Could you believe, for more than 26 years (since 1984), since the HIV disease (also known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus) was discovered, identified as the AIDS virus had spread around the globe, causing everyone to feel extremely worried when having sexual activities with different partners. AIDS was known as the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, an extremely fatal disease of the immune system with which transmitted through blood products especially by sexual contact or contaminated needles.


Caption: The structure of a HIV virus

Today, there is this very first vaccine that has proven to help protecting people from the HIV disease. It is the RV144 HIV vaccine tested on 16, 000 volunteers in Thailand. There is a quote stating as: "Is this the beginning of the end of HIV/AIDS?". Well, it seems that way to me. Although previously, these scientists tested with many volunteers in 2003 and 2007 using a similar kind of so called 'HIV vaccine', but it failed. If so, do you think this RV144 vaccine will work out in 2009? The answer is "probably" since it require many vaccines (not only this one) againsts the HIV virus.


Caption: a representation of the HIV virus

Does this mean that people should start getting excited about it? Although the reduction of HIV risk is not significant, only around 31%, the test was made mainly for males. This is not the case that made scientists loosing their hope. What really caused the scientists to lose hope is that the possibility that the vaccine will never work! Why is that? The mutation of the HIV virus is a continuous process. This means that even the vaccine is injected in a person's body, that person may subsequently be vaccinated only at that time (early stage). The HIV virus may mutate again without them noticing again, or probably multiply its amount and damaging the immune system. On the other hand, HIV virus usually attack white cells which has a function to protect the immune system from invaded by different diseases. Previously, scientists produces the STEP vaccine trial, hoping to work againsts the HIV virus. Though, the STEP vaccine trial only help our body by generating extra white blood cells for HIV virus to infect, making the situation worst.


Caption: a structure of the HIV vaccine

They conducted some experiments with the new vaccine with 8000+ volunteers. The result have proven that 51 volunteers of 8000+ was infected. The new HIV vaccine is extremely powerful, especially when combined with additional protections such as with condom. Investigators of the new HIV vaccine is still analysing the samples from volunteers, and hope to reveal a further outcome. This vaccine was produced through a combination of (1) Alvac: a harmless form of virus, and (2) Aidsvax: a type of protein found in the surface of the HIV. The hope is that the immune system in our body produces more white blood cells that recognises the viral proteins whilst self-producing antibodies to fight againsts the HIV virus in combat. The overall concept of this vaccine is to produce a barrier, protecting the white blood cells from invaded by any HIV viruses. At the very least, the new HIV vaccine is safe to use, and will not produce any side effects.

Ting-Ting send me a music she played with her absolute pitch, I think a couple of days ago, and I have decided to share it out to everyone who read this blog at this time.

Please enjoy the music.


Caption: 中島美嘉 Mika　Nakashima - ～愛してる (aishiteru)

Do you like listening to MP3 songs with an earphone? I remember purhcasing a Sony MP3player and complained that the sound volume is too low, and finally found some solution to 'unlock' the sound level because I think the sound is simply too low. In fact, by doing that, I am actually trying to put my ear at risk! This was confirmed by new research in the US.


Caption: listening to music with an earphone

This is a relatively important issue related to health risk. A recent research from Europe (EU) had proven that approximately 5 to 10 per cent of the population who uses a personal music player with earphone is encountering such risk because they mainly set the volume of the player too high. I understand setting higher volume in an MP3 player will provide sound fidelity, increasing our enjoyment when listening to music. That is very normal, and should apply to myself when using a personal music player. The maximum volume of my MP3 player is 30, and usually, I will set it at 27, high enough to provide satisfaction to myself, especially when walking in a noisy street.


Caption: an example of a personal music player (or MP3)

Actually, what is considered as a very high volume? Around late 1950, Donald Broadbent, a cognitive psychologist who are specialize at sound analyses suggests that the sound level of 90 db and above (similar to litre for measuring water, instead, db or decibel is a measuring term for sound) is considered as noise. Cognitive psychologists reported that the noise produced by many people when applausing in a concert hall is equal to 90 db. Beyond that is considered as noise. The differences between sound and noise is that noise will not only affect our sound perception, producing health risk, but will deliberately affect our stress level (making us very stressful). A much more important effects produces by noise is causing social isolation to that person, and leading people to withdraw from family, work and friends. This was proven by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf in UK. Since we are using earphone/headphone, the surround sound will propagate around our inner ear. That is why listening to music with an earphone/headphone at a moderate volume will easily reach 90 db.


Caption: audiences applausing, reaching 90 db noise

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that setting the volume of our music player too high may even cause permanent damage to our ear. We should encounter permanent damage to our ear if we listen to the music with an earphone for more than 1 hour a day, and probably revealing the result in the next 5 years. The final solution given for people who love listening to loud music with an earphone is to NOT listen to the music for more than 5 hours a week. There is this proposed rules in the Europe, stating that the cellphone or MP3 players should have an indication (i.e. a warning message) prompted to the user when exceeding a 'too-high' volume. But, is that useful? For instance, it was stated that split attention will still occur when we were driving (with our eye) and listening to our cellphone (with our ear) at a time. Even the govenment in many countries have indicated that a penalty will be given to reckless drivers like that, but will anyone bother? The answer is no!


Caption: reckless driver listening to cellphones when driving

Therefore, a suggestion was provided to all personal music player manufacturer, that is to set the default volume to (below average) 80 db, and warn users to not listen to the music for more than 40 hours a week (maximum of 5.7 hours a day). Anyway, I still assume that 90 db is really loud, but easily reachable with an earphone (or even listening to music with earphone, with mobile phones) even at a moderate volume level. However, if the volume is too low, then I think we will probably not get attracted to the personal music player. So, you should decide yourself to either not enjoying the music or put your ear at risk!

I am sure most of us are curious how mummy was preserved. In fact, to date, no one would be able to explain how mummies were preserved. The nearest explanation is what I have seen in one of the information board in the British museum. When the Egyptian was dead, this group of ancient surgeons will ' make a hole ' on the pelvic bone, big enough for their hand to reach into the deceased body, extracting every part of their organ one by one - washing with water (not sure what they going to do with the organs though), placing some mud and other materials such as the ''bitumen'' to preserve their body. I think this is the right way to preserve a body, forming a mummy. Bitumen is a mixture of organic liquid that are highly viscous, black in colour, a sticky material, and entirely soluble in carbon disulfide. It is composed primarily with condensed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.



Caption: an Eqyptian mummy


Caption: a well-preserved Eqyptian mummy


Caption: a mummy with the pelvic bone removed, in the British museum

It has been approximately 200 years, since pathologies have no clue of how the ancient Egyptians die. A famous ancient Egyptian, namely Irtyersenu (aged 50) from the necropolis of Thebes in 600 BC was initially diagnosed to die due to ovarian cancer (cancer in her ovary). In fact, the DNA test today had revealed that she died due to tuberculosis (TB). TB is an extremely fatal disease or infection by the mycobacterium bacteria that usually attack the human lung, but may also affect the central nervous system, the lymphatic system, the circulatory system, the genitourinary system, the gastrointestinal system, bones, joints, and / or even the skin. The first vaccine was developed in France, sometime around 1905. Before that, TB is an extremely hazadous disease that will bring immediate death to people who suffered from it.


Caption: mummy sketch by Augustus Granville

The 1825 puzzle has reached to a conclusion today when a group of pathologies from the UCL college in London found the DNA and cell wall molecules of the mummy, the Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the lung, gall bladder and bone samples. It seems that tuberculosis was widespread in ancient Egypt, causes a significant death during that time. Although the mystery of how mummy's death was revealed, but no one could explain how the disease was preserved until today, because no one understands it. This was published in a Biological Science Journal on September 2009.

I found this extremely interesting article, referring to human's handwritting. According to the article that i read, it says different handwritting will have different explanation, specifically in human behaviour, specifically their attitude and personality. I was quite reluctant to trust all these initially, until I tried comparing the handwritting below with a friend of mine. They have so similar handwritting, and upon analyses, it seems that their characteristics are so similar!

There is one example given by this expert who analyses human's handwritting.


Caption: Handwritting (click to enlarge)

According to the expert, the handwritting above is indicating that the writter is a tension person. This expert analyses the writter's handwritting by looking at the angle and the baseline of the handwritting, along with the narrow and spacing of each letter and / or words.

Attitude: The writer's attempt to maintain a vertical slant reflects his effort to adopt a detached or impersonal attitude, positively characterized by independence and restraint, but negatively by self-centeredness and rigidity. This aloof and impartial demeanor, reinforced by wide spacing between lines, reveals someone resisting the influence of both outside forces and inner emotions, preferring to rely on reason. His is an artificial or escapist attitude, including suppression of emotion rather than absence of emotion.

Emotion: The writer's emotional susceptibility is found in both the fluctuating middle zone size and baseline. It shows that the writter encountered emotional pressure for which there is no release. Equally, the diminished and sometimes near threaded middle zone, small compared to upper and lower zones, showing that he is an insignificant but defensive person. It also represents his weak self-image. Offsetting upper zone dominance is the long, pressured lower zone, but sometimes with full loops denoting a strong sexual drive, sometimes blunt ended denoting frustration of that drive. Preoccupation with instinctual forces is reinforced by middle zone letters and terminals which drop into the lower zone.

Interest: The considerable difference in length between words over the middle zone portrays the writer's never resting ambitions, interests and goals at the outer limits of his ability to achieve. This causes restlessness and dissatisfaction with his life. The handwriting has poor impulse rhythm further suggests the writer is uncomfortable with his inner nature. The writer's energy is primarily funneled into the area of his demanding conscience, represented by the dominating in the upper zone, as well as middle zone angularity and contraction of middle zone letters, particularly of ovals. His ambitions and beliefs control his life. However, upper zone covering strokes and middle zone vowel covering strokes point to the existence of the writer's hypocrisy in these areas of life.

Personality: The high form level, angularity and regularity in arrangement and pressure reveal that the writer possesses good intelligence, hard working qualities etc., the perseverance necessary for success in his chosen occupation. He is sometimes stubborn to face the obstacles or adversity.

Work Life: In his work life, the small angular writing, together with careful punctuation and precise i-dots, portray the writer's good concentration, his hard working and responsible qualities, one who does not shun the drudgery of detail. Connected writing reflects his consistency of thought and a single-minded person. He sometimes will tackle problems at hand in a direct and practical way, and is unhampered by sentimentality or ties to the past, as shown by lack of flourishes in every letters written. He is purposeful and disciplined as expressed in the overall regularity in his writing.

Behaviour: His social behavior is outwardly friendly or at least impartial, shown by small garlands together with verticality, mask a dogmatic viewpoint, as revealed by baseline angularity and some downward terminals. His detached demeanor is reinforced by wide interlinear and interword spacing. The tall upper zone depict that he is ambitiou, tagged along with arrogance. In addition, the tall upper zone speaks of scholarly and philosophical pursuits, and the idealist who expects perfectionist standards of himself.

Relationship: The compressed quality of the writing, along with largely missing or down reaching (some counterstrokes) terminals, show that in close, as well as casual relationships, but definitely selfish and ungenerous. Closed or retraced ovals and narrow interletter spacing reflect limited sharing of his true feelings. The ovals suggest occasional explosions of verbal temper because of emotional tension and sometimes, frustration. The horizontal pressure express his authoritative nature and the imposition of his will on others. These characteristics combined with precise, strong i-dots, many directly over the i, indicate he is emphatic in what he usually says and does. The potential for cruelty is evident in the blunt endings of many downstrokes or counterstrokes. Left tendencies balancing right tendencies testify to a personality divided and held in tension between introverted and extroverted qualities. Such tendencies, together with narrow letters and moderately quick writing, describe the cautious and inhibited individual, pulled equally between the inner forces of his nature and outer forces of his environment.

Overall: The writters opposing forces of idealism and conscience versus frustrated instinctual drives. The battle between the two results in an overcontrolled personality, uncomfortable with himself, paying the price for bottling up his emotions and natural instincts with possible unpredictable eruptions of emotion.

HTC launched one latest mobile, which many people called it as the Windows phone. Why is it a Windows phone? Because the HTC (model: HD2) mobile utilises the Microsoft Window's technology (version 6.5). Very similar to the iPhone, or perhaps contained better feature and graphical options compared to the iPhone, this mobile also offer extraordinary outlook, at least to me.


Caption: HTC HD2 mobile (Windows phone)


Caption: touch-sensitive screen


Caption: multi-view of the mobile

I think the outlook of the phone is also very similar to the iPhone. By the way, please click on the images to enlarge the size.


Caption: Microsoft Office - mobile version

This mobile utilises the Microsoft Windows operating system, which means we may now work on presentation slides (Microsoft Powerpoint), writting essays (Microsoft Words) and conducting statistical analysis (Microsoft Excel) anywhere we want, saving the work into the mobile and whilst transfering the files through the USB from the mobile, directly to our computers when necessary.


Caption: Windows Live Messanger (MSN)


Caption: message alert


Caption: mobile Windows media player


Caption: mobile Internet Explorer

Besides that, what really fancy me is the graphical applications. The applications such as the Windows media player is so similar to the one that I use everyday to listen to music, with my computer.


Caption: the back of the phone

The 5.0 Megapixel camera phone with a 4.3 inch touch-based display was revealed to be on sale sometime around November 2009, with a price of £550.00 or contract based (I assume £30.00 per month in a 18 months contract). The dimension of this phone is 120.5 x 67 x 11 mm and its weight is 157g. From what I read, this machine contained a miniUSB hub, for easier file transfer. Besides that, the standby time the battery of this phone is 20.5 days, extremely useful for people who travel very often.

I heard this mobile contained much more applications than the iPhone. Anyway, I believe this is the current strongest competitor for iPhone. Since the price for both iPhone and the HTC HD2 is so similar, which mobile will you go for? You decide.

This post has become a topic since 400 BC the Greek physician Hippocrates when he wrote something like: "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food". This is because during the ancient times, when physicians can only predict that consuming food will help to cure our illness and regenerating our body in better shape. They do not know what nutritions are! However, this became a relatively simple question today, with which a 10 year-old kids should be able to explain it to you: because vegetable is a good source of vitamins and will make us healthier. But why is consuming vegetable making our life healthier? We definitely need some more concrete evidence rather than just saying it is beneficial for human.


Caption: fruits and vegetables

There are strong evidences stating that vegetables are good source of dietry fibre. Remember, fibre can only be found in plants (and sometimes in some fibre suppliments). Some examples are pectin, beta-glucans, hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin, fructans, and gums. All these components are important in human nutrition. They are sometimes recognised as soluble fibre.

Okay, this section is important. I think it is also important to explain in a little detail here. There are 2 types of fibre (1) insoluble fibre and (2) soluble fibre. Insoluble fibre are fibre foods that we consume but cannot be digested. So insoluble fibre that we consume will have one function, that is to pass through the bowel (bowel is referred to the long tube in the body of a person where food moves during digestion), helping other foods and waste to be digested easier. Some examples of insoluble fibre products are brown rice, wholegrain bread/biscuit, cereal, fruits and vegetables. Since insoluble fibre also helps to stop constipation, consuming insoluble fibre will make us feel full easily so we will most likely not eating much food after consuming them. On the other hand, soluble fibre refers to dissolvable in water, but cannot be digested. Soluble fibres may help reducing the amount of cholestrol in our blood. Instead, it absorbs water from our body to form as gelatinous substances that passes through our body. Some examples of soluble fibre products are oat and beans. We should also not forget to consume plenty of water after eating foods enriched with fibre, else we might encounter trouble going to the washroom and/or feeling not well in the stomach area.

Besides that, consuming plenty of soluble fibres will help preventing colon cancer (cancer in the large intestine that serves to remove water from digested food, and allowing waste materials (such as stool) to move through it to leave our body), heart disease and diabetes, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) - eating only vegetables should save around 26 million people in 2005. This was also proven by the 'Journal of the American Medical Association' in 2006. Additional evidence supporting this fact is that 49, 000 females wee used as a subject in some experiment, had proven that consuming vegetables frequently reduces the risks of breast cancer, colon cancer and heart disease.


Caption: what is vegetable?

Other than that, scientists have proven that meats are sometimes important for our body. For example, some of the components of vitamin B could only be found in pork. This means that the vitamin B complex suppliment will only provide most B vitamins that a person's body require, and not all. You may also read more about vitamin B here (click HERE). Anyway, please choose the correct meat to eat if you are meat eaters. In any cases, we should strongly restrict ourselves from eating cud chewing animals since it was proven worst meat compared grain/grass-fed animals. Some examples of cud chewing animals are goats, sheep, giraffes, bison, water buffalo, deer, camels and antelope. Cud chewing means a portion of food that returns from the stomach in the mouth to be chewed for the second time. I read it from New Scientist once, stating that eating kangaroos are way much better than eating chicken and/or pork!

There is also a statement where was stated by the WHO that the chronic disease is expected to account for 75% of all deaths worldwide by the mid of 21st century. Chronic disease is referred to some diseases that are long lasting or recurrent. Some examples of chronic diseases are heart disease, stroke, cancer, respiratory and diabetes. So, consuming vegetables daily will definitely overcome these problems.


Caption: meats

There is another good reason to consume vegetables and fruits rather than meat. Apart from being healthy, eating vegetables are definitely better for the environment. Therefore, the National Cancer Institute and American Diabetes Association recommended us to consume at least 20 – 35 grams of high fibre foods everyday. The united states department of agriculture (USDA) also suggests a dietry guideline of 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday. A minimum of 1.5 whole grain food serving everyday is recommended for babies of around 3 years old. The recommended figure of 3 to 6 whole grain serving is recommended for people of age 9 and above. An example of 1 serving of fruits/vegetables is consuming a glass of 100% fruit or vegetable juice.


Caption: fruits and vegetables

Here is a simple figure provided by the USDA in 2005, rougly describe the dietry foods a person should consume, and the fibre contained in the food:

100grams of conflakes is to 29.33 grams of fibre
100grams of cooked beans / seeds without salt is to 10.49 grams of fibre
100 grams of wheat flour / whole grain is to 12.17 grams of fibre
100 grams of dried dates is to 7.98 grams of fibre
100 grams of candies / sweet chocolates is to 5.89 grams of fibre
100 grams of tomato products without salt is to 4.50 grams of fibre

100 grams of soyabean without salt is to 5.99 grams of fibre

You may also prefer reading different but clearer and more detailed dieting portions here (click HERE).

I should have post this earlier on the day itself. I just received the photo's today and uploading it on the blog immediately with the intention of sharing such happy news with everyone, especially for some relatives who have not received the news yet. My sister is getting married, and both of them (my sister and brother-in-law) had officially registered on the 09th of September, 2009. Of course, I am extremely excited with this since this is the first time witnessing a registration ceremony, though only through some pictures.

Actually, why is the number '9' so important for chinese people and not other numbers, i.e. 5? Because of this, I have read some articles related to chinese cultures to understand it better. It says that the 9 is a mythical number, representing the symbol of the nine dragons linked to the era of the Emperor's in China. Besides that, number 9 is a homophone that represents the 'everlasting' term in weddings.

I could not elaborate further since I did not attend their registration ceremony. Anyway, here are some photos taken on that day.


Caption: sis and Roy (i)


Caption: sis and Roy (ii)


Caption: swearing session?


Caption: their registration certificate

I also heard many people registered on that day because 09-09-09 is a special date for remembrance. In fact, the registration date does matter for some couples. If so, you should consider getting married on October 10th, 2010 (10-10-10) or November 11, 2011 (11-11-11).

Firstly, appologies to people whom i have deleted from my friend list on facebook. I am not sure why having too many friends in one account (i.e. exceeding 500) will subsequently delay the loading time and / or perhaps not allowing you to load the main page at all. Appologies! Anyway, facebook support suggest me to reduce the number of friends and re-add them again. Weird! I even have some friends who have their account exceeding 1000 friends, and facebook just work fine for them. Anyeay, I re-added some of my friends and if I still have not added anyone, please add me again: tlhung@hotmail.co.uk. Thank you :)

Okay, this is extremely important, especially to parents who loves beating their kids. There was this research, explaining that the children's IQ of age 2 to 4 who regularly receive spanking from their parents, dropped significantly over the next 4 years, compared to kids who were not spanked. Another recent brain-imaging study found that children who received regular punishment had less brain grey (neurons) compared with other kids. This means that different constrain factors such as stress, anxiety, or fear will affect the development of brain development. So, do not beat your children. There are many ways of teaching them to behave well, rather than spanking :)


Caption: termal monitor, similar shape to capsule camera in the 1990's

It seems that the world is evolving significantly. I recalled watching a documentary in 1990's, showing the evolution of technology in surgery in the coming decade (now). Scientists are utilising the fusion of technologies, between sciences and enginnering, turning technologies in a more significant shape. They merged a cctv into a capsule to monitor our internal body. It travels through the throat, all the way to the digestive tract, providing sufficient capture for surgeons to analyse. The capsule will be digested, and finally extracted from our body. However, the price is too costly for most patients to use in surgery.


Caption: camera capsule

It was pretty impressive that the capsule theory was re-used again. This capsule will swim from our mouth, all the way through the digestive tract. In fact, the machine was designed to mainly explore the human digestive system.


Caption: spring camera (or monitor)

The next new development is a machine designed similar to the look of a robotic spring, creeping along our digestive tract. According to the research, this robot carries a camera and has the ability to provide alternative and traditional endoscopy. The machine developed by CRIM Lab in Italy (company website: HERE) was believed to be able to examine essential body parts, including the internal gullet, stomach and duodenum (mainly for damage or ulcers).


Caption: range diagnosis

I think with this technology, patients health could probably be more secure when they were able to communicate with their GP in a long distant (but the range is not specified). This means the doctor could look after their patient through this camera and screen. But, whats the difference between a webcam and this machine then? This robot is connected to stethoscopes, otoscopes and ultrasound scanners, providing sufficient help to both the doctor and patient.


Caption: human machine

You might have watched some movies, saying that this lady has problem carrying her husband to the hospital. I think this is how they get the idea, and building up this special human machine. The name of this robot is RI-MAN, developed at the RIKEN Bio-Mimetic Control Research Center in Nagoya, Japan. This robot is special because it could lift anyone of all weight, specifically with the intention of taking over the tasks human carers do for the elderly or infirm. A part from soft and providing safe exterior, this machine has touch sensors on both its arms and torso that will allow it to carefully life and carry a person within the hospital.


Caption: prostate machine

I think this machine was designed to assist surgeons to handle accurately, with minimal effort in removing prostate. Prostate is referred to an enlarged organ in male human (or any other mamals), situated near to the penis, which produces a liquid that mixes with and carries sperm. Prostate is dangerous, mainly when it has successfully turned into the prostate cancer. With this machine, the surgeons only need to measure the size of the prostate while this machine will cut it automatically.


Caption: resembling robot

This machine was intended to carry surgical procedures inside our body. A person can swallow 15 of these resembling robots. When they swallow these robots one by one (up to 15) into their body, the robot will detect and travel to the site in our body, then assemble together to form a larger device, and perform internal operation.


Caption: blood sucking device

This machine was developed by two PhD students dealing cybernatic sculptors in the Imperial College, UK. It was designed to collect blood samples.

I believe all the above inventions are still a prototype now. I also suspect that they are going to produce the real machine similar to these prototypes in the near future.

Firstly, apologies for consuming too much time for writting a post. I have been really busy lately, apart from sleeping around 5.00 AM usually, also trying to complete two journal papers and at the same time, producing an interactive system for research purpose. In fact, I hate dealing with sound cues and programming scriptings, but I have no choice to continue working before I can continue writting the third paper this year.


Caption: Yonal and I


Caption: Dr. Rui and I

Last week, I met Dr. Rui and some collegues in the office. He is planning to leave the country soon, in approximate one months time from now, and not sure when to return. I always feel very happy to speak to him, due to his knowledge in the medical field. As usual, we will find a topic and start discussing that. We speak of aging. When we grow older, we will start realizing that our lives are at risk, producing some harmful effects (e.g. various diseases such as inflammation, cancer etc., subsequent memory deficits such as short term memory, or minor effects such as skin problem). Of course, Dr. Rui is right - these problematic does not mainly caused by aging. We might consider environmental factors such as pollution, sunlight, smoking and alcohol, produces harmful molecules. These molecules are free radicals. So, how does the environmental factors relate to aging? As we age, our body cells will continously being damaged by the oxidation effects in our body tissues. This has similar explanations to iron rusting.


Caption: tuna, salmon and wasabi

According to Dr. Rui, a person's lifespan should averagely be around 150. This means the factors explained in the above have subsequently reduces our lifespan unconciously. I also understand that some Japanese could live up to 100 years old or more. I remember reading a medical journal where the researcher investigated the average lifespan of British male and female, and concluded that female will live longer than male. They should averagely reach at least age 77 whilst males at 75. In that case, Japanese could live longer than most people, and why is that so? This is what I heard, saying that one of the many reasons is that the food that they consume, i.e. raw fishes such as tuna and salmon. The combination of both fishes and wasabi produces supernatural nutrition with which we can never find from any other food. I think I mentioned this before in some post that some research have proven that eating dark chocolates (only dark chocolates) regularly will expand a person's life span for a year, and consuming tofu / soya oftenly will increase that person's life for 3 years. Additional ways to expand a person's life is to attend Yoga exercises more often. That will extend a person's life by 2 years, but in regular interval.


Caption: berries

Therefore, consuming fruit is an approach to overcome this issue. I am going to discuss how the four mighty fruits that provide antioxidants could help our body to prevent from free radicals. The four fruits are Kiwi, Blueberries, Cranberries, and Strawberries. These fruits are very beneficial, mainly because they produces extremely high fibre (to help dieting), very low in calories, and specifically producing antioxidants for our body. In some previous posts (i.e., click HERE), I did mentioned that antioxidants are helpful to clean our immune system. It will also help our body to prevent from various diseases by fighting againsts free radicals. In this post, I will elaborate a little in depth of what antioxidant is.


Caption: a picture of enzymes

In fact, antioxidants are some kind of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, and enzymes (a type of protein in our body, usually assist in chemical reactions such as digesting foods), which counteract the process of oxidation by neutralizing free radicals. Speaking of enzymes, I would also like to explain very briefly of what I understand, since some friends asked me why will a person have gastric disease. Since we know the enzymes has a function to digest foods in our body from time to time, I also heard enzyme will start digesting food depending on our biological clock (an internal clock in our body that controls the periodicity of many physiological functions). So let says if you eat around 4.00 PM when the enzyme should start working at around 2.00 PM, you will usually suffer from gastric for 2 hours in that case. Why? Because the enzyme will melt any food in our stomach. So, try imagine, if there aren't any food for the enzyme to melt. What will the enzyme be melting in that case? That is why we will have gastric problem if we do not eat regularly at the same time. My suggestion is to eat 3 to 4 times a day, appropriately and the interval for breakfast, lunch and dinner should be similar everyday. For example, if you have your lunch at 3.00 PM, then stick to 3.00 PM everyday for lunch. Alternatively, you may also try drinking plenty of water to neutralize the acid produced by the enzyme, but it will only help preventing gastric for a very short time period.


Caption: kiwi and berries

The four fruits contained strong vitamin C, primarily water soluble antioxidants in our body. It helps to neutralize free radicals, help absorbing iron, and prevent us frm the rish of death from stroke. Cranberries and Strawberries are fruits enriched with beta carotene (actually all fruits that is red and orange in colour such as carrot contain beta carotene). Both antioxidants and beta carotene are water soluble vitamins, excellent at preventing free radicals from invading into our body. There is a kind of mineral which our body only need to consume it in small quantity, but we could not survive without consuming it. It is the Selenium.


Caption: kiwi fruit

Kiwi (we also called that as chinese gooseberry) contained 5 times the vitamin C produces by an orange. It also contained both vitamin A and E. I heard the combination of vitamin A and E wil produce an excessive preventation to free radicals. On the other hand, Kiwi is beneficial for people with heart disease and asthma, and actinidin to help in better digestion. A year 2004 study suggests that the vitamin C contained in Kiwi fruit produces significant protective effect against respiratory symptoms associated with asthma. Besides that, Kiwi is a good source of potassium, magnesium, copper, phosphorous and phytonutritients (this may help to prevent us from cancer disease). According to Dr. Rui, consuming 2 to 3 Kiwi a day will significantly reduce blood clots and fats (also known as triglycerides) that may help to reduce the rish of blood blockage.


Caption: cranberries


Caption: peptic ulcer

Cranberries is important for our body. A cup of cranberries only contain 46 calories. Cranberries are famous for the significant amount of antioxidants and phytonutritients that help preventing diseases such as heart-related diseases and cancer.Besides that, cranberries also contain flavonoids. According to some medical research, flavoniods are powerful antioxidants, which we could not get from any foods we consume and / or from any suppliments. I am sure many of us know that kidney stones are dangerous disease, that may bring death to a person. Cranberry juice is one of the best recognise fruit juice to help preventing the formation of kidney stones and urinary infections (some kind of bacteria get into our urine. A glass of cranberry juice a day should help patients to prevent these infections. Kidney stone is a hard form of crystal uniting in the urine. Have anyone of you heard of gum disease and stomach ulcers? I remember my uncle once thought the stomach ulcer found in his intestine were cancer cells. They produces quite similar effects, but cancers are usually deadly whilst stomach ulcers is normal disease if we handle them with care. Cranberries contain proathocyanidins that will help to prevent these bacterias. There are evidences showing that cranberry juices will help to reduce peptic ulcers. Peptic ulcers (also known as gastric ulcers) is usually found in stomach area.


Caption: blueberries


Caption: bilberries


Caption: measuring nutrition of blueberry

According to what I have read, blue berry contained vitamins A and C and B1, beta-carotene, potassium, zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium, high in fiber and low in calories. Similar to the 2 berries mentioned above, however, contained anthocyanosides will significantly treat the flow of blood in our blood vessels and help with varicose veins. Varicose veins are swollen veins below our skin, that is lumpy, usually in deep blue / purple through the skin. Similar to the Cranberry, the blue berry may help us prevent from urinary disease. In numerous medical papers, blueberries are associated with protection against cancer disease, ageing and brain damage from strokes, and may also reduce the build-up of bad cholesterol, which contributes to heart disease and stroke. Researcher found that consuming blueberries often will reduce alzheimer disease or dementia. Both were mental-related diseases. Consuming blueberries may also enhance learning capacity and motor skills (also known as body movements). There is a similar kind of berry, namely the bilberry is another type of blueberry, only found in european countries. In fact, both bilberry (a very similar berry to the blue berry) and blue berries may help to prevent macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is a type of eye disease that may cause blindness. Blueberry is also important to reduce ovary cancer. A medical study analysing approximately 70,000womens from 1984 to 2002, has proven that blueberries helped to reduce 40% risk of ovarian cancer.


Caption: strawberries

According to numerous research, strawberry contain more vitamin c than any other berry (except the goji berry since I think they missed analysing the goji berries due to the popularity level back then), and are high in folic acid, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. Usually the antioxidants found in strawberries are anthocynanins and ellagic acid, a type of phytochemical that helps to prevent our body from carcinogens (the spread of cancer disease). As explained in the above, antioxidants are important to also help preventation of heart disease. Have you ever feel bored, tired or mentally stressed, or subsequently loss of strength and energy? If so, that is a symptom of fatigue. Based on some research, consuming 10 to 15 strawberries a day will not only help in the reduction of fatigue, but also in fighting anemia (a condition indicating the lack of red blood cells in our blood). Strawberry also contain pectin (a soluble fibre that helps to eliminate cholestrol and environmental toxin). Originally, folic acid is helpful to prevent birth defects (related to pregnant women), however, a research in March 2006 argued that the lack of folic acid may lead to dementia, cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis (lack of calcium and lead to the risk of fracture), and finally autism and depression. Consuming strawberries daily are able to help to prevent those issues!


Caption: prunes and dried plums

I personally have another conclusion for this post, that is prunes (or dried plums) are particularly important, or could be the best substitution for the 4 berries mentioned in the above. Why? Because it contained high protien, potassium, vitamin E, calcium and iron, substantial amount of vitamin A, B3 and B6, and small amount of zinc, beta carotene and niacin (related to vitamin B and the nervous system). Prunes is not only valuble for people who suffered from high blood pressure, but due to the richness in sorbitol (what is it) that may help us to loose sugar in our body. Besides that, it is cheap! However, in comparison to the 4 berries, prunes relatively produces high calories so do not eat too many at a time.