GAWAI DAYAK FESTIVAL

This is a harvest festival celebrated by Sarawak’s largest ethnic group, the Dayaks(iban), and the Bidayuhs. It is a time for family reunion, renewal of friendship and paying respects to the elders and the departed. The festival is rhapsody of non-stop dancing and merry-making as well as lavish offerings of traditional delicacies and tuak, a wine made from fermented rice, yeast and sugar. This is how you make tuak. Glutinous rice is cooked and left to cool in a ‘tapan’ or any flat utensils. For every five kilograms of glutinous rice you will need five kilograms of round ‘ragi’ (yeast) and five pieces of thin slice ragi (round ragi for bitterness, slice ragi for sweetness). The yeast are pounded into powder and mixed with the rice after it has cooled. This mixture is then left to ferment in any clean container (jar) for a week or so. Cool, boiled water plus sugar is added to this mixture (10 kg sugar for 20 liters of water) . Depending on your taste, your tuak is now ready but the longer you keep it, the more potent it will be. Gawai Dayak would be less meaningful without the tuak. The tuak is a must, just like turkey is a must for Christmas. Bottoms up!

On Gawai Dayak, it is a ritual to give offerings to the dead through the miring ceremony, an elaborate and often colourful and noisy ceremony performed to appease the gods and the spirits and to ask for prosperity, good health and other blessings from them. The ceremony is performed by passing a live chicken above the food and drink, or other offerings, in a circular motion several times.

Gawai Dayak, particularly at the longhouses, is an unparalleled example of unity and harmony in the country. The longhouse folks welcome with open arms all guests irrespective of race, gender or religion. A visit to a Dayak longhouse during Gawai Dayak is a real eye-opener. The longhouse folks bring out their gongs and drums. Many of them wear hand-woven costumes lavishly decorated with antique beads and silver. Ladies and men in traditional costume perform ngajat which is a simple, rhythmic, strutting shuffle danced in rhythm to the beats of the gongs and drums. Visitors to the longhouses are often invited to join in.

A Dayak girl dancing

An Iban man performing the ngajat

A longhouse usually has dozens of families living in it so you will be invited to visit all the families.

STRESS

STRESS!!!

Stress can be defined as the thoughts, feelings, behavioral and physiological changes that occur when the demands placed upon us exceed our perceived ability to cope. In other words, everyone experiences stress at some time, but how you deal with it can impact your quality of life. The following coping skills and lifestyle methods can help to prevent stress from taking a negative toll on your daily and long-term physical and mental health.
Regular Exercise
Exercise is one of the most effective stress management strategies. Aerobic activities such as jogging, swimming, kickboxing, or biking can help to relieve pressure and clear your mind. This type of exercise allows the body to release healthy chemicals in the brain called endorphins. Endorphins are similar to opiates in that they give our body and mind a “feel good” sensation. Regular exercise also eliminates the release of powerful stress hormones like cortisol.

Remember, fifteen minutes of activity per day is all it takes to get your heart rate up. If you don’t have a lot of free time, try to incorporate physical activity into your everyday routine. Walk instead of taking the subway or bus, take the stairs instead of taking the elevator, or take a walk to pick the kids up from the bus stop instead of driving. In addition to the physical benefits of living an active lifestyle, exercise can build confidence and improve your mood by helping you stay fit.

Peer Support
Fostering healthy friendships can also aid in the process of stress relief by providing emotional support.

Talking with and seeking advice from your friends allows you to verbalize your thoughts, thus getting them off your chest. Once your friends listen to what’s troubling you, they may be able to offer a different perspective or help you work through the issue. You might be surprised to learn that your friends have been in a similar position in the past and can offer helpful advice.

Beyond having a shoulder to lean on, it often helps to simply have people around. Being social satisfies the universal human need to come in contact with others. Surrounding yourself with those whose company you enjoy releases natural endorphins. Creating and maintaining relationships is a crucial part of a healthy social life.
Relaxation Techniques
Although it might seem impossible to relax when you are feeling high levels of stress, it is important to try. Effective approaches to relaxation include yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises which allow us to influence bodily functions that are ultimately out of our control like heart rate, blood pressure and digestion.

As a breathing exercise, try inhaling for the same amount of time you exhale. This might be hard to do at first but will become easier with practice. This exercise should be done at least three times a week as a relaxation technique. Be mindful of where your breaths are coming from to ensure optimum oxygen flow. Breathing through your abdomen allows the oxygen in your body to circulate properly which in turn improves lung health. Practice the use of your abdomen as a breathing exercise. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach area. Take a deep breath in and see whether your chest or stomach rises higher. If your chest rises higher, you are not breathing ideally. Practice this a few times a week until you develop the proper technique. Using this method along with the inhaling and exhaling exercises will decrease stress while improving lung function and health.

Sleeping Habits
Sleep is an essential part of a low stress life style. A routine that consists of a good eight hours of sleep, balanced diet, and daily exercise will make you less susceptible to stress and will allow you to deal with things more reasonably. A good night’s sleep is crucial for a productive, low stress day. In addition to the length of your sleep cycle, it helps to go to sleep around 10:00pm and wake up around 6:00 or 7:00am. Waking up early allows our body to re-energize before activities begin and also gives you time to eat a healthy breakfast. If you are not able to fall asleep, try listening to relaxing music or a white-noise sound machine. Watching television right before bed or sleeping with the lights on can disrupt the release of melatonin and serotonin in your brain. Eating right before bed makes you more susceptible to weight gain and nightmares. If you are feeling hungry before bed, heat up a glass of milk or drink chamomile tea. It’s best to avoid sweets and grains as they will increase your blood sugar which can contribute to weight gain and restlessness.

Low Stress Living

Stress is influenced by the internal health of our body, as well as our external environment. As humans, we are highly susceptible to stress and it is important that we try to reduce it and manage it in the most productive way possible. In order to be productive, it helps to maintain a healthy level of relaxation. Stress does not only affect you as an individual, but also affects those around you including your children, spouse and co-workers. By finding your own peace of mind, you can create a more peaceful environment and perpetuate a low stress lifestyle.
Although it might seem impossible to relax when you are feeling high levels of stress, it is important to try. Effective approaches to relaxation include yoga, meditation, and breathing exercises which allow us to influence bodily functions that are ultimately out of our control like heart rate, blood pressure and digestion.
As a breathing exercise, try inhaling for the same amount of time you exhale. This might be hard to do at first but will become easier with practice. This exercise should be done at least three times a week as a relaxation technique. Be mindful of where your breaths are coming from to ensure optimum oxygen flow. Breathing through your abdomen allows the oxygen in your body to circulate properly which in turn improves lung health. Practice the use of your abdomen as a breathing exercise. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach area. Take a deep breath in and see whether your chest or stomach rises higher. If your chest rises higher, you are not breathing ideally. Practice this a few times a week until you develop the proper technique. Using this method along with the inhaling and exhaling exercises will decrease stress while improving lung function and health.

Sleeping Habits
Sleep is an essential part of a low stress life style. A routine that consists of a good eight hours of sleep, balanced diet, and daily exercise will make you less susceptible to stress and will allow you to deal with things more reasonably. A good night’s sleep is crucial for a productive, low stress day. In addition to the length of your sleep cycle, it helps to go to sleep around 10:00pm and wake up around 6:00 or 7:00am. Waking up early allows our body to re-energize before activities begin and also gives you time to eat a healthy breakfast. If you are not able to fall asleep, try listening to relaxing music or a white-noise sound machine. Watching television right before bed or sleeping with the lights on can disrupt the release of melatonin and serotonin in your brain. Eating right before bed makes you more susceptible to weight gain and nightmares. If you are feeling hungry before bed, heat up a glass of milk or drink chamomile tea. It’s best to avoid sweets and grains as they will increase your blood sugar which can contribute to weight gain and restlessness.

Low Stress Living
Stress is influenced by the internal health of our body, as well as our external environment. As humans, we are highly susceptible to stress and it is important that we try to reduce it and manage it in the most productive way possible. In order to be productive, it helps to maintain a healthy level of relaxation. Stress does not only affect you as an individual, but also affects those around you including your children, spouse and co-workers. By finding your own peace of mind, you can create a more peaceful environment and perpetuate a low stress lifestyle.
As a breathing exercise, try inhaling for the same amount of time you exhale. This might be hard to do at first but will become easier with practice. This exercise should be done at least three times a week as a relaxation technique. Be mindful of where your breaths are coming from to ensure optimum oxygen flow. Breathing through your abdomen allows the oxygen in your body to circulate properly which in turn improves lung health. Practice the use of your abdomen as a breathing exercise. Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach area. Take a deep breath in and see whether your chest or stomach rises higher. If your chest rises higher, you are not breathing ideally. Practice this a few times a week until you develop the proper technique. Using this method along with the inhaling and exhaling exercises will decrease stress while improving lung function and health.
Sleeping Habits
Sleep is an essential part of a low stress life style. A routine that consists of a good eight hours of sleep, balanced diet, and daily exercise will make you less susceptible to stress and will allow you to deal with things more reasonably. A good night’s sleep is crucial for a productive, low stress day. In addition to the length of your sleep cycle, it helps to go to sleep around 10:00pm and wake up around 6:00 or 7:00am. Waking up early allows our body to re-energize before activities begin and also gives you time to eat a healthy breakfast. If you are not able to fall asleep, try listening to relaxing music or a white-noise sound machine. Watching television right before bed or sleeping with the lights on can disrupt the release of melatonin and serotonin in your brain. Eating right before bed makes you more susceptible to weight gain and nightmares. If you are feeling hungry before bed, heat up a glass of milk or drink chamomile tea. It’s best to avoid sweets and grains as they will increase your blood sugar which can contribute to weight gain and restlessness.

Low Stress Living
Stress is influenced by the internal health of our body, as well as our external environment. As humans, we are highly susceptible to stress and it is important that we try to reduce it and manage it in the most productive way possible. In order to be productive, it helps to maintain a healthy level of relaxation. Stress does not only affect you as an individual, but also affects those around you including your children, spouse and co-workers. By finding your own peace of mind, you can create a more peaceful environment and perpetuate a low stress lifestyle.
Sleeping Habits
Sleep is an essential part of a low stress life style. A routine that consists of a good eight hours of sleep, balanced diet, and daily exercise will make you less susceptible to stress and will allow you to deal with things more reasonably. A good night’s sleep is crucial for a productive, low stress day. In addition to the length of your sleep cycle, it helps to go to sleep around 10:00pm and wake up around 6:00 or 7:00am. Waking up early allows our body to re-energize before activities begin and also gives you time to eat a healthy breakfast. If you are not able to fall asleep, try listening to relaxing music or a white-noise sound machine. Watching television right before bed or sleeping with the lights on can disrupt the release of melatonin and serotonin in your brain. Eating right before bed makes you more susceptible to weight gain and nightmares. If you are feeling hungry before bed, heat up a glass of milk or drink chamomile tea. It’s best to avoid sweets and grains as they will increase your blood sugar which can contribute to weight gain and restlessness.
Low Stress Living
Stress is influenced by the internal health of our body, as well as our external environment. As humans, we are highly susceptible to stress and it is important that we try to reduce it and manage it in the most productive way possible. In order to be productive, it helps to maintain a healthy level of relaxation. Stress does not only affect you as an individual, but also affects those around you including your children, spouse and co-workers. By finding your own peace of mind, you can create a more peaceful environment and perpetuate a low stress lifestyle.
Low Stress Living Stress is influenced by the internal health of our body, as well as our external environment. As humans, we are highly susceptible to stress and it is important that we try to reduce it and manage it in the most productive way possible. In order to be productive, it helps to maintain a healthy level of relaxation. Stress does not only affect you as an individual, but also affects those around you including your children, spouse and co-workers. By finding your own peace of mind, you can create a more peaceful environment and perpetuate a low stress lifestyle.

Stress is influenced by the internal health of our body, as well as our external environment. As humans, we are highly susceptible to stress and it is important that we try to reduce it and manage it in the most productive way possible. In order to be productive, it helps to maintain a healthy level of relaxation. Stress does not only affect you as an individual, but also affects those around you including your children, spouse and co-workers. By finding your own peace of mind, you can create a more peaceful environment and perpetuate a low stress lifestyle.

Parkinson’s disease (PD)

What is Parkinson's disease?

Parkinson's disease (PD) belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders, which are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells.

The four main symptoms of PD are tremor, or wobbly in hands, arms, legs, jaw, and face; rigidity, or rigidity of the limbs and trunk; bradykinesia, or sluggishness of movement; and postural unsteadiness, or impaired balance and coordination.

As these symptoms become more marked, patients may have complexity walking, talking, or implementation other simple tasks. PD usually affects populace over the age of 50.

Early symptoms of PD are fine and occur steadily. In some populace the illness progress more quickly than in others.

Causes of Parkinson

We do not yet know what causes Parkinson’s disease (PD) to develop in most people.

Experts have identified aging as an important factor that contributes to Parkinson’s in some individuals. For example, people over age 60 have a two-to-four percent risk of developing Parkinson's disease, compared with the one-to-two percent risk in the general population.

While there are certain families who share a gene that leads to Parkinson’s, this is a small percentage of the population with PD. Most Parkinson’s disease cases are sporadic — meaning that genetics and family history have not played a clear role in the onset and development of the disease.

Symptoms of Parkinson

Bradykinesia is slowness in voluntary movement. It produces complexity initiating movement, as well as complexity completing movement once it is in progress.

The belated transmission of signals from the brain to the very thin muscles, due to diminished dopamine, produces bradykinesia. Bradykinesia and rigidity that affects the facial muscles can result in an expressionless, "mask-like" appearance.

Tremors in the hand fingers, forearm, or foot be inclined to occur at what time the member is at rest, but not when the patient is performing tasks. Tremor may occur in the mouth and chin as well.

Rigidity, or stiff muscles, may create muscle pain and facial masking. Rigidity tends to increase during movement.

Poor balance is due to the injury or loss of the reflex that adjust posture in order to maintain balance. Falls are common in people with Parkinson's disease.

Treatment of Parkinson

At present, there is no cure for PD, but a variety of medications provide dramatic relief from the symptoms. Usually, patients are known levodopa joint with carbidopa.

Carbidopa delays the change of levodopa into dopamine until it reaches the brain. Nerve cells can use levodopa to make dopamine and replenish the brain's dwindling supply.

Although levodopa help at least three-quarters of parkinsonian cases, not all symptom respond equally to the drug. Bradykinesia and inflexibility respond best, while shake may be only slightly reduced. Problems with equilibrium and other symptoms may not be alleviated at all.
 

Herbal Remedies for Parkinson
 

Many different herbal remedies are used to treat Parkinson's disease. Take 20 of Larkspur in 4 cups of sweltering water, but do not swallow more than 3 cups of Larkspur tea a day.
Lady's slipper is often used to treat tremors. It can also be obliging in clearing up depression. Take 3 to 9 g of the herb or 10 to 30 drops. For Lady's slipper to be more effective, take three to four times per day.
Ginkgo Biloba help with free radicals, which is good for reverse the signs of aging, cancer and all kind of illness and disease. It also help with circulation in the brain. Whatever manufactured goods is used to get Ginkgo Biloba be supposed to have at least 24 percent ginkgo heterosides. These are from time to time referred to as flavoglycosides. Take 40 mg three times a day. The amount can be regularly increased to 80 mg three times a day if the first dosage works well.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major health problem affecting millions of Americans. Despite its scope, not many people know that much about high blood pressure. What causes high blood pressure? What are hypertension symptoms? How is it diagnosed? Should I be concerned about it? The purpose of this article is to answer these questions so you can start on the road of the healthy heart. Ought some to people with high blood pressure to have symptoms, such as headaches or dizziness, blurred vision, palpitations shortness of breath, most people with high blood pressure have no signs or symptoms at all. That is why it is so important to have your blood pressure checked regularly by your healthcare provider. This is especially important if you are someone who is at higher risk for hypertension.

Signs and symptoms of high blood pressure or hypertension: - Hypertension leads to headache. Patient with increased blood pressure will feel headache, tiredness, fatigue, vertigo and palpitation of the heart. Patient may feel dizzy when lying down or getting up.

Prevention: - Patients with high blood pressure should do exercise and take adequate rest. A well balanced diet is another important factor to control the hypertension. Morning walk for half an hour is an excellent exercise for other ear infection. Avoid intake of excessive salt in the diet. Do not smoke or drink. Avoid excess tea or coffee during the day. The mind free from stress is difficult to find these days. But one should keep away the stress from your body to prevent the development of hypertension. Rest for one or two hours during the day helps you to get rid of worries and tensions of the day or family. Drink lots of water during the day.

What are the risk factors of high blood pressure?

The most common risk of stroke is high blood pressure and heart disease. High blood pressure can affect some parts of your body as well. You may suffer a stroke. This is because high blood pressure can break a weak blood vessel leaving the bleeding in the brain. Also if you have a clot blocking a narrow artery, you can also experience a stroke. There are some other risk factors that can be modified and some that can not be. Here are some risks: -
- Tobacco
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes
- Abnormal Cholesterol
- Being overweight

Lifestyle Changes can help: - If you do have high blood pressure, there are some things you can do, some lifestyle changes that can be great high blood pressure treatments. For instance, get some exercise whenever you can. That means walking more instead of driving, playing with your kids, walking your dog, whatever. Get at least twenty to thirty minutes of moderate exercise two to three times per week. This will make your heart stronger and may actually work to decrease your blood pressure.

How can I lower my blood pressure?

Fortunately, there are many different ways to help lower blood pressure. Exercise, Natural remedies for blood pressure. Exercise is a great way to download it. Doing physical activity will make your heart stronger over time. If you have a stronger heart that can pump blood easier to reduce your risk of stroke and kidney disease. Never too late to start exercising!

Traditional Dance - Ngajat Iban from Sarawak and ibanese costume

      

             This dance is my traditional dance. Be honestly,I proud to ibanese . The origin of this indigenous dance is not clearly known but it is believed to have been in existence along with the Iban tribe since the 16^th Century. The Ngajat dance is believed to have been performed by warriors on their return from battles. Nowadays,this dance is performed to celebrate the most important harvest festival for my cultural ,called ‘Gawai’, to welcome important guests to the longhouses and so on. Not only for celebrate Gawai,this dance will perform by Ibanese during wedding and other ceremonies.

             The male dancers wear large feathers as part of their headgear, hold an ornate and long shield in their hand with chains, beads and a loincloth called the ‘SIRAT’. The female dancers have an elaborate headdress, chains, beads and a ‘dress’ that reaches to below their knees with intricate weaving. Ngajat is not only the dance for the iban’s man,but also performed by the iban’s girls@ woman.

           The dance is arranged straight lines and in a circle and does involve dramatic leaps and jumps performed by the male dancers.

Gongs and other ethnic percussion instruments such as the ‘enkeromong’, ‘bendai’, ‘canang’ and ‘dumbak or ketebong’ provide the music. The musicians may be either male or female.

The costume that the iban dancers wear is not  only wearing for dancing , it also my traditional costume. In my culture,we have the competition (just like a games among ibanese) of the most beautiful iban girls and man by wearing this costume.

          They wear this costume during that competition. This competition will be held when the Gawai festival is around the conner. The winner for the girl called  KUMANG and for the guy called KELING. KUMANG means the beautiful,intelligent girls and knows NGAJAT DANCE very well. The Kumang should have this package  to be crowned as the beauty queen and It goes the same to KELING. (Handsome,brave,intelligent and know ngajat dance well)