by Sandie on October 11, 2009
Yummy prawns
Cholesterol is synonymous to seafood like crabs, prawns, squids and scallops. The egg yolk actually takes a back seat. This belief that seafood is very high in cholesterol has created unfounded fears in many a people, whether health conscious or otherwise. In fact, if consumed in moderation, they play a vital role in good nutrition.
Prawns are low in fat though the cholesterol level is higher than in fish. The cholesterol content in five prawns is equivalent to 100gm of roasted chicken breast meat and 10 prawns matches the cholesterol content of one egg yolk.
Apart from increasing the HDL (the good cholesterol) levels, eating prawns helps decrease blood triglyceride levels. It contains omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B, B12, B6, and D. Minerals such as potassium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium are found in prawns. This mineral, selenium, induces DNA repair and can inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
People who has gout and with kidney problems should stay away from prawns as it contains concentrated amounts of purines.
For the seafood lovers who are still not convinced on the goodness of prawns, here are a few articles for you to browse through. These articles are not to convince or to convert you to be a seafood lover but only to share with you on the nutritional facts of seafood. And remember, don’t binge – it will definitely sky rocket your cholesterol level.
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by Marcus on October 11, 2009
Hamstring Stretch A
Lower back pain can make a person miserable. Those who suffer from it know.
If you are one of those unfortunate majority, you must have tried many forms of treatments or therapies. You would also have received much well-intentioned advice from well meaning friends and even from strangers who have noticed you wincing in pain.
Well, here is another well-meaning tip. Through experimenting with the many exercises and postures, I have found that stretching the hamstring muscles helps.
The image at the beginning of this write is the hamstring stretch referred to. The hamstring is that muscle at the back of our thighs that go all the way from the back of the knees to the pelvis. It is a big and strong muscle and one of the work it does is provide stability to the pelvic area. Continue reading this article →
by Sandie on October 10, 2009
I was introduced to passion fruit way back in the 70s. During that time, you can buy them only in the highlands, Camerons. I used to buy them back, mostly given away to friends and the balance to land in waste bins. Now I wonder if any of my friends ever ate them or they did exactly what I did.
Two reasons why they landed in waste bins. One was that they were so sour that your eyes shut automatically when you take a bite into the fruit and the other – when they turned wrinkled you think the fruit has turned bad.
As I age gracefully into my years, I had the wisdom to know that looks are deceiving. The wrinkled and dimpled passion fruit is more ‘passionate’ compared to the ‘teenagers’. The older it gets, the sweeter it tastes. So let us give more respect to this senior citizen.
Passion fruit is a fantastic source of vitamins A and C as well as potassium and iron. It is also an excellent source of dietary fibre.
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by Marcus on October 6, 2009
My dog, who happens to be a scraggy looking fella had a problem. To us it was a problem, but to him, it was a very doggy thing – he has a very strong odor. Even though I have tried using the regular dog shampoo for his baths, the smell just would not go away.
Then this pharmacist friend taught me a neat little trick. She said it was fungus and recommended I used Selsun. I remember we used Selsun for dandruff but have not heard of it being used nowadays let alone for dogs..
So, I bought one small little bottle to try. It has to be the Continue reading this article →
by Sandie on October 4, 2009
Many people fail to inform their physicians the types of herbal supplements they are consuming prior to an operation. They inform their doctors only on what medications they are taking. This vital information of herbal supplements is often left out, as many people do not equate medicines with supplements.
Because of this non-disclosure, many patients actually put themselves at risk during an operation. They may take a longer time than usual to wake up from an anesthesia; some develop fits upon recovery or bleed excessively after a surgery. In Singapore where my sister underwent a major operation last year, she had to undergo a blood-clotting test on the morning of her operation. They made a small incision on her finger and timed how fast or how slow the clotting takes place. If the clotting test fails, then they will call off the operation and schedule for another day.
Remember that many herbal supplements can interfere with the various actions of medications used during surgery and some has blood-thinning properties as well. Do not put yourself under such risk – tell your doctors the type of medications you are currently on as well as herbal and food supplement.
Below is a list of some common herbal supplements and its possible complications.
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