Clean up your act, Uncle.......

I used to love hanging out at this particular Malay stall selling all sorts of local fare. The owners are good cooks and normally do catering for big shots such as the "menteri-menteri" during the Majlis berbuka puasa, Hari Raya Haji and other Muslim celebrations linked to the Government.

They started a humble stall selling Nasi lemak and 'kueh-mueh' by the roadside till opening their own restaurants (1 in Bandar Menjalara and I think another branch at Sri Hartamas). I've also been to their functions for a wedding ceremony where my husband likes to saviour their Ayam masak merak and Sayur londeh...

Hey, I have nothing against them but i think at the rate they are going now, they may need to close shop very soon. The recent visit to their joint in Menjalara was disastrous. The whole place was teeming with not customers, but cockroaches! I was disgusted to see baby roaches running hilter-skilter across a dish of fried eggs (pity those who are eating that later). Yuck!

Not only that, they also have the flying variety (those which tend to fly clumsily and always seem to be aiming for you!) all around the restaurant. The lady boss did not even show any sign of concern and blatantly placed an insect aerosol on top of the cash register! Wa lau.........

I lost my appetite there and then and vouch not to go back ever again or at least till they tidy up the place! The owner even came to us and told us his staff are busy preparing for a function at a local TV station for the upcoming event where some menteris will be coming to officiate the whole thingy.......good luck to those attending the event. As for me, i am heading straight home to 'fortify' my gut with some friendly bacteria. Boy, I am going to need a billion dose and hopefully i am spared from the runs.............

Food poisoning is on the rise and though many people treated it lightly, it can be detrimental to children, the elderly and the pregnant ladies. Visits to the doctors for food poisoning is on the rise and unless we boycott or take actions against these dirty eateries by highlighting to higher authority, i am afraid, we would just have to embrace this irresponsible act as part and parcel of life.........'sigh'

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/Metro/GH12Ak01.html

Yes boss Sorry boss = die faster

According to a study conducted by the Stress Research Institute of Stockholm University, employed men who bottled up their anger for being unfairly treated at work, are 5X more likely to suffer from heart attack (and die from it).

"Thou shall not 'eat dead cat' (sek sei mau in chinese)" but instead should stand up for justice....and for the sake of your health. The researchers recommended that being confrontational may actually be better than "letting things pass without saying anything".

Mmmm...i wonder whether the same applies to women?

Common cold vs flu?

The other day one of my colleagues, A was suffering from a common cold. " No lah, this is flu. I am going to see a doctor ...scared H1N1 leh"

My other colleague, B and I were rather amused with her reaction. "You are over-reacting" i said...."Trying to 'siam' from attending meeting later right?"

B and I could see through A's intentions. B whispered into my ear "Yep, i am sure she is faking it......knowing that the meeting would be a draggy one, as always"

Many people actually mistaken a common cold for flu and vice versa. Though both are of viral origin, they are not the same (different strains of virus).

Symptoms of common colds:
1. Runny nose/stuffed nose
2. Scratchy throat/sneezing
3. No fever
4. No joint pains/body aches
5. No diarrhoea/vomiting

You do not need to see a doctor, just up your intake of immune-boosting vitamin C and drink lots of water will do. Generally mild in nature.

Symptoms of flu (short for influenza):
1. Fever
2. Coughs
3. Joint pains/aches
4. A small percentage may suffer from diarrhoea/vomiting
5. Fatigue/malaise

Best to see a doctor to help get rid of the infection and also in this case to rule out H1N1. More serious in nature as flu can kill and cause a pandemic. Influenza is a viral infection and you will not be cured by taking antibiotics. Anti-virals or vaccines may help but generally we rely alot on the body's immune system to fight the virus.

OK to go for that extra burger?

http://health.asiaone.com/Health/Eat%2BRight/Story/A1Story20091117-180427.html

According to this article, the British government recommends that adults' daily calorie intake - currently 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men - could be increased by up to 16 per cent. That's the equivalent of a cheeseburger or two packets of crisps.

Warning! Only if you exercise. You would need to jog at a moderate pace for about an hour to burn the extra burger that you've consumed. It is reported that a third of the British population are overweight. Go figure.......

A person with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 and above is considered overweight. However, I would like to stress that for Asians, the cut-off index is at 23.

Calculate your BMI here
http://www.nutriweb.org.my/bmical.php

When do you know that your pillow is dead?

DIY 1: When do we know it is time to throw that old pillow into the bin?

1. Fold your pillow into half and place a handbag on it. If it springs back, your pillow is doing fine......if it just stays put, it is time to trash it and get a new one.
2. Another way is to stretch out your left arm and lay the pillow across your arm. If it looks like a pair of saddlebag, then it is probably time to replace it.

Caring for your pillow......
3. Doctor says placing the pillow in the freezer for 12 hours will kill dust mites. mmmmm......raising any eyebrows yet? I say airing your pillow under the hot sun for several hours will also do the trick, not to mention that it won't end up smelling like frozen chicken!
4. House dust mite is the number one allergen in Malaysia (allergy-causing bugs), so make sure you change your bed sheet often , say once in two weeks..