Tuesday, February 26, 2013
malaysia boleh story------why you should not vote bn
Amy Teo 分享了 Catherine Soon 的照片。
I just got my windscreen fixed today. Pls spent some time to read on & share out to your loved one to increase public awareness.
On Day 15th of Chinese New Year(Chinese calendar Valentine Day), Me , my husband Yip & my girl Xin Yu (7 years old) go through a Unforgettable Morning in Kota Damansara. We almost got Robbed at seksyen 4 'Shell petrol kiosk ' the one opposite Petronas near Tropicana Medical Centre !
We scheduled to reach kelana jaya Lrt at 6 am, we leave from home around 5.40am, half way, my husband felt my car tyre don't have sufficient air, he stop by Shell seksyen 4 to pump at 5.50am. There is no one there except 2 foreigner worker in the shop( the shop was locked).
When my husband come down from the car, I immediately locked the car door(that is what I usually practice). He just started to pump, came a motorbike with 2 Malay guys, one of them come near my husband ,.. Telling him " jangan bising! Wallet mari!" At the same time showing him the motor tyre lock in his hand, if my husband refuse, he will use that to attack him. When I saw the Malay guy get near him, I felt very uneasy in my heart, everything happen so fast, in split second, i saw my husband shouting while running ask me to go!(drive away)..he run away bcoz he know I already locked my car & there is no chance for him to come in bcoz the robber are too near my car.By running away he hope to lead the robber to chase him & to be away from us but when the robber saw him run so fast, he come back to attack my car, he uses the motorbike tyre lock & bang on my driver side window,in few seconds time, I manage to jump from the front passenger seat to the driver seat & on the second bang, I manage to reverse my car& go( thanks to my 8 mil tinted film , it save our family life, at least it last 2 knock, it buy me some time to drive away).i then drive towards my husband direction, it was so scary...at that time, my right side view is totally out bcoz of the cracked window, I can't open the door even my husband was nearby coz the robber was really near him, it will endanger him as well, so while he is running towards the counter , I try to escort him there, I drove pass the counter but to my suprise the Shell staff did not even help to open the door, they just stood inside & watch. I stop my car , ..feeling very scare bcoz I can't see my husband,..my daughter at the back of the car cried very loud when she saw that both the robber now are on the motorbike chasing my husband the opposite way, she cried "pa pa", hearing her crying ,..my fear from level 10 change mode immediately to Anger level 10. Immediately, I reverse my car & in my heart , if those robbers ever touch my husband I will bang them with my car if I need to! Seeing my car coming very fast towards their motor bike, the 2 Robbers run away & I quickly open the door for my husband & we are safe. Thank you God for protecting us despite just minor external injury of my husband Yip, bcoz he fall while they chase him & me twisted my right hand for turning the wheel super fast. We make police report after that & go to tropicana medical centre to get treatment. Moral of the story, be very alert & careful whenever you are irregardless of petrol kiosk or public places especially car park that are quiet, day or night. I would like to take this chance to thank God again for giving me & my husband Yip & my children another chance to live this life again. Thank you so much :)
Friday, February 22, 2013
COLONIAL SHAMES SPECIAL (3)
[导读]奥巴马的祖父侯赛因·奥尼扬戈遭受过英国殖民当局迫害。他1949年因投身肯尼亚独立运动被捕，在狱中度过两年。他家人称，奥尼扬戈每天早晚都要遭受鞭刑，造成永久性身体残疾。
1952年，英国士兵在马来亚丛林里巡逻（资料图）
“日不落帝国”分崩离析之际，一批记载着敏感事项的机密档案，被各殖民地当局收集起来并送回伦敦，在英国外交部资料室深处沉睡数十载。直到去年，数名曾遭殖民当局虐待的肯尼亚公民将英国政府告上法庭，后者才迫于多方压力，承诺将这批档案分批公开。
这些泛黄的公文和电报堆满了长达200米的书架，来自37个不同的殖民地。从东非大草原到马来亚丛林，从博茨瓦纳沼泽到印度洋孤岛，最先接触这批文件的学者们相信，其上记录的斑斑劣迹，即便时隔半个世纪，足以将伦敦置于“尴尬而可耻”的境地。
肯尼亚：奥巴马祖父曾遭殖民当局迫害
据英国《卫报》消息，在今年4月重见天日的最新一批外交文件中，一份来自肯尼亚的密报尤其引人注意，那上面出现的一个名字“贝拉克·奥巴马”，正是现任美国总统的父亲。该档案指出，美国国务院1959年曾告诉英国官员，他们担心肯尼亚留美学生留下“思想偏激”的名声；就在老奥巴马取得赴美资格时，他的同学日益“反美、反白人”。
驻内罗毕的英国官员对获得奖学金的肯尼亚学生颇为不屑，称他们在学业上，“甚至逊色于”留在非洲读书的同龄人。他们对美国“非裔美籍学生基金会”颇有微辞，正是该团体支持老奥巴马到夏威夷学习企业管理，间接促成了后者与白人女孩安·邓纳姆的结合。
此外，这份文件证实，奥巴马的祖父侯赛因·奥尼扬戈也遭受过英国殖民当局迫害。他曾为一名英国派驻肯尼亚的官员服务，担任厨师；1949年因投身肯尼亚独立运动而被捕，在狱中度过两年。他的家人称，奥尼扬戈每天早晚都要遭受鞭刑，造成永久性身体残疾。
博茨瓦纳：曾想在无人区试验高致命性毒剂
伦敦与海外属地间的裂痕，是在漫长的岁月里，因殖民当局的恣意妄为逐渐加深的。其中一条“罪状”，是将殖民地作为大规模杀伤性武器的试验场。一份来自博茨瓦纳的文件显示，英国飞机生产部（二战时负责装备试验的机构），曾计划在该国测试高致命性毒剂。
这场代号“法医”的试验计划规模空前，于1943年首次浮出水面。当时，英国驻比勒陀利亚高级专员公署接到密令，让他们划出一块约26平方公里的无人“隔离区”。在南非境内寻找未果，殖民当局便盯上了博茨瓦纳的马卡迪卡迪盐沼。是年7月，一位殖民地官员以惴惴不安的口气回复伦敦的上司：“您的指示已经记下，信件随即销毁。”
按照材料中的描述，英方最终选定该国东部纳塔湖以南区域进行试验，因为方圆24公里内没有水源，不易造成污染扩散。但1943年11月，另一名官员指出，试验“由于雨季临近”不得不推迟。至于“法医”计划最终是否实施或是就此被打入冷宫，外界不得而知。
更多来自非洲的档案显示，在二战最紧张的时候，未遭兵祸的撒哈拉以南非洲仅仅维持着表面上的平静：英国官员对意大利和日本人在东非的出没紧绷神经，夜以继日地报告其船只活动情况；一群到肯尼亚捕捉蝴蝶的德国科学家，也被贴上了“纳粹特务”的标签。
马来亚：围剿游击队
当人们将目光转向东南亚，更多血淋淋的数字暴露在光天化日之下。在20世纪50年代的马来亚，“消灭游击队”的主题被重复再重复。这些以共产党为骨干的队伍为赶走殖民者进行了旷日持久的丛林战，英国情报部门则试图通过截断物资供应逼迫其就范。
彼时，吉隆坡的统治者将所有反殖民主义武装视为“恐怖分子”。“马来亚联邦”情报总监马多克在其月度汇报中写道：“1956年最后一个月消灭41名恐怖分子。这一年共打死287人、抓获52人，自首134人。”他继续补充道，“尽管在丛林深处创建地下组织困难重重，马来亚共产党仍不断地在城镇和村庄从事颠覆活动。因此，有必要时刻警惕对手的行动并采取（反颠覆）策略，谨防现政权成为他们的目标。”
次年1月“雪兰莪州，安邦分支部队在吉隆坡郊区遭全歼”的记载，成为当地游击队日益强大的旁证。1957年3月的报告则有些得意地指出：“按照去年的标准，消灭恐怖分子的数量令人满意。”5月的评估则判断，“空袭击毙谭福梁（音）在一段时间内可缓解北森美兰州的困境，他领导的第三独立排，一直是影响该州北部局势的主要因素。”
武力之外的其他“反颠覆”手段，还包括禁售香港和新加坡29家出版社的违禁书籍，谴责马来西亚劳工党举办的演唱会——理由是“两首歌曲存在异议”。还有一份材料称，为了防止大米等生活物资落入神出鬼没的共产党游击队之手，英军经常对当地妇女进行脱衣搜查。
印度洋孤岛：“土著一个不留”
如果说多数英国人只是抱着好奇心看待这些陈年旧事，那么最让他们感到不满的，要数政府为美国在迪戈加西亚提供军事基地的问题，因为历届政府一直在欺骗公众。
迪戈加西亚岛是英属印度洋领地最大的岛屿。被英国1965年从毛里求斯买下后，美国空军在此建立了基地。至于岛上原住民的权利保护问题，1970年，英国外交部竟对提及此事的联合国工作人员撒谎，称岛民只是椰子种植园里的“合同工”。一份呈交希思首相的报告说：“美国和我们的任何讨论必须保密。”查戈斯群岛总计有1500名土著岛民，其中迪戈加西亚占500人。第二年，大部分岛民即被驱逐出境，辗转流落到毛里求斯和塞舌尔。
实际上，驱逐政策早在1966年就已露出端倪。当时，一名英国外交官在非公开场合宣称：“除了海鸥，土著一个不留。”就在那一年，工党政府与华盛顿达成协议：美军基地租期50年，包括20年的延长期。21世纪头10年间，从迪戈加西亚起飞的远程轰炸机参与了伊拉克和阿富汗的两场战争；一旦美军未来空袭伊朗核设施，该岛几乎肯定会再次投入使用。
更多机密文件已遭人为毁灭
然而，据知情人士透露，更多英国殖民时代末期的机密外交文件，已被草草销毁了事。时任殖民地国务大臣伊恩·麦克劳德1961年下达了相关指令，因为他担心这些材料“早晚有一天会令女王陛下难堪”，会让“警察、军队、公务员和卧底特工尴尬”。
英国广播公司指出，这部分湮灭的文件涉及：肯尼亚殖民当局拷打游击队员的详情；英军1948年在马来亚屠杀24名手无寸铁村民的经过；陆军情报机关上世纪60年代在亚丁经营秘密刑讯中心的物证。处理掉这些最敏感的材料，不仅是为了保护英国的“声誉”，还在于让英国政府免受诉讼——一旦肯尼亚那几名原告胜诉，预计会有上千受害者群起效仿。
当局毁灭书面证据的做法，令学术界人士更多地感到遗憾。英国国家档案馆专家埃德·罕布什尔博士表示，迄今移交的1200份档案，约占全部秘档的1/6。
COLONIAL SHAMES SPECIAL（2）
黑狱打死反殖者 英殖民虐杀密档曝光
【英国伦敦1日综合电】英国外交办公室在司法压力下，被迫公开一批秘密违规隐藏了五十多年的文件，揭露英国如何掩饰殖民时代镇压屠杀罪行的真相。解密文件详细披露1950年代，肯雅殖民地总督与时任英国殖民地大臣串通，掩饰当地黑狱虐囚杀人内幕，势成3名幸存受害人目前控告英国政府施虐讨公道的有力证据。
●图为1950年代的肯雅，英国警察检查一具“茅茅反殖运动”民兵的尸体。
这批原应于1980年代便公开、但被英国政府隐瞒至今的新解密外交文件，主要围绕了1950年代东非肯雅奥拉拘留营的虐囚镇压暴行。奥拉拘留营是当年殖民地政府用来拘禁“茅茅反殖运动”的嫌疑者，被囚者在营中遭强制劳动，形同奴隶。
最新解密文件显示，早在1958年，英国外交部门已知该拘留营存在严重纪律问题。及至1959年3月3日，奥拉拘留营传出有11名肯雅人离奇死亡。殖民政府宣称，死者是因饮用了受污染食水而中毒死亡。但解密文件揭露，肯雅殖民总督巴林在事发后几天，便向时任英国殖民地事务大臣伦诺克斯博伊德发出机密电报，透露“他们是死于暴力”。
伦诺克斯博伊德要求搞清楚，有多少英国军官和非洲狱卒涉事，巴林回覆，由2名欧洲（英方）狱官当领导，另有近百狱卒拥有棍棒。1959年5月，伦诺克斯博伊德再向巴林发电报道﹕“（英国）舆论对奥拉的问题极度敏感……我肯定你会同意，我们应尝试让这宗不快事件尽快脱离公众视线。”
草草调查无疾而终
《卫报》称，尽管早已知悉虐打致死真相，但英国官员初期仍向外宣称那是中毒事件；文件还显示，伦敦政府早知该监狱有系统地虐囚，图粉碎反殖人士对抗殖民政府的意志。根据解密文件，狱官狱卒获授权，若有在囚者不肯劳动，就可殴打他们。
殖民政府曾考虑抹黑一众死者是“罪犯”，但调查显示他们全没刑事案底，甚至仅因支持反殖武装人士而遭未经审讯拘留，最后殖民当局草草搞了一场调查大戏，确认死者遭殴打致死，但律政司以“无法确定是由哪位狱警殴打致死”为由，宣布无人需被检控。
●图为1950年代的肯雅，英国警察检查一具“茅茅反殖运动”民兵的尸体。这批原应于1980年代便公开、但被英国政府隐瞒至今的新解密外交文件，主要围绕了1950年代东非肯雅奥拉拘留营的虐囚镇压暴行。奥拉拘留营是当年殖民地政府用来拘禁“茅茅反殖运动”的嫌疑者，被囚者在营中遭强制劳动，形同奴隶。
最新解密文件显示，早在1958年，英国外交部门已知该拘留营存在严重纪律问题。及至1959年3月3日，奥拉拘留营传出有11名肯雅人离奇死亡。殖民政府宣称，死者是因饮用了受污染食水而中毒死亡。但解密文件揭露，肯雅殖民总督巴林在事发后几天，便向时任英国殖民地事务大臣伦诺克斯博伊德发出机密电报，透露“他们是死于暴力”。
伦诺克斯博伊德要求搞清楚，有多少英国军官和非洲狱卒涉事，巴林回覆，由2名欧洲（英方）狱官当领导，另有近百狱卒拥有棍棒。1959年5月，伦诺克斯博伊德再向巴林发电报道﹕“（英国）舆论对奥拉的问题极度敏感……我肯定你会同意，我们应尝试让这宗不快事件尽快脱离公众视线。”
草草调查无疾而终
《卫报》称，尽管早已知悉虐打致死真相，但英国官员初期仍向外宣称那是中毒事件；文件还显示，伦敦政府早知该监狱有系统地虐囚，图粉碎反殖人士对抗殖民政府的意志。根据解密文件，狱官狱卒获授权，若有在囚者不肯劳动，就可殴打他们。
殖民政府曾考虑抹黑一众死者是“罪犯”，但调查显示他们全没刑事案底，甚至仅因支持反殖武装人士而遭未经审讯拘留，最后殖民当局草草搞了一场调查大戏，确认死者遭殴打致死，但律政司以“无法确定是由哪位狱警殴打致死”为由，宣布无人需被检控。
http://www.eunited.com.my/?q=node/9017
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The secret to a long life? Walk 2.5 hours a week and you could extend yours by SEVEN years
- Just half that may extend life by two years, study finds
- Experts also suggest that it is possible to be fat and fit
By FIONA MACRAE
|
Walking for just two-and-a-half hours a week could add more than seven years to your life, researchers believe.
The study found even half of that is beneficial, with 75 minutes of brisk walking a week enough to extend life by almost two years.
The analysis of the lives of more than 600,000 men and women aged 40 and over also added weight to the idea that it is possible to be fat and fit.
Breath of fresh air: Researchers believe you could add more than seven years to your life just by walking 2.5 hours a week
The experts from the US government’s medical research agency and Harvard University crunched the results of six previous long-term studies into health and lifestyle.
The analysis focused on moderate exercise – defined as walking fast enough to break into a sweat but slow enough to hold a conversation.
The benefits were clear, with two and a half hours of brisk walking a week adding 3.4 years to life on average.
Doing twice this added 4.2 years, while walking for seven and a half hours weekly added 4.5 years to life.
The study found that people of a healthy weight who didn't exercise could expect to die 3.1 years earlier than obese people who did stay active
The biggest gains were seen in people of a healthy weight, where two and a half hours of moderate exercise a week – as recommended by the Government – extended life by more than seven years, the journal PLoS Medicine reported.
However, people of a healthy weight who didn’t exercise could expect to die 3.1 years earlier than obese people who did stay active – a finding that underlines the importance of exercising whatever your weight.
The study also revealed the association between physical activity and life expectancy was similar between men and women, and that black people gained more years of life expectancy than white people.
The relationship between life expectancy and exercise was stronger among those with a history of cancer or heart disease than those with no history of either disease.
Dr I-Min Lee, the study’s senior author, said: ‘We must not underestimate how important physical activity is for health – even modest amounts can add years to your life.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2228939/The-secret-long-life-Walk-2-5-hours-week-extend-SEVEN-years.html#ixzz2LWJJ0wP1
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top "anti-aging" recommendations:
- Proper Food Choices: For a comprehensive food guide, see my free nutrition plan. Generally speaking, you should focus your diet on whole, unprocessed foods (organic vegetables, grass-fed meats, raw dairy, nuts, and so forth) that come from healthy, sustainable, local sources, such as small organic farms near your home.
- Comprehensive Exercise Program, including High-Intensity Exercise like Peak Fitness: Even if you're eating the best diet in the world, you still need to exercise effectively to reach your highest level of health. This means incorporating core-strengthening exercises, strength training, stretching and high-intensity activities into your rotation.
- Stress Reduction and Positive Attitude: You cannot be optimally healthy if you avoid addressing the emotional components of your health. Your emotional state plays a role in nearly every physical disease, from heart disease and depression to arthritis and cancer. Effective coping mechanisms and stress management are major factors in promoting longevity, in part because stress has a direct impact on inflammation, which in turn underlies many of the chronic diseases that kill people prematurely. The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), meditation, yoga, prayer, social support and exercise are all ways to help you maintain emotional equilibrium.
- The Right Amount of Sleep: Not only is sleep important in preventing illness, but recent research suggests it correlates with longevity as well. Not just enough sleep – but the right amount of sleep. In a 22-year twin study,2 adults who slept morethan 8 hours per night, or less than 7, showed increased risk of death. Of course, the quality of your sleep is also important, not just the quantity.
- Proper Sun Exposure to Optimize Vitamin D: We have long known that it is best to get your vitamin D from sun exposure. If at all possible, I strongly urge you to make sure you're getting out in the sun on a daily basis during the months that UVB rays are able to penetrate the atmosphere. To learn more about how to determine when you can effectively generate vitamin D from sun exposure, please see my previous article, Little Sunshine Mistakes that Can Give You Cancer Instead of Vitamin D.
- Take High-Quality Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats: Animal-based omega-3 fats are a strong factor in helping people live longer. Many experts believe it's the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest-lived race on the planet.
- Get your antioxidants from foods: Good sources include blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, beans, and artichokes. Many may also benefit by adding supplemental astaxanthin as a profoundly potent antixoxidant.
- Use coconut oil: Another excellent anti-aging food is coconut oil, known to reduce your risk of heart disease andAlzheimer's disease, and lower your cholesterol, among other things.
- Avoid as Many Chemicals, Toxins, and Pollutants as Possible: This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.
- Avoid Prescription Drugs: Avoiding drugs and the conventional medical system is a good idea if you want to live a long and healthy life. According to data collected by the National Center for Health statistics, poisoning by prescription drugs has now surpassed car accidents as the leading cause of accidental death in the United States. The most commonly abused prescription painkillers (including OxyContin, Vicodin, Xanax, and Soma) now cause more deaths than heroin and cocaine combined.
For the best nutrition and health benefits, you will want to eat a good portion of your food raw. Personally, I aim to eat about 75 percent of my food raw, including raw eggs.
Topping the list of foods to avoid is fructose.
Eat plenty of natural, unprocessed salt with your food, as higher salt intake has been tied to longevity. I recommend Himalayan crystal salt. Also include liberal amounts of naturally fermented foods in your daily diet, which are important for optimal immune function.
High-intensity interval training boosts human growth hormone (HGH) production, which is essential for optimal health, strength and vigor. I've discussed the importance of Peak Fitness for your health on numerous occasions.
During times when no UVB's are able to penetrate, and hence will not lead to vitamin D production, you can use a safe tanning bed or an oral vitamin D3 supplement. There is preliminary evidence suggesting that oral vitamin D may not provide the identical benefits, but it's still better than none at all.
- By Caroline Jones
- 2 Comments
Secrets of a long life: 25 simple and surprising tips to help you live to 100
There are now 12,000 centenarians in the uk, but how can you make sure you receive a telegram from the Queen?
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Here are some simple and often surprising tricks that research shows can extend your life..
1 Switch your latte for a cuppa
Tea is packed with antioxidants called polyphenols that can help your body fight heart disease, cancer and premature ageing.
One Israeli study found that moderate tea drinkers lived substantially longer than those who don’t have a regular cuppa.
But remember to give it a good stir before removing the tea bag, as research shows this releases 15% more of the age-resisting ingredients.
2 Balance on one leg every morning
It may sound strange, but standing on alternative legs while you dress in the morning forces your body to balance, strengthening your ‘core’ (back, pelvic and stomach) muscles which support your spine.
According to physiotherapist Tom Salzman: “This simple daily act will offer significant long-term benefits when it comes to staying active for longer and protecting against falls and broken bones as you get older.”
3 Have regular sex at least twice a week
A large Welsh study on longevity found that those who had sex less than once a month had double the risk of dying prematurely than those who had sex twice a week.
Aside from the health benefits, couples with a healthy sex life can also look up to seven years younger, according to a study by the Royal Edinburgh Hospital – possibly because sex reduces stress, leading to greater contentment and better sleep.
4 Eat three walnuts a day
Walnuts are the healthiest nut of all because they contain the most disease-fighting and anti-ageing antioxidants, according to recent search from the University of Scranton, US.
Eating just three walnuts a day is enough to reap the full benefits.
5 Use less sunscreen but don’t burn
Figures show that 50% of people in the UK are deficient in vitamin D, the nutrient made by the action of sunlight on our skin, increasing our risk of a host of potentially fatal conditions including heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer.
To boost your vitamin D levels without raising your risk of skin cancer, Cancer Research UK now recommends getting a few minutes (in practice around 15 to 20) of sun around the middle of the day without sunscreen.
But make sure you don’t burn, or you’ll wipe out any health benefits.
6 Make six good mates you can always rely on
Developing close friendships and family ties is the secret of living to 100, according to a recent Australian study of centenarians.
Friends provide emotional support, which helps us deal with stress, and feeling loved boosts production of feel-good chemicals dopamine and oxytocin, which promote brain growth, combating ageing.
Other research has pinpointed six as the optimum number of friends we each need.
7 Stop eating when you’re 80% full
The Okinawans, who inhabit remote Japanese islands, have one of the world’s lowest rates of obesity, as well as the highest percentage of people living beyond 100.
Their secret? At every meal, they stop eating when they feel about 80% satisfied, happily leaving any excess food on their plate.
American researchers have also found animals can live up to twice as long when their food intake is reduced by up to a third.
As well as helping them to maintain a healthier weight, it’s thought eating less means the metabolism has less work to do, putting less long-term stress on the body.
8 Go to bed one hour earlier if you can
Lack of sleep can put you at greater risk of health conditions such as depression and heart disease, according to a raft of recent research.
And yet a small change makes a big difference – a study from Harvard Business School in the US found that for people who normally slept for seven hours or less a night, going to bed just one hour earlier led to a significant drop in blood pressure – therefore lowering their risk of heart attacks and strokes.
9 Make sure you floss every night
“Gum disease is the most widespread condition on the planet,” says dentist Dr James Russell.
“So I say sarcastically – floss the teeth you want to keep!”
And it’s not just your teeth that will thank you – in the past 10 years, studies have linked gum disease to an increased risk of other conditions, including heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.
10 Be a details person
Research by US psychologist Dr Howard Friedman has found that the best predictor of longevity is how conscientious a person is.
That’s right – people who are careful with money, thoughtful, detail-focused and like to put everything back in its rightful place tend to live longer!
It’s thought that conscientious people may produce more of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which stops them comfort-eating and improves their sleep.
They also appear to be drawn towards healthier choices and can live less risky lifestyles.
11 Buy yourself a pet, and preferably a dog
People who own a pet are less stressed, less depressed and can live longer than those who don’t, according to research.
The calming effect of owning an animal can even drop blood pressure and reduce your risk of a heart attack, according to University of Minnesota researchers in the US.
Another study found owners who walk their dogs daily lived an average of seven years longer than otherwise similar non-dog owners.
12 Don’t put fruit in the fridge
You might think you’re making it last longer, but studies show that chilled fruit contains fewer health-boosting nutrients than fruit, which has been kept at room temperature.
For example, tomatoes and peppers stored in a bowl rather than the fridge can contain double the betacarotene and up to 20 times more lycopene.
Which is good news, as high intakes of both these antioxidants have been linked to better heart health and lower rates of certain cancers.
13 Be helpful and lend a hand to others
Helping others not only feels good – it could reap big health rewards too.
A long-term US study found that people who volunteered regularly over a lifetime lived significantly longer than those who didn’t.
Volunteers also experienced less depression, fewer pains and better general health.
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14 Sing a tune in the shower
Singing regularly could be a better health insurance policy than taking vitamins, according to the findings of a joint Harvard and Yale University study from the US.
They found that being a choir member increased life expectancy, and concluded this was because a good old singsong slashed stress, promoted a healthy heart and helped ward off depression.
15 Eat twice as much fruit and veg
A recent report in the European Heart Journal found that people who eat eight or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day have nearly a quarter less chance of dying from heart disease than someone who eats only three – the national average.
This is because every single portion is packed with vital vitamins and antioxidants, which boost the immune system and fight the damage that leads to premature ageing.
16 Try to stop moaning so much!
Optimists live 12 years longer than pessimists, according to American researchers at the US Mayo Clinic. Pessimists are also more prone to viral illnesses and are less likely to carry out essential self-examinations that detect breast or skin cancer.
17 Drink plenty of apple juice
Apple juice could help keep your brain young, according to a recent study in the Journal Of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Researchers found just two glasses a day reduced the formation of the sticky plaques found in the brains of dementia patients.
18 Draw your family tree and learn your history
Finding out your family health history could help predict your own health future, as many conditions have a genetic link.
“We suspect a condition, such as heart disease or cancer, is genetic if it crops up more frequently than we’d expect by chance, especially at a young age,” says Dr Anand Saggar, genetics specialist and Harley Street doctor..
By identifying conditions that run in your family you can be sure to look out for symptoms so problems are picked up early.
19 Watch an hour less TV a night
After the age of 25, every hour of TV you watch could knock around 20 minutes off your lifespan, say scientists at the US National Cancer Institute.
This is thought to be down to the fact that the more TV you watch, the longer your body is sat around doing nothing, muscles aren’t exercised and calories aren’t burnt off – raising your risk of illness and early death.
20 Make sure you never skip a screening
“The NHS doesn’t offer tests for the fun of it – they can, and do, save lives by catching diseases early when they’re still treatable,” argues Dr Dawn Harper.
“So if you’re offered any test whether it’s a smear, a blood pressure check or a mammogram, making that appointment should be a priority – not something that wallows in the bottom of your in tray.”
21 Measure your waist – not your weight
Scientists have discovered that waist measurement is a better predictor of heart disease than either weight or BMI (body mass index) because it can point to the existence of visceral fat, the dangerous fat that sit around the vital organs.
Your waist should measure below 94cm for a man or below 80cm for a woman.
22 Get hitched – it’s good for your health
Married men are three times less likely to die from heart disease than men who have never tied the knot, while marriage halves the risk of cardiac death for women, according to a 2009 study.
23 Laugh at least 20 times a day
Laughter boosts the immune system, slashes stress hormones and stimulates killer T-cells, which fight cancer.
But as adults we only laugh an average of five to fifteen times a day, while children can easily clock up over a hundred daily giggle bouts.
24 Give up smoking
According to a long-term Finnish study, smoking not only shortens your life by around 10 years, but it also lowers your quality of life in old age, as smokers are more likely to suffer from debilitating illnesses.
25 Try to believe... in something
More than 1,000 studies have found a link between faith and living longer.
It’s thought that having strong beliefs helps people deal with stress and emotional problems, and also seems to offer protection against heart, respiratory and digestive problems.
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