The addiction of Essential Oil

Essential oil was first introduced to me through my regular spa and beauty center, Bio Jourdeness. At that particular time, I didn't quite understand why such herbs and plants extract could fetch a sky high value, a.k.a. expansive in common term. Therefore, I started some reading on them, and started to value its usage and differentiate the quality one versus those sold in some Thai night markets. They make huge difference.

Simply, essential oils are not only for spa & relaxation use. They could cure or prevent certain sickness, if we use them correctly. The pureness of each oil is the key. It can also be used as sanitizing.

Quick reference guide is available everywhere in the internet.
Example, http://draxe.com/essential-oil-uses-benefits/

I even have them installed on my smartphone, for handy references http://oilsprimer.com/
Some common oils, such as lavender, lemongrass, rosemary and peppermint are my favorite. Especially peppermint, which is handy for respiration or throat irritation due to dust and unpleasant air quality.

However, it is especially crucial to understand the basic oils do's and don'ts. As an example, lemongrass should be set away from pregnant women as much as possible. Read and understand the use of each oil, its important!

Young Living, a MLM such seller is my regular source of essential oil for the time being. I would wish to see more 'pure' and trusted oil in the market. As such, I am very much interested in learning the usage and details on how-to extract such pure oil. It's the trend for now, but it is important to use it correctly and wisely.

Part of my collection from Young Living

I have basic oils, which can be natural extract of vegetable oil, or any specialties like cranberries. With addition of certain drops of essential oil (I have it with marjoram for the time being), it's pretty much my must-have massage oil to end my day.

Basic and natural hair and body shampoo, without any scent and flavor is my favorite these days, as I could place drops of different essential oil to my liking.

Pine oil from Prague & Bio Jourdeness basic cranberries oil

Over my previous trips to Taiwan, I do like to shop for some basic massage oils, roll-ons and even sunblock lotion.

Taiwanese brand

My 1st reference book

Diffuser for air purification

Interested to understand more on essential oil? Do read and understand more... 

Love my Life - The Power of Hugs

* Opss... this had been a prolonged blog hidden under my other drafts. Until recently a visiting friend from abroad mentioned about hugs! *

Come the end of 2013, its another reflection moment. Everyone has gone through a lot over the year, but not everyone is able to stop, think, observe and reflect on own self. Setting a clear goal to move forward for a better 2014. Love my Life - It's going to be my goal for a better tomorrow, spiritually all through my inner soul.

I kept observing others over the years, telling myself perhaps its a good step to document down my own thoughts. It may help others to "think" the same way, even if it's not a perfect way.

Being brought up in a conservative Chinese family made me feel odd in giving hug to any one else, except own partner and family members. With the effect of close buddies leaving from my routine life, gatherings with a few long time neighborhood friends, made our bonding gone closer, thus it is very unusual for us to not having warm arm hugs each time we meet and apart. My observation went on with my recent overseas business trip to the West. A face to face meet with those we have been working for the past 1 year, it was such an auto move for us to hug when we meet, and we had a stronger hug when we are about to be parted. The feeling was warm, some with the pad at the back of our shoulder. It was funny, there was a public character I have been following through FB, asked this before "why would someone pad your back in a hard way when they hug?". Haa... it sounded funny, but there might be a reason. Same goes when someone shakes your hand, he/she would have done it  stronger than others. I didn't follow the answer though, but obviously the meaning of body language could trace its meaning somewhere.

Read this from another article of mind body green - Top 10 Reasons to give more hugs. From emotional to bio-chemistry and phycology, obviously the effect is great in bonding. It reduces one's stress, by padding one shoulder could give more strength to one another. Don't you think so?

There was another article I stumbled upon couple of days ago, it was about close mind & body controls. It mentioned how our mind could control upon our painful body section. Article was about - Emotion Pain Chart. Check out the chart and more write up from the article. How I could relate this all together with hugs, certainly it made some sense out of it. An arm hug gives us joyous experience in life, and of course with full of moral and emotional support, feeling loved too.

Long story short, my take out from this chart, it's useful to remind my own self to have a positive mindset in order to look forward for a painless body. Our mind could control every part of our body, and of course regular exercise with determination helps.

Excerpt from http://fractalenlightenment.com

Love your body, love your mind, love your soul. Have a healthy year 2014 ahead. Cheers and have a big hugs to all my lovely friends and readers out there. Love ya all! :)

The Philips Trio - My Kitchen's Company

I blogged on my Philips Saeco Coffee Machine here, last September 2012. A year later, I have added on another 2 machines to accompany it. It was coincident, trust me. 

The Philips Air Fryer HD9220 was a result from a friend whom hard sold this to me. After thinking twice and trice, I had got my source down south to ship me one. It had been great company and tool, especially when it comes to frying without oil. First attempt was always potato wedges!

Nicely fried wedges

Fried pumpkin and sausages

Honestly this wasn't the 1st trial. I have done marinated chicken breast for my salad.

Following my recent shopping walkabout at the HomeDec, I noticed new recipe with this tool. And so I tried them for a small omelette. Indeed successful.

Omelette

Healthy dinner

It had been selling with high sky price here in Klang Valley, while it was at SGD$239 during the mid year sale. If you wish to shop for one now, I heard its selling at SGD$229 at BEST Singapore, as the digital version is going to hit the market soon, in fact it is already available in Singapore.

The latest family addition had been the Philips Electric Pressure Cooker HD2139/62. This deal was a little different, as Singapore's published price is at SGD$249, while Klang Valley was selling at RM399 during HomeDec (in fact Harvey Norman was selling with additional 10% discount during HomeDec weekend). Honestly, I would say the pressure cooker has more function compared to the air fryer. 

So far, I had experimented... Bah Kut Teh, Chicken Herbal soup, Black bean soup, porridge, and sorts of bihun soup meal. I have yet try bake fish and any other meat tendering dish, i.e. rendang or curry chicken. It has to be good, in fact its specialized in tendering meat.

The Trio Philips

For recipe, you could find some ideas from Philip's My Kitchen website. A specialized FB page for Air Fryer fans is available here too. In fact, I personally prefer the Taiwan version of My Kitchen (Chinese).

• 飛利浦 》智慧萬用鍋食譜 https://www.lifestyler.com.tw/post/Article/list/Kitchen?pclass=A02
• 飛利浦 》健康氣炸鍋食譜 https://www.lifestyler.com.tw/post/Article/list/Kitchen?pclass=A03

Happy cooking, happy testing!

Love my spine - Part 1

Couldn't exactly recall what else I had in my pending blog list. Time has flown so fast, that I had not been able to stay in front of my MBP for more than 10min over a weekend. Is either that, or I was away somewhere out there. Someone been asking if I am joining trip advisor lately, lol.. Oh well, how I wish if I could do that outside of weekend, isn't that cool? *dreaming*

Honestly speaking, I am a lazy freak whom lack of determination in yoga. Being a occasional yogi made me learned a lot on my own spine and vertebra, in such it had been a long while since I realized my spinal vertebra had been in 'tensed' condition for a number of years. Self observing is the greatest lesson I had learned in my yogi life.

Know your spinal structure here. I have severe tense on my cervical spine (neck) C6-7, causing discomfort on my neck and lately on my right hand shoulder. This had been a prolong problem, which I discovered it since younger days. Upon discussion with my yoga instructor, it seems my back spine is slightly longer than a normal Asian. Hence, I would find myself not able to fit into most Asian build chair, things made worse when I get myself on a lazy spine most often. 

Knowing the problem but not correcting it, will cause continuos discomfort. I decided to try on some easy and lazy product out there. Been eyeing BackJoy Posture+  for the past couple of months before I decided to give it a try when Isetan had 10% discount on this product. This product particularly help lifting our lumbar, but it does not 100% correct my cervical spine problem. Nevertheless, I do find 'some' improvement  over my back, as pressure does not really force my butt to the seat. It's recommended for whose buttock needs to stay on the seat most of the time.

Next is my other relatively pricey investment for my neck. This iZest Neck Relax supposed to correct my cervical spine misalignment. Super simple tool, but I would need to invest 10 minutes a day to correct my spine. So far its still in good use, hope I could continue to be determined in using them all.

Health is treasure, be mindful of own body and soul. Happy exercising and give more attention to own body.

Healthy Living - The Neti Pot for nasal irritation

Many weeks ago, when haze struck us here... my yoga instructor reminded us of this tool. To be honest, I had this tool many many years ago (at least 5?). Never had the chance to try, or rather lazy to try. 

My nose was rather irritated during the 2nd mild strike of haze couple of weeks ago. Thus so, I made this virgin trial into my nose. Such an interesting way of nose cleansing. With some mild salt water in it, pouring over form one nostril to another. For first timer like me, you might find its a little irritated not only at the nose, but you may find your ears and eyes get irritated. Nevertheless, my nose were such clear after that. It's good to keep this cleaning regular at least once a week.

It's call Neti Pot

Youtube has always been a good How-to guide for almost everything.. :)

Worth a try for a healthy lifestyle. 

Body Healing Techniques - Isogai

Being a yogi (limited practice) for the past 7-8 years made me feel going no where further, except with a slight improvement for my body strength, I am yet able to relax and hold myself flexible. My 1 week once lesson (with some skipped classes over the years), I would say I am still able to maintain some of my inner strength, but honestly, I should have done better. I am honest to say, its all due to my laziness and lack of determination.

Looking at the brighter side, I learned a lot on my own body and bone structure, through the continuous  sharing by my yoga teacher. Her sharing are not limited to yoga poses, spine and bone structure, core muscles strengthening, most importantly we learned to identify our inner self, through the bottom of our heart. It may not be a pure meditation practice, but through words and experiences sharing, some stories could reflect our own self with its pretty much similarity. I enjoyed such classes (that's why I have been with the same teacher for the past 7 years).

Isogai technique - quick intro. I find it the simplest technique one could use to strengthen back muscle, correct misalignment of pelvics, and many many more. Being a lazy person (me), I find myself more interested on this exercise. At times I could have dozed off to sleep. However, my only failure is to keep up its determination. Only thing I need is a flexible belt.

Check out the youtube video below, if you are interested to try this out. When you are on it, one could feel the legs been adjusted immediately.

Glow your inner self, grow your health.

Dentist @ BP Healthcare, Glenmarie

Teeth are precious! A glorious smile won't just shines the day or others, but one's inner feel too. Though I had never wear braces (in fact my mom had tried to approach me for many many years), yet I am still against it.

I am glad my crooked tooth ain't too obvious, thank God for that. I still needed some effort in maintaining my teeth and gum, making sure they are healthy well all times. Half yearly check up is a must!

Unfortunate for me, most of my dental visit lasted me with 50min (or even past 60min) wait & 10min of scaling/consultation.

My experience changes lately, with my 1st visit to BP healthcare's newly establish Dental service at Glenmarie. Wait was barely 5min, and consultation with scaling took me 50min. If you are someone whom have great patient and wishfully interested to know more of your own teeth, available dental services in the market today, how to keep teeth and gum healthy, etc.. It was an eye opener for me. Having able to see own teeth through snap shots from a dentist camera somewhat impressed me (mind me, I probably been kept to the old fashioned dentist all these while).

This was the snap shot of before-after of my teeth. :) *wink smile*

Appointment can be made online here. It was rather simple, while their staff will call you up for appointment booking. 

BP Healthcare - Glenmarie Branch

1, Jalan Pendaftar U1/54, Section U1,

Temasya @ Glenmarie, 40150 Shah Alam.

Tel: 603-5569 9996

Official Website : http://www.bphealthcare.com/

One-drop-only Concentrated Mouthwash

Life has been like an empty box, work with no days and nights...without much lights at the end of tunnel, seriously made life miserable, at times. Oh well enough, it's time for me to blog nonsense.

Happened to get this introduced by the Chinese medical hall's owner, when someone has a very bad ulcer, and my throat had been itch to sore. It's when the tradition sea salt water came to no avail, this made handy and effective.

Googled a bit on it, apparently it is made of natural products. Oh I love it then. Made in Germany. I would think its more worth the money compared to the bottled Listerine. RM25+ for a small bottle like this, needs only dash oh drip , mix with water to gargle. Tried it out, and it's effective. Taste good too.

Next in my natural lab, I may experiment some mount wash instead. Found some interesting recipe while googling, it's fun to a naturalist!

Herbaline's Butterfly Threading

This marked my first ever experience with Butterfly Threading facial. Thanks to the available treatment from my ever trusted beauty facial saloon, and of course a friend who introduced such kind of facial treatment many years ago (mind you, he's a guy!) It was an extra ordinary experience with such treatment, compared to normal facial treatment.

Herbaline leaflet

Watch the video which well explains how it was done. A layer of powder was placed and the true thread artwork starts after that. Be mindful, it was real painful, especially for me as a first timer. Tears went off a couple of times, till I really prayed how long else it will finish. The threading itself took me almost 30min. Then it continued with face massage (gua-sa 刮痧), I love this to the max! With the soft aloe vera gel they used, it had been so cooling plus the massage that came by with the jade stone. It was a true pampering one, the cooling gel helped soothing my skin. 

For full information, check out their website here.

What's the effect and feel out from it. I couldn't explain much at this point of time... except kind of itchy once a while, I would say my face feels fresh. The beautician said I would need to apply more moisturizer in order to avoid dryness. So, I'd need to be more hardworking for the next 3 days. :) 

DIY - Pumpkin Kaya (Eggless)

Mid year review - I personally thought I had experimented more cooking recipe this year! Been developing new hobby lately, spent quite a while on browsing for recipe, especially those healthy living  dishes. I enjoyed reading most nutrition book, hunting for new ideas in preparing dietary dishes. It's kinda interesting.

I got this idea of Pumpkin Kaya from a neighborhood cafe lately. Interesting enough, I browsed for some other recipe published online. Read them through, compare the best described, imagine the taste, and finally tested them with half of a pumpkin.

Steps :-

1. Cut pumpkin into cubes, bring them to steam for about 20min
2. Leave them off to room temperature
3. Blend them with a blender or food processor
4. Bring the blended pumpkin to a bowl, keep them double boiled (in heated pan with water)
5. Stir in brown sugar to taste base on own liking; pumpkin itself is sweet
6. Add 4-5 leaves of pandan for fragrance
7. Add coconut milk to own liking; 100ml for 300g pumpkin as example
8. Keep stirring in the bowl for about 15-20min

Cubed pumpkin to steam

After blend, added sugar and pandan leaves

Chill

Store and serve

I personally like this so much, as it's eggless! Plus, it does not need to keep stirring in the pot for hours. This is such easy to make, and most importantly healthy too. Next in my experiment list will be sweet potato kaya! :)

Till then. Try this if you feel like it. Many of my hometown and neighborhood were excited with this recipe when I published the picture in my FB! Hope they would have tried making them, as well as to like it too.

Ogawa EZ Thrive... my recent companion

I would not say I am a fan of exercise, though I do drag myself for yoga, belly dance, breeze walking or at times a 10KM walk... True enough, I am a sports freak! I hate exercising ever since I was young, not sure why.

Nevertheless, our fragile human body do need a lot of exercises each day, especially for those whom stay in office work, tied up onto the office chair and computer for at least 8-10 hours a day.

Let me introduce this recent companion of mine, with an advertisement (self explained) below.

Ogawa - EZ Thrive from Cheonghh on Vimeo.

Then, here is the real picture of the slim looked Ogawa EZ Thrive.

(excerpt from Ogawa official website)

It's such an easy to use machine, much more easier than a treadmill or those static bicycle. Practically does not need any strength or energy to drag you on it. It's just some matter of posture you would need to let the machine massage and burn its fat and calories.

There are couple of ways one could use this machine. By standing straight up, bend some of the knees, siting on it, side way up, and so per mentioned on the user guide. One will find a little burning itchy, if there is fat to burn. Else, it is perfect enough to help with various movements for some part of the body.

Worth it all!

Foods @ Kota Kemuning : B'Liv Cafe [closed]

Healthy living comes from proper diet and healthy food.

Another extra ordinary food blog, for residence around Kota Kemuning. Discovered this place near my home. A cafe with their organic store built in, located the row opposite Aeon's MaxValu supermarket, you gotta be patient hunting it, as the row of shops still not really occupied with shops, mainly offices so far. Head out for a store in Orange, next to a furniture shop.

Here's the internal look. The dining area and the little corner selling their organic products, i.e. powdered soy milk, organic sugar and salts, etc.

Tried a newly discovered Chinese steamed cake, usually made out of yam. This made out of pumpkin, my favorite!

My freshly blended juice for dinner.

Here comes my favorite noodle, one of their signature dish too. The pork noodle.

Simple noodle like this, had their very own made noodle and pork balls, super like!

They serve many types of healthy rice meal too. Can't remember what's that served below, somewhat had spices of curry sachet on it. In fact, I do like their grain riced Taiwanese minced pork (滷肉飯). Yummmm.... healthy meals always been my favorite so far!

Address:-

United Kanboo is their distributer office which located just next door.

Glucosamine & MSM Cream

Believe most who has joint problem may have been consuming Glucosamine in pill form all these while. Glucosamine has been very commonly on the shelf of pharmacy over these years, personally I do not consume it, as the matter I do not have joint problem (yet). However, friends and family members surrounded me yet mostly have such problem, unfortunately.

On the other hand, MSM, Methylsulfonylmethane has also been sold in the pharmacy shelf recently, claim to be dietary supplement. It claims to have anti-inflamatory effect, which could cure swollen injury, especially around the bone and joint area.

Anyway, me being me, I am real skeptical with anything that needs to get into my mouth, and dilute into my body via my digestion system. This always come to my mind, how could it gets to the exact section in my body, one that needs it?

Not until I overheard there is such cream that one could apply, Glucosamine and/or with MSM cream, which can be applied only at the affected area. I recently twisted my ankle (again), same spot same area when I first had it back during my Shanghai vacation trip, in which I had met up my regular massage Soon Sifu. This time round, I twisted it again during my last Pulau Weh vacation... it took me a while to get it better and thus recover.

Here's my ankle when I first need to visit Soon Sifu after touched down from the airplane :)

My story aside. When I discovered that someone introduced my partner another type of Glucosamine cream, I decided to shop for it in Singapore pharmacy. Heard that it is not commonly found in Malaysia yet. Indeed was true, I went to Isetan pharmacy in Singapore Shaw, and found at least 4 to 5 types of such product on the shelf. I wasn't sure what's the best, and the price varies between $22 to $58. I thus bought the lowest range - Kordel's Glucosamine + MSM cream, reason being that it has additional ingredient. Of course, to be safe I did bought the other one which was recommended - LYNK's TCG Glucosamine cream.

Here are the 2 I bought.

And the rest which were still remained on the shelf.

Blogging this is nothing much but to share that there is such product out there, in case one would need to give it a try. I personally still yet to know which helps, but after a week plus observation, my ankle condition seems to be little much improved. However, not too sure if its physiologically impact.

Happy to try on and let me know. :)

By the way, after searching over internet for a while. I noticed Kordel's cream seems to be available in Malaysia's market.

http://kordels.com.my/?page=product&section_id=2&category_id=27

http://www.airasiamegastore.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product2_10001_10051_14003_-1_11526_11522_10016_ProductView__

Updated Aug 29, 2011:-

Here was what I had discovered for our local pharmacy around Klang Valley. Both major one like Watson and Guardian do have this carried. However, the cream were carried into the market with a different name, is called "EZI Cream". Not too sure what does it sounds to be... may be easy? Anyway, here's the packaging in case you would wish to try it out.

The original soap

Not too sure when it started, probably when I first bought a bar soap last year over at a family bazaar. I knew soap can be handmade, but I have never venture into trying this kind of art work. Probably it will soon gets into my to-do list.

Considering the fact that today's commercial body bath's harsh ingredient, so much so its use of plastic containers which create extra and additional waste into the earth these days. I personally find that they are waste. Getting a step back to the mother nature, they are still a lot of resources available, which we could reuse, recycle.

It started with the below handmade soap I bought previously in a bazaar, this is made of wheat & rice. Our granny used to soak their hands and wash their faces with rice water, indeed it has proven to be a natural source for nourishing our body and skin.

Later, I found this organic or rather it claims to be environmental friendly (by its company name) Lemongrass soap in an Organic shop back in Ipoh. I like lemongrass, and I was excited seeing such kind of soap made and selling, though I believe it could have been produced in very small scale.

According to some writing, Lemongrass a.k.a. Citronella is good as insect or mosquito repellent. That reminds me, I need to replenish my Lemongrass extract too.

Very soon, I will hit the google page often for soap making tips. As a start, I found this page seems to be pretty interesting, http://www.naturalpuresoap.com/how-to-make-soap/. Let's see how long will it take for me to produce one. :)

Organic Sea Coral grass a.k.a. Sea bird's nest (海底燕窝）

Also known with its name "Eucheuma" (much of its benefit named here & here). Read out its benefit on your own. Believe most may know of this sometime ago.

I was introduced to this natural product few years ago, but wasn't too sure how could I benefit much from it. There is this 2 things which I don't quite like in preparing it, 1- The fishy smell & 2- The amount of time needed to soak and prepare them. Till lately, it was re-introduced to me during my wellness class. According to the source, this is the best, natural and economical way of improving collagen (膠原) in our body.

Most ladies will know what's the benefit of collagen. It always been mentioned in most beauty products, as normally collagen level decreases as we age. There is way for us to quickly identify if our body is lack of collagen, 1- age >25?, 2- feel of aging from the layer of skin?, 3- its hard to keep longer nails?, 4- skin dryness?, 5- need more time for make up?... :) don't get offended with the questions above. It was picked and translated from this Chinese website - 胶原蛋白——对照检查看看你是否需要补充胶原蛋白.

Back to the so called 'Sea Bird's Nest'. It has been a local product from my homeland - Sabah. A we all know it's a place of sea paradise especially around Tawau's offsite island where we have Sipadan Mabul situated. Following a website I found, this particular company has been producing this coral grass commercially - http://www.seaweed-birdnest.com/index.htm. Well, there is a bit controversial here where to me, things that made out of mass production - will it affect the natural food chain, will it affect the growth of corals under the seabed, will it pollute the sea?

Anyway, let's make it to the other side of story. Assuming environmental nature has been well taken care of. Here's something well introduce to others - the natural organic coral grass a.k.a. sea bird's nest.

(click to enlarge)

By normal, it has to be soaked for at least 6-7 hours. It then ready for variety of food and dishes. Followed several recipe references here as well as instruction above, I could share what I experimented these days.

1. After soaking for 6 hours in clear water, place coral grass into crock pot simmer for another 4 hours.
2. When the grass turned soft, I left them to cool down. Kept them in a glass bottle and refrigerated for later use.
3. Some remaining can be left in the pot, add rock sugar & Chinese red dates. It made perfect for dessert. Extremely smells & tastes better than the pure fishy one without any ingredient added.

Other than the above, it is perfectly the same as jelly grass. Thus, it can make perfect jelly, I will venture into "Kwai-Fa" (桂花) jelly very soon. Till I have the time and occasion to share this :)

Have fun in trying. A pack of Sea Bird's nest like this will cost only RM6-7/pack. Worth a try if you don't mind the fishy smell :)

Recipe References:

http://www.celwhite.com/seabirdnest/

http://sennyong.blogspot.com/2010/08/barley-eucheuma-seaweed-cooling-drink.html (there are many recipe within this particular blog)