Immune-boosting Diet

Well, well.. H1N1 spreads really fast.. although there’s no case in Malaysia yet.. We have to be careful in case of d spread to our country..

So what actually H1N1 @ selsema babi?

• Influenza A virus subtype H1N1, also know as A(H1N1) or simply H1N1
• It is a subtype of influenza virus A and the most common cause of influenza in humans.
• Swine influenza, or “swine flu”, is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza A viruses. Morbidity tends to be high and mortality low (1-4%). The virus is spread among pigs by aerosols, direct and indirect contact, and asymptomatic carrier pigs. Outbreaks in pigs occur year round, with an increased incidence in the fall and winter in temperate zones. Many countries routinely vaccinate swine populations against swine influenza.
• Some strains of H1N1 are endemic in humans (including the strain(s) responsible for the 1918 flu pandemic ) and the many strains that cause influenza worldwide each year. Other strains of H1N1 are endemic in pigs and in birds. The 1918 flu pandemic killed 50–100 million people worldwide from 1918 to 1919~ byk tuu..
• Low pathogenic H1N1 strains still exist in the wild today, causing roughly half of all flu infections in 2006.
• In March and April 2009, an outbreak of influenza in Mexico has confirmed 192 cases, and 26 fatalities with the new strain of H1N1 were detected.
• As of April 28, the new strain was suspected to have infected more than 2,500 individuals worldwide, with 152 attributed deaths (Selsema Babi). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control warned that it was possible the outbreak could develop into a pandemic.
• On April 27, 2009, the World Health Organization raised alertness from level 3 to level 4 (max 6) worldwide, since (sustained) human-to-human transfer of the virus was confirmed.

Sebagai langkah berjage2, what we can do is boost our immune system so we r less likely utk infected by any pathogen.. Insya Allah..

So here is some tips in term of dietary yg kte ley wat utk meningkatkan daya ketahanan diri..

1. Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects against infection and enhances immunity. Vitamin C works by increasing the production of white blood cells, which fight off infection. It also works by increasing the production of antibodies and in particular, raises levels of interferon, the antibody that coats cell surfaces, preventing the entry of viruses.

Vitamin C sources: citrus fruits, potatoes, green peppers, strawberries and pineapple.

2. Vitamin E: Vitamin E is important to a healthy immune system. One function of vitamin E is that it enhances the production of B-cells, the immune cells that produce antibodies that destroy bacteria. In fact, research shows that people who eat vitamin E rich foods tend to have a higher immunity.

Vitamin E : seeds, vegetable oils and grains.

3. Beta-carotene: Beta Carotene enhances the functioning of your immune system. Beta Carotene works by increasing the number of infection fighting cells, natural killer cells and helper T cells.

Sources: sweet potatoes, carrots, kale, spinach, turnip greens, winter squash, collard greens, cilantro and fresh thyme.

*To enhance the availability of the beta-carotene in these foods, they should be eaten raw or lightly steamed.

4. Zinc: Zinc helps to prevent a weakened immune system. Studies have shown that a zinc deficiency can impair a number of white blood cells and platelets (blood cells involved in clotting), and can increase susceptibility to infection. Excessive zinc intake, however, may impair immunity and increase infections.

Sources of zinc:oysters, liver, lean beef, pork, turkey, lamb, lentils, pumpkin and sesame seeds, garbanzo beans and yogurt.

5. Garlic: Garlic is known for its cold-fighting abilities. It increases the potency of two important cells of the immune system: T-lymphocytes and macrophages. The immune-boosting properties of garlic appear to be due to its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin and sulfides. You can eat it raw or cooked—so start adding it to your favorite foods today!

6. Omega-3 fats: The all important omega-3 fats are essential immune boosters, as they work by increasing the activity of phagocytes, the white blood cells that eat up bacteria. These fats also help strengthen cell membranes, thereby speeding up healing and strengthening resistance to infection in the body.

Omega-3 fats : fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna), flax oil and flaxseeds, omega-3 eggs, nuts and seeds, ground flaxseed to yogurt, baked goods, cereals or smoothies or use unrefined, cold-pressed flax seed oil as a salad dressing.

7. Make time for tea: Green tea is a rich source of a type of antioxidant called a catechin, it may give the beverage antigen-fighting abilities. When researchers at the University of Sherbrooke in Canada added green tea to lab samples of the adenovirus (one of many viruses that causes colds), they discovered that egcg inhibited the virus' ability to replicate. Similarly, researchers in South Korea found that egcg can also stop the influenza virus from replicating. While these studies were conducted in petri dishes instead of human subjects, some researchers believe you can reasonably bank on green tea's benefits -- particularly when it's consumed in place of colas or other sugary beverages with little nutritional benefit. "Green tea catechins can improve lymphocyte responses and seem to have anti-inflammatory effects," Stephensen says.

What to do: Trade at least one cup of coffee each day for green tea. To derive the optimal amounts of catechins from your tea, let the bag steep for at least three minutes in hot water.

Immune Drainers

Some foods or unhealthy lifestyle behaviors can make a person more susceptible to colds and flus. Avoid high-fat, high-sugar junk foods, as they can decrease the activity of the immune system. It’s also best to avoid too much caffeine (pop, coffee, tea, chocolate) as caffeine can undermine your body’s immune system and act as a diuretic, which will deplete your body of water. Also, don’t smoke! Smoking can impair your resistance as well as injure the respiratory tract, which makes you more susceptible to the flu.

Kesimpulannye, Jage kesihatan by:

1. Variety & Balance nutrition- this will ensure adequate nutrients for d body's optimum function

2. Exercise!

13 Things You Should Know About Your Weight

By Joanne Chen

There's been some new breakthroughs in the science of weight loss that are changing the way we look at fat. Find out what the new wisdom says about diets, genes and what causes us to gain.


Eating less and exercising more is old advice for shedding pounds (still, the basics are the most important). Now contemporary science says that genes, hormonal imbalances, and even viruses, play a role in obesity. Here’s the latest thinking behind size and thighs, fatness and fitness.

1. It Really Is Genetic

When first discovered it was called the fatso gene. Turns out, people with two copies of the more politely named FTO gene were 60 percent more likely to be obese than those without it. Scientists now suspect that there are lots of fat genes.

2. More Fat Cells

Some people have twice as many fat cells as others have, says Kirsty Spalding, PhD, of the Karolinska Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Gaining or losing pounds will not change your fat-cell count. But, Spalding says you’re better off with more fat cells than with fewer fat cells that become overstuffed and enlarged.

3. You Can Change Your Metabolism

Another Scandinavian team looked at weight gain on the cellular level. Kirsi Pietiläinen, PhD, an assistant professor of nutrition at Hensinki University Central Hospital University Central Hospital, suspects that gaining as little as 11 pounds can slow metabolism making it harder to lose it. Exercise can change that.

4. Stress Fattens You

Stress spark cravings for carbohydrate-rich snack foods, which can calm stress hormones that signal your body to store fat. So, make time for stress relief to help keep the weight off.

5. Mom's Pregnancy Sealed Your Fate

A growing body of science suggests that sugary and fatty foods, consumed even before you're born can make you fat. Moms-to-be, take note: You can give your kids a head start by eating well before they're born.

6. Sleep More, Lose More

University of Chicago researchers reported that sleep deprivation triggers a decrease in leptin (which helps you feel full) while increasing of ghrelin (which triggers hunger). As a result, we think we're hungry when we’re not. Sleep may be the cheapest and easiest obesity treatment.

7. Your Spouse's Weight Matters

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that if one spouse is obese, the other is 37 percent more likely to become obese too. Obesity seems to spread through social networks.

8. Achoo! The Obesity Virus

Adenoviruses are responsible for a host of ills, from upper respiratory tract problems to gastrointestinal troubles. The link to fat was uncovered when researchers at the University of Wisconsin injected chickens with the viruses and found that certain strains fattened them up.

9. Cookies Are Addictive

When subjects at Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia were shown the names of foods they liked, the parts of the brain that got excited were the same parts activated in drug addicts. It may have to do with dopamine, the hormone linked to motivation and pleasure.

10. Tainted Taste Buds

Researcher Derek Snyder at the Center for Small and Taste, University of Florida, found that ear infections could damage taste nerve running through the middle ear, lessening the ability to sense sweetness and fattiness, causing sufferers to eat more.

11. Antioxidants Are Also Anti-Fat

Free radicals are now blamed not only for making you look old but weakening the “stop eating” signal. The best way to fight back? Avoid the junk and load up on colorful, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

12. Pick a Diet, Any Diet

Here’s a secret—all weight loss books have four basic rules to healthy eating:

* Consume carbs in the form of whole grains and fibre.
* Avoid trans and saturated fats.
* Eat lean protein.
* Fill up on fruits and vegetables.

13. You Can Be Fat and Fit

A growing body of literature suggests that size doesn't matter when it comes to your health. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that 51 percent of the overweight and almost 32 percent of the obese had mostly normal cholesterol, and other measures of good health. It also found that 23.5 percent of trim adults were, in fact, metabolically abnormal and more vulnerable to heart disease.


Adapted from: Reader’s Digest Magazine, Malaysia, April 2009

I'm on holiday!

Yeay.. finally, cuti jua akhirnya... a week to go b4 my practical starts.. good time for me to start putting stuffs here..~~blog yg tidak bgerak ini~~ if i'm not writing pon putting in all the interesting articles i read..

so here it goes..

Readers Digest , April 09 - 13 things you need to know about your weight
(summarized version)