Monthly Archives: August 2017

August 30th, 2017
post by admin | | 0

Runner’s Stomach

I recently discovered that Cass my youngest daughter would develop runner’s stomach about 15-20 minutes into running. The latest incident happened just a few days ago. We were in the middle of a great run on the road when all of a sudden, she told me that she preferred to walk instead. I knew something must be amiss. I asked her if her abdomen hurt and she nodded. This happens almost every time she runs.  During my school years, I was prone to suffering from runner’s stomach too. The only way to get rid of the pain is to stop running, squat or sit down and take a short rest to calm the stomach.

There are a couple of reasons runners may be so susceptible to digestive distress, with dehydration and a lack of blood flow to the gut due to exercise being the main culprits.

Runner’s stomach occurs when our digestive system experience a large amount of agitation from the act of running or high-endurance exercise. There are certain diet tips you can follow to avoid having an accident mid-run.

How to prevent runner’s stomach:

1) Do not run on a full stomach
Avoid eating large meals within two to three hours of a long run or race. And avoid eating within 30 minutes of starting a run.

2) Decrease Pace and Breath Deeply
Decrease your pace for a few minutes and continue deep breathing techniques during running. A common running sequence is a three step inhale and two step exhale pattern. Slowing down your pace will allow for you to keep up with that pattern. As you increase to near maximum speed, your breathing will become more labored. However, you can push through the pain and keep your pace if you concentrate on breathing deep by pushing your stomach out when you inhale and relaxing it as you exhale.

3) Pre-Stretch With Side Torso Twists
Pre-stretch before running by doing side torso twists. One of the best ways to pre-stretch the area is to lift your arms over your head and lean to the left and right at the waist.

4) Avoid heavy, high-fat meals the day of a long run or race, and possibly the night before.
Choose light, lower-fiber foods such as bananas, plain oatmeal, or whole-wheat toast.

5) Consider avoiding caffeine the morning of a run or race, as it is a digestive stimulant/irritant.

6) Avoid highly concentrated, sweet drinks such as fruit juice prior to and during a run. A carbohydrate content of more than 10 percent can irritate the stomach. Sport-specific drinks are formulated to be in the optimal range of 5 to 8 percent carbohydrate, and are usually safe for consumption leading up to and during a long run.

Share Button
Health and Fitness
August 24th, 2017
post by admin | | 0

Winged Beans (Four-Angled Beans) Health Benefits

Winged beans or most commonly called four-angled beans in Malaysia are one of the favorite beans in our household. We like sauteing the beans with sambal or with garlic and minced meat.  Four-angled beans grow well in hot conditions.  We used to have these tubers growing  in our garden when I was little, planted by my late maternal grandmother.

The unusual name of this plant is endowed due to the physical appearance of the beans which seem to have wing like features. The plant has several common names like Asparagus Pea / Beans, Goa bean and Four-angled bean.

It is primarily grown in countries such as Malaysia, India, Thailand, New Guinea, Burma etc.

Green-Winged-bean-10-seeds-Giant-Goa-bean-Princess-bean-vegetable

Health benefits of winged / four-angled beans

Niacin content

The great content of niacin present in the constitution of Winged beans helps in reducing the formation of blood clots by reducing platelet aggregation. This means it will reduce the risks of cardiovascular disorders arising out of the condition by keeping the levels of lipoprotein, apolipoprotein under control.

Great content of Riboflavin

This special vitamin is rather well known as the energy vitamin. It helps in increasing the metabolism rate and helps in the free flowing movement of blood across the system.

Defeating Diabetes

The fiber content in Winged beans helps tackle type 2 diabetes to a large extent on account of the capability to generate and maintain levels of insulin and glucose. This in turn means that the rise of insulin stabilizes and reduces the risks of diabetes. It even improves the metabolism rate, thereby reducing the levels of glucose in the body. This is a great contributing factor towards reducing the risks of ever lurking diabetes.

Bone development and growth

The great content of lysine most required for bone development and growth mostly for children is available in abundance in winged beans. Furthermore, it aids in the production of enzymes, which is of great help to recovery from surgeries and sport related injuries.

Digestion

This antioxidant helps the digestion process, build the strength in the muscles and aids against the fat deposition and building up of fat in the liver and arteries.

Elevate mood and reduce pain

Phenylalanine content helps us to stay vigilant and alert. It helps to elevate mood and reduce pain.

Generate Blood

The abundance of iron content in winged beans is a leading factor to generate blood in the body. Since iron forms the most important part in building up the levels of hemoglobin in the body, a regular intake of winged beans would mean you never have a reduced supply of fresh red blood cells to keep you fit and healthy. Furthermore, a good intake of iron also means, your hair stays shiny and your nails look healthy.

Winged beans can be eaten raw too.  I like to drizzle a little roast sesame seed dressing on my raw winged beans.

The best feature of winged beans is that all parts of the plant can be consumed.  The leaves can be consumed as spinach, the flowers can be used in salads, and the seeds can be consumed like beans or peanuts and the tubers can be consumed either raw or even cooked.    The high nutrient content that this plant provides along with the benefit that all parts of this plant can be consumed makes it very consumption-friendly. There are loads of health benefits of winged beans.

Share Button
Nutritional Information On Vegetables
August 19th, 2017
post by admin | | 12

Hot Chocolate Health Benefits

Dark chocolate has always been one of my comfort foods. I especially like dark chocolate with almonds. My favorite is Whittaker’s Dark Almond, best in the world.

I love everything chocolaty – brownies (swoon!), chocolate cakes, chocolate ice-cream, chocolate milk and hot chocolate.  I like my hot chocolate thick and without any sugar – just pure organic cocoa powder with fresh low fat milk and sometimes with a few spoonfuls of organic oats to fill me up.

Did you know that hot chocolate is not only a comforting and delicious beverage but it’s been used for years to treat ailments and maladies? When chocolate made its way to France in the 17th century, it was used “to fight against fits of anger and bad moods.” And that wasn’t just the French being French; it was truly insightful, given that modern research has discovered that chocolate reduces levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling highly freaked out.

Do you like to drink hot chocolate?

Health benefits of hot chocolate:

1. According to a study conducted at Cornell University, the antioxidant concentration in hot cocoa is almost twice as strong as red wine. Cocoa’s concentration was two to three times stronger than that of green tea and four to five times stronger than that of black tea.

2. Professor Chang Yong Lee, the leader of the Cornell study, added that the “hot” in “hot chocolate” is important as well. More antioxidants are released when it’s heated up.

3. A cup of hot cocoa contains 611 milligrams of the phenolic compound gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of the flavonoid epicatechin equivalents (ECE). The antioxidant gallic acid is used to treat internal hemorrhages, albuminuria (the presence of albumin in the urine, which can indicate kidney disease) and diabetes.

4. Although a regular bar of chocolate has strong antioxidant activity, the health benefits may be outweighed because of the saturated fats present — cocoa generally has much less fat per serving compared to the 8 grams of fat in a standard chocolate bar.

5. The flavonoids help your body process nitric oxide, which is why hot cocoa can improve blood flow, help lower your blood pressure and improve heart health.

6. The flavonoids in hot chocolate also help prevent platelets in your blood from mingling together and forming clots.

7. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, drinking hot chocolate can help you think better too. The flavonoids increase the blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Since dementia is caused by a reduced flow of blood to the brain, researchers think it could be treated with cocoa.

In general, the less processed the cocoa is, the more nutrients it contains. Cocoa in its raw form has four times the antioxidants as processed cocoa. It is available at health foods stores and will taste bitter, but you can add sugar or honey to sweeten it. The general rules when looking for cocoa powder are:

  • The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants it contains.
  • The higher cocoa content, the more antioxidants it contains.
  • The less sugar, the better it is for your overall health.

Caveat

Before you think you can just scarf down as much chocolate as possible to reap its health benefits, remember to be mindful. A chocolate bar may have some of the health benefits, but they’re generally thought to be negated by all the saturated fat and sugar in each serving. Your best bet really is to stick with a hot mug of unsweetened or lightly sweetened hot dark cocoa. But you can’t just go to your nearest Starbucks and expect to get these heart-smart rewards!   What’s the key? You need to make your next mug of hot chocolate with 100-percent unsweetened and non-alkalized cocoa powder and fat-free milk. Best to use organic cocoa powder. Avoid all prepackaged powders you find in the grocery store and anything you’d get from your morning coffee hangout.

 

Share Button
Nutritional Information On Food
August 15th, 2017
post by admin | | 0

Health Benefits of Brazil Nuts

Of all the nuts, I love Brazil nuts the most. I eat about 3 to 4 pieces of Brazil nuts every morning. I am nuts over these nuts!

Brazil nuts contain a significant amount of selenium, a trace element your body needs to function properly. Selenium acts as an antioxidant, which means it protects your cells from damage caused by exposure to toxins and other harmful substances. In 2008, researchers from New Zealand tried to determine if eating Brazil nuts would increase plasma selenium levels. Some study participants ate two Brazil nuts per day for twelve weeks. The researchers asked other participants to take a 100-microgram selenium supplement or a placebo daily. Plasma selenium concentration increased by 64.2 percent in the people who ate Brazil nuts and 61 percent in the people who took a selenium supplement. The Brazil nuts also helped enhance the activity of substances that act as antioxidants in the human body. The antioxidant effects of Brazil nuts are what make them a superfood.

105

Additional Nutritional Benefits
A 1-ounce serving of Brazil nuts contain 27 percent the RDA for magnesium which helps with the functioning of muscles, the production of protein and absorption of energy from food. They also offer 25 percent of the RDA for copper which can help the body use iron, maintain bone and connective tissue health, promote thyroid function, support the production of melanin and protect and repair tissues. With 20 percent of the RDA for phosphorous, Brazil nuts also support bone and teeth health. Brazil nuts also provide manganese, zinc, vitamin E, potassium and riboflavin.

Considerations
The high fat content of Brazil nuts means they go rancid easily. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer to maintain their freshness. Regularly eating multiple servings of Brazil nuts may cause negative health effects. The CIDPUSA Foundation notes that more than 10 times the RDA of selenium can cause brittle hair and fingernails, stimulate skin rashes, affect the nervous system, make you feel fatigued and disrupt digestion causing diarrhea. Remember, moderation is the key.

Organic Brazil Nuts (Raw, No Shell)

Share Button
Nutritional Information Of Nuts
August 12th, 2017
post by admin | | 0

Do Green Tea And Decaf Coffee Have Caffeine?

When I consulted an acupunturist and herbalist in the hope of reducing the size of a fibroid in my uterus months ago, she asked me to list down the foods and supplements that I consumed. When she heard that I drink green tea on a daily basis, she advised me to stop drinking green tea and all types of tea for that matter. In TCM, tea is considered a ‘cooling’ food, which could worsen fibroids. Cooling drinks and foods also cause havoc to the female reproductive system. In the Western medical term, green tea contains caffeine; caffeine affects estrogen and increased estrogen level in the body can cause fibroids to increase in size.

Caffeine In Green Tea
Although it’s a common myth that green tea is naturally caffeine free, green tea does contain caffeine.

A cup of pure green tea usually contains around 25 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving.
This is considered to be a low amount of caffeine. It’s roughly 1/4 the amount of caffeine you’d find in a typical cup of coffee and roughly 1/2 the amount of caffeine you’d find in a typical cup of black tea.

green tea

Green tea comes from the very same plant used to make black tea, known as Camellia Sinensis. There’s a slight difference between the two though –  the fermentation or oxidation process varies depending on whether black tea or green tea is being made. It’s much gentler when making green tea, and there is also an amino acid present in green tea that offsets the ‘hyper’ effect of caffeine.

Whilst green tea gives you a small caffeine boost, it creates a gentler and steady source of stimulation which apparently can aid concentration. This combination can also create a calming effect on your brain – ideal for when you want to relax and unwind. Although there is caffeine in green tea, it contains less caffeine than black tea, and in turn black tea has a lot less caffeine than coffee.

Caffeine In Decaf Coffee
You may have heard there’s actually some caffeine in decaf coffee, and there is some truth to it. The decaffeination process usually removes 94 to 98 percent of caffeine from a coffee bean.  FDA regulations specify that for coffee to bear a decaffeinated label, 97 percent of the original caffeine must be removed from the beans. So, yes, there’s caffeine in decaf coffee.

Sticking to decaf isn’t going to eliminate caffeine from your coffee. That’s according to a new study that shows even decaffeinated coffee comes with at least a small dose of caffeine. If someone drinks five to 10 cups of decaffeinated coffee, the dose of caffeine could easily reach the level present in a cup or two of caffeinated coffee.

pp-hot-coffee-rf-istock.jpg

Researchers say even though the caffeine content of decaffeinated coffees is low, people could develop a dependence on them.

 

Share Button
Interesting Information
August 12th, 2017
post by admin | | 0

Feel Well And Wonderful With These Health Techniques

Although our modern world has led to numerous technological advancements and medical breakthroughs, millions of people across the globe still struggle with poor or mediocre health. If this is an issue for you and you’re ready to resolve the problem, this is the quick reference guide for you. Review the following information to get on track to feeling well and wonderful:

1. Cultivate A Meal Plan That Works For You.

Discourse regarding dieting for health is ongoing, and there is still no general consensus about which eating plan is the best. One point to remember is that finding a meal plan that you’ll actually stick to is immensely important. With the traditional process of dieting, people typically conform to a highly restrictive pattern of eating for a few weeks or months. After they attain some results, they typically go off the diet and gain the weight back. Another issue with traditional diets is that many of them are nutritionally lacking, meaning that they can endanger your health in addition to adversely impacting your metabolism. With all of this in mind, focus on finding several nutritious, delicious foods that you know you’ll get excited about eating! This could be anything from a huge salad comprised of your favorite fruits and veggies to a delicious banana smoothie. Veggie platters and celery sticks topped with peanut butter and raisins are two other options you should consider. Note that there are now thousands of healthy recipes that you can access for free via internet!

photo of fruits and vegetables

2. Don’t Make Excuses Not To Exercise

Outside of food, your level of physical activity plays the most significant role in determining whether you’ll attain and maintain a substantive level of well-being. This is the case because regular exercise is linked to multiple positive outcomes. Some of them include:

• increased respiratory capacity
• enhanced weight management/weight loss
• lowered resting heart rate
• enhanced metabolism
• increased cardiac output
• increased pulmonary ventilation
• decreased blood pressure
• improved body composition

getting-back-into-exercise.jpg

 

3. Address And Resolve Medical Issues With A Trained Professional

One final technique that can push you into a new dimension of wellness is addressing and resolving your health challenges with a medical expert. Note that many people fail to obtain a diagnosis despite knowing that something is significantly wrong with their body. Don’t let fear of a serious diagnosis prevent you from attaining the restorative care necessary to put you back on track to health. If you’re looking for an erectile dysfunction Florida professional, note that the professionals of Pinnacle Men’s Health can help you.

Start Feeling Well Now!

Three strategies that you can implement to start feeling incredible include cultivating a meal plan that works, exercising regularly rather than sporadically, and resolving medical challenges with a trained professional. Start using these techniques immediately so you can start seeing incredible results within your mind and body as soon as possible!

Share Button
Health Issues, MFLV
August 11th, 2017
post by admin | | 0

Does Caffeine Cause Uterine Fibroids And Breast Cysts?

I have switched from drinking coffee to organic cocoa and decaf coffee to reduce my risk of getting benign breast cysts and fibroids as caffeine from coffee is known to cause benign cysts. Coffee has been targeted as a potential cause of benign breast cysts specifically because of its caffeine content. However, the caffeine theory has not been proven scientifically. Still, some women have found that reducing their caffeine intake has coincided with reductions in the size and number of cysts.

For me, it is a case of ‘not taking any more chances’. I had undergone a laproscopic myomectomy surgery to remove an 8cm fibroid from my uterus 2 months ago and certainly do not wish for a regrowth of fibroid in my uterus.

Caffeine and Estrogen
Since estrogen can cause fibroids to grow, anything that raises estrogen levels in the body might make fibroids worse. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, conducted from 2005 to 2007, Asian women who consumed the equivalent of more than 200 milligrams of coffee each day had higher estrogen levels than those who didn’t. The reverse was true, however, for Caucasian women — higher caffeine intake was associated with lower estrogen levels. The source of the caffeine also affected estrogen levels. Consumption of more than one cup each day of caffeinated soda or green tea was associated with a higher estrogen level in both Asian and Caucasian women. The study results indicate that caffeine consumption in certain cases is linked to increased estrogen, which makes fibroids worse.

Caffeine puts stress on the liver, making it work less effectively at metabolizing estrogen in the body. With fibroids, you want to support the health of the liver by getting rid of caffeine and alcohol so it may optimally metabolize circulating estrogen.

Large cup of coffee with coffee beans

Although there is lack of strong evidence behind the relationship between diet and fibroids, however,  the absence of research doesn’t mean that diet modifications aren’t worth adopting to help women manage this condition.  Most of the time, dietary recommendations will improve a woman’s health overall, with the side benefit of possibly helping to better manage fibroids.

The Caffeine Factor On Breast Lumps

There is no direct correlation between non-cancerous breast lumps; however, caffeine does play a significant role. Consuming large amounts of coffee causes an imbalance to the hormone levels, which can result in some pain and some cysts to develop in the breast. Ease up on the consumption of caffeine. Caffeine causes your hormones to go out of whack, which can lead to a host of other secondary problems, such as breast lumps. Cut down on the following beverages and foods to get your hormones back in balance: coffee, tea, sodas, and chocolate. Cutting these caffeine sources out of your diet should reduce lumps and tenderness within a couple months.

According to Mayo Clinic, caffeine doesn’t appear to cause breast cysts (fibrocystic breast changes), a noncancerous (benign) breast disease. There’s also no evidence to suggest a link between caffeine and breast cancer.

Anecdotally, some women report that breast pain symptoms improve when they go off caffeine or reduce the amount of caffeine in their diets. Although no research has documented this effect, it’s OK to go caffeine-free to see if it relieves discomfort from breast cysts.

 

 

Share Button
Health Issues, Uterine Fibroids
August 11th, 2017
post by admin | | 0

An Overview Of Mouth Reconstruction

Your mouth comprises of soft and hard tissues. The lips, inner cheeks, tongue and gums make up soft tissues. Your jawbone and teeth are hard tissues. Additionally, connective tissues hold these structures together, along with blood vessels and nerve.

Healthy functioning depends on all structures working together properly. When things become imbalanced, your oral health is compromised and you may need mouth reconstruction to get things back to normal.

This type of dentistry is designed to correct issues such as:

  • Damaged teeth
  • Faulty bites
  • Missing teeth
  • Gum damage
  • Diseases in the mouth

Types of Full Reconstruction Procedures

Each reconstruction procedure can either be performed independently or jointly when multiple problems exist. If your oral health issues require it, your dentist may recommend one or a combination of the following:

  • Restorative treatments such as filings, crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays
  • Implant dentistry to replicate and replace missing or damaged teeth
  • Cosmetic dentistry procedures, which include teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, gum re-contouring and dental bonding
  • Neuromuscular treatment to correct problems caused by issues with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the bite
  • Bruxism is a therapy treatment to resolve teeth grinding and symptoms associated with this condition
  • Orthodontics procedures may include traditional metal braces, retainers, expanders, spacers or other procedures available to improve alignment
  • Oral surgery to perform a root canal, tooth extractions and grafting of soft and hard tissue
  • Periodontal treatments include root planing, surgery and scaling

teeth smile health

Likely Candidates for the Procedure

Someone who has more than one oral health problem that affects most or all of their teeth, including supporting tissues, is a good candidate for full reconstruction of their mouth. Therefore, anyone who may require extensive oral surgery procedures should be in relative good health to receive anesthesia, whether local or general. For special needs patients, it is best to find dentists who are experienced in treating those types of cases.

Beware of Potential Concerns

With younger patients, the chance for a swift response to recovering quickly from these treatments improves. Of course, there are exceptions if the person has other health problems. However, more risk is generally involved with older patients receiving any type of dental procedure. For this reason, dental professionals will recommend less invasive procedures for older people.

Additionally, if you have heart problems or certain types of autoimmune diseases, special consideration should be given before undergoing these procedures. Make sure you provide complete details about your health to the dentist. Also include current medications during the initial consultation to get a treatment plan that is good for your oral and physical health.

Share Button
MFMSCL
August 2nd, 2017
post by admin | | 0

Tualang Honey Health Benefits

At a health fair for bloggers which I attended a few weeks back, I received a small jar of Tualang honey as sample in my goodie bag. The taste of the Tualang honey reminds me of the Chinese maltose candy (wrapped in transparent plastic wrapper) which I used to eat when I was a little kid back in the late 1970s through 1980s.  I let my youngest finicky 9-year old try the Tualang honey and to my surprise, she liked it.  My 9-year old would fuss over Manuka honey and most brands of honey, thus I was surprised that she is not averse to Tualang honey.

I turned to Google to find out more about the goodness of Tualang honey and am glad to learn that Tualang honey has amazing medicinal benefits that even surpasses Manuka honey in some ways.

Tualang honey is a Malaysian multifloral jungle honey. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of studies published in medical databases regarding its potential health benefits. The honey is produced by the rock bee (Apis dorsata), which builds hives on branches of tall Tualang trees located mainly in the north-western region of Peninsular Malaysia.

Reference from US National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health on Tualang honey vs Manuka honey:

The health benefits of Tualang honey are better compared to other Malaysian honeys. TH is more effective than Manuka honey against some gram-negative bacterial strains in burn wounds management, probably due to its higher content of phenolics, flavanoids, and HMF.

Tualang honey shows bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity against a number of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It is rich in antioxidants and has great potential as an anticancer agent.

Tualang honey improves hypertension, lipid profiles and diabetes in rats. It shares some similar properties and biochemical characteristics with the much-researched Manuka honey (New Zealand and/or Australian monofloral honey). Distinct differences include higher phenolics, flavonoids, and HMF. Tualang honey is more effective than Manuka honey against some gram-negative bacterial strains in burn wounds. Although the health benefits of Manuka honey are internationally recognised, those of TH are only recently attracting attention. More laboratory research and clinical trials are needed to develop a better understanding of its potential health benefits and to abate scepticism.

 

Honey can sweeten up your tea and give your health a boost. Dr. Manny sits down with the Medicine Hunter, Chris Kilham to find out more about a rare honey from the Malaysian rainforest called tualang

Reference from Fox News:

The most common way that Malaysian people use this unique honey is as a daily health tonic. One full teaspoon of Tualang honey in a couple of ounces of water makes an ambrosial elixir that delivers the honey’s benefits along with an exotic taste experience. As a topical aid, Tualang honey is used by native people to heal wounds, and to kill bacteria in skin infections. Like the New Zealand Manuka honey, Tualang honey is excellent for relieving a sore throat and for subduing symptoms of colds. A modest amount consumed daily appears to help stabilize blood sugar, and the honey demonstrates blood-pressure reducing effects.

In conclusion, what I’ve gathered from the search results on the health benefits of Tualang honey is amazingly promising.  Lab studies have found that Tualang honey is effective in preventing breast cancer, confers cardioprotective effects, lowers cholesterol level, controls blood sugar, has high antibacterial potency, has positive effects on menopausal women, thus could be an alternative to HRT and many more health benefits.

 

Share Button
Nutritional Information On Food
August 2nd, 2017
post by admin | | 1

Are You Ready To Be A Property Investor?

Are you thinking of having another side income other than your main income? Are you thinking of having another property other than the one that you already own? Are you thinking of having another property to help you earn your side income? Are you thinking of being an investor in Singapore’s property field? If your answer to all four questions above is a ‘yes’, then you will have to know the proper numbers and costs it takes to become a property investor in Singapore. With the booming of Singapore properties scene, you have to be sure that you are capable and have sufficient capitals before you jump into the property investor bandwagon.

Singapore property is usually regarded as the jewel in the Singapore property field, therefore, if you are capable of affording property in Singapore, it is definitely an investment worth invest in. Before you can start preparing to be an investor in the Singapore Property field, you will need to know exactly on what sort of property market that you are entering, because the value to invest in property varies across different type of properties. It is a long term financial security, a little extra cash flow or return on capital you may grow from being a property investor. There are many articles on how to become a property investor, are you ready to be a property investor,    what you should know about real estate valuation before you start being a property investor.

 

It is essenstial to for property buyers to always leave themselves with plenty of room for unknown costs of changes in the property market. To become a property investor, you will be required to prepare for the following 8 things, no matter what type of the type of property that you want to invest in: (1) down payment, (2) BSD and ABSD, (3) initial renovation costs, (4) emergency renovation fund, (5) agent fees, (6) insurance, (7) mortgage repayment and fund, and lastly (8) tax fees and maintenance fees.

First of all, down payment. The Loan to Value also known as LTV, is greatly dependent on the number of home loans you have loaned before and not the total number of houses or homes that you have. It is important to know that the maximum LTV ratio for a second housing loan that has a tenure of 30 years or less is 50%. As for the 50% that is left remaining, minimum of 25% of the payment have to be done in terms of cash. The remaining will then be paid from your SPF Ordinary Account (CPF OA). Then, for the third and subsequent loan, the maximum LTV is reduced to 40%.

For example, the lowest down payment for a shoebox sized unit that is priced at $750,000 is $375,000. From the $375,000, the amount of $187,500 must be paid in terms of cash. The remaining can be remunerate via CPF OA or a merging of cash and CPF OA. As for a normal $1.2 million condominium, the lowest down payment will then be $600,000 where $300,000 has to be paid in cash. A $5.5 million luxury condominium will have the lowest down payment at $2.75 million where minimum amount need to be paid in cash is $1.375 million. Not forgetting additional fees for conveyancing which would cost approximately $2,200. Another thing that you should not miss out on is the role of your guarantor. Starting from 2013, guarantors must be listed as co-owners if you are using a guarantor.

Secondly, Basic Stamp Duty (BSD) and ABSD. No matter whether you are a citizen of Singapore, buyers will need to pay SBSD on properties past the first property you own. 7% of ABSD has to be paid on the second property and 10% on the third property whereas for Singaporean permanent residents, they will have to pay 10% of ABSD past their first property. To further understand on how BSD is calculated, buyers can visit the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) to find out more.

Thirdly, initial renovation costs. Most initial renovation costs are in the range of $30,000 as most of the loans for renovations are limited at $30,000, if not, your income of 6 months. Nonetheless, we will add in another 20% of the limited $30.000 for the initial renovation costs as most renovations plus subsequent furnishing are bound to go beyond the budget of $30,000.. Therefore, we will have the initial renovation costs of shoebox units and condominium units to be approximately $36,000.

Now, here comes the question. You will now wonder why does the initial renovation costs of a shoebox unit with 500 square feet or lesser costs around the same price as a condominium unit of, say 1,400 square feet? This is because shoebox units have a more complicated design and feature that is needed to make them stand out and appeal to buyers. For example, most shoebox units have a walk-in wardrobe despite the small built up area, as to catch the attention of tenants, which will then help the property investors to increase their possible rental incomes. As for luxury condominium units, renovation costs fees can go up to approximately $100,000 or more in terms of renovation and furnishing.

Next, emergency renovation fund. Do not underestimate the importance of emergency renovation fund as you will never know when do problems arise. Always have an emergency renovation fund of approximately $10,00 just in case one day you have to repair damages in your house such as air conditioners that is spoiled, kitchen damage, broken lock or windows and et cetera. To further minimize the cost, be sure to not take out unaffordable loans just to fix on these damages.

Not to forget, agent fee is one of the items that you should not forget. If you were to engage with property agent to look for tenant, you will then need to draw up to pay a sum of rent worth a month for fixing a tenant with 2 years lease. Also, take into account the tasks that the agent will be handling, such as negotiations and paper work. Let us say if you were to find tenants by yourself, it is only recommended to do so when you want to find the subsequent potential tenant, after you have observed the way the property agents market the property, negotiate and persuade potential tenants and dealing with paperwork.

In addition, home insurance should not be forgotten as well. Remember this, basic fire insurance is not enough. Think of the costs that you will have to bear if your tenant destroy your house. A basic fire insurance does not cover third party damage so do consider getting a more complete home insurance that covers personal accident insurance as one of the packages. This would cost approximately $240 per year.

Moreover, mortgage repayments and fund. A mortgage fund is a fund for mortgage repayment over a period of 6 months and it is held in for emergencies. Let us say if something were to go wrong, such as retrenchment, the mortgage fund will ensure you to have greater holding power that allows you to have a longer waiting time to sell your property for a better price or to hunt for another new job in order to stay away from selling them altogether.

Lastly, maintenance and tax fees. When it comes to maintenance fees, we estimate the maintenance fees for a shoebox unit to be approximately $200 per month and $300 per month for a condominium unit. As for luxury condominium unit, maintenance fees will be around $450 that is charged by the management committee, for costs such as the cleaning of swimming pool, gymnasium and repainting buildings. You should be prepared to pay all these additional costs. Whereas, property taxes are solely based on the Annual Value of the property, which can also be understood as the rental income per year from your property.  Annual Value is the estimated gross rental income of the property per year, for example,  if your rental income is $2,000, the Annual Value will then be $24,000. Do check out IRAS to find out more on tax fees.

In conclusion, an investment with a shoebox unit will require an initial sum of approximately $505,918, inclusive of CPF usage and first agent’s commission. Monthly cost will then costs approximately $2,083, including the taxes, insurance, maintenance fees and et cetera. Whereas for a condominium unit, the initial sum will cost approximately $781,510 with monthly cost around $3,241. As for a luxury condominium, you will definitely need a larger initial sum, which is approximately $2,1 million with month cost of approximately $14,366. Do bear in mind that not all investments in Singapore property field share the same amount or value as they can differ across one another depending on the types of units that you plan to invest.

 

Share Button
MFMSCL