This is a post from a friend...
Politics of call coverage
A lesson for all doctors1. When someone ask you to cover call for them but will return favor later on. Default answer is always NO, make something reason up to say no like your friend is getting married, you want to spend time with your kids, you have to be out of town.....crap like that2. If the person still wants to switch call with you, make sure you find a date to switch with that person at the time of exchange. Otherwise, they wont be returning this callthink of covering call is like lending money out, once the money is out, it will never come back. dont let people walk all over all. and dont be too nice.
Below is my reply...
Q: If you are out of crap to think of, what do you do? LOL(well if you dont have kids, you cant say spending time with kids..., you cant have friends that get married every week..)
I know that (some of) we (asian) always have the "look" on our face that tell people , "hey, feel free to walk all over us!!"
I know for sure that I will get this kind of exp later on.. sighh..
But some people told me that if you really wanna LEARN something or true skills, you better grab as many chances as possible..
If people dont wanna do the overnight oncall, you do it for them! If they dont wanna do WEEKENDS, you do it for them!
That will only sharpen your skill and experiences.. you know in this field, basically is about "experiences", and lots of repeats and knee-jerk stuff you do every day. but as a new doctor, you dont have many exp, so if you wanna stand out amount your peers, thats the best way to do it!
But if you dont care if you will stand out amount your peers, think about it, it will only benefit yourself in the LONG run... think about your pts...
Yeh maybe right now you might feel like shit when you are used, or being walked all over... hey NO ONE likes that kind of feeling! but just think about it, well I'm doing this for MYSELF and for MY PTs!! so it's like having a "secret plans" up on your sleeves, and later on when you are out doing your practice, you might attract those pts you saw at hospitals.. and by the time, your skills already much sharpened than those lazy asses!
Of course, it's all based on our own situations, if you already stayed for the past few nights, and already exhausted, of course you can not do it. but I probably would tell them that next time, when I'm not so tired or busy, I will definitely cover calls for you!!
Just remember who will be the last and ONLY ONE that still stands and laughs! Your hardwork will be paid off!!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
Boost Your Metabolism
Boost Your Metabolism
Provided by PreventionMetabolism is a mystery. You may know that mastering it is the key to losing weight, but what is it? And where is it? Turns out it's the engine that drives every cell, and that means it's everywhere. Your metabolism helps you walk, talk, fight off illness, even read this magazine. Its fuel is calories. Each one you consume goes into the metabolic tank that powers the machine that is you. Keep that tank filled and you're good to go, right? If only it were that simple. As you age, your body becomes less effective at burning calories, mostly because of a gradual decrease in activity and resulting loss of muscle. Your metabolism can dip as much as 25 to 30 percent over your adult life, says Miriam Nelson, PhD, director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University. As a result, your body tends to store excess calories in the form of -- you guessed it -- body fat, and that extra weight only slows you down more. You don't, however, have to resign yourself to a life of forgiving jersey fabrics and shape-disguising tunics. For most women, strength-training can help boost metabolism by as much as 10 percent in 12 weeks by rebuilding muscle. You can increase it further by making small but targeted lifestyle changes. "Anything that energizes you -- a good night's sleep, fresh air, sunlight, a healthy diet, regular exercise -- ultimately helps drive metabolism," explains Nelson. With that in mind, we've designed a round-the-clock plan that will tune up your fat-burning engine, boosting its efficiency and maximizing calorie burn morning, noon and night. By shifting your body into high gear, these timely tips will help you burn 200 to 300 more calories a day. (And that doesn't even take into account your regular exercise routine.) Can't do it all? Don't worry -- employing even a few of these steps will confer benefits. Now let's get going.
MorningEat a 300- to 400-calorie breakfastIn the AM, your energy stores are depleted by as much as 80 percent from the night before. Without food, your body shifts into starvation mode, which means it begins to conserve energy and burn fewer calories. (In other words: Your metabolic rate takes a nosedive.) That may be why, in one study, breakfast skippers were 4 1/2 times more likely to be obese than breakfast eaters. For more long-lasting energy, include whole grain complex carbohydrates like oatmeal.
Throw in a cup of halved strawberriesResearch suggests that getting enough vitamin C -- 75 mg a day -- may be essential for optimal fat burning. The strawberries provide 90 mg.
Get a dose of sunlight"Exposure to bright light decreases melatonin and increases serotonin, shifting your body from sleep to awake mode and, in turn, revving your metabolic furnace," says health and psychology researcher Robert K. Cooper, PhD, author of the metabolism book 'Flip the Switch.'
Take your multivitaminAntioxidant nutrients help protect mitochondria, tiny structures found in every cell, from damage; they're the microscopic fat-burning furnaces that convert food into fuel.
Move at the office"Moving throughout the day -- even if it's just walking to a colleague's office rather than sending an e-mail -- keeps your metabolism higher than doing a workout and then remaining sedentary," says James O. Hill, PhD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado at Denver.
Sip a cup of coffee or teaCaffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that moderately boosts metabolism, helping you burn about 20 extra calories.
Have a midmorning snackGood choices are a reduced-fat cheese stick or a cup of low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit. Every time you eat, your body burns additional calories to digest the food. Take advantage of this automatic boost by eating something -- even if it's very small -- every 3 to 4 hours.
Your AM Routine: Energizing YogaAccelerate the natural metabolic boost that occurs when you wake up by doing these poses. Yoga can also help control levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which begins to rise after waking and can contribute to muscle loss and a resulting dip in metabolism.
Downward Facing DogKneel with hands directly beneath shoulders, knees beneath hips, and toes tucked. Press palms into floor and lift tailbone toward ceiling, straightening legs so body forms an inverted V, as shown. Keep shoulders away from ears and relax head between arms. Hold for three to five breaths. Bend knees and relax down to floor. CobraLie facedown with legs extended, toes pointed. Place hands on floor beneath shoulders, elbows close to torso. Press feet, thighs, hips, and pelvis firmly into floor and straighten arms, lifting chest as high as comfortably possible, as shown. Keep shoulders down and back, lifting through breastbone, opening chest, and lengthening spine. Hold for three to five breaths. Tuck toes under and push back into Downward Facing Dog. Repeat moves three to five times.
AfternoonEat a protein-packed lunch You'll burn more calories digesting your midday meal because protein is more difficult to break down than carbohydrates or fat.Try:▪ roast turkey breast with sliced veggies and hummus wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla; add a piece of fruit▪ salmon salad (like tuna salad but with canned salmon) topped with lettuce and tomato on a whole wheat bun; carrot sticks and grapes on the side ▪ chicken-vegetable soup with a whole wheat rollSnack on nutsAs your blood sugar and energy levels hit the postlunch slump, your metabolism also takes a dip.
The protein and fiber in a handful of nuts (about 20) can help stave off hunger and keep you energized until dinnertime. "Nuts also contain monounsaturated fats, which have been found in studies to stimulate fat burning," says Cooper.
Laugh it upLaughing eases stress and boosts calorie burn up to 20 percent, reports a Vanderbilt University study of 90 men and women. Need a little inspiration? Check out The Onion, an irreverent -- and completely fake -- news site.
Take the stairsClimbing stairs quickly elevates your heart rate for a metabolic jolt that burns 8 calories per minute -- twice as much as brisk walking. Try to accumulate 5 to 10 minutes during the afternoon.
Brew some green teaStudies show that the polyphenol compounds in 2 to 4 cups may help raise metabolism by as much as 35 percent and encourage fat burning
Commute -- with a CDRelaxing music has been shown to reduce cortisol, a key metabolism-tempering hormone. Once tension has been tamed while on the highway, switch to more energizing music; upbeat tempos raise your heart and breathing rates and metabolism. And you'll be ready to tackle whatever awaits you when you arrive at home.
Stretch at your deskCounter the metabolism-depressing effects of midday stress by boosting circulation and easing upper-body tension. And take deep breaths while you stretch to provide cells with the energy-producing oxygen they need to burn fat.
Chair reach and drop A. Sit on edge of chair, feet flat, back straight. Extend arms overhead, palms facing each other, and gently arch back as far as comfortable. Hold 1 to 2 seconds, then sit back up and lower arms out to sides. B. Clasp hands behind back and lean forward from hips, bringing chest toward thighs, arms toward ceiling. Hold 10 to 15 seconds. Release and repeat.
Provided by PreventionMetabolism is a mystery. You may know that mastering it is the key to losing weight, but what is it? And where is it? Turns out it's the engine that drives every cell, and that means it's everywhere. Your metabolism helps you walk, talk, fight off illness, even read this magazine. Its fuel is calories. Each one you consume goes into the metabolic tank that powers the machine that is you. Keep that tank filled and you're good to go, right? If only it were that simple. As you age, your body becomes less effective at burning calories, mostly because of a gradual decrease in activity and resulting loss of muscle. Your metabolism can dip as much as 25 to 30 percent over your adult life, says Miriam Nelson, PhD, director of the John Hancock Center for Physical Activity and Nutrition at Tufts University. As a result, your body tends to store excess calories in the form of -- you guessed it -- body fat, and that extra weight only slows you down more. You don't, however, have to resign yourself to a life of forgiving jersey fabrics and shape-disguising tunics. For most women, strength-training can help boost metabolism by as much as 10 percent in 12 weeks by rebuilding muscle. You can increase it further by making small but targeted lifestyle changes. "Anything that energizes you -- a good night's sleep, fresh air, sunlight, a healthy diet, regular exercise -- ultimately helps drive metabolism," explains Nelson. With that in mind, we've designed a round-the-clock plan that will tune up your fat-burning engine, boosting its efficiency and maximizing calorie burn morning, noon and night. By shifting your body into high gear, these timely tips will help you burn 200 to 300 more calories a day. (And that doesn't even take into account your regular exercise routine.) Can't do it all? Don't worry -- employing even a few of these steps will confer benefits. Now let's get going.
MorningEat a 300- to 400-calorie breakfastIn the AM, your energy stores are depleted by as much as 80 percent from the night before. Without food, your body shifts into starvation mode, which means it begins to conserve energy and burn fewer calories. (In other words: Your metabolic rate takes a nosedive.) That may be why, in one study, breakfast skippers were 4 1/2 times more likely to be obese than breakfast eaters. For more long-lasting energy, include whole grain complex carbohydrates like oatmeal.
Throw in a cup of halved strawberriesResearch suggests that getting enough vitamin C -- 75 mg a day -- may be essential for optimal fat burning. The strawberries provide 90 mg.
Get a dose of sunlight"Exposure to bright light decreases melatonin and increases serotonin, shifting your body from sleep to awake mode and, in turn, revving your metabolic furnace," says health and psychology researcher Robert K. Cooper, PhD, author of the metabolism book 'Flip the Switch.'
Take your multivitaminAntioxidant nutrients help protect mitochondria, tiny structures found in every cell, from damage; they're the microscopic fat-burning furnaces that convert food into fuel.
Move at the office"Moving throughout the day -- even if it's just walking to a colleague's office rather than sending an e-mail -- keeps your metabolism higher than doing a workout and then remaining sedentary," says James O. Hill, PhD, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado at Denver.
Sip a cup of coffee or teaCaffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that moderately boosts metabolism, helping you burn about 20 extra calories.
Have a midmorning snackGood choices are a reduced-fat cheese stick or a cup of low-fat yogurt and a piece of fruit. Every time you eat, your body burns additional calories to digest the food. Take advantage of this automatic boost by eating something -- even if it's very small -- every 3 to 4 hours.
Your AM Routine: Energizing YogaAccelerate the natural metabolic boost that occurs when you wake up by doing these poses. Yoga can also help control levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which begins to rise after waking and can contribute to muscle loss and a resulting dip in metabolism.
Downward Facing DogKneel with hands directly beneath shoulders, knees beneath hips, and toes tucked. Press palms into floor and lift tailbone toward ceiling, straightening legs so body forms an inverted V, as shown. Keep shoulders away from ears and relax head between arms. Hold for three to five breaths. Bend knees and relax down to floor. CobraLie facedown with legs extended, toes pointed. Place hands on floor beneath shoulders, elbows close to torso. Press feet, thighs, hips, and pelvis firmly into floor and straighten arms, lifting chest as high as comfortably possible, as shown. Keep shoulders down and back, lifting through breastbone, opening chest, and lengthening spine. Hold for three to five breaths. Tuck toes under and push back into Downward Facing Dog. Repeat moves three to five times.
AfternoonEat a protein-packed lunch You'll burn more calories digesting your midday meal because protein is more difficult to break down than carbohydrates or fat.Try:▪ roast turkey breast with sliced veggies and hummus wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla; add a piece of fruit▪ salmon salad (like tuna salad but with canned salmon) topped with lettuce and tomato on a whole wheat bun; carrot sticks and grapes on the side ▪ chicken-vegetable soup with a whole wheat rollSnack on nutsAs your blood sugar and energy levels hit the postlunch slump, your metabolism also takes a dip.
The protein and fiber in a handful of nuts (about 20) can help stave off hunger and keep you energized until dinnertime. "Nuts also contain monounsaturated fats, which have been found in studies to stimulate fat burning," says Cooper.
Laugh it upLaughing eases stress and boosts calorie burn up to 20 percent, reports a Vanderbilt University study of 90 men and women. Need a little inspiration? Check out The Onion, an irreverent -- and completely fake -- news site.
Take the stairsClimbing stairs quickly elevates your heart rate for a metabolic jolt that burns 8 calories per minute -- twice as much as brisk walking. Try to accumulate 5 to 10 minutes during the afternoon.
Brew some green teaStudies show that the polyphenol compounds in 2 to 4 cups may help raise metabolism by as much as 35 percent and encourage fat burning
Commute -- with a CDRelaxing music has been shown to reduce cortisol, a key metabolism-tempering hormone. Once tension has been tamed while on the highway, switch to more energizing music; upbeat tempos raise your heart and breathing rates and metabolism. And you'll be ready to tackle whatever awaits you when you arrive at home.
Stretch at your deskCounter the metabolism-depressing effects of midday stress by boosting circulation and easing upper-body tension. And take deep breaths while you stretch to provide cells with the energy-producing oxygen they need to burn fat.
Chair reach and drop A. Sit on edge of chair, feet flat, back straight. Extend arms overhead, palms facing each other, and gently arch back as far as comfortable. Hold 1 to 2 seconds, then sit back up and lower arms out to sides. B. Clasp hands behind back and lean forward from hips, bringing chest toward thighs, arms toward ceiling. Hold 10 to 15 seconds. Release and repeat.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Fried Long Bean with Special Garlicky Sauce
1. Organic long bean
2. Garlic
3. Soy sauce ( or oyster sauce)
4. Mirin
5. Maple syrup (or brown sugar)
6. Rice wine
7. Sea salt
8. olive oil
* Blanch the long bean in sea salted water
* Put the bean into the pan, dry out the water first, then add olive oil, if dont dry out the bean, yeh you know what happen when water meet HOT oil!
*Not really "frying" the bean, but make sure the skin gets wrinkled... then add garlic... stirs and mix well...
*add the sauce into the pan, stirs/mix till kinda dry...
** this is a very quick dish.. I just did it, and only needed a few min! and cuz it's sooo good, after taking the pic, I quickly finished most of it... LOL
* this dish is exactly the one you get at chinese resturants (Gan Bian 4 season beans), but I only use very little oil to do this dish, a lot healthier...
* Yep , again this is the FIRST time I made this dish... HA sooo PROUD of Myself!
2. Garlic
3. Soy sauce ( or oyster sauce)
4. Mirin
5. Maple syrup (or brown sugar)
6. Rice wine
7. Sea salt
8. olive oil
* Blanch the long bean in sea salted water
* Put the bean into the pan, dry out the water first, then add olive oil, if dont dry out the bean, yeh you know what happen when water meet HOT oil!
*Not really "frying" the bean, but make sure the skin gets wrinkled... then add garlic... stirs and mix well...
*add the sauce into the pan, stirs/mix till kinda dry...
** this is a very quick dish.. I just did it, and only needed a few min! and cuz it's sooo good, after taking the pic, I quickly finished most of it... LOL
* this dish is exactly the one you get at chinese resturants (Gan Bian 4 season beans), but I only use very little oil to do this dish, a lot healthier...
* Yep , again this is the FIRST time I made this dish... HA sooo PROUD of Myself!
INTELLIGENCE
Intelligence is a general mental capability that involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend ideas and language, and learn. Although intelligence is sometimes viewed quite broadly, psychologists typically regard the trait as distinct from creativity, personality, character, knowledge, or wisdom
At least two major "consensus" definitions of intelligence have been proposed. First, from Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns, a report of a task force convened by the American Psychological Association in 1995:
Individuals differ from one another in their ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the environment, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning, to overcome obstacles by taking thought. Although these individual differences can be substantial, they are never entirely consistent: a given person’s intellectual performance will vary on different occasions, in different domains, as judged by different criteria. Concepts of "intelligence" are attempts to clarify and organize this complex set of phenomena. Although considerable clarity has been achieved in some areas, no such conceptualization has yet answered all the important questions and none commands universal assent. Indeed, when two dozen prominent theorists were recently asked to define intelligence, they gave two dozen somewhat different definitions.[1]
A second definition of intelligence comes from "Mainstream Science on Intelligence", which was signed by 52 intelligence researchers in 1994:
a very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely book learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, it reflects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our surroundings—"catching on", "making sense" of things, or "figuring out" what to do.[2]
Additionally, many prominent researchers have offered their own definitions of intelligence:
Alfred Binet: "...judgment, otherwise called good sense, practical sense, initiative, the faculty of adapting one's self to circumstances...auto-critique."
Alfred also stated, "Intelligence is everything, and at the same time, nothing at all."
David Wechsler: "... the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment."
Cyril Burt: "...innate general cognitive ability."
Howard Gardner: "To my mind, a human intellectual competence must entail a set of skills of problem solving—enabling the individual to resolve genuine problems or difficulties that he or she encounters and, when appropriate, to create an effective product—and must also entail the potential for finding or creating problems—and thereby laying the groundwork for the acquisition of new knowledge."
Herrnstein and Murray: "...cognitive ability."
Sternberg and Salter: "...goal-directed adaptive behavior."
John Kotter on Leadership Intelligence: A "keen mind" i.e., strong analytical ability, good judgement, and the capacity to think strategically and multi-dimensionally.
By JOSE MIGUEL
Intelligence can be described as the ability to solve problems. 25/05/2007."
By Hussain Dar:
Intelligence is to analyse the problems and solve them. 25/05/07
At least two major "consensus" definitions of intelligence have been proposed. First, from Intelligence: Knowns and Unknowns, a report of a task force convened by the American Psychological Association in 1995:
Individuals differ from one another in their ability to understand complex ideas, to adapt effectively to the environment, to learn from experience, to engage in various forms of reasoning, to overcome obstacles by taking thought. Although these individual differences can be substantial, they are never entirely consistent: a given person’s intellectual performance will vary on different occasions, in different domains, as judged by different criteria. Concepts of "intelligence" are attempts to clarify and organize this complex set of phenomena. Although considerable clarity has been achieved in some areas, no such conceptualization has yet answered all the important questions and none commands universal assent. Indeed, when two dozen prominent theorists were recently asked to define intelligence, they gave two dozen somewhat different definitions.[1]
A second definition of intelligence comes from "Mainstream Science on Intelligence", which was signed by 52 intelligence researchers in 1994:
a very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems, think abstractly, comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience. It is not merely book learning, a narrow academic skill, or test-taking smarts. Rather, it reflects a broader and deeper capability for comprehending our surroundings—"catching on", "making sense" of things, or "figuring out" what to do.[2]
Additionally, many prominent researchers have offered their own definitions of intelligence:
Alfred Binet: "...judgment, otherwise called good sense, practical sense, initiative, the faculty of adapting one's self to circumstances...auto-critique."
Alfred also stated, "Intelligence is everything, and at the same time, nothing at all."
David Wechsler: "... the aggregate or global capacity of the individual to act purposefully, to think rationally, and to deal effectively with his environment."
Cyril Burt: "...innate general cognitive ability."
Howard Gardner: "To my mind, a human intellectual competence must entail a set of skills of problem solving—enabling the individual to resolve genuine problems or difficulties that he or she encounters and, when appropriate, to create an effective product—and must also entail the potential for finding or creating problems—and thereby laying the groundwork for the acquisition of new knowledge."
Herrnstein and Murray: "...cognitive ability."
Sternberg and Salter: "...goal-directed adaptive behavior."
John Kotter on Leadership Intelligence: A "keen mind" i.e., strong analytical ability, good judgement, and the capacity to think strategically and multi-dimensionally.
By JOSE MIGUEL
Intelligence can be described as the ability to solve problems. 25/05/2007."
By Hussain Dar:
Intelligence is to analyse the problems and solve them. 25/05/07
張鈞甯 讀書培養思考力
張鈞甯 讀書培養思考力
入行以來，張鈞甯時時刻刻在接受震撼教育，她覺得高學歷對一個藝人最大的幫助是思考、邏輯能力強，她說：「書讀得多，知道比較多事，當遇到困擾與挑戰時，也比較知道如何解決。」
入行以來，張鈞甯時時刻刻在接受震撼教育，她覺得高學歷對一個藝人最大的幫助是思考、邏輯能力強，她說：「書讀得多，知道比較多事，當遇到困擾與挑戰時，也比較知道如何解決。」
The BEST DRUNKEN CHICKEN
1. Organic chicken (any part)
2. Sea salt
3. Shao Shin wine (Chinese Sherry wine)
4. Rice wine
*the process is as simple as the ingredients...
*season the chicken with sea salt, marinate and put it in refrig. for several hours
*steam the chicken, do NOT overcook the chicken, you want the meat to be tender and juicy!
*When it's still hot, pour both wine into the pot and cover up the chicken...
*Refrig. the chicken till it's nice and cold!
*Chinese resturants like to serve it as an appertizer... good to entertain your guests!
2. Sea salt
3. Shao Shin wine (Chinese Sherry wine)
4. Rice wine
*the process is as simple as the ingredients...
*season the chicken with sea salt, marinate and put it in refrig. for several hours
*steam the chicken, do NOT overcook the chicken, you want the meat to be tender and juicy!
*When it's still hot, pour both wine into the pot and cover up the chicken...
*Refrig. the chicken till it's nice and cold!
*Chinese resturants like to serve it as an appertizer... good to entertain your guests!
Friday, May 25, 2007
Special FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS 香雞排
1. Organic chicken breasts or legs/thighs
2. garlic
3. five spiced powder
4. maple syrup
5. soy sauce
6. rice wine or mirin
7. sea salt
8.white pepper
9. chili pepper
10. olive oil
11. sweet potato flour
12. organic unbleached flour
*pound the chiken till it's nice/flat
*mix 2-9, marinate chicken for 1 day
*coat the chicken with a thin layer of sweet potato flour and organic unbleached flour, fry it with the olive oil or other kinds.
**I did this dish on sat. nite, I only used very little olive oil, so I didnt "FRY" those chicken breasts, but just sealed both sides until golden-brown, then finished the chicken in the oven (350F). Surprisingly, it tasted sooooo JUICY!! Not dry at all!! YAHHHHHHHH
** so I think the reasons that they were so damn juicy was, 1. I marinated them with good quality ingredients, 2. I sealed them in the pan with high heat; 3. finished them in the oven with low heat, so one the chicken wouldnt burn, plus the juices stayed inside...
** a very popular Taiwanese snack. can eat straight or with salad or rice!!
2. garlic
3. five spiced powder
4. maple syrup
5. soy sauce
6. rice wine or mirin
7. sea salt
8.white pepper
9. chili pepper
10. olive oil
11. sweet potato flour
12. organic unbleached flour
*pound the chiken till it's nice/flat
*mix 2-9, marinate chicken for 1 day
*coat the chicken with a thin layer of sweet potato flour and organic unbleached flour, fry it with the olive oil or other kinds.
**I did this dish on sat. nite, I only used very little olive oil, so I didnt "FRY" those chicken breasts, but just sealed both sides until golden-brown, then finished the chicken in the oven (350F). Surprisingly, it tasted sooooo JUICY!! Not dry at all!! YAHHHHHHHH
** so I think the reasons that they were so damn juicy was, 1. I marinated them with good quality ingredients, 2. I sealed them in the pan with high heat; 3. finished them in the oven with low heat, so one the chicken wouldnt burn, plus the juices stayed inside...
** a very popular Taiwanese snack. can eat straight or with salad or rice!!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
WHEN YOU ARE TIRED, DO NOT DRIVE!!
Basically this news is about when you are sleepless or exhausted and you also have to drive, it's the same as drinking and driving!! And both are very dangerous!!If one hasnt been sleeping for over 17 hrs, it's like having 0.05% of alcohol in your blood;
if one hasnt been sleeping for over 24 hrs, it's like having 1% if alcohol in your blood!!
Once, I was doing a marathone of studying and taking exam, and after that rushed to the hospital, totally didnt sleep for over 36 hrs. After got out of the hosptial, I drove home, I felt so exhausted, and my eyes shut down, and my Brain left Me without Me!! I was driving like a rectless driver, hit the curbs several times, almost hit other cars, and other cars almost hit me, and other drivers kept horning me!! And it was like an hour long drive!I didnt know how I got home, but it seemed like the longest drive that I ever had!
So that research only tested on 24 hrs, but what about 36 hrs?? I can not imagine!Maybe the "alchohol content in my blood was 3%??"
But what's hurtful was not my exp, it was when I told the vice dean about my Deadly experimence when he was accusing Me for Not doing a good job at hospital, and all the shit from his dirty mouth!! he SIMPLY shrugged and COLDLY replied, "so?? that gave you no excuse!! And gave Me a look that he DID NOT CARE!! and told me, "Well, at least YOU DIDNT DIE!!"Ahh, thats right, I was fortunate enough that I didnt die, but was it really my fortune?? MAYBE if I was dead from that car accident, I wouldnt have to bother to stand there in a cold snowing/raining day, and got a total bash from that son of bitch!!I was like huh, I was NOT even giving him ANY excuse!! I was just simply telling him that even though I was damn exhausted and sleepless, I still got my butt out to fulfil my responsibility!! I NEVER made any excuse, well seriously I could have called in and said that I was sick, but NO I didnt , I knew that If I had to do it, I would do it no matter what. And no I would give My 100%, maybe I wouldnt have the energy to SMILE 100% of the time, but at least, I did what I was supposed to do, I did not give attitude, I was as humble as I always was. Even if I didnt smile much, it didnt mean that I had NO interest in medicine!! Even if I wasnt like an energy bunny that jumping around/bouncing around like an ADHD, that didnt mean I had NO interest in medicine! that ASSHOLE had ZERO right to accuse Me anything , to put Me down, to treat Me like shit, to Bash Me like I had no dignity!! he will definitely taste his own medicine SOMEDAY!
加研究：疲勞開車與酒醉開車一樣危險更新日期:2007/05/18 09:32（中央社記者章君宇多倫多十七日專電）如果加拿大警察有一種儀器，可以檢測駕駛人在開車前睡了幾個小時的覺，那麼四百多萬加拿大駕駛人將要擔憂了。一項研究顯示，約百分之二十的加拿大人，相當於四百一十萬人承認，在過去十二個月內曾有開車打瞌睡的情形。專家表示，疲勞開車與酒醉開車一樣危險，因為兩者均能使駕駛人的反應變慢，警覺性降低，影響判斷力及增加出車禍的危險。加拿大保險局副董事長雅加布齊表示，加拿大百分之二十六的致命車禍與駕駛人打瞌睡有關。也就是說，每年加拿大有四百多人因駕駛人打瞌睡引發車禍而死亡。研究人員及政策制定人員目前正在絞盡腦汁，希望幫助駕駛人避免打瞌睡開車。目前加拿大已有多種測試駕駛人體能的設計仍在實驗中。這些裝在車內的設計包括可以偵測大腦活動、眨眼次數及瞳孔大小的儀器，但尚無偵測駕駛人是否睡眠足夠的儀器。也因此，駕駛人在開車前睡眠是否足夠，不如酒醉開車那樣容易檢測出來。研究認為，連續十七個小時不睡覺後開車的危險，如同血液中酒精含量超過百分之零點零五的開車者。連續二十四小時不睡覺開車，危險性如同血液中酒精含量達百分之一的駕駛人。多倫多大學摩勒醫師表示，睡眠不足的導因非僅睡眠，藥物亦會導致等同睡眠不足的效果。摩勒指出，科學界尚須繼續研究，以更了解駕駛人打瞌睡的真正原因。加拿大安大略省交通廳長甘斯菲德表示，駕駛人打瞌睡不僅危及自己，也危及他人。她指出，駕駛是一種特權，而不是一種權利，故安全駕駛是駕駛人的責任和義務。安省政府目前正在修改法律，確保卡車、校車及巴士司機在開車前有充分的睡眠。960517
if one hasnt been sleeping for over 24 hrs, it's like having 1% if alcohol in your blood!!
Once, I was doing a marathone of studying and taking exam, and after that rushed to the hospital, totally didnt sleep for over 36 hrs. After got out of the hosptial, I drove home, I felt so exhausted, and my eyes shut down, and my Brain left Me without Me!! I was driving like a rectless driver, hit the curbs several times, almost hit other cars, and other cars almost hit me, and other drivers kept horning me!! And it was like an hour long drive!I didnt know how I got home, but it seemed like the longest drive that I ever had!
So that research only tested on 24 hrs, but what about 36 hrs?? I can not imagine!Maybe the "alchohol content in my blood was 3%??"
But what's hurtful was not my exp, it was when I told the vice dean about my Deadly experimence when he was accusing Me for Not doing a good job at hospital, and all the shit from his dirty mouth!! he SIMPLY shrugged and COLDLY replied, "so?? that gave you no excuse!! And gave Me a look that he DID NOT CARE!! and told me, "Well, at least YOU DIDNT DIE!!"Ahh, thats right, I was fortunate enough that I didnt die, but was it really my fortune?? MAYBE if I was dead from that car accident, I wouldnt have to bother to stand there in a cold snowing/raining day, and got a total bash from that son of bitch!!I was like huh, I was NOT even giving him ANY excuse!! I was just simply telling him that even though I was damn exhausted and sleepless, I still got my butt out to fulfil my responsibility!! I NEVER made any excuse, well seriously I could have called in and said that I was sick, but NO I didnt , I knew that If I had to do it, I would do it no matter what. And no I would give My 100%, maybe I wouldnt have the energy to SMILE 100% of the time, but at least, I did what I was supposed to do, I did not give attitude, I was as humble as I always was. Even if I didnt smile much, it didnt mean that I had NO interest in medicine!! Even if I wasnt like an energy bunny that jumping around/bouncing around like an ADHD, that didnt mean I had NO interest in medicine! that ASSHOLE had ZERO right to accuse Me anything , to put Me down, to treat Me like shit, to Bash Me like I had no dignity!! he will definitely taste his own medicine SOMEDAY!
加研究：疲勞開車與酒醉開車一樣危險更新日期:2007/05/18 09:32（中央社記者章君宇多倫多十七日專電）如果加拿大警察有一種儀器，可以檢測駕駛人在開車前睡了幾個小時的覺，那麼四百多萬加拿大駕駛人將要擔憂了。一項研究顯示，約百分之二十的加拿大人，相當於四百一十萬人承認，在過去十二個月內曾有開車打瞌睡的情形。專家表示，疲勞開車與酒醉開車一樣危險，因為兩者均能使駕駛人的反應變慢，警覺性降低，影響判斷力及增加出車禍的危險。加拿大保險局副董事長雅加布齊表示，加拿大百分之二十六的致命車禍與駕駛人打瞌睡有關。也就是說，每年加拿大有四百多人因駕駛人打瞌睡引發車禍而死亡。研究人員及政策制定人員目前正在絞盡腦汁，希望幫助駕駛人避免打瞌睡開車。目前加拿大已有多種測試駕駛人體能的設計仍在實驗中。這些裝在車內的設計包括可以偵測大腦活動、眨眼次數及瞳孔大小的儀器，但尚無偵測駕駛人是否睡眠足夠的儀器。也因此，駕駛人在開車前睡眠是否足夠，不如酒醉開車那樣容易檢測出來。研究認為，連續十七個小時不睡覺後開車的危險，如同血液中酒精含量超過百分之零點零五的開車者。連續二十四小時不睡覺開車，危險性如同血液中酒精含量達百分之一的駕駛人。多倫多大學摩勒醫師表示，睡眠不足的導因非僅睡眠，藥物亦會導致等同睡眠不足的效果。摩勒指出，科學界尚須繼續研究，以更了解駕駛人打瞌睡的真正原因。加拿大安大略省交通廳長甘斯菲德表示，駕駛人打瞌睡不僅危及自己，也危及他人。她指出，駕駛是一種特權，而不是一種權利，故安全駕駛是駕駛人的責任和義務。安省政府目前正在修改法律，確保卡車、校車及巴士司機在開車前有充分的睡眠。960517
Why does she always have to make ME feel So Guilty?!
Had a convo with mom this past sat. well we pretty much talked about the same issue over and over again, probaby hundreds of times already!
she always blames ME and other siblings that we still relying on their support/money, and havent succeeded yet, havent been able to make money yet...
and that she gets depressed that my dad's health condition is not as good as it used to be... and he's old now... but he's still working... yeh he definitely fits into the category of HIGH RISK group of people that would get HTN, hyperlipidemia, MI, stroke, and all that shit!!
He's 64 now, but he's Never taken any med for HTN or hyperlipidemia or other drugs for chronic diseases. Yeh he's so hardheaded, he's so DAMN Afraid to go to the hospital and even just to get a overall check-up!! Of course he wouldnt admit that he's AFRAID! He's just so damn stubborn, and afraid to know the BAD NEWS! Of course, his blood vessels are harderned up and are clotted up, but he just wouldnt admit it and get MAD everytime my mom asked him to go and to have a check up.. get a MRI or CT.
Once me and him went to the beach, we were walking and then climbing the stairs, I already ran up to the top of the stairs, but didnt see him , I waited for a while, got concerned, then I ran back to the stairs, saw him looked quite paled, and had his hand hold onto the handle, and looked like SOB, I quickly ran down to him, and asked him if he could breathe, he was like oh yeh, he was just catching his breathe!! Why the fuck he had to be so stubborn?? Couldnt he admit that he was SICK?!
YEH from that exp, I got really concerned!! Even though I already was really worried about his health since long time ago, but this was the first time that I ever saw him being so vulnerable...and saw the Signs!!
I've talked to him many times about getting a check up, he got very quiet and even pretend that he was asleep!! I even confronted him, "what's it that you are afraid of???" he never gave Me an answer!
Yeh if he's My pt, I'd be very very MAD at him!!
If pts didnt even care about their own bodies, why the hell should I care for them?! I get mad cuz I really wish I can help them, but they are just too stubborn to listen or even to do what I expect them to do!!
Back to mom's convo...
I told her, Why she always has to make Me feel sooo damn guilty?! He had Me when he was not that young!! He doesnt care about his health, and just wanna EAT EAT EAT!!
Yeh I constantly have this guilty feeling that has been bothering Me forever!! I feel that I've owed them soo much, I dont know how to repay them, and whether they'll still be there when I can finally stand on my own foot and take care of them!!
If he could just go and have a check up, and get some proper tx done, MAYBE he'll live longer, and will live till THE DAY!! I just dont know what to do!!
she always blames ME and other siblings that we still relying on their support/money, and havent succeeded yet, havent been able to make money yet...
and that she gets depressed that my dad's health condition is not as good as it used to be... and he's old now... but he's still working... yeh he definitely fits into the category of HIGH RISK group of people that would get HTN, hyperlipidemia, MI, stroke, and all that shit!!
He's 64 now, but he's Never taken any med for HTN or hyperlipidemia or other drugs for chronic diseases. Yeh he's so hardheaded, he's so DAMN Afraid to go to the hospital and even just to get a overall check-up!! Of course he wouldnt admit that he's AFRAID! He's just so damn stubborn, and afraid to know the BAD NEWS! Of course, his blood vessels are harderned up and are clotted up, but he just wouldnt admit it and get MAD everytime my mom asked him to go and to have a check up.. get a MRI or CT.
Once me and him went to the beach, we were walking and then climbing the stairs, I already ran up to the top of the stairs, but didnt see him , I waited for a while, got concerned, then I ran back to the stairs, saw him looked quite paled, and had his hand hold onto the handle, and looked like SOB, I quickly ran down to him, and asked him if he could breathe, he was like oh yeh, he was just catching his breathe!! Why the fuck he had to be so stubborn?? Couldnt he admit that he was SICK?!
YEH from that exp, I got really concerned!! Even though I already was really worried about his health since long time ago, but this was the first time that I ever saw him being so vulnerable...and saw the Signs!!
I've talked to him many times about getting a check up, he got very quiet and even pretend that he was asleep!! I even confronted him, "what's it that you are afraid of???" he never gave Me an answer!
Yeh if he's My pt, I'd be very very MAD at him!!
If pts didnt even care about their own bodies, why the hell should I care for them?! I get mad cuz I really wish I can help them, but they are just too stubborn to listen or even to do what I expect them to do!!
Back to mom's convo...
I told her, Why she always has to make Me feel sooo damn guilty?! He had Me when he was not that young!! He doesnt care about his health, and just wanna EAT EAT EAT!!
Yeh I constantly have this guilty feeling that has been bothering Me forever!! I feel that I've owed them soo much, I dont know how to repay them, and whether they'll still be there when I can finally stand on my own foot and take care of them!!
If he could just go and have a check up, and get some proper tx done, MAYBE he'll live longer, and will live till THE DAY!! I just dont know what to do!!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Why is she SO damn SNEAKY & SMART??
This is the first post about my dog...
I used to talk a lot about her when she was little, because there were always NEW stuff I noticed about her... and I'd be amazed or suprised... like a new parent!
Recent years, not so much... but still I can find out stuff that I NEVER knew about her before!
Here is her profile...
1. a pug
2. born 7/31/1999
3. started having her in my life 10/29/1999
4. she's tanned color/brown big eyes
5. she flew in from Iowa by herself! WOW she was brave enough at her age!
6. always acts like she's depressed and like a beatened up housewife LOL (Yeh trying to make ME feel sorry for her!)
7. she's almost 8 yo. Yeh OLD now... dont know how long she's gonna live... kinda sad when think about that...
Ok today I'm gonna talk about an experiment that I've been conducted for a while..
well orginally I did not intentionally start this exp, then I felt like ok lets Watch.. see if she'd DO it again!
I put a brown bag next to the refrg. in the kitchen, and it;s the height that she could definitely reached, and NO I didnt want her to reach it!
Well I started throwing all the recycled stuff into that bag, so I could collect them and throw them out on Tuesday when they came to collect the gabbage!
When I first noticed her pulling stuff was not from the bag, but from the stuff I put on the floor next to the bag, she thought Oh there must be some gooood stuff there...
Then she got punished, cuz she made a BIG mess, she ate a lot of dried /salty squeed, and got so thirsty, and drank tons of water, and peed everywhere in the house!! She's not been peeing in the house for a long time, she only did that when she was a kid, not able to hold her bladder LOL!
So she kinda gave up the THOUGHT to find food from that area...
but she changed her target!
One time, I was throwing stuff into that brown bag, then I turned around and I saw her laying in the dinning area... she just gave me a lazy look.. I didnt think much about anything at the time..
then late at night when I was asleep, she knew it's Safe to do IT now... she pulled out stuff from that bag and hide them in her cage, and tried to chew on them...
Next morning, I noticed it, and was like AHHH ... Geez I knew I should've not let her see it!! She must have thought that I was throwing food into that bag..
After that, I started keeping my eyes on her, and wanted to see if she'd committ the "crime" again! lol
Yeh you guessed it! She did it again and AGAIN!
Either when I was out of the house or when I was up in my rooms or when it's late at night and I was asleep, she knew it's totally safe, and it's her SHOW TIME !!
The most recent time she did it was this afternoon, I just threw a tiny plastic stuff into that bag, and she saw MY action!! Ok I knew something was gonna happen again!
AFter I went up to my rooms, I heard stuff downstair... that she's doing stuff now...
Then I went down stair and saw the Whole bag was laying on the ground in the dinnning area, damn! but fortunately there were not many things in it... so I let this thief go this time! lol
I used to talk a lot about her when she was little, because there were always NEW stuff I noticed about her... and I'd be amazed or suprised... like a new parent!
Recent years, not so much... but still I can find out stuff that I NEVER knew about her before!
Here is her profile...
1. a pug
2. born 7/31/1999
3. started having her in my life 10/29/1999
4. she's tanned color/brown big eyes
5. she flew in from Iowa by herself! WOW she was brave enough at her age!
6. always acts like she's depressed and like a beatened up housewife LOL (Yeh trying to make ME feel sorry for her!)
7. she's almost 8 yo. Yeh OLD now... dont know how long she's gonna live... kinda sad when think about that...
Ok today I'm gonna talk about an experiment that I've been conducted for a while..
well orginally I did not intentionally start this exp, then I felt like ok lets Watch.. see if she'd DO it again!
I put a brown bag next to the refrg. in the kitchen, and it;s the height that she could definitely reached, and NO I didnt want her to reach it!
Well I started throwing all the recycled stuff into that bag, so I could collect them and throw them out on Tuesday when they came to collect the gabbage!
When I first noticed her pulling stuff was not from the bag, but from the stuff I put on the floor next to the bag, she thought Oh there must be some gooood stuff there...
Then she got punished, cuz she made a BIG mess, she ate a lot of dried /salty squeed, and got so thirsty, and drank tons of water, and peed everywhere in the house!! She's not been peeing in the house for a long time, she only did that when she was a kid, not able to hold her bladder LOL!
So she kinda gave up the THOUGHT to find food from that area...
but she changed her target!
One time, I was throwing stuff into that brown bag, then I turned around and I saw her laying in the dinning area... she just gave me a lazy look.. I didnt think much about anything at the time..
then late at night when I was asleep, she knew it's Safe to do IT now... she pulled out stuff from that bag and hide them in her cage, and tried to chew on them...
Next morning, I noticed it, and was like AHHH ... Geez I knew I should've not let her see it!! She must have thought that I was throwing food into that bag..
After that, I started keeping my eyes on her, and wanted to see if she'd committ the "crime" again! lol
Yeh you guessed it! She did it again and AGAIN!
Either when I was out of the house or when I was up in my rooms or when it's late at night and I was asleep, she knew it's totally safe, and it's her SHOW TIME !!
The most recent time she did it was this afternoon, I just threw a tiny plastic stuff into that bag, and she saw MY action!! Ok I knew something was gonna happen again!
AFter I went up to my rooms, I heard stuff downstair... that she's doing stuff now...
Then I went down stair and saw the Whole bag was laying on the ground in the dinnning area, damn! but fortunately there were not many things in it... so I let this thief go this time! lol
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Minced PORK!!
This is one of My fav. simple traditional Taiwanese food!
It goes well with rice and noodles!
1. Black pork belly
2. Garlic
3. Soy sauce
4. red shallot
5. Mirin
6. brown sugar
7. shao shin wine
8. rice wine
*chop pork belly into pieces
*heat up the pan, put shallot and garlic into the pan, add pork , mix well
*add brown sugar, mix/brown the pork, add soy sauce, mirin, wine
*slow cook it for Hours... Yeh Be very patient...
*when cooled down, put it in refrig. , get rid of the PORK FAT...
*get a bowl of rice, add a spoon of minced pork on top of the rice...
Mmmmm .. The BEST & The SIMPLEST food that can give you the greatest Satisfication!!
** In Taiwan, My Mom would go to the tradiational market and buy the minced pork with rice, she knew that I'd love to have an extra egg, tofu, and meatball, just a couple of bucks!!
And I'd be sooo satisfied!! My eyes would be all lightened up and a big smile when I saw this feast!!
This kind of food can beat any expensive food that they overcharged at the resturants!!
It goes well with rice and noodles!
1. Black pork belly
2. Garlic
3. Soy sauce
4. red shallot
5. Mirin
6. brown sugar
7. shao shin wine
8. rice wine
*chop pork belly into pieces
*heat up the pan, put shallot and garlic into the pan, add pork , mix well
*add brown sugar, mix/brown the pork, add soy sauce, mirin, wine
*slow cook it for Hours... Yeh Be very patient...
*when cooled down, put it in refrig. , get rid of the PORK FAT...
*get a bowl of rice, add a spoon of minced pork on top of the rice...
Mmmmm .. The BEST & The SIMPLEST food that can give you the greatest Satisfication!!
** In Taiwan, My Mom would go to the tradiational market and buy the minced pork with rice, she knew that I'd love to have an extra egg, tofu, and meatball, just a couple of bucks!!
And I'd be sooo satisfied!! My eyes would be all lightened up and a big smile when I saw this feast!!
This kind of food can beat any expensive food that they overcharged at the resturants!!
This is Not your ordinary PASTA!
1. Organic Penne Regate (Italy Imported)
2. Ginger
3. Garlic
4. Soy Sauce
5. Sesame oil
7. Sea Salt
8. Mirin
9. Broccoli
10. Carrots
*Boil water, sea salt, Penne
*Mix ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin
*Mix the sauce with Panne
*Steam the broccoli and carrots, mix them with the Penne!
**Add the minced pork to the pasta, mix well...
** Very simple and very different from the ordinary pasta with tomato sauce!
**I got the idea at 3am this morning, immediately jumped out of my bed, and went to the kitchen and made this dish! LOL a Late night snack!
2. Ginger
3. Garlic
4. Soy Sauce
5. Sesame oil
7. Sea Salt
8. Mirin
9. Broccoli
10. Carrots
*Boil water, sea salt, Penne
*Mix ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin
*Mix the sauce with Panne
*Steam the broccoli and carrots, mix them with the Penne!
**Add the minced pork to the pasta, mix well...
** Very simple and very different from the ordinary pasta with tomato sauce!
**I got the idea at 3am this morning, immediately jumped out of my bed, and went to the kitchen and made this dish! LOL a Late night snack!
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
THE ULTIMATE SANDWICH!
HA, yeh it's a very simple yet superly delicious sandwich...
1. Wholewheat bread/ white bread
2. Organic duck/chicken eggs
3. Extra virgin olive oil
4. Sea salt
*A small table spoon of olive oil , heat the pan, when its hot enough, break the egg, you can turn over the egg or just SUNNY side UP!
* I prefer the Half-cooked yolk, so I can get the goooey yolk flows out... yeh u get the picture!
*Just simply place the egg on top of one slice of bread, and cover up with the other slice, and cut it into traingle shape.....
* so SIMPLE yet so Delicious!
** YES, Organic eggs DOES taste Different from the regular-cheap-hormone eggs!!
What does it taste like? Taste like REAL EGGS! LOL
Well more specificially, Egg york's color is very yellowish and is darker than those hormone eggs!
Of course the egg york is the KEY of an egg... and it definitely has the Natural egg york sweeet smell...
**After eating all the natural and organic foods, I just feel so SATISFIED!!
*** Sometimes I wonder, didnt our greatparents and grandparents ate like this? Werent they all natural? Did they add hormone and antibotics to their chicken and eggs?? NO!!
Were their chicken, eggs, meats, veggi and fruits were extra chemical-fed?? NO!!
Were those food expensive? NO!!
Then Why do we have to Pay A LOT EXTRA MONEY , to just live in a life that our ancestors USED to live in?!? It's just a SIMPLE life that human supposed to live!! Why some of us wanna live in this kind of life, have to PAY the PRICE??
It just doesnt make sense to ME!
Those producers SHOULDNT tag the HIGH price on ORGANIC/Nature foods! Just cuz they are not produced in bulk, just cuz some of us are asking for this type of food??
1. Wholewheat bread/ white bread
2. Organic duck/chicken eggs
3. Extra virgin olive oil
4. Sea salt
*A small table spoon of olive oil , heat the pan, when its hot enough, break the egg, you can turn over the egg or just SUNNY side UP!
* I prefer the Half-cooked yolk, so I can get the goooey yolk flows out... yeh u get the picture!
*Just simply place the egg on top of one slice of bread, and cover up with the other slice, and cut it into traingle shape.....
* so SIMPLE yet so Delicious!
** YES, Organic eggs DOES taste Different from the regular-cheap-hormone eggs!!
What does it taste like? Taste like REAL EGGS! LOL
Well more specificially, Egg york's color is very yellowish and is darker than those hormone eggs!
Of course the egg york is the KEY of an egg... and it definitely has the Natural egg york sweeet smell...
**After eating all the natural and organic foods, I just feel so SATISFIED!!
*** Sometimes I wonder, didnt our greatparents and grandparents ate like this? Werent they all natural? Did they add hormone and antibotics to their chicken and eggs?? NO!!
Were their chicken, eggs, meats, veggi and fruits were extra chemical-fed?? NO!!
Were those food expensive? NO!!
Then Why do we have to Pay A LOT EXTRA MONEY , to just live in a life that our ancestors USED to live in?!? It's just a SIMPLE life that human supposed to live!! Why some of us wanna live in this kind of life, have to PAY the PRICE??
It just doesnt make sense to ME!
Those producers SHOULDNT tag the HIGH price on ORGANIC/Nature foods! Just cuz they are not produced in bulk, just cuz some of us are asking for this type of food??
Ionic Breeze GP Silent Air Purifier
I was stupid enough to purchase 2 of this junk in Oct. last year!
Yes I did a bit of research on air purifier before I decided to buy it. But I didnt do ENOUGH of it, I mainly believed what sharper image claimed on their website!
They claimed that this ap is the MOST efficient on the market; very littttle OZONE O3 is produced! YEH RIGHT!
I do have Asthma, and thats the main reason I was so eager to get a very good ap. BUT did I just spend my money to hurt my Respiratory system?!
Why after like 7 months, I started realize they were just piece of junk??
I've noticed that I've been coughing EVERY SINGLE DAY, and yes I turned on the ap everyday. Since the day 1 I started using it, I smelled something very weird from this machine, I suspected that it was OZONE! I went back to the store, that stupid sales lied right in MY face, " oh well, it cant be... it's the FRESH air comes from this machine! " I was like HUH? I not that stupid and can not distiguish the diff btw fresh air and BAD SMELL!! I insisted that it's not "fresh damn air", he then shrugged his shoulders, and said "well, it might be cuz the "NEW MACHINE" defect!" Yeh he's damn airheaded and thought that he could fool ME?!
Originally, I thought oh maybe cuz it's the SPRING season= ALLERGY season!!
Yeh, so my cough is like, "coughing out of my lung!" Yeh not very comfy!
But then, I thought , "hmmm, but I NEVER was like this!!"
I also thought, oh maybe my health was deteroiating... ugggh.. maybe it's a warning sign?!
I've also noticed that I have sputum buildup in my bronchus each and everyday.
The point is, I NEVER NEVER WAS LIKE THIS! Even the same time last year, I did not have this much sputum!! Yeh plus the URGE to SPIT !!
Well, I know one important sympotom of Asthma is SPUTUM. But again I NEVER was like this!
So I did an experiment...
I turned on the ap in my room (High and with UV light on), then I walked away... then I returned to my room , just in a few sec, I started coughing, yeh coughing really bad!!
Then I got out of my room, after a little while I stopped coughing, well , still coughed a bit, but later on it stopped!
I did this experiment several times. Before I even started this exp, I just noticed that everytime I was NEAR this crap (when its turned ON), I COUGHED NON STOP!!
So Yesterday, I decided to NOT turn on ap, I didnt cough much, well just a couple of times, but NOT SERIOUS coughing like when that crap was on!!
Oh GOD, I dont know what to do!
Well, originally I was really in love with this crap, cuz I noticed that after using it for a few days, I pulled out the stainless blade , there were lots of dust on it, and when I wiped it with wet cloth, guess what, DARK as carbon!! Yeh if I didnt wipe it for like a couple of weeks, damn THICK Layer of DUSTs and other junks was built up!!
Now, I'm wondering if the dark stuff is the real bad dust and microorganism that flowing around in the air?? OR is it just the BYPRODUCT of this Crap??
Also consumer report also claimed that this ironic breeze from sharper image was NOT effective at all!! cuz it doesnt have built-in fans, so the air is not flowing, SO NO air is filtered and CLEANED!! Instead of cleaning up air, it PRODUCES OZONE!! OZONE can totally damage our LUNGS!! OH GREAT!
Yes I did a bit of research on air purifier before I decided to buy it. But I didnt do ENOUGH of it, I mainly believed what sharper image claimed on their website!
They claimed that this ap is the MOST efficient on the market; very littttle OZONE O3 is produced! YEH RIGHT!
I do have Asthma, and thats the main reason I was so eager to get a very good ap. BUT did I just spend my money to hurt my Respiratory system?!
Why after like 7 months, I started realize they were just piece of junk??
I've noticed that I've been coughing EVERY SINGLE DAY, and yes I turned on the ap everyday. Since the day 1 I started using it, I smelled something very weird from this machine, I suspected that it was OZONE! I went back to the store, that stupid sales lied right in MY face, " oh well, it cant be... it's the FRESH air comes from this machine! " I was like HUH? I not that stupid and can not distiguish the diff btw fresh air and BAD SMELL!! I insisted that it's not "fresh damn air", he then shrugged his shoulders, and said "well, it might be cuz the "NEW MACHINE" defect!" Yeh he's damn airheaded and thought that he could fool ME?!
Originally, I thought oh maybe cuz it's the SPRING season= ALLERGY season!!
Yeh, so my cough is like, "coughing out of my lung!" Yeh not very comfy!
But then, I thought , "hmmm, but I NEVER was like this!!"
I also thought, oh maybe my health was deteroiating... ugggh.. maybe it's a warning sign?!
I've also noticed that I have sputum buildup in my bronchus each and everyday.
The point is, I NEVER NEVER WAS LIKE THIS! Even the same time last year, I did not have this much sputum!! Yeh plus the URGE to SPIT !!
Well, I know one important sympotom of Asthma is SPUTUM. But again I NEVER was like this!
So I did an experiment...
I turned on the ap in my room (High and with UV light on), then I walked away... then I returned to my room , just in a few sec, I started coughing, yeh coughing really bad!!
Then I got out of my room, after a little while I stopped coughing, well , still coughed a bit, but later on it stopped!
I did this experiment several times. Before I even started this exp, I just noticed that everytime I was NEAR this crap (when its turned ON), I COUGHED NON STOP!!
So Yesterday, I decided to NOT turn on ap, I didnt cough much, well just a couple of times, but NOT SERIOUS coughing like when that crap was on!!
Oh GOD, I dont know what to do!
Well, originally I was really in love with this crap, cuz I noticed that after using it for a few days, I pulled out the stainless blade , there were lots of dust on it, and when I wiped it with wet cloth, guess what, DARK as carbon!! Yeh if I didnt wipe it for like a couple of weeks, damn THICK Layer of DUSTs and other junks was built up!!
Now, I'm wondering if the dark stuff is the real bad dust and microorganism that flowing around in the air?? OR is it just the BYPRODUCT of this Crap??
Also consumer report also claimed that this ironic breeze from sharper image was NOT effective at all!! cuz it doesnt have built-in fans, so the air is not flowing, SO NO air is filtered and CLEANED!! Instead of cleaning up air, it PRODUCES OZONE!! OZONE can totally damage our LUNGS!! OH GREAT!
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Farmers Market Trip
Today finally got my butt out to farmers market on this sunny hot day!
Originally was wishing to get some white peaches. If I remembered correctly, I could get white peaches early in May! but got disappointed today, cuz NO WHITE PEACHES today!!
but I was quite surprised to see CHERRY in the market today! Last year around this time, only saw probably 1 or 2 cherry booth, but today, WOW many people are selling big red CHERRY!!
Cherry is still expensive, much more expensive than it used to be years ago!! All of the seller PRE-pack the cherry in a bucket, and claimed that they were Over 1 lb?? and they are selling for $5/Large size bucket!! So it's like $5 PER LB! DAMN!
Talked to a cherry saler, asked him if their cherry was organic, since there was NO sign saying "we are ORGANIC certified!!" He replied (Obviously he was LYING!), "well, I didnt wanna pay for it!" HA, I know that farmers market has a rule that, if the booth is selling ORGANIC product, they can and should post it up on their booth, so people can recognize it. However, if they are Not Organic, they CAN NOT and SHOULD NOT claim that their product is Organic!
But I tasted a couple of their cherry, it was sweet and crispy! So I got a large bucket.
Then, I continued my shopping. I saw another booth selling cherry, orginally NO customers was standing in front of the booth, all of a sudden, the seller announced that they were selling 1 bag for $5 ONLY (claimed for 2 lbs/bag, and orignal price was $8/bag), But only for 5 MINUTES!
I was standing there and trying to pick and good bag, minutes went by, he still was yelling out loud that his cherry was only $5/bag for 5 min!!! LOL
So I picked 1 bag, and gave him 10 bucks, he asked, "do you wanna get 2 bags for 10 bucks??"
I was like hmmm, ok... so I quickly picked 2 bags and got my butt out of there!
I then went to the chicken/egg booth. Yeh they claimed their chicken and eggs were all organic??
I saw Duck eggs and Black chicken eggs, hmmm Rarely got to see these kind of eggs!
So I decided to get 12 duck eggs and 12 black chicken eggs. They said that black chicken eggs were much more nutrious than regular chicken eggs! well , chinese believe that Black chicken is much better than white chicken...
BUT duck egg is $5/dozen, and black chicken eggs is $4/dozen!!! WOW EXPENSIVE!!
yeh since I havent bought organic whole chicken for a long while, so I went and picked a 2.5lb orgnaic chicken. Originally it was like $8.8 dollar, he said well he's gonna charge for $8 only...
sooo... the total price was like 17 bucks... I asked, "um... 16 bucks?" I knew I could asked for 15 bucks total, but I was NICE enough only ask for 16 bucks LOL!
he wasnt very happy about the 1 buck... then his partner said something in foreign language, and then said "fine..." So I got my 24 eggs and 1 chicken for 16 bucks!!
I know... WHO would be so stupid to pay this much for eggs and chicken?!
but I guess, I insist on the Quality of the food that I'm gonna put into my mouth.. It gotta has certain level of Quality!! YES , I'm asking for QUALITY!
I know... generally people go to COSTCO for a huge pack of chicken for only a few bucks, and Super Size pack of eggs for a few bucks... and that can feed the whole family for a while...
and 16 bucks can buy MANY packs of chicken PLUS Eggs at costco, but they were NOT ORGANIC, they were NOT free-ranged!! They were cheap-fed-caged PLUS ANTIBIOTICS & HORMONE injection!!! Damn... quite Scary & Disgusting HUH!!
No wonder, little girls eat those kind of ewww hormone cheap chicken and get their MC and boobs at 8 or 9 y.o!!! Shouldnt they be little girls that still have their innocence at that young age?
So ... today I spent $31 on these foods...
Why farmers market, you might ask... Yeh cuz I get to see all the IN-Season fresh fruits and veggi. Yeh they dont sell things that are NOT In-season... So the Genetics produce get out of here!!
And thats why I love California... in May and June, you can see fresh peach, strawberry, and cherry. Usually strawberry started first, then cherry, then peach... and peach can go all the way up to Aug/Sep!! I love white peaches esp. but they are not in season now...
Cherry and strawberry Are NOT supposed to have Long season, they used to be very very short, maybe 1 or 2 months, BUT Now you can see strawberry 12 mo!! I dont buy them cuz they trying to mess up the NATURE!! The more you buy them, the more they trying to do the genetics stuff and grow and sell MORE. See, nowaydays, strawberry DONT taste like strawberry, they dont have the SWEET SMELL & SWEET taste. They only have the HUGE LOOK!
Cherry do not have long shelf life plus the very short season, but last year I still saw cherry in WINTER season!!! hmmm... that really made me wonder!!
The lesson for the day is, DO NOT and SHOULD NOT buy fruits/veggi that were not IN-SEASON!! They are BAD for us and the environment!!
***ONLY the fresh and In-season ones are GOOD for our bodies!
Originally was wishing to get some white peaches. If I remembered correctly, I could get white peaches early in May! but got disappointed today, cuz NO WHITE PEACHES today!!
but I was quite surprised to see CHERRY in the market today! Last year around this time, only saw probably 1 or 2 cherry booth, but today, WOW many people are selling big red CHERRY!!
Cherry is still expensive, much more expensive than it used to be years ago!! All of the seller PRE-pack the cherry in a bucket, and claimed that they were Over 1 lb?? and they are selling for $5/Large size bucket!! So it's like $5 PER LB! DAMN!
Talked to a cherry saler, asked him if their cherry was organic, since there was NO sign saying "we are ORGANIC certified!!" He replied (Obviously he was LYING!), "well, I didnt wanna pay for it!" HA, I know that farmers market has a rule that, if the booth is selling ORGANIC product, they can and should post it up on their booth, so people can recognize it. However, if they are Not Organic, they CAN NOT and SHOULD NOT claim that their product is Organic!
But I tasted a couple of their cherry, it was sweet and crispy! So I got a large bucket.
Then, I continued my shopping. I saw another booth selling cherry, orginally NO customers was standing in front of the booth, all of a sudden, the seller announced that they were selling 1 bag for $5 ONLY (claimed for 2 lbs/bag, and orignal price was $8/bag), But only for 5 MINUTES!
I was standing there and trying to pick and good bag, minutes went by, he still was yelling out loud that his cherry was only $5/bag for 5 min!!! LOL
So I picked 1 bag, and gave him 10 bucks, he asked, "do you wanna get 2 bags for 10 bucks??"
I was like hmmm, ok... so I quickly picked 2 bags and got my butt out of there!
I then went to the chicken/egg booth. Yeh they claimed their chicken and eggs were all organic??
I saw Duck eggs and Black chicken eggs, hmmm Rarely got to see these kind of eggs!
So I decided to get 12 duck eggs and 12 black chicken eggs. They said that black chicken eggs were much more nutrious than regular chicken eggs! well , chinese believe that Black chicken is much better than white chicken...
BUT duck egg is $5/dozen, and black chicken eggs is $4/dozen!!! WOW EXPENSIVE!!
yeh since I havent bought organic whole chicken for a long while, so I went and picked a 2.5lb orgnaic chicken. Originally it was like $8.8 dollar, he said well he's gonna charge for $8 only...
sooo... the total price was like 17 bucks... I asked, "um... 16 bucks?" I knew I could asked for 15 bucks total, but I was NICE enough only ask for 16 bucks LOL!
he wasnt very happy about the 1 buck... then his partner said something in foreign language, and then said "fine..." So I got my 24 eggs and 1 chicken for 16 bucks!!
I know... WHO would be so stupid to pay this much for eggs and chicken?!
but I guess, I insist on the Quality of the food that I'm gonna put into my mouth.. It gotta has certain level of Quality!! YES , I'm asking for QUALITY!
I know... generally people go to COSTCO for a huge pack of chicken for only a few bucks, and Super Size pack of eggs for a few bucks... and that can feed the whole family for a while...
and 16 bucks can buy MANY packs of chicken PLUS Eggs at costco, but they were NOT ORGANIC, they were NOT free-ranged!! They were cheap-fed-caged PLUS ANTIBIOTICS & HORMONE injection!!! Damn... quite Scary & Disgusting HUH!!
No wonder, little girls eat those kind of ewww hormone cheap chicken and get their MC and boobs at 8 or 9 y.o!!! Shouldnt they be little girls that still have their innocence at that young age?
So ... today I spent $31 on these foods...
Why farmers market, you might ask... Yeh cuz I get to see all the IN-Season fresh fruits and veggi. Yeh they dont sell things that are NOT In-season... So the Genetics produce get out of here!!
And thats why I love California... in May and June, you can see fresh peach, strawberry, and cherry. Usually strawberry started first, then cherry, then peach... and peach can go all the way up to Aug/Sep!! I love white peaches esp. but they are not in season now...
Cherry and strawberry Are NOT supposed to have Long season, they used to be very very short, maybe 1 or 2 months, BUT Now you can see strawberry 12 mo!! I dont buy them cuz they trying to mess up the NATURE!! The more you buy them, the more they trying to do the genetics stuff and grow and sell MORE. See, nowaydays, strawberry DONT taste like strawberry, they dont have the SWEET SMELL & SWEET taste. They only have the HUGE LOOK!
Cherry do not have long shelf life plus the very short season, but last year I still saw cherry in WINTER season!!! hmmm... that really made me wonder!!
The lesson for the day is, DO NOT and SHOULD NOT buy fruits/veggi that were not IN-SEASON!! They are BAD for us and the environment!!
***ONLY the fresh and In-season ones are GOOD for our bodies!
Friday, May 11, 2007
The ULTIMATE FEAST!!
I'm planning on throwing this big feast and enjoy all the great food and wine with family & friends in the near future!
Here's the Menu (for now)-------------------------------------------------------------
1. (korean) Grilled short rib (Pear juice, mirin, Soy sauce, Maple syrup, white pepper, garlic,
onion)
2. (American) Grilled Aged Angus Beef Steak (Sea salt, white pepper) : 2 pieces
3. (Middle Eastern) Lamb Shish Kabob (Sea salt, organic extra virgin olive oil, yogurt, white pepper, garlic, Chili, curry powder)
Veggi (Purple onion, Cherry tomato, cucumber, Red Bell Pepper, Zucchini ) : 15 piece
4. (Japan) Yakitori Organic chicken (Sea salt, pepper, olive oil) : 15 piece + Bamboo sticks
5 .(Taiwanese) Grilled Salty Pork
6. (Japanese) Tuna Poke (soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, sesame seeds, white pepper, maple syrup, Japanese dry fish flake, Noni, Wasabi): 1 piece
7. (Thai )Broiled Fresh Sea Fish (Sea salt, olive oil, white pepper, black pepper. Sauce: chili flake, Thai fish sauce, maple syrup, cucumber, carrots, purple onion): 3
8. (Japanese) Hamachi Kama (Yellowtail jaw, sea salt, pepper): 1
9. (Western) Grilled Sea Scallop (Sea salt, olive oil, butter, pepper): 15 pieces
10. (French) Butter up the Mussels : 1.5 lbs sea salt, olive oil, organic butter, pepper, leak, onion, Garlic, Parsley) + 1 loaf of Baguette
11. (Japanese) Seaweed (maple syrup, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flake)
12. (Western) Grilled Organic Veggi
(Asparagus 1 lb , Zucchini 1lb, Squash 1lb, Baby Carrots 1 lb, Cherry Tomato 1 box, Purple onion 1 lb, Bell Pepper, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin 1): Sea salt, olive oil, pepper
13. (Western) Grilled Assorted Mushrooms (Sea salt, olive oil, pepper)
14. Organic Green leaves with Italian Vinaigrette (Balsamic vinegar, EVOO, garlic, salt, pepper,
Lemon juice, Maple syrup)
(Almond, Walnut, Cranberry, Blue cheese)
15. Wheat Bread/Buns/Naan: 2 loaf of bread, 2 bag of Buns, 2 bag of Naan (Naan with Yogurt sauce: Yogurt, maple syrup)
16. . Assorted Fresh Organic Fruits
17. Wild Rice & Jasmine Rice
18. Assorted Cheese & Cold Meats & Taiwanese green onion Pancake
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appetizer
Seaweed
Tuna Poke
Assorted Hard Cheese/ Cold Meats/Taiwanese green onion Pancake
Cocktail
1. Sprite 2. Rum 3. Cranberry juice 4. Lemon Juice 5. Sparkling wine
Veggi
Assorted Grilled Veggi
Assorted Grilled Mushroom
Main Course
Steak
Short Ribs
Lamb
Chicken
Pork
Fish
Scallop
Mussels
Dessert
14. Green Bean soup
Other stuff-
Fruits, Wine, Green Tea, Sprite, Italian Coffee (decafe)
Here's the Menu (for now)-------------------------------------------------------------
1. (korean) Grilled short rib (Pear juice, mirin, Soy sauce, Maple syrup, white pepper, garlic,
onion)
2. (American) Grilled Aged Angus Beef Steak (Sea salt, white pepper) : 2 pieces
3. (Middle Eastern) Lamb Shish Kabob (Sea salt, organic extra virgin olive oil, yogurt, white pepper, garlic, Chili, curry powder)
Veggi (Purple onion, Cherry tomato, cucumber, Red Bell Pepper, Zucchini ) : 15 piece
4. (Japan) Yakitori Organic chicken (Sea salt, pepper, olive oil) : 15 piece + Bamboo sticks
5 .(Taiwanese) Grilled Salty Pork
6. (Japanese) Tuna Poke (soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, sesame seeds, white pepper, maple syrup, Japanese dry fish flake, Noni, Wasabi): 1 piece
7. (Thai )Broiled Fresh Sea Fish (Sea salt, olive oil, white pepper, black pepper. Sauce: chili flake, Thai fish sauce, maple syrup, cucumber, carrots, purple onion): 3
8. (Japanese) Hamachi Kama (Yellowtail jaw, sea salt, pepper): 1
9. (Western) Grilled Sea Scallop (Sea salt, olive oil, butter, pepper): 15 pieces
10. (French) Butter up the Mussels : 1.5 lbs sea salt, olive oil, organic butter, pepper, leak, onion, Garlic, Parsley) + 1 loaf of Baguette
11. (Japanese) Seaweed (maple syrup, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, red pepper flake)
12. (Western) Grilled Organic Veggi
(Asparagus 1 lb , Zucchini 1lb, Squash 1lb, Baby Carrots 1 lb, Cherry Tomato 1 box, Purple onion 1 lb, Bell Pepper, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin 1): Sea salt, olive oil, pepper
13. (Western) Grilled Assorted Mushrooms (Sea salt, olive oil, pepper)
14. Organic Green leaves with Italian Vinaigrette (Balsamic vinegar, EVOO, garlic, salt, pepper,
Lemon juice, Maple syrup)
(Almond, Walnut, Cranberry, Blue cheese)
15. Wheat Bread/Buns/Naan: 2 loaf of bread, 2 bag of Buns, 2 bag of Naan (Naan with Yogurt sauce: Yogurt, maple syrup)
16. . Assorted Fresh Organic Fruits
17. Wild Rice & Jasmine Rice
18. Assorted Cheese & Cold Meats & Taiwanese green onion Pancake
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appetizer
Seaweed
Tuna Poke
Assorted Hard Cheese/ Cold Meats/Taiwanese green onion Pancake
Cocktail
1. Sprite 2. Rum 3. Cranberry juice 4. Lemon Juice 5. Sparkling wine
Veggi
Assorted Grilled Veggi
Assorted Grilled Mushroom
Main Course
Steak
Short Ribs
Lamb
Chicken
Pork
Fish
Scallop
Mussels
Dessert
14. Green Bean soup
Other stuff-
Fruits, Wine, Green Tea, Sprite, Italian Coffee (decafe)
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
FOODS THAT CLEANSE OUR BODIES!
1. ONION
2. SEAWEED
3. SWEET POTATO
4. GREEN BEANS (LENTILS)
5. PUMPKIN
6. APPLE
7. CILANTRO
*MY THOUGHTS:
MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS WITH YOGURT AND HONEY, AND BLEND THEM UP!
ONE HELL HEALTHY DRINK!
排毒食物：１．海藻 ２．洋蔥 ３，綠豆 ４．地瓜 ５．南瓜 ６．香菜 ７．蘋果-----------------------------------------海藻的5大強效1. 水溶性食物纖維 助排便2. 豐富葉綠素 高鹼清血3. 含硒和碘 加速體內代謝4. 類胡蘿蔔素 抗氧化抗癌5. 多醣體 活化細胞抗老化零熱量，屬於寒性食物，吃的時候可加點薑。碘含量高，有甲狀腺問題的人不適合多吃。-----------------------------------------------洋蔥泡紅酒或紅酒醋，可安眠、提升免疫力、排除毒素、改善便泌、降血壓、防骨鬆。洋蔥湯，加點生洋蔥末，可促進血液循環。但若胃部有慢性發炎或溃瘍的人，請勿生食，以免過於刺激胃部。-----------------------------------------------綠豆的4大強效1. 平衡電解質 利尿抗過敏2. 加蛋白敷在患部 消腫止痛3. 幫助肝臟運作 安定神經4. 含皂素.球蛋白 降低血脂含豐富植物性蛋白質、β 胡蘿蔔素、葉綠素。具清血、 消除疲勞的效果。綠豆面膜材料：綠豆粉、優格、蛋清。使用方式：1. 以 1：1：1 的比例混合。2. 可敷於全身。3. 10~20 分鐘後，先不要完全洗淨，以些許清水沾濕按摩，具有去角質的功用。(若是敷臉部，可用面膜紙、化妝棉或紗布覆蓋，取代市售面膜)4. 建議一個禮拜使用 1~2 次。備註：1. 若有晒傷部位，可加蘆薈。2. 對發炎、青春痘等，有消炎的作用。3. 有開放性傷口，請先做皮膚測試，以免過於刺激傷口。----------------------------------------------地瓜1. 水溶性纖維多，可幫助排毒。2. 地瓜葉含有豐富 β 胡蘿蔔素、葉綠素，抗氧化作用高。3. 勿生食，因不易消化，會造成胃脹氣。-----------------------------------------------南瓜1. 連皮吃，可預防肥胖、排解宿便。2. 有豐富的鋅含量，對男性攝護腺有很高的益處。-----------------------------------------------香菜的6大強效1. 富含維他命C 預防感冒2. 殺菌清熱 解蝦蟹毒3. 加速排出汞.砷.鉛.鎘等毒素4. 排除體內砷毒 美白肌膚5. 促進食慾與消化 健胃發汗6. 強精固本 男性強精品-----------------------------------------------蘋果醋材料：1. 蘋果2. 醋 3. 玻璃罐作法：1. 蘋果切塊。2. 將蘋果放進玻璃罐。3. 倒醋，蓋過蘋果。4. 約泡二個星期，即可食用。
*CILANTRO: VITAMINE C, HELP EXCRETES LEAD, AND MANY OTHER METALS OUT OF SYSTEM, GREAT FOR MEN'S POWER (yeh you know what I mean)!
2. SEAWEED
3. SWEET POTATO
4. GREEN BEANS (LENTILS)
5. PUMPKIN
6. APPLE
7. CILANTRO
*MY THOUGHTS:
MIX ALL THE INGREDIENTS WITH YOGURT AND HONEY, AND BLEND THEM UP!
ONE HELL HEALTHY DRINK!
排毒食物：１．海藻 ２．洋蔥 ３，綠豆 ４．地瓜 ５．南瓜 ６．香菜 ７．蘋果-----------------------------------------海藻的5大強效1. 水溶性食物纖維 助排便2. 豐富葉綠素 高鹼清血3. 含硒和碘 加速體內代謝4. 類胡蘿蔔素 抗氧化抗癌5. 多醣體 活化細胞抗老化零熱量，屬於寒性食物，吃的時候可加點薑。碘含量高，有甲狀腺問題的人不適合多吃。-----------------------------------------------洋蔥泡紅酒或紅酒醋，可安眠、提升免疫力、排除毒素、改善便泌、降血壓、防骨鬆。洋蔥湯，加點生洋蔥末，可促進血液循環。但若胃部有慢性發炎或溃瘍的人，請勿生食，以免過於刺激胃部。-----------------------------------------------綠豆的4大強效1. 平衡電解質 利尿抗過敏2. 加蛋白敷在患部 消腫止痛3. 幫助肝臟運作 安定神經4. 含皂素.球蛋白 降低血脂含豐富植物性蛋白質、β 胡蘿蔔素、葉綠素。具清血、 消除疲勞的效果。綠豆面膜材料：綠豆粉、優格、蛋清。使用方式：1. 以 1：1：1 的比例混合。2. 可敷於全身。3. 10~20 分鐘後，先不要完全洗淨，以些許清水沾濕按摩，具有去角質的功用。(若是敷臉部，可用面膜紙、化妝棉或紗布覆蓋，取代市售面膜)4. 建議一個禮拜使用 1~2 次。備註：1. 若有晒傷部位，可加蘆薈。2. 對發炎、青春痘等，有消炎的作用。3. 有開放性傷口，請先做皮膚測試，以免過於刺激傷口。----------------------------------------------地瓜1. 水溶性纖維多，可幫助排毒。2. 地瓜葉含有豐富 β 胡蘿蔔素、葉綠素，抗氧化作用高。3. 勿生食，因不易消化，會造成胃脹氣。-----------------------------------------------南瓜1. 連皮吃，可預防肥胖、排解宿便。2. 有豐富的鋅含量，對男性攝護腺有很高的益處。-----------------------------------------------香菜的6大強效1. 富含維他命C 預防感冒2. 殺菌清熱 解蝦蟹毒3. 加速排出汞.砷.鉛.鎘等毒素4. 排除體內砷毒 美白肌膚5. 促進食慾與消化 健胃發汗6. 強精固本 男性強精品-----------------------------------------------蘋果醋材料：1. 蘋果2. 醋 3. 玻璃罐作法：1. 蘋果切塊。2. 將蘋果放進玻璃罐。3. 倒醋，蓋過蘋果。4. 約泡二個星期，即可食用。
*CILANTRO: VITAMINE C, HELP EXCRETES LEAD, AND MANY OTHER METALS OUT OF SYSTEM, GREAT FOR MEN'S POWER (yeh you know what I mean)!
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Mmmmmmm..... PORK HOG!!
Oh Yeh thats right, it's damn delicious!
1. pork hog/feet
2. Organic eggs
3. soy sauce
4. rice wine/shao shin wine
5. mirin wine
6. rock sugar
7. brown sugar
8. garlic
9. red chili pepper
10. ginger
11. green onion
12. seaweed
13. white pepper
* boil a pot of water, cook pork hog for a few min, rinse it under cold water
*mix the rest of the ingredients in a big pot, boil it and add pork and cooked eggs
Sauce:
1. garlic
2. chili pepper
3. soy sauce
4. organic vinegar
5. maple syrup
6. sesame oil
*cut the pork into pieces, eat the meat with the special sauce
*cut the egg into half, sprinkle some sweet soy sauce, sesame oil.
* Place the pork, egg, and seaweed in a plate... a very nice appetizer!
Oh yeh one glass of cold beer or champagne would be even bettttter!!
1. pork hog/feet
2. Organic eggs
3. soy sauce
4. rice wine/shao shin wine
5. mirin wine
6. rock sugar
7. brown sugar
8. garlic
9. red chili pepper
10. ginger
11. green onion
12. seaweed
13. white pepper
* boil a pot of water, cook pork hog for a few min, rinse it under cold water
*mix the rest of the ingredients in a big pot, boil it and add pork and cooked eggs
Sauce:
1. garlic
2. chili pepper
3. soy sauce
4. organic vinegar
5. maple syrup
6. sesame oil
*cut the pork into pieces, eat the meat with the special sauce
*cut the egg into half, sprinkle some sweet soy sauce, sesame oil.
* Place the pork, egg, and seaweed in a plate... a very nice appetizer!
Oh yeh one glass of cold beer or champagne would be even bettttter!!
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
BLACK BEANS
1. Organic Black Beans
2. Maple syrup
* put black beans in water for at least 12 hrs
*steam/cook black beans ; blender, mix well with water and syrup
* get a cup of the black bean mixture, add some more water or milk, depends on how thick you want the drink to be.
*microwave it, VIOLA!
*good for breakfast, or whenever u feel hungry!
*** black bean is a very good food! It canmake you smarter (Lechitin), lower the cholesterol, prevent atheroscelorsis, darken the hair (no need to dye your hair again!), good for skin, makes you look YOUNGER, Antioxidant, prevent clotting of the blood vessels, high in fibers, a good diuretics, ease the Post MS syndrome (good for women!), high in iron,
*it's important to fully cook the beans!
本草網目》指出在各種大豆之中，僅將黑豆列為中藥的一種， 可想而知黑豆的醫學價值是極之高，其中最顯著的功效便是滋潤養顏、健脾益腎，因為黑豆含有豐富蛋白質、維生素A、胡蘿蔔素等多種皮膚營養要素，常服肌膚潤澤、面色紅潤，令容顏重展青春氣息，難怪黑豆能夠成為近年健康美容的首選食品！ 談及黑豆，在中國古老的觀念中，認為具有抗衰、防老、養顏美容的功能。
唐代陳藏器的《本草拾遺》記載，黑豆能「明目鎮心，溫補。久服，好顏色，變白不老。」明代李時珍所著的《本草綱目》也有「李守愚每晨水吞黑豆二七枚，到老不衰」的記載。
事實上，最新的研究也證實，黑豆的確具有降血脂、抗氧化、養顏美容的效果。
降血脂，預防心血管疾病
黑豆含有15％的油脂中，以不飽和脂肪酸為主，可促進膽固醇的代謝、降低血脂。
文化大學食品營養系教授趙璧玉、中央研究院植物所副研究員楊棋明，最新的研究也初步證實，黑豆可以抑制血液中的低密度脂蛋白氧化速度，有效降低三酸甘油脂的濃度，減少心血管疾病的威脅。而且，無論是身體健康的人，或是動脈粥狀硬化的病人，黑豆都顯現出降血脂的效果。
在動物實驗上，則是吃了維生素E的高血脂兔子，沒有動脈粥狀硬化病變，黑豆組效果次之，吃黃豆和一般飼料的兔子血管栓塞最嚴重。「令人驚訝的是，在降低動脈血管硬化、預防血管栓塞的效果上，黑豆竟然比黃豆好，」趙璧玉樂觀地表示。
抗氧化，延緩老化
黑豆也含有許多的抗氧化成分，最特別的是異黃酮素、花青素。
在《本草綱目》中記載，黑豆有延年益壽、返老還童的效果。楊棋明推測，應該與黑豆中的抗氧化成分如異黃酮素、花青素有關，所以能延緩老化。
根據中興大學食品科學系教授顏國欽的研究，黑豆的異黃酮素含量高於黃豆。楊棋明也研究證實，對於身體健康和動脈粥狀硬化的人，「黑豆的抗氧化能力都比黃豆強。」
一般來說，種皮只要是深紫紅色或黑色，就含有花青素，例如黑豆、葡萄皮、桑椹。花青素是很好的抗氧化劑來源，能消除體內的自由基，尤其是在酸性環境如胃中，抗氧化效果更好。
養顏美容，增加腸胃蠕動
黑豆還含有豐富的抗氧化劑──維生素E，能清除體內的自由基，減少皮膚皺紋，達到養顏美容、保持青春的目的。
在古代很多藥典中，都記載黑豆可以「駐顏、明目、烏髮、使皮膚變白嫩」。宋朝著名文學家蘇東坡就曾記述，當時京城內外，少男少女都為了養顏美容而服食黑豆。
此外，三軍總醫院營養部主任金惠民也指出，黑豆含有5％的纖維質，可促進腸胃蠕動，預防便祕。
過去，曾有青春痘患者在食用黑豆一段時間後，情況好轉。「這應該是因為黑豆中的纖維質含量高，吃了一段時間後，自然會加強腸道的排毒作用，」金惠民解釋說。
宜煮熟，而非生吞
前衛生署中醫藥委員會執行祕書張步桃每天都吞生黑豆，而這股流行風潮也曾經席捲台灣。
但是，成大醫院營養部主任彭巧珍對此則持保留態度，因為除了沒有吸收到任何營養素，「這就像吞一顆小石頭，頂多會刺激一下腸道，但對腸胃不好的人，生硬的黑豆反而更容易造成腸阻塞，」彭巧珍特別提醒危險性。
為了要了解吞生黑豆的保健功效，楊棋明也曾親身試驗，並問過周遭親友的經驗。他發現，由於整顆生黑豆很難被消化、吸收，所以大家都是將整顆黑豆排出體外。
趙璧玉也特別提醒，生黑豆的缺點還包括，所含的寡糖容易造成脹氣，尤其是胃不好的人，生吞更會覺得不舒服。
此外，生黑豆中的胰蛋白酵素抑制劑，會降低蛋白質吸收、利用；血球凝集素則會抑制生長；甲狀腺腫素會降低碘的吸收，造成甲狀腺機能不全與腫大。而這些成分只要經過加熱烹煮，都會被破壞掉，因此最好還是熟食，或吃磨粉、加工品。
最好搭配正餐食用
黑豆的吃法很多，例如黑豆粉可撒在飯上，或拌麵、沙拉，或是用來做麵包、麻糬。黑豆豆腐則可涼拌、滷或紅燒。
不過，一般人最喜愛的豆腐，以黃仁黑豆做的豆腐口感、保水性，較青仁黑豆好，但還是比不上黃豆豆腐。因為黑豆的種皮上含有單寧酸，多了一點澀味，少了豆香味。
此外，已經習慣生吞黑豆的人，「最好與正餐一起食用，」金惠民建議。因為空腹吃，生硬的黑豆在胃中單獨被研磨，對胃炎患者可能產生不適、疼痛的感覺。而且，與正餐一起食用，纖維質可增加食物的粘稠度，在胃中停留的時間加長，增加飽足感。
趙璧玉則認為，衛生署建議每天4份的蛋豆魚肉類，其中有一份來自豆類製品如黑豆、黃豆，確實是個不錯的替代選擇。但若以蛋白質的消化率來說，黃豆則優於黑豆。
養生保健，不能只吃黑豆。正確、健康的觀念應該是：黑豆只是正餐中的配角。
味甘 活血化瘀、利水祛風、解毒、補腎明目、鎮靜、抗衰老、降低血清膽固醇、改善心脈的營養血流、烏髮、潤肌膚。 水腫脹滿、浮腫、腰腿痠痛，尤其老人肝腎不足之耳聾目眩、腰膝軟弱。 注意事項 １、黑豆含鐵量比一般豆類高一倍，自古以來以黑豆最補。 ２、黑豆能治療一切水腫如濕水腫、腎病水腫，以及腫脹風濕痺痛等症，對病後虛弱的人有滋補作用。 ３、本品含微量黃酮和染料木素均有雌激素樣作用，可使子宮的重量增加，增加機體免疫功能。 眼疲勞主要是由於電腦辦公、看書或看電視等長時間過度用眼而產生的眼睛疲勞。黑豆味甘、性平，含豐富的蛋白質、胡蘿蔔素、維生素B1、維生素B2、煙酸等營養物質，有補腎強身、活血利水、解毒、滋陰明目的功效。枸杞性味甘平，能夠滋補肝腎、益精明目和養血、增強免疫力。現代醫學認為，枸杞能有效緩解疲勞、降低血壓、保肝降糖、軟化血管、降血脂、治腎衰。體質虛弱、抵抗力差的人更適宜長期食用。
下面教大家做一款“黑豆枸杞粥”，能有效幫你趕走眼疲勞。黑豆100克，枸杞子3～5克，紅棗5～10個，料酒、薑汁、食鹽各適量。加水適量，用急火煮沸後，改用文火熬至黑豆爛熟，即可取湯飲用，每日早、晚飲用，每次2～3杯為宜，可長期飲用。黑豆粥可以加入冰糖30～50克溶化後直接飲用，也可以將剛煮好的黑豆粥，加入2～3朵菊花（菊花有清肝明目之功效，小而顏色泛黃的菊花是上選）泡開後飲用，對防治眼睛疲勞、視力模糊效果更好。還可以取黑豆粥加入核桃粉1匙、牛奶10毫升、蜂蜜1匙，改善眼疲勞效果也很明顯。
黑米粥最適合眼部容易疲勞的“電腦族”、“電視迷”長期堅持喝，每天喝一點，才能見效。但要注意，熬粥時枸杞不可過量，一般來說，健康的成年人每天食用最好不超過20克。有感冒、發燒、炎症、腹瀉等病症的人熬粥時，不要放枸杞，僅用黑米熬粥即可，亦可用決明子代替枸杞。 （人民網-《健康時報》 李 博）
黑豆可預防糖尿病
健康提醒
用老鼠進行的一項新研究表明：黑豆可能是一種神奇的食物，常吃它好處多多，可以預防肥胖，降低膽固醇水準，甚至可能減少患糖尿病的風險。
最近，一支南韓的研究團隊用32隻老鼠對黑豆的療效進行了研究，相關論文刊登在《食品科學與家學》雜誌的2月刊上。實驗中，研究人員先將老鼠分成兩組，再分 別用脂肪含量相同的食物對它們進行餵養，但其中一組的老鼠同時還可吃到黑豆。兩周之後差別出來了，吃黑豆的老鼠體重增加的量僅是對照組老鼠增重的一半。同時，前者血液中膽固醇水準下降了25%，所謂的壞膽固醇含量下降了10%。
大衛·班德是倫敦皇家自由大學醫學院的副教授，據他稱，黑豆中含有的蛋白質通過減緩肝臟和脂肪組織中脂肪新陳代謝的速度，從而可以達到減少各種脂肪酸和膽固醇產量的目的，體內各種脂肪的數量減少了，糖尿病也就不容易得了。這可能有助於理解為什麼在亞洲黑豆會成為一種治療糖尿病的傳統藥物。
班德說：“二型糖尿病之所以難治，關鍵在於它會破壞胰島素的生成，結果主要表現為過多的腹部贅肉———所以減肥通常有助於提高機體的血糖控制能力。”
而在這之前，研究還顯示，黃豆也有助於降低膽固醇，各種大豆均有防範心臟病和癌症的作用
黑豆能夠活化血液、肝臟、胰臟等內臟，使體重減輕，減少白髮，抑制喉痛與膝痛，對身體內外發揮力量，使全身變得年輕。
中醫認為，黑豆味甘、性平，有活血化瘀、利水祛風、解毒、補腎明目、鎮靜、抗衰老、降低血清膽固醇、改善心脈的營養血流、烏髮、潤肌膚等功效，對水腫脹滿、浮腫、腰腿痠痛，尤其老人肝、腎功能不足之耳聾目眩、腰膝軟弱能發揮良好的作用。
黑豆含有豐富的營養成分，適合男女老幼，在本書中，我們將黑豆對身體的益處，以及其他症狀，諸如：腎虛、頻尿、耳鳴、風濕、高血壓、糖尿病甚至減重等等所產生的神奇效果，一一提出探討和說明，相信這種自然界的優良產物──黑豆，會為您與您的家人帶來更大的幸福。
黑豆是高蛋白食品，蛋白質含量是牛奶的12倍；又不含膽固醇，黑豆19%是油脂，主要是不飽和脂肪酸，有降低血中膽固醇的作用。皂甙有抑制脂肪吸收並促進其分解的作用，因而預防肥胖和動脈硬化。所含卵磷脂可以健腦益智，防止大腦老化。含有的豐富維生素E可以延續青春活力，粗纖維素可以促進腸蠕動而通便，所以黑豆自古以來就被視為極重要養生保健食品，因為以上所說的幾乎包括現代人所有的毛病，如：肥胖、高血脂、高血壓、動脈硬化、中風、老年痴呆、便祕等等。可見不只是有用於古人，更是切合現代人的需求。但是當真是如此神效呢？又為何不見全國同胞一體遵行呢？這是因為大家無法詳細了解黑豆而誤用，這樣效果不彰，能怪誰呢！例如幾年前生吞黑豆的風潮，不明究竟的亂吞，導致有的人腹脹、腹瀉，甚至有直腸癌患者服食黑豆引起腸梗阻而逝世，這就辜負了當初推廣此一良善經驗的名醫。這是因為生黑豆中含有的胰蛋白酵素抑制劑，會降低蛋白質吸收與利用；另外血球凝集素則會抑制生長。而這些不好的成分只要經過加工烹調，就都會被破壞掉，所以建議煮食或是服食加工製品。李時珍在《本草綱目》提到豆有五色，各治五臟，唯黑豆屬水性寒，為腎之穀，入腎功多，故能治水、消脹、下氣、治風熱而活血解毒，所謂同氣相求也。又有人因為近代藥理研究結論，所以有人認為黑豆也有養陰補氣，可作為強壯滋補藥。但是唐朝孫思邈孫真人也說少食醒脾，多食損脾也。在《千金翼方》中指出久服令人身重。所以《本草匯言》也說性利而質堅滑，多食令人腹脹而利下矣。如何篩選優質黑豆購買黑皮青仁的黑豆，黑屬腎，青屬肝，青仁黑豆兼具滋補肝腎之功。使用前先去除較小不成熟和破裂的，再用水洗淨，然後撈去浮在水面的黑豆，最後瀝乾備用。所以接下來介紹幾種煮食藥膳，中藥再加工製品，以及黑豆酒。●黑豆藥膳◆滋補黑豆粥黑豆、淮山、芝麻、糯米、枸杞、去皮核的黑棗。黑豆與糯米洗淨，全部材料浸泡溫開水30分鐘，再以果汁機攪勻成漿，倒出煮熟即可服食。◆壯腰脊黑豆黑豆5錢、桑寄生5錢、川斷3錢、生芪5錢、當歸3錢、 杜仲3錢、黑棗1兩。燉煮適量排骨並調味。●黑豆加工製品◆十全大補豆。【功效】：補養氣血。【主治】：四肢不溫，困頓乏力，精神不振，腰脊酸軟。【配方】：黑豆1,200克、黃芪1兩、當歸1兩、熟地1兩、川芎5錢、白芍1兩、黨參1兩、桂枝5錢、龍眼乾1兩、茯苓1兩、食鹽5錢。【製法】；取中藥加水10公升，武火煮開之後換文火再煮2小時，濾去藥渣，取藥汁加食鹽與黑豆一同浸泡，待涼放入冰箱1天，再取出武火煮1小時，文火熬至藥汁低於黑豆，濾去藥汁，取出陰乾，密封保藏。◆首烏鹽黑豆【功效】：固齒黑髮。【主治】：齒牙動搖，腎虛齒浮，齒痛，頭髮早白，各種脫髮、班禿等症。【配方】：黑大豆 5,000克、何首烏1,000克、大青鹽 60克。（青鹽可以通用的食鹽代替）。【製法】：先取何首烏與青鹽，加水約20公升共煮，先用武火煮開，文火再煮1小時以上，濾去藥渣，取藥液備用。倒入淹沒黑豆為度的藥液，與黑豆同煮，武火煮半小時，撈出陰至八成乾，再加藥液同煮，再撈出陰乾，如此反覆9次即成。【服法】：平時食用，每次細細咀嚼20～30粒，長期食用必然獲效。【按語】：主藥黑豆、首烏，都有補腎固齒烏髮的功效，此方是著名的中醫學家趙炳南先生介紹出來的，他曾經親眼見過一位年逾古稀的講評書先生，此人鬚髮烏黑、腿腳靈便、聲若洪鐘、牙齒完整，他的祕密就是長期堅持吃何首烏鹽黑豆，即使是在講評書的時候，也是邊講邊吃，細嚼慢嚥，細嚼本身就有固齒的功用。這個方法把黑豆和首烏用入腎的青鹽，有機的結合起來，這是相當有創意和實用性的
黑豆 唯一入腎的黑色食品 養陰補氣、活血利水、祛風解毒
2. Maple syrup
* put black beans in water for at least 12 hrs
*steam/cook black beans ; blender, mix well with water and syrup
* get a cup of the black bean mixture, add some more water or milk, depends on how thick you want the drink to be.
*microwave it, VIOLA!
*good for breakfast, or whenever u feel hungry!
*** black bean is a very good food! It canmake you smarter (Lechitin), lower the cholesterol, prevent atheroscelorsis, darken the hair (no need to dye your hair again!), good for skin, makes you look YOUNGER, Antioxidant, prevent clotting of the blood vessels, high in fibers, a good diuretics, ease the Post MS syndrome (good for women!), high in iron,
*it's important to fully cook the beans!
本草網目》指出在各種大豆之中，僅將黑豆列為中藥的一種， 可想而知黑豆的醫學價值是極之高，其中最顯著的功效便是滋潤養顏、健脾益腎，因為黑豆含有豐富蛋白質、維生素A、胡蘿蔔素等多種皮膚營養要素，常服肌膚潤澤、面色紅潤，令容顏重展青春氣息，難怪黑豆能夠成為近年健康美容的首選食品！ 談及黑豆，在中國古老的觀念中，認為具有抗衰、防老、養顏美容的功能。
唐代陳藏器的《本草拾遺》記載，黑豆能「明目鎮心，溫補。久服，好顏色，變白不老。」明代李時珍所著的《本草綱目》也有「李守愚每晨水吞黑豆二七枚，到老不衰」的記載。
事實上，最新的研究也證實，黑豆的確具有降血脂、抗氧化、養顏美容的效果。
降血脂，預防心血管疾病
黑豆含有15％的油脂中，以不飽和脂肪酸為主，可促進膽固醇的代謝、降低血脂。
文化大學食品營養系教授趙璧玉、中央研究院植物所副研究員楊棋明，最新的研究也初步證實，黑豆可以抑制血液中的低密度脂蛋白氧化速度，有效降低三酸甘油脂的濃度，減少心血管疾病的威脅。而且，無論是身體健康的人，或是動脈粥狀硬化的病人，黑豆都顯現出降血脂的效果。
在動物實驗上，則是吃了維生素E的高血脂兔子，沒有動脈粥狀硬化病變，黑豆組效果次之，吃黃豆和一般飼料的兔子血管栓塞最嚴重。「令人驚訝的是，在降低動脈血管硬化、預防血管栓塞的效果上，黑豆竟然比黃豆好，」趙璧玉樂觀地表示。
抗氧化，延緩老化
黑豆也含有許多的抗氧化成分，最特別的是異黃酮素、花青素。
在《本草綱目》中記載，黑豆有延年益壽、返老還童的效果。楊棋明推測，應該與黑豆中的抗氧化成分如異黃酮素、花青素有關，所以能延緩老化。
根據中興大學食品科學系教授顏國欽的研究，黑豆的異黃酮素含量高於黃豆。楊棋明也研究證實，對於身體健康和動脈粥狀硬化的人，「黑豆的抗氧化能力都比黃豆強。」
一般來說，種皮只要是深紫紅色或黑色，就含有花青素，例如黑豆、葡萄皮、桑椹。花青素是很好的抗氧化劑來源，能消除體內的自由基，尤其是在酸性環境如胃中，抗氧化效果更好。
養顏美容，增加腸胃蠕動
黑豆還含有豐富的抗氧化劑──維生素E，能清除體內的自由基，減少皮膚皺紋，達到養顏美容、保持青春的目的。
在古代很多藥典中，都記載黑豆可以「駐顏、明目、烏髮、使皮膚變白嫩」。宋朝著名文學家蘇東坡就曾記述，當時京城內外，少男少女都為了養顏美容而服食黑豆。
此外，三軍總醫院營養部主任金惠民也指出，黑豆含有5％的纖維質，可促進腸胃蠕動，預防便祕。
過去，曾有青春痘患者在食用黑豆一段時間後，情況好轉。「這應該是因為黑豆中的纖維質含量高，吃了一段時間後，自然會加強腸道的排毒作用，」金惠民解釋說。
宜煮熟，而非生吞
前衛生署中醫藥委員會執行祕書張步桃每天都吞生黑豆，而這股流行風潮也曾經席捲台灣。
但是，成大醫院營養部主任彭巧珍對此則持保留態度，因為除了沒有吸收到任何營養素，「這就像吞一顆小石頭，頂多會刺激一下腸道，但對腸胃不好的人，生硬的黑豆反而更容易造成腸阻塞，」彭巧珍特別提醒危險性。
為了要了解吞生黑豆的保健功效，楊棋明也曾親身試驗，並問過周遭親友的經驗。他發現，由於整顆生黑豆很難被消化、吸收，所以大家都是將整顆黑豆排出體外。
趙璧玉也特別提醒，生黑豆的缺點還包括，所含的寡糖容易造成脹氣，尤其是胃不好的人，生吞更會覺得不舒服。
此外，生黑豆中的胰蛋白酵素抑制劑，會降低蛋白質吸收、利用；血球凝集素則會抑制生長；甲狀腺腫素會降低碘的吸收，造成甲狀腺機能不全與腫大。而這些成分只要經過加熱烹煮，都會被破壞掉，因此最好還是熟食，或吃磨粉、加工品。
最好搭配正餐食用
黑豆的吃法很多，例如黑豆粉可撒在飯上，或拌麵、沙拉，或是用來做麵包、麻糬。黑豆豆腐則可涼拌、滷或紅燒。
不過，一般人最喜愛的豆腐，以黃仁黑豆做的豆腐口感、保水性，較青仁黑豆好，但還是比不上黃豆豆腐。因為黑豆的種皮上含有單寧酸，多了一點澀味，少了豆香味。
此外，已經習慣生吞黑豆的人，「最好與正餐一起食用，」金惠民建議。因為空腹吃，生硬的黑豆在胃中單獨被研磨，對胃炎患者可能產生不適、疼痛的感覺。而且，與正餐一起食用，纖維質可增加食物的粘稠度，在胃中停留的時間加長，增加飽足感。
趙璧玉則認為，衛生署建議每天4份的蛋豆魚肉類，其中有一份來自豆類製品如黑豆、黃豆，確實是個不錯的替代選擇。但若以蛋白質的消化率來說，黃豆則優於黑豆。
養生保健，不能只吃黑豆。正確、健康的觀念應該是：黑豆只是正餐中的配角。
味甘 活血化瘀、利水祛風、解毒、補腎明目、鎮靜、抗衰老、降低血清膽固醇、改善心脈的營養血流、烏髮、潤肌膚。 水腫脹滿、浮腫、腰腿痠痛，尤其老人肝腎不足之耳聾目眩、腰膝軟弱。 注意事項 １、黑豆含鐵量比一般豆類高一倍，自古以來以黑豆最補。 ２、黑豆能治療一切水腫如濕水腫、腎病水腫，以及腫脹風濕痺痛等症，對病後虛弱的人有滋補作用。 ３、本品含微量黃酮和染料木素均有雌激素樣作用，可使子宮的重量增加，增加機體免疫功能。 眼疲勞主要是由於電腦辦公、看書或看電視等長時間過度用眼而產生的眼睛疲勞。黑豆味甘、性平，含豐富的蛋白質、胡蘿蔔素、維生素B1、維生素B2、煙酸等營養物質，有補腎強身、活血利水、解毒、滋陰明目的功效。枸杞性味甘平，能夠滋補肝腎、益精明目和養血、增強免疫力。現代醫學認為，枸杞能有效緩解疲勞、降低血壓、保肝降糖、軟化血管、降血脂、治腎衰。體質虛弱、抵抗力差的人更適宜長期食用。
下面教大家做一款“黑豆枸杞粥”，能有效幫你趕走眼疲勞。黑豆100克，枸杞子3～5克，紅棗5～10個，料酒、薑汁、食鹽各適量。加水適量，用急火煮沸後，改用文火熬至黑豆爛熟，即可取湯飲用，每日早、晚飲用，每次2～3杯為宜，可長期飲用。黑豆粥可以加入冰糖30～50克溶化後直接飲用，也可以將剛煮好的黑豆粥，加入2～3朵菊花（菊花有清肝明目之功效，小而顏色泛黃的菊花是上選）泡開後飲用，對防治眼睛疲勞、視力模糊效果更好。還可以取黑豆粥加入核桃粉1匙、牛奶10毫升、蜂蜜1匙，改善眼疲勞效果也很明顯。
黑米粥最適合眼部容易疲勞的“電腦族”、“電視迷”長期堅持喝，每天喝一點，才能見效。但要注意，熬粥時枸杞不可過量，一般來說，健康的成年人每天食用最好不超過20克。有感冒、發燒、炎症、腹瀉等病症的人熬粥時，不要放枸杞，僅用黑米熬粥即可，亦可用決明子代替枸杞。 （人民網-《健康時報》 李 博）
黑豆可預防糖尿病
健康提醒
用老鼠進行的一項新研究表明：黑豆可能是一種神奇的食物，常吃它好處多多，可以預防肥胖，降低膽固醇水準，甚至可能減少患糖尿病的風險。
最近，一支南韓的研究團隊用32隻老鼠對黑豆的療效進行了研究，相關論文刊登在《食品科學與家學》雜誌的2月刊上。實驗中，研究人員先將老鼠分成兩組，再分 別用脂肪含量相同的食物對它們進行餵養，但其中一組的老鼠同時還可吃到黑豆。兩周之後差別出來了，吃黑豆的老鼠體重增加的量僅是對照組老鼠增重的一半。同時，前者血液中膽固醇水準下降了25%，所謂的壞膽固醇含量下降了10%。
大衛·班德是倫敦皇家自由大學醫學院的副教授，據他稱，黑豆中含有的蛋白質通過減緩肝臟和脂肪組織中脂肪新陳代謝的速度，從而可以達到減少各種脂肪酸和膽固醇產量的目的，體內各種脂肪的數量減少了，糖尿病也就不容易得了。這可能有助於理解為什麼在亞洲黑豆會成為一種治療糖尿病的傳統藥物。
班德說：“二型糖尿病之所以難治，關鍵在於它會破壞胰島素的生成，結果主要表現為過多的腹部贅肉———所以減肥通常有助於提高機體的血糖控制能力。”
而在這之前，研究還顯示，黃豆也有助於降低膽固醇，各種大豆均有防範心臟病和癌症的作用
黑豆能夠活化血液、肝臟、胰臟等內臟，使體重減輕，減少白髮，抑制喉痛與膝痛，對身體內外發揮力量，使全身變得年輕。
中醫認為，黑豆味甘、性平，有活血化瘀、利水祛風、解毒、補腎明目、鎮靜、抗衰老、降低血清膽固醇、改善心脈的營養血流、烏髮、潤肌膚等功效，對水腫脹滿、浮腫、腰腿痠痛，尤其老人肝、腎功能不足之耳聾目眩、腰膝軟弱能發揮良好的作用。
黑豆含有豐富的營養成分，適合男女老幼，在本書中，我們將黑豆對身體的益處，以及其他症狀，諸如：腎虛、頻尿、耳鳴、風濕、高血壓、糖尿病甚至減重等等所產生的神奇效果，一一提出探討和說明，相信這種自然界的優良產物──黑豆，會為您與您的家人帶來更大的幸福。
黑豆是高蛋白食品，蛋白質含量是牛奶的12倍；又不含膽固醇，黑豆19%是油脂，主要是不飽和脂肪酸，有降低血中膽固醇的作用。皂甙有抑制脂肪吸收並促進其分解的作用，因而預防肥胖和動脈硬化。所含卵磷脂可以健腦益智，防止大腦老化。含有的豐富維生素E可以延續青春活力，粗纖維素可以促進腸蠕動而通便，所以黑豆自古以來就被視為極重要養生保健食品，因為以上所說的幾乎包括現代人所有的毛病，如：肥胖、高血脂、高血壓、動脈硬化、中風、老年痴呆、便祕等等。可見不只是有用於古人，更是切合現代人的需求。但是當真是如此神效呢？又為何不見全國同胞一體遵行呢？這是因為大家無法詳細了解黑豆而誤用，這樣效果不彰，能怪誰呢！例如幾年前生吞黑豆的風潮，不明究竟的亂吞，導致有的人腹脹、腹瀉，甚至有直腸癌患者服食黑豆引起腸梗阻而逝世，這就辜負了當初推廣此一良善經驗的名醫。這是因為生黑豆中含有的胰蛋白酵素抑制劑，會降低蛋白質吸收與利用；另外血球凝集素則會抑制生長。而這些不好的成分只要經過加工烹調，就都會被破壞掉，所以建議煮食或是服食加工製品。李時珍在《本草綱目》提到豆有五色，各治五臟，唯黑豆屬水性寒，為腎之穀，入腎功多，故能治水、消脹、下氣、治風熱而活血解毒，所謂同氣相求也。又有人因為近代藥理研究結論，所以有人認為黑豆也有養陰補氣，可作為強壯滋補藥。但是唐朝孫思邈孫真人也說少食醒脾，多食損脾也。在《千金翼方》中指出久服令人身重。所以《本草匯言》也說性利而質堅滑，多食令人腹脹而利下矣。如何篩選優質黑豆購買黑皮青仁的黑豆，黑屬腎，青屬肝，青仁黑豆兼具滋補肝腎之功。使用前先去除較小不成熟和破裂的，再用水洗淨，然後撈去浮在水面的黑豆，最後瀝乾備用。所以接下來介紹幾種煮食藥膳，中藥再加工製品，以及黑豆酒。●黑豆藥膳◆滋補黑豆粥黑豆、淮山、芝麻、糯米、枸杞、去皮核的黑棗。黑豆與糯米洗淨，全部材料浸泡溫開水30分鐘，再以果汁機攪勻成漿，倒出煮熟即可服食。◆壯腰脊黑豆黑豆5錢、桑寄生5錢、川斷3錢、生芪5錢、當歸3錢、 杜仲3錢、黑棗1兩。燉煮適量排骨並調味。●黑豆加工製品◆十全大補豆。【功效】：補養氣血。【主治】：四肢不溫，困頓乏力，精神不振，腰脊酸軟。【配方】：黑豆1,200克、黃芪1兩、當歸1兩、熟地1兩、川芎5錢、白芍1兩、黨參1兩、桂枝5錢、龍眼乾1兩、茯苓1兩、食鹽5錢。【製法】；取中藥加水10公升，武火煮開之後換文火再煮2小時，濾去藥渣，取藥汁加食鹽與黑豆一同浸泡，待涼放入冰箱1天，再取出武火煮1小時，文火熬至藥汁低於黑豆，濾去藥汁，取出陰乾，密封保藏。◆首烏鹽黑豆【功效】：固齒黑髮。【主治】：齒牙動搖，腎虛齒浮，齒痛，頭髮早白，各種脫髮、班禿等症。【配方】：黑大豆 5,000克、何首烏1,000克、大青鹽 60克。（青鹽可以通用的食鹽代替）。【製法】：先取何首烏與青鹽，加水約20公升共煮，先用武火煮開，文火再煮1小時以上，濾去藥渣，取藥液備用。倒入淹沒黑豆為度的藥液，與黑豆同煮，武火煮半小時，撈出陰至八成乾，再加藥液同煮，再撈出陰乾，如此反覆9次即成。【服法】：平時食用，每次細細咀嚼20～30粒，長期食用必然獲效。【按語】：主藥黑豆、首烏，都有補腎固齒烏髮的功效，此方是著名的中醫學家趙炳南先生介紹出來的，他曾經親眼見過一位年逾古稀的講評書先生，此人鬚髮烏黑、腿腳靈便、聲若洪鐘、牙齒完整，他的祕密就是長期堅持吃何首烏鹽黑豆，即使是在講評書的時候，也是邊講邊吃，細嚼慢嚥，細嚼本身就有固齒的功用。這個方法把黑豆和首烏用入腎的青鹽，有機的結合起來，這是相當有創意和實用性的
黑豆 唯一入腎的黑色食品 養陰補氣、活血利水、祛風解毒
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
10 Things Your Plastic Surgeon
http://money.aol.com/smoney/insurance/canvas3/_a/10-things-your-plastic-surgeon-wont-tell/20070430124809990001
10 Things Your Plastic SurgeonWon't Tell You -- (Page 1)
By JIM RENDON
Page 1 l Page 21. "I trained a whole weekend to learn this procedure."With skyrocketing malpractice premiums and the Kafka-esque insurance system, it's little wonder M.D.s are flocking to the plastic surgery biz. It's easy to get into (legally, any doctor can do it), patients pay up front for surgery, and demand is surging: The number of cosmetic procedures doubled between 2000 and 2006, making it a $12 billion-a-year industry.
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More Secret Keepers
The best surgeons spend years honing their chops in residencies; by contrast, those hoping to offer a little Botox along with flu shots tend to opt for less rigorous training -- like the popular weekend classes at the International Society of Cosmetogynecology, an odd but official-sounding organization that promotes plastic surgery as an extension of gynecology. Its three-day courses cover liposuction and injectables. Empire Medical Training offers an even thriftier nine-hour seminar on lipo -- two hours of which are devoted to marketing.Real plastic surgeons are appalled. "Any licensed physician can put up a plaque and say they do plastic surgery regardless of training, and that's scary," says Roxanne Guy, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
2. "I make a mint off other surgeons' mistakes."When 35-year-old Kelley Young of Fresno, Calif., looks at her wedding photos, all she can see is her plastic surgery disaster: Young's nose is bent to one side, and its tip is misshapen. "Those photos just look ugly, ugly all over," she says. Later, when Young went back to her doctor for a fix, he tried snapping her nose back into place -- without anesthetic. A year later she finally found a competent plastic surgeon to fix the problem.Young is hardly alone. In fact, she's part of a new growth area in the field: fixing botched cosmetic procedures. According to a survey by the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, one in five nose jobs are corrections of a failed procedure. Stanley Frileck, an associate clinical professor of plastic surgery at UCLA, says that 35% of his work is fixing the mistakes of other surgeons. Botched rhinoplasty, face-lifts and eyebrow procedures are the most common. Not only are these repairs more complex than the initial surgery, but they can cost up to three times as much, Frileck says --and the result is never quite as good as a well-done procedure would have been in the first place.3. "Sure, I can turn back the clock, but it just starts ticking again."Just because you shelled out $10,000 for a face-lift doesn't mean you're set for life. Even the most skillful work will need some attention a decade or two down the line. Some jobs may require supplemental fillers (compounds that are injected under wrinkle lines in the skin) or minor surgery to tighten up a few sags, while others could call for a repeat of the same procedure. "All cosmetic surgery has a life span," says Richard D'Amico, president elect of the ASPS. "Procedures will not last forever."Surgery to tighten droopy eyelids, for example, often needs to be revisited after a decade, and any work on the lower face will age more quickly than that on the upper face since the lower is fleshier and has less bone for sagging jowls to hang onto. Breast implants are the most predictable: Like any foreign objects in the body, they'll eventually be surrounded by scar tissue, which can make breasts hard and painful. That's why every decade or two, depending on the patient, most implants need to be replaced. While 300,000 women receive implants annually, 25,000 have them removed. "It's strictly a function of time," Frileck says.4. "You'd be better off spending this money on a good therapist."
Plastic surgery doesn't make you crazy, but those who have had it, both men and women, are more likely to suffer from psychological problems. Several studies in the mid-1990s found that women who chose to get breast implants were two to three times more likely to commit suicide; other studies have found that 20% of plastic surgery patients have undergone some form of psychological treatment.Up to 15% of plastic surgery patients suffer from "body dysmorphic disorder," marked by obsessive and exaggerated concern over aspects of one's appearance. It may sound like a convenient diagnosis for our beauty-obsessed culture, but it is a very real, very dangerous condition, says David Sarwer, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "At the extreme, people will not leave their home they're so preoccupied with how they look," Sarwer says. BDD sufferers often seek plastic surgery hoping it will magically transform their lives, and when it doesn't, they may harm themselves. Every plastic surgeon worth his salt asks probing questions to gauge patients' motives, but to date there's no standardized screening tool for BDD.5. "Of course I'm board certified -- for what that's worth."A board-certified plastic surgeon should be the best, right? Not always. Because any doctor can perform any cosmetic procedure, and because certification boards are self-regulating, many certifications aren't so telling. The American Board of Laser Surgery, for example, certifies nurses, veterinarians and oral surgeons in laser surgery -- through a take-home written exam. Meanwhile, two different boards certify practitioners of "mesotherapy," the use of injections to dissipate cellulite, although there's little evidence to suggest it works. "To say you're 'board certified' is meaningless," says Michael McGuire, of the ASPS.There are some certifications that matter: The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the most rigorous for this specialty and the only certification body for plastic surgery recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Members of the ABPS have completed residencies in both general surgery and plastic surgery and are trained to do all procedures from liposuction to nose jobs. Likewise, physicians with board certifications in either otolaryngology or in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery also have reliable training in procedures above the collarbone.
6. "You can get this done for a fraction of the price overseas."When Janette McNeal decided to get some work done, the 55-year-old Tulsa, Okla., homemaker balked at the $10,000 cost of a face- and neck-lift. McNeal decided to look overseas and wound up having surgery in Malaysia, where the same $10,000 bought her the face-lift plus liposuction in three areas, a tummy tuck and an eyelid lift.It's not for everyone, but "medical tourism" is less risky than it used to be. Since 2000, Joint Commission International, the international wing of an organization that accredits U.S. hospitals, has okayed 110 facilities overseas. Also, private companies that do their own screening have sprung up to guide patients through the process. One of those, Med Retreat, visits each hospital it uses and guarantees that the best surgeons will be on the case.But medical tourism still has its hazards. It can be tough determining doctors' qualifications, and eager patients may try to cram in too many surgeries at once, requiring a longer recovery and boosting the chance of lethal blood clots, a risk already increased by flying. Travel following surgery can also up the possibility of infection. And if something goes wrong, well, forget a malpractice suit.
7. "I make my living off the fat of the land -- literally."The number of Americans who lose 100 pounds or more is increasing. But dropping the weight is just part of the process; next comes what's known as body contouring. After a person loses so much weight, his skin does not snap back, leaving folds of excess skin on his thighs, back, torso, abdomen and neck, which can cause rashes and make fitting into clothes and exercising problematic. In many cases the extra skin must be removed through extreme versions of breast augmentations, tummy tucks and other procedures. And there are often complications: The remaining damaged skin can die or separate after the procedure, requiring additional surgeries. Despite all the problems, body-contouring surgery is increasingly popular; between 2004 and 2005, the number of procedures increased by 22%, to 31,000.After Michele Fitch, a teacher in Melbourne, Fla., lost 190 pounds, she waited eight years to have the follow-up surgery. She wanted to make sure she could keep the weight off, and she needed to save money -- insurance often pays for the gastric bypass, but it rarely covers contouring. First she had skin removed from her arms and chest. Then 10 pounds of skin was cut from her sternum to her bikini line and from hip to hip. Out-of-pocket cost to date: $33,000. And Fitch still faces two more surgeries on her legs.8. "Long-term effects? Beats me."More than most other specialists, plastic surgeons are under pressure to compete with one another, and an easy way to get the upper hand is to offer all the latest technology. "There is great pressure for physicians to jump on the bandwagon of a new filler or technique before it is really evaluated," McGuire says. "And their ethics are not too high to begin with."Doctors are often happy to try new techniques before the long-term effects are known, and in some cases they're performing procedures that already have poor track records. Injecting a person's own fat from other areas into her breasts for enlargement is on its way to popularity again. When this was tried years ago, much of the fat died, causing unsightly rippling and lumps. But that wasn't the worst of it: The tiny calcifications that resulted from the dead fat were easily confused with tumors and rendered mammograms less effective. While some argue that new techniques and better mammograms have eliminated these problems, McGuire is certain that this rush to the latest and greatest will once again produce disastrous consequences.9. "Silicone's back — and putting my kids through college!"
Fifteen years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned them for elective use and after massive class-action lawsuits bankrupted their manufacturer, silicone breast implants have gotten the green light again. Though there's no conclusive evidence that silicone from ruptured implants causes the problems once associated with it, the FDA is staying cautious, recommending that patients undergo a long list of expensive follow-up tests over the long term. Due to concern about leaks, the FDA has required labeling that instructs those with the implants to get MRIs to check for ruptures after three years, then once every two years after that. Silicone implants should also be replaced every 10 years.There's no actual mandate for these procedures, and some doctors say that patients won't follow through, especially once they start tallying the bill: The initial surgery can cost between $5,000 and $10,000; MRIs are about $1,500 apiece, and you'll need four over a decade; and the replacement surgery can cost about as much as the original procedure. Grand total: between $11,000 and $16,000 every 10 years.10. "Those who need surgery the most will benefit from it the least."Most people turn to plastic surgery when they feel age has finally caught up with them and nothing else will rid them of that troublesome bulge. But the dirty little secret of plastic surgery is that with many procedures, the more you need it, the less you can expect.Those who have damaged skin, more common as we age, can expect some serious complications. Skin stretched by weight gain, for example, loses its elasticity; following liposuction it may not snap back into place but hang like an apron over the area that was suctioned. Because smokers have poor circulation to the epidermis, their skin can die after surgery, meaning months of unsightly scars and possible additional surgery. And procedures such as a face-lift done on sun-damaged skin won't last as long and may result in more-prominent scarring. Likewise, those hoping for dramatic weight loss from liposuction are looking in the wrong place; surgeons say it's meant only to shape a certain part of the body in conjunction with diet and exercise.Ironically, those who need cosmetic surgery the least -- generally, those who are younger and opt for a little tweaking here and there -- are going to fare the best. "How well a person cares for themselves throughout life is very important," says Mark Jewell, former president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
10 Things Your Plastic SurgeonWon't Tell You -- (Page 1)
By JIM RENDON
Page 1 l Page 21. "I trained a whole weekend to learn this procedure."With skyrocketing malpractice premiums and the Kafka-esque insurance system, it's little wonder M.D.s are flocking to the plastic surgery biz. It's easy to get into (legally, any doctor can do it), patients pay up front for surgery, and demand is surging: The number of cosmetic procedures doubled between 2000 and 2006, making it a $12 billion-a-year industry.
.banner {margin:20px 0px 5px 0px;}
More Secret Keepers
The best surgeons spend years honing their chops in residencies; by contrast, those hoping to offer a little Botox along with flu shots tend to opt for less rigorous training -- like the popular weekend classes at the International Society of Cosmetogynecology, an odd but official-sounding organization that promotes plastic surgery as an extension of gynecology. Its three-day courses cover liposuction and injectables. Empire Medical Training offers an even thriftier nine-hour seminar on lipo -- two hours of which are devoted to marketing.Real plastic surgeons are appalled. "Any licensed physician can put up a plaque and say they do plastic surgery regardless of training, and that's scary," says Roxanne Guy, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
2. "I make a mint off other surgeons' mistakes."When 35-year-old Kelley Young of Fresno, Calif., looks at her wedding photos, all she can see is her plastic surgery disaster: Young's nose is bent to one side, and its tip is misshapen. "Those photos just look ugly, ugly all over," she says. Later, when Young went back to her doctor for a fix, he tried snapping her nose back into place -- without anesthetic. A year later she finally found a competent plastic surgeon to fix the problem.Young is hardly alone. In fact, she's part of a new growth area in the field: fixing botched cosmetic procedures. According to a survey by the American Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, one in five nose jobs are corrections of a failed procedure. Stanley Frileck, an associate clinical professor of plastic surgery at UCLA, says that 35% of his work is fixing the mistakes of other surgeons. Botched rhinoplasty, face-lifts and eyebrow procedures are the most common. Not only are these repairs more complex than the initial surgery, but they can cost up to three times as much, Frileck says --and the result is never quite as good as a well-done procedure would have been in the first place.3. "Sure, I can turn back the clock, but it just starts ticking again."Just because you shelled out $10,000 for a face-lift doesn't mean you're set for life. Even the most skillful work will need some attention a decade or two down the line. Some jobs may require supplemental fillers (compounds that are injected under wrinkle lines in the skin) or minor surgery to tighten up a few sags, while others could call for a repeat of the same procedure. "All cosmetic surgery has a life span," says Richard D'Amico, president elect of the ASPS. "Procedures will not last forever."Surgery to tighten droopy eyelids, for example, often needs to be revisited after a decade, and any work on the lower face will age more quickly than that on the upper face since the lower is fleshier and has less bone for sagging jowls to hang onto. Breast implants are the most predictable: Like any foreign objects in the body, they'll eventually be surrounded by scar tissue, which can make breasts hard and painful. That's why every decade or two, depending on the patient, most implants need to be replaced. While 300,000 women receive implants annually, 25,000 have them removed. "It's strictly a function of time," Frileck says.4. "You'd be better off spending this money on a good therapist."
Plastic surgery doesn't make you crazy, but those who have had it, both men and women, are more likely to suffer from psychological problems. Several studies in the mid-1990s found that women who chose to get breast implants were two to three times more likely to commit suicide; other studies have found that 20% of plastic surgery patients have undergone some form of psychological treatment.Up to 15% of plastic surgery patients suffer from "body dysmorphic disorder," marked by obsessive and exaggerated concern over aspects of one's appearance. It may sound like a convenient diagnosis for our beauty-obsessed culture, but it is a very real, very dangerous condition, says David Sarwer, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "At the extreme, people will not leave their home they're so preoccupied with how they look," Sarwer says. BDD sufferers often seek plastic surgery hoping it will magically transform their lives, and when it doesn't, they may harm themselves. Every plastic surgeon worth his salt asks probing questions to gauge patients' motives, but to date there's no standardized screening tool for BDD.5. "Of course I'm board certified -- for what that's worth."A board-certified plastic surgeon should be the best, right? Not always. Because any doctor can perform any cosmetic procedure, and because certification boards are self-regulating, many certifications aren't so telling. The American Board of Laser Surgery, for example, certifies nurses, veterinarians and oral surgeons in laser surgery -- through a take-home written exam. Meanwhile, two different boards certify practitioners of "mesotherapy," the use of injections to dissipate cellulite, although there's little evidence to suggest it works. "To say you're 'board certified' is meaningless," says Michael McGuire, of the ASPS.There are some certifications that matter: The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the most rigorous for this specialty and the only certification body for plastic surgery recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. Members of the ABPS have completed residencies in both general surgery and plastic surgery and are trained to do all procedures from liposuction to nose jobs. Likewise, physicians with board certifications in either otolaryngology or in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery also have reliable training in procedures above the collarbone.
6. "You can get this done for a fraction of the price overseas."When Janette McNeal decided to get some work done, the 55-year-old Tulsa, Okla., homemaker balked at the $10,000 cost of a face- and neck-lift. McNeal decided to look overseas and wound up having surgery in Malaysia, where the same $10,000 bought her the face-lift plus liposuction in three areas, a tummy tuck and an eyelid lift.It's not for everyone, but "medical tourism" is less risky than it used to be. Since 2000, Joint Commission International, the international wing of an organization that accredits U.S. hospitals, has okayed 110 facilities overseas. Also, private companies that do their own screening have sprung up to guide patients through the process. One of those, Med Retreat, visits each hospital it uses and guarantees that the best surgeons will be on the case.But medical tourism still has its hazards. It can be tough determining doctors' qualifications, and eager patients may try to cram in too many surgeries at once, requiring a longer recovery and boosting the chance of lethal blood clots, a risk already increased by flying. Travel following surgery can also up the possibility of infection. And if something goes wrong, well, forget a malpractice suit.
7. "I make my living off the fat of the land -- literally."The number of Americans who lose 100 pounds or more is increasing. But dropping the weight is just part of the process; next comes what's known as body contouring. After a person loses so much weight, his skin does not snap back, leaving folds of excess skin on his thighs, back, torso, abdomen and neck, which can cause rashes and make fitting into clothes and exercising problematic. In many cases the extra skin must be removed through extreme versions of breast augmentations, tummy tucks and other procedures. And there are often complications: The remaining damaged skin can die or separate after the procedure, requiring additional surgeries. Despite all the problems, body-contouring surgery is increasingly popular; between 2004 and 2005, the number of procedures increased by 22%, to 31,000.After Michele Fitch, a teacher in Melbourne, Fla., lost 190 pounds, she waited eight years to have the follow-up surgery. She wanted to make sure she could keep the weight off, and she needed to save money -- insurance often pays for the gastric bypass, but it rarely covers contouring. First she had skin removed from her arms and chest. Then 10 pounds of skin was cut from her sternum to her bikini line and from hip to hip. Out-of-pocket cost to date: $33,000. And Fitch still faces two more surgeries on her legs.8. "Long-term effects? Beats me."More than most other specialists, plastic surgeons are under pressure to compete with one another, and an easy way to get the upper hand is to offer all the latest technology. "There is great pressure for physicians to jump on the bandwagon of a new filler or technique before it is really evaluated," McGuire says. "And their ethics are not too high to begin with."Doctors are often happy to try new techniques before the long-term effects are known, and in some cases they're performing procedures that already have poor track records. Injecting a person's own fat from other areas into her breasts for enlargement is on its way to popularity again. When this was tried years ago, much of the fat died, causing unsightly rippling and lumps. But that wasn't the worst of it: The tiny calcifications that resulted from the dead fat were easily confused with tumors and rendered mammograms less effective. While some argue that new techniques and better mammograms have eliminated these problems, McGuire is certain that this rush to the latest and greatest will once again produce disastrous consequences.9. "Silicone's back — and putting my kids through college!"
Fifteen years after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned them for elective use and after massive class-action lawsuits bankrupted their manufacturer, silicone breast implants have gotten the green light again. Though there's no conclusive evidence that silicone from ruptured implants causes the problems once associated with it, the FDA is staying cautious, recommending that patients undergo a long list of expensive follow-up tests over the long term. Due to concern about leaks, the FDA has required labeling that instructs those with the implants to get MRIs to check for ruptures after three years, then once every two years after that. Silicone implants should also be replaced every 10 years.There's no actual mandate for these procedures, and some doctors say that patients won't follow through, especially once they start tallying the bill: The initial surgery can cost between $5,000 and $10,000; MRIs are about $1,500 apiece, and you'll need four over a decade; and the replacement surgery can cost about as much as the original procedure. Grand total: between $11,000 and $16,000 every 10 years.10. "Those who need surgery the most will benefit from it the least."Most people turn to plastic surgery when they feel age has finally caught up with them and nothing else will rid them of that troublesome bulge. But the dirty little secret of plastic surgery is that with many procedures, the more you need it, the less you can expect.Those who have damaged skin, more common as we age, can expect some serious complications. Skin stretched by weight gain, for example, loses its elasticity; following liposuction it may not snap back into place but hang like an apron over the area that was suctioned. Because smokers have poor circulation to the epidermis, their skin can die after surgery, meaning months of unsightly scars and possible additional surgery. And procedures such as a face-lift done on sun-damaged skin won't last as long and may result in more-prominent scarring. Likewise, those hoping for dramatic weight loss from liposuction are looking in the wrong place; surgeons say it's meant only to shape a certain part of the body in conjunction with diet and exercise.Ironically, those who need cosmetic surgery the least -- generally, those who are younger and opt for a little tweaking here and there -- are going to fare the best. "How well a person cares for themselves throughout life is very important," says Mark Jewell, former president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
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