Get A Stronger You Through Hot Yoga

Get your free yoga sessions here: http://www.realyoga.com.sg/index.php/free-hot-yoga-class-pass

Workshop - Effortless Beauty On The Inside Out

Did you know that Beauty comes from both what you eat and what you put on your face?

Come join us for a delicious lunch where our experts will give you essential tips on what foods to eat to boost your natural beauty as well as how latest scientific discoveries have unlocked youth in skincare.

The session will be interactive too! Two lucky attendees will be chosen to be our model for the live demonstrations of both our facial regime and one useful make up essential to say 'bye bye' to wrinkles and eye bags!

Price is $45 and includes 3-course meal at Equilibrium, Capitol Piazza.




Sign up today at: http://effortless-beauty.peatix.com

Speakers:
Chong Su Lee (Look Good Feel Great Always) is a wellness consultant who is a trained chemist but now helps people get fit and healthy through customised plans.

Natalie Turner (Energise Life)

Quick Weight Loss (Lies)

When I saw this on my Facebook newsfeed the other day, I couldn't help but burst out laughing. It is so true that there are so many people out there who are just looking for that quick-fix or instant weight loss through diet and while it is true that the cathchin in green tea increases metabolism slightly, drinking green tea alone is not going to help you lose your fats.

Sure, there are a few slimming teas out there and the ingredients inside all work somewhat like how the catechin does. However, one cannot forget that if you only drink/eat such foods but don't exercise, it will not change anything. It increases your metabolism by only a minuscule amount.

I don't believe in the "no pain, no gain" mantra either. Exercise does not mean boring yourself on the treadmill or elliptical machine. There are so many other things to do! For example, yoga, pilates, dancing or zumba. Nonetheless, that quote above does have a lesson: in order to lose weight, you've got to put in the effort. Sorry guys, but there's no quick weight loss regime there. If you see any diet programmes that tell you that you ONLY have to eat that pill in order to lose weight, they're all lies. You might be losing precious muscle instead or merely water. Be smart.

10 Amazing Benefits of Chlorophyll

You may have heard a lot of buzz surrounding the healthiness of vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables with deep, rich color tones. In many ways, they’re perfect foods and part of the credit is owed to the chlorophyll they contain. Chlorophyll is a green pigment that’s instrumental in photosynthesis. Research also suggests it’s instrumental in promoting good health. The following 10 benefits demonstrate its amazing versatility and power.

1. Helps Control Hunger and Cravings
A study released in September of 2013 determined that compounds containing chlorophyll might help suppress hunger. Twenty moderately overweight women were given test meals on three separate occasions one week apart — two meals with chlorophyll, one without. They reported reduced hunger following the meals containing the chlorophyll and blood tests showed stable blood sugar levels. ^[1] These results suggest chlorophyll should be considered as an effective way to manage hunger and promote weight loss.

2. Controls Body Odour

Chlorophyll is good for your body from the inside out, literally. This includes body and fecal odours. When tested in a nursing home with 62 patients, one study reported improvements in the odors emanating from the test subjects. In addition to odor reduction, it also alleviated constipation and gas. ^[2]

3. Encourages Healing
The use of chlorophyll to promote the healing process was first reported nearly 100 years ago. One report published by Butler University (in 1950!) discussed its use for improving healing times. ^[3] A more recent study found that, when used as a spray, chlorophyll significantly helped wound therapy. ^[4] The research clearly backs its effectiveness in this area.

4. Promotes Cleansing
Environmental pollutants such as toxic metals can quickly destroy health. Chlorophyll binds with toxic metals to hamper absorption, and research has shown it can do the same with some carcinogens. A crossover study with 4 human volunteers tested chlorophyll’s ability to remove ingested aflatoxin, a known carcinogen. Each volunteer received three servings of the aflatoxin, followed with a meal, the latter two included a tablet of chlorophyll. The results showed rapid elimination with 95% evacuated within 24 hours. ^[5]

5. Protects DNA Against Fried Foods
Fried foods aren’t just bad for your waistline, they also contain chemicals known to damage colon tissue and the DNA of colon cells. In one study, participants who ate fried foods coupled with protective foods, including chlorophyll, were observed to have less DNA damage of colon cells. ^[6] Don’t take that as just cause to go crazy with the fried foods, the best idea is to avoid them altogether.

6. Super Potent Antioxidant Action
Chlorophyll’s status as a superfood is due to its nutritional and potent antioxidant properties. It protects cells from oxidative damage by eliminating free radicals. ^[7] One plant known for its high chlorophyll levels, Conyza triloba, showed very active superoxide scavenging behavior. An in vitro study found it capable of reducing free radicals while reducing cell damage. ^[8]

7. Promising Potential for Cancer Therapy
Although the research doesn’t currently show that chlorophyll is an all out cancer cure, researchers are excited about its potential as a therapy. One study found men with lower levels of dietary chlorophyll had higher risks of colon cancer. ^[9] Another study noted it effective at stimulating liver detoxifying enzymes and may protect against other carcinogens. ^[10]

8. Effective Against Candida albicans
Candida infection is a big problem for many individuals and can lead to fatigue, depression, and digestive problems; just to name a few. Research has shown that isolated chlorophyll solutions stop Candida albicans growth. ^[11]

9. Relieves Systemic Redness and Swelling
Traditional medicine has long used green leaves for infections. With modern approaches that have limited effectiveness and a long list of side effects, natural remedies are getting another look. Animal studies have found that green leaves help to reduce swelling and redness! ^[12]


10. Promotes Healthy Iron Levels
A modified form of chlorophyll known as chlorophyllin may be highly effective for anemia. By swapping iron for magnesium at the center of the molecule, it provides a bioavailable form of iron the body can use. ^[13] While scientists may look for ways to develop patent-able medicines, no one needs to wait to take chlorophyll to gain its benefits.


Chlorophyll: An Excellent Dietary Supplement
Chlorophyll possesses an amazing range of benefits and is readily available to everyone. Chlorophyll rich foods are also healthy in their own right and contain essential vitamins and nutrients needed for cardiovascular, muscular, and neural health. Consume foods containing chlorophyll or take a dietary supplement for best effect. Blue-green algae is one of my favorites. Do you take chlorophyll? What effects have you noticed? 

If you do not consume enough green leafy vegetables in your normal diet, you might want to try Unicity's Chlorophyll powder which can be easily dissolved in drinking water or juices as a simple but effective supplement. 

This article first appeared on http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/10-amazing-benefits-of-chlorophyll/ by Dr Edward Group.

References:

1. Stenblom EL, Montelius C, Östbring K, Håkansson M, Nilsson S, Rehfeld JF, Erlanson-Albertsson C. Supplementation by thylakoids to a high carbohydrate meal decreases feelings of hunger, elevates CCK levels and prevents postprandial hypoglycaemia in overweight women. Appetite. 2013 Sep;68:118-23. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2013.04.022. Epub 2013 Apr 28.
2. Young RW, Beregi JS Jr. Use of chlorophyllin in the care of geriatric patients. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1980 Jan;28(1):46-7.
3. Esten, Mabel M. and Dannin, Albert G. (1950) “Chlorophyll therapy and its relation to pathogenic bacteria.” Butler University Botanical Studies : Vol. 9, Article 21.
4. Weir D, Farley KL. Relative delivery efficiency and convenience of spray and ointment formulations of papain/urea/chlorophyllin enzymatic wound therapies. J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2006 Sep-Oct;33(5):482-90.
5. Jubert C, Mata J, Bench G, Dashwood R, Pereira C, Tracewell W, Turteltaub K, Williams D, Bailey G. Effects of chlorophyll and chlorophyllin on low-dose aflatoxin B(1) pharmacokinetics in human volunteers. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2009 Dec;2(12):1015-22. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-09-0099. Epub 2009 Dec 1.
6. Shaughnessy DT, Gangarosa LM, Schliebe B, Umbach DM, Xu Z, MacIntosh B, Knize MG, Matthews PP, Swank AE, Sandler RS, DeMarini DM, Taylor JA. Inhibition of fried meat-induced colorectal DNA damage and altered systemic genotoxicity in humans by crucifera, chlorophyllin, and yogurt. PLoS One. 2011 Apr 25;6(4):e18707. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0018707.
7. Zhang YL, Guan L, Zhou PH, Mao LJ, Zhao ZM, Li SQ, Xu XX, Cong CC, Zhu MX, Zhao JY. [The protective effect of chlorophyllin against oxidative damage and its mechanism]. Zhonghua Nei Ke Za Zhi. 2012 Jun;51(6):466-70.
8. El-Sayed WM, Hussin WA, Mahmoud AA, AlFredan MA. The Conyza triloba extracts with high chlorophyll content and free radical scavenging activity had anticancer activity in cell lines. Biomed Res Int. 2013;2013:945638. doi: 10.1155/2013/945638. Epub 2013 May 23.
9. Balder HF, Vogel J, Jansen MC, Weijenberg MP, van den Brandt PA, Westenbrink S, van der Meer R, Goldbohm RA. Heme and chlorophyll intake and risk of colorectal cancer in the Netherlands cohort study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Apr;15(4):717-25.
10. Dingley KH, Ubick EA, Chiarappa-Zucca ML, Nowell S, Abel S, Ebeler SE, Mitchell AE, Burns SA, Steinberg FM, Clifford AJ. Effect of dietary constituents with chemopreventive potential on adduct formation of a low dose of the heterocyclic amines PhIP and IQ and phase II hepatic enzymes. Nutr Cancer. 2003;46(2):212-21.
11. Lilian Eiko MAEKAWA, LAMPING Roberta, MARCACCI Sidnei, Marcos Yasunori MAEKAWA, Maria Renata Giazzi NASSRI, Cristiane Yumi Koga-Ito. Antimicrobial activity of chlorophyll-based solution on Candida albicans and Enterococcus faecalis.Revista Sul-brasiliera de Odontologia 01/2007.
12. Subramoniam A, Asha VV, Nair SA, Sasidharan SP, Sureshkumar PK, Rajendran KN, Karunagaran D, Ramalingam K. Chlorophyll revisited: anti-inflammatory activities of chlorophyll a and inhibition of expression of TNF-? gene by the same. Inflammation. 2012 Jun;35(3):959-66. doi: 10.1007/s10753-011-9399-0.
13. Miret S, Tascioglu S, van der Burg M, Frenken L, Klaffke W. In vitro bioavailability of iron from the heme analogue sodium iron chlorophyllin. J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 27;58(2):1327-32. doi: 10.1021/jf903177q.

What's Your Take On Plus Sized Models On The Runway?

I first saw this image on Facebook where my friend shared it with the following comment:

"Not body shaming, but it is NOT ok to be fat. If you have medical issues and became big cuz (sic) of hormonal imbalance etc, then fine. But no, having a very plus sized woman walk the runway doesn't make it ok to be fat, it doesn't make her "real". Since when is keeping urself (sic) fit and trim "unreal"?? Nonsense."

My initial reaction was shock, anger and denial that the model above (Ashley Graham, who is a US size 16) shouldn't be on the runway. Although she's not stick thin like the typical model, I think she's beautiful! Moreover, the comment does seem to be body shaming.

Here the comments from her friends and some of our mutual ones:

I agree with all of them. What Graham has done by coming up with her own range of lingerie for plus sized women and to be the model herself is to show the world that you can be sexy and beautiful at ANY size.

True, we do need to keep ourselves healthy and fit but what the media portrays with stick thin models or only athlete's bodies isn't representative of the world's population. We're all of different sizes and at different stages of our lives.

The initial Facebook post by Explore Talent was based on this article, which you can read here. Interestingly, there's no mention about being 'real'. What Graham has done is to help women to regain confidence and self esteem about their bodies. I honestly do agree that even if you are obese, if you love yourself and your body, you'll start to be more self assured and take steps to be more healthy while not stressing over trying to conform to societal's view of 'sexy' and 'beautiful'.

Well, not everybody thinks that the model is beautiful as we can see from some other comments:

I do have to agree with 1 point, which is that since we're body shaming fat women, we should be body shaming skinny people to be fair too! Haha....just kidding. What I really mean is that there's no single body type that should be socially shamed. What is more important is general health which cannot be really seen from physical appearances although that's how we've been socially trained plus trained by evolution to accept.

As I've mentioned in a previous post, I've met super fit yoga instructors who still have curves/bulges but are able to out-crunch and out-bend you (one of them even instructs body pump so I think she may out-run you too). I've also met skinny people who look like they're the epitome of health but when it came to the annual Physical Training Test in school, they couldn't pull themselves up nor jump far enough to pass. During my stint at Outward Bound, 2 of our instructors couldn't be physically different as night and day. One was stick thin while the other was stocky and tall. But when it came to physical endurance and fitness, both were on par. They could outrun my male classmates who barely finished their National Service and could be considered to be in their prime of health.

To challenge my friend's comment about not "putting up ultra skinny models up on the runway cuz (sic) they bring across bad message to the little girls starving themselves"...if we can put skinny models on the runway, then why can't we put plus sized models? The world doesn't have a single size (I still don't get size 0 by the way...to be, 0 is the absence of a size), we're all made of different shapes and sizes. As someone who has struggled with my weight due to my endometriosis as well as my love for food plus genes that just love fats, I would love to see a runway that celebrates ALL women on the runway. No single size. Put them ALL on the runway. That's "real" because that's reality.

How Not to Put On (too) Much Weight This Season

We humans love to eat and any festival or holiday is a sure good reason to FEAST! Needless to say, that may not bode well for our waistlines. Also, imagine the amount of work that we will have to do come January to shed those extra kilos! I know how it is and here are my top 5 tips for surviving the Christmas bulge:

1. Never fill your plate till it's full

This is a good trick to prevent yourself from eating. Its the same psychology behind eating with a smaller plate. It's all about portioning. This also prevents you from looking like that kiasu and greedy Singaporean who has a mountain of food on your plate. Besides, if you have to walk or move to get a second helping, you're burning that little more calories than having 2 servings worth already in 1 seating.

2. Eat your veggies first

Someone once told me that eating food in the right order is essential in weight maintenance. Others have also told me that it's all because of nutrition and how fruit and vegetables should be consumed first so that the body will digest it first etc.

I'm not going to tell you too much hog wash. Simple fact - vegetables are FULL of fibre. Eating fibre first ensures that you're a little more filled up so that you don't eat so much fatty foods and even if you do eat a lot of fatty foods, the fibre will soak up some of the fats so that it'll pass out from your gut.

Please lay off the salad dressing. I normally go for half the usual or none. If there are roasted or steamed vegetables, I'd go for those.

3. Choose your proteins next

Ham, turkey, roast beef, chicken, roast pork...I think you guys know what to choose (lean and less processed). Reminder to hold off on the gravy as most contain a lot of animal fat (drippings) or butter or cream.

4. Watch where your sugars are coming from

If you're drinking wine, you may want to eat less carbs as alcohol does contain quite a bit of sugar and therefore, calories. However, the wine is probably a better choice than the soft drink.

I normally will try to avoid the staples totally during all the various Christmas parties because with the wine and cakes that are bountiful, I do not wish to get a sugar high and then a sugar crash where one will start craving more of that delicious chocolate log cake.

5. Plan your exercise

Know that you'll be having a party that evening? Schedule a workout in the morning or afternoon or perhaps the day before. Got a whole week full of parties? Party hard means that you've got to do more high intensity workouts then (saves time!). If its a potluck gathering and you know what's on the menu, you can also gauge how long you have to hit the gym. Simple input output of calories here.

Also, studies have shown that someone who walks about 90min the day before will have about 30% less fats in their blood stream the following day. Also, general exercise will improve blood insulin sensitivity, allowing you to not get a crash but a sugar soft landing. Makes you feel less guilty about eating that extra slice of cake too ;)

Now that you are equipped with the top 5 tips on how NOT to put on too much weight during this Christmas season, go forth and feast!!

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Energised by HAACH and StralaYoga

Entrance to StralaYoga's studio

Beauty Week ended on a high with 2 days of the 2 things that Pásshen loves - skincare and fitness!

Alex from HAACH presenting on best pre and post workout routines

We were very thankful to have HAACH speak about best pre and post workout routines to our attendees on both Fri and Sat. Most of us knew about removing make up before we worked out but did you know that if you were going for a swim, you should slap on moisturiser? The chlorine in the pool will severely dry out your skin so it's best to apply a layer of moisturiser before heading into the water.

HAACH brought along their fancy equipment to test the moisture levels of the skin. Thus, one would be able to know whether you're applying the right amount of moisturiser or the right type of moisturiser for your skin type!

Alex from HAACH also introduced their latest and best seller, the Phytopeautic Facial which uses stem cells from a rare type of Swiss apples to help rejuvenate skin cells and diminishing wrinkles as well as age spots which therefore, enables one to look more youthful. Pásshen members are able to book this award winning facial at a bargain for only $50 (usual price is $288)! Click here to book your slot today.

Attendees queuing up to get their skin tested

After learning more about their skin, we went into the yoga session that evening with StralaYoga's ENERGIZE session. Those unfamiliar with Strala were treated to their style of yoga - relaxing with modern music playing in the background.

Su from Strala leading the Fri yoga session

ENERGIZE was really aptly named as all of us broke into a sweat during the hour! For Sat's session, Jo (Director of Strala Singapore) included more advanced poses like handstands to really push and challenge the participants.

Jo supporting one of the students into a handstand

After the yoga session, all the participants were relaxed but also feeling really full of energy and ready to continue for the rest of the day. For those interested to attend yoga at Strala, you'll be glad to know that Pásshen is offering each class at $22! No packages and you only need to book each class one week in advance. To book your class and to see Strala's schedule, visit this page.

Mindful Of Stress Relief And Self Massage

Talking about stress and mindfulness

Day 3 of our Beauty Week was all about dealing with stress and learning how to deal with it. Living in this fast paced rat race, we often deal with stress only when it becomes too much to handle. Tonight's workshop was all about recognising the signs and learning how to deal with it mentally as well as physically.

The workshop kicked off with one of our speakers, Theresa Chin who is a counsellor working with the Health Promotion Board, who talked about mindfulness. What is mindfulness? It was started by a doctor who realised that mindfulness was a good psychological way for patients to deal with pain. However, research soon showed that people who practised mindfulness were also aging a lot slower than their peers! Maybe this is the 'real' fountain of youth!

So how do you practice mindfulness? It is all about mind over body and recognising that you're exhausted or anxious. Once you've recognised that you're stressed to the point of exhaustion, then you need to learn to tell yourself to move from that point and trust that there are loved ones around to support you through this period of stress. Then, of course, you need to do something physical to reduce the stress.

Participants doing breathing exercises

After Theresa, our next speaker, Wing Phua from My Santosh, taught our participants some simple breathing exercises and stretches based on yoga. Wing taught very practical stretches that anyone could do while seated at their office desk. She highlighted that because of the modern lifestyle, our bodies have since adapted to have very tight shoulder muscles that tend to be slightly hunched inwards. To counter this, it is thus very important to stretch it out. Another way to release stress is deep breathing as when we're anxious, we tend to take very short breaths.

The various acu-points according to traditional Chinese medicine

After the yoga stretches, we went into Traditional Chinese Medicine with Dr Kong from Aegle Wellness Clinique. He first introduced us to commonly used acu-points and although there were so many listed on the screen, he taught us only the 10 most important ones!

Dr Kong showing one of the points on our chest

We were led into a self-massage session for the next 30 minutes were we learnt about the different massage techniques - one being tuina. The audience were definitely paying attention and a few were busy taking photos of the screen showing the acupressure points so that they wouldn't forget it the next day.

After Dr Kong's session, the attendees were visibly more relaxed and a couple of them even commented that they were so relaxed that they could sleep on the spot! Looks like the Chinese really do know which spots to press!

Aegle Wellness Clinique is listed on Pásshen and members have more than 10% discount off normal prices for consultation and treatment! You can also read the review about Aegle Wellness Clinique's treatment here.

Bliss Out = Yoga + Live Music = Love!

I'm quite excited to attend Bliss Out which is happening on Sat, 12 Dec! It's going to be Singapore's first mega event combining yoga and music at the wonderful venue of The Meadow, Gardens by The Bay!

I love listening to live performances and if you've been following me you know how yoga has impacted my life in a positive sense so although I'm not as crazy as some of my friends are, I really do enjoy yoga a lot! So...when I heard about Bliss Out and how it has both yoga and a mega concert...my reaction was "where do I sign up?".

The evening will kick off with 2 yoga sessions by renowned festival instructor Sianna Sherman and Official Yoga Studio-Space & Light Yoga. After the yoga sessions will be the PARTY!

It'll be interesting to watch this indie Kiwi electronic band, The Naked And Famous, perform live and of course, I'll be there to support local artiste INCH Chua!

I do know that the tickets seem rather pricey at first:
Yoga + Concert  S$110
Concert only  S$90

But here's the good news. You, my dear faithful readers, can get 10% discount by using my promo code BLISSOUTBLMELISSA! 

To register, visit www.blissout.com.sg and again, don't forget to use my promo code before 12 Dec to get your discount!

2 Weeks Into Customised Health Plan

As mentioned previously, I'm now on a new diet regime where I have to take BiosLife Slim 10 minutes before my 2 heaviest meal. As you can see from the photo above, it's just 1 sachet and 1 shaker cup with 250 ml of water before meals.

The powder smells like orange and it's no wonder that the shake tastes like it. Su Lee, my wellness coach, recommended that I use cold water so that it tastes better.

This is how the concoction looks like after shaking it for about 5 times. Again, I was recommended NOT to shake it too much because over shaking it makes it turn thicker and gloopier, making it harder to drink.

The texture reminded me of phylum husk that has been soaking in liquids. If you've taken meal replacement drinks before, this is really a walk in the park because it is only 250ml of orange flavoured thick drink.

However, unlike meal replacements, Bioslife Slim is not meant to replace what you consume. Instead, it is full of fibre (hence me thinking that it contains phylum husk) and this is what helps to keep you full so that you do not snack in between meals as well as help absorb more fat from your diet.

BiosLife Slim promotes a 4-4-12 eating plan - meaning, 4 hours between breakfast and lunch, another 4 hours between lunch and dinner followed by 12 hours between dinner and breakfast. What I've found to be more practical is 4-5-12. I eat breakfast at 10, get hungry at about 1.30pm then I eat lunch, then I get hungry again at 6.30pm where I eat dinner and then I don't eat again until I wake up the following day.

After the first day of taking BiosLife Slim, I must say that I felt very gassy and was having a flatulence headache. Messaged Su Lee and she said that it's normal because the fibre was reacting to the Probiotics that I was also taking at the same time. My guts were adjusting to a fuller load of fibre too. Hmm...sounds interesting but it was a bit uncomfortable when having company. I also realised that I was drinking a lot more water and helping me hit my 2 litres-a-day goal.

Thank goodness this lightened up after 2 days and everything went back to normal. Well...maybe not quite 'normal' because I did feel lighter! I realised that I was releasing fuller loads into the toilet and the cleansing of the bowels helped me lose about 200g. No wonder Su Lee kept telling me that it is important to do a cleanse/detox and aid the body to get rid of waste.

The downside of this regime is that it was very hard to bring this shaker with me whenever I went out for meals. Bringing the sachets along was definitely not a problem. Also...at a food court, wouldn't it be weird to drink the Bioslife Slim and then wait 5-10 minutes before you can consume the food that you ordered? As such, I must say that keeping to this plan was not that simple.

Solutions:

1. Buy a bottle of mineral water from any stall and pour out some of the water till you get about 250 ml. Pour in the BiosLife Slim and shake. Drink as per usual.
2. Bring along a water bottle so that you can always be able to pour and shake a sachet of BiosLife Slim.
3. Let others buy their food first while you drink the BiosLife Slim. By the time you queue up and buy your good, it'll be just in time.

I'm trying very hard to be disciplined on this. I'll press on!!

Getting A Traditional Chinese Treatment With Modern Western Touch

Nestled in the lush greenery of Rochester Park, Aegle Wellness Clinique is a clinic focusing on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) but the doctors are also well versed in Western Medicine. Their approach is holistic and their specialties are Pain Management as well as Women Issues. The 2 physicians are:

Women Issues, huh. Yup, right up my alley.

I decided to pay them a visit and to talk about endometriosis from a TCM point of view. I was also interested in the idea of how they balanced Eastern and Western medicines together.

You are greeted by a refreshing smell of lemongrass or some sort of aroma and you will also see this shelf of wolf berries and dried flowers next to hot water. Yup, their teas are all natural and freshly brewed!

Jessie, the receptionist was so friendly and sweet that I couldn't help take a photo of her. I think she's so pretty too!

Ok...let me focus. The objective of the visit was about my health. So, I went inside Dr Kong's consultation room, which is pretty typical of any clinic's consultation room. Except that I didn't see any thermometers or tongue depressors on the table. Instead, there was a simple brown cushion for you to place your wrist on so that the doctor is able to read your pulse/qi.

Straight off the bat, I told Dr Kong about my endometriosis as well as my shoulder aches and feet aches. The examination not only involved him reading my pulse but I also had to stick out my tongue for him. TCM believes that the colour of your tongue is also an indication of your health.

Verdict? He said that from the slightly purplish colour of my tongue, my spleen isn't as healthy as it should be. So, as for the day's treatment, it'll be acupuncture plus a shoulder and back massage to relieve some of the tension.

There are 2 therapy rooms next to each other and they remind me of spa treatment rooms! Now...let the treatment begin!

Dr Kong inserting the acupuncture needles into my head

The needles that Aegle Wellness Clinique uses are individually wrapped and sterilised. Thus, you can be assured that the needles used on you are clean!

I had 3 needles painlessly inserted on the top of my head and apparently, these meridian points are quite normal in acupuncture treatments as this would immediately help with one's energy levels. In other words, if you're just fatigued, TCM doctors would stick 'em needles there. Now we know why head massages are so shiok (satisfying and delightful)!

Next came to my stomach area.  This is of course mainly due to my endometriosis. Dr Kong said that when it comes to women issues, it's often due to an unhealthy liver or spleen, which is why those areas are treated when it comes to uterine problems. Interesting, isn't it? Only goes to show how the whole body is connected and very often, you have to treat other parts of your body in order to heal another part.

One needle was particular uncomfortable and I thought that it could mean that it meant something is really wrong with me. However, Dr Kong told me not to think too much about it.

Next came the legs and feet. The needle you see in the photo above? When it went in, I could feel a slight sensation down to my toes and that's when I grasped that this talk of qi and meridian lines through acupuncture was real.

I was then left in the room alone for the next 10 min and it was relaxing, although I consciously told myself to NOT roll around since I had so many needles stuck to me.

When the 10 minutes were up, my porcupine moment ended when Dr Kong started removing each needle and dabbing at each point with an alcohol swab. Ironically, the removal was more 'painful' as I could feel the sting of the alcohol.

Once the needles were all removed, the massage started and it was sooooo good! Now I also know why some people enjoy visiting their sports therapist or chiropractor as the therapeutic massage that Dr Kong gave was in between those two. After the massage, more resting was encouraged and I was in such a blissful state that I promptly closed my eyes and napped for what I thought was 20 minutes but turned out to be only 5! Only goes to show that it's quality of one's sleep/nap that is more important at times. I felt instantly rejuvenated and my shoulders didn't ache that much as well!

The after effects of the treatment has to be just as important as the onsite therapy. I was pleasantly surprised that my period started the next day and I could see clumps of endometrial cells coming out. It's almost like my body was starting to actively get rid of residual endometrial wall so that it doesn't grow beyond. Gives me hope that my condition will be less pervasive! Ok...onto scheduling my next appointment!

Pásshen members will be glad to know that you will be getting discounts for all treatments at Aegle Wellness Clinique (except for medication which is to be paid to the clinic after prescription).

Aegle Wellness Clinique
44 Rochester Park

Consultation Hours:
Weekdays: 9am to 9pm
Sat: 9am to 6pm
Closed on Sunday & Public Holidays.

Please note that all treatments (except for Tuina) requires a 1st consultation.

For price list and to make an appointment, please visit http://www.passhen.com/place/aegle-wellness-clinic.

Aegle Wellness Clinique will be taking part in our Beauty Week on 18 Nov, teaching attendees how to relieve stress through massaging acupressure points! Get your tickets today at $40 (Pásshen members) or at $50 (public) either through logging into Pásshen or through here.

Customised Health Plan To Look Good & Feel Great Always

Due to my endometriosis, I had put on a lot of weight suddenly and it has been a struggle to keep it stable and losing the excess is of course, a lot harder.

Thus, I decided to do something about it and I turned to Su Lee of Look Good, Feel Great Always for a consultation. Su Lee is a trained chemist, working for other industries for 20 years before becoming a wellness coach but because of her chemist background, she studies how food affects the body in a cellular and chemical way.

After an initial meet up, Su Lee asked me to track my food and drink intake (including water) for 3 days in a sheet that she gave to me. After 3 days, I dutifully handed it to her and waited for a couple more days before she could evaluate and meet me for the proper consultation.

Su Lee explaining to me about my diet

So...I was very nervous about the results because although I keep telling myself that I'm eating well (stop thinking that eating well = eating a lot), it's hard to hear what a professional would say about my diet.

Talking about sugar levels and insulin plus fat cells

As expected, my calorie input and output are almost the same. This means that my portioning is good! Personally, I feel that Fitbit has really helped me out on this. However, Su Lee said that I wasn't drinking enough water (oops). What does it mean when you're not drinking enough water? Your body doesn't flush out as much toxins as it should and as a result, it remains in your blood stream until it has the chance to be flushed out and naturally, this taxes your kidneys and liver. Also, I was not eating enough fibre. I do need to load up on fruits and vegetables while continuing to eat meats that are low in fat. Phew! Looks like my tons of research into crafting my diet is paying off! I just need to be a wee bit more conscientious but I told Su Lee that it's really difficult when I'm eating most meals out and breakfast seems to be the only meal that I can control.

Next came out her 'special' weighing machine, which measures not just weight but also skeletal muscle, fat and water in one's body. Reminds me of the machine that I use in my gym!

After taking my weight and comparing what Su Lee's scale churned out against what my gym's machine churned out, the conclusion is that I do have a bit of water retention issue (not drinking enough water) and (duh) I have excess fats.

Since I'm not eating excessively and I do know what I'm eating, I just need a bit of help and so, Su Lee recommended the following:

I got a box which contains 60 packets and will last me for 30 days if I faithfully take 2 packets a day. In addition to this, Su Lee also suggested that I take probiotics to help replace the bad bacteria in my intestines with good ones because this will aid digestion and the body's natural detoxification process.

What I liked about this probiotics is that it tastes like berries while containing the same amount of probiotics when compared to those pills that your doctor prescribes to you after you've had a bout of diarrhoea. Moreover, it contains a lot less sugar than most probiotic drinks out there. If you're lactose intolerant, this is a much better substitute to yoghurt.

I will be blogging about my journey on this new diet regime so please stay tuned for updates! If you'd like to start on the same plan (it's all natural so there's no adverse effects), you can purchase the items accordingly:

Full Set (Bios Life Slim + Shaker + Probionic) S$178

Bios Life Slim + Shaker S$140

Probiotic $43

Please note that all prices are before shipping and GST.

If you would like to book a consultation with Su Lee, her consultation charges are as follows:
1 month - $200
3 months - $400

The consultancy includes an initial meet up, 1 hour face-to-face analysis and recommendation for diet and exercise as well as follow up.