How much exercise is enough? | BH fitness treadmill review

As an general physician,  I often tell my patients to exercise because most of them are sedentary and obese.  But how much is enough? What should be done? I do think a correct exercise prescription is essential in helping patient to achieve fitness.

This is a great mnemonic that sums up all the components of an exercise prescription- FITT.

Frequency- at least 3 times a week
Intensity- moderate or greater
Time- 30 minutes or longer
Type- aerobic/endurance, strength/resistance, mobility/stretching, warm up and cool down

Moderate intensity exercise means the person is too winded to sing, but not so winded they cannot talk which will be considered as vigorous exercise. Warming up prepares the body for more vigorous activity whereas cooling down tunes the body down to avoid low blood pressure and fainting after exercise.

Good exercise equipments are also an important part of a sustainable and comprehensive exercise program. If one cannot commit to a gym membership to gain access to a variety of equipments and possibly a personal trainer,  it maybe worthwhile investing in a good piece that can allow most types of exercise to be done.

BH Fitness is a Spanish based multinational company that has been around for about a century now.  It produces high quality user focused sports equipment both home and commercial settings. It can be found in over 65 countries worldwide. Malaysia is honoured to be part of the BH family.

BH Fitness Malaysia Sdn Bhd

23, Jalan PJS 11/1, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor
03-5621 0516
https://g.co/kgs/b9PEZC
Official website
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I have recently tried their BT6380 Vector Treadmill and these are the plus points that I have found.

BT6380 Vector Treadmill

The treadmill comes with 12 preset programs that tailors to the need to achieve FITT as I just described for an average adult by changing the speed,  incline and duration. It also starts by warming up at a slow pacing speed and similarly cool down slowly after the workup. Older adults and those with medical issues such as coronary heart disease and arthritis modifications should be done as per the same FITT principle.

The design also provides plenty of space to place 2 big water bottles at least 1L capacity each, an iPad rack and 2 holding racks to place other items such as towels.  So I don't have to pause my exercise just to grab these few essential items.

The other cool setting is the Eco mode. With the recent price hike in the electricity bill,  most household bills have at least doubled.  The Eco mode can at least save 30% electricity compared to the normal mode but it doesn't compromise the functionality of the treadmill.

When one gets this machine online, the treadmill will get delivered by an delivery service.  It's fairly lightweight and easy to set up. It only takes about 90 seconds from unfolding,  locking the tubes and console. Then one can start running! I can fold the treadmill up to free up some space after running effortlessly.

Instead of having the treadmill occupying a big space at home,  the BT6380 Vector Treadmill has a hydraulic mechanism that allows it to be lifted and partially folded to save space as well.

Watch my short YouTube video here about the BT6380 Vector Treadmill.

If you are still wondering how to start exercising,  talk to your healthcare professional or any BH Fitness personnel today! It's never too late to regain fitness and health by exercising.  Investing in good quality and durable fitness equipment is always a great headstart. Don't forget losing a mere 5kg can help to lower systolic blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels.

Is Taiwanese milk tea bad for you? | Who's Tea Malacca Review

Bubble tea is an all time favorite beverage in Asian countries,  first founded by the Taiwanese.  However,  a cup contains a huge amount of sugar and trans-fat,  not to mention the artificial coloring and flavouring used.  Even though it's called tea,  many are not made with real tea leaves.  Therefore,  the amount of calories add on to medical problems like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. That's why worldofbuzz recently written about the downside of consuming bubble tea. However, are all Taiwanese milk tea the devil?  Definitely not!

This is precisely why Who's Tea was founded in Taiwan since 2011. Besides Malaysia,  Who's Tea also has franchise in China, Cambodia,  South Korea,  the United States, Japan and Thailand. Literally translating to Bearded Tea,  Who's Tea is topped with special foam that leaves a cute little moustache above the upper lip.

Malacca luckily owns the first branch of Who's Tea in Malaysia. It's introduced by Pro Specialist Advisory (International) Sdn Bhd which officially launched on March 27, 2019.

Who's Tea 鬍子茶
Location: No.8, KLJ 9, Taman Kota Laksamana Jaya, 75200 Malacca City.
Opening hours: 11a.m. to 1 a.m.

Phone: +606-288-4911
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Who's Tea uses real tea leaves originated from Taiwan in all its beverages.  These are high quality Black tea, Green tea, Oolong tea and Tie Guan Yin. One variety is uniquely brewed from Taiwan's famous Highland Tea. Of course, real tea has so much more health benefits like what I wrote in my previous post.

No artificial coloring or flavouring is used.  Fresh milk or yoghurt drink is then added to complete the unique taste. Who's Tea is sweetened by molasses from sugar cane which gives it a milder sweetness and harmonizes the flavour of the tea.

Tea lovers be prepared to savour various tea choices with nice twists or fusion flavours. There are many tea series in the menu to choose from.

The black Who’s Series is the most popular beverage.  It features the signature Chocolate Milk Foam and Oreo cookies toppings. One needs to sip the drink at a 45 degrees angle to fully enjoy the lightness of the foam with the smooth chocolatey taste which leaves a fragrant tea aftertaste. It requires practice to drink it perfectly and I obviously failed in my first attempt on my IG story :p

We tried three varieties of Who's Tea fresh fruit series.  The fresh bowl of grapefruit had a really citrusy flavor.  And each sip of the drink contained some pulp and peel. It tasted similar to the Korean honey citron tea. The fresh authentic fruit tea also contained pieces of thinly sliced fruits but the strongest taste came from the lemons. The other popular choice was fresh red dragon fruit which went so well with the yoghurt drink base.

The other series are:
• White Who’s Series (Rose Salt Foam)
• Cheese Who’s Series (Cheese Milk Foam)
• Tasty Tea Series
• Fresh Milk Tea Series
• Vinegar Series
• Bubble Tea Series

Besides tea, there are also some finger food options like the black Panini series,  fried sweet potato,  fried popcorn chicken and fried potato chips.

The charcoal bread used in the Panini is sourced locally, fermented and hand made.  It's soft and fragrant. There's so much ingredient in the panini that makes it filling. I loved how runny the yolk of the omega egg. There's a surprise element as I bit through the layers of stringy melted cheese,  tomato slices and lettuce. I couldn't believe how well strawberry jam matched the savoury taste!

Popcorn chicken is also well marinated with crispy tempura batter and tender juicy meat. There's no need to add sauce to the chicken because the flavour is already well balanced with the five spice powder used.

Our verdict is 8/10! Menu out of the ordinary, mid-range prices, great food quality and taste,  not to forget their excellent service.

#WhoeverComesStays
#WhosTeaMalaysia
#馬來西亞鬍子茶

The making of Encore Malacca | performing arts theatre review

Malacca is well known globally as a historic city and a UNESCO world heritage site. But what's so great about it? As a Malaysian, I'll proudly swear by Malacca's awesome food choices as per misstamchiak.com and many instaworthy historic sites like the A Famosa fort ruins, St Paul's church, Stadthuys and Christchurch. But where can we find a way to truly experience Malacca's multiracial culture and unique Baba and Nyonya heritage? It's none other than Encore Melaka!

Encore Melaka is a unique performing arts theatre built on reclaimed lands by the straits of Malacca.  So don't be surprised if Waze directs you to drive into the sea!

Encore Melaka

No. 3 Jalan KSB – Impression 8 Impression City, Kota Syahbandar, 75200, Melaka
06-270 7777
https://g.co/kgs/5JpM5h
Official website 

There are currently two shows running daily.  I highly recommend the 5.30pm show because it's just the right time to enjoy an awesome sunset view by the beach by the time the show ends.

The attractive LED lighting in the evening also makes Encore Melaka such a beautiful landmark in Malacca.

The brief synopsis about the show- the audience was brought back in time to witness how Malacca was first ruled by Parameswara which then became a melting pot of culture with interracial marriage and Baba Nyonya heritage.  Because of its strategic location as an international commercial port, many settlers from China, India and Portuguese have come for business.  But some eventually
stayed behind, started a family and integrated their culture and religion into the local community until today.

But today our focus will be about the intriguing technology and planning that brings Encore Melaka to life.  Encore Melaka is part of the Impression and Encore series,  a brainchild of Chinese leading directors Zhang Yi Mou , Wang Chao Ge and Fan Yue. These are huge names in the  global movie industry.  A total of 5 Impression Wonders has been created, harnessing the power of live performances in natural settings.  I have personally been to Impression Liusanjie in Guilin China and felt so inspired by the performance.  Not only that the opening and closing gala of the 2008 Beijing Olympics was also produced by the Impression Wonder Group.

Look at how ordinary the stage looked before the show started. There were 4 thin circular tracks on the ground. Little did we know how important these were until we finished the show.

The entrance doubled as the stage. It's 360 degrees rotation with multiple layers and levels. That's why the doors have to close on time. During the show,  one could appreciate faint throttling sounds as the various stages rotated through the front stage.

The drum performance was definitely a very well coordinated and impactful part that managed to deliver the message of how big a group the Chinese settlers were.  The LCD background was semi transparent at times,  making the visual representation of them braving the waves and arriving at Malacca by sea.

The LCD projector managed to enliven the performance even more.  It acted as a great way to compartmentalize the show- in one go there can be multiple mini stages rotating through the main front stage, each featuring a distinctly different scene.

For example,  the background was either black or in a patterned background such as a classic Baba Nyonya living room setting.  Each of the mini stages were at different levels featuring various traditions in Baba Nyonya families like traditional wedding,  dances and  tailoring traditional clothes.

One of the highlights of the Encore Melaka show was the dance in water.  The dancers,  clad in flowy costumes,  danced to depict abstract concepts such as ruin, peace, death and the birth of the multiracial new generation in a wartorn environment.  Coupled with colorful stage lights and most,  it made the performance complex yet attractive .

What's more. Every visitor gets to take photo with the performers free of charge! We love their traditional costumes.

Even if you are not really that much into the show (which is a great shame! Because for someone like me who is not that art and history inclined,  I thoroughly enjoyed Encore Melaka's performance), there are so many instagrammable spots around the theatre. It's just like visiting famous Sydney's Opera House. Encore Melaka has an unobstructed  view of the Straits of Malacca. And it's a perfect spot for sunset.

Encore Melaka is definitely a great showcase of the Malacca culture and spirit.  Make it one of your top to visit list in Malacca! For the whole July,  grab discounted tickets at Encore Melaka! 

Natural and multifunctional skincare products | D'RAN wonder series review

Working for long hours with many meetings and backlogged administrative work create much stress and sleep deprivation for me in the past month. Not to mention my two cute boys who consistently wake up before 7am. These spell recipe for a skin disaster-- dull complexion, blocked pores, blemishes, dark circles, eye bags and a puffy unrefreshed face. What the others in the healthcare line will amicably call it as a post call face. The hot and humid weather speed up your aging process even faster unfortunately.

Therefore I'm genuinely excited to unbox these D'RAN Korean skincare products! All I want is good skin without much makeup on. That's why I only use and introduce you all to quality products!

D'RAN Korean skincare products do not contain mineral oil, paraben and alcohol which are common additives in skincare products. These may cause allergy or dehydrate the skin. For vegans and animal lovers, be reassured that D'RAN products are cruelty free, ie not tested using animals.

 

D'RAN Korean skincare has introduced the wonder series to tackle skin problems like mine. It aims to protect our skin from losing moisture and maintain oil balance, thus halting the skin ageing process. The 4 main functions of this series are: quenching dry skin, maintaining firm skin, brightening the skin and protecting the skin. Let me bring you through the 3 products I have been using lately.

D'RAN wonder hydrating cleanser

This foam cleanser lathers easily and cleanse the skin from impurities effectively yet is not harsh or irritant to the skin. Moreover, it helps to maintain moisture and pH balance of our skin. It's suitable for daily use twice a day.

The active ingredients are

-Argan Oil is rich in polyphenol, vitamin E and Omega 3&6. These are potent antioxidants and soothes irritated skin.

-Jojoba seed oil is similar to the structure of sebum produced by our skin in order to lock your moisture and prevent water loss from the skin.

-Macademia nut oil is well absorbed by the skin aka the vanishing oil. Containing palmitoleic acid, it restores the skin by maintaining elasticity.

D'RAN hydrating mineral mist

This facial mist can double as toner. The spraying action allows the active ingredients and moisture to penetrate into the skin. It's a great product in hot tropical weather like Malaysia because it also has a cooling effect. What's even better is that it can also be easily used on a face with full makeup on without destroying the look.

D'RAN hydrating mineral mist is made from:

-Alaska glacial milk is rich in natural minerals which also provides great hydrating effect to quench thirsty skin and keeps the skin radiant

- Hydrolyzed marine collagen is an important skin component to maintain elasticity. If you want to know more about the benefits of collagen in skincare products read my previous post.

How to use?

-For first use, keep pumping until the first spray was delivered.
-Aim the mist about arm's length.
-Spray it onto the face.
-Repeat as frequently as needed when the skin feels dry.

D'RAN wonder snail treatment cream

After cleansing and toning, it's time to moisturise and pamper you skin with this awesome treatment cream! It also functions similarly to a sleeping mask. D'RAN wonder snail treatment cream has anti wrinkle and skin whitening effect. It helps to fade scar, enhance skin barrier, restore radiance and moisture by the means of antioxidant effects.

The active ingredients include

- Snail Secretion Filtrate, although sounds yucky, is actually a great skin food containing hyaluronic acid, glycoprotein, proteoglycans, antimicrobial and copper peptides. This interesting article talks all about the use of snail in beauty.

-Silkworm Cocoon Extract is taken from silk fibre threads which contains sericin that is a great moisturiser as well as exfoliator.

How to use?

Apply and lightly pat the cream onto the skin at least every night before sleep.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I always advocate the use of natural and plant based ingredients in my skincare regime. Therefore, D'RAN Korean skincare totally fits the bill. These are called phytonutrients and have so many beneficial effects that I have recently talked about in this post.

Furthermore, D'RAN products are multifunctional. Perfect for those with a hectic lifestyle who needs a good and simple skincare regime. I just need these 3 products to get through my day, perhaps just to add on a sunscreen as the last step before I head to work.

This is a short YouTube video of me trying out the D'RAN products. There's a reason why I don't like wearing my glasses. Look at the difference in the video! I look so much more matured and aged in my specs.

Want to give D'RAN Korean skincare a try? Head on to their Malaysian websites now.
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Eversoft multicorrective replumping serum | Home Tester Club Review

I grew up with Eversoft avocado facial cleanser. It's a time when life was a little bit more difficult and I wasn't financially independent. Eversoft was such a household name. The cleanser was both cheap and effective. Since then, Eversoft has introduced so many other products. And today I want to introduce you all to Eversoft multicorrective replumping serum.

Eversoft multicorrective replumping serum is part of the Skinz Timeless Youth series. It harnesses the power of phytonutrients using Japanese technology. The other products in this series include cleanser, toning lotion, day defense SPF30 PA++ and night solution.

The active ingredients in this serum are

- Wakame extract which fades fine lines and make wrinkles less visible because it's enriched with plant based collagen

- Ume or Japanese apricot extract which helps to maintain skin radiance and avoids dull/sallow complexion. This is called anti-glycation. 

- Rosehip oil which reinforces the function of skin as barrier and helps to lock moisture in the skin by the virtue of vitamin A and essential fatty acids.

Eversoft products are also cruelty free- no animal testing. They are suitable for sensitive skin as they don't contain paraben, alcohol, artificial colour or fragrance, phthalates and mineral oil.

How to use?

Best effect is of course when one uses all the products in the Skinz Timeless Youth series.

Step 1- cleanse
Step 2- tone
Step 3-serum
Step 4- moisturise

Eversoft multicorrective replumping serum could be applied over the eyes and face once or twice a day during step 3. A single pump is enough for each application. 

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I love how I don't have to get a separate serum for my eyes because Eversoft multicorrective replumping serum can be used for eyes as well. It's light weight and doesn't burden the skin too much. The natural apricot smell is also relaxing.

Interested? Eversoft multicorrective replumping serum is available in most pharmacies/supermarket.

Eversoft website

The benefits of drinking tea | T3aLong review

Tea has been regarded in centuries as a healthy beverage. It's therefore, not surprising that many research has been done about the benefits of drinking tea. Freshly brewed tea, for one, doesn't have any downsides-- not much caffeine and no calorie or sugar. A lot of brews are considered as tea including certain fruits/flowers infused drinks. However, purists only consider green, black and white tea.

How do we differentiate the types of tea?

Green tea is made with steamed tea leaves and has a high concentration of antioxidants called flavonoids in which ECGC is the most potent. This has been linked with anti-cancerous properties, the ability to burn fat and reduce risk of dementia. Black tea, from fermented tea leaves, has the highest caffeine but is great for flavoured teas and instant teas. It has been shown to protect lung damage due to cigarette smoking. White tea is not processed (not cured nor fermented). Theoretically, this will lead to the highest concentration of anti-oxidants.

The caveat being we are still not sure how much tea do we need to drink to get the touted benefit. But it's better than none. Read more about the benefits of drinking tea at WebMD.

However, not all teas are good. In fact, the FDA has issued warning for certain herbal teas which may potentially lead to bowel problems, liver and kidney damage, even death. Read the labels and make sure your tea doesn't contain the following ingredients such as senna, aloe, buckthorn, comfrey, ephedra, willow bark, germander, lobelia and chaparral.

This is particularly why I only drink good quality teas. T3aLong hails from Singapore and relentlessly source the best tea from China. This is the place of origin for Chinese teas because the climate and geographical location is suitable for tea growing. The finest and purest leaves are obtained in a pollution free area at a high altitude near 1600meters at an average temperature of 10-18 degrees Celsius with average annual rainfall of 2000mm (The exact location remains a secret).

The tea leaves go through these following process- plucking, withering, tossing, oxidization, fixing, rolling, drying and finally roasting. How does one quickly know that T3aLong tea is of high quality? Only leaves are used in their Nanyang Savour Tea (not powder which is usually of the leftover after processing and is used in tea bags). So true tea lovers only buy premium tea leaves such as T3aLong from Singapore.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I am absolutely in love with the flavour of T3aLong Nanyang Savour tea. It's just at the right strength which doesn't affect my sleep even if I have it near bed time. In fact, it helps me to relax and wind down just before that. The flavour is also balanced with a hint of floral scent, neither bitter nor stale. Even if after I steep the tea for over 10minutes.

The metal packaging makes it easy to store the tea leaves. Comes with a pack of desiccant, this enables me to maintain the freshness of the tea for even longer. Since I don't really drink coffee anymore, tea has also become a good companion when I need a good teatime.

Intrigued and want to try T3aLong? These are the websites. Quote yingzangel when you check out for 10% discounts!

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Popular Hari Raya food | Medical department Open House

Hair Raya is all about eating and open house. At least for me. Our very own medical department had recently held our open house. This means free food! These are the following popular dishes for this Muslim new year available at our open house. This is a month's long celebration.

Rendang chicken

This is a spicy chicken dish in which the chicken pieces are fried before then. The chicken are then slowly cooked with a spice mixture called pemasak (ginger, gal gal, turmeric leave, lemongrass, garlic, shallots, coconut milk and chillies). Rendang chicken goes really well with dahl  vegetable curry (brinjal, long beans, potatoes and carrot), achar (pickles of cucumber, carrot, chili, onions with mustard seeds) and crackers.


Laksa

These springy noodles go great with the spicy fish based broth and julienned cucumber, onion, lettuce and hard boiled eggs. It has a slightly sour and spicy flavour but the fish is not overpoweringly strong in flavour.

Nasi Dagang

This is a popular rice dish in the East Coast. Rice cooked in coconut milk that goes so well with a chunk of fish curry, pickled cucumber and carrots.

Soto noodles

Noodles or vermicelli (boiled or deep fried) in clear herbal broth (made from lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, black peppercorns, Thai basil, coriander and cumin seeds) that goes well with chicken breast strips and potato begedil (deep fried minced beef with potatoes).

Satay

This needs no additional description. An absolute crowd pleaser, skewers of grilled chicken pieces marinated in turmeric with peanut sauce, cucumber, onions and nasi impit (rice cubes).

Cendol

Cendol is also a well known dessert consists of green rice flour jelly, coconut milk and palm sugar syrup. Mixed with shaved ice, it's the perfect way to chase away heat.

Fruit rojak

Rojak basically means a mixture of many fruits such as mangoes, sengkuang, pineapple, cucumber in a spicy paste (made with shrimp paste, palm sugar, ground chili pepper and peanuts) which gives it a tangy flavour.

Raya cookies and cakes

A delicious selection of pineapple tarts, cakes, red velvet cookies, semperit and almond London.

Of course, we have to take lots of photos at the booth for memory keepsakes. So if you want to organize an open house, consider all the above dishes!