Women Health

FOOD CHOICE
Understanding the factors which affect food choice are important as governments grapple with rishing levels of overweight and obesity and search for effective ways to get consumers to change their behaviour and choose healthier diets.
One part of the healthier eating equation is the provision of nutrition information on foods and beverages that allow consumers to make informed choice. But just how do consumers use this information and what is their level of understanding?
A review of students on nutrition labelling by Grunert and Wills (2007) found that while most consumers say that they use food labels, actual usage in a shopping setting may be far lower. In Asian countries, other factors also came into play when looking at the relative effectiveness of food labels in affecting food choice.
For example, many meals are eaten outside of the home and these foods do not generally carry any nutrition information yet they

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According to Asian Food Information Centre that there is little research in Asia looking oa consumer understanding of food label and the influence of labels and food choice and behaviour; it is unknown how well research from Europe ot the US could apply here.
In recent years, regulators in several Asian countries have been looking at ways to provide nutrition information on food packaging in additional to the standart ingredient list and nutrition information panel – which is required in most, but not all, countries.
Changing lifestyles, including declines in physical activity and changes in dietary intakes, have led to rises in lifestyle related disorders such as obesity as well as diabetes and coronary heart disease.
Nutrition information on food and beverages (as one component of an overall nutrition education programme), is been as a way to help consumers make informed choice as part of a healthier lifestyle.
Effort to

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Thyme is one of the best known and most widely used culinary herbs as it is flavourful but does not overpower and blends well with other herbs and spices. It is slow to release its flavours, so it is usually added early in the cooking process.
This aromatic herb (scientifics name it thymus vulgaris) is quite easy to grow and it commonly found as a decorative as well as a functional plant in many home gardens. A member of the mint family, the perennial evergreen shrub has over a hundread varieties.
Thyme contains an assential oil that is rich in thymol, a powerful antiseptic, antibacterial and a strong antioxidant. Thyme is known to stimulate the brain and improve memory; it can also boost circulation and appetites.
Since it is a strong antiseptic, it is especially effective against mouth throat infections, colds, coughs, and more throats. It can be used as an inhalant, mouthwash or gargle. Further, it is helpful in gastric infections

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Staying fit and healthy is something everyone is concerned about these days even the overweight. Fitness first, helps put things into perspective.
Fans of hit US reality show The Biggest Loser watch raptly week after week as grossly overweight contestants try their hardest to shed excess pounds with a strict diet and exercise regime.
Then, a resent Time Magazine articles asked this very shocking question : “Could exercise actually be keeping us from losing weight?”
Citing several studies, it concludes the basic problem is that while exercise burns calories and we must burn calories to lose weight, exercise has another effect – it can stimulate hunger.
The astounding conclusion is that exercise causes us the eat more, which in turn, can negate the weight – loss benefits we just accrued. Exercise, in other words, isn’t necessarily helping us lose weight. It may even be making it harder.
As can be imagined, this dogma

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According to Dr Muhaini Othman, President, Malaysian Society of Reumatology that often overlooked as simply being an inevitable part of growing old, rheumatoid arthritis is actually an autoimmune disease with irreversible effects – unless diagnosed and treated early.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be found around the would – estimates are that over 23 million people are suffering from this disease worldwide. Based on its prevalence – there are about 135.000 people Malaysia who suffer from it.
With the setting up of a RA registry in 2008 by the Malaysian Society of Rheumatology, together with Ministry of Health, we should soon have more accurate data on this RA population – and chances are we shall expect the prevalence rate of RA patients in Malaysia to be increased in the future.
It in one of the most disabling diseases as those severely affected would find their joints incurably damaged – leading to physical and functional

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Francis Casperan challenged a smoker of 22 years to conduct a really crazy experiment – to find out just how many cigarettes a day is needed for one to get addicted. Here are the unofficial findings.
Ask any smoker and chances are that almost every one would admit to have wanted to or even tried quitting this dirty habits at least once before. It is the rare person a defiant pariah, but we managed to convince one such person to agree to a wacky and highly unscientific experiment – to find out just how many cigarette sticks a day was needed to sustain this chronic chemical craving.
According to many scientists, research done with an extensive number of test subjects found that the body’s craving for nicotine reaches a peak every two hours. This means that a smoker will light up before the two hours are up while he’s awake.
In short – since we sleep about eight hours daily – a smoker would go through a minimum of eight

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There is no good to be told that you have cancer. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are; such devastating news is enough to bring your would crashing down on you.
Such we the case with 44 years old Angie (name has been changed to protect privacy) who felt she had been hit by a tonne of bricks when the gynaecologist first broke the news that she had cervical cancer.
Immediately questions like “why me”, “how did it happen to my family” flooded her mind. She could easly have sunk into deep depression but for her family who become her pillars of strength. It was tough times indeed for all, because at the time of the shocking news in 2003, Angie was only 38 and in the prime of her life. She had a loving husband, two daughters (then aged 14 and 11) and a son aged 6; and had been working in sales for the last 14 years with the same company.
It has been six years now since her ordeal, and Angie has been totally cured of the

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The battle against the sexualisation of our children is an ongoing one, requiring a constant balancing act – that can be guided by modelling what influences are appropriate.
Throughout the word, girls are increasingly being force-fed a steady diet of products and images that pressure them to be sexy.
From clothing to cartoons, choreography to commercials, the rampant emphasis on sexuality undercuts parents’ efforts to instill purity and selfesteem in their daughters.
The American Psycological Association (APA) warns that this sexualisation of girls is harmful to their self image and healthy development.
“Girls are experiencing teen plesuares at younger and younger ages. However, they are not able to deal with these issues because they cognitive development is out of sync with their social emotional and sexual development,” the APA reported.
The proliferation of sexual images also undermines a girl’s confidence in

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Untuk sukses dalam karier dan dalam hidup, tidak cukup hanya kerja keras saja, tapi juga perlu kebiasaan-kebiasaan baik, semakin tinggi peluang anda untuk sukses di dalam hidup. Pada kenyataannya, kebiasaan baik ini adalah jalan pintas menuju sukses. Jika anda tidak punya dasar kebiasaan-kebiasaan sukses tersebut seperti gosok gigi atau mandi secara baik, bisa dipastikan orang-orang akan menjaga jarak, secerdas apa pun anda, atau sekeras apa pun anda dalam bekerja. Dalam scenario seperti ini, seseorang dengan kebiasaan bersih yang kerja kerasnya separuh dari kerja keras anda atau bahkan kurang dari separuh akan lebih sukses di dalam masyarakat. Contoh sederhana ini menunjukkan kekuatan kebiasaan-kebiasaan baik. Berikut, cara mengembangkan kebiasaan-kebiasaan baik.
SABAR
Kebiasaan tak bisa dibentuk dalam semalam. Untuk mengembangkan kebiasaan-kebiasaan baik yang tepat perlu latihan berhari-hari atau bahkan berbulan-bulan. Bersabar dan terus

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Sulit tidur atau insomnia dapat merusak kehidupan. Contohnya Michael Jackson. Para penyidik menemukan, Michael Jackson meninggal akibat dosis yang mematikan dari obat anestesi propofol (Diprivan). Jockson dilaporkan terus menerus menerima obat ini karena tak bisa tidur atau insomnia kronik.
Sekitar 30% orang dewasa mengalami insomnia sampat tingakt tertentu pada satu saat dalam hidupnya. Sekitar 10% punya masalah yang cukup parah yang mempengaruhi waktu jaga, begitu menurut American Academy of Sleepy Medicine, yang menerbitkan panduan pengobatan insomnia dalam Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine tahun lalu.
Hampir setiap orang pernah mengalami gangguan tidur dalam hidupnya karena stress, tekanan, kecemasan atau bahkan masalah-masalah medic yang menyebabkan sakit dan gangguan. Pada kebanyakan orang, masalah tidur bersifat bersifat jangka pendek dan akan sembuh dengan sendirinya tapi sekitar 10% orang dewasa menderita insomnia kronik, gangguan

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