The Benefits of Kinesiology Tape: Why It’s Used by Athletes and My Family

Kinesiology tape, commonly known as KT tape, has gained immense popularity, especially among athletes, including Olympians, who use it to alleviate pain and support muscle recovery. It has become such a staple in sports medicine that even in my household, KT tape is a permanent fixture on my daughters' bodies—almost like colorful tattoos.

Sherilyn uses it for her back injury from dance training, while Cass applies it to her ankle to support her during figure skating.  Recently, I’ve started using KT tape on my right hand in an attempt to manage the nagging pain from tennis elbow.

Kinesiology tape is a thin, flexible tape developed to aid muscle movement and enhance athletic performance. It is often used to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, and provide support to joints and muscles.

Many Olympians and top athletes swear by KT tape because it helps reduce pain without hindering their performance. One of the primary benefits of KT tape is its ability to lift the skin slightly, which increases blood circulation and reduces inflammation. By doing this, it also helps to alleviate pressure on muscles and joints, which can be especially useful for athletes pushing their bodies to the limit.

In my household, Sherilyn, Cass, and hubby use KT tape regularly. Sherilyn applies it to her back, an injury sustained from dance training a few years ago that still hasn’t fully healed. The KT tape provides her with enough support to continue her rigorous dance routines without aggravating the injury. Cass, on the other hand, uses KT tape on her ankle, which has seen persistent strain from figure skating classes. The tape gives her the stability she needs on the ice without compromising her performance. Hubby uses these tapes on his legs and right hand.  He plays basketball regularly and often has injuries on his legs. He, like me, also has a tennis elbow on his right hand.

Recently, I’ve joined my daughters and hubby in the KT tape trend. I’ve been dealing with tennis elbow, a stubbornly persistent condition. The pain makes even simple tasks, like lifting objects or folding a blanket, a challenge. Applying KT tape to my right hand has provided some relief, though it’s not a cure-all. However, the support it gives me has helped me manage everyday movements and reduce strain.

KT tapes sold in pharmacies are very expensive, about RM50 onwards for a roll of 5cm x 5m tape.  I buy these tapes at a fraction of the price online from Lazada, at around RM15 a roll. These tapes come in many bright and attractive colors, as well as nude. I prefer colorful ones as I love anything that's colorful.

KT tapes sold at one of the pharmacies @ Lazada, which are pretty expensive.

Cheaper KT tapes are sold by other sellers on Lazada. I bought these.

My Low-Carb Meals

I've been on a low-carb diet since the year 2000 when I was diagnosed with PCOS.  My weight ballooned up from 42kg to 48kg in just a month! I was perplexed, felt something was wrong with me and decided to see a gynae who gave me the diagnosis, which shocked me.  

That was the beginning of my long journey of battling infertility and weight loss.

Going on a low-carb diet (with only 100gm of carbs per day) along with exercising twice a day helped me shed a lot of weight, which was extremely hard.  Women with PCOS usually have unexplained weight gain and difficulties in losing weight. I didn't want to be on Metformin, so I followed a low-carb diet and exercised every single day.  It wasn't easy but I was hell-bent.

23 years on and I'm still on a low-carb diet.  I still eat carbs but minimally and I no longer calculate my daily carbs intake. I have portion-controlled meals and I try to have at least 12 hours of intermittent fasting every day.

My low-carb meals are very simple and sometimes not pocket-friendly. 

Ba Kut Teh with organic broccoli + alfalfa sprouts.

I had Bak Kut Teh again the next time but this time, I had different cuts of meat.  And I added an egg and organic baby spinach.

While everyone else ate 'loh shi fun' noodles, I blanched some veggies and ate only 2 tablespoons of noodles.  This is like a noodle salad.

I air-fried Shishamo and ate 4 pieces for lunch.  The fish is lightly salted with very little cooking oil.

Brekkie with hubs - pork noodles sans the noodles. 

My dessert - mixed sesame bar, limited to only 2 pieces a day.

Awesome Rawsome

While the girls had Japanese curry with Japanese rice, I paired the curry with raw baby spinach and a poached egg. It's a complete meal too with protein, fiber, nutrients, and some carbs from a few cubes of potato.  

I always have a packet of baby spinach, arugula, salad greens, cucumbers, bell peppers, and microgreens in my fridge.  The girls love to toss some raw greens into their meals. It's training since young and they'd feel like they missed out on something important if there was a day that they didn't eat any green leafy veggies or fruits.

Tumblemats For Home Exercises During The Lockdown

The Enhanced Movement Control Order (EMCO) in most parts of the Klang Valley will commence today for a period of 2 weeks to bring down the infectivity rate of Covid19. In an EMCO, no one is allowed to get out of their house, except for one representative from each household, to get food and essential stuff. Areas under an EMCO will be fenced up with barbed wires with surveillance by army personnel. Thankfully our area is excluded from the list but we can’t rest on our laurels as our residential area was and is still a red zone; we may be placed under an EMCO if cases keep surging 😷.

I know it's going to be a tough 2 weeks in home quarantine. Many of you who are used to jogging, cycling and brisk walking outside your house will not be able to do so, even if it's within your own neighborhood.  But fret not!  You can still have a satisfying workout on a yoga mat, tumble mat or tumble track mat at home.  Since the first lockdown in March last year until now, our girls have perfected their floor exercises.  With guidance from hundreds of You Tube tutorials, our girls are now adept with Glute Bridge Sit-Ups, Tabletop Oblique Crunches, High Lunges, Superman Lifts, Diamond Push-Ups and much more.

For those of you with kids who are gymnasts, though practice at the training centre has to take a breather for a while, practice can still be done on a gymnastics mat tumble track at the comforts of your own home.  The tumble track is great for pilates and for the whole family to have some hilarious moments rolling and tumbling on it together. It's great for family bonding during the home quarantine.

These tumble mats can be purchased online and offline. But be careful to only get good quality tumble mats for safety purposes.  One tumble track mat company that produces good quality air tumble mat products is Tumblemat,  one of the world's largest suppliers of inflatable air tumble tracks and has 9 years of experience in producing air tumble track products to customers all around the world.

Exercise does not ever need to come to a grinding halt though you're stuck at home and battling one of the worst 'wars' in history with an invisible enemy. There are various ways that you can still have fun with your workout routine while you stay healthy mentally and physically at home. Stay safe everyone!

Good Workout Morning

This morning's 45-minute workout session was very fruitful. I did three sets of lower abdomen exercises on the pool side lounger, stretching, star jumps, jump squats, hand weights, frog jumps, etc. before going for brisk walking and finally HIIT with jog and sprints for 15 minutes.  I had a good sweat out and a much wanted high of endorphins, which put me in really good mood the whole day 😇 

Why would anyone still not want to exercise when the benefits are in the jillions? No time is not an excuse. I can say that as I was once a full-time working mum with 2 babies under 2 years old then, who sacrificed my sleep, got up at 5 a.m. every single day and ran round the neighborhood with a baton or brolly in my hand (to ward off muggers) before travelling 25 km to my workplace. I stayed in Shah Alam and had to drive to Sri Kembangan to work. My working hours were long too.  If I can do it, so can anyone. 

One of the things that I intend to do when I retire is to spend an hour or two exercising once in the morning and once in the evening.   I'll most likely even learn yoga or dancing.  I'm going to keep myself more active than ever in my sunset years, just like my 73-year old mum who attends line dancing  and qigong classes, keyboard classes, learns Mandarin herself from our girls' old kindergarten Chinese books (LOL) and recently bought an Angklung from Indonesia to play in her free time. She also tries new recipes regularly and bakes like a pro.  I hope that she can continue to do all these activities to keep herself active physically and mentally for many, many more years.

Brunch was at the mamak with the hubs and Sherilyn.  Today is the first day of her final exam!

I had tosai and teh tarik with no sugar.  I gave specific instructions to the waiter that I wanted CRISPY and GARING tosai and he kept nodding his head but what came was totally opposite from what I ordered!  I was in a hurry to send the hubs back to his office and Sherilyn to school and didn't bother to send the half-cooked tosai back to the kitchen to have it re-fried till it's crispy. I just ate half and discarded the other half. What a disappointment.








Hubby's rice with mixed dishes.


Sherilyn's mee goreng.

Jumping Jacks / Star Jumps Health Benefits

I started incorporating strength training into my daily morning exercise regimen sometime in August or September last year. That's about 9 months ago. With strength training, lower abdomen exercises, brisk walking and running, I clock in 40-45 minutes of workout five times a week. Ever since I increased my workout duration with strength / bodyweight training, I lost 2kg of stubborn post-pregnancy fats that I gained after the birth of Cass 11 years ago!!  My weight now hovers between 44.1kg - 44.9kg. It fluctuates throughout the menstrual cycle and I'm always fattest just before Aunt Flow visits.

One of the exercises that I do during bodyweight training is jumping jacks / star jumps.  This is one of the simplest bodyweight exercises to do and it makes you perspire  real quickly.  Just two or three minutes into jumping and I already start to sweat bullets. Enter frog jumps, jumping squats and lower ab exercise and I'll be drenched in sweat.  The more you do it, the more agile your body gets and the happier you'll get each time you step onto your bathroom scale 😁💪

Sometimes jumping gets a bad rap, but when it comes to increasing bone density it is a great thing. A jumping jack is one of the best plyometric exercises out there and it is a fantastic cardiovascular drill. If you are looking for a way to improve your quickness, this is the exercise.

Health benefits of jumping jacks:

1.  Jumping jacks are highly beneficial to the overall health of the heart. It has been found that this exercise aids in combating serious health problems like cardiovascular-based diseases, obesity, and diabetes.

2.  The heart rate is increased while performing jumping jacks, which increases the amount of blood and oxygen that reaches the muscles.

3.  Jumping jacks aids in improving the stamina of the body and its overall endurance level. These simple exercises will improve the overall flexibility of the body; therefore, improving circulation and mobility.

4.  When performing jumping jacks, you are exercising against the force of gravity. As you perform each jumping jack, the muscles actually pull at the bones of the body. This, in turn, strengthens the bones and increases their density. As a result, the chance of developing osteoporosis is drastically reduced.

5.  Jumping jacks burn calories and fat. This will aid in combating against obesity and obesity-related health complications.

6.  Jumping jacks have the ability to increase your metabolic rate. Not only does a high metabolism aid in burning unhealthy fat from the body, but, it aids in toning and sculpting your body so that you are able to look your absolute best!

You don't need to be attired in sports wear to do jumping jacks. I used to do stretching and jumping jacks in my corporate suit bare footed in my room during lunch hour. I also used to run outside the house at 5:30 a.m. with a stick in my hand to ward off muggers and stray dogs and did a second round of running after work at 7 p.m.  That's how I overcame the symptoms of PCOS 19 years ago!

Ways To Boost Your Memory

While mental exercise is very important for brain health, that does not mean you never need to break a sweat. Physical exercise helps your brain stay sharp. It increases oxygen to your brain and reduces the risk for disorders that lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Exercise also enhances the effects of helpful brain chemicals and reduces stress hormones. Perhaps most importantly, exercise plays an important role in neuroplasticity by boosting growth factors and stimulating new neuronal connections.

Besides yearning to maintain a svelte body for as long as I live, the other reasons why I force myself to exercise five times a  week in the morning are to keep diseases and aches away as well as to prevent my gray matter from slipping away.  Having my quiet ME TIME in the morning where I  exercise before sunrise is something that I could not trade anything for it.  It is something that I look forward to every morning.

As I was flipping through the newspapers a few days ago, I came across an article that I would like to share with my readers:




Just as I have always exhorted in my blog posts, exercise is just as important as healthy eating. If I could wake up  at 5 a.m. to exercise when I had two under-two toddlers and still holding a full-time job, so can you. Some sacrifices have to be made. For me, I sacrifice TV time. I  do not chase Korean dramas like many of my friends do as I have to sleep early to wake up early to exercise the next morning.




Besides physical exercise, these are some tips that may help you improve your memory:


1. Don’t swallow it whole
When someone gives you a phone number, use ‘chunking’ as a way of remembering it. When given a string of numbers to remember such as 123957001066, break it down into 12 39 57 00 10 66 or even 1239 5700 1066.

Try to chunk numbers according to something you find meaningful, like the age of someone you know, an address or a famous date (1066 Battle of Hastings) then they form a story to help you remember.

2. Quit smoking
It can cause significant damage to your memory, say researchers at Northumbria University. When 69 students aged 18 to 25 were asked to memorise a list of tasks, those who had never smoked did best, remembering to complete 81% of the tasks. The smokers – on an average of 60 cigarettes a week – managed to get through only 59%.

A separate study at King’s College London found that middle-aged smokers performed less well on tests compared with those without the tobacco habit.


3. Give us a cue
If there’s something you have to do every day at a specific time and often forget, a technique called 'implementation intentions' is very simple.  For example, say to yourself ‘whenever I have my first cup of tea in the morning, I will also take my pills’. Or ‘when the lunchtime news finishes, I’ll do my exercises’.

I have tried using this tip to remind myself to do important things and it always worked!

4. Use imagery
One type of mnemonic – or memory aid – relies on imagery rather than words. “A classic way of remembering a person’s name is to try and imagine it (or something associated to it) on the person’s face,” says Dr Moulin. So, if you meet John Bridge – imagine a bridge on his face. Psychologists have found that the more bizarre and vivid the image the better it works.

I am also using this technique to teach my girls to remember things. For eg. I tell them that 'synonym' means same meaning. The 'S 'in Synonym = 'S' in Same meaning.

5. Drink green tea
Chinese researchers say regularly drinking it could improve your memory and delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease thanks to its key ingredient – the organic molecule EGCG (epigallocatechin-3 gallate), an antioxidant that protects against age-related degenerative illnesses.

6. Eat like our European friends
A Mediterranean diet – low in red meat and dairy and high in omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish and nuts – can help preserve memory and reduce dementia risk, say US researchers. The study, in the journal Neurology, studied the diets of 17,478 people with an average age of 64. Those who followed the Med diet were 19% less likely to develop problems with memory. 

7. Watch your food intake
Eating too much can double the risk of memory problems in old age, according to US research.  Studies found a high-calorie intake can substantially increase the risk of developing mild cognitive impairment, or MCI, characterised by memory loss, which can precede dementia.

8. Say it out loud
This is the easiest of all methods for remembering everything from where you put your car keys to what you need from the shop to revising for a test, say memory experts. Studies found that by saying out loudly what you want to remember or even mouthing it – will help with recall.

9. Get enough sleep
The less you sleep, the more your cognitive abilities—including your memory—will suffer, concludes a study from Finland. Some recent research from the University of Lübeck in Germany has also suggested that sleep is a time when your brain sorts and stores new memories. If you're sleep-deprived, your brain won't retain or recall information as well as it normally would. And no amount of catch-up sleep will bring back those lost memories, the German study authors say.

10. Seek out novel experiences
If you're not challenging your brain with new places and information, your memory suffers, shows research from University College London. Familiar activities allow your noodle to laze into autopilot. But novelty—whether you're exploring a new hiking trail or taking up Sudoku puzzles—can stimulate your brain and memory, the UK study (and plenty of others) shows.

11. Challenge your brain
One study from Scotland found people with jobs that require lots of high-level, complex brain processes (architects, for example) tend to have better memories later in life. But what if you don't have one of those jobs? Dissecting the information you encounter in top-down, effortful ways can keep your memory sharp, indicates research from the University of Texas, Dallas. For example, after you watch a TV show, try to distill what you just saw into its parts. What was the point of the episode? What growth did the characters experience? Make your brain work, and you'll keep your memory sharp.

12. Laugh And De-stress
Stress and everything that goes along with it (inflammation, poor sleep) have been shown to mess with your memory. Laughter not only counteracts stress, but also improves your short-term memory, shows a series of research efforts from Loma Linda University. Just 20 minutes of watching a funny video was enough to bolster short-term memory, the researchers discovered.



13. Get your vitamin D
The past few years have seen a big surge in research linking vitamin D to all sorts of health benefits. Several of those studies drew connections between the "sunshine vitamin" and both brain health and memory. One, from Oregon Health And Science University, linked higher vitamin D levels to improved verbal memory scores. Another study, this one from the UK, hinted that D may protect the brain from dementia.




And I like the last one...

14. Daydream!
Several recent experiments have found that mind wandering may allow your brain to better catalogue and store memories. One study in the journal Neuron suggested daydreaming actually helps improve your memory in ways similar to sleeping or napping.

But I have to cut down on multitasking though!
On the other hand, multitasking—that is, switching quickly from one task to another without a break—may actually harm your brain's ability to recall information, according to a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Why We Should All Exercise!

What's the secret to good health and longevity besides having good genes, eating healthily (and lesser too), getting enough restorative sleep, getting enough laughter each day, managing stress well and be socially connected?

Exercise and lots of movements daily!

In Bama, China, one of the world's "longevity villages", the people were outside, moving their bodies all day. People of all ages engage in physical activities like farming. Everything was done by hand because this remote area had no access to mechanical equipment like power tools until very recently and no televisions or computers. In this village, people live up to 100 years old and beyond. There are no obese people in Bama and it is rare to come across elderly people suffering from common health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes, gout or even cancer. The people of Bama live such long lives that at age 70, one is still considered young enough to carry out demanding physical work. Though life is tough, people are happy. Many of the villagers have never been to a hospital.

Research data also shows that people who stay physically active get extra years of life. In a Taiwan study of more than 400,000 people, researchers found active people enjoyed an extra three years of life. They needed only a bare minimum of physical activity to prolong life — 15 minutes each day. The reason relates, in part, to heart health. It’s often said in the cardiology community that you are only as old as your arteries. If your arteries age, it wears out your brain, heart, and even kidneys. This is because by being physically active, you can slow the buildup of plaque in your arteries – and keep your heart and body healthy a lot longer.

There's this 85-year old lady living at my condo whom I really revere.   She exercises every morning, whether is rains or shines. Though she does not run, she does brisk walking, tai chi, qigong and even takes a public bus to the heart of KL city to do banking and run errands! Sometimes she walks to the nearby supermarket to get her groceries. She is also a frequent flyer travelling alone to Australia to visit her children and grandchildren. She's more active than most people half her age are and her complexion is silky smooth and flawless.

I just had to take a picture of this white-haired grandma to motivate you and you who still haven't gotten the inspiration to start an exercise regimen. Each morning, she would walk round the pool for over 20 minutes. Then she would work on her tai chi and qigong.


This former tailor who only started exercising regularly at a ripe old age of 60 has another health secret, which many people like myself often stop her on the street or airport to ask her.  Does she take any supplements?  Besides fish oil, she takes Brewer's Yeast regularly for the past 25 years. Apart from undergoing Lasik to fix glaucoma on her eyes, she has no major health issues.  And she told me that her secret to her good health is exercising everday and she won't sweat over the small stuff.

So does that motivate you enough to start exercising TODAY?


Only 25 percent of longevity is in the genes; the other 75 percent is lifestyle.

Skipping To Good Health & Greater Heights

In her pursuit of gaining a few inches in height, Alycia skips between 2,000 - 4,000 times a day with a skipping rope. Every single day. That's how steely her determination is.  Yesterday, Alycia's classmate came over to our place to get lessons from Alycia on how to skip with a skipping rope! 😄

Lately, Cass is following her che che's footsteps. When I first got her a skipping rope, she just couldn't master the act of skipping. Just like her che che, she persisted and never once gave up. After trying for hours on end, she finally got it. Now, she skips about 20 minutes every evening.






Skipping is a great calorie cooker, improves your stamina and increases your bone density. It's good for your heart and brain, helps with constipation and is a cheap form of exercise.  Skipping also helps in muscle toning as it is a body weight exercise.  It improves footwork, balance and coordination. Skipping is one of the best exercises for endurance training and conditioning.

Skipping also adds to bone mass by making them longer. That is why skipping can help in gaining a few inches.

Our girls each have their own skipping rope.  You can stash your skipping rope in your handbag or briefcase and skip during break time in the office. Skipping is a funtastic exercise 👍💪

My Fitbit Charge Activity Watch

The hubs got me a Fitbit Charge watch last week.  The Fitbit measures heart rate, number of steps walked, calories burnt, stairs climbed and much more. Oh yes, it shows the time too.  The Fitbit is synchronized with my mobile phone. I can check all my physical activities (done earlier) on my phone even when I am not wearing my Fitbit.   I love it!

This morning, I wore my Fitbit for the first time when I went brisk walking and then to the gym.  Too bad it rained when I was in the midst of brisk walking outside. I ran back to the condo and proceeded into the gym, where I worked out on the air-walker.

In my 40-minute workout today, I walked 3,992 steps and burnt 483 calories.  This is not  near my ideal target. I could have done better than that. I had to cut short my work out session as I have a lot of work to be done on the computer.  Soon, I will have to go to school to check on Cass.   But hey, this is still good and way better than sticking my butt on the chair or bed for 40 minutes.

The figures I get on my Fitbit today is still better than a big fat zero (had I not exercised), which would contribute to a big fat butt and belly.   I am doing this not so much of wanting to be slim and trim but more towards investing in good health.  As you already know, I have issues with genetic high cholesterol.  I have already increased the duration of my work out everyday -- from swimming 20 laps to 26 laps a day and brisk walking from 20 minutes to 40 minutes. I  alternate between swimming and brisk walking everyday.




I know many of you ain't doing anything to keep fit and healthy.  It is never too late to start. Remember, even if you burn 100 calories a day, it is still better than a big fat zero :)

Three Compact Equipment Choices For A Healthier Office

Imagine if you could lower your employee health insurance expenses, reduce office stress levels, cut back on the number of sick days your employees have to take and even draw in potential hires all at the same time. Promoting fitness in the office is the perfect way to help your employees stay healthy and provides a way to work off some stress during the day. It even encourages more restful sleep.

Forget about absorbing the high long-term costs of gym memberships or worrying about how to fit a gym into limited office space. These three commercial fitness equipment options offer an excellent range of workout choices without dominating valuable space or eating into your budget.

1. Weights
Strength training is the foundation of a good workout and an excellent way to combat the stiff, weak muscles that an office environment can cause. Different systems can provide a range of potential exercises to keep muscle groups in shape and can reduce the likelihood of injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments. Either pin or plate loaded weights are ideal, but don't jump into a choice. Asking your employees which they would prefer is a good way to make them feel involved in both the creation of the office gym and in their work environment overall.

2. Treadmills
Cardio is crucial for physical wellness and goes hand-in-hand with strength training. Running is one of the best forms of exercise, and the number of treadmills in Sydney offices speaks to running's popularity. These machines let your employees choose their own pace. For a few minutes on their lunch break, they can take it slow and steady, try out interval training or maximize their calorie burn with inclines. Treadmills take up minimal space, and some models can be folded up and stored if the area has to be multi-purpose.

3. Rowers
Running can be a passion for some but loathed by others. Offer an alternative in the form of a rowing machine. Rowing machines offer the same cardio impact as treadmills in less space and with less impact on the lower body. They're perfect for anyone that finds running unpleasant, suffers from pain in back or knees or wants to tone both their upper and lower body. Rowers are comparable in size and often even smaller than treadmills. If you have the elbow room, offering both lets your employees change up their exercises for fun and a well-rounded routine.

Establishing an on-site health centre is an ideal way to promote a healthy office environment and lower your overall healthcare expenditures. It's less expensive than a gym membership, more convenient for your staff and an attractive perk for prospective employees.

If you're concerned about the costs or space requirements of an in-office health centre, Fitness Equipment King can lay your worries to rest. The variety of commercial fitness equipment options available can be fit into any office's needs. Visit http://fitnessequipmentking.com.au/ to learn more and explore your office gym choices.

HFM's Lunch - Salad

I shared some steamed paus with the MIL this morning, thus was still feeling bloated by noon.  So I whipped up a bowl of refreshing salad for myself as I really needed something light and easy to digest.

Here is my bowl of high fiber, high protein and super low carb salad for lunch today...





HFM's salad today is composed of organic alfalfa sprouts, crisp and cool Japanese cucumbers, raw pumpkin seeds, toasted almond flakes, seasoned Korean seaweed, a boiled free-range chicken egg and chunks of low-sodium mozzarella cheese, drizzled with Japanese citrus salad dressing.
 
This salad tastes so good and knowing that only wholesome food goes into my body makes me feel happy :)

What was your lunch for today?

Eating Clean

Lunch for a health freak mommy today :)




Composition of HFM's healthy salad...
Organic broccoli and alfalfa sprouts, organic cherry tomatoes, mashed hard-boiled eggs with mayo (I used two free-range chicken eggs), toasted almond flakes, raw pumpkin seeds, toasted sesame seeds, grated parmesan cheese and a drizzle of goma salad dressing.  This is what I like about eating clean.  I eat without an iota of guilt and I feel so good after my meal - no phlegm clogging up my throat, no tingling sensation in my throat, no bloatedness, no cloyness, no feeling of unquenchable thirst and it's low in fat :)

The Many Healthy Diets of the World

These days, it seems that everyone has their own unique ideas on how to live a healthy life. Commercials about new pills or diet programs populate the television. Books concerning each emerging perspective stock bookstore shelves. The people behind the pills and programs and books give sold-out lectures on their viewpoints.

The persisting question is, do any of these ideas actually work?

They certainly do for some people. There are fervent testimonials from unpaid people, sincerely telling of their experiences and extolling the products and concepts. However, since each person’s body is different, some ideas work for some people but don’t seem to for others.
It’s intriguing to read about the various ideas and how and why they seem to work at all, even though a steady diet of such investigating can prove confusing. There are so many conflicting methods to choose from. Still, perhaps with a little knowledge of one’s body, it can be more easily determined which ideas to try.

One idea emerging on the market is the elimination of yeast from one’s diet. There have been books written on the subject and literally several hundred available yeast-free recipes. There are online blogs that discuss ideas about yeast-free nutrition, illnesses and other relevant topics. This diet certainly seems to work for some. While it likely isn't for everyone, the Wisconsin Institute of Nutrition, LLP is a strong supporter of the idea and their website at http://nutritioninstitute.com/ is worth a look for the interested.

How Bariatrics Helps Obese Patients Lose Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight is an ideal all people want to reach. However, for those who are obese or extremely obese, weight loss can feel like an impossible task. That is where the science of bariatrics comes in.

Bariatrics is the field of medicine dealing with the prevention of obesity. Doctors who are trained in bariatrics provide advice to patients regarding losing weight. The most common advice given to patients include diet and exercise. But, for those patients who are struggling with obesity, such strategies may not work well. In order for many of these patients to control their weight, bariatric surgery may be necessary. Click this to find out more.

Bariatric surgery is surgery that physiologically deals with solving a patient's obesity issues. A bariatric surgeon is trained in the field of bariatrics and will be a certified surgeon like those who are a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). These medical professionals approach their surgeries by restricting the amount of food that enters into the body. This is done by surgically altering aspects of the digestive tract. One example of this is a stomach band. A stomach band wraps around where the esophagus and stomach meet. This creates a narrower stomach entrance, forcing the person to eat less. Over time, the person will lose weight because they are unable to eat as much as they could before the surgery.

These bariatric techniques are some of the last resorts that need to be taken for obese patients. Although diet and exercise can work for some people, others need these physiological surgical changes in order to manage their weight. Patients can rest assured they will be in the right hands with the highly trained medical surgeons trained in the field of bariatrics.

Raise Your Heart Rate To Lose Weight

When our live-in maid just left us about 3 months ago, I lost weight as I had to do everything that she used to do on my own, on top of my existing workload. I was on my feet most of the time. I felt hungry all the time and my weight slid down though I snacked the whole day. However, about a month later, my weight went up again to where it was before our helper left. I knew this was going to happen as my weight had hit a plateau. Only fitness freaks and weight conscious freaks will know what I am talking about. When we lose weight too quickly, our metabolism can slow down as our body can sense that it is starving. Rapid or large amounts of weight loss can slow your metabolism by as much as 40% in six months. And when we reach our body’s particular set point (i.e. the weight and metabolic rate our body is genetically programmed to be), it will be very hard to lose further weight and even if we do, it is likely that we regain it. All in all, my weight is still hovering at 44 – 45kg. I was 43kg as a school girl, so I am still pretty satisfied with my weight now. I’ll be glad if I can go back to 43kg ;)

Though my weight is at my own ideal range now, I am still pretty fanatic about exercising. Though I no longer have the time to exercise everyday come rain or shine like I used to do, I try to exercise at least 3-4 times in a week. When I exercise, I try to ensure that my heart rate is raised to between 70% to 90% of my maximum heart rate to maximize the number of calories I burn and to continuously improve my fitness level. If you work out in a gym, the thread mill will help you monitor your heart rate but if you run on the road, you can get a heart rate monitor from HeartRateMonitors.com to help you track your heart rate. For those of you who have not started exercising yet, give yourself a try. Squeeze out some time everyday to exercise and you will notice a difference in your life – physically and mentally. And you will love the glow in your complexion too!

3kg of Weight Gain For 3 Babies

The CNY snacking and binging continues. It does not help that mil is around and she cooks such nice dishes every night! I find that keeping dinner the lightest meal of the day very effective in keeping weight gain at bay but how can I resist all those mouth watering dishes that she whips up every night? Braised nga koo (arrow roots) with pork, fried fish, braised pork ribs, braised Hakka pork, pork knuckles, etc... I doubt anyone can turn their head away from these dishes. I still indulge in them but take half the portion. Instead of gorging on 4 pieces of pork ribs, I only take 2 pieces, 1 spoonful of nga koo instead of 1 heapful. I stuff myself full with lots of green veggie, soup and lime or lemon juice after dinner. Rice is a NO NO, albeit she only cooks multi-grain rice mixed with Ponni rice (carb reduced).

Good thing I do not have to rush home to prepare Sherilyn for pre-school every morning now. I can work out longer on the road and in the gym. Even with an extra 15 minutes of work out now, I can only maintain my pre-CNY weight. Absolutely no movement on the scale's needle to the left. Heck, I find that as I age, my metabolic rate slows down and stamina decreases too. My weight is still hovering at 45kg. My pre-Cassandra's weight was 44kg, pre-Sherilyn's weight was 43kg and pre-Alycia's weight was 42kg. A gain of 3kg (1kg each for 1 baby) for 3 miracles is all worth it, still!

My Daily Dose Of Apple Cider Vinegar With Psyllium Husk

An unhealthy physical appearance may reflect unhealthy guts. If you have acne and a protruding belly, suffer from constipation and are gaining weight, chances are that there is toxic buildup in your body system. But help is at hand with colon cleansers like colovexus. For me, I gulp down a glass of apple cider vinegar with psyllium husk every morning and I think that’s the best colon cleanser for me. It tastes awful but oh well, I am still ok with it as long as it can help me feel and look good.

Fitness Junkie Finally Popped

For the past few days, the spunky woman with a huge protruding belly is no longer seen running treadmills at the gym every morning. She had given birth to her fourth baby. She is the fittest mummy I have ever met. She normally runs along side me at the gym. She would work out for an hour while I have to leave after 30 minutes as I don’t have the luxury of loitering at the gym. I can’t wait to see this lady again in the gym and I’ll bet this fitness junkie will return just after her 1-month confinement.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Having a sedentary lifestyle indeed helps you to put on the pounds really quickly. I gained about 1 pound over one week when my movement was limited due to a badly sprained back. Not only could I not run, I could barely walk with a straight back. I was seated most of the time. When my sprained back was healed, I worked out doubly hard in the morning. I also went on a diet and went to bed with a growling tummy for almost a week. I have now lost the 1 pound that I had gained in 1 week :)I don’t need to go to www.sensascam.net to search for the best weight loss products anymore :)