Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2010

Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year 2010

jeannytsy.blogspot.com is now closed for the Christmas and New Year period, and we'll be back on January 4.

We'd like to extend our thanks for your support this past year, and wish you all the best for Christmas and New Year.
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Annual 'Fat and Beautiful' beauty pageant held in Beersheba

Contestant Heli Buzaglo applies make-up backstage before the annual "Fat and Beautiful" beauty pageant in the southern city of Beersheba December 19, 2009. Some 40 women weighing between 80kg and 120kg took part in the national contest. Picture taken December 19, 2009. [Agencies]

A contestant has her hair done before the annual "Fat and Beautiful" beauty pageant in the southern city of Beersheba December 19, 2009. Some 40 women weighing between 80kg and 120kg took part in the national contest. Picture taken December 19, 2009. [Agencies]

Moran Barannes poses on stage after winning the annual "Fat and Beautiful" beauty pageant in the southern city of Beersheba December 19, 2009. Some 40 women weighing between 80kg and 120kg took part in the national contest. Picture taken December 19, 2009. [Agencies]

Contestant Heli Buzaglo (L) waits backstage during the annual "Fat and Beautiful" beauty pageant in the southern city of Beersheba December 19, 2009. Some 40 women weighing between 80kg and 120kg took part in the national contest. Picture taken December 19, 2009.[Agencies]

Contestants Heli Buzaglo (L) and Moran Barannes walk on stage during the annual "Fat and Beautiful" beauty pageant in the southern city of Beersheba December 19, 2009. Some 40 women weighing between 80kg and 120kg took part in the national contest. Picture taken December 19, 2009.[Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Lean frame, healthy wallet

Eating well and losing weight need not be a costly exercise.

Times may be lean, but that's no excuse to bulk up, with a new book detailing ways to shape up and eat better on a tight budget - if you're willing to wait a while to see results.

The Tight Arse Diet, published next month, is the seventh book by Australian nutrition and fitness consultant Andrew Cate who also runs his own personal training studio.

The book was partly inspired by the global economic meltdown - one of Cate's catchlines is "could an abdominal crunch save us from the credit crunch?" - but also stems from the author's belief that eating well and losing weight really need not be a wallet draining exercise.

"Every tip in the book does two things - save money and help you to lose weight," Cate says.

"If you can follow six to eight tips over a period of 12 months you can lose about 10 kg and save $2,200."

Cate says that as a personal trainer, he was constantly being asked whether his services - or a gym membership - were actually worth paying for.

"I always said that if you have one less packet of crisps and one less coffee every day for a year, you can afford your own personal trainer. And maybe, that way, you won't even need them," he adds.

Cate uses scientific research to support all his tips, which range from healthy recipes, meal plans and lifestyle changes that he says should be easy to follow - because unlike many fitness regimes or fad diets, they're not drastic and can be incorporated into your day.

Examples include doing more housework yourself, using websites to help you stick to your diet and exercise regime, relaxing and getting more sleep and including a little more activity, and less television, in your day.

"Information about weight control has to be practical, to help people find everyday solutions," he says. "Otherwise it gets too hard, and then it becomes a negative experience, which can ultimately put people off fitness and weight loss."

He also advocates eating more inexpensive foods, such as vegetables, eggs, legumes and pulses and canned seafood - all of which have unique weight-reducing properties, but stresses that the key component of The Tight Arse Diet is patience.

"Small changes make a big difference over time," Cate says. "Putting less butter on bread every day isn't that big a change, but over a year, it will add up to 5kg less fat in your veins and about $44 in your wallet."

"I do understand people want results, and that's what the book's about, but I also encourage people to look at it from a longer-term point of view - your health will still be important to you in 12 months time," he says.

"It's like the story of the hare and the tortoise: I'd rather people be like the tortoise, not the hare."

Here are Cate's top three tips for a shapelier, healthier you:

Lift weights to lose weight.

"Even as a personal trainer with all this equipment at home, my favorite type of exercise is strength training and you don't need equipment for that. You can do lunges and presses every day."

Drink less alcohol, even if it's just one less drink a day.

"This way, you're not punishing yourself, and over a year, you'll shed about 3kg and save $615-700."

Cook more, eat out less.

"You can save money when you cook for yourself, plan your meals and get to know what you put into them. It's better, and cheaper, than most junk food."

taken from : China Daily


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Sleep well to live long

Sleep boosts the immune system, relaxes the muscles and promotes the skin's regeneration. Lack of it can be disastrous.

We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, but it is by no means a waste of time. Without nightly rest, a healthy and active life is impossible.

Sleep boosts the immune system. The brain processes the day's stimuli. The muscles relax and the skin has time to regenerate. Intensive and adequate recovery requires uninterrupted sleep.

"The discussion of insomnia is never-ending. I experience this daily in my seminars," says Susanne Grohs-von Reichenbach, a relaxation therapist in Germany. She cites a recent survey by a large German health insurer that found one in two women and one in four men suffer disturbed sleep, ranging from problems with falling asleep to staying asleep.

"The number one cause of insomnia is stress - be it work - or family-related or because of health problems."

Before bedtime, absolute relaxation is essential. "One has to consciously provide for a period of rest," says Juergen Zulley of the sleep center at the University of Regensburg. "This should start at least half-an-hour before bedtime." He recommends time spent on a hobby, listening to quiet, relaxing music or an evening stroll.

"Movement is generally the quickest way to de-stress," says Grohs-von Reichenbach. She also recommends conscious relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation or autogenic training. Such activities should ideally become daily rituals. "Thereby, the body is conditioned: It learns to switch to 'relaxation' mode," explains Zulley.

A ritual can also simply be a warm beverage. "Many can't bear the much-feted glass of warm milk and honey though," Grohs-von Reichenbach observes. She recommends a glass of water, consumed in even sips, instead. "The relaxation reflex can be triggered in the brain in this manner."

A not too hot bath, to which for example lavender or lemon balm has been added, can offer a pleasant conclusion to a particularly stressful day.

Letting go of the day works best in a room where one feels comfortable. Bedroom furnishing is primarily a matter of taste, but "it is important that chaos does not reign", says Susanne Moosmann of a Berlin consumer initiative. "Moreover, it is sensible for everything that has to do with work - from computers to the ironing board - to be placed out of range or partitioned off." The laptop and the complicated notes for the next day's meeting have equally little reason to be on the bedside table.

A relaxing bedroom temperature also facilitates sleep. "Sixteen to 18 C is ideal," says Moosmann. "It is preferable to air the room before one goes to sleep, rather than leave a window ajar all night, especially in winter." That way, noise from the street can also be blocked out.

Other noise factors must be eliminated as soon as they are judged to be disruptive. This would apply to the incessant ticking of the alarm clock, as well as the rattling of window shutters. In emergencies, earplugs help.

Then there is also the foundation for sleep: the bed. "The mattress has to adjust to the person, not the other way around," says Moosmann. Test it thoroughly before buying. Your body should not sink too deeply into the mattress and it should provide sufficient room for movement. "As a rule of thumb, bigger and heavier people need a firmer base than those who are smaller and lighter."

An agreeable temperature in bed is also necessary. Dry and not too warm is recommended. "The fiber of the mattress, the bedding and sleepwear must essentially be able to absorb and release moisture so that dry conditions are created," says sleep researcher Zulley. In addition, the bed covers should not smother either with weight or a build-up of heat.

Having problems falling asleep or waking at night, from time to time, is entirely normal. Frequent contributing factors to sleep disruption include a stomach that is too full or too empty, and caffeine or nicotine consumption before bedtime. These can easily be avoided.

However, if sleep disruption significantly impairs one's well-being or performance in the daytime and, additionally, occurs practically every night for at least four weeks, visit your doctor. Chronic insomnia can be symptomatic of hormonal problems or a physical illness.

taken from : China Daily


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Feeling old and blue? Green tea may help

NEW YORK - Elderly men and women who sip on several cups of green tea a day may be less likely to have the blues, hint findings of a study from Japan.

Dr. Kaijun Niu, at Tohoku University Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering in Sendai, and colleagues found men and women aged 70 and older who drank four or more, versus one or fewer, cups of green tea daily were 44 percent less likely to have symptoms of depression.

Several prior studies have linked green tea consumption to reduced levels of psychological distress. This led Niu and colleagues to look at associations between drinking green tea and symptoms of depression in 1,058 relatively healthy elderly individuals.

About 34 percent of the men and 39 percent of the women had symptoms of depression, according to a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. These symptoms were severe in about 20 percent of the men and in about 24 percent of the women.

Overall, 488 participants said they drank four or more cups of green tea a day, 284 said they downed two to three cups daily and the remaining 286 reported having one or fewer cups daily.

According to the investigators, the apparent protective effect of greater green tea consumption on symptoms of depression did not fade after they factored in social and economic status, gender, diet, history of medical problems, use of antidepressant medications, smoking, and physical activity.

By contrast, there was no association between consumption of black or oolong tea, or coffee, and lower symptoms of depression.

A green tea component, the amino acid theanine, which is thought to have a tranquilizing effect on the brain, may explain the "potentially beneficial effect" shown in the current study, Niu noted in an email to Reuters Health.

However, further studies are necessary to confirm whether greater green tea intake actually has antidepressant effects. Therefore, Niu shied away from recommending greater green tea intake to minimize depression among the elderly.

taken from : China Daily


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Herbal cure better than no cure

A worker at Dongzhimen traditional medicine hospital measures ingredients for herbal medicine that fights A/H1N1 flu.

The world's first herbal medicine has been created specifically for the treatment of A/H1N1 flu, the Beijing municipal government said at a press conference yesterday.

The Chinese traditional medicine, called Jinhuaqinggan, should be available in hospitals from next year, officials at the conference said.

Fang Laiying, director of the Beijing health bureau, said they are now just waiting for the green light from the State Food and Drug Administration before releasing it to the public, expected in January.

The medicine will be available in powder and liquid forms.

"This medicine not only targets the virus but also other symptoms caused by the disease," said Wang Chen, director of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital.

Wang said clinical tests had been carried out on more than 100 adults less than 70 years of age suffering from A/H1N1 flu, although children weren't included.

"On average, the test subjects were feverish for 16 hours. This is 10 hours less than those who were untreated in the trials," he said.

According to Wang, this was proof of the medicine's effectiveness. However, the medicine was not tested against alternatives already on the market, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended Tamiflu.

According to Wang, daily treatment of the herbal medicine costs 16 yuan, with an average total of 80 yuan for complete recovery.

This is less than the 197 yuan required for Chinese-made Tamiflu, or 283 yuan for the imported version, as reported by the Beijing Youth Daily in November.

Wang did state however that almost 10 percent of the clinical trial's test subjects were asked by doctors to use additional antibiotics to cure the disease after the herbal medicine failed to do so alone.

The municipal government has invested 10 million yuan in the project, allowing for city doctors and hospitals to create the herbal cure in only six months.

Journalists at the conference yesterday questioned whether the testing period was sufficient, noting that western medicines are generally tested for at least one year before being released to the public.

"The new medicine is an updated version of a recipe we have for fever and cold diseases, and has been around for 2,000 years," said Liu Qingquan, director of the Dongzhimen Hospital.

Cris Tunon, a representative of the Senior Program Management Office of WHO China, told METRO yesterday that the WHO was looking forward to the clinical use of Jinhuaqinggan.

taken from : China Daily


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Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker shoot photo album

British actor Hugh Grant and U.S actress Sarah Jessica Parker pose after their interview with APTN over their role in the film Did You Hear About The Morgans, at a central London hotel, Friday, Dec. 11, 2009. [CFP]

British actor Hugh Grant and U.S actress Sarah Jessica Parker pose after their interview with APTN over their role in the film Did You Hear About The Morgans, at a central London hotel, Friday, Dec. 11, 2009. [CFP]

taken from : China Daily


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Entertainment> Celebrities Britney Spears and boyfriend at airport

Britney Spears with her boyfriend Jason Trawick arrived at JFK airport in New York City, December 19, 2009. [CFP]

Britney Spears with her boyfriend Jason Trawick arrived at JFK airport in New York City, December 19, 2009. [CFP]

Britney Spears with her boyfriend Jason Trawick arrived at JFK airport in New York City, December 19, 2009. [Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Madonna and her daughter arrive at premiere of the film "Nine" in NY

Madonna and her daughter Lourdes Leon arrive at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Madonna arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Madonna and her daughter Lourdes Leon arrive at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Madonna arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Madonna arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Jessica Seinfeld (L), wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, poses with Madonna and daughter Lourdes Leon at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Dsquared2's Caten twins launching into limelight

This photo taken Sept. 25, 2008 shows Canadian twins Dan, left, and Dean Caten acknowledging the applause at the end of their DSquared2 Spring/Summer 2009 fashion collection presented in Milan, Italy.[Agencies]

NEW YORK – Dan and Dean Caten are loving this moment in the limelight.

The twin-brother team behind the fashion label Dsquared2 are on TV and the radio, they created concert costumes for Madonna and Britney Spears, and they'll be outfitting the headlining performers at the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Earlier this year, they received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame — the only fashion designers to be honored alongside the likes of Michael J. Fox and Wayne Gretzky.

They have a collection of branded MAC cosmetics as well as eyewear and fragrance deals. But any time it seems success might go to their heads, they remember their modest Canadian roots and have a good chuckle.

Actually, they do more than chuckle, they crack each other up, communicating in shorthand that takes other people in the room a little while to understand.

"We are twins in every sense of the word," says Dan, who describes himself as the more approachable of the two — although he's also the one who'll crack the whip at work.

Dean claims he's "taller and thinner," sucking in his cheeks and striking a model-worthy pose.

Hysterics ensue.

They've been this close since the day they were born in 1964 in Willowdale, Ontario, and have wanted to work in fashion almost as long, Dean says. Family life was as ordinary as it could be in a household with nine kids, yet he and Dan always had an eye on a bigger picture that his family couldn't see — one that would take them to New York, Milan, Italy, and now London.

"It was normal people, growing up, just not us," Dean says. "We didn't quite fit in, but it was still fun."

Dan jumps in: "With five sisters, though, we did a lot of shopping, dressed them for a lot of proms and parties — and we dressed them! We could do it on a budget, which allowed us to be more creative, and they trusted us because they knew we knew better than them."

The way they tell it, they couldn't wait to start their careers. The first stop was a summer program at Parsons School of Design straight out of high school, but before they knew it they were back in Canada, coaxed by the owner of Ports International (now known as Ports 1961).

It was there that the Catens cut their technical teeth, learning how to cut a pattern, tailor a jacket and critique their own work. On a local scale of success, they were a hit — but the brothers weren't satisfied. It was going to be the European runway or bust.

"People say, `Why risk everything?' But I say, `Why not risk everything?'" Dan says.

"We chose Europe instead of New York," Dean adds, "because it was not so easy to come back home."

Still, they're proud of their Canadian roots: Maple leaves are incorporated into several designs each season.

They started in menswear in 1994 and added womenswear in 2003. Their runway shows are among the most elaborate and flashy on the Milan schedule with themes ranging from "Charlie's Angels" to "Mad Max."

Personally, they only wear clothes with the Dsquared2 label. "We're our own customer. We know what we want and need, so it's all from our heart and it works," Dean says.

(Dean has been known to act as the fitting model — even for the womenswear — because, he explains, no one else is available in the middle of the night when he does his best work. He says he has mastered high heels.)

The new spring collection has a campfire vibe, presented on the catwalk with "Delta Dawn" by Helen Reddy blaring through the speakers. "Deep down inside, we're a little `hick,'" Dan says with a smile.

Music is a key source of inspiration, the Catens say, and they put together the playlist for their runway shows as they're sketching styles. Their famous soundtracks led to XM Radio's "Dean and Dan On Air: Style in Stereo" and now they host Bravo's new "Launch My Line," which gives artistic professionals a chance to break into the fashion biz.

The Catens' personalities largely serve as the glue for the TV show.

"Not only are they super-credible, hot and talented designers, the idea of having identical twin brother designers as fashion hosts is as unique as they are," says Andy Cohen, senior vice president of original programming and development at Bravo. "Plus they're fun, fun, fun!"

When they have time for leisure remains a bit of a mystery, but, at least on this day, it seems they enjoy everything they do.

Between their day jobs as designers and moonlighting gigs as entertainers, they designed much of the interior and furniture of the home they moved into in London. They craft their own ad campaigns, and they joke — but not really — that they are toying with an album.

Still, they can't do it all.

"Don't ask me to tap dance, and Dean can't play hockey," Dan says. "But we can figure skate."

taken from : China Daily


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Nicole Kidman,Cruz and Hudson arrive at the premiere of the film "Nine" in NY

Cast member Nicole Kidman arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009.[Agencies]

Cast member Nicole Kidman poses at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Penelope Cruz arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Madonna arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Penelope Cruz arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Kate Hudson poses at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Kate Hudson arrives at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast member Kate Hudson (R) arrives with her mother, Goldie Hawn, at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

Cast members Daniel Day-Lewis (L) and Kate Hudson (C) arrive with Hudson's mother, actress Goldie Hawn, at the premiere of the film "Nine" in New York December 15, 2009. [Agencies]

taken from : China Daily

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Study: Looking young may mean living longer

LONDON – Those baby-faced people now have another reason to be smug: a new Danish study says looking young apparently means a longer life.

Research published online Monday in the British medical journal BMJ suggests that people who look younger than their years also live longer.

In 2001, Danish researchers conducted physical and cognitive tests on more than 1,800 pairs of twins over aged 70, as well as taking photos of their faces. Three groups of people who didn't know the twins' real ages guessed how old they were. The researchers then tracked how long the twins survived over 7 years.

The experts found that people who looked younger than their actual age were far more likely to survive, even after they adjusted for other factors like gender and environment. The bigger the difference in perceived age within any twin pair, the more likely it was that the older-looking twin died first.

They also found a possible biological explanation: people who looked younger also tended to have longer telomeres, a key DNA component that is linked to aging. People with shorter telomeres are thought to age faster. In the Danish study, the more fresh-faced people had longer telomeres.

The authors said that perceived age, which is widely used by doctors as a general indicator of a patient's health, is a good biomarker of aging that predicts survival among people over age 70.

taken from : China Daily


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Pictures of the year: Fashion

Photographers and videographers train their cameras on a model as she presents a creation from the Rosa Cha Spring 2010 collection at New York Fashion Week, September 10, 2009.

A model displays a creation as part of DSquared 2 Spring/Summer 2010 men's collection during Milan Fashion Week, June 23, 2009.[Agencies]

Models present creations by German designer Karl Lagerfeld as part of his Spring/Summer 2010 women's collection for French fashion house Chanel during Paris Fashion Week, October 6, 2009.[Agencies]

A model walks in central Madrid after the show of designer Maria Lafuente at Cibeles Madrid Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2010 show in Madrid, September 21, 2009.[Agencies]

Models display creations by designer Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel's 2009-2010 cruise collection at the Excelsior hotel on the Venice Lido, May 14, 2009.[Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Celebs attend at the Z100 Jingle Ball in NY

Singer Taylor Swift performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Adam Lambert introduces an act during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Kris Allen performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Taylor Swift performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Taylor Swift performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

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Singer Taylor Swift performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Actress Leighton Meester introduces an act during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Actress Leighton Meester introduces an act during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Taylor Swift performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

Singer Taylor Swift performs during the Z100 Jingle Ball in New York December 11, 2009. [Agencies]

taken from : China Daily


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Chanel's Far Eastern fantasy barges into Shanghai

Karl Lagerfeld left China's fashionistas awestruck by showing his latest collection of haute couture on the Huangpu River earlier this month, with the city's legendary skyscrapers serving as a backdrop to his Paris-Shanghai Metier D'Arts Collection.

"Shanghai has a special reputation that sets it apart from other Chinese cities," said the Paris-based German designer, who serves as the creative director at Chanel. "My interest in the city (was piqued) by both its past and its present."

The 8th annual edition of his special line dedicated to seven exclusive Paris-based metals and embroidery ateliers - which Channel purchased in 2002 - was presented exclusively in Shanghai with a tribute film to Coco Chanel, the mastermind behind the French brand.

Written and directed by Lagerfeld, a.k.a. The Kaiser, "Paris Shanghai, a fantasy" depicted the tale of Coco's imaginary voyage to China, bringing the tableau to life along an 85-m-long barge on Shanghai's central waterway.

The screening was followed by a show featuring over 30 models, with Lagerfeld's own cosmopolitan Terracotta Army of human clothes horses capturing the spirit of Hollywood heroines, the urban romanticism of Chinese cinema, and the grandeur of the city's 1930s heyday.

In modes of jet black, fiery red, midnight blue and khaki, wafer-thin models fashioned high-collared suits, richly embroidered fitted coats, knitwear with raised patterns, tunics and sequined gowns highlighting their slender shoulders and slim waistlines.

Long, striking earrings and large printed hats framed their faces while sexy leather heels with aged-cork soles and thigh-reaching boots added a sense of edginess.

His signature trademarks were illustrated by the models' dark sunglasses and sleek ponytails.

Amid all the hard work, Lagerfeld still found time to lighten the mood, at one point during the preceding press-conference even mock-apologizing for the absence of the world's two most historic fashion icons: Mao Zedong's jacket and Coco Chanel's coat

Nonetheless, Chinese undertones are woven into his popular French-style romantic pieces.

Lagerfeld said he was greatly influenced by the country's distant past, especially the striking colors of Chinese red and imperial yellow, as well as by its traditional music.

"I have seen some ancient (Chinese) clothes from more than 2,000 years ago, and they still look modern today," he said.

taken from : China Daily


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