... says  who...

  

L'amour vient de l'aveuglement, l'amitie de la connaissance... 

Tata...Bye-Bye Flu...

Do you come down with the flu like clockwork every year as soon as the sun starts to be prickly or the rain starts to pour intensely? Do you feel helpless against the illness? Well, don't despair. These are surefire ways to greatly reduce our chances of getting the flu this year and ahead. And the flu vaccine is not one of them. Though heavily hyped as the best way to prevent the illness, the flu vaccine is loaded with a mix of toxins and bacteria that eventually could harm us more than the flu ever will. It also suppresses our immune system and studies have shown it is not as effective as manufacturers say it is. If you really want to stay healthy follow these safe recommendations: 

Wash Your Hands 

Washing your hands decreases your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other people. If your immune system is strong, it should be able to fight off the virus if it does enter your body, but washing your hands provides extra protection.

Avoid antibacterial soaps as they are completely unnecessary, and can do more harm than good. Instead use a simple chemical-free soap. 

Avoid Sugar

Sugar decreases the function of your immune system, and a strong immune system is key to fighting off viruses and other illness, including the flu. You should definitely avoid sugar if you are coming down with something. Keeping sugar out of your diet does wonders for your health and makes your body stronger, which makes it harder for the flu bug to get you. While avoiding sugar, be sure to load up on nutritious foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. The enzymes in these foods also help fight off illness.

Eat Garlic Regularly

Garlic is antibacterial, antiviral and anti-fungal and should be eater as often as possible. The best way to eat garlic is fresh because it contains more allicin.

Use Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemons also have antibacterial properties. A little fresh lemon juice (about 1 teaspoon) taken each day during flu season will give your immune system a boost. Try a little squeeze in your tea or water to make it taste great.

Get Plenty of Rest

It's harder for your body to fight the flu if it is tired and fatigued. Getting regular rest keeps you strong and gives your body the strength to fight off any potential invaders. A well-rested body is your best defense against harmful germs.

Don't Let Stress Get You Down

We all have stress, but if stress becomes overwhelming your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illnesses. It is believed that up to 90 percent of illness and disease is stress-related. If you feel that stress is taking a toll on your health, do something about it. Stretch, take a soothing bath, listen to music, meditate or get a massage. Whatever it takes.

Exercise

When you exercise, circulation and blood flow increase throughout your body. Because the components of your immune system are also better circulated, your immune system has a better chance of fighting an illness before it can spread.

Take Probiotcs, when Necessary

Did you know the majority of your immune system is in your digestive tract? Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help promote better digestibility and increased absorption of vitamins and minerals, increase resistance to infection and eliminate toxins from the body and stimulate the immune system. By taking an occasional round of probiotics, you can rebuilt the bacteria in your gut and stay well. 

Edited from:  Orlando Woman Newspaper, SPCA Magazine and Epicurean

p/s...Taking care of our mind, body and soul, and pumping up our immune system, is the best way to fight any type of illness. Stay healthy year-round by following a few healthful guidelines and we won't be singing the flu blues ever again...InsyaAllah  ;-D

The  sweetest  sound...

SUNDAY ... R & R ... Rest and Recuperation... hurray!  ;-D

...  lemons ...

When life gives us lemons,

we can either make a sour face  (never come across sweet lemons anyway! )  , 

 or

 we can make lemonades! (just add sugar to the rescue!!!) ;-D

It's  now  or  never... 

Open the door,
you know how little time we have to stay,
and once departed ...
... may return no more...

...drifted...

 ...  no  worries ...

6  cancer-fighting snacks...

Don’t smoke, wear sunscreen, exercise—you likely know these top habits for reducing your risk for breast cancer and other forms of the disease (and hopefully you’re already practicing them!). But there’s one more step you can take every day to cut your cancer odds that’s not only simple, it’s also enjoyable: Eat well! 

Research suggests the phytochemicals in food can fight cancer by doing everything from preventing cellular changes to stopping the flow of blood to a cancerous tumour. As a general rule, aim to eat 2½ cups of fruit and vegetables each day—vary your choices to get a mix of antioxidants and phytochemicals in your diet. For your main protein sources, eat mostly fish, poultry and beans; studies show consuming more than 18 ounces of red meat per week may increase the risk for colon and pancreatic cancer. Keep your grains whole: Fiber helps move poten-tially carcinogenic waste through your system quickly, which may lower the risk for colorectal cancer. And finally, sip tea, which contains catechins, antioxidants that may lower cancer risk. 

Vegetables With Creamy Onion Dip

In a glass bowl, microwave 1 diced scallion in ½ tsp olive oil until fragrant, 1 minute. Whisk in 3 tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp light sour cream, 1 tsp mayonnaise, ¼ tsp each salt and onion powder and a pinch each of black pepper and gar-lic powder. Serve with 1 cup chopped broccoli and cauliflower.

How it fights cancer: Cruciferous veggies, a class that includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, appear to prevent breast, lung and colon cancer. “Different types of estrogens have been associated with both increased and decreased cancer risk. Cruciferous vegetables help your body process estrogen in a way that might lower risk.

Super Savory Popcorn

Pop one 100-calorie bag microwave popcorn. Toss with ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika and a pinch of garlic powder.

How it fights cancer: Whole grains have cancer-fighting antioxidants. Popcorn has the most antioxidants in the snack group; pastas made with whole wheat tops the grain list.

Edamame With Iced Green Tea

Cook 2/3 cup edamame as directed on package. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Serve with 8 to 12 oz iced green tea mixed with ½ tsp honey.

How it fights cancer: To pump up the disease-fighting potential of green tea’s catechins, add a squeeze of citrus: Lemon juice protects the chemicals so more of them are available to your body.

 

Tomato Bruschetta

Spread 1 tbsp part-skim ricotta and 2 tbsp store-bought tomato bruschetta topping on each of 3 slices melba toast or toasted whole-grain baguette.

How it fights cancer: Scientists suspect that the lycopene in tomato works as an antioxidant that protects the body’s cells against certain cancers. Bonus: It also helps reduce your risk for heart disease.

Cheese Plate

Serve 1 oz reduced-fat cheddar with 3/4 cup red grapes and 2 whole-grain crackers.

How it fights cancer: Like vino, the skin of fresh red grapes contains the protective chemical resveratrol, which may reduce your risk for both cancer and heart disease and also sharpen your brain. And there’s no alcohol, which has been linked to certain cancers.

Honey-Ginger Blueberries With Mascarpone

In a pan, heat 1 cup blueberries with 1 tbsp honey and ¼ tsp ground ginger until berries become jammy, 5 minutes. Top berries with 1 tbsp mascarpone and ½ sheet graham cracker broken into bits.

How it fights cancer: Anthocyanins, the pigments behind blueberries’ hue, may fight cancer while also helping brain cells fire faster, so you stay sharp. And the berries’ vitamin C may block the effects of cancer-causing free radicals, help prevent cancer from spreading and enhance immunity. 

Health Mag;  May. 2011