Tip of the Day: Cats, anybody?

So far I've been blogging about us humans......now here's something for anybody who love cats and have cats as their pets.

Tip 1: Steamed is always better than fried. My friend who owns a pair of cats says when she feeds them fried fish, they tend to shed more hair on a daily basis. Switching to fried fish, she noticed that their fur has been softer and that there's been less shedding of hair - meaning less furballs everywhere.

Tip 2: Use Panadol if you run out of antiseptics. Cats will be cats, and it's common for them to have wounds when being out. If the wound isn't a big flesh wound (in which case you need to hurry to the vet), take half a Panadol, pound into powder and smear it over the wound (after washing it). The wound will dry and heal faster.

Tip 3: Bathe your cat. That's your - the owner's - responsibility, not the cat's. Ticks, fleas and lice can attack at any time. It's true that cats groom themselves, but they don't bathe. And if you don't want to be scratched like a manicure log, best be gentle. Use lukewarm water, cat shampoo (human soap can harm cat fur, y'know), and most important of all, use the kitchen sink if you can. That way, you don't have to bend over and then get scratched to bits.

OK, three's enough. I'm no cat expert, and these I've gathered from friend and family members who do have cats.

Later. Ciao.

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Tip of the Day: Milk bottles and Toxin

I've got a question for you readers with infants and small children out there:

When you prepare milk in a bottle (powder milk, not pumped breast milk) do you put hot water or cold water first? This looks like a stupid question, but it does have serious long-term repercussions for your child. Why? Because hot water in a plastic bottle (most feeding bottles today are plastic) leaches a chemical called Antimony (also HERE), which is a chemical substance that affects the brain (negatively).

To a child, it may simply mean nothing, dependent on how much toxins they absorb when drinking milk. But brain development of children is a serious matter to most mothers today, and every little bit of info helps.

My tip on this: Look closely at the bottles before buying (any type of plastic bottle, including feeding bottles). There usually is a recyclable material marking (arrows forming a triangle) and a number inside. The higher the number, the better the bottle. For baby feeding bottles, use numbers 5 and above (mine is 7). A mineral water bottle is usually low numbered, and that makes it unsuitable for hot water, and storage for long periods. They're made for single use and then thrown away.

And put cold water in first into the feeding bottle, then add hot water, and then milk. This way, the powder can still dissolve, and you are cutting the toxins by not adding hot water straight into the bottle.

There - moms, be careful - you may be retarding your child's brain development.

Ciao.

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Tags: mom, tips, health, children, baby, toxins

Tip of the Day: Does being healthy have anything to do with where you live?

Pollution is something we have to deal with everyday of our lives, but I think many of us think that when we go back home it stops there. Wrong. Why? Because of two things:

1. Air quality
Inside is worse than outside. The problem is when we're indoors, we tend to shut all the windows, which makes inside air stale. Unless you have one of those Puritee - Plasmacluster - Nanotech type aircon running in your house, you're pretty much better outside than inside. To improve air quality, simply open the windows. Remember - Ventilation is important.

2. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
This is something far worse than air quality. The organic materials that are inside the house - asbestos ceilings, fibers in our clothes and furniture, your carpet, wall paint, and curtains all 'emit' some sort of particles that are suspended in the air you breathe. There are many complications which can result, such as Mesothelioma, and if you can't pronounce it right, trust me - you don't want to know the consequences.

We spend 70 - 90% of our time in our homes The two toxins most commonly found in homes are Formaldehyde and Benzene. It's time we start realising that pollution is a 24 x 7 thing, not just when we're outside.

Ciao.

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Tags: mom, tips, health, air, quality, pollution, illness

Tip of the Day: Love Me(at) Tender

Everybody loves eating meat - except for those with medical conditions. But at some point in time, we encounter meat that is not exactly chewy, probably because it isn't well cooked, which really turns us off. Here's Mom's Tip on how to make fried meat a juicy affair.

First, mix the meat evenly with some sugar (don't overdo the sugar, a little bit is enough, you'll get the hang of it eventually). Then leave it for 5 -10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. Use caster sugar if you can't get plain coarse ones. After that, mix it with tumeric powder and then a little salt for taste.

Fry away......

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Tags: mom, tips, cooking, meat, tender

Tip of the Day: DIY Body Scrub

Peeling away old skin to make way for new, healthier skin is a beauty tip that stretches way, way back. But did you ever wonder what grandma used for her body scrub? It sure isn't some big brand we've grown accustomed to see in departmental stores. This is how they do it back in the old days - it's healthy too, no chemicals, all natural  : )

Use:
- 1 Tablespoon Coarse Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar (skip this if you don't have it)
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 Tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon Powder

Mix all those in one bowl, and smear it all over your body evenly. Scrub thoroughly, but slowly. Then rinse - you're done. It's one of those things that make you wonder - sometimes you only need to go to the kitchen to get your beauty treatment - right?

Ciao.

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Tags: mom, tips, health, beauty, skin, peeling, scrub

Tip of the Day: How to pick fresh Fish

Well, I have to admit that there aren't that many honest fishmongers anymore. If you go to the nearest shop, chances are that there are less fresh fish than old (and nearly rotten) ones. Now imagine if you ask your husband (or some other guy with no knowledge of fish except the art of EATING it) to go buy some fish. You'd end up with old fish that's about a few hours away from being totally rotten and poisoning you if you eat it.

So, Mom's Tips for today is choosing the freshest fish you can find. Look for:

·              Shiny scales that are still intact and doesn't drop off the fish.
·              Fish Eyes that are still clear / transparent (not bloody)
·              Doesn't smell like somebody else's armpit (fresh fish actually smells good, it's the fishmonger that's smelly)
·              Meat that is tender and not too soft and mushy
·              Gills that are still reddish, and not grey. 

If you're choosing fillets, look out for:

1. Fillets that are tender
2. The colour of the meat (either red or white, dependent on fish)
3. Freshness (smell if you have to)

There, hope you guys out there make the right choices. After all, the health of our family depends on what we cook, so choose wisely! Ciao.

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Tip of the Day: Brown is better than white - Rice, that is.

In these parts of the world, rice is the staple food of choice. There are many types of rice, each with its own unique uses - white, fragrant, basmathi, herbal ponni, red rice are all different and produce different dishes.

But did you know that processed rice (which turns it into white rice) destroys the majority of nutrients it contains? You're only eating starch that are fattening by eating white rice. Try eating brown (or red) rice, because they are the least processed and therefore have many more nutrients than plain white rice.

There's a web site that will scare the hell out of us rice-eaters - HERE. After reading this, I can only imagine how much nutrients my body have missed out simply by eating something bereft of nutrition. By eating white rice, you lose out on:
1. Manganese
2. Selenium
3. Magnesium
4. Phosphorous
5. Iron
6. Vitamins B1, B3, B6

One more thing, there's also a para at the bottom of the page describing the dangers of keeping cooked rice for too long in the fridge for later consumption. Apparently, apart from all the bacteria it can collect, there's also a fungi that can produce toxins when coming into contact with the fatty acids in the rice.

Hope this'll help change our dietary habits. Try Brown Rice!

Ciao.

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Tags: mom, tips, food, diet, eating, family, health, nutrition, vitamins, minerals