Embrace Yourself

In Chinese Lunar calendar, every year is run by different horoscope. As we know, 2008 is led by the head of the 12 zodiac, the mouse and the 'crown' will be passed to the cow by next Chinese New Year. As interesting as it sounds, do you know that in the next twelve years during the reign of the mouse, the mouse would not be the mouse? 2008 is reigned by the Earth mouse while 2020 will be reigned by either Wood, Fire, Water or Metal.

The five element theory which includes Fire, Wood, Water, Metal and Earth is rather an important theory in Chinese philosophy. These five elements are the source of energy.
Apart from the herbs, Qi Gong is one of the medical practice in Chinese medicine. Qi (means energy) and Gong (means work) rely on the Five Elements theory.

For your information, Tai Chi is often mistook as Qi Gong. In fact, both are inter-related as Qi Gong is the core of Tai Chi. The slight difference is, Tai Chi is a form of martial art also known as Kung Fu in Mandarin.

Have you heard of Drunken master and Praying-mantis style? Well, Tai Chi is one of them, it was known to be the calm, loose and relaxing form of martial arts.It focuses on the nature; the environment around oneself and the calmness of one's thoughts and emotions.

To master Tai Chi, you got to master Qi Gong.

According to Master Tan Soo Kong who is the founder of Wellness Medical Qi Gong (WMQ), Qi Gong is self-healing as the practice of Qi Gong can identify the core cause of your physical and mental health problems. This goes back to the Five Elements theory:

FIRE: Representing temper thus excess results hypertension and heartburn whereas deficiency results heart and digestive problems.

WOOD: Representing outward in nature. Excess results inflexibility, stubbornness and rigidity while deficiency results liver and gall bladder problems.

WATER: Representing downward in nature. Results from excess can be clearly seen from one's face (e.g pale) while deficiency results kidney and bladder dysfunction.

METAL: Representing inward in nature. Excess results introvert and self-centered personality whereas deficiency results problematic colon and reproductive system dysfunction.

Over the years, the sun glares more strongly than ever. Within minutes, cumulonimbus casts a carpet over the bright sky. The room temperature seem to drop and increase drastically without warning. In fact, the earth is suffering with thinning layers of protective ozone. The climate is changing continuously.

According to Canadian researchers, climate change has impacts on our health state.

The common health problems are:

• Illnesses caused by hot and cold syndrome
  
• Respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses
• Changed exposure to outdoor and indoor air pollutants and allergens
• Asthma and other respiratory diseases
• Heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases
• Cancer
• Diarrheas and illnesses caused by chemical and biological contaminants
• Changed patterns of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and other pathogens carried by mosquitoes, ticks, animals and other vectors
• Skin damage and skin cancer
• Cataracts
• Disturbed immune function

As quoted in the previous post, we see Western influences on food as detrimental. Whereas, the West see the Eastern (especially Chinese) diet as ridiculously fat according to Morris.

Japanese and Chinese shared one common value in food. The importance of rice! In fact, rice is the main staple food for most Asian countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Korea.

From an article written by Sophie Morris, "Use your noodle: The real Chinese diet is so healthy it could solve the West's obesity crisis", it was stated that the truth is the opposite; Food expert Lorraine Clissold claimed that Chinese food is very fulfilling and healthy and it does not lead to obesity and heart disease (due to heavy amount of rice).

In fact, Chinese do consumed more calories. However, Chinese do not consume empty calories of sugary and nutrient-free food. For instance, One calories of coke and 340 calories in Avocado, which is worth consumed? "The avocado supplies you with monounsaturated fats and omega-6, which actually help increase metabolic rate." Thus, Stop counting calories and choose your food wisely.

Japanese consume more fish in general while Chinese consume more vegetables. The green is the source for many dishes in Chinese food menu, the list can go on and on. Western nutrition expert, Patrick Holford said "Vegetables should make up half of what's on your plate in any given meal, so this fits perfectly with the Chinese diet."
***Tips: It is best to cook raw vegetables lightly before consume despite the fact that raw vegetables contains the highest nutrients. Your body will absorb the nutrients easier if the vegetables are lightly cooked; more bio-available.

Having fruits[West] intake or liquid food such as soup[East] before main course is advisable. The reason is very simple, it helps to control your appetite and keep you from over-consume.

The above information are highlights from the Morris article at The Independent On Sunday. Interested to know more? Read the article here.


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Thank you for reading.

Health and fitness come hand in hand. Active lifestyles create a way to physical and mental fitness whereas nutritional diets give a way to wholesome well-being.

According to World Health Organization, Japanese has the highest life expectancy which stands at 83. The research was carried out in 2006 and the result are as followed:

1. Japan
2. Andorra
3. Monaco
4. San Marino
5. Switzerland
6. Australia
7. Canada
8. Paris
9. Iceland
10. Israel
11. Italy
12. Spain
13. Sweden

• No to meat, yes to fish
• Fish and meat do not belong to the same category. Meat especially red meat contains more saturated fats. In fact, almost half of the fat inside meat are saturated fats, which caused clogged artery. On the other hand, fish as the main source in Japanese cuisine is high in protein and omega 3-fatty acids. A research carried out by Harvard School of Health in 2006 showed that an average portion of fish included in diets thrice in a week (estimated 3 ounce of salmon and 6 ounce of mackeral) could reduce the risk of death from Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) by 36 percents.
  
• Sushi/ Rice
• Rice especially brown rice contains insoluble-fiber which helps to prevent several types of cancer such as, stomach, colon, rectum, breast, uterus, mouth, thyroid, and throat. "In the debate over whether dietary fat increases breast cancer risks, only one fact is indisputable: women in countries that consume high amounts of meat and dairy fat have a high risk of breast cancer, while women in countries that mostly consume rice, soy, vegetables, and fish (instead of dairy fat and meat) have a low risk of breast cancer" sourced from http://evitamins.com
• Green Tea
  
• Or rather called as Ocha? According to European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, consumption of green tea rapidly reduce the risk of heart disease as it improves the function of (endothelial) cells lining the circulatory system. In the other words, green tea helps to maintain heart arteries in good condition. Read article here.
  
• For more information on benefits of Green tea, please visit http://www.green-tea-expert.com/w.green-tea-expert.com/
• Tofu
• According to Foundation of Integrated Medicine, tofu is an inexpensive source of protein and rich in calcium. Studies has showed that tofu consumption helps in,
  
• lower risk of heart disease
  
• lower levels of cholestrol
• increased bone density
• lower risk of breast and colon cancer.