Blog Posts Archives - Sweet Sharings

Diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes

sweetsharings — Sun, 19 Dec 2021 03:27:04 +0000

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HEREDITARY?

Diabetes runs in my family. My maternal grand father had it and passed it down to his 3 daughters.. to my mum and two aunts. When my younger siblings were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes too, I started getting very health conscious. I stopped taking sugar in my drinks and cooking altogether. My husband and I even had daily walks.

We stopped eating out at restaurants or had take out either. I prepared mainly healthy home cooked meals. Even our occasional takeout would be healthy choices. I used a natural sweetener if any of the desserts I made called for sugar. As a result of this, my tastebuds changed to not like sweet foods anymore. Even my all time favourites like milk chocolates became overbearingly sweet for me. Maybe this is also the reason why I now prefer savoury to sweet dishes. I managed to keep this horrid disease at bay all this while …up until 3 weeks ago. I guess I could not escape it forever being that it runs in the DNA of my family bloodline.

Our walks in the woods

I recently read this very scary statement on the NHS site :

Every 2 minutes someone is diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes, a potentially serious health condition that can cause long-term health problems. It can lead to sight loss, kidney failure, loss of a limb, and makes you at least twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke”
NHS UK

ANGRY!

ANGRY!!!

The NHS reminds me to have a blood test every 3-4 months. This is a norm here once a person is above 55 in age and with family history of specific deseases. I called in for the previous test results 4 months ago. The receptionist told me ‘someone’ would call me back for the review. However, no-one called. This happened twice in a row and I just gave up. I thought that if there was anything serious, they would let me know. I then find out I am already a diabetic only by chance (after 5 months) due to some other medical issue. A GP on duty pointed it out to me during the medical appointment. While I understand that NHS is overwhelmed with the present situation of Covid, this should not have happened!

Mixed feelings rushed though me. Sad yet deep down knowing it would have happenned sooner or later…that which I feared and dreaded, had finally caught up with me. Peeved…no, ANGRY…that I had to find out about it by chance months after the last blood test. My diabetes review and further lifestyle changes could have started much earlier if I had been informed of it right after the results were in.

MR. GADGET

My darling husband, being the gadget man that he is, immediately researched on gadgets for me to monitor my blood Glucose at home. He found one that was pretty awesome which had bluetooth to connect to my phone and store a history of daily readings. My new gadget is a Blood Glucose Monitoring System called ‘One Drop’. The package arrived today and the box included a Meter, the Lancing device with cap, 2 vials of test strips (100 strips), 2 preinstalled lithium batteries and a very awesome leather compact carrying case. The kit included only 10 sterile Lancets, so we purchased extra Lancets separately, enough for a 3 month supply.

MINDFUL EATING

Can I blame Covid for this too?? I know I let things slide a little when Covid hit us…it’s just my own lack of care and not being 200% mindful. 2 years of restrictions, quarantine, no travel and having to avoid gatherings since we were in the vulnerable age group. What else was there to turn to for comfort other than each other and food? I did not binge nor did I go for sweet foods but I did tend to have seconds during meals. It wasn’t so much the healthy savoury dishes but the match of carbohydrates that paired with it. The culprit was the white rice! No, wait..it was MY lack of willpower *bows head in shame*

I always wondered why my grand dad only ate par-boiled rice and chapati made from pure atta flour. Only as an adult years later, I understood why. This was when my mum and aunts were diagnosed with type-2 diabetes too. I took it for granted that it would not happen to me and I am sure my daughters are thinking the same now. Good habits with food and lifestyle are so important and this has to start from a young age itself. Many of us Malaysians find it tough to not eat out alot. It is tough to make healthy food choices when there is so much temptation in a country like Malaysia, dubbed as the 24/7 food haven of culinary delights.

HOPE AND THINKING POSITIVE

The negative of this is that I am already Diabetic. The positive side of it is that there is still hope yet for me. The GP informed me that she would book me in for a Diabetes Review with the Nurse and for guidance on lifestyle changes. Having to take medication would be for life and neither the Doctor nor I wanted that. She said things could turn around with lifestyle changes and hopefully keep my blood glucose levels at a manageable status without Medication. So my appointment is on Monday, the 20th December. Whoever reads this, I have a request. I humbly ask of you, please, keep me in your prayers.

I BEGIN MY ‘UNWELCOMED’ NEW JOURNEY

Since I am now diagnosed with type-2 Diabetes, my recipes will be more diabetic friendly in future. An exception though with my heritage and childhood favourite recipes which I definitely will share here but not consume personally. I guess my neighbours and friends are going to benefit from this

I named my blog Sweet Sharings 15 years ago when I was still doing Cake Design and baking as a business, hence the name. Oh horror, the irony of it! I have no intention of changing the name and will just let it mean as sweet sharings of life instead. So now, my new journey of being a diabetic begins at the age of 61. May the Lord give me the strength to manage it well.

If you have any comments, advice or suggestions…please feel free to share in the comment section below.

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Crazy Era of Covid

sweetsharings — Sun, 21 Nov 2021 00:18:13 +0000

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After a long spell, I have finally started Baking and Blogging again! The above featured photo is my first try of a baked chocolate pie. Notice the cracks and sunken center, a fail thanks to a new oven that's a little too hot. The baked versions of chocolate Pies can be quite tricky if the oven is too hot or if it is overbaked even in the slightest. Anyway, the above picture is of no relevance to what my rambling is about today though. It's just a sharing of a few of my photos :)

Almost 2 years into this new norm …the crazy era of Covid! We were beginning to think that life would improve after the roll out of vaccinations, but then Covid had different plans for us. It did a big number on us humans and started mutating into many more strains.

Now booster shots are essential especially so for those of us living in a ‘4-Season Country’. It’s getting colder and soon it will be winter. It is during this time when the flu and Covid cases will rise drastically. The news informs us of Covid numbers already escalating during the past couple of months.

The River Kennet next to our home. (July 2021)

We contracted Covid last year

My husband and I still wear masks when we go out. We cannot afford to get ill with Covid again, especially not at our age. I feel like an alien when I am in the supermarkets or in town these days. People stare at us like we’re indeed aliens just because we still wear masks. What is up with this??

Going through Covid once is enough for a lifetime. It was a life changing experience. I will never wish it on anyone and I worry every single day for family and friends. We contracted Covid last year and managed to overcome it. I am truly grateful to be alive and I must admit..my whole perspective of life changed in March 2020. While many people are complaining and protesting and getting depressed being indoors and in lockdowns, I have come to terms with it and accepted it as the new norm. It is what it is! Just learn to live with it and have empathy and the decency to be vigilant and not endanger others.

Positive thinking and an optimistic attitude

Positive thinking, or an optimistic attitude, is the practice of focusing on the good in any given situation. It can have a big impact on your physical and mental health. That doesn’t mean you ignore reality or make light of problems. It simply means you approach the good and the bad in life with the expectation that things will go well.

The benefits of Positive thinking are great and it is my wish and prayer that each and every one of us be able to find the inner strength to think and act Positive. On this note, please be Safe and practice good habits and have the empathy and common sense to not endanger yourself or anyone else.

For the love of Nature

I love the outdoors and we are somewhat globe trotters, my husband and I, and especially him more so. It’s a blessing that we are both quite adaptable though, having learned to keep busy and occupy ourselves mentally and physically in activities not involving or being around other people and crowds. In fact, I am quite surprised to find myself feeling that 24 hours in a day is simply not enough these days!

For the Love of Nature. (Oct 2021)

Feeling Motivated

My husband and I are quite content with the world being at our fingertips! It comes easy for him being in the IT sector. As for myself, I am feeling inspired and motivated to start my blog again …about time too! My energy levels have also improved to pursue new hobbies and learn new things.

Covid took a huge toll on my body and health. It took 20 months for my body to get back to almost what it was before Covid. I guess this is what you call ‘Long Covid‘. Only now I feel an improvement with my energy levels. Apart from experiencing a few medical issues that come with aging, it’s been somewhat exciting and fulfilling for me with the new found activities, our usual weekend coffee dates and walks in the woods away from crowds.

Thank You Mum

I have been guilty of being a pessimist for the most of my life but this crazy era of Covid has taught me to always look at my glass half full instead of half empty. There is always something to be grateful for in Life. I have a lot to thank my parents for this, especially Mum …she is such a great example of positivity and inner strength…THANK YOU mum…You are such an inspiration!! I love You!!

My Autumn Flowers dedicated to Mum (Sept 2020)

Though I have a feeling this Crazy Era of Covid is going to stay for a while yet, I Hope and Pray that it ends soon. Hope is like water…it quenches the soul to keep on going.

My latest project :

Learning how to use WordPress which is a whole new content management system, and it has a new recipe software as well that I am having fun exploring. Revamping and updating all my ancient old posts so this will have my time cut out for me. Slowly but surely, I wll build up my Recipe Category Page.

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Reasons and Excuses

sweetsharings — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 12:52:00 +0000

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Oh dear me, it’s been years since I posted anything on my blog!! Truth be told, Life and adventures simply took over and I relocated from Malaysia to Belgium and now in the United Kingdom. So much has happened since then. Good life events, not so good ones and really sad ones. I even have 2 beautiful grand daughters now, Maryam Jasmine and Aleena Rose. They are such delights that I only get to see twice a year when I travel back to Malaysia. Sadly it has not been so for this year. 2020 has been an unprecedented year for all of us with Covid, Lockdowns, Quarantines and restricted movements.

My husband and I contracted the virus in March and we are so thankful that we survived it. It really took a huge toll on our bodies and respiratory systems that even until now we are still not 100% the same as before.

Anyway, onto positive stuff — Yesterday I posted one of my lazy ‘go to’ comfort meals on Instagram and Facebook It had an amazing response from friends and family requesting for the recipe. So yes, this is also one main reason why I have reactivated my blog to share the recipe. Plus, 2020 has been so stressful and I need some blogging therapy to rant, vent, share and start getting my brain juices to work more. ??

Well, now that my reasons and excuses for not blogging are done…lol….let’s get down to business. Sneak preview of my next post — Ginger Garlic Chicken Pulau.

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Amazing Tips and Uses for used Coffee Grounds

sweetsharings — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 11:50:00 +0000

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Here is a long list of tips and uses for used coffee grounds which I have researched on and collected from all over the web. Don’t let used coffee grounds go to waste. Use them around the house, in your garden or in homemade body-care products.

Unclog drains:

Pour used coffee grounds down the sink or bathtub drain, followed by 3 drops of dish soap and a pot of boiling water. This will clean and clear the drain of clogs and built up grease.

Keep Cats out of your garden:

Tired of your neighbors cats traipsing through your flowers? Just sprinkle some coffee grounds and orange peel where you don’t want them to walk.

Freshen your flower Vase:

Using a coffee-soil mix for your flower vase not only looks cool and lengthens your cut flowers’ life, it also acts as an air freshener in the room.

Flea Bath :

When you give your dog a bath, add a tablespoon of used coffee grounds to the shampoo to help repel fleas.

Deodorizer:

Just like baking soda, used coffee grounds can absorb unpleasant odours. Combine a week’s worth of used coffee grounds in an open jar, then place it in the back of your refrigerator or freezer to naturally deodorise the space.

Scratch Remover:

Reinvigorate scratched wood surfaces: Mix 1⁄4 cup coffee grounds with 1⁄4 cup warm water and 1⁄4 cup vinegar, let steep for an hour, then apply mixture to scratched wood surfaces using a washcloth. (For smaller scratches, use a cotton swab.) Let the stain sit for about five minutes for light-coloured surfaces, or up to an hour for dark-coloured surfaces, before wiping away. Note: If you are worried about the stain getting too dark, apply in small increments until you achieve the colour you want.

Tips and uses of used coffee grounds as a Cleaner:

Scour Power. For a quick abrasive cleaner – mix equal parts of old coffee grounds and baking soda. Use to scour away grease and grime from your pots and pans. Rinse thoroughly. (Be careful of using this on surfaces that are susceptible to stains!)
For a better-smelling garbage disposal, pour a tablespoon each of coffee grounds and baking soda down the drain to clean the blades. Note: This works best with newer disposal units. If you are unsure about your drain efficiency, consult your owners’ manual for tips.
Before cleaning out your fireplace, sprinkle damp coffee grounds liberally over the ashes to cut down on airborne dust as you sweep them up.

DIY Candle:

Want the warm scent of a coffee shop in your home without roasting beans all day long? Repurpose used coffee grounds into a homemade candle: In a small jar, place a metal-based wick in the center of the container, then fill the jar with alternating layers of coffee grounds and melted beeswax. (Allow the beeswax to solidify between layers.) This candle will release a subtle coffee scent that will help perk you up after a long day—without the caffeine.

Meat Tenderizer:

Combine 1⁄2 cup coffee grounds with 1⁄4 cup ground pepper and 3 tablespoons kosher salt for a savory coffee meat rub. Sprinkle the rub on your favorite raw meat before grilling. (For best results use fresh, finely ground coffee.)

Fertilizer:

Coffee grounds make a phenomenal fertilizer. They are slightly acidic, which is great for acid-loving plants such as blueberries, tomatoes, roses and hydrangeas. Plus, they attract worms, who love this gritty material. Coffee grounds help worms’ digestion, yielding great soil in return, and give worms a boost of caffeine, helping them work at double the speed. Dump used grounds into a compost bin or straight onto your garden.

Seed Starter:

Use coffee grounds to help start seeds. With a high carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (almost 20:1), used coffee grounds will release nutrients, including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, into the surrounding soil as they break down. This is great for young seedlings.

Reset your sense of smell:

Sniff coffee grounds to clear your nose after testing or sampling different perfumes….this will ‘reset’ your sense of smell.

Pin Cushion :

Filling your pin cushion with coffee grounds will prevent your pins from rusting. Plus, it’s like a sachet of good smells every time you use it. Make sure to dry them thoroughly first by spreading them on a cookie sheet and placing them in the freezer for an hour or two

Color Boost:

Freshen up your autumn wardrobe. Add a pot of freshly brewed coffee and the grounds to a load of wash, toss in any brown clothing and walk away. The coffee stains the material and keeps dark colors looking great.
Thanks again to coffee grounds’ acidic nature, you can deepen the blue color of your hydrangeas—or even turn pink hydrangeas blue—by composting with coffee grounds. Hydrangeas’ color is dependent on the pH of the soil.

Tips and uses of used coffee grounds Control Pests:

Use coffee grounds inside the home to repel ants. Sprinkle the grounds where ants commonly enter your house.
Fill a can or jar with an inch or two of moistened grounds, then line the container’s neck with extra sticky double sided tape. The scent will draw cockroaches into the trap.

Although there wouldn’t be enough caffeine left in used coffee grounds to kill snails, slugs and other unwelcome garden pests, the pungent aroma will still deter them from disturbing your garden. Sprinkle around the perimeter of your plants.

Wake me Up Air Freshener:

Perfect for your house or car. All you need is some coffee grounds and panty hose. You can easily make your own with a pair of ladies stockings and fresh ground coffee. Simply double-up the stockings, fill with coffee grounds and then tie off.

Tips and uses of used coffee grounds in home made body products:

Simple Body Scrub:

Mix ½ cup of used coffee grounds with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil. Massage all over body while standing in the shower. Leave on for 10 minutes before showering. This mixture will exfoliate your skin. Add a few drops of vanilla extract or essential oil for a refreshing or soothing fragrance….this will make your skin feel great and smelling wonderful.

Body Salt Scrub:

This rub will leave your whole body feeling soft and rejuvenated.

Coffee Salt Scrub Recipe:

1 ½ cup coarse sea salt

1 cup coffee grounds (dried)

1 cup oil (I used coconut)

5-15 drops of essential oils

Recipe Directions: In a large bowl add coarse sea salt and coffee grounds and stir; place oil and essential oils into bowl and stir. Store in air tight jar and use for those days when you need to need a good scrubbing.

Hand Savior:

Rub coffee grounds into your palms after handling smelly foods such as garlic, onion or even fish. The grounds will absorb the smell, as well as any oil that may have hitched a ride on your hands.

Exfoliating Soap:

Add coffee grounds to melted soap (either from a homemade soap bar or from scraps of soap bars around the house) and allow hardening to make a light exfoliating hand or body soap with a subtle coffee scent. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of coffee grounds for every 1 pound of soap.

Hair Conditioner:

Add a teaspoon of used coffee grounds to your conditioner for extra soft and shiny hair.

Hair Treatment:

Massage a mixture of 1⁄4 cup coffee grounds and 1⁄4 cup coconut oil into your scalp for a luxurious but deep clean. The caffeine can stimulate hair growth and give your locks fresh luster while dispelling build-up. The coconut oil will moisturize your scalp and hydrate dry strands of hair. Rinse out with an apple cider vinegar rinse. Note: This works best on dark hair, as coffee grounds may stain lighter tresses.

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I found some Interesting pointers on Singapore Women’s Weekly Magazine. check out How To Recycle Coffee Grounds Into Fertiliser To Feed Your Plants

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Goodbye 2014

sweetsharings — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 23:58:00 +0000

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You made me cry, made me laugh…but it’s time to move on and face new challenges.

2014 was very eventful and overwhelming. It was a year of good, of bad and even ugly for me, for Malaysia and for the World. My family and I have had to endure the grief and sadness of my niece’s tragic and freak accident, deaths in the family and few other setbacks. The warmth and love of family and close friends though have made it all bearable. No “Happy New Year’ wishes, just prayers for everyone to have a better year, and prayers for the family and victims of Flights MH370, MH17 and QZ8501….and the flood victims back home.

I will cherish forever some memories of 2014. There was a balance of highs and lows and I am thankful and grateful for the many things in my life that make it meaningful….namely Family, Love and Health. May we all be blessed with a better and positive new year.

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Vitamin F=Friends

sweetsharings — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 13:17:00 +0000

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Vitamin F = Friends. This inspirational story was sent to me by an old school friend via email. It is just too good to not share with everyone. Please take some time to read it. I too, thank those of you who have been my Vitamin F.

Simply love this and want to share it with you…

Friends

Why do I have a variety of friends who are all so different in character? How can I get along with them all? I think that each one helps to bring out a “different” part of me.

With one of them I am polite. With another, I joke. I sit down and talk about serious matters with one. With another I laugh a lot. I listen to one friend’s problems.Then I listen to another one’s advice for me.

My friends are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When completed, they form a treasure box. A treasure of friends! They are my friends who sometimes understand me better than I understand myself.

They’re friends who support me through good days and bad. We all pray together and for each other.

Vitamin F = Friends

Real Age doctors tell us that friends are good for our health. Dr. Oz calls them Vitamin F (for Friends) and counts the benefits of friends as essential to our well being. Research shows that people in strong social circles have less risk of depression and terminal strokes.

If you enjoy Vitamin F constantly you can be up to 30 years younger than your real age. The warmth of friendship stops stress and even in your most intense moments. It decreases the chance of a cardiac arrest or stroke by 50%.

I’m so happy that I have a stock of Vitamin F!

6 beautiful quotes on friendship

Thank you for being one of my Vitamins!

In summary, we should value our friends and keep in touch with them. We should try to see the funny side of things and laugh together and pray for each other in the tough moments.

Thank You for being one of my Vitamins my dear friends!

artwork by Heather Stiluffsen

Check out the amazing illustrative artwork of Heather Stiluffsen.

Did you like this post?

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Positive Life in Abundance

sweetsharings — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 10:19:00 +0000

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When we talk about a positive life in abundance, most people immediately think of money. Financial prosperity is one obvious expression of abundance, but it is not the whole story.

So what is the meaning of this positive life in abundance? It is important to understand that a person who lives in abundance is one that has abundance of positive energy, joy, and love.

Developing a mindset of abundance

With an abundance mindset you will come from a place of gratitude and appreciation. This abundance mentality will help you create more opportunity, more happiness and more fulfilment in Life. It will help you focus on making progress every day, and celebrating your achievements.

Creating an abundant mindset allows you to:

Have the freedom to grow without limitations or restrictions
See the world as full of opportunities
Have greater clarity and focus around creating something bigger in the future
Focus on gratitude despite the circumstances
Create exponential growth rather than linear growth
Feel plentiful, creative, and inspired
Create memorable and meaningful life experiences

“The key to abundance is meeting limiting circumstances with unlimited thoughts”
— Marianne Williamson

If you choose to live a positive life in abundance you are always focused on the positive and are excited about the endless opportunities in your future. Do not take anyone for granted and do not allow yourself to be taken for granted either. In order to have goodness and positive abundance in life, always keep a positive frame of mind.

Share what you know to be good with others and avoid negative people and negative situations because these are what bring you down and in turn bring you a chain of negativities in your life. I know this to be true because I am speaking out of experience.

Wishing you a wonderful and positive day.

Nur Diyanah Magness

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Life is Just like the Sea

sweetsharings — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:16:00 +0000

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Just sharing a collection of beautiful little poems and quotes about Life and the Sea. The beautiful featured picture is an art piece by Tolkienmaster.

Life is just like the sea; Moving without an end. Nothing stays with us forever….. What remains is just the memories of some people who touched us as waves.	Life is just like the sea; It can be Calm and Still. or rough and rigid….. But in the end… It is always Beautiful.
Life is like the sea… you cannot see the end… but you have to face the waves.	Treat your life like the sea.. Your heart as the shore and your friends as the waves It doesn’t matter how many waves there are What matters is, which one touches the shore.

Be like the sea. Powerful enough to impact everyone around you and gentle enough so others find comfort in you.

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Enjoy the Little things in Life

sweetsharings — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:36:00 +0000

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Life is the greatest gift we could ever have and we just have to change our frame of mind to appreciate it and be grateful for it. We are blessed to be alive, so enjoy the little things in Life. However, being alive is something we all take for granted all the time and I am guilty of this too! No one really thinks much about it. I often find myself caught up thinking of the future and the past, of the times I was happy and sad, disappointed, hurt. I forget to think and indulge in the present.

I have learned that the trick to being happy is to enjoy each day as it comes. Don’t wish away your days waiting for better ones. Sometimes we do not realise how big the little things in life really are. I would like to think that being more than half a century old gives me this wisdom ?

I feel exhilarated seeing sunshine enter the room as I open the blinds. Just this little thing is a great start to a lovely day. This puts a smile on me through the day and people tend to reciprocate. The act of smiling at others really makes theirs and my day! That is to say, I receive positive vibes from the Universe.

Catching up with old Friends

Sweet Sharings – enjoy the little things in Life

Connecting with old friends brings me such sweet memories. Do you feel nostalgia and a warm feeling like I do? Taking time out for a coffee or meal with family and friends is always good for my wellbeing and mental health. Moreover, it improves and tightens my relationship bonds. I have learned this through the years and know it to be true.

Finding the perfect gift for someone can be quite interesting and fun too if you do not let the rat-race of life distract you from enjoying these simple yet meaningful acts. Similarly, listening to little kids talk, praying together, helping an elderly person, doing activities as a family, showing concern for someone who is hurt or ill, all these and more, are the little things in Life.

Do little things together…

The simple act of giving a hug to my loved ones and friends or holding my partner’s hand brings joy and happiness. Listening to the radio or watching a movie together gives enjoyment and a sense of sharing. Taking a walk in the park alone or with others is also a simple thing in life yet so fulfilling, giving one a sense of peace and calm. Planting seeds and seeing them sprout is also so rewarding. Did you know that gardening is great for our health and wellbeing too?

Doctors in Scotland now prescribe a walk in nature to treat a variety of ailments, including reducing blood pressure and anxiety, and to improve overall happiness. One Harvard University study showed that people who were surrounded by lush greenery lived longer, with a lower chance of developing cancer or respiratory illnesses.”
Reference from BBC

Australian researchers following men and women in their 60s found that those who regularly gardened had a 36% lower risk of dementia than their non-gardening counterparts.

Take Time out…

We just have to take time out to enjoy the little things in life like the wonderful smell of pancakes or roti canai and nasi lemak in the morning. Likewise, Having coffee or teh tarik with old friends. Enjoying the smell and beauty of flowers around us, or taking the time to actually browse a bookstore, all these little things can be fun and make us feel good.

Malaysian nasi lemak (coconut milk rice and condiments)

Malaysian Roti Canai (malaysian flat bread) and teh tarik (milk tea)

The little things in that connects us to the bigger things….it’s these little things and moments that give us the quality in life. For those who have not already, start living now. Live in the present and enjoy the simple and little things in life. Otherwise, one day you will look back and realise they were the big things.

If you have any thoughts on this, please leave a comment in the comment box below.

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Happiness, Happy Hormones, Moods

sweetsharings — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 23:11:00 +0000

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Do you agree with this statement : People spend a lifetime searching for happiness. I guess it differs with each individual. Happiness, Happy Hormones and Moods are all correlated and attaining happiness is the ultimate pursuit of humans.

What is Happiness

What really is the definition of happiness? Happiness is used in the context of mental or emotional states which include positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Most commonly described as anything from the feeling of joy, tranquillity, a state of attunement, a sense of accomplishment. It is an endorsement of life – the feeling that life is positively good.

What is Happiness to me?

We all have different and personal definitions of happiness.

I personally feel happiness comes from within and it is a choice and I refuse to alow the let downs of Life or grief take over for too long. Choosing to move forward and doing the things that make me happy help me break the cycle of negativity. As I get older, I realise what I used to find happiness in, in the past is no longer the same anymore. Sharing quality time with the people who care about me and who I care about….this is what happiness is to me these days. I think I talk and communicate over the internet more and it’s almost on a daily basis.

The Science of Happiness

The science of happiness is a combination of 2 things.

How satisfied you are with your life
How good you feel on a day to day basis.

Our thoughts, actions and behaviours control our state of happiness. Circumstances in life and genes also play a big role. Happiness is a skill that we can build with consistent practice. You have the ability to control how fulfilling your life is.

Happy Hormones

Hormones are chemicals produced by different glands across your body. They travel through the bloodstream, acting as messengers and playing a part in many bodily processes like helping to regulate your mood. There are 4 hormones that are known to help promote positive feelings, including happiness and pleasure. Happy hormones are increased when we perform certain actions such as hugging, kisssing, having sex, eating our favourite foods, exercising, celebrating little wins, playing with a baby or a pet, going out into the sun and so on. Happiness, Happy Hormones and Moods go hand in hand.

Happy people are Healthier

They have lower rates of cardiovascular disease.
They have better immunity
Heal faster after injuries
They are more likely to have healthier diet
Live Longer

Happiness is not just about You.

In my opinion, happinesss is definitely not feeling hunky dory all of the time or refusing to see the negative things happening in the world. It definitely is not all the money you could ever want and not a final destination either. Happiness is a journey through life. Happy people are more productive at their jobs and have typically deep relationships with others. They are the ones who are more likely to help others and volunteer more, give money to charity and are more creative problem solvers.

To sum it all up, we can increase our happiness over time by nurturing relationships, having new experiences, helping others and being grateful for what we have. Happiness and learning how to be happy is vital for our mental health. To feel connected and have purpose in life is the key to our well being. People of all ages report being happier when they have more meaning in their lives.

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