Food for Yin or Yang People

The ideal state of a person is a balanced Yin & Yang energies, based on the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM. Excess or deficiency in either Yin or Yang can bring about illness so a person should know his or her current state and the ways to achieve Yin and Yang balance. One basic way is to know the right food to eat whenever one is Yin and the right food when one is Yang.

Common indicators for a Yin state are cold hands and feet, a pale face and feeling weak. On the other hand, too warm hands and feet or a warm feeling, a red face and always raring to go are indicators that a person is Yang. A balanced state is just in between the indicators mentioned.

Yin people should eat warming foods like a warm soup and steamed vegetables even for salads. Raw vegetables are cooling foods and therefore more appropriate for Yang people, otherwise Yin people who will eat raw veges will become more Yin.

More warming foods for Yin people: cherry, chicken, coconut, cinnamon, clove, eel, green onion, ginger, guava, leeks, rosemary, lamb, shrimp, squash, radish, turnips, vinegar, walnut, wine

More cooling foods for Yang people: black beans, kidney beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, oysters, clams, fish. String beans, lemons, chicken eggs.

Best food to beat cancer

What can be a better amusing tip than the best food to beat cancer? In the past, death becomes scary when a person has a chronic illness like cancer. I guess not anymore, thanks to the internet generation because people can now be aware of the possible solutions to fight and defeat cancer. Thanks too to my learnings in TCM, for making me aware of the holistic approach to prevent and fight cancer. But let us focus first on the food that can help us beat cancer:

The first rule is to avoid creating the habitat for cancer which is an acidic body. That means that meat and dairy products such as too much milk, ice cream and butter should be avoided because they turn into acid. The best food is vegetables because they are alkaline. Here are some of cancer fighting foods:

1. Broccoli - its sprouts are my favorite source of sulforaphane which is an antioxidant that can prevent breast cancer and prostate cancer. It also stimulates natural detoxifying enzymes.

2. Garlic - have you tried broccoli with garlic? I can live eating just that everyday 'cause the combination is just yummy!

3. Carrots - aside from beta-carotene, carrot has falcarinol, an antioxidant that inhibits the growth of tumors, especially colon tumors. Carrot can be eaten raw so why not eat strips of carrots for snack? Carrots can also be boiled and that makes falcarinol more absorbable.

4. Red beetroot - has Betanin that prevents chemical-induced liver, skin and spleen cancer, even at a very low dose.

5. Red onion - like garlic, has sulphur, and also quercetin, both capable of inhibiting the growth of tumors. Carrots, red beetroot and red onions are familiar ingredients in some salads, you can create variations like adding curcumin or tumeric which is more well known to have anti-cancer properties, so you can eat that combination often.

6. Spirulina - the world's richest natural source of vitamin B-12 and contains a whole spectrum of natural mixed carotene and xanthophyll phytopigments. In vitro, studies suggest the unique polysaccharides of spirulina enhance cell nucleus enzyme activity and DNA repair synthesis, inhibiting the growth of various types of cancers. It can shift the immune system towards mounting a cell mediated immune-response instead of a humoral response thus also effective for autoimmune diseases.

Spirulina is my favorite supplement and I'm lucky that Tiens, where I am a distributor, manufactures high quality Spirulina powder in capsules, and for that, Tiens or Tianshi was given an award for “Best Healthcare Food for Astronauts” by Russia.. The powder tastes good so it may be removed from the capsule and sprinkled on food. I always do that on oatmeal.

Ten Tips for Taking Criticisms

This shouldn't have taken too long to publish after my previous post on John Maxwell's Ten Tips for Giving Criticisms, so my only consolation is hoping that the timing is right for most people who will read this. These tips are again from John Maxwell:

1. Understand the difference between constructive and destructive criticisms.

When you are criticized, it usually feels destructive, but when you criticize, you're doing it to help, so it is constructive. You need to determine the true motives of the critic so you have to ask yourself some questions:

Was it done in public? If yes then the critic's motive can be to destroy you.

Is the critic a very close relative? If yes then it should be constructive.
If it was done in public, that relative wanted you to learn, by all means!
But he should know Maxwell's tips on giving criticisms.*

2. Don't take yourself too seriously. Blessed is he who can enjoy his blunders.

3. Look beyond the criticism and see the critic.

4. Watch your own attitude toward the critic. A negative attitude toward criticism can be more destructive than the criticism itself.

5. Realize that good people get criticized.

6. Keep physically and spiritually in shape.

Physical exhaustion has a tremendous effect on the way we act and react; it distorts the way we see and handle life.

7. Don't just see the critic; see if there's a crowd.

8. Wait for time to prove them wrong.

If you know your action or decision was right, hang in there. Time will prove you out.

9. Surround yourself with positive people.

Enough quality time with positive people will minimize the effect of negative criticism.

10.Concentrate on your mission – change your mistakes.

Most people do exactly the opposite - they change their mission and concentrate on their mistakes. If you run from your task each time you make a mistake, you will never accomplish anything. You will always be in a state of frustration and defeat. The only real mistakes in life are the mistakes from which we learn nothing. So instead of dwelling on them, count on making them, learning from them, and moving on to finish the job.

* Except for the statements under item number 1, all statements were taken from John Maxwell's "Be A People Person".

10 Tips in Giving Criticisms

I kept on forgetting to share these ten important tips in giving criticisms by John Maxwell. Important because people tend to hurt other people through criticisms. They knew they are giving constructive criticisms and therefore helping the person concerned, but they didn't know that there is a right way to do it. I was guilty of that, as a mother to my kids, as a wife, and as a friend. Through these tips, I've realized my mistakes, and I hope that others will too, as soon as possible, because the sharpest knife that can hurt a loved one is your own tongue.

1. Check your motive.
The goal of the confrontation is to help, not to humiliate.

2. Make sure the issue is worthy of criticism.

3. Be specific.
When you confront you must be tactfully explicit. Say exactly what you mean and provide examples to back yourself up.

4. Don't undermine the person's self-confidence.
Try to find at least one area in which you can praise the person before you expose the problem.

5. Don't compare one person with another. (A lot of people make this very common mistake).
Deal with people on an individual basis. Comparisons always cause resentment and resentment causes hostility.

6. Be creative or don't confront.
Look beyond the problem and see if you can help find some solutions.

7. Attack the problem not the person.

8. Confront when the time is right.
The right time is just as soon as you know something is wrong.

9. Look at yourself before looking at others.
Instead of putting others in their place, put yourself in their place.

10. End confrontation with encouragement.
Always end confrontation with the "sandwich treatment". Sandwich the criticism between praise in the beginning and encouragement at the end.

Once in a Blue Moon

I can't believe that my last post in this "Amusing Tips" blog was last August 30 of this year. But don't get me wrong, the title of this post doesn't mean that I will be posting once in a blue moon. On the contrary, what it meant was that big gap in my posting in this blog may happen once in a blue moon, and I hope that will be acceptable, though I will try my best to post at least once or twice a month, or even weekly.

The photo included here was taken last night, December 31, and it was a "blue moon". It was the second full moon within the month, it happens rarely, and that is what a "blue moon" really means, and it has nothing to do with the color blue. It happens about every two and a half years.

For this New Year, it's time for Feng Shui believers to see what may happen this 2010. I am one of those believers and I just love to share my excitement so watch out for it.

Spirulina Mask

I didn't mean to scare you, that was just me with spirulina on my face! It's a very natural way to cleanse and smoothen the face, and I'd like to share that tip with you. Just put in a bowl a half egg yolk and then open a spirulina capsule (preferably the one manufactured by Tiens), and pour the powder on the bowl with egg yolk then mix thoroughly. Using a clean blush on brush, apply the mixture to your face and stand for 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water. You'll instantly feel that your face becomes smooth! Egg yolk may be substituted with milk, or with egg white to remove wrinkles.

Google Docs

At the same time I was about to start working again, a post from a fellow blogger gave me an idea on how to share documents with work teammates through Google Docs (you need to have a google or gmail account first). When I explored the Google Docs site, I was amused because it does a lot more than just sharing documents, and I'm referring to the following features:

1. You can invite people with any email address either as viewers or collaborators who can edit the document shared.

2. As the owner of the document, you may be notified every time a change is made on the document.

3. You may publish the document as a web page so anybody who has access to it can always view an updated copy.

4. You may create your own document, spreadsheet, presentation or form to be shared.

5. You may choose any of the template designs where all types of forms can be found. For projects, the Project Management template is a big help, as well as the Communication Plan or the Project Timeline. For sharing personal documents like photos, there are different types of photo albums to share with friends and relatives, and even a Wedding Budget Manager, those who are getting married, take note. With 449 template designs at present, you'll surely find what you'll need.

Swine flu tips

Overwhelmed with information about the swine flu virus, it took me long to finally publish a post about it. The swine flu virus is not amusing in the first place, but maybe I should still post whatever I learned about it for the past 3 weeks, in the form of a summary.

1. Swine flu should not cause panic since the number of mortality is not significantly high.

2. A healthy person with a strong immune system will unlikely be infected with swine flu. To be healthy, foods that will cause acidity should be avoided like meat, dairy products and caffeine. A vegan diet can maintain the body's alkalinity.

3. Some antiviral supplements like resveratrol can help treat swine flu.

4. Green tea is a good alternative for Tamiflu.

5. Cytokine storm which can be fatal, can occur in a person who has swine flu. This is caused by the body's immune system and some cytokine-producing foods to continuously produce cytokine to signal the body to fight a virus cell, which incidentally is immune, as far as swine flu is concerned. Turmeric can be added to food to decrease the production of cytokine.

Ten steps to baking success

1. Read the recipe thoroughly.

2. Use fresh ingredients.

3. Ensure the ingredient are at room temperature for better mixing. Remove from refrigerator 15 minutes before you start.

4. Measure all the ingredients before you begin mixing.

5. Use standard dry mixing cups for dry ingredients and standard liquid measuring cups for liquid ingredients.

6. Level off dry ingredients when measuring (don't use a heaped measure), measure wet ingredients on a level counter top for an accurate read.

7. Mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients slowly and just until combined (don't over mix, otherwise the batter or dough will become tough).

8. Preheat the oven to correct temperature (use an oven thermometer to confirm it's accuracy), and use the center rack for the even heat distribution (unless your recipe stated otherwise).

9. Line baking pans with non-stick foil to prevent sticking and to help with cleanup.

10. Use the pan size specified in the recipe.

Source: www.FoodPals.com

More Glycemic Index Tips

Aside from helping a diabetic decrease the sugar in his or her blood, here are other health benefits of low GI (Glycemic Index) food:

1. It may reduce your cancer risk - low GI eating is linked to a lower risk of breast, pancreatic and colon cancers.

2. It helps your heart - people who eat lots of high GI carbohydrates have 76 per cent more triglycerides (a harmful form of fat) in their body than low GI eaters.

3. It may reduce Alzheimer's risk: Korean researchers found swapping high GI rice for other wholegrains cut levels of a harmful amino acid called homocysteine in their blood that is believed to be a major contributor to Alzheimer's.

4. It might cure acne. Research from Colorado State University found high insulin levels increase levels of male type hormones in the skin - something linked to the development of spots.

5. It may reduce stroke risk. Switching one portion of carbs a day from high GI to low, cuts risk of stroke by 40 per cent in women, say Harvard researchers.


More tips about the Glycemic Index (GI) of food, which I have explained in my last two previous posts:

1. The more fiber a food contains, the lower GI, which is why brown bread is better than white, and the more fat a food contains, the slower it converts, which is why crisps have a lower GI than most other forms of potato.

2. Pasta is a low-GI food - many people think all white foods are a no-no in GI diets, but because the flour in pasta is high in protein it does not convert quickly to sugar in your body.

3. Adding vinegar to a food lowers its GI - the acid slows the rate at which any food converts to sugar by around 30 per cent. Squeezing lemon juice over a dish also works.

4. Eating a low GI breakfast cuts the amount of calories people tend to eat over the rest of the day by half.

5. New potatoes are the only low GI potato. That's because they're picked early in their growing season so they have lower levels of sugary starches than other spuds.


Five steps to GI success:

All you have to do is remember the following five, simple rules...

1. All meals and snacks should be made up mainly of low GI foods.

2. If you're trying to lose weight, you shouldn't eat more than one high GI food and two medium GI foods a day.

3. When you do eat a high or medium GI food, you should always combine it with at least two low-GI foods at the same meal. Do this and you slow down the speed at which the high-GI food converts to sugar.

4. Eat three small meals a day and two snacks: this keeps blood sugar levels more balanced than eating three large meals.

5. Always remember, portion sizes count: because fat affects the sugar rating of a food, some GI foods can be high in calories and fat, so for the health of your waistline and your heart, you do have to watch the quantities you eat.

Portion control:

1. Fruit and vegetables are unlimited, but meat portions should be roughly 75g (3oz), fish 100g (4oz).

2. Starchy carbohydrates like pasta or grains should be 50g (2oz) dry weight, a portion of dairy products is roughly 25g (1oz) cheese, 150ml skimmed milk or a small pot (roughly 125g) of yoghurt.

3. Nuts and seed portions are roughly 10 of a small nut like almonds, six of big nuts like brazil or a small handful of seeds.

4. Chocolate can be enjoyed two or three times a week in the form of a small bar like a Milky Way or two-three squares of pure chocolate.

AT-A-GLANCE GI GUIDE...

GREEN GO!
CARBS: Granary bread, rye bread with grains, wholewheat tortillas, soy bread, All Bran, porridge oats, barley, bulgar wheat (aka taboulleh), quinoa, buckwheat, glass noodles, egg noodles, new potatoes, yams, pasta.
FRUIT: Apples, dried apricots, avocado, berries, cherries, grapefruit, citrus fruits, pears, plums, prunes.
VEGETABLES: All except those listed in orange/red columns.
PROTEINS: All fresh meat, fish, shellfish plus processed foods (burgers, sausages, fish fingers).
PULSES: All beans (except broad beans), lentils - and any products made from them like tofu, hummus, falafel and unsweetened soya milk.
DRINKS: Water, tea, herbal tea, milk.
OTHERS: Yoghurt, cheese, nuts, seeds, olives, chocolate (though remember, calories count).

ORANGE CAUTION!
CARBS: Brown bread, fruit bread, pitta bread, high fibre bread, sourdough, muesli, wheat cereals (like Weetabix), couscous, soba noodles, udon noodles, crisps, sweet potatoes, basmati, brown and white rice.
FRUIT: Fresh apricots, bananas, melon, figs, red grapes, mango, papaya, canned fruit, raisins, sultanas.
VEGETABLES: Beetroot, corn, sweetcorn, peas.
PROTEINS: There are no medium GI proteins.
PULSES: There are no medium GI pulses.
DRINKS: Fruit juices, wine, squashes.
OTHERS: Ice cream, biscuits, cakes.

RED STOP!
CARBS: Bagels, white/French bread, flaked cereals, honey-coated cereals, puffed cereal, mashed potato, jacket potatoes, chips, any rice that takes less than 20 minutes to cook.
FRUIT: Watermelon, dates.
VEG: Parsnips, pumpkin, swede, turnips.
PROTEINS: There are no high GI proteins.
PULSES: Broad beans.
DRINKS: Cola, fizzy orange, sports drinks, beer.
OTHERS: Boiled sweets, doughnuts, popcorn, rice cakes.

Note: Helen Foster's book The Easy GI Diet is published by Hamlyn, £12.99.