DrVolcanoe @ MedWorld

Yoga Tips

Posted by DrVolcanoe on August 16th, 2008 filed in Health & Beauty

” Extract from http://www.beautyfeast.com/Yoga/Yoga-Tips.htm

Yoga is considered as one of the best ways to develop overall health and happiness. One should add yoga as an essential part of the daily fitness program.

As yoga is the best way to tone the muscles and to increase the flexibility of the body. While practicing yoga for the first time, one should keep in mind to not to perform it more than comfortable level. There are some tips and precautions that will surely help one in taking best benefits from yoga. Clothing:

One should wear comfortable clothing to perform yoga. Comfortable and loose clothing will allow performing asanas easily. Stretchable fabric is pretty fine to wear while practicing yoga. Food:

Itis recommended to practice yoga empty stomach. After having a meal, one should wait for at least 3 to4 hours before starting the yoga practice. It is recommended to perform yoga early in the morning. Time:

The best suited time to perform yoga is either early when the daybreaks or late in the twilight. Morning is the time when one can perform yoga with fresh mind and stiff body. Whereas in the evening, mind is not that much fresh but by that time of the body becomes more open and flexible. One can select from any of the two times that suits best according to the schedule for practicing yoga. No matter what the time is, one thing that does matter is the schedule. One should be regular to the yoga practice to get its actual benefits. Just one day practice will not make the difference. Place:

The place where one is going to start the yoga practice should be quite, warm and pleasant. It is better if one selects a location which is close to the nature. One performs breathing yoga practices in order to inhale clean and pure air. But if the air is polluted, there is no use of performing deep breathing. Practice yoga in pleasant atmosphere and in clean surrounding. Precautions:

One should move carefully from one position to other. Often this is the time when muscle injuries can occur. Therefore, itisimportant to align the body properly while performing the asanas.

If one is suffering from any medical problem then one should concern the doctor or expert yoga instructor before beginning the yoga practice. A yoga instructor can guide give right advice that can effectively help one to get direct relief from the medical problem.

It is recommended to avoid overstretching when it starts to pain in a particular position. One should perform the stretching only till the threshold point.

One might be having little pain in the beginning of the yoga practice. But if the pain exceeds the limit, one should immediately stop performing that asanas and should slowly come into the normal position.

By following these simple tips and precautions, one can surely achieve the positive health benefits of yoga.

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A PETAI a day keeps the Dr away…

Posted by DrVolcanoe on July 6th, 2008 filed in Dr Volcanoe' PRESCRiPTi0N, Health Info

One of my all-time favourite food…PETAI. Its a type of ‘ulam’ too…erm, raw finger food. But I don’t take it raw…love it cooked. Watz petai?? Well…I’ll try and look for the scientific name ya. Just like durian, an average Malaysian would either lurve it or hate it. WHY? Thanks to the odour…it doesnt juzt have a trademark smell, but that smell lingers on in one’s body wastes - go figure, if you dunno =p

Came across an interesting forwarded mail about this PETAI. Let me share it here. Hope its educational.

*NOTE: I’ve not personally done any research to ensure the authenticity of information, thus its not evidence based. However, interesting Info*

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Little did you know ……after reading THIS, you’ll NEVER look at petai
in the same way again! contains three natural sugars -! sucrose, fructose and glucose. Combined with fiber, petai gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two servings of petai provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder petai is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes. But energy isn’t the only way petai can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating petai. This is because petai contains tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
Forget the pills - eat petai. ! The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
High in iron, petai can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anaemia.
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the petai industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating petai at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
High in fiber, including petai in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a petai milkshake, sweetened with honey. The petai calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Petai has a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating petai for soothing relief. :
Snacking on petai between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. :
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of the petai skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Petai is high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Petai

Depression:

PMS (premenstrual syndrome):

Anaemia:

Blood Pressure:

Brain Power :

Constipation:

Hangovers:

Heartburn:

Morning Sickness

Mosquito bites

Nerves:

Overweight:
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Petai is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Many other cultures see petai as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Holland, for example, pregnant women eat petai to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Petai can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Ulcers:

Temperature control:

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) :

Smoking:
Petai can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium petai snack.
According to research in “The New England Journal of Medicine, ” eating petai as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%”.
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of petai and place it on the wart. Carefully hold the petai in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

Stress:

Strokes:

Warts:

So, as you can see, petai really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say,
“A Petai a day keeps the doctor! away”.

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By the way…as promised, the Scietific name of PETAI is Parkia speciosa.

Though nick-named stinkbean by some, with the abundant health benefit….would you, or would you not become a petai fan?

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CocoWater?

Posted by DrVolcanoe on May 16th, 2008 filed in Dr Volcanoe' PRESCRiPTi0N

Check this out for yourself:

Why Drink
Coconut
Water?

CocoWater is naturally:
> Low in Carbs
> 99% Fat Free
> Low in sugars

Coconut Water contains organic compounds possessing healthy growth promoting properties that have been known to help:

Keep the body cool and at the proper temperature

Orally re-hydrate your body, it is an all natural isotonic beverage

Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells

Naturally replenish your body’s fluids after exercising

Raise your metabolism

Promote weight loss

Boost your immune system

Detoxify and fight viruses

Cleanse your digestive tract

Control diabetes

Aid your body in fighting viruses that cause the flu, herpes, and AIDS

Balance your PH and reduce risk of cancer

Treat kidney and urethral stones

Boost poor circulation

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Joke: Professional Ethics

Posted by DrVolcanoe on March 10th, 2008 filed in A Dose of Laughter

Justa joke….no offence to any party, peepz!

“Don’t laugh!” said the patient.

“Of course I won’t laugh,” the doctor said. “I’m a professional. In over twenty years I’ve never laughed at a patient.”

“Okay then,” Ed said, and proceeded to drop his trousers, revealing the tiniest willy the doctor had ever seen. It couldn’t have been bigger than the size of an AAA battery. Unable to control himself, the doctor started giggling, and then fell laughing to the floor. Ten minutes later he was able to struggle to his feet and regain his composure.

“I’m so sorry,” said the doctor.”I really am. I don’t know what came over me. On my honor as a doctor and a gentleman, I promise it won’t happen again. Now…what seems to be the problem?”

“It’s swollen,” Ed replied

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A Comeback to Blogosphere?

Posted by DrVolcanoe on March 9th, 2008 filed in HO Diaries

There were times I thought I had lost my daredevilness. My impulsivity. After months of having friends to do stuffs with…its been extremely lonesome recently. Like a cycle my mood has been labile….though appear calm on the outside, only God knows how at times my heart is crying & screaming away.

When good tidings come, they come in waves…there were days when I had a few ‘dates’ in one day/evening & even hopped from one meetup to another - just coz I wanted to catch up with everyone and somehow those different friends/groups of friends were keen to meet up on the same day. So much so that I was teased for being a social butterfly or to say it crudely kaki lepak lo….

The very reason why I haven’t been able to update blogs religiously….nor continue my hobby in writing which at one point of time did seem like a prospective alternative career option or a good side income.

BUT when it rains….it pours! How true. Life is a cycle…

Just like a few years back, once again I have been attempting to call out friends. Its not always others who have to make the effort right? But no one seems free in the weeks when I have a longer gap between my calls and am juz dying of loneliness. Of course that makes me succumb to my lonesome ventures - bulk of the time a stroll in the nearby shopping malls, which often ends up in retail therapy. Definitely a waste of money 75% of the time. On the rare occasions when I am lucky enough to stumble upon sales or lovely items that I actually need, its a blessing & my day’s spiced up

Ask for more calls? And…..get even depressed? Sigh…..I dont know. With a 24hour notice, during dry season like these, when the only real-life friend I have out of work is me myself, if I am physically fit….I guess I won’t mind doing extra calls. Not at all for the money….simply coz work would keep me occupied.

Ambition to spur me would solve this problem? Often I wonder what on Earth am I doing what I am doing….that I would have made a better social worker than a doctor. Simply because I don’t know where I am heading to in the long run. What will happen in another 7 months?

Once I get the hang of stuffs in a new posting, I will start focusing on the things I love or have grown to like after routinely doing it for what seems like forever. The moment you start getting into the comfort zone, it’ll be time to move on! Sometimes I just blame it on the constant change in this embryonic stage of my profession…

Of course I try to do things I love to spice up those dull moments in my day, post-work. That’s where the real problem lies! Often I end up sleeping…the perfect escapede? But when one hath overslept….and can sleep no more - HOW? The last thing I’ll wanna do is STUDY, though a model HO would.

And when things that used to excite one, hobbies - seem dull and unappealing…you just know that something is terribly wrong. Even crying is hard….if at all the tears do well, juzta few drops and that’s it!! And then the ever optimistic me part of me will kick in and wash off the negative thoughts by focusing on the good things that has happened, the blessings God has showered in the past - though the present seems bleak, I tell self to keep having faith.

WHY? Sounds like depression to me….self-Dx. Or perhaps bipolar mood disorder

GREAT! *roll eyes*

The cause of my depression is a real mystery. Within seconds sometimes I can get manic even….sighz. HHHmmmmm…..maybe, just maybe its all due to the hormonal changes of having the XX chromosomes! =p

But the reason I am still surviving is probably because I refuse to focus on myself (though at times I wonder if I should be kinder to self), and as much as possible engross this soul in serving others in whatever little way I can. Which is probably why I end up listening to other people’s troubles & consoling as well as giving them hope (subconsciously reinforcing my optimism about LiFe TO MYSELF) even when I myself was dying inside. Afterall…..God gave us 2 ears & one mouth

But the reason for all these mindless ramblings is this. In moments of loneliness, I am NOT gonna sms people for companionship anymore (am sick of it d). I am just gonna restart my “Dear Diary” blogging business to keep my sanity and remind me how I am finding meaning in life in the daily life that I am leading..of coz mostly will be retrospective entries of the good times I had or the stories I had to share during those times but was too occupied to narrate at that point of time.

So perhaps my loneliness and being left friendless (to hang out with) is a form of blessing in disguise to retrain my clickity clack typing skill via blogging (writing). And also catch up on movies online *wink*