Friday, June 30, 2017

ABC Wed: Letter Z for Aztecs

https://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/






Salvia hispanica, commonly known as chia, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. The sixteenth-century Codex Mendoza provides evidence that it was cultivated by the Aztec in pre-Columbian times and economic historians say it may have been as important as maize as a food crop.

Aztec culture (/ˈæztɛk/[1]) was a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in Central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300-1521, during the time in which a triple alliance of the Mexica, Texcoca and Tepaneca tribes established the Aztec empire. The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica from the 14th to 16th centuries.

“chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.”

Sometimes I add a teaspoon of Chia Seeds to my white coffee in the morning.

https://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/ 

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Doctors-refuse-let-Charlie-Gard-s-parents-home.html

 I don't understand the hospital why they decline to let the parents take Charlie home to die.

 I myself experienced a similar scenario. We were told Andrew would die the evening he was born. We stayed at NICU because I couldn't handle it. Andrew did not die, towards the last ten days, he was having apnea, and the first time, we all thought he had died. Through out his 55 days, the hospital had asked if we wanted to bring him home for a short stay. They would provide oxygen. I did not do it. The hospital was very respectful of our feelings.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4650642/Doctors-refuse-let-Charlie-Gard-s-parents-home.html

Thursday Challenge rocks

http://www.spunwithtears.com/thursday.html

"HARD (week 1 of 2)" (Rock, Stone, Pavement, Steel, Glass,...)
Next Week: HARD (week 2 of 2) (Rock, Stone, Pavement, Steel, Glass,...)
roseThursday Challenge is a place for photographic fun and


learning.

Gannet birds fly from Australia to nest at these rocks in Muriwai. From August to March each year you can watch the comings and goings of a busy gannet colony. It's hugely entertaining.

Each pair lays one egg and the parents take turns on the nest. The chicks hatch naked, but within a week they're covered with fluffy down. As they mature, they grow juvenile feathers and begin to exercise their wings in preparation for the one-shot jump off the cliff.

Once airborne, the young gannets leave the colony and cross the Tasman Sea to Australia. A few years later, surviving birds return to secure a nest site at the colony.
 

Thursday, June 29, 2017

Don't be a bully and call people fat.

When I was in school, I had a close friend who was slightly overweight. She was teased for being fat, and it really affected her personality. She argued back which made it worse. She said she was teased even at work. Shortly after I saw her before I went abroad, she killed herself.



http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11884200


A Hamilton City councillor has come under fire for saying fat people are a hazard because they could fall on you.
Councillor Siggi Henry made the comment during a council debate about sugary drinks this week.
"It does affect a lot of things. I mean, you have a fat person falling on you, I think that would affect you, too," she reportedly said.
When asked about the comments after the meeting Henry said she knew "it wasn't right" as soon as she said it.



bookniture

I watched this on TV and thought what a great idea. Imagine folding your stool and displaying it like a book. When you have visitors, you open up your book like origami and you have a stool.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1985945130/bookniture-furniture-hidden-in-a-book



BOOK x FURNITURE = BOOKNITURE

BOOKNITURE is an extremely compact furniture. You can store it or carry it around just like a book. In just a flip, it unfolds from a book to a piece of multifunctional furniture. 
  • Easy Storage
  • Quick Setup
  • Multifunctional
  • Highly portable

Wednesday, June 28, 2017

Donating body organs


Today, one of the top news item was donate your deceased loved ones' organs so others can live. To some this is a taboo subject.

28 years ago, my baby Andrew was born with a syndrome which was very rare, and none of the New Zealand doctors had seen a case that that. He was going to die. The senior doctor asked if I would donate Andrew's body for them to learn about it. I didn't hesitate and said yes. In the 55 days he was alive, the doctors constantly came and asked if I was still agreeable. When Andrew died, the nurse manager came to take Andrew and said,"On behalf of the hospital, I thank you for him."



Our deceased loved ones do not need his organs. They can save many times.

Monday, June 26, 2017

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) day.":

I did this post in 2015 and today I got a comment from a COPD sufferer.  I like it when my blogs help people.


Dapper Wardson
Dapper Wardson has left a new comment on your post "Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) day.":

As you know that Lung Cancer Disease, COPD and HIV/AIDs Is getting stronger and spreading day by day and that we are not responsible for the death and pains of our loved ones but it’s our responsibility to help those who are infected with those viruses. The only way for us to find peace in this world is to love one another and stand by each other. Am sharing this comment because I was once suffering from Lung Cancer and COPD until I got help from Dr Kennedy who helped me with a cure for both sickness Lung Cancer and COPD. If you also need help, you can simply call him on +1 (312) 973-1164 or email through drkennedy118@gmail.com








Today is World COPD Day. It is so timely for me to talk about "breathing" or rather in inabiliity to breathe. Many of you know that my baby Andrew died from a syndrome that made him hard to breathe. His anniversary is 22 November.

My two surviving daughters had childhood asthma. They had their asthma puff, but sometimes they don't work. Many a time, we had to rush them in the middle of the night to the hospital, where they were given immediate service with the nebuliser.

Who is better than this self proclaimed ambassador for COPD than me?

What Is COPD?



COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary (PULL-mun-ary) disease, is a progressive disease that makes it hard to breathe. "Progressive" means the disease gets worse over time.
The disease affecting an estimated 15% of New Zealanders over 45 years old, you might know someone affected and be interested in these statistics which have released.
 





COPD to become third leading cause of death by 2030
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is set to become the third leading cause of death worldwide in the next 15 years[1], and New Zealand currently has the second highest hospitalisation rate for the disease in the OECD[2].
Figures on deaths as a result of COPD show the disease affects an estimated 15% of New Zealanders over 45 years old[3].
It is the fourth leading cause of death behind cancer, heart disease and stroke[4], and our rate of hospitalisations is second only to Ireland in the OECD.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the disease is growing in impact, with predictions that it will become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2030[5].
COPD is a progressive, obstructive lung disease characterised by chronic poor airflow. Symptoms include frequent breathlessness and coughing and once established causes irreparable lung damage. It is treatable but not curable.
However, COPD often goes undiagnosed, as signs and symptoms of the disease only appear later in the disease course.
New Zealand experts are calling for earlier diagnosis in order to provide better quality of life for those living with COPD, as well as reducing the cost of the disease for the public health system.
GP Dr Jim Lello, who is currently reviewing the primary care records of a sample 325,000 patients in GP services around New Zealand who are treated for lung disease, says many people put off visiting the doctor because the symptoms of the disease are relatively common.
 “Shortness of breath, a cough and sputum are all common and people are used to them, so it’s only when they get more severe or consistently affect someone’s life that they become noticeable,” says Dr Lello.
“There is a lot of wishing and hoping on the part of patients that it will go away, but it does creep up on people over the years.”
Dr Lello says it’s important for GPs to carry out the correct assessments for patients at high risk. “COPD is a primary care illness, GPs are the ones seeing it in the community most often, and so we are working to encourage more GPs to train their staff in spirometry testing, which is an accurate test of lung function, and to use questionnaire assessment tools as well.”
The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) online self-assessment test can be administered by a GP, or patients can do it themselves to get a score of how lung function is affecting their everyday life, he says.
“If it shows that it is negatively affecting you, then it’s important to visit your GP to discuss those results and start a dialogue about the potential treatments that we can prescribe to help alleviate symptoms, including medication and pulmonary exercises,” says Dr Lello.
University of Auckland Associate Professor Rob Young, a specialist physician and clinical researcher, says early detection is crucial as treatments can slow the deterioration of lung function when damage is minimal if patients quit smoking and seek help early enough.
“We estimate that up to 70% of patients with COPD could be unrecognised or undiagnosed, which is why it’s important that families get involved and encourage family members who smoke to go to their GP for lung function tests,” says Dr Young.
The importance of identifying COPD is made even more important with the discovery that smokers with this disease are three to four times more likely to get lung cancer, according to research by Dr Young.
“What we now know is that if you are a current or former smoker and have developed COPD, your risk of lung cancer is much higher, so the earlier you can quit smoking and start dealing with the disease, the more you can reduce your risk.”
For Māori, that message is even more important, says Dr Young, with the Māori population at higher risk of COPD and an even greater risk of lung cancer. “Studies show that Māori develop these diseases 5-10 years earlier and at much lower smoking levels than non-Māori, so detecting COPD early becomes even more essential.”
Asthma NZ Executive Director Linda Thompson says an early diagnosis of COPD can markedly improve a patient’s quality of life.
“They can be supported to give up smoking, encouraged to participate in regular exercise, and be commenced on appropriate medication, which includes annual free flu vaccinations and other vaccinations if appropriate.”
Thompson says an important part of that diagnosis is spirometry, a ‘gold standard’ test which can detect loss of lung function even before the patient is aware of damage, but which needs specialist training to administer. The test is available at Asthma NZ sites around New Zealand.
“Protocols in general practice also need to be developed in-line with the global guidelines (GOLD) to ensure clients have the best possible health outcomes,” she adds. “The CAT score measures patient symptoms, exacerbations and quality of life and is dependent on the perception of the patient. Treatment and management is determined by symptoms, quality of life and spirometry measurements.”
New Zealand faces costs of $59.6 million per annum in COPD-related hospital admission costs alone[6]. This is without taking into account loss of productivity and absenteeism, or ongoing support costs.
A study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal in January this year found that “hospital admissions for COPD are costly and are overrepresented in high risk groups including rural, elderly, socioeconomically deprived, and Māori and Pacific peoples.”
“Effective interventions that are targeted to high risk groups are required to improve equity and reduce the burden of COPD[7].”
An awareness campaign to highlight the symptoms and risk factors will take place in New Zealand on World COPD Day, 18 November, 2015 (today).
-Ends-

Written on behalf of GSK by Impact PR. For more information or images, please contact Mark Devlin mark@impactpr.co.nz (021 50 90 60) or Fleur Revell-Devlin fleur@impactpr.co.nz (021 509 600)
GSK – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. We deliver the highest quality medicines, vaccines and over-the-counter healthcare products and contribute to Australia’s economy through new approaches to agriculture and manufacturing, and by investing in local research and development. For further information please visit www.gsk.com.au or www.gsk.com



[1] WHO Chronic Respiratory Diseases Fact Page. Available from: http://www.who.int/respiratory/copd/en/ (Accessed October 2015)
[2] OECD Health Data 2011.
[3] Asthma Foundation. COPD in New Zealand. 2012. Available from: www.asthmafoundation.org.nz (Accessed October 2015)
[4] MOH. Mortality and Demographic Data 2009. Wellington 2014; Available from:
[5] WHO Chronic Respiratory Diseases Fact Page. Available from: http://www.who.int/respiratory/copd/en/ (Accessed October 2015)
[6] Milne RJ, Beasley R. Hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal. 2015;128(140):2010-2019.

[7] Milne RJ, Beasley R. Hospital admissions for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in New Zealand. New Zealand Medical Journal. 2015;128(140):2010-2019.

ABC Letter Y for YVR

Vancouver International Airport - Official Site

www.yvr.ca
YVR is thrilled to welcome freshii! Located pre-security in the International Terminal Building food court, freshii provides a wide variety of healthy snacks and meals.

'6Sers are heading to the Google Partners Summit today in San Francisco. Keep up with their adventures on social!
Snapchat: WeAre6S
Twitter & Instagram: 6S_marketing
#GooglePartnerSummit'

https://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/




Sunday, June 25, 2017

Kiwis Eating Less Red Meat - Research

Kiwis Eating Less Red Meat - Research

By Fleur Revell
26 June 2017
More than half of Kiwis say they are eating less meat, and a quarter expect to be mostly meat-free by 2025, as they focus on their health and budget according to the results of a new survey.

It seems the days of a nightly meal of meat and two veg may soon be behind us too, with one in five of those surveyed (21%) saying they choose to have a meat-free dinner for more than half of the week.

The Bean Supreme survey which investigated the eating habits of more than 1,000 New Zealanders found that one in four (24%) of those surveyed expect to be mostly meat-free within the next seven years.

Health played a key role in their selection of a vegetarian meal choice with four in 10 (42%) respondents giving this reason, this was followed by cost (28%) and concerns for animal welfare or the environment 14 percent. Only two percent of those surveyed said they did not eat meat due to religious considerations.

Around 14% of Kiwi women and 13% of Kiwi men do not eat red meat, with health a primary driver for males (44% vs 41% of females) and cost more relevant to women (for 30% of women vs 25% of men).

The survey also found that Kiwis were more likely to reduce their meat consumption and instead, opt for vegetarian meals as they aged. According to the results, one in five (21%) 18-24 years olds (compared to half of those aged 65 or older) selected ‘health concerns’ as the main reason for choosing a meat-free meal.

Millennials aged 18-24 were the most common age group to believe they would follow a diet that was mainly meat-free over the coming decade.

When it came to special dietary requirements it was Aucklanders who said they were most likely to follow vegan or vegetarian nutritional plans with those in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty regions less keen on embracing this trend.

Wellingtonians and Otago/Southland residents were most open to adopting a flexitarian/semi-vegetarian approach to dining - with nine in ten (88%) removing meat from their diets at least once a week.

The survey also revealed that vegetarians and vegans were most frequently found to be aged 25-54, female and live in Auckland or Canterbury.

While more than eight in ten (81%) Kiwis include red meat in their diet, a seventh (14%) excluded red meat with 1% of the population identifying as vegan, 2% as vegetarian and almost one in 10 (9%) saying they ate poultry or fish but not red meat.

Liz O’Meara from Bean Supreme says it was interesting to see that a similar proportion of men and women chose not to eat meat but men were more likely to choose vegetarian meals for health reasons and women more likely to chose vegetarian options for their lower cost.

“Kiwis’ developing interest in a ‘flexitarian’ diet has led to the introduction of more products which fit this lifestyle option.

“According to new industry data, NZ sales of products made from plant based ingredients such as vegetarian burgers, sausages, tofu and falafel increased by over 20% in the last year alone,” she says.

  Download Media Files





Written on behalf of Bean Supreme by Impact PR


Celebrating our Diversity.




Tonight , Mt Albert Baptist Church celebrated our Mosaic Global Cafe Night. Our survey showed there are 24 ethnic groups worshiping here. We have Malaysian Peter and Angie Seow who led in the worship with their beautiful music and song.

Thursday, June 22, 2017

ABC Wednesday X for X-rated: Two Asian Stories




The world has always been pro males. The Asian women fare it worst. Women were sold as slaves, women were made to marry men they don’t know, some of these matches were made even when the girls were babies. Girls were molested, raped, impregnated and had their babies aborted or given away, beaten. The modern day insecure women subject themselves to get their breasts bigger or smaller.

In story one, two girls born in the 1920s. One “upstairs” as the rich pampered missy. The other “downstairs”, born to be the slave aka mui zai of the rich girl. Fate and victims of tradition brought them to Borneo, World War II aka Japanese War and finally to New Zealand.

In story two, a girl born in the 1960s, ran into trouble with the Communists, and teenage pregnancy. She ran to the big city of Singapore. Crisis after crisis plague her. Her whole world shattered and she committed suicide. She ended up in a mental institution.



cover:  出入平安 chūrù  Pingann Peace to all who enter and to those who leave

My latest book, published 2017. When I was young, words like sex, rape, abuse would be considered X-rated.  Today, it is occurring every where. Perhaps I have gone where other writers will not touch on especially in Asia.

https://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/




Tuesday, June 13, 2017

ABC Letter W for Oppressed women


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4595990/Two-brothers-kept-mother-sister-slaves.html?ito=social-facebook

Shocking, more shocking and fiction than my fiction Book, Cry of Oppressed Women. When I wrote this book, some friends asked if I am overboard with the oppression. Time and again, oppression takes place. "This is the street in Bradford where Faisal Hussein, 25, and Arbaaz Ahmed, 19, kept their mother and sister as slaves "  and I am not stereotyping .

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https://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/


Friday, June 9, 2017

ABC wed letter V for vacation




My husband's favourite place. Climbing 6 stories high, up 3 steps, slip down 2.


Bethal beach of New Zealand.

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https://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.co.nz/


Tuesday, June 6, 2017

a different kind of oppression.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201846444/primary-school-excludes-girl-with-period

Can't believe this kind of oppression. A 10-year-old girl was sent home from her primary school because it did not have a sanitary disposal unit for her to use, a public health sociologist says.

I wrote a Book : Entitled Cry the Oppressed women.

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Monday, June 5, 2017

Mother and the pig

I think of my parents and grand parents. I think of how the pig had played such an important part in the Chans and Kongs. Last year, I spent time in Sibu, sharing a bed with mum's sister, my aunty Ngui /Kong. I learned something interesting from my Aunty Ngui-Kong. My grandmother kong aka bodai reared pigs during the war. Just before my mother went to her match making session, she played with the newly born piglets, and the sow bit her heel. That heel was very painful and mum walked with a limp.
The Kongs explained that Mum was gardening and while digging with a changko, she hurt herself. When she wore her wedding gown, she still had a limp and the Chans said she was a cripple.
On the other side of the coin, it was the pig that attracted my Ah Tai, mum's grandmother to the Chans. The first time, Ah Tai landed at the Chan's jetty she exclaimed,"Wah, during the war, you have pork." Ah Kung was washing his pickle jar where he had kept his pickled pork.
It was a source of contention leading to a family feud. I wrote this n my From China to Borneo to Beyond and World War 2 in Borneo.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Service with a smile

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Top In Town Food City
There are some products that you can't get in bulk or not at home. I use a lot of baking soda for cleaning, and psyllium husk turmeric as health products. I even found a Thai tamarind.

The store is packed with products, is very busy so the items are fresh. So glad to be served by Gaurang Desai. He was very friendly, whilst busy, he had time to talk to be about the free food in the Paradise restaurant.

Save the world, don't waste. Paradise Restaurant.

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Paradise, Sandringham, Auckland

 591 Sandringham Rd Sandringham 1025 ·

 

The first thing that struck me as  I entered this restaurant in Sandringham  was the sign which says." Free food for people in need." I was told they don't throw away excess food, but packed them nicely for people to take away. They also included some apples.

If only more restaurateurs would do this.