Archive for January, 2009

We are usually talking about loosing weight and looking good slimmer but we often forget about the importance of vitamins and minerals for our bodies. Most of us were taught at school, read all the health articles, watched documentaries, etc; about the importance of eating healthy, well balanced diet in order to get all the vitamins and minerals needed by the body. If you think you are not eating healthy, you may need vitamin and mineral supplements.

Vitamins and minerals determine how your skin, hair, nails and muscles would grow, how quickly your body can heal itself, how healthy your heart and nervous system would be, and how your digestive system would work. Lack of vitamins and minerals will lead to poor conditions to all of these organs.

I am in my late 20′s and I have started eating vitamin supplements a few months back. I try to eat healthily but I still doubt whether I am eating healthy enough. Eating vitamin supplements save you the time from having to check out what everything you eat contains.

However, you still need to know how to take or not to take your supplements. For, if not taken in a proper way, the vitamins will not be absorbed by the body but flushed out instead. It is said that vitamins are best taken during meals. Yes, while you are still taking your meal, just pop the supplements in.

Below is a list of how some vitamins should be taken [source] :

Vitamins A, D, E – Should be taken with meals which include a little oil or Fat

Vitamin B-Complex – This should be taken first thing in the morning to give maximum energy, but can of course be taken anytime especially if taken with whole grains.

Vitamin C – Taken with meal if possible, can be taken on an empty stomach if you don’t feel like eaten because of a cold. Take two or three times a day.

Time-Release – Take with your main meal of the day.

Iron – Best absorbed with food.

Calcium – About 30 minutes before bedtime.

Magnesium – About 30 minutes before bedtime.

Multiformulas – These can be taken anytime but best with small amounts of food.

For those who are vegans or vegetarians, they may be lacking vitamins that are most commonly found in meat products. They may need to learn more about vegetarian food that can provide them with those vitamins. If not, supplements are the best solution.

There are even enzymes supplements which are totally vegetarian supplements (which makes it ideal for both vegans and non-vegans) that will help promote quicker healing for health disorders like burns, injuries, dental surgery, diabetes, Multiple sclerosis and more.

So do your body a favour, and start feeding it with vitamins and minerals and other supplements it so deserves.

Since the time Russia had cut gas supply to Ukraine end of last year – due to the row they had regarding gas price and new contract – now other European countries is dragged into the problem as well. Some had seen a sharp decline on their gas supplies and some getting no gas at all. This is because gas supply to some European countries is sent through the pipes running through Ukraine.

This kind of problem could not have happened in a more worse time than this when winter is here and we need gas to heat our homes. Some factories here, I was told, are closed down due to the supply cut.  Gas reserves have to be saved up in case there are not enough gas for the people. My husband and I were talking about getting  portable electric heaters, just in case things get worse.

Electric heating may be a wee bit more expensive than using gas, but I think there is an advantage of using electricity – it may be safer. Early last year, except for their 2 children who were spending the weekend at the grandmother’s house, my brother-in-law’s family had carbon monoxide poisoning. It was just out of mere luck they survived. My brother-in-law just came out of the bathroom after having a late shower, just after midnight, when he saw his wife and son already lying on the floor, unconscious. If he had fainted, then it would have been a tragedy. After they got out of the hospital, he called up several heating companies, got a good deal from one and now using electric heating instead of gas.

Now I am beginning to think that perhaps everyone should forget gas and use electricity heating instead.

The only sort of game I would play is a role playing game or RPG. The kind that is slow moving with a little bit of action or event here and there. RPGs are ever popular due the the fact that it allows the gamer to fantasize and live a different sort of life. You cannot deny that in our ordinary lives it can be pretty mundane and boring at times. It is not so when you play RPGs.

I am currently playing Harvest Moon Cute and Animal crossing: Wild Life. Both are RPGs but with a slight difference. In Harvest moon you get to play as a farmer. Build your farm from ‘nothing’ into ‘something’. Plant crops, care for animals, make friends with the people in the valley that you are living in, give gifts, get extra close to one person in the valley with the intention of marriage in the future, upgrade your farm, marry and get a child.

In Animal crossing, it is slightly different because the games will continue even though you do not play with the game for so long. When you go back to the virtual world of animal crossing you will see so many things out of order. Like weeds here and there, plants wilting, your neighbours will ask where you’ve been etc. You get to extend your house, decorate it how ever you like, send mails to both friends in the game and also with other gamers through wifi connection, buy and design your own clothes and accessories, make money through digging for fossils, selling fish and bugs and much more. Another thing in the game, you need to pay the mortgage for your house bit by bit ( teaches a little bit of reality to kids here).

It is not much difference really, lives virtually and in reality. But I like the virtual one a little better because everything seems 100% sure. You work hard, it is definite you will have lots of money. You show love to your friends, shower them with gifts and they will love you back forever. You know everything will go fine – the future is somewhat secured. But in reality, even if you work hard there are so many factors that will contribute to whether you will succeed in the end. Factors that many times you are out of control of.

Anyhow, regardless of how fun and safe-feeling it is to hide away in a virtual world, one always have to bring oneself back to the reality of life which is the real one that has be taken care of.

A new year and a clean slate to write on. It’s all up to us what it’s going to be. Or is it? Well maybe partly up to us.

My hopes for the New Year would be, the economy healing quick, and good things in store for us. Oh and also, I’d like to lose a couple of kgs. Ha ha. You saw that coming didn’t you? Well, yeah I must say losing weight would be in most peoples’ lists.

Wishing you a Prosperous and Blessed New Year!