Do Not Let This Happen To You !

Learn from the videos below and do not follow their footsteps !

Top Five Cancer Causing Food

Well I received this via an email. And at the bottom of the email stated that "Pass this to all whom you love and care for". So I think posting it here 100% in its original form also counts :)


The top five cancer-causing foods are :

1. Hot dogs
Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.


2. Processed meats and bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.




3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.



4. French fries
Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams .

5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.

BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS


1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level.
This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.
7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain



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The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.'

DO TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH...... ......... ..

AND PASS THIS TO ALL WHOM YOU LOVE & CARE FOR. ............ .........

Planning and Preparing for Pregnancy (Part 3)

As we should know the most important diet in pregnancy planning is having a nutritious, well-balanced diet includes:

• plenty of fruit and vegetables (at least five portions per day), which provide vitamins and fibre
• starchy foods such as potatoes and whole grain cereals, bread and pasta
• protein such as lean meat, fish and pulses
• dairy foods such as milk and yoghurt, which supply calcium

However my guess is that not much people know that folic acid (one of the B vitamins) is the only pre-pregnancy vitamin supplement recommended for women who are eating a balanced diet.

You need folic acid for the development of healthy red blood cells. Adequate intake of folic acid also reduces the risk of your baby being born with a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida. The neural tube develops very early in pregnancy, during the first few weeks after fertilisation. At this point you may not have even realised you are pregnant.

Ideally, start taking folate three months prior to conception, but if you hope to conceive earlier than this, the sooner you start taking it, the better. A dose of 400 micrograms (0.4mg) daily until the 12th week of pregnancy is ideal – it’s most crucial in the first trimester as the brain and spinal cord are developing.

Most pregnancy / pre-natal multi-vitamins should contain folate so you can even start taking those instead of folate on it’s own – just make sure you read the label so you know how much folate you’re actually getting (ideally not too small amount).

You’ll also find folate in the following foods:

• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Asparagus
• Berries
• Avocado
• Beef / Yeast Extracts (e.g. Vegemite)
• Eggs
• Bran Flakes
• Chick Peas
• Soy Beans
• Oranges
• Grapefruit

It is critical to point out, however, that some vitamins and minerals can be toxic if taken in too large of an amount. Vitamins A and D can cause birth defects if taken in megadoses. Therefore, be safe by choosing a supplement that does not exceed the 100 to 150 percent RDI plus the 400 micrograms of folic acid. (or According to the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration website, “the recommended adult daily allowance of vitamin A from all sources is 2500 IU per week).

During pregnancy, pregnant women can become anaemic. Developing infants need a high level of red blood cells in order to receive enough oxygen. And, anemia in the mother can be passed on to her baby. So make sure you eat plenty of iron-rich foods to build up your iron stores. These include red meat, pulses, fortified breakfast cereals, dried fruit, bread and green vegetables. Foods that help iron absorption consist of fruits (oranges, orange juice, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapefruit) and vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, tomato, tomato juice, potatoes, and green and red peppers), and are effective when eaten with iron-rich foods like meat, fish, and poultry. If you are taking iron supplement, make sure you are taking in 18 milligrams of iron each day.


However, there are certain foods that you shouldn't eat pre-pregnancy because they may make you ill or may harm the baby if you do become pregnant. The Department of Health advises that you don't eat:

• liver and large quantities of vitamin A in supplements such as fish liver oils
• unpasteurised dairy products
• raw or soft-cooked eggs
• pâtés, including vegetable pâté
• soft cheeses such as brie or camembert
• blue cheeses such as stilton or roquefort
• swordfish, marlin and shark
• any more than two tuna steaks (170g raw) or four tins of tuna (140g drained) per week

Part of the information source come from Belly Belly.

Planning and Preparing for Pregnancy (Part 2)

Before you become pregnant, you'll want to know :

• If you have any existing medical conditions that might affect your ability to conceive, have a healthy pregnancy, and/or give birth to a healthy baby
• The health of your reproductive organs and breasts
• Your fertility status
• Your genetic history/heritage
• Your metabolism rate
• The condition of your heart, blood, lungs, urine, and hormones
• If you need any adult immunizations/vaccinations
• How current lifestyle choices could affect your pregnancy or your baby

A good way to have a check on this is by going for a Premarital/Preconception Checkup at your local GP or hospital. During the interview session with the doctor, you may want to include your genetic history, reproductive health history, lifestyle (home, work, leisure activities, and settings), and family medical history.

In more specific, ladies would want to test for Rubella. Rubella (german measles) used to be a common childhood illness but most children are now immunised against it. If you are infected with rubella during pregnancy, especially in the first three months, there is a high risk of the baby being deaf, blind or having heart or other abnormalities. You can have your immunity checked with a blood test if you aren't sure whether you have been immunised or had the infection in the past. Your GP can give you an immunisation if you need it. You will be advised not to become pregnant for three months after the immunisation. (Source about Rubella from BUPA)

Another important test to be conducted minimally is Thalassemias. Thalassemias are inherited blood disorders. "Inherited" means they're passed on from parents to children through genes. Thalassemias cause the body to make fewer healthy red blood cells and less hemoglobin than normal. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells. It carries oxygen to all parts of the body. It also carries carbon dioxide from the body to the lungs, where it's exhaled. People who have thalassemias can have mild or severe anemia. This condition is caused by a lower than normal number of red blood cells or not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells. (Source about Thalassemias from National Heart Lungand Blood Institute)

Apart from Thalassemias, there are other genetic disease that might need genetic counselling according to Childbirth Connection, such as :

Achondroplasia (a form of dwarfism)
Canavan Disease
Cleft Palate
Club Foot
Congenital (inherited) Heart Disease
Cystic Fibrosis
Diabetes
Dwarfism
Gaucher's Disease
Hemophilia
Huntington's Chorea (a debilitating neurological condition)
Mental Retardation (Fragile X Syndrome, some forms of Down Syndrome)
Hydrocephalus ("water on the brain")
Muscular Dystrophy
Phenylketonuria
Polydactylism (extra toes or fingers)
Sickle Cell disease or trait
Tay-Sachs trait or disease

And among the most common inherited diseases by ethnic group are:

Sickle Cell Anemia - a blood disorder that mainly affects people of African descent
Tay-Sachs Disease - a central nervous system disease that primarily affects Jewish people of Eastern European ancestry
Thalassemia - a group of blood disorders that mainly affect people of Mediterranean, African, and Southern Asian descent
Cystic Fibrosis - a disorder of the lungs and digestive system that mainly affects Caucasians

Planning and Preparing for Pregnancy (Part 1)

Recently I have been searching around for information in regards to pregnancy planning and preparation. That's me, like to plan and think through stuffs before I do things, including creating baby ;)

And I do found some very useful and important info on the web, which I would like to share with you here :)

One of the place to find practically everything about pregnancy is at Childbirth Connection.

According to the site, planning your pregnancy may help you to:

• conceive more easily
• have a healthier pregnancy
• avoid or minimize pregnancy complications
• give birth to a healthier baby
• recover more quickly and easily after giving birth
• have a more pleasant postpartum (post birthing) experience
• minimize your child's risk of future adult health problems

See, isn't it good to do advance planning in this department?

My New Blog Design !

Yeah, finally done with my new blog design!

Sorry for not updating my blog for a while. I have been busy with lots of stuffs concurrently, apart from this blog redesign.

Thanks for those who dropped by and also left comments and votes during this period. Appreciate a lot :)

Please let me know ion the comments below if you have any concern on this new blog design ;)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button vs Forrest Gump

Mmm... I see lots of cats around recently. COPYCATS, to be exact.

Looks like nowadays it is a trend for shows "copying" other previous great hits. Don't know what I am talking about?

First it is The Little Nyonya (Singapore TV drama) ripping off Dae Jang Geum (Korean TV Drama).

Now comes The Curious Case of Benjamin Button imitating Forrest Gump.

Don't believe me? See here

The Curious Case of Forrest Gump | Viral | SPIKE.com

What Baking Soda can do for you ?

As I was searching for info on baking soda, and I came across a website and never thought that I can use Baking Soda in so many ways, apart from cooking! Here I summarize part of the exhaustive list of the usages of baking soda from Chez D'Raven :

1. deodorize your refrigerator (*CECiL's thought : Wonder if I can use it to deodorize my armpits?* Eh, of course my armpits not smelly...just wondering only mah....)

2. help keep drains clean and smelling fresh

3. sprinkle baking soda on the fire to extinguish stove flames

4. put out fires from gasoline, burning clothes, rugs and upholstery

5. give your deck a weathered look

6. neutralize acid burns caused by battery acid, drain openers and toilet bowl cleaners

7. cleaner for refrigerators, freezers and fiberglass shower stalls

8. clean stains on marble, formica, or plastic surfaces

9. clean thermos bottles

10. wash glass or stainless steel coffee pots with some baking soda to remove the film that builds up on the inside

11. clean the inside working area of coffeemakers

12. clean baby bottles

13. clean and keep stale-smelling sponges fresh

14. make your clothes smell fresher

15. polish silverware

16. keep your dishwasher clean and smelling good.

17. shine stainless steel and chrome utensils

18. remove strong odors from your hands

19. prevent chlorine from the swimming pool can turn your hair green

20. soften your skin

21. help relieve diaper rash irritations.

22. help with skin irritations and will also sooth the itching from measles and chickenpox.

23. remove ring stain around the collar

24. clean lawn furniture that is resin based

25. prevent weeds growing in the cracks of your driveway, sidewalks and patio

and much more ...

*Thinking to myself again : Since baking soda can be used as cleaning agent in so many ways, wonder if we can save more $$$ using it to wash other things like clothes, body, car, blah,blah,blah... why not try it out?*

Disclaimer : Any accident happening from my readers experimenting out my thoughts will not be allowed to claim insurance or any medical expenses from me. For the rest that is mentioned by Chez above, you may try asking him whether he's liable. I doubt not.

Improving My Blog Design

I am finding my current blog design too cluttered, unsystematic and dull; unlike me (I am so organised, systematic and vibrant! *shameless gal*). Hence, I will be giving it a cosmetic reconstruction for a period of time (this may lead to weeks or months of reconstruction, home renovation project always take this long right?).

However, don't worry. My blog will still be accessible and readable during this whole process.

To my readers, please feel free to drop me any feedback on how you think or want me to improve on this blog design. I will take your idea very seriously. But please don't suggest those which are too complicated to be implemented (eg. 3D animation or flash), as I am scared that all my long beautiful hair will drop off at the end of this project *smile*

Thanks a lot ya!

The Curious Case of Burnt Turner

As I was browsing through the internet, I saw this post from The Foodie's Food Trip. I was very excited by the post. Why? Because I just had the same experience few weeks ago!

Oh my poor plastic Turner!

My Plastic Turner got BURNT halfway during cooking! And mind you, I wasn't leaving the turner on the heating cooking pan or any kind of carelessness action. I was just stirring the meat as per normal in the pan. The difference is that I had just increased the stove flame volume.

Initially what I see was just some foreign black substances on the meat that I was cooking, and I thought I had burnt the meat. But upon stirring, I could feel that the texture of the UFO (Unidentified Foreign Object) was different from what a charred meat should be. And a few seconds later, this was what I saw ...

*Thinking*
Should I send you for cosmetic surgery?
*Thinking hard again*
I think better not. First you would need more maintenance. Second you might inflict injuries on yourself again. Not that I am cold-hearted, just that I am a very poor chap.
*Pitying you and myself*

So after some deliberating, I concluded that I should get another new turner instead of trying to salvage this damaged one. And so I get myself a new turner *drum roll please*


Ladies and Gentlemen, introducing ....
.
.
.
.
.
TINA TURNER !!!
.
.
.
.
.

Ok. Ok. I know I am too poor to afford that turner. So I changed my mind to got myself a cheaper version.

Introducing my new Wooden Turner

I have been using this wooden turner for nearly a month and so far so good *touch wood* (pun intended).

Lesson learnt : DO NOT use plastic turner if you need to cook in high heat as the plastic might melt anytime.

PS : Initially when this 'saga' happened, I thought that I was a moron to spoil a turner in this manner. So now I am relieved that it is proven the fault is not mine since I could see another person having similar experience. Or is it that there is another moron on this earth? *wink*

PPS (13 Mar 09) : Received an email from one of my reader saying that there is this silicon turner that won't get burnt ... but I have not seen it before .... Does anyone had experiences with silicon turner? Please share! Thanx :)

More of Petronas Chinese New Year Commercials

Here's some more of Petronas' Chinese New Year Commercials!
(As I have been watching these same stuffs over and over again once in a while, I think I am going to start a compilation on this *wink*).

PS. I am not paid by Petronas to advertise for them ... but if any of you Petronas guys happen to stumble upon my blog, I'll be very glad if Petronas could offer to pay for all my car petrol for the whole year ;)

Here they are :


Year 2005



Year 2004
MIA (Missing In Action)
Public cooperation is very much needed in finding the missing one. Any sightings, please report immediately to the authority at this toll free number. Any informant leading to the recovery of the lost item will be rewarded by listing his/her name in the Hall of Honor. The authority is announcing no monetary reward as it is currently in budget deficit condition.


Year 2003



Year 2002



Year 2001



Year 2000

Heart Warming Petronas Chinese New Year Commercials

During every Chinese New Year, I'll try my best to stick to my television set till I see the long awaited TV Commercials from Petronas. This is because I find Petronas' Chinese New Year Commercials very artfully crafted and heart warming.

So I am sharing them here for you to see for yourself why I am willing to wait in front of my dummy box during that important time of the year :)

Year 2009


Year 2008


Year 2007


Year 2006

Basic Chinese Cooking 101 : Tips #2 Fresh Ginger

So now comes the second tips on Basic Chinese Cooking 101 series. This time, I will talk about Ginger. Why Ginger? Because I also found ginger in my food nearly everyday ;)


So what are the things you will need to know about fresh ginger?


1. Choose fresh ginger that is hard and firm, smooth and avoid those with skin that has molds on the cracked surfaces.

2. Choose chunkier pieces if you are thinking of peeling the skin (so that it is easier to cut.

3. If you want your fresh ginger to last longer, keep it unpeeled in root form. It will last up to 3 weeks in the salad compartment of your fridge and up to 6 months in freezer.

4. When first cutting the ginger, cut off the knobs first.

5. Instead of peeling off the ginger skin with a knife as per normal, you may try scraping the skin off with a spoon or back of the knife.

6. It is better to mince ginger finely with a knife rather than using a food processor.

7. The taste that ginger imparts to a dish depends upon when it is added during the cooking process. Added at the beginning, it will lend a subtler flavor while added near the end, it will deliver a more pungent taste.

8. Ginger helps relieve indigestion, gas pains, diarrhea and stomach cramping; relieve pain and reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, rheumatism and muscle spasms;can curb motion sickness and morning sickness. Most importantly, it also has aphrodisiac powers!


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Related posts :

Basic Chinese Cooking 101 : Beginners Guide

Basic Chinese Cooking 101 : Tips #1 Garlic

All about Food and Recipe

How to know if you have found The Right One

Have you been wondering how would you know if you have found The Right One ?
(Is that babe/dude the Ultimate One for you to spend the rest of your life?)




Here's five very good tips for you to know when you found one :


1. When you need to be urgently sent to Hospital A&E (Accident & Emergency) or ER (Emergency Room)
Symptom : Bleeding heart due to Cupid's arrow shooting through.


2. When you keep falling down during walking
Reason : He/She keeps sweeping you off your feet.


3. If you feel you need to seek Psychiatric treatment
Suspected Diagnosis : Acute Hallucination Syndrome as he/she keeps popping up in your mind.


4. When you are diagnosed as having Cardiac Arrhythmia
Reason : Your heart beat rate is too fast everytime you see him/her.


5. When you start to understand Ohm's Law
(To my ex-science teacher : "Ain't I a good student? I still remember what you had taught me in your science class decades ago !" )
Reason : You will start to understand and appreciate Ohm's Law when there had been too much visual electrical current exchange between him/her and you.

Singapore Taxi Charge Rate

I have always been thinking "How come there is different taxi charges each time I went to the same place?"

Finally I found the answer below :

Peak Period Premium (Extra 35% of metered fee)
Mondays to Fridays: 7.00am to 9.30am
Mondays to Saturdays: 5.00pm to 8.00pm
*Not applicable on public holidays

City Area (CBD Area) Surcharge (Extra $3.00)
Mondays to Saturdays: 5.00pm to Midnight
*Applicable for cab hired within the CBD area and at the time of boarding.

Public Holiday Surcharge (Extra $1.00)
- From 6.00pm on the eve of a Public Holiday to 12 midnight of the day of the Public Holiday (i.e., the five major public holidays, New Year’s Day, first and second of Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas Day)
- From 6.00pm on the eve of Chinese New Year to 12 midnight of the second day of Chinese New Year.
*Applicable at the time of boarding. Where the public holiday falls on a Sunday and the following Monday is a holiday, the Public Holiday surcharge will be payable up to midnight of Monday.

Late Night Surcharge (Extra 50% of metered fare)
Any day - Midnight - 5.59am

Normal Cab Booking Charges (Not advance booking)
Prime Time ($3.50) Mondays to Fridays: 7.00am to 9.30am / 5.00pm to 11.00pm
Non-Prime Time ($2.50) All other times (including Saturdays, Sundays and all Public Holidays)
*Applicable at the time booking job is confirmed.

Thanks for the info from Greatdeals Singapore