De-stress and tone up with a good swim

Swimming is a great exercise because it involves lots of muscle groups. Also, as you're supported by water, you're less likely to get injuries such as sore knees from pounding the pavement as you jog or scrapes from falling over when you playing football.

To make the most of your swim, check out these tips.

1. Wear proper gear. You can go in a clean T-shirt and shorts but water will weigh you down. A swimsuit is designed to work efficiently in water.

2. Go when it's quiet. When there are many kids squeling and jumping. It's hard to do laps or relax. Figure out when you can get the pool to yourself.

3. Warm up by stretching. Swimming is a low-impact exercise but you'll be using lots of muscles, so prevent cramps and injuries by warming up before you take the plunge.

4. A front crawl looks great and feels energetic but actually, a breast stroke is generally more intensive - although not as impressive. An advantage is that you can keep your head above water and see where you're going.

5. Swim a couple of slow laps where you make a point of stretching to improve flexibility and then a few fast laps to get the blood flowing. Then work a few medium-faced laps to energise yourself and work on your muscle tone by keeping that workout glow going.

6. Finish by floating on your back for five minutes and meditating. If you're the type to doze off while you float, hook and ankle on the side so you don't bump into other swimmers.

P.S. Don't forget your waterproof sunscreen. Apply half an hour before going to the pool so it soaks in and stays on.

BEST RECOMMENDATION! Waterproof Sunscreen with BEST PROTECTION under the SUN

• Banana Boat Sunscreen Sport Family Size Broad Spectrum Sun Care Sunscreen Lotion - SPF 50, 12 ounce 
• NO-AD Water Resistant Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 85 16 fl oz (475 ml)
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen SPF 100, 3 oz., (Packaging May Vary)
• EltaMD SPF 50 UV Sport Water-resistant Sunscreen, 3 Fluid Ounce

Eating Tips for Weight Loss

Want to lose some weight and get back into the healthy shape of your younger years?

There is no substitute for a comprehensive diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in fats and sugars. However, if you're looking to start a new life with bit of quick weight loss to boost your morale and motivation, check out these tips:

Sleep
If you're feeling tired, you tend to move about less during the day. This translates into fewer calories burned. Studies show that people who sleep fewer than six hours a night are 27% more likely to become obese, so make sure you get enough rest by sleeping an average of eight hours a night.

Eat a lot
If you starve yourself, you will find yourself loading up on junk food that is not only filing but also fattening. Make sure you have plenty of low-fat, low-sugar food and fill up on these whenever ou start to feel hungry.

Consider simple and tasty options such as whole wheat toast, unsweetened muesli, low-fat yoghurt, fruit salad made up of papaya, apple, banana and melon as well as raw vegetable treats such as carrots, cooked pumpkin nd tomatoes.

Eat with class
Restaurant owners have known for years that sitting in brightly lit places with high energy yellow and red furnture encourages people to eat and leave quickly.

On the other hand, low lights and soothing colours such as blue and fawn encourage customers to linger. Scientists have discovered that sitting down adn taking your time also leads to better portion contorl. So when you eat, sit down, relax and enjoy your meal. If you use a smaller plate, you can also fool yourself into being satisfied with less.

Simple Swaps for better health

Processed food is easy and fast but it's often blended with extra, salt, and sugar. These ingredients make it taste great but too much can lead t health problems such as obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.

Here are some easy swaps that will improve your diet and general health. Make an effort at first to apply them and once they become a habit, you'll feel better for it.

Instead of chocolate chip cookies with your morning coffee, mash a banana into fresh yoghurt. The twist? Place in the freezer and stir with a fork when half frozen for a delicious treat.

You will be replacing sugar and fat with vitamins and fibre and cutting roughly three-quarters of the calories.

Replace fried noodles and fried rice with oats and fresh fruit for breakfast. You will be replacing fat and salt with healthy fibre and lots of vitamins.

Instead of drinking packaged iced tea that's loaded with sugar during lunch, go for fresh green tea that has none.

Alternatively, make your own iced tea so you can control the sugar. And don't use liquid sugar - it's too easy to overdo it.

For a simple treat, wash grapes, dry them, put them in a plastic bag and freeze them. Eat them instead of boiled or packaged sweets.

The fruit's just as sweet but contains less than a quarter of the calories and has vitamin C, too. For dinner, exchange white steamed rice with steamed brown rice.

The brown rice is unprocessed so it takes your body longer to digest, making you feel satisfied longer. And a bonus is that it has roughly half the calories.

9 symptoms to Hormone Imbalance

An essential advantage in the process of maintaining a holistic health lifestyle is to be able to spot the signs which indicate hormonal imbalance, since hormones play such an important role in virtually every aspect your well being.

What is the role of hormones? Our hormones are tiny little chemical messengers that move quickly into our bloodstream and tell the organs and body tissues to fulfill their functions. They affect our well being in various ways, which include:

• Our growth and development 
• Sexual functionality 
• Cognition and mood 
• Body temperature
• The way we metabolize food

The way we metabolize food Apparently, they impact on all aspects of our health and well-being. So, their balance is crucial to our holistic health lifestyle. Unfortunately, hormones can easily be thrown out of balance, so we will now discuss nine signs that should warn us that all is not quite right in the body.

Instant Black Sesame soup

I'm not pretty sure since when I fall in love to drink the Black Sesame dessert, as you may know the Black Sesame has a little bitter taste and the colour is black which seems not delicious. But trust me, it isn't bad taste and you will definitely like it if served with some honey and oat. Why drink it? Black sesame is one of the recommended healthy foods.  Black Sesame are a very good source of copper and a good source of magnesium and calcium and very good diet therapy food for the Traditional Chinese culture. In the shops and in restaurant, you can buy many Black Sesame products such as cake, porridge, sweets etc. If you have experienced temporary dry eyes, blurred vision, you can try to have a Black Sesame soup which can nourish your eyes as well as benefit the liver and kidney channels.

喝汤能减肥

日本有研究顯示飯前先喝2碗湯的人，飲食滿足度最高，1年後減重7.2kg；餓得半死、刻意節食的人，飲食滿意度最低，1年後也不過減重8.2kg。

1.熱湯的溫度，幫助增加體內循環，提升代謝！
2.多喝1碗熱湯增加飽足感，食量就會減少！
3.均衡攝取營養，而非抑制食慾，無痛苦也能健康瘦！

健康無痛苦 自然地瘦身。

常吃4種食物可有效消除口臭

1、香芹：有助於消除口中的異味，尤其是煙味；
2、優酪乳：每天堅持喝可降低口腔中的硫化氫含量；
3、蘋果、胡蘿蔔和芹菜等蔬果可清除食物殘渣；
4、漿果、柑橘能使口腔形成不利細菌生長的環境。

OSIM uPhoria Tui-Na Leg Massager

Just want to share my true experience on OSIM and the benefits of it. 

The Osim uPhoria is one of the most advanced leg massager as it contained the feature of Tui-Na which normal massager doesn't provided. Tui-Na （推拿）is a form of Chinese manipulative therapy often used in conjunction with acupuncture points with push, take, pinching, rubbing and other techniques for therapy treatment.

Before we going to this, let me brief you why we need it. First at all, are you alarmed with the veins that appeared in your legs? Those veins popping up in your skin that you hated are called superficial varicose veins. It is the vein that is closer to your skin surface. It is the enlarged, extended almost to the feet and tortuous or can describe it as "ropy". The most commonly develop in the legs and ankles.(Sample picture as below)

（Varicose Veins looks blue & purple squiggly lines under the skin)

Sharp Air Purifier Review IGDX10

Sharp's new product line-up includes mobile PCI models, the portable IG-DL1 and IG-DMIE. There is also a stationary room-use PCI model, the improved IG-DX10 which produces high density ions and filters air while running on low power consumption.

SHARP Plasmacluster Air Ionizer IG-DX100-W White
Sharp Air Purifier IGDX10. Finally I managed to buy this products, it is a new product released in Malaysia, the portable plasma cluster ION Air Purifiers. I like Sharp and why I chosen Sharp Air Purifier? As you see, there is many brands of Air Purifier contained the same feature of ION to keeping the air clean. But Sharp is more than ION, it has strong performance of removal of viruses which most air purifies do not have a way to destroy germs, viruses and other micro-organisms. A germicidal UV lamp is the most effective way to meet this requirement. UV light air purification is recommended by the US Centers of Disease Control (CDC).

Sharp Air Purifies can produce the negative and positive balanced ions are important to our health. They have a normalizing effect on our body, they increase energy levels and alertness, and generally revitalize us. We spend the most part of each day inside at work, at home, or in vehicles, all places where natural ions can't reach us. And the only way to guarantee richly ionized air indoors is to provide it yourself with an ion generator, model Sharp Air Purifier.

蔬果汁—人类保健方式

家庭蔬果汁的制作手册

增强免疫力—奇异果菠萝苹果汁

材料：奇异果2个，菠萝半个，苹果1个，蜂蜜少许。

做法：将三种水果洗净、去皮、切块，放入果汁机中，加入250ml的水，打完后加入适量的蜂蜜即可饮用。

三种水果都含有丰富的维生素C和纤维素，可以帮助清除体内废物与毒素，排毒的效果很好，还能有效提升人体免疫力，味道偏酸。

雪白肌肤—西瓜菠萝柠檬汁

材料：西瓜200克，菠萝100克，柠檬半个。

做法：将西瓜及菠萝去皮；先把柠檬榨汁待用；用榨汁机将西瓜和菠萝榨汁，倒进杯中，并加上柠檬汁即可。

柠檬含有丰富的维生素C和柠檬酸；西瓜含有丰富的维生素C和番茄红素，有含磷、钙、钠等，还有纤维和丰富的水分；菠萝含有维生素E和C及钠、钙、铁、锰和粗质纤维，三种水果都有益美白肌肤和瘦身。

降血糖—鲜榨苦瓜黄瓜汁

材料：苦瓜一根、黄瓜一根（用以降低苦味）。

做法：苦瓜、黄瓜洗净，切成10厘米长并保留瓜瓢；切片后放入榨汁机榨汁，榨汁机中方入少量的冷开水（天冷时用热水，避免胃不适）。

食用苦瓜帮助糖尿病人降糖，是医学界公认的，但用鲜榨苦瓜汁的食疗方法却少有人知。苦瓜榨成汁后在15分钟内喝完，如果超过15分钟后，苦瓜汁就会发生氧化。

最好的排毒剂—胡萝卜苹果汁

材料：胡萝卜2根，苹果1个（可选青苹果降低甜味）。

做法：将苹果胡萝卜洗净，胡萝卜保留其顶部的有机叶子，先将胡萝卜榨汁，然后再将苹果榨汁，混合、搅拌并立即饮用。

胡萝卜富含维生素、胡萝卜素和微量元素；苹果富含糖、蛋白质、钙、磷、铁、锌、钾、镁、硫、胡萝卜素、维生素B1、维生素B2、维生素C、烟酸、纤维素等营养成分。可保护视力，缓解疲劳，补充体力。

    

各种蔬果汁的功效

胡萝卜：刺激胆汁分泌，中和胆固醇，增加肠壁弹性，安抚神经提高人的食欲和对感染的抵抗力，还有缓解结膜炎以及保养整个视觉系统的作用。

黄瓜汁：能调节血压，预防心肌过度紧张和动脉粥样硬化。黄瓜汁还可使神经系统镇静和强健，能增强记忆力。黄瓜汁对牙龈损坏及对牙周病的防治也有一定的功效。黄瓜汁所含的许多元素都是头发和指甲所需要的，能预防头发脱落和指甲劈裂。黄瓜汁含脂肪和糖较少，是比较理想的减肥饮料。

番茄汁：番茄含有大量柠檬酸和苹果酸，对整个机体的新陈代谢过程大有补益，可促进胃液生成，加强对油腻食物的消化。番茄中的维生素p有保护血管、防治高血压的作用，并能改善心脏的工作。此外，常饮番茄汁可使皮肤健美。番茄汁兑上苹果汁、南瓜汁和柠檬汁，还可起到减肥的作用。

苹果汁：调理肠胃，促进肾机能，预防高血压。

葡萄柚汁：降低胆固醇，预防感冒及牙龈出血。

奇异果汁：含丰富维他命C，清热生津，止吐泻。

芒果汁：帮助消化，防止晕船呕吐。

菠萝汁：消肿怯湿，帮助消化，舒缓喉咙疼痛，能维持心脏，血管正常运作，去除体内毒素。

木瓜汁：消滞润肺，帮住消化蛋白质。

西瓜汁：消暑利尿，降血压。

芹菜汁：补充体力，舒缓焦虑、压力。

香蕉汁：提高精力，强健肌肉，滋润肺肠，血脉畅通。

葡萄汁：调节心跳，补血安神，加强肾、肝功能，帮助消化。

柠檬汁：含丰富维他命C，止咳化痰，有助排除体内毒素。

柳橙汁：滋润健胃，强化血管，可预防心脏病、中风、伤风、感冒和瘀伤。

哈密瓜汁：消暑解燥，生津止渴。

草莓汁：利尿止泻，强健神经，补充血液。

椰子汁：预防心脏病，关节炎和癌症，强健肌肤，滋润止咳。

自制蔬果汁的注意事项

1、选新鲜蔬果。新鲜的蔬果营养价值高，注意避免色彩太艳、光泽太亮的水果，最好是无公害、绿色、或有机食品。

2、彻底清洗。蔬果外皮也含营养成分，如果是绿色食品或者是自己种的，尽可能保留外皮食用，但要注意清洗干净（蔬果洗净后再用盐水浸泡数分钟）。

3、随制随饮。蔬果汁放置太久，因接触空气，会损失维生素，营养价值变底，所以应随喝随加工，另外，可以加入几滴柠檬汁，可以减少维生素的损失。

4、宜早上喝。早上喝一杯蔬果汁，成为一天的精力来源，所以营养价值最高，避免晚上睡觉前喝，以免增加肾的负担。

5、要慢慢喝。要一口一口与口腔的唾液混合后才喝下去，这样容易在体内完全吸收。纤维渣可倒入汤中，或自制面条、蛋糕、松饼时加入。

6、不要加糖。因为糖分解时会消耗很多的维生素B1及维生素B2，如果打出来的果汁不可口，可以加些蜂蜜，改变风味。

7、采用多种蔬果。各种蔬果都要吃，兼顾维生素C、E、A和B，不要偏食某几种，否侧仍会造成营养不均衡，且纯蔬菜的原汁大多不好喝，如果在其中加些苹果汁或者胡萝卜汁，味道会有很大改变，并使营养更均衡（苹果适合调配任何蔬果）。

越吃越瘦的超级食物

夏天要來了，擔心輕薄的衣服很難遮掩身上多出來的幾公斤贅肉？現在正是體重控制的最佳時間點，不想餓肚子？只要吃對東西就會瘦啦……節食減肥往往減掉水分與肌肉，卻是最容易讓脂肪長回來的復胖殺手，只要吃對東西，吃吃喝喝就能讓衣服尺寸小一號喔！

越吃越瘦的超級食物

ˇ蘋果
蘋果含鉀，可使體內過多的水分排出；豐富的膳食纖維與果膠可產生飽足感；有機酸可加速新陳代謝，讓體內毒素順利排出，達到預防脂肪堆積的目的。

ˇ奇異果
奇異果的膳食纖維非常豐富，能促進腸道蠕動，改善便秘消除小腹；蛋白水解酵素可幫助蛋白質與肉類消化；鉀則有助代謝多餘水分，消除浮腫，並能促進腸胃消化。

ˇ鳳梨
鳳梨具有絕佳的分解蛋白質的特性，並且有助腸胃蠕動，對於喜歡吃肉、上腹突出、腰部肥胖體型以及習慣性便秘者，是最佳的瘦身水果。

ˇ苦瓜
苦瓜含鉻，可以降低血糖，把過剩的醣分轉變成熱量使用，改善體內脂肪的平衡；苦瓜素能組織脂肪吸收，並有清熱降火功效，能代謝體內毒素，並且阻止脂肪吸收。

ˇ蕃薯葉
蕃薯葉的熱量只有蕃薯的四分之一，但同樣含有豐富的纖維質，可以有飽足感；豐富的維生素B群，能夠加速體內新陳代謝，幫助減重的人降低脂肪與熱量的囤積。

ˇ莧菜
莧菜含有多種能代謝脂肪的微量元素，可減低脂肪與熱量在體內堆積；纖維素有助腸道蠕動，能防止便秘、消除小腹；另一大減重功臣則是鉀，能代謝多餘水分，預防浮腫。

ˇ菠菜
多吃菠菜可活絡血液循環，將新鮮的養分和氧氣送到下半身，進而促進廢物與水分排除，讓雙腿更纖細；豐富的鈣質可降低脂肪合成並促進脂肪的分解與排泄；鎂可促進熱量代謝與消耗；維生素A能減少熱量和脂肪的囤積。

ˇ四季豆
人體胰島素不穩定會導致脂肪堆積，四季豆莢含有酵素抑制劑，可穩定胰島素，進而減少體脂肪的囤積；豐富的纖維質更是蔬菜中的高纖一族，能避免便秘造成的小腹。

營養補給品這樣挑
在減肥的過程中，如果避免不了食物的誘惑，或是有聚餐應酬容易破戒的話，也可以根據飲食型態選用合適的營養輔助品來幫上一些忙。如果妳需要吃甜食、澱粉，可選擇含有武靴葉、桑葉、白腎豆成分的產品；如果避不了吃肉，可選擇胺基酸、左旋肉鹼、唐辛子、卵磷脂、甲殼素成分的產品；如果食慾比較大，一吃就停不了，請選用含有藤黃果成分的營養輔助品；代謝速度變慢的熟女，不妨補充維生素B群，不但幫助新陳代謝，還能補充身體能量。要注意的是，可別因為用了這些輔助品就太過安心的大吃特吃，飲食過量還是會導致反效果！

喝茶也會瘦！
對於減肥有幫助的茶飲包括綠茶、普洱茶、魚腥草茶、菩提子茶、南非紅葉茶、瑪黛茶、尤加利葉茶，多利用這些茶飲來取代碳酸飲料與含糖飲料，也有相當不錯的體重控制效果。

Heal the headache with Herbs

Recently I found an very helpful article to cures headache. You are usually suffer from headache due to unnecessary stress and tension. Apart from taking any Panadol or other reduce pain medicine, there is a traditional way that can even help you get better with herbs.

Ginkgo helps relieve headaches and halt confusion by increasing blood flow to the brain -- by as much as 70 percent in seniors. And it seems the longer you take ginkgo, the more it helps. Although it has no known serious side effects, very large doses may cause restlessness, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting.

Rosemary, lavender, and chamomile are essential oils that may help ease your headache. For quick comfort, gently rub just one drop onto your skin where it hurts the most.

And believe it or not, an herbal footbath might soak your headache pain away. In a big plastic basin, mix one teaspoon of powdered mustard or ginger with water as hot as you can stand. Settle into a comfortable chair, ease both feet gently into the water, and drape a thick towel across the basin to hold in the heat. Lean back, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and relax for about 15 minutes. By the time the water cools, your headache should be gone.

Scientists studying aromatherapy say that simply smelling peppermint will relax your muscles and help you think and concentrate better. Now there's more scientific proof peppermint oil is as effective as acetaminophen in reducing headache pain.

A solution of peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, and ordinary alcohol will soothe your nerves, relax the muscles in your head and neck, and ease your pain. Simply sponge it on your forehead and temples.

Last but not least, remember to drink more water. If can, do not drink too much alcohol and coffee. Too much caffeine can cause light-headedness too.

人体24小时使用手册

爱熬夜的朋友要多留意身体哦！长时间熬夜的朋友，不妨多喝绿茶，因为绿茶除了能提神和养神之效，更具备提高人体免疫能力和抗癌的功效。此外，还能补充水分，排除身体内的毒素，还可以预防电脑辐射线。

其实我也是熬夜之一，喜欢到晚上的时候才工作，都会在长达的时间对着电脑或追看电视剧，直到眼睛累到不行，才甘言去休息。也许觉得年龄大了，身体很容易疲倦，有时候还会风湿痛，身体终于开始亮起红灯了。

据说长期熬夜的人，比较容易发脾气，精神抑郁度较高，更易遭癌症之害，因为癌细胞是在细胞分裂中产生的，而细胞分裂多在睡眠中进行。熬夜使睡眠规律发生紊乱，影响细胞正常分裂，从而导致细胞突变，产生癌细胞。健康的生活习惯和有规律的睡眠可使体内的荷尔蒙正常分泌，并保持相对平衡，从而保证生命器官在一个稳定的内环境中工作。如果经常熬夜，正常运行规律就会被扰乱，激素的分泌规律也不同程度的损害，从而危害健康。

唯一的是经常熬夜的人记忆力会更强，思维更敏捷，所以早睡早起肯定有坏处，但跟好处比起来就微不足道了。请参考以下人体 24 小时的排毒时间。

晚上 9-11点为免疫系统（淋巴）排毒时间，此段时间应安静或听音乐
晚间 11-凌晨1点，肝的排毒，需在熟睡中进行。
凌晨 1-3点，胆的排毒，亦同。
凌晨 3-5点，肺的排毒。此即为何咳嗽的人在这段时间咳得最剧烈，因排毒动作已走到肺；不应用止咳药，以免抑制废积物的排除。
凌晨 5-7点，大肠的排毒，应上厕所排便。
早上 7-9点，小肠大量吸收营养的时段，应吃早餐。
疗病者最好早吃，在6点半前，养生者在7点半前，
不吃早餐者应改变习惯，即使拖到9、10点吃都比不吃好。
半夜至凌晨4点为脊椎造血时段，必须熟睡，不宜熬夜。

附：人体24小时使用手册 :
1∶00 人体进入浅睡阶段，易醒。此时头脑较清楚，熬夜者想睡反而睡不着。
2∶00 绝大多数器官处于一天中工作最慢的状态，肝脏却在紧张工作，生血气为人体排毒。
3∶00 进入深度睡眠阶段，肌肉完全放松。
4∶00 “黎明前的黑暗”时刻，老年人最易发生意外。血压处于一天中最低值，糖尿病病人易出现低血糖，心脑血管患者易发生心梗等。
5∶00 阳气逐渐升华，精神状态饱满。
6∶00 血压开始升高，心跳逐渐加快。高血压患者得吃降压药了。
7∶00 人体免疫力最强。吃完早饭，营养逐渐被人体吸收。
8∶00 各项生理激素分泌旺盛，开始进入工作状态。
9∶00 适合打针、手术、做体检等。此时人体气血活跃，大脑皮层兴奋，痛感降低。
10∶00 工作效率最高。
10∶00-11∶00属于人体的第一个黄金时段。心脏充分发挥其功能，精力充沛，不会感到疲劳。
12∶00 紧张工作一上午后，需要休息。
12∶00-13∶00是最佳"子午觉"时间。不宜疲劳作战，最好躺着休息半小时至一小时。
14∶00 反应迟钝。易有昏昏欲睡之感，人体应激能力降低。
15∶00 午饭营养吸收后逐渐被输送到全身，工作能力开始恢复。
15∶00-17∶00为人体第二个黄金时段。最适宜开会、公关、接待重要客人。
16∶00 血糖开始升高，有虚火者此时表现明显。阳虚、肺结核等患者的脸部最红。
17∶00 工作效率达到午后时间的最高值，也适宜进行体育锻炼。
18∶00 人体敏感度下降，痛觉随之再度降低。
19∶00 最易发生争吵。此时是人体血压波动的晚高峰，人们的情绪最不稳定。
20∶00 人体进入第三个黄金阶段。记忆力最强，大脑反应异常迅速。
20∶00-21∶00适合做作业、阅读、创作、锻炼等。
22∶00 适合梳洗。呼吸开始减慢，体温逐渐下降。最好在十点半泡脚后上床，能很快入睡。
23∶00 阳气微弱，人体功能下降，开始逐渐进入深度睡眠，一天的疲劳开始缓解。
24∶00 气血处于一天中的最低值，除了休息，不宜进行任何活动