Every other day, I will receive the news on whom and who get cancer. It’s really scary to see cancer become something so common nowadays. Sometime I am also having question within myself whether or not I’ll get cancer. Seems like fate is a mysterious combination of actors beyond our control.
I know friends and family who smoked, drank and ate bacon everyday yet escaped a diagnosis. And far more disheartening, I also know people who lived a virtuously healthy life only to develop the disease. This adds to my confusion over what actually is the right want to avoid Cancer. I think there are many other factors like lifestyle, stress, nutrition, genetic, radiation, etc that cause this disease.
But first, lets look at the list that tells us what to forgo and what to fill up on. Let’s eat!
Three foods to feast on frequently:
Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower and kale are all cancel fighting stars in the produce department, and several studies have linked them to a lower risk for collateral, lung and stomach cancers. Experts believe that vegetables like cabbage contain chemicals that turn on your body’s natural detoxifying enzymes.
How much to eat: You can’t have too much, but five weekly half cup servings is a reasonable goal.
Foods rich in vitamin D and calcium.
Your breast and colon may be protection from this vitamin/mineral combo. Scientist who reviewed 10 studies found that those who consume high amount of dairy products have a lower risk for colorectal cancer, likely because of calcium’s protective effect.
Tomatoes and Berries
Lycopene, which gives tomatoes and berries their red colour, may help to prevent cell damage. Evidence of their anticancer benefit still being gathered. But certainly, strawberries, raspberries and blueberries are rich in antioxidants, which protect against cell damage.
Three foods to cut back on
Red and processed meat.
Studies have found a strong connection between colon cancer and processed meat. Carcinogens are created when meat is cooked at high temperatures as well as when it’s processed with substances such as nitrates.
Alcohol is one of the few dietary factors showing a clear and consistent relationship with breast cancer.
Fats. Although experts agree that maintaining a diet low in saturated fat is smart all round, the research linking fat and cancer is still controversial. Try to get most of your fat from healthy sources such as avocados, fish, nuts and olive oils.
One Food to watch carefully.
SOY. Soy is generally good for us. But its exact relationship with breast cancer is still being sussed out. Studies in the lab show that breast cancer cells proliferate when exposed to isolated soy compounds, most likely because soy contains plant-based estrogens.
How much to eat. About 20 grams or less daily.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
How Stress Cause Fat, Weight gain and Chronic Diseases
I have attended a retreat that talk about contemplative and meditative prayer and how to communicate with God via Journaling. It’s a very eye opening experience. Each part of us are longing for this silence at heart. But we come into this world with full of noise. We have to do something, always at the go, we have to act. Stress is left and right being put on us. Or we have to become or achieve this and hat by what age. So we keep working and working, busy and busy. No wonder there are so much stress around our life.
I have also talked with a lot of my gal friends, and they will complain about how stress their working life has been. One of my gal friends even has to deal with acute acne in her face due to the stress hormone. The doctor even told her that there is nothing he can do anymore with her skin unless she cut down her stress.
Another friend also tells me that she wonder why she never lost weight no matter how much diet and exercise she tried. Another friend even thinks that she gains weight by breathing the air only.
Here in my study, I learn that there is the relationship between Fat, Stress and Weight & disease. Acute stress shuts down digestive activity, but once the threat is over, stress hormones and digestion usually return to normal. Continuing stress can trigger numerous lives – limiting disorders and conditions, from heart disease and gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) to irritable bowel, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
How is it happen?
When the body gears up to deal with stress, two stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, are released to mobilized fat and carbohydrates stored in the body for the quick energy needed for the ‘flight-or-flight” reaction. Once the acute stress is over, adrenaline goes away but cortisol stays around to help refuel the body and bring it back into balance.
Once of the ways it does this is by giving us a raging appetite that drives us to replace the carbs and fats we’ve used up in the crisis. Even though our stresses today are more likely to be intellectual or emotional, our Paleolithic body still react to them as if we were about to do battle with a saber-toothed tiger.
Under chronic stress, levels of the adrenal hormone cortisol remain high, creating a building of abdominal fat, our primitive emergency supply, and suppressing thyroid function. (Please bear in mind that cortisol also has many other functions like influencing sugar control, anti-inflammatory effect, and aids immune system function.
Normally, cortisol levels drop after the stressful event. But in modern times, when people often are pushed beyond their normal coping ability to handle stress, elevated cortisol levels become chronic, leading to many functional problems including dressed immune function, low thyroid function, problems with sugar control and eventually, adrenal fatigue (“burnout”), and other chronic illness.
So stress eating and weigh gain are the result of cortisol stimulating insulin, the hormone manager of fat stores, to promote fat storage.
People with adrenal exhaustion have toxic stress. Adrenal exhaustion can have a life threatening effect on our body, including increasing our susceptibility to illness and impairing memory and concentration. Toxic stress stimulates higher than normal levels of cortisol.
When stress hormone stays high, it causes increase appetite, which adds on extra kilo. After 40 years old, the extra kilo accumulate deep inside the belly, below the abdominal muscle wall, stored for the flight-or-flight reactions that we have little need of today.
Further more, with continued stress, we are likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a complex health problems that include high blood pressure, high heart rate, diabetes, and increased risk for stroke, blood clotting, and colon cancer. No wonder these diseases are the highest among most Singaporean that I met now. With this high level of stress in everyday at work, unbalance family life and social pressure, I saw many of my friends use chocolate, cake, sweets, ice cream or fast food to numb down their stressful feeling.
I sadden me to see some friends who needs to take medication everyday so that they can suppress their migraine, skin allergy, antibiotic, etc and continue their meeting and work as usual. How long this can survive? Is our health is not the most important thing in our life? If we don't respect it and taking care of it, who will then? Can we still still enjoy the money and reputation that we earn when we are not in the optimum condition?
I have also talked with a lot of my gal friends, and they will complain about how stress their working life has been. One of my gal friends even has to deal with acute acne in her face due to the stress hormone. The doctor even told her that there is nothing he can do anymore with her skin unless she cut down her stress.
Another friend also tells me that she wonder why she never lost weight no matter how much diet and exercise she tried. Another friend even thinks that she gains weight by breathing the air only.
Here in my study, I learn that there is the relationship between Fat, Stress and Weight & disease. Acute stress shuts down digestive activity, but once the threat is over, stress hormones and digestion usually return to normal. Continuing stress can trigger numerous lives – limiting disorders and conditions, from heart disease and gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) to irritable bowel, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
How is it happen?
When the body gears up to deal with stress, two stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, are released to mobilized fat and carbohydrates stored in the body for the quick energy needed for the ‘flight-or-flight” reaction. Once the acute stress is over, adrenaline goes away but cortisol stays around to help refuel the body and bring it back into balance.
Once of the ways it does this is by giving us a raging appetite that drives us to replace the carbs and fats we’ve used up in the crisis. Even though our stresses today are more likely to be intellectual or emotional, our Paleolithic body still react to them as if we were about to do battle with a saber-toothed tiger.
Under chronic stress, levels of the adrenal hormone cortisol remain high, creating a building of abdominal fat, our primitive emergency supply, and suppressing thyroid function. (Please bear in mind that cortisol also has many other functions like influencing sugar control, anti-inflammatory effect, and aids immune system function.
Normally, cortisol levels drop after the stressful event. But in modern times, when people often are pushed beyond their normal coping ability to handle stress, elevated cortisol levels become chronic, leading to many functional problems including dressed immune function, low thyroid function, problems with sugar control and eventually, adrenal fatigue (“burnout”), and other chronic illness.
So stress eating and weigh gain are the result of cortisol stimulating insulin, the hormone manager of fat stores, to promote fat storage.
People with adrenal exhaustion have toxic stress. Adrenal exhaustion can have a life threatening effect on our body, including increasing our susceptibility to illness and impairing memory and concentration. Toxic stress stimulates higher than normal levels of cortisol.
When stress hormone stays high, it causes increase appetite, which adds on extra kilo. After 40 years old, the extra kilo accumulate deep inside the belly, below the abdominal muscle wall, stored for the flight-or-flight reactions that we have little need of today.
Further more, with continued stress, we are likely to develop metabolic syndrome, a complex health problems that include high blood pressure, high heart rate, diabetes, and increased risk for stroke, blood clotting, and colon cancer. No wonder these diseases are the highest among most Singaporean that I met now. With this high level of stress in everyday at work, unbalance family life and social pressure, I saw many of my friends use chocolate, cake, sweets, ice cream or fast food to numb down their stressful feeling.
I sadden me to see some friends who needs to take medication everyday so that they can suppress their migraine, skin allergy, antibiotic, etc and continue their meeting and work as usual. How long this can survive? Is our health is not the most important thing in our life? If we don't respect it and taking care of it, who will then? Can we still still enjoy the money and reputation that we earn when we are not in the optimum condition?
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Why I Decided to Study Doctorate in Holistic Nutrition?
The decision to pursue the Philosophy on Holistic Nutrition was sparked off during an application for a trainer program. I have been a corporate trainer for yeas simply because I love this job. It’s a very rewarding job to witness people’s transformation and people growing beyond their boundaries after undergoing training.
For a long while, I gave very hard thoughts for the kind of training to focus on. Stretching to contemplate beyond livelihood concerns, I discovered that while I value the continuation of my profession as a corporate trainer, I treasure life most. And the best way to cherish life is to live it naturally. Hence, I will want to be able to share with others the secrets to improve live and health naturally.
Health and family are 2 most important treasures in life that I cherish. I love to share with friends and family on the discoveries I made about natural health. People closest to me benefitted from my advice. I am always excited to share the knowledge I learned on natural health; simple questions such as how to get a better skin, what food to eat to cure their gastric, how to increase their immune system. I took personal time to attend seminars about health; I realized I have an amazing habit to head off straight to the health and beauty section of the community library or bookstore whenever I am in one!
My relentless passion and curiosity for natural health brought me to enroll for a nutrition certification from one of the college in Singapore. I enjoyed the class and learning exceedingly. I was very motivated to further my studies on natural heath. I am very glad to find a reputable university on the subject matter.
In Singapore, my country of domicile and Indonesia my country of birth, I witnessed a growing number of friends and families suffering from chronic diseases like cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetic, severe migraine. I begin to question if we are bounded by our genetic inheritance. Can we edit out genes and rewrite the future chapters of our lives? Can a good health be an enduring feature of a fulfilled and contented life? Are age-related diseases a necessary by-product of growing old?
My inspiration is that with the knowledge I acquired from this program, I will be able to spread the good news that health problems are treatable and often avoidable with the right lifestyle and nutrition.
Drawing from my personal experience, eating healthily and exercise moderately makes me look, feel much younger and healthier than people of my age. I want others to benefit from my experience especially to people who suffer from chronic disease. Most importantly, I hope I will be the living example to demonstrate that healthy aging is attainable and it’s possible for us to age gracefully.
Having a healthy body will allow us to develop a sense of purpose and this ultimately results in fulfillment in life. And by learning about Holistic Nutrition will enable me to share this knowledge to develop others with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. I believe I will be fulfilling my own purpose in life by doing so.
For a long while, I gave very hard thoughts for the kind of training to focus on. Stretching to contemplate beyond livelihood concerns, I discovered that while I value the continuation of my profession as a corporate trainer, I treasure life most. And the best way to cherish life is to live it naturally. Hence, I will want to be able to share with others the secrets to improve live and health naturally.
Health and family are 2 most important treasures in life that I cherish. I love to share with friends and family on the discoveries I made about natural health. People closest to me benefitted from my advice. I am always excited to share the knowledge I learned on natural health; simple questions such as how to get a better skin, what food to eat to cure their gastric, how to increase their immune system. I took personal time to attend seminars about health; I realized I have an amazing habit to head off straight to the health and beauty section of the community library or bookstore whenever I am in one!
My relentless passion and curiosity for natural health brought me to enroll for a nutrition certification from one of the college in Singapore. I enjoyed the class and learning exceedingly. I was very motivated to further my studies on natural heath. I am very glad to find a reputable university on the subject matter.
In Singapore, my country of domicile and Indonesia my country of birth, I witnessed a growing number of friends and families suffering from chronic diseases like cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetic, severe migraine. I begin to question if we are bounded by our genetic inheritance. Can we edit out genes and rewrite the future chapters of our lives? Can a good health be an enduring feature of a fulfilled and contented life? Are age-related diseases a necessary by-product of growing old?
My inspiration is that with the knowledge I acquired from this program, I will be able to spread the good news that health problems are treatable and often avoidable with the right lifestyle and nutrition.
Drawing from my personal experience, eating healthily and exercise moderately makes me look, feel much younger and healthier than people of my age. I want others to benefit from my experience especially to people who suffer from chronic disease. Most importantly, I hope I will be the living example to demonstrate that healthy aging is attainable and it’s possible for us to age gracefully.
Having a healthy body will allow us to develop a sense of purpose and this ultimately results in fulfillment in life. And by learning about Holistic Nutrition will enable me to share this knowledge to develop others with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. I believe I will be fulfilling my own purpose in life by doing so.
Miracle Foods for Healthy Skin
hm..today is Janet's farewell lunch and during our girls conversation, again we discuss abt anti aging remedy.
Since i am now taking Phd on Holistic Nutrition, this conversation really inspire me again to write another post about foods for healthy skin. Oh yah..specially for Stacy, I add in Calories and serving size..since she worry so much on her weight..hehe..
The secret to a gorgeous, wrinkle-free complexion lies in what you eat. These seven super-nutritious foods can work miracles on your skin.
Before you reach for the bounty of cleansers, moisturizers, and toners in your bathroom, add the following seven foods to your diet to clear the way for a beautiful complexion. "The nutrients found in these foods benefit the skin because they nourish us from the inside out"
1. Sweet Potatoes
The pumpkin-colored hue of sweet potatoes not only looks pretty on your dinner plate, but its shade also works wonders on your complexion. Sweet potatoes boast large amounts of beta carotene -- an antioxidant whose red, yellow, and orange pigments dress many vegetables in their vibrant colors. Beta carotene's protective qualities defend against the damage that sun exposure will cause.
Serving size: 1 medium size potato
Calories: 117
Quick tip: For an extra dose of fiber, leave their skin on when preparing these tasty treats.
2. Salmon
My all time favourite..Salmon. Oh yah..we just had it during our lunch at sakae sushi just now :-)
Add luster and softness to your complexion by feasting on salmon, a fish with one of the richest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats nourish the skin by reducing the body's production of inflammatory substances, decreasing clogged pores, and averting fine lines and wrinkles.
Serving size:3-4 ounces
Calories: about 150
Quick tip: Buy extra fillets at the market and freeze them; having salmon on hand is the best way to ensure you'll keep up your skin's nutritious regimen.
3. Snapper
This tropical fish, like salmon, is also sky-high in anti-inflammatory fats, and it harbors another beautiful skin booster: the mineral selenium. Selenium has the ability to reduce the risk of sunburn and promote an even skin tone. Snapper itself has a sheen to envy -- in many fine restaurants the fillets are often served skin side up to show off its luminous scales.
Serving size: 3-4 ounces
Calories: about 110
Quick tip: Bake snapper in a bit of olive oil with a layer of chopped almonds on top -- a supper your skin will sing about!
4. Kiwi
An uncelebrated hero of supple skin is kiwi. This tangy-sweet treat packs more vitamin C per ounce than practically any other fruit. Vitamin C helps maintain the collagen in our skin, keeping it firm. But this nutrient can quickly evaporate through exposure to air, water, or heat. Kiwi is an ideal carrier since it locks in the juicy benefits firmly beneath its furry skin. Serving size: 1 medium fruit
Calories: 46
Quick tip: For a quick and easy way to peel kiwi, cut the ends off first. The rest should be a cinch.
5. Sunflower Seeds
Slow down the development of saggy, wrinkled skin by spooning sunflower seeds over salad. These seeds are replete with vitamin E -- a powerful antioxidant that decelerates the aging of skin cells, keeping us looking younger longer. Vitamin E is also known for its ability to diminish the appearance of scars.
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
Calories: 324
Quick tip: Pair unsalted sunflower seeds with raisins for a snack that strikes a perfect balance between savory and sweet.
6. Turkey
Choose turkey over other lunchtime meats for its high concentration of zinc. This mineral maintains collagen and elastin fibers that preserve skin's elasticity and firmness. The healthiest variety to ask for at your grocery's deli counter? Roasted or smoked; flavored turkey, such as honey turkey or turkey pastrami, contains sugar and salt additives.
Serving size: 3-4 ounces
Calories: about 120
Quick tip: Toss turkey with spinach leaves. The latter is another nutritious food packed with zinc.
7.Tea
Dietitians continue to debate just how much liquid we should consume each day, but the requisite eight to 10 glasses still stands. Our body is 70 to 80 percent water, and if we are not drinking enough, our cells don't regenerate and remove waste, resulting in a buildup of impurities. Alternate glasses of water with hot tea or unsweetened iced tea -- green or black. These beverages boast their own supply of acne-fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients (healthy substances from plants).
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 2
Quick tip: To avoid diluting your delicious cold brew with plain ice, fill ice trays with tea. Add a few cubes just before you drink!
Hope this tips will help all of us to grow old gracefully..and stay wrinkle free as long as we could :-). Thanks for such a fun lunch gals..
Since i am now taking Phd on Holistic Nutrition, this conversation really inspire me again to write another post about foods for healthy skin. Oh yah..specially for Stacy, I add in Calories and serving size..since she worry so much on her weight..hehe..
The secret to a gorgeous, wrinkle-free complexion lies in what you eat. These seven super-nutritious foods can work miracles on your skin.
Before you reach for the bounty of cleansers, moisturizers, and toners in your bathroom, add the following seven foods to your diet to clear the way for a beautiful complexion. "The nutrients found in these foods benefit the skin because they nourish us from the inside out"
1. Sweet Potatoes
The pumpkin-colored hue of sweet potatoes not only looks pretty on your dinner plate, but its shade also works wonders on your complexion. Sweet potatoes boast large amounts of beta carotene -- an antioxidant whose red, yellow, and orange pigments dress many vegetables in their vibrant colors. Beta carotene's protective qualities defend against the damage that sun exposure will cause.
Serving size: 1 medium size potato
Calories: 117
Quick tip: For an extra dose of fiber, leave their skin on when preparing these tasty treats.
2. Salmon
My all time favourite..Salmon. Oh yah..we just had it during our lunch at sakae sushi just now :-)
Add luster and softness to your complexion by feasting on salmon, a fish with one of the richest concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats nourish the skin by reducing the body's production of inflammatory substances, decreasing clogged pores, and averting fine lines and wrinkles.
Serving size:3-4 ounces
Calories: about 150
Quick tip: Buy extra fillets at the market and freeze them; having salmon on hand is the best way to ensure you'll keep up your skin's nutritious regimen.
3. Snapper
This tropical fish, like salmon, is also sky-high in anti-inflammatory fats, and it harbors another beautiful skin booster: the mineral selenium. Selenium has the ability to reduce the risk of sunburn and promote an even skin tone. Snapper itself has a sheen to envy -- in many fine restaurants the fillets are often served skin side up to show off its luminous scales.
Serving size: 3-4 ounces
Calories: about 110
Quick tip: Bake snapper in a bit of olive oil with a layer of chopped almonds on top -- a supper your skin will sing about!
4. Kiwi
An uncelebrated hero of supple skin is kiwi. This tangy-sweet treat packs more vitamin C per ounce than practically any other fruit. Vitamin C helps maintain the collagen in our skin, keeping it firm. But this nutrient can quickly evaporate through exposure to air, water, or heat. Kiwi is an ideal carrier since it locks in the juicy benefits firmly beneath its furry skin. Serving size: 1 medium fruit
Calories: 46
Quick tip: For a quick and easy way to peel kiwi, cut the ends off first. The rest should be a cinch.
5. Sunflower Seeds
Slow down the development of saggy, wrinkled skin by spooning sunflower seeds over salad. These seeds are replete with vitamin E -- a powerful antioxidant that decelerates the aging of skin cells, keeping us looking younger longer. Vitamin E is also known for its ability to diminish the appearance of scars.
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
Calories: 324
Quick tip: Pair unsalted sunflower seeds with raisins for a snack that strikes a perfect balance between savory and sweet.
6. Turkey
Choose turkey over other lunchtime meats for its high concentration of zinc. This mineral maintains collagen and elastin fibers that preserve skin's elasticity and firmness. The healthiest variety to ask for at your grocery's deli counter? Roasted or smoked; flavored turkey, such as honey turkey or turkey pastrami, contains sugar and salt additives.
Serving size: 3-4 ounces
Calories: about 120
Quick tip: Toss turkey with spinach leaves. The latter is another nutritious food packed with zinc.
7.Tea
Dietitians continue to debate just how much liquid we should consume each day, but the requisite eight to 10 glasses still stands. Our body is 70 to 80 percent water, and if we are not drinking enough, our cells don't regenerate and remove waste, resulting in a buildup of impurities. Alternate glasses of water with hot tea or unsweetened iced tea -- green or black. These beverages boast their own supply of acne-fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients (healthy substances from plants).
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 2
Quick tip: To avoid diluting your delicious cold brew with plain ice, fill ice trays with tea. Add a few cubes just before you drink!
Hope this tips will help all of us to grow old gracefully..and stay wrinkle free as long as we could :-). Thanks for such a fun lunch gals..
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