Malaysia Travel Guide

MTG Traditional Chinese

Gong Xi Fa Cai
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year

Merry Christmas & Season's Greetings

May the peace and joy of christmas remain with you all throughout the new year.

Best wishes for the new year 2014

Billboard Rate Card

National And Marine Parks

Malaysian Society of Otorhinolaryngologists Head & Neck Surgeons Newsletter

Gong Xi Fa Cai

GranuMaS

Papaya juice will be great

Papaya was the only studied food found to halt breast cancer. Scientists studied 14 plant foods commonly consumed in Mexico to determine their ability to halt breast cancer cell growth. These included avocado, black sapodilla, guava, mango, prickly pear cactus (nopal), pineapple, grapes, tomato, and papaya. They also evaluated beta-carotene, total plant phenolics, and gallic acid contents and antioxidant capacity. They found that only papaya had a significant effect on stopping breast cancer cell growth. (International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, May issue).

Papaya is a store-house of cancer-fighting lycopene. The intenseorangey-pink colour of papaya means it is chock full of cancer fighting carotenoids. Not only beta carotene, but lycopene is found in abundance. The construction of lycopene makes it highly reactive towards oxygen and free radicals. Scientists at the University of Illinois think this anti-oxidant activity contributes to its effectiveness as a cancer fighting agent. Epidemiological studies have indicated an inverse relationship between lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk. They showed that oral lycopene is highly bio available, accumulates in prostate tissue, and is localised in the nucleus of prostate epithelial cells. In addition to antioxidant activity, other experiments have indicated that lycopene induces cancer cell death, anti-metastatic activity, and the up-regulation of protective enzymes. Phase I and II studies have established the safety of lycopene supplementation. (Cancer Letter, October 8, 2008).

Researchers in Japan clarified the mechanisms of action in a type of isothiocyanate found in papaya known as BITC, which underlies the relationship between cell cycle regulation and appropriate cell death. When cancerous cells die on schedule, they are no longer a problem. The researchers established that BITC exerted cancer cell killing effects that were greater in the proliferating cells than in the quiescent cells. Cancer cells that are proliferating are much more dangerous than cancer cells that are in a state of dormancy. (Forum of Nutrition, 2009).

Enzymes from papaya digest proteins including those that protect tumours.

The fruit and other parts of the papaya tree, also known as the paw paw tree, contain papain and chymopapain, powerful proteolytic enzymes that facilitate chemical reactions in the body. They promote digestion by helping to break down proteins from food into amino acids that can be recombined to produce protein useable by humans. Proteolytic enzymes protect the body from inflammation and help heal burns. They do a good job of digesting unwanted scar tissue both on the skin and under its surface. Being a proteolytic enzyme, papain is able to destroy intestinal parasites, which are composed mostly of protein. To rid the body of intestinal parasites, half a cup of papaya juice can be alternated each hour for twelve consecutive hours with the same amount of cucumber or green bean juice.

Research has shown that the physical and mental health of people is highly  dependent on their ability to produce proteins they can use effectively. However, as people age, they produce less of the enzymes needed to effectively digest proteins from food and free needed amino acids. They are left with excessive amounts of undigested protein which can lead to overgrowth of unwanted bacteria in the intestinal tract, and a lack of available amino acids. Eating papaya after a meal promotes digestion, and helps prevent bloating, gas production, and indigestion. It is quite helpful after antibiotic use to replenish friendly intestinal bacteria that were the casualties in the war against the unwanted bacteria. When the intestinal tract is well populated with friendly bacteria, the immune system is strengthened, and can protect better against flu and cancer.

Papaya contains fibrin, another useful compound not readily found in the plant kingdom. Fibrin reduces the risk of blood clots and improves the quality of blood cells, optimising the ability of blood to flow through the circulatory system. Fibrin is also important in preventing strokes. Proteolytic enzymes containing fibrin are a good idea for long plane rides to minimize the potential of blood clots in the legs. People who sit at a desk all day might want to use proteolytic enzymes too. Proteolytic enzymes are able to digest and destroy the defence shields of viruses, tumours, allergens, yeasts, and various forms of fungus. Once the shield is destroyed, tumours and invading organisms are extremely vulnerable and easily taken care of by the immune system. Undigested proteins can penetrate the gut and wind up in the bloodstream where they are treated by the immune system as invaders. If too many undigested proteins are floating around, the immune system becomes overburdened and unable to attend to the other tasks it was meant to do. Proteolytic enzymes can digest these rogue proteins, freeing up the immune system.

Let's ensure a slice of papaya every day in our diet. Papaya juice will be great.

BOEING 797

It can comfortably fly 10,000 Miles
at March 0.88 or 654 mph
with 1000 passengers on board !

They have kept this secret long enough.

This shot was taken last month by an amatuer photographer.
Boeing has been preparing a 1000 passenger jet that could reshape the Air travel industry for the next 100 years. The radical Blended Wing design has been developed by Boeing in cooperation with the NASA Langley Research Center. The mammoth plane will have a wing span of 265 feet compared to the 747’s 211 feet, and is designed to fit within the newly created terminals used for the 555 seat Airbus A380, which is 262 feet wide. The new 797 is in direct response to the Airbus A380 which has racked up159 orders, but has not yet flown any passengers.

There are several big advantages to the blended wing design, the most important being the lift to drag ratio which is expected to increase by an amazing 50%, with overall weight reduced by 25%, making it an estimated 33% more efficient than the A380, and making Airbus’s ! $13 billion dollar investment look pretty shaky. High body rigidity is another key factor in blended wing aircraft, it reduces turbulence and creates less stress on the air frame which adds to efficiency, giving the 797 a tremendous 8800 nautical mile range with its 1000 passengers flying comfortably at mach .88 or 654 mph cruising speed (another advantage over the Airbus tube-and-wing designed A380’s 570 mph)

Don't ignore the warning signs of stress - It can lead to other health problems

Stressed? Aren't we all.

Between work, family obligations and money worries, it may all feel too overwhelming sometimes.

Of course, there is good stress and bad stress. The first one can motivate you to become more productive. The second kind, the type that makes you lose sleep, can actually be bad for your mental and physical health.

Here's a handy guide to help you assess whether you're stressed, how serious your stress is, and how to deal with it.

Stress warning signs

Of course, different people deal with stress in different ways, but here is a list of mental and physical symptoms to help you understand if you're stressed.

The mental symptoms may involve you being:

• Angry
• Depressed
• Anxious
• Always hungry, or having no appetite
• Crying often
• Have trouble sleeping and feel tired
• Have trouble concentrating

The physical symptoms may involve:

• Chest pains
• Constipation, or diarrhoea
• Cramps, or muscle aches
• Feeling dizzy, or fainting
• Engaging in nervous behavior like biting your nails
• Twitches, or experiencing pins and needles
• Feeling restless
• Having sexual problems, from erectile dysfunction to lowered sex drive
• Feeling breathless
• Can't sleep

Having just a few of these symptoms may indicate that you are stressed, and you should address the issue.

How stress works

When you are in a stressful situation, your body releases the hormones cortisol, adrenaline, and noradrenaline, and these go on to cause the physical symptoms of stress.

You may start sweating, and your blood pressure and heart rate may rise.

This, in turn, may undermine your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness, as well as lead your body to release fat and sugar into your blood stream, which may lead you to gain weight.

As stress raises your blood pressure, if you are stressed in the long term, you can develop high blood pressure, which in turn can increase your risk of having a heart attack or a stroke.

If you feel that you are suffering from stress, see you GP, but do not accept long term tranquilliser prescriptions.

Ask for help from a psychologist, stress counsellor, relaxation therapist, qualified hypnotherapist or even alternative therapist. If these do not work, you must go back to your GP for professional guidance.

Starbucks announces strawberry Frappucino includes insect parts

So you want fewer artificial ingredients in your food? Well, be prepared to get some bug bits in your Starbucks strawberry Frappucino then!

The coffee giant has announced their signature pink drink gets its vibrant colour not from food dyes but rather crushed up insects.

They released a statement that reveals they use cochineal extract - or the ground-up bodies of insects - in place of chemicals for their strawberry milk drink.

To get that extra colourful ingredient just right, bugs from Mexico and South America are dried out and then ground up and used in their popular beverage.

While it may turn off some, the ingredients are not harmful. They are used to brighten up the colour of many foods including jams, meats, cheese, baked goods and alcoholic drinks. In fact, cochineal extract has been a staple in food and drink production for years.

Starbucks has said it’s using the bug bits to help reduce the number of artificial ingredients it puts in its products.

‘At Starbucks, we strive to carry products that meet a variety of dietary lifestyles and needs,’ their statement read. ‘While the strawberry base isn’t a vegan product, it helps us move away from artificial dyes.’

It has been deemed safe by the United States’ Food and Drug Administration but there are warnings from the World Health Organisation that cochineal extract may cause asthma and allergic reactions.

The truth about food photography

Whether it's a spray of WD40 to make meat shine, or ice cream cones actually containing scoops of mashed potato, we've all heard about the 'tricks' used in food photography. But does it still go on? We ask a food photographer and a food stylist to set the record straight.

Natural styling

It's generally believed that hours of tinkering and prepping go into making those dishes in magazines and cookery books look perfect on the page. But according to food stylist Genevieve Taylor, there has recently been a move towards more natural styling. Food stylists no longer spend hours fluffing up, painting and arranging food. "It's very quick", she tells us. "We cook something, take it out of the oven and photograph it." So whereas a photo of a perfectly-cut cake or spotless pie dish used to be trendy, now we love fruit oozing out from under a pie crust, or crumbs tumbling from a home-made cake.  "Exactly," says Genevieve, "it's kept as natural as possible."

Fake steam

Steam can be a nuisance to the photographer, fogging up the camera lens and billowing out in all directions. So, photographers and stylists have some techniques up their sleeves for making food look piping hot, if it's gone cold. "We use tampons," says Genevieve. "We soak them in water and put them in the microwave, because they're absorbent and let off steam." Cotton wool balls are also used, and can be placed strategically behind the plate for a natural-looking wisp of steam. We've heard of incense and cigarette smoke being used to create a similar effect, but photographer Carl Pendle thinks these techniques are outdated, commenting, "I don't think that goes on very much these days".

Fake food

We've heard about mashed potato being scooped into ice-cream cones (because real ice cream melts under the hot lights) and sponges being painted and brushed with oil to look like toast. Carl told us that he'd once heard of plastic fruit being placed in the background of shots. But while some of these tricks were probably used in the past, it doesn't seem the done thing any more. HERS Agency told us that "most food stylists like to do as much as possible for real," before adding: "suffice to say, mashed potato is NOT used instead of ice-cream."

Padding

Ever seen a photograph of a burger or a sandwich that looked plump, glossy and everything in it was perfectly stacked? There has been talk of this kind of effect being achieved by padding — sticking small sponges between the layers to puff it up. But this often results in a fake look — something that doesn't excite the readers of cookbooks and food magazines. "I've been known to use the odd toothpick to hold down an unruly sandwich", Carl told us, "but that is as far as it would go".

Boot polish to create shine

We've heard of food photographers and stylists using WD40, hairspray, petrol, glue and boot polish to create texture and shine on meat or desserts before photographing them. Carl sets the record straight. "Some foods don't always look great even though they taste fantastic," he says. "Like most things, food photography follows trends and in the past tricks were used to make food look great that meant the food being photographed wasn't palatable." But, as Genevieve reveals, a great photo of a juicy steak can still be achieved with natural techniques.

For example, olive oil can be brushed onto the cut surface of meat "to give it a bit of a gleam." Carl told us that he had, in the past, heard rumours of boot polish and hairspray being used on food, but assured us that nowadays, "most of the food photography you see in magazines and newspapers is real food taken in natural light and it hasn't been tampered with that much. And anyway, most food photographers like to eat what they've photographed!"