This year I’ve been dogged by various health problems, some old, some new.
My Capillaritis came back for no apparent reasons. The funny thing is, the marks are so even on both sides of my legs. But I don’t feel that worried anymore, because I know they well go away. And I just started taking zinc supplement because I read somewhere that if one does not consume a lot of meat and seafood, they lack zinc and as a result they may experience dry skin, eczema, acne etc. My skin in general is very dry, with the exception of my face. Even Eubos shower oil and baby oil don’t seem to have any effect on my fish scale skin. So let’s hope the zinc supplement helps.
The old pain on my lower back and right leg has not recovered fully, even though I can squat and do my yoga poses without any pain now. W recommended me to this chiropractor that uses the activator method, instead of the hi-tech computers and equipment that I was used to. This is relatively primitive. But somehow I was impressed by his diagnosis. Apparently it was my spine that caused my stomach to bloat, right leg to hurt, and occasional headache – to name a few. It’s amazing. And it’s not caused by yoga (aha!) but wrong sitting posture over the years – thanks to the computer. The treatment is really painless (almost) but after the first treatment, I couldn’t sleep at night because my body had reacted to the treatment and the pain was aggravated. Thankfully by the 3rd day the pain was gone and the 2nd treatment was painless. Just hope his treatment is as good as his diagnosis.
I’m tired of all these pains and discomforts, but I think we’ll have to accept the fact that we all age and we just have to bear with the unpleasant changes in our bodies. The only downside to this treatment – I’m forbidden to do any kind of stretching in order for his adjustments to stay – until I’m fully recovered. So I have stopped doing yoga completely and waiting eagerly to see the improvements and recovery, hopefully.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Dream Job
Somehow I wasn’t as excited and exhilarated as I thought I would be when I heard the news that I’d be getting the bakery job that I had been eyeing on. Maybe it’s been dragging on for too long. Maybe the fear of unknown has set in. Maybe I’m too complacent in what I have been doing – nothing that is, haha… but I do welcome the new challenge and hope that I can make a difference, though honestly I don’t know what I have gotten myself into. But I’m being paid to develop a bakery chain, without any capital investment required, ain’t that a dream come true? Another damper to my spirit was I heard someone I don’t like very much has applied for the position to become my boss. *Gulp* Hope it doesn’t come true. We just can’t have it all I guess. I should really be counting my lucky stars that the agony of waiting and hoping is finally ending. Yes, I am indeed blessed! :)
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Sleeping Beauty Cake
It’s my niece’s 5th birthday and she has requested for a Sleeping Beauty Cake. I honestly had no clue how Sleeping Beauty looks like! Googled some pictures and decided that her gown (with long sleeves!) are just too outdated.
So I decided to just stick to the colors and modified the dress a little. And chose a tried-and-tested-and-loved Chocolate Peppermint Butter Cake as the base.
I actually liked the dress because it really accentuated her curves hehe… and I wanted to try my hand on making drapes with fondant.
By the way this was the first time I used ready-made fondant. It was easy to work with. Taste wise – no different, if not better than those that I made from scratch. Of course it’s a lot more expensive, but I only needed half a packet to cover a doll cake. And the amount of time saved… definitely worth it!
This is only my second attempt in making doll cake and sad to say, I don’t think I have improved – the folds on the skirt seemed better/smoother in my first attempt. But design wise I prefer the second attempt.
Sadly, both the cakes turned out to be so dry… the recipes work perfectly well in normal moulds or cupcakes but not in this inverted pyramid mould – I had to bake the cake longer to ensure it’s completely cooked. It is disappointing because the cake looked beautiful but the cake was not something I would eat, personally. I’m quite sure the guests felt the same but was just too polite to tell me.
Shall try another recipe for the base till I get it right. I believe in perfection – my cakes must look AND taste good :)
On another note, thank goodness the red dots have faded from my legs without me making any adjustments to my lifestyle or diet! Please don’t come back again.
So I decided to just stick to the colors and modified the dress a little. And chose a tried-and-tested-and-loved Chocolate Peppermint Butter Cake as the base.
I actually liked the dress because it really accentuated her curves hehe… and I wanted to try my hand on making drapes with fondant.
By the way this was the first time I used ready-made fondant. It was easy to work with. Taste wise – no different, if not better than those that I made from scratch. Of course it’s a lot more expensive, but I only needed half a packet to cover a doll cake. And the amount of time saved… definitely worth it!
This is only my second attempt in making doll cake and sad to say, I don’t think I have improved – the folds on the skirt seemed better/smoother in my first attempt. But design wise I prefer the second attempt.
Sadly, both the cakes turned out to be so dry… the recipes work perfectly well in normal moulds or cupcakes but not in this inverted pyramid mould – I had to bake the cake longer to ensure it’s completely cooked. It is disappointing because the cake looked beautiful but the cake was not something I would eat, personally. I’m quite sure the guests felt the same but was just too polite to tell me.
Shall try another recipe for the base till I get it right. I believe in perfection – my cakes must look AND taste good :)
On another note, thank goodness the red dots have faded from my legs without me making any adjustments to my lifestyle or diet! Please don’t come back again.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Yoga and injury
It’s still a mystery, at least to me, if yoga really causes serious and long term injuries.
Somehow it’s happening to this group of friends, one after another.
We used to hike and speedwalk on steep walking paths every week, for years, when we were younger. We felt very fit then.
They I started yoga, and stopped joining them for the morning walks. I was perfectly fine until I went to the US and walked on an even steeper path in San Francisco Pier 39. Since then my hips and legs were never the same again. They were either in discomfort or pain most of the time, and the condition only improved after suffering for more than one year, after I sought treatment from various doctors and specialists.
2 years back, this same group of friends (3 of them) requested for me to teach them yoga. Of course I was more than happy to take up the offer. We did it once a week, and it stopped after less than one year as I was too occupied to continue teaching, and one of them, W, wanted to take a rest as she didn’t feel very good on her spine. Nothing very advanced or strenuous was taught given the short time.
Another one of them, T, continued with her journey in yoga with an Indian teacher. Few months back I was told that she pulled a muscle on her buttocks and had to stop too. She started to go for various treatments to cure the pain.
W’s back and leg were like mine, constantly in discomfort. She also went for various treatments and the latest being a chiropractor. His diagnosis was, her pelvis was not even and that had caused all the pain. He advised her to walk on flatland until she has fully recovered.
As for T, her pain never really got away and she decided to go for a MRI scan – and she actually has a minor slipped disc!
When W relayed these stories to me, she did mention a few times that our injuries could have been caused by yoga. I was kind of disturbed. And perhaps I sounded defensive too. Because I have never heard that yoga causes slipped disc! Maybe I should have controlled myself, but I thought I was implied as a bad teacher who caused injuries to my students.
My suspicion is, years of walking on steep slopes certainly strained our backs and legs without us knowing, but the effects are all flaring up only at an older age.
How can yoga cause these injuries? W told me the only time she used her pelvis was during yoga. You mean we can easily dislocate our pelvis just by sitting in half lotus pose? Or raising our legs in downward dog? But not to worry, our friendship is not strained.
I must admit that I am kind of discouraged to teach anymore. It is so easy to put the blame on yoga for any injuries – but there is no evidence to prove or disprove it. We can only guess. And of course many traditional doctors that they consulted are against the practice of yoga, for some strange reasons.
I can only conclude that yoga does have different effects on different people. But to say that yoga causes spinal and pelvic injuries, I just find it hard to accept. Can someone enlighten me?
Somehow it’s happening to this group of friends, one after another.
We used to hike and speedwalk on steep walking paths every week, for years, when we were younger. We felt very fit then.
They I started yoga, and stopped joining them for the morning walks. I was perfectly fine until I went to the US and walked on an even steeper path in San Francisco Pier 39. Since then my hips and legs were never the same again. They were either in discomfort or pain most of the time, and the condition only improved after suffering for more than one year, after I sought treatment from various doctors and specialists.
2 years back, this same group of friends (3 of them) requested for me to teach them yoga. Of course I was more than happy to take up the offer. We did it once a week, and it stopped after less than one year as I was too occupied to continue teaching, and one of them, W, wanted to take a rest as she didn’t feel very good on her spine. Nothing very advanced or strenuous was taught given the short time.
Another one of them, T, continued with her journey in yoga with an Indian teacher. Few months back I was told that she pulled a muscle on her buttocks and had to stop too. She started to go for various treatments to cure the pain.
W’s back and leg were like mine, constantly in discomfort. She also went for various treatments and the latest being a chiropractor. His diagnosis was, her pelvis was not even and that had caused all the pain. He advised her to walk on flatland until she has fully recovered.
As for T, her pain never really got away and she decided to go for a MRI scan – and she actually has a minor slipped disc!
When W relayed these stories to me, she did mention a few times that our injuries could have been caused by yoga. I was kind of disturbed. And perhaps I sounded defensive too. Because I have never heard that yoga causes slipped disc! Maybe I should have controlled myself, but I thought I was implied as a bad teacher who caused injuries to my students.
My suspicion is, years of walking on steep slopes certainly strained our backs and legs without us knowing, but the effects are all flaring up only at an older age.
How can yoga cause these injuries? W told me the only time she used her pelvis was during yoga. You mean we can easily dislocate our pelvis just by sitting in half lotus pose? Or raising our legs in downward dog? But not to worry, our friendship is not strained.
I must admit that I am kind of discouraged to teach anymore. It is so easy to put the blame on yoga for any injuries – but there is no evidence to prove or disprove it. We can only guess. And of course many traditional doctors that they consulted are against the practice of yoga, for some strange reasons.
I can only conclude that yoga does have different effects on different people. But to say that yoga causes spinal and pelvic injuries, I just find it hard to accept. Can someone enlighten me?
Friday, April 9, 2010
A happening Q2 2010
Started off Q2 with some "memorable events".
First it's the Capillaritis. It still looks the same. I'm going back to yoga tomorrow -_-.
Our 3-month old 42" Philips Full HD LCD television had a mini explosion after just 5 minutes of viewing - for no apparent reasons! It just went D-E-A-D. It's definitely not overused, we don't even watch TV once a day. Just hope that the warranty covers the damage :(
My lower right molar has been killing me. Went to another dentist to change the filling as there was sharp pain 3 months after I paid a bomb for some white porcelain filling. 3 days after I changed the filling, I started to get even sharper pain - from my right jaw all the way to my right ear. It was just excruciating. Went back to the dentist, was given 2 options - either I go for root canal + crowning, or get it extracted. I chose the latter. The tooth was already cracked and not in good shape. I have gone through enough pain. The process took less than 1 minute and cost me RM20. Damn, I should have done it long ago... though the bleeding for 24 hours is no fun, but the pain is gone!
Got a new cell phone, Nokia E52 for RM800 (have been a laughing stock among my friends for having a very very old Nokia 6110 which served me so well even till now), and on the same day, got my new Honda City after a 6.5-week wait :)
You win some, you lose some. That is life.
First it's the Capillaritis. It still looks the same. I'm going back to yoga tomorrow -_-.
Our 3-month old 42" Philips Full HD LCD television had a mini explosion after just 5 minutes of viewing - for no apparent reasons! It just went D-E-A-D. It's definitely not overused, we don't even watch TV once a day. Just hope that the warranty covers the damage :(
My lower right molar has been killing me. Went to another dentist to change the filling as there was sharp pain 3 months after I paid a bomb for some white porcelain filling. 3 days after I changed the filling, I started to get even sharper pain - from my right jaw all the way to my right ear. It was just excruciating. Went back to the dentist, was given 2 options - either I go for root canal + crowning, or get it extracted. I chose the latter. The tooth was already cracked and not in good shape. I have gone through enough pain. The process took less than 1 minute and cost me RM20. Damn, I should have done it long ago... though the bleeding for 24 hours is no fun, but the pain is gone!
Got a new cell phone, Nokia E52 for RM800 (have been a laughing stock among my friends for having a very very old Nokia 6110 which served me so well even till now), and on the same day, got my new Honda City after a 6.5-week wait :)
You win some, you lose some. That is life.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Should I quit?
After my ligament was fixed, I was happily attending 2-4 yoga classes a week. I felt I was back to my form. I was glad that I could now go back to my routine.
Then 3 weeks back, I noticed some bleeding under my skin on both my legs… and they never subsided. I got worried and went to see a GP. She even took my blood to check on my platelet count, but concluded that my blood was normal. So she referred me to a dermatologist.
Dermatologist concluded that I have Capillaritis - Capillaritis is characterized by leakage of red blood cells from small, superficial blood vessels that results in pinpoint-like hemorrhages (petechiae). Capillaritis is frequently found in patients with long periods of extended standing related to their occupations. A skin hypersensitivity reaction, salicylates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly associated origins of capillaritis, though the precise cause is unclear. Capillaritis is usually a life-long condition, flaring intermittently. (File pic - NOT my legs)
The most common location for capillaritis is the leg, though it may manifest on the trunk and upper extremities. 
This is my fat leg. With DOTS. Multiple DOTS.
The dermatologist asked if I have done anything new, did I walk or stand too long, did I take different supplements. I told her I have not been doing or eating anything new. Just my usual routine of morning walk and yoga. She thought it was hard to believe. She even asked me if there were new poses that I have attempted. Nope.
I have been active in yoga again for 2 months now. But these symptoms only started to show in the last 3 weeks. And I have not been straining my legs – I believe – unless you tell me doing a bound lotus is bursting my capillaries! What a scary thought. But I didn’t feel any discomfort when I went into the pose. What else? I have been doing more arm balances and headstands – doesn’t that relieve the stress on my legs? The usual warrior poses and sun salutations should not be contributing to this. And pilates?? No – we focused on core strength! So what is the problem??
The saddest thing is that – there’s NO CURE. No medication, no lotion. I just have to wait for them to fade, if ever… they are like bruises, according to her. But sometimes there will be permanent “stains” left by the iron in the blood.
I’m so sad. I don’t have beautiful legs to begin with, and now there might be permanent marks on both my fair and smooth legs… how cruel is that…
I’ve decided to take 1 week break from yoga and see if there’s any improvement. Sigh… should I even think of quitting? Just when I thought my body is ready.
And the emptiness I feel at work is slowly eating into me. I have yet to hear any positive response from any party. And I have been gobbling chunks of chocolates – no joke. It has to be a combination of PMS and the frustration at work. How can I breakaway from being an emotional eater?? Yoga was supposed to help me. But now, even yoga is not exactly on my side. SIGH. Why is everything so gloomy this year?? :(
Then 3 weeks back, I noticed some bleeding under my skin on both my legs… and they never subsided. I got worried and went to see a GP. She even took my blood to check on my platelet count, but concluded that my blood was normal. So she referred me to a dermatologist.
Dermatologist concluded that I have Capillaritis - Capillaritis is characterized by leakage of red blood cells from small, superficial blood vessels that results in pinpoint-like hemorrhages (petechiae). Capillaritis is frequently found in patients with long periods of extended standing related to their occupations. A skin hypersensitivity reaction, salicylates and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the most commonly associated origins of capillaritis, though the precise cause is unclear. Capillaritis is usually a life-long condition, flaring intermittently. (File pic - NOT my legs)
The most common location for capillaritis is the leg, though it may manifest on the trunk and upper extremities. 
This is my fat leg. With DOTS. Multiple DOTS.The dermatologist asked if I have done anything new, did I walk or stand too long, did I take different supplements. I told her I have not been doing or eating anything new. Just my usual routine of morning walk and yoga. She thought it was hard to believe. She even asked me if there were new poses that I have attempted. Nope.
I have been active in yoga again for 2 months now. But these symptoms only started to show in the last 3 weeks. And I have not been straining my legs – I believe – unless you tell me doing a bound lotus is bursting my capillaries! What a scary thought. But I didn’t feel any discomfort when I went into the pose. What else? I have been doing more arm balances and headstands – doesn’t that relieve the stress on my legs? The usual warrior poses and sun salutations should not be contributing to this. And pilates?? No – we focused on core strength! So what is the problem??
The saddest thing is that – there’s NO CURE. No medication, no lotion. I just have to wait for them to fade, if ever… they are like bruises, according to her. But sometimes there will be permanent “stains” left by the iron in the blood.
I’m so sad. I don’t have beautiful legs to begin with, and now there might be permanent marks on both my fair and smooth legs… how cruel is that…
I’ve decided to take 1 week break from yoga and see if there’s any improvement. Sigh… should I even think of quitting? Just when I thought my body is ready.
And the emptiness I feel at work is slowly eating into me. I have yet to hear any positive response from any party. And I have been gobbling chunks of chocolates – no joke. It has to be a combination of PMS and the frustration at work. How can I breakaway from being an emotional eater?? Yoga was supposed to help me. But now, even yoga is not exactly on my side. SIGH. Why is everything so gloomy this year?? :(
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Fruit galore
Got some sour strawberries as door gift at a company function. They are just too sour to be eaten on their own. Made a chilled cheesecake with them and somehow the sourness made the cake more appetising.
I didn't realise strawberries have such a beautiful, natural redness - I didn't even have to put any colouring to get the beautiful pink colour.
And it's Thai mango season! Have been wanting to try making this mango mochi since my visit to HK. Oh boy I nearly gave up after making just 2 mochi balls. It's so tough! So sticky and I couldn't even roll them into a nice, smooth ball shape :(
However hubby tried one and fell in love with them, and encouraged me to make more. So, I took this as an opportunity to work on my patience and finished up the dough. And here you go... But I'm still not very satisfied with the appearance. No wonder the recipe called for dessicated coconut - to disguise the imperfections... And how come the commercially produced ones looks so much nicer?
And I bet this is not natural colouring. Though I must say they tasted good.
A new (good) beginning for a new month. Praying hard :)
I didn't realise strawberries have such a beautiful, natural redness - I didn't even have to put any colouring to get the beautiful pink colour.
And it's Thai mango season! Have been wanting to try making this mango mochi since my visit to HK. Oh boy I nearly gave up after making just 2 mochi balls. It's so tough! So sticky and I couldn't even roll them into a nice, smooth ball shape :(
However hubby tried one and fell in love with them, and encouraged me to make more. So, I took this as an opportunity to work on my patience and finished up the dough. And here you go... But I'm still not very satisfied with the appearance. No wonder the recipe called for dessicated coconut - to disguise the imperfections... And how come the commercially produced ones looks so much nicer?
And I bet this is not natural colouring. Though I must say they tasted good.A new (good) beginning for a new month. Praying hard :)
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