WATER AFTER A MEAL = CANCER
Can you believe this? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal.
However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer.
It is best to drink hot soup, warm water or warm beer after a meal.


HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!)
Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting.
Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack.

Nausea and intense sweating Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be are also common symptoms... careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive....

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

not a problem for me to not drink cold drinks i guess...
cos e ice made from tap water upsets my stomach and makes it ache like crazy...
i think it's something in cold tap water that doesn't agree with my stomach...
so i've switched to having warm water with my meals at restaurants now..

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
专属天使の悪戯なKiss m(~_~)m


동방신기,
언제나 비가와도 칠흙같이 캄캄한 어둠이 와도...
그대 곁에서 기다릴께 ...
Nothing better than that...



[Color - Melody & Harmony]

誰かのために
For someone’s sake
僕らはここで
we are here,
小さな事しかできないけれど
Although we can only achieve small things,
一秒だけでも
Even just for 1 second,
世界上に涙止めて
We still want to stop all the tears in this world,
笑顔になってくれるのなろ
And turn them all into smiles

My music is my life
For you, for your smile...

Friendster Layouts

Tips and Hints for Eating Fruit 'til Noon

1. When first awakening in the morning, it is beneficial to drink a glass of water to wash through the digestive tract. This can have a squeeze of lemon in it or not.

2. All fruit and fruit juice must be fresh. Nothing cooked, canned or processed in any way. Nothing pasteurized.

3. You can have as much or as little as you desire up until noon. Some people are fine with only a small amount of fruit and desire no more. Others want to “graze” all morning on different fruits and juice. Either is fine. Figure out what is best for you and do that.

4. Fruits such as bananas, raisins, dates and all dried fruits (figs, pineapple, mango, papaya, apples, apricots) are more concentrated and will stay in your stomach longer than the watery fruits, so you will feel full longer. It is essential, however, to not eat fruit dried with chemicals such as sulfur nitrite. Eat only naturally dried fruit. It will say on the package if it is sun-dried or dehydrated or if it contains sulfur nitrite, or your grocer will be able to tell you. Health-food stores usually have naturally dried fruit. Also food dehydrators have become popular as of late. They are inexpensive and valuable far beyond their cost. Since dried fruit is concentrated versus fresh fruit, which has a higher water content, it is extremely important that you only eat very small amounts of dried fruit. The bulk of what you eat should be the high-water-content fruits. As you know, you may have as much fresh fruit as you desire, but dried fruit, unlike fresh fruit, can be overeaten.

5. Some people want to know if it's all right to have nothing in the morning except water. Yes. What you are trying to do is not interfere with the elimination cycle with food that requires digestion. But unless you are one of the minuscule number of people who simply do not like to eat fruit, it is important that you eat some fruit every day, and in the morning is when you can be sure there is nothing else in the stomach that will cause fruit to spoil.

6. After drinking juice, which is primarily water, you can eat other foods after about ten to fifteen minutes have elapsed. After eating whole fruit or a smoothie [see next page], wait about thirty to forty minutes before eating other food. After eating bananas, raisins or dried fruit, you should wait about forty minutes. Once you have eaten something other than fruit, you should wait at least three hours before eating fruit or drinking juice again. The only exception to this is that if you have raw vegetables by themselves without dressing or dip, fruit can then be eaten about twenty to thirty minutes later. If you wish to have fruit as a snack or at night before bed, be sure that at least three hours elapse after eating anything cooked and about one and a half to two hours after eating a salad.

A smoothie is made by putting into a blender chunks of frozen bananas (freeze peeled bananas in an air-tight container), fresh apple or orange juice, and whatever fresh or frozen fruit you like, such as strawberries, blueberries or other berries, peaches, etc. It blends into a delicious shake. Its thickness depends on the amount of bananas used. Some people like the bananas at room temperature-it's just a matter of taste. Experiment with these; they are delicious and fun. A day rarely passes that I don't have one of these treats.

7. Whenever drinking juice (or a smoothie), it is extremely important that you do not gulp it down. It should be consumed slowly. Drinking a glass of orange juice in two big gulps is not good for you and can cause your stomach to become upset. Take only one mouthful. Swish it around in your mouth one time to mix it with saliva and then swallow. In other words, “chew” your juice. This is not a small matter. Drink your juices slowly; do not gulp them down.

8. The question often comes up if it is all right to continue having juice after noon, or whether it is necessary to eat something else at twelve o'clock. No, it is not necessary to eat something other than fruit at noon, unless you are hungry for something else. Many people, myself included, on numerous occasions have only fruit and fruit juice until the evening meal. Sometimes you simply won't feel like eating anything other than fruit, and you should not feel you must eat if you are not hungry. As you progress with this, there will even be days when you have only fruit and fruit juice the entire day. It's a totally natural thing; sometimes you just won't feel like eating. Those are truly super-high-energy days. As time goes by, and you become more familiar with eating fruit correctly, you will find there are a multitude of ways to provide your body with fruit. It's something that automatically happens and becomes clear to you over time. For now you should focus on having fruit exclusively 'til noon, and the rest will unfold and become familiar to you as a natural progression.


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(1) EATING FRUITS .......
It's long but very informative

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not as easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat.

What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!
FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.
Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the Intestines, but it is prevented from doing so. In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid.

The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.

So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals!

You have heard people complaining - every time I eat watermelon I burp,
when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like
running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat
the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other
food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!

Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes
all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic,
because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert
Shelton who did research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct
way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health,
energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT
from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat
cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to
taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice.

If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly,
because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it. You
can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and
drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when
your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI:Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium,
vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE:An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low
vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the
activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer,
heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY:Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total
antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from
cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE :Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds
away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as
lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON:Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also
packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune
system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting
oxidant.. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA:Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for
their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps
prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your
eyes.


☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

so it is better to eat fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals, instead of after...

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
专属天使の悪戯なKiss m(~_~)m


동방신기,
언제나 비가와도 칠흙같이 캄캄한 어둠이 와도...
그대 곁에서 기다릴께 ...
Nothing better than that...



[Color - Melody & Harmony]

誰かのために
For someone’s sake
僕らはここで
we are here,
小さな事しかできないけれど
Although we can only achieve small things,
一秒だけでも
Even just for 1 second,
世界上に涙止めて
We still want to stop all the tears in this world,
笑顔になってくれるのなろ
And turn them all into smiles

My music is my life
For you, for your smile...

Friendster Layouts

Easy Bean Spreads

Black Bean & Lemon Spread:
1 can black beans, rinsed
2-4 Tablespoons lemon juice
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Chickpea, Caper & Roasted Red Pepper Spread:
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
2 Tablespoons capers
Jarred roasted red peppers (to taste, I guess, because I didn't measure the amount!)
1 Teaspoon olive oil

Throw all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

I had both of these spreads prepared in under 10 minutes, and fortunately, they were gobbled up that fast too! These spreads are hearty enough to make a great sandwich filler or cracker spread. They’re a great source of protein and fiber for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!


☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
专属天使の悪戯なKiss m(~_~)m


동방신기,
언제나 비가와도 칠흙같이 캄캄한 어둠이 와도...
그대 곁에서 기다릴께 ...
Nothing better than that...



[Color - Melody & Harmony]

誰かのために
For someone’s sake
僕らはここで
we are here,
小さな事しかできないけれど
Although we can only achieve small things,
一秒だけでも
Even just for 1 second,
世界上に涙止めて
We still want to stop all the tears in this world,
笑顔になってくれるのなろ
And turn them all into smiles

My music is my life
For you, for your smile...

Friendster Layouts

The Skinny On High-Protein Diets

The Skinny On High-Protein Diets

Shared via AddThis

7-Day Detox Diet Plan

7-Day Detox Diet Plan

Shared via AddThis

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