WHAT IS DEEPAVALI

A colorful festival that is celebrated by all Hindus worldwide is Deepavali, which is also known as the festival of lights. This festival usually falls around late October and November. One important practice that the Hindus follow during the festival is to light oil lamps in their homes on Deepavali morning. By lighting the oil lamps, the Hindus are thanking the gods for the happiness, knowledge, peace and wealth that they have received. The Hindus consider Deepavali as one of the most important festivals to celebrate. As a hindu who celebrates this festival, i think it is equally important for others to know a little bit of this festival as this is a multiracial country.

SOURCE: Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol. 2, Published 1988, Sahitya Akademi

What is Mental Illness: Mental Illness Facts

Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.
Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.
Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan.
In addition to medication treatment, psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups, and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan and that assist with recovery. The availability of transportation, diet, exercise, sleep, friends, and meaningful paid or volunteer activities contribute to overall health and wellness, including mental illness recovery.
NIMH (2005) Teacher's Guide: Information about Mental Illness and the Brain Curriculum supplement from The NIH Curriculum Supplements Series

WEAR IT RIGHT

I had always wanted to use contact lenses. Finally I bought one for me. Considered I am a baby in handling contact lenses. Therefore I took some initiative to learn some tips on proper contact lens care. Follow the schedule for throwing away your lenses and do not over-wear them. Attend regular aftercare check-ups with your practitioner even if you are not experiencing problems. Wash your hands before handling your lenses. Never sleep or swim with your lenses. Change your contact lens solution regularly. Replace your lens case every three months. Don’t use tap water to cleanse your contact lenses. Stop wearing your lenses immediately if you feel any discomfort. Be smart with your lenses; a little care goes a long way for you to continue enjoying clear and problem-free sight with your contact lenses.
SOURCE: Drs LIM AND LEE-WEAR IT RIGHT

Mayo Clinic Discovers New Type Of Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnoea is a common sleep disorder affecting men, women and children in all age group. Apnea means no breathing, so sleep apnoea means pauses in breathing during sleep. The airway becomes blocked and breathing stops repeatedly during sleep. During an apnoea, the oxygen level in the blood falls. If the condition is severe enough, pulmonary hypertension may develop leading to right-sided heart failure. Those who are obese are definitely at risk. Weight management and avoiding alcohol and sedatives at bedtime may relieve sleep apnoea in some individuals. If these measures are unsuccessful in stopping sleep apnoea, continuous positive airway pressure, a form of mechanical breathing assistance that involves the use of a specially-designed mask worn over the nose or nose and mouth at night may be prescribed.

GOOD STRESS vs BAD STRESS

I have read in “ezyhealth & beauty” about this. Yes , believe it or not, there is such thing as good stress. In fact, good stress even has a name – “eustress”. Positive stress gives us the energy to perform at higher levels when it’s required. It’s the energy that helps you write your best report or ace your tennis game. Distress, on the other hand refers to negative stress. This is the one that causes physical and emotional problems that may damage both your health and your performance. Furthermore, stress grows! Excessive worrying leads to a laundry list of conditions such as immune disorders, insomnia, hypertension, fatigue, depression and a host of other issues. In our fast-forward society, distress is epidemic.

HANDLING BREAK UP

It is hard to accept the agony of breaking up. It can’t get any easier but there are a few measures you can take to help make the process of moving on move along.
Time (but not too much time) :
First of all, acknowledge that what you are going through is hard. Give yourself permission to grieve. However, if you allow yourself to dwell on the difficulty of the break-up, you just replace one addiction with another. Make a serious effort to involve yourself in projects and activities, and immerse yourself in other people. Talk to your friends about the break-up, but talk to them about other things, too. Even if you don't want to, forcing yourself to get out and concentrate on other things will get you on the right track to feeling like yourself again.
Letting go :
You will never get over him/her if you let yourself daydream about getting back together. Delete him from your cell phone. It's a good idea to get rid of everything that reminds you of him/her to help yourself realize that that phase in your life is over. Depending on the length and closeness of the relationship, some people find that moving helps them make a clean break and a new start. If that isn't an option, rearrange the furniture, redecorate your walls - anything you can do to symbolize moving on will help you make the transition. It's time to start a new era, with new memories and new possibilities.
Getting it out :
It's important that you express what you think and feel; working through those questions is a big part of leaving them behind you. Put them on paper. After you've spent all of your anger, confusion or guilt, look at what you've written. Edit any accusations or sections that are too emotionally charged - you don't want to send anything you'll regret later - and make sure it reads as an honest letter that isn't asking for a response. Once you've sent your thoughts, frustrations and explanations, you can feel certain that you've said what you needed to say and move on.
Friendship can wait :
No calls. No sightings. No friendship. You need at least three months with absolutely no contact before you can even think about starting a friendship, and it often takes much longer. There's no such thing as "staying friends." You were not friends when you were dating, and if you were friends before, it ended the moment you became intimately involved. If you want to start a friendship now, realize that it will be an entirely new relationship that must be built from the ground up. You'll share a different kind of bond, have different kinds of conversations and play different roles in each other's lives. It may be true that once we love someone, we love them forever, but it cannot be in the same way if you hope to have an honest friendship and an honest chance at moving on.

(SOURCE : lovingyou.com)

PHOBIA

Phobia is defined as irrational and excessive fear of an object or situation. In most cases, the phobia involves a sense of endangerment or a fear of harm. There are many symptoms of phobia such as dizziness, breathlessness, nausea, and a sense of unreality and fear of dying. There are three types of phobias categorized as social phobias, agoraphobias and specific phobias. There are a number of treatment approaches for phobias. The effectiveness of a treatment depends on the individual and the type of phobia. Two examples of potential phobia treatments are exposure and counter-conditioning treatment.
SOURCE:Edmund J. Bourne, The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, 4th ed, New Harbinger Publications, 2005

EARLY SIGNS OF GLOBAL WARMING

Recently I have been reading a lot on global warming as my case study requires me to do so. I am very much attracted to the fact that there have been some early signs showing us that Mother Nature is actually being heated up in terms of global warming. Some of the signs are heat waves, periods of unusual warming, ocean warming, sea level rise, coastal flooding and glaciers melting. The following events such as spreading of disease, earlier spring arrival, plant and animal range shift and population changes, coral reef bleaching, downpours, heavy snowfalls, flooding, drought and fires are the types of impacts that are likely to become more frequent and widespread with continued warming.
SOURCE:WIKIPEDIA

DANGERS OF PLASTIC SURGERY

Today, plastic surgery has advanced with new techniques and technology but there are still some complications that can arise even though it is rare, not only from the surgery itself but also from the anesthetics and mistakes on part of the physician themselves. So, if you are opting for plastic surgery you should be aware and understand the dangers that can happen with plastic surgery.Dangers that have been known to occur with plastic surgery are a broad range from scarring to even fatality in rare cases. Dangers of cosmetic surgery vary from patient to patient. Any complications that occur often are physically and psychologically distressing to patients.The most common danger of plastic surgery is scarring. All surgeries will have a small type of scarring. But in plastic surgery the incisions are usually hidden under the crease of the breast in breast augmentation or in the hairline when the plastic surgery if facial. Even though, there are scars that cannot usually be seen. Facial complications are also the hardest to repair including scarring that may occur or from mistakes by the physician. Other dangers of plastic surgery are blood clots, infection and bleeding. As long as close monitoring after surgery is done these types of dangers can be noticed early and dealt with immediately. By monitoring after surgery, such as checking for fever often, can show the sign of an infection long before it becomes a major problem. With the proper post surgery care these dangers are reduced.Nerve damage is always a possible with different types of surgery and is also a danger of plastic surgery. Some people have experienced problems moving muscles in the area where the surgery was performed or have lost feeling in the area that was operated on after plastic surgery. Usually, this is only temporary and feeling should return shortly after plastic surgery.
Fraser, Suzanne (2003). Cosmetic surgery, gender and culture

SYNOPSIS OF RAMAYANA

Ramayana is an epic about Rama (symbol of goodness). It is about how someone should lead their life and how a leader should rule the country. Long ago, there lived a king named Dasaratha who ruled in a country called Ayodhya. King Dasaratha had three wives but none of them could conceive. Therefore, the king held a prayers (‘yagna’). He benefited from the prayers and was blessed with four princes. All his sons were raised to become warriors. Two of his sons – Rama and Laxman were sent to kill an evil lady. After that incident, Rama was given a task and when he succeeded, he got married to Princess Sita. Rama, Laxman and Sita were sent to the jungle for fourteen years. Throughout these years, they faced many obstacles. Finally Rama returned to his country after those troublesome years and ruled his country.

THE CURSE

This is a story written by Lee Su Ann. In this story, Azreen takes time off her studies in London to return to her village to mourn for sister- Madhuri’s lost. She was surprised to know that her sister did not die in an accident but instead was murdered. She will soon investigate what did actually take place. She overheard Puan Normala and before they knew, they were all cursed.

DISADVANTAGES OF HANDPHONES

Having got a new handphone as a symbol of appreciation, I wonder if handphones are really worth it. Talking about the disadvantages, the list is long. Having handphones is unnecessarily waste of money as we would be spending on prepaid( and also postpaid). Besides ear will get aching gradually and eye sights will be worsen by reading small fonts. We also tend to lose concentration to real people and outside world besides loosing intimacy between two people (even between couples) because two persons do not need to try to be together since they each have handphone and call to look for others anytime if lost in plaza or public. Last but not least, we cannot control temptation and always want to buy new models endlessly. But to think about it, handphones keep us connected and I spend time messaging my friends and keeping in touch with my loved ones.

(SOURCE: ANSWERS.YAHOO.COM)

ATTENTION ALL MEN:BURN FAT BY EATING CHOCOLATE

Research shows that chocolate-loving men are in better health than those who do not like it. Chocolate eaters tend to process fatty foods better and have a lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Eating chocolate is healthy only when paired with healthy diet and lifestyle.
(SOURCE : READER'S DIGEST, AUGUST 2008, PAGE 71)

HOW TO PREVENT HEART DISEASE

Below are some very easy steps that you can take to prevent being attacked by the world killer- HEART ATTACK.
First on the list is no SMOKING. Then have your blood pressure checked periodically. watch your cholesterol level, treat and control blood sugar, eat healthy, keep your Body Mass Index at below 25. Maintain a waist measurement of 35 inches and below and last but not least, do exercise regularly.
(SOURCE : READER'S DIGEST, AUGUST 2008, PAGE 51)

ROMANCE IN THE WASH

This is a story of a daughter who misunderstood her mother for the subject-LOVE. Feeling torn between household chores and her teenage daughter, the mother- Karen, had a short flashback about her past in school. it was when she met her life partner, Dan. It was an unexpected cupid strike for her then. Coming back to reality, they are married for 31 years. They are still happy with endless love and romance. Being a housewife, it does not mean that you are a zero in romance.
(SOURCE : READER'S DIGEST, AUGUST 2008, PAGE 9)

BRAIN CANCER

Cancers of the brain are abnormal growths of cells in the brain. Growths are called brain tumors, but not all brain tumors are cancer. Cancer is a specific term for malignant tumors.
Malignant tumors grow and spread aggressively, overpowering healthy cells by taking their space, blood, and nutrients. Tumors that do not spread aggressively are called benign.
A benign tumor is less serious than a malignant tumor. But a benign tumor can still cause many problems in the brain. Genetic factors, various environmental toxins, radiation , and cigarette smoking are all known to cause cancer. The most common symptoms are headache, weakness, clumsiness, difficulty walking, seizures, altered mental status, nausea, vomiting ( especially early in the morning ), abnormalities in vision, difficulty with speech, gradual changes in intellectual or emotional capacity. In general, there is no way to prevent brain cancers. Early diagnosis and treatment of tumors may reduce the risk of sever brain tumors.
SOURCE: eMedicineHealth

LIVING WITH DIALYSIS

Health Today, July 2008 (page 42)
What is dialysis? Dialysis plays the role of kidneys for patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). As we all know, kidneys functions to filter waste products that are sent through the bloodstream. Kidneys of patient with CKD lose their filtering capacity. Their are two types of dialysis- haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Dialysis is actually the only thing that keeps kidney patients moving on besides a kidney transplant. living with dialysis is really devastating. Patients go through emotional upheaval and physical agony. In order to avoid end stage kidney failure and dialysis, as well as the side effects relating to the disease, we should ensure a healthy lifestyle.

Drugs for GOUT

SOURCE: Health Today, July 2008 (page 2)
The most common drug used for treating Gout is steroids. Steroids can be taken in pill form or injected directly into the joint. Unfortunately, prolonged use of steroids can cause weight gain, fluid retention, osteoporosis, bruising, muscle weakness, thinning of the skin, poor wound healing and decreased ability to fight infection. Besides that, steroids can worsen symptoms of diabetes and glaucoma. Therefore in my opinion, prevention is better than cure. healthy diet coupled with exercise can prevent almost any disease in the world.

STOP SMOKING A.S.A.P

Wikipedia..
Smoking is actually the inhalation of smoke from cigarettes. Many reasons have been found on why people smoke. Most say they want to get away from all their working and life stress. Some smoke out of pleasure while some smoke for the sake of trying it. But eventually they get addicted and puff their money away. The problem with the people today is, they are educated and are well learned about the dangers of smoking. But they still don't quit smoking. It is very hard to understand their mindset. Many people die everyday due to heavy smoking. Our health ministry, they are trying their level best to help smokers quit smoking but it is simple not working. So i would like to plead to all smokers, Please stop smoking. A big thank you.

EUTHANASIA

Euthanasia refers to assisted dying. Following are several summary definition on different types of Euthanasia. Indirect Euthanasia means the involvement of a clinician. Direct Euthanasia means the involvement of a clinician as agent in inducing a patient's death. Voluntary Euthanasia occurs in a fully-informed request of an adult patient whereas non voluntary is without the patient's consent. Involuntary Euthanasia occurs over an objection of a patient. Finally terminal sedation is a combination of medically inducing a deep sleep and stopping other treatment, with the exception of medication for symptom control. Euthanasia is definitely not legalized in our country. It is not morally correct to take one's life. We do not have the authority to play "GOD". Before performing a Euthanasia act, we have to take many things into consideration. Well lets think about the betterment of something. Killing is not the final solution for any problem.
Source- Wikipedia

global warming

One of the most hotly debated topic on Earth is the issue of climate change. Surfing through http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/global warming.html , I learned that knowing how the world's systems are changing and how they have changed in the past is crucial to understand how they will change in the future. Besides that, there many things I ponder on after reading on global warming. One of those questions are what is the greenhouse affect and is it affecting our climate? I am definitely worried about the future and thinking about mother nature's cruel ending scares me! It is high time we realise it.

weekend fun

Last weekend was fun as I went back home to Kuala Lumpur. Though it was a short stay, I really enjoyed it. I really missed my mum and my rabbit, Cuddles. I am looking forward to be back home again.

first day of blogging in UMP

In todays rush hour to get back to hometown after technical English class, I am glad to blog for the first time in UMP. I am more excited to post my ups and downs in here. Until I get back with more things to share, signing out people. Have a great weekend. Take care