Saturday, June 23, 2012

Orange potpourri

Stumbled across a great idea today - use of orange peel for potpourri! Since I bought a juicer a few wks ago, I hv been throwing away lots of orange peel and fruit pulp. No doubt the juice is so refreshing and delicious, but the divine smell of orange peel filling the whole house is going to be equally refreshing and delicious-smelling! So I saved the orange peel from today's juicing and simmered half of it over the stove together with a stick of cinnamon and placed the other half to dry in the oven. The house really smells so nice after about an hour! No need to spend money on those scented candles and scent containers anymore! I have orange peel everyday to refresh the smell in the house. The dried orange peel gives off a nice smell too, especially when I crush them. Wow what a discovery for someone like me who's so into scents! Certainly my heavenly Father is taking good care of me :)

Recent discovery of Watermelon benefits

Just bought half a watermelon from the market and blended into jugs of juice. Apparently this humble common fruit has LOTS of nutrients...and being alkalising, it can be drunk (recommended) on an empty stomach..Anyway it sure beats the heat. Looking forward to downing those refreshing juice later when the weather gets really hot!!

This is what I got from one website...
http://www.energize.com/the-health-benefits-of-watermelon-juice/


Watermelon is a desert fruit that is borne by a vine with lobed leaves and yellow flowers.  It is believed to have originated from the African continent, but the Spaniards introduced it to the "New World" in the 1600's. 

The watermelon fruit is red and juicy, and ingesting a slice can surely quench your thirst and make you feeling full.  It contains plenty of essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A and C, and calcium, phosphorous, iron, sodium potassium, magnesium and zinc that help to keep you healthy and filled with energy and vitality. 
Drinking watermelon juice is the best way to get the best from this fruit, especially if you include the rind when juicing it.
Here are some of the known health benefits of watermelon juice:
1. It helps to cleanse your kidney and bladder.
Watermelon juice contains diuretic properties which stimulate urination.  It is one of the best ways to remove toxins and excess fluids from your body.  This diuretic action can help to relieve arthritis, gout and uremic poisoning.
2. It is rich in lycopene which helps to prevent cancer.
Watermelon is a rich source of lycopene – a carotenoid and antioxidant which is known for its cancer-fighting properties. 
Lycopene is also present in tomatoes and mangoes.
3. It helps to keep a good balance of acid and alkali in the body.
Watermelon juice helps to flush out the acid from your body.  This can help to maintain the balance of acid and alkali in your blood. 
The watermelon's ability to remove excess acid from the blood can help to protect you from skin eruptions.  Acidic conditions in the blood are caused by eating too much meat, dairy products, refined foods and sugar.  It can also result from drinking too much coffee or soft drinks.
4. It helps to protect you from early aging.
Watermelon juice is loaded with antioxidants that fight off free radicals which is the major cause of skin wrinkles and early aging.
5. It helps to prevent inflammation.
Because of its diuretic effect, watermelon juice helps to flush out acids and toxins that can cause arthritis, bladder, and kidney disorders.
6. It helps to promote weight loss.
Drinking watermelon juice is great for people who are conscious about their weight because it contains no fats.
These are some of the health benefits of watermelon juice.  Make watermelon a regular part of your diet and you will reap these benefits.

My new Semester 2 Floating Timetable

Sem 2 Individual Time Table 2012My new timetable... Looks like I can go to school later on some days. Wondering how it would affect my normal schedule. I'd probably have to still go school earlier to mark my books. But at least on those days that I have no marking, I can sleep later! Woohoo! Well change is always good, makes you adapt and that's what keeps one going. Too routine = boriiiing!

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Embracing aging

What i read last night from : http://soozeqsh.hubpages.com/hub/Older-Women-Make-Better-Lovers

Attitude Adjustment
In our society, women in particular are cast in negative stereotypes as they age. Why not extinguish the negative myths and embrace aging instead of trying to turn back the hands of time? By simply thinking about aging differently and treating it as an amazing period in life we can overcome the notion that aging is a curse. Everyone is getting older. A newborn baby is aging the moment it enters the world. Everything on this earth is aging and nothing can stop it. It is a natural, beautiful process. Look at a beautiful old tree. Do you think to yourself "that's an old tree, I don't like it because I just like younger trees?" When you see a grand old building that has stood the test of time do you say "that's nice, but I prefer young buildings?" It is just as ridiculous to accept the notion that older human beings are unacceptable and need to alter themselves to look younger. But, all things need care and maintenance. Old trees need to be pruned, old buildings need to be painted and repaired, and humans need to care for their bodies. Having physical checkups, exercising, and eating a healthy diet help to keep the aging human in top form.

"Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art." Eleanor Roosevelt

Eleanor Roosevelt's quote is so inspiring. In her view older people are not offensive, instead she describes them as works of art. Maturity brings with it attributes that are valuable and should be cherished. The face of an older woman showing signs of time spent caring for children, nursing an elderly parent, holding together a shaky marriage, or suffering through a difficult divorce is a thing of beauty. The lines and changes in color and pigment of the skin are defining characteristics that tell a beautiful story unique to each individual.

While many opt to erase the markers of time with bot-ox, face-lifts, and chemical peels, it is in someways deceptive. Owning our authentic self by honoring the passage of time allows us to escape the trap of trying to look younger and spend time living in this moment in time.

Celebrate your age!

Exercise, Compete, Enjoy
"We don't stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw.

We are taught that growing old is a bad thing. We are taught to put away childish things when we grow up. But, giving up all the habits of youth may not be wise. Doing what you enjoy and staying active and playing as Shaw puts it, keeps you in the game. It all boils down to an attitude. If you believe your old age will be a time of illness and inactivity it will be so. If you believe that you will have a healthy vibrant experience as you age, chances are much greater that you will be awesome as you age . Of course, heredity plays a factor and illness and disease may be inevitable. However, a recent study conducted regarding exercise and arthritis found that: "Not only does exercise make most people feel better, perform physical tasks better and reduce the risk of disability due to arthritis, it now appears that exercise – specifically, resistance training – actually rejuvenates muscle tissue in healthy senior citizens." Simon Melov, PhD, and Mark Tarnopolsky, MD, PhD, of McMaster University Medical Center in Hamilton, Ontario, led a team to analyze gene expression involved in age-related mitochondrial function. http://www.arthritis.org/exercise-reverse-aging.php

Amazing Senior Athletes
If you ever have the opportunity to experience the National Senior Games you will be inspired to exercise. The games are a testimony to the power of exercise and how it transforms and sheds years naturally. Watching the competitors, one is amazed at the agility and spirit exhibited in every event at every age. Masters competitions start at the age of 40, but the games also host events for sub-masters age 35-39. The oldest competitor's age group is 90 and over.

Senior World Games - Older Athletes Compete

Love and Romance 60 and Beyond
Growing older does not have to mean the end of the road to romance, love and an active sex life. Every individual is different and the importance of a love relationship will vary from one person to another. We all have choices and can have the life we desire. Studies show that If a romantic relationship with a spouse or significant other is important it can be achieved at any age. Even the miracle of childbearing is a reality beyond the physiological boundary of menopause with new technologies.

Ronnie McDowell sings Older Women are Beautiful Lovers

Study on Sex 60 and OVER!
Seniors still have sex, study finds - USATODAY.com
Americans in their 60's, 70's, 80's or even 90's don't forgo sex just because they're getting older. A new study shows many older adults are having sex into their 70s and beyond.

70 Year Old Gives Birth
Source: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/1971162-...
70 Year Old Gives Birth
70-year-old woman gave birth in India
Rajo Devi a 70 year old woman from India gave birth with the help of invetro ferilization. Her husband was age 72. Some may think this couple is too old to raise a child. Regardless of our thoughts, opinions or biases, this is amazing aging!
Fashion for Seniors Can Be Fun

Aging With Style
Stylish Old People - Stylish Fashion for 70 Year Old Women
I love this slide show of 70 year olds who show their style. Just goes to show that you don't have to dress for your age, you can dress for yourself and celebrate your age.
"Charming, alarming, somewhat disarming, a joy to behold is the beauty of a woman who is proud to be old" by Sharon Harvey.

Just by changing the way we think about aging, we can change the way we feel and begin to change how others feel about getting older. The energy we emit at age 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100 can be just as powerful as the energy we project in our youth. Thinking about aging as a positive continuum in the life cycle is the seed that can germinate and grow in the minds of mankind. Aging can be amazing if you believe it can!

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

So refreshed

This trip has not only refreshed me but really gave me a new window to look out into the rest of my life. I don't feel so upset over what I don't have or what the way I'm treated by certain people in my life. Instead, I realize that I have been looking at the black dots when I should instead focus on the white spaces! Yes, there are so much more to experience and so many people out there to know, why am I so narrow-minded? Open my life to new experiences and stop focusing on the old.

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Turkey day 1

Museums, palaces and a ride on a ferry. Turkey is great! Hot but at least not humid...