Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Green Generation Program



Semua warga kampus UTM Johor Bahru dijemput menyertai acara berbasikal sempena penganjuran Green Generation Program bersama Naib Canselor Profesor Dato’ Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang pada 21 Disember 2011, jam 5.15 petang bertempat di Padang Kawad.

Jarak kayuhan 5.4 kilometer di sekitar kawasan kampus. Penglibatan dan sumbangan pihak saudara dalam menjayakan acara ini amat dihargai dan didahului dengan ucapan ribuan terima kasih.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Groin Injury Prevention

I just received a question by my friend, who're asked for groin injury and how to reduce it. Sports related injuries is one of the popular injury occur among athletes or the people who're prefer to enjoying a healthy lifestyle with exercise. Lack of the knowledge and social interaction with 'sportsman' among their loop, will let some people did not know how to prevent the injuries before it occur.

You may have had a minor groin problem at one time or another. Most of the time our body movements do not cause problems. It's not surprising that symptoms may develop from everyday wear and tear, overuse, or an injury.
The groin areas are located on each side of the body in the folds where the belly joins the legs. The pubic area lies between the two groin areas.




Groin injuries most commonly occur during:
• Sports or recreational activities, such as badminton, futsal, basketball, football etc.
• Work-related activities.
• Work or projects around the home.
• Motor vehicle accidents.

Groin problems and injuries can cause pain and concern. Most minor problems or injuries will heal on their own. Home treatment is usually all that is needed to relieve symptoms and heal.

Groin injury
An acute injury may occur from a direct blow, a stabbing injury, a fall, or from the leg turned in an abnormal position.Overuse injuries occur when too much stress is placed on an area. This often happens when you overdo an activity or repeat the same activity day after day. Overuse can lead to muscle strains or tears or may cause swelling, such as bursitis .

Other causes of groin problems
Groin pain not caused by an injury to the groin may be coming from other parts of the body. This is called radiating, or referred, pain. Pulled muscles , ligaments , or tendons in the leg may cause symptoms in the groin. It is important to look for other causes of groin pain when you have not had an injury.
An inguinal hernia is a bulge of soft tissue through a weak spot in the abdominal wall in the groin area. See an illustration of an inguinal hernia . An inguinal hernia may need surgical treatment. A sports hernia may affect the same area of the groin in competitive athletes.

Prevent groin injury and strain




Steps to prevent a groin injury or strain may include the following:
• Warm up by stretching the groin muscles before exercising. Stretching can increase your range of motion and reduce stiffness and pain. Stretching is also important during the cool-down phase of exercise when your muscles are warm.
• Increase the intensity and length of exercise gradually. As your fitness level improves, you will be able to do more intense exercise without injury.
• Try to exercise regularly; don't just go all out on weekends.
• Use proper sports techniques and equipment. For example:
o Wear supportive, well-cushioned shoes for running, aerobics, and walking.
o Properly adjust your bicycle seat and handle bars for your height.
• Drink extra water before and during exercise, especially in hot or humid weather. This can help prevent muscle cramps and stiffness.
• Make sure you can always see where you are walking. To avoid falls:
o Use a step stool when reaching for high objects. Do not stand on chairs or other objects.
o Don't climb stairs with both hands full.
• Get help carrying heavy or awkward objects. Do not strain to lift or carry objects.

Perhaps with some light reading, people will be more educated about sports related injuries for their own purpose and maybe will share with other people around.

Saturday, December 17, 2011

New Curriculum for Sports Science in the Making

Glad to announce there will be a new hope for a school athlete who're passed their SPM level. Malaysian Community Colleges will be offering a course in sports science filed in certificate level and diploma level soon. So the 'not too high achiever' during their school time who're love in sports area, will see a new hope to stay in this field after school.

Now is a third day of our curriculum workshop for sports science field, a discussions and collaboration between our higher institution academicians and community college lecturers to produce a curriculum in this field for targeted population. Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Sports Innovation and Technology Centre was selected to hosting this workshop since last Thursday till this Sunday. Professor Dr. Abdul Hafidz Omar who're well known name in sports science field nationwide plays a role as the leader. This project shows the continuity of his vision to help student athletes to achieve a graduate status with varieties path of education acquiring processes. Before this Pra-University course that offered in Tunku Mahkota Ismail Sports School was one of his 'artwork' to see more graduates in sports science field in Malaysia.

Perhaps, with the existence of this curriculum will encourage more 'under-achieve' fellas from SPM level to proceed their study in this exiting & challenging field. Thanks to Prof, because he still remember me and offered me a sit to be in his team to make another community contribution together.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Decreasing Metabolism vs Slowing Down Metabolism


I write this post after I was asked by one of my friends from my childhood till teenagers. He asked about how to increase his body weight but at the same time decreasing his metabolism rate. With physiological knowledge at have and from my reading, below I share some opinion how to decreasing metabolism and how to slow down metabolism. It slightly the same but it carry a difference concept when the application phase take part.

Decreasing Metabolism

Though most people attempt to raise their metabolism to stay in top shape, sometimes you might need to decrease your metabolism. You may find yourself in an emergency situation where you need to conserve all the energy you can or you may desperately want to gain weight and don't care if you lose muscle doing it. Here are ways to increase metabolism.

  • Move as little as possible. Exercise of any sort raises your metabolism, even small, nervous gestures. To slow down your metabolism, find things to do that keep you in one place. Also, when you must travel, drive and park as close as possible.
  • Stay away from any muscle-building activities when you move. Muscle burns calories quickly and efficiently, while fat burns fewer calories and so keeps your metabolism lower.
  • Eat less and space your meals further apart. The less you eat and the longer your body needs to wait for food, the more your body decreases its metabolism. The lack of food sends your body the message that food may be difficult to get, so it burns energy more slowly.
  • Keep warm with loose, insulating layers of clothing and a warm environment. Though it doesn't have an especially large effect on metabolism, your body needs to burn more energy when it's cold to generate enough heat to keep your body temperature stable.
Herbalife special blend shake

Slow Down Metabolism

Most people know that the effectiveness of their metabolism can have an impact on how well the body burns calories. Few understand, however, how the metabolism really works or what can help to speed it up or slow it down. Answering those questions is no easy feat. Metabolism involves a number of factors and chemical reactions. What works to speed up or slow down one person's metabolism doesn't necessarily work the same way for someone else. But if you want to slow your metabolism, some specific techniques are likely to help.

  • Reduce your exercise level significantly. Activities that lead to muscle development can increase caloric burning by as much as 50 to 75 calories per hour. Less muscle means fewer calories burned.
  • Avoid metabolism-activating foods. Adding spices to food can help jump-start the metabolism, and foods packed with protein are believed to have the same effect. Oriental cultures believe in the medicinal, therapeutic and metabolism-boosting value of green tea. Under these theories, spices, high-protein foods and green tea should be avoided if you want to slow down your metabolism.
  • Eat foods that stall the metabolism. Just as some foods jump-start the metabolism, others slow it. These include foods that are high in carbohydrates, along with fatty foods.
  • Increase caloric intake. The body can't burn them off before the fat is taken in and stored.
  • Eat before bedtime. Those who trying to lose weight avoid this practice for a reason. The body metabolizes food much more slowly when you're sleeping. Therefore, the more intake of food, the less likely it is to be properly burned rather than stored.
  • Decrease sleep. A proper amount of sleep is required for the metabolism to work correctly.
  • Consume caffeine. While some believe that a little bit of caffeine can speed the metabolism, a lot of it can actually have the opposite effect.

Blackopoulos & his gf cought in action during
Powerman Malaysia 2011 last Nov in Manjung, Malaysia

Perhaps, people out there who are preferring to gain some weight to be good looking for your next photograph session, please choosing the healthy way to gain weight. Take an extra calories to top up your daily meals with a weight gain product such as Herbalife with some consultation with your friend here, who are willing "to help the people love to see themselves in front of the mirror".

here is the link from my FB post, discussing about this matters. Click here


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Obesity Among Malaysian

Suddenly I was called to give an opinion about obesity among Malaysian, and perhaps last month news in major local newspapers can be the kick start for my series of writing about obesity and weight management.

Lets have a look and understand the major contribution factor which drive most Malaysian to obesity and unhealthy life style. So what can you contribute to overcome this phenomena? Could we just keep saying obesity is a genetic factor, obesity occur from our traditional food, obesity is normal for modern life style?

Rakyat Malaysia paling ramai ada masalah obesiti di ASEAN

14/11/2011 2:00pm

KUALA LUMPUR 14 Nov. - Malaysia menduduki tempat pertama di kalangan negara ASEAN dari segi paling ramai rakyatnya memiliki obesiti dan tempat keenam di kalangan negara Asia Pasifik, Dewan Rakyat diberitahu hari ini.

Timbalan Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin berkata, perkara ini perlu diberi perhatian semua pihak.

"Kita serius diancam dengan pengambilan gula berlebihan yang menyebabkan pelbagai penyakit termasuklah diabetes,” katanya semasa menjawab soalan Dr. Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong). - Bernama

Read main article here



Obesiti: Malaysia nombor satu

KUALA LUMPUR 14 Nov. – Dewan Rakyat hari ini diberitahu Malaysia berada pada kedudukan pertama di kalangan negara-negara ASEAN dan keenam di rantau Asia Pasifik yang berhadapan masalah obesiti di kalangan penduduk.

Timbalan Menteri Kesihatan, Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin berkata, antara punca masalah itu adalah kerana pengambilan gula berlebihan di kalangan rakyat.

“Justeru, semua pihak perlu mengambil perhatian serius tentang isu ini,” katanya.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika menjawab soalan tambahan Dr. Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong) dalam sesi soal jawab di Dewan Rakyat, hari ini.

Menyentuh isu sama Rosnah berkata, Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) sendiri menyarankan pengambilan gula tambahan tidak melebihi 10 peratus atau bersamaan dengan 200 kalori daripada jumlah tenaga harian.

Sehubungan itu katanya, pengambilan gula tambahan yang disarankan untuk orang dewasa adalah tidak melebihi 10 sudu teh sehari yang bersamaan dengan 50 gram.

“Berdasarkan kajian pengambilan gula di kalangan orang dewasa pada tahun 2002 dan 2003, didapati jumlah pengambilannya mencecah 51 gram iaitu 21 gram gula pasir dan 30 gram susu pekat manis di dalam minuman.

“Jumlah minuman ini sahaja telah melebihi saranan WHO dan panduan diet Malaysia. Untuk itu Kementerian Kesihatan telah menjalankan inisiatif mengurangkan pengambilan gula melalui kempen cara hidup sihat yang dimulakan sejak 1991,” katanya.

Menjawab soalan asal yang dikemukakan oleh Datuk Md. Sirat Abu (BN-Bukit Katil) Rosnah berkata, berdasarkan Akta Makanan 1983 dan Peraturan-Peraturan Makanan 1985 selain daripada gula pasir, terdapat 12 bahan pemanis lain dibenar digunakan dalam makanan.

Beliau berkata, bahan pemanis itu terdiri daripada bahan pemanis semula jadi dan tiruan.

“Bahan pemanis semula jadi yang dibenarkan ialah seperti stevia, sorbitol, malitol dan mannitol manakala bahan pemanis tiruan yang boleh digunakan di dalam makanan ialah aspartame, sucralose, saccharin dan acesulfame potassium,” katanya.

Beliau berkata, semua bahan pemanis tiruan yang dihasilkan secara kimia itu telah menjalani penilaian keselamatan dan disahkan selamat berdasarkan piawaian antarabangsa.

Read main article here

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Gift

It is a 'rahmat' (gift) from Allah when I went through this journey of my life currently. After being thrown like a rubbish and flushed like a human waste by my ex-employer after four and half years giving my loyalty and commitment (also plus plus values, contribution, craving employers name inside Malaysia Book of Records, bring money in into employers account-even my employer core business is not making money organization). There are no values to keeping me inside their organization.

Furthermore, there is no last statement or even a word from my ex-employer on my last day of services. What a shame on them especially my superiors. To add some spice into this chapter, I was not getting paid since July till October without any verbal or even black and white notice. But alhamdulillah I got my payment on October after I wrote a letter to the parties in-charge and made a cc to 'very top man' and to minister right before they 'celebrate Hari Raya Holiday last August.

I fulfill my ‘unemployed period’ with an activities that I think impossible to accomplished during my service under my ex-superior who’re lead sporting related department but not support any of my sporting activities especially at national level. WTF. As a result, I accomplish my Suunto Orienteering Technical Course (Asia Pacific Certified as Technical Expertise) and most valuable Level 3 National Outdoor Recreation Leadership Course. These courses surely need a mutual understanding between employer and employee like me. Level 3 National Outdoor Recreation Leadership Course itself require a commitment to complete the course for 14 days. There is no such employer will be allowed their man to 'holiday' (as they thought) nearly half of month. Alhamdulillah finally I was acquired a valuable knowledge as national level outdoor recreation coach and of course can teach & train the courses nation wide.

My chapter as 'loser' ended when I received a phone call by my previous superior which now a notable person nationwide in sports science area. He offered me to throw my commitment & 'under valued' expertise inside his new center of excellence in sports invention and technology. As a loyal ex-wingman for him since I was completing my undergraduate study till I employed by my ex-employer organization under his strong need to put me in, until I called 'loser' by 'them', I accept his offer (but still reluctant at the beginning) and deep inside my heart I was thank him very much. May Allah bless him and his family.

As a bottom line, previous chapter of my life really test my maturity in handling a situation and of course I see the situation as a gift from Allah for selected and have an abilities to accept 'the gift'.