The latest in anti-ageing technology

A new program has the key to youthful looks

In recent years, people worldwide have strived to explore ways to live longer, maintain their youthful looks and are constantly seeking ways to remain as healthy and fit as possible. As a result, anti-ageing methodologies are being sought to restore our health and wellness.

One of the latest anti-ageing technologies in Thailand introduced by Dr Pakpilai Thavisin is Bio-Energy Medicine or BEM, which is a computerised program that measures the body's micro-energy. The program provides an analysis and assessment of the risks profile, vitamins and minerals status, hormonal status, enzymes, toxins and the organ's functions (i.e. liver, stomach, kidney). What this means is that the analysis can tell you whether you have sufficient amounts of minerals in your body, whether your hormone level is balanced, your ability to digest specific kinds of food and what allergies your body might susceptible to.

The BEM machine is capable of accurately assessing and normalising underlying energetic imbalances. It also provides information needed for the body to restore itself and empowers a person to find subconscious reasons for many illnesses and diseases. The BEM machine has potential interaction on all levels of our being (physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual).

In other words, you will learn about your natural health and its vulnerability. With this knowledge, a healthy lifestyle can be achieved as we are able to undertake preventive measures to prolong our youth.

Sweet dreams

A nap with no guilt

If we are one of the normal hard-working people of the world today, the last time we napped in the afternoon was when we were in kindergarten. It is hard to imagine napping in this fast-paced world, especially in our office after lunch. What would our colleagues think? What would we think about ourselves? Certainly the thoughts would not be very positive.

Napping is actually very good for the brain. Research done by Sara Mednick, a researcher from Harvard University, working for the Salk Institute, suggests that perhaps a good nap is as good as a good night's sleep.

A research on memory found that if subjects took a good night's sleep between memory tasks, scores were usually higher. Subjects who were asked to remember items and perform a memory test the same day do score slightly lower. The test was repeated with a nap in between remembering and memory test. A stunning effect was found. A good nap raised scores almost like a good night's sleep. Within these few years a lot of research on napping has been done and more and more scientists have become believers of afternoon naps.

Let's see the reasons why you should nap a bit in the afternoon.

First of all, napping increases alertness. This is one of the benefits that people like the most. Mednick says, "Whether you are on the road, observing market trends, diagnosing patients or interacting with clients, staying alert is the most important determinant of your efficiency." A lot of us would agree with her.

Napping also speeds up you motor performance. You don't have to be a pianist to need good motor performance. Typing on a keyboard needs excellent motor coordination as well. Napping a bit can increase your accuracy.

We all know that making mistakes can cost time, money, energy and sometimes even lives. So whatever profession you are in, or even for stay-at-home mums, napping can help you perform your jobs and chores better at the same speed or even faster.

And for my female readers, reading the following lines might convince you to nap more than other things I have mentioned so far.

Napping preserves your youthful looks. This is because nothing ages you like fatigue. If you add a nap to your regimen, not only will it improve your skin and tissue regeneration, it will also keep you looking younger longer.

Speaking of beauty sleep, well, napping is truly beauty sleep. Also if you need to lose weight, napping will help you do just that. Research shows that sleepy people tend to reach for high-fat, sugar-rich foods more than people who are rested. So a good nap will help you resist potato chips and cheesecakes and also produce growth hormones and reduces body fat.

If you are feeling down and depressed too often than you like, perhaps napping can help you deal with your emotions better. While sleep deprivation causes irritability, depression and anger, a good nap will bathe your brain with serotonin. This will reverse the effect of depression and produce a more positive outlook.

Let me introduce you to a great napper. Her name is Anne-Marie McDermott. Perhaps some of you have been to her performance before. When she was 12, she performed Felix Mendelssohn's Concerto in G minor with a full orchestra at Carnegie Hall. In her mid-teen years, her schedule was so hectic that her mentor at the Manhattan School of Music suggested meditation but she discovered napping instead. From that day on, while performing around the world, she also adopted a habit of napping in the afternoon.

By the age of 22, napping has become an integral part of her routine as practicing scales. "I treat it almost like a religious thing," she says. "My nap on concert days is the most critical of all, since I have to be at my optimal level of performance when I take the stage."

She said sometimes napping for an hour is enough. However, if she is a soloist carrying the entire performance, the nap might be as long as two hours. Even on some days when she doesn't have time, she will lay her head on her dressing table to "zone out" for 10 minutes. Napping did help her perform better by far.

But what about the rest of us? In a perfect world, society would give us a chance to be great nappers. Whether we are people who teach at school, drive taxis, write software, balance corporate accounts, raise children, aren't we entitled to a nap's benefits too?
So this is for the managers and business owners. Do you know that napping can reduce absenteeism, increases productivity, increase employees retention, and saves money?

A 1999 study concluded that healthy employees often miss work because of fatigue. Also, Nasa napping studies report an average productivity increase of 13 per cent. At the end, comparing a nap room with a cost of building a gym, hiring a massage therapist, or bringing in wellness trainers, and a nap comes out looking like a bargain.

Napping can be very good for your brain and for your mood. If you have not done it since five, perhaps today might be a good start. Good afternoon nap and sweet dreams!

TOT to build B30 billion 3G mobile network for rent

TOT Plc yesterday announced a plan to invest 30 billion baht in third-generation mobile-phone services to be ready for commercial launch within one year. The announcement came after TOT signed a memorandum of understanding with CAT Telecom yesterday for the rights and management of the 1900 MHz spectrum to provide 3G services.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Information and Communications Technology Minister Mun Patanotai.

Under the agreement, TOT would pay 2.4 billion baht for the 42% stake in Thai Mobile held by CAT Telecom, to be paid in instalments over five years. TOT would also shoulder all the accumulated debts of six billion baht of Thai Mobile.

Dr Mun said that TOT would invest alone in the 3G network infrastructure to become a ''virtual'' mobile network operator that would rent it to private operators seeking to provide 3G services.
TOT expects three or four private operators to share its network.

TOT board chairman Teerawut Boonyasophon said the state enterprise would provide the 3G services under the TOT Mobile brand. A subsidiary would be set up to manage the service and would spend about 30 billion baht to build the 3G network nationwide within one year.

Initially, TOT would invest 2-3 billion baht to upgrade the existing 500 base stations in Bangkok and satellite provinces to a third-generation platform and transfer the current 60,000 customers of Thai Mobile to the new system.

He said that TOT would allow its business allies _ AIS, True, TT&T and DTAC _ to use its mobile network.Although Advanced Info Service, DTAC and True Move have plans to offer their own 3G services, the spectra allowed them are not the world standard 1900 MHz like that of Thai Mobile, which means handset compatibility could be limited.

TOT would handle just 20% of the marketed services while the rest would be handled by its business allies on rental basis.

TOT deputy president Varut Suvakorn said that since the investment was huge, TOT might need to look for long-term funds on a government-to-government basis as currently the lending interest rate was high, at 6-7%.

P.S. The dream come true for Thai peoples to use 3G. Not too long right now because they are preparing it. However, do you think it's good?

Taste for Quick Boost Tied to Taste for Risk

Health researchers have identified a surprising new predictor for risky behavior among teenagers and young adults: the energy drink.

Super-caffeinated energy drinks, with names like Red Bull, Monster, Full Throttle and Amp, have surged in popularity in the past decade. About a third of 12- to 24-year-olds say they regularly down energy drinks, which account for more than $3 billion in annual sales in the United States.

The trend has been the source of growing concern among health researchers and school officials. Around the country, the drinks have been linked with reports of nausea, abnormal heart rhythms and emergency room visits.

In Colorado Springs, several high school students last year became ill after drinking Spike Shooter, a high caffeine drink, prompting the principal to ban the beverages. In March, four middle school students in Broward County, Fla., went to the emergency room with heart palpitations and sweating after drinking the energy beverage Redline. In Tigard, Ore., teachers this month sent parents e-mail alerting them that students who brought energy drinks to school were “literally drunk on a caffeine buzz or falling off a caffeine crash.”

New research suggests the drinks are associated with a health issue far more worrisome than the jittery effects of caffeine — risk taking.

In March, The Journal of American College Health published a report on the link between energy drinks, athletics and risky behavior. The study’s author, Kathleen Miller, an addiction researcher at the University of Buffalo, says it suggests that high consumption of energy drinks is associated with “toxic jock” behavior, a constellation of risky and aggressive behaviors including unprotected sex, substance abuse and violence.

The finding doesn’t mean the drinks cause bad behavior. But the data suggest that regular consumption of energy drinks may be a red flag for parents that their children are more likely to take risks with their health and safety. “It appears the kids who are heavily into drinking energy drinks are more likely to be the ones who are inclined toward taking risks,” Dr. Miller said.

The American Beverage Association says its members don’t market energy drinks to teenagers. “The intended audience is adults,” said Craig Stevens, a spokesman. He says the marketing is meant for “people who can actually afford the two or three bucks to buy the products.”

The drinks include a variety of ingredients in different combinations: plant-based stimulants like guarana, herbs like ginkgo and ginseng, sugar, amino acids including taurine as well as vitamins. But the main active ingredient is caffeine.

Caffeine content varies. A 12-ounce serving of Amp contains 107 milligrams of caffeine, compared with 34 to 38 milligrams for the same amount of Coca-Cola or Pepsi. Monster has 120 milligrams and Red Bull has 116. Higher on the spectrum, Spike Shooter contains 428 milligrams of caffeine in 12 ounces, and Wired X344 contains 258.

Mr. Stevens points out that “mainstream” energy drinks often have less caffeine than a cup of coffee. At Starbucks, the caffeine content varies depending on the drink, from 75 milligrams in a 12-ounce cappuccino or latte to as much as 250 milligrams in a 12-ounce brewed coffee.

One concern about the drinks is that because they are served cold, they may be consumed in larger amounts and more quickly than hot coffee drinks, which are sipped. Another worry is the increasing popularity of mixing energy drinks with alcohol. The addition of caffeine can make alcohol users feel less drunk, but motor coordination and visual reaction time are just as impaired as when they drink alcohol by itself, according to an April 2006 study in the medical journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

“You’re every bit as drunk, you’re just an awake drunk,” said Dr. Mary Claire O’Brien, associate professor in the departments of emergency medicine and public health services at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Dr. O’Brien surveyed energy drink and alcohol use among college students at 10 universities in North Carolina. The study, published this month in Academic Emergency Medicine, showed that students who mixed energy drinks with alcohol got drunk twice as often as those who consumed alcohol by itself and were far more likely to be injured or require medical treatment while drinking. Energy drink mixers were more likely to be victims or perpetrators of aggressive sexual behavior. The effect remained even after researchers controlled for the amount of alcohol consumed.

Energy drink marketers say they don’t encourage consumers to mix the drinks with alcohol. Michelle Naughton, a spokeswoman for PepsiCo, which markets Amp, said, “We expect consumers to enjoy our products responsibly.”

Accademia Italiana - International fashion and design institute

The World is in your hand.Design it!

Accademia Italiana International fashion and design institute in Thailand

From Italy to Bangkok Study in a leading institute for a successful future

If you are looking for a fashion and design institute in Thailand, in Bangkok you can now attend courses at one of the best Fashion design school, Design Schools and Art Schools in the world. You can specialize in Fashion Design, Interior and Product Design, Graphic design and Visual communications, Costume design (for Cinema, Theater and Television).

The Accademia Italiana, international institute of art and design, has opened study programs in Bangkok. This Italian school of Art and Design is now located in the heart of Thailand. The study of fashion and design can lead you to your future career in an international environment.

The Accademia Italiana (Fashion school, Fashion Design School, Fashion Design academy, Design School and Art School) was established in Florence in 1984. For over twenty years it has been one of the leading fashion schools, design schools and art schools in Italy and in Europe for artistic training at a university level.

Today, studying at the Accademia Italiana’s new campus in Bangkok, in the heart of Thailand, can lead you to an important role within the fashion and design industries, and help you to achieve huge success in the professional and artistic fields in Thailand and worldwide.

Discover nature's best

A unique oasis in the 'lung of Bangkok'

Bang Krachao or the "lung of Bangkok", in Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan is known for its green scenery.

Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, just opposite the Klong Toey business district, Bang Krachao is a world apart from chaotic Bangkok.

The change in air and scenery from Klong Toey is immediate and astounding, and catches one by surprise. No high-rises, no cars and no pollution! Only tropical farmlands where buildings are not allowed to exceed the height of the palm trees.

Bang Krachao, one of the best places for cyclists and known to foreign travellers, is virtually unknown among Thais.

For Thai tourists, the Bang Nam Pueng Floating Market in Bang Nam Pueng, is more popular because of the various local fruits and vegetables on sale.

However, the 17 year-old, 200-rai Si Nakhon Keun Kan Park, locally known as Suan Klang Central Park, remains an unmissable destination.

It has been affectionately called the city's lung and has a reputation as the last green belt in this concrete metropolis.

Inside the oasis

The park comprises lush orchards of mango, bushes of areca nuts, plenty of wildlife, over 50 species of bird, firefly-watching spots and a gigantic pond, where a fair number of aquatic species live.

The large pond also offers paddle boats and canoes, which can be rented at 30 baht an hour. Bicycles can be rented for the same rate. This green expanse could be the best place for your children to ride a bicycle while exploring nature. Bang Krachao was voted by Time magazine as one of Asia's best urban oasis.

From the two-storey observatory tower visitors can enjoy a panoramic sight of palm trees swaying in the cool, fresh air. Far in the background is an array of Bangkok 's tall buildings.

A bit of history

1977 - The Gen Prem government approved the conservation of green areas opposite Klong Toey and Yannawa district, making them public parks.

1991 - The Ministry of Science and Technology buys 148-rai of fruit orchards from the locals residents to develop the park.

1992 - His Majesty the King names it Si Nakhon Keun Kan.

Getting there

Visitors may board a longtail or shuttle boat from the Wat Klong Toey Nok pier. Alternatively you can drive to the district; it's about an hour from the city. Although this oxbow peninsula has a main road, the main mode of getting around is not by car, but by foot, bicycle or motorcycle.

Are you a good guest?

1. Do you make your bed in the morning?

a. Always — as soon as I get up.

b. Usually, if I don’t get distracted.

c. What’s the point? It’ll only get messed up again later.

2. After a meal, you ...

a. wait for dessert to be served.

b. crack jokes and entertain everybody.

c. do the washing up.

3. After you’ve showered ...

a. the bathroom is a mess.

b. you tidy up the bathroom.

c. Er … why bother showering?

4. How long would you stay at a friend’s house?

a. Until I get kicked out.

b. Just a few days.

c. A week or more.

5. Are you messy?

a. I can be, but I make a real effort when I’m a guest.

b. Yes. I can’t help creating chaos.

c. No. I’m very tidy and considerate.

6. Do you need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night?

a. Always. I have a weak bladder.

b. No. I sleep straight through the night.

c. Very rarely.

7. Are you good at getting along with people?

a. Yes. I just go with the flow.

b. No. I like doing my own thing.

c. Most of the time.

8. Do you often get invited to stay with friends?

a. Sometimes — with my close friends.

b. No. Maybe it was something I said.

c. People are always inviting me over.

Calculate your score
1. a=3, b=2, c=1

2. a=1, b=2, c=3

3. a=2, b=3, c=1

4. a=1, b=3, c=2

5. a=2, b=1, c=3

6. a=1, b=3, c=2

7. a=3, b=1, c=2

8. a=2, b=1, c=3

How did you do?

8-13: You are the nightmare guest. You’ve been known to treat friends as if they were your staff, and you seem to have a problem with saying thank you. Have you ever wondered why you don’t get invited back?
14-19: Your friends appreciate your company, but your domestic skills could use some improvement. Next time you’re staying over at a friend’s place, offer to help around the house a little — they’ll love you for it.
20-24: You’re a delightful houseguest. You are thoughtful, accommodating and perceptive — no wonder you’re always being invited back.

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)

Explorer Rick O'Connell to combat the resurrected Han Emperor in an epic that races from the catacombs of ancient China high into the frigid Himalayas. Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son Alex, wife Evelyn and her brother, Jonathan. And this time, the O'Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress to spend eternity in suspended animation, China's ruthless Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 warriors have laid forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. But when dashing adventurer Alex O'Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, the reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents. As the monarch roars back to life, our heroes find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. Striding the Far East with unimaginable supernatural powers, the Emperor Mummy will rouse his legion as an unstoppable, otherworldly force... unless the O'Connells can stop him first.

Also Known As:
The Curse of the Dragon
The Mummy 3
The Mummy III
The Mummy Returns sequel
Production Status:
In Production/Awaiting Release
Genres:
Action/Adventure and Sequel
Release Date:
August 1st, 2008 (wide)
Distributors:
Universal Pictures Distribution
Production Co.:
The Sean Daniel Company, Sommers Company
Studios:
Universal Pictures
Filming Locations:
China
Montreal, Quebec Canada
Produced in:
United States

P.S. This movie has Jet Li become to be Dragon Emperor. If anyone who like this kind of movie, I'm sure that it' might be more action and advanture.

Food for Thought (^_^)/

You are what you eat

This article might sound like we are going to discuss interesting ideas, something that you can meditate on later. In fact, I am going to talk about "actual food", food that we consume everyday for energy, for survival and for brain power.

When people think about maximizing their brain power or think about making themselves happy, they usually think about their mindset or environmental influences. However, in reality, what you put into your mouth makes a big difference in the way you think and the way you feel.

After I studied the brain and mind, I became more careful about what I eat and drink everyday. I know that food can alter my mood or even decrease or increase my brain capacity. Before I began my healthy-brain adventure I used to think that eating right for the brain must be hard to plan. I found out later that it's easier than expected.

Something as easy as increasing your water intake can make the brain function better in minutes. This is because your brain is made up of about 75 per cent fluid. Therefore, keeping your brain hydrated throughout the day is one of the best practices one can undertake.

A famous French chef once said, "Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you who you are."
This later was shortened to "You are what you eat," which I truly believe in. All the cells in your body, including your brain cells, make renew themselves every five months. Some of them, like your skin cells, are renewed every month. So, the foods that you consume are critical in maintaining proper brain and body function.

Eat the right kinds of food and you will feel better. Eat wrong, like doughnuts or very sweet cereals for breakfast and you will start feeling lethargic and less sharp an hour later.

Food is one of the most effective strategies to get good results quickly.

So, what should we eat?

First, let's take a look at the kinds of fat we consume since the brain is made up of about 10 per cent fat. Cutting down good fats to control one's weight is not very smart. Good fats come from the following foods; avocado, white fish, walnuts, tuna, sardines, salmon, pistachios, peanut oil, olive oil, lean meats, green leafy vegetables, flaxseed oil, cashew nuts, canola oil, Brazil nuts and my most favorite of all, anchovies.

Bad fats are bacon, butter, cheese (regular fat), cream sauces, doughnuts, fried foods (such as potatoes and onion rings), ice cream, lamb chops, margarine, potato chips (fried), processed foods, steak and whole milk.

It is not that you can't consume the wonderful-tasting bad fats at all. However, they need to be controlled and lessened.

The brain is also composed of about 8 per cent protein. It is an essential component of nerve cells, axons and dendrites - the machinery of the brain. So, consuming inadequate protein leaves our brain without critical resources. Eat the following to ensure you nourish your brain with protein it needs: Fish like tuna, mackerel, salmon and herring, chicken (skinless), turkey (skinless), meat (lean beef and pork), eggs (enriched DHA eggs are the best), tofu and soy products, dairy products (low-fat kinds are best), beans (especially garbanzo and lentils are among the top picks), nuts and seeds (one of the best is walnuts, which is also listed under good fats.)

Consuming complex carbohydrates and antioxidants daily is very important, as well. These are great tasting foods that include berries, oranges, lemons, grapefruits, peaches, plums, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, oats, whole wheat, red or yellow peppers (much higher in vitamin C than green peppers), spinach, pumpkin squash, tomatoes (especially for men), yams and beans.

One of my strategies that helps me remember to eat this group is to "Eat the rainbow", so when I look at the plate in front of me I try to see as many colors as possible.

Your attitude towards food is very important in creating and sticking with a brain-healthy food plan. If you believe that foods can (and science has confirm this belief time and again) make your brain and body function at its top capacity, you will be able to be on track to having a better functioning system. Eat right and you will think better, I promise. Good luck and bon appetit.