Hi parents

Today, would like to share with you about going riceless.

The human body was never meant to consume rice!  Over more than 30,000 years, our genes have hardly changed.  What has changed is our choice of good and lifestyle. 

Caveman food was never cooked as fire was not yet tamed.  He ate fruits, vegetables, fish eggs, nuts and meat. Yes, even meat can be eaten raw if you were starving in the forest. Our body has the necessary enzymes to digest meat.

Rice, like wheat and corn, must be cooked before consumption. Even if you were starving in the desert, you cannot eat rice in the raw form.  This is because our body do not have the system of enzymes to break rice down. We were never meant to eat rice. To make matters worse, we not only eat rice but also make it the bulk of your food.

In Asia context, rice forms up to 85% of the plate.  Keep it to a minimum if you can. Remember, it is only our tongue and not your body tasting the food.  In fact, rice and other grains like wheat and corn are actually worse than sugar.  Below are many reasons:

1         When consumed, rice becomes sugar

Rice is chemically no different from sugar – 1 bowl of cooked rice is equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. It is the same for white, brown or herbal rice.  Although brown rice is richer in fibre, contains some vitamin B and minerals, it is still equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. To get the same 10 teaspoons of sugar, you need to consume 10 bowls of kangkong, how about that.

2         When digested, rice becomes sugar
Rice can only be digested when it is thoroughly cooked.  However, when cooked, it becomes sugar and spikes circulating blood sugar within half an hour.  This is almost like taking a sugar candy. Rice is very low in the ‘rainbow of anti-oxidants’ as compared to fruits.  Fruits come with a sugar called fructose. However, these are not empty calories as they contain a whole bunch of other nutrients that help in proper assimilation and digestion.

3         White rice has no fibre
Kangkong is high in fibre and fills one up long before the blood sugar spikes. This is because the fibre bulks and fills up your stomach. Since white rice has no fibre, what you get is lots of ‘calorie dense’ food before you get filled up.  Although brown rice has more fibre, it still amounts to the same level of sugar.

4         Tasteless-sugar rice
The reason why many people can eat one bowl of rice is because it is more or less tasteless.  Imagine if you take 10 spoons of sugar in one go, you will want to throw out.

5         Rice as main part of the meal

Sugar may fill your dessert or sweeten your tea or coffee.  However, it was never meant to be the main part of any meal.  You may go for a couple of desserts (2 – 3 spoons of sugar) at one go.  It is amazing how some people could eat up to 2 to 3 bowls of rice (equivalent to 20-30 teaspoons of sugar) in one meal.  This is followed by a cup of tea or coffee and again with sugar.  Just think of the sugar level consumed.

6         No real ‘built in’ mechanism to prevent overeating of rice
Have you ever wondered how much kangkong, fried chicken, steamed fish you can you eat at one go???  The truth is there is a limit you would take any of these but for rice, somehow one can take up to 2 to 3 bowls.  Consuming rice causes one to take in more salt as rice is tasteless, This in turn can indirectly pump up high blood pressure. Imagine more curry, ketchup and soy sauce to add flavor to the white rice. All these contains high salt content.

7         Eating rice causes one to drink less water
The more rice one consumes, the less water one will drink as there is no mechanism to prevent the overeating of rice.  In other hidden forms, rice, wheat and corn also come as rice flour, noodles and bread. We tend to eat these hidden forms daily which also translate into digested sugar.

8         Rice, when cooked, is still difficult to digest
Have you ever try eating half-cooked rice. Contrary to popular belief, rice is actually difficult to digest. If you have problems with digestion, try skipping rice for a few days. You will be amazed at how the problem will just go away. This is especially so with chicken rice.  In some serious cases, eating cold chicken rice can cause severe indigestion or gastric problems.

9         Huge consumption of rice prevents the absorption of vitamins and minerals

Rice when taken in bulk can reduce the absorption of vital nutrients like zinc, iron and the B vitamins.

If you are rice eater, it’s time to consider going riceless for a change.  Below are some tips in which you can do so:

·         Gradually reducing the portion of rice consumed

Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables instead.  Also, go for more lean meat and fish.  Eggs and nuts are also good choices.

·         Go ‘riceless’ once a week

Try going western for a change – steak or salad,  Add colour to your food.  Make eating a culinary delight.  Enjoy food in the original flavours, using spices where applicable.

·         Avoid sauces to go with the rice

Try eating plain rice and avoid all sorts of gravies and sauces.  This will ensure less salt and sugar constent found in the gravies and sauces.

·         Eating fruit dessert before the main meal

The rich fibre in fruits will make the stomach will feel fuller.  That way, you will eat less rice.  This in turn will reduce the sugar intake. 

We are what we eat.  Eating less rice or going riceless is also a way to loose weight, So parents, make the right choice for yourself and your family.  Go riceless at least once a week, for a change.

Hi Singapore Parents

Today, would like to share on the difference between coconut milk and coconut water.

COCONUT MILK

Coconut milk is made by scraping coconut flesh and pressing out the liquid.  It is very high in fat and needless to say calories.  One cup of coconut milk contains about 550 calories and most of them are from fat.

COCONUT WATER

Coconut water is the fluid that is found in the cavity of the coocnut when you crack it open.  It contains no fat and is very low in calories.  One cup of coconut water is about 50 calories and most of it is from natural sugars.

In addition to water and sugar, coconut water also contains minerals such as potassium and magnesium.  Believe it or not, the water of one coconut has more potassium than a banana.

Below are some health claims when you drink coconut water:

• Able to help you lose weight
• Cleanse your kidneys (help prevent or resolve kidney stones)
• Cure hangover after bouts of liquor/beer
• It prevents dehydration
• It promotes heart health by reducing the risk of hypertension and stroke

Why coconut water?

Take it as a sports drink.  It contains water, simple carbohydrates (or sugar) and minerals.  Compared to other sports drink which contains artificial flavouring and food coloring, coconut definitely is a solid upgrade.

For other information on coconut water, you may log on to

http://www.juneparenting.com/2009/06/15/the-goodness-of-coconut-water/

So parents, what are you waiting for?  Get your family members to start drinking coconut water.

 Hi Singapore parents

A friend sent me this video on HOW TO COOK AN OMELETTE.

http://www.wimp.com/cookomelet/

Found it interesting as they are not done the usual way that we do it.

It’s easy enough and even kids can do it.  Do take note of the tips offered by the chef.

So parents, get your children involved the next you COOK an omelette . . .

Today, would like to share on the goodness of gingers . . .

Gingers are perennial plants having thick branching aromatic rhizomes and leafy reedlike stems.  They contain anti viral, anti toxic and anti fungal properties.

USES

o             Acts as an antihistamine and aids in the treatment of allergies.

o             Displays anti inflammatory properties and can be used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and various other muscular disorders.

o             It contains special enzymes responsible for catalyzing the proteins in your food, thus aid in digestion and the prevention of cramps.

o             Good for those with constipation!  The ancient Greeks used to eat ginger after a large meal to ease the digestion process.

o             It has been proven to help lower your cholesterol levels and prevent the formation of blood clots.

o             As a mood enhancer, ginger’s cineole content may help contribute to stress relief.

o             Also used for migraine headache.

o             Being a warming herb, ginger can help knock out a fever. This property also makes it effective in stimulating circulation of the blood.

o             The chemical components of the root are instrumental in inhibiting the biosynthesis of prostaglandins which are responsible for causing inflammation.

o             Chewing on fresh ginger can help freshen the breath.

o             Eating ginger may help to prevent cancer and aging disorders.  It has also been shown in animal trials to help slow or even prevent cancerous tumor growth.

o             Can also reduce toothache and discomfort in the upper respiratory tract due to its antibacterial and antifungal nature.

o             Prevention of and treatment against the common cold. It relaxes muscles around the blood vessels and is said to help prevent blood clots from forming. The warming effects make it a natural decongestant as well as an antihistamine, making it the perfect remedy for colds.

Recent studies show that ginger might also have a role in lowering LDL cholesterol because the spice can help reduce the amount of cholesterol that is absorbed.

To discover the health benefits of ginger for yourself, simply make a tea by steeping about 5 slices of ginger in hot water.  You can also have it chilled if that is desired.
  

If you prefer it in your food, ginger is excellent in many dishes and is perfect when combined with garlic.  It does not only spice up your food it can also help to put some extra spice in your intimate life too.  It improves blood flow to your sexual organs and contains Vitamin C, zinc and magnesium.

 So parents, here’s wishing you a happy healthy life with gingers . . .

Today, would like to share with you the goodness of beetroot.

The benefits of beetroot on high blood pressure are staggering! They reached top of the list in the high blood pressure foods. If you drink 500ml of beetroot juice every day, it can significantly reduce your blood pressure, according to UK researchers.  When healthy volunteers drank the juice, their blood pressure dropped within the hour.  What was causing this effect?  Nitrates.

These nitrates are also present in other green, leafy vegetables that you are encouraged to eat in your nutrient rich diets.  Professor Amrita Ahluwalia of the William Harvey Research Institute at Barts and the London School of Medicine was leading the research, along with Professor Ben Benjamin of the Peninsula Medical School. How does the nitrate reduce high blood pressure?

When the beetroot is chewed, saliva mixes with it along with bacteria from off the tongue. It is then converted into nitrite. Then we have another chemical reaction when it reaches the stomach. Because the stomach has an acidic environment, another chemical reaction occurs, the nitrite in the saliva turns to nitric oxide or will re-enter the circulation again as nitrite.

Observation showed that the peak time of reduced blood pressure correlated with the peak levels of nitrite in the circulation of those who swallowed their saliva and that was significant because the volunteers who were asked not to swallow during, or for a further 3 hours after chewing the beetroot, did not experience such results.

The Benefits of Beetroot Still Occur Hours Later

The peak drop in blood pressure happened 3 – 4 hours after chewing and swallowing but it went on dropping gradually for up to 24 hours. The leading researcher, Professor Amrita Ahluwalia said: “Our research suggests that drinking beetroot juice or consuming other nitrate-rich vegetables, might be a simple way to maintain a healthy cardiovascular system.  It might also be an additional approach that one could take in the modern day battle against rising blood pressure.”

The Health Benefits of Beetroot

Health benefits of beetroot include cholesterol lowering, liver function support and possible cancer prevention. Studies have demonstrated that red beet products used regularly in the diet may provide protection against certain oxidative stress-related disorders in humans. Cooking beetroot dissolves the cell walls so that digestive juices are able to penetrate.

The Nutrients in Beetroot

Beet greens are a very good source of calcium, iron, Vitamins A and C. Beetroots are an excellent source of folic acid. They are a very good source of fiber, manganese and potassium.  Beet greens and beetroot are a good source of phosphorus, magnesium, iron and vitamin B6.  Betacyanin is the pigment that gives beetroot its color and has powerful antioxidant properties.

Cholesterol Lowering

Beet fiber has been shown to have cholesterol lowering capabilities. In a study on rats with induced high blood cholesterol, a red beet fiber diet caused a reduction of serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels (by 30 and 40%, respectively) and a significant increase in HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). This diet induced also a significant decrease (almost by 30%) of cholesterol content in the aorta.

Blood Pressure Lowering

Beetroot juice has been shown to lower blood pressure in subjects with normal blood pressure. In healthy volunteers, approximately 3 hours after ingestion of 500 ml of beetroot juice, blood pressure was substantially reduced, an effect that correlated with peak increases in plasma nitrite concentration, nitrite being the blood pressure reducing ingredient.

Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Betaine, a nutrient found in beets and some other foods lowers plasma homocysteine, a possible risk factor for cardiovascular disease.  Betaine supplements are manufactured as a byproduct of sugar beet processing.  Betaine “supplementation” has however been found to increase blood LDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations in healthy humans.  This may undo the potential benefits for cardiovascular health of betaine supplementation through homocysteine lowering.

Liver Function

Beetroot contains the bioactive agent betaine, which supports healthy liver function. When the liver is functioning properly, fats are broken down efficiently, aiding weight loss and preventing fatigue and nausea.

Cancer Prevention

Preliminary tests suggest that beetroot ingestion can be one of the useful means to prevent lung and skin cancer. Other studies have shown that beet juice inhibits the formation of cancer causing compounds called nitrosamines.

What are you waiting for?  The next trip to the market or supermarket, do get some beetroot for your family.

Hi Singapore Parents

Today, going to share with you on the goodness of papayas . . .

Scientists have found that men who consumed the most lycopene-rich fruits and vegetables such as papaya were 82% less likely to have prostate cancer. In this study, green tea also exerted a powerful anti-cancer effect. When lycopene-rich foods were consumed with green tea, the combination was even more effective, an outcome the researchers credited to their synergy.

(Source: Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2007)

 Papaya is a store-house of cancer fighting lycopene

The intense orangey-pink colour of papaya means it is chock full of cancer fighting carotenoids. Not only beta carotene, but lycopene is found in abundance. The construction of lycopene makes it highly reactive toward oxygen and free radicals.

Scientists think this anti-oxidant activity contributes to its effectiveness as a cancer fighting agent. Epidemiological studies have indicated an inverse relationship between lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk. They showed that oral lycopene is highly bio-available, accumulates in prostate tissue and is localized in the nucleus of prostate epithelial cells.

In addition to antioxidant activity, other experiments have indicated that lycopene induces cancer cell death, anti-metastatic activity, and the up-regulation of protective enzymes. Phases I and II studies have established the safety of lycopene supplementation.

(Source: University of Illinois, October 8, 2008)

Isothiocyanates found in papaya restore the cell cycle to eliminate cancer

Organo-sulfur compounds called isothiocyanates are found in papaya. In animal experiments, isothiocyanates protected against cancers of the breast, lung, colon pancreas, prostate and leukemia. They also have the potential to prevent cancer in humans. Isothiocyanates have shown themselves capable of inhibiting both the formation and development of cancer cells through multiple pathways and mechanisms.

(Source: International Journal of Oncology, October, 2008)

Researchers in Japan clarified the mechanisms of action in a type of isothiocyanate found in papaya known as BITC.  It underlies the relationship between cell cycle regulation and appropriate cell death. When cancerous cells die on schedule, they are no longer a problem. The researchers established that BITC exerted cancer cell killing effects that were greater in the proliferating cells than in the quiescent cells. Cancer cells that are proliferating are much more dangerous than cancer cells that are in a state of dormancy.

(Source: Forum of Nutrition, 2009)

Enzymes from papaya digest proteins including those that protect tumors

The fruit and other parts of the papaya tree, also known as the paw paw tree, contain papain and chymopapain.  These are powerful proteolytic enzymes that facilitate chemical reactions in the body. They promote digestion by helping to break down proteins from food into amino acids that can be recombined to produce protein useable by humans. Proteolytic enzymes protect the body from inflammation and help heal burns. They do a good job of digesting unwanted scar tissue both on the skin and under its surface.

Research has shown that the physical and mental health of people is highly dependent on their ability to produce proteins they can use effectively. However, as people age, they produce less of the enzymes needed to effectively digest proteins from food and free needed amino acids. They are left with excessive amounts of undigested protein which can lead to overgrowth of unwanted bacteria in the intestinal tract and a lack of available amino acids.

 Papaya was the only studied food found to halt breast cancer

Scientists studied 14 plant foods commonly consumed in Mexico to determine their ability to halt breast cancer cell growth. These included avocado, black sapote, guava, mango, prickly pear cactus (nopal), pineapple, grapes, tomato, and papaya. They also evaluated beta-carotene, total plant phenolics, and gallic acid contents and antioxidant capacity. They found that only papaya had a significant effect on stopping breast cancer cell growth.

(Source: International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, May)

Eating papaya after a meal promotes digestion, and helps prevent bloating, gas production, and indigestion.

It is quite helpful after antibiotic use to replenish friendly intestinal bacteria that were the casualties in the war against the unwanted bacteria. When the intestinal tract is well populated with friendly bacteria, the immune system is strengthened. It can then better protect against flu and cancer.

Being a proteolytic enzyme, papain is able to destroy intestinal parasites that are composed mostly of protein. To rid the body of intestinal parasites, half a cup of papaya juice can be alternated each hour for twelve consecutive hours with the same amount of cucumber or green bean juice.

Papaya contains fibrin, another useful compound not readily found in the plant kingdom. Fibrin reduces the risk of blood clots and improves the quality of blood cells, optimizing the ability of blood to flow through the circulatory system. Fibrin is also important in preventing strokes. Proteolytic enzymes containing fibrin are a good idea for long plane rides to minimize the potential of blood clots in the legs. People who sit at a desk all day might want to use proteolytic enzymes too.

Proteolytic enzymes are able to digest and destroy the defense shields of viruses, tumours, allergens, yeasts, and various forms of fungus. Once the shield is destroyed, tumours and invading organisms are extremely vulnerable and easily taken care of by the immune system.

Undigested proteins can penetrate the gut and wind up in the bloodstream where they are treated by the immune system as invaders. If too many undigested proteins are floating around, the immune system becomes overburdened and unable to attend to the other tasks it was meant to do. Proteolytic enzymes can digest these rogue proteins, freeing up the immune system.

Hi

Hope this article will enlighten you.

Did you know that SWEET POTATO (kamote) far exceeds the nutrition and health values of rice? Here are the benefits of substituting rice with kamote:

1.    Sweet potato is more filling and suppresses hunger pangs longer. It is also cheaper than rice.

2.    Unlike rice, it is easy to grow. It grows in backyards with or without fertilizers. Local government executives can provide their poor communities with idle government land for planting kamote which the entire community can share.

3.    Unlike rice which needs to be eaten with a dish, Sweet Potato tastes good and can be eaten by itself. Thus, substituting rice with sweet potato saves money for other needs.

4.    Rice cannot match the nutritional values of potato. As rice converts to sugar in the body, the Philippines registers it as a top producer of diabetics in the world.  The poor tends to load up on rice and less on the dish which are more expensive. That makes them vulnerable to diabetes, an ailment known in developed countries as a rich man’s disease.

5.    The nutritional values of a 3 oz. baked sweet potato are: calories 90, fat 0 g, saturated fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 mg, carbohydrate 21 g, protein 2 g, dietary fiber 3 g, sodium 36 mg, vitamin A 19,218 IU, folic acid 6 micrograms, pantothenic acid 1 mg, vitamin B6 <1 mg, vitamin C 20 mg, vitamin E 1 mg, calcium 38 mg, manganese 1 mg, carotenoids 11,552 mcg, potassium 475 mg and magnesium 45 mg.  Compare that to a 100 g serving of white rice with: calories 361 kcal, water 10.2 g, total fat 0.8 g, dietary fiber 0.6 g, calcium 8 mg, phosphorous 87 mg, potassium 111 mg, sodium 31 mg, vitamin B1 0.07 mg, vitamin B2 0.02 mg, niacin 1.8 g, protein 6 g and carbohydrates 82 g.

6.    Too much rice consumption can make you sick, but sweet potato (kamote) can bring you to health and keep away some health problems. These have been proven medically.  In a medical documentary I watched recently on KBS World (the South Korean TV Network), I was awed by the results of the research the Koreans conducted on the nutritional and medicinal benefits of kamote (which they refer to as sweet potato). In that Korean medical documentary I watched (which I followed through the English subtitles), they presented the research findings on people with established health problems who were placed on a kamote/sweet potato diet.

Believe it or not – Sweet Potato (kamote) lowers hypertension, bad cholesterol and even blood sugar when eaten as SUBSTITUTE TO RICE! The purple sweet potato (kamote) is particularly effective for lowering hypertension.

Not only that, the Korean medical documentary credits the sweet potato (kamote) as high fiber and is one of the best foods that one can eat to prevent cancer!

For those who are only impressed by US doctors, read this: the North Carolina Stroke Association, American Cancer Society, and the American Heart Association have all endorsed the sweet potato for its disease prevention and healing qualities. The Americans, the South Koreans – both progressive nations – have raised the kamote to a high pedestal. Many of them even call the sweet Potato a “super food that heals.”

So parents, so much for the goodness of sweet potatoes.  For recipe of sweet potato porridge, you may click onto http://www.juneparenting.com/2007/03/06/sweet-potato-porridge/.

Would like to share with you the following flu tales . . .

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu.  Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy.  When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then).  The doctor couldn’t believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope.  She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion.  It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy. 

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ.  She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers.  The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop.  To her surprise, none of her staff got sick.  It must work..  (And no, she is not in the onion business.)

The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home.  If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere.  Try it and see what happens.   We did it last year and we never got the flu.

If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better.  If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case..

Whatever, what have you to lose?  Just a few bucks on onions!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So Singapore parents, on your next visit to the market or supermarket, just pick up the onions!

Hi Singapore Parents

Eating out often can zap your budget in times of economic crisis.  Also, busy schedules make it difficult to find the time to cook healthy, tasty, and economical home-cooked meals.

Below are some suggestions that can help tighten your belt:

• Cook in bulk.  When you make chili, make enough for three meals.  Eat one tonight and pack the extras in labeled freezer bags.  You now have two meals ready to go in just minutes for those nights when you’re in a hurry.  Just pop the freezer bag in the microwave or pour the thawed chili into a pan on the stove top.  Toss together a green salad and dinner is served.

  For additional savings, plan your bulk-cooking sessions around the supermarket’s sales.

• Use a slow cooker.  A slow cooker (shown in this figure)  is both convenient and a money saver.  When you come home at dinnertime, the food is already done.  This eliminates the temptation to run out for something quick (and more expensive). Slow cookers can save you money in other ways:

• • You can cook larger meals, providing leftovers and possibly a second meal from one cooking time.
  • You can buy tougher (and less expensive) cuts of meat because the slow cooker acts as a tenderizer.

  • Meat shrinks less when cooked in the slow cooker and does not dry out.

  • A slow cooker uses less electricity than an oven.  It also does not heat up the kitchen nearly as much as the stove top or oven.  So it is a perfect hot-weather cooking appliance.

  • Tofu, an inexpensive meat substitute, tastes better cooked in a slow cooker because it has time to soak up the flavors of the broth, spices, and other ingredients.

  • Besides stews, slow cookers can also broil soups.  There are just too many things you can do with slow cookers.  Vary the ingredients and the whole family can enjoy different meals all the time.  The library is a good source to borrow books on food preparation for slow cookers.  Even children can be involved and help in the cooking.  Make it a family affair where everyone can take turns to prepare his or her speciality for their loved ones.

• Go green and eat more vegetables.  Not only are vegetables healthy for the family, they are also rich in vitamins.  You will be amazed by the varieties and different colours you can mix and match to make your meals appetizing.  Pop lesser pills and go the natural way.

Well parents, happy saving money and cooking at home.

Hi Singapore Parents

Today, will share one mushroom recipe with you.

This is for one pack of 150 gm Mycofarm mushrooms:

1. Slice fresh mushrooms, if desire.  Else leave it as a whole.
2. Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan.
3. Add 10 grams of chopped garlic and fry till golden brown (If vegetarian, can omit this).  For chilli lovers, can add in shreds of chillies to your liking.
4. Add mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute.
5. Add 1 teaspoon of oyster sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and while pepper.  Stir fry for another 3 minutes or until mushrooms are soft.  Can also consider other sauces if oyster sauce is not desired.
6. For wine lovers, stir in 1 tablespoon of Chinese wine and serve immediately while hot.

So parents, try out this simple, tasty and healthy dish.

Hi Singapore parents

Would like to share with you the right way to cook instant noodles without harming our bodies and health.

Normally, we would put the instant noodles into a pot of water, add in the seasoned powder and let it cook for around 3 minutes.   By doing this, we actually boil the ingredients in the powder, normally with MSG.  It will then change the molecule structures  and cause the MSG to be toxic.

Also the noodles are coated with wax and it will take around 4 to 5 days for the body to excrete the wax after consumption.

Here is the recommended way to do it:

1.  Boil the noodles in a pot with water.
2.  Once the noodles are cooked, drain and throw away the water which contains wax.
3.  Boil another pot of water and put the noodles into the hot boiling water and then shut the fire.
4.  Only at this stage when the fire is off, add in the seasoned powder to make noodle soup.
5.  If dry noodles are desired, take out the noodles, add the seasoned powder and toss it to get dry noodles.

For plain noodles without the seasoning, you may also need to boil in water and discard the water. This will soften the noodles.  To prevent it from sticking, you can add a teaspoon of oil or run it under cold water.

A large number of people aged 18-24 years are getting pancreatitis either as a swelling or infection of the pancreas.  One of the reasons was due to regular consumption of instant noodles.  If the frequency is more than 3 times a week, it can be hazardous . . .

So parents, hope you find the above tips useful and be mindful when cooking instant noodles for your family.

Hi Singapore Parents

Do you know that coconut water contains organic compounds possessing healthy growth promoting properties that can help:

• Keep the body cool and at the proper temperature
• Orally re-hydrate your body, it is an all natural isotonic beverage
• Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells
• Naturally replenish your body’s fluids after exercising
• Raise your metabolism
• Promote weight loss
• Boost your immune system
• Detoxify and fight viruses
• Cleanse your digestive tract
• Control diabetes
• Aid your body in fighting viruses that cause the flu, herpes, and AIDS
• Balance your PH and reduce risk of cancer
• Treat kidney and urethral stones
• Boost poor circulation

Coconut water is naturally low in carbohydrates,  99% fat free and low in sugars.  Contrary to traditional belief, coconut water is:

• more nutritious that whole milk – less fat and no cholesterol
• more healthy than orange juice – much lower calories
• better than processed baby milk – it contains lauric acid which is present in human mother’s milk
• naturally sterile – water permeates though the filtering husk
• a universal donor – it is identical to human blood plasma
• a natural isotonic beverage – the same level we have in our blood

Based on a 100 ml drink, coconut water:

• contains more potassium (about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks
  
• has less sodium (25 mg) where sports drinks have around 41 mg and energy drinks about 200 mg
  
• has 5 mg of natural sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10 – 25 mg of altered sugars
• is very high in chloride at 118 mg, compared to sports drinks at about 39 mg
  

So parents, do consider coconut water as a regular booster than the usual sports or energy drinks.

Hi Singapore parents

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting them and just popping them into our mouths.  Well, it is not as easy as you think.  You also need to know how and when to eat . . .
 
So what is the right way to eat fruits???

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!

FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.
 
If you eat fruit on an empty stomach, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.
 
FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD – Let’s say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines but it is prevented from doing so.
 
In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid.  The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.
 
So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals!  You have heard people complaining:

v    Every time I eat water-melon I burp.

v    When I eat durian, my stomach bloats up.

v    When I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet

Actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying of other food and produces gas.  Hence, you feel bloated!
 
Greying hair, balding, nervous outburst and dark circles under the eyes – all these will stop if you take fruits on an empty stomach.
 
There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon being acidic because all fruits become alkaline in our body. If you have mastered the right way to eat fruits, you have the SECRET of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.
 
When you need to drink fruit juice – drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans.  Never drink juice that has been heated up.  Avoid eating cooked fruits because all the nutrients are lost. You only get to taste.  Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

Also, eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice.  If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.
 
You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body.  Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look! So Singapore parents, hope you find the above tips useful and fruitful.

Hi Singapore parents 

Drinking tea has been a traditional culture in some families.  I know for one my dad who must sip a hot brew after dinner.  Although he is no longer around, sipping a cup of tea always remind me of him.  

Below are some tips on drinking the right tea:

Chrysanthemum Tea – suitable for people who use their “brain” to work or students who study hard day and night. 

Flower Tea – suitable for people who to sit down all day long and do nothing, even exercising.  Green Tea is also good for this group of people. 

Green Tea – suitable for people who travel on a bike or work in dirty and polluted places.  For those who smoke and drink a lot of alcoholic drinks, this tea is an ideal choice.  For those with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, try out this tea.  For those who sit down idling all day long, this is also your cup of tea for the day. 

Honey Tea – suitable for people who go to the washroom too often or too less. 

Wu Loong Tea – suitable for people need lots of body energy to work or those who exercise a lot everyday.  For Carnivores (people who must eat meat), when you feel sick or unwell, a cup a day will you wonder.  For those with high cholesterol and high blood pressure, this tea is definitely for you. 

For COMPUTER holics, you will need to drink lots of tea (any one will do).Whenever you are working with the computer, make some tea and drink it when you are free.  Drinking Tea is healthy — it protects and prevents ultraviolet rays from harming us (when using computer).  Furthermore, it can also cure us when we are tired and help make our body feel fresh again.
 
So Singapore parents, do heed the above tips and start your tea pots brewing.

Hi parents

Do you know that tomato is actually a fruit and not a vegetable. Well, below are other things that you can share with your children on tomatoes:

• They are rich in fibre
• They are rich in vitamins A and C
• They are cholestrol free
• Each tomato (medium size about 150 gm) has only 35 calories
• The nutrients of tomatoes, when cooked, are absorbed more effectively, especially so with olive oil.
• When cooked, they also have higher concentrations of lycopen.
• New medical research shows that lycopene makes tomatoes red and may prevent several types of cancer such as breast, lung, prostate, cervical and digestive tract.

So parents, hope you have found the above tips useful. In Singapore, tomatoes are readily in both wet markets and supermarkets. For a healthy diet for the family, do include tomatoes in your meals and have them cooked with olive oil.