What’s Making You Fat?

Hey guys

Here are some factors that contribute to low-income obesity:

• Healthy food costs more
• Low-cost starchy foods are easy to get, store and afford and they are usually more filling than whole grains, fruits and veggies
• Exercise requires time and money — gym membership can be a costly luxury for a person on a budget
• Low-income areas have fewer safe recreation areas and places for organized fitness
• Eating well takes planning
• Working moms may not have the time to come up with healthy meal plans or prepare complex recipes

Although many of the items listed above are beyond our control, I can help you with easy and affordable recipes that you can prepare on your own. By changing your diet, you’ll be able to change your metabolism. That way, you can maintain a regular diet. Eating more food one day and less the next can slow your metabolism down, so keeping regular meal times will help.

If you have any further questions or need help with recipes, give me a call or drop me an email. I’ll be more than glad to help.

Love you guys

AlejandroQ.

For the Tired Traveler

Hey guys

The travels in Singapore have finally come to an end. What better way then than to stop by Wan Yang Foot Reflexology.

Foot reflexology is a natural health method practiced by the ancient Chinese. Reflex zones (nerve endings) in the feet are massaged or stimulated to normalize the function of the body's internal organs. Each organ or part of the body is represented on the feet.

By applying acupressure – acupuncture without needles – to the feet, the reflexologist is able to improve a body's blood circulation and cleanse it of toxins. It has been reported that foot reflexology has treated a wide range of ailments, from hiccups to heart and liver trouble. The reflexologist is also often able to diagnose minor health troubles and provide useful remedies. If all you suffer from are tired feet, this is one therapy that you definitely should try. You will not be sorry.

Alas, this is the last article from the Far East. Thank you very much for following the travels around this little island country. It is time to head back to the Big Apple.

Thanks again for stopping by.

AlejandroQ.

Some Old, Some New and a Pinch of Modern

Hey guys

Singapore may be a young nation but it has a little old, a little new and a sprinkling of modern within it's tiny mass.

Opened in 1887, the Raffles Hotel was named after the founder of modern Singapore, Sir Stamford Raffles. Over the years, it has provided rest to visiting celebrities, writers and royalty. Within its neo-Renaissance architecture and grand spaces, walked people such as Charlie Chaplin, Jean Harlow, Elizabeth Taylor and Ava Gardner. It is also the place where the last tiger was killed and the Singapore Sling concocted. Pretty Polly, which starred Trevor Howard and Hayley Mills, was filmed here.

Away from fame and fortune are the various open-air food stalls. These are traditionally where the locals gather for their meals. Cheap eats of flavorful dishes can be had at almost any time of day or night. If you ever come by, you must try the cuisine that includes dishes from the main ethnic groups: Chinese, Malay and Indian. There is also food from most other parts of the world, making this place a definite gastronomical paradise.

Finally, sprinkled around the country are touches of modernness. Everywhere you go, you will see them. In the architecture, in the transit system and even in the accessories carried around by the man on the street.

It's really interesting to see this mixture of periods that is juxtaposed with the various cultural and religious influences — all on one small island.

AlejandroQ.

The Other Football

Hey guys

In many other parts of the world, there exists another football. Soccer is what they call it here. And now is the biggest event for "soccerphiles", the 2006 FIFA World Cup held in Germany.

In Singapore, soccer is a national sport and favorite past time. It is played in schools from elementary through college. Many adults still play informal matches regularly even years after leaving school. It fosters camaraderie among the locals and is a wonderful way of keeping fit and healthy.

Played outdoors, it requires and builds good cardiovascular endurance. In addition, it develops good coordination between eye and body. With the climate here, a full match can easily leave you dripping with sweat...and feeling very good especially if your team wins.

As the World Cup progresses on, I'm sure you will find more than a few sleepy eyes in your workplace. All the best to all the teams!

AlejandroQ

Fruit Royalty

Hey guys

Did you know that even in the realm of fruits, they have royalty? In South East Asia, the King and Queen of Fruits are the Durian and Mangosteen respectively.

British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace described the durian's flavor as "A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy." However, most people find the odor simply pungent.

So strong is the smell that many places prohibit even the carrying of the fruit within their facilities as this sign taken from the underground transit system shows. Still, this fruit inspires and has even influenced the local architecture. A good example of this is the Esplanade Arts Center.

While the durian is considered "heaty" – the warming property of the "yang" in yin-yang and the male force – the mangosteen is the "yin" and opposite female force that "cools". Unlike her king, the mangosteen's flesh is white and sweet, as royalty should be.

If you should ever come across these fruity nobility, stop and give them a try. I think you will be wonderfully surprised.

AlejandroQ

Cardio Shopping, Singapore Style

Hey guys

For those of you who love shopping but are not motivated enough to workout, here's something you can try — Cardio Shopping! It is shopping but with a twist — you maintain a relatively brisk pace as you shop around town. It can actually be quite intense depending on how much ground you cover (distance) and what you actually buy (weight).

In Singapore, there is an annual event known as The Great Singapore Sale. Usually around summertime, it involves many of the shops and malls around the city. They range from the small boutiques to the high-end brands. Lasting about 2 months, The Great Singapore Sale attracts travelers from around the region.

Many of the stores are located in the main shopping district of Orchard Road. Brisking walking along this street, up the many escalators and down the underpasses and in and out stores can really raise your heart beat. Add on to that the relatively high temperature and humidity and you have for yourself one pretty decent workout.

So with Cardio Shopping, you can not only enjoy a great workout but even possibly a full day's worth too! Try it and I'm sure you'll be motivated to work out the next time!

AlejandroQ

Nonya Kueh

Hey guys

A favorite snack in Singapore is the Nonya Kueh – a Straits Chinese cake. It is made typically from an assortment of flavorful ingredients including coconut milk, sweet potatoes, tapioca, palm sugar and pandan (Screwpine). While those serve as flavoring, the base ingredient is usually a carb – rice flour, glutinous rice flour, tapioca flour or green bean flour.

Colorful in appearance with strong aromatic scents, these cakes are often served as treats on festive occasions and are perfect with tea. They can also be eaten at any time and are both sweet and savory. For the health conscious, like us, there are even the steamed varieties.

Being high-energy foods, they can boost energy intake between meals. With serving sizes that are small, they will do little damage to your diet if not eaten excessively.

Goodbye Oreos, hello Kueh!

AlejandroQ.