A QUICK ANNOUNCEMENT

To all my blogger friends and viewers,

My apology to all for not responding to EC drops, Cbox messages, comments etc. reason being, I was not able to surf on the net for the past 5 days. I was not able to send feedback and comments to you guys and I even missed out posting my Music Monday for this week. My programmer was here a few days ago to check what went wrong and only appeared today to replace my faulty modem to a new one.

I will only be free tonight to reply all Cbox messages, to check all comments and to do EC dropping.

Hope you guys understand now why I was missing and not responding for quite a while. I am living in Terengganu not Kuala Lumpur, so you can just imagine of the slow service here, moreover, I only trust my programmer I know and that was why it was such a delay.

Will be back with more actions soon. Have a good and terrific day, cheers!

The first and second commenters get my Linky Love

Blackberry

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TRIBUTES TO THE KING OF POP - MICHAEL JACKSON

I am a fan of Michael Jackson, the news of his death today came as a shock to me. He was a great dancer ever and no one else can takes his place. His impact is global. The song "We are the world" brought together and united many talented stars singing this song to help hunger in Africa. He was a musical genius and many around the world like to imitate him. He would be 51 years old this coming August. I think I know why he had a short life, he always did not look as a happy person. I will always remember him as the energetic unique and very talented pop star. He was kind and loving. I love almost all of his music and songs. May he rests in peace! We love you Michael.

I remembered he once said that we should listen to his song "Childhood" in order to know him better.

Please find below links regarding Michael Jackson from cnn.com:

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/michael.jackson/

Please find below links of shocking news relating to Michael Jackson's sudden death:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1196158/Michael-Jackson-death-foul-play-claims-father-Joe.html

Please find below links of Lisa Marie Presley talking about Michael Jackson:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/26/jackson.presley.blog/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

And another site more on Michael Jackson:

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25704494-5006024,00.html

Michael Jackson died Thursday afternoon (June 25) at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest.

Reports say the legendary pop singer collapsed and suffered cardiac arrest at his home in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills. A doctor present at the time of the incident performed CPR on the singer but could not revive him. He was not breathing and had no pulse when paramedics arrived after a 911 call around 12:26 p.m. PT. They administered CPR and took Jackson via ambulance to UCLA Medical Center but were unable to revive him.

At the hospital, a team of doctors, including emergency physicians and cardiologists, attempted to resuscitate him for more than an hour, but were unsuccessful. According to Jermaine Jackson, the singer's brother, Michael was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m.

During a brief press conference on Thursday evening, a visibly shaken Jermaine stepped in front of cameras and said, "This is hard."

After describing details about the incident's timeline, Jermaine closed by saying, "Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time. And may Allah be with you, Michael, always."

The exact circumstances surrounding Jackson's death continue to remain unclear. Jackson's brother Marlon told CNN that Michael was not feeling well Wednesday night and a doctor was called to the house. Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman speculated to CNN that the singer's death might be related to the abuse of prescription medication.

Los Angeles Police Department robbery/homicide detectives have begun an investigation into the death, though there is no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Detectives will interview relatives, friends and Jackson's doctors. The L.A. County coroner's office will conduct an autopsy Friday.

From his early career in the 1970s with his family group the Jackson 5 to his decades-long career as a solo artist, Jackson stood as one of the most successful and beloved pop artists of all time, selling more than 750 million albums worldwide. He won 13 Grammy Awards.

Full Biography
Michael Jackson was unquestionably the biggest pop star of the '80s, and certainly one of the most popular recording artists of all time. In his prime, Jackson was an unstoppable juggernaut, possessed of all the tools to dominate the charts seemingly at will: an instantly identifiable voice, eye-popping dance moves, stunning musical versatility, and loads of sheer star power. His 1982 blockbuster Thriller became the biggest-selling album of all time (probably his best-known accomplishment), and he was the first black artist to find stardom on MTV, breaking down innumerable boundaries both for his race and for music video as an art form. Yet as Jackson's career began, very gradually, to descend from the dizzying heights of his peak years, most of the media's attention focused on his increasingly bizarre eccentricities; he was often depicted as an arrested man-child, completely sheltered from adult reality by a life spent in show business. The snickering turned to scandal in 1993, when Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy; although he categorically denied the charges, his out-of-court settlement failed to restore his tarnished image. He never quite escaped the stigma of those allegations, and while he continued to sell records at superstar-like levels, he didn't release them with enough frequency (or, many critics thought, inspiration) to once again become better known for his music than his private life. Whether as a pop icon or a tabloid caricature, Jackson always remained bigger than life.

Michael Joseph Jackson was born August 29, 1958, in Gary, IN. The fifth son of steelworker Joe Jackson, Michael displayed a talent for music and dance from an extremely young age. His childhood was strictly regimented; from the start, he was to an extent sheltered from the outside world by his mother's Jehovah's Witness faith, and his father was by all accounts an often ill-tempered disciplinarian. Joe began to organize a family musical group around his three eldest sons in 1962, and Michael joined them the following year, quickly establishing himself as a dynamic stage performer. His dead-on mastery of James Brown's dance moves and soulful, mature-beyond-his-years vocals made him a natural focal point, especially given his incredibly young age. Dubbed the Jackson 5, the group signed to Motown in 1968 and issued their debut single in October 1969, when Michael was just 11 years old. "I Want You Back," "ABC," "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There" all hit number one in 1970, making the Jackson 5 the first group in pop history to have their first four singles top the charts. Motown began priming Michael for a solo career in 1971, and his first single, "Got to Be There," was issued toward the end of the year; it hit the Top Five, as did the follow-up, a cover of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin." Later in 1972, Jackson had his first number one solo single, "Ben," the title song from a children's thriller about a young boy who befriends Ben, the highly intelligent leader of a gang of homicidal rats. Given the subject matter, the song was surprisingly sincere and sentimental, and even earned an Oscar nomination. However, the momentum of Jackson's solo career (much like that of the Jackson 5) soon stalled. He released his fourth and final album on Motown in 1975, and the following year, he and his brothers (save Jermaine) signed to Epic and became the Jacksons.

In 1977, Jackson landed a starring role alongside Diana Ross in the all-black film musical The Wiz, a retelling of The Wizard of Oz; here he met producer/composer Quincy Jones for the first time. Encouraged by the success of the Jacksons' self-produced, mostly self-written 1978 album Destiny, Jackson elected to resume his solo career when his management contract with his father expired shortly thereafter. With Jones producing, Jackson recorded his first solo album as an adult, Off the Wall. An immaculately crafted set of funky disco-pop, smooth soul, and lush, sentimental pop ballads, Off the Wall made Jackson a star all over again. It produced four Top Ten singles, including the number one hits "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "Rock With You," and went platinum (it went on to sell over seven million copies); even so, Jackson remained loyal to his brothers and stayed with the group.

No group could have contained Jackson's rapidly rising star for long; however, there was still no sign (if there ever could be) that his next album would become the biggest in history. Released in 1982, the Quincy Jones-produced Thriller refined the strengths of Off the Wall; the dance and rock tracks were more driving, the pop tunes and ballads softer and more soulful, and all of it was recognizably Michael. Jackson brought in Paul McCartney for a duet, guitarist Eddie Van Halen for a jaw-dropping solo, and Vincent Price for a creepy recitation. It was no surprise that Thriller was a hit; what was a surprise was its staying power. Jackson's duet with McCartney, "The Girl Is Mine," was a natural single choice, and it peaked at number two; then "Billie Jean" and the Van Halen track "Beat It" both hit number one, for seven and three weeks respectively. Those latter two songs, as well as the future Top Five title track, had one important feature in common: Jackson supported them with elaborately conceived video clips that revolutionized the way music videos were made. Jackson treated them as song-length movies with structured narratives: "Billie Jean" set the song's tale of a paternity suit in a nightmarish dream world where Jackson was a solitary, sometimes invisible presence; the anti-gang-violence "Beat It" became an homage to West Side Story; and the ten-minute-plus clip for "Thriller" (routinely selected as the best video of all time) featured Jackson leading a dance troupe of rotting zombies, with loads of horror-film makeup and effects. Having never really accepted black artists in the past, MTV played the clips to death, garnering massive publicity for Jackson and droves of viewers for the fledgling cable network. Jackson sealed his own phenomenon by debuting his signature "moonwalk" dance step on May 16, 1983, on Motown's televised 25th anniversary special; though he didn't invent the moonwalk (as he himself was quick to point out), it became as much of a Jackson signature as his vocal hiccups or single white-sequined glove.

Showing no signs of slowing down, Thriller just kept spinning off singles, including "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," the airy ballad "Human Nature," and "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)"; in all, seven of its nine tracks wound up in the Top Ten, obliterating conventional ideas of how many singles could be released from an album before it ran its course. Thriller stayed on the charts for over two years, spent 37 nonconsecutive weeks at number one, and became the best-selling album of all time; it went on to sell 25 million copies in the U.S. alone, and around another 20 million overseas. Naturally, Jackson won a slew of awards, including a record eight Grammys in one night, and snagged the largest endorsement deal ever when he became a spokesman for Pepsi (he would later be burned in an accident while filming a commercial). At the end of 1983, Jackson was again on top of the singles charts, this time as part of a second duet with McCartney, "Say Say Say." In 1984, Jackson rejoined his brothers one last time for the album Victory, whose supporting tour was one of the biggest (and priciest) of the year. The following year, he and Lionel Richie co-wrote the anthemic "We Are the World" for the all-star famine-relief effort USA for Africa; it became one of the fastest-selling singles ever.

Even at this early stage, wild rumors about Jackson's private life were swirling. His shyness and reluctance to grant interviews (ironically, due in part to his concerns about being misrepresented) only encouraged more speculation. Some pointed to his soft-spoken, still girlish voice as evidence that he'd undergone hormone treatments to preserve the high, flexible range of his youth; stories were told about Jackson sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber to slow the aging process, and purchasing the skeleton of John Merrick, the Elephant Man (Jackson did view the bones in the London Hospital, but did not buy them). Jackson bought a large ranch in California which he dubbed Neverland, and filled it with amusement park rides and animals (including the notorious pet chimpanzee Bubbles), which only fueled the public's perception of him as a somewhat bizarre eccentric obsessed with recapturing his childhood. He also underwent cosmetic surgery several times, which led to accusations from the black community that his gradually lightening skin tone was the result of an intentional effort to become whiter; a few years later, Jackson revealed that he had a disorder called vitiligo, in which pigment disappears from the skin, leaving large white blotches and making direct sunlight dangerous. One of the rumors that was definitely true was that Jackson owned the rights to the Beatles' catalog; in 1985, he acquired ATV Publishing, the firm that controlled all the Lennon-McCartney copyrights (among others), which wound up costing him his friendship with McCartney.

During his long layoff between records, Jackson indulged his interest in film and video by working with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola on the 3-D short film Captain Eo. The special-effects extravaganza was shown at the enormous widescreen IMAX theaters in Disney's amusement parks for 12 years, beginning in 1986. Finally, Jackson re-entered the studio with Quincy Jones to begin the near-impossible task of crafting a follow-up to Thriller. Bad was released to enormous public anticipation in 1987, and was accompanied by equally enormous publicity. It debuted at number one, and the first single, "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," with vocal accompaniment by Siedah Garrett, also shot up the charts to number one. Like Thriller, Bad continued to spin off singles for well over a year after its release, and became the first album ever to produce five number one hits; the others were "Bad," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Man in the Mirror," and "Dirty Diana." Jackson supported the album with a lengthy world tour that featured a typically spectacular, elaborate stage show; it became the highest-grossing tour of all time. Although Jackson's success was still staggering, there were faint undercurrents of disappointment, partly because of the unparalleled phenomenon of Thriller (Bad "only" sold eight million copies), and partly because the album itself didn't seem quite as exuberant or uniformly consistent when compared to its predecessors.

Jackson took another long hiatus between albums, giving the media little to focus on besides his numerous eccentricities; by this time, the British tabloids delighted in calling him "Wacko Jacko," a name he detested. When Jackson returned in with a new album in late 1991, he'd come up with a different moniker: "the King of Pop." Dangerous found Jackson ending his collaboration with Quincy Jones in an effort to update his sound; accordingly, many of the tracks were helmed by the groundbreaking new jack swing producer Teddy Riley. As expected, the album debuted at number one, and its lead single, "Black or White," shot to the top as well. Jackson courted controversy with the song's video, however; after the song itself ended, there was a long dance sequence in which Jackson shouted, grabbed his crotch, and smashed car windows in a bizarre display that seemed at odds with the song's harmonious message. With the video given a high-profile, prime-time network premiere, Jackson was criticized for the inappropriate violence and the message it might send to his younger fans. However, Jackson would not be the biggest story in popular music for long. In early 1992, Nirvana's Nevermind symbolically knocked Dangerous out of the number one spot; after the alternative rock revolution, the pop charts would never be quite the same. Jackson scored several more hits off the album, including the Top Tens "Remember the Time" and "In the Closet," but the aggressive "Jam" and the saccharine "Heal the World" both performed disappointingly.

Jackson had long preferred the company of children over other adults, and befriended quite a few, inviting them to stay at his Neverland Ranch and enjoy the massive playground he'd assembled over the years. In 1993, Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy who'd become a frequent guest at Neverland. Predictably, there was a tabloid feeding frenzy, and a mainstream media circus as well. In the court of public opinion, the charges seemed all too plausible: Jackson was near-universally perceived as a weirdo, and here was a handy explanation for his heretofore asexual persona and distaste for adult companions. Additionally, Jackson entered rehab for a short time, seeking treatment for an addiction to pain killers. Investigations were unsuccessful in turning up any other boys who echoed the allegations, and Jackson countersued his accusers for attempting extortion; however, in spite of the fact that no criminal charges were ever filed against Jackson, he settled the boy's family's suit out of court in early 1995, paying an estimated 18 to 20 million dollars. Many felt the settlement was tantamount to an admission of guilt, and when Jackson married Lisa Marie Presley in 1994, the move was perceived as a desperate ploy to rehabilitate his image; the marriage broke up just 19 months later, seemingly lending credence to the charge.

In 1995, Jackson attempted to put the focus back on his music by preparing HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1, a two-CD set featuring one disc of new material and one of his greatest hits. The album debuted at number one, but the format backfired on Jackson: his fans already owned the hits, and the new album simply wasn't strong enough to offset the added cost of the extra disc for many more casual listeners. There were some encouraging signs -- the lead single "Scream," a duet with sister Janet, debuted at number five, setting a new American chart record that was broken when the follow-up, "You Are Not Alone," became the first single ever to enter the Billboard Hot 100 at number one. But on the whole, HIStory was something of a disappointment. Additionally, Jackson collapsed during rehearsals for an awards show later that year, and had to be rushed to the hospital; what was more, the Eagles' Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) was threatening to catch Thriller's American sales record (it eventually did, and the two continued to run neck and neck). There were signs that Jackson was grasping at his self-proclaimed King of Pop status; the cover of HIStory depicted an enormous statue of Jackson, and he performed at the 1996 BRIT Awards dressed as a Messiah, with children and a rabbi surrounding him worshipfully (Pulp lead singer Jarvis Cocker stormed the stage to protest Jackson's hubris during the middle of the song). The 1997 remix album Blood on the Dance Floor failed to even go platinum, although remix albums historically don't perform nearly as well as new material.

In late 1996, Jackson remarried, to nurse Debbie Rowe; over the next two years, the couple had two children, son Prince Michael Jackson, Jr. and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. However, Jackson and Rowe divorced in late 1999. In 2001, Jackson was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and later held a massive concert at Madison Square Garden celebrating the 30th anniversary of his first solo record. Among many other celebrity guests, the show featured the first on-stage reunion of the Jacksons since the Victory tour. In the wake of September 11, Jackson put together an all-star charity benefit single, "What More Can I Give." His new album, Invincible, was released late in the year, marking the first time he'd issued a collection of entirely new material since Dangerous; it found him working heavily with urban soul production wizard Rodney Jerkins. Invincible debuted at number one and quickly went double platinum; however, its initial singles, "You Rock My World" and "Butterflies," had rather disappointing showings on the charts, with the latter not even reaching the Top Ten. To compound matters, the expensive "What More Can I Give" single and video were canceled by Sony when executive producer Marc Schaffel was revealed to work in pornography. Jackson's camp tried to distance the singer from Schaffel, and the various corporations that were attached to it (McDonalds, Sony) claimed they had minimal involvement if any with the song. Sony and Jackson began a press war in the summer of 2002, starting with Jackson's claims that the label asked for 200 million dollars to pay them back for marketing costs. Although they had spent 55 million on his disappointing comeback, Sony released a statement saying that no such request had ever been made. Jackson stewed for a few weeks before launching a press attack on Sony Music chairman Tommy Mottola, calling him "devilish" and making claims that he used racist language and held down black artists. Many Sony artists, including Mariah Carey and Ricky Martin, defended Mottola, but Jackson and his family maintained that racism ended their professional relationship.

From that point, Jackson's career took an extreme turn toward the bizarre, starting with MTV's annual Video Awards. When Britney Spears presented him with a birthday cake, an offhand remark about being the artist of the millennium inspired a rambling Jackson to accept a meaningless trophy (which everyone presenting on-stage received) as an actual Artist of the Millennium award. Next came accusations from a promotional company over his promises of a tour and several appearances that he then canceled. Jackson arrived in court late, gave a drowsy testimony, and inspired gasps when he removed a surgical mask to reveal his nose had caved in from a botched cosmetic surgery. Only days later, German fans were horrified when Jackson came to the balcony of his hotel suite and briefly dangled his 11-month old baby Prince Michael II (nicknamed "Blanket" by Jackson) over the edge with one arm. Although he apologized the next day, claiming he had gotten caught up in the moment, this only did more to cement the King of Pop's public image as an out-of-control millionaire. 2003 turned out to not be Jackson's year as in November his Neverland Ranch was extensively searched by police, whereby he was subsequently arrested on charges of child molestation. That same month the single disc retrospective Number Ones hit the stands with one new song, "One More Chance". A year later - nearly to the day - the four CD and one DVD box set The Ultimate Collection appeared with numerous rarities including the original demo for "We Are the World". In January 2005 his child molestation trial began and by May he was acquitted on all counts. Jackson soon relocated to the Persian Gulf island of Bahrain and began working on new music including a charity single that would benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. The single never appeared but the two disc The Essential Michael Jackson did and in 2006 the strange box set Visionary was released featuring 20 DualDiscs replicating 20 big hit singles with their videos included on the DVD side. In early 2007 it was announced that a comeback album was planned for late in the year.

The first and second commenters give my Linky Love

Acai Berry

Robb

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What Do Your Initials Say About You?

You Are Accepting and Open

When You Are At Your Best or in a Social Setting: You are a conscientious, considerate person. You are a true humanitarian. You value justice and peace. People see you as unselfish and fascinating. You are worldly and sophisticated. You always have something interesting to say. When You Are Comfortable: You are enthusiastic and flexible. You are open-minded. You prefer to learn from others... not judge them. People see you as kind and cooperative. You are very supportive when friends are down on their luck.

What Do Your Initials Say About You?

I was just curious, so I took this test found at "facebook" for fun just to amuse myself. Surprisingly, it turns out to be almost true. Not bad! Why don't you guys try check it out just for the fun of it.

NO JOKE, NO FUN!

The first and the second commenter get my Linky Love

Dorothy L

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MUSIC MONDAY - "A COMME AMOUR" WITH RICHARD CLAYDERMAN

"Being a good listener requires humility' but it's often the source of a fresh thought that can help you solve a problem of your own"

I love listening to the sound of piano, especially from the famous pianist Richard Clayderman. I hope all viewers like my selection this week. It is a beautiful piece of music, one will get carried away listening to music such as this. For this week, it's another music post from me.

As usual, I always like to include another video, so that we won't get bored with just one video. By the way, it's "Santana with Europa" accompanied by beautiful sound of the wave with great images of the wave in the ocean blue, the bright sunny sky and inviting sandy beaches, all come to live!

This music is so refreshing. Enjoy it.

Happy listening, have a great week. Cheers!

HAPPY MUSIC MONDAY

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

The first & second commenters get my Linky Love



nancy

&

Congrats.

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GOOD HEALTH

Principle #1: Good Health Starts With Good Nutrition
Food is the most powerful "magic pill" you have for better health. The nutrients and nourishment your body receives from healthy food can improve all of your major bodily functions including:

Metabolism
Digestion
Immune system
Cognitive function

In other words, what you eat on a daily basis will affect how you look on the outside, how you feel on the inside, how well you can resist illness, and even how clearly you think. Once you start making healthy eating decisions, you can experience a significant improvement in your physical, mental and emotional health.

Develop your will power

Making the decision to eat better isn't about instant perfection. As long as you continually strive to make the right choices each day, you will start to feel better and gradually develop your will power.

Choose foods that provide your body with essential nutrients, such as whole grains, chicken, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, low fat dairy and eggs. Make sure you're getting plenty of dietary fibre, and try to drink at least 12 to 15 250mL glasses of clean fluids such as water, diluted juice or plain tea each day.

Try to avoid the foods that wreak havoc on your body, such as fried and processed foods, white bread and pasta, sugar, trans fats, candy, and cream sauces.

Accept the fact that you have to be flexible in your diet and you will not be able to eat healthy 100% of the time. But if you become conscious about what you put into your body and make an honest effort, you will begin to experience remarkable benefits.

Healthy choices:

Choose healthy foods each day
Focus on low glycemic index foods
Increase daily fibre intake
Drink plenty of fluids
Reduce daily fat intake
Avoid trans fats and other unhealthy foods

You Should Know

Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates can be very good for you. The key is to consume carbohydrate foods with a low glycemic index (GI) score, as they are absorbed more slowly by the body and provide a steady supply of healthy energy. You can build a healthy diet around such low-GI carbohydrate foods as whole grains, brown or parboiled rice, legumes, many fruits and most vegetables.

Principle #2: Nutritional Supplements are Essential
Many people wonder if nutritional supplements a necessary part of healthy living. The answer is an unqualified “yes”, and here's why.

Although you can find some vitamins, minerals and nutrients in healthy foods, virtually all modern diets have gaps that must be filled with nutritional supplements. The solution is to get into the habit of making healthy eating choices, then backing them up with proven nutritional supplements such as antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and specific herbs.

There are thousands of nutritional supplements on the market providing a wide array of different health benefits. The right supplements will vary for each person, but the foundation of a supplement regimen should include the following:

Multi-Vitamin/Mineral

A multi-vitamin/mineral is absolutely essential. Eat well and supplement your diet with a good multi-vitamin/mineral in order to guarantee that you get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Antioxidant Supplement

Free radicals are substances that build up in your body, attack your cells, and cause a wide variety of diseases. They are generally thought to be the result of stress, pollution and fatty foods. Antioxidants are the solution. They neutralize free radicals and flush them out of your body before they can do harm.

Phytonutrients

A “multi-phytonutrient” is always recommended. These plant-based nutrients are extremely important for health and are difficult to get from food alone, especially since most people do not eat the required amount of fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Supplementing your diet with a good botanical blend will help ensure your body gets all the phytonutrients it needs.

Depending on your personal health conditions and concerns, you can add more targeted supplements to your routine to optimize your health and quality of life.

Healthy choices:

Supplement your vitamin/mineral intake
Neutralize free radicals with antioxidants
Always support your phytonutrient consumption
Take targeted supplements for specific health concerns

You Should Know

It's nearly impossible to get all your vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from food alone. First, modern soil is depleted of nutrients, which decreases the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables. Second, to get all your nutrition from food would require a full-time job monitoring and measuring the amount and type of food you eat everyday. Finally, stress, environmental pollution and processed foods can actually deplete your body of the nutrients it gets from healthy foods.

Principle #3: Achieve & Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, arthritis, and cancer are all becoming more widespread, and experts agree that poor diet is a major aggravating factor. In particular, obesity is a common issue that links – or even causes – many serious ailments. That's why we all need to achieve and maintain a sensible, healthy body weight.

One way to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight is to use the glycemic index (GI) as a guide in choosing the foods you eat.

Control blood sugar to control weight

The glycemic index is a measure of the ability of a food to raise blood sugar levels after it is eaten. Food with a low-GI rating can help you control your weight in two important ways.

First, high-GI foods cause sudden increases in blood sugar, which trigger a greater insulin response in the body. This insulin response signals the body to store excess energy as fat. In contrast, low-GI foods provide a steady energy supply and reduce this storage effect.

Second, research has shown that when blood sugar plunges after reaching the post-meal peak, hunger sets in again, leading to more eating. Since we digest low-GI foods more slowly, we are less likely to feel hungry again, and will be less inclined to snack or overeat.

In addition to improving weight loss results and controlling appetite, several studies have shown that a low-GI diet can reduce insulin resistance, enhance blood sugar control in diabetics, lower levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and raise levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol.

Healthy choices:

Switch from regular white rice to brown rice or parboiled white rice
Choose whole-wheat or other whole-grain bread instead of white bread
Have medium-GI sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes
Eat lots of fruit except for melons, which are high-GI foods
Consider a low-GI nutritional supplement or meal replacement

You Should Know

The high levels of insulin needed to control high-GI foods can increase your weight and cause other damage too. Research suggests that repeated overproduction of insulin could lead to insulin resistance, in which cells that normally respond to insulin become less sensitive. Excessive high-GI foods, high insulin levels, and insulin resistance have been associated with many health concerns, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

Principle #4: Live An Active Lifestyles
Active living is a crucial part of health. Exercise strengthens your body and everything inside. In fact, there are so many benefits, you'd be crazy not to start.

Regular exercise can:

Reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and colon cancer
Relieve depression and anxiety and promote psychological well-being
Build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints
Help control body weight
Along with a healthy diet, exercise is necessary to keep us looking and feeling our best.
Balance strength & cardiovascular training

There are two forms of exercise that you need to be concerned with: strength (or resistance training) and cardiovascular training.

Strength training helps build muscle, which is absolutely necessary for a body that is stronger, healthier and leaner. Lifting weights will bring you the greatest benefits.

Cardiovascular exercise burns calories and strengthens your heart. There are a lot of different choices for cardio so you have to find one that you enjoy best. Consider joining an aerobics class, a sports team, or adding walking or cycling to your daily routine.

Even if you can't imagine yourself on a weight machine or jogging for miles, you can still benefit simply by replacing some of the time you currently spend in front of the TV or computer with gardening, dancing, or some other form of enjoyable physical activity.

Physical, mental and emotional health are always linked. Exercise helps “burn off” the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol, which can not only improve your mood, but also help lower your blood pressure and protect your arteries from stress damage.

Healthy choices:

Combine strength and cardiovascular training
Incorporate movement into your daily routine
Find a sport or other physical hobby that you enjoy
Consider walking or biking instead of taking the car
If you have children, make sure they are also active

You Should Know

When it comes to exercise, consistency is important. Shorter, more frequent workouts are usually better than intense but infrequent exercise. For most adults, as little as 20 minutes of continuous, rhythmic activity such as walking, jogging, biking, swimming or rowing three to five times per week can produce beneficial results. And don't forget – kids who develop the exercise habit will build strong bones and reduce the chance of obesity in adulthood.

Principle #5: Create A Healthy Home Environment
A healthy home environment is one that is as free of toxins as possible, and that promotes peace, rest, and relaxation. Most of us spend significantly more time in our homes than we do outside, so it's crucial for the home environment be healthy for us physically, mentally and emotionally.

Clean air

Believe it or not, the air inside many homes is more polluted than the air outside. Pets, cleaning products, chemical air fresheners, moulds, mildew, and smoke can all add to the problem. Open the windows of your home often to improve air circulation, and consider purchasing a high-quality are filtration system.

Clean water

Numerous studies have identified potentially hazardous synthetic chemicals in our tap water, so it's important to protect your family. High-quality bottled water or a water filtration system can help purify your water supply, and reduce the health risks.

Clean surroundings

Cleanliness is pleasing to the senses, but be selective about the cleaning products you use. Use only natural cleansers for your home and body. This includes detergents and other laundry products, air fresheners, soaps, shampoos and toothpaste.

Peaceful relationships

If your relationships in the home are stressful, your health will suffer. Often, the best solution is to rid your life of any outside things, tasks or people that don't contribute to your well-being, so you can focus on nurturing the relationships within your family. Take time to meditate on your own happiness, and let go of any blame, resentment or grudge that prevents you from enjoying the peace of mind you deserve.

Healthy choices:

Keep household air fresh and clean
Use effective water filtration
Reduce the use of chemicals in the home
Invest time in your family relationships
Release negative emotions

You Should Know

In 2005, the Environmental Working Group in Washington, DC released the results of a study revealing that even unborn babies have a soup of toxic chemicals flowing through their veins. This body pollution, present even before birth, is a direct result of the air we breathe and the water we drink. Although it is impossible to completely eliminate these toxins, air and water filtration systems can improve the healthiness of your home environment.

Principle #6: Reduce Stress & Increase Laughter
Stress and anxiety can have a significant negative impact on all aspects of health. A calm mind, serene and centered in its equilibrium, is unquestionably superior in terms of focus, attention span, retention of knowledge and problem-solving ability.

Beyond the mental and emotional effects of stress, there are also physical health risks. When stressed, the body diverts blood and energy from the digestive tract to the large muscles and the brain. Digestion slows down, and fewer digestive enzymes and acids are produced. Your body will no longer be able to extract all the nutrients it needs from your food, yet it will require even more nutrients than normal in order to maintain the stress response.

In this conflicted state, your body is almost certain to lack vital nutrients such as protein, antioxidants (including selenium and vitamins A, C and E), all B vitamins (including niacin, pantothenic acid and folic acid), calcium, magnesium and essential fatty acids.

Strategies for coping

It is important to manage stress before it becomes a severe problem. For example, plan tasks ahead of time, don't overburden your schedule, take occasional breaks during periods of intense mental activity, and maintain a healthy balance between work and relaxation.

Relaxing music, diffusing aromas such as sandalwood or lavender, or a quiet evening stroll alone or with a nurturing companion are good ways to help balance the mind and emotions. Social, leisure, and recreational activities, meditation/relaxation techniques, and exercise are also excellent outlets for stress. Certain nutritional and herbal supplements can also help your body respond better to daily stress factors.

Key Points:

Plan ahead to avoid stress
Give yourself a rest when you need it
Always make time for personal pursuits, meditation and relaxation
Consider stress-reducing nutritional supplements
Try to find humour in every day life

You Should Know

Researchers in California have shown that laughter can lower blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, increase muscle flexion, and boost immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting T-cells, disease-fighting proteins called Gamma-interferon and B-cells, which produce disease-destroying antibodies. Laughter also triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers, and produces a general sense of well-being. Sometimes the best way to diffuse a stressful situation is to find humour in it.

"I joined "Lifestyles" in 2001 when I was in Kuala Lumpur and I have been drinking "intra" ever since for my daily health. It gives me so much energy and I am quite healthy till today, imagine I have to toil around the house with so many rescued cats to take care, it involved a lot of hard work and need someone with full of energy and healthy always. I haven't been sick for years, Al hamdullillah! " Lily Arbee

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