Okay you tea drinkers! Maybe people laughed at you for liking the "weak brew" and not drinking coffee so strong that hair grows on your chest, but you are actually doing something very wise!
A Chinese researcher investigated a group of elderly Chinese men who drank three cups or more of tea a day. They discovered that these men had significantly longer telomere lengths than men who did not drink tea.
What is a telomere? It is the little cap or top of each strand of DNA. Over time, when your cells divide, the telomeres get a tiny bit shorter. And telomere length is a very important indicator of how well you are and how long you will live. So the men who drank three or more cups of tea a day were preserving their telomere length and lengthening their lifespan.
Another interesting fact - they have discovered that when they clone animals, the clones have a shorter lifespan. Why? Because their parent animal's telomere length was already shortened by their age when they were cloned, so the clone were starting out life as a clone with the shorter telomeres of the older animal that they were cloned from. The length of your telomeres are one important measure of health and longevity.
So how do you keep your telomeres long? Why does green tea help? The scientists say that telomeres are very sensitive to oxidative stress. The antioxidants in tea help reduce oxidation in the body, and in this way they protect the telomeres from damage. The more the anti-oxidant activity, the less "rust" happens in your body.
Do you remember that from chemistry class? Oxidation is what causes rusting of metal. It happens when an oxygen interacts with another molecule and an electron is lost. Think of rusting. It is like the cells in your body getting rusty. Not something we like to have happen! The antioxidants in tea prevents this "rust" from occurring
Tea is wonderfully wealthy in the antioxidants and phytonutrients that eradicate the free radicals (molecules that are looking for something to rust up) floating in your body. So drink more tea to extend your life span and have better health. It is important to remember to drink just plain tea, because it seems that milk neutralizes the antioxidants. And of course, sugar is never a good idea. If you can get used to drinking it plain, it will be much better for you in the long run.
The active ingredient in green tea is called EGCG, and it prevents and repairs damage to your body's cells. The things that damage your body, pollution, sunburn, smoking and things added to your food that don't belong can all be combated by drinking tea. You can buy it in capsules, but why not just drink tea?
The way to receive the most benefits from tea is to use whole leaves or a tea bag. Bottled versions aren't as good for you, since they usually have other chemicals added, and sit on the shelf for a long time.
There are other vitamins you can take to help support your body, help your telomeres stay long, fight the oxidative process and keep it "rust-free." They are:
Vitamin B12 – Take at least 100 mcg per day.
Vitamin C – Doctors I know say taking up to 3,000 mg per day of the natural form of vitamin C is a good amount if you're in good health. There have been studies that show the natural form of vitamin C was 148% more effective than the synthetic form, providing the extra advantage of staying in your system longer.
Vitamin E – Take at least 200 iu of “mixed tocopherols," not just alpha-tocopherols.
Just taking vitamins in tablets can never do for you what real food can provide. And drinking tea is a wonderful way to strengthen your system and give you a longer life.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Peter's sermon
God’s Abundance
(For those looking for the marble story, look farther down in this post.)
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul is writing to stir the Christians in Corinth to give freely to the church in Jerusalem. Actually, they had begun taking a collection for Jerusalem the previous year, but for some reason their enthusiasm for the project had dwindled. Maybe Corinth was experiencing some kind of economic downturn, like what we are experiencing now. It’s hard to know, but reading between the lines, we can see Paul trying to breathe new life and
enthusiasm back into the original collection efforts.
In addition to exhorting them “…to excel in this generous undertaking…” he reminds them:
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2Co 8:9)
Although Paul’s purpose in the whole passage is to exhort the Corinthians to give to give of their worldly wealth, his reference to Jesus who was rich becoming poor so that through his poverty they might become rich, is deliberately taking the argument to a higher level. Paul is referring to the spiritual riches the Corinthians inherited through believing in Jesus, reminding them how much more they have received of God’s spiritual abundance than what they are being asked to give out of their material abundance. The contrast between spiritual riches and material riches is an important reminder to all of us, especially during this time of economic crisis, about just where our abundance lies.
Story of marbles
Eight years ago when I was living in Chongqing, I attended a local Chinese church that had an active young people’s fellowship. Most were new believers; some not yet believers. One week they asked me to come and speak to them about “the Gospel and Prosperity.” It’s not as easy a topic as you might think.
They eagerly pointed out the places where the Bible records how God blessed Abraham and the patriarchs of the OT among other things with material prosperity.
1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. (Gen 13:1)
They liked the part about the silver and gold.
Or, for example, the record of how Jacob prospered mightily while he was tending sheep for his father-in-law Laban.
43 In this way the man (Jacob) grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys. (Gen 30:43)
Or later how God blessed Joseph until he was second only to pharaoh in all of Egypt.
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way !" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. (Gen 41:41-43)
Rings and gold chains suited them just fine. Their idea of a chariot was a BMW, a concession to modern times they felt God would understand.
They also showed me a coffee-table size magazine from the US, beautifully printed in full color on glossy paper. In it were a number of brief biographies of Christian couples who had become very wealthy, including their testimonies about how it was through their faith in Jesus that God had blessed them so.
So these young people wanted to know if God would similarly cause them to prosper because they were now believers, or considering becoming believers. To say that God doesn’t want his children to prosper wouldn’t have been right, but to answer them with a simple yes ran the risk that, having heard what they wanted, they would stop listening. In that case Christianity would mean no more to them than burning some incense and praying for prosperity at the local temple means for so many superficial Buddhists.
So I told them about marbles.
When I was in first grade we were living in Taiwan. That was 1954, which may not be as ancient as it sounds, but it was back before Taiwan’s economy had begun developing. Life was pretty basic. That year marbles caught on at our school. We had two kinds of marbles among us kids – we missionary kids bought ours locally, and they weren’t anything special – mostly one color, one size, random bubbles in the glass, and although they were round enough, the outside wasn’t very perfect. I suppose the molds used to make them weren’t all that smooth. Anyway, those were our marbles.
Then there were the American marbles the military kids got to buy at the PX. Those were special – different sizes, including “boulders” and “peewees.” They were perfectly clear, no bubbles, and the outsides were completely smooth. They even had all different colors of “clearies,” and ones with a beautiful little flower or something in the middle we called “cat eyes.” Needless to say, they could trade one of their American marbles for lots of ours.
That was the situation when my dad had to make a rare trip to HK for some missionary conference. It happened to be close to Christmas. Of course my brother and I begged him to buy some beautiful marbles. At first he didn’t really get it, but once he realized these were VERY important to us, he said he would try. No promises. You can imagine our joy when we opened our Christmas presents and found marbles that were beautiful beyond our wildest dreams. I don’t know where they were from, but they even made the American marbles look drab.
When we got back to school and it was finally time for recess, my brother and I were the focus of great attention.
Alas, it wasn’t long before some of the sharp-shooters conned me into playing with them, and over the next few days, one-by-one I lost my beautiful HK marbles. When the last one was gone, I was desolate. Once again, my dad didn’t get it at first, then he realized how much the marbles had meant to me, and he tried to comfort me. I suppose one of the things he tried to help me understand was that there are more important things in life than marbles, even beautiful ones.
What’s the point? Children’s economies and adult economies are different. Good parents don’t ridicule what their children hold precious, even if they are of very little value to an adult. Rather they help us live through the ups and downs of learning about what is of real value, helping us gradually move beyond childish things to more adult things. My Dad was very understanding of my disappointment at losing my HK marbles, even though they meant little to him. At the same time, imagine how alarmed he would be if today I still thought life revolved around marbles.
I believe God looks at material prosperity the same way. For many adults, material prosperity looks like the key to life. Some Christians even see it as evidence of God’s special blessing on them, and maybe it is. But I also think Paul’s reminder to the Corinthians puts material blessings in perspective. However important it may be to us at certain points in our life, material prosperity doesn’t amount to much more than marbles in God’s eyes. And I am sure, like a concerned parent, God anxiously watches for us to grow up and begin to value the spiritual abundance that is our inheritance as Christians.
________________________
Having said that about the importance of recognizing our spiritual abundance, our close association of security with material prosperity can make it hard to move on and mature spiritually, even if we accept the marble doctrine. Talking about our spiritual inheritance isn’t difficult, but the real question is, how do we learn to trust that abundance when something devastating happens like our retirement fund getting wiped out, or finding out we’ve lost our job? Or even in normal times as we cope with the demands of day-to-day living. Put another way, you can tell children there are more valuable things than marbles, but if you’re in danger of losing your beautiful HK marbles, it’s awfully hard to believe.
The story of Peter walking on the water is something I find easy to identify with.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" (Mt 14:25-31)
Jesus saw beyond the wind and the waves to a place of peace and security, so that what was happening all around had no effect on him. Peter, so long as he was focused on Jesus, experienced that peace and security, and may not even have been aware that he was walking on the water. But once he saw what the wind was doing and realized to his horror that he was walking on waves in the middle of a storm, he lost that peace and security and began to sink.
I find myself doing the same thing – on a smaller scale – in many ways. So long as I am uplifted in worship in church, or in a small group, or in my own devotions, or even preparing a sermon, I find my focus on God, and the usual anxieties and fears move into the background. But when I open the daily paper or get a report from my retirement fund, and am reminded of the wind and the waves, it is easy for me to begin to sink.
We need to remember that learning to trust God’s abundance is a growing process, not something that happens just because we want it to. It takes time for our understanding of what abundance and prosperity are to move beyond what we are taught every day by this world to God’s understanding of what is valuable and precious, and yes, unshakable and inexhaustible. The challenge is how do we move.
The little church near Yale
Back when my father was in divinity school, studying to be a minister, he and his classmates were all assigned to churches in the area as part of their fieldwork. His friend was assigned to a pathetic little church that had no minister, they couldn’t afford one, and had been gradually wasting away. When his friend got there the remaining members of the congregation had pretty much given up hope for their church.
Once he saw how little life the congregation had left, he realized the church would in fact die if the members didn’t learn to trust God. So in his first sermon, he announced that hereafter one half of every offering would go outside the church as a love offering. They would only keep half for themselves.
The church members were appalled! Maybe they thought by agreeing to take a seminarian they would get some kind of subsidy from the divinity school. But here was the seminarian telling them they would be giving away half of every offering. In their minds THEY were the ones that needed a love offering, not someone outside the church!
But he stuck to his guns. His first Sunday the offering didn’t amount to much, but he put half aside in a love offering fund. The second Sunday wasn’t much better, but he put half of that into the fund as well. You probably can guess the rest of the story.
Gradually the offerings grew. Church members found churches and people more needy than they were to give the love offerings to. They began to reach out. People were affected by the spirit of the little church, and new members joined. The offerings grew. By the time my father’s friend graduated from divinity school and left the church, it was thriving, had a great budget and a search underway for a full-time minister to take over when the seminarian left. They never stopped setting aside 50% of all giving as a love offering.
What’s the point? One point is that you can’t exhaust God’s abundance. The other is that if you really want to experience God’s abundance in your own life, one way to begin moving and growing is to give to others out of your own abundance.
Finally, we need to remember that God’s abundance goes far beyond material prosperity – of course we need to give of our wealth and prosperity, as the little church did -- but even more, our abundance from God includes our health, the love of our families and friends, the wonderful opportunities we have to serve God in China, and the sheer joy of living as redeemed children of God. As we share all of this with people around us, we will learn that God’s abundance is indeed inexhaustible.
Closing -- Luke 12:27-34
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
(For those looking for the marble story, look farther down in this post.)
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul is writing to stir the Christians in Corinth to give freely to the church in Jerusalem. Actually, they had begun taking a collection for Jerusalem the previous year, but for some reason their enthusiasm for the project had dwindled. Maybe Corinth was experiencing some kind of economic downturn, like what we are experiencing now. It’s hard to know, but reading between the lines, we can see Paul trying to breathe new life and
enthusiasm back into the original collection efforts.In addition to exhorting them “…to excel in this generous undertaking…” he reminds them:
9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2Co 8:9)
Although Paul’s purpose in the whole passage is to exhort the Corinthians to give to give of their worldly wealth, his reference to Jesus who was rich becoming poor so that through his poverty they might become rich, is deliberately taking the argument to a higher level. Paul is referring to the spiritual riches the Corinthians inherited through believing in Jesus, reminding them how much more they have received of God’s spiritual abundance than what they are being asked to give out of their material abundance. The contrast between spiritual riches and material riches is an important reminder to all of us, especially during this time of economic crisis, about just where our abundance lies.
Story of marbles
Eight years ago when I was living in Chongqing, I attended a local Chinese church that had an active young people’s fellowship. Most were new believers; some not yet believers. One week they asked me to come and speak to them about “the Gospel and Prosperity.” It’s not as easy a topic as you might think.
They eagerly pointed out the places where the Bible records how God blessed Abraham and the patriarchs of the OT among other things with material prosperity.
1 So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2 Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold. (Gen 13:1)
They liked the part about the silver and gold.
Or, for example, the record of how Jacob prospered mightily while he was tending sheep for his father-in-law Laban.
43 In this way the man (Jacob) grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys. (Gen 30:43)
Or later how God blessed Joseph until he was second only to pharaoh in all of Egypt.
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way !" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. (Gen 41:41-43)
Rings and gold chains suited them just fine. Their idea of a chariot was a BMW, a concession to modern times they felt God would understand.
They also showed me a coffee-table size magazine from the US, beautifully printed in full color on glossy paper. In it were a number of brief biographies of Christian couples who had become very wealthy, including their testimonies about how it was through their faith in Jesus that God had blessed them so.
So these young people wanted to know if God would similarly cause them to prosper because they were now believers, or considering becoming believers. To say that God doesn’t want his children to prosper wouldn’t have been right, but to answer them with a simple yes ran the risk that, having heard what they wanted, they would stop listening. In that case Christianity would mean no more to them than burning some incense and praying for prosperity at the local temple means for so many superficial Buddhists.
So I told them about marbles.
When I was in first grade we were living in Taiwan. That was 1954, which may not be as ancient as it sounds, but it was back before Taiwan’s economy had begun developing. Life was pretty basic. That year marbles caught on at our school. We had two kinds of marbles among us kids – we missionary kids bought ours locally, and they weren’t anything special – mostly one color, one size, random bubbles in the glass, and although they were round enough, the outside wasn’t very perfect. I suppose the molds used to make them weren’t all that smooth. Anyway, those were our marbles.
Then there were the American marbles the military kids got to buy at the PX. Those were special – different sizes, including “boulders” and “peewees.” They were perfectly clear, no bubbles, and the outsides were completely smooth. They even had all different colors of “clearies,” and ones with a beautiful little flower or something in the middle we called “cat eyes.” Needless to say, they could trade one of their American marbles for lots of ours.
That was the situation when my dad had to make a rare trip to HK for some missionary conference. It happened to be close to Christmas. Of course my brother and I begged him to buy some beautiful marbles. At first he didn’t really get it, but once he realized these were VERY important to us, he said he would try. No promises. You can imagine our joy when we opened our Christmas presents and found marbles that were beautiful beyond our wildest dreams. I don’t know where they were from, but they even made the American marbles look drab.
When we got back to school and it was finally time for recess, my brother and I were the focus of great attention.
Alas, it wasn’t long before some of the sharp-shooters conned me into playing with them, and over the next few days, one-by-one I lost my beautiful HK marbles. When the last one was gone, I was desolate. Once again, my dad didn’t get it at first, then he realized how much the marbles had meant to me, and he tried to comfort me. I suppose one of the things he tried to help me understand was that there are more important things in life than marbles, even beautiful ones.
What’s the point? Children’s economies and adult economies are different. Good parents don’t ridicule what their children hold precious, even if they are of very little value to an adult. Rather they help us live through the ups and downs of learning about what is of real value, helping us gradually move beyond childish things to more adult things. My Dad was very understanding of my disappointment at losing my HK marbles, even though they meant little to him. At the same time, imagine how alarmed he would be if today I still thought life revolved around marbles.
I believe God looks at material prosperity the same way. For many adults, material prosperity looks like the key to life. Some Christians even see it as evidence of God’s special blessing on them, and maybe it is. But I also think Paul’s reminder to the Corinthians puts material blessings in perspective. However important it may be to us at certain points in our life, material prosperity doesn’t amount to much more than marbles in God’s eyes. And I am sure, like a concerned parent, God anxiously watches for us to grow up and begin to value the spiritual abundance that is our inheritance as Christians.
________________________
Having said that about the importance of recognizing our spiritual abundance, our close association of security with material prosperity can make it hard to move on and mature spiritually, even if we accept the marble doctrine. Talking about our spiritual inheritance isn’t difficult, but the real question is, how do we learn to trust that abundance when something devastating happens like our retirement fund getting wiped out, or finding out we’ve lost our job? Or even in normal times as we cope with the demands of day-to-day living. Put another way, you can tell children there are more valuable things than marbles, but if you’re in danger of losing your beautiful HK marbles, it’s awfully hard to believe.
The story of Peter walking on the water is something I find easy to identify with.
25 During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."
28 "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
29 "Come," he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" (Mt 14:25-31)
Jesus saw beyond the wind and the waves to a place of peace and security, so that what was happening all around had no effect on him. Peter, so long as he was focused on Jesus, experienced that peace and security, and may not even have been aware that he was walking on the water. But once he saw what the wind was doing and realized to his horror that he was walking on waves in the middle of a storm, he lost that peace and security and began to sink.
I find myself doing the same thing – on a smaller scale – in many ways. So long as I am uplifted in worship in church, or in a small group, or in my own devotions, or even preparing a sermon, I find my focus on God, and the usual anxieties and fears move into the background. But when I open the daily paper or get a report from my retirement fund, and am reminded of the wind and the waves, it is easy for me to begin to sink.
We need to remember that learning to trust God’s abundance is a growing process, not something that happens just because we want it to. It takes time for our understanding of what abundance and prosperity are to move beyond what we are taught every day by this world to God’s understanding of what is valuable and precious, and yes, unshakable and inexhaustible. The challenge is how do we move.
The little church near Yale
Back when my father was in divinity school, studying to be a minister, he and his classmates were all assigned to churches in the area as part of their fieldwork. His friend was assigned to a pathetic little church that had no minister, they couldn’t afford one, and had been gradually wasting away. When his friend got there the remaining members of the congregation had pretty much given up hope for their church.
Once he saw how little life the congregation had left, he realized the church would in fact die if the members didn’t learn to trust God. So in his first sermon, he announced that hereafter one half of every offering would go outside the church as a love offering. They would only keep half for themselves.
The church members were appalled! Maybe they thought by agreeing to take a seminarian they would get some kind of subsidy from the divinity school. But here was the seminarian telling them they would be giving away half of every offering. In their minds THEY were the ones that needed a love offering, not someone outside the church!
But he stuck to his guns. His first Sunday the offering didn’t amount to much, but he put half aside in a love offering fund. The second Sunday wasn’t much better, but he put half of that into the fund as well. You probably can guess the rest of the story.
Gradually the offerings grew. Church members found churches and people more needy than they were to give the love offerings to. They began to reach out. People were affected by the spirit of the little church, and new members joined. The offerings grew. By the time my father’s friend graduated from divinity school and left the church, it was thriving, had a great budget and a search underway for a full-time minister to take over when the seminarian left. They never stopped setting aside 50% of all giving as a love offering.
What’s the point? One point is that you can’t exhaust God’s abundance. The other is that if you really want to experience God’s abundance in your own life, one way to begin moving and growing is to give to others out of your own abundance.
Finally, we need to remember that God’s abundance goes far beyond material prosperity – of course we need to give of our wealth and prosperity, as the little church did -- but even more, our abundance from God includes our health, the love of our families and friends, the wonderful opportunities we have to serve God in China, and the sheer joy of living as redeemed children of God. As we share all of this with people around us, we will learn that God’s abundance is indeed inexhaustible.
Closing -- Luke 12:27-34
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life ? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 "Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Fireworks on Chinese New Year!
This is just a short post - to let you see how I almost got blown up twice by fireworks exploding in front of our balcony here in Shanghai. You can get a real feeling for the level of excitement and joy that happens at midnight throughout China by watching this:
Just click on this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ede8qySzxw
Again - Happy New Year of the Ox to you!
Elyn
Just click on this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ede8qySzxw
Again - Happy New Year of the Ox to you!
Elyn
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Happy New Year of the Ox!
!!! HAPPY YEAR OF THE OX !!!
4:00 pm
Sunday January 25, 2009
4:00 pm
Sunday January 25, 2009
Dear Ones – Greetings from Shanghai, where the fireworks are beginning to bang as we move towards dinnertime (about the time you wake up in the US) and our festivities begin.
So what’s the deal for the Year of the Ox according to the Feng Shui experts?
The jury is out, as far as I can see. I checked one newspaper with a “famous” Feng Shui expert, and he said the year would not be good because it “lacked fire,” which is what you need for a strong economy. But there is one good thing on the horizon – this year counts as a “double earth” year, the element that represents harmony and peace, so this year will be a “good healing year” from the turbulence that the world has experienced. I like that idea. Everyone seems to agree on this point!
A Feng Shui expert in Malaysia said that with the patience, perseverance, and hardworking character of the Ox, this year is seen as a time that has room for some “modest reaping” despite the flood of dismal forecasts of a global economic meltdown. Another expert said that 2009 would be a “resilient year” for the economy. According to one expert, it is also a “Number 9 Flying Star” year, which bodes well for industries related to metal such as computers, mining, chemicals, car manufacturing, and repairs. Yet, according to another, this is the reverse! Lack of fire is bad for heating metals. So much for that! So at year end we will know who was right. One thing we do know is that this past year, the Year of the Rat, was not such a good one, and everyone seems to be happy seeing this rat’s unlucky tail disappearing around the corner!
This is a good year for fixing broken things instead of buying new ones – for repair – yes I can see it! Car manufacturing? I hope they pull themselves together around the “green” theme and make a car most people can afford. In the New Year the experts say that “obstacles and even failures must be embraced, because it is in facing them that business and livelihood barriers can be overcome.” I guess that is a good message for the car manufacturers. I hope they read the feng shui predictions!
The papers love to report on famous Oxen, and there are quite a few lists. Number One Ox? Obama. Other famous Oxen? Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana, and Richard Nixon. Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Vincent Van Gogh, Robert Redford, Richard Gere, and George Clooney. Imagine some of these oxen yoked together to plow a field? Hmmmm.
Meanwhile, I want to wish you a Happy New Year of the Ox, that you have good health and a peaceful heart, and the traditional greeting of
So what’s the deal for the Year of the Ox according to the Feng Shui experts?
The jury is out, as far as I can see. I checked one newspaper with a “famous” Feng Shui expert, and he said the year would not be good because it “lacked fire,” which is what you need for a strong economy. But there is one good thing on the horizon – this year counts as a “double earth” year, the element that represents harmony and peace, so this year will be a “good healing year” from the turbulence that the world has experienced. I like that idea. Everyone seems to agree on this point!
A Feng Shui expert in Malaysia said that with the patience, perseverance, and hardworking character of the Ox, this year is seen as a time that has room for some “modest reaping” despite the flood of dismal forecasts of a global economic meltdown. Another expert said that 2009 would be a “resilient year” for the economy. According to one expert, it is also a “Number 9 Flying Star” year, which bodes well for industries related to metal such as computers, mining, chemicals, car manufacturing, and repairs. Yet, according to another, this is the reverse! Lack of fire is bad for heating metals. So much for that! So at year end we will know who was right. One thing we do know is that this past year, the Year of the Rat, was not such a good one, and everyone seems to be happy seeing this rat’s unlucky tail disappearing around the corner!
This is a good year for fixing broken things instead of buying new ones – for repair – yes I can see it! Car manufacturing? I hope they pull themselves together around the “green” theme and make a car most people can afford. In the New Year the experts say that “obstacles and even failures must be embraced, because it is in facing them that business and livelihood barriers can be overcome.” I guess that is a good message for the car manufacturers. I hope they read the feng shui predictions!
The papers love to report on famous Oxen, and there are quite a few lists. Number One Ox? Obama. Other famous Oxen? Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana, and Richard Nixon. Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, Johann Sebastian Bach, Vincent Van Gogh, Robert Redford, Richard Gere, and George Clooney. Imagine some of these oxen yoked together to plow a field? Hmmmm.
Meanwhile, I want to wish you a Happy New Year of the Ox, that you have good health and a peaceful heart, and the traditional greeting of
Ten thousand Matters As (you) Wish
All the best in the New Year!
Elyn and Peter
Just so you have the whole picture – here are bits from an article from Asia Times Online on the upcoming Year of the Ox.
Just click on this link for the full article: - I have put up the most interesting bits below. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/KA24Ad01.html
All Hail To The Ox!
By Kent Ewing
Jan 24, 2009
HONG KONG - The Year of the Rat has ended in a global economic meltdown and a crisis of confidence unseen since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Can the ox - the strong, hard-working symbol for next year, which begins on January 26 on the Chinese lunar calendar - carry us forward to better times?
While feng shui experts, like other prognosticators, are inclined to cover their backsides with hedges and qualifications, on the whole the Year of the Ox holds great promise. After all, can things get much worse?
Many financial experts say they not only can but certainly will, but the ox offers hope that these dour analysts are victims of their own pessimism.
-----------------------
People born in ox years tend to be tolerant, strong-willed, fearless and resolved. Like their quadruped brethren, they toil long and hard without complaint and, while results may be slow in coming, they are clear and tangible in the end.
In perhaps the most uplifting sign of better things to come, US President Barack Obama, who was sworn in this week after stirring not just Americans but people around the world with his eloquent rhetoric of hope and change, was born in an ox year, 1961. Many a fortune-teller senses something beyond coincidence in this and expects Obama to do great things as the 44th president of the United States. They also point out that in Chinese, the number four sounds like death and that the Obama presidency is bringing us a double dose of it.
Whatever happens, look for the ox-in-chief to shake the world this year.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This also could be a year in which world leaders finally do something significant about climate change. Not only has Obama, unlike his predecessor, George W Bush, given the issue high priority, but the astrological signs are also favorable.
Five basic elements - metal, wood, water, fire and earth - rotate through the Chinese zodiac, creating a 60-year cycle. In the passing Year of the Rat, earth sat on top of water, a sign of instability, but the coming year will see earth sit on top of earth as this will be an earth year of an earth Ox.
As the earth year makes the earth ox stronger, this is should be an auspicious year. The harmonious combination, of course, bodes well for Mother Earth herself.
Picture it this way: oxen grazing tranquilly in a pristine field. Doesn't that sound like just the sort of year our badly bruised planet needs?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire also fuels the financial markets, stimulating investment. But, again, the ox and earth are symbols of strength and stability. So, while the stock market is likely to continue to cool as investors play it safe in uncertain times, in the end this should create a more stable market. While that's not great news, it could be a lot worse.
Meanwhile, the earth-on-earth motif bodes well for property agents and the mining, construction and hotel industries. Insurance agents may also prosper. The double-earth theme, however, also signifies competition, so there will be winners and losers, maybe more of the latter than the former. It will be survival of the fittest.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall, then, it's going to be a year of taking stock and rebuilding after the devastation brought on by the rat. No soothsayer worth his salt would promise a pot of gold in the year ahead, but things should get noticeably better under the hard-working, if plodding, influence of the ox.
The continuing plight of the victims of the magnitude-8 earthquake that in May struck the Chinese province of Sichuan - killing nearly 70,000 people, injuring almost 400,000 and leaving at least 5 million homeless - is a good case in point. In Sichuan, the rebuilding effort continues, albeit slowly, one step at a time. That, as much as ox and earth, is an apt symbol for the year to come.
The world's financial markets could take a cue from Sichuan, where horrible destruction has been followed by hope and renewal. The pace of Sichuan's rebirth is slow but steady. It's like watching oxen at work.
Kent Ewing is a Hong Kong-based teacher and writer. He can be reached at kewing@hkis.edu.hk.
(Copyright 2009 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Winter comes in 9 Nines
The Nines of Winter
Nine sets of nine days until spring arrives
In China they talk about winter days in nine sets of nine days beginning with the solstice. This poem describing the change in weather sounds really nice when spoken aloud in Chinese. I wish this page could talk!
一九二九 不出手
yi jiu er jiu bu chu shou
1st nine, 2nd nine; don’t take hands out of your pockets
三九四九 冰上走
san jiu si jiu bing shang zou
3rd nine, 4th nine walking on ice
五九六九 沿河看柳
wu jiu liu jiu yan he kan liu
5th nine, 6th nine, at the river’s edge we look at willows
七九河开 八九雁来
qi jiu he kai ba jiu yan lai
7th nine, river’s open, 8th nine, swallows return
九九加一九 耕牛遍地走
jiu jiu jia yi jiu, geng niu bian di zou
9th nine plus nine, plow oxen are everywhere in the fields.
Nine sets of nine days until spring arrives
In China they talk about winter days in nine sets of nine days beginning with the solstice. This poem describing the change in weather sounds really nice when spoken aloud in Chinese. I wish this page could talk!
一九二九 不出手
yi jiu er jiu bu chu shou
1st nine, 2nd nine; don’t take hands out of your pockets
三九四九 冰上走
san jiu si jiu bing shang zou
3rd nine, 4th nine walking on ice
五九六九 沿河看柳
wu jiu liu jiu yan he kan liu
5th nine, 6th nine, at the river’s edge we look at willows
七九河开 八九雁来
qi jiu he kai ba jiu yan lai
7th nine, river’s open, 8th nine, swallows return
九九加一九 耕牛遍地走
jiu jiu jia yi jiu, geng niu bian di zou
9th nine plus nine, plow oxen are everywhere in the fields.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
How to eat well - and it is not low-fat and egg-free!
Here are some chilling statistics:
British people now eat 34% fewer vegetables and 59% less fish than 60 years ago.
What are they eating? It isn't just this way in Britain. It is this way in the US too.
According to Russell B. Marz, ND, an assistant professor of nutrition at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, the growing use of genetically modified high fructose corn syrup in many foods and beverages has been suspected not only in increasing rates of obesity and diabetes, but also serious food allergies.
Check this out - it is from an article by Dr. Roby Mitchell on the report that was recently published called "Feeding Minds":
These changes (in what we are eating) add up to neurological challenges such as slower brain function and chronic inflammation (which leads to heart problems and also allergies. Poor diet has been linked with mental health in a number of conditions...
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Studies show that people with ADHD are low in certain types of omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA.
Anxiety. Nervousness and anxiety are associated with a lack of folic acid, niacinamide, pyridoxine, magnesium and calcium.
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Research has linked Alzheimer's with an increased level of homocysteine, an amino acid metabolite associated with decreased levels of folate, B-12 and pyridoxine.
Depression. Depression is linked to low fish consumption, as well as deficiencies in B vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium, selenium and zinc.
Irritability. A lack of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), magnesium and selenium is commonly found in people who are irritable.
Poor memory and concentration. Lapses in memory and concentration may be linked to a lack of B-12 and other B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.
Schizophrenia. Evidence suggests that people with this disorder have low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids or antioxidant enzymes in the brain... and low levels of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
You have no doubt heard this advice. But here it is again.
1. Eat as much organic source food as you can. If you eat conventional versions, wash them well.
2. Eat protein.
Protein is the body's source of essential amino acids, required to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin (which stabilizes mood and promotes sleep) and dopamine (which imparts energy and mental focus). If you lack sufficient amino acids, you cannot manufacture enough of these chemicals. Protein also helps stabilize blood glucose levels and prevent mood swings.
3. Don't go Low Fat! That was a media scare from years ago. Update your thinking!!! More research has been done!!! Think abou this: Seventy percent of the brain is composed of fat (if you exclude the water), making essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) a must for optimal brain function. Research from the Framingham Heart Study shows that people who ate fish more than two times a week halved their risk of Alzheimer's. Another option is to take a daily fish oil supplement of combined DHA and EPA. Of course, you won't want to get your fatty acids from junk food.
4. Eat nuts! Nuts have really important fats (the kind you really need) and also magnesium and zinc, which are extremely difficult to get from other foods. Without magnesium, you get cramps easily and suffer all sorts of other serious problems, since magnesium is needed to make many enzymes in the body.
5. Eat as many GREEN vegetables as you can.
Here is what they have that all that processed and junk food will never give you enough of:
Folic acid: which is hard to get enough of - Leafy green veggies such as spinach and kale. Vitamin C: citrus fruits, peppers and strawberries.
Magnesium: broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
Nutrient and fiber rich foods are more important than anything else.
6. The latest information on alcohol: A study in the October 2008 issue of the Archives of Neurology notes that alcohol causes shrinkage of the brain. The more you drink, the more your brain shrinks. It's best to drink alcoholic beverages with your meal and choose organic red wines and unprocessed darker beers that contain higher phenolic levels. Experts generally advise against more than one alcoholic beverage a day for women and two for men.
So there is is. Stay tuned. I will be blogging more on this soon.
Elyn
British people now eat 34% fewer vegetables and 59% less fish than 60 years ago.
What are they eating? It isn't just this way in Britain. It is this way in the US too.
According to Russell B. Marz, ND, an assistant professor of nutrition at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon, the growing use of genetically modified high fructose corn syrup in many foods and beverages has been suspected not only in increasing rates of obesity and diabetes, but also serious food allergies.
Check this out - it is from an article by Dr. Roby Mitchell on the report that was recently published called "Feeding Minds":
These changes (in what we are eating) add up to neurological challenges such as slower brain function and chronic inflammation (which leads to heart problems and also allergies. Poor diet has been linked with mental health in a number of conditions...
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Studies show that people with ADHD are low in certain types of omega-3 fatty acids, like DHA.
Anxiety. Nervousness and anxiety are associated with a lack of folic acid, niacinamide, pyridoxine, magnesium and calcium.
Dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Research has linked Alzheimer's with an increased level of homocysteine, an amino acid metabolite associated with decreased levels of folate, B-12 and pyridoxine.
Depression. Depression is linked to low fish consumption, as well as deficiencies in B vitamins, vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium, selenium and zinc.
Irritability. A lack of vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), magnesium and selenium is commonly found in people who are irritable.
Poor memory and concentration. Lapses in memory and concentration may be linked to a lack of B-12 and other B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids and zinc.
Schizophrenia. Evidence suggests that people with this disorder have low levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids or antioxidant enzymes in the brain... and low levels of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
You have no doubt heard this advice. But here it is again.
1. Eat as much organic source food as you can. If you eat conventional versions, wash them well.
2. Eat protein.
Protein is the body's source of essential amino acids, required to produce neurotransmitters such as serotonin (which stabilizes mood and promotes sleep) and dopamine (which imparts energy and mental focus). If you lack sufficient amino acids, you cannot manufacture enough of these chemicals. Protein also helps stabilize blood glucose levels and prevent mood swings.
3. Don't go Low Fat! That was a media scare from years ago. Update your thinking!!! More research has been done!!! Think abou this: Seventy percent of the brain is composed of fat (if you exclude the water), making essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) a must for optimal brain function. Research from the Framingham Heart Study shows that people who ate fish more than two times a week halved their risk of Alzheimer's. Another option is to take a daily fish oil supplement of combined DHA and EPA. Of course, you won't want to get your fatty acids from junk food.
4. Eat nuts! Nuts have really important fats (the kind you really need) and also magnesium and zinc, which are extremely difficult to get from other foods. Without magnesium, you get cramps easily and suffer all sorts of other serious problems, since magnesium is needed to make many enzymes in the body.
5. Eat as many GREEN vegetables as you can.
Here is what they have that all that processed and junk food will never give you enough of:
Folic acid: which is hard to get enough of - Leafy green veggies such as spinach and kale. Vitamin C: citrus fruits, peppers and strawberries.
Magnesium: broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
Nutrient and fiber rich foods are more important than anything else.
6. The latest information on alcohol: A study in the October 2008 issue of the Archives of Neurology notes that alcohol causes shrinkage of the brain. The more you drink, the more your brain shrinks. It's best to drink alcoholic beverages with your meal and choose organic red wines and unprocessed darker beers that contain higher phenolic levels. Experts generally advise against more than one alcoholic beverage a day for women and two for men.
So there is is. Stay tuned. I will be blogging more on this soon.
Elyn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)