Organic?

What is the definition of "ORGANIC"?

Do you really need to eat organic food?

How do you make sure the product is certified organic?

Picture adapted from internet

Quoted from the Year 2014 Chinese New Year movie <Golden Chickensss 金鸡2>, the moment the actor looked at the non-plastic surgery woman, he said: "So organic~" . I was laughing when I heard how he pronounced the word "Organic" in a sarcastic way.

Read an article from The Star last week about Organic Labels and Organic Certification. So, make sure you check out your product's certification before you decide to buy an overpriced brown rice, cereals, oats, muesli, fruits, vegetables and etc. 

Last two days, there was one almost 100 years old patient came in to see my boss for consultation advices on gastrointestinal. The patient is an educated businessman. Was asking if taking organic food is alright for him. When being asked the reason for taking organic food, he answered it is because...everyone says they are quite good. Then, he got a reply like this: Well, whether organic food is good or not, I am not too sure. But, generally they are overpriced. Whether you need to eat them or not, maybe you should ask yourself what have you been eating since 90+ years ago that keep you living until today? I just chuckled together with the patient after hearing this reply.

If a product is stated "100% Organic" (And of course, if it is 100% Organic, it cannot be a food product, it must be a real food aka single-ingredient-food). Talking about "100% Organic", here's a story to share with you all when I was at a volunteer diabetes discussion last Saturday. Heard a rather upsetting than shocking real incident from a participant whom has friend farming organic vegetables in [you-know-where-in-Malaysia]. He told us that his friend claimed that all his vegetables are organic with evidence of worm bites on edges of leaves. However, the truth is actually his friend rinsed off the pesticides on the vegetables, and then spread out some worms onto the vegetables on the night before the market starts. Alarming right, I always search for worm bites marks to ensure that there are less chemicals on vegetables.

Okay, it is not like I disagree with "Organic". It is just the trustworthy of farmers, good manufacturing practices of producers and prices of organic food, that make me think thrice before I buy. 

My advice is to take a few seeds and grow yourself some farms in the back yard of your house. hahaha.

What is a must-have in my dream house in the future? A "So organic~" Mini Farm  :p

Do not judge me

1. Forget to inject pre-bed insulin, Insulatard at night, then went to bed. Woke up the next day, hyper.
2. Pre-meal insulin, Actrapid has finished and I have to take Insulatard for my main meal.
3. Injecting Actrapid only after the main meal.
4. Fell asleep in the classroom with lecturer right in front of me due to hypoglycemia.
5. Was so so so hypo and yet I can't figure out why my mind keep telling myself not to eat so much sugar suggesting that this will cause hyperglycemia.
6. I was hypo and I knocked my car to the side of the road. Was still trying very hard to start the car over and over again in a hypo state.
7. Was hypo during my SPM Pendidikan Moral exam. I knew it was happening because I couldn't figure out what "nilai-nilai murni" to write after it took me about 5 minutes. I brought sweets but I was too ashamed to eat in that silent exam hall, so I decided to walk to the toilet to consume. At the end, I got an A2 for this subject (Yes, for once I must blame T1DM!).
8. Sometimes I was just too overexerting, especially when others wanted to help when I was hypo. I would be telling them repeatedly that I am okay. I am okay. Okay but still extremely blur.
9. Went to class/work without my Actrapid. Spent the day without eating any lunch. (Not eating enough carbo causes hyper also)
10. Weather was so hot that I didn't care so much about the Ais Batu Kacang carbo content. Finished whole thing then only I replaced insulin for it.

Guess there are more #donotjudgeme incidents. Sometimes, T1DM is taking so much of my time that I just felt like:
I couldn't take this anymore! I want to be a rebel like everyone else! Stop all the restrictions TMD I want freedommmmm. Argh. 

Anyhow, the next day, still, the schedule repeats.

_______________________________________________________________________

Happy birthday to my best partner. 

You are the last one who would judge me when the rest in the world are already staring at me.

Thanks for the overwhelming love.

For you, my favourite quote:

Love you more than a low diabetic loves carbs :p

20·20·20

This morning's FM radio gave me a link between nutrition, lifestyle, and genetic. 

On the first day when your relatives and friends knew that your profession is Dietetics. They will start asking questions like these...

: I want my hair to grow thicker, what should I eat?

: I want to grow taller la, what can I eat har? Calcium supplement?

: I hor...want to have bigger breast, you recommend what type of cooking method with papaya?

: I want to have fairer skin leh, which herbs will work for me?

: I think my eyesight power getting serious la, you think eat carrot will work anot?

(Typical Malaysian-Asking-Style)

A dietitian can help you in answering nutrition questions because she is an expert in nutrition. But, think twice if you were to see a self-claimed nutrition expert who keeps on promoting a single supplement/product, without revealing the reality about all nutrients work in the same boat. Not forgetting lifestyles and genetics are all in the same boat as well.

Nutrition has never worked alone all these while

Questions about hair amount, height, breast size, skin color are all generally related to genes. I can help you in getting better and healthier hair, stronger bone, how to properly proceed with exclusive breastfeeding after delivery and how to have a hydrated moisturizing skin. But, altering a gene expression which is already there in your body for more than decades already, sorry that I am helpless. I know Nutritional Genomics is a Hit Topic right now, but please don't confuse with gene-diet-disease related topic.

A person with a sufficient daily supply of nutrients, but without a good proper habit/lifestyle, I can guarantee nutrition will not help you much. As mentioned earlier, nutrition does not work alone. If you're an IT person or a student, and facing laptop everyday is something that you could not afford to avoid, will more carrot or bilberry or healthy fats work for you? Yes, they will. 

Ehem......

Provided you practice the "20·20·20" rule. Every 20 minutes, Rest your eyes for 20 seconds and Look 20 feet away from your laptop (adapted from LiteFM this morning). Now that you are taking care of all factors in the same boat. Even if genes were to be the culprit, believe me, it will take time to happen :)

Okay, I should actually take 20 minutes rest now! :p

Is fat really that bad?

There is no 100% in nutrition. Nothing like teaching mathematics in school, where 1+1=2. And things become the most challenging when I have to counsel a very rigid person, whom only wants an exact answer for his/her questions. Dietary counseling does sometimes become tough when the society now wants to hear what they want to hear, that is, the easiest and fastest way to get to the objectives that they want.

Now, the question is "Is fat really that bad?".

Definitely the answer is no. In fact, fat is very essential to our bodies. (Then some ignorant people will challenge you: Okay! I can buy oil and drink la, eat my favorite fried food everyday lu!)

No, my dear. If it's all so simple in nutrition, why you need a dietitian? :)

Fat has essential roles in our body. Provides us with a good source of energy. Helps us in absorbing fat soluble vitamins (Omitting fat in your diet may cause vitamin A, D, E, K deficiencies). Fills up our stomach (Other than fibre, fat can help in giving satiety. Which is why we often hear from those who wanted to lose weight get hungry more easily. This is because they didn't get sufficient amount of fats from their diet). Also...not forgetting many more benefits of other fats like omega 3 & 6 and SFA!

Now before anyone starts drinking oil, it is very crucial to ask a dietitian about the correct type and the amount of fats that you are required to take. Again, there is no 100% in nutrition, not everyone has to take the same amount of fats. The dietitian's job is about individualizing each and every diet being prescribed to you.

Picture adapted from internet

Choose healthy fats. But the true fact is it is hard to get healthy fats if you're eating outside. Now, I am trying my best to include healthy fats in my Breakfast and Dinner, since I have time to prepare them. For example, add in almonds nuts or peanut butter in morning oats and steam a avocado with rice for dinner or sprinkle olive oil on steamed vegetables, of course not forgetting your carbohydrate and protein sources. 

Lunch time is when I have to pick a better option from a variety of dishes at the Mixed Rice Stall. Avoiding trans fat and hence avoiding fried food items, which is quite hard at a typical Malaysia's mixed rice stall. I know bringing a Bento from home can be troublesome for a wanderer living alone in Selangor like me. Hmmm or go dine at a restaurant that has healthier lunch menus! Where you need to pay more for healthy food. Aiks.

I guess for the time being, I will go to the mixed rice stall, and pick the best lunch menu that I can find. Though occasionally trans fat consumption is unavoidable, but please do try to limit these bad fats! And please enjoy eating good fats! :)

Injection sites curiosity

Ever since I have memories, I remember the first time I cried so dramatic over an injection pain was when my mom brought me for earrings-punching-hole. I was about 5 years old, probably got scared of that loud punch-hole gun sound. 

During Primary One, I remembered some of my classmates were crying over the Rubella injection. I guess I was afraid, but I acted steady, wanted to be different from others haha!

When I was diagnosed, I didn't quite understand about T1DM. So, when the nurse was teaching me to inject my abdomen using syringe, I was very steady too (which I should not be). That time, I didn't know that this injection thing wasn't an one-off thing. Until when I totally fell apart, collapsed in my room after I finally knew what has actually happened.

I always have curiosity for all the possible injection sites. Below is the permitted injection sites. 

Picture adapted from www.lantus.com

I have always been curious about injecting insulin on my knee (so far haven't try one yet, hmm better not). However, I tried injecting on my thigh's bruise before, I can tell you the moment the insulin flows out from my pen, touches the broken blood capillaries, it was Tremendously Terrifying. So damn painful! As in Syok gila, the bahasa word.

Yesterday I cleared my another curiosity, I injected the insulin on the mosquito bites bump on my thigh. Totally no sensation on that site, even after the insulin flowed in. But, I guess it can cause mal-absorption of insulin. This morning's sugar was slightly high, despite yesterday night time's in-range sugar level. 

Curiosity kills the cat. In order to stop myself from being killed, I google-d this: 

(Better put this picture small)

Though this might not be an infection due to insulin injections, but still having goosebumps!!! Okay, stop risking your injection sites, cbs. 

Planning injection units

"How to plan the number of units to inject before you know what food will be served to you?"

Just came back from my grandmother's birthday at Bahau, Negeri Sembilan. All of us went to the chinese restaurant for dinner, then back to grandma's house for birthday cake cutting.

I thought tonight's dinner would be of carbs heavy one. But, ended up to have only one carb-food, Long Life Noodles (寿面), for the whole course of 7 dishes. I was like: Alamak, what to do now. I have already injected 10units of Actrapid for this dinner. The whole night I was searching for other types of food in the restaurant. Everyone must be thinking: Omg why today this Bing so hungry? Sedangkan I was actually hunting more carbs for my injected insulin.

Anyhow, at 1.00am (when it's time to inject my night time insulin Insulatard), this is what happened:

Lesson learnt is don't get too exhilarated by a party and please consider whether to inject extra or not for the party next time.

Poor me. Just got this GlucoTabs (Tangy Orange) from my little cousin all the way from UK today, and I already started binging on it.

So-called "Obstacles" to Health

Look around ourselves...our colleagues, our friends, our partners, our family members, because of

1) No enough time

          Always have been rushing to work. Only have time for processed food and fast food as meals.

          No enough time to sleep. Can't even able to squeeze out some time for breakfast.

2) No extra money

          Organic foods are all expensive.

          Supplements are even more expensive.

3) No companions

          Need a companion to stretch muscles together. Flexing twisting alone is very lonely.

First, having no enough of time? Or having no arrangement of time. Second, no extra money for commercialized organic supplement foods? Or it's too troublesome to go to the nearest supermarket to do grocery shopping. Third, need a companion to exercise together? Okay, hmmm probably yes haha! Because exercise in a group can add in a lots of fun. But, I guess for stretching, flexing and twisting joints muscles, you are capable of doing it alone, isn't it? Just on the background music and enjoy the moment of tranquility, serenity and calmness.

I have to admit myself that working outside of my hometown, away from my mother, away from the home sweet home and without a proper kitchen in my rented room here, I am just so reluctant to begin healthy lifestyles. Recently, a little voice keeps reminding me about my BSc in Degree in my head. Please make good use of your knowledge for the sake of your profession and of course your health! I will make sure I eat two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables everyday now! Not forgetting those stretching exercises for the sake of my scoliosis *determined *finger-crossed

NewYear resolution. Start blogging!

Started my blog about 3 year ago and pathetically only 22 posts today! How terrifying!

CBS, please do something for your blog. Be responsible, start writing it today.

Alright, I just came back from dinner at Rakuzen, G-Tower with my family and my boyfriend. Ya, I will definitely post in a longer entry tomorrow!

Was thinking about what should I put into my blog other than T1DM. Probably about my working life as a dietitian? About how I started learning cooking? About how much I enjoy different cuisines of food? About how different cuisines of food causes hyperglycemia? haha!