Fruit Platter

I've always loved fruits. I love having a variety of fruits for dinner. This time for dinner I had a fruit platter with a combination of strawberries, cherries, pineapples and papaya - it feels good and refreshing to eat raw live food - YUM!

Favorite Quotes

Some of my favorite quotes on healthy eating:

~ When you are busy loving life, food becomes less of a mistress.
~ Listen to your body; it will tell you what it needs.
~ Food is fuel, not a drug for our soul.
~ Bless everything you put into your mouth.
~ Cultivate a sense of gratitude for your food.

Becoming Breast Aware

It is important to be proactive and seek more information when you discover a lump on your breast. Breast self-examination is a good practice but self-diagnosis is definitely not.

The most common causes of a single breast lump are:

- Fibroadenoma – A benign solid tumor formed by glandular and fibrous tissue
- Fibrocystic changes – benign breast changes
- Cysts – Benign, smooth discrete fluid-filled sacs
- Non-invasive cancers – Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
- Atypical hyperplasia – Fast-growing abnormal cells
(Source: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/becoming-breast-aware)

I just came back from an ultrasound scan. I was advised to take evening primrose oil when I spotted a lump on my right breast (classified as fibroadenoma) on January this year. When I went for a follow-up check today (after 6 months), the lump on my right breast is no longer detectable. But now, there is another small lump on my left breast (classified as the same - fibroadenoma) - which the doctor said nothing to worry.

I had few questions which I clarified with the doctor and radiographer. How does the ultrasound scan reveal whether the lump is cancerous or not? Is my breast dense? (Lumps or other changes are more difficult to detect via mammogram if you have a dense breast - which then calls for ultrasound scan). What is the difference between ultrasound scan and mammogram - which one is better? Mammogram is only recommended for women above 35 years of age. Besides seeking clarification from the experts, I believe that ultimately you are the expert of your own body - and I should continue paying attention to any changes in the breast and go for a follow-up check.

Ignorance is certainly not a bliss when it comes to health matters. The best thing to do is taking action and seek as much information as you could. As Dr. Oz said, "If you aren't sure, explore some more".

Here is what you should be paying attention to:

• Size and Symmetry – Breasts come in all shapes and sizes; from AA to DD and beyond. As weight is lost or gained, particularly during pregnancy, the breast will vary in size. Normal breasts can be unequal in size and shape. What you are looking for is an unusual increase in the size one breast and if one is more pendulous than the other.
• Nipples – When examining the nipple you are looking for changes in appearance, direction (pushed inward) and if there is any discharge other than breast milk. You are also looking for skin peeling around the nipple.
• Skin – Here you want to see if there is any dimpling, puckering, ridges, redness, rash, scaling on the skin, areola, or nipple. Note any prominent vein patterns.
• Nodularity – This is the part that gets tricky. Monthly hormonal changes during menstruation can cause the tissue to become tender and nodular. What you are looking for is a new lump or thickened area, which may or may not be painful or tender. You want to note the shape (round, oval, or irregular), margins (defined or irregular), texture (rubbery, soft, firm, hard) and if it is movable or fixed.

(Source: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/becoming-breast-aware)

Fruit & Veggie Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette dressing

Today's dinner: Fruit & vegetable salad with lemon vinaigrette dressing.

Salad:
- Purple cabbage
- Pineapple (cubed)
- Red apple (chopped)
- Cucumber raita
- Brown rice
- Steamed broccoli

Dressing:
- Lemon juice
- Dijon mustard
- Balsamic vinegar
- Olive oil
- Black pepper

A healthy wholesome meal.

Dragon Fruit and Lettuce Salad with Balsamic Vinegar

The menu for tonight's dinner - Dragon fruit and Lettuce salad. It's a delicious wholesome and healthy meal - with a mix of sweet-crunchy-and-tangy-taste.

Ingredients:
Garden salad mix
Dragon fruit (flesh chopped)
Hard boiled eggs
Cherry tomatoes

Dressing:
A dash of balsamic vinegar
A dash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Six-Pack Ab

Soon to be like mine ;)

I dream of having a toned and flat ab; speaking of which I manage to camouflage the flabby part of my lower ab well with proper attires, hehe (now the secret is out); the same resolution which I didn't follow-up consistently last year - to get a perfect ab - I am gonna go for it again - this time, my biggest motivation - for my big day; what else! So, sit-ups here I come.

Detox-ification

Last Tuesday, I started a 'deworming, kidney cleansing, and colon cleansing' dietary program with few of my colleagues. My colleague, Dr. David Tong was the one who initiated the idea of this detox program and suggested that we do it together and give each other moral support. I was eager to cleanse away all the junks that I have bombarded my digestive system over the years. I need to give my stomach some days off (actually few weeks off!).

We collected money and Dr. David bought in bulk all the items needed for the detox: Psyllium husk, Fruit enzymes health drink, non-dairy organic oats, Propolis, and brown rice. I bought for myself and my mum - we decided to do this together.

Psyllium husk - is mainly used as a dietary fiber, which is not absorbed by the small intestine. The purely mechanical action of psyllium mucilage absorbs excess water while stimulating normal bowel elimination. Although its main use has been as a laxative, it is more appropriately termed a true dietary fiber.

Propolis is a resinous mixture that bees collect from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. It is used as a sealant for unwanted open spaces in the hive. Natural medicine practitioners often use propolis for the relief of various conditions, including inflammations, viral diseases, ulcers, superficial burns or scalds.

The detox program started with deworming - which I started last Tuesday for 3 days - no fasting is required for this, but we avoided oily and spicy meals - ate porridge on these days. During the 3-days of taking the de-worming tablets, we also drank celery seed (as a tea) to cleanse the kidney for 2 days.

On Friday after the 3-day deworming, we started pre-fasting diet - no meat, oil, and fish - so porridge and mushroom soup were my meals. So, last Friday to Sunday our diet consisted mostly of soft and easily digested meals - no oil, sugar, and meat. By that time, I was feeling constantly hungry already.

Yesterday, which is on Monday is the real fasting - where we have to consume the Psyllium husk, Fruit enzymes health drink, non-dairy organic oats, and Propolis for the next 11 days. Downing the Psyllium husk drink is pretty disgusting because of it's gel-like texture - thank God it's tasteless though; and Propolis is damn bitter. So basically we are on a tasteless (and bitter), oil-less, and spice-less diet.

For the past few days, I was so tempted when I see delicious food on the table; my tastebuds is yearning like crazy for all the delicious-yummy-finger-licking food. Yesterday, I was this close in breaking the fast, haha; but managed to control myself... Food is definitely my weak point - since I am in love with food itself - and this experience teaches me some self-control :) So basically, my stomach is on holiday but my tongue is rebelling, hehe.