Really? increased SPF = better protection?

I stay in Malaysia, well known for its sunny wheather, "Hot! very hot!" are the words we used to shout and complaint about the good wheather. As we, girls, wanted to whiter (skin tone) and brighter skin, sun is our biggest enermy! Dont tell me about the skin cancer, pre-mature skin, ageing bla-bla, we usually seek for sun protecter just because we scare of getting darken skin due to donno what effects. heh! here are some facts you have to know(From The Times, New York)!

Everyone knows that an SPF rating of 60 provides double the protection of SPF 30 — or does it?
Studies over the years have shown that sunscreen with an SPF, or sun protection factor, of 30 blocks about 97 percent of ultraviolet rays. A rating of 15 means 93 percent of UV rays are blocked, and anything higher than 30 remains in the 97 or 98 percent range.
What many people do not realize is that the amount of sunscreen applied plays an enormous role. A study in The British Journal of Dermatology this year found that applying less than two ounces over the entire body at one time can leave people with an SPF rating far lower than what is on the bottle. Some studies have shown that people typically apply just 10 percent of the amount recommended.
It is also important to look for sunscreens that protect against UVA and UVB radiation. SPF ratings apply only to UVB rays, and some sunscreens provide no protection at all against UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply. For broad protection, look for sunscreens with avobenzone, zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, all of which block UVA.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Above SPF 30, the increased protection is minimal.

So, dont invest your money for higher SPF anymore (higher SPF usually costs you more) but pay attention to the quantity and frequency you apply, and is recommended to apply the sunscreen 30 minutes before you go under the sun. And it is better for you to re-apply after hours.

The Sunny Side of Egg~Sharing

The original articles is from Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times and i would like to share some of the points there and also my opinions. The Times’s new “Recipes for Health” feature focuses on eggs, a topic sure to cause confusion for those of us who have been told for years that eggs aren’t a health food.
But most medical experts agree eggs have a healthful place in a balanced diet. As the Berkeley Wellness Letter, from the University of California at Berkeley, reported in March, eggs have an undeserved bad reputation because of their high cholesterol content. Although there are 210 miligrams in the yolk of a large egg, the newsletter notes that for most people eggs don’t raise blood cholesterol. “They may even be good for your heart in some ways,'’ the newsletter reports, noting that eggs have unsaturated fat, B vitamins and other nutrients. In addition, there is some evidence that people feel fuller after eating eggs and that regular egg consumption may boost eye health.

And, as shown in some egg studies, dietary cholesterol causes the body to produce HDL (“good”) cholesterol along with LDL (“bad”) cholesterol in these “hyper-responders,” thus helping offset potential adverse effects. Moreover, the LDL particles that form are larger in size — and larger LDL particles are thought to be less dangerous than small ones. In studies at the University of Connecticut, for example, eating three eggs a day for 30 days increased cholesterol in susceptible people, but their LDL particles were larger, and there was no change in the ratio between LDL and HDL, which suggests no major change in coronary risk.

Converse opinion, or research results on the fact that whether egg is friend or fraud to us, or on anything. As for me, i will not simply believe on one or two research/journals anymore as after years facts will not be the facts anymore, in fact, they might be totally different from what you learnt earlier. Go moderate!

Toxics in Skin Care~~~

Compared to my previous post regarding the paraben in the skin care product, now i would like to share a brief on other ingredients found in everyday skin cara product...and they are toxins...

Methyl Paraben (Preservative)
Risk - may cause allergic skin reactions; possible increase in the risk of breast cancer; irritation to eyes; skin and respiratory tract

Propylene Glycol (PG)
Risk - skin rashes; dry skin; respiratory; immuno and neurotoxicity; delayed contact allergy

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
Risk - skin, eye and mucous irritation; dry skin; eczema; mouth ulcers; liver and gastrointestinal toxicity

Triethanolamine (TEA)
Risk - allergic contact dermitits; skin irritation; may react with nitrites to form nitrosamines which are carcinegenic corrosive to the eyes .

The list might go on.

So after go through so many journals/acticles about the negative side of those ingredient, though the theory have not been confirmed, it is clear for me that i would rather go for organic or at least natural products without burning my pocket. However, sad to say so, many minimal choice of organic skin care products available in Malaysia market or those high-end products which we need to share their advertisement budget...

Best Vitamins for weight loss?!

Here are the vitamins for people who wish to lose some weight more effectively and maintain their body weight after weight-loss. they are not slimming pills to "slim" you but providing help.

The most important vitamins and minerals for weight loss are: Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Choline (part of B-complex), Inositol (part of B-complex), and Vitamin C.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): for normal thyroid function and metabolism. Good food sources of vitamin B2 include: Milk, liver and kidney, almonds, hard cheese, eggs, wheatgerm, leafy green vegetables, Marmite.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Like B2, vitamin B3 is essential for normal thyroid hormone production. Vitamin B3 is also part of the glucose tolerance factor (GTF) which is released every time blood sugar rises. Good food sources of Vitamin B3 include: Wheat bran, liver, tuna, turkey, chicken, meat, eggs, mackerel, salmon, oats, barley, wheatflakes, cheese, dried fruit, brown rice.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) :Any deficiency of Vitamin B5 interferes with our capacity to utilise fat. Vitamin B5 also plays an important role in energy production and assists adrenal function. Good food sources of Vitamin B5 include: liver and kidney, meat, poultry, nuts, wheatflakes, wheat bran, wheatgerm, eggs, molasses, oats, barley, beans, wholegrain bread, green vegetables.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) : Vitamin B6 regulates the production of thyroid hormone and metabolism. Also assist in premenstrual water retention / edema. Good food sources of Vitamin B6, brewer's yeast, wheat bran, wheatgerm, oats, sardines, mackerel, poultry, beef, avocado, bananas, brown rice, cabbage, dried fruit, molasses, eggs.
Choline :A member of the Vitamin B complex, choline is not a real vitamin as it is made in the liver. Choline is needed for efficient fat metabolism. Choline deficiency leads to fats becoming trapped in the liver. Good sources of choline include: lecithin, beef liver, beef heart, egg yolks, wheatgerm, cauliflower, cucumber, peanuts.
Inositol : Like choline, inositol is a member of the vitamin B complex and is also manufactured inside the body. Inositol combines with choline to assist in fat metabolism. Good sources of inositol include: lecithin, beef heart, beef liver, wheatgerm, soy, eggs, citrus fruits, wholegrains, nuts.
Vitamin C : provides a range of health benefits including proper conversion of glucose to energy in the cells. Good food sources of vitamin C include: blackcurrants, broccoli, green peppers, kiwi fruits, Brussels Sprouts, lemons, oranges, strawberries, cabbage.

The information is for myself as well.

legal cheating activity (2) - slimming

I am the member of Hai-O, and so glad that i received the birthday greeting from Hai-O . Inside, there was voucher from Bizzy Body, so called slimming expert, for e-intense body detox slimming treatment worth RMY520, is totaly free!

I went Puchong branch for the treatment , , the consultant cum therapist is May. She checked my body weight, height, % water content, % body fat. BMI is 18, is normal , but she just telling me that i have to lose another few kiloes, bear in mind that my body fat is only 18.9%! ohhh....the problem is my % water content is toooo high, 58% compared to normal 30-40%. So water retention is major problem especially lower part of body. From there i need to reduce that but not the fat. And then she started to explain to body treatment, the detox, to activate my lymph system?! However she is more emphasize on Radio frequency for the partial body treatment, this is charged. RM460 per treatment, per 30 mins, to reduce the cellulite on my thigh. Kept on persuing....

Not to cure the major but go to the monor first, not to meet the customer's need but money first policy, will never success the business.

i rejected to try the radio frequency treatment and then she told me that she will only do the half of the treatment for me? half of the treatment! never heard of such thing before and book for another time for the least. And asked me to try together for Radio frequency treatment the another half! Aha...the purpose...

And what is radio frequency?
Radio frequency (RF) is a frequency or rate of oscillation within the range of about 3 Hz to 300 GHz. This range corresponds to frequency of alternating current electrical signals used to produce and detect radio waves. And normally the frequency in slimming center is 500 Hz.

Principles of Radio Frequency?
By applying high frequency into the tissues of human body, the vibration current energy will be changed into bio-thermal energy without ion movement as the range of vibration is very short. RF has a deep thermal effect that can heat a particular part of the body without any stimulation of nerves, therefore it does not cause pain or any down-time. The biothermal energy increases the tissue temperature and enhance the energy at the cellular level, thus stimulating lipolysis and fibroblast(can you imagine? does it make sense?)

The health risk?
RF fields may affect biological systems. General health effects reviews explore possible carcinogenic, reproductive and neurological effects.

Lastly, you may try if you are rich and dare to take risk!

burnt money to be pretty

I will only spend money for only 2 stuffs--------pretty and healthy! Yet they are linked.
Of course pretty the no. 1 :

Eat to be pretty in the sence of beauty skin and slim + fit body, so i am sooooo choocy about the foods, sacrified myself from my favorite ice-cream, cheesy stuffs, noodles ....and go for tasteless tofo, steamed salmon/fish, mountain of organic vegges, untoasted + unsweeten muesli and cereals, unsweeten yogurt, brewer yeast flakes, flax seed, black sesame...(oopss, i must be crazy..)

Drink to be pretty in terms of antiaging, detox, anti-oxidation, combat the free radicals etc,
wonder what i had drink? yes, i drink sugarless soy drink with wheatgrass juice, spirulina with lemon, fruit and flowers tea, chamolie tea to sooth, green tea for anticancer, ginseng tea for?, natural phyto fibers, pysylium husk, apple vinegar with honey, herbal tong shui with mollasses sugar etc...everything can put into the mouth which believe to be beneficial to pretty then i will get a try...

definitely i will take food supplement such as evening primirose oil, vit. E, Calsium and multi vit and minerals, recently heard about the natural made vit B and i will give it a try as Vit B complex can increase your metabolism rate, means that will burn your energy faster and you will not get fat easily..i tried to take pynocare, collagen and co-enzyme Q10 before but seem no result, how about you guys?

Skin care to be pretty in terms of whiter, more even skin tone, smooth , firmer, silky skin, to lighten up my face, i try alpha arbutin serum + massage, and also the L-ascorbic acids serum alternately. Arbutin is more effective but it is sunlight sensitive/ cause you to be sensitive to the sunlight(the bad thing). Rosehip oil to moisture and smoothe my skin... Hyaluronic acid for hydrating(it can absorb environmental water up to 500 x), i make the mask myself, hyaluronic acid with Avene spring water to hydrate and soothe your skin, soak the mask sheet in the solution will do. And also co-enzyme Q10 moisturiser for firmer skin.

Body? scrub once or twice a week at least, sea salt is believe to smoothen your skin...i mix it with olive oil...Yes, virgin coconut oil is hot, but its due to mid-chain fatty acids body health and is too much to use them in skin care, then lotion them after bath...foot spa, to be cheaper, DIY at home, too much to say...to be women, i take care of myself from hair to toe.

Exercise/work-out to be pretty in terms of toning my body, keep my metabolism rate high, sweating, and to be fit, and fit... haha, these do not need to spend money, emh, at least pair of shoe.

I also do some ridiculous so-called exercise to contour my body and reduce the water retention..
also money saving...

Conclusion, i live for pretty! i work for pretty (to earn money to buy those stuffs!) i burn the money for pretty, i am mentally sick for pretty...who can help me?

亲人因為乳癌過世(胸部保健)

說到女性胸部的保健，
乳癌一直在女性的前十大死因中居高不下。

也有亲人因為乳癌在去年過世，
完全瞒着我们，至到末期， 因為癌細胞擴散，
接受化療两次后，
沒多久日子便過世了。

一个很错误的观念，为何生病了就要瞒着亲人，
觉得不要拖援时间，不要让自己受更多的苦，
别这样，
请让我们知道，请让我们支持你，
请为自己，为我们活下去！

在這裡POST一下乳癌自我檢查的步驟：
乳房自我檢測的最佳時機為月經完3-5天內，停經者則自選每月固定一日檢查。
檢測方式：站立時，雙手自然下垂，站在鏡子前面觀察乳房皮膚、
外觀、形狀、大小，之後雙手往後放在臀部，讓胸部突出，及雙手向上舉起，
觀察乳房皮膚、外觀、形狀、大小。
平躺時，胸後墊小枕頭，讓乳腺撐平，使用指腹以順時鐘，
或從乳頭以放射狀的方向觸摸有無硬塊及異樣。
胸部有硬塊，合併有乳頭分泌物時，惡性乳癌的可能性非常高，

每位女性應對自己的乳房有完整的保健概念，
-(1)減少酒精(one drink a day or avoid alcohol completely)，-(2)维持正常体重，尤其在更年期后(Excess fatty tissue is a source of circulating estrogen in your body. And breast cancer risk is linked to how much estrogen you're exposed to during your lifetime.)，-(3) 让身体保持活跃，常运动。-(4)減少高脂肪、高熱量食物的攝取(Results from study of dietary fat and breast cancer risk suggest a slight decrease in risk of invasive breast cancer for women who eat a low-fat diet. )-(5)更你的医生讨论停止长期服用HORMONE。-(6)每月應-定-期自我檢測之外，
超過40歲以上女性宜每年定期至醫院檢查。特別對於乳癌高危險群的人而言，
建議每半年至醫院作乳房檢查，以確保健康。

另外，除了自我檢查外，強烈建議姊姊妹妹們定期去做檢查，
其實自我檢查真的不夠，當你摸的出硬塊，看的到異狀時，
往往早已是很後期，很嚴重的時候了，希望大家都要注意自己的健康，
沒有健康，不管有多少理想都會只剩下空想跟遺憾的。

Legal cheating activities

Pretty, this word is killing...my money dumped into sea due to ...

Case 1:
Went to the famous hair salon in the town for hair treatment, the hair stylist with the awesome styling sure will ask you: "do you wanna try our better hair treatment? The result is much better than the normal treatment, you just need to pay for another RMXX?" "okay..."as i already budgeted for this, so what's wrong if i was to pay for another RMxx for better result. Guess what...i didnt see any significant result after all, looked less frizzy after blowing~~~after hair washing....'!!

Then, knew one friend, ex-hairstylist of that salon, been told that the so-called advanced treatment actually just using better hair treatment wax, probably RM80-100 per litre, well, to do your treatment they probably just need to use 15ml-30ml, that means RM1.50-3.00/treatment. And the steaming machine...RM120 you will get one! aha....RM80 per treatment for suck...

Case 2:
went to the beauty centre called "Nxx Yxxk Sxxn Sxxxxxxx" for triple masks facial treatment...everthing went well until...."do you want to try our ampoule, is very effective?"..."oh...emh..."<<

(price for ampoule i've been try, very effective, RM15 each---sure not in salon, home DIY to do this, from Australia)

the next day, looked at the mirror, acne(s) poping out over my face, 1,2,3,4,5,6..oh my godness...so scary, i have no acne-prone skin usually, never...angry, get back to there,arguing..they explained:"this is the detoxifying reaction after the treatment, may be this is the first time you use our product!!!!" my darling, this is not my first time to do facial treatment or try new product...

And have to go back to visit the skin doctor for the problem and clear the acne scar...money matter again!

Case3
case4
to be continued...

Fish oil for omega 3 fatty acids?

Omega-3 milk powder, omega 3 eggs, salmon fish oil...you've probably heard a lot through the advertisement and news for their values to your health, but do you really understand what are them, the ways in which they are beneficial to your health and which foods to get them from?

Er...not really,right?

First, what are them?
Omega 3 fatty acids are a family of unsaturated fatty acids that have in common a carbon–carbon double bond in the n−3 position, chemically speaking, meaningless to you right?Ok, let's proceed...Important nutritionally essential n−3 fatty acids are: α-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They are called essential fatty acid as our bodies cannot produce them through other nutrients.

Next, the key health benefits of including omega-3 fatty acids in your diet:
-help keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. In doing so, they can reverse and prevent high blood pressure, as well as reduce your risk of suffering a stroke.
-decrease pain and inflammation throughout your body.
-help prevent breast and colon cancer.
-help to reverse and prevent depression and other mental/emotional health challenges.

Let's see their relationship:

Dark green vegges,
Walnuts, flax seeds, →→ ALA →→Intermediate →→→EPA ↔↔DHA
Plant foods etc molecules ↑ ↑
↑ ↑
↑ ↑
Cold water fish, fish oil, seaweed, etc

Need fish oil?----not necessarily..
Your body is able to convert ALA into EPA and DHA. So theoretically, if you are in excellent health and eat lots of dark green leafy vegetables, ground flax seeds, and walnuts, your body should be able to produce enough EPA and DHA from ALA to provide all of the health benefits listed above..

Some people who support eating only plant foods raise objections to using fish oil, such as the possibility of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil turning rancid, as well as the possibility of fish oil containing environmental pollutants like mercury. These objections are valid, as independent studies performed by organizations like consumerlabs.com have found that some brands of fish oil contain rancid fatty acids that can harm your health.

Other Suspected risks :
-Increased bleeding if overused (normally over 3 grams per day) by a patient who is also taking aspirin or warfarin.
-Hemorrhagic stroke (only in case of very large doses, called "Eskimo amounts").
-Oxidation of n−3 fatty acids forming biologically active oxidation products.
-Reduced glycemic control among diabetics.
-Suppression of immune and inflammation responses, and consequently, decreased resistance to infections and increased susceptibility to opportunistic bacteria.
-An increase in concentration of LDL cholesterol in some individuals.

As it is with all of the nutrients that we know of to date, omega-3 fatty acids work synergistically with many co-factors to provide their health promoting effects. In my opinion, I feel that it is wise to eat a variety of foods that are naturally rich in ALA, EPA, and DHA rather than to rely on a supplement that contains just one or more of these omega-3 fatty acids .