Pep talks don't motivate staff; then what can?

Psychology At Work - By Dr Goh Chee Leong

MORALE among the staff team is low. Productivity is low. Management decides that something needs to be done and quickly. So they get a trainer to give a “motivational talk”.

“Just come over”, they say, “give them a two-hour pep talk” and the expectation is that all of them will be inspired and motivated.

We want instant solutions for long-term problems.

If only life were so simple. If only leadership were so simple.

Don’t get me wrong. Words are powerful and when delivered by a skilful orator, they have the potential to exert an incredible amount of influence on a whole mass of people.

A good motivational talk certainly can lift the spirits for a moment, but therein lies the problem. Its effects are temporary at best.

The reality is that to boost motivation levels in the organisation on a more permanent basis, there needs to be more a fundamental change taking place in the organisation.

Research in organisational psychology has identified numerous organisational factors that contribute to workers’ motivation levels.

I have attempted to synthesise the various variables into four elements that, in my opinion, characterise the organisational culture of a highly motivated team.

Empowerment

People are motivated when they are given room to take ownership of their work process.

Read any management guidebook and it’ll tell you the same thing: Choose people who have the ability to get the job done. Set them clear targets and give them room to work.

Avoid micro-managing. Where possible give them freedom to make decisions about their work environment and their work processes. There are always boundaries and limits to freedom and decision-making rights of course, but the principle should be to give as much space as possible.

This is particularly important when you are dealing with your “top performers” and “high potentials”. These people are usually highly intelligent, highly motivated and full of ideas about how to get the job done. Nothing de-motivates them more than being straight-jacketed.

Sometimes as supervisors we make the mistake of over-managing perhaps, because they are trust issues.

Some organisations are overly bureaucratic, creating so much red tape that staff lose any incentive to implement improvements because it’s just too much trouble to change anything.

Some organisations regulate their processes and SOPs (standard operating procedures) to the point that staff no longer have any room to make any decisions or to exercise any discernment which makes the organisation rigid, inflexible and clumsy.

The danger about all this over-regulation is that it takes away a sense of control and ownership from the worker and this is de-motivating.

Growth

People are motivated when they perceive that the organisation is facilitating their growth and development.

Research seems to indicate that this is as important as financial remuneration especially for younger workers. They need to see that the current challenges they face are part of a personal development process for them. “What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”

Good organisations have transparent career development pathways for their staff and they communicate these regularly so that everyone is clear about what level they are at and what level they can aspire to.

Good organisations also provide the means for staff to make this leap. Talent management has become less of a buzzword and more of an operational necessity at many organisations that wish to compete at a global level.

The bottom line is that people are motivated when there is something to aspire to in their careers and it’s got to be more than just the money. Most “top performers” and “high potentials” are driven people who have relatively strong ambitions. Show them how their current “suffering” is going to help them get to where they want and they’ll be motivated to climb mountains and swim oceans for you.

Clarity

People are motivated when they are clear about the goals, missions and objectives.

Good leaders are great at communicating the vision, mission and direction in a way that is both clear and inspiring. They are constantly “defining the mountaintops”.

High potentials like challenges. They want to be stretched. They seek a sense of achievement and accomplishment. That is why clarity of the mission is so important to them. Like soldiers in the battlefield, they want clear targets, clear objectives, clear victories.

Some organisations are poor at communicating expectations to their staff. As a result, workers have no sense of their performance indicators, their monthly targets, their scope of responsibilities. This ambiguity can be de-motivating.

Equity

People are motivated when they perceive that they are being treated fairly.

Nothing turns off a “high potential” more than the perception that “performance doesn’t really matter in this organisation”.

This is a problem that plagues organisations the world over. People feel that it’s all about office politics. It’s all about who you know rather than what you do. “As long as you’re close with the boss, they’ll let you get away with murder.”

In this kind of work culture, workers become experts at “managing” and “handling” their bosses, rather than improving their actual work performance. The name of the game becomes how to impress the boss rather than how to get things done. Once the worker sees a disconnect between his/her effort and the reward, you can forget about motivation, where the real work is concerned.

The solution of course is to put into place a comprehensive and well-executed performance management system that has clearly defined and measurable hard targets. I like the use of hard targets because it minimises manipulation.

The system needs to be fair and it needs to be seen to be fair.

Dr Goh Chee Leong is vice-president of HELP University College and a psychologist. We welcome feedback on this article. Please email to starbiz@thestar.com.my

Gertak Sanggul - Pulau Betong MTB Ride

One of the most scenic trail in Penang. Wasn't able to snap much pictures as I was deeply engrossed with enjoying the trail.

081130_Gertak Sanggul

I will become what I know I am

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity

Lance Armstrong - Freeriding on a road bike!

To all mounties, enjoy!

Why pregnant and lactating mothers need fats

I write about it but I discovered an easier way. If a picture speaks a thousand words, then a video speaks a thousand pictures :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heQHwBaan6Y

and



So how do we optimize our Omega-3 and Vitamin D intake? Here goes:

Blue Mountain the KOTRT way

One of the longer weekend rides and my very first video montage. Enjoy!


Blue Mountain the KOTRT way from William Chee on Vimeo.

Can I borrow $25?

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'

DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.

SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.

SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'

DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'

SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.

SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'

The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you are being so selfish. I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.' The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door. The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money? After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door. 'Are you asleep, son?' He asked. 'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy. 'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man. 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the $25 you asked for.' The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills. The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again. The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father. 'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled. 'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied. 'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.' The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love. If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours. But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

Energy or Enemy?

Energy or Enemy?

Are energy drink additives good for you? And do they work? Here's the lowdown on the five most popular drink boosts.

By Editors of Men's Health

Apparently, it doesn't take a biochemist to formulate an energy drink. No, according to Starbucks, any guy off the street is qualified. At least that's whose opinion mattered most when the coffee giant recently created the ingredient list for its own concoction.

"There are many energy ingredients on the market, and B vitamins, guarana, and ginseng are the ones our customers are most familiar with," says Ruby Amegah, product-development manager for the team behind the Starbucks Doubleshot Energy + Coffee.

Which perhaps in large part explains why the company chose them: It's smart marketing. Trouble is, by letting consumer research influence ingredient lists, energy-drink companies are helping popularize exotic-sounding compounds that even scientists don't yet fully understand.

The approach has worked: Last year, Americans spent $4.2 billion on these supposedly high-octane elixirs. And that's probably why manufacturers haven't strayed far from the best-selling recipe they used when the first energy drinks took off a dozen years ago. It's a formulation that includes a hefty dose of caffeine and sugar combined with smaller amounts of seemingly obscure substances, most notably guarana, ginseng and taurine.

But do these beverages really energize your body and sharpen your mind? Or should you can the energy drinks for good? To help you separate the science from the sales pitch, we analyzed five key ingredients in the market's most popular potions.

Caffeine

What is it? A chemical compound that stimulates your central nervous system. Most energy drinks contain between 140 and 170 milligrams (mg) of caffeine in a 15- or 16-ounce can.

Does it work? Java junkies certainly think so. As for the science, an Austrian study showed that men who swallowed 100 mg of caffeine had a bigger boost in brain activity after 20 minutes than those who took a placebo. Plus, a new University of Chicago study found that a 200 mg jolt made fatigued people feel twice as alert as noncaffeinated participants. "Caffeine indirectly affects many different neurotransmitters," says Andrew Scholey, Ph.D., an herb and nutrition researcher at Australia's Swinburne University of Technology.

Is it safe? The most caffeine-packed energy drink contains the equivalent in caffeine of about two 8-ounce cups of coffee. If downing that much joe doesn't make you jittery, then quaffing a can shouldn't pose a problem. Of course, if you combine that with other caffeinated beverages throughout the day, then the sum total stimulation could cause headaches, sleeplessness, or nausea. On the other hand, if you're not a regular coffee or cola drinker and you battle high blood pressure, the occasional energy drink could be trouble. Researchers in Finland reported that the caffeine in two to three cups of coffee can cause BP to spike by up to 14 points.

Glucose

What is it? Sugar. Sucrose, another ingredient you'll often see on energy drink labels, is a combination of fructose (the natural sugar found in fruit) and glucose. Many energy drinks contain 50 to 60 grams (g) of glucose or sucrose in a 16-ounce can.

Does it work? Your body runs mainly on glucose, so topping off your tank with the sweet stuff should theoretically provide an instant boost. And in fact, a recent study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that men who guzzled a 6-percent glucose drink were able to bicycle 22 minutes longer than those who went sans the extra sugar. Where glucose won't help, however, is with the fog of fatigue from too little sleep. A 2006 British study determined that sleep-deprived people who drank liquid glucose exhibited slower reaction times and more sleepiness after 90 minutes.

Is it safe? Dumping empty calories down your gullet is never a great idea, and some energy drinks contain nearly as much sugar as a 20-ounce soda. Then there's the fact that a sudden infusion of glucose can cause your blood sugar and insulin levels to skyrocket, signaling your body to stop incinerating fat. A 2006 New Zealand study reveals that caffeine combined with even the 27 g of sugar in, say, an 8.3-ounce Red Bull may be enough to temporarily inhibit your body's ability to burn lard.

Guarana

What is it? A South American shrub. One seed has a caffeine content of 4 to 5 percent, while a coffee bean has 1 to 2 percent. The amount of guarana in a 16-ounce energy drink ranges from a minuscule 1.4 mg to as much as 300 mg.

Does it work? Yes, if you don't set the bar too high. A study in the journal Appetite reports that people who took 222 mg of guarana felt slightly less fatigued and were up to 30 milliseconds faster on a reaction-time test than those who popped a placebo. Some scientists attribute guarana's effect solely to its caffeine content, but Scholey isn't so sure. His team found energizing effects with doses just under 40 mg, which contain very little caffeine. That means there's probably something else in guarana that produces a stimulating effect on its own or that bolsters the effect of the caffeine, he says.

Is it safe? Scientists at Florida's Nova Southeastern University recently conducted tests and concluded that the amounts of guarana found in most energy drinks aren't large enough to cause any adverse effects. That said, there's still a question mark regarding the safety of higher levels, which could conceivably be consumed by downing a few energy drinks in a brief time span.

Ginseng

What is it? An extract made from the root of the ginseng plant. Panax ginseng is the species most commonly used. The ginseng content in energy drinks typically ranges between 8 mg and 400 mg in 16 ounces.

Does it work? Not if you're hoping for energy to burn. A recent review in American Family Physician determined that ginseng doesn't enhance physical performance. But there is an upside: It may boost your brainpower. Scholey and his colleagues found that people who swallowed 200 mg of the extract an hour before taking a cognitive test scored significantly better than when they skipped the supplement. They also felt less mental fatigue. Ginseng may work by increasing the uptake of blood glucose by cells in the brain and elsewhere, says Scholey. However, the right amount is essential: Only two of the eight major energy drinks we examined contained that optimal dose of at least 200 mg.

Is it safe? Since the amount of ginseng in an energy drink is minimal, harmful effects are unlikely. And while there have been some reports of negative side effects from ginseng—diarrhea, for example—Scholey points out that those occurred in people taking 3 g a day. One caution: If you're on any medications, check with your doctor before knocking back an energy drink. Ginseng has been shown to interact with blood-thinning drugs like warfarin, potentially altering their effectiveness.

Taurine

What is it? One of the most abundant amino acids in your brain, where it can act as a neurotransmitter—a chemical messenger that allows your cells to communicate with one another. You'll find anywhere from 20 mg to 2,000 mg of taurine in most 16-ounce energy drinks.

Does it work? Scientists aren't sure, but it doesn't seem likely. When taurine is dumped into your bloodstream—when you down a Red Bull, for instance—it can't pass through the membranes that protect your brain, says Neil Harrison, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medical College. But even if it could, Harrison's research suggests that taurine might behave more like a sedative than a stimulant. When he and his team applied the amino acid to the brain tissue of rodents, they discovered that it mimicked a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, a chemical that slows brain activity.

Is it safe? Taurine is probably fine in small doses, but chug too many energy drinks and the picture becomes less clear. According to a recent case report from St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, three people had seizures after drinking approximately two 24-ounce energy drinks in a short period of time. However, the researchers don't know whether to blame the taurine or the caffeine, or what role preexisting health conditions may have played. The fact is, there's been little research on taurine consumption in humans, so it's impossible to conclude whether it's safe to consume in high doses. Of course, there's no strong evidence to support its role as an energy booster, either.

AID - Iron Cross - Terrapin Trail - 1200 steps - Ayer Itam

Ayer Itam Dam (AID)

Mid-way up Iron Cross

At the Iron Cross

End of Terrapin Trail




Enroute to 1200 steps








1200 steps





No ride is complete without a sumptuous meal

Blue Mountain - Bukit Jambul - Bukit Gambir - Ayer Itam

The climb up to Blue Moutain

Red is the colour of choice today


Regrouping on top of Blue Mountain

Group pic mid-way of the decent to Bukit Jambul

Why MTB?

13 May

A REPORTER’S ACCOUNT OF AN INTERVIEW WITH TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN ON THE 13 MAY INCIDENT

The following statement is a factual account of the above-mentioned event given to me by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman (first Prime Minister of Malaysia) during an interview at his residence in Penang in 1972. I requested to discuss the above incident and was surprised when the appointment was given within three days.

His Secretary, a Chinese gentleman, allotted me one hour and advised me not to go into too much detail as this would tire the Tunku unnecessarily. In fact, the interview lasted three and a half hours. Because of the very surprising details provided to me, I think it would be best to report in a first-hand manner based on my notes written immediately after the interview.

“It was clear to me as well as the police that in the highly charged political atmosphere after the police were forced to kill a Chinese political party worker on May 4th, 1969, something was bound to happen to threaten law and order because of the resentment towards the Government by the KL Chinese on the eve of the general election. This was confirmed at this man’s funeral on the 9th May when the government faced the most hostile crowd it had ever seen.

Therefore, when the opposition parties applied for a police permit for a procession to celebrate their success in the results of the general election, I was adamant against it because the police were convinced that this would lead to trouble. I informed Tun Razak about this and he seemed to agree.

Now, without my knowledge and actually “behind my back”, there were certain political leaders in high positions who were working to force me to step down as a PM. I don’t want to go into details but if they had come to me and said so I would gladly have retired gracefully.

Unfortunately, they were apparently scheming and trying to decide on the best way to force me to resign. The occasion came when the question of the police permit was to be approved.

Tun Razak and Harun Idris, the MB of the state of Selangor, now felt that permission should be given, knowing fully well that there was a likelihood of trouble. I suppose they felt that when this happened they could then demand my resignation.

To this day I find it very hard to believe that Razak, whom I had known for so many years, would agree to work against me in this way. Actually he was in my house, as I was preparing to return to Kedah, and I overhead him speaking to Harun over the phone saying that he would be willing to approve the permit when I left. I really could not believe what I was hearing and preferred to think it was about some other permit. In any case, as the Deputy Prime Minister, in my absence from KL, he would be the Acting PM and would override my objection.

Accordingly, when I was in my home in Kedah, I heard over the radio that the permit had been approved.

It seems as though the expected trouble was anticipated and planned for by Harun and his UMNO Youth. After the humiliating insults hurled by the non-Malays, especially the Chinese, and after the seeming loss of Malay political power to them, they were clearly ready for some retaliatory action.

After meeting in large numbers at Harun’s official residence in Jalan Raja Muda near Kampong Bahru, and hearing inflammatory speeches by Harun and other leaders, they prepared themselves by tying ribbon strips on their foreheads and set out to kill Chinese. The first hapless victims were two of them in a van opposite Harun’s house who were innocently watching the large gathering. Little did they know that they would be killed on the spot.

The rest is history. I am sorry but I must end this discussion now because it really pains me as the Father of Merdeka to have to relive those terrible moments. I have often wondered why God made me live long enough to have witnessed my beloved Malays and Chinese citizens killing each other.”

This was a conspiracy at the highest level and nothing short of a power struggle, with the ‘Young Turks’ then forming the pressure group. To achieve their ends, they very cleverly used race to make the Malays rise and push the Tengku aside.

Today, they are doing it again. This is dangerous politics. It may backfire and, instead, it may make the Malays rise against the non-Malays, like what happened in 1969 -- a fire raging out of control with no fire extinguisher in sight.

We must never allow our country to be turned into a racial battlefield again. Let politics be issues concerning policies, civil rights, good governance and justice. Let us not allow anyone to bring race and religion into our politics lest we suffer the fate of many countries around us where mass murders of entire families are made in the name of ‘bangsa’ and ‘agama’.

Gut Health

All of the nutrients our body needs to stay healthy are absorbed through the intestines. Apart from digesting the food we eat to provide the body with essential nutrients, the intestines also remove waste materials and toxins. Keeping our gut healthy is essential in order to keep our body healthy.

The gut or Gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a tube that runs from our mouth to our anus. The inside of this tube is coated with a thin layer of sticky, viscous mucous. Covering this mucous and imbedded in it are millions and millions of bacteria.

Just as there is a direct link between intestinal disease and bad bacteria, there is also a positive role beneficial gut bacteria play in our health and well-being. Gut health is becoming increasingly important as we are more inclined to consume a diet that is high in fat and low in fibre. This type of diet creates an imbalance of “good” bacteria versus “bad” bacteria in the gut, which has been shown to have a direct link to the rise of chronic diseases.

An Inside Look

In the course of our lives, the bacteria or micro flora in our intestine live, grow, carry out their metabolism, and excrete beneficial and nonbeneficial compounds into the gut. The intestinal micro flora consists of:

• Health-promoting (“good”) bacteria
• Potentially harmful or pathogenic (“bad”) bacteria

Maintaining a healthy digestive system depends on keeping a balance among the billions of bacteria that live in the intestines. On top of digestion and absorption, interaction with the body’s immune system is one of the most important functions gut bacteria play.

When the number of good bacteria outnumber the bad bacteria, our immune system is at its optimal level. These good bacteria form a protective barrier to keep harmful bacteria out, which helps maintain a healthy intestinal tract and stimulate the body’s natural defenses. There are over 400 to 500 strains of bacteria living in our intestines. Of this, a handful is classified as harmful. These bad bacteria have the potential to cause disease and illness.

Harmful bacteria can enter the body via the diet or the environment. Salmonella, E-Coli, Listeria and Clostridia are foodborne pathogens. It is widely believed that diets high in red meat and fat can increase the chances of contact with these harmful bacteria. The main types of beneficial bacteria include Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus and its substrains. The more good bacteria in the intestines, the less space there is for harmful strains to stay and cause health problems. If the balance between good and bad bacteria is disturbed, the body may become less efficient in absorbing the nutrients it requires, which may lead to digestive and health problems.

Factors that affect the balance of intestinal bacteria include:

• Stress
• Changes in eating habits
• Travelling
• Smoking
• Alcohol consumption
• Over-the-counter medications
• Antibiotics
• Infections
• Aging

Understanding Probiotics and Prebiotics

PROBIOTICS
Live organisms that help improve the environment of the intestinal tract

• Help maintain microbial balance in the intestines
• Help inhibit growth of harmful bacteria
• Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus are probiotics

PREBIOTICS

Food sources that stimulate the growth or activity of beneficial bacteria in the intestines

• Influence intestinal bacteria by helping probiotics to grow
• Not digested by the human digestive enzymes, hence they pass unchanged into the intestine, enabling probiotics to utilise prebiotics as food sources
• Can be derived from non-digestible fibre e.g. inulin, raffinose, galactooligosaccharides or fructooligosaccharides

• Fructooligosaccharides:

1. Refer to short chains of oligosaccharides, which comprise D-fructose and D-glucose
2. Resistant to digestion in the upper GI tract
3. Stimulate growth of Bifidobacterium bacteria in the large intestine

Lactobacillus
Helps decrease the number of harmful bacteria e.g. Listeria, Salmonella and Campylobacter, which are all foodborne pathogens, by producing lactic acid to alter the intestinal environment, making it unsuitable for pathogenic bacteria.

• Studies have shown improved lactose digestion with consumption of probiotic organisms like Lactobacillus Acidophilus, which breaks down milk sugar lactose by helping to metabolise the enzyme lactase. Hence, Lactobacillus Acidophilus may be helpful for people unable to digest milk products.
• Helps relieve diarrhoea resulting from changes in eating habits or stress.

Bifidobacterium
The body’s first line of defense against harmful bacteria like Salmonella and E-Coli.

• The predominant organism in the large intestine that helps the body maintain a
• healthy balance of intestinal bacteria by producing organic compounds e.g. lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid.
• These acids decrease the pH of intestines, making the environment unsuitable for and suppresses the growth of harmful bacteria. By decreasing harmful bacteria,
• Bifidobacterium helps suppress production of harmful toxins and substances, which not only reduces the amount of toxins going into the liver, but also helps protect intestinal cell integrity and maintain good intestinal health.
• Helps produce immunostimulating properties by increasing phagocyte activity i.e. cells that engulf or digest foreign harmful substance.
• Helps decrease incidences of diarrhoea and maintain or re-establish the balance of
• intestinal bacteria.

Streptococcus
Long used as a culturing agent in dairy products, as it ferments quickly.

• Helps reduce lactose intolerance and reduce incidences of diarrhoea.
• Supports digestion of dairy products.

Potential Users

Who needs to have a healthy balance of good bacteria in their intestines? Everyone!
Especially those who:

• are interested in increasing their intake of prebiotics and probiotics
• wish to support their immune system
• have poor diet habits with tendency to consume high fat and low fibre diet
• experience changes in their diet
• are frequent travellers or vacationers
• experience stress
• experience lactose intolerance
• take medications like antibiotics
• wish to maintain the bacteria population in their intestines at a healthy level to enhance
• their health
• are aging, as the aging process changes the pH of their intestines

Benefits of Good Gut Health

Better stress management
One of the more common symptoms of a body under stress is diarrhoea. In fact, stress
is said to be a leading cause of Digestive Stress Disorders. Stress depletes the immune system, which is inextricably linked with digestive health. When one isn’t functioning optimally, it would inevitably influence the other and become the precursor to health problems.

Stronger immune system
Incorporating a probiotic supplement in your diet helps to enhance your immune
system as a weak digestive health would cause a decline in the immune system,
leaving the body more vulnerable to illnesses, allergies and more prone to fatigue and slow wound healing, among others.

More energy
When your body is functioning at its optimum, it takes 80% of your energy to digest and eliminate your food. The figure will increase in times of stress or illness, leaving less energy for the body’s other important functions. Probiotics can bring this figure back to the normal level, giving your body enough energy for other important functions, for instance, the rest and repair mechanisms.

Getting over antibiotics
Antibiotics not only kill off the bacteria that cause an infection, but also eliminate
healthy bacteria from the digestive tract. Supplementing the diet with a probiotic will
help to restore the balance and put the good bacteria back in control.



also check out: Why Prebiotics are Essential to Your Heart Health & Immune System

Maintaining Good Liver Health

How Well Do You Know Your Liver?

The liver is the second largest organ in the body, after the skin. It is located in the upper right region of the abdominal cavity, just below the diaphragm. It is an extremely important organ, being responsible for a sizable number of vital functions in addition to its role in digestion.

Everything that enters the blood from the digestive tract passes through the liver before being transported to other regions in the body. It holds about 13% of the body’s blood supply at any given time.

The liver acts as a dumping site for toxic waste. Insecticides, preservatives and other toxins might build up and impair the liver. Even though a particular toxin may not accumulate in the liver, liver function may suffer if these toxins adversely affect the functioning of other organs, especially the pancreas or kidneys.

Therefore, the liver is also an important protective organ, containing active phagocytes that remove bacteria and other foreign materials from the blood as it passes through the liver.

The liver produces several important blood proteins and other molecules, stores iron and certain vitamins, eliminates old haemoglobin, detoxifies many drugs and toxins, and is the major site for the metabolism of the products produced by the digestion of carbohydrates,
proteins and fats.

Fats cannot be digested without bile, which is made in the liver, stored in the gall bladder and released as needed into the small intestine. Bile is also essential for the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K, the fat soluble vitamins. After digestion, bile acids are reabsorbed by the intestine, returned to the liver and recycled as bile once again.

What is Liver Detoxification?

In this age and time when most food are processed for convenience, the human body and its detoxification systems are easily overloaded. Thousands of chemicals are added to food and hundreds have been identified in drinking water alone! All this can lead to the destruction of delicate vitamins and minerals, which are needed for the detoxification pathways in the liver. The liver must try to cope with every toxic chemical in our environment, as well as damaged fats that are present in processed and fried foods.



As a detoxifier, the liver breaks down or transforms substances like ammonia, metabolic waste, drugs, alcohol and chemicals, so that they can be excreted.
Causes for liver infection:

• Infections with parasites often come from contaminated water supplies found in large cities. Other dangerous organisms may find their way into your gut and blood stream from these sources.
• High loads of unhealthy microorganisms can also come from eating foods that are prepared in conditions of poor hygiene by persons who are carrying bacteria, viruses or parasites on their skin.
• Foods, especially meats that are not fresh or are preserved, also contain a higher bacterial load, which will overwork the liver filter if they are eaten regularly.

Did you know?

If you examine the liver under a microscope, you will see rows of liver cells separated by spaces which act like a filter or sieve, through which the blood stream flows. The liver filter is designed to remove toxic matter such as dead cells, micro-organisms, chemicals, drugs and particulate debris from the blood stream.

Nowadays, it has become highly fashionable for people to detoxify their bodies by fasting or cleansing the bowels with fibre mixtures. Fasting can only be a temporary method of cleansing the body of waste products, and for many people, causes an excessively rapid release of toxins which can cause unpleasant, acute symptoms. The liver filter, like any filter, needs to be cleansed regularly, and it is much easier and safer to do it everyday. This is easily and pleasantly achieved by adopting a daily eating pattern that maintains the liver filter in a healthy clean state.

Although it is crucial to keep the intestines moving regularly and to sweep their walls with high fibre, it is important to remember that the bowels are a channel of elimination and not a cleansing organ. In other words the bowels cannot cleanse, filter or remove toxic wastes from the blood stream. Only the liver can purify the blood stream.

Therefore, an efficient liver detoxification system is vital to health. In order to support this process, it is essential that many key nutrients are included in the diet.

Importance of a Healthy Liver

The liver influences almost every part of the human body. It serves as your body’s internal chemical power plant and acts as a filter to remove alcohol and toxic substances from the blood by converting them into substances that can be excreted from the body, therefore preventing against certain diseases. It’s vital to have this organ perform its role with efficiency because:

• Toxins enter the body every day and the liver has the responsibility of filtering them out of the bloodstream.
• Hormones influencing both our physical and emotional well-being are activated and broken down in the liver.
• Many vitamins, including some in the B complex family rely on the liver to activate them.
• The metabolism of fats and carbohydrates depends on a liver that performs well, which affects energy levels and the body’s ability to use fat for fuel.

Does your liver need extra attention?

People who need to be especially careful about the health of their
liver include those who:

• Eat fatty foods or have a generally poor diet
• Have a poor digestive function
• Need to lower their cholesterol levels
• Use oral contraceptives, Hormone Replacement Therapy or other hormonal drugs
• Drink alcohol on a regular basis
• Are exposed to pesticides, solvents or other environmental pollutants
• Are trying to reduce body fat

Poorly Functioning Liver Possible Signs and Symptoms

• Hepatitis A, B and C – swelling of the liver
• Cirrhosis or scarring of the liver often resulting from excessive alcohol consumption
• Skin pigmentation
• Eczema
• Dark circles under eyes
• Poor gall bladder function
• Constipation
• Fat intolerance
• Itchy skin
• Feeling nauseas

Herbs for a Healthy Liver


Milk Thistle (Silybum marinum) is a tall plant with a thistle-like appearance. Native to Europe, the Milk Thistle plant commonly grows from 2 to 7 feet in height, with spiny leaves and reddish-purple, thistle-shaped flowers. Native to Europe, Milk Thistle has a long history of use as both a food and a medicine. At the turn of the twentieth century, English gardeners grew Milk Thistle to use its leaves like lettuce (after cutting off the spines), the stalks like asparagus, the roasted seeds like coffee, and the roots (soaked overnight) like oyster plant. The seeds and leaves of Milk Thistle were used for medicinal purposes as well, such as treating jaundice and increasing breast milk production.

What is Milk Thistle used for?


Milk Thistle is used as a complementary treatment for liver problems, particularly long-term (chronic) hepatitis and cirrhosis and inflammation of the bile ducts (cholangitis). Research on silymarin suggests that it may protect the liver from inflammation.

Research in animals and preliminary research in humans suggests that silymarin is an antioxidant, which helps protect the body from cell-destroying substances called free radicals. Silymarin also may reduce inflammation and block the effects of toxins that harm the liver.

Based on the extensive folk use of Milk Thistle in cases of jaundice, European medical researchers began to investigate its medicinal effects. It is now widely used to treat alcoholic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver poisoning, and viral hepatitis, as well as to protect the liver in general from the effects of liver-toxic medications.

According to some research, treatment produces improvements in symptoms of chronic liver disease, such as nausea, weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue, and pain. Liver enzymes as measured by blood tests may improve, and if a liver biopsy is performed, there may be improvements on the cellular level. Milk Thistle is taken in tablets, capsules or as a tincture (combined with alcohol).

Silybin

The active chemical compound in Milk Thistle is silybin, which functions as an antioxidant and is one of the most potent liver protection agents known. Silybin is a part of the mixture flavonoids referred to as silymarin. Clinical trials have proven silybin to be effective in protecting the liver from toxic chemicals.

What is Dandelion?


Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is also known as lion’s tooth, blowball, cankerwort, priest’s crown, swine snout, and wild endive. The plant grows to a height of about 12 inches, producing spatula-like leaves and yellow flowers that bloom year round. Upon maturation, the flower turns into the characteristic puffball containing seeds that are dispersed in the wind. The leaves and roots are used in herbal supplements. It is a good food source and its leaves are often used in salads. Its dried ground roots have traditionally been used as a coffee substitute and with a vitamin A content higher than the levels found in carrots, it appears to be very nutritious.

Health benefits of Dandelion

For centuries, dandelion root has been regarded as an effective, gentle laxative. The roots and leaves are most often used to treat liver conditions such as jaundice and hepatitis, and to encourage normal digestion. The yellow flower also contains beneficial compounds. All parts of the plant have high concentrations of vitamin A, choline, and vitamin B that stimulates the liver.


Dandelion has been used for its nutritional value as well as for water retention, regulation of blood glucose, upset stomach, urinary tract infections, kidney and bladder stones, liver and gallbladder complaints, and loss of appetite.


Turmeric


Turmeric is a slightly bitter spice taken from the root of a plant in the ginger family. This spice is used to flavour baked goods, curries, fish, poultry, gravies, salads, and dressings. In the bright yellow pigment of Turmeric are curcuminoids, which are antioxidants with the property of scavenging the free radical nitric oxide. The action of Turmeric is not only in blocking nitric oxide directly, but also the enzyme that produces it. Curcuminoids also appear to have a role in attacking invading micro-organisms.


How to choose a herbal supplement to support liver health

If you’re choosing Milk Thistle or Dandelion extracts, make sure it is standardised. This ensures:

• product is consistent in the concentration of active ingredients,and
• that you are receiving a product that has been thoroughly researched and carefully developed for your health.

Precautions

Who should not take Milk Thistle?

• Milk Thistle may inhibit the metabolism of certain drugs. Before taking the herb, ask your doctor or pharmacist if any drugs you are taking have a direct interaction with Milk Thistle.
• Before taking Milk Thistle, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you have allergies (especially to plants), have any medical conditions, or if you take other medicines or other herbal/health supplements.
• Do not take Milk Thistle without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or intending to become pregnant. It is not known whether Milk Thistle will harm an unborn baby.
• Do not take Milk Thistle without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. It is also not known whether Milk Thistle will harm a nursing infant.

Possible side effects of Milk Thistle

Milk thistle has the potential to raise or lower levels of many drugs, including ones used for HIV infection. Therefore, people with HIV/AIDS who are taking anti-HIV drugs should consult their doctors and pharmacists about possible interactions with milk thistle.

Who should not take Dandelion?

• Do not take Dandelion without first consulting your doctor if you:

1. have gall bladder problems
2. are diabetic or take medication to control blood sugar levels
3. take a diuretic (water pill)
4. take an anticoagulant (blood thinner)

• You may not be able to take Dandelion, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listed above.
• Before taking Dandelion, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you have allergies (especially to plants) or if you have any other medical conditions or take other
• medicines or other herbal/health supplements. Dandelion may not be recommended in some situations
• Do not take Dandelion if you are pregnant, intending to become pregnant or breastfeeding.

Possible side effects of Dandelion:

• Although rare, allergic reactions to Dandelion may occur. Stop taking Dandelion and seek emergency medical attention if you experience symptoms of a serious allergic reaction including
• difficulty in breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives
• stomach upset
• rashes
• heartburn

Ways to Protect Your Liver

• Drink plenty of clean and purified water.
• Avoid or limit alcohol consumption to reduce any further liver destruction.
• Avoid or limit your exposure to environmental toxins, including exhaust fumes as well as pesticides, pollutants and solvents.
• Incorporate a diet low in fat and high in fibre.
• Take antioxidants such as vitamins A,C, and E.
• Take herbal supplements to support a healthy liver.

Source:
www.mayoclinic.com
www.naturalfacts.com.au
www.liverfoundation.org
www.yalenewhavenhealth.org
www.butler.org
www.liverdoctor.com

Winning the COLD war

The Common Cold

The common cold is one of the world’s most prevalent ailments. Cold symptoms are due mainly to the body’s response to an infection. When a nasal cell is infected by a cold virus, the body responds by activating parts of the immune system and some nervous system reflexes.

Common cold: fast facts

• A common cold is an illness caused by a virus infection located in the nose. Colds also involve the sinuses, ears, and bronchial tubes.
• The symptoms of a common cold include sneezing, runny nose, nasal obstruction, sore or scratchy throat, cough, hoarseness, and mild general symptoms like headache, feverishness, chilliness, and not feeling well in general.
• Colds last on average for one week. Mild colds may last only 2 or 3 days while severe colds may last for up to 2 weeks.
• A cold is a milder illness than influenza. Influenza typically causes fever, muscle aches, and a more severe cough. However, mild cases of influenza are similar to colds.
• Adults average 2 to 3 colds per year and children 6 to 10, depending on their age and exposure. Children’s noses are the major source of cold viruses.
• There are over 100 different cold viruses. Rhinoviruses are the most important and cause at least one-half of colds.
• Cold viruses can only multiply when they are inside of living cells. When on an environmental surface, cold viruses cannot multiply. However, they are still infectious if they are transported from an environmental site into the nose.
• Cold viruses live only in the noses of humans and not in animals except chimpanzees and other higher primates.

Source: www.commoncold.org

Did you know?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 22 million school days are lost annually in the United States due to the common cold.

Is it a cold or the flu?

The common cold is an inflammation of the mucus membranes caused by a number of viruses. The symptoms include:

• nose and throat irritation
• watery eyes
• fever
• muscle aches
• chills

Influenza is an acute viral infection of the respiratory tract. The symptoms include:

• high fever
• hoarse cough
• aching back, arms and legs
• enlarged lymph glands

The Resurgence of Herbs

Herbs have a long history of traditional usage for health problems. For thousands of years, our ancestors did not have medicine cabinets and turned to plants for medicine. The plants that were beneficial were passed down through generations and became traditional medicine. Herbs are the highest quality food known to man and work to regain your body’s inner balance. As we progress further into civilisation, herbal products are fuelling in growth. Factors which have led to this surge in herbal remedies include:

• increased interest in natural products worldwide
• increasing scientific proof of traditional benefits of herbs
• people taking a more pro-active role in maintaining their health
• popularisation of alternative medicine forms of health maintenance
• growing concern about the effects of prescription drugs on our body
• escalating costs of conventional medicine treatment
• new formulas, better research and product development, and more powerful extracts have improved the efficacy of herbal supplements

The scientific community is contributing the lessons learned to further help the advancement of herbal research. Groundbreaking research into the benefits of herbs is beginning to confirm what common sense has told us all along: h-e-r-b-s w-o-r-k!

What is Echinacea?


Echinacea is the scientific name for the purple coneflower indigenous to eastern and central United States and southern Canada. Its common name comes from the purplish pink ray-like petals that surround a centre cone. Echinacea has 2-5 feet long stems covered with dark green leaves.



Types of Echinacea

There are nine different species of Echinacea, though only Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea pallida, and Echinacea purpurea are popularly used for medical purposes. Echinacea is harvested for its roots, flowerheads, seeds, or juice of the whole plant and can then be made into capsules, extracts, tinctures and tea. Native Americans used it to treat everything from colds to other ailments.


Echinacea entered formal medicine in 1895, becoming the best-selling American medicinal plant prescribed by physicians into the 1920s. It was later replaced by antibiotics. Traditionally, herbalists considered it a blood purifier and an aid to fighting infections.



How to choose a good Echinacea product?

Since there is no single active ingredient, the extract of standardised Echinacea is the best. Standardisation guarantees that the amount of active ingredients stated on the label is actually in the product.

Quality products normally pass the independent lab test conducted by reputable, non-profit and independent labs such as www.consumerlab.com. The test would normally compare the quality and amount of Echinacea in each tablet as opposed to the claims on the label.

The purity of product is also tested i.e. if there are any contaminants such as lead or microbes.

Health Benefits of Echinacea

Echinacea increases the “non-specific” activity of the immune system. In other words, unlike a vaccine which is active only against a specific disease, Echinacea stimulates the overall activity of the cells responsible for fighting all kinds of infection. Unlike antibiotics, which are directly lethal to bacteria, Echinacea makes our own immune cells more efficient in attacking bacteria, viruses and abnormal cells.

Echinacea facilitates wound healing, lessens symptom and speeds recovery from viruses. Anti-inflammatory effects make it useful externally against inflammatory skin conditions including psoriasis and eczema. It may also increase resistance to candida, bronchitis, herpes, and other infectious conditions.

Primary uses of Echinacea:

• Colds, coughs and flu and other upper respiratory conditions
• Enlarged lymph glands, sore throat
• Urinary tract infections
• Other minor infections
• May help combat herpes and candida

Precautions

Like most drugs and herbs, there can be side effects after consuming Echinacea. Minor side effects can include an upset stomach, nausea and dizziness. Serious side effects can include allergic reactions such as rash, swelling and difficulty in breathing. If you have a history of allergy to daisies, ragweed, marigolds, chrysanthemums or related plants, you may be more at risk of having an allergic reaction to Echinacea.

Caution needs to be exercised for asthma patients as studies have shown that Echinacea can precipitate asthma attacks. You should not take Echinacea in any form, for more than two consecutive weeks.

If you are regularly taking other medicines, check with your doctor before taking Echinacea. You should also tell your doctor if you drink beverages that contain caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke or if you use illegal drugs. These substances may affect the way Echinacea works.

Echinacea may not be helpful if you have any of the following conditions - an autoimmune disorder (such as lupus), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, Echinacea is not recommended.

When to see a doctor?

• your cold lasts for more than seven days
• your mucus is yellowish or greenish in colour
• your cough is severe and long lasting, and is accompanied by shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain or tightness, high temperature, headache or weight loss.

Additional Nutrients to Keep Cold at Bay

Citrus Fruits
The term citrus fruit includes different types of fruits and products. Although oranges are the major fruit in the citrus fruits group, accounting for about 70% of citrus output in the world, the group also includes small citrus fruits (such as tangerines, mandarins, clementines and satsumas), lemons and limes and grapefruits.

Why is an orange good for you? Citrus fruits and citrus juices have several beneficial health and nutritive properties. They are rich in vitamin C or ascorbic acid and folic acid, as well as a good source of fibre. They are fat free, sodium free and cholesterol free. In addition they contain potassium, calcium, folate, thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6, phosphorus, magnesium and copper. They may help to support a healthy heart. They are also helpful in reducing the risk of pregnant women having children with birth defects.

Garlic and Licorice

Garlic has natural antibiotic properties that help fight infection while licorice helps to soothe the throat and clear mucus.

Zinc
Zinc is generally known to boost your body’s natural defense system.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants such as beta carotene, vitamins C and E are all implicated in the immune response via a wide variety of mechanisms including cytokine production.



How to Fight a Cold Naturally

The common cold is caused by a virus not bacteria, so it’s best to work on building up your immune system and relieving your symptom. Try the following steps if you feel a cold coming.

1. Take time off. Getting adequate rest will help you get over your cold faster.
2. Drink more water than you usually do. Eight glasses a day is standard when you’re healthy, so try to drink more than that.
3. Substitute herbal tea or juice for water to meet your liquid intake.
4. Let your appetite dictate how much you eat. If you are not hungry at all, try eating something that’s easy to digest like a banana. Sugar may have a negative impact on immune system, so limit sweet.
5. Eat chicken soup if it makes you feel better. It can’t rid your body of the virus, but it’s easy to digest and may soothe your throat.
6. Take Echinacea supplements.
7. Take vitamin C - it may reduce the severity or duration of cold.
   

Did you know?

• Because cold germs on your hands can easily enter through your eyes and nose, keeping your hands away from those areas of your body may help prevent colds.
• Washing your hands with soap and water is the simplest and possibly most effective way to avoid from getting colds and giving them to others. Wash your hands more often during the cold season and teach your children to do the s ame.

Health is Wealth

You can pump all kinds of drugs and herbs into your body to ward off ailments and diseases but ultimately, there is nothing like a balanced lifestyle for optimal health. Try to be healthy physically, spiritually, intellectually and emotionally. You have to take control and make time for yourself. No one else is going to do it for you. It’s better late than never so start now!

Fish Oil Supplements Help With Heart Failure

Study found a small but significant reduction in deaths; parallel study on cholesterol-lowering statin found no beneficial effect.

By Ed Edelson, HealthDay Reporter

SUNDAY, Aug. 31 (HealthDay News) -- Daily supplements of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids -- the kind found in fish oil -- reduced deaths and hospitalizations of people with heart failure, an Italian study found.

But a cholesterol-lowering statin drug had no beneficial effect in a parallel heart failure trial.

"This confirms what we've been seeing for a couple of decades in observational studies," Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, said of the fish oil trial. "There is a benefit of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for heart failure patients."

Both findings were published online Aug. 31 in the journal The Lancet and presented at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, in Munich, Germany.

The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) study, done by a consortium of 357 Italian cardiology centers, enlisted more than 7,000 people diagnosed with heart failure, which is the progressive loss of the heart's ability to pump blood. Half took a daily capsule containing omega-3 PUFA, the other half took a capsule with a placebo. The death rate in the PUFA group was 27 percent, compared to 29 percent in the placebo group.

That reduction might not seem like much, but it impressed Mozaffarian, who has done his own PUFA studies.

"There are few treatments we have in medicine that affect total mortality in patients," he said. "Just a handful of treatments affect total mortality. Even a small move percentage-wise is a very important effect."

In absolute terms, the Italian researchers reported that 56 people with heart failure would have to take PUFA supplements for about four years to avoid one death. The supplements also reduced hospitalizations, with one less hospitalization or death for every 44 people taking the supplements for four years.

Similar results have been reported in two earlier trials, Mozaffarian said. But they did not have the strict conditions of the Italian study, which were placebo-controlled and "double-blind," meaning that neither the physicians nor the participants knew who was getting the active substance rather than the placebo.

"You always like to have a placebo-controlled trial," he said.

But the positive trial results don't mean that anyone with heart failure can start taking fish oil supplements on their own, said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, who wrote an editorial accompanying the journal report.

"They used a specific formulation, a prescription formulation," Fonarow said. "Heart failure is a very high-risk condition. It is absolutely critical for patients, whether it is a prescription medicine or modification of diet or a supplement, that they consult their physician."

The negative results of the statin trial were a surprise, Fonarow said. It included more than 4,500 people with heart failure, half of whom took the statin rosuvastatin (Crestor), while the other half took a placebo. The death rate was 29 percent in the statin group, 28 percent in the placebo group.

The result doesn't mean that a statin should not be prescribed for someone with heart failure and high cholesterol, Fonarow said. "There were no safety concerns," he said. "The drug was well tolerated. It indicates that heart failure, in and of itself, should not be reason to start a patient on a statin."

The study "doesn't shut the door" on the use of statins for heart failure, Mozaffarian said, "but it closes it partly. Maybe another statin would have a benefit. It definitely makes us question the benefit of statins in heart failure, but it doesn't close the door completely."

Another report in the same issue of the journal that was led by British cardiologists described a trial of the drug ivabradine, which reduces the heart rate, in people with coronary artery disease and an unusually fast heart rate. The drug reduced deaths and hospitalizations significantly, the researchers said.

More information

Learn more about heart failure and its treatment from the American Heart Association.