How to...

start your day right?

One of the easiest ways to start your day right is have a good breakfast. Despite its importance, many still neglect the most important meal of the day. Eating breakfast not only aids in weight management, it fuels the body to help provide energy, better concentration and problem-solving ability throughout the day, according to the food and nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association.


This is what I had for breakfast today. It's easy to prepare and so rich in nutrients. Milk, GoLean Crunch from Kashi, strawberries and blueberries. The latter is a superfood so you can't go wrong with that. I know my body will thank me for treating her right :)

Remember, don't miss your breakfast no matter how busy you are.

Cooking Therapy

As a young child I used to watch and eventually assist my mom when she cooked. She would let me do the stirring/frying of the vegetables and I guess that's where my skill in frying vegetables perfectly comes from. I started cooking more seriously when I fell ill in 2004 and since then I have not stopped. In fact my love for cooking deepens ever since we relocated to the States because cooking becomes a daily affair. When the "experiment" is successful I feel a great sense of achievement and joy. When others (especially the husband) enjoy my food my heart does a little skip and dance. Here my creativity surfaces and takes a life of its own. It's fun and therapeutic! I also love reading cook books and translate them into delicious dishes. Most importantly, my husband and I eat more healthily because we know exactly what goes into the making of our meals. It's been a great journey.

I know that not everyone enjoys cooking. Some might even be intimidated by it. Others may not have the time. Hence I decided to share some of the recipes that I have tried and I promise you this - there are not only simple to make but healthy and delicious too. There is a saying in Mandarin that says,"Health is wealth." I could not have agreed more. The first step that anyone can take towards improving one's health is by eating better. Take that first little step today.

To kick this off, let me introduce you to the World’s Best Braised Cabbage. I was most amused when I saw the title and was keen to give it a shot. It's really easy to prepare. What you need is time because it takes about 2 hours ++ to cook. It is an excellent dish - the sweetness of the cabbage, onions and carrot is enhanced through slow cooking. A perfect example where yummy food is also healthy. Try it and let me know if you like it :)


I paired the braised cabbage with pork loin and croquette. It was a lovely meal.

Becoming aware

One of my favourite pastimes is to walk. Near our apartment there is a large waterfront and that really make my walk a lot more interesting. I usually have the company of the birds and ducks and looking at the animals and flowers relax me. I have been down with a slight cold and thus been cooped up at home. Today the weather was too beautiful to pass up so I laced my trusty shoes and went out. The warmth of the sun ray felt so wonderful. There was soft breeze and I could hear the sound of the vehicles in the distance.

As I walked, I sharpened my senses and became acutely aware of my body movement as well as my breath. I am grateful that all my senses are intact, that I am able to walk and see all that nature has to offer. I stopped to look at the flowers that were in bloom. There are so pretty!

I took a quick break and decided to stretch out in order absorb the sun. I closed my eyes and imagine the ray strengthening my body. Like the plant, I drew energy from the sun. As I took deep breaths I felt immensely grateful to be alive.

Try this exercise when you're feeling tired and depleted.

Stand in the sun and stretch out your hands. Tilt your head up and absorb the energy from the sun. Take deep and slow breaths. Slow down. Look at the scenery like it is the first time you're seeing it. Be grateful that you are alive.

Introducing Fitbit

After been through challenging health crises in the last few years, I fully appreciate the importance of good health. Keeping fit and healthy requires commitment and discipline. Like many it is way to easy for me to slide and slacken. The intention remains just that - an intention. Thus, whatever help that one can receive makes a great difference.

Thankfully I have a tech savvy guy for a husband and whenever possible he will try to convert his wife into one. I was gifted Fitbit at the start of new year. This small and wearable gadget is big in its uses. Firstly it serves as a pedometer to track the number of steps you take each day. In addition, it tracks the amount of calories that you burn and if you're diligent enough to input the foods that you consume it can track that too. In addition, it tracks your sleep quality. For that to happen, you must remember to hold the button till it says "start" and "stop" it when you wake. I tend to forget to do this most of the time!

Here it is!


I've been using it for 2 months and it has been useful. It makes me feel motivated when I see the chart going up in terms of activity and of course when the weight goes down I'm even more delighted. All you have to do it to wear it (it's very light) all the time and you're good to go. What is wonderful about it is that you can sync the data unto your computer. If you are anal about keeping records, this is simply perfect! What is not so perfect is that because it is so tiny it tends to come off easily and unfortunately I have dropped it once too often :( Otherwise, it is a good investment.

More reviews here and here.

Book: Apples & Pears

Would you believe that a woman's future health is written in her body shape? This is what Dr. Savard hopes her reader would buy into after reading her book: Apples & Pears: The Body Shape Solution for Weight Loss and Wellness.
This book is organized into 3 parts namely
1.About body shape
2.Medical Issues related to the type of body shape – metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, varicose veins, stress and depression.
3.Solutions – in terms of diet and exercise program

The book explains how and why different body shapes benefit from customized diets, exercise regiments, medications, menopause therapies, psychosocial interventions and lifestyle changes. The aim of the book is to change the way women and their physicians perceive their bodies and understand their disease risks. It is also to empower women with relevant knowledge so that they can take necessary actions to transcend their biology. Body shape apparently is the most powerful predictor of a woman's future health. All women's bodies can be categorized as either "apple-shaped" or "pear-shaped" depending on where you are most likely to gain weight. The former tends to have her weight collects around the middle while the latter collects weight around the hips, buttocks and thighs. The differences are not merely in terms of physical appearance as they are related to differences in our physical chemistry, hormone production and sensitivity, metabolism and even personality.

It is an interesting read and I certainly gained new knowledge which I hope to translate into actions. The book is well-written and reader-friendly. At the end of chapter, she listed some action items which I thought is neat. I shall summarize what I have learned in bullet points.

• Determine if you are "apple-shaped" or "pear-shaped" by using waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).
  
• If your WHR is equal or less than 0.8, you are a "Pear". Higher than 0.8, you are an "Apple"
  
• Fats are not created equal. There are 2 types; subcutaneous which means “under the skin” and visceral, “pertaining to the soft organs in the abdomen.”
  
• The former, while unsightly, is harmless. Some of it may even protect us from disease. For example, they have been shown to increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and help maintain a steady balance of triglycerides in the blood
  
• Excess visceral fat can be dangerous. It is more metabolically active than subcutaneous fat and most of what it does is harmful to the body. It decreases insulin sensitivity, increases triglycerides, decreases levels of HDL cholesterol, creates more inflammation, and raises blood pressure – all of which increase the risk of heart disease.
  
• In general, apple-shaped women are at greater risks for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, endometrial cancer, stress and irregular menstrual cycle while pear-shaped women are at greater risks for osteoporosis, varicose veins, low-self esteem, poor body image, tendency for eating disorder and menopausal symptoms.
  
• There is no “better” or “worse”, there is only what you are. And your body shape is not your fault. Learn to take charge by leading a healthy lifestyle.
  
• Measurements of waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio are more predictive of future disease than weight.
  
• Start measure your health by changes in the waist circumference and WHR.
  
• Bodies are constantly changing throughout our lifetime. Nature seems to determine to make apples of all of us.
  
• All children start out apple-shaped, and boys remain as one. Once the hormones of adolescence hit, girls can either remain apple-shaped or become pear-shaped.
  
• For many women, bearing children changes the contours of their bodies forever.
  
• Human body is not designed to give up weight easily – its survival mechanism wants to retain as much weight as it can.
  
• Very low-calorie dieting is not the best choice for lasting weight loss. You may take off pounds very quickly but you'll also regain them in short order.
  
• 25% solution – if you want to lose weight and keep the weight off without slowing your metabolism, restrict your calories by no more than 25%.
  
• Eliminate 25% of what you usually eat will achieve this goal.
  
• Pay attention to what you are eating. Recognize hunger. Eat only when you are hungry.
  

If you're not familiar with exercise and healthy diet, part 3 of the book provides a good introduction. Personally, i did not find it as useful compared to the earlier chapters. The most important thing in my opinion is to be mindful of one's health and lead a healthy lifestyle by eating and resting well, exercise and engage in meaningful relationships. On the whole it is a good book and I will recommend it to those who are looking to improve their health. I do wonder what happens to women who may fit a category based on their WHR but exhibit the opposing characteristics. For example, a "pear-shaped" woman who may have irregular menstrual cycle (which according to the book this problem belongs to an "apple-shaped" woman. Unfortunately, it was not addressed.

More reviews here. I tend to agree with E.Nocco's review.

Healthy snacks

Frequent meals seem to be a better way to manage your food intake. With that you would need more ideas on what healthy snacks to prepare and here is one yummy suggestion.



Recipe of the hummus here.

Happy snacking!