I bought this pack of Super organic instant soy milk powder from Sri Kota the other day. These day, Baby drinks more soy milk than cow’s milk. She also prefers soy milk to cow’s milk. I wonder which has more nutrients and ‘safer’ to drink. Looking at the food label, it looks like formulated milk powder for kids have more nutrients. I read from some articles that cow’s milk may have some residue of hormones from the cows.
Anyway, I was told by our paed and surgeon that it is ok for a child above 2 years old to stop drinking milk as long as she/he is eating a well-balanced diet. Baby is eating a well-balanced diet now and seems to love food too 🙂
Baby prefers Unisoy’s instant organic soy milk powder to Super’s. This Super brand has added cane sugar and though it’s less sweet, I still find it very sweet. Next time, I will just stick to Unisoy (made in Singapore).
It was a sheer coincidence that we had everything purple for the entire day. First we had reddish/purplish dragon fruits for breakfast. Then, we had purple sweet potato as dessert after lunch. For dinner, we had stir-fried organic purple cabbage. And my girls watched Barney the purple dinosaur too!
Before cooking…
After cooking. The purple cabbage was cooked with dried shrimps and garlic.
The Many Benefits Of Eating Purple Food:
Purple foods prevent premature aging
Purple foods are colored by a pigment called anthocyanin, a strong and protective antioxidant which can help reduce the risk of cancer, help improve memory and assist with healthy aging.
Purple foods protect your heart
Purple fruits and vegetables are also packed with flavonoids – known to be one of the most powerful phytochemicals. Flavonoids are heart-healthy, beneficial to the cardiovascular system and can lower your risk of heart disease.
Eat more of these purple foods
Purple vegetables: Some purple vegetables include eggplant, purple cabbage, purple peppers, purple potatoes and purple onions.
Purple fruits: Purple fruits include grapes, plums, figs, raisins, prunes and blackberries.
Purple plants: Even purple-colored herbs – like lavender and purple basil – provide powerful nutritional benefits. In addition to the lovely fragrance lavender adds to hair and skin care products, eye pillows and drawer satchels, the renowned herb is associated with increasing blood circulation and reducing insomnia, anxiety, migraines and depression as well as treating skin ailments such as psoriasis, acne, wrinkles, cuts and burns. Lavender essential oil also has both antifungal and antiseptic properties.
Another popular dark-colored herb is purple basil, which has high doses of vitamin A, vitamin C and calcium. Purple basil is beneficial for the hair, skin and eyes.
With so many readily-edible choices to improve your well-being, it is easy to put purple on your daily dinner plate.
The health benefits part of this post was extracted from http://www.sheknows.com/articles/805508/the-nutritional-power-of-purple-foods.
Baby seems to tolerate soy bean milk better than cow’s milk. These days, I have stopped feeding her with Pediasure. First, Pediasure is for picky eaters / kids who do not eat well / underweight kids. Now, Baby eats everything and is gaining weight. Second, Pediasure is getting more and more expensive. I have since switched her to soy bean milk and Dutch Lady 123. She drinks more soy bean milk than cow’s milk though. I find that she has a tendency to throw up or have the urge to throw up if she drinks cow’s milk. I always dilute the milk so that it is not so thick, not so sweet and more palatable.
Of all the brands of instant soy milk powder, I find that the sugar-free and organic ones from Unisoy (made in Singapore) the most palatable. The powder is also easy to dissolve as the soy beans are de-skinned. Baby likes this brand too and has no problem drinking this. Unisoy is available at Jusco and certain mini marts.
Most people dislike bitter gourd as it is bitter and does not taste good but it is a full of healthy virtues. Bitter gourds are very low in calories but dense with precious nutrients. It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese and has high dietary fiber. It is rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana.
Bitter melon contains a unique phyto-constituent that has been confirmed to have a hypoglycemic effect called charantin. There is also another insulin-like compound known as polypeptide P which have been suggested as insulin replacement in some diabetic patients.
When I was young, I didn’t like bitter gourd. Well, I don’t think any kid would like eating bitter gourd or anything that’s bitter. Ever since I knew that this melon is a chokeful of nutrients, I eat it as often as I can. I like it best when stuffed with fish paste and fried, stir-fried with fermented soy bean paste (tau cheong), braised with chicken and fermented black bean paste and even have it boiled as soup with meat.
Here’s my pot of bitter gourd soup, with pork ribs, carrots, red dates, honey dates and gei chee (Chinese Wolfberries). All these sweet stuff are needed to make the pot of soup sweet.
Baby’s lunch consisting of green tea noodles, onion omelette and a large mug of bitter gourd soup.
Health benefits of bitter gourd, extracted from http://www.juicing-for-health.com/bitter-gourd-benefits.html :
Blood disorders: Bitter gourd juice is highly beneficial for treating blood disorders like blood boils and itching due to toxemia. Mix 2 ounces of fresh bitter gourd juice with some lime juice. Sip it slowly on an empty stomach daily for between four and six months and see improvement in your condition.
Cholera: In early stages of cholera, take two teaspoonfuls juice of bitter gourd leaves, mix with two teaspoonfuls white onion juice and one teaspoonful lime juice. Sip this concoction daily till you get well.
Diabetes mellitus: Bitter melon contains a hypoglycemic compound
(a plant insulin) that is highly beneficial in lowering sugar levels in blood and urine. Bitter melon juice has been shown to significantly improve glucose tolerance without increasing blood insulin levels.
Energy: Regular consumption of bitter gourd juice has been proven to improve energy and stamina level. Even sleeping patterns have been shown to be improved/stabilized.
Eye problems: The high beta-carotene and other properties in bitter gourd makes it one of the finest vegetable-fruit that help alleviate eye problems and improving eyesight.
Hangover: Bitter melon juice may be beneficial in the treatment of a hangover for its alcohol intoxication properties. It also help cleanse and repair and nourish liver problems due to alcohol consumption.
Immune booster: This bitter juice can also help to build your immune system and increase your body’s resistance against infection.
Piles: Mix three teaspoonfuls of juice from bitter melon leaves with a glassful of buttermilk. Take this every morning on empty stomach for about a month and see an improvement to your condition. To hasten the healing, use the paste of the roots of bitter melon plant and apply over the piles.
Psoriasis: Regular consumption of this bitter juice has also been known to improve psoriasis condition and other fungal infections like ring-worm and athletes feet.
Respiratory disorders: Take two ounces of fresh bitter melon juice and mix with a cup of honey diluted in water. Drink daily to improve asthma, bronchitis and pharyngitis.
Toxemia: Bitter gourd contains beneficial properties that cleanses the blood from toxins. Sip two teaspoonfuls of the juice daily to help cleanse the liver. Also helpful in ridding jaundice for the same reasons.
I don’t know if anyone would eat such healthy stuff for breakfast:
A slice of homemade multi-grain bread, spread with homemade pesto sauce on half the slice and fat-reduced cream cheese + homemade sugar-reduced kaya on the other slice.
This healthy stuff is just my kinda breakfast stuff and I honestly prefer eating this to a plate of oily char koay teow or a packet of calories-packed nasi lemak with chicken or cuttlefish curry.
My mil’s homemade multi-grain bread made of oat groats, wheat bran, reduced brown sugar and extra virgin olive oil and fermented for over 18 hours. Every bite is oh so chewy, iLike!
I bought this pack of Dr’s Choice fenugreek chocolate mix drink from Jaya Jusco the other day. It’s sugar-free and quite palatable. The pungent taste of fenugreek is not strong and if I wasn’t informed that there’s fenugreek added, I would never have known. It’s best drank chilled, with ice cubes or hot like a hot chocolate drink.
Fenugreek is well-known to boost milk supply for lactating mothers. Here are the other benefits of Fenugreek:
Due to its estrogen-like properties, fenugreek has been found to help increase libido and lessen the effect of hot flashes and mood fluctuations that are common symptoms of menopause and PMS. In India and China it has also been used to treat arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, improve digestion, maintain a healthy metabolism, increase libido and male potency, cure skin problems (wounds, rashes and boils), treat sore throat, and cure acid reflux. Fenugreek also has a long history of use for the treatment of reproductive disorders, to induce labor, to treat hormonal disorders, to help with breast enlargement, and to reduce menstrual pain. Recent studies have shown that Fenugreek helps lower blood glucose and cholestrol levels, and may be an effective treatment for both type 1 and 2 diabetes. Fenugreek is also being studied for its cardiovascular benefits.
Cheerios is finally in Malaysia! Nestle Malaysia has introduced its breakfast cereals, Multi Grain Cheerios, to Malaysian consumers. Multi Grain Cheerios is lightly sweetened and has a combination of five nutritious grains — rice, corn, wheat, oats and barley, as well as 10 vitamins and minerals.
I bought a pack of Nestle Cheerios on the day of Baby’s eye surgery to cheer her up and it indeed brought cheer to her. She survived only on Cheerios, soup and milk after the eye surgery. If you want to sample the new Nestle Cheerios, you can head over to Jaya Jusco @ Mid Valley. They are giving free samples for Cheerios as well as their other new product, a corn flakes for the weight watchers.
After feeling sluggish, lethargic and listless for the past few days, I started drinking Yomeishu again. During my 3rd confinement, I had received 2 bottles of Yomeishu from friends. I only drank half a bottle and have 1.5 bottles left. I am one who hates drinking alcohol and would get nauseous, turn red like a lobster all over and have a heavy head if I imbibe too much.
I must say that the Yomeishu has indeed helped me overcome the fatigue and I feel more energetic today. Today, I ran for almost 40 minutes and didn’t feel tired at all. I even skipped my 15-minute cat nap today and still feel on top! So to those of you who feel sluggish and tired, try drinking Yomeishu. I wish the Yomeishu managements reads this and rewards me with a few bottles of Yomeishu 😀
Yomeishu improves the following symptoms:
1) Physical fatigue
For people with the trouble of physical fatigue such as feeling tiredness, continuation of fatigue, etc. Yomeishu, as a health tonic, relieves fatigue while strengthening physical power.
2) Chilliness of tip of fingers, hands, hips and legs
For people with severe chilliness of hands, feet and hips caused by air conditioners. Active medicinal ingredients contained in Yomeishu widely circulate throughout the body with blood circulation to regulate the functions of metabolism, and as a result, chilliness is improved.
3) Continuation of gastrointestinal trouble after meal
For people with weak digestive organs, gastrointestinal disorders or susceptible to weakened stomach and intestines. Drinking Yomeishu before meals will regulate gastrointestinal activities and strengthen them.
4) Recovery of physical strength during and after illness
For people requiring physical strength during and after illness, and people with delayed recovery of physical conditions after illness. Active ingredients of Yomeishu will regulate principal activities of the body and lead to an original healthy condition.
5) Poor appetite
For people with poor appetite, or incapable of eating despite of appetite. Drinking Yomeishu before meals activates gastrointestinal workings due to the active ingredients and one is capable of recovering to normal appetite.
6) Susceptible to be tired or a weak body constitution
For people with a weak body or feeling a lack of strength. Yomeishu, as a health tonic with a moderate action, strengthens the body and steadily enhances physical power while alleviating physical fatigue.
7) Always look sick
For people with who are of little color due to the chilliness of the tips of the fingers caused by the accumulation of fatigue. The active ingredients of Yomeishu circulate throughout the body with the blood circulation, activate the whole body metabolism and improve the trouble of little color.
I was reading the January issue of the Reader’s Digest and a very interesting health article caught my attention. Reading the article made me glad as I found out that my favorite food and foods that I include in my daily diet are anti-cancerous foods.
I would like to share the few foods here that are worth adding to your cancer-fighting menu:
Eggs
A recent US National Institutes of Health study suggests that eating one egg a day can reduce the risk of breast cancer by 24 percent. Eggs are rich in choline, a B vitamin. Meat and nuts are other top sources of choline. I have been eating an egg a day for umpteen years. I find that eggs fill you up easily and it’s one of the cheapest source of good protein.
Mushrooms and Green Tea
A new study of Chinese women by the University of Western Australia found that women who ate at least 10g of fresh mushrooms daily were 64 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. Women who added green tea to their diet saw an even greater benefit. I’m just right on track. Having a cuppa green tea every morning is a must-have for me.
Wholegrains
New research from Sweden’s Karolinska Institute suggests that low-GI foods may also have a protective effect. The researchers found that a high-glycaemic-index diet can increase breast cancer risk by 34 percent. High-GI foods increase insulin and sex hormones in the body, which may contribute to the spread of breast cancer cells.
Another interesting fact on Antioxidant and Cancer Treatments that I read from the January issue of Reader’s Digest:
Doctors warn that taking antioxidants at higher-than-recommended levels may interfere with certain treatments. Some radiation therapy and chemotherapy medicines work by producing free radicals that attack cancer cells. Since antioxidants destroy free radicals, it’s possible that taking high doses of supplements might reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.
My mil loves cooking chicken with Chinese basil leaves or kau chung thap (“Nine-Storied Pagoda” in Cantonese). The minty flavor of the leaves, together with the flavorful taste of sliced ginger and Chinese cooking wine make the Sam Pei Zhi chicken dish (a Taiwanese chicken dish) really delicious.
Last week, she cooked Chinese basil leaves omelette :
The kids didn’t quite like it because of the texture of the Chinese basil leaves (which can be pretty rough and hard to chew) but I love it.
Chinese basil leaves can also be used to make soup with fried anchovies and beaten eggs.
There are several varieties of basil grown in many regions of Asia. Most of the Asian basils have a clove-like flavor that is generally stronger than that of the Western basils. Basils are very popular in Thai cuisine. Vietnamese and Chinese also use fresh or dried basils in soups and other foods. In Taiwan, people add fresh Chinese basil leaves to thick soups. They also eat fried chicken with deep fried Chinese basil leaves.
Here’s a little interesting information on basil leaves extracted from http://www.healthcareandlife.com/ayurveda-life/heath-benefits-of-basil-leaves.html:
Do you know that basil leaves can do wonders for your health? Since ages, basil leaves have been known for their positivity. Basil leaves are the must have item for preventing the wide-spreading swine flu. Basil leaves helps in enhancing body’s immunity manifolds. You all will be glad to read that basil leaves are the most amazing miraculous herbs ever known. Here are ways in which basil leaves can do marvelous health effects to your body, have a look!
Basil leaves are highly rich in potassium, vitamin C and A, antioxidants, thus having antiseptic, anti-infective, anti-inflammatory and diuretic properties. Isn’t all this wonderful?
For treating yourself from seasonal fever, sneezing and cough ailment, you can prepare a concoction by boiling 20 basil leaves in 200 ml of water. Drink this warm concoction in morning for early relief.
The good news is that basil leaves are equally great for you heart’s health too. Drinking a glass of basil juice as the first thing in morning on daily basis helps in keeping your heart healthy and in great shape.
For treating the feeling of nausea and diarrhoea, make a basil juice by grinding 10-12 basil leaves with water. Strain it and then add a pinch of black pepper powder to it. Now, drink the juice for an early relief.
Basil leaves also helps in treating eye infections. For this, soak some basil leaves in water for a night. Next morning, strain the solution and wash your eyes with the same.
I am a WFHM with 3 beautiful girls - Alycia, Sherilyn and Cassandra. I quit the job that I love to stay home with my 3 angels as that's what I've always wanted to do. I am a health freak, fitness freak and a clean freak too. I love to eat and live the clean and healthy way; I want my kids and hubby to do the same too.
I always believe that your health is your wealth and if you have good health, that's the best gift you can ever ask for from God.
I have been writing product reviews, food reviews / restaurant reviews and product advertorials since 2007. Please email Shireen at shireenyong@gmail.com to inquire if you are interested to place an advertorial or review in this blog.
