Why We Should Love Dark Chocolate?

Dark chocolate: It’s not just about the taste, it’s actually healthy for you! There are numerous benefits to eating dark chocolate, according to the experts. The following are some of the greatest dark chocolate benefits:

• Can decrease blood pressure
• Studies have also shown that chocolate can improve a person’s sensitivity to insulin. (Good news for millions of diabetics.)
• Dark chocolate balances certain hormones in the body.
• Chocolate contains epicatechin, which in studies on mice that had strokes helped them recover and improve. Other mice that also had strokes and were not given the compound, died. It is thought that dark chocolate helps improve blood flow, and dissolve platelets. Epicatechin is also found in grapes and green tea, but in larger quantities in cocoa.
• Dark chocolate contains a fair amount of antioxidants, which are known to help prevent cancer, diabetes, excessive skin aging, etc.
• Dark chocolate can also help to lower ldl (bad) cholesterol by up to 10%.
• It contains serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant.
• It contains the obromine and caffeine, both of which are stimulants.

Which one is your choice?

The key is that the more bitter the chocolate, the more epicatechin, or antioxidents there are in the chocolate. When the process is used to make white chocolate or milk chocolate, all of the beneficial epicatechin is removed. So when it’s specified that dark chocolate is healthy, it really is only dark chocolate, and not white or milk chocolate.

Now the not so good news about dark chocolate: It has a lot of calories. One regular sized dark chocolate candy bar contains about 400 calories, and depending, some fat that isn’t good for your either. But back to the good news – you only need to eat about 3.5 oz. or ½ a chocolate bar a day to gain all the benefits listed above.

So the moral of the story of dark chocolate benefits: Eat (in moderation), drink (in moderation) and be happy (very happy)!

My Two Wheels Adventures in Malaya

Glad to be in front of my laptop again after two weeks outing for my latest escapes from daily routine. On 5 Feb 2011, I started my cycling adventure (again) after more than ten years from my great cycling adventure back in 2001. This adventure called Trans 1Malaysia, and this is their website http://transmalaysia2012.blogspot.com. This program organized by the students from Kolej Perdana, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, in collaboration with Gerakan Belia 4B Johor. The journey was to traversing from the south to the north of Peninsular of Malaysia which is more than 1000km cycling route. This program is continuity of previous successful cycling expedition organized Trans Johor (cycling around Johor) & Trans Selatan (cycling from UTMKL to UTMJB) on 2009 and 2010 consecutively. I only managed to join Trans Selatan & Trans 1Malaysia only together with my lovely gf.

Posed before the long journey at 'Zero Mile'

The Peloton, The Marshal & The Destination

Enjoying the Moment

Below was the cycling adventure I had done in Malaya:

• 2001 - Cycling without any support vehicle around Peninsular of Malaysia, 18 days (17 days of cycling), 2400km, 4 person, 
• 2010 - Cycling with support vehicles & marshals from UTM KL to UTM JB, 4 days, nearly 450km, more than 20 persons
• 2012 - Cycling with support vehicles & marshals from UTM JB to Kangar, Perlis, 9 days (8 days of cycling), 1030km, more than 40 persons.

Once upon a time, this called Malaya

The Ride

The Convoy Members

But it doesn't stop only with bicycle tours, I also just completed my second around Malaya expedition but for the second was by big bike convoy. We started with East Coast Route first and traveled from the north to the south just in four days with 24 convoy members. That expedition was happen on 26-29 December 2011.


That's it, an information to share with my blog readers about my two wheels adventures I had done in Malaya since 2001 when I was a teenager. May adventurer spirit still be with me until my golden age, perhaps can make future adventure trip together with my lovely one.

ISN LECTURE SERIES 2/2012

Below is the information about National Sports Institute of Malaysia (ISN) Lecture Series. They can manage to organize two lectures series within a month. Salute to them.

Bridging the gap between Sports Coaching and Sports Science
Title: ISN LECTURE SERIES 2/2012
Number: 2/12
Status: Not exceeded
Begin: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 08:00AM
End: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 05:15PM
Location: PERDANA HALL, ISN BUKIT JALIL
Bookable: 245
SPEAKERS


i. Dr. Kieron Rooney, University of Sydney, Australia
ii. Dr. Patricia Ruell, University of Sydney, Australia
iii. A/P Martin Thompson, University of Sydney, Australia
iv. Ms. Ler Hui Yin, Tunku Abdul Rahman (TAR) College / University of Sydney, Australia


SCHEDULE


08:15 am Registration
09:00 am Welcoming Speech
09:15 am Cracking the Genetic Code, Are There Genetic Limitations to
Performance?
by Dr. Kieron Rooney
10:15 am Morning Break
10:30 am Dietary Supplements and Sports Performance:
Effect of caffeine, bicarbonate and bovine colostrum
by Dr. Patricia Ruell
11:30 am Strategies for Maximizing Sports Performance in the Heat
by A/P Martin Thompson
12:30 noon Effect of Diuretic-Induced Dehydration on Prolonged Exercise Performance in Hot and Cool Climatic Conditions
by Ms. Ler Hui Yin
01:30 pm Lunch Break
02:00 pm Substrates and Bi-Products, Metabolic Factors Regulating Fuel Utilization During Exercise
by Dr. Kieron Rooney
03:00 pm Prevention of Heat Stroke – Can Heat Shock Proteins Help?
by Dr. Patricia Ruell
04:00 pm Afternoon Break
04:15 pm Quantification of the Training Load – A Challenge for Sports Coaches and Sports Scientists
by A/P Martin Thompson
05:15 pm End
FAQ


Who can participate?
• Everyone in the sports field, i.e. sports scientists / officers / practitioners / physicians, academicians, administrators, students, coaches, athletes


How do I register?
• Do register online at www.isn.gov.my NOW


How much do I have to pay?
• Payment not required.


When is the closing date?
• Before/on 20 February 2012.

Trans 1Malaysia 2012: From Zero to Hero to 'Zero'

What a hectic week for me. But really satisfied with output and 'small contribution' for my beloved country. A week with zero outdoor or any physical activities but sitting inside the hotel completing latest diploma programme in country- Diploma of Physical Fitness.

These events just a spark for my next adventure that will begin this Sunday, a cycling adventure for 10 days traversing from the south to the north of Malaya via west coach of this peninsular. The zero mile will be at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia an tentatively will finished at Kuala Perlis on 15 Feb 2012.

I'm so pleased with my current performance & spirit to fulfill & playing my role as a common Malaysian. I managed to finish strong in front of my team members in completing this three months assignment, after my night stay up toward this week at my current office finally get paid. Later recognized as a hero for a night only.

As common words to describe this feeling, I came from zero to hero and now walking towards zero mile of Trans 1Malaysia 2012.