One-dish fish meal

Salmon fish cut into steaks laid out neatly on a tray for sale. These frozen salmon steaks look appetizing. Bought two of these for a little over RM10.00 at the local Giant store.

My wife and I like to eat steamed or baked fish and these frozen salmon steaks are easy to prepare and cook. After defrosting and cleaning you can wrap it in aluminum foil and bake it in an electric oven. Alternatively you can steam it in a wok over water and high heat.

Steamed or aluminum baked salmon is one of our favorite one-dish meal which goes well with rice porridge. For lunch at home when there are only two persons eating, rice porridge with steamed fish as the only dish is what we eat on days when we have fish available in the fridge. Occasionally when sweet potatoes are available wifey will add some baked Japanese sweet potatoes into the porridge for additional flavour and also nutrition.

We are partial to these two types of cooking fish is because the benefits are obvious:

1. Valuable nutrients, vitamins and minerals of the food are preserved
2. Maintain food moisture and freshness
3. Preserves food colours and moisture
4. Soften food fibers making them tender and easily digestible
5. No need to use cooking oil or fat
6. Fast and easy. Can cook a complete meal in minutes

A compelling story

What if you can't find some suitable images from the internet that you want to download for use to tell a compelling story? 

No problem. I draw my own illustration using MS Excel's drawing tools and convert the xls image into a jpg image like this picture.

Standing and balancing only on his right leg and using it as a pivot this person will rotate his body anti-clockwise leftward and to his rear for a left heel kick strike to his imaginary attacker who is approaching him from the back.

Although I know this technique like the back of my hand and have successfully done it uncountable times, this morning due to a momentary lapse of mind-body coordination, the power from the torque generated by the body-turn twisted my weak right knee.

The pain in the inflamed knee was so excruciating that I used the shopping cart as an improvised walker when I accompanied the wife to the supermarket. By my hands bracing against the shopping cart handle, I was able to take some pressure off my injured right knee as I walked slowly, painfully, stiffly and with a awkward limp helping my wife to shop for the week's groceries.

Although it is just a sprain it looks like I will have to take things easy for the next two weeks to allow time for the soft tissue knee injury to heal.

The Gift of Time

The greatest gift that you can give someone is your TIME because when you give your time you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back.

Dear Mommy thank you for giving your TIME to the family.

On this special day the family honours you with happy birthday wishes and may you always stay happy and healthy.

A first indication of better things to come for the visitor?

After so many visits to this government clinic for my monthly medical check ups I have become familiar with the arrangement of the building and its compound.

There is a big signboard inside the compound beside the main entrance announcing that the clinic is undergoing renovation work. On the signboard the clinic management even appeal to the visiting public to bear with the inconveniences caused by the ongoing renovation work.

This signboard has been there since the first time I first visited this place four months ago. I never fail to look at the board because it is erected in such a prominent location that it is the first structure that greets you as you drive your vehicle up the ramp and past the main entrance to park your car in the compound.

All this time up until this morning I have never seen any sign of refurbishment work being carried out though I did see small piles of sand dumped here and there in the compound. The interior of the building and the compound where the public park their cars look the same then as they were before.

However this morning as I was queuing up behind about 30 people ahead of me waiting for the clinic to open its doors I suddenly became aware that the tarmac that I was standing on had been resurfaced. Surveying the environment I saw bold white lines being painted on the black tarmac to mark out the individual car parking lots in a herring bone type of arrangement.

That explains why today the cars were so orderly parked. Previously motorists parked their cars haphazardly as they like with no consideration for other users. There were many instances when some car owners resorted to asking the clinic management through the clinic's PA system to appeal to owners whose cars were blocking others to remove their vehicles.

The fresh tarmac and the new car parking boxes that I saw today are the first real improvement that I have seen coming.

The next change that I would like to see is a makeover of the interior of the clinic which has seen better days.

I have a young man's bone quality and strength

Just to go along with the wife's insistence signed up with her on the spot for the Anlene Bone Health Check. 

After analysing the result of the bone density scan of my right foot my wife was ecstatic to hear from the Anlene inspector that at my age I still have the bone quality and strength of a young man. 

As for the wife her scan analysis shows that her bone health is in the medium risk category of osteoporotic fractures and was advised to consume high calcium milk eg Anlene to maintain her bone health. 

Of course we already know the status of our individual bone health and all these scan test results are old news to us and only serve to confirm what we already knew.

Practicing Wu Style Taijiquan to get back to good health.

At first I thought that learning taijiquan from a book is next to impossible. However with persistence and patience I believe I am getting some where.

After about 3 weeks since I decided to embark on my quest to study this type of taijiquan I have learnt about 50 percent of the 37 postures Wu Style taijiquan from following the text and instructions in the book. My previous background in Chen Style taijiquan probably probably help me to learn the movements in double quick time.

Perhaps the greatest motivation in learning this type of extremely slow motion taijiquan is my desire to improve my health through some form of physical exercise.

My sedentary lifstyle since my retirement from work in June had caused my blood pressure, blood sugar levels and heart beat to rise alarmingly. Sometimes I even experienced shortness of breath, head ache, dizziness, bloated stomach, excessive stomach gas and flatulence, diarrhea and even constipation. Taking too many medicines, watching TV and surfing the internet made me sleepy and lethargic all day.

Alarmed at the worsening state of my health, then one day in July I decided to do something about it. I decided to start with taijiquan exercise first thing in the morning as I felt that the slow, continuous and gentle movements accompanied by deep breathing and relaxation would not tax my low energy level too much.

After only about a month of doing taijiquan in the mornings with some sessions in the afternoons and evenings, I am beginning to feel that my strength, energy and vigour have recovered tremendously. Nowadays I don't feel so tired and sleepy as before. My blood pressure, sugar level and heart beats are now under control.

Seeing the positive effects of taiji on my health I am greatly motivated to learn the complete set by the end of Aug. In addition to taiji I am also adding other forms of physical exercises to my daily life.

Other than practicing this art to regain my health I am also paying more attention to my diet. Gone are the days when I used to load my body with all kinds of toxic foods eg red meat, coffee, tea, milk, sugary beverages, pastries, pasta, deep-fried,oily and spicy foods.

Determination

INTI Aikido. Mon 24/6/2013 class
The bad haze situation in INTi Nilai is no hindrance for members to come to the dojo for training.

I was impressed that two very determined girls who refused to be affected by the haze chose to don face masks for training rather than to skip class. And in spite of poor visibility Nigel drove all the way from Puchong to come to Nilai for the aikido class.

Very dense haze. Poor road visibility. No people and few cars on the road. This was the creepy scene that confronted me as I drove back from Nilai alone to my house in Seri Kembangan after the Aikido class ended.

I shuddered when the thought of what was going to happen if the car broke down in the night crossed my mind. Then the image of the two girls wearing face masks to train in the bad haze calmed my anxiety some what.

Staying hydrated

With the pungent haze swathing the whole nation I am never out of reach of my drinking bottle. I keep a 1 litre water bottle containing drinking water handy on my desk so that I can stay hydrated, even when indoor.

The PM declared emergency status for Muar and Ledang after the API (air pollutant index) readings in the two towns touched 750

As the haze situation originating from forest burnings in Sumatra worsened at 5pm Sunday the authorities have declared that all schools in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur will be closed tomorrow. the Ministry of Health has also ordered all government hospitals to provide face masks to the public.

Grey canvas

Coughing a bit due to throat irritation caused by the acrid smell. Then it dawn on me that the morning haze has transformed the sky into a big canvas of grey, blanking out the images of buildings and trees in the back ground.

The ongoing raging forest fires due to land clearing in Sumatra has affected much of Malaysia and the whole of Singapore.

Better to stay indoors until the haze clears unless there is pressing matters to go out of the house.

Tung Shin Hospital. Acupuncture treatment for heel pain

Electrode-acupuncture therapy at Tung Shin Hospital for heel pain. 

After the initial consultation that included reading my wrist pulse, blood pressure and examining my tongue the TCM physician inserted needles on both my heels, feet and kne
es to sedate the inflammation in the plantar fascia (the band of tendon that runs from the ball of the foot to the heel) and then to stimulate more blood and chi energy to flow to the affected area. 

The physician said the inflammation of the plantar fascia is causing the heel pain and the electrode-acupuncture treatment is to reactivate the body's natural healing response. Feeling the warmth of the electric current energy circulating in the legs the 1/2 hour treatment was so relaxing that I almost fell asleep on the couch. 

The TCM physician told me to return to the clinic for a few more sessions if the pain persists. No herbal medicine nor pain killers was prescribed. At the payment counter the cashier billed me only RM18.00 for the needle treatment.

traditional therapeutic massage

Batu 14 Pekan Hulu Langat Chin Family Chinese Traditional Bone Specialist and Therapeutic Massage.

I and my wife had to wait from 10am in the morning until 1.30pm in the afternoon in this popular centre (a pre-war shop house building) fo
r our treatment, because there were just too many people waiting for their turns in the queue. You can't make an appointment through the phone but have to go there personally to take a number, and there is no queue jumping.

In the no-frills and utilitarian waiting room you are a nobody but just a patient with a number tag. They don't care if you are rich or poor, man or woman, male or female, old or young, Malay, Chinese, Indian or whatever. While majority of the visitors walk in some disabled persons come in wheel chairs and walkers. Irrespective of who you are you will be attended to on a first come first served basis. The only exception is when the patient is so seriously ill that he needs immediate attention. Many people from the well-heeled group who are accustomed to 5-star reception and who have no patient to wait just return the number to the rack and leave the premises.

Altogether there are usually 7 sifus on duty. You can't choose whom to go. As soon as your number is called you are directed to the next sifu who is available. If you miss a call you may have to wait for at least three more calls before they admit you because there are other people waiting in line for their treatment.

The treatment normally lasts from 30 minutes to 60 minutes, depending on the seriousness of your orthopedic ailment. For an average 45 min of hands on massage therapy the fees are reasonable ranging from RM40 to RM100.

I went there to treat the painful condition of my knees, heels, and misaligned feet while my wife needed some therapy for her sore back, stiff, inflamed and misaligned knee and elbow joints.

On this occasion the sifu who attended to me was a lady (the only woman sifu in the group) who had a vice-like grip and incredible strength and power with her hands. Mentally I had to consciously breathe easy and redirect and spread the pain to all parts of my body to soften the pain intensity as she worked methodically, relentlessly and mercilessly on the muscles, tendons, nerves and ligaments of the limbs digging, slapping, twisting, kneading, rubbing, stepping, drilling, pinching, pulling, compressing, flexing, stretching and alternate tensing and relaxing with her powerful hands.

I paid RM50.00 for the 40 minute treatment including herbal medication and massage ointment while they charged my wife RM40.00 for massage only.

Sin foods

Satay, grilled chicken wings, fried hokkien mee, iced sugar cane juice. My bloated stomach is already groaning and straining from eating so much of these hot, greasy, spicy and sweet foods. Am expecting to bear with the effects of detoxification for a few days as my stomach starts to expel the toxic payload from the digestive system.

Sound of chants, gongs and cymbals

Aware of the sound of chants, gongs and cymbals permeating the air. Taoist priests are conducting funeral rites for a family living three houses down the road from mine who had lost the head of the family due to illness. May the deceased RIP.

Ahhh choo!

The company doctor gave me a sick chit for the day off from work. I am recuperating at home from a bout of flu which got worse after I was soaked with rainwater this morning.

The medicines for flu upset my stomach. The cleansing kicked in after one hour of swallowing the medicines. However, I felt much better and energised after emptying my bowels of toxins. At 1.30pm I was well enough to eat porridge for my lunch. By 5.00pm I felt that I was about 90% recovered.

Superfood sweet potatoes

Steamed sweet potatoes...
My wife steamed some Japanese potatoes which she bought from the store last night for a mid-day snack. Due to its high fibre content I already felt full after taking only two small portions. The plain looking sweet potato is a root vegetable that is considered a super health food because:
*it is rich in carotenes, and an excellent source of vitamins C, B2, B6, E and biotin (B7).
*a good source of potassium, manganese, folate (folic acid), copper and iron.
*it is rich in dietary fibre and anti-oxidant properties
*acts as a agent for regulating blood sugar level
*it's high foliate content is good for fetal cell and tissue development
*it strengthens the body's immune system & develops resistance to infection
*it's high potassium content helps to prevent heart disease and stroke and also muscular cramps
*due to its high fibre content helps to promote a healthy digestive track, relief constipation and helps to prevent colon cancer.

I hear stories from the elders that during the difficult war years of the Japanese occupation of the then Malaya when food was scare and strictly rationed people in the rural area ate the humble sweet potatoes that they plant for subsistence.

Still in pretty good shape

Monthly medical examination at the clinic.

Except for my weight which has gone up by 0.5 kg from last month my blood pressure, and blood sugar level readings are satisfactory. Based on my BMI reading the good doctor told me that I'm slightly obese and advised me to shed a few kgs.

Pleased with the results I stopped by a mamak shop on my way back to the office from the clinic for a little snack. I rewarded myself to reinforce the good feelings by ordering a plate of roti canai and a glass of plain hot water.

I resolve to shed at least 2 kg of my weight when I visit the clinic in Feb. However, with the CNY celebrations just round the corner I have to be extra vigilant with my food intake.

Breathing difficulty

My hard breathing due to a blocked nose made it difficult to get a good night's sleep.

As a last resort getting off the bed in the middle of the night to do "zhan zhuang" deep breathing and relaxation qigong exercise for about 20 minutes helped open up the nasal airway a bit. With the easing of the blockage I was able to resume my interrupted sleep till the next morning.

TCM Acupunture Treatment At Tung Shin Hospital

On Saturday my wife returned to the hospital for another 30-minute session of acupuncture treatment for her sore back.

After the first treatment last week the persistent back pain appeared to have intensified on the second day and then eased gradually until it almost stopped completely. For the past three days prior to her second visit she had not experienced any pain.

After looking at the x-ray of her slightly curved spine the TCM physician explained that her spine has degenerated due to bad posture and onset of osteoporosis. As a result her back bone pressing against the nerves cause her to experience pain and that the post-treatment intensified pain was due to her body reacting to the needle treatment naturally. After the treatment was completed the TCM physician then advised her to come back for a third session next week and then after that on a as-need basis.

For a 30-minute session and a week's supply of herbal medicine the hospital charged her only RM29.00 (RM8.00 for the needle treatment and RM21.00 for the medicine). I remembered about two years ago a chiropractor charged her more than RM100.00 and no medicine for a 30-minute session of spinal manipulation and electric electrode therapy, yet brought her only temporary relief.  The herbal concoction which is to be taken two times a day is supposed to tone up her sluggish blood circulation system and also to relax her tensed nerves.

Morning sickness

Spirulina7.30am Breakfast at home before going to work.

"Take 7 tablets. They are good for your body," wife pointed at the bottle of spirulina supplement resting on the shelf in the kitchen as she rolled a thin slab of margarine on the bread.
Morning sicknessAccording to the misses spirulina can help the body get rid of toxins. I took the 7 tablets with my morning coffee together with two slices of gardenia wholemeal bread.

Half an hour later as I was getting ready to leave the house, I suddenly felt giddy, light headed, vision gone blurry an upset stomach and a headache. I couldn't stand up without feeling dizzy and a loss of balance. So I had to lie on the sofa to rest for about 15 minutes before regaining control over my body sensation. By this time my stomach was bloated due to congestion and I had this urge to visit the toilet for relief.

Sick After arriving at the office I gulped down about 1 litre of water and went to the toilet immediately. After flushing out all the toxins in my body I felt much better though the giddiness and blurry vision had not yet  receded. However compared to breakfast time I had a much better control of my faculty and body. I was ill for most of the whole morning and only started to recover gradually after lunch time. In fact at one point I wanted to take the day off to go home and lie down on the bed. If not because of a few pressing assignment datelines coming up I would have taken the day off.

I guess I was undergoing an internal cleansing crisis triggered by the consumption of the spirulina supplement. The giddiness, blurry vision, loss of balance and stomach spasms were probably symptoms of the body going through a cleansing processing. Maybe my illness has nothing to do with the spirulina tablets, but just a bout of food poisoning. On the other hand I vaguely recall such a similar episode when I first swallowed some spirulina tablets some years ago.

Pap smear test report

"The nurse said she is too busy attending to the patents to look for the pep smear report and aske me to call her again on Mon!" dear wife said when I rang her hand-phone while waiting for the mechanic to service the MyVi at the Peroda service centre in Bandar Teknologi. From her tone I could sense that she was ill at ease.

"OK. We will pay a visit to Dr Bala as soon as I get back from the service centre.", I quickly reassured her.

2.30pm. Dr Bala's clinic at KPJ Kajang Specialist Centre. The hospital was quite empty of visitors at this time of the day. Luckily Dr Bala's clinic was still opened. The nurse said that dear wife's pep smear result shows nothing wrong with her cervix.

Her private part has been itching for quite some time and naturally she was worried about her condition.

"Parabasal and intermediate cells display morphology within normal limits. Negative for malignancy." the report says. Whatever the medical jargon means we take it to mean her cervix is healthy and normal. With the doubt about her condition cleared up, dear wife was soon smiling again and so am I.