The 24-hour Vacation

What can you do with 24 hours? You’d be surprised…

1. The Film Fest- Rent a series of movies you’ve always wanted to watch and view them all in one sitting. Don’t worry about what’s happening outside your door– except when the pizza guy rings the bell!

2. Get a Dose of Friendship- Catch up with friends at someone’s house. Chat till late, eat junk food, sleep in— no outside responsibilities allowed!

3. Water Therapy- Don’t have time or the budget for a pool membership? For a small fee, many hotels offer day passes to their saunas and pools.

4. Art and Soul- Spend hours in a local art gallery, nose to nose with the masters. Afterwards, visit an art supply store for materials and return home newly inspired!

5. Gourmet for a Day- Sign up for a cooking course, or if consuming is more your speed, map out a culinary pilgrimage through town, visiting favourites, must-tries or unknowns.

6. Go Back to School- for a single day, immerse yourself in the pursuit of a new skill completely unrelated to your daily life!

Source: Christine Fischer RD Asia Sept  2005

(I am thinking of doing numbers 4 & 5 since I’d started 6 this month!-HR)

Charlie Chaplin

Is it true that Charlie Chaplin joined a Chaplin look-alike contest and did not win?

TRUE!

In 1915 Charlie Chaplin was on the top of his popularity and Chaplin look-alike competitions took place all over the United States. However, contestants were appreciated not for the resemblance to Charlie but for the ‘Little Tramp’ character imitation.

Once, Chaplin visited a competition that was being held in San Francisco and didn’t even make it to the finals. An interesting fact is that a Cleveland’s Chaplin look-alike competition was won by a young comedian named Bob Hope.

Taking care of our bones

(source: RD Health)

OUR SKELETONS naturally lose strength as we grow older. Here’s how you can protect your bones and save yourself from injury by doing daily chores correctly.

Always sit up straight. Pick a chair that supports the curve of your lower back (or use a roll-up towel or lumbar roll). Sit with your spine lengthened, shoulder wide.

Prepare for a cough or sneeeze. Sudden sneezes can jerk a weakened torso forwards and injure the spine. If you feel one coming on, bend your knees, back straight, and put a hand on your thigh for support. Or brace your lower back with your hand to stay upright.

Do chores correctly. Take care as you vacuum, mop floors or sweep the deck. Bend from your knees and hips, not your waist. Don’t twist; Push rather than pull.

Bend from your your hips. When you lean down to load the washing machine or make the bed, don’t sag from your waist. Instead, bend at your knees and hips, keeping your lower back straight.

Open with care. Trying to lift a stuck or heavy object is a common cause of compression fractures, because it puts a great deal of pressure on your spine. Ask someone to help.

Drink and Eat These To Fight Cancer

A new study found that women who sip a few cups of coffee and/or tea daily have a lower risk of uterine cancer than those who skip these beverages. A second study indicates that consuming an antioxidant called apigenin found in celery, parsley, and red wine is associated with a lower likelihood of ovarian cancer.

Seven Steps to Staving off Alzheimer’s

1. Mind your mind: keep your brain active by learning, doing puzzles and engaging in social activities.

2. Mind your diet: reduce saturated fats and eat plenty of vitamins and antioxidant-rich foods.

3. Mind your body: exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

4. Have regular health checks for blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body weight.

5. Keep social.

6. Get enough sleep, don’t drink too much and don’t smoke.

7. Mind your head: take steps to avoid head injury, for example wearing a seat belt and preventing fails.

Colin Hanks

I love him…

One of the most charming young actors in Hollywood, I really like looking at his face (so damn cute…)

My heart broke when he was tortured in the movie “The Untraceable” . Anyway, I’ve seen a lot of movies with him including the one where he plays a psycho planting secret video cameras and stalking girls he like (Alone with Her). The latest movie I watched was on cable  TV with Meg Ryan and Antonio Banderas (My Mom’s New Boyfriend).

He is the son of Tom Hanks.

Anyway, you can google his name if you want to know more about him.

My Healthy Alternative to French Fries

I love French fries very much. I crave for it all the time even if I know it is unhealthy.

So I used a healthy option to eating potatoes.

-1kg potatoes (I sometimes used sweet potatoes to be more nutritious)

-1 1/2 tbsp garlic freshly minced (if I’m too busy I use the McCormick garlic powder)

-1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary (you can substitute thyme)

-2 tsp Olive Oil

-salt to taste

- chili powder (optional- I love spicy food)

In a large bowl; toss sweet potatoes/ potatoes with garlic, rosemary, oil and salt.

Arrange in single layer, not touching, on a large nonstick baking sheet.  Bake in preheated 450 F (230 C) oven for 15 minutes.  Turn potato pieces and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until tender inside.

Enjoy!

Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

with Baked buffalo wings (my dinner today)

with tuna and tomatoes (my dinner yesterday)