nis cavity life: March 2012

The Wonders of Coconuts

The Wonders of Coconuts

Did You Know... . . . that coconuts are one of the wonder foods on earth that amply provides for all human needs?

They can even save your life!!!

Few people (even fewer doctors)  understand how important the coconut is to stabilizing blood  sugar; lowering cholesterol; healing; hydration; and even replacing blood plasma in an emergency.

Referred to as  kalpa vriksha (Sanskrit for "the tree that supplies all that is needed to live") in ancient India, the coconut palm has been recognized as a top immune booster, antifungal,                 antibiotic, antiviral, and antibacterial remedy for thousands of years all over the world.

Yet, it has only been recently that modern researchers have begun to fully discover the massive health benefits this amazing fruit offers.

To give just one example of coconuts' life-saving properties, they were used extensively in the  Pacific during World War II. Since blood plasma supplies were scarce, it was very common for medics to siphon pure coconut water from young coconuts to be used as emergency plasma                 transfusions for soldiers who were injured. Since coconut water is nearly identical to human blood, it was suitable for people of all blood types.

Because of its strong antioxidant properties, the coconut can be used to:

==> Lower cholesterol
==> Improve digestion
==> Ward off wrinkles
==> Stabilize glucose levels
==> Fight off viruses
==> Build cells
==> Regulate hormones
==> Increase thyroid production
==> Lose weight
==> Increase metabolism
==> Fight infections
==> Stave off memory loss
==> Kill bacteria
==> And more!

Considered one of the most treasured foods of all time, coconut products -- including coconut flesh, coconut water, coconut oil, and coconut cream -- each deliver superb health benefits.

Coconut oil, for instance, is considered the best and safest oil to use for cooking -- even superior to extra virgin olive oil when it comes to giving the body what it needs for optimum health.

Unlike other fats and oils that we typically use for cooking and baking, coconut oil does not form polymerized oils or dangerous trans fatty acids in our bodies, which can raise our cholesterol levels; clog our arteries and even make our skin sag and wrinkle. Plus, this ultra-safe oil can give your body important antioxidants that can help build stronger cells and improve your overall health and well being.

Here are a few ways that you can use coconut products to stave off disease and to recapture the look and feeling of youth:

Coconut Water - The coconut is a natural water filter. It takes almost 9 months for a  coconut to filter every quart of water stored within its shell. This makes the resulting coconut water completely pure and sterile, which is one reason why it can be used for blood transfusions.

Another benefit of coconut water is the fact that it has the highest concentration of electrolytes than anything else found in nature. This makes it an excellent source of hydration.

Coconut  Oil - In addition to being superior for cooking and baking, coconut oil also makes a superb topical oil that can help to naturally rid the skin of dangerous toxins. It also gives the skin the perfect mix of hydration and antioxidants that it needs to stay healthy, smooth and younger-looking longer.

Another great benefit of coconut oil is in protecting your teeth from the bacteria that can cause cavities and disease. Simply rubbing a little fresh coconut oil on your gums and teeth can                 keep them stronger and healthier than virtually any other dental treatment.

Most people don't realize that coconut oil can actually help you lose weigh ! Yes, simply changing your cooking oil from the unsaturated fat variety to coconut oil can help you lose those                 extra pounds.

Here's why:   Unsaturated fats found in canola, corn and other vegetables oils, as well as                 margarine suppress the metabolism , which makes it harder to lose weight -- and easier to gain it.

Over time, this metabolism suppression may result in 20-30 pounds of excess weight that your body cannot get rid of. Coconut oil, on the other hand, helps to increase thyroid function and boost your metabolism -- 2 important components to shedding unwanted pounds.

Coconut  Cream - The best skin treatment product one can use to achieve flawless skin may quite possibly be coconut cream. Unlike traditional skin creams which can actually introduce fats and oils to the skin that will break it down over time, making it look older, creams derived                 from the coconut can actually replenish the skin, giving it a more youthful and healthy glow than most other skin care products on the market.

When it comes to buying coconut products, coconuts are not all created equal. Wild coconuts are always best, but can be hard to obtain if you don't live in a tropical country. Whether you are using this wonder food to boost your immune system; increase your metabolism or fight wrinkles, using products from young coconuts will help you reap the most benefit.

Young coconuts contain the purest unsaturated fat, compared to the fat found in the more mature varieties. This is why they offer the most rejuvenation properties for the body's tissues. But how can you tell how old a coconut is? Young coconuts are usually green in colour and oddly shaped. The brown hairy ones are mature coconuts, and while they offer a lot of healthy benefits, they aren't nearly as good for you as younger varieties.

The best place to find young fresh coconuts is, of course, in the markets of the tropics, so be sure to seek them out if you travel to those areas. Coconut-producing regions export coconuts all over the world, however, so it's relatively easy to find coconuts at your local health food store or Asian grocer.

How Often to Brush and Floss?

How Often to Brush and Floss?

If a person is cleaning their teeth effectively (see "Finding Hidden Bacteria in Your Mouth" and "Why Are You Flossing?") then the teeth and gums are safe until the bacteria return, organize their bio-environment and begin causing damage.

Studies indicate it takes 24 hours or a little longer depending on mouth chemistry and diet.

So effectively cleaned teeth are safe for one full day. Most people will brush more than once per day because they are concerned about food particles showing in their smile and about food particles on teeth creating bad breath.

So most people will brush a couple times daily after meals. For "healthy" teeth, however, one "effective tooth cleaning" each day is enough for excellent oral health.

Scott Thompson,DDS

530-878-2357

The dentist and asthma attacks

The Dentist

Da da dum. (Cue dramatic music)

I have always prided myself on having strong teeth. I get my teeth cleaned twice a year and rarely have any cavities. So when my tooth started hurting last weekend, I was a little concerned. The dentist office was able to find room on their schedule to see me a few hours after I called on Monday morning.

Was I in for a shock! My dentist originally thought there was a piece of debris in between the teeth. I knew it wasn't that simple, I floss my teeth and hadn't noticed anything. He started tapping on one the right side molar to see if it bothered me. Nope. Then he tapped on the left molar. Maybe a little discomfort. Then he got a piece of ice and held it on the right side. No problem. Then he held it on the left side molar. I about jumped out of the chair. The dentist's little blue light showed a crack in my molar.

All of a sudden he was injecting me with numbing medicine so he could start drilling out my old filling. Then he found saw a nerve. Suddenly he was inserting all sorts of metal tools in my mouth to quickly fill the tooth (and cover the root) until I could get to the specialist.

I started to panic because he hadn't explained what was going on and I started to have a hard time breathing. I couldn't use my inhaler (because I couldn't talk to tell him I needed my inhaler!) So I started to belly-breathe. It's a simple little thing to do, but helps when you need to calm down and get your breathing under control.

You simply breathe in (deeply) and breathe out slowly. It helps you take deep breathes rather than the short, shallow breaths that happen when you are having a hard time breathing. Sometimes we can almost pant when we breathe (yep, just like a dog.)

Did you know that the word 'asthma' is actually the Greek word for panting? So the next time you start panting, or breathing shallow and fast. Stop! Take a deep breathe in........... and slowly let it out. I can feel my whole body start to relax when I do it.

It didn't fix my tooth, but it helped me stay calm while the dentist was working on it.

Try it sometime!

Today while looking through pictures with Lily we came across a picture of her and Theresa....

Lily : Dats me and Teesa

Me: Yes that is, Theresa is mommy's best friend

Lily: Noooo Teesa is not your best friend mama, Teesa is my best friend

Me: oh Theresa is your best friend?

Lily: (giggling) noooooo mama Tessa not my best friend...Mama my best friend, Mamas Lily's best friend, i Wuv you Mama (kiss)

and than my heart exploded all over the living room

Easter Egg Hunt

Last Saturday the forecasted rainshowers and thunderstorms held off long enough for us to attend the city easter egg hunt. Amy Ethan and Jason joined us and the kids had a blast. I don;t have to much to say about it other then it was so cute to watch Lily and Ethan anxiously awaiting the Easter Bunny give the okay to head on out and scoop up their eggs.
It has been such a pleasure watching Lily and Ethan grow into such good friends. And I am so grateful for times like these when my best friend and I can get our families together and just watch our beautiful children experience life together.

The stress test

The stress test

Take a deep breath and relax with these three relaxation methods

by Eveline Gan

04:45 AM Mar 27, 2012

Judging by our long working hours and numerous incidents of flared tempers, it is an understatement to say that Singaporeans are a stressed bunch. Eight in 10 young Singaporeans suffer from mild to severe stress, according to the Philips Index for Health and Well-being Report 2010.

While some stress isn't always a bad thing, too much of it over a long period of time can affect your health, said Dr Mabel Yum, senior clinical psychologist at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's (KTPH) department of psychological medicine.

"In a competitive environment like Singapore, stress is not unexpected. You can't run away from it, but what you can do is to learn to cope," she added.

So how can a stressed person get respite in fast-paced Singapore? We put three relaxation techniques to the test.

Stretch for peace of mind

Practising yoga while being suspended in mid-air for an entire hour certainly wasn't my idea of relaxation. But in the name of research, I decided to try out Floating Yoga, the newest form of yoga in town.

The latest newcomer in our local fitness scene, Celebrity Fitness is the only centre here offering Floating Yoga, which uses a custom-made hammock suspension that acts as a soft trapeze to support the body while you execute yoga poses.

To ensure I was sufficiently stressed, I attended the class after work hours last Monday. Guiding me through the session was lead instructor Xabier Fabrega Pujol, a dashing 35-year-old fitness instructor from Barcelona.

Despite its intimidating appearance, the hammock suspension is very safe and a piece of cake to manoeuvre once I get the hang of it, Xabier assured me.

The device also eases the stress on the neck and spine for more challenging yoga poses such as the headstand, which can be dangerous for newbies to execute.

I complained about the tensed muscles in my shoulders and neck, a common problem among office workers who spend the entire day hunched over in front of the computer.

"Ever noticed how some people are so hunched over all the time even when they are standing upright? Stress, coupled with other bad habits like over-using your phone and bad posture, can affect your body's natural alignment, causing you to look much older than you actually are," explained Xabier, who, by the way, had a ramrod straight posture.

To ease my tensed muscles, Xabier took me through several stretching poses using the hammock as leverage. We also did a few "chest-opening" stretches. Amazingly, I felt the positive effects immediately. My shoulders felt more relaxed, and I felt less "stuffy" around the chest.

For the first time since I picked up conventional yoga six months ago, I also managed a headstand with Xabier's help.

I yelped as blood rushed to my hand while hanging upside-down in mid-air supported by the hammock. Xabier said: "Just let yourself go and relax every muscle in your body."

I stopped worrying, enjoyed the new sensations and let all my worries about work melt away.

Xabier advised making exercise, not just yoga, a regular part of your life. Besides the physical health benefits, you will also be doing your mental health a whole load of good.

"Exercise frees your mind from the heavy bag of burdens you carry with you every day. Tell me, when you are so immersed in the stretching exercises just now, were you thinking about your work or problems?" he asked. Well, no.

While Floating Yoga is suitable even for beginners, the workout is certainly no walk in the park.

I ached for days after the session, but what Xabier said made sense. From now on, I'll be sure to fit in a workout session no matter how busy I am, just so I won't get smothered by my bag of burdens.

Visit www.celebrityfitness.com/sg for details.

Inhale, exhale, relax…

Think about the last time you were stressed. You get heart palpitations, your breathing quickens and your muscles tense.

All these physiological "fight or flight" symptoms kick in when you are confronted with extreme stress, said KTPH's Dr Mabel Yum.

To counteract the negative effects of chronic stress, KTPH's clinical psychologists regularly conduct hour-long relaxation therapy classes that teach stressed Singaporeans scientific-based methods to relax. They include deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and guided imagery/visualisation techniques.

Having experienced the three techniques first-hand from Dr Yum, I was surprised to learn that they are fairly simple to learn.

We started with deep breathing exercises, during which I was taught the correct way to breathe. Every inhalation and exhalation should last three seconds each.

According to Dr Yum, anxiety causes your breathing to be shallow and rapid. Focusing on your breathing helps slow down your heart rate, putting you in a more relaxed state.

Next, we proceeded to progressive muscle relaxation, a technique developed by American physician Edmund Jacobson in the early 1920s. "Clench your fist for five seconds, then relax it. Do this a few more times. How does it feel?" Dr Yum asked.

Apparently, being aware of this sensation and learning to relax muscle tension can reduce anxiety.

For the guided imagery/visualisation technique, I was asked to visualise images/ scenes comforting and pleasant to me. To make the imagery more vivid, I was told to use all my five senses.

"For instance, if you are picturing a day at the beach, think about what you will see, how your feet will feel in the sand, the calls of the seagulls, the salty smell and taste of the sea," explained Dr Yum.

These relaxing images will help your mind and body to relax.

Don't expect instant results though. Initially, you might be more focused on getting the techniques right than feeling relaxed. However, practice makes perfect, said Dr Yum.

She recommended setting aside time to practise the techniques for 20 to 30 minutes daily. Ideally, you should be in comfortable clothing, comfortably seated/lying down in a quiet room and not rushing for time.

For details on classes, visit www.ktph.com.sg or call 6555 8828.

Knead your cares away

Some people enjoy long body massages as a form of relaxation. There are also others who find lying still and being pummelled for hours a torture.

As a person who simply cannot sit still for long, I belong to the latter group.

For an unbiased experiment, I underwent an incognito full body 60-min massage session at Soul Spa at Aranda Country Club, paid for by my massage-loving husband.

I opted for a heartlands spa in the east, as I didn't want to stress myself further by travelling far from home in Pasir Ris.

My massage therapist for the day was Penny, an affable middle-aged lady whose skilled hands deftly kneaded and loosened every knot in my tensed muscles from head to toe.

I have no gripes about Penny's near-perfect massage skills. What I had problems with was that instead of relaxing, I started thinking about how I would write this article!

Then I began worrying about a host of other things, ranging from housework, my daughter's homework to work deadlines. Halfway through the session, I was itching to get home to finish my chores.

That was when I suddenly thought of putting Dr Yum's visualisation technique (see "Inhale, exhale, relax...") into good use since I would be stuck on a massage bed for another 30 minutes.

It worked tremendously well. Visualising a cosy, happy scene during a family vacation took my mind off my worries. Penny's soothing massage strokes, coupled with Dr Yum's relaxation technique, put me in such a relaxed state that I almost dozed off.

According to Rebecca Chan, a certified massage therapist and founder of Origins Jamu Massage, which offers post-natal and home-based massages, regular massages help reduce aches and pain , increase energy levels and relax the body, improving physical and mental performance.

"During a massage session, 'feel good hormones' such as oxytocin are released. When these are released, cortisol (also known as the stress hormone) will be reduced," explained Rebecca.?

Lamb and potato soup recipe

Lamb and potato soup recipe

Pauline D. Loh | China Daily, ANN | Wed Mar 28 2012

Pauline D Loh's simple rustic soup is naturally sweetened with carrot and potatoes.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1 kg organic lamb chops or short ribs
4-5 slices ginger
1 stalk green onion, tops removed and cut into 5-cm chunks
Salt to taste
2-3 organic potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

Method:
1. Cut the lamb into large, bite-sized portions. Rinse quickly and pat dry.
2. Place about three liters of water into a large pot and add the ginger slices, green onions and carrots.
3. When the water comes to a boil, add the lamb. Skim off any surface scum, when the pot returns to a boil.
4. Turn down the heat and allow the broth to cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, and complete the cooking by simmering another 15 minutes.
6. Add salt to taste, serve and season with freshly cracked black pepper.

Food notes:
Mr Li's farm also produces potatoes, fertilized by the lamb droppings - all organic, of course. They took minimum time to cook.

If you are buying potatoes for this dish, go for the waxier, yellow-fleshed varieties for better texture. The white potatoes, like Russets, will break up and melt away.

Chocolate lovers tend to weigh less: study

Chocolate lovers tend to weigh less: study

Updated 02:23 PM Mar 27, 2012

NEW YORK - People who ate chocolate a few times a week or more weighed less than those who rarely indulged, according to a United States study involving a thousand people.

Researchers said the findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, do not prove that adding a candy bar to your daily diet will help you shed pounds. Nor did the total amount of chocolate consumed have an impact.

But the researchers, led by Dr Beatrice Golomb, from the University of California San Diego, said it was possible that antioxidants in chocolate could be behind health benefits including lower blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as decreased body weight.

"People have just assumed that because it comes with calories and it's typically eaten as a sweet, therefore it would inherently have been one way, bad," said Dr Golomb.

She and her colleagues used data from a study on cholesterol-lowering drugs that surveyed 1,000 healthy adults on typical eating habits, including how often they ate chocolate.

The participants, who ranged from 20 to 85 years old, ate chocolate an average of twice per week and had an average body mass index, or BMI, of 28, which is considered overweight but not obese.

The researchers found that people who ate chocolate with greater frequency tended to eat more calories overall, including more saturated fat, than those who went light on the candy. But even so, chocolate lovers tended to have a lower body weight.

That was still the case after researchers accounted for age and gender, as well as how much they exercised.

The effect worked out to a 2.3 to 3.2 kg difference between people who ate five servings of chocolate a week compared to those who did not eat any, Dr Golomb said. However, it was only how often they ate chocolate, rather than the total amount, that was linked to their weight.

Past studies have tied chocolate to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and better insulin sensitivity, possibly because of antioxidants or other chemicals in cocoa.

There are a number of possible explanations for the results, said Dr Eric Ding, a nutritionist at the Harvard Medical School who was not involved in the study.

One is that poorer people stick to the basics when they are buying food and do not eat as much chocolate. Poverty has been tied to higher body weight.

Another possibility is that "people who lost weight reward themselves with chocolate, more than chocolate causing the weight loss," he told Reuters Health.

Because the new study is relatively small and could not prove cause-and-effect, it is hard to take any lessons from the findings, Dr Ding said. But the key for chocolate lovers seems to be considering calories and knowing that not all chocolate is created equal.

For example, past evidence suggests that antioxidants in chocolate called flavonoids are behind any benefits tied to chocolate - and dark chocolate has the most flavonoids.

"If you consume chocolate, consume it in place of something else, rather than adding to your net daily calories. Try to consume dark chocolate," he said.

The researchers agreed that moderation is important.

"This certainly does not provide support for eating large amounts of chocolate," Dr Golomb said. "For those of us who do eat a little bit of chocolate regularly, perhaps any guilt associated with that might be qualified." REUTERS

Brain size determines popularity, UK study suggests

Brain size determines popularity, UK study suggests

Published on Mar 27, 2012

(KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A group of British scientists have discovered that a certain part of the brain is larger in people that have many friends, Science Daily reported on Saturday.

The size of the brain's orbital prefrontal cortex - placed just above the eyes - is linked to people's ability to understand what others are thinking, or to 'mentalise,' according to a joint study by the Universities of Oxford, Liverpool University, Manchester University and Edinburgh University.

It is thought that the ability to mentalise is the key to handling social relations.

Researchers conducted an experiment where they scanned the brains of 40 volunteers to examine the area used in high-level thinking, and tested the mentalising of participants. After that, the participants were asked to list everyone they had social contact with over the previous week.

Salad Daze - Learn to make a salad and bring it to office for a healthy and hearty lunch

Salad Daze

Vanessa Frida | The New Paper ( Singapore ) | Tue Mar 27 2012

Learn to make a salad and bring it to office for a healthy and hearty lunch.

EATS
Don't groan. Salad doesn't have to be boring.Salads are one of the easiest things to prepare the night before and take to work for lunch.

Not so long ago, the typical salad offerings were lettuce, tomatoes and maybe a toss of croutons.

Today, there are so many different salad greens that provide a variety of tastes and textures available in supermarkets.

Mix and match them and salad won't be boring again.

There are also many different healthy toppings you can add to make the salad hearty and keep you going till dinner.

I have picked some of my favourite ingredients to hopefully entice you to make your own salad.

1. Butterhead lettuce
Also known as butter lettuce
This green is so named because of its smooth texture. It has a very mild flavour which makes it perfect for any salad.

A note of caution though - the leaves are quite delicate, and I recommend keeping it in the plastic container it is sold in to avoid damage. Also use it as soon as possible as it doesn't store well.

2. Frisée
Also known as chicory endive, curly chicory, curly endive
These yellow and green curly leaves are slightly bitter in taste with a crunchy stem. Adding this will give your salad a lot of texture.

The reason why frisée varies in colour is not that it is old but that farmers shield them from light during the growing process. The colours will help make your salads more visually appealing.

3. Arugula
Also known as rocket, rugola, rugula, rucola, Italian cress
This is a must when I am whipping up any salad. Originating from the Mediterranean, its peppery flavour gives salads such a lift.

Arugula is also my "secret ingredient" in my very popular pesto as it lends a slight mustard flavour.

4. Endive
Also known as witloof, Belgium chicory, French endive
The oval-shaped leaf makes it a great "spoon" for appetisers. The next time you are hosting a party, put some Thai basil pork onto these wonderful "spoons" and you'll have a visually gorgeous appetiser.

It has a lovely satin-like texture with a slight nutty flavour. It'll be a treat in any salad.

5. Radicchio
Also known as red Italian chicory, red leaf chicory, Chioggia
Pronounced "rah-dick-ee-yo", this vegetable is part of the endive family. It has crisp, deep red and white leaves, which add colour.

However, as it's quite a tough vegetable, I don't use it often in salads.It is also fairly bitter. So I tend to use it in a Caesar salad when a strong dressing can mask the bitterness.

6. Mizuna
Also known as spider mustard, xue cai, peppergrass, Japanese greens
It looks like and can be mistaken for arugula, but mizuna has a stronger, pungent flavour though not as peppery. 7. Baby beet greens These visually striking leaves - green-red veins - add colour to your green dish, with a slight peppery flavour to boot.

It's tender and allows you to add a more textured green without complicating the final product.

8. Watercress
Also known as xi yang cai
Yes, it is not just great in Chinese soup, it is great in salads too. The peppery leaves lend character to a salad, and the fibrous stem gives the salad a great crunch.

Remember to wash this vegetable well before using it because it is usually grown in sandy ground.

9. Romaine
Also known as cos lettuce
This is the salad green that is used in most Caesar salads. Understandably so. The leafy green is quite sturdy and can withstand rough handling (when tossing the dressing).

The stem has a slight bitterness to it, but when dressed in a strong dressing like Caesar, the stem mellows out and you have a tasty addition to your salad.

10. Spinach
This is another one of my favourite salad greens. Extremely versatile with a hearty flavour. Do note that there are two varieties of spinach salad greens.

One has wrinkly leaves and the other has smooth leaves. So don't be put off if the leaves are wrinkled - it doesn't mean it is old.

11. Mesclun
Don't get confused when you see this in the supermarket. Essentially, it just a French way of saying mixed salad greens.

It usually contains an assortment of arugula, radicchio, fresh herbs, frisée and other greens. It is quite a versatile mix and perfect if you don't want to buy a variety of salad greens to make a small salad.

The writer is a rising name on the culinary scene. She organises cooking classes and personalised chef tables for groups. Find her at www.facebook.com/CulinaryNess

Mixing it the right way
Tips
1. Always wash your greens well. It will prevent you from getting sick. And it will get rid of any dirt or grit.

2. Use a salad spinner and spin till it is totally dry. No one likes a soggy salad.

3. To make your salad visually attractive, try dicing and chopping up various vegetables. This will also add texture to your final product. Remember to be creative when you are putting it together.
Think of it as floral arrangement and take into account placement and colours.

4. Do not dress your salad till it is about to be served or else the greens will wilt. If you are packing it for lunch the next day, keep your dressing in a separate container.

5. Keep your salad tightly sealed in the fridge if you are not serving it immediately.

Add-ons to salads
Salads can be unhealthy if you use a dressing loaded with mayonnaise or bacon bits. Consider healthy add-ons instead.

Vegetables: Carrot, cucumber, roasted pumpkin or capsicum, beetroot, sweet corn, radish, celery, raw broccoli, peas, mushrooms, alfalfa sprouts or chickpeas.

Protein: Pine nuts, macadamia nuts, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, grilled lean chicken or pork or beef, tuna, smoked salmon or hard-boiled egg.

Fruit: Apples, tomatoes, avocado, pineapple, orange, raisins, peach, pear, dried berries or apricot.

Semur Ayam recipe by Hed Chef

Semur Ayam recipe by Hed Chef

Hedy Khoo | The New Paper ( Singapore ) | Tue Mar 27 2012

In this Indonesian stewed chicken dish, the spices combine with golden yellow meat in perfect harmony.

HED CHEF
This Indonesian chicken stew is seldom sold in restaurants In this Indonesian stewed chicken dish, the spices combine with golden yellow meat in perfect harmony.

My guide in creating semur ayam, or chicken stew, is Madam Faridah Anang, 59, who operates a food stall selling nasi padang at Realty Centre, at Enggor Street in Tanjong Pagar.

Her grandparents came from Java and the recipe she's sharing was created by her great-great-grandmother. Madam Faridah is not one to improvise on a heritage recipe.

She tells me: "I stick closely to the original recipe whenever I cook this. I'm afraid to change it in any way."

Madam Faridah says semur ayam is not readily available at restaurants or eateries. She doesn't even offer the dish at her own stall.

"It's too much trouble to prepare because so much of the ingredients have to be very thinly sliced," she explains.

Indeed, I found the preparatory work demands considerable time at the chopping board.

The ginger and lengkuas must be julienned - cut into thin strips. The garlic cloves, chillies and lemongrass need to be thinly sliced.

But there's some fun to be had crushing the coriander and cumin seeds together with the mortar and pestle.

For convenience, you can use a teaspoon of both ground coriander and ground cumin.

Don't worry about compromising on the intensity of the spices as the real star of the dish is kecap manis - an Indonesian dark, sweet sauce. Another ingredient to take special note of is ground fried coconut. Be sure not to omit this as it gives a hearty bite to the stew.

Surprisingly, Madam Faridah prefers using a store-bought version to frying freshly grated coconut, explaining that not only is it a time-saver, she also finds it more aromatic.

Semur ayam is an excellent choice if you have guests who enjoy Indonesian food but don't enjoy fiery flavours.

However, as a lover of spicy dishes, I use three chilli padi for my version.

I don't add sugar and salt, though, as I find the sweetness of the kecap manis more than sufficient.

Madam Faridah also recommends adding some tang hoon (bean thread vermicelli) towards the end of the cooking process.

If you find it a little tedious to deep-fry the chicken pieces before stewing or if you're health-conscious, you can opt to stew the chicken longer in the sauce. If this is the case, you may want to cover the wok as this helps the meat cook more quickly.

RECIPE
INGREDIENTS
1 whole chicken cut into large pieces
2 stalks of lemongrass. Use only 7cm of the root part, slice thinly.
2 red onions, sectioned
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2.5cm old ginger, julienned
2.5cm lengkuas (galangal), julienned
3 green chillies, sliced
3 red chillies, sliced
2 tsp black peppercorns
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
6 cardamom seeds
5 cloves
1 tbsp of coriander seeds
1 tbsp of cumin seeds
2 tbsp of ground fried coconut
3-4 tbsp of kecap manis
250ml cup of water
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 pinches of salt
2 tbsp sugar
Vegetable oil for frying

METHOD

1. Use a mortar and pestle to coarsely crush the coriander and cumin seeds together.

2. Marinate the chicken with the turmeric powder and pinch of salt.

3. Deep-fry the chicken until golden brown. Set aside.

4. Heat 4 tbsp of oil and fry the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, black peppercorns, star anise, crushed coriander and crushed cumin.

5. Add in the lemongrass, ginger, lengkuas, green and red chillies, garlic and onion and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Add in 3-4 tbsp of kecap manis and the water, followed by the ground fried coconut.

7. You could add in 2 tbsp of sugar and another pinch of salt here, but I decided to omit this step.

8. Once the mixture begins simmering, add the deep-fried chicken. Stir-fry for 2to 3 minutes, making sure the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated with the sauce. Serve with rice.

Trials in Bike Riding

I'm at a loss, who would have thought teaching a two year old how to ride a bike would be such a difficult thing to teach... Hang in there Lily you'll get it.

Asthma attack in the car

I was looking at bright, new colored purses for Spring, but have a hard time finding one big enough to carry my inhaler and spacer (along with everything else a mom has to carry-wallet, bandaids, fingernail clippers, chapstick, lotion, Dramamine, Advil, cough drops, tissues, etc.) It's funny how Hubby and kids always expect me to magically have everything they need tucked away in my purse. You can see my inhaler and spacer peeking out of the top of my purse-that's probably the most important thing I carry.

I make sure I ALWAYS have my inhaler and spacer with me, you never know when an asthma attack is going to hit. I take a daily controller medication, but I still have asthma attacks. This weekend, we were driving to visit family who live 5 hours away. About half way through the trip, I suddenly started sneezing. Then I could feel my chest tighten up-slurp! Then the coughing started. Here we go again, another asthma attack. Of course I had my inhaler with me, and it works like magic! Hubby said the pollen count on the news said that cottonwood trees were in the "extra high" category. So are willow trees, cedar trees, sycamore and elm trees. We were driving along the mountain range and passed plenty of open land with cows grazing. So there was a lot of "nature"- it could have been anything that was triggering my asthma attack.

I battled my asthma all weekend. It was fine if I was in the house, but it was such a gorgeous day that I decided to open up the doors and enjoy the fresh breeze and sunshine. Ha! Silly me. That lasted about 5 minutes before I started sneezing and coughing again! All weekend, as we drove around in the car, Hubby would put the windows down to "enjoy the fresh air". I would immediately start sneezing and coughing-it's so annoying! Why can't we just enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, like normal people? But nooooo, we have to have allergies and asthma. Guess that means we won't buy a convertible!

My asthma was finally feeling better when a weird thing happened as we were driving home-we were at the half way mark again when I suddenly started sneezing and coughing again. I had to use my inhaler again. Whatever we passed on the way to visit family was the same thing we drove through on the way home. I don't know what trees, bushes or whatever else we drove by, but it came through the vent system and started another asthma attack. I still wasn't feeling better when we got home, so I had to use my inhaler again.

When it was time for bed, I couldn't get to sleep. The albuterol kept me up for at least an hour. I felt like I had several glasses of Dr. Pepper. Fun little side effects of asthma.

But, albuterol keep us breathing, so I like to keep it handy. Even if I do have to buy a king-sized purse to fit it in with all the other things I carry around....

Too much or too little sleep linked to heart woes

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CHICAGO: People who sleep less than six hours per night or more than eight are more likely to suffer heart problems than people who sleep between six and eight hours, said a US study on Sunday.

The findings confirm those in previous, smaller studies, but are based on what researchers described as a nationally representative sample of 3,000 people covering five separate heart ailments and their links to sleep duration.

The subjects for the study were people over age 45 who participated in a survey of health issues in US households known as the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Subjects were asked to describe their sleep patterns and were also asked if they were ever told they had congestive heart failure, heart attack, coronary artery disease, angina or stroke.

People who said they got too little sleep each night were two times more likely to have a stroke or heart attack and 1.6 more likely to have congestive heart failure than people who slept between six and eight hours nightly, the researchers said.

People who said they slept more than eight hours per night were two times more likely to have angina and 1.1 times more likely to have coronary artery disease.

"We now have an indication that sleep can impact heart health, and it should be a priority," said principal investigator Rohit Arora, chairman of cardiology and professor of medicine, the Chicago Medical School.

"Based on these findings, it seems getting six to eight hours of sleep everyday probably confers the least risk for cardiovascular disease over the long term."

- AFP/wm

Ouch Mama Charley Bit Me

This morning Lily was helping me make my bed and here comes Jack sniffing around trying to find Charley. Well turns out Charley was under our bed directly next to where Lily was standing so sure enough Charley lunged out to bite Jack and bit Lily's leg instead. Here is how the conversation went after Lily stopped crying

Daddy: Lily did Charley bite you

Lily: Yes, Charley bit my weg

Daddy: Aww I'm sorry, Charley was only scared and thought that you were Jack he didnt mean to bite you...Why don't you tell Charley you are not Jack

Lily: ( thinking hard for a second) CHARLEY I'M NOT YOUR FOOD!!!!!!!!! NOT YOUR FOOD

Heheheheheheh she crack's me up

'Thailand's soup' That still stirs up the tastebuds

The shrimp variety is world famous but at home myriad versions of tom yum exist that are simple to prepare and nonetheless just as delicious and nutritious

One Thai soup that has gained worldwide popularity is tom yum gung because of its delectable combination of flavours and aromas. There is the fragrance of herbs, fresh lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal, the sour tang of lime juice, saltiness from nam pla, the spicy heat of chillies and the taste and texture of fresh shrimp. But just as interesting as the list of ingredients that go into the soup is the surprising simplicity of preparing it. A first-class tom yum can be cooked in five minutes.

IN THE LIMELIGHT: Tom yum gung.

Tom yum gung is one of a group of tom yum dishes that date far back into the past and have their basis in traditional Thai lifestyles. In earlier times there were no elaborate procedures used in preparing food. Cooks just took ingredients that were close at hand and used them in a way that took little time, and the results were both delicious and high in nutritional value.

There is no rule stating that only shrimp can be used to make tom yum. All kinds of alternatives can be used, which is why variants to the recipe are always being introduced.

IN THE SHADOW: Tom yum pla.

Thai culture has traditionally been strongly centred around water. People made their homes on the banks of rivers or canals that were sometimes so full that they flooded and at other times so dry it was possible to walk across them. Most households had a pier in front, usually a simple wooden platform where people could sit to bathe, wash clothes or equipment, and tie up a boat. It could be raised or lowered depending on the amount of water in the river or canal, and edible water plants like pak boong or pak krachate could be grown next to it.

Fish could be caught in these clusters of plants, which made good homes for fish and shrimp. Almost any kind of fish that was caught could be eaten. Two types of catfish, known as pla kot and pla thaypho in Thai, could be cooked as a chuchee dish, with a thick curried coconut cream sauce using fruit from a nearby tree. A pla chon (snakehead fish) would be prepared as a tom yum using herbs from the kitchen garden. If more fish were caught than could be eaten at a single meal they could be salted and dried for later use.

Pla chon is an extremely popular fish. It can be made into a tom yum with coconut cream, a dish that's called tom kha pla chon.

Nowadays Thais think of tom kha as a chicken soup, but it was originally made with pla chon. It is made with lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and galangal just like tom yum, but more of the galangal is used. When the coconut cream-enriched broth and the herbs reach a boil the fish is added, and when that has cooked lime juice, nam pla and prik khee nu (ultra-spicy bird chillies) are put in. The result is a tom kha pla that tastes like a tom yum.

In some households if the tom yum is being made when a banana tree in coming into flower, the blossom will be sliced into thin strips and added to the soup. This is a dish that villagers of the past knew well and called tom yum pla sai hua plee.

Some of the plants in kitchen gardens are seasonal. Limes, for example, are used all the time in Thai kitchens, but during the dry season the trees bear few of them and the ones that are produced are small and don't have much juice. This isn't a problem, though, because there is a substitute. When tom yum pla chon is made during a time when limes are scarce, once the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves and lightly pounded shallots have been added to the soup, sour tamarind fruit are put in whole. There is no need to extract the juice because the boiling soup will draw out the sourness. If there are not many fresh chillies in the garden, dried ones can be torn up and added instead, before the nam pla and the aromatic herb called pak chee farang go into the pot.

Besides the tamarind, there is another sour ingredient that can be used to make tom yum when limes are scarce. The sour shoots of the tamarind tree give the soup a tang that is different from that of either lime or tamarind, and the taste is even better when dried fish is used. These can be pla chon, the smaller pla salit, or almost any kind of fish. The fish has to be grilled first, and the shallots, dried chillies, galangal and lemongrass are also often burned on the fire and pounded, too. Then the kaffir lime leaves and pak chee farang are added. Simple, but delicious.

The tom yum made by fishermen who live near the sea is similar to freshwater varieties. Many types of fish can be used _ snapper, mackerel, squid or pla seekoon, for example. Some cooks add fresh basil to increase the heat. Sea fishing households also have substitutes for limes during their off-seasons. The shiny, sour, green fruits called madan can be substituted, or the flowers and leaves of the rosella plant, or even unripe mango.

These days tom yum is also made from the upper part of the pork leg, where it is thick and there is plenty of skin. It is more flavourful than the meat from other parts of the pig. The taste is pleasantly rich and full and the meat is not greasy or heavy.

Besides having a flavour that Thais love, tom yum also reflects the priorities of the traditional Thai lifestyle. It is easy to cook, nutritious and convenient to make in an amount that is just enough for a meal. Even though it has made its mark on the world in the popular shrimp version, a cook with imagination can create something just as tasty using any ingredient that sparks the creative urge.

And the Winner Is...

We have a winner for the first PURE YANKABILLY giveaway! The winner was chosen by Random.org.

Congratulations to #23 - Jenny!
Oh my goodness ~ each of these prodcuts makes me GIDDY!! I choose the Flower Power Soothing salve =) I love the name!

There is still time to enter the giveaway for the 5 piece Love Your Face Kit.

Happy Sunday!
Pam

Loving your body is the real secret to weight loss

Friday, Mar 23, 2012
Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network

By Mitch Felipe Mendoza

Exercising and eating right to achieve a healthy weight are major goals for an improved lifestyle. But exercising and dieting to the point of compromising one's health, relationships, self-esteem and even life will never solve your body issues.

In the Jan. 4, 2005, issue of the New York Times, it was reported that 19 per cent of overweight people would risk their life to be thin, while 33 per cent of obese people and 4 per cent of normal-weight people would do the same to lose 10 pounds. Meanwhile, 31 per cent of obese people would trade up to five per cent of their remaining years to be 10 per cent thinner.

It is important for parents to recognize body weight dissatisfaction in their children, because there have been numerous studies proving its negative effects. A 2009 study published online in the Journal of Adolescent Health shows that overweight teens and teens who see themselves as overweight may be at greater risk of attempting suicide.

Unrealistic weight goals are manifestations of a poor body image, and have been linked to serious health problems.

Body image is the way you picture your own body. According to studies, the way we see our body is the effect of what we see in the environment, like the underweight models in magazines, dieting friends, thin celebrities, influential people like athletes and coaches, and even parents who are obsessed with dieting.

Body dissatisfaction leads to eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, even in men. In fact, according to the latest research conducted at University of the West of England, men now worry about their body shape and appearance more than women do, and also resort to compulsive exercise and restrictive diets.

Body issues
Recognize your body issues. You might have to consult a mental health specialist or a counselor, or even get more support by talking to your family and loved ones if you experience the following:

You worry too much about your appearance even if you look fine and your weight is just right for your height.

You spend a lot of time thinking of how to be thin, you are never content with your body, and you keep criticizing yourself.

You are always negatively affected by others' looks and weight.

You are willing to spend just to lose weight or improve your appearance in the fastest possible way.

You can take weight loss to the extreme by dieting and/or exercising as much as you can endure.

The real secret to effectively losing weight is to love and accept your body, every day, regardless of your weight and appearance. You have to realize that the way you look says very little about your value as a person. Appreciate yourself so you will not resort to dangerous diets, surgical procedures, slimming pills, and exercises that will make you sick, weak and more emotionally down in the end.

Before you start any weight management program, acknowledge that you love yourself, and you want to take good care of your body through safe and effective ways of improving your health.

Protect your body by staying away from unrealistic thoughts or extreme strategies, and care more about your health than the numbers on your scale.

Take care of your body by doing everything in moderation, so you will have enough energy and focus to balance other aspects of your life-mental, emotional and spiritual.

Appreciate your uniqueness by reflecting on your life experiences, strengths, values, character, and even your weaknesses, instead of comparing yourself with others who have lost weight after the latest fad diets.

Respect yourself. Respect your body by appreciating your assets instead of focusing on your imperfections as you look in the mirror.

If you really want to lose weight, then you should have the right reasons. If your motivation is to improve your health, to feel energized, or do well in your chosen sports and physical activities, then you will have greater chances of losing and keeping your weight off.

E-mail the author at mitchfelipe@gmail.com, follow her on twitter@mitchfelipe

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