9 Signs You’re Depressed But Don’t Know It

31 Dec 2014

Depression can be triggered by other mental illnesses.

According to World Health Organization, depression is a common mental disorder, characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration.

Depression can be long-lasting or recurrent, substantially impairing an individual’s ability to function at work or school or cope with daily life. At its most severe, depression can lead to suicide.

Anyone can become depressed, but many experts believe genetics play a role. Having a parent or sibling with depression increases your risk of developing the disorder. Women are twice as likely as men to become depressed.

How Do I Know If I Have Depression?

  • Changes of sleep patern, as there is lack of sleep (insomnia) or prior to sleep (Hypersomnia).
  • Fatigue or loss of energy almost everyday
  • Significant weight loss or weight gain
  • Problems with concentration and indecisiveness
  • Feeling hopeless, useless or guilt almost everyday
  • Do not excited or not interested in doing the usual activities almost everyday. For example, you are not interested socialize with friends, relatives and people around you.
  • Significant weight loss or weight gain
  • Rapid or dramatic shifts in feelings or “mood swings.
  • Recurring thoughts of death or suicide (not just fearing death)


Article source: 

http://www.webmd.com/depression/ss/slideshow-depression-overview
http://www.who.int/topics/depression/en/
http://www.psychiatry.org/mental-health/more-topics/warning-signs-of-mental-illness

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6 Tips Untuk Meningkatkan Metabolisme

30 Dec 2014

Metabolisme adalah istilah yang berasal dari bahasa Yunani yang membawa maksud perubahan atau transformasi. Di mana setiap individu mempunyai kadar metabolisme  yang berbeza.. Meningkatkan metabolisme badan adalah penting kerana ia mampu meningkatkan pembakaran kalori dalam tubuh seseorang.

Kebiasaanya seseorang yang mempunyai metabolisme badan yang tinggi berupaya menukarkan makanan atau lemak di dalam badan menjadi tenaga dengan cepat. Namun bagi mereka yang mempunyai kadar metabolisme badan yang rendah mudah mengalami masalah obesiti jika corak pemakanan tidak dikawal iaitu makan secara berlebihan. 

1. Makan Secara Kerap

Jangan biarkan perut anda kosong. Seeloknya makan mengikut waktu namun dalam kuantiti yang kecil. Jika anda tidak makan dan biarkan perut kosong kadar metabolisme badan akan menurun. Malah ia akan mengundang anda makan dalam kuantiti yang banyak akibat kelaparan membiarkan perut terlalu lama kosong.

2. Minum Air 

Mungkin agak sukar  bagi sesetengah orang untuk minum air sekurang-kurang 8 gelas sehari atau 2 liter air sehari. Ini kerana sekitar 80% tubuh manusia terdiri daripada air. Pastikan 8 gelas yang diminum adalah air kosong bukannya minuman bergula.

3. Makanan Pedas

Menjadi kelebihan buat penggemar makanan pedas di mana kandungan capsaicin di dalam cili mampu membakar kalori sehingga 30  minit selepas anda memakannya. Malah metabolisme boleh meningkat sehingga 40% untuk 2-3 jam. 

4. Minum Teh Hijau

Banyak kajian telah membuktikan bahawa teh hijau mampu membantu meningkatkan metabolisme. Polifenol yang terkandung dalam teh hijau berfungsi meningkatkan pemprosesan atau oksidasi lemak serta meningkatkan kadar penukaran makanan kepada kalori.

5. Cukup Tidur

Penting untuk seseorang mendapatkan tidur yang cukup dan berkualiti sekurang-kurangnya 7-8 jam sehari amatlah penting dalam mengekalkan metabolisme yang sihat. Cuba kekalkan rutin waktu tidur secara konsisten. 

6. Pilih Makanan Berserat

Tubuh badan manusia memerlukan tenaga demi menjalani rutin seharian. Jadi pemilihan makanan amatlah penting dalam memastikan apa yang dimakan mampu membekalkan kalori yang boleh dibakar atau hanya sekadar menjadi lemak terkumpul. Jadi makanan kaya serat seperti oat, biji-bijian, sayur-sayuran dan buah-buahan amatlah baik untuk meningkatkan metabolisme badan.

Sumber Foto:
http://www.spotsify.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/weight-loss-food-600x400.png?87aee5

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Do You Need Travel Insurance?

29 Dec 2014



Travel is all about freedom, and topics like travel insurance can take the fun out of things, but it’s an important decision that will affect your journey. Travel insurance can minimize the considerable financial risk of travelling and being insured gives you more freedom.

For some travelers, insurance is a good deal for them but for others it’s not. How much is peace of mind worth to you? How willing are you to take a risks? take these considerations into account, understand your options, and make an informed decision for your trip. Buying travel insurance is an even better way to know that an accident won’t ruin the rest of your life.

Travel insurance is a great gift for a traveller. This insurance caters to the needs of the traveller. The policy is usually very versatile. It can provide in one package for death, disablement, accident, medical expenses, mortal remains repatriation, personal liability, baggage lost, trip cancellation, loss of travel documents, flight and luggage delay.

That’s why it is wise to be prepared for anything including having someone to count on when the going gets tough. That’s why travel insurance is absolutely necessary. We can give you a comprehensive protection, so that you are well taken care of even when you are miles away from home.

As the travel insurance package could contain various combinations of these types of protection but it is wise to study the policy to find out what is covered and for how much. 

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12 Teknik Senaman Regangan di Depan Komputer

26 Dec 2014
Pasti ramai dikalangan individu yang kerap menghabiskan masa 8-12 jam sehari bekerja duduk di depan komputer atau pekerjaan yang memerlukan seseorang itu mengulangi pergerakan sama, sudah tentu pernah mengalami situasi masalah ketegangan leher di mana leher menjadi tegang dan sakit. 

Bagi sesetengah orang, hal ini mungkin sudah biasa dialami malah dianggap remeh. Kesakitan di bahagian leher dianggap perkara biasa dan tidak perlu dirawat kerana lambat laun akan pulih dengan sendirinya. 

Walau bagaimanapun sekiranya perkara ini dibiarkan berlanjutan, berkemungkinan kesakitan yang dialami mampu menganggu keselesaan seseorang dalam melakukan rutin harian. 

Namun ada juga segelintir mereka berusaha mencari kaedah pencegahan untuk menangani sakit tersebut. Selain sapu krim panas dan menuam leher yang sakit, terdapat juga cara lain yang mudah untuk mengurangkan ketegangan sakit di bahagian leher iaitu dengan melakukan senaman regangan.

Senaman regangan ini juga boleh dilakukan selang beberapa jam sekira sudah duduk menghadap kerja terlalu lama. Jom kita lihat 12 teknik mudah senaman regangan yang boleh anda lakukan di depan komputer:





Sumber Foto: 

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5 Things to Let Go of Before the New Year

24 Dec 2014


1. Let go of feeling guilty

Start to forgive yourself because as a human being everybody prone to making mistakes. Releasing  your guilt and finding ways to leave the past behind by learning from your mistakes and experiences. Realise that mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. Remember when you don’t forgive yourself; you are not able to forgive others.

2. Let go of excuses

Stop making excuses  because excuses are your way of avoiding to do what you need to do to succeed. To achieve from where you were in life to where you want to be, you need to avoid making often excuses. You need to concentrate on the mission or tasks that are going to get you there.

3. Let go of trying to fit in and be liked

If everyone is trying to impress everyone else and at one point, it makes no one happy. Don’t try so hard to pretend to be someone else. Just be yourself! People loved you for who you are. “Why are trying so hard to fit in, when you're born to stand out” – Oliver James.

4. Let go of negativity 

Avoid negative thought and change it into a positive one. Free yourself from engaging negative people because negative people can be real downers in any conversation. I think it's important to get your surroundings as well as yourself into a positive circle. Whatever it is, don’t ever stop or let the world’s negativity discontinue your spirit.

5. Let go of expectations

First rule of avoiding disappointment is lower your expectations. Despite all of expectations in our lives like what we want out of life and who we want to become but never put high expectation on it. One more thing is the best way to avoid getting disappointment and hurt is do not expect anything from anyone. 

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Kesihatan Aset Paling Berharga

22 Dec 2014


Apakah aset paling berharga dalam kehidupan seseorang? Adakah wang ringgit, atau harta benda? Tentu rata-rata akan menjawab kesihatan lebih penting dan berharga. Namun hakikatnya, ramai antara kita akan hanya ambil berat soal kesihatan apabila sudah jatuh sakit.

Sesetengah daripada individu sering mengabaikan penjagaan kesihatan. Alasan yang sering diberikan adalah kerana terlalu sibuk dengan rutin harian hingga tiada masa untuk bersenam dan menjaga pemakanan. 

Selain daripada kekal konsisten melakukan aktiviti fizikal, corak pemakanan yang betul juga menjadi faktor utama bagi mendapatkan kesihatan badan yang optimum. Ini kerana “Diri Anda Adalah Apa Yang Anda Makan”. Amalan pemakanan yang tidak betul boleh menjadi punca utama tubuh badan manusia ditimpa penyakit.

Tidak hairan ramai dikalangan individu lebih gemar mengambil makanan yang sedap dimakan berbanding makanan yang sihat dimakan. Kadang-kala akibat terlalu sibuk dengan tugas harian memaksa seseorang itu menjadikan makanan segera dan makanan proses sebagai menu hidangan harian kerana cepat serta mengenyangkan.

Tidak salah untuk menikmati makanan segera dan makanan proses. Namun jika makanan ini diambil secara kerap atau berlebihan ianya bakal memberi kesan buruk terhadap kesihatan diri malah mengundang pelbagai penyakit seperti obesiti, tekanan darah tinggi, penyakit jantung dan diabates.

Tidak dinafikan makanan proses seperti daging “burger”, “hot dog”, “nugget”, "maggi", makanan dalam tin dan makanan sejuk beku lain begitu mudah dan cepat untuk disediakan. Akan tetapi kandungan MSG, garam, lemak tepu dan kolestrol yang terkandung dalam makanan segera dan makanan proses lebih tinggi berbanding serat dan kebanyakan vitamin serta zat galian yang perlu oleh tubuh. 

Tubuh badan manusia memerlukan tenaga, protein, vitamin dan pelbagai serat untuk menjana tenaga supaya tubuh badan dapat menjana tenaga. Pengambilan makanan yang seimbang juga penting untuk keperluan tubuh badan manusia. Ini kerana, pengambilan makanan yang sihat membantu mengurangkan risiko berbahaya.

Oleh itu belum terlambat untuk anda mula mengubah gaya hidup secara sihat. Sayangi diri anda! Hargai kesihatan anda kerana kesihatan adalah sebuah nikmat yang tidak ternilai. Bukankah pepatah ada menyatakan mencegah itu lebih baik daripada mengubati. Satu langkah dalam usaha untuk mencegah mampu menyelamatkan nyawa. Perlu juga diingat mengundang penyakit itu mudah namun untuk mengubatinya amat sukar. 

Apa yang penting anda perlu mempunyai kesedaran untuk memulakan amalan gaya hidup sihat. Masih belum terlewat untuk anda mengubah corak pemakanan secara sihat dan bersenam demi memperolehi kesihatan tubuh, minda, rohani dan jasmani yang sihat. Apapun tepuk dada tanya selera.

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5 Malaysians Injured In Hot Air Balloon Crash

18 Dec 2014

KUALA LUMPUR: Five Malaysians were among 10 injured when a hot air balloon crashed during a sightseeing ride over a Unesco world heritage site in central Turkey yesterday.
The accident occurred at 8.15am local time (4.15pm Malaysian time) over the famed sculpted rock formations of Cappadocia in the Guvercinlik Valley of Nevsehir province, AFP reported, quoting the Dogan news agency.
The balloon went down for a yet to be known reason, it added.
The report said a Chinese tourist, identified as Tang Yi, died on the spot while nine other tourists, all of them believed to be Chinese and Malaysian nationals, were hospitalised for fractures.
A Malaysian tourist was in serious condition, it added.
Security forces and ambulances were dispatched to the scene of the incident.
An investigation is underway
to determine the cause of the crash.
A Malaysian embassy spokesman in Ankara told the New Straits Times that an embassy official, who was at the hospital where the Malaysians were warded, confirmed they were there on holiday.
“Those injured have been identified as Susheela Devi Raja, Thurai Pah Vartharajan, Thavil Selvi Tamotharan, Datin Juniwati Ahmad and a 15-year-old, known only as Nursyarah.
“The one who is in critical condition is reported to be Susheela and she is being treated in the intensive care unit,” the official said, adding that the other four were being treated at the same hospital for fractures and broken bones.
The spokeman said the embassy had notified Wisma Putra on the incident for the victim’s families to be alerted.
Article source:
http://www.nst.com.my/node/63704

Photo source:
http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2014/12/17/Acident-Hot-air-balloon-Crash-Malaysian-injured/
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Why we love sugar

1 Dec 2014
Understanding why we love sugar is the first step towards finding a solution to fight the addiction.
DID you know that sugar was once known as “white gold” because it was costly and rare? One hundred and fifty years ago, only the rich and famous had access to this sweetener that is now causing massive health problems around the world.
Price and accessibility aside, there’s something about sugar that just keeps us hooked. No matter how many times we’ve read about reducing sugar intake to prevent or delay the onset of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cancer, it is hard to resist the sweet stuff.
On top of that, there are the hidden sugars in almost everything we buy these days. From cornflakes to sausages, sauces, crackers, oatmeal, and even, baby food, milk and medications, everything has been sweetened to make them more palatable.
But what is it about sweetness that makes it so addictive? Here are some reasons:
The ‘feel good’ factor
Birthday cakes, celebratory cupcakes, mama’s signature cookies, ice cream treats, delectable desserts... taste aside, all these and more are associated with happy moments.
Somehow or other, giving someone a cake, candy or cookie as a gift appears more romantic or caring than say, lasagna or chicken pie.
Why is that so? Part of the reason is our culture, many a happy family in the past grew up with memories of baking festive cookies together, having ice kacang on a hot day, singing birthday songs and cutting cakes together, and more.
Still, the sweet happiness is no coincidence. Sugar and refined carbohydrates release the hormone serotonin in the brain, which enhances mood in the same way antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs do.
Sugar also releases beta-endorphins, a neurotransmitter in the brain that acts as a natural painkiller, producing a sense of self-esteem and resolving anxiety.
When your problems seem trivial after cakes and tea, is it any surprise if you are emotionally attached to sweets?
Stress relief
Any working woman would know how stress messes up your life – you skip meals, stop exercising, have trouble sleeping and basically ruin your health plans.
When the body is stressed, it releases cortisol into the bloodstream. This stress hormone boosts adrenaline, which puts you on high alert to get through your period of stress.
Once the stressful episode is over, however, your body screams for a quick “battery” recharge, which explains the food cravings and over-eating.
There is a sense of wanting to reward yourself for having crossed another hurdle, and what better way than a sweet pick-me-up.
Hormonal imbalance
Feel yourself craving for sugary snacks just before your menstrual period? This is when your oestrogen and progesterone (two key hormones for women) dip, which affects the beta-endorphin levels.
With these three hormones on their monthly “medical leave”, you find yourself cranky, tired, moody and unable to focus.
But lo and behold, once you wolf down a super-rich chocolate cake and a caffeine-cum-sugar-spiked drink, you feel in control again. The sugar pumps beta-endorphins into your bloodstream, providing an almost drug-like reaction to your high-strung emotions.
Forget diamonds, chocolate is probably a girl’s real best friend, especially during that time of the month.
Insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is part of diabetes, where your body is unable to metabolise the sugar/glucose that you consume into energy. When that happens, excessive amounts of sugar stay in the bloodstream and start to overload your organs, beginning with your “micro” nerves such as those at the hands, feet and eyes, and moving on to major organs such as the kidneys.
Although there is excessive sugar in your bloodstream, your body cells are unable to access them, thus, they will send messages to your brain to release more insulin.
This results in sugar cravings because your body cells are crying out for fuel to operate.
Yeast overgrowth
Our intestines and vaginal tract contain millions of bacteria. When the bacterial flora are out of balance, yeast, a kind of fungi, will start to propagate quickly, leading to various problems such as digestive problems and vaginal infections.
The thing is, yeast needs sugar to thrive. When you are housing too much yeast, you are bound to get sugar cravings to feed the unwelcome “guests” in your body.
People with frequent and persistent vaginal or urinary infections often have a sweet tooth, creating a vicious cycle of infection and re-infection.
Taking a good prebiotic and probiotic will help address the yeast overgrowth, and you will find the sugar cravings significantly reduced.
Inflammation in the body
Eating too much red meat, processed foods and acid-forming foods leads to inflammation, where oxidative stress builds up and causes damage to body cells.
Having excessive acidity in the body makes you crave for sugary stuff in an attempt to find an alkalizing solution. Instead of hopping over to the nearest bakery, try getting your sugar fix with natural foods such as a banana, papaya and other sweet fruits.
The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables will help offset the metabolic damage and regulate the acid-forming oxidation caused by certain foods.
Filling an emotional void
Too many people in today’s fast-paced life lack “sweetness” in their life – a friendly smile, a warm touch, a balanced life, affirming social support or a day out in the sun.
We may not realise it, but we automatically reach for something sweet when we are actually looking for positive energy and happiness.
It can manifest in seemingly innocent rituals, such as taking a hot mug of chocolate milk after dinner, or ice-cream every weekend. Many of these rituals are linked to a childhood or adopted practice associated with comfort, love and security.
Understanding why we love sugar is the first step towards finding a solution to fight the addiction.
People who are trying unsuccessfully to reduce or forgo sugar are not weak-willed or not trying hard enough; they could be fighting a losing battle against their own body’s reactions.
■ Watch out for part two (on Dec 14) of this 'sweet' series, which will look at ways to end sugar cravings using nutrition-based solutions.


Sugar and refined carbohydrates release the hormone serotonin in the brain, which enhances mood in the same way antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs do. – AFP

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