Football: Globetrotting Beckham can't lift Galaxy

David Beckham (L) of LA Galaxy is held by the referee as he confronts Jesse Marsch of Chivas USA after a hard tackle during their Major League Soccer game. - AP

David Beckham of LA Galaxy is held by his teammate as he confronts Jesse Marsch(L) of Chivas USA after a hard tackle.

EU threatens action against unsafe China toys

The European Commission threatens to take urgent "regulatory" action against toys deemed to be unsafe, after high-profile recalls of Chinese-made products by US toy firm Mattel. - AP

Little Panda ( 2 & 5 months old )

Mount Matterhorn - Switzerland

The beauty of Mount Matterhorn.

Snack Smart

Snacking is a great way to boost your energy level.

Research shows it is better to eat several small meals throughout the day than to eat three large meals. Besides keeping your energy level up, this also prevents unhealthy bingeing.

However, you must be mindful of what you snack. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean that you're allowed to go all out with your food.

The same good-diet principles apply: Avoid high sugar, high fat, and high cholesterol snacks.

So if you're in need of a little pick-me-up, reach for that high-protein bar to boost your blood sugar level. Or if you want to fill up on your nutritional needs, then reach for that yoghurt topped with crunchy muesli for your calcium and fibre requirements.

Here are some snack suggestions during the different times of the day:

Mid-morning Munchies
If your toddler or baby has kept you up all night, then you'll need these snacks to jump start your metabolism.

Here are some suggestions:

• Flu Fighter – Blend some strawberries, kiwi, green apple and orange with a dash of honey to taste.
• Go for a protein and carbohydrate combo, such as a teaspoon of peanut butter on plain crackers.
• Plain yoghurt topped with crushed almonds or cubed fruit makes for a great mid-morning snack
• Spread margarine on a piece of wholemeal bread, and top it with bananas to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Grab-and-go Lunch
Don't have time to eat a proper lunch? Pack a light lunch to meet your nutritional needs:

• Make a tuna salad with water-packed tuna, a mix of salad leaves, baby tomatoes, onion slices and chunks of green apple. If desired, drizzle some light salad dressing.
• Spread a mixture of miso paste and Japanese plum paste (can be found in the Japanese aisle of supermarkets) on a piece of salmon and grill. Eat with slices of tomato and Japanese cucumber.
• Boil some brown rice porridge with a mixture of vegetables, such as carrot, peas, potatoes and cabbage. You can top it with some minced meat, such as pork or beef.
• Fill two slices of wholewheat bread with slices of avocado, tomato and salad leaves.

Mid-afternoon Snack
• A handful of unsalted almonds
• 1 cup of mixed fruit
• Half cup of mixed nuts, pumpkin seeds and dried fruit such as apricot and prunes

Late Night Supper
• Decaffeinated green tea or Korean citron tea (available from Takashimaya food hall)
• Cucumber or carrot sticks with an Indian-inspired yoghurt dip
• A bowl of homemade beef or chicken broth

China bans mining on sacred Buddhist mountains

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has banned mining on mountains sacred to Buddhists after protests from monks that the exploitation was damaging ancient temples and violating holy sites, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday.

The move was in response to complaints from monks in northern Shanxi province's Wutai mountain, a sacred peak, Xinhua said, but it also follows a riot among Tibetan Buddhists in the country's southwest in an area that was being mined for lead and zinc.

"The blasting to extract ore has cracked the walls, and ruined some of the frescoes," Xinhua quoted Abbot Shi Renfa of the Manjusri Monastery in the Wutai Mountains, as saying.

"I used to worry greatly that they would also break the Buddha statuettes and the outdoor pagoda made of coloured glaze."

The area is home to rich iron ore deposits and about 10 mines were being developed there, the report said.

China is desperate for energy, metals and other natural resources to feed its rapidly expanding economy, but the ruling Communist Party is also intent on maintaining social stability and cracks down hard on public protests.

It pays particular attention to stability in its ethnic minority regions like Bamei town in the southwestern province of Sichuan, where hundreds of Tibetans rioted in June over the exploitation of Yala Mountain, smashing mining equipment and attacking work teams in an attempt to halt work at the mine.

Residents said at the time that village elders went missing after they tried to petition the government, and they believed they had been arrested.

Thursday's report made no mention of the unrest in Sichuan, but said the decision to ban mining on sacred mountains had been taken in response to a joint letter filed in June by a group of monks in Shanxi to the provincial religious association.

In mid-August, the city and provincial governments announced they would close three mines within the Wutai mountain range and suspend operations of seven others nearby, the report said.

The government was still assessing compensation for the mining companies, it added.

Girl, 5, chokes to death on rambutan

SEGAMAT: A five-year-old girl died after choking on a rambutan fruit.
Anis Salwa was eating the fruit with her mother when the incident occurred at about 3pm at their home in Kampung Jawa on Wednesday.

Suddenly, she was gasping for air. Her mother rushed her to the Segamat Hospital but she died while on the way there.

Her 44-year-old mother, known only as Esah, said her daughter usually sucked the juice from the fruit.

“Today, she wanted to eat the fruit.

“I am shocked. I can’t believe my daughter is gone forever,’ she said in between sobs.

Man charged with putting child in dryer

LUMBERTON, Texas, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- A Texas man is asking the public for forgiveness after he put his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter in a hot clothes dryer.

At a news conference Thursday, Bobby Lynn Curtis, 27, of Lumberton, Texas, told reporters he had past problems with anger but said this was the first time he had hurt someone, The Beaumont Enterprise reported.
Curtis, who is in jail on $150,000 bond, allegedly put the girl in a dryer and turned it on for five seconds.

The incident occurred Sunday while the child's mother was at the store. Police said the girl suffered first and second degree burns.

Report links power lines to cancer

SYDNEY, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- An Australian study says living next to high-voltage power lines increases the risk of cancer.

Researchers from the University of Tasmania and Britain's Bristol University looked at a database of 850 patients in Tasmania diagnosed with lymphatic and bone marrow cancers between 1972 and 1980, and found that living for a prolonged period near high-voltage power lines may increase the risk of leukemia, lymphoma and related conditions later in life.

Those who lived within 328 yards of a power line up to age 5 were five times more likely to develop cancer, while those who lived that close to a power line at any point during their first 15 years were three times more likely to develop cancer as an adult, the newspaper said.

The study was published in the Internal Medicine Journal.

"The evidence of detrimental long-term health effects is far from conclusive, and international guidelines for limiting exposure to EMF are based on possible short-term effects rather than longer-term disease risks such as cancer," said Ray Lowenthal, a professor at the University of Tasmania.

Mount Fuji - Japan

In mountainous Japan, most of the mountains are part of mountain ranges. Mt. Fuji, however, soars into the sky alone. Located almost in the center of the country (on the prefectural border between Shizuoka and Yamanashi), this well-proportioned cone-shaped mountain has been worshiped by the Japanese people since ancient times, and is a well-known symbol of Japan in other countries. The highest peak in Japan (3,776 meters (12,385 feet)), Mt. Fuji is a relatively young volcano. The mountain is said to have reached its present shape about 5,000 years ago, but even since then, it has repeatedly erupted, and those eruptions since the dawn of history can be found on record. The last gigantic eruption occurred in 1707. For almost 300 years since then, Mt. Fuji has been quiet and retained its rarely noble figure, but some experts say that it will surely awake again.

Teddy Bear exhibition held in Beijing

China’s first Teddy Bear art exhibition was held August 22 in Beijing’s Shin Kong Place. The display, using pictures, texts, objects and activities, aims at demonstrating a detailed history of Teddy Bear.

Complex Carbohydrates and Its Benefits

Every morning we wake up and find that our hearts are still beating, brains are still in good functioning condition, and we still have the ability to pick up things whenever we want to. Do we realise that these entire simple daily chores actually require energy to perform?


An author of a nutrition book once said this (which I agree very much with): “Most people would like to feel good all the time. No matter what each day may bring, the potential enjoyment available can be tremendous when a person‘s body and mind are in tune for it. The feeling of wellbeing that comes from energy, alertness, clear thinking and confidence is so rewarding that if you know how to produce it … .. Part of the secret of feeling well is keeping your energy supply going with food. “ By Cataldo

Among the three key macronutrients of carbohydrate, protein and fat; CARBOHYDRATE is the preferred energy source, fat ranks next and protein is normally spared for body cells building and repair purposes. You would be amazed that our body functions depend so much on carbohydrate; as long as carbohydrate is available, our brain cells depend exclusively on it as an energy source. Fat is not used by the brain and nervous system and a diet high in fat are associated with many diseases.

Complex carbohydrate Vs Simple carbohydrate
There are different types of carbohydrate that exist in our diet, and they are classified based on the molecular structure of carbohydrate œ monosaccharides.

Simple carbohydrate is made up of a shorter molecular chain of monosaccharides, normally in the number of one to two molecules of monosaccharides. You may want to know some real life examples of simple carbohydrates that are that present in our daily lives. The following are some example:

- Monosaccharides (present as one molecule) :glucose, fructose (fruit sugar)and galactose

- Disaccharides (present in two molecules chain): sucrose (table sugar, honey), lactose (milk sugar) and maltose (normally used for pastry making).

Complex carbohydrate food is made up of more than two monosaccharides chain and scientist normally term it as Polysaccharides (literally means made up from many monosacchrides). Some of the following examples may be of familiar to you, such as:

- Starch: present in rice, bread, and noodle, tuber vegetable such as potato, bean or lentils. Most human societies have staple grain on which their people depend for much of their food energy: rice in Asia, wheat for the western communities and barley and corn in the South America.

- Dietary fibre that is present in our foods such as fibre from cereals and brown rice

Impacts of different carbohydrates on body
Now that we understand the different types of carbohydrate, we can now look into the different effects they have on our body. As the name suggests and the structure of the molecule, you would guess that simple carbohydrate needs less effort by the digestive system to be fully digested and absorbed by the body due to its nature of it having a shorter chain; therefore, if we require quick energy especially during endurance exercises, when our blood sugar running too low, simple carbohydrate will serve the purpose . However, if we consume excessive simple carbohydrates at one time, our blood sugar will surge very high in a short period of time and if simple carbohydrate constantly occupied the major percentage in our daily diet, this high blood sugar phenomenon will persist. This reflects the scenario in today‘s world, whereby chronic disease such as diabetes is prevalent and is on the rise.

Benefits of complex carbohydrate
Although almost all body cells use glucose as their chief energy source, our body cannot recognise complex carbohydrate molecules as their energy source. Having said that, our body is an intelligent system, it can convert complex carbohydrate to the form that our body can absorb and then be utilised by the cells. This process normally requires longer time as our body w ill have to break the longer chain of carbohydrate to shorter ones before the actual absorption take place

Added benefits of Complex carbohydrate
Not only does complex carbohydrate provide energy to us at a steady pace, but it is also the source of many other nutrients. Many complex carbohydrates also a good source of B Vitamins which are required during the release of energy in body cells. Moreover, natural and minimally processed carbohydrate foods are generally low in fat and high in fibre.

Star of Complex Carbohydrate
Fibre, also called ”roughage‘, has been receiving much attention both from the public and scientists due to its contribution to human health. Research has shown that a diet high in dietary fibre and low in fat are associated with reduced risks of chronic diseases. Fibre is found in plant source foods such as vegetable, fruits and legumes; it is not digestible by human digestive enzymes. Although some fibre can be digested by bacteria in the digestive tract, energy contributed by fibre is negligible.

Fibre can be classified into 2 categories according to their characteristics in the human body;

Insoluble fibre :
This fibre does not dissolve in water and normally found in the external part of fruits, vegetable and grains. Insoluble fibre will help to increase the intestinal movement and this will be helpful for people w ho face constipation problem .

Souble fibre :
This fibre is readily dissolved in water and often impart gummy or gel like to foods. A good example of this is oat, if we make a bowl of oat cereal for breakfast in the morning, it often thickens if we leave it for awhile.

Soluble fibre indeed plays an important role in maintaining health. Due to its “gel like” formation in the stomach, it slows down the pace of food being emptied from the stomach and therefore it enhances our satiety and delays the feeling of hunger. Moreover, due to its slow releasing pace of food into intestinal tract, it help to regulate blood sugar from rising too fast and too high after a meal.

Our body require both types of fibre to keep our digestive tract healthy and to optimise health. It is recommended to consume 25g of dietary fibre a day. To achieve this, one should choose fibre rich food in their daily diet, for example: instead of plain biscuit, why not change to high fibre biscuit.

Recommended actions
Health authorities all over the world still recommend that carbohydrate be the key component of diet; it should account for about 50% of the total energy contribution, with an emphasis on sources from complex carbohydrate and fibre rich foods. Many people have the misconception that carbohydrate is ”fattening". On a gram-for-gram basis, carbohydrates contribute similar amounts of calories as protein (4kcal/gram), but contributes fewer calories to the body than dietary fat (9kcal.gram). Although protein contributes a similar amount of calories as carbohydrates, protein rich food are normally accompanied with a considerable amount of fat as well; for example, meat. Next time when you think of what you should put on your plate, you should place half of your desired amount with complex carbohydrate with high fibre (brown rice, vegetable) followed by a lesser portion from protein rich food such as meat if possible. Choose fibre rich protein food like legumes, and whenever possible choose food with less oil or fat.

The importance of balance in every aspect of life

New age lifestyles like Zen - which is actually a religious practice - have evolved over the years to become an international phenomenon. Stemming from religious teachings, Zen has spilled over to denote a certain lifestyle captured to some degree by decor, food and even design. Similarly, Feng Shui - a traditional Chinese practice of placement and arrangement of space to achieve harmony with the environment - is now fast gaining recognition around the world and is becoming a household phrase in most parts. The literal translation is "wind and water".

More and more people, in their search for balance and health, have picked up on trendy exercise routines and adopted healthy snacking habits (choosing biscuits with high wheat cereal and low fat content). They have also recently started applying the art of Feng Shui to food. Although food is not usually described as having good or bad Feng Shui in itself, believers in Feng Shui say that certain food through energy composition or visual appearance are able to add or subtract from the Feng Shui of their surroundings.

The ideas of yin and yang are used in the sphere of food and cooking. Yang foods are understood to increase the body's heat (i.e. raise the metabolic rate) while yin foods have the opposite effect. As a generalization, yang foods tend to be denser in food energy, especially from fat, while yin foods tend to have higher water content. The Chinese ideal is to eat both types of food to keep the body in balance and avoid problems such as acne and bad breath as the result of excessive yang energy while the opposite may result in the person being lethargic or anemic.

There are foods that are classified as neutral as they are considered to have a good balance of yin and yang on its own. Almost no food is purely yin or yang, as they are classified based on the one characteristic that dominates. This is why there is no complete agreement among experts as to which foods exhibit yin or yang forces. Moderation is best and it is good to maintain a diet that contains a healthy balance between the two.

Here are some examples of the types of food in the different categories:

Yin Qualities
Spinach, Celery, Duck, Eggplant, Crab, Soy sauce

Yang Qualities

Garlic, Salt , Chicken, Turkey, Pineapple, Beef, Vinegar

Neutral Properties

Abalone, Potato, Rice, Grains, Crackers, Biscuits, Lemon

Interestingly, cooking methods also have more of a yin or yang property, as the list below demonstrates

Yin Qualities
Boiling, Poaching, Steaming, Fresh or Raw

Yang Qualities
Deep-frying, Roasting, Stir-frying, Baking

Taking this into consideration, how then would you decide on a menu for the family reunion dinner on the eve of the Chinese New Year, which Chinese all over the world celebrate on 18 February each year. Keep in mind that it is customary to include certain dishes as they are believed to usher in wealth, happiness and good fortune; for example, serving a whole fish to signify abundance, baked rice cakes to symbolize prosperity and longevity noodles to connote long life.

As the Chinese New Year dinner menu will be typically yang heavy, you can try to keep it in balance with yin energy by opting for steamed fish instead of deep fried fish. You can also choose food with less salt which is believed to have extreme yang polarities and go for more wheat cereal food which is rich in antioxidants and beneficial to overall health.

To enjoy a guilt-free indulgence at the reunion feast, balance out the rest of the day's diet by choosing a neutral breakfast such as wheat crackers or grain cereals, and a yin lunch such as salads or fruits. Consuming nutritious biscuits rich in wheat cereal, which are neutral, at regular intervals will ensure that your meals are balanced and will keep energy levels high throughout the busy period!

If you know the basic concept of balancing the yin and yang properties in food, you don't have to worry about over-indulging and having your health compromised in days that follow. Reading labels on food products can also help in identifying the right amount of yin and yang and help you plan your menu. While it is common for most people to look for the negatives (such as preservatives or other chemical additives) when reading labels, this practice can also be used to pick up the right stuff to ensure that we pack a balanced diet to support our active lifestyles while maintaining this equilibrium between the yin and yang energies.

This method of finding a balance in the food we eat is similar to the more widely accepted moethod of the food pyramid, which is a tool widely used by nutritionists as a guide to a balanced diet, with a bigger portion of neutral foods such as fibers and grains, and moderate portions of fruits and vegetables (yin) and meats and dairy products (yang).

Eating Healthy - In Family Perspective

In today's on-the-run society, the traditional sit-down family meal has pretty much gone by the wayside. But researchers say restoring regular family meals can help in cultivating healthy eating habits and prevent dangerous eating disorders. According to Journal of Adolescent Health, making family meals a priority in spite of scheduling difficulties emerged as the most consistent protective factor against disordered eating. Sitting down for a family meal provides more than just good nutrition. It can provide real quality time for the entire household. Researchers suggest that parents should keep conversation light and positive at the dinner table, especially if their children have issues surrounding food.



It has been suggested that, at the very least, having breakfast and dinner together should be made a daily family ritual, involving both preparation and consumption of food. This may help accomplish the following:

• Reduce dependence upon, and consumption of, less healthy food options
• Reduce the frequency of eating out
• Increase consumption of healthier foods
• Help children and adolescents develop positive emotional and physical health
• Build family cohesion

So calling all families---- let go for it!
• Eat a variety of nutrient rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for optimal health and well being. Remember no single food supplies them all. You need to eat whole grain foods whenever possible. Wholemeal bread, wholemeal crackers, fruits and vegetables add fibre and valuable nutrients to our daily diet.

• Always make small and smart changes in your dietary food habits. This way you can gradually adjust to the changes and keep to it 80% of the time. Remember 1 gram of fat gives you 9 calories while 1 gram of carbohydrate and protein gives you 4 calories. So eating anything with fat gives you double the calories.

• The nutritional information on food labels give you specific information about the calories and nutrients such as fat, cholesterol sodium, fibre and certain vitamins and minerals on a single serving of the product. When shopping, use the nutrition labels as your guide for healthier eating.

• Besides looking out for the expiry date, shop on a full stomach. This way you won’t be tempted to buy extra goodies or nibble on free samples.

• Realise that no matter where you eat or buy your foods, your favourite foods can fit into a healthful eating lifestyle. Just balance the variety of foods. Sugar can be part of a healthy diet, but be aware of hidden sugars. Sugar makes our food palatable.

• In case you do snack, there is a variety of low fat snacks available such as sandwiches, popiah basah, steam yam cake, fruits, wholemeal biscuits, low fat yoghurt, unsweetened popcorns and many others. Snacks aren’t meal replacers. Smaller portions usually are enough to take away between-meal hunger pangs without interfering with your mealtime appetite.

• Go for the 5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily in your diet. Have a variety by choosing dark green leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, sprouts and many more. Cook lightly with little oil and where possible, eat it raw.

• Have fun with exercises. Enjoy walking with your family. Climb up the steps. Walk to the shops.

• Wash the car yourself - you get to exercise and also save money. Do some gardening - plant some vegetables. Plan active family vacations or weekends.

• The goals set for changing towards wiser eating habits must be realistic. Know your intent. Change does not mean eliminating a food or food habit. It means focusing on moderation and balance. For example: Goal: To eat less fat.

• Moderation in food intake is the key to successful healthful eating. Eat high calorie foods in moderate amounts and balance them with nutrient wise choices. Learn to control your portion sizes. Even calories in low fat foods can tip your energy balance when servings are bigger than you need.

• Ask for smaller portions when eating out. Do request for less oil in your fried noodles or roti canai. Check the menu language if in doubt. Ask how the particular dish is prepared. Mix and match your food.

• Vary your type of meal preparation. If you had a plate of nasi lemak and teh tarik in the morning, take a light lunch by having an average serve of rice with a good serving of vegetables, a piece of ikan masak kicap and a slice of fruit. Compliment the evening meal with a bowl of noodle soup with lots of vegetables, lean meat and a piece of fruit.

• Let us remember that rice, pasta, tubers, bread, noodles and other cereals products are low in fat and offer valuable nutrients and fibre. Remember to cook it with minimum amount of fat.

• Ask a qualified dietician or nutritionist for reliable food and nutrition information.

• Be innovative in the different food preparations and modify cooking methods. Traditional recipes can be modified to lower fats and calories. Try grilling, steaming, baking and roasting. Use natural flavours such as tamarind, soy sauces, garlic, ginger, onions, vinegar, curry powder, lemon grass, other spices and condiments.

• Set out for lean meat, chicken without skin, prawns without the head and enjoy a variety of proteins. Include lentils, peas, beans and tofu which are good sources of protein, fibre and contain zero cholesterol.

• Insist on limiting high fat salad dressings, fried foods, alcoholic beverages, processed meats, and saturated fats such as butter, ghee and full cream cheese, high fat foods such as cakes, pastries and pies which will benefit you a long way - health wise.

In Conclusion
Besides modeling healthy eating, talk with your children about the Food Guide Pyramid and all of the delicious foods they can eat that will help keep them healthy. Explain that you make healthy choices when you shop for food at the grocery store, and when you eat out. Establish some family guidelines that everyone (including you, the parent) will follow when eating out, such as having low-fat milk and/or water with a meal. If you have young children, explain that you will choose two or three healthy foods and then they can decide what they want from those choices.

The choices you make as parents will influence your children’s choices. If you choose and enjoy eating healthy foods, your children are more likely to choose healthy foods, too. Results from several studies over the past decade show that children do indeed follow their parent’s eating patterns, so parents do have a strong influence over their children’s food preferences and choices. The bottom line really, is this: If you eat healthy foods, your children will also eat healthy.

Arts

Arts

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Fruits

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Fruits

China says bloggers should use real names

BEIJING (AP) -- Blog service providers in China are "encouraged" to register users with their real names and contact information, according to a new government document that tones down an earlier proposal banning anonymous online blogging.

At least 10 major Chinese blog service providers have agreed to sign the "self-discipline pledge" issued by the Internet Society of China, the state-run Xinhua News Agency reported Tuesday.

Online bulletin boards and blogs are the only forum for most Chinese to express opinions before a large audience in a society where all media are state-controlled.

China has the world's second-biggest population of Internet users after the United States, with 137 million people online. It also has 30 million registered bloggers, and more than 100 million Chinese Internet users visit blogs regularly, according to the ISC. The group is under the Ministry of Information Industry.

The guidelines, issued Tuesday and effective immediately, "encouraged" real-name registration of users, according to a copy posted on the Internet group's Web site.

The information - to be filed with the companies, not posted online - should include the user's name, address, contact numbers and e-mail address, it said.

Measures listed in the document were guidelines only and blog service providers were not required to comply, said an official at the Internet group, surnamed Zhu.

It was not clear whether the guideline calling for real-name registration covered bloggers only or whether it extended to people who post comments. Zhu refused to provide details.

The Chinese government had wanted to require real-name registration, but the proposal was met by "fierce opposition," Xinhua said.

"Conditions are not yet mature for implementing real-name registration as we lack reliable technology for privacy protection and identity verification," Huang Chengqing, secretary general of the ISC, was quoted as saying.

But he said service providers were still responsible for the content of the blogs. Chinese leaders often try to block online material deemed pornographic or a threat to communist rule.

"Blog service providers who allow the use of pseudonyms may be more attractive to bloggers, but they will be punished by the government if they fail to screen illegal information," Huang was quoted as saying.

The Xinhua report did not provide additional details of banned information, but other measures called for in the pledge include not spreading pornography and not speaking ill of other nationalities, races, religions and cultural customs. Bloggers also should not spread rumors or libelous information, it said.

"Blog providers should monitor and manage comments ... and delete illegal and bad information in a timely manner," the document said.

Blog service providers such as People's Daily online, Sohu.com, Sina.com.cn and cn.msn.com have said they would abide by the pledge, Xinhua reported.

Eating Healthier Food Alternatives

Your eating investment strategy in modern times

The changing demographics and lifestyle has affected the way we eat and many eat away from home as more women are working away from home. Fewer meals are prepared at home and therefore fewer people know how to cook. Consumers want fast, healthy foods that taste good. How do you get your nutrition’s worth in the present modern living?

• Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for optimal health and well-being. Remember no single food supplies them all.

• Realise that your favourite food can fit into a healthy lifestyle. There are no “good” or “bad” foods. Just balance the variety of foods.

• Moderation in food intake is the key to successful healthy eating. Eat high-calories foods in moderate amounts and balance them with nutrient-wise choices for the rest of the day. Learn to control your portion size. Even calories in low-fat foods can tip your energy balance when serving are bigger than you need.

• Aim for five servings of vegetables and fruits daily in your diet. Having a variety by choosing dark green leafy vegetables, orange and yellow fruits and vegetables, sprouts and many more. Cook your favourite vegetables lightly with little oil and when possible, eat them raw.

• Consume sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 21/2 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level.

• Consume at least 2 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk products such as cheese or yogurt.

• Eat wholegrain foods such as whole meal bread, wholemeal biscuits or crackers, fruits and vegetables that add fiber and valuable nutrients to our daily diet. Rice, pasta, tubers, bread, noodles and other cereal products are low in fat and offer valuable nutrients and fiber. Remember to cook them with little or no fat or no oil.

• Recent studies show that consuming adequate amounts of various fruits and vegetables, including blueberries and spinach, can reduce age-related losses in motor function and cognition. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.

• Limit the fat you eat by cutting back on high-fat salad dressing, fried foods, processed meats, saturated fats such as butter, ghee and full cream cheese and high-fat foods containing trans such as cakes, pastries and pies. Request less oil in your fried noodles or roti canai.

• To enjoy a variety of lean protein, choose lean meat and chicken without skin: Include lentils, peas, beans and tofu that are good sources of protein, fibre and contain no cholesterol.

• The nutrition information panel on food labels of some foods in the supermarket gives you specific information about the calories and nutrients such as fat, cholesterol, sodium, fibre and certain vitamins and minerals in particular product. Use the nutrition labels as your guide to healthy food choices while shopping for packaged foods.

• When the snack attack strikes, choose a variety of low fat snacks. Try sandwiches, popiah basah, steamed yam cakes, fruits, wholemeal biscuits, low-fat yoghurt or unsweetened popcorn. Sugar used as a part of healthy eating in small amounts makes many foods tasty and enjoyable

• Ask for smaller portion when eating out. Ask how the particular dish is prepared. Mix and match your food. If you had a plate of fried noodles and teh tarik in the morning, compliment lunch and dinner with less fatty or fried foods in small amounts. Fast food should be eaten sensibly making appropriate choices.

• Be innovative in your cooking methods. Try grilling, steaming, baking and roasting. Use natural flavours such as tamarind, soy sauces, garlic, ginger, onions vinegar, curry powder, lemon grass to spice up your meals. Marinate you foods with natural spices.

• Sugar can be part of a healthy diet. Used as part of a healthy diet, sugar makes many foods tasty and enjoyable. But remember to use it sparingly. Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners. This further can help you to reduce the incidence of dental caries by practicing good oral hygiene and consuming sugar and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently.

• Your goals must be realistic and practical. Change does not mean eliminating any one food. It means focusing on moderation, balance and changing a negative food habit. Break up your goals into simple action steps that you can follow each day. For example, if your goal is to eat less fat, you can reduce fried foods to twice a week, use less or small amounts of coconut oil in the cooking, lean meat and skinless chicken.

• Lastly, remember that a healthy diet is only part of a healthy lifestyle. Another vital component is exercise. Have fun with exercise. Enjoy walking with your family. Climb up the steps. Walk to the shops. Wash the car yourself - you exercise and save money. Do some gardening, plant some vegetables. Plan active family vacations or weekends.

Finally, consult a qualified dietician for reliable food and nutrition information. A dietitian is a qualified in nutrition and dietetics and will be able to help plan an individualized diet suited to your needs.

Wheat Nutrition

The Food Pyramid recommends that we should eat at least 8-12 servings of rice, noodles, bread and other cereal products (depending on age, gender and activity level). Grain products are also an excellent source of fiber, B vitamins (thiamine, niacin, riboflavin and folic acid) and iron.

Wheat as a Source Of Carbohydrates
There are two types of carbohydrates: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are found in sugars such as table sugar, honey, gula Melaka, lactose (in milk) and fructose (in fruits). They break down quickly during digestion and provide an immediate source of energy to the bloodstream.

Complex carbohydrates are starches such as those found in grain products and some vegetables (potatoes, ubi kayu, keledek and corn). Complex carbohydrates break down slowly during digestion, giving the body a time-released source of energy.

Rice is the major form of grains eaten and the staple diet for Asians. In fact, it is so inherent in our culture that many of us may not consider having eaten a proper meal unless it is a rice-based meal! Nevertheless, wheat would be the second major form of grains. We consume wheat in many forms i.e. as noodles, bread and flour in making kuehs, biscuits, cakes, cookies and such.

Wheat therefore is a good source of complex carbohydrates and provides an efficient source of energy to our body. We are encouraged to obtain 50 to 60 percent of our total energy intake as complex carbohydrates so we can store adequate energy in our body for our daily activities. The brain also uses carbohydrates to function. Whole wheat adds fibre and B complex to your diet.

Protein

Proteins consist of amino acids. These amino acids are the building blocks in proteins which are essentials for tissue maintenance and growth. There are 8 essential amino acids must be obtained from food because the body cannot make them or convert them from nutrients.

Animal proteins are called complete protein sources, such as egg, milk, fish, poultry and meat products because they contain all eight essential amino acids in the necessary proportion. Plant foods such as tofu, legumes, wheat and other grains contain incomplete proteins i.e these foods may contain all eight essential amino acids, but not at adequate levels.

Animal proteins are called complete protein sources, such as egg, milk, fish, poultry and meat products because they contain all eight essential amino acids in the necessary proportion. Plant foods such as tofu, legumes, wheat and other grains contain incomplete proteins i.e these foods may contain all eight essential amino acids, but not at adequate levels.

However, combining a variety of plant proteins will supply adequate complete proteins. This is important particularly for vegetarians in order to meet their essential amino acid requirements. Vegetarians who take a variety of wheat products such as noodles and flour will obtain all the amino acids needed if their diet also consists of legumes and tofu.

Fat

Despite the widespread news that fats are bad for you, an adequate amount of fat in the diet is essential to provide warmth, energy to move and fatty acids to keep your body healthy. Indeed, fat is an important nutrient, but should be no more than 20 to 30 percent of your total daily calories. One should choose polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Keep saturated fats, dietary cholesterol and trans fat low.

Wheat foods provide minimal amounts of fat unless prepared with plenty of oil/butter/margarine such as fried noodles, fried kuehs and pastries.

Other Vitamins and Minerals

Thiamine (B1) is needed daily for good appetite, digestion and healthy nerves. It also helps the body make better use of fat and carbohydrate. Wheat foods are a good source of thiamine to provide for our daily requirements.

Riboflavin (B2) is found in many plant and animal foods. It is essential for the use of protein by the body. Wheat foods contain small amounts of riboflavin.

Niacin is a B-vitamin essential for the efficient use of protein by the body. Wheat foods are a good source of niacin.

Folic Acid has been shown to prevent neural tube defects in fetus and may help reduce the risk of heart disease. In some Western countries, wheat products are fortified with folic acid

Iron
Iron combines with protein to form hemoglobin, a compound in red blood cells that transports oxygen to each cell in the body and carries carbon dioxide away to be exhaled. Teenagers and women of childbearing age may be prone to iron-deficiency anemia. Wheat foods are considered a source of iron for normal dietary needs, although the bioavailability of iron is plant foods is generally low. Some whole wheat cereals and biscuits are fortified with iron.

Zinc
Zinc is important in the diet particularly for skin healing and growth properties. Some wheat based products such as breakfast cereals are a good source of zinc.

Magnesium
Magnesium is necessary for the formation of bone and teeth and for normal nerve and muscle function. Many enzymes in the body depend on magnesium to function normally. Magnesium is ubiquitous in the diet and wheat foods are good sources.

The Goodness of Whole Grain Wheat
A whole grain consists of the entire grain seed of a plant. This seed, also known as the kernel, is made up of three key parts: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.

Milling and processing of grains i.e. removal of the bran and germ, resulting in refined flour that consists only of the endosperm. This can lead to losses of fiber, B vitamins, trace minerals and other nutrients.

Bran:

The multi-layered outer skin contains important antioxidants, iron, zinc, copper, magnesium, B vitamins, fiber, and phytonutrients.

Germ:

The embryo contains B vitamins, vitamin E, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and unsaturated fats.

Endosperm :

The endosperm contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins, and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.

It is encouraged to include whole grain cereals in the diet. So, when choosing wheat foods, read food labels and go for choices such as whole grain biscuits, bread and atta flour (whole wheat flour for making chapattis). These whole grain varieties will contain higher amounts of dietary fiber, iron, zinc, magnesium, B vitamins and also contain some beneficial non-nutrients called phytochemicals. Diets rich in whole-grain foods and other plant foods and low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol has been shown to help reduce risk of heart disease and certain cancers.

THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE?

Thoughts about dying and putting an early end to life are not as uncommon and occur to many. You may have had morbid thoughts about dying and ending your own life, or perhaps you know someone who does.

Depression could be the cause
Clinical depression - a serious medical illness linked to changes in the biochemistry of the brain - is believed to contribute to at least half of all suicides. It affects the way a person feels about himself and how he thinks about things. Characterised by overwhelming feelings of sadness lasting for more than two weeks, clinical depression is very different from a temporary case of “the blues” triggered by an unhappy event.

Depression is often accompanied by a loss of interest in life, hopelessness and helplessness, and can be triggered in somebody who is going through stressful or traumatic life events, or who is terminally ill. Such distressing feelings generally require the attention of a healthcare professional and the treatment of medications.

Death doesn’t end the suffering
People who contemplate of committing suicide may think that suicide is the only way that can take away all the pain and end their suffering. But in Buddhism, death is only the beginning of another cycle of pain and suffering for others and yourself. According to the Buddhist teaching of the Four Noble Truths – life is full of dissatisfactions. All the stages of life - birth, ageing, sickness, death - all the ways of being, wanting and striving are conditions of suffering. However, the Buddha also taught that the end to a dissatisfactory life is possible with the Noble Eightfold Path.

The Buddha also taught us to realise the impermanence and insubstantiality of both life and death. Everything changes constantly. Nothing stays the same. Rain might come after sunshine, but so does sunshine comes after rain. In the realisation that people (their personalities, interests and attitudes) and life situations are unfixed and constantly changing, it becomes possible to approach each moment with an open mind. One is then able to react and adapt to new situations without clinging to outdated and inconsequential conceptions.

We can live more in the present without hanging on to the past or worrying about the future since each phenomenon arises depending on causes and conditions that are coming into being. In Buddhism, the mind is also seen as the root of all good and all evil, the cause of both suffering and True Happiness. It regards the mind as the primary factor that determines the well-being of each person. Through meditation and counselling, the perception of reality for those with persistent negative-thinking can be adjusted. This will enable them to better cope with the unexpected changes of life.

Buddhism’s perspective to suicide
“If one knows how to treasure oneself, one should protect oneself well.”
-The Buddha (Dhammapada)

“According to the Buddhist teaching of cause and effect, since one does not realise the truth of all phenomena, or does not practise to be liberated from life and death, suicide is pointless. When one's karmic retribution is not exhausted, death by suicide only leads to another cycle of rebirth. This is why Buddhists do not support suicide; and instead, encourage constructive living, using this life to diligently practise good, thus changing the present and the future for the better.”
-Chan Master Sheng Yen

“Some people commit suicide; they seem to think that there is suffering simply because there is the human life, and that by cutting off the life there will be nothing... But, according to the Buddhist viewpoint, that's not the case; your consciousness will continue. Even if you take your own life, this life, you will have to take another body that again will be the basis of suffering. If you really want to get rid of all your suffering, all the difficulties you experience in your life, you have to get rid of the fundamental cause (greed, hatred and delusion) that gives rise to the aggregates that are the basis of all suffering. Killing yourself isn't going to solve your problems.”
-His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

“Taking one's own life under any circumstances is morally and spiritually wrong. Taking one's own life owing to frustration or disappointment only causes greater suffering. Suicide is a cowardly way to end one's problems of life. A person cannot commit suicide if his mind is pure and tranquil. If one leaves this world with a confused and frustrated mind, it is most unlikely that he would be born again in a better condition. Suicide is an unwholesome or unskilful act since it is encouraged by a mind filled with greed, hatred and delusion. Those who commit suicide have not learnt how to face their problems, how to face the facts of life, and how to use their mind in a proper manner. Such people have not been able to understand the nature of life and worldly conditions.”
-Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda

“This human body and life is difficult to attain but is now attained. The Buddha's teachings are difficult to encounter but are now encountered. If we do not use this precious body to help ourselves, till when shall we wait to save ourselves?”
- Buddhist Saying

Singapore Flyer on track for completion by early 2008

SINGAPORE : Singapore's latest attraction - The Singapore Flyer - is on track to be completed by early next year.

The massive observation wheel will offer panoramic views of not only Singapore but certain parts of Malaysia and Indonesia as well.

As developers fit in the final bolt to the wheel's rim, it is impossible to escape comparisons with another wheel - The

Eye on KL - a ferris wheel built in the heart of Kuala Lumpur as part of Malaysia's drive to attract more tourists.

But the Singapore Flyer team wants to make this clear - the Singapore Flyer is not a ferris wheel.

"Your typical ferris wheel has a gravity slung cabin. It can take four to six people and it costs around US$10 to US$15 million to build. This S$230 million project has 10-tonne capsules carrying up to 35 people in air-conditioned comfort where people can sit or walk around inside the cabin," says Peter Purcell, MD of Singapore Flyer.

Part of the evolving landscape at Marina Bay, the project has used up more than one million man hours and is nine weeks ahead of schedule.

Rides will last 37 minutes and ticket prices will begin at about S$30 (US$20).

Corporate events can be held in the cabins for about S$1,000 (US$660).

There are contingency plans should anyone fall ill while in mid-flight.

"The wheel can be accelerated to bring people down if it's an in-cabin emergency. We've also been working with the SCDF, police and other agencies to ensure that in the event of any mechanical stoppage of the wheel, there is a slick and safe evacuation programme," said Purcell.

And as if the structure itself isn't amazing enough, there are strong rumours the UK-based group, which owns the famous Madame Tussauds Museums, has been in talks with the Singapore Flyer team.

But no details have been made available. - CNA /ls

World's tallest man found in Ukraine

Leonid Stadnik, 2.57 meters (8-foot-5.5) tall, Ukrainian veterinarian, stands by a car.(file photo) Stadnik, 36, is the tallest person in the world, beating a Chinese man who previously held the title, Guinness World Records said Wednesday Aug. 8, 2007. Stadnik’s growth spurt started at age 14 after a brain operation apparently stimulated his pituitary gland. He lives with his mother, Halyna, taking care of the family’s house and garden.

Wrestling in chocolate

A reveller wrestles in chocolate during Budapest’s one-week, round-the-clock Sziget (Island) Music Festival, on an island in Danube river, Aug. 13, 2007.

Japan's oldest person dies at 113

TOKYO: The oldest person in Japan, whose people are famed for their longevity, has died at age 113 just one week after her record was recognised, her nursing home said on Monday.

Shitsu Nakano, who was the fourth oldest person in the world, died on Sunday in Ogoori in southern Fukuoka prefecture, said an official at her nursing home.

A funeral will be held on Tuesday. She became the nation's oldest person after Yone Minagawa, who was certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest person, died last week at age 114, also in Fukuoka.

Edna Parker, 114, who lives in the Midwestern US state of Indiana, became the world's oldest person after the death of Minagawa, who was less than four months older.

More than 28,000 Japanese are 100 years or older, up from a mere 1,000 at the start of the 1980s, in a trend attributed to a healthy traditional diet and a high standard of healthcare. - AFP/so

Taiwanese airliner burst into fire after landing

TOKYO: A Taiwanese airliner burst into fire on Monday moments after landing in southern Japan but all 165 passengers and crew made a dramatic escape from the engulfing flames.
Giant flames and plumes of black smoke erupted from the China Airlines jet just eight minutes after it had landed from Taipei at Naha airport on Okinawa island.

"When we looked out the window, everything was covered with fire," an unidentified male passenger told reporters.

"It was just a few minutes after we got off that the fire swallowed the aircraft and we heard a blast."

Fire fighters sprayed hoses full of foam on the Boeing 737-800, which turned into little more than a charred skeleton that had collapsed into pieces by the time the blaze was put out an hour later.

Officials said three people were taken to hospital -- a 57-year-old man and seven-year-old girl who felt sick after the escape and a fire fighter who suffered heat stroke.

A flight attendant was also hurt but did not go to hospital.

Air traffic controllers noticed fumes after the plane landed following the flight of one hour and 20 minutes, and advised evacuation, Japanese officials said.

It was later found that an oil leak had caused an engine fire, according to China Airlines.

"When the fire broke out there was a huge bang and passengers were still in the midst of evacuating," Toshimasa Yamamoto, a witness at the airport, told Tokyo Broadcasting System.

"When the passengers appeared to be finishing the evacuation, the fire engulfed the entire plane. It really was a close call," he said.

All 157 passengers evacuated through emergency slides, said Akihiko Tamura, a transport ministry official in Tokyo.

The two pilots and six other crew members also made it out safely, Tamura said. One witness account said the pilot climbed out of the cockpit on a rope.

"It's unfortunate that the explosion happened, but it is fortunate that everyone is safe," Tamura told a news conference in Tokyo.

In Taipei, China Airlines also confirmed the safety of all passengers. The airline put the passenger number at 155, not including two infants without tickets.

"Everything was normal, including take-off and landing, until the pilots were told the airplane was on fire," China Airlines spokesman Johnson Sun told reporters.

Chang Kuo-cheng, head of Taiwan's Civil Aeronautics Administration, grounded the airline's 11 other 737-800s for safety checks as well as two from its Mandarin Airlines subsidiary.

Japan's transport ministry said the fire started in an engine on the left wing of the plane after the oil leak. It said there were no indications of a terrorist attack.

Okinawa, a subtropical island which lies closer to Taiwan than Tokyo, is a popular tourist destination and is ordinarily packed with Japanese visitors during the ongoing summer holiday season.

The incident will likely rekindle memories in Japan of a major crash by a China Airlines plane in 1994. In that incident, 264 people were killed as the Airbus A300 nosedived on landing in the central Japanese city of Nagoya. - AFP/ac

Angkor Wat's lost city

THE Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the centre of a much bigger community than once thought.

The mediaeval Khmer city of Angkor was the largest pre-industrial metropolis in the world, with a population of nearly one million and an urban sprawl that stretched over an area similar to modern-day Los Angeles, researchers reported on Monday.

Now obscured by vegetation and low-lying clouds, the ruins surrounding the temple were once thousands of houses, roads, man-made ponds and canals, according to a report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Archaeologist Damian Evans of the University of Sydney, lead author of the paper, said: "We now know that instead of being just temples, Angkor was actually a continuous and interconnected network of temples and small-scale residential features like small village ponds."

The city's spread was made possible by a sophisticated technology for managing and harvesting water for use during the dry season, including diverting a major river through the heart of the city.

But that reliance on water led to the city's collapse in the 1500s as overpopulation and deforestation filled the canals with sediment, overwhelming the city's ability to maintain the system.

During the six centuries that the city thrived, it was unparalleled, particularly because it was one of the few civilisations that sprang up in a tropical setting.

"The scale is truly unparalleled," said archaeologist William A. Saturno of Boston University, who was not involved in the study.

"Forest environments are not good ones for civilisations... because they require intensively manipulating the environment. Angkor is the epitome of this, and it is going to be the model for how tropical civilisations are interpreted." The new data comes from an unusual agglomeration of both old and new technologies.

The core data came from a synthetic aperture radar unit flown on the space shuttle in 2000 and managed by Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada-Flintridge, California.

The radar pierced low-lying clouds and vegetation to give an accurate picture of soil density, local structures and moisture in soil, which reflects growing conditions.

The images clearly revealed, for example, the characteristic moat-enclosed local temples and artificial ponds used for water storage and irrigation.

This data was supplemented with photographs taken from ultralight aircraft flown over the city at low speeds and altitudes.

Finally, the researchers used motor scooters to traverse the city and closely examine sites revealed on the radar images. But so many sites have been revealed, Evans said, that researchers are only part way through the process.

The group, collectively called the Greater Angkor Project, released a partial map three years ago.

The new one released on Monday contains, among other things, an additional 1,000 sq km of urban area, at least 74 long-lost temples and more than 1,000 newly recognised artificial ponds.

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer empire, which got its start in AD 802 when the god-king Jayavarman II declared the region's independence from Java. At its height, the empire ruled not only Cambodia but also parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

It is perhaps best known for the magnificent temple Angkor Wat, built by King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century.
AP, LAT-WP, REUTERS

Robbed, taken on terror ride

JOHOR BARU: It was a terror-filled morning for a retiree and his family. He was abducted and assaulted by several men. And then the culprits raided his home and tied up his wife and two children.

The robbers grabbed some money and jewellery and attempted to flee in the family car.

But one of them was caught in a high-speed chase that followed, with the police firing several warning shots at the Proton Perdana.

Another getaway car sped in a different direction, carrying Goo Tiam Chye, 69, in it.

He was later dumped at an undisclosed location.

The drama unfolded when Goo left his house in Taman Skudai Baru at 6.15am yesterday to buy newspapers.

Four men waylaid him and forced him into their car at knifepoint and demanded that he hand over the keys to his house.

When he refused, they hit him. The victim, whose son Sin Kok is the Gelang Patah MCA public complaints bureau deputy chief, then surrendered the keys.

The suspects drove him back to the house and while one of them held the victim in the car, three of them stormed into Goo’s house and tied up his wife, 60, and two of his children, both in their 20s.

They ransacked the house and grabbed about RM3,000 worth of cash, jewellery and mobile phones. The suspects then demanded the key to a Proton Perdana and as two of the suspects tried to drive the car out, a police patrol car arrived.

The four suspects, in two cars along with the retiree, sped off in different directions.

A high-speed chase ensued but within minutes, the Perdana’s anti-theft security system kicked in and the car stalled by the roadside.

Sin Kok said his father was injured on the leg and head and had been warded for observation.

State CID chief Senior Asst Comm Roslan Ahmad confirmed the arrest of a man in his 30s.