Mood Boosting Foods

Keep those junk foods aside - here are some healthy foods to nosh on when your nerves are high.

When we are stressed out and frazzled, we often find that we naturally reach out for foods and snacks that are unhealthy. This is because the body releases certain types of chemicals in the body that make us crave for sugary and starchy foods.
Although food shouldn’t be the primary way to deal with emotions, there are certain foods that you can have when you are stressed out, which will calm you down and won’t affect your waistline.
So make a note of these yummy foods that counteract the damage, pressure and stress your body goes through.

















Avocados
When stress is starting to get the better of you, minimise its grip on your life by not reaching for comfort food, but healthy snacks such as avocado.
They contain high levels of vitamin B to give you an energy boost and it will also help you to conquer your fatty food craving.
“The monounsaturated fat and high potassium can help in lowering blood pressure” says Nutritionist Dr Chan.
Why not make some guacamole and have it with baked chips or sliced vegetables? It's your best bet to battle and beat the stress...
















Oranges
It has been found that stress causes a decrease in levels of Vitamin C in the body. When your Vitamin C levels are high, there is a great improvement in stress management, both physically and mentally.
Janet, who recently finished a degree in nutrition, informed us that: “The Vitamin C that is high in concentration in oranges helps to lower blood pressure and cortisol, the stress hormone.”
Therefore, when you feel nervous and tension taking over you, reach for a glass of orange juice to combat the stress.




















Spinach
Spinach is packed full of magnesium and a lack of it can trigger headaches and fatigue. By upping your intake of magnesium, it will help to lower your stress levels and ease muscle tension.
An increase in stress causes a decrease in magnesium which is an important calming mineral. A loss of magnesium is not only caused by stress, but it also causes stress to increase and cause an overall increase in vulnerability to stress.
Add spinach to salads and sandwiches for an easy tension combating fix.


















Berries
If you find that stress is an everyday battle that creeps up on you, then try goji berries. Not only are they one of the world’s most nutritious fruits, but they add a blend of nutrients that nourish the nerves and calm your cardiovascular system.
They are also known as adaptogens as they can help reduce the stress from daily living and help to lower the unhealthy levels of cortisol.















Nuts
When all hell breaks loose, then grab some almonds as these crunchy creations are a great stress reliever.
They are packed full of Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc. Vitamins and magnesium assist in producing serotonin, which helps control mood and relieve stress.
Zinc has also been found to fight some of the harmful effects of stress, while Vitamin E is an antioxidant that wipes out the free radicals linked to stress and heart disease.
However, try to avoid eating too many, or the whole bag for that matter, as they are high in fat.


















Broccoli
Another stress busting food is broccoli as it has a large quantity of Vitamin B. Another benefit is that it contains folic acid which is known to relieve stress, anxiety and panic. It also contains potassium which is good for our nerves and helps to calm them.
Add broccoli as an accompaniment to any meal, such as grilled chicken to keep the pressure at bay.













Chocolate
Now you have a great excuse to get your chocolate fix as rich dark chocolate is anti-oxidant rich and can help make us feel better.
Researchers found that eating a dark chocolate candy bar (1.4 ounces) each day for two weeks, reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol as well as the “fight-or-flight” hormones known as catecholamines in highly stressed people.
So take a bite out of a piece of chocolate and














By Flora McCraith, MSN

The Muslim Repents and Turns Back To Allah

From Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri radhiyallah hu ‘anhu who said that Allah’s Messenger pbuh said:
“The example of a believer with regard to iman (eemaan) is like the example of a horse with regards to its tethering stake; it roams around and then returns to its tethering stake, and the believer is negligent and then returns to iman. So feed the pious with your food and treat the believers well.”(hadith reported by Ibnul Mubarrak, Ahmad, Ibn Hibban and others)

So he does not persist upon sin nor treat it lightly. Rather like the rest of the children of Adam he commits many sins. However he is frequent in turning back in repentance to his Lord, returning penitent to his Creator. If he has any pride or arrogance, and this is something alien to the Islamic personality, then he does not have it with regard to his Lord since he is a weak servant, and his Lord is the One who Sustains the heavens and the Earth. So what has preceded will clearly show us: The Essential Characteristics of His Personality.

Invoke Me, I Shall Respond To You

God Almighty promised: "Invoke Me, I Shall Respond To You

Supplication and Invocation
The Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked by some of his companions:
“Is Allah near so we invoke him or is he far so we call him?” so Allah revealed this following verse.
God Almighty Allah (swt) commanded:
“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad SAW) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor). So let them obey Me and believe in Me, so that they may be led aright.”(Quran/Al Baqarah 2:186).
Allah (swt) is near He can hear the supplicant anytime anywhere and respond to him if the supplicant invokes Allah (swt) with a sincere heart and avoid interdictions of supplication. Allah (swt) also commanded:
“Invoke your Lord with humility and in secret. He likes not the aggressors”
(Quran/Al A’raaf 7:55).
.
God commands to be invoked with "humility" which is insisting in request and continuously in worship "secretly" but not loudly to avoid riya’ (show off).
Allah (swt) also commanded:
“And your Lord said: "Invoke Me, [i.e. believe in My Oneness] (and ask Me for anything) I will respond to your (invocation). Verily! Those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!”
(Quran/Ghafir 40:60).
Allah (swt) had promised:“ Invoke Me, I will respond to you”,
so from His mercy for His slaves He has promised to respond to their invocations but for those who do not invoke Him, He has promised punishment because invocation of Allah (swt) is an act of worship and refusing to invoke Him (disbelieving in Him or having doubt in His ability to answer the invocation) is refusal to worship Him.

courtesy of a known source of reference

Jealous Wife Set Husband's Penis On Fire

Penis fire-accused to answer charge

A jealous wife who allegedly set her husband's penis on fire will answer a murder charge in January.

Rajini Narayan, 44, appeared briefly in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday charged with murder, arson and endangering life.

The mother of three allegedly set fire to the genitals of her husband, Satish Narayan, in December last year.

Mr Narayan suffered major burns and died several weeks later.

The fire also gutted the family's suburban Unley home leaving a damage bill of about $1 million.

A previous court hearing heard Narayan had told neighbours: "I'm a jealous wife, his penis should belong to me. I just wanted to burn his penis so it belongs to me and no one else ... I didn't mean this to happen."

In court on Friday, defence counsel Lindy Powell, QC, asked for a delay in the date for her client to answer the charge as discussions were still under way with the prosecution.

Magistrate Alf Grasso set down January 22 for Narayan's next appearance.

Bail was continued.

AAP December 4, 2009

All Men Watch Porn

All men watch porn, scientists find

Scientists at the University of Montreal launched a search for men who had never looked at pornography - but couldn't find any.

Researchers were conducting a study comparing the views of men in their 20s who had never been exposed to pornography with regular users.

But their project stumbled at the first hurdle when they failed to find a single man who had not been seen it.

"We started our research seeking men in their 20s who had never consumed pornography," said Professor Simon Louis Lajeunesse. "We couldn't find any."

Although hampered in its original aim, the study did examined the habits of those young men who used pornography - which would appear to be all of them.

Prof Lajeunesse interviewed 20 heterosexual male university students who consumed pornography, and found on average, they first watched pornography when they were 10 years old.

Around 90 per cent of consumption was on the internet, while 10 per cent of material came from video stores.

Single men watched pornography for an average of 40 minutes, three times a week, while those in relationships watched it 1.7 times a week for around 20 minutes.

The study found that men watched pornography that matched their own image of sexuality, and quickly discarded material they found offensive or distasteful.

Prof Lajeunesse said pornography did not have a negative effect on men's sexuality.

"Not one subject had a pathological sexuality," he said. "In fact, all of their sexual practices were quite conventional.

"Pornography hasn't changed their perception of women or their relationship, which they all want to be as harmonious and fulfilling as possible," he added.

THE TELEGRAPH GROUP,
The West Australian
December 3, 2009

A Season For Marriage Vows

"And among His Signs is this, that He created you (Adam) from dust, and then [Hawwa' (Eve) from Adam's rib, and then his offspring from the semen, and], - behold you are human beings scattered!"
(Al Quran, Surah Al Rum, 30:20)





"And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect".
(Al Quran, Surah Al Rum 30:21)





In the verse from the Holy Quran (30:21) quoted above God Almighty has clearly instructed men to seek wives from among their own kind, and get married so that they can find peace solace and happiness with them (their wives). Marriage between men and women has been pre-ordained for mankind, it is quite unnatural for any man or woman not to have a desire to seek a partner (spouse) in life.

The school holidays nationwide started about two weeks ago, and coinciding with the year end holidays, many young couples (as well as the not-so-young couples) in the Malay/Muslim community across the nation are taking time during this “holiday season” to perform their marriage vows, i.e. to get married. Though religious “marriage” ceremonies and/or solemnization and the ensuing festivities (wedding kenduri, lunch or dinner (reception)) can be held at any time all year round but such occasions are normally held at certain proper and appropriate “season” when families and friends are able to take a break from their normal work routines to be together organizing the couple’s marriage and be with the couple in celebrating their marriage .




It is no surprise that during peak season of marriage vows such as during the last couple of months and the next few weeks towards the year end, religious officials in a particular district (the naib kadi, the jurunikah, the surau/mosque imam, etc) who normally officiate over the marriage solemnization ceremonies will have their hands full, having to officiate at least ten or more marriages per day during weekends, hopping from one house to another or from one mosque to another, (performing the akad nikah) solemnizing couples as husbands and wives in accordance with the syariah (Islamic laws).




The Akad Nikah being officiated





Marriage vows and weddings, unlike divorces, are happy cheerful merry occasions, and the preparations involve and entail so much time, energy and money and enormous preparations which normally begin well ahead of the marriage date, sometimes months but normally weeks before the fixed date. Many people too will be involved on both sides, the boy’s and the girl’s, especially parents and siblings, all looking forward to seeing someone in the family getting married.

These days the early stages of making discreet enquiries (merisek) about the girl by the boy’s family is already almost a thing of the past, not practiced any more, and literally unnecessary because the boy inevitably knows every bit of details about the girl, including being able to decide whether they both (the boy and the girl) are mutually suitable for each other or not, before they even decide to become a steady couple and eventually decide to tie the knot (get married). And parents nowadays (especially within the Malay community) are no more in the habit of imposing their likes or dislikes, terms or conditions over their son’s or daughter’s choice of a prospective spouse. Boys and girls themselves know best in making their choice of a life partner and parents do not normally interfere or intervened any more, much more so if it is a case of a widowed man/woman or a divorcee getting married again, the choice is entirely his/her own. Whoever is chosen by the boy/man or girl/woman as his/her life partner will generally be accepted by parents and family without much problem, unless there are crucial matters to be resolved such as involving faith/religion, for example.

Even engagement (pertunangan) is already also not practiced any more in most cases as it is considered quite unnecessary and a sheer waste of valuable resources (time, energy, money). However there are yet many young couples who still appreciate the cultural sentimental and romantic values of an engagement, and hence insist on getting themselves engaged first before getting married. Parents will then have to execute the engagement process for their son or daughter in accordance with whatever has been agreed between the boy and the girl such as what type/value of engagement ring to exchange, what engagement gifts to be presented by the boy to the girl and vice versa, and how long will their engagement period be, for example, six months or one year, but seldom longer than that.




During the period of engagement there will normally be a lot of preparations to be made by the boy and the girl (and their parents/families) again based on whatever has been agreed between them both (the boy and the girl). Parents quite liberally in most cases do offer and give some useful advice and suggestions to make their son’s or daughter’s marriage perfectly in compliance with all the religious and cultural requirements and practices and be as beautiful and “glamorous” as it possibly can – that is indeed the wish of any boy and any girl who is getting married, and of course the wish of all parents too.

In many States in Malaysia, if not all, there are pre-conditions which all Muslim boys and girls and anyone (man or woman) who wants to get married must comply with and must first of all get themselves ready with:
i) the recognized Pre-Marriage Course must be completely attended at the end of which a Certificate will be issued;
ii) a HIV blood test must be done at any recognized government hospital/clinic to determine the boy, girl, man or woman is free of any blood related health problems which can cause problems to their marriage;
iii) a Certification of his/her present place/address of residence must be obtained from the nearest Mosque authority;
iv) an application to get married must be submitted by the boy/man or girl/woman to the nearest Islamic Religious Department office, based on his/her certified place/address of residence, and a written approval to get married thereby obtained;
v) the girl/woman must book a date/time with the local marriage official (jurunikah) so that the jurunikah can block the appointment to come to her home and perform the marriage solemnization ceremony (akad nikah) for her and her husband-to-be, considering the fact that the official will have to officiate many marriage vows on that same day in many places/homes for many couples.

Having had all the above, and any other pre-conditions stipulated as and when required, met and fully complied with, the rest of the preparations for the couple to commit to a marriage vow and get married will be almost entirely dependent on whatever that they both (the boy and the girl) and their parents/families agree upon.

How much will be the dowry (wang hantaran) that the boy will give to the girl will be mutually decided between them, it can be RM5k or less, it can be RM10k, it can be RM20k or much more than that, all depending upon affordability of the boy/man and agreed by the girl/woman.

How many platters (dulang) of gifts to be mutually presented between the boy and the girls, and what gifts will all be discussed and decided, normally the girl will give a platter more of gifts to the boy than the boy to the girl, and gift items are based on common practice. Most important of all is the tepak sireh and/or the sireh junjung. Again different ethnic community (for example, Javanese, Minangkabau, Bugis, Banjar, Mandailing, etc) will have different kinds of gifts to be exchanged between the bride and bridegroom, in accordance with their own unique ethnic culture.




Most important of all is the mas kahwin to be given by the boy to the girl, whether in cash or in kind (of equivalent money value) and mas kahwin shall not be less than the amount already fixed/stipulated by the State, for example RM80 in Selangor or RM22.50 in Pahang, etc and this must be made available as one of the pre-requisites to validate the akad nikah (marriage ceremony).




The Mas Kahwin - An expensive Gold Bangle


Then of course both sides, the boy’s and the girl’s, will discuss, decide and agree upon the dates of the akad nikah, the bersanding (the marrying couple sitting on the dais, displaed to all family and guests), the wedding lunch or dinner to be held by the girl’s family and subsequently by the boy’s family, etc, etc all involving lots of planning, intricacies and understanding so that the couple’s marriage will be successful and a grandeur, the gateway to them being husband and wife, forever they will be as long as they both respect and comply with their marriage vows and mutually honour and appreciate each other in the matrimony.

(The above narration is based only on personal knowledge and observation of what is commonly practiced in a local Malay/Muslim marriage situation)

All of His Actions are for Allah

From Abu Umammah radhiyallah hu ‘anhu who said that Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad pbuh said:
“Whoever loves for Allah and hates for Allah, gives for Allah and withholds for Allah, then he has completed iman” (iman being true Islamic faith comprising of belief, sayings and actions and it increases through obedience to Him and decreases through disobedience)
(Hadith reported by Abu Daud and others, and its chain of narration is hassan)

So this hadith clearly shows the manner in which the believer conducts all his affairs and behaves in all his dealings, all of them are for Allah and he does not give a share in any of them to other than Him, the One free and far removed from all imperfections. In all his affairs he distances himself from seeking after personal gain and enjoyment. In his loving and hating, giving and witholding he seeks only Allah’s pleasure and His Paradise. He does not seek after worldly positions, wealth or reputation. Then if he falls into the like of this he repents and turns back (to his Lord), so The Muslim Repents and Turns Back to Allah