Understanding Your Cholesterol Level

28 May 2014
Heart disease is the No.1 killer in Malaysia, and of the main causes of this is high blood cholesterol levels. Studied have found that a 10% decrease in total blood cholesterol levels can reduce the incidence of heart disease by as much as 30%.

In Malaysia, delicious food such as nasi lemak, roti canai, mamak fried noodle, char kueh teow, mutton briyani and the list goes on are unhealthy and rich in cholesterol. Apart from the excessive  cholesterol content, they are also high in saturated fat and trans fat, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

What is Cholesterol?

Cholesterol is an essential fatty substance found in all of the body's cells and transported throughout the body via the bloodstream. It's either produced by the liver or absorbed from the foods you eat.

Interestingly, the majority of cholesterol in your blood is manufactured by your own body, mainly by your liver and only 20% comes from the food you consume, especially animal based foods like milk products and meat as well as some cooking oil.

Good Vs Bad Cholesterol

LDL Cholesterol (Bad)

LDL cholesterol is considered the “bad” cholesterol because it contributes to plaque, a thick, hard deposit that can clog arteries and make them less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. 

If a clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, heart attack or stroke can result. If a blood clot forms and blocks a narrowed artery, a heart attack or stroke can result. Another condition called peripheral artery disease can develop when plaque buildup narrows an artery supplying blood to the legs. 

HDL Cholesterol (Good)

All the cholesterol isn't the same. There’s HDL cholesterol “good”. It’s considered “good” because it helps remove LDL cholesterol from the arteries. Expert believe HDL acts as a scavenger, carrying LDL  cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it is broken down and passed from the body.

A healthy level of HDL cholesterol may also protect against heart attack and stroke, while low level of HDL cholesterol have been shown to increase the risk of heart disease. 

Let's Check Your Cholesterol Level

Keeping your cholesterol level healthy is a great way to keep your heart healthy and lower your risk and chances of getting heart disease and stroke. 

Cholesterol readings generally include total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It is important to take note of all 3 readings and not just total cholesterol. 



Cholesterol Reading

Total Cholesterol [mmol/L (mg/dl)] 
Desirable: <5.2 (<200) 
Borderline High: 5.2 - 6.2 (200 - 239) 
High: >=6.2 (>=240)

LDL Cholesterol [mmol/L (mg/dl)] 
Desirable: <3.3 (<130) 
Borderline High: 3.3 - 4.1 (130 - 159)
 High: >=4.1 (>=160)

HDL Cholesterol [mmol/L (mg/dl)] 

Acceptable: >=0.9 (>=35) 








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Why Takaful Is Better Than Conventional Insurance

19 May 2014
Comparison between Takaful and Conventional Insurance 

In Takaful, everyone’s risk is shared. So, the pool of money does not belong to the Takaful operator, who is only managing it. It belongs to all those who participate in the scheme. 

Takaful
  • Takaful is based on mutual cooperation.
  • Takaful is free from interest (Riba), gambling, (Maysir), and uncertainty (Gharar).
  • Takaful is based on the simple community of coming together to help one another.  
  • All or part of the contribution paid by the Participant is a donation to the Takaful Fund, which helps other Participants by providing protection against potential risk.  
  • Islamic insurance is free from interest. It is based on the profit sharing financing technique call Al Mudarebah.            
  • The Plan Owners’ and shareholders’ capital is invested in investment funds that are Sharia’a compliant.
  • Any surplus in the Takaful Fund is shared among Participants only, and the investment profits are distributed among Participants and shareholders on the basis of Mudaraba or Wakala models.

Conventional Insurance
  • Conventional insurance is based on commercial factors.
  • Conventional insurance includes elements of interest.
  • The premium is paid to conventional insurance companies and is owned by them in exchange for bearing all expected risks.
  • All surpluses and profits belong to the shareholders only.
  • The capital of the premium is invested in funds and investment channels that are not necessarily Shariah Compliant.
  • Premium paid by the Policyholder is considered as income to the company, belonging to the shareholders.
Sources From:


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Seeing Obesity As A Disease

16 May 2014
Around the world, obesity is the fifth leading risk for global deaths and a major risk factor for diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

“People just don’t see obesity as a problem. It’s not treated as a disease because you don’t take medication for being overweight. Some think that it’s ok to be that way and that it’s merely a cosmetic issue. Over the years, the country has made great efforts to raise awareness on obesity. The only thing we haven’t done is to curb temptations,” says dietitian and senior manager at the Dietetics and Food Services department at Institut Jantung Negara (IJN) Mary Easaw.

“Food is easily attainable anywhere, anytime now. More often than not, food that is cheap is also of low quality and with high fat content.

“In families where both parents are working, ordering take-outs are often seen as the more convenient choice and most go for value-for-money options. At the end of the day, it’s all about making better choices even if you have to eat out, you can still make a choice between the healthy and the not so,” says Easaw.


What are obesity and overweight?

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation  that may impair health. Body mass index (BMI) is simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a persons’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of heights in meters (kg/m2).

What causes overweight and obesity?

The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been:
  • An increased intake of energy-defense foods that are high in fat.
  • An increase in physical inactivity sedentary lifestyle of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, increasing urbanization.
Obesity and overweight 

Key Fact
  • Nearly half a million children below 18 are overweight.
  • According to the 2011 National Health and Morbidity Survey statistics, 2.6 millions adults are obese.
  • A BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight
  • A BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity 
  • More than 40 millions children under age of five were overweight in 2011. Obesity is preventable.
  • 65% of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.

What causes overweight and obesity?

Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing and education.

  • An increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat.
  • An increasing in physical inactivity sedentary lifestyle of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, increasing urbanization.

How to prevent obesity?

Children and adolescence 
  • Encourage children to drink water rather than beverages with added sugar, such as soft drinks, sports drinks and fruit juice drinks. 
  • Be a role model. Parents who eat healthy foods and are physically activity is a good example for their children.
  • Encourage children to eat slowly and eat only when hungry.
  • Serve at least two servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Adults
  • Avoid foods that are high in “energy density” or that have a lot of calories in a small amount of food.
  • Accumulate at least 30 minutes or more of moderate-intensity activity on most, or preferably, all days of the week.
  • Spent just 10 or 15 minutes of some calories-burning activity, such as walking around the block or use stairs instead of lift.

Sources From: 






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Happy Teachers Day!!

16 May 2014

Happy Teachers Day to all teachers, educators, lecturers, tutors who have inspired and motivated us.


"Teacher they inspire you, they entertain you, and you end up learning a ton even when you don’t know it”

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Happy National Youth Day!!

15 May 2014

To all Malaysian youths. Let us work together and unite for the nation!
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Want To Be More Creative? Take a walk!

9 May 2014
People who rely on walks to overcome writer’s block or solve a tricky problem seem to have it right, because new research suggests that walking has a positive effect on creative thinking whether indoors or outdoors can encourage creative thought.

Researchers at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Education  conducted experiments on 176 people and found that participants who walked, rather than sitting or being pushed in a wheelchair, gave more creative responses on tests used to measure creative thinking.

The study found that walking indoors or outdoors similarly boosted creative inspiration. The act of walking itself and not the environment was the main factor. Across the board, creativity levels were consistently and significantly higher for those walking compared to those sitting.

While researchers have long known that extended aerobic exercise can inspire creativity, researchers at Stanford University set out to see if a more practical exercise prescription. By taking a short walk could have a similar effect.

Health benefits of walking


It’s good for your health
Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Just 30 minutes every day can strengthen bones, increase cardiovascular fitness, reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance.

It reduces stress
More energy and less fatigue? There’s something to lower your stress levels. Taking regular 20 minutes walking outdoors has also been shown to improve energy levels. A short, brisk walk can do wonders for shifting your attention away from the days challenges and toward appreciating the present moment.

It makes you happy
You're never too old to walk. The ability of exercise to boost mood is undisputed. Study have shown brisk walking also can be effective as antidepressants in cases of mild to moderate depression. 

Let’s include walking into your daily routine: 
  • Walk everywhere you can instead of driving to go to the nearest shops
  • Give your house a power cleaning like vacuuming or dusting
  • Take the stairs instead of the lift or escalators
  • Get off a public transport  to work place and home
  • Do a regular walk with friend

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How To Prevent Aging?

8 May 2014
7 Healthstyle Tips to Prevent Aging and Stay Young

These days there is a huge market for products that help prevent aging, but the fact and the best way is that you can probably making some simple lifestyle changes. You can slow down age-related changes by living a healthy lifestyle. Physical and mental changes brought on by age are inevitable.

Everyone wants to conserve their youth and look young forever. Before you consider the extremes of botox, collagen, and other plastic surgery methods. However the natural ways is more effective to prevent aging by feed, rest, and recharge your body right. Live more days like this to roll back the years and prevent aging.

1. Don’t Smoke 

Smoking add years to your physical and mental well-being. Smoking also is one of the easiest ways to look older than you are really are and shorten your life, at the same time exposing you to a variety of diseases such as heart attack, lung cancer, and stroke.

2. Get Enough Sleep

Everyone needs to sleep because a good night’s sleep helps keep your mind and body healthy. The first step to improving the quality of your rest is finding how much sleep you need. Most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night in order to regenerate energy.

3. Drink Plain of Water

Your body is 60% water and daily activities deplete this resource which must be replenished. Many health experts who suggested to drink 8 glasses of water a day. Don’t forget that water can also dispose of toxins from the body including the skin. Drinking enough water can make our skin more radiant, healthy and fresh throughout the day. 

4. Avoid Stress

Everyone has stress in their life and if you can learn to control it then you will find your life much more better. One thing you should do is get organized. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. Manage your schedule and daily task by write to-do-list with everything you need to do that day.

5. Exercise 

Exercise will get blood pumping and oxygen circulating throughout the body which help keep the brain in good shape. For regular exercise or physical activity can help you lose weight, refresh your mind and reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases. Just 20 to 30  minutes of any physical activity at least three times a week.

6. Eat well

Don’t try and completely change your eating habits right away. Try to start with salad or a piece of fruit per day. Once you get comfortable with that, you can get use to it by having healthy meal. More effective, if you practice to eat at home rather than eat outside.

7. Be Happy

You don’t stop laughing because you grow old but you grow old because you stop laughing. Smiling even makes your immune system stronger by making your body produce blood cells to help fight illnesses. Smiling and laughing also can have a positive effect on your well-being. When you smile or laugh a number of physiological changes occur in your body without you aware of it happening.

























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Takaful and Syariah Compliant

7 May 2014
Syariah Compliant 


The concept requires considerable effort to implement, since much attention must be paid to compliance with the Shariah principles, both at the fund operations level and for all underlying investments. 

Shariah-Compliant funds are prohibited from investing in companies which derives income from the sales of alcohol, pork products, pornography, gambling, military equipment or weapons. Shariah allows for a small portion of an investment's income to come from prohibited sources, though a Shariah-Compliant fund cannot profit from this income. Instead, it must separately account for these earnings and donate them to a charity.

This type of cooperative insurance would be Shariah compliant, because it is a form of cooperating on piety and good deeds. There is no taking advantage of those who are sick, or who have had a car accident, or a house fire, by raising their premiums or denying them coverage. It is simply a large group of people who get together to help each other when one of them faces the difficult circumstances that always come with filing an insurance claim.

Takaful  

The concept of takaful (Islamic insurance) was first introduced in Malaysia in 1985 when the frist takaful operator was established to fulfill the need of the general public to be protected based on the islamic principles. 

Muslim jurists are of the opinion that the operation of conventional insurance does not conform to the rules and requirements of Shariah as it involves the elements of uncertainty (Gharar) in the contract of insurance, gambling (Maisir) as the consequences of the presence of uncertainty and interest (riba) in its investment activities.

Takaful is an insurance concept in Shariah whereby a group of participants mutually agree among themselves to guarantee each other against a defined loss or damage that may inflict upon any of them by contributing as tabarru’ or donation in the takaful funds.

Tabarru’ is the agreement by a participant to relinquish as donation, a certain proportion of the takaful contribution that he agrees or undertakes to pay, thus enabling him to fulfill his obligation of mutual help and joint guarantee should any of his fellow participants suffer a defined loss. The concept of tabarru’ eliminates the element of uncertainty in the takaful contract. 

The sharing of profit or surplus that may emerge from the operations of takaful is made only after the obligation of assisting the fellow participants has been fulfilled. Thus, the operation of takaful may be envisaged as a profit sharing business venture between the takaful operator and the individual members of a group of participants.

Takaful operations are regulated and supervised by BNM since 1988 with the appointment of the BNM Governor as the Director-General of Takaful. In October 1995, the ASEAN Takaful Group (ATG), a grouping of takaful operators in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore was formed to enhance mutual co-operation and to facilitate the exchange of business among takaful operators in ASEAN. 

In 1997, the Malaysian takaful industry took a leap forward with the formation of ASEAN Retakaful International (L) Ltd. (ARIL) as an offshore retakaful company in Labuan. The establishment of ARIL was to create a vehicle for more dynamic retakaful exchanges among ATG members and provides additional retakaful capacity to further reduce their dependence on conventional reinsurance.

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6 May 2014
Good News to All of You...
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