The Pressure of Sleep Deficiency

"Sleep is a natural state of bodily rest observed in human and other animals."

- Quoted from Wikipedia

Indeed, sleep is essential to us human. As we all know,sleeping is a must, without sufficient sleep, or if one experiences sleeping difficulties, the consequence could be shown very clearly on his or her face.

Recently, a research was being conducted in the United States, and the researchers found that sleep deprivation could increase a person's risk of developing high blood pressure.

The US researchers monitored over 500 people in their middle age for 5 years. Very gratefully, these researches sincerely hope that with this new discovery of risk factor, more and more people could be prevented from developing high blood pressure, a disease which accounts for 7 million deaths worldwide.

Researchers have found a link between self-reported hours of sleep with high blood pressure. This particular research is known as the first study to look at both cross-sectional and longitudinal measurements of blood pressure and sleeping patterns.

There are a few important points which we could benefit from the results of the study:

1. Participants who had less sleep or sleeping patterns with lower qualities were found to have higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.
2. Less sleep or low quality sleeping patterns could cause adverse effects in systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings over a 5-year period.
3. After 5 years, each hour less of sleep was linked to a 37% of higher chance in developing high blood pressure.

These results clearly show that sleeping is really vital to our health and of course, links very closely to our heartbeat patterns. Very possibly, without having sufficient sleep, we might experience more and more complications which could cause further adverse effects to our health, notably diseases pertain to our hearts.

For further information, this abstract provides an eagle view on the research being done by those US researchers. The article has been published in the 8th June issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Very frequently, we appear to be too busy with our daily routine, suffering immense pressure from your work and family matters, which could possibly cause inevitable frustration in you. As a result, you might not able to sleep well, your mind goes racing. What can you do? Below are a few tips on how to sleep well:

• Sleep only when you are sleepy
  
• Refrain from consuming caffeine/alcoholic beverages at least 4 to 6 hours before sleep
• Take a hot bath 90 minutes before sleep (it eases and helps you to sleep better when the higher temperature you experienced right after you took a hot bath, drops to a lower temperature)
• Ensure that your room is quiet, comfortable, and most importantly, dark (our body gets awake or sleepy very easily with the intensity of light)
• Avoid taking naps (Naps could cause you grow tired when you are preparing for your sleep at night. Instead of taking long naps, try taking short naps in 20 minutes, it sharpens your mind tremendously)
• Follow your very own biological clock (That is, get up and go to the bed at the same time, everyday)
• Consume GT&F Milk Powder before sleep has "lullaby effect" (Milk provides you tryptophan, an essential amino acid which will next converted into serotonin, a substance which tranquilizes your mind and soul, thus aids you to fall asleep very much easier)

The Raid of New Strain

An alarming alert has been sounded in our country as the first ever locally transmitted H1N1 case has unveiled yesterday.

The infected person is identified to be a 17 year-old girl, and the cause of infection is said to be in connection with another person who got infected as the 12th H1N1 case earlier in Malaysia. This victim whom has been infected is from Petaling Jaya, a crowded city which holds a population of over half-a-million people.

To top it all, reported from Sao Paulo Hospital in Brazil, a new strain of H1N1 Virus is said to emerge within that country. It is reported that a 26 year-old Sao Paulo man returned to his native country after a visitation to Mexico and he was infected with flu. After further examination, he was tested positive for H1N1 Virus and was admitted into a hospital in Sao Paulo. He was hospitalized on 24th April and has since made a full recovery.

But somehow, scientists have isolated and identified a new strain of H1N1 Virus from this patient. A research team from Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Sao Paulo, led by virologist Dr. Terezinha Maria de Paiva have been doing further observations toward the new strain of virus.

Scientifically, among the segments of the virus, segment 4 and segment 7 are the protein codes which are looked into very particularly by the research team. Scientifically, segment 4 codes for the protein Hemaglutinnin (HA) which is responsible for virus infectivity and the stimulation of antibodies in human immune system, while segment 7 codes for the matrix protein (MP) which helps in virus development, including the structure of the virus.

When the researchers made comparison between the current swine flu virus with the so-called new strain of swine flu virus, they discovered that there is no alteration in segment 7, but segment 4 shows a discreet alterations in amino acid sequence and nucleotides. However, they have yet determine that whether this new strain could bring an even disastrous aftermath than the current swine flu virus.

In other words, H1N1 Virus has strike a new alarming height as far as human health is concerned. Therefore, the whole nation must really look deeply into this matter and avoid in any involvement of possible risk factors.

Keep consuming GT&F Milk Powder to boost your immune system and further ensure that you will be completely free from getting infected with these deadly viruses.

Leptin Aids in Diabetes

In the midst of last year, a group of terminally ill rodents which are confirmed to have got infected with Type I Diabetes, are now free of the illness after inserted a single injection which contains a substance other than insulin. What's more, these terminally ill rodents were recovered within a mere two weeks time!

All this while, insulin is generally being regarded as the only substance which has main causal factor with the occurence of diabetes. But recent study shows that such postulation is not necessarily to be true.

With pleasant surprises, researches from UT Southwestern Medical Center found that leptin, a hormone produced by the body's fat cells also reduces blood glucose levels in a different way and maintain them in normal range for extended period.

For us GT&F Products consumers, what we understand about leptin is it only plays its role in regulating one's appetite. That is true, but what the new findings reveal specifically, is that leptin actually appears to be the suppressor of glucagon, a hormone which is produced by the pancreas to raise the blood glucose level when needed. The presence of glucagon is inappropriately high when insulin deficiency is noted by the body system. Under such circumstance, glucagon directs the liver to release a large amount of glucose into the bloodstream, resulting in red alert of high blood glucose level. Here's a link which directs you to the UT Southwestern's official website, this particular site could provide you with more insights about the effectiveness of leptin which could potentially aids Type 1 Diabetes patients.

By consuming GT&F Milk Powder, the amount of leptin in our body will be regulated and maintained within a normal range. Apart from controlling your appetite, it also indirectly providing great boosts in many ways in overpowering the deadly diabetes. According to UT Southwesterners, approximately sometime during this year, study on other potential glucagon suppresants and leptin clinical trials will probably be conducted. Let's hope that more people will be benefited by the outcomes.

OPP - Protecting Your Liver

Liver has been a multifunctional and one of the most important internal organs to us.

Last night was a very informative night as the well-known senior nutritionist, Mr. Heng, once again conveyed great messages and details in regards of liver.

Firstly, Mr. Heng made a brief introduction on what liver is all about, why is it so important to all organisms which have it in them?

If it was not because of the speech, many would not know that liver carries the total body weight of about 2.5-3.0%, that is, approximately 1.5kg!

Next, speaking of its functions, liver plays multiple roles in regulating our body system, its essential functions include:

• A site for sugar, protein and fat metabolism.
• Storage space for various vitamins and minerals.
• Forms bile acids, anticoagulants and plasma proteins.
• Activates Vitamin D.
• Engulfs impaired cells and bacteria.
• Detoxification.

... and many many more. Simply put, liver acts as the biggest biological factory in our body.

After explaining the functions of liver, Mr. Heng carried on with the sicknesses which relate to the liver. He emphasized on severe cirrhosis, an infamous liver disease which is most commonly occurred due to alcoholism, which consequently resulting in fatty liver formation.

Our very own Professor Frank Mao et al had published an article entitled "Chromium attenuates hepatic damage in a rat model of chronic cholestasis" in the journal of Life Science this year (2009). A piece of great article which brings good news and joy to every humankind, this further proven that GT&F products can indeed improve liver problems.

The Power of Marriage

Newspapers recently revealed that Malaysian Chinese remained to be the third Chinese nation (after the Chinese origins who live in China, and secondly after the Chinese in Taiwan) whom inherit the most complete and proper traditions from the mainland.

Since many Chinese are considered as superstitious people, so they tend to follow many things according to the traditions which are passed down by their ancestors, including the best dates for wedding. But Americans particularly, like to tie the knot in June (this month).

According to an interesting recent research done by nutrition experts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, some useful suggestions are being advised by the experts to those who are going to or have already tied the knot.

The interesting stuff to be noted here is that the research shows both men and women tend to gain weight once they get married. And this could probably be a more serious issue to the Americans, they tend to lead their marriage lifestyle into the path of obesity as American diets are well-known to contain very high carbs.

Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, an associate professor of nutrition, suggested that there are a certain number of outcomes after a couple tied the knot. Among the positive ones are decreased of cigarette smoking and lower mortality, the negative one, the one we have came across previously, which is the lead to obesity.

But according to her, these positive as well as the negative aftermaths share a common ground, which is when the people living together after the marriage ceremony tend to share the same behaviors and activity patterns. That basically means, when one of them goes out to exercise, the other tends to follow. Married couples are also said to choose to eat meals together. But sadly, statistics show that married couples nowadays, are more willing to sit around house, watching TV instead of leading an active lifestyle.

Gordon-Larsen also mentioned that for those couples who have lived together for more than 2 years, their activity patterns and lifestyle will be most likely develop the similar weight or obesity patterns as well as their physical activity behaviors. (The latest findings will be published in the Journal of Obesity next month)

In other words, if your partner tends to lead a sedentary lifestyle, it might influence you to lead exactly the same lifestyle after two years, given that you are a newly married man/woman. But as we all know, GT&F products come with various health benefits, if you choose the right decision by consuming the right products, in the long term, your significant other will most likely to follow your pattern (the longest wait would probably be only 2 years, as long as the promise of compromising between each other is secured, that is).

The consequence? You and your eternal half will lead a healthy lifestyle which leaves the word "obesity" out from your marriage.

Drink GT&F milk each day to shape a better marriage!