Monday, 26 October 2026

This morning, I spent three hours waiting at two different banks. Thanks to the lack of parking in this busy area filled with banks, I had to park quite a distance away from both places and walk to and fro between the banks and the car park.

This is my little ‘job’ that earns me some pocket money without having to report to a boss.😂

Fortunately, it has been raining non-stop in Ipoh for the past two days, so at least the weather wasn't scorching hot or hazy. Walking for a total of half an hour wasn't too bad under these conditions.

But guess what? In my rush to get out of the house, I forgot to put on my sneakers! So there I was, walking around in socks and Crocs. Not exactly the best footwear for a half-hour walk 🤦🏻‍♀️😂

When I finally got home, lunch was already prepared for me. Thank you, Mum and Dad! ❤️

Today's lunch was simple but nutritious — canned sardines in tomato sauce, pressure-cooked chickpeas, steamed sweet potato, and a colourful mix of spiralled cucumber and carrot with fresh lettuce. A high-protein, fibre-rich meal with plenty of nutrients, and filling too!

Speaking of sardines, have you noticed how much attention these little fish have been getting from health and wellness gurus and even doctors lately? They're packed with nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, protein and calcium (when you eat the soft bones). It's the go-to food if you're trying to bring down your HbA1C.

Looks like my simple lunch deserves a little shout-out today! 😁

My 10.10 Sale Haul: Lakanto Monk Fruit Sugar (Zero GI)

During the 10.10 Sale, I restocked my Lakanto! 😍

As I’m on a low-carb diet and trying to cut down on refined carbohydrates, including white sugar and white flour, I try to minimise my sugar intake and avoid sweeteners that may cause blood sugar spikes.  

My fasting blood glucose has consistently been below 5 mmol/L, yet my HbA1c came back at 6.0%, which falls within the prediabetes range. This means my average blood sugar over the past two to three months has been higher than ideal, despite my normal fasting readings.

That’s why I’ve been making lifestyle changes, including following a low-carb diet and doing regular strength training, in the hope of bringing down my HbA1c.

I use Lakanto as a sugar substitute in the cakes and breads that Mum makes. Other than that, I don’t add any sweeteners to my coffee, cacao or tea. I prefer my drinks without any added sweetness. ☕🍵

Here’s why I like Lakanto:

🍃 Zero calories and zero glycemic index (GI)

Lakanto is a monk fruit sweetener blended with erythritol. It is marketed as a zero-calorie, zero-GI alternative to sugar and generally has minimal impact on blood glucose levels, making it a popular choice among people following low-carb or ketogenic diets.

🌿 Monk fruit sweetener without the taste I dislike

One of the things I appreciate about Lakanto is that it has no noticeable odour or the distinctive aftertaste I find difficult to tolerate in stevia. Of course, taste is subjective, but Lakanto works well for me!

I bought my Lakanto from the Saraya Official Store. 

If you’re interested, here’s the link to the store: 
https://s.lazada.com.my/s.Z4JYXI?c=d&t=p-i8P1sO-s9EtQw

Happy World Egg Day!

Today, the second Friday of October, is World Egg Day! It's a day to celebrate this humble little superfood — a nutritious and affordable source of high-quality protein, vitamins and minerals.

Since Mum and I started strength training five months ago, we've been eating two soft-boiled eggs for breakfast every day. I also see some of my gym buddies eating four or more eggs a day! 💪

I can almost see some of you raising your eyebrows. 😆 Two eggs a day? Or even four? Won't all that cholesterol send our blood cholesterol levels soaring?

Well, here's what we know.

Do eggs raise cholesterol?

Yes, egg yolks contain dietary cholesterol. One large egg has approximately 186 mg of cholesterol, most of it in the yolk. However, dietary cholesterol generally has a smaller effect on blood cholesterol levels than saturated fat does, although individual responses vary.

Our bodies also produce cholesterol naturally, mainly in the liver. When we consume dietary cholesterol, the liver can adjust how much it produces. But that doesn't mean dietary cholesterol has no effect at all!

For LDL (the so-called "bad" cholesterol), saturated fat is an important dietary factor. So, what we eat alongside our eggs matters too. Eggs served with vegetables and whole grains are a different nutritional package from eggs accompanied by processed meat, white bread, and other foods high in saturated fat.

As for how many eggs we should eat, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Our overall diet, cholesterol levels, health conditions and individual response all matter.

Why do Mum and I eat two eggs every morning?

Two medium-sized eggs provide approximately 11–12 g of high-quality protein, which helps support muscle repair and maintenance. This is particularly important as we grow older and want to maintain our muscle mass and strength.

As someone who exercises regularly and does strength training, I aim for around 1.6–2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight daily. At my current weight of 42kg, that's approximately 67–84 g of protein a day.

So, my two eggs are just the beginning! I get the rest of my protein from other foods, including meat, milk, cheese, nuts, chickpeas, yogurt, and lentils.

Of course, protein needs vary from person to person, and eating more isn't automatically better. The goal is to get enough protein while maintaining a balanced diet.

❤️ My love affair with eggs!

Coming back to eggs, I absolutely LOVE them, no matter how they're cooked — soft-boiled, hard-boiled, scrambled, poached or sunny-side up.

If there's one food I could never give up, it's eggs! 😂🥚

Here's what my typical breakfast looks like:

🍳 Two half-boiled eggs

🌰 Walnuts and almonds

🫘 Roasted chickpeas

☕ Decaf coffee or raw cacao with a tablespoon of flaxseed meal and fresh milk

🍎 An orange or an apple

Some mornings, I'll also have boiled chickpeas and sprouted wheat bread with butter and peanut butter or black sesame spread.

Happy World Egg Day! How many eggs do you eat a day? 🥚😋

My Low-Carb “Dessert” Fix

One of my favourite “desserts” that won’t cause much of a blood sugar rise is… cheese!

I actually LOVE those individually wrapped square cheese slices, but they are more processed and can be quite high in sodium and other food additives. So when I buy cheese, I usually go for block cheese with the shortest ingredient list and the lowest sodium I can find.

Cheese is naturally very low in carbohydrates, so it has minimal impact on blood glucose. Of course, the nutritional profile varies between different types of cheese, so I still pay attention to the label, especially the sodium and saturated fat.

My favourite way to enjoy cream cheese is spreading a little on sprouted wheat bread, dipping raw bell peppers into it, or simply eating it on its own.

I love cheesecake, but most cheesecakes are way too sweet for me these days — and they can be pretty expensive too. So this is my much simpler and cheaper alternative.

I'm currently trying to bring my HbA1c down from 6.0 to at least 5.5. Hopefully, with more strength training and some further adjustments to my diet and lifestyle, my blood test next month will show some improvement.

And here's something worth remembering: you don't have to look overweight, unfit, or unhealthy to have a higher-than-ideal HbA1c. Blood glucose and HbA1c are influenced by many factors, not just body size or appearance. I wrote an article on HbA1C earlier, titled I Don’t Eat Much Sugar—So Why Is My HbA1c Still High?

Bega Tatura cream cheese - I eat it as it on its own, like ice-cream 😋

Love this Tatura cream cheese.

Raw red bell pepper with cream cheese.

Raw green bell pepper with cream cheese.

A Simple Way To Blunt Blood Sugar Spikes After Meals

One simple way to help reduce the rise in blood glucose after a meal is to get your muscles moving soon afterwards. You don't necessarily need to go outdoors for a walk, though it would be great if you can.  5–10 minutes of squats, sit-to-stands or light dumbbell exercises can get your muscles working and encourage them to take up glucose from the bloodstream, helping to blunt the post-meal glucose rise.

I usually mop the kitchen floor and clean up after every meal, so that's already about half an hour of movement. Then I head to my room and do another 5–10 minutes of light dumbbell exercises, including squats, before I shower. Sometimes I walk up and down the stairs for at least 10 minutes.

You don't need a long workout or hundreds of squats. A few sets of comfortable, moderate-intensity exercises using your legs, arms or other large muscle groups can get your muscles working. 

Post-meal exercise can help with short-term blood glucose control.  For long-term diabetes prevention, it's about the bigger picture: keeping your carbohydrate intake sensible, staying physically active, building and maintaining muscle, maintaining a healthy weight and getting enough good-quality sleep. Your muscles are one of the body's major tissues for storing and using glucose, so keeping them active is definitely a good thing.

PS: The photo is our dinner from a few nights ago. Dad cooked steamed bearded chicken and made a basil, soy sauce, fried garlic and fried garlic oil dipping sauce for the chicken. We also had sautéed yau mak and French beans with preserved vegetables, carrot, onions and garlic. Simple home-cooked food — and very yummy! 😋

Flourless Orange Cake — My Favourite Low-Carb Treat!

Mum recently baked this absolutely delicious flourless orange cake for me because she knows how much I love keto and low-carb cakes. ❤️

This is actually one of our family’s favourite cakes back in KL too.  We used to get our flourless orange cake from Nutmeg @ Bangsar Village.  My second daughter, Sherilyn, used to love baking this  cake for us, so it brings back lots of lovely memories. 

What makes this cake so special is that it uses whole oranges — skin, pulp and all! 🍊 The oranges are blended and briefly boiled before being mixed with almond flour/almond meal, eggs and Lakanto sweetener, a sugar alternative that is popular among people following low-carb or sugar-conscious diets.

And the best part? Despite being dairy-free, oil-free, butter-free and gluten-free, this cake tastes absolutely superb! It is incredibly orangey, fragrant, moist and so, so delicious. 😋🍊

This is one of those cakes I know I will never get bored of. I could honestly eat a slice or two of it every single day!

Best of all, it satisfies my cake cravings while fitting into my low-carb way of eating, so I can enjoy it without feeling guilty. ❤️

Thank you, Mum, for baking my favourite cake for me! 🥰🍊🍰 

You can watch the video on how the cake is made on my Facebook page.

Flourless Whole Orange Cake, baked in the oven.

This is the mug cake version, microwaved and easier to make. I love both versions.

My 25-Year Journey with PCOS, Insulin Resistance & Hope

I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) in 2001 when I was 28 years old.

What prompted me to see a gynaecologist was how suddenly everything changed. My weight shot up from 42kg to 47kg in just one month, I started getting acne on my chin, and my periods came only a few times a year. I just knew something wasn't right.

After an ultrasound scan, my gynaecologist diagnosed me with PCOS. It came as a real shock.

Looking back, I suspect years of work stress and unhealthy late-night meals may have played a part. At that time, I was working as a PA to a prominent Dato', and my job was incredibly stressful.

Being the health geek that I am 😄, I spent countless hours reading and researching everything I could about PCOS. Instead of relying solely on medication, I decided to make major lifestyle changes. I adopted a very low-carb diet and exercised consistently every single day, come rain or shine.

One important thing I learned is that PCOS is commonly associated with insulin resistance, which increases the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

True enough, despite eating very little sugary food, exercising regularly and following a low-carb diet for years, my HbA1c was still 6.0 when I had my blood test in February 2026.

Since moving back to Ipoh, I've cleaned up my diet even more. I've eliminated about 95% of junk food, including chips, ice creams, biscuits and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The remaining 5%? Well... life is too short to completely give up the occasional slice of cake, ais kacang, or my favourite kuih! 😊

I also believe that my chronic insomnia, brought on by perimenopause, is one of the biggest reasons why my HbA1c has remained stubbornly at 6.0. Unfortunately, even taking magnesium bisglycinate twice a day hasn't made much difference to my sleep.

This year, I've added several new habits to help improve my insulin sensitivity:

1. Strength training
2. Zumba
3. Daily brisk walking
4. Taking apple cider vinegar + lemon juice after meals
5. Eating protein and fibre before carbohydrates
6. Continuing my habit of not sitting down immediately after meals (OCD me mop the floor and clean the kitchen after every meal)
7. Cutting back even further on carbohydrates, including bread and oats

My next blood test is in September, and I'm really curious to see whether all these lifestyle changes have made a difference.

I'm hopeful that my HbA1c will improve, but at the same time, I'm trying to stay realistic because quality sleep continues to be the one piece of the puzzle that I haven't been able to fix.

Until then, I'll keep doing what I can—eating low-carb meals, practising intermittent fasting whenever possible, staying active, and hoping that one day, I'll finally enjoy a full night's sleep.

As for strength training and my daily brisk walks... I know they'll remain my faithful companions for the rest of my life. 💪❤️ 

Nuts, seeds and legumes are my only snacks now. No more chips, ice-creams and biscuits. 

My High Protein Breakfast

My breakfast today. 😊

Two soft-boiled eggs topped with crispy meat floss, chickpeas with melted butter, and half a steamed sweet potato with grass-fed butter.

A simple breakfast that's high in protein, packed with nutrients, and keeps me feeling full and satisfied for longer. Lately, I've been trying to cut back on bread, refined carbs, and other UPF, while focusing more on whole, nutrient-dense foods that help support steadier blood sugar levels and overall health.

It's not about cutting out carbs completely—it's about making healthier choices, one meal at a time. Here's hoping these small, consistent changes will help bring my HbA1c down over the coming months! 💪😊

Apple Cider Vinegar for Blood Sugar

One of the things I've started doing recently to help regulate my blood sugar is drinking one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (ACV) mixed with water after dinner. Sometimes I add a tablespoon of organic lemon juice to make it more palatable.

Some studies suggest that taking diluted ACV after a meal may help reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing down the digestion of carbohydrates and improving insulin sensitivity. ACV is also rich in acetic acid, which may support digestion, increase feelings of fullness, and help reduce unnecessary snacking. Some people also take it for its potential benefits in supporting weight management, gut health, and cholesterol levels, although more research is still needed in these areas.

That said, even good things should be taken in moderation.

I know of a few friends who drank almost half a cup of ACV and ended up vomiting and suffering severe stomach discomfort, requiring medication. Another friend experienced enamel erosion from drinking too much ACV over time.

Because ACV is highly acidic, caution and care should always be exercised. I personally take no more than one tablespoon, diluted in about 150ml of water, and occasionally add a tablespoon of lemon juice for taste. Drinking it diluted and in moderation is key. If possible, drink it through a straw and rinse your mouth with plain water afterwards to help protect your teeth.

I got my organic ACV here -https://s.shopee.com.my/1Vx7nvSW72

and the organic lemon juice here - https://s.shopee.com.my/40eSmfbht6