US researchers said Monday they have conclusive proof to show that women who drink a lot of caffeine on a daily basis in the early months of pregnancy have an elevated risk of miscarriage, settling a longstanding debate over the issue.
To be absolutely safe, expectant mothers should avoid caffeinated beverages of any kind during the first five months of pregnancy, the researchers said in a paper published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The concept that pregnant women may be putting their babies in jeopardy by drinking large amounts of caffeine on a daily basis is not new.
Previous studies have suggested that consumption of three cups of coffee, or 300mg of caffeine a day, corresponds to an elevated risk of miscarriage compared to women who eschew the stimulant altogether.
However, critics argued that the results of those studies were skewed by the fact that women with healthy pregnancies tended to avoid coffee or caffeine because of morning sickness.
In order to get to the bottom of the issue, researchers with Kaiser Permanente monitored more than 1,000 women as they went through their pregnancies -- all of whom continued drinking coffee or caffeinated beverages in the same quantities as they did before conceiving.
The results were unequivocal.
The researchers found that a woman's risk of miscarriage increased in line with rising daily caffeine consumption, be it from coffee, tea, hot chocolate, caffeinated beverages, or a combination of all of these.
Women who consumed 200mg or more of caffeine a day had twice the risk of losing their baby as women who avoided the stimulant entirely.
For the purposes of this study, 200mg was said to be equivalent to two 7.5 oz cups of coffee or five 12-oz cans of a caffeinated soda drink a day.
"Women should consider giving up caffeine for the first three or four months of their pregnancy," said De-Kun Li, an epidemiologist with Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research in Oakland, California.
"If they have to have caffeine, they should limit it to one cup of coffee a day or switch to decaf."
Li noted that the study did not identify how much caffeine a mother-to-be could safely consume, and urged mothers to play it safe, noting that this is one of the few risk factors for miscarriage that they can control.
Scientists believe caffeine can be detrimental to the fetus because it readily crosses the placenta but cannot be easily metabolized by the fetus's under-developed metabolic system.
The stimulant can also cause blood vessels to constrict, leading to decreased blood flow to the placenta.
Researchers with Kaiser Permanente, a health care organization, studied 1,063 pregnant women between October 1996 and October 1998 for this study.
From: http://news.sg.msn.com/topstories/article.aspx?cp-documentid=1199886
Thursday, January 24
Sunday, January 13
Forgiveness and Restitution
We must learn to forgive if we want to learn to love... We forgive to let go of the past and embrace our future...
1) Forgiveness is unconditional
2) Forgiveness doesn't minimise the seriousness of the offence committed
3) Forgiveness is not resuming a relationship without change
4) Forgiveness is not forgetting about what has happened
Life is 10% 'what happened' and 90% 'how we react to it'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's sermon was very good cos God has answered my many frustrations about forgiveness. I was frustrated over a friend who wronged me cos I felt I had forgiven her but I was frustrated by my inability to forget the wrongs. I felt a lil disgusted with myself for being petty. But after today's sermon, I felt liberated cos I felt I could put many things in perspective already.
This friend took advantage of my kindness and went to the extent of borrowing my things without permission. She didn't even have to courtesy to bring back the item she borrowed. It was until she saw me searching for it, then she 'remembered' she 'borrowed' my thing. (How can it be borrow when no permission was asked!?!) By the time she confessed and offered to go home to get it for me, I was already late for my gathering.
The best part... she didn't seem sorry for taking my thing for her use without permission. She only told me she felt 'pai seh' or embarassed. That's not the same as 'I'm sorry'. It might have seemed like it meant the same to her but it definitely didn't mean the same to me!
At another incident, I went out with some friends for supper and asked her if she was joining us. At first, she didn't want to go so I asked her if she wanted to spend more time with her bf teasingly. After that, she joined us so I didn't think much about it. The best part? I was scolded by her bf later for 'forcing' her to go cos I teased her! I was like 'What the $#%^&^?'
Since then, I have given her a wide berth and till this day, we don't exchange more than a few sentences. I just felt as if I had nothing else to say to her already...
Now in retrospective, especially after today's sermon, I realise that it was not unforgiveness but simply a breach of trust that had caused the wide berth. I'm not one of those who can communicate well with people I can no longer trust. Plus, she has also not done proper restitution. She simply bought me a pack of chocolates... It might have been some form of restitution to her but not to me. I felt that she was brushing aside a serious matter like breach of trust with something insignificant.
Perhaps she didn't even realise what the problem was! To her, she just thinks I'm angry with her so she has also gone out of the way to avoid me. It's fine with me cos if she doesn't seem to know what the problem is, then we can never be good friends cos our frequency is not in sync. For friends like Jasmine and April, we can become very close friends, almost like sisters, cos our frequency is in sync with each others. So, for me and this friend, that's that...
I also made restitution with another friend I have not seen in 5 years today. Before I met him, I was very apprehensive cos I didn't know what to expect. But after meeting him today, I realise that I have packed up all feelings for him (good and bad) into a coffin and cremated it a long time. I can remain unaffected by things he say... like when he was talking about his wife and son.
In fact, after seeing him today, I realised that things between us could never have worked out cos we were innately very different people. His priorities and mine were always different but I clung on and accomodated for 4 years cos I didn't want to 'lose my investment'. I felt that as long as I worked hard, I could work things out with him.
Anyway, I was glad that things never worked out cos I would have been miserable if I married him. My mom was telling me that I accomodated so much in the relationship that I lost myself in the process. In the last 5 years, I have redirected my life's focus and rebuilt myself. The me that I am today has moved on so much that the girl I was 5 years back is simply a shadow from my past.
In the last 5 years, I've made bad emotional investments, having loved and lost. But each time, I've bounced back stronger and faster. Now, I'm not as emotionally frail and I have learnt how to open up my eyes much more and to make better emotional investments.
I've been told by some friends that I'm simply too picky. The truth is there is a certain quality of life I want for myself to live. Now, I'm living up the quality I want and I'm no longer willing to settle for second or third best. If I cannot live up my current quality or have it better, then I'm willing to remain single and happy than married and miserable.
Although it has taken me the last 5 years to fully figure it out, I'm glad that at 26 years, I'm still young enough to get things right and live right. I didn't have to wait till I'm 50 to figure this out.
I have made restitution with myself for the last 6 months and I'm glad I had. Now, I can truly say I'm in love with myself. I've learnt how to prioritise my life and live it in fulfilment. I can truly say that I no longer live for the recognition of others. As long as it's right and I am not conscience-stricken, I think I can live with myself.
C'est la vie!
1) Forgiveness is unconditional
2) Forgiveness doesn't minimise the seriousness of the offence committed
3) Forgiveness is not resuming a relationship without change
4) Forgiveness is not forgetting about what has happened
Life is 10% 'what happened' and 90% 'how we react to it'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's sermon was very good cos God has answered my many frustrations about forgiveness. I was frustrated over a friend who wronged me cos I felt I had forgiven her but I was frustrated by my inability to forget the wrongs. I felt a lil disgusted with myself for being petty. But after today's sermon, I felt liberated cos I felt I could put many things in perspective already.
This friend took advantage of my kindness and went to the extent of borrowing my things without permission. She didn't even have to courtesy to bring back the item she borrowed. It was until she saw me searching for it, then she 'remembered' she 'borrowed' my thing. (How can it be borrow when no permission was asked!?!) By the time she confessed and offered to go home to get it for me, I was already late for my gathering.
The best part... she didn't seem sorry for taking my thing for her use without permission. She only told me she felt 'pai seh' or embarassed. That's not the same as 'I'm sorry'. It might have seemed like it meant the same to her but it definitely didn't mean the same to me!
At another incident, I went out with some friends for supper and asked her if she was joining us. At first, she didn't want to go so I asked her if she wanted to spend more time with her bf teasingly. After that, she joined us so I didn't think much about it. The best part? I was scolded by her bf later for 'forcing' her to go cos I teased her! I was like 'What the $#%^&^?'
Since then, I have given her a wide berth and till this day, we don't exchange more than a few sentences. I just felt as if I had nothing else to say to her already...
Now in retrospective, especially after today's sermon, I realise that it was not unforgiveness but simply a breach of trust that had caused the wide berth. I'm not one of those who can communicate well with people I can no longer trust. Plus, she has also not done proper restitution. She simply bought me a pack of chocolates... It might have been some form of restitution to her but not to me. I felt that she was brushing aside a serious matter like breach of trust with something insignificant.
Perhaps she didn't even realise what the problem was! To her, she just thinks I'm angry with her so she has also gone out of the way to avoid me. It's fine with me cos if she doesn't seem to know what the problem is, then we can never be good friends cos our frequency is not in sync. For friends like Jasmine and April, we can become very close friends, almost like sisters, cos our frequency is in sync with each others. So, for me and this friend, that's that...
I also made restitution with another friend I have not seen in 5 years today. Before I met him, I was very apprehensive cos I didn't know what to expect. But after meeting him today, I realise that I have packed up all feelings for him (good and bad) into a coffin and cremated it a long time. I can remain unaffected by things he say... like when he was talking about his wife and son.
In fact, after seeing him today, I realised that things between us could never have worked out cos we were innately very different people. His priorities and mine were always different but I clung on and accomodated for 4 years cos I didn't want to 'lose my investment'. I felt that as long as I worked hard, I could work things out with him.
Anyway, I was glad that things never worked out cos I would have been miserable if I married him. My mom was telling me that I accomodated so much in the relationship that I lost myself in the process. In the last 5 years, I have redirected my life's focus and rebuilt myself. The me that I am today has moved on so much that the girl I was 5 years back is simply a shadow from my past.
In the last 5 years, I've made bad emotional investments, having loved and lost. But each time, I've bounced back stronger and faster. Now, I'm not as emotionally frail and I have learnt how to open up my eyes much more and to make better emotional investments.
I've been told by some friends that I'm simply too picky. The truth is there is a certain quality of life I want for myself to live. Now, I'm living up the quality I want and I'm no longer willing to settle for second or third best. If I cannot live up my current quality or have it better, then I'm willing to remain single and happy than married and miserable.
Although it has taken me the last 5 years to fully figure it out, I'm glad that at 26 years, I'm still young enough to get things right and live right. I didn't have to wait till I'm 50 to figure this out.
I have made restitution with myself for the last 6 months and I'm glad I had. Now, I can truly say I'm in love with myself. I've learnt how to prioritise my life and live it in fulfilment. I can truly say that I no longer live for the recognition of others. As long as it's right and I am not conscience-stricken, I think I can live with myself.
C'est la vie!
Saturday, January 12
Pros and Cons of Afternoon Session
The interesting thing about afternoon session is that I apparently an extra 2 hours and 15 minutes everyday! Dun ask me how I came out with this figure... I didn't. April's mom did some form of calculation from the time we leave home to the time we return and this figure popped out.
Pros of Afternoon Session:
1) Can sleep in later... although it's only an extra 1 and the half hour more...
2) Can plan driving lessons in the mornings... no peak hour charge
3) Visit the bank in the morning
Cons of Afternoon Session:
1) Only knock off at 7 plus... Can only make it for the 9 pm gym class (as compared to the 6.30 one last year)
2) Cannot plan facials, body treatments, massages or hair treatment on week nights (last appoint at 6.30 or 7 pm)
3) Spend weekends going for facials, body treatments, massages or hair treatment (make my weekends very cramp with things to do) - not enough time to relax during the weekends
4) Cannot plan tuition on week nights - not enough time to relax during the weekends
5) Cannot stay back to mark books. Can only come in earlier the next day (doesn't feel any different from morning session)
6) Cannot come back earlier to watch my 7 pm Korean dramas on Channel U - need to resort to taping (then have to stay up to clear tapes)
Verdict? I still prefer being in the morning session... Hopefully we can have a chance to go single session again... :(
Pros of Afternoon Session:
1) Can sleep in later... although it's only an extra 1 and the half hour more...
2) Can plan driving lessons in the mornings... no peak hour charge
3) Visit the bank in the morning
Cons of Afternoon Session:
1) Only knock off at 7 plus... Can only make it for the 9 pm gym class (as compared to the 6.30 one last year)
2) Cannot plan facials, body treatments, massages or hair treatment on week nights (last appoint at 6.30 or 7 pm)
3) Spend weekends going for facials, body treatments, massages or hair treatment (make my weekends very cramp with things to do) - not enough time to relax during the weekends
4) Cannot plan tuition on week nights - not enough time to relax during the weekends
5) Cannot stay back to mark books. Can only come in earlier the next day (doesn't feel any different from morning session)
6) Cannot come back earlier to watch my 7 pm Korean dramas on Channel U - need to resort to taping (then have to stay up to clear tapes)
Verdict? I still prefer being in the morning session... Hopefully we can have a chance to go single session again... :(
Tuesday, January 8
Now that I no longer have to study, I feel a lil bored at times... especially on Tues nites when I dun have to rush for classes any more.
Thank God for Facebook. I've been very entertained by my facebook lately... from superpoking to feeding my pets to petting other's pets! It's even more fun than friendster. There are a lot more applications to download and things to do online. When I first started, I got a lil frustrated. Now, I'm getting the hang of it so it's becoming more fun.
As for school, I'm starting to settle down and get into the work routine. But I'm still not running at full speed... more like 30 km/h. I think I have really rested during the Dec hols until I can't tune back in to school. :p
Hopefully, I'll be more settled as the year progresses...
Thank God for Facebook. I've been very entertained by my facebook lately... from superpoking to feeding my pets to petting other's pets! It's even more fun than friendster. There are a lot more applications to download and things to do online. When I first started, I got a lil frustrated. Now, I'm getting the hang of it so it's becoming more fun.
As for school, I'm starting to settle down and get into the work routine. But I'm still not running at full speed... more like 30 km/h. I think I have really rested during the Dec hols until I can't tune back in to school. :p
Hopefully, I'll be more settled as the year progresses...
Sunday, January 6
I've survived my first week in school!
I'm so glad to have survived my first week in school... even though it is a 3 day work week... guess I can't complain on that account.
I'm doing double English this year... while it may be tiring, I love it! Cos English is my pet subject. I have 2 classes to take care of, one is my form class, the other is my English class. However, since the form teacher is a Chinese teacher who does not teach the kids, I end up doing the form teacher duties for that class.
The kids I have this year are also very cute... very funny antics from them sometimes that brings a smile to your face. Think this year is definitely going to be a better year when it comes to the kids...
Other good news... my letter from SIM came so I can finally submit my application for emplacement. That means more $$$ for the work I am doing now and hooray to no more studying!
Actually... not quite true. My studying goals for 2008 is to get my driving license by June and then sign up Japanese classes. I'm currently looking for opportunities to teach in Japan next year so they might come in handy.
Hopefully, in 2009, I get an overseas teaching opportunity... keeping my fingers crossed till then! In the meanwhile, I must survive 2008 first!
I'm doing double English this year... while it may be tiring, I love it! Cos English is my pet subject. I have 2 classes to take care of, one is my form class, the other is my English class. However, since the form teacher is a Chinese teacher who does not teach the kids, I end up doing the form teacher duties for that class.
The kids I have this year are also very cute... very funny antics from them sometimes that brings a smile to your face. Think this year is definitely going to be a better year when it comes to the kids...
Other good news... my letter from SIM came so I can finally submit my application for emplacement. That means more $$$ for the work I am doing now and hooray to no more studying!
Actually... not quite true. My studying goals for 2008 is to get my driving license by June and then sign up Japanese classes. I'm currently looking for opportunities to teach in Japan next year so they might come in handy.
Hopefully, in 2009, I get an overseas teaching opportunity... keeping my fingers crossed till then! In the meanwhile, I must survive 2008 first!
Tuesday, January 1
What a way to start the new year!
Since I've gone back to school, I've been nursing a really nasty flu bug. It has left me coughing, sneezing and feverish since last Thursday.
Yesterday, while everyone was at my aunt's place counting down to the new year, I was counting down alone at home. Didn't want to be anywhere.
Tomorrow school starts... pray for good health and less stress and MCs this year...
Yesterday, while everyone was at my aunt's place counting down to the new year, I was counting down alone at home. Didn't want to be anywhere.
Tomorrow school starts... pray for good health and less stress and MCs this year...
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