Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Emotions - Valuable or Destructive?

On the other hand, positive emotions are a part of a healthy and happy existence. They make life interesting and worth living. Most of the worthwhile experiences in our lives are connected with our emotions. Emotions may protect us and bring us feelings of compassion, pity, and even arouse us to act to change some unpleasant circumstances of others or ourselves. David Livingstone, the famous explorer and missionary to Africa, had strong feelings when he saw the suffering caused by slave trade. These strong feelings were translated into action, and he was to a large extent responsible for ending the slave trade. It is impossible to estimate the impact on the world of the emotional response of thousands of people to the sufferings of Jesus Christ.

Courage, hope, faith, sympathy, love - these emotions promote health and prolong life. A contented mind and cheerful spirit is health to the body, and strength to the mind.

Unfortunately, all of us have experienced unhealthy emotional reactions, such as resentment, hatred, depression, grief, anxiety, discontent, guilt and distrust. These emotions tend to break down the life forces and to invite decay and death.

The Voice of Propecy

Monday, June 29, 2009

8 Simple Health Principles

This is a video from the World's Last Chance website that I have visited recently. The video is about the 8 principles that can prevent most of our diseases which are lifestyle related. Thanks to World's Last Chance for distributing such video for free. Please watch the video to learn more about the principles.

Examples of Emotional Illness

Tom, a progressive young business man was often bothered by a heavy feeling across his chest. It was like a tight band around him. He could not breathe freely. Feeling sure he had heart or lung trouble, he went to a clinic in a large city. Much time was spent carefully examining him by many different doctors, but no physical disease was found.

Still sick, Tom returned home. His own family doctor, who had known him for a long time, was aware of the difficulty. He knew that Tom was working in the office of his father, who dominated the business. Tom, who was very capable, was left in an inferior role. Filled with rebellion against his father, he was taking his feelings out on himself. When all this was explained to him, Tom determined, with God's help, to get rid of his bitterness. With the "load" off his chest, he soon felt better.

Mary developed a persistent headache for which there seemed to be no cause. After much careful investigation she became aware of the fact that her headaches began when her sister-in-law, whom she greatly dislikes, had come to stay with her two years previously. This cause inward tension which had to come out somewhere. It came out in the form of a headache. She was an example that the expression, "That person gives me a pain in the neck" or "That person gives me a headache" can actually be true.

Dolly is a young woman who carried a heavy responsibilities at home. She had a sickly mother to care for, and a father who was an alcoholic. While doing her best to maintain the home, she also had to put up a good front to the outside world at her job. Eventually she reacted to the situation. Frequently she was bothered by persistent vomiting. She lost weight and was finally hospitalized.

all examinations of her digestive tract were normal. However, a careful talk with her revealed that the real cause of her problem was her home situation. It was "too much for her to swallow." Her physical symptoms were an expression of what she was unable to put into words or even admit to herself.

The Voice of Prophecy

Friday, June 26, 2009

CREATION Health

Two of my friends in Keningau, Sabah has joined the Seminar about CREATION Health in Miri, Sarawak several months ago. I asked them what it is all about and they told me that it is just the same with NEWSTART programme. I am a little confused about it in the beginning. However, after I visited the website of CREATION Health, I was astonished that it is actually a lifestyle transformation programme designed to help people live life to the fullest by focusing on the eight universal principles of whole person health God originally gave at Creation.

CREATION is actually an acronym for;
  • Choice is the first step toward improved health. Making healthy choices is the key to lifestyle improvement. Research shows that people who believe they have more control over their lives tend to be healthier and live longer.
  • Rest is both a good night's sleep and taking time to relax. Life's stress and pressures accumulate over time and can create a generalized "dis-ease" with life. Relaxation techniques practiced regularly, can lower blood pressure, change one's mood and reduce stress.
  • Environment is the external space outside of us but that which affects what happens within us. All of our senses -- sight, smell, sound, touch and taste -- can influence our mood as well as our health, either positively or negatively. Recent research demonstrates not only the importance of our larger environment (air and water quality) to our health, but also our immediate environment (light, sound, aroma and touch).
  • Activity includes stretching, muscle development and aerobic activity. The goal is to be active physically, mentally and spiritually. Activities should be something you enjoy and will participate in for years to come. Research indicates that an increase in activity translates directly into improved health.
  • Trust in God speaks to the important relationship between spirituality and healing. Our faith, beliefs and hopes affect our health. Research shows the vital role that belief and expectation have on the final outcome.
  • Interpersonal Relationships are important to your well-being. Knowing you have the support of others fortifies your resolve and contributes to improved health. Research has demonstrated the importance of support groups and family in recovering from illness.
  • Outlook colors your perspective on life. Recent research suggests that your attitude influences your health and even impacts the progression of disease.
  • Nutrition is the fuel that drives the whole system. Take time to evaluate your food intake remembering that even small improvements, done regularly multiply the health benefits many times over. Research has consistently shown the importance of a good diet on your health and energy levels.
If you want to know more about CREATION Health programme, please visit the website at http://www.creationhealth.tv/. It's worth to know about it.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

The Ten Commandments of Health

These are the Ten Commandments of Health which I would like to share it with you.
  1. Take enough sunlight/sunshine
  2. Breath fresh air
  3. Drink enough water
  4. Enough rest
  5. Enough Exercise
  6. Take only healthy food
  7. Self-control, be moderate in all things
  8. Be clean and hygienic
  9. Love one another
  10. Believe in and have strong relationship with God

Friday, June 19, 2009

4 Verified Cases of H1N1

My country, Malaysia has recorded 4 more of positive H1N1 cases today, making Malaysia to having until now, 27 cases of H1N1. All cases are stated as "imported cases".

From 27 verified cases, 12 patients have fully recovered while 15 last cases is still under medical supervision and now is getting recovered. They seem to react to the antiviral given.

Until now, the H1N1 cases has infected 39, 803 peoples from 88 countries and results in 167 deaths.

Despite all that, I really suggest readers to read this entry.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Tension, Can Be Good

Let me use the word 'he' to help me describe a situation. Okay. He was walking home from his night class, calm and relaxed, enjoying the quiet moonlit evening. His heart was beating quietly about 70 beats a minute. His breathing was slow and regular. He was at peace. Suddenly a large man with a handkerchief around his face rushed out of the shadows toward him. Fear sent an impulse to his brain exciting his autonomic nerves. An alarm reaction flashed out from his brain to all parts of his body. The adrenal glands poured out extra amounts of a powerful hormone called adrenalin, which had widespread effects in his body. His heart beat faster, his blood pressure rose, his breathing speeded up to supply more oxygen, his digestion stopped (it can wait until the crisis passes), the pupils of his eyes got larger in order to see better, and his mind become more active. He was ready for a fight or a flight, whichever was the wiser choice at the moment. This chain of reactions was normal and necessary for him whenever he faced a real danger.

If you then, are awakened at night by a thief in your house, or if you are faced suddenly with a speeding car in the highway, this alarm reaction may save your life. As soon as the danger is past, your body returns to its normal state. However, if the stress is greatly prolonged, you would eventually suffer complete exhaustion. Under extreme condition of stress itself, in an unhealthy person, the person can result in death.

If a person sits at home and allows his mind to think about such things as thieves breaking in or fear of an oncoming disaster or disease, or if he is angry or bitter with another person, his body will go through the same alarm reactions as if he were in actual danger. An excessive and frequent production of these reactions over weeks and months results in harmful effects and produces a set pattern of disturbing sensations. The person is living in an anxiety state. When we become more concerned with our own physical symptoms than with the initial problems, we become anxious and nervous. Keeping the body under continual stress is like running an engine at high speed without let-up. Eventually something has to give. When the body is stressed, all parts are exposed to tension. The part that breaks down happens to be that which is the weakest in that particular person. Neither the body nor the mind can take too much wear in the same place. Thousands are in trouble because the same thought, the same problems, the same fear and frustrations has grown deeper and deeper until the mind becomes unbalanced. Overloaded minds, like overloaded electric circuits, have a way of blowing a fuse.

It is not possible to avoid stress entirely, but it is possible and very important to control your reaction to it. It is the body's faulty reaction to stress which causes the so called "stress disease". Tension does not come from the outside. It is something you produce; therefore you can control it.

The Voice of Prophecy

Friday, June 12, 2009

What is Stress?

Are you stress now? Let me tell you about it. Stress is simply the body's reaction the wear and tear of life. Every single activity you engage in, every emotion you feel, whether it is asking the boss for a raise, or trying to complete an assignment, set up stress. The way your body reacts to such stress agents has much to do with your health.

Excessive emotions can be harmful. Anger can become so blinding that it leads to regretted actions. Fear can be so paralyzing that one is powerless to act. Normal body functions are upset by such emotions.

Emotional and mental stress can cause ulcers, asthma, high blood pressure, intestinal diseases, an even arthritis. 75 percent of all illnesses came from disordered emotions. These changes come through the autonomic or automatic nervous system. This is a system whose functions are largely beyond your control.

Your nervous system consist of two main parts known as the voluntary and involuntary (automatic). The voluntary nerves radiating from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles which direct the movement of the limbs, the head, and the trunk. We control them more or less as we wish.

The involuntary nerves act upon the internal organs and muscles, such as the heart, the lungs, the intestines and the arteries. Unlike the voluntary nerves, the involuntary nerves are not under our direct control, but they do respond to our moods and our emotions.

The Voice of Prophecy

Thursday, June 11, 2009

You Are What You Think!

Hi readers! What sort of day did you have yesterday? Did you feel under "pressure"? Was there a deadline to meet and not enough time to meet it? Did you shout at those under your authority or have quarrel with your boss? Did you get upset because you couldn't find your notes for the coming examination? Did you get home from the office tired and couldn't sleep?

Tension, Good or Bad?

If the answer to most of these questions is "yes", then the chances are that you are suffering from excessive tension or stress. Tension in itself is not bad. It is a desirable nuisance which can be a blessing. Tension relieves boredom and helps you fulfill your goal in life. Tension followed by right action gives you a sense of well-being.

Did you know that there is a tremendously close relationship between your mind and your body? Did you know that your mind can produce disease in your body? The term for this relationship is called psychosomatic. "Psyche" means the mind, and "Soma" means the body. That this relationship has always been present is evident from an ancient writer, who said, "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." (Proverbs 17:22, King James Version, KJV).

Did you know that changes are produced in your body by emotions or thoughts?

Here are some persona questions about simple reactions between your mind and body. When you were embarrassed, didn't your face turn red? Doesn't your mouth get dry when you are angry? When you are afraid, are the palms of the hands wet with perspiration?

Emotions are persistent feelings or moods. These may be acute feelings such as rage, horror, agony, excitement, shame, amusement. They may lasts for days or even weeks, such as depression, cheerfulness, anxiety, resentment, or bitterness.

Some emotions heighten levels of activity because they are exciting. Others have a quieting effect. The small boy who jumps up and down, clapping his hands when he learns he is to visit the zoo is an example of the first. Sorrow and grief have the latter effect.

Emotions are triggered by situations or by memory of past events or anticipation of the future. That is why some emotional behavior is so unreasonable.

There is an emotional center of the brain, and nerves from this center go out to every part of the body, thus, emotions have an effect on the way we feel.

The Voice of Prophecy

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Close Relationship Between Mind and Body

A dead man has a brain. It looks exactly like yours and mine. But he does not have a mind. He cannot think. It is only when a person is alive that he has a mind which can think, decide, choose and act. The real you is found in this most remarkable organ, the human brain.

There is a close relationship between the mind and the body. Thoughts and emotions affect your body. Physical effects and activities have a profound influence on your thinking. The basic reason for good health habits in eating, drinking, exercise, rest, regularity, abstinence from drugs and chemicals, and trust in divine power is to assure you an alert and healthy mind.

What effects can thinking have on your body? Can you control your emotions and prevent anxiety and fear from robbing you of health and making your life empty and miserable? You'll find the answers in the next post. Just stay with me.

The Voice of Prophecy

The Meaning of Healthy17

http://healthy17.blogspot.com is my blog address. Healthy17 is the official name of my blog. Why do I chose Healthy17 to be the name of my blog? Recently, a friend of mine asked me the meaning of Healthy17. I then began to think of writing a post to clarify the meaning of my blog's name. Explicitly, Healthy17 can be described clearly like below.

  1. Healthy = Having a good health, and promoting health.
  2. 1 = The crucial factor that lead to great health is only one, which is God. Believe, trust and obey Him to keep healthy (especially for our spiritual life).
  3. 7 = Other than believing, trusting, and obeying God (which are the fundamental for great health), there are approximately seven important factors that lead you to achieve great health in this world. They are nutrition, exercise, water, sunshine, temperance, air, and rest.
Apart from that, we as a human being, must be diligence and know our body very well. By knowing them, we know what is good for them. So, that's my explanation for my blog's name. It simple and worth to know. I thanks to my friend for asking me the question.

Power of Choice

The important function of your brain is in making choices, the right choices. The part of the brain that separates you from the rest of the animal kingdom is the frontal lobe, the area behind the forehead. Here, decision, judgment, reasoning, and worship take place. Animals do not have this well-developed portion of the brain. The choices we make count for life or death to us now and for our future destiny. Man's freedom of choice, based on past experience and information, requires a number of complicated activities within the brain.
  1. Discrimination is the ability to tell the difference between various objects and facts. You use this when you feel coins in your pocket, find keys in the dark or use any of your special senses, such as hearing, seeing, smelling, and tasting.
  2. Once discrimination "turns on the light," judgment "points the way." It weighs on side against the other and decides what is best under the circumstances, depending on your past experience and knowledge.
  3. What are self-control and willpower? If discrimination and judgment agree with your natural habits and reactions, there is usually no problem. If, however, they disagree with your reaction pattern, you face a choice as to the side upon which you will place the strength of your will. Willpower is a strength of mind to carry out or finalize on a choice which your judgment dictates at best. Your will is a governing power, the power of decision or choice. Every human possessed of reason has power to choose right. The power are strengthened by use.
Paul, a famous citizen of ancient Rome, gave wonderful advice for keeping the mind in a healthy condition and controlling the thoughts. He said, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8 King James Version, KJV)

The Voice of Prophecy

Monday, June 8, 2009

Thoughts and Health

The study of the brain from a physical and biological standpoint leaves much we do not understand. Thoughts are powerful. They can change the world for better or for worse. Evil taught cause murder, riots, lawlessness, even war. They change not only the environment of a person, they change the man himself. The wise man, Solomon, wrote "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7).

You can control to a large extent your mind and the kinds of thoughts on which you dwell. Discipline your mind to think good thoughts. Careless, negative thoughts cause depression, anxiety, and even sickness.

The powerful influence for good or evil thinking is not confined to yourself but is far reaching. Your thoughts create a positive or negative atmosphere around you. They may be full of faith, courage, hope, and love or may produce an atmosphere of gloom, discontent, or selfishness. It is within your power to choose the topics that occupy your thoughts and shape your life.

The Voice of Prophecy

Friday, June 5, 2009

How To Study?

Is this matter related to ways of achieving great health? You may say yes or no. But for me, I consider this matter to be important since it has a link to increase and maintain a healthy body. No matter how old you are or in what stage of life you are now, you are still learning new things. Studying need not be monotonous or boring. In fact, it can be fun. Mental stimulation keeps a person young and receptive to new ideas.

In this post, I would like to share a few suggestions for improving your study habits. Find a quiet place to study or read. Plan a regular time and place for study. A clean uncluttered desk or table is a better place to work than a desk cluttered with extraneous or non-essential materials. Posture is important. Sit upright. Do not recline in an easy chair.

Memory is both an electrical and a chemical reaction. The final deposit of a memory takes about six hours. Therefore, if you are studying for memorization, the best time to study is in the evening. On the other hand, if you are studying mathematical problems and need alertness, the early morning is the best.

Note these principles of memorizing.
  1. Learn your material thoroughly. Do not memorize just by rote, but understand what you are learning so that it will assume a meaningful place in your mind.
  2. Put your material into writing if possible.
  3. Say it out loud. When you say the material aloud, you are not only using your voice, but you are hearing it with your ears. This gives a double impression, reinforcing your nerve stimulation.
  4. Associate your material with various acts and conditions. These relationships or associations may be facts, people, ideas or other things.
  5. Divide the material into manageable parts. If your material is short, it is usually best to learn it as a whole; but if it is long, divide it into parts that you can manage.
  6. space your learning. Break your learning into several sections rather than doing it all at once. Short bursts of intensive study are far more valuable than long periods of lazy study.
  7. Review (revise) frequently. Each time you go through the motions of learning, the impression or groove in the brain pathway will be deeper and more permanent. This is why it is important to study day by day rather than trying to cram in the last minute for an examination.
  8. Finally, continual use of the brain will strengthen it. The more one reads, the more one memorizes, the easier it becomes and the more one remembers.
The Voice of Prophecy

Picture by EdisonBL

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Our Brain Power

For many years, scientists and philosophers have considered the mind, the expression of the brain, as something mysterious, unable to be understood. The body with its parts and functions was easily recognized as a physical organism and studied. But the mind and spirit were something mysterious. We now know that thought is merely the product of a complex series of electro-chemical reactions. The brain, is somewhat like an electric battery generating a current of one-tenth of a volt or about one-twentieth as much as a torch battery.

The brain can store an almost infinite number of bits of information in its memory bank. For about 30 to 60 minutes after being received, this bit of information is "floating around" so to speak in the brain not yet firmly registered. It then enters into a chemical reaction and becomes a part of a brain cell to be used at a future date as a memory.

Is there any such thing as brain or mental fatigue? Our brain is not like our muscles. It is electro-chemical in character and, therefore is capable of running indefinitely. What seems like mental fatigue is often merely boredom, inattention, and the inability to ignore distracting thoughts. The fatigue may also be located in other parts of our body (our eyes or the muscles of our neck and back. This explains why, when we are studying, a brief change helps us to concentrate more because we have relieved the physical fatigue and boredom by running around the block or other activities.

The brain's capacity is almost inexhaustible although the umber of brain cells has not increased during our lifetime. Their ability to absorb and transmit information can be increased. The wisest man whoever lived has in no way used the full capacity of his mind. Generally, people employ about 10% of the capabilities of their brain.

Age must not prevent our learning process. Learning is associated with the ability to create new electric circuits in the brain. As long as that power remains we can continue to acquire new knowledge and skills (even at 80 years of age).

Our mental powers grow with use. There is a fundamental law of nature which says what we don't use, we lose. If we break our arm and it it places in a cast for six weeks, when it is removed the muscles of that arm will be smaller than the other arm which was in continual use. The brain tends to atrophy or shrink with disuse and to become more alert with exercise.

How do we then, exercise our brain? Anything we do with our brain, we exercises it. The more reasoning we do, the easier it is to go to new reasoning. The ability to memorize improves with practice. Try memorizing telephone numbers, people's names, lists of things to do (instead of writing them down).

Every aspect of our personality is stored in our brain. This include our will power, which is also developed and strengthened by practice. Each time we exert our will to drive our self to the completion of an unpleasant task or to break a habit, we make it easier next time to do what we need to do.

The Voice of Prophecy