This blog was created and for use by the Kepong CSCQ Practitioners as a virtual community centre. Comments concerning the Kepong Station can be posted here. Notices of whatever nature concerning Kepong Station will also be posted here as well. Your participation and feedback are welcome. Let us together strive for improvements of health both physically and mentally.

Monday, June 29, 2009

人 生 都 在 學 做 人

(We received this article via an e-mail.)

星雲大師有一位徒弟,台大畢業後,到夏威夷讀碩士,又到耶魯讀博士,花了好多年的時間,終於得到博士,非常歡喜。

有一天他回來,對星雲說:「師父,我現在得到博士學位了,以後要再學習什麼呢?」

星雲說:「學習人。」

學習做人是一輩子的事,沒有辦法畢業的。

星雲覺得人生,不管是士農工商、各種人等,只要學習就有進步,今天要跟大家分享需要學習的事。


第一、「學習認錯」。

人常常不肯認錯,凡事都說是別人的錯,認為自己才是對的,其實不認錯就是一個錯。

認錯的對象可以是父母、朋友、社會大眾、佛祖,甚至向兒女或是對我不好的人認錯,自己不但不會少了什麼,反而顯得你有度量。

學習認錯是美好的,是一個大修行。


第二、「學習柔和」。

人的牙齒是硬的,舌頭是軟的,到了人生的最後,牙齒都掉光了,舌頭卻不會掉,所以要柔軟,人生才能長久,硬反而吃虧。

心地柔軟了,是修行最大的進步。

一般形容執著的人說,你的心、你的性格很冷、很硬,像鋼鐵一樣。

如果我們像禪門說的調息、調身、調心,慢慢調伏像野馬、像猴子的這顆心,令它柔軟,
人生才能活得更快樂、更長久。


第三、「學習生忍」。

這世間就是忍一口氣,風平浪靜,退一步海闊天空;忍,萬事都能消除。忍就是會處理、 會化解,用智慧、能力讓大事化小、小事化無。

各位要生活、要生存、要生命,有了忍,可以認清世間的好壞、善惡、是非,甚至接受它。


第四、「學習溝通」。


缺乏溝通,就會產生是非、爭執與誤會。

現在中國大陸、香港和台灣,兩岸三地最重要的就是溝通,相互了解、相互體諒、相互幫助,大家都是龍兄虎弟,互相爭執、不溝通怎麼能和平呢?


第五、「學習放下」。


人生像一只皮箱,需要用的時候提起,不用的時就把它放下,應放下的時候,卻不放下,就像拖著沉重的行李,無法自在。

人生的歲月有限,認錯、尊重、包容才能讓人接受,放下才自在啊!


第六、「學習感動」。

我們看到人家得好處,要歡喜;看到好人好事,要能感動。

感動是一個愛心、菩薩心、菩提心,在我幾十年的歲月裡,有許多事情、語言感動了我,所以我也很努力的想辦法讓別人感動。


第七、「學習生存」。

為了生存,我要維護身體健康,身體健康不但對自己有利,也讓朋友、家人放心,所以也是孝親的行為。

~ ~ ~ 祝 好 友 共 勉 之~~~

Saturday, June 27, 2009

6 Serious Medical Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore

Some medical symptoms are warnings that you need immediate care. Learn to recognize these six.
By Katherine Kam
WebMD Feature

That new symptom is troubling: the inexplicable swelling in your calf or the blood in your urine. Could it be serious or even life-threatening?

"Your body flashes signals -- symptoms and signs -- that warn you of potential problems," say Neil Shulman, MD, Jack Birge, MD, and Joon Ahn, MD. The three Georgia-based doctors are the authors of the recently revised book Your Body's Red Light Warning Signals.

Fortunately, many symptoms turn out not to be serious. For example, the majority of headaches stem from stress, eyestrain, lack of sleep, dehydration, caffeine withdrawal, and other mundane causes.

But a sudden, agonizing "thunderclap" headache -- the worst of your life -- could mean bleeding in the brain. Being able to recognize this serious symptom and calling 911 may save your life.


Here are six important flashing signals:

1. Paralysis of the arms or legs, tingling, numbness, confusion, dizziness, double vision, slurred speech, trouble finding words, or weakness, especially on one side of the face or body.

These are signs of stroke -- or a "brain attack" -- in which arteries that supply oxygen to the brain become blocked or rupture, causing brain tissue to die.

Symptoms depend on which area of the brain is involved. If a large blood vessel is blocked, a wide area may be affected, so a person may have paralysis on one side of the body and lose other functions, such as speech and understanding. If a smaller vessel is blocked, paralysis may remain limited to an arm or leg.

If you have symptoms, call 911 right away and get to an emergency room that offers clot-busting therapy for strokes due to blocked vessels. Such treatment, which dissolves clots in blocked vessels, needs to be given within the first three hours after symptoms begin, but newer treatments may work within a longer time frame, says Birge, who is medical director at the Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Ga.

Timing is urgent; fast treatment can potentially stop brain tissue death before permanent brain injury happens. "There is a time clock ticking as to when you might totally recover," Birge tells WebMD.

2. Chest pain or discomfort; pain in the arm, jaw, or neck; breaking out in a cold sweat; extreme weakness; nausea; vomiting; feeling faint; or being short of breath.

These are signs of heart attack. If you get some of these symptoms, call 911 immediately and go to the emergency room by ambulance. Shulman and Birge also recommend that patients chew one regular, full-strength aspirin (unless they're allergic to aspirin) to help prevent damage to the heart muscle during a heart attack.

Not everyone who has a heart attack feels chest pain or pressure or a sense of indigestion. Some people, especially women, the elderly, and people with diabetes, get "painless" heart attacks, the doctors say. Being aware of "painless" heart attack signs is crucial: a very weak feeling, sudden dizziness, a pounding heart, shortness of breath, heavy sweating, a feeling of impending doom, nausea, and vomiting.

Both doctors say that it's important to learn heart attack signs and understand them in context. "Everybody has jaw pain. You don't immediately run and say, 'I've got a heart attack,'" Shulman tells WebMD. He is an associate professor of internal medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. "But if you're also sweating and you have some of these other symptoms -- shortness of breath and so forth -- then that's going to tip you off that there's something much more serious happening."

3. Tenderness and pain in the back of your lower leg, chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood.

These are symptoms of a potentially dangerous blood clot in your leg, especially if they come after you've been sitting for a long time, such as on an airplane or during a long car trip. These signs can also surface if you've been bedridden after surgery.

"Anybody is susceptible," Birge says. He adds that such blood clots are more common than most people and doctors realize.

Blood is more likely to pool in your legs when you're sitting or lying down for long periods of time, as opposed to standing and walking. If a blood clot forms in your leg as a result, your calf can feel swollen, painful, and tender to the touch; you should be evaluated. If you get sudden chest pain or shortness of breath, a piece of the blood clot may have broken off and traveled through the bloodstream to your lungs. This condition can be life-threatening, so get to an emergency room without delay.

4. Blood in the urine without accompanying pain.

Anytime you see blood in your urine, call your doctor promptly, even if you have no pain.
Kidney stones or a bladder or prostate infection are common causes of blood in the urine. But these problems are usually painful or uncomfortable, which sends people to the doctor promptly.

In contrast, when people see blood in their urine but feel no pain, some take a "wait and see" approach, especially if they just have one episode. "But you can't have this attitude," Shulman says. Lack of pain doesn't necessarily mean lack of seriousness.

Cancer of the kidney, ureter, bladder, or prostate can cause bleeding into the urinary tract; when these cancers are small enough to be curable, they may not cause pain. So don't dismiss this important sign because, according to Shulman and Birge, "blood in the urine may be the only clue for an early diagnosis."

5. Asthma symptoms that don't improve or get worse.

Asthma attacks are marked by wheezing or difficulty breathing. When an attack doesn't improve or worsens, a patient should get emergency care.

If an asthma attack is left untreated, it can lead to severe chest muscle fatigue and death, say Shulman and Birge. Some people with persistent asthma hesitate to go to the emergency room because they've gone so many times before, or they need someone to drive them because they're too short of breath. So instead of seeking care, "They try to hang in there," Birge says, even if they need higher doses of inhalants or have decreasing lung function measurements when using a device to measure how well they move air out of their lungs.

Because asthma makes breathing difficult, the muscles for breathing may tire and the volume of air exchanged by the lungs will decrease. As a result, a person's oxygen level drops while blood levels of carbon dioxide rise. As Birge and Shulman explain in their book, "A carbon dioxide buildup in the blood has a sedating effect on the brain, which may cause you to feel even drowsier. You may lose the motivation or energy to breathe."

"A person with asthma who seems to be relaxing more, who seems to not be struggling for breath anymore -- even though they've been at it for six or eight hours -- may actually be worse. It could be a sign of respiratory fatigue," Birge says. Eventually, the person could stop breathing.

"They're really in a big danger zone," Shulman adds. Patients believe they're getting better when they're actually getting worse, he says. "They become sedated and seem to be peaceful when actually, they're dying."

One of the most important considerations is how long an attack lasts, according to both doctors. "If you've been having labored respirations with the asthma not relenting after a period of several hours, even though you may be apparently doing OK, don't let it go any longer," Birge says. "Get on to the emergency room."

6. Depression and suicidal thoughts.

Few people would put up with crushing chest pain or extreme shortness of breath, but many endure depression, even though at its extreme it can be life-threatening.

"Depression can be a very, very serious problem because people can commit suicide," Shulman says. "Some people will not seek care when they are depressed because they think that they'll be perceived as being crazy or not strong or not manly, and they have to understand that there is a chemical imbalance going on in their brain. It is a disease just like any other disease."

Symptoms of depression
include sadness, fatigue, apathy, anxiety, changes in sleep habits, and loss of appetite. Depression can be treated with medications and psychotherapy.

If you have suicidal thoughts, you can speak to someone right away by calling national phone numbers such as 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE.

Speak Up When You Think Something Is Wrong

Doctors are human: They can miss important diagnoses, including heart attacks. A patient's awareness and vigilance can make a difference, Shulman says.

"My feeling is, as a doctor, I want a patient who's informed. I'd rather have a patient who's informed, who's helping me so I won't make a mistake," Shulman says. "And I can be honest and say, 'I'm human. Don't be intimated by me because I have a white coat on. Don't be intimidated by me because I'm using big words.'"

If patients can recognize potentially serious symptoms, they'll have more power when they go to the doctor or the emergency room, he adds. "You have enough to say, 'Well, have you ruled out this problem?'


(We received this article via an e-mail.)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

很有意义的十句话

第一句
沒有一百分的另一半,只有五十分的兩個人

第二句
付出真心,才會得到真心,卻也可能傷得徹底
保持距離,就能保護自己,卻也註定永遠寂寞

第三句
通常願意留下來跟你爭吵的人,才是真正愛你的人

第四句
有時候,不是對方不在乎你,而是你把對方看得太重

第五句
冷漠,有時候並不是無情,只是一種避免被傷害的工具

第六句
如果我們之間有 1000 步的距離,你只要跨出第1步,我就會朝你的方向走其餘的 999 步

第七句
為你的難過而快樂的,是敵人
為你的快樂而快樂的,是朋友
為你的難過而難過的,就是那些該放進心裡的人

第八句
就算是 believe中間也藏了一個 lie

第九句
真正的好朋友,並不是在一起就有聊不完的話題
而是在一起,就算不說話,也不會感到尷尬

第十句
朋友就是被你看透了,還能喜歡你的人

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Food as medicine

(We received this article via an e-mail. This article can also be found at
http://aznakagreen.wordpress.com/2008/06/20/food-as-medicine/)

HEADACHE? EAT FISH!
Eat plenty of fish -- fish oil helps prevent headaches. So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain.

HAY FEVER? EAT YOGURT!
Eat lots of yogurt before pollen season. Also-eat honey from your area (local region) daily.

TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA!
Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea. (actually, tea suppresses my appetite and keeps the pounds from invading.... Green tea is great for our immune system)!

INSOMNIA (CAN'T SLEEP?) HONEY!
Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.

ASTHMA? EAT ONIONS!!!!
Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes. (when I was young, my mother would make onion packs to place on our chest, helped the respiratory ailments and actually made us breathe better).

ARTHRITIS? EAT FISH, TOO!!
Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis. (fish has omega oils, good for our immune system)

UPSET STOMACH? BANANAS - GINGER!!!!!
Bananas will settle an upset stomach. Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.

BLADDER INFECTION? DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE!!!!
High-acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.

BONE PROBLEMS? EAT PINEAPPLE!!!
Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple.

PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME? EAT CORNFLAKES!! !!
Women can ward off the effects of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue.

MEMORY PROBLEMS? EAT OYSTERS!
Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc.

COLDS? EAT GARLIC!
Clear up that stuffy head with garlic. (remember, garlic lowers cholesterol, too.)

COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!!
A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy.

BREAST CANCER?
EAT Wheat, bran and cabbage - Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy levels.

LUNG CANCER? EAT DARK GREEN AND ORANGE AND VEGGIES!!!
A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables.

ULCERS? EAT CABBAGE ALSO!!!
Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers.

DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES!
Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition. (Bananas are good for this ailment)

CLOGGED ARTERIES? EAT AVOCADO!
Mono unsaturated fat in avocados lowers cholesterol.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!!!
Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure. Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure too.

BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE? EAT BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!!!
The chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.

Kiwi: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E & fiber. It's Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

Apple: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

Strawberry: Protective fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protects the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals. (Actually, any berry is good for you..they're high in anti-oxidants and they actually keep us young....... ..blueberries are the best and very versatile in the health field....... .they get rid of all the free-radicals that invade our bodies)

Orange: Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 - 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer.

Watermelon: Coolest Thirst Quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C & Potassium. (watermelon also has natural substances [natural SPF sources] that keep our skin healthy, protecting our skin from those darn sun rays)

Guava &Papaya: Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber which helps prevent constipation.

Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes. (also good for gas and indigestion)

Tomatoes are very good as a preventative measure for men, keeps those prostrate problems from invading their bodies.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

鹤翔养生法惠及人类
作者:叶定侯


(此文转载自爱生云鹤的BLOG,谢谢。)

我在一个偶然机会接触到鹤翔庄。鹤翔养生法惠及人类是促进人类身心健康的法宝。自学功以来,我和周边的同仁们都受益匪浅,现谈谈几点肤浅的体会和感受。


一、健身壮体 ,消除疲劳


赵金香老师在《先天混元学》中讲,“精”、“气”、“神”是人身之三宝。“精”是构成人体生命的物质基础;“气”是充养人体的一种精微物质;“神”是思维意识以及生命活动的总的体现。鹤翔养生法以她的科学性将精、气、神三者的锻炼融入各个动作中去,通过聚津成精、炼精化气、炼气化神、炼神还虚来达到预防疾病、健身壮体的目的。我们地方的一位学校校长,一次体检中发现患肝硬化,后来与我们一起练鹤功。冯万灵老师还指导他练疏肝法。初练时,他想一次练完五节动功也力不从心,通过十几年的不懈锻炼,现在恢复健康、步履稳健、满面红光、神采奕奕。

有一位裁缝师傅,医师诊断他为胃癌,冯万灵老师到黄华镇传功后,他开始学练鹤翔养生法。一年后恢复健康,还亲手为乐清市赴山东参加全国金鹤杯大赛的队员们精制了服装。这些事例不胜枚举。

随着社会的发展,人们日常生活节奏越来越快,心理紧张程度也随之越来越高。只有加强锻炼,学会适时地松弛,对健身和防病是非常有好处的。鹤翔养生法恰好能有效地起到这个作用。实践证明,坚持鹤功锻炼的人不容易疲劳,总能保持精力充沛,身强体壮。


二、陶冶情操,淡泊和谐


赵金香老师说:“练功者首先应能严于律己,宽以待人。只有‘躬自厚而薄责于人’,才能远离嗔怒”。“要提倡谦让、礼让和忍让的精神。”这正是当今建设和谐社会的思想行为指南。鹤翔养生法强调练功者必须“修心养身”,通过修身来启发人善良的天性,通过修心来返本还原。修心养身使人陶冶情操,优化人的情绪、意志与性格等。这既是练功取得良好效果的前提,也是通过练功能逐渐得到的直接效益。在修炼“中国自在静功”的实践中,我们可以体验到非常愉快和舒适,不仅有身体的舒适感,而且心情也非常舒畅,整个心身都沉浸在一种超脱的意境中。持之以恒地锻炼,就能起到陶冶情操、开阔心胸、培养意志、塑造健全的人格、增强心理适应能力的作用。

一位公司的总经理自修练鹤翔养生法后,心理健康水平和工作思路进一步提高,人际关系非常好,办事感到得心应手,工作效率、成功率大大提高。几年来公司的房地产开发做得很顺利,他所负责的一所学校也办得很出色。


三、开发智能,精力旺盛

“气功开发智慧,表现在两个方面。一是发挥人体的内在潜能,使人身体强健;一是开发人类的智力潜能,使人健康。”——(摘自《先天混元学》)。实践证明通过鹤翔庄气功的“调身”、“调息”、“调心”的锻炼,不仅消除人的大脑疲劳,而且可以开发人的智能,使练功者精力旺盛、注意力集中、感知觉敏锐、记忆力增强、思维能力提高,从而能提高智能水平。我们这里有一位学员,学鹤功前体质很差,经常发生头痛,发作时非常难受,后来跟人学习太极拳、太极剑,几年后体质有所提高,但头痛病还是经常发作。1996年冯万灵老师来到乐清传授鹤翔庄气功,她开始锻炼。通过一步功、二步功的修炼,10多年来不仅头痛没有发作,而且记忆力大大提高,体型比以前变得更加苗条。

1996年我在一所中学里,利用学生学习兴趣小组活动的时间,组织50名学生学练开智明目功,事前,测试了每个人的视力存档。经过4个月的锻炼(每周集体锻炼三次,分散锻炼学生自定)后再进行视力测试,有98%的学生有不同程度的提高。班上的数学成绩和写作能力都明显提高。


四、益寿延年,淡然自得


中医认为人到老年、阴精虚衰、真元渐亏、身体各种机能都逐步减退,实践证明鹤翔庄气功能够调动和发挥机体内在潜力,推迟或延缓衰老,防治老年智力减退,增进老年人身心健康,使体质虚弱者变得健康,使体质健康者更加强壮,达到益寿延年的功效。

黄华镇的一位郑老伯,1994年已经60岁,由于职业的原因,他的十个手指都已弯曲不能伸直、满头白发、目光迟钝、步履维艰。冯万灵老师到黄华传功时,郑老伯开始学练鹤翔庄气功。经过十多年的不懈锻炼,现在郑老伯不但十指能够伸直,而且部分头发变黑、满脸红润,步履轻盈。他还将鹤翔庄气功与按摩、推拿结合起来,为别人健身治病,誉满乡里。


五、研读经典,收获无量


赵金香老师编著的《先天混元学》等一系列著作,是气功科学的经典。只有钻研拜读,才能心领神会;只有努力实践,才能觉悟进取。像我这样笨拙的人,每每拜读赵金香老师的著作,也能受益匪浅。每次读后闭目回忆时都能从内心发出甜蜜的笑。在笑中享受着其中的快乐,领悟着他所教导的内涵和外延。因为笨拙,既不善于口头叙述,又无能力研墨笔耕,所以只能“独笑 ”。

总之,修炼先天混养生法的好处有如浩瀚大海之水,我所看到的和体会到的只不过是其中点滴的点滴,说起来让人贻笑大方。但我本着对赵金香老师的感恩和崇敬,即使是再肤浅的体会,只有从心里说出来,才感到宽畅。

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Heart Surgeon Admits Huge Mistake!
By Dwight Lundell, MD
Part 2 of a 2-part article

(Without inflammation, cholesterol would not accumulate in wall of blood vessel and cause heart disease.)

Take a moment to visualize rubbing a stiff brush repeatedly over soft skin until it becomes quite red and nearly bleeding. Let’s say you kept this up several times a day, every day for five years. If you could tolerate this painful brushing, you would have a bleeding, swollen infected area that became worse with each repeated injury. This is a good way to visualize the inflammatory process that could be going on in your body right now.

Regardless of where the inflammatory process occurs, externally or internally, it is the same. I have peered inside thousands upon thousands of arteries. A diseased artery looks as if someone took a brush and scrubbed repeatedly against its wall. Several times a day, every day, the foods we eat create small injuries compounding into more injuries, causing the body to respond continuously and appropriately with inflammation. While we savor the tantalizing taste of a sweet roll, our bodies respond alarmingly as if a foreign invader arrived declaring war.

Foods loaded with sugars and simple carbohydrates, or processed with omega-6 oils for long shelf life have been the mainstay of the American diet for six decades. These foods have been slowly poisoning everyone. How does eating a simple sweet roll create a cascade of inflammation to make you sick? Imagine spilling syrup on your keyboard and you have a visual of what occurs inside the cell. When we consume simple carbohydrates such as sugar, blood sugar rises rapidly. In response, your pancreas secretes insulin whose primary purpose is to drive sugar into each cell where it is stored for energy. If the cell is full and does not need glucose, it is rejected to avoid extra sugar gumming up the works. When your full cells reject the extra glucose, blood sugar rises producing more insulin and the glucose converts to stored fat.

What does all this have to do with inflammation? Blood sugar is controlled in a very narrow range. Extra sugar molecules attach to a variety of proteins that in turn injure the blood vessel wall. This repeated injury to the blood vessel wall sets off inflammation. When you spike your blood sugar level several times a day, every day, it is exactly like taking sandpaper to the inside of your delicate blood vessels. While you may not be able to see it, rest assured it is there. I saw it in over 5,000 surgical patients spanning 25 years who all shared one common denominator — inflammation in their arteries.

Let’s get back to the sweet roll. That innocent looking goody not only contains sugars, it is baked in one of many omega-6 oils such as soybean. Chips and fries are soaked in soybean oil; processed foods are manufactured with omega-6 oils for longer shelf life. While omega-6’s are essential –they are part of every cell membrane controlling what goes in and out of the cell — they must be in the correct balance with omega-3’s. If the balance shifts by consuming excessive omega-6, the cell membrane produces chemicals called cytokines that directly cause inflammation.

Today’s mainstream American diet has produced an extreme imbalance of these two fats. The ratio of imbalance ranges from 15:1 to as high as 30:1 in favor of omega-6. That’s a tremendous amount of cytokines causing inflammation. In today’s food environment, a 3:1 ratio would be optimal and healthy. To make matters worse, the excess weight you are carrying from eating these foods creates overloaded fat cells that pour out large quantities of pro-inflammatory chemicals that add to the injury caused by having high blood sugar. The process that began with a sweet roll turns into a vicious cycle over time that creates heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and finally, Alzheimer’s disease, as the inflammatory process continues unabated.

There is no escaping the fact that the more we consume prepared and processed foods, the more we trip the inflammation switch little by little each day. The human body cannot process, nor was it designed to consume, foods packed with sugars and soaked in omega-6 oils. There is but one answer to quieting inflammation, and that is returning to foods closer to their natural state. To build muscle, eat more protein. Choose carbohydrates that are very complex such as colorful fruits and vegetables.

Cut down on or eliminate inflammation-causing omega-6 fats like corn and soybean oil and the processed foods that are made from them. One tablespoon of corn oil contains 7,280 mg of omega-6; soybean contains 6,940 mg. Instead, use olive oil or butter from grass-fed beef. Animal fats contain less than 20% omega-6 and are much less likely to cause inflammation than the supposedly healthy oils labeled polyunsaturated. Forget the “science” that has been drummed into your head for decades. The science that saturated fat alone causes heart disease is non-existent. The science that saturated fat raises blood cholesterol is also very weak.

Since we now know that cholesterol is not the cause of heart disease, the concern about saturated fat is even more absurd today. The cholesterol theory led to the no-fat, low-fat recommendations that in turn created the very foods now causing an epidemic of inflammation. Mainstream medicine made a terrible mistake when it advised people to avoid saturated fat in favor of foods high in omega-6 fats. We now have an epidemic of arterial inflammation leading to heart disease and other silent killers.

What you can do is choose whole foods your grandmother served and not those your mom turned to as grocery store aisles filled with manufactured foods. By eliminating inflammatory foods and adding essential nutrients from fresh unprocessed food, you will reverse years of damage in your arteries and throughout your body from consuming the typical American diet.


[Ed. Note: Dr. Dwight Lundell is the past Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital , Mesa , AZ. His private practice, Cardiac Care Center was in Mesa , AZ. Recently Dr. Lundell left surgery to focus on the nutritional treatment of heart disease. He is the founder of Healthy Humans Foundation that promotes human health with a focus on helping large corporations promote wellness. He is the author of The Cure for Heart Disease and The Great Cholesterol Lie.]

Monday, June 15, 2009

~~買東西,為什麼不說買南北~~

南宋理學大家朱熹在未出仕前,家鄉有叫盛溫和的好友,此人亦是博學多才的人,一天兩人相遇於巷子內,盛手中拿著一個竹籃子,朱熹問他:「你去那裡?」

盛回答說:「我要去買點東西。」

朱熹是以窮理致知研究學問的人,他聽盛的話,很好奇,隨即問道:「你說買東西,為什麼不說買南北呢?」

盛溫和反問朱熹:「你知什麼是五行嗎?」

朱熹答:「我當然知道,不就是金、木、水、火、土嗎?」

盛說:「不錯,你知道了就好辦,現在我說給你聽,東方屬木,西方屬金,南方屬火,北方屬水,中間屬土。我的籃子是竹做的,盛火會燒掉,裝水會漏光,只能裝木和金,更不會盛土,所以叫買東西,不說買南北呀。」

朱熹聽後唉了一聲說:「原來是這樣!」

原來買東西這個名詞還有這樣一個典故,未收到這篇故事前,還真是搞不懂,買東西的由來,為何會說買東西而不說買南北,看了這篇故事後才知道原來還有這樣一段插曲呢,古人的智慧真是蘊藏在我們的生活的點點滴滴中。


(We received this story via an e-mail.)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Heart Surgeon Admits Huge Mistake!
By Dwight Lundell, MD
Part 1 of a 2-part article

(We received this article via an e-mail.)

We physicians with all our training, knowledge and authority often acquire a rather large ego that tends to make it difficult to admit we are wrong. So, here it is. I freely admit to being wrong. As a heart surgeon with 25 years experience, having performed over 5,000 open-heart surgeries, today is my day to right the wrong with medical and scientific fact.

I trained for many years with other prominent physicians labeled “opinion makers.” Bombarded with scientific literature, continually attending education seminars, we opinion makers insisted heart disease resulted from the simple fact of elevated blood cholesterol. The only accepted therapy was prescribing medications to lower cholesterol and a diet that severely restricted fat intake. The latter of course we insisted would lower cholesterol and heart disease. Deviations from these recommendations were considered heresy and could quite possibly result in malpractice. It Is Not Working! These recommendations are no longer scientifically or morally defensible. The discovery a few years ago that inflammation in the artery wall is the real cause of heart disease is slowly leading to a paradigm shift in how heart disease and other chronic ailments will be treated.

The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences. Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before.

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year. Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped. Inflammation is not complicated -- it is quite simply your body's natural defense to a foreign invader such as a bacteria, toxin or virus. The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects your body from these bacterial and viral invaders. However, if we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process, a condition occurs called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is just as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial.

What thoughtful person would willfully expose himself repeatedly to foods or other substances that are known to cause injury to the body? Well, smokers perhaps, but at least they made that choice willfully. The rest of us have simply followed the recommended mainstream diet that is low in fat and high in polyunsaturated fats and carbohydrates, not knowing we were causing repeated injury to our blood vessels. This repeated injury creates chronic inflammation leading to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity.

Let me repeat that. The injury and inflammation in our blood vessels is caused by the low fat diet that has been recommended for years by mainstream medicine. What are the biggest culprits of chronic inflammation? Quite simply, they are the overload of simple, highly processed carbohydrates (sugar, flour and all the products made from them) and the excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils like soybean, corn and sunflower that are found in many processed foods.

In Part 2 of this two-part article, I'll discuss which foods cause inflammation, how those foods trigger the inflammatory process, and the foods to eat that will cure inflammation.


(Part 2 will be posted within few days.)

Friday, June 12, 2009

治病要先解开心结
中里巴人

(此文转载自求医不如求己 真心就是大智慧,谢谢。)

我一个朋友的表妹最近生了一个女孩,她婆婆觉得不是大胖小子,心里挺别扭,生产后就来看了一眼,第二天就不来了。这个媳妇心里很委屈,本来头天有奶,第二天奶没了,因为生闷气憋回去了。这时,当针灸大夫的姨妈来探望她,一看这个情况,就给她使劲点按涌泉穴,同时慢慢开导她。不一会儿,她突然痛哭流涕,哭了一阵,觉得心里痛快多了。两小时后,她感觉乳房开始胀,奶又重新有了。

这个故事说明什么呢?说明经络穴位是可以直接通到情智上去的,它是沟通生理和心理的一个桥梁。既然如此,我们在按摩这些穴位的时候,就应该把心理方面的因素也加进去。比如说,您给亲朋好友按摩的时候,要知道他的心结在哪里,先解开它,如此才能达到“身心同治”。

我们应该借助经络穴位的桥梁,通过调整生理来改善心理,才能真正达到经络穴位的妙用。如果把经络穴位当成一个死的、没有感情的东西,那么揉它的效果就会很差。

当您帮助别人揉穴位的时候,如果他们心里有抵触,或者对其功效半信半疑,这时不要强迫去揉,因为绝对没有什么效果。如果绷着劲,而又要强行揉开,力量全都消耗在你们的对抗之中,怎么可能有效果呢?

对待所有的东西包括治病,都要像解绳扣,而不要像扯绳子一样越扯越乱。解开的方法有两个:一个是身体上要解开它,还有一个是心结也一定要解开。两个同时解开,经络穴位才能真正发挥效果。

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Do You Need Vitamin D Supplement?

With all the recent news about vitamin D's protective powers, you may be thinking you have to start taking a supplement immediately. But here are a few things to consider before you jump on the supplement bandwagon.

Multivitamins and most calcium tablets usually contain a healthy dose of vitamin D. So if you're currently taking other vitamin supplements, check their labels to see how much vitamin D you're already getting. Both children and adults, by the way, should ingest no more than 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

People who are at risk for a vitamin D deficiency and so may need supplements include:

  • Infants who are breastfed. Breast milk doesn't contain enough vitamin D to meet a baby's needs, and infants also don't usually get enough exposure to sunlight to make enough vitamin D on their own. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that breastfed infants receive a vitamin D supplement of 400 IU per day.
  • Individuals who have limited exposure to the sun. People who are homebound or who don't often get outside are probably not making sufficient vitamin D.
  • Vegetarians and vegans. People who don't eat fish, eggs, or milk may have a harder time getting vitamin D from the foods they eat.
  • People who are lactose intolerant or have a milk allergy. Milk is fortified with enough vitamin D to be a good source of it, but if you need to drink an alternative to milk, such as soymilk, make sure it's fortified, too.
  • Adults over age 50. People over age 50 need extra vitamin D because, for one thing, our skin becomes less able to make vitamin D as we age. For another, our kidneys lose some of their ability to convert vitamin D into the particular type our bodies can use.
  • People with dark skin. The more melanin in the skin, the less vitamin D the skin can produce.
  • People who are obese. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and so can be stored in fatty tissue. The bodies of people who have excess fat, however, may store up too much of the vitamin and not be able to release it into circulation when it's needed.
  • Those who use sunscreen. Don't, however, limit your sunscreen use for fear of not making enough vitamin D. Some vitamin D is usually still made, even when we wear sunscreen because most people don't cover every inch of skin, or they don't apply as much as they need, or they don't reapply it as often as needed.
  • Individuals who have liver disease or whose bodies don't absorb fat properly. Because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, people whose bodies either can't tolerate fat or can't soak up enough fat may not be able to absorb the levels of vitamin D they need.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause weakened bones and lead to osteoporosis. Recent research has now linked a vitamin D deficiency to breast-cancer progression. Think about your diet and your average daily time in the sun, and then talk with your doctor about whether you might need a supplement.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

永遠離開癌症
恢復四大器官功能及釋放壓力
Frankzhang,2007/07/03

癌症的病人,只要脾、肝、大腸、腎,四個功能恢復,就能永遠離開癌症、糖尿病、心臟病、高血壓有很多癌症病人,早上我給他們做復診的時候就發現,原來有高血壓的,現在血壓都正常;原來有心腦血管有疾病的,現在藥物也不用再吃了。顯然,只要幫助這幾個器官慢慢的恢復正常,各種文明病都能脫離,但它不是單一要素。

如果癌症只是一個腫瘤就好辦了,所以過去我們在醫學上犯了一個很大的錯誤,就是只看到這個腫瘤,然後就想我怎麼把它殺掉,所以用手術把它割掉,用化療去毒它,用放射線去照它、燒它,反正用各種方法把它殺掉就好,然後藥越用越重,真的把它殺掉,癌細胞死了,人也死了。

這是我們在醫學上犯了最大的錯誤,它不是單一的,必須考慮到整體。因此,脾一定要先恢復,一定要養成習慣,每天三餐的五穀雜糧一定要占總飲食的 50%以上,一定要養成這個習慣。

雜糧就是紅豆、黃豆、綠豆、薏仁等,這些都是雜糧類,蓮子也很好,有了這個概念之後,脾好,肝就好。脾負擇造血,一天有兩個重要的時間,就是子時和午時 。所以你該休息的時候一定要休息。

現在的人大部分都是肝不好,為什麼不好?晚睡、吃油炸的東西、壞脾氣,是肝的三大剋星。油包肝,你吃油的東西,油把整個肝包住,肝的功能完全喪失了,所以我們不能吃得太油。為什麼《聖經》上三令五申:任何脂肪和血都不可吃,脂肪對身體沒有什麼好處。所以當我們身體感覺不適的時候,上帝用疾病糾正人的過失,用身體的痛苦管教他,有痛苦的時候,代表我們要改變 ── 保護你的肝。


越睡越累 ── 肝臟出問題的警訊

每天利用睡眠的時間,脾去收集血液,送到肝臟去解毒,解毒以後,乾淨的血液送到心臟去,心臟再送到全身,目的是什麼?每一個送到的地方都能獲得營養,就能獲得健康。

很不幸的是,現代很多人脾已經先出現問題,脾本身就不收集血液。只有一個辦法最養脾,五穀最養脾,可是現代人為什麼脾這麼差,身體這麼多病?因為都不吃五穀雜糧,吃漢堡、炸雞、牛排、薯條,好不容易吃一點米,又吃白米,所以你一要回歸《聖經》伊甸園飲食,就是吃上帝原始所創造的食物,一定要吃五穀雜糧,原始的雜糧,比如糙米。

但是我特別提醒大家,因為新加坡是屬於熱帶氣候,所以寒帶和溫帶氣候的穀物較不適合熱帶的人吃,特別注意一下,譬如燕麥、蕎麥、小麥、大麥、高粱,這些大部份都屬於寒帶溫帶的產物,當然有極少數人的體質是可以吃的,但大部份是不適合吃的,而不是這個東西不好。

我們熱帶地方最適合吃的是什麼食物呢?是糙米、地瓜,全世界都可以;還有薏仁、小米,這些都是比較適合這邊的氣候吃的。在整個飲食習慣上面來說,一旦你能夠作調整,穀物一吃,脾臟的功能就可以恢復。


恢復大腸排便功能


如果你經常感覺到疲倦,肝出問題,你應該早一點休息。每天早上,你上廁所感覺很困難,上廁所很像打仗,跟馬桶打仗。真的很可憐!

這個表示什麼?你身體纖維質攝取量完全不足,為什麼美國得大腸癌比例那麼高,中國大陸沿海地區得大腸癌的人那麼多,新加坡得腸癌是所有癌症的第二,中國的內地平常研究發現,根本沒有腸癌,因為他每天上廁所都很順,一坐下去,噗隆,噗隆,噗隆!每條都像香蕉,好漂亮!而且排列整齊。還不只是這樣,我跟你講,健康的人出來,每一條直徑大概兩、三公分 ,而且一出來是「咻」一條,30 到 45 公分 長,如果你放在土地上,它可以轉一圈,還在冒煙,還不只這樣,聞一聞,還有香草味。

有一天,比利突然很興奮地打電話給我,說:「教授,你講的都是真的,我以前一直懷疑,我現在跟你認罪。」 我說:「什麼事情你這麼懷疑?」「你說健康的人大便會有香草味,怎麼可能!可是我現在我的糞便有香草味。」

為什麼?因為毒都排掉了,你們沒有感覺牛糞就有香草味,可是現在的牛糞很臭,因為現在牛吃的東西也是亂七八糟,還有牛打抗生素,如果你上廁所有困難,這表示什麼?
萬病之源,都是從你的大腸不能正常排泄開始

你如果大腸很好的時候,每天早上應該不是自己醒過來,而是被大腸的蠕動叫醒。大腸蠕動在叫你了,為什麼?因為 5 到 7 點就是大腸最活躍的時間,所以為什麼我們告訴癌症病人一定要 9 點睡,糖尿病也是,一般人 11 點前要睡,因為你的大腸早上 6 點到 7 點的時候自然就會蠕動,叫你起床,蹲馬桶了。

每天吃幾餐就排幾次便,那麼,你一天要上幾次廁所才夠?請記住,如果四、五天才上一次廁所,叫重度便秘;兩三天上一次廁所,這個叫中度便秘;一天上一次廁所,叫輕度便秘。怎樣才是最健康,最正常?就是每天吃幾頓飯就上幾次廁所,這個叫健康,而且每次坐下去,兩三分鐘就解決。

你再看一下,排得好整齊,而且衛生紙一擦,沒有什麼大便,乾乾淨淨。我看有的人很可憐,十幾張衛生紙還擦不乾淨,所以這種人都不用擦,直接用水沖就好了。因為他體內嚴重缺乏纖維素。這些毒如果不能正常地排出去,
食物進入體內 12 小時,沒有排出去,就會形成毒素。因為毒素沒有排出去,我們的大腸壁就會吸收這個毒素,吸收以後,透過門靜脈又送回肝臟去,糟糕了!造成肝虧損,這個問題就很嚴重了。所以,為什麼肝不好跟大腸有直接關聯,只要大腸一通順,肝好了,免疫系統也跟著恢複,而且送到心臟的血都是乾淨的,什麼病都不容易罹患。

腎臟是身體新陳代謝、排除廢物、排毒的重要器官,全身的血液每小時經過腎臟二十次,血液裡新陳代謝的廢物透過腎臟過濾變成尿、排出體外。腎臟功能失調會引起腰酸背痛、水腫、血液中有尿毒、高血壓、尿道發炎、疲倦、失眠、耳鳴、脫髮、視力模糊、反應遲鈍、情緒低落、恐懼感,甚至神經錯亂。

任何進入身體的飲料、食物、空氣和情緒壓力所產生的毒素都會經過腎臟。如果污染物質太多,造成腎臟負擔太重,短期也許會出現阻塞、發炎現象,長期則有結石、功能衰退、血液不乾淨等各種毛病,最嚴重要靠人工洗腎清除血液污染,不然會有生命危險。

腎的日常保養「預防勝於治療」。注意保健,避免對腎臟的傷害才是上上之策。造成腎臟失調的主要原因有下:
1.食用過多的動物性高蛋白質食物,產生過多尿酸,讓腎臟工作過量。
2.工作過勞,壓力太大,沒有充分的休閒。
3.服用西藥,如消炎止痛藥、抗生素等。
4.環境污染:水源、土壤、空氣、噪音。
5.飲用酒、咖啡、汽水、冰冷飲料過多。
6.潮濕寒冷的天氣。
7.飲水不夠。

要保護腎臟就要減少以上的傷害,多喝水,多吃(喝)漿果類,如草莓、蔓越莓(cranberry 小紅莓)、藍莓、覆盆子(raspberry)、西瓜、檸檬等水果/汁。攝取植物性蛋白質,規律運動,清淡的天然飲食,充分的休息,開朗的心情,避免腰部受寒,常用手擦熱按摩腰部,達到強腎的功效


檸檬養腎法

善用檸檬,對腎臟尤其好處多多,同時還可強化肝臟。

一、溫檸檬汁保養腎臟
每日起床後鮮榨一個檸檬,加入一杯 200c.c.溫開水調和(可加少許天然海鹽、口感更滑潤順口),空腹慢慢喝下,可以清潔腎臟,也可通大小便。

二、檸檬汁排腎結石
將 12 個新鮮檸檬榨汁(要喝之前才榨汁、現榨現喝),加入適量溫開水調和(可加少許天然海鹽、口感更滑潤順口),連續喝七天(一天一打檸檬喝 7天、其餘飲食照舊)。細小的砂石就會由尿道排出。排出的時候,會有刺痛的感覺;如果腎結石很大,已經造成發炎疼痛,可以喝小紅莓汁來消炎止痛


釋放壓力六大法

許多人都曾經感受到生活、工作,甚至人際關係的壓力,壓力處理得宜,會變成一種動力,產生生命的活力。可是,如果這個壓力持續存在,沒有辦法得到紓解,壓力如果一直持續增加,會使得腎上腺、荷爾蒙出現很大的問題,引發免疫系統方面的疾病,問題就非常嚴重了。

大部分的憂鬱症都是有很大的壓力突然來到,沒有辦法轉化。壓力來自於遇到很多的困難,所以我們要學習把困難改變。

跟壓力關係最大的是癌症,得癌症前六個月,幾乎都有重大的壓力事件發生。當你感到壓力來臨的時候,要學會放鬆。呼吸可以影響腦波的頻率,腦波的頻率可以影響心跳的速度,心跳的速度又可以影響肌肉鬆緊度。也就是說,當你轉換呼吸方式的時候,肌肉和情緒緊緊繃的狀態都會獲得改變,這種方式也治療過口吃的病人。

你也可以自己練習搓動雙手,眼睛累了,用這個方法很有效,可以幫助整個人的氣血變成迴圈的回流,體力和精力可以很快的充滿。

第二個有效紓解壓力的方法就是運動,讓你整個人震動或舞動,很快就可以提振精神,最好有個規律性的運動,因為運動是紓解壓力最好的方法。另外,每天赤腳在草地上走,就可以釋放壓力,前提是有沒有把它當作生活中規律的一環。

第三就是睡眠,睡眠是非常好的方法。但是,現代人普遍睡不好覺。臺灣醫師協會統計,臺灣每天靠安眠藥入睡的有 500 萬人,睡覺是一門大學問,千萬記住,晚上睡覺不要把手壓在胸口,會作惡夢。也不要壓在腹部,會承受很大的壓力,最好的方法就是放在兩旁,手心朝上。

睡眠品質越好,壓力釋放的速度越快。可是不要等全身非常累了再去睡,很容易睡不著;很累還睡不好,表示肝已經嚴重受損。

第四就是休息。休息和睡眠不同,休息是脫離原來的工作,轉換一個場景。舉例,吃飯的時候不要在原來的辦公桌吃,儘量帶便當或公司準備,不要到外面吃,浪費時間,而且外面很多都是癌症食品。儘量帶便當比較節省時間,照我排毒餐程式來吃,吃完之後,留 15 分鐘來做和上班無關的事。剩下來的時間做腹式呼吸,透過呼吸來放鬆。

第五是飲食,不要吃高壓力的食物,有刺激性的食物都是高壓力食物,越吃這些食物,會使交感神經亢進,有時會刺激身體所有的功能處於警戒狀態。

什麼是高壓力食物?可樂、汽水、咖啡、茶、酒精、香煙、乳製品及肉製品等,所有的肉,尤其是經過油處理的肉是壓力最大的。什麼食物會使心情愉快?聖經創世紀第 1 章 29 節:上帝說:「看哪,我將遍地上一切結種子的菜蔬,和一切樹上結有殼的果子全賜給你們做食物了。」 最重要的食物,蔬菜、水果、五穀雜糧。飲食重要的東西可以減輕壓力,就是水。喝水可以減輕壓力,喝好水可以釋放壓力。(世界衛生組織發現,世界上 80%以上的疾病都跟水源不潔有直接的關係)。

第六個釋放壓力的方法是曬太陽。聖經上常講到,日光有治療的功效。很多憂鬱症患者都不愛曬太陽,平常多曬太陽,身體的抗體會增加。


(We received this article via an e-mail.)

Thursday, June 04, 2009

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

Sleep is one of the richest topics in science today: why we need it, why it can be hard to get, and how that affects everything from our athletic performance to our income. Daniel Kripke, co-director of research at the Scripps Clinic Sleep Center in La Jolla, Calif., has looked at the most important question of all. In 2002, he compared death rates among more than 1 million American adults who, as part of a study on cancer prevention, reported their average nightly amount of sleep. To many, his results were surprising, but they've since been corroborated by similar studies in Europe and East Asia. Kripke explains.

Q: How much sleep is ideal?

A: Studies show that people who sleep between 6.5 hr. and 7.5 hr. a night, as they report, live the longest. And people who sleep 8 hr. or more, or less than 6.5 hr., they don't live quite as long. There is just as much risk associated with sleeping too long as with sleeping too short. The big surprise is that long sleep seems to start at 8 hr. Sleeping 8.5 hr. might really be a little worse than sleeping 5 hr.

Morbidity [or sickness] is also "U-shaped" in the sense that both very short sleep and very long sleep are associated with many illnesses—with depression, with obesity—and therefore with heart disease—and so forth. But the [ideal amount of sleep] for different health measures isn't all in the same place. Most of the low points are at 7 or 8 hr., but there are some at 6 hr. and even at 9 hr. I think diabetes is lowest in 7-hr. sleepers [for example]. But these measures aren't as clear as the mortality data.

I think we can speculate [about why people who sleep from 6.5 to 7.5 hr. live longer], but we have to admit that we don't really understand the reasons. We don't really know yet what is cause and what is effect. So we don't know if a short sleeper can live longer by extending their sleep, and we don't know if a long sleeper can live longer by setting the alarm clock a bit earlier. We're hoping to organize tests of those questions.

One of the reasons I like to publicize these facts is that I think we can prevent a lot of insomnia and distress just by telling people that short sleep is O.K. We've all been told you ought to sleep 8 hr., but there was never any evidence. A very common problem we see at sleep clinics is people who spend too long in bed. They think they should sleep 8 or 9 hr., so they spend [that amount of time] in bed, with the result that they have trouble falling asleep and wake up a lot during the night. Oddly enough, a lot of the problem [of insomnia] is lying in bed awake, worrying about it. There have been many controlled studies in the U.S., Great Britain and other parts of Europe that show that an insomnia treatment that involves getting out of bed when you're not sleepy and restricting your time in bed actually helps people to sleep more. They get over their fear of the bed. They get over the worry, and become confident that when they go to bed, they will sleep. So spending less time in bed actually makes sleep better. It is in fact a more powerful and effective long-term treatment for insomnia than sleeping pills.


In another report:-

The term sleep disorder may suggest someone tossing and turning all night, but lying awake for hours with insomnia is just one example of many conditions that affect how you sleep and function during the day. In fact, you can have a sleep disorder and not even know it.

How many hours should you sleep?
There's no normal number of hours that quantifies a good sleep, just like there's no normal shoe size. Most adults need seven to nine hours a night; others manage just fine with six. It's even possible to get too much sleep, since spending excess time in bed can be a sign of another health problem, such as depression or chronic fatigue syndrome.

A 2007 British study found that people who slept the same amount of time (seven hours) each night lived longer, on average, than people who adjusted their schedules to either add or subtract hours from their nightly slumber. Finding your own ideal sleep/wake cycle—and staying consistent—is key to healthy sleep, agrees Carol Ash, DO, medical director of the Sleep for Life center in Hillsborough, N.J.

Don't sell yourself short
That doesn't mean you can shave off hours of much needed rest without consequence: In a different study, the same British scientists also found that people who are consistently sleep deprived (defined as sleeping five hours or less a night) are at greater risk for high blood pressure and cardiovascular problems—especially women.

Insufficient sleep also raises your risk for obesity, diabetes, depression, alcoholism, and automobile accidents. Plus, a 2007 University of California–Berkeley study confirmed the obvious: Sleep deprivation directly affects areas of the brain that deal with mood and concentration, leaving tired people grumpy, overly emotional, and unable to focus.

Consider quality and quantity
For all these reasons, doctors need to look at both the quantity and the quality of sleep to detect a problem. And when it comes to sleep quality, problems aren't always obvious to patients themselves: An insomniac who lies awake at night can easily tell that something is wrong, for example, but someone with sleep apnea—who repeatedly stops breathing in his sleep—might have no idea there's a problem.

The most telling sign of a disorder is how you feel during the day. If you generally wake up alert and refreshed, you're a healthy sleeper. If you chronically wake up sleepy, irritable, and unfocused—and stay that way throughout the day—you may have a sleep disorder, no matter how much time you spend in bed.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Another Look at Photos Taken on 28-02-2009 During The Annual Dinner

七種不需本錢的布施


即使沒有財富也能做的七種布施.....

有一人向釋佛訴苦:「我不管做什麼事都會失敗,這是為什麼?」
佛說:「因你從不布施!」
那人答說:「可是我是一無所有的窮人!」
釋佛開示:「不對!即使你沒有財富,也可以給人七種布施!」

七種不需本錢的布施
一、和顏施:對於別人給予和顏悅色的布施。
二、言施:向人說好話的布施,存好心做好事,做好人說好話,並勉人切實力行。
三、心施:為對方設想的心,體貼眾生的心的布施。
四、眼施:用慈愛和氣的眼神看人。
五、身施:身體力行幫助別人。
六、座施:讓座給需要的人的布施。
七、察施:不用問對方就能察覺對方的心,並給予相對其所需的方便的布施。


如果你能身體力行此七項布施,生命也會跟著有所改變!

慈心多福
最大的幸福来自~助人与奉献,
最大的财富来自~慈悲与结缘。。。慧海法语1(大)~第37页