The Efficacy of Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO)

Hello everybody and a very good day to all of you. Do you still remember i ever post an entry about the benefits of virgin coconut oil (VCO) months ago? Well, for today's entry, i want to write more about the efficacy of this miracle oil in which i am also the user of this VCO for my own health benefits. Now, let me gives more information about this VCO's benefits and its efficacy in treating many health problems. 

Mostly the function of this VCO is to prevents, treats and heals those health problems like cholesterol, heart diseases, sinusitis, hepatitis, high-blood pressure, skin diseases, gout and hair problems. But however, this VCO is not limited to treats those diseases only as the efficacy of this miracle oil is also beneficial to human in terms of : 

External beauty

• Appropriate treatment of skin diseases such as ringworm, scabies, scaling, rash, diaper rash, chapped, cracked heels, acne, abscess, sinusitis, tuberculosis, jaundice and so on. 
• Helps reduce excess weight and obesity by increasing the metabolic rate.
• Used by the body to produce energy with the choice to be stored as dieter fat and so on. 
• If applied physically it helps to form the chemical barriers on the skin to reduce infections and at the same time prevents the fine lines. 
• Reduce the symptoms of psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. 
• Reduce hair problems such as hair loss and dandruff.

Internal health 

• Increase the energy level and endurance, physical and mental.
• Improve digestion and absorption of vitamins and amino acids that can dissolve fats. 
• Launch of insulin secretion and blood glucose flow and reduce the risk of diabetes.
• Reduce stress on pancreas and enzyme systems in the body and brings in thyroid function. 
• Reduce the pain of digestive problems and cystic fibrosis. 
• Increases the absorption of calcium and magnesium that help develop strong bones and teeth. It also protect themselves from osteoporosis attack. 
• Improves function and prevents the risks of heart diseases because the oil does not contain cholesterol in the blood. 
• Prevents atherosclerosis and stroke as well as helps lower high-blood pressure. 

Increase the body resistance 

• Contain and support the function of immune system, protecting the body from breast cancer, colon cancer and so on. 
• Functions as antioxidants and reduce chronic inflammation. 
• Helps protect the body from harmful free radicals that accelerate the rate of aging and degenerative diseases. 
• Relieves the symptoms associated with enlarged prostate. 
• Reduces stress epileptic and helps protect our bodies from diseases of the kidneys and bladder infections. 
• Help prevents lever pain and have lower calories content than other fats. 

Kills viruses, bacteria and fungus 

• Kills the viruses that cause mononucleosis, influenza, hepatitis c, measles and also herpes. 
• Kills the bacteria that cause pneumonia, earache, throat infections, dental cavities, food poisoning, kills tract infections, meningitis and gonorrhea. 
• Kills toadstool that cause candida, jock itch, ringworm and other infections. 
• Weakens and kills tapeworms, lice, giardia and parasites. 

All the information above are very essential to know as the more you know about the efficacy of this VCO, the more convinced you will become and i do suggests you to give this VCO a try since this oil is solely extracted from the natural resources (coconut), it won't harm anyone whom trying it for sure. And do remember, prevention is better than cure right? So, i personally advise you to take this VCO as your daily supplement and together we spread the words about the benefits of this VCO to the rest of the world and together we head to the healthy lifestyle!

Aromatherapy

Greetings to all my beloved loyal blog readers! How are you today? Hope all in a very good mood and good health too. It is quite awhile i did not update this blog indeed. By the way, for today's entry, i want to write about aromatherapy and it's benefits. Lets hear about the definition first since it is crucial to be known as well. 

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses volatile plant materials known as essential oils and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mind, mood, cognitive function or health. In other words, aromatherapy is actually a practice of using natural oils which extracted from flowers, bark, stems, leaves, roots or other parts of a plant in order to enhance psychological and physical well being. It is said that by inhaling these "essential" oils is believed to stimulate the brain function. apart from inhale the essential oils, the essential oils also can be absorbed through the skin where the oil will travel all the bloodstream and then can promote whole-body healing. 

There are 3 modes of application which are Aerial diffusion for environmental fragrancing, Direct inhalation for respiratory disinfection, decongestion, expectoration as well as psychological effects and the last one is Topical applications for general massage, baths, compresses, therapeutic skin care. Let us go one by one : 

Aerial diffusion 

The oils evaporated into the air. The aim is to give the air a specific fragrance or to disinfect it.

Direct inhalation 

The person breaths the evaporating oils straight in. This is commonly used for respiratory disinfection, decongestion as well as psychological benefits. 

Topical applications 

Applied directly onto the skin. Commonly used for massage, baths and therapeutic skin care. 

There are many popular aromatherapy products that can be found in the market today. Below are the list of those most popular picked aromatherapy products for your reference and considerations : 

Bergamot 

Bergamot is said to be useful for the urinary tract and digestive tract. Begamot also said good for the skin and skin problems caused by stress as well as skin affected by chicken-pox when it combined with eucalyptus oil. 

Clove Oil 

A topical analgesic or painkiller which commonly used for toothache. Clove oil also used as an antispasmodic, antiemetic (prevents vomiting and nausea) and carminative (prevents gas in the gut). 

Black Pepper 

Commonly used for stimulating the circulation, muscular aches and pains and also bruises.

Eucalyptus 

Often used for relief of the airways for people who have a cold or flu. This eucalyptus commonly combined with peppermint. 

Geranium Oil 

This is commonly used as a diuretic (makes you get rid of water), astringent (draws together or constrict body tissues and is effective in stopping the flow of blood or other secretions) and also antiseptic. 

Jasmine 

Jasmine is said to have aphrodisiac qualities. 

Lemon Oil 

Lemon oil is said to give the person a mood-lift, and also said to be very effective for relieving the symptoms of stress and depression. 

Tea Tree Oil 

Tea tree oil is said to have antimicrobial, antiseptic and disinfectant qualities. Tea tree oil commonly used in mouth rinses. 

Sandalwood 

Some people say this sandalwood has aphrodisiac qualities. 

Citronella Oil 

This is a relative of lemongrass and it is commonly used as an insect repellent. 

Basil 

This is used to sharpen concentration and alleviate some of the symptoms of depression. Basil also used to relieve headaches and migraine. But please take serious note that Basil should be avoided during pregnancy. 

Thyme Oil 

Thyme oil is said to help fatigue, nervousness and also stress. 

Yarrow Oil 

Yarrow oil is used for cold or influenza symptoms. It is also said to help reduce joint inflammation. 

Lavender Oil 

Lavender oil is commonly used as an antiseptic for minor cut and burns. It is also used to help people to feel relax and believed can relieve headache and migraine symptoms as well. Lavender oil also used to help people with insomnia. 

Despite of all benefits can be obtained from this aromatherapy, there are also side effects that we should know and take note whether this medicine alternative practice is suitable for us or not. But however, the side effects tend to be very mild and do not last long. the side effects include nausea, headaches and some allergic reactions. Apart from that, aromatherapy can leads the skin to become sensitive to the sunlight as well. This is because the essential oils used in the treatment which derived from citrus may make the skin become more sensitive to ultraviolet light, which making the person more susceptible to sunburn.

Fitness Mat & Leather Weightlifting Gloves

Greetings readers! I feel quite bored during this 3 weeks long of trimester break so i decided to go out somewhere to free my mind from the boredom last Monday morning. I went to Jusco Bandaraya Malacca just for a window shopping but surprisingly, i end up bought a fitness mat and leather weightlifting gloves there. Well, it is been quite awhile i planned to buy the fitness mat and the leather weightlifting gloves but never had the chance to get them. I wanted to use it for my push-up, sit ups and other exercises in which i think best fit to use it.

As i went from shop to shop and see anything that may caught my interests, i was then reached Fitness Concept Store located at 3rd floor, which is just a few stores away from the Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) counter. Unfortunately, not so many choices available there. 

There are only 3 types of fitness mat. 1 with cushion type and the other 2 were quite similar in appearance but different brands. I did not had the chance to snap photo of those fitness mats and leather weightlifting gloves available since it is not allowed. 

So, i decided to just bought the one with reasonable price, well at least i have one for my own use for the time being. I bought 1 fitness mat with the price of RM 65.00 and 1 pair of leather weightlifting gloves with the price of RM 39.50.

Maintaining Good Eye Health

Maybe a lot of people out there ever heard that carrots as well as other orange-coloured fruits and vegetables promote eye health and protect vision right? Well, this is true indeed because beta-carotene which is a type of vitamin A that makes these foods their orange hue helps the retina and other parts of the eyes to function smoothly. So meaning that by consuming these foods regularly will helps your eyes to work at it's best and avoid eye problem too! 

As been mentioned above, beta-carotene can benefit the eyes but please be informed that eating your way to good eyesight is not only about beta-carotene. There are several types more of other vitamins and minerals which are essentials for healthy eyes. So, this is what i am going to write today. 

Make known to the other five foods and list them in your diet in order to keep your eyesight in a tiptop condition! 

Leafy Green 

Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and collards packed with lutein and zeaxantine; which is the antioxidants that lower the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. 

Eggs 

The yolk is a prime source of lutein, zeaxantine and also zinc which also helps reduce the risk of macular degeneration. 

Citrus and Berries 

Citrus and berries are fruits that rich in vitamin C; which is effective indeed to reduce the risk of developing macular degeneration and cataracts. Oranges is best to consume in order to obtain vitamin C. 

Almonds 

Almonds contains vitamin E which is good to slows the macular degeneration. 

Fatty Fish 

Fatty fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon, anchovies and trout are rich in Docosahexaenoic Acids (DHA). DHA is actually a fatty acid that can be found in the retina in which if the level of DHA becomes low, may result to dry eye syndrome. 

And kindly remember that eating these regularly can benefit your eye health indeed. But however, there are also several other practices you can do to maintain your eye health. 

Simply put, if you are smoker, you should stop smoking at once. This is because smoking can lead your eyes to get cataracts, optic nerve damage and also macular degeneration. So, prevention is better than cure right? Act wise now to avoid unwanted problems to your eyes. 

Apart from that, do not forget to use sunglasses when you are outdoor. And do remember to use the right sunglasses and choose the type that can protect your eyes from the harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. In addition, if you are involve in sports, it is wise to use safety eyewear to protect your eyes. 

If you are type of person who loves to be i front of your computer especially for  along period of time, i suggests you take rest when you feel eye sore and pain at certain part of your body. Well, rest is the best answer to "heal" it anyway. Staring at computer screen for a long period of time can cause eyestrain, blurry vision, difficulty focusing at a distance, dry eyes, headache and even make your neck, back and shoulders feel painful. So, if you notice the symptoms already, it is wise to rest. I suggests you to look away from your computer, take rest by looking 20 feet away fro 30 seconds. And if possible, take considerable time for your eyes to rest in order for it to heal itself. 

And last but certainly not least, do remember to visit your doctor regularly to check your eyes. This is essential to know your eyes health and examine the possible problems that may occur to your eyes.

Plank Exercise

The plank exercise is actually an isometric core strength exercise that involves maintaining a difficult position of the body for the extended periods of time. The plank position also called a front hold, hover or abdominal bridge and the most common plank is the front plank which is held in a push up position with the body's weight borne on the forearms, elbows and also the toes.

The are many variations of plank exercise exist such as side plank and reverse plank. This plank exercise is commonly practiced in pilates, yoga, in training for boxing and also other sports. This exercise best to consider for strengthening the abdominals, the back and also shoulders. And now, lets move to the muscle parts that involved when doing front and side plank exercise.

The muscle parts that involved in the front plank includes : 

Primary 

• Erector spinae 
• Rectus Abdominis (abs)
• Transverse abdominus

Secondary 

• Trapezius (traps) 
• Rhomboids 
• Rotator cuff 
• The anterior 
• Medial 
• Posterior deltoid muscles (delts)
• Pectorals (pecs)
• Serratus anterior 
• Gluteus maximus (glutes)
• Quadriceps (quads)
• Gastrocnemius 

The muscle parts that involved in the side plank includes : 

Primary 

• Transverse abdominus 
• Gluteus medius and gluteus minimus muscles (abductors)
• The adductor muscles of the hip 
• The internal and external obliques 

Secondary 

• Gluteus maximus (glutes)
• Quadriceps (quads)
• Hamstrings 

I also did this plank exercise myself after done with my push up. So, if you want to try it, you also can do it too! Just start off with 50 push ups and right after you done with that, straight away do a plank for approximate 1 minute and keep repeat the process for 5 sets or more as you wish. Good luck!