VITAGEN Empowers Akademi Fantasia 2016 Contestants’ Transformation from Within

VITAGEN, Malaysia’s first and No. 1 cultured milk drink is a key sponsor of Akademi Fantasia (AF) 2016 as it sets out to transform contestants from within to boost their health, and help them manage the considerable stress they will face in their quest for stardom.

The AF reality singing competition is well-loved and highly rated, like VITAGEN. Contestants, who are termed as students at the Academy, are coached and groomed to make it in the entertainment industry. Among the successful graduates of AF who have gone on to carve significant careers in the Malaysian entertainment arena are Vince Chong, Mawi, Stacy, Akim, Marsha Londoh, Shahir and many more. 

The live telecast of AF2016’s weekly concerts will air exclusively on Astro Ria (104) and simulcast on Astro Ria HD (123) every Sunday at 9.00pm from Majlis Bandaraya Shah Alam (MBSA) Auditorium from August 21^st, 2016. The daily students’ diary, Diari AF2016 will also be shown on both channels at 6.30pm from Monday to Friday.

VITAGEN will be directly involved in promoting better gut health through fitness and better nutrition, through a healthy living and fitness segment every Tuesday with Coach Cem, a well-known fitness consultant.

Similar to AF’s dominance in promoting new singing talent, VITAGEN has led the way in championing good gut health among Malaysians through education and awareness activities, over the past 40 years.  From school programs, the annual Healthy Digestion Walk and more, VITAGEN has become part of daily Malaysian health and wellness.

VITAGEN’s long-term championing of gut health through its Good Gut Health Awareness campaign is based on research on the role of good bacteria in health, and the beneficial effects of cultured milk with live good bacteria on rebalancing gut flora. 

Good health begins from the gut. When we are healthy inside, it shows on the outside. 

Good gut flora promotes normal gastrointestinal function, provides protection from infection, regulates metabolism and comprises more than 70% of our immune system.

The human gut or digestive system is home to approximately 100,000,000,000,000 (100 trillion) microorganisms, and contains 10 times more bacteria than all the human cells in the entire body, with over 400 known diverse bacterial species.

Many diseases and even stress, seemingly unrelated to our digestive system are actually caused by gut problems. Understanding how the gut works and how to look after it is essential to our health.  

VITAGEN contains billions of good bacteria that aid the absorption of nutrients from food and stimulates a stronger immune system. It also assists in suppressing the growth of harmful bacteria, reducing the risk of intestinal disturbances for optimal digestive health.

For the contestants of AF2016, their journey to fame will be a reflection of the Malaysian dream, with these young women and men being filmed and followed around the clock during the two-month duration of the show. The stress and tribulations that they go through will reflect what every Malaysian experiences.

According to VITAGEN’s Deputy General Manager, Mr. Michael Ong the brand is delighted to be working with Akademi Fantasia, due to the many similarities between the two, and the opportunity to reach more people with positive and motivating messages on good gut health, through consuming VITAGEN, better nutrition and fitness.

“The Akademi Fantasia 2016 sponsorship is another extension of our Good Gut Health Awareness campaign. To fortify our brand value of being the good gut expert, VITAGEN is assisting the transformation from within of these contestants for better overall wellness throughout the competition, helping them realise their dreams to be the next superstar.” 

VITAGEN’s Good Gut Health Awareness campaign promotes a healthy gut through a five-step approach of consuming live active cultured milk drinks, walking at least 30 minutes daily, consuming 3 to 5 servings of fibre from fruits and veggies, adequate sleep of at least seven to eight hours a day and stress busting strategies.

 “We realised that the contestants in AF2016 go through tremendous stress, lack of sleep, demotivation and even unhealthy dietary habits that could jeopardise their gut health. This is why we have stepped in to provide them with professional coaching on good gut health, fitness and nutrition through Coach Cem. By watching how these talented individuals navigate the high-stress conditions, while practising good gut health habits can motivate more viewers to make an important change to their lifestyles. Good health does indeed start with a healthy gut,” said Mr. Ong.

“Our tasty cultured milk drink with live good bacteria will be freely available to them, round the clock, to help them in managing their stress levels through better gut health by rebalancing their good gut bacteria.”

In conjunction with AF2016, VITAGEN will be conducting on-ground promotions at selected retail outlets nationwide including a money-can’t-buy experience – walking the red carpet at the AF2016 finale for two lucky winners and their partners. The winner of this social media contest can have the chance to meet and greet with the AF2016’s champion.

For more details head over to www.vitagen.com.my or be a fan of VITAGEN Malaysia on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/VITAGENMalaysia to follow the gut-sy health and fitness of your favorite AF2016’s contestants.

Pathetic Single

Life of a pathetic single: Wakes up, coffee, gym, eats a lot, feels guilty, gym again.

So the line above was posted by my acquaintance in his Facebook.

I've been single for almost a year and many other years in between, what is the other word that worse than pathetic? Miserable.

I feel pathetic that he chose the word "pathetic" to denote single life. 

Maybe he is a miserable. But if you ask me what is that one word could represent singlehood, I would say "solitude". 

This solitude of mine has been giving me so much freedom. This freedom has always been empowering to be stronger even there's no one next to me. This freedom has been giving the trill of my lifetime since I could do whatever I want. There's no other enjoyment in life by doing things you like without anyone's permission.

I know the moment of eating alone could be pathetic but you have all the time in the world to enjoy your food. And best of all, you don't have to accommodate other people's preference on food. 

I really don't understand this acquittance of mine and other gay guys in general-why they felt guilty after eating? Oh yeah, there is no market value for fat people on this gay community.

Let's see this in much broader view. Being fat is not wrong. What goes wrong here is the society. The society is just plain sick to put negative connotation at fat people.

If you are reserving in what you're eating for the fear of being fat then you are giving in for that sickening society. Don't let the society dictates what you eat, let your craving dictates what you eat instead.

But every now and then, I do miss those good morning and good night messages. Oh well, I already have those daily messages from my friends.

Flash Plus 2 Introduces ‘Kid Mode’ To Make Every Pix of Your Little One, Perfect

Social media is awash in postings of smiling children, and funny cats but anyone who has ever tried to capture the attention of kids and pets will confirm that it is never easy.

What parents and proud pet owners are left with are loads of blurry pix with the kids and pets, looking everywhere except at the camera!

Flash understands this problem, and has a simple solution to it. 

Flash Plus 2, the latest member of the Flash family is an all-new premium internet smartphone with superb photography genes that includes Kid Mode. Kid Mode opens up a series of adorable sounds that will capture an infant’s, toddler’s or pet’s attention long enough for the user to get in the sweetly focused shots of wonderment, joy and happiness.

The attention getting sounds include a moo-ing cow, a meowing kitten, a neighing horse, a choo-choo train, a celestial harp and yes, even the pinging of lasers! Flash covered the many sound preferences that stir kids’ and pets’ curiosity!

For parents, and pet owners, this premium smart phone with an amazing camera equipped with Kid Mode is surprisingly affordable. The 2GB RAM model retails for RM599 while the 3GB RAM model is available at RM729 at Lazada, Southeast Asia’s number one online shopping site. Both models are available in Venus Gold and Luna Silver.

Flash Plus 2 features a metal body framework; lightning-speed fingerprint scanner, fast-charging and HiFi while being configured with a powerful Helio P10 processor, a large 5.5” screen and stock Android M operating system.

For more information, please visit http://www.flash3c.com/my/flash-plus-2/ or buy it now athttp://www.lazada.com.my/flash-plus-2-16gb-luna-silver-10361132.html for the 2GB RAM version AND http://www.lazada.com.my/flash-plus-2-32gb-venus-gold-10361135.html for the 3GB RAM version.

Stop Asking Me To Find A Boyfriend

By Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Thought Catalog

Stop telling me which online apps are the best ones to find the right kind of guy. Stop telling me to go out on the weekends in order to find my soulmate. Stop telling me I’m too pretty to be single.  Stop asking me if I’m lonely on the nights I spend alone. Stop worrying about my well-being, please.

Did it ever occur to anybody, that sometimes, people want to be single?

And that sometimes, people enjoy the single life and they don’t want to go on a man hunt every weekend?

Did it ever occur to anybody, that most single people actually love their lives? That they are in fact, the happiest they have ever been? Did it ever occur to anybody, that single people don’t need someone else to make them happy?

I stay home on weekdays, not because I live a sad and depressing life but, because I genuinely enjoy spending time alone. And I thrive off of my own energy. I don’t like to get hammered in bars anymore like I did in college. And it’s not because I don’t like to have fun, my idea of fun has just changed. And somedays, I get dressed up and spend hours on my makeup. Is that to get attention from men? No, it’s to feel confident in myself. 

For anyone that is telling their single friends that they need to start dating, please stop. We don’t need your opinion. We don’t need your free therapy. We don’t need therapy at all actually. We just need to live our beautiful single lives, without people badgering us.

Stop telling us to settle down. Stop looking at us with worried expressions written on your faces. Stop shaking our head at us when we decide to stay in on a Saturday night. We aren’t opposed to having a partner. We aren’t opposed to getting boyfriends or girlfriends. We just want to do it without help.

And we want to do it in our own time, and in our own pace.

We don’t need dating apps or blind dates. We just want to live our lives freely, until someone walks through the door and makes us stop dead in our tracks. We don’t want advice on how to talk to boys in bars. We know how to flirt. We just don’t want to. We don’t want to try so hard. And we don’t need to.

So, to everyone who keeps telling me to get a boyfriend: I know you are just being caring and want what is best for me, but kindly f*** off. I’ll find the right person for me, when it is the right time.

Us single folk, don’t need anyone’s help. And we most certainly do not want to be anyone’s charity case. We can happily take care of ourselves, thank you very much. 

Hot Boys & Hunks Galore - Rio 2016 Summer Olympic

Though I don't like one single or any kind of sports but I love Olympic.

I love its opening ceremony. Four years of waiting and anticipation and that very moment the opening ceremony starts, there will be so much of pomp and grandeur. The best Olympic opening ceremony by far is Beijing 2008 - it was so good that left me awestruck. 

What about Rio this year?

I have no idea what was going on since I didn't catch it. I heard it was pretty boring and pretty much disappointed. When it comes to Brazil, of course Carnival pops up in everyone's mind but it didn't happened last Friday. 

The other reason I love Olympic and the same reason why other gay men love Olympic is the galore of hot and sexy men in the games. And we can see all the men from 207 countries which participated in Rio 2016! 

It's like raining men!!! Can you hear the raindrops?! Dick Dick Dick Dick Dick

Hold your horses, my fellow gay men. 

What is that? You're calling me a slut? Come on, it only comes every four years. I bet you are naked when you're showering, you slut!

Alright, let me share some of the hottest atlethes in Rio that caught my attention, our attention.

Photo: Celebuzz

Tom Daley from Great Britain - we should start the list with our beloved Tom Daley. He is such a darling in our community. And we are so proud of him for coming out. And look at his smile - okay, 3, 2,1...awwwwww

Photo: The Sun

Daniel Goodfellow from Great Britain - Tom's diving partner who won bronze medal in Rio. Not bad right? Definitely, we can be good fellow with Daniel. 

Photo:Hdnux

Taufatofua from Tonga and I have no idea where Tonga is. He had so much oil that United States are planning to invade his body.

Photo: timeinc.net

Arthur Nory Mariano from Brazil -                                                                                                              sorry I don't have any words to describe how good looking he is.

Hiroki Ogita from Japan - just disregard his face in this case but we feel the pain for his penis. Ouch! That's what you get when you don't play with your own pole. Let's give him first aid.

Photo: eugephemisms

Marcel Nguyen from Brazil - though people were fascinated with Arthur, but don't forget another cutie pie from gymnastic, Marcel Nguyen. Debut in London 2012, this German-Vietnamese parentage lad is so my type, seriously. You know i have a preference towards Pan-Asian.

Paul Ruggeri from US - no wonder gymnastic is one of the favourite games for the gays. So many hotties. Okay, we've been to Brazil, Germany and now, United States. Forget Trump or Hillary, vote for Ruggeri!

Photo: Morningledger

Ning Zetao from China - Don't look down to China okay? They have their ace of spade to showcase in terms of hot male athletes. Get your tissue, wipe off your cum drool.

Photo: Tuttosport

Alex Ranghieri from Italy - Just look at the Mediterranean look, uomo sexy!

That's all folks. Let's have another round of galore of hunks from the Olympic in Tokyo 2020. 

Before I end my note, let's pray and convey our best wishes to our Malaysia team in Olympic, the gold medal will be ours!

Click here to check out the boys in Olympic London 2012

Choice or Acceptance?

The person was my acquittance and he was married. I was like okay. I know it is pretty common for a gay man to get married with a woman but still stray off from the marriage and practises his gay life secretly. But when it comes to someone you know that practises this malpractice, somehow you will feel sad.

So I was playing the gay social app. Suddenly I saw a familiar face.


Don't you feel sad for his wife whom I believe she has no idea that her husband has another life outside. Worse still, what if they have children?

The man can claim that he is a bisexual. But much too often, the man has misuse the term "bisexual". Gay men could be hypocrite sometimes. They just want people to perceive them to be slightly normal than the pure gay men since they have sexual orientation towards women in which it is a human nature. Come on, if you are gay just admit it. Being bisexual is far more abnormal for me since they could insert whichever hole they could find. YEW!

Let me ask you this, when you realize yourself that you are gay, will you still be lying yourself that you are not gay and I will choose to be straight?

For me, being gay is not a choice, it's a gift, a nature. Here and then I asked my gay friends why they became gay - almost all of them said "I was with this special sexual orientation". They just accept it and being who they really are and they are leading a happy life (gay=happy after all).

What about those people who were born to be gay but force to be straight and get married. It is totally unfair for the wife. Seriously, the wife commits her entire lifestyle for this marriage and family but the man could be so cruel to lie to her? This is hurtful. I also doubt they would have any spectacular sexual life. You see, for gay men, boobs and pussy are two gruesome things ever exist on earth.

I really hate those gay folks who became straight and join the chorus with other homophobics to dscredit homosexual is not right and it is normal in the name of religion and it is against social norm. Who are they to be our moral police? What are social norms anyway? Prostitution, corruption, killings, extra marital affairs - aren't these happening like every day? Aren't these social norm too?

It's getting late now. I bid you good night.

Disappointments That You Should Be Grateful For

By Jamie Varon, Thought Catalogue 

1. That unrequited love

Oftentimes, in our fog of perceived rejection, we don’t see straight. We convince ourselves that the person who doesn’t want us is, undoubtedly, the person we want more than anyone else. What we don’t see clearly are the ways in which this person wouldn’t have added much to our lives. Relationships are meant to lift us and, if we were faced with intense resistance from another person, we can be sure that the partnership would have caused more strife than good.

Instead of harboring feelings of pain and fixating on the rejection of whoever didn’t reciprocate your feelings, instead choose to be grateful that a force stronger than you veered you off a path not in your best interest. Eventually, we will meet someone that we would never have met had our heart been in the possession of that unrequited love. And, in that moment, we will be grateful that our heart is whole and unfettered by the scarring that other relationship would have caused. We don’t always get exactly what we want, but many times, what we want is not in our best interests as human beings who desire peace and growth and pure love.

2. Not getting that job we thought would change our lives

After many interviews and many daydreams about what our life would look like in a certain position at a certain company, we hear the blowing news that we haven’t received the job. At the time, we can’t understand why this wouldn’t work out, despite harnessing all the powers of the Law of Attraction to visualize our life within this job we have perceived as perfect for what we desire. We don’t know yet that there’s something on the other side of that disappointment. Maybe it’s a job that’s challenging and rewarding in ways we could never have imagined or ever could have conjured into a daydream.

No matter what, our perceived disappointments are always openings and the more we lean into those openings, instead of resisting them, the more we allow the chance to be surprised. We may think a line of work or a career choice or a certain job will meet the expectations we have in our head about what is best for us, but we never can predict what’s happening behind the scenes, what’s available if we gracefully accept that when something doesn’t work out in the way we want it to, that it’s truly just creating more space for something better.

3. That horrible heartbreak

We’ve deemed breakups as among the most emotionally painful experiences, but what if we could find light in our heartbreak? I’m not saying you can find it immediately, because I’m a big advocate of feeling your feelings and not stuffing them down, especially in favor of some bullshit gratefulness you assume you should be feeling. All I’m saying is that eventually, there comes a time where we have to be grateful that a relationship ended to allow for something better. When a person is ripped from our lives, it’s the clearest indication that the relationship would not have served either parties very well. And we don’t know what’s on the other side of that heartbreak.

Sure, maybe there’s a better person for us, just around the corner, who fills in all the blanks the other person left over. But, maybe it means opening up our lives to new friendships that would have passed us by had we continued to be consumed by a relationship doomed to fail. Maybe it means a new passion that gets born out of pain and loss, something we could have never seen coming if our eyes were blinded by that love. Maybe it leads us to a deeper understanding of ourselves, a deeper sense of compassion and love for others around us, a more enlightened line of thinking about romantic relationships.

Our lives do not exist in compartments. Everything that happens is connected. The end of a job could signal the beginning of a relationship. The end of a painful friendship could give way to an incredible career opportunity.

We don’t get to know. Our only job, essentially, is to allow and lean in and know that through pain and rejection and sadness and heartbreak and loss, there is a world that exists in relativity, where we can only know true happiness and love by knowing a lack of it. In this way of life, there is no room for disappointment. There is only room for growth and for the constant expansion of ourselves, to allow more of life and light and love in