The Musing of My Life

Sudah beberapa waktu terakhir ini aku bertanya pada diri sendiri...
Kenapa aku ngga merasa apa yang seharusnya dirasakan orang yang sedang berada di dalam situasiku
Aku baru lepas dari beban yang telah lama menderaku
Beban yang kalau ku pertahankan bisa membuatku kehilangan jati diriku yang sebenarnya
Membuatku menjadi manusia yang tidak punya rasa selain teror
Manusia yang tidak punya hidup selain rutinitas yang menjadi kewajibanku hampir setiap waktu
Masalahnya beban inilah yang memastikan aku dan orang-orang yang kusayangi bertahan hidup
Beban inilah yang bisa membiayai kebutuhan hidupku
Dengan melepasnya, hilanglah kepastian hidup itu

Tapi kalau kupikir-pikir lagi, inti kehidupan itu adalah ketidakpastian
Kalau kita sudah tahu pasti apa yang bakal terjadi di masa depan,
Atau kita sudah "nyaman" dengan rutinitas hidup
Bagiku itu bukan lagi hidup

Hidup adalah menanti sesuatu yang tak terduga
Hidup adalah mencari apa yang kita inginkan, walau tidak pasti bisa menemukannya
Hidup adalah kebebasan, yang walaupun pasti ada beban namun tidak lantas membuatku harus kehilangan keceriaan dan kebahagiaan

Mungkin ini pulalah yang membuatku tidak merasakan kesedihan atau kebingungan yang harusnya kurasakan setelah kehilangan kepastian itu...
Dan alasan mengapa aku tidak begitu berambisi, terburu-buru mencari gantinya..
Karena aku ingin menikmati saat sekarang
Aku ingin menikmati kebebasan yang kurasakan saat ini
Karena setelah mengalaminya beberapa waktu terakhir ini...
Aku justru menemukan apa yang menjadi impianku
Apa yang menjadi kemauanku
Dan apa yang kuinginkan dalam kehidupanku, sekarang dan di masa depan
Aku mulai menggenggam jati diriku..

Hope is on the horizon

The Wonders of Chocolate

What comes in your mind when you hear the words “Chocolate”? Obviously you will think of something sweet, milky, and delicious. Moreover, for some people who are fanatics with this delicacy, consuming chocolate can make them feel as if they are in heaven on earth. So, what chocolate really is? And is it true that chocolate, which some opinions claimed can be fattening, actually has the beneficial factors for human’s health? 

Chocolate probably is one of our favorite delicacies. However, there are pros and contras regarding to this delicacy. The contras said that chocolate can caused several health problems, such as high cholesterol, acnes, and many more. On the other hand, the pros claimed that chocolate actually has beneficial factors for human’s health.

Chocolate is a food produced from the seed of cacao tree. The cacao itself natively grew on the lowland area of South America. It has been cultivated for 3000 years in Central America and Mexico. The Aztec and Maya Tribes believed that chocolate is the foods of the Gods, and the God of agriculture had sent it from heaven to them.

Chocolate, in the beginning, commonly consumed as beverage. Even the word “chocolate itself came from the word “xocoatl” (Aztec language) which meant “bitter water”. However, in its development chocolate expand not only becoming beverage but also snacks like we know today, that loved by people from different ages.

For those who love chocolate, however, it seems like there is this “guilty feeling” they feel after consuming it. It is caused by general assumption about chocolate itself among people, that no matter how delicious it tastes, it has negative effects to health. Chocolate is claimed to have the effect to cause obesity because of its high level of cholesterol, to cause the growth of acne, and more. But do you know that chocolate actually has beneficial factor for human’s health?

The Healthy Dark Chocolate

Recent studies show that dark chocolate or cocoa might have certain good effects on human’s health.  Dark chocolate has high content of cocoa, which is rich with flavonoids; the naturally occurring compounds found in plant-based foods recognized as exuding certain health benefits. Flavonoids provide crucial protective benefits to plants, such as in repairing damage and shielding from environmental toxins. It is believed to have the antioxidant power. Several studies have indicated a slight reduction in blood pressure and flow-mediated dilation after consuming about 100 grams of dark chocolate per day.

It is said that small but regular amounts of dark chocolate reduced the possibility of heart attack, caused by cholesterol imbalance. This could happen because of two-thirds of the fat in the chocolate comes in the forms of saturated fat called stearic acid and a monounsaturated fat called oleic acid. Unlike other saturated fats, stearic acid does not increase the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the bloodstream. It seems that consuming relatively large amounts of dark chocolate and cocoa don’t raise serum LDL cholesterol levels. On the other hand, some studies indicate that it could reduce them. Small but regular amounts of dark chocolate can lower the chance of heart attack.

 Chocolate is also known to function as aphrodisiac. It has been found recently, that substances in chocolate (theobromine and other chemicals), work as mild sexual stimulants. There is no solid proof about this function, however chocolate is commonly chosen as gift for a familiar courtship ritual.

Moreover, research done by Harvard School of Public Health’s researchers found that people who eat chocolate and sweets for three times per month live almost one year longer than people who eat too much or who stay away from junk food altogether. Also, dark chocolate is believed to have the ability of lowering blood pressure and improving insulin sensitivity. The study of this, was done in Italy, and showed that three and a half ounces a day of dark chocolate over several weeks can do exactly that.

Just like quoted from what Chef Benty Diwansyah said, “chocolate alone does not cause obesity. But inside a bar of chocolate that sold in the market today, there are additional ingredients that can cause obesity. Ingredients such as sugar and full cream milk. For you who care so much about this issue, you should choose dark chocolate with high amount of cocoa. The dark chocolate has lesser sugar amount and does not contain full cream milk.”

However, although now you know that chocolate, particularly dark chocolate is beneficial for our health, it does not mean that you have to consume chocolate all the time and eat more chocolate products. Chocolate bars and candies are mostly high in fat, sugar, and calories. Just consume it wisely, not too much. And, do not depend your antioxidants sources from chocolate only. No matter what, consuming foods with high fiber is much better for our health. Do not replace the common healthy foods with chocolate.

Sources: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate
http://www.immunesupport.com/
http://www.clevelandclinic.org/ 
http://www.bellaonline.com/ 
http://www.healthcastle.com/chocolate-cocoa-benefits.shtml
http://www.priuk.com/forum
more

Walking Down The Memory Lane

Sebenarnya aku mau menulis ini sejak kemarin. Hanya saja, karena kecapekan, jadi ngga sempat buka blog lagi.

Anyway, kemarin itu ceritanya aku jalan-jalan ke Mal Kelapa Gading (MKG) dengan seorang teman. Sebenarnya tadinya ngga ada niat untuk ke sana. Jam 10 aku sengaja jalan ke salon langganan. Biasalah untuk perawatan rambut dan sekalian potong rambut juga. Setelah dari sana renacananya aku mau ke Arion. Mau ambil kartu MCC ku.

Sekitar jam 13.30 an, ketika lagi finishing, pas lagi di blow, aku iseng SMS temanku.

"Lagi di mana?"

Nggak lama dia balik SMS, "Lagi on the way ke MKG."

Akhirnya, kita pun janjian ketemu di sana. Secara, aku juga belum makan siang. Jadilah dari salon aku langsung berangkat ke sana.

Setelah sampai di sana, dan ketemu, kami pun makan bareng di Secret Recipe. Karena dia sudah lunch duluan, jadi temanku itu hanya memesan sepotong blueberry cheese cake & oreo milkshake. Sedangkan aku memesan grilled barbeque chicken & orange squash. Sambil menikmati makanan kita pun ngobrol macam-macam. Mulai dari makanan di situ, kegiatan hari itu, anak & keluarga dia, dan teman-teman.

Perbincangan soal teman teman inilah yang kemudian membawa ingatanku kembali ke jaman ABG dulu. Dan tempat kenangan terindahnya tak lain dan tak bukan adalah MKG. Tempat kami biasa hang out dari pagi sejak mal buka sampai sore hari menjelang maghrib.

Memang, MKG ini menyimpan banyak kenangan untukku pribadi. Pertama kali menginjakkan kaki di mall ini adalah ketika aku masih duduk di bangku SMA kelas 2. Sejak saat itu, MKG memang jadi tempat hang out favoritku & teman-teman.

Masih lekat dalam ingatanku gimana kita bisa menghabiskan waktu seharian di sana. Apalagi waktu jaman kuliah. Kalau lagi nggak ada kuliah, biasanya jam 10 kita sudah ada di sana. Bayangkan jam 10!! Kebanyakan toko di MKG juga belum buka waktu itu. Biasanya kami cuma jalan2 keliling mall. Kalau lagi ada film yang bagus kami sempatkan nontong bareng. Habis itu, biasanya kami makan. Terkadang di Bakmi GM, Wendy's (dulu Wendy's masih ada di gedung sendiri di sebelah MKG yg sekarang udah berubah jadi La Piazza), KFC (gedung yang ada di seberang MKG), atau Donner Kebab.

Habis makan, kami ngga langsung pulang. Biasanya kami langsung ke Gramedia. Kadang cuma liat-liat buku atau stationery yang lucu-lucu. Tapi favoritku ya ke toko kaset Disc Tarra. Karena memang hobiku beli CD (jaman dulu kaset hehehe...) dan film (dulu VCD). Habis itu kami keliling lagi. Kalau capek atau haus kami nongkrong di Cafe Excelso, atau beli ice cream New Zealand. Dulu kami memang masih bergantung pada uang jajan dari orang tua. Jadi belum kepikiran tuh yang namanya kehabisan uang. Beda dengan sekarang. Harus berpikir ribuan kali kalau harus menghabiskan uang di mall dalam sehari seperti itu.

Kangen juga rasanya melakukan apa yang kulakukan bersama teman-temanku waktu itu. Ingin mengulang lagi dengan teman-teman yang sama pula. Sayangnya ya jaman sudah berubah. Life goes on. Teman2 itu sudah menyebar dan sibuk dengan kegiatannya masing-masing, baik bekerja atau spend time dengan keluarga.

Ingin rasanya sehari saja menikmati waktu seperti dulu. Bebas tanpa beban. Tugas kami cuma belajar dan bisa lulus setiap mata kuliah.

Ahhh... indahnya memori.

URINE FOR YOUR HEALTH???

Is there any limitation for human being to find medicine for their health? Because this time, we are going to talk about something very unusual, maybe even disgusting for most people to consume as medicine.

Urine is the liquid waste that excreted by the kidneys, then released from the body through the process of urination. The urine excretion is needed to remove leftover molecules in the blood which is filtered by the kidneys and to maintain the homeostasis of body liquid. The main function of urine is to cast the leftover substances such as toxics or medications from inside the body.

The general presumption of urine is a “dirty” substance, is related to the possibility of the urine went out from the infected kidneys or infected urethra which make it contained with bacteria. However, if the urine came out from healthy kidneys and urethra, medically it is actually quite sterile and almost has no smell after it came out of the body. Only, for several moments after getting out of the body the bacteria would contaminate the substances inside the urine and produce the typical smell, particularly the ammonia smell.

The Use of Urine for Human Health

The use of urine for medication actually has been implemented for thousand of years. In India for example, the urine therapy has been done since 5000 years ago. In ancient India, people usually take care of their health by drinking 1 glass of urine every day. The custom is actually still being done by most of Indian people, even by important people, such as the former Prime Minister Morarjibhai Desai. He wrote his experience with urine therapy on the Time Magazine in the year of 1979.

In the ancient Chinese Literature, Shang Han Lung (Treatise on Febrile Disease) written by Chang Yi, during the Han Dynasty (1700 years ago), there is a note about urine therapy. It said that the therapy is very good for accelerating blood circulation, for tranquilizer, and healing fever, eye diseases, and wounds like bruises.

During the Aztec period, the Aztec healers use urine to wash outside wounds as prevention from infections. They also told their patients to drink it to heal stomachache and intestine diseases.

The ancient Romans used urine as bleaches for their clothes. While in Siberia, the Kroyak drank the urine of people who consumed “fly agaric” (one type of toxic fungus than can cause hallucinations, and even death) or something else of its kind to communicate with the holy spirits.

The urine therapy is believed can cure numerous kinds of diseases, such as cancers, gastric problems, intestine infections, bronchitis, asthma, heart disease, high/ low blood pressure, rheumatic, osteoporosis, insomnia, headache, epilepsy, backache, hepatitis, and many more. It is also believed to soften the skin, to remove flexes, to make the gray hair becoming black again, and more.

Clinical studies have proved that the thousands of critical body chemicals and nutrients that end up in urine reflect an individual’s body function. When re-utilized, these chemicals and nutrients act as natural vaccines, antibacterial, antiviral, and antiarcinogenic agents, as well as hormone balancers and allergy relievers.

So, will all the explanations above motivate you to choose the urine therapy as another alternative to maintain your health?

Gathered from many sources.
 

DURIAN AND THE STROKE

Durian (Surio zibenthinus Murr) is one of the plants that grows on the tropical areas. The name “durian” was assumed coming from a Malay term “duri” (means thorn) and given the word “an” as the suffix, so it became “durian”. The word has come to the meaning of a fruit whose skin is filled with sharp thorns.

Durian is widely known in Southeast Asia as the King of Fruits. It is known to have been consumed since prehistoric time in the region, but has only been known to the western world for about 600 years.

Not only consumed fresh, durian flesh can also be processed into many kinds of dishes. We often see ice durian, durian flavored candy, and it even processed into one of Indonesian food ingredients called tempoyak. Tempoyak is some kind of paste made from durian flesh that has been salted and left for a few days before it is ready to be cooked.

The Nutrients in Durian

We have assumed that durian is quite a fatty fruit. It turned out that the fruit contains only 3% of fat. Even the content of fat inside avocado is about twice of it, around 6.5%. Durian also contains high amount of sugar, vitamin C, potassium, and the serotoninergic amino acid tryptophan. It is also a good source of carbohydrates, and proteins. The content of phosphor and iron inside the fruit are about 10 times of the same substances contained in bananas.

From the strong odor many believe that durian contained alcohol. Is it true? Several studies about the case did find alcohol, such as ethanol and methanol inside the fruit but the compound is known to be unstable, can easily evaporate and disappear. There are some people who hastily associate the strong odor of durian with the amount of alcohol contained inside it. They believe that the stronger it smells, the higher the amount of alcohol inside. However, up to this day there is still no agreement yet about the cause of the strong odor.

In 1995, Wong and Tie, in their research, had found 63 compounds that can easily evaporate (volatile compounds), including 30 esters, 5 ketones, and 16 sulfur compounds, which took the part on producing the odor of durian. But they never found any compounds of ethanol, methanol, ethyl metacrylate and other sulfur compounds, which had been mentioned by earlier researchers. From the researches can be concluded that consuming durian would not give the effect of intoxicated, unlike consuming liquors.

There is also a belief that consuming durian can make your body feel warm or sometimes even hot. This actually depends on how many durians a person consumes. Durian does produce pretty high amount of calories; 100 grams of durian flesh produces about 124-18805 calories. So, it is not a surprise if you consume durian in quite high amount, for example 300 grams, the calorie it produces can reach up to 500. This obviously will make the body feel warm or even hot. This fact has made many people believe that durian can also function as an aphrodisiac fruit.

What about the belief among people that durian can be lethal for people with high-blood pressure and a bad heart condition? The truth is, up to this day, there is still no scientific proof published claimed what substances contained in durian that can cause the stroke or heart attack. It is actually not the durian that causes the illnesses, but how many it is being consumed. Dr. Santoso Karo-Karo, SpJP, a cardiologist from RS Harapan Kita said that he had never forbid his patients from eating durians, as long as they eat it moderately, not too much.

So, once again, the key of consuming any food is moderation. Never consume anything more than we should. This obviously also works with durians. However, I left all the decision to you. I am not here to suggest you to consume durian whenever you want to. In the end, it is you and your doctor who know what is the best food for you to maintain your health.

 

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org

http://warintek.bantul.go.id

http://www.gizi.net

http://www.kompas.co.id

http://www.sedap-sekejap.com

http://id.answers.yahoo.com

http://www.rileks.com

http://www.juntak.com